The manner in which you water the Showy Lady's Slipper will depend somewhat on whether or not your plant is in an active growth phase. If so, you should apply water to your plant’s soil and, if the weather is warm, perform occasional overhead watering to allow the plant to absorb moisture through its leaves. By contrast, in winter, and when the weather is cool or wet generally, you should stick to watering the soil directly rather than including overhead watering as well. You’ll know your Showy Lady's Slipper needs more water if its roots and leaves become thin and dry or show discoloration. Showy Lady's Slipper receives too much water will look mushy and limp. You should grow your Showy Lady's Slipper in a pot and ensure that the potting mix you use has fantastic drainage. During the growing season, you’ll need to water this plant multiple times per week. However, each watering should drain quickly through the growing medium to prevent any standing water. The amount of water you give will change based on the size of the pot you use. Generally, pots that are a bit larger will need water less frequently, while smaller pots will have a slightly more frequent watering schedule. Rainwater and distilled water are the best kinds of water to use for this plant, and it is best if the water you use matches the temperature of the air as closely as possible.

Allowing your Showy Lady's Slipper to sit in soil that remains too moist for too long is one of the most common ways to kill this plant. While these plants need water frequently during active growth, they also need to live in a growing medium that drains water rapidly. When this plant experiences overwatering, it will become mushy and develop root rot. If that occurs, you should be prepared to use a pair of sterile pruning shears to cut out any roots that show signs of rot. After doing that, you should then repot your Showy Lady's Slipper, ensuring that the container allows for drainage and that you fill the container with a fast-draining potting mix. However, Showy Lady's Slipper doesn’t typically respond that well to excessive repotting, so it is crucial to get your watering rate right. Underwatered Showy Lady's Slipper will begin to shrivel and feel dry to the touch. If this occurs, it is likely because the soil is drying out faster than you expected, which means you should increase your watering frequency.

During the active growth stage, which spans the spring and summer months, you should plan to water your Showy Lady's Slipper about once or twice per week while increasing that rate to three times per week or more in the case of long periods of hot and dry weather. In the winter, you will also need to water your Showy Lady's Slipper, but not nearly as much. A watering frequency of two to three times per month should be enough to keep your Showy Lady's Slipper alive during the coldest months. However, if you keep your Showy Lady's Slipper indoors during winter, you should account for the fact that indoor growing locations can cause the soil to dry quicker than usual, which may mean you need to increase the number of monthly waterings. You can use the fall as a time to gradually reduce your watering frequency from the summer rate of multiple times per week down to your reduced winter watering schedule.

There are two important growth phases that you should consider when planning the watering schedule for your Showy Lady's Slipper. The first of those periods is the active growth period, which happens in spring and summer, and which calls for watering this plant multiple times per week. The second important growth period is the rest period that the Showy Lady's Slipper should experience for about two to three months each year during winter. During that time, your plant will need far less water and fertilization than normal. Water about once or twice per month during this time. During the fall, you should begin to gradually reduce your watering frequency from multiple times per week all the way down to the once or twice per month rate that is appropriate for winter.

The Showy Lady's Slipper requires a growing environment that is relatively humid. Unfortunately, most indoor growing locations will lack the level of air moisture that this plant prefers. This causes the plant and its soil to dry out more quickly than it would when growing outdoors. To combat this effect, you may want to include a humidifier in the room where you grow your Showy Lady's Slipper. You may also need to water it a bit more frequently as well. However, while Showy Lady's Slippers do prefer humidity, they also require adequate air circulation as well, to prevent excessive moisture build-ups and the diseases that can result. Consider including a fan in the room where you grow this plant as well to ensure proper air circulation remains present.

Far from damaging the plant, regular pruning will actually encourage Showy Lady's Slipper to produce more blooms. There are two primary forms of pruning for Showy Lady's Slipper. The first is deadheading, which is the gardening term for removing spent flower heads once they start to wither. This concentrates the nutrients for the other flowers and allows the plant to flower better. The final process for pruning Showy Lady's Slipper is the removal of yellow and diseased leaves, which increases plant ventilation and light penetration and facilitates plant growth. When nature runs its course, Showy Lady's Slipper will bloom once, produce seed heads, and attempt to reproduce for the rest of the year. But, by consistently removing flower heads before they go to seed, you encourage the plant to continue producing more blooms for a longer flowering time. When the plant starts to wilt during the full, you should cut off the wilted part above the soil as well.

