How to grow baby's breath (Gypsophila) and points to note: apply nitrogen fertilizer early and phosphorus fertilizer later

SummaryTemperature: Baby's breath (Gypsophila) is shade-tolerant and cold-tolerant, and prefers a warm, humid environment; the ideal daytime temperature is around 10-25°C. Light: Light directly affects the number of flowers. Soil: Choose fertile humus soil with good air permeability and water permeability. Water: Follow the principle of not watering until dry, and watering thoroughly when you do. Fertilizer: Apply nitrogen fertilizer early and phosphorus fertilizer later. Points to note: Pay attention to fertilizing, watering, pruning, changing the potting soil, propagation and pest and disease control.

1. How to grow baby's breath

1. Temperature

The suitable sowing period for baby's breath is from spring to early autumn, and the daytime temperature should not be too high, kept at around 10-25°C. If the sunshine duration is too long, deformed flowers are likely to grow. A nighttime temperature of 10-15°C is best; during the short-day period of autumn and winter, when the temperature is below 10°C, baby's breath easily becomes rosetted or enters a dormant period.

2. Light

Baby's breath is shade-tolerant and cold-tolerant, and likes a warm, humid environment. Light directly affects the number of flowers baby's breath produces, especially in winter, when this is particularly obvious, so light must be strictly controlled. The more light the baby's breath plant receives, the more flowers it produces. In summer, at an illuminance of 80-24 Klux, baby's breath can basically bloom fully; in winter it needs an illuminance of around 58 Klux. If the summer standard were used, even giving the plant light continuously for 24 hours would not make baby's breath bloom.

3. Soil

Baby's breath is a perennial herbaceous plant, very suitable for growing in fertile soil rich in humus; the air permeability and water permeability of such soil are also well suited to the respiration of baby's breath roots.

4. Water

Because summer is hot and humid, water is often hard to control to standard, and this often becomes a major problem in growing baby's breath. Follow “alternate dry and wet, dry means thoroughly dry, do not water until dry, water thoroughly when you do”; during the seedling stage, especially after pinching, baby's breath needs sufficient water supply so the plant can better transition from the growth period to the growth period, which is what we commonly call the flowering period. Once the small flower spikes have grown into petals, the amount of watering can be slightly reduced; this not only prevents a decline in cut flower quality and water uptake, but also lets baby's breath bloom faster. Note that baby's breath must not be waterlogged for too long, as this will cause root rot.

5. Fertilizer

Baby's breath has high requirements for water and fertilizer; adhere to the fertilizing principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts but many times, complete nutrition” when fertilizing baby's breath. After fertilizing, do not let baby's breath get wet at night; keep the leaves and flowers dry. After planting, apply fertilizer in stages: nitrogen fertilizer early, and mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer later. Avoid random fertilizing, applying concentrated fertilizer, and one-sidedly applying only nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium fertilizer.

2. Points to note for baby's breath

1. Applying fertilizer

Because baby's breath has a weak plant form, avoid concentrated fertilizer; follow the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts but many times, do not water until dry, water thoroughly when you do. Dilute phosphate-containing tomato fertilizer with water and give baby's breath a supplementary feeding about every two weeks.

2. Key points for watering

During the seedling stage, baby's breath, especially in summer, needs more water; after pinching, it also needs more watering and fertilizing.

3. Pruning essentials

Aged leaves should be pruned in time, and new leaves will soon grow all over. Baby's breath has strong growth; the more old leaves are cut off, the more new leaves grow. In autumn, be sure to prune the whole baby's breath plant so as to keep its plant shape graceful.

4. Changing the potting soil

Choosing fresh soil can keep the potting soil moist; fertile sandy soil can appropriately increase the space in the pot, which is good for the healthy growth of baby's breath roots and stems. Potting soil is generally changed in spring; because baby's breath grows very quickly, it must be given a larger pot every year. Good root development can also keep it growing well and promote abundant flowering.

5. Propagation essentials

(1) Sowing: Autumn to early spring is suitable for sowing baby's breath. Optimum growth temperature: 10°C-25°C is best. Flowering period: May-July. Raising seedlings: sow in September; first put suitable loose soil in the pot, then cover with a thin layer of fine soil. Seeds germinate in about 10 days; before winter, move them to a seedbed at a temperature suitable for seedling growth to overwinter. Cultivation: In the spring of the second year, transplant baby's breath with soil; after planting, pinching is most critical, as pinching can promote the growth of too many branches and hinder growth. Wait until the seedlings have grown to about 20 cm, then water appropriately. They bloom in mid-to-late May; this species can be sown directly before the ground freezes in November or sown in early spring.

(2) Cuttage propagation: In spring, cut about 13 cm of relatively mature hard wood from the previous year, insert it into a sand bed, and wait about one month for roots and stems to grow. Alternatively, choose the rainy season and use young top shoots of the same year for cuttage, rooting in about 2-3 weeks. Note that the temperature must not be lower than 15°C and the humidity must be above 95 RH.

6. Pest and disease control

(1) If leaf spot disease occurs, promptly spray with a 600-fold dilution of zineb wettable powder; this can improve the disease and effectively prevent the spread of the condition.

(2) If pests and diseases occur, for aphids spray diluted essential balm or neutral washing powder; for red spider mites, kill them by spraying a 1000-fold dilution of omethoate emulsifiable concentrate; and for snails, sprinkle metoic acid granules in the potting soil.

(3) When growing baby's breath, also pay attention to the occurrence of diseases. Especially in the rainy season, baby's breath often becomes waterlogged and develops phytophthora rot. Once it occurs, promptly drench the roots with green copper emulsion or an 800-fold dilution of Root Rot Remedy.