How to Water Flowers in Cultivation? Analysis of the Correct Methods and Techniques

Flowers cultivated in narrow pots have only a limited amount of soil; they are also placed in sunny, well-ventilated spots, so the water in the potting soil evaporates very easily; if the soil is mixed with a large amount of loose material, drainage is very convenient. For the above three reasons, potting soil dries out very easily. If during the plum rain season and the autumn rainy period there is continuous overcast and rainy weather, making the pots overly damp, then of course there is no need to water. But especially in summer under high-temperature heatwave weather and in the dry period of winter, the amount of water transpiration is large; under such conditions, artificial watering should be used to make up for the lack of moisture and relieve the potted plants' "thirst."

One of the key secrets of potted cultivation is never to cut off water throughout the four seasons, and watering in summer and winter in particular requires special attention. Too much water makes branches and leaves grow leggy; if humidity is too high, it easily causes the roots of potted plants to rot, and in severe cases leads to death. But insufficient water easily damages potted plants; if water is lacking for too long, the plant's cells will shrivel and lose their vitality, and even if a large amount of water is then poured in, it is too late, resulting in wilting and death.

Whether rainwater, river water, well water or tap water, all can be used for watering flower pot plants, but salt-containing brackish water or polluted river water is not suitable. To ensure the quality of the water used, remove the irritating nature of the water quality, and adjust the water temperature, the water should be stored in a vat and used only after 24 hours, which is more appropriate. If it is not stored but used immediately as drawn, water that is too warm or too cold is not very suitable for the plant roots. Every potted plant has its own different water requirement. When watering, fill the pot mouth with water until it is about to overflow. When watering, the principle is: if you do not water, fine; if you water, water thoroughly; water thoroughly and let it drain quickly, so the pot holds no standing water. But for potted plants that like water sprayed on the leaves and dislike damp potting soil, a fine-holed watering can may be used to spray down from above the leaves until the water droplets moisten the potting soil.

Leaf spraying means using a watering can or sprayer to spray water onto the branches and leaves of potted plants, abbreviated as "leaf water." For conifers native to high mountains, such as true juniper, black pine, and five-needle pine, which are often exposed to the moisture of clouds and mist, leaf water is greatly loved; spraying leaf water is indispensable, so from spring to early autumn, regularly spraying leaf water is extremely beneficial to plant growth; plants such as rhododendron, photinia, and tamarisk are all flowers and trees native to high mountains and also like leaf water. However, some flowers and trees, such as pomegranate, crape myrtle, plum, flowering quince, and crabapple, which are broadleaf trees, will instead grow leggy branches and leaves if leaf water is sprayed, affecting the beauty of the tree shape and gradually causing growth to become unbalanced and poor, so they are all unsuitable for leaf spraying. Flowers and trees dug up from mountain wilds, especially true juniper, five-needle pine, black pine, photinia and the like, when planted in coarse pots or heeled in on the ground, must often be sprayed with an appropriate amount of water. But if leaf water is sprayed too much, they instead cannot survive; therefore, spraying also has a certain limit.

As for the relationship between watering and fertilizing, most potted plants usually need fertilizing from sprouting, through elongation and development, to growth, and after flowering into summer. Plants such as pomegranate, rhododendron, banana shrub and citrus are usually given diluted liquid made from fermented human urine, soybean cake, and rapeseed cake juice in place of watering. If more fertilizer is applied, more water should also be given; otherwise, with much fertilizer and little water, the fermentation of the fertilizer will injure the roots and easily cause withering. After the dog days of summer, crumbs of soybean cake and rapeseed cake can be placed on the surface of the potting soil, about two or three spots per pot; when watering, the crumbs gradually dissolve, and part of the fertilizer nutrients can penetrate into the soil for the roots to absorb. This method is the most convenient, can also reduce evaporation and odors, and is well suited to home flower growing, though the fertilizer effect is relatively slow.

Flowering and fruiting plants need the most water when sprouting, while during the fruit-ripening period and the winter dormant period they need little water; thus an artificial method of making them bloom and fruit more has arisen: during the tree's growth period, adjust the degree of dryness and moisture of the potting soil and the air, not too dry and not too wet, always keeping it evenly moist, and the goal can be achieved. Deciduous flowering trees in winter appear to have paused in growth, but their life has not stopped; the roots are still growing, only more slowly, so water is also indispensable in winter. Cacti can be given plenty of water and fertilizer in summer, while in autumn, winter and spring the potting soil needs to be kept often dry. Some people think that potted plum in summer should not be watered at one o'clock in the afternoon, so as to let the potting soil dry and increase flower buds; in fact this is not so, and ordinary watering can also increase flower buds.

For potted flowers, watering diligently in summer while often neglecting it in winter is a common shortcoming among potted-flower growers. When the weather turns cold, people move their cherished potted plants indoors for protection, while leaving ordinary potted plants outdoors without watering them; some neglect watering and often cause them to die of dryness. Plants such as pomegranate, crape myrtle and larch also need water in winter, otherwise they very easily dry up and die. Therefore, where conditions permit, to prevent winter dieback, move potted plants to a warm spot facing south and bury the pots in the soil to overwinter, because the soil contains moisture that can moisten the potting soil; even with little or no watering it does not matter, and in this way the phenomenon of winter dieback caused by dryness can be avoided.

In short, for potted flowering trees, because seasons and species differ, the amounts and methods of fertilizing and watering also differ. Therefore, during the overwintering period, appropriate irrigation must be carried out according to the characteristics of each kind of flowering tree.