Some Thoughts on Watering during the Summer for the Plant Species 'Twelve 卷'
Do you know about this? Some interesting knowledge about the plant species 'Twelve 卷', some thoughts on watering during the summer, which are great experience tips, it is recommended to save for future reference!
Summer is a challenging season for plant enthusiasts who cultivate succulents, as watering is an essential step. In fact, every enthusiast has their own set of methods, and what works best for them is the ideal approach. The principles for watering 'Twelve 卷' during the summer are no different. Let's take a look at the insights of enthusiasts (with some omissions).
I previously posted a thread about how I continue to water during the summer by utilizing an open阳台 to increase the temperature difference. This basic idea is correct, as the temperature difference is crucial. However, a couple of years have passed, and I believe some views still need to be corrected and refined.
The temperature difference is relative. If the highest temperature can be kept below 35 degrees Celsius, with a day-night temperature difference of 10 degrees (or even 7 to 8 degrees), it is still勉强 possible to water normally during the summer under shading conditions. This condition is easily met in the north, whereas in places like Nanchang, where the temperature often exceeds 38 degrees, Beijing's highest temperature is already below 33 degrees. It is estimated that further north, there is already the feeling of autumn, making it even less of an obstacle.
The current reality is that the south is inherently hot, and the Earth continues to warm up every year. It seems that it's not considered summer until the temperature reaches 38 to 40 degrees. My view is that if the highest temperature cannot be kept below 35 degrees, or if it's not the case that although the temperature exceeds 37 degrees during the day, there is air conditioning at night to create a temperature difference of more than 10 degrees, then it is better to increase the watering interval as much as possible. There is no need to insist on watering every 3 to 5 days or once a week. It's fine to water once every two weeks or even three weeks. Some friends who love watering too much are tormented: the soil dries up in less than a week, and then it's dry for the following ten days? Oh my liver, my treasure, I'm sorry,妈妈.
Let's do the math. We find that for a 'Twelve 卷' with thick roots, even if the roots are pulled out, as long as they are not exposed to direct sunlight and are placed in a shaded, well-ventilated area, only the root tips will dry out within a couple of weeks. After three to four weeks, only the finer roots will dry out, and even after a month or two, often most of the roots can be preserved. Once replanted, due to the thickened hormones inside, it is even easier to grow new roots, which sprout from the point where drying began. (If they are not pulled out but left in the soil, this process is even slower, which is why we often find that a 'Twelve 卷' that hasn't been watered for two months still looks robust, without any signs of withering. Withering does occur, but it first consumes the roots, and as long as the roots are not exhausted, the nutrients and moisture will be transmitted from the roots to the stem and leaves.) But what about our usual once-a-week watering? If we water four times a month or eight times in two months, just one time of watering when the soil is half-wet or one time when the root is surrounded by powdery soil without timely ventilation will cause the root to rot, often starting with the thick main root. Once this root rots, the plant instantly collapses.
It's terrifying to think: For a settled 'Twelve 卷', it's not a problem to go without watering for two months, but there is a risk of killing it eight times with watering. This is a lose-8 situation when winning 1. All those who insist on normal watering during the high-temperature summer are actually walking a tightrope, either because "your home is in the northeast, by the Songhua River" or because although in the south, they have air conditioning at home, which is essentially an abnormal mode of artificial intervention, yet they use "normal watering" to deceive people.
All explanations need to start with the origin of 'Twelve 卷', which is mainly produced in the cold coastal desert areas of the Cape Province in South Africa. Bordering the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, it has little rainfall and is often foggy, with a small amount of rainfall occurring in winter, and an average winter temperature of 12°C to 15°C. The habitat of 'Twelve 卷' is a place with little rain, lots of fog, and a large day-night temperature difference, which is firmly remembered and uniquely recognized by their genes as the best survival method. Little rain determines that their roots are moistened with little water all year round, and the large temperature difference and fog mean that at night, the temperature drops sharply, the foggy air is full of moisture, the sudden cooling causes the water vapor to condense and fall, landing on the 'Twelve 卷', which opens all its closed stomata during the day to absorb dew, causing the leaves to swell and even excess water to flow back to the roots for storage. This is the biggest secret of 'Twelve 卷' surviving with little water. This method is also safe because the water from the leaves flows back as needed, so the soil around the roots remains dry, whereas when we water, the roots are forced to absorb water, and eventually, the roots say, enough is enough, but they can't stop, as the surrounding soil is still moist, even stifling. Imagine if you are that root calling out, how would it feel? Especially when the temperature difference is small, the plant's vitality decreases, it doesn't like to grow, and it doesn't use much water, so what's the point of forcing "normal watering"?
Therefore, in the south, if there is no air conditioning to control artificially, and if you just want to use a阳台 or windowsill for natural planting, watering should still be cautious, less watering, and then spray some water at night, which is equivalent to supplementing a little water from the leaf surface, mimicking the humidity of its native place. After the month of temperatures above 38 degrees, during this month and a half, reduce all restlessness and activity to just one or two waterings, and spray water at night for the rest of the time, which will reduce the number of casualties significantly. Rest assured, this process won't be too long, just about a month. At other times, it can also be hot, but not so extreme, and the number of casualties is relatively smaller.
As for myself, I currently combine water prohibition with air-conditioned rooms. I'd like to put them all in air-conditioned rooms, but there's not enough space, so they have to take turns. I don't water for more than two weeks, and when I do water, that night, I make sure to put it in an air-conditioned room with a temperature difference of 10 to 15 degrees above during the day. If it's not in an air-conditioned room, I don't water.
These are my personal views, welcome to discuss, and if there are any mistakes or omissions, please feel free to point them out.
The above is a detailed introduction to some thoughts on watering 'Twelve 卷' during the summer. Do you know now?