From our perspective as Portulaca plants, often called Moss Roses or Purslanes, our watering needs are a direct reflection of our inherent nature. We are succulents, originating from hot, sunny, and dry environments like those in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Our very being is engineered for drought, with fleshy, water-storing leaves and stems that allow us to thrive where other plants would perish. Therefore, the cardinal rule for watering us indoors is to err on the side of too dry rather than too wet.
Our roots are exceptionally prone to rot in consistently moist soil. The most harmonious approach is the "soak and dry" method. This means you should water us thoroughly until you see water escaping freely from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. This ensures the entire root ball receives moisture. Then, the crucial part: you must wait. Do not water us again until the soil has become almost completely dry. You can test this by sticking your finger about two inches into the soil. If it feels dry at that depth, it is time for another deep watering. If it still feels cool or moist, please wait and check again in a few days.
While the "soak and dry" cycle is our preferred rhythm, its frequency is not fixed. It is a dance that changes with the seasons and our environment. During our active growing season in the spring and summer, when the sun is strong and days are long, we will use our water reserves more quickly. You may find yourself watering us every 7 to 10 days, or even more frequently if we are in a very hot, sunny window. Conversely, in the autumn and winter, we enter a period of dormancy. Our growth slows dramatically, and our water requirements plummet. During these cooler, darker months, you might only need to water us every three to four weeks, or even longer. Always let the dryness of the soil be your guide, not the calendar.
Your choice of home for us is paramount to our survival. We demand a pot with excellent drainage holes. Sitting in a saucer of water is a death sentence for our root system. Equally important is the soil. A standard potting mix retains too much moisture for our liking. We thrive in a sharply draining medium, typically a cactus or succulent potting mix. You can even create a suitable blend by amending a regular potting mix with perlite or coarse sand to increase drainage and aeration around our roots.
We communicate our needs clearly. If we are thirsty, our normally plump, turgid leaves will begin to look slightly wrinkled, thin, or limp. This is a simple request for water, and we will plump back up quickly after a good drink. The far more dangerous situation is overwatering. The first sign is often yellowing, mushy leaves that may drop from the stem. If the soil remains soggy, our stems will become soft and black, and the dreaded root rot will set in. This condition is often fatal, as it destroys our ability to absorb water and nutrients at all.
