To understand our watering needs, you must first understand our origin. We are not true lilies but originate from seasonally wet regions in South Africa. Our natural growth cycle involves a period of abundant moisture followed by a period of dormancy where we require much less water. When grown indoors as a potted plant, this cycle is the single most important factor to consider. We actively grow and flower, then we rest. Your watering schedule must change to reflect this. During our active growth and blooming phase (typically spring and summer), we are thirsty and our soil should be kept consistently moist. After flowering, as our leaves begin to yellow and we enter dormancy (usually fall), you must drastically reduce watering.
You must never water us on a rigid calendar schedule. The frequency is entirely dependent on environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, pot size, and soil composition. The most reliable method is to check the soil moisture directly. Insert your finger about one to two inches into the soil. If the soil at that depth feels dry, it is time to water us thoroughly. If it still feels cool and moist, please wait and check again in a day or two. We despise having our roots constantly sitting in saturated, soggy soil. This leads to a lack of oxygen and invites root rot, which is often fatal.
When it is time to water, please do so correctly. Use room temperature water to avoid shocking our sensitive root system. Water us slowly and evenly at the base of the plant, avoiding wetting our leaves and flowers, as this can promote fungal diseases. Continue watering until you see excess water begin to flow freely out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. This ensures the entire root ball has been sufficiently hydrated. It is absolutely critical that our pot has these drainage holes. After watering, always empty the saucer or cache pot underneath. Never let us sit in a pool of standing water.
Your indoor environment directly dictates how quickly we use water. During warm, sunny days, our soil will dry out much more quickly, requiring more frequent watering. If we are placed in a cooler spot or during the darker winter months (even if we are not fully dormant), our growth slows and evaporation decreases, meaning we will need water less often. High humidity slows evaporation from the soil, while dry, heated air in winter will accelerate it. A plant in a small pot or a porous terracotta pot will dry out faster than one in a large plastic pot.
Learn to read our signs of distress. If you are overwatering us, our leaves will droop and turn yellow, often starting from the base. The soil may have a sour smell, and the roots will become soft and brown—a sign of rot. If you are underwatering us, our leaves will also droop, but they will feel limp and may develop dry, brown tips and edges. The soil will pull away from the sides of the pot. We are resilient; it is generally better to err on the side of slightly too dry than too wet, as recovery from mild underwatering is far simpler than from advanced root rot.
