What are the cultivation methods and precautions for four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa)?

Because four o'clock flower likes to bloom at night, it is also called the “night flower”. It is a highly ornamental plant, and purple flowers are generally the most common. At present, four o'clock flower is very popular, and many people want to buy it and grow it at home. However, when cultivating it, there are also many things to pay attention to.

How to grow four o'clock flower

1. Four o'clock flower is a light-loving plant, and its growth and development require sufficient light. Long-day direct sunlight is even more favorable for its growth and development. With strong light, the leaves are dark green, the stems are thick and strong, there are many flower buds, the coloring is good, and the fragrance is strong. If the light is insufficient or it is too shady, the leaves will be light green, the leaves large and thin, photosynthetic products will decrease, physiological activities will be inhibited, the plant will develop poorly, and flower yield will be low and quality poor.

2. Four o'clock flower is relatively sensitive to temperature. It requires a warm, humid climate and can adapt to relatively high temperatures, but it is not tolerant of low temperatures and has poor cold resistance. When the temperature is below 10°C, growth is extremely slow, or even stops. It can sprout at around 19°C, and only forms flower buds above 25°C. At 30-40°C, flower bud formation and development are relatively good, and the suitable temperature for mature blooming is 32-38°C.

Cultivation methods for four o'clock flower

1. Soil. For cultivating four o'clock flower, the soil should be loose, fertile, deep, and rich in humus. Loam mixed with sandy soil is relatively good.

2. Light and temperature. Four o'clock flower likes sunlight, but in summer, when the sunlight is too strong, the plants will wilt, so moderate shading is needed in summer. Four o'clock flower likes a warm environment and is not cold-tolerant. In northern China, four o'clock flower will wither in winter. Therefore, the roots of four o'clock flower can be dug out and placed indoors so that they can safely overwinter.

3. Water and fertilizer management. Four o'clock flower has very strong adaptability, is relatively easy to manage, and does not have high requirements for water and fertilizer. Four o'clock flower is relatively drought-tolerant. Generally, as long as the weather is clear, spraying some water on the plants is enough. However, note that in the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, more water should be given to replenish lost moisture. Also note that when planting, some base fertilizer should be applied first, and during the growing period, four o'clock flower should be fertilized frequently with organic liquid fertilizer, once a week.

4. Propagation methods. Four o'clock flower is mostly propagated by sowing. In fact, four o'clock flower can sow itself; as long as the seeds fall to the ground, you will see a large patch of four o'clock flower the next year. In addition, four o'clock flower can also be propagated by cuttings, and the old roots dug out can also be reused for propagation.

Precautions for four o'clock flower

1. Four o'clock flower actually has relatively few pests and diseases, but dry weather makes it prone to aphids. Paying attention to moisture retention can prevent pest damage.

2. During the plant's growth period, pinching the tops can make four o'clock flower branch more, tidy the plant shape, and make it bloom more.

Diseases of four o'clock flower and their control

1. The relatively common disease of four o'clock flower is leaf spot. Leaf spot is a fungal disease that mainly harms the leaves of four o'clock flower, causing local lesions or even necrosis of the leaves. Leaf spot occurs in four o'clock flower mainly in July in North China and Northeast China.

2. When four o'clock flower develops leaf spot, certain measures need to be taken to control it. First, the diseased parts of four o'clock flower can be removed to prevent the damage from continuing to spread. In the early stage of the disease, spraying 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 800 times dilution or 50% hymexazol wettable powder at 1000 times dilution can be used for control. It needs to be sprayed 2 to 3 times before it takes effect. During routine fertilization, some potassium fertilizer or phosphorus fertilizer can be applied to improve the disease resistance of four o'clock flower. As for watering, note that the amount of water should also be appropriate. Avoid flooding irrigation, keep the soil free of standing water at ordinary times, and do a good job of drainage on rainy days.

The cultivation methods for four o'clock flower are actually not difficult; you can start from its growth habits. When cultivating it, be sure to control water, fertilizer, and light well. Purple pearl grass is not tolerant of strong light, so in summer be sure to do a good job of shading. When cultivating four o'clock flower, it is also necessary to do a good job of disease prevention and control, so that its growth can be ensured.