Warning: I think letting soil dry out completely between waterings is BETTER for roots

Last month, I ignored the common advice to keep my balcony pots moist and let everything dry out bone dry. My lettuce looked sad for a day, but then I watered it and the plants came back STRONGER than before. The roots seemed to dig deeper looking for water, and now my spinach and kale are holding up better in the wind. I used to water a little every day, but that made the soil soggy and attracted gnats. Now I only water when the top inch feels like dust, maybe every three or four days. My veggies are greener and I haven't seen any root rot since I switched. Most folks freak out about underwatering, but in my tight space, less is more. What do you all think, am I crazy or does this work for others?

3 comments

3 Comments

colej7429d ago

Totally saw the same thing with my tomatoes last summer. They get way thirstier after a good dry spell, seems to toughen them up.

dylan41329d ago

Actually read something similar about that being a real thing plants do. They have this stress response where a dry patch makes their roots work harder to find water. It's like the plant's way of getting ready for more bad weather. So the toughness you're seeing is probably the plant actually building stronger cells. Makes total sense they'd drink more after, kind of like recovering from a workout. Always notice mine need a serious soak the day after it's been super hot and dry.

the_daniel22d ago

So does that mean we're basically stress training our plants?