Watering indoor plants requires special, almost scientific approach. Many novice growers make two of the most dangerous mistakes that lead to loss of flowers. The first is over-watering, which causes the roots to rot. The second is overdrying of the soil, which is also detrimental to plants. Learn how to properly water flowers to keep them lush and green.

Each type of flower needs a different amount of water. It all depends on the region where the plant comes from. There is an opinion that it is useful for plants when they are watered often and in small portions. But this statement is not always true for all colors. If three drops of water fall into a large pot of earth, even if every day, they still will not reach the roots. This happens because an inexperienced grower wets only the top layer of soil, and the moisture evaporates quickly. Before determining the optimal amount of water for irrigation, assess the condition of the soil. One look is not enough here. Check the earth by touch. To do this, dip your finger into the soil, but not too close to the stem of the flower, otherwise you will damage the vital roots. If you feel wet soil when you deepen your finger, then the plant does not need watering. Dry contact signals that the plant urgently needs watering. If it is difficult to determine the degree of soil moisture by touch (this is often the case with Allocasia or Begonia), then you should independently develop a watering regimen for each flower. At the same time, keep in mind that depending on the time of year, the needs of flowers are different. In summer, the thirst for plants increases, like all living things in a dry period. In winter, water the plants less often. To the question of what to water, there is general rule for all colors and regions: do not pour into flower pots tap water. Harmful impurities contained in tap water can be detrimental to delicate and capricious flowers. Before watering, defend the water for more than a day at room temperature and only then use it for irrigation.

In some cities, the water is so dirty that even settling and boiling does not help. Under no circumstances should living creatures, including plants, drink such water. Also, bottled water from stores is not suitable for flowers. It lacks essential micronutrients. Preservatives are present, although they are completely unnecessary for both humans and plants to consume. The best water for irrigation is rainwater. It is convenient to collect it if you live outside the city in a private house. City drains are not suitable because they are saturated harmful substances produced by cars in metropolitan areas. If you are thinking about where to get water in winter, then remember the snow. It can simply be typed into a bucket and melted near a battery or fireplace. If from the tap you water is coming not too hard, you can just boil or filter it before watering. Depending on the genus, plants require moderate or frequent watering. What does it mean? In the first case, it is enough to fill the flowers well with a large volume of water once a week. At frequent watering you use a small cup of water every second or third day.

After you water the flower, water gets into the pan. It is drained two hours after " water procedures". Transplant old flowers into a larger pot as soon as you notice that the water immediately goes into the pan when watering. This indicates that the roots have filled the entire space in the pot, and the flower may die. Young plants transplanted recently should not be flooded with water. It is better to leave them alone for a day or two, without outside interference, let them move away from stress. If you are going to leave home for long time, and there is no one to instruct to take care of the plants, you can build an automatic irrigation system. To do this, place a basin of water on a raised platform. From it stretch the tubules to the flower pots. Dip one end into the water and stick the other end into the ground.

Such a homemade automatic watering system requires individual testing. Therefore, do it a few days before departure to check if the pots are overfilled. If necessary, you will have time to correct the structure.

What, at first glance, could be easier than watering houseplants? But it is with this procedure that amateur flower growers have the most difficulties and mistakes. And home flowers die just in most cases due to improper watering.

Watering flowers is a delicate matter, and depends on many circumstances: individual characteristics plant species, seasonality, development of the root system, etc. It is important that the flower receives the necessary amount of moisture during the growth period, and the soil surface does not dry out during the dormant period. Therefore, learning how to determine the amount of water needed for each individual flower is a fundamental task for a novice grower.

Improper watering and its consequences

In fact, the amount of moisture itself (its excess and insufficiency) does not harm plants so much. Its wrong amount leads to negative impact on the soil - increased oxidation or alkalinity. So, for example, a cactus disappears not from a large amount of water, but from the high acidity of the soil, which this same water creates.

Also, water, when the soil is excessively moistened, closes all the pores in it, from which most root hairs stop breathing and die. And because of her lack root system cannot absorb moisture, causing flowers and foliage to dry and wither.

Signs of improper watering

Lack of moisture:

1. The leaves are soft, drooping.
2. The ground is dry as fluff.
3. Flowers and buds quickly wither and fall off.
4. Hard leaves dry up and fall off, while soft leaves fall and become lethargic.

