Iris is a huge genus that includes a wide variety of plants that have an “iris” type of flower. Moreover, the biology of these plants is so diverse that it is difficult to suspect they are close relatives.

Of course, every plant lover has seen the usual flowers, often grown in gardens and decorating cities.
In this article I would like to introduce flower growers to much less commonly grown groups of irises - Juno, Iridodiktyum, Regelio-cyclus. These species differ in their biology from rhizomatous irises.
These are spring-flowering plants, many of which bloom exceptionally early.
And since they are mountain plants, well-drained soil is the main condition for their successful cultivation.

Juno

Juno (Juno)- a group of spring-flowering irises with a very unique biology. Juno has a remarkable flower shape, in which the upper lobes of the perianth are reduced and retracted downwards.

The vast majority of junos grow in Central Asia, rising from the foothills to the glaciers of the Tien Shan.
Many of the Junos were described by pioneer explorers of the flora of these places hundreds of years ago. However, up to the present time, discoveries in this Juno reserve are possible (and do occur).

The peculiar exotic beauty of juno immediately attracted the attention of plant lovers. Cultivation attempts have never stopped since their discovery. Yet most of the junos did not become common garden plants. However, several species are grown regularly by nurseries and can be classified as plants that grow well in temperate climates.

Juno hybridization was started by the famous florist Thomas Hogue, who created three hybrids in the late 19th century. This is where the selection stopped, although there are opportunities for its continuation.

Growing junos is akin to collecting jewelry - experienced flower growers who are partial to these plants are keen on it.
There is now a resurgence of interest in Junos due to impressive finds made during Central Asian expeditions (sponsored by the Gothenburg Botanical Garden).

Juno bulbs have perennial roots - at their base there are buds that give life to replacement bulbs.
During all operations with junos, you must try not to break off their roots.

The following types and forms of juno are found in gardening:

- Iris (Juno) aucheri - originally from S.V. Turkey. Beautiful view, has been successfully grown in Europe for a long time, but is somewhat demanding on heat. Therefore, there are years when it may not bloom in open ground.

In the photo: Iris aucheri BLUE STAR; Iris aucheri PURPLE STAR; Iris bucharica

- Iris (Juno) bucharica hort. - Its origin is unknown. It has been cultivated for a very long time. It differs from natural forms in the two-color color of its flowers. One of the most unassuming representatives of Juno, it reproduces well vegetatively and grows successfully even without annual digging.

- Iris (Juno) cycloglossa– this species was found relatively recently (in 1972) in Afghanistan. The most distinctive of all junos, it grows well in Lithuania. It has a branching leafless peduncle. Almost flat flower with very large limb lobes. Propagates vegetatively, usually producing 2 daughter bulbs.

- Iris (Juno) graeberiana - the origin of the species is unknown. Two forms are cultivated, in which the structure and color of the flowers are slightly different. The most common form is with a white spot on the bends of the lower petals of the flower. A rarer form is with a yellow spot on the limbs. I did not observe seed setting in either variety. Perhaps these are interspecific natural hybrids. They are one of the few tall junos that grow well in our open ground. They bloom profusely and annually.

- Iris (Juno) NEW ARGUMENT – a hybrid bred by me. The variety did not get its name by chance. Its appearance confirmed the assumption that the famous Van Tubergen hybrid Iris WARLSIND was most likely the result of accidental pollination of I. warleyensis with pollen from I. bucharica hort, and not from I. aucheri (as previously thought). The hybrid is sterile, grows and reproduces well.

In the photo: Iris hyb. NEW ARGUMENT; Iris magnifica ALBA

- Iris (Juno) magnifica ALBA - the white-flowered form of the species J. magnifica is endemic to the Zeravshan Mountains. The tallest of all junos, in good conditions reaching almost a meter in height. The flowers are large, 7 - 9 pcs., bloom sequentially. The bulb has numerous thick rhizomes that make digging up a difficult job (however, they may not need to be dug up every year). This variety is one of the few that thrives in the garden and is relatively undemanding. As a rule, a mother bulb produces two daughter bulbs every year. It sets seeds well, but seedlings do not always repeat the color of their parents and may have flowers with a bluish tint.

- Iris (Juno) BLUE MYSTERY- obtained as a seedling of I. willmottena. However, the plants turned out to be unusually large for this species and sterile, which clearly indicated their hybrid origin. Their appearance suggests that the parent pair was: I. willmottiana and I. magnifica. Still, this is nothing more than an assumption, which is why the hybrid is called “BLUE SECRET”. A beautiful juno that grows and reproduces well in our climate.

- Iris (Juno) kuschakewiczii - This is the case when miniature does not detract from its advantages. This small diamond of the section comes from the Northwestern spurs of the Tien Shan. The plant is rare in cultivation and difficult. Of course, it will “disappear” in plantings of tall species, but it is irresistible.

- Iris (Juno) nicolai – the species is widespread in the Tien Shan mountains. The earliest of the Junos. It blooms after the snow melts with almost no leaves; they appear later. A huge impression is made by its large, elaborately shaped flower, growing straight from the soil still covered with snow here and there. Plants from different populations of the species differ in flower color. The species is not frost-resistant enough for our climate; plantings of Juno must be insulated with peat.

- Iris (Juno) orchioides - has a wide range in the mountains of Central Asia. Plants from different regions differ in flower height and color. Enough high shape with bright yellow flowers I received from the Alma-Ata Botanical Garden. Grows well in open ground. Heat-loving; blooms better, if the previous summer was warm.

- Iris (Juno) SINDPERS- a famous Van Tubergen hybrid. The plant is not tall, but its flowers are huge, beautifully shaped and very fragrant. Heat-loving, does not like cool, rainy summers, should be planted in a sunny place. If it is possible to grow a plant in a cold greenhouse, then you will fully enjoy its enchanting flowering.

- Iris (Juno) SHOCKING BLUE- selected from seedlings of I. willmotteana. Its flowers are similar to the BLUE MYSTERY variety, but their color is more saturated. Sterile.

- Iris (Juno) vicaria- the species is widespread in the mountains of Central Asia. The flowers are predominantly light, almost white in color. Populations with more or less purple petals are rare. Unpretentious, grows and reproduces well.

- Iris (Juno) warleyensis- one of the most beautiful junos, growing in the western spurs of the Tien Shan (Zerafshan ridge, Kugitang ridge). Plants from different natural populations differ in stem height from 15 to 40 cm. Grows well in open ground. However, it is difficult to achieve abundant flowering, especially if the previous summer was cold. Good results are obtained if the bulbs are not dug up, but after the growing season is over, cover the area from rain with glass or other transparent material. You can also, after digging, place the bulbs in dry sand and warm them in the greenhouse. The species was used by Van Tubergen to create the hybrid WARLSIND. Despite repeated introduction, it is still rare in culture.

- Iris (Juno) WARLSIND is Van Tubergen's tallest hybrid, as is now recognized by I. warleyensis and I. bucharica hort. It grows well in our climate, blooms annually, develops well and reproduces vegetatively.

Iridodictiums IRIDODICTYUM

Iridodictyum- group of graceful bulbous irises blooming in early spring. Interesting are the faceted hollow leaves of iridodictiums, growing vertically. The plant has exactly as many leaves as the number of bulbs that subsequently form. In terms of leaf structure, the only exception in the group is a few species (Central Asian), which have grooved leaves.

In the photo: reticulated irises (Iris reticulata)

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Quite rare shots of the water sparrow - dipper were taken by Igor Mavrin, an employee of the Sokhondinsky Nature Reserve, working at the Bukukun cordon. What makes these photographs unique is that this bird is a rare guest in our area.

Dipper , or common dipper (Cinclus cinclus) - bird passerine order. She is also called water thrush or water sparrow. Bird small size, plumageIt is dark brown and thick. It lives along the banks of fast, clear rivers and streams.

It feeds on aquatic insects and crustaceans, which the dipper collects in shallow water, between stones and under water. The main feature is the ability to swim and dive well even in cold water. Raising its wings, deftly maneuvering in the flow of water, the bird seems to “run” along the bottom. A dipper can remain under water for up to 50 seconds, running up to 20 meters during this time. She is a very careful and sensitive bird.

"Recently I I met a rare bird for our area - the dipper. Its rarity is evidenced by the fact that in the 28 years that I have been living in Zabaykalye, I saw her for the second time“- commented the author of the unique photographs, Igor Mavrin, “and most importantly, I managed to take several photographs of this feathered guest.”

Ivan Sergeevich Sokolov - Mikitov, a Russian writer and traveler, wrote very interestingly about this amazing bird: “You need to be a skilled observer of nature to see the wonderful bird-dipper. If you have to visit deserted forests or mountainous places, look closely and listen carefully. On a clear and fast stream or river, perhaps you will be lucky enough to see a dipper!”

Drought is a long period of insufficient precipitation, which is most dangerous for plants at high temperatures and low air humidity. It is necessary to help plants survive in this difficult time, otherwise their development will stop due to lack of moisture.

The first sign of dehydration in a plant is loss of turgor, limp leaves and buds. If you do not replenish the plant’s water loss at this stage, its leaves and buds will then begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off; soon the process will spread to the entire above-ground part of the plant. As long as the root receives at least a small amount of moisture from the ground, the plant in most cases can still be revived. Drying out the root system means the death of the plant.

It may seem ironic that living in the UK one could complain about the prolonged lack of rainfall, given that old Britain is famous for its rainy climate. However, the south-east of England, where we live, is probably the driest place in the country - droughts happen quite often here. In the winters of 2004-2006. there was a lack of rain that broke all records since 1933!

According to information BBC Weather, since November 2004 we have only had 72% of our average rainfall. By the beginning of July 2006, there had been a drought for about three weeks: virtually a complete absence of rain with air temperatures above 30 degrees during the day and 15-17 at night. It will be possible to fully assess the damage from the drought only next year if it affects the flowering of azaleas and rhododendrons, which are laying next year’s buds at this time.

The dry start to the 2006 season inspired the design of the 2006 Chelsea Gardens to introduce a drought theme. Interesting element in African garden (GardenAfrica): the beds are arranged in a spiral at a slope. When watering, water flows from top to bottom along the boundary and collects in the center of the spiral, where the most moisture-loving plants are located

A garden that is not afraid of drought

Of course, the negative impact of drought on plants in general is determined by several factors: the duration of the drought, air temperature and wind strength during this period, the ability to access water and the availability of the necessary human resources. However, if we keep in mind the possibility of drought even during strategic planning garden and plantings, then you can initially take measures that will help the plants survive in drought, and save labor and time for the owners.

> Try to sow and plant new plants in the spring or fall, when there is sufficient rainfall for the plants to take root and become established. On the other hand, remember that in general, plants in containers are more vulnerable to drought than plants in the open ground. Therefore, if a new plant from a garden center somehow needs to be transplanted into the garden, I would transplant it in the summer in the heat, making sure to provide regular, abundant watering and protection from direct sunlight at first.

> When planting and replanting plants, dig a deeper hole in the soil and be sure to add leaf humus or garden compost to it, which improve the structure and composition of the soil, allow moisture to freely penetrate to the roots and retain it there for a long time.

> Use special moisture-retaining granules or gel, which are abundantly saturated with water during watering, and then gradually release this water to the roots. These products should be mixed with the soil when planting or replanting plants. They are especially important for plants in containers.

> Be sure to use mulch on flower borders, around shrubs and trees, and on the surface of pots and baskets containing plants. Mulch should be spread in the spring - after it has established warm weather, and the earth will warm up and be saturated with moisture. As mulching materials, you can use crushed tree bark, sawdust, shavings, pine needles, gravel, the same garden compost or special synthetic garden material. The choice of mulch depends on the type of plant (for example, bark, sawdust and pine needles acidify the soil, so they are good to spread under hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and other acetophila). Mulching plants allows moisture to penetrate the soil during rains or waterings, but makes it difficult to evaporate, and also suppresses the growth of weeds.

> Promptly remove weeds that will fiercely compete with “cultivated” plants during drought. Weeds are easier to remove when they first emerge from the ground.

> Plant adjacent plants closely, leaving only the space between them necessary for root development. Plant leaves that close together reduce moisture evaporation and soil drying out.

> If you, like me, live in a region with frequent droughts, then take this into account when placing plants in sunny and shady areas of the garden. Give preference to drought-tolerant plants. Often such plants have silvery foliage, needles or thick leaves. Ornamental drought-resistant plants include: chickweed, wormwood, eryngium, lavender, santolina, cistus, poppy, spurge, yarrow, iris, echinacea, acanthus, bergenia, etc.
Do not require watering, for example, meadow flowers, succulents and ornamental grasses, aromatic plants, pumpkin, corn.

Watering plants in drought conditions

The ideal time for regular, scheduled watering is a windless late evening, when the heat has subsided, a cool night lies ahead, and moisture evaporation is minimal. It is permissible to water in the early morning, before the heat sets in. However, if the plant looks dehydrated on a hot day, it should be watered immediately, avoiding getting water on the leaves to avoid sunburn.
If you use an automatic watering system, remember to reset the timer according to changing weather conditions - this will give your plants more of the moisture they need during dry periods.

