Reasons for stone flowers rotting
If you want to learn about the introduction of stone flowers in succulent plants, the reasons for stone flowers rotting, please refer to the detailed introduction below.
The reasons for stone flowers rotting and what to do about it are urgent issues for新手 plant enthusiasts who are just starting to care for stone flowers. Every time they see their stone flowers rotting, they get anxious. This article is a summary of personal experience from plant enthusiasts, which is very helpful for beginners.
First, let's talk about the problem of stone rotting due to watering. It causes fear of watering, and some people are even scared to water their plants after a rainstorm, resorting to using fans overnight and posting online asking if their plant will die. This kind of rotting often occurs when the weather is slightly warmer.
Actually, the main issue is not the water, but the soil. Everyone knows about the original habitat of stone flowers. Some conditions have improved in cultivation environments, and the plants actually grow more beautifully than in their native environment. However, there is one thing that stone flowers cannot change - their inherited gene of being afraid of bacteria. This means that stones have an aversion to dirt, and due to the severe lack of organic matter in their original environment, they have adapted to conditions with little fertilizer and have not been exposed to a large number of bacterial populations, making them inherently intolerant to high-bacteria environments.
If the soil is filled with various impurities like peat and decomposed leaf soil, it not only prolongs the soil's water retention but also causes a大量繁殖 of bacterial colonies, leading to a large number of stone flowers rotting. In fact, in soil dominated by red jade (including coal slag, river sand, etc.), slightly more water will not cause rotting.
Many people might ask if they should not use any fertilizer at all. A pure vegetarian diet is fine, but it will result in slower growth. You can add a little peat or even good decomposed leaves, but the key is how you add it. The part of the stone that is afraid of bacteria is the plant itself, not the roots. Therefore, peat should be added to the bottom, and the soil near the plant must be kept clean. Additionally, the main roots do not have absorbent functions, so the soil in that layer does not need fertilizer. Therefore, only a tenth of the organic matter in the bottom layer is needed.
Of course, different species have slightly different requirements. You cannot treat 'Nertera' and 'Rhipsalis' the same way. 'Nertera' can be slightly fertilized because its native environment has some humus - this is also one of the reasons why 'Nertera' and 'Zonocactus' are relatively easy to care for.
Once the soil issue is resolved, the function of water becomes simple. Whether the water is more or less, it mainly affects the plant's shape. When stone flowers are severely lacking water, one watering can quickly restore them, indicating that their efficient water absorption. With more water, absorption also increases. However, if the lighting is not good enough, the plant will become leggy within three days. Therefore, watering stone flowers is not only about watering based on the weather but also considering the weather forecast. If there will be consecutive cloudy days after watering, it's better to hold back and water less.
In general, ensuring that the soil is almost dry before entering consecutive cloudy or rainy days is sufficient. If there are consecutive sunny days with good lighting, it's fine to water thoroughly, but it's best to let the soil dry out for a few days before watering again to prevent excessive growth and dilution of the plant's sap, which can lead to weakened resistance. With good lighting, even if the plant is exposed to strong sunlight through glass, it can still be watered sufficiently (except for certain plants like 'Hongdanei' and 'Liudie').
I've seen many people say they lost several plants recently. I've had similar experiences in the past. After understanding the secrets of the soil, I no longer have this problem. You need to find a feeling that the soil should not be dirty. I've seen many inquiry posts where the soil looks very dirty, like planting a bulb or foliage plant. Some even mix in a lot of particles, but the composition is complex. The key is to keep it clean and permeable, reduce sharp objects on the surface to prevent injury, and mulch is only for ornamental purposes and not related to cultivation. Thinking back, the traditional potting method I used in the past was too nervous. As long as it's clean, stones are actually quite低调.
One more thing, when watering in hot weather, never do it in the sun. Wait until the potting soil cools down in the evening before watering, or else you'll understand the consequences - burns and ulcers.
I've talked about whether or not to stop watering in the summer before. There are actually two situations where you can stop watering: during winter shedding and when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius in the summer. At this time, the plant's physiological metabolism decreases, and excessive watering is not useful and can easily cause problems. The other situation is during the plum rain season when high humidity reduces the plant's water demand. If you water during this time, the plant will still absorb it and use it to grow, and you know the result.
Finally, for young seedlings and stones less than one centimeter in size, the requirements for humidity and organic matter are higher, but the soil still needs to be clean, without old soil or materials of unknown origin, or the results can be quite sad.
The above is a comprehensive explanation of the reasons for stone flowers rotting. I hope it can help you.