Living stone flowers should not be watered during their蜕皮 (molting) process.
This article provides an in-depth introduction to living stone flowers for those who are interested. It is emphasized that these plants should not be watered while they are molting. The following sections will elaborate further on whether watering is allowed during the molting period and the reasons behind it.
Under normal circumstances, living stone flowers should not be watered during their molting period. This is because watering can easily lead to double molting (where the old skin hasn't completely shed and the new leaves start to molt), and it can also prolong the molting period. During the molting period, it's crucial to keep the plant dry because watering the old skin can lead to bacterial infections and rot.
So, when should living stone flowers be watered after molting? Once the molting is complete and the outer skin has become thin and dry, easily breakable, that's when you can start watering them, but do so gradually.
If you want to learn about the molting process of living stone flowers and how to stop watering, you can refer to this article:
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Keeping the soil dry is very important for the shedding process of living stone flowers. The purpose of this is:
1) To accelerate the shedding of the living stone flowers, preventing the old skin from receiving water supply, which is crucial.
2) To prevent double molting. If watered during the molting period, it might cause the old skin to not shed completely while the new leaves start to molt, which clearly affects their ornamental value.
3) To prevent etiolation. Even if it's cold, there might be 1-2 warm days, and the stones in the molting period might etiolate.
4) Ventilation is important for the shedding of the stones. Especially after March, as the temperature gradually rises, the shedding of the stones also speeds up. On sunny days when the temperature is above 15 degrees, experienced gardeners will ventilate the stones, adjusting the wind speed to 1, 2, or 3 levels depending on the temperature and light intensity. The difference in shedding speed between stones with ventilation and those without a fan is significant.
If the old skin turns into a dry, hard, and crispy "paper," it means the shedding is complete. However, it's still not time to water the plant. Wait for another two weeks. After two weeks, to increase the concentration of cytoplasm under the action of light and heat, you can water the first round of water.
The detailed explanation of why living stone flowers should not be watered during the molting process shared in this article is for reference and suggestion only.