watering needs vs drowning

I see in some of the comments, especially in the warmer climes,that people are having to water their brugs 3,4 or more times a day.My little grove of 8 plants is inside the sunroom in pots and not subject to wind or frequent high temperatures which tend to increase water loss via transpiration. I have been keeping the soil damp, no standing water in the saucers, but don't water every day.Is there some telltale sign,like sticking a finger in the soil, or ? to determine when to water?

I always just look at the soil and if it is dry on top and pulling in from the sides of the pot, I water. Brugs will tell you when they are thirsty. A little wilt or droop and then a good drink makes for good strong roots. I don't suggest doing it all the time though.

I agree Brugie, And if I can't tell, I lift the pot. If it is light, I water! Brugs are fast to wilt and they quickly recover.

Your plants are in a controlled environment, which definitely makes things easier to manage. When plants are outdoors exposed to sun and wind they can get dried out in a hurry - they look great in the morning and when you get home in the afternoon they're crispy. Or they're doing fine and then it rains every day for two weeks straight and rots them. In your location, you should have plenty of time to monitor the moisture level to know when to water.

I do like Kell does and lift or tip the pots a bit - if the pot feels light I can tell it needs water. Sometimes you can tell just by looking - if the soil appears to be dry on top then it probably needs water. But the "weight" method works well for determing when the soil is just about to dry out but isn't showing it yet. You definitely don't want to let brugs get too dry because it makes them unhappy and they will drop leaves and/or buds. When you mention drowning - yes, they don't like wet feet either so it's important to have good drainage. You are doing it the right way by making sure there is no standing water in the saucers. They do make moisture meters that supposedly tell you when to water plants, but I have never used one - seems redundant to buy a gadget to tell you something you can figure out yourself.

Thanks folks. That puts my mind at rest. It appears I may have been too cautious in keeping the soil wet all the time.Will give it a chance to dry just a little before watering again.edited to say CC's Enchanted (lt) and Whiskers (rt) are doing well after their encounter with Spider,Broad and/or Two Spot mites.

This message was edited Aug 7, 2004 8:14 AM