In hot weather, plants in containers should be watered twice a day: early in the morning and late in the evening. Place the pots on deep trays or in planters that can hold at least some water. If you do not have the opportunity to provide regular watering to container plants, then it is better to move them to the shade.
Plants in greenhouses and greenhouses can suffer from overheating during a heat wave, because the temperature indoors behind glass rises much higher than in an open space. Remember to open the greenhouse doors and windows all the way on hot days and use fans (if available).
Use sprinklers to water new grass crops or newly laid turf daily. Place an open glass container in the sprayer's coverage area and stop watering when it contains water to a level of 13 mm (less amount will not be beneficial, and more will be wasted).

How to save water and effort

Due to lack of rain and dangerously low levels of drinking water reserves, during the drought we introduced an official ban on watering private gardens tap water from hoses. Theoretically, at this stage we have no restrictions on the use of tap water for irrigation (however, they may arise later if the drought continues and water supplies disappear, then more stringent rules will come into force). However, in practice, the need to use a watering can instead of a hose itself imposes these limitations, because the cost of time and effort for watering the garden increases many times over. Then you have to make a very tough choice: which plants need to be watered today, otherwise they may be almost completely dehydrated by tomorrow.

If you have similar or any other restrictions, and watering abundantly and efficiently is not possible, you may need several simple methods that I use to save water, labor and time:

> Before watering your plants, determine your priorities and stick to them clearly. Watering is vital for seedlings, young plants just planted outdoors, plants in containers (especially small ones), plants in greenhouses, fresh grass seedings, newly laid turf rolls and moisture-loving plants (for example, coastal or marsh plants). These plants will die without water.

In second place may be plants that will not bloom if there is a lack of water, or fruit crops that will not be able to bear fruit successfully without watering (or any other plants, depending on your goals).

Watering is more necessary for plants on light, sandy soils, which dry out faster than heavy, clay soils.

> Abundant and rare watering is preferable to sparing and frequent watering. The fact is that a small amount of water penetrates only into the top layer of soil, promoting the development of weak, high-lying roots, which are the first to suffer from drying out of the soil or frost. Developing a strong, deep root system that can support the plant in harsh weather conditions requires water to penetrate deep into the soil around the plant. The correct depth of soil moisture when watering is about 60 cm.

> If you are planning to purchase and use a watering system in your garden, invest in a modern drip or trickle system (instead of a traditional sprinkler system). The water delivered by such systems appears at the right time (late evening or even when you are not at home) thanks to a timer on the tap, reaches the plant roots exactly as intended and is absorbed to the last drop, without being wasted on watering neighboring weeds.

> Before watering, loosen the soil around the plant and make a small hole so that the plant is in the middle of the depression. All the water after watering will remain in this hole and, as it is absorbed, will flow to the roots of the plant, and will not spread over the dry soil. In the fall, with the arrival of rains, you can hill up the plant by leveling the hole with the ground level to prevent stagnation of water at the roots. The rest of the time, if possible, try not to disturb the soil during the dry season: any loosening promotes additional evaporation of moisture from the soil.

> Remove the shower head from the watering can (or hose) and water the plant right to the root - then all the water will go to its intended destination and will not spread around the plant.

> To water plants in containers, I use a large, wide container filled with water, in which I place pots and hanging baskets in turn for a while. Thus, all the soil in the container gets wet through, and the plants receive a large amount of moisture. This is also an excellent way to urgently resuscitate already damaged plants with a dried out earthen ball, for which ordinary watering is completely useless. This method of moisturizing is not harmful even in the hottest hours, because water does not fall on the leaves of the plants.

From time to time, water from the container can be poured under some bush, because a significant amount has accumulated in it. useful substances from the soil of container plants.

> Find an opportunity to use so-called “recycled” water (remaining after washing, cleaning, washing dishes or showering) to water ornamental plants, trees and shrubs. To do this, you may need to change your home's drainage system. Recycled water, along with residual household detergents, contains a lot of phosphates, which your plants will enjoy as a good fertilizer.

Remember that the water from the dishwasher and washing machine should be cooled to room temperature before watering the plants. It is advisable to use environmentally friendly, biodegradable detergents. Do not use water with residues of bleach, bleaches, disinfectants or other strong chemicals for watering plants.

> Purchase and install special barrels in the garden to collect rainwater. Such barrels are directly connected to a pipe into which water flows from gutters located around the perimeter of the roof of a house or greenhouse. The barrels are installed on a raised platform so that you can place a watering can under the opening tap (or attach a hose to it). You can use the water accumulated in the barrels to water your plants as needed.

Lavender English (England)
COUNTRY LIVING (CountrysideLiving.net)

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Among the other species in your collection, be sure to ask what variety it belongs to and find information about the features of home care - including how to water properly new "green pet".

Below you will find practical recommendations, which will help you properly water most popular types of houseplants. We will consider such issues as choosing dishes for watering flowers, what kind of water to water flowers, frequency of watering, signs of lack of moisture, watering methods, how to water orchids and others houseplants during your vacation.

♦ DISHES FOR WATERING INDOORS FLOWERS:

watering can with a long spout. Practical equipment - the long spout can easily be directed through the thick crown, under the lower leaves or directly under the root rosette, so as not to drip water onto the delicate leaves of the flower. Very convenient equipment for watering plants in phytowalls or phytomodules (vertical gardening);

flask. A special device with an elongated tip and a spherical water container. Such equipment can be a great help when you need to leave for a long time. It is enough to fill the container with water and stick the nose of the flask into the soil, which will gradually become saturated with moisture as it dries;

sprayer for spraying. By spraying with water from a spray bottle, you can provide additional moisture through the upper parts of the plant. This method will help you preserve the decorative qualities of the plant in the summer heat or during the heating season, when the humidity level in the room is very low;

tray with water. An excellent way to additionally moisten the soil in a pot if the air in the room is too dry. It is advisable to place the flower pot not directly in water, but on wet expanded clay or on pebbles in a tray.

♦ WATER FOR WATERING INDOOR FLOWERS:

rain, river, pond water. Some gardeners prefer to water indoor plants with melt and rain water. Flowers respond well to watering with soft water from natural sources. But it is necessary to disinfect the water, add a few pieces of charcoal;

tap water. Most residents of megacities water their flowers with tap water. But it is important to remember that chlorinated tap water with slightly soluble calcium salts is very hard. Be sure to let this water sit for at least 24 hours (or better yet, several days) before watering the flowers, and pour out the residue from the very bottom. Water your plants with water at room temperature or lukewarm.

- in the photo: signs of lack and excess of water

♦ FREQUENCY OF WATERING INDOORS FLOWERS:

❂ most indoor plants like regular and even watering to keep the substrate in a moderately moist state. If a period of abundant soil moisture abruptly gives way to a period insufficient hydration, then the flower begins to wither and may die;

❂ in winter, the growth and development processes of many indoor plants slow down (or stop altogether). The need for water with dissolved nutrients is significantly reduced and the plant needs to be watered much less frequently (or not at all). And in the spring-summer period, with an increase in the duration of sunlight and an increase in temperature, the frequency of watering increases to 1-3 times a week;

❂ plants with large and wide leaves are watered more often (ficus benjamin and rubber, anthurium Andre, spathiphyllum, house begonia, gloxinia sinningia, gardenia jasmine, gerbera, balsam, schefflera, dieffenbachia). Bulbous species should be watered moderately and less frequently, since waterlogging can lead to rotting of the root system (hippeastrum, clivia, amaryllis, calla zantedeschia, oxalis oxalis, hyacinths, eucharis Amazon lily). Most types of potted orchids (phalaenopsis, dendrobium nobile) are watered no more than once a week in winter and no more than twice a week in summer. Eat indoor views that easily tolerate long breaks between waterings (succulent species - money tree crassula, aloe vera or agave, triangular euphorbia, zygocactus decembrist, as well as species such as Kalanchoe Blossfeld, chlorophytum, "mother-in-law's tongue" or sansevieria);

❂ ceramic (clay) pots have a good porous structure, circulation and evaporation of moisture occurs more actively. But plastic pots retain water well in the substrate. Therefore, it is necessary to water a flower placed in a ceramic pot more often than in a plastic one.

In the photo: rare, moderate and abundant watering

♦ WAYS OF WATERING HOUSEPLANTS:

❀ top watering. To water a flower from above, it is advisable to use a special container with a long spout (watering can, flask). It is advisable to point the spout closer to the stem so that water does not fall on the leaves. If the plant has a developed leaf rosette, try to direct the stream of water under it so that the water does not stagnate. Water the plant evenly, in small portions, so that the water does not stagnate on the top layer of soil. Pour out any water that flows into the pan. This is a universal way to water indoor species. The disadvantage of this method is that useful substances and substrate are quickly washed out. Therefore, do not forget to feed the plants on time.

❀ bottom watering. Some types of decorative foliage plants lose their attractiveness if drops of water fall on the leaves (yellowish or black spots appear, the leaf blade is deformed). Therefore, the tray is filled with water for irrigation. Within 30-40 minutes, the substrate is moistened to the top layer and the entire excess water the pan needs to be drained. The disadvantage of this method is that mineral salts are not washed out; on the contrary, they remain in the soil for a long time. If a lime crust appears on the surface of the soil, carefully remove it along with top layer by adding fresh substrate.

❀ immersion of the pot in water. A very good method of moistening, allowing the soil to be completely saturated with water. Place the flower pot in a container of water so that water does not flow into the substrate through the edges of the pot. Water will quickly saturate all layers of the substrate through the drainage holes. Then place the pot on a wire rack to allow any excess water to drain freely. It is not advisable to use this method of moistening during the flowering period of the plant, when moving the pot can cause the buds and petals to fall off.

- tables with factors influencing the abundance and frequency of watering

♦ WATERING HOUSEPLANTS DURING VACATION:

√ vacation up to two weeks.

We moisten the soil abundantly by immersing each pot in water;

☛ plants with small fleshy leaves, those in a dormant period, those in a cool room with high humidity, grown in plastic or glass containers;

☛ if tap water contains too much lime, then it is advisable to pass it through a special filter in order to use soft water for irrigation;

☛ never use cold water for irrigation, as this can lead to the gradual death of peripheral roots and the appearance of viral and fungal diseases;

☛ the most ideal time for watering most indoor species is early morning (at sunrise);

☛ in hot weather summer days and during heating it is necessary to spray the plants with a spray bottle. You can place a container of water next to the plants to further humidify the air.

♦ HOW TO WATER AN ORCHID AT HOME:

❶ You can water orchids only with warm, settled, soft water. It is advisable to water rare collectible and whimsical indoor orchid species with diluted distilled water. Mix settled water of medium hardness with distilled water in a 1:1 ratio. Mix too hard water with distilled water in a 1:2 ratio;

❷ if the orchid does not have bulbs, then water it after the substrate has completely dried and the lower leaves begin to lose turgor and wrinkle. If the orchid has bulbs, then water the flower after the bulbs begin to wrinkle a little;

❸ during flowering, most popular domestic varieties (phalaenopsis, dendrobium nobile) are watered very sparingly 2-3 times a week. Make sure that water never stagnate in the pot around the roots and flows freely from the drainage holes;

❹ The best way watering an orchid in the summer - soaking the pot in warm, settled water for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to ensure that the water completely drains out of the holes in the bottom of the pot after soaking;

❺ how often to water an orchid at home. Complete drying of the soil is much safer for the root system than overwatering. Most species can be watered with frequency, which is determined as follows: as soon as the substrate is completely dry, the next day in the morning you can water the flower moderately. But do not forget that the frequency of watering also depends on the following factors: the type of orchid, the growing season or dormant period, humidity and temperature in the room, soil composition, pot (volume, what material it is made of).

♦ VIDEO:

How to properly moisten the soil in a pot (using the example of indoor begonia):
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ALSO FIND OUT...

Plants require water for normal growth and development, although the amount varies significantly depending on the type of plant.

As a rule, water is absorbed by the roots from the substrate, although epiphytic plants absorb it with their leaves to a greater extent than with their roots. Evaporation of moisture occurs from the entire above-ground surface of the plant, mainly from the surface of the leaves. As a result, a suction force is created, due to which water is constantly absorbed from the soil. Therefore, the substrate must always contain enough moisture to meet the needs of the plant.

But the roots also need air in the gaps between the substrate particles. If these voids are filled with water, the roots will rot and the plant will die.

That's why watering indoor plants- a delicate question, since these plants have very little soil around the roots.

More plants die from waterlogged soil than from any other cause.

Dishes for watering indoor plants.

Most needed equipment for watering indoor plants - This watering can with long spout , although many devices have been invented to determine the need for watering of a plant or to carry it out when the owner is not at home.

If you put a sieve on the spout, you can wash away the dust from the leaves, for which you need to use soft water; hard water leaves limescale stains on them.

Some indoor plants that require very moist soil (for example, cyperus), instead of watering, can be placed in tray with water , so that the water reaches ground level. If the pan is wide enough, the constant evaporation of water from it will create a more humid atmosphere.

