A good watering routine will keep your plants happy. Learn how often to water peperomia plants and how to figure out when they need watering.
When it comes to plant care, proper watering is the single best thing you can do to keep your plants in shape. The most common issues when it comes to plant health arise from improper watering routines. Be it watering too often, too little, or even wrongly. In rare cases, even the water itself plays a role.
Peperomia group is a large one with well over 1000 different peperomia varieties, and some require more frequent watering than others. While generally hardy plants, some varieties are more delicate than others.
Proper watering is the most important, however other things will affect how happy your plant is too so do give our “hot to care for peperomia plants” guide a read too.
How Often to Water Peperomia Plants?
Peperomias are really effective at retaining water, it get’s stored in their fleshy leaves.
Most peperomias are pretty close to being succulents, which means you won’t need to water them too often, and they prefer periods with dry soil as opposed to the soil being constantly damp. In fact, soil that is constantly wet will harm the plant and cause it to die eventually. It’s better to forget to water them every once in a while than water them too frequently.
Most peperomias will require watering every two weeks or so, but this is not a rule you should strictly follow. You might even need to water more than one time per week.
Every plant is unique, and many factors play a role in determining how often to water your peperomia.
The size of your plant, the variety, the soil, conditions in your home, and even the pot your plant is in will affect how fast the water evaporates and is used by the plant.
You will also need to water them more frequently during their growing season (spring – end of summer) than in winter.
How to Know When it is Time to Water Your Peperomia?
Figure out your peperomias watering needs by checking the state of the soil and the leaves.
It is best if you allow the soil to dry quite a bit (on top) before you water your peperomia again. After that, give it a good soak.
Never water your peperomia if the top layer of the soil is wet or moist. Peperomias hate sitting in water and will quickly rot.
If you notice your peperomia leaves start drooping, you should shorten your watering interval for a day or two as the soil is drying out too much.
With some varieties like peperomia hope, you can also feel the leaves (making a squeeze test) and see if it is time to water them. Gently try to bend the leaf. If it is firm, you are OK. If it bends, your plant needs watering. This will work for most. However, this is not a good technique for peperomias with long upright stems, as when the leaf is soft to the touch, the watering is usually overdue.
How to Quickly Bounce Back an Under Watered Peperomia?
If your peperomia is underwatered and the leaves are drooping, you can give it “first aid.” Water the plant thoroughly.
If the soil is extremely dry, so dry that it has cracked on the surface or it has shrieked and isn’t touching the pot, you will need to let your plant sit in water for a while. Pour water in a basin and let your plant sit in water for an hour or so (water to 3/4 of the pot). Check the soil. If it has loosened up, it’s good; if not, repeat. You can carefully loosen it up with a fork too.
Now that you have watered your plant place it in a clear plastic bag. This will increase the humidity around your plant and help it recover faster.
Help. I Overwatered My Peperomia! What now?
Overwatering means watering your plants too frequently or letting the water sit in the saucer or the pot. If you do it for a short period of time, your plant will likely be OK. However, if this continues, your plant will suffer and start deteriorating fast.
If you are overwatering your peperomia, let the soil dry out before you water again. You can stick a couple of tampons in the soil to drain out some of the water.
Move the plant to an area with a bit less light so that your plant doesn’t focus on new growth but focuses its energy on the repair. Do not fertilize.
If you aren’t noticing any sign of root rot, leave the plant as it is, do not repot it as repotting will just cause more unnecessary stress for your plant.
If there are signs of root rot, you will need to remove the rotten roots and, depending on the extent of damage, repot the plant in new soil.
Should You Bottom Water Peperomia or Water From the Top? Watermelon link
It will be easier to water watermelon peperomia from the top than a peperomia caperata.
That said, it is completely up to you – it is best if you avoid frequently getting the leaves wet, especially if the water doesn’t dry off quickly. Watering from the bottom gets the water evenly distributed through the soil, and a perfect amount of water is taken in. If you water from the bottom, make sure the water reaches the root level. Some peperomias thrive more with bottom watering, while others do better when being watered from the top. Try both ways and see which you and your plant prefer.
Another thing you need to consider, if you decide to water from the bottom, is the fact that bottom watering your peperomia doesn’t wash out the salt and mineral buildup from the soil. It is best to water from the top occasionally for that reason.
What kind of water do peperomas like? Is tap water OK?
Peperomia plants aren’t too sensitive when it comes to water, so you most likely can use tap water to water them. It is best to let the water sit overnight so that it reaches room temperature.
Some households, however, have really hard tap water, and that water isn’t ideal for your peperomia. It’s best to use filtered water then, or if possible, rainwater which is perfect (and natural) for plants.
If you are using rainwater, make sure it is clean – if you are collecting rainwater that runs from your roof, it might not be ideal (depending on many factors).
