Is it possible to water indoor flowers with water from an aquarium
An aquarium is a closed ecosystem. Microorganisms, bacteria live in it. Dissolved minerals, vitamins, humic acids. The liquid is warm, saturated with oxygen. Inhabitants - fish, snails, which add urea.
Aquarium water is no longer just life-giving moisture, but an organic substrate.
Regarding its use, the opinions of florists are directly opposite. Some consider the aquarium substrate to be an elixir for moisture-loving species. Notice the lush bloom, luscious greenery of the potted inhabitants. Others do not see fantastic growth.
Specialists are also not enthusiastic about the method. The following are considered undoubted benefits:
- temperature of the liquid for irrigation;
- saving on top dressing;
- oxygen saturation;
- lack of chlorine.
But it cannot be called clean, even in spite of the filters. There will be no harm to plants from the aquarium liquid if the soil is moistened periodically - once a month.
Important! Before watering, the aquarium substance is carbonated by blowing atmospheric air through the water column with an aerator.
Aquarium - organic substrate
Watering vegetables in the open field
Let's look at the watering requirements for some of the most common vegetable crops.
In total, there are 4 groups of vegetables according to their ability to absorb water. For ease of memorization, we have placed them in a table.
Group | Need for water | Name of crops |
1 | They consume water quickly; fractional, but frequent watering is required. | Cabbage, cauliflower, Peking cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radish, cucumber, spinach, celery |
2 | They have a developed root system and are able to extract water at a depth of 80 cm. Moisture consumption is economical, so frequent watering is not required. | Tomatoes, carrots, melons and gourds |
3 | They use water sparingly, although it is not easy for them to extract it from the soil. They need watering only during the first half of growth. | Onions, onions, garlic and other onion crops |
4 | It absorbs water well and uses it intensively. Responds gratefully to irrigation. | Beet |
Watering also depends on the growth period of the plants and the composition of the soil. Young plants of tomatoes and peppers need 0.5 liters per bush. During the flowering period, the rate increases to 0.7 liters. And adult plants need at least 1 liter of water. Cucumbers are more moisture-loving, and for them 0.7 liters is required even before flowering. During the formation of fruits - 1 liter, and after - at least 1.5 liters per plant.
As for the soil, keep in mind that sandy and light loamy soil dries up much faster than clay and loamy soil. This means that the plants in it need to be watered more often.
Squeeze a handful of soil in your hand; if a lump has not formed, the soil is too dry.
How to water tomatoes outdoors
1-2 times a week, preferably in the morning, under the root of settled or collected rainwater at the rate of about 30 liters per 1 sq. M. Tomatoes without watering begin to signal their poor condition: the leaves become smaller and turn yellow, curl, the ovaries fall off, the resulting fruits slow down their growth and ripening, in critical cases, top rot appears on them.
How to water ground cucumbers
After the appearance of flowers - every 3-4 days, be sure to warm water at the rate of about 30 liters per 1 sq. M. Watering under the root is not worth it - with constant pouring of the root collar, the root can rot. In addition, in good weather, cucumbers tolerate well any other method of watering (by sprinkling, over the leaves).
How often to water peppers and eggplants outdoors
For uniform growth and full flowering, they require constant soil moisture, while they do not tolerate sprinkling.Water them under the root 1-2 times a week with warm, settled water at the rate of about 15-25 liters per 1 square meter, soaking the soil under the bushes to a depth of at least 25-30 cm.At temperatures below 15 ° C, watering should be stopped altogether in order to avoid damage to plants by gray mold.
How often to water cabbage in the garden
Watering cabbage in the open field should be abundant and frequent - every 2-3 days at the rate of at least 30 liters per 1 square meter, soaking the soil to a depth of at least 40 cm. In this case, the water can be quite cool. Sprinkling can be used in hot weather; in cloudy weather, water at the root. With a lack of moisture, cabbage is actively attacked by pests - cabbage fly and cruciferous flea.
