Pumpkin soup is eaten everywhere - in Europe, Asia, America, Australia and even in Africa. Moreover, most often, a cream soup is prepared from pumpkin.
Various varieties of pumpkin soup - with rice, with cheese, with wine - are prepared in northern Italy. In Haiti, pumpkin soup is certainly served on Independence Day, which coincides with the New Year. The celebration of Halloween in America is also not complete without pumpkin soup, however, here it is prepared quite thin. And in Australia, on the other hand, a thick, mushy soup with a lot of spices is cooked from pumpkin. In Uzbekistan, you will be offered shirkavak - milk soup with pumpkin. In England, apple and leek are added to pumpkin soup, in France - chicken broth and cream fresh. So what's the tastiest pumpkin soup recipe? Let's figure it out!
The sheer size of the pumpkin and the customs and traditions associated with it are always fascinating. But if you want to buy a pumpkin for food, not for fun, then choose a smaller size - it will be sweeter and less fibrous. Giant pumpkins are mainly grown as fodder varieties for livestock, moreover, the weight of 15 kilograms or more causes inconvenience during transportation and storage. Focus on medium-sized fruits.
The pumpkin skin should be free from defects (eg bruise spots), not wrinkled and smooth and firm to the touch. Examine carefully the stripes on the surface of the fruit - they should be straight. Wavy streaks may indicate the presence of nitrates. Also eliminate any rot that may form.
When you cut the pub, determine the quality of the pulp. Check it for firmness, firmness and fleshiness - all of which should be present. The color of the pulp - the more orange the better.
When choosing a vegetable, as with buying a melon or watermelon, you must carefully examine the tail (stalk). It dries out upon reaching maturity and is one of the indicators of ripeness. Another indicator of ripeness is the hardening of the bark and a clearly visible pattern on it.
The beneficial properties of pumpkin are determined by the presence in its composition of vitamins and other useful substances necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Understand what exactly pumpkin can be useful for a person.
What pumpkin contains:
The beneficial properties of pumpkin are recommended to be used both for the prevention of diseases and in the process of their treatment. Remember, pumpkin is the best cure for chronic ailments. Many doctors recommend including pumpkin dishes in the daily diet for people with the following diseases:
It is not at all necessary to consume this vegetable fresh. A number of useful properties of pumpkin appear only after heat treatment. So, for example, people with kidney disease, including acute pyelonephritis and kidney failure, need to eat pumpkin porridge. And in case of diseases of the heart, blood vessels and liver, it is better to eat baked pumpkin or all the same pumpkin porridge. Due to the content of iron in pumpkin, it is useful to eat pumpkin with anemia - eat boiled pumpkin 4-5 times a day, 100 grams at a time. For diseases of the gallbladder, for diseases of the liver, include a healthy pumpkin in your diet, per day you need to eat 200-300 grams of tavern in the form of porridge, boiled or baked pumpkin. In its raw form, pumpkin pulp is indicated for the prevention of caries, improvement of visual acuity, temperature reduction and even for the treatment of cough.
A fragrant soup with fried apples, seasoned with fresh ginger, chili and ground cinnamon. The apple gives the dish a sweet and sour taste, and the chili gives the pungency. The soup does not require milk or cream, so it will be enjoyed by vegetarians and fasting alike (if you don't add cheese). The golden, velvety consistency of the cream soup gives a feeling of fullness and is ideal as a warming light lunch.
Ingredients:
Preparation
Cut the onion into half rings. Chop the garlic. Grate the ginger on a fine grater. Peel and chop the chili peppers. Peel and seed apples and pumpkin and cut into slices.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add chopped onion and fry until transparent. Add garlic, ginger and chili. Fry for 1 minute. Add apples and pumpkin. Fry for 4-5 minutes, pour 2-3 tbsp. l. broth, salt and pepper, add cinnamon, fry for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in so much vegetable broth (or water) so that the vegetables are covered with liquid by 2 cm. Simmer under a lid for about 10 minutes over low heat until the pumpkin is completely soft. Grind the soup with a blender until smooth and, if necessary, add boiling broth to achieve the desired consistency. Fry walnuts in a dry frying pan for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and characteristic aroma. Chop the toasted walnuts coarsely. Cut the dorblu cheese into cubes. Sprinkle the soup with walnuts and cheese before serving.
Proportions for not the largest saucepan:
Cooking method:
Creamy pumpkin and sweet potato soup is cooked in a very, very concentrated chicken broth. Broth straight from whole chicken. The richer the better. A lot of meat goes into it, just a whole chicken can go away.
So, boil the broth from a whole chicken and two liters of water. Throw everything out of the broth, remove the skin from the chicken and also throw it out, remove the bones from the chicken, send them to the skin. Ideally, you should have a lot of chicken and some broth left in the pot.
Bring it to a boil, send the sweet potato and tavern there. The finer the vegetables are chopped, the faster they will cook.
When the pumpkin and sweet potatoes are completely soft, remove the pan from the heat, break the vegetables with a blender. Add all the white chicken meat, sweet chili sauce, and beat with a blender. Look at the consistency of the finished dish - does it suit you? If it seems too thick, add a little water, if too thin, evaporate the soup to the desired consistency, stirring constantly.
Fold the dark chicken meat, cut into small pieces, into the finished soup - it tastes better.
Serve with pumpkin seeds, heavy cream, warm wheat toast.
Ingredients:
Cooking method:
Finely chop the onion, fry in oil until transparent for 1-2 minutes. Cut the pumpkin and potatoes into cubes, add to the onion, fry over low heat for 2 minutes. Add chopped garlic. Transfer vegetables to a saucepan with boiling broth and cook for 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grind the vegetables together with the broth with a blender in mashed potatoes, heat the soup. Pour the puree soup into bowls, garnish with thyme.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Boil the chicken breast. Spices to taste: salt, pepper, Bay leaf, some celery, parsley. Cook for about 15–20 minutes. Cut carrots, potatoes, pumpkin. In a saucepan with a thick bottom, put the oil and chopped leeks. Lightly fry the onion, then add the carrots, fry for another 1-3 minutes. Add potatoes, pumpkin, about a liter of broth, in which the breast was cooked. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is cooked. Add chopped garlic. We remove from the fire. Make a puree soup with an immersion blender. Salt, pepper, add lemon juice, grated cheese, chicken pieces, mix and put on low heat, bringing to a boil again. Serve the soup with fried loaf cubes, herbs and sour cream.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Pour chicken breasts with 2 liters of cold water, cook until tender with salt. Remove the meat, cut and put it back in the broth. Add the diced pumpkin. Cook for 40 minutes. Pass peppers without seeds, tomatoes without skin through a meat grinder. Simmer for 20 minutes with salt and butter. Add to soup, season with spices.
Simple vegetable soup, soft and tender due to cream cheese (you can use Philadelphia, Buco, Almette or other analogs). Ginger root gives the dish a light, piquant flavor. After adding dairy products, it is important not to bring the soup to a boil, just warm it up, otherwise it may curdle.
Ingredients:
Cooking method
Grate the ginger root on a fine grater. Fry the almond flakes in a dry skillet or oven until golden brown. Squeeze the juice out of the orange.
Peel the pumpkin, cut into small pieces. Melt butter in a saucepan, pour in olive oil, add ginger, fry it for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Add pumpkin, a pinch of salt and fry for 3 minutes. Add ground ginger. Pour in orange juice and water so that the liquid covers the pumpkin. Cook for 30 minutes until soft. Add cream cheese. Mix well.
Grind the soup until puree with a blender. Add salt and pepper, if necessary, to taste. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.
The healing properties of pumpkin have been known for a long time - it is a valuable dietary vegetable, rich in vitamins and mineral salts. Delicate cream soup based on it is a popular dish in many national cuisines of the world. Such food is very useful, easy to digest, and its bright, cheerful color will decorate dinner table and will surely please the children.
Ingredients:
For filing:
Preparation
Peel the onions, cut into small cubes. Peel the garlic and chop finely. Peel the pumpkin, cut into medium cubes. Peel the carrots, grate on a coarse grater. Peel the celery root, cut into small cubes.
Fry onions, garlic and carrots in a bowl in a mixture of oils for 1-2 minutes. Add pumpkin, celery, fry for 1-2 minutes. Pour in water. Pour in the cream, salt and cook for 10 minutes at a pressure of 30 kPa or in the "Soup" mode. Bring the soup with a blender until smooth. Pour soup into bowls and garnish with herbs and serve.
Ingredients:
Preparation
Peel and cut vegetables. Turn on the multicooker in the "Bake" mode. Pour vegetable oil into the multicooker bowl. Finely chop the onion, chop the garlic, dice the potatoes, grate the carrots on a coarse grater, cut the pumpkin into small cubes. Send to a slow cooker, add water, salt. Bring the "Baking" mode to the end, then turn on the "Stew" mode for 1 hour. Then grind the finished soup in a blender. Add cream in mashed potatoes, mix. If the soup is thick, add boiled water.
None of the conditions for growing 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, believing that in this way they 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 can simply ruin him.
It may seem that all plants are sufficiently hydrated. a certain amount of once every 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 season, temperature and light, the quality of the soil and the moisture requirement inherent in a particular species. For example, on cloudy days the plant needs less moisture, but on sunny days it needs more water. Plants need ample watering during the warmer summer months, and less water is needed in cooler weather. Even under stable conditions, a constant amount of water is not a guarantee of success, since the plant grows 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.
Less moisture required:
✓ plants in plastic pots;
✓ plants with thick leaves with a waxy bloom;
✓ plants devoid of leaves;
✓ plants with thick stems;
✓ dormant plants;
✓ newly transplanted plants;
✓ plants with a poorly developed root system;
✓ weak and emaciated plants;
✓ at low air temperature in the room;
✓ on cloudy days or in low light;
✓ at high humidity air;
✓ in the absence of air movement in the room.
For example, orchids from the genus Dendrobium are watered no more than once a week.
The experience of many indoor floriculture enthusiasts 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 a mixture that appears dry from above stays wet in the middle of the pot. You water thinking the ground is practically dry. In fact, you oversaturate it with water from the middle of the pot to the very bottom, which is no less harmful to plants than drying out the soil. How to understand in what condition an earthen lump is: wet, dry or almost dry? Sometimes it can be determined "by eye" and "by ear".
The color of the earthen mixture depends on whether it is wet or dry. Wet mixture is dark brown, and dry or nearly dry becomes pale brown and dull. One of the common techniques, therefore, is to water the plants when the earthen mixture begins to fade. However, eye-to-eye estimates are not always reliable. When the mixture is dry on most of the pot, it may be damp on the bottom. However, for small pots, one can assume that if the earthen mixture is dry on the surface, it is dry enough throughout the pot. You can tell if plants should be watered simply by tapping the pot with your finger. If the soil in the flowerpot is dry, the sound will be sonorous; if it is wet, it will be dull.
The easiest way to determine if a plant needs watering is to sample the potted soil with your finger or a wooden stick. Submerge your finger in the earthy mixture up to the first or second knuckle. If the soil feels moist, no watering is required. If it is dry, then there is clearly not enough water in the soil. This 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 testing the moisture content of the mixture with your fingers several times at a time. So you can damage the roots of a small and delicate plant and thus do it more harm than good. It is better to check 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 by simply lifting the pot. Clearly, the newly watered potting mix weighs more than the dry one. Plants in plastic containers that grow in standard potting mixes, after watering, weigh about twice as much as dry ones. This is, of course, a rough estimate. The difference in weight depends on the type of pot, the potting soil, and the material the pot is made of. However, even plants in clay pots with a heavy potting soil are noticeably lighter when the soil dries out. Applying the weighing method takes some practice. Lift the plant several times between waterings to feel the difference in weight between wet and dry pots. Then after a while 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.
Watering plants in large containers - over 30 cm tall - has always been a challenge 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. Various soil moisture indicators can be found commercially. These devices measure the amount of water at a specific depth. Insert the indicator fork approximately 2/3 of the way into the soil. An arrow on the scale will indicate wet, dry, or somewhere in between. Water only if the indicator indicates dry soil. Keep in mind that an old, worn out meter gives unreliable readings, so it should be replaced with a new one about once a year. However, even a new meter can give an inaccurate estimate if the soil mix contains a lot of mineral salts. They can build up if you water the plants with hard water for several years. In this case, an inaccurate reading on the meter indicates that your plants need to replace the old potting mix with a fresh one.
In addition to the standard meter, there is a sound moisture meter on the market, it indicates when the plant needs watering, ringing, whistling or other sound signal. The sound meter has the same structure as the standard one, but instead of a scale, there is a sound transmitter at the other end. It costs about the same as the standard one. It makes sense to buy one such meter and keep it in a pot with a plant that usually dries out faster than others. When the indicator beeps, it's time to check the rest of the plants using traditional methods.
Each type of plant needs its own watering regime. This information can be gleaned from the description of the content of a particular plant. Distinguish between abundant, moderate and rare watering. Abundant watering is carried out immediately after the earthen coma dries. Abundant watering is required for most tropical plants with thin leaves. With moderate watering, the plants are watered not immediately after the earthen coma dries, 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). With sparse watering, plants are left dry for several days, weeks, or even months. This applies to cacti and succulents, as well as dormant plants.
A strict watering regime for each plant is not easy to maintain, especially if you have a lot of plants. Ideally, the condition of the plant should be checked regularly and watered as soon as necessary. This method yields the best results because it alternates between moist and nearly dry soil 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 than less often and more abundantly. The main watering is best done in the first half of the day. With each watering, the plant must be given so much water that it well moistens the entire earthen clod and glass in the pan.
Regular irrigation irregularities affect the appearance of most plants.
Lack of water can be noticed by the following signs:
Leaves droop;
Leaves and shoots become lethargic;
In plants with tough leathery leaves, the leaves dry and fall off;
With excess water:
Signs of rot appear on the leaves;
The plant grows clearly more slowly;
Mold appears on buds and flowers;
The tips of the leaves turn brown;
When the potting mix dries out enough to become almost crunchy, a curious phenomenon occurs - the potting mix refuses to accept water. No matter how much water you pour, the ground becomes slightly damp only at the surface. This is because the very dry soil moves away from the walls of the pot and cracks form between the walls and the earthy clod. When you water over-dried soil from above, the water flows down these slots to the bottom and pours out into the sump through the drainage hole. The earthy lump will remain dry. Therefore, when the ground is too dry, it is useless to water it from above. 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 immerse the entire pot with the plant in it, carefully pressing the pot with a load (stone or brick) so that it is completely submerged in the water. Then add a few drops (no more!) Of liquid detergent to the water to help reduce the water repellency of the overdried soil. After about an hour, remove the plant pot and let the excess water drain off. If the plant has revived (not all plants recover after drying out), it will soon become succulent again. Please note - even when the earthen lump takes on its original size, some distance between it and the walls of the pot will remain. Fill this gap with potting soil.
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 earthy ball. Usually, an earthen ball is permeated with roots and retains the shape of a pot. Remove damaged roots and wrap an earthen clod with a rag or old kitchen towel to absorb excess water from the clod. You may need to change your towel several times.
Then wrap the earthen lump in absorbent paper and leave it in it until dry, but do not dry it out. When the earthy ball is dry, plant the plant in a clean pot with fresh earthy mixture.
Typically, flower pots are sold with a pallet. The sump is absolutely necessary - excess water flows into it. You can also use saucers or bowls as a pallet. suitable size from any material. It is only important that the diameter of the pallet is not less than the upper diameter of the pot. After watering, drain the excess water from the sump.
Drainage is a French word. It means the artificial or natural removal of excess fluid, usually from the soil. In indoor floriculture, drainage is used so that the water does not stagnate in the pot. For drainage, ceramic shards, gravel, pebbles or large expanded clay are suitable.
