Container Garden Basics: How and When to Water Potted Plants

“How often do I need to water?” is usually the first question I get from clients after finishing their container gardens. It’s an important question, and the simple, honest answer is that you should water as often as the plant requires. But determining when, how much and how often can be more complicated. A number of factors come into play: container location, type of plant material, climate and other environmental factors. Observation and knowing your plants' requirements will help you learn about your container garden's watering needs.

Planting ideas for your container garden

Plant Needs

Reading the plant’s tag should tell you if it prefers moist, medium or dry soil. Cacti and other succulents, like in the container shown here, prefer the soil to completely dry out between waterings. If watered too often, these plants will decline. Some plants, such as many tropicals, prefer moist soil. This means you don’t want to let the soil become dry to the touch. You can also find the water needs by individual plant in the Houzz gardening section.


The tall papyrus here can even tolerate being placed in a pond. Knowing the plant requirements ahead of time will help you pick a healthy container.

If you’re still not sure how much water a plant needs, observe it. If it starts to go limp, it needs water. Just make sure it doesn't go too severely limp, as that may permanently damage the plant.


Check the Soil

The best way to tell if a plant needs water is to feel the soil. If the first inch or so of soil is dry to the touch and the plant has average water requirements, it’s time to water. If the plant requires moist soil, you don’t want it to get dry to the touch. This can mean watering at least daily, and more often in drier climates.


How Much Is Enough?

A general rule of thumb on how much water to give a container plant is to water until you notice water running from the pot’s drainage holes. You want to ensure that the root mass is sufficiently watered.

However, if the pot has completely dried out, the soil will contract and allow the water to run through the drainage holes too quickly. If this is the case, you may need to repeat the watering process a few times to allow the soil to become rehydrated.

Even if it has just rained on an outdoor container, you will still want to check the soil, as plant leaves tend to divert some of the rain away from the soil.


How to Water

It sounds simple, but there are actually preferred methods of watering container plants. For example, it’s better to water the soil rather than the leaves of plants, as wet leaves are more susceptible to mildew and fungus.

It’s also better to water your plants in the morning when plant roots are more receptive, and it will give the plants the ability to withstand the heat of the day. If you must water in the evening, give the plants enough time to dry before evening falls, to keep them healthy.

What to Use

You can use a wand attachment with a hose or a simple watering can, as long as you follow the suggestions above. If you have several containers to water at one time, you may want to invest in a drip irrigation system. Many nurseries these handy devices, which can be set on timers so that your plants can be watered even if you are away for days at a time. The emitters are placed close to the soil so that the water can reach the roots quickly.

More:
Container Garden Basics: The Dirt on Soil
See other Houzz container gardening guides

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