Common Watering Problems

Many, many problems are caused for houseplants and garden plants by common watering mistakes.  These include under watering, over watering, watering at the wrong time, improper watering and watering on a schedule.  All of these can lead to plant diseases especially those caused by fungus.  They can aid in the spread of plant disease and the leaching of nutrients in container plants. I can't tell you how many times I have gone by a house with the sprinkler going full force while it was raining.  What an absolute waste of resources!  Sprinklers by their design waste water so an eco-friendly home garden doesn't use sprinklers to begin with.  I've talked about watering problems before so here are a few more comments on the subject.

• under watering - Under watering causes the soil to dry out enough that the plant can wither and die.  Unless a plant's care stipulates it must dry fully between waterings, do not allow plants to dry out.   Avoid this problem especially in indoor or outdoor container plants by using self-watering planters, watering globes or gravity fed self-watering system.
• over watering - Over watering is a very, very common problem both indoors and outdoors because the home gardener fails to realize the needs of the plant.  Outdoors, overwatering can occur naturally (eg. a week of storms with heavy rains) or by improper watering (eg. watering too much or watering when it is raining).  Over watering leaches nutrients from the soil and causes problems for plants that don't like their feet wet (eg. tomatoes).  It can lead to plant diseases caused by a variety of fungus and cause damping off in seedlings.  Avoid over watering by using self-watering planters, watering globes or a gravity fed self-watering system. 
• watering at the incorrect time - It is important to water plants as they need the water.  Outdoor plants should be watered in the morning after the dew has burned off, before the heat of the day (1 PM - 4 PM) and early enough they have a chance to dry a bit before the evening hours.  Always water during daylight hours when watering indoors to allow the soil to dry a bit before lights go out.
• improper watering - Plants should be watered at the soil level without getting the foliage wet.  Wet foliage aids in the spread of plant fungal diseases and cause sunburn on both indoor and outdoor plants.  Indoor plants can benefit from a shower to clean off dust on the leaves but should be allowed to dry fully before returning the plant to its location.  Outdoor plants get sufficient rain to wash off any dust although if you have a container plant in a location where rain will not reach it, a short shower from a watering can can be beneficial.  
• watering on a schedule - Home gardeners make the mistake of watering on a schedule rather than on the basis of whether or not the plant needs watering.  Watering should always be tailored to the plant's needs.  If in doubt or on vacation use self-watering planters or water globes both indoors and outdoors.  Avoid using timed watering devices (eg. timed sprinkler systems) for watering your plants outdoors as this can result in over watering if it happens to rain.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Tips for Using Self-Watering Planters

Using self-watering planter for houseplants, on the patio or deck and in the garden makes a lot of sense.  They result is healthier, stress-free plants that are better equipped in warding of disease and infestations.  I have been busy repotting all of my houseplants and starting planted pots for outdoors using self-watering planters.  Here's a few tips for using self-watering planters:

• size of self-watering planter  - If repotting a plant, choose a size of self-watering planter about 1" to 2" diameter bigger than the pot the plant is currently in.  For example if the plant is in a 4" pot, choose a 6" or 7" self-watering planter. 
• soil - Use a good quality potting mix or mix your own using sterilized soil, vermiculite, and peat moss.   The soil should be light and fluffy but with a bit of body to it.
• fertilizing - By the time most plants need repotting, they are a bit stressed.  Use a fortified (.14-.14-.14) potting mix for non-edible plants or fertilize after repotting.  Organic fer
• watering - Do not water or fill the reservoir before placing the plant where you want it!  Place the potted plant on a plate, charger or floor protector.  The reservoir can overflow if filled beyond it's capacity.  Place the plant in a manner that there is easy access to the reservoir fill hole.  Water the plant from the top until the entire soil surface is wet.  Let the plant sit for 15 minutes before filling the reservoir.  This allows any excess water to go into the reservoir and helps to prevent overflowing.  Use a small curve spout watering can to fill the reservoir.  If the reservoir has a float system, stop filling when the float pops up.  If the reservoir does not have a float system, use your finger as a guide to fill until the reservoir hits your finger just slightly below the opening.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Why Use Self-Watering Planters?

There is a wide range of self-watering planters available or you can make your own.  Basically a self-watering planter consists of two chambers.  The upper chamber is the potting chamber.  There is a series of slits in the bottom of the upper chamber allowing water to be drawn from the lower chamber (water reservoir) by the plant roots using capillary action.  There is some type of hole at the top of the lower chamber where you can add more water as needed.  Inexpensive versions consist of the two chambers but more expensive versions have a water float in the reservoir and some type of wick on the bottom or even going up the side of the upper chamber. 

