About watering techniques in flower cultivation
The editor introduces the topic of flower cultivation knowledge for home, specifically addressing the watering issue in flower cultivation techniques. Let's understand it together next.
The previous section analyzed how to master the amount of watering based on the growth characteristics of flowers, which is the fundamental aspect of mastering watering. Now let's talk about the specific techniques of watering.
In fact, when it comes to techniques, they are just experiences summarized by everyone during the process of flower cultivation. This experience should be viewed with a divided mind; otherwise, it can easily lead to dogmatism, which is of no benefit to growing flowers well. Moreover, it can create a sense of tension about watering, and often the more tense one is, the worse they water. In the past, I also experienced this when growing flowers, at the beginning, I had to go through a fierce struggle in my mind about whether to water or not.
So many experiences are just methods, and their specific application still needs to be combined with one's own situation. Especially in some common books on flower cultivation, the introductions are often unclear (though the authors' difficulties should be understood, as it is indeed hard to have quantitative analysis in watering, considering the many factors involved), and many descriptions are no more than "严格控制 watering", "water more", "keep dry", "prefer dry to wet", etc. Such descriptions are interpreted differently by everyone; one person's understanding of "dry" may differ from another's, so one person waters while the other does not, and naturally, the results are different.
So what factors should be considered when watering? Besides the flower habits mentioned last time, other environmental factors need to be considered, including temperature, light, ventilation, the structure of the pot, and the structure of the soil, among others. Some factors will be discussed in more detail later, here I will simply say a few words about those related to watering: for example, the water requirement of plants at the optimal growth stage due to suitable temperature is certainly higher than during dormancy, just like us humans, who drink more water in summer and less in winter; in a well-ventilated environment, water evaporates faster, and the watering frequency is higher than in poor ventilation conditions. In poor ventilation conditions, if the humidity is high, it is easy to breed bacteria, so less watering is needed; the breathability of plastic pots is certainly worse than that of clay pots, so less watering is needed; and loose soil structure can handle more watering.
Finally, for plants that are sensitive to moisture, such as cacti and orchids, I will introduce some experiences to determine whether to water. For some aquatic plants like lotus and moisture-loving plants like jasmine, as well as most annual and biennial herbaceous plants that are not significantly affected by excessive watering, there is no need to refer to these experiences, as some may not be applicable, such as for lotus.
1. Bamboo stake method: Insert a bamboo stake (or toothpick) into the potting soil to a depth of two-thirds (be careful with fleshy roots), and when it's time to water, pull out the stake and observe the dryness or moisture of the soil part. This method is very helpful for watering plants that are dormant or semi-dormant, or about to enter dormancy or semi-dormancy.
2. Surface soil dryness judgment method: Generally speaking, when the surface soil turns white, it's time to water. This is the principle of "no watering when not dry, and thorough watering when dry". The so-called thorough watering means that the surface soil turns white, but when the surface soil is moved aside, moisture can still be seen. For drought-tolerant plants in the growing stage, this judgment method is sufficient. For strong-growing plants, you can water immediately, and for relatively water-sensitive plants, wait two days before watering.
Other methods include the pot-lifting method, where friends with a good sense of touch can lift the pot; if it feels light, it's time to water. For cacti grown in plastic pots with light materials like peat as the soil, the difference in weight between wet and dry is quite noticeable. There is also the pot-knocking method, where you tap the pot wall with your finger, and if a hollow sound is produced, it means the soil is dry.
After determining the soil moisture, it's time to water. The best method, if conditions allow, is the sit-bath method. Generally, immersing the pot to a depth of one-half for 15 seconds is enough; never take it out until the surface soil shows moisture. The less dense and more breathable the soil, the less time is needed due to the strong capillary action. The advantage of this watering method is that it ensures the upper part of the soil is relatively drier than the lower part, preventing root rot. Because the root tips are divided into the crown area, growth area, and root hair area, only the root hair area is the main part that absorbs water and has the strongest resistance to moisture. The older roots above the root hair area have lost their water-absorbing function and mainly play a role in transporting water and nutrients and fixing, with poor resistance to moisture, and root rot often starts from here.
Watering is a difficult task to fully understand all at once, and it ultimately needs to be explored through practice!
The above sharing about the watering issue in flower cultivation techniques (part 2) aims to bring some flower knowledge to flower enthusiasts.