A Detailed Guide to the Latest Forget-Me-Not Cultivation Methods
Forget-me-not, also known as scorpion grass, star flower, spoon-leaf grass, etc., is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Myosotis in the family Boraginaceae. It mostly grows on mountain forest edges, hillsides, under forests and in valley grasslands. After its flowers are made into dried flowers, the color does not fade for a long time, making them very suitable for pressing in books or as a token of love, and it is named for this. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods for forget-me-not!
Growth Habits of Forget-Me-Not
Forget-me-not is distributed in Europe, Iran, Russia, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, China and other places. In China, it is mainly distributed in Jiangsu, Northwest China, North China, Sichuan, Yunnan and Northeast China. It has strong adaptability, prefers a dry and cool climate, avoids damp heat, likes light, is drought-tolerant, and its suitable growth temperature is 20-25°C. It is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, well-drained slightly alkaline soil.
Propagation Methods of Forget-Me-Not
Forget-me-not is usually propagated by sowing. The sowing period is generally from September to January of the following year. The seeds are photophobic, so after broadcasting the seeds, cover them with a little soil and maintain moisture. Under the suitable temperature of 15-20°C, they germinate after 10-15 days. However, be careful that the temperature does not exceed 25°C. After the sprouts emerge, ventilation is needed. When the seedlings have more than 5 true leaves, plant them out. For tissue-cultured seedlings propagated by tissue culture technology, plant them out when they have 4-6 leaves.
Cultivation Methods of Forget-Me-Not
1. Planting: Forget-me-not likes dry, fertile, well-aerated, slightly alkaline sandy loam. For ground planting, thoroughly mix decomposed organic fertilizer and slow-release compound fertilizer into the soil. The planting spacing is 30×40 cm, and the planting depth should be such that the substrate is slightly higher than the root crown. One month after emergence, they can be planted out or potted. When transplanting, carry as much soil as possible and minimize damage to the root system.
2. Light: Forget-me-not likes ample sunlight, but the ambient temperature must not be too high or humid. Therefore, during usual care, it should be given enough sunlight. Insufficient light will cause the forget-me-not leaf clumps to become overly lush, which will affect flowering. However, in summer, try to provide shade to avoid sun scorch.
3. Temperature: The suitable growth temperature for forget-me-not is 22-28°C. When the temperature is higher than 30°C or lower than 5°C, the growth of forget-me-not will be hindered. Therefore, when planting forget-me-not, try to carry out low-temperature treatment first, allowing it to fully receive low temperatures and complete vernalization. After normal growth, try to control the temperature within the suitable range.
4. Watering: Forget-me-not prefers water relatively well, but fears waterlogging. During care, keep the soil of forget-me-not slightly moist, but do not let water accumulate at the root position. When sunlight is sufficient, water a little more appropriately to increase air humidity. During the non-growing season, keep the potting soil slightly moist and tending dry.
5. Fertilizing: When planting forget-me-not, apply sufficient base fertilizer and evenly mix the fertilizer into the soil. Applying potassium fertilizer and boron fertilizer during the flowering period helps improve the quality and yield of cut flowers. When the leaves of forget-me-not grow to 6-8 leaves, apply a urea solution once. When forget-me-not bolts and produces flower stems, apply 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution 2-3 times.
6. Pests and diseases: The diseases of forget-me-not include gray mold, powdery mildew, viral disease, etc. Gray mold can be controlled by spraying 800-1000 times chlorothalonil or thiophanate-methyl continuously 3-4 times. Powdery mildew can be controlled by spraying fenarimol, etc. For viral disease, the main measures are timely removal and burning of diseased plants, and spraying insecticides to prevent insect transmission of the disease. Scale insects are the most common pest of Monstera deliciosa. When there are only a few, they can be cleaned off with an old toothbrush and then killed by spraying 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution.