What causes root rot in potted camellia sasanqua?

Camellia sasanqua is one of the common potted plants, but if you are not careful in daily care, camellia sasanqua will develop root rot. Generally, camellia sasanqua root rot is mainly caused by improper soil, fertilizing, and watering. The details are explained separately below.

If the pot soil is chosen improperly, camellia sasanqua is very prone to root rot. This mainly includes two aspects: soil and repotting.

a. Something went wrong with the soil: this includes two reasons. One is that the soil pH is unsuitable, and the other is that the soil is not loose and breathable enough. Camellia sasanqua likes acidic soil, so when choosing pot soil, do not choose highly alkaline soil. In addition, the soil also needs to be loose and breathable, rich in humus. Mountain soil is relatively suitable, and a certain amount of pine needles or river sand can be added, which can benefit the growth of camellia sasanqua roots and reduce the occurrence of root rot.

b. Something went wrong with the flower pot: then the cause must be found from two aspects, texture and size. Generally, for planting camellia sasanqua, clay pots are best, followed by purple clay pots, while porcelain pots are relatively unsuitable. In terms of size, the main point is to ensure that the camellia sasanqua plant can grow well and that the root system can spread easily.

It is mainly due to fertilizing too frequently and too concentratedly. For camellia sasanqua, it is best to use diluted fertilizer, which can be divided into 3 growth stages. In March and April, fertilizing mainly with nitrogen fertilizer can promote good growth of spring shoots. In May and June, fertilizing mainly with phosphorus fertilizer can make the flowers brilliant. In September and October, it is best to apply a compound fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Winter is the dormant period of camellia sasanqua, and fertilizing should generally be stopped.

Therefore, when fertilizing, in addition to ensuring sufficient nutrients for camellia sasanqua, you also need to pay attention to moderation, to prevent the fertilizer from being too concentrated and burning the roots or causing root rot.

Most cases of camellia sasanqua root rot are caused by too much watering. Camellia sasanqua needs a lot of water during vigorous growth, but there still needs to be moderation, so watering is best done according to the dry and wet condition of the pot soil. This involves factors such as climate, the size and texture of the flower pot, and the growing environment. Basically, water when the surface of the pot soil becomes dry, and do not water excessively, otherwise root rot will occur. In addition, if watering is needed in winter, the water temperature must not be too low.

Care and management of potted flowers in August

Every season has its own characteristics, and this year's summer is unusually hot. In such a harsh environment, flowers on balconies and in courtyards also become very miserable. If management is not paid attention to, it can also cause various diseases, and in severe cases even death. So in the hot August, how should potted flowers on courtyards and balconies be managed? The editor will analyze this for you from several major aspects of daily care.

Calceolaria

1. Watering

In August, watering should be done between 9 and 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For those ornamental plant species that like acidity, 0.1% ferrous sulfate can be added to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense fine hairs on the leaf surface, such as Calceolaria, Gloxinia, Begonia masoniana, and Begonia rex, water droplets on the leaf surface are not easy to evaporate and can easily lead to leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting can be done; the leaf rosette flower buds of Gerbera (African daisy) and the center of the leaf rosette of Clivia also must not be sprinkled with water. Dirty water flowing into the leaf rosette can cause heart rot; for Bromeliads, watering must be reduced and misting increased, and water should be poured into the leaf tank to meet their needs. This month, while watering and misting potted plants, be sure to loosen the soil, once every 10 days, otherwise repeated watering will cause the pot soil to become compacted. For flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, watering and misting should be controlled, just enough to keep the pot soil slightly moist. A relatively cool and moist environment can be created for them by misting the small environment around the flower pot.