To increase humidity use manual sprayer .

How often to water indoor plants?

Each plant has its own water requirements. That, how often to water indoor plants, depends on many factors. Watering frequency - the value is not constant; it depends on the size of the plant, the size of the pot, environmental conditions and especially the time of year . Therefore, you must be guided by your observations.

In our rooms, plants from deserts, swamps, and plants from climates with variable humidity found shelter. Accordingly, they are watered differently.

Often, when they see wilted leaves, they begin to water the plant more abundantly. This is not entirely correct, since there are many reasons for withering. Feel the soil in the pot: if it is dry, the plant really needs to be watered, but if the soil is damp, wilting may be due to overwatering. At the same time, the roots, not receiving enough oxygen, gradually die off, then putrefactive bacteria settle on them, and the plant begins to hurt. Watering should be reduced. Let the roots breathe, let the plant take a break from the water.

Wilting is also caused by pests or pathogens. And in this case, watering must be reduced.

Wilting of the leaves of indoor plants can occur under the influence of sunlight, on the first clear day after long cloudy weather. And before you commit the sin of improper watering, you should eliminate other mistakes that give a similar reaction to your indoor plant.

Do not turn watering into a regular ritual that occurs, for example, every Sunday. The correct period of time between watering varies for each plant - balsam may require daily watering in the summer, but the astrophytum cactus does not need water at all in winter.

The soil in pots should, as a rule, be kept moderately moist. Sudden transitions from a lack of moisture to its excess should not be allowed. This means that watering should be regular and even. The water needs of indoor plants are determined by their specific characteristics: the structure of above-ground organs, the power of the root system, etc.

The interval between watering varies from plant to plant depending on the season and changes in growing conditions.

Araucaria

Plants with succulent, fleshy leaves (such as agave, aloe, etc.) require less water than plants with large leaves that sometimes need to be watered twice a day.

A newly rooted cutting requires much less water than a mature plant.

Excess moisture is harmful for bulbous plants. It is best to water them by directing the stream of water not at the bulb, but closer to the walls of the pot, or water from a tray.

There are plants that are very sensitive to lack of moisture, such as araucaria. When its branches begin to droop, no amount of watering will help.

In winter, during the dormant period, the growth of indoor plants slows down or stops; at this time, indoor plants need less water and water them much less frequently, sometimes up to 2-3 times a month; waterlogging of the soil should be avoided.

On the contrary, in spring and summer, when a houseplant has a period of growth and flowering, watering is needed more often (perhaps from one to three times a week). With slight drying out, young shoots of indoor plants, buds and flowers may suffer.

The need for water increases with increasing temperature and increasing light intensity. Plants in small containers and those that have not been repotted in a while will require more frequent watering than plants in larger containers or those that have just been repotted. Plants in ceramic pots should be watered more often than those in plastic pots; Plants in double pots require less frequent watering.

There is a golden rule for watering indoor plants - it is better to water less and more often than less often and a lot.

Water for watering indoor plants.

It is recommended to water indoor plants only with soft water - rain, river or pond. The most common is rainwater. The leaves of most plants are accustomed to this kind of water, so it is best suited for spraying.

Hard water (including well water) containing various salts should be avoided.

The main element whose content must be taken into account when watering is calcium. It enters water as it passes through limestone, chalk, dolomite, gypsum and other calcareous rocks. At the same time, the water becomes hard (it does not form soap suds well). Water hardness causes the formation of scale on the walls of kettles and deposits on water taps and pipes.

Exactly the same coating of poorly soluble calcium salts is formed when watering plants with hard water. Remember that not all plants can tolerate increased calcium concentrations.

Of course, this element is necessary for the normal life of any plant. However, you apply other fertilizers only from time to time, and calcium with each watering.

Those indoor plants that grow on calcareous soils tolerate watering well with hard water.

But, given the state of our ecology, the pollution of natural bodies of water, as well as the possible contamination of rainwater by industrial emissions (if you live in an industrial area or not far from it), watering indoor plants with tap water is not such a bad solution.

However, before watering indoor plants, chlorinated tap water must be left to stand for at least a day so that the chlorine has time to evaporate.

Do not use every last drop of settled water. If sediment has formed at the bottom, it will be better for the plants if it does not fall into the pot.

The water temperature for watering indoor plants should be at least not lower than room temperature. This rule is especially important when watering tropical indoor plants. It is recommended to water cacti with warmer water. Watering indoor plants with cold water can cause root rot, bud drop, and even plant death.

On the contrary, watering indoor plants in a cold room with warm water is also not advisable, because this will cause the indoor plant to grow prematurely.

Proper watering of indoor plants.

For most plants, the substrate should be kept slightly moist during the growth period. Water the plant until water begins to seep through the pot's drainage holes.

Leave the plant for 10 - 30 minutes and then drain the water that remains on the tray. Do not re-water until the surface of the substrate is dry to the touch: the surface of the substrate dries first, but the substrate itself is still moist inside.

Warmer conditions require more frequent watering.

In winter, most plants should limit the amount of moisture they receive. During this period, growth slows or stops altogether, so the roots require less water and are more prone to rot in cool conditions.

Some species require frequent watering and should not be allowed to dry out; and a plant such as cyperus has adapted to the constant presence of its roots in water.

Some plants, such as cacti, prefer dry conditions and need only a small amount of moisture.

How to water indoor plants correctly?

Methods for watering indoor plants.

The most traditional and easiest way to water is from above. The surface of the substrate is moistened using a watering can. The soil should not be washed away with a sharp stream; it is better to water it in small portions so that the water does not stagnate, flooding the bases of leaves and stems. It is not advisable to spray water on the leaves when watering. It is best to use a watering can with a long spout for this.

The appearance of water in the pan is a sign that the plant is watered enough. Wait until all excess moisture has collected in the pan and then drain it. With this method of watering, the mineral salts necessary for plant growth are quickly washed out of the pot. To compensate for this loss, feed the plants regularly, especially during the growing season.

However, many plants, such as cyclamens, do not like water splashing on their leaves, which causes them to rot. In this case, bottom watering is used. When bottom watering, water is poured directly into the tray. Due to capillary forces, water rises up the substrate and evaporates from the surface. After 30 minutes, excess water must be drained from the pan.

Bottom watering can also be used if the lump of earth is very dry and a gap has formed between the wall of the pot and the soil. When watering from above, the water quickly flows into the tray without moistening the substrate, and only by lowering the pot into the water is good wetting achieved.

Bottom watering, compared to top watering, has the opposite disadvantage: salts accumulate in excessive quantities in the pot. One sign of this is the formation of a lime crust on the soil. This crust can serve as a source of infection for plants; in addition, the roots of many plants are damaged by excess salts. The crust is removed with the top layer of soil 1.5 - 2 cm and a new substrate is poured into the pot.

If the substrate dries out too much, place the pot up to the brim in a container of water and leave until completely moistened, but do not allow the water to overflow over the top of the pot. Allow the water to drain thoroughly before placing the plant on the tray.

By “bathing” the pot in water, Saintpaulias, cyclamens and all other plants that do not tolerate water on the leaves are watered.

When bottom watering, do not forget to feed the plants. However, shortly before feeding, wash the earthen ball by watering from above or repeatedly lowering the pot into water.

Types of watering indoor plants.

Rare watering of indoor plants.

Houseplants are left dry for several days, weeks, months. Rare watering is suitable for cacti and succulents, as well as deciduous tuberous and bulbous indoor plants that have a dormant period (crinum, gloxinia, hippeastrum, caladium).

1. Allow the substrate to dry half to two-thirds before watering. Check the moisture content of the substrate with a stick.

2. Water the plant from above - the water should be absorbed into the substrate, but not flow out onto the tray.

3. Check the wetness of the substrate again with a stick, add a little more water if necessary.

Moderate watering of indoor plants.

Indoor plants are not watered immediately after the earthen ball dries out, but after one or two days, that is, when the soil in the pot dries out.

Moderate watering is used for indoor plants with fleshy or heavily pubescent stems and leaves (paperomia, columnea), with thick roots and rhizomes (palms, dracaenas, aspidistra, aroids), as well as with water-bearing tubers on the roots (asparagus, chlorophytum, arrowroot) and bulbous plants .

For some types of indoor plants, light drying is a prerequisite during the dormant period, as it stimulates the formation and maturation of flower buds (zygocactus, clivia).

1. Allow the top 13mm of substrate to dry before watering. Check hydration by touch.

2. Water the plant from above until the entire substrate is completely moistened, but not wet.

3. If some water leaks into the pan, drain it and stop watering. Do not let the plant stand in water.

Without watering your garden and vegetable garden, fruit trees and other crops will not produce the harvest you expected, and in dry seasons they will even die. There are several ways to water a garden, and before you resort to one of them or use a whole complex, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of watering.

Norms for watering plants in the garden and vegetable garden

Watering the garden in summer, spring and autumn is a difficult but necessary task. Therefore, irrigation installations must be simple to manufacture, reliable and safe to maintain.

Small industrially produced sprinkler nozzles greatly facilitate the work of watering. The nozzle is inserted into a hose, which is secured vertically with wire or a clamp on a pole stuck into the ground. When fed into the hose, water sprays, moistening the soil. Having finished watering one area, the hose and pole are moved to another place, and the process is repeated.

You can run a pipeline with vertical pipes, attaching a nozzle to each, and, opening the valve, water the entire area at once. Pipe irrigation is often used. In this case, pipes with holes are laid in the garden. Water supplied under pressure through holes enters furrows dug to a depth of 20–30 cm near the plants at a distance of 0.5–1 m from their trunks (depending on age).

According to the need for water, fruit crops can be arranged as follows (from more demanding to less demanding): quince, apple tree, pear, plum, Walnut, sweet cherry, cherry, peach, apricot.

Watering of orchards is carried out taking into account the phases of the growing season of fruit plants. Before flowering begins, there is usually enough moisture accumulated in the soil during the winter.

During the flowering period, gardens are watered if the soil is dry and flowering is abundant.

In June–July, the garden usually requires watering if the rainfall is insufficient. Water during this period is required for the growth of shoots, fruits and the formation of fruit buds.

During the summer, it is recommended to water fruit-bearing gardens in case of insufficient rainfall five to six times in the southern regions and 3–4 times in the north, and young plantings – 3–4 times more often. With a high yield and sufficient amounts of fertilizer, the number of waterings should be increased.

Garden watering rates depend on the age of the plants, soil composition, crop size, etc. It is believed that for a garden area of ​​5 acres (0.05 hectares) an average of 15–30 m3 of water is required per irrigation. 1–2 days after each watering it is necessary to loosen the soil. If the soil is mulched, the number of waterings can be halved.

The amount of water available to plants depends on many factors. Including the type and depth of the soil, the depth of the root system, the rate of water loss through evaporation, the temperature and the rate of moisture entering the soil.

The rate of water extraction from the soil is a function of root concentration. The deeper the root system, the lower the speed. More than 40% of the water is extracted from the upper root layer.

The water entering the soil moves at the speed at which the field moisture capacity is created. The movement of water in the soil from bottom to top is carried out by capillary forces. Loss of water through evaporation affects only the top layers of soil. During periods of prolonged drought, it is easy to recognize plants with a shallow root system.

Correct watering time is especially important for the development of vegetable crops and obtaining maximum yield. In addition, watering standards must be observed. For example, for water to penetrate to the root system, it is not enough to simply wet the soil surface. According to the observations of experts, a 3-centimeter layer of water penetrates the soil to a depth of 25 cm. To wet an area of ​​0.5 hectares to such a depth, 130,000 liters of water should be spent. During prolonged drought, frequent minor watering does not benefit the plants, since the water does not reach the main volume of the root system, and a hard crust appears on the ground. At the same time, plants form superficial lateral roots, which also suffer during prolonged dry weather.

Sandy soils dry out much faster than clay ones and require more frequent watering. To find out how things are with soil moisture in the area, you need to dig a hole 20-30 cm deep with a scoop. If the soil at such a depth is slightly wet or dry, you should water it immediately.

Vegetable crops require the most moisture during intensive growth, that is, from late spring to mid-summer, when plant development is determined precisely by the water supply. In late summer, excess moisture can harm some crops. For example, melons and watermelons are not watered during the ripening period. Tomatoes can also crack from excess moisture before they have time to turn red. But still, for most plants, watering rates are determined at the rate of 10-15 l/m2 per week. Watering norms for ornamental crops are close to those for vegetables.

The main amount of water is absorbed by plants in spring and summer. Particular attention should be paid to watering when planting trees and shrubs so that the soil fits tightly around their roots. Plants in open ground in summer are susceptible to natural drying under the influence of sunlight, although they receive enough moisture from winter precipitation. It is interesting that a layer of rainwater of 1 mm gives 10 m3 per 1 hectare, that is, 10 tons. Snow cover 40 cm thick - 1000 tons of water per 1 hectare, or 100 liters per 1 m2. It is necessary to ensure that the soil near walls, fences and under trees receives full moisture, since there are certain difficulties when watering in these places. Plants in pots and tubs dry out quickly and require regular watering in summer.

