June 11, 2021 · Af Seana Monley Rodriguez · Comments
June 11, 2021 · Af Seana Monley Rodriguez · Comments
Anyone who has plants knows the feeling of panic when they see that your plant looks dried out. Maybe you were out of town for a while and when you returned, you noticed that your houseplant looked droopy or your cactus looked wrinkled. Or maybe you just can't remember the last time you watered your plant, but you know it's been far too long.
The usual response is to give your plant plenty of water, but this can send your plants into shock!
Plants adapt to the situation they find themselves in, so if they are dehydrated they must slowly get used to receiving more water. It's kind of like when you've been outside all day and really need some water, so when you get home you drink a big glass of water, but then you get a stomach ache if you drink it way too quickly. Instead of draining it all at once, drinking water slowly throughout the day would have yielded much better results.
What to do after you forget to water your plant:
- First of all, if you notice that your houseplant, cactus or succulent has dried out, don't panic, take a deep breath, it's okay!
Whatever you do,Don't rush to give your plants a lot of extra water.
- Water your plant less than normalwould andSlowly increase the amount of water over timeto allow your plant to acclimatize back to the normal amount of water. We recommend that the first time you re-water your plant, start with about ¼ of the normal amount of water.
- Wait until the next time you water your plant regularly. For houseplants this usually takes about a week, and for cacti and succulents it can be anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. week. This time, give your plant half the normal amount of water.
- Wait the normal amount of time between watering again and then give your plant the full amount of water.
What should you do if you have already given your plant extra water after you noticed that it was thirsty:
- Allow the soil to dry out completely before watering next time.
- Follow steps 2-5 above.
It may take some time for your plant to recover. Patience is the key! Whether you water too much or too little, the goal is to be consistent with the amount of water you give your plant and how often.