How often to water carrots outdoors
1-2 times a week with cool water at the rate of about 30 liters per 1 square meter, you can use sprinkling. The root crop is most picky about moisture in the first half of the growing season (signaling a lack of liquid with darkened twisted leaves), then the rate can be reduced, and three weeks before harvesting, watering can be stopped altogether.
Can I water beets with cool water?
Yes, it is also not capricious in terms of the temperature regime of irrigation - the main thing is that the earth is moistened at least 30 cm deep. Moreover, for the whole season, in normal non-drying weather, it is enough to water the beets only 4-5 times, by sprinkling or under the root in the morning at the rate of about 30 liters per 1 sq. M. The plant will "report" about the lack of moisture by the darkened (violet-brown) color of the tops and the ejection of peduncles instead of the formation of root crops.
How to properly water onions and garlic in the garden
These crops should not be watered too abundantly - they are very “thirsty” only during the period of bulb formation, when they will have to allocate at least 35 liters per 1 sq. M. Before that, one watering a week is enough, moistening the ground only 10-15 cm deep (focus on the tips of the feather - have they begun to turn yellow). About a month before harvesting, watering should be stopped altogether: from excess moisture, the bulbs will ripen worse, and in winter they will be poorly stored.
Do not forget that attitudes towards watering can be different even within the same crop for different varieties. Basically, varieties of early ripening are more demanding on the abundance of moisture, later ones are less.
If 10-12 cm of soil is saturated with moisture, then you did everything right, and the plants will not suffer from thirst.
Signs of improper watering and how to fix them
Often, external signs of overdrying and waterlogging of the soil appear on plants in the same way, since in both cases the roots suffer.
Loss of turgor by leaves can be caused by both insufficient watering and waterlogging. Another reason is watering with too cold water or cooling the coma. When dry, spill the plant abundantly several times, sprinkle the crown with warm water. If the soil does not absorb water, then pour in small portions at intervals of several minutes and leave the water in the pan for half an hour. With a strong overdrying of the peat substrate, when water is not absorbed, the lump should be soaked immersing the entire pot in water for a few minutes.
In case of waterlogging, carefully remove the lump from the pot, wrap it in paper towels or newspaper so that the excess water is absorbed. Leave the lump to air dry for a few days, then return to the pot.
In case of hypothermia, move the plant to a warm place, water and sprinkle generously with warm water.
Brown spots on the leaves can also appear both from drying out of the roots, and from their systematic waterlogging and decay. With the restoration of the normal watering regime, if the disease has not gone too far, the roots can gradually recover, and new spots will not appear, but the old ones, of course, will not disappear. For the fastest restoration of roots, Zircon can be used at a concentration of 4 drops per 1 liter of water, under the root and along the leaves, but not more often than once a week.
A complete replacement of the soil in mild cases is not recommended, it is enough to carefully remove the visible rotten roots without destroying the coma and powder abundantly with crushed charcoal. In case of severe root damage, it may be necessary to thoroughly prune rotten roots and replace the soil with perlite and place the plant for resuscitation in a greenhouse with high air humidity. But such drastic measures should be used only in extreme cases.
Proper watering is the key to the health of your plant!
Photo: Natalia Semenova, Nina Starostenko
3.What water can you water flowers
An important factor is the quality of water for irrigation - the best will always be rain and melt, as well as some types of drinking bottled water - it does not carry chlorine and does not clog the soil with lime residues, and therefore does not change the pH of the soil.
Rainwater is collected in the warm season by placing collection containers under the gutters. Melt water can be obtained from snow or ice by melting it at room temperature. Do not use for irrigation rainwater collected near busy autorods or large factories - it is often heavily contaminated with various chemical wastes and has an alkaline pH.
If, nevertheless, there is a need to use tap water, prepare it first. Pour water into the watering can 3 days before the intended watering - let it settle - excess chlorine will come out of it, and lime will settle at the bottom of the container. Boiling "kills" many useful substances in water and dramatically reduces the oxygen content in it.
