Detailed Explanation of Key Points on Propagating Sweetgum by Seed

Sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana) is one of the most important ornamental tree species in China. Because sweetgum grows quickly and adapts widely, and because it likes light and tolerates poor soil, it is not difficult to cultivate. In addition, the resin of sweetgum also has certain medicinal value, so the economic value of sweetgum is very high. Sweetgum is commonly propagated by sowing. The editor will now introduce the sowing method and precautions for sweetgum.

Sweetgum

I. Seed Collection and Treatment

Sweetgum flowers are unisexual, monoecious, in head-like inflorescences. It blooms in early April, and the fruit matures in late October. The infructescence is spherical, a capsule. Each capsule has only one or two fertile black seeds, with an obovate short wing at the tip; infertile seeds are yellow, lighter in color, and wingless. After the fruit matures it splits open, and the seeds scatter easily. When the green inside the fruit turns yellowish-brown with a slight bluish tinge and has not yet split open, knock it down and collect it. After collection, dry it in the sun for 3 to 5 days, turning it twice with a wooden shovel during this time; the capsules will then split open, and the seeds can be taken out (at this point the seeds contain a large amount of impurities). Then use a fine sieve to remove the impurities and obtain pure seeds. Store the seeds in bags and place them in a ventilated, dry place.

II. Nursery Site Selection and Land Preparation

Sweetgum does not have strict soil requirements, but when the soil is too heavy and sticky, the seedlings are prone to root rot. Therefore, the seedling-raising site is best chosen near a water source, with convenient transportation, deep, loose, relatively fertile sandy loam soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.0, and ideally with a previous crop of paddy rice to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.

At the end of February or the beginning of March, plow and prepare the nursery field. At the final harrowing, apply 50 kg of compound fertilizer and 50 kg of thoroughly decomposed cake fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer.

III. Sowing

Sweetgum can be sown in winter or in spring; winter sowing germinates earlier and more uniformly than spring sowing. Sweetgum seeds are small, with a 1000-grain weight of 3.2 to 5.6 grams, and the sowing rate is 0.5 to 1.0 kg per mu (0.5 to 0.7 kg per mu for drilling, 1.0 kg per mu for broadcasting). For drilling, the row spacing is 20 to 25 cm, and the trench bottom width is 6 to 10 cm; when sowing, scatter the seeds evenly in the trench. For broadcasting, scatter the seeds evenly on the seedbed. After sowing, sift some fine soil over the seeds with a sieve, just enough that the seeds are slightly visible, and cover with a layer of rice straw. You may also skip the soil covering and directly cover the seedbed with rice straw, pressing the straw down with a stick to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Before the seedlings emerge, protection work must be done well to prevent damage by birds and animals.

IV. Seedling Stage Management

1. Remove the straw in good time: About 25 days after sowing, the seeds begin to germinate, and after 45 days the seedlings have basically emerged completely. The field germination rate is 12.3% to 57%, with an average of 35.6%. When the seedlings have basically emerged completely, remove the straw in good time. It is best to remove the straw in two rounds: remove half the first time, and remove the other half 5 days later.

2. Thinning and filling in seedlings: After removing the straw, when the seedlings have grown to 3 to 5 cm, thin and fill in the seedlings in good time on a cloudy day or a light rainy day. Use a bamboo stick to move out the denser seedlings, remove the soil, soak the roots in an ABT rooting powder solution for one or two minutes, then plant them at a spacing of 8x12 cm in the seedbed where seedlings are missing, and then water thoroughly. After thinning, keep 70 to 80 sweetgum seedlings per square meter.

3. Fertilizing and drainage/irrigation: 40 days after the seedlings' straw is removed, or 30 days after transplanting, some nitrogen fertilizer may be applied as a top dressing. The first top dressing concentration should be less than 0.1%; afterward, depending on the growth of the seedlings, apply fertilizer once about every 1 month, with a concentration no higher than 0.5%. Apply fertilizer two or three times during the entire growing season. In the early stage, some nitrogen fertilizer may be applied; in the later stage, some phosphorus and potassium fertilizer may be applied. Fertilizing should be done after 3 p.m. When it rains, drain the accumulated water in the nursery promptly to prevent root rot. During continuous drought, irrigation should be carried out.

4. Loosening the soil and weeding: During the growth of the seedlings, loosen the soil and weed in good time. When the seedlings are small, weeding must be done by hand. When the sweetgum seedlings have grown to more than 30 cm, chemical weeding with herbicides can be used, but the herbicide varieties should be chosen carefully and the instructions should be followed strictly to avoid herbicide damage.

Ginkgo

Status  Rare species. This species, also known as white fruit, is the famous "living fossil." In the Mesozoic Jurassic, ginkgo was once widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, and it began to decline in the late Cretaceous. With the arrival of the Quaternary glaciation, it became extinct in Europe, North America, and most of Asia, and wild 
ginkgo survives in the mountainous areas of western Zhejiang, China. Because individuals are few and it is dioecious, if strict protection and promotion of natural  regeneration are not carried out, the remaining stands will be replaced. 

Morphological characteristics A large deciduous tree, up to 40 m tall, with a DBH of up to 4 m; the bark of young trees is nearly smooth and light gray, while the bark of large trees is grayish-brown with irregular vertical fissures; it has long shoots and slow-growing spur-like short shoots. Leaves alternate, radially scattered on long shoots, and on short shoots 
in clusters of 3-5, with slender petioles, fan-shaped, light green on both sides, more or less notched or 2-lobed at the broad apex, 8 cm wide, with many forked parallel fine veins. Dioecious, rarely monoecious, strobili solitary in the leaf axils of short shoots; male strobili catkin-like, stamens numerous, each with 2 anthers; female strobili with a long stalk, the stalk end usually divided into two forks (rarely 3-5 forks), with 1 ovule bearing a disc-like collar at the fork end, usually 1 ovule developing into a seed. Seeds drupe-like, with a long stalk, pendulous, elliptical, oblong-obovate, ovoid, or nearly spherical, 2.5-3.5 cm long, 1.5-2 cm in diameter; aril fleshy, covered with white powder, pale yellow or orange-yellow when mature; seed coat bony, white, usually with 2 (rarely 3) longitudinal ridges; inner seed coat membranous, pale reddish-brown. Geographical distribution  Wild ginkgo is found only in the West Tianmu Mountain area of Zhejiang, at about 30°20′ N, 119°25′ E, scattered in broad-leaved forests and valleys at an altitude of 300-1,100 m. Ecological and biological characteristics Wild ginkgo is distributed in the subtropical monsoon region, where water and heat conditions are relatively favorable. The annual average temperature is 15°C, the extreme minimum temperature can reach -10.6°C, the annual precipitation is 1500-1800 mm, and the number of foggy days in the year can be 248 days. The soil is yellow or yellow-brown soil, with a pH of 5-6. Associated plants mainly include Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibrenk ex Otto et Die tr., Pseudolarix kaempferi (Lindl.) Gord., Torreya grandis Fort. ex Lindl., Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook., Nyssa sinensis Oliv., Liquidambar formosana Hance., Litsea auriculata Chien et Cheng, Emmenopterys henryi Oliv., Populus adenopoda Maxim., Daphniphyllum macropodum Miq., Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex H. de lehaie, and others. Ginkgo has a long lifespan; China has ancient trees over 3,000 years old. It grows slowly in the early stage and has strong sprouting ability. Female trees generally begin to bear fruit after about 20 years, and 500-year-old large trees can still bear fruit normally. Generally, buds swell and leaves unfold from late March to early April, flowering occurs from early to mid-April, seeds mature from late September to early October, and leaves fall from late October to November. Conservation value Ginkgo is the only surviving species in the family Ginkgoaceae, a famous living fossil plant, and also a precious timber and nut tree species. Because it has many primitive traits, it is of great value for studying the phylogenetic development of gymnosperms, ancient flora, paleogeography, and Quaternary glacial climate. Its leaf shape is peculiar and antique, making it a beautiful garden ornamental tree. It has special resistance to soot and sulfur dioxide, making it an excellent pollution-resistant tree species. The seeds are used as nuts. The leaves and seeds can also be used medicinally. Conservation measures West Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang Province is one of China's nature reserves. Within the area, wild ginkgo should be strictly protected from felling. For the ancient ginkgo at a steep cliff at an altitude of 1000 m, whose trunk has regenerated from the base of the stem, described as "five generations under one roof," stones have already been piled up for reinforcement. Scattered ancient ginkgo trees throughout the country should also be given strengthened protection; many provinces and regions already cultivate it. Key cultivation points Propagation by seed. The embryo has dormancy, so sow in winter or in early spring after stratification. It can be planted once the seedlings are more than 1 m tall. For street trees, male plants should be selected. It can also be propagated by cuttings and division. To promote earlier fruiting and to cultivate improved clonal varieties, budding or grafting can be used. 

Complete Collection of Flower Planting Manuals

Flower Planting Manual

Key Points of Spring Flower Planting

Flower Planting Manual (February Edition)

    Weather characteristics of February: This month is the last month of winter and also the cold period of the year second only to January. By the end of February, the weather begins to gradually warm and transition toward spring, and quite a number of flowers also begin to shift from winter dormancy to recovery. The main flower-related tasks this month are as follows: first, continue the cold protection and heat preservation work for potted flowers in protected facilities; second, do a good job of pruning and repotting some woody flowers after blooming; third, do the preliminary preparation work for cuttings, grafting propagation, and sowing propagation of some flower species.

   1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February include: pot marigold, cyclamen, dwarf sunflower, asparagus fern, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, safflower, cornflower, blanket flower, strawflower, scarlet sage, marigold, peacock flower, petunia, California poppy, phlox, pocketbook plant, butterfly flower, snapdragon, nasturtium, pansy, and others. Those that can be sown outdoors in the open field at the end of February include: seeds of magnolia species, michelia species, photinia species, maple species, and crabapple species (Rosaceae) that have been sand-stored and have already cracked and shown white, as well as camphor tree, Chinese tulip tree, glossy privet, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, palm, goldenrain tree, soapberry, horse chestnut, lilac, and others; seeds of wintersweet, summersweet, and wisteria should be soaked for 24 to 48 hours and sown after the seeds have absorbed enough water. Tuberose bulbs and amaryllis bulbs can also be potted in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings or by cuttings with plastic film covering for moisture retention in February include: plum blossom (after flowering, cut one-year-old branches of varieties such as Gongfen and Lü'e), heavenly bamboo, cotton rose (southern regions), crape myrtle, winter daphne (southern regions), edgeworthia, pomegranate, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasmine orange, serissa, rose of Sharon, hypericum (plum), spiraea, mahonia, boxwood species, and Lespedeza, etc. Sand-stored branches of lilac and Chinese trumpet creeper can also be cuttings at this time. In early February, branches of Weigela, deutzia, hydrangea, tamarisk, plane tree, grape, fig, and others can also continue to be cut and stored for cuttings at the end of March.

    Ornamental plant species that can be cuttings indoors in February include: Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, African violet (leaf cuttings), begonia, red-back eupatorium, scarlet sage, geranium, jasmine, chloranthus, Buddha's hand, jade plant, jade leaf, stone lotus, gem flower, night-blooming cereus, orchid cactus, clearweed, mother of thousands, kalanchoe, Rieger begonia, bleeding heart vine, schefflera, Guangdong evergreen, and cordyline, etc.

   3. Grafting. Indoors, use one-year-old robust black pine seedlings as rootstock to graft Japanese white pine, Japanese black pine, lacebark pine, and others, then plant them in the ground and cover with plastic film for heat and moisture retention. Use one-year-old seedlings of apricot, wild peach, and others as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate red-leaf plum, plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, and others. In areas south of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on wintersweet branches have grown to the size of wheat grains, use wintersweet seedlings about 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate excellent varieties of wintersweet such as "Suxin," "Xinkou," and "Huti"; by adopting bagging and aeration measures for moisture retention, the survival rate is relatively high. Use robust branches of the rose variety "Elizabeth" as rootstock scions, and use cut grafting or cleft grafting for scions of superior rose varieties; by adopting the measures of grafting first, then cuttings, and then covering with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection, the grafting survival rate can be greatly improved.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in February include: plum blossom, wintersweet, spectabilis, osmanthus, purple magnolia, gardenia, weigela, Buddhist pine, creeping juniper, snowball, Chinese snowball, winter jasmine, forsythia, hypericum, hydrangea, lacecap hydrangea, bridal wreath spiraea, red maple, and michelia, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: iris, blackberry lily, autumn zephyrlily, dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, variegated lilyturf, Reineckea, Rohdea japonica, bleeding heart, hosta, purple hosta, small tuberose, bromeliads, purple-backed Rohdea, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern, spider plant species, mother of thousands, canna, arrowroot, monstera, syngonium, bird of paradise, clivia, aloe, and others. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: heavenly bamboo, cotton rose, hypericum, mahonia, hydrangea, spectabilis, edgeworthia, winter jasmine, forsythia, Caragana, bridal wreath spiraea, red-flowered spiraea, jasmine, chloranthus, tiger thorn, purple magnolia, four-season osmanthus, bamboo species, and dwarf bamboo, etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. In February, seeds of heavenly bamboo, holly species, Ardisia crenata, winter cherry, and others can be picked, treated, and then sand-stored to promote germination; sowing can be done only after the seeds have cracked and shown white. For clivia plants blooming in the greenhouse, artificial supplementary pollination can be given in order to obtain clivia seeds with better genetic quality.

    In February, pay attention to checking various sand-stored flower and tree seeds to see whether any seeds have become moldy; if mold occurs, clean them promptly; if the seeds are found to be dry, appropriately supplement with spraying water to maintain a certain humidity in the sand and seeds; if a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, sow them within a relatively short time. Once the radicle has extended too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle, affecting the seedling emergence rate. Large sand-stored seeds can be sown in holes, while small seeds can be drilled or sown in rows; after sowing, pay attention to covering with straw or adding plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. In February, in southern regions where the soil does not freeze and the temperature is relatively high, herbaceous flower species that can be transplanted and planted out include: dianthus species, snapdragon, hollyhock, variegated holly, daisy, pot marigold, and others.

    In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can be planted out. Among the deciduous types are rose of Sharon, pomegranate, redbud, crabapple species, ginkgo, sweetgum, maple species, wisteria, crape myrtle, wintersweet, plum blossom (before budding and leafing out), magnolia species, soapberry, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Chinese trumpet creeper, linden, Chinese tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow tree, spiraea, trident maple, deutzia, Chinese scholar tree, dragon-claw scholar tree, dwarf cherry, elm-leaved spirea, hypericum (plum), weeping willow, golden willow, cotton rose, smoke tree, persimmon, apricot, and others; evergreen tree species such as michelia species, camphor tree, Elaeocarpus, French holly, Machilus, and purple nanmu can be delayed until late February to early March for planting; osmanthus, glossy privet, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, oriental arborvitae, black pine, and others should be given moderate pruning when planted.

    1. Cold protection. The weather in February is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (in-tunnel) maintenance, potted ornamental plants have consumed a relatively large amount of nutrients, and the resistance of the plants has greatly decreased, so moisture retention and cold protection work should continue to be done carefully. If greenhouses or plastic tunnels have heating facilities, continue heating and prevent harmful gases or smoke from entering the tunnel or greenhouse; if straw curtains are hung on the top or around the tunnel, continue to hang them; when sudden temperature drops occur after snow, even more care should be taken.

For overwintering potted flowers placed in protected facilities, ventilation and air exchange work should continue to be done well, especially by the end of February, when the ventilation and air exchange time can be extended during the period of highest temperature in the day. It is worth noting that when indoor potted flowers are placed in the sun, it is best to place them on the inner side of a south-facing window without opening the window.

For a small number of cold-sensitive flowers grown in households, such as Aglaia, Phalaenopsis, peacock arrowroot, syngonium, iron cross begonia, croton, and Dieffenbachia, on especially cold days, plastic bags can be put over them at night, or they can be placed in the bathroom, with heating appliances such as a "bath heater" turned on to raise the temperature, ensuring they can overwinter safely.

    2. Watering. Because the temperature in February is relatively low, for the vast majority of potted flowers, it is enough to keep the potting soil moist so they can overwinter safely, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so the water requirement is low. Once water accumulates in the potting soil, it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plant. For relatively dry indoor spaces, frequently spray water and mist on the leaves of the plants to increase the air humidity of the local environment. If the indoor air is excessively dry, in mild cases the leaves will lose green color and luster and flower buds will stop growing; in severe cases the leaves will shrink and wrinkle and flower buds will shrivel and fall off. For example, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, plum blossom, bitter orange, kumquat, winter cherry, and others may all show bud drop and fruit drop, or even death. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should be basically consistent with the indoor or in-tunnel air temperature and soil temperature.

[page]    For those potted plant species placed indoors that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cineraria, primrose, kalanchoe, camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, pot marigold, and others, and fruit-viewing plants such as firethorn, heavenly bamboo, bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, Ardisia crenata, four-season mandarin, winter cherry, and others, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but water must also be sprayed on the leaves, flower buds, and fruits, so that the leaves can be emerald green, the flower buds can rapidly expand, and the fruits can be brightly colored. In particular, for peonies, plum blossoms, spectabilis, and hall crabapple placed in plastic tunnels for forcing, water must also be sprayed on the branches 1 to 2 times daily to accelerate the expansion of the flower buds so that they can bloom and show their beauty on schedule. For large-flowered Cymbidium purchased after being cultivated in greenhouses or plastic tunnels, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse or plastic tunnel differ greatly from those in the home, if the leaves are not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often shrink and dry out. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese white pine bonsai and others, it must be ensured that the potting soil is moist, and the plants must be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times daily; otherwise the plants may very likely die.

    Although most potted flowers do not need much water in February, inspection should be strengthened, especially during several consecutive days of rising temperatures, and supplementary watering and spraying should be done promptly.

   In February, for landscaping trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, supplementary watering should be done promptly, especially for those evergreen trees and flowering shrubs; around noon on clear, fine days, leaf spraying should also be given appropriately to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off afterward, which would affect the recovery growth in spring.

    3. Fertilizing. In February, base fertilizer can continue to be buried for most ground-planted landscaping trees and flowering shrubs. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken manure and pigeon droppings, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, and others. A ring-shaped trench can be dug around the outer perimeter of the plant root system, applied, and then covered with soil, to meet the needs of plant growth and flowering and fruiting in spring and summer.

   In February, for potted flowers placed in greenhouses (plastic tunnels) at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia, sasanqua, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, winter daphne, plum blossom, European daffodil, hyacinth, tulip, Christmas cactus, orchid cactus, colorful bromeliads, Tillandsia, Guzmania, clivia, and others, low-concentration monopotassium phosphate can continue to be applied as a top dressing to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowering plants, foliage plants, and stump bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, because they are still in a dormant state, fertilizing should be stopped; otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

    4. Pruning. In February, for ground-planted or potted plum blossoms, wintersweet, forsythia, winter jasmine, and others after flowering, strong renewal pruning can be carried out. For branches that have bloomed, retain only 2 to 3 buds at the base and cut off all the rest, to encourage the production of many new shoots that year and even denser branches and buds the following year. In addition, water sprouts, dead branches, and misshapen branches should also be pruned at the same time. For stump bonsai types that are mainly pruned, such as Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, banyan, trident maple, Fujian tea, oak, Chinese ash, water willow, Elaeagnus, holly, wintergreen, serissa, juniper, and Chinese juniper, continue pruning; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repot them while pruning.

    5. Repotting. Late February to early March is a favorable time for repotting the vast majority of potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best done when the plant is about to end winter dormancy, the root system is recovering growth, and the leaf buds have not yet emerged. Flower species that can be repotted at the end of February include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, Aglaia, Michelia alba, jasmine, chloranthus, two-colored jasmine, red-back eupatorium, sword fern, monstera, rubber tree, fuchsia, begonia, wax begonia, painted-leaf begonia, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, sago palm, clivia, Haworthia, aloe, Christmas cactus, orchid cactus, sedum, jade plant, jade leaf, kalanchoe, amaryllis, asparagus fern, spider plant, Norfolk Island pine, schefflera, Rohdea japonica, bird of paradise, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, coral plant, bleeding heart vine, camellia, sasanqua, spectabilis, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, croton, syngonium, arrowroot, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, bitter orange, kumquat, Buddha's hand, and others.

    6. Pest and disease control. For powdery mildew appearing on the leaves of potted cineraria in greenhouses and gray mold appearing on the leaves of primrose, at the initial stage of disease, choose 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1500 times dilution and spray, once every 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.

For gray mold appearing on the leaves and corollas of potted cyclamen in plastic tunnels, 50% iprodione (main ingredient: iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution can be sprayed.

For potted Belgian azaleas in plastic tunnels, stop spraying foliar fertilizers such as "Duoxiaohao" on the leaves, because at this time the temperature is low and the humidity in the tunnel is high, so foliar fertilizer sprayed on the plants is difficult to absorb and instead easily breeds mold on the leaf surface, and in severe cases forms unsightly disease spots.

For aphids, scale insects, ants, and sooty mold appearing on potted flowers in greenhouses (such as bitter orange and kumquat), when there are few insects they can be brushed off with a bristle brush; when there are many insects, 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times dilution can be sprayed to kill them. After aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, sooty mold will also be eliminated accordingly.

For insect bodies such as Pseudococcus, white scale, oyster shell scale, and black-brown round scale appearing on potted flower plants in plastic tunnels, they can be brushed off with a bristle brush, or killed by dipping a cotton swab in alcohol; they can also be sprayed with 2.5% cyhalothrin emulsifiable concentrate at 2500 times dilution, or controlled by burying 3% carbofuran or 20% aldicarb granules in the flowerpot.

Continue to clear away dead branches and fallen leaves under flowers and trees, and insect-infested branches and diseased leaves on potted plants, and burn them in a centralized manner, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year.

    7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, soybean cake, and others into a water tank or vat, add clean water, and carry out sealed fermentation, so that in the growing season it can be diluted and used to water potted flowers. Or pile and ferment cake fertilizer, and after about 2 months spread it out to dry in the sun; after it is fully dried, pack it well in plastic bags. The thoroughly composted and sun-dried granular cake fertilizer powder can be spread in flowerpots as a top dressing. For Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, large-flowered Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower types, it is more convenient than watering with liquid cake fertilizer. Especially when growing flowers on a balcony, it is both convenient and hygienic, and can also reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases. In addition, it can also be used for mixing potting soil.

