The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-10-20

The Proper Way to Water Flowers
Kept Indoors.

The Proper Way to Water Flowers
Kept Indoors.
There are three ways to water
plants. two wrong ways and one right
one. Many people adhere to the plan
OF frequent application Of small
amounts of water. Thus the soil about
the top Of the pot is constantly moist,
but the lower two-thirds of the soil is
entirely dry. By this method the up
per roots are nourished, while the lower
roots, which demand water, soon die
and the plant is continually in an un-
healthy condition.
Directly opposite to this Is the plan
OF overwatering which many persons
thoughtlessly follow. They water
their plants thoroughly today. To-
morrow they apply the same amount,
and so they go from one day to anoth-
er. The result is that the soil is kept
saturated with moisture. It Is In the
condition of mud all the time, q con-
dition that suits only aquatic plants
and one in which the ordinary plant
will soon become diseased.
The stagnant water will sour the
soil. and the roots viii begin to decay.
By and by the plant dies. Either Of
the above mentioned methods are
equally destructive to healthy plants.
There Is only one right way. When
you water plant do 1t thoroughly
in fact. be sure every particle of soil
is wet Then do not apply any moro
until the surface Of the soil Is really
dry. AS long as the surface Of the soil
looks damp you may rest assured that
the rest Of 1t contains sufflcfenfsmois-
ture. Enough should be given, as
stated above, to completely saturate
all the soil in the pot. If proper drain
age is given all surplus water-that is,
all water that the soil cannot take up
and hold-will run of at the bottom
Of the pot through the hole provided
for this purpose. By proper drainage
we mean that something must be
placed In each pot to keep the soil
from washing down and stopping up
the hole.
There should be at least one inch of
drainage placed In all four or five inch
pots, and from one to three inches used
In larger pots. The best material to
use for drainage is old bits Of broken
flower pots or broken bricks. Use
small pieces, not much larger than a
marble. Many people are careless
about this drainage or ignorant as to
its value, but no one can grow plants
successfully without it.
Some reader may ask: "How can l
tell when 1 have given enough water
to permeate all portions of the soil?'
Well, in answer let me say there is
only one sure way, and that is to notice
the drainage hole in the bottom of the
pot. When we see the water trucking
through that we know it is time to
stop.
Some plants have roots that enable
them to make, use of much more wa
ter than others. Then. again. some
soils part with moisture much more
rapidly than others. Some rooms are
kept so warm that evaporation takes
place rapidly. When all these things
are considered 1t will be seen that
there can be no regular time for wa
tering plants. -
Water must be given when the APP
pearance of the soil shows need Of it;
not until then.
Use ordinary hydrant water. Use
it just the temperature you draw it
from the hydrant- Neither chill 1t nor
heat it. By following the above dlrec-
tons you should be very successful
with the average plant.