It is often necessary to adjust the pH of the water - if plants prefer acidic soil (for example, azalea), then tap water, even well-settled water, will not work for them - it will still contain a large amount of calcium salts. In order to get rid of such harmful impurities, a few drops of oxalic acid are added to the water for irrigation - it binds calcium and makes it settle at the bottom. You can use citric acid, lemon juice, or even aspirin instead of oxalic acid, however, they simply adjust the pH of the liquid, but do not get rid of calcium salts.
Filtered water is excellent for irrigation.
Most plants do not tolerate distilled water - it can only be used for watering some species.
Water temperature - houseplants should only be watered with water at room temperature. Do not water the flowers with cold water - many specimens get sick and die for a long time after such neglect. Water that settles in a watering can on a cold floor or in an aisle with cold drafts does not heat up to the required temperature - raise the watering can higher or even place it on a sunny windowsill.
For some plants that have a cool dormant period, such as the Venus flytrap, the water temperature is often matched to the air temperature. Watering with cold water during the fall months will stimulate the plant to slow down and go into a dormant state in winter.
General rules for watering a flower garden
Watering on the flower garden is carried out only at a certain time
In summer, watering should not be carried out later than 8 am and earlier than 5 pm. In spring, the "ban" time can be reduced accordingly to 11-17 hours, but it is better to use the reference point precisely in the early morning in any weather.
Wet soil - dry plants
When watering plants on a flower garden, try not to soak leaves and shoots, and even more so inflorescences. With automatic watering, except for drip systems, this will not be possible. But when doing it manually, try not to touch even the lower leaves with water.
It is especially important to water carefully for plants prone to powdery mildew, rot, as well as for crops with dense crowns or sods and pubescent leaves. It is advisable to carry out not one-sided watering, but along the contour of the plant, evenly for the entire rhizome
Deep, but not too watering
Watering flower beds is different from watering trees and shrubs, even if the best flowering bushes are soloing on it. If, when watering garden giants, the task is to irrigate as deeply as possible, then for plants in a flower garden the optimal depth is from 10-15 to 20 cm.Only for the most moisture-loving plants, the recommended depth is greater - from 25 to 35 cm.It is at this height (depth ) it is necessary to moisten the soil layer in order to optimally use both resources and provide the plants with the support they need.
Good watering is uniform watering
When watering on a flower garden, periodically check exactly how the water is absorbed into the ground and do not rush too much. If you are watering with a hose or using automatic watering, then carry out such a check every 10 minutes. Focus on puddles and water accumulation: if it does not absorb, but collects, then stop watering until the water is absorbed into the soil, then check the degree of soaking. Resume watering and stop again if puddles appear.
For any flower garden, manual watering is preferable to automatic
Only in this case you can make sure that you do not water the plants with cold water, you can regulate the degree of "wetting" of the aboveground parts, monitor individual plants and pay more attention to capricious and moisture-loving species. But the laboriousness of manual watering is still greater, it will take a lot of time. And if you want to simplify your life, you have such an opportunity: select a high-quality automatic irrigation system (drip options are preferred).
Do not forget that in any case, you need to use watering cans, hoses or sprinklers with nozzles (but not small sprinklers, but special fan or similar nozzles that break the flow not into ultra-fine, but simply into less powerful jets). Large jets of water for flower beds are unacceptable, as well as irrigation with "lawn" sprayers. And control the quality of the soil wetting equally diligently for any type of watering.
Watering a flower garden with an automatic watering system
Automatic watering systems for plants
The automated system of watering the garden will allow you not to waste extra time on this procedure, as well as evenly distribute moisture over a large area and save it. These systems are drip, jet and sprinkler (sprinkling) - each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
So, sprinkling is not suitable for all crops - for example, cabbage, eggplants and tomatoes do not like being poured over their heads. In addition, irrigation is dangerous on a hot sunny day, because it is unable to quickly dissolve the dried soil crust (especially on heavy clay soils) and only creates a lot of scalding lens droplets on the leaves. But the lawn grass and young shoots will be grateful to you for this method of irrigation outside the active sun time - large strong jets will not wash away their delicate roots. And also automatic irrigation is ideal for slopes and areas with difficult micro-relief.
