How to cool down different flowers and plants in high-temperature weather? Prevent plants from wilting and dying

In midsummer, temperatures keep climbing, and in many regions the midday high reaches 37°C or higher. We humans are quite likely to suffer heatstroke from the discomfort of the heat, so what about the flowers and plants at home? Understand their growth habits and take different cooling measures for different flowers and plants to prevent wilting or death!

Winter and spring blooming plants like Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), cyclamen (Cyclamen), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) and Rieger begonia (Begonia × hiemalis) naturally prefer a cool air environment, and the most suitable growing temperature for them is generally around 15-25°C. In high-temperature weather like now, they should be moved promptly into a cool indoor space, with the indoor temperature kept below 30°C as much as possible, and windows opened in the morning and evening to maintain ventilation.

In recent days, some gardening friends have said that these types of flowers, which grew well in winter and spring, suddenly developed yellowing leaves or a wilted, drooping look. They asked whether these plants had entered a dormant period. How do you tell if a plant has entered dormancy? Take the Christmas cactus: after the flowering period it continuously grows new leaves, and the leaves are emerald green, so you can clearly see the plant is growing well. When the high-temperature period arrives, under normal care, if you suddenly find that the Christmas cactus is no longer growing new leaves and the plant shows slight wilting symptoms, it has usually entered dormancy. A plant's watering amount during dormancy is different from that during the normal growing period. Although transpiration is high in summer, dormant plants do not need much water. If the potting soil is not dry and you still water frequently, it is very easy to cause root rot in dormant plants; when the air is dry, you can mist the plant to keep it moist. If you find the potting soil is damp but this type of plant is severely wilted and drooping and has not recovered for several consecutive days (except for cyclamen, because cyclamen loses all its leaves in summer and only the corm remains dormant in the potting soil, so keeping the potting soil half-dry is enough), it is most likely caused by waterlogging and root rot. At this point, the only option is to take the plant out of its pot, prune away the rotten roots, and repot it in fresh soil or take cuttings.

Summer dormancy in winter and spring blooming plants is a difficult problem; many bloom in winter and die in summer. So you should create a cool environment for them even more. Some winter and spring blooming plants, such as Rieger begonia, will actually not enter dormancy and will continue growing and even blooming if your growing temperature can always be kept between 15-30°C.

For flowering plants like jasmine (Jasminum), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose (Rosa) and crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii), the higher the temperature and the stronger the light, the more they bloom. For this type of plant, there is no need to worry that they will be killed by the sun! Summer is their vigorous growth period, so despite plenty of water, plenty of fertilizer and plenty of sun during care, lack of water, fertilizer or light will hinder plant growth and affect the number and quality of blooms. When you find the potting soil slightly dry, replenish water in time, and choose early morning or evening for watering. Never water plants under the strong midday sun, otherwise the soil temperature will suddenly drop, causing the activity of enzymes that promote respiration in the plant to decrease, lowering the plant's ability to actively absorb water, resulting in physiological dehydration and death. While ensuring sufficient water, supply organic fertilizer or a compound fertilizer with a complete balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to guarantee their energy supply during growth and flowering.

For shade-loving plants like pothos (Epipremnum aureum), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), rubber plant (Ficus elastica) and money tree (Pachira aquatica), in summer they can be grown indoors, or placed about 1 m from a windowsill to receive some scattered light. Transpiration is high in summer, so water and nutrients should also be replenished in time, and when the air is dry, mist the leaves promptly to maintain the air humidity they need. For large-leaved foliage plants, you can often wipe or spray the leaves with a 1:20 beer solution, which can make the plant's leaves emerald green and encourage more new branches and leaves to sprout.