Twelve-volume watering
Introduction: Explanation of the twelve volumes of succulent plants, twelve volumes of watering, the next site editor for netizens to introduce.
Twelve volumes of watering is a very important part of growing twelve-volume plants. With good roots, the twelve volumes have everything. Although the roots are not the only decisive factor, they are undoubtedly one of the most important. Without proper water management, the roots will always struggle between good and bad, even for high-end varieties and planting materials, which can also lead to unsightly planting.
We will talk about the problem of watering twelve volumes from several points. Water management is not only about watering. The watering method may only be a few sentences, but you need to understand the principles and reasons to easily apply it in different environments and planting materials:
First, the water form in the planting material
The water in the planting material is usually in two forms, one is the capillary water form, and the other is the gravitational water form. The two forms can be converted to each other. When the capillary water reaches excessive saturation, a large amount of gravitational water will appear on the physical surface of the planting material. When the gravitational water gradually dries, only the capillary water remains in the planting material.
Capillary water is not present in large quantities on the surface of the planting material, but is absorbed into the internal planting material through capillary action. Many planting materials can absorb capillary water, such as inorganic red jade, coal slag, orchid stone, vermiculite, organic fairy soil, peat, bark, etc. With pores, plant materials have the ability to absorb water through capillary action. Even in a fully saturated state, capillary water is not easy to cause accidental root rot. On the contrary, it can be best absorbed by plant root hairs.
Gravitational water often exists in open-air environments, but it can be dangerous in greenhouses and balconies. Simply put, when the planting material is saturated with capillary water, the water film remaining in the gaps between the planting material or on the surface of the planting material is the form of gravitational water.
When it rains, the soil is filled with gravitational water, but it may not be safe at that time. Because the rain from the sky usually carries a lot of oxygen, and the repeated washing of rainwater also takes away and dilutes the microorganisms. When there is oxygen in the water, even the roots can be completely soaked in the water without rotting. The real reason for root rot caused by water management errors is that the gravitational water covers the root epidermis. The original microorganisms in the soil quickly consume the oxygen in the gravitational water, and the roots that need to breathe on the surface are drowned and die. Thus, the humid and microorganism-rich environment leads to rapid root rot, which is the initial situation of root problems caused by water management errors.
Second, the mechanism of root rot
Root rot has many possibilities. Malignant bacteria are considered by many people to be one of the causes of rot. In addition, there are wounds left by root-eating insects on the roots, which are invaded by microorganisms, leading to rot (such as root rot caused by root mealybugs). In fact, there are countless bacteria in the soil for thousands of years, and plants coexist with them without any problems. There is no fungicide in nature, and artificial intervention does not exist in nature. Therefore, from a purely bacterial perspective, without excessive gravitational water in the soil due to water management errors, they do not necessarily cause large-scale root rot.
The roots of twelve volumes, such as old roots, will rot when they mature to a certain extent, even if there is no excessive gravitational water. However, when rotting to the base of the stem tissue, it is usually not easy to invade the main stem. Because before those roots die, the main stem has blocked the exchange of siphon and vascular fluid with them. If there is only a little rot in the roots, if the soil can enter a dry state, the roots of twelve will also stop rotting, only after that, if there is continuous moisture again, the high temperature in summer, the roots may directly rot to the base. When the root rot enters the juicy main stem, it will cause the entire twelve volumes to rot from the main stem, so before this rot occurs, even if the twelve volumes have rotten roots, it may not be fatal at one time. As long as you can dry the planting material to an appropriate extent, the rot can stop. Of course, it will also cause root damage. It takes time for the twelve volumes to enter the growth state again.
Third, the judgment of root rot
This problem seems to have nothing to do with watering, but if you understand the judgment, you will at least understand how to control water and how to save the twelve that have already started to rot. The roots of twelve have a characteristic that once rot starts, twelve will instinctively reduce the function of siphon and vascular, which is the self-protection developed by this plant in the evolutionary process. Rapid fluid exchange can accelerate the process of corruption. With this self-blocking, the process of corruption can slow down. Once the soil is dried appropriately, even half-rotten roots can stop rotting, and new roots will also be generated from the side of the rotten roots. Therefore, with this characteristic, it is not difficult for you to judge the occurrence of root rot.
Root rot is more difficult to judge in summer because the rotting speed in summer may be abnormally fast, directly invading the main stem. After heavy watering, within 3-5 days, it can enter the stem tissue, causing irreversible complete rot of the whole plant. The high temperature in summer accelerates the metabolism of microorganisms, and the twelve-volume plants with heavy water can also rot completely and thoroughly in a short time. Therefore, during summer dormancy, it is safe to extend the watering rhythm and keep the plants in a certain degree of dormancy and contraction.
