What to Do When Kalanchoe Grows Pests? Control Aphids, Red Spider Mites and Mealybugs This Way

Appearance: The leaf green caterpillar has a relatively large body, a green fleshy worm about 1—2 cm long, as shown in the picture.

Symptoms: If kalanchoe is harmed by leaf green caterpillars, the leaves become semi-transparent, and between the leaves there are black substances resembling silkworm droppings.

Generally the number is not large; just cut off the leaves with the pests. For leaf green caterpillars, simply remove them by hand.

Appearance: Aphids are very small, about 1 mm, blackish-green in color, and have wings.

Symptoms: Once kalanchoe is infested with aphids, a large patch appears immediately. Its leaves, stems and the tender buds at the top are the aphids' favorite gathering places.

a. How to deal with a small number

Rinsing with water: Pull up the kalanchoe, wrap the roots in a plastic bag, and tie it tightly. Then hold the bag opening with one hand, that is, pinch the kalanchoe, and with the other hand spread out the leaves and rinse off the honeydew bugs.

Fumigating with mosquito coils: Wrap the kalanchoe leaves in a plastic bag and fumigate with a mosquito coil overnight; the effect is also quite good.

Spraying soapy water: Soapy water is weakly alkaline and has a sterilizing effect. Spray soapy water on the leaves, and after a period of time rinse the leaves clean with clear water.

Using laundry detergent water: Add 1 kg of water to a spray bottle, put in 20 g of laundry detergent, then add 6-8 drops of essential balm, shake well and spray the flowers. Spray again after an interval of 4 hours (shade from sunlight when hot). After one night, in the morning spray with clear water to remove the residual laundry detergent, and the pests will all die.

b. How to deal with a large number

You can use omethoate 1:150 solution for spraying; generally 1—2 times will cure it. Afterward, it is recommended to cut off the top branches and stems of the kalanchoe and slowly water once with this medicinal solution to eliminate future trouble.

Appearance: Red spider mites are relatively small, about 1—2 mm, reddish-brown.

Symptoms: Red spider mites mainly damage the leaf parts of kalanchoe. When you see countless white silk webs between the leaves, that is the red spider mites at work.

After finding the red spider mites, promptly remove them by hand. Note that you should regularly mist the plant, as this can greatly reduce red spider mite infestation.

Appearance: Relatively small, about 1-2 mm; the larvae are light yellowish-brown, and the adults are dark brown, as shown in the picture.

Symptoms: Mealybugs mainly damage the stems and leaves of kalanchoe. The affected leaves are relatively soft and lack luster; when touched by hand they feel sticky, which is the secretion of the mealybugs.

a. How to deal with a small number by watering

If discovered in time, you can pick them off by hand, or use a toothpick to gently flick them off from the stems and leaves.

b. How to deal with a large number

If the quantity is large, you must repot and change the soil, then spray a broad-spectrum systemic insecticide to control them, for example: Baichongling or Yibianjing, mixed with water at 1:200 for spraying.

Home-grown kalanchoe often encounters insect pests. Usually these pests and diseases mainly include leaf green caterpillars, red spider mites, aphids and mealybugs. Generally we mainly use chemical control, but for a small number of pests we can eliminate them manually. Below we will specifically explain how to deal with pests on kalanchoe.

Appearance: Usually larvae are seen more often, about 1 mm in body length, with a yellow base color.

Symptoms: They gather inside the flowers to feed and cause damage. After the floral organs and petals are damaged they become whitened, and after sun exposure they turn dark brown; severely damaged flowers wilt. After leaves are damaged they show silvery-white streaks, and in severe cases scorch and shrivel.

Keep sticky insect boards at home and inspect the plants every week, trying to avoid a large-scale outbreak of thrips.

In the face of large-scale thrips, you can spray 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate or 5% fipronil suspension concentrate for control.

Appearance: Cyclamen mites are very small and difficult to observe directly with the naked eye; a 20x microscope is needed to see them.

Symptoms: They cause deformed plant growth and hinder normal growth.

In daily care, observe carefully and promptly spray miticide. When using insecticide spray, be sure to spray carefully, evenly and thoroughly, and spray continuously for 2—3 rounds.

Appearance: Small in shape, resembling mosquitoes; the larvae feed on fungi.

Symptoms: They bore holes in the stems of kalanchoe cuttings and seedlings, especially often appearing on diseased plants infected with fungal viruses.

Go to a garden store and buy an appropriate amount of soil fungicide to control soil pathogens; by destroying the larvae's breeding ground, the fungus gnat larvae can gradually be eliminated.

26 Tips for Growing Flowers at Home

26 Tips for Growing Flowers at Home

1. Inserting Epiphyllum 'Ackermannii' upside down

Epiphyllum 'Ackermannii' has large and beautiful flowers, with delicate and eye-catching colors, and it is easy to grow in a rough-and-ready way. Many gardening enthusiasts want to have a pot. The common method for home propagation of Epiphyllum 'Ackermannii' is cuttings, but many enthusiasts report that the survival rate of cuttings is not high, and if you are not careful the roots will rot, so many years of cuttings end in vain. Why do Epiphyllum 'Ackermannii' cuttings rot easily? Because its fleshy stems are relatively thick, and the cut surface is extremely sensitive to soil moisture - if too wet the cuttings rot easily, while if too dry the branches become shriveled and weak, looking half-dead. Even the cut surfaces of branches that have been rooted for a long time may still rot if you are not careful, and all previous efforts are wasted. To solve this problem, there is a clever method, and that is inserting upside down.

The method is very simple: Cut off a 10-15 cm cutting with a sharp knife (the part with a leaf tip at the upper end), then insert it upside down into the soil, with the insertion depth about 6-8 cm, because by inserting it upside down, the cut surface is exposed. At a suitable temperature, it can take root and survive in about 20 days, and new branches can sprout and grow in about a month and a half. At this point, you can safely switch to normal management.

Notes: 1. When watering or misting, be careful not to spray the upward-facing cut surface.

2. There is no need to control water; from the start you can follow the see-dry-see-wet principle.

3. The cutting medium does not need sand or plain soil; you can insert the cutting directly into fertile, loose soil.

4. Insert as soon as you cut; the cuttings do not need to be dried in the shade.

5. The section of the cutting from the new roots to the old part will naturally shrink and dry up later, and new branches will take its place.

2. Feeding fatty meat makes Epiphyllum bloom

Everyone has their own hobbies, and plants are no exception. For example, Clivia likes to drink alcohol, while Epiphyllum is fond of fatty meat. During the growing season, often feeding it some fatty meat can not only make its plant dark green and glossy, but also allow it to bloom as many as 5-6 times, with large and numerous flowers.
The specific operation is very simple: Soak the fatty meat in boiling water to remove the salt; or boil the waste lard from pig tripe in water, then let it cool. Then use a suitable tool to poke several holes in the Epiphyllum pot, 2-3 cm in diameter, afterward cut the fatty meat or waste lard into tablet-sized pieces, pour them into the holes, and cover the surface with about 3 cm of soil.
Key points: 1. Adding a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and mixing it in gives a better effect.
2. Generally, a flower pot with a diameter of 15 cm only needs two holes, and one of 25 cm needs three holes. And so on; the fertilizer effect can supply the Epiphyllum's growth needs for one year.
3. Be sure to cook thoroughly and cut into pieces, otherwise the decomposition speed is too slow and it easily attracts ants.
4. Using the waste oil from the oil collection cup inside a range hood and pouring it in also has a very obvious effect.

3. Force-feeding to fatten and grow roses

The method of force-feeding to fatten and grow roses is implemented for the situation in which large rose plants, because of limited pot soil, have nutrients that are hard to satisfy the growth of roses. It can make the roses you grow large and vivid, and all the more spirited. Interested friends might as well give it a try -
1. In early spring, before the roses are about to sprout, pot them or repot them, and apply sufficient fermented base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot.
2. The second step is to promote budding. At budding time, apply 1-2 times of solid nitrogen fertilizer such as urea or ammonium sulfate. Be sure to mix with water strictly according to the ratio on the instructions; it must not be too concentrated, otherwise it will burn the roots. About one week after application, dozens of tender buds can densely appear. At this time, thin the buds appropriately according to the size of the plant and the shaping requirements.
3. The third step, and also the most important step, is force-feeding fertilization:

A. After budding, first fully strengthen the supply of nitrogen fertilizer to make the new buds strong. Water with diluted fully fermented soybean cake liquid, etc., and spray the leaves and tender branches with 1/1000 urea solution; alternate the two once a week;

B. When the new buds have grown to about 2 cun, begin switching to fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus and potassium. Apply diluted fish intestine fertilizer or other phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to the pot soil, and spray the leaves and branch tips with 1/1000 potassium dihydrogen phosphate; likewise alternate once a week. In this way, before long a flower bud will appear at each branch tip. To distribute the flower buds evenly, thin the buds appropriately;

C. Afterward, still alternately use a phosphorus-potassium-based fertilizer once every other week to benefit the next batch of flowering. In between, apply nitrogen fertilizer once about every month.
Explanation: Apply organic fertilizer in the pot soil and inorganic fertilizer on the leaf surface; do not increase the concentration at will. In case of heavy rain, avoid or shelter from the rain to prevent loss of pot soil and nutrients. It is best to add a certain proportion of coal ball ash to the pot soil; it is both breathable and has the function of adsorbing nutrients, and releases them relatively evenly.

4. Toasting Clivia - the method of getting drunk to promote flowering

Clivia has glossy leaves and upright stems, with large red flowers that are dazzling; overall it also appears elegant and dignified, especially suitable for placement on indoor desks, and most people like to grow a few pots at home. But there is often such a situation: when bought it is in full bloom, but after flowering it neither blooms nor grows leaves, as if it has become a stunted plant. Is there any way to change this situation? Yes, this is the method of getting drunk to promote flowering:

Use baijiu, whether high-proof or low-proof. Yanghe Daqu is fine, Erguotou is also okay, and if you have the financial strength, Moutai is welcome too. After Qingming and before late autumn, pour a cup of baijiu into the Clivia pot every few days. When pouring, be careful not to splash it on the plant. In this way, after seven or eight days, you will see the effect: the flower scape emerges, new leaves grow, and the stunted plant revives. Handle it in this way, and the Clivia will grow better and better, and the flowers it opens will be like a torch.

Note: This method is very safe; there is no need to worry that the Clivia will be burned to death. However, it has not been tested on other flowers and trees, so please use it with caution. If you have no experience, you can apply a small amount and lengthen the time interval to ensure there is no risk. At the same time, after it takes effect, it can be temporarily stopped.

