Watering Plants From the Bottom Efficiently and Neatly

Watering plants from the bottom seems to trend as plant parents, over the years, try to come up with newer tricks to boost the health of their indoor plants. Apart from that, it is also important to remember that while bottom watering does have many benefits, there are better watering techniques for many plants.

That being said, if you are considering bottom watering your plants, you will first need to assess the type of plants you have in mind, among other essential factors, which we will look at. In the article below, we will detail the precautions you need to take before you decide to bottom water your plants and the things you need to do during the process itself!

How Can I Water My Plants From the Bottom? Most Efficient Way

You can water your plants from the bottom by choosing the right plants for the process and the most appropriate pot. You need to select suitable water for the plants too. You must fix a watering schedule depending on the moisture and stick to it.

1. Finding the Right Plants for Bottom Watering

If you have been considering watering your houseplants right from the bottom, one of the crucial points you need to be aware of is that some plants are more suited for bottom watering than others.

Keeping this in mind, it would be better to water larger plants from the bottom. Since the water will then take a significant length of time to be absorbed wholly, going all the way from the bottom to the plant’s top parts, it could put the roots in danger of rotting due to being constantly immersed in the water. Therefore, it would be better to bottom water plants that are medium-sized or relatively small.

Another critical point to remember is that plants that are more root-bound will have a more challenging time absorbing water than those that are not. If you have a plant at home that is root bound to a great extent, it would be much better to water it from the top. It is also essential to purchase or create a watering pot with holes at the bottom, as this will allow proper drainage for the excess water.

2. Getting a Commercial Bottom Watering Pot

You can get a commercial bottom watering pot if you want to water your plants from the bottom. One of the places where you can get the bottom watering pots is ‘Target.’ When it comes to these watering pots, they have a tiny hole that is located at the bottom of the pot.

This is where you can add in water, and the plant will take in the water once you do so. After that, the plant will water itself. To bottom water your plant, you do not need any particular type of pot.

To make your DIY watering pot, you must start filling up a sink or tube with water. If you do not have either, it is also suitable to use any shallow bowl. You must fill the pot with almost one to two inches of water.

After that, you have to locate your pot in the water. You have to leave it in the water for an estimated twenty minutes before doing anything else. Moving on, you will have to drain out the water from the pot.

Then, you will have to let your pot sit on the counter or the sink for fifteen minutes. You might get wet when you are draining the water, so you will have to bear with it for fifteen minutes. Next, you will have to pick up the pot. While holding it up, you will slowly have to turn your pot from one side to another.

Doing this will allow any leftover excess water to come out of the drainage holes. When you are sure of all the water, you can put the pot back in its original location. If it was in another pot previously, it is best to put it back there.

3. Using the Right Water

When you are preparing the things required to water your plants properly, you always need to ensure that you are using the correct type of water. It might seem as if water is a small part, but this is where you would be mistaken because water is, in fact, one of the few things that have the most prominent effects on your plants’ health and lifespan.

Therefore, if you are considering using tap water to bottom water the plants, avoid doing so. Instead, it would be better to use distilled water, which you may buy at a store or create at home yourself. An alternative to distilled water is rainwater, which may be collected effortlessly during a rainstorm.

4. Checking the Moisture

To ensure that you are watering your plants from the bottom in an adequate manner, it is crucial to assess the plant soil’s moisture continuously. You can quickly check the moisture on your own, simply using your finger. Push it down about two inches into the soil around your plant; this is where you should feel some moisture.

However, you might need more confidence in doing this using this method. In that case, it would be a good idea to purchase a moisture meter, as this tool will allow you to check and analyze the moisture with precision.

If the level is low, regardless of the method you use to check, remember that it is vital to increase the moisture to a more appropriate level to ensure the health of your plants.

5. Maintaining the Appropriate Watering Duration

You must always maintain the appropriate watering duration. To do so, it is crucial to remember that when you water your plant, you should avoid watering it from the top. It is best to water your desired plants from the bottom. When watering the plants from the top, it could damage the plant, so it is best not to harm the plant.

 

Next, you should always remove excess water from the pot. To remove the water, you must allow the pot to take out all the excess moisture through its drainage holes. Once the pot is dry, you can place it back in its original location. To prevent yourself from getting wet, it is best to check whether there is no water in the pot.

You have to tilt the pot and see into it. If there is no water in, you can just put it back in its place. On the other hand, if there is still some water in the pot, you must carefully turn the pot upside down to let the water get out.

6. Maintaining a Water Frequency

It is also crucial to maintain a healthy water frequency for your plant. To do so, you must remember that you must water from the bottom just the same number of times as you regularly water our plant. When you water your plant, checking the soil before doing so is best. If your soil is moist, you should not water your plant, as it could damage it.

On the other hand, if the plant’s soil is dry, it is best to water your plant, as it needs to be watered. The amount of time to water your plants, however, depends on the type of plant that you are growing. It is healthy to water your plant around once every day if the weather is hot. Nevertheless, you can water your plant once in two or three days if the weather is cool.

7. Taking Care of Rotting Roots

You must be aware of the fact that bottom watering is beneficial, but you should know it can still cause root rot. If you let your plant stay in the water for too long, the roots of the plant have a high chance of rotting in the sitting water. It is essential to remember that even though bottom watering helps with overwatering, it is not a verified fact.

Conclusion

Coming to the end of our extensive guide, you will know several valuable techniques you may apply when you wish to water houseplants from the bottom, but you will also know what things you need to look out for before doing so. In the list that follows, we have revised some of the most critical points that were covered in the article above and which you might want to take a look at:

• Before watering plants from the bottom, you must understand which plants are ideal for this process.
• Apart from that, you will also need to get a suitable pot to work with and the best water for the plants.
• Finally, you must create a proper water schedule after checking the soil’s moisture levels.
• Take care not to over-water or water too little, as both cases can damage your plants significantly.

As you can see, some plants are more ideal than others when it comes to bottom watering. Nevertheless, once you have found your plants and fixed them in a good spot, you can follow the steps mentioned in the guide and start bottom watering them in no time!