Five things to avoid when growing narcissus in water, and how to steer clear of them during care

Narcissus is a very common indoor flower during the Chinese New Year, and water culture is also a commonly used cultivation method today, as it is not only attractive but also promotes flower growth. However, when growing narcissus in water, there are still "five things to avoid."

Narcissus (detailed introduction)

1. Beware of ripe fruit: Do not place ripe fruit next to narcissus plants, to prevent gases such as ethylene released by various fruits from accelerating flower withering and shortening the flowering period.

2. Beware of iron utensils: Do not use iron containers for water culture of narcissus; use ceramic, glass, plastic, or similar containers instead, otherwise rusty water will cause the cut parts of flower buds and fibrous roots to rot.

3. Beware of saline-alkaline water: For water culture of narcissus, well water, rainwater, river water, or stream water is best. If tap water is used, it should be stored in a basin or vat for 2 to 3 days in advance to settle and clear.

4. Beware of high and low temperatures: The water culture temperature should not be too high or too low; 4°C to 25°C is suitable, with 15°C to 18°C being best. Too high a temperature will cause leaves to grow leggy, flowers to become dull in color, and flower scapes to be short.

5. Beware of dirt on leaf surfaces: During water culture, keep leaf surfaces clean, otherwise it not only affects appearance but also weakens photosynthesis. Spray water on the plants every day to maintain the plant's internal water balance, and also to keep the leaves glossy and attractive, which is good for photosynthesis.

The biggest worries when growing narcissus in water and care precautions

Narcissus

Narcissus is one of China's top ten famous flowers and has a long history of cultivation. Water-cultured narcissus has flowers as white as rosy clouds, and its stems and leaves stand tall and upright, especially beautiful, truly living up to its name. But it must be said that during water culture, narcissus may fail to grow and bloom normally because of your negligence, so what are the biggest worries during water culture of narcissus?

I. The biggest worries when growing narcissus in water

1. Beware of ripe fruit

Do not place ripe fruit next to narcissus plants, to prevent gases such as ethylene released by various fruits from accelerating flower withering and shortening the flowering period.

2. Beware of iron utensils

Do not use iron containers for water culture of narcissus; use ceramic, glass, plastic, or similar containers instead, otherwise rusty water will cause the cut parts of flower buds and fibrous roots to rot.

3. Beware of saline-alkaline water

For water culture of narcissus, well water, rainwater, river water, or stream water is best. If tap water is used, it should be stored in a basin or vat for 2 to 3 days in advance to settle and clear.

4. Beware of high and low temperatures

The water culture temperature should not be too high or too low; 4°C to 25°C is suitable, with 15°C to 18°C being best. Too high a temperature will cause leaves to grow leggy, flowers to become dull in color, and flower scapes to be short.

5. Beware of dirt on leaf surfaces

During water culture, keep leaf surfaces clean, otherwise it not only affects appearance but also weakens photosynthesis. Spray water on the plants every day to maintain the plant's internal water balance, and also to keep the leaves glossy and attractive, which is good for photosynthesis.

Narcissus

II. Care precautions for water-cultured narcissus

1. Prevent "dumb flowers"

The so-called "dumb flowers" refers to the phenomenon in which, during water culture of narcissus, the flower scape dies midway, the flower buds wither, or the flower buds decline before opening.

The "dumb flower" phenomenon is mainly caused by the following reasons:

1) Poor quality narcissus bulbs. The bulb is small and the flower buds develop poorly; the bulb suffers from pests and diseases, the basal plate is dry and decayed, few roots form, and the plant is weak.

2) Improper care. Infrequent water changes, insufficient light, too high room temperature, and poor ventilation cause leaves to grow leggy and flower scapes to become thin and weak. In addition, damaging the roots and flower scapes when changing water can also lead to "dumb flowers."

3) Improper water culture season. For example, if the bulbs are in dormancy before Frost's Descent or if water culture is carried out after Qingming when temperatures rise, "dumb flowers" will appear.