How to properly water fruit trees and video of watering a garden

Lack of water adversely affects the growth, fruiting and winter hardiness of fruit trees. But excess moisture is even more destructive for them. In waterlogged soil, gas exchange decreases, vital microbiological processes slow down, and the temperature in the habitat of the root system decreases, which can lead to the death of some roots. Frequent watering, when only the surface layer of soil is moistened, is also harmful for fruit trees. This only causes harm because it interferes with free air exchange. Watering fruit trees should be done to a depth of 60-80 cm. To determine the water supply of the soil, you need to dig a hole with a scoop to a depth of 40-50 cm, take a handful of soil and squeeze it tightly. If it retains its shape, then the humidity is normal, and if the soil crumbles in the palm of your hand, watering is required. True, for sandy soil this method is less indicative.

Before properly watering fruit trees, you need to determine when to do it. Under one of the trees, when planting, at a depth of 1–1.5 m, a plastic vessel is buried, half filled with gravel, and then with soil from the surface of the site. The vessel is connected using a hose to another one buried nearby at the same level. A bottle with a capacity of 20 liters is stuck into the ground above it, neck down. Two tubes are passed through the stopper of the bottle: atmospheric air enters one, and the other is lowered into a second plastic vessel.

As the tree consumes moisture, its amount in the first vessel will begin to decrease, and water from the bottle will flow into the second vessel. To know exactly when to start watering, a critical level mark is made on the wall of the bottle. The soil layer in the garden must be moistened to the depth of the vital activity of the root system, for which 600–1000 m3 of water should be consumed per 1 hectare with one-time watering. If we talk about watering each tree, then for a 3-5 year old specimen, one-time watering should be 5-8 buckets, for a 7-10 year old tree - 12-15 buckets, and older trees are watered even more abundantly. For example, with a crown diameter of 3 m, an apple tree requires 20 buckets of water during the first spring watering and 30-35 buckets during the second.

How to water the garden taking into account the composition of the soil? With light sandy soils, more frequent watering is required, but with a lower rate of water consumption; with heavy clay soils - rare, but abundant.

Here you can watch a video of watering a garden using the most common method:

Proper watering of vegetable crops

If there is a lack of moisture in the soil, the growth of cultivated crops stops, and water evaporates through the leaves and from the surface of the soil around the plants.

On a hot day, moisture evaporation can reach 5 l/m2. But this does not mean that vegetable crops need to be watered every day; excessive moisture, as already mentioned, can also inhibit growth.

For seed germination and normal development of seedlings, a lot of water is required, but exactly how much depends not only on weather conditions, but also on the type of crop. Leafy vegetables whose leaves or shoots are eaten (cauliflower and cabbage) respond well to frequent, regular watering, starting from the germination phase. The optimal weekly norm during dry periods during the growing season is 10-15 l/m2.

In crops such as peas and beans, excessive soil moisture at the beginning of the growing season can cause increased leaf growth to the detriment of fruit development. In this case, during the germination phase there is no need for artificial irrigation (except for the drought period), but during flowering and the beginning of fruit formation, watering is required 1–2 times a week at a water consumption of 5–10 l/m2.

According to the rules for watering plants in the garden, it is best to irrigate vegetable crops in the evening or morning hours. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is moistened to a greater depth.

When watering vegetable crops, splashing water over the surface often leads to excessive evaporation, and the moisture does not even have time to reach the root system of the plants.

At the same time, evening watering can lead to the development of some diseases of vegetable crops, since the soil may not dry out until the morning.

To avoid the need for constant watering, moisture-retaining measures should be taken.

On those soils that poorly retain water, deep digging is recommended, which helps to increase the thickness of the root layer and, as a result, the water reserves available to plants. The most effective way to preserve moisture is to add manure, compost, peat, and humus to the soil. All organic matter should be thoroughly mixed into the soil.

In order to save moisture, it is important to destroy weeds in time, at the very beginning of their growth. The row spacing and distance between plants in a row are also important in determining the watering rate. The optimal feeding areas for various vegetable plants are established experimentally.

To reduce water loss from the soil surface, mulching crops with compost or rotted leaves is very effective. Mulching material must be spread after rain or watering.

To avoid compaction of the top layer of soil, it must be thoroughly loosened before mulching. In addition, mulch also prevents the growth of weeds. And if they do appear, it is easier to pull them out of the loose substrate.

A certain amount of water is required for seed germination, so the soil must be moist when sowing. It is usually watered 1-2 days in advance. In this case, a favorable water-air regime is formed in the soil for the emergence of seedlings. You can water the furrows just before sowing, spending 0.6–0.8 liters per linear meter.

After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, they need to be watered. Before rooting, water consumption per plant should be 0.1 liters per day, provided the soil is thoroughly mulched.

For proper watering For vegetable crops, it is best to moisten not the entire bed, but only the root zone. In large areas, such watering is uneconomical; in this case, it is recommended to use sprinklers and moisten the soil daily, although this can result in excessive water consumption.

Types of watering plants in the garden

There are 4 main types of plant watering: surface, sprinkling, subsurface and trickle. With surface irrigation, water is distributed over the surface of the soil.

When sprinkling under pressure, water is sprayed in the form of rain. With subsoil irrigation, it enters the root system of the plant, passing over the impermeable soil layer. With trickle irrigation, water rises under pressure through thin pipes to individual plants.

The simplest type of watering a garden is with a watering can. This garden tool is available for sale in several types of different volumes, but on the site it is more advisable to use a 10-liter watering can. Larger capacity watering cans are difficult to use, while smaller ones require frequent refilling.

The watering can should have a comfortable handle and a long spout. Most watering cans are equipped with nozzles with fine holes or a mesh, which are used when watering seeds and seedlings. They start it from one side, carry the watering can over the seedlings, trying to maintain a constant water pressure.

All gardeners know this method of moistening the soil on a site, such as watering from a hose, which is connected to a water tap or a drain tap from a container. When using a hose, you must ensure that the stream of water does not erode the soil or expose plant roots.

How to properly water plants in the garden using a hose? When watering vegetable crops, it is necessary to direct the hose between the rows to ensure rapid flow of water to the root system of the plants. The hose should not twist at the bends, then it will remain elastic for several years. Hoses with nylon braid are considered the most durable.

Many people use hoses for watering, equipped with holes made at different angles.

Such perforated hoses are placed across the irrigated area and are constantly moved from place to place to uniformly moisten the soil.

A sprinkler can be connected to the hose. An oscillating type sprinkler consists of a perforated tube that swings from side to side and distributes water over a rectangular or square bed. A rotary sprinkler sprays water through one or more nozzles that move in a circular motion under the pressure of water. Sprinklers of both types are installed in parks, on lawns and in country and household plots. In this case, the uniformity of watering is determined by the amount of water entering empty jars placed around the perimeter or circumference of the site.

To gradually distribute water to flower beds, greenhouses and potted plants, long tubes with small holes for drip irrigation are used.

The listed methods relate mainly to watering vegetables and ornamental crops.

Methods of watering plants in the garden

There are some peculiarities in the technique of watering a fruit-bearing garden. If the garden is large, the trees are watered along the furrows between the rows.

In this case, the distance between furrows on light soils should be 70-80 cm, on heavy (clayey) soils - up to 1.5 m. The depth of the furrows is 20-25 cm, width - 0.5 m.

But in gardens on dacha and personal plots, as a rule, watering trees is traditionally carried out in tree trunk circles, or rather, in ditches dug around their circumference. After watering, the circular ditches are covered with earth. You cannot water trees in the depressions of the trunk circle, dug in the form of a funnel. In this case, the water does not reach the end roots of the tree, and watering closer to the trunk has no practical benefit.

To water the garden, it is very effective to use subsoil irrigation. For example, for each square meter of tree trunk area, a hole with a diameter of 10-12 cm and a depth of 50-60 cm is drilled with a soil drill, which is filled with crushed stone, broken brick or coarse sand.

Trees are watered through such wells, and liquid fertilizers are also applied through them. In this case, a crust does not form on the surface, and everything nutrients and precious moisture penetrates immediately into the deep layers of the soil. Such holes can perform their functions for quite a long time.

A simpler method of watering plants is to drill wells for irrigation using a crowbar and then cover them with soil.

Gardeners often water trees with a hose, throwing it into the tree trunk circle while doing other things. After some time, the hose is moved to the trunk circle of another tree, completely disregarding the amount of water that reaches the roots of the first tree. And determining the norm is not at all difficult. You just need to know how many buckets are needed to water a particular tree and the time it takes to fill one bucket from a hose. Then it will be possible to judge the amount of water entering the tree trunk circle.

Watering times for the garden also have their own characteristics. The most optimal for fruit trees in the central regions of Russia are the following:

• in the spring before buds bloom on the trees, when rapid growth begins and there is not enough water in the soil;
• 15-20 days after the end of flowering of the trees, since at this time the ovaries of fruits begin to grow, which fall off when there is insufficient moisture;
• 15-20 days before harvesting the fruits, but not when they are ripe;
• late autumn, in October, during leaf fall (this pre-winter watering is called moisture recharging).

Garden and vegetable garden irrigation systems

When choosing a source of domestic drinking water supply for a country house or estate, one should take into account local conditions that determine the choice of one or another water intake system. In this case, it is necessary to calculate water consumption rates, which depend not only on the level of improvement of the house, but also on the presence of a vegetable garden, orchard, or farmstead. It is necessary to take into account the significant consumption of water for household needs.

Very often, water is supplied to the centralized water supply system according to a specific schedule. Therefore, it is recommended to have a guaranteed supply of it on site. In most cases, when organizing a garden watering system, preference is given to underground sources.

For irrigation water supply, a special water supply system is sometimes installed, with water supplied through ground pipes or special watercourses.

It is good to water the garden and vegetable garden with rainwater, which should be collected and stored in open tanks installed in places where it drains from the roofs.

In shallow areas groundwater small-tube wells are arranged for one or several areas adjacent to each other.

Refreshing watering in summer

In order for fruit and berry crops to receive moisture on time and with high quality, the gardener needs to know and apply several types of irrigation. Each of these species is suitable for a specific time of year and plays a special role in the development of the plant and its protection from adverse conditions.

Summer watering(watering in summer, seasonal watering) is also called regular, or growing season, regular watering. It is carried out not only in the summer months, but throughout the entire active growing season (from the end of spring frosts to the beginning of the first autumn frosts). Trees and shrubs begin to need watering immediately after the onset of warm sunny days, when their buds and flowers bloom, and their shoots come to life. But if the snow cover is sufficiently thick in the first days of the warm period, watering is sometimes not necessary: plants feed on moisture from melting snow.

Refreshing watering, or sprinkling, is carried out in hot weather. This type of watering is not acceptable for all crops. Sprinkling should not be carried out during particularly hot hours. This type of watering increases air humidity and slightly reduces its temperature. Sprinkling is a finely dispersed watering, so it is necessary to use a sprayer, a sprayer or a special nozzle on a hose; you cannot simply water the plants from above with streams of water.

Fertilizer irrigation- this is watering special purpose, a method of introducing liquid fertilizers into the soil. But at the same time as receiving nutrients from such watering, the tree or shrub also receives the moisture it needs.

Moisture-recharging autumn watering of trees in the garden

Moisture-recharging (sub-winter) irrigation is used in the fall. It is necessary to create a supply of moisture in the soil. In autumn, after fruiting has ended, trees and shrubs begin to actively develop their absorbent roots and accumulate nutrients in their tissues. Although there may be almost no active suction zone at the roots, all of these processes require constant optimal humidity soil. In summer, the layer of soil in which the roots of plants are located dries out to a large extent, so before preparing for the cold period of the year, this layer needs high-quality moisture. The roots of plants, which begin to experience a moisture deficit during the fruiting period, also need moisture-recharging irrigation. In this case, in the fall, mechanical absorption of moisture begins to predominate (through the pores in the wood of the roots), rather than physiological (with the help of active absorbing roots).

After properly carried out autumn watering of trees, the soil becomes more resistant to cold weather and releases heat more slowly (i.e., its heat capacity increases after watering). The plants themselves, with their buds, tolerate lower temperatures better.

Moisture-recharging irrigation begins in the second half of September and ends in early October. These waterings should not depend on rainfall or absence during the specified period: even heavy rainfalls cannot compensate for the lack of moisture in the root layer of the soil, so this type of watering must be carried out in any weather.

During autumn watering of the garden, the soil is moistened to a sufficiently large depth (more than during summer watering). Each plant has its own recommendations for water-recharging irrigation, including the depth of soil wetting and the depth of the annular groove for irrigation. The fact is that the soil must be moistened to a depth of 90-100 cm, and it is impossible to achieve this with ordinary surface watering, therefore ring grooves are necessary (the only exception can be sandy soils; even on light loams grooves are needed). In different plants, the root system is located on different distances from the soil surface, therefore the depth of the grooves, for example, for an apple tree and a cherry tree, will not be the same. Grooves are dug around the trunk at a distance of 60–80 cm from each other.