The automatic sprinkler consists of a system of pipes dug into the ground and connected by ball valves. At their ends facing the surface, sprinklers of various types are attached (they are chosen depending on the shape, size and relief of the site). The design is equipped with electronic control, allowing you to irrigate without your participation. You can set the start and end times of watering, the head of the spray, and other parameters.
Drip and jet irrigation systems are either semi-automatic (they have to be turned on and off manually), and automatic (all the work will be done by a computer). These are long hoses or tubes with holes pointing downward and closed valves. Water here comes from a large reservoir and, opening the valves with its own pressure, it gets evenly and accurately to the roots of the plants, without being wasted on evaporation and watering the surrounding weeds.The advantage of such a system is the possibility of its use in areas with uneven relief and for the vast majority of crops. Possible problems are clogging of the system.
A few ideas on how to do drip irrigation in the country with your own hands
The drip irrigation system can be purchased at the store. But making it with your own hands is not much more difficult and much more interesting, and sometimes much cheaper.
Choose the method of watering that suits your area and your plants, do not forget to “water” your garden in time and sufficiently - and a rich harvest will not be long in coming.
Automatic watering for indoor plants from plastic bottles
How to make self-watering for indoor plants on vacation with your own hands from plastic bottles? Attention! read to the end, you did not know about this method yet. Once I saw this trick on the Crazy Hands channel
The author of the idea is Khramov E.Yu.
Place flower pots in a tray, tray, or bowl with a thin layer of water at the bottom. Place a plastic water bottle there.
Place a flower pot and a prepared water bottle in a tray or tray.
In the bottle, you must first make two small holes with an awl or a thin nail. One - as low as possible, at the junction of the bottom with the lateral surface, the other - 1 - 3 cm higher. The plug is tightly screwed on.
Punch two holes in the bottle with an awl
The water from the bottle placed in the sump will be poured out until the water level in the sump is established at the mark in the middle between these two holes.
As soon as the plants absorb some of the water from the sump and the level drops, some water will flow out of the bottle again - the level in the sump will be restored.
Make sure the system is working by removing some of the water from the sump with a sponge or towel. In the bottle, air bubbles will immediately begin to rise upward, and part of the water will pour out of the holes.
Now the water is flowing out of the bottle, and air bubbles are visible.
How to set up auto-irrigation for indoor flowers from a bottle
This automatic irrigation system is done very quickly. But it would be nice to adjust it in advance.
What water level do you need? Let's say 1 cm. In this case we pierce the 2nd hole at a height of about 2 cm. The water level for most plants should be low, i.e. the water should only touch the ground at the bottom of the pot.
If the water level is too high for one of the plants, you can put something under the bottom of the pot. Or insert the plant into another pot with holes in the bottom like mine in the top photo.
What are your pots, big or small? Are the plants fast growing or not so good? How many days will the water last? You can, if necessary, put in several bottles or a plastic canister made of hard plastic.
When the water in the bottle runs out, the soil in the pots will remain moist for several days. How many days for specific plants can be established in advance by experience.
Is the bottom of the flowerpot flat or bulging? Is there a drainage layer at the bottom or not? If there is a high side on the outside at the bottom of the pot and / or there is drainage from large pebbles inside the pot, then the water at a low standing may not reach the roots of the plants. Then the water level must be changed: pierce the second hole higher.
The most abundant water will flow into ceramic unglazed flower pots with a flat bottom without drainage or with drainage in the form of sand in the pot. But if both the bottom of the pot and the pan are already very smooth and water does not penetrate between them, then you should put something under the pot: a couple of toothpicks or matches, for example.
What kind of plants can you use this method of watering on vacation?
Strong moisture is not suitable for all plants, especially in winter: roots can rot. My tradescantia and asparagus tolerated a long stay in a basin of water very well.This method of autowatering is also suitable for begonias, calla lilies, anthurium, monstera, cyperus, indoor bamboo, calamus, hanging reeds, in short, for marsh and semi-swamp plants.
For plants of very moderate watering, it makes sense to close the drainage hole in the clay pot for this time, for example, with plasticine. Water will be absorbed very slowly through the pores of the unglazed ceramic as the soil dries up.
