To understand my watering needs, you must first understand where I come from. I am a child of the sun-drenched, rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean. My roots are adapted to thrive in well-draining, often poor, gritty soil. I am built for periods of bright, hot sun and infrequent rainfall. This heritage means I am inherently drought-tolerant. My number one enemy is not being thirsty, but rather, having my roots constantly sitting in wet, soggy soil. This leads to root rot, a fatal condition I cannot easily recover from.
I cannot speak, but I communicate my needs clearly through my soil. The best method to check if I need water is the finger test. Please insert your finger about an inch to two inches into the soil near my base. If the soil at that depth feels completely dry, it is time for a drink. If you feel any moisture or coolness, I am perfectly content and you should wait. Do not water me on a fixed calendar schedule (e.g., "every Tuesday"). My water consumption will change with the seasons, the temperature in your home, the amount of light I receive, and the size of my pot.
When my soil is dry, please water me thoroughly and deeply. This means slowly pouring water onto the soil until you see it begin to drain freely from the holes at the bottom of my pot. This ensures that my entire root system has access to moisture. I do not appreciate timid, superficial sprinkles that only wet the top layer of soil. After watering, always empty the saucer underneath my pot. I must never be left standing in a puddle of water, as this will suffocate my roots and invite rot.
My life indoors follows a cycle that mirrors the world outside, and my thirst changes with it. During the spring and summer, I am in my active growth phase. With more hours of intense sunlight, I am photosynthesizing vigorously and may need water more frequently, perhaps every 7-10 days, but always check my soil first. In the fall and winter, I enter a period of dormancy. Growth slows significantly, the sun is weaker, and evaporation is slower. During this time, my soil will take much longer to dry out. You may only need to water me every few weeks, or even less. Overwatering during this dormant period is the most common mistake and is very dangerous for me.
Your watering success is heavily influenced by the home you provide for me. I require a pot with excellent drainage holes. Terra cotta pots are ideal because they are porous and allow soil to dry out more evenly than plastic or ceramic pots. My soil must be a very well-draining mix. A standard potting soil amended with perlite, coarse sand, or even a specific cactus/succulent mix will provide the gritty, fast-draining environment my roots crave. This proper setup prevents water from being trapped around my roots, giving me the dry feet I love.
