Sure, we shower our plants with love, but what about a literal shower? Does your bathroom double-up as a "plant spa"? It's tedious and sometimes annoying but your plants will love you more when you "make it rain"! Showering ticks off so many maintenance boxes in one fell swoop that the weight of lifting of heavy soggy terracotta pots back and forth is worth it (if you're able-bodied. If weight is an issue a spray bottle with water and a damp cloth will totally do).

Benefits include:

❶ Clearing dust from leaves allow for better photosynthesis

❷ Knocking pests down (note: it doesn't eradicate them - if you have a serious infestation, take further action)

❸ Leach out accumulated salts (saline soil makes it difficult for plants to uptake water)*

*Have a pot with drainage is crucial to allow the water to escape

Of course, you can address each of these benefits in alternative methods, but I personally like to knock them all in one go so showering is the choice for me. This also acts as the perfect time to perform maintenance on the plant (clearing dead leaves, light pruning) and cleaning of the areas the plants sit on (who isn't guilty of forgetting to clean a dusty sill?).

How To Do It

The method:

I use tepid water and a nozzle that is at its gentlest setting. I have a handheld nozzle that I use to spray the tops and undersides of the leaves. I concentrate at the soil for several moments to make sure I can leach the salts out thoroughly.

Drying out:

Similarly to when I give my plants a bath soak, I follow the weather forecast particularly close. I'll pick a day to shower that is sunny with subsequently more sunny-ish days afterwards. You need good light to dry out the soil.