How to propagate creeping peanut? Master these key points and that's enough

Creeping peanut grows vigorously and does not demand much from its growing environment; it grows well in both full sun and partial shade. Creeping peanut has strong resistance to harmful gases, making it very suitable for use in landscaping.

Creeping peanut

Creeping peanut can be propagated by sowing and by cuttings. Because seed collection is rather labor-intensive, large-scale propagation now uses cuttings. Cuttings can be taken in spring, summer and autumn, generally during the rainy season or on cloudy days, and middle-node sections are best as cuttings, as they can promote early rooting and produce more branches; after the plants regain their green color, fertilize appropriately to promote growth.

Classification of jasmine and how to grow jasmine

Jasmine is a favorite indoor flowering plant for many people, with pure white flowers and a fresh, delicate fragrance. So what classifications of jasmine are there, and how should we grow it? Today let's talk about the classification of jasmine and how to grow jasmine.

Classification of jasmine

1. Single-petal jasmine

The single-petal jasmine plant is relatively short, 70-90 cm tall, with slender stems and branches in a trailing form, hence it is called "vine jasmine."

The leaves are elliptical, rather thin in texture, with slightly pointed tips and entire margins, 5-9 cm long and 3.5-5.5 cm wide. The corolla is single-layered with few lobes (petals), 7-11 in number, each about 1.3 cm long and 1 cm wide, elliptical, pure white, slightly wrinkled on the surface, with a slightly pointed tip, so it is also called pointed-tip jasmine.

The single-petal jasmine has a relatively long corolla tube, about 1.5 cm, with 2 stamens, equal in length to the pistil. The inflorescences are cymose, terminal or axillary, with 3-12 flowers per inflorescence, sometimes more than 30. The flower buds are slightly pointed and long, relatively small and light. After years of selection and breeding in various regions, single-petal jasmine in China has formed many fine local varieties; those with high yield and good quality include the Fujian Changle type, Fuzhou type, Jinhua type, and Taiwan type. Among them, Taiwan jasmine is relatively refreshing, lively and pure.

Single-petal jasmine buds open early; summer flowers generally open at around 6-7 pm. The weight per hundred flowers is about 22-25 g for summer flowers, lighter than double-petal jasmine. Jasmine tea scented with single-petal jasmine has a rich aroma and a fresh, brisk taste, which double-petal jasmine cannot match.

Single-petal jasmine has relatively strong drought tolerance and is suitable for planting at the foot of hills and on hilly slopes, but its flower yield is lower than that of double-petal jasmine, producing 150-200 kg per 0.067 hectares, with the highest not exceeding 400 kg; it is also not cold-tolerant, not waterlogging-tolerant, and weak in resistance to pests and diseases.

2. Double-petal jasmine

Double-petal jasmine is the main variety cultivated on a large scale in China. The plant is 1-1.5 m tall, an upright bushy shrub with many branches; the stems and branches are relatively thick and hard, and the bark at the base of the stem has grayish-brown wrinkles.

Young stems are green, and vigorous branches have ridges and short fine hairs. Leaves are opposite, broadly ovate, with entire margins and netted veins; the leaf color is deep green, and the leaf texture is relatively thick and glossy. The inflorescences are cymose, terminal or axillary, with 3-17 buds per inflorescence, sometimes more than 30.

The buds are ovate, with a relatively flat or slightly pointed top, also called flat-head jasmine. Double-petal jasmine with pointed tips is usually of better quality; the flowers are larger than those of single-petal jasmine and have slightly lower water content. The corolla tube is slightly shorter than that of single-petal jasmine, about 1 cm long. The corolla lobes (that is, petals) are more numerous, 13-18, with the base arranged in imbricate union in two layers, 4-8 in the inner layer and 7-10 in the outer layer. The petals are about 1.1 cm long and about 1 cm wide. There are 2 stamens and 1 pistil.

The flowers are pure white and clean, with obvious waxy texture, and the fragrance is relatively strong; scent release is later and slower. The buds open about 2 hours later than those of single-petal jasmine; summer flowers generally open at around 8-9 pm, and natural scent release can continue for more than ten hours. The weight per hundred flowers is about 23 g for spring flowers, about 30 g for summer flowers, and about 26 g for autumn flowers. Flower tea scented with double-petal jasmine has a mellow, rich aroma; although it is not as fresh, lively and pure as single-petal jasmine tea, double-petal jasmine has tough branches and strong stress resistance, is relatively cold-tolerant and moisture-tolerant, is easy to cultivate, and has high yield per unit area. At present, what is mainly planted in various regions of China is double-petal jasmine.