    8. Turning over and freezing soil. In early February, continue to turn over garden land that has not yet been plowed. After overwintering and freezing, when spring returns and the weather warms, then dig trenches and make beds for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees.

    Plant species that can be trained and shaped by wiring in February include: creeping juniper, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, juniper, oriental arborvitae, true juniper, ginkgo, serissa, creeping juniper, Japanese white pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, thousand-head red pine, water willow, Caragana, small golden coin plum, winter hazel, spectabilis, crape myrtle, banyan, Chinese elm, trident maple, and others.

Continue to re-wire and adjust plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago. If sunken binding constriction marks are found on the plant, first remove the metal wire or non-metal wire, then replace it with new binding material for wiring and fixation.

For shallow-pot stump bonsai, landscape bonsai, small and miniature bonsai, and stone-attached bonsai, continue the heat preservation and cold protection work so that they remain in an environment not lower than 0°C, to prevent the plants from freezing to death or the artificially cemented rocks from freezing and cracking apart, causing unnecessary losses.

Flower Planting Manual (March Edition)

(1) Flower Species Suitable for Courtyard Planting

    1. Ground-planted flower species

If the front of your courtyard is open and spacious, with good light and ventilation conditions, or if the distance from the row of buildings in front is greater than 30 m, and the soil has been improved to a certain degree, then you can plant some flower species that are relatively light-loving and have higher requirements for the growing environment. Ground-planted flowers and trees such as: white magnolia, ginkgo, osmanthus, purple magnolia, michelia, Yulan magnolia, papaya, spectabilis, hall crabapple, Mulus spectabilis, Chinese snowball, snowball, persimmon, cotton rose, Chinese tulip tree, plum blossom, rose, fig, camellia, crape myrtle, peony, pomegranate, wisteria, cherry blossom, grape, ornamental peach, heavenly bamboo, red maple, redbud, rose of Sharon, Canary Island date palm, and others. If your courtyard is relatively shady and damp, then you should choose some flower and tree species suited to shady and damp conditions, such as palm, photinia, aucuba, French holly, glossy privet, broadleaf mahonia, southern magnolia, camphor tree, dragon juniper, Elaeocarpus, Buddhist pine, Japanese fatsia, Chinese juniper, cedar, wintersweet, banana, clustered bamboo, and others. Regardless of the light, dryness, or wetness in your courtyard, when choosing ground-planted flowers and trees, you should note the following points: first, the minimum temperature the flowers and trees can tolerate should not be lower than the local minimum temperature, to avoid cold damage; second, they should be suited to the local soil and moisture conditions, to avoid failing to adapt; third, they should have fewer pests and diseases, a relatively long flowering and fruiting period, fragrance, and auspicious flower names; fourth, the number of flowers and trees should not be too many: a small courtyard can have 1 to 2, while a large courtyard can plant several more; fifth, the height of adult large trees should not exceed the windows and balconies of the second floor, to avoid hindering the lighting of upstairs residents and affecting neighborly relations; sixth, avoid planting flower and tree species that may cause human allergies or contain toxic substances; seventh, choose relatively slow-growing but basically formed large-specification plants, which can achieve landscaping and beautification effects earlier, such as ginkgo, Japanese fir, osmanthus, plum blossom, and Buddhist pine, whose height should not be less than 2 m; eighth, leave some vacant land for planting herbaceous flowers and placing potted ornamental plants.

There are many species of herbaceous flowers and groundcover plants suitable for ground planting. Sun-loving and light-loving ones include dianthus, snapdragon, ornamental kale, pansy, scarlet sage, cockscomb, globe amaranth, cockscomb, marigold, hollyhock, garden balsam, lupine, daisy, pot marigold, corn poppy, autumn zephyrlily, dahlia, and others. Herbaceous flowers and groundcover plant species that are relatively shade-tolerant include: dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, Reineckea, hosta, purple hosta, Lycoris, Rohdea japonica, purple-backed Rohdea, Aspidistra, iris, calamus, and saxifrage, etc.

    2. Potted flower species

There are many flower species suitable for pot cultivation in household courtyards. When conditions are relatively good, you can choose to plant some flower species with relatively fine management requirements, such as plum blossom, Aglaia, camellia, poinsettia, wintersweet, Belgian azalea, Norfolk Island pine, Brazilian iron, money tree, king coconut, Michelia alba, chloranthus, jasmine, Ardisia crenata, bromeliads, money tree (dragon-phoenix tree), Fagraea (commonly known as African jasmine), cinnamon species (commonly known as peace tree), calla lily, primrose, large-flowered Cymbidium, anthurium, Cymbidium ensifolium, Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium sinense, cyclamen, Oncidium, Vanda, Rieger begonia, tuberous begonia, bird of paradise, Chinese hibiscus, clivia, pothos, Fittonia, croton, Xanthosoma, syngonium, Buddha's hand, bitter orange, lemon, tulip, hyacinth, pocketbook plant, fish-tail palm, areca palm, bottle palm, and others. For courtyards with relatively poorer conditions, you can grow some species with relatively extensive management requirements, such as heavenly bamboo, sago palm, bamboo palm, chrysanthemum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, amaryllis, winter jasmine, forsythia, Caragana, serissa, spectabilis, four-season osmanthus, cacti, asparagus fern, rubber tree, night-blooming cereus, orchid cactus, monstera, Philodendron, schefflera, clearweed, red-back eupatorium, bougainvillea, large thorn, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, banyan, and others.

(2) Propagation of Courtyard Flowers

    1. Sowing. Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: crape myrtle, redbud, wintersweet, summersweet, red maple, and Chinese tulip tree; the latter five all need their seeds soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, and sown after they have absorbed water thoroughly. Flower and tree species that can be sown and raised as seedlings after sand storage for germination include: sago palm, ginkgo, Buddhist pine, Buddhist pine, windmill palm, purple magnolia, michelia species, osmanthus, horse chestnut, heavenly bamboo, holly species, pomegranate, Chinese snowball, and others. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: garden balsam, marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, scarlet sage, cockscomb, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, four-season primrose, mallow species, four-o'clock, bird of paradise, clivia, asparagus fern, and others; some cold-intolerant species should be sown under plastic tunnel cover.

    2. Cuttings. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cuttings in March include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, night-blooming cereus, orchid cactus, purslane tree, gem flower, stone lotus, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, spectabilis, silver bud willow, hypericum, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, fig, Japanese fatsia, gardenia, forsythia, winter jasmine, creeping juniper, winter daphne, firethorn, and others; cold-sensitive flowers should be cuttings in tunnels or indoors.

    3. Grafting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, side grafting to propagate Japanese white pine, Osaka pine, Japanese black pine, and others; using 1- to 2-year-old white magnolia and purple magnolia seedlings as rootstock, cut grafting to propagate michelia, Yulan magnolia, and others; using 1-year-old peach and apricot seedlings as rootstock, cut grafting to propagate plum blossom, longevity peach, ornamental peach, red-leaf peach, and others; using finger-thick seedling wintersweet as rootstock, when its leaf buds have grown to the size of wheat grains, select scions from excellent varieties of wintersweet for cut grafting and give bagging for moisture retention, resulting in a relatively high survival rate; using triangular cactus as rootstock, grafting to propagate Christmas cactus and various cactus ball types, preferably carried out in plastic tunnels. In addition, camellia, cherry blossom, osmanthus, red maple, and others can also be grafted in March.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, red maple, Buddhist pine, creeping juniper, upright juniper, michelia, spectabilis, snowball, gardenia, osmanthus, purple magnolia, and others.

    5. Division. Flower species that can be propagated by division in March include: orchid species, bleeding heart, Aspidistra, asparagus fern, sago palm, heavenly bamboo, mahonia, spectabilis, snake plant, purple triangular oxalis, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, dahlia, bird of paradise, and others.

(3) Management of Courtyard Flowers

    1. Management of ground-planted courtyard flowers and trees

(1) Transplanting. March is the best time for transplanting and planting out ground-planted flowers and trees. Among them, transplanting plum blossom, white magnolia, purple magnolia, Yulan magnolia, Chinese tulip tree, red maple, and others should be arranged as much as possible before the plants bud and leaf out; when transplanting evergreen flowers and trees, some pruning of branches and leaves should be done to reduce transpiration and improve the survival rate; for wintersweet, crape myrtle, redbud, rose of Sharon, horse chestnut, ornamental peach, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, and others, transplanting is fine even after budding, but appropriate pruning should also be done. Whether evergreen or deciduous trees, when transplanting, a sufficient and complete root ball should be kept; generally the root ball diameter should be greater than 6 times the trunk diameter.

(2) Fertilizing. For ground-planted flowers and trees that were not buried with fertilizer in winter, before they have sprouted, dig a ring-shaped trench around the outer perimeter of the root system, about 15 to 20 cm deep, and apply thoroughly composted cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken manure and pigeon droppings, and others, or a multi-element compound fertilizer, to lay a material foundation for their growth throughout the year.

[page]    (3) Pruning. For plants that have not yet been pruned, especially plum blossom, wintersweet, forsythia, and winter jasmine after flowering, in addition to necessarily pruning away dead branches, pest- and disease-infested branches, and leggy flowering branches, one-year-old branches can be cut off at 2 to 3 cm from the base of the branch, retaining only 2 to 3 buds. Through strong renewal pruning, they will sprout more new branches in spring and form more flower buds in summer and autumn, benefiting flowering the following year. For camellia, sasanqua, and others, after flowering, prune away branches that damage the plant shape and also prune away some weak branches and crossing branches in the inner canopy. For pomegranate, rose of Sharon, osmanthus, and others that form flower buds and bloom on new branches produced in the current year, pruning can be done in March to adjust the plant shape and improve ventilation and light penetration.

(4) Pest and disease control. For branches and leaves on plants that have already been infected by pests or diseases, promptly cut them off and destroy them, which can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases that year; for some flowers and trees susceptible to pests and diseases, such as rose, papaya, spectabilis, grape, and hall crabapple, promptly spray Bordeaux mixture and others after leafing out, which can prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew and rust.

    2. Management of ground-planted courtyard herbaceous flowers

Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted and planted out in March include: dianthus, snapdragon, pot marigold, daisy, hollyhock, mallow, variegated lilyturf, autumn zephyrlily, Chinese chive lily, iris, Reineckea, Liriope, dwarf lilyturf, red-flowered oxalis, and others. For herbaceous flowers transplanted before February, or herbaceous flowers transplanted before the New Year, if the plants have already resumed growth, such as ornamental kale and pansy, first hoe weeds and loosen the soil, then apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer, such as thoroughly composted odorless cake fertilizer water, 0.5% urea solution, or other quick-acting compound fertilizer solution.

    3. Management of courtyard potted flowers and trees

(1) Repotting. For potted wintersweet, plum blossom, hall crabapple, spectabilis, firethorn, Japanese white pine, heavenly bamboo, Chinese elm, trident maple, oak, Chinese ash, and others placed in the open, repotting can be done before they bud and leaf out, replacing the soil with fresh, loose, fertile potting soil rich in organic matter, laying a foundation for spring and summer growth. For Michelia alba, Aglaia, chloranthus, rose, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, bird of paradise, sago palm, poinsettia, sasanqua, camellia, Belgian azalea, Ardisia crenata, bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, monstera, Philodendron, clivia, Xanthosoma, syngonium, arrowroot, and others placed indoors, repotting should be done before they are moved out.

(2) Hardening off. In areas north of the Yangtze River basin, most potted flowers are still under indoor maintenance in March, and equal attention must be paid to cold protection and ventilation. Because the weather this month is unstable and cold waves occasionally move south, in early and mid-March cold protection and heat preservation work must still continue; in late March, the doors and windows of the room can be opened during the day for ventilation and air exchange, and closed at night, so that Michelia alba, Aglaia, chloranthus, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, poinsettia, monstera, Xanthosoma, rubber tree, Norfolk Island pine, and others can gradually be hardened off and adapt to the outdoor environment, avoiding premature budding that would affect growth and normal flowering that year. For potted flowers north of the Yellow River, heat preservation and cold protection work still needs to continue this month, and care must not be relaxed.

(3) Pruning. For indoor Chinese hibiscus, fuchsia, bleeding heart vine, jasmine, chloranthus, Michelia alba, sago palm, rubber tree, fish-tail palm, areca palm, croton, asparagus fern, and begonia species, carry out necessary pruning together with repotting, including cutting off pest- and disease-infested branches, dead branches, misshapen branches, weak branches, and some yellowed leaves. For trident maple, Buddhist pine, true juniper, Huangshan pine, black pine, Chinese elm, Chinese ash, oak, and red phoenix, which are mainly appreciated as tree stumps, wiring and pruning can also be done in March before budding, to further improve their shape. For plum blossom, wintersweet, rose, ornamental peach, winter jasmine, forsythia, and others, strong renewal pruning can be done after flowering and before budding.

(4) Flower Species Suitable for Balcony Planting

It is impossible for every urban resident to own a small courtyard, nor for all to live on the first floor with a good small environment for growing flowers; more often, people grow some relatively resistant ornamental plants on balconies to decorate the interior, improve the living environment, and create for themselves an atmosphere of returning to nature.

Ornamental plants suitable for growing on balconies: one category is the relatively drought-tolerant plant species. Their surfaces or cuticles are thickened, or they are covered with wax, or their bodies are fleshy and thick with abundant sap, or their leaves are small and transformed into needle-like shapes with very little transpiration water loss, or they originate from arid desert regions and can withstand wind and heat, thus making them very drought-tolerant, such as sago palm, cacti (Opuntia microdasys, Cereus peruvianus monstrosus, Crassula lycopodioides, Echinocactus grusonii, Trichocereus spachianus, Astrophytum asterias, Aporocactus flagelliformis, Euphorbia tirucalli), Portulacaria afra, Crassula ovata, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Echeveria, Lithops, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Pereskia, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, etc. There are also wintersweet, winter jasmine, Lycoris radiata, Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema modestum, spider plant, etc. These flowers generally will not die if not watered for 2 to 3 weeks in spring, making them quite suitable for balcony cultivation. Another category is the flower species relatively tolerant of direct sunlight and dry hot winds, able to accept full light and resist short periods of unusually high temperatures, also suitable for balcony (especially high-floor balcony) pot cultivation, such as pomegranate, Chinese rose, banyan, Yucca, Ligustrum quihoui, Agave, Hippeastrum, Sageretia thea, Xylosma, Ulmus parvifolia, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Pinus thunbergii, Juniperus rigida, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Vitex negundo, Euonymus oxyphyllus, Prunus persica 'Dushoutao', Portulaca grandiflora, etc. In addition, jasmine, Chloranthus, Pinus parviflora, Aglaia, Aspidistra, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', lemon, Ficus elastica, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, Camellia, Schefflera, Araucaria, etc., can also be used as slightly lower-layer balcony pot plants, but water and shade management should be strengthened.

(1) Propagation of balcony pot flowers

Annual flowers suitable for balcony pot cultivation, such as Salvia splendens, ornamental pepper, winter coral, Tagetes erecta, Impatiens, Petunia, etc., can be sown in shallow pots for seedling raising at this time.

If a small amount of asparagus fern or Clivia seeds are collected, after washing clean, they can first be sown indoors, and when the outdoor temperature reaches about 15°C, they can be moved to the outdoor balcony for cultivation.

Succulent plants such as Epiphyllum ackermannii, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Crassula ovata, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, Euphorbia tirucalli, Crassula lycopodioides, etc., can be cut indoors at this time using plain sand or clean sandy loam, and moved to the balcony after spring warmth returns.

Use a large flowerpot filled with loose sandy loam, or vermiculite, perlite, etc. as cutting medium, and propagate by cuttings indoors near a window with good light: Gardenia, Fuchsia, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Podocarpus, Punica granatum, Chaenomeles speciosa, Nandina, Daphne, Ardisia crenata, etc., but the pot mouth must be covered with plastic film to retain moisture.

On the balcony, grafting Pinus parviflora, Pinus densiflora 'Aurea', Prunus mume, Prunus persica 'Dushoutao', Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', wintersweet, etc., requires bagging to retain moisture, otherwise survival is difficult.

(2) Management of balcony pot flowers

    1. Cold protection. Most ornamental plant species suitable for balcony pot cultivation are still indoors in March. While taking measures such as heat preservation, cold protection, ventilation and light exposure, plants that need repotting should be repotted in time. For relatively hardy flowers and trees placed on the balcony, the pot soil should be kept from freezing. If the pot soil freezes, it can easily cause frost heaving of potted flowers and trees, which will not only affect the normal growth of the plants that year but can cause plant death in severe cases. Measures such as building a local shed for protection or moving them indoors or into a shed for cold protection can be taken.

    2. Pruning. For tree stumps such as wintersweet, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora, Podocarpus, Acer buergerianum, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Ligustrum quihoui, etc., pruning and shaping can be carried out. Trunks and branches that need styling can be wired and shaped in March. For plants that have not been repotted for 2 to 3 years, soil can be replaced. For bonsai placed on the balcony, keep the pot soil moist as the standard, water once every 3 to 5 days, and give appropriate spraying. For Prunus mume, winter jasmine, Forsythia, wintersweet, Prunus persica 'Dushoutao', Camellia, etc., necessary shaping and pruning can be done after flowering to promote maintaining a good plant shape. Conduct a comprehensive cleanup of the plants, cut off branches and leaves infected with pests and diseases, and destroy them. For dried and dead cut surfaces on tree stumps, apply lime sulfur mixture or similar for anti-corrosion treatment.

    3. Preparatory facilities. If conditions permit, a small water pool can be built on the balcony, with a hard board (precast reinforced concrete) placed on top. Utilizing the humidity produced by evaporation from the water pool, in summer place some flowers that prefer humid air on it, such as orchids, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Little Angel', Ardisia crenata, Nandina, etc. The stored water is quite ideal for watering flowers.

    In March, before pot flowers leave the room, you can also first set up stepped shelves on the balcony for placing pot flowers, and choose support points for hanging shade nets in summer. Once pot flowers leave the room and encounter overly strong sunlight, shade measures can be quickly implemented.

    In March, you should also prepare potting soil for repotting, and stock up on various fertilizers and pesticides to meet the needs of balcony flower growing throughout the year.

Flower Planting Manual (April Chapter)

Weather characteristics of April: As the cold air from the north moving south weakens, the warm and humid airflow from the south becomes stronger and stronger, and temperatures rise significantly. After Qingming, although there are occasional influences of cold air moving south, it can no longer pose a threat to pot flowers in most areas south of the Huai River. Only in areas north of the Huai River and Yellow River does the danger of snow and frost remain. After Guyu, the late frost has ended in areas south of the Yangtze-Huai region, the minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and rainfall increases noticeably. Most pot flowers can be moved outdoors for care; but in the Huaibei region, pot flowers cannot leave the room until after the late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, flower activities include the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include Cleome spinosa, Mirabilis jalapa, Celosia cristata, Amaranthus tricolor, Portulaca grandiflora, Dahlia pinnata, Gomphrena globosa, Salvia splendens, Impatiens, Ipomoea, Quamoclit coccinea, Quamoclit sloteri, Nicotiana tabacum, Petunia, Callistephus chinensis, Coreopsis drummondii, Coreopsis tinctoria, Tagetes erecta, Chrysanthemum carinatum, Zinnia elegans, asparagus fern, Primula obconica, Tropaeolum majus, Kochia scoparia, Hibiscus coccineus, Euphorbia heterophylla, Ocimum basilicum, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Cosmos, Adenophora, Mimosa pudica, etc. Magnoliaceae flower and tree species that can be sown in April after sand stratification include: Magnolia denudata, Magnolia cylindrica, Magnolia zenii, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia amoena, Magnolia sprengeri, Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia delavayi, Parakmeria, Manglietia, Manglietia insignis, Manglietia chingii, Manglietia grandis, Michelia champaca, Michelia figo, Michelia multiflora, Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunnanensis, Michelia foveolata, Michelia wilsonii, Liriodendron chinense, Liriodendron chinense hybrid, Liriodendron tulipifera, etc.; other landscaping flowers and trees that can be sown in April

include: Abies firma, Sciadopitys verticillata, Araucaria, Pseudolarix amabilis, Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Albizia julibrissin, Taxus chinensis, Pittosporum tobira, Sapium sebiferum, Koelreuteria bipinnata, Sapindus mukorossi, Liquidambar formosana, Acer species, Ormosia henryi, wintersweet, Calycanthus chinensis, Exochorda racemosa, Lycium chinense, Nandina, Ardisia crenata, Trachycarpus fortunei, etc.

Ornamental plants that can be sown fresh in April include: Gerbera, asparagus fern, Primula, winter coral, Fatsia japonica, and Solanum mammosum, etc. Among them, Fatsia japonica can have its already blackened, whitened and softened fruits picked at the end of April, the seeds rubbed out and washed, then sown on fertile seedling beds. The seeds can also first be sand-stored until they crack and show white, then sown, covered with grass to retain moisture. Generally after two weeks, when about 70% of the seeds have emerged, the covering grass should be removed in time, and a shed should be built for shade. For Solanum mammosum, the picked golden-yellow fruits can have their outer skin peeled off, the seeds washed out, soaked in warm water for 24 hours, and sown in fertile sandy soil. After 10 days the seeds can germinate and emerge. When the seedlings grow 6 to 8 true leaves and the plant height reaches 15 cm, they can be transplanted. They can be potted for fruit viewing or planted in the ground as special cut flower material.

   2. Grafting

Flower and tree species that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, Sophora japonica 'Pendula', Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Dushoutao', Robinia hispida, as well as cactus and Schlumbergera, etc.

    3. Division

Greenhouse foliage plants that can be propagated by division in April include: Spathiphyllum, Sansevieria, Aspidistra, ferns, Rhapis, spider plant, Agave, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema modestum, Calathea, Aloe, Peperomia, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, etc. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by division include: Gardenia, Viburnum, Hibiscus, Forsythia, Hypericum, Canna, Hibiscus syriacus, Hemerocallis, Platycodon, Hibiscus moscheutos, Clivia, etc.; herbaceous flowers that can be propagated by division include: Dahlia, Iris, Hemerocallis, Hosta, Echinacea, Aster, Chrysanthemum, Cymbidium, etc. In addition, Mondo grass and Ophiopogon can also be divided at this time.

