How to choose a watering can: volume, weight, and proper watering for potted plants

Deco Garden Practical Watering Guide

A large watering can saves refills, but also becomes heavy. A small one is easy to control, but requires more trips to the tap. This guide helps you choose between 1, 3, 5, and 8-liter sizes, check if your plant actually needs water, and water the substrate without leaving the roots in excess.

The watering can doesn't dictate the schedule — the plant and substrate do

There is no single schedule that works for all potted plants. The plant type, container size, container material, substrate, light levels, heat, wind, and humidity all change the drying rate. That is why you check the state of the substrate before filling the watering can, rather than watering just because it’s a set day of the week.

For many houseplants, you can start by checking the substrate with your finger and by the weight of the pot: dry substrate feels lighter. This is not a uniform instruction for every species. Cacti and succulents, orchids, ferns, and young plants may require different checks, so match your decision to the specific guide for that plant.

Choosing volume: how much weight are you comfortable carrying?

One liter of water weighs approximately one kilogram. To this, add the weight of the watering can itself. An 8-liter can, when full, carries about 8 kg of water, excluding the weight of the can; you are not required to fill it to the top. The RHS recommends filling a can to a weight you are comfortable carrying and making an extra trip instead of struggling with a heavy vessel.

The number on the can indicates its capacity, not the dose for a plant. The amount of water for each pot is determined by the volume of the substrate, the level of dryness, the type of plant, and the drainage. A large can does not mean you pour more on every pot.

The table compares only the water mass. It does not measure the weight of the can, its dimensions, or the number of pots that can be watered from it. These data points depend on the product and the amount each pot needs that day.

Looking to choose a volume and color?

On the watering can page, you will find capacities of 1, 3, 5, and 8 liters available in red, green, and yellow. Choose based on a comfortable carrying weight, not on a promise of a fixed number of pots.

Select a watering can

How to water a pot with a watering can

1. Check before pouring: Touch the substrate at a depth appropriate for the plant and check if the pot has become lighter. If it is still wet, wait.
2. Fill to a comfortable weight: No need to use the full capacity. Keep control over the handle and spout even when moving between pots.
3. Aim for the substrate: Pour slowly and close to the substrate surface, around the root zone, and avoid rinsing the leaves. A slow pour reduces water runoff and substrate displacement.
4. Stop when drainage begins: In a pot with holes, allow excess water to escape. Substrate that has dried significantly and pulled away from the sides of the pot may require a few small pours in short intervals to be wetted evenly.
5. Empty excess water: Empty the saucer or cachepot and do not leave the bottom of the pot sitting in water.

Cachepot: remove the nursery pot before watering

With decorative cachepots, the inner nursery pot is what provides drainage. Remove it to the sink, shower, or a place where water can drain, water it, and wait for the drainage to stop. Afterward, empty the cachepot and return the plant only when it is no longer dripping into standing water.

Not sure if your vessel is a cachepot or a planting pot? Our measurement guide explains how to check for drainage holes, openings, bases, and internal depth.

To the cachepot and drainage guide

Note on the 3-liter / yellow photo

There are 12 options in the catalog—four volumes and three colors—but currently, there are 11 photos. The yellow images for the 1, 5, and 8-liter sizes have been updated with precise names after visual verification. The 3-liter/yellow variant currently displays a red photo because there is no verified yellow image for this size in the product range.

Frequently asked questions

How many pots can I water with one liter?

There is no fixed number. A small pot with slightly dry substrate and a large pot that has dried out deeply will not receive the same amount. Choose the watering can based on weight and comfort, and the water dose based on each individual pot.

Is 8 liters better to refill less often?

Only if the weight remains comfortable. Eight liters of water weigh approximately 8 kg, plus the weight of the can. You can purchase a larger volume and fill it partially, or choose a smaller vessel and take another lap.

Should I water the leaves or the soil?

Aim the spout at the substrate at the base of the plant. This way, more water reaches the roots and less remains on the leaves. For plants with special instructions, follow the specific species guide.

Can I leave water in the saucer under the pot?

Not with standard top-watering. Allow excess water to drain out and then empty the saucer or cachepot so the bottom of the pot does not sit in water.

The watering can itself

Four volumes and three colors. Choose based on the weight you find comfortable to lift and pour.

Choose volume and color

Clean work around the plant

Gloves are useful when lifting pots, emptying cachepots, or cleaning up spilled substrate.

To gardening gloves