Bottom watering means letting the pot drink from below. Stand it in a few centimetres of water in a sink, bowl or tray. The mix wicks water upward like a sponge. When the surface looks and feels moist, lift the pot out and let it drain. Virginia Cooperative Extension suggests about 15 to 30 minutes, and never more than an hour. It suits plants that dislike wet leaves, such as African violets.
Bottom watering is also the fix for a common puzzle. Sometimes you pour water in and it rushes straight out of the holes within seconds. That usually means the mix got so dry that it now repels water. Peat- and bark-based mixes do this, and the dry root ball may have shrunk away from the side of the pot, leaving a gap for water to escape.
To rewet it, water slowly in several small rounds a few minutes apart, or soak the pot from below until it feels properly heavy again. Then go back to normal top watering. Top watering now and then also helps flush out minerals that build up over time, which is the subject of a later lesson.
Key points
- Bottom watering: stand the pot in water until the surface is moist, then drain.
- Water that rushes straight through usually means very dry, water-repelling mix.
- Rewet dry mix slowly or by soaking, until the pot feels heavy.
Try this
Find your lightest, driest-feeling pot and bottom water it. Time how long it takes for the surface to feel damp.
Check yourself
Read more in the reference
Sources
Marking a lesson done is kept on this device only.