How to sow and propagate primroses? These technical key points must be mastered
Primrose, also known as small-flowered primrose, Qichonglou, etc., is native to China. In recent years, primrose has developed very rapidly and has become a very important garden flower variety. Primrose propagation generally uses sowing propagation. So what issues should be noted during the sowing process?
Primrose
Primrose is mainly propagated by sowing. The sowing time can be determined according to flowering needs; generally, it can bloom about 6 months after sowing. Primrose seeds have a relatively short lifespan, so it is best to sow immediately after seed collection, or store them under dry, low-temperature conditions. For sowing, shallow pots are often used. The potting soil is made by mixing fine leaf mold and garden soil. After leveling the potting soil, mix the seeds with 4 times their amount of fine sand and evenly broadcast them in the pot. Then gently press the soil surface with a smooth wooden board to help the seeds absorb water and take root; there is no need to cover with soil. After sowing, place the whole pot in a water basin to soak until the surface soil is moist, then take it out and place it in semi-shade. After 1-2 weeks, once it germinates, move it to a light area. Cover the pot surface with glass to keep it moist. The suitable sowing temperature is 15-21°C; above 25°C, germination is poor.
Primrose care and propagation methods
Four-season primrose, also called four-season cherry primrose, ball-head cherry primrose, crane lotus, is a biennial or perennial herbaceous perennial flower. In early spring, several flower stems emerge from the leaf cluster, reaching up to 20 cm, much like opened flower umbrellas, blooming layer by layer from bottom to top. The corolla is relatively small, with single and double forms. Flower colors include white, pink, deep red, blue, purple, etc., bright and eye-catching.Primrose likes warmth and is slightly cold-tolerant. The suitable growth temperature is about 15°C. If the indoor temperature in winter is kept at 10°C, it can bloom from February of the following year. Pay attention to ventilation; it can overwinter above 0°C. In summer, the temperature must not exceed 30°C. It fears direct strong light, so shading and cooling measures should be taken. Withered flowers should be cut off in time. When flowering, in order to prolong the ornamental period, temperature and light should not be too high. After the flowers fade, to keep it blooming continuously, it is necessary to promptly cut off the withered flowers and stems and apply additional fertilizer, while promoting it to grow and bloom again. During the growth period, the potting soil should be kept moist, not too dry or too wet. At the same time, apply a liquid fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer once every 10 days. During the bud stage, apply a liquid fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus fertilizer 2-3 times. During the full blooming period, reduce fertilization, and stop fertilization after the flowers fade. Before fertilizing, stop watering and let the potting soil be somewhat dry to facilitate fertilizer absorption. When fertilizing, be careful that the fertilizer water does not stain the leaves; you can spray water once after fertilizing. Temperature and light.
Primrose seeds should be harvested when the capsules begin to turn yellow, dried in the shade, and not exposed to the sun. After drying, remove the fruit shells and store. Primrose is commonly propagated by sowing. The seed germination rate is 40%; seeds from the previous year rarely germinate. The seeds are tiny and not easy to collect. From south to north in China, around March to May, when the primroses in the pot are blooming, loosen the potting soil and let the seeds fall into the pot by themselves. If the original pot is relatively small, you can collect seeds and sow them. The seeds can be sown in a large pot used as a seedbed. Use the pot-soaking method to soak the potting soil thoroughly, cover with glass, and add slight shading. The suitable germination temperature is 15°C to 20°C, and seedlings can emerge in 5 to 6 days. After emergence, remove the glass to avoid growing into leggy seedlings. The small seedlings should be thinned in half a month. In summer, pay attention to shading, ventilation, and maintaining appropriate dryness. By early September, when the seedlings produce true leaves, divide and pot them. They can also be sown from August to September; management is more convenient, but the plants grow shorter.