2. Fertilizing

In August, for foliage plants such as Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Ficus elastica, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Rhapis excelsa, red (green) gem, Araucaria heterophylla, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Phoenix roebelenii, Dypsis lutescens, Caryota urens, Livistona chinensis, Epipremnum aureum, Dracaena fragrans, Yucca elephantipes, Pachira aquatica, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Cordyline fruticosa, Fagraea ceilanica (African jasmine), Cinnamomum kotoense (Pingan wood), Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Dragon Phoenix wood), Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Euphorbia pulcherrima, Calathea roseopicta, Schefflera arboricola, Aucuba japonica, Chamaedorea elegans, Codiaeum variegatum, and Fatsia japonica, a low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer, or cake fertilizer water. For long-flowering species such as Rosa chinensis, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Lagerstroemia indica, Punica granatum var. pleniflorum, Aglaia odorata, Osmanthus fragrans var. semperflorens, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Bougainvillea spectabilis, and Lantana camara, as well as fruit-watching plants such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, Citrus limon, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Diospyros cathayensis, Punica granatum, Nandina domestica, and Chaenomeles sinensis, in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate. For potted herbaceous flowers that bloom in autumn, such as Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Chrysanthemum morifolium (autumn chrysanthemum), Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Antirrhinum majus, Callistephus chinensis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, and dwarf sunflower, a diluted liquid fertilizer can be applied once every half month to ensure lush leaves and abundant flowers after autumn. For flower and tree species in flower bud differentiation, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Osmanthus fragrans, and Rhododendron simsii, a low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to the leaves. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, never let the fertilizer liquid drip on the leaves, to avoid causing leaf rot. To be safe, after fertilizing, spray the leaves with water in time to wash away any fertilizer droplets that may adhere to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in dormant and semi-dormant states, such as Clivia miniata, Begonia semperflorens, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Daphne odora, Aloe vera, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Portulacaria afra, Schlumbergera truncata, Sedum species, Oxalis triangularis, Cactaceae species, and Echinopsis species, all forms of topdressing must be stopped, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot or death of the plants.

Begonia semperflorens

3. Shading

In August, the heat is still intense, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers is still very important. For those ornamental plant species that like cool conditions, such as Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Ficus elastica, Dypsis lutescens, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta species, red (green) gem, Rhapis excelsa, Epipremnum aureum, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Imperial Red', orchid species, Calathea roseopicta, Peperomia species, Bromeliads, Adina pilulifera, Pilea peperomioides, ferns, Bambusa ventricosa, Bambusa multiplex, Chlorophytum comosum, Reineckea carnea, Chamaedorea elegans, Fittonia verschaffeltii, Gynura aurantiaca, Ludisia discolor, Aglaonema commutatum, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Begonia species, Dracaena sanderiana, Aspidistra elatior, Asparagus setaceus, and Hosta ventricosa, continued shade can be provided by building a shed, pulling on the shade net at 9 a.m. and removing it after 4 p.m. If there are not many potted flowers, they can also be moved indoors for 6 to 7 hours around noon. If conditions permit, they can also be moved under the dense shade of large trees, and then moved out from the tree shade in mid-September.

4. Pruning

In August, continue pinching or pruning those vigorous, pruning-tolerant, and easily sprouting stump bonsai, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Carmona retusa, Ficus microcarpa, Fraxinus chinensis 'Jiedui', Adina rubella, and Buxus sinica var. parvifolia. For Rosa chinensis, Punica granatum var. pleniflorum, Aglaia odorata, and others, after each flowering, retrenchment pruning should be carried out. For potted chrysanthemums, bud removal and bud thinning should be done well.

5. Pest and disease control

In August, pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail butterflies, rose sawflies, and peach red-necked longhorn beetles should be controlled. Attention should be paid to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, and leaf blight. Attention should be paid to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leafminers, and stem borers.

Basic knowledge of growing flowers, growing grass, and potted plants

Basic knowledge of growing flowers, growing grass, and potted plants

Good teaching material: basic knowledge of growing flowers, growing grass, and potted plants

Basic knowledge of potted plants

Watering section
1. Term explanation - water withholding. Water withholding means that during the growth process of flowers, not watering or watering less is used to limit their vegetative growth, so that nutrients are accumulated, which is beneficial to flower bud differentiation and the formation of flower buds. For example, when cultivating Bougainvillea spectabilis, Prunus mume (Prunus persica 'Duplex', chrysanthemum, Jasminum sambac, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, and citrus species), when the new shoots grow to about 20 cm, begin "water withholding", that is, do not water for 2-3 days. Because the plant lacks water, the top leaves begin to wilt, and only then water a small amount to restore the leaves. After repeating 2-3 times, the growth at the top of the branches is inhibited, causing nutrients to concentrate and promoting flower bud differentiation.

2. Term explanation - return water. Return water means that after fertilizing on the previous evening, clear water must be watered again the next morning. It can promote the root system's absorption of fertilizer and prevent fertilizer damage. Because the fertilizer applied the previous night, after one night of infiltration, has too high a fertilizer concentration, it is not only difficult for the root system to absorb but can also burn the seedlings. After watering "return water", the fertilizer concentration in the soil is diluted, which is beneficial to root absorption. (More suitable for the following flowers: Rhododendron species (Azalea), Clivia miniata, Camellia japonica, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Michelia figo, etc.)

3. Term explanation - waist water. "Waist water" is also called "half water", which means the pot soil is "wet on top and dry at the bottom", that is, the upper half is moist and the lower half is dry. Because the soil drains poorly, water accumulates in the pot soil, and the water poured in cannot leak out from the drainage hole.

