Hey everyone! I know this might sound silly, but I'm trying to figure out how you all manage to water your indoor plants effectively. I have about 13 plants, mostly in clear nursery pots, and right now, I take them all outside once a week to water them individually. After watering, I leave them on the porch to drain, then bring them back inside. It feels like a lot of work, especially since I don't have too many plants!
I'm curious if there's a better way to do this. Do you water your plants where they sit, even if they're in decorative pots? I want to understand how the drainage works with those pots and how to handle water evaporation if they're not taken out. Am I overcomplicating this? Any tips to make my plant watering routine easier would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
It really depends on the type of plants you have! I keep mine in decorative pots, and I place stones at the bottom of the pots to allow excess water to drain away. I usually stop watering when I see a bit of water coming out from the bottom. I check a few hours later to ensure they’re not sitting in water. For my succulents, I recommend bottom watering—just sit them in a tray filled with water for a couple of hours and then siphon off any leftover water with a syringe. It really helps keep things simple!
For me, the easiest way is to fill my kitchen sink with a few inches of water and let my pots soak for about 30 minutes. I go from the largest to the smallest pots so the water level drops as I work my way down. It saves me a lot of effort compared to taking each plant outside individually! And don’t worry—many people feel the same way about their plant routines. You’re definitely not alone!
I totally get where you're coming from! I have most of my plants in pots with drainage, and for the decorative ones, I usually move them to the sink. It lets them drain right away without the hassle of emptying a decorative pot later. For the plants in saucers, I water them directly and let the excess collect in the saucer. If it’s too much, I use a turkey baster to suck out the extra water. It definitely saves me some time! Plus, it’s nice to water them at different times if they have varying needs—some need more frequent hydration than others!