When planted in Hengxian, Guangxi, it can be planted in the same year and harvested in the same year, with fresh flower yield reaching 150-200 kg per 0.067 hectares; in the third year, the yield is around 500 kg per 0.067 hectares; after more than 5 years, it generally reaches 800-1000 kg per 0.067 hectares, and the highest-yielding plants can reach more than 1500 kg.

3. Multi-petal jasmine

The branches of multi-petal jasmine have relatively obvious warty protrusions. The leaves are deep green, and the buds are tightly closed, relatively round and short, with the top slightly notched.

The corolla lobes (petals) are small and thick, and especially numerous, generally 16-21, with the base arranged in imbricate union in 3-4 layers, clearly layered when open. There are 2-3 stamens. Summer flowers of multi-petal jasmine mostly open at around 7-8 pm, usually opening 1-2 layers first, with the rest opening only the next day.

Some also wither without opening. Multi-petal jasmine flowers take a very long time to open, have a relatively faint fragrance, and produce a relatively small yield, so they are not ideal as fresh flowers for scenting flower tea. However, they have strong drought tolerance and grow vigorously on dry hillside land. If crossed and bred (or grafted) with fine single-petal or double-petal jasmine varieties, it is very likely that new jasmine varieties (new jasmine) with strong resistance, good quality and high yield could be obtained.

How to grow jasmine

Propagation methods

1. Cutting propagation

Carried out from April to October; select mature one-year-old branches, cut them into cuttings with more than two nodes, remove the lower leaves, insert them into a cutting bed of half sand and half soil, cover with plastic film, maintain relatively high air humidity, and they will root after about 40-60 days.

2. Layering propagation

Select relatively long branches, gently wound them below a node, bury them in a small pot filled with sand and soil, keep them moist regularly; they begin to root in 20-30 days, and after 2 months they can be cut away from the mother plant as new plants and planted separately.

Growing key points

1. Environment and light:

Jasmine by nature likes hot, humid, ventilated environments and needs sufficient light. Jasmine fears cold; in the south, potted jasmine can be grown outdoors through winter, while in the north, warmth must be maintained in autumn and winter by moving it indoors to a south-facing spot. With strong light, the branches and stems are sturdy, the leaves are deep green, and there are many fragrant flowers; with insufficient sunlight, the nodes are sparse, the flowers are few and not fragrant.

2. Water:

Jasmine is not drought-tolerant, but it also dislikes waterlogging; during rainy seasons, promptly pour out accumulated water in the pot, otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow. In hot sunny summer days, water twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If the leaves are found curling and drooping, spray water on the leaves to promote growth.

3. Soil:

For growing jasmine, fertile sandy and semi-sandy soil is best. When planted in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6 to 6.5, the root system is dense and growth is vigorous. If the soil is sticky and heavy, lacks organic matter, has low fertility and poor aeration, then the root system is small, the plant is short, the stems and leaves are slender, and the flowers are few and small.

4. Fertilizing:

The hot high-temperature season of midsummer is the peak growth period for jasmine. Apply more organic fertilizer and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, such as peanut cake powder, bone meal, superphosphate, and multi-element flower fertilizer, twice a month. During summer growth, jasmine often shows luxuriant branches and leaves but no flowers; the main reason is applying too much nitrogen fertilizer, causing excessive vegetative growth. In such cases, control fertilizer and water, increase phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to promote bud formation, and at the same time be sure to move the jasmine to a place with ample sunlight and good ventilation.

5. Pruning:

Jasmine grows very fast in summer, so prune it in time. For potted jasmine, prune while keeping 10 cm to 15 cm of the base to encourage many sturdy new shoots. If the new shoots grow very vigorously, pinch them when they reach 10 cm to encourage secondary shoots, which will result in more flowers and a compact plant shape. After the flowers fade, promptly cut off the flowering branches to reduce nutrient consumption, and this can also encourage new shoots, making the branches dense, the buds numerous, and the flowering abundant.

6. Pest and disease control:

Jasmine often suffers damage from pyralid moth larvae, scale insects and red spider mites, most seriously from July to September, and they often bore into and eat the buds. You can spray with all-purpose powder or fenvalerate diluted 200 times with water, once every half month. Spray even if no pests or diseases have occurred, so as to prevent them in advance. The suitable spraying times are 9 am and 4 pm on sunny days; do not spray under the scorching sun at noon to prevent phytotoxicity.

How to grow ground ivy

How to grow ground ivy

Basic information on ground ivy

Scientific name: Glechoma hederacea

Family and genus: Lamiaceae, genus Glechoma (also called genus Lianqiancao).