Some double-flowered varieties of four-season primrose often do not easily produce seeds, so they can only be propagated by cuttings or division. Cuttings are done from May to June, while division is best in autumn. Common indoor potted flower primrose pictures. After the small seedlings are potted and survive, let them gradually receive sunlight and apply thin fertilizer. After late October, move the pots indoors to a sunny place. From November, they will bloom successively. Primrose is relatively low-temperature tolerant and can overwinter at 0°C. If the room temperature is maintained at 5°C to 10°C and attention is paid to ventilation, it will have abundant flowers and lush leaves. Around New Year's Day, flower stems emerge and begin to set flowers, entering full bloom during the Spring Festival. After the flowers fade, cut off the withered flower stems, and new flower stems can emerge and continue blooming. When flowering ends and the weather gradually becomes hot, it should be moved to a cool, ventilated place and kept moist, not too dry. After a semi-dormant period, repot from September to October, and it can still bloom in winter. If placed in a 10°C to 12°C environment in summer, it can also bloom as usual. The key maintenance points for primrose are: after the seedlings emerge and grow to 5 true leaves, transplant them into small flower pots with a diameter of 10 cm, and a small amount of bone meal or decomposed cake fertilizer powder should be applied at the bottom of the pot. When the seedlings grow to a certain height, plant them in flower pots with a diameter of 16 cm. For the potting soil, choose a culture soil of 7 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil, and apply a small amount of base fertilizer. When first potting, pay attention to appropriate shading. About 10-15 days after the seedlings recover, apply 1 diluted liquid fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphorus or a compound chemical fertilizer. During the growth period, water according to the principle of see dry see wet, avoiding water accumulation in the pot. After the flowers fade, promptly cut off the withered flowers and apply 1-2 times thin fertilizer to facilitate the growth of new flower branches, so it can continue to bloom. Primrose seedlings are weak and very prone to damping-off, causing seedling rot and death, so early prevention and control should be noted. In order to grow primrose well and keep it blooming continuously, note: division and transplanting. When the sown seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, first divide and plant them in small pots, cultivate for about 1 month, then transplant them into medium pots. Fertilization and watering.
Key points for primrose care
At first there are two or three primroses, yet deep in spring they still do not know.
--Yang Wanli
A biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Primula in the family Primulaceae, usually covered with powder, with clustered leaves. The leaf blades are ovate to elliptical or oblong, with lobes having irregular small teeth, and the petioles are covered with multicellular soft hairs. The flower scape can reach up to 40 cm high, with umbel inflorescences, linear or linear-lanceolate bracts, slender pedicels, campanulate calyx, pink, light blue-purple, or nearly white corolla, and spherical capsules.
Primrose was introduced to Europe at the end of the 19th century and has now been widely cultivated around the world, with many horticultural varieties. It is cultivated in various places and is quite ornamental. Primrose likes a cool, humid environmental climate, is not tolerant of high temperatures and strong direct sunlight, and most are also not tolerant of severe cold.
Alternative names for primrose
Small-flowered primrose, Qichonglou
Growth habits of primrose
Primrose is a typical warm temperate plant flower. Most species are distributed in higher latitude areas or high-altitude areas, with humid growth environments such as open fields and ditch sides, suitable for altitudes around 1800-**** m. It likes a cool, humid environment and well-drained soil rich in humus, is not tolerant of high temperatures and direct sunlight, and most are not tolerant of severe cold.
Generally, for home-grown cool greenhouse potted primroses, neutral soil is suitable for cultivation. Not tolerant of frost, with a relatively early flowering period, it can also be used for flower bed arrangements, suitable for long-term growth on shady slopes or in semi-shady environments, and likes well-drained humus soil.
The flower language of primrose
Primrose is a symbol of spring, so people use it to represent everyone's youth. Therefore, the flower language of primrose is the joy and sorrow of youth. Primrose always blooms when all things have not yet revived, awakening all things in the world and then withering alone, but year after year it is always like this, so primrose also has another flower language, and that is no regret!
I. Key points of care
Flower lovers all have a primrose of their own. They know the cultivation methods of primrose, but do not know how to care for a healthy growing primrose. So how should primrose be cared for?
How to care for primrose
Light conditions for primrose
Primrose likes a warm environment with sufficient light, but fears strong light exposure. Therefore, in the summer seedling stage, the plant should be placed in a cool, ventilated place with sufficient scattered light. From September, sunlight is no longer so strong, and the potted plants can receive more scattered light. Starting from October, the plants can be placed entirely in the light, so that they can receive more light in the cooler late autumn, promoting growth and flower bud differentiation.
Primrose in the light
Growth temperature for primrose
Primrose likes warmth and is relatively tolerant of cold climates. The suitable temperature for the growth and development of primrose is about 15°C. In winter, the indoor temperature should be kept at around 10°C. The two extremes of growth temperature are 0°C and 30°C. Too hot or too cold will cause the plant to wither and prevent normal development.
