Pro tip: let your balcony plants tell you when to water them

I used to water my herbs on a set schedule... every three days no matter what. My neighbor down the hall said I was drowning them and pointed out the yellow leaves on my basil. She told me to stick my finger two inches into the soil before watering. Now I only water when the top layer is dry, and my little mint and thyme are way happier after two months of this.

2 comments

2 Comments

max47225d ago

The yellow leaves on your basil thing really hit home for me. I had a similar problem with my spider plant where I was watering it every Sunday like clockwork, and it started dropping leaves like crazy. My friend told me the same trick about checking the soil, and now I just wait until the pot feels light before giving it a drink.

miller.eva25d ago

Huh, is that really the best way though? I mean, waiting til the pot feels light works for some plants, but with spider plants you can push it too far and they get crispy tips from being bone dry for too long. I killed one that way actually. I guess it depends on your potting mix and pot size too - I had better luck just sticking my finger in about an inch deep and watering when it's dry there. Don't get me wrong, your friend's trick is solid for sure, but I think there's a happy medium between strict schedules and going full desert lol.