One of the most popular questions we hear is “When do I water my houseplants?”  Many houseplants have differing water needs.  The water requirement for plants is based on the light, temperature, air circulation and stage of plant growth.  This means a plant’s water needs will change seasonally and depending on the size of the plant and it’s root mass.  With the aid of a water meter and this guide, judging the watering needs of your plants will be easier.

Simply place the end of the meter into the soil.  The ideal location is a depth equaling 1/3 the depth of the pot and about equal distance from the pot edge.  This insures the placement will be in the root zone of your plant.  When the meter reading reaches the desired number, it’s time to water your plant.  Plants are listed by the most generally accepted common names.

Red Zone Plants, 1-3 on your water meter:

Aloe Vera, Agave, Asparagus Fern, Baby Jade, Beaver Tail, Burro’s Tail, Bishop’s Cap, Bloodleaf, Cacti, Calceolaria, Cast Iron Plant, Chicken Gizzard Plant, Chinese Evergreen, Christmas Cactus, Clivia, Crown of Thorns, Dieffenbachia Tropic Snow, Easter Cactus, Euphorbia, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Firecracker Plant, Flaming Sword, Geranium, Golden Dew Drop, Hawaiian Schefflera, Hibiscus, Ice Plant, Ivy, Jade Plant, Jasmine Star, Kalanchoe Pen Wiper, Kalanchoe thyrsifolia, Lantana, Marguerite Blue Daisy, Oleander, Panda Plant, Pocket Book Plant, Poinsettia, Pothos, Sedum, Schefflera, Succulents, Umbrella Tree, Yucca, ZZ Plant

Green Zone Plants, 4-5 on your water meter:

Airplane Plant, Balfour Aralia, Begonia, Black Aralia, Bird of Paradise, Birdsnest Sansaveria, Bonsai, Bougainvillea, Bromeliad, Canary Island Date Palm, Ceropegia, Chinese Aralia, Citrus, Corn Plant, Cryptanthus, Dracaena Lemon Lime, Dracaena Limelight, Dracaena Magenta, Dracaena marginata, Dracaena massangeana, Dracaena Medusa, Dracaena warneckii, Dragon Tree, Duranta Sapphire Showers, Earth Star, Echeveria, Eucalyptus, False Aralia, Hens and Chicks, Goldfish Plant, Grape Ivy, Inch Plant, Janet Craig, Kalanchoe Calandiva, Kalanchoe, Lakeview Jasmine, Lipstick Vine, Madagascar Jasmine, Mock Orange, Monkey Puzzle Tree, Mother in Law’s Tongue, Norfolk Island Pine, Oak Leaf Ivy, Philodendron, Pleomele, Plumeria, Ponytail Palm, Pygmy Date Palm, Sago Palm, Sansaveria, Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Song of India, Song of Jamaica, Stephanotis Vine, String of Pearls, String of Hearts, White Bird of Paradise

Green Zone Plants, 5-6 on your water meter:

African Lily, African Violet, African Mask, Agapanthus, Algerian Ivy, Allamanda, Alocasia, Angel Tears, Angels Trumpet, Anthurium, Baby Tears, Bleeding Heart Vine, Bower Vine, Boxwood, Buddhist Pine, Camellia, Celosia, Cineraria, Clerodendron Blue Butterfly, Cordyline, Crape Myrtle, Creeping Charlie, Croton, Cyclamen, Datura, Dieffenbachia Camille, Emerald Gem, Euonymus, Fatsia, Fishtail Palm, Fittonia, Flamingo Flower, Foxtail Palm, Gardenia White Gem, Gloxinia, Goldust Plant, Hoya, Impatiens, Ixora, Jasmine Arabian, Kentia Palm, Lady Palm, Lavender, Leea, Lollipop Plant, Mandevilla, Marengo Ivy, Medinilla, Money Tree, Ornamental Pepper, Peace Lily, Peperomia Tricolor, Pandorea, Persian Shield, Podocarpus, Prayer Plant, Rosemary, Rubber Plant, Shooting Star, Shrimp Plant, Silver Nerve Plant, Solomon’s Seal, Star of Bethlehem, Streptocarpella, Streptocarpus, Wax Ivy, Weeping Fig Tree

Green Zone Plants, 6-7 on your water meter:

Amazon Lily, Arrowhead Vine, Azalea, Bamboo, Banana Tree, Bead Plant, Bridal Veil, Butterfly Gardenia, Caladium, Calla Lily, Chenille Plant, China Doll, Cobra Plant, Coconut Palm, Coffee Plant, Coleus, Columnea, Copperleaf, Creeping Fig, Crossandra, Darlingtonia, Dwarf Lily Turf, Easter Lily, Ferns, Friendship Plant, Fuchsia, Gardenia First Love, Gardenia Mystery, Gardenia veitchii, Heather, Hemigraphis, Jacobinia, Jasmine Pink, Moses in a Boat, Moon Flower, Mosaic Plant, Neanthebella Palm, Nepenthes, Night Blooming Jasmine, Peperomia Red Ripple, Peperomia Silver Goddess, Peperomia Watermelon, Persian Violet, Pitcher Plant, Plectranthus Mona Lavender, Plectranthus Zulu Wonder, Plumbago, Purple Velvet Plant, Purple Passion Plant, Passion Flower Vine, Sea Grape, Selaginella, Sensitivity Plant, Splash Plant, Snowbush, Swedish Ivy, Wandering Jew, Zebra Plant

• Plants registering in the blue zone do not require watering at this time.
• Remember to wipe the meter clean between plants for more accurate readings.

Courtesy of: Echter’s Garden Center of Denver