RHS Garden Wisley’s Glasshouse supervisor Peter Jones has these top tips for how to water greenhouse plants.
How To Water Greenhouse Plants
It is easy to overwater plants and it’s something you mustn’t forget at this time of year when it is still relatively cold. You are more likely to overwater a plant in the greenhouse at this time of year than underwater it. We check every plant daily for its watering needs by making an assessment of the plant.
- The first thing to do is look outside and see if it is sunny or cloudy. Then does the plant have any leaf adaptations such as silvery foliage, which means it is able to retain water for longer than those with soft, lush green growth.
- Look at the foliage and see if it is wilting or fully turgid. Then lift the plant to feel the weight and will feel the compost with our hands to check if the plant needs more water.
- If the plant feels light then it needs watering and if the compost is powdery and dry it indicates that water is needed.
- Our rule of thumb though for watering at Wisley is ‘if in doubt don’t water but recheck later in the day.
To read more expert advice from Peter Jones, click here.