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When
To Water, How Often, And How Much Is Enough
Before we go any further,
go throw your calendar away. OK? Let's proceed with this statement:
"Watering schedules are impossible." Planning to water
at a set time is a bad idea for many reasons. Plants come in different
sizes, different containers, in different soils, and there are different
types. Time of year, temperature, humidity, and a variety of other
factors make each plant's watering needs unique. So how do you know
when to water?
Well, congratulations!
You are the proud owner of a highly complex and sensitive water
tester: Your finger. While there are exceptions (read any tags/packages
that came with your plants/seeds), most plants should be allowed
to moderately dry out between waterings. The potting mixture should
be lighter in weight and color, and should feel dry and crumbly.
If your plant starts to wilt, you've waited too long.
At this point, water
"deeply." By this we mean, if you're top watering, pour
enough into the pot that a little runs out the bottom. You should
have drainage holes and catch basins so that this won't make a mess.
See "Watering Methods" for more details on - you guessed
it! - different watering methods for your plants.
Check out the Watering
section for useful watering tools.
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