From my perspective, your watering habits are the most common source of my distress. My tuber, the heart of my being from which my leaves and flowers emerge, is highly susceptible to rot. When you water me from above and allow water to pool on my crown, it's akin to forcing me to breathe underwater. The tuber suffocates and begins to decay, severing the vital connection to my roots. This immediately cuts off the water supply to my leaves and flowers, causing them to droop pathetically in a desperate signal for help. Conversely, if you forget about me entirely and my soil becomes bone dry, my entire system goes into drought mode. Without water to maintain turgor pressure—the internal water pressure that keeps my cells rigid and my stems upright—I simply collapse. The solution is consistent, bottom-watering. Please place my pot in a saucer of water for about 15 minutes, allowing my roots to drink their fill from below, then always discard the excess. This keeps my tuber happily moist but not drowned.
If my hydration seems correct, then you must consider my environment. I am a plant that thrives in cool conditions, much like my native Mediterranean habitat. If you place me near a hot radiator, in a stuffy room, or in direct, scorching sunlight, I am under immense physiological stress. The excessive heat forces rapid transpiration (water loss through my leaves) that my roots cannot keep up with, leading to wilting. Similarly, a lack of bright, indirect light weakens me. I need ample energy from the sun to sustain my beautiful blooms and strong foliage. Without it, I become etiolated and weak, and my flowers will droop and fade prematurely. My ideal home is a bright, cool windowsill away from direct heat sources and drafts.
You must understand that my life has a rhythm. After my spectacular flowering period, I need to rest. When the days grow longer and warmer, it is a natural signal for me to enter dormancy. My leaves will gradually yellow and droop, and my flowers will fade. This is not a cause for alarm but a necessary part of my cycle. I am conserving energy within my tuber for the next growing season. During this time, you should reduce watering significantly and allow me to rest in a cool, dark place. Fighting this natural process by continuing to over-water me in a futile attempt to keep me green will only lead to tuber rot and my ultimate demise. Please respect my need for a seasonal retreat.
Finally, sustained health requires sustenance. Flowering is an energetically expensive endeavor for me. If I am not provided with a mild, liquid fertilizer formulated for blooming plants every few weeks during my active growth period, I may simply lack the strength to support my own structure. My stems weaken, and my leaves droop from sheer exhaustion. Furthermore, an infestation of pests like aphids or spider mites, while often unseen, can be devastating. These tiny creatures sap my vital fluids directly from my stems and leaves, causing the same wilting and drooping as drought. Regularly inspecting my foliage, especially the undersides, is crucial for my long-term well-being.
