Growing jasmine and gardenia with a rotten apple works wonders: never yellow leaves, blooms every day

Many people love the fresh fragrance of jasmine and gardenia, yet they can never seem to grow them well. Either the buds drop or the leaves turn yellow, which is a real headache. Why is that?

It turns out that the pH of the soil is the culprit. Soil in the north is mostly alkaline, and for jasmine, gardenia and other flowers that love acidic soil, it causes a bit of climate incompatibility. But that is no problem. Today I will teach everyone how to make acidic soil at home, so let's learn together!

Steps for making acidic soil at home

There are two methods for making acidic soil: 1. The direct method; 2. The improved method

First, let's look at the first method

If you want your flowers to grow vigorously, good soil is the key. To find good soil, we need to put in some effort in our daily lives, so that it is much more convenient when the time comes to use it.

1. There are lots of fallen leaves in the woods. When we go out, we can take a convenient bag and collect some to bring home to make leaf mold.

2. Spread a layer of soil at the bottom of the flower pot, then add some of these fallen leaves, cover with soil, then add another layer of fallen leaves, and repeat. Three or four layers will do.

3. After all the layers are laid, water thoroughly. Then add some ferrous sulfate, seal it up, and place it in a warmer spot to compost the soil.

4. Open it up and check every so often, and keep it moist. Generally, in 4 to 6 months you will have acidic soil.

5. Acidic soil can be used to grow Aglaia odorata, camellia, jasmine, gardenia, rhododendron and other flowers.

Now let's look at the steps of the improved method

This time everything used is a common household item, so there is no need to go searching for anything!

1. Vinegar (preferably salt-free rice vinegar). Mix vinegar and water at a ratio of 1:100 and water acid-loving flowers with it. It can change the pH of the soil fairly quickly, turning alkaline soil into slightly acidic soil.

2. Fruit peel water. Do not throw away apple peels and leftover fruit cores. Soak them in water overnight, then use this water to water the flowers. It can gradually turn alkaline soil acidic. A rotten apple, placed in a mineral water bottle and fermented for more than a month, also makes an excellent acidic flower fertilizer. A previous video has already shared this rotten apple flower fertilizer with everyone.

3. Rice washing water. Many friends say rice washing water is very useful, as it can both change the pH of the soil and serve as fertilizer. That is indeed true. Note that before use it must first be decomposed. Add water, seal it, and at high temperatures it will be fully decomposed after two weeks. Then mix it with water at a ratio of 1:20 and water the flowers with it.

With acidic soil, growing jasmine well is guaranteed!

So what else needs attention when caring for jasmine?

1. Light must be sufficient.

Jasmine likes hot, humid, ventilated environments and needs plenty of light. Jasmine is sensitive to cold, so in the north, good work to keep it warm must be done in autumn and winter.

2. Do not water too much.

Jasmine is fairly drought-tolerant. Generally, wait until more than half of the soil is dry before watering, and watering once a week is enough. Watering too much easily causes leggy growth.

3. Fertilizing must keep up.

Jasmine needs attention to fertilizing during its growing period. Normally you can apply a multi-element fertilizer, or use chicken manure and bone meal as a base fertilizer mixed into the soil. During the bud stage, you can apply a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. Only with enough nutrition can it produce more branches and flower buds.

4. Pay attention to pruning.

Jasmine generally blooms on new branches; old branches do not bloom or bloom very little. So after jasmine finishes blooming, you must promptly prune off the spent flowers and branches.

There are two principles for pruning:

During the flowering period, if the flowers open slowly, be sure to cut off weak buds as well as the leaves near large buds, so as to ensure the flowers open.

In spring, jasmine can be heavily pruned. Even if it is pruned down to bare stems, as long as the root system is fine, it will quickly grow back. Normally after flowering, leave only two pairs of leaves and two growing nodes on each branch, and cut off the rest. Heavy pruning is meant to promote the development of side branches and make the jasmine more lush.

Once you have learned these methods, try your hand at tending your beloved jasmine. Do you feel a little eager to give it a try? Haha, then get moving right away!