A large shard is placed on the drain hole with the convex side up, or a handful of smaller shards, then a layer of coarse sand is poured and the plant itself is planted on top of this. Since there are not always shards at hand, it is easier to arrange expanded clay drainage.
If there is a hole in the pot for water drainage, then 1 cm of large expanded clay should be put on 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 about a quarter of the height of the container.
Although traditionally plants are watered from a watering can, there is another way - watering from the bottom. With this method, the so-called capillary effect is triggered - there is a movement of water from wetter layers to drier ones. When the soil is almost dry, place the pot in a pan of water and moisture will begin to flow through the soil and plant roots.
By watering from the bottom, you simply fill the sump with water. If water drains out of the pan quickly, add some more. After about an hour, the entire soil will be moist and the surface will be shiny with moisture. When the plant has sucked up all the water it needs, pour out the rest of the water from the pan. Watering from below is preferable for plants with pubescent leaves or a lush rosette of leaves.
Plants that you water from below meet their moisture needs better. However, you will have to change the soil mixture with them more often, as excess mineral salts will accumulate in the soil faster.
Overhead watering seems to be a more “natural” way of watering, since in nature, plants get moisture from the rains. On the other hand, it is not the source of moisture that is important for the plant, but the result is moist soil. Therefore, it is not so important whether you water from above or from below. When watering from above, make sure that no water gets on the leaves. Many plants have very delicate leaves and stems that are stained by water droplets. In addition, water droplets in the light focus the light like lenses, and burns can occur even on dense and leathery leaves. Therefore, when watering from above, be sure to lift the leaves or move them to the side so that the water only falls on the soil.
Plants in hanging pots often hang quite high and can be difficult to water. For convenience, you can buy a special watering can, which will greatly facilitate watering such plants. It consists of a plastic bottle with a long tube that folds at the end. Such a watering can is quite inexpensive.
Plants are preferably watered with soft water, i.e. water with a low salt content. If the water in your area is soft, then tap water is fine for irrigation. Hardy plant species can be watered directly from the tap, but this should not be abused: there are not so many such plants. It is better for the water to settle for about a day. During this time, gas bubbles, especially chlorine and fluorine, will come out of it. Fluoride is very harmful to indoor plants. For irrigation, you can also use rainwater, melted snow and well water.
Hard water contains many soluble calcium and magnesium salts. It is very harmful to plants. The surface of the plant roots is covered with a skin that acts as a kind of filter.
It lets in and retains only what the plants need. When watering with hard water, the filter “clogs up” - 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, an increase in watering only leads to rotting of the roots and the death of the plant. A sign that indicates 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.
To soften hard water, wood ash is added to it 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 value until the desired value is set (5.5-6.5).
Filtered hard water That is, the water passed through a demineralization plant or osmotic filtration system will not harm your plants. To soften hard water, special filter cartridges and tablets are produced - water softeners (so-called pH tablets). 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.
Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. It is even better to take water 2-3 ° C warmer. Do not neglect this rule. Remember that by watering cold water heat-loving tropical plants, their roots and leaves can be damaged.
Yes, there are such ways. Firstly, it is the so-called self-watering pot. Secondly, the cultivation of 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 hydrogels and granulates, which are able to retain water in the soil for a long time and give it to plants as needed.
Watering is a prerequisite 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 wonder how to water the flowers. But in order for the plants to always look beautiful, so that watering brings the maximum benefit to them, you need to know some watering rules for domestic plants... So,
Water for irrigation of plants can be ordinary tap water, but settled for at least a day. In order for the chlorine to evaporate, the water must be defended in an open container. Soft water for irrigation works best. Most tap water is hard. Water from wells is even harder; it 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 harmful salts precipitate and the water becomes soft.
It is undesirable to water the plants with distilled water, because it does not contain the mineral salts necessary for plants. The exceptions are azaleas, gardenias, ferns, camellias, orchids and some predatory plants, for which watering with distilled water is even desirable, because they should only be watered with soft water.
It is better not to use water from pump rooms and from cylinders for watering domestic plants, because its composition is not known to you, and such water can harm the plant.
Since most tap water is alkaline, it must be neutralized. If this is not done, the soil becomes alkalized over time, as a result of which the root system of the plants suffers. In order to neutralize the alkaline reaction of the aqueous medium, it must be slightly acidified. To do this, it is enough to add food citric acid to the water for irrigation at the rate of 1 teaspoon of citric acid per 5 liters of water. Citric acid add to warm water just before watering.
Watering indoor plants with cold water is unacceptable, because when watering with such water, the vessels of the root system of plants narrow, and as a result, moisture and nutrition poorly enter their upper part, the root gradually dies off 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 watered for plants that are in a dormant period. This prevents premature vegetation and plant depletion. For watering plants that have stopped growing during the period of winter dormancy, they use water colder than the temperature of the air in the room, sometimes even water with snow.
In all other cases optimum temperature water for irrigation of domestic plants is + 30–34 ° С, so the water needs to be slightly warmed up, even in summer. Watering with such water has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of plants.
The plant must be watered over 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 manage to absorb during watering. It is impossible to leave the water for a longer time, otherwise you can provoke rotting of the root system. If the flowerpot is large and cannot be lifted, you can remove water from the pallet using a syringe, a sponge, and absorbent wipes.
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 frequently than on clear and sunny days; with dry and warm air indoors, plants need to be watered more abundantly than with humid and colder air; plants in light and 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 the drying out of the earthy coma. The signal about the need for watering is the drying out of the upper soil layer by 1.5 - 2 cm. Succulent plants are watered after the earthen coma dries up to a depth of 3 - 10 cm (the larger the container, the greater the depth of the soil should dry out).
But what if there is no way to water the plants in a timely manner (for example, during the vacation period)? How to leave flowers without watering? Can they handle this stress? Read about how to properly organize watering during a vacation or business trip.
Hebe is an exotic plant that is often grown in greenhouses and conservatories. In the southern regions, it is cultivated as a regular outdoor garden flower.
The flower attracts attention with leathery shiny leaves. Inflorescences in shape resemble heather in an increased size. The length of the inflorescences reaches 10 cm, while they brighten as they bloom. Plants bloom profusely from May to July.
The shades of hebe flowers are different
Description of species:
In warm regions, they are grown as perennials.
These shrubs are picky about the composition of the soil, they can grow well even on poor soils. They refer negatively only to heavy clay soil. But still, for young plants before planting, it is advisable to prepare a good loose substrate of sand, peat, turf and leafy soil.
The plant prefers bright lighting. But, so that the flower does not suffer due to the abundance of sunlight, at first it must be shaded. Chebe blooms weakly in the shade. These plants love moisture, so watering should be abundant, the earth should not dry out. In hot weather, it is advisable to spray the bushes regularly. During the period of intensive growth, the shrub must be fed with complex fertilizers.
In the spring, you can carry out anti-aging pruning, remove stem cuttings and increase watering
Watering for plants is of the utmost importance, just as drinking water is for humans. Without enough water to dissolve essential nutrients in the soil, plants not only wither, but starve. Water is essential for all physiological processes: photosynthesis, movement of organic compounds formed as a result of photosynthesis, as well as for the absorption of minerals in the form of soil solutions.
Watering is one of the most important activities to ensure the viability of plants. The task of irrigation should be solved in conjunction with the problem of achieving optimal soil permeability. The plant can rot from superficial waterlogging, while experiencing an acute moisture deficit. To increase the permeability of heavy soils (soil for planting plants), sand, compost, peat should be added to them. Usually in modern mixes 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 fertilized) water. Tap water is moderately suitable for irrigation only after settling for a day and stabilization of the acid-base balance. Activated carbon cleaning removes chlorine and fluorine, but retains calcium and heavy metal salts. Filters or commercial water can be used. 
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 oxygen supply. With its lack and with an excess of moisture, the roots gradually die off, 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, to save the plant, you need to cut it off and try to root the cuttings from it, having previously held them in water. With strict observance of the main rule, it should be borne in mind that watering plants of different groups and species has its own characteristics.
The need for plants in water is determined by their specific features: the structure of the aboveground 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, which sometimes need to be watered twice a day. Excess moisture is harmful to bulbous plants. It is best to water them by directing the stream of water not to the onion, but closer to the walls of the pot, or water from the pallet.
There are plants that are very sensitive to lack of moisture, such as araucaria. When its branches begin to hang, then no amount of watering will help. Araucaria should be monitored constantly and, in addition to watering, spray the plant as often as possible, several times a day.
There are a number of important requirements for irrigation water. 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 rainwater are used. Naturally, each type of water has its own characteristics and characteristics, which indicate the degree of its suitability for irrigation.
Tap water goes through filtration and various stages of purification, everyone knows what makes it drinkable. This water is also suitable for irrigation, although it should be noted that the content of minerals in it is quite low and, depending on the season, the chlorine content can significantly increase.
Well water or well water, on the contrary, it is distinguished by a high content of salts and mineral substances, since, passing through the soil, it washes away valuable trace elements, which is a positive property for water. But still, the content of minerals in the water should not be overestimated, since then it will become unsuitable for watering plants.
Pond water Perhaps the least suitable type of irrigation water, mainly due to the high risk of toxic waste, rotting products, chemicals, bacteria, foreign inclusions and other dangerous impurities in it.
Rainwater much softer than tap water, has an almost neutral acid reaction, and in addition, it has a rather high content of dissolved oxygen. Thanks to all these characteristics, rainwater can be regarded as very valuable for plants, and there is a very definite sense in collecting it. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that in conditions of an extremely polluted environment, harmful chemical compounds, heavy metals, lime dust (which makes water hard), combustion products of liquid and solid fuel in the form of soot and droplets of oily liquid, which greatly reduces the value of rainwater.
To reduce the degree of rainwater pollution, and therefore the associated risk, a number of rules must be followed when collecting it. Since rainwater collection tanks are in most cases installed under downpipes and gutters, before entering the barrel, water flows down the roof, washing away dust, chemical compounds, soot and other "harmful" substances that have settled on it. The water of the first precipitation is especially heavily polluted after a long period of drought. the amount of dirt accumulated on the 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 takes on a strong and prolonged character, you can refuse the volume of water that falls in the first half hour, this time is quite enough to wash away the main dust containing harmful impurities from the roof. In order to be able to regulate the flow of water into the barrel, a valve can be installed in the sump, by closing it, you will direct water from downpipe on the ground, when its collection in a container is undesirable for one reason or another.
Signs of a lack of water
Leaves drooping, loss of turgor by leaves and shoots.
In plants with soft, delicate leaves (Vanka wet), they become lethargic and droop. In plants with hard, leathery leaves (ficus, laurel, oleander myrtle, etc.), they dry up and crumble (first of all, old leaves fall off).
Flowers and buds fall off or wither quickly.
Signs of excess water
Leaves drooping, there are soft areas with signs of rot.
Slowdown in growth
Curled, yellowed and withered leaves, the tips of the leaves are brown.
Both old and young leaves fall off.
Mold on flowers.
There is Golden Rule watering plants - it is better to water less, but more often than less often and in large quantities. It should be noted that wilting of leaves is not always associated with a lack of water. This can happen under the influence of sunlight, on the first clear day, a field of long cloudy weather.
Mandatory watering.
Plants are watered immediately after the earthen coma dries. Such watering is required by most tropical plants with thin delicate leaves, as well as some plants with leathery leaves (for example, lemon, ficus, gardenia, ivy, coffee). Both those and others suffer greatly from overdrying: the leaves turn yellow and crumble, or wither and fall, not restoring their previous position. All plants need abundant watering during the flowering and growth period: even with a slight overdrying, young shoots, buds and flowers may suffer.
Moderate watering.
The plants are not watered immediately after the earthen coma dries, but after a day or two, that is, they are slightly dried. This is how plants with fleshy or strongly pubescent stems and leaves, with thick roots and rhizomes (palm trees, dracaena), as well as with aquiferous tubers on the roots (asparagus) and bulbous are watered. 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 overly wetted plant begins to wilt, it will appear to appear weakened. The plant on the left was over-watered, and the plant on the right was getting a 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, which have a dormant period.
Most plants are watered abundantly in summer and moderately in winter. The main watering is best done in the morning. With each watering, the plant must be given enough water so that it soaks well the entire earthen clod and comes out onto the saucer. If air bubbles are visible on the soil surface, watering is repeated until there are no air bubbles. It is not recommended to water a little every day, since in this case the water will only wet the top layer of the earth, and the roots at the bottom of the pot will dry out.
Usually, plants are watered from above so that the excess of calcium, magnesium and other elements contained in the water, which negatively affects the root system, is absorbed by the upper soil layer, which has 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 a saucer. This should not be done. Spots on the leaves can be avoided by using warm water, because spots are formed as a result of a large difference in temperature between leaves heated in the sun and cold water. Water from a saucer or pots after watering is drained so that the roots do not rot. This is especially important to do in autumn and winter.
If water does not seep onto the saucer during watering, but stagnates on the surface, you need to check if the drainage hole is clogged. Sometimes, on the contrary, water flows out very quickly onto the saucer. This means that the soil is very dry, water flows down the walls of the pot, without having time to wet it. These plants need to be watered very well by placing them in a bowl of lukewarm water so that it completely covers the pot and sprinkling with warm water. When air bubbles cease to appear on the soil surface, the pots are removed from the water.
Water the plants with water at room temperature (18-24 ° C) or slightly warmer. At low temperatures, the root system is inactive, therefore, too warm water cannot be used in winter, so as not to cause premature plant growth. In summer, plants are watered with warmer water (up to 30-32 ° C). The hotter it is in 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 the leaves to fall off.
Irrigation water should be soft, slightly acidic, free from 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 you have to use for watering tap water containing chlorine, calcium and magnesium salts, which have a negative effect on 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.) are converted into compounds inaccessible to plants.
A few words about how to water your plants while on vacation. Before leaving for a few days, place the plants in a bowl of water about 1/3 the height of the pot. If you are going to be absent for a longer time (3-4 weeks), fill the containers with peat or earth to a height of 15-20 cm, dig in the plants, water them well beforehand, and moisten them again. Plants should be placed in a lighted place, but not in the sun. There is another way to water. Above the plants, a vessel with water is placed, from which a woolen or cotton cord, which conducts water well, is lowered into each pot. The plant pot can be placed above the water container. In this case, the other end of the cord is inserted into the drain hole.
In summer, in 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, it is watered once a day if the soil is not frozen and the temperature is positive.
Deciduous bonsai species need more water in summer than evergreen, conifers, which have specialized leaves that retain moisture better. In winter, on the contrary, deciduous ones consume less water than conifers, which continue to grow, albeit slowly. Pine trees tolerate a lack of water in the soil relatively painlessly, while large-leaved deciduous ones, especially in hot weather, need abundant and frequent watering.
It is more convenient to water by immersing the container in a container of water, so that the water covers the surface of the soil. At the same time, the clod of soil is not washed out and the soil is impregnated more evenly and completely. Whereas when watering from above, if the top layer dries up, watering is difficult, since the water can roll off without wetting the soil. Do 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, marsh cypress), do not suffer from prolonged exposure of the roots in 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 chloride. It must be kept at room temperature for 24 hours in order for the chlorides to 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 removes dust from the leaves of the plant, but also humidifies the air, which is especially important to do as often as possible to maintain the moss cover in the container. However, you should avoid waterlogging the soil with frequent spraying. It is not recommended to spray the plant in bright and hot sun.
One of the most important conditions for successful orchid cultivation is water quality. Water for plants is not only a source of food and drink at the same time, but also the ability to regulate their temperature.
