What are the methods for propagating strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum) by seed?
The flowers of strawflower are delicate and lovely, with finely dense petals that look as glossy as if coated with wax, and they are loved by many people. Strawflower is now also used as a raw material in cosmetics, and it has been cultivated in our country for the past two years. Artificial propagation of strawflower can be done by sowing seeds. The editor will now introduce the points to note when propagating strawflower by seed.
Strawflower
After the seeds of strawflower are collected, they can be sun-dried and stored indoors in a ventilated, cool place. Sowing in autumn or winter is preferable; from autumn sowing in the Jiangnan region to flowering takes 110-120 days. In areas with lower temperatures, seeds can be sown overwinter under insulation in plastic tunnels, then moved out to the field for planting when spring is warm; winter heating and supplemental lighting can noticeably shorten the seedling-raising period. Appropriate low temperatures in the early stage after planting are beneficial for strawflower flowering; for seedlings raised under insulation, the seedlings should undergo low-temperature hardening before planting, which results in larger flowers. In the South China region, sowing and cultivation can be done in the open field, with winter sowing for spring flowers or autumn sowing for winter flowers.
Sowing takes place in autumn and winter, and for ease of management it is best to sow in seeding trays on loose bed soil. Before sowing, soak the seeds in water for several hours, remove and air-dry them, then sow densely in the seeding tray; or fill the seeding tray with bed soil, press lightly, smooth and water, sow dry seeds at about 6 grams per square meter of seedbed, cover with soil, then cover with plastic film or a small arch tunnel. Under suitable conditions, seeds emerge in 5-7 days. When seedlings have 1-2 true leaves, transplant them; a container 8 cm in diameter can be used to grow a single plant into a seedling. Although seedlings have strong adaptability to low temperatures, to ensure normal growth the nighttime temperature in the early stage should not be below I or, the daytime temperature should be controlled at 22-24t, and the bed soil should be kept moist. Seeds can also be sown directly in the field or in flower pots, but this uses more seeds and germination is uneven, so sowing under insulation followed by transplanting is still better. When seedlings are about 8 cm tall, transplant and set them out. About half a month before planting, they can be moved to a small arch tunnel; 5-6 days before planting, remove all covers for hardening, and in the north, no cover is needed at night when there is no freezing weather. Strawflower grown for cut flowers should be pinched once during the seedling stage to encourage side branches and increase the yield of flower stems.
An introduction to the cultivation techniques of strawflower!
Strawflower is brilliantly colorful and glossy, and after drying its flower shape and color remain unchanged and unfaded for a long time, making it most suitable for cutting as a “dried flower” for indoor decoration in winter. The method for harvesting dried flowers is to cut the flower stems before the flowers are half-open, remove the leaves, tie them in bundles and hang them upside down in a dry, cool, ventilated place. Dwarf varieties of strawflower can be used as flowerbed material or grown in pots for ornamental display. Today we will briefly introduce the cultivation techniques of strawflower.
Cultivation techniques of strawflower
Strawflower can be propagated by seed. In spring, seeds can be sown in open-field seedbeds, or in early spring sown in pots in a hotbed or greenhouse. The optimum germination temperature is about 15—20°C. After sowing, the soil covering should not be thick; seedlings emerge in about 1 week, and germination is uniform. After one transplanting, the seedlings can be set out when they have 7—8 leaves. To encourage branching and more flowering.
During the growing period, pinch the tips 2—3 times. After sowing, about 3 months of cultivation are needed before flowering begins; a single flower lasts as long as 1 month, and each plant can bloom successively for as long as 3—4 months. Seeds should be collected promptly to prevent them from scattering. After collection, the seeds should be dried in the shade and stored in a low-temperature, dry place. Seed viability lasts more than 2—3 years.