There are two primary forms of pruning for Showy Lady's Slipper. The first is deadheading, which is the gardening term for removing spent flower heads once they start to wither. This concentrates the nutrients for the other flowers and allows the plant to flower better. The final process for pruning Showy Lady's Slipper is the removal of yellow and diseased leaves, which increases plant ventilation and light penetration and facilitates plant growth. Since Showy Lady's Slipper requires two types of pruning, you’ll be trimming your plants throughout the growing season. Pinching is most effective in the early spring before the plant develops any flower buds. Removal of yellowing or diseased leaves can be done at any time during the growing season. When nature runs its course, Showy Lady's Slipper will bloom once, produce seed heads, and attempt to reproduce for the rest of the year. But, by consistently removing flower heads before they go to seed, you encourage the plant to continue producing more blooms for a longer flowering time. Finally, deadheading takes place as soon as the plants are producing full flower heads. Expect to take off spent blossoms from mid-summer through the first frosts of fall. When the plant starts to wilt during the full, you should cut off the wilted part above the soil as well.

Showy Lady's Slipper doesn’t take much special equipment for pruning. A basic pair of scissors or garden shears should do the trick. It’s a good idea to ensure they are clean before use—you can soak them for thirty minutes in a solution of one part bleach diluted in nine parts water. This reduces the risk of spreading disease lingering on contaminated equipment into your flower garden. Some gardeners avoid using tools altogether and merely pinch off the blossoms with their fingertips. That can be a faster technique, but you run a larger risk of bruising the plant stems or accidentally pulling them out of the ground completely.

Here’s an overview of pruning instructions for Showy Lady's Slipper based on which of the two types you’re completing. By completing these two types of pruning over the lifespan of your Showy Lady's Slipper, you’ll encourage them to produce bigger, better flowers for far longer than the plants would otherwise. It only takes a few minutes to complete each step of the pruning process, and you’ll reap the rewards of your efforts for weeks to come. Deadheading Deadheading is a fast, easy way to refresh your garden by removing old flowers and providing space for new ones to take their place. You can use your fingers to pop off old flower heads as soon as they look tired, although you’re less likely to damage the plant if you use shears instead. When deadheading, make sure you cut well below the flower so that you aren’t left with a long, flowerless stem sticking out in your garden bed. Instead, cut the stem to just above the point where the side stem joins the main plant. Remove yellow and diseased leaves, this increases the ventilation and light penetration of the plant and facilitates its growth. When pruning, the leaves need to be trimmed off together with the petiole. It is best to use sterilised scissors to cut them off. Note: It’s a good idea to ensure scissors or garden shears are clean before use—you can soak them for thirty minutes in a solution of one part bleach diluted in nine parts water. This reduces the risk of spreading disease lingering on contaminated equipment into your flower garden.

Showy Lady's Slipper requires about 3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. However, it also needs some shade during the hottest parts of the day to prevent sun damage. Morning sunlight is ideal for Showy Lady's Slipper, but it can also tolerate some afternoon sun if the temperature is not too hot. To provide the perfect balance of sunlight, try planting Showy Lady's Slipper in an area that gets partial sun, such as under a tree or on the east side of a building.

If Showy Lady's Slipper is exposed to too much direct sunlight, its leaves may turn yellow, dry out, or even burn. You may also notice that the plant wilts or becomes stunted. To prevent sun damage, make sure to give Showy Lady's Slipper some shade during the hottest parts of the day. You can use a shade cloth or plant Showy Lady's Slipper near taller plants that can provide some natural shade.

If Showy Lady's Slipper doesn't get enough sunlight, it may grow tall and lanky, with sparse foliage. The leaves may also turn yellow or pale green, indicating that the plant is not producing enough chlorophyll due to lack of sunlight. To remedy this, try moving Showy Lady's Slipper to a sunnier spot, or prune nearby foliage to allow more light to reach the plant.

Showy Lady's Slipper prefers cooler weather, and has a specific temperature range you can keep it within to maximize growth. For Showy Lady's Slipper to be as healthy as it possible can, you could keep them between the temperatures 65~75℉(18~25℃). Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper precisely within that range, it doesn’t mean they will stop growing. Showy Lady's Slipper 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, Showy Lady's Slipper can handle temperatures as low as 5℉(-15℃). The higher temperature range is the most important to observe, as Showy Lady's Slipper prefers cooler environments. Letting temperatures get above the upper range may cause growth to slow, and having Showy Lady's Slipper above 85℉(30℃) could result in the plant dying.

Too much heat early in the growing stages of Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper, but make sure not to go below -5℉(-20℃). Extremely cold temperatures can hinder growth at any stage for Showy Lady's Slipper, though they aren’t nearly as damaging as extremely hot temperatures. If temperatures are kept high during the budding stage, Showy Lady's Slipper may not flower at all.

