August 06, 2020
There are many contributing factors involved when it comes to grow a successful and bountiful indoor plants grow in an indoor grow tent. Indoor grow lights, nutrients, airflow, and humidity all play important roles in optimal growth and vibrancy of a crop. Water, however, is one of the most important aspects of keeping indoor plants healthy and strong.
Watering indoor plants is a balancing act. Too much and you risk root rot, too little and your plant will dry out. Also, the symptoms of doing either are quite similar in that you’ll notice leaves beginning to droop and a general ill and wilted look to your plants. We take a look how to recognise if you are over or under watering, and how to fix it.
Signs of Over Watering
The remedy for overwatering is quite a simple one: ease off on the fluids! First thing’s first, leave more time between watering sessions. Probe the topsoil with your index finger and wait until the first 3cm have sufficiently dried out before applying more water. This will generally lead to a routine of watering around every 2–3 days. Additionally, during watering, make sure not to drown your plant each time. Water enough to notice runoff leaving the drainage holes for about 60 seconds after watering, and no longer.
Pot size is also an important factor to consider here. You’ll need to start your seedling off in a small pot and gradually transplant it into bigger pots as it continues to grow in size. If you place a small plant into a big pot too early, the roots won’t be capable of taking in a lot of water from the soil, which means the medium will stay saturated for too long.
Signs of underwatered indoor plants
HOW TO FIX UNDERWATERING
It’s possible to get your plant back on track after a period of underwatering, depending on the severity of the situation. If your plant has been significantly neglected and is literally lying on the topsoil, then the chances are low. However, if all you’re seeing is slight drooping of the leaves and general wilting, all it takes is readjusting your watering schedule.
Water your plant until you notice runoff for 60 seconds afterwards. Now, use the same advice as above; wait until the topsoil has dried slightly to avoid swinging to the other end of the spectrum and providing too much water.
How to Water indoor plants Properly
Wait until the top of the growing medium is dry about an inch deep (up to your first knuckle).
Add water until you see some at least 20% extra runoff water drain out the bottom of your pot. Go back to step 1.
If top of growing medium stays wet for a long time, you may need to give your plants less water at a time, or improve your drainage.
The goal is to be watering your plants every 2-3 days. If it needs longer to dry out, you should be giving less water at a time. If it’s drying out too quickly it should get more water at a time (or may need to move to a bigger pot).
Hopefully, this helps you get over this issue, and you save your plants.