Potted primrose
Moisture conditions for primrose
Primrose likes a humid climate environment, but it should not be overwatered. Prevent root rot caused by overly wet potting soil. Improper watering in summer can cause the plant to stop growing and the leaves to fall and turn yellow. In summer, water once each in the morning and evening. At noon, when the weather is dry and hot, water should be sprinkled around the plant to maintain the humidity of the potting soil and surrounding environment, lower the temperature, and create a cool, humid growth environment. In autumn, gradually reduce watering. After entering winter, along with budding and flowering, watering should also be appropriate and not excessive.
Primrose after watering
How to fertilize primrose
About 8-10 days after the seedlings recover, apply 1 nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer. After entering autumn, the climate gradually turns cooler, and primrose also enters its vigorous growth season. At this time, the fertilizer and water for the flowers should be strengthened. In the later growth stage of primrose, phosphorus fertilizer should be appropriately increased, spraying a 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on the leaves every half month. This can promote budding and flowering.
Potted primrose
Primrose pest and disease control
Primrose seedlings are weak and very susceptible to pests and diseases, especially damping-off. Prevention and control should be carried out immediately. Dexon can be sprayed at 800 times on the soil surface for control.
Primrose affected by disease
How to prune primrose
During the flowering period, remove some flower branches from plants that have just set seeds, and apply 1-2 times compound phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to make the seeds grow plump. After the flowers fade, cut them off in time and apply 1-2 times thin fertilizer. This is beneficial to the promotion and growth of flower branches and can keep the plant blooming.
II. How to control the flowering period?
Primrose takes about 5 months from seedling to flower. Therefore, to make the flowers bloom on schedule, how should the flowering period of primrose be controlled?
How to control the flowering period of primrose
Primrose blooming during the Spring Festival
If you want primrose to bloom during the Spring Festival, sow in mid-August. Evenly scatter the black seeds onto the soil. Cover with a layer of fine soil, water thoroughly, and keep the potting soil moist. It will germinate in about 10 days. If the seedlings grow too densely, thin them once.
When the seedlings grow 3-4 true leaves, they can be planted in pots, and management of the seedlings should be strengthened; afterward, they will bloom on schedule. The lifespan of the seeds is relatively short, so it is best to sow immediately after collecting. Store them in a low-temperature, dry place, and at most they are limited to one-year-old seeds.
Primrose blooming on Labor Day
If you want primrose to bloom during Labor Day, sow in November. In late autumn and early winter, pot sowing is often used, which helps with the movement, heat preservation, and moisture retention of primrose. The indoor temperature should be kept at around 15-20°C for normal germination. If the indoor temperature is too low, cover with a layer of transparent glass for insulation.
Primrose blooming on other holidays
For blooming on Party Building Day, sow in early to mid-January.
For blooming on National Day, sowing must be done in mid-January.
For primrose blooming during New Year's Day, sow the seeds in a semi-shady environment in mid to late July.
III. Common problems
1. What should be done if primrose withers?
Primrose has bright flowers and is deeply loved by flower growers. During the care process, withering often occurs, which is the most headache-inducing problem for oxidation enthusiasts. So what should be done if primrose withers?
What to do if primrose withers
Primrose withering due to lack of water
Insufficient water is a common phenomenon in cultivating primrose. It shows as primrose leaves turning yellow, dull and lusterless, drooping, and withering. There are two reasons for water-deficiency withering:
First, in summer, due to high temperature and heat, the air is too dry, and water evaporation is high, causing it to be unable to normally supply water, resulting in dehydration and withering.
Second, due to lack of water in the potting soil, the amount of water used each time when watering flowers is too small, only wetting the surface of the potting soil but failing to water thoroughly and not penetrating to the bottom of the pot. Therefore, the lower roots cannot absorb water, and over time, the flowers become withered due to lack of water.
Potted primrose
Rescue methods
When the above two situations occur, water should be supplemented in time. In summer, pay more attention to observation. Water thoroughly, but do not allow water accumulation, keep the soil moist, and keep the surrounding air humidity low, so that the plant can grow healthily.
Primrose withering due to disease
Because the alternation between winter and spring is relatively large, primrose is attacked by diseases. The specific manifestations are that the leaves lose their original luster and vitality and become very soft. Immediately afterward, the lower leaves gradually wither, and finally it spreads to the entire plant.
Disease causing primrose to wither
Rescue methods
Use Tujunnuo for sterilization and disinfection. If discovered in time, in the early stage of infection, it can recover in one day through treatment with Tujunnuo. If the infection time is too long and the petiole part has already begun to rot, the recovery period can reach two weeks.
