How it works
It depends on the plant, the pot and the room. A Boston fern can want water every 3 days, while a cactus is happy with a drink every three to four weeks. Pick your plant above, answer four quick questions and you get a watering schedule for that plant in your home. It’s free and there’s no account.
Every plant starts from its own typical interval. Terracotta pots, bright light and small plants dry out faster, so the schedule tightens. Glazed pots, low light and larger plants hold water for longer, so it stretches. If the soil is still damp when you check, the next watering moves back, and hot or cool spells in your local weather nudge it a little too.
Most common houseplants want water somewhere between every 5 and 10 days. Thirsty plants like ferns and calatheas can need it every 3 to 5 days; succulents, cacti and snake plants every two to four weeks.
Push a finger a couple of inches into the soil. Dry at that depth means water; cool and damp means wait. The schedule is a reminder — the soil has the final say.
Far more houseplants are lost to overwatering. A thirsty plant usually recovers within a day of a drink; waterlogged roots often don’t. If in doubt, wait a day.