Bobby Berk shares a unique watering method that helps houseplants thrive while keeping them healthy and happy
Los Angeles: If you love houseplants, you know how tricky it can be to keep them properly watered. It’s so easy to either drown them or let them dry out, and nobody wants to lose their favorite green buddies.
Enter Bobby Berk, the interior designer from Netflix’s Queer Eye. He’s a big plant lover and often shares his best tips online. One of his standout suggestions is a pretty unconventional way to water your plants that he swears by for healthier growth.
So, what’s the trick? Instead of pouring water on top, he says to let the plants do a little self-service. You’ll need to fill a big container with water and place your pots inside. This method, called bottom watering, lets the roots soak up just the right amount of water they need.
Nicole Elizabeth Dillon, a plant expert from the U.S., backs this up. She even has a “bath day” for her plants, where she fills her farmhouse sink with water and lets them enjoy a good soak each week during summer.
If you want to give this a shot, you can use your sink, bathtub, or any large tub. Just don’t leave them in the water for too long—about 30 minutes should do the trick. Keep an eye on the water level to make sure it’s still covering the bottom of the pots.
Bottom watering not only helps your plants drink up but also keeps the topsoil dry, which can help keep pesky fungus gnats away. Plus, it encourages the roots to grow deeper, making your plants stronger.
Just a heads up, if your soil has any contaminants, they could spread to other plants, so it’s a good idea to change the water between pots if you’re worried.
