Brad Canning reveals why bottom watering is the best way to water your plants

Plant enthusiast reveals why you should water your plants from the BOTTOM – and how the simple trick deters pesky gnats

  •  A plant enthusiast has revealed why you should water plants from the bottom
  • Brad Canning suggested placing a potted plant directly into a bowl of water
  • The plants absorb the exact amount of water it needs without drenching its soil
  • Method is called ‘bottom watering’ where plants are watered from bottom up


A plant enthusiast has revealed one of the best ways to water your indoor greenery is from the bottom up instead of the top.

Graphic designer Brad Canning, 29, from Melbourne, shared a TikTok video showing himself watering a potted plant by placing it directly into a bowl of water. 

The simple method is called ‘bottom watering’ which is said to water plants more evenly, and making roots stronger as they grow down towards the moisture.

The plants absorb the exact amount of water it needs without drenching its soil, with many suggesting the method helps prevents pesky gnats and over-watering.

A plant enthusiast has revealed one of the best ways to water your indoor greenery is from the bottom up instead of the top

A plant enthusiast has revealed one of the best ways to water your indoor greenery is from the bottom up instead of the top

Graphic designer Brad Canning (pictured), shared a TikTok video showing himself watering a potted plant by placing it directly into a bowl of water

Graphic designer Brad Canning (pictured), shared a TikTok video showing himself watering a potted plant by placing it directly into a bowl of water

What is bottom watering?

Bottom watering is a method of watering plants from the bottom up. 

The method is said to make roots stronger as they grow down towards the moisture.

By placing a pot into a bowl of water, the plants will absorb the exact amount of water it needs without drenching its soil.

The method also helps prevents pesky gnats and over-watering.

Watering from the bottom keeps the soil’s surface drier, which can prevent gnats.

‘Bottom watering. Have you ever heard of it? It’s when you take your plants, submerge into water and you water them from the bottom,’ Brad said in the video.

‘Yes it sounds weird but it’s actually a thing. It’s pretty simple – you just grab a bowl of water and you just sit your plant in it. Just make sure it’s not high enough so that it goes over into the top of the plant.

‘So there’s a few different reasons as to why you would do this. Some plants don’t actually like water on the leaves. Bottom watering the plants actually takes in only what it needs and all the water soaks up and gets into the nooks and crannies.’

He suggested leaving the plant in a bowl of water for about 10 minutes.

‘You generally want to be able to feel the water at the top of the soil so sometimes it can take a little longer but start at 10 minutes,’ he said. 

‘They’ll get root rot if over-watered so only sit them in water until you feel the water near the top of the soil.’

Brad – who has 60 plants throughout his home – said he doesn’t water all of his greenery from the bottom because it’s quite time consuming. 

‘I don’t normally do this as it takes a little while to get through all my plants,’ he said.

The method is called 'bottom watering' which is said to water plants more evenly, and making roots stronger as they grow down towards the moisture

The method is called 'bottom watering' which is said to water plants more evenly, and making roots stronger as they grow down towards the moisture

The method is called ‘bottom watering’ which is said to water plants more evenly, and making roots stronger as they grow down towards the moisture

His video has since been viewed more than 100,000 times, with many saying they couldn’t wait to try out the watering method at home.

While others said they only ever water their greenery from the bottom.

‘I get a big storage container and fill it with water and put my plants in it. I can fit like eight at a time, it’s the best thing I’ve ever discovered,’ one wrote.

While another added: ‘I love bottom watering. I set up at my kitchen sink with one or two bowls and rotate them through and set them on my drying rack to drip.’ 

Others said they noticed most of the gnats were gone shortly after they started watering their plants from the bottom.



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