4. Term explanation - hard water and soft water. Water is divided into hard water and soft water according to its salt content. Soft water refers to water with a hardness lower than 8 degrees; hard water refers to water with a hardness higher than 8 degrees and relatively high salt content. For watering, soft water without salt content should be preferred.

5. Term explanation - see dry, see wet. For some flowers that like moisture, such as Rhododendron simsii, Camellia japonica, Michelia figo, Gardenia jasminoides, and Aglaia odorata, watering should follow the principle of "see dry, see wet", watering when the surface of the growing medium turns white, and watering until moist. The pot soil must not be too dry or too wet for a long time, and keeping it "moist" is enough.
6. Term explanation - dry thoroughly, water thoroughly. For potted flowers that like dryness and fear waterlogging, such as orchids, Chimonanthus praecox, and Pelargonium hortorum, watering should follow the principle of "dry thoroughly, water thoroughly". Water only when the growing medium is dry. "Water thoroughly" means do not pour "waist water"; the pot soil should be watered thoroughly from top to bottom. If it is not watered thoroughly, the root system will not be able to absorb water, which will affect its growth.
7. Term explanation - better dry than wet. For Pinus parviflora, Pinus thunbergii, and xerophytes, watering should follow the principle of "better dry than wet". Water only after it is thoroughly dry, and never allow water accumulation.
8. Term explanation - soil moisture. It is usually expressed as the percentage of soil water content. The water needed for flower growth is mainly absorbed from the soil, so soil moisture is generally suitable at 60-70% of field capacity.
9. Term explanation - field capacity. Field soil has a maximum water-holding capacity. This indicator is collectively called field capacity, and its value is about 25%. This is the limit value of soil water-holding capacity.
10. Term explanation - air humidity. The level of air humidity is often expressed as the percentage of relative air humidity. In a day, when the temperature is highest in the afternoon, the relative air humidity is lowest, and it is highest in the early morning. Generally, the air humidity required by flowers is roughly around 65-70%, while plants in arid and desert climates are far below this. Greenhouse flowers, tropical foliage plants, tropical orchids and other species with aerial roots, as well as moisture-loving plants such as ferns, need air humidity of roughly around 70-80%.
11. Term explanation - atmospheric drought. Atmospheric drought: due to atmospheric drought, a large amount of water in the flower body transpires. At this time, soil water shortage will cause plant water imbalance and temporary wilting, but it will not die.
12. Term explanation - soil drought. Soil drought: atmospheric drought often causes soil drought. When the soil loses water for a long time and is not replenished in time, it cannot supply the water needed by flowers, leading to withering and death.
13. Term explanation - waterlogging damage. Because the soil drains poorly and water accumulates too much, air cannot enter the soil, and over time it will cause the plant to suffocate and die.
Growing medium & media section
1. Term explanation - bulk density. The mass per unit volume of medium. It reflects how loose or compact the medium is. A large bulk density indicates that the medium is too compact and has poor water permeability and air permeability; too small a bulk density indicates it is too loose and the plant is not easy to stand firmly.
2. Term explanation - total porosity. The sum of water-holding pores and air pores in the medium, expressed as a percentage of the medium volume.
3. Term explanation - pH value. pH value: an indicator of acidity and alkalinity. pH 7 indicates neutral. When the pH value exceeds 6.5, the ability of most plants to absorb trace elements such as iron and boron will decline, and over time deficiency symptoms will occur.
4. Term explanation - EC value. An indicator of the salt concentration of a solution, usually expressed in millisiemens (mS). Hydroponic nutrient solution must be a pollution-free nutrient solution with low electrical conductivity. While ensuring that plants receive comprehensive and reasonable nutrition, it should maximize dissolved oxygen. This is because under the same pressure and temperature, the dissolved oxygen level in the nutrient solution decreases as the salt content increases.
5. Term explanation - alkalinity. One understanding is the ability of water to neutralize acidic substances (H+), that is, buffering capacity. It is determined by the total amount of dissolved HCO3-, CO32-, and OH-. Another understanding is like lime in water: the higher the alkalinity, the faster the pH value rises.
6. Term explanation - texture. Soil particles of different coarseness and fineness occupy different proportions in the soil, forming different soil textures.
7. Term explanation - water-holding capacity. The moisture content that soil can retain after drainage removes gravitational water.
8. Term explanation - pores. Refers to the large pores left after gravitational water drains away, usually also called aeration pores.
9. Term explanation - carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Refers to the relative ratio of carbon to nitrogen in an organic medium. When the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio is high, most nitrogen will be absorbed by soil microorganisms.
10. Term explanation - CEC. It indicates the ability of soil to absorb and retain nutrient ions, not be leached away by water, and release nutrients to supply plant growth.
11. Term explanation - sandy soil, sandy loam soil, loam soil, clay soil
Sandy soil: a soil mainly composed of sand particles. Sandy soil is breathable and permeable, suitable for germination and seedling emergence, but it has poor fertilizer retention, is prone to drought, and itself has few nutrients. Apply mainly organic fertilizer, and chemical fertilizer should not be applied too much.
Sandy loam soil: a soil containing more sand particles and less fine soil. Generally, when wet it can form a ball, but the ball surface is uneven, and dry soil clods are easy to crush. This kind of soil is loose, breathable, and permeable, suitable for cultivation, but it has poor fertilizer and water retention. Fertilizing should mainly use organic fertilizer, and for chemical fertilizer, the principle of frequent application and small amounts should be followed.
