Viewing post #2625163 by Baja_Costero

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Nov 13, 2021 1:19 PM CST
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
Watering is a bit of a matter of personal choice, but I usually try to water the soil and not the plant, especially during the darker/cooler months. The thing you want to avoid is water trapped in between the leaves afterward. So maybe go in there and blow out the droplets that remain, and then let light and air flow take care of the rest.

This first winter is going to be a test for you, being at 53°N, which for our North American friends is north of Calgary. These plants enjoy a lot of light.

The days right now are short (9h for you at the moment). The sun is rising lower in the sky (currently maxing out at 20° from horizontal, which is less than a quarter of the way to vertical). And it is traveling less distance from west to east over the course of a day.

That means that objects on the horizon are likely to block the sun for more of the day. The actual solar energy is less strong and occurs for less time. And orientations other than southerly are going to see hours cut out of the day. When your plant no longer "sees" the sun for hours a day, weather permitting, you need to reduce the watering frequency. You might water half as often in winter compared to summer when light is limiting (maybe monthly), or less often if it also gets cool. These variables play out until early spring, at which point you can resume a more active rhythm. When in doubt over the winter, wait to water.

Once you work out a rhythm, the next year will go like clockwork. Smiling My advice for watering is to saturate the soil and not water partway. And dry soil resists rewetting, so water in more than one pass, separated by a few minutes, to help that process along. Then make sure all the water has time to exit the container (and that container does not sit in a lake afterward).
Last edited by Baja_Costero Nov 13, 2021 1:30 PM Icon for preview

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