    4. Cuttings

For most flower and tree species that root easily, as long as their leaf buds have not yet sprouted, cutting propagation can be carried out in April. The main species include: Buxus species, Mahonia species, Nandina, cypress species, Podocarpus, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Pyracantha, Spiraea, Liriodendron, Exochorda, Edgeworthia, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc.

II. Repotting and transplanting

    1. For pot flowers that were not repotted in time in March, as long as the new shoots are not too long, or if during repotting not too much old soil is removed and roots are not severely reduced, they can all be repotted in April. But it should be pointed out: for deciduous flowers and trees, if the new shoots are too long, especially for Prunus mume, they must absolutely not be repotted after leaves have unfolded.

    2. April is the best period for transplanting open-ground flowers and trees. Whether deciduous or evergreen, as long as their leaf buds have not yet unfolded or the new shoots are not long, they can all be transplanted with soil balls in April. For evergreen flowers and trees, such as Cinnamomum camphora, Magnolia grandiflora, Michelia species, Michelia alba, a portion of branches and leaves must be pruned off to reduce transpiration water loss from the canopy. For deciduous flowers and trees, it is best to transplant before leaves unfold, such as Magnolia denudata, Aesculus chinensis, Tilia, Malus species, wintersweet, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', ornamental peach, plum, apricot, etc. Generally, the soil ball diameter for transplanting flowers and trees should be no less than 6 times the trunk diameter of the transplanted flower or tree. Only in this way, without destroying the soil ball, can the transplanted flower or tree have no worries.

III. Bonsai styling

April is one of the best periods for bonsai styling. The ornamental plants most suitable for beginners to practice styling are those with strong adaptability whose branches and trunks can withstand repeated twisting and wiring by beginners without seriously affecting their normal growth, such as Podocarpus, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Serissa japonica, Adina rubella, Sabina chinensis, Euonymus oxyphyllus, Lagerstroemia indica, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa', Chamaecyparis obtusa, banyan, Buxus sinica var. parvifolia, Ulmus parvifolia, winter jasmine, Edgeworthia, Ginkgo, Pinus thunbergii, Sabina chinensis, etc. Other species suitable for styling in April include Crataegus cuneata, Pinus parviflora, Pinus hwangshanensis, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Pyracantha, Syzygium buxifolium, Fraxinus hupehensis, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma, Taxus cuspidata, Diospyros cathayensis, Malus halliana, Carmona retusa, Chaenomeles, Elaeagnus, Ilex cornuta, Pseudolarix amabilis, Damnacanthus indicus, etc.

As bonsai plants begin vigorous growth, metal wire or non-metal wire should be used in time to continuously wire, guide and correct them, so that they can always maintain a good ornamental state. For the care of Pinus parviflora bonsai, special attention should be paid to the following three aspects this month: First, remove buds in time. When winter buds sprout and granular needle leaf primordia appear on them, remove 1/2 to 2/3 of the bud length to promote shorter and denser new shoots. Second, remove female and male cones. When needle leaf fascicle buds and female and male cones can be identified on new shoots, promptly remove all female cones growing at the tips of new shoots and male cones located at the bases of new shoots, reducing nutrient consumption during reproductive growth. Third, control watering. From the beginning of new shoot elongation, watering must be strictly controlled. Do not water until dry; replace watering with spraying to ensure that new needles are short and clustered, keeping the branch pads flat and good.

IV. Fertilization management

    1. Fertilization

For potted Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, wintersweet, Rhododendron, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Daphne, kumquat, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', winter coral, Schlumbergera, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium hybridum, Cymbidium sinense, Phaius tankervilleae, etc., because flowering or fruiting consumed a large amount of nutrients, when they resume growth after spring warmth, nitrogen-based fertilizer should be applied as a top dressing, such as thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer liquid, to promote their growth. For pot flower species about to bloom, such as Chinese rose, Cercis chinensis, pomegranate, Cymbidium ensifolium, Hibiscus, Michelia alba, top dressing should likewise be given, and the type can be monopotassium phosphate, etc., with concentration controlled at about 0.2%. For open-ground Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Michelia species, Prunus mume, wintersweet, Malus, etc. after flowering, top dressing should also be applied in time to meet their nutritional growth needs.

    2. Shaping and maintenance

Money tree can have its braids made in April. Dig up money tree seedlings that were sown or purchased, spread them in a cool place for 1 to 2 days to let them lose part of their water, then braid the trunks in odd numbers of 3, 5, or 7 plants into a braid. After braiding, press with a heavy object to fix the shape, then choose a suitable pot for planting. The money tree has extremely strong vitality. Even if there is no time to process it into a braid or plant it, spreading it out for 3 to 5 days will not affect its survival and subsequent normal growth.

    3. Adjust plant shape and prevent diseases

For pot flowers moved outdoors, promptly remove dead branches, yellow leaves and faded stems, adjust the plant shape, and strengthen water and fertilizer management. For flower species prone to diseases, promptly spray lime sulfur mixture or Bordeaux mixture to prevent possible diseases.

    4. Management of fruit-viewing potted plants

For potted fruit-viewing flowers and trees that bloom in April, such as Chaenomeles, Ginkgo, Pyracantha, Aucuba, Malus halliana, etc., especially dioecious or cross-pollinated species, during the flowering period, attention should be paid to creating favorable conditions for pollination and fertilization so that they can normally set fruit after fertilization. Do not miss the good opportunity.

    5. Management of cutting beds

For newly cut ornamental plants, before they have formed callus tissue, special attention should be paid to water spraying and misting management. Except where intermittent misting equipment is available, water (mist) must be sprayed 2 to 3 times daily, always keeping the cutting medium moist, creating the best environment for their callus formation and rooting.

Flower Planting Manual Summer

Flower Planting Manual (May Chapter)

Climate characteristics of May: Temperatures continue to rise. Rainfall gradually increases from south to north in our country. After each rainfall, temperatures rise noticeably. There is often rainy spring weather. After the Xiaoman spring rains end, the weather turns muggy, marking the imminent entry into summer. Therefore, May, at the turn of spring and summer, is a key period for growing and caring for flowers, and it plays an important role in laying the foundation for the summer and autumn growth of pot flowers. May flower care from south to north mainly includes the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flower and tree species that can be sown fresh in May mainly include: Primula obconica, Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, loquat, etc. May sowing and seedling raising should pay attention to the following three points: First, keep the sowing seedling bed moist, neither waterlogged nor overly dry and dehydrated. Second, the sowing seedling bed should be covered with grass to retain moisture, to prevent sudden changes between dry and wet that cause seeds to "return to bud." Third, after emergence, remove the covering grass in several stages and build a shed for shade in time to avoid scorching the seedlings.

For osmanthus, mature blue-black fruits can be picked at the end of May, mixed with sand and rubbed to remove the flesh, rinsed clean, and stored in moist clean fine sand until February of the following year. Only when the seeds crack and expose the radicle tip can they be sown in the ground. During storage, prevent rodents from stealing them and keep the sand moist.

For loquat sowing, the covering soil should not be too deep, generally not exceeding 2 to 3 cm.

    2. Cuttings

Flower species suitable for cutting propagation in May include: Salvia splendens (pink, purple, white), Gomphrena globosa (white), Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Antirrhinum, Impatiens hawkeri, Coleus, Begonia species, Cosmos sulphureus, Chinese rose, Rhododendron, Dahlia, Fuchsia, Plectranthus, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Pelargonium, Bougainvillea, Hibiscus, Erythrina, Tropaeolum, Jasminum multiflorum, jasmine, Chloranthus, Acalypha wilkesiana, Deutzia, Hydrangea, Kerria japonica, pomegranate, Hibiscus syriacus, Buddleja, Campsis, Gardenia, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epipremnum pinnatum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Crassula ovata, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, Cyperus alternifolius, Lantana camara, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Aglaonema modestum, Cordyline fruticosa, Epipremnum aureum, Schefflera, Nerium species, Pyracantha, Mahonia, and Bambusa ventricosa with aerial roots, etc.

    3. Grafting

In May, use potted 1- to 2-year-old Magnolia liliiflora seedlings or cuttings to graft and propagate Michelia alba and Michelia figo; use 1- to 2-year-old Acer palmatum seedlings for bud grafting to propagate Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Viride', etc.; use vigorous 2- to 3-year-old Rhododendron mucronatum cuttings to cleft graft and propagate Western azaleas; use wild rose as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate fine varieties of Chinese rose; use Artemisia annua as rootstock for grafting to propagate fine varieties of chrysanthemum; use 2-year-old wintersweet seedlings as rootstock; softwood graft fine varieties of wintersweet, or use potted rootstocks for grafting. In addition, cactus and Hylocereus trigonus can be used as rootstocks to graft and propagate Schlumbergera.

    4. Layering

Flower and tree species that can be propagated by air layering in May include: Michelia alba, Ficus elastica, Aglaia, Western azalea, Camellia, Codiaeum variegatum, Michelia figo, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', etc.; flower and tree species that can be propagated by ground layering include: Prunus mume, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Gardenia, Podocarpus, osmanthus, Campsis, etc.

II. Potting and transplanting

    1. Potting

For pot flowers used for street decoration during National Day, the vast majority of species must be potted and planted in May. After 3 to 4 months of careful maintenance, they can bloom on time by late September and early October, thereby creating a joyful, enthusiastic and colorful holiday atmosphere. The main species include: Salvia splendens (pink, white, purple), Gomphrena globosa (white), Celosia cristata, Zinnia elegans, Cosmos sulphureus, Callistephus chinensis, Kochia scoparia, Tagetes erecta, Antirrhinum, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Impatiens hawkeri, Coleus, Begonia, etc.

    2. Transplanting

At the end of April and beginning of May, when Magnolia denudata has finished flowering and just before budding and leaf unfolding, transplanting gives the highest survival rate. Some flowers and trees that sprout relatively late and transplant easily can also be transplanted with soil balls and planted in early May, such as Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, Cercis chinensis, pomegranate, Albizia julibrissin, etc.

III. Flower management

    1. Watering

As temperatures continue to rise, the water demand of potted ornamental plants will gradually increase. In addition to combining root watering with leaf surface spraying, attention must also be paid to the quality of irrigation and spraying water. It is best not to use tap water directly, especially not directly use tap water treated with bleaching powder. For this purpose, tap water can first be poured into a water pool or small vat, and an appropriate amount of acidifying substance can be added to increase the acidity of the water, such as ferrous sulfate, with concentration controlled between 0.1% and 0.2%. Pot flower species suitable for acidic water mainly include: Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Rhododendron, Rhododendron simsii, Gardenia, Daphne, Clivia, chrysanthemum, Malus species, Camellia chekiangoleosa, etc.; foliage types include: sago palm, Philodendron, Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis, Ficus elastica, ferns, Podocarpus, Codiaeum variegatum, red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Syngonium, Calathea, Bromeliads, Dracaena fragrans, money tree, Schefflera, etc.; fruit-viewing types include: Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Pyracantha, kumquat, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, lemon, Nandina, winter coral, Ardisia crenata, etc.

    2. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning. For Michelia alba that has just left the room, when pruning back, special attention should be paid because its branch pith is loose and the cut surface easily loses water, dries up and extends downward. For this reason, consider cutting 8 to 10 cm above the bud eye intended to be retained, and never too close to the bud eye. For potted Chinese rose, after-flowering pruning should moderately lower by 10 to 20 cm, so that bud eyes in the middle of the branch can produce flower buds.

(2) Bud removal. For potted wintersweet plants, when removing buds, attention should also be paid to the position of bud removal. Generally it should be 3 to 5 cm above the selected leaf bud position, otherwise the wound will dry and shrink, affecting the selected leaf bud downward. For Chinese rose potted that year, remove the terminal bud in time to promote the formation of a good plant shape.

    3. Shading

After entering May, potted plants that prefer semi-shade or shade should be moved under a shade shed or tree shade, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis, Calathea, Philodendron, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Dieffenbachia, Livistona, Syngonium, orchids, Rhododendron, Strelitzia, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, etc.; for light-loving flowers and trees, full light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, Pyracantha, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc.; bonsai plants, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Xylosma, Serissa japonica, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus densiflora, etc., require full light; while Podocarpus, Damnacanthus indicus, Syzygium buxifolium, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Pinus parviflora, etc. can be appropriately shaded.

    4. Fertilization

For Camellia, Rhododendron, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Aglaia, jasmine, Michelia alba, Gardenia, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Daphne, Clivia, orchids, Malus, etc., after flowering remove residual flowers and faded stems respectively, and apply a compound fertilizer mainly of nitrogen and supplemented by phosphorus, once every half month, to restore vegetative growth while laying a foundation for re-forming flower buds. For mainly foliage-viewing species, such as Ficus elastica, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Philodendron, Aspidistra, ferns, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For foliage plants with colored spots and patterns, such as Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii', Neoregalia, Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium, Syngonium 'White Butterfly', Dieffenbachia, etc., apply 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution as a foliar top dressing, which can make leaf color appear even more beautiful and vivid.

    5. Pest and disease control

For Chinese rose, Rosa multiflora, Rosa rugosa, etc., attention should be paid to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot. For leaf-eating pests that appear, spray pesticides in time to kill them. For citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, leaf-eating pests that often appear on Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', kumquat, Glycine, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, lemon, Ruta, etc., spray pesticides early to kill them.

IV. Bonsai styling

Ornamental bonsai plant species that can still be styled in May include: Prunus mume, small-leaf Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, Podocarpus, Serissa japonica, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Adina rubella, Taxus cuspidata, Ginkgo, etc. It is worth noting that when styling, one must be careful and cautious, and try not to injure the bark and structure of branches and trunks, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.

Flower Planting Manual (June Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of June: By June, temperatures rise further. The Yangtze-Huai River basin enters the plum rain season. This year plum rain began on June 12 and ended on July 7. At this time, evenly matched cold and warm air masses meet in the region, causing frequent frontal or cyclonic activity. June is the season with the most rainfall in the year, often with long periods of continuous rain. For some flowers that are summer-dormant or semi-dormant and for the vast majority of bonsai, care should be especially careful, so as not to cause root rot due to excessive rain, or cause rampant growth due to insufficient light, disrupting styling or affecting the normal flowering and fruiting of ornamental plants. June flower care from south to north mainly includes the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

    Flower and tree species that can be sown in June include: Primula, lotus seeds, cycad, loquat, wintersweet, etc. For wintersweet, when the urn-shaped fruit capsules on the mother tree turn from green to yellow, then from yellow to brown, and the internal seeds are brown, they can be picked. Promptly peel open the fruit capsules, take out the seeds, first soak them in cold water for 24 to 36 hours, and after the seeds have absorbed enough water and expanded, bury them in clean moist sand to promote germination. After about 2 weeks, the seeds can crack and show white, at which point sow in furrows. The covering soil thickness is generally 2 cm to 3 cm. Cover with rice straw to retain moisture. After most seeds' cotyledons emerge, remove the covering grass in 2 to 3 stages, and build a shed for shade in time.

    2. Cuttings

In summer, temperatures are high and humidity is great, and the cambium in flower and tree branches is highly active, making it the best time for cutting propagation of flowers and trees. There are two major categories of flowers and trees suitable for softwood cuttings in summer. One category is species that are difficult to root or root slowly with hardwood cuttings, such as osmanthus, Camellia, Michelia figo, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Syringa, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Euphorbia tirucalli, Erythrina, Belgian azalea, Bambusa ventricosa (with aerial roots), Ficus elastica, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Taxodium ascendens, Taxodium distichum, etc.; the other category is species that root relatively easily, such as Buxus species, Chinese rose, Pyracantha, Forsythia, winter jasmine, Jasminum, Serissa japonica, pomegranate, Hibiscus syriacus, Caragana, jasmine, Chloranthus, Liriope, Lantana camara, Kerria japonica, Bougainvillea, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, lemon, Podocarpus, Nandina, Campsis, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Lonicera japonica, Hibiscus, Cordyline fruticosa, Hypericum, Hypericum beanii, Salix, Salix babylonica 'Tortuosa', banyan, Dracaena fragrans, Ardisia crenata, Edgeworthia, Codiaeum variegatum, Deutzia, Philadelphus, Lagerstroemia indica, Weigela florida, Weigela, Hydrangea macrophylla, Aucuba species, Schefflera species, Mahonia species, Fatsia japonica, Exochorda, Hydrangea, Euphorbia pulcherrima, etc. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as Ipomoea cairica, Parthenocissus species, Tropaeolum, Salvia, Angelica, Heliotropium, Cyperus alternifolius, Pelargonium, Coleus, Begonia species, Viola tricolor, Gomphrena globosa, Zinnia elegans, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Cosmos sulphureus, etc.

Take Camellia and osmanthus fully enclosed moisture-retaining cuttings as an example: the cutting time is from early June to mid-July, and it is ideal when the young shoots of osmanthus and Camellia are semi-lignified. The medium can be yellow subsoil, sandy loam or vermiculite. The cuttings are current-year new shoots, 10 cm to 15 cm long, retaining only 2 to 3 leaves at the end. The lower cut is dipped for 10 seconds in 500 mg/kg No. 1 ABT rooting powder or naphthalene acetic acid solution, briefly dried, then inserted into the seedling bed. The insertion depth of cuttings is 1/2 to 2/3 of the cutting length, with plant and row spacing of 2 cm × 8 cm. After watering thoroughly, set up bamboo arches over the seedling bed, cover with plastic film, press the edges firmly with mud, build a double-layer shade shed for shading, keep the bed surface moist, control the temperature inside the film at about 30°C, and maintain humidity above 90%. Generally after one month the cuttings can root abundantly.

    3. Grafting

Grafting: use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock to graft fine varieties of wintersweet; use potted Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstocks to graft Michelia alba, Michelia figo, etc. Bud grafting: use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to graft and propagate fine Chinese rose varieties; use 1-year-old seedlings of apricot, peach, plum, etc. as rootstocks for bud grafting to propagate Prunus persica 'Dushoutao', Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea', Prunus japonica, Prunus mume, Prunus triloba, etc.; use 1- to 2-year-old Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstocks to graft and propagate Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum', Acer palmatum 'Sanguineum', etc. Branch grafting: use Camellia oleifera, Camellia chekiangoleosa or single-petal seedling Camellia as rootstock to branch graft Camellia and Camellia sasanqua; use 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among Rhododendron mucronatum as rootstocks for cleft grafting or side grafting Belgian azalea or Western azalea.

    4. Layering

    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in June include: Rhododendron, Lonicera japonica, Hydrangea, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Weigela florida, Nerium, osmanthus, Camellia, Prunus mume, wintersweet, Syringa, Gardenia, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Aglaia, Chloranthus, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc.

    5. Division

    Flower species that can be propagated by division in June include: Nephrolepis, Calla lily (after flowering), Bambusa ventricosa, Cyperus alternifolius, Tradescantia spathacea, Bromeliads, Haworthia, Aspidistra, spider plant, Acorus species, Liriope 'Variegata', etc.

II. Seed collection and transplanting/planting

    1. Seed collection

    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in June include: Dianthus, Centaurea cyanus, Antirrhinum, Silene armeria, Silene chalcedonica, Alcea rosea, Malva, Primula, Calceolaria, Hippeastrum (sow fresh), etc.

    Flower and tree seeds that can be collected in June: after wintersweet seeds are collected, if nursery conditions do not permit, the extracted seeds can also be dry-stored until the following spring before sowing, without affecting their germination rate; peach, apricot, etc. should be sown fresh, or their seeds can be sand-stored until they crack and germinate, then sown in the ground; osmanthus seeds collected in June, after removing the fleshy fruit skin and washing clean, should be stored with moist sand to promote after-ripening of the seed embryo, and when they germinate, select nursery land for sowing.

    2. Transplanting/planting and potting

    In June, a considerable number of herbaceous flowers need transplanting/planting or potting, including: Oenothera, Cleome spinosa, Impatiens, Impatiens hawkeri, Primula, ornamental pepper, winter coral, Nicotiana, Petunia, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Zinnia elegans, Gomphrena globosa, Salvia splendens, Antirrhinum, Kochia scoparia, Cosmos sulphureus, Celosia cristata, Alternanthera, etc.

As summer begins, some large flowers and trees are no longer transplanted, to avoid affecting their survival rate and post-transplant growth. But for some small flowering shrubs, such as Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia, Hypericum, Gardenia, Ligustrum 'Variegatum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Buxus species, under special circumstances, transplanting with soil balls is not impossible, exactly as the old saying goes: "There is no time when one cannot transplant; just do not let the tree know." But after transplanting, water spraying and shading management should be strengthened.

III. Flower management

    1. Watering

    In June, pot flower watering should pay attention to the following aspects: First, watering time, preferably at 10 a.m. or 5 p.m.; under general conditions, watering once a day is sufficient. Second, watering temperature: keep irrigation water and pot soil temperature basically consistent. If the difference between water temperature and soil temperature is too great, it will stimulate the root system and leaves of pot flowers and affect their growth. Third, combine watering and spraying. When there are several days without rain, in addition to watering the pot, also spray the leaf surface and around the pot flowers to increase local humidity. If there is continuous cloudy weather, decide whether to water and spray according to the wetness or dryness of the pot soil.

Flower species that enter semi-dormancy or dormancy in summer. Semi-dormant ones such as: Oxalis articulata, Pelargonium, Fuchsia, Clivia, Calla lily, Begonia species, etc. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, because their growth activity is very weak and metabolic level is low, reduce watering and just keep the pot soil moist. Deeply dormant species such as: Cyclamen, Lycoris (species), Ranunculus asiaticus, Dutch peony, etc., under high temperatures show withered aboveground stems and leaves and dead underground nutrient fibrous roots, overwintering in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. Watering must be stopped, move them to a cool place, and just keep the pot soil from becoming excessively dry.

[page]    If there is continuous rainfall, after the rain stops, comprehensively inspect the pot flowers. If standing water is found in the pots, pour it out as soon as possible. After the pot soil dries, loosen the soil, to avoid causing root rot. Alternatively, before heavy rain arrives, lay the pot flowers down, and after the rain stops, set the pot flowers upright again.

    2. Fertilization

For vigorously growing species, such as Monstera deliciosa, spider plant, Syngonium, Calathea, Nephrolepis, Philodendron, sago palm, Aspidistra, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Philodendron 'Imperial Queen', Ficus elastica, Anthurium, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Rhapis, Araucaria, Dracaena fragrans, Podocarpus, money tree, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Michelia alba, Aglaia, jasmine, Chloranthus, Prunus mume, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Daphne, Rhododendron, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Lantana camara, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Justicia brandegeeana, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', lemon, kumquat, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Pyracantha, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For species currently flowering, also apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to meet the needs of growth, flowering and fruit setting.

