How to Grow Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion)? Planting Methods and Precautions

Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion) is a common flower variety, and it is currently distributed in many places across China. Lychnis coronaria has very high ornamental value, generally with its flowers as the main ornamental feature, and its flowers are commonly red. Nowadays, many people grow and plant it, but before planting, we still need to have a comprehensive understanding of its planting techniques.

How to Grow Lychnis coronaria

1. Lychnis coronaria can be propagated by sowing, and the propagation time is in spring and autumn. For spring sowing, it is generally in March——April, while autumn sowing is in August——September; in northern regions, sowing can be done in a greenhouse.

2. When sowing Lychnis coronaria, you can choose relatively loose soil; generally, a sowing bed or a seedling tray is sufficient. Put in the soil and water it thoroughly, then mix the seeds with fine sand and broadcast them. After sowing, note that you should cover them with a layer of soil.

3. After sowing, pay attention to maintaining a suitable temperature; generally, seedlings emerge in about 7——10 days. After germination, pay attention to maintaining ventilation. When one leaf has grown, you can prick out the seedlings, and when 5 leaves have grown, they can be transplanted and set out.

Planting Methods for Lychnis coronaria

1. Choosing soil: Lychnis coronaria seeds have no strict requirements for soil; generally, well-ventilated sandy soil with good drainage is sufficient for normal growth.

2. Land preparation: When preparing the land, deep plow more than 20cm and apply 800~1000kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu. Make beds or ridges 1.2m wide.

3. Sowing and seedling raising: Spring sowing is carried out in early May, mainly in drills, with a row spacing of 20cm and a depth of 1cm. After sowing, cover with soil about 0.8~1.0cm thick and press lightly. The sowing rate is 250~300g per mu. When the temperature reaches 20℃, they can germinate, and seedlings emerge in about 15 days, with an emergence rate of 80%. Transplant in late May with a row spacing of 30~40cm. When the seedlings have 7~8 pairs of leaves, pinch off the growing tips to encourage more branching, and they can bloom in July~August. Autumn sowing is carried out in late August; in winter, cover with grass or use leaves for cold protection. Set out in early May the following year, and they bloom in July.

4. Light: Lychnis coronaria plants are light-loving and slightly shade-tolerant. They generally grow under sparse forests on low mountains and in shrub meadows in damp shady places, which should be especially noted during planting.

5. Temperature: Lychnis coronaria is cold-tolerant, and the temperature suitable for seed germination is generally around 20 degrees.

6. Humidity: Lychnis coronaria plants prefer cool and moist conditions. During the growing period, the soil should be kept moist to increase flower quantity and extend the flowering period, but at the same time it dislikes hot and rainy conditions. When watering, try not to let water accumulate, so as to avoid root rot and other conditions that would not be worth the loss.

Precautions for Lychnis coronaria

1. Pruning: When growing Lychnis coronaria, prune it in a timely manner. This can extend the flowering period and also make it grow well. In the early stage of growth, when the plant grows to about 20cm and has 7——8 leaves, pinch off the growing tips in time.

2. Fertilizing: During the growth of Lychnis coronaria, too much fertilizer is not needed, so as to avoid excessive vegetative growth, which would instead affect the quantity and quality of flowering.

Pest and Disease Control for Lychnis coronaria

1. Leaf spot disease. Control methods: Apply more base fertilizer to ensure soil fertility and enhance disease resistance. Remove diseased leaves promptly when found to prevent further spread of the pathogen. If the plant is severely affected, dispose of it promptly. Before the disease occurs, spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 500-600 times dilution, or spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 1000 times dilution plus 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000 times dilution for control.

2. Common pests include scale insects, aphids, leaf roller moths, thrips, and others. For scale insects, spray 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution; for thrips, spray potassium permanganate at 4000 times dilution; for leaf roller moths, spray 0.1 pyrethrin emulsifiable concentrate and derris extract at 2000 times dilution, etc.

Lychnis coronaria is generally planted in spring or autumn. Before planting, the work of site selection and soil enrichment needs to be done well. Before planting, management needs to be strengthened; timely pruning and fertilizer and water are essential conditions for ensuring its growth.