Excess moisture:

1. Growth retardation.
2. The presence of soft areas on the foliage with signs of rot.
3. Constantly wet ground.
4. The presence of mold on the surface of an earthen coma.
5. Both old and new leaves fall.
6. Withered and yellowed leaves.
7. Foliage with brown tips.

By adhering to the golden rule: it is better to water indoor flowers more often, but moderately, than rarely, but plentifully, you can avoid the most gross mistakes.

Water for watering houseplants

The best for watering plants is rainwater, as well as melt water. In this opinion, all professional florists are united. Hard water, which contains a large amount of salts, should not be irrigated.
Since the process of collecting rainwater is very laborious and takes a lot of time, it can be replaced with filtered, boiled or settled. It is recommended to defend the water for about two days - during this time all the chlorine disappears from it.

Also, you can not water the flowers hot or too hot. cold water. Optimum temperature water is equal to temperature room air. During the period of growth and flowering, the water temperature is usually increased by 2-3 degrees. During the dormant period, the water should not be warm, otherwise it will provoke a premature revival of the flower.

How often to water indoor plants?

Of course, the frequency of irrigation of home flowers cannot be the same all the time, and depends on many reasons: the period of their development, the season, the specific type of plant, and even the volume of the pot in which it is planted.

Which plants need more water?

• planted in small dishes;
• with a powerful developed root system;
• plants with wide large leaves or a large volume of them;
• during the period of growth;
• if there are large drainage holes in the pot;
• plants planted in ceramic stakes;
• in summer in dry hot weather;
• in rooms with dry air during the heating season.

Which plants need less watering:

• planted in large pots;
• with few leaves
• during the rest period;
• with an underdeveloped root system;
• plants affected by diseases, pests or transplantation;
• absence drainage system in a flower pot;
• flowers with fleshy stems and leaves;
• in summer in rainy or cloudy weather;
• if the plant is planted in a plastic or metal pot (non-porous materials);
• in a room with cold damp air.

You should be very careful about the seasonal watering of green pets. In the summer, during which the growth period usually falls, the flowers are watered quite often: once a day or even twice, especially in the summer heat. With the onset of cold weather, watering becomes more moderate, gradually reduced. But since turning on central heating water the plants a little more often due to the overdried air.

It is especially necessary to be careful during the off-season, when the metabolism of flowers decreases sharply, because of which they cannot receive and give moisture. Excessive moisture during the cold season can lead to physiological dryness, when the plant is not able to absorb water, despite its abundance.

With the advent of spring, watering is done more frequently. And again, they decrease slightly in April during the period of cooling and turning off the heating.

How to water plants?

Most important rule, which you need to know with the acquisition of the first flower, do not pour water on the point of its growth! And it works without exception on all houseplants.

If watering is carried out in the traditional way from above, then a trickle of water is directed to the very edge of the pot so as not to wet the growing point and root collar. Leica is the best assistant in this matter.

Abundant watering is carried out in the following way. After the first portion of water has soaked into the ground, it is poured until it enters the pan. After a while, excess water must be drained.

Many flowers (for example, cyclamen or gloxinia) do not like direct contact with water. They are watered from below, immersing the vessel to the edge for a while in water. Then allow excess water to drain and put the pot in place.

Types of watering depending on the requirements of plants

Excess

Few types of flowers need such watering: azalea, cyperius, etc. With such watering, there is a fairly large amount of moisture in the soil.

Abundant

Many need abundant watering ornamental plants. The earth should be constantly wet, but without stagnant water. Such plants (oleander, ficus, lemon, begonia, ivy) are watered immediately after the soil has dried out to a third of its surface. Flowers need this type of watering only in the summer season.

Moderate

This method of irrigation applies to bulbous, plants with water-bearing tubers in the roots, with a fleshy foliage and stems, with a powerfully developed root system. Watering is not done immediately after the earthen coma has dried, but after 2-3 days, so that the earth is upper layers the pot has dried out. Most often, moderate watering is used during the dormant period.

Rare

Plants may not be watered for several days, weeks or even months. During this time, the soil mixture in the pot has time to dry completely, but the water-storing organs allow it to survive dry land. For rare watering, plants are transferred to a dormant period, most often in winter with a significant decrease in temperature. This applies to flowers such as dracaena, cacti, clivia, syngonium, palm trees, aglaonema.

