What does the plant look like after watering? Caring for indoor plants at home. Optimum water temperature for irrigation

Olga Gorbatova
Labor in nature "Teaching children to water indoor plants" (younger group)

Program tasks:

Learn children practical skills watering

introduce children with the structure of the labor process

Cultivate an attitude towards plants as to living beings, to cultivate the desire to regret plant effectively help him

vocabulary work:

Plant, watering can, pot with a pallet, stem, leaves, root, water, wet earth, beautiful, healthy.

Equipment:

Models labor process, apron, oilcloth, watering can, flower in a pot with a tray

Aprons, oilcloths, water cans, flowers in pots with a pallet

preliminary work:

Watching plant(acquaintance with the features of appearance, structure, observation of plant in favorable and unfavorable conditions (lack of moisture, observation of the labor of a teacher to water the plants of a corner of nature(acquaintance with the model labor process)

OD move

Organization children:

Children stand at tables arranged with the letter P

Introduction

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?

Bear says he is sad because his favorite the plant was so beautiful, as in the picture (shows the model, you have now become like this (shows plant) . Mishka says he doesn't know what happened to him, he's sorry plant That's why he's sad.

And you feel sorry for Mishkino plant? (yeah, sorry)

Let's take pity on Mishka, tell him sweet words, don't cry Mishka, we will help you, and you will be cheerful, joyful again.

Children, why Mishkino the plant became?What did he forget to do?

Let's hear what he's asking plant.

The plant asks to have it watered and then it will get better.

Guys, Mishka says he can't water 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 Mishka the right way water the plant

Children, we want plant how did you feel? (Fine)

To become what? (speaks with children; to plant it felt good to have the leaves pointing up, for the stalk to look up, for the ground to be moist). In order not to forget about it, put a picture (model - plant in good condition)

Which plant now? (survey in progress plants: condition of leaves, stem, ground). In order not to forget what plant now, put a picture (model - plant in poor condition). plant need to help soon. To do this, you need to choose the right tools.

Children, Mishka 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 pours out of the spout, there is a hole, water is poured into the watering can into this hole.

Children, what is missing in Mishka's watering can? (water)

What kind of watering can you 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, Mishka says that he remembered how water and wants to show us (Mishka holds a watering can with one hand, pours water on the leaves, under the root, wants to pour all the water from the watering can at once).

Bear, you are wrong. 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 will I be water the plant. Before starting work, I will put on an apron so as not to wet or stain my clothes. The flower is in a pot with a pallet on an oilcloth. I take a watering can with water, I put the spout of the watering can to the edge of the pot, pour water slowly, gradually until water appears on the pan.

In order not to forget that the plant needs to be watered put a picture(model labor actions) .

Children, what will become plant if we water it right? ( plant will be in good condition, the stem will be even, the drooping sluggish leaves will also rise, they will be even, elastic.)

Let's put a picture so we don't 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? (nose at the edge of the pot)

How much water will we pour? (until water appears on the pan)

What will become plant after watering? (plant will be in good condition)

Independent work

Bear, yours 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 (showing the model - plant in poor condition)

Children, do you want to help?

Then you need to find plants who are thirsty. Like the picture (Model Shown) plants in poor condition)

The bear, together with the teacher, is watching child labor I ask clarifying questions. When difficulties I come to help children.

I remind the children that it is time to finish the work and that they need to bring workplace in order.

Didactic game "Where did the Bear hide?"

Didactic task: specify the name of acquaintances plants

game rule: Find Bear

game action: finding a playable character and naming plants behind which he hid

Children, soon our plants will become as beautiful, healthy as in the picture (showing the model - plant in good condition)

They will feel good. We did two good deeds today: helped plants and taught Mishka to water his plant.

The bear says thank you to all of you, now it plant will feel good. He is very happy about it. Now Mishka has learned water the plant, and will always take care of it so that it is in good condition and pleases with its beauty.

Children, are you glad you helped? plants? (emotionally share joy children)

How to understand that we have a plant suffering from waterlogging? Leaf drop is one of the symptoms. In a number of plants, such as citrus fruits, they fall off in the literal sense - they darken and fall off. In others, for example, in aroids (aglaonema, dieffenbachia) or arrowroot, they darken, but still stay on the stems for a long time. In plants that form rosettes of leaves or pseudo rosettes (yucca, dracaena), the leaves do not darken immediately, but first become discolored, becoming pale yellow. But in other cases, the characteristic difference between leaves that die from waterlogging is the darkening of the leaf. The leaf does not just turn yellow, it just darkens, the color becomes from a healthy juicy green dirty swamp shade, gradually turning into brown. If waterlogging was preceded by overdrying, then the leaf first turns yellow, then the petiole of the leaf and the leaf itself darken.

Decayed roots exfoliate, the top layer of the root becomes dirty gray, peels off if you run your fingers, a thin hard core remains. These roots all died from waterlogging.

And these are healthy living roots - green, yellowish or whitish, in some plants of succulent Brown.

