Watering Methods and Precautions for Flowering Bonsai

Ornamental potted plants are plants, and the life activities of plants cannot be separated from water; the necessary photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration all require the participation of water. For flower growers, watering is the most frequent management task. If the soil is too dry, the flowers will wilt, or even wither and die; if the soil is too moist, root rot and death will occur, and potted flowers especially need attention when it comes to watering.

I. How to water?

The amount and timing of watering are determined by the type of flower, the environment and the climate. For home flower growing, especially indoor flowers, since there is no direct sunlight, the transpiration of the flowers is relatively weak, so you must not water too frequently; otherwise the soil will often be in a waterlogged state, and the root system will suffocate and die. Watering too much and too often is an important reason why many home flower-growing attempts fail. Generally speaking, flowers placed on a balcony should be watered more, and indoor flowers less; water more when the temperature is hot and less when it is cool; water herbaceous plants more and woody plants less, and proceed by alternating dry and wet, that is, water only when the soil is relatively dry, and each time water until water seeps out of the bottom of the pot.

II. Why cold water cannot be used to water when the weather is hot

In the scorching summer, the temperature is extremely high, and sometimes the temperature of the flower leaves can reach around 40°C. Transpiration is also extremely strong, so water evaporates relatively quickly, and the root system needs to continuously absorb water to replenish the loss from leaf transpiration. If cold water is poured at this time, the soil temperature suddenly drops, and the root hairs, stimulated by the low temperature, will immediately hinder the absorption of water. At this time the flowers have no preparation process at all, and the stomata on the leaves all open wide, so water continues to be lost. The roots do not absorb water, and the water supply is lost; this then causes the leaf cells to go from expanded to wilted, causing the plant to suffer "physiological drought." In severe cases, the whole plant may even die. Therefore, cold water cannot be used to water flowers in summer, and the best times to water are morning and evening.

III. What is the immersion method?

The immersion method is a way of watering potted flowers. This method is to place the potted flower into a container filled with water, so that water slowly seeps into the pot from the drainage hole at the bottom, from bottom to top, until the potting soil is moist. This method is mainly used when sowing fine seeds, to prevent the watering can from washing the seeds to one side or piling them together and affecting seedling emergence. When some flower seedlings are repotted or transplanted, the immersion method is also used to prevent water poured from outside from washing away the potting soil. If the soil in the flower pot has cracked due to lack of water, pouring water from above often penetrates too quickly and affects water absorption, so the immersion method can also be used to replenish water.

Generally, flowers are not suited to long-term use of the immersion method. If flowers are kept moist with the immersion method for a long time, it is easy for the pot to hold too much water, causing the flower plants to lack oxygen, and it also easily causes the salinity and alkalinity in the potting soil to rise, bringing harm to the flowers. If the immersion method is used for too long, the flowers are prone to suffering from waterlogging, ultimately leading to the death of the whole plant.

IV. What are the benefits of spraying water?

When air humidity is low and in the hot summer, you often see flower growers spraying clean water on the branches and leaves or sprinkling water on the ground around the flower pots. The effect of this is not only to effectively wash off dust, but also to help increase photosynthesis in the leaves, increase air humidity, and lower the temperature. It avoids scorching and wilting of tender leaves and dry withered leaf edges. For some special flowers, it can play a role in cooling and disease prevention.

V. Precautions for watering in the four seasons

After the beginning of spring each year, the temperature gradually rises, and most flowers enter a peak growth period, so the amount of watering should best be gradually increased. In early spring, watering is best done before noon. In summer the temperature is high, flowers grow vigorously, and transpiration is also relatively strong, so the amount of watering should be even more sufficient. In summer, watering is best done in the morning and evening. After the Beginning of Autumn, the temperature gradually drops, the growth rate of the flowers begins to slow, and the amount of watering should be appropriately reduced. In winter the temperature is lowest, and most flowers enter dormancy or semi-dormancy, so the frequency and amount of watering should be controlled. In winter, watering is best done between 1 and 2 in the afternoon. If the potting soil is not too dry, do not water.

The above are the key points and precautions for watering flowering bonsai. Flower growers are welcome to come to Huinong.com to learn more related tips!

How to water bonsai

Flower and Bonsai Network introduction: below, the editor of Flower and Bonsai Network shares with you an article about how to water bonsai. Let's take a look.

Watering is the most basic and also the most important task in bonsai care. If you want to grow bonsai well, your watering skills must be solid. As the old saying goes, "Watering takes three years of skill." This shows how deep the knowledge in it is.

How often should you water?

There are many factors that determine the frequency of watering bonsai, including: tree species, tree size, season, climate, soil, and pot size, among others. Therefore, the frequency of watering cannot be generalized. Instead, you should water according to actual conditions and on demand. Mainly follow the following points.

Follow the basic principle of "water when dry, stop when wet"

"Water when dry, stop when wet" means watering thoroughly in one go, then waiting until the potting soil is almost dry before watering a second time. A mistake beginners often make is being unable to resist giving a little water and spraying a little water every day. Watering every day but never watering thoroughly is what we often call "half-way water." "Half-way water" can cause the root system to be unable to absorb sufficient water, putting the plant in danger of withering and dying. At the same time, watering must not be excessive or too frequent. Too much watering easily causes root rot and moisture-related pests and diseases.

Treat differently according to different tree species

Generally, coniferous tree species have a small leaf surface area and slow transpiration, so their water requirement is relatively small; broadleaf tree species have a much larger water requirement. In addition, some tree species prefer dryness and some prefer moisture, so they must also be treated differently.