Special strict system proper watering does not exist. Each individual plant needs its own individual regimen.

How to fix incorrect watering errors?

Most often, plants suffer from an excess of moisture. At first, you may not notice signs of a "flooded" state in a flower, but after a while its leaves will become lethargic and drooping. If you continue watering, the plant will certainly die. In this case, you need to get it out of the pot and cut off the rotten root hairs. The places of cuts are sprinkled with coal and allowed to dry. After that, the flower is transplanted into the same soil, but with the addition of sand.

If the soil is so dry that it is no longer able to absorb water, the pot with the plant must be dipped into the water up to the “shoulders” and kept until the surface of the earth becomes moist.

Watering plants while on vacation

It often happens that you need to leave for some time on a business trip, on vacation or for some other business, and there is no one to shift the care of your green household. How then to carry out watering? You should not worry, today there are quite a few methods that will not allow the plant to dry out during the holidays.

You are going to leave home for vacation, May holidays, New Year Or just visiting another city? Great prospects for a change of scenery are always accompanied by two problems: what to do with a cat (cat, dog, birds and other animals) and who to ask to water indoor flowers and potted plants.

If you intend to ask neighbors, relatives or loved ones to water your flowers during the holidays and vacations, consider whether it would be convenient to limit other people's leisure and leisure time to your concerns.

Watering indoor plants

All types of indoor plants and flowers should be watered at least once a week. without watering can dry out, because the roots of plants cannot reach ground water in deep soil layers. Plants grow and develop using water and sunlight, which are involved in the process of photosynthesis, allowing plants and flowers to grow and develop.

Plants that do not require watering include only cacti and certain types desert flora. During the existence of plants in desert and semi-desert zones, they have learned to evaporate less moisture even at high temperatures and bright rays of the sun, so these plants do not need to be watered very often.

If it happened that all the leaves of the plant dried up, but the roots remained alive, then the pot should be placed in partial shade and the rhizome should be watered a little so that it comes to life again.

What water is suitable for watering indoor flowers and potted plants

Water for watering plants can be taken directly from the tap. Tap water is hard, so the water should stand for several hours at room temperature before watering. Heavy metals in tap water, indistinguishable to human vision, collect at the bottom, so after the water has stood, never empty the water from the tank completely - always leave a few centimeters of water with precipitation at the bottom.

Dip one end into a container of water (to the bottom), and fix the other inside the soil in each pot. As long as there is water in the container, the cotton strips, according to the laws of physics (using surface tension), will help keep the soil in the pot moist.

The disadvantage of this method is the need to select several containers (for three flowers, 1 liter of water per week will be enough), as well as the danger of drying out the soil in case prolonged absence(after the water runs out).

3)3. Flower flasks are very popular and can be bought or made by hand from a suitable bottle, jar or medical dropper.

3.1.Pour water into the bottle, put a rubber cap from a regular pipette on the neck. Make a small hole in the cap for water.

Insert a water bottle upside down into the ground - the bottle will be upside down with a neck in the ground. Ground resistance will not allow water to flow out completely immediately, and your indoor plants and flowers in pots will be supplied with the necessary amount of water at the time of departure. If it is difficult to find a rubber pipette tip, then you can make small holes directly in the bottle cap so that water can gradually flow out through them.

You can also attach the tubes to a large, for example, five-liter bottle, which must be placed above the plants. The tubes in the bottle can be fixed, if necessary, with ordinary electrical tape.

3.2. Take a medical dropper and hang over each flower pot separately. You will need as many drops as flower pots at your home, as well as additionally think over the system for attaching droppers above each of the flower pots separately.

3.3. Take three-liter jar, cotton towel and plastic tray. Lay a towel on the tray, pour water into the jar and close the neck of the jar with the towel tray in such a way that the side with the towel touches the neck of the jar (see example 3 in the figure).

Press the tray firmly against the neck of the jar and turn the structure with the jar upside down. Gradually, the cotton towel will be saturated with water from the jar. Place flower pots on a towel without lower saucers so that the hole at the bottom of the pot is on the towel. The edges of the tray will not allow water from the towel to drain onto the floor, and the roots of plants through the hole will be able to receive moisture in required quantity. This method is not suitable for plants growing in pots (for example, watering orchids).

simple and inexpensive way complicated by the process of fixing the bottle and jar of water upside down, the need for a large number of droppers, as well as the limited amount of water in the bottle, jar, flask or dropper, which may not be enough for the entire time of departure.