For those flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, fertilization must be stopped. Especially for those succulent flower species, such as Crassula ovata, Schlumbergera, Haworthia cooperi, Senecio, Sedum morganianum, Lampranthus, Stapelia, Sedum species, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, stop fertilization to avoid rot.

    3. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning. For vigorously growing species such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Podocarpus, Carmona retusa, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Adina rubella, Sabina chinensis, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Acer buergerianum, Fontanesia, Tamarix, Pyracantha, etc., branches affecting the styling should be pruned or cut back early, which can keep the plant clearly layered and good in appearance, and promote more short shoots and new buds, forming a perfect shape early.

(2) Bud removal. For flowers such as Aglaia, jasmine, Chloranthus, Chinese rose, residual flowers and faded stems should be removed in time, and flowering branches should be appropriately cut back to promote lower lateral branches or flower buds to bloom again. For flowers and trees such as Michelia alba, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Rhododendron, Camellia, wintersweet, Prunus mume, Malus, etc., in order to promote a good plant shape and more flower buds, more flowering and better flowering in the current or following year, pinch and remove buds on excessively vigorous branches, inhibit the growth of terminal and lateral shoots, and promote lateral bud germination.

    4. Shading

    In June, for flowers and trees that prefer shade or semi-shade, they must be moved under a shade shed to prevent damage to plants from scorching sun. Such as Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, asparagus fern, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron, Chloranthus, Strelitzia, orchids, Rhapis, Ficus elastica, ferns, Philodendron, Syngonium, Dieffenbachia, Philodendron, Epipremnum aureum, Peperomia, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Red', Philodendron 'Imperial Queen', Livistona, Daphne, Aspidistra, spider plant, etc. Light-loving flower species must be given sufficient light, such as pomegranate, Wisteria, Pyracantha, Lagerstroemia indica, jasmine, Serissa japonica, cycad, Sabina chinensis, peach, Prunus mume, wintersweet, Ulmus parvifolia, Carmona retusa, Acer buergerianum, Sageretia thea, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Adina rubella, Xylosma, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus densiflora, Michelia alba, Aglaia, Chinese rose, Mahonia, grape, etc.; Podocarpus, Damnacanthus indicus, Nandina, Bambusa ventricosa, Bambusa multiplex, Pinus parviflora, Podocarpus macrophyllus, etc., can be given appropriate shade.

    5. Pest and disease control

(1) Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Ulmus parvifolia, Chaenomeles, Pyracantha, Podocarpus, Malus species, etc. are easily harmed by trunk-boring longhorn beetles, and should be controlled promptly by using poison sticks to block them.

(2) Chinese rose, Rosa multiflora, Rosa rugosa, etc. easily develop powdery mildew and brown spot during the plum rain season, and Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed early for control.

(3) Michelia alba, Prunus mume, wintersweet, etc. are easily harmed by aphids, and suitable pesticides should be selected early for spraying and killing.

(4) Orchid leaves are easily infected by anthracnose, and fungicides such as carbendazim should be sprayed early for control.

(5) Tender leaves of Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', lemon, kumquat, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, etc. are easily eaten by citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, and contact insecticides, stomach poisons and other pesticides can be sprayed to kill them.

IV. Bonsai styling

Plant species that can be styled in June are mainly some woody ornamental plants with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and must be plants potted in early spring for hardening or planted in the ground. They are: Podocarpus, winter jasmine, Elaeagnus, Pinus armandii, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Sabina chinensis, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Lycium chinense, Pinus parviflora, Malus halliana, Malus micromalus, Prunus mume, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Acer buergerianum, Serissa japonica, Pinus thunbergii, Buxus sinica var. parvifolia, Ulmus parvifolia, Tamarix, Adina rubella, Sabina chinensis, Ginkgo, Fontanesia, Pyracantha, etc. June styling must be careful, wire lightly and slowly, and never be impatient or use excessive force.

    Solar terms in June: June 5 Mangzhong; June 21 Xiazhi.

Flower Planting Manual (July Chapter)

Weather characteristics in July: On July 7, the plum rain season ends in the Jianghuai region. July 16 marks the beginning of the dog days, and August 15 marks their end, as most parts of the country enter the hottest period of the year. In most parts of China, the average July temperature is above 24°C, and in areas south of the Jianghuai region it is 28°C; only in northern Northeast China and on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the average July temperature below 20°C. The main tasks for flower care in July are as follows:
I. Flower propagation
    1. Sowing
    Flowering plants that can be sown in July include: cineraria, fairy primrose, ornamental kale, campanula, etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading and increased ventilation and light.
    In July, ripe fruits of Japanese apricot, peach, wild peach, flowering almond, etc. 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 immediately after collection, or the seeds removed from the fruit capsule can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, which will not affect their germination rate.
    2. Cuttings
    Flowering plant species suitable for cutting propagation in July include: scutellaria, begonia species, coleus, false nettle, scarlet sage, marigold, French marigold, globe amaranth, geranium, hardy aster, purple loosestrife, umbrella plant, Boston ivy, coral plant, pepperomia, rhaphidophora, knotweed, kalanchoe, pothos, etc.
    Woody flowering plant species suitable for cutting propagation in July include: red-back eupatorium, heavenly bamboo, poinsettia, crown of thorns, hypericum, golden St. John's wort, weigela, hydrangea, weigela, snowball viburnum, spiraea, daphne, gardenia, edgeworthia, magnolia, bougainvillea, aglaia, jasmine, chloranthus, schefflera, mahonia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, hibiscus, firethorn, cordyline, Chinese hibiscus, serissa, michelia, coral tree, rubber tree, viburnum, tianmu viburnum, boxwood species, fig, purple magnolia, osmanthus, rhododendron species, camellia, sasanqua, dragon-claw willow, golden silk willow, etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttings.
In addition, in July some flowering trees and shrubs 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 trees and shrubs by water cuttings, first, prepare a thick foam plastic board 1 cm to 2 cm thick, perforate it and use it as fixing material for the cuttings; second, keep the water for cuttings clean, and put in a few pieces of charcoal for anti-corrosion purposes.
    3. Grafting
One-year-old seedlings of wild peach and peach can be used as rootstock, and ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, Japanese apricot, flowering almond, red-leaf plum, beautiful plum, etc. can be propagated by bud grafting; using cuttings of wild rose, pink cluster rose and 'Shisimei' as rootstock, breed variety roses, cut roses and rugosa roses by bud grafting; using potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock, propagate white orchid and michelia by *grafting; using potted 2-year-old seedling wintersweet as rootstock, propagate superior wintersweet varieties by *grafting; 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 whether they survive can be judged after 7 to 10 days; using 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among the azaleas as rootstock, propagate Belgian azalea or Western azalea by cleft grafting or side grafting; using cherry seedlings as rootstock, propagate superior cherry blossom varieties by bud grafting; using current-year seedling of Malus baccata, Hubei crabapple, or hall crabapple and crabapple as rootstock, carry out "T"-shaped bud grafting to propagate superior crabapple varieties; using Japanese maple seedlings as rootstock, propagate red maple, feather maple and other seedlings by bagged grafting.
    4. Layering
    Flowering tree and shrub species that can be propagated by layering in July include: aglaia (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, Chinese trumpet creeper, viburnum, oleander, weigela, broom, osmanthus, gardenia, purple magnolia, jasmine, chloranthus, climbing rose, winter jasmine, etc.
    5. Division
    Ornamental plant species that can be divided in July include: hosta, purple hosta, acorus species, umbrella plant, aspidistra, purple-backed spiderwort, bromeliad species, haworthia, spider plant, liriope species, reineckea, zephyranthes, sword fern, iris, inch plant, etc. II. Seed collection and transplanting and planting out
    1. Seed collection
    Flower seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock, mallow, morning glory, baby's breath, petunia, phlox, foxglove, snake's eye chrysanthemum, sweet pea, daisy, delphinium, pansy, mesembryanthemum, etc.
    Flower tree and shrub seeds that can be collected in July include: wintersweet, Japanese apricot, peach, wild peach, flowering almond, etc.
    2. Transplanting, planting out and potting up
    July is the main period for potting up flowering plants to be displayed during National Day. The flowering plants transplanted and potted at this time can be seedlings or cuttings; after 3 months of careful maintenance, they will bloom right around National Day for holiday decoration. They are mainly: scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, dahlia, Guinea impatiens, 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 root balls is also feasible, such as mahonia, hypericum, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, aucuba, sabina chinensis balls, etc. However, targeted pruning must be done, shade shelters should be built in time, and the frequency of water spraying should be increased. After they basically survive, normal management can be resumed, and carelessness must be avoided.
III. Flower care
    1. Watering
For flower species that enter semi-dormancy at high temperatures, such as red woodsorrel, geranium species, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonia species, sedum, kalanchoe, cactus species, hawthia, stapelia, string of pearls, Senecio rowleyanus, daphne, Christmas cactus, portulacaria, 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 is easy to cause root rot and will also seriously affect their recovery growth after autumn.
For flower species that enter deep dormancy at high temperatures, such as cyclamen, lycoris species, ranunculus, bleeding heart, etc., in July their aboveground stems and leaves wither and their underground nutrient fibrous roots die, and they overwinter in the soil in a dormant state as underground stems or tuberous roots. For deep-dormant flowers, watering should be stopped, they should be moved to a cool place, and the potting soil should be kept from becoming too dry.
For vigorously growing flower species, especially foliage plants, such as cycad, aspidistra, monstera, rubber tree, white orchid, jasmine, aglaia, chloranthus, Norfolk Island pine, maranta species, syngonium species, red (green) gem, green giant, green emperor, green queen, pink lady, Brazilian iron, money tree, camellia, sasanqua, aucuba, firethorn, bitter orange, lemon, podocarpus, pomegranate, redbud, wisteria, Chinese rose, etc., not only should the amount and frequency of watering be increased, but leaf spraying should also be appropriately given, combining watering and spraying. Especially during continuous cloudy days, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and spraying should likewise be given, and carelessness must be avoided. Once the potting soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilted, first spray the leaves, and after the leaves recover and stand up, then water the roots. Do not pour water heavily at the roots, otherwise it is very easy to cause woody flowering plants to "drop green leaves", or cause the plant's nutrient fibrous roots to rot, and even cause plant death.
For potted plum bonsai, since July to August is their 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 shoots produce 2 to 3 leaves, keep only one leaf at the base and pinch off the rest, and flower buds can still differentiate in the leaf axils of this leaf.
    In July, when watering potted flowers, avoid the few hours around noon; watering in the morning before 10 o'clock and after 4 o'clock in the afternoon 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 found in the pots in time, and after the potting soil dries slightly, loosen the soil once more, so as to avoid root rot of potted plants.
    2. Fertilizing
    In July, fertilization management should be strengthened for four major categories of ornamental plants. The first is species with a particularly long flowering period, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as white magnolia, Chinese rose, aglaia, jasmine, etc.; the second is species that bloom profusely in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, osmanthus, cotton rose, etc.; the third is species for viewing flowers and fruits in winter, such as bitter orange, heavenly bamboo, wintersweet, rhododendron, etc.; the fourth is foliage plants, such as palm bamboo, monstera, philodendron, rubber tree, etc. As for the types of fertilizer, for the first three categories, in addition to applying necessary nitrogen fertilizer, appropriate phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should also be applied to meet the plants' comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and to provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for their budding, flowering and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea solution should be the main choice. As for the fertilization method, applying thin liquid fertilizer is preferable.
    Flowering plants that should be fertilized more in July include: scarlet sage (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia, globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan, petunia, goldfussia, shrimp plant, cymbidium, marigold, four o'clock flower, dragon's mouth flower, etc. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, michelia, osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, white orchid, aglaia, night-blooming jasmine, Chinese rose, crabapple species, brunfelsia, bougainvillea, rhododendron, chloranthus, wintersweet, hibiscus, cotton rose, etc. There are many foliage plant species, such as bromeliad species, Brazilian iron, palm bamboo, Norfolk Island pine, syngonium, maranta, green giant, red gem, cycad, rubber tree, monstera, cordyline, etc.
   In July, fertilization must be stopped for ornamental plants in dormant or semi-dormant states, especially for succulent ornamental plants such as sedum species, sickle plant, mesembryanthemum, stapelia, etc.; fertilization must be stopped even more to prevent the plants from rotting.
    3. Pruning and bud pinching
Ornamental plants that can be topped and pinched in summer must be species that grow vigorously, have strong sprouting ability and tolerate pruning. Pinching means directly removing the tender terminal buds at the tips with the fingers. Bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, Chinese sweetleaf, euonymus, boxwood, wintersweet, firethorn, podocarpus, tamarisk, elaeagnus, water willow, Vitex negundo, forsythia, hackberry, Fujian tea, banyan, zelkova, trident maple, crape myrtle, serissa, orange jasmine, etc. Pruning means using scissors to cut off part of the new shoots to promote the germination of lower lateral buds, so that they form graceful crown pads or tree shapes. Bonsai plant species suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants that are not convenient to pinch with fingers, such as juniper, oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, holly, true cypress, etc.
For potted flower species that continue flowering for a long time, such as aglaia, Chinese rose, jasmine, chloranthus, etc., their faded flowers and withered stems should be removed in time, and the branches that have already bloomed should be shortened as necessary, which can promote the germination of lower lateral buds and reblooming. For rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, crabapple, wintersweet, Japanese apricot, etc., overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be shortened so as to form a better crown shape.
    4. Shading
    July is the month with the strongest sunlight and the highest temperature of the year, so special attention should be paid to shading management for potted ornamental plants.
For ornamental plants that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade shed to avoid damage to the plants from exposure to the scorching sun. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, monstera, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchid species, palm bamboo, rubber tree, red (green) gem, philodendron, pink lady, pothos, pepperomia species, aspidistra, inch plant, Brazilian iron, rhaphidophora, bromeliad species, maranta species, reineckea, etc.
For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, firethorn, jasmine, serissa, cycad, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, peach blossom, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, trident maple, black pine, water willow, oak, Japanese black pine, white orchid, aglaia, Chinese rose, etc. For podocarpus, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, michelia, tiger thorn, cloud bamboo, Buddha belly bamboo, five-needle pine, etc., it is necessary to give appropriate shading.
For small, miniature and shallow-pot bonsai, because the temperature this month is too high and the air is relatively dry, in addition to necessary shading, the flower pots must also be buried in wet sand, which 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 on the leaf surface, slightly tolerant of dry environments and with strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese aralia, mahonia, cycad, Norfolk Island pine, golden hibiscus, Chinese fan palm, palm bamboo, Canary Island date palm, bromeliad species, philodendron, monstera, schefflera, aspidistra, aucuba, etc., while sword fern, coleus, green giant, syngonium, etc. are not suitable. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and spraying, and keeping them away from air-conditioner outlets 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 susceptible to 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 reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the disease period spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800 times solution or folpet 500 times solution for control.
(2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like insect frass accumulates on the stumps or trunks of Japanese apricot, peach, 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 application of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the trunk. Note that when injecting pesticides, dimethoate, omethoate, etc. should be avoided to prevent phytotoxicity.
(3) In July, timely control should be carried out against the boxwood leaf roller moth that damages boxwood, boxwood, sharp-leaf boxwood, pearl boxwood; when this pest occurs severely, it can eat all the leaves bare. Once discovered, pesticides such as trichlorfon, dimethoate or fenvalerate can be sprayed in time. If a certain pesticide has been used for a long time and the pest has developed resistance, a new type of pesticide can be substituted.
(4) In July, in some areas, the larvae of the citrus swallowtail butterfly will continue to damage the leaves of new shoots of bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, citron and rue, and stomach-poison pesticides should be sprayed in time to kill them.
(5) For the white wax insect that damages privet, small-leaf privet, water ash and white ash, late July to late August is its emergence period, so the right time should be chosen to spray pesticides such as supersect 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 damaging 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 supersect can be sprayed in time 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 and trunks are susceptible to infection by pathogens after injury and are not easy to heal and recover, so most tree stump species are no longer suitable for further wiring and shaping. Shaping can still be carried out on some plant species with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and the plants must be those potted in spring for hardening off or those planted in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, podocarpus, Japanese arborvitae, Chinese cypress, serissa, black pine, boxwood, water willow, etc.
    In July, plant shaping should be done carefully and meticulously, wiring gently and slowly, applying force gradually; do not operate hastily or use too much force, otherwise it is very easy to cause the plant's branches and trunk to break and endanger its survival.
    Solar terms in July: July 7 is Minor Heat; July 23 is Major Heat.

