What are the care and management methods for Schefflera arboricola?

Schefflera arboricola, also known as the dwarf umbrella tree, is an evergreen woody climber. Its branches and leaves are graceful and its colors are elegant, and it is often grown in pots and placed in halls, doorways, and meeting venues. In the south, it is often used as a colorful garden hedge or for topiary. Growing Schefflera arboricola is not difficult, so let us introduce the key cultivation points for Schefflera arboricola.

Schefflera arboricola

Schefflera arboricola prefers a hot, humid, and semi-shaded environment. The optimal growing temperature is 20-30°C, the overwintering temperature must be above 5°C, and below 0°C the leaves easily drop. It is shade-tolerant and avoids direct strong light. It is highly drought-tolerant, and a loose, fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam soil is best.

The potting soil can be mixed from leaf mold and garden soil. Repot once each spring before the new buds sprout, remove some of the old soil, and add new growing medium and a small amount of base fertilizer. For excessively large old plants, carry out heavy pruning and renewal, that is, remove most of the branches and cut away part of the roots. Then repot. During the growing season keep the soil moist; in summer combine this with misting the leaves to maintain high air humidity. Provide appropriate shade; in a well-ventilated semi-shaded environment the plant grows well. If the soil is too wet or too dry, or if the plant is kept in too dark a place for a long time, it will cause extensive leaf drop. From March to September each year is the peak growing season, and decomposed organic fertilizer can be applied 1-2 times per month. For varieties with yellow or white variegation, if the light is too weak or nitrogen fertilizer is applied excessively, the variegation will become blurred. In winter, under low temperatures, water should be appropriately controlled, and the plant should be placed indoors in a spot with ample sunlight.

Management methods for flowers in July | July flower care and management

  I. Flower cultivation

  1. Sowing

  Flowering plants that can be sown in July include: cineraria, Chinese primrose, ornamental kale, campanula, etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading, and increasing ventilation and light.

  In July, ripe fruits of plum, peach, wild peach, and flowering almond can also be collected; after washing off the flesh, sow them in furrows immediately, or store the cleaned stone fruits in moist sand until they crack and then sow them; wintersweet seeds can be sown as soon as they are collected, or the seeds removed from the fruit capsule can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, without affecting their germination rate.

  2. Cuttings

  Flowering plant species suitable for propagation by cuttings in July include: Scutellaria indica, begonia species, coleus, Pilea cadierei, salvia, marigold, French marigold, globe amaranth, geranium, Aster novi-belgii, purple loosestrife, umbrella plant, Boston ivy, coral plant, pepperomia, Rhaphidophora, Polygonum chinense, Kalanchoe, pothos, etc.

  Woody flowering plant species suitable for propagation by cuttings in July include: Excoecaria cochinchinensis, nandina, poinsettia, crown of thorns, Hypericum, Hypericum kouytchense, Weigela florida, hydrangea, Weigela, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, daphne, gardenia, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Magnolia sieboldii, bougainvillea, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus, Schefflera octophylla, Mahonia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, hibiscus, pyracantha, Cordyline, Chinese hibiscus, Serissa, Michelia figo, Viburnum odoratissimum, rubber tree, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum sargentii, boxwood species, fig, Magnolia liliiflora, osmanthus, rhododendron species, camellia, sasanqua, Salix babylonica var. pekinensis, Salix chrysocoma, etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttings.

  In addition, in July some flowering plants can also be propagated by water cuttings. These are: gardenia, oleander, Chinese rose, jasmine, Chloranthus, fig, pomegranate, fuchsia, crape myrtle, hibiscus, etc. To propagate flowering plants by water cuttings, first prepare a thick 1 cm to 2 cm foam plastic board, punch holes in it, and use it as a fixing material for the cuttings; second, keep the water used for cuttings clean, and add a few pieces of charcoal to prevent rot.