Trees have different water requirements at different growth stages

Trees generally need more water during the growth period, flowering period and fruiting period, and relatively less water during the dormant period. Generally speaking, in spring and autumn you can water once every other day, in summer once or twice a day, and in winter once a week or once every two weeks depending on the specific situation.

Treat differently according to different potting soils

Soil with relatively strong water retention, such as humus soil and clay soil, can be watered less, while soil with relatively strong permeability, such as sandy soil, can be watered more frequently.

Treat differently according to the material, size and depth of the pot

Generally, ceramic pots and clay pots are more breathable and dry easily, porcelain pots dry the least easily, small pots dry more easily than large pots, and shallow pots dry more easily than deep pots.

Some special situations

For newly potted tree stumps, because the root absorption capacity is insufficient, watering should not be excessive. Some flowering tree species such as bougainvillea and wisteria can be made to bloom profusely by controlling water. For pines, controlling water when they sprout can make the pine needles shorter.

When to water during the day?

It is especially important to note that in summer, watering should not be done under the midday blazing sun, but should be chosen in the morning or evening; while in the cold winter season, watering should be chosen at noon when the temperature is relatively high, avoiding watering in the morning and evening, so as to prevent the potting soil from freezing.

How to water?

Watering is generally done with a watering can with a rose head. When watering, you must water thoroughly and must not give "half-way water." You should fill the pot mouth with water until it is about to overflow. If the potting soil is higher than the pot mouth, water several times, and after one watering wait for it to fully penetrate before watering the second time.

How to make an ornamental-fruited pear bonsai? Making and caring for an ornamental-fruited pear bonsai

The pear tree has a graceful posture, with white flowers covering the tree in spring and abundant fruit in autumn, with fruit fragrance filling the air, and some varieties have attractive red leaves that people love. The fruit is both ornamental and edible. Because the pear tree has strong adaptability, under potted conditions its roots are twisted and full of variety, slightly exposed above the potting soil, giving a solid feeling, and it is deeply loved by bonsai enthusiasts. Below, the editor of Huinong.com will talk with you about making and caring for an ornamental-fruited pear bonsai.

1. Material selection

(1) Pyrus betulifolia: strong adaptability, well-developed taproot, vigorous growth, salt-alkali tolerant, and strongly compatible with varieties such as sand pear, white pear, European pear and Ussurian pear; it is one of the excellent rootstocks for potting.

(2) Ussurian pear: well-developed root system, very strong adaptability and cold resistance, not easily diseased, and strongly compatible among varieties; it is a good rootstock for cold regions.

(3) Callery pear: relatively shallow root system, strong adaptability, heat tolerant and waterlogging resistant, but relatively poor in cold resistance; it performs well when grafted with European pear and certain white pear varieties, and is the first-choice potted rootstock in China's Yangtze River basin and areas to the south.

(4) Quince: there are three types, A, B and C. Type A has strong compatibility with various varieties, and type C has the strongest dwarfing effect and is the first-choice dwarfing rootstock for European pear.

2. Bonsai styling

Pear trees are suitable for making many different forms of bonsai, such as straight-trunk style, slanted-trunk style, curved-trunk style, double-trunk style, forest style, waterside style and lying-trunk style. Because the leaves are relatively large, the crown mostly adopts a natural shape rather than being wired into pad-like layers. Because pear trees grow vigorously, with a large annual growth amount, and the terminal branches develop vigorously, no matter what form of bonsai it is, methods such as heading back and pinching must be used to control the growth of vigorous branches, so as to make them short and compact.

The large pear fruit is the main ornamental point of its bonsai. When cultivating the crown, the size, quantity and distribution of the fruit should be determined according to the plant's morphology and nutrient reserves, so as to give it a certain variation. Methods such as branch pulling, branch twisting, bending and heading back can be used to adjust branch direction, increase the number of skeletal branches, control vigorous branches, and promote the growth of short branches, so as to cultivate robust fruiting branches, making the bonsai's branches and leaves full and the fruiting moderate. The pear tree's root system is well developed, and roots can be raised as needed to increase the bonsai's mood of vicissitudes and antiquity.

3. Bonsai care

(1) Light

Pear trees like light. If there is insufficient light during the growing season, the branches grow poorly and the flower buds do not plump up, affecting flowering and fruiting. Pear trees have relatively strong cold resistance during dormancy; potted plants can overwinter if placed in a low-temperature indoor room, and in northern regions they can also overwinter if buried in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot.

(2) Watering

Pear trees need a sufficient water supply during the growing period. In the early flowering stage, late flowering stage and early fruit-setting stage, if watering is insufficient, it will affect the fruit-setting rate and the weight gain of the fruit. Many pear varieties bloom but do not bear fruit, especially in pots; if you grow 2 to 3 pots, it is best to use different varieties, and carry out artificial supplementary pollination on the day of flowering or the next day. In mid-to-late June, appropriately controlling water for about 20 days to inhibit new branch growth can also promote the physiological differentiation of flower buds, after which normal watering is resumed. Water less in winter.

(3) Fertilizing

In spring the temperature keeps rising, and the pear tree gradually enters a vigorous growth period, requiring more fertilizer. Apply a relatively dilute decomposed organic liquid fertilizer once every half month, and apply 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate liquid fertilizer 2-3 times about every 15 days.