Sudden or gradual falling of leaves, blackening of shoots, damp, sour earth ...

The trunk still seems alive, green, but the roots have rotted, the plant can no longer be saved.

When the plant does not have enough water, the leaves always turn yellow, while the leaf tissues may lose elasticity, droop, or remain dry. After watering, the turgor is restored, the leaves become elastic again. If there is insufficient nutrition, then interveinal chlorosis may appear, the leaves do not droop, continue to grow, but become smaller. When waterlogged, the leaves may lose their elasticity, wilt, but after watering, the elasticity is not restored, and the darkening of the leaves, on the contrary, increases. Sometimes the leaves can fall off even without darkening - still green. But leaf fall can also occur from watering. cold water. Ideally, the temperature of the water for irrigation should be 2-3°C higher than the temperature in the room, but not lower than 22°C. Cold water is not absorbed by the roots, causes the suction roots to die from hypothermia, and, as a result, the leaves fall off.

As for the hardness of the water, it cannot be the cause of the sudden fall of the leaves and the death of the plant. If you water the plants with hard water, even the most capricious, sensitive to excess salts, the plants will not begin to massively lose leaves. All the damage manifests itself gradually: at first, chlorosis spots appear, the tips or edges of the leaves turn brown, one or two leaves turn yellow, new leaves grow small and the plant looks oppressed, but the leaves do not fall off.

In case of massive leaf fall, when the leaves fall off not one after another, but dozens at once, the reasons may be the following: sudden hypothermia (for example, when transporting home), watering with concentrated fertilizer (burning the roots), severe drying, and only hygrophytes and mesohygrophytes fly around in large numbers (and there are few of them), and waterlogging. Naturally, the first two reasons can be easily calculated, and it is also possible to distinguish overdrying from waterlogging, but for this the plant must be removed from the pot. Feeling the soil with your finger at a depth is not always possible (for example, the roots have grown strongly), and only by taking the plant out of the pot can you determine whether the earth is wet inside the root ball.

Some flower growers pull to the last, not wanting to take out the plant and inspect the roots. They are either selflessly sure that there was no waterlogging, or they are afraid that an unscheduled transplant will damage the plant. But if there is even the slightest suspicion of waterlogging, there is no need to doubt - take out and inspect the roots. Sometimes the root system of plants grows in this way: at the top the roots are not thick, the soil dries easily between them, and in the lower part of the pot the roots twist a dense ring, the interlacing of the roots makes it difficult to dry and in the lower part of the pot the soil dries for a very long time. This is especially aggravated by the fact that the holes at the bottom of the pot are small, clogged with pebbles or grains of earth.

On mandarin, the result of waterlogging and acidification of the earth. Chlorosis is a lack of various trace elements.

Such a deplorable state is the result of hypothermia of the root system: watering with cold water or the plant is left with damp earth on a cold balcony, on the street.

There is also a deplorable symptom, characteristic of the strongest prolonged waterlogging - darkening, blackening and withering of the tops of the shoots. If a similar picture occurred, then the matter is already very much running, it is often simply impossible to save the plant. If the tops of all shoots are rotten (yellowed or darkened), there is nothing to save. A similar picture is possible only with strong hypothermia of the roots, and never occurs when overdrying. When overdrying, wilting begins with old leaves, from the lower shoots, the trunk is exposed from below. When waterlogged, the leaves wither in any part of the crown, but more often from above, from the tops of the shoots.

And of course, any softening of the stems or leaves of plants with fleshy parts of the body, and these are yuccas, dracaenas, dieffenbachia, any succulents (fatties, adeniums, etc.), cacti - a sure sign of excess moisture.

Another symptom that is not entirely true and does not always indicate a specific plant, but still makes you think - the presence of fungal mosquitoes. If a swarm of midges flies up from the pot, it means that you watered the flowers too abundantly, perhaps it was once or twice, or perhaps it became a habit of watering excessively. Unlike mosquitoes, podura (colembolas) are white or dirty gray insects, about 1-2 mm, jumping on the surface of the earth in a pot - a sure sign that the flower is poured more than once.

Measures to save flooded plants

When you nevertheless established that the plant was flooded, you need to urgently take action. If you established the fact of waterlogging after you took the plant out of the pot, then you have to transplant. If the fact of waterlogging was determined by indirect signs (leaf fall, damp earth to the touch), then the need for a transplant depends on the severity of the situation.

If the plant has lost one or two leaves, or one branch has faded in a mighty crown, and the soil in the pot is light enough, then you can not replant the plant, but only loosen the soil. After watering, especially plentiful, the soil spreads, and after drying, a dense crust forms on its surface. If this crust is not destroyed, then the roots suffer from a lack of air. If seed plantings are watered, then seedlings may not come to the surface of the earth and die from hypoxia.
If there are small drainage holes in the pot, you can expand them or increase their number without removing the plant from the pot, using a knife heated on the stove.
Personally, I never try to just loosen the ground, it is not very reliable and justified in cases where the flooded plant is in a very large pot, transplanting is difficult, or when the plant is transferred from a cold room to a warm one, and the very increase in temperature will accelerate the drying of the earth.
In all other cases better plant transplant.

