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Carnivorous Plants

Watering question

18 years ago

I was wondering if it is bad to water your CP overhead everyday? I use the tray method like you guys do, but I water my plants from overhead until the tray is filled to the desired level. Is this a bad thing to do? Should I only fill up the water tray? I mean it can't be bad to water them from the top everyday, it insures that the medium is moist, and the extra drains out right?

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Comments (7)

Jimbob_VFT
18 years ago
You can do both so long as your not overwatering.The misconseption is that watering overhead might mess with their roots,but it dosnt.
FlytrpL8E
18 years ago
Okay here is the secret to watering plants overhead.
I grow most of my plants using the tray method and some baby swimming pools with 5-5 ' pots arranged around the pool and I fill them with h2o ona every othrer day basis.
Then once a week I give them and overhead shower, and here is the important part, you absolutely have to sing outloud,"it;'s raining in ____________ fill in the blank where the plant naturally grows ie,north carolina florida, Souht africa etc.LOL
Thanx for listening and keep 'em plants growin'
Lois
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necro1234
18 years ago
Lol

Flytrap now what have we told you about drinking while watering your plants *Grin*

Hehehe, well next time I water my plants overhead Ill risk the men in white jackets and give your advice a try.

:)

Cheers

Sheldon
outsiders71
Original Author
18 years ago
So help me out here guys, is it ok then? Or should I just fill the water tray with water? Should I only water from overhead when I notice the top sphagnum is dry? My worry is that the water tray won't take care of keeping the top shagnum moist, that's why I have been watering from overhead to ensure everything is staying moist.

Sorry I just want to make sure I'm doing things correctly :)
Dreary_Remi
18 years ago
Hello Outsiders71, you can use both methods of watering, However, it is easier to water your plants witht he water tray method. About watering your plants it depends where you grow them. if you are growing them outside, you can water them daily, if growned in a terrarium, atleast once a week, (it depends)just don't allow the conpost to dry out. i.. heartly reccomend watering your plants daily during their growing season. what matters about watering is to keep the plant's roots wet.. usually sphagnum moss gets a bit burned when you grow these plants outdoors, that shouldn't matter. but you can use both watering methods, as long as you don't allow the compost dry out. don't worry anymore..
Nevermore44 - 6a
18 years ago
I think the only problem you might run into from watering overhead is if you use chopped spag as your top dressing on your media. It might splash on your plants and make them look not so pretty but I don't think it would harm them.

You can just add some LF spag to the top layer and water away.
outsiders71
Original Author
18 years ago
Yeah I'm using LF sphagnum now. I have a bottom dressing and a top dressing. I was just worried that somehow overhead watering them everyday might harm them (too wet). Thanks for the replies!

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