Philodendron plants need consistently moist soil but they cannot survive in too much water. This makes it complicated to water philodendrons.
But to grow them perfectly you must learn about the philodendron watering needs.
Like all other tropical plants philodendrons enjoy a good amount of moisture in the soil. To prevent overwatering issues, you need to learn the correct watering routine.
Below is the complete detailed guide on the philodendron watering routine.
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When to water philodendrons?
We all have different indoor environments. Humidity and temperature are not same throughout the America. Therefore, I cannot tell you when you need to water your philodendron plants.
To find it you need to check the soil conditions. Whenever the soil feels dry give some water to your plants. Remember that in the summer season plants need more water due to hot weather.
And this is their growing period, they grow new leaves and stems. Therefore, plants need more energy to convert chlorophyll into glucose.
For this purpose, they need a sufficient amount of water in the potting soil.
I water my plants once in 7 days because my home humidity is in the general range. You may need to water your plants twice a week or once in 15 days.
The best watering method is to insert your finger in the potting soil and check the soil moisture. If it feels dry then water your philodendrons.
If the soil has some moisture you should wait for some days and check again.
For beginner growers, I have a special tool called a soil moisture meter. This device is inexpensive and easily available on Amazon.
All you need to do is insert the probe in the soil and turn on the meter. It will display the reading in digital form on the LCD screen.
Every soil moisture testing meter has little bit different features but the mechanism is the same.
The quality of water and philodendrons
The water that you use for drinking is best for your plant. You should not use tap water if it contains chlorine content in it.
Heavy water is also not recommended because such water contains a high amount of insoluble minerals. These are not required by the plant.
They get collected at the root zone and after some time they block the natural functioning of roots. This stops the transportation of water and nutrients to different parts of the plant.
Rainwater is best for plants and to collect it you can use Rain barrels. These are the contains that are specially designed to collect rainwater.
If this is not possible for you then you can use soft water that does not contain unwanted minerals.
I use filtered water for watering my philodendrons. This keeps my plants safe from water-related problems.
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Overwatering and Philodendron Plants
Overwatering can kill your philodendron plants. Philodendron watering should be limited as per the season.
Extra water in the pot can damage the roots with fungal diseases. It also slows down the nutrient absorption rate. This affects the good health of your plants and they became weak.
To avoid overwatering you need to choose the best soil for philodendrons. Because such soil has good draining powers.
It immediately drains the extra water through the draining hole into the saucer then you can empty the saucer and your plant stays safe.
This is the reason I am strongly against using regular soil. Because such become waterlogged and put pressure on the roots.
You should use soil that has perlite, peat, and regular soil in equal amounts. You can also add compost to give nourishment to your plants.
This will reduce your fertilizer expenses.
Should You Mist on Philodendron Leaves?
When the humidity in the grow room is low then you can mist some water on the plant. This gives it immediate relief.
But you should not mist water regularly on philodendrons. Some varieties can tolerate regular misting but most philodendrons don’t.
Misting water once per week is fine for plants. You must use chlorine-free water because chlorine can damage plant roots.
If it gets into the plant leaves, it damages the soft plant tissues.
Moreover, regular misting invites many pests. Once your plant comes under pest attacks it will be hard to save it from dying.
There are other safe methods of increasing general room humidity. An electric humidifier is the best option.
The most affordable option is using plant humidifiers. They are designed for plants only, just place them beside the plants and turn ON.
Read the instruction from a manual book before operating the humidifiers. Plant humidifiers are available on Amazon.
They are portable and inexpensive to the standard room humidifier.
Pebble tray and grouping the plants are old-school methods. They are very helpful in increasing the humidity to 5 to 8 %.
Is it possible to grow philodendrons only in water?
Yes, you can grow philodendrons in water. But the growing requirements are the same for water and ground-rooted plants.
The benefit of growing them in water is they grow at a fast speed. But again, this increases the workload.
You need to keep eye on the glass water. You should change it once in 3 to 4 days or when it gets unclear.
Also, protect the plant roots from direct sunlight. Because it will increase the chances of algae build-up.
Use a dark-colored bottle or cover the bottom of the glass with paper in case of transparent glass. I prefer using potting soil and container to grow philodendrons.
This method is easy and has a higher success rate than using water as a growing medium.
Conclusion
Philodendron watering routine depends upon many factors like temperature in the room and humidity. In hot weather, you need to give more water to your plants.
Whereas in the winter season you give less water, sometimes just once in a month.
Low humidity is another reason that makes your plant thirsty for a short period of time. Use well-draining soil and keep the humidity level above 45%.
Then you will need to water your philodendron less even in the hot days of the summer season.
