Edible Mushroom Cultivation Methods and Flower Watering Techniques for Summer and Autumn

Flowers can generally be divided into three categories: first, sun-loving plants, such as jasmine, Chinese rose, plum blossom, crabapple, pomegranate flower, etc., which are drought-tolerant and sun-loving; second, shade-loving plants, such as orchids, asparagus fern, Japanese ardisia, Acorus gramineus, wax begonia, etc., which are moisture-tolerant and shade-loving, and afraid of dryness. Third, semi-shade-loving plants, such as camellia, azalea, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, etc., which are moisture-tolerant and sun-loving. According to their plant characteristics, in summer and autumn, watering should be the key link to focus on for flowers.

I. Watering flowers in summer.

Summer is the season when most potted flowers grow vigorously, with high evaporation, so they should be watered more appropriately. Indoor flowers should be watered once every 2-3 days, while outdoor ones should be watered once a day. The amount of watering should be treated differently according to different varieties of flowers. Generally, herbaceous flowers need more water than woody flowers, so they should be watered more. Sun-loving plants should be placed in a place with sufficient sunlight, watered adequately, and there should be no standing water in the pot; semi-shade-loving plants, such as camellia, azalea, etc., should be placed in a semi-shady, semi-sunny, well-ventilated place; foliage plants should be shaded. For flowers such as Christmas cactus and wax begonia that have entered a slow growth period or semi-dormant state, the potting soil should preferably be on the dry side, and flowering flowers should also be watered less to avoid knocking off flower buds. In the hot summer, do not fertilize or apply only a little diluted fertilizer water.

II. Watering flowers in autumn.

In autumn, for flowers in a dormant or semi-dormant state, it is still better to control watering and keep the potting soil often on the dry side. For shade-loving or semi-shade-loving flowers, the light duration should be gradually increased as the weather turns cooler, and flowers already in bloom should be watered in time. Watering should preferably be 1-2 times a day, with sufficient water in the morning from 9 to 10 o'clock (relatively less for shade-loving plants), and an appropriate amount of water in the evening. If the weather is stuffy and dry, mist the leaf surfaces in the morning and evening, and at the same time water the ground around the flowers to moisten it.

III. Precautions.

① Water quality for watering. Potted flowers are best watered with soft water, with rainwater being the best, followed by river water and well water, and tap water should be left to stand for a day before use. ② Watering method. Most flowers like spray watering. Spraying water can lower the temperature, increase environmental humidity, reduce plant evaporation, wash dust off leaf surfaces, and improve photosynthesis. Flowers that are often spray-watered have clean branches and leaves, which can improve the ornamental value of the plants, but fully open flowers and flowers with more fuzz should not be sprayed with water. ③ Water temperature. The temperature of the water for watering should not differ greatly from the air temperature at the time. If water with a large temperature difference is suddenly poured, the temperature of the root system and soil will suddenly drop or rise, which will hinder the normal physiological activities of the root system, weaken water absorption, and cause physiological drought. Therefore, watering in summer should be avoided at noon, and watering in the morning and evening is preferable. ④ To judge the water requirement of plants, you need to gradually explore in practice and find the pattern. You must master the amount of watering well. Generally, for potted flowers, master the principle of "wet visible, dry visible," while for woody flowers and cacti, master the principle of "dry thoroughly, wet thoroughly." ⑤ In the heat of summer, do not water flowers with cold water at noon. If cold water is poured at this time, the soil temperature will suddenly drop, and the root hairs will be stimulated by the low temperature, which will immediately hinder the normal absorption of water, thus causing the leaf cells to change from a turgid state to wilting, causing the plant to suffer "physiological drought," with leaves scorching and, in severe cases, causing the death of the whole plant.