The common advice to water your plants when the top few inches of soil are dry might not be as practical as it sounds. Here's a fresh perspective on how to assess when your plants need water.
Why the "Top Few Inches" Rule Falls Short
Accessibility Issues:
For small, delicate plants like a string of turtles, testing soil depth with your fingers is challenging.
Even when accessible, bare soil may not give the full picture, especially with bottom watering.
Uneven Soil Moisture:
The top may feel dry while the bottom remains saturated, leading to overwatering if you rely solely on this method.
A Better Approach: Weigh Your Plants
Learn Your Plant's Weight:
Regularly lift your plant and pot to understand what it feels like when the soil is wet, partially dry, and fully dry.
This method is intuitive and doesn’t require tools like scales—just your hands.
Small Plants:
For smaller plants like string of turtles, it’s easy to gauge their weight as they dry out.
Allow plants that thrive in dry conditions to reach full dryness before watering.
Large Plants:
Even for larger plants like a dracaena in a 14-inch pot, you can still lift the pot slightly to get a sense of its weight without fully hoisting it.
Key Takeaways
Weight-based watering is a more reliable and intuitive way to assess soil moisture than the traditional "top few inches" rule.
With practice, you’ll instinctively know when your plant is ready for watering based on its weight.
This method works for plants of all sizes, from tiny trailing varieties to large potted trees.
Start picking up your plants regularly, and you’ll quickly become attuned to their watering needs—no finger digging or guesswork required!
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