Watering potted plants has its finer points: this is how to water correctly
Fellow flower lovers all know that when growing flowers, watering is the most basic step, but it is also a step whose degree is very hard to judge. We often hear watering principles like "water thoroughly once the soil is dry," "don't water if it's not dry, and water thoroughly when you do," and "moist but not waterlogged," but let me say this: I understand all the reasoning, yet I still don't understand how to water! Beginners and veterans alike, below is the latest watering know-how, so take a look!
When watering, you can judge whether the plant lacks water by observing the color of the leaves and the surface soil. For example, if the leaves are all wilted and wrinkled (this condition most easily appears in summer), it is either due to excessive exposure to the sun or lack of water. For example, judge the dry or wet condition by the color of the soil: the darker the soil color, the more water the soil contains. Everyone can observe carefully; look at the soil color once a day, and after basically a few weeks you will understand the plant's water needs.
When you see the leaves wilting or the soil color relatively light, you can replenish water. So how exactly should you water? Watering is a technical job, and fine work must be done slowly. The so-called watering thoroughly means water flows out from the drainage hole at the bottom of the flower pot, but in fact many flower lovers water improperly without realizing it.
For example, some people like to water toward the middle of the flower pot. At this time you only need to pour a little water, and water will still flow out from the bottom hole, but in fact a large ring of soil around the plant is still dry, and this is clearly not watering enough. There is another situation: some flower lovers water the plant only when the soil is already very dry. At this time water also easily flows out from the bottom hole, because excessive dryness makes the cracks in the soil expand. Well, with such a big crack, it would be strange if water did not flow out.
To avoid the above situations, when watering it is recommended to pour little by little, and pause in between to let the water penetrate, so that it is easier to judge whether the water is already sufficient. When watering, it is not recommended to start near the middle close to the plant, but rather start from the outer edge of the flower pot. Pour a little, pause for 20-30 seconds, then continue, a small amount many times, watering thoroughly gradually each time.
For plants that are too dry, it is recommended to water twice. That is, after watering all over the surface area of the soil, wait two or three minutes. At this time water may already be flowing out from the bottom hole, but because dry soil has large gaps, this does not mean the soil is fully moistened.
After finishing the first watering, you can then decide whether to add more water according to the plant's root system. If the plant has fleshy roots that rot easily, watering can stop here, and it is also not advisable to let the plant be too dry one moment and too waterlogged the next, so as not to damage the roots. But if it is a plant whose roots do not rot easily and which has relatively large water needs, then at this time you can add another watering, also pouring slowly, until water seeps from the bottom hole.