Does a mundane chores like watering plants need some kind of skill? What happens if you skip watering your household plants for a day or two? Well, If you are a plant parent, you would know how important it is to give the right amount of watering to the sapling to maintain its healthy growth and allow it to flourish.

Watering plants is an art and often there is a discussion on how much water is too much! The answer is simple..nothing in excess is good and nothing of too little is good either. So, over-watering and under-watering are both bad for the plant's life.

Having said that, there is no precise measure or scale in terms of ml or liters that fits all types of plants. Just as each one of us humans is unique, similarly, each plant is unique and they have their own needs.

As a general thumb rule, these are the common parameters that one needs to consider while delving into watering their plants:

1)   What type of species is the plant?
2)   Is the plant potted or sowed in the garden?
3)   What are the external weather conditions?
4)   Is the plant small, medium, or fully grown?
5)   Is there any natural source which the plant is getting its water from?

Here are some signs that you need to watch out for which indicate that your plant is really thirsty:
-      The soil is dry
-      The leaves are losing their color
-      The tips of the leaves appear brownish
-      The plant is drooping
-      The pot develops dry cracks
-      Dead leaves are found lying on the ground

So, to take things into your hands here's what you can do to help your plant thrive:

#1 Know The Plant Species
Bought a flowering plant randomly from the market and didn't ask what species it is? No problem!! There are apps available that can identify the plant species from the picture you've taken. Common plants grown at home include; aloe vera, bamboo plant, snake plant, Lilly, money plant, rose, tulsi, etc.

#2 Research The Requirements
When you bring a new plant home, it's always good to do a bit of research to be able to take care of it properly. There are some plants that dry out quicker than others, and thus their need for water intake is much higher. A pitcher plant is one such type that requires its soil to be moist all the time, hence you need to ensure that adequate water is added at different times of the day.

#3 Check Your Soil
There are a number of soil variants used for potted plants. What is your soil type? Sandy soil is mostly suited for cacti, while loamy soil is ideal for most others that need good nutrition & proper aeration. Regularly pay a peeping glance to the pot and check whether the soil is dark or light. If it's light, that means the soil is dry and you need to pour some water. Also repot your plant every 6 months, so that you can introduce more nutritious soil for the betterment of the plant.

#4 Time Of Watering the Plant
Is it a good time to water the plants during the day or should you wait until the sun has set? Well, if you water the plants during the day, there are chances that the harsh rays of the sun, especially in a city like Dubai, might evaporate the water. On the other hand, watering plants in the evening may leave the leaves wet all through the night and there are chances of decay and diseases. Having said that, it is best to water plants early in the morning, before the sun has warmed things up, or during the early evening, when the sun is still shining but is about to disappear soon.

If you follow the above plant care tips, your greens will remain in the best shape and spread their cheer around. Don't take too much stress though, take it easy and enjoy gardening as a hobby. You can even deploy the job to professionals and opt for gardening services by experts in Dubai.