Flower Planting Manual Autumn

Flower Planting Manual (August Chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display
    August has high temperature, strong light and low humidity, and is the hot, dry period second only to July in the year. The average monthly temperature in most parts of the country is between 24°C and 28°C. Potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display are some light-loving or high-temperature-tolerant species. Among the woody flowering plants are mainly: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, Japanese black pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden larch, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, Huashan pine, podocarpus, Chinese juniper, cycad, Canary Island date palm, Chinese fagraea, cinnamon, aglaia, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, Chinese hibiscus, lantana, coral tree (erythrina), Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, palm bamboo, money tree, large-leaf schefflera, plumeria, four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, broadleaf mahonia, Japanese aralia, spotted aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, Fujian tea, banyan, Chinese rose, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: impatiens, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, scarlet sage, dahlia, China aster, begonia, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, phlox, five-color pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, pot marigold, lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, four o'clock flower, zinnia, etc. In addition there are aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, philodendron, monstera, pothos, silver-veined aglaonema, etc.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. In August, woody flowering plants that can be sown include: tree peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia, summer wintersweet, American summer wintersweet, podocarpus, etc. They can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds can be stored in wet sand until they crack and show white, then sown in the ground. Canary Island date palm can be sand-stored for germination and then sown in bags. Ornamental pomegranate can be collected after the fruit ripens and cracks; rub and wash off the fleshy layer outside the seeds, store in sand until germination and then sow. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: baby's breath, petunia, snapdragon, coneflower, oxalis species, yarrow, nasturtium, pyrethrum, etc. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, begonia, fairy primrose, coleus, pot marigold, etc.
2. Cuttings. Using a mixed substrate of de-alkalinized rice husk ash and moist fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, carry out moisture-retaining bed cuttings or pot cuttings to propagate the following flower and tree species: firethorn, mahonia species, wintersweet, michelia, bougainvillea, erythrina, aglaia, spotted aucuba, viburnum, snowball, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, chloranthus, rubber tree, galo wood, podocarpus, schefflera species, cordyline, hydrangea, purple magnolia, etc. Using yellow subsoil, sandy loam, etc. as substrate, boxwood species, pomegranate, hibiscus, French holly, golden-edge privet, red-leaf barberry, heavenly bamboo, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, serissa, spiraea, spiraea, gardenia, etc. can be propagated by cuttings. In addition, herbaceous flowers such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur cosmos, etc. can also be propagated by cuttings this month.
3. Grafting. In August, the following flower and tree grafts can be carried out: in northern regions use fringetree as rootstock to *graft osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstock to propagate Yulan magnolia by bud grafting; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock to *graft white orchid; use current-year seedlings of peach as rootstock to bud graft Japanese apricot, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered dwarf flowering plum, flowering almond, etc.; use cherry seedlings as rootstock to bud graft Japanese cherry; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, etc. as rootstock to bud graft superior rose varieties; use seedlings of Malus baccata, Chinese apple, Hubei crabapple, etc. as rootstock to bud graft Manchurian crabapple and hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock to change the crown and graft red maple and feather maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock to graft variegated weeping fig; use single-petal camellia as rootstock to graft superior camellia varieties; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock to graft superior wintersweet flowers by stem grafting and *grafting. In addition, large-flowered wisteria can also be propagated by cleft grafting.
4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, Chinese trumpet creeper, banksia rose, climbing rose, weigela, hydrangea, viburnum, snowball, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, forsythia, chaenomeles, hall crabapple, Manchurian crabapple, osmanthus species, purple magnolia, jasmine, chloranthus, michelia, Chinese hibiscus, podocarpus, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), aglaia (air layering), red maple (air layering), etc.
5. Division. In August, ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: reineckea, hosta, purple hosta, multi-head green emperor, bromeliad, Solomon's seal, aspidistra, umbrella plant, water, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily, purple triangular oxalis, Guangdong evergreen, hardy aster, fine-leaf acorus, sword fern, silver-veined aglaonema, maranta species, syngonium, haworthia, etc. In addition, lycoris, calla lily, freesia, etc. can also have their small bulbs divided and planted this month.
Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when transplanted with large root balls and supplemented by heavy pruning, strengthen management such as shading, watering and spraying after transplanting, and a relatively high survival rate can be obtained, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edge arborvitae, golden-center (edge) boxwood, hypericum, mahonia, Japanese aralia, Chinese rose, rhododendron, gardenia, podocarpus, michelia, sabina chinensis balls, Chinese juniper balls, boxwood balls, pomegranate, hibiscus, aucuba, French holly, etc. In the courtyard, herbaceous flowers can also be transplanted and planted out, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, cockscomb, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, etc., and they can be expected to bloom between September and October.
2. Pruning. In August, continue pruning the roadside hedges in the courtyard, such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, photinia, etc. For ground-planted ball-shaped plants, such as photinia, sabina chinensis, Chinese juniper, bayberry, firethorn, pittosporum, holly, evergreen, etc., pruning must also be done again. For long-lasting ground-planted flowering trees and shrubs, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, lantana, etc., remove faded flowers in time and shorten the branch tips appropriately. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, marigold, etc., topping and pinching should be carried out.
3. Watering. In August, for flowering shrubs transplanted in spring and herbaceous flowers planted out, watering and spraying management should be strengthened. For plants whose trunks are tied with straw ropes, the straw ropes should be sprayed wet to ensure that the plants do not show wilting of new shoots and tender leaves. Spray more and water cautiously to ensure no water accumulates at the roots.
4. Fertilizing. In August, for ground-planted?, golden-edge (center) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf sand cherry, croton, red mulberry, spotted aucuba, shell ginger, etc., in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, apply quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced three elements of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For continuously blooming species such as Chinese rose, fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, lantana, etc., as well as species about to bloom such as osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, autumn anemone, etc., promptly apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For camellia, sasanqua, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, etc., which are in flower bud differentiation, a small amount of monopotassium phosphate solution can be sprayed by leaf fertilization.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, for scale insects occurring on cedar, privet, pittosporum, osmanthus, crape myrtle, photinia, camellia, etc., promptly spray 40% supersect 1500 times solution for control. For chrysanthemum beetles and aphids occurring on ground-planted chrysanthemums, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawfly and cotton leafworm that chew rose leaves, promptly spray 10% fenvalerate 1000 times solution for control.
6. Seed collection. In August, woody flowering plant species whose seeds can be collected include: tree peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia, podocarpus, summer wintersweet, etc. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: peony, moss rose, four o'clock flower, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer, etc.
Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Watering. In August, water between 9 and 10 in the morning and after 4 in the afternoon, keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidity, add 0.1% ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron-cross begonia, hairy-leaf begonia, etc., water droplets that fall on the leaf surface are not easy to evaporate and can easily cause 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 clivia leaf rosette must not be sprinkled with water either, as dirty water flowing into the leaf rosette will cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water less and spray more, and inject water into the leaf cups to meet their needs. This month, while watering and spraying potted plants, be sure to loosen the soil, once every 10 days, otherwise repeated watering will cause the potting soil to compact. For flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, control watering and spraying, maintaining the potting soil only slightly moist, and create a relatively cool and moist environment by spraying the small environment around the flower pots.
2. Fertilizing. In August, for foliage plants, such as monstera, aspidistra, rubber tree, philodendron, palm bamboo, red (green) gem, Norfolk Island pine, queen palm, beautiful date palm, areca palm, fishtail palm, Chinese fan palm, pothos, Brazilian wood, Dutch iron, money tree, sword fern, Chinese fagraea (African jasmine), cinnamon (peace wood), coin tree (dragon-phoenix wood), syngonium, green emperor, green queen, poinsettia, pink lady, schefflera, aucuba, miniature coconut, croton, Japanese aralia, etc., low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer or cake fertilizer water. For long-flowering species, such as Chinese rose, white orchid, jasmine, chloranthus, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, aglaia, four-season osmanthus, fragrant osmanthus, bougainvillea, lantana, etc., as well as fruit-viewing bitter orange, finger citron, kumquat, lemon, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, golden bullet tree, fruit pomegranate, heavenly bamboo, papaya, etc., in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, appropriate quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should also be applied, such as monopotassium phosphate, etc. For potted herbaceous flowers blooming in autumn, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, marigold, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, China aster, chrysanthemum, miniature sunflower, etc., apply thin liquid fertilizer 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, sasanqua, Japanese apricot, osmanthus, rhododendron, etc., apply low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to the leaves. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, never let the fertilizer liquid drip onto the leaves, so as to avoid leaf rot. To be safe, spray the leaves once promptly after fertilizing to wash off fertilizer droplets that may adhere to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in dormant and semi-dormant states, such as clivia, begonia, calla lily, cyclamen, daphne, aloe, kalanchoe, portulacaria, Christmas cactus, sedum species, purple triangular oxalis, cactus species, cactus balls, etc., stop all forms of topdressing, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot or death of the plants.
3. Shading. In August, the heat is still strong, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers is still very important. For ornamental plant species that prefer cool conditions, such as monstera, philodendron, rubber tree, areca palm, green giant, syngonium, maranta species, red (green) gem, palm bamboo, pothos, green emperor, green queen, orchid species, pink lady, pepperomia, bromeliad species, water, mirror grass, ferns, Buddha belly bamboo, phoenix tail bamboo, spider plant, reineckea, miniature coconut, fittonia, purple velvet plant, blood-leaf orchid, silver-veined aglaonema, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, red anthurium, begonia species, lucky bamboo, aspidistra, asparagus fern, purple hosta, etc., continue to provide shed shading, pull on the shade net at 9 a.m. and remove it after 4 p.m. If there are not many potted flowers, they can also be moved indoors for the 6 to 7 hours around noon. If conditions permit, they can also be moved under the dense shade of large trees, and moved out from the tree shade in mid-September.
4. Pruning. In August, continue pinching or pruning vigorously growing, pruning-tolerant and easily sprouting tree stump bonsai, such as Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, Fujian tea, banyan, zelkova, water willow, boxwood, etc. For Chinese rose, flowering pomegranate, aglaia, etc., shorten the branches after each flowering. For potted chrysanthemums, do a good job of bud stripping and bud removal?BR>5. Pest and disease control. In August, control should be carried out against pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail, rose sawfly, and peach red-necked longhorn beetle. Attention should be paid to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, leaf blight, etc. Attention should be paid to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leaf miners, borers, etc.
Potted plants suitable for balcony display
In August, the balcony still has strong light and dry, hot air, and only some potted ornamental plants with very strong resistance or long placed on the balcony can adapt. Such as black pine, Japanese black pine, five-needle pine, Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, water willow, holly, evergreen, wintersweet, fruit pomegranate, flowering pomegranate, boxwood, oriental arborvitae stump, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, zelkova, Fujian tea, Chinese rose, bougainvillea, agave, lantana, ginkgo, jasmine, aglaia, trident maple, podocarpus, etc. In August, part of the flowers and trees on the balcony can be moved indoors with air conditioning, such as large-flowered cymbidium, dendrobium orchid, cattleya, cymbidium, vanda, oncidium, South American cycad, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, red anthurium, green giant, red (green) gem, maranta, areca palm, king coconut, monstera, aspidistra, pothos, palm bamboo, money tree, clivia, fuchsia, fittonia, goldfussia, Brazilian wood, Japanese aralia, etc.
Propagation of balcony flowers
In August, on the balcony, use large-diameter flower pots covered with plastic film for moisture-retaining cuttings of some ornamental plants. The cutting substrate can be rice husk ash mixed with fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, or vermiculite alone. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by cuttings include: schefflera, spotted aucuba, begonia, gardenia, goldfussia, coral plant, fragrant osmanthus, chloranthus, cordyline, jasmine, Guangdong evergreen, silver-veined aglaonema, camellia, sasanqua, michelia, etc. For the 5 to 6 hours around noon, they should be moved indoors. Indoors, some ornamental plants can also be propagated by water cuttings, but the water must be changed frequently, such as: Chinese rose, gardenia, jasmine, chloranthus, schefflera, aucuba, fig, cordyline, plumeria, geranium, Guangdong evergreen, fuchsia, etc.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering and spraying balcony potted flowers should be done carefully and cautiously. First, avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature and air temperature; second, pay attention to the time of watering and spraying, which can be before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.; third, while watering, do not neglect loosening the soil of potted plants; fourth, it is best to add a small amount of ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to meet the need of most ornamental plants for a slightly acidic soil environment. If the balcony is relatively spacious, bricks can be used to build a simple sand bed, put in 10 cm thick wet sand, and then place some relatively moisture-loving potted flowers on the wet sand, such as: monstera, aspidistra, little angel, camellia, sasanqua, syngonium, spring orchid, cymbidium, bromeliad species, red (green) gem, chloranthus, etc. Usually use spraying instead of watering, which is very beneficial for their safe overwintering. For large-flowered cymbidium, tiger-head orchid, oncidium, cattleya, fuchsia, dendrobium orchid, crystal anthurium, black-leaf alocasia, etc., they can be moved to air-conditioned rooms and sprayed instead of watered to ensure they can pass the summer normally. For flower species placed on the balcony that are relatively tolerant of high temperature, such as Chinese rose, aglaia, jasmine, pomegranate, bougainvillea, Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, boxwood, trident maple, black pine, Japanese black pine, wisteria, Fujian tea, water willow, agave, cycad, etc., water 1 to 2 times a day and spray 1 to 2 times a day.
2. Fertilizing. In August, stop fertilizing balcony potted plants in dormant and semi-dormant states. For vigorously growing foliage plants, spray or apply 0.3% urea solution, or scatter multi-element compound fertilizer granules on the pot surface. For flowering and fruit-viewing trees and shrubs, such as white orchid, aglaia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, bitter orange, firethorn, finger citron, kumquat, etc., continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, holly, evergreen, podocarpus, Fujian tea, trident maple, water willow, boxwood, etc., after each pruning, apply a thin fertilizer once.
3. Shading. In August, for potted plants placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, especially shallow-pot stump bonsai such as five-needle pine, podocarpus, Chinese juniper, Fujian tea, Japanese apricot, trident maple, etc., cover the pot surface with soft grass, moss or wet cloth, which can both retain moisture and lower temperature and protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface soil from damage. If the balcony is relatively spacious, use a shade net to block light. If there are not many and relatively precious potted flowers and trees on the balcony, it is best to move them indoors for the 5 to 6 hours around noon.
4. Pruning. In August, for most tree stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, serissa, zelkova, oak, small bayberry, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, small-leaf privet, boxwood, firethorn, etc., pinching or pruning is still needed this month. For faded flowers, withered stems, dead branches and yellow leaves on other potted ornamental plants, they should also be cut off in time.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, red spider mites are most likely to appear on the balcony, and should be sprayed in time with 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder 1500 times solution. For a small number of scale insects appearing on flowers and trees, they can be removed by sticking with transparent tape. For aphids that often appear on chrysanthemums, it is advisable to spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution

Flower Planting Manual (September Chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display
In September, temperatures in most parts of China slowly decline, with the average monthly temperature between 20°C and 24°C. This month, there are many types of potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display. Among the woody ornamental plant species are: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden larch, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, podocarpus, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, cycad, Canary Island date palm, Australian iron, Chinese fagraea, cinnamon species, osmanthus, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, Chinese hibiscus, cotton rose, Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, money tree, large-leaf schefflera, palm bamboo, plumeria, bottle palm, broadleaf mahonia, Japanese aralia, spotted aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, palm tree, Chinese rose, fishtail palm, areca palm, king coconut, cordyline, beautiful date palm, fiddle-leaf fig, red maple, South American cycad, spruce species, schefflera, false mangosteen (Clusiaceae), large Buddha belly bamboo, silver birch, aglaia, white orchid, orange jasmine, sea hibiscus, heavenly bamboo, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: large-flowered canna, scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, begonia, marigold, five-color pepper, lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, dahlia, dragon's mouth flower, etc.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. Woody flowering plant species that can be sown include: tree peony, red-flowered camellia, michelia species, magnolia species, manglietia species, buckeye species, summer wintersweet, Canary Island date palm, etc. Among them, buckeye seeds can be sown in furrows, and when sowing the hilum should face downward, and the covering soil should not be too deep, preferably 2 to 2.5 cm; cover with plastic film or rice straw to retain moisture. Summer wintersweet seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours and then sown in the ground, and seedlings can emerge about 2 weeks after sowing. Except that summer wintersweet can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, all the other species must be stored in wet sand. September is a great time for autumn sowing of herbaceous flowers. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: hollyhock, dianthus, tall catchfly, dwarf catchfly, pansy, snapdragon, petunia, California poppy, daisy, corn poppy, pot marigold, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, etc. In addition, greenhouse flowers such as cyclamen, primrose, nasturtium, cineraria, begonia, Gerbera, calceolaria can also be sown at this time, but they must overwinter in a plastic shed.
2. Cuttings. Using half sand and half rice husk ash as the cutting substrate, flower and tree species that can be propagated by moisture-retaining cuttings in the courtyard include: firethorn, mahonia, michelia, bougainvillea, weigela, spotted aucuba, fuchsia, viburnum, snowball, weigela, brunfelsia, jasmine, chloranthus, golden-vein justicia, coral plant, rubber tree, schefflera, cordyline, etc. Using ordinary sandy soil as a seedling bed, woody flowering plants that can be propagated by cuttings include: boxwood species, purple magnolia, hypericum, spiraea, pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, spiraea, hydrangea, French holly, golden-edge privet, red-leaf barberry, heavenly bamboo, fig, oleander, serissa, gardenia, Japanese aralia, chaenomeles, tree peony, etc. Some herbaceous flowers can also be propagated by cuttings, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur cosmos, cold chrysanthemum, etc.
3. Grafting. The following flower and tree grafting propagation can be carried out: use peony root segments as rootstock to graft superior tree peony varieties; use seedlings of peach, apricot, etc. as rootstock to propagate flowering almond, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, Japanese apricot, etc. by bud grafting; use green maple seedlings as rootstock to graft red maple, feather maple, etc. by bagged moisture-retaining stem grafting; use white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to bud graft superior white magnolia and Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock to *graft white orchid; use citrus seedlings as rootstock to bud graft kumquat, etc.; use fringetree as rootstock to *graft osmanthus; use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock to *graft superior wintersweet varieties.
4. Layering. Ornamental flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering include: chaenomeles, weigela, hydrangea, gardenia, oleander, winter jasmine, forsythia, osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, michelia, camellia, chloranthus, French holly, snowball, viburnum, spiraea, spiraea, etc.
5. Division. Ornamental plant species that can be divided include: spring orchid, cymbidium, sword-leaf cymbidium, peony, tree peony, Guangdong evergreen, purple triangular oxalis, Rudbeckia, snake plant, little angel, multi-head green emperor, silver-veined aglaonema, sword fern, heavenly bamboo, chaenomeles, purple magnolia, silver-striped liriope, aspidistra, large-leaf liriope, etc. In addition, hyacinth, tulip, freesia, calla lily, lycoris, Mediterranean bluebell, etc. can also have their small bulbs divided and planted at this time to cultivate large flowering bulbs.
Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting. Because temperatures in September are still relatively high, unless there are special circumstances, garden trees and flowers are generally not transplanted in the courtyard. If it is for the arrangement of a newly built courtyard or the renovation of an old courtyard, transplanting can also be carried out provided that a soil ball is kept intact. Species include: oleander, dragon juniper, banana shrub, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', osmanthus, camellia, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, golden-leaf privet, boxwood types, Hypericum, French holly, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', etc. Transplanting requires heavy pruning, plus strengthened watering, misting and shading management, to ensure that transplanting is completely successful. Some herbaceous flowers can still be planted out or potted for viewing in golden autumn October. Species include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, cockscomb, Madagascar periwinkle, sulfur cosmos, dahlia, pot marigold, dwarf canna, early chrysanthemum, etc.
2. Pruning. Continue pruning the vigorously growing courtyard hedges and topiary ornamental plants with strong sprouting ability; this is also the last pruning of the year for topiary plants in the northern region during the growing season. Courtyard hedges and color-block tree species suitable for pruning mainly include: boxwood types, French holly, Photinia davidsoniae, privet, littleleaf privet, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, golden-leaf privet, golden-edge oriental arborvitae, etc. Topiary ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: dragon juniper, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', boxwood, Chinese bayberry, Chinese holly, wintergreen, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, Forsythia, etc. Herbaceous flowers grown in the ground that can be pinched back include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, summer cypress, marigold, French marigold, etc. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to promote a full plant shape and the formation of more flower clusters on lateral shoots; stop pinching after late September. For ground-planted woody flowering plants that bloom continuously for a long time, such as floribunda roses, hybrid tea roses, miniature roses, climbing roses, crape myrtle, ornamental pomegranate, lantana, bougainvillea, etc., promptly cut off spent flowers and withered stems, and moderately shorten the branches that have flowered, which can effectively promote reblooming.
3. Watering. In September, the climate is relatively dry. For trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in the courtyard in spring of the same year, continuing good watering and misting management is one of the key measures to consolidate their survival. First, water the roots to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged; second, spray water on the straw rope wrapped around the trunk to create a locally moist protective layer for the trunk; third, spray water on the canopy to reduce leaf transpiration and increase local humidity. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to maintain moisture.
4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted colorful foliage plants, such as golden-leaf privet, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, Japanese maple, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, variegated shell ginger, croton, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', red mulberry, red-leaf dwarf cherry, red-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, etc., in order to keep their leaf color fresh and brilliant, appropriately apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For ground-planted flowering plants that bloom continuously or are viewed for flowers or fruit in autumn, such as crape myrtle, roses, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', calamondin, ornamental pomegranate, bougainvillea, cotton rose, chrysanthemum, canna, dahlia, lantana, nandina, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, etc., as well as large numbers of ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers, it is suitable to apply a quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For kumquat, silver osmanthus, orange osmanthus, etc. that are blooming, fertilization can be stopped during the flowering period.
5. Pest and disease control. For the green slug moth harming crape myrtle, firethorn, crabapple and other flowering plants, spray 800 times dilution of 90% trichlorfon crystal for control; for the citrus longhorned beetle harming crape myrtle, papaya, crabapple, insert poison sticks into the insect holes for control; for powdery mildew appearing on rose and chrysanthemum plants, use 1000 times dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder in the early stage of the disease for control.
6. Seed collection. The woody ornamental plants from which seeds can be collected are mainly flowering plants of the Magnoliaceae family, such as Oyama magnolia, banana shrub, purple magnolia, white magnolia, Magnolia yunshanensis, Michelia chapensis, Michelia multiflora, Michelia maudiae, southern magnolia, etc. In addition, there are buckeye types, crape myrtle, lilac, crabapple types, redbud, Exochorda racemosa, yew, wintersweet, etc. For Magnoliaceae as well as yew, buckeye, crabapple types, etc., after treatment the seeds must be stored in wet sand until early spring of the following year, and sown only after the seeds crack open. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected include: marigold, zinnia, garden balsam, four-o'clock, cockscomb, Madagascar periwinkle, strawflower, China aster, etc.; after collection, thresh promptly and store dry until spring of the following year for sowing.
Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Watering. In September, light is strong, temperatures are high, and the air is quite dry, so watering management for potted flowers must not be neglected. As for watering frequency, for generally moisture-loving foliage plants, in the first half of the month water or spray once each in the morning and afternoon, and in the second half of the month change to watering once, with appropriate misting of the leaves. For most potted flowering plants and bonsai, water once a day, supplemented by misting the leaves. Water before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidic conditions, add a small amount of 0.1% light green ferrous sulfate powder to the irrigation water. For flower species that are summer-dormant or semi-dormant and resume growth after autumn, gradually increase the amount and frequency of watering (or misting). While watering potted plants, loosen the soil of the plants once every half month.
2. Fertilizing. September is precisely the period of vigorous growth for most flowers. Some flower species that are dormant or semi-dormant in summer also begin to resume growth as temperatures gradually cool, so fertilization management should be highly valued this month. For foliage plants, such as split-leaf philodendron, rubber tree, money tree, Brazilian wood, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, lady palm, Fagraea fragrans, cinnamon types, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix wood), Norfolk Island pine, fishtail palm, pothos, red (green) gem, green king, silver queen, arrowroot types, Syngonium, fiddle-leaf fig, etc., still mainly use low-concentration dilute fertilizer liquid, such as 0.3% urea solution, etc. For flowering plants with a very long flowering period or whose peak flowering period is autumn, such as roses, tricolor sage, lantana, pomegranate, crape myrtle, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, jasmine, four-season osmanthus, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', osmanthus, etc.; for fruit-viewing plants such as bitter orange, nandina, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, papaya, golden bullet tree, beautyberry, fruiting pomegranate, etc.; and for colorful-leaf plants such as croton, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', bromeliad types, variegated ficus, golden-edge Brazilian wood, Cordyline, coleus, etc., apply fertilizer types balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For fuchsia, geranium, calla lily, cyclamen, begonia, Daphne, Christmas cactus, sedum types, Portulacaria afra (jade leaf), Oxalis triangularis, clivia, Epiphyllum, etc. that are resuming growth, resume applying low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and entered the flower bud swelling stage, such as camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, plum blossom, banana shrub, azalea, etc., apply low-concentration fertilizer with balanced nutrients; for potted herbaceous flowers, such as scarlet sage, marigold, chrysanthemum, China aster, dahlia, dwarf sunflower, etc., apply a thin fertilizer once every 10 days to meet their needs for bud formation and flowering next month.
3. Shading. In September, temperatures are relatively high and sunlight is still intense, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers still cannot be relaxed. For those shade-loving foliage plant species, such as split-leaf philodendron, rubber tree, sword fern, Boston fern, bird's nest fern, Syngonium, arrowroot types, pothos, lady palm, green king, silver queen, orchid grass, pink lady leaf, queen palm, cast-iron plant, begonia, Epipremnum pinnatum, little angel, red (green) gem, Anthurium crystallinum, Alocasia amazonica, nerve plant, red-vein shrimp plant, asparagus fern, Schefflera, variegated brake fern, watermelon peperomia, Dieffenbachia, green giant, anthurium, staghorn fern, mirror grass, Adina pilulifera, king palm, lucky bamboo, etc., through shading, give 5 to 6 hours of light per day; for light-loving species, such as trident maple, Chinese elm, Fujian tea, ginkgo, water willow, black pine, oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, crape myrtle, Norfolk Island pine, wisteria, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, firethorn, roses, oak, Chinese fringe tree, etc., full sunlight can be given; for semi-shade-loving species, such as Buddhist pine, five-needle pine, tiger thorn, red nan, osmanthus, epiphyllum, nandina, jade tree, azalea types, camellia, sasanqua, finger citron, bitter orange, kumquat, etc., appropriate shading can be given around noon. For newly transplanted and potted autumn herbaceous flowers, appropriate shading should also be given to prevent wilting and affecting their recovery and growth.
4. Pruning. For potted chrysanthemums, continue the work of bud removal and disbudding; for roses, ornamental pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus, bougainvillea, lantana, golden shrimp plant, coral flower, etc., prune after each flowering; for tree-stump bonsai types that tolerate pruning, sprout easily and grow vigorously, such as Chinese elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, Fujian tea, banyan, red nan, littleleaf privet, water willow, boxwood, oriental arborvitae (stump), true juniper, Chinese fringe tree, tamarisk, etc., continue pruning or bud pinching. In addition, money tree seedlings can be braided into "braids" and potted.
5. Pest and disease control. For the peach red-necked longhorned beetle appearing on potted plum, crabapple, longevity peach, flowering peach, etc., insert poison sticks to block and kill them, or control by burying carbofuran granules. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale, etc. appearing on potted flowering plants, use 1500 times dilution of 40% Supracide for control.
Potted plants suitable for balcony display
In September, the balcony still has strong light and dry air. Only some potted flowers that have been placed on the balcony for a long time or relatively resistant potted flowering plants can adapt to the special environment of the balcony. They are: black pine, Japanese black pine, red pine, five-needle pine, Chinese elm, Chinese plum yew, water willow, trident maple, Chinese holly, wintergreen, wintersweet, ornamental pomegranate, boxwood, oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, Fujian tea, Chinese fringe tree, banyan, bougainvillea, roses, agave, ginkgo, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chinese hackberry, Buddhist pine, spiny elm, snowbush, firethorn, lantana, etc. For some flower species that prefer a cool environment, they can continue to be placed indoors with air conditioning, such as cymbidium, Oncidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Vanda, spider orchid, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, anthurium, clivia, fuchsia, nerve plant, etc.; for some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 4 to 5 hours around noon, such as lady palm, split-leaf philodendron, Brazilian wood, money tree, pothos, cast-iron plant, areca palm, fishtail palm, royal coconut, sea hibiscus, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera, etc. Balcony flower propagation In September, on the balcony, large-diameter flower pots can continue to be used as containers, filled with a mixed substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and some ornamental plants can be propagated by cuttings, such as gardenia, Cordyline, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', four-season osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, Chloranthus, jasmine, red-back eupatorium, coral flower, golden shrimp plant, banana shrub, silver queen grass, etc. Schefflera, roses, gardenia, fig, Guangdong evergreen, etc. can also be water-propagated indoors.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. For some moisture-loving ornamental plants, such as spring orchid, sword-leaf cymbidium, pocket orchid, split-leaf philodendron, cast-iron plant, camellia, sasanqua, little angel, Chloranthus, bromeliad, etc., they can be placed on wooden slats over a balcony water basin or water vat, or placed in a simple self-built sand pit, and normally misting replaces watering. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, mist more and water less, so as to keep the pot soil loose and moist; especially in air-conditioned rooms, mist at least 1 to 2 times a day, otherwise even the relatively drought-tolerant five-needle pine bonsai, if not watered or misted for 5 to 7 days, will lose water and die. For relatively resistant potted ornamental plants placed on the balcony, continue watering once a day and misting 1 to 2 times, or use the immersion method to prevent the pot soil from being wet on top and dry below. Watering time should still avoid the 2 to 3 hours around noon; be careful that the water temperature does not differ too much from the soil temperature and air temperature, and add a small amount of light green ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to avoid physiological yellowing of the plants.
2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species gradually resuming growth from dormancy or semi-dormancy, also appropriately apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for vigorously growing potted stumps, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once after each pinching and pruning; for potted flowering plants mainly viewed for flowers and fruit, such as Michelia alba, roses, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, Chloranthus, bitter orange, firethorn, finger citron, kumquat, etc., continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for potted flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and whose buds are growing, such as camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, plum blossom, osmanthus, chrysanthemum, etc., according to the different species, apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or a multi-element compound fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The types of fertilizer applied to flowers on the balcony should not have an off-odor, especially not a foul smell; when applying, be careful not to splash down to the floor below, and operate carefully.
3. Shading. For tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering, prevent soil compaction, and protect the nutritive fibrous roots distributed in the surface layer of the pot soil, continue to cover the pot surface with wet straw, moss, wet cloth, etc.; when there are not many potted flowers, move them indoors for 5 to 6 hours around noon; if there are many potted flowers and conditions permit, continue to set up supports and pull shade netting to block light.
4. Pruning. In September, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Chinese plum yew, water willow, boxwood, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, littleleaf privet, Chinese fringe tree, etc., still need pinching or pruning. For other potted flowering plants, dead branches, yellow leaves, spent flowers and withered stems should also be removed promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In September, the balcony has high temperatures and dry air, and potted flowering plants are most prone to red spider mite damage; use 1500 times dilution of 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder for spraying and killing; for the double-striped fir longhorned beetle appearing on dragon juniper, Chinese juniper, Chinese cypress bonsai, and the peach red-necked longhorned beetle appearing on plum, crabapple, papaya, longevity peach and other flowering plants, continue inserting poison sticks or burying carbofuran for control; for various scale insects harming camellia, firethorn, crape myrtle, wintersweet and other flowering plants, when the number is small they can be wiped off manually, and when the number is large, spray 1500 times dilution of 40% Supracide for control.