Signs of a bay in orchids - phalaenopsis leaves turn yellow, they are sluggish, wrinkled. The bark dries for a very long time, from constant contact with a damp surface, the roots rot.

Rotten roots must be cut off. In some cases, the new pot will have to pick up a smaller size than it was.

So, you take the plant out of the pot, and you need to determine the condition of the earth and the roots. Is the earth still damp and how much? Count when you last watered, how much it dried. Sometimes a person is convinced that the earth has been dry for a long time, say, a week has passed after watering, and upon examination it turns out that the earth inside the pot is still very damp. Then try to remember what the weather was like, how it happened that the soil did not have time to dry out! It is important to at least try to analyze in order to prevent this, or to calculate which plants could still be flooded. For some people, bays happen systematically over and over again. This suggests that it is necessary to radically revise the care system: perhaps change the soil in pots to a more structured, loose one, increase drainage holes, add more drainage to the bottom of the pot; water with less water; rearrange the plants in a warmer room or water less often when the ground dries out more. Sometimes you need to literally slap yourself on the hands so that you don’t rise with a watering can over the plant ahead of time ...

Examine the roots. The rotten ones are immediately visible - they delaminate, if you grab the spine with two fingers and pull, the skin slides off it - it is brown or dark gray, under it there is a bundle of vessels similar to a wire, a hard rod. If such a stratification has occurred, the root is rotten. Healthy roots do not delaminate, if you run your fingers over the surface, the top layer will not be removed. In some cases, the roots do not exfoliate, the fleshy juicy roots rot completely, and this is also immediately visible - they are dark, dirty gray or brown, sometimes softened. often define healthy roots and rotten can be in contrast to their appearance, some are light, white, light brown, others are dark, not only on the outside, but also on a break or breakage.

There are times when rotten roots break off easily and, when the plant is taken out of the pot, fall off along with the ground. If you did not find definitely rotten roots, but the earth and root ball are damp, you need to dry them. To do this, we wet the measles lump in any hygroscopic material: in a pile of old newspapers, in a roll of toilet paper. You can even put a plant with an open root system (without a pot) to dry for several hours.

Having found rotten roots, you need to cut them off, no matter how many there are. This is a source of infection, there is nothing to regret here. We cut everything down to healthy tissue. If the roots are fleshy, juicy, watery, then it is advisable to sprinkle the cut points with charcoal (wood, birch) or sulfur powder (sold in pet stores). If there is neither one nor the other, interpret the pill activated carbon. If there are very few roots left, much less than it was, you need to transplant the plant into a smaller pot.

I have already said that in itself a too spacious pot, not filled with roots, does not contribute to the rapid growth of plants, and in some cases even harms. In a spacious pot, the plant is easier to fill with light. And even if watered carefully, the plant tends to build up the root system, master a large surface of the earth, and only then enhances the growth of the ground part.

Substrate for aroid, bromeliad and other plants. Instead of a pot, a basket, substrate: earth, coconut fiber, coconut substrate, wine cork, pine bark and moss (its very smallness). The rotting anthurium, transplanted into this mixture, bloomed in a month, and releases the third bud.

If you tend to water the plants, then use clay pots to plant the plants. But there is one important point: the inside of the pot should not be glazed. If the walls of a clay pot are glazed on the inside, it is no better than a plastic one.

So, you need to pick up a pot under the root ball remaining after removing the rot. In this case, the rule will be effective: better smaller pot than more. It's okay if the pot is small, healthy roots will grow, notify you with their appearance from the drainage holes, and you just transfer the plant to a larger pot and that's it. During the growing season, plants can be transplanted at any time and more than once. Most plants, if they get sick after transplantation, stop growing, then this is most often due to improper care after transplantation, and not from root injuries.

After transplantation, plants should not be placed in the sun, even the most light-loving ones, they should be under shade for a week. You can not water the plants on the same day, especially those resuscitated from overflow - these are generally watered for the first time after 2-3 days. You can not fertilize transplanted plants for 1-1.5 months. And when transplanting patients (including flooded ones), dry fertilizers (neither manure, nor litter, nor granular fertilizers) can be added. Do not seal the transplanted plant in a plastic bag. This very package sometimes becomes a real evil. The fact is that transplanted plants, deprived of watering, must be placed in conditions of high humidity in the first days. And many tend to put the plant in a bag and tie it tight. In this case, the importance, of course, increases. But the supply of oxygen is reduced. As we remember, the plant breathes with both roots and leaves, if the plant has been flooded, it especially needs fresh air, and if pathogenic microorganisms developed on it - various spots of fungal or bacterial origin, then it just needs fresh air!

