What are the propagation methods for variegated cassava? A detailed guide
Variegated cassava is a foliage plant quite suitable for indoor cultivation, and artificial cultivation is not difficult. Variegated cassava requires a wintering temperature above 15°C, so in winter it needs to be moved indoors to overwinter. Artificial propagation of variegated cassava can be done by cuttings and sowing
Variegated cassava is a foliage plant quite suitable for indoor cultivation, and artificial cultivation is not difficult. Variegated cassava requires a wintering temperature above 15°C, so in winter it needs to be moved indoors to overwinter. Artificial propagation of variegated cassava can be done by cuttings and sowing. The editor will now introduce these two propagation methods for variegated cassava.
Variegated cassava
1. Cutting propagation:It is best done in spring from April to May, when the buds on the stems have just begun to sprout. Select robust, plump stems and cut them into 10 cm long cuttings. The milky sap flowing from the cut should be washed off and dried to prevent rot. Keep the sand bed used for cuttings at 20-25°C; roots will form in about 20 days.
2. Seed propagation:It can be done immediately after the seeds are harvested, otherwise the seed germination rate will decrease. Sow the mature seeds in a propagation sand bed, maintain 25-30°C and a certain humidity; generally they will germinate in 10-15 days, and can be transplanted in 1-2 months.
Cultivation and management of variegated cassava (photo)
Scientific name of variegated cassava: Manihot esculenta cv. Variegata
Family and genus: Euphorbiaceae, Manihot
Alias: Variegated cassava
Native to tropical America
Morphological characteristics: Erect shrub, plant height about 1.5 m, with long tuberous roots, fleshy roots. Leaves palmately 3-7 deeply lobed, lobes lanceolate, entire, with irregular yellow patches in the center of the lobes. Leaf surface green, petiole red, inflorescence axillary.
Common foliage cultivation species in the same genus include: Manihot peltata: leaves peltate, entire, leaf surface grayish green. Veins prominently raised, pink.
Habits: Prefers a warm environment with plenty of sunlight, not cold-tolerant, afraid of frost, tolerant of partial shade; the cultivation environment should not be too dry or too wet.
Cultivation management: For potted variegated cassava, the soil should preferably be loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. During the growing season, water thoroughly, but the pot soil moisture should not be too high, otherwise the roots will rot. Soil that is too dry, or alternately too dry and too wet, can also cause the plant to drop leaves. During the winter leaf-drop dormant period, gradually reduce the frequency of watering, keeping the pot soil slightly dry. If kept in a low-temperature, damp cultivation environment, the fleshy roots are prone to rot. During cultivation, fertilize once a month; during the vigorous growth period, additionally apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer 2-3 times, which can prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves and help maintain the brilliant leaf color.
The suitable growth temperature is: 25-30°C from March to September; 18-20°C from September to March, and the wintering temperature must be above 15°C. If the room temperature is below 10°C, the plant will stop growing and will drop leaves. Variegated cassava grows rapidly and has strong sprouting ability. After potted cutting seedlings reach 20-25 cm in height, they need to be pinched back to encourage more branching. Potted plants should be repotted once a year, and combined with pruning of the above-ground branches; leaving 3-4 main branches per pot is sufficient. Lower the plant shape, cut off forked branches and dead branches, and keep the plant in a graceful shape.
Propagation: Commonly propagated by cuttings and sowing. 1. Cutting propagation, best done in spring from April to May, when the buds on the stems have just begun to sprout. Select robust, plump stems and cut them into 10 cm long cuttings. The milky sap flowing from the cut should be washed off and dried to prevent rot. Keep the sand bed used for cuttings at 20-25°C; roots will form in about 20 days. 2. Seed propagation can be done immediately after the seeds are harvested, otherwise the seed germination rate will decrease. Sow the mature seeds in a propagation sand bed, maintain 25-30°C and a certain humidity; generally they will germinate in 10-15 days, and can be transplanted in 1-2 months.
Pests and diseases: Brown spot and anthracnose commonly occur, and can be controlled with a 500-fold dilution of 65% zineb. If scale insects or whiteflies harm the plant, use a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate for control.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
Living in a 21st-century city, many people have moved into spacious, bright apartment buildings, but quite a few still live in courtyards. And the right to grow flowers and plants is equal for everyone. For flower lovers living in courtyards, how to use the not-so-spacious area to grow a pot of flowers and plants that satisfies them amid surrounding high-rises is really not an easy task.Growing flowers at home is now quite common, but many flower-growing enthusiasts, unable to grasp the essentials, still grow sickly flowers, or even kill them. Wanting to be a "flower guardian," they end up being a flower-killing butcher, mixed with sorrow and joy, their grief deeper than heartbreak.
