Water

• Watering - Make sure you check each individual plant at this time of seasonal change to see which plants need watering more often than others. Plants that are directly in or closer to windows will be the ones who most likely experience this change. However, plants that are placed in more lower light won’t drink up water faster and you may see yourself watering at the same frequency.
• Early Morning/Evening - This mostly applies for plants that are directly in windows getting full sun like in a South exposure. Watering in the early morning/evening can help reduce the evaporation of water at the topsoil when it starts to get hot and bright in the afternoon.
• Rocks - You can place lava rocks, pebbles, or even sand on your plants soil as a topdressing. This helps the soil retain moisture for a longer period and prevents evaporation.

Watering timelines like 1-2 weeks or 2-3 weeks is completely suggestive to help you gauge how often you MAY see yourself watering a plant. However, these timelines are subject to change based on environmental conditions around a plant like light, temperatures and humidity. All those things can affect how often your plant may drink up water which is why it’s not best to stick to a strict calendar schedule since these conditions can fluctuate weekly and impact how fast your plant drinks up water.

• Watering Needs - Every plant likes to dry out at a desired depth before watering. Some like to partially dry out, some half way, and some completely. As long as you understand each individual plants watering needs this will help to prevent you from overwatering.
• Checking the Soil - Checking the soil rather than sticking to a strict calendar schedule is the best way to know if your plant is ready for water. You can use either your finger or a moisture meter. You can also look out for physical signs your plant may be ready for water like drooping, wilting, leaf curl, wrinkling- all of which would be accompanied by dry soil.
• Container Size/Type - The size and type of your container can impact how fast your plant drinks up water. Plants that are planted in porous (terracotta) planters will drink up water faster than those in glazed planters. Plants that are also in larger containers will stay moist for longer since it has a higher volume of soil compared to plants in smaller containers.
• Potting Mix - The type of potting mix your plant is in can also impact how fast it drinks water. Plants that are in more porous, well-draining soil (like a bark based mixture or succulent mixture) they will not retain moisture for longer compared to those that aren’t as well-draining or have more organic ingredients that help to retain moisture.