5. Two small methods to promote flowering and extend the ornamental period of narcissus
Narcissus has won people's affection with its graceful bearing and pure, jade-like charm. Therefore, during New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, it is a top-grade choice for decorating the living room and desk. However, although some people's narcissus is lush and green, it simply does not bloom; or, it withers not long after blooming. Are there any methods to promote flowering and extend the flowering period? Yes!
1. Soapy water to promote flowering
Narcissus contains a plant alkaloid that can promote good plant growth and development. Soapy water is an alkaline solution. After the narcissus absorbs it, the plant alkaloid in its body increases, thus enabling vegetative growth to rapidly transform into reproductive growth. In this way, an appropriate amount of soapy water plays a role in promoting flowering.
2. Aspirin to extend the ornamental period
Crush one to two aspirin tablets into small particles and sprinkle them into the narcissus pot. The salicylic acid component in aspirin can promote flower bud differentiation and flowering in plants. Therefore, it can make narcissus flowers bloom large and vivid, and extend the ornamental period.
Putting some salt in the narcissus pot can likewise promote flowering and prolong the life of the flowers. In addition, after narcissus blooms, placing it in a relatively cool environment also works well.

6. Carrying cuttings a thousand miles

Whenever you are on a business trip thousands of miles away, or touring a scenic tourist destination with beautiful scenery, have you ever seen rare flowers and plants that caught your heart? As a flower enthusiast, you certainly also want to have one. Locally, you can layer or take cuttings. But in a distant place, how do you keep the cuttings from losing water, and how do you bring the cuttings home smoothly? Here is a simple and easy method: Bringing cuttings from a thousand miles away, moisture retention is a problem. Putting them in a plastic bag can retain moisture, but it is not breathable, and sometimes the cuttings still rot. To retain moisture and keep the cuttings fresh, you only need to buy a few fresh cucumbers, and the problem is solved. Cut off the leaves from the branches, keep the leaf stalks, and insert them from the flowering end of the cucumber. This can both maintain the moisture of the cuttings and prevent them from rotting (because cucumbers contain a component that kills bacteria). In this way, as long as the cucumber does not rot, the cuttings will be fine, and no matter how far away, you can bring them home and have them survive as you wish.

7. Cleverly washing old flower pots

After a period of time, households that grow flowers will have some old flower pots left over: either some flowers and trees have died, or small flower pots are left after repotting. It is a pity to discard these old flower pots, but if you continue to use them, cleaning is very troublesome (you must clean them first, one reason is to wash off the layer of white scale on the surface that hinders the respiration of flowers and trees; another is to remove insect eggs and miscellaneous bacteria; and the third is for appearance). Don't worry, here is a simple clever cleaning method:

Add a certain proportion of ferrous sulfate to a container full of water, then stack the old flower pots in order of size, large ones at the bottom and small ones on top, and soak them together in the ferrous sulfate aqueous solution. After about three days, take them out and gently brush them with a bristle brush, and the dirt on the surface of the flower pots can be washed completely clean. The reason is very simple: the ferrous sulfate solution is slightly acidic, while the white scale on the pot edge is alkaline. Once the two neutralize each other, cleaning becomes very convenient.

After using this method, the flower pots can remain clean and beautiful for a long period. In addition, the pot becomes slightly acidic, which is also beneficial to the growth of flowers and trees.

After new flower pots are treated by this method, the same preventive effect can be achieved.

8. Bury quail eggs alive, fulfilling your dream of lazy flower growing

You want to grow flowers well, but find fertilizing troublesome, and even more want to stay away from the dirt and smell of fertilizer. Is there any good trick? Yes! Here is one method:

Buy a few quail eggs, first gently crack the small end, pierce the inner membrane with a toothpick, and when repotting and changing soil, place the quail egg with the small end facing up gently at 2 cm above the culture soil at the bottom of the pot, then normally fill the pot with soil above it.

Because the culture soil contains a large amount of organic matter, and the pot soil is in a moist state for a long time, as the temperature rises and fungi act, the egg liquid continuously decomposes and overflows from the fine cracks, turning into fertilizer for the flower and tree roots to absorb, thus satisfying the needs of flower growth very well. Entering midsummer, most flowers and trees enter a period of vigorous growth and need more fertilizer. At this time, it is also a period of active bacterial growth, and the decomposition of egg fertilizer accelerates accordingly, ensuring the supply. One small quail egg can basically maintain fertility for 1-2 years. Generally speaking, using this method, no organic fertilizer needs to be applied all year round, but shortly after the egg fertilizer is applied and before it takes effect, an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer, etc. can be applied. In this method, the process of raw egg fertilizer becoming mature is completed inside the eggshell, so there will be no situation where raw fertilizer burns the roots. In addition, after the eggshell decomposes, it is also a very good calcium fertilizer.

(Note: The number of eggs depends on the size of the flower pot. If placing one, it can be placed in the middle of the pot; if using two or more, they can be placed symmetrically, 2-4 cm from the pot edge.)

9. For spring sowing, mix the seeds with oil first

In spring sowing, everyone may again encounter the following problems: some flower seeds sprout a few days after sowing; some flowers such as Clivia, cyclamen and asparagus fern germinate relatively slowly, only showing themselves after countless calls; and some are watched for so long without appearing, and simply do not sprout at all. Is there any way to improve this? Please try the method of mixing flower seeds with oil -

Specific method: First soak the seeds to be sown in warm water at about 35 degrees Celsius for 24 hours, then take out the flower seeds, wrap them in a dry cloth and wring out the external water; then mix the flower seeds with some clean cooking oil (such as: soybean oil, rapeseed oil and sesame oil, etc.), and next you can sow according to the usual method.

Do not underestimate this small method. It can make seeds that are difficult to germinate sprout about 20 days earlier, and the seedlings are strong and grow fast; in addition, it also has a very good effect on increasing the germination rate.

10. A new method for breathability in porcelain pots and plastic pots

Clay pots are breathable and comfortable, but have poor ornamental value; porcelain pots are sturdy and beautiful, and plastic pots are light and cheap, but they are not very breathable. In short, all have some shortcomings. In fact, with just a little thought, you can turn shortcomings into advantages~
Before repotting in early spring, first prepare some foam plastic (there is a lot in electrical appliance packaging boxes) and cut it into small pieces the size of tangyuan. When repotting, use a piece of thicker paper to form a ring according to the inner diameter of the flower pot, then place it in the flower pot (leave a certain gap between the paper ring and the flower pot). Next, fill the gap between the two with the plastic pieces. Inside the paper ring, fill soil and plant as usual. In this way, the entire repotting task is completed.
With plastic pieces along the inner edge of porcelain pots and plastic pots, their breathability is greatly increased, which has a very good effect on the growth and development of flowers. (If plastic particles are used at the bottom of the pot, that also works.)

11. Growing flowers with broken bricks and tiles makes flowers more vivid

Growing flowers with broken bricks and tiles makes flowers more vivid. If you don't believe it, try it.
Growing flowers in the city, soil is very precious. Some people continue to use old soil after repotting, but it is actually far inferior to broken bricks and tiles. Broken bricks and tiles are convenient to obtain and can be found everywhere. Specific method - break waste bricks and tiles into small pieces, about 0.2-0.5 cm in diameter. When planting flowers, place the smaller and powdery pieces near the plant roots, and place the larger pieces at the bottom of the pot or other positions. Other practices are just like planting with soil.
Growing flowers with broken bricks and tiles has the advantages of breathability, water retention and fertilizer retention. Because broken bricks and tiles have many tiny gaps and especially strong adsorption capacity, they can quickly absorb the applied water and fertilizer, playing a role in retaining water and fertilizer; secondly, because bricks and tiles are fired, their texture is hard but not solid, and they have the characteristic of not dissolving in water. The many tiny gaps inside can be retained for a long time, which is conducive to the circulation of air in the soil.
Through experiments, pomegranate, Aglaia odorata and Pyracantha fortuneana grown with broken bricks and tiles have well-developed root systems, large flowers, many fruits, and long flowering periods. (Because broken bricks and tiles themselves contain relatively few nutrients, fertilization should be done several more times than with soil cultivation.)

12. Sesame oil prevents ants and controls aphids
The insect world also has "herders", and that is ants. Ants like to enjoy the "honeydew" secreted by aphids, so they spare no effort in herding everywhere - moving them onto various plants, and at the same time acting as their unpaid bodyguards, driving off the aphids' various natural enemies. In this way, our flowers and trees suffer. Below is a simple and easy method that can solve your urgent problem.
If your flower and tree are placed alone in one pot and do not come into contact with other flowers and trees, you can apply sesame oil where the flower pot touches the ground;
If multiple pots of your flowers and trees are placed on a flower stand, you can apply sesame oil where the legs of the stand touch the ground. Ants generally enter the pot through the bottom hole, so you can also apply sesame oil at the bottom hole. In this way, everything is OK, the problem is completely solved, and you can rest easy. If you find an ant nest nearby, drip sesame oil at the nest entrance too, and the ants will not dare come out.
The "honeydew" secreted by aphids is fragrant and sweet to ants, while the similarly fragrant sesame oil is the ants' nemesis. If you still have doubts, you might as well give it a try.

13. An alternative way to increase humidity - escorting balcony azaleas

Azaleas are delicate and charming. When they bloom, a scene of brilliant spring color makes people stop and admire. But to grow azaleas well on a balcony, the humidity problem is a headache. Generally speaking, the climate on a balcony is always drier than outdoors, but azaleas need relatively high humidity, which forms a pair of difficult contradictions: either the buds are hard to open, or the red fades and the fragrance disappears.
In fact, conditions can be created, and azaleas can also be grown well on a balcony ---
Find a shallow tray or other container slightly larger than the potted azalea, place two wooden strips three or four cm high at intervals in the tray, then set the azalea pot on the wooden strips, and add water to the shallow tray. The height of the water should be level with the bottom of the azalea pot or just slightly touching it. When the water gradually decreases and exposes the wooden strips, you can wait two or three days before adding water back to the original level.
The reason this method can effectively increase humidity is that the shallow tray has standing water year-round or intermittently, which is equivalent to installing a simple long-lasting humidifier with upward transpiration. The higher the temperature, the faster the transpiration, which exactly matches the humidity requirements of azaleas at different periods. Secondly, water slowly moistens the entire pot wall from the bottom up, keeping it often in a good state of being neither too dry nor too wet, protecting the pot soil and root system from the effects of dry air.
This method can be used with confidence, and the azalea will not suffer root rot. Because water seeps in from the bottom of the pot, its depth cannot exceed the depth of the shallow saucer below; at the same time, the moisture is delivered by slowly rising, and the amount of water is limited. Moreover, the interval between waterings gives the azalea a chance to readjust the air and moisture in the soil.
This method enables the azalea to grow as vigorously and bloom as normally as if it were planted in the ground.
Points to note: 1. When repotting the azalea, it is best to place some pieces of foam plastic or similar material at the bottom of the pot, as this is safer.
2. The amount of water should be appropriately reduced; the water given at one time is about 2/3 that for ordinary potted flowers.
3. During high temperatures, the effect will be even better if combined with measures such as frequently misting the azalea.