Growing flowers in a courtyard can beautify the environment and enrich people's lives. Flowers are the source of color; they not only have rich colors, but can also give people different color feelings as the seasons change.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
I.Types of courtyard flowers and trees
As May arrives at the turn of spring and summer, temperatures across the country rise substantially, and sunlight grows stronger day by day. The variety of potted ornamental plants that can be displayed in courtyards increases, such as Chinese rose, Norfolk Island pine, Hall crabapple, Canary Island date palm, rubber tree, five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, heavenly bamboo, amaryllis, jasmine, bamboo palm, sago palm, king coconut, areca palm, variegated dracaena, palm, bottle palm, cinnamon, beautiful phoenix palm, European primrose, lily (dwarf potted), pomegranate, Chinese peony, banana shrub, red maple, Aglaia odorata, four-season osmanthus, bitter orange, etc.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
II.Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing
Flower species suitable for sowing in May include: four-season primrose, impatiens, globe amaranth, etc. Woody flowers include: loquat, Japanese fatsia, leatherleaf mahonia, areca palm, bottle palm, osmanthus. Among them, the seeds of the first 5 flowers can be washed clean and sown immediately after collection; only osmanthus fruits, which are ripe when black, soft, and covered with white powder, after washing off the peel and pulp, should be stored in clean damp sand until February of the following year, and sown when the seeds crack open and show white. For seeds sown immediately after collection, the following points should be noted during sowing: first, keep the seedbed moist, but not waterlogged; second, cover with grass to prevent the seeds from "sprouting back"; third, after the seeds emerge, remove the covering grass in 2 to 3 stages, and promptly build a shade shed to prevent the sun from scorching the seedlings. In addition, although loquat has large seeds, its young buds have weak soil-penetrating ability and tend to bend; sowing too deep will affect the emergence rate and seedling survival rate, so shallow sowing is preferable; generally a ditch depth of 2-3 cm with soil filled to the top of the ditch is sufficient.
At this time, planting gladiolus corms in the ground can bring flowers in August; planting tuberose in the ground can bring flowers between August and September.
2. Cuttings
Herbaceous ornamental plants suitable for cuttings in May include: scarlet sage, pansy, chrysanthemum, spiderwort, dragon's mouth flower, four-season begonia, bamboo begonia, monstera (stems), clearweed, arrowhead plant, anthurium, white net-veined fittonia, globe amaranth, marigold, coleus, pepper elder, geranium, coral flower, etc. Succulent ornamental plants include: night-blooming cereus, orchid cactus, cactus (used as rootstock), triangular cactus (used as rootstock), echeveria, jewel flower, etc. Woody ornamental plants include: azalea, chloranthus, jasmine, crown of thorns, Chinese rose, fuchsia, Chinese hibiscus, bleeding heart vine, heavenly bamboo, red-back eurya, mahonia, rubber tree, dragon blood tree, red mulberry, hydrangea, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, lantana, ti plant, bougainvillea, Schefflera octophylla, firethorn, purple magnolia, butterfly bush, etc.
3. Grafting
In May, wild rose can be used as rootstock for bud grafting Chinese rose; 1- to 2-year-old purple magnolia seedlings or cutting seedlings as rootstock for approach grafting Michelia alba; 2- to 3-year-old single-trunk rubber trees as rootstock for branch grafting variegated weeping fig; green maple seedlings as rootstock for soft-tip grafting red maple; finger-thick wintersweet seedlings as rootstock for approach grafting superior wintersweet varieties; osmanthus seedlings or small-leaved privet as rootstock for approach grafting superior osmanthus varieties; red camellia or single-petaled camellia seedlings as rootstock for softwood grafting camellia; vigorously growing Rhododendron mucronatum as rootstock for cleft grafting Western azalea; yellow wormwood as rootstock for grafting variety chrysanthemums; in early May, cactus and triangular cactus as rootstock for grafting Christmas cactus; triangular cactus as rootstock for grafting Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, etc.
4. Division
Flower species suitable for division propagation in May include: hosta, purple hosta, iris, Aspidistra, autumn zephyr lily, silver-veined lilyturf, Haworthia, Guangdong evergreen, orchid grass, jasmine, chloranthus, black-eyed Susan, purple loosestrife, four-season begonia, sword fern, etc.
5. Layering
Flower species suitable for layering propagation in May include: banana shrub, chloranthus, plum blossom, winter jasmine, Chinese rose, Hall crabapple, cherry blossom, Michelia alba, rubber tree, Belgian azalea, osmanthus, purple magnolia, croton, Buddhist pine, Chinese weeping cypress, true cypress, gardenia, wisteria, Chinese trumpet creeper, Aglaia odorata, etc.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
III.Management of flowers planted in courtyard ground
1. Transplanting
In early May, when flowers such as white magnolia and Yulan magnolia have finished blooming and have just sprouted but not yet unfolded leaves, transplanting gives a higher survival rate. Some flowers and trees that sprout later can also be transplanted in May, such as crape myrtle, redbud, rose of Sharon, pomegranate, silk tree, etc.
Flower species that can be planted in the ground in May include: cockscomb (5-6 leaves), globe amaranth (3 pairs of leaves), marigold (5-7 leaves), zinnia (4-5 leaves), five-color pepper, petunia, verbena, ageratum, etc.