How to water trees in the garden in accordance with the norms? The irrigation rate is determined in liters for each tree depending on its species and age (fruiting or young). The rate can be reduced if seasonal watering was carried out regularly and abundantly during the main growing season. In this case, first check the condition of the soil by digging into it with a shovel. Unlike summer watering, the soil is soaked not only to the depth of thin roots, but a little deeper (about 10 cm). After watering, the grooves are filled (if necessary) with fertilizer and leveled with a hoe.

Water-recharging watering of trees is carried out by uniformly moistening the soil in the tree-trunk circle, pouring water into specially made wells in the tree-trunk circle or into a furrow that is dug around the tree-trunk circle. The main thing is that the soil is saturated with water to a great depth, to the root zone.

In this case, you should be careful: you must not over-moisten the soil, that is, when sprinkling, water should flow in small quantities and through a very fine mesh of the sprayer. It is also important to know that the most dangerous effect on plants is from night frosts (before 5 a.m.).

Anti-frost watering: how to water plants before frost

Anti-frost watering (watering before frost) is carried out in early spring and late autumn to protect the vegetative parts of plants from frost. Fruit and berry crops are especially susceptible to damage from frost during the period of flowering and ovary formation: the yield may not only decrease, but also completely die.

Water has a high heat capacity; when temperatures drop, it releases heat, increasing the thermal conductivity of the soil after it is moistened. In spring, light frosts affect plants less if the soil underneath is moderately moist. In autumn, the danger is reduced due to the heat reserve associated with the thermal capacity of water. Water for watering plants before frosts low temperatures air (but not negative - in this case watering is contraindicated) is often warmer than the soil and air, i.e. it is itself a source of heat. In this case, the leaves can be completely wetted using a sprayer or a spray nozzle on a hose. But this measure is only effective if there is no threat of severe frost. Anti-frost irrigation by sprinkling is carried out at temperatures no colder than -2... -7 °C. The temperature is monitored precisely at the level of the location of the flowers and buds of the plant. At subzero temperatures, sprinkling allows an ice crust to form on the leaves, under which the temperature does not drop below 0 °C, so that the vegetative parts of the plant do not freeze.

Watering before frost begins about two days before the onset of cold weather. For sprinkling, spray nozzles are used, usually located on automatic watering devices. The fact is that during freezing, sprinkling cannot be interrupted for more than 20–40 minutes, otherwise the air temperature may drop sharply, and the opposite (negative) effect of the procedure will occur. Therefore, sprinkling should be continuous; in extreme cases, it can be carried out intermittently for several minutes.

Methods of watering a garden: surface method and sprinkling system

There are three methods of watering a garden: surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and subsurface irrigation.

There are several surface watering methods; not all of them are suitable for a garden plot.

1. Surface irrigation along furrows. It is carried out as follows. Between the rows, furrows 20-30 cm wide are made with a slight slope, into which water is supplied from a watering hose. After watering is completed, the furrows are sealed after some time.

2. Surface watering in bowls. When using this method, a bowl-shaped hole is dug under the crown of the fruit tree. The size of the bowl, i.e. its diameter, depends on the age of the tree and the density of plantings, but it should not be less than the projection of the crown of the tree itself. An earthen roller 20-25 cm high is poured along the edges of the finished hole. The bowls under neighboring trees are connected by a common groove. Water is supplied to this groove from a watering hose, and through the groove the water flows into the holes.

When using sprinkler irrigation, moisture gets not only into the soil, but also into the air. Water entering the soil through the air is enriched with oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen compounds. The difference between a sprinkler irrigation system and surface irrigation is that surface irrigation requires careful planning and leveling of the land. This is due to the fact that water does not move along the surface of the soil during irrigation, thereby washing away its fertile layer.

Before watering the garden by sprinkling, be sure to loosen the soil, and if necessary, apply fertilizer. For such watering you will need special devices - sprinklers. These devices can be fan-shaped, pulsed or pistol-shaped. They spray water at different heights and in different directions, and the height, direction and even size of the droplets can be adjusted. The devices are installed under the crowns of bushes and fruit trees and used to water the ground layer.

Water the garden, lawns and flower beds by sprinkling only in the evening, when there is no bright sun. If you do this during the day, the leaves of the plants will get burned, since the water droplets act as collecting lenses and focus the sun's rays.

Methods for irrigating an orchard

There are several ways to irrigate a garden, the most popular of which are half-soil and drip.

Subsoil irrigation. When using this method of irrigation, a system of pottery, asbestos-cement or polyethylene pipes, through the holes of which water under pressure is supplied to the soil. Sometimes, when irrigating an orchard in this way, fertilizers are also supplied to the roots of the plant along with water.

The main disadvantage of this method is its high cost. Laying pipes throughout the entire site is a very labor-intensive task and should be carried out at the stage of garden planning and construction. In addition, the quality of irrigation water often leaves much to be desired, so the pipes do not last long and quickly become clogged and silted.

Drip irrigation. This is a type of subsoil irrigation. This method is very convenient and easy to implement. Drip irrigation is carried out through a system of small diameter plastic pipes. Under one fruit tree or berry bush, 2-3 droppers are placed at a depth of 30-35 cm. The advantage of this type of irrigation is that water consumption is reduced several times, and it is also possible to constantly maintain the necessary soil moisture. In addition, along with the water supply, fertilizers can be applied.

Rules for watering plants in the garden and vegetable garden

Rational watering of plants according to the rules includes several mandatory components.

1. Optimal water temperature for irrigation.

2. Method of watering. It is possible to water at the root and along with the leaves, as well as sprinkling (watering through a sprayer from above). Sprinkling can be not only superficial (with wetting of leaves and branches), but also root - in this case, only the soil in the tree trunk circle is wetted, but with the help of sprinkler nozzles, due to which there is no erosion of the soil and leaching of nutrients from it due to the large water pressure. Different plants require these types of watering in different proportions at different times of the year.

3. Watering time. Usually watering is carried out in the morning or evening. During the hot period of the day, when sprinkling, burns may appear on the leaves, and it is better to water at the root not in the heat of the day.

4. Amount of water. Watering rates usually indicate either per unit area or per plant. For trees and large shrubs, the latter option is more typical.

5. But there are also general rules for watering, applicable for all fruit and berry crops.

6. Soil moisture should be optimal. Waterlogged soil is a serious problem, as is drying out soil, since it can reduce the plant’s resistance to pests and diseases and impair soil aeration. A lump of optimally moistened soil should be squeezed in your hand without releasing water or crumbling. This indicator is suitable even for sandy soils.

7. The rate at which soil absorbs moisture depends on the mechanical composition of the soil. Heavy loams are saturated with water more slowly, so it is better to moisten the soil not with too much water pressure (for a longer time), but using a larger amount. Sandy soils need to be watered more often, since moisture cannot stay in such soils for a long time, and the soil dries out faster. Following this rule for watering the garden, clay soils are watered less frequently so as not to cause waterlogging, because moisture can “stand” in them for quite a long time.

8. Watering woody plants should be rare and plentiful. Frequent watering “little by little” is more harmful than beneficial. Watering is usually carried out to the depth of the active (thin, absorbent) roots of the plant.

9. Average rate of one-time watering for trees aged 3–5 years is 50–80 liters per plant or more. The same figure for trees aged 7-10 years is 120–150 liters.

10. Fruit-bearing trees and shrubs need more abundant watering than young plants of the same species.

11. Any watering at the root(not only moisture charging) can be carried out into ring grooves. After watering, fertilizers are poured into the grooves, if necessary, and covered with soil or mulching material.

12. Do not water trees and shrubs into the tree trunk funnel., and even more so pour water on the root neck of the tree. With such watering, moisture will flow in excess to the main (tap) root and in deficiency - to the peripheral (active) roots. But it is the peripheral roots that are absorbent, that is, they absorb the main amount of nutrients and moisture for the plant. Therefore, the main place for watering is a circle, which represents the projection of the crown onto the surface of the earth, as well as the soil near this circle. In general, watering in the tree trunk circle should be uniform, without “dry” places.

13. An unusual but effective way of watering- using pre-drilled wells under the tree with a diameter of 10–12 cm and the depth required for watering a certain crop. The holes are drilled with a drill and filled with pebbles, crushed stone, broken bricks or coarse sand. One well is installed per m2 of tree trunk area.

14. For regular watering using a hose It is difficult to determine the volume of water that has entered the soil. Before starting such irrigation, you can turn on the water at a certain pressure and calculate how long it will take for water at that pressure to fill a container, for example, with a volume of 10 liters. Then, by simple calculations, it is easy to find out how long it will take to water a particular plant in this way.

15. Seasonal watering is necessary, as a rule, during the following periods of the growing season of trees and shrubs: before spring bud break; 2–3 weeks after flowering ends; 2-3 weeks before harvest. The rest of the time, watering is carried out as needed and for special purposes (moisture recharging, anti-frost, refreshing, fertilizing).

16. Nutrition area of ​​a tree or shrub usually determined approximately by the diameter of the crown (slightly wider than the projection of the crown onto the surface of the earth). This indicator is useful to know for calculating irrigation.

17. If, while watering a young tree or shrub surface roots are exposed, they should be immediately covered with moist soil.

To understand whether a particular plant requires watering, it is necessary to assess the condition of the soil next to it. Its moisture content should not be determined by the top layer, which is most often dry (this is due to the fact that most of the moisture is lost from the soil surface during evaporation). You should pay attention to the active layer of soil where the root system of the plant is located. If we talk about fruit trees, such as apple and pear, then this layer is at a depth of 90-120 cm, for cherries, plums and apricots - at a depth of 80 cm, for berry crops - 50 cm.

To assess soil moisture along the periphery of the plant crown, dig a small hole up to 1 m deep, take a lump of soil from the wall of the hole and squeeze it in your hand. If a lump forms and does not break when dropped from a height of 1.5 m, then the soil moisture is about 70%. If a lump of earth crumbles, this means that the soil needs watering.

The optimal level of soil moisture is considered to be 75-80%. To retain soil moisture as much as possible long time, after watering, it is loosened and peat or rotted sawdust is added to it.

How to properly water trees and other plants in the garden

And a few more tips on how to properly water the garden to ensure abundant flowering and good yield.

First watering Plants need it in the spring, when the buds have not yet opened. During this period, the phase of its active growth begins, and it really needs moisture.

Second watering should be carried out approximately 15-20 days after the end of the growing season of trees and shrubs, since it is at this time that the ovaries grow, and if the soil is too dry, the newly set fruits may fall off.

Third watering carried out 15-20 days before removing fruits from trees and shrubs.

If the third watering is carried out immediately before harvesting, this can lead to fruit falling and cracking.

And the last watering is carried out in late autumn, when active leaf fall begins. It is also called moisture recharging.

Early varieties of apple and pear trees require less water than later ones.

If you over-water pear trees, they may suffer from excess moisture.

Stone fruit trees (apricot, cherry, plum) need to be watered less frequently than pome trees (apple, pear).

If you expect a rich harvest from certain trees or shrubs, you should pay special attention to watering these particular trees or shrubs. They will need more water than trees with lower yields or those that are taking a break from fruiting.

Rain watering helps save trees with budding buds from frost, which often occurs in the spring. swollen buds and flower buds- the most vulnerable parts of fruit and berry trees, and they must be protected from exposure to low and negative temperatures to preserve the harvest.

Young fruit trees need to be watered less than adults. This is especially true in the second half of summer, since excess moisture will provoke additional growth of shoots that will freeze out during the winter.

If fertilizers are used frequently and salts accumulate in the garden soil, which harms the growth of most plants, flushing irrigation is carried out. A large amount of water washes the salts dissolved in it to a great depth, cleansing the soil layer in which the bulk of the roots are located. For flushing irrigation, 2000-8000 liters of water are consumed for every 10 m2 of soil. The need for it may arise if large quantities of mineral fertilizers, natural organic fertilizers(compost, manure, peat) do not cause such an effect, although they also need to be dosed.

No other growing condition for indoor plants requires as much attention as watering. It must be monitored all year round. It is in this area that novice indoor plant lovers make the most mistakes. They either flood the plants with water, thinking that this will make them happy, or they completely forget that it needs water. As a result, the plant receives either too much water or too little; both of these can simply destroy him.

What determines the plants' need for water?

It may seem that all plants need only be watered a certain number of times each week. However, it is not. Each plant has its own watering requirements - it depends on the size of the plants, the size of the pot, the time of year, temperature and light, soil quality and the moisture needs inherent in a particular species. For example, on cloudy days the plant needs less moisture, but on sunny days it needs more water. During the warm summer months, plants need abundant watering, and in cool weather they need less water. Even in stable conditions, a constant amount of water is not a guarantee of success, since the plant increases in size and, accordingly, the amount of water it needs increases.

