Hi Planta peeps! Does anyone have any tips on effectively watering this white bird of paradise? The water runs straight out of the soil and doesn’t retain, and she’s been drooping for quite some time and slowly dying. She’s too big now for me to carry to the shower or put in a tray to bottom water. :(
Add a little bit of Castile or dish soap to the water to break the surface tension of the water and act as a wetting agent in the soil
1 likeInteresting, never thought to do that! Thank you!
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I would recommend a self watering pot with a water level sensor, so you don’t have to carry the plant around. Also you should check the soil to see if it’s just cause it needs an up size, or maybe the soil is compact.
3 likesThanks for the tips! I think this pot may have the ability to be a self watering pot if I can Jerry rig a rope setup from the bottom and install a meter from the top. The soil is fairly loose—just doesn’t seem to retain at all.
1 like Yea the pot looks like it has a watering tray, it’s normal for some soil to get repelled to water, I would try the trick from the first comment, and if that doesn’t work you might need to change the soil, also root bound can cause that
2 likesIf the soul floats at all or is detached from the side the soils could possibly by hydrophobic. This can happen if it’s allowed to dry out for a long time. I usually when this happens just put the whole pot plant and all into a bucket that will be higher than the sides of the pot then completely drown it. Fill water up to right under the lip of the pot so soils doesn’t get everywhere and let it sit like that for a good 10-15 minuets. Just to make sure the soil can hydrate I poke it with a stick to break it up and insure the core is reached. Basically bottom watering. After the 10 minuets she should be fine till next watering.
2 likesOh this is great! I’ll try this for her next watering session.
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