What is the best way to water my Little bittercress?
To water Little bittercress, you can use a garden hose with a spray nozzle, a watering can, or just about any other common watering tool. Generally, Little bittercress is not too picky about how they receive their water, as they can live off of rainwater, tap water, or filtered water. Often, you should try not to water this plant from overhead, as doing so can damage the leaves and flowers and may lead to disease as well. At times, the best method for watering this plant is to set up a drip irrigation system. These systems work well for Little bittercress as they apply water evenly and directly to the soil. For one Little bittercress that grows in a container, you can use a similar watering approach while changing the tools you use. To water a container-grown Little bittercress, use a cup, watering can, or your tap to apply water directly to the soil.
What should I do if I water my Little bittercress too much or too little?
The remedy for underwatering Little bittercress is somewhat obvious. When you notice that your plant lacks moisture, simply begin watering it on a more regular basis. The issue of overwatering can be a much more dire situation, especially if you fail to notice it early. When your Little bittercress is overwatered, it may contract diseases that lead to its decline and death. The best way to prevent this outcome is to choose a proper growing location, one that receives plenty of sunlight to help dry the soil and has good enough drainage to allow excess water to drain rather than pooling and causing waterlogged soils. If you overwater your Little bittercress that lives in a pot, you may need to consider changing it to a new pot. Your previous container may not have contained soil with good drainage or may not have had sufficient drainage holes. As you repot your overwatered Little bittercress, make sure to add loose soils and to use a pot that drains efficiently.
How often should I water my Little bittercress?
Little bittercress needs water regularly throughout the growing season. Beginning in spring, you should plan to water this plant about once per week. As the season presses on and grows warmer, you may need to increase your watering rate to about two to three times per week. Exceeding at this rate can be detrimental to your Little bittercress. With that said, you should also ensure that the soil in which your Little bittercress grows remains relatively moist but not wet, regardless of how often you must water to make that the case. Watering Little bittercress that lives in a pot is a bit different. Generally, you'll need to increase your watering frequency, as the soil in a pot can heat up and dry out a bit faster than ground soil. As such, you should plan to water a container-grown Little bittercress a few times per week in most cases, versus just once per week for an in-ground plant.
How much water does my Little bittercress need?
There are a few different ways you can go about determining how much water to give to your Little bittercress. Some gardeners choose to pick their water volume based on feeling the soil for moisture. That method suggests that you should water until you feel that the first six inches of soil have become moist. Alternatively, you can use a set measurement to determine how much to water your Little bittercress. Typically, you should give your Little bittercress about two gallons of water per week, depending on how hot it is and how quickly the soil becomes dry. However, following strict guidelines like that can lead to overwatering if your plant requires less than two gallons per week for whatever reason. When growing Little bittercress in a container, you will need to use a different method to determine how much water to supply. Typically, you should give enough water to moisten all of the layers of soil that have become dry. To test if that is the case, you can simply stick your finger in the soil to feel for moisture. You can also water the soil until you notice a slight trickle of excess water exiting the drainage holes of your pot.
How can I tell if i'm watering my Little bittercress enough?
It can be somewhat difficult to avoid overwatering your Little bittercress. On the one hand, these plants have relatively deep roots that require you to moisten the soil weekly. On the other hand, Little bittercress are plants that are incredibly susceptible to root rot. Along with root rot, your Little bittercress may also experience browning as a result of overwatering. Underwatering is far less likely for your Little bittercress as these plants can survive for a while in the absence of supplemental watering. However, if you go too long without giving this plant water, it will likely begin to wilt. You may also notice dry leaves.
How should I water my Little bittercress through the seasons?
You can expect your Little bittercress’s water needs to increase as the season moves on. During spring, you should water about once per week. Then, as the summer heat arrives, you will likely need to give a bit more water to your Little bittercress, at times increasing to about three times per week. This is especially true of Little bittercress that grow in containers, as the soil in a container is far more likely to dry out faster than ground soil when the weather is warm. In autumn, while your Little bittercress is still in bloom, it may need a bit less water as the temperature has likely declined, and the sun is no longer as strong as it was in summer.
How should I water my Little bittercress at different growth stages?
Little bittercress will move through several different growth stages throughout the year, some of which may require more water than others. For example, you will probably start your Little bittercress as a seed. While the seed germinates, you should plant to give more water than your Little bittercress will need later in life, watering often enough to maintain consistent soil moisture. After a few weeks, your Little bittercress will grow above the soil and may need slightly less water than at the seedling phase. Then, once this plant is mature, you can begin to use the regular watering frequency of about once per week. As flower development takes place, you may need to give slightly more water to aid the process.
What's the difference between watering Little bittercress indoors and outdoors?
