How to Grow and Care for Water Hengzhi (Gardenia)
SummarySoil: Water hengzhi is suitable for soil mixed from garden soil, leaf mold and peat soil. Environmental requirements: It prefers a semi-shaded environment, and should not be exposed to direct strong light during the growing period. Watering: In summer it can be watered every day, but avoid doing so at noon; in spring and autumn water once every 1-2 days, and in winter water only after the soil has become too dry. Fertilizing: During the growing process, you can use alum fertilizer water made by fermenting cake fertilizer with ferrous sulfate, applying it once a week; at the bud stage, a potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution can be applied.
1. Choosing Soil
Water hengzhi likes to grow in acidic soil, so when cultivating it, the suitable soil pH should be between 5-6. Generally, garden soil, leaf mold and peat soil can be mixed for cultivation; coal should not be added, otherwise it will be detrimental to the healthy growth of water hengzhi.
2. Semi-Shaded Environment
Water hengzhi likes to grow in a semi-shaded environment, and during cultivation it should not be exposed to direct strong light, otherwise the leaves will develop poorly, so it needs to be grown in a shaded environment of about 50%.
3. Watering Frequency
Water hengzhi likes a warm growing environment. In summer, when the temperature is too high, it must be watered every day, but it should not be watered at noon, to avoid burning the roots of water hengzhi. In spring and autumn, water once every 2 days, and in winter reduce the amount of watering appropriately, watering only when the soil has become too dry.
4. Moderate Fertilizing
During the growth of water hengzhi, you can fertilize with alum fertilizer water made by fermenting cake fertilizer with ferrous sulfate, or with 0.1% humic acid complete-nutrition organic liquid fertilizer, applying it once every 7 days; at the bud stage, a potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution can be applied, which helps the plant produce more flowers.
5. Pruning After Flowering
After each time water hengzhi finishes flowering, it should be pruned promptly. Since flowering consumes a relatively large amount of nutrients, if the dead branches, old branches and leggy branches are not pruned away in time, these branches will compete with the normal plant for nutrients.
6. Points to Note
1. Winter dormancy
When winter arrives, stop fertilizing water hengzhi, and do not move it, to avoid breaking its dormancy period. In winter, water hengzhi is in its dormancy period; only when it has rested sufficiently will the plant grow more vigorously the following year, produce more beautiful flowers and increase its ornamental value.
2. Changing pots and soil
When cultivating water hengzhi, pay attention to observing its growth. If the pot has already restricted the normal growth of water hengzhi, then promptly change to a larger pot for cultivation; when transplanting, the old soil needs to be replaced, and then new soil should be used for cultivation.
3. Shading in summer
Water hengzhi is suitable for growing in a semi-shaded environment, so in summer, when the weather is hot and the light is strong, promptly move it to a cool place for care, and pay attention to shading during this period, to avoid water hengzhi being scorched by the sun.