Primrose withering due to fertilization
Flower lovers single-mindedly hope for primrose to bloom, leading to excessive fertilizer supply and eagerness for quick results, causing the edges of primrose leaves to turn yellow, the leaves to wither, and over a long period, the leaves to die.
Potted primrose
Rescue methods
If excessive fertilization occurs, water more with clear water to wash away excess fertilizer in the soil, or immediately repot and change the soil, so that the plant gradually returns to a normal growth state.
2. How should primrose diseases be prevented and controlled?
I believe many flower lovers have cultivated primrose. This flower has very rich colors, but if it is troubled by diseases, its flowering will be dull, or it may even fail to bloom. So how should primrose diseases be prevented and controlled?
Primrose disease control
Primrose mosaic disease
Symptoms
Primrose mosaic disease is a whole-plant disease caused by mosaic virus. It causes the plant's leaves to become deformed or smaller, characterized by dark green markings distributed throughout the plant. If troubled by this type of disease, infected plants will not bloom, and the flowers will be small and deformed. It is mainly spread by aphids, and the disease mainly infects surrounding weeds that are susceptible to the disease.
Primrose mosaic disease
Control methods
First remove weeds and diseased grasses and destroy them centrally to reduce sources of infection. Second, eliminate aphids in time to prevent the spread of the virus.
Primrose brown spot disease
Symptoms
Primrose brown spot disease mostly occurs on four-season primrose and is caused by bacteria. Brown spots appear on the leaves of infected plants. Through wind and rain, the virus from infected plants spreads to other plants.
Primrose brown spot disease
Control methods
Spray 70% chlorothalonil at the early stage of disease for control.
Primrose gray mold
Symptoms
Primrose gray mold is the most common disease of primrose and occurs all over the country. When the plant is infected by the disease, the whole plant will turn yellow and shed leaves. The disease mainly infects parts such as leaves and tender stems. It mostly occurs at leaf tips and leaf margins.
At the early stage of the disease, water-soaked spots appear on the plant, then gradually enlarge to form brown patches and gradually rot. In the later stage, a gray-yellow layer forms, gradually rotting and falling off. If the climate is relatively humid, the disease characteristic is the appearance of a gray mold layer. It mostly occurs at 20°C, and is most likely to occur when air humidity is high.
Primrose gray mold
Control methods
Plant reasonably; planting density should not be too close. Pay attention to maintaining environmental ventilation and reducing air humidity. Cut off diseased leaves and residual branches in time to reduce sources of infection; in this way the incidence will decrease. During the disease period, spray 50% procymidone for control.
Improper cultivation of primrose can easily trigger many pests. In addition, the roots of primrose are relatively weak, so once pests occur, they are not easy to manage. So how should pest problems in primrose be prevented and controlled?
Primrose pest control
3. How should primrose pests be prevented and controlled?
Primrose pest - long-tailed mealybug
Symptom characteristics
Long-tailed mealybugs harm many flowers, including primrose. Adults and nymphs pierce and suck the sap of primrose stems and leaves, greatly affecting the overall development of primrose.
Long-tailed mealybug on primrose
Control methods
If the occurrence of long-tailed mealybugs is relatively small, we can manually scrape them off, or use baijiu for disinfection and brushing off. During the peak period of nymph hatching, spray 1000 times fenitrothion, which can kill large numbers of long-tailed mealybugs.
Primrose - red spider mite
Symptom characteristics
Red spider mite, also called cotton red plant, scientific name spider mite. The adult red spider mite varies greatly in body color, generally mostly red, with black spots on both sides of the back; the young mite is nearly round, with black patches on both sides of the body, and the nymph red spider mite has four pairs of legs.
Red spider mites like to live in high-temperature, dry environments. Hot summer temperatures cause them to reproduce rapidly. Red spider mites mostly harm the underside of leaves, causing severe damage. There are obvious block-like pigments on the sides of their bodies. During reproduction, red spider mites harm the plant's stems and leaves and reproduce through the stems and leaves.
Red spider mite on primrose
How to control
To control red spider mites, before overwintering and hatching, scrape off the bark and destroy it centrally. Applying lime water to the tree trunk can kill a large number of eggs. In addition, in early spring, plowing the soil and removing weeds in the field can leave red spider mites with no food, causing them to gradually die.