How to water geraniums

How often to water

The frequency of watering cannot be talked about in vain, because weather, pot size, material, seedling size, etc. are all major factors affecting watering frequency.

Let’s talk about the weather first: when the weather is clear, the water evaporates quickly and the soil in the pot dries quickly, so you may need to water it every two or three days, and sometimes every day; on rainy days, the air humidity is higher, the water evaporates slowly, and the soil in the pot will not dry out for a week, so you don’t need to water it.

Then look at the size and material of the pot. Large pots have more soil and dry slower, while small pots have less soil and dry faster . Clay pots and ceramic pots have good air permeability and dry faster, while plastic pots and ceramic pots have poor air permeability and dry slower.

Then it also depends on the size of the seedlings. Large seedlings with lush branches and leaves have a large evaporation rate from their leaves, absorb water quickly, and cause the soil to dry quickly. The weaker seedlings have less evaporation and weaker ability to absorb water, so the soil naturally dries more slowly.

How much water should be poured each time

Geranium has fleshy stems and is relatively drought-resistant, but is afraid of waterlogging and does not like overly humid environments. As the saying goes, too little water will result in oil, too much water will result in sorrow. This is a bit more abstract, let’s take a look at the following set of experiments:

Same two cups of soil, different amounts of water.

This is what it looks like right after it was poured.

After 5 minutes, it was observed that soil No. 1 was basically moist, but water overflowed from soil No. 3. In this state, there was insufficient oxygen in the water. If the soil has poor drainage, it would cause root rot.

So when watering, it is better to keep it dry than wet.

What season should you water?

In spring and autumn, geraniums grow vigorously, with lush branches and leaves, and require more water. As long as the top 2 cm of soil is dry, they should be watered. If the soil in the pot is completely dry, the root hairs will be lost and the nutrient supply to the plant cannot be guaranteed. The best time to water at this time is in the morning, before the sun comes out or just after it comes out.

In hot summer and cold winter, geraniums are in a semi-dormant state and require relatively less water. Each watering should be about a quarter of the amount of soil in the pot, and water should be poured along the edge of the pot. The best time to water is in the morning or evening in summer and at noon in winter.