14. Sectional Root Cutting to Rejuvenate Old Trees

It is said that all things between heaven and earth have a certain lifespan, and plants are certainly no exception. Although we cannot change this trend, we can still extend their lives through certain methods. One method is introduced below.

The so-called root of life means that life lies in the roots, and this is especially true for plants. When the roots are strong, the plant is vigorous; when the roots age, its life is nearing its end. So if we want to extend a plant's life, we must think about the roots. During the spring growing season, scrape away the potting soil, cut off 1/3 of the entire root system, and then cover it with potting soil again. Fine new roots will soon grow from the cut old root areas. Treat it the same way next year and the year after; after three years, the roots will have been completely renewed. Compared with old roots, new roots have a noticeably stronger ability to absorb water and nutrients, so it is only natural that the old tree regains its youth.

In addition, after cutting off the old roots, you can replace 1/3 of the soil with new soil. After three years, the potting soil will have been completely renewed, and the trouble of repotting is also avoided, achieving two benefits at once.

If the old stump still has some vitality, you can also shorten it in combination with shaping to make it send out new branches.

15. The Wonderful Use of Sawdust: Turning Waste into Treasure

During ordinary home renovation, sawdust is often simply thrown away as garbage afterward. In fact, sawdust is very useful to those of us who grow flowers; we can absolutely turn waste into treasure~~
1. Cuttings: Using sawdust as a cutting medium for plants such as Chinese rose, gardenia, and pomegranate has an obvious effect, far superior to soil cuttings or water cuttings, and the cuttings root quickly, have many roots, and grow vigorously. There is an even greater advantage: after the plant has rooted and survived, it can be moved into the potting soil together with the block of sawdust, so the roots are not damaged, the plant establishes easily, and flowers and fruit appear early. Even for varieties that are harder to root, such as azalea, I have tried successfully; even inch-long tender tips of crabapple can root quickly. The reason is that sawdust has better water retention and aeration than soil, and oxygen is abundant.
Specific method: Put sawdust into a flowerpot, then pour boiling water over it several times to thoroughly disinfect it. After the temperature drops, squeeze out the excess water (the wet sawdust is ready when no water comes out when squeezed by hand), and then you can begin taking cuttings, using the same method as soil cuttings. After inserting the cuttings, keep the sawdust moist and they will root and survive quickly. This method can be carried out in all four seasons, except that in winter it must be placed on a sunny windowsill in a heated room.
2. As a wrapping medium for air layering: Because sawdust is loose in texture and its moisture can be controlled, it is likewise superior to other media, roots faster, is safer, and has a high survival rate.
Specific method: After ring-barking the plant, fill the plastic bag wrapped around it with a medium made of half wet sawdust and half loess, then tie both ends tightly.
3. As fertilizer: Making fertilizer with wet sawdust provides comprehensive nutrition, is economical and convenient, and is clean and hygienic.
Specific method: Mix wet sawdust with an appropriate amount of inorganic fertilizer such as superphosphate, potassium phosphate, or urea; it is even better if organic fertilizer is mixed in. Put it into a plastic bag and tie the opening tightly. Turn it over once every two weeks to speed up even decomposition. In spring and autumn, it can be used after about six weeks.
Points to note: When using it, mix in 50% soil.
The above lists several points; the rest need not be repeated. In fact, sawdust has more uses than these, so everyone can use their brains and give it a try.
(Oops, I forgot an important point, so let me add it now~~ Sawdust must be fermented before use.)

16. If You Want Good Flowers and Trees in Winter, Leave Some Grass in the Pot

The reason I say "leave" rather than "plant" is that there are often some wild grasses in our pots that come uninvited and grow luxuriantly, enjoying themselves immensely. The usual reaction of flower lovers is to grit their teeth in annoyance and want nothing more than to remove them, the so-called pulling up weeds by the roots.
This trick of mine may sound strange, but it is not really strange. It comes from the fact that flower lovers often say the watering standard is hard to judge in winter. Roots rot, leaves fall, and the poor flowers' lives are hard to save. Is there any simple method that can help everyone quickly master the watering standard? Yes. Please show mercy and leave some wild grass in the pot; pulling up weeds by the roots is unacceptable.
Generally speaking, most plant varieties are in a dormant or semi-dormant state in winter, so they do not need much water, and the soil only needs to be slightly moist. Many flower lovers, however, tend to rush to water as soon as they see the soil surface turn pale, thinking the flowers may dry out. Actually this is not so. When the soil surface is pale, the middle is still very moist. If you do this, it would be strange if the flowers and trees did not develop problems!
Leaving some grass in the pot does not mean leaving any grass. You should leave those green grasses that stand cold-resistant through winter. And more is not better; three to five of them are enough.
When should you water? When should you not water yet? Look at the grass! If the grass is still standing green and lush, do not water; if the wild grass has wilted and lost its spirit, water immediately. The standard is just that simple!
Leaving some grass in the pot has more benefits than these: it can protect against cold in winter, shield against sun in summer, and also decorate the pot surface. Just think, what is there to admire about bare soil? In addition, when loosening the soil, bury the grass in the soil with a shovel and it becomes green manure, enough to compensate for the loss caused by the wild grass competing with the potted flowers for nutrients.
I have used this method for watering for more than a year, and it has proved effective every time. If you believe it, you can try it too.
Note: 1. Plants still flowering and fruiting in winter are not covered by this.
2. This method also applies in other seasons.

17. Buried-Node Propagation to Grow a Forest of Emerald Bamboo

"Better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo." This was true of the ancients and is likewise true of people today. In modern homes, for greening around residences or in the surrounding environment, emerald bamboo is also one of the unquestionably suitable species. Planting trees often requires "ten years to grow a tree," but bamboo, once planted, can often create a clear, shaded, evergreen environment in just one or two years. On a night with abundant moonlight, the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window add infinite quiet charm.
Planting a few tall bamboo stems in a pot and decorating them with one or two Ying stones is also a beloved desk ornament in the hearts of many flower growers.
Bamboo is generally propagated by methods using the rhizome, and in a few cases by sowing seeds. This propagation method of mine is relatively uncommon (my cousin taught it to me), but the effect is excellent: simple, easy, and with a high survival rate. Bamboo lovers may want to give it a try......
In early spring during cloudy and rainy weather, choose a mother bamboo with plump buds, and saw it off between two nodes (that is, keeping one node scar in the middle); then fill the bamboo tube from both ends with moist fine sand, filling it completely and pressing it firm, then seal both ends of the bamboo tube with clay. This is the first step.
Next, choose loose, permeable sandy loam. According to the thickness of the bamboo tube, dig a trench about 10 cm deep, place the prepared bamboo tube flat in the trench and cover it with soil, press it slightly firm, then water it thoroughly. That is the job done. Remember when burying the nodes to face the buds upward, and absolutely do not put it in upside down.
The bamboo nodes can sprout tender shoots in about 25-30 days. If making a bonsai, simply pot it during the rainy season.
Key points~~ 1. To cultivate a bamboo forest, choose thick bamboo; to cultivate potted plants, choose thin varieties.
2. When sawing the bamboo tube, be careful not to split it, so as not to injure the buds.
3. Water according to the principle of dry-wet alternation.
4. After burying, it is best to cover it with some bamboo branches or dry grass to block part of the sunlight.

18. Homemade Rooting Agents for Fast and Abundant Roots

As the weather gradually warms and the ground warms up, the good season for cuttings has arrived again. There are many cutting methods, and generally people prefer soil cuttings or water cuttings. But everyone's technique differs, and added to that are differences among plant varieties, so rooting may be easy or difficult, which makes survival rates vary. To properly solve this problem, before taking cuttings everyone likes to use rooting agents such as naphthaleneacetic acid. This is indeed effective, and the rooting survival rate also improves somewhat. But what if you live in a remote place, supplies are out of stock, and you cannot buy any for the time being? Do not worry. Let me introduce several homemade rooting agents for you. They cost no money, and their effect is not at all inferior to bought ones.
(1) Phosphate fertilizer solution~~ As mentioned above, rooting agents such as naphthaleneacetic acid are actually a kind of rooting hormone. In fact, phosphate fertilizer solution has the same effect. This is because the substance "phosphorus" can effectively promote the growth and development of plant cells and tissues, and promote wound healing and rooting in plants.
Specific method: Before taking cuttings, first dilute the phosphate fertilizer solution with water at a ratio of 7 parts water to 3 parts fertilizer, then soak the previously prepared cuttings (the base) in the fertilizer solution, with the submerged part accounting for 1/3 of the cutting. After 2-3 hours, take them out, rinse them clean with clear water, and then take cuttings as usual.
For common varieties such as camellia and Chinese rose, using this method for cuttings can make them root 10-22 days earlier, with well-developed roots and vigorous growth.
(2) White sugar solution~~ This is also a very good rooting agent. Many people have tested it, and the effect is obvious.
Specific method: First melt white sugar with hot water at a ratio of 9 parts water to 1 part sugar. After the sugar water cools, soak the trimmed cuttings in it. Take them out after about 40-60 minutes, rinse the cut ends clean with clear water, and use a sharp knife to cut off part of the cut end, then take cuttings as usual.
After the above treatment, the survival rate is much higher than that of ordinary cuttings. Even for azalea, camellia, and others that are harder to root, it can reach more than 90%.
(3) Willow soaking liquid~~ Willow liquid is a very good plant growth agent. Its liquid is rich in growth hormones, so willow can survive whether inserted upright or upside down, and its vitality is especially strong.
Specific method: Take some willow branches and leaves, smash the branches with a hammer, then soak them in water. After one day, remove the branches and leaves, and the water is willow soaking liquid.
The next day, soak the cuttings in it for about 1 day (a longer time does no harm; willow liquid contains components that inhibit bacterial reproduction), then take cuttings as usual. They root quickly and abundantly, and the plants grow vigorously.

