I last watered this ZZ on 3/16/25 and keep checking the soil with a moisture meter which says it’s mid-moist towards the bottom of the pot. How is it not bone dry by now?! It doesn’t usually sit so close to the window….usually about 2 ft to the side of the window getting bright indirect light. It’s been 5 weeks……why doesn’t it need water yet?!
They have rhizomes in their root system which hold water, so they don’t need to be watered as often as other plants would need.
5 gillningar
try a wooden skewer or chopstick as well - the moisture meters arent always accurate! stick whatever you choose all the way to the bottom of the pot, and let it sit in there for about 5 minutes. when you take it out, grab the stick at the soils level, so you know how much was in the soil. if any dirt sticks to the wood, the soil is still wet, and you know you can wait to water!
9 gillningar
Moisture meters don’t give accurate results with very gritty soil, which you may have in your ZZ.
2 gillningar
Yeah they don't read Sandy or gritty soil🤷‍♀️
1 gilla
The rhizome stores water.. I would suggest đź’§ the plant only when the meter say so. You also can cause that rhizome to rot. I was told at the nursery when the soil meter reads between 4 and 5 to give the plant a drink then
0 gillningar That’s about where it’s sitting right now…..4-5 in the moist category. I always wait until it’s in the red to water because I’m paranoid! So you think it’s okay to water now even though the meter still shows green?
0 gillningar If it’s in between 4 and 5 it’s ok
1 gilla I also was told you could water only in the dry spots of the plant, but do not put this plant on a schedule for watering. I personally did not want to deal with all of that so I have both of my plants in a self watering pot
1 gilla