Growing plants in water instead of soil can make for a good change in your living space. Adding some greenery in a fancy glass vase or jar is a real eye-catcher. To grow plants in water, there are a few things you should know to do it right.
Plant types that naturally require a lot of water can well be grown in water. Growing plants in water is called hydroponics or hydroculture and is best done by using appropriate organic fertilizer and a stable, waterproof container for each plant.
A lot of articles tell you that you need a whole hydroponics system to grow plants in water properly but these systems are mainly important when you aim at growing your own vegetables indoors. For houseplants, growing them in water is luckily much easier as you will find out in this post.
Can Plants Grow in Water? A Brief Explanation of Hydroponics
Most of the typical houseplant types we have in our homes can be grown in water because they come from tropical regions. A monstera, philodendron, or different types of ivies naturally have high water requirements and will do well in water.
On the other hand, more arid plants such as cacti and succulents are more difficult to keep in water. Actually, they are so sensitive to overwatering that it is much easier to just keep them in soil. Why bother with putting them in water if dry soil makes them happiest?
What is Hydroponics or Hydroculture?
Hydroponics or hydroculture is defined as the method of growing plants in nutrient solutions without soil but with the option of using a stabilizing substrate.
In simple words, it is the method of growing plants in water while using fertilizer and/or some substrate that gives the plants a stable hold. A typical substrate used for hydroculture is expanded clay.
Why Use Hydroponics Instead of Soil? Cultivating plants in water instead of soil has many benefits, but also some disadvantages. Find out all the pros and cons of growing plants in water vs. soil in my post linked here!
How to Grow Plants in Water: Tips for Hydroponic Houseplants
If you are doing hydroculture using a substrate such as expanded clay, you can pot the plant as usual into an inner pot with drainage holes and place it in a decorative planter.
Not sure about what drainage is suitable for your plants? Check out my post on how to create drainage in any type of pot!
Growing houseplants in just water (without a hydroculture substrate) is fairly easy if you keep these tips in mind:
- Do not use metal containers: Metal corrodes over time and sometimes chemically reacts to certain fertilizers.
- Choose containers made of glass, ceramic, or plastic.
- Contain algae growth by cleaning out the container regularly (whenever green layers appear on its inside).
- Prevent algae growth by adding 2-3 small pieces of charcoal (or a pinch of powdered charcoal) into the water. Exchange the pieces or add charcoal whenever the algae start growing.
- Use a container with a wide opening on top to be able to take the plant out of it without damaging the root system.
- Support the plant with a grid or pole next to the container and make sure the set-up is stable and won’t fall easily.
- Use an organic fertilizer every second week in summer and only once a month in winter.
- Fill up with fresh water or exchange half the water every week to provide your plant with enough oxygen.
Tip: Propagation or germination plates such as those of Botanopia make for a good beginner’s container to start growing plants in water. In the long run, though, these plates will only work for small houseplants. You can also make your own plates by cutting a whole into a plastic lid and putting it on top of a glass jar.
7 Plant Types That Grow Well in Water
Philodendron (Tree Lover Plant)
All types of philodendrons grow well in just water. These plants evolved as tree climbers in their natural, mainly tropical habitats. Tree climbers don’t grow in soil but rather take up nutrients through the substrate they climb on and through the rain.
Hence, if you want to start off with hydroponics, philodendrons make for a good plant choice!
Monstera deliciosa (Window or Swiss Cheese Plant)
Similar to philodendrons, monstera plants thrive when grown in water. As these plants can grow quite thick branches, they will need a stable grid or a pole to support them (whether grown in soil or water).
Monsteras are a stunning eye-catcher in any living space and when placed in a glass container with just water they look even more aesthetic.
Because of the support poles they need, they might not be the best plant to first try out hydroponics as you have to make sure they are stable and choose an appropriate container. Apart from that, it is the perfect hydroculture plant to have.
Hoya carnosa (Wax Plant)
Another tropical plant that does well in water is any plant of the hoya family, also called wax plants due to their waxy-looking tiny flowers.
If you haven’t got any hoya plants yet, it is high time to add them to your houseplant family! Their flowers are beautiful, smell amazing, and produce these little honey droplets. A truly fascinating plant!
Personally, I have had a Hoya carnosa plant for many years and it is one of my houseplant favorites.
Tip: If you want a Hoya plant to bloom, give it as much sunlight as possible! They are true sun worshippers and only flower when the light is right.
Tradescantia zebrina (Inch Plant)
There are several tradescantia types that will also do well in water such as the tradescantia zebrina. These plants also do well with indirect light only.
Tradescantia zebrina with its beautiful violet leaves and silver linings makes for a stunning addition to your living space, even more so when growing in water.
Also, I have had issues with thrips bugs on my Tradescantia zebrinas quite often. these bugs lay eggs in the soil. By putting them in hydroculture, they are much less prone to such pests.
Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Ivy, Golden Pothos)
The Epipremnum aureum or Golden Pothos plant is also called the Devil’s Ivy because it is nigh impossible to kill. It will grow anywhere and anyhow you put it. Wouldn’t that plant make for a perfect match to be grown in water? It does indeed!
You can’t really go wrong by putting it in water and it will thrive in no time.
Hedera helix (English Ivy)
This one is not a plant type of a tropical region but of more moderate climates. Still, it is a water-loving plant that usually struggles indoors due to the lack of humidity in our inside air. Hence, keeping it in just water might do it much better than in soil.
It also likes the shadier spots in your home which is good to know when looking for an adequate place for your green fellow.
Herbs and Vegetable Scraps
Even though herbs and vegetable scraps do not belong to the typical houseplants, I think it is great to know that they do really well in water. Have you ever tried putting the stalk of a salad into water? It just grows back out! The same goes for many other vegetable scraps.
There is a lot of energy left in these scraps and given the right amount of nutrients and water, you can soon harvest your own veggies out of scraps!
Tip: When you eat your next avocado, do not through away the seed. Grow your own avocado plant by letting the seed germinate in water!
Related Questions
How to Water Indoor Plants?
Plant care can be so easy and fulfilling when you know the basics: How to water your plants.
Most people tend to overwater their plants. Check out my guide on how to water indoor plants to avoid watering mistakes that can harm your plants.
What Water is Best for Houseplants?
Not only how to water your plants is important but also knowing what plants actually need from water and what water is better or worse for them.
Rainwater is often said to be the best water for plants, for obvious reasons. But not everyone has regular access to rainwater. Find out in my post about what water is best for plants and how you can improve the water options you have at hand in your home (such as tap water).