  3. Grafting

  One-year-old seedlings of wild peach or peach can be used as rootstock for bud grafting ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, flowering almond, red-leaf plum, and beauty plum; rooted cuttings of wild rose, Rosa multiflora, and "Ten Sisters" can be used as rootstock for bud grafting variety roses, cut-flower roses, and rugosa roses; potted Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata seedlings can be used as rootstock for approach grafting Michelia alba and Michelia figo; potted 2-year-old seedling wintersweet can be used as rootstock for approach grafting superior wintersweet varieties; 2-year-old wintersweet seedlings can also be used as rootstock, using the method of softwood side grafting with bagging for moisture retention, grafting at 3 cm to 4 cm above the ground, and after 7 to 10 days it can be determined whether the graft has survived; "Purple Butterfly" and "Jade Butterfly" among the Rhododendron pulchrum can be used as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting Belgian azalea or Western azalea; cherry seedlings can be used as rootstock for bud grafting superior cherry blossom varieties; current-year seedling of Malus baccata, Malus hupehensis, or Malus halliana and crabapple can be used as rootstock for "T"-shaped bud grafting superior crabapple varieties; Acer palmatum seedlings can be used as rootstock for bagged grafting red maple, lace-leaf maple, and other nursery stock.

  4. Layering

  Flowering plant species suitable for propagation by layering in July include: Aglaia odorata (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, trumpet creeper, Viburnum macrocephalum, oleander, Weigela, Caragana, osmanthus, gardenia, Magnolia liliiflora, jasmine, Chloranthus, climbing rose, winter jasmine, etc.

  5. Division

  Ornamental plant species suitable for division in July include: hosta, purple hosta, Acorus species, umbrella plant, Aspidistra, Tradescantia spathacea, bromeliad species, Haworthia, spider plant, Liriope species, Reineckea carnea, Zephyranthes, sword fern, iris, Tradescantia zebrina, etc.

  II. Seed collection and transplanting for final planting

  1. Seed collection

  Flowering plant seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock, malva, morning glory, baby's breath, petunia, phlox, foxglove, Coreopsis, sweet pea, daisy, delphinium, pansy, Lampranthus, etc.

  Flowering plant seeds that can be collected in July include: wintersweet, plum, peach, wild peach, flowering almond, etc.

  2. Transplanting for final planting and potting

  July is the main period for potting flowering plants to be displayed during National Day. The flowering plants transplanted and potted at this time can be seedlings from sowing or cuttings; after 3 months of careful care, they will bloom right around National Day for holiday decoration. They are mainly: salvia, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, dahlia, Impatiens hawkeri, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, French marigold, Kochia scoparia, China aster, sulfur cosmos, cockscomb, etc.

  In July, trees are generally not transplanted, but under some special circumstances, transplanting some flowering shrubs with soil balls is also feasible, such as Mahonia, Hypericum, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, Aucuba, and juniper balls. However, targeted pruning must be carried out, shade frames must be set up in time, and the frequency of misting must be increased. After they have basically survived, switch to normal management, and never be careless.

  III. Flower management

  1. Watering

  For flower species that enter a semi-dormant state during high temperatures, such as oxalis, geranium species, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonia species, sedum, kalanchoe, cactus species, Haworthia, Stapelia grandiflora, Senecio rowleyanus, Senecio radicans, daphne, Christmas cactus, Portulacaria afra, aloe, etc., because the temperature is too high, their growth activity basically stops and their metabolic level is very low. Watering should be reduced, the potting soil should be kept moist, and attention should be paid to shading and ventilation to create a relatively cool environment for them. If watered too much, it easily causes root rot and will also seriously affect their recovery growth after autumn.

  For flower species that enter a deep dormancy state during high temperatures, such as cyclamen, Lycoris species, Ranunculus asiaticus, and Dicentra spectabilis, in July the aboveground stems and leaves wither and the underground nutrient fibrous roots die, and they overwinter in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For flowers in deep dormancy, stop watering, move them to a cool place, and just keep the potting soil from becoming too dry.