Here you can do this: place the plant in a transparent bag, straighten its edges, but do not tie it. If the weather is very hot, then you can spray 1-2 times a day, if the plants do not tolerate water on the leaves, then simply place the pot on a wide pan with water on an inverted saucer.

If the plant has rotten tops, the ends of the shoots, they must be cut to healthy tissue. If possible, at the same time cut the plant - cut off healthy branches for rooting in order to be able to save at least something if the bay has already led to irreversible consequences. Sometimes it happens that the roots rot completely, but some of the shoots are still vigorous until they fade (this is temporary) and cuttings can still be cut from them. In some cases, when the roots rot in vascular system plants get toxins (the aforementioned swamp gases, products of bacteria and fungi) and cut cuttings, even healthy-looking ones do not take root, they are already doomed ...

After transplantation, the flooded plant can be sprayed with growth stimulants (epin or amulet), only at night (most stimulants decompose in the light). If there are dark spots on the leaves, rotten tops of the shoots, then it is advisable to spray the plant with a fungicide, or add the fungicide to the water for irrigation. From fungicides suitable: Fundazol, Maxim, Hom, Oksikhom (and other copper-containing preparations). 3-4 days after transplanting into fresh, dry soil, the plant can be watered with a solution of zircon.

If a plant with a wide rosette of leaves turned out to be flooded, in the form of a funnel, like in bromeliads, then it is necessary to dry the bases of the leaves. To do this, you first need to turn the plant upside down with leaves. When the water drains, pour 2-3 tablets of crushed activated carbon into the outlet. After 3-5 minutes, gently remove it with a soft fluffy brush. Many bromeliads rot when watered through a rosette of leaves in winter. Read carefully the recommendations for growing a particular plant, and especially care in the winter.

Another important point: after flooding, the soil in the pot turns sour: the roots of the plants continue to emit carbon dioxide, the renewal of humus slows down, and humic acids accumulate, which increases the acidity of the soil, many nutrients turn into a form that is indigestible by plants. For example, iron goes into its oxidized form (F3+), which causes a rusty-brown crust to form on the surface of the earth. Oxidized iron is not absorbed, as a result, the plant shows all the signs of its deficiency - severe chlorosis. This is especially noticeable on fruit plants: there are signs of deficiency of calcium, iron, nitrogen. At this stage, some flower growers do not pay attention to the condition of the soil, and are in a hurry to treat the effect, not the cause. As a result, the plant continues to suffer, turn yellow. At times it gets better (for example, after spraying with Ferovit), and after fertilizing the soil, it gets even worse.

In such a situation, the only way out is complete replacement earth. And if you are in a hurry to fertilize, then it is advisable to rinse the roots during transplantation under a stream of warm water. Then dry, remove the rotten ones, sprinkle with charcoal and plant in fresh, dry soil.

If a white or red salt crust forms on the surface of the earth, this is a signal: the earth dries for a long time! Such a salt crust must be removed, the top layer of the earth must be replaced with a fresh one.

For any houseplant, the correctness or incorrectness of care is almost always associated with the quality of watering. The ability to find a balance, to approach the process of soil moisture reasonably, not to go to extremes and “listen” to the plants is the main rule of correct watering. But not the only one. After all, finding a middle ground between scarce and excessive watering is not at all easy. The basic rules for watering indoor plants will help you avoid major mistakes with this important procedure. Let's get to know them better.

1. Quality watering starts with water quality

Houseplants should not be watered with water with unverified characteristics, especially tap water, not settled, cold or hot. The water temperature must match the air temperature in the room. It is necessary to defend it before watering for at least 2-3 days.

The ideal option is melted, rain (subject to a favorable environmental situation) or filtered "drinking" water. It is better not to water indoor plants with boiled water (with rare exceptions), and mineralization is generally strictly prohibited. Some plants may need distilled water.

2. Watering should be carried out only when they are needed.

Checking the degree of drying of the substrate and controlling the rate of moisture consumption by the plant at different stages of development will help to avoid gross mistakes with watering. Whatever the standard recommendations, you need to judge the need for watering only by the soil.

Before taking on a watering can, it is worth checking whether the plant needs watering:

Check the moisture content of the top layer of the substrate (surface and at a depth of 1 to 2 cm, lightly rubbing the earth between your fingers;
Compare whether the pot has become lighter (the weight of the pot before and after watering is significantly different).

3. No watering for everyone at once!

Setting aside a specific day/days of the week for watering and watering all the plants at the same time indiscriminately is the biggest mistake. It's definitely more convenient that way. But indoor plants are all different, and it is also worth watering them at different times.

Indoor plants can be grouped according to the degree of moisture-loving (hygrophilous, moderately moisture-loving or drought-resistant) and even by origin (desert, subtropical, tropical). But it's best to check individual variety and species recommendations and draw up a schedule for each plant.

A good strategy is to keep simple records or spreadsheets, or use pot tags and tags with information about:

with what frequency and abundance it is necessary to water the plant at different stages of development;
how much water can be left in the trays;
what should be the water.

