Peperomia is a tropical houseplant known for its ability to survive in harsh conditions. However, to grow well, peperomia still needs a regular plant care routine. Watering is one of the most important factors that ensure that your peperomia grows well. However, peperomia can be quite sensitive to the amount of water it gets. So, how often should you water your peperomia?
How often to water peperomia?
Peperomias are semi-succulents, which means they can retain water to some extent. So, watering your peperomia too frequently is not necessary. However, peperomia can be very sensitive to being overwatering. Overwatering causes waterlogging of the pot and can lead to the drowning of the roots. It causes the plant to start suffocating, and it turns soft, weak, and mushy. Such a situation may be fatal to your peperomia.
So, let us learn some of the most important factors while watering your peperomia.
Frequency
Most peperomia plants generally require to be watered once every two weeks. However, its watering needs vary from season to season. During the growing season and the summers, it usually requires more water, while in the winter, when the plant is dormant, watering it once a month is sufficient.
So, the best method to ensure the same is by checking the moisture of the soil. Only water when the topsoil becomes dry. Ensure that the soil remains moist to keep your peperomia healthy.
Overwatering
If your peperomia has started to become mushy, discolored, and weak, it is likely suffering from issues of overwatering. It happens if the peperomia is watered too often or with too much water.
The best way to prevent this is by making a watering schedule as per the needs of your peperomia. Such a schedule helps keep the frequency of watering in check.
However, if the plant has already started showing signs of being overwatered, stop the watering until the soil has started to become dry.
Drain out the excess water from the soil and check for signs of fungal infections such as root rot. If any fungal infection is spotted, treat immediately with an effective fungicide and repot with fresh, sterile soil.
Procedure
While the peperomia is not too sensitive about the way it is watered, it is best to avoid getting the leaves too wet very often.
It is better to water from the bottom using regular tap water that is not too hard or rainwater.
Watering from the bottom helps evenly distribute the water in the pot and ensures that the water reaches the root level. However, be careful that watering from the soil doesn’t wash out the mineral build-up of the soil.
So, it is best to give the peperomia a good soak once in a while. However, always ensure that there is no stagnation of water in the pot as it will lead to severe problems for your peperomia.
Thus, we can see that peperomia needs to be watered only when the soil is dry.
