How to propagate bromeliads by cuttings? Master these key points

Neoregelia is a moisture-loving epiphytic bromeliad, so when cultivating Neoregelia artificially, attention should be paid to watering. If your Neoregelia has grown to a certain size, you might as well propagate a new Neoregelia yourself.

Neoregelia

Neoregelia is mostly propagated by division. In summer, several offsets usually grow from the base of the plant. After the offsets have grown 6 leaves, they should be cut off at the right time and inserted into a sand bed; they will root in 20 days after insertion and can be potted in 40 days.

Neoregelia is an epiphyte, native to the tropical rainforests of Central America. From observing the native environment of Neoregelia, most bromeliads prefer semi-shaded environments and avoid direct sunlight. Generally speaking, the suitable light environment for Neoregelia is around 18000 lux, and the relative humidity needs to be maintained between 68-75%; in terms of temperature, it requires around 22-28C during the day, and at night it is best to maintain around 20-21C. Neoregelia is very sensitive to relative humidity (RH). Under strong light or dry conditions, when humidity is less than 50%, the leaves will curl inward or fail to extend. Therefore, in environments with high light intensity, we should appropriately match the humidity to above 75%. Although Neoregelia likes humid environments, during periods of high temperature and high humidity in summer, it is prone to insufficient ventilation, which hinders growth and easily attracts pests and diseases, so ventilation must be maintained. And under strong light, when air humidity is below 65%, or when it is dry with good ventilation, the leaf tips will also wither. Note that after the flower spike emerges, if it encounters high temperature (30 degrees), the color of the flower spike will fade and the flowering period will also be shortened.

Bromeliads Bromeliad illustrated guide: how to grow bromeliads / how to propagate bromeliads

Complete flower planting manual

Flower planting manual

Key points for spring flower planting

Flower planting manual (February chapter)

    Weather characteristics of February: This month is the last month of winter and also the cold period second only to January in the year. By the end of February, the weather begins to gradually warm and transition to spring, and quite a number of flowers also begin to shift from winter dormancy to the recovery stage. The main flower matters this month are mainly in the following aspects: first, continue to do a good job of cold protection and heat preservation for potted flowers in protected facilities; second, do a good job of pruning and repotting some woody flowers after flowering; third, do a good job of the early preparation work for cutting, grafting seedling propagation, and sowing seedling propagation for some flower species.

   1. Sowing. In February, flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels include: Calendula officinalis, Cyclamen, dwarf sunflower, asparagus fern, Gloxinia, tuberous begonia, safflower, cornflower, Gaillardia, strawflower, Salvia splendens, marigold, peacock chrysanthemum, dwarf petunia, California poppy, Phlox, Calceolaria, Schizanthus, snapdragon, nasturtium, pansy, etc. At the end of February, those that can be sown outdoors in open ground include: Magnolia, Michelia, Photinia, Acer, Malus (Rosaceae) seeds that have been sand-stored and have already cracked and shown white, as well as Cinnamomum camphora, Liriodendron, Ligustrum, Ardisia, Pyracantha, palm, Koelreuteria, Sapindus, Aesculus, Syringa, etc.; seeds of Chimonanthus praecox, Calycanthus, Wisteria, etc. 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. In February, woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings or by cuttings covered with plastic film for moisture retention include: plum blossom (after flowering, cut one-year-old branches of varieties such as Gongfen and Lü'e), Nandina, Hibiscus mutabilis (southern regions), Lagerstroemia, Daphne (southern regions), Edgeworthia, pomegranate, Forsythia, winter jasmine, Jasminum, Serissa, Hibiscus syriacus, Hypericum (plum), Spiraea, Mahonia, Buxus, etc. Sand-stored branches of Syringa and Campsis can also be used for cuttings at this time. In early February, branches of Weigela, Deutzia, Hydrangea, Tamarix, Platanus, grape, fig, etc. can also continue to be cut and stored for treatment, so as to be used for cuttings at the end of March.

    Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by indoor cuttings in February include: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Bougainvillea, African violet (leaf cuttings), Begonia coccinea, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Salvia splendens, Pelargonium, jasmine, Chloranthus, fingered citron, jade plant, jade leaf, Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Epiphyllum, Schlumbergera, Pilea, Kalanchoe, longevity flower, Rieger begonia, Clerodendrum, Schefflera, Aglaonema, Cordyline, etc.

   3. Grafting. Indoors, use one-year-old robust black pine seedlings as rootstock to graft Japanese white pine, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus bungeana, etc., then plant in the ground and cover with film for heat and moisture retention. Use one-year-old seedlings such as apricot and wild peach as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate red-leaf plum, plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, etc. In areas south of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on Chimonanthus branches grow to the size of wheat grains, use Chimonanthus seedlings about 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate excellent varieties of Chimonanthus such as "Suxin", "Xinkou", and "Huti"; by adopting bagging and air inflation for moisture retention measures, the survival rate is relatively high. Use robust branches of the rose variety "Elizabeth" as rootstock and scion, and use cut grafting or cleft grafting for superior rose scions; by adopting 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, Chimonanthus, Chaenomeles, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, gardenia, Weigela, Podocarpus, Sabina, snowball, Viburnum, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Hypericum, Hydrangea, Hydrangea strigosa, Spiraea thunbergii, red maple, Michelia, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: Iris, Belamcanda, Zephyranthes, Ophiopogon, Liriope, variegated Liriope, Reineckea, Rohdea, Dicentra, Hosta, Hosta ventricosa, Ornithogalum, bromeliads, Tradescantia, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis, spider plant, Kalanchoe, Canna, Calathea, Monstera, Syngonium, Strelitzia, Clivia, Aloe, etc. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: Nandina, Hibiscus mutabilis, Hypericum, Mahonia, Hydrangea, Chaenomeles, Edgeworthia, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Caragana, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, jasmine, Chloranthus, Damnacanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, Osmanthus fragrans, bamboo, etc.

    1. Harvesting seeds. In February, seeds such as Nandina, holly, Ardisia, and winter cherry can be picked; after treatment, sand storage is carried out to promote germination, and sowing can only be carried out 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 relatively good genetic quality.

    In February, pay attention to checking various flower and tree seeds stored in sand to see whether any seeds have become moldy; if mold occurs, clean them in time; if the seeds are found to be dry, appropriately supplement with spraying water to maintain a certain humidity for the sand and seeds; if a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, sow them in a relatively short time. Once the radicle has extended too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle and affect the seedling emergence rate. Large seeds stored in sand can be sown by dibbling, while small seeds can be sown in drills or rows; after sowing, pay attention to covering with grass 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, snapdragon, hollyhock, variegated holly, daisy, Calendula officinalis, etc.

    In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can all be planted out. Among them, deciduous types such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, redbud, Malus, ginkgo, Liquidambar, Acer, Wisteria, Lagerstroemia, Chimonanthus, plum blossom (before germination and leaf expansion), Magnolia, Sapindus, Albizia, Aesculus, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, Chaenomeles, Campsis, Tilia, Liriodendron, ornamental peach, Sapium, Spiraea, Triadenum, Deutzia, Sophora japonica, Sophora japonica var. pendula, Prunus japonica, Amygdalus triloba, Hypericum (plum), weeping willow, golden weeping willow, Hibiscus mutabilis, Cotinus coggygria, persimmon, apricot, etc.; evergreen tree species such as Michelia, Cinnamomum camphora, Elaeocarpus, Euonymus, Machilus, Phoebe, etc. can be delayed until late February to early March for planting; osmanthus, Ligustrum, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Platycladus orientalis, black pine, etc., should be given moderate pruning when planted.

    1. Cold protection. In February the weather is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (or in-tunnel) care, potted ornamental plants have consumed relatively more nutrients in their bodies, and the resistance of the plants has greatly declined, so we should continue to carefully do a good job of moisture retention and cold protection. If greenhouses or plastic tunnels have heating facilities, continue to provide heating, and prevent harmful gases or smoke from entering the tunnel or greenhouse; if straw curtains are hung at the top or around the tunnel, continue to hang them; when encountering sudden temperature drops after snow, even more cannot be taken lightly.

For overwintering potted flowers placed in protected facilities, continue to do a good job of ventilation and air exchange. Especially by the end of February, the ventilation and air exchange time can be extended during the time period with the highest temperature of the day. It is worth noting that when indoor potted flowers are sunned, it is best to place them inside the south-facing window without opening the window.

For a small number of cold-sensitive flowers kept at home, such as Aglaia, Phalaenopsis, Calathea, Syngonium, Begonia masoniana, Codiaeum, Dieffenbachia, etc., in particularly cold weather, plastic bags can be put on at night, or they can be placed in the bathroom and heating appliances such as "bath heaters" can be turned on to raise the temperature, ensuring they can overwinter safely.

    2. Watering. In February, because the temperature is relatively low, for most potted flowers, it is enough to keep the potting soil moist and allow safe overwintering, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so the demand for water 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 environments, frequently spray water and mist on 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 and color, and flower buds will stop growing; in severe cases the leaves will dry and shrink with wrinkles and the flower buds will shrink and fall off. For example, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron, plum blossom, bitter orange, kumquat, winter cherry, etc., may all show bud drop and fruit drop, or even wither and die. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should also be basically consistent with the indoor and in-tunnel air temperature and soil temperature.

[page]    For those potted plant species placed indoors that are about to bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cineraria, primrose, longevity flower, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Belgian azalea, Calendula officinalis, etc., and fruit-viewing plants such as Pyracantha, Nandina, bitter orange, fingered citron, lemon, Ardisia, four-season mandarin, winter cherry, etc., 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. Especially for peony, plum blossom, Chaenomeles, and Malus halliana placed in plastic tunnels for forcing, water must also be sprayed on the branches 1 to 2 times a day, so as to accelerate the expansion of their flower buds and enable them to bloom as scheduled. For purchased large-flowered Cymbidium cultivated in greenhouse tunnels, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse tunnel differ greatly from those in the home, if water is not frequently sprayed on the leaves, the leaves will often show shrinkage and withering. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese white pine bonsai, etc., it must be ensured that the potting soil is moist, and the plants should be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day; otherwise, the plants may very likely wither and die.

    In February, although most potted flowers do not need much water, inspection should be strengthened. Especially when the temperature continues to rise for several consecutive days, supplementary watering and spraying should be strengthened in time.

   In February, for greening trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, supplementary watering should be carried out in time. Especially for those evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, appropriate leaf spraying should also be given around noon on clear days to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking, and falling off after leafing out, affecting the recovery growth in spring.

    3. Fertilizing. In February, continue to bury base fertilizer for most ground-planted greening trees and flowering shrubs. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken manure and pigeon manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. They can be applied by digging ring-shaped trenches around the outer perimeter of the plant root system and then covering with soil, so as 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, Camellia sasanqua, cineraria, primrose, Cyclamen, Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, Justicia brandegeeana, Daphne, plum blossom, European narcissus, hyacinth, tulip, Schlumbergera, Epiphyllum, Neoregelia, Tillandsia, Guzmania, Clivia, etc., continue to apply low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, and tree stump bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, because they are still in a dormant state, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise, it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death.

    4. Pruning. In February, for ground-planted or potted plum blossom, Chimonanthus, Forsythia, winter jasmine, etc. after flowering, strong renewal pruning can be carried out. For branches that have flowered, except for retaining 2 to 3 buds at the base, all the rest should be cut off, to encourage many new shoots that year and even denser branches and buds the next year. In addition, water sprouts, dead branches, and irregular branches should also be pruned at the same time. For tree stump bonsai types that are mainly pruned, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia, Ficus, Acer buergerianum, Fujian tea, Xylosma, Fraxinus, Adina, Elaeagnus, Ilex cornuta, holly, Serissa, Juniperus, Juniperus rigida, etc., continue pruning; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repot them while pruning.

    5. Repotting. At the end of February and beginning of March, it is a favorable time for repotting the vast majority of potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best carried out when the plant's winter dormancy is about to end, the root system is recovering growth, and the leaf buds have not yet sprouted. Flower species that can be repotted at the end of February include: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pelargonium, Aglaia, Michelia alba, jasmine, Chloranthus, two-color jasmine, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Nephrolepis, Monstera, rubber tree, Fuchsia, Begonia coccinea, Begonia semperflorens, Begonia rex, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, sago palm, Clivia, Haworthia, Aloe, Schlumbergera, Epiphyllum, Sedum, jade plant, jade leaf, longevity flower, Amaryllis, asparagus fern, spider plant, Norfolk Island pine, Schefflera, Rohdea, Strelitzia, shrimp plant, Justicia brandegeeana, Justicia carnea, Clerodendrum, Camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Chaenomeles, Hydrangea, Nandina, Codiaeum, Syngonium, Calathea, Ardisia, Pyracantha, bitter orange, kumquat, fingered citron, etc.

    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, etc., at the early stage of the disease choose 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1500 times solution for spraying, once every 10 days, and continuous spraying 2 to 3 times is enough.

For gray mold appearing on the leaves and flower crowns of potted Cyclamen in plastic tunnels, 50% iprodione (main component iprodione) wettable powder 1000 to 1500 times solution can be used for spraying.

For potted Belgian azalea 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 spraying is difficult for the plant 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 brush; when there are many insects, 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 2000 times solution can be used for spraying to kill them. After aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, sooty mold will also be eliminated accordingly.

For scale insects such as the pink wax scale, white peach scale, oystershell scale, and black-brown circular scale that appear on potted flowering plants in the greenhouse, they can be brushed off with a stiff-bristled brush, or killed by dipping a cotton swab in alcohol, or sprayed with a 2500-fold dilution of 2.5% cypermethrin emulsifiable concentrate, or controlled by burying 3% carbofuran or 20% fenamiphos granules in the flower pot.

Continue to clear away the dead branches and fallen leaves under the flowers and trees, and the 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 in the coming year.

    7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, bean cake, etc. into a water tank or vat, add clean water, and carry out sealed fermentation, so that it can be diluted during the growing season and used to water potted flowers. Alternatively, pile and ferment the cake fertilizer, etc., 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 cake fertilizer, in granular powder form, can be scattered in flower pots as a top dressing. For Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Cymbidium hybridum, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower species, it is more convenient than applying liquid cake fertilizer. Especially when growing flowers on a balcony, it is both convenient and hygienic, and can also reduce the occurrence of leaf surface diseases. In addition, it can also be used for preparing potting soil.

    8. Plowing and freezing the soil. In early February, continue plowing and turning the garden plots that have not yet been plowed. After overwintering and freezing, when spring returns and the weather warms, then dig drainage furrows and make beds for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees.

    In February, the plant species that can be trained and shaped by wiring include Chinese weeping cypress, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, Chinese savin, Oriental arborvitae, true juniper, ginkgo, Chinese serissa, creeping juniper, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, Japanese black pine, thousand-head red pine, water willow, Chinese pea tree, small golden coin plum, wintersweet, flowering quince, crape myrtle, banyan, Chinese elm, and trident maple, etc.

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

For shallow-pot tree stump bonsai, landscape bonsai, small and miniature bonsai, rock-attached bonsai, etc., continue to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection, keeping them always 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 Chapter)

(1) Flower species suitable for courtyard planting

    1. Ground-planted flower species

If the area in front of your courtyard is open and spacious, with good light and ventilation conditions, or the distance from the row of buildings in front is greater than 30 m, and the soil has been improved to a certain extent, then you can plant some flower species that are relatively sun-loving and have higher requirements for the growing environment. Ground-planted flowers and trees such as: white magnolia, ginkgo, sweet osmanthus, purple magnolia, banana shrub, Magnolia soulangeana, Chinese quince, flowering quince, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, Chinese snowball viburnum, snowball, persimmon, cotton rose, Chinese tulip tree, Japanese apricot, Chinese rose, fig, camellia, crape myrtle, tree peony, pomegranate, Chinese wisteria, cherry blossom, grape, ornamental peach, heavenly bamboo, red maple, redbud, rose of Sharon, and Canary Island date palm, etc. If your courtyard is relatively shady and damp, then you should choose some flower and tree species adapted to shady and damp conditions, such as windmill palm, Chinese photinia, aucuba, French holly, glossy privet, leatherleaf mahonia, southern magnolia, camphor tree, dragon juniper, Elaeocarpus, Buddhist pine, Japanese fatsia, Chinese juniper, deodar cedar, wintersweet, Japanese banana, and clustered bamboo, etc. Regardless of the light conditions and moisture conditions in your courtyard, when choosing ground-planted flowers and trees, you should pay attention to the following points: First, the minimum temperature that the flowers and trees can tolerate should not be lower than the local minimum temperature, to avoid frost damage; second, they should be adapted to the local soil and moisture conditions, to avoid incompatibility; third, they should have fewer pests and diseases, a relatively long flowering and fruiting period, fragrance, and auspicious names; fourth, the number of flowers and trees should not be too many: a small courtyard can have 1 to 2 plants, while a large courtyard can plant a few more; fifth, the height of adult large trees should not exceed the windows and balconies of the second floor, so as not to hinder the lighting of upstairs residents and affect neighborly relations; sixth, avoid planting flower and tree species that may cause human allergies or contain toxic substances; seventh, choose large-specification plants that grow relatively slowly but are basically formed, so as to achieve greening and beautification effects early, such as ginkgo, Japanese fir, sweet osmanthus, Japanese apricot, and Buddhist pine, whose height should not be less than 2 m; eighth, leave some open space for planting herbaceous flowers and placing potted ornamental plants.

There are many kinds of herbaceous flowers and groundcover plants suitable for ground planting. Sun-loving and light-loving ones include China pink, snapdragon, ornamental kale, pansy, scarlet sage, cockscomb, globe amaranth, Gomphrena globosa, marigold, hollyhock, garden balsam, lupine, daisy, pot marigold, corn poppy, autumn zephyr lily, and dahlia, etc. Relatively shade-tolerant herbaceous flowers and groundcover plants include: dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf dwarf lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, hosta, purple hosta, red spider lily, Rohdea japonica, purple-backed Rohdea japonica, Aspidistra, iris, calamus, and saxifrage, etc.

    2. Potted flower species

There are many flower species suitable for potting in home courtyards. Under relatively good conditions, you can choose to plant some flower species that require relatively meticulous management, such as Japanese apricot, Aglaia odorata, camellia, poinsettia, wintersweet, Belgian azalea, Norfolk Island pine, Brazil ironwood, money tree, king coconut, white orchid, pearl orchid, jasmine, Ardisia crenata, bromeliads, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix wood), Fagraea ceilanica (commonly known as African jasmine), Cinnamomum species (commonly known as peace tree), calla lily, primrose, Cymbidium hybridum, 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, fishtail palm, areca palm, and bottle palm, etc. For courtyards with relatively poor conditions, you can grow some types that require relatively extensive management, such as heavenly bamboo, sago palm, bamboo palm, chrysanthemum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, amaryllis, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Chinese pea tree, Chinese serissa, flowering quince, four-season osmanthus, cacti, asparagus fern, rubber tree, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Schefflera, Pilea cadierei, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, bougainvillea, Euphorbia, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, and banyan, etc.

(2) Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: crape myrtle, redbud, wintersweet, summer wintersweet, red maple, and Chinese tulip tree. The latter five species all need their seeds soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, and sown after the seeds have absorbed enough water. Flower and tree species that can be sown and raised after sand stratification to promote germination include: sago palm, ginkgo, Japanese podocarpus, Buddhist pine, Chinese fan palm, purple magnolia, banana shrub species, sweet osmanthus, horse chestnut, heavenly bamboo, holly species, pomegranate, and Chinese snowball viburnum, etc. 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 flower, bird of paradise, clivia, and asparagus fern, etc. Some cold-intolerant species should be sown inside a plastic tunnel.

    2. Cuttings. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cuttings in March include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, portulacaria, jewel leaf plant, Echeveria, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, flowering quince, silver bud willow, Hypericum, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, fig, Japanese fatsia, gardenia, Forsythia, winter jasmine, Chinese weeping cypress, Daphne, and firethorn, etc. Cuttings of cold-sensitive flowers should be taken in a shed or indoors.

