For houseplants, go easy on the water

Question: I’m told I’ve been over-watering our houseplants, yet we have sprigs of plants rooting in jars in nothing but water. How can a plant be over-watered when it can also be rooted and flourish in water? And how do you know when you’re watering too much?

Snake plant – Sansevieria trifasciata

Houseplant experts agree that over-watering can have a detrimental effect on houseplants. Soil that stays too wet causes the plant’s roots to rot, and invites fungi that thrive in moist conditions. That’s why it’s important to grow houseplants in pots with adequate drainage, and to allow the soil of most plants to dry between waterings.Different houseplants also have different water requirements, and many need less water in winter when they are growing more slowly. Before you add water, poke a finger into the soil, and only water the plant if it feels dry. Or push a wooden chopstick into the soil, and if it’s not damp when you pull it out, water the plant. It is better for a plant to have too little water than too much, but you also want to make sure it doesn’t wilt.

As for plants rooting in water: many fleshy plants will quickly develop roots in plain water and can later be planted in soil. Ideally, as the roots develop, the water is kept clean by being changed frequently. But if they are kept in water long enough, even those plants that seem to thrive for awhile will eventually lose vigor and may rot, too.