In the southern region, sow and raise seedlings in 2—3, and in the northern region in 3—4. Sow at a depth of 0.3—0.5 cm, keep the seedling soil moist, maintain the temperature at 15—30°C, and seedlings emerge in 5—7 days. When seedlings have 5—7 leaves, they can be transplanted with soil. For pot cultivation, choose pots with a diameter of 15—25 cm, planting 1 plant per pot; for flowerbeds and field planting, use a row spacing of 60—80 cm and a plant spacing of 20—25 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, then water again once dry; water quickly and drain quickly so no water remains around the roots.
During the rainy season, attention should be paid to drainage and waterlogging prevention. From planting seedlings to flowering takes 50—55 days. Normally, dig holes away from the seedling roots and bury and apply decomposed poultry and livestock manure or nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium multi-element fertilizer, in small amounts and multiple times. In dry seasons, red spiders are prone to appear, and in rainy seasons, cabbage caterpillars and other pests are prone to damage leaves or flowers; highly effective and low-toxicity pesticides “Kung Fu” or “Mie Saoli” at 1500 times dilution should be used to spray leaves and flowers. Within 30 days after applying the pesticide, the flowers must not be collected and steeped in water for drinking.
Points to note when growing strawflower
Rust is a common disease of strawflower; the pathogen belongs to the Basidiomycotina, with white rust caused by the genus Puccinia and black rust caused by the genus Coleosporium. The pathogen generally overwinters in the new buds of the plant, spreads with the propagation of chrysanthemum seedlings, and is transmitted through wind, rain, insects, and so on. The pathogen prefers cool conditions and cannot tolerate high temperatures, first appearing in 6—7.
It occurs more from 9—12, and infection is not easy below 6°C or above 31°C, while warm and humid seasons favor disease occurrence. It is most likely to occur under conditions of high humidity, sufficient light, poor ventilation, and large day-night temperature differences at 10—24°C, and occurs more severely in cold, rainy, warm-days-cold-nights, and humid weather, so prevention and control work should be done well.
Gray mold mainly harms the leaves, stems, flowers, and other parts of strawflower. When leaves are affected, brown spots appear at the leaf edges, the surface is slightly wavy and wrinkled in a concentric pattern, the petioles and flower stalks soften first, and then the outer skin rots. When the flowers of strawflower are affected, it will affect the maturation of the seeds. High temperature and rain, excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer, overly dense planting, and heavy soil texture can all lead to the occurrence of gray mold.
When diseased leaves and severely diseased plants are found, they should be removed promptly and burned in a centralized manner or buried deeply to prevent the disease from spreading. Before planting newly planted strawflower, the roots can be soaked in 65% zineb 300 times dilution for 10—15 minutes. Pay attention to cultivation management, improve ventilation and light conditions, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer alone, dig ditches in the rainy season, and strictly prevent soil waterlogging. Whether garden-planted or pot-planted, the soil is required to be new soil free of pathogens.
A simple introduction to strawflower A summary of experience in strawflower cultivation techniques
Strawflower, also known as wax chrysanthemum and shellwork, is a perennial herbaceous plant. It likes light and prefers a warm, humid environment, is not cold-tolerant, and dislikes intense heat. It can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, or layering. It blooms in autumn, tastes sweet and bitter, is slightly cold in nature, and its dried petals are golden yellow; the flower color is vivid and does not fade for a long time. What are the cultivation techniques of strawflower? Let me share them with you.
Cultivation techniques
Propagate by seed. In spring, seeds can be sown in open-field seedbeds, or in early spring sown in pots in a hotbed or greenhouse. The optimum germination temperature is about 15-20°C. After sowing, the soil covering should not be thick; seedlings emerge in about 1 week, and germination is uniform. After one transplanting, the seedlings can be set out when they have 7-8 leaves. To encourage branching and more flowering, pinch the tips 2-3 times during the growing period. After sowing, about 3 months of cultivation are needed before flowering begins; a single flower lasts as long as 1 month, and each plant can bloom successively for as long as 3-4 months. Seeds should be collected promptly to prevent them from scattering. After collection, the seeds should be dried in the shade and stored in a low-temperature, dry place. Seed viability lasts more than 2-3 years.