Loam soil: a soil with good soil properties and suitable sand and clay content. Its characteristics are loose but not scattered, sticky but not inconvenient, both breathable and permeable, and also water- and fertilizer-retentive, with high fertility, suitable for planting all kinds of plants.
Clay soil: soil in which clay content is absolutely dominant and sand content is very low. It has relatively high water and fertilizer retention capacity and contains more nutrients needed by plants, but it has poor air and water permeability, large clods, and is not easy to cultivate.
12. Term explanation - river sand, sea sand
River sand: sand dug from freshwater lakes or shallow mountain gullies. It generally does not carry salinity or alkalinity and can be mixed into soil for planting flowers, or used as a propagation medium for cuttings.
Sea sand: dug from beaches. Because it is washed by seawater, it is slightly saline and alkaline. It can be rinsed with clear water and then mixed into soil for planting flowers.
13. Term explanation - acidic soil, alkaline soil
Soil acidity and alkalinity is a term used to measure how much acid and alkali content is in the soil. Soil with a pH value lower than 7 is acidic soil, and soil with a pH value higher than 7 is alkaline soil.
pH 3-4: strongly acidic; pH 5: acidic; pH 6: weakly acidic; pH 7: neutral; pH 8: weakly alkaline; pH 9: alkaline; pH 10-11: strongly alkaline.
14. Term explanation - humus. It is a kind of soil organic matter, completely rotted animal and plant residues decomposed by microorganisms. It has moderate cohesiveness and can make clay soil loose and sandy soil cohesive. Humus itself contains various nutrients and has strong absorbency. It can improve the soil's fertilizer and water retention performance, and can also buffer soil acid-base changes, which is beneficial to microbial activity and plant growth.
15. Term explanation - leaf mold. Refers to organic matter formed by the accumulation and decomposition of fallen leaves. Leaf mold is soft and has the characteristics of good aeration, good drainage, and light weight, making it an excellent type of potting medium. Generally it is not used directly; mixed with other soils, it can improve soil quality and make the soil loose, which is beneficial to plant growth.
16. Term explanation - vegetable garden soil. Soil used in rural areas for growing vegetables (including the surface soil for planting trees in courtyards and green spaces). This kind of soil has good aggregate structure, is relatively fertile, and has good drainage, suitable for the cultivation of many flowers.
17. Term explanation - peat soil. Also called turf charcoal or peat. It is the plant body of mosses and aquatic plants buried underground and not completely rotted and decomposed. It shows an acidic reaction and is rich in organic matter, and can improve the physical properties of soil. Peat soil itself does not contain much nutrients that plants can absorb and use, but it contains a large amount of fiber and humic acid, and has strong ability to absorb fertilizer and retain water.
18. Term explanation - rotten grass soil. It is soil formed by stacking and rotting weeds, straw, and other materials mixed with soil manure. It contains long-lasting nutrients for many years and is used to cultivate perennial plants.
19. Term explanation - woody soil. Also called "tree manure". It is the product of rotting dead branches and wood chips. Its properties and structure are similar to leaf mold, acidic and light, but it lacks nutrients, and is suitable for planting Schlumbergera truncata, Dendrobium, etc.
20. Term explanation - mountain soil. Formed by the accumulation and decay of broad-leaved forest litter over many years. It is breathable and permeable, and has good fertilizer and water retention. It is suitable for planting orchids and Clivia miniata.
21. Term explanation - orchid soil. Also called black mountain soil. Black in color; light in quality is best. Suitable for planting Rhododendron, Camellia japonica, bamboo, etc.
22. Term explanation - bagasse. Mostly used in tropical areas. It has a high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and must be supplemented with nitrogen to meet the needs of rapid microbial decomposition. It has a very high water-holding capacity. It decomposes quickly in containers and easily becomes dense, causing poor aeration and drainage, so it is rarely used.
23. Term explanation - bark. Pine bark and hardwood bark have good physical properties and can largely replace peat as a potting medium.
24. Term explanation - sawdust. Sawdust has properties similar to bark, but it decomposes and settles more easily, and is too dense and not easy to dry.
25. Term explanation - wood shavings. Wood shavings are similar to sawdust in composition, only larger in individual size, and can provide higher aeration.
26. Term explanation - rice hulls. They have good drainage and aeration, do not affect the original pH value or soluble salts of the mixed medium, and can resist decomposition, so they have relatively high use value. However, before use they must be steamed to kill pathogenic bacteria.
27. Term explanation - caramelized rice hulls. They are a soilless medium made from carbonized rice hulls. The pH is slightly alkaline, but after several waterings it can become neutral. Their ability to absorb nutrients is relatively poor, but when mixed with an equal amount of peat as a seedling potting medium, satisfactory results can be achieved.
28. Term explanation - perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay pellets
Temperature section
1. Term explanation - vernalization. Refers to the phenomenon in which annual and biennial seed crops need to experience a period of low temperature during the seedling stage before they can flower and set seed. This developmental period is called the vernalization stage.
2. Term explanation - air temperature. Refers to the temperature value measured in a thermometer shelter, with the bulb of the thermometer 1.5 m above the ground.