Always highlight with special "markers" plants that are watered through pallets, by wicking, by pouring water into leaf funnels or by immersion.

Indoor plants can be grouped according to the degree of moisture-loving (hygrophilous, moderately moisture-loving or drought-resistant). © uhc

4. Extremes are unacceptable

Drought and waterlogging are two poles in determining improper watering. Both are considered invalid. The substrate for any houseplant should not be wet in the upper 2-3 cm for longer than a few minutes after watering.

Even for moisture-loving species, the top layer of the substrate should be allowed to dry until the next watering. And for plants that are drought-resistant and require minimal watering, it is not worth bringing the matter to the complete drying of the substrate at the bottom of the pot (except for bulbous and tuberous plants that winter in complete dryness, and cacti that can withstand dryness).

Emergencies, including departures, happen to all flower growers. But if regular care is careless, allow constant overflows or underfill plants, then you should not expect health and beauty from them.

In watering indoor plants, one rule always works: not topping up a little is always better than overdoing it with the amount of water.

5. Frequency and Abundance of Watering Are Equally Important

Watering is frequent (daily or every other day), medium or moderately frequent (every 2-3 days) and rare (no more than once a week). But in addition to frequency, the quality of soil wetting is also important for all indoor plants.

How much the substrate will be saturated with water - the abundance of irrigation - is determined by a few upper centimeters of soil. Abundant or generous watering immediately makes the soil very wet, after a couple of minutes - damp, and only after a while - wet.

With standard moderate watering the soil is never wet: after sputum, it should become evenly moist in a couple of minutes. And light waterings are those in which the soil with a little damp immediately becomes wet.

Determine the degree of humidity tactilely:

wet soil “drips”, when the substrate is compressed, drops of water appear;
damp soil is easily crumpled and sticky;
wet rolls, wrinkles, but does not stick to the hand;
dry - crumbles when squeezed.

Any watering is considered correct only when the amount of water allows you to wet the entire earthen lump evenly, to the very lower layers- so that a little water stands out from the drainage holes not immediately, but some time after watering.

Draining too quickly or no water in the sump, signaling water tightness or the substrate's inability to retain water, is equally undesirable.

For high-quality watering, it is better to divide the water into several passes and observe the impregnation of the earthen clod, giving the water a chance not to pour out immediately, but to be evenly distributed.

For watering, it is advisable to use convenient watering cans with scattering nozzles specially designed for indoor plants. © loveproperty

6. Scattering and being careful is the best watering strategy.

It is impossible to water in one place with a strong jet of water, which compacts and erodes the substrate. For watering, it is advisable to use convenient watering cans with scattering nozzles specially designed for indoor plants. You need to direct the water along the perimeter of the pot, low, avoiding the formation of pits, slowly, without "puddles" and accumulation of water above the soil.

Particular attention should be paid to accuracy: not all houseplants are sensitive to getting wet, but none will thank you for its decorative effect when watered carelessly. Water should not be directed to the trunks and under the roots, to the root collars and growth points, to soak and splash the leaves.

With signs of soil compaction, crusting, poor soaking of the substrate, you should immediately take care of loosening. In case of severe contamination or mold, change the topsoil.

7. Watering should not be done in the middle of the day.

Indoor plants are best watered in the early morning or evening during the warm season and only in the early morning during cold seasons. Watering can not be carried out under direct sun, at the height of the day.

8. Water should not stagnate in pans

Even for plants that require immersion or drip irrigation, the amount of time water should be left in an external container should be limited. With classic top watering, any remaining water in the pans should be drained after 5-8 minutes.

Even 10 minutes of water stagnation in the lower part of the substrate and oversaturation of drainage with water can lead to the onset of negative processes for rot-sensitive species.

9. Correction of watering at the slightest change

Watering rarely manages to be carried out with an established frequency. If the weather is hot, heating works harder, air humidity drops, the plant is actively developing, watering needs to be increased. But not in abundance, but in frequency, compensating for all factors.

It should always be remembered that numerous other factors influence the irrigation schedule:

pot size (the larger the container, the less often watering should be);
pot materials (plants in ceramic containers are watered more abundantly);
leaf size and density;
location in the room and frequency of ventilation;
air humidity level;
the degree of filling of the substrate with roots;
drafts, etc.

The simplest and most affordable flasks for automatic watering will reduce watering efforts to a minimum. © Any Phone Case lawn-drippers

10. Using smart assistants

Today, both budget and elite systems have been developed for indoor plants to avoid difficulties with watering. The simplest and most affordable indicators, self-watering flasks, double-walled containers, hydroponic installations will reduce watering efforts to a minimum.

Even a simple moisture level indicator will eliminate the need to constantly check the soil by touch. And if there are difficulties with determining whether the plant needs watering or it is better to wait, be sure to get such smart helpers.

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

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

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

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

More plants die from waterlogging than from any other cause.

Dishes for watering indoor plants.

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

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

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

Use to increase humidity. manual sprayer .

