Tips for watering from the top...?

Tips for watering from the top...?#418058

By gatoruss -  Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:04 pm
Posts:  29
Joined:  Tue Jul 19, 2022 3:27 pm

- Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:04 pm #418058

I have 3 pots with small VFTs (1 pot has small cape sundews). All recently acquired and recently repotted.
my-new-vfts-and-cape-sundews-t55430.html

When I water from the top, it wreaks havoc with the plants -- the water takes several seconds to sink into the soil, causing peat and samd and perlite to float and cover leaves, etc.

Any tips?

Re: Tips for watering from the top...?#418060

By VFTnPups -  Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:22 pm
Posts:  221
Joined:  Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:08 pm

- Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:22 pm #418060

Did you soak your peat mix before repotting? Peat mix is hydrophobic and needs to be soaked in pure water first. I use plastic squeeze bottles and canister sprayers for top watering. It’s more accurate and less messy than pouring water from a gallon jug. A top layer of lfsm over the peat will also keep it from splashing everywhere.

schmeg, Dan V, MikeB liked this

Re: Tips for watering from the top...?#418063

By Panman -  Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:37 pm
Location:  Atlanta, GA USA Zone 8a/8b
Posts:  6397
Joined:  Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:41 pm

- Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:37 pm #418063

I put a layer of LFSM on the top to keep the perlite in place.

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Re: Tips for watering from the top...?#418079

By schmeg -  Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:58 am
Location:  zone 5a
Posts:  302
Joined:  Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:07 pm

- Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:58 am #418079

Agree on a top layer of long-fiber sphagnum moss to keep all the peat in place.

Although my flytraps outdoors get natural rain, when it's dry I water from the bottom, pouring rainwater into the tray. I think my theory is that roots will stretch down to reach water, but it may also be my laziness.

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