8 kinds of flowers that go dormant as soon as the weather gets hot, prune them twice and they'll make it through summer safely
The temperature has really been climbing lately. Just look at the high-temperature forecast map released by the weather bureau, with all kinds of red, orange, and purple crisscrossing. It makes Huahua want to ask: what color has your home turned? We feel hot, and the flowers at home are even more wilted from the heat, let alone those flowers that are about to go dormant, which can be killed by the heat in no time!
How does cyclamen go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Cyclamen is a flower that likes cool shade, and the high temperatures of summer are not friendly to it at all. A slight slip-up can cause death, so before the weather gets super hot, you must prepare for summer in advance!
How to get through summer:
1. Prune the leaves
When the outdoor temperature exceeds 20°C, the leaves of cyclamen begin to turn yellow and the number of blooms gradually decreases. At this point, you need to prune the cyclamen, cutting off those yellowing leaves, removing about 1/3 of the leaves. If the flower stalks tend to fall over after pruning, find some string to secure them a bit.
2. Prune again
When the outdoor temperature reaches 25°C, you need to prune the cyclamen a second time, continuing to cut back about 1/2 of the unopened flowers and leaves. When the temperature reaches 30°C, cut off all the cyclamen flowers and leave only 2-3 leaves.
3. Care during dormancy
Place the pruned cyclamen in a cool, ventilated spot, such as a north-facing balcony or a ventilated indoor area, away from direct sunlight. Avoid rain during dormancy, and be sure to reduce watering. You can water by the soaking method to avoid water accumulating in the corm and rotting the roots.
4. Regrowth
During dormancy, you can observe the condition of the leaves. If the remaining 2-3 leaves of the cyclamen also turn yellow, then cut until only 1 leaf is left. Keeping 1 leaf will let the cyclamen wake up earlier in autumn, even 1 month earlier than those pruned bare, so it accumulates more nutrients and produces more flowers in winter!
How does hyacinth go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Many flower lovers' hyacinths have finished blooming now, and even the green leaves have dried up. This means they are about to go dormant!
How to get through summer:
1. Cut off the flower stalk
If the hyacinth is soil-cultivated, after it blooms, cut off the flower stalk, roughly from a point above the halfway mark of the stalk, then add some phosphorus and potassium fertilizer so the leaves keep growing and continue to supply nutrients to the bulb.
2. Dig out the bulb
As the temperature rises, the leaves of the hyacinth will keep withering. At this point, stop watering for 10-15 days. Once the leaves have all turned yellow and withered, dig out the bulb, cut off the flower stem, yellowed leaves, and roots, then soak it in a carbendazim solution for about 40 minutes.
3. Find a dry plastic bag, put the dried hyacinth bulb inside, do not seal the opening, then place it in a cool, ventilated spot, such as the refrigerator's crisper compartment. To prevent moisture, you can also add sawdust. About 2-3 months is enough.
4. When October comes, take the hyacinth out of the refrigerator and replant it, and the hyacinth will be able to bloom again.
How does fuchsia go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Although fuchsia blooms beautifully and easily fills the pot, once the weather gets hot it basically can't hold on. Many flower lovers have told Huahua that several pots of their fuchsias have died!
How to get through summer:
1. Prune the branches
Fuchsia is especially afraid of heat. As summer temperatures gradually rise, especially after 30°C, it basically begins to go dormant. At this point, you can cut the branches short, cutting off everything above the 6th bud node on the branch.
2. Reduce watering
Place the fuchsia on a north-facing balcony or windowsill, away from direct sunlight and rain, and reduce watering at the same time, keeping the potting soil slightly dry.
3. Stop fertilizing
Stop fertilizing above 25°C. This is because fertilizing causes new branches to grow leggy, which in turn makes it harder to get through summer.