Tip #1: Grow in the Coldest Room of Your Home If you plan to grow Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper ability to grow. Tip #2: If Showy Lady's Slipper Doesn’t Flower Properly, It May Be Too Hot The growing season for Showy Lady's Slipper, spring and early summer, can occasionally come with high temperatures. These fluctuations can negatively affect the growing stage of Showy Lady's Slipper, causing flowering buds to change into non-flowering buds. These buds will open partially, or in some cases not at all, causing Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper can flower to its full potential. Tip #3: Avoid Frost While Showy Lady's Slipper 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, Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper will begin to wilt. Then, those sections will start to become discolored, eventually turning brown or black as they die. Any parts of Showy Lady's Slipper that turn these colors cannot be saved, and will have to be pruned if you intend to keep the plant alive.

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 Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper quickly, and before long, they will begin to die.

If you intend to place Showy Lady's Slipper outside, you’ll want to make sure that it has shade from the heat of the midday sun. While Showy Lady's Slipper 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 Showy Lady's Slipper from the hottest parts of the day. If your climate isn’t appropriate for Showy Lady's Slipper 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℃).

Fertilization is important to the Showy Lady's Slipper for several general reasons. Mainly, fertilization helps Showy Lady's Slipper and other plants by providing key nutrients that help the plant grow both above and below ground. However, the overall fertilization needs for a Showy Lady's Slipper are relatively low. At times, a Showy Lady's Slipper may survive well without fertilization. However, annual fertilization is can be very beneficial to the Showy Lady's Slipper, as it will help keep the plant alive and may also encourage your Showy Lady's Slipper to create better flowers that last for longer. As such, those interested in helping their Showy Lady's Slipper look its best should keep up with annual fertilization.

The ideal time to fertilize a Showy Lady's Slipper is in the late winter to early spring. During that time, your Showy Lady's Slipper will be exiting its dormant phase and entering a phase of active growth. Fertilization at this time allows the plant to get off to a great start for the season by encouraging healthy growth. While it is generally most advantageous to fertilize a Showy Lady's Slipper during the early spring, it is also permissible to fertilize a Showy Lady's Slipper during the fall too. However, summer and winter remain the seasons in which it is not a good idea to feed a Showy Lady's Slipper.

You should not fertilize your Showy Lady's Slipper during any time of the year except during the late winter and early spring. The low fertilization needs of this plant allow a single annual feeding to suffice. Continuing to fertilize throughout spring, summer, and fall can easily lead to overfertilization and all of the complications that can come with it. The only exception is if you did not fertilize in spring, which means that it is permissible to feed this plant in fall. Along with refraining from fertilizing for most of the growing season, there is also no reason to fertilize this plant during the winter. In winter, the Showy Lady's Slipper will be in a dormant growth phase, meaning that it does not put forth new growth. With that being the case, fertilization during most of the winter is not advisable.

Nearly any kind of general-purpose fertilizer with a balanced amount of the three main plant nutrients will work well for a Showy Lady's Slipper. However, there are a few specific nutrient blends that can be even more beneficial. For instance, many gardeners follow the belief that higher volumes of phosphorus make for stronger roots and better flowers. Since Showy Lady's Slipper is a flowering plant, applying a phosphorus-rich fertilizer may be the best approach. You can use a fertilizer that comes in a granular form or a liquid form as long as there are plenty of nutrients present. Outside of manufactured fertilizers, you can also use more organic means to improve the soil for your Showy Lady's Slipper. Mainly, compost, manure, and similar materials can go a long way towards creating a healthy growing medium for your Showy Lady's Slipper.

The most common way to fertilize a Showy Lady's Slipper is to apply a granular or pellet fertilizer to the soil around your plant. Remember that the ideal time to fertilize is as the plant is exiting its winter dormant growth phase and entering a phase of active growth. In early spring, wait until the plant begins to send shoots through the soil, and then apply your fertilizer. Some people may choose to use a liquid fertilizer instead of a granular one. In that case, you should dilute the fertilizer with water before applying it. Regardless of whether you use granular or liquid fertilizer, it is always best to moisten the soil before, during, and after you apply fertilizer.

As you care for your Showy Lady's Slipper, recall that this plant does not need a lot of fertilizer each year and will begin to suffer if it receives too much. Firstly, any overfertilized plant runs the risk of fertilizer burn, a condition in which excessive amounts of fertilizer draw nutrients and moisture out of the plant's roots, causing its decline. Also, overfertilizing a Showy Lady's Slipper is also a way of weakening your plant and making disease far more likely. There is also a potential that overfertilization could cause your Showy Lady's Slipper to flower less or not at all, which is a significant detriment considering the blooms of this plant are what make it so valuable and sought after by so many gardeners.