In nature, plants use rainwater, which is a super-weak acid solution. But, unfortunately, it's not a secret for anyone that in cities, far from harmless liquid is pouring from the sky.
For orchids (and for other indoor plants), it is recommended to use soft to 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 Kiev it is very hard. The faster the scale builds up 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 precipitate. Oxalic acid reduces hardness well (you can buy it in chemical stores, sometimes in flower shops, for example, I saw it in the House of Violets on Nagatinskaya Street). This is done like this: Add about 1/8 teaspoon of acid (it is in powder) to a 5-liter canister of cold tap water. We defend the water during the day in an open container, it is even better to cut off the very upper part of the canister in order to enlarge the neck. Water must be defended necessarily open due to the fact that during the chemical reaction of binding calcium salts, volatile chlorine compounds are formed, which must evaporate. At the end of the day, an insoluble precipitate of calcium salts precipitates at the bottom of the canister. The resulting water must be carefully, trying not to shake up the sediment, pour into a clean dish. Just in case, I never pour out the water to the end - I leave somewhere half a liter so that the sediment does not fall. The canister should be transparent - this way it is more convenient to monitor the sediment. In my practice, if the water with acid has settled for more than 2 days, the precipitate stops shaking and it is safe to drain clean water.
Another method is to immerse a bag of high-moor peat in a bucket of water overnight - the water is also acidified.
If you water the plants with distilled water, then remember that it is completely desalinated. Therefore, distilled water must either be mixed with ordinary settled water, or special fertilizers must be dissolved in it.
Iron water is even more dangerous for orchids than hard water. When standing, such water becomes cloudy and has a noticeable taste of rust.
An equally important condition for the suitability of water is its acidity. Acidic water - pH less than 5 and very rare. Alkaline water can be easily acidified with regular lemon. If your water shows a pH above 7 (you can measure it either with pH meters or with litmus paper - sold in chemical stores), then by dripping lemon juice, you lower the pH value to 6, and measure how many drops you need for what volume water flowing from your tap.
Properly prepared water is useful to saturate with oxygen before watering.- for 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 the 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.
It is best to water the plants only with soft rain, river or pond water. Hard water (including well water) containing various salts should be avoided. Aroids, azaleas, orchids, ferns, camellias are especially poorly tolerating hard water. Those plants that grow on calcareous soils tolerate watering with hard water well.
Be aware that rainwater can be contaminated with industrial emissions if you live in or near an industrial area.
Chlorinated water from the plumbing is defended for at least a day so that the chlorine has time to evaporate.
The water temperature should be at least at least 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 fall, and even plant death. On the contrary, watering plants with warm water in a cold room is also undesirable, because this will lead to premature plant growth.
Successful floriculture is possible only if you learn to water your plants on time and in the required quantity, which is not easy ..
The task of proper watering is to give each plant exactly as much water as it needs under the given conditions.
When buying a new plant, novice florists often ask: "how many times a week do you need to water it?"
It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. 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 state of the root system, the period of growth or dormancy.
If the same plant in the summer on the balcony at a temperature of 25? C requires daily watering, and 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 are 80% water or more, with a lack of moisture, many life processes get confused. Usually, the roots constantly supply water to the aerial 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 sunburn. If watering is insufficient and the ground is dry, there will be nothing to evaporate, there comes a moment when the plants will 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 with reservoirs for water - funnels of closed leaves or thick succulent leaves and roots.
If the plant belongs to climatic zones where rainy seasons are replaced by dry ones, they are able to adapt, accumulating water in stems, leaves, rhizomes.
Some plants, resisting drying out, shed their leaves for the duration of the waterless season or simply close the stomata on the leaves, which are additionally protected by dense pubescence, dense skin, waxy bloom, etc. Plants of deserts and semi-deserts are especially not critical to the lack of moisture. They accumulate water in leaves, stems, or even change leaves for thorns, at the same time protecting themselves from thirsty animals.
Definition by appearance
The appearance of the plant tells us how often it needs to be watered and how much the potted soil needs to be moistened.
Plants with heavily dissected leaves orlarge light and thin leaves, as well as with thin delicate roots, do not approve of the complete drying of the substrate. But waterlogging is dangerous for these species as well. the roots do not receive oxygen for breathing. At home, plant roots are found in loose soils made from rotting branches, leaves and other organic materials.
If tropical or subtropical plants leaves, stems or roots are juicy and thickened, they are adapted to lack of moisture and do not need constant moisture. Such plants are watered after the upper part of the substrate dries up. Succulent plants from arid habitats are watered in summer only after the earthen coma is completely dry. V winter time watering is minimized or stopped altogether.
The most "convenient" for beginner growers are those pets that, with a lack of moisture, lower their leaves, but after watering they immediately restore the elasticity of the shoots. A hibiscus takes less than an hour to do this. But there are such plants that do not forgive the complete drying of the substrate and die. These include ferns, fuchsias, azaleas, gardenias, conifers. The latter can have a decent appearance for a long time, despite the dried roots, especially in a cool room, and then turn yellow and crumble.
Waterlogging
Over-watering is much more likely to shorten the life of plants than other owner mistakes. This is "helped" by the use of purely peat soils, which have a very high moisture capacity,
Often the soil is still wet. Meanwhile, in room culture, there is only one plant that likes it, though only in warmth. Cyperuses can be placed in pots with water or in the pool, because they grow in their homeland along the river banks like our cattails. Most indoor plants, being in waterlogged soil, stop growing normally, putrefactive root diseases develop, and brown spots appear on the leaves. From the roots, the disease quickly passes 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 salted the plant yourself and know what is used as drainage and what is the composition of the soil. It is easier to learn to distinguish between soil of different moisture content. Even very experienced flower growers, not trusting their eyes, try the ground by touch, so as not to water it again.
With rare, poor 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, at the bottom of the pot, the earth is usually slightly moistened.
Moderate watering is recommended for most indoor plants. It is adjusted so that the soil is constantly slightly damp throughout the entire depth of the container. The surface looks wet only immediately after watering. But there should be no water in the pan, and if there is still water half an hour after watering, it is drained. If after a day or two the surface of the earth has dried up, this does not always mean that it is time for watering.
If you stick a thin dry splinter almost to the bottom, you can see wet soil particles adhering to it. Water. of course, it is still early, but the surface of the substrate can be sprayed. To keep the soil in the pot dry evenly, you can cover its surface with a layer of moss, use clay pots, or use high drainage. A lot also depends on the shape of the pot. The soil dries faster and smoother in wide low containers, and 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, plants that are afraid of waterlogging, for example, alocasia, are more suitable for low containers, and for conifers a low bowl is a big risk.
Abundant watering is recommended for few plants, mostly in summer. A well-dampened pound has absorbed maximum water. This happens when a vessel with a plant is placed in a container with water and left until completely saturated. As a rule, this is the only way to burn plants in which, for one reason or another, the soil protrudes as a mound above the surface of the pot, for example, in trees grown using the bonsai technique. If the plant is improperly planted, water can drain off the walls of the container during watering and go into the pan, although the earthen lump remains practically dry. The plant withers, although it is often watered.
It is enough to put it "on a flood", as air begins to bubble out of the dried earth coma. For uniform soil moisture, when planting, it is necessary to compact it well near the walls of the pot.
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. Clay pots dry out faster than plastic ones.
Water quality
What should be the quality of the oxen for watering?
Of course, it should not be rusty and not too tough, chlorine free, not cold. There is an easy way to find out how much calcium you have in your tap water. When spraying plants with firm, dark green, glossy leaves, too hard water leaves noticeable whitish spots. Less hard leaves streaks, and soft leaves almost no marks. In most cases, plants need 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 the plants only with water poured from the tap because of the presence of chlorine and other substances used for disinfection in it. In addition, it is always colder than necessary. When standing, chlorine evaporates, calcium salts are concentrated at the bottom; and its temperature rises to room temperature.
It remains to carefully pour half of the settled water into the watering can, add a little boiling water so that the temperature is several degrees above room temperature, and you can start watering It is even easier to use hot water cooled to the required temperature for irrigation, which, as a rule, does not contain excess salts calcium and chlorine. Sometimes the water for irrigation has to be slightly acidified with lemon juice or citric acid if alkalization of the substrate occurs and chlorosis appears in plants.
"Indoor and garden plants" №48 (148)
Olga Gorbatova
Labor in nature "Teaching children to water indoor plants" (junior group)
Program tasks:
Teach children practical skills watering
To acquaint children with the structure of the labor process
To cultivate an attitude towards plants as to living beings, to bring up the desire to regret plant, effectively help him
Vocabulary work:
Plant, watering can, pot with a tray, stem, leaves, root, to water, moist earth, beautiful, healthy.
Equipment:
Models labor process, apron, oilcloth, watering can with water, flower in a pot with a pallet
Aprons, oilcloths, watering cans, flowers in pots with a pallet
Preliminary work:
Observing plant(acquaintance with the features of appearance, structure, observation of plant in favorable and unfavorable conditions (lack of moisture, monitoring the labor of a teacher on watering plants in a corner of nature(acquaintance with the model labor process)
Organization children:
Children stand at the tables arranged with the letter P
Introductory part
Children, Mishka came to us and brought a flower with him.
The bear greets the children.
Guys, let's ask Mishka why he is so sad, not funny?
Teddy bear says he is sad because his beloved the plant was so beautiful, as in the picture (shows the model, now it has become like this (shows plant) ... Mishka says he doesn't know what happened to him, sorry for him plant, that's why he is sad.
And you feel sorry for Mishkino plant? (yes, sorry)
Let's take pity on Mishka with you, say gentle words to him, don't cry Mishka, we will help you, and you will be cheerful, joyful again.
Children, why Mishkino the plant became like this? What did he forget to do?
Let's hear what it asks for plant.
The plant asks so that it poured and then it will get better.
Guys, Mishka says he can't water and now probably his the plant will die.
Children, can we help Mishka? (Can)
How? (we can teach him water the plant)
Goal setting:
Let's teach the Bear correctly water the plant
Children, we want plant how did you feel? (Good)
To make it what it is? (talking to the children; so that plant felt good with the leaves looking up, so that the stem was looking up, so that the ground was moist). In order not to forget about it, let's put a picture (model - plant in good condition)
Which plant now? (examination is underway plants: state of leaves, stem, ground). In order not to forget which plant now, put a picture (model - plant in an unfavorable state). Plant you need to help sooner. To do this, you need to choose the right tools.
Children, Bear says that he knows what to do.
Look, he brought a watering can. Look, the watering can has a handle so that we can hold the watering can, the watering can has a spout, water is pouring out of the spout, there is a hole, water is poured into this hole.
Children, what is missing in Mishka's watering can? (water)
What kind of watering can you need to take? In order not to forget that you need to take a watering can with water, put a picture (model - means labor: watering can)
Now what are we going to do?
Children, Bear says that he remembered how to water and wants to show us (Bear holds the watering can with one hand, pours water on the leaves, at the root, wants to pour out all the water from the watering can at once).
Bear, you are not right watering the plant... You can not pour water under the root and on the leaves, and immediately pour out all the water from the watering can. The plant may die.
Look, children how I will water the plant... Before starting work, I will put on an apron so as not to wet and stain my clothes. The flower is in a pot with a pallet on an oilcloth. I take a watering can with some water, I put the spout of the watering can to the edge of the pot, pour the water slowly, gradually until the water appears on the pan.
In order not to forget that the plant needs to be watered, put the picture(model labor actions) .
Children, what will become plant if we pour it right? ( plant will be in good condition, the stem will be even, the drooping limp leaves will also rise, they will be even, elastic.)
Let's put a picture in order not to forget (model - plant in good condition)
Anchoring
Before starting work, what will we do? (put on an apron)
How are we going to hold the watering can? (spout at the edge of the pot)
How much water will we pour? (until water appears on the pallet)
What will become plant after watering? (plant will be in good condition)
Independent work
Teddy bear, to your we helped the plant, now it will get better.
Some the plants in our group need help too, water them so that they do not become like in the picture (I show the model - plant in an unfavorable state)
Children, would you like to help?
Then you need to find plants who are thirsty. Here is how in the picture (the model is shown plants in an unfavorable state)
The bear, together with the teacher, is watching labor of children, ask clarifying questions. When difficulties I come to the aid of the children.
I remind the children that it is time to finish work and that it is necessary to bring workplace in order.
Didactic game "Where is the bear hiding?"
Didactic task: specify the name of acquaintances plants
Game rule: find Bear
Game action: finding the playable character and naming plants behind which he hid
Children, soon ours plants become as beautiful, healthy as in the picture (showing the model - plant in a favorable state)
They will feel good about themselves. We have done two good deeds today: helped plants and taught Bear to water his plant.
Bear says thank you to all of you, now his plant will feel good. He's very happy about that. Now Mishka has learned water the plant, and will always take care of him so that it is in good condition and pleases with its beauty.
Children, are you glad you helped plants? (emotionally share the joy children)
Plants are so diverse in appearance, structure, origin that it is impossible to offer mathematically accurate recipes regarding the frequency and volume of watering.
Some plants cannot stand a lack of water, they wither or dry out as soon as the substrate dries up. Once the leaves have dropped, it is often difficult for the plant to return to normal. These plants must be grown in a low peat-based substrate with good water retention. But there are also species that prefer less watering. These are most cacti and succulents and all plants with dense, stiff leaves or forming a hard, thick trunk.
Observation and a good knowledge of the plants allows watering at the ideal time and giving the plant the optimal amount of water. During the growing period (from mid-March to the end of September), plants need the most frequent and abundant watering. As a rule, at this time it is watered 2 times more often and 3-4 times more than during the period of vegetative rest (from mid-October to the end of February). During transition periods, the frequency of watering depends on the air temperature.
Watering tree plants... At normal temperatures (18-22 ° C in the house), plants that form a solid trunk, as well as species with dense leaves, are watered on average every 5-7 days during growth and every 10-12 days during vegetative dormancy (winter). Water should fall on the surface of the earthen clod.
Watering herbaceous plants. Stemless plants, plants that form rosettes or a bush of flexible and thin stems, as well as all plants resembling grass, are watered on average 2 times a week during the growing period and once a week in winter. It is best to use the method of immersing the pot in water.
Watering orchids. Forms with pseudobulbs or stems resembling reeds are watered on average once a week throughout the year and only during the flowering period - every 3-4 days. Orchids with thin stems or forming rosettes are watered 2 times a week during the growing period and once a week in winter. Use non-lime water, do not wet the plant core, and drain excess water from the pan.
Watering cacti and succulents. During the growing period, water every 6-10 days, depending on the air temperature, and no more than 1 time in 15-20 days in winter. If the temperature is low, do not water at all. For example, lithops can survive in a pot for about a year without a drop of water if the room temperature is below 16 ° C.
Watering bromeliads. Water pineapple, ehmeyu, gusmania, etc. with unknown water on average once a week throughout the year. Leave the water in the center of the leafy rosette during the growing season.
Insufficient watering ... When a plant no longer finds the water it needs to sustain life in the soil, it begins to use its reserves. Plants with fleshy stems or fleshy leaves like cacti and succulents can tolerate drought for several months. And plants with thin and fragile stems, with large thin and flexible leaves begin to experience the effects of drought faster. When cells lose some of their fluid, they lose their elasticity, and tissues shrink or sag. This is the most important sign that a plant is thirsty. In most cases, it is enough to thoroughly wet the earthen ball to bring the plant back to life. But remember that wilting weakens the plant, interferes with its normal development. You must intervene in time, but not flood the plant, but only give it what it needs.
Slow drying of soil in pots indicates a disease or poor growth of the plant. If the plant turns out to be flooded, then it is necessary to loosen the surface of the earth, or remove the top layer of earth to the roots and cover it with fresh earth. If the soil in the pot is acidic, then you need to transplant the plant into new soil, after washing its roots and removing rotten areas from them.
