The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is an excellent choice for a low-maintenance houseplant that will look great in your home. Watering issues are one of the few things that cause trouble. As long as you follow this ZZ guide to watering plants, your plant will thrive, even if you forget about it from time to time.
ZZ Plant Watering Instructions: Water your ZZ plant as soon as the soil is almost completely dry, then water the plant just enough until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. Don’t water on a schedule, but check each plant.
ZZ plants are generally very forgiving and low maintenance, but will not tolerate overwatering. Read on and I’ll tell you how to properly water this plant every time.
The Most Important Thing About Watering ZZ Plants
ZZ plants are said to thrive on neglect. They have a tremendous ability to survive in limited light and water conditions, but their Achilles’ heel is the over-attentive gardener.
We all like to take care of our houseplants, and one mistake many people make is overwatering them. In the case of the ZZ plant, this can lead to the death of your plant due to root rot. To ensure you water your ZZ plant properly, follow these guidelines.
How to check if your ZZ plant needs water?
As mentioned above, it’s important to assess your individual plant before deciding if it needs water. Many people are told to water their houseplants on a regular schedule, but this only leads to disappointment because the condition of the plant is not taken into account.
Here are some great ways I use to tell when my ZZ plant needs water.
- Stick your finger into the potting soil, about 2 inches deep. If it looks damp, the plant does not need to be watered.
- Lift the pot and feel the soil through the bottom drainage holes. If it is dry or very slightly damp, you can safely water your plant.
- Check the foliage. Drooping leaves with dry, brown edges or widespread leaf drop indicate a heavily submerged plant. Widespread yellowing of the leaves indicates excess water.
- Use a toothpick or skewer and stick it in the ground, all the way to the bottom of the pot. Pick it up and check that there is no moisture on the stick. If the end of the stick is wet and soil clings to it, the plant does not need to be watered.
- Check the weight of the pot. Dry soil is lighter than wet soil. Pick up the pot each time you check to see if it needs water. It doesn’t take long before you have a good idea, just from the weight of the pot.
- Use a moisture meter. These electronic devices are very useful and very cheap. Stick one in the ground for a few minutes and you’ll get a moisture reading, usually on a scale of 1-10. A very useful tool to ensure you only water your ZZ plant when needed.
When comparing your ZZ plant to other houseplants, keep in mind that the ZZ plant has multiple succulents. The ZZ plant has its own way of storing water in its rhizomes. These bulbous structures grow above the roots but below the ground, storing water and slowly releasing it when the plant needs it.
Amount of water used
If ZZ plants hate being overwatered, should I water them a little at a time?
The short answer is no. Every time you water your ZZ plant, do it carefully. It’s a good idea to saturate all of the potting mix, as this will allow the potting mix to shed excess mineral salts rather than build them up, and will ensure that the roots have adequate access to moisture with each watering.
In fact, I take my houseplants to my sink to water them. I add enough water to the top of the pot so that the water flows freely from the drainage holes in the bottom.
An interesting thing about many potting soils is that they behave like sponges. Have you ever noticed that a dry sponge sometimes seems to repel water until it’s really wet? The ground can be very similar. For this reason, I usually add a little water first and let the soil absorb it for a few seconds. Then I add more and take another break. As soon as I have the impression that the soil is really starting to soak up water, I water abundantly so that the soil is saturated.
I leave the pot in my sink for a few minutes until no more water comes out of the drain hole, before putting it back where I have it.
For those worried that this technique will lead to overwatering issues, I have a solution. Choose a porous pot, well-drained potting soil and a pot that’s not too big. This ensures that the floor dries in a reasonable time.
Factors Affecting Watering ZZ Plants
Now that you know how to assess if and how your ZZ plant needs water, it is very important to know a little more about the factors that can affect how often you water your ZZ plant.
1. heated
An important factor that determines how much and how often you water your ZZ plant is the climate in which you are growing the plant.
If you live in a hot, dry climate, water will evaporate from the soil faster, the plant will lose more water from the leaves, and the plant will also grow faster, requiring more water.
Although you should always assess the plant and the dryness of the potting material to determine when to water your ZZ plant, your climate will dictate how often you should check your plant.
I often find that in the winter, when my ZZ plant is not actively growing and indoor temperatures are cooler, with less ventilation, I often only need to water my ZZ plant once every 4 weeks. . This can be added to the weekly watering during the hotter summer months when my plant is in bloom.
2. Potting soil
The type of growing medium you use to grow your ZZ plant greatly affects how often you water your plant and how quickly the growing medium dries out.
It is important to use a well-drained potting soil so that excess water drains quickly from the roots after watering your ZZ plant. I use a mixture of potting soil and perlite because it allows proper drainage and aeration while retaining some water.
When you water your ZZ plant, the sign of a well-drained potting mix is that the water will quickly run through the pot and start flowing out of the drainage holes, rather than sitting in a puddle for a long time in the pot. potting soil. .more than a few seconds
If you notice slow drainage, repot your ZZ plant with potting soil supplemented with perlite or coarse sand.
3. The type of pot is important for the success of watering ZZ plants
Porous pots ensure free transfer of water and oxygen through the walls of the pot. Unglazed clay pots are ideal for ZZ plants as they greatly reduce the risk of overwatering.
Plastic or glazed ceramic pots hold water in the potting material until it is used by the plant, drains the bottom drainage holes, or evaporates.
This raises another point. Always make sure the pot you use has drainage holes. What is essential! It is really very difficult to always provide just the right amount of water in a pot without drainage holes. Excess water will collect at the bottom of the pot and root rot is almost inevitable.
Large drainage holes allow excess water to drain away quickly, improving root aeration and greatly reducing the risk of root rot. If you place your pots in a drip tray or outdoor decorative pot, consider draining the excess 5-10 minutes after watering your ZZ plant.
I put almost all of my indoor plants in outdoor decorative pots. This means I can choose the perfect pot to match the plant inside, but still choose great pots outside to match my interior. Take a look at some of my favorite decorative pots in this article.
What to do if you overwater your ZZ plant?
ZZ plant shows signs of overwateringIf you notice your ZZ plant’s leaves turning yellow, stems drooping, the plant looking a bit unhappy, the first suspect is overwatering.
Check the potting soil to see if it is saturated. Then you are probably suffering from root rot and your plant is really, really sick. If you want to have a chance of saving it, you need to repot your plant right away.
Remove your ZZ plant from the pot and carefully spread the potting mix around the roots. Rotten roots will be brittle, soft and black/brown in color. You need to remove the affected roots with pruners or clean scissors. If there aren’t enough healthy roots left, your plant probably won’t survive.
Assuming some healthy roots still remain, transplant the ZZ plant into a very well-aerated potting mix, in a porous pot with plenty of drainage holes. Root rot is caused by a fungal infection that thrives in soggy soil. For this reason, I would strongly recommend using a different jar than the old one.
ZZ Plant Irrigation Overview
Avoid overwatering your ZZ plant, then you will enjoy this lovely houseplant for years to come. Follow the advice in this article and you should have no problems. Remember to check your plant regularly and forget about watering on a schedule.
Now that you know how to water your ZZ plant properly, be sure to check out some related articles I’ve written.
- Why does my ZZ plant have yellow leaves?
- Are ZZ plants poisonous and how do you make sure you grow them safely?
- The best houseplants for beginners that look great.
- Can plants be grown in pots without holes?
- 37 small indoor plants to beautify your interior.
- 8 ways to tell when a houseplant needs water