How to water fruiting plants

Some fruiting plants, don’t need much water. These plants store moisture efficiently and are more at risk of overwatering than underwatering.

Care instructions

1. Allow the soil to dry completely.
   Fruiting plants in this category often originate from dry regions and handle drought better than excess moisture.

2. Water thoroughly when needed.
   When watering, soak the soil until water runs through the drainage holes. Then discard any water collected in the pot tray to prevent root rot.

3. Use well-draining soil.
   Consider mixing in sand, perlite, or pumice for extra drainage.

4. Cut back watering in cooler seasons.
   Growth slows in fall and winter, so water less often during these times, just enough to prevent shriveling.

Watering methods

Water over the soil

1. Pour water over the soil, using, for example, a watering can or put the plant directly under a tap

2. Continue adding water to the pot until it starts to run out from the drainage holes

3. If you have a tray under the pot when watering, make sure you remove all the collected water afterwards - never let your plant sit in water

4. If you watered under a tap make sure that water has stopped running out from the bottom before putting it back

Bottom watering

1. Fill the plant tray with water

2. Make sure the soil is in contact with the water on the tray

3. Wait for about 10 minutes

4. Feel the soil to see if it absorbed enough water > if the soil is moist throughout, remove any excess water from the tray

5. If it’s still dry > add more water to the tray

6. Wait 20 more minutes before removing the excess

Bottom watering will not wash away salts and other minerals from the soil, so make sure to also give water over the soil every now and then.

Water bath

1. Fill a bucket or any other vessel with lukewarm water

2. Lower the whole pot down in the water, stop where the stem of the plant starts. Make sure all of the soil is under water

3. The water will now start to bubble - wait until it stopped

4. Lift the pot up and let the excess drain off

5. Put your plant back in the cachepot or on the tray

6. After 1 hour, check that your plant isn’t standing in water, if it is it might get overwatered and rot