How to control the flowering time of scarlet sage? A detailed guide to practical regulation methods

To supply flowers for the May Day holiday, sow seeds in furrows in an open-field seedbed in mid-to-late August of the previous year after the rainy season, covering the seeds with a thin layer of soil and applying only a little base fertilizer; seedlings emerge after 8-10 days. From early October, lift the seedlings and heel them in as clumps in a cool greenhouse. In mid-to-late November, pot them up and move them into a warm greenhouse for growing on. In late April of the following year, move them out of the greenhouse for display or plant them out in the ground after removing them from their pots.

For flower seedlings for National Day displays, in the North China region sow in pots in a greenhouse or sow directly in a hotbed in early March, prick out and transplant the seedlings into the open field in early May at a spacing of 30 cm x (35-40) cm, and in early August lift the seedlings for potting or move them into flower beds.

Scarlet sage (firecracker flower) is originally a perennial herbaceous plant, but after 2 years of growth the plants become loose and bear few flowers, so it is mostly grown as an annual or biennial herbaceous flower. The main varieties include the white-flowered 'Yi Chuan Bai', the dwarf 'Ai Yi Chuan Hong', and the strongly clump-forming 'Cong Sheng Yi Chuan Hong'.

To increase the number of flowering branches, pinch out the growing tip of the main stem when the seedling has grown 4 leaves to encourage side branches to sprout. When the side branches have grown 4 leaves, pinch out their growing tips to encourage secondary side branches to sprout, bringing the number of flowering branches to 8; only in this way can the plant form a full shape and bloom profusely. If using a larger pot, plant 3 seedlings in one pot when potting up. Before the flowering branches form buds, apply 2 applications of monopotassium phosphate at a 1000-fold dilution, otherwise, although there will be many flowering branches, they will bear few flowers.