2. Shaping
① Pinching
For ground-planted flowers such as China aster, impatiens, phlox, wallflower, dahlia, coleus, etc., pinch back the tips in mid-to-late May to encourage branching. For woody flowers such as plum blossom, wintersweet, gardenia, etc., pinching can also promote the plant to sprout side branches.
② Pruning
For flowers and trees planted in the courtyard, such as redbud, crape myrtle, firethorn, snowball, pomegranate, etc., continue to prune away dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, weak branches, etc., to adjust the plant shape.
3. Fertilizing
For ground-planted flower and tree species that continuously form flower buds and can keep blooming, such as rose pomegranate (a type of flowering pomegranate), Chinese rose, Hypericum, etc.; for species that bloom in summer, such as gardenia, Chinese hibiscus, crape myrtle, hydrangea, snowball, butterfly bush, summer azalea, etc.; for species that begin flower bud differentiation around June, such as camellia, plum blossom, tree peony, osmanthus, etc., starting from May, apply a quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium once every half month.
4. Pest and disease control
In May, special attention should be paid to controlling the harm of red spider mites, cottony cushion scale, red wax scale, aphids, etc. For the larvae of the box tree pyralid found on ground-planted boxwood hedges, promptly spray pesticide for control.
5. Seed collection
Ground-planted flowers such as cornflower, ornamental kale, daisy, pot marigold, corn poppy, wallflower, etc., can have their seeds collected in May.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
IV.Management of potted flowers in courtyards
1. Repotting
In northern regions, some potted flowers brought out from indoors or sheds can be repotted. Species such as: camellia, azalea, rubber tree, Schefflera octophylla, Norfolk Island pine, bird of paradise, orchids, dragon blood tree, areca palm, fish-tail palm, etc.
2. Shaping
In northern regions, for Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, banana shrub, bitter orange, camellia, etc., just moved outdoors, prune away dead branches, weak branches, etc., to keep a good plant shape; for potted plum blossom, wintersweet, firethorn, crabapple, etc., pinch back excessively vigorous shoot tips to promote healthy development of the plant shape; for Chinese rose, Hall crabapple, tree peony, coral tree, deutzia, etc., that have finished blooming, perform reduction pruning.
3. Watering
As temperatures rise in May, for potted flowers placed in the courtyard, increase the amount of watering, which can be controlled to once a day. On sunny days, pay attention to spraying water around the plants to raise air humidity; if there is continuous rainy weather, check the pot soil frequently, drain any accumulated water in the pot promptly, and repot as soon as possible. In northern regions, when watering potted flowers that prefer acidic soil conditions, such as gardenia, camellia, azalea, Michelia alba, banana shrub, chloranthus, Daphne, sago palm, bamboo palm, monstera, etc., a small amount of ferrous sulfate can be added to the water to prevent physiological yellowing of the plants. For cyclamen, calla lily, etc., that have entered dormancy, stop watering and simply place them in a moist, cool location.
A guide to growing courtyard flowers
4. Fertilizing
May is the vigorous growth season for potted flowers. For those flower and tree species grown for their flowers, fruits, and fragrance, such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, bitter orange, gardenia, chloranthus, jasmine, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, tree peony, etc., apply a compound fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium once every half month; a small amount of monopotassium phosphate can also be added to the applied cake fertilizer water to help the plant's restorative growth, flower bud differentiation, or continuous budding and blooming. For those species grown mainly for foliage, such as monstera, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', rubber tree, red (green) gem, sago palm, bamboo palm, giant taro, green imperial, Aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed cake fertilizer water once every half month; for variegated foliage plants, such as golden margin snake plant, five-color bromeliad, golden heart Dracaena fragrans, three-color ti plant, Dieffenbachia, croton, coleus, white butterfly arrowhead plant, shell ginger, variegated cassava, spotted aucuba, golden margin lucky bamboo, fittonia, variegated Schefflera, golden pothos, inch plant, etc., while applying dilute cake fertilizer liquid, also apply 0.2% monopotassium phosphate as a foliar feed, which can make the leaf color appear more vivid and bright.
5. Shading
Entering May, it is advisable to move potted plants that prefer partial shade or shade into shade sheds or under tree shade, such as monstera, bamboo palm, Calathea, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, giant taro, red (green) gem, green imperial, Dieffenbachia, arrowhead plant, orchids, azalea, camellia, camellia sasanqua, bird of paradise, chloranthus, clivia, tuberous begonia, bamboo begonia, nandina, spider plant, sword fern, areca palm, anthurium, pepper elder, pothos, Boston fern, etc. For sun-loving flowers and trees, sufficient light must be given, such as sago palm, pomegranate, Chinese rose, jasmine, wintersweet, firethorn, leatherleaf mahonia, etc.
6. Pest and disease prevention
For potted Chinese rose, floribunda rose, miniature rose, etc., grown in the courtyard, pay attention to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot. If leaf-eating pests are found, promptly use a 1000-fold dilution of 90% trichlorfon crystal for control. For the larvae of the citrus swallowtail butterfly appearing on plants of the Rutaceae family such as bitter orange, kumquat, finger citron, lemon, etc., also promptly handpick and kill them or use fenvalerate for control.