With the arrival of the heat, many of us go to the beach to sunbathe, bathe in the pool, refresh ourselves in the beach bars, etc., but the plants are still poor, stoically supporting the high temperatures. Sometimes we get confused and make them have a hard time. Here are a series of tips to reduce the stress that high temperatures cause to our plants.
Index
SUMMER IS ALREADY INSTALLED. IT’S TIME TO PROTECT OUR PLANTS
We, with our good intention, think that a refreshing shower would be as good for plants as it comes to us, helping to lower the temperatures of their aerial parts and reducing their stress. However this should only be done with sprays that generate small droplets. With this it is achieved that the environmental humidity increases and the hydric stress is reduced.
The large drops that remain on the leaves can produce a magnifying effect that, although it has to be subjected to special conditions since the focal length is minimal, it can occur.
Plant respiration works by opening and closing stomata, by which, when they open, the loss of water from the interior of the plant occurs through transpiration. But that water is not recovered through the leaves but through the roots, so the essential thing is to have moisture in the roots.
TEMPERATURE, AN IMPORTANT FACTOR
When we write articles related to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, and almost any crop, we put the temperatures or the climate to which they are used. In most of them you will see that very few, except the authentic Solanaceae, endure summer days in the Sun like those of this time. So you have to take precautions and protect your plants from the sun’s rays, especially in the hours of the day when the intensity of radiation is higher (from 12 to 16).
WATER AT NIGHT OR IN THE MORNING?
Here there may be a certain debate in which everyone will defend their opinion. We do not have the ultimate truth, far from it, but we do have the following opinion. Given that watering during the day is rejected for more than obvious reasons in terms of irrigation efficiency (less evaporation), it is true that irrigation in the early morning reduces the water stress that the plant may have throughout the day, and the soil will hold with higher humidity throughout the day.
When it is done at night, it is also fine, but since there is no solar radiation, this water remains in the soil longer at a time when the plant “does not need it” because it does not photosynthesize. However, it will be available in the morning for when you need it.
Everything is a matter of the schedule that each one has, but from a technical point of view and in our opinion, watering in the early morning is better than at night. Of course, someone else gets up early in the summer to water the plants, right? 😉
IN CASE YOU GO ON VACATION AND LEAVE YOUR PLANTS AT HOME …
When we go on vacation, the care of the plants is limited to the favors of the neighbor, who from time to time comes to water them. We are not always that lucky and the neighbor also enjoys his vacation. Learn to be self-sufficient with these tips and find your plants as healthy as you left them.
he plants require care all year round, especially when it comes to water. More than 15 days without watering, especially in summer, which is when most people go on vacation, ensures that the plant dries completely. So we are going to try to solve this problem with a series of measures that ensure the water content in the plant. We give you 7 tips, although surely you know a few more, right?
1.- THE BUCKET OF WATER AND THE WET CLOTH
This technique consists of placing a bucket full of water next to each plant, or a bucket for several plants, if they are small. The plant and the cube are connected by means of a cotton cloth, a cord. Something more homemade yet? an old sock or stockings, which we partially bury on the ground and the other side will connect with the water. Through capillarity the water flows constantly through the absorbent material. Plant care can be achieved with watering for several days.
2.- THE BATHTUB WITH WATER
This method is very simple. For those who have a bathtub, it consists of filling it with about 5-10 cm (at 1/3 of the height of the pot more or less) and placing as many plants as you want or fit. By capillarity, the water will rise through the substrate until it nourishes the plant
3.- SCHEDULED IRRIGATION
There are different types. There are devices to control the irrigation time that are very cheap. There are also others to control different hoses or drippers that are inserted in the form of a spike on the substrate of the pot. This runs the risk of hose failure or leakage, although it does not have to be this way if things are done well. If you don’t trust you, you can always use the classic methods. For long-term plant care (a long vacation) this system is the most modern, and therefore most accurate. Especially ideal for outdoors. It has the advantage that there is no water limit, and therefore, you can take advantage of your long vacations without worrying.
4.- WATER BOTTLE WITH HOLE
This system gives very good results but in short periods of time. It consists of a bottle placed upside down where a small hole is made (depending on the amount of watering), which falls drop by drop on the substrate of the plant. You should choose the size of the water bottle depending on the days you are away from home, but in general, it is not specific for long periods of time, since you can only place a 5-liter bottle in large pots.
5.- FLOWERPOT WITH AUTOMATIC WATERING
They are modern pots with a built-in irrigation system. We no longer need to incorporate an external irrigation system, if not that it is authorized, on a scheduled basis. It is a system through which water passes through a circuit, wetting the substrate and watering the plant. It is a good system for taking care of plants on vacation and it is not very expensive (from € 13 onwards).
6.- PADDING OR MULCHING
The mulch is not an irrigation system but a humidity control system. If you are going to be on vacation for a short time, you can do an abundant watering before leaving and mulch the plants. In this way, you get more moisture to be retained, less evaporation occurs, and therefore the plant stays moist for longer. Ideal for plant care if you are away from home for a short time.
7.- THE NEIGHBOR
This, without a doubt, is the best system. It consists of a pious, very friendly and trustworthy neighbor, to whom you leave the keys and twice a week he comes to your house to water the plants. It is 100% effective unless you are forgetful. It has the disadvantage that they also often go on vacation and that favors are returned. If you are lucky enough to not coincide when you go on vacation, you take care of yours the time the neighbor is away and you when your neighbors leave.