Octopus plant takes water directly through the skin of their leaves. In the wild, as temperatures go down at night, water condenses on the leaves and is absorbed through pores.
As a houseplant, you can mimic that by misting water directly onto Octopus plant’s leaves. Don't over spray, because you need to be careful not to let water in the center of the leaves, it's best if the mist doesn't accumulate but is evenly distributed. Water accumulation in the center of the leaves for more than 2-3 days will easily foster the growth of bacteria, microorganisms and suffocate leaves. The ideal time to do this is at night because that is part of the plant’s natural cycle. If you can, use unchlorinated water. Too much chlorine can cause the tips of the Octopus plant’s leaves to turn brown. Rainwater is the best, but if you cannot collect rainwater, you can also use stream or lake water. Octopus plant gets many nutrients directly from water, so it is best to give it water with lots of minerals and nutrients, distilled water would not be recommended for long term use.
If you don't like to spray it often, you can also water it by soaking the plant. Allowing the plant to soak for about 30 minutes - 1 hour at a time will satisfy its water needs. Since soaking inevitably causes water to accumulate in the center of the leaves, it is important to dry the Octopus plant after it has been fully soaked. It is important to place the Octopus plant on its side or upside down on a paper towel or dry dish towel to allow them to dry completely, which takes about 2 hours. After drying, put the Octopus plant back in place. More frequent soaking is needed in the summer when the temperature rises or when the plant is in a very dry location.
One more thing to note is that with Octopus plant, you need to pay extra attention to the water temperature and try to keep the water temperature between 60- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit. If the water temperature is not suitable, you should leave the water in the room for a while before watering the plant.
You’ll know it’s time to water the plant when it appears wrinkled or the leaves roll and remain loose. In severe cases, the leaf tips may also dry out and turn brown. Octopus plant that is underwatered will appear droopy rather than sharp. However, it can be revived by continuous spraying or soaking. However, once the leaf tips dry out and turn brown, they cannot recover, so it will be very important to set up an appropriate watering schedule.
Aside from the potting medium which is covered above, there are other environmental conditions that will factor into your watering schedule. Remembering that these plants love humidity and warmth, you may need to water more often if you live in a dry climate or if you are using air conditioning that reduces humidity in the indoor air.
Warmer temperatures in spring and summer call for more water, and vice versa when temperatures drop. High humidity is great for Octopus plant and also reduces the need for frequent watering. Try a humidifier or a pebble tray to increase ambient humidity around your Octopus plant. Lots of air circulating in the room is good for Octopus plant, but also increases the evaporation rate meaning you may need to water more often.