  For vigorously growing flower species, especially foliage plants, such as sago palm, Aspidistra, Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, Michelia alba, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus, Norfolk Island pine, Calathea species, Syngonium species, red (green) gem, green giant, green emperor, green queen, pink lady, Brazilian iron, money tree, camellia, sasanqua, Aucuba, Pyracantha, bitter orange, lemon, Podocarpus, pomegranate, redbud, wisteria, Chinese rose, etc., not only should the amount and frequency of watering be increased, but the leaves should also be appropriately misted, combining misting and watering. Especially during continuous cloudy days, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and misting should likewise be given, and one must not be careless. Once the potting soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilted, first mist the leaves, and after the leaves recover and stand up, then water the roots. Never pour water heavily at the roots, otherwise it is very easy to cause woody flowering plants to "drop green leaves," or cause the rot of the plant's nutrient fibrous roots, and even cause plant death.

  For potted plum bonsai, because July to August is its flower bud differentiation period, appropriate "water withholding" should be given to promote normal flower bud differentiation. The method is: keep the leaves on both sides of the potted plant slightly curled inward to control vegetative growth; if the vegetative growth of the branches cannot be controlled, when the second new shoot produces 2 to 3 leaves, keep only one leaf at the base and pinch off the rest; flower buds can still differentiate in the leaf axils of this leaf.

  In July, when watering potted flowers, avoid the few hours before and after noon. Watering before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. is preferable, so as to avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature, which would affect the growth of potted ornamental plants. If continuous rainy weather occurs this month, check the flower pots promptly after the rain, pour out any accumulated water in the pots in time, and after the potting soil dries slightly, loosen the soil once more, so as to avoid root rot of the potted plants.

  2. Fertilizing

  There are four major categories of ornamental plants for which fertilization management should be strengthened in July. First, species with an especially long flowering period, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as Magnolia denudata, Chinese rose, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, etc.; second, species that bloom profusely in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, osmanthus, cotton rose, etc.; third, species grown in winter for flowers and fruits, such as bitter orange, nandina, wintersweet, rhododendron, etc.; fourth, foliage plants, such as Rhapis, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, rubber tree, etc. As for the types of fertilizer, for the first three categories, in addition to the necessary nitrogen fertilizer, an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied to meet the plant's comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for bud formation, flowering, and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea solution should be the main choice. As for the application method, thin liquid fertilizer poured on is preferable.

  Flowering plant types for which fertilization should be strengthened in July include: salvia (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia, globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan, petunia, Pachystachys lutea, shrimp plant, Cymbidium ensifolium, marigold, four o'clock flower, dragon's mouth flower, etc. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, Michelia figo, osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, night-blooming jasmine, Chinese rose, crabapple species, Brunfelsia, bougainvillea, rhododendron, Chloranthus, wintersweet, hibiscus, cotton rose, etc. There are relatively many foliage plant types, such as bromeliad species, Brazilian iron, Rhapis, Norfolk Island pine, Syngonium, Calathea, green giant, red gem, sago palm, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Cordyline, etc.

  In July, fertilization must be stopped for ornamental plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state, especially for succulent ornamental plants such as sedum species, Senecio, Lampranthus, and Stapelia, where fertilization must be stopped to prevent the plants from rotting.

  3. Pruning and bud pinching

  Ornamental plants that can be tip-pruned and bud-pinched in summer must be species that grow vigorously, have strong sprouting ability, and tolerate pruning. Pinching means directly removing the young terminal buds at the shoot tips with the fingers. Bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, Sageretia, Syzygium buxifolium, Euonymus bungeanus, boxwood, wintersweet, pyracantha, Podocarpus, tamarisk, Elaeagnus, Adina rubella, Vitex negundo, Forsythia, hackberry, Fukien tea, banyan, Fraxinus chinensis, trident maple, crape myrtle, Serissa, Murraya paniculata, etc. Pruning means using scissors to cut away part of the new shoots to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and form beautiful crown pads or tree shapes. Bonsai plant types suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants that are not convenient to pinch with the fingers, such as juniper, oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, Ilex cornuta, and true juniper, etc.

  For potted flower types that continue blooming over a long period, such as Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, jasmine, Chloranthus, etc., the faded flowers and withered stems should be removed in time, and the branches that have already bloomed should be cut back as necessary, which can promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and reblooming. For rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, crabapple, wintersweet, plum blossom, etc., overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be cut back to form a better crown shape.

  4. Shading

  July is the month with the strongest sunlight and the highest temperatures of the year, so special attention should be paid to shading management for potted ornamental plants.

