Open Grow Guide

How to water houseplants

By Open Grow Guide Updated

Knowing when to water a houseplant matters more than following a fixed schedule. The surest way to tell is to check the soil itself. Push a finger into the mix, or feel the top inch, and water once it feels dry. The water itself matters too. Some plants, such as calathea and Hoya pubicalyx, do best with distilled, filtered, or rain water rather than plain tap water. Many houseplants also need less water once growth slows in fall and winter. This guide walks through how to judge soil moisture, prepare and apply water, adjust for the seasons, and avoid common mistakes.

When to do it

Water a houseplant only when it actually needs it, not on a set day of the week. Push a finger into the potting mix up to the first joint, and water once the tip feels dry. You can also simply check the top inch of soil and water once that feels dry. A clay pot gives a dull sound when its soil is moist and a hollow sound when it needs water. Wilting often signals a thirsty plant, but it isn't a sure sign. Root rot or other root damage can cause the same droop even in wet soil. A large plant in a small pot needs water more often than a small plant in a large pot. A plant in a warm, dry, sunny spot also needs more frequent watering than one in a cool, low-light spot. Many houseplants also need less water after a flush of new growth or heavy flowering, and through fall and winter.

What you need

You don't need much gear to water houseplants well, but a few things make it easier. Choose a watering can that holds at least a half-gallon. Every pot needs a drainage hole, so excess water has somewhere to go. Keep a saucer under the pot too, and empty it after each watering. Let tap water stand for a few hours before you use it, so the chlorine has time to evaporate. Skip softened water, since it adds sodium and chloride to the soil. Aim for water between 62 and 72 degrees F, and avoid water that's hot or cold. Some plants need specific water. Give calathea distilled or rain water instead of tap water. Water succulent types such as Hoya pubicalyx with filtered or rain water. Glass watering globes can add a trickle of moisture for one to two weeks. They work best alongside regular checks, not in place of them. These vary widely in accuracy, and their readings can be more confusing than useful.

Step by step

  1. Step 1

    Check the soil before you water, not the calendar

    Push a finger into the mix up to the first joint, and water once the tip feels dry.

  2. Step 2

    Watch for other moisture clues too

    A clay pot sounds dull when the soil is moist and hollow when it needs water. The pot feels lighter, and the mix turns a lighter color, as it dries out.

  3. Step 3

    Don't trust wilting on its own

    A wilted plant often needs water, but root rot can cause the same droop even when the soil is wet.

  4. Step 4

    Let tap water stand for a few hours before you use it

    That gives the chlorine time to evaporate. Skip softened water too, since it adds sodium and chloride to the soil.

  5. Step 5

    Use water that's close to room temperature

    Aim for 62 to 72 degrees F, and skip water that's hot or cold.

  6. Step 6

    Water until it runs out the bottom of the pot

    That lets the bottom two-thirds, where most roots grow, take up enough water. Then empty the saucer, so the roots aren't left sitting in water.

  7. Step 7

    Water hairy-leaved plants like African violets from below

    Keep the leaves dry, and let the surface dry before you water again. Water left sitting on the leaves can make the plant decay.

  8. Step 8

    Match how often you water to the plant and its pot

    A large plant in a small pot needs water more often than a small plant in a large one. A plant in a warm, dry, sunny spot also needs more frequent watering than one kept cool and shaded.

  9. Step 9

    Consider your potting mix and pot material too

    A heavy mix with a lot of peat moss holds moisture longer, so it needs watering less often. A porous clay pot loses water fast, so it needs watering more often.

  10. Step 10

    Expect watering needs to slow down sometimes too

    A plant often needs less water after a flush of new growth or a heavy round of flowering.

  11. Step 11

    Ease off watering in fall and winter

    Many houseplants, such as Hoya pubicalyx, need less water then and dry out more between waterings. During the growing season, water it often and let the mix dry out between waterings.

  12. Step 12

    Give succulent types like Hoya pubicalyx good drainage

    Water them with filtered or rain water, since too much can cause root rot and leaf drop.

  13. Step 13

    Use distilled or rain water for plants like calathea

    It works better for them than plain tap water.

  14. Step 14

    Start feeding houseplants once spring arrives

    Use a balanced fertilizer at half strength every two to four weeks. Bright-light plants may need more frequent feeding by late spring, while low-light plants need less.