3. Term explanation - three cardinal temperatures. The temperatures required by flowers throughout their life activities are called biological temperatures and can be expressed by three temperature indicators. The biological minimum temperature is the lower limit temperature at which growth and development begin; the biological optimum temperature is the temperature most suitable for maintaining life and at which growth and development are fastest; the biological maximum temperature is the upper limit temperature that can be tolerated for maintaining life.
4. Term explanation - effective accumulated temperature. Each kind of flower has its own lower limit temperature for growth. Only when the temperature is higher than the lower limit temperature can it grow and develop. This excess temperature value that has an effective effect on flower growth and development is called effective accumulated temperature. It is the sum of effective temperatures during the entire growth period of the flower.
5. Term explanation - frost. During the growing period, when the air temperature drops to or below 0 degrees, it causes ice to form in the intercellular spaces of the plant. If the temperature rises quickly, the cells do not have time to absorb the evaporated water, causing plant dehydration or death.
6. Term explanation - cold damage. When the air temperature is above 0 degrees but lower than the minimum temperature that the flower can tolerate at its current growth stage, it causes obstacles to its physiological activities, reduces the vitality of the cell protoplasm, weakens the root's absorption capacity, and causes phenomena such as wilting of young branches and leaves.
Light section
1. Term explanation - solar spectrum. Among sunlight, the three parts that have the greatest impact on flowers are visible light, ultraviolet rays, and infrared rays.
2. Term explanation - visible light. It is the energy source for photosynthesis in flowers. Sunlight is split by a prism into seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, forming a light band. Chlorophyll absorbs red-orange light and blue-violet light the most, while green light is almost entirely reflected, so leaves appear green.
3. Term explanation - ultraviolet rays. They are invisible light beyond violet light and cannot pass through ordinary glass. The part with longer wavelength can promote seed germination and fruit ripening, and is beneficial to flower coloring. The part with shorter wavelength can inhibit excessive growth of flowers and can also kill pathogens, thereby increasing the seed germination rate.
4. Term explanation - infrared rays. They are invisible light beyond red light. They are a kind of heat ray, and their presence can be perceived. They are absorbed by the ground and converted into heat energy, which can raise ground temperature and air temperature and provide the heat needed by flowers.
5. Term explanation - long-day flowers. Flowers that can form flower buds only when the daily sunshine duration is more than 12 hours. Flowers that bloom in spring and summer mostly belong to long-day flowers, such as Iris and Impatiens.
6. Term explanation - short-day flowers. Flowers that can form flower buds only when the daily sunshine duration is less than 12 hours. Under the long-day environment of summer, they can only grow and cannot carry out flower bud differentiation. After autumn begins, when the sunshine decreases to 10-11 hours, they begin flower bud differentiation. Such as Euphorbia pulcherrima, chrysanthemum, and Hydrangea macrophylla.
7. Term explanation - day-neutral flowers. Flowers whose flower bud formation has no strict requirement for day length. They have no obvious response to the length of light time. As long as the temperature is suitable, they can bloom all year round. Such as Rosa chinensis, Zantedeschia aethiopica, and Zinnia elegans.
8. Term explanation - light intensity. Refers to the energy of visible light received per unit area. Abbreviated as illuminance, unit lux (Lax).
9. Term explanation - direct light. Refers to light that the sun projects directly onto the ground in parallel rays.
10. Term explanation - scattered light. It is light that, after sunlight passes through air molecules, dust, and water droplets and other substances, is diffusely scattered from the sky to the ground.
11. Term explanation - sun-loving flowers. Generally, only under relatively strong light can they grow robustly. Otherwise, branches will become thin and soft, leaves will be pale, and they will not bloom. Such as Rosa chinensis, Euphorbia pulcherrima, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
12. Term explanation - shade-loving flowers. Generally, only under weak light with more than 50% shade can they grow and develop normally. Such as Begonia, ferns, and Monstera deliciosa.
13. Term explanation - neutral flowers. Regardless of light intensity, they can grow and develop. Such as Cycas revoluta and Asparagus cochinchinensis.
Tips for growing green plants - for Ata
For many years, the plants in my home died one after another, and within two or three months they would unfortunately pass away (here I observe two seconds of silence for those sacrificed green plants). Only in the past two years, when I switched to bottled water culture, did my home begin to have some greenery. My green plants are basically of two kinds: one is lucky bamboo, and the other is pothos.
Lucky bamboo develops yellow leaves as it is kept, and as they yellow they are pulled off, until finally it becomes just a "bamboo pole". Fortunately, lucky bamboo is not expensive, one yuan per stem. After a while I buy a bunch and throw away the bad ones (a bit cruel, as if burying someone before they are dead). Later a friend told me to put an iron nail in the water, and this way the lucky bamboo still grows quite well. The lucky bamboo in the picture is what survived out of forty or fifty stems. They have already adapted to the harsh environment of my home and survived tenaciously (Figure 1):
For pothos, each time I buy a pot, it is extremely luxuriant. After planting it in my beautiful flower pot, the longer it grows, the fewer leaves it has. Finally, when it becomes sparse, I pull it all out, trim the roots a bit, put it in a glass bottle, and then replace it with a new pot. I kept it this way for more than a year, and last month I bought another pot of pothos. I observed carefully that such a lush large pot of pothos was actually planted in a small pot, and it still grew so well. I found that the bottom of the flower pot was not like before with one hole, but with many holes (Figure 2):

