Water is an indispensable part of all plant growth. Too much or not enough water can lead to problems, so you need to know exactly how to water your plants.
Water Coral Bells so much that the soil around the root system does not dry out more than 2 inches. Use at least 1 gallon of water per adult plant, for larger heucheras use 2 gallons of water.
Next, I will tell you in more detail about watering to maintain heuchera healthy and thriving.
How to do it properly
In hot, windy weather, the surface of the ground can dry out in 2-3 days. At the same time, in cloudy and rainy weather, the ground will remain wet for weeks. Therefore, you will not have a watering schedule.
Always keep an eye on the soil moisture and water Coral Bells when it needs water, i.e. when the topsoil is dry.
Avoid a strict watering schedule, e.g. once a week. Otherwise, the plant might get sick.
To prevent the soil from drying out too quickly, mulch the heuchera. Use pine bark or compost for this. Make sure that the mulch is good quality and disease and pest-free.
Do not water Coral Bells in the winter because it is dormant and uses minimal water. Also in winter, the soil is usually frozen and the roots are unable to absorb water.
Too much water
Watering Coral Bells in wet weather just because your schedule tells you to can ruin it. If the soil around the roots gets too wet for too long, they will soften. Roots in this condition are very prone to root rot.
Root rot can also turn into stem rot and you will lose the plant.
To avoid this, only water the heuchera when the soil is a bit dry on top. Use no more than 1 to 2 gallons of water per plant.
If your soil is too clayey, improve it by adding 1-2 buckets of soil conditioner. Also, put half a bucket of rocks in the bottom of the planting hole to create drainage.
Heuchera affected by root rot begins to lose its lower leaves and does not grow. In this case, dig it up and clean off the dirt.
Inspect the roots and if they are only partially rotted clean the rot. Treat the wounds with hydrogen peroxide and plant in fresh sterile soil.
If the roots are completely rotted, cut off the stem and re-root it in the pot.
Read more: Can You Overwater Coral Bells?
Not enough water
One of the problems in growing plants is dehydration. Fortunately, in the case of Coral Bells, it is not that bad as it can tolerate several days without watering.
Of course, this only applies to those heucheras that grow in full shade. If it gets some sun then you should water immediately as soon as the soil is 1.5 to 2 inches dry.
If you dry out the soil too much, the leaves will droop and start to dry out. The plant will begin to shrink in size.
When the surface is dry, it is often difficult to water properly. If you pour a gallon of water under the bush, less than half that water will get to the roots. The rest of the water will spread out over a considerable distance.
To avoid this, use a drip hose. Turn it on for a few minutes at minimum pressure. This way you will gradually saturate the soil and most of the water will go to the roots.
Watering in pots
Potted watering differs from regular watering in a significant way. The potting soil dries out many times faster than in the garden.
In addition, the containers are equipped with drainage holes. Not only does extra water escape through these holes, but the soil dries out very fast. So you need to keep a close eye on your potted Coral Bells.
As soon as the soil in the pot is 1 inch dry, water immediately. Use enough water to allow the excess to drain out.
Water the potted heuchera in the evening. If the potting soil is wet in the middle of the day, it can get very hot, which is not good for the plant.
Watering newly planted heucheras
Newly planted Coral Bells require special treatment because their root system has not yet spread into the ground.
In addition, nurseries often use pure peat or compost to grow the plants. Such substrate dries out very quickly. As a result, the native soil in the garden may be moist, but the one around the roots (from the nursery) may already be dry.
To avoid this, check the moisture of the substrate directly near the stem and do not let it dry out more than half an inch.
In addition, it is good practice to shade the heuchera extra for a few weeks after planting. This is especially true if it is placed in the half-shade.