We tend to water our plants from the top as that is a unwashed practice session . But you could also irrigate plants from the bottom which could be beneficial to some of them .
It is better to water plants from the top because it flush excess salts and mineral that ramp up up in the potting soil over time . tearing plants from the top helps you get better ascendency over the watering so you do n’t overwater .
There are some welfare of lacrimation plants from the bottom that I will show you below . you could then make up one’s mind if using a combination of both watering method acting is good for your plants .
Organic fertilizer I use for my plants
I conducted a survey with my fellow gardener and expert whether it ’s good to water supply plants from the top or bottom . you could see the consequence below where 67.2 % favor to irrigate from the top while 32.8 % are watering from the bottom .
Benefits of watering plants from the top
Better control over the watering
It ’s much easier to control the watering when using a lachrymation can . you could water just near the base of the plant life and avoid splashing water supply on the foliage .
You will knowhow to give your plants a deep wateringbecause you see the weewee draining out from the holes at the bottom of the pot . This means that the potting stain has receive raft of water for the plant life root .
you could get even practiced dominance of the watering if you use drip irrigation or asoaker hose . you’re able to coiffure up a timer to ensure the proper amount of water is give to the plants at the right time .
Organic fertilizer I use for my plants
Removes salt and minerals from the soil
You willadd organic plant food to your potting territory . This could be a slow - release fertilizer or a liquid plant food . As the nutrient get used , there will be some salts and mineral deposited into the potting soil .
These materials will build up over sentence and can be toxic to the industrial plant . When you water the plants from the top , it will even out out these salts and minerals .
You shouldavoid using hard water to water the potted plantsbecause the water itself would contain salts and minerals that would posit into the potting soil .
Succlents on display at HortiPro Exhibition
Easy method to water the plants
It ’s very comfortable to irrigate plants from the top with a lachrymation can . you’re able to direct the body of water at the plant base and ensure the potting ground is watered well .
You could alsouse drip irrigationor a cloudburst hosiery if you have many plants in your garden . With the help of a timer you could supply a precise amount of water to the plant and at the right time .
Drawbacks of watering plants from the top
Can attract pests and diseases
One of the biggest trouble with watering from the top is spraying water on the plant foliage . This can create a humid environment that appeal pest and fungal disease .
You require to be verycareful to only water supply at the base of the plant . It also helps if you irrigate in the morning so the excess water evaporates once the sun comes out .
The problem can be solve by using methods like dribble irrigation or dipsomaniac hosepipe that ensures lacrimation only happens for the soil rather than the leaf .
apply this method acting can damage the plant leaves if they get wet when you are water . Some plants can bear this , but others do not . To assuage this problem be deliberate when you are irrigate and have a long narrow-minded spout so you could manoeuver around the leaf . – Susan Brandt , Co - Founder and President , Blooming secret
Leaches nutrients from the soil
Thepotting land curb nutrients from the compostand organic fertilizer you add to it . When you water from the top , the slow - discharge fertiliser will also release nutrient into the ground .
But the lacrimation will also leach the nutrients out of the dirt through the drain holes . The potting grime will keep lose nutrients with each lacrimation .
So you need toreplenish the food by adding compostand constitutional fertilizer every few weeks to the potting soil .
Can compact the soil
The potting stain you use for container horticulture will be light and fluffy because of the materials like perlite , vermiculite , and peat moss .
But the more you water the potting filth , the more compact it will get . So after some workweek of tearing , the dirt will become a bit hard .
This means the water will not run as well as it did when you started with the potting soil . It may also reduce the airflow through the stain .
Can displace the seeds
If youstart growing works from seedsyou will use a seed - starting tray . If you water from the top , there is a risk that you fire the seeds from their original position in the dirt .
This can specially be a problem for tiny semen as you will find it difficult to notice they have been displace .
Benefits of watering plants from the bottom
Lower risk of pests and diseases
Since the water does not splash on the foliage , there is less hazard of blighter and disease . There is no moist environment that these pests and diseases are draw in to .
You doneed to be careful not to overwater the pot soilas that can cause moist conditions in the soil itself and attract fungal diseases .
Does not compact the soil
Since the water is not falling on the soil ’s surface , it does not add pressure on top of it . This help to avoid the compaction of the soil .
The soil will be fluffy and serve with unspoiled circulation of wet , nutrients , and air to the plant roots .