A perennial evergreen creeping herbaceous plant, about 15 cm tall. The stems are slender, 1-2 m long, square, covered with fine soft hairs. Leaves are opposite, kidney-shaped or round-heart-shaped, 2-4 cm wide, with rounded teeth on the margins, pale green, covered with short soft hairs, and with long petioles. It blooms in May-June; the flowers grow in leaf axils, are small, and the corolla is pale blue, rarely white, with dark spots on the lower lip.

The branches and leaves of ground ivy hang down, resembling a waterfall, especially the variegated types, whose green leaves are inlaid with white or pale yellow markings; when the leaves are rubbed, they can give off a fragrance, bringing a fresh, comfortable and quietly elegant feeling; it has strong adaptability, grows quickly, and is easy to propagate. It is suitable as ground cover under sparse trees; it can also be potted and placed on high places such as plant stands and the tops of cabinets, or used as a hanging decoration.

[Ground ivy varieties and related flowers of the same genus]

(1) Variegated ground ivy (cv. Variegata): also called variegated lianqiancao, colorful-leaf ground ivy, variegated money mint, white-spotted ground ivy. It is a cultivated horticultural variety of ground ivy. The pale green leaves have white or pale yellow patches on the margins, and turn slightly red in winter.

(2) Lianqiancao (G. longituba): also called huoxuedan, jinqiancao, chuandixiang, biandixiang. A perennial herbaceous plant, 30 cm tall. The stems creep and are four-angled. Leaves are opposite, heart-shaped or kidney-shaped, with fine hairs on both sides. It blooms in summer, with verticillasters bearing 2-6 flowers; the flowers are labiate, pale purple to pink. The nutlets are oblong-ovate and brown.

[Ground ivy propagation] Division, cuttings, layering.

(1) Division: carried out in spring or autumn. Cut off branches and vines that have adventitious roots and plant them directly in pots.

(2) Cuttings: can be done at any time during the growing season when the temperature reaches above 15°C, mainly from May to June. Cut 15-20 cm long stem vines as cuttings; because the branches and vines have the characteristic of rooting at every node, the survival rate of cuttings is very high, and they can root and survive about 1 week after insertion. The cut branches can also be rooted in water; after insertion they need 2-3 weeks to root and are extremely easy to survive.

(3) Layering: also carried out during growth. Bury 1-2 nodes of the branches and vines into a pot, cover with 2-3 cm of soil; they root easily, and once many roots have formed, cut them away from the mother plant and plant separately.

[Key points for growing ground ivy]

(1) Temperature: likes warmth; the most suitable temperature for growth is 15-28°C. It is relatively cold-tolerant, and in winter can endure low temperatures of -10°C. When grown in the open, the leaves turn slightly red after frost in early winter. If the aboveground part dies after low temperatures in winter, it will sprout branches and grow leaves again when the weather warms in the following spring. If moved indoors before winter, it can remain evergreen throughout the four seasons.

(2) Light: likes semi-shaded environments and fears direct strong light. During summer high temperatures and strong light, shade should be provided, blocking out 30%-40% of the light.

(3) Watering: likes moist soil environments and is not drought-tolerant. During the growth period, water thoroughly and keep the potting soil moist; do not wait until the potting soil is completely dry before watering. When the potting soil is too dry, the stems and leaves easily wilt and wither. In winter, reduce watering and just keep it slightly moist.

(4) Environmental humidity: likes humid environments; during growth, frequently spray water on the branches, leaves and surroundings to raise the relative air humidity. But do not spray water on the leaves at high temperatures, otherwise scorch spots easily appear on the leaf surface.

(5) Fertilizing: during the growing season, fertilize once every half month, and pay attention to the balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. To avoid excessive growth of branches and vines, control the application of nitrogen fertilizer. Stop topdressing fertilizer in winter.

(6) Pruning: in spring, prune the plant once along with repotting, cutting off aged branches and vines and shortening overly long branches.

(7) Potting and repotting: for planting, choose flower pots with a diameter of 15-20 cm, planting 5-7 seedlings per pot. It likes fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam soil; the growing medium can be prepared from materials such as leaf mold, garden soil, and rice husk ash or coarse sand. Potted plants should be repotted every spring when the root system has filled the pot.

(8) Pest and disease control: downy mildew easily occurs during the plum rain season; other pests and diseases include red spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, slugs and so on.

[Common problems in growing ground ivy]

Common problems    Causes
Excessive growth of branches and vines    (1) Too much fertilizer and water; (2) Poor light
Branches and leaves wilted and lifeless, leaf margins scorched    (1) Low temperature; (2) Too strong light; (3) Air too dry; (4) No repotting for a long time