    3. Grafting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old Japanese black pine seedlings as rootstock, side-grafting to propagate five-needle pine, Osaka pine, and Nishiki pine, etc.; using 1- to 2-year-old white magnolia and purple magnolia seedlings as rootstock, cut-grafting to propagate banana shrub and Magnolia soulangeana, etc.; using 1-year-old peach and apricot seedlings as rootstock, cut-grafting to propagate Japanese apricot, longevity peach, ornamental peach, and red-leaf peach, etc.; using finger-thick seedling wintersweet as rootstock, and when its leaf buds grow to the size of wheat grains, selecting scions from superior wintersweet cultivars for cut-grafting and bagging for moisture retention, which gives a relatively high survival rate; using triangular cactus as rootstock, grafting to propagate Christmas cactus and various cactus ball types, preferably carried out in a greenhouse. In addition, camellia, cherry blossom, sweet osmanthus, and red maple, etc., can also be propagated by grafting in March.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: camellia, sasanqua, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, red maple, Buddhist pine, Chinese weeping cypress, upright cypress, banana shrub, flowering quince, snowball, gardenia, sweet osmanthus, and purple magnolia, etc.

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

(3) Management of courtyard flowers

    1. Management of ground-planted courtyard flowers and trees

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

(2) Fertilizing. For ground-planted flowers and trees that were not given buried fertilizer in winter, before they sprout, dig a ring-shaped ditch around the outer root zone, about 15 to 20 cm deep, and apply thoroughly composted cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, and chicken or pigeon droppings, etc., 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 Japanese apricot, wintersweet, Forsythia, and winter jasmine after flowering, in addition to necessarily pruning off dead branches, pest-infested branches, and excessively vigorous flowering branches, for one-year-old branches, they can be cut off 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, which is beneficial for flowering the following year. For camellia, sasanqua, etc., after flowering, prune off branches that damage the plant shape, and at the same time prune off some weak branches and crossing branches in the inner canopy. For pomegranate, rose of Sharon, sweet osmanthus, etc., which 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 transmission.

(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 in the current year; for some flowers and trees prone to pests and diseases, such as Chinese rose, Chinese quince, flowering quince, grape, and hall crabapple, spraying Bordeaux mixture promptly after leaf unfolding can prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew and rust, etc.

    2. Management of ground-planted courtyard herbaceous flowers

Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted and established in March include: China pink, snapdragon, pot marigold, daisy, hollyhock, mallow, silver-edge dwarf lilyturf, autumn zephyr lily, Zephyranthes candida, iris, Reineckea carnea, Ophiopogon japonicus, dwarf lilyturf, and red-flowered wood sorrel, etc. For herbaceous flowers transplanted before February, or transplanted before the New Year, if the plants have resumed growth, such as ornamental kale and pansy, etc., first hoe weeds and loosen the soil, then apply a 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, Japanese apricot, hall crabapple, flowering quince, firethorn, five-needle pine, heavenly bamboo, Chinese elm, trident maple, oak, and Chinese ash, etc., placed in the open, repotting can be done before they sprout and unfold leaves, replacing the soil with fresh, loose, fertile potting soil rich in organic matter, to lay a good foundation for spring and summer growth. For white orchid, Aglaia odorata, pearl orchid, Chinese rose, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, bird of paradise, sago palm, poinsettia, sasanqua, camellia, Belgian azalea, Ardisia crenata, bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, clivia, Xanthosoma, Syngonium, and Calathea, etc., placed indoors, repotting should be done before they are moved out.

(2) Hardening. In areas north of the Yangtze River basin, most potted flowers are still under indoor care in March, and equal attention must be paid to both cold protection and ventilation. Because the weather this month is unstable and cold waves occasionally move southward, in early and mid-March it is still necessary to continue good heat preservation and cold protection work. 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 white orchid, Aglaia odorata, pearl orchid, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, poinsettia, Monstera deliciosa, Xanthosoma, rubber tree, and Norfolk Island pine, etc., can gradually receive hardening and adapt to the outdoor environment, avoiding premature sprouting that affects the year's growth and normal flowering. For potted flowers north of the Yellow River, this month still requires continued heat preservation and cold protection work, and must not be taken lightly.

(3) Pruning. For indoor Chinese hibiscus, fuchsia, clerodendrum, jasmine, pearl orchid, white orchid, sago palm, rubber tree, fishtail palm, areca palm, croton, asparagus fern, and begonia species, in conjunction with repotting, carry out necessary pruning, including cutting off pest-infested branches, dead branches, misshapen branches, weak branches, and some yellowed leaves, etc. For trident maple, Buddhist pine, true juniper, Huangshan pine, Japanese black pine, Chinese elm, Chinese ash, oak, and red nanmu, etc., mainly appreciated for their tree stumps, wiring and pruning can also be done in March before sprouting, to further improve their shapes. For Japanese apricot, wintersweet, Chinese rose, ornamental peach, winter jasmine, and Forsythia, etc., strong renewal pruning can be done after flowering and before sprouting.

(4) Flower species suitable for balcony planting

It is impossible for every urban household to have a small courtyard, nor for all to live on the first floor with a relatively good small environment for growing flowers. More often, people grow some strongly 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 balcony planting include one category of relatively drought-tolerant plant species. Their surface or cuticle is thickened, or covered with wax, or the plant body is fleshy and thick and contains more sap, or the leaves are relatively small and transformed into needle-like shapes with very little transpiration water consumption, or they originated in arid desert regions and can withstand wind and heat, thus being very drought-tolerant, such as sago palm, cacti (bunny ears cactus, blue myrtle cactus, jade plant, golden barrel cactus, large columnar cactus, Astrophytum, rat-tail cactus, and coral tree), portulacaria, jade tree, jewel leaf plant, Echeveria, living stones, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, leaf cactus, and kalanchoe, etc. There are also wintersweet, winter jasmine, red spider lily, Spathiphyllum, Guangdong evergreen, and spider plant, etc. These flowers generally will not die if not watered for 2 to 3 weeks in spring, and are relatively suitable for balcony planting. There is also another category of 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 potting (especially high-floor balconies), such as pomegranate, Chinese rose, banyan, Clivia, small-leaf privet, Agave, amaryllis, Sageretia, oak, Chinese elm, trident maple, water willow, Japanese black pine, Chinese savin, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, Chinese holly, holly, Vitex negundo, Euonymus, longevity peach, and moss rose, etc. In addition, jasmine, pearl orchid, five-needle pine, Aglaia odorata, Aspidistra, Buddha's hand, bitter orange, lemon, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, camellia, Schefflera, and Norfolk Island pine, etc., can also be used as balcony potted plants on slightly lower floors, but water and shading management should be strengthened.

(1) Propagation of balcony potted flowers

Herbaceous flowers suitable for balcony potting, such as scarlet sage, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, marigold, garden balsam, and petunia, etc., can be sown and raised in shallow pots at this time.

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

Succulent plants such as epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, jade tree, jewel leaf plant, Echeveria, portulacaria, coral tree, and Crassula, etc., can be cut indoors at this time in plain sand or clean sandy loam, and moved to the balcony after spring returns and the weather warms.

Use a large flower pot filled with loose sandy loam, or vermiculite, perlite, etc. as the cutting medium, and propagate by cuttings indoors near a windowsill with relatively good light, such as gardenia, fuchsia, Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, Buddhist pine, dwarf pomegranate, flowering quince, heavenly bamboo, Daphne, and Ardisia crenata, etc., but the pot mouth should be covered well with plastic film to retain moisture.

On the balcony, when grafting five-needle pine, Nishiki pine, Japanese apricot, longevity peach, red maple, and wintersweet, etc., bagging for moisture retention is necessary, otherwise survival is not easy.

(2) Management of balcony potted flowers

    1. Cold protection. Most ornamental plant species suitable for balcony potting 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 strongly resistant 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 in the current year, but in serious cases can cause plant death. Measures can be taken such as building a temporary shed on site for protection or moving them indoors or into a shed for cold protection.

    2. Pruning. For tree stumps such as wintersweet, Chinese holly, holly, Japanese black pine, five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, trident maple, Chinese elm, Sageretia, water willow, and small-leaf privet, pruning and shaping can be carried out. Trunks and branches that need shaping can be wired and shaped in March. For plants that have not been repotted for 2 to 3 years, soil replacement can be done. For bonsai placed on the balcony, keep the pot soil moist as the standard, water once every 3 to 5 days, and give appropriate misting. For Japanese apricot, winter jasmine, Forsythia, wintersweet, longevity peach, and camellia, etc., necessary shaping and pruning can be done after flowering to promote the maintenance of a good plant shape. Carry out a comprehensive cleanup of the plants, cut off pest- or disease-infected branches and leaves, and destroy them. For dried and cracked cut surfaces on tree stumps, apply lime sulfur mixture, etc. for anti-decay treatment.

    3. Preparatory facilities. If conditions permit, a small water pool can also be built on the balcony, with a hard board (precast reinforced concrete) supported above. Use the humidity produced by evaporation from the water pool; in summer, place some flowers that relatively prefer humid air on it, such as orchid species, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, Xanthosoma, Ardisia crenata, and heavenly bamboo, etc. The stored water can ideally be used for watering flowers.

    In March, before potted flowers are moved out, you can also first set up stepped racks on the balcony for placing potted flowers, and choose the support points for hanging shade nets in summer, so that once potted flowers are moved out and encounter overly strong sunlight, shade measures can quickly be put in place.

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

Flower Planting Manual (April Chapter)

Weather characteristics in April: As the force of cold air moving south from the north weakens, warm and humid air currents in the south become stronger and stronger, and temperatures rise markedly. After Qingming, although there are occasional influences of cold air moving south, they can no longer pose a threat to potted flowers in most areas south of the Huai River; only in areas north of the Huai River and Yellow River is there still the danger of snow and frost. By Guyu, the late frost period has ended in areas south of the Jianghuai region, the minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and rainfall increases markedly. Most potted flowers can be moved outdoors for care; while in the Huaibei region, potted flowers can only be moved out after the late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, flower care includes the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include spider flower, four-o'clock flower, cockscomb, amaranth, moss rose, small dahlia, globe amaranth, scarlet sage, garden balsam, morning glory, Ipomoea quamoclit, round-leaf cypress vine, flowering tobacco, petunia, China aster, coreopsis, snake's-eye chrysanthemum, marigold, red-yellow chrysanthemum, zinnia, asparagus fern, four-season primrose, nasturtium, bassia, maple mallow, painted spurge, basil, asparagus, cosmos, Adenophora, and sensitive plant, etc. Magnoliaceae flower and tree species that can be sown in April after sand storage include: white magnolia, Huangshan magnolia, Baohua magnolia, southern magnolia, Tianmu magnolia, Wudang magnolia, Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia officinalis biloba, Oyama magnolia, mountain magnolia, Manglietia, red-flowered Manglietia, Ruyuan Manglietia, big-fruited Manglietia, Michelia champaca, banana shrub, many-flowered Michelia, Lechang Michelia, Yunshan Michelia, golden-leaf Michelia, Emei Michelia, Chinese tulip tree, hybrid Chinese tulip tree, and North American Chinese tulip tree, etc.; other landscaping flowers and trees that can be sown in April include: Japanese fir, golden larch, Norfolk Island pine, golden larch, crape myrtle, redbud, silk tree, yew, Japanese pittosporum, Chinese tallow, Huangshan goldenrain tree, soapberry, sweetgum, maple species, Ormosia, wintersweet, summer wintersweet, white Exochorda, Chinese wolfberry, heavenly bamboo, Ardisia crenata, and windmill palm, etc.

Ornamental plants that can be sown as collected in April include: Gerbera, asparagus fern, primrose, winter cherry, Japanese fatsia, and naranjilla, etc. Among them, Japanese fatsia fruits that have turned black, whitish, and soft can be picked at the end of April, rubbed and washed to extract the seeds, and then sown on fertile seedling beds. Alternatively, the seeds can first be sand-stored until they crack and show white, then sown, covered with grass to retain moisture. Generally after about two weeks, when about 70% of the seeds have emerged, promptly remove the covering grass and build a shade shed; for cultivating naranjilla, peel off the skin of the harvested golden-yellow fruits, wash out the seeds, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, and sow them 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 appreciation or planted in the ground as special cut flower material for cultivation.

   2. Grafting

Flower and tree species that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, dragon-claw pagoda tree, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-flowered bristly locust, as well as cactus ball and Christmas cactus, etc.

    3. Division

Indoor foliage plants that can be propagated by division in April include: Spathiphyllum, snake plant, Aspidistra, ferns, bamboo palm, spider plant, Agave, silver-king Rohdea, Rohdea japonica, Guangdong evergreen, Calathea species, aloe, Peperomia species, Monstera deliciosa, and Philodendron bipinnatifidum, etc. Flower species that can be propagated by division include: Cymbidium goeringii, five-color plum, calla lily, fuchsia, clivia, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium faberi, Paphiopedilum, Cymbidium sinense, and spring orchid, etc.; flower species that can be propagated by division include: large-flowered iris, flower iris, canna, lotus, water lily, spider lily, amaryllis, oxalis, sago palm, five-color plum, taro, taro, canna, and red chrysanthemum, etc. In addition, water lily and lotus 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, they can be propagated by cuttings in April. The main species include: boxwood species, leatherleaf mahonia species, heavenly bamboo, cypress species, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, crape myrtle, redbud, firethorn, spiraea, Chinese tulip tree, bridal wreath spirea, edgeworthia, and flowering quince, etc.

II. Repotting and transplanting

    1. For potted flowers that could not be repotted in March, as long as the new shoots are not too long, or if when repotting not too much old soil is removed and the root system is not severely cut back, they can be repotted in April. But it should be pointed out: for deciduous flowers and trees, if the new shoots are too long, especially Japanese apricot, they must absolutely not be repotted after leaf unfolding.

    2. April is the best period for transplanting open-ground flowers and trees. Whether deciduous or evergreen flowers and trees, as long as their leaf buds have not yet unfolded or the new shoots are not long, they can be transplanted with a soil ball in April; for evergreen flowers and trees, such as camphor tree, southern magnolia, banana shrub species, and white orchid species, part of the branches and leaves must be pruned off to reduce transpiration from the canopy; for deciduous flowers and trees, it is best to transplant before leaf unfolding, such as white magnolia, horse chestnut, linden, crabapple species, wintersweet, red-leaf plum, ornamental peach, Japanese apricot, and apricot, etc.; generally, the diameter of the soil ball for transplanting flowers and trees should be no less than 6 times the diameter of the trunk of the transplanted flower or tree. In this way, without damaging the soil ball, transplanting flowers and trees can be done without worry.

III. Bonsai shaping

April is one of the best periods for bonsai shaping. The ornamental plants most suitable for beginners to practice shaping 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 Buddhist pine, Chinese weeping cypress, Chinese serissa, water willow, true juniper, Euonymus, crape myrtle, soft cypress, flower cypress, banyan, boxwood, Chinese elm, winter jasmine, edgeworthia, ginkgo, Japanese black pine, and Chinese juniper, etc. Other species suitable for shaping in April include wild hawthorn, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, ornamental peach, firethorn, red nanmu, Chinese ash, trident maple, oak, fragrant wood, golden bullet tree, hall crabapple, Fujian tea, Chinese quince, Elaeagnus, Chinese holly, golden larch, and tiger thorn, etc.

As bonsai plants begin vigorous growth, promptly use metal wire or non-metal wire to continuously wire, guide, and correct them, so that they can always maintain a relatively good ornamental state. For the care of five-needle pine bonsai, special attention should be paid this month to the following three aspects: First, promptly remove buds. When winter buds move 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 fascicle buds and female and male cones can be distinguished on new shoots, promptly remove all female cones borne 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, strictly control watering, watering only when dry, and substituting misting for watering, to ensure that the newly drawn needles are short and clustered, keeping the branch pads flat and good.

IV. Fertilization management

    1. Fertilizing

For potted camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, rhododendron, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Daphne, kumquat, bitter orange, winter cherry, Christmas cactus, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium hybridum, Cymbidium sinense, and Phaius, etc., because flowering or fruiting consumed a large amount of nutrients, when growth resumes after spring warms, apply a top dressing mainly of nitrogen fertilizer, such as thoroughly composted dilute cake fertilizer liquid, to promote growth; for potted flower species about to bloom, such as Chinese rose, redbud, pomegranate, Cymbidium ensifolium, Chinese hibiscus, and white orchid, etc., also apply top dressing, which can be potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc., with concentration controlled at about 0.2%. For ground-planted white magnolia, purple magnolia, banana shrub species, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, and crabapple, etc., after flowering, top dressing should also be applied in time to meet the needs of vegetative growth.

    2. Shaping and maintenance

Money trees can be braided 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 moisture, then braid the trunks in odd numbers of 3, 5, or 7 into a braid. After braiding, press with a heavy object to fix the shape, then choose a suitable pot for planting; money trees have extremely strong vitality. Even if there is not enough time to process them into braids or plant them, spreading them out for 3 to 5 days will not affect their survival and subsequent normal growth.

    3. Adjusting plant shape and preventing diseases

For potted 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-appreciation potted plants

For potted fruit-appreciation flowers and trees that bloom in April, such as Chinese quince, ginkgo, firethorn, aucuba, and hall crabapple, etc., especially dioecious or cross-pollinated species, during the flowering period, pay attention to creating favorable conditions for pollination and fertilization, so that they can set fruit normally, and do not miss the opportunity.

    5. Management of cutting beds

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

Flower Planting Manual Summer

Flower Planting Manual (May Chapter)

Climate characteristics in May: Temperatures continue to rise, and rainfall gradually increases from south to north in China. After each rainfall, temperatures rise markedly. There is often continuous spring rain. After the spring rain ends at Xiaoman, the weather turns muggy, marking that summer will soon begin. Therefore, May, at the turn of spring and summer, is a key period for growing flowers, and it plays an important role in laying the foundation for the summer and autumn growth of potted 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 as collected in May mainly include: four-season primrose, Japanese fatsia, leatherleaf mahonia, and loquat, etc. When sowing and raising seedlings in May, pay attention to the following three points: First, keep the sowing bed moist, neither waterlogged nor too dry and dehydrated; second, cover the sowing bed 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 promptly build a shade shed to avoid scorching the seedlings.

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

When sowing loquat, the covering soil should not be too deep, generally no more than 2 to 3 cm.

    2. Cuttings

Flower species suitable for cutting propagation in May include: scarlet sage (pink, purple, white), globe amaranth (white), marigold, French marigold, dragon's-mouth flower, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, begonia species, sulfur cosmos, Chinese rose, rhododendron, dahlia, fuchsia, coral flower, poinsettia, geranium, bougainvillea, Chinese hibiscus, coral tree, nasturtium, downy jasmine, jasmine, pearl orchid, red mulberry, deutzia, hydrangea, kerria, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, butterfly bush, trumpet creeper, gardenia, epiphyllum, Rhaphidophora, night-blooming cereus, jade tree, jewel leaf plant, Oyama magnolia, Magnolia biondii, flowering quince, umbrella plant, five-color lantana, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, clerodendrum, Guangdong evergreen, Cordyline, pothos, Schefflera, oleander species, firethorn, leatherleaf mahonia, and Buddha-belly bamboo with aerial roots, etc.

    3. Grafting

In May, use potted 1- to 2-year-old purple magnolia seedlings or cuttings to graft and propagate white orchid and banana shrub; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings for bud grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, and coir maple, etc.; use vigorous 2- to 3-year-old rhododendron cuttings to cleft-graft and propagate Western azalea; use wild rose as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior Chinese rose cultivars; use yellow wormwood as rootstock for grafting to propagate superior chrysanthemum cultivars; use 2-year-old seedling wintersweet as rootstock; softwood-graft superior wintersweet cultivars, and potted rootstocks can also be used for grafting. In addition, cactus and triangular cactus can be used as rootstock for grafting to propagate Christmas cactus.

    4. Layering

Flower and tree species that can be propagated by air layering in May include: white orchid, rubber tree, Aglaia odorata, Western azalea, camellia, croton, banana shrub, and red maple, etc.; flower and tree species that can be propagated by ground layering include: Japanese apricot, wintersweet, Chinese rose, gardenia, Buddhist pine, sweet osmanthus, and trumpet creeper, etc.

