How to grow Acorus calamus bonsai? Master the cultivation methods and precautions

Acorus calamus has emerald green leaves and vivid coloration, bringing a cool and refreshing experience in the hot summer. Therefore, it is often used by people as an aquatic plant in landscaping. In recent years, the upright posture and efficacy of Acorus calamus have also made it loved by more and more flower enthusiasts, who have begun to grow it at home in the form of bonsai. Let us learn about its cultivation methods together.

How to grow Acorus calamus bonsai

1. Watering: Acorus calamus likes moisture and avoids drought. Daily watering should keep the potting soil moist, but too much watering can also easily cause yellow leaves.

2. Temperature: Acorus calamus likes warmth to high temperatures, and the suitable growth temperature is about 18-28°C.

3. Light: The cultivation site for Acorus calamus should preferably be a semi-shaded place, avoiding direct strong sunlight. If it can receive 50-60% light, it will naturally grow vigorously and the leaf color will be soft and beautiful. For indoor display, choose a place near a window where light can shine in. If the growth vigor weakens, it should be moved outdoors promptly, and receiving soft sunlight can restore its vitality.

4. Division and planting: Before overwintering, Acorus calamus should have the dead branches and fallen leaves on the aboveground part cleaned up, concentrated and burned or composted. Field cultivation should be renewed every 2-3 years. When planted for a long time and too crowded, it should be forcibly divided, and replanted after changing the soil. Potted plants should be replaced and divided once every 2 years.

5. Pruning: It is a common consensus that the more Acorus calamus is pruned, the finer the leaves become, but the number of prunings should not be too frequent. Regularly remove rotten leaves and yellow leaves to maintain the best ornamental effect.

Cultivation methods and precautions for Acorus calamus

I. Cultivation methods

1. Soil

Acorus calamus likes water. Loose and breathable sandy loam is suitable for the growth of Acorus calamus. Vermiculite, river sand and nutrient soil can be mixed at 1:1:1. Some bean cake fertilizer can be mixed into the soil as base fertilizer, which is both breathable and can supply sufficient nutrients. When cultivating, loam rich in humus is best.

2. Fertilization

Acorus calamus likes nitrogen fertilizer. Applying decomposed bean cake water is best, which can avoid burning the seedlings. Nitrogen fertilizer can promote its growth. In the later stage, topdressing should be applied 2-3 times, combined with fertilization and weeding.

3. Moisture

Acorus calamus likes a moist environment and avoids drought. Daily watering should keep the potting soil moist. During the growth period, maintain the water level to prevent drying out and causing leaf wilting. Pay attention to keeping the environment humid. If necessary, spray water on the leaves to maintain moisture, but too much watering can also easily cause yellowing of the leaves.

4. Light

Acorus calamus likes shade and avoids exposure to strong sunlight in summer. Shade can be provided for the plants. For potted plants, they can be moved indoors to a place with scattered light. In other seasons, they can be placed outdoors in a slightly shaded waterside or in the shade of a large tree.

II. Precautions

1. Note that each time you fertilize, be sure to bury the fertilizer about 5 cm below the soil surface. Be careful not to place it too close to the roots to avoid burning the roots. Before overwintering, clean up the dead branches and fallen leaves on the aboveground part, and remove disease and pest pathogens and insect sources.

2. Around Qingming or during the growth period, dig out the underground stems, remove old roots and dead leaves, then quickly cut the underground stems into several blocks with a sharp knife, keeping 3-4 new buds per block for propagation.

How to hydroponically grow Acorus calamus

1. Preparation work

Acorus calamus with large old roots is suitable as the target material for hydroponics. Those with old roots extending above the mud surface in a winding manner like a dragon are best. Small scattered Acorus calamus plants can be formed into clumps, then wrapped with palm bark and placed in a water basin. However, small Acorus calamus plants have very short fibrous roots, so enameled wire can be used to string these Acorus calamus plants into clumps. Note that the old roots must not be damaged, then wrap them with enameled wire for several turns.

2. Hydroponic method

When cultivating, according to personal preference and the size of the plant body, choose a medium-depth leak-proof flower container, wash the Acorus calamus stem segments clean, trim off old roots and overly long roots, first soak in potassium permanganate solution for 2 hours for sterilization and disinfection, fill one side with pebbles to fix the plant in the pot, keep the water surface just above the roots, do not soak the leaves, and finally place it in a place with sufficient light. Do not expose it to the sun.

3. Later care

In the daily care of hydroponic Acorus calamus, in addition to timely replenishing water, add a small amount of flower fertilizer to the water regularly to supplement nutrients, which can promote its luxuriant growth. Acorus calamus is cold-resistant. In winter, it is enough to clean up the dead branches and fallen leaves. In summer, the climate is hot, so the Acorus calamus water basin should be placed among flowers and shade to avoid water evaporation and excessive nutrient consumption.

Making Acorus calamus bonsai

1. Soil mixing: For cultivating Acorus calamus, loam rich in humus is best, and sandy soil also grows well. The culture soil must be kept moist frequently. For small potted plants, a water tray can be placed under the pot bottom to maintain moisture.

2. Planting: The planting depth of Acorus calamus is generally suitable when the main bud is kept close to the mud surface, and at the same time irrigate 1-3 cm. For potted Acorus calamus, choose a pot that does not leak water, with an inner diameter of about 40-50 cm, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied at the bottom of the pot. Dig a hole in the middle to plant the rhizome. The growth point should be exposed above the mud surface, and 1-3 cm of water can be added.

Acorus calamus likes a warm and humid growth environment. Strictly speaking, growing Acorus calamus at home is not really a difficult thing. Its natural growth environment is generally beside ponds or paddy fields, and growing it according to roughly similar conditions should not be a problem.