If I get enough interest, I will write a blog on the correct ways to water your plants--particular to container gardening. Will include talk of soil and soilless growing mediums as well. Contrary to what most think, watering is the hardest thing to do correctly when it comes to gardening. Do you over water? Do you underwater? When do you incorporate feeding? Do you just water because you think the plants need water? What variables affect water loss? etc. All this will be covered and more. Let's see the support. When I see enough, I'll start writing. Thanks. -Kids Party Boston
Welcome Kid from Virginia. I'm sure you will get all the support you need and more. So start writing.
Watering Correctly Just whipped this up before breakfast. Sorry if I forgot anything. Enjoy! http://www.gardenstew.com/blog/e17991-1 ... ectly.html moderator's note: duplicated content, see member's blog entry
Hi Kids party. Until I changed my ways, and for anyone dealing with peaty potting soils, I would agree with every word of what you said. These are excellent instructions for trying to deal with growing using "potting soil." I'm about to disagree with a lot of it, but not to just be disagreeable, that's unpleasant. But because I completely believe it, and want to share what has been a revelation and revolution for me. "Good drainage" does not just mean that water comes out of a pot. It must also include the characteristic of NOT being retentive of excess water AND having air pockets throughout. A well drained mix will dry much more evenly, not just from the top-down. If water doesn't flow out of a pot as fast as it flows out of a garden hose, or during a hard rain, it's not acceptable, IMO. Pots are expensive also, so not fully utilizing their volume is a waste. This also allows one to put a single little plant in a giant pot, if for some reason, one wants to. Soggy/muddy soil is most often the culprit for health issues that plants have. Or, more specifically, the damage such can do to roots when the condition is prolonged, without a chance for the roots to reach some air as well as moisture. A soil that is composed of mostly fine particles, like peat, can often be what is causing the difficulty. If the roots are healthy, or can be rehabilitated, and the light is sufficient, there's no reason not to expect any plant to recover its' health, assuming it doesn't have some kind of virus/fungus/disease/pest problem beyond the ability to treat. Heathy, vigorous plants are much more resistant to these maladies. When soil dries quickly (because it does not retain excess water, not just because it's too packed full of roots,) that is what is healthy for almost any house plants. Sitting in soggy soil is an unnatural state that usually/often causes roots to rot. When that happens, the roots are unable to deliver moisture and nutrients to the foliage. For a healthier plant, the soil should be chunky, porous, airy, not containing fine particles, like peat. Peat is not good stuff for plants. It holds water forever until suddenly it's so dry water just runs off of it without soaking in. A soil mix that is much more chunky, porous, airy is much easier to grow in without worrying about the problems that water-retentive, finely-particled stuff like peat can cause. For example, if given a choice between peat and gravel, there would be no contest, I'd pick the gravel every time. I have several plants growing in small, sharp gravel, such as succulents and a Dracaena marginata tree. When the soil dries quickly, which is good, you may find you are watering more often than before, when it was too much. Also, as temps go up, sun gets more intense, even more. When changing soil types/textures, keep a close eye on plants so you get the new hang of how it's going to go. You want to water as often as needed for some moisture to stay in the pot, and you don't have to worry about excess water messing things up. Very few plants actually want to go bone dry at any time. It's not about how much water you put on, it's about how much excess stays in the pot. That's what you're trying to avoid, as much as possible with your schedule and time available for plant caring. If it needs to be able to go for a week without water, a bigger pot is usually what I choose, not a more water-retentive mix. Kid, I hope you will give the texture principle a try. It's so much easier when the "dangers of overwatering" are removed. These principles apply to any common flowering plants, or house plants, anything that's not quite unusual like a cactus at one end or bog plant at the other. Once I changed over to this kind of "soil," those plants I'd always killed before quit dying. I'm not afraid to buy any plant* now, confident it has a great chance of thriving under these conditions. * Within reason considering the other conditions one has. For example, no soil mix will keep a Fuchsia alive because it gets too hot & humid here.
Good info and thanks. I've tried all kinds of growing mediums. I'd grow my succulents the same way as well. They don't need much. I have to stick to my ways though, after being taught by many growers, some of which go back to the old DDT days and heated their greenhouses with fire barrels. Thousands and thousands of plants over the years with just two of us. Many trial and errors.