It is also quite possible to make your own self-watering planters.  There are many, many designs and instructions available online to suit every need.  When it comes to houseplants and smaller patio plants, the purchased self-watering planters are likely less expensive than homemade but larger containers (eg. plastic totes) used to grow vegetables on the patio are less expensive if you make them yourself.  The question is, why should you use self-watering planters?  Here are a few of my reasons:

• healthier plants - Self-watering planters eliminate over watering and drying out.  The moisture is consistently provided as the plant needs it so plant stress is greatly reduced.  
• fewer infestations and diseases - Healthier plants ultimately means fewer infestations (eg. aphids, white flies)  and diseases (eg. fungus, dampening off, leaf mold).  While this is less of a concern indoors, it can be a problem for any container plant grown in the garden, on decks or patios.  A healthy plant can tolerate an infestation better than a stressed plant.
• reduced time watering - If you have houseplants in every room of your house as you should as well as container plants outdoors you can easily spend an hour or so water plants each week.  Each self-watering planter reservoir holds enough water to water the plant for 2 to 4 weeks.  Instead of watering houseplants every other day or every week, the timing is cut in half to a quarter by using a self-watering planter. 
• plant friendly - The reality is most home gardeners water according to their schedule not on the plant's schedule.  A self-watering planter keeps the soil moist as needed but doesn't over or under water. 
• easy fertilizing - All container plants require fertilization on a regular basis because they deplete the soil nutrients quickly.  Simply use an organic liquid fertilizer added to the water in the reservoir.  The plant will use it as the nutrients are needed without the fear of fertilizer burn.  
• worry free - One of the biggest concerns anyone who grows plants in containers, indoors or outdoor is what to do when you go on away for an extended period of time.  I know I have called family on more than one occasion when we decided to stay away longer than expected asking them to check my container plants because I couldn't remember if I had watered them before we left.  I have an excellent network of family and friends to come to my rescue but not everyone has this.  The self-watering planters remove this worry.  As long as you keep water in the reservoir you know your container plants will be fine for 2 to 4 weeks.  This will be a huge relief for those growing on patios too as patio plants can dry out quickly on a hot day.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Arboricola Bush in EEZY-GRO Self-Watering Planter

Arboricola Bush

(Umbrella Plant)

One of our local grocery stores was selling gorgeous floor plants in 10" pots for $9.99 so I bought a few.  Plants breath life into a room but at the same time help clean the air so they should be included in every room of the house.  Floor plants are wonderful for adding that extra touch without spending a lot of money. Pictured is the Arboricola bush I bought then repotted in and EEZY-GRO self-watering planter.

We are away from home for extended periods of time when we are at our vacation home.  Our last house was in a rural location with no access other than secondary roads that are not plowed out as fast as the main roads.  Rather than ask family and friends to come out to water my houseplants I turned to using automatic watering globes.  The local dollar store sells the smaller ones 2/$1.25 and the larger ones at $2 each.  I've been using them over a year now as an inexpensive yet effective alternative for keeping houseplants watered.  There are three downsides to the watering globes.  First they are made of glass so breakage is always a concern.  The second downside is potential overheating if used outdoors and the final downside is at best a filled water globe will provide water between 5 and 8 days, or at least that has been my experience.  I am moving towards self-watering planters for all of my houseplants and will be using them for various container plants in the garden and on the decks.

I was at Wal-Mart a couple of weeks ago checking out their houseplant selection.  I decided to try an EEZY-GRO self-watering planter.  These planters are made by Apollo Plastics Ltd.in Mississauga, Ontario.  There is a water reservoir on the base of the planter and a wick on the bottom of the planter.  Once the plant is potted, you water the top as you would normally.  Then you fill the water reservoir through the opening.  There is a small float device just inside the opening.  The plant roots draw water up through the roots using capillary action as needed.  The planter is designed in such a manner that the roots are not constantly standing in water making this an ideal planter for patio plants.  This planter is designed to water the plant for 2 to 4 weeks depending on the conditions.

The EEZY-GRO self-watering planters are available in limited range of colours but should meet most gardening needs.  There are versions available for hanging plants as well.  I paid $7.49 for the 14 - inch diameter pots and $6.49 for the 7 - inch diameter pot.  In perspective, if these pots keep my houseplants happy and healthy while reducing the number of times I have to water as well as eliminate the danger of potted plants drying out, it will be money well spent!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Houseplants and Watering Globes

Dollarama is likely quite happy with me!  I discovered their watering globes back in May of 2010 and have been experimenting with them ever since.  We spend upwards of five weeks at a time away from our permanent residence to enjoy our vacation home.  That leaves the dilemna of houseplant watering.  In our case, this is not a huge issue as our kids look after the house while we are away but I'm working on re-establishing my extensive houseplant collection in our new home.  Watering globes make perfect sense!

