Bottom watering plants can sometimes create a little mess. Therefore, it is important to find an appropriate place where you can bottom water plants without worrying about spilling the water from the tray.
Bottom watering plants can be easily done on a countertop that has a drainage sink. The sink will provide a convenient route for excess water to run out during and after bottom watering.
There are places that are best suited for watering plants which we will explain why as well as planters that can significantly reduce any mess from the bottom watering process.
Bottom Watering Plants:
Watering the plants from the top is the most common method in use by gardeners.
You just need to have a watering can fill it with water and then spray the water on the plants with its nozzle.
In this way, the plants do not damage and have a good amount of hydration for them to grow healthy.
But if you are growing such plants that are sensitive to fungi then watering them from the above will be dangerous for them.
In that case, watering the plants from below will be the most appropriate option.
What is Bottom Watering?
Bottom watering is done by placing the plant in a tray of water at approximately 1 to 2 inches high. The water is then absorbed into the soil from the bottom up after which it is allowed to drain freely leaving the soil moist and aerated.
Bottom watering :
- Stimulates healthy root growth
- Prevents pests such as gnats
- Prevents overwatering
- Allows fresh air into the soil
Best Places to Bottom Water Plants:
Bottom watering involves submerging the bottom of a plant in water for a specified period.
Watering from the bottom ensures stronger roots because they are always growing down where the moisture is.
However, figuring out the right place where you can easily water your potted plants can get a bit tricky.
Different gardeners use various methods to water their plants. It all depends on the accessibility. Additionally bottom watering plant at the right time during the day can prevent how often you may have to carry out the watering routine.
Down below, we have compiled a list of places where you can easily bottom water your plants with convenience.
Sinks
You can use sinks to bottom water your plants to deal with the mess created by this process.
Bottom watering the plants is a simple method and for this, you just have to fill the sink about 1 inch and then place the plants into it.
Wait for some time to let the plant soak the water that it needs. The plants need to absorb the water at least 1 inch above the bottom of your planter.
Drain the water out of your sink and let the plants hang out for a few minutes to drain.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms can also be used to water the plants. For this, you just need to take your plants from their original place and put them in the bathroom.
A bathtub or any other container present in the bathroom can be used to bottom water the plants.
Fill the container around half and then put the potted plants having drainage holes in them.
Wait for some time so that the plant roots or the soil can absorb the water amount which they need.
Outside
Hydrating them outside is very simple. You just have to have a container deep enough to hold the water and also that part of the pot fits submerged.
You don’t have to worry about choosing the container as any container that is worth that purpose could be used.
The important thing is that the soil in the pot could easily absorb water like a sponge.
There is more space available outside so you can easily bottom water more plants at the same time without having a lot of mess.
Interested in bottom watering trays? I have found durable trays which worked well for all my plants. You can click here to see them on amazon.
Using Bottom Watering Trays:
Using bottom watering trays works best for the smaller plants. Smaller plants dried out easily and they should be water after a short period.
You can avoid the potential for water spillage and cut the time between watering by using bottom watering trays.
Always select a container with drainage holes to place your plant into it. This container does not have to be pretty.
You can use a container made of plastic. If it is cracked or even broken, no problem. As long as it has enough drainage holes, it will be fine.
Next, put the plant containers in a bottom watering tray that is large enough to place the potted plant in. Fill the watering tray in about half. Let the potted plants soak the water.
Be sure that you remove the excess water from the tray. Because allowing plant roots to sit in water can cause root rot.
Bottom watering trays are very easy to use and can be used anywhere.
You should not worry about selecting a specified place for watering the plants while using a bottom watering tray.
Bottom watering trays will reduce the mess which is created by watering the plants in sinks and bathrooms or any other place.
Plant Saucer Drip Tray
You can conveniently bottom water your plants with this drip tray from amazon. These saucer trays are round, sturdy, and functional.
The Plastic Round Plant Pot Saucer is not only light weighted and easy to carry but is also made from high-grade plastic material.
How Do Plant Size Can Affect Where You Can Bottom Water?
Plant size greatly affects when selecting a place to water them. As the bigger plants need to be bottom water in large containers having more space.
On the other hand, if we talk about the smaller plants that can be easily handled while bottom watering in a short space.
The time consumed by the plants during bottom watering is also affected by the plant size.
If the plant is bigger, it will have longer roots and much soil in the container which will take more time to absorb the water from the bottom watering container.
Handling the bigger plants during bottom watering is a mess as compared to the shorter plants.
Shorter plants can easily be bottom watered in a bottom watering tray while the bigger plants need to be bottom watered in separate containers one by one.
You can bottom water medium or large-sized plants with the help of bottom watering planters or systems.
Best Bottom Watering Planters For Plants:
You can find various bottom watering planters from your nearby supermarket or Amazon. Down below, we have introduced a few of our own favorite planters for bottom watering.
Self Watering Planter Pot:
The T4U 7.5 Inch Self Watering Planter Pot is a great way to bottom water your plants even when you are away from the house on vacation.
With a deep reservoir and hollow legs, plants can soak moisture while keeping the roots from being flooded.
This excellent planter comes with a convenient irrigation design. It contains drainage holes at the side of the planter from where you can store water in the deep reservoir.
With this planter, you don’t have to worry about buying an extra tray or tub to put your regular planter in them for bottom watering. The attached reservoir will also minimize the water mess.
Wall Mountable Self Watering Planter Pots:
This adorable yet classy Wall mountable self-watering planter pot is excellent for bottom watering small plants.
The planter pots also have a convenient bottom or self-watering feature. Now, you don’t have to move your small plants from one place to another to water them.
You can effectively bottom water your favorite small plants like cacti and succulents with these cute yet efficient planter pots.
Elongated Self Watering Planter Pots:
This stylish Elongated Self Watering Planter Pot is an excellent planter pot to place in the home, apartment, office, shelf, balcony, window sill, desktop, tabletop, etc.
With its unique style, you can keep and bottom water your two or three plants in one go. It not only looks classy but is also very efficient in keeping plants moist and healthy.
The Takeaway:
Bottom watering plants in the sink, bathroom, or outside is more convenient. You can easily clean all these places after bottom watering.
You can also use bottom watering trays to avoid the hassle and mess that comes with bottom watering.
