How to care for peonies in spring? Understand the key care points in one article
The care and management of peonies in spring is very important. Good care not only ensures large, brightly colored flowers that year, but also helps the formation of flower buds for the next year. So how can you do a good job of peony care in spring?
Peony
Pruning should be done on the basis of winter pruning by "supplementary pruning" of missed "soil buds" as well as overlapping branches, crossing branches, and diseased and pest-damaged branches, and by shortening - tipping - branches whose terminal buds are leaf buds, so that nutrients are concentrated in the flower buds.
For fertilizing, fully decomposed cake fertilizer or human excrement and urine can be applied before the end of February, with 0.5 kg of cake fertilizer or 2 kg of human excrement and urine per plant. Since peonies are flowering trees and shrubs that "like fertilizer and tolerate fertilizer," when fertilizer is relatively plentiful, applying more is harmless as long as it is a little farther from the roots. After the peonies unfold their leaves, 0.1-0.2% monopotassium phosphate can be used for foliar feeding. Spraying 2-3 times before flowering can make the flower buds fuller and the blooms larger and more vivid.
Bud thinning: Peony flowering is similar to fruit trees bearing fruit in that there is also a "biennial bearing" phenomenon. After peonies show buds, appropriate bud thinning should be carried out according to the tree's vigor and the previous year's flowering situation. If there are many flower buds that year, it can be regarded as an "on year," and some of the small, thin buds on weak branches should be removed (about 1/3 of the total number of flower buds on the whole plant). Bud thinning should be done early rather than late.
Cold protection: Spring weather is changeable, and peonies are prone to damage from cold waves and late frosts before flowering. If there is a cold wave, water should be given to raise the ground temperature; if late frost occurs, damp firewood and grass should be lit to produce smoke to prevent frost. For rare varieties, single plants or multiple plants can be covered with plastic film for cold protection.
Watering: In spring, if there is little rain or snow, peonies should be watered 2-3 times from sprouting to flowering, watering about once every 20 days. During the flowering period, watering should be stopped, and water must never be sprayed on the flowers, otherwise it will shorten the flowering time.
In addition, note that spent flowers should be cut off promptly after flowering. This not only avoids a "declining" appearance, but also prevents seed formation, thereby reducing nutrient consumption. Furthermore, topdressing after flowering is also indispensable.
How to force peonies to bloom: key care points for peonies
Peonies have a graceful plant shape, vivid flower colors, and a very good symbolic meaning, so they are very popular and are placed in rooms for appreciation. So how do you force peonies to bloom? How do you care for peonies? Below, we introduce the methods for forcing peonies to bloom, as well as the key care points for peonies.
How to force peonies to bloom
1. Potting time
For greenhouse forcing, as long as the method is right and temperature, sunlight, and moisture are suitable, generally about 45 days is enough to meet the needs of growth, development, and flowering, so the potting time should be determined according to the desired flowering time.
2. Early-stage management
When peonies grow and bloom in the field in spring, they go from low temperature to high temperature, gradually rising, so that they can grow and develop well, with large, full flowers and vivid colors. Therefore, forcing in a greenhouse should also follow their growth habits, control temperature well, and let it rise gradually from low to high, as close as possible to the conditions required for natural growth. In the early stage, the temperature is generally kept at 10-14 degrees during the day and 6-8°C at night. After one week, the temperature can rise to 14-16 degrees during the day and 10-12 degrees at night. Keeping it this way, about 10 days after potting, the flower buds can begin to swell, become plump, and glossy; after about 15 days, buds can appear. Because indoor evaporation is low and relative humidity is high, lightly sprinkling water 1-2 times a day can meet the plant's moisture needs.
3. Mid-stage management
After peonies show buds, they enter the normal growth and development stage. The daytime temperature can rise to 16-18°C and nighttime to 12-14 degrees, and after about 20 days they enter the young bud stage. During this period, the flower buds are more tender and weak than young buds forced outdoors in the south, and are more sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Because young buds have poor stress resistance, abortion often occurs. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the indoor temperature relatively stable.
After 28 days, the plant enters the leaf-unfolding stage. The daytime temperature can rise to 18-20°C and nighttime to 14-16°C. When the temperature will not suddenly drop in the morning, a small skylight at the top of the greenhouse can be opened appropriately for ventilation to train the plant's stress resistance. If the temperature exceeds 25°C, the skylight can be opened wider so the temperature gradually drops. Never open windows at the lower part of the greenhouse to ventilate and cool, so as to avoid air directly hitting the plants and causing the flower buds to stop developing, commonly known as catching a cold. Even if the temperature is raised later, they will no longer develop, reducing the survival rate. During this period, in addition to lightly sprinkling water twice a day, depending on the dryness and wetness of the potting soil, water thoroughly once every 2-3 days. At the same time, foliar fertilizer can also be sprayed.
