How to tell when potting soil is short of water? 6 methods to make watering easier

Whether potting soil is short of water is rather hard to judge. Although there are many watering principles for succulent growers to refer to, not every pot of succulents fits them.

After all, the air humidity and sunlight intensity at home both affect whether the potting soil is dry or wet, so how to tell when potting soil is short of water becomes especially important.

Below are several experiences of succulent-growing experts in judging whether potting soil is short of water. Take them, no thanks needed.

1. Visual method

Use your eyes to observe whether the color of the potting soil surface has changed. If the color becomes lighter or turns grayish white, it means the potting soil is already dry and needs watering; if the color becomes deeper or turns brown, it means the potting soil is moist and watering can be postponed

2. Tapping method

Gently tap the upper-middle part of the pot wall with your finger joints. If it gives a relatively crisp sound, it means the potting soil is already dry and needs immediate watering; if it gives a dull, muffled sound, it means the potting soil is moist and watering can be postponed.

3. Pinching and twisting method

Twist a bit of the potting soil with your fingers. If the soil is powdery, it means the potting soil is already dry and should be watered immediately; if the soil is flaky or crumbly, it means the potting soil is moist and watering can be postponed.

4. Finger test method

Gently insert a finger about 2 cm deep into the potting soil and feel the soil. If it feels dry, or rough and hard, it means the potting soil is already dry and needs immediate watering; if it feels slightly moist, fine and soft, it means the potting soil is moist and watering can be postponed.

5. Flower pot tapping method

Gently tap the upper-middle part of the pot wall with your finger joints. If it gives a relatively crisp sound, it means the potting soil is already dry and needs immediate watering;if it gives a dull, muffled sound, it means the potting soil is moist and watering can be postponed.

6. Wooden stick test method

Insert a bamboo or wooden stick into the potting soil down to the bottom of the pot, then pull it out and observe the moisture of the soil clinging to it, and you can judge the moisture of different soil layers.

5 major watering principles

Water more for warmth-loving flowers and less for drought-tolerant flowers; water more for flowers with large leaves and fast growth, and less for flowers with small leaves and slow growth. Water more when the temperature is high and it is windy and dry; water less when the temperature is low or on cloudy days, do not water on rainy days, and water less or not at all during the dormant period. Different flowers have different watering methods.

1. Water thoroughly when dry

Suitable for semi-drought-tolerant flowers such as camellias and geraniums. The method is not to water until the potting soil is dry, and when you do water, water thoroughly in one go.

2. Water when dry, stop when wet

Suitable for mesophytic flowers such as chrysanthemums and kumquats. The method is to water normally every day and keep the water content of the potting soil at around 60%.

3. Better wet than dry

Suitable for moisture-tolerant flowers such as ferns and lucky bamboo. The method is to keep the potting soil constantly moist.

4. Better dry than wet

Suitable for drought-tolerant flowers such as cacti and cactus globes. The method is to keep the potting soil constantly dry, and some types can go without watering for a long time.

5. Do not sprinkle water on leaves or petals

Suitable for types whose leaves and petals are fleshy and which will rot if they get too much water, such as gloxinia and cyclamen. When watering, avoid the leaves and spray the soil surface instead.