What month do you sow Madagascar periwinkle? Sowing time and flowering period
Flowers, plants and the like all have times that suit their growth and germination. Under such time conditions, the natural environment can provide the temperature, light and water the plants need. So when growing them at home, we also need to consider some of the growth patterns plants have formed in nature, so that our cultivation process goes more smoothly.
When to sow Madagascar periwinkle
Sow around March to May in spring, with the best temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius; germination generally occurs 14 to 21 days after sowing. You can start raising seedlings in early spring, and cultivation can be carried out in the warm spring.
The flowering period of Madagascar periwinkle
The flowering period of Madagascar periwinkle is very long. Basically, when Madagascar periwinkle blooms, the flowering period begins in April——May, and it can generally last quite a long time, blooming continuously from spring to autumn, and can even keep blooming all year round, which is why it is called "daily spring".
However, a single flower of Madagascar periwinkle does not last very long; generally one flower can bloom for 3——5 days.
Fertilizing methods for Madagascar periwinkle
1. What fertilizer should Madagascar periwinkle be given
Madagascar periwinkle is not tolerant of waterlogging and is most afraid of being soaked in the flower pot, so fertilization should also use some water-soluble fertilizer, applied once every seven to ten days, and in the cold winter the amount of fertilizer should be relatively reduced. It mainly depends on what kind of soil medium it is. If it is ordinary soil, a compound fertilizer can be mixed into the soil as a base fertilizer when potting up, and when the plant shows it needs a top dressing, apply water-soluble fertilizer.
2. How to fertilize Madagascar periwinkle
During the seedling stage, Madagascar periwinkle will undergo one operation of removing the growing tip, after which normal fertilization should begin, that is, watering with water-soluble fertilizer once every seven to ten days as described above. Once the flowering period begins, the fertilizer should be mainly organic fertilizer, supplemented by compound fertilizer, applied once a month. This can both ensure the brightness of the flowers during the flowering period and extend the flowering period of Madagascar periwinkle, achieving the greatest ornamental value.
Pruning Madagascar periwinkle
1. Pruning methods for Madagascar periwinkle
Madagascar periwinkle is a herbaceous plant and is suitable for pot culture, but note that its plant must not be allowed to grow too tall, so as not to affect indoor decoration and viewing. Therefore, after it survives potting up, it needs several rounds of pinching to encourage Madagascar periwinkle to branch more and bloom more, and after flowering the spent flowers need to be cut off.
In addition, pest-damaged branches also need to be pruned, and fertilizer and water management strengthened. When pruning in winter and summer, pest-damaged branches and dry, withered branches should be heavily pruned. At the same time, fertilizer and water management should also be strengthened to promote Madagascar periwinkle to send out new shoots, renew the canopy and restore tree vigor.
2. The pinching work for Madagascar periwinkle
Besides normal fertilizer and water management, the key points are pinching and the prevention and control of stem and leaf rot during the rainy season. The purpose of pinching is to promote branching in Madagascar periwinkle and at the same time control the flowering period. Generally, pinching begins when there are 4 to 6 true leaves, and the second pinching is carried out when the new shoots have grown 4 to 6 leaves; it is best not to pinch more than 3 times.
The last pinching directly affects the flowering period. Generally speaking, the last pinching in autumn needs to be 25 days before the start of the flowering period, and the last pinching in summer should be 3 to 5 days earlier than in autumn.
Madagascar periwinkle can be left unpinched, but in order to obtain a better plant shape, it is best to pinch once or twice. The first time is at 3 to 4 pairs of true leaves; the second time, leave 1 to 2 pairs of true leaves on the new branches. During cultivation, regulators can usually be used, but paclobutrazol must not be applied.
The reason Madagascar periwinkle is called Madagascar periwinkle should include the fact that its flowering period is long. Madagascar periwinkle begins to bloom at the end of spring, and then can maintain a blooming state all year round, just like spring staying forever. However, to maintain a long flowering period, the necessary care procedures and methods are certainly indispensable.