II. Potting and transplanting

    1. Potting

For potted flowers used for street decoration during National Day, most species must be potted and established 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: scarlet sage (pink, white, purple), globe amaranth (white), cockscomb, zinnia, sulfur cosmos, China aster, bassia, marigold, dragon's-mouth flower, asparagus, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, and begonia, etc.

    2. Transplanting

At the end of April and the beginning of May, white magnolia has the highest survival rate when transplanted after flowering and just before sprouting and leaf unfolding. Some flowers and trees that sprout relatively late and are easy to transplant can also be transplanted with a soil ball and established in early May, such as crape myrtle, rose of Sharon, redbud, pomegranate, and silk tree, 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 and foliar misting, attention must also be paid to the quality of irrigation and spraying water. It is best not to use tap water directly, especially not tap water directly 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%. Potted flower species suitable for acidic water mainly include: camellia, sasanqua, Japanese apricot, rhododendron, red azalea, gardenia, Daphne, clivia, chrysanthemum, crabapple species, and red-flowered camellia, etc.; foliage species include: sago palm, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, bamboo palm, rubber tree, ferns, Buddhist pine, croton, red (green) gem, Philodendron, Philodendron, Syngonium, Calathea, bromeliads, Brazil wood, money tree, and Schefflera, etc.; fruit-appreciation species include: bitter orange, firethorn, kumquat, Buddha's hand, lemon, heavenly bamboo, winter cherry, and Ardisia crenata, etc.

    2. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning. For the renewal pruning of white orchid not long after being moved out, special attention should be paid because its branch pith is loose, and the cut surface easily loses water, dries up, and extends downward. Therefore, consider cutting 8 to 10 cm above the bud eye to be retained, and never cut too close to the bud eye. For potted Chinese rose, after-flowering pruning should moderately lower the height by 10 to 20 cm, so that bud eyes in the middle of the branch can form flower buds.

(2) Bud removal. For bud removal on potted wintersweet plants, also pay attention 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 in the current year, promptly remove the terminal bud 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, bamboo palm, Calathea, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Philodendron, red (green) gem, Philodendron, pink lady leaf, Chinese fan palm, Syngonium, orchids, rhododendron, bird of paradise, camellia, and sasanqua, etc.; for light-loving flowers and trees, full light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, firethorn, jasmine, and white orchid, etc.; bonsai plants, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, trident maple, water willow, oak, Chinese serissa, Japanese black pine, and soft pine, etc., require full light; while Buddhist pine, tiger thorn, red nanmu, Chinese weeping cypress, and five-needle pine, etc., can be appropriately shaded.

    4. Fertilizing

For camellia, rhododendron, sasanqua, Japanese apricot, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, white orchid, gardenia, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Daphne, clivia, orchids, and crabapple, etc.; after flowering, remove the residual flowers and faded stems, and apply a compound fertilizer mainly of nitrogen and supplemented with phosphorus, once every half month. While restoring vegetative growth, this lays a foundation for forming flower buds again; for foliage-appreciation species, such as rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, red (green) gem, Philodendron, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Aspidistra, and ferns, etc., apply a thoroughly composted dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month; for foliage plants with colored spots or patterns, such as golden-edge snake plant, five-color bromeliad, golden-heart Brazil wood, croton, Caladium, white-butterfly Syngonium, and pink lady leaf, etc., apply a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution as a foliar top dressing, which can make the leaf color appear even more beautiful and vivid.

    5. Pest and disease control

For Chinese rose, rose, and rugosa rose, etc., pay attention to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot disease, and promptly spray pesticides to kill leaf-eating pests that appear; for leaf-eating pests that commonly appear on bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, Buddha's hand, lemon, and rue,??? citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, spray pesticides early to kill them.

IV. Bonsai shaping

Ornamental bonsai plant species that can still be shaped in May include: Japanese apricot, small-leaf gardenia, mountain gardenia, Buddhist pine, Chinese serissa, Chinese weeping cypress, water willow, fragrant wood, and ginkgo, etc. It is worth noting that when shaping, you must be careful and cautious, and try not to injure the bark and core of the branches and trunks, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.

Flower Planting Manual (June Chapter)

    Weather characteristics in June: By June, temperatures rise further. The Jianghuai River basin enters the plum rain season. This year, plum rain began on June 12 and ended on July 7. At this time, cold and warm air masses of equal strength meet in this region, causing frequent frontal or cyclonic activity. June is the season with the most rainfall in the year, often with long periods of continuous rainfall. For some flowers that are dormant or semi-dormant in summer and most bonsai, care should be especially careful, to avoid root rot caused by excessive rain, or excessive growth caused by insufficient light, which disrupts shaping or affects 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: primrose, lotus seed, sago palm, loquat, and wintersweet, etc. For wintersweet, when the urn-shaped fruit capsule on the fruiting mother tree turns from green to yellow, then from yellow to brown, and the seeds inside are brown, they can be picked; promptly peel open the fruit capsule, release the seeds, first soak them in cold water for 24 to 36 hours, and after the seeds have absorbed enough water and swollen, bury them in clean moist sand to promote germination. After about 2 weeks, the seeds can crack and show white, at which point open a furrow and sow; the covering soil thickness is generally 2 cm to 3 cm, cover with straw to retain moisture, and after most seeds' cotyledons emerge, remove the covering grass in 2 to 3 stages, and promptly build a shade shed.

    2. Cuttings

    2. Cuttings

In summer, with high temperatures and high humidity, the cambium in the branches of flowers and trees is highly active, making it the best time for propagating flowers and trees by cuttings. There are two main categories of flowers and trees suitable for softwood cuttings in summer. One category consists of species that are difficult to root or root slowly from hardwood cuttings, such as sweet osmanthus, camellia, banana shrub, Chinese holly, wintergreen, lilac, purple magnolia, thicket hawthorn, snowball viburnum, Chinese snowball, coral tree, coralbean, Belgian azalea, Buddha-belly bamboo (with aerial roots), rubber tree, dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, etc.; the other category consists of species that root relatively easily, such as boxwood, Chinese rose, firethorn, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasmine orange, serissa, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, broom, jasmine, chloranthus, dragon-leaf chloranthus, lantana, kerria, bougainvillea, finger citron, lemon, podocarpus, heavenly bamboo, Chinese trumpet creeper, red-back excaecaria, honeysuckle, hibiscus, cordyline, hypericum, golden hypericum, golden willow, dragon-claw willow, banyan, Brazilian ironwood, coral ardisia, paperbush, croton, deutzia, mock orange, crape myrtle, weigela, weigela, snowflake hydrangea, aucuba species, schefflera, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, spiraea, hydrangea, poinsettia, etc. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as five-claw golden dragon (Ipomoea cairica), ivy geranium, nasturtium, chenille plant, qianqiu tea, heliotrope, umbrella plant, geranium, coleus, begonia, pansy, globe amaranth, zinnia, French marigold, African marigold, sulfur cosmos, etc.

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

    3. Grafting

Grafting: use potted seedling wintersweet plants as rootstock to graft superior cultivars of wintersweet; use potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to graft Michelia alba, banana shrub, etc. Bud grafting: use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to propagate superior Chinese rose cultivars by grafting; use one-year-old seedling plants of apricot, peach, plum, etc. as rootstock to propagate longevity peach, ornamental peach, purple-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, dwarf flowering cherry, plum blossom, elm-leaved spirea, etc. by bud grafting; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings as rootstock to propagate red maple, lace-leaf maple, red maple, etc. by grafting. Cleft grafting: use oil tea, red-flowered oil tea or single-petaled seedling camellia as rootstock to cleft-graft camellia and sasanqua; use 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among the hybrid azaleas as rootstock to cleft-graft or side-graft Belgian azalea or Western azalea.

    4. Layering

    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in June include: azalea, honeysuckle, hydrangea, snowball viburnum, Chinese snowball, weigela, oleander, sweet osmanthus, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, lilac, gardenia, red maple, Aglaia odorata, chloranthus, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc.

    5. Division

    Flower species that can be propagated by division in June include: sword fern, calla lily (after flowering), Buddha-belly bamboo, umbrella plant, purple-backed oyster plant, bromeliads, Haworthia, aspidistra, spider plant, acorus, variegated liriope, etc.

II. Seed Collection and Transplanting and Planting Out

    1. Seed collection

    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in June include: dianthus, cornflower, snapdragon, dwarf catchfly, tall catchfly, hollyhock, mallow, primrose, calceolaria, amaryllis (sow immediately after collecting), etc.

    Flower and tree seeds that can be collected in June: after collecting wintersweet seeds, if nursery conditions do not permit, the extracted seeds can also be dry-stored until the following spring before sowing, and this will not affect their germination rate; peach, apricot, etc. should be sown immediately after collection, or their seeds can be sand-stored until they crack and germinate before sowing in the ground; sweet osmanthus seeds collected in June should have the fleshy fruit peel removed, be washed clean, and stored in wet sand to promote post-ripening of the seed embryo, then sown in a selected nursery site when they germinate.

    2. Transplanting, planting out and potting

    In June, a considerable number of herbaceous flowers need to be transplanted, planted out or potted. They are: evening primrose, spider flower, impatiens, Guinea impatiens, primrose, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, red-clothed tobacco, petunia, African marigold, French marigold, zinnia, globe amaranth, scarlet sage, dragon-mouth flower, Kochia, sulfur cosmos, cockscomb, red-green grass, etc.

As summer arrives, some large flowers and trees are no longer transplanted, so as not to affect their survival rate and post-transplant growth. However, for some small flowering shrubs, such as Japanese fatsia, broadleaf mahonia, mahonia, hypericum, gardenia, golden privet, red-leaf barberry, boxwood, under special circumstances, transplanting with a soil ball is also acceptable, just as the old saying goes: "Transplant at any time, but do not let the tree know." However, after transplanting, water spraying and shading management must be strengthened.

III. Flower Management

    1. Watering

    In June, watering potted flowers should pay attention to the following aspects: first, the watering time, preferably at 10 a.m. or 5 p.m., and under normal circumstances watering once a day is sufficient; second, the watering temperature, which should keep the irrigation water and the 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 potted flowers and thereby affect their growth; third, combine watering and spraying. When there are several days without rain, in addition to watering the pots, also spray water on the leaf surfaces and around the potted flowers to increase the humidity of the local space. If there is continuous cloudy weather, decide whether to water and spray according to the dryness and wetness of the pot soil.

Flower species that enter semi-dormancy or dormancy in summer. Semi-dormant ones such as: red wood sorrel, geranium, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonia, etc. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, because their growth activity is very weak and their metabolic level is low, watering should be reduced and the pot soil kept merely moist; deeply dormant species such as: cyclamen, lycoris (species), ranunculus, Dutch peony, etc. Under high temperatures they show withered aboveground stems and leaves and dead underground nutrient fibrous roots, and they overwinter in summer in a dormant state in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For these, watering must be stopped, they should be moved to a cool place, and the pot soil should merely be kept from becoming excessively dry.

[page]    If there is continuous rainfall, after the rain stops, comprehensively inspect the potted flowers. If accumulated water is found in the pots, pour it out as soon as possible, and after the pot soil dries somewhat, loosen the soil again to avoid root rot in the plants; alternatively, before heavy rain arrives, lay the potted flowers down, and after the rain stops, stand the potted flowers upright again.

    2. Fertilization

For vigorously growing species, such as monstera, spider plant, syngonium, arrowroot, sword fern, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, sago palm, aspidistra, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, green queen, rubber tree, anthurium, red-back excaecaria, palm grass, Norfolk Island pine, Brazilian ironwood, podocarpus, money tree, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, chloranthus, plum blossom, camellia, sasanqua, daphne, azalea, fragrant osmanthus, lantana, bleeding heart vine, shrimp plant, bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, pomegranate, crape myrtle, firethorn, etc., a thin diluted thoroughly decomposed cake fertilizer solution can be applied every half month as a top dressing. For species currently in bloom, an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied as a top dressing to meet their needs for growth, flowering and fruiting.

For those flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, fertilization must be stopped; especially for succulent flower species such as jade plant, Christmas cactus, Haworthia, Senecio, squirrel's tail, Lampranthus, stapelia, sedum, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, fertilization must be stopped to avoid rot.

    3. Pruning and bud pinching

(1) Prune vigorously growing species such as Chinese elm, Chinese boxthorn plum, podocarpus, Fujian tea, genuine cypress, emerald cypress, water poplar, Chinese juniper, Chinese holly, wintergreen, trident maple, snow willow, tamarisk, firethorn, etc. Branches that affect the shape should be pruned or shortened early, which can keep the plant clearly layered and well-shaped, and can also encourage it to produce more short branches and more new buds, forming a perfect shape early.

(2) Pinch buds of flowers such as Aglaia odorata, jasmine, chloranthus, Chinese rose, etc. Their faded flowers and spoiled stems should be removed in time, and the branches that have flowered should be appropriately shortened to encourage the lower lateral branches or flower buds to bloom again; for flowers and trees such as Michelia alba, bitter orange, azalea, camellia, wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple, etc., in order to help them form a good plant shape and produce more flower buds, more flowers and better flowers in the current year or the following year, the excessively vigorous branches should be topped and buds pinched to inhibit the growth of the main and lateral shoots and promote the sprouting of lateral buds.

    4. Shading

    In June, for those flowers and trees that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade frame to prevent damage to the plants from direct sun exposure. Such as hosta, purple hosta, asparagus fern, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchids, palm grass, rubber tree, ferns, Philodendron, syngonium, pink lady leaf, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, pothos, peperomia, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, red queen, fan palm, daphne, aspidistra, spider plant, etc. Light-loving flower species must be given sufficient light, such as pomegranate, wisteria, firethorn, crape myrtle, jasmine, serissa, sago palm, Chinese juniper, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Fujian tea, trident maple, Chinese boxthorn plum, Chinese holly, wintergreen, water poplar, oak, black pine, Japanese black pine cultivar, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, mahonia, grape, etc.; for podocarpus, tiger thorn, heavenly bamboo, Buddha-belly bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, five-needle pine, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, etc., appropriate shading can be given.

    5. Pest and disease control

(1) Chinese juniper, emerald cypress, Chinese elm, papaya, firethorn, podocarpus, crabapple, etc. are prone to damage by trunk-boring longhorn beetles, and poisoned sticks should be used promptly to block and control them.

(2) Chinese rose, rose, rugosa rose, etc. are prone to powdery mildew and brown spot disease during the plum rain season, and Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed early for control.

(3) Michelia alba, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc. are prone to aphid damage, 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) Bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, finger citron, etc. have young leaves easily eaten by citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, and contact insecticides, stomach poisons and other pesticides can be sprayed to kill them.

IV. Bonsai Styling

The plant species that can be styled in June are mainly some adaptable, wire-tolerant woody ornamental plants, and must be plants potted and hardened off in early spring or planted in the ground. They are: podocarpus, winter jasmine, Elaeagnus, Huashan pine, emerald cypress, Chinese juniper, Chinese holly, wintergreen, Chinese wolfberry, five-needle pine, hall crabapple, Malus spectabilis, plum blossom, ornamental peach, trident maple, serissa, black pine, small-leaf boxwood, Chinese elm, tamarisk, water poplar, genuine cypress, ginkgo, snow willow, firethorn, etc. Styling in June must be careful, with light and slow wiring, and one must not act too hastily or use excessive force.

    Solar terms in June: June 5 Grain in Ear; June 21 Summer Solstice.

Flower Planting Manual (July Chapter)

