Question
I love my jungle, My question is about 85% of my house plants are in self watering pots,is it good for plants to be watered from the bottom or the top into the soil? When I water,the plants are very dry from the top.  I fill the pot once a week every Sunday.

Answer
Hi Karen,

If your self-watering pots are working for you and your plants are healthy, then stay with it. There are many different kinds of self-watering pots. Some work better than others and some work better with certain kinds of plants than with others.

Most self-watering pots work on the principle of capillary action, in which the water is gradually wicked up through the soil from the water reservoir. This can work well if the  soil is well-textured and porous. It is also important for the top of the soil to dry out regularly, as yours does.

One problem with self-watering pots is that minerals can build to toxic levels in the soil if your local tap water is on the hard side. This happens gradually, so no reason to panic. If this applies to your water, then consider using filtered or distilled water or use clear water to flush out the minerals by watering heavily from the top every couple of months.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]