Tropics

Tropics are located in equatorial and subequatorial latitudes. The most typical plant communities of the tropics are forests. In tropical forests, grassy plants get relatively little sung, as it is blocked by trunks and tree crowns, so many of them belong to the shade-tolerant species, although some representatives of tropical plants( mostly epiphytes, some lianas and species growing on rocks) are light-loving.

As already mentioned, there are a lot of moisture in the tropics, both soil and atmospheric, and that is why the "aborigines" of this zone, of course, are hygrophilous. Despite the presence of seasonal fluctuations, drought-resistant and cold-resistant forms among houseplants are practically nonexistent. The rest period in the vast majority of tropical species is very weakly expressed.

So, we got acquainted with the brief characteristics of the features of different climatic zones, which are the birthplace of houseplants.

The only one of the climatic factors that we can not provide our green pets is atmospheric pressure. Everything else is real, it's worth trying.

Let's return to the peculiarities of irrigation. Dividing plants by their origin from different climatic zones, we will immediately know the approximate need of these plants in the pod, but this does not mean that moisture-loving flowers can be uncontrolledly flooded with huge quantities of pods, and xerophytes and succulents - completely dried, and to the same asand plants that are in a period of rest.

Remember two limitations for irrigation: the land should not be too wet( for hygrophilous species), and the earth coma should by no means completely dry out( for drought-resistant and resting plants).Only cacti can be watered when the ground is completely dry. In the chapter on soil, it was said how to check the moisture content of the soil.

Watering plants better is not too often, but enough to blot out the entire earthy coma, otherwise only the upper layer of the earth will be wetted, and the lower one will remain dry.

The normal amount of irrigation water will be indicated by the fact that only a small amount of water will leak into the drip tray. If the soil is too dry, the water will skip the earthen lump around the edges and pour into the pan immediately and in large quantities. Then water the plant for a while in two steps, draining the remains of water after a couple of hours. You can act in a different way: several times a day, pour water directly into the pan in small portions - the water is partially absorbed into the soil through the bottom opening of the pot. There is another way: immerse the plant together with the pot in a container of water and keep it there until the bubbles of air stop.

Do not allow puddles to be kept on the surface of the soil( especially frequent in tubs): in addition to direct and obvious overmoistening, this leads to a deterioration in soil texture, loss of its structure and, as a result, insufficient aeration( air supply to the roots), which leadsto the weakening of the plant. If, after watering, the earth is fused to the top, loosen it.

If the moisture-loving plants, under abundant watering, the leaves began to fade and lose elasticity, or outwardly healthy for some reason began to fall off, or brownish spots appeared on the leaf blades and brownish spots began to appear, - it is likely that you overdid it with watering. Try sniffing at the ground. In the event that you feel the sour smell or( especially) the smell of ammonia, then the roots are rotten! Immediately replant the plant if rotting has not yet reached the stem, getting rid of the damaged parts of the root system. If the rot spread before the above-ground shoot begins, the plant will die. You can only use the branches on the cuttings and start all over again.

Another indirect indication of the beginning of decay of land for indoor plants can be the appearance of a springtail. Norytvostki - small white jumping insects, on the back end of the body of which there is a special fork-shaped outgrowth.

Especially often soil silt with rotting roots occurs( in addition to water redundancy):

1) in the absence of drainage;

2) in a too large pot;

3) in winter, when moisture is absorbed by the roots weaker. Bulbous and tuberous plants are very prone to decaying roots.

The most intensive watering( albeit relative, corrected for initial hygrophilousness) is necessary during the active vegetation period - from spring to autumn.

Two more important factors need to be considered: the temperature in the room and the size of the pot.

At warm temperatures( for example, in summer) more liquid is required, watering the plants preferably in the evening, so that the moisture evaporates less. In extreme heat, morning waterings can be added. Do not water the plants in the sun: they can get serious burns. In winter, plants are always better to water in the morning.

Plants in a large pot should be watered less often than in a small one.

So, we already know the answers to the questions "What?", "Why?", "When?" And "How much?".It remains to clarify exactly how to water the plants.

Water the flowers carefully, with a spray that does not spray the leaves and does not make holes in the soil.

Do not use cold water, especially suffering from her tropical plants. Its temperature should be at least 20 degrees for subtropical species and even less for tropical. Ideally, if the water temperature exceeds a couple of degrees room temperature.

Warm water can be specially applied in order to speed up the opening of buds.

Hard water is the least desirable for plants, rain is the most favorable( it can be replaced by thawed snow) or river water. Tap water should be defended for at least 24 hours. Boiled water plants generally do not water it: there is no dissolved air.

For cuttings and young plants grown from seeds, it is possible and often desirable to organize a constant gradual watering. Then in the middle of a large pot or box, in which young plants or cuttings are planted, they put a small pot filled with water, the bottom of which is plugged with a stopper. Water will gradually seep through the pores, moistening the surrounding soil.

Bulbous and tuberous plants are best watered from below, through a pallet.

Tropical epiphytes, bromeliads, orchids and ferns, cultivated in baskets, on bark or in perforated pots, are not watered in the traditional sense. They should be immersed together with the substrate for half an hour - an hour in a wide bowl with dense, lukewarm water, then take it out and let the moisture drain.

For all plants, except for xerophytes and succulents, in addition to watering, it is desirable to spray and other measures to increase air humidification.