Did you know that a plant needs good drainage to prevent root rot? Just like humans need air to breathe, plant roots need oxygen. If the soil is always wet, the roots can't get enough air, and this can harm the plant.

Imagine if your feet were always in water—not comfortable, right? Plants don't like it either. Good drainage keeps the soil at a comfortable level of wetness.

So how do we provide adequate drainage for our plants? The simplest method is to place the plant in a pot with holes in the bottom to let the excess water drain out.

I love the look of decorative ceramic pots, but many of them don't have drainage holes in the bottom. To solve this issue, I leave my plants in plastic nursery pots and place the plastic pots inside decorative containers. When it's time to water a plant, I remove the plastic pot from its ceramic container and take it to my watering station, aka my kitchen sink.

Most of the time, I use a technique called "bottom watering": I put the plastic pot (with drainage holes) in a shallow dish, pour water into the dish, and let the roots and soil soak up the amount of water that the plant needs.

If you look carefully at the photo at the top of this post, you'll see multiple drainage holes in the pot. Each one allows water to escape and prevents the roots from rotting. Speaking of roots, do you see the tiny roots pushing out the bottom? Looks like I need to put this plant in a slightly larger pot soon.

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Now, let’s plant this lesson in the soil of our lives:

How can we ensure adequate "drainage" in our lives to prevent root rot? Here are some tips:

• Take occasional breaks during the day to avoid getting bogged down in a difficult task for too long. When it's time to resume the task, you'll be refreshed and ready for another work session.

• Address your emotions as needed during difficult work or when dealing with difficult people. Bottling up your feelings can be harmful.

• Avoid burnout and overcommitment. Know your limits and prioritize self-care when needed.

What do you need to let drain away from your life? Negative relationships, distractions, overwhelm, burnout? Let's keep the "roots" of our lives healthy.

To your success,
Julie from The Proofreader Greenhouse

P.S. If you'd like to read the other articles in The Watering Can, click here. 💦

Avoiding Root Rot: Lessons from My Houseplants