The Turbo Pot Dryer

Pot plants usually have a considerable proportion of their root tips (that part which takes up water) at the bottom of the pot. And because this is where water gathers after watering; and because most young roots (especially fuchsias) cannot tolerate these conditions for long, it is always worth 'blotting the base of the pot dry' after each good watering.

I know this is not new. We covered it last autumn, when I showed you much the same thing. But what I didn't tell you is that you can greatly accelerate the process.

We saw that a paper kitchen towel, or similar, makes a good wick for removing excess water by capillarity. However, if things are really bad, you can greatly accelerate this process by placing the pot and kitchen towel on a sheet of newspaper, or anything which will absorb the excess water and spread it out further away from the pot. This greatly increases the evaporative area. As the newspaper dries, more water is drawn out of the pot to replace it. Simple.

It's common sense really. I don't know why it took me such a long time to think about it.

If you are new to watering, it's worth placing an absorbent pad beneath each pot, preferably about twenty minutes after watering to give the pot time to take up the excess. Then leave it there until it dries out. You will be surprised at how much water comes out of the pot. But this would only be taking up valuable air space needed by the roots.

The downside is that there is some loss of nutrients. No matter. These can be replaced later.

P.S. It works even faster if you first remove the plant from the pot. But don't stand it directly onto newsprint as it might be too acid and burn the roots. Put a folded kitchen towel between the plant and the newsprint.