Water more often and more abundantly:

✓ plants in clay pots;

✓ plants with large or thin leaves;

✓ plants with thin stems;

✓ plants during the period of active growth;

✓ plants with a powerful root system;

✓ flowering plants;

✓ plants with hanging stems;

✓ in the warm season and at high temperatures in the room;

✓ in bright light;

✓ in dry air;

✓ with open windows.

Requires less moisture:

✓ plants in plastic pots;

✓ plants with thick leaves with a waxy coating;

✓ plants without leaves;

✓ plants with thick stems;

✓ plants at rest;

✓ newly transplanted plants;

✓ plants with a poorly developed root system;

✓ weak and exhausted plants;

✓ at low room temperature;

✓ on cloudy days or in low light;

✓ at high air humidity;

✓ when there is no air movement in the room.

For example, orchids from the genus Dendrobium are watered no more than once a week.

How to determine that a plant needs watering?

The experience of many lovers of indoor floriculture has developed an exact criterion: it is time to water the plant when the earthen mixture in the pot becomes dry. The only problem is that the mixture, which seems dry on top, remains wet in the middle of the pot. You water, thinking that the soil is almost dry. In fact, you are oversaturating it with water from the middle of the pot to the very bottom, which is no less harmful to the plants than drying out the soil. How to understand what condition the earthen ball is in: wet, dry or almost dry? Sometimes this can be determined “by eye” and “by ear”.

The color of the soil mixture depends on whether it is wet or dry. A wet mixture is dark brown, while a dry or nearly dry mixture becomes pale brown and dull. One common technique, therefore, is to water the plants when the soil mixture begins to turn pale. However, eyeballing is not always reliable. When the mixture is dry on most of the surface of the pot, it may be wet at the bottom. However, for small pots it can be assumed that if the soil mixture is dry on the surface, it is dry enough throughout the pot. You can determine whether your plants should be watered simply by tapping the pot with your finger. If the soil in a flower pot is dry, the sound will be loud, but if it is wet, it will be dull.

The easiest way to determine if a plant needs watering is to test the soil in the pot with your finger or a wooden stick. Dip your finger into the soil mixture up to the first or second knuckle. If the soil feels damp, no watering is required. If it is dry, then there is clearly not enough water in the soil. This technique is a reliable indicator of the soil moisture in the entire pot, and can be used for plants in pots 20-25 cm high. Avoid checking the moisture of the mixture with your fingers several times at a time. This way you can damage the roots of a small and delicate plant and thereby bring it more harm than good. It is better to check the soil moisture with your fingers at the outer edge of the pot, rather than at the base of the plant.

You can tell if a plant needs watering simply by lifting the pot. It is clear that recently watered soil mixture weighs more than dry soil. Plants in plastic containers growing in standard soil mixtures weigh about twice as much as dry plants after watering. This is, of course, a rough estimate. The difference in weight depends on the type of pot, soil mixture and the material the pot is made from. However, even plants in clay pots with a heavy potting mix are noticeably lighter when the soil dries out. Using the "weighing" method takes some practice. Lift the plant several times between waterings to feel the difference in weight between pots with wet and dry soil. Then, after some time, you can easily tell the difference between a lighter pot when the plant needs watering, and a heavier one when it doesn’t need watering.

How do soil moisture indicators work?

Watering plants in large containers - more than 30 cm in height - has always been a problem for indoor plant lovers. Plants growing in deep pots or tubs are constantly at risk of waterlogging. Fortunately, reliable and harmless devices have been developed for determining soil moisture in large containers. You can find various soil moisture indicators on the market. These devices measure the amount of water at a certain depth. Insert the indicator fork about 2/3 of the way into the soil. The arrow on the scale will indicate “wet”, “dry” or something in between. Water only when the indicator indicates the soil is dry. Keep in mind that an old, worn-out meter will not give reliable readings, so it should be replaced with a new one about once a year. However, even a new meter may be inaccurate if the soil mixture contains a lot of mineral salts. They can build up if you've been watering your plants with hard water for years. In this case, inaccurate meter readings indicate that your plants need to replace the old potting mix with fresh ones.

In addition to the standard meter, there is an audible humidity meter on sale; it indicates when the plant needs watering by ringing, whistling or other sound signals. The sound meter is designed in the same way as a standard one, but instead of a scale, there is an audio transmitter at the other end. It costs about the same as the standard one. It makes sense to buy one of these meters and keep it in a pot of a plant that tends to dry out faster than others. When the indicator beeps, it’s time to check the rest of the plants using traditional methods.

What is the watering regime?

Each type of plant needs its own watering regime. This information can be gleaned from the description of the contents of a particular plant. There are abundant, moderate and rare watering. Abundant watering is carried out immediately after the earthen clod dries. Most tropical plants with thin leaves require deep watering. With moderate watering, plants are not watered immediately after the earthen ball has dried out, but after a day or two. Moderate watering is required, in particular, for plants with pubescent leaves and stems (African violet, peperomia, etc.) and thick roots and rhizomes (dracaena). When watered infrequently, plants are left dry for days, weeks or even months. This applies to cacti and succulents, as well as dormant plants.

How to set the watering mode?

Maintaining a strict watering schedule for each plant is not easy, especially if you have a lot of plants. Ideally, you should check the condition of the plant regularly and water it as soon as necessary. This method brings the best results, because in this case the soil alternates between wet and almost dry conditions. Check each plant every 3-4 days using one of the methods described above and water only those plants that currently need it. Recommendations in this matter can only be general.

It is better to water the plants more often and little by little, rather than less often and more abundantly. It is better to carry out the main watering in the first half of the day. Each time you water the plant, you need to give it enough water to thoroughly moisten the entire earthen ball and the glass in the pan.

What are the signs of water shortage?

Regular violations of the watering regime affect the appearance of most plants.

A lack of water can be noticed by the following signs:

Leaves droop;

Leaves and shoots become sluggish;

In plants with hard, leathery leaves, the leaves dry out and fall off;

What are the consequences of overwatering?

If there is excess water:

Signs of rot appear on the leaves;

The plant is clearly growing slower;

Mold appears on buds and flowers;

The tips of the leaves turn brown;

How to save a dried out plant?

When the soil mixture gets so dry that it becomes almost crunchy, a curious phenomenon occurs - the soil mixture refuses to accept water. No matter how much water you pour, the soil becomes slightly damp only on the surface. This happens because very dry soil moves away from the walls of the pot and gaps form between the walls and the earthen lump. When you water dry soil from above, water flows through these cracks to the bottom and pours out into the pan through the drainage hole. The earthen lump will remain dry. Therefore, when the soil is too dry, watering it from above is useless. What to do? Water the leaves and stems of the plant from the shower. Fill a basin or other container with water at room temperature and completely immerse the pot with the plant in it, carefully pressing the pot with a weight (stone or brick) so that it is completely immersed in water. Then add a few drops (no more!) of liquid to the water detergent- this will help reduce the water-repellent properties of overdried soil. After about an hour, remove the plant pot and allow excess water to drain. If the plant has revived (not all plants recover after drying out), it will soon become succulent again. Please note that even when the earthen ball takes its original size, some distance will remain between it and the walls of the pot. Fill this gap with soil mixture.

How to save a flooded plant?

If excess water has accumulated in the pot, this is no less dangerous for the plant than drought. However, even in this case, all is not lost. Tap the edge of the pot on a hard surface and remove the pot from the earthen ball. Usually the earthen ball is penetrated by roots and retains the shape of the pot. Remove damaged roots and wrap the earthen ball with a rag or old kitchen towel - it will absorb excess water from the earthen ball. You may need to change the towel several times.

Then wrap the earthen lump in blotting paper and leave it there until dry, but do not overdry. When the earthen ball is dry, plant the plant in a clean pot with fresh earthen mixture.

What size should the pallet be?

Usually, flower pots sold with pallet. The pan is absolutely necessary - excess water flows into it. You can also use saucers or bowls of a suitable size from any material as a tray. It is only important that the diameter of the tray is not less than the upper diameter of the pot. After watering, it is necessary to drain excess water from the pan.

What is drainage?

Drainage is a French word. It means the artificial or natural removal of excess liquid, usually from the soil. In indoor floriculture, drainage is used to prevent water from stagnating in the pot. Ceramic shards, gravel, pebbles or large expanded clay are suitable for drainage.

A large shard with the convex side up, or a handful of smaller shards, is placed on the drainage hole, then a layer of coarse sand is poured and the plant itself is planted on top of this. Since you don’t always have shards at hand, it’s easier to arrange drainage from expanded clay.

If the pot has a hole for water drainage, then you need to put 1 cm of large expanded clay at the bottom. If there is no hole, then the height of the expanded clay layer should be at least 3-5 cm. In general, it should be approximately a quarter of the height of the container.

How do you water from below?

Although plants are traditionally watered from a watering can, there is another way - watering from below. With this method, the so-called capillary effect is triggered - water moves from wetter layers to drier ones. When the soil is almost dry, place the pot in a tray of water and moisture will begin to flow through the soil and into the roots of the plant.

When watering from below, you simply fill the tray with water. If the water leaves the pan quickly, add a little more. After about an hour, the entire soil will become moist and its surface will shine with moisture. When the plant has absorbed all the water it needs, pour out the remaining water from the pan. Bottom watering is preferable for plants with pubescent leaves or a lush rosette of leaves.

Plants that you water from below are better able to meet their moisture needs. However, you will have to change their soil mixture more often, since excess mineral salts will accumulate in the soil more quickly.

What is the best way to water plants?

Watering from above seems to be a more “natural” way of watering since in nature plants get their moisture from rain. On the other hand, what is important for a plant is not the source of moisture, but the result - moist soil. Therefore, it is not so important whether you water from above or from below. When watering from above, be careful not to get water on the leaves. Many plants have very delicate leaves and stems that become stained by water droplets. In addition, water droplets in the light focus the light like lenses, and even on dense and leathery leaves, burns can form. Therefore, when watering from above, be sure to lift the leaves or move them to the side so that the water only hits the soil.

How to water plants in hanging pots?

Plants in hanging pots often hang quite high, and watering them can be difficult. For convenience, you can buy a special watering can, which will make watering such plants much easier. It consists of plastic bottle with a long tube that bends at the end. This type of watering can is quite inexpensive.

What kind of water do you water indoor plants with?

It is preferable to water plants with soft water, that is, water with a low salt content. If the water in your area is soft, then tap water is quite suitable for irrigation. Hardy plant species can be watered directly from the tap, but this should not be overused: there are not many such plants. It is better to let the water sit for about a day. During this time, gas bubbles will come out of it, especially chlorine and fluorine. Fluoride is very harmful to indoor plants. You can also use rainwater, melted snow and well water for irrigation.

What is “hard water”?

Hard water contains a lot of soluble calcium and magnesium salts. It is very harmful to plants. The surface of plant roots is covered with skin, which acts as a kind of filter.

It lets through and retains only what the plants need. When watering with hard water, the filter “clogs” - remember the scale on the walls of the kettle! As a result, the roots begin to poorly absorb water and nutrients. The plant begins to starve. In such a situation, increasing watering only leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. A sign indicating hard water is a yellowish-white coating on the surface of the soil, on the walls of the pot, and sometimes on the stems of the plant.

How to soften hard water?

To soften hard water, add wood ash at the rate of 3 g (1/2 teaspoon) per liter of water. You can also add acetic or oxalic acid to the water. This must be done very carefully, checking the pH until the desired value is established (5.5-6.5).

Filtered hard water, that is, water passed through a desalting plant or osmotic filtration system, will not harm your plants. To soften hard water, special filter cartridges and water softener tablets (so-called pH tablets) are produced. If for some reason the described methods of softening hard water are not available to you, you can water the plants, especially delicate ones, with boiled water.

What should be the temperature of water for irrigation?

Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. It’s even better to take water 2-3°C warmer. Don't neglect this rule. Remember that watering heat-loving tropical plants with cold water can damage their roots and leaves.

Are there ways to self-regulate soil moisture?

Yes, there are such ways. Firstly, this is a so-called self-watering pot. Secondly, cultivating plants in a hydroponic system. In both cases, watering will require your attention once every 1 - 2 months, and in between the plants will be provided with water automatically. In addition, there are substrates, such as hydrogel and granules, that can retain water in the soil for a long time and release it to plants as needed.

Watering is a necessary condition for plant life. Growing without watering is impossible for any plant; they all need water. Many people water their plants “as it happens,” from time to time, but do not ask themselves how to water the flowers. But in order for the plants to always look beautiful and for watering to bring maximum benefit to them, you need to know a few rules for watering house plants. So,

1. What kind of water should I water indoor flowers with?

Water for watering plants can be ordinary tap water, but allowed to stand for at least 24 hours. In order for the chlorine to evaporate, you need to settle the water in an open container. Soft water for irrigation is most suitable in the best possible way. Tap water is mostly hard. Water from wells is even harder and is not at all suitable for watering indoor plants.

How to soften such water for irrigation? It is enough to boil it for 3 – 5 minutes. When boiling, most of the harmful salts precipitate and the water becomes soft.