If you've flooded the plant so much that it smells of mold from the pot, try changing the substrate. Remove the plant from the pot, squeeze the earthy ball to squeeze out the water, and remove as much of the wet substrate as possible. Transplant the plant into a new medium that is slightly damp. Do not water the plant for at least 15 days.
If the spots have spread not only to the leaves, but also to the petioles and core of the plant, then, unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to save it and you will have to purchase another plant.
a source
Watering for plants is of the utmost importance, just as drinking water is for humans. Without enough water to dissolve essential nutrients in the soil, plants not only wither, but starve. Water is essential for all physiological processes: photosynthesis, movement of organic compounds formed as a result of photosynthesis, as well as for the absorption of minerals in the form of soil solutions.
Watering is one of the most important activities to ensure the viability of plants. The task of irrigation should be solved in conjunction with the problem of achieving optimal soil permeability. The plant can rot from superficial waterlogging, while experiencing an acute moisture deficit. To increase the permeability of heavy soils (soil for planting plants), sand, compost, peat should be added to them. Usually in modern mixes 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 fertilized) water. Tap water is moderately suitable for irrigation only after settling for a day and stabilization of the acid-base balance. Activated carbon cleaning removes chlorine and fluorine, but retains calcium and heavy metal salts. Filters or commercial water can be used. 
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 oxygen supply. With its lack and with an excess of moisture, the roots gradually die off, 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, to save the plant, you need to cut it off and try to root the cuttings from it, having previously held them in water. With strict observance of the main rule, it should be borne in mind that watering plants of different groups and species has its own characteristics.
The need for plants in water is determined by their specific features: the structure of the aboveground 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, which sometimes need to be watered twice a day. Excess moisture is harmful to bulbous plants. It is best to water them by directing the stream of water not to the onion, but closer to the walls of the pot, or water from the pallet.
There are plants that are very sensitive to lack of moisture, such as araucaria. When its branches begin to hang, then no amount of watering will help. Araucaria should be monitored constantly and, in addition to watering, spray the plant as often as possible, several times a day.
There are a number of important requirements for irrigation water. 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 rainwater are used. Naturally, each type of water has its own characteristics and characteristics, which indicate the degree of its suitability for irrigation.
Tap water goes through filtration and various stages of purification, everyone knows what makes it drinkable. This water is also suitable for irrigation, although it should be noted that the content of minerals in it is quite low and, depending on the season, the chlorine content can significantly increase.
Well water or well water, on the contrary, it is distinguished by a high content of salts and mineral substances, since, passing through the soil, it washes away valuable trace elements, which is a positive property for water. But still, the content of minerals in the water should not be overestimated, since then it will become unsuitable for watering plants.
Pond water Perhaps the least suitable type of irrigation water, mainly due to the high risk of toxic waste, rotting products, chemicals, bacteria, foreign inclusions and other dangerous impurities in it.
Rainwater much softer than tap water, has an almost neutral acid reaction, and in addition, it has a rather high content of dissolved oxygen. Thanks to all these characteristics, rainwater can be regarded as very valuable for plants, and there is a very definite sense in collecting it. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that in conditions of an extremely polluted environment, harmful chemical compounds, heavy metals, lime dust (which makes water hard), combustion products of liquid and solid fuels in the form of soot and droplets of an oily liquid, inevitably enter rainwater. significantly reduces the value of rainwater.
To reduce the degree of rainwater pollution, and therefore the associated risk, a number of rules must be followed when collecting it. Since rainwater collection tanks are in most cases installed under downpipes and gutters, before entering the barrel, water flows down the roof, washing away dust, chemical compounds, soot and other "harmful" substances that have settled on it. The water of the first precipitation is especially heavily polluted after a long period of drought. the amount of dirt accumulated on the 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 takes on a strong and prolonged character, you can refuse the volume of water that falls in the first half hour, this time is quite enough to wash away the main dust containing harmful impurities from the roof. In order to be able to regulate the flow of water into the barrel, a valve can be installed in the water collector, by closing it, you will direct water from the drain pipe to the ground, when its collection into the container is undesirable for one reason or another.
Leaves drooping, loss of turgor by leaves and shoots.
In plants with soft, delicate leaves (Vanka wet), they become lethargic and droop. In plants with hard, leathery leaves (ficus, laurel, oleander myrtle, etc.), they dry up and crumble (first of all, old leaves fall off).
Flowers and buds fall off or wither quickly.
Leaves drooping, there are soft areas with signs of rot.
Curled, yellowed and withered leaves, the tips of the leaves are brown.
Both old and young leaves fall off.
There is a golden rule of watering plants - it is better to water less, but more often than less often and in large quantities. It should be noted that wilting of leaves is not always associated with a lack of water. This can happen under the influence of sunlight, on the first clear day, a field of long cloudy weather.
Plants are watered immediately after the earthen coma dries. Such watering is required by most tropical plants with thin delicate leaves, as well as some plants with leathery leaves (for example, lemon, ficus, gardenia, ivy, coffee). Both those and others suffer greatly from overdrying: the leaves turn yellow and crumble, or wither and fall, not restoring their previous position. All plants need abundant watering during the flowering and growth period: even with a slight overdrying, young shoots, buds and flowers may suffer.
The plants are not watered immediately after the earthen coma dries, but after a day or two, that is, they are slightly dried. This is how plants with fleshy or strongly pubescent stems and leaves, with thick roots and rhizomes (palm trees, dracaena), as well as with aquiferous tubers on the roots (asparagus) and bulbous are watered. 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 overly wetted plant begins to wilt, it will appear to appear weakened. The plant on the left was over-watered, and the plant on the right was getting a normal amount of water.
Plants are left dry for several days, weeks, months. This applies to succulents (cacti, aloe), as well as deciduous tuberous and bulbous, which have a dormant period.
Most plants are watered abundantly in summer and moderately in winter. The main watering is best done in the morning. With each watering, the plant must be given enough water so that it soaks well the entire earthen clod and comes out onto the saucer. If air bubbles are visible on the soil surface, watering is repeated until there are no air bubbles. It is not recommended to water a little every day, since in this case the water will only wet the top layer of the earth, and the roots at the bottom of the pot will dry out.
Usually, plants are watered from above so that the excess of calcium, magnesium and other elements contained in the water, which negatively affects the root system, is absorbed by the upper soil layer, which has 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 a saucer. This should not be done. Spots on the leaves can be avoided by using warm water, because spots are formed as a result of a large difference in temperature between leaves heated in the sun and cold water. Water from a saucer or pots after watering is drained so that the roots do not rot. This is especially important to do in autumn and winter.
If water does not seep onto the saucer during watering, but stagnates on the surface, you need to check if the drainage hole is clogged. Sometimes, on the contrary, water flows out very quickly onto the saucer. This means that the soil is very dry, water flows down the walls of the pot, without having time to wet it. These plants need to be watered very well by placing them in a bowl of lukewarm water so that it completely covers the pot and sprinkling with warm water. When air bubbles cease to appear on the soil surface, the pots are removed from the water.
Water the plants with water at room temperature (18-24 ° C) or slightly warmer. At low temperatures, the root system is inactive, therefore, too warm water cannot be used in winter, so as not to cause premature plant growth. In summer, plants are watered with warmer water (up to 30-32 ° C). The hotter it is in 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 the leaves to fall off.
Irrigation water should be soft, slightly acidic, free from 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 the 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.) are converted into compounds inaccessible to plants.
A few words about how to water your plants while on vacation. Before leaving for a few days, place the plants in a bowl of water about 1/3 the height of the pot. If you are going to be absent for a longer time (3-4 weeks), fill the containers with peat or earth to a height of 15-20 cm, dig in the plants, water them well beforehand, and moisten them again. Plants should be placed in a lighted place, but not in the sun. There is another way to water. Above the plants, a vessel with water is placed, from which a woolen or cotton cord, which conducts water well, is lowered into each pot. The plant pot can be placed above the water container. In this case, the other end of the cord is inserted into the drain hole.
In summer, in 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, it is watered once a day if the soil is not frozen and the temperature is positive.
Deciduous bonsai species need more water in summer than evergreen, conifers, which have specialized leaves that retain moisture better. In winter, on the contrary, deciduous ones consume less water than conifers, which continue to grow, albeit slowly. Pine trees tolerate a lack of water in the soil relatively painlessly, while large-leaved deciduous ones, especially in hot weather, need abundant and frequent watering.
It is more convenient to water by immersing the container in a container of water, so that the water covers the surface of the soil. At the same time, the clod of soil is not washed out and the soil is impregnated more evenly and completely. Whereas when watering from above, if the top layer dries up, watering is difficult, since the water can roll off without wetting the soil. Do 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, marsh cypress), do not suffer from prolonged exposure of the roots in 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 chloride. It must be kept at room temperature for 24 hours in order for the chlorides to 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 removes dust from the leaves of the plant, but also humidifies the air, which is especially important to do as often as possible to maintain the moss cover in the container. However, you should avoid waterlogging the soil with frequent spraying. It is not recommended to spray the plant in bright and hot sun.
One of the most important conditions for successful orchid cultivation is water quality. Water for plants is not only a source of food and drink at the same time, but also the ability to regulate their temperature.
In nature, plants use rainwater, which is a super-weak acid solution. But, unfortunately, it's not a secret for anyone that in cities, far from harmless liquid is pouring from the sky.
For orchids (and for other indoor plants), it is recommended to use soft to 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 Kiev it is very hard. The faster the scale builds up 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 precipitate. Oxalic acid reduces hardness well (you can buy it in chemical stores, sometimes in flower shops, for example, I saw it in the House of Violets on Nagatinskaya Street). This is done like this: Add about 1/8 teaspoon of acid (it is in powder) to a 5-liter canister of cold tap water. We defend the water during the day in an open container, it is even better to cut off the very upper part of the canister in order to enlarge the neck. Water must be defended necessarily open due to the fact that during the chemical reaction of binding calcium salts, volatile chlorine compounds are formed, which must evaporate. At the end of the day, an insoluble precipitate of calcium salts precipitates at the bottom of the canister. The resulting water must be carefully, trying not to shake up the sediment, pour into a clean dish. Just in case, I never pour out the water to the end - I leave somewhere half a liter so that the sediment does not fall. The canister should be transparent - this way it is more convenient to monitor the sediment. In my practice, if the water with acid has settled for more than 2 days, the precipitate stops shaking and it is safe to drain clean water.
Another method is to immerse a bag of high-moor peat in a bucket of water overnight - the water is also acidified.
If you water the plants with distilled water, then remember that it is completely desalinated. Therefore, distilled water must either be mixed with ordinary settled water, or special fertilizers must be dissolved in it.
Iron water is even more dangerous for orchids than hard water. When standing, such water becomes cloudy and has a noticeable taste of rust.
An equally important condition for the suitability of water is its acidity. Acidic water - pH less than 5 and very rare. Alkaline water can be easily acidified with regular lemon. If your water shows a pH above 7 (you can measure it either with pH meters or with litmus paper - sold in chemical stores), then by dripping lemon juice, you lower the pH value to 6, and measure how many drops you need for what volume water flowing from your tap.
Properly prepared water is useful to saturate with oxygen before watering.- for 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 the 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 - oxygen royal water, is sold here.
It is best to water the plants only with soft rain, river or pond water. Hard water (including well water) containing various salts should be avoided. Aroids, azaleas, orchids, ferns, camellias are especially poorly tolerating hard water. Those plants that grow on calcareous soils tolerate watering with hard water well.
Be aware that rainwater can be contaminated with industrial emissions if you live in or near an industrial area.
Chlorinated water from the plumbing is defended for at least a day so that the chlorine has time to evaporate.
The water temperature should be at least at least 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 fall, and even plant death. On the contrary, watering plants with warm water in a cold room is also undesirable, because this will lead to premature plant growth.
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Houseplants need regular water intake just like all living things on our planet. Lack or vice versa - excess moisture in a flower pot with a substrate can lead to wilting of the flower, yellowing or the appearance of spots on the leaves, drying and falling of leaves, damage by pests or diseases. Before you purchase a plant and place it on a floor stand near a windowsill or on a shelf among other species in your collection, be sure to ask what variety it belongs to and find information about the features of home care - including that, how to water properly new ‘green pet’.
Some indoor plant lovers even check with lunar calendar to select the most suitable watering dates. In this article, we will show you how to properly organize watering indoor flowers at home. Useful Tips, photo and video materials will be especially useful for novice flower growers who are just beginning to be interested in the rules of caring for indoor plants.
Below you will find practical advice to help you water most popular houseplants properly. We will cover issues such as the choice of utensils for watering flowers, what water to water the flowers, how often to water, signs of a lack of moisture, watering methods, and how to water orchids and other indoor plants during your vacation.
♦ TABLEWARE FOR IRRIGATION OF ROOM FLOWERS:
a watering can with a long spout. A practical tool - a long nose can easily be directed through a dense 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 a phytowall or in phytomodules (vertical gardening);
flask. A special device with an elongated tip and a spherical container for water. Such inventory can help out great 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;
spray gun for spraying (sprayer). By spraying with water from a spray bottle, additional moisture can be supplied through the tops 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;
pallet with water. A great way to add extra moisture to the potting soil if the air in the room is too dry. It is advisable to place the flower pot not directly in the water, but on wet expanded clay or on pebbles in a pallet.
- in the photo: equipment for irrigation
♦ WATER FOR IRRIGATION OF ROOM FLOWERS:
rain, river, pond water. Some growers prefer to water their indoor plants with melt and rainwater. Flowers respond well to watering with soft water from natural sources. But you need to disinfect the water, add a few pieces charcoal;
tap water. Most of the inhabitants of megalopolises water their flowers with tap water. But it is important to remember that chlorinated tap water with slightly soluble calcium salts is very hard. It is imperative that this water be defended for at least 24 hours (or better, several days) before watering the flowers, and pour out the remnants from the very bottom. Water the plants with water at room temperature or lukewarm.
- on the photo: signs of a lack and an excess of water
♦ IRRIGATION FREQUENCY FOR ROOM FLOWERS:
❂ the frequency of watering depends on various factors: the type of plant, the age and size of the plant, the microclimate in the room, the season (dormant or growing season), as well as the material from which the pot is made (ceramic, plastic, glass);
❂ Most houseplants like regular and even watering to keep the substrate in a moderately moist state. If the period of abundant soil moisture is abruptly replaced by a period of insufficient moisture, then the flower begins to wither and may die;
❂ in winter, many indoor plants slow down the growth and development processes (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 watered 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 (Benjamin's and rubbery ficus, Andre's anthurium, spathiphyllum, home begonia, gloxinia sinningia, jasmine gardenia, gerbera, balsam, shefflera, dieffenbachia). Bulbous species should be watered sparingly and less often, since waterlogging can lead to decay of the root system (hippeastrum, clivia, amaryllis, calla zantedeschia, oxalis oxalis, hyacinths, eucharis Amazonian 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. There are indoor species that can easily tolerate long breaks between watering (succulent species - bastard Money tree, aloe vera or agave, triangular spurge, Decembrist zygocactus, as well as species such as Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, chlorophytum, ‘mother-in-law’s tongue’ or sansevieria);
❂ ceramic (clay) pots have a good porous structure, the circulation and evaporation of moisture is more active. 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 IRRIGATION OF INDOOR PLANTS:
❀ top watering. To water the flower from above, it is advisable to use special dishes with a long spout (watering can, flask). It is advisable to direct 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, to avoid stagnant water on top of the soil. Pour out all the water that flows into the pan. This is a versatile way to water indoor species. The disadvantage of this method is that the useful substances and sludge of the substrate are quickly washed out. Therefore, do not forget to feed the plants in time.