Weather characteristics of July: On July 7, the plum rain weather ends in the Jianghuai region. On July 16 the dog days begin, and on August 15 the dog days end. Most parts of the country enter the hottest period of the year. The average July temperature in most parts of China 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. July flower management mainly includes the following:
I. Flower Propagation
    1. Sowing
    Herbaceous flowers that can be sown in July include: cineraria, four-season primrose, ornamental kale, campanula, etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading and increasing ventilation and light transmission.
    In July, mature fruits of plum, hairy peach, mountain peach, elm-leaved spirea, etc. can also be picked. After washing off the fruit flesh, sow them immediately in furrows, or store the washed stone fruits in wet sand until they crack and then sow; wintersweet seeds can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds extracted from the fruit capsule can be dry-stored until the following spring for sowing, and this will not affect their germination rate.
    2. Cuttings
    Herbaceous flower species suitable for propagation by cuttings in July include: Scutellaria, begonia, coleus, Pilea, scarlet sage, African marigold, French marigold, globe amaranth, geranium, Dutch aster, purple loosestrife, umbrella plant, Boston ivy, coral flower, pepperomia, Epipremnum, Polygonum, kalanchoe, pothos, etc.
    Woody flower species suitable for propagation by cuttings in July include: red-back excaecaria, heavenly bamboo, poinsettia, crown of thorns, hypericum, golden hypericum, weigela, hydrangea, weigela, snowflake hydrangea, spiraea, daphne, gardenia, paperbush, Magnolia sieboldii, bougainvillea, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, chloranthus, schefflera, mahonia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, rose of Sharon, firethorn, cordyline, hibiscus, serissa, banana shrub, coral tree, rubber tree, Chinese snowball, Tianmu viburnum, boxwood, fig, purple magnolia, sweet osmanthus, azalea, camellia, sasanqua, dragon-claw willow, golden willow, etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttings.
In addition, in July, some flowers and trees can also be propagated by water cuttings. They are: gardenia, oleander, Chinese rose, jasmine, chloranthus, fig, pomegranate, fuchsia, crape myrtle, rose of Sharon, etc. To propagate flowers and trees by water cuttings, first prepare a thick 1 cm to 2 cm foam plastic board, perforated for use as cutting fixation material; second, keep the water used for cuttings clean, and several pieces of charcoal can be added for preservation.
    3. Grafting
One-year-old mountain peach or hairy peach seedling plants can be used as rootstock to propagate ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, elm-leaved spirea, red-leaf plum, beauty plum, etc. by bud grafting; use cuttings of wild rose, pink cluster rose, and 'Ten Sisters' as rootstock to propagate cultivar Chinese roses, cut-flower Chinese roses and rugosa roses, etc. by bud grafting; use potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to propagate Michelia alba, banana shrub, etc. by *grafting; use potted 2-year-old seedling wintersweet plants as rootstock to propagate superior cultivars of wintersweet by *grafting; 2-year-old wintersweet seedling plants 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 after 7 to 10 days it can be judged whether it has survived; use 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among the hybrid azaleas as rootstock to propagate Belgian azalea or Western azalea by cleft grafting or side grafting; use cherry seedling plants as rootstock to propagate superior cultivars of flowering cherry by bud grafting; use current-year seedling plants of Malus baccata, Hubei crabapple, hall crabapple or crabapple as rootstock, and carry out "T"-shaped bud grafting to propagate superior cultivars of crabapple; use Japanese maple seedling plants as rootstock to propagate red maple, lace-leaf maple and other seedlings by bagged grafting.
    4. Layering
    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in July include: Aglaia odorata (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, Chinese trumpet creeper, Chinese snowball, oleander, weigela, broom, sweet osmanthus, gardenia, purple magnolia, jasmine, chloranthus, climbing Chinese rose, winter jasmine, etc.
    5. Division
    Ornamental plant species that can be divided in July include: hosta, purple hosta, acorus, umbrella plant, aspidistra, purple-backed oyster plant, bromeliads, Haworthia, spider plant, liriope, Reineckea, zephyr lily, sword fern, iris, wandering Jew, etc. II. Seed Collection and Transplanting and Planting Out
    1. Seed collection
    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock, mallow, morning glory, baby's breath, petunia, phlox, foxglove, snake-eye chrysanthemum, sweet pea, daisy, delphinium, pansy, Lampranthus, etc.
    Flower and tree seeds that can be collected in July include: wintersweet, plum, hairy peach, mountain peach, elm-leaved spirea, etc.
    2. Transplanting, planting out and potting
    July is the main period for potting herbaceous flowers displayed during the National Day period. The herbaceous flowers transplanted and potted at this time can be seedling plants or cutting plants, and after 3 months of careful maintenance, they will bloom exactly during the National Day period for holiday decoration. They are mainly: scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, small dahlia, Guinea impatiens, dragon-mouth flower, African marigold, French marigold, Kochia, China aster, sulfur cosmos, cockscomb, etc.
    In July, trees are generally not transplanted, but under some special circumstances, it is also feasible to transplant some flowering shrubs with soil balls, such as mahonia, hypericum, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, aucuba, dragon juniper ball, etc. However, targeted pruning must be carried out, shade frames should be built in time for shading, and the number of water sprayings should be increased. After they basically survive, they can be shifted to normal management. One must not be careless.
III. Flower Management
    1. Watering
For flower species that enter semi-dormancy at high temperatures, such as red wood sorrel, geranium, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonia, sedum, kalanchoe, cacti, Haworthia, Stapelia grandiflora, string of pearls, Senecio, 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 pot soil kept moist, and attention paid to shading and ventilation to create a relatively cool environment for them. If watered too much, it easily causes root rot in the plants and also seriously affects their recovery growth after autumn.
For flower species that enter deep dormancy at high temperatures, such as cyclamen, lycoris, ranunculus, bleeding heart, etc., in July they show withered aboveground stems and leaves and dead underground nutrient fibrous roots, and they overwinter in summer in a dormant state in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For deeply dormant flowers, watering should be stopped, they should be moved to a cool place, and the pot soil should merely be kept not too dry.
For vigorously growing flower species, especially foliage plants, such as sago palm, aspidistra, monstera, rubber tree, Michelia alba, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, chloranthus, Norfolk Island pine, arrowroot, syngonium, red (green) gem, giant taro, green emperor, green queen, pink lady leaf, Brazilian ironwood, 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 appropriate leaf spraying should also be given, combining spraying and watering. Especially in continuous cloudy weather, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and spraying should likewise be given, and one must not be negligent. Once the pot soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilted, first spray water on the leaves, and after the leaves recover and stand upright, then water the roots. One must not pour heavily at the roots, otherwise it is very easy to cause woody flowers to "drop green leaves," or cause the rotting of the plants' nutrient fibrous roots, and even cause plant death.
For potted plum stumps, because 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 of the potted plant slightly curled inward on both sides to control vegetative growth; if the vegetative growth of the branches cannot be controlled, when the second new shoot produces 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, and it is best to water before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., 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. If accumulated water is found in the flower pots, pour it out in time, and after the pot soil is slightly dry, supplement with one loosening of the soil, so as to avoid root rot in the potted plants.
    2. Fertilization
    In July, fertilization management should be strengthened for four major categories of ornamental plants. The first is species with especially long flowering periods, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as white magnolia, Chinese rose, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, etc.; the second is species that bloom profusely in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, sweet osmanthus, cotton rose, etc.; the third is species for viewing flowers and fruits in winter, such as bitter orange, heavenly bamboo, wintersweet, azalea, etc.; the fourth is foliage plants, such as palm grass, monstera, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, rubber tree, etc. As for the types of fertilizer, for the first three categories, in addition to applying necessary nitrogen fertilizer, an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied to meet the plants' comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for their budding, flowering and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea liquid should be the main choice. As for the fertilization method, applying thin liquid fertilizer by watering is preferable.
    Herbaceous flowers that should have fertilization strengthened in July include: scarlet sage (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia, globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan, petunia, golden shrimp plant, shrimp plant, Jian orchid, African marigold, four-o'clock, dragon-mouth flower, etc. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, banana shrub, sweet osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, hibiscus, jasmine, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, night-blooming jasmine, Chinese rose, crabapple, Brunfelsia, bougainvillea, azalea, chloranthus, wintersweet, rose of Sharon, cotton rose, etc. There are relatively many foliage plant species, such as bromeliads, Brazilian ironwood, palm grass, Norfolk Island pine, syngonium, arrowroot, giant taro, red gem, sago palm, rubber tree, monstera, cordyline, etc.
   In July, for ornamental plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state, fertilization must be stopped, especially for those succulent ornamental plants such as sedum, Senecio, Lampranthus, 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 have buds pinched in summer must be species that grow vigorously, have strong sprouting ability and tolerate pruning. Pinching means directly removing the tender terminal bud at the tip with the fingers. Bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, Chinese boxthorn plum, red bark strawberry tree, Euonymus bungeanus, small-leaf boxwood, wintersweet, firethorn, podocarpus, tamarisk, Elaeagnus, water poplar, Vitex, forsythia, hackberry, Fujian tea, banyan, Chinese ash, trident maple, crape myrtle, serissa, orange jasmine, etc. Pruning means using scissors to cut off part of a new shoot to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and form beautiful crown pads or tree shapes. Bonsai plant species suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants that are inconvenient to pinch with fingers, such as juniper, oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, Ilex cornuta, genuine cypress, etc.
For those potted flower species that bloom continuously for a long time, such as Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, jasmine, chloranthus, etc., their faded flowers and spoiled stems should be removed in time, and the branches that have flowered should be shortened as necessary, which can promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and reblooming. For azalea, camellia, sasanqua, crabapple, wintersweet, plum blossom, etc., overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be shortened 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 those ornamental plants that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade frame to avoid damage to the plants from direct sun exposure. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, monstera, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchids, palm grass, rubber tree, red (green) gem, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, pink lady leaf, pothos, pepperomia, aspidistra, wandering Jew, Brazilian ironwood, Epipremnum, bromeliads, arrowroot, Reineckea, etc.
For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, firethorn, jasmine, serissa, sago palm, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Chinese boxthorn plum, trident maple, black pine, water poplar, oak, Japanese black pine, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, etc. For podocarpus, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, banana shrub, tiger thorn, cloud bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, five-needle pine, etc., appropriate shading is necessary.
For small, miniature and shallow-pot bonsai, because the temperature is too high this month 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 pot soil surface and also help protect the plants' nutrient fibrous roots.
    5. Flowers in air-conditioned rooms
For air-conditioned rooms, choose flower species with a relatively high degree of leathery leaves, or with a relatively thick cuticle on the leaf surface, slightly tolerant of dry environments and with strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese fatsia, mahonia, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, golden hibiscus, fan palm, palm grass, Canary Island date palm, bromeliads, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, monstera, schefflera, aspidistra, aucuba, etc., and it is not advisable to choose sword fern, coleus, giant taro, syngonium, etc. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and spraying, and keeping away from air-conditioning outlets to prevent wind from directly blowing on the plants and causing leaf tips to wither and edges to scorch.
    6. Pest and disease control
(1) When orchid new shoots unfold leaves in July, the leaf tip parts are easily infected by 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 overcast rain are even more conducive to the reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the onset period spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800-fold solution or folpet 500-fold solution for control.
(2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like insect frass accumulates on the stumps or main trunks of plum blossom, peach blossom, crabapple, red-leaf plum, flowering cherry, elm-leaved spirea, etc., it is mostly caused by the larvae of the peach red-necked longhorn beetle boring and feeding. Manual extraction and killing, injection of systemic pesticide, insertion of poisoned sticks, and soil burial of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the trunk. Note that when injecting pesticides, avoid dimethoate, omethoate, etc., to prevent phytotoxicity.
(3) In July, promptly control the boxwood leafroller moth that harms small-leaf boxwood, boxwood, pointed-leaf boxwood, and pearl boxwood. When this pest occurs severely, it can completely eat all the leaves. Once discovered, promptly spray trichlorfon, dimethoate or fenvalerate and other pesticides. If long-term use of a certain pesticide has caused resistance, a new type of pesticide can be substituted.
(4) In July, in some areas, citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae will continue to harm the young shoot leaves of bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, citron, rue, etc., and stomach-poison pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them.
(5) For the white wax insect that harms privet, small-leaf privet, water ash, and white ash, late July to late August is its emergence period. The right time should be chosen to spray supo-sha and other pesticides for control, which can prevent the white wax insect from causing harm again the following year.
(6) Japanese wax scale is a major pest harming large-leaf euonymus, 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 the nymphs, and dimethoate and supo-sha and other pesticides can be sprayed promptly for control.
IV. Bonsai Styling
    In July, because the temperature is high, the air humidity is low, and the plants are in a period of vigorous growth, branch injuries are easily infected by pathogens and not easily healed and recovered, so most tree stump species are no longer suitable for wiring and styling. The ones that can still be styled are some adaptable, wire-tolerant plant species, and they are required to be plants potted and hardened off in spring or planted in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, podocarpus, Thujopsis, emerald cypress, serissa, black pine, small-leaf boxwood, water poplar, etc.
    In July, plant styling must be careful and meticulous, with light and slow wiring and gentle force. Do not operate hastily or use too much force, otherwise it is very easy to cause the branches and trunk of the plant to break and endanger its survival.
    Solar terms in July: July 7 Minor Heat; July 23 Major Heat.

Flower Planting Manual Autumn

Flower Planting Manual (August Chapter)

Flowers Suitable for Courtyard Display
    In August, with high temperature, strong light and low humidity, it is the second hottest dry-hot period of the year after July, and the average monthly temperature in most parts of the country is between 24°C and 28°C. Potted ornamental plants suitable for display in courtyards are some light-loving or high-temperature-tolerant species. Among them, woody flowers mainly include: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, Japanese black pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden larch, lacebark pine, Japanese fir, Huashan pine, podocarpus, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Fagraea, cinnamon, Aglaia odorata, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, hibiscus, lantana, ivory red (coral tree), Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, palm grass, money tree, large-leaf umbrella, frangipani, four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, broadleaf mahonia, Japanese fatsia, spotted aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, Fujian tea, banyan, Chinese rose, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: impatiens, large-flowered canna, variegated shell ginger, scarlet sage, dahlia, China aster, bamboo-node begonia, dragon-mouth flower, African marigold, peacock chrysanthemum, phlox, five-color pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, pot marigold, lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, four-o'clock, zinnia, etc. In addition, there are aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, monstera, pothos, silver queen aglaonema, etc.
Propagation of Courtyard Flowers
1. Sowing. In August, woody flowers that can be sown include: peony, elm-leaved spirea, red-flowered oil tea, 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 is harvested after ripening and cracking, the fleshy layer outside the seeds is rubbed and washed off, and it is sand-stored until germination and then sown. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: baby's breath, fan flower, petunia, snapdragon, coneflower, oxalis, yarrow, nasturtium, pyrethrum, etc. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, four-season begonia, four-season primrose, coleus, pot marigold, etc.
2. Cuttings. Using alkaline-leached rice husk ash and wet fine sand mixed at a ratio of 2:1 as the mixed substrate, carrying out moisture-retaining bed cuttings or pot cuttings can propagate the following flower and tree species: firethorn, mahonia, wintersweet, banana shrub, bougainvillea, coral tree, Aglaia odorata, spotted aucuba, Chinese snowball, snowball viburnum, hibiscus, jasmine, chloranthus, rubber tree, galore wood, podocarpus, schefflera, cordyline, hydrangea, purple magnolia, etc. Using yellow subsoil and sandy loam as the substrate, boxwood, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, French holly, golden privet, red-leaf barberry, heavenly bamboo, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, serissa, spiraea, spiraea, gardenia, etc. can be cut. In addition, herbaceous flowers such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, African marigold, sulfur cosmos can also be cut this month.
3. Grafting. In August, the following flowers and trees can be grafted: in northern regions, use fringetree as rootstock and *graft sweet osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstock and bud-graft to propagate Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock and *graft Michelia alba; use current-year seedling plants of hairy peach as rootstock and bud-graft plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered dwarf flowering cherry, elm-leaved spirea, etc.; use cherry seedling plants as rootstock and bud-graft Japanese flowering cherry; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, etc. as rootstock and bud-graft superior cultivars of Chinese rose; use seedling plants of Malus baccata, huahong, Hubei crabapple, etc. as rootstock and bud-graft Malus spectabilis and hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock and crown-replace graft red maple and lace-leaf maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock and cleft-graft variegated weeping fig; use single-petaled camellia as rootstock and cleft-graft superior cultivars of camellia; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock and cleft-graft or *graft superior cultivars of wintersweet. In addition, cleft grafting can also be used to propagate large-flowered wisteria.
4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, Chinese trumpet creeper, banksia rose, climbing Chinese rose, weigela, hydrangea, Chinese snowball, snowball viburnum, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, forsythia, thicket hawthorn, hall crabapple, Malus spectabilis, sweet osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, chloranthus, banana shrub, hibiscus, podocarpus, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), Aglaia odorata (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, small angel, multi-headed green emperor, bromeliads, Solomon's seal, aspidistra, umbrella plant, Adina, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily, purple triangular oxalis, Guangdong evergreen, Dutch aster, fine-leaf acorus, sword fern, silver queen aglaonema, arrowroot, syngonium, Haworthia, etc. In addition, lycoris, calla lily, freesia, etc. can also have their small bulbs divided and planted this month.
Management of Flowers Planted in Courtyard Ground
1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when transplanted with large soil balls and supplemented by heavy pruning, strengthening management such as shading, watering and spraying after transplanting can achieve a relatively high survival rate, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edged thousand-head oriental arborvitae, golden-heart (edge) boxwood, hypericum, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, Chinese rose, azalea, gardenia, podocarpus, banana shrub, dragon juniper ball, Shu juniper ball, boxwood ball, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, aucuba, French holly, etc. In the courtyard, herbaceous flowers can also be transplanted and planted out, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, African marigold, cockscomb, French marigold, dragon-mouth flower, etc., and they can be expected to bloom between September and October.
2. Pruning. In August, for the road hedges in the courtyard such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, photinia, etc., pruning should continue to be given. For ball-shaped plants planted in the ground, such as photinia, dragon juniper, Shu juniper, bayberry, firethorn, pittosporum, Chinese holly, wintergreen, etc., pruning must also be done again. For ground-planted flowers and trees that bloom continuously for a long time, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, hibiscus, bougainvillea, lantana, etc., faded flowers should be removed in time, and the branch tips should be appropriately shortened. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, peacock chrysanthemum, African marigold, etc., topping and pinching should be given.
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 rope, the straw rope 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 accumulation at the roots.
4. Fertilization. In August, for ground-planted red-flowered loropetalum, golden-edged (heart) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf sand cherry, croton, red mulberry, spotted aucuba, variegated shell ginger, etc., in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced three elements of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be applied as a top dressing. For continuously blooming species such as Chinese rose, fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, lantana, etc., as well as species about to bloom such as sweet osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, autumn anemone, etc., an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied promptly. For camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc. that are in flower bud differentiation, a small amount of monopotassium phosphate solution can be sprayed through leaf top dressing.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, for scale insects occurring on cedar, privet, pittosporum, sweet osmanthus, crape myrtle, photinia, camellia, etc., promptly spray 40% supo-sha 1500-fold solution for control. For chrysanthemum tiger and aphids occurring on ground-planted chrysanthemums, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000-fold solution to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawfly and cotton leafworm that eat Chinese rose leaves, promptly spray 10% fenvalerate 1000-fold solution for control.
6. Seed collection. In August, woody flower species whose seeds can be collected include: peony, elm-leaved spirea, red-flowered oil tea, podocarpus, summer wintersweet, etc. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: peony, sun plant, four-o'clock, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer, etc.
Management of Courtyard Potted Flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering should be done between 9 and 10 a.m., and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For those ornamental plant species that prefer acidity, 0.1% ferrous sulfate can be added to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense fine hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron-cross begonia, hairy-leaf begonia, etc., water droplets falling on the leaf surface are not easily evaporated and can easily cause leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting can be done; the flower buds in the leaf cluster of Gerbera (African daisy) and the center of the leaf cluster of clivia also cannot be sprinkled with water, as dirty water flowing into the leaf cluster will cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water less and spray more, and inject water into the leaf tube 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 pot soil to harden. For flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, control watering and spraying, maintaining the pot soil at a slightly moist level, and by spraying water on the small environment around the flower pots, create a relatively cool and moist environment for them.
2. Fertilizing. In August, for foliage plants such as Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Ficus elastica, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Rhapis excelsa, red (green) gem, Araucaria heterophylla, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Phoenix roebelenii, Dypsis lutescens, Caryota mitis, Livistona chinensis, Epipremnum aureum, Dracaena fragrans, Yucca elephantipes, Pachira aquatica, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Cordyline terminalis, Fagraea ceilania (African jasmine), Cinnamomum kotoense (peace tree), Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix tree), Syngonium podophyllum, Aglaonema 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Green Queen', Euphorbia pulcherrima, Pilea cadierei, Schefflera arboricola, Aucuba japonica, Chamaedorea elegans, Codiaeum variegatum, Fatsia japonica and others, a low-concentration liquid fertilizer may be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer or cake fertilizer water. For species with a long flowering period, such as Rosa chinensis, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Lagerstroemia indica, Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Aglaia odorata, Osmanthus fragrans 'Four Seasons', Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixiang', Bougainvillea spectabilis, Lantana camara and others, as well as fruiting ornamentals such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, Citrus limon, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Diospyros armata, Punica granatum (fruiting pomegranate), Nandina domestica, Chaenomeles sinensis and others, in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, such as monopotassium phosphate. For potted herbaceous flowers that bloom in autumn, such as Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Ajania pacifica, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Antirrhinum majus, Callistephus chinensis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, dwarf sunflower and others, a dilute liquid fertilizer may be applied once every half month to ensure lush leaves and abundant flowers after autumn begins. For flowering shrubs in the process of flower bud differentiation, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Osmanthus fragrans, Rhododendron simsii and others, a low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to the foliage. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, never let the fertilizer solution drip onto the leaves, as this may cause leaf rot. To be safe, spray the foliage with water once promptly after fertilizing, to wash off any fertilizer droplets that may have adhered to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in a dormant or semi-dormant state, such as Clivia miniata, Begonia semperflorens, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Daphne odora, Aloe vera, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Portulacaria afra, Schlumbergera truncata, Sedum species, Oxalis triangularis, Cactaceae species, Echinopsis species and others, all forms of fertilizer application must be stopped, otherwise the plants will easily suffer root rot or death.
3. Shading. In August, the heat is still intense, so shade management for courtyard potted flowers remains very important. For those cool-loving ornamental plant species, such as Monstera deliciosa, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Ficus elastica, Dypsis lutescens, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea species, red (green) gem, Rhapis excelsa, Epipremnum aureum, Aglaonema 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Green Queen', Cymbidium species, Pilea cadierei, Peperomia species, Bromeliaceae species, Adina pilulifera, Pilea peperomioides, ferns, Bambusa ventricosa, Bambusa multiplex, Chlorophytum comosum, Reineckea carnea, Chamaedorea elegans, Fittonia species, Gynura aurantiaca, Ludisia discolor, Aglaonema commutatum, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Begonia species, Dracaena sanderiana, Aspidistra elatior, Asparagus setaceus, Hosta ventricosa and others, continue to provide a shade frame, pulling the shade net over at 9 a.m. and removing 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 placed 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 those tree-stump bonsai that grow vigorously, tolerate pruning and sprout easily, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Carmona retusa, Ficus microcarpa, Fraxinus hupehensis, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica and others. For Rosa chinensis, Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Aglaia odorata and others, perform reduction pruning after each flowering. For potted chrysanthemums, do a good job of bud removal and disbudding.?BR>5. Pest and disease control. In August, control pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail butterfly, rose sawfly, and peach red-necked longhorn beetle. Pay attention to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, and leaf blight. Pay attention to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leaf miners, stem borers and others.
Potted plants suitable for display on a balcony
In August, the balcony still has strong light and dry, hot air, and only some potted ornamental plants with very strong resistance or that have been placed on the balcony for a long time can adapt. Such as Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora 'Tempelhof', Pinus parviflora, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, Punica granatum (fruiting pomegranate), Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Juniperus chinensis, Juniperus procumbens, Xylosma racemosum, Fraxinus hupehensis, Carmona retusa, Rosa chinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Agave americana, Lantana camara, Ginkgo biloba, Jasminum sambac, Aglaia odorata, Acer buergerianum, Podocarpus macrophyllus and others. In August, part of the flowers and trees on the balcony can be moved indoors with air conditioning, such as Cymbidium hybridum, Dendrobium nobile, Cattleya hybrida, Cymbidium sinense, Vanda coerulea, Oncidium species, Cycas revoluta, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red (green) gem, Calathea species, Dypsis lutescens, Roystonea regia, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Epipremnum aureum, Rhapis excelsa, Pachira aquatica, Clivia miniata, Fuchsia hybrida, Fittonia species, Pachystachys lutea, Dracaena fragrans, Fatsia japonica and others.
Propagation of balcony flowers
In August, on the balcony, a large-diameter flower pot can be used, covered with plastic film, to keep moisture for cutting propagation of some ornamental plants; the cutting medium can be a mixture of rice-hull ash and fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, or vermiculite alone. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Schefflera arboricola, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Begonia maculata, Gardenia jasminoides, Pachystachys lutea, Cyrtanthus species, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixiang', Chloranthus spicatus, Cordyline fruticosa, Jasminum sambac, Aglaonema modestum, Aglaonema commutatum, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Michelia figo and others; during 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; species include: Rosa chinensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Schefflera arboricola, Aucuba japonica, Ficus carica, Cordyline fruticosa, Plumeria rubra, Pelargonium hortorum, Aglaonema modestum, Fuchsia hybrida and others.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering and spraying of balcony potted flowers must be done carefully and cautiously. First, avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature or air temperature; second, pay attention to the time of watering and spraying, which can be done 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, filled with 10 cm of wet sand, and then some potted flowers that prefer moisture can be placed on the wet sand, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Syngonium podophyllum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Bromeliaceae species, red (green) gem, Chloranthus spicatus and others; normally spraying water instead of watering is very beneficial for them to pass the summer safely. For Cymbidium hybridum, Cymbidium hookerianum, Oncidium species, Cattleya hybrida, Fuchsia hybrida, Dendrobium nobile, Anthurium crystallinum, Alocasia amazonica and others, they can be moved into an air-conditioned room, and spraying water can replace watering, ensuring they can pass the summer normally. For flower species placed on the balcony that are relatively tolerant of high temperatures, such as Rosa chinensis, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Punica granatum, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Buxus sinica, Acer buergerianum, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora 'Tempelhof', Wisteria sinensis, Carmona retusa, Adina rubella, Agave americana, Cycas revoluta and others, water can be given 1 to 2 times a day, and spraying 1 to 2 times.
2. Fertilizing. In August, stop fertilizing balcony potted plants that are in a dormant or semi-dormant state. For vigorously growing foliage plants, a 0.3% urea solution can be sprayed or watered on, or multi-element compound fertilizer granules can be scattered on the pot surface. For flowering and fruiting ornamental shrubs, such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Punica granatum, Lagerstroemia indica, Jasminum sambac, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Pyracantha fortuneana, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita and others, continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Carmona retusa, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica and others, after each pruning, a thin fertilizer may be applied once.
3. Shading. In August, for potted plants placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, especially shallow-pot bonsai such as Pinus parviflora, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Juniperus chinensis, Carmona retusa, Prunus mume, Acer buergerianum and others, soft grass, moss or wet cloth can be spread over the pot surface, which can both retain moisture and lower temperature, and protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface soil from damage. If the balcony is relatively spacious, a shade net can be used 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 Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Serissa japonica, Fraxinus hupehensis, Xylosma racemosum, Adina rubella, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Carmona retusa, Juniperus chinensis, Platycladus orientalis, Ligustrum quihoui, Buxus sinica, Pyracantha fortuneana and others, pinching or pruning is still required this month. For other potted ornamental plants, faded flowers, dead stems, dead branches and yellow leaves should also be cut off promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, red spider mites are most likely to appear on the balcony, and should be promptly sprayed with 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder at 1500 times dilution. 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 with 90% trichlorfon crystal at 1000 times dilution.