19. The "Amphibious" Cutting Method

Cuttings are a simple and easy propagation method that everyone is happy to use; right now is also the good season for cuttings, so these several posts of mine are all related to cuttings. I recommend them to everyone, hoping they will be of some help.
The two most commonly used cutting methods are soil cuttings and water cuttings, each with advantages and disadvantages. But both have one difficulty~~ after rooting, they must be moved into pots. Because new roots are relatively delicate, and some people's technique is not very skilled, efforts are often wasted and success is lost at the last moment, which is very disheartening.
The cutting method introduced below does not require moving into a pot after rooting, thus greatly increasing the survival rate of cuttings. I call it: the "amphibious cutting method."
The method is as follows~~
1. Find a flowerpot of suitable size, and first seal the bottom hole with melted wax liquid. (Other materials can also be used, but they must be able to be poked open with one push when needed.)
2. Put about 3/5 cutting soil at the bottom of the container, then spread about 1/5 river sand on top to fix the cuttings. Then gently pour in clear water until it is about 1 cm above the sand surface.
3. Take cuttings. The cuttings can be about 8-15 cm long. Cut the lower end flat with a sharp knife (either a horseshoe shape or a flat surface is fine), as this makes rot less likely. Insert the cuttings about 1/3 into the yellow sand, and remove the green leaves below the water surface. The cuttings should not be too crowded; generally 1-3 plants are more suitable.
4. After inserting, it can be placed in full sun (cuttings taken in midsummer are better placed in diffused light), but the sand surface must not lack water. Change the clear water once every 10 days to half a month to ensure the water remains clean.
5. Roots form in about 25 to 45 days. At that time, poke open the sealed bottom hole of the pot from below and drain the water completely. After a few days, when the potting soil is dry, water again and enter the normal management stage.
Points to note: a. Choose moisture-tolerant varieties, such as gardenia, Buddhist pine, and snow-in-summer.
b. The potting soil should be plain soil (without fertilizer).
c. If you cannot determine whether the cuttings have rooted, you can pull them up to observe. If white new roots appear on the callus tissue, you can drain the water and switch to dry cultivation.

20. Water Cuttings of Daphne.

Daphne is an excellent flower among flowers. It is full of vitality all year round, with verdant branches and leaves that seem ready to drip; when it blooms, its fragrance spreads far, filling the room with spring, and it is a precious seasonal flower for the Spring Festival. Among them, the golden-edged daphne has leaves like jade inlaid with gold, and its flower color changes from white to purple to red, very brilliant, with an extremely strong fragrance. It can be said to be excellent in color, fragrance, posture, and charm, and has been listed as a treasure since ancient times.
If we want to propagate golden-edged daphne in our own homes, we generally like to use the cutting method. This method is good, but the survival rate cannot be well guaranteed, and it takes a relatively long time. By comparison, water cuttings are much superior to soil cuttings~~
Water cuttings can be carried out from April to September, and the current time is even the best. This is because when the temperature is low, rooting takes a long time, or the cuttings may even fail to root and rot; when the temperature is too high, a large number of pathogens breed in the water, which is also unfavorable for the branches to root. At present, the temperature for cuttings is just right.
Specific method: Cut off the current year's branches, remove the lower leaves, keep 3-4 leaves at the top, and cut the insertion end into a horseshoe shape with a sharp knife to help produce more roots. Then find a suitable bottle, fill it with clear water, and insert the lower part of the cutting. Note that the water bottle should be placed in a place with diffused light, not in sunlight, and not too shady. Change the clear water once every three or four days.
After water cutting, at the current temperature, roots can form in about 25-30 days. If before water cutting you soak the cuttings in naphthaleneacetic acid rooting liquid for 4 hours, rooting can be advanced by one week.
Explanation: 1. If there are many branches, you can tie them into a bundle and insert them.
2. When the roots grow to 3-4 cm, they can be potted. Be careful when potting not to break the roots.
3. After cuttings are potted in the same year, they will not send out new shoots that year, so there is no need to fertilize. Around the Spring Festival of the following year, the young plants can bloom, and after flowering they can be fertilized normally.

21. Soilless Cuttings: Wrapped in Soft Paper

Let me teach you a simple and easy cutting method. No soil, no water, just a few sheets of paper. The specific operation method is as follows:
1. Take a sheet of highly absorbent soft paper (toilet paper, etc.), and first wrap the bottom of the cutting that has been cut into a slanted opening. The thickness should be such that after the soft paper absorbs water thoroughly, the slanted cut surface can still be seen, so it should not be too thick. This allows direct observation of changes such as callus healing and rooting, and also provides good aeration. This point is crucial.
2. Use soft paper cut to a suitable size to wrap as much of the stem as possible, but the leaves and buds should be exposed. The wrapping thickness should be sufficient to ensure the soft paper does not dry out completely before the cutting roots.
3. After wrapping, place the water-soaked cutting in a container without a bottom hole, seal the mouth of the pot with plastic film to retain moisture, and place it in a ventilated environment without direct light. In this way, your operation is complete, and after rooting you only need to pot it.
(Note: After the cutting is wrapped, if the thickness of the stem wrapping is twice the stem thickness or slightly thicker, the soft paper can be kept from drying out completely for a long time. After that, no special care is needed, and the cutting can root quickly.)
If this method is used for cuttings of poinsettia, variegated Schefflera, aucuba, and others, the fastest root in 7 days; variegated Schefflera in 9 days; and rubber tree in 10 days all have root tips emerging, and they are thick and well developed. Aucuba and others root somewhat more slowly, but within half a month root tips have formed.
This method is simple and easy, widely available in materials, and low in cost. Multiple layers can be placed in the container, saving space, and a relatively large number of flowers and trees can be propagated at one time. Interested friends can give it a try.

22. The "Mistreatment" Method: Make Your Honeysuckle Branches Short and Flowers Abundant

First, let me state that this method is suitable for pot cultivation, not for ground planting. What ground planting wants is vigorous luxuriance, capable of three-dimensional greening over a large area. Pot cultivation has different requirements: the area and pot space are limited, so it cannot be allowed to develop freely; the ornamental requirements are higher, requiring a better shape; and most importantly, when flowering it cannot be as casual as with ground planting, but should have concentrated and abundant blooms. The following method can help you achieve this:

1. Water restriction~~ Honeysuckle is a vine; without intervention, its branches grow fast and long. In a pot, we can break the usual rules. When it sprouts in spring, do not water at night, water in the morning; do not water heavily, water lightly; make its physiological water use unable to meet the needs of vigorous growth, so that new branches become shorter and more mature. Once branches mature, they bloom more easily, and shortening reduces internode distance, so flowering becomes concentrated and abundant.

2. Fertilizer restriction~~ Before flower buds form, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer or apply as little as possible, and apply relatively more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. After the flower buds have basically formed and shoot growth has basically ended, apply some nitrogen fertilizer in an appropriate amount to create a situation of many flowers and large flowers.

3. Lazy repotting~~ That is, repot only once every 3-4 years. The purpose is to prevent it from sending out more new roots. With fewer new roots, absorption capacity is poorer, and combined with aging potting soil, it becomes very difficult for it to grow vigorously, thereby achieving the goals of controlling tree vigor, limiting branches, and making flowers bloom densely.

4. Pruning~~ Cut off vigorous buds, shorten long branches, and cut the long while keeping the short. Then place it in a place with sufficient sunlight (half shade and half sun in summer) to prevent excessive growth due to insufficient light.

Through the above measures, you can make your honeysuckle have abundant flowers and short branches, giving it greater ornamental value. (Young seedlings are not covered by this, because they should be allowed to grow vigorously so they bloom earlier.) This method also applies to snow-in-summer.

23. Milan: Blooming and Fragrant Every Day

Milan has glossy leaves and is evergreen all year round. When it blooms, it is richly fragrant. Those small golden-yellow flowers like grains of rice are also very eye-catching against the green leaves. If cared for properly, Milan can bloom 5 times a year without a problem. So can it be made to bloom and be fragrant every day? There is a way.

Generally speaking, after Milan blooms once, it needs to "rest" for a period before blooming again, because it needs to accumulate nutrients to prepare for the next bloom. So its flowering appears intermittent. If we want it to bloom every day, we must artificially satisfy its nutrient needs, that is, by appropriately thinning buds to reduce the nutrients consumed by each flowering. Specifically, when Milan is full of buds for the first (or second) time in early spring, first thin out the buds on 1-2 branches, then after another 4-5 days thin out the buds on another 1-2 branches, and repeat this continuously. With cumulative flower and bud thinning reaching more than 6-7 times, and the branches that have been thinned reaching more than 60-70% of all branches, in this way all the branches of Milan can bloom in turn, achieving the goal of flowers and fragrance every day. According to this procedure, branches that have not been thinned bloom first; after about 5-10 days, the branches thinned the first time bloom next; then they bloom in the order in which they were thinned. In total, one pot of Milan can let you smell its fragrance every day for 7-8 months during the entire growing period. (Because its fragrance is rich, thinning some is harmless.)

Key points: 1. Water, fertilizer, and light must keep up.

2. The plant must not be too small; it should have at least about 10 branches.

24. Spraying Flowers with Beer Kills Two Birds with One Stone

It goes without saying that flower growers love dealing with all kinds of flowers. But what you deal with is not only flowers, but also various pests, haha, even though you do not like them at all.

Among pests, aphids and red spiders are fairly easy to deal with; spray the targeted pesticide twice and it is basically ok. But scale insects are more troublesome. They have a protective layer, a waxy shell, and spraying pesticide has little effect on them, truly somewhat like being impervious to sword and spear. So, aside from manual removal (brushing them off), is there any simpler and more effective method? Yes. After discovering scale insects, do not panic. Prepare a bottle of beer, pour some out and mix it with water at a ratio of 6 parts water to 1 part beer, and spray the plant once, making sure to spray all parts as much as possible. The next day, check carefully. If the insects have turned reddish-brown and fall off at a touch, then they have definitely breathed their last. If any are still alive, spray once more. Generally, after spraying three times in a row (three days), the problem can basically be solved.
Principle: After beer is sprayed, it forms a sealing film on the insects' bodies and suffocates them. However, it is also possible that they died from drunkenness. Of course, this point still needs entomologists to prove.
In addition, beer is also a very good leaf fertilizer. If sprayed frequently, the plant can grow full of vitality and look especially energetic. The ratio should be lighter than when treating pests; 8 parts water to 1 part beer is enough. If you are interested, you may as well give it a try.

25. Four Watering Methods

Watering is the first hurdle flower growers must pass, and also one they must pass. Although watering looks simple, there is actually a lot of knowledge in it, and many beginners' flowers are ruined at this hurdle. Regarding watering, the so-called dry-wet alternation; more watering during the growing period and less during dormancy; more watering for small pots and less for large pots, and so on, are relatively well understood by everyone, so I will not say more. Below I will only introduce several special watering methods.

1. Sand column method---prevents potting soil from compacting

When potting or repotting flowers, first stand several hollow tubes in the pot (bamboo tubes, plastic pipes, iron pipes, etc. are all fine), then fill soil around them and press firm. Then pour coarse sand into the tubes, with the upper ends level with the soil surface. Finally, gently pull out the hollow tubes, and sand columns are formed in the pot. Later, when watering, the water only spreads around through the sand columns. This prevents the soil from compacting, with no adverse side effects.

