If you are one of those people who often forget to water their plants or are rarely at home, then arched hemp (Sansevieria) is exactly the right houseplant for you. The succulent plant, which comes from the tropics, only needs to be watered once every few weeks and only rarely fertilized.
How should you water a bow hemp correctly?
The bow hemp only needs moderate watering every two to three weeks, whereby waterlogging should be avoided and excess water should drain away. The finger test helps to determine the ideal level of dryness of the substrate before watering. In months with little light or in darker locations, even less water is required.
Watering once every two to three weeks is enough
Sansevieria, as arched hemp is also called, is a succulent. These plants, mostly native to very hot and/or dry regions of the world, can store water and nutrients in their leaves or in other parts. Bow hemp uses its thick, fleshy leaves as a storage organ and therefore requires very little water and rare nutrients. The best way to water the popular houseplant is as follows:
- Moderate watering is only necessary every two to three weeks.
- Do not water thoroughly!
- Do a finger test before watering: the substrate should be dry to a depth of about one centimeter.
- In the months with little light, watering is even less frequent.
- The darker the location, the less water is needed.
- Never pour directly into the rosettes!
- Ensure that excess irrigation water drains away well.
- Avoid waterlogging.
Tip
If brown spots can be seen on the leaves, this is sometimes due to drought damage. In most cases, however, there is a fungicidal or bacterial infection behind it.