Cultivation management
In the southern region, sow and raise seedlings in 2-3, and in the northern region in 3-4. Sow at a depth of 0.3-0.5 cm, keep the seedling soil moist, maintain the temperature at 15-30°C, and seedlings emerge in 5-7 days. When seedlings have 5-7 leaves, they can be transplanted with soil. For pot cultivation, choose pots with a diameter of 15-25 cm, planting 1 plant per pot; for flowerbeds and field planting, use a row spacing of 60-80 cm and a plant spacing of 20-25 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, then water again once dry; water quickly and drain quickly so no water remains around the roots. In the rainy season, drain and prevent waterlogging. From planting seedlings to flowering takes 50-55 days. Normally, dig holes away from the seedling roots and bury and apply decomposed poultry and livestock manure or nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium multi-element fertilizer, in small amounts and multiple times. In dry seasons, red spiders are prone to appear, and in rainy seasons, cabbage caterpillars and other pests are prone to damage leaves or flowers; highly effective and low-toxicity pesticides "Kung Fu" or "Mie Saoli" at 1500 times dilution should be used to spray leaves and flowers. Within 30 days after applying the pesticide, the flowers must not be collected and steeped in water for drinking.
Pest and disease control
Powdery mildew
It mainly harms leaves and stems. On affected leaves, white powdery disease spots appear, spreading from points into patches, like white frost. In severe cases, the leaves become deformed, growth stops, and the plant withers.
The disease is caused by one kind of imperfect fungus among the fungi, and is transmitted and caused by the fungus from 8-9 to the beginning of winter. In the early stage of the disease, small white spots appear, gradually expanding into irregular-shaped lesions, and white powdery matter grows on the lesions, causing the leaves to curl, the branches to become deformed, and the flowers to be few and small, and even the whole plant to die. When the disease is severe, gray-white mycelium can be found on the leaves and flower buds, like a layer of powdery frost, causing the young branches and leaves to shrink and deform, seriously affecting the ornamental effect. Especially when cultivated in a greenhouse, the disease spreads very rapidly. This disease is most easily infected and occurs when the temperature is relatively high, the humidity is relatively high, there is little light, ventilation is poor, and the day-night temperature difference is about 10°C.
Control methods
(1) Pay attention to ventilation and light, the row spacing must not be too dense, and the soil humidity must not be too high;
(2) Remove early diseased leaves and burn them;
(3) From 7-8, before the disease occurs, spray carbendazim, 50% wettable thiophanate 800-**** times dilution, dinitro dispersant 200 times dilution, 50% amobam 1000 times dilution, or 0.2-0.5% lime sulfur mixture, once a week, continuously spraying 4-5 times.
Gray mold
Gray mold mainly harms the leaves, stems, flowers, and other parts of chrysanthemums. When leaves are affected, brown spots appear at the leaf edges, the surface is slightly wavy and wrinkled in a concentric pattern, the petioles and flower stalks soften first, and then the outer skin rots. When flowers are affected, it affects seed maturation. High temperature and rain, excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer, overly dense planting, and heavy soil texture all favor the occurrence of gray mold.
Control methods
(1) Soil replacement planting. The pathogen mainly overwinters in the soil; therefore, whether garden-planted or pot-planted, the soil is required to be new soil free of pathogens;
(2) When diseased leaves and severely diseased plants are found, they should be removed promptly and burned in a centralized manner or buried deeply to prevent the disease from spreading;
(3) Before planting newly planted chrysanthemums, the roots can be soaked in 65% zineb 300 times dilution for 10-15 minutes;
(4) Pay attention to cultivation management, improve ventilation and light conditions, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer alone, dig ditches in the rainy season, and strictly prevent soil waterlogging;
(5) In the early stage of the disease, spray Baume 0.3-0.5 degree lime sulfur mixture, zineb, carbendazim, and other fungicides.
The above is all the content I have learned about strawflower today. I hope flower lovers will find it helpful after reading this article. To learn more about strawflower, please continue to follow Duorou Huapu, and we will provide you with more related knowledge!