How to Grow Goldfish Plant: Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Precautions
The goldfish plant is a plant that is not cold-tolerant and prefers to grow in a warm environment. The goldfish plant has very high ornamental value, so it is very popular with consumers on the market, and many people buy some and take them home to grow. However, before growing it, most people are probably most concerned about its cultivation techniques!
How to Grow the Goldfish Plant
1. Potting soil selection for the goldfish plant. The goldfish plant is suitable for growing in a greenhouse, and the growing medium used is mostly a substrate with good drainage and aeration for the root system. To prevent water leakage when watering, you can use a round, attractive flower pot for planting, cover the bottom of the pot with coarse particles and stones, and then add a small amount of mixed potting soil.
2. Planting method for the goldfish plant. To increase the survival rate, when planting you must pay attention to the position of the flowering branches, as this can enhance the ornamental value of the goldfish plant. Choose fresh branches with full root systems, plant them evenly in the potting soil, and fill the pot with soil to complete planting. A suitable fertilizer can be added to the potting soil, and when the branches grow they will hang down around the flower pot. When the potted flowers are in full bloom, each plant will grow more than a dozen goldfish flowers. After new branches grow, you can pinch them off, which makes the plant shape more symmetrical and the growth more attractive.
3. The goldfish plant has very high water requirements and needs appropriate watering in spring, summer and autumn, and the surrounding area needs frequent sprinkling to maintain humidity. In the hot summer season, it is best to place the flower pot on a shallow tray filled with water. These measures can all prevent leaf drop caused by dry air. The goldfish plant should also be watered a little more before flowering in winter and spring, which allows the flowers to open fully and the flower color to be bright.
Cultivation Methods for the Goldfish Plant
1. Soil: Potted goldfish plants require a substrate rich in humus, loose and well-drained; generally peat soil, perlite and vermiculite are mixed in equal amounts, and the soil should be slightly acidic to favor growth.
2. Temperature: The optimal growing temperature for the goldfish plant is around 18-22°C. It is not cold-tolerant; if the minimum temperature is below 10°C it will cause the leaves of the goldfish plant to turn yellow, dry up, or even drop. It also dislikes high temperatures, and temperatures above 30°C will also cause leaf drop.
3. Light: The goldfish plant likes a shady environment and must not be exposed to the scorching sun. Before flowering in winter, sunlight exposure can be appropriately increased, which will improve flowering quality. But sunlight must not shine directly on the goldfish plant, otherwise it will cause withered leaves or even leaf drop and death.
4. Humidity: The growth of the goldfish plant requires sufficient moisture. During the peak growing season, the potting soil should be kept moist at all times. In winter, water again after the potting soil has dried to about 1 cm deep on the surface. But there must not be too much water, otherwise the roots will easily rot.
5. Fertilizing: During the peak growing season, apply a dilute organic fertilizer solution once every 1-2 weeks. Before flowering, increase the application of phosphorus fertilizer to increase the number and quality of flowers. After the flowers fade, apply nitrogen-containing fertilizer. For those that have begun to grow small plants, apply a topdressing mainly of nitrogen once every half month.
Precautions for the Goldfish Plant
When fertilizing, remember that you must never use concentrated fertilizer; make it as dilute as possible, otherwise it will easily burn its root system and have the opposite effect. Do not fertilize this way just to make it grow faster.
How to Pinch the Goldfish Plant
1. For the pinching method, use scissors, preferably flower scissors specially used for pruning plants, to cut off the top 1/3 of each new branch. After cutting, promptly deal with the leaves at the cut; they can be cleaned away directly, which benefits the growth of new buds. But when pinching, do not cut its main trunk. After pinching, it must not be placed in the sun to be exposed; move it to a place that is both cool and ventilated. Wait until no liquid is flowing from the cut, then move it into the sunlight. Watering and fertilizing are the same, and both should be done only after the cut has dried.
2. Pruning of side branches: Pinching will control the height of the goldfish plant, and this will also speed up the growth of its side branches, so in daily care you must pay attention not to let its side branches grow leggy, and also prune them appropriately.
3. Number of pinchings: The number of pinchings should be determined according to the growth conditions of the goldfish plant, but all pinching actions must be stopped before the flowering period of the goldfish plant. The goldfish plant can bloom multiple times within a year, and the intervals between flowering periods are also different, so in daily care you must observe more before pinching.
The cultivation methods for the goldfish plant are relatively easy. When growing it, you must pay attention to its temperature and fertilizer and water. The goldfish plant is not suited to surviving under high temperatures, so protective measures must be taken in summer. Timely pinching is also one aspect of ensuring its growth.