14 votes
Accepted

Can I use "distilled" water to water plants?

Provided that you are feeding the soil/plants the macro and micro nutrients they need there shouldn't be an issue. Epsom salt (1tbsp/gallon) every now and then helps with some of the micro nutrients. ...
12 votes
Accepted

Plant only flowers after rain, and not from being watered. What plant is it?

This plant is Zephyranthes carinata, a bulb with the common name Rain Lily. There are lots of hybrids these days, but the reason they're called rain lilies is because they flower after rain. Some only ...
  • 131k
10 votes

Can I use swimming pool water to water plants and vegetables?

You should make sure, before you use the water, that no chemicals have been added for a week (some say half a week), and assuming you've only used chlorine, it should be down to 1 part per million ...
  • 131k
10 votes
Accepted

What are these tall, tree-like shrubs and how often should I water them?

Judging by the new growth being red, I'd say these were Photinia fraserii 'Red Robin'. I can't tell if they're pleached or not, can't see any framework within the foliage, so its possible they're just ...
  • 131k
10 votes
Accepted

Can I use water from the clothes dryer to water plants?

It's not advisable to use this water on potted plants because of the risk of contaminants from detergent and fabric conditioners being present, but many people do spread it round the garden for plants ...
  • 131k
10 votes
Accepted

Why do my Cherry tomatoes split as they ripen?

Small fruiting tomatoes tend to be a lot juicier (that is ratio of meaty pulp to juice) than medium or large fruiting. Tomato produces a skin of a certain size for the number of fruits it has, then as ...
10 votes

Why do my Cherry tomatoes split as they ripen?

There are two main causes of fruit split - the first is irregular watering. Once tomatoes have fruitlets, and especially as they start to get bigger and ripen, its critical to water sufficiently every ...
  • 131k
9 votes
Accepted

Is it ok to water plants at noon (peak sunlight)?

The optimum time to water plants is in the morning, before any heat builds up - this gives time for the water to penetrate and be taken up so the plants are already well hydrated. Watering in noon day ...
  • 131k
9 votes
Accepted

Tillandsia (air plants) Turning Black and Dying After Watering

Your tillandsia has been damaged by using chlorinated water. You can dechlorinate water by leaving it to stand for 24 hours but if the municipal authority uses chloramines instead, then you will have ...
9 votes
Accepted

How do I grow Wasabi?

Contrary to what you often see, Wasabi can be grown in moist, but not submerged, soil. You'll do best starting with fresh, viable seeds. Here's a few points on preferred conditions in soil growing (...
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8 votes
Accepted

Can drained water from potted plants be used again to water another house plant?

Well, the correct way to conserve water is to watch your water, and make sure you don't have excess drainage. This of course takes time and experience. Till then, use measuring cups, or watering jugs ...
8 votes

Can drained water from potted plants be used again to water another house plant?

I haven't found any good reference sources, so this is just my personal experience. It ended up being too long for a comment, so I hope it's appropriate as an answer. I do this frequently, with both ...
8 votes

Buds don't blossom on Chilli plant ( bud drop )

I think you overwater the chilli plant. The leaves are not very healthy. Chilli likes also dry climate, so try to water a lot less. One or twice a week. I would also not put so much fertiliser. Once ...
8 votes

Why are my anthurium leaves rapidly turning yellow?

These plants like bright but diffuse light ( not direct sunlight ) and moist oxygenated soil but you've already identified that it has been sitting in stagnant deoxygenated water. This has lead to ...
7 votes

How to set up a very long (1600 ft) drip irrigation system?

Generically, go with large diameter pipe. Specifically, you'd need to run calculations based on water flow rate, pipe size, and dynamic head (pressure loss due to flow rate) against the available ...
  • 20.1k
7 votes

How often should I water an Amaryllis plant?

How much to water is a complex question where you have to evaluate how much light is present, the relative humidity and the water needs of the plant. Bulbs do not normally like wet feet. The ...
  • 57.4k
7 votes
Accepted

Aloe is drooping, is it ok?

It's hard to tell from the photos but the leaves on your problematic aloe seem different to your "other aloe". Perhaps they're different species and thus will have different different habits ie. not ...
  • 1,033
7 votes

Aloe is drooping, is it ok?

You should definitely re-pot the three "babies" in separate pots, to get them away from the old dead material which is a constant risk for attracting bugs, fungus diseases, etc. Possibly they are not ...
  • 11.3k
7 votes
Accepted

Should I heat water first and let it cool before watering in winter?

Very cold water can shock some plants, especially if the surrounding temperature is warm. You didn't mention where you are, but in most large cities, water has at least some chlorine in it, which is a ...
  • 311
7 votes

Why shouldn't I water a Blue Spruce tree during and after transplanting it?

In my 25 years as a landscaper in the Pacific Northwest, I have never heard of such a treatment. With that said, the only thinking I can come up with is that the arborist feels that by watering in ...
  • 2,502
7 votes

Why do some people use ice cubes at the roots of outdoor plants to help them flower?

In my opinion, no, its one of those faddy things that gets bandied about, in the same class as coffee grounds being great for everything plantwise, and water droplets causing sunburn on all plant ...
  • 131k
7 votes

Self watering pot with no hole

Unglazed terracotta is a porous material so water can pass through it, albeit slowly. This can be a very effective way of delivering water without drowning the plant. For bonsai, overwatering is quite ...
7 votes

Advise from experienced farmers

Yes, but you must be smarter than a doctor or engineer: some of the richest are php engineers. It is mainly economy: if there are many people that could do something, they will fight to produce it ...
7 votes

Should I try planting my plant in soil?

I've grown basil hydroponically using aquarium water for the nutrients and it looked a lot better than yours which needs a lot more sunlight. In fact most of the basil I see in the supermarket seems ...
7 votes
Accepted

Should I account for seasons when growing inside only?

Stormy has a nice answer (especially on fertilizer part), but I am going to add some general concepts. Temperate plants usually needs different seasons to grow naturally. But we don't cultivate them ...
6 votes

What is the name of this houseplant, and how can I prevent it from drying out?

Definitely an Impatiens variety (busy lizzie) - can't tell how tall it is, but it looks remarkably like I. walleriana - if its taller than it seems, it'll be one of the New Guinea hybrids. I note the ...
  • 131k
6 votes
Accepted

How much water do these hydroponic office plants need?

Plant number one is a Rhapis excelsa palm, a real beauty.They grow well in bright diffuse light but will tolerate periods of low light. The die back at the ends of the leaves is natural. Just take a ...
  • 57.4k
6 votes
Accepted

Will water prune roots with an air layering pot?

This is my kiddie pool sub irrigation planter with a couple of dismal looking tomato plants, and one bag with 4 corn and one Apple tree seedling. I probably over did it! Two of the corn look very weak....
6 votes
Accepted

What should the watering schedule for garlic be to ensure optimal growth?

Let the soil dry out a bit before watering. Dig down 1 inch into the soil. If the 1 inch of soil is dry, water it. If the leaves are wilting, or "deflated", it needs water. I mention deflated leaves ...
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