Watering plants is a fundamental parameter. Excess water as well as lack of humidity can be fatal to plants. However, many people never manage to find the right measure and often repeat the same mistakes. To prevent your plants from wilting before their time, it is important to take several factors into account: climate, light, soil, type of plant and its water needs. Knowing that in winter, the frequency of watering must decrease, here are some tips to follow.
Watering in winter: the golden rules
Water is essential for the survival of plants: it not only hydrates them, but also promotes good absorption of nutrients. All plants need water. Except that the dosage varies from one species to another. It is therefore important to have as much information as possible about each plant to determine all its needs. However, most of the time, watering indoor plants is not well controlled. Some venture to flood their flowers as they wish, others establish rituals by choosing a specific time to spray their plants. No, there isn’t a specific time to do it, experts say.
Naturally, the frequency of watering varies depending on the season. Note in particular that during the winter period, indoor plants enter a vegetative rest: it generally begins at the end of autumn or at the beginning of winter. This is a restoration period after the warm season in which your plants have been provided with sufficient resources for abundant flowering. Note that during this resting phase, they consume less energy and prepare to give birth to new spring buds. Therefore, each plant has its own preferences and needs in terms of watering. Also, to keep them healthy and beautiful, you absolutely must take into consideration all the aspects that will keep them healthy.
During this vegetative rest phase, your plants do not need a lot of water, unless they flower during this period. Watering should be done once every two weeks for some and even not at all for others.
Here is how often to water the most popular houseplants:
- Begonias: you should not water them at all in winter.
- Cactus: you can water it once every three weeks, in small quantities.
- Azaleas, ivies, geraniums or eucalyptus: water very rarely or not at all.
- Ficus, dracaena and other tropical plants: water twice a week maximum.
- Orchids : water them once every two weeks, preferably in the morning, with water at room temperature.
Factors to consider before watering
- Plant type
As noted above, the need for quantity of water varies depending on the species. Some plants like humidity and others prefer drought. So be sure to identify the water needs of each of your plants. This will allow you to have a more precise idea of the watering frequency.
- Always check the soil for dryness
To do this, use a wooden stick. If it slides easily into the earth, moisture is still present. If it blocks on the surface, the potting soil is not hydrated. Watering must therefore be carried out (depending on the type of plant of course).
- Test the weight of the pot
This is another effective way to check how much water is left in the soil. If it is dry, it is necessarily lighter than damp soil. You will therefore feel a significant difference in weight between a watered plant and a dry plant.
- The degree of dryness of the soil
Use your fingertips to touch the potting soil into the pot through the drainage holes. You will then be able to assess the degree of dryness of the soil to determine whether watering is necessary or not.
