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Let’s talk bottom watering. What exactly is it? It allows plants to… | Anything about plants | Planta community

OzPlantGirl

Let’s talk bottom watering. What exactly is it? It allows plants to absorb water from the bottom up when your pot (with drainage holes) is placed into a water tray. Pros: * plants take what water they need, and leave the rest. Preventing overwatering/underwatering. * consistent moisture throughout the soil. You can have dry spots with top watering. * less mess (splashing). But that in theory. I tend to make messes during plant care, no matter how careful I try to be. * prevents pests. You aren’t leaving sopping wet top soil for fungus gnats to lay their eggs in. * low cost on supplies. Plastic water trays are around $1-2 at any BBS. Cons: * build-up of minerals in your soil (top watering washes them out). Prevention pointers: top water occasional. Don’t use tap water. ~~All to say, it’s personal preference. At the end of the day, crops, trees, and other plant life take water from rain, and it works for them!

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3 comments

  1. Lindsey

    One of the main cons for me that keeps me from doing it more often is that it takes more time to let them sit in water. Maybe I’m too slow? 😅 But I do love the benefits when I have the time!

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  2. Plant Father

    i don’t mind bottom watering, but i only do it when necessary. it’s impossible for the plant to “take what it needs” all at once. plants use small amounts of water every day as they grow. i think maybe you’re referring to how much water the soil can hold rather than the plant. the only way to prevent over/under watering is to use an appropriate mix and water only when necessary. the chunky soil mixes i use typically allow water to flow freely around and through every piece of media in the pot. these also prevent fungus gnats, since the topsoil dries within a day or two. both these factors make bottom watering unnecessary for me most of the time. my pet peeve when it comes to bottom watering is when people say certain plants *need* to be bottom watered like they’ll die if you pour water over the soil. you said it: it’s all down to personal preference.

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    • PlantLady

      I agree, most plants don’t “need” it, but some plants really should be bottom watered because their leaves shouldn’t get wet. Although I guess one could top water if they were careful to avoid splashing the leaves (I’m not careful, so I bottom water the one plant that shouldn’t get wet)

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