Things to keep in mind when fertilizing flowers: remember these points

????1. When fertilizing, pay attention to the type of flower

Different types of flowers have different fertilizer requirements. For example, osmanthus and camellia like pig manure and avoid human feces and urine; rhododendron, camellia

, gardenia and other flowers avoid alkaline fertilizers; for foliage-oriented flowers, you can focus more on applying nitrogen fertilizer; for flowers grown mainly for large blooms (such as chrysanthemums, dahlias, etc.), an appropriate amount of complete fertilizer is needed during the flowering period so that all flowers can open and achieve beautiful form and vivid color; for fruit-oriented flowers, fertilizer and water should be properly controlled during the flowering period, and sufficient complete fertilizer should be applied during the fruit-swelling stage to achieve the expected effect; for bulbous flowers, more potassium fertilizer should be applied to help the bulbs become plump; for fragrant flowers, when they enter the flowering period, more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to promote a strong floral fragrance; flowers that need heavy pruning every year require a higher proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote the sprouting of new branches.

2. When fertilizing, pay attention to the season

Spring and autumn are the peak growth periods for flowers, with roots, stems, and leaves growing, flower buds differentiating, and young fruits swelling, all of which require more fertilizer, so appropriately more topdressing should be applied; in summer, the temperature is high, water evaporates quickly, and it is also a period of vigorous flower growth, so the concentration of topdressing should be lower and the frequency can be higher; in winter, the temperature is low, plant growth is slow, and most flowers are in a state of growth stagnation, so generally no fertilizer is applied; in addition, when applying organic fertilizer, it must be fully decomposed, and raw fertilizer must not be used.

????3. Fertilizing must not be excessive

Fertilization should be based on the needs of flower growth. When the seedlings are small, it should be light and little; when the seedlings are large, the concentration and frequency of fertilization can be appropriately increased. Flowers absorb nutrients from the soil solution through their roots. If too much fertilizer is applied, the soil solution concentration becomes too high, and then the water in the root cells is instead drawn out of the body by the overly concentrated soil solution, causing the leaves to turn scorched yellow and the root system to be "burned to death."

Organic fertilizer must also be fully decomposed before it can be applied. This is because organic fertilizers such as tree leaves, vegetable leaves, and fish innards produce a lot of heat during the process of rotting and fermenting. If they are not fully decomposed and are placed directly at the roots of flowers, they will "burn to death" the roots during the process of rotting, fermenting, and releasing heat.

????4. Correctly master the usage and amount of base fertilizer and topdressing

Fertilizer applied into the soil before flowers are planted or potted is called base fertilizer. It is generally in dry powder form, such as poultry and livestock manure, bone meal, soybean cake, etc. It is required to contain relatively complete components such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which is beneficial for improving soil structure and can continuously decompose to ensure the ongoing needs during a longer growth period. Base fertilizer must be decomposed. When planting flowers, apply it below or around the roots, but it must not come into direct contact with the roots. When used in pots, the amount should be determined according to the different types of flowers. Base fertilizer is the foundational nutrition for flower growth and should be taken seriously.

During the growth period of flowers, due to the luxuriant growth of branches and leaves and the large amount of flowering and fruiting, a considerable amount of nutrients is consumed, and fertilizer needs to be supplemented at any time. This is called topdressing. Topdressing is mostly based on liquid fertilizer, which is beneficial for soil absorption and root utilization. Topdressing can include both inorganic fertilizer and organic fertilizer. With inorganic fertilizer, be sure to pay attention to suitable concentration, usually 0.1~0.5%, to avoid harm caused by excessively high concentration; organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed, and the principle of "small amounts, many times" should also be mastered.