I like to apply bottom watering primarily as a substance of plant rescue rather than routine . Let ’s be true , soaking potted plants is a lot more bickering to wangle than simply pour H2O into them ( peculiarly when you havelotsof plants ) but it is a more in force way of rehydrating a very ironical and/or compacted plant life substrate . That ’s because scorched soil can become hydrophobic and repel water system , but a skilful soak will be capable to penetrate where a stream of water ca n’t . – Dan Jones , Terrarium Tribe
Will help start seeds without displacing them
You may start seeds in the potting soil and need to irrigate them . If you irrigate from the top it can sack the seeds especially small 1 .
lachrymation from the bottom can assist avoid this problem as it will not cause the seeds to move around .
Does not leach nutrients from the soil
When you water the potting soil from the bottom it will not percolate out the nutrients . They will run to continue in the potting soil and be available longer for the ascendant .
So you will need to spend less metre and money adding dim - release fertilizer and compost to the potting ground .
Drawbacks of watering plants from the bottom
Difficult to water the plants
It can be difficult to water plants from the bottom because you need to target the container on a saucer or take it to the kitchen sump or tub .
You also need to know incisively how farsighted to keep the container soaking the water . You need to check the potting soil every 10 - 20 minute if it ’s absorbed the want moisture .
Can cause build-up of salts and minerals
You will apply a slow - release plant food orliquid fertiliser to the potting soil . The plant life root will suck the nutrients , but some salts and minerals will be left in the soil .
These will make up over time and can cause damage to the plants because they will start to exsiccate with excess salt .
If you do weewee this way , though , you should take turns every now and again . lacrimation exclusively from the bottom induce salt and other mineral to build up in the top layer of the soil , so the occasional top water will flush them out . – Jeremy Yamaguchi , CEO , Lawn Love
Can lead to overwatering if not careful
You need to be careful how much time you leave the potting soil to absorb the wet from the bottom . If you leave it for too long , the ascendent will remain in dampish soil .
This can guide to fungal matter like root rot that will damage the roots and induce the plant to die .
Can be a time-consuming process
You will call for to monitor the plants every 10 - 20 minute when water from the bottom . You need to check whether the potting soil has absorb the postulate moisture .
You do n’t require to leave the plant for too long in water system because the redundant moisture can causeoverwatering .
How to water plants from the top
This is themost vulgar way people water their plantswhether in containers , raised beds , or in - ground horticulture .
you may use a watering can if you have a few container plants . water system the potting grime near the groundwork of the plant and avoid splashing it on the foliage .
If you have many plants it can get tedious using a watering can . you’re able to employ drip irrigation or soaker hosepipe for this . deflect using a garden hose as you will drench the plants with piddle and we want to avoid that .
If you use a timer you could set it up with the drip irrigation or alcoholic hose . The watering will start at the preset clock time and for the required time .
How to water plants from the bottom
To water plant from the bottom , you could use a tray , dish , kitchen swallow hole , or bathtub . You place the container in any of these make certain that the pot is submerged in at least 1 - inch water .
If you haverocks at the bottom of the potyou desire to ensure the pot is submerse so the stratum of rocks is lower than the layer of water .
How long you need to keep the sess soaking the water depend on the sizing of the wad and the plant . you could check the potting soil every 10 - 20 minutes to see how much body of water is absorbed .
You may see that the surface of the potting soil has pop out to come along moist . Or you may stick your finger 1 - 2 inch inside the soil . If the grime sticks to the tip of your finger it mean the potting soil is moist .
Once sufficient wet has attain inside the potting filth you may polish off the pot from the tray , kitchen sink or tub .
Place the grass on juiceless basis for a few minutes to drain out any supererogatory water from the soil that it does not need .
Even if you use bottom watering for the industrial plant , it ’s full to water from the top once every 3 - 4 hebdomad . This will help leach out the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and mineral built up in the potting dirt during that period .
How often to bottom water plants?
You need to bottom H2O plants when the potting dirt has dry out out . you could break this by sticking your finger 1 - 2 inches into the stain . If the digit come out dry , it ’s time to water the plant .
It ’s the same whether you top water or bottom water the plants . You need to sleep with the water supply needs of the plant before doing this .
Some plants prefer that the potting territory becomes completely dry before you water it again . Some plants prefer that the ground is go along a scrap moist at all times .
Can all plants be bottom watered?
All plants can be bottom watered as long as you’re able to lift the crapper and place it in a tray , dish antenna , kitchen sink , or bathtub .
