Should I water my houseplants with warm, cold or room temp. water?

Answer 1

Temperature, humidity and light
Houseplants, even though they may be of a tropical nature would rather sacrifice a few degrees of temperature in the home than the moisture in the air which they need to survive. Even though the plant may prefer a warmer situation, it comes down to the lesser of two evils, cool temps or low humidity. Heated rooms tend to be dry rooms, especially if they are heated with forced air, or fire. Even rooms that have steam or hot water radiant heat will be somewhat dryer. If you want your plants to succeed, keep your temperatures as low as possible, while still remaining comfortable yourself (never below 50 degrees). Once the temperature goes above 67 degrees F., the humidity in the air begins to drop dramatically. Keep in mind that because glass is a poor insulator, the temperature near windows will be considerably colder. At night, be sure to close the drapes or move the plant to a warmer part of the room.
There are exceptions to the rule. Succulents being the most notable, which prefer warmer and drier conditions. At temperatures below 60 degrees, African violets will stop blooming, Poinsettias may drop their leaves, and the leaves of Gardenias may turn yellow.


Leaf loss or yellowing is often caused by lack of humidity. The majority of houseplants do best with a relative humidity of between 50 and 70 per cent. Plants create a certain amount of humidity themselves through transpiration through their leaves, from the soil, and even the pots if they are porous. The more plants you have in a room, the higher the humidity will be, and if the closer the plants are together, the more they will be able to benefit each other. Setting the pots onto a bed of small pebbles and gravel in a shallow tray will allow you to add water to the tray, raising the humidity without giving the plants 'wet feet'. Except for fuzzy leaved ones, houseplants enjoy a daily misting with room temperature water. Placing water filled vessels around the room will also add to the moisture in the room.


Just as you and I do, plants need to breathe, and enjoy a little fresh air. It isn't necessary to have constantly changing air, but lightly moving air can often make a difference in the plants growth and health. A few plants may suffer when they grow in the presence of natural or coal gasses. The effects of gas heat may range from failure to bloom to a complete loss of leaves. Others may just appear to look unhealthy for no apparent reason.
Do you talk to your plants? No.... I don't believe that they understand you, but plants breathe CO2 which we exhale, and in turn they exhale oxygen which we need. I've heard of oxygen bars where you PAY to breathe canned oxygen. Seems to me to be more prudent to have a chat with your Philodendron, and give each other a boost.


I suppose that the most important elements needed for plant health are water and light. Most plants have dormant and active cycles. Watering, just as feeding your plant differs greatly from season to season. Plants sense the natural shortening of daylight hours and may go dormant as they would in their natural habitat. This is usually a time when the amount of watering is decreased. On the other hand, many plants actively begin to grow or bloom, so they must have more water, and be fed. While plants are dormant they should only a minimum amount of water each time that the soil becomes dry to the touch an inch below the surface. During periods of active growth the plant should be thoroughly soaked as soon as the soil dries. There are no hard and fast rules to watering, because every situation is different, according to temperatures, and soil types etc. It is better to keep a plant on a slightly dry side than overwatered. More houseplants die from overwatering than any other cause. City water is treated with chemicals for your safety, however plants don't like chlorine or fluoride, so it's a very good idea to allow the water to sit in an open container for 24 hours prior to using it on your plants. This is enough time for the chemicals to dissipate and evaporate from the water. Even though my water comes from a spring, I still keep a couple of gallon milk bottles filled for watering so that it is at room temperature when I use it.


The amount and the intensity of the light that the plant receives dictates much of a plant's life cycle. Even though the plant maybe from the jungles where it lives in the shade of trees, appears to be getting plenty of light, the intensity of the light indoors is going to be much lower. Insufficient light usually manifests itself with pale foliage, lanky growth, and general lack of luster. When this happens you must do whatever you can to increase the light intensity for that plant. This is usually rectified by moving the plant closer to the window, or moving it to another room with different light exposure. When you change the light for a plant, do it gradually to accustomize to the brighter light. Plants will sunburn if they are put into too bright of a light after their skins have 'tenderized' from lack of light. Plants should never be placed between a curtain and the window if the nights are cold, even if they are sun lovers. It is better to have a sheer curtain which will admit the light, and have the plant in the heated area.
It isn't necessary for your plant to even know that it is winter. You can dictate many of your plants functions by giving them supplemental artificial light. There are 'grow lights' on the market today that successfully imitate natural sun. These lights aren't perfect, and if they are the sole source of lighting, it is necessary to have them on for 12-16 hours each day. It is best to have the set on a timer so that the light hours are regular for the best results. If your intent is just to fool your plant into thinking that it is a certain season for blooming or whatever reason, you can set the timer to come on as the light begins to fade, and make your plants day as long as you'd like. Many flowering plants and foliage plants actually do better indoors when grown under artificial lights. Keep in mind that plants like to rest now and then too, so if you are using the lights, cut back the hours now and then and let your plants have a temporary period of dormancy.

Answer 2

Room temp. water is the best, if the water is too warm or cold, the houseplants will turn a funny yellow color.

Answer 3

You should water your houseplants with room temperature water. Water of another temperature might shock or kill the plants.

Answer 4

use room temp.warm or cold will shock your plants.i just fill a 1 gallon milk jug and sit it on the counter for a while.to add a little kick to it ,put in a tea spoon of fish emulsion.try it youll like it !

Answer 5

Don't use warm water because the warm water in your house contains salts from your water softener (assuming you use it)

Answer 6

With room temperature water
It will be better 4 ur plants.

Answer 7

room temperature preferably

Answer 8

room temperature