Roses bloom in pots month after month, all thanks to these 10 ultimate tips

Huahua says

What is life? For a flower grower, life is probably having your own small yard, tending flowers and plants in your spare time. That is exactly what Tongxin Shijie is like; her life is incredibly simple, and how to grow flowers well is probably her whole life.

Tongxin Shijie

Dialogue Episode 1

Tongxin Shijie now lives in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, and grows flowers and plants in her small yard after retirement.

"Flowers are my emotional anchor."

-- Tongxin Shijie

1

Huahua: When did you start growing flowers?

Tongxin: I started growing flowers with my father when I was a child; back then I just kept a few pots. After I became an adult and had my own family, the number of flowers I grew gradually increased. Now that I am retired, I grow flowers in my own small yard.

(The roses in Tongxin's yard)

2

Huahua: You grow so many flowers - which is your favorite?

Tongxin: I like the fragrant ones, the large-flowered ones, the double-flowered ones, and the woody ones. If we are talking about specific varieties, it would probably be Chinese roses, roses, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, camellias, tree peonies, herbaceous peonies, and orchids.

(Herbaceous peonies in full bloom in Tongxin's yard)

3

Huahua: Your Chinese roses look very well grown - do you have any special tricks?

Tongxin: I learned to grow flowers by following Huahua; I read Yanghua Daquan every day and am a loyal fan of Huahua. As for the specific method, it is feeding them fertilizer. Using fruit peels, fish intestines, soybeans, bones, and eggshells to make compost, and watering with rice-washing water, both work very well. If there is dog poop near my home, I pick it up and bury it beside the flowers nearby.

4

Huahua: Thank you, Tongxin, for your recognition of Huahua. Your home is in the Northeast, so what do you do with the flowers in winter?

Tongxin: My tree peonies, herbaceous peonies, and Chinese roses are generally planted in the ground. Small potted flowers are moved indoors in winter, while those planted in the ground are covered with plastic bags and the roots are covered with soil. To be honest, my Chinese roses that overwinter indoors are not as good as the ones outdoors.

5

Huahua: Many flower lovers like cuttings - have you tried cuttings too?

Tongxin: I also do cuttings, but I do them according to the type. Flowers like wax plant, fig, Begonia maculata, and gardenia are suitable for water propagation cuttings, but for Chinese roses, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, and osmanthus, vermiculite cuttings have a higher survival rate.

(The Aglaia odorata that Tongxin propagated from cuttings)

6

Huahua: Could you explain the cutting steps in detail?

Tongxin: Take Chinese roses as an example.

1. Before cutting, first sterilize the small knife you will use, and cut less than 1 cm away from the node.

2. Soak in rooting powder, then insert into vermiculite; the rooting water can be poured directly into the soil. Put a plastic bag over it, place it on the balcony, and just make sure there is ventilation every day.

7

Huahua: Some flower lovers say that after taking cuttings, their flowers do not survive easily. How do you ensure the survival rate?

Tongxin: The key to cutting survival is to sterilize the soil. If the soil is not sterilized, not a single one will survive. Sterilization is very important - not only the soil, but the knife too. In addition, you must make sure the branches are fresh.

(Chinese roses in full bloom in Tongxin's yard)

8

Huahua: What is your sign that a cutting has survived?

Tongxin: If after about 20 days the stem has not turned black, then it has pretty much survived. After a while longer, once small buds grow, then it is definitely fine, and only then do I dare to move it to a pot.

(The wax plant that Tongxin propagated from cuttings)

9

Huahua: What points should flower lovers pay attention to when moving plants to pots?

Tongxin: I generally wait until 2-3 leaves have grown and the root system is fairly developed before I dare to pot them up. In the Northeast it takes about 2 months. After potting, you must put a plastic bag over it, place it in a shaded spot, and remove the bag after half a month.

10

Huahua: The growth of Chinese roses is inseparable from pruning - do you have your own method for pruning?

Tongxin: I usually prune heavily in winter and after flowering; only with heavy pruning can big buds burst out. When pruning, cut until each branch has only about 3 leaves left, and do not be reluctant to cut. Do not waste the cut flowers either - put them in a vase.

(Tongxin's Chinese rose arrangement)

11

Huahua: Few people arrange flowers in vases, right? Everyone seems to just wait for the flowers to naturally fade.

Tongxin: I got scared off by people taking the whole lot. Last year the first blooms were stolen. So I simply cut them all off and put them in a vase, enjoying them all by myself.

(The Chinese roses that Tongxin once had stolen)

12

Huahua: With so many flowers at home, did you buy them all yourself?

Tongxin: Some were bought, and some I asked others for. The roses at home were given by someone else.

(The roses in Tongxin's yard)

13

Huahua: Speaking of buying flowers, do you have any experience to share?

Tongxin: When buying flowers, it is best to go to a physical store or buy from flower lovers. If you really want to shop online, be sure to check the store's address. Of course, you can also buy discounted seedlings. The 1-yuan Chinese roses I bought were all true to type; besides, even if they were mislabeled, it would not hurt. However, orchids are best not bought online, as the variety is easily wrong.

(Tongxin's orchids)

14

Huahua: So you have had experiences of being cheated too?

Tongxin: I can be considered a graduate of Suqian University, and I have been cheated many times. I still have a small white rose at home, but I plan to make use of what would otherwise be wasted: grow it strong and graft Chinese roses onto it to create a lollipop shape.

15

Huahua: Finally, do you have any advice for beginners?

Tongxin: Take Chinese roses for example: water less, give appropriate light, provide more ventilation, keep the soil loose and breathable, be willing to prune branches, and fertilize appropriately. The most important thing is still to understand your own flowers' habits!

A message from Tongxin Shijie

I am a loyal viewer of Yanghua Daquan, and I really look forward to the update at 10 p.m. every day. Through Yanghua Daquan my flower-growing skills have improved a lot, and I have also gotten to know some flower lovers. In the future, I will also cheer together with Huahua for the great cause of growing flowers!

Just as Tongxin says,

If I treat flowers well, the flowers will repay me.

Growing flowers requires care,

However much you put in, that is how much you will harvest...

Image source: Liao Tongxin Shijie

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