Note: The tubes cannot stand in the exact center; leave room for planting the flowers.

2. Round-robin method---avoids half-watering

Half-watering means the water has not penetrated thoroughly; the top is very wet, while below is still dry. If this is done often, how could flowers and trees not die? There are several reasons: inexperience; potting soil that is too compacted; not repotting for a long time so roots are tangled, and so on. The solution is as follows: if you have many flowers, you can water them one by one as usual without worrying about whether they are thoroughly watered. After all are watered, water them again from beginning to end, and for some even water a third time. In this way, half-watering can basically be eliminated. This is because after the first round of watering, even if not thoroughly watered, the potting soil has already become moistened and softened to some extent, so after a period of time, the second round of water is relatively easy to absorb.

Note: This is unnecessary for loose potting soil. If there are not many flowers, you can do some other things after watering, then water once more after a while.

3. Sitting-pot method---prevents broom root rot

Broom is very beautiful. When the flowers first open they resemble butterflies, and after opening they look like golden sparrows fluttering and dancing. It can also be made into a bonsai, so many people love to grow it. But in recent years fewer and fewer people grow it, because it easily suffers root rot and dies if one is not careful. There is one method that is very effective at preventing root rot, namely: the sitting-pot method. Put some water in a container, place the potted broom in it, and when the soil surface looks moist, it has been thoroughly watered; at that point take it out.

Note: The principle of dry-wet alternation should also be followed.

4. Noon water---makes jasmine more fragrant

Watering jasmine at noon can make its flowers more fragrant when they bloom. The ancients already summarized this: "If you want jasmine fragrant, give it a ladle of water at noon." But watering under the strong sun at noon is a taboo in flower growing, for the same reason that people cannot immediately take a cold shower when very hot. To water flowers at noon without mishap, the premise is to first leave the water under the sun to warm up, and water when the water temperature is close to the soil temperature. In this way it is ok and safe.

Reminder: Other plants have not been tested, so please use caution.

26. Old Loofah Helps You Get Emerald Leaves and Beautiful Flowers

The vines of the loofah gradually wither like an old person's arms, the leaves tremble in the wind, and only the old loofahs still hang heavily one by one.

In the past, villagers used them to wash bowls and scrub pots. Now no one uses them, and they seem to have become waste. Have they really become waste? No! After picking the old loofahs, wash them clean and dry them. When repotting flowers and changing soil or potting them, cut them into small pieces about 5 cm. At 1/3 of the depth of the potting soil, spread a layer of loofah stem, cover with soil, then at 2/3 of the depth spread another layer, add more soil, and afterward you can proceed normally.

Note: Before cutting, first lay it flat on the ground and smash the loofah seeds with a hammer.

(This method can effectively improve the potting soil, making it loose and preventing compaction. Moreover, the loofah fibers and seeds decompose slowly in the potting soil and are a very good slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, so potted flowers all have emerald leaves and beautiful blooms.

My Complete Collection of Strange Tricks for Growing Flowers

Some quirky flower-growing tricks have been introduced earlier; below is a summary of some quirky flower-growing tricks collected online:

Quirky flower-growing trick one: Soilless cuttings ~ wrapped in soft paper

My quirky flower-growing trick [two: The abuse method ~~ makes your honeysuckle branches short and flowers abundant

My quirky flower-growing trick three: Sesame oil prevents ants

My quirky flower-growing trick four: Carrying cuttings from a thousand miles away

Whenever you are on a business trip thousands of miles away, or touring a scenic resort with beautiful scenery, have you ever seen any rare flowers or unusual plants that caught your fancy? As a flower enthusiast, you surely want to own one too. Locally, you can layer or take cuttings. But in a distant place, how do you keep cuttings from losing water, and how do you bring them home smoothly? Here is a simple and easy method: carrying cuttings from a thousand miles away, moisturizing is a problem. Putting them in a plastic bag can retain moisture, but it is not breathable, and sometimes the cuttings still rot. To retain moisture and keep the cuttings fresh, you only need to buy a few fresh cucumbers, and the problem is solved. Cut the leaves off the branches, leaving the leaf stalks, and insert them into the flowering end of the cucumber. This can both maintain the moisture of the cuttings and prevent them from rotting (because cucumbers contain a component that can sterilize). In this way, as long as the cucumber does not rot, the cuttings will be fine. No matter how many thousands of miles away, you can bring them home, and they will successfully survive. My quirky flower-growing trick five: Cleverly washing old flower pots

After a period of time, households that grow flowers will have some extra old flower pots: either because some flowers and trees died, or because small flower pots are left over after repotting. It is a pity to throw these old flower pots away, but if you continue to use them, cleaning them is very troublesome (cleaning is necessary: first, to wash off the layer of white scale on the surface that hinders the respiration of flowers and trees; second, to remove insect eggs and miscellaneous bacteria; third, for appearance). Don't worry, below is a simple clever cleaning method:

Add a certain proportion of ferrous sulfate to a container full of water, then stack the old flower pots in order of size, large ones at the bottom and small ones on top, and soak them together in the ferrous sulfate aqueous solution. After about three days, take them out, brush gently with a bristle brush, and the dirt on the surface of the flower pots can be washed completely clean. The reason is simple: the ferrous sulfate solution is slightly acidic, and the white scale on the pot edge is alkaline. Once the two neutralize each other, cleaning becomes very convenient.

After using this method, the flower pots can remain clean and attractive for a long period of time. In addition, the pots become slightly acidic, which is also beneficial to the growth of flowers and trees.

New flower pots treated with this method can achieve the same preventive effect. My quirky flower-growing trick six: Busy autumn sowing, the glycerin enema bottle helps you

As everyone knows, plants have different forms and differ greatly, and their seeds are no exception. The best time for autumn sowing has arrived. Friends preparing for autumn sowing may be troubled by one problem: for particularly tiny seeds, how do you sow them very evenly - neither crowded together nor leaving barren patches? Don't worry, the glycerin enema bottle comes to your rescue:

Take an empty glycerin enema bottle (if you don't have one, you can buy one, very cheap. The liquid inside can be poured out to use as a skin moisturizer, and the effect is better than glycerin). Point the small end at the seeds, apply a little pressure with your hand, and the seeds will stick to the bottle opening; then release your hand, and the seeds will fall exactly where you need them! Sucking and releasing like this is very fast, and spot sowing is completed smoothly.

One reminder: when you feel the bottle opening is a bit large, you can scald it with boiling water to make the opening a little smaller.

My quirky flower-growing trick seven: Bury quail eggs alive, fulfilling your dream of growing flowers as a lazy person

You want to grow flowers well, but find fertilizing troublesome, and even more want to stay away from the dirt and stench of fertilizer. Is there any good trick? Yes! Here is one method:

Buy a few quail eggs, first gently crack the small end, pierce the inner membrane with a toothpick, and when repotting and changing soil, place the quail eggs with the small end facing up, gently at a depth of 2 cm in the culture soil at the bottom of the pot, then normally fill the pot with soil above.

Because the culture soil contains a large amount of organic matter and the pot soil remains moist for a long time, as the temperature rises and fungi act, the egg liquid continuously decomposes, overflows from the fine cracks, and turns into fertilizer for the flower and tree roots to absorb, thus satisfying the needs of flower growth very well. Entering midsummer, most flowers and trees enter a period of vigorous growth and need more nutrients. This is also a period of active bacterial growth, so the decomposition of egg fertilizer accelerates accordingly, ensuring the supply. One small quail egg can basically maintain fertility for 1-2 years. Generally speaking, using this method means no organic fertilizer is needed all year round, but shortly after the egg fertilizer is applied and before it takes effect, an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer, etc. may be applied. In this method, the process of raw egg fertilizer becoming mature is completed inside the eggshell, so there will be no situation where raw fertilizer burns the roots. In addition, after the eggshell decomposes, it is also a very good calcium fertilizer.

(Note: The number of eggs depends on the size of the flower pot. If placing one, it can be placed in the middle of the pot; if using two or more, they can be placed symmetrically, 2-4 cm from the pot edge.)

My quirky flower-growing trick: Number eight - Toast with clivia - the drunkenness method to promote flowering

Clivia has glossy leaves and upright stems, with large red flowers that are dazzling; overall it also appears elegant and dignified, especially suitable for placement on indoor desks, and most people like to grow a few pots at home. But there is often this situation: when bought, it is in full bloom, but after flowering it neither blooms nor grows leaves, seeming to become a stagnant seedling. Is there any way to change this situation? Yes, this is the drunkenness method to promote flowering:

Use baijiu, whether high-proof or low-proof does not matter. Yanghe Daqu is fine, Erguotou is also fine, and if you have the financial strength, Moutai is also welcome. After Qingming and before late autumn, pour a cup of baijiu into the clivia pot every few days. Be careful when pouring so it does not splash onto the plant. In this way, after seven or eight days, you will see the effect: flower scapes emerge, new leaves grow, and the stagnant seedling revives. If handled this way, the clivia will grow better and better, and the flowers will open like a torch.

Note: This method is very safe, so there is no need to worry about burning the clivia to death. But it has not been tested on other flowers and trees, so please use it with caution. If inexperienced, apply a small amount and leave a longer interval, to ensure there is no risk. At the same time, after it takes effect, it can be temporarily stopped.

My quirky flower-growing trick: Number nine - Two small methods to promote flowering and prolong the ornamental period of narcissus. Narcissus has won people's affection with its graceful bearing and pure, jade-like charm, accompanying everyone to welcome the beautiful spring. Therefore, during New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, it is a fine choice for decorating the living room and desk. However, some people's narcissus, although lush and green, simply does not bloom; or, it withers not long after blooming. Is there any method to promote flowering and prolong the flowering period? Yes! One, soapy water to promote flowering

Narcissus contains a plant alkaloid that can promote good plant growth and development. Soapy water is an alkaline solution. After narcissus absorbs it, the plant alkaloid content in its body increases, thereby enabling vegetative growth to quickly transform into reproductive growth. In this way, an appropriate amount of soapy water plays a role in promoting flowering.

Two, aspirin to prolong the ornamental period

Crush one to two aspirin tablets into small particles and sprinkle them into the narcissus pot. The salicylic acid component in aspirin can promote flower bud differentiation and flowering in plants, thereby enabling narcissus flowers to bloom larger and more brightly colored, and prolonging the ornamental period.

