How do you know if you’re watering your plants enough? Particularly with potted plants, watering can pose an issue. The problem is that signs of over-watering and under-watering are often the same. The leaves of stressed plants will curl, brown or droop in either scenario.

So, how do you know what to do? Get to know your plants!

First, be attentive. Plants require daily monitoring. Check the soil to see if it has dried out. Check down below the surface to see if there is still moisture deep in the soil. Also, inspect under the planter at the drainage holes to see if the roots look wet. If the drainage pan below the pots is continually filled with water, it’s possible you’re watering too much. The roots will rot or suffocate if they’re too wet. Be sure to empty the drain pans whenever they fill up too. If your pots don’t have holes in the bottom, consider replanting to ones that do.

Secondly, do your research. Some plants require more water than others. Cilantro, for example, likes a constant, moist environment, whereas plants like thyme prefer a drier soil.

Thirdly, pay attention to the weather. If it’s hotter, your plants will probably need more water than if it’s rainy and humid. Instead of stubbornly sticking to a set-in-stone watering schedule, you need to accommodate your plants depending on the temperature, wind, and humidity.

If a plant looks stressed and you water it, look for improvement within a day or so. If there’s no improvement, you may be over-watering.

Image: chichacha

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