• 2022-12-22

How to Water a Aglaonema

Watering is probably one of the most imperative things when it comes to plant care and where people commonly make the most mistakes. We rarely refer to it as “watering” though seeing as at PLANTZ it is really the adjusting of soil moisture to keep the plant alive and thriving. Testing the soil is key when it comes to this process so you can avoid over or under watering your Aglaonema. Many people make the mistake of finger testing the soil and not getting a proper or accurate read of how moist the soil actually is. We highly recommend you invest in a soil probe to properly care for your new plant friend so you can truly determine and adjust soil moisture to best meet your plant’s needs. The Soil Sleuth is a great option for a soil probe so you can get deeper into the soil to see how dry it is before you go to water it excessively. It is nearly impossible to gage it with just your fingers in the soil since they do not go deep enough, so a soil sleuth will help you gauge exactly what the moisture level is and how much water your plant might need when it comes time to care for it.

Watering Note #1 – We get it, it is painful to NOT water your leafy plant when you go down your weekly or monthly chore checklist. It is important to remember, you do not need to water your Aglaonema just because you think it is time to do so, and there is not a timed science or routine to watering your plants. As a company who not only sells plants, but does regular plant maintenance all around Tampa, Florida, one of the most important things is to not add water to your plants if the Soil Sleuth is telling you to not do so. If it is indicating that the plant does not need water than NOTHING is in fact the plant care for that week. There is power in taking no action, which is important to remember. Compare it to when you have a great meal and you are super full… Now someone is bringing you out an extravagant and large dessert course. Yes you want to eat it, sure it will be good, but you are going to be massively sick later, so is it worth all the headache after? It goes the same way for your plant, you want to water it, you will feel like you are doing the right thing, but it truly is not what is best for the plant’s health. To really gain confidence in your plant knowledge and knowing when to do nothing, we really recommend becoming familiar with your soil probe, because it is your new best friend.

Water Note #2: Since the Aglaonema thrives in moist soil and does not do well when sitting waterlogged, it is imperative that your plant is configured with adequate drainage and we recommend a sub-irrigation system to help you control soil moisture and give you additional confidence to do nothing. An overly waterlogged plant leads to quick death for your brand new plant, just like a person that can get water poisoning your over-hydrated plant can get it too. This is something to really watch out for since it is one of the most common things that new plant owners do that inevitably kill their plants. Whatever you do, we recommend not relocating your plant from the grow pot unless absolutely necessary. What is the growpot? It is that plastic container your plant comes in and has existed in since it was a young sprout. Instead of removing the plant from it, find a big enough pot to place the grow pot in, so you do not put the plant through any unnecessary disruption. This will help when it comes to water drainage as well and keep your plant from drowning along with not putting the plant through traumatic experiences that might cause detrimental damage to the Aglaonema.

Our last and final tip on all things watering…

Water Note #3: Utilize a sub-irrigation system for your Aglaonema. What a PlantAssure sub-irrigation system does is create a reservoir that your plant can then go and absorb water when it needs it from, so it reduces the risk of your plant being underwatered and puts you at ease causing you to be less likely to overwater your Aglaonema. This is a great alternative for those plant parents that are go-go-go or that travel often and fear a lack of attention for their beloved plants. The sub-irrigation system is configured below the grow pot so it is not an eyesore and you will not even realize it is there! Extend your watering for weeks on end so you can live carefree but know that your Chinese Evergreen is healthy and cared for in the meantime.