The watering globes I'm buying come in two sizes with the large one costing $2 and two of the smaller ones costing the same price.  The watering bulbs will keep each plant watered up to two weeks.  That means instead of the kids having to water my houseplants weekly they will only need to refill the watering bulb once during a four week period.  This is a lot less work for them!  There will still be a few trays of houseplants that will need to be watered individually but for the most part the watering the kids will need to do will be minimum.  Next I will be working on a self watering DIY system for my houseplants.  That way they will be rather self sufficient when we are away!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Build an Inexpensive Self Watering Container

Now that our gardening season is starting to wind down with the ADFF quickly approaching, I am looking for a few winter gardening projects to test out.  This year was quite dry throughout the summer creating problems with the container plants that easily dried out just a couple of hours after watering.  I didn't use the watering globes outdoors but I did use the SoilMoist^TM granules on some of the inedible planters.  Nothing seemed to help this year so I'm going to start experimenting with self watering containers.

I am going to try a couple of styles of homemade self watering containers.  The following video shows the first type I am going to try.  This is a very practical set-up that should cost about $5 using recycled materials.  It will cost more in potting soil than materials.  Potting soil will have a better wicking action than garden soil but I will likely experiment with a homemade soil mixture to use.  What I like about this design is the container is large enough for several vegetable varieties.  With a bit of modification the container can sit inside a wooden container so it will look nice as well.  I will likely use a piece of PVC pipe that we have left over from plumbing repairs rather than try to find plastic water bottles.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Emergency Container Resuce

Ontario and Quebec are experiencing a heat wave with hot, humid weather.  This is the type of weather that can end up killing off a few container plants.  The problem is even if the container is watered thoroughly in the morning by early afternoon it may need watering again.  This year I added SoilMoist™ granules to my non-edible planters to help with water management but even that is proving to be minimally effective against this heat wave.  Every home gardener has at some point encountered a plant under stress due to lack of water.  There are a few ways that I deal with this problem.

• containers - I move the container to a shady location then water the soil well trying not to get the foliage wet.  Wetting the foliage when a plant is quite wilted can cause further stress.  I keep an eye of the plant then once fully recovered I move it back to where it was.  
• in the garden - From time to time one or more plants will show stress due to drying conditions.  The biggest problem here is reviving the plant without causing further damage to it or other plants.  Since the garden bed can't be moved it is very important to not get foliage wet where water droplets can act as a magnifying glass causing burning from the sun's rays.  I water around the base of the affected plants enough to get them through to the evening watering.
• general watering - During a heat wave like this I deep water if needed twice a day.  I water as early in the morning as possible as soon as any dew is off the plants.  I water again in the evening allowing enough time for the soil surface to dry before it gets dark.  Twice a day watering for container plants is pretty much a must during a heat wave.  The larger raised beds are usually fine with one deep watering per day.
• shading - During high heat wave periods I temporarily hang shade cloth to help shade some of the more sensitive plants in the gardens during the heat of the day.  Shading simply reduces the temperature around those plants to slow the evapouration of soil moisture. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Watering Globe Update

I posted back in mid-May about the automatic watering globes I bought.  I thought these would be a nice water management tool especially for indoor use.  I've had a chance to use the watering globes for almost 2 months now so thought I would report back on my experience.   The watering globes are very easy to use.  You simply fill them then insert into the planter.  However I did find that the soil can sometimes block the spout preventing the proper release of water.

I think the jury is still out on the watering globes.  The pothos is loving it's watering globe!  The leaves are bright and shiny, looking very healthy and growing in leaps and bounds.  Speaking of bounds this plant likely does need to be repotted as I am sure it is root bound.  I took a few clippings to start more pots of pothos.  As a houseplant it is rather problem free thriving on neglect.  The watering globe has made a huge difference in this plant!  The calla lily even though it likes to be kept a bit on the damp side is another story.  Shortly after putting the watering globe in I noticed the soil developing signs of mold.  I replanted the the lilies thinking that the pot was too small.  I added the watering globe to the newly planted lilies and put them in the sunporch.  What I think is my problem with these lilies is they weren't getting enough sunlight on the lower level of the house.  The sunporch is on the upper level so there is a bit more natural light as well as better air circulation to help the soil dry between watering.  The watering globe does keep the calla lily watered but I'm wondering if it is just a bit too much for the current conditions. 