How often to water indoor plants?

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

Plants from deserts, swamps, plants from climates with variable humidity have found shelter in our rooms. Accordingly, they are watered differently.

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

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

Wilting of the leaves of indoor plants can occur under the influence of sun rays, on the first clear day after a long overcast day. And before sinning for improper watering, other errors should be excluded that give a similar reaction of a houseplant.

Do not turn watering into a regular ritual that is performed, for example, every Sunday. Each plant has its own correct time interval between waterings - balsam may require daily watering in summer, and astrophytum cactus does not need water at all in winter.

The earth in pots should, as a rule, be in a moderately moist state. Do not allow abrupt transitions from lack of moisture to its excess. This means that watering should be regular and uniform. The need of indoor plants for water is determined by their specific features: the structure of above-ground organs, the power of the root system, etc.

Interval between waterings different plants differs depending on the season and changes in conditions of detention.

Araucaria

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

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

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

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

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

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

The need for water increases with increasing temperature and increasing light intensity. Plants in small pots and those that have not been transplanted for a long time require more frequent watering than plants in large containers or those that have just been transplanted. Plants in ceramic pots should be watered more frequently than those in plastic; plants in double pots require less frequent watering.

Eat Golden Rule watering indoor plants - it is better to water less, but more often than less often and in large quantities.

Water for watering indoor plants.

Watering indoor plants is advised only with soft water - rain, river or pond. Rain water is the most common. It is to this water that the leaves of most plants are accustomed, so it is best suited for spraying.

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

The main element, the content of which must be taken into account when watering, is calcium. It enters the water as it passes through limestone, chalk, dolomite, gypsum and other calcareous rocks. At the same time, the water becomes hard (soap foam is poorly formed in it). The hardness of water is due to the formation of scale on the walls of kettles, plaque on water taps and pipes.

Exactly the same plaque of poorly soluble calcium salts is formed when plants are watered with hard water. Remember that not all plants can tolerate an increased concentration of calcium. Of course, this element is necessary for the normal life of any plant. However, you only apply other fertilizers from time to time, and calcium with each watering.

Aroids, azaleas, orchids, ferns, and camellias are especially resistant to hard water.

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

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

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

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

The water temperature for watering indoor plants should be at least at least room temperature. This rule is especially important when watering tropical houseplants. Cacti are recommended to be watered with warmer water. Watering indoor plants with cold water can cause root rot, bud drop, and even plant death.

On the contrary, watering indoor plants with warm water in a cold room is also not desirable, because. this will lead to premature growth of the houseplant.

Proper watering of indoor plants.

For most plants during the growth period, the substrate should be kept slightly moist. Water the plant until water begins to seep through the drainage holes in the pot. Leave the plant for 10 to 30 minutes, and then drain off the water that remains on the pan. Do not re-water until the surface of the substrate is dry to the touch: the surface of the substrate dries first and the substrate itself is still moist inside.

Warm conditions require more frequent watering.

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

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

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

How to properly water indoor plants?

How to water indoor plants.

There are several ways to water indoor plants. They depend on the dishes in which you planted the plants, pallets and on the characteristics of the plant itself.

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

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

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

Lower watering can also be used if the clod of earth is very dry and a gap has formed between the wall of the pot and the soil. With top watering, water quickly drains into the pan, without moistening the substrate, and only by lowering the pot into water, good wetting is achieved.

Lower watering, compared to the upper one, has the opposite drawback: salts accumulate in an excessive amount in the pot. One of the signs of this is the formation of a lime crust on the soil. This crust can serve as a source of infection for plants, in addition, the roots of many plants are damaged from excess salts. The crust is removed from top layer earth 1.5 - 2 cm and pour a new substrate into the pot.

If the substrate is very dry, place the pot up to the brim in a container of water and leave until completely moistened, but do not allow water to overflow over the top of the pot. Allow the water to drain properly before placing the plant on the tray.

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

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

Types of watering indoor plants.

Infrequent watering of indoor plants.

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

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

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

3. Again check the moisture content of the substrate with a stick, add a little more water if necessary.

Moderate watering of indoor plants.

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

Moderate watering is applied to indoor plants with fleshy or strongly pubescent stems and leaves (paperomia, columna), with thick roots and rhizomes (palms, dracaena, aspidistra, aroid), as well as with water-bearing tubers on the roots (asparagus, chlorophytum, arrowroot) and bulbous .

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

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

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

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

Indoor plants are in almost every home. This is the best interior decoration. In order for green pets to grow beautiful and healthy, they need to provide proper care. In this article, we will learn how to take care of indoor plants.

General rules of care

There is a lot different types indoor plants. Each variety has its own external characteristics and care features. However, there general rules cultivation of all domestic plants. Let's take a look at how to properly care for them.