❀ bottom watering. Some types of decorative deciduous plants lose their attractiveness if water drops 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 all excess water from the pan must be drained. The disadvantage of this method is that mineral salts are not washed out, on the contrary, they stay in the soil for a long time. If a lime crust appears on the surface of the soil, then carefully remove it along with the top layer by adding fresh substrate.
❀ immersing the pot in water. Very good method 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. The water will quickly saturate all layers of the substrate through the drainage holes. Then place the pot on a wire rack so that any excess water can flow down freely. It is not advisable to use this method of hydration during the flowering period of the plant, when moving the pot can cause the buds and petals to fall off.
- tables with factors affecting the abundance and frequency of watering
♦ IRRIGATION OF INDOOR PLANTS DURING VACATION:
√ vacation up to two weeks.
- We moisten the soil abundantly by immersing each pot in water;
- it is advisable to thin out the leafy crown and cut the buds of flowering plants;
- pots with plants on shelves and on stands should be compactly arranged closer to each other (this will increase the level of moisture around the plants);
- immerse the pots in wide trays with wet expanded clay (so that the water level is a couple of centimeters below the top layer of expanded clay). Wet sphagnum moss can be placed between the pots.
√ vacation up to three weeks.
- complete all the steps described above;
- take plastic bottles of 0.5 l and make holes in the screw caps. After filling the bottles with water, set them in expanded clay between the pots, immersing them with tightly screwed caps with holes down. As the expanded clay dries up, water will seep out of the bottle drop by drop;
- immerse a special flask for irrigation (see above) in each pot with a flower with the nose down.
√ vacation up to one month.
- there are special pallets for automatic irrigation on sale. The system consists of inner and outer trays, capillary mat. The outer sump is filled with water. The inner one is installed on top and covered with a capillary mat. This rug gradually absorbs moisture and gives it to the plants placed on it;
- instead of a flask for irrigation, it is best to install ceramic cones with thin hoses immersed in a container of water in each pot.
- in the photo: a ceramic cone with a hose for irrigation
♦ HELPFUL TIPS FOR BEGINNING FLOWER GROWERS:
☛ it is advisable to water rare and whimsical plants with settled mineral water (not carbonated) at room temperature;
☛ if the substrate in the pot, together with the earthen lump, is completely dry, then lower the pot into a container with warm, settled water to the edge of the pot and after ten minutes place it on the wire rack so that all excess water drains;
☛ after watering, be sure to drain all the water flowing into the sump so that the roots of the houseplant do not rot;
☛ sometimes (3-4 times) during the growing season it is useful to water the flower with warm, settled water (not salty!), In which the potatoes were boiled before. Starch helps to strengthen the root system and plant development;
☛ if during the flowering period the buds that have not yet opened actively began to fall off the plant, then there is a high probability that the soil is insufficiently or not regularly moistened (against the background of a low level of humidity in the room);
☛ Try to water the flowers so that no drops remain on the surface of the stems and leaves. Water droplets dry out and leave unsightly stains and burns. Yellow spots and burns reduce the decorative value of the plant;
☛ Some indoor species require abundant watering during the growing season. These plants include many species with leathery leaves (Robusta ficus and De Dumbbell white, lemon tree, hoya wax ivy), as well as tropical varieties with bright and thin delicate leaves (petunia, calathea, arrowroot, croton);
☛ less often watering plants with small fleshy leaves that are dormant, in a cool room with high humidity, grown in plastic or glass dishes;
☛ if the 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, the appearance of viral and fungal diseases;
☛ the most ideal time for watering most indoor species is early morning (with sunrise);
☛ On hot summer days and during heating, it is necessary to spray the plants with a spray bottle. A container of water can be placed next to the plants for additional humidification.
♦ HOW TO WATER ORCHID AT HOME:
❶ Watering orchids can only be done with warm, settled soft water. It is advisable to water the rare collection and whimsical indoor orchid species with diluted distilled water. Stir the separated water of medium hardness with distilled water in a 1: 1 ratio. Stir too hard water with distilled water in a 1: 2 ratio;
❷ If the orchid is without bulbs, then water it after the substrate is completely dry, and the lower leaves begin to lose turgor and shrivel. 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 stagnates in the pot around the roots and flows freely from the drainage holes;
❹ The best way watering the orchid in the summer - soaking the pot in warm, settled water for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to make sure that the water completely drains out of the holes in the bottom of the pot after soaking;
❺ how often to water the orchid at home. Complete drying of the soil is much safer for the root system than overflow. Most species can be watered at a frequency that is defined as: Once the substrate is completely dry, you can moderately water the flower the next morning. 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, the composition of the soil, the pot (volume, what material it consists of).
How to properly moisten the soil in a pot (for example, room begonia):
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The scientific name of poinsettia is euphorbia pulcherima, which means "the most beautiful euphorbia." But we know this flower, really the most beautiful of the milkweed, under a different name - poinsettia. Such a sonorous and solemn name entered our language thanks to Joel Robert Poinsett, a politician and diplomat who served in Mexico.
This extraordinary man was a keen botanist, an avid plant hunter. Service in Mexico provided him with a wide field of activity, in search of new plants, he traveled all over the country. In the winter of 1828, near Mexico City, he was struck by the bright flowering of an unfamiliar shrub and shipped samples of the plant that fascinated him home to South Carolina, where he had plantations and a collection of plants in a greenhouse. After leaving the state post, he completely surrendered to his passion, engaged in the introduction and reproduction of plants, shared them with friends, sent them to botanical gardens.
Poinsett made a successful career, became a congressman, but did not glorify his name professional activity, but, as we would say today, a hobby. His name was given to a beautiful plant, and by decision of the Congress
December 12 has been celebrated as National Poinsettia Day since 1851, when the diplomat passed away.
One more name must be mentioned here - Paul Ecke. Coming from a poor family of German immigrants, in which children helped their parents by selling bouquets of wildflowers, he turned out to be a genius marketer and entrepreneur. This man made poinsettia extremely popular in America, it was he who turned the poinsettia into a symbol of Christmas. On a December day back in 1906, in the windows of the famous Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, extravagant bouquets were exhibited, highly appreciated by the discerning public, and the name Christmas Star has since been assigned to the plant.
Scientists had to work hard to turn the poinsettia bush into a pot plant
At first, poinsettia was grown outdoors, but Ecke's breeders managed to achieve the seemingly impossible: turn a tall, wild-growing shrub into a pot plant that is easy to transport. The secret of the technology was kept secret for a long time, until the 90s of the last century the company remained a monopolist, taking the second place in the world in terms of profits from sales - after the Dutch tulips.
The tradition of decorating houses, churches, shops, offices with poinsettia for Christmas has been adopted by many European countries: Spain, Germany, France, Holland, and in Canada and Mexico, as well as in the USA, Poinsettia Day is celebrated. In almost every country where she is popular, she also has her own, popular name: in Mexico she is the "flower of the holy night", in Chile and Peru - the "crown of the Andes", in Egypt - "daughter of the consul" (in honor of Ambassador Poinsette ), in Turkey it is the "flower of Ataturk".
Poinsettia is not only decorative, but also useful in the home, due to the fact that it releases biologically active substances with antimicrobial action. So, it reduces the number of streptococci by 50-60%.
At home, in southern Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, this evergreen tropical shrub 1.5-3 m high forms real thickets in semi-shaded and fairly humid places. Its stems are slender, thin, branches are straight, bare, branching is weak. Leaves on long petioles are large, 10-12 cm long, rich green color. They are pubescent and smooth, cut in various ways, but more often oval, with a pointed tip. In some new varieties, the shape of the leaves resembles that of oak.
See also: Poinsettia flower - how to care
In late autumn - early winter, small discreet greenish-yellow flowers appear on poinsettia, collected as if in handfuls. They produce nectar that attracts birds. But poinsettias are not valued for flowering at all, its main advantage (and very bright!) Is the apical leaves, called bracts, which develop together with the inflorescence and frame it with a decorative rosette. In shape and size, they are the same as the rest of the leaves, their bright red color is an adaptation to pollination, it is needed to attract birds. The flowering period lasts about 2 months; when it ends, the bracts turn pale and fall off.
Among the Aztecs, the poinsettia, which they called quetlaochitl, was considered magic plant used in religious rituals. The Indians believed that warriors who laid down their heads in battle gain immortality, and descend to earth to drink nectar from poinsettia flowers. They had a legend about a goddess whose heart burst with unhappy love. The drops of blood, falling to the ground, turned into flowers that look like stars.
Almost half of the indoor poinsettias sold are traditionally red. This color is represented by countless combinations of shades: fiery red Cortez Fire, Peterstar and Red Diamond, bright red with dark veins Jester Red, velvety-like Olympia, bright scarlet Sonora Fire and deep crimson Freedom and Galaxy, rose red with white with Sonora touches, crimson Freedom Coral and Max Red, almost crimson Annette Hett Divo.
The pink range is no less rich: Freedom Pink pale pink, miniature bright pink Pink Ale, Pink Ribbon creamy pink, Cortez Pink salmon pink.
Particularly attractive are hybrids of an unusual marble color, for example, low, only 30 cm, Cortez Cream, Monet Twilight with spots and stripes of varying intensity, Da Vinci with strokes of pink, brighter than the main color. Jester Pink has green-edged bracts, Marblestar and Silverstar Marble have white ones.
Not flowering, but the color of the apical leaves adorns the poinsettia
White poinsettias are very elegant: Eckes White, Freedom White, compact Silverstar White, White Star, which has shades of green. Regina is creamy white with green veins, Cortez White is ivory and Sonora White is also white veined.
Motley poinsettias are original: lilac with white strokes Jingle Bells Sonora and pink-purple with carved white edges Strawberry & Cream.
Another direction of selection is the creation of bracts of an unusual shape. Now they are very narrow or very wide, wavy, with carved edges. Poinsettias are in vogue, called "winter roses" (Winter Rose), in which the leaves are rounded, and large bracts are wrapped in a bud like the petals of old English roses. They are bred by English breeders. The Harlequin Red variety is very similar to them with corrugated double bracts, but its leaves are pointed. The most popular terry variety is Carousel Pink, pale pink with green veins.
Often in European countries, poinsettia is treated like a bouquet of flowers: if it has lost its appearance, it is thrown away. They believe that it is easier to buy a new plant than to care for an old one. Meanwhile, if, knowing the development cycles of poinsettia and some of its features, create the necessary conditions for it, it will delight bright stars bracts and the next year.
You need to take your time choosing poinsettia in the store because the product must be top-notch, brought in by a trustworthy supplier. The quality of delivery and the content of the plant in the store determines whether it will delight with long flowering or will bring disappointment. Because these factors, which we usually do not think about and which may not seem so important, are decisive for poinsettia, mistakes cannot be corrected in the future with the most careful care. So we can say that you also need to choose a store; sales and discount fairs are not suitable here.
So, we are in the store. We bypass the side of the plants that are too close to the street door or in a draft. "In cramped quarters - but not offended" - this proverb to poinsettia is not
Refers to. Those specimens that do not stand tightly to each other, but separately, in the open, and at the same time do not have packaging, feel much better. If the protective packaging (it is intended solely for transportation) was not removed on time, and the flowers were waiting for their buyer for a long time, they could easily be poured when watering. For the same reason, let us pass by plants waiting for their new owners in beautiful paper or cellophane.
In the store, you must carefully pack the purchased poinsettia. With hypothermia, it will be impossible to bring her back to life.
The state of the substrate will also tell you how much the sellers care for the plants. Check if it is too dry or wet. Do not hesitate to twirl the bush in your hands. It should be short-stemmed, lush, dense and even on all sides, and not one-sided. If the lower part of the stem is very bare, it means that the conditions of detention have already been violated and the poinsettia has lost some of the leaves.
To make sure that there are no pests and diseases, we carefully examine the leaves. They should look healthy, have a deep green color, and not have any spots. Sluggish, drooping leaves in wet soil may indicate the onset of root rot. It is helpful to look at the underside of the leaves to make sure there are no whiteflies or aphids lurking there.
It is best to buy poinsettia at the end of autumn, and not just before the winter holidays - at this time, the choice is already sufficient. And if you manage to buy a plant that is just about to bloom, there will be plenty of time to enjoy its magnificent appearance. Therefore, pay attention to the flowers, they should still be in buds. If yellow pollen is open and visible, then it is difficult to say how long the bright color of the bracts will last.
The poinsettia brought home needs to be treated with all the attention to understand how it feels in the new environment. While acclimatization lasts, a bright place and a temperature of 20-22 degrees suits her. As soon as our sissy gets used to it, we define her at the sunniest window. In this case, lighting is required bright, but diffused.
The window should be warm, if the window sill is concrete, cold, some kind of support or gasket is needed, all windows with slotted frames will have to be insulated. At the same time, she will not approve of the neighborhood with a radiating heat battery or heater, so we move it away from heat sources.
In general, it is often not recommended to drag the poinsettia from one place to another. During flowering, a temperature of 18 to 24 degrees is suitable for her. At 18 degrees, flowering lasts longer, at higher temperatures, flowering is shorter, but the bracts themselves will be larger, although not as bright. The air needs to be sufficiently humid.
Until the bracts acquire the color characteristic of the variety, watering is regular and moderate. To understand whether it's time to water our beauty, you just need to touch the substrate in the pot: if it feels like wet, soil particles remain on the skin of your finger, then it's too early, if it's dry in the pot, it's time. During flowering, watering is abundant, but it is important not to leave unabsorbed water in the pan, after half an hour - an hour it must be drained so that the roots do not get wet. It is usually not required to feed the purchased plant, it has enough nutrients available in the substrate.
It happens that a healthy plant with unopened flowers is purchased. His bracts are just beginning to stain, but they do it too slowly, remaining small and rather pale. Chances are, poinsettia lacks light and power. To make it quickly turn into a bright bouquet, you can arrange for it to be illuminated and fed with fertilizer for indoor plants with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.
In February, the poinsettia begins to gradually shed its beautiful colored leaves. At this time, watering is slowly reduced and spraying is completed.
By reducing watering, we push the plant to prepare for the dormant period, and we imitate the processes that occur in places of its natural growth.
The resting period of poinsettia is pronounced, losing leaves, it quickly loses its beauty and turns into an unpresentable bush with bare stems. She rests for about 1.5 months, from February-March to March-April.
Poinsettia should not be placed next to vases filled with fruit. Ripe apples, pears, melons, bananas emit ethylene, which is harmful to flowers.
As soon as the main part of the leaves is shed, you need to shorten the branches. How much to cut the bush depends on your desire and its height. Usually they are shortened by 1/3 or 1/2 of the height, and on the remaining "hemp" there should be 3-5 nodes (they remain in the place of fallen leaves and are clearly visible). Weak shoots must be removed altogether. The slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
It is better to spend the rest time of poinsettia in a cool room at a temperature of 18-19 degrees and in dim lighting. If this is unattainable, let it be any place in a moderately warm room, as long as it is dry.
Watering during rest is scarce, only so that the substrate does not dry out, you can simply sprinkle the soil in the pot.
In March-April, the plant wakes up, new shoots start growing. Usually there are too many of them, all of them are not needed, so the weak ones are removed again and 5-6 of the strongest are left. As soon as they grow 10-15 cm, they are pinched, leaving 3-4 leaves on each. This stimulates the emergence of new branches, the poinsettia begins to actively bush. So the plant is formed until August and results in a thick compact bush... This month the pruning is finished because it is time to start planting the flower buds.