4)4. The effect of a closed system of the water cycle can be created using a transparent plastic bag: close open ground in a pot in a bag (you can put a few pebbles on top to hold the bag tighter), and put a larger bag on top.

Polyethylene will slow down the evaporation of water, and the evaporated moisture in the form of droplets will begin to settle on the walls of the bag and again serve as a source of moisture for plants. The package must be transparent in order to sunlight could penetrate to the plants and maintain its strength. This method is suitable for leaving for a few days (no more than a week), and only for small plants(because it's rare to find large plastic bags).

5)5. Aquaground is a transparent or colored hydrogel soft balls, which are composed of collagen. Collagen, when in contact with water, absorbs it and holds it inside.

Aqua-hydrogel is used for bouquets of cut flowers: multi-colored balls look very nice in transparent vase, turning an ordinary bouquet of flowers into the main decoration of the interior. Aqua soil can be scattered on the surface of the earth in a pot, there will be enough moisture for a week of absence. After drying, the balls of aqua-hydrogel can be used again by putting them in water.

Her Majesty's Gardeners hope their advice will help you keep your potted plants and flowers healthy and beautiful!

How much water is needed for each individual house plant, can be determined by its state, external conditions in which it grows, as well as its specific features. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to what kind of structure the above-ground organs of the plant have, and to the power of its root system.

Thus, plants whose leaves are juicy and fleshy (aloe, agave, etc.) are watered infrequently, while plants with large leaves need in large numbers moisture. Some of them are even watered 2 times a day. bulbous plants over watering will not bring any benefit, and even vice versa - only harm. According to the rules, when watering such plants, you should try to pour water on the ground as far as possible from the bulb or pour it into a tray (stand) under the pot.

Frequent watering is harmful:

• plants that are at rest;
• plants that have few leaves;
• plants whose leaves are full of juice and fleshy;
• plants with a small root system affected by harmful insects, diseases or improper care;
• plants that grow in non-porous pots (metal, plastic, etc.);
• plants that are in a room with a cool and humid microclimate;
• plants in pots that do not have drainage holes;
• during the summer rainy season.

It is desirable that the soil in pots with indoor flowers is always moderately moist. There should not be extremes - either a lack of moisture, or its excess. Remember that you need to water the plants regularly and evenly.

In summer and winter, the air in our houses and apartments has a low moisture content, it is 50% less than in other periods. In such conditions, plants do not feel well. In order to improve their condition in the morning, it is recommended to spray the leaves of indoor plants in such a way that they are dry by the evening. Do not pour water on the inflorescences, so as not to harm them. You can fill voluminous pallets with pebbles or expanded clay, pour water into them, and put flower pots on top.

To increase the humidity in the winter, jars filled with water are placed on batteries, and wet towels and sheets are also hung. But it is best to purchase a special humidifier that will constantly monitor the level of humidity in the room. There should be a direct proportionality between the readings of air temperature and its humidity - the temperature rises, and the humidity also rises. And at low temperatures and humidity, respectively, should be reduced.

To know whether to increase or decrease the amount of water while watering plants, you need to take into account many factors. However, if the irrigation regime is disturbed, whether it be lower water quality or changes in its temperature, this will certainly affect the condition of the plant. So, for example, if sensitive plant pour water at a low temperature, it definitely will not withstand such a regime.

There are many nuances of high-quality and correct watering of domestic plants. Listen to the recommendations of knowledgeable flower growers, this will help you avoid many mistakes in the process of caring for your indoor flowers.

Sticking to these is enough simple rules You can take good care of your house plants. The main thing is to pay attention to them and observe their appearance, which can say a lot.

None of the conditions for growing houseplants require as much attention as watering. Need to control it all year round. It is in this area that novice houseplant lovers make the most mistakes. They either flood the plants with water, believing that in this way they will make them happy, or they completely forget that it needs water. As a result, the plant receives either too much water or too little; both can simply destroy him.

What determines the need for water in plants?

It may seem that all plants need to be moistened a certain number of times each week. However, it is not. Each plant has its own requirements for watering - it depends on the size of the plants, the size of the pot, the time of year, temperature and light, soil quality and the need for moisture inherent in specific type. For example, on cloudy days the plant needs less moisture, but on sunny days it needs more water. In warm summer months plants need abundant watering, and in cool weather they need less water. Even under stable conditions, a constant amount of water is not a guarantee of success, because the plant grows in size and, accordingly, the amount of water it needs increases.

