How to Water a Medinilla: Solving the Yellowing Leaves Problem

Environmental factors are the most critical influencing factors for plant growth, and growing any kind of plant cannot be separated from the influence of the environment. Growing Medinilla is no exception, but because each plant has different growth habits, do we need to appropriately adjust the growing environment so that the environment matches the plant's growth habits?

How to Water a Medinilla

1. Summer

Medinilla originally grows in tropical rainforest regions, so it loves humid and warm environments very much, and daily watering also requires extra attention.

Summer is its most flourishing growing season, and its demand for water is very great. The hot weather also accelerates water evaporation. At this time, the soil moisture must be maintained. When watering, you can observe the soil. If the soil is slightly on the dry side, water it, but waterlogging must not occur.

2. Winter

In winter, watering should be done at noon. Before watering, first leave the water indoors for a few days so that the water temperature is the same as the room temperature before watering. Water that is too cold will harm the plant. Its flowering period is from February to August, so before that, the soil must not be allowed to become too moist, otherwise its flowering effect will be greatly affected.

3. Precautions

Besides watering, air humidity is also very important. At the seedling stage, the most suitable air humidity is between 75% and 85%; as the seedlings gradually grow, the air humidity can be reduced by 5%. Both excessive humidity and dryness are unfavorable to its growth. Usually, you can humidify it by spraying water.

Summer and autumn are in the growing period, and at this time the air humidity should be kept above 80%, which can make its leaf surface glossy.

When its flowers are in full bloom, be sure not to spray water on the plant surface, otherwise the flowers will wither prematurely.

What to Do When Medinilla Leaves Turn Yellow

1. Lighting factors

Indoor-grown Medinilla is different from wild-grown flowers, so the methods cannot be the same. Indoor-grown Medinilla is partly due to its own reasons and partly due to home cultivation, so it does not need long periods of light, otherwise the leaves will also turn yellow. So if growing it indoors, you do not need to place it in a place with long periods of light; pay attention to shading. Then it is best to give it ventilation in an open-air place for two fixed days a week.

2. Ventilation factors

As mentioned above, Medinilla should be placed in a semi-sunny place, but at the same time do not forget that in this kind of place it also needs good ventilation. If it is placed in a damp place with poor ventilation, then the leaves of Medinilla will also easily turn yellow. With good ventilation, it will reduce the occurrence of pests or some diseases, and the flowers can grow better.

3. Watering factors

When watering Medinilla normally, be sure to pay attention and do not water too much; just soak the soil. If there is too much water, it cannot absorb it and it will soak in the soil. If this happens for a long time, not only will the roots rot, but the leaves will also turn yellow. If you cannot control the amount of water well, choose a flowerpot with good drainage so that excess water flows out directly and will not soak inside.

4. Fertilize less

Plants like Medinilla should be fertilized at least twice a year, once in the first half of the year and once in the second half. If too little fertilizer is applied and the nutrients are insufficient, this will first show on the leaves. When fertilizing, if you are not clear about how to fertilize for the flower's benefit, you can search online or ask the owner of a flower shop. The amount of fertilizer should be neither too much nor too little, otherwise it will cause the flower's death.

How to Care for Medinilla During the Bud Stage

During the bud stage of Medinilla, first pay attention to the number of buds. In order for Medinilla to achieve the best ornamental effect, the number of buds should show a certain proportion to the size of the plant, and the length of the buds should reach more than 5cm, because if the length of Medinilla buds is less than 5cm and it happens to be winter, then Medinilla may not bloom.

Second, if the buds of Medinilla begin to change color, then at this time the Medinilla plant needs to be placed in a place with a relatively high temperature for care, which can prevent bud drop.

There is one more point: when growing Medinilla, if you want it to be able to bloom all year round, you need to control the temperature well, so that the time for Medinilla flowers to open will be longer.

Growth Habits of Medinilla

Medinilla likes a high-temperature growing environment and is relatively intolerant of cold. Its wintering temperature in winter should be above 16°C. It likes semi-shade and is relatively afraid of scorching sun exposure. Medinilla likes loose and fertile leaf mold or peat soil. Pay attention to keeping the soil moist, but during the flowering period, the humidity must not be too high. Every spring, it can be repotted. It requires fertile, loose leaf mold or peat soil, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 16°C.

Medinilla is a plant that is relatively intolerant of cold, so when growing Medinilla we must pay attention to temperature control. Second, Medinilla is relatively delicate and fears exposure to the sun, and we should also try to avoid this. In addition, proper repotting and fertilizing are both necessary steps.