Watering techniques

[cjloong]

Had a recent chat with a friend with many nice pitchers. It seems that he water his plants roots only when the media is near dry. He however, water the plant environment a lot more often. His plants are really nice and grows quite fast. He shows me the media and I touched it. There is no feeling of any hint of wetness. Just a little cool. If I may describe it, it is like sphagnum moss 1-2 day before bone dry. Kinda interested to find out how you guys water your plants and how wet are you keeping those media.

[sooxiwei]

Interesting, for me, many methods depending on species, best is rainy day, then I can continue to be lazy

[kentosaurs]

I went to fauzi and yea he mentioned on letting the soil dry out quite a bit before watering again for root growth...I'm now starting to let my plants dry out more before watering...Plants i had which dry out between watering seems to do better so i guess they're right on the drying out part.

[edwardyeeks]

Fauzi did mention about letting the top part of sphagnum moss to sorta dry out before watering. For me, burnt earth, peat moss and perlite=water every 3 days. On the third day, just before watering the top part is totally dry. This works out for almost all size pots, small pots about 3-4inches in diameter had alot more peat moss than burnt earth so they dried at the same rate. I hose my plants until water pools up slightly at the top of the media before stopping.

[caseyhoo]

I water all my nepenthes every day. Except for few pot that need dry media, especially those EP cross.

For me, worry part of "media dry within each watering", the media start dry at morning. End up, the pot totally dry at night.

For me, if really want to practice "media dry within each watering", need to make sure the pot size is suitable to plant size. Because, in my house, there is few nepenthes's media will dry up when it is sunny day. Unless, I can keep my eyes on those media and able water it when media start. (I dont think im able to do so.)

[kentosaurs]

If i water my plants soil, it usually takes 3 days before the surface starts to get dry

[cjloong]

Originally Posted by sooxiwei

Interesting, for me, many methods depending on species, best is rainy day, then I can continue to be lazy

Absolutely agree with you. Can relax and watch the pitchers popping up here and there. ;-) This year has been good compared with the previous ones. Kinda freaky year, but good for our plants.

[tzestan]

Rainny days are the best...
I water once a day. But different amount for each species. Bical and amp have tray. Raff and viking also take a lot of water. Keeping on drier side for them is risky. Both suffered before and lost some pitchers.



Most others need less. Albo only once every few days.