- EVENLY MOIST. Most plants prefer and depend on even moisture, consistently. No fancy monitors needed, just stick your finger in the soil past your second knuckle. The soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Not too wet, not too dry.
- WATER DEEPLY. You should see water coming from the drainage hole before you stop watering. This deep watering is much more effective than sprinkling a little water on the topsoil frequently because it promotes deep root growth, giving you healthier plants.
- NOT TOO QUICKLY. Or too heavily at once. Pour consistently and slowly. Otherwise, soil and nutrients will splatter out and the water will just run down the outside of the root ball and leave the plant dry. If you do this, you’ll still get drainage, but your plant won’t get any water! If you’re unsure, just check near the root with your finger.
- DON’T LET IT SIT. Drain, drain, drain. Each one of your outdoor containers should have a drainage hole in the bottom. We’ve put all your containers on plant risers; therefore, they should drain automatically through that drainage hole and out onto the ground. When moving containers make sure the containers' drainage hole is not blocked and the plant is up on risers so that air can flow in and the water can drain out of the bottom of the container. We do not recommend placing rocks or container shards in the bottom of the pot. That just raises the water table and can potentially block the drainage hole. If the drainage hole is blocked, the plant roots can no longer receive air, the container will fill up with water and the roots of the plants will rot.
- GIVE ENOUGH, BUT DON’T WATERLOG. Plants don’t know when they’ve had enough water, so they’ll just keep on drinking. This means the roots can become deluged, which means they can’t get enough oxygen. However, make sure the water reaches the roots. If only the upper soil is moistened, it’s doing no good for your plant. Once you see water coming out of the drainage hole, then the water has reached the bottom of the roots and you can stop watering.
- DON’T WATER THE LEAVES. Getting foliage wet just spreads diseases and attracts insects. Water the soil so the roots get the water they need. If you’re trying to clean the leaves, just use a paper towel.
- WATER IN THE MORNING. If you must, you can water in the afternoon, but not at night. Letting your plants sit in water all night prevents is a good way to develop mold, disease and insects. Unless your plant has wilted, it’ll last until morning—water it then. If you water mid-day or when the sun is directly over leaves, water droplets can act as tiny magnifying glasses, burning small holes in the leaves.
- WATCH THE WEATHER. If you have outdoor plants, the weather is a super relevant part of your watering routine, even if the rain can’t reach them directly. If you’re experiencing tons of rainstorms, your plant is too! Likely, you’ll need to water less. If you’re experiencing extremely hot and dry weather, so is your plant. It’ll probably need more water. On the other hand, don’t assume just because you got a little rain that your pots were adequately watered. Leaves can act as umbrellas preventing water saturation. Always check the soil and use the wrung-out sponge rule.
- NOTE YOUR LIGHT. If your plant gets a lot of natural light every day, it might need more water than a plant that doesn’t. Just pay attention to how your plant reacting to its circumstances.
- QUALITY OF THE WATER. Ideally, rainwater is the best way to water your plants. If you have a rain barrel that’s great, if not, tap water is fine but before watering your plants, spray the nozzle for a few seconds to make sure the water isn’t too hot or too cold. In the summer sometimes hoses sit out in the sun and the first water out of the nozzle scalds the plants. In the colder temps the opposite can occur.
The number one reason for plant failure is under watering!