4. Take cuttings of young plants
Although fuchsia doesn't get through summer easily, newly rooted cuttings are relatively tolerant of high temperatures, so before summer arrives, you can use branches to take cuttings, in case the mother plant dies from failing to get through summer.
How does kalanchoe go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Starting from the New Year, kalanchoe bloomed continuously in wave after wave, and now that the weather is hot it is finally about to enter dormancy.
How to get through summer:
1. Avoid direct sunlight
Once the temperature exceeds 30°C, kalanchoe begins to enter dormancy. At this point, you can place the kalanchoe in a bright living room, on a north-facing balcony, or another well-ventilated spot, away from direct sunlight.
2. Reduce watering
A kalanchoe that has entered dormancy grows slowly or stalls, so watering must be reduced. Normally, water only after the soil 2-3cm below the pot surface has dried out, and never let water accumulate in the pot. Stop fertilizing during dormancy.
How does Christmas cactus go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Just like kalanchoe, once the hot weather arrives, Christmas cactus also begins to enter dormancy.
How to get through summer:
1. Pay attention to pruning
To prevent the Christmas cactus from dying during summer, be sure to prune before summer arrives, cutting off the branches that are so dense they block airflow, so the whole plant is well ventilated.
2. Shade and ventilation
Place the Christmas cactus on a north-facing balcony or in a ventilated indoor spot. If you place it on an east- or west-facing balcony, be sure to provide shade and avoid direct sunlight.
3. Reduce watering
During the Christmas cactus's dormancy, make sure the pot surface stays dry, watering about once every half month. Be careful never to let it get rained on, and if the temperature is especially high, be sure to spray water around the flower pot.
How do succulents go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
For those winter-growing succulents, once summer arrives they enter dormancy and basically stop growing.
How to get through summer:
1. Pay attention to shading
Plants like Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', Kalanchoe tomentosa, and Greenovia dodrantalis... all enter dormancy once summer arrives. At this point, you must pay attention to shading and place the succulents in a cool, ventilated spot for care.
2. Reduce watering
To prevent succulents from dying from water accumulation during dormancy, you must reduce watering, keeping the potting soil slightly dry, watering about once every 10-15 days.
How does geranium go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
When the temperature at home stays at 30°C, your geranium will be ready to go dormant, and at this point all flower lovers must pay attention!
How to get through summer:
1. Keep it dry
Make sure the pot surface stays dry. When watering, pour slowly from the edge of the pot, and never let it touch the leaves or stems.
2. Stop operations
Starting in May, stop all operations such as repotting, heavy pruning, or shaping and pruning branches. Don't do them anymore.
3. Supplemental fertilizer for those that don't go dormant in summer
Regal geraniums and Angel geranium varieties do not go dormant in summer due to heat. For these flowers that grow vigorously in summer, you must give diluted fertilizer to encourage more blooms.
How does fuchsia go dormant and get through summer?
The Complete Guide to Flower Growing
Recently, fuchsias have nearly flooded Huahua. Looking at the fuchsias posted by flower lovers, even Huahua is a little tempted! But fuchsia goes dormant in summer, do all you flower lovers know that?
How to get through summer:
1. Cool down and ventilate
After the temperature reaches 30°C, place the fuchsia in a cool, ventilated spot, such as a north-facing balcony away from direct sunlight, or an indoor spot with bright indirect light. Be sure to spray water on the leaves 1-2 times a day, and you can also spray water around the flower pot to lower the temperature.
2. Stop fertilizing
After the temperature reaches 25°C, be sure to stop fertilizing the fuchsia, and at the same time keep the pot slightly drier, to avoid root rot caused by stuffy heat.
3. Cuttings to get through summer
Older perennial fuchsia plants don't get through summer easily, but newly rooted cuttings are more resistant to summer, so before summer arrives, it's best to take cuttings from branches to ensure they get through summer safely.
That's all Huahua has to share today.
All you flower lovers must take this seriously,
otherwise if your flowers at home die off,
it will really break your heart!