what about adding those water crystals? Do they help? I keep thinking I'll try it, but haven't.

All my bigger pots are on drippers. I try to keep just succulents or stuff like that in smaller ones as I don't know from one day to the next if I'll be able to get out there and water anything.

On the plants that need more moisture, I plant them in plastic pots then put that pot in a clay pot and fill in any cracks between the two. Clay is great for cactus but not for plants that need lots of moisture. Also, those water crystals are good. I'd mix it with the soil and have it at the bottom of the pot.

thank you both!

Several ears ago I tried the polymer water crystals. They plumpd up into cubes and I thought they were wonderful!

Since that first time, the only stuff I've found it much smaller. Too much and it turns into a glob too little and why bother?

I like the notion of a pot in a pot. I do that with plants I have near the front door that don't get rain. It really helps.

This idea will let me use the clay pots and maybe not water every few hours.

Thanks again
c

In my backyard, believe me I have lots of pots with plants in them. What I do to try and keep them moist longer is I put a couple of layers of rocks in the bottom of the pots, and this seems to help, but also make sure your plants can drain good, so after I've drilled the holes in the bottom of the pots, I cut out a piece of screen and lay it over the holes, then the rocks, then the potting soil. I go out and water every 2 nights with the hose and put my finger in each pot before I water it. If it is wet then I let it go until the next time. Over watering can kill a plant fast.

I wonder if a disposible diaper would work?
When one of my grands was a toddler he would pick a hole in his diaper. The stuff inside looked the same as those water crystals.

Kathy, I've seen several posts over on the brugmansia forum about using the diaper fibers. I hear it does work!

Pam

Pam, I think I will give it a try.
I'll let you know what I think.
I have a duranta prunned as a standard/topiary and the pot dries out pretty fast.
They will survive in the ground here, but freeze back and that would do in my standard/topiary.

A long time ago I read on here about using either pads or tampons in the bottom of the pots. I know it sounds gross, but it would be about the same as a diaper. I've never tried it, but am thinking about it. Personally, I water every day. Twice a day if the temps reach 100. There is no chance of over watering here in the summer. The spring, fall and winter are trickier, because you can easily over water!

Lynn, doesn't sound any more gross than diapers, LOL
In the 60's one of my cousins used the *K* pad in her potted plants and it worked
I think all of these ideas are good, too bad my brain doesn't think of them when I am potting them up, LOL

I often use coffee filters in bottom of pots when no rocks are available...and those diapers are wonderful in
hanging baskets.

I just don't have time to water twice a day.

Suzi

I put a coffee filter over the drain hole in the bottom of my pots. It only lasts a season or two before it disintegrates, but by then it's usually time to repot anyway. It doesn't hold water in the soil, but it keeps it in the pot a little longer. I also use a bamboo stick to break up and stir the soil in large pots to help keep it from getting compacted and water-resistant. If I used a diaper it would have to be a used one, since my darling little grandson uses so many of them, I couldn't afford to buy them for him and my potted plants. Hmm, I wonder how they would react to the uric acid in those things...Cheryl

Cheryl, you can read the Organic Forum to learn what a great fertilizer human urine is! It's recommended that it be diluted before using, but the water in the pots ought to do that for you if using a 'wet' baby diaper.

Here is a link that might be useful: Use of Human Urine -- Organic Gardening Forum

Mulching the top of the soil in the pots helps keep them from drying out as quickly too.

This year I got those self-watering pots from walmart, And I buried those in bigger, prettier pots. I don't even have to water them every day. They are in part sun, though. My plants look better than they ever have this time if year

Has anyone ever heard of a sand watering system? I read about a few years ago and have not been able to find the article again. Basically what I remember of it is this, you use a large pot and put the clay pot in the larger pot filling the space between them with sand. Then you water the sand and theoretically the pots will take in as much water as needed. Like I said this is what I remember, I am not sure if it is correct. But I really liked the idea if that is true. Anyone know?

Mulch helps out a lot. I've used pine bark and small pea size rock for mulch and both work great, I can go two days without watering in the hottest part of summer.

Barb

I was just going to post mulch - but I see Barb already did. I use pine bark mulch in the top of all of my potted plants and it really holds the moisture in. Also, when watering, helps prevent washing soil away from the roots.

Yes, mulch is good! I use lava rock in most of my pots. It serves as mulch to keep the water from evaporating so quickly and keeps the soil from splashing out when watering, plus it serves the added benefit of keeping the squirrels from digging in the pots. Believe it or not it works for that purpose one hundred percent of the time. The lava rocks are easily scooped out with a gloved hand when you want to repot. They can be used over and over again.

I havent tried it yet, but bought a few bags of the Miracle Gro potting soil with moisture crystals in it. I plan to use it in some pots I am getting ready to plant. Its not that expensive and easy to use. Got mine at Walmart.

put the potted plants next to the bird bath that has to be rinsed and refilled everyday? I'm sooo lazy.

I've been using disposable diapers for years. I buy the cheap ones at the dollar store, remove the plastic and then shred the fiber in with the soil. Works great.

Has anyone tried wetting a thickness of newspaper and putting it down below the top 5 or so inches of dirt ? I had read it a few years ago and forgot but going to try today for the cemetery basket as its too far to water often

The primary ingredient in most potting soil is peat. Its acidity makes it bacteria and fungus resistant, so seedlings won't get damping-off. While it holds water like a sponge, when it does dry out it is difficult to re-wet. Water flows around the outside of the soil, only wetting the surface. You generally have to submerge the entire pot in a container to get the root ball soaked.

I tell everyone to add coir to potting soil. Coir refers to all the fibers from the coconut husk, but for gardening it refers to short fibers that have been processed to break them down and remove natural salts. Also known as COCO PEAT it's available as bricks or bales, and looks very similar to peat once expanded. Coir holds more water than peat, and water soluble nutrients can be added when a brick or bale is being moistened. It is also a sterile medium though its pH is less acid than peat (5.5-6.8 vs. 3.6-4.5). Most important for hot, arid climates is that coir is easy to re-wet. It is also considered a renewable resource compared to peat. Search online for "garden coir for sale" to find numerous outlets. It may also be found at local nurseries, but avoid the LUMPY, FIBROUS type more suited for orchid growing.

For pots, either a tray or one of those pots that have their own built-in tray (such as the self-watering pots). They really keep the soil moist. However, one problem is still that too much water all the time, and they will turn the soil anaerobic. (When you repot you will see that gooey mess down near the bottom, and probably the bad smell)However, for one season or a couple months of the season, it should be OK, if you are growing something like flowers in it.