---
title: "Is it best to bottom water my house plants, I’m wondering if anyone…"
description: "Is it best to bottom water my house plants, I’m wondering if anyone has found this method most effective? ✌🏻"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/4wLeqLn1lo76HsM7dVf8sj"
community: "Anything about plants"
author: "Plant Baddies 💁🏼‍♀️"
published: "2026-07-26T19:29:46.373407Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/everythingHousePlants.jpg"
---

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# Is it best to bottom water my house plants, I’m wondering if anyone…

_Posted by Plant Baddies 💁🏼‍♀️ on 2026-07-26_

Is it best to bottom water my house plants, I’m wondering if anyone has found this method most effective? ✌🏻

## 10 comments

### plantgeek commented on 2026-07-26

i definitely prefer bottom watering. if your soil isn't absorbing water quickly enough you can sprinkle some water on the top and it should be good

#### Karzdan replied on 2026-07-27

Yep. Bottom watering for the win. I try to keep all my plants in clear plastic pots and hide them in decorative cache pots. I have several metal mixing bowls I use to bottom water with. The plants are placed into a bowl just bigger than the pot and fill it with water and wait for 30 so minutes. Then remove, drain and put them back in their decorative pots. This has been great for fungus gnats.

### Snail Diva commented on 2026-07-26

It depends of the size of your plant. If they are fairly small, I found that having them sit in acrylic drawer organizer is an effective way to quickly bottom water several plants that require the same care and it still keeps a certain aesthetic. I personally don't bottom water often as I don't have a full day to water my plants every week and with 300, I would be sacrificing shelf space to add a drip tray under every plants.

#### Snail Diva replied on 2026-07-26

And I had no issue with fungus gnats in years all while having moss poles and high humidity greenhouses (before someone mentions that bottom watering is the only way to prevent this)

### Plant nana commented on 2026-07-26

I used the ones that have the strings in them !

#### Plant Baddies 💁🏼‍♀️ replied on 2026-07-26

What does the string do?

#### Plant nana replied on 2026-07-26

Let the water travel from the bottom to the soil

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/aiD93oFMxPXxD7_STr4GhOfNFBcB9MT_faJquwGfp7o/M76nPsEEQWCLSAUGasLrCQ.webp?size=large)

#### Karzdan replied on 2026-07-27

The water wicks up the string via capillary action. Good for those plants that like moist soil and hate drying out.

### jlsKenzy commented on 2026-07-26

I primarily bottom water, especially the plants that hate wet leaves. But, if I'm pressed for time, it is quicker to walk around with a watering can because it does take awhile to cycle them through the watering set up. I also like to inspect them as I move them. I use clear nursery pots, so checking roots is easier.

### Waspinator commented on 2026-07-27

I use bottom watering for some plants depending on species. Alocasias love it because they want very consistent moisture. Nerve plant and one of my ferns like it because they're VERY thirsty. African violets and my begonia also get it because their fuzzy leaves don't like being splashed. I'm giving all of those wicking/self-watering pots. Other than those, I use occasional bottom watering to help dehydrated plants recover, and to make orchid roots flexible for repotting.

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