  15. Step 15

    Go easy on fertilizer

    Too much too soon can cause weak, stretchy growth or a buildup of salt in the soil. Don't let salty soil dry out completely, since that can damage the roots.

  16. Step 16

    Rewet mix that has dried out completely

    Water it once, then again half an hour later, or soak the pot in a sink or bucket. If the peat dries out fully, it becomes hard to rewet.

  17. Step 17

    Watch for signs of overwatering

    It's the main cause of death in potted plants, and its symptoms look much like underwatering.

  18. Step 18

    Skip the layer of pebbles under the soil

    It doesn't improve drainage; instead, it holds moisture inside the pot.

  19. Step 19

    Don't count on misting for humidity

    Daily misting doesn't raise humidity long enough to help the plant.

  20. Step 20

    Pick the right tools for watering

    Choose a can that holds at least a half-gallon, with a long, narrow spout. Glass watering globes can trickle moisture for one to two weeks, but keep checking the plant too.

  21. Step 21

    Watch for signs a plant needs repotting

    These include mix that dries out fast, roots growing through the drainage holes, and growth that has slowed despite regular feeding. Check the root ball too: circling roots, or little mix left in its bottom third, both mean it's time to repot.

  22. Step 22

    Repot in spring, when growth naturally picks up

    Choose a new pot only one size larger than the current one. Too much extra soil in an oversized pot can hold too much water and cause root problems.

  23. Step 23

    Water the plant before you repot it, and let it rest about an hour

    Moisten the new potting mix too, so it absorbs water evenly.

  24. Step 24

    Loosen the roots before you set the plant in its new pot

    They should no longer be densely matted or circling the rootball.

  25. Step 25

    Set the root ball at the right depth

    Keep its top about an inch below the pot's rim, with an inch of space left at the top.

  26. Step 26

    Water thoroughly once the plant is repotted, and let it drain fully

    Once it has drained, move it to its intended spot.

  27. Step 27

    Be cautious with soil moisture meters

    These vary widely in accuracy, and reading their results is often more confusing than helpful.

  28. Step 28

    Leaf type affects watering too

    Plants with large or thin leaves, or fine surface roots, need more frequent watering than succulent plants with fleshy, water-storing leaves.

  29. Step 29

    Always use a pot with a drainage hole

    Excess water needs somewhere to escape.

  30. Step 30

    Watch for fungus gnats, especially after a summer outdoors

    Small yellow sticky traps placed just above the soil can help you monitor or control them.

  31. Step 31

    Refresh the potting mix even if you don't repot

    Fresh mix gives better drainage, oxygen, and nutrients for the growing season. If the plant is happy in its pot, just refresh the top inch or two of soil instead.

  32. Step 32

    Keep the soil surface dry to discourage gnats

    Their larvae live in the top half inch of soil and need moisture to survive. Check that the top inch is dry before you water, and water from the bottom to keep the surface dry.

  33. Step 33

    Don't water African violets on a fixed schedule

    Water whenever the soil surface feels dry to the touch, but before it turns hard or the plant wilts.

Mistakes to avoid

Overwatering is the most common way houseplants die. Its symptoms can look just like underwatering, which makes it easy to misread. Placing a layer of pebbles under the soil doesn't improve drainage. Instead, it tends to trap moisture inside the pot. Misting a plant every day doesn't raise humidity for long enough to do any good. Repotting into a pot that's much bigger than the current one is another common error. The extra soil in an oversized pot can hold too much water and lead to root problems. Choose a new pot only one size larger instead. Giving too much fertilizer too soon can cause weak, stretchy growth or a buildup of salt in the soil. Letting that soil dry out completely while salt levels are high can also damage the roots. Houseplants that spend summer outside often come back in with fungus gnats. Their larvae live in the top half inch of soil and need moisture to survive. Keeping the soil surface dry between waterings helps keep them away. For African violets, letting cold water touch warm leaves can leave yellowish spots or streaks. Leaving water sitting on the leaf surface can also make the plant decay. Watering African violets on a fixed schedule is also a mistake. The soil itself, not the calendar, should decide when it gets watered.

How this page was made

  • Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.

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