Moderation

Caring for most types of houseplants is easy.. Many of the green pets are unpretentious, so beginner flower growers manage to grow them. In any case, when caring for indoor plants, moderation must be observed in everything. Necessary watering and fertilizing is required to be made without undue zeal. There should not be an excess in liquid or fertilizers in any case.. And they need to be added in a timely manner. If you do not observe moderation in caring for indoor plants, you can face a lot of serious problems.

For example, waterlogging of the soil often leads to rotting of the root system of plantings. As a result, flowers can begin to get very sick, and subsequently risk dying.

Compliance with the rest period

When caring for indoor plants, we must not forget about the rest period necessary for them. In winter, many well-known varieties of house flowers go into a kind of “low power consumption” mode. In such a period, there is no need for top dressing. Watering and other caring manipulations should be reduced.

Maintaining appearance

It is equally important to keep your houseplants looking healthy and attractive. It is required to remove dried buds, inflorescences, leaf blades and shoots in a timely manner. These manipulations will contribute to the preservation and attractiveness and health of plants.

Deprived of dead components, flowers will not expend vitality, nourishing unnecessary parts.

Disease and pest control

Every grower knows what houseplants need daily inspection. Thus, it is easier to monitor the condition of green pets. Subject to regular inspections, a person can notice the onset of diseases that have affected plants in time. Most often, damage by a fungus or viruses can be seen on indoor flowers. Started on time proper treatment will be more successful.

Set of tools

Any operations carried out to care for plants, whether it be watering, planting, transplanting or fertilizing, are carried out using the appropriate equipment. Consider what exactly a grower will need to grow green pets.

Watering can. When buying this device, it is recommended to select options with an elongated spout. Using such options for watering cans, watering is much more convenient and easier. At the same time, water can penetrate even through thick leaves. indoor flower. With a suitable watering can, watering the plant will be complete and safe.
Flask. What this device looks like is known to everyone. An elongated tip of an elongated structure and a spherical water tank make the flask an indispensable item for automatic watering of indoor flowers during the departure of the owners. It is enough to pour clean water into the container and stick it into the ground with the tip down. The soil will be saturated with the necessary moisture gradually, as it dries out.
Sprayer. The spray gun can be used when caring for not all types of indoor plants. Some varieties do not need moistening of leaf plates. But keep in mind that with the onset of too hot days, the foliage can still dry out, which will negatively affect appearance landings, so the spray gun can be a very useful device.
Tray with water. Most often, this detail is used if the houseplant grows in a room with very dry air. Do not put a flower pot directly into the water. It is advisable to add expanded clay or pebbles. These components will gradually absorb excess moisture, transferring it to the rhizomes. The described method of caring for flowers is especially in demand and useful if they are located in close proximity to heating devices. With the advent of the winter seasons, they will need regular replenishment with life-giving moisture, which the grower should not forget about.

All the necessary equipment for caring for plants can be bought in special garden stores. Typically, these devices are inexpensive.

Houseplants need to be provided optimal conditions content. Let us consider in detail what the florist should take care of.

Location and lighting

Many indoor plants need adequate lighting. Typically, daylight hours should be between 12 and 16 hours per day. At times when the plant is at rest, these time frames can be shortened. Since in our country the climatic conditions are not favorable everywhere, people often have to resort to auxiliary lighting (special lamps will do). This is especially true for heat-loving tropical flowers that prefer to grow on the sunny side.

It is not recommended to expose indoor plants on the windowsill under the most direct rays of the sun. In such conditions, green pets are at risk of getting burned. The sun should not be in excess. Diffused light or light partial shade is ideal - it all depends on the preferences of a particular type of plant. It is worth bearing in mind that in low light, the processes of photosynthesis will inevitably slow down. This will negatively affect the health of the flower.

Temperature

At home, heat-loving plants are most often grown that cannot survive on the street. Such landings need warm, room temperature air in the room where they grow. The optimal indicators are from +16 to +22 degrees Celsius.

Even tropical species of indoor plants "do not like" excessive heat. Do not try to create conditions in your home that are too close to the jungle. Rare indoor flowers "will like" temperature indicators exceeding +24 degrees. And there are crops that grow better in a slightly cool environment (for example, at a temperature of +15 degrees Celsius).

Humidity

The main percentage of indoor plants belongs to the moisture-loving category. The humidity level should be slightly above average. At the same time, one should not forget about the direct origin of domestic flowers - most of them come from the humid tropics. High humidity indicators have a beneficial effect not only on the condition of plants, but also on people.

Try to ensure that the air around indoor flowers is not dry. This will adversely affect their appearance and health in general. This will increase the risk of pest attacks.

The soil

It is important to take care of the use of high-quality soil for flowers. Houseplants have nowhere else to take nutrients except from the soil mixture. The soil should contain not only all the necessary nutrients. The earth must also have a suitable structure. It should not be too loose or too dense. It is important to take care of the drainage layer in the plant pot. A drainage layer is needed for almost all home flowers.

