How to water azalea

Don't water until it's dry

As the saying goes, growing flowers all depends on a pot, which means that when watering flowers, you have to control the amount of water. The key to watering azalea is not to water it unless the soil is dry. So what does it mean to be dry? You can't just look at the surface of the soil in the pot. What's more important is to knock on the pot and listen to the sound. If it makes a dull sound, the soil in the pot is relatively wet and does not need watering; if it makes a crisp sound, the soil in the pot is relatively dry and needs to be watered in time.

Different seasons

In spring and autumn, azaleas are in their peak growth period and require adequate water. Especially in spring, the frequency of watering should be appropriately increased or decreased, and water should be sprayed on the leaves more often to maintain environmental humidity and reduce water evaporation from the leaves.

The temperature is high in summer and water evaporates quickly, so you can water once in the morning and once in the evening.

In winter, the temperature is low, azaleas are dormant, and their physiological activities are weakened. They do not need too much water. Just keep the soil in the pot moist and reduce the frequency of watering appropriately.

In addition, watering should be reduced during the flowering period. Too much water will cause bud drop or early withering. Just make sure the soil in the pot is not short of water.

Choose slightly acidic water

Rhododendrons like acidic soil and also acidic water, and should avoid using alkaline water. If alkaline water is used to irrigate plants for a long time, it may cause the death of the plants. Usually natural water or tap water with a pH below 7 is chosen. If the water quality does not meet the requirements, ferrous sulfate or a small amount of vinegar can be added to the water to acidify it.

To use "trapped water"

Trapping the water means placing the water in the same environment as the azalea to dry for 2 to 3 days. The benefits of water trapping are: first, it reduces the impact of trace elements in the water on the growth of azaleas; second, it increases the water temperature and eliminates the temperature difference between water and potting soil; third, it promotes the decomposition of microorganisms and organic matter in the water and promotes the absorption of water by the roots. In a word, watering the plant correctly promotes growth, while watering the plant incorrectly inhibits growth.

Water thoroughly

When planting azaleas, usually leave a water opening of about 1 inch in the pot. In most cases, watering can be done thoroughly as long as the water opening is filled. But if you choose a shallow pot, it will be difficult to water it thoroughly in one go. In fact, water leaking from the bottom of the pot does not mean that it is watered thoroughly: the soil in the large pot becomes dry, and many cracks will appear around it. After watering, water will flow out from the gaps, but it will only wet the surface of the soil and not water it thoroughly. At this time, it needs to be watered 1 to 2 more times.