To prevent "dumb flowers," first select high-quality three-year-old bulbs for water culture. For water culture, rainwater or pond water is best; if tap water is used, it should be stored for one day before use. Then ensure the narcissus receives sufficient light, no less than 6 hours per day, and also pay attention to indoor ventilation. Keep the temperature at 12-15°C, which is most favorable for narcissus growth. In the north, where the weather is dry, spray water on the narcissus plants every day.

2. Control the flowering period

The flowering period of narcissus is earlier than that of peach and plum but later than that of plum blossom. Generally, water culture begins in autumn and winter, and flowers bloom in winter and spring. Normally, narcissus bulbs in water culture for 45-50 days can bloom on schedule. If the weather is abnormal, light is insufficient, or the temperature is too low (or too high), measures must be taken so that the narcissus can bloom on schedule.

Common methods:

1) When the temperature is too low and light is insufficient, replace the water in the narcissus basin with warm water at 12-15°C; at night, surround the narcissus basin with plastic film and use a 60-watt light 40-50 cm from the flowers to increase temperature and strengthen light, while also spraying water on the narcissus leaf surfaces to prevent a sudden rise in temperature.

2) When the temperature is too high, add an appropriate amount of cold water to the narcissus basin, pour out the water in the basin at night, and carry out low-temperature treatment; this can delay the flowering of narcissus.

3. Prevent excessive growth

To cultivate narcissus with short leaves and long flower scapes, the key is to promote flower scape growth and avoid leggy leaf growth. When growing narcissus in water, first remove the brown outer membrane of the narcissus bulb, make a vertical cut on the upper part of the bulb between the buds, cutting through 3-4 layers of scales, then make a horizontal cut on each side, being very careful not to damage the flower buds, wash off the sticky fluid, and place it in a shallow basin for cultivation.

During the day, place it in a place with sufficient sunlight; at night, pour out the water in the basin, and the next morning add water again for cultivation. This can prevent leggy leaf growth.

You can also achieve short leaves and long flower scapes by first planting in the ground or in a pot, then growing in water. The specific method is to first plant the narcissus bulb in soil in a sunny place, water it every day until the flower scape emerges, then dig out the narcissus bulb, wash off the soil, and grow it in water indoors for viewing.

This is where narcissus differs from other flowers in water culture care. If you had not read the above, I believe many flower growers would think that fast leaf growth in narcissus is a good thing, and that placing ripe fruit near narcissus will not cause any effect.

The "five things to avoid" in the care and management of water-cultured narcissus

Narcissus belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, Narcissus genus, and is a perennial herbaceous plant. Narcissus is one of China's top ten famous flowers. Its fragrance is refreshing, and its flowers are as white as rosy clouds, like a fairy among flowers, extremely beautiful.

Water-cultured narcissus is not only attractive but can also promote flower growth. However, indoor water culture of narcissus requires skill, and you must pay attention to its “five things to avoid”:

1. Beware of ripe fruit:Do not place ripe fruit next to narcissus plants, to prevent gases such as ethylene released by various fruits from accelerating flower withering and shortening the flowering period.

2. Beware of iron utensils:Do not use iron containers for water culture of narcissus; use ceramic, glass, plastic, or similar containers instead, otherwise rusty water will cause the cut parts of flower buds and fibrous roots to rot.

3. Beware of saline-alkaline water:For water culture of narcissus, well water, rainwater, river water, or stream water is best. If tap water is used, it should be stored in a basin or vat for 2 to 3 days in advance to settle and clear.

4. Beware of high and low temperatures:The water culture temperature should not be too high or too low; 4°C to 25°C is suitable, with 15°C to 18°C being best. Too high a temperature will cause leaves to grow leggy, flowers to become dull in color, and flower scapes to be short.

5. Beware of dirt on leaf surfaces:During water culture, keep leaf surfaces clean, otherwise it not only affects appearance but also weakens photosynthesis. Spray water on the plants every day to maintain the plant's internal water balance, and also to keep the leaves glossy and attractive, which is good for photosynthesis.