It is not advisable to water plants with distilled water, because... it does not contain mineral salts necessary for plants. The exceptions are azaleas, gardenias, ferns, camellias, orchids and some predator plants, for which watering with distilled water is even desirable, because. they need to be watered only with soft water.

It is better not to use water from pump rooms and cylinders for watering house plants, because... You don’t know its composition, and such water can harm the plant.

Since tap water is alkaline in most cases, it must be neutralized. If this is not done, the soil becomes alkalized over time, as a result of which the root system of plants suffers. In order to neutralize the alkaline reaction of the aqueous environment, it must be slightly acidified. To do this, just add food grade citric acid to the water for irrigation at the rate of 1 teaspoon of citric acid per 5 liters of water. Citric acid is added to warm water immediately before watering.

2. What temperature should the water be for irrigation?

Watering house plants with cold water is unacceptable, because... When watering with such water, the vessels of the plant root system narrow, and as a result, moisture and nutrition are poorly supplied to their upper part, the root gradually dies and the plant may die. Watering flowering plants with cold water can cause flowers and ovaries to fall off.

Cold water can and should be used to water plants that are in a dormant period. This prevents premature vegetation and depletion of the plant. To water plants that have stopped growing during winter dormancy, use water colder than the air temperature in the room, sometimes even water with snow.

In all other cases, the optimal water temperature for watering house plants is +30–34 °C, so the water needs to be slightly heated, even in summer. Watering with such water has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of plants.

3. What is the water consumption for watering plants?

The plant needs to be watered throughout the entire volume of the flowerpot in small portions so that the soil is saturated with water from top to bottom. You need to water until water appears in the pan. In this case, you can be sure that both the upper and lower parts of the root system will receive a sufficient amount of moisture. After 30 - 40 minutes, the water is removed from the pan. During this time, the root system of the plant will have time to absorb the moisture that it did not have time to absorb during watering. You cannot leave water for a longer period of time, otherwise you can cause rotting of the root system. If the flowerpot is large and cannot be lifted, you can remove water from the tray using a syringe, sponge, or moisture-absorbing wipes.

4. When should I water next?

How many times to water house plants is a question that requires an individual approach. The frequency of watering depends on the type of plant, the volume of the flowerpot, the composition of the soil, the activity of the root system and weather conditions. On cloudy and cool days, plants are watered less often than on clear and sunny days; When the indoor air is dry and warm, plants need to be watered more abundantly than when the air is humid and colder; Plants in light, loose soil require more frequent watering than those growing in dense, heavy soil.

How to calculate watering? The best guideline for deciding on watering is when the earthen clod dries out. The signal for the need for watering is the drying of the top layer of soil by 1.5 - 2 cm. Succulent plants are watered after the earthen ball has dried to a depth of 3 - 10 cm (the larger the container, the greater the depth the soil should dry out).

But what if it is not possible to water the plants in a timely manner (for example, during the holidays)? How to leave flowers without watering? Will they be able to withstand such stress? Read about how to properly organize watering during a vacation or business trip.

Hebe – exotic plant, which is often grown in greenhouses and winter gardens. In the southern regions it is cultivated as an ordinary garden flower grown in open ground.

What does a hebe flower look like?

The flower attracts attention with its leathery shiny leaves. The inflorescences are shaped like heather in an enlarged size. The length of the inflorescences reaches 10 cm, and as they fade they become lighter. Plants bloom profusely from May to July.

Hebe flowers come in different shades

Description of types:

• Boxwood. Container culture. The leaves are similar to boxwood leaves. Maximum height – 50 cm. Inflorescences are white, with a slightly pinkish tint.
• Cypress-shaped. Small leaves of green or bronze color resemble pine needles. Low-growing variety (up to 30 cm).
• Rakayenskaya. Tall species - up to 1 m. Leaves are small, oblong. Unpretentious, tolerates transplantation without problems. Resistant to frost.
• Thick-leaved. Includes low and medium-growing varieties. Container culture. The leaves are thick and fleshy. The flowers are white.

In warm regions they are grown as perennials.

Planting a hebe flower and caring for it

These shrubs are not picky about the composition of the soil; they can grow well even in poor soils. They only have a negative attitude towards heavy clay soil. But still, for young plants, before planting, it is advisable to prepare a good loose substrate of sand, peat, turf and leaf soil.

The plant prefers bright light. But so that the flower does not suffer due to the abundance of sunlight, it must first be shaded. Hebe blooms weakly in the shade. These plants love moisture, so watering should be plentiful and the soil should not dry out. In hot weather, it is advisable to spray the bushes regularly. During the period of intensive growth, the shrub needs to be fed with complex fertilizers.

In spring, you can carry out anti-aging pruning, remove stem cuttings and increase watering

Watering for plants is of exceptional importance, just as drinking water is for humans. Without enough water to dissolve essential nutrients in the soil, plants not only wither, but also starve. Water is necessary for all physiological processes: photosynthesis, movement of products formed as a result of photosynthesis organic compounds, as well as for the absorption of minerals in the form of soil solutions.

Watering is one of the most important measures to ensure the viability of plants. The problem of irrigation must be solved in conjunction with the problem of achieving optimal soil permeability. The plant can rot from surface waterlogging, while simultaneously experiencing an acute moisture deficiency. To increase the permeability of heavy soils (soils for planting), sand, compost, and peat should be added to them. Usually in modern mixtures there are no such problems - everything is balanced.

Water for irrigation must have neutral acid-base balance and minimal amount of toxic impurities(chlorine, fluorine, heavy metals, etc.). The ideal option is natural rain, purified, spring or distilled (then with the use of fertilizers) water. Tap water is moderately suitable for irrigation only after settling for 24 hours and stabilizing the acid-base balance. Cleaning with activated carbon removes chlorine and fluorine, but retains calcium and heavy metal salts. You can use filters or purchased water.

The main rule of watering plants: Water only when the soil in the pot dries out. Constant excess moisture is harmful - it leads to disruption of normal air exchange in the soil. The root system needs constant access to oxygen. With its deficiency and with excess moisture, the roots gradually die, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. This means that the plant has been flooded. It is necessary to reduce watering, and in some cases, in order to save the plant, you need to cut it and try to root cuttings from it, after first holding them in water. While strictly observing the main rule, it should also be taken into account that Watering plants of different groups and species has its own characteristics.

The need of plants for water is determined by their specific characteristics: the structure of above-ground organs, the power of the root system, etc. For example, plants with succulent, fleshy leaves (such as agave, aloe, etc.) require less water than plants with large leaves that sometimes need to be watered twice a day. Excess moisture is harmful for bulbous plants. It is best to water them by directing the stream of water not at the bulb, but closer to the walls of the pot, or water from a tray.

There are plants that are very sensitive to lack of moisture, such as araucaria. When its branches begin to droop, no amount of watering will help. You need to constantly monitor your araucaria and, in addition to watering, spray the plant as often as possible, possibly several times a day.

There are a number of options for irrigation water the most important requirements. Here are the main ones: purity of water, low content of salts and minerals, complete absence of toxic impurities and foreign inclusions, neutral or slightly acidic acid reaction. For irrigation, in most cases, tap water from the general water supply network, well water (outside the city), water from a well, water from a nearby reservoir (that is, river or lake) and rain water are used. Naturally, each type of water has its own characteristics and characteristics, which indicate the degree of its suitability for irrigation.

Tap water undergoes filtration and various stages of purification, What makes it drinkable is everyone knows. This water is also suitable for irrigation, although it is worth noting that the mineral content in it is quite low and, depending on the season, the chlorine content can increase significantly.

Well water or water from a well, on the contrary, it is distinguished by a high content of salts and minerals, since, passing through the thickness of the soil, it washes away valuable microelements, which is a positive property for water. But still, the content of mineral substances in water should not be too high, since then it will become unsuitable for watering plants.

Water from a pond, perhaps the least suitable look irrigation water, mainly due to the high risk of containing toxic waste, rotting products, chemicals, bacteria, foreign inclusions and other dangerous impurities.

Rainwater It is much softer than tap water, has an almost neutral acid reaction, and in addition, it has a fairly high content of dissolved oxygen. Thanks to all these characteristics, rainwater can be considered very valuable for plants, and there is a definite sense in collecting it. However, it should still be taken into account that in conditions of an extremely polluted environment, harmful chemical compounds, heavy metals, lime dust (giving water hardness), combustion products of liquid and solid fuel in the form of soot and droplets of oily liquid inevitably enter rainwater, which significantly reduces the value of rainwater.

To reduce the degree of pollution of rainwater, and therefore the risk associated with it, a number of rules should be followed when collecting it. Since rainwater collection tanks are in the vast majority of cases installed under downspouts and gutters, before entering the barrel, the water flows down the roof, washing away dust, chemical compounds, soot and other “unfavorable” substances that have settled on it. The water of the first precipitation after a long period of drought is especially heavily polluted, because... The amount of dirt accumulated on roofs is especially high. Therefore, it is not recommended to collect rainwater if there has been no rainfall for a long time. When the rain becomes heavy and prolonged, you can refuse the volume of water that falls in the first half hour; this time is quite enough to wash off the main dust containing harmful impurities from the roof. In order to be able to regulate the flow of water into the barrel, you can install a valve in the water collector; by closing it, you will direct water from the drainpipe to the ground when its collection into the container is undesirable for one reason or another.

Signs of lack of water

Drooping leaves, loss of turgor in leaves and shoots.

In plants with soft, tender leaves (Vanka wet), they become lethargic and droop. In plants with hard, leathery leaves (ficus, laurel, myrtle oleander, etc.), they dry out and crumble (first of all, old leaves fall off).

Flowers and buds fall off or quickly fade.

Signs of excess water

Leaves droop, there are soft areas with signs of rot.

Growth slowdown

Curled, yellowed and withered leaves, brown tips.

Both old and young leaves fall off.

Mold on flowers.

There is a golden rule for watering plants - it is better to water less, but more often, than less often and a lot. It should be noted that leaf wilting is not always associated with a lack of water. This can happen under the influence of sunlight, on the first clear day after long cloudy weather.

Depending on the characteristics of plants, watering is conventionally divided into the following types:

Mandatory watering.

Plants are watered immediately after the earthen ball dries out. Most tropical plants with thin, delicate leaves require this watering, as well as some plants with leathery leaves (for example, lemon, ficus, gardenia, ivy, coffee). Both of them suffer greatly from drying out: the leaves turn yellow and crumble, or wither and droop without restoring their previous position. All plants need abundant watering during the flowering and growth period: even with slight drying out, young shoots, buds and flowers may suffer.

Moderate watering.

The plants are not watered immediately after the earthen ball has dried out, but after a day or two, that is, they are slightly dried. This is how plants with fleshy or heavily pubescent stems and leaves, with thick roots and rhizomes (palms, dracaenas) are watered, as well as with water-bearing tubers on the roots (asparagus) and bulbous ones. For some species, light drying is a prerequisite during the dormant period, as it stimulates the formation and maturation of flower buds.

Excessive watering (signs).

Before an overwatered plant begins to wilt, it will appear weakened. The plant on the left was over-watered, the same plant on the right received the normal amount of water.

Rare watering.

Plants are left dry for several days, weeks, months. This applies to succulents (cacti, aloe), as well as deciduous tuberous and bulbous plants that have a dormant period.

Most plants are watered deeply in summer and moderately in winter. The main watering is best done in the first half of the day. With each watering, the plant needs to be given enough water so that it thoroughly wets the entire earthen lump and flows onto the saucer. If air bubbles are visible on the surface of the soil, repeat watering until they are gone. It is not recommended to water a little every day, since in this case the water will only wet the top layer of soil, and the roots located in the lower part of the pot will dry out.

Typically, plants are watered from above so that the excess calcium, magnesium and other elements contained in the water, which negatively affect the root system, are absorbed by the top layer of soil, which contains fewer roots. Sometimes, fearing the appearance of spots on the leaves or rotting of the tubers when water gets on them, the plants are watered from below, pouring water into the saucer. This should not be done. Spots on leaves can be avoided if you use warm water, because spots are formed as a result of a large difference in temperature between leaves heated in the sun and cold water. After watering, drain the water from the saucer or pot to prevent the roots from rotting. This is especially important to do in autumn and winter.

If water does not seep into the saucer when watering, but stagnates on the surface, you need to check whether the drainage hole is clogged. Sometimes, on the contrary, water flows out onto the saucer very quickly. This means that the soil is very dry, water flows down the walls of the pot without having time to wet it. Such plants need to be watered very well, placing them in a bowl of lukewarm water so that it completely covers the pot, and sprinkle with warm water. When air bubbles stop appearing on the surface of the soil, remove the pots from the water.

Plants should be watered with water at room temperature (18-24° C) or slightly warmer. At low temperatures, the root system is inactive, so in winter too warm water should not be used so as not to cause premature plant growth. In summer, plants are watered with warmer water (up to 30-32° C). The hotter the room, the warmer the water used for watering and spraying plants should be. Watering with cold water, especially in a warm room, can cause leaves to fall.