Flower Planting Manual (September chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display
In September, temperatures in most parts of China slowly decline, with the monthly average temperature between 20°C and 24°C. This month, there are many species of potted ornamental plants suitable for display in the courtyard. Among the woody ornamental plant species are: Araucaria heterophylla, Pinus parviflora, Pseudolarix amabilis, Sciadopitys verticillata, Pinus bungeana, Abies firma, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Cycas revoluta, Phoenix canariensis, Cycas revoluta, Fagraea ceilania, Cinnamomum species, Osmanthus fragrans, Punica granatum, Ficus elastica, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Hibiscus mutabilis, Yucca elephantipes, Codiaeum variegatum, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Schefflera octophylla, Rhapis excelsa, Plumeria rubra, Mascarena lagenicaulis, Mahonia bealei, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Ginkgo biloba, Lagerstroemia indica, Jasminum sambac, Trachycarpus fortunei, Rosa chinensis, Caryota mitis, Dypsis lutescens, Roystonea regia, Cordyline fruticosa, Phoenix roebelenii, Ficus lyrata, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Cycas revoluta, Picea species, Schefflera arboricola, Garcinia subelliptica (Clusiaceae), Bambusa vulgaris 'Wamin', Grevillea robusta, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Murraya paniculata, Cordyline terminalis, Nandina domestica and others. Herbaceous flowers include: Canna generalis, Salvia splendens, Ajania pacifica, Begonia maculata, Tagetes erecta, Capsicum annuum, Lycoris radiata, Catharanthus roseus, Gomphrena globosa, Dahlia pinnata, Antirrhinum majus and others.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. Woody flower species that can be sown include: Paeonia suffruticosa, Camellia chekiangoleosa, Michelia species, Magnolia species, Manglietia species, Aesculus species, Calycanthus chinensis, Phoenix canariensis and others. Among them, Aesculus seeds can be sown in furrows, with the hilum facing down when sowing, and the covering soil should not be too deep, preferably 2 to 2.5 cm, covered with plastic film or straw to retain moisture; Calycanthus chinensis seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, and seedlings will emerge about 2 weeks after sowing. Among the above seeds, except for Calycanthus chinensis, which can be dry-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: Alcea rosea, Dianthus chinensis, Silene armeria, Silene pendula, Viola tricolor, Antirrhinum majus, Petunia hybrida, Eschscholzia californica, Bellis perennis, Papaver rhoeas, Calendula officinalis, Rudbeckia hirta, Iris tectorum, Verbena hybrida and others. In addition, greenhouse flowers such as Cyclamen persicum, Primula malacoides, Tropaeolum majus, Pericallis hybrida, Begonia semperflorens, Gerbera jamesonii, Calceolaria herbeohybrida can also be sown at this time, but must overwinter in a plastic shed.
2. Cuttings. Using half sand and half rice-hull ash as the cutting medium, woody flower species that can be propagated by moisture-retaining cuttings in the courtyard include: Pyracantha fortuneana, Mahonia fortunei, Michelia figo, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Weigela florida, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Fuchsia hybrida, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum plicatum, Weigela florida, Brunfelsia acuminata, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Odontonema strictum, Cyrtanthus species, Ficus elastica, Schefflera arboricola, Cordyline fruticosa and others. Using ordinary sandy soil as the seedbed, woody flowers that can be propagated by cuttings include: Buxus species, Magnolia denudata, Hypericum monogynum, Spiraea species, Punica granatum, Hibiscus syriacus, Lagerstroemia indica, Spiraea thunbergii, Hydrangea macrophylla, Viburnum tinus, Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Nandina domestica, Ficus carica, Nerium oleander, Serissa japonica, Gardenia jasminoides, Fatsia japonica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Paeonia suffruticosa and others. Some herbaceous flowers can also be propagated by cuttings, such as Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Cosmos sulphureus, Chrysanthemum morifolium and others.
3. Grafting. The following flower and tree grafting propagation can be carried out: using peony root sections as rootstock, graft excellent varieties of Paeonia suffruticosa; using seedlings of Prunus persica, Prunus armeniaca and others as rootstock, bud-graft to propagate Prunus triloba, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Shoutao', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea', Prunus mume and others; using Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstock, bag and keep moist for cleft grafting of Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' and others; using Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft excellent varieties of Magnolia denudata and Magnolia soulangeana; using potted Magnolia liliiflora as rootstock, * graft Michelia alba; using citrus seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft Fortunella margarita and others; using Chionanthus retusus as rootstock, * graft Osmanthus fragrans; using potted seedling Chimonanthus praecox as rootstock, * graft excellent varieties of Chimonanthus praecox.
4. Layering. Ornamental flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Weigela florida, Hydrangea macrophylla, Gardenia jasminoides, Nerium oleander, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Osmanthus fragrans, Magnolia liliiflora, Jasminum sambac, Michelia figo, Camellia japonica, Chloranthus spicatus, Viburnum tinus, Viburnum plicatum, Viburnum macrocephalum, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea species and others.
5. Division. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Paeonia lactiflora, Paeonia suffruticosa, Aglaonema modestum, Oxalis triangularis, Rudbeckia laciniata, Sansevieria trifasciata, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Aglaonema 'Green Emperor' (multi-head), Aglaonema commutatum, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nandina domestica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Magnolia liliiflora, Liriope platyphylla, Aspidistra elatior, Ophiopogon japonicus and others. In addition, Hyacinthus orientalis, Tulipa gesneriana, Freesia refracta, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Lycoris radiata, Scilla peruviana and others can also have their offsets 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 is a special need, flower and tree transplanting is generally not carried out in the courtyard. If for the arrangement of a newly built courtyard or the renovation of an old courtyard, transplanting can also be carried out provided a good soil ball is kept. Species such as: Nerium oleander, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Michelia figo, Sabina chinensis, Osmanthus fragrans, Camellia japonica, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Buxus species, Hypericum monogynum, Viburnum tinus, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata' and others. Transplanting requires intensive pruning, and strengthened watering, spraying 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: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Antirrhinum majus, Celosia cristata, Catharanthus roseus, Cosmos sulphureus, Dahlia pinnata, Calendula officinalis, Canna generalis (dwarf), Ajania pacifica and others.
2. Pruning. Continue pruning the vigorously growing, strongly sprouting courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants; this is also the last pruning of the year for ball-shaped plants in the growing season in northern regions. The main courtyard hedge and color-block tree species suitable for pruning are: Buxus species, Viburnum tinus, Photinia davidsoniae, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea' and others. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning are: Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Sabina chinensis, Buxus sinica, Myrica rubra, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Photinia serratifolia, Pittosporum tobira, Pyracantha fortuneana, Forsythia viridissima and others. Ground-planted herbaceous flowers that can be pinched and topped include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Cosmos sulphureus, Kochia scoparia, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula and others. It is advisable to pinch once every 10 days, to promote a full plant shape and produce more inflorescences on side shoots; stop pinching after late September. For ground-planted woody flowers that continue flowering for a long time, such as variety roses, floribunda roses, miniature roses, climbing roses, Lagerstroemia indica, Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Lantana camara, Bougainvillea spectabilis and others, promptly cut off faded flowers and dead stems, and moderately reduce-prune the branches that have flowered, which can effectively promote them to bloom again.
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 to do a good job of watering and spraying management is one of the key measures to consolidate their survival results. First, water the roots, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged; second, spray water on the straw ropes wrapped around the trunks, creating a locally moist protective layer for the trunk; third, spray water on the crown, reducing leaf transpiration and increasing the humidity of the local space. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of spraying to retain moisture.
4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted colorful foliage plants, such as Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata', Codiaeum variegatum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Acalypha wilkesiana, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea' and others, to keep the leaf color always fresh and bright, appropriately apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For ground-planted flowers and trees that continue flowering or are for autumn flower and fruit viewing, such as Lagerstroemia indica, Rosa chinensis, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixiang', Citrus microcarpa, Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Bougainvillea spectabilis, Hibiscus mutabilis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata, Lantana camara, Nandina domestica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Ardisia crenata, Fortunella margarita and others, as well as large numbers of ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers, it is advisable to apply quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For those currently flowering, such as Fortunella margarita, Osmanthus fragrans 'Yin Gui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Dan Gui' and others, fertilizing can be stopped during the flowering period.
5. Pest and disease control. For the green slug moth harming flowers and trees such as Lagerstroemia indica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Malus spectabilis and others, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal at 800 times dilution for control; for the star longhorn beetle harming Lagerstroemia indica, Chaenomeles sinensis, Malus spectabilis and others, insert poison sticks at the insect holes for control; for powdery mildew appearing on Rosa chinensis and chrysanthemum plants, apply 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution in the early stage of the disease for control.
6. Seed collection. The woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected are mainly flower and tree species of the Magnoliaceae. Such as Magnolia sieboldii, Michelia figo, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia denudata, Michelia chapensis, Michelia chapensis, Michelia floribunda, Michelia maudiae, Magnolia grandiflora and others. In addition, there are Aesculus species, Lagerstroemia indica, Syringa species, Malus species, Cercis chinensis, Exochorda racemosa, Taxus chinensis, Chimonanthus nitens and others. For Magnoliaceae as well as Taxus chinensis, Aesculus species, Malus species and others, after seed treatment they must be stored in wet sand until early the following spring, and sown after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected include: Tagetes erecta, Zinnia elegans, Impatiens balsamina, Mirabilis jalapa, Celosia cristata, Catharanthus roseus, Helichrysum bracteatum, Callistephus chinensis and others; after collection, thresh promptly and dry-store until the following spring before sowing.
Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Watering. In September, light is relatively strong, temperatures are relatively high, and the air is quite dry, so potted flower watering management cannot be neglected. For watering frequency, for generally moisture-loving foliage plants, in the first half of the month water or spray once in the morning and once in the afternoon, and in the second half of the month change to watering once, with appropriate foliage spraying. For most potted flowers and bonsai, water once a day, supplemented by foliage spraying. Watering time is before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. For ornamental plant species that like an acidic environment, a small amount of 0.1% light green ferrous sulfate powder can be added to the irrigation water. For flower species that resume growth after autumn following summer dormancy or semi-dormancy, gradually increase the amount and frequency of watering (or spraying). While watering potted plants, loosen the soil once every half month.
2. Fertilizing. September is precisely the period of vigorous growth for most flowers; some flower species that were dormant or semi-dormant in summer also begin to resume growth as temperatures gradually cool, so this month great attention should be paid to fertilizing management. For foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, Ficus elastica, Pachira aquatica, Dracaena fragrans, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Rhapis excelsa, Fagraea ceilania, Cinnamomum species, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix tree), Araucaria heterophylla, Caryota mitis, Epipremnum aureum, red (green) gem, Aglaonema 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, Ficus lyrata and others, still mainly use low-concentration dilute fertilizer liquid, such as 0.3% urea solution. For flower and tree species with a very long flowering period or whose peak flowering period is autumn, such as Rosa chinensis, Lantana camara, Lantana camara, Punica granatum, Lagerstroemia indica, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Osmanthus fragrans 'Four Seasons', Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixiang', Osmanthus fragrans and others; fruiting ornamentals such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Diospyros armata, Callicarpa bodinieri, Punica granatum (fruiting pomegranate) and others; colorful-leaf plants such as Codiaeum variegatum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Bromeliaceae species, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Dracaena fragrans 'Golden Coast', Cordyline fruticosa, Coleus scutellarioides and others, apply fertilizer types balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For Fuchsia hybrida, Pelargonium hortorum, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Begonia semperflorens, Daphne odora, Schlumbergera truncata, Sedum species, Portulacaria afra (jade leaf), Oxalis triangularis, Clivia miniata, Epiphyllum hybridum and others that are resuming growth, resume watering with low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and entered the flower bud enlargement stage, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Michelia figo, Rhododendron simsii and others, apply low-concentration fertilizer types with balanced nutrition; for potted herbaceous flowers, such as Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Callistephus chinensis, Dahlia pinnata, dwarf sunflower and others, apply a thin fertilizer once every 10 days, to meet their need for budding and flowering next month.
3. Shading. In September, temperatures are relatively high and sunlight is still intense, so shade management for courtyard potted flowers still cannot be relaxed. For those shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Monstera deliciosa, Ficus elastica, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis', Asplenium nidus, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum, Rhapis excelsa, Aglaonema 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Cymbidium species, Pilea cadierei, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Aspidistra elatior, Begonia species, Epipremnum pinnatum, Philodendron 'Little Angel', red (green) gem, Anthurium crystallinum, Alocasia amazonica, Fittonia species, Justicia brandegeeana, Asparagus setaceus, Schefflera arboricola, Pteris multifida 'Variegata', Peperomia argyreia, Dieffenbachia picta, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Anthurium andraeanum, Platycerium bifurcatum, Pilea peperomioides, Adina pilulifera, Aglaonema 'Emperor', Dracaena sanderiana and others, through shading, give 5 to 6 hours of light per day; for light-loving species, such as Acer buergerianum, Ulmus parvifolia, Carmona retusa, Ginkgo biloba, Adina rubella, Pinus thunbergii, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Juniperus chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Araucaria heterophylla, Wisteria sinensis, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Pyracantha fortuneana, Rosa chinensis, Xylosma racemosum, Fraxinus hupehensis and others, full sunlight can be given; for semi-shade-loving species, such as Podocarpus macrophyllus, Pinus parviflora, Damnacanthus indicus, Syzygium buxifolium, Loropetalum chinense, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Nandina domestica, Crassula ovata, Rhododendron species, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Fortunella margarita and others, appropriate shading can be given around noon. For newly transplanted and potted autumn herbaceous flowers, appropriate shading should also be given, to prevent the plants from wilting and affecting their recovery growth.
4. Pruning. For potted chrysanthemums, continue to do a good job of bud removal and disbudding; for Rosa chinensis, Punica granatum (ornamental pomegranate), Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Lantana camara, Pachystachys lutea, Cyrtanthus species and others, prune after each flowering; for those tree-stump bonsai species that tolerate pruning, sprout easily and grow vigorously, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Carmona retusa, Ficus microcarpa, Syzygium buxifolium, Ligustrum quihoui, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Juniperus chinensis 'Jin', Fraxinus hupehensis, Tamarix chinensis and others, continue pruning or bud pinching. In addition, Pachira aquatica seedlings can be braided into a "braid" and potted.
5. Pest and disease control. For the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on potted Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, Prunus persica 'Shoutao', Prunus persica 'Duplex' and others, poison sticks can be inserted to block and kill them, or control can be carried out by burying carbofuran granules. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale and others appearing on potted flowers and trees, use 40% methidathion at 1500 times dilution for control.
Potted plants suitable for display on a balcony
In September, the balcony still has strong light and dry air, and only some potted flowers that have long been placed on the balcony or relatively resistant potted flowers and trees can adapt to the special environment of the balcony. They are: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora 'Tempelhof', Pinus densiflora, Pinus parviflora, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Acer buergerianum, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, fruiting pomegranate, Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Juniperus chinensis, Carmona retusa, Fraxinus hupehensis, Ficus microcarpa, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Rosa chinensis, Agave americana, Ginkgo biloba, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Celtis sinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Hemiptelea davidii, Serissa japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lantana camara and others. For some flower species that like a cool environment, they can continue to be placed in an air-conditioned room, such as Cymbidium hybridum, Oncidium species, Dendrobium nobile, Cattleya hybrida, Vanda coerulea, spider orchid, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Clivia miniata, Fuchsia hybrida, Fittonia species and others; for some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for the 4 to 5 hours around noon, such as Rhapis excelsa, Monstera deliciosa, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Epipremnum aureum, Aspidistra elatior, Dypsis lutescens, Caryota mitis, Roystonea regia, Cordyline terminalis, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera arboricola and others. Propagation of balcony flowers In September, on the balcony, a large-diameter flower pot can continue to be used as a container, filled with a mixed medium of rice-hull ash and wet sand each accounting for 1/2, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and some ornamental plants can be propagated by cuttings, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Cordyline fruticosa, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera arboricola, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixiang', Osmanthus fragrans 'Four Seasons', Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Cyrtanthus species, Pachystachys lutea, Michelia figo, Aglaonema commutatum and others. Indoors, Schefflera arboricola, Rosa chinensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Ficus carica, Aglaonema modestum and others can also be propagated by water cuttings.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. For some moisture-loving ornamental plants, such as Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Chloranthus spicatus, Bromeliaceae species and others, they can be placed on wooden slats resting on a balcony water basin or water vat, or placed in a self-built simple sand bed, and normally spraying water replaces watering. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, also spray more and water less, so as to keep the pot soil loose and moist; especially in air-conditioned rooms, spray water at least 1 to 2 times a day, otherwise even the relatively drought-tolerant Pinus parviflora bonsai, if not watered or sprayed for 5 to 7 days, will dehydrate and die. For relatively resistant potted ornamental plants placed on the balcony, continue to water once a day and spray 1 to 2 times, or use the soaking-pot method, to prevent the phenomenon of the pot soil being wet on top and dry below. Watering time should still avoid the 2 to 3 hours around noon, taking care that the water temperature does not differ too much from the soil temperature or 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, appropriately water with low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for vigorously growing potted stumps, after each pinching and pruning, water with a thin liquid fertilizer once; for potted flowers and trees mainly for flower and fruit viewing, such as Michelia alba, Rosa chinensis, Punica granatum, Lagerstroemia indica, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Pyracantha fortuneana, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita and others, continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for potted flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and whose flower buds are growing, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Osmanthus fragrans, Chrysanthemum morifolium and others, according to the different species, appropriately apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or multi-element compound fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The types of fertilizer applied to flowers and trees on the balcony should not have an unusual odor, especially not a foul odor; when watering it on, 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 nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface layer of the pot soil, continue to cover the pot surface with wet grass, moss, wet cloth and so on; when there are not many potted flowers, move them indoors for the 5 to 6 hours around noon; if there are many potted flowers and conditions permit, continue to set up supports and pull shade nets to block light.
4. Pruning. In September, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Carmona retusa, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Juniperus chinensis, Juniperus procumbens, Ligustrum quihoui, Fraxinus hupehensis and others, pinching or pruning is still required. For other potted flowers and trees, dead branches and yellow leaves, faded flowers and dead stems should also be cut off promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In September, the balcony has high temperatures and dry air, and potted flowers and trees are most prone to red spider mite damage; spray with 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder at 1500 times dilution for control; for the double-striped longhorn beetle appearing on Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Juniperus chinensis and Juniperus rigida bonsai, and the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, Chaenomeles sinensis, Prunus persica 'Shoutao' and other flowers and trees, continue to insert poison sticks or bury carbofuran for control; for various scale insects harming Camellia japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lagerstroemia indica, Chimonanthus praecox and other flowers and trees, when the number is small they can be wiped off manually, and when the number is large, spray 40% methidathion at 1500 times dilution for control.

