Watering time - A poll

[pleiospilos]

Since getting into this collector's mindset, I've amassed about 50 pots (various sizes) of about 20-25 species of succulents. I find that I'm spending ridiculous amount of time watering. I don't water often, just once a week, but each time I do it I end up spending about 1 hour going through the whole routine. I use the flooding method by gently watering from the top while sitting the pot in a tub of water... and I do this about once a week and 1.5 times a week for smaller pots.

The problem is I consider myself just starting off with my collection. If I end up with 100-150 pots (which is not unthinkable), will I end up spending 2-3 hours weekly just on watering?

Would like to hear from you on how long you spend on watering and your efficient methods of doing so!

[imafan26]

6 zone irrigation timer. 2 zones for the grass and 4 zones for drip that water the plants in the trees, veggie garden, and plant borders. The timer needs to be set depending on the season and the rain. Usually twice a week early in the morning while the water pressure is high and the sun will be coming up to dry the leaves.

I water by hand about 30-45 minutes a day. Some plants like the orchids are only watered once or twice a week, others like the 4 inch pots that have just been planted, new transplants, and cuttings need to be watered daily. If I could make the time I could extend my faucet valve to cover the bench, but I need to actually look at the seedlings everyday or I may lose them to snails or miss potting them up , and I have to keep the bench clean and keep moving the pots out. I cannot always water in the mornings especially now since it is too dark before I have to leave the house. Most of the time I only have the chance to water in the early afternoon between 4-5 p.m. while there is still enough time for the leaves to dry before the sun goes down.

My water pressure is low. If I had to do this by hand or by moving sprinklers it would probably take me 2-3 hours a day.

[rainbowgardener]

Hi pleiospilos, welcome to the Forum!

I like your screen name:


https://www.lithops.net/images/Mesemb_ph ... ol3522.JPG

I have never grown succulents at all, so I could be totally off base here - feel free to give me the big raspberry. But other things I grow, especially starting seeds I do bottom watering. Have the pots in trays, just pour a little bit of water in the bottom and let the potting mix wick it up. Just pouring a bit of water in the trays would be a lot quicker.

I understand that for things that don't like very much water, this might be a little trickier to manage and not over water, but it seems like you could get the hang of it and the main regulator would be how much time you leave between waterings, which might need to be more.

[imafan26]

I have a small succulent collection. My problem is to keep them from getting too much water from the rain. They are off sprinkler so I do water them by hand but hand dipping would be time consuming especially if you are doing them one at a time. I do water mine with a hose once or twice a week if it does not rain. Some I can never keep alive like the old man cactus. Mainly, like the orchids, I select the pots and media that work best for my watering style. The pots are mostly clay or cement which breathe or plastic pots with extra holes burned into them. The plants are underpotted, I have a few that have cracked the pots and most are planted in rocks and cinder so they don't have much soil to hold on to water.

It is possible to put the plants on a drip line and run it manually when you need it.