China has had a planting complex since ancient times, which is inseparable from China's agricultural nation. However, nowadays people mostly live in buildings, and even though many people like to grow flowers and vegetables, they can only use the limited space on the balcony to grow because they live in buildings.
Some florists even face an enclosed balcony environment, resulting in poor ventilation and the inability to feed any flowers and plants. Actually, it is not difficult to raise flowers on a closed balcony, as long as you remember the three main points and the four principles of not watering, you can successfully cultivate all kinds of flowers. If you also have a closed balcony at home and want to plant some flowers and plants in the spring, be sure to pay attention to the following points.
First, ensure good lighting
Most of our most common flower plants are flowering plants, and flowering plants have high requirements for light. All living things depend on sunlight for their growth, and even if we raise shade-tolerant plants, they need light, just scattered light. The leaves of plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, producing enough nutrients and delivering them to the roots, which promotes the growth of the whole plant. In this way, the plant will be stronger and less susceptible to pests and diseases.
If the balcony is closed and the lighting is very poor, then it will be very difficult to spend time in this type of flower. In order for the flowers to thrive, consider artificial fill lights, like those used when raising succulents. Adequate light is the key to raising flowers, and it is necessary to allow at least half a day of sunshine on the balcony. In this way, sunlight can hit the surface of the soil, making its water evaporate faster, promote the alternation of dry and wet soil, and avoid the soil being too wet, resulting in lack of oxygen in the roots and the formation of rotten roots.
Second, the soil should be loose and breathable
When raising flowers in the home, the soil must have good loose and permeable properties. Loose and breathable soil allows excess water to quickly penetrate to the bottom and drain excess water. Such soils are ideal for growing flowers in a home environment and do not cause the soil to be too moist and produce silt roots.
For example, many people like to use pastoral soil to raise flowers, but this soil is more sticky, and after a period of time, it will appear compacted and not easy to permeate water. It does not dry quickly after watering, tightly enveloping the root system, and cannot fully take root. Therefore, pastoral soil is not suitable for raising flowers.
Third, choose a small pot that fits the enclosed balcony
When raising flowers at home, we usually don't want to grow plants that are too large and take up too much space. In an indoor environment with an enclosed balcony, the soil will be moist due to the slow alternation of wet and dry soil and poor ventilation. Therefore, we should choose smaller pots, even if they cannot accommodate the needs of plant growth, we should choose small pots. This makes it easier to cultivate healthy and vigorous plants. After watering, there is less soil in the pot, dry and wet alternate faster, and it is not easy to cause the problem of stuffy and rotten roots.
Usually, the diameter of the pot we choose should be half the width of the plant's crown, which is between about 10 and 15 cm. Smaller pots are suitable for growing flowers on enclosed balconies, so that their roots and soil quickly alternate between wet and dry, and the roots can breathe well, so that flowers can be more vigorous on closed balconies.
Common pot choices include Aoyama Kongen pots, gallon pots, terracotta pots, and purple clay pots, which are all very good choices. Of course, in addition to the above three points, you should also pay attention when watering. After all, most flowers die from overwatering, so the four principles of not watering should be achieved.
Fourth, do not water the soil until it is dry
When watering, you should see that the potting soil is dry before watering, at least wait until the soil surface is dry and sinks two or three centimeters before watering the plants. Do not let the soil always be in a wet state, which can easily squeeze out the oxygen in the soil, resulting in the root system being unable to breathe, causing stuffy roots and rotten roots. Watering is not regular, but should be alternating between rapid drying and wet according to the condition of the potting soil.
If you do not know the amount of watering well, you can insert a bamboo stick on the edge of the pot and observe the humidity while watering. Watering is done when the soil has dried to two or three centimeters or halfway dry. In general, both water-loving plants and drought-tolerant plants have their own watering needs. Water-loving plants can be watered when the soil surface is dry for two or three centimeters, and can grow normally without yellow leaves or wilting. Drought-tolerant plants, on the other hand, need to wait until the potting soil is almost dry before watering.
Fifth, do not over-water during the dormant period
If plants grow slowly, are too hot or cold, or are dormant, moderate watering should be controlled to keep the soil dry. It is enough to keep it basically dry and not to die, otherwise excessive watering in a poorly ventilated enclosed balcony environment can lead to hypoxia of the roots, forming stuffy and rotten roots.
The specific watering method depends on the growth habits of the plants, such as their tolerance to heat or cold. If the plant grows slowly, the weather is too hot or cold, or the plant goes dormant, the number of watering should be reduced.
Sixth, do not water at night in winter
If the temperature is low in winter, do not water at night when raising flowers indoors. Without sunlight at night, the indoor temperature drops significantly. The growth capacity of the plant itself is weak, the root system has poor water absorption, and there is no sunlight when watering at night, and the potting soil will remain in a humid state during the whole period. Especially in the rainy weather for several consecutive days, the soil cannot dry out, and it is easy to produce stuffy roots and rotten roots. Most plant deaths in winter are due to this condition.
Seventh, do not water on rainy and cloudy days
After spring, the rainy weather gradually increases. Remember not to water the plants indoors when it rains or cloudy days, as there is no sunlight in these weather and the air humidity is high. After watering, the soil will remain moist. If it is rainy for several days, the soil cannot be dried, and it is easy to produce stuffy roots and rotten roots.
For raising flowers in an enclosed balcony environment, paying attention to these basic conditions can feed most flower plants. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain according to the growth habits of the plants, and it is possible to successfully cultivate various flowers on the enclosed balcony.