Or organize a capillary autowatering method.
Wick irrigation
Using a wick will help answer the question: how to keep indoor flowers without watering for 2 weeks? This is exactly the case when the flower lover goes on vacation.
This method involves creating a simple construct:
- Next to the flowerpot, for example, on a stool, place a container of water. It must be above the flower pot.
- Gauze tubes (woolen threads / bandage strips) are dipped into the bottle with one end. The other end of the tubes is lowered into the soil.
- The water will be absorbed into the threads and gradually fall into the ground.
Important! The ideal material for the wick is synthetic fabrics as they do not rot and have a long service life. Using a wick, like other methods of automatic watering, has its advantages and disadvantages.
Using a wick, like other auto-irrigation methods, has its advantages and disadvantages.
The main advantages of such automatic irrigation include:
- abundant flowering of plants, if we are talking, for example, about violets, which love wick watering;
- this method supplies moisture depending on the needs of the plant, therefore it is impossible to fill it;
- young flowers are fast developing;
- no need to monitor the soil, moisture in the containers can stay for several weeks.
You should also take into account the disadvantages of this method when using wick irrigation:
- if you make the wick very thick or wide, then the plant may suffer from an excess of moisture;
- in winter, you need to monitor the temperature of the water, if it is cold, the plant will die;
- the soil with such watering should be loose and airy, otherwise the moisture will stagnate and the roots will begin to rot.
How to properly water flowers
There are two main ways of watering plants - top and bottom. You should choose one or another method, focusing on the type of plant and general recommendations. In any case, you need to water the flowers only with water at room temperature, cold water is stress for them. Rain or melt water is best suited, if there is none, you can pour it with standing tap water, but not boiled water, since the boiling process kills all the necessary trace elements.
Which is better - top or bottom watering
Overhead irrigation is the most common and traditional method. With constant watering from above, the soil in the pot is completely and more evenly saturated with moisture, and the plant feels as comfortable as possible. It is worth remembering that you need to water, evenly distributing moisture over the surface, otherwise grooves will form, and roots may be exposed. Most of all, such irrigation is loved by violets, succulents, indoor banana tree.
Watering flowers from above
There are times when it is impossible to allow moisture to get on the leaves of plants, or if they can release roots outside the pot. For such plants, the best option is watering from below. Water is poured into the pan of the pot, and moisture is absorbed on its own in the amount required. So you need to water the saintpaulias, saltyrolias, azaleas, begonias.
Important! Watering from the bottom method can cause all minerals to rise upward and even form a white layer on the surface of the soil. In this case, it is necessary to return the balance using the upper moisture supply.
Bottom watering of flowers
Watering volume
Depending on the generic affiliation of the plant, it needs a certain irrigation regime, according to which the volume of the necessary liquid is determined:
- abundant.Produced immediately after the soil in the pot is dry. This option is required for almost all tropical bushes, plants with thin, long leaves, large specimens;
- moderate. It is not produced immediately, but after a couple of days. It is needed for flowers with pubescent leaves or stems (for example, violets), thick woody roots (ficuses);
- rare watering is suitable for cacti and other succulents. With it, an earthen lump can remain dry for up to several weeks.
8 fix bugs
If, through an oversight, the earthen lump has dried up, you can place the pot with the plant in a large container with warm water and leave it there for 1 - 2 hours until it is completely saturated with moisture. After this procedure, the plant is taken out and placed on a pallet, where excess moisture flows - after a few minutes this excess is drained.
The flooded plants are removed from the ground and dried with paper towels or simply in the air. Rotten roots are cut to healthy areas, and the cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Flowers treated in this way are planted exclusively in fresh soil, since rot pathogens may remain in the old one.
Cold (ice) water
Very often, the garden is watered exclusively from a water hose, in which the water becomes literally icy after a couple of seconds of watering. This is a real shock for plants, but if "thick-skinned" trees and shrubs are tolerant to such watering, then sensitive vegetables can even curl the leaves, as if from a slight frost.