All in all I am rather pleased with the watering globes.  They will certainly help prevent plant loss for those times we are away for extended periods of time.  They will also help keep plants watered during the drying winter heating months.  I am planning on picking up a couple more for use with houseplants as needed.  I think they are well suited to tropic house plants that require a bit more waterings.

Happy Gardening!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Effective Watering Strategies

Watering the garden is likely one of the most important chores during the summer months.  Any container plants need to be watered daily and quite often a couple of times during the day.  Container plants on balconies in particular need extra water during hot spells.  A few days ago we had a period of wet weather.  While out and about on a rainy day last week I noticed the sprinkler system going full tilt in the lawn of a neighbouring house.  I'm sure this wasn't intentional however it certainly was a colossal waste of water!  Here are some of the water management strategies I use:

• water the ground not the plant - Soaker hoses and direct soil watering minimizes the amount of water getting onto foliage and puts the water where it is needed near the roots.  Wet foliage is more prone to fungal diseases and the spread of those diseases.  Water droplets on foliage act as a magnifying glass for the sun's rays causing sun burn on the foliage.
• soilmoist granules - Adding soilmoist granules to the potting mixture for non-edible plants effectively helps prevent the containers from drying out.
• weather watching - This seems like a very simple concept but if the weather forecast is for rain there is no need to water.  The exception to this is container plants or a plant that is showing signs of stress due to lack of water. Watering during periods of high winds using a sprinkler is quite wasteful as well.  A sprinkler should be avoided for watering
• water thoroughly - A good watering that soaks the soil reaching deep into the roots is better than several light waterings.  Light waterings result in a weaker root system leaving plants more prone to drying out.  
• timing - I prefer to water in the morning after any dew has dried off the foliage.  Moving about damp plants even to water helps spread any disease that may be present.  Watering in the morning gives the plants the moisture needed to get through the heat of the day yet ensures both plants and soil are dry enough for the night.  Watering in the evening keeps the soil wet through the night promoting mold and attracting garden pests like snails, slugs and earwigs.
• let the soil dry - Letting the soil dry between waterings helps to prevent fungal diseases and pests like the fungus gnat. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Using SoilMoist™ Granules in Houseplants and Planters

I posted awhile ago about my waterball garden using Deco beads by the makers of SoilMoist™.  I was impressed enough with the Deco beads that I wanted to try the SoilMoist™ as well.  SoilMoist™ has been successfully used in the horticultural industry as a water management system.  Essentially what the granules do is absorb moisture like a sponge then releases it to the soil as the soil dries.  It is used for planting trees, shrubs and containers.  While it is used for transplanting edible fruit canes like raspberries to lessen transplant shock I've decided not to use it for any edible plant until I can be sure there are no issues with the polyacrylamide breaking down to acrylamide after several seasons of use.

I bought 4 - 3oz (85 g) packages of SoilMoist™ online ($3) for use as a cutting starting medium and for water management in my non-edible containers.  According to the package you mix half of the required amount of the granules evenly in the plant hole, add the balance then backfill.  The granuals are added when dry then the plant is watered well.  If using to prevent transplant shock the granuals are hydrated first then the plant is dipped into the gel and planted in the prepared hole where the gel will give back moisture as needed.  The amount needed per container size or tree are on the back of the package.  It is important to not use too much as the gel when it expands can force the plant out of the container or tree out of the ground.

I did a test run of the SoilMoist™ granules just to see how they would perform.  I placed 1 tsp of the granules in a 4 oz (125 ml) bowl then poured the 4 oz (125 ml) water over it.  The granules did not look like they would expand as much as they did.  These granules expand considerably faster than the Deco waterballs.  They also seem to hold a lot more water as I had to add more water.  I added water again.

The granules should be kept away from all drain systems as there is the potential to cause blockages.  They should also be kept out of reach of children and pets.  One of my concerns when using outdoors in planters is to be sure the granules are buried well below the soil surface.  Shiny objects tend to attract some birds but this is one item that should not be where birds could get at it whether it is hydrated or still in granule form.

After about an hour the SoilMoist™ gel was over flowing the small bowl.  I ended up dumping the gel into a larger bowl then adding more water where to my amazement the gel pieces just kept growing.  I ended up with about 8 oz of gel from the 1 tbsp of granules.

The granules are a milky white hard crystal.  Once they expand they turn into a shimering clear jello-like substance looking very much like crushed ice except sparkly. It is easy to see from the expansion how the gel could push plants from the container when they expand.  I will report back on how the gel performed in my non-edible containers and houseplants.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010