Water more often and more abundantly:

✓ plants in clay pots;

✓ plants with large or thin leaves;

✓ plants with thin stems;

✓ plants in the period of active growth;

✓ plants with strong root system;

✓ flowering plants;

✓ plants with hanging stems;

✓ in the warm season and at high temperature in the room;

✓ in bright light;

✓ with dry air;

✓ with open windows.

Less moisture require:

✓ plants in plastic pots;

✓ plants with thick leaves with a wax coating;

✓ plants devoid of leaves;

✓ plants with thick stems;

✓ plants at rest;

✓ newly transplanted plants;

✓ plants with poorly developed root system;

✓ weak and depleted plants;

✓ at low air temperature in the room;

✓ on cloudy days or in low light;

✓ when high humidity air;

✓ when there is no air movement in the room.

For example, orchids from the genus Dendrobium are watered no more than once a week.

How can you tell if a plant needs watering?

The experience of many lovers of indoor floriculture has developed an exact criterion: it is time to water the plant when the earth mixture in the pot becomes dry. The only problem is that the mixture, which seems dry on top, remains wet in the middle of the pot. You water thinking the ground is practically dry. In fact, you oversaturate it with water from the middle of the pot to the very bottom, which is no less harmful to plants than drying out the soil. How to understand in what condition an earthen lump is: wet, dry or almost dry? Sometimes this can be determined "by eye" and "by ear".

The color of the earth mixture depends on whether it is wet or dry. A wet mixture is dark brown, while a dry or nearly dry mixture becomes pale brown and dull. One common technique, therefore, is to water the plants when the earth mixture begins to turn pale. However, the estimate "by eye" is not always reliable. When the mixture is dry on most of the surface of the pot, it may be wet at the bottom. However, for small pots, it can be assumed that if the soil mixture is dry on the surface, it is quite dry throughout the pot. You can determine whether or not to water the plants by simply tapping the pot with your finger. If the earth in the flower pot is dry, the sound will be sonorous, but if it is wet, it will be deaf.

The easiest way to tell if a plant needs watering is to test the soil in the pot with your finger or wooden stick. Dip your finger into the soil mixture up to the first or second joint. If the soil feels wet, no watering is required. If dry, then there is clearly not enough water in the soil. This technique is a reliable indicator of soil moisture in the entire pot, and can be used for potted plants 20-25 cm high. Avoid checking the moisture content of the mixture with your fingers several times at a time. In this way you can damage the roots of a small and tender plant and thereby bring it more harm than good. Check soil moisture with your fingers at the outer edge of the pot rather than at the base of the plant.

You can tell if a plant needs watering by simply lifting the pot. It is clear that a freshly watered potting mix weighs more than a dry one. Plants in plastic containers grown in standard potting mixes weigh about twice as much after watering as dry ones. This is, of course, a rough estimate. The difference in weight depends on the type of pot, the potting mix and the material the pot is made from. However, even plants in clay pots with a heavy potting mix are noticeably lighter when the soil dries out. Applying the "weighing" method takes some practice. Elevate the plant a few times between waterings to feel the difference in weight between wet and dry pots. Then after a while you can easily tell the difference between a lighter pot when the plant needs watering and a heavier pot when it doesn't need watering.

How do soil moisture indicators work?

Watering plants in large containers - more than 30 cm tall - has always been a challenge for indoor plant enthusiasts. Plants growing in deep pots or tubs are constantly in danger of waterlogging. Fortunately, reliable and harmless devices have been developed for determining soil moisture in large containers. On sale you can find various indicators of soil moisture. These instruments measure the amount of water at a certain depth. Insert the indicator plug into the soil about 2/3 of the way. The arrow on the scale will indicate "wet", "dry" or somewhere in between. Water only when the indicator indicates that the soil is dry. Keep in mind that an old, worn-out meter gives unreliable readings, so it should be replaced with a new one about once a year. However, even a new meter may give an inaccurate estimate if the soil mixture contains a lot of mineral salts. They can accumulate if you have been watering your plants with hard water for several years. In this case, inaccurate meter readings indicate that your plants need to replace the old soil mixture to fresh.

