Hello, planty people! I have 2 large plants that honestly scare me when it comes to watering. Does anyone have any tips for how to keep large plants properly watered and avoiding rot? Do you use a moisture meter or one of those automatic watering bulbs? Thank you in advance for any advice! P.s. please ignore the state of the dracaena. She's had a troubled past but is making a comeback.
First, make sure your pot has a drain hole. You cannot over water a plant, you can only water it too often. Water till water flows from the bottom of the pot and then don't water it again until the plant needs it. The sanseveria you can run pretty dry. The dracenea needs a bit more moisture. I'd say from slightly moist to a little on the dry side. I have two friends who are both accomplished horticulturists, one swears by a moisture meter the other says never use a moisture meter! I guess you'll have to decide for yourself how reliable you think of moisture meter is. I use it sometimes but more often I use my finger.a
3 likesI was looking closer at your sanseveria picture. I think the soil is mounted too high on the leave Spears. I would either use my hands to bring the soil down or repot it a bit higher in the soil.
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I stand by clear pots and bamboo sticks. I recommend making sure those pots are 1-2 inches larger than the root ball to avoid excess soil retaining moisture that could lead to root rot. Consider clear pots to easily check roots—large clear pots exist lol. This will allow you to see if the water is draining properly and how much moisture is still in the soil. Also, I always check multiple areas in the pot with a bamboo stick before watering. If you decide to continue with your current pots, definitely make sure there are multiple drainage holes and use a stick that’ll reach to the bottom of the pot.
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I have two large plants (10”+ pots) and I use the following: • pots with drainage • recommended soil type (I use Planta) • Planta watering reminders, but I check using a bamboo skewer before I water. If it’s too wet I snooze the task for a few days. If it’s not I water it, until water comes out of the drainage holes. To use my very fancy bamboo skewer method, I push it into the pot until it reaches the bottom; then I leave it for 5-10 minutes. When I take it out I mark with my fingers where the soil starts, and see how far down it is dry on the skewer. I compare this to how far down it needs to be dry, using Planta and my experience with that plant. For example my big monstera likes to dry almost all the way between watering. My thanksgiving cactus does not.
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The Sansiviera pot is too big and will hold too much water. They like tighter pots. I recommend reducing the pot size until there is no extra room to add items on the soil. A pot sized for the root ball will dry out faster and meet the needs of the plant. Water thoroughly or bottom water when the soil is completely dried out. Then, let it dry out again.
2 likesI agree the sanseveria pot is too large now that you mention it.
0 likes Thank you all so much! The sansevieria is the one that scares me the most because it was gifted to my fiance before I met him. So I have no idea what's in that pot lol. But repotting it is definitely on my to do list!
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