How to irrigate potted plants?
Watering potted plants grown at home or in the office, it is the basis of their departure. How watering houseplants? 
This process is carried out during the year. None of the conditions of care for plants cultivation does not require as much attention as the watering. It houseplant lovers in this area begin to make most mistakes: fill them with water, or forget that they need water. As a result, the plant receives too much water or too little – in any case the plant may die.
What determines the need for the plants in the water?Each plant has its own requirements for irrigation: depends on the size of the plants, pot size, season, temperature and lighting, the quality of soil and moisture requirements associated with specific views. For example, on cloudy days plants need less water, but in the heat – more water. During the warm summer months, plants need a lot of watering, and in cold weather – rare.
When watering is necessary to observe some rules in order not to harm the potted plants and is able to help keep the plants.
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- Watering houseplants when the soil is light and poured out of the pot.
- Most of the plants are watered from above, only some exceptionally below.
- Always use a room temperature water for irrigation. If the water is too cold, it leads to curling of leaves.
- desirable plants watered with soft water.Tap water before watering must stand a few hours to evaporate chlorine and calcium settled on bottom of the dish.
- Most plants watered when the air is dry and warm, if they are placed in a bright and sunny locations.
- Less watered at high humidity, low temperature, in dark habitats.
- Water the flowers more often in summer (normally every day or every other day) – less in winter
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- The excess water under tray leave. In winter it is drained immediately, so that the roots have not begun to rot. In the summer – after two or three hours. Flowers are more affected by wet than from drought.
Note! During the growing season the soil in a flowerpot intensively watered. Only a small amount of water hydrates the topsoil, and does not reach the thin roots in the pot.
Always pour enough water to moisten the entire contents of the tank. After each watering the substrate must be damp, but not wet. Care must be taken that the top soil is slightly dry out between each watering.
The different requirements for watering indoor plants
Separate indoor plants usually have different requirements for humidity. One meets the minimum amount of water (cacti, succulents), others, on the contrary, demand is constantly slightly moist substrate (ferns, bromeliads). Larger plants as well as plants with large leaves through which water evaporates faster, need more water.
How do I know how much water is needed? Potted plants require more moisture at planting time and during flowering. After flowering, they are less watered.
Important! The lack of watering during flowering can lead to drying of the flower buds.
Water consumption is proportional plant leaves its surface (the larger leaves, the more water must plant).
For more information! The plants that form many large leaves need to be watered abundantly, because their leaves evaporate more water than house plants with small leaves.
Most plants can withstand relatively well the dry season (if you happen to forget to water them), but they die from over-watering. So take a rule, it is better to water less than too much.
Keep in mind that excess water can harm the potted plants is much more than a lack of water. It is possible to prevent root rot, creating a drainage layer of expanded clay on the bottom of each pot. These porous beads of fired clay prevents the accumulation of moisture around the roots of plants. Poured concrete block at the bottom of the pot, from about 3 to 5 cm (depending on the size of the pot) and covered with a layer of substrate 
Plant species that have thick, fleshy leaves, should be watered less. The excess water harms them more than a drawback.
These colors are succulents, a special kind of plants, which accumulates in the water rich fleshy leaves or stems, and with care to consume it.Resistant to water shortages succulents have the ability to store water in their tissues do not require intensive watering and live much longer without water than plants with thin leaves.
Watering is also dependent on temperature and humidity in the room where the plant – the warmer and drier, the more water you need to plant. Potted flowers, which are located in a room with a high humidity (in the kitchen or in the bathroom), can withstand prolonged breaks more watering than those who stand in the sun lounge or heated room.
The frequency of watering depends more on the amount and properties of the substrate in the pot: the plants growing in large containers and in humus soil, need less watering than those grown in small pots and a sandy substrate.
Pot itself also plays a role in a small flowerpot soil dries out faster than big. Material of the flowerpot is also important. Those that are made of baked clay, do absorb the moisture so the plants are planted in them, require more watering than plants in plastic pot. The substrate, which contains sand, much better absorb water. This means more frequent watering because the water in such a substrate will dry faster.
The time of year is also important. Individual plants have different requirements for applying moisture throughout the year. Most plants use more water in spring and summer, when they grow up. Reduced dose of irrigation water in autumn and winter. However, there are exceptions. Some species are experiencing a period of rest in the summer, when irrigation is significantly reduced or even discontinued. Some need to be drier in the fall, when creating the flower buds, but after their formation and during flowering, they already have a high consumption of water.
