Is it good to grow plum blossoms at home? Analysis of the pros and cons of growing plum blossoms at home
The plum blossom is a deciduous tree of the genus Prunus in the Rosaceae family, and has a cultivation history of more than three thousand years in our country, but some people strongly reject growing plum blossoms at home, because they believe that “mei” (plum) sounds the same as ”mei“ (mold), which will bring bad luck, while others believe that the plum blossom is a ”gentleman of noble character who endures hardship“, and that growing plum blossoms can make a person's fortune better. Now let us take a look together at whether it is good to grow plum blossoms at home!
Is it good to grow plum blossoms at home?
Growing plum blossoms at home is good. Since ancient times, the plum blossom has had a positive meaning. The ancients often compared themselves to plum blossoms, and one rarely sees poems or sayings that insult plum blossoms. They have always been loved by Chinese people, and even in modern times there are no such sayings. In terms of scent, the fragrance of plum blossoms has no confusing, unpleasant or toxic characteristics, and placing them in the home will not affect human health. In feng shui, there is also no statement by professionals that plum blossoms cannot be grown, so those who love them can plant them with confidence and should not be influenced by others.
The feng shui role of plum blossoms
The plum blossom has four virtues: yuan at birth, heng when flowering, li when bearing seeds, and zhen when ripe, and it also has the five blessings of happiness, fortune, longevity, smoothness and peace, which correspond with the five elements in feng shui. Planting plum blossoms and bamboo in the courtyard carries the meaning of “bamboo and plum double happiness”, with bamboo symbolizing the husband and plum symbolizing the wife, often used to congratulate a new marriage and marital harmony. The pattern of a magpie calling joyfully on a plum blossom is often called “good news of early spring”, “good news of spring light”, or “joy on the eyebrows”, taking a homophone or implied meaning. However, it is not advisable to hang plum blossoms in the living room, especially an old plum tree, because plum blossoms are cold in nature. In ancient times many women would paint plum blossoms with their menses as a keepsake. If hung in the home's living room, female yin energy will be excessive, and there may even be a reversal of qian and kun. Couples in the home are prone to quarrels, the male owner will go out and have trouble in his work, the peach blossom luck will rise, the female owner will become sentimental, the home will find it hard to get help from benefactors, and wealth will decline accordingly.
How to grow plum blossoms
1. Soil: It has no strict requirements for soil, tolerates poor and thin soil, tolerates cold, and fears waterlogging. It is suitable for growing in moist soil with loose, fertile topsoil, good drainage and slightly clayey subsoil.
2. Watering: During the growing period, attention should be paid to watering, often keeping the pot soil moist but on the dry side. It must neither become waterlogged nor be too wet or too dry. Follow the principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet. Generally, water less on cloudy days and when the temperature is low, and otherwise water more. In summer, water twice a day, in spring and autumn water once a day, and in winter water thoroughly only after the soil has dried out.
3. Sunlight: During the growing period, it should be placed in a place with ample sunlight and good ventilation. If it is in a shaded environment with insufficient light, it will grow weak and bloom sparsely.
4. Temperature: It is very sensitive to temperature, generally tolerating a low temperature of -10°C, and blooms when the average temperature in early spring reaches -5 to 7°C. If it encounters low temperatures, the flowering period is delayed; if it encounters low temperatures while flowering, the flowering period can be extended.
5. Fertilizing: Fertilizing should be reasonable. Apply good base fertilizer before planting, and at the same time mix in a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Before flowering, apply potassium dihydrogen phosphate once more, and at flowering apply decomposed cake fertilizer once to supplement nutrients. In June, a compound fertilizer can also be applied once to promote flower bud differentiation. After leaf fall in autumn, apply an organic fertilizer once, such as decomposed manure.
6. Pruning: After potting, potted plum blossoms should be heavily pruned to lay the foundation for making bonsai, mainly following the natural tree shape. Cut off crossing branches, upright branches, dead branches, overly dense branches, and so on, and shorten side branches to promote abundant flowers and lush leaves.