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Watering methods: Top vs. Bottom (Apisto TV)

The video explains two main watering categories:

• Top watering (overhead watering): watering from the top of the pot
• Bottom watering: watering from below by letting the plant draw water upward

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Top watering (from above)

How to do it

• No special technique—simply water from the top with a watering can.
• Use sprinkling/spraying carefully, since it can leave uneven soaking (though it can help water seep in).
• Water until drainage holes release sufficient water, and make sure water actually flows out the bottom.

Key benefits / why it works

• Supplies water + more oxygen to roots.
• The video’s explanation: water moves through air pockets inside the soil, flushing/moving stagnant air so roots can breathe better.

Downsides / what to manage

• Salt and fertilizer buildup can remain in the potting mix when water evaporates and nutrients stay behind.
• To reduce leftover salts:
  • Ensure good drainage through the holes (the video stresses “tighten the drainage hole” so enough drains out).
  • Repot at the appropriate time and refresh soil to keep the plant strong.

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Bottom watering (from below)

How to do it

• Use a container large enough to hold the pot.
• Place the pot inside.
• Fill the container with plenty of water so the plant can wick water upward.
• Leave it until the surface soil feels moist (no fixed time).
• Then remove the pot once the top feels moist.

Why bottom watering helps

Top watering can eventually fail when:

• roots become dense, or
• soil becomes compacted, shrinking internal spaces,
• reducing water penetration and making air pockets disappear.

Bottom watering compensates by using capillary action to pull water up through the soil and into fine roots.

Capillary action demonstration (fern example)

• Using a transparent pot and a fern (Vanda dianomii), the video shows water rising quickly via capillary action.
• Reported observation:
  • In one test, it took about 4 hours for the top to get wet.
• Comparison to top watering:
  • In the example shown, top watering soaked much faster (about within a minute).

Importance of pot design (“slit pot”)

• The long soak time in the fern test was linked to the pot’s side slits (“slit pot”).
• Side slits drain water pulled up by capillary action, so it can take longer for water to reach the top.
• The video claims the most efficient bottom-watering pot is a slit pot, but also warns:
  • Slipper-style pots aren’t suitable for ferns because soil can dry severely.
  • If ferns are grown in slipper/slit conditions, they may need frequent watering.

Fern-specific guidance (humidity/overwatering control)

• Instead of using a glazed pot, the video suggests improving aeration for ferns with a setup:
  • During summer, submerge the container in water, but
  • don’t just immerse: fill the container, add a layer of clay balls (to cover as needed), then place the pot on top.
• Purpose:
  • clay balls help manage humidity via evaporation
  • an air layer at the bottom helps prevent overwatering

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Which plants benefit from bottom watering?

• Plants that like water: bottom watering is beneficial (example focus: ferns).
• Plants that dislike water / succulents: bottom watering helps deliver water more evenly.
  • When soil dries, it contracts and forms water channels, causing uneven soaking from top watering.
  • Bottom watering wets the entire root system.
• Also recommended when you haven’t watered for a long time:
  • dry soil forms channels, so bottom watering can re-moisten everything more reliably.

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Pest issue: Fungus gnats (and control strategy)

What the video warns about

• If you see small flying insects around the pot, suspect fungus gnats.
• The damage is mainly from larvae in the soil, sometimes described as “root flies” because they damage roots.
• Larvae thrive in damp soil, especially where water is applied.

Suggested treatment steps

• First, kill the flying adults:
  • Use F-Killer (applied immediately when you spot gnats).
• Then remove larvae/eggs in the soil:
  • Use diluted pesticides such as BioKill or Big Card mixed with water.

The video emphasizes bottom watering as the best method for fungus gnat control because it distributes moisture (and treatments) more evenly throughout the soil.

• Another prevention tip mentioned:
  • Let the soil dry out more, since larvae prefer moist conditions.

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Overall conclusion

• There isn’t a single “always best” method.
• The takeaway: learn the pros/cons of both methods and water from above or below depending on the situation.

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Notable locations/products/speakers

• Speaker/channel: Apisto (Apisto TV)
• Plants mentioned:
  • Alocasia Regal (example for top watering discussion)
  • Vanda dianomii (fern example for capillary action + watering comparison)
• Pots / terms:
  • Slit pot (side slits design)
  • Glazed pot / terracotta-style options (mentioned in fern context)
• Pesticides/products:
  • F-Killer
  • BioKill
  • Big Card