If you’re watering in-situ, use a special house plant can with a fine, long spout for accurate application
PHOTOS JASON INGRAM
The biggest house plant chore is watering, and yet it’s the most misunderstood. When foliage wilts, we tend to assume the plant is thirsty so we reach straight for the watering can. And yet, just as often the real problem is too much water around the roots rather than too little.
Adding more water in such situations is just going to make things worse, and the resulting root rot is harder to fx, too. Get to grips with your plant’s moisture needs and the signs that it’s in need of a drink, and you’ve mastered one of the fundamentals of success with house plants.