Flower Growing Manual Winter

Flower Growing Manual (October)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display

    In October, temperatures drop in most parts of the country, with monthly average temperatures between 10°C and 19°C. This month there are many species of potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display, among which woody ornamental plant species include: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, Japanese golden larch, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, spruce types, Buddhist pine, Buddhist pine, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Dutch iron, Fagraea fragrans, Cinnamomum kotoense, osmanthus, cotton rose, rubber tree, Schefflera, variegated ficus, hibiscus, golden larch, croton, Brazilian wood, money tree, lady palm, bottle palm, Mahonia bealei, Japanese fatsia, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', thick-leaf ficus, fishtail palm, areca palm, royal coconut, Cordyline, beautiful date palm, fiddle-leaf fig, desert rose, South American cycad, false mangosteen, large Buddha-belly bamboo, Japanese maple, silver birch, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, sea hibiscus, orange jasmine, nandina, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: scarlet sage, large-flowered canna, dahlia, China aster, chrysanthemum, small chrysanthemum, bamboo begonia, dragon's mouth flower, French marigold, marigold, five-color pepper, cockscomb, pot marigold, Madagascar periwinkle, globe amaranth, dwarf petunia, Guinea impatiens, etc. Note: in North China, Northeast China and other places, when temperatures drop below 10°C, attention should be paid to cold protection for southern flowers grown in the north.

Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Woody flowering plant species that can be sown include: tree peony, red-flowered camellia, banana shrub types, magnolia types, manglietia types, buckeye types, summer wintersweet, rich seed, soapberry, bitter tea, Buddhist pine, Buddhist pine, French holly, Elaeocarpus, beautiful date palm, yew, fan palm, privet, littleleaf privet, camphor, Weigela, palm, pond cypress, etc. Among them, when sowing buckeye, the hilum should face downward, and before sowing summer wintersweet, the seeds should first be soaked for 24 to 36 hours. Except that summer wintersweet and Weigela seeds can be stored dry until spring sowing, for the other types, after cleaning the seeds, store them in wet sand to promote germination until the seeds crack and show white in the following spring before sowing. Note that before storage and germination promotion, the seeds should be rinsed clean; the moisture content of the sand should be such that it forms a ball when held in the hand and disperses when released; the ratio of seeds to sand is about 1:3. During storage and germination promotion, the seeds should be checked frequently to prevent the seeds from drying out or becoming moldy. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: hollyhock, mallow, corn poppy, pot marigold, snapdragon, dianthus types, pansy, Boston ivy, blackberry lily, dwarf catchfly, tall catchfly, California poppy, daisy, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, etc. Greenhouse flowers such as nasturtium, gloxinia, dwarf petunia, cineraria, four-season primrose, African daisy, calceolaria can also be sown in plastic greenhouses.

    2. Cuttage. Woody flowering plant species that can be propagated by cuttings include: red-back eupatorium, Schefflera, night-blooming jasmine, lantana, firethorn, Mahonia, finger citron, clerodendron, Cordyline, banana shrub, aucuba, hibiscus, bougainvillea, jasmine, Chloranthus, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, golden-leaf privet, four-season osmanthus, gardenia, Weigela, Bridal wreath spirea, red-flowered spirea, snow spray, Hypericum, red-leaf plum, roses, snowball viburnum, crape myrtle, hibiscus, oleander, fig, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc. The cutting substrate can be ordinary sandy loam or yellow subsoil, or a mixture of half sand and half rice husk ash, using fully closed moisture-retaining cutting. In addition, for some southern flowering plants propagated by cuttings, when Frost's Descent arrives, attention should be paid to cold protection. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, begonia, bamboo begonia, Tradescantia, golden pothos, clearweed, coral flower, golden shrimp plant, shrimp flower, Justicia brandegeeana, cold chrysanthemum, etc. Can be propagated by cuttings (this part is missing!!)

    3. Grafting. Using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft five-needle pine (including Osaka pine) and Japanese black pine with moisture retention; using peony roots as rootstock, graft superior varieties of tree peony; using one-year-old Japanese maple seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft Japanese maple and feather maple with moisture retention; using one-year-old white magnolia seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft superior varieties of white magnolia, Yulan magnolia, red-flowered magnolia, etc.; using three-edged arrow as rootstock, graft various cactus balls; using one-year-old citrus seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft kumquat.

    4. Layering. Flowering plant species that can be propagated by ground layering include: camellia, plum blossom, Weigela, hydrangea, weigela, Chaenomeles speciosa, August osmanthus, snowball, snowball viburnum, purple magnolia, gardenia, Hypericum, French holly, winter jasmine, Forsythia, banana shrub, snow spray, red-flowered spirea, etc.

    5. Division. Woody flowering plant species that can be propagated by division include: nandina, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia, tree peony, Chaenomeles speciosa, Bridal wreath spirea, double-flowered kerria, spray flower, spirea, sago palm, etc. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: peony, hosta, spring orchid, purple hosta, bird of paradise, cymbidium, sword-leaf cymbidium, Persian buttercup, black-eyed Susan, iris, blackberry lily, lily of the valley, Guangdong evergreen, silver queen grass, Oxalis triangularis, multi-head green king, sword fern, cast-iron plant, etc. Flower species that can be propagated by bulb division include: calla lily, amaryllis, freesia, lycoris, tulip, Mediterranean bluebell, etc.

Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers

    1. Transplanting. For some deciduous ornamental plants, according to local climate changes, transplant after Frost's Descent arrives and leaves fall, such as hibiscus, redbud, elm-leaved spirea, pomegranate, lilac, red-leaf plum, purple magnolia, flowering peach, longevity peach, floribunda rose, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, golden-leaf privet, etc. For some evergreen flowering shrubs, such as Mahonia bealei, nandina, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', dragon juniper, golden-edge oriental arborvitae, four-season osmanthus, gardenia, large-leaf boxwood, boxwood, Korean boxwood, etc., when transplanting, first, shorten-prune before transplanting; second, keep a good soil ball; third, strengthen watering and misting management after transplanting. Courtyard herbaceous flower species that can be planted out include: dianthus, daisy, hollyhock, ornamental kale, pansy, pot marigold, verbena, phlox, snapdragon, autumn zephyr lily, dwarf lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, etc. Bulbous flower species that can be planted in the ground include: narcissus, pheasant's eye narcissus, tulip, hyacinth, etc.

    2. Pruning. Carry out the last pruning of the year for hedges and topiary plants in the courtyard, requiring precision and accuracy, with the standard being flat surfaces, straight lines, and round balls. Courtyard color-block and hedge plant species suitable for pruning include: golden-edge privet, Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, golden-edge oriental arborvitae, golden-edge boxwood, large-leaf boxwood, boxwood, French holly, privet, Photinia davidsoniae, littleleaf privet, etc. Topiary plants that need pruning include: dragon juniper, boxwood, Chinese bayberry, Chinese holly, wintergreen, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, etc. For continuously blooming ground-planted flowering plants in the courtyard, such as roses, crape myrtle, lantana, bougainvillea, etc., continue to cut off spent flowers and withered stems, and moderately shorten the branches that have flowered. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, such as scarlet sage, marigold, globe amaranth, etc., promptly cut off the opened flower clusters to encourage lateral shoots to continue producing and opening flowers, thereby extending the viewing period.

    3. Watering. For newly planted courtyard flowering plants of the year, continue good watering and misting work: first, keep the root soil moist, but there must be no waterlogging; second, continue misting the leaves. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to maintain moisture.

    4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, appropriately apply quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; for osmanthus types that have already bloomed, dig ring-shaped trenches and bury base fertilizer; for roses, crabapple, crape myrtle, cotton rose, as well as camellia, banana shrub, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc. that have been pruned, bury an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer; for nandina, firethorn that are in the fruit-viewing state, as well as southern finger citron, kumquat, bitter orange, golden bullet tree, etc., appropriately apply a small amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can effectively extend the fruit-viewing period.

    5. Pest and disease control. For boring pests appearing on ground-planted plum, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, crabapple, etc., continue to use poison sticks for control. For fallen dead branches and leaves in the courtyard, promptly sweep them up, collect them, and burn them. In the north, for thick large trunks in the courtyard, whitewash the trunks at the end of the month, or directly apply lime-sulfur mixture to the trunks.

[page]    6. Seed collection. Woody plant species from which seeds can be collected include: Buddhist pine, Buddhist pine, soapberry, buckeye, purple magnolia, white magnolia, manglietia, southern magnolia, Magnolia delavayi, Magnolia huangshanensis, Michelia champaca, Michelia foveolata, Michelia maudiae, Manglietia insignis, Michelia platypetala, pond cypress, lady palm, Ardisia crenata, beautiful date palm, fan palm, bitter tea, French holly, camphor, privet, littleleaf privet, snowball viburnum, hall crabapple, papaya, sago palm, ginkgo, yew, oil tea, etc.; these seeds must all be stored in wet sand. Seed types that can be stored dry include: crape myrtle, tulip tree, Japanese maple, Japanese maple, golden larch, dawn redwood, Japanese cedar, Chinese tallow, silk tree, goldenrain tree, cotton rose, southern sour jujube, redbud, camptotheca, maple, five-angle maple, etc. Herbaceous flowers from which seeds can be collected include: scarlet sage, cockscomb, zinnia, globe amaranth, dahlia, marigold, French marigold, China aster, garden balsam, four-o'clock, summer cypress, strawflower, cosmos, snow-on-the-mountain, painted euphorbia, sensitive plant, dancing grass, etc.

In addition, at the end of October, for canna, dahlia, etc., when the aboveground parts are nearly withered, dig up the underground rhizomes, store them in sand indoors, keeping the room temperature not lower than 5°C, and cut and replant them in the following spring.

Management of courtyard potted flowers

    1. Watering. Although the weather has turned cooler, in most areas south of the Huai River, temperatures are still above 17°C, and the air is quite dry, so potted flower watering management must be careful and meticulous. For some moisture-loving foliage plants, such as rubber tree, cast-iron plant, split-leaf philodendron, pothos, Syngonium, Fagraea fragrans, Cinnamomum kotoense, green giant, red gem, etc., water once a day on sunny days, supplemented by misting the leaves; for summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn, including semi-dormant types, such as calla lily, cyclamen, clivia, Portulacaria afra, Daphne, geranium, fuchsia, etc., increase the amount of watering. For wintersweet, plum blossom, camellia, etc. that bloom in winter and early spring, control watering and mist more, to facilitate the swelling of their flower buds. In northern regions, for relatively cold-sensitive flower species, reduce watering, which can accelerate the lignification of new shoots and help them overwinter safely. The best watering times are 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

    2. Fertilizing. For summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn cools, promptly apply low-concentration quick-acting liquid fertilizer; for camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, primrose, clivia, cyclamen, black orchid, Belgian azalea, pheasant's eye narcissus, etc. that bloom in winter or early spring, continue to apply a mixture of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1% urea; for most foliage plants, after mid-October, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer and appropriately apply some low-concentration potassium fertilizer, thereby increasing the cold resistance of the plants; for fruit-viewing potted plants, such as bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, nandina, winter coral, rich seed, golden bullet tree, etc., in early to mid-October apply a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

    3. Shading. For some very shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, split-leaf philodendron, arrowroot types, Syngonium, green gem, Boston fern, peperomia types, etc., around noon for 2 to 3 hours, shading is still needed.

    4. Pruning. For most bonsai and potted flowers that must be moved indoors in winter, in mid-to-late October, first cut off dead branches, diseased leaves, pest-damaged branches, weak branches, etc.; for leggy branches, carry out heavy shortening; for bindings that have been in place for 1 to 2 years, they can be removed, or removed and then re-tied, to prevent long-term binding at a fixed position from damaging the cambium of the branches and causing the branches and leaves to die.

    5. Cold protection. In northern regions in mid-to-late October, some ornamental plant species that cannot tolerate temperatures below 10°C can be moved into greenhouses in time; for some relatively cold-tolerant woody potted flowering plants or tree-stump bonsai, at the end of the month they can be buried in wind-sheltered, sunny soil to prevent the pot soil from freezing. Areas in the Yangtze River basin should accurately grasp weather change information and avoid the threat of southward cold waves.

    6. Pest and disease control. Cut off dead branches and fallen leaves on potted flowering plants, collect them uniformly, and burn them. For potted chrysanthemums, control aphids, chrysanthemum tiger, leaf-miner larvae, inchworms and other pests.

Potted plants suitable for balcony display

    On the balcony in early to mid-October, there is still strong light and dry air. Only those potted flowering plants that have been placed on the balcony for a long time and have relatively strong resistance can adapt to the open-air balcony environment. They are: black pine, Japanese black pine, Chinese elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, water willow, Chinese fringe tree, Fujian tea, Buddhist pine, oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, boxwood, pomegranate, bougainvillea, thick-leaf ficus, ginkgo, roses, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, sago palm, firethorn, lantana, tamarisk, Japanese maple, etc. Some cold-sensitive southern flowering plant species can no longer continue to be placed on the balcony when temperatures drop to 10°C. For some flower species that prefer a cooler environment, they can be placed in ordinary rooms at the beginning of the month, such as cymbidium, Anthurium crystallinum, nerve plant, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Oncidium, etc. For some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon, and placed on the balcony at other times, such as lady palm, Brazilian wood, money tree, pothos, cast-iron plant, areca palm, fishtail palm, royal coconut, sea hibiscus, Schefflera, etc. In northern regions, when temperatures drop to 10°C, the vast majority of flowering plants can no longer be placed on the balcony. Balcony flower propagation In early October, on the balcony, wide-mouth large flower pots can continue to be used as cutting containers, filled with a mixed cutting substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, or vermiculite alone can be used as the cutting substrate, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and a small number of ornamental plants can be propagated by cuttings, such as gardenia, Schefflera, rubber tree, aucuba, banana shrub, jasmine, Chloranthus, Guangdong evergreen, coral flower, golden shrimp plant, shrimp flower, hibiscus, finger citron, silver queen grass, golden pothos, geranium, etc.

Management of balcony flowers

    1. Watering. For woody ornamental plants placed on the balcony, such as sago palm, banyan, rubber tree, Schefflera, Brazilian wood, money tree, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, jasmine, etc., water once a day, supplemented by misting the leaves; for types that have already formed flower buds and will bloom in winter and early spring, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, etc., watering should not be too much, and at the same time mist the branches and leaves, which can effectively promote the swelling of their flower buds. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, such as split-leaf philodendron, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, little angel, cast-iron plant, Cordyline, bird's nest fern, anthurium, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, arrowroot types, pothos, etc., misting should be primary and watering secondary, so as to keep the pot soil from drying out.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species resuming growth from dormancy and semi-dormancy, such as clivia, cyclamen, calla lily, as well as cymbidium, bromeliad, Cymbidium sinense, etc., apply a mixture of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1% urea; for fruit-viewing types such as bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, lemon, nandina, golden bullet tree, rich seed, firethorn, winter coral, etc., continue to apply a small amount of low-concentration quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Chloranthus, jasmine, etc., in early October apply 1 to 2 times thin phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to help them overwinter smoothly.

    3. Shading. In early to mid-October, for tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering, protect the nutritive fibrous roots distributed on the pot soil surface, and prevent pot soil compaction, continue to cover the pot soil surface with wet straw, moss, wet cloth, etc., especially for shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai, more attention should be paid. For some shade-loving foliage plants, on clear days, move them indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon. The shade netting set up in summer can be removed after mid-October.

    4. Pruning. In mid-to-late October, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, oriental arborvitae (stump), Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, privet, Chinese fringe tree, etc., necessary pruning and shaping must be carried out. For metal wires or non-metal wires that have been tied for more than a year, untie them first; if the shaping requirements have not yet been met, re-tie and fix them at a different binding position, which can avoid deep constriction marks causing serious damage to the plants. For general potted flowering plants, such as roses, wintersweet, plum blossom, Chaenomeles speciosa, hall crabapple, etc., appropriate pruning can also be carried out.

    5. Pest and disease control. In late October, the dead branches and fallen leaves of all potted flowers on the balcony can be collected and burned together. For tree-stump bonsai whose trunk xylem is partially exposed, lime-sulfur mixture can be applied to the trunk, which can both protect the xylem of the trunk and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in the coming year.
Flower Growing Manual (November)

    Weather characteristics of November: this month is the turn of autumn and winter. November 7 is the Beginning of Winter, the start of winter in our country, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River are about to freeze; November 22 is Lesser Snow, when the Yellow River basin and areas to the north begin to have snowfall, and the Yangtze River basin also begins to enter winter. This month, flower and tree maintenance should attach importance to two aspects of work: first, pruning and cleaning ground-planted flowers and trees, whitewashing trunks and removing insects, plowing the ground and applying base fertilizer; second, for bonsai and flowers in greenhouses and plastic sheds, effectively do a good job of cold and freeze protection. This month's flower management mainly includes the following contents.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in November include: nasturtium, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, African daisy, clivia, asparagus fern, hosta, etc.

    Flower and tree species that can be sown as collected in November include: Bridal wreath spirea, littleleaf privet, privet, camphor, pencil cedar, Buddhist pine, Buddhist pine, soapberry, rich seed (Ardisia crenata), palm, French holly, photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.

    2. Cuttage. In November, open-field cuttings can be carried out, but plastic film mulching must be added. Flower and tree species for heat preservation and cold protection mainly include: red-leaf plum, plum blossom (referring to green calyx, palace pink and other varieties), roses (referring to floribunda rose, Elizabeth and other easy-to-root varieties), Chaenomeles speciosa, etc.

    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by root cuttings in November include: red-leaf plum, hall crabapple, Chaenomeles speciosa, Chinese holly, wintergreen, Chinese trumpet creeper, Chinese elm, snowbush, etc. Among them, some root-cutting seedlings can be used to make small and miniature bonsai.

    Flowering plants that can be densely planted and propagated by cuttings in greenhouses or plastic sheds in November include: boxwood, Korean boxwood, large-leaf boxwood, silver-edge boxwood, clearweed, golden-edge privet, gardenia, Hypericum, Hypericum, Mahonia, golden-edge snowbush, etc. If managed properly, complete roots can grow by the following spring, and they can be used for ground planting to cultivate topiary greening shapes. In winter, in greenhouses, bamboo begonia, fern-leaf begonia, lotus-leaf begonia, geranium, hibiscus, fuchsia, jade tree, Portulacaria afra, red-back eupatorium, golden shrimp plant, shrimp flower, etc. can also be propagated by cuttings, and after spring begins they can be used for potting cultivation.