Water for irrigation should be soft, slightly acidic, free of calcium and magnesium salts. It is not recommended to use rain and melt water in industrial areas, as it may have an alkaline reaction and contain impurities harmful to plants. More often, for irrigation, you have to use tap water containing chlorine, calcium and magnesium salts, which negatively affect plants. The high content of calcium salts in water leads to the fact that the most important nutrients found in the soil (phosphorus, iron, manganese, aluminum, boron, etc.) turn into compounds that are inaccessible to plants.

A few words about how to ensure watering of plants during vacation. Before you leave for a few days, place the plants in a bowl of water filled to 1/3 of the height of the pot. If you are going to be away for a longer period of time (3-4 weeks), fill the containers with peat or soil to a height of 15-20 cm, dig in the plants, water them well first, and moisten everything again. Plants should be placed in a lighted place, but not in the sun. There is another method of watering. A vessel with water is placed above the plants, from which a woolen or cotton cord that conducts water well is lowered into each pot. The plant pot can be placed above the water container. In this case, the second end of the cord is inserted into the drainage hole.

Watering bonsai

In summer, during dry, hot or windy weather, bonsai are usually watered twice a day (early morning or evening). If the weather is not very dry and hot, then once a day. In winter or in cold, wet weather, the tree is less active and evaporation from the soil surface is slower. Therefore, water once a day if the soil is not frozen and the temperature is positive.

Deciduous bonsai species require more water in summer than evergreen and coniferous species, which have specialized leaves that retain moisture better. In winter, on the contrary, deciduous trees consume less water than conifers, which continue to grow, albeit slowly. Pines tolerate a lack of water in the soil relatively painlessly, while large-leaved deciduous trees, especially in hot weather, need abundant and frequent watering.

It is more convenient to water by immersing the container in a vessel with water, so that the water covers the surface of the soil. At the same time, the soil lump is not washed away and the soil is saturated more evenly and completely. Whereas when watering from above, if the top layer dries out, watering is difficult, since water can roll off without wetting the soil. You should not keep the container in a vessel with water for a long time, as the root system may be damaged. Only some plants, (for example, swamp cypress), do not suffer from prolonged exposure of roots to water and waterlogging of the soil.

For irrigation, you can use water from reservoirs, rain or tap water. Tap water contains too much calcium and chlorides. It must be kept for a day at room temperature so that the chlorides evaporate.

Irrigation water should not be too cold or hot.

In addition to moistening the soil in the container, it is recommended to periodically spray the crown of the plant with water. This technique not only cleans the leaves of the plant from dust, but also humidifies the air, which is especially important to do as often as possible to maintain the moss coating in the container. However, the soil should not be over-moistened by frequent spraying. It is not recommended to spray the plant in bright and hot sun.

Watering orchids

One of the most important conditions for successfully growing orchids is water quality. Water for plants is not only a source of food and drink at the same time, but also an opportunity to regulate their temperature.

In nature, plants use rainwater, which is an ultra-weak acid solution. But, unfortunately, it’s no secret that in cities, a far from harmless liquid is pouring from the sky.

For orchids (and for other indoor plants) it is recommended to use soft or moderately hard water. Measuring water hardness is not a simple procedure, so let’s take it as an axiom that in St. Petersburg and the Baltic states the water is soft, in Moscow it is moderately hard, in Kyiv it is very hard. The faster a layer of scale forms in your kettle, the harder the water.

The simplest way to reduce water hardness is to boil it.- in which part of the calcium salts precipitates. Oxalic acid reduces hardness well (you can buy it in chemical stores, sometimes in flower shops, for example, I saw it in the Violet House on Nagatinskaya Street). This is done like this: Add about 1/8 teaspoon of acid (it’s in powder) to a 5-liter canister of cold tap water. We settle the water for 24 hours in an open container; it is even better to cut off the very top part of the canister to enlarge the neck. The water must be kept open due to the fact that during the chemical reaction of binding calcium salts, volatile chlorine compounds are formed, which must evaporate. After a day, an insoluble precipitate of calcium salts falls to the bottom of the canister. The resulting water should be carefully poured into a clean container, trying not to stir the sediment. Just in case, I never pour out the water completely - I leave about half a liter so that no sediment gets in. The canister should be transparent - this makes it easier to monitor the sediment. In my practice, if water with acid has settled for more than 2 days, the sediment stops agitating and draining clean water safely.

Another method is to immerse a bag of high-moor peat in a bucket of water overnight - this also acidifies the water.

If you water your plants with distilled water, remember that it is completely desalted. Therefore, distilled water must either be mixed with regular, settled water, or special fertilizers must be dissolved in it.

Iron water is even more dangerous for orchids than hard water. When this water settles, it becomes cloudy and has a noticeable taste of rust.

An equally important condition for the suitability of water is its acidity. Acidic water - a pH value less than 5 and is very rare. Alkaline water can be easily acidified using regular lemon. If your water shows a pH above 7 (you can measure it either with pH meters or litmus paper - sold in chemical stores), then by dripping lemon juice you reduce the pH value to 6, and measure how many drops you need for what volume water flowing from your tap.

It is useful to saturate properly prepared water with oxygen before watering.- to do this, you just need to pour it in a thin stream from one container to another. The water temperature should be room temperature or slightly higher. Phalaenopsis, for example, prefer warm water.

The easiest way is to either use filtered water or water your plants (including bonsai and orchids) with purchased water. An option is to buy special oxygen water, which is good for both humans and animals and plants, an example of such water is.

Watering rules

It is best to water plants only with soft rain, river or pond water. Hard water (including well water) containing various salts should be avoided. Aroids, azaleas, orchids, ferns, and camellias are especially poorly tolerant of hard water. Those plants that grow on calcareous soils tolerate watering well with hard water.

Please note that rainwater may be contaminated by industrial emissions if you live in or near an industrial area.

Chlorinated tap water is left to sit for at least a day so that the chlorine has time to evaporate.

The water temperature should be at least not lower than room temperature. This rule is especially important when watering tropical plants. It is recommended to water cacti with warmer water. Watering plants with cold water can cause root rot, bud drop, and even plant death. On the contrary, watering plants in a cold room with warm water is also undesirable, because... this will cause the plant to grow prematurely.

Successful floriculture is only possible if you learn to water your plants on time and in required quantity, but this is not easy..

The task of proper watering is to give each plant exactly the amount of water it needs under given conditions.

Beginning gardeners, when purchasing a new plant, often ask: “how many times a week does it need to be watered?”

It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. Watering depends on the size of the room and temperature, the size of the pot and the material from which it is made, the composition of the soil, the condition of the root system, the period of growth or dormancy.
If the same plant in the summer on a balcony at a temperature of 25? C requires daily watering, but in a room at the same temperature it is necessary to water it only once every 3 days. In winter, the same plant is watered once a week at a temperature of 16°C.

Let's try to understand this issue in more detail.

Plant water needs

Plant tissues consist of 80% or more water; with a lack of moisture, many life processes are disrupted. Typically, the roots constantly supply water to the above-ground part of the plant, and the leaves evaporate it. If the plant is dry and hot, more water evaporates, so the plant is protected from wilting and from sunburn. If watering is insufficient and the soil is dry, there will be nothing to evaporate; there comes a time when the plants begin to wither and may die.

If the plant is tropical and is accustomed to constantly moist soil, then it does not have the “habit” of storing water. There are, of course, exceptions, for example, Epiphytes that have reservoirs for water - funnels of closed leaves or thick succulent leaves and roots.

If the plant belongs to climatic zones where rainy seasons give way to dry ones, they are able to adapt, accumulating water in the stems, leaves, and rhizomes.

Some plants, resisting drying out, shed their leaves during the waterless season or simply close the stomata on the leaves, which are additionally protected by thick pubescence, dense skin, waxy coating, etc. Desert and semi-desert plants are especially not critical to lack of moisture. They accumulate water in leaves, stems, or even exchange leaves for spines, at the same time protecting themselves from thirsty animals.

Determination by appearance

The appearance of the plant tells us how often it needs to be watered and how much the soil in the pot should be moistened.

Plants with heavily cut leaves orlarge light and thin leaves, as well as with thin delicate roots, do not favor complete drying of the substrate. But waterlogging is also dangerous for these species because the roots do not receive oxygen to breathe. At home, plant roots are found in loose soils made from rotting branches, leaves and other organic materials.

If tropical or subtropical plants have succulent and thickened leaves, stems or roots, they are adapted to lack of moisture and do not need constant moisture. These plants are watered after they dry out. top part substrate. Succulent plants from arid habitats are watered in summer only after the earthen ball has completely dried. IN winter time Watering is reduced to a minimum or stopped altogether.

The most “convenient” for novice gardeners are those that, when there is a lack of moisture, drop their leaves, but after watering they immediately restore the elasticity of the shoots. Hibiscus needs less than an hour to do this. But there are plants that do not forgive the complete drying of the substrate and die. These include ferns, fuchsias, azaleas, gardenias, and conifers. The latter can look decent for a long time, despite the dried roots, especially in a cool room, and then turn yellow and crumble.

Overwatering

Excessive watering, much more often than other owner mistakes, shortens the life of plants. This is “helped” by the use of purely peat soils, which have a very high moisture capacity,

Often water the still wet soil. Meanwhile, in indoor culture there is only one plant that likes it, though only in the warmth. Cyperus can be placed in a pot with water or in a pool, because they grow in their homeland along the banks of rivers, like our cattails. Most indoor plants, being in waterlogged soil, stop growing normally, putrefactive diseases of the roots develop, and brown spots appear on the leaves. From the roots, the disease quickly spreads through the vessels to the shoots, and the plant quickly dies.

Watering rules

Only practice will help you understand the rules of watering. First, you need to focus on the weight of the pot, if you planted the plant yourself and know what was used as drainage and what the composition of the soil is. It’s easier to learn to distinguish between soils of different moisture levels. Even very experienced flower growers, not trusting their eyes, try the soil by touch so as not to water too much.

With infrequent, scanty watering, the soil contains very little moisture and a couple of days after watering it looks completely dry on the surface. At the same time, the soil at the bottom of the pot is usually slightly moistened.

Moderate watering is recommended for most indoor plants. It is adjusted so that the soil is constantly slightly moist throughout the entire depth of the container. The surface appears wet only immediately after watering. But there should be no water in the pan, and if half an hour after watering there is water left, it is drained. If after a day or two the surface of the earth has dried out, this does not always mean that it is time to water.

If you stick a thin dry splinter almost to the bottom, you can see wet soil particles stuck to it. Water. Of course, it’s still early, but the surface of the substrate can be sprayed. To ensure that the soil in the pot dries out evenly, you can cover its surface with a layer of moss, use clay pots or high drainage. A lot also depends on the shape of the pot. The soil dries out faster and more evenly in wide, low containers, while in narrow conical and tall pots, the upper part of the soil can be completely dry, while at the bottom the soil is still waterlogged.

Therefore, low containers are more suitable for plants that are afraid of waterlogging, such as alocasia, but for conifers, a low container is a big risk.

Abundant watering is recommended for few plants, and mainly in summer. A well-moistened pound has absorbed maximum water. This happens when a vessel with a plant is placed in a container of water and left until completely saturated. As a rule, only this method can be used to burn plants in which, for one reason or another, the soil protrudes like a mound above the surface of the pot, for example, in trees grown using the bonsai technique. If planted incorrectly, when watering, water may flow down the walls of the container and go into the pan, although the earthen ball remains almost dry. The plant fades, although it is often watered.

It is enough to place it “under the flood”, and air will begin to bubble out of the dried earthen clod. To evenly moisten the soil, you need to compact it well near the walls of the pot when planting.

There are a few more rules regarding watering.

The higher the air temperature, the more water the plants need. The larger the pot, the less often the plant planted in it is watered. The soil dries out faster in clay pots than in plastic ones.

Water quality

What should be the quality of water for irrigation?

Of course, it should not be rusty and not too hard, without chlorine, and not cold. There is an easy way to determine how much calcium salts are in your tap water. When spraying plants with elastic, dark green, glossy leaves, too hard water leaves noticeable whitish spots. The less hard one leaves streaks, while the soft one leaves virtually no marks. In most cases, plants require very little calcium salts; their excess settles on the roots, on the walls of the pot, on expanded clay drainage, protrudes on the surface of the substrate and ultimately leads to root diseases.

There are several ways to soften water for irrigation. It is best to use a special filter, but you can dilute hard water with boiled or distilled water. You cannot water plants with just tap water due to the presence of chlorine and other substances used for disinfection. In addition, it is always colder than necessary. When settling, chlorine evaporates, calcium salts concentrate at the bottom; and its temperature rises to room temperature.

All that remains is to carefully pour half of the settled water into the watering can, add a little boiling water so that the temperature is a few degrees higher than room temperature, and you can start watering. It’s even easier to use cooled water for watering. desired temperature hot water, which, as a rule, does not contain excess calcium and chlorine salts. Sometimes water for irrigation must be slightly acidified with lemon juice or citric acid if the substrate becomes alkalized and the plants exhibit chlorosis.

"Room and garden plants» №48(148)