Indoor Plants

The key to maintaining healthy plants while you're away is to make sure they have plenty of water. Houseplants should be repotted in containers that retain water. Terra cotta, wood and cement all allow water to evaporate quickly while containers made of plastic, fiberglass, metal or glazed ceramic retain water.

Also, avoid potting plants in dark pots that absorb heat and tend to dry out the soil faster. A light-colored or white pot will reflect heat and keep plants cooler.

Several products can help plants retain moisture over long periods of time.

* Polymers, the small white granules in potting soil, can cut watering frequency in half. Using a pencil, poke several 2-inch deep holes in the soil (make sure the holes are deep enough to reach the roots but not too close to the center stems of the plant). Fill the holes with polymers, cover with soil, and water the plant thoroughly. Polymers can be purchased in garden supply stores by the pound. A one pound bag costs about $15 but lasts several seasons.

* Terra cotta cones can help plants get plenty of water. These nifty devices are cylinders made of terra cotta with a cork ring on top. Push the top of the cone into the mouth of a plastic soda bottle filled with water. Invert the cone and the bottle and place the cone into the soil of your plant. The terra cotta will absorb the water from the bottle and release it slowly into the soil.

* Commercial plant watering wicks can keep plants moist. They look like shoelaces with a plastic knob at one end. Soak the wick in water until saturated. Water the plant thoroughly, place the plastic end of the wick into the soil of the plant and place the other end in a 16 to 32 ounce container filled with clean water, making sure to keep the container at a lower level than the water. The water will slowly diffuse into the soil and keep the plant moist for a week or two. The wicks are available at garden supply stores.

If you have several houseplants that require watering, find a large galvanized tub and line it with heavy plastic. Fill the tub about half way with soil. Water all your houseplants thoroughly and place them, pots and all, into the tub. Cluster the plants together placing the smaller pots, which will dry out faster, in the middle. Fill the remainder of the tub with soil. Cover the top of the soil with a generous layer of peat moss, water the container wel and place the tub near a sunny window. Your plants should be fine without additional watering for about two weeks. You can also try this idea in your kitchen sink or bathtub provided the area gets adequate sunlight.

Quote:Terra cotta, wood and cement all allow water to evaporate quickly while containers made of plastic, fiberglass, metal or glazed ceramic retain water

Oh so thats why my plant was getting old and unhealthy quickly when i had him in the terra cota pot i thought i had more than sufficient water to last.

lol, looks like your poor plant dehydrated thailand-search.

The main cause of death of potted plants is over-watering. Roots need both water and oxygen, and when surrounded by water, they cannot take up oxygen. These roots may rot and eventually the whole plant may die. The symptoms of over-watering and underwatering are similar. Both lead to poor root health, root decline and possibly death of the plant.

A common question from gardeners is "How often should I water my plants?" There is no pat answer to this question. The amount and frequency of watering depends on many factors, such as the plant species, its growth stage, its location, the type and size of its pot, soil mix characteristics and variable weather conditions.

There is a wide range of watering requirements for different species of plants. Plants with large or very thin leaves and those with fine surface roots usually require more frequent watering than succulent plants with fleshy leaves and stems that are able to store water. Some plants thrive under moist conditions while other plants grow well when kept drier.

Plants may slow in growth after a flush of new growth or a heavy flowering. During these periods and while it is dormant, a plant will need less water.

Water evaporates rapidly from the sides of a porous clay pot, which requires more frequent watering than nonporous, glazed or plastic pots. A large plant in a small pot needs water more often than a small plant in a large pot.

Different soil mixes require different watering schedules. Heavy, fine-textured potting media and those that contain a lot of peat moss hold more moisture than loose, porous mixtures of bark, sand and perlite.

A plant in a warm, dry, sunny location needs more frequent watering than one in a cool, low-light environment.

The rule-of-thumb is to water when necessary. The following methods may be used to determine when to water:

* Touch the soil – The most accurate gauge is to water when the potting mixture feels dry to the touch. Stick your finger into the mix up to the first joint; if it is dry at your fingertip it needs water.
* Tap the pot – When the potting mix in a clay pot begins to dry, it shrinks away from the sides of the pot. Rap the side of the pot with the knuckles or a stick. If the sound is dull, the soil is moist; if the sound is hollow, water is needed.
* Estimate weight – As potting mixtures become dry, a definite loss in weight can be observed.
* Judge soil color – Potting mixtures will change from a dark to lighter color as they dry.

There are a number of watering meters available to measure moisture in the soil, indicating whether water is needed. These products vary widely in accuracy. The readings can be influenced by factors other than soil moisture content. Fertilizer and soil type can affect the reading.

When watering is required, water thoroughly. Apply water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot. This washes out the excess salts, and it guarantees that the bottom two-thirds of the pot, which contains most of the roots, receives sufficient water. Don’t let the pot sit in the water that runs out. Empty the saucer.

Do not allow the soil to become excessively dry. If the salt level in the container is high, root damage may occur. If soil does become very dry and hard to rewet, use the double watering method. Water once and then again half an hour later; or place the pot in a sink or a bucket of water. Remove the pot when the soil surface is moist. Allow the pot to drain completely. If peat is allowed to dry completely, not only is it difficult to rewet, it also will not hold as much water as it could hold before it dried.

Do not water with hot or cold water. The water temperature should be between 62 and 72 °F.

Do not water plants with softened water because sodium and chloride will also be added to the soil mix, possibly causing plant damage.

Although wilting is often an indication of the need to water, it is not always so. Any injury to the root system decreases a plant’s ability to take up water, including root rot, which is caused by too much water. This inability to take up water will cause wilting, and under these conditions, watering may make the problem worse.