  For those ornamental plants that prefer shade or semi-shade, they must be moved under a shade frame to avoid damage to the plants from the scorching sun. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, Monstera deliciosa, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, Chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchid species, Rhapis, rubber tree, red (green) gem, Philodendron, pink lady, pothos, pepperomia species, Aspidistra, Tradescantia zebrina, Brazilian iron, Rhaphidophora, bromeliad species, Calathea species, Reineckea carnea, etc.

  For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, pyracantha, jasmine, Serissa, sago palm, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Sageretia, trident maple, black pine, Adina rubella, oak, Pinus thunbergii, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, etc. For Podocarpus, Podocarpus nagi, Michelia figo, Damnacanthus, cloud bamboo, bamboo, five-needle pine, etc., it is necessary to give appropriate shading.

  For small, miniature, and shallow-pot bonsai, because the temperature is too high this month and the air is relatively dry, in addition to necessary shading, the flower pots must also be buried in wet sand. This can reduce evaporation from the potting soil surface and also help protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots.

  5. Flowers in air-conditioned rooms

  In air-conditioned rooms, choose flower species with a relatively high degree of leathery leaves, or with a thicker cuticle layer on the leaf surface, that are somewhat tolerant of dry environments and have strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese aralia, Mahonia, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, Malvaviscus, Chinese fan palm, Rhapis, Canary Island date palm, bromeliad species, Philodendron, Monstera deliciosa, Schefflera octophylla, Aspidistra, Aucuba, etc., and it is not advisable to choose sword fern, coleus, green giant, Syngonium, etc. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and misting, and keeping them away from air-conditioner vents to prevent the wind from blowing directly on the plants and causing their leaf tips to wither and leaf margins to scorch.

  6. Pest and disease control

  (1) When orchid new shoots unfold their leaves in July, the leaf tips are easily infected with anthracnose, which gradually spreads to the whole plant and, in severe cases, can cause the plant to wither and die. This disease can occur throughout the year, and poor ventilation, high temperature and high humidity, and continuous rainy weather are even more conducive to the breeding and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the onset period spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800-fold solution or Nuo Miedan 500-fold solution for control.

  (2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like insect frass accumulates on the stumps or main trunks of plum blossom, peach blossom, crabapple species, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, flowering almond, etc., it is mostly caused by the larvae of the peach red-necked longhorn beetle boring and feeding. Methods such as manual removal and killing, injection of systemic pesticides, insertion of poison sticks, and soil burial of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the tree trunk. Note that when injecting pesticides, do not use dimethoate, omethoate, etc., to prevent phytotoxicity.

  (3) In July, promptly control the boxwood leafroller moth that harms boxwood, Chinese boxwood, littleleaf boxwood, and pearl boxwood. When this pest occurs severely, it can chew all the leaves bare. Once discovered, promptly spray pesticides such as trichlorfon, dimethoate, or fenvalerate. If a certain pesticide has been used for a long time and the pest has developed resistance, switch to a new type of pesticide.

  (4) In July, in some areas, the larvae of the citrus swallowtail butterfly will continue to harm the leaves of new shoots of bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, citron, and rue. Stomach-poison pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them.

  (5) For the white wax insect that harms privet, small-leaf privet, Fraxinus chinensis, and white ash, late July to late August is its emergence period. The right time should be chosen to spray pesticides such as Supracide for control, which can prevent the white wax insect from causing damage again the following year.

  (6) The Japanese wax scale is a major pest harming large-leaf boxwood, plane tree, Pittosporum, camellia, red-leaf plum, cedar, etc. In severe cases, the insect bodies often cover the branches and leaves. Early July is the peak hatching period of its nymphs, and pesticides such as dimethoate and Supracide can be sprayed promptly for control.

  IV. Bonsai shaping

  In July, because the temperature is high, the air humidity is low, and plants are in a period of vigorous growth, branches that are damaged are easily infected by pathogens and are not easy to heal and recover. Most tree stump species are no longer suitable for wire-training and shaping. The ones that can still be shaped are plant species with strong adaptability and tolerance to wire training, and they must be plants that were potted in spring for hardening or planted in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, Podocarpus, arborvitae, creeping juniper, Serissa, black pine, boxwood, Adina rubella, etc.