After 35 days, the flower buds enter the flat bud stage. The stress resistance of the flower buds increases; as long as the rise and fall of temperature do not differ too greatly, it has little effect on the flowering rate. Therefore, during this period, the indoor temperature should be flexibly controlled according to the scheduled flowering date. The daytime temperature should be kept at 20-22°C and nighttime at 16-18°C. In addition, the relative humidity in the greenhouse is high, and stem rot often occurs. Before the disease occurs, in combination with foliar feeding, 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500-fold solution or 10% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 500-fold solution can be sprayed for prevention.
4. Late-stage management
After 42 days, the flower buds enter the opening stage, and they can open in 2-3 days. Therefore, at this time, plants can be moved out of the greenhouse according to the number of flowers (pots) needed and the desired flowering time. Plants not needed temporarily can be stored in a cold room at 2-4 degrees. After being placed there for 10-20 days and then moved out, they can still bloom normally. For some plants that bloom late, heating can continue to promote flowering.
5. Light regulation
Peonies are long-day plants. Flower buds form under long days and bloom under medium-long days. In the early stage of forcing cultivation, insufficient light leads only to leaf growth without bud differentiation; in the later stage, insufficient light affects flowering quality and opening time. Therefore, when there are many cloudy days and insufficient light, artificial light should be added. The practice in Luoyang is to use 500-watt bulbs to add light from dusk. Before bud appearance, add light for 3 hours daily, with an average daily illuminance of 4045 lux; during the bud-appearance and leaf-unfolding stage, add light for 5 hours daily, with an average daily illuminance of 5150 lux; from leaf unfolding to flowering, add light for 7 hours daily, with an average daily illuminance of 5330 lux, which can advance flowering by 3-4 days, with green and large leaves and better flower development.
Key care points for peonies
1. Management is extensive and care is simple. Except for appropriate shading from strong light at noon in midsummer, sufficient light should be given at other times, especially in winter.
2. From March to September, during the peak growth period, the water requirement is relatively large, so water and spray frequently to increase humidity; after autumn, gradually reduce watering to improve the plant's cold resistance.
3. It likes a semi-shaded environment. If the placement site has too strong or too little light, the leaves are likely to turn light green or yellow-green, lack vitality, lose their proper ornamental value, and may even wither and die; if exposed to direct sunlight and dry air, scorching is most likely to occur, so it should be placed in a cool, ventilated place, and attention should be paid to maintaining environmental humidity.
4. Pests and diseases are not likely to occur, but if the potting soil is waterlogged and ventilation is poor, in addition to causing root rot, root rot disease may also occur, so attention should be paid to spraying pesticides for prevention and control.
5. Place it in a ventilated position with sufficient scattered light. Since winter is not the growing period of the peony hanging orchid, to prevent root rot, water only when the soil looks dry, and water thoroughly when watering, as the situation requires.
The above are the methods for forcing peonies to bloom and the key care points for peonies. Is everyone clear now? For more home knowledge, please follow.
Key cultivation points for Gymnocalycium mihanovichii
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii blooms in summer, with pink flowers shaped like peonies, hence the name. Gymnocalycium mihanovichii is a succulent in the cactus family. Cultivation difficulty is not high, but it is not easy to make Gymnocalycium mihanovichii produce delicate and beautiful flowers. The editor will introduce the key cultivation points for Gymnocalycium mihanovichii. Friends who like it can study together.
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii
The soil mix for Gymnocalycium mihanovichii is relatively simple: perlite mixed with peat, with vermiculite and coal cinder added, in arbitrary proportions, with breathability as the main consideration. This variety is not very tolerant of intense sun exposure. During the growing period, water only after the soil has dried completely, and give adult plants as little water as possible. Usually, water is given only when the soil is seen to be very dry, and it is basically watered thoroughly.
Summer is the growing period, and the plant also needs slight shading and ventilation. From July to September, during the high-temperature period, it is basically kept cool and ventilated. From September to December, water is also given only after drying completely. Throughout the cold winter, when the temperature is below 2 degrees, almost no water is given. At this time the plant enters dormancy. Less water can also prevent cold damage and root rot caused by low temperatures. When the potting soil is dry, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii is relatively tolerant of low temperatures. In the writer's sunroom at minus 4 degrees, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii shows no change at all. This temperature was measured inside the sunroom, by the way. The writer generally places a basin of water in the sunroom; if the water freezes, it is time to heat. As long as it is not outdoors, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii can withstand such temperatures. During the growing period, watering is basically done only after the soil dries completely, and it can be watered over the top; poor ventilation also makes rot easy. Watering in spring must be done gradually and progressively, paying attention to weather changes.