Putting some salt in the narcissus pot can likewise promote flowering and prolong the life of the flowers. In addition, after narcissus blooms, placing it in a relatively cool environment also works well. My quirky flower-growing trick: Number ten - For spring sowing, first mix the seeds with oil

Spring sowing is imminent, and everyone may again encounter the following problems: some flower seeds sprout a few days after sowing; some flowers such as clivia, cyclamen, and asparagus fern sprout slowly, appearing only after countless calls; and some are watched for so long in vain that they simply do not sprout at all. Is there any way to improve this? Please try the method of mixing flower seeds with oil -

Specific method: First soak the seeds to be sown in warm water at about 35 degrees Celsius for 24 hours, then take out the flower seeds, wrap them in a dry cloth, and wring out the external water; then mix the flower seeds with some clean cooking oil (such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and sesame oil, etc.), and next you can sow according to the usual method.

Do not underestimate this small method. It can make seeds that are difficult to germinate sprout about 20 days earlier, and the seedlings are strong and grow quickly; in addition, it also has a very good effect on increasing the germination rate. My quirky flower-growing trick eleven: A new method for breathability in porcelain pots and plastic pots

Clay pots are breathable and comfortable, but less attractive; porcelain pots are sturdy and beautiful, and plastic pots are light and cheap, but they are not very breathable. In short, all have some shortcomings. In fact, as long as you use your brain a little, you can turn the shortcomings into advantages ~

Before repotting in early spring, first prepare some foam plastic (there is a lot in electrical appliance packaging boxes) and cut it into small pieces the size of tangyuan. When repotting, use a relatively thick piece of paper to form a ring according to the inner diameter of the flower pot, then place it in the flower pot (leave a certain gap between the paper ring and the flower pot). Then you can fill the plastic pieces into the gap

between the two, and inside the paper ring, fill soil and plant as usual. In this way, the entire repotting task is completed.

With the plastic pieces on the inner edge of porcelain pots and plastic pots, their breathability is greatly increased, which has a very good effect

on the growth and development of flowers.

(Plastic granules can also be used at the bottom of the pot.) My quirky flower-growing trick twelve: Broken bricks and tiles make flowers more brilliant

Broken bricks and tiles make flowers more brilliant. If you don't believe it, try it. Growing flowers in the city, soil is very precious. Some people continue to use old soil after repotting, but it is actually far inferior to broken bricks and tiles.

Broken bricks and tiles are easy to obtain and can be found everywhere. Specific method -

Break waste bricks and tiles into fragments, about 0.2-0.5 cm in diameter. When planting flowers, place the smaller and powdery pieces near the plant roots, and place the larger fragments at the bottom of the pot or in other parts. Other practices are the same as planting with soil.

Growing flowers with broken bricks and tiles has the advantages of breathability, water retention, and fertilizer retention. Because broken bricks and tiles have many tiny gaps and especially strong adsorption capacity, they can quickly absorb applied water and fertilizer, playing a role in retaining water and fertilizer; secondly, because bricks and tiles have been fired, their texture is hard but not solid, and they have the characteristic of not dissolving in water

, the many tiny gaps inside can be retained for a long time, which is conducive to the circulation of air in the soil.

Through experiments, pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, and Pyracantha grown with broken bricks and tiles have well-developed root systems, large flowers, many fruits, and long flowering periods.

(Because broken bricks and tiles themselves contain fewer nutrients, fertilization should be applied several more times than with soil cultivation.) My quirky flower-growing trick thirteen: Force-feeding to fatten and grow roses

The force-feeding method to fatten and grow roses is implemented for the situation in which large rose plants, due to limited pot soil, cannot obtain enough nutrients from the soil to satisfy rose growth. It can make your roses large, bright, and especially vigorous. Interested friends may wish to try it - One, in early spring, before roses are about to sprout, pot them or repot them, and apply sufficient fermented base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot.

Two, the second step is to promote budding. During budding, apply 1-2 times of solid nitrogen fertilizer such as urea or ammonium sulfate, and strictly follow the proportions in the instructions to mix with water before application. Do not make it too concentrated, otherwise it will burn the roots. About one week after application, dozens of tender buds can densely appear. At this time, buds should be appropriately thinned according to plant size and shaping requirements.

Three, the third step, which is also the most important step, is force-feeding fertilization: 1. After sprouting, first fully strengthen the supply of nitrogen fertilizer to make the new buds strong. Water with diluted fully fermented soybean cake liquid, etc., and spray the leaf surfaces and tender branches with a 1/1000 urea solution, alternating the two once a week; 2. When the new buds grow to about 2 cun, begin switching to fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus and potassium. Apply diluted fish intestine fertilizer or other phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to the pot soil, and spray the leaf surfaces and branch tips with 1/1000 monopotassium phosphate, likewise alternating once a week. In this way, a flower bud will soon appear at each branch tip. For even distribution of flower buds, appropriately thin the buds; 3. Afterward, still alternate once every other week with fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus and potassium, to facilitate the next batch of flowering. In between, apply nitrogen fertilizer about once a month.

Explanation: Apply organic fertilizer to the pot soil and inorganic fertilizer to the leaf surfaces, and do not arbitrarily increase the concentration;

In case of heavy rain, shelter from rain or cover against rain to prevent loss of pot soil and nutrients;

It is best to add a certain proportion of coal cinder ash to the pot soil. It is both breathable and has the function of adsorbing nutrients, and releases them relatively evenly. My quirky flower-growing trick fourteen: Another kind of humidification - escorting balcony azaleas. Azaleas are delicate and charming. When in bloom, a scene of brilliant spring colors makes people stop and admire. But to grow azaleas well on a balcony, the humidity problem is a headache. Generally speaking, the climate on a balcony is always drier than outdoors, but azaleas need relatively high humidity, which forms a difficult contradiction: either the buds are hard to open, or the red fades and the fragrance dies. In fact, conditions can be created, and azaleas can also be grown well on a balcony ---

Find a shallow tray or other container slightly larger than the potted azalea, place two wooden strips three or four cm high at intervals in the tray, then set the azalea pot on the wooden strips, and add water to the shallow tray. The water height should be level with the bottom of the azalea pot or just slightly touching it. When the water gradually decreases and the wooden strips are exposed, you can wait two or three days before adding water back to the original level.

The reason this method can effectively humidify is that the shallow tray has standing water year-round or intermittently, which is equivalent to installing a simple humidifier that continuously transpires upward. The higher the temperature, the faster the transpiration, which exactly matches the humidity requirements of azaleas at different periods. Secondly, water slowly moistens the entire pot wall from the bottom up, keeping it often in a good state of being neither too dry nor too wet, protecting the pot soil and root system from the effects of dry air.

This method can be used with confidence; azaleas will not rot at the roots. Because water seeps in from the bottom of the pot, its depth cannot exceed the depth of the shallow tray below; at the same time, the moistening by water is completed in a slowly rising manner, and the amount of water is limited. Moreover, intermittent water supply gives azaleas an opportunity to adjust soil air and humidity.

This method enables azaleas to grow robustly and bloom normally just as if they were on the ground.

Notes: 1. When repotting azaleas, it is best to place some foam plastic fragments and other materials at the bottom of the pot, which is safer.

2. The amount of watering should be appropriately reduced; the water given each time should be about 2/3 of that for ordinary potted flowers.

3. During high-temperature periods, the effect will be better if combined with measures such as frequently spraying water on the azaleas.

My quirky flower-growing trick fifteen: Single-node rapid propagation of ivy and honeysuckle

There are many methods of propagation: sowing, cuttings, grafting, and so on, each with advantages and disadvantages. But there is one method that is simple and easy to carry out. The number propagated in one operation is several times that of cuttings, and it sprouts quickly, with a 100% survival rate. What method is that? That method is called - single-node rapid propagation.

This method is most suitable for our households. If conditions allow ground planting, the effect is even better. The propagation varieties suitable for this method are honeysuckle, ivy, winter jasmine, pothos, and monstera, etc. In addition, Syngonium, Tradescantia pallida, Tradescantia zebrina, and forsythia also have good results.

Take ivy as an example: when repotting or potting, plant it at one end of a long pot more than 40 cm long, and guide the branches to develop toward the other side. Then bend iron wire into small n-shaped sections, insert one between every two nodes of the branches, and loosely hold the branches in place. After that, carry out routine care.

By early summer, use a sharp knife to cut the branches between every two nodes, so that each node carries one leaf. In this way, each node can quickly sprout and become lush. After that, at any time, dig them up and pot them, and you can obtain many independent small plants.

Key points: 1. The pot soil must be soft.

2. The branches must contact the soil.

3. Choose varieties that root at every node as described above.

My quirky flower-growing trick sixteen: Cutting roots in sections for new life in old trees

It is said that all things in heaven and earth have a certain lifespan, and plants are certainly no exception. Although we cannot change this trend, through certain methods we can still prolong their lives. Below is one method ~

The so-called root of life means that life lies in the roots, especially for plants. When the roots are strong, the plant is strong; when the roots age, its life is nearing its end. Therefore, if we want to prolong the life of plants, we must use our brains on the roots - during the spring growth period, scrape away the pot soil, cut off 1/3 of the entire root system, then cover it with pot soil again. Fine new roots will soon grow from the cut old root areas. Treat it the same way next year and the third year. In this way, after three years, it is equivalent to the entire root system having been renewed. Compared with old roots, new roots have significantly stronger ability to absorb water and fertilizer, so it is only natural for the old tree to regain its youth.

In addition, after cutting off old roots, 1/3 of the soil can be replaced with new soil. After three years, the pot soil is equivalent to being completely renewed, and the trouble of repotting is also avoided, achieving two benefits at once.

If the old stump still has some vitality, it can also be shortened in combination with shaping, so that it sends out new branches.

My quirky flower-growing trick seventeen: Aglaia odorata, blooming and fragrant every day

Aglaia odorata has glossy leaves and is evergreen all year round. When it blooms, it is richly fragrant. The tiny golden-yellow flowers like grains of rice are also very eye-catching against the green leaves. If cared for properly, it is no problem for Aglaia odorata to bloom 5 times a year. So can it be made to bloom and be fragrant every day? There is a way -

Generally speaking, after Aglaia odorata blooms once, it needs to "rest" for a period before it can bloom again, because it needs to accumulate nutrients to prepare for the next flowering. So its flowering appears intermittent. If we want it to bloom every day, we must artificially satisfy its nutrient needs, that is, reduce the nutrients consumed by each flowering through appropriate bud thinning. Specifically, when Aglaia odorata buds for the first time (or second time) in early spring, first thin the buds on 1-2 branches, then after another 4-5 days thin the buds on another 1-2 branches, and so on repeatedly and continuously, with cumulative flower and bud thinning reaching more than 6-7 times, and the branches that have undergone flower thinning reaching more than 60-70% of all branches. In this way, all branches of Aglaia odorata can bloom in turn, achieving the goal of flowers and fragrance every day. According to the procedure, the branches that have not been thinned bloom first; after about 5-10 days, the branches thinned the first time bloom next; then the flowers open in the order of thinning. In total, one pot of Aglaia odorata can let you smell its fragrance every day for 7-8 months of the entire growth period. (Because its fragrance is rich, thinning some is harmless.)