Flower Planting Manual Winter

Flower Planting Manual (October chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display

    In October, temperatures decline in most parts of the country, with the monthly average temperature between 10°C and 19°C. This month, there are many species of potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display, among which the woody ornamental plant species are: Araucaria heterophylla, Pinus parviflora, Sciadopitys verticillata, Pinus bungeana, Abies firma, Picea species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Cycas revoluta, Phoenix canariensis, Yucca elephantipes, Fagraea ceilania, Cinnamomum kotoense, Osmanthus fragrans, Hibiscus mutabilis, Ficus elastica, Schefflera arboricola, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pseudolarix amabilis, Codiaeum variegatum, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Rhapis excelsa, Beaucarnea recurvata, Mahonia bealei, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Ficus microcarpa (thick-leaf), Caryota mitis, Dypsis lutescens, Roystonea regia, Cordyline fruticosa, Phoenix roebelenii, Ficus lyrata, Adenium obesum, Cycas revoluta, Garcinia subelliptica, Bambusa vulgaris 'Wamin', Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Grevillea robusta, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Cordyline terminalis, Murraya paniculata, Nandina domestica and others. Herbaceous flowers include: Salvia splendens, Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata, Callistephus chinensis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, small chrysanthemum, Begonia maculata, Antirrhinum majus, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Capsicum annuum, Celosia cristata, Calendula officinalis, Catharanthus roseus, Gomphrena globosa, Petunia hybrida, Impatiens hawkeri and others. It should be noted: in North China, Northeast China and other places, when temperatures drop below 10°C, attention should be paid to cold protection for southern flower species planted in the north.

Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Woody flower species that can be sown include: Paeonia suffruticosa, Camellia chekiangoleosa, Michelia species, Magnolia species, Manglietia species, Aesculus species, Calycanthus chinensis, Ardisia crenata, Sapindus mukorossi, Ilex kudingcha, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Viburnum tinus, Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Phoenix roebelenii, Taxus chinensis, Livistona chinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Cinnamomum camphora, Weigela florida, Trachycarpus fortunei, Taxodium distichum and others. Among them, when sowing Aesculus, the hilum should face down; before sowing Calycanthus chinensis, the seeds should first be soaked for 24 to 36 hours. Among the above seeds, except for Calycanthus chinensis and Weigela florida seeds, which can be dry-stored until the following spring for sowing, all the other species can have their seeds cleaned and then stored in wet sand to promote germination until the following spring when the seeds crack and show white, then sown. 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, and the ratio of seeds to sand is about 1:3. During the storage and germination promotion process, the seeds should be checked frequently, to prevent the seeds from drying out or becoming moldy and rotten. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: Alcea rosea, Malva sylvestris, Papaver rhoeas, Calendula officinalis, Antirrhinum majus, Dianthus species, Viola tricolor, Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Belamcanda chinensis, Silene pendula, Silene armeria, Eschscholzia californica, Bellis perennis, Rudbeckia hirta, Iris tectorum, Verbena hybrida and others. Greenhouse flowers such as Tropaeolum majus, Sinningia speciosa, Petunia hybrida, Pericallis hybrida, Primula obconica, Gerbera jamesonii, Calceolaria herbeohybrida can also be sown in plastic greenhouses.

    2. Cuttings. Woody flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Schefflera arboricola, Cestrum nocturnum, Lantana camara, Pyracantha fortuneana, Mahonia fortunei, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Cordyline fruticosa, Michelia figo, Aucuba japonica, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Osmanthus fragrans 'Four Seasons', Gardenia jasminoides, Weigela florida, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea japonica (red flower), Spiraea thunbergii, Hypericum monogynum, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Rosa chinensis, Viburnum macrocephalum, Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, Nerium oleander, Ficus carica, Chaenomeles speciosa and others. The cutting medium can be ordinary sandy loam or yellow subsoil, or a mixture of half sand and half rice-hull ash, using fully closed moisture-retaining cuttings. In addition, for cuttings of some southern flowers and trees, when Frost's Descent arrives, attention should be paid to cold protection work. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Begonia semperflorens, Begonia maculata, Zebrina pendula, Epipremnum aureum, Pilea cadierei, Cyrtanthus species, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Odontonema strictum, Chrysanthemum morifolium (cold) and others. Those that can be propagated by cuttings (this part is missing!!)

    3. Grafting. Using 1- to 2-year-old Pinus thunbergii seedlings as rootstock, bag and keep moist to graft Pinus parviflora (including Pinus parviflora 'Osaka'); using peony roots as rootstock, graft excellent varieties of Paeonia suffruticosa; using one-year-old Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstock, bag and keep moist to graft Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' and others; using one-year-old Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft excellent varieties of Magnolia denudata, Magnolia soulangeana, Magnolia liliflora and others; using Hylocereus trigonus as rootstock, graft various cactus ball types; using one-year-old citrus seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft Fortunella margarita.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by ground layering include: Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Weigela florida, Hydrangea macrophylla, Weigela florida, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans 'August', Viburnum plicatum, Viburnum macrocephalum, Magnolia liliiflora, Gardenia jasminoides, Hypericum monogynum, Viburnum tinus, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Michelia figo, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica (red flower) and others.

    5. Division. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division include: Nandina domestica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia fortunei, Paeonia suffruticosa, Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora', Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea species, Cycas revoluta and others. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: Paeonia lactiflora, Hosta plantaginea, Cymbidium goeringii, Hosta ventricosa, Strelitzia reginae, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Ranunculus asiaticus, Rudbeckia laciniata, Iris tectorum, Belamcanda chinensis, Convallaria majalis, Aglaonema modestum, Aglaonema commutatum, Oxalis triangularis, Aglaonema 'Green Emperor' (multi-head), Nephrolepis cordifolia, Aspidistra elatior and others. Flower species that can be propagated by dividing bulbs include: Zantedeschia aethiopica, Hippeastrum rutilum, Freesia refracta, Lycoris radiata, Tulipa gesneriana, Scilla peruviana and others.

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 the leaves fall, such as Hibiscus syriacus, Cercis chinensis, Prunus triloba, Punica granatum, Syringa species, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Magnolia liliiflora, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Shoutao', floribunda rose, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum' and others. For some evergreen flowering shrubs, such as Mahonia bealei, Nandina domestica, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea', Osmanthus fragrans 'Four Seasons', Gardenia jasminoides, Euonymus japonicus, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri and others, when transplanting, first, reduce-prune before transplanting; second, keep a good soil ball; third, strengthen watering and spraying management after transplanting. Courtyard herbaceous flower species that can be planted out include: Dianthus chinensis, Bellis perennis, Alcea rosea, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Viola tricolor, Calendula officinalis, Verbena hybrida, Phlox drummondii, Antirrhinum majus, Zephyranthes candida, Ophiopogon japonicus, Reineckea carnea and others. Bulbous flower species that can be ground-planted include: Narcissus tazetta, Narcissus poeticus, Tulipa gesneriana, Hyacinthus orientalis and others.

    2. Pruning. Carry out the last pruning of the year for courtyard hedges and ball-shaped plants, requiring precision and thoroughness, with the standard being flat surfaces, straight lines, and round balls. Courtyard color-block and hedge plant species suitable for pruning include: Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea', Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus', Euonymus japonicus, Buxus sinica, Viburnum tinus, Ligustrum lucidum, Photinia davidsoniae, Ligustrum quihoui and others. Ball-shaped plants that need pruning include: Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Buxus sinica, Myrica rubra, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Photinia serratifolia, Pittosporum tobira, Pyracantha fortuneana and others. For ground-planted flowers and trees in the courtyard that bloom continuously, such as Rosa chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Lantana camara, Bougainvillea spectabilis and others, continue to cut off faded flowers and dead stems, and moderately reduce-prune the branches that have flowered. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, such as Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, Gomphrena globosa and others, promptly cut off the open inflorescences, promoting the side shoots to continue producing buds and flowering, thereby extending the viewing period.

    3. Watering. For courtyard flowers and trees newly planted in the same year, continue to do a good job of watering and spraying: first, keep the root soil moist, but there must be no waterlogging; second, continue to spray water on the foliage. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of spraying to retain moisture.

    4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, apply quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; for Osmanthus species that have already flowered, dig ring-shaped trenches and bury basal fertilizer; for Rosa chinensis, Malus spectabilis, Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus mutabilis as well as Camellia japonica, Michelia figo, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox and others that have been pruned, bury an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer; for Nandina domestica and Pyracantha fortuneana in the fruit-viewing state, as well as Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Diospyros armata and others in the south, appropriately water with a small amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can effectively prolong the fruit-viewing period.

    5. Pest and disease control. For wood-boring pests appearing on ground-planted Prunus mume, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus serrulata, Malus spectabilis and others, continue to use poison sticks for control. For fallen dead branches and leaves in the courtyard, promptly sweep them up, gather 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 whose seeds can be collected include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Sapindus mukorossi, Aesculus species, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia denudata, Manglietia species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia yunnanensis, Magnolia chapensis, Michelia champaca, Michelia figo 'Golden Leaf', Michelia maudiae, Manglietia insignis, Michelia cavaleriei var. platypetala, Taxodium distichum, Rhapis excelsa, Ardisia crenata, Phoenix roebelenii, Livistona chinensis, Ilex kudingcha, Viburnum tinus, Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Viburnum macrocephalum, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Taxus chinensis, Camellia oleifera and others; these seeds must all be stored in wet sand. Seed species that can be dry-stored include: Lagerstroemia indica, Liriodendron chinense, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum, Pseudolarix amabilis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Cryptomeria japonica, Sapium sebiferum, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, Hibiscus mutabilis, Choerospondias axillaris, Cercis chinensis, Camptotheca acuminata, Bischofia polycarpa, Acer truncatum and others. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: Salvia splendens, Celosia cristata, Zinnia elegans, Gomphrena globosa, Dahlia pinnata, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Callistephus chinensis, Impatiens balsamina, Mirabilis jalapa, Kochia scoparia, Helichrysum bracteatum, Cosmos bipinnatus, Euphorbia marginata, Euphorbia heterophylla, Mimosa pudica, Codariocalyx motorius and others.

In addition, at the end of October for Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata and others, when their above-ground parts are close to withering, dig up the underground rhizomes, store them in sand indoors, keeping the room temperature not lower than 5°C, and cut and divide them for planting again the following spring.

Management of courtyard potted flowers

    1. Watering. Although the weather has turned cool, 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 done carefully and meticulously. For some moisture-loving foliage plants, such as Ficus elastica, Aspidistra elatior, Monstera deliciosa, Epipremnum aureum, Syngonium podophyllum, Fagraea ceilania, Cinnamomum kotoense, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red gem and others, on sunny days water once a day, supplemented by foliage spraying; for summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn, including semi-dormant species, such as Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Clivia miniata, Portulacaria afra, Daphne odora, Pelargonium hortorum, Fuchsia hybrida and others, increase the watering amount. For Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Camellia japonica and others that bloom in winter and early spring, control watering and spray more, to facilitate the enlargement of their flower buds. In northern regions, for relatively cold-sensitive flower species, reduce watering, which can accelerate the lignification of their new shoots, helping them to overwinter safely. Watering time is best at 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 japonica, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Pericallis hybrida, Primula malacoides, Clivia miniata, Cyclamen persicum, Cymbidium sinense, Rhododendron hybridum (Belgian azalea), Narcissus poeticus and others that bloom in winter or early spring, continue to apply a mixture of 0.2% monopotassium 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 fruiting potted plants, such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, Citrus limon, Fortunella margarita, Nandina domestica, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Ardisia crenata, Diospyros armata and others, in early to mid-October a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be applied.

    3. Shading. For some very shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia species, Monstera deliciosa, Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron 'Green Gem', Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis', Peperomia species and others, during the 2 to 3 hours around noon, shading is still needed.

    4. Pruning. For most bonsai and potted flowers that must be moved indoors in winter, in mid-to-late October, dead branches and withered leaves, diseased and pest-infested branches, and weak spindly branches should be pruned away first; for leggy shoots, heavy cutback pruning should be carried out; for binding materials that have been in place for 1 to 2 years after styling, they can be removed, or removed and then re-bound, to prevent long-term binding at fixed positions from constricting and damaging the cambium of the branches, causing the twigs and leaves to die.

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

    6. Pest and disease control. Prune away dead branches and fallen leaves on potted plants and burn them after collecting them all together. For potted chrysanthemums, aphids, chrysanthemum beetles, leaf-miner moth larvae, inchworms and other pests should be controlled.

Potted plants suitable for balcony display

    In early-to-mid October on the balcony, the light is still intense and the air is dry. Only those potted plants that have been placed on the balcony for a long time and have strong resistance can adapt to the open-air balcony environment. They are: black pine, Japanese white pine, Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, trident maple, Adina rubella, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), podocarpus, Chinese arborvitae, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, boxwood (Buxus sinica), pomegranate, bougainvillea, thick-leaved fig, ginkgo, Chinese rose, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, sago palm, firethorn, Lantana camara, tamarisk, red maple, etc. Some cold-intolerant southern flower and tree species can no longer remain on the balcony when the temperature drops to 10°C. For some flower species that prefer a cooler environment, they can be placed in ordinary indoor spaces at the beginning of the month, such as Cymbidium hybridum, Anthurium crystallinum, Fittonia, 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 Rhapis excelsa, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Pachira aquatica (money tree), Epipremnum aureum (pothos), Aspidistra elatior, Areca palm, Caryota mitis (fish-tail palm), King coconut (Cocos nucifera), Calathea, Schefflera arboricola, etc. In northern China, when the temperature drops to 10°C, the vast majority of flowers and trees can no longer be placed on the balcony. Propagation of balcony flowers: In early October, you can continue to use a large wide-mouthed flower pot on the balcony as a cutting container, filled with a mixed cutting medium of rice-hull ash and wet sand in a 1/2 to 1/2 ratio, or use vermiculite alone as the cutting medium, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, to propagate a small number of ornamental plants by cuttings, such as gardenia, Schefflera arboricola, rubber tree, Aucuba japonica, Michelia figo, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaonema modestum, Plectranthus scutellarioides (coral flower), Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), hibiscus, finger citron, Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Bay', Epipremnum aureum 'Golden', pelargonium, etc.

Management of balcony flowers

    1. Watering. For woody ornamental plants placed on the balcony, such as cycads, banyan trees, rubber trees, Schefflera arboricola, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, jasmine, etc., they can be watered once a day, supplemented by spraying water on the leaves; for species 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 excessive, and spraying water on the branches and leaves can effectively promote the expansion of their flower buds. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, such as Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Philodendron 'Little Angel', Aspidistra elatior, Cordyline fruticosa, bird's nest fern, Anthurium andraeanum, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum (pothos), etc., spraying water should be the main method and watering supplementary, to keep the potting soil from drying out.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species recovering from dormancy and semi-dormancy, such as Clivia, cyclamen, calla lily, as well as Cymbidium hybridum, bromeliads, Cymbidium sinense, etc., a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% urea can be applied; for fruit-ornamental plants such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), kumquat, golden bean (Fortunella), lemon, Nandina domestica, golden bullet (Diospyros armata), Ardisia crenata, firethorn, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), etc., a small amount of low-concentration quick-acting phosphorus-potassium fertilizer can continue to be applied; for Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, etc., 1 to 2 times of dilute phosphorus-potassium fertilizer can be top-dressed in early October to help them pass through the winter 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 the amount of watering, protect those nutrient fibrous roots distributed on the surface of the potting soil, and prevent the potting soil from crusting, you can continue to cover the surface of the potting soil 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, they can be moved indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon on sunny days. Sunshade nets set up in summer can be removed after mid-October.

    4. Pruning. In mid-to-late October, necessary pruning and shaping must be carried out on tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, trident maple, banyan tree, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), Chinese arborvitae (stump), podocarpus, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, privet, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', etc. For metal wire or non-metal wire that has been bound for more than a year, it can be untied first; if the styling requirements have not yet been met, a new binding position can be used for training and fixing, which can avoid deep constriction marks causing serious damage to the plant. For ordinary potted flowers and trees, such as Chinese rose, wintersweet, plum blossom, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, 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 trunk xylem and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in the coming year.
Flower Planting Manual (November Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of November: This month is the turn of autumn and winter. November 7 is the Beginning of Winter, marking the start of winter in our country, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River are about to freeze; November 22 is Light 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's flower and tree maintenance should attach importance to two aspects of work: first, pruning and cleaning ground-planted flowers and trees, whitewashing tree trunks and removing insects, turning the soil and applying base fertilizer; second, effectively carrying out cold protection and freeze protection work for bonsai and flowers in greenhouses and plastic tunnels. This month's flower care management mainly includes the following contents.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in November include: Tropaeolum majus, Sinningia speciosa, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, African gerbera, Clivia, Asparagus setaceus, Hosta, etc.

    Flower and tree species that can be sown immediately after harvesting in November include: Spiraea cantoniensis, Ligustrum sinense, Ligustrum lucidum, Cinnamomum camphora, Juniperus virginiana, Podocarpus nagi, podocarpus, Sapindus mukorossi, Ardisia crenata (coral ardisia), palm, French holly (Viburnum awabuki), Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.

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

    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by root cuttings in November include: red-leaf plum, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles speciosa, Ilex cornuta, holly, Campsis grandiflora, Chinese elm, Serissa japonica, etc. Some of these root-cutting seedlings can be used to make small and miniature bonsai.

    Flower and tree species that can be densely planted and propagated by cuttings in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in November include: boxwood (Buxus sinica), Buxus bodinieri, Euonymus japonicus, Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginatus', Pilea cadierei, Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum', gardenia, Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum patulum, Mahonia, Serissa foetida 'Aureo-marginata', etc. If managed properly, complete roots can grow by next spring, and they can be used for ground planting to cultivate ball-shaped greening forms. In winter, in greenhouses, you can also propagate by cuttings: Begonia maculata, Begonia masoniana, Begonia nelumbiifolia, pelargonium, hibiscus, Fuchsia, Crassula ovata, Portulacaria afra, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), etc., which can be used for potting cultivation after spring begins.

