Unpopular opinion: bottom watering isn't always better for indoor plants

I tried bottom watering all my houseplants for 3 months after seeing everyone rave about it online. But my spider plants got root rot and my pothos looked worse. Switched back to top watering with a moisture meter and they bounced back in 2 weeks. Anyone else find bottom watering overhyped for certain plants?

3 comments

3 Comments

alex3072mo ago

Bottom watering killed two of my calatheas before I realized they need the soil flushed from the top every few weeks.

gibson.sarah2mo ago

Yeah I used to be a total bottom watering convert... thought it was the only way to go for like a year. But then my snake plant started getting these weird mushy spots and I realized I was trapping too much moisture at the bottom of the pot. Now I do a mix of both... top water most things but bottom water my succulents and african violets every once in a while. It really depends on the plant and the pot you're using I think.

the_nathan2mo ago

Is it just me or does every "perfect" plant care method eventually turn around and bite you? I killed three spider plants thinking I was some kind of watering genius before I realized my pots don't have proper drainage holes. Now I just water everything from the top and hope for the best, which honestly feels like the plant equivalent of gambling. My succulents are probably plotting against me right now.