    In November, in the Yangtze River basin, cuttings of cotton rose, Chinese trumpet creeper, grape, etc. can also be cut and stored, to be used for cuttings in the following spring, which can significantly speed up their rooting and increase the cutting survival rate.

    3. Grafting. Using green maple seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft Japanese maple and feather maple indoors; using apricot seedlings and peach seedlings as rootstock, cut-graft plum blossom (the graft union is buried in soil to overwinter); using thick branches of roses (Elizabeth variety) as rootstock scion, and branches of superior rose varieties as scions, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting and then cuttings, so that the union heals and the lower cut roots at the same time, which can speed up the process of cultivating grafted seedlings of superior rose varieties.

    4. Layering. Flowering plant species that can be propagated by ground layering in November mainly include: Chaenomeles speciosa, gardenia, littleleaf gardenia, pomegranate, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, Buddhist pine, weigela, osmanthus, hydrangea, purple magnolia, Chinese weeping cypress, banana shrub, Bridal wreath spirea, snowball, snowball viburnum, snow spray, etc.

    5. Division. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in November include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Bridal wreath spirea, snow spray, red-flowered spirea, san ya, Hypericum, Hypericum, Mahonia, butterfly bush, tree peony, broom, winter jasmine, Forsythia, jasmine, jasmine, Chloranthus, phoenix bamboo, fei bai bamboo, etc.

South of the Yangtze River basin, the underground rhizomes or tubers of dahlia, canna, and large-flowered canna can be dug up, stored in sand until March of the following spring, and then cut and replanted for planting.

Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: white ji, sword-leaf cymbidium, spring orchid, cymbidium, hosta, purple hosta, blackberry lily, iris, ornamental bromeliad, large-leaf lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, autumn zephyr lily, evergreen, cast-iron plant, mother of thousands, etc.

    1. Seed collection. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in November include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, zinnia, China aster, French marigold, marigold, maple mallow, etc.

    Flower and tree species whose seeds can be collected in November and stored dry include: black pine, Huangshan pine, five-needle pine, dawn redwood, false cypress, Japanese false cypress, Japanese cypress, silk tree, sweetgum, camptotheca, eucommia, red-twig dogwood, Chinese tallow, wisteria, crape myrtle, caragana, Bridal wreath spirea. Flower and tree species that can be sown as collected or must be stored in wet sand include: privet, littleleaf privet, palm, camphor, pencil cedar, soapberry, goji, yew, southern magnolia, wintergreen, Chinese holly, firethorn, photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, roses (used for cultivating rootstock), etc.

   2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be planted out in flower beds and transplanted for flower border arrangements in November include: dwarf catchfly, dianthus, hollyhock, mallow, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, daisy, pot marigold, ornamental kale, etc.

    Tree species that can be transplanted in November include: camphor, southern magnolia, silk tree, soapberry, privet, goldenrain tree, Chinese tallow, white magnolia, osmanthus, Japanese maple, red-leaf plum, plum blossom, wintersweet, buckeye, linden, giant redbud, tulip tree, Yulan magnolia, papaya, crabapple, etc. Among them, when transplanting evergreen trees, the branches and trunk must be appropriately shortened or cut back, and most leaves removed; the trunk should be tied well with straw rope, and a large soil ball should be kept (generally the soil ball diameter is about 6 to 7 times the trunk diameter) to ensure survival; when transplanting deciduous trees, the trunk can be cut back and large branches pruned, with a good soil ball kept and the trunk tied well. After transplanting large trees, watering and trunk misting management must be strengthened to ensure survival. In addition, the cuts on the trunk and large branches should be sealed with wax or wrapped with plastic film to prevent massive evaporation of water from the tree body.

    In November, plum stumps, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, hall crabapple, etc. can be transplanted and potted, and placed in plastic sheds to force flowering, to meet the needs of indoor display around the Spring Festival.

    In November, potted hyacinth, tulip, pheasant's eye narcissus, etc. should be moved into plastic sheds to prompt them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Watering. For most ornamental flowers (including bonsai) placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels or indoors, the amount of watering in November is based on keeping the potting soil moist as the specific standard, and it must not be too wet; if the temperature is on the low side and watering is excessive, the plants are prone to root rot and death. If the indoor temperature is relatively high, the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, and the necessary misting of the leaves should be given.

For those potted flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, etc., as well as fruit-ornamental plants such as bitter orange, fingered citron, lemon, firethorn, nandina, winter coral, and Ardisia crenata, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be misted frequently, to favor the swelling and growth of the flower buds, and also to make the fruits appear more brightly colored.

For foliage plants placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses and indoors, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be misted frequently, so that they always remain lush green and glossy. In greenhouses and rooms with higher temperatures, the amount of watering can be increased. For foliage plants that are not very cold-tolerant, such as Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta, Dieffenbachia, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Codiaeum variegatum, and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', the amount of watering should be controlled, to help them survive the winter safely.

[page]    In November, the best time to water potted flowers is around 10 to 11 a.m., and the water temperature should be basically the same as the soil temperature, so as to avoid adverse reactions in the plants caused by water that is too cold, which would in turn affect their safe overwintering.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flowers placed indoors where the temperature is above 15°C, such as Rhododendron obtusum, camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Daphne, cineraria, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, clivia, tulip, ornamental bromeliads, Schlumbergera, and Vriesea, a low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can continue to be applied; using a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can promote their growth and flowering.

For most potted flowers and trees, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, topdressing should be stopped, to help them enter normal dormancy for the winter. For most field-planted flowers and trees, such as Malus and Chaenomeles species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Manglietia, Michelia chapensis, Michelia 'Yunshan White', Michelia figo, Michelia foveolata, Gardenia jasminoides, Aesculus chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Spiraea, Osmanthus fragrans, grape, Rosa chinensis, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, palm, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', tree peony, Forsythia, herbaceous peony, and Hypericum, dry cake fertilizer can be buried and applied, with 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg per plant; smaller plants can receive less, to lay a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

    3. Pruning. Continue pruning hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped topiary that have not yet been pruned; after pruning is completed, basal fertilizer can be applied.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, carry out all-round shaping and pruning, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Carmona retusa, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus hupehensis, firethorn, Serissa japonica, Sabina chinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, wintersweet, and Malus and Chaenomeles species, to build a good framework for next year's growth and shaping.

Prune field-planted or potted Rosa chinensis that have not yet been pruned. For each plant, apart from retaining 3 to 5 strong 1- to 2-year-old stems at 30 cm to 50 cm from the base, the remaining old stems should be cut off from their base, and all thin and weak branches should be cut off; for unpruned field-planted Lagerstroemia indica, carry out heavy renewal pruning of the current year's branches, apart from retaining 20 cm to 30 cm from the base of a few thick branches, all the other current year's branches should be cut off, to favor the growth of more robust new shoots next year and lay a foundation for more flowering.

For common flowers and trees in flowerbeds, along sidewalks, and in courtyards, such as Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, Osmanthus fragrans, Cinnamomum camphora, Platanus orientalis, Magnolia liliiflora, Forsythia, plum blossom, wintersweet, cherry blossom, camellia, Albizia julibrissin, firethorn, Pittosporum tobira, and Malus and Chaenomeles species, cut off all distorted branches, thin and weak branches, inner-canopy branches, and diseased and pest-infested branches, and appropriately shorten the water sprouts that protrude beyond the crown. In addition, in November, thick palm trees can also be stripped of their brown fiber, and the trunks cleaned well, so that they show their proper ornamental effect.

    4. Cold protection. For potted flowers and trees that are not very afraid of cold, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, nandina, Araucaria heterophylla, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaia odorata, bitter orange, fingered citron, lemon, kumquat, Ardisia crenata, Schefflera octophylla, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Caryota ochlandra, Ficus elastica, Pachira macrocarpa, Phoenix canariensis, and Rhapis humilis, they can be placed in a plastic tunnel, as long as the room temperature is maintained at no lower than about 5°C.

For cold-intolerant potted flower species, such as Maranta, Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Aglaonema, Codiaeum variegatum, Aphelandra squarrosa, Pachystachys lutea, Dracaena fragrans, Dracaena concinna 'Red (Green) Gem', Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Plumeria rubra, Dracaena sanderiana, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and Paphiopedilum, they should be placed indoors at a room temperature no lower than 10°C, or a double-layer plastic tunnel can be used to protect them through the winter.

For those relatively cold-tolerant bonsai or potted flowers and trees, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, Lagerstroemia indica, Buxus sinica, Sageretia thea, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Pinus parviflora, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Sabina chinensis, Acer buergerianum, and Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', they can be buried directly together with the pots in wind-sheltered, sunny soil; under conditions no lower than -10°C, freezing damage generally will not occur. If particularly cold weather is encountered, plastic film and soft grass can be added for cold protection.

For potted flowers or bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses or indoors in November, besides ensuring certain temperature conditions, ventilation should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon for ventilation, to prevent the plants from being stuffy indoors for a long time, which causes flower drop, fruit drop and leaf drop; in addition, toxic gases such as coal gas should not intrude indoors, otherwise it is also easy to cause leaf drop and fruit drop in the plants. During ventilation, care should also be taken never to let the plants be directly hit by cold wind.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowers and trees prone to leaf diseases, such as grape, Malus and Chaenomeles species, rose, Rosa chinensis, camellia, and chrysanthemum, collect the fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of diseases next year.

For street tree trunks, continue whitewashing; for dead-trunk and split-trunk stump bonsai, lime-sulfur mixture can be applied to the dead and split parts for antisepsis, to prevent deep rot in the xylem of the tree stumps.

For whiteflies, scale insects, etc. that appear on potted flowers and trees placed in greenhouses or plastic tunnels (they may occur on bitter orange, fingered citron, Cycas revoluta, orchid, camellia, clivia, and Aspidistra elatior), first wipe them off with a damp cloth, and second spray and kill them with pesticides such as profenofos.

For aphids that appear on potted plants placed indoors (they may occur on Michelia alba, Aglaonema, bitter orange, and Rosa chinensis), tobacco water can be sprayed for control.

For Rhododendron obtusum placed in plastic tunnels, stop spraying fertilizers such as leaf-shine products, otherwise, due to poor indoor ventilation and high air humidity, sooty mold is extremely likely to occur.

    The main bonsai plant species suitable for shaping in November are: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Sabina chinensis, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa', Sabina procumbens, Euonymus pendulus, Serissa japonica, plum blossom, Corylopsis sinensis, Xylosma japonicum, Ilex cornuta, holly, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Ulmus parvifolia, and Malus halliana.

For bonsai stumps that have been tied and suspended with palm rope for 1 to 2 years, when relatively deep constriction marks are found on the trunks and branches, the old palm rope can be untied in November, and the trunks and branches can be tied and adjusted again.

For new tree stumps such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Bougainvillea, Adina rubella, firethorn, and Elaeagnus pungens, after preliminary root trimming, trunk cutting, and branch breaking, plant them well in sandy loam fields by the shallow-burial and high-mounding method, and shape them only after they sprout branches next year.

For tree stumps that have basically taken shape after 1 to 2 years of care and shaping, in November, according to the shaping characteristics of the trunk, roots and branches of the stump, a suitable pot can be chosen for repotting, and with the addition of ornamental stones and dotted moss, they can be used for indoor display around the Spring Festival.

For well-shaped tall plum stumps, Podocarpus macrophyllus, ornamental peach, Lagerstroemia indica, Sabina chinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc., in November a suitable pot can be chosen for planting, and with strengthened water management, they can be used for display in squares, parks and auditoriums in the coming spring.

Flower Planting Manual (December)

    Weather characteristics of December: this month most parts of China enter winter, and the weather turns colder. Snowfall increases from north to south in China, and temperatures in the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions successively drop below zero, with frequent heavy frost. This month, flower and tree care should pay attention to three aspects of work: first, do a good job in heat preservation and freeze protection for cold-sensitive flowers and trees that have entered greenhouses, plastic tunnels and rooms; second, do a good job in pruning and cleaning field-grown flowers and trees and in turning the soil and applying fertilizer; third, do a good job in preparing for composting organic fertilizer and mixing potting soil.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in December include: Gloxinia, Asparagus setaceus, clivia, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter coral, and Gerbera; flower and tree species that can be sown outdoors immediately after collection or stratified in sand for germination include: Rosa chinensis (such as 'Elizabeth'), nandina, Ardisia crenata, holly species, firethorn, palm, Ligustrum lucidum, Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum quihoui, Sapindus mukorossi, Photinia, and Photinia davidsoniae.

    2. Cuttage. Woody ornamental flower and tree species that can be cut outdoors in December include: plum blossom (mainly cultivars such as 'Gongfen' and 'Lüe'); Rosa chinensis (mainly easy-to-root cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda rose, and miniature rose); Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', wintersweet (cutting with a heel), Spiraea, and Buxus species. Among them, plum blossom and Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' cuttings should preferably use yellow subsoil, Rosa chinensis cuttings should preferably use a mixed substrate of rice-hull ash and fine sand at 2:1, and other species can use ordinary sandy loam, covered with plastic film for heat and moisture retention.

In greenhouses, African violet can be propagated by leaf cuttings; combined with pruning, cuttings can be taken of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pelargonium, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, jade plant, Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Begonia semperflorens, Begonia maculata, Rieger begonia, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Lantana camara, Schefflera octophylla, Daphne, Epipremnum aureum, and Cordyline fruticosa. Using a cold-frame seedbed, cuttings can also be taken of Gardenia, Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus' ('Aureovariegatus'), Mahonia, Hypericum, Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Serissa japonica, firethorn, Salix leucopithecia, and Euonymus alatus. In addition, branches of Campsis, Syringa, grape, etc. can also be cut and stored in sand, to be cut in the coming spring.

    3. Grafting. For fine plum cultivars, such as 'Guhong' and 'Zhusha', in December the seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, peach, etc. sown in the same year can be used; after digging up the rootstock, cleft grafting or cut grafting is carried out, then they are planted on the seedbed at a certain row spacing, and soil is mounded up to above the graft union, even covering most of the scion; care should be taken that water does not seep into the union, and plastic film is covered for heat and moisture retention; in the following spring, after the scion sprouts, the covering film is removed. Using dug-up wild rose plants, bud-graft fine cultivars of Rosa chinensis; or use strong branch segments of the Rosa chinensis cultivar 'Elizabeth' (10 to 12 cm long), cut-graft or cleft-graft the scions of fine Rosa chinensis cultivars on the upper end, and then insert the grafted 'Elizabeth' scion segments into a loose seedbed. The graft union can be buried together in sandy soil; when watering, do not let water seep into the graft union, cover with plastic film for moisture and heat retention, and in the following spring after the scion sprouts, remove the covering film; only after it has completely survived may a blade be used to cut open the binding tape at the union. In addition, red maple can also be side-grafted indoors with bagging for moisture retention.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in December include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, plum blossom, camellia, Osmanthus fragrans, Michelia figo, Chaenomeles speciosa, Magnolia liliiflora, snowball viburnum, Weigela florida, Gardenia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis, Viburnum macrocephalum, Spiraea thunbergii, and pomegranate.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in December include: Zephyranthes candida, Ophiopogon japonicus, Reineckea carnea, Hosta, Hosta ventricosa, Oxalis corymbosa, Aspidistra elatior, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, Liriope muscari, Ophiopogon bodinieri, Rohdea japonica, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and Aglaonema modestum. When cutting off the basal offsets from a large Cryptanthus bromeliad, it must be a small plant that has already grown on the mother plant for three or four months, otherwise the colored bands of the offset cut off will easily disappear, and special attention should be paid to this.

    Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in December include: Nandina domestica, Hypericum, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Rhapis humilis, Spiraea japonica, Caragana sinica, Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum officinale, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Magnolia liliiflora, Gardenia, Agave sisalana, Bambusa multiplex, and Sasa fortunei.

    1. Collecting seeds. The herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in December are generally herbaceous flower species moved into greenhouses or cold frames, such as Salvia splendens types, Gomphrena globosa types, marigold, Tagetes patula, cyclamen, and clivia. Clivia seeds should preferably be sown immediately after collection.

    The main woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected in December are: Rosa chinensis, Wisteria sinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, holly species, Cinnamomum camphora, and Photinia species. After treatment, these seeds basically all need sand stratification for germination; only after the seeds crack open and show white in the coming year can they be sown in the ground. Under dry storage, they easily lose viability, leading to failure in sowing and raising seedlings the following year.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flower species that can be planted out in flowerbeds and flower borders in December include: Dianthus species, ornamental kale, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, Calendula officinalis, and daisy. Some herbaceous flowers can also be potted and then placed in plastic tunnels, such as daisy, Calendula officinalis, snapdragon, ornamental kale, Dianthus, and pansy; in the coming spring they can be used for street display.

    In December, most deciduous greening trees and flowering shrubs can be transplanted and planted out, such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, Cercis chinensis, Malus and Chaenomeles species, wintersweet, plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Sapindus mukorossi, Koelreuteria paniculata, Albizia julibrissin, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', cherry blossom, Chaenomeles sinensis, Magnolia soulangeana, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, Campsis, Tilia, Liriodendron chinense, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', ornamental peach, Sophora japonica, and Sophora japonica 'Pendula'. For the transplanting of evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, however, more caution should be taken. Evergreen tree species that can be transplanted in winter include: Ligustrum lucidum, Osmanthus fragrans, palm, Magnolia grandiflora, Cinnamomum camphora, rhododendron, and holly. When transplanting, first carry out heavy renewal pruning of the main shoot and large branches, and remove most of the leaves; at the same time, a large soil ball must be kept, the trunk should be bound with straw rope and wrapped with plastic film, and the cut ends of the trunk and large branches should be sealed with wax or wrapped with film to reduce water transpiration; after transplanting, water should also be sprayed frequently on the leaves and trunk, so as to ensure normal survival.

    Tree stumps and flowers and trees that can be potted in December include: plum blossom, wintersweet stumps, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana. Place them in plastic tunnels for flower forcing, and they can be expected to bloom during the Spring Festival.

    In December, potted hyacinth, tulip, Narcissus poeticus, etc. should continue to be kept in tunnels for flower forcing, which can advance their flowering to around the Spring Festival.

    1. Cold protection. In a simple plastic tunnel where the temperature is not lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without suffering freezing damage, such as Asparagus densiflorus, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra elatior, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Livistona chinensis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Rhapis humilis, Nandina domestica, Michelia figo, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, camellia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Bambusa multiplex, Sasa fortunei, and Cycas revoluta.

For ornamental plant species requiring an overwintering temperature no lower than 5°C, such as Araucaria heterophylla, Schefflera octophylla, Ficus elastica, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Chamaedorea elegans, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Rhododendron obtusum, Bougainvillea, cyclamen, Primula, Lantana camara, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Pelargonium, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and Bambusa ventricosa, they can overwinter in a double-layer plastic tunnel. For species requiring an overwintering temperature no lower than 10°C, such as Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium bicolor, Peperomia, Maranta, Dracaena sanderiana, Caryota ochlandra, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira macrocarpa, Fittonia, bromeliads, Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Cymbidium hybridum, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Pachystachys lutea, Aglaonema, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Paphiopedilum, Cycas revoluta, Dracaena concinna 'Red (Green) Gem', Oncidium, and Cymbidium hookerianum, inside a double-layer tunnel with good sealing performance, appropriate heating should also be provided; during especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, straw curtains should be added on top of the tunnel, and removed after the temperature turns warmer.

For those relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Xylosma japonicum, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, Buxus species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Acer buergerianum, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Sabina chinensis, Platycladus orientalis, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, and Fraxinus hupehensis, when the temperature is not lower than -10°C, they generally will not freeze; when particularly cold weather is encountered, plastic film or soft grass can be added for cold protection.

[page]    Whether bonsai, potted flowers, and foliage or fruit-ornamental plants are placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or rooms, besides maintaining the indoor temperature suited to them, attention should also be paid to ventilation and air exchange; doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, for ventilation, to prevent leaf drop, flower drop and fruit drop. During ventilation, care must also be taken not to let cold wind blow directly on the plants, so as to avoid adverse reactions.

    2. Watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels and rooms, the degree is to keep the potting soil moist; if the temperature is on the low side and watering is excessive, it is extremely easy to cause root rot in the plants. When the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and appropriate misting of the leaves given.

For those potted flower plant species that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Rhododendron obtusum, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, Primula, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, hyacinth, and Narcissus poeticus, and fruit-ornamental types such as bitter orange, lemon, fingered citron, Calamondin orange, Fortunella hindsii, winter coral, Ardisia crenata, and Nandina domestica, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves must also be misted, to favor the swelling of flower buds, and also to increase the brightness of the flowers and fruits.

For most foliage plants placed indoors, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be misted, always keeping the leaf surfaces clean; for foliage plant species that are not very cold-tolerant, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta, Codiaeum variegatum, and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', 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, so as to ensure they can overwinter safely.

    In December, the best time to water is 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 that is too cold.

For newly transplanted flowers and trees outdoors, check frequently and give supplementary watering in time; for transplanted evergreen trees, appropriately mist the leaves around noon, to prevent the leaves from shrinking and dropping.

    3. Fertilizing. For most potted flowers and trees, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, fertilizing should be stopped, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

For most field-planted greening trees and flowers and trees, such as Malus and Chaenomeles species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Manglietia, Michelia species, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Gardenia, Aesculus chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Osmanthus fragrans, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, palm, herbaceous peony, tree peony, Forsythia, Hypericum, grape, Rosa chinensis, Spiraea, Liriodendron chinense, Philadelphus, Deutzia, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, firethorn, Nandina domestica, Syringa, Campsis, Rosa banksiae, Hypericum, Salix babylonica, Cryptomeria japonica, Cedrus deodara, cypress species, Sophora japonica 'Pendula', Prunus triloba, Prunus japonica, Exochorda racemosa, Photinia, Cercis chinensis, and Hibiscus syriacus, in December while turning the garden soil, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the outer perimeter of the plant root system, such as cake fertilizer, pig and cattle manure, pond mud, and septic tank residue, to lay a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

For potted flower species placed indoors at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, bromeliads, Daphne, cineraria, Primula, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, clivia, tulip, and freesia, a 1.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can continue to be applied, to promote bud formation and flowering of the plants.

