Drink Up, Darling

The Potting Goblin
Aug 5, 2025
4 min read

How to Water Like a Plant Parent Pro

This is your friendly reminder that even your drama queen plants just need a good drink sometimes.

Our purple waffle plant was a total puddle of wilt this morning--flopped over like it was personally offended by the lack of hydration. We snapped a quick photo before giving it a nice soak, then let time do it's thing. Within a few hours? Standing proud, leaves perky, attitude reset. We love a comeback story. After photo at the end.

And the Academy Award for Dramatic Plant Goes to... Purple Waffle!

But it's not just about pouring water on a sad plant and hoping for the best. Watering well is one of the most important skills a plant parent can develop. So let's dig into how we approach it--and how you can keep your leafy rebels thriving, not just surviving.

Thirsty, Not Downing

When a plant starts wilting, its easy to assume it needs more water. And often? That's true. But it's not always that simple. Sometimes wilting can mean too much water, not enough drainage, or even root damage. That's why we check before we water.

A few quick checks:

Stick your finger or a wooden chopstick in the soil. If it's dry more than halfway down, it's probably time.
Lift the pot. If it feels super light, the soil's dry.
Look at the plant. Limp leaves that perk back up after watering? Classic underwatering. Yellowing or mushy stems? That's another issue.

Bottoms Up (Mostly)

At The Leafy Rebellion Nursery, we bottom water our plants most of the time. That means setting the pot in a tray, tub, or bowl of water and letting the soil soak up from the bottom. It takes a little longer, but the benefits are worth it:

Stronger root growth--roots grow downward, chasing the moisture.
Less surface moisture--which means fewer fungus gnats.
Even absorption--no dry pockets or water running straight through.

That said, we do top water every once in a while--especially if the top of the soil is looking crusty or compacted. A good flush helps reset things and clear out any built-up minerals or fertilizer salts. Top watering isn't bad--it's just not our everyday move because we've had too many gnat invasions, and bottom watering helps keep them in check.

Fungus gnats deserve their own rant, so we'll save that for another Rebel Note.

Tap Water, Just Slightly Upgraded

Do you need to treat your water for your houseplants*? Not really.

Do we do it anyway?

Yup.

*This does NOT include carnivorous plants that actually DO require filtered water. I.e. - Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants, etc.

Most plants are totally fine with regular tap water. But we like to give ours a little extra love by treating it with API Stress Coat--yep, the same stuff for aquarium fish. It neutralizes chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals that can build up in soil and/or cause brown tips on leaves.

Is this step necessary? Not at all. Your plants will survive (and probably thrive) on plain tap water in most cases. But we've seen a difference in leaf quality and long-term growth, especially with plants that are picky about water. So we choose to be a little extra-because we want our leafy rebels looking our best.

Timing and Technique

If you want your watering game to level up, try this:

Water in the morning. Plants have time to absorb and perk up before the sun's fully out.
Water slowly. If the soil's really dry, pour a little at a time so it absorbs evenly. This is part of why we bottom water.
Water thoroughly. Whether top or bottom watering, make sure the whole root ball gets wet.
Let they dry out (some). Don't water on autopilot. Check each plant's needs first.

Know Your Plant's Patterns

Some plants bounce back fast. Other's take their sweet time. That's why we keep notes, and learn each plant's rhythm. Purple waffle? Instant drama, instant recovery. Snake plant? Stoic as hell--and you might not even notice it's thirsty until it's been weeks.

The better you know your plants, the less you'll water out of guild and the more you'll water with confidence.

Watering Apps Are Tools, Not Bosses

We love using Planta to help keep track of watering--especially when the collection gets big. It creates a smart schedule based on your feedback: if you hit "snooze" when a plant is still damp, it learns and recalibrates over time. Super helpful. But it's not a mind reader.

So while the app is great, don't follow it blindly. Instead:

Check the soil. Use your finger or a wooden chopstick. If it's still damp a couple inches down, hit that snooze button and wait a couple more days. (Notice the pattern to check your plants first?)
Use it as a reminder, not a rule.
Customize each plant's settings (pot type and size, light, soil, etc.) so the schedule gets smarter.
Pro tip - for your plant size, go by the size of the root ball. Planta is more interested in what's going on under the soil than above it for the smart watering schedule.