GUIDE
Watering well
4 steps
How to do it
- 1Water at the base of the plant, not over the foliage, to reduce fungal disease risk.
- 2Water deeply and less often rather than little and often, to encourage deep, resilient roots.
- 3Water in the cool of morning or evening in hot weather to reduce evaporation loss.
- 4Use the 'finger test' on pots — if the top few centimetres of compost are dry, it's time to water; if still moist, wait.
COMMON MISTAKE
Giving a light daily sprinkle that only wets the surface, training roots to stay shallow and making the plant less drought-resilient overall.
Plants that use it
Their calendar has a job that points to this guide.
AnemoneFebruaryPachyphytumMarchPincushion cactusMarchHaworthiopsisAprilPeruvian old man cactusAprilArum lilyJuneAstilbeJuneChinese evergreenJuneHardy cyclamenJuneHydrangeaJuneMagnoliaJuneCucumberJulyFatsiaJulyFrench beanJulyHostaJulyLettuceJulyBrunneraAugustCamelliaAugustCrape myrtleAugustHibiscusAugustMelonAugustSaxifrageAugustChristmas cactusSeptemberCourgetteSeptemberBird of paradiseOctoberWeeping figOctoberAloeNovemberBegoniaNovemberDracaenaNovemberEcheveriaNovemberHaworthiaNovemberJade plantNovemberSnake plantNovemberString of pearlsNovemberZZ plantNovember
RELATED GUIDES
Feeding & NPK basicsRepotting houseplantsPruning shrubs (general principles)Mulching