Should you always water a houseplant from the bottom?
Question:
Answers:
no--watering the leaves can rinse dust off and allow the plants to "breathe"--my mom used to put her ferns in the shower to water them
Shower it with a pipe or use a watering can (the type with many holes not just once and water the leaves too)
Bottom-watering ensures thorough watering. Plants in porous clay pots can be set to soak in a pail of water, deep enough that the water level does not rise above the rim of the pot. Water soaks in through the bottom and sides of the pot. Leave it in for about one half hour, until the top of the soil feels moist.
The same results are accomplished by standing small pots in a dish of water until moisture appears on the surface. Never leave plants standing in water for any length of time.
Salt build-up becomes a problem if bottom-watering is used constantly. Water often contains high salt levels, especially in Aiberta. These are deposited in the soil, and can easily build up to levels toxic to plants. Fertilizer deposits excess salts in the soil also. If the problem becomes severe, a white crusty layer appears on the soil surface.
To prevent the build-up of toxic salt levels within the pot, alternate bottom-watering with top-watering, as top-watering leaches away excess salt. To remove salt deposits, water the plant thoroughly from the top let drain, and water again in half an hour to wash away dissolved salts.
Another method occasionally used is to completely submerge the pot in a pail of water until air bubbles cease to rise. Remove and allow the plants to drain freely for 20 minutes
Here's the deal: watering from the bottom hist the roots, so the plant does an uptake of water plus the chemicals in the soild it needs to grow, bloom, etc. It also allows the top of the soil to stay relatively DRY, so you avoid mold and fungus growth there which can be bad for the plant and YOU.
But the advice to put water on the leaves is also sound, because plants can assimilate water through them, too. That said, the best application to exposed parts of the plant is by misting them -an old windex pump spray bottle is fine.
More Related Questions & Answers...