Jimini Waters Pot Plants Part 3

IMPORTANT: THE AUTHOR CAN ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE FOLLOWING TECHNIQUE. UNFORTUNATELY, PARTICIPATION MUST BE ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

On no account should you use this technique on bulbs, corms or water-sensitive tubers such as begonias.

Now is a particularly good time of year to use this technique, since the plant is just about to start growing actively.

However, because it has been such an unusual season so far, I would be happiest if your plants are actually using water.

Many plants slow right down over the winter months, and if they don't actually become dormant, they like to have a period of rest. Make sure that they are not still resting and that there is ample green growth. Even better if they are about to flower.

One final check: Make sure there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot and that it is not blocked.


RIGHT, I HAVE DITHERED LONG ENOUGH. NOW FOR THE ACTION.

It's really very simple:

DROWN THE PLANT WITH WATER.

Yes, you heard me:

FILL A BUCKET, A BOWL, OR THE SINK WITH CLEAN WATER AND FULLY SUBMERGE THE POT SO THE WATER REACHES THE TOP OF THE COMPOST.

Now can you see why I was being a bit cautious?

Of course, I didn't literally mean DROWN ( I only said this for dramatic effect ). After all, our objective is to make it more alive.

The point here is to ensure that there are no dry pockets of compost around the roots. This can easily happen when we water in the traditional way. Water passes through the surface compost and finds a quick way down - a shortcut - to the bottom of the pot (this is often down the sides), leaving the compost around the roots bone dry.

To avoid this, leave the pot in water for about an hour, or until it is thoroughly saturated. If you find it difficult to wet the compost, dry adding a drop of wash-up liquid to the water to act as a wetting agent.

How do you know it is saturated?

The weight. It should weigh virtually the same as the pot filled to the same depth with water alone.

AFTER IT IS SATURATED, ALLOW TO DRAIN AND REPLACE IN ITS GROWING POSITION.

That's all there is to it.

FUTURE WATERINGS
Once we have saturated the compost this way we should continue the technique. This will allow the plant to develop lots of large luscious blooms.

Just to put your mind at rest, I have not watered my Geraniums, this year, for the past month or so. It does not seem to have done them any harm. ( It never does ) They are just starting to bud up, now. Things look really promising. They have been for the past four years. Believe it or not, they have hardly ever stopped flowering in that time. This method really suits them. And I think you will find, it will suit virtually all plants.

The irony is that it is especially beneficial for hard-to-water plants like African Violets and Cyclamens, provided that we don't submerge them completely.