Cherry Blossom Sapling Planting Methods and Blooming Time Explained
Cherry blossoms are a highly ornamental plant, so many people grow them. So how should you plant cherry blossoms to make them grow well?
Cherry blossom cultivation and management methods:
The two most important factors are that the soil should be slightly acidic and have good drainage. When transplanting, it is best to add half stream sand or Yangmingshan soil to the original soil in the planting hole to improve drainage, and add peat moss or coir to increase organic matter and soil acidity.
The soil drainage must be especially good, with no water accumulation. It is best to raise the planting site, and planting on a slope is even better. Cherry blossoms are light-loving plants, so it is best to choose a location with at least half a day of sunlight for planting.
They have weak resistance to air pollution, so avoid planting them in areas with severe air pollution. Transplanting should be done during the leaf-drop period, and bare-root trees transplanted with an 'intact root ball' have a higher survival rate. However, if they are 'potted seedlings already transplanted into a grow bag,' there is no seasonal restriction, and the survival rate is guaranteed to be very high. After transplanting is completed, they should be securely staked with rot-resistant cedar, and this should remain for at least two summers.
How can you make cherry blossoms bloom better, with more and larger flowers?
Cherry blossoms bloom in March, and the flowering period is generally about 16 days.After flowering, apply slow-release fertilizer or organic fertilizer every two months to promote good leaf growth; after August, switch to flowering organic fertilizer with a high phosphorus content, or fish belly fertilizer, to promote flower bud differentiation. Do not use fast-acting chemical fertilizers, to avoid fertilizer burn. Pruning must be done within two months after flowering. The timing varies depending on how early or late different varieties bloom, generally before April to June; otherwise, the branches will not mature and the tree will not bloom the following year. Therefore, cherry blossoms should normally avoid heavy pruning, and only small twigs should be lightly pruned to adjust the plant shape.
Cherry blossoms are highly drought tolerant, so watering should be reduced to avoid poor growth caused by oxygen deficiency at the roots. The reason for not blooming or blooming sparsely is actually often simply that the plant is not old enough yet, so wait a few more years.
In addition, a note: never give it a poor environment or stop fertilizing just because you do not want it to grow tall. When planting, steps such as digging a large planting hole, planting shallowly, adding Yangmingshan soil, and mixing in peat moss are all indispensable.
Cherry blossoms dislike pruning, because after pruning their wounds recover and heal very slowly and are easily infected. Usually only stray branches and dead branches are pruned, and pruning the main trunk is not recommended.
It is recommended that pruning be done in dry weather, and that a wound sealant be applied after pruning.
After pruning diseased branches, the tools must be disinfected before pruning other branches or other cherry trees, to avoid infection!