This summer has been scorching and I've watched my houseplants struggle with it. You may have also found your indoor plants have been extra thirsty this month due to the warmer conditions, but what if I told you giving them more water isn't actually what they need?
Summer houseplant care can be challenging. Warmer room temperatures, dry air from AC, and intense sunlight can increase foliage water loss. Combined, these conditions cause potting soil to dry out far faster than usual, sometimes seemingly overnight. But, instead of constantly watering your plants to keep the soil moist, you should rather focus on helping your plant and its soil retain moisture for longer. This includes relocating your houseplants out of direct sun, boosting humidity levels, and adding soil amendments.
In fact, it can be harmful to water your houseplants too frequently, even if the soil appears dry. Below the surface, you could be waterlogging and compacting the soil, encouraging a weaker root system – I always use my soil moisture meter from Amazon to check how wet the soil is further down in the pot before watering. Here, I explain more about why your houseplants are thirstier in August and what to do to fix it without using more water.
Why Houseplants Are Extra Thirsty in August
It might sound obvious, but houseplants are thirstier in summer because it's warmer and they're actively growing. However, if your houseplants are taking up excessive water and you're having to top them up as often as daily or every other day, it's an indication that something is wrong in their growing environment.
For example, I have some succulents on a south-facing windowsill. During the recent heatwaves their soil was drying within a day and their plump foliage turned wrinkly. Considering succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, this didn't seem right.
The combination of scorching direct sun and higher room temperatures meant their soil was drying out too fast and their foliage was transpiring quickly. But, watering them more frequently wasn't the solution, especially because succulents are susceptible to houseplant root rot.
Excessive water can compact houseplant soil, make it waterlogged, and reduce airflow, causing longer-term problems for your indoor plants, such as suffocating and rotting roots.
Not to mention, you might not realize that below the dry surface the soil is actually moistened. Summer conditions may just be causing the surface to dry out and create a hard crust that is stopping additional water from soaking in.
As well as using a soil moisture meter (also available at Walmart) to monitor your plant's soil, you can look for heat stress symptoms to determine the exact issue. This includes discoloring foliage, wilting, and leaf scorch.
Another cause could be that your houseplants are root-bound from a summer growth spurt, with less soil to hold onto water. To check this, gently lift your plant out of its pot and look for roots wrapping around each other.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it's time to adjust your plant's growing environment to make it less thirsty.
How to Fix It
To stop your houseplants drying out so quickly and demanding so much water, you need to adjust their growing environment. There are a few ways to do this:
- Reduce sunlight: If your plants are drying out quickly and showing signs of heat stress, move them away from a direct sun position – even if it's an indoor plant that loves sun. If needed, you can use these sheer curtains from Wayfair to diffuse the intensity of sunlight.
- Boost humidity: If you have an AC unit that is in use throughout summer, you might not realize you're drawing moisture out of the air for your plants. To counter this, use methods to increase humidity for indoor plants. For example, you can place them on this pebble humidity tray from Amazon or place this Walmart portable humidifier next to them.
- Repot your plant: Whether your houseplant has become root-bound or has a poor potting soil that doesn't hold onto moisture, repotting can be an effective solution to reducing its demand for water. To provide more room, choose a planter one size up (this set of plant pots from Amazon is perfect for this, with different sizes in the same style). Use a good quality houseplant potting mix that is moisture-retentive and well-draining. You can also use amendments like this coco coir from Amazon, vermiculite from Walmart, or clay growing medium pellets from IKEA to make your soil more moisture-retentive.
- Change your watering technique: Going forward, you can improve how you water houseplants so it's a less demanding. There are two methods I find work best for longer hydration: bottom watering houseplants and deep watering. The former requires a plant pot with a saucer (like this glazed one from Amazon) where you water the saucer and allow plant roots to soak up as much water as needed. The latter requires giving your houseplants a long soaking less frequently (once a week in extreme heat), rather than watering little and often. This will protect the soil structure and make it more moisture-retentive. Alternatively, use these terracotta watering spikes from Walmart to provide gradual, consistent moisture to your plants so they don't dry out.
What to Shop
Use these pebble humidity trays to boost humidity levels for your tropical houseplants. Simply add pebbles and keep the water topped up.
Use this beautiful glass plant mister to give your moisture-loving plants a spritz. It will help keep foliage clean, too.
These Fiskars pruning snips are perfect for tending to houseplants. It has a micro-tip blade for precise cuts.
Watering isn't the only summer houseplant care mistake to steer clear of. You should also clean houseplant leaves regularly (I like to use these microfiber houseplant dusting gloves from Amazon) to keep pests away and take care not to overfertilize your plants, especially in hot weather.
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