In spring and summer, poinsettia is looked after in the same way as other indoor flowers. As soon as active growth begins, it is again placed on the sunniest windowsill, protected from direct sun so that it does not overheat, and burns do not appear on the leaves. But if the bright lighting of the poinsettia welcomes, then the heat is not, the temperature should not rise above 27 degrees, even with good air circulation.
Watered very carefully at first, little by little. Gradually, watering is increased, until it is plentiful, so that the earthen lump is well saturated with water. Between watering, it is in no case allowed to dry out. Of course, it will not be possible to bring the air humidity closer to the state of a tropical forest saturated with moisture, but frequent spraying will somehow help to survive the heat. Starting from the time of regrowth of new shoots, 2-3 times a month the flower is fed with a complex mineral fertilizer (for flowering plants).
In mid-September, the amount of watering and dressing is gradually reduced, while maintaining good daylight and a temperature of at least 18 degrees. The one who lived on the balcony in the summer, most likely, will have to be transferred to the house, determined to a well-lit place, and as soon as the central heating is turned on, humidify the air.
In order for the poinsettia to form buds and color the bracts, you need a short daylight hours and a long night, lasting 14-15 hours. To do this, from the beginning of October, they arrange a "dark" one for her, covering it in the evening with some opaque material - a black plastic bag, a tight bag, or take it to the closet, put it in the closet. If the darkening turns out to be incomplete and light comes on the poinsettia, for example from a street lamp, then spots will appear on the bracts. They keep them under a nightcap for about 2 months, but during the day they are exposed to the lightest windowsill. Little by little they water and feed. At the beginning of December, the buds become visible, and the bracts begin to stain. Now you can no longer hide the poinsettia at night. From mid-December, feeding is stopped, leaving again becomes the same as when buying.
In summer, the poinsettia feels great outdoors. As soon as constant warm weather is established, send it to the balcony or veranda, picking up a place where it will not be affected by rain and strong winds. But it must be borne in mind that even on a glazed balcony with a strong cold snap, the overseas beauty will be uncomfortable.
Poinsettia is transplanted every few years, as needed, it is better not to disturb it for no reason. In April-May, they are transferred into a slightly larger pot. Its diameter should be 1-1.5 cm larger than the root ball. The fact is that the root system of the poinsettia is small, it will not be able to immediately master a lot of new soil, as a result, after watering, the soil will remain too wet for a long time, which is fraught with rotting of the roots.
So, the root system is carefully examined, the damaged roots are cut off. If all goes well, the poinsettia is transferred to a new pot, trying to preserve an earthen lump, and fresh soil is added.
You can buy a universal ready-made soil for flowering plants and add coarse river sand to it. It is easy to prepare the substrate yourself by mixing in equal proportions humus, peat, leaf and turf soil, sand. If all of the listed components are not present, the composition can be changed to include, for example, only peat, leaf (sod) soil and sand (perlite) (2: 1: 1). Or compost, peat, sand (2: 1: 1).
At the bottom, a drainage layer of up to 3 cm from expanded clay or brick chips is arranged. A little complex fertilizers are added to the soil mixture, better than long-acting granular fertilizers. If fertilizers are not applied, then approximately 3-4 weeks after transplanting, careful feeding begins, at first with a very weak solution. For 7-10 days, while the poinsettia is recovering from stress, they are kept in partial shade, watered well, and sprayed in the heat.
In nature, poinsettia propagates by seeds, and at home - only by rooting cuttings. They are cut from shoots growing in spring or early summer. To get more of them, the poinsettia is cut off after flowering, leaving 10-12 cm in height and 3-6 strong buds each, transferred to a place with diffused light. Water, feed every 2-3 weeks using half of the recommended dose in the instructions.
As soon as the dormant buds begin to grow, the temperature is raised to 25 degrees. Shoots are allowed to grow only when they have 6-7 leaves, cuttings are cut, having 5-6 well-developed buds (nodes).
The cutting must be prepared for planting for rooting. First, an oblique cut is made 2 cm below the last node. Then the stalk is washed for 10 minutes in warm water (35-40 degrees) to wash off the milky juice. When it stops flowing, cut it off again, making a cut now directly under the lower node. They are soaked with a napkin, sprinkled with crushed charcoal or activated pharmaceutical charcoal, or simply dried well in the air. For better rooting, you can dust the slices with root.
Cuttings are planted in small containers with a diameter of 6-7 cm to a depth of 1-1.5 cm.For planting, it is convenient to use transparent disposable plastic cups... They are suitable in size, and in them it will be visible when the roots appear. They are planted in a moist, loose substrate. Usually it is peat and sand, taken in equal proportions. Soil is also suitable for succulents, to which the same amount of sand is added.
At first, the cuttings are loosely covered with plastic wrap, the humidity at this time needs high, up to 90%. The place is selected warm, with a temperature of 24-25 degrees and with diffused light. The cuttings are not watered, but only regularly sprayed the soil, but, attention (!), If the house is hot and dry, it will dry out very quickly - due to the small volume. After 3-4 weeks, strong roots will appear, after which the temperature is reduced to a level of 18-20 degrees. Usually about half of the cuttings are rooted, and even more when using root formers.
As soon as active growth begins, approximately 2 weeks after rooting, the plant begins to gradually feed. To make the poinsettia bush better, pinch the shoots over the 5-6th leaf and regularly continue this work, forming a round, dense, compact bush. If you wish, you can give the poinsettia the shape of a tree with a long "leg". To prevent the flower from growing one-sided, it is regularly rotated 90 degrees.
The grown bushes are transplanted into slightly larger containers by the transfer method, using a mixture for adult plants. If the poinsettia deems it worthy of your concerns, it will bloom next year.
If the poinsettia doesn't like something, it always reacts in the same way: it drops> leaves. This can happen when the soil is overmoistened or overdried, when standing for a long time in a draft or in a too cool place, being in a too hot and dry room, with a lack of light or watering with cold water.
Poinsettia is quite resistant to diseases. In winter, hypothermia of an earthen coma on a cold windowsill with abundant watering leads to the emergence of root rot. With this fungal disease the lower leaves lose their elasticity, turn yellow, become stained, fall off. Until the disease has gone too far, an urgent transplant is needed, followed by 2-3 times treatment of plants and soil with fund-dazol (2 g per 1 L of water) in 3-5 days.
V last resort for reproduction, you can use the shoots left after the spring and summer pruning, although they are usually shorter than necessary, have few internodes.
Gray rot disease is possible at low air temperatures and excessive watering. Especially often it affects poinsettia during the staining of the bracts, appearing as a gray bloom on the leaves and lower branches. All affected parts of the plant are removed. If the damage is significant, it is also recommended to treat with foundation or such fungicides as topsin-M, ridomil.
When the air is too dry, a red spider mite sometimes settles on the poinsettia. It is difficult to discern this mobile pest, it is only 0.1-0.4 mm in size, and lives on the underside of the leaves. You can find out about the appearance of settlers by yellowish specks on the leaves and a thin white cobweb. However, it is usually noticed when the pests have already bred. Leaves become dull, dry up and fall off.
Plant rescue begins with washing with hot (up to 50 degrees) soapy water (20 g of "green soap" or 20 g of laundry soap per 1 liter of water), especially carefully passing with a soapy sponge along the underside of the leaves. Then the earth is tightened with a film and the plant is well washed under the shower. Usually 2-3 treatments are enough. Of the insecticides, neoron is the most effective (1 ml per 1 l of water); actellik, acarine, fitoverm are also suitable. To avoid further trouble, you need to monitor the humidity of the air, trying to avoid excessive dryness.
The scale insect is another enemy of indoor plants. Outwardly, it looks like a small, 2-4 mm in size, dense plaque, firmly sitting on a leaf or shoot. Its body is covered with an oval wax shield of grayish-white or yellow color... The scale insect and its larvae also feed on plant sap, inhibiting their growth and development.
To rid the plant of such a dangerous inhabitant, you first need to carefully scrape off the plaques by hand, and then wash the entire bush with warm soapy water or wipe it with a cotton swab moistened with vodka or infusions of onions, garlic, hot pepper or tobacco. Of the preparations, actellic (2 ml per 1 l of water) or other insecticides (aktara, rogor, fitoverm) are used.
On the petioles of the stem, and with severe infection on the leaves, you can sometimes see something that looks like tiny scraps of cotton wool. This mealybug is a sedentary insect 2-4 mm long. Worms and their larvae not only suck out the juice, but also inject toxic substances, as a result of which the plant loses its leaves and weakens.
All pests visible to the eye must be removed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, or the leaves must be wiped off with a soapy damp sponge. In case of severe infection, the same insecticides are used as against the scale insect.
One of the most common pests is white wings, small white flying insects similar to tiny moths. The main damage to the plant is caused by the larvae that spoil the leaves, but adults are not harmless either, being carriers of viral diseases. Against whitefly, Aktara, kinmix, fitoverm are used, if necessary, then stronger insecticides - talstar, confidor. They can be alternated with the biological product verticillin.
Poinsettia, a beautiful winter-flowering houseplant, was given to me by my son in front of the army. It was at the beginning of December. Then I promised myself that I would definitely keep the gift, although I did not particularly hope, believing that after flowering it will wither and we will part with it.
I poured it so that the lump was completely moistened, but water did not accumulate in the pan. She protected poinsettia from drafts and hot air from batteries. From a cold draft, as well as from too cold or hot content, from overdrying and excessive watering, the leaves fall off and the apical bud withers. Even the touch of leaves on a cold window glass is destructive for a plant. Poinsettia is very vulnerable - at the first sign of discomfort, it easily sheds flowers.
As you know, all the beauty of poinsettia is in brightly colored (white, pink, yellow, spotted - for every taste!) Bracts surrounding nondescript flowers. My poinsettia was dyed crimson red.
This compact branchy plant no more than 50 cm in height blooms in December and looks elegant up to six months. Poinsettia loves good lighting in winter, partial shade in summer.
So that the daylight hours were no more than 10 hours, from September she covered it with a dark paper bag and kept it that way for two months. Only under this condition does it bloom for the New Year or Christmas, thereby confirming its second name - the Christmas star. Short daylight hours and complete darkness on a long night are necessary conditions for the staining of the bracts and the flowering of the pu-ansettia on time. The best temperature regime is + 14 ... + 18 ° C. Once I forgot to follow the light regime and did not cover the plant, but it bloomed anyway in early April.
After flowering, the poinsettia sheds the bracts. I cut the tops of the shoots to 1/3 of the length, and transplanted the plant itself by transferring it into a more spacious pot, adding more earth.
When new shoots grew, some of them were removed, leaving 4-5 strongest ones. Used cuttings for propagation. First of all, I immersed them in warm water for half an hour so that the milky juice came out (another name for poinsettia is
However, the "star" captivated me so much with its beauty that, having gained experience from flower growers, I preserved the plant and now I enjoy its flowering every year. And how delighted my son was when, after returning from the army three years later, he saw the same flower, only grown up and even more beautiful!
To keep the poinsettia, I had to try pretty hard. First, I immediately put the plant in a well-lit place, protected from the midday sun. Regularly sprayed it and moderately on euphorbia is the most beautiful). Then, with a blade, I made a new cut under the bud, removed the excess leaves and dipped it again in warm water for 10 minutes. I planted the cuttings in cups with sterile soil consisting of peat and sand, first moistening the tip, and then dipping it into a growth stimulator of the Kornevin type. Before planting, the soil was spilled. I planted it to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, pressing the handle with my fingers and covering it with a bag.
As soon as I noticed that the top began to grow, I took off the bag (after about a month and a half). All this time she watered the seedlings with a pink solution of potassium permanganate and aired.
When the plants got stronger, I made a pinch in the hope that the bushes would be more lush.
I haven't tried rooting in water, but I know that this method also exists. In any way, the percentage of rooting is approximately 50 to 50, so for insurance I plant all cuttings every year.
Keep in mind that poinsettia's milky juice is poisonous, so be careful to wear rubber gloves when caring for the plant. And one more thing: find those places for her, inaccessible to children and animals.
✓ The Aztecs were the first to appreciate poinsettia. They used her red bracts as a natural dye for cosmetics and fabrics, and the white juice of the "Christmas star" to treat fevers.
The plant is treated with respect and reverence in Europe.
The Spaniards, for example, consider poinsettia to be the flower of the holy night, bringing wealth and good fortune to their homes. At winter flower fairs, it is presented with exquisite and elegant varieties.
There are few plants that bloom in the darkest months of the year. One of these is the most beautiful euphorbia, or poinsettia. Throughout the winter, the beauty serves as a magnificent decor element. When the flowering is over, the plant is pruned, stimulating branching.
New specimens can be grown from cut stems.
I propagate poinsettia in April. I root cuttings 10-15 cm long in a mixture of sand, peat and fine expanded clay. In May I plant 1-2 pcs. in pots with a diameter of 5-7 cm in a mixture of leaf, turf, humus earth and sand (2: 2: 4: 1) and put in the street
Greenhouse. In June, I transplant them into pots with a diameter of 9 cm. In July, I pinch young plants. With the appearance of lateral shoots, the poinsettia is transplanted again into flowerpots with a diameter of 12 cm and tied to a peg (if necessary). All this time I water the plants evenly and feed them with full mineral fertilizer; the optimum temperature during the growth period is + 20-25 degrees. At the end of August, I transfer it from the greenhouse to the windowsill and control the light regime, since the poinsettia is a short day plant.
Poinsettia blooms from December to February. During flowering, the temperature is reduced to + 16-18 degrees. - this is how the bracts are colored most intensively. After the end of flowering (February-March), the "Christmas star" begins a period of short rest. I transfer it to a darkened place, if possible in a cool place (optimally + 12-15 degrees). I periodically slightly moisten the earthen lump. In April, I cut the plants by 1/3, transfer them to a fresh substrate and put them in a well-lit place.
Poinsettia is called the "Christmas star" for its bright bracts: gathered at the ends of the shoots in "stars", they are colored just in time for Christmas.
Garden and cottage ›Houseplants and flowers› Poinsettia is the most beautiful (photo) - how to care
The basis of the composition is whole pieces of bark. If the bark has crumbled, the mixture is unsuitable for orchids: a lot of moisture is consumed for the plant, the air will pass poorly.
Before planting orchids, the bark is pre-soaked in order to better absorb moisture while watering the transplanted plant.
You cannot transplant an orchid during flowering. Experienced flower growers consider the spring period to be the most favorable.
Orchids behave differently, each is capricious in its own way. New and well-known hybrid varieties are bred with maximum ease of maintenance in mind. But there are rules common to all orchids, which must be strictly followed.
They prefer a bright place, but not in direct sunlight, otherwise they will get burned, then the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. In winter, blooming orchids are placed closer to the light, additionally illuminated with phytolamps. During this period of the year, life stops in most plants, the period of laying new shoots begins.
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Watering is a prerequisite 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 wonder how to water the flowers. But in order for the plants to always look beautiful, so that watering brings the maximum benefit to them, you need to know some watering rules for domestic plants... So,
Water for irrigation of plants can be ordinary tap water, but settled for at least a day. In order for the chlorine to evaporate, the water must be defended in an open container. Soft water for irrigation works best. Most tap water is hard. Water from wells is even harder; it 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 boiled, most of the harmful salts precipitate and the water becomes soft.
It is undesirable to water the plants with distilled water, because it does not contain the mineral salts necessary for plants. The exceptions are azaleas, gardenias, ferns, camellias, orchids and some predatory plants, for which watering with distilled water is even desirable, because they should only be watered with soft water.
It is better not to use water from pump rooms and from cylinders for watering domestic plants, because its composition is not known to you, and such water can harm the plant.
Since most tap water is alkaline, it must be neutralized. If this is not done, the soil becomes alkalized over time, as a result of which the root system of the plants suffers. In order to neutralize the alkaline reaction of the aqueous medium, it must be slightly acidified. To do this, it is enough to add food 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 just before watering.
