If you’re struggling to keep your plants hydrated during summer, you aren’t alone.
Watch: How to bottom water your plants
Getting water down to the root balls of your potted plants can be challenging, leaving them looking wilted and on their last legs.
Thankfully, there is a simple way to keep your plants hydrated during the warmer months: bottom-watering.
What is bottom watering?
Instead of overhead watering, you take the water straight to the roots and hydrate your plants from the bottom up.
Explaining why bottom-watering is an effective way to water your plants, Charlie Albone says:
“Pots dry out really quickly, and you’ll notice when you go to water them again, it just runs around the outside and straight out the holes in the bottom, rather than actually soaking the root ball.
“So with the addition of some soil wetter, the plants will absorb all of this goodness and be fully moisturised.”
How to bottom water your plants
What you’ll need:
- A large bucket or container large enough to fit your plants
- 1 Cup seaweed solution
- Soil wetter
- Water
Method:
- Grab your bucket and fill it with water. Add your seaweed solution and soil wetter.
- Place your pot in the water and wait for the air bubbles to disappear, so you know the water has been absorbed. Drain your pot plant and move on to the next one.
For a larger pot, you can still sit it in the bucket. If it doesn’t fill to the top, that’s fine; you can leave it there for a couple of hours, and the water will soak up through the holes in the bottom.
Watch the video at the top of the article to see how it’s done.
More tips for bottom watering your plants
- Make sure the pots have adequate draining holes.
- While Charlie soaks plants in a large bucket, it’s also possible to place your indoor plants in a dish or container and allow them to soak up the water they need.
- It’s essential to still water your plants from the top every now and then to help flush out any minerals that may have built up in the soil.
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How to grow six of the most popular herbs at home
The essential guide to Australian native plants
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