Pot

Modern flower growers can independently choose in which tank to grow indoor plants. On sale there is a mass of suitable containers made of different materials: pots, flowerpots, boxes. All utensils for flowers are divided into 2 types:

for growing- in such pots there are already drainage holes;
for decor- pots are meant in which there are no additional holes, so they can be placed anywhere without fear of possible leaks.

Houseplants do best in grow tanks. However, such containers look much simpler; with their help, it is unlikely that it will be possible to effectively decorate the interior.

How to water?

Growing your favorite plants at home it is important to take care of their proper watering. All crops love moisture. Under conditions of protected ground in a pot, there is nowhere for flowers to get it, so a person should not forget about the timely introduction of a liquid that feeds the plantings. Some crops easily survive temporary drought (for example, succulents), but there are varieties that begin to wither rapidly if you skip at least a couple of waterings.

Bulbous plants survive drought most easily. They already have a certain supply of moisture that is collected in their fleshy areas. But flowers with thin stems are at risk of dying from lack of moisture. The frequency of watering directly depends on the time of year, a certain variety of indoor plants, as well as the ambient temperature. In winter, autumn and in cool conditions, house flowers should be less frequently moistened. Anyway before watering, you need to make sure that the top earthen layer in pots with plants has already dried up.

loosening

In order to prevent a white salt crust from accumulating on the upper part of the substrate, and also in order to increase the permeability qualities, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil. But you need to pay attention to the structure of the root system of plants - if it is superficial, maximum caution is required.

Trimming and shaping

Many of the novice flower growers who do not have rich experience treat the procedure for pruning indoor plants with a slight fear, considering it to be both difficult and traumatic. But there is nothing to be afraid of. If everything is done correctly and the flower is formed carefully, there will be no problems. Green pets will not suffer from this in any way.

If you need to remove the growth point at the top of the landings, then here you can use the simplest technology - topping. If the flower has thin stems, pinching can be done with 2 fingers. If we are talking about a fleshy plant, then it is best to use scissors - it will be more convenient and easier. For pruning, always take a pruner, knife or scissors. This procedure cannot be performed manually.

How to transplant?

A transplant is required for all types of indoor plants, especially when it comes to young plantings. They grow pretty fast so they need a transplant every spring in the first 3 years of life. Adult indoor flowers no longer need frequent transplants. It is necessary to transplant them to another place only as needed - depending on the growth rate, plant size and other circumstances.

At times, indoor plants need unscheduled transplant. Most often, it has to be resorted to if certain diseases or serious damage by dangerous pests occur. If too much waterlogging of the soil mixture has occurred, it is better to transplant the plants as soon as possible, without waiting for the rhizomes to rot. If the transplant is planned, a fresh flower pot is selected 2-3 cm larger in diameter.

Mature and slow growing crops are often transplanted into the same pot, you just need to change the ground in it.

Fertilizers and growth stimulants

Indoor plants should be fertilized with balanced mineral compositions. They must be rich in essential ingredients(from potassium to phosphorus). The use of high-quality fertilizers strictly according to the instructions will lead to an improvement in general state planting, there will be an improvement in root formation and rooting. fit saturated funds like "Kornevin".

Liquid formulations should be used according to the scheme: every 2 weeks during the period of active growth (from April to September). Fertilizer candles are simply inserted into the substrate, where they nourish the soil. The granular components are laid out on the surface of the soil mixture. The use of complex dressings is necessary for many indoor plants in August.

How to propagate?

Exist various ways propagation of indoor plants. Let's analyze the most popular of them. Generative reproduction takes place by planting new seeds in a suitable substrate. Vegetative methods include cuttings. To do this, cut off the upper part of the stem of the plant. The stalk must be planted in the soil mixture, watered in a timely manner. The container is covered with foil.

Popular reproduction by children. They are separated with fingers, planted in prepared containers with earth. When the young flowers grow up, they will need to be planted in separate pots. Whiskers are common. The algorithm of actions is simple: from the ends of the shoots, the child processes are removed - the mustache. They must be planted in moist soil, if you managed to take them along with the roots. If the sample is taken without roots, the antennae are rooted, as in cuttings.

Secrets of experienced flower growers

If you want your indoor plants to grow beautiful and healthy, it is worth adopting a few secrets of experienced flower growers.

If your houses grow ornamental plants and you notice that their leaf blades have faded, it will be possible to return them to their previous appearance with the help of a decoction cooked on a banana peel.
If you decide to plant a capricious plant at home that requires more complex professional care, it can be slightly protected from pests by transplanting into the soil, in which there are 4 match heads.
If indoor plants suffer from a dangerous scale insect or spider mite."ambulance" will be a soap solution (a simple laundry soap), diluted with a few drops of medical alcohol. After processing according to this scheme, the landing is not touched for another day.
Spraying the plant will be an excellent prevention of the appearance of a red spider mite. This procedure gives the plants more. Rather than simple air humidification.
By trimming indoor plants, it is always necessary to remove too long branches and old stems that no longer have leaf plates.
If you decide to grow bright tropical plants at home, they will need to provide conditions that will be as close to natural as possible.