How to grow a money tree so it thrives? The latest care methods are here
The money tree is quite popular among people, and how to grow it well has become a question people often pay attention to, but many people do not understand its habits, are careless in management, and problems such as withered branches, fallen leaves, and rotting stems appear. So how exactly should the money tree be cared for?
Understand the habits of the money tree
The money tree likes light and tolerates shade; it likes water and fertilizer and tolerates drought and poor soil; it likes high temperature and high humidity, and is averse to low-temperature frost and freezing damage. The suitable growth temperature is 15°C to 30°C, and at low temperatures below 0°C the branches and trunk can suffer freezing damage.
The daily care and management of the money tree must be meticulous
1. Spray medicine regularly, check frequently and look often, and deal with pests and diseases immediately when found: common diseases of the money tree include leaf spot, branch blight, stem rot, root rot, and so on. Common pests include aphids, whiteflies, and some pests that bore into and gnaw the stem and roots, and so on. All of these must be prevented in daily management. For example: 1% half-strength Bordeaux mixture, or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 700 to 800 times dilution can be used to prevent leaf spot; drench with metalaxyl-manganese zinc wettable powder at 500 to 600 times dilution, or 70% yi-manganese wettable powder at 300 to 400 times dilution to prevent the occurrence of stem rot, branch blight, root rot, and other diseases; apply 3% furadan granules at 2 to 5g per pot or 15% aldicarb at 0.5 to 0.7g, and other methods to control various pests. The interval between applications is generally 7 to 15 days, and each dose should be appropriate to prevent phytotoxicity.
2. The growing medium must be loose and well drained.
3. Strictly control watering and fertilizing: under normal circumstances, watering in summer should be once a day, in spring and autumn once every 3 to 5 days, and in winter generally once every 5 to 7 days. Combined with watering, in summer 3% to 5% urea water can be applied each time, and once every half month 3% to 6% monopotassium phosphate solution is enough; in spring, autumn, and winter, apply 3% to 6% monopotassium phosphate solution each time, and at the same time apply 3% to 5% urea water once every half month.
4. Prevent freezing damage in autumn-winter and winter-spring: in late summer and early autumn, the money tree enters its growth period, and at this time the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied can be increased; entering October, gradually reduce it, and at the same time increase the use of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; stop using nitrogen fertilizer 20 days before frost, and afterward spray 3% monopotassium phosphate solution once every 3 days to strengthen its adaptability to low temperature and adverse environments. When the daytime minimum temperature reaches 4°C, take warmth-preserving measures; in spring when the climate turns warm, still mainly apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and at the same time gradually increase the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, and from early May begin to reduce the use of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
Remedial measures for branches after cold damage occurs
A sudden drop in temperature above 0°C can cause cold damage, and in autumn-winter or winter-spring when the temperature drops to 3 to 4°C, the leaves then show freezing damage. Below 0°C the branches, stems, and roots are damaged. As soon as symptoms appear, it should be moved quickly to a warm place. If the leaves are damaged, 5 to 15 ppm naphthaleneacetic acid butyl ester and 10 ppm gibberellin solution can be sprayed on the leaves, and at the same time 10 to 3 ppm naphthaleneacetic acid solution, vB2 0.2mg/plant, vB2 0.3mg/plant dissolved solution can be used to drench the roots, treating once every 3 days in this way, and after new leaves grow out, change to once every 7 days, for a total of five to six times. If the branches and stems have already been damaged, then heavy pruning should be done (generally the healthy part should be cut back by 10 to 20cm), and at the same time scorch the cut surface to prevent infection by pathogens, then use the above root-drenching agents in the same way as above to drench the roots once every 5 to 7 days, or dissolve 3g aspirin in 10 to 4 ppm naphthaleneacetic acid 500ml solution and slowly infuse it into the plant through an infusion tube until new buds sprout. During this period, 70% yi-manganese wettable powder at 200 times dilution can be used to drench the roots 2 to 3 times to prevent root and stem rot. When damage to the roots is found, in mild cases 70% yi-manganese wettable powder at 200 times dilution can be poured in, then place it in a warm, dry place; in severe cases it should be removed from the pot, the roots washed clean, the damaged and rotted parts dug out, then the roots soaked in 200 times dilution of 70% yi-manganese wettable powder solution for 4 to 5 hours, taken out and inserted into a sand bed, and after new roots grow, repot it.
Control measures for other diseases
When branch blight is found and the upper stem becomes soft, the diseased branches and stems should be heavily pruned to prevent pathogens from seeping down with the tissue fluid, and at the same time use 70% yi-manganese at 200 to 300 times dilution and so on to drench the roots. If disease spots appear on the stem or localized rot appears on the roots, forcefully scrape off the disease spots and part of the healthy tissue, then apply Pikangwang ointment to the wound, and then drench with 70% yi-manganese wettable powder at 200 times dilution.