Silver Queen Cultivation Methods and Precautions
Silver Queen is what people commonly call Chinese evergreen; it is a highly ornamental plant. Silver Queen is currently widely distributed in our country and is a very popular plant. Many people like to grow Silver Queen, but as for its cultivation methods, presumably not many people are clear about them.
How to grow Silver Queen
1. For potted plants, loose peat soil or turf soil is best. A mix of leaf mold and sandy loam can also be used, and a small amount of diluted ferrous sulfate can be used to acidify the soil. It likes diffused light and is especially afraid of direct sunlight in summer.
2. Outdoors, use 65%-75% shade netting for shade; indoors, place it in a bright spot so the leaves keep vivid color. If kept in a dark place for a long time, the leaf surface becomes dull, and the leaves become soft and no longer upright, affecting the ornamental effect.
3. It is not cold-tolerant; when the temperature drops to 10°C, insulation measures must be taken. After freezing, the whole plant rots, and in winter it must not go below 15°C. Water less in winter and spring; in winter and spring, water only after the potting soil has dried out completely, and only when the minimum temperature is above 15°C can appropriate warm water be given.
4. In summer it grows vigorously and can be given plenty of water. In late spring and early summer, apply a small amount of acidic nitrogen fertilizer; in summer, increase nitrogen fertilizer; in early and mid-autumn, apply some compound fertilizer; in late autumn and early winter, stop fertilizing. With sufficient fertilizer, the stems are thick and strong, there are many tillers, and the leaves are large.
Silver Queen cultivation methods
1. Soil. Silver Queen is mostly potted; to grow it well, choose good soil. For potting, loose peat soil or turf soil is usually best, or a mix of leaf mold and sandy loam, and a small amount of diluted ferrous sulfate can be used to acidify the soil.
2. Water and fertilizer regulation. Spring and autumn are the peak growing seasons for Silver Queen, so watering should be sufficient, and the potting soil should often be kept moist; the water temperature should not be too low and should be the same as room temperature. Often spray the branches and leaves with clean water to prevent the leaf tips from drying up, but try not to let water accumulate. During the growing period, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once every half month, combining watering and fertilizing to ensure the fertilizer is neither too strong nor too weak. In winter, Silver Queen grows slowly, so water less and stop fertilizing.
3. Temperature. Silver Queen grows fastest at 20-24°C; above 30°C it stops growing, and the leaves tend to turn yellow with dry tips. Therefore, in summer care, pay attention to preventing heat and cooling down, often ventilate to lower the temperature, or sprinkle water on the ground. In winter, do not place Silver Queen near a window, to avoid too low a temperature affecting growth. In winter, just keep the temperature at 10°C, and do not let it go below 5°C.
4. Light. When cultivated outdoors in summer, pay attention to shading so the light is not too strong, otherwise sunscald is very likely. When overwintering in a greenhouse or indoor space in winter, pay attention to lighting to prevent the leaf color from fading due to insufficient light.
Precautions for growing Silver Queen
1. Do not let water accumulate in the Silver Queen pot (watering too frequently), as this easily causes root rot; it is best to water after seeing the potting soil become dry. If the potting soil is deep, the watering frequency should be reduced even more; in summer, water or spray appropriately more to ensure humidity. There is a saying, “whether it lives or not depends on water”, which shows the importance of watering.
2. Silver Queen cannot withstand exposure to the sun. Silver Queen is mainly grown for its leaves; under strong sun for a long time, especially at noon in summer, the leaves are easily scorched, affecting ornamental value and losing the meaning of growing it.
What to do if Silver Queen leaf tips turn black
1. Water accumulation in the potting soil causing root rot in Silver Queen is also a cause of withered and blackened leaf tips. At this time, you can take out the Silver Queen plant, remove the soil, then cut off the rotten roots; after drying, plant it in clean wet sand, and after it regrows roots, repot it in new culture soil for care.
2. Dry air combined with strong light and excessively high temperature is one cause of withered and blackened Silver Queen leaf tips, and this mostly happens in summer and autumn. At this time, place Silver Queen in a semi-shaded spot, cut off the withered leaves, and often spray Silver Queen with water to maintain humidity; the newly grown leaves will then return to normal.
Silver Queen cultivation can start from its growth habits. First, choose suitable soil for growing it, then control the temperature. In the later stage of cultivation, management should be strengthened; fertilizer and water are a fairly important part, and Silver Queen is not tolerant of water accumulation, so drainage work must be done well.