    In November, in the Yangtze River basin, you can also cut branches of Hibiscus mutabilis, Campsis grandiflora, grape, etc. for storage, to be used for cuttings next spring, which can significantly accelerate their rooting speed and increase the cutting survival rate.

    3. Grafting. Using green maple seedling as rootstock, bag-graft red maple and feather maple indoors; using apricot seedlings and peach seedlings as rootstock, cut-graft plum blossom (the graft union buried in soil for winter); using thick branches of Chinese rose (Elizabeth variety) as rootstock-scion, with branches of superior rose varieties as scions, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting and then cuttings, promoting simultaneous healing of the graft union and rooting of the lower cut, which can accelerate the process of cultivating grafted seedlings of superior rose varieties.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by ground layering in November mainly include: Chaenomeles speciosa, gardenia, small-leaved gardenia, pomegranate, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, podocarpus, Weigela florida, osmanthus, Hydrangea macrophylla, Magnolia liliflora, Calocedrus macrolepis, Michelia figo, Spiraea cantoniensis, snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum), Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Spiraea thunbergii, etc.

    5. Division. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in November include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, Triarrhena ( Miscanthus ), Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum patulum, Mahonia, Buddleja lindleyana, tree peony, Caragana sinica, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum officinale, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, bamboo (Bambusa multiplex), Pleioblastus, etc.

South of the Yangtze River basin, the underground rhizomes or tubers of dahlia, Canna indica, and Canna generalis can be dug up, stored in sand until March of the following spring, and then cut and divided for planting.

Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: Bletilla striata, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Hosta, Hosta ventricosa, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, ornamental bromeliads, Liriope platyphylla, Reineckea carnea, Zephyranthes candida, Rohdea japonica, Aspidistra elatior, Kalanchoe pinnata (Bryophyllum pinnatum), etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in November include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Zinnia elegans, Callistephus chinensis, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Abutilon, etc.

    Flower and tree species whose seeds can be collected in November for dry storage include: black pine, Huangshan pine, five-needle pine, dawn redwood, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa', Chamaecyparis obtusa, Albizia julibrissin, Liquidambar formosana, Camptotheca acuminata, Eucommia ulmoides, Cornus alba, Sapium sebiferum, Wisteria sinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Caragana sinica, Spiraea cantoniensis. Flower and tree species that can be sown immediately after collection or must be stored in wet sand include: Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum sinense, palm, Cinnamomum camphora, Juniperus virginiana, Sapindus mukorossi, wolfberry, Taxus chinensis, Magnolia grandiflora, holly, Ilex cornuta, firethorn, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, Chinese rose (used for cultivating rootstock), etc.

   2. Transplanting and planting. Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be planted in flower beds and transplanted for flower border arrangements in November include: Silene armeria, Dianthus chinensis, Alcea rosea, Malva sylvestris, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, ornamental kale, etc.

    Tree species that can be transplanted in November include: Cinnamomum camphora, Magnolia grandiflora, Albizia julibrissin, Sapindus mukorossi, Ligustrum lucidum, Koelreuteria paniculata, Sapium sebiferum, Magnolia denudata, osmanthus, red maple, red-leaf plum, plum blossom, wintersweet, horse chestnut, linden, Cercis gigantea, Liriodendron chinense, Magnolia soulangeana, papaya, crabapple, etc. Among them, when transplanting evergreen trees, the branches and trunk must be appropriately reduced or shortened, and most leaves removed, the trunk bound well with straw rope, and a large soil ball taken (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 shortened and large branches pruned, with a good soil ball taken and the trunk bound well. After transplanting large trees, watering and trunk spraying management must be strengthened to ensure survival. In addition, the cut surfaces of the trunk and large branches should be sealed with wax or wrapped with plastic film to prevent large amounts of water from evaporating from the tree body.

    In November, plum stumps, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, etc. can be transplanted and potted, placed in plastic tunnels for flower forcing, to meet the needs of indoor display around the Spring Festival.

    In November, potted hyacinth, tulip, red-mouth narcissus, etc. should be moved into plastic tunnels to promote flowering around the Spring Festival.

    1. Watering. For most ornamental flowers (including bonsai) placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, or rooms, 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 low and watering is excessive, the plant is prone to root rot and death. If the indoor temperature is relatively high, the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, and necessary leaf spraying should be given.

For those potted flower species that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, etc., as well as fruit-ornamental plants such as bitter orange, finger citron, lemon, firethorn, Nandina domestica, winter cherry, Ardisia crenata, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be frequently sprayed with water, to facilitate the expansion and growth of flower buds and also to make the fruits appear more brightly colored.

For foliage plants placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, and rooms, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be frequently sprayed with water, so that they always remain lush green and glossy. In greenhouses and rooms with relatively high temperatures, the amount of watering can be increased. For less cold-tolerant foliage plants, such as Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, Dieffenbachia seguine, Philodendron 'Green Emperor', Codiaeum variegatum, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', etc., the amount of watering should be controlled to help them overwinter safely.

[page]    The watering time for potted flowers in November is preferably 10 to 11 a.m., and the water temperature should be basically consistent with the soil temperature, to avoid adverse reactions in plants due to water temperature being too low, thereby affecting their safe overwintering.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flowers placed in rooms with a temperature above 15°C, such as western azalea, camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), Daphne odora, cineraria, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, Clivia, tulip, ornamental bromeliads, Schlumbergera, Aechmea, etc., low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can continue to be top-dressed; using 0.2% monopotassium phosphate fertilizer solution can promote their growth and flowering.

For most potted flowers and trees, foliage plants, bonsai, etc. placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, top-dressing should be stopped, to help them enter normal dormancy for overwintering. For most ground-planted flowers and trees, such as crabapple species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Manglietia, Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunnanensis, Michelia figo, Michelia foveolata, gardenia, horse chestnut, Cinnamomum camphora, Spiraea, osmanthus, grape, Chinese rose, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, palm, red maple, tree peony, Forsythia viridissima, herbaceous peony, Hypericum monogynum, etc., dry cake fertilizer can be buried and applied, with 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg per plant; smaller plants can use less, to lay a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

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

For bonsai plant species that are mainly pruned, carry out all-around shaping and pruning, such as Chinese elm, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), Sageretia theezans, trident maple, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', firethorn, Serissa japonica, Chinese juniper, podocarpus, wintersweet, crabapple, etc., to lay a good framework for next year's growth and shaping.

For ground-planted or potted Chinese roses that have not yet been pruned, prune them: for each plant, in addition to retaining 3 to 5 robust 1- to 2-year-old stems with 30 cm to 50 cm from the base, the remaining old stems should be cut off from the base, and all thin and weak branches should be pruned away; for unpruned ground-planted Lagerstroemia indica, carry out heavy cutback pruning of the current-year branches: in addition to retaining 20 cm to 30 cm from the base of a few thick branches, all other current-year branches should be completely pruned away, to facilitate the growth of more robust new shoots next year and lay the foundation for more flowering.

Common flowers and trees in flower beds, along sidewalks, and in courtyards, such as Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, osmanthus, Cinnamomum camphora, Platanus orientalis, Magnolia liliflora, Forsythia viridissima, plum blossom, wintersweet, cherry blossom, camellia, Albizia julibrissin, firethorn, Pittosporum tobira, crabapple, etc., should have all chaotic branches, weak spindly branches, inner-canopy branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, etc. pruned away, and leggy branches protruding beyond the canopy should be appropriately reduced. In addition, in November, thick palm trees can also have their palm fiber peeled off, and the trunk cleaned well, so that they show their proper ornamental effect.

    4. Cold protection. For potted flower and tree species that are not very afraid of cold, such as camellia, sasanqua, azalea, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nandina domestica, Araucaria heterophylla, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaia odorata, bitter orange, finger citron, lemon, kumquat, Ardisia crenata, Schefflera arboricola, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Caryota mitis (fish-tail palm), rubber tree, Pachira aquatica, Canary date palm, Rhapis excelsa, etc., they can be placed in plastic tunnels, as long as the room temperature is maintained at no lower than about 5°C.

For cold-intolerant potted flower species, such as Calathea, Dieffenbachia seguine, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Aglaia odorata, Codiaeum variegatum, Pachystachys lutea, Pachystachys lutea, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian iron), red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', plumeria, Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, etc., they should be placed indoors at a room temperature not lower than 10°C, or double-layer plastic tunnels can be used for overwintering protection.

For relatively cold-tolerant bonsai or potted flowers and trees, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Chinese elm, Lagerstroemia indica, boxwood (Buxus sinica), Sageretia theezans, podocarpus, five-needle pine, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chinese juniper, trident maple, red maple, etc., they can be directly buried together with the flower pot in wind-sheltered, sun-facing soil; under conditions not lower than -10°C, freezing damage generally will not occur. If particularly cold weather occurs, plastic film and soft grass can be added for cold protection.

For potted flowers or bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or rooms in November, in addition to ensuring certain temperature conditions, ventilation and air exchange work should also be done well. Doors and windows can be opened around noon for ventilation and air exchange, to prevent plants from being stuffy indoors for a long time, causing 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 plants. During ventilation and air exchange, also note that plants must not be directly exposed to cold wind.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowers and trees prone to leaf diseases, such as grape, crabapple species, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, chrysanthemum, etc., collect the fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of diseases in the coming year.

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

For whiteflies, scale insects, etc. appearing on potted flowers and trees placed in greenhouses or plastic tunnels (they may occur on bitter orange, finger citron, cycads, orchids, camellia, Clivia, Aspidistra elatior), first wipe them off with a wet cloth, and second spray and kill them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For aphids appearing on potted plants placed indoors (they may occur on Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, bitter orange, Chinese rose), tobacco water can be sprayed for control.

For western azaleas placed in plastic tunnels, stop spraying leaf fertilizer; otherwise, due to poor indoor ventilation and high air humidity, sooty mold is extremely likely to occur.

    Bonsai plant species suitable for styling in November mainly include: podocarpus, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chinese juniper, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa', Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens, Euonymus bungeanus, Serissa japonica, plum blossom, Corylopsis sinensis, Xylosma japonicum, Ilex cornuta, holly, boxwood (Buxus sinica), Buxus sinica var. parvifolia, Chinese elm, Malus halliana, etc.

For bonsai stumps that have been tied and hung with palm rope for 1 to 2 years, when relatively deep constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the old palm rope can be removed in November, and the trunk and branches can be re-tied and adjusted.

For new tree stumps such as Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, Bougainvillea, Adina rubella, firethorn, Elaeagnus pungens, etc., after preliminary root trimming, trunk cutting, and branch breaking, plant them in sandy loam fields by shallow planting and high mounding, and shape them after they sprout branches next year.

For tree stumps that have basically taken shape after 1 to 2 years of maintenance and styling, in November, according to the styling characteristics of the trunk, roots, and branches of the stump, select suitable pots and repot them, and pair them with fist stones, dot and spread moss, and they can be used for indoor display around the Spring Festival.

Well-styled tall plum stumps, podocarpus, ornamental peach, Lagerstroemia indica, Chinese juniper, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc. can be potted in suitable containers in November, strengthen water management, and can be used next spring for display in squares, parks, and auditoriums.

Flower Planting Manual (December Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of December: This month, most regions of our country enter winter, and the weather turns colder. Snowfall increases from north to south in our country, and temperatures in the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions successively drop below zero, with frequent hard frosts. This month's flower and tree maintenance should attach importance 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 ground-planted flowers and trees and turning the soil and applying fertilizer; third, do a good job in preparing for composting organic fertilizer and mixing culture soil.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in December include: Sinningia speciosa, Asparagus setaceus, Clivia, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter cherry, African gerbera, etc.; flower and tree species that can be sown outdoors immediately after harvesting or stored in sand for germination include: Chinese rose (such as Elizabeth), Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, holly species, firethorn, palm, Ligustrum lucidum, Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum sinense, Sapindus mukorossi, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental flower and tree species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings in December include: plum blossom (mainly varieties such as palace pink and green calyx); Chinese rose (mainly easy-to-root varieties such as Elizabeth, floribunda rose, miniature rose); red-leaf plum, wintersweet (heel cuttings), Spiraea, boxwood species, etc. Among them, plum blossom and red-leaf plum cuttings should preferably use yellow heart soil; Chinese rose cuttings should preferably use a mixed medium of rice-hull ash and fine sand at 2:1; other species can use ordinary sandy loam, covered with plastic film for heat preservation and moisture retention.

In greenhouses, African violets can be propagated by leaf cuttings; combined with pruning, cuttings can be made of hibiscus, pelargonium, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, gem flower (Graptopetalum), Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, Kalanchoe pinnata (Bryophyllum pinnatum), Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), Begonia semperflorens, Begonia maculata, Begonia elatior, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Lantana camara, Schefflera arboricola, Daphne odora, Epipremnum aureum (pothos), Cordyline fruticosa, etc. Using cold frames, you can also propagate by cuttings: gardenia, Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-variegatus' (golden-center or golden-margin), Mahonia, Hypericum monogynum, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, podocarpus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Serissa japonica, firethorn, Salix gracilistyla, Triarrhena (Miscanthus), etc. In addition, branches of Campsis grandiflora, lilac, grape, etc. can also be cut and stored in sand, to be used for cuttings next spring.

    3. Grafting. Superior plum varieties, such as bone red and cinnabar, can be grafted in December using seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, peach, etc. sown in the same year; after digging up the rootstock, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting, then plant them on the seedbed at a certain row spacing, bury soil up to above the graft union, even covering most of the scion, being careful not to let water seep into the union when watering, cover with plastic film for heat preservation and moisture retention, and remove the covering film in the following spring after the scion sprouts. Using dug-up wild rose plants, bud-graft superior rose varieties; or use robust branch segments of the Elizabeth rose variety (10 to 12 cm long), cut-graft or cleft-graft superior rose scions on the upper end, then insert the grafted Elizabeth branch 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 preservation, remove the covering film in the following spring after the scion sprouts, and only after it has completely survived use a blade 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, plum blossom, camellia, osmanthus, Michelia figo, Chaenomeles speciosa, Magnolia liliflora, snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum), Weigela florida, gardenia, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Spiraea thunbergii, pomegranate, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in December include: Zephyranthes candida, Liriope, Reineckea carnea, Hosta, Hosta ventricosa, Oxalis corymbosa, Aspidistra elatior, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, Liriope platyphylla, Ophiopogon japonicus, Rohdea japonica, Kalanchoe pinnata (Bryophyllum pinnatum), Aglaonema modestum. When cutting off the basal offsets from large mother plants of colored-leaf bromeliads, it must be small plants that have already grown on the mother plant for three or four months; otherwise, the colored bands of the offsets cut off are likely to 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 monogynum, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Rhapis excelsa, Spiraea japonica, Caragana sinica, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, Jasminum officinale, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Magnolia liliflora, gardenia, sisal, Bambusa multiplex, Pleioblastus, etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in December are generally herbaceous flower species moved into greenhouses or cold frames, such as Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, cyclamen, Clivia, etc. Clivia seeds should preferably be sown immediately after harvesting.

    Woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected in December mainly include: Chinese rose, Wisteria sinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum sinense, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, holly species, Cinnamomum camphora, Photinia species. After treatment, these seeds basically all need sand storage for germination; only after the seeds crack open and show white next year can they be sown in the ground. Under dry storage conditions, they easily lose viability, leading to failure in sowing and seedling raising next year.

    2. Transplanting and planting. Herbaceous flower species that can be planted in flower beds and flower borders in December include: Dianthus species, ornamental kale, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, Calendula officinalis, Bellis perennis, etc. Some herbaceous flowers can also be potted and placed in plastic tunnels, such as Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, snapdragon, ornamental kale, Dianthus, pansy, etc., and can be used for street display next spring.

    In December, most deciduous greening trees and flowering shrubs can be transplanted and planted, such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, Cercis chinensis, crabapple species, wintersweet, plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliflora, Sapindus mukorossi, Koelreuteria paniculata, Albizia julibrissin, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Magnolia soulangeana, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, Campsis grandiflora, linden, Liriodendron chinense, red maple, ornamental peach, Sophora japonica, Sophora japonica var. pendula, etc. For evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, transplanting should be more cautious. Evergreen tree species that can be transplanted in winter include: Ligustrum lucidum, osmanthus, palm, Magnolia grandiflora, Cinnamomum camphora, azalea, holly, etc. When transplanting, first carry out heavy cutback pruning of the main tip and large branches, and remove most leaves; at the same time, take a large soil ball, bind the trunk with straw rope and wrap it with plastic film, seal the cut surfaces of the trunk and large branches with wax or wrap them with film, to reduce water transpiration; after transplanting, frequently spray water on the leaves and trunk 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, Malus halliana. Place them in plastic tunnels for flower forcing treatment, and they can be expected to bloom during the Spring Festival.

    In December, potted hyacinth, tulip, red-mouth narcissus, etc. continue to be placed in tunnels for flower forcing, which can promote flowering around the Spring Festival.

    1. Cold protection. In simple plastic tunnels with a temperature not lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without freezing damage, such as Asparagus densiflorus, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra elatior, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Livistona chinensis, Nephrolepis, Rhapis excelsa, Nandina domestica, Michelia figo, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, camellia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Bambusa multiplex, Pleioblastus, cycads, etc.

For ornamental plant species requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 5°C, such as Araucaria heterophylla, Schefflera arboricola, rubber tree, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Chamaedorea elegans, calla lily, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Belgian azalea, Bougainvillea, cyclamen, Primula, Lantana camara, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Areca palm, pelargonium, hibiscus, Bambusa ventricosa, etc., they can overwinter in double-layer plastic tunnels. For species requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 10°C, such as Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium bicolor, Peperomia, Calathea, Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo), Caryota mitis (fish-tail palm), Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian iron), Pachira aquatica, Fittonia, bromeliads, Dieffenbachia seguine, poinsettia, Cymbidium hybridum, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Pachystachys lutea, Aglaia odorata, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, South American cycad, red (green) gem, Oncidium, Cymbidium hookerianum, etc., in double-layer tunnels with good sealing performance, appropriate heating should also be provided; during particularly cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, cover the top of the tunnel with straw curtains, and remove them after the temperature turns warmer.

For relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, Xylosma japonicum, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, boxwood species, podocarpus, trident maple, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chinese juniper, red juniper, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', etc., when the temperature is not lower than -10°C, they generally will not freeze; when particularly cold weather occurs, add plastic film or soft grass for cold protection.

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

    2. Watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and rooms, keep the potting soil moist as the standard. If the temperature is low and watering is excessive, it is very easy to cause root rot in plants. When the temperature rises, increase the amount of watering and give appropriate leaf spraying.

For those potted flower plant species that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, Primula, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, hyacinth, European narcissus, etc., and fruit ornamental types such as bitter orange, lemon, finger citron, four-season mandarin, golden bean (Fortunella), winter cherry, Ardisia crenata, Nandina domestica, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but leaf spraying must also be given, to facilitate the expansion of flower buds and also increase the vividness of flowers and fruits.

For most foliage plants placed indoors, both keep the potting soil moist and give leaf spraying, always keeping the leaf surfaces of the plants clean; for less cold-tolerant foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia seguine, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, Codiaeum variegatum, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', etc., when the room temperature is already close to the minimum temperature limit they can tolerate, special attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering, so as to ensure they can overwinter safely.

    The watering time in December is preferably 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 temperature being too low.

For newly transplanted flowers and trees outdoors, check frequently and supplement watering in good time; for transplanted evergreen trees, appropriately spray water on the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking, and falling off.

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

For most ground-planted greening trees and flowers and trees, such as crabapple species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliflora, Manglietia, Michelia species, red maple, gardenia, horse chestnut, Cinnamomum camphora, osmanthus, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, palm, herbaceous peony, tree peony, Forsythia viridissima, Hypericum monogynum, grape, Chinese rose, Spiraea, Liriodendron chinense, Philadelphus, Deutzia, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Wisteria sinensis, firethorn, Nandina domestica, lilac, Campsis grandiflora, Rosa banksiae, Hypericum monogynum, weeping willow, Cryptomeria fortunei, cedar, cypress species, Sophora japonica var. pendula, Prunus triloba, Prunus japonica, Exochorda racemosa, Photinia, Cercis chinensis, Hibiscus syriacus, etc., 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, septic tank residue, etc., 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, azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), bromeliads, Daphne odora, cineraria, Primula, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, Clivia, tulip, freesia, etc., continue to top-dress with 1.2% monopotassium phosphate solution, to promote flower bud formation and flowering of the plants.