  In July, plant shaping must be done carefully and meticulously, with gentle wire training and slow binding, applying force gradually. Do not operate hastily or with too much force, otherwise it is very easy to break the branches and trunk of the plant and endanger its survival.

  Solar terms in July: July 7 is Minor Heat; July 22 is Major Heat.

Key points for overwintering care and management of flowers

Key points for overwintering care and management of flowers
1. Cold protection
In a simple plastic greenhouse where the temperature is not lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without suffering cold damage, such as Asparagus densiflorus, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra, Japanese aralia, Aucuba japonica var. variegata, Chinese fan palm, sword fern, Rhapis, nandina, Michelia figo, Ardisia crenata, pyracantha, camellia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, bamboo fern, Pleioblastus fortunei, sago palm, etc. For ornamental plant species requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 5°C, such as Norfolk Island pine, Schefflera octophylla, rubber tree, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus, Chamaedorea elegans, calla lily, Philodendron, Monstera deliciosa, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, cyclamen, primrose, Lantana, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Areca palm, geranium, Chinese hibiscus, Buddha belly bamboo, etc., they can overwinter in a double-layer plastic greenhouse. For types requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 10°C, such as croton, Caladium, pepperomia, Calathea, lucky bamboo, fish-tail palm, Brazilian iron, money tree, Fittonia, bromeliad species, pink lady, poinsettia, Cymbidium hybridum, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Pachystachys lutea, Aglaia odorata, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Cymbidium, South American cycad, red (green) gem, Oncidium, Cymbidium hookerianum, etc., in a double-layer greenhouse with good sealing performance, appropriate heating must also be provided. During especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, cover the top of the greenhouse with straw curtains, and remove them after the temperature warms up. For those relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple species, azalea, pomegranate, Chinese elm, Sageretia, oak, crape myrtle, wisteria, boxwood species, Podocarpus, trident maple, creeping juniper, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, Fraxinus chinensis, etc., when the temperature is not lower than -10°C, they generally will not suffer cold damage; in especially cold weather, add a plastic film or soft grass cover for cold protection.

2. Watering
For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic sheds, and rooms, it is sufficient to keep the potting soil moist. If the temperature is relatively low and watering is excessive, it is very easy to cause root rot. When the temperature rises, increase the amount of watering and give appropriate leaf misting. For those potted flower plant types that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, primrose, kalanchoe, hyacinth, European daffodil, etc., and fruit ornamental types such as bitter orange, lemon, finger citron, four-season mandarin, golden bean, winter cherry, Ardisia crenata, nandina, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves must also be misted to facilitate the swelling of flower buds and also increase the vividness of the flowers and fruits. For most foliage plants placed indoors, both the potting soil should be kept moist and the leaves should be misted, always keeping the plant leaves clean; for somewhat less cold-tolerant foliage plant types, such as pink lady, Syngonium, Calathea, croton, Aglaonema, etc., when the room temperature is already close to the lowest temperature limit they can tolerate, special attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering to ensure they can overwinter safely. In December, the watering time should preferably be the 3 to 4 hours around noon, and the water temperature should be kept basically consistent with the air temperature and soil temperature, to avoid adverse reactions in potted flowers caused by water temperature being too low.

3. Fertilizing
For most potted flowering plants, foliage plants, bonsai, etc. placed in ordinary plastic sheds, fertilization should be stopped, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

4. Pruning
Prune hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped topiary that were not pruned in November. Hedges and green walls include privet, small-leaf privet, Ligustrum, large-leaf boxwood, Sabina chinensis, four-season osmanthus, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.; ball-shaped ones include Ilex cornuta, bayberry, photinia, boxwood species, Pittosporum, Forsythia, pyracantha, Chinese juniper, juniper, etc. While completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied. For ground-planted flowering plants not yet pruned in November, such as Chinese rose, crape myrtle, palm, red-leaf plum, photinia, plane tree, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc., carry out shaping and pruning, and after pruning is completed, bury fertilizer around the root system. For bonsai plant types that are mainly pruned, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, Ilex cornuta, Fukien tea, trident maple, oak, Fraxinus chinensis, pyracantha, Serissa, Podocarpus, creeping juniper, Chinese juniper, crabapple, papaya, etc., continue pruning in December to lay a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repot them in conjunction with pruning.

