How to Water Potted Flowers? A Detailed Guide to the Correct Watering Method

The vast majority of a plant's body is water, with moisture accounting for 75% to 90% of a plant's fresh weight. Potted flowers rely mainly on watering for their water supply, so whether you water correctly is crucial.

Water Quality

Water is divided into hard water and soft water according to its salt content. Potted flowers are best watered with soft water, because the calcium, magnesium and other inorganic salts contained in hard water often harm the normal physiological activities of flowers. Rainwater, river water, lake water, pond water and the like are all called soft water; they are generally weakly acidic or neutral and are suitable for watering flowers.

At present, tap water and deep well water are commonly used for growing flowers, and both are mostly hard water, often containing chloride ions, which are unfavorable to flower growth. If conditions permit, it is best to water with treated purified water; if not, tap water should be poured into a vat and stored for 5 to 7 days before use.

Different plants have different requirements for the pH of water. Under alkaline conditions, the normal physiological activities of most southern flowers are restricted, leading to premature aging and death. For example, camellia, jasmine, gardenia, Aglaia odorata and rhododendron are very sensitive to the pH of soil and water. Black alum can be used to change the pH of water: add 20 g to 50 g of black alum per 5 kg of water, and water with the alum solution once every 15 days.

Water Temperature

The optimum temperature for the growth of most flowers is 20°C to 25°C. Watering with warm water at 20°C to 25°C can accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, promote absorption by root cells, enhance the transport capacity of the roots, supply sufficient nutrients to the branches and leaves, and promote early sprouting, early budding and early blooming of flowers.

The temperature of the water should not differ too much from the air temperature at the time, and the temperature difference between the water and the soil should be kept within 5°C, so that no root damage will occur. If water with a large temperature difference from the soil is suddenly poured on, the temperature of the roots and soil will suddenly drop or rise, which will block the normal physiological activities of the roots, weaken water absorption and cause physiological drought.

Therefore, watering at noon should be avoided in summer, and watering in the morning and evening is preferable. In winter, watering at noon is preferable. In winter, the temperature of tap water is often lower than room temperature, so some warm water can be added when using it, which is beneficial to flower growth.

Watering Methods

Most flowers like to be watered by spraying. Spraying water can lower the surrounding air temperature, increase environmental humidity, reduce plant evaporation, wash dust off the leaf surface and enhance photosynthesis. Flowers that are frequently spray-watered have clean branches and leaves, which can increase their ornamental value, but flowers in full bloom and flowers with abundant fine hairs are not suitable for spraying.

Home flower growing can vary according to the conditions available. If there is no spray bottle, you can also water directly, but you should regularly sprinkle water by hand to rinse the leaf surface, so as to benefit the healthy growth of the plants.