What are the causes of camellia bud drop and the solutions?
Camellia is treasured by the world of horticulture for its graceful plant form, its deep green and glossy leaves, and its gorgeous, colorful blooms. There are a great many camellia varieties; it is a traditional ornamental flower in China and a potted plant often grown at home, but many people in the process of growing it will find that camellias drop their buds, so what is going on with camellia bud drop? What should be done?
I. Causes of camellia bud drop
1. Failure to thin buds
If no improper care has occurred, the reason for camellia bud drop is failure to thin the buds. Some people think more buds is better, but in fact too many buds inevitably disperses the nutrients, causing the buds to drop due to insufficient nutrition.
2. Unsuitable soil
Unsuitable soil is also one of the causes of camellia bud drop. For camellia growth, a sandy loam with a soil pH of 5 to 6.5 is fairly suitable. Soil that is too acidic or on the alkaline side, heavy clay soil, saline-alkaline soil, calcareous soil and the like will all cause poor camellia growth, and certain trace elements cannot be absorbed. A lack of nutrient elements such as phosphorus, iron and sulfur in the soil will also produce chlorosis and bud drop.
3. Improper watering
Camellia likes moisture and dislikes waterlogging. If the soil around the roots stays too wet for a long time, the roots will suffocate, and in mild cases all the buds drop, while in severe cases the plant dies. To keep the buds, the potting soil should be kept appropriately moist but slightly on the dry side. If too dry, the fleshy fibrous roots will dehydrate and die; if too wet, the fibrous roots will again suffocate and rot from waterlogging and die. When the plant cannot get a water supply, it will first drop its buds and then its leaves.
4. Poor temperature
Poor temperature is another cause of camellia bud drop. During the winter, camellia is best kept at 3°C to 5°C; above 16°C it will sprout early, causing leaf and bud drop. Below 0°C, the buds will be damaged by freezing. Before flowering, the temperature should not be lower than 5°C to 7°C; during flowering, a temperature of 10°C to 15°C is suitable, with a maximum of 20°C; in winter, above 2°C, the camellia can hold onto its buds. Camellia most dislikes too great a temperature difference; alternating high and low temperatures will make all the buds drop.
5. Poor ventilation
Camellia bud drop is sometimes caused by poor ventilation, especially in winter. Being kept indoors for a long time with poor ventilation, stale air, or a room temperature above 20°C will also cause bud and leaf drop.
6. Fertilizing in winter
Camellia enters dormancy in winter, and fertilizing is not suitable during dormancy; even a light fertilizing very easily causes bud drop.
7. Pest and disease infection
Camellia diseases include anthracnose, sooty mold and gray leaf spot, among which anthracnose is the most serious. The main pest is scale insects. Once pests or diseases are found, spray promptly for control, otherwise severe bud drop will occur.
II. Solutions for camellia bud drop
1. Caused by failure to thin buds in time
Around August, when the camellia buds are the size of a soybean, thin them in time, keeping only one well-developed bud per branch; especially on weaker-growing plants, the buds must be thinned in time.
2. Caused by unsuitable soil
For camellia bud drop brought on by unsuitable soil, a 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution should be sprayed every week.
3. Caused by improper watering
If the potting soil has already become too dry, first water a small amount so that the soil gradually becomes moist, and then water thoroughly; otherwise the root tips lose water and cannot adapt to a sudden heavy watering, and the buds are bound to drop. In winter, water only when the soil has dried to about 70%, and water with lukewarm water at noon on a sunny day.
4. Caused by poor temperature
When the temperature drops to near 0°C, move the camellia indoors to a spot with light, cover it with a curtain at night to keep it warm, and pay attention to regulating the temperature of the flower room to give the camellia the most suitable growing temperature.
5. Caused by poor ventilation
While keeping the camellia at its most suitable growing temperature, also pay attention to ventilation, and it can be placed by a window to get a little airflow.
6. Caused by fertilizing in winter
From early spring until before flowering, camellia can be given a mixed nitrogen and phosphorus liquid fertilizer 1 to 2 times to prevent bud drop, but nitrogen fertilizer should not be excessive. By autumn it should store up enough nutrition for flowering, so that when it blooms the flowers will be abundant and brightly colored. From September to October, apply a thin fertilizer high in phosphorus once a month, such as rotted chicken manure, to achieve the goal of strengthening the buds. Stop fertilizing in November, and never fertilize during the winter dormant period.
7. Caused by pest and disease infection
If anthracnose damage occurs, it can be controlled by spraying an equal-part Bordeaux mixture or a 25% carbendazim wettable powder 1000-fold solution; for scale insect damage, spray a 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution for control, or wash them off clean.
The above are the causes of camellia bud drop and the solutions. Friends who grow camellias at home may as well give them a try; the best method is still to do the prevention work well, so that the camellia will bloom abundantly with lush leaves!