How to care for flowers and plants in summer? Remember these four key points
Every summer is a tough time for many flowers and plants. High temperatures, intense heat, and the rainy season with waterlogging are all difficult hurdles for flowers and plants to get through. So how can these delicate flowers be cared for in the hot summer?
Rose (details)
The first thing to note is that plants should not be left in a high-temperature environment under direct sun for long periods. Different flowers, and even the same flower at different stages, have different light requirements. Many shade-loving flowers cannot adapt to the strong light of midsummer, so the light should be filtered by 50% to 80%. Flowers that need light filtering include orchids, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), asparagus fern, camellias, nandina, gardenia, rhododendron, and chloranthus. In addition, some flowers are afraid of high temperatures and are prone to poor growth or entering dormancy in hot weather. In this case, the plant should be placed on a ventilated balcony, or water should be sprayed on the leaves to lower the temperature. Flowers that need cooling include clivia (details), calla lily, geranium, and begonia.
Secondly, summer has abundant rain, and flower pots easily accumulate water, so drainage should be timely. Otherwise, the soil easily becomes compacted, and lack of oxygen in the potting soil can cause flowers to suffocate and die. Flowers with fleshy roots are especially afraid of water accumulation in the pot, such as clivia, dahlia, and cactus.
Thirdly, summer is hot and rainy, and air humidity is high. Once ventilation is poor, pests and diseases are very likely to occur, including red spider mites, aphids, and leaf spot disease. Therefore, be sure to strengthen ventilation during continuous rainy periods.
Also, some plants have overly tall stems and are easily broken in storms, so preparations against lodging must be made before heavy rain.
Finally, for some flowers such as scarlet sage and zinnia, watering should be controlled in summer, otherwise they easily grow excessive branches and leaves without blooming. At the same time, methods such as pinching, removing buds, and stripping flower buds can also be used to prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves.
A small courtyard in a big house: key points for creative courtyard garden design
PART1：Small courtyards come in many different types. Whether building a new courtyard or renovating an existing one, the following aspects should be considered:
(1) Courtyard paving is often connected to the house. The surface of the courtyard paving should be at least 15cm lower than the house to prevent rainwater from flowing in and moisture from rising.
(2) The function of the paving should be carefully considered, so that suitable-sized paving materials can be chosen according to the shape and size of the courtyard, and the paving pattern can be designed.
(3) Courtyard spaces often contain sun loungers, tea tables, swings, and simple children's play equipment, which should form a contrast with the color and texture of the paving to achieve an ideal landscape effect.
(4) Consider courtyard drainage to prevent water from accumulating into puddles on rainy days.
(5) If there is a mature large tree in the courtyard, paving should be kept at least 3 times its trunk diameter away from it, to prevent the tree from lacking water and to prevent damage from heaving of the paving.
PART2: Key points for villa courtyard landscape design
The first step in creating a beautiful courtyard is to do a good job of courtyard landscape design. First, the style of the courtyard landscape should be decided, and a plan should be made according to environmental conditions, family composition, and maintenance capacity.
1. Choice of courtyard landscape design style
Courtyards have many different styles, and the basic style is generally determined according to the owner's preferences. Courtyard styles can be simply divided into two major categories: formal and natural. At present, in terms of style, private courtyards can be divided into four major schools: the Asian Chinese style and Japanese style, and the European French style and English style. Architecture, however, has many diverse styles and types, such as the gap between classical and modern, the contrast between avant-garde and traditional, and the difference between Eastern and Western.
A common practice is to roughly determine the courtyard type according to the style of the building. In the past, mixed-wood garden-style courtyards and tea gardens with typical Japanese courtyard styles often integrated natural scenery into the courtyard, giving a feeling of elegance and quietness. However, Japanese-style courtyards and Western-style buildings are difficult to unify, and Japanese-style buildings also feel out of place with formal courtyards. Therefore, the coordination between the courtyard landscape design style and the building must be considered.
Courtyard color is also one of the factors affecting the style of courtyard landscape design. One technique for color planning is to determine the main color tone of the courtyard according to the building color and surrounding environment. Foliage plants are very important in garden design. In the United Kingdom and other European countries, planting some foliage plants in flower beds is considered a very natural thing. Variegated plants with white spots embedded in green have higher brightness than pure green types, such as silver-leaved dusty miller and Artemisia 'Powis Castle', and can make flower beds look brighter. Planting other colorful-leaved plants with orange, red, and purple leaves can form a strong contrast and increase the lively feeling of the color tone. In addition, changes in leaf shape and differences in texture can also be considered. Summer is a season with a wide variety of flowering plants, so diverse color combinations can be made, embellished with perennial herbaceous flowers full of wild charm. In summer, even using combinations of many flower colors with high brightness will not feel messy. For example, bright snapdragons of different color series can be paired into multiple lively color blocks, and some silver-leaved plants or white-flowered snowballs can be interspersed to neutralize them.
2. Influence of courtyard drainage and light conditions
Drainage, light, ventilation, and soil quality affect whether plants grow well. In particular, whether light is sufficient is an important condition determining which flowers can be cultivated. Generally speaking, it is most ideal to build a garden in a place with good light conditions and facing south, so the geographical conditions of the villa courtyard must first be clarified, such as the duration of sunlight in a day and how to handle the shady and sunny sides. On this basis, plant species suitable for these environments should be selected. Shady areas can also be used for courtyard landscape design, such as creating a shade garden for viewing.
3. Needs of family members
Courtyard style can also reflect the lifestyle of the family living there. For a two-person household of working couples, since they have no time to care for flowers and plants, the courtyard often only grows some flowering shrubs or perennial flowers; a courtyard with young children should have a lawn where toys can be placed, and grow some brightly colored annual and biennial herbaceous flowers and bulb flowers; if someone in the family is interested in plant care and management, seasonal flowers for all four seasons can be planted to create a perfect ornamental garden. In short, the courtyard landscape style and the plant species cultivated should be selected according to family composition and age structure.
4. Size of the courtyard area
Larger residences can choose a wider range of courtyard landscape styles, because the larger the area, the more plant species can be selected, and the combinations can be more complex. However, during planting, overall consistency must be considered to avoid conflicts. A narrow residence has limited usable area, so a thorough arrangement plan is needed, and fewer plant species should be planted. Regardless of the size of the courtyard, paving of paths is essential. Generally, small courtyard paths can be paved with natural stone, various colored floor tiles, or black-and-white cobblestones. The layout of the courtyard is very important. Those who advocate simplicity can plant some flowers and plants in the courtyard, or make it into a nursery of green plants. If a more ideal landscape effect is desired, many people will invite professional designers to design and build the courtyard, creating a unique courtyard landscape design style. For example, using winding paths with tall trees gives people a feeling of "deep courtyard"; while using curved arches, carved railings, and column volutes with carefully pruned low shrubs vividly reproduces a European continental style.
In the northwestern Shandong region, which is located on heavily salinized soil, how to grow chrysanthemums well is a topic of concern. As a famous chrysanthemum production area in China, Dezhou has won honors at successive national chrysanthemum exhibitions. I would like to exchange the cultivation, management, and practical experience of Dezhou chrysanthemums with colleagues.Four key elements of chrysanthemum cultivation on saline-alkali land in Dezhou
In the long process of cultivation, chrysanthemums have gradually developed special requirements for the external natural environment. Their cultivation has four technical key points:
(1) Soil improvