Tips for watering plants

It's likely that plant owners and gardeners will spend more time watering their plants than anything else. However, even the simple act of watering can become complicated. To make sure you're watering correctly — and for ideas on how to keep your plants alive when you're out of town — read these handy tips.

Houseplant manuals tell you to water whenever the soil dries out, but determining dryness is easier said than done. Not so with a pencil. Push a pencil deeply into the soil and then pull it out. If bits of dirt cling to the bare wood point, the soil is still moist. If the pencil comes up clean, it's time to water your houseplant.

Place ice cubes atop the soil of potted plants, making sure they don't touch the stem. The ice will melt slowly, releasing water gradually and evenly into the soil.

When you leave home for a few days, you needn't ask a neighbour to water your houseplants. Try one of these three methods.

1. Plastic bottle/paper towel method

Slice the bottom off a two-litre plastic soda bottle and stuff three paper towels into it up to the neck. Turn the bottle upside down and stick the neck into the soil of a houseplant you've just watered. For support, insert a chopstick alongside the bottle and fit two rubber bands around the items. Right before you leave home, fill the bottle with water, which will trickle through the towels and into the soil for about a week.

2. Plastic bag greenhouse

A large plastic bag can become a greenhouse for small houseplants like African violets. Water the plant well and let it drain. Spread a layer of peat moss on the bottom of the bag, then place the plant on top (the peat will absorb excess moisture). Tie the bag loosely with a twist tie, leaving a small gap for ventilation. When the bagged plant is placed in indirect light, the soil will stay moist for two weeks.

3. Bath towel soaker

Dampen a plush bath towel and spread it out in a sink or bathtub near a sunny window. Turn on the cold water tap just enough so that water drips slowly onto the towel. Arrange houseplants (without saucers) on the towel, making sure the drain holes and towel are in contact. Leave the tap on to drip while you're away, and the moisture in the towel will be drawn up by the plants' roots.

Turn your brown thumb green and keep your plants flourishing. These handy tips will help them stay moist and happy, even when you're away!