Watering plants...how and how much?

[broderp]

I have several live plants in my new setup. I do NOT have a green thumb. This is my problem.

I am new to this "live plant" thing but am diving in head first to make a special little guy's home the best I can.

I have the following plants:

• Golden Pothos
  • one large - in pot on floor
  • one medium - in pot embedded in terrarium wall
  • one small - in pot on floor
• Bromeliads
  • one medium - in pot on floor
• Dracena
  • one large - in pot on floor

These will be under 6500K LED lighing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LQKAKEO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This hood also had red LED's which is supposed to stimulate plant growth, or so I understand.

Here is a current picture of my terrarium to visualy see the orientation and size of plants.
View media item 44545
My questions:

1. Do you guys find misting (either by hand or thru a electric mister) enough to keep them alive?
2. Do you have to water the pots as well or is just misting enough?
3. How much water do I need for these plants to thrive?

I'm concerned that this will take a lot of water in some shape or form and that this will artificially keep my humidity very high. If I cut back on the water, the plants may die. How do I keep a balance between high humidity, proper humidity and keeping the plants alive?

I'm also considering a type of "Mist King " device to mist the plants as well as water the pots at the same time. Good idea? Bad idea?

What are your best practices?

 

[Angelwolf]

I have 3 live plants in my setup. Look at the pictures on my page and you should be able to see what i did. My pothos are in African Violet pots. They are a 2 part pot, and the plant can drink as it needs, and very little water evaporates out. I just use a watering can with a straight spout, and a funnel so i don't pour water everywhere, to fill the reservoir pot. And the hibiscus plant is in a non-glazed ceramic put, and the or put is glazed to contain the water. The ceramic portions oh both puts are pourous and allow the plant roots to absorb the water up. And my dripper drops directly into a plant sitting on top of a screen mesh pot, to collect dripper run off. I only needed to water me plants about every 2 weeks or when they start looking droopy.

 

[broderp]

I have 3 live plants in my setup. Look at the pictures on my page and you should be able to see what i did. My pothos are in African Violet pots. They are a 2 part pot, and the plant can drink as it needs, and very little water evaporates out. I just use a watering can with a straight spout, and a funnel so i don't pour water everywhere, to fill the reservoir pot. And the hibiscus plant is in a non-glazed ceramic put, and the or put is glazed to contain the water. The ceramic portions oh both puts are pourous and allow the plant roots to absorb the water up. And my dripper drops directly into a plant sitting on top of a screen mesh pot, to collect dripper run off. I only needed to water me plants about every 2 weeks or when they start looking droopy.

Man, I have been doing it wrong. I've been watering the soil by pouring in water as well as misting the leaves 2-3 times a day. I just checked and a very wet terrarium. To be honest, you lost me on most of what you said. two part pots, ceramic is are porous, ....I'm a garden moron.

I should buy two part pots, so I assume you mean pots with the coaster like things. I can fill those to water the plant. And they should be ceramic?

Can't the plants absorb water thru the dirt? so if I fill the 'coasters' it will wick into the holes in the bottom of the pot and the roots will go down to the water?

Based on what you do, I can simply mist the plants, and simply water every week or so. Right?

 

[Angelwolf]

Ok. I apologize for my random thought process b4.
Here is what I have. It's 2 parts. The insert, where you put the plant. Then, the outer part is the water reservoir. Mine has a hole in the side so i can fill it easily. Some don't.

Self Watering Glazed Ceramic Pot - Orange - 5" x 6 3/4"

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Self-Watering-Glazed-Ceramic-Pot-Orange-5-x-6-3-4/176759068

I have a hibiscus tree in a larger "home made" version, but following the same theory.

The biggest difference between this pot and those plastic knock off ones is that those ones don't hold enough water. They are useless.

To answer your last question, yes. I water every 10-14 days, and mist 2-3x daily to allow my cham to drink.

Hope this helps!

 

[broderp]

Ah.. got it. I don't think it was your random thought process before, it was a lack of thought process on my end.