Watering indoor plants with cold water is unacceptable, because when watering with such water, the vessels of the root system of plants narrow, and as a result, moisture and nutrition poorly enter their upper part, the root gradually dies off 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 watered for plants that are in a dormant period. This prevents premature vegetation and plant depletion. For watering plants that have stopped growing during the period of winter dormancy, they use water colder than the temperature of the air in the room, sometimes even water with snow.
In all other cases, the optimal water temperature for irrigating houseplants is + 30–34 ° C, so the water needs to be slightly warmed up, even in summer. Watering with such water has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of plants.
The plant must be watered over 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 manage to absorb during watering. It is impossible to leave the water for a longer time, otherwise you can provoke rotting of the root system. If the flowerpot is large and cannot be lifted, you can remove water from the pallet using a syringe, a sponge, and absorbent wipes.
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 frequently than on clear and sunny days; with dry and warm air indoors, plants need to be watered more abundantly than with humid and colder air; plants in light and 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 the drying out of the earthy coma. The signal about the need for watering is the drying out of the upper soil layer by 1.5 - 2 cm. Succulent plants are watered after the earthen coma dries up to a depth of 3 - 10 cm (the larger the container, the greater the depth of the soil should dry out).
But what if there is no way to water the plants in a timely manner (for example, during the vacation period)? How to leave flowers without watering? Can they handle this stress? For information on how to properly organize watering during a vacation or business trip, read here.
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None of the conditions for growing 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, believing that in this way they 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 can simply ruin him.
It may seem that all plants need to be hydrated 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 season, temperature and light, the quality of the soil and the moisture requirement inherent in a particular species. For example, on cloudy days the plant needs less moisture, but on sunny days it needs more water. Plants need ample watering during the warmer summer months, and less water is needed in cooler weather. Even under stable conditions, a constant amount of water is not a guarantee of success, since the plant grows 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;
✓ plants with hanging stems;
✓ in the warm season and at high temperatures in the room;
Less moisture required:
✓ plants in plastic pots;
✓ plants with thick leaves with a waxy bloom;
✓ plants devoid of leaves;
✓ plants with thick stems;
✓ dormant plants;
✓ newly transplanted plants;
✓ plants with a poorly developed root system;
✓ weak and emaciated plants;
✓ at low air temperature in the room;
✓ on cloudy days or in low light;
✓ at high air humidity;
✓ in the absence of air movement in the room.
For example, orchids from the genus Dendrobium are watered no more than once a week.
The experience of many indoor floriculture enthusiasts 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 a mixture that appears dry from above stays wet in the middle of the pot. You water thinking the ground is practically dry. In fact, you oversaturate it with water from the middle of the pot to the very bottom, which is no less harmful to plants than drying out the soil. How to understand in what condition an earthen lump is: wet, dry or almost dry? Sometimes it can be determined "by eye" and "by ear".
The color of the earthen mixture depends on whether it is wet or dry. Wet mixture is dark brown, and dry or nearly dry becomes pale brown and dull. One of the common techniques, therefore, is to water the plants when the earthen mixture begins to fade. However, eye-to-eye estimates are not always reliable. When the mixture is dry on most of the pot, it may be damp on the bottom. However, for small pots, one can assume that if the earthen mixture is dry on the surface, it is dry enough throughout the pot. You can tell if plants should be watered simply by tapping the pot with your finger. If the soil in the flowerpot is dry, the sound will be sonorous; if it is wet, it will be dull.
The easiest way to determine if a plant needs watering is to sample the potted soil with your finger or a wooden stick. Submerge your finger in the earthy mixture up to the first or second knuckle. If the soil feels moist, no watering is required. If it is dry, then there is clearly not enough water in the soil. This 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 testing the moisture content of the mixture with your fingers several times at a time. So you can damage the roots of a small and delicate plant and thus do it more harm than good. It is better to check 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 by simply lifting the pot. Clearly, the newly watered potting mix weighs more than the dry one. Plants in plastic containers growing in standard potting mixes, after watering, weigh about twice as much as dry ones. This is, of course, a rough estimate. The difference in weight depends on the type of pot, the potting soil, and the material the pot is made of. However, even plants in clay pots with a heavy potting soil are noticeably lighter when the soil dries out. Applying the weighing method takes some practice. Lift the plant several times between waterings to feel the difference in weight between wet and dry pots. Then after a while 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.
Watering plants in large containers - over 30 cm tall - has always been a challenge 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. Various soil moisture indicators can be found commercially. These devices measure the amount of water at a specific depth. Insert the indicator fork approximately 2/3 of the way into the soil. An arrow on the scale will indicate wet, dry, or somewhere in between. Water only if the indicator indicates dry soil. Keep in mind that an old, worn out meter gives unreliable readings, so it should be replaced with a new one about once a year. However, even a new meter can give an inaccurate estimate if the soil mix contains a lot of mineral salts. They can build up if you water the plants with hard water for several years. In this case, an inaccurate reading on the meter indicates that your plants need to replace the old potting mix with a fresh one.
In addition to the standard meter, there is a sound moisture meter on the market, it indicates when the plant needs watering, ringing, whistling or other sound signal. The sound meter has the same structure as the standard one, but instead of a scale, there is a sound transmitter at the other end. It costs about the same as the standard one. It makes sense to buy one such meter and keep it in a pot with a plant that usually dries out faster than others. When the indicator beeps, it's time to check the rest of the plants using traditional methods.
Each type of plant needs its own watering regime. This information can be gleaned from the description of the content of a particular plant. Distinguish between abundant, moderate and rare watering. Abundant watering is carried out immediately after the earthen coma dries. Abundant watering is required for most tropical plants with thin leaves. With moderate watering, the plants are watered not immediately after the earthen coma dries, 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). With sparse watering, plants are left dry for several days, weeks, or even months. This applies to cacti and succulents, as well as dormant plants.
A strict watering regime for each plant is not easy to maintain, especially if you have a lot of plants. Ideally, the condition of the plant should be checked regularly and watered as soon as necessary. This method yields the best results because it alternates between moist and nearly dry soil 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 than less often and more abundantly. The main watering is best done in the morning. With each watering, the plant must be given so much water that it well moistens the entire earthen clod and glass in the pan.
Regular irrigation irregularities affect the appearance of most plants.
Lack of water can be noticed by the following signs:
Leaves and shoots become lethargic;
In plants with tough leathery leaves, the leaves dry and fall off;
Flowers and buds fall off or wither quickly.
With excess water:
Signs of rot appear on the leaves;
The plant grows clearly more slowly;
Mold appears on buds and flowers;
The tips of the leaves turn brown;
Both old and young leaves fall off.
When the potting mix dries out enough to become almost crunchy, a curious phenomenon occurs - the potting mix refuses to accept water. No matter how much water you pour, the ground becomes slightly damp only at the surface. This is because the very dry soil moves away from the walls of the pot and cracks form between the walls and the earthy clod. When you water over-dried soil from above, the water flows down these slots to the bottom and pours out into the sump through the drainage hole. The earthy lump will remain dry. Therefore, when the ground is too dry, it is useless to water it from above. 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 immerse the entire pot with the plant in it, carefully pressing the pot with a load (stone or brick) so that it is completely submerged in the water. Then add a few drops (no more!) Of liquid detergent to the water to help reduce the water repellency of the overdried soil. After about an hour, remove the plant pot and let the excess water drain off. If the plant has revived (not all plants recover after drying out), it will soon become succulent again. Please note - even when the earthen lump takes on its original size, some distance between it and the walls of the pot will remain. Fill this gap with potting soil.
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 earthy ball. Usually, an earthen ball is permeated with roots and retains the shape of a pot. Remove damaged roots and wrap an earthen clod with a rag or old kitchen towel - it will absorb excess water from the earthen ball. You may need to change your towel several times.
Then wrap the earthen lump in absorbent paper and leave it in it until dry, but do not dry it out. When the earthy ball is dry, plant the plant in a clean pot with fresh earthy mixture.
Typically, flower pots are sold with a pallet. The sump is absolutely necessary - excess water flows into it. As a pallet, you can also use saucers or bowls of a suitable size from any material. It is only important that the diameter of the pallet is not less than the upper diameter of the pot. After watering, drain the excess water from the sump.
Drainage is a French word. It means the artificial or natural removal of excess fluid, usually from the soil. In indoor floriculture, drainage is used so that the water does not stagnate in the pot. For drainage, ceramic shards, gravel, pebbles or large expanded clay are suitable.
A large shard is placed on the drain hole with the convex side up, or a handful of smaller shards, then a layer of coarse sand is poured and the plant itself is planted on top of this. Since there are not always shards at hand, it is easier to arrange expanded clay drainage.
If there is a hole in the pot for water drainage, then 1 cm of large expanded clay should be put on 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 about a quarter of the height of the container.
Although traditionally plants are watered from a watering can, there is another way - watering from the bottom. With this method, the so-called capillary effect is triggered - there is a movement of water from wetter layers to drier ones. When the soil is almost dry, place the pot in a pan of water and moisture will begin to flow through the soil and plant roots.
By watering from the bottom, you simply fill the sump with water. If water drains out of the pan quickly, add some more. After about an hour, the entire soil will be moist and the surface will be shiny with moisture. When the plant has sucked up all the water it needs, pour out the rest of the water from the pan. Watering from below is preferable for plants with pubescent leaves or a lush rosette of leaves.
Plants that you water from below meet their moisture needs better. However, you will have to change the soil mixture with them more often, as excess mineral salts will accumulate in the soil faster.
Overhead watering seems to be a more “natural” way of watering, since in nature, plants get moisture from the rains. On the other hand, it is not the source of moisture that is important for the plant, but the result is moist soil. Therefore, it is not so important whether you water from above or from below. When watering from above, make sure that no water gets on the leaves. Many plants have very delicate leaves and stems that are stained by water droplets. In addition, water droplets in the light focus the light like lenses, and burns can occur even on dense and leathery leaves. Therefore, when watering from above, be sure to lift the leaves or move them to the side so that the water only falls on the soil.
Plants in hanging pots often hang quite high and can be difficult to water. For convenience, you can buy a special watering can, which will greatly facilitate watering such plants. It consists of a plastic bottle with a long tube that folds at the end. Such a watering can is quite inexpensive.
Plants are preferably watered with soft water, i.e. water with a low salt content. If the water in your area is soft, then tap water is fine for irrigation. Hardy plant species can be watered directly from the tap, but this should not be abused: there are not so many such plants. It is better for the water to settle for about a day. During this time, gas bubbles, especially chlorine and fluorine, will come out of it. Fluoride is very harmful to indoor plants. For irrigation, you can also use rainwater, melted snow and well water.
Hard water contains many soluble calcium and magnesium salts. It is very harmful to plants. The surface of the plant roots is covered with a skin that acts as a kind of filter.
It lets in and retains only what the plants need. When watering with hard water, the filter “clogs up” - 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, an increase in watering only leads to rotting of the roots and the death of the plant. A sign that indicates 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.
To soften hard water, wood ash is added to it 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 value until the desired value is set (5.5-6.5).
Filtered hard water, that is, water passed through a demineralization plant or osmotic filtration system, will not harm your plants. To soften hard water, special filter cartridges and tablets are produced - water softeners (so-called pH tablets). 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.
Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. It is even better to take water 2-3 ° C warmer. Do not neglect this rule. Remember that watering thermophilic tropical plants with cold water can damage their roots and leaves.
Yes, there are such ways. Firstly, it is the so-called self-watering pot. Secondly, the cultivation of 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 hydrogels and granulates, which are able to retain water in the soil for a long time and give it to plants as needed.
Iris (Iris) - a huge genus, uniting 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 close relatives of them.
Of course, every plant lover has seen - the usual flowers, often grown in gardens and decorating cities.
In this article, I would like to acquaint florists with much less frequently grown groups of irises - Juno, Iridodiktyum, Regelio-cyclus. These species differ in their biology from rhizome 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)- a group of spring-flowering irises with a very peculiar biology. Juno has a remarkable flower shape, in which the upper perianth lobes are reduced and laid down.
The overwhelming majority of Juno grows in Central Asia, rising from the foothills to the Tien Shan glaciers.
Many of the Junons have been described by the pioneering explorers of the flora of these places hundreds of years ago. However, up to the present time, discoveries in this Junon reserve are possible (and happen).
Junon's peculiar exotic beauty immediately caught the attention of plant lovers. Attempts at cultivation have never stopped since their discovery. Yet most of the Juno did not become common garden plants. However, several species are constantly grown by nurseries and can be classified as plants that thrive in temperate climates.
Junon hybridization was initiated by the renowned grower Thomas Hog, who created three hybrids in the late 19th century. At this point, the selection stopped, although there are opportunities for its continuation.
Growing Junon is akin to collecting jewelry - experienced flower growers who are not indifferent to these particular plants are fond of this.
There is now a resurgence of interest in Juno due to the impressive finds made during the Central Asian expeditions (sponsored by the Gothenburg Botanical Garden).
Junon bulbs have perennial roots - at the base of them are buds that give life to replacement bulbs.
During all operations with Junons, one should try not to break off their roots.
In horticulture, the following types and forms of junon are found:
- Iris (Juno) aucheri - originally from Yu.V. Turkey. The most beautiful species, cultivated for a long time and successfully in Europe, but somewhat demanding for heat. Therefore, there are years when it may not bloom outdoors.
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 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 Juno, it grows well in Lithuania. Has a branching leafless peduncle. Almost flat flower with very large limb lobes. It 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 flowers are slightly different. The most common form is with a white spot on the limbs of the lower petals of the flower. More rare form - with a yellow spot on the limbs. I did not observe seed setting in both varieties. Perhaps these are interspecific natural hybrids. They are one of the few tall Junons that grow well in our open field. Bloom annually and abundantly.
- Iris (Juno) NEW ARGUMENT - hybrid bred by me. The variety got its name not by chance. Its appearance confirmed the assumption that the famous van Tubergen hybrid Iris WARLSIND is most likely the result of accidental pollination of I. warleyensis with the pollen of I. bucharica hort, and not I. aucheri (as was thought earlier). The hybrid is sterile, grows well and reproduces.
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 of the Zeravshan Mountains. The tallest of all Junons, 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 tough job (however, it is not possible to dig them out annually). This variety is one of the few that thrives in the garden and is relatively undemanding. As a rule, the mother bulb produces two daughter bulbs annually. 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. By their appearance, it can be assumed that the parental pair was: I. willmottiana and I. magnifica. Yet this is nothing more than a guess, which is why the hybrid is called "BLUE MYSTERY". A beautiful juno that grows and reproduces well in our climate.
- Iris (Juno) kuschakewiczii - this is the case when diminutiveness does not detract from its merits. A real small diamond of the section, originally from the North-Western spurs of the Tien Shan. The plant is the rarest in culture and difficult. Of course, it will "disappear" in the plantings of tall species, but on and on it is irresistible.
- Iris (Juno) nicolai - the species is widespread in the Tien Shan mountains. The earliest of the Juno. It blooms after melting snow almost without leaves, they appear later. A huge impression is made by its large flower of pretentious shape, growing directly from here and there the soil still covered with snow. Plants from different populations of the species differ in flower color. The species is not hardy enough for our climate, the planting of the 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 height and color of flowers. A rather tall form with bright yellow flowers was obtained by me from the Alma-Ata Botanical Garden. Grows well outdoors. Heat-loving; blooms best if the previous summer was warm.
- Iris (Juno) SINDPERS is a famous hybrid of Van Tubergen. 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 there is an opportunity to grow a plant in a cold greenhouse, then you will fully enjoy its enchanting flowering.
