How to water a home-grown Epiphyllum? Master these 3 points for vigorous growth and vivid blooms
Epiphyllum is a green plant grown for both its foliage and its flowers. Its stems are flat and lance-shaped, and its blooms resemble water lilies, very beautiful, which is why it is called Epiphyllum.
To grow Epiphyllum well, watering is a very important part. You need to know these 3 points well so it can grow like crazy and bloom in vivid colors.
1. Watering amount
Epiphyllum needs different amounts of water at each stage, so the watering amount must be controlled well. During the bud-setting period in March and April, keep it moderately moist to help flower bud differentiation and bud growth. As soon as the potting soil turns slightly pale, water it thoroughly. You can spray some water on the stems and around them to increase humidity. In summer when it is in full bloom, reduce watering and keep it moderately dry; watering thoroughly about once a week is enough, which extends the flowering period. After the flowers fade until around the time of frost, follow the principle of dry thoroughly, wet thoroughly, and water when dry and withhold when wet. During the winter dormant period, mainly make sure it does not get overly dry.
2. Use mainly neutral or slightly acidic water for watering
Epiphyllum likes an acidic environment, so the water used is best rainwater or spring water. If using tap water, let it sit for 1-2 days first so the chlorine fully evaporates. In summer, you can use condensate water from an air conditioner to water it. Before watering, you can add a little ferrous sulfate to the water to improve water quality and increase acidity, and it also provides iron for Epiphyllum, making it even more emerald green.
3. Do not water only once
Epiphyllum has a fairly developed root system, and the soil is relatively hard to soak through. Some flower lovers just water once and then leave it alone, which eventually leads to water accumulation while the potting soil is still not thoroughly wet, causing the plant to wilt and, in serious cases, die.
It is best to pour the water in slowly from the flower pot, then repeat the watering once after half an hour, and then insert a bamboo skewer near the top to see whether it is completely watered through. If it is not watered through, keep watering. When inserting, be careful not to damage the main root.
That is all for the care of Epiphyllum. If flower lovers have other additions, you can share them with everyone in the comment section below. If you want to learn more about flower growing, you can follow Huajianke!