Key points: 1. Water, fertilizer, and light must keep up.

2. The plant must not be too small; it should have at least about 10 branches.

My quirky flower-growing trick eighteen: Try it, feeding fatty meat makes epiphyllum bloom

Everyone has their own hobbies, and plants are no exception. For example, clivia loves to drink alcohol, while epiphyllum is fond of fatty meat. During the growth period, often feeding it some fatty meat can not only make its plant dark green and glossy, but also enable it to bloom as many as 5-6 times, with large and numerous flowers.

The specific operation is very simple: soak the fatty meat in boiling water to remove salt; or boil waste lard from pork tripe in water, then cool it. Then use a suitable tool to poke several holes in the epiphyllum pot, 2-3 cm in diameter, afterward cut the fatty meat or waste lard into tablet-sized pieces, pour them into the holes, and cover the surface with about 3 cm of soil.

Key points: 1. Adding a small amount of monopotassium phosphate and mixing it in gives a better effect.

2. Generally, a flower pot with a diameter of 15 cm only needs two holes, and one with 25 cm needs three holes. And so on. The fertilizer effect can supply what epiphyllum needs for one year of growth.

3. It must be cooked and chopped, otherwise the decomposition speed is too slow and it easily attracts insects and ants.

4. Using the waste oil collected in the oil cup of a range hood and pouring it in also has a very obvious effect.

My quirky flower-growing trick nineteen - Spraying flowers with beer kills two birds with one stone

It goes without saying that flower growers love dealing with all kinds of flowers. But what you deal with is not only flowers, but also various pests, haha, even though you do not like them at all.

Among pests, aphids and red spiders are relatively easy to deal with; spray the targeted pesticide twice and it is basically ok. But scale insects are more troublesome. They have a protective layer - a waxy shell - and spraying pesticide has little effect on them, truly somewhat like being invulnerable. Then, besides manual pest removal (brushing with a brush), is there any simpler and more effective method? Yes. After discovering scale insects, don't panic. Prepare a bottle of beer, pour out some and mix with water at a ratio of 6 water to 1 beer, and spray the plant once, making sure to spray all parts as much as possible. Check carefully the next day. If the insects turn reddish-brown and fall off at a touch, then they have certainly died. If any are still alive, spray again. Generally, after spraying three times in a row (three days), the problem can basically be solved.

Principle: After beer is sprayed, it forms a sealing film on the insects' bodies, causing them to suffocate to death. However, it is also possible that they died from drunkenness. Of course, this point still needs entomologists to prove.

In addition, beer is also a very good leaf fertilizer. If sprayed frequently, the plant can grow full of vitality and especially vigorous. The ratio should be thinner than when treating pests; 8 water to 1 beer is enough. If you are interested, you may wish to try it.

My quirky flower-growing trick twenty: Four watering methods

Watering is the first hurdle that flower growers must pass, and also one they must pass. Although watering looks simple, there are actually many particularities in it. Many beginners' flowers are ruined at the watering hurdle. Regarding watering, the so-called "see dry, see wet"; water more during the growth period and less during the dormant period; water more for small pots and less for large pots, and so on, everyone is relatively familiar with, so I will not say more. Below I will only introduce several special watering methods -

One, Sand column method --- prevents pot soil from compacting

When potting or repotting flowers, first stand several hollow tubes in the pot (bamboo tubes, plastic tubes, and iron tubes are all fine), then fill soil around them and press firm. Then pour coarse sand into the tubes, with the upper end level with the soil surface. Finally, gently pull out the hollow tubes, and sand columns form in the pot. Later, when watering, the water only spreads around through the sand columns, thus preventing the soil from compacting, with no adverse side effects.

Note: The tubes cannot stand in the exact center; leave space for planting flowers.

Two, Patrol method --- do not water only half-way

Watering only half-way means the water has not penetrated thoroughly; the top is very wet, while the bottom is still dry. If this is often done, how can flowers and trees not die? There are several reasons: inexperience; the pot soil is too compacted; no repotting for a long time, with roots tangled, and so on. The solution is as follows: if you have many flowers, you can water them one by one as usual without considering whether they have been thoroughly watered. After all are watered, water them again from beginning to end, and a few can even be watered a third time. In this way, the situation of half-way watering can basically be eliminated. Because after the first round of watering, even if not thoroughly watered, the pot soil has already become moist and softened to a certain extent, so after a period of time, the second round of water is relatively easy to absorb.

Note: This is unnecessary for loose pot soil. If there are not many flowers, you can do some other things after watering and water once more after a while.

Three, Sitting pot method --- prevents Caragana from root rot

Caragana flowers are very beautiful. When the flowers first open they resemble butterflies, and after opening they look like golden sparrows dancing gracefully. They can also be made into bonsai, so many people love to grow them. But in recent years fewer and fewer people grow them, because they easily rot at the roots and die if you are not careful. There is one method that is very effective in preventing root rot, namely: the sitting pot method. Put some water in a container, place the potted Caragana in it, and when the soil surface looks wet, it has been thoroughly watered, and then it can be taken out.

Note: Also follow the principle of "see dry, see wet."

Four, Noon water --- makes jasmine more fragrant

Watering jasmine at noon can make jasmine more fragrant when it blooms. The ancients already summarized it: "To get jasmine fragrance, one ladle of water at noon." But watering under the strong midday sun is a taboo in flower growing. The reason is just like people cannot take a cold shower immediately when too hot. To water flowers at noon without mishap, the premise is to first put the water under the sun to warm it, and water when the water temperature is close to the soil temperature. In this way it is ok and safe.

Reminder: Other plants have not been tested, so please use with caution.

My quirky flower-growing trick twenty-one - Old loofah helps your leaves stay green and flowers beautiful

The autumn wind rises, and the harvest season has arrived again. The vines of the loofah gradually wither like an old person's arms, and the leaves tremble in the wind. Only the old loofahs still hang heavily.

In the past, villagers used them to wash bowls and scrub pots. Now no one uses them, and they seem to have become waste. Have they really become waste? No! After picking the old loofahs, wash them clean and dry them. When repotting and changing soil or potting flowers, cut them into small pieces about 5 cm long. At 1/3 of the depth of the bottom pot soil, spread a layer of loofah stem, fill soil above it, then spread another layer at 2/3 of the pot soil, add more soil, and afterward proceed normally.

Note: Before cutting, first lay it flat on the ground and use a hammer to smash the loofah seeds.

(This method can effectively improve the pot soil, making it loose and not compacted. Moreover, the loofah fibers and seeds slowly decompose in the pot soil and are a very good slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, so potted flowers all have green leaves and beautiful flowers.

My quirky flower-growing trick twenty-two: Wonderful use of sawdust, turning waste into treasure

During ordinary home renovation, afterward sawdust is often just thrown away as garbage. In fact, sawdust is very useful to us flower growers, and we can absolutely turn waste into treasure ~

  1. Cuttings: Sawdust used as a cutting medium for plants such as roses, gardenia, and pomegranate has an obvious effect, far superior to soil cuttings or water cuttings, and roots grow quickly, in large numbers, and the plants are robust. There is an even greater advantage: after the plant has rooted and survived, it can be moved into the pot soil together with the block of sawdust, so the roots are not damaged, it is easy to establish, and flowers and fruits appear early. Even for varieties that are relatively difficult to root, such as azaleas, I also tried successfully, and even a tiny tip of begonia about one cun long can root quickly. The reason is that sawdust is better than soil in both water retention and breathability, with sufficient oxygen.

Specific method: After putting sawdust into a flower pot, pour boiling water over it repeatedly several times to thoroughly disinfect it. After the temperature drops, squeeze out the excess water (so that the moist sawdust does not release water when squeezed by hand), and then you can begin cuttings. The method is the same as soil cuttings. After insertion, keep the sawdust moist and it will quickly root and survive. This method can be carried out in all four seasons, except that in winter it needs to be placed on a sunny windowsill indoors with heating.

  2. As a wrapping medium for air layering: Because sawdust is loose in texture and can be controlled in dryness and moisture, it is likewise superior to other media, roots faster, is relatively safe, and has a high survival rate.

Specific method: After girdling the plant, fill the plastic bag wrapped around it with a medium made of half moist sawdust and half loess, then tie both ends tightly.

  3. As fertilizer: Making fertilizer with moist sawdust is comprehensive in nutrition, economical and convenient, and clean and hygienic.

Specific method: Mix moist sawdust with an appropriate amount of inorganic fertilizer such as superphosphate, potassium phosphate, or urea. It is even better if organic fertilizer is mixed in. Put it into a plastic bag and tie the bag opening tightly. Turn it over once every two weeks to accelerate even decomposition. In spring and autumn, it can be used after about six weeks.

Note: When using, mix in 50% soil.

The above lists several points, and the rest will not be repeated. In fact, the uses of sawdust are not limited to these. Everyone can use their brains and give it a try.

(Oh, I forgot an important point, now let me add it ~ sawdust must be fermented before use.)

My quirky flower-growing trick twenty-three: If you want flowers and trees to do well in winter, leave some grass in the pot. The reason I say "leave" rather than "plant" is that our potted flowers often have some wild grass that comes uninvited and grows extremely lushly, enjoying itself. The reaction of ordinary flower friends is to be so itchy with hatred that they must remove it to feel better, the so-called "pull up the grass and tear out the roots."

This trick of mine is not really strange. It is because flower friends often raise the issue that in winter the watering standard is difficult to grasp. Roots rot, leaves fall, and the poor flowers' lives are hard to save. Is there any simple method that can let everyone quickly grasp the watering standard? Yes, please show mercy and leave some wild grass in the pot; pulling up the grass and tearing out the roots is not advisable.

Generally speaking, most varieties of plants are in a dormant or semi-dormant state in winter, so they do not need much water; the soil only needs to be slightly moist. But many flower friends often rush to water as soon as they see the soil surface turn pale, thinking the flowers may dry out. In fact, it is not so. The soil surface turns pale, but the middle is still very moist. In this way, it would be strange if the flowers and trees did not develop problems!

Leave some grass in the pot, but not just any grass; leave the green grass that stands cold-resistant in winter. And not the more the better; just three to five plants are enough.

When is it time to water? When is it not yet time? Look at the grass! If the grass is still standing green and lush, don't water; if the weeds have wilted and lost their vigor, water immediately. The standard is just that simple!