There is another pot with even more holes (Figure 3). I remembered a pot of pothos I bought before; its roots had all stretched out from the holes in the bottom of the pot. This shows that pothos roots need to breathe, and only then can they grow well.

I also found that the pot of pothos I bought seemed not to contain soil, but some sawdust, and the pothos was hanging up. I guess it was because of air circulation, so the root system was especially developed, almost a chi long, coiled together (Figure 4). But the pothos I kept had thin roots like cat whiskers, just two or three of them, and the leaves above were even more not worth mentioning.

Later I also punched many holes in my flower pot (Figure 5):

Newly bought pothos (Figure 6):

After planting the pothos in, when placing it in the tray, it should be propped up, so as to maintain air circulation (Figure 7):

This pot of pothos is growing well. I also have another pot of pothos that was originally quite good, but when I was watering I forgot to turn off the water heater and gave it a sauna, so it became like the picture. I bought another pot and replaced it. Now it has been more than twenty days, and I think it is still okay. I do not know how long it can last (Figure 8):

The pothos I cut and inserted in the bottle always tends to rot at the roots. I do not know the reason. When I see the bottled pothos sold with long roots, I really want to know how they are grown. If I find out the reason, I will tell everyone again (Figure 9):

If Ata sees this post, why not give it a try? Placing some plants at home can bring vitality and attract wealth. Also, I want to tell Ata (and other netizens) that I cannot reply to your posts at any time (I did not reply to all of them before either). The internet time I bought is too little, and now I cannot use someone else's phone, and I do not have time to change it. I heard from my son that it is over at Wukesong. Last month it exceeded by more than fifty. A few days ago, every time I went online I felt distressed. The more anxious I got, the more I typed wrong characters. Each time I go online I roughly take a look and then log off. I estimate this month will be the same (if it needs to be changed, it may have to be next month).