In spring and autumn, root rot is the easiest to judge. At that time, you may find that the twelve you planted suddenly turn red and shrink within a few days, and remember that you gave enough water 3-4 days ago. Then you are most likely to have rotten roots because this is the root rot caused by the plant blocking the siphon and vascular fluid exchange with the roots, sealing themselves to protect themselves. At this time, if you stop watering, ventilate, and half-shade, the twelve can be saved after 1 week of drying and then re-watering. Half-shade can slow down the shrinking speed, and it is not difficult to recover to fullness again. But if at this time, you continue to make mistakes and mistakenly think that the plant lacks water, and forget the approximate watering date last time, maybe you will water it again to let it absorb and become full again. This time, the water will accelerate the rotting process in the wet soil and rot into the main stem, which is also irreversible.
Fourth, how to avoid gravitational water
First of all, let's talk about the drying order of water in the flowerpot. Usually, the surface and the bottom of the pot dry first, followed by the plastic edge of the pot, and the middle of the pot dries the slowest and is most prone to problems leading to root rot. If there is a large amount of gravitational water stagnation in the pot, poor ventilation, and insufficient sunlight and rapid evaporation, it is easy to cause accidents.
There are several ways to shorten the existence time of gravitational water:
1. Strengthen ventilation (this is actually better for the balcony than the greenhouse)
2. Accelerate evaporation (this is advantageous for the greenhouse with long exposure time, especially in summer)
3. Add non-water-retaining materials to avoid excessive water retention (such as pumice, perlite)
4. Reduce the size of the pot (this should be appropriate, because too small pot soil may even inhibit plant growth, and we do not recommend using a large pot for small plants, which is not only a waste of soil but also increases the soil's water retention time)
5. Increase soil particle size (this is equivalent to ventilation and more suitable for the greenhouse with poor air circulation)
6. Also, the most core and critical issue is to water appropriately.
Fifth, several views on watering
Many flower lovers ask me how often they should water the plants when they buy them. In fact, this question does not have a fixed answer because the water retention of the planting material is different, the ventilation and evaporation speed of the environment is different, the size of the pot is different, the absorption capacity of the variety to water is different, the way of watering is different, and the season is different, so the watering rhythm may be different. Therefore, this question is generally asked by beginners and will not have the best answer that conforms to the actual situation. The real reasonable watering is the watering method and the judgment of soil moisture.
There are many articles about twelve volumes, but there are many sayings about watering. Some are very general, such as "watering when dry". This kind of saying can cause many beginners to die. Some people may misunderstand the definition of dry and wet for several years. Another saying, like Yan Ming, a top master, can tell you that the soil should be continuously moist, but this method can indeed make the roots develop rapidly and vigorously. However, this is a tightrope. Because if you are slightly wet and the time is long, once the rot starts, it may destroy the cultivation of several years due to excessive moisture. Therefore, this method of continuous moisture is only suitable for very top masters and may not be suitable for most people.
I have been raising twelve volumes for 13 years. My personal experience believes that the soil of twelve should still alternate between dry and wet, and should also alternate between more dry and more wet due to seasonal changes.
Sixth, pots
This pot problem seems to be out of the scope of water management, but I think it is still related, so I will make a supplement at the end. Generally, clay pots are more suitable for beginners. Beginners usually like to touch clay pots, pottery pots, etc. These pots are faster than plastic pots in terms of water dispersion and ventilation. You may overwater, and the pot can make up for your technical shortcomings. However, clay pots need to be watered more thoroughly, otherwise, it is easy to be in a state of partial dryness of the planting material for a long time. For plastic pots, you need to be more rigorous and try to be close to the size of the plant. Usually, the pot is 1-2 cm larger than the plant. The growth of twelve is not as fast as Sedum, especially the variety of Wanzhang, which is not fast at all. A larger pot has more water retention and longer water retention time, so you also need to extend the watering time relatively. The deep plastic pot, the moisture at the bottom of the pot dissipates even longer, so it is best to choose black, because this color is heated quickly by radiation and helps to increase the evaporation of moisture. Small pots and square pots are good choices for beginners, especially the famous jy70 black square, which occupies less space, the water loss speed is relatively fast and easy to control, and most of the pots are unified in size and planting material characteristics, which will make management much easier. Finally, let's talk about the seedling tray widely used at present, that is, Alice s-5. The watering method of this pot is different from that of ordinary pots. You can see water coming out from the bottom of the pot, and then you stop. The next day, you may find that the soil surface is still very wet. Sometimes, even with the same amount of water, the whole tray can cross-root. The reason is that there is a serious error in the use of s-5. If you put water in an empty s-5, you will know that because the holes are too small, so many holes can leave a lot of water for you. Therefore, if you use s-5, it is recommended to tilt it after watering, and the excessive gravitational water will flow out. You can also use something to prop up the s-5 pot, so that after watering, it is not easy to stagnate a lot of gravitational water.
