How to judge whether clivia should be watered
As an elegant indoor ornamental plant, the key to the maintenance of Clivia lies in water and fertilizer management. Many novice flower lovers often cause rotten roots and yellow leaves due to improper watering. Mastering scientific judgment methods can make the plants healthier and upright. This article systematically combs three practical testing techniques and explains the operating points in detail with the drawings. The four core judgment methods for clivia watering are the classic skills summarized by senior flower friends: tap the middle and lower part of the basin wall with your knuckles and judge the humidity through the echo. When moist soil absorbs sound waves, it will make a dull "dong" sound, especially when there is a lack of water. It is recommended to conduct testing in the early morning, when the temperature of the basin soil is uniform and the test results are more accurate. Layered moisture measurement technique Insert your index finger into the basin soil 1/3 of the depth (about 3-5 cm). Judging by the touch of your fingertips: the moist soil has an adhesive feeling, and the micro-moist soil particles will touch your hands slightly, and will fall off in a powder form when dry. Pay attention to backfilling the soil in time after testing to avoid exposure of root systems. This method is especially suitable for containers with strong air permeability such as pottery basins. Weight comparison method To feel the weight difference between holding flower pots before and after watering, it is recommended to establish a watering log record: the 21-cm-diameter plastic pot weighs about 2.3kg after watering, and about 1.8kg when it lacks water. It can be used with the kitchen scale to quantify the data and record it 3 times in a row to master the rules. Note that the weight of flower pots of different materials varies greatly. In addition to the main methods, the auxiliary observation method can also observe the condition of the leaves: when there is no water shortage, the leaf color is dull and the leaf tip is slightly curled; if the base is too wet for a long time, the base is yellow. It is recommended to combine seasonal adjustments with testing once every 5-7 days in spring and autumn, 3-4 days in summer, and extended to 10-15 days in winter. When using the bamboo stick test method, it is more accurate to insert it into the bottom of the basin and let it sit for 5 minutes to observe humidity traces.
After mastering these four methods, a combination judgment mechanism can be established. It is recommended to give priority to double verification by weight method + layered moisture measurement, and adjust the watering interval according to seasonal temperatures. Keep in mind the principle of "better dry than wet". Using pine needle soil with good breathability and matching it with ceramsite bedding can effectively prevent stagnant water. Regularly rotate the flowerpot to ensure uniform light reception, so that each sword leaf shows an elegant posture.