Grow knowledge compact: Watering correctly

The opposite of good is well-intentioned:

Especially beginners in plant cultivation, in their initial enthusiasm, put a lot of effort into providing their little treasures with the best possible care. In doing so, they often overshoot the mark. One of the most common mistakes is watering their plants incorrectly.

Watering? Anyone can do that?

Far from it! Inexperienced gardeners often make the mistake of watering their plants too often and too little . Sooner or later, this leads to mineral salts dissolving in pre-fertilized substrates and salt deposits forming in the lower part of the pot. The excess of available nutrients leads to over-fertilization, which can sometimes cause lasting damage to the plant.

Another common mistake is watering plants too frequently and too generously . If the substrate is constantly oversaturated with water, the roots receive too little oxygen and begin to rot. This is noticeable by the roots turning brown. Subsequently, the plant loses all vitality and dies a slow death. Above ground, this is evident in the leaves drooping limply, turning light green to yellow, and the plant generally looking pitiful.

But how do you do it right?

As is often the case, there's no single right way. However, one method that has proven effective is to use the weight of the plant pots as an indicator for when to water. The best way to do this is as follows:

• First, water your substrate over a large area and wait until the entire surface is evenly moist.

• Then, slowly and evenly, with short breaks, pour enough water into the substrate until a little bit runs out again at the bottom.

• Next, lift your pot and try to remember the approximate weight.

• Now wait with the next watering until the pot feels significantly (!) lighter again.

Of course, this takes different amounts of time depending on the plant's development stage and the size of the pot. While seedlings can sometimes survive for ten days without watering, larger plants may need watering again after just two days.

With a little practice, this method will ensure an optimal wet/dry cycle and that the plant never receives more water than it can use.

If the soil has been in the pot for a while and has already become very compacted, or if the soil has dried out so much that a gap has formed between the pot and the substrate, it's especially important to take your time watering and ensure the water is evenly distributed. Otherwise, it will all just run out the bottom.

One strategy to counteract this is to use a particularly airy substrate with good water retention properties, such as our own Easy Mix.

Watering in organic farming

A special feature when it comes to watering is organic cultivation, as you should always make sure that the substrate never dries out completely.

Basically, you can proceed in the same way as with mineral cultivation on soil – just water again a little earlier, before the pot has regained its dry weight.

Good luck trying it out!

Photo by Katharina Bill on Unsplash