Keeping some grass in the pot has more benefits than these: it protects against cold in winter, shields from sun in summer, and also decorates the pot surface - just think, what's so attractive about bare soil. In addition, when loosening the soil, burying the grass into the soil with a trowel makes green manure, enough to compensate for the loss caused by the weeds competing with the potted flowers for nutrients.

I have used this method for watering for more than a year, and it works every time. If you believe it, you can try it too.

Note: 1. Plants still flowering and fruiting in winter are not covered by this rule.

      2. This method also applies in other seasons.

My strange flower-growing tricks, number twenty-four: burying nodes for propagation, lush bamboo becomes a grove. "Better to eat no meat than to live without bamboo" - the ancients were like this, and people today are the same. In modern homes, for greening around the residence or in the surroundings, lush bamboo is also one of the indispensable choices. Planting trees often requires "ten years to grow a tree," while planting bamboo often creates a clear, shaded, evergreen environment in just one or two years. On a night with bright moonlight, the graceful bamboo shadows swaying outside the window add even more boundless quiet charm.

Planting a few slender bamboos in a pot and adding one or two Ying stones is also a beloved desk treasure in the hearts of many flower growers.

Bamboo generally uses the method of propagation with rhizomes, and a few are also grown from seed. This propagation method of mine is relatively rare (my cousin taught me), but the effect is excellent - simple and easy to do, with a high survival rate. Bamboo lovers may as well give it a try...

In early spring during rainy and overcast weather, choose a mother bamboo with plump buds, and saw it off between two nodes (that is, keeping one node scar in the middle); then fill the bamboo tube from both ends with moist fine sand, filling it full and pressing it firm, then seal both ends of the bamboo tube with clay. This is the first step.

Next, choose loose, well-draining sandy loam soil, and according to the thickness of the bamboo tube, dig a trench about 10 cm deep, place the prepared bamboo tube flat in the trench and cover it with soil, press it gently firm, then water thoroughly. That's it, all done. Remember when burying the node to face the buds upward, and absolutely do not put it in upside down.

The bamboo nodes can grow tender shoots in about 25-30 days. If making a bonsai, just pot it during the rainy season.

Key points~~1. To cultivate a bamboo grove, choose thick bamboo; to cultivate potted plants, choose thin varieties.

           2. When sawing the bamboo tube, be careful not to let it split, so as not to injure the buds.

           3. Water according to the principle of dry-wet alternation.

           4. After burying, it is best to cover with some bamboo branches or dry grass to block part of the sunlight.

My strange flower-growing tricks, number twenty-five: homemade rooting agents, roots grow fast and plentiful. As the weather gradually warms and the ground temperature rises, the good season for cuttings has arrived again. There are many kinds of cutting methods, and generally people like soil cuttings or water cuttings. But everyone's handling techniques differ; add to that the differences among plant varieties, and rooting is easy for some and difficult for others, which makes survival rates vary. In order to properly solve this problem, before cutting everyone likes to use rooting agents such as naphthaleneacetic acid, which is indeed effective, and the rooting survival rate is also somewhat improved. But if the place is remote and supplies are out of stock, what do you do if you can't buy any for the moment? Don't worry, let me introduce several homemade rooting agents for you. No need to spend money, and the effect is not at all worse than purchased ones -

(1) Phosphate fertilizer solution~~As mentioned above, rooting agents such as naphthaleneacetic acid are actually a kind of rooting hormone. In fact, phosphate fertilizer solution has the same effect. Because the substance "phosphorus" can effectively promote plant cell and tissue growth and development, and promote plant wound healing and rooting.

Specific method: before cutting, first dilute the phosphate fertilizer solution with water, at a ratio of 7 parts water to 3 parts fertilizer, then soak the pre-treated cuttings (the root end) into the fertilizer solution, with the submerged part making up 1/3 of the cutting. After 2-3 hours, take them out and rinse clean with clear water, then carry out routine cutting.

For common varieties such as camellia and Chinese rose, using this method for cuttings can make them root 10-22 days earlier, with good root development and vigorous growth.

(2) White sugar solution~~It is also a very good rooting agent, and after testing by many people, its effect is obvious.

Specific method: first melt the white sugar with hot water, at a ratio of 9 parts water to 1 part sugar. After the sugar water cools, soak the trimmed cuttings in it. Take them out after about 40-60 minutes, rinse the cut end clean with clear water, and use a sharp knife to cut off part of the cut end, then carry out routine cutting.

After the above treatment, the survival rate is much higher than that of ordinary cuttings. Even for rhododendrons and camellias, which are relatively difficult to root, it can reach more than 90%.

(3) Willow soaking liquid~~Willow liquid is a very good plant growth agent. Its liquid is rich in growth hormones, so it can survive whether planted upright or upside down, and its vitality is especially strong.

Specific method: take some willow branches and leaves, smash the branches with a hammer, then soak them in water. After one day, remove the branches and leaves, and the water is willow soaking liquid.

The next day, soak the cuttings in it for about 1 day (a longer time does no harm; willow liquid contains components that inhibit bacterial reproduction), then carry out routine cutting.

Roots develop quickly and plentifully, and the plants grow robustly.

My strange flower-growing tricks, number twenty-six: the "amphibious" cutting method. Cuttings are a simple and easy propagation method that everyone is happy to use; right now it is also the good season for cuttings, so several of my posts are related to cuttings. I recommend them to everyone, hoping they can be of some help to you all.

The two most commonly used cutting methods: soil cuttings and water cuttings, each with advantages and disadvantages. But both have a difficult hurdle~~after rooting they must be moved into pots. Because the new roots are rather delicate, and some people's handling techniques are not very skilled, efforts are often wasted and success is lost at the last moment. This is very disheartening.

The cutting method introduced below does not require moving into a pot after rooting, thus greatly increasing the survival rate of cuttings. I call it: the "amphibious cutting method."

The method is as follows~~

  1. Find a flower pot of suitable size, and first seal the bottom hole with melted wax liquid. (Other materials can also be used, but it must be able to be poked open with one push when needed.)

  2. Put about 3/5 cutting soil at the bottom of the container, and on top spread about 1/5 river sand to fix the cuttings. Then gently pour in clear water until it is about 1 cm above the sand surface.

  3. Cutting. The cutting length can be about 8-15 cm. Level the lower end with a sharp knife (either horseshoe-shaped or flat is fine), so it is less likely to rot. Insert the cutting about 1/3 into the yellow sand, and remove the green leaves below the water surface. The cuttings should also not be too crowded; generally 1-3 plants are more suitable.

  4. After inserting, it can be placed in full sun (for cuttings in midsummer, it is better to place them in diffused light), but the sand surface must not lack water. Change the clear water once every 10 days to half a month to ensure the water quality stays clean.

  5. Roots form in about 25 to 45 days. At that time, poke open the sealed bottom hole of the pot from below, and drain the water completely. After a few days, when the pot soil is dry, water again and enter the normal management stage.

Notes: a. Choose moisture-tolerant varieties, such as gardenia, Buddhist pine, serissa, and other plants.

              b. The pot soil should use plain soil (without fertilizer).

              c. If you cannot determine whether the cutting has rooted, you can pull it up to observe. If white new roots appear on the callus tissue, you can drain the water and switch to dry cultivation.

My strange flower-growing tricks, number twenty-seven: water cutting Daphne odora A, B, C

Daphne odora is an excellent flower, vigorous all year round, with branches and leaves so green they seem about to drip; when it blooms, its fragrance spreads far, filling the room with spring, and it is a precious flower in season during the Spring Festival. Among them, the golden-edged Daphne odora has leaves like jade inlaid with gold, and the flower color first white, then turning purple, then red, very bright, with an extremely strong fragrance. It can be said to excel in color, fragrance, posture, and charm, and has been listed as a treasure since ancient times.

If we want to propagate golden-edged Daphne odora at home, we generally like to use the cutting method. This method is good, but the survival rate cannot really be guaranteed, and it takes a relatively long time. By comparison, water cutting is much superior to soil cutting~~

Water cutting can be carried out from April to September, and right now is the best time. Because when the temperature is low, rooting takes a long time, and it may even fail to root and rot; when the temperature is too high, pathogens in the water multiply greatly, which is also unfavorable for the branches to root. At present, the cutting temperature is just suitable.

Specific method: cut off the current year's branches, remove the lower leaves, keep 3-4 leaves at the upper part, and cut the insertion end into a horseshoe shape with a sharp knife to help more roots develop. Then find a suitable bottle, fill it with clear water, and insert the lower part of the cutting. Note that the water bottle should be placed in a place with diffused light, not in the sun, and not too shady. Change the clear water once every three or four days.

After water cutting, at the current temperature, roots can form in about 25-30 days. If before water cutting you soak the cuttings in naphthaleneacetic acid rooting solution for 4 hours, rooting can be advanced by one week.

Notes: 1. If there are many branches, you can tie them into a bundle and insert them.

2. When the roots grow to 3-4 cm, they can be potted. Be careful when potting, and do not break the roots.

3. After cuttings are potted in the same year, they will not send out new shoots that year, so there is no need to fertilize. By around the next Spring Festival, the young plants can bloom, and after flowering they can be fertilized normally.

My strange flower-growing tricks, number twenty-eight: upside-down cutting of Epiphyllum. Epiphyllum flowers are large and beautiful, with bright, eye-catching colors, and they are easy to grow with rough care. Many flower lovers want to have a pot. The common trick for home propagation of Epiphyllum is cuttings, but many flower lovers report that the survival rate of cuttings is not high, and if you are not careful they rot at the roots, so many years of cuttings are wasted. Why do Epiphyllum cuttings rot easily? Because its fleshy stems are rather thick, and the cut end is extremely sensitive to soil moisture - too wet and the cuttings rot easily, too dry and the branches shrivel, thin and weak, barely alive. Even the cut ends of branches that have been rooted for a long time can still rot if you are not careful, wasting all previous efforts. To solve this problem, there is a clever method, and that is upside-down cutting.

The method is very simple: cut off a 10-15 cm cutting with a sharp knife (the part with the leaf tip at the upper end), then insert it upside down into the soil, with the buried depth about 6-8 cm. Because it is inserted upside down, the cut end is exposed outside. At the current temperature, roots can form and it can survive in about 20 days, and new branches can sprout and grow in a month and a half. At this time, it can safely be transferred to normal management.

Notes: 1. Be careful when watering or spraying, and do not spray the upward-facing cut end.

            2. There is no need to control water; from the start, use the dry-wet alternation principle.

            3. The cutting medium need not be sand or plain soil; it can be inserted directly into fertile, loose soil.

            4. Insert immediately after cutting; the cuttings do not need to be dried in the shade.

            5. The section of the cutting from the new roots to the old part will naturally shrink and dry up later, and new branches will take its place.