Question
Hello Will.

After caring for house plants for just over a year, I have reached a maturity benchmark.  I no longer keep a watering schedule!  I have learned to pay closer attention to foliage to get an idea of when it's time to water.  I have a few plants that I can really get a good read on by looking at the foliage alone though:

Aloe (Vera and Gold Tooth)
Haworthia Zebrina(sp?)
Tiger Jaws (Faucaria)
Gasteria
Cotyledon Orbiculata

From time to time I use sticks from the arts and crafts store.  They look like a cross between tongue depressors and popsicle sticks.  I'll slide one down the side of the pot, let it sit for about 30 minutes and check for moisture that way.  I worry that I'm causing damage to the roots though.  Is doing something like that too intrusive?  

Please share any pointers you may have with me.

Thanks!
Amanda

Answer
Hi Amanda,

Determining when to water by reading the leaves is a bit dicey as it requires allowing the plant to get to the wilt point before watering. Certainly, this is much better than overwatering a plant. However, not letting them actually reach the visible wilt point is often preferable.

Using sticks to determine the actual moisture in the soil is a good technique. The holes will not do any damage to the plant and in fact will help aerate the soil some. It is not necessary to leave the sticks in for 30 minutes, if the sticks remove some soil when they are pulled out.

You may be interested in a device designed specifically for probing the soil to determine moisture content at various depths in the pot. It costs about $7. You can read all about it at www.SoilSleuth.com.

In time you may be able to determine when to water by checking to see how moist or dry the top inch of soil feels to the touch. But whatever technique works best for you is  what you should use!

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]