A working or living environment is most important now a days as due to pandemic Work from Home is common everywhere. That’s why most of the people want to recreate their surrounding environment which will connect them with nature. So indoor plants are gaining most importance.

Indoor plants absorb Carbon Dioxide and keep Oxygen flowing, they purify the air by removing toxins, help to deter illness, ease tension and lower stress, create a relaxed and happy ambience whilst helping you to ultimately work better through improved concentration, heightened attention, enhanced creativity, increased productivity and enriched overall well-being.

 The air purifying and filtering properties of indoor plants ultimately foster a healthier and happier working and living environment.

To keep such environment we need to take care of the plants which includes selecting proper plant, Suitable container for the plant, watering, nutrient application, providing sunlight, pruning, repotting if necessary..etc.

But given that they were designed to live outside in the ground and in accordance with Mother Nature, if we decide to faster them inside, we have to take care to treat them well. And one of the ways in which we mess up the most is with watering.

In this blog we are going to discuss about “When to water Indoor Plants??”

 Each plant has different watering needs. And not just from species to species, but also depending on a plant’s pot and potting medium, its location in the home, the weather, the season, etc. Watering problems are the leading cause of poor health for houseplants; here’s how to give them what they need.

1. Type of plant – Some plants love wet conditions and others like it dry. Some can tolerate drying out well before a good soaking, where others need steadily moist environment. Check your plant’s water requirements as this will help greatly when assessing whether to water or not.

2. Test soil dryness – Use your index finger and poke it into the potting mix around your plant. With most plants, you should water when the soil feels dry to the touch. You can gently stick your finger (up to the knuckle or so) in the soil to see how dry it is. For water lovers, water when the surface is dry; for succulents and drier plants, water when most of the soil feels dry

3. Monitor the weight of the plant pot –Dry soil is much lighter than wet soil, and the wet soil will be heavier than dry soil. You can lift a potted plant (or carefully tilt or nudge the pot if it’s a big one) to gauge how wet the soil is. If you get a sense for its weight right after you water, you will have a base weight to compare it to as it dries out.

4. Feel the soil through the drainage holes – Use your finger tips to feel the bottom of the potting soil through the drainage holes in the bottom of the plant pot. You will be able to assess the dryness of the soil to help determine whether watering is required.

5. Watch for signs of wilting – Wilting or drooping leaves can often indicate that your plants are suffering from lack of water. Be careful to use this in combination with assessing the soil, as there are other things that can cause wilting, including overwatering or disease. It’s really important to treat the right cause of wilting in your plants, rather than making the problem worse.

6. Use a moisture meter – If you have a tricky plant, or if you just want to be a bit more exact about the process, you could use a moisture meter to assess whether your plants need water. These are inexpensive and reliable, and can make a big difference if you are having problems.

The golden rules of watering

1. Drainage holes in the pot are necessarily required.

2. In general most of the plants need to be watered in every 2–4 days in spring and summer

3. Avoid over watering to the cactus and succulents.

 4. Reduce frequency of watering in winter when plant growth is slower and temperatures are lower as the plant doesn’t require much water.

5. Avoid damping or stagnation of water in the pot plates.

6. Avoid getting water on the leaves and stems of plants with soft, furry foliage, or succulents and cacti.

Further variables include:

1.Potting medium (can add to moisture or dryness)

2.Light exposure

3.Temperature

4.Humidity

5.Dormant phase versus growth phase (many plants grow more during spring and summer, and want more water then)

6.Hanging V/S sitting (hanging plants dry out more quickly)

Well, it feels like are these many factors to be considered for watering

ABSOLUTELY YES

Your plants longevity, survival status & health not only depends on nutrient we provide but most importantly the watering pattern specially when it comes to indoor plants as we likely kill them always with overwatering

Hope after reading this blog you will analyze the water requirement of your indoor plant & make it live longer with its required watering techniques