If you’re an indoor plant enthusiast, then you probably know how long it can take and how arduous it can be to make sure all of your plants are watered.
It’s also very easy to over or underwater plants and nothing is worse than accidentally killing your favourite houseplant.
Bobby Berk, former star of the hit Netflix show Queer Eye and interior designer, is a plant lover and often posts his top tips on social media.
One of these is an unconventional watering method which he says will lead to healthier plants.
The trick is to “let the plants water themselves”. No, this doesn’t mean they go to the tap themselves – it still needs a bit of human intervention.
Rather than tipping water on the top of your plants, Berk suggests filling a large container with water and then placing your plants inside. Known as bottom watering, this allows the roots of your plants to soak up as much water as they need.
Plant expert Nicole Elizabeth Dillon backs this tip, saying it’s a great way to ensure your plants get what they need. Speaking to Living Etc she said: “My houseplants actually have a bath day.
“I have a large, farmhouse-style sink that I fill with a few inches of water and my houseplants have one big party each week during the summer.”
If you want to use this trick you can use your bath, sink or even a large tub filled with water.
Make sure you don’t leave your plants in the water for too long – half an hour per pot should do it, and keep an eye on the water level to check it’s still covering the bottom of the planter.
The other benefit of watering this way is it can keep fungus gnats at bay. Fungus gnats thrive in damp soil and can be a real pest.
By bottom watering, the top layers of your soil stay dry but plants still absorb moisture. It also encourages roots to grow downwards towards the bottom of the plant, making them grow larger and stronger.
However, if you have any kind of contaminant in your soil, it can spread to your other plants – so if you’re worried, switch out the water between pots.