    4. Pruning. Prune hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped topiary that have not yet been pruned in November; for hedges and green walls such as Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Ligustrum sinense, Euonymus japonicus, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens', and Photinia davidsoniae; and for ball shapes such as Ilex cornuta, Myrica rubra, Photinia, Buxus species, Pittosporum tobira, Forsythia, firethorn, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', and Juniperus rigida, while completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied.

For field-planted flowers and trees that have not yet been pruned in November, such as Rosa chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, palm, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Photinia, Platanus orientalis, plum blossom, and wintersweet, carry out shaping and pruning; after pruning is finished, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the root system.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Ilex cornuta, Carmona retusa, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus hupehensis, firethorn, Serissa japonica, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Sabina chinensis, Malus and Chaenomeles species, and Chaenomeles sinensis, continue pruning in December, to build a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repotting can be carried out together with pruning.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowers and trees whose leaves are prone to pests and diseases, such as grape, Malus and Chaenomeles species, rose, Rosa chinensis, camellia, and Lagerstroemia indica, collect the dead branches and fallen 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 and gray mold on Primula, the former should be controlled in time with triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl, and the latter with thiophanate-methyl.

For flower and tree species in greenhouses and plastic tunnels that are prone to scale insects, such as bitter orange, fingered citron, Cycas revoluta, camellia, and Aspidistra elatior, first wipe them once with a rag, and then control them with pesticides such as profenofos.

For flower and tree species on whose potted plants aphids often appear when ventilation is poor, such as Michelia alba, Aglaonema, bitter orange, Rosa chinensis, and Carmona retusa, tobacco water can be used for control.

On the trunks and large branches of field-cultivated Pittosporum tobira, Osmanthus fragrans, Platanus orientalis, camellia, Ligustrum quihoui, firethorn, Nerium oleander, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Magnolia denudata, Cercis chinensis, Gardenia, Cedrus deodara, Photinia, Lagerstroemia indica, and wintersweet, various scale insects often appear, such as Ceroplastes ceriferus, Ceroplastes japonicus, Ceroplastes rubens, diaspid scales, Unaspis yanonensis, mealybugs, and Eriococcus; at this time, use relatively high-concentration pesticides such as profenofos, quinalphos, and buprofezin to spray and kill them, and pesticide damage is rarely produced.

    6. Composting fertilizer. For the needs of raising seedlings and mixing potting soil next year, the idle winter time can be used to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into water vats or water tanks, add water, and seal them for soaking, composting and fermentation.

Pile dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, and branches in alternate layers with garden soil, set fire and burn them to form burned soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and raising seedlings next year.

Mix barnyard manure, pond mud, chicken droppings and pigeon droppings, etc. with garden soil for composting, seal and ferment, and it can be used for topdressing seedlings and mixing potting soil in the coming year.

    7. Mixing potting soil. Using the idle winter time, find a piece of open ground or a spot under tree shade, and pile up as much potting soil as possible, to prepare for repotting and potting herbaceous flowers in the coming spring. Generally, it is 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, and 1 part each of composted sawdust, tobacco powder or rice-hull 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, and after they are fully mixed, cover with plastic film, or they can be piled indoors; after 3 to 4 months, they can be used for repotting or potting herbaceous flowers.

    8. Turning the soil and freezing it into clods. For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttage, and planting out seedlings, plowing can be carried out in December; for garden plots for sowing and planting out seedlings, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond mud, etc. can be applied before turning and planting; for the time being, no beds are made, and after overwintering and freezing into clods, in the early spring of the coming year trenches are then drawn and beds made, which 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 are: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Sabina chinensis, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa', Platycladus orientalis, Sabina procumbens, Juniperus chinensis 'Shimpaku', Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora, Pinus densiflora, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, Euonymus pendulus, Ginkgo biloba, Serissa japonica, Caragana sinica, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Corylopsis sinensis, Tamarix chinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles cathayensis, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Wisteria sinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Ficus microcarpa, Carmona retusa, Fraxinus hupehensis, and Xylosma japonicum.

For bonsai plants that have been shaped and fixed by coiling with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if the fixation has already lasted one year, or obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the original binding material should be untied, and metal wire or palm rope should be used again for tying and pulling.

For field-planted plum stumps, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Ginkgo biloba, Sabina chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, etc. that have already been shaped, after carrying out some necessary pruning and shaping, choose a suitable pot and plant them well, strengthen management, so that they can be used for display in public places or rooms in the coming year.

In winter, for some landscape bonsai in shallow pots and stump bonsai, careful management must be carried out: first, prevent the potting soil from freezing and damaging the plant root system; second, prevent freezing from disintegrating the artificially cemented rocks; third, prevent the plants planted on the rockery from freezing to death or drying to death. They can be placed in a place that does not freeze, and watered and misted regularly, so that they can overwinter safely.

Flower Planting Manual (January)

    Weather characteristics of January: this month is the month with the lowest temperature and the coldest weather of the year. January 5 is Minor Cold, around the "sanjiu" period, and most parts of China enter the severe cold period; January 20 is Major Cold, cold air from the north frequently moves south, frost is heavy and snow is thick, and the lowest temperature of the year appears. This month, the most important thing in flower care is to do a good job in heat preservation and cold protection for cold-sensitive flowers, bonsai, etc. in greenhouses, plastic tunnels and rooms; the next is auxiliary work such as tree pruning, cleaning up dead branches and fallen leaves, turning and preparing the land, and preparing potting soil.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in January include: Gloxinia, Asparagus setaceus, clivia, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter coral, and Gerbera. Ornamental plant species that can be sown outdoors in the open field include: Rosa chinensis ('Elizabeth'), Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, holly, firethorn, palm, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, Sapindus mukorossi, Ligustrum lucidum, Wisteria sinensis, Sapium sebiferum, and Koelreuteria paniculata.

    2. Cuttage. Ornamental plant species suitable for outdoor cuttage or cuttage covered with plastic film in January include: plum blossom (cultivars such as 'Lüe' and 'Gongfen'), Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Rosa chinensis (cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda, and miniature), cherry blossom, wintersweet (with a heel), Spiraea, Buxus species, pomegranate, Salix leucopithecia, Mahonia, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Serissa japonica, Euonymus alatus, Hypericum, Forsythia, Spiraea thunbergii, Jasminum nudiflorum, and Jasminum officinale. Species that can be propagated by cuttage in greenhouses include: jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Pelargonium, Fuchsia, African violet (leaf cuttings), Rhododendron obtusum, Bougainvillea, carnation, Cyperus alternifolius, jade plant, Portulacaria afra, jade tree, Echeveria, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum, Pilea cadierei, Pilea peperomioides, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Rieger begonia, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Schefflera octophylla, Ficus elastica, Daphne, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Aglaonema modestum, Epipremnum aureum, and Cordyline fruticosa. In addition, branches of Syringa, Campsis, Tamarix chinensis, grape, Weigela florida, Deutzia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Platanus, and Ficus carica can also be cut and stored in sand, to be cut in March.

    3. Grafting. For fine plum cultivars, 1-year-old seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, mountain peach, and wild peach can be used as rootstocks for rootstock grafting propagation; after grafting, they are buried and planted on the seedbed, and covered with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection. In the Guangdong region, often between Minor Cold and Major Cold, bud grafting is used to propagate Calamondin orange, kumquat, etc.; using dug-up wild rose, bud-graft fine cultivars of Rosa chinensis, with the Rosa chinensis cultivar 'Elizabeth' as the rootstock-scion, cut-graft or cleft-graft fine Rosa chinensis cultivars, with grafting and cuttage carried out simultaneously, and covered with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in January include: Magnolia liliiflora, camellia, plum blossom, Weigela florida, Gardenia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Podocarpus macrophyllus, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, pomegranate, and red maple.

    5. Division. Herbaceous ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: Ophiopogon japonicus, Liriope muscari, Liriope platyphylla 'Variegata', Reineckea carnea, Zephyranthes candida, Zephyranthes rosea, Hosta, Hosta ventricosa, Tradescantia spathacea, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, Chlorophytum species, Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema modestum, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, bromeliads, Tulbaghia, Alpinia zerumbet, Monstera deliciosa, and Aloe. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: Nandina domestica, Hypericum, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Rhapis humilis, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, Caragana sinica, Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum officinale, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Damnacanthus indicus, Gardenia, Euonymus alatus, Buxus, and Magnolia liliiflora.

    6. Collecting seeds. In January, if there are mature seeds of Asparagus setaceus and clivia in the greenhouse, they can be sown immediately after collection; mature winter coral seeds can also be sown indoors at this time. In January, seeds of Nandina domestica, firethorn, holly species, and Ardisia crenata can be picked, and after treatment, stored in sand for germination; only after the seeds crack open and show white can sowing be carried out.

    In January, seeds stored in sand should be checked frequently, including Magnolia species, Michelia species, Photinia species, and holly species, to see whether the seeds have become moldy; if mold appears, the seeds must be poured out and rubbed and washed again, and clean fine sand replaced for storage; if the seeds are found to be dry, supplementary misting should be given in time; if the seeds are found to have cracked open and shown white or the radicle has already emerged, sowing must be carried out immediately, and plastic film, rice straw, pine needles, etc. covered for heat and moisture retention.

II. Transplanting and planting out

    In January, in regions that are not too cold, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and planted out include: Dianthus species, ornamental kale, Calendula officinalis, and daisy; in relatively cold regions, sown seedlings such as Dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragon, pansy, and Primula can be potted and first placed in simple plastic tunnels, and after spring returns and the weather warms, used for display in street flowerbeds, green spaces and flower borders.

    In January, most deciduous flowering shrubs and greening trees can be transplanted and planted out, such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, Cercis chinensis, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Ginkgo biloba, Liquidambar formosana, Acer species, wintersweet, plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Sapindus mukorossi, Koelreuteria paniculata, Albizia julibrissin, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', cherry blossom, Chaenomeles sinensis, Magnolia soulangeana, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, Campsis, Tilia, Liriodendron chinense, ornamental peach, Sapium sebiferum, Spiraea japonica, Euonymus alatus, Rosa chinensis, Sophora japonica, and Sophora japonica 'Pendula'. Evergreen tree species, especially Cinnamomum camphora and Ligustrum sinense, apart from special circumstances, should generally be transplanted earlier in December or delayed to February; of course, in wind-sheltered places, after transplanting with heavy renewal pruning and strengthened cold protection and watering management after transplanting, it is also acceptable.

    In January, although the weather is cold, in areas south of the Yangtze River it does not affect the collection of wild tree stumps during the process of forestry afforestation and land preparation, mainly deciduous tree stumps, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Rhododendron simsii, Lagerstroemia indica, Acer palmatum, Wisteria sinensis, wintersweet, wild plum, Elaeagnus pungens, and Euonymus pendulus; for evergreen tree stumps such as Nandina domestica, Ilex cornuta, Ilex cornuta, holly, and Xylosma japonicum, heavy renewal pruning must be done and most leaves removed. Whether deciduous tree stumps or evergreen tree stumps, the shallow-burial and high-mounding method should be adopted for cultivation, and straw curtains covered for freeze protection.

III. Cold protection

The work of cold protection and heat preservation this month is the top priority in management work; a slight negligence will bring serious losses to potted flowers and bonsai overwintering. According to the lower limit of the lowest temperature that various flower species can tolerate, a special environment for safe overwintering should be created for them, either in a greenhouse, or in a plastic tunnel, or indoors, or buried and planted in open-field soil. In a simple plastic tunnel where the temperature is not lower than 0°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate a low temperature of around 0°C can be placed, such as Asparagus densiflorus, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra elatior, Fatsia japonica, Livistona chinensis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Rhapis humilis, Nandina domestica, Aucuba japonica, Michelia figo, Cymbidium goeringii, Paphiopedilum, Ardisia crenata, Daphne, Cycas revoluta, Acorus calamus, Bambusa multiplex, and Sasa fortunei. In a double-layer plastic tunnel where the temperature is not lower than 5°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate a low temperature of around 5°C can be placed, such as Araucaria heterophylla, Ficus elastica, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Michelia alba, Chamaedorea elegans, Aglaia odorata, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, camellia, sasanqua, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum, Bambusa ventricosa, Rhododendron obtusum, Bougainvillea, and Lantana camara. In a double-layer plastic tunnel or greenhouse with auxiliary heating equipment, flower species that can tolerate a low temperature of around 10°C can be placed, such as Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium bicolor, Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta, bromeliads, Peperomia, Coleus, Dracaena sanderiana, Caryota ochlandra, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira macrocarpa, Fittonia, Dracaena concinna 'Red (Green) Gem', Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Aglaonema, Cymbidium hybridum, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Vanda, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Cycas revoluta, Adenium obesum, Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Pachystachys lutea, and Justicia carnea; during especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, straw curtains should preferably be added on top of the tunnel, and the addition of straw curtains can be stopped only after the temperature turns warmer. On very cold days, inspections of heating facilities and personnel on duty should be strengthened, especially at 5 to 6 in the morning; the fire must not be let out and the electricity must not be cut, otherwise freezing damage to the plants is very easy to cause. For those relatively cold-tolerant potted flower and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus and Chaenomeles species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Xylosma japonicum, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, Buxus species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Acer buergerianum, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis, Platycladus orientalis, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, and Fraxinus hupehensis, they can be buried together with the flower pots in the soil; when the temperature is not lower than -10°C, freezing damage generally will not occur, and when particularly cold weather is encountered, plastic film or soft grass can be added for heat preservation.

It is worth noting that whether potted flowers or bonsai are placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or rooms, including fruit-ornamental and foliage plants, besides maintaining the air temperature suited to them, ventilation should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, for ventilation, to prevent flower drop, leaf drop and fruit drop. During ventilation, it must also be avoided as much as possible for cold wind to blow directly on the plants.

In January, special attention should be paid to inspecting greenhouses and plastic tunnels during each cold air southward movement; if broken glass, torn film, etc. are found, they should be plugged and repaired in time, so as to avoid potted flowers freezing. When supplying coal, gas or oil heating to greenhouses, careful checks should also be made, and no leaking gas or smoke should enter the greenhouses or plastic tunnels, so as to prevent flower drop, leaf drop and fruit drop caused by smoke damage and the like.

In order to force tree peony to bloom at the Spring Festival, potted tree peony can be placed in a greenhouse, heated to 18°C to 25°C during the day, kept at about 10°C at night, and given 4 to 5 hours of additional light each day (incandescent lamp); it can be expected to bloom around the Spring Festival. Potted plum blossom, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, and Jasminum nudiflorum can also be placed in a plastic tunnel at about 15°C for flower forcing, and the lighting time appropriately increased, which can meet the need for indoor display of potted flowers and trees during the Spring Festival. For potted hyacinth, tulip, Narcissus poeticus, and freesia that have been placed in the greenhouse in December, strengthened water and fertilizer management can also be expected to be used for decoration and display during the Spring Festival. [page]

IV. Watering

    In the watering management of potted flowers in January, first and most important is to pay attention to the temperature of the water used for watering and misting, that is, to keep the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature; if the difference between the two is too great, it is very easy to cause adverse reactions in potted plants, and even cause leaf drop, root rot or death of the plants. The watering time is best arranged in the 2 to 3 hours around noon. Second, according to different plant species, determine the amount, frequency and method of watering; for most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels and rooms, it is suitable to keep the potting soil moist; when the temperature is on the low side, watering should be reduced accordingly, and when the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and leaf misting given. For the vast majority of foliage plants, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but attention should also be paid to misting the leaves, always keeping the leaves of the plants clean; for foliage plant species that are not very cold-tolerant, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta, and Codiaeum variegatum, when the temperature approaches the lower limit of the lowest temperature the plant can tolerate, the amount of watering should be specially controlled. For those potted flower species that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Rhododendron obtusum, Euphorbia pulcherrima, cineraria, wintersweet, plum blossom, Primula, hyacinth, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Calendula officinalis, and fruit-ornamental types such as firethorn, bitter orange, fingered citron, lemon, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, Fortunella hindsii, and winter coral, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be misted, to favor the swelling of flower buds, and also to increase the bright color of the fruits.

   In January, although potted flowers need little water, checks should be strengthened to prevent potted flowers placed in remote spots from lacking water, and to supplement watering in time for plants whose potting soil has dried out, which can reduce the death of overwintering plants.

For newly planted greening trees and flowering shrubs, check frequently and give supplementary watering in time; especially for those evergreen ornamental plants after transplanting, around noon the leaves should also be appropriately misted, to prevent the leaves from shrinking and dropping due to overly dry air.

V. Fertilizing

For most greening trees and flowering shrubs planted in the ground, such as crabapples, white yulan magnolia, southern magnolia, purple magnolia, Magnolia soulangeana, manglietia, michelia, maples, gardenia, horse chestnut, camphor tree, linden, crape myrtle, Chinese trumpet creeper, osmanthus, wintersweet, plum blossom, Buddhist pine, cherry blossom, soapberry, silk tree, goldenrain tree, palm, schima, Machilus, tupelo, camptotheca, tree peony, forsythia, boxwood, grape, coral tree, Chinese rose, hydrangea, red-leaf plum, dwarf flowering cherry plum, elm-leaved spirea, tulip tree, deutzia, mock orange, banksia rose, elaeocarpus, golden weeping willow, weeping elm, Japanese cedar, Taiwan cryptomeria, deodar cedar, Japanese pagoda tree, dragon-claw pagoda tree, white silk tree, rose of Sharon, lilac, crape myrtle, photinia, nandina, black bamboo, pomegranate, loquat, etc., if the fertilizing task was not completed in December, while turning the soil, you may bury and apply cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. around the outer perimeter of the tree root system, to lay a good material foundation for spring growth and flowering.

For potted flowers placed in a greenhouse at about 10°C to 15°C, such as Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, goldfussia, winter daphne, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, red-lipped narcissus, spectabilis, hyacinth, tulip, multi-colored bromeliad, clivia, bird of paradise, crab cactus, etc., you may continue to apply a low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering.

For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, bonsai, etc. placed in a greenhouse, since the plants are in a dormant state in winter, fertilizing should be stopped, otherwise it can easily cause the plants to rot at the roots and die.

Six. Pruning

For hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped plants that were not pruned in December, continue pruning; for flowering shrubs not yet pruned in December, such as Chinese rose, crape myrtle, banksia rose, Chinese trumpet creeper, wisteria, floribunda rose, camphor tree, London plane, Chinese tallow tree, photinia, pomegranate, red-leaf plum, papaya, wintersweet, plum blossom, palm, grape, etc., continue pruning; after pruning is completed, bury and apply base fertilizer around the outer perimeter of their root systems, to meet the needs of their spring growth.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly pruned and secondarily wired, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, bougainvillea, Fujian tea, oak, Chinese fringe tree, water willow, elaeagnus, firethorn, serissa, Chinese juniper, etc., you may continue, according to the original composition requirements and the development and change trends of the plant trunks and branches, to adjust and prune according to personal aesthetic taste, laying a good foundation for spring growth and shaping. While pruning, plants that have not been repotted for many years may be repotted.

Seven. Pest and disease control

For the main trunks or large branches of crabapples, plums, elm-leaved spirea, papaya, loquat, ornamental peach, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, etc., those hollowed out by peach red-necked longhorn beetles, etc. can be sawn off, and the sawn-off trunks and branches should be burned.

Clear away the leaves under Chinese rose, rose, grape, crape myrtle, etc., gather them and burn them in a concentrated place, which can reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases in the coming year.

For the horned wax scale, tortoise wax scale, red wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, arrowhead scale, mealybug, thread scale, etc. appearing on the trunks and branches of pittosporum, London plane, privet, firethorn, persimmon, gardenia, plum blossom, wintersweet, photinia, etc., spray with high-concentration methidathion, quinalphos, buprofezin, lime sulfur mixture, etc. to kill them, which can effectively suppress a major outbreak of scale insects that year.

For the powdery mildew appearing on cineraria in the greenhouse, and the gray mold easily appearing on primrose leaves, thiophanate-methyl can be used for control, to prevent them from spreading to other plants.

For the scale insects and sooty mold appearing simultaneously on plants such as bitter orange, finger citron, and kumquat in the greenhouse, carry out integrated control: first use a damp cloth to wipe off the sooty mold patches on the leaves and the insect bodies attached to the dry branches, then spray pesticides such as dimethoate for control.

For the gray mold appearing on cyclamen plants in the greenhouse, spray with 50% iprodione (main ingredient iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution for control.

Eight. Composting fertilizer

Pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into a water tank or water vat to soak and ferment, so that it can be used for watering potted flowers during the growing season; stack withered grass, branches, fallen leaves, etc. with garden soil in layers, set fire to burn them, and make homemade burned soil, which can be used as covering soil when sowing and raising seedlings in spring; mix barnyard manure, pond manure, tobacco dust, chicken droppings and pigeon manure, etc. with garden soil for composting and fermentation, which can be used as fertilizer for preparing potting soil.

Nine. Plowing and freezing of soil

For nursery land not yet plowed in December, seize the time to plow in early January; while plowing the garden land, apply cake fertilizer, compound fertilizer, farmyard manure, etc., and after overwintering and freezing of the soil, in early spring dig furrows and make beds, for use in sowing and planting seedlings.

Because January is especially cold, the plant species suitable for shaping must be those with soft branches, good flexibility, and easy shaping operations, such as Buddhist pine, Chinese weeping cypress, ginkgo, dwarf boxwood, moss cypress, Chinese juniper, serissa, creeping juniper, true juniper, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, water willow, caragana, winter hazel, winged euonymus, banyan, wisteria, etc. After shaping, the plants are best placed indoors or in a simple plastic greenhouse, and moved outdoors after spring returns and the weather warms, which helps the healing of parts that may have been damaged during shaping.

For plants shaped 1 to 2 years ago with palm rope or metal wire, etc., if obvious sunken constriction marks are found at the binding sites, the original binding material should be removed and rewiring and training carried out.

    In January, for some shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai, shallow-pot landscape bonsai, and small and miniature bonsai, management must be strictly strengthened. Small and miniature bonsai should be buried on indoor sand beds; for tree-stump bonsai, prevent the potting soil from freezing, which would harm the plant's fibrous roots and can cause the artificially cemented rocks to disintegrate; also prevent the plants planted on small rocks from dying after freezing, so they should be placed in a place that does not freeze, and watered and sprayed regularly, only then can they be ensured to overwinter safely.