- Iris (Juno) SHOCKING BLUE- selected from I. willmotteana seedlings. Its flowers are similar to the BLUE MYSTERY variety, but their color is more intense. 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 well and reproduces.
- Iris (Juno) warleyensis- one of the most beautiful Junons growing in the western spurs of the Tien Shan (Zeravshan Range, Kugitang Range). Plants from different natural populations differ in stem height from 15 to 40 cm. It 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 out, but after the end of the growing season, cover the area from rain with glass or other transparent material. You can also put the bulbs in dry sand after digging and warm them up in a greenhouse. The species was used by Van Tubergen to create the WARLSIND hybrid. Despite multiple introductions, it is still rare in culture.
- Iris (Juno) WARLSIND is the tallest hybrid of Van Tubergen, as is now recognized by I. warleyensis and I. bucharica hort. It grows well in our climate, blooms annually, develops well and reproduces vegetatively.
Iridodictium (Iridodictyum)- a group of graceful bulbous irises blooming in early spring. Interesting are the faceted hollow leaves of iridodictiums, growing vertically. A plant has exactly as many leaves as bulbs are subsequently formed. According to the structure of the leaves, the exception in the group is only a few species (Central Asian), which have grooved leaves.
In the photo: reticulated irises (Iris reticulata)
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Quite rare footage of a water sparrow - a dipper was made by Igor Mavrin, an employee of the Sokhondinsky Reserve, who works at the Bukukun cordon. And these photos are unique in that this bird is a rare guest in our area.
Dipper , or the common dipper (Cinclus cinclus) - bird detachment of passerines... She is also called water thrush or water sparrow... Small bird, plumagehas a dark brown, dense. It inhabits the banks of fast clear rivers and streams.
It feeds on aquatic insects and crustaceans, which the dipper gathers 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 stream of water, the bird "runs" along the bottom, as it were. A dipper can stay 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 bird, rare for our places, - a dipper. Its rarity is evidenced by the fact that for 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 photos of this feathered guest. "
Ivan Sergeevich Sokolov - Mikitov, a Russian writer-traveler, wrote about this amazing bird in his time very interestingly: “You need to be a skillful observer of nature to see a wonderful dipper bird. If you have to visit deserted forests or mountainous places, look closely and listen carefully. On a clean and fast brook or river, perhaps you will be lucky enough to see a dipper! "
Drought is a long period with insufficient rainfall, which is most dangerous for plants at high temperatures and low air humidity. It is necessary to help the plants to survive in this difficult time, otherwise, due to a lack of moisture, their development stops.
The first sign of dehydration in a plant is loss of turgor, sluggish leaves and buds. If the plant does not make up for the loss of water at this stage, then its leaves and buds will then begin to turn yellow, dry and fall off; soon the process will spread to the entire aerial 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 reanimated. Drying out of the root system means the death of the plant.
It may seem ridiculous that living in the UK you can complain about the prolonged lack of rainfall, because the old lady-Britain is known for its rainy climate. However, the south-east of England, where we live, is probably the “driest” place in the country - droughts happen here quite often. In the winters of 2004-2006. there has been a lack of rainfall that has broken all records since 1933!
According to information BBC Weather, since November 2004, we have received only 72% of the average precipitation. By the beginning of July 2006, there was a drought for about three weeks: there was virtually no rain at temperatures above 30 degrees during the day and 15-17 at night. It will be possible to fully assess the damage from drought only in next year, if it affects the flowering of azaleas and rhododendrons, which just at this time lay the buds of the next year.
The dry start to the 2006 season inspired drought-themed designers of the 2006 Chelsea Competition Gardens. An interesting element in African garden (GardenAfrica): the beds are arranged in a spiral with 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
Certainly, negative impact Drought on plants is generally determined by several factors: the duration of the drought, air temperature and wind strength during this period, the possibility of access to water and the availability of the necessary human resources. However, if you keep in mind the possibility of drought even during the strategic planning of the garden and planting, then you can initially take measures that will help the plants survive in the drought, and save labor and time for the owners.
> Try to sow and plant new plants in the spring or fall when there is enough rain and the plants take root and take root easily. On the other hand, it should be remembered that, in general, plants in containers are more vulnerable to drought than plants outdoors. Therefore, if a new plant from the garden center somehow needs to be transplanted into the garden, I would also transplant it in the summer heat, making sure to ensure at first regular abundant watering and protection from direct sunlight.
> 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 improves the structure and composition of the soil, allows moisture to penetrate freely 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 irrigation, and then gradually give this water to the roots. These products should be mixed with soil when planting or transplanting plants. They are especially important for container plants.
> Be sure to use mulch on flower borders, around shrubs and trees, and on top of pots and baskets of plants. Mulch should be laid out in the spring - after warm weather sets in, and the earth warms up and is saturated with moisture. As mulching materials, you can use crushed tree bark, sawdust, shavings, 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 needles, acidify the soil, so it is good to lay them under hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and other acytophils). Mulching plants allows moisture to enter the soil during rains or watering, but makes it difficult for it to evaporate and also inhibits weed growth.
> Remove weeds in a timely manner that will compete fiercely with “cultivated” plants during a drought. Weeds are easier to remove when they just emerge from the ground.
> Plant adjacent plants back to back, leaving only the space needed for root development between them. Plant leaves close together reduce moisture evaporation and drying out of the soil
>
If you, like me, live in a region with frequent droughts, then consider this when placing plants in sunny and shady areas of the garden. Give preference to drought tolerant plants. Often these plants have silvery foliage, needles, or thick leaves. Ornamental drought-resistant plants include: purse, wormwood, bluehead, lavender, santolina, cistus, poppy, euphorbia, yarrow, Iris, echinacea, acanthus, bergenia, etc.
Does not need watering, for example meadow flowers, succulents and ornamental grasses, aromatic plants, pumpkin, corn.
The ideal time for regular, scheduled watering is a calm late evening, when the heat has subsided, there is a cool night ahead, and moisture evaporation is minimal. We allow watering in the early morning, before the onset of heat. However, if on a hot day the plant looks dehydrated, then it should be watered immediately, avoiding water getting on the leaves to avoid sunburn.
If you are using an automatic irrigation system, remember to reset the timer according to the changing weather conditions - then the plants will receive more moisture they need during the dry season.
In hot weather, plants in containers should be watered twice a day: early morning and late evening. Place the pots on deep trays or planters that can hold some water. If you are unable to provide regular watering to container plants, then it is better to rearrange them in the shade.
Plants in greenhouses and greenhouses can suffer from overheating during heatwaves, as the temperature in a closed room behind glass rises much higher than in an open space. Do not forget to open the doors and windows of the greenhouse through and through on hot days and use the fans (if available).
Use a sprinkler to water young crops of grass or freshly laid sod every day. Place an open glass container in the spray area and finish watering when the water level reaches 13 mm (less will not be useful, and more will be wasted).
Due to lack of rainfall and dangerously low reserves drinking water During the drought, we officially banned the watering of private gardens with tap water from hoses. Theoretically, at this stage we have no restrictions on use tap water for irrigation (however, they may arise later, if the drought continues, and water supplies disappear, then stricter rules will come into force). However, in practice, the need to use a watering can instead of a hose itself imposes these restrictions, because the time and effort required to water the garden increases many times over. Then you have to make a very tough choice: what kind of plants you need to water today, otherwise they can be almost completely dehydrated until tomorrow.
If you have similar or any other restrictions, and watering abundantly, it does not work out qualitatively, you may need several simple methods that I use to save water, labor and time:
> Before watering your plants, set your priorities and stick to them. Watering is vital for seedlings, young plants just planted in open ground, plants in containers (especially small ones), plants in greenhouses, fresh grass crops, freshly laid turf rolls and moisture-loving plants (such as coastal or marsh). These plants will die without water.
In second place can be plants that will not bloom if there is a lack of water, or fruit crops that cannot successfully bear fruit 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, clayey soils.
> Abundant and rare watering preferable to stingy and frequent. The fact is that a small amount of water penetrates only into the upper layer of the soil, contributing to the development of weak, high-lying roots, which are the first to suffer from drying out of the soil or frost. The development of a strong and deep root system that can support a plant in harsh weather conditions requires water to penetrate deep into the soil around the plant. The correct depth of soil moisture for watering is about 60 cm.
> If you plan to purchase and use a watering system in your garden, invest in a modern drip or jet system (instead of a traditional sprinkler system). The water delivered by such systems appears at the right time (late in the evening or even when you are not at home) thanks to a timer on the tap, gets exactly as intended to the roots of plants and is absorbed to the last drop, without wasting 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 water after irrigation will remain in this hole and, as it is absorbed, will get to the roots of the plant, and will not spread over the dry soil. In autumn, with the arrival of rains, you can spud the plant by leveling the hole with the ground level in order to eliminate stagnation of water at the roots. The rest of the time, try as far as possible not to disturb the soil during the drought period: any loosening contributes to additional evaporation of moisture from the soil.
> Remove the shower head from the watering can (or hose) and water the plant to the very root - then all the water will get to its destination, and not spread around the plant.
> To water the plants in containers, I use a large, wide container filled with water, in which I put the pots and hanging baskets in turn for a while. Thus, all the soil in the container is soaked through and the plants receive a large amount of moisture. It is also an excellent way to urgently resuscitate already damaged plants with a dried earth clod, for which conventional watering is completely useless. This method of moisturizing is not harmful even in the hottest hours, because water does not get on the leaves of plants.
From time to time, water from the container can be poured under some shrub, because a significant amount of nutrients from the soil of container plants has accumulated in it.
> Find an opportunity to use so-called “reclaimed” water (left over from washing, cleaning, dishwashing or showering) to water your ornamental plants, trees and shrubs. To do this, you may need to change your home's drainage system. The secondary water contains a lot of phosphates along with the residues of household detergents, which will delight your plants as a good fertilizer.
Remember to cool the water from the dishwasher and washing machine to room temperature before watering the plants. It is advisable to use environmentally friendly, biodegradable detergents. Do not use water with residues of bleach, bleach, disinfectants and other strong chemicals to irrigate plants.
> Purchase and install special barrels in your garden to collect rainwater. These barrels are directly connected to a pipe, which receives water from gutters located around the perimeter of the roof of the house or greenhouse. The barrels are installed on an elevation so that you can substitute a watering can under the opening tap (or connect a hose to it). You can use the water accumulated in the barrels to water the plants as needed.
Lavender English (England)
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Among other species in your collection, be sure to ask what variety it belongs to and find information about the features of home care - including about how to water properly new "green pet".
Below you will find practical tips to help you water most popular houseplants properly. We will cover issues such as the choice of utensils for watering flowers, what water to water the flowers, how often to water, signs of a lack of moisture, watering methods, and how to water orchids and other indoor plants during your vacation.
♦ TABLEWARE FOR IRRIGATION OF ROOM FLOWERS:
a watering can with a long spout. A practical tool - a long nose can easily be directed through a dense 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 a phytowall or in phytomodules (vertical gardening);
flask. A special device with an elongated tip and a spherical container for water. Such inventory can help out great 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;
spray gun for spraying (sprayer).
By spraying with water from a spray bottle, additional moisture can be supplied through the tops 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;
pallet with water. A great way to add extra moisture to the potting soil if the air in the room is too dry. It is advisable to place the flower pot not directly in the water, but on wet expanded clay or on pebbles in a pallet.
♦ WATER FOR IRRIGATION OF ROOM FLOWERS:
rain, river, pond water.
Some growers prefer to water their indoor plants with melt and rainwater. 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 of the inhabitants of megalopolises water their flowers with tap water. But it is important to remember that chlorinated tap water with slightly soluble calcium salts is very hard. It is imperative that this water be defended for at least 24 hours (or better, several days) before watering the flowers, and pour out the remnants from the very bottom. Water the plants with water at room temperature or lukewarm.
- on the photo: signs of a lack and an excess of water
♦ IRRIGATION FREQUENCY FOR ROOM FLOWERS:
❂ Most houseplants like regular and even watering to keep the substrate in a moderately moist state. If the period of abundant soil moisture is abruptly replaced by a period of insufficient moisture, then the flower begins to wither and may die;
❂ in winter, many indoor plants slow down the growth and development processes (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 watered 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 up to 1-3 times a week;
❂ plants with large and wide leaves are watered more often (Benjamin's and rubbery ficus, Andre's anthurium, spathiphyllum, home begonia, gloxinia sinningia, jasmine gardenia, gerbera, balsam, shefflera, dieffenbachia). Bulbous species should be watered sparingly and less often, since waterlogging can lead to decay of the root system (hippeastrum, clivia, amaryllis, calla zantedeschia, oxalis oxalis, hyacinths, eucharis Amazonian 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. There are indoor species that easily tolerate long breaks between watering (succulent species - the money tree, aloe vera or agave, triangular spurge, Decembrist zygocactus, as well as species such as Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, chlorophytum, "mother-in-law's tongue" or sansevieria);
❂ ceramic (clay) pots have a good porous structure, the circulation and evaporation of moisture is more active. 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 IRRIGATION OF INDOOR PLANTS:
❀ top watering. To water the flower from above, it is advisable to use special dishes with a long spout (watering can, flask). It is advisable to direct 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, to avoid stagnant water on top of the soil. Pour out all the water that flows into the pan. This is a versatile way to water indoor species. The disadvantage of this method is that the useful substances and sludge of the substrate are quickly washed out. Therefore, do not forget to feed the plants in time.
❀ bottom watering. Some types of decorative deciduous plants lose their attractiveness if water drops 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 all excess water from the pan must be drained. The disadvantage of this method is that mineral salts are not washed out, on the contrary, they stay in the soil for a long time. If a lime crust appears on the surface of the soil, then carefully remove it along with the top layer by adding fresh substrate.
❀ immersing the pot in water. A very good wetting method, 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. The water will quickly saturate all layers of the substrate through the drainage holes. Then place the pot on a wire rack so that any excess water can flow down freely. It is not advisable to use this method of hydration during the flowering period of the plant, when moving the pot can cause the buds and petals to fall off.
- tables with factors affecting the abundance and frequency of watering
♦ IRRIGATION OF INDOOR PLANTS DURING VACATION:
√ vacation up to two weeks.
We moisten the soil abundantly by immersing each pot in water;
☛ less often watering plants with small fleshy leaves that are dormant, in a cool room with high humidity, grown in plastic or glass dishes;
☛ if the 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, the appearance of viral and fungal diseases;
☛ the most ideal time for watering most indoor species is early morning (with sunrise);
☛ On hot summer days and during heating, it is necessary to spray the plants with a spray bottle. A container of water can be placed next to the plants for additional humidification.
♦ HOW TO WATER ORCHID AT HOME:
❶ Watering orchids can only be done with warm, settled soft water. It is advisable to water the rare collection and whimsical indoor orchid species with diluted distilled water. Stir the separated water of medium hardness with distilled water in a 1: 1 ratio. Stir too hard water with distilled water in a 1: 2 ratio;
❷ If the orchid is without bulbs, then water it after the substrate is completely dry, and the lower leaves begin to lose turgor and shrivel. 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 stagnates in the pot around the roots and flows freely from the drainage holes;
❹ The best way to water an orchid in the summer is to soak the pot in warm, settled water for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to make sure that the water completely drains out of the holes in the bottom of the pot after soaking;
❺ how often to water the orchid at home. Complete drying of the soil is much safer for the root system than overflow. Most species can be watered at a frequency that is defined as: Once the substrate is completely dry, you can moderately water the flower the next morning. 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, the composition of the soil, the pot (volume, what material it consists of).
♦ VIDEO:
How to properly moisten the soil in a pot (for example, room begonia):
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