What is bottom watering plants and should you be doing it? Here are all the tips and tricks to get you started today.
If you have not heard of the term bottom watering when it comes to plants, it refers to sitting your plant in a container of water vs. watering your plants with a container above your plants.
Traditionally, most gardeners would fill a watering can with water and pour it over their plants until it is hydrated. Bottom watering is completely different, and it is fairly easy to do. Let’s get you started today.
This post is all about bottom watering plants, and the steps you need to make it work for you.
Which plants like bottom watering?
The first thing you need to do is research the type of plant you have. Some plants don’t require very much water at all and may not benefit from bottom watering. Other plants require the first 2 inches to be dry before you attempt to water at all. Please do your research on how much water your plant needs. Some plants you may want to consider for bottom watering are:
- Pothos
- Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Snake Plant
- Fittonia
- Philodendron
- African Violet
- Peace Lily
What are the steps?
Let’s say you want to bottom water your pothos plant. First, you would want to remove any dead leaves or debris from the plant. If you have leaves that are turning brown remove them. If you have leaves that have already fallen and are at the base of the plant, remove them. While you are removing leaves, check to see if you have any insects on the stems and leaves. This is also a great time to clean the leaves of your plant.
Next, if you have an interior pot, remove it from the exterior pot. If your current pot has holes, then you don’t have to worry about removing an interior pot. What is an interior pot? For example, you go to the nursery and buy a plant in the original nursery container with drainage holes on the bottom. Then you go to the store and find a really cute pot that lacks drainage holes. You would keep your nursery container and just insert it into the pot. So now you have the original interior pot (nursery pot) with holes, and it is inside of the new exterior pot (you just bought) without holes.
In the next step, fill a container with 2-3 inches of water (or enough to cover your drainage holes), and place the potted plant in the water.
And that is bottom watering in a nutshell!
Benefits of Bottom Watering
So now that you know how to bottom water, why should you do it?
Some plants do not benefit from being watered from the top. African violets are one of them. If the leaves get wet, it tends to cause spots on the foliage. So you have to be extra careful to get a water container with a long watering spout that reaches directly to the soil as to not disturb the leaves.
Also, when you bottom water, the plant has time to soak up as much water as it needs. Sometimes top watering rushes the water through the plant, and you may notice that water comes out of the bottom just as quickly. A root bound plant is a great example. This plant has a big ball of roots, and you water it for about 5 seconds and the water runs out the bottom of the container in 10 seconds. It is likely the plant is still very thirsty because the majority of the water was released through the bottom of the pot. This plant is a great candidate for the bottom watering method.
You will also have to water your plants less by using this method. If your root systems are properly hydrated, they will naturally need less water. So this becomes a more efficient strategy to water plants especially if you have a lot of them.
One of the best benefits…
One of the biggest benefits you will find online is the elimination of gnats! If you are new to houseplants then this is something you definitely want to avoid. If you have owned a houseplant before, you know that this is a game-changer. Gnats are mostly just annoying, but they multiply at an astonishing rate. They may start out in your kitchen and end up in other rooms in your house in a matter of hours/days. Gnats thrive in a moist environment which is why they gravitate to houseplants that are watered from the top. However, if you bottom water, you will either notice a significant decrease in gnats or they will disappear altogether. If you are new to houseplants, start out bottom watering so you don’t have to deal with these pests.
Does the plant size matter?
Technically, no. In most social media outlets, you will see plant owners bottom watering small to midsize houseplants. That makes all the sense in the world since most houseplants fall into this category.
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However, some houseplants can grow very tall up to 6 feet plus. There are some instances where you will find videos or online information where a plant owner is using a tub of water on a patio to bottom water a big plant (or even placing it in a bathtub). You will run the risk of destroying a larger plant because it has the potential to break or snap during the transportation process. You don’t want all of your hard work to be in vain by moving your large plant. By all means, do your research before attempting to bottom water a big plant. There may be better methods out there.
How long should my plant sit in water?
Using the pothos plant example again, pothos should be watered when the first 2 inches are dry. So, you should bottom water your pothos until you feel the moisture in the first 2 inches. That is just one example. One visible way of knowing your plant needs water is the drooping of leaves. If your plant was pretty and perky just yesterday, and now it’s just hanging a bit (or a lot) then it probably needs some water. Fittonias are known for dramatically drooping or “fainting” when they need water. So don’t panic if your plant starts to droop, it may just be thirsty!
If you need to know more about watering schedules and general care tips for your plants, check out:
- www.gardeningknowhow.com
- epicgardening.com
- Or just do a general Google search using “<insert your plant name> care”
Now that you know all about bottom watering, you can get started today! If you have any questions, drop a comment below!