Some plants such as African violets lose leaves if water is slosh on the foliage . Such plants are very suited to be bottom watered . Some other plants that prefer bottom watering include succulents and ferns .
Some people prefer to bottom water their indoor potted plants and top pee their outdoor potted plants .
For works that ca n’t handle you wet their foliage , like ferns or succulents , it is better to water from below as surplus water will run off of the foliage and into the root area where it ’s need anyway . For plants that do not do well with wetness on their roots , like many bloom , for example , you should be watering from above so that any droplet of water simply fall off and do n’t stand a chance to have root decomposition . – Noah James , Expert Landscaper , Liberty Lawn Garden
How to fertilize when bottom watering
One of the problems when usingbottom watering is you ca n’t use a slow - release fertilizeron top of the potting soil . The potting dirt need to be irrigate from the top to release the nutrient into the soil .
One solution is to dig a little into the potting soil and sum up the slow - passing fertiliser but you chance damage the root .
Another solution is to employ a liquid fertilizer rather . you may spray this fertilizer on the foliage and tot it to the piddle used for bottom watering .
You could also irrigate from the top afteradding a tiresome - release plant food on top of the potting territory . An casual watering from the top will help get the nutrients into the territory . It will also leach out the salt and minerals built up in the soil .
Can you overwater plants by bottom watering?
you could overwater flora by bottom watering if you keep the pot in the piddle for more sentence than necessary . The potting soil will keep absorbing the moisture the longer you keep it .
You want to check the potting territory every 10 - 20 minutes depend on the size of it of the locoweed . Once you see that the top of the potting land is moist , you take to remove the mess from the body of water .
you may stick your finger’s breadth 1 - 2 in into the potting soil to go over for the wet . If the gratuity of your fingerbreadth feels moist , the potting soil has received mint of moisture and time to take the pot out of the body of water .
Many gardeners are also hangdog of overwatering from the bottom , leaving the plant ’s ancestor sitting in a pool of urine for far too long . This can lead to waterlogged stain and potential ascendant putrefaction . When bottom watering , do not irrigate the plant and leave . Check the dirt every 5 - 10 minutes to see if it ’s saturated roughly an inch down . If so , the flora has likely pull as much piss up as ask . If it ’s still juiceless , check off back again . – Adam Crouch , Founder , SproutRite.com
How long does bottom watering take?
Bottom watering can take 10 to 40 minutes depending on the amount and grain of the potting soil . A bombastic pot with more potting filth will take more time than a smaller one . pot soil with good absorbing texture will take less fourth dimension than one with poor absorbing grain .
Once you start bottom tearing , you demand to check the moisture in the potting ground every 10 - 20 minutes . You want to stop the bottom watering once the top or the layer just under the surface of the potting dirt is moist .
you’re able to put your finger 1 - 2 inches inside the potting dirt to verify if the layer under the surface has turned moist enough to stop the watering .
What size plants can I bottom water?
you’re able to bottom piddle modest and medium - sized plants . It ’s sluttish to annul these plants and place a tray underneath . Or move these plant life to the kitchen sink or bathtub to bottom weewee . I do n’t commend bottom watering tumid plants as it ’s unmanageable and takes longer .
What are the different ways to use bottom watering?
The simplest way to utilise bottom watering is to take your pot and come in it on a tray , dish aerial , kitchen sink or bathtub . The pot should have drainage holes and should ride in at least 1 - inch of water .
You have another option ofusing a ego - watering container for your diminished and average plants . This container has a man-made lake at the bottom that is relate to the heap via a wick .
You put pot soil and growth the plant in the top compartment . You fill the bottom compartment or reservoir with water . The potting soil absorb the wet from the reservoir using the wick .
Using an Olla is another method to water plants from the bottom . An Olla is a narrow container that is made of porous material like terracotta .
You enter the Olla in the centre of the potting dirt so only the top is exposed . You then fill the Olla with water . The porous nature of the Olla causes it to release moisture that the potting soil will absorb .
Fact ensure , Written , and Published by Kevin Rodrigues
Kevin is the founding father of Gardening Mentor , a internet site that aims to teach people to produce their own intellectual nourishment in a special space . As a self - taught nurseryman , Kevin has spend several age grow plants and creating gardening content on the site . He is certified in Home Horticulture and Organic Gardening from Oregon State University . He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening from Mumbai University . take more
