One of the most important questions in growing any plant tends to be around water.

Environment

If you live in a hot and dry environment, your plants will need more water. This is because they lose water through their leaves. You’ll need to water them more frequently (maybe 1-2 times per week). If you don’t, your plants will dry out and their leaves may even start to droop.

On the other hand, if you live in a humid place, your plants won’t need as much water. In fact, if you over-water them, their roots may get too wet and rot.

The time of year and temperature affect how quickly the soil dries out

Many houseplant owners worry about getting the balance right and overwatering their plants. This can cause fungal infections in your plant, or worse, root rot. However, it’s important to know that changing seasons and temperatures affect how quickly the soil dries out:

• In hot weather, plants transpire (lose water) more often than when it’s cold. This means that wet soil dries out faster in summer than in winter.
• In cold weather, plants transpire less, so it may be necessary to decrease watering a little during winter months.

You should water less often if the pot is large

One other factor to keep in mind is the size of the pot. If you have a large pot, it will be able to hold more water and it may dry out more slowly than a smaller pot. A small pot will dry out faster from the soil than from evaporation, so if you have a small potted plant (<8 inches), be sure to check in on it often and water as soon as the top half inch of soil dries out.

Newly repotted plants need more water than established plants

Newly repotted plants need more water than established ones. When you first get your plant, it’s going to be in a small pot with a small amount of soil. The roots will be taking up all that soil, so the soil can dry out faster and there’s not much water left to keep the plant hydrated until it grows new roots into the bigger container you put it in. You’ll need to water new plants more frequently—at least once a week. However, allowing your pot to dry out in between waterings can encourage root growth as your plant will seek out wetter parts of the soil toward the bottom of the pot. 

If you have recently repotted your plant, or if you notice that nothing seems to grow after you move them, they are probably getting too much or not enough water. If they are sitting in too much water, their roots can rot and cause disease that is hard to treat. If they aren’t getting enough water for too long then their root system will wither and stop growing as it becomes dehydrated.

Small pots prefer small amounts of water more often, larger pots prefer fewer, larger amounts of water.

Keep this in mind when watering your house plants:

• Small pots dry out more quickly than large pots.
• Smaller plants should be watered more often than larger plants.
• The amount of water you give a plant should match the size of the pot it is in.
• If the soil dries out quickly, water more often.

Some signs your plant needs to be watered are

You’ll want to water your indoor plants regularly, but there are some vital signs that you need to keep an eye out for when deciding how often and how much to water them. Here are some clues that your plant needs a drink:

• The leaves are yellowing or dropping off.
• Your plant is wilting.
• The soil is dry.
• Your plant feels light when lifted from the pot.
• Roots sticking out the bottom of the pot.

There are some ways that you can avoid overwatering your plants

Now that you know how much and how often to water your indoor house plants, let’s talk about some ways you can avoid overwatering them. A moisture meter will help you determine when your plant needs water and when it does not by measuring soil moisture content. If your pot is transparent, you can see if there is excess standing water in the bottom (if there is, remove it). Consider using a pot with a drainage hole and/or utilize a saucer or tray as an overflow space. 

Finally, consider growing in a system like Avid which automatically waters your plants based on its preferences.