In addition to the standard meter, there is a commercially available sonic moisture meter that indicates when the plant needs watering by ringing, whistling or other sound signal. The sound meter is arranged in the same way as the standard one, but instead of a scale, a sound transmitter is located at the other end. It costs about the same as the standard one. It makes sense to buy one such meter and keep it in a pot with a plant that usually dries out faster than others. When the indicator gives sound signal, it's time to check the rest of the plants with traditional methods.

What is a watering schedule?

Each type of plant needs its own watering regimen. This information can be gleaned from the description of the content of a particular plant. Distinguish watering plentiful, moderate and rare. Abundant watering is done immediately after the earthen clod dries. Abundant watering is required for most tropical plants with thin leaves. With moderate watering, the plants are watered not immediately after the earthen coma dries out, but after a day or two. Moderate watering is required, in particular, for plants with pubescent leaves and stems (African violet, peperomia, etc.) and thick roots and rhizomes (dracaena). With rare watering, the plants are left dry for several days, weeks or even months. This applies to cacti and succulents, as well as plants in their dormant period.

How to set watering mode?

A strict watering regimen for each plant is not easy to maintain, especially if you have a lot of plants. Ideally, you should regularly check the condition of the plant and water it as soon as it is needed. This method brings the best results, because in this case there is an alternation of wet and almost dry soil conditions. Check each plant every 3-4 days using one of the methods described above and water only those plants that currently need it. Recommendations in this matter can only be general.

It is better to water the plants more often and little by little than less often and more abundantly. The main watering is best done in the first half of the day. With each watering, the plant needs to be given enough water so that it well moistens the entire earthen lump and glass in the pan.

What are the signs of water shortage?

Regular violations of the irrigation regime affect appearance most plants.

The lack of water can be noticed by the following signs:

The leaves are drooping;

Leaves and shoots become lethargic;

In plants with hard, leathery leaves, the leaves dry and fall off;

Flowers and buds fall off or quickly wither.

What are the consequences of overwatering?

With excess water:

The leaves show signs of rot;

The plant is clearly slower growing;

Mold appears on buds and flowers;

The tips of the leaves turn brown;

Both old and young leaves fall off.

How to save an overdried plant?

When the potting mix dries out so much that it becomes almost crispy, a curious phenomenon is observed - the potting mix refuses to accept water. No matter how much water you pour, the earth becomes slightly damp only on the surface. This happens because the very dry soil moves away from the walls of the pot and cracks form between the walls and the earthen clod. When you water overdried soil from above, the water flows through these cracks to the bottom and pours into the pan through the drainage hole. The earth ball will remain dry. Therefore, when the earth is too dry, it is useless to water it from above. What to do? Water the leaves and stems of the plant from the shower. Fill a basin or other container with water room temperature and completely immerse the pot with the plant in it, carefully pressing down the pot with a load (stone or brick) so that it is completely immersed in water. Then add a few drops (no more!) Liquid detergent- this will help reduce the water-repellent properties of overdried soil. After about an hour, remove the plant pot and let the excess water drain. If the plant has revived (not all plants recover after overdrying), it will soon become juicy again. Please note - even when the earthen ball takes its original size, some distance between it and the walls of the pot will remain. Fill this gap with potting mix.

How to save a flooded plant?

If excess water has accumulated in the pot, it is no less dangerous for the plant than drought. However, in this case, not all is lost. Tap the edge of the pot on hard surface and remove the pot from the earthy coma. Usually an earthen ball is pierced with roots and retains the shape of a pot. Remove damaged roots and wrap an earthen ball with a rag or old kitchen towel- it will absorb excess water from an earthen coma. You may need to change your towel several times.

Then wrap the earth ball in absorbent paper and leave it in it until dry, but do not overdry. When the earth ball is dry, plant the plant in a clean pot with fresh earth mixture.

What should be the pallet size?

As a rule, flower pots are sold with a pallet. The pallet is absolutely necessary - excess water flows into it. Saucers or bowls can also be used as a pallet. right size from any material. It is only important that the diameter of the pallet is not less than the upper diameter of the pot. After watering, it is necessary to drain excess water from the pan.

What is drainage?

Drainage is a French word. It means the artificial or natural removal of excess fluid, usually from the soil. In indoor floriculture, drainage is used so that water does not stagnate in a pot. Ceramic shards, gravel, pebbles or large expanded clay are suitable for drainage.

