Tips to watering camellias in the garden and indoors
Camellias need to be irrigated regularly using the right quality of water. Avoid irrigating camellias with hard water. Ideal water should be less than 13 degrees Clark . The water from the houses' mains is normally classified as 0-10 deg Clark - soft; 11-20 deg Clark medium and 21-38 deg Clark hard.
Contact the local authorities and find out how hard the water is before you use it to irrigate you camellias. There is also special equipment that can be used to test the water hardness at home. Water harder the 13 degrees Clark needs to be softened using softening agents which solidify the lime contained in the water or filter it out. Do not boil mains water as this will prove lethal for the camellia.
Tips on watering
You must not allow the camellia to be completely left to dry. The soil needs to be kept moist at all times as dry. The soil needs to be kept moist at all times as dry conditions result in the death of the camellia. Camellias growing in positions that are windy and sunny will require more water than those in shady positions.
The watering requirements are also dependent on the container the camellia is growing in. the smaller the pot or container, the more watering is needed. You can use your finger to check the moisture of the soil.
If you deep it into the soil and you feel moist, then it means that you do not have to irrigate the plant. However if the finger comes out dry then you should irrigate the plant immediately. When watering plants, make sure that the plant does not remain water logged as this encourages the development of fungal disease.
Watering systems
You can employ watering systems to irrigate your camellias plants. There are many different watering systems that can be purchased from garden centers that can be used to irrigate camellias in pots and large containers.
Supplying humidity
The majority of camellias come from Asia , where the forests are misty and humid. When growing the camellias indoors you have to simulate the conditions where the camellias originated from. Winter temperatures should be kept at around 15`C as these temperatures do not result in moisture consumption in the air.
Humidity can be supplied by spraying the camellias with mist spraying should not be done indoors in direct sunlight because the drops of water will cause serious burns on the camellia leaves.
Alternatively you can use electrically operated room humidifiers, water containers standing near the plants, an indoor spring fountain or placing the camellias near an aquarium.
Fertilizing camellias
Do not fertilize camellias all year round they should only be fertilized according to their growth cycle. The ideal fertilizer should contain necessary nutrients and trace elements in the right quantities and amounts. Compound fertilizer and liquid fertilizer can be used, the latter being best because they are easily mixed with water before watering.
How to fertilize camellias in pots and large containers
1. start fertilizing as soon as the growth period begins
2. stop fertilizing at the end of the second month of summer
3. do not fertilize the plants in the dormant phase
4. fertilize the camellias with fertilizer mixed with water at least once a week
5. Supply half of the compound fertilizer dose recommended by the manufacture