There are several reasons why most Little bittercress grow outdoors rather than indoors. The first is that these plants typically grow to tall. The second reason is that Little bittercress needs more daily sunlight than most indoor growing locations can provide. If you are able to provide a suitable indoor growing location, you may find that you need to give your Little bittercress water a bit more often than you would in an outdoor growing location. Part of the reason for this is that indoor growing locations tend to be a lot drier than outdoor ones due to HVAC units. The other reason for this is that soil in containers can dry out relatively quickly as well compared to soil in the ground.
What is the optimal temperature for Little bittercress?
Little bittercress prefers cooler weather, and has a specific temperature range you can keep it within to maximize growth. For Little bittercress to be as healthy as it possible can, you could keep them between the temperatures 65~75℉(18~25℃). Little bittercress can handle higher and lower heat levels, but whenever possible, try to keep the area you grow them in within several degrees of 65~75℉(18~25℃). If you can’t keep Little bittercress precisely within that range, it doesn’t mean they will stop growing. Little bittercress can handle a higher and lower range before they begin to suffer damage or reduced growth. On the higher end, that temperature would that would fall between 75~85℉(25~30℃). On the lower end, Little bittercress can handle temperatures as low as 5℉(-15℃). The higher temperature range is the most important to observe, as Little bittercress prefers cooler environments. Letting temperatures get above the upper range may cause growth to slow, and having Little bittercress above 85℉(30℃) could result in the plant dying.
Does Little bittercress require different temperatures for different growing phases?
Too much heat early in the growing stages of Little bittercress may give it an unhealthy appearance, so it's important to keep your growing space between 65~75℉(18~25℃). You’ll want to stay in the colder part of this range as Little bittercress, but make sure not to go below -5℉(-20℃). Extremely cold temperatures can hinder growth at any stage for Little bittercress, though they aren’t nearly as damaging as extremely hot temperatures. If temperatures are kept high during the budding stage, Little bittercress may not flower at all.
Three tips for keeping Little bittercress temperature under control
Tip #1: Grow in the Coldest Room of Your Home If you plan to grow Little bittercress indoors, make sure to choose the coldest room of your home. This will usually be on the side of your house that doesn’t experience the harsh heat that the sun can produce in the middle of the day. At the same time, you’ll need to ensure the room does get a healthy amount of sunlight. While you’ll want to spare your plants from the brightest and hottest part of the day, zero sunlight can drastically reduce Little bittercress ability to grow. Tip #2: If Little bittercress Doesn’t Flower Properly, It May Be Too Hot The growing season for Little bittercress, spring and early summer, can occasionally come with high temperatures. These fluctuations can negatively affect the growing stage of Little bittercress, causing flowering buds to change into non-flowering buds. These buds will open partially, or in some cases not at all, causing Little bittercress to lose some of its aesthetic quality. It's important to stay in the range of 65~75℉(18~25℃), for that reason, so your Little bittercress can flower to its full potential. Tip #3: Avoid Frost While Little bittercress can tolerate lower temperatures, as low as -5℉(-20℃), it will not do well if it encounters significant frost. If left out in the colder temperatures of late fall or winter, Little bittercress will begin to show the signs of frost damage. To recognize the signs of frost damage, you’ll look for several key aesthetic changes. First, parts of Little bittercress will begin to wilt. Then, those sections will start to become discolored, eventually turning brown or black as they die. Any parts of Little bittercress that turn these colors cannot be saved, and will have to be pruned if you intend to keep the plant alive.
Does Little bittercress need different temperatures for different seasons?
It's important to keep the temperature of your growing area steady regardless of season. If you live in an area with harsh winters or very hot summers, it may be best to put your plants inside. That way, you can keep them in a cool room where Little bittercress would be able to grow in the best possible conditions. If you do leave your plants outside, make sure to observe the temperature closely. If the summer’s get especially hot in your climate-zone, make sure that your plants aren’t exposed to temperatures above 85℉(30℃). This will dehydrate and damage Little bittercress quickly, and before long, they will begin to die.
What is the best way to maintain the right temperature for Little bittercress?
If you intend to place Little bittercress outside, you’ll want to make sure that it has shade from the heat of the midday sun. While Little bittercress does need plentiful sunlight to grow to its full potential, direct sunlight can cause a rise in temperature and damage certain elements of the plant. Choose an area that has shade providing structures or tall trees that can shield Little bittercress from the hottest parts of the day. If your climate isn’t appropriate for Little bittercress or you don’t have the proper space in your garden, you can also plant them inside. Controlling the temperature is much easier indoors, and having proper fans, ventilation, or an A/C unit will allow you to stay within the optimum range of 65~75℉(18~25℃).