Try to water your garden with water warmed to room temperature, but not hot, of course. There is nothing difficult about this: you can install a large barrel (or several) on an elevation of at least half a meter on the site, paint it (them) black, connect a hose to the tap and fill the barrels with water. During the day, the water will heat up, and in the evening you can water.
In addition, you will also receive settled water, and if you put the barrel under the drain from the roof and cover it with a net so that garbage does not get into it, you will get rainwater, perfectly adapted for watering the garden (aerated) and even free!
Watering rules
After you have purchased an azalea, and it is in a pot, it is recommended that you immediately inspect it for a bay. To do this, pull the plant out of the transport tank and inspect the earthen coma. The ground should be slightly damp. See that the water does not ooze from the soil, and there is no unpleasant specific smell. However, if this is observed, then this indicates the bay of the plant.
If the lump is too dry, in this case it is necessary to install it in a container and put it in a container with boiled water. The pot with the plant should stand in the water for about 30 minutes until the earthen ball is completely saturated with moisture. After that, the tank is taken out and placed on a pallet.
The purchased azalea is watered in several ways:
- Through the pallet.
- Watering from above.
- Submerging the pot in a container of water.
The last method of watering is done periodically. After that, watering the azalea should not be often, it will be enough once a week. This can be explained by the fact that the earthen lump of the purchased azalea dries up extremely quickly, its soil is very moisture-absorbing.
There is a proven way that you can determine the next watering for your azalea. To do this, you need to take the pot in your hands, and navigate, if the reservoir is light, then the plant must be watered, if it is heavy, there is no need to moisten the soil.
Novice growers believe that an earthen azalea lump should be constantly moist, but this is not at all the case. Of course, azalea loves moisture, but it must be watered carefully so that there is no stagnation of water in the pot, as this can provoke rotting of the roots. You just need to control the frequency of watering, the ground should not dry out, but be slightly damp. After a while, you will understand how often you need to water your home beauty.
In winter, during flowering, the plant should be watered once or at most twice a week.
In the hot season, it is worth moistening the flower every other day, and sometimes every day. It all depends on the temperature in the apartment.
Irrigation water
It is recommended to water the azalea only with soft water. To do this, fill the containers with water and leave for about 2 days. Boiled water is also perfect for watering. To soften the water, then you can use citric acid or oxalic acid, which you need to add 4 ml to a bucket of water.
To increase the level of air humidity, the flower can be placed on a pallet with wet expanded clay. It is necessary to add water to the pan every day. Only in this case, the bottom of the pot should not touch the liquid, otherwise the roots will rot. Expanded clay should be washed every 2 weeks to prevent the development of diseases and infections.
Most gardeners at home use boiled water and spray the plant every day.
Spraying must be done carefully so that water does not get on the flowers and buds, otherwise they will rot. During flowering, the moisture level can be increased
To do this, cover the plant with a damp cloth or gauze. Water tanks are also installed near the pot.
It is recommended to purchase a hygrometer for measuring air humidity. Thanks to him, you will always know what is the level of humidity in the house. Usually, in winter, the humidity in the apartment is about 30-40%. But with the help of a humidifier, it can be increased to 75%. It is the hygrometer that will show you when to turn on the humidifier.
2.Types of plants
According to the need for moisture, the following types of plants are distinguished.
Hydrophytes are plants that grow in swampy areas directly in the water or on its surface.
Hygrophytes - preferring swampy soil - such species are able to quickly evaporate moisture through the leaves and cannot stand even the slightest drying out. They have a small root system, as there is no need to extract water deep underground.
Mesophytes are plants that consume an average volume of water - the vast majority of indoor flowers belong to this type.
Xerophytes are plants of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. The main distinguishing feature is the leaves - they are often small in size and have a surface that prevents moisture evaporation as much as possible - for example, pubescent. They have a highly developed root system.
Succulents The main difference between these plants is the presence of organs that store moisture - it can be retained in fleshy leaves, a powerful root system, or right in the stem - caudex.
Cacti and succulents need a special watering regime - the soil should dry out by a third or even half between waterings. If a cool dormant period is necessary, watering practically stops and simply protects the earthen lump from completely drying out. Watering is carried out carefully - right under the root, preventing moisture from entering the plant itself.
