The plant shown hangs down like 6 feet when it’s up and the pot shown is 8.5 inches. The plant itself is in an 8 inch plastic planter with drainage.
I’m leaving this behemoth in the care of my parents while I’m out of the country for a year or so and I’m making a detailed care guide for them now. The dilemma with this one is that I would remove it and water it in the sink to make sure it drained before I put it back in the hanging pot, but the issue is that getting it in and out of the rope hanger without damaging it is a massive headache nightmare that I wouldn’t ask of anyone else. So the question is, how can I know how much water should be added so that it gets what it needs, but possibly stops before it starts draining so that the water doesn’t all pool up in the bottom of the pot?
The soil I’m using is the standard miraclegro indoor potting mix (I know, blasphemy, but all my plants are thriving with it and I add perlite if I have to). I let it get a bit too dry so I’m currently rehydrating the soil by letting it soak in the sink. I also think it’s beginning to get root bound, as there are tiny root ends poking thru the drainage holes.
by BrennusRex
27 Comments
I drill holes in all my pots. I’m not about to risk it.
If you have a bit of time and a scale, measure the weight difference between super dry and appropriately moist maybe a day after a fresh watering. Also note the dates for both. Convert the weight to oz and then you have a fluid oz measure of how much is reasonably safe to add every [duration between two dates]. Since this will be a full year, I might do 75% of that amount and accept she might be a bit shriveled and dormant by the end, just to avoid rot.
I have a pothos around that size and it’s too high for me to take out. I do about 2 cups of water at a time and only water when it’s dry. I check with a moisture sensor. Normally end up watering every 2-3 weeks.
I would suggest testing it. Over the sink pour in water slowly useing a measuring jug and stop as soon as water starts coming out the bottom. That should be around the correct amount of water.
For stuff like this I just give it few cups every once in a while.
Better to err on the less water side
At the mercy of Reddit I’m gonna be honest; I do have a few hanging pots with no drainage, and I usually just water as much as feels right for the size of the plant. I might circle the pot like 5 times or something while I’m watering. It’s never been a problem for me, I just make sure to let it dry out completely between watering. I use a long-spouted watering can though and water gently, I don’t feel like I would have enough control in the sink. I use the sink only for soaking plants with plenty of drainage.
Could you give them a turkey baster to remove the extra water?
I sometimes face this when going away for a month or two, with family staying over to house sit.
I think next time I’m going to say something like: “At some point the plant is going to start looking thirsty, only then add a few cups of water”.
E.g. (in my situation): “Don’t water it for two weeks, and then wait a little bit longer”.
Find a new home for it while you’re gone that is easier to manage.
There’s a simpler solution – move it somewhere else. Take it out of the hanger and leave it on an easily accesible location where your parents have no problem taking the nursery pot out of the cache pot to water it in the sink.
When you get back after a year, then you move it back into the rope hanger.
I would water the pot thoroughly and wait a few minutes then gently tip over the pot and let the water run out. This will get rid of the access.
It is best to have drainage holes.
Leave the pothos in a nursery pot rather than planting directly in the ceramic pot?
I bought a moisture meter off Amazon and it has been a game changer for me.
I would move the plant to somewhere more convenient for them to do it right
I don’t have suggestions but I just wanted to say that the variegation on that pothos is gorgeous!
I’d put a small plastic pot with drainage inside that pot so I could take out the plant and water it in my sink with the rest of my pothos.
Does the cermaic pot go into a nother pot thats hanging? Is the pot going outside afterwards?
Honestly, I would just move it to a different spot that’s more accessible. Move it back when you return home. It’s definitely better than risking root rot on this beautiful plant.
I do pot-in-pot for my hanging plants.
Honestly, I’d just replant it into a clear nursery pot and stick that inside the hanging pot. Easier all around. Simplifies watering and you can see the roots whenever you want.
BUT I just realized you said it was already in an inner pot so…if you don’t want to have them lifting it out all the time, your options are really to move it into a different hanging pot that drains, drill a hole into your existing pot, or put it somewhere not hanging while they are plant sitting it.
I guess you could get really creative about it and when you are watering it, maybe measure the water slowly so that you know how much it can take before it drains.
Another option is maybe if you can drill a hole into the bottom of that pot, they sell little silicone stoppers on Amazon for things like replacing the bottom of a salt and pepper shaker and stuff like that and they come in all sizes. You could use one of those so they could periodically drain the hanging pot in case water collects.
I don’t have an answer to know how much water to measure but I’d recommend putting some type of spacer that doesn’t block the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. If they do water a little too much then the plant isn’t sitting in water and the excess water will eventually evaporate. Or like others have suggested change it’s set up so it’s easier for them to access and manage while you’re away.
Nursery pot in ceramic pot.
hey your countertop looks bright enough, why not just leave it there in a bowl and tell them to pour water in it? aesthethics shouldnt be an issue since i’m guessing nobody will be living there
Maybe don’t hang it anymore. Or use a different hanger
Pot with no drainage is a dangerous game. Def follow the other comments and don’t plant directly into the decorative pot.
She’s so beautiful 😍
It’s so pretty, I’m jealous. I have the same kind of pothos, only a bit more white – and it barely grows 😭
Bottom water it and then dump out the rest of the water