Irrigation regime
Main irrigation is best done in the morning. Each type of plant needs its own watering regime. Distinguish abundant mild and infrequent watering.Abundant watering is carried out immediately after drying earthen coma. For most tropical plants with thin leaves require copious irrigation.With moderate watering plants watered immediately after drying earthen coma, and after one or two days.
Small watering especially necessary plants with hairy leaves and stems (. African violet, peperomiya etc.) Rare watering relates to cacti and succulents, and also to the plants in the dormant period.
What are the symptoms of water scarcity? Regular watering violations affect the appearance of the majority of plants. WWe note the lack of water can be on the following criteria:
- leaves and shoots become lethargic;
- leaves fall andbecome dry plants with stiff, leathery leaves;
- flowers and buds wither quickly.
What are the consequences of improper watering nWhen an excess of water:
- mold appears on the buds and flowers, the leaves;
- plant grows slowly;
- tips of the leaves turn brown;
- young and old leaves fall off.
It should be remembered that the cold water could damage the roots and leaves of heat-loving tropical plants.
How better to waterat the top or in a pan?
The most common method of irrigation – above. The substrate is wetted quickly, and take out the nutrients to the roots. Many plants are very small leaves and stems on which there are stains from water droplets. In addition, water droplets on both light focus lens, and can cause burns on the leaves. Therefore, when watering from above is necessary to lift or move the leaves to the side so that water falling on the ground only. 
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Many plants do not tolerate water in their leaves, so it is best to pour them from the bottom – in a bowl. These include African violet, cyclamen or allokasiya. A typical plant which need to be watered from the bottom, is Saintpaulia (african violet). However, its roots and leaves may rot if over-watering. Epiphytes and orchids are best dipped into the water. 
How do I know that the flower need to be watered?
It’s time to water the plant when the mixture of the earth in the pot dries. The only problem is that the mixture that seems to dry on top, can be wet in the middle of the pot.
it can be assumed for the small pots that if the mixture is dry on the surface, it is completely dry throughout the tank.
Decide when to water the plant is best after checking the moisture content of the substrate in the pot.
The easiest way to tell if a plant needs watering – is to check the soil in a pot with a finger or a wooden stick. If the soil is moist, watering is not necessary.
You can determine whether to water the plants by simply tapping on the pot with your finger. If the land is in the pot is dry, the sound will be ringing if it is wet – deaf.
If the plant withers and he leaves turn yellow – it can dry out. It should immerse flower for several hours in a large bowl of water to soak the entire root ball moisture. If houseplant did not waver even after a thorough watering, it means that the roots are already beginning to rot. Sometimes wilting and yellowing of the leaves appear during the winter months, when he should be a period of rest. If a healthy plant, yellowing of the leaves in the winter, it’s natural.
How often watered the flowers at home?
The intensity of irrigation must match the season and the ambient temperature. In colder areas must be watered less to avoid prolonged wetting of the substrate, that together with the cold air is very dangerous for the plants.
Near a heat source on the south side of the sill substrate dries faster and watered it more often.
Most indoor plants like moist air. The higher the room temperature, the higher the humidity. Palms, ficus, ferns monsters or suffer from dry air and lose their beauty. In this case, moisture may be sprayed directly to the plant, or in the air close to them. Always use spaced not too cold water.
Equally important is the type of pots. Plants planted in ceramic pots should be watered frequently, since through the porous walls of the water easily evaporates. Plants in plastic pots are watered less frequently.
Plants that are very wet substrate is required, watered so that the soil was always damp, but not to turn sour in the water.
they should be watered such a way as to dry out between waterings topsoil 1-2 cm, and under this layer substrate was wet.
Winter – resting
In winter, most plants do not grow, and require different care than in summer. The winter months –rest period for many of them. They begin to lose their fresh appearance, the leaves turn yellow, dry up, and the plants look tired.
How to water houseplants in the winter? First of all, I should slow watering. The soil in the pot can not dry out as quickly and the moisture is retained in the soil for longer,
If the plants are located in parts of the room where the hot, the soil in the pot dries quickly, and it will need to be watered more often. If they spend the winter on the windowsill, where it is cold and the ground remains moist for a long time – should be watered less frequently.
You do not need to pass a dormant period in domestic plants in winter, and not try to restore them or watered unnecessarily. On the contrary, they may benefit from less water during this period.