What is "green decoration"?
1. Green and environmentally friendly design:
Recommending "green design" for the home to relieve people's tension and adjust their tense psychology is a very beneficial measure.
Interior "green design" methods:
1. Make interior design more like the outdoors. Through design, the designer makes the interior feel like the outdoors and brings nature indoors.
2. Through architectural design or renovation of the architectural design, make the interior and exterior transparent, or open part of the wall surface, integrate the interior and exterior, and create an open flowing space, so that residents can obtain more sunlight, fresh air, and scenery.
3. In urban residences, and even in the interior spaces of food and beverage commercial services, pursue a pastoral flavor, creating a comfortable farmhouse atmosphere through design.
4. Apply natural formative arts in interior design, that is, living formative arts: indoor green potted plants, bonsai, water features, flower arrangements, etc.
5. Use painting methods to create green landscapes indoors.
6. Indoor gardening techniques.
7. Emphasize the application of natural colors and natural materials in interior design, allowing users to perceive natural materials and return to the primitive and natural.
8. Adopt techniques that simulate the sound effects and scent effects of nature in the creation of indoor environments.
9. The environment falls within the scope of ecology. Dwelling forms such as the "loess cave dwelling" and nest-dwelling forms built as nests will once again become research and design directions for architecture and interior design.
10. The floor height of ordinary household interiors is generally 2.5--3 m. In order to keep residents from feeling oppressed indoors, in terms of design, an openwork carved ceiling frame can be made, with a drop of about 30CM, leaving the openwork frame about 15CM from the ceiling, and blue hidden light strips or tubes installed in the openwork frame, shining onto the ceiling surface and giving off a sky-blue glow, making people feel as if they are in a fantasy realm, with a sense of openness and freshness.
11. Another aspect of environmentally friendly design is the matching and combination of colors. The appropriate selection and matching of colors can achieve the dual effects of health and decoration.

II. Use green building materials:
Home decoration materials are harmful to human health in at least six aspects.
First, "new home syndrome," in which residents have a series of symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, fatigue, headache, skin irritation, and difficulty breathing.
Second, it produces typical neurobehavioral function impairment, including memory damage.
Third, it stimulates the human trigeminal nerve receptors.
Fourth, it causes inflammatory reactions in the respiratory tract.
Fifth, it reduces the human body's disease resistance (immune function).
Sixth, it has relatively obvious mutagenicity, proving that it may induce human tumors.
Generally speaking, most inorganic materials in decorative materials are safe and harmless, such as keels and accessories, ordinary profiles, floor tiles, glass, and other traditional decorative materials, while some chemical synthetic compounds in organic materials are harmful to the human body to a certain extent. Most of them are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, phenol, anthracene, aldehydes, and their derivatives, with strong irritating odors that can lead to various physiological and psychological lesions in people.
1. Selection of wall decoration materials: For home wall decoration, try not to use wooden panels for decoration over large areas. The original wall can be smoothed and then painted with water-based coatings, or a new generation of pollution-free PVC environmentally friendly wallpaper can be chosen, or even natural wallpaper made with natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, and silk as the base material.
2. Selection of flooring materials: There is a wide range of flooring materials to choose from, such as floor tiles, natural stone, wooden flooring, carpets, etc. Floor tiles generally have no pollution, but if natural stone is used over a large area in a residence, panels tested to contain no radioactive elements should be selected. Before choosing composite flooring or synthetic fiber carpets, carefully read the corresponding product instructions. If solid wood flooring is used, floor adhesives with a lower organic compound emission rate should be purchased.
3. Selection of ceiling materials: The floor height of residences is generally not high, so a suspended ceiling may be omitted, and the original ceiling can be smoothed and then painted with water-based coatings or covered with environmentally friendly wallpaper. If a partial or full suspended ceiling is used, it is recommended to use light steel keel paper-faced gypsum board, calcium silicate board, Aite board, and other materials instead of wooden keel plywood.
4. Selection of soft decoration materials: For soft decoration materials such as curtains, bedspreads, pillowcases, and sofa fabrics, it is best to choose fabrics with a higher cotton and linen content, and note that dyes should have no peculiar smell, be highly stable, and not fade easily.
5. Selection of coating materials for wooden products: The most commonly used coating materials for wooden products are various paints, which are well known as a source of indoor pollution. However, some domestic enterprises have developed environmentally friendly paints, such as Yajue, Aide brand decoration paint, Pigeon brand metal paint, etc., all of which do not use benzene-containing thinners, have less irritating odor, and volatilize quickly, and have been welcomed by users.

