watering pot plants

 For someone who likes plants going around the house watering the pots is a
labour of love.

But trying to introduce someone who could well benefit from the peaceful
therapy of house plants, what would be the easiest way to minimize the plant
watering task until they get to love the plants?

Say, choose a specific day of the week and just fill up the plastic saucers
at the base of the plants?

 

Chose a specific day to *check* if the plants need water, then water
them in a sink and let them drain. Very few plants indeed like to stand
in a saucer of water.  Then check them again 3 or 4 days later.  Plants
require different regimes but as a general rule of thumb, less water is
better than more water!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

 

sorry you missed the point, its about *minimize*.  i would have thought most
plants would suck up all of a saucers worth at least?

 

No, I haven't missed the point.  My answer was formed to show you that
what you suggest probably isn't a good idea.  Watering that way is too
inaccurate, hence the sink and drainage method. Everything depends on
the plant itself and the heat of the room/windowsill/table, sunny
position, semi-shade, type of plant.   It's not exactly
labour-intensive once a week, or at most, twice.  If, for example, the
plant hasn't used up all the water in its wet compost and next Monday
it's standing in a saucer of water once again, it's not only already
wet it's going to be standing in water, too and saturated. I can
honestly tell you that we see or hear of more plants being killed by
over-watering than the reverse. But by all means, try your method. It's
just a thought but if keeping plants is being considered as a form of
therapy, perhaps having to look after them properly and think of them
as living things, might be of benefit, too? If a twice weekly check on
them doesn't appeal to that person and is regarded as more than
'minimal', then perhaps another form of therapy might be more helpful
such as bird-watching, walking, etc?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

 

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Because, in the same way the *passive* presence of animals in the presence
of sick people has been found to have a healing effect, the person is
thrapized by the plants; rather than what you're saying.