    4. Pruning. Prune hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped forms that were not completely pruned in November. Hedges and green walls include species such as Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum sinense, French holly (Viburnum awabuki), Euonymus japonicus, Sabina chinensis, four-season osmanthus, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.; ball-shaped forms include Ilex cornuta, bayberry, Photinia, boxwood species, Pittosporum tobira, Forsythia viridissima, firethorn, dragon juniper, Sabina chinensis, etc. While completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied.

For ground-planted flowers and trees not completely pruned in November, such as Chinese rose, Lagerstroemia indica, palm, red-leaf plum, Photinia, Platanus orientalis, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc., 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 pruned, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, Ilex cornuta, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), trident maple, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', firethorn, Serissa japonica, podocarpus, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chinese juniper, crabapple, papaya, etc., continue pruning in December to lay a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repotting can be carried out in combination with pruning.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowers and trees prone to leaf pests and diseases, such as grape, crabapple species, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, Lagerstroemia indica, etc., 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, for the former use triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl for control in good time, and for the latter use thiophanate-methyl for control.

For species prone to scale insects on flowers and trees in greenhouses and plastic tunnels, such as bitter orange, finger citron, cycads, camellia, Aspidistra elatior, etc., first wipe them once with a rag, then use pesticides such as Supracide for control.

For flower and tree species on which aphids often appear on potted plants when ventilation is poor, such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, bitter orange, Chinese rose, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), etc., tobacco water can be used for control.

On the trunks and large branches of open-field cultivated flowers and trees such as Pittosporum tobira, osmanthus, Platanus orientalis, camellia, Ligustrum sinense, firethorn, oleander, crabapple, Magnolia denudata, Cercis chinensis, gardenia, cedar, Photinia, Lagerstroemia indica, wintersweet, etc., various scale insects often appear, such as Ceroplastes ceriferus, Ceroplastes japonicus, Ceroplastes rubens, Diaspididae, Unaspis yanonensis, mealybugs, Eriococcidae, etc. At this time, spraying higher-concentration pesticides such as Supracide, quinalphos, and buprofezin has little phytotoxicity.

    6. Composting fertilizer. To meet the needs of next year's seedling raising and culture soil preparation, you can use the winter slack time to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into water vats or water pools, add water, and seal them for soaking, composting, and fermentation.

Stack dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, branches, etc. in alternating layers with garden soil, set fire and burn, forming burned soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and seedling raising next year.

Mix stable manure, pond mud, chicken droppings and pigeon manure, etc. with garden soil for composting, seal for fermentation, and it can be used for top-dressing seedlings and preparing culture soil next year.

    7. Preparing culture soil. Using the free time in winter, find a piece of open ground or under tree shade, and compost as much culture soil as possible, to prepare for repotting and potting herbaceous flowers next spring. Generally, 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, 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. After fully mixing them evenly, cover with plastic film; it can also be piled indoors. After 3 to 4 months, it can be used for repotting or potting herbaceous flowers.

    8. Turning the soil and freezing clods. For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttings, and planting seedlings, plowing can be carried out in December; for garden plots for sowing and planting seedlings, cake fertilizer, stable manure, pond mud, etc. can be applied before turning the soil; do not make beds for the time being. After overwintering and freezing clods, in early spring of the following year, dig furrows and make beds. This can greatly reduce the cost of seedling management and also reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.

Ornamental plant species suitable for bonsai styling in December include: podocarpus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Chinese juniper, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa', Chinese arborvitae, Juniperus procumbens, Juniperus chinensis 'Shimpaku', black pine, five-needle pine, red pine, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, Euonymus bungeanus, ginkgo, Serissa japonica, Caragana sinica, Chinese elm, Sageretia theezans, trident maple, Corylopsis sinensis, tamarisk, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles cathayensis, boxwood (Buxus sinica), Buxus sinica var. parvifolia, Wisteria sinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, banyan tree, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Xylosma japonicum, etc.

For bonsai plants fixed and styled with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if the fixing time has already been one year, or obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the original binding material should be removed, and metal wire or palm rope should be used again for tying, hanging, and guiding.

For ground-planted plum stumps, podocarpus, crabapple, ginkgo, Chinese juniper, Lagerstroemia indica, etc. that have already been styled, after carrying out some necessary pruning and shaping, select suitable pots and plant them well, strengthen management, so that they can be used next year for display in public places or rooms.

In winter, for some shallow-pot landscape bonsai and tree-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 causing the artificially cemented rocks to disintegrate; 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 sprayed regularly, so that they can overwinter safely.

Flower Planting Manual (January Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of January: This month is the month with the lowest temperatures and the coldest weather of the year. January 5 is Minor Cold (Xiaohan), which falls right around the "Sanjiu" period, when most parts of China enter the bitterly cold season; January 20 is Major Cold (Dahan), when cold air from the north frequently moves southward, with heavy frost and thick snow, producing the lowest temperatures of the year. For flower care this month, the most important task is the insulation and cold protection of cold-sensitive flowers, bonsai and the like in greenhouses, plastic tunnels and indoor rooms, followed by auxiliary work such as tree pruning, clearing away dead branches and fallen leaves, and turning over and preparing the soil and preparing potting soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in January include: gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), clivia (Clivia miniata), tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), etc. Ornamental plant species that can be sown outdoors in open ground include: rose (Elizabeth), nandina, Ardisia crenata, holly, firethorn, palm, photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, soapberry, privet, wisteria, Chinese tallow tree, goldenrain tree, etc.

    2. Cuttings. Ornamental plant species suitable for open-ground or plastic-film-covered cutting propagation in January include: plum blossom (green calyx, palace pink and other cultivars), red-leaf plum, rose (Elizabeth, floribunda, miniature and other cultivars), cherry blossom, wintersweet (with heel), spiraea, boxwood species, pomegranate, silver bud willow, mahonia, podocarpus, serissa, Tripartite maple, hypericum, forsythia, snowflake spiraea, winter jasmine, jasmine orange, etc. Species that can be propagated by cuttings in greenhouses include: jasmine, chloranthus, geranium, fuchsia, African violet (leaf cuttings), Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, carnation, umbrella plant, jewel plant, jade leaf, jade plant, echeveria, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, Pilea cadierei, mirror grass (Pilea peperomioides), shrimp plant, gold shrimp plant, kalanchoe, Rieger begonia, clerodendrum, schefflera, rubber tree, daphne, red-back laurel (Excoecaria cochinchinensis), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), pothos, cordyline, etc. In addition, branches of lilac, trumpet creeper, tamarisk, grape, Weigela, deutzia, hydrangea, plane tree, fig, etc. can be cut and stored in sand, to be planted as cuttings in March.

    3. Grafting. For superior plum blossom cultivars, one-year-old seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, mountain peach or wild peach can be used as rootstock for rootstock grafting propagation; after grafting, they are planted in the seedbed and covered with plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold. In Guangdong, between Minor Cold and Major Cold, four-season tangerine, kumquat and the like are often propagated by bud grafting; wild roses dug up are used for bud grafting of superior rose cultivars; with the rose cultivar Elizabeth as rootstock and scion, superior rose cultivars are propagated by cut grafting or cleft grafting, with grafting and cutting propagation carried out simultaneously, covered with plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in January include: purple magnolia, camellia, plum blossom, weigela, gardenia, Chaenomeles speciosa, podocarpus, snowball viburnum, Chinese snowball, winter jasmine, forsythia, hydrangea, snowflake spiraea, pomegranate, red maple, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, silver-edged lilyturf, Rohdea japonica, zephyr lily, rain lily, hosta, purple hosta, purple-backed oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea), Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern, blackberry lily, iris, spider plant species, Rohdea species, Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), kalanchoe, bromeliads, small tulip (Tulbaghia), shell ginger, Monstera deliciosa, aloe, etc. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: nandina, hypericum, mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, bamboo palm, snowflake spiraea, red-flowered spiraea, Caragana, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasmine orange, jasmine, chloranthus, tiger thorn (Damnacanthus), gardenia, Tripartite maple, boxwood, purple magnolia, etc.

    6. Seed collection. In January, if there are ripe seeds of asparagus fern or clivia in the greenhouse, they can be sown as soon as collected; ripe seeds of winter coral can also be sown indoors at this time. In January, seeds of nandina, firethorn, holly species, Ardisia crenata, etc. can be harvested; after processing, they are stored in sand to promote germination, and sowing can only be carried out after the seeds have cracked open and the white embryo shows.

    In January, sand-stored seeds should be checked frequently, including magnolia species, Michelia species, photinia species, holly species, etc., to see whether the seeds have become moldy. If mold appears, the seeds must be poured out, rubbed and washed again, and clean fine sand must be replaced for storage; if the seeds are found to be dry, water should be sprayed promptly to replenish moisture; if the seeds are found to have cracked open with the white embryo showing or the radicle already protruding, they must be sown immediately, and covered with plastic film, straw, pine needles, etc. to retain moisture and warmth.

II. Transplanting and Planting Out

    In January, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and planted out in areas that are not too cold include: dianthus species, ornamental kale, calendula, daisy, etc.; in colder areas, seedlings of dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragon, pansy, primrose, etc. can be potted and first placed in simple plastic tunnels, to be used for street flower beds, green spaces and flower borders after spring returns and the weather warms.

    In January, most deciduous flowering shrubs and landscaping trees can be transplanted and planted out, such as rose of Sharon, pomegranate, redbud, crabapple species, ginkgo, sweetgum, maple species, wintersweet, plum blossom, white magnolia, purple magnolia, soapberry, goldenrain tree, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Magnolia soulangeana, crape myrtle, wisteria, trumpet creeper, linden, tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow tree, red-flowered spiraea, Tripartite maple, rose, Chinese scholar tree, dragon-claw scholar tree, etc. For evergreen species, especially camphor and French green, except in special cases, transplanting this month should generally be moved forward to December or postponed to February; of course, in wind-sheltered sites, with heavy pruning after transplanting and strengthened cold protection and watering management after transplanting, it is also feasible.

    In January, although the weather is cold, in areas south of the Yangtze River it does not hinder the collection of wild tree stumps during forestry afforestation site preparation, mainly deciduous tree stumps, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia), trident maple, rhododendron, crape myrtle, Japanese maple, wisteria, wintersweet, wild plum, Elaeagnus, Euonymus and the like; for evergreen tree stumps, such as nandina, Ilex cornuta, Ilex, holly, oak and the like, heavy pruning must be carried out and most leaves removed. Whether deciduous or evergreen tree stumps, the shallow-planting and high-mounding method should be adopted, and straw curtains should be added to protect against freezing.

III. Cold Protection

This month's cold protection and heat preservation work is the top priority in management; the slightest negligence will bring serious losses to potted flowers and bonsai overwintering. Based on the lower limit of the lowest temperature that each different flower species can tolerate, a special safe overwintering environment should be created for them, either in a greenhouse, in a plastic tunnel, indoors, or planted in open ground. In simple plastic tunnels not below 0°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 0°C can be placed, such as Asparagus densiflorus, asparagus fern, Aspidistra, Fatsia japonica, Chinese fan palm, sword fern, bamboo palm, nandina, aucuba, Michelia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium, Ardisia crenata, daphne, sago palm, Acorus, bamboo species, and Pleioblastus fortunei. In double-layer plastic tunnels not below 5°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 5°C can be placed, such as Norfolk Island pine, rubber tree, jasmine, chloranthus, Michelia alba, pocket coconut, bottle orchid, calla lily, Philodendron, Monstera deliciosa, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, areca palm, camellia, sasanqua, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, Buddha belly bamboo, Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, Lantana camara, etc. In double-layer plastic tunnels or greenhouses with auxiliary heating equipment, flower species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 10°C can be placed, such as croton, Caladium, Syngonium, maranta, bromeliads, peperomia, coleus, lucky bamboo, fish-tail palm, Brazilian iron, money tree, Fittonia, red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Green Emperor', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Aglaonema, Milan, Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Vanda, Zamioculcas, sago palm, desert rose, pink taro (Caladium), poinsettia, gold shrimp plant, coral plant, etc. During especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, straw curtains should be added on top of the tunnels, and covering with straw curtains can be stopped only after the temperature turns warm. On very cold days, inspections of heating facilities and duty personnel should be strengthened, especially at 5 to 6 in the morning; the fire must not be let out and the power must not be cut, otherwise it is very easy to cause freezing damage to the plants. For those relatively cold-tolerant potted flower and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple species, rhododendron, pomegranate, Chinese elm, Sageretia, oak, crape myrtle, wisteria, boxwood species, podocarpus, trident maple, emerald cypress, Chinese juniper, summer cypress, oriental arborvitae, small waxberry, Ilex cornuta, holly, white ash and the like, they can be buried in the soil together with the flower pots; when the temperature is not below -10°C, freezing damage generally will not occur, and in especially cold weather, plastic film or soft grass can be added for insulation.

It is worth noting that whether potted flowers or bonsai are placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses or homes, including fruit-ornamental and foliage plants, in addition to maintaining the corresponding air temperature, ventilation and air exchange must also be done well. Doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, to give ventilation and air exchange, so as to prevent flower drop, leaf drop and fruit drop. When giving ventilation and air exchange, it is also necessary to avoid cold wind blowing directly on the plants as much as possible.

In January, special attention should be paid to inspecting greenhouses and tunnels during each cold air intrusion; if broken glass, torn film, etc. are found, they must be promptly plugged and repaired to prevent potted flowers from freezing. When supplying coal, gas or oil heating to greenhouses, careful inspection should also be carried out to ensure that no leaking gas or smoke enters the greenhouse or tunnel, so as to prevent flower drop, leaf drop and fruit drop caused by smoke damage and the like.

To force potted peonies to bloom at Spring Festival, the potted peonies can be placed in a greenhouse, heated to 18°C to 25°C during the day, kept at around 10°C at night, and given 4 to 5 additional hours of light each day (incandescent lamps); they can be expected to bloom around Spring Festival. Potted plum blossom, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, winter jasmine, etc. can also be placed in tunnels at around 15°C for flower forcing, with appropriately increased light duration, to meet the need for indoor display of potted flowering plants during Spring Festival. For potted hyacinth, tulip, red-narcissus, freesia, etc. that were placed in the greenhouse in December, strengthening water and fertilizer management can also be expected to be used for decorative display during Spring Festival. [page]

IV. Watering

    For potted flower watering management in January, first and foremost is attention to the temperature of the water used for watering and spraying, that is, keeping the water temperature roughly 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 may even cause leaf drop, root rot or death of the plants. Watering time is best arranged within 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, tunnels and rooms, it is suitable to keep the potting soil moist; when the temperature is lower, watering should be reduced accordingly, and when the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and water can be sprayed on the leaves. For the vast majority of foliage plants, it is necessary both to keep the potting soil moist and to pay attention to spraying water on the leaves, always keeping the plant leaves clean; for relatively cold-sensitive foliage plant species, such as pink taro (Caladium), Syngonium, maranta, croton, etc., when the temperature approaches the lower limit of the lowest temperature the plant can tolerate, watering should be especially controlled. For those potted flowers that will bloom around Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, poinsettia, cineraria, wintersweet, plum blossom, primrose, hyacinth, kalanchoe, calendula, etc., and fruit-ornamental species such as firethorn, bitter orange, finger citron, lemon, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, golden bean, winter coral, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be sprayed with water, which is beneficial for the expansion of flower buds and can also increase the bright color of the fruit.

   In January, although potted flowers need little water, inspections should be strengthened to prevent potted flowers placed in out-of-the-way spots from lacking water, and water should be replenished promptly for plants whose potting soil has dried out, which can reduce the death of overwintering plants.

For newly planted landscaping trees and flowering shrubs, inspections should be frequent and water should be replenished promptly; especially for evergreen ornamental plants after transplanting, water should also be appropriately sprayed on the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from shrinking and dropping due to excessively dry air.

V. Fertilization

For most open-ground landscaping trees and flowering shrubs, such as crabapple species, white magnolia, southern magnolia, purple magnolia, Magnolia soulangeana, manglietia, Michelia species, maple species, gardenia, horse chestnut, camphor, linden, crape myrtle, trumpet creeper, osmanthus, wintersweet, plum blossom, podocarpus, cherry blossom, soapberry, silk tree, goldenrain tree, palm, schima, Machilus, purple tree (Nyssa), camptotheca, peony, forsythia, boxwood, grape, coral tree, rose, hydrangea, red-leaf plum, plum, elm-leaved plum, tulip tree, deutzia, mock orange, banks rose, Elaeocarpus, golden willow, weeping elm, cryptomeria, Taiwan fir, deodar cedar, Chinese scholar tree, dragon-claw scholar tree, white silk plum, rose of Sharon, lilac, crape myrtle, photinia, nandina, black bamboo, pomegranate, loquat, etc., if the fertilization task was not completed in December, then while turning over the soil, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. can be buried and applied around the outer perimeter of the tree root system, laying a material foundation for spring growth and flowering.

For potted flowers placed in greenhouses at around 10°C to 15°C, such as Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, gold shrimp plant, daphne, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, red-narcissus, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, tulip, multicolor bromeliad, clivia, bird of paradise, Christmas cactus, etc., low-concentration monopotassium phosphate solution 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 bonsai placed in tunnels, because the plants are in a dormant state in winter, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

VI. Pruning

For hedges, green walls and topiary balls, etc. whose pruning was not completed in December, continue pruning; for flowering shrubs whose pruning was not completed in December, such as rose, crape myrtle, banks rose, trumpet creeper, wisteria, floribunda rose, camphor, French plane, Chinese tallow tree, photinia, pomegranate, red-leaf plum, papaya, wintersweet, plum blossom, palm, grape, etc., continue pruning; after pruning is completed, then bury and apply base fertilizer around the outer perimeter of their root systems to meet their spring growth needs.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly pruned with wiring as a supplement, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, bougainvillea, Fukien tea, oak, white ash, water willow, Elaeagnus, firethorn, serissa, juniper, etc., continue to adjust and prune according to the original composition requirements, the development and change trends of the plant trunk and branches, and personal aesthetic taste, laying a foundation for spring growth and shaping. While pruning, plants that have not been repotted for many years can be repotted.

VII. Pest and Disease Control

For main trunks or large branches of crabapple species, plum blossom species, elm-leaved plum species, papaya, loquat, ornamental peach, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, etc. that have been hollowed out by peach red-necked longhorn beetles and the like, they can be sawn off, and the sawn-off trunks and branches should be burned.

Clear away the leaves under rose, rugosa 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 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 tobira, French plane, privet, firethorn, persimmon, gardenia, plum blossom, wintersweet, photinia, etc., spray and kill with high-concentration Supracide, quinalphos, Buprofezin, lime sulfur mixture, etc., which can effectively suppress a major outbreak of scale insects in that year.

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

For scale insects and sooty mold appearing simultaneously on bitter orange, finger citron, kumquat and other plants in greenhouses, integrated control should be carried out: first use a wet cloth to wipe off the sooty mold patches on the leaves and the insect bodies attached to the dry branches, then spray dimethoate and other pesticides for control.

For gray mold appearing on cyclamen plants in greenhouses, 50% iprodione (main ingredient iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution can be sprayed for control.

VIII. Composting Fertilizer

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

IX. Plowing and Freezing of Soil

For nursery land that was not turned over in December, time should be seized in early January to carry out plowing; while plowing the garden land, cake fertilizer, compound fertilizer, farmyard manure, etc. should be applied in, and after overwintering and freezing of the soil, furrows should be drawn and beds made in early spring, for use in sowing and planting out seedlings.

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

For plants that were 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 coiling and training should be carried out anew.

    In January, strict management should be strengthened for some shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai, shallow-pot landscape bonsai, and small and miniature bonsai. Small and miniature bonsai should be buried on indoor sand beds; for tree-stump bonsai, prevent the potting soil from freezing, which would damage the plant's fibrous roots and could 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 their safe overwintering be ensured.