How to remove excess water from the pots?

Potted plants must be watered from time to time

Potted plants need to be watered from time to time.

The pots are that generous consolation for all of us who live in apartments and places without air space, a small vessel where nature breathes and develops, giving away all its splendor. But the art of potting has its flats as well as its secrets.

Has it ever happened to you to overwater and cut the stream when it’s too late? It is a very common evil in the case of pots but there is nothing that has no solution, so if in the case of excessive watering of your potted plants you can put into practice a simple but effective home trick.

How to remove excess water from a pot?

Succulents want little water

Succulents want little water

For, remove excess waterThe first thing is to leave a few days without watering so that the water drains but if the water is excessive it will be difficult for the soil to dry out, so to take care of the plant it is best to remove it from the pot.

Remove the root ball very carefully so that the plant does not fall apart, and then wrap it in several layers of newspaper or absorbent paper for 24 hours to absorb all the moisture. If you notice that the paper is getting too wet, change it until you notice that it remains dry.

On the other hand, clean the pot and fill it with new soil. Then he places the plant back in its receptacle. Avoid watering for a few days and until the soil is dry.

To consider

Remember the pots are small spaces with little soil so the watering should be much more moderate than if the plant were in the ground. In addition, the manufacturing material must be taken into account since, for example, in terracotta pots the water evaporates much more than in plastic ones.

What are the symptoms of overwatering plants?

To find out if a plant is overwatering, we have to look at the following:

  • The plant takes on a ‘sad’ appearance, with weak leaves and stems
  • The lower leaves usually turn yellowish and the young brown
  • The roots rot
  • Growth stops
  • The soil may turn green due to the presence of algae

Why do they die if they get more water than they should?

Irrigation must be moderate

Irrigation must be moderate

It is often thought that the more water they have, the more ‘alive’ they will be, but the truth is that they are not. We humans need water too, but we all know how bad it is if we drink more than necessary in a short period of time. Stomach pain can be very bad . And that’s not to mention how difficult it is sure to breathe being in a river that carries a strong current.

Plants want water, yes, but overwatering they literally run out of oxygen as well as nutrients. That is why it is important to know when and how to water them.

How to avoid overwatering?

Irrigation is, without a doubt, the most complicated task that anyone who has plants must learn to master. And it is that, water is essential for life, but … whether it is scarce or there is too much, the roots will have a hard time. Things get complicated when they tell us, or we learn through trial and error, that each plant has its own water needs, which will vary depending on weather conditions, altitude, wind, environmental humidity, if it is outside or inside,… and its own size.

Thus, a rose bush in the middle of the Mediterranean summer will not need the same watering as another that is in Galicia. Why? Because the first will be in a region where summer coincides with the dry period, which can last for several months (to give you an idea, in the south of Mallorca we can spend more than six months without receiving a single drop of rain ), and the second will be in an area where it usually rains from time to time.

Therefore, to avoid overwatering it is important to know the main characteristics of the climate of the area (temperatures, frequency of rains, humidity, wind), as well as, of course, the needs of the plant that we are going to cultivate. As a general rule, you have to know that during the summer it will be watered more often than the rest of the year, and that indoor plants will always have to be watered less than those outdoors.

When in doubt, there is nothing like checking the substrate moisture. There are several ways to do it:

  • Introducing a thin wooden stick: is the classic method. It is introduced to the bottom, near the edge of the pot so as not to damage the roots, and if when we remove it we see that it is practically clean, then we will proceed to water.
  • Weighing the pot once watered and again after a few days: the humid earth weighs more than the dry one, so if after a few days we notice that the pot hardly weighs, or that it weighs much less, we will proceed to water.
  • Using a digital moisture meter: It is not 100% reliable, but it can serve as a guide. When introducing it, it will tell us how wet or dry the portion of earth that has come into contact with it is.

Another important point is the substrate. If the substrate does not have good drainage; that is, if it is not able to absorb and filter the excess water quickly, the plant will become more vulnerable to excess watering. You have more information here:

Camellia flower, a spectacular shrubCamellia flower, a spectacular shrub

Related article:

Complete guide to substrates: how to choose the most suitable for your plant

How to water a plant?

Cacti don't want a lot of water

Cacti don't want a lot of water.

Well, we know that the earth needs water, but how to irrigate? This seems like a question with a simple answer, but… do we water or pour water? Often, to prevent the roots from rotting, we only add half a glass or maybe less if it is really small. If we are doing this out of habit, in the end what can happen is that we run out of plant, as it could dry out.

The water must reach the roots well, and that implies moistening all the soil well. Do not water it, but water it well until the water comes out of the drainage holes. Likewise, it is necessary to ensure that said soil is capable of absorbing the precious liquid, that is why if we see that the water is going to the sides we must take the pot and put it in a basin for a few minutes, until the earth stay well damp.

Can you put a plate under it?

I do not advise. Most plants do not like to have contact with stagnant water; in fact, that’s one of the reasons why roots rot. That is why it is much more advisable to use pots with drainage holes, and without a plate.

However There are exceptions:

  • Aquatic plants: these can even be had in pots without holes.
  • Semi-aquatic or riparian plants: such as rattan or bays.
  • Plants that are outdoors, in areas where summers are very hot (30ºC or more) and dry that want a lot of water, such as palm trees Archontophoenix, or flowers such as rose bushes or geraniums.

I hope it has been useful to you.

How to remove excess water from the pots?

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