Yes, any time your soil becomes hydrophobic, you either need to soak the pot to the rim or make multiple passes (water, then in 5 or 10 minutes, water again, repeat until the soil is absorbing water again). Its also the reason I use a soil with a wetting agent - no matter how dry, the soil will absorb moisture. Eventually, the soil does get old and the wetting agent fails and its time to repot. I am a notorious non-repotter and non-fertilizer. My plants go for years without new soil or fertilizer. They're lucky I remember to water once in awhile.