A large shard is placed on the drain hole with the convex side up, or a handful of smaller shards, then a layer of coarse-grained sand is poured and the plant itself is planted on top of this. Since there are not always shards at hand, it is easier to arrange drainage from expanded clay.

If the pot has a hole for water to drain, then 1 cm of large expanded clay should be placed on the bottom. If there is no hole, then the height of the expanded clay layer should be at least 3-5 cm. In general, it should be about a quarter of the height of the container.

How is bottom watering done?

Although traditionally plants are watered from a watering can, there is another way - watering from below. With this method, the so-called capillary effect is triggered - there is a movement of water from more humid layers to drier ones. When the soil is almost dry, place the pot in a tray of water and the moisture will begin to flow through the soil and the roots of the plant.

When pouring from below, you simply fill the tray with water. If the water drains quickly from the pan, add a little more. After about an hour, all the soil will be damp and its surface will be shiny with moisture. When the plant has sucked up all the water it needs, pour out the rest of the water from the pan. Watering from below is preferable for plants with pubescent leaves or with a lush rosette of leaves.

Plants that you water from below are better able to meet their moisture needs. However, at the same time, you will have to change the soil mixture with them more often, since excess mineral salts will accumulate in the soil faster.

What is the best way to water plants?

Watering from above seems to be a more "natural" way of watering, since in nature plants get their moisture from rain. On the other hand, it is not the source of moisture that is important for the plant, but the result - moist soil. Therefore, it is not so important whether you water from above or below. When watering from above, make sure that water does not fall on the leaves. Many plants have very tender leaves and stems that are stained by water drops. In addition, water droplets on light focus the light like lenses, and even dense and leathery leaves can be burned. Therefore, when watering from above, be sure to lift the leaves or move them to the side so that water only falls on the soil.

How to water plants in hanging pots?

Plants in hanging planters often hang quite high, and their watering causes certain difficulties. For convenience, you can buy a special watering can, which will greatly facilitate the watering of such plants. It consists of plastic bottle with a long tube that bends at the end. There is such a watering can is quite inexpensive.

What kind of water to water indoor plants?

Plants are preferably watered with soft water, i.e. water with a low salt content. If the water in your area is soft, then it is quite suitable for irrigation. tap water. Hardy plant species can be watered directly from the tap, but this should not be abused: there are not so many such plants. It is better that the water settles for about a day. During this time, bubbles of gases, especially chlorine and fluorine, will come out of it. Fluoride is very harmful to indoor plants. Can also be used for irrigation rain water, melted snow and well water.

What is "hard water"?

Hard water contains a lot of soluble calcium and magnesium salts. It is very harmful to plants. The surface of the roots of plants is covered with skin, which works as a kind of filter.

It lets in and keeps only what the plants need inside. When watering with hard water, the filter “clogs” - remember the scale on the walls of the kettle! As a result, the roots begin to absorb water poorly and nutrients. The plant is starving. In such a situation, an increase in watering only leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. A sign indicating hard water is a yellowish-white coating on the surface of the soil, on the walls of the pot, and sometimes on the stems of the plant.

How to soften hard water?

To soften hard water, add wood ash at the rate of 3 g (1/2 teaspoon) per liter of water. You can also add acetic acid or oxalic acid. This must be done very carefully, checking the pH until it is established desired value (5,5-6,5).

Filtered hard water, i.e. water that has passed through a demineralizer or osmotic filtration system, will not harm your plants. To soften hard water, special filter cartridges and water softener tablets (so-called pH tablets) are produced. If for some reason the described methods of softening hard water are not available to you, you can water the plants, especially tender ones, with boiled water.

What should be the water temperature for irrigation?

Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. It is even better to take water warmer by 2-3 ° C. Don't neglect this rule. Remember that when pouring cold water on heat-loving tropical plants, you can damage their roots and leaves.

Are there ways to self-regulate soil moisture?

Yes, there are such ways. Firstly, this is the so-called self-watering pot. Secondly, the cultivation of plants in a hydroponic system. In both cases, watering will require your attention once every 1 - 2 months, and in between, the plants will be provided with water automatically. In addition, there are substrates, such as hydrogels and granulates, which are able to retain water in the soil for a long time and give it to plants as needed.