Philodendron Watering Guide (How, When, and More)

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Taking care of philodendrons shouldn’t be that tough overall. Most people have an easy time keeping these houseplants healthy and looking nice in their homes.

Of course, you need to handle the basic care needs of the plant to have the best experience. When caring for a philodendron, it’s imperative to focus on watering it right.

These plants are hardy, but watering the plant wrong for an extended period of time does have the potential to kill it. So learning exactly how to approach things will help out a lot.

Below, you’ll learn everything you need to know about water requirements of these plants. It’ll help you to get the best results so you can enjoy your philodendrons for as long as possible.

How to Water Philodendrons

You want to make sure that you’re watering philodendrons often enough without going overboard. Sadly, many people harm plants by watering them too much.

Over-watering is potentially even more dangerous than not watering plants enough. A plant can die due to being watered so much that it’ll cause root rot.

So you have to be careful with how you approach watering these plants. These plants aren’t delicate or hard to water, but you need to keep the water requirements in mind.

Below, you’ll learn how much to water the philodendron as well as other information. It should make it clear how you should approach watering these plants.

How Much to Water Them

Each time you water your philodendron, it’s best to give it a good amount of water. You want to soak the soil thoroughly and make sure that it gets a good drink.

Pour water on the soil at the base of the plant. Do this until water begins to pour out of the drainage holes.

Doing this makes sure that the water has traveled where it needs to go to help your plant. You want the water to evenly moisten the soil as well as the roots of the plant.

Each time you water the plant, you should go through this routine. Watering too lightly can lead to the plant not getting enough water, and it’ll eventually experience issues.

How Often to Water Them

Knowing how often to water a philodendron isn’t an exact science. You can’t just water the plant once every two weeks and call it good.

You see, you’re supposed to wait until the soil has dried out a bit before you water it again. This might take weeks, or it could need to be watered in a shorter period of time.

Ideally, you should touch the soil with your fingers to determine if the plant needs to be watered. The top two inches of the soil should be mostly dry before you water the plant again.

Since these plants come from humid climates, you might want to mist the leaves every so often. This helps to keep the plants perky and looking nice.

When to Water Philodendrons

You should water philodendrons only when they need to be watered. This is when the top two inches of the soil are starting to get dry.

Never water the plant when the soil is quite moist. This will be a bad thing and can harm the plant.

There isn’t a specific time of the day that you have to water the plant. However, many people like to water philodendrons in the early morning hours.

It helps the plant for it to be able to dry out in the afternoon sun. It’s fine if you can only water the plant during the afternoon, though.

Just make sure that you’re watering the plant often enough and that you’re watering it thoroughly. So long as you’re doing things right, the exact time of day that you water the plant won’t make a huge difference.

Do Philodendrons Like to Be Misted?

Philodendrons do indeed enjoy being misted regularly. These plants do well in humid environments because they come from naturally humid places.

When you want your philodendrons to thrive, it’s best to ensure that they’re kept in humid settings. You can accomplish this by purchasing a small humidifier for plants.

However, some people prefer misting the plants occasionally to raise the humidity near the plants naturally. You can mist the leaves to get good results.

Most experts say that misting your philodendrons twice per week will be perfect. So stick to this schedule, and you will get good results.

What Is the Ideal Humidity Level?

You know that philodendrons like humidity. What is the ideal humidity level for these plants, though?

These plants do best when kept in environments with humidity levels between 70% and 90%. This is too high for your home, but it’s fine to keep the humidity this high specifically in the plant area.

This is often accomplished by misting the plants or placing the plants over trays of water with pebbles in them. You can also use a small humidifier to keep things humid enough.

Just make sure that the environment isn’t too dry. Philodendrons are hardy, and they won’t die when the humidity level is a bit too low, but it’s still best to make an effort to keep things humid enough for them.

How Long Can a Philodendron Go Without Water?

A philodendron is likely going to be able to survive four weeks without water. It depends on how healthy the plant is as well as other factors.

This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the plant and not water it for an entire month. It’s best to check the plant weekly to see how it’s doing.

You should check the soil to see how it feels and water the plant as often as it needs to be watered. The plant can experience drooping, leaf loss, browning, and many other problems when it isn’t watered for a long time.

Keep this in mind and do your best to check the plant often. This will allow you to water it often enough to keep it in good health.

Still, it’s good to know that philodendrons are hardy enough to survive if you make some mistakes. If you miss watering the plant once or twice, it’s unlikely that the plant will immediately die.

What Type of Soil Should You Use?

Using the right type of soil is a big part of watering plants. If you don’t get the soil right, it’s going to be hard to keep these plants watered.

The best type of soil to use for philodendrons is well-draining soil that can still retain moisture a bit. Most people choose to use soil mixtures that contain perlite, peat moss, and orchid bark.

You can buy potting soil like this from garden centers, or you can choose to make your own custom soil blend. Either way, it’s just best to focus on making sure the plant has well-draining soil.

It’s also important to pick a good pot for these plants. You need a pot that has two good drainage holes to keep the plants safe.

Signs You’re Not Watering Philodendrons Enough

It’s wise to look out for signs that you’re not watering philodendrons enough. This should allow you to make adjustments before anything goes seriously wrong.

When you aren’t watering the plant enough, you might notice that it will start drooping. It’s also common to see the leaves of the plant look yellow or brown.

If the soil appears to be pulling away from the outside of the pot, that’s a sign that you’re not watering the plant enough. If you notice any of these signs, it’s wise to water the plant right away.

Note that you should likely put the plant in a new pot if the soil seems to dry out too quickly. It could be that you need a new pot that is appropriately sized, or you need better soil.

Signs You’re Watering Them Too Much

There are many signs of overwatered philodendrons to look out for as well. Often, the first sign you’ll notice will be wilting.

The plant might have a wilted appearance due to getting way too much water. The leaves on the plant might look a bit brown, and they will also be softer than usual.

If you see that salt is visible on the surface of the soil, that is also a bad sign. When looking for salt, you should be trying to spot white, crusty crystals on the soil.

When examining the roots, you might see that they’re soft and mushy. This means that the plant is experiencing root rot.

Do your best to avoid overwatering the plant. Root rot will likely kill the philodendron, so it’s something you want to avoid at all costs.

Final Thoughts

Be sure to water your philodendron the right way to keep it safe. These plants are very easy to care for, but watering them too much can kill them.

Likewise, not watering the plant enough will eventually kill it. This plant is hardy enough that it can survive for a while without being watered, though.

Remember to check the condition of the soil with your fingers to determine when the plant needs water. This will allow you to get the best results.

You’ll love caring for philodendrons once you get used to everything. These plants are perfect for beginners, so don’t be intimidated about watering them or start thinking that this is going to be hard.

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