Consumers are reminded to pay attention to the following points:
1. Do not easily trust non-professional advertising. Regarding advertisements from manufacturers or merchants, learn more about relevant materials and details, consult relevant books, shop around, and analyze and compare rationally.
2. Do not be superstitious about famous brands. High brand awareness does not necessarily mean superior quality, let alone that it contains no harmful ingredients.
3. Choose decorative material products from regular enterprises. In particular, enterprises that have passed ISO9000 series quality system certification or China Fangyuan mark product quality certification.
4. Learn about other people's experience with a certain decorative material product.
5. Strictly measure whether the radioactivity values of granite and marble exceed the standard.
6. Use health-care antibacterial building materials: use sterilizing glass, and use antibacterial tiles on walls.
7. High-quality green environmentally friendly coatings:
8. Use natural resin paint (lacquer), water-based wood clear lacquer, and enamel paint to coat the surfaces of building doors and windows.
9. Whether the wood meets environmental protection standards, whether the large core board has an irritating odor, and use professional equipment to determine whether its isocyanate compounds, chlorine, preservative insecticides, and free formaldehyde exceed the standard.
III. Green and environmentally friendly construction:
While using green and environmentally friendly building materials, indoor air must also always be kept circulating during the construction process to promptly release harmful gases. At the same time, construction waste should be properly classified and treated to ensure that the construction process will not affect the health of construction personnel and the environment.

IV. Use green and environmentally friendly furniture:

Where does formaldehyde in home decoration come from?
Living in an environment with excessive formaldehyde levels can cause symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning, generally manifested as dizziness, a pungent and irritating smell, tearing, and palpitations. Long-term exposure to formaldehyde can also increase the possibility of cancer.
In home decoration materials, such as composite flooring, the back panels and face panels of some furniture and kitchen cabinets, density board is used. Because urea-formaldehyde glue is used in density board, the formaldehyde content is relatively high. At present, the state has formulated strict standards for formaldehyde content in density board, so when purchasing, attention should be paid to the brand, place of origin, and test report of the material. After decoration, the room must also be fully ventilated and air exchanged, and it cannot be moved into immediately.
Other artificial boards such as large core board, three-ply board, and five-ply board use adhesives mainly based on vinyl acetate-acrylic, so their formaldehyde content is relatively low.
Formaldehyde emission is an indicator that measures how much formaldehyde gas a product releases. At present, the adhesive used in decorative panels is still mainly urea-formaldehyde resin, and residual formaldehyde in the panels that has not participated in the reaction will gradually be released into the surrounding environment. The release of formaldehyde and ammonia gas and radioactive pollution are three relatively important pollution sources in home decoration. Especially ammonia gas and radioactivity, if not through instruments, people simply cannot detect their existence. Therefore, you can use expert testing to determine whether these pollutions exist in the living environment.
Precautions for green decoration:
Pay attention to "built-in" pollution in wall coatings:
When choosing coatings, in addition to color and gloss, the most important thing is to choose environmentally friendly coatings. Generally speaking, the quality and environmental protection of joint venture and imported brands are relatively guaranteed, such as Nippon Paint, Dulux, Levis, Yadu, Shenniuli, Zhonghua Paint Giraffe, Mowell, etc. Among domestic paints, fine products such as Red Lion and Beacon also have good effects.
When purchasing coatings, you must go to a designated brand specialty store. In addition, genuine brand agents all have a series of certification documents.
Also pay attention to the use of auxiliary materials during construction, especially glue and primer. Even if you choose environmentally friendly coatings, you must not be careless when treating the base. Using primer from a well-known brand can not only ensure the overall effect, but from the perspective of environmental protection it is also absolutely necessary.
In addition, attention should also be paid to the use of glue. 107 glue contains harmful substances, and relevant state regulations have explicitly prohibited the use of 107 glue in home decoration. For these auxiliary materials that are easily overlooked, you must pay special attention.
Beware of the "free" killer in flooring:
The standard for truly safe wooden flooring should be beneficial and harmless to the human body, free of quality accidents during use, and free of damage to buildings and the environment during installation.
At present, there are many types of wooden flooring. As far as the flooring itself is concerned, solid wood flooring contains no harmful substances, while inferior composite flooring may contain harmful substances.
Harmful substances include two aspects:
First, flooring containing adhesives has an excessively high release of free formaldehyde; if free formaldehyde exceeds 40mg100g, it is harmful to the human body and is not allowed to be sold on the market. You had best choose green environmentally friendly flooring with a formaldehyde content of around 10mg100g. For example: Oudian ship deck, Boga, Shengxiang and other brands. In addition, Boli and Taibu flooring were among the first to pass international green environmental protection certification, so you can use them with confidence;
Second, various organic solvents used in the painting process, such as toluene, nitro, etc., all emit gases harmful to the human body. It is recommended that when purchasing flooring, you buy flooring with a well-decorated surface that has been painted as much as possible, and do not buy bare boards.
Therefore, when purchasing flooring, it is best to refer to the standard specifications for wooden flooring and, according to your own needs and preferences, choose flooring that meets national safety standards.
In short, safe material selection in home decoration is the key to environmentally friendly home decoration. You must pay special attention, starting from the selection of materials, to protect your family and let them live healthily in an environment that covers every aspect.