I wish I had seen those pots before, I literally just bought some tonight before heading home. And yes, they are the cheap plastic ones, you know - the useless kind. Lol I see how the ones you have can hold more water and provide longer for the plant. I can't say I won't look for them, as I'm heading up to Wally World tomorrow, but they seem a bit pricey. I'm going over budget on this project, as I also think I need a mist king or something now as well.

I know a very small little dude who better appreciate all this when he gets here next week...

 

[Angelwolf]

Lol! The mist king can honestly wait a while. Misting by hand will suffice for a while. I have only ever hand misted. The missing is more for your cham than the plants. They need to be able to lick the droplets off the leaves, to drink. They will not recognize a bowl/dish of standing water as a water source.
Yes, the pots are expensive, but SO WORTH it! My thumbs are no where near green, either! Lol! And I would think you could rinse out and return the ones you bought. Ya know... Those worthless ones! lol! Also check other places. I have seen those pots elsewhere for cheaper that Walmart. Local garden centers, feed stores, home improvement stores... Being that it is getting closer to spring, you should be able to find them readily available. But they do go quick, so don't wait too long.

 

[Big Gulp]

I had been hand misting for a few years. I recently installed the Mistking starter system. OMG...if you can afford it, do it! It is so freakin' nice, I don't know why I didn't do it sooner.

Obviously you need a drainage system in place.

I have a Schefflera and a Pothos in my enclosure. The misting is enough for them. Just make sure your pots can drain as well if they need to.

My mister goes off 4 times/day, 5 minutes each time.

 

[broderp]

Lol! The mist king can honestly wait a while. Misting by hand will suffice for a while. I have only ever hand misted. The missing is more for your cham than the plants. They need to be able to lick the droplets off the leaves, to drink. They will not recognize a bowl/dish of standing water as a water source.
Yes, the pots are expensive, but SO WORTH it! My thumbs are no where near green, either! Lol! And I would think you could rinse out and return the ones you bought. Ya know... Those worthless ones! lol! Also check other places. I have seen those pots elsewhere for cheaper that Walmart. Local garden centers, feed stores, home improvement stores... Being that it is getting closer to spring, you should be able to find them readily available. But they do go quick, so don't wait too long.

I'm running out of time to get this done. I usually leave for work 7am and get back around 6pm Monday thru Friday. I can mist in the morning, but in the evening, that only leaves me one hour till bedtime and lights out. If I mist at 6pm then there's a chance that the terrarium will stay damp over night. I also leave at 5:45 am on Tuesday's and Thursdays.

I will need a automatic mister sooner than later.

 

[broderp]

I had been hand misting for a few years. I recently installed the Mistking starter system. OMG...if you can afford it, do it! It is so freakin' nice, I don't know why I didn't do it sooner.

Obviously you need a drainage system in place.

I have a Schefflera and a Pothos in my enclosure. The misting is enough for them. Just make sure your pots can drain as well if they need to.

My mister goes off 4 times/day, 5 minutes each time.

What type of enclosure do you have? If I were to mist my terrarium 4 times a day for 5 minutes each time I would have a fish tank. Your enclosure drys out between misting with that schedule?

 

[Big Gulp]

What type of enclosure do you have? If I were to mist my terrarium 4 times a day for 5 minutes each time I would have a fish tank. Your enclosure drys out between misting with that schedule?

Right now I have a 24x24x48 Reptibreeze. It definitely dries out between mistings. I also have a drainage system. I should also note that I'm using 1 nozzle.

I'm using the quad light fixture (from lightyourreptiles), plus basking bulb, so that helps dry things out. There is 3 hours between each misting.

 

[broderp]

Right now I have a 24x24x48 Reptibreeze. It definitely dries out between mistings. I also have a drainage system. I should also note that I'm using 1 nozzle.

I'm using the quad light fixture (from lightyourreptiles), plus basking bulb, so that helps dry things out. There is 3 hours between each misting.

Thanks for the info. Something tells me this will be tougher with a glass terrarium. It hold humidity and moisture quite well....