Question: I’m wondering how I can water some violets I got from you. The soil comes all the way up to the pot rim and the potting material tends to make the water bead up rather than sink in right away. At the same time, I am trying like heck not to get any water on the leaves. What’s your trick?
Answer: We’re pretty fussy about the level and firmness of the soil–plants ship better that way and, as for violets, they certainly look better this way. We water from the top or bottom, depending upon the age and kind of plant. As for getting the leaves wet, this is made out to be more of a problem than it actually is. After all, doesn’t “mother nature” water her plants this way, from the top? Getting the leaves wet only poses a problem when they stay wet, and when the temperature of the water is significantly different from that of the leaf. The resulting marking on the leaves is a consequence of the temperature difference, not the water itself. This means using room temperature water for your plants. It should feel just slightly cool to your touch–remember, your body temperature is much higher than that of the room! It also means keeping plants with wet leaves out of direct sun or cold drafts.
About the water “beading” atop the soil, like many growers, we use a “soilless” mix, made up entirely of peat, vermiculite, and perlite. Our mix has a small amount of a “wetting” agen that makes absorbing water easier. Over time, though, this breakds down and/or is leached from the soil. Also, though peat moss is a very absorbent material (making it great for potting mixes), it also can become very difficult to “re-wet” once it becomes completely dry, or nearly so. To avoid this, don’t let your soil mix go completely dry, to the point where it begins to shrink and separate from the pot sides. Water when the soil surface is “dry to the touch”, but not yet crispy dry. If it is dry, and doesn’t absorb water readily, try one or more of the following. Pre-moisten the soil surface, water lightly, give it some time to absor, then come back later and water more thoroughly. You can also try “roughing up” the soil surface with your fingertip. Over time, the soil surface can become hard and smooth, so breaking this up gives the water places to make its way into the soil. Lastly, you can try this trick, adding a “wetting agent” to the water. Soap works well for this purpose. Adding a drop or two of mild dish detergent to your watering can often works wonders. Don’t get carried away, though, since you dont’ want too much of this accumulating around the root system over time