Orchids, contrary to popular misconception, need high humidity rather than excessive watering. Block orchids should be watered frequently.
Ferns often grow in wetlands and tolerate abundant watering well, but suffer when even mild droughts occur.
Ampel plants grown in hanging pots are likely to have to be watered more often than those grown on a windowsill.
Aloe - home doctor
The name "aloe" unites a number of plants - about 500 species in total. These are perennials, and herbaceous, shrub crops. Most of them are succulents, but there are also xerophytes among them. A succulent plant is a plant that can do without water for a long period, since it stores moisture inside its tissues. It has thick, firm, fleshy leaves and usually has a fairly short trunk or stem.It is thanks to the ability to conserve water that succulents, including representatives of the Aloe genus, live in the wild mainly in arid territories - that is, where it is dry and hot. For example, in Africa, on the Arabian Peninsula, and so on.
General characteristics of representatives of the genus aloe:
- fleshy, fairly long xiphoid leaves, combined into rosettes;
- small flowers during flowering, usually located on a long peduncle; have a red, white, yellow color;
- high vitality - aloe will live where other representatives of the flora will die;
- in difficult conditions of existence, plants are able to close the stomata on the leaves, retaining moisture inside themselves.
Aloe is widely used in cosmetology and medicine. Interestingly, the first mention of the medicinal properties of the plant was found in sources of 3000 years ago. That is, even then it was used to treat and prevent various diseases. For example, the plant is effective against diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - these are colitis, gastritis, peptic ulcer. Also, aloe is used to treat burns, ulcers and wounds, tuberculosis, asthma, conjunctivitis and other pathologies of the organs of vision. It is used to regulate the menstrual cycle, heal inflammatory conditions, and more. It can take a very long time to list everything that aloe saves from.
Aloe is a common ingredient in cosmetics. Creams, shampoos, hair masks and much more are produced on its basis. It restores the skin's structure and gently moisturizes it. And with the addition of aloe, they prepare healthy and nutritious drinks by mixing its juice with fruit juice.
Varieties and types
Due to the presence of the above unique properties in this plant, it is not surprising that aloe is often called a home doctor and they try to grow it on their windowsill. Several species of this representative of the flora are the most popular among flower growers.
Table. Common types of indoor aloe.
Aloe vera |
The same kind that immediately pops up in memory when the word "aloe" is mentioned. Also called real, Indian, Barbaden. This is the most common aloe among all the others and it is he who is most often found in the collections of gardeners. Vera has elongated lanceolate fleshy leaves, evenly covered along the edges with small prickly spines. A short stem, formed from tightly adjacent leaf bases, which can be about 50 cm long. In the wild, aloe vera grows in the Mediterranean region, and is also found in areas with a critically hot climate. |
Aloe tree |
This species is also often found in the collections of gardeners, its second name is agave. It appeared due to a widespread myth that supposedly this species blooms only once every 100 years. In fact, in the wild, the agave blooms annually, but in apartments this phenomenon really rarely happens. The plant can grow up to 3 m in height. The homeland of the agave is Africa, where it is found almost everywhere, it is not embarrassed by the hot and arid climate. Aloe tree is a shrub with a fibrous root system. It has juicy concave leaves, which are very often used for the preparation of medicinal homemade preparations, are up to 25 cm long, and also have sharp teeth at the edges. The stem of the plant is well defined. |
Variegated aloe |
This species is also called brindle. Its representatives are short plants (up to 40 cm) with a short stem covered with white striped leaves. The plant itself is very beautiful. |
Spinous aloe |
A rare but very beautiful guest in the collections of florists. Its main difference from other aloe is the presence of white hairs on the tips of the leaves, which dry up and fall off as it grows. There is no stem, and the leaves are quite thorny to the touch.Often, a plant develops "babies" that do not interfere with the growth and development of an adult representative of the species. |
All these types of aloe have the aforementioned useful properties, for which they are appreciated by fans of traditional medicine and lovers of home floriculture. And each of the plants, despite its unpretentiousness, needs proper care.