That helps a lot THANKS! Rob

Good luck Rob, I have the same problem. Good advise Chris. I some times over water and watch it rot. Better to let it dry out some and make a come back in spring. Some times you could lose a plant that way. Myself, once a month and very little at that. Some of my sans seems to take anything I throw at them including watering. The big hard leaf types. Then the next year, rot??

Hi Rob,

It also depends on what type of mix you're using. Fast draining vs. moisture retentive, makes a BIG difference. I suggest for newbies or folks having trouble to combine C&S mix w/ 50% perlite (equal parts of each).

I use both clay & plastic pots for my Sans. I also tend to pot them smallish.

I tend to underwater my Sans (rather than overwater).

But agreed, the little sips of water do no good (often causes pockets of wet soil vs. dry soil in same pot). I water 'til the water comes out the bottom; then I wait at least 2 wks to check again.

You might be overthinking it (or not ... ;>)), but if you could show us pix of the plants, the pots & show us the mix, we could advise you better.

Like you, we just want to do best by our plants.

Lena

Thanks I do use the 50/50 mix. I have the fish tank but haven't set it up yet. ( like Stush ) Anyway here are some pics. Rob

Well Gee Rob, they look great! The mix is certainly porous enough, I'm thinking they look fine.

Except for the last one which while fine, seems planted too high, I'd sink that rhizome deeper to the level of that exposed root to our right & bury that well too,

Otherwise, while first I thought OK, now I'm thinking they seem deeply potted.

Personally, if I were having this problem, I might experiment w/ switching a couple of plants to shallower, unglazed clay pots.

Those of you who knew Norma (haven't seen her post in a while), that was something she'd suggest from time to time, to plant them shallow.

Karen-

Good to "see" you here again!!!! I miss Norma's posts too last I heard she wasn't doing too well. Rob quite a nice collection. Note that those larger fuller plants on top will probably need less watering than the smaller plants below in similar pots. If kept warm (say 80?) in good light they may need watering more often. I have a "plant room" at my office........we occasionally do experiments in it but I can usually keep a few extra plants in there. In any case it is at one end of a trailer with a couple of shop lights and its own heating/cooling system. Plants in there dry out very quickly and small trifasicatas benefit from twice weekly watering. After you get you new set up you will know better. You can always insert a wooden dowl into the soil (to check for moisture) to figure out when things are dry enough for the next watering. I imagine most of those pots will only need watering every two or three weeks or so during winter unless they are kept very warm and lighted.

Nice set-up Rob. I think you'll do fine. Keep us informed.

I saw the dowel thing some where else. I'm going to give that a try. Although I can see some brown tips here and there I feel i must hold off till the three weeks. We keep the temp around 65 or 70 in the winter. I have a moonshine with the soil I bought it in lost a few leaves to being damp. I,ll watch that one in the future. Lost a piece of a variegated one too. Those are the ones that make me wonder and why I started this post. They just don"t ask if you know how take care of them when you buy them.. Thanks for all the Feedback. Rob

Rob, I do have some concerns about your pots. On the top row I see a black and a green pot that looks as though the saucer is attached, like perhaps purchased at HD? Those kind of pots are challenging because the saucer is basically attached with plastic pegs which are inserted and glued to the drainage holes. This prevents the water from draining properly through the holes and your plant may sit in water unknown to you.

That being said, the best thing that ever happened to my indoor plants is a water meter. $6.99 on Amazon, this way there is no guessing whether your soil is wet or dry.

Your right all my pots that way. I should pop of the saucers and add more holes. Funny I have a meter but haven't used it since they I moved them indoors. Do you let your go totally dry. I just read 4 or 5 they are at dry or a little above. Thanks Rob

vitorama: Could you give the brand/model of the meter you bought on Amazon? Thank you.

Rob, I let mine read 1-2 before I water again. Bone dry. And yes, you should amend those pots. Maybe pop the attached saucers off and just sit them in regular saucers so they drain right?

Floorwalker, I bought the two pack but it comes single as well.

Thank you for the information.