When does the bromeliad bloom?
The blooming of bromeliads has no fixed season; it is generally related to growth time and care. As long as the growth time is more than 8 months (different varieties have different time requirements, ranging from 8 months to several years), and the plant is robust and large enough (including dead old leaves, it should have more than 20 leaves), it may bloom. Now let us take a look at when bromeliads bloom!
When do bromeliads bloom?
When bromeliads grow more than 30 leaves under natural conditions, they can bloom on their own under suitable environmental conditions. The flowering period is mainly in late spring and early summer. In order to make ornamental bromeliads bloom as soon as possible, most are artificially forced to bloom. When some festivals are approaching, people artificially force them to bloom so that people can see colorful ornamental bromeliad flowers during the festivals.
Artificial methods for forcing bromeliads to bloom
The most commonly used method for artificially forcing bromeliads to bloom is treatment with a saturated acetylene solution. Use a rubber tube to connect an acetylene gas cylinder to a water storage bucket, and immerse the rubber tube with small holes evenly in the water. Slowly release acetylene gas from the cylinder into the water at a pressure of 0.5 Pa. For 100 liters of water, the gas release time should be at least 45 minutes. When the water flowing out of the container has a strong odor, it can be used to force blooming. Pour the acetylene aqueous solution into the drained “leaf cup” of the bromeliad, using just enough to fill the “leaf cup”. Repeat 3 times, with an interval of 2-3 days each time. Generally, flowering can occur 3-4 months after treatment.
Precautions for forcing bromeliads to bloom
1. Choose plants that have completed the vegetative growth stage and have at least 20 fully developed leaves, including old dead leaves, so as to accumulate enough nutrients. If there are too few leaves and insufficient nutrients, even if forcing is successful, the flowers will not meet ornamental standards.
2. Generally, it should be carried out at a room temperature of about 20°C. The higher the temperature, the shorter the forcing time; the lower the temperature, the longer the forcing time. However, if the daily absolute low temperature is below 15°C, forcing is difficult to succeed.
3. Stop fertilizing two weeks before forcing bromeliads to bloom, and water only with clear water. Start fertilizing two weeks after forcing treatment, applying less nitrogen fertilizer and more potassium fertilizer. This can prevent the formation of green flower spikes.
4. Do not close the acetylene gas valve while forcing blooming, because acetylene gas easily evaporates from the water. If the gas valve is closed, the acetylene concentration in the water will gradually decrease, affecting the forcing effect.