How Often Should I Water Houseplants?

Hi Bert,

It really depends upon the Houseplant. You can find watering tips for individual plants in the Popular Houseplant section of the website. The best rule of thumb is the thicker the leaves the less frequently a houseplant needs to be watered. No houseplant likes soggy soil. The larger the plant container, the longer it takes the soil to dry out. The soil in sealed ceramic pots and plastic pots stays wet longer than the soil in a terra cotta pot.  All houseplants need to have their soil dry out somewhat and should be planted in containers that have drip holes in the bottom.  Most houseplants need water once a week or less. You can quickly kill a plant by over-watering and destroying the roots, but it takes quite a while to kill a plant by under watering. Green leaves fall off a houseplant and new growth turns black from over-watering. Finally, when in doubt, do not water!