How do I know when I need to water my plants

Surely at some point in the time you spend with your love of plants you have asked yourself how do I know when to water my plants? Depending on the type of person who has plants, there are those who inform themselves about their plants and others who ignore the information. Beyond all the information we may have on the internet or from advisors, plants send us signals when something is not flowing normally.

In this article we will be giving some tips on how to know when to water your plants. Whether you have them at home, in the office or even at the home of friends or family.

watering is essential

First of all, it is important to know that watering is one of the most important points in the care of houseplants and outdoor plants, and that is why the main attention should always be paid to this. Without proper watering, no plant can develop in a good way. Although each species has very different watering needs, there is some general information that must be handled to fulfil this process called watering.

basic guide on when to water plants

Wondering how much to water your plant? It is important to know that the water needs of each plant are different, so when it comes to watering plants it can be detrimental to underwater or overwater.

watering succulent plants

There are plants that have the ability to withstand a lack of water, and can be generalised as being in the succulent family or plants that come from dry areas. If these plants are watered too much they tend to waterlog the substrate and usually produce fungus in the soil which then attacks the plants, or even the excess water can cause the roots to rot. On the other hand there are also some plants that do not tolerate excess water and must be drip watered to prevent fungus from settling on their leaves.

watering tropical plants

On the other side of the coin we have the group of plants that require a lot of constant humidity both in the substrate and in the environment, usually tropical plants. Adequate humidity in this group of plants allows them to develop and flower properly.

no specific rule for watering

there is no rule for wateringThere is no specific rule or golden rule that can be applied to all plant species, what is recommended and known is that plants do not tolerate waterlogging of the substrate, even plants that require a lot of humidity. Plants that require a lot of humidity must have a pot or soil that allows good water drainage to maintain the humidity without puddling. adequate watering is the key

How do you know when plants need watering?

As mentioned above, plants send us signals when things are not flowing properly. It is important to pay attention to the signals your plants are sending, so you can tell if they need more or less water. Here are some factors to look out for to see if your plants need water or not:

• If the edges of the leaves are yellowing or you see the flower petals drying out prematurely, it could be because of two things, either they need more water or they need more shade.
• Another detail to look out for is the substrate. Except for the most drought-resistant species, most species should be watered when the top layer (2-3 cm) is dry and/or brittle.
• If in winter your Camomilas needed to be watered every 15 days, in the warmer months they are likely to require more water. Most plant species go through a vegetative process in the winter so require less water but this process is reversed in the spring and summer seasons.
• If you notice that your plants are losing strength in their stems, looking limp, or their leaves are showing dark spots (which may be caused by fungus), in which case there may be too much moisture in the substrate, water them less and move them out into the sun.

common mistakes when watering your plants

Lack of information leads us to make common mistakes or errors when caring for our plants.

overwatering

The most common mistake that happens to those less experienced in gardening and plant care is overwatering plants. As mentioned above, plants send out signals when they are being overwatered and waterlogging the substrate is rarely beneficial for plants.

waterlogging plants

Another common mistake made by people who do not have the right information is to water plants by waterlogging them, days before taking a holiday. This causes the plants to weaken during the wet days and then leave them sensitive during the drought once all the water has evaporated.

spraying the leaves

On the other hand, there is the common mistake of spraying or "sprinkling" water on the leaves or flowers of plants. It is true that some plants need this practice in some climates, others do not tolerate it well, so it is important to find out about the plant and its needs.

recommended pots

Este punto es no menos importante, ya que el tipo de material de las macetas influye mucho a la hora del riego de las plantas debido a que dependiendo del material se retiene o se infiltra más rápido el agua de riego. Es aconsejable que las plantas estén plantadas en macetas de arcilla ya que con este material el agua se pierde más rápido en comparación con una maceta de plástico que se caracteriza por retener el agua por más tiempo. Es importante tener en cuenta esto ya que esto también juega un papel importante para que el sustrato de tu planta se encharque o no.

watering plants during holidays

If you are one of the lucky ones with a holiday planned, congratulations, but have you thought about what will happen to your plants? If you don't have a friend or family member who lives near your home and can look after your plants, here's a trick you can use to ensure your plants get the watering they need while you're away from home.

the trick during the holidays

This trick is very simple but very useful, the materials required are not difficult to obtain so you can apply it without any problem. This is the watering with wool or string, it consists of the following:

• Place a container filled with water near the plants you want to water. It is important that this container is higher than the plants, you can place it on a flat surface.
• Take the cords and immerse one end completely in the container with water, and place the other end in the plant's substrate, very close to the roots.
• In this way, the cord will absorb the water from the container and water the plant as it needs water.

buy your plants!

Now that you have access to this article where we tell you the tips on when to water your plants, you can apply it to the care of your plants on a daily basis. If you are thinking of acquiring a plant for any space in your home, you can visit our website Florespana.es where you can find different species of outdoor plants or indoor plants with the quality of Florespaña. It is also important to know that on our website, each plant is different, has its own needs and care guide as well as information about the frequency of watering for each plant. On the other hand, visitors and our customers have the possibility to ask us questions through our online chat that we have on the web.