Meat lovers, take note
Do you know this? The content of planting succulents, meat lovers take note, let's get to know together next.
There are no fixed rules for growing flowers, each family has its own methods, and I bet no one is convinced by others. The same goes for watering; some people prefer dry cultivation - dry cultivation is conducive to the reproductive growth of plants and better accumulation of dry matter, but the plants may not look so lively. Others prefer wet cultivation - wet cultivation helps the nutritional growth of plants, with lush branches and leaves, but the resistance may be relatively poor. How about that? The pros and cons are right in front of you, and you can choose how you want to cultivate them.
Of course, whether you prefer dry or wet, the timing of watering is also important. I believe everyone will agree on the existence of the word "timing." For succulents, it seems that the method of "watering after completely drying out" has become a consensus. Indeed, this method is the safest, and many people who can keep plants alive for three years rely on this method. But think carefully, if everyone knows "watering after completely drying out," where does the saying "three years of watering practice" come from? Could it be that our ancestors were all unintelligent and only summarized such a foolish method as "watering after completely drying out" after five thousand years?
The answer is of course no, "watering after completely drying out" is just a catchphrase of many experts in flower magazines. These experts are afraid that others will master the core technology and take away their jobs in the future, and they are unwilling to be a diligent gardener in silence, so they came up with such a versatile term to fool everyone.
Completely drying out and watering can hurt succulents
What does "thoroughly" mean? Is it one day or one month? Think carefully and you'll know - this word is a tool for sophistry. Even for succulents, root dehydration can cause damage to related cell tissues. The poplar in the desert is considered drought-resistant and can grow in places without rain for 30 years. But you may not know that no matter how many years it has been without rain in this place, as long as there is poplar growing, if you dig along the root, you can ensure that the soil within 5 meters is wet, and the groundwater may be connected to oases hundreds of kilometers away. Do you think plants are fools? They are very smart.
Wake up! Do you also have groundwater in your pot at home? Since there is no groundwater, why do you still give it a "completely dry out"? It's already a great favor to your RMB that they can survive艰难ly. After all, your home is not a greenhouse, which has earthy air and humidity. Even if it's dry for half a year, the humidity in the air is enough for succulents with low requirements to drink. Add to that the temperature difference (which will be introduced later), the so-called "completely dry out and water thoroughly" is a completely different concept. Therefore, the watering strategy in a home environment needs to be specially planned.
Maintaining proper moisture in succulents is essential for home cultivation. Different varieties have different water requirements, for example, Sempervivum needs moisture, while Kalanchoe needs dryness. If you can turn the pot over and look at the soil to explain, then for Sempervivum, the soil below the surface of the pot is dry and white for 3 centimeters, and the soil particles below are slightly moist but not sticky, and it's time to water. For Kalanchoe, when the lowest 1-2 centimeters of soil (excluding the drainage layer) still has some moisture, it's also time to water. These two watering timings can maintain the plant's fine roots on the capillary roots from drying out to the maximum extent without causing physiological obstacles due to excessive water, and the roots do not need to be in a cycle of drying, reviving, and then drying again. Limited nutrients can be accumulated to the maximum extent, and the plants will naturally grow better.
When should succulents be watered
Talking about when to water succulents, of course, we need to talk about the grasp of the "timing" of watering. We can't turn the pot over to check every time we water. This not only requires practicing the basics of touch and vision, but there are also tricks.
Tip 1 - Weighing method: first determine your potting mix, try to use the same formula every time you pot, and prepare an empty pot with completely dry soil, then weigh it, record the weight, water thoroughly, weigh it again, and record the two data. Then weigh it every day. Besides testing the water retention of your own potting mix, the ultimate goal is to see how many days it takes to return to the weight of the dry soil in the pot. Subtract 1-2 days from this number, and that's the watering cycle you need. This is for Sempervivum, for Kalanchoe, you don't need to subtract days. Of course, this method ignores the absorption and transpiration of water by the plant roots, and the soil with plants usually dries faster, so the data obtained can be compared with the weight of the pot with plants for the same period, and the watering cycle will be more accurate.
Tip 2 - Soil color change method: increase the proportion of red jade in the potting mix because red jade has good water absorption and water transmission capabilities, and it changes color slightly when moist. Increasing the proportion of red jade in the potting mix can enhance the water transmission within the potting soil, the top soil dries faster, and the moisture below keeps transmitting up until the moisture content in the lower soil reaches a critical point, which is often the beginning of the watering signal. It is recommended to increase the proportion of red jade soil to over 40%, and use 2-3 mm pure red jade to cover the surface of the pot. When the red jade on the surface turns light yellow and white, Sempervivum should wait at most 1 more day, and Kalanchoe should be watered after 2 days. If you want to use this method to determine the watering cycle, you still need to adjust it according to your own potting mix.
Despised watering tips for succulents
1. Toothpick method: many people like to use this, but it's very easy to damage the roots growing along the pot wall, and once watered, it will rot you without a doubt. Disapproval index: 3 stars.
2. Finger probe method: I saw this method in an article translated by someone else, and I don't know if anyone is actually doing it. I think this method is stupid. Nowadays, everyone prefers to use granular soil, and the finger cannot be inserted. Even if it is inserted, the finger will get dirty, the surface soil will be messed up, and some valuable fine roots floating on the surface may be broken. This can be said to be a completely harmful method, disapproval index: 4 stars.
3. Listening to the sound of the pot: I don't want to criticize this method anymore, it's too unreliable. Unless everyone has the hearing of a musician like Lang Lang, this method is no better than inserting the finger directly. Disapproval index: 5 stars.
The full content of "Meat lovers, take note, completely drying out and watering is too harmful to succulents!" is provided here, hoping it can help you. Also, I hope everyone comes to see more green plant and flower experience and common sense!