NABAT · THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

Water with understanding.

Learn to read the mix, follow the water and recognise when the roots need a pause.

Watch & understand

Look below the surface

A dry surface can hide a damp root zone. Watch the evidence before adding water.

How it works Roots take water from the mix, but also need oxygen in its pores. Watering again while the root zone is still too wet can reduce the air available to them.

START WITH THE ROOTS

Dry on top can be damp below

The surface loses moisture first. Roots farther down may still have water, so a dry-looking top is not enough reason to refill the pot.

Two separate examples: damp mix first, then drier mix. This leafy aroid needs moisture and air around its roots; other plants may need a different degree of drying.

Watch & understand

Read the wooden stick

The marks left on a probe are clues to compare with the pot and plant—not a moisture meter.

How it works Moisture is uneven through a pot: the exposed surface can dry before the centre. A probe helps test a reachable part of the root zone.

REACH BELOW THE SURFACE

Use the stick to sample a depth

A clean, uncoated wooden stick helps reach beyond the dry surface. Insert gently in an accessible gap and stop rather than force past roots.

A wooden stick gives a local clue, not a moisture percentage. The damp and drier readings are separate examples.

A closer look

Clean, damp and drier examples: residue is a clue, not a calibrated reading

Watch & understand

Water, drain, empty

Follow water into the mix and out through the drainage hole. The saucer is part of the check.

How it works An even watering replenishes moisture throughout the root ball. Repeated small surface splashes may leave some roots dry while wetting the same patch again.

CONFIRM THE NEED

Check before you pour

This example is drier below the surface, so watering is appropriate. A drooping leaf alone would not tell us whether the roots need water.

An ordinary pot with drainage holes, not a reservoir planter. Watering time and quantity depend on the actual pot and mix.

Watch & understand

A reservoir is a different system

Water in the reservoir and moisture around the roots are different things. Watch how the connection works.

How it works Capillary action moves water through an absorbent connection into the growing medium. The medium supplies the roots; a reservoir level tells you stored water, not root-zone moisture.

STORED WATER

The reservoir is a supply, not a bath

This planter holds water below the growing compartment. Fill through its intended opening and respect the model’s limit so you do not flood the root mix.

One fabric-wick planter, with water movement made visible. Mineral-column and watering-stick systems work differently; follow the instructions for your model.

A closer look

Fabric wick connecting reservoir and medium

A different design: mineral columns, without a fabric wick

A little more detail

MIN tells you about the reservoir. It does not measure moisture around the roots. Classic LECHUZA systems have a top-watering establishment phase; other constructions can differ. Do not apply one dry interval to all systems.

Watch & understand

Adjust to your home

A change in airflow or room temperature can change drying. A fan cannot repair damaged roots.

How it works Roots replace water lost through the leaves. Airflow, humidity, temperature and light all influence that loss, so the same pot can dry at different rates.

HOW WATER LEAVES

Leaves lose water to the air

Water vapour leaves through tiny leaf pores in a process called transpiration. Dry moving air can carry that vapour away faster, increasing water loss.

Air movement, air humidity and root moisture are different conditions. A fan neither supplies water nor repairs damaged roots.

A little more detail

Brown edges can have several causes, including water stress, salt injury, heat or dry air. Wet wilt needs inspection, not an automatic extra drink. If roots cannot be checked, the cause and severity remain uncertain.

From the story to your plant