5. Pest and disease control
For flowering plants whose leaves are prone to pests and diseases, such as grape, crabapple species, rugosa rose, Chinese rose, camellia, crape myrtle, etc., collect the fallen branches and leaves under the plants and burn them, which can reduce the occurrence of diseases next year. At the same time, spray lime sulfur mixture for sterilization and disinfection. For powdery mildew on potted cineraria, use triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl for timely control, and for gray mold on primrose, use thiophanate-methyl for control. For flower types in greenhouses and sheds that are prone to scale insects, such as bitter orange, finger citron, sago palm, camellia, Aspidistra, etc., first wipe them once with a cloth, then use pesticides such as Supracide for control. For flower types on potted plants that often develop aphids when ventilation is poor, such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, bitter orange, Chinese rose, Fukien tea, etc., tobacco water can be used for control. For the various scale insects that often appear on the trunks and large branches of field-grown flowering plants such as Pittosporum, osmanthus, plane tree, camellia, small-leaf privet, pyracantha, oleander, crabapple, Magnolia denudata, redbud, gardenia, cedar, photinia, crape myrtle, wintersweet, etc., such as horned wax scale, Japanese wax scale, red wax scale, armored scale, arrowhead scale, mealybug, felt scale, etc., at this time use relatively high-concentration pesticides such as Supracide, quinalphos, and buprofezin to spray and kill them, and phytotoxicity is rarely produced.

6. Composting fertilizer
For the needs of raising seedlings and preparing growing medium next year, the idle winter time can be used to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into water vats or ponds, add water, and seal them for soaking, fermentation, and composting. Pile dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, branches, etc. in layers with garden soil, set them on fire and burn them to form burnt soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and raising seedlings next year. Mix barnyard manure, pond mud, chicken manure, pigeon droppings, etc. with garden soil for composting, seal and ferment, and it can be used for topdressing seedlings and preparing growing medium the following year.

7. Preparing growing medium
Using the idle winter time, find a piece of open ground or a spot under tree shade, and pile up as much growing medium as possible to prepare for repotting and potting flowering plants the following spring. Generally, use 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, 1 part each of composted sawdust, tobacco powder, or chaff ash, plus about 5% composted cake fertilizer and 2% to 3% compound fertilizer. The garden soil and leaf mold should be sieved to remove stones, tree roots, and other debris. After mixing them thoroughly, cover with plastic film, or pile them indoors. After 3 to 4 months, it can be used for repotting or potting flowering plants.

8. Ploughing and freezing soil
For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttings, and planting nursery stock, ploughing can be carried out in December; for garden plots for sowing and planting nursery stock, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond mud, etc. can be applied before ploughing and planting; do not make beds for the time being. After overwintering and freezing the soil, in early spring of the following year, dig trenches and make beds. This can greatly reduce the cost of seedling management and also reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases. Ornamental plant species suitable for bonsai shaping in December include: Podocarpus, arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, soft juniper, oriental arborvitae, creeping juniper, true juniper, black pine, five-needle pine, red pine, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, Euonymus, ginkgo, Serissa, Caragana, Chinese elm, Sageretia, trident maple, winter hazel, tamarisk, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles cathayensis, boxwood, pearl boxwood, wisteria, crape myrtle, banyan, Fukien tea, Fraxinus chinensis, oak, etc. For bonsai plants fixed by wire training and shaping with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if the fixation has already lasted one year, or if obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk or branches, remove the original binding material and redo the hanging, tying, and pulling with metal wire or palm rope. For ground-planted plum bonsai, Podocarpus, crabapple, ginkgo, Chinese juniper, crape myrtle, etc. that have already been shaped, after carrying out some necessary pruning and shaping, choose suitable pots and plant them well, strengthen management, so that they can be used for display in public places or rooms the following year.