---
title: "Duhhhh… I’ve been checking my philodendrons with wooden stakes, just…"
description: "Duhhhh… I’ve been checking my philodendrons with wooden stakes, just like I do my pothos, when I need to water, however, I’ve just realized that even though…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/NrgXXj3xnoIfyovPo2T2Na?language=fr"
community: "Anything about plants"
author: "Lynda"
published: "2025-02-07T01:20:22.644719Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/everythingHousePlants.jpg"
---

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# Duhhhh… I’ve been checking my philodendrons with wooden stakes, just…

_Publié par Lynda le 2025-02-07_

Duhhhh… I’ve been checking my philodendrons with wooden stakes, just like I do my pothos, when I need to water, however, I’ve just realized that even though care info shows they are medium drinkers, Planta says (under instructions for watering), they can be “sensitive to too much water so it’s better to air on the side of underwater rather than overwatering”. That sounds sort of like an oxymoron, to me! So, what should I be looking for if I’m going to use a moisture meter, not a wooden stake, since these plants don’t like to be totally dry? TIA!

## 6 commentaires

### Amy a commenté le 2025-02-07

I use a moisture reader for my philodendron and I do make sure it’s dry before I water it again. I’ve made the overwater mistake before.  
That said, my Planta schedule tells me to only water it once a month sometimes and mine definitely needs more frequent watering than that. So, I’ve learned to use it as a very loose guideline and keep strict task notes so I remember what I’ve done. 🤪  
I find bottom watering to be best for mine, too. I set a timer for 20-30min and it drinks all it need. Seems happy as can be. I hope this helps.

#### Brendan ha respondido el 2025-02-07

This is the problem with philodendrons. I swear some species need to be watered like cacti, and others need to be watered like ferns.

### Brendan a commenté le 2025-02-07

I think the “medium demand” refers to how frequently they generally need to be watered. The warning saying “air on the side of underwatering” refers to how much water you give them in a watering session.

For example, I have to water one of my medium-demand plants every few days. However because this plant is sensitive to too much water, I always pour water over the top and let it drain right away - it never sits in drainage, and I never bottom-water it.

This is just my interpretation, and I also use very well-draining soil for water-sensitive plants, so your mileage may vary. You could always reach out to Planta support too, my understanding of their “water demand” could be totally wrong.

### Wolfen 🐺 a commenté le 2025-02-07

I also let most of mine dry before watering. There's only a few exceptions to that. I would honestly set up a little testing center for the water meter. Of dry to damp to wet soils. And soils that are dry on top, wet on bottom to see what readings it gives. Since I'm sure they are all different

#### Lynda ha respondido el 2025-02-07

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼!

#### Amy ha respondido el 2025-02-07

Good idea!

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