Seventh, my views on watering time and methods
Here, it is mainly my personal experience and understanding. The theoretical analysis has been discussed a lot in the first five paragraphs. I will not say much about principles in this sixth paragraph. Here, I will pay more attention to practical methods and talk about several small paragraphs:
First of all, the method. Some people like to soak the pot, which has been mentioned in the fourth paragraph about the water distribution and drying of the soil. Therefore, this method is labor-intensive and prone to excessive moisture at the bottom. I usually water from the top. The moisture of the upper soil will enter a safe and moist state earlier with air circulation and sunlight evaporation. Although the bottom of the pot dries slowly, the root hair part that truly absorbs water is in that position, so it must be watered thoroughly. However, thorough watering does not mean seeing a lot of water coming out from the bottom of the pot. When a lot of water comes out, there may be a lot of excessive gravitational water in the bottom and middle of the pot. The moisture in that position takes longer to dry to an appropriate and safe time, especially in the summer when microorganisms are most active. If the deep part is continuously moist for more than half a day, it may be very dangerous. Therefore, thorough watering means that the bottom of the pot just begins to have water out, and at that time, there are only a few pipes in the pot. A large amount of planting material will evenly capillary the excessive water in these pipes, causing the deep part of the pot to be moist, but there will not be a lot of gravitational water. For newly potted seedlings with shallow soil surface, relatively safe and moist conditions are needed because at this time, the roots have not fully developed and do not need a lot of water. Moreover, whether it is seedlings or cuttings, there may be relatively dangerous large wounds. At this time, it is recommended to moisten the soil surface, and even stop without waiting for the bottom of the pot to have water out. For this kind of pot, the next watering time can be 2-3 days later, and you can water a little bit at a time. To judge whether it is time to water, you can dig down with your finger. If the soil surface is dry and has no moisture at a depth of about 2 cm, you can water it. The above is my specific watering method.
Seasonal changes are not immutable in terms of watering. Summer is the most dangerous. When the night temperature is higher than 28, the acid metabolism of twelve volumes has stopped and entered a deeper dormancy state. The plant relies on its reserves to live. The days with high night temperature in Fuzhou will last for about 3 months. In theory, the plant only needs to keep the soil not completely dry, because it will damage the roots. The recovery in autumn is slow. But why water it? Because if the pot is completely dry during the day when the air temperature is above 40, the soil temperature can also reach nearly 40. If there is a little water in the soil, it will be slightly lower with evaporation. The water at this time is to protect the root hairs from excessive damage and lower the soil temperature. This is also the season when watering needs to be most careful. Because if there is a lot of gravitational water left in the pot, leading to root rot, it can rot up to the main stem within a few days, causing the destruction of years of cultivation. At this time, watering should be careful, but it should be watered. The best time can be at midnight or in the early morning. It is also necessary to stop when the bottom of the pot has water out. Don't expect the plant to be in good condition at this time. A moderate degree of redness and contraction during the summer is the safest state. If you feed the twelve very lush in summer, as long as the water is slightly excessive, there may be consequences.
In early spring and early autumn, the amount and frequency of watering should be gradually increased compared to summer. In early spring and early autumn, twelve just recover growth, and a large amount of water will not quickly enter the state. Therefore, the next watering time is when there is no moisture at a depth of about 3 cm from the soil surface. In the middle of autumn and spring, twelve have started to grow. The plants are plump. It is still necessary to stop when the bottom of the pot has water out. However, the next watering time can be when there is no moisture at a depth of about 2-1 cm from the soil surface. At this time, even when twelve are in a very plump state, excessive water (G-Y) is not good because they cannot absorb it. Although this season, unless the water is too excessive, it will cause root rot. But you still need to control it a little. Therefore, 1-2 cm, because in this season, if the light is weak, if you give more, they may grow longer, and their shape may also be damaged. When you control the water, the fluid will condense, the internal hormone level will rise, and the root hair will be stronger.
In winter, when the night temperature is below 10 degrees, although twelve are still growing in small amounts, the cycle should be appropriately extended. They are gradually entering dormancy. When the night temperature reaches 5 degrees, basically, the water can be cut off. At this time, although some varieties may still have slight growth, it is meaningless. Fat twelve are not good at low temperature. In Fuzhou, at a temperature of 3.5 degrees, too fat jade dew will have frost damage at the edge of the film, and the center of the leaf ball and some leaf tips. In colder areas where the temperature can reach the freezing point, it is easy to understand that fat and watery are definitely harmful. Therefore, if you do not care about that little growth, you can be thorough. In winter, the daytime temperature in the greenhouse is relatively high, and sometimes, the temperature can reach 25 degrees in full sunlight. At this time, if your environment is suitable, it is recommended to water in the morning or even at noon, but the amount is the same. As soon as the bottom of the pot has water out, stop immediately.
When planting varieties prone to root rot, it is often said that watering requires three years of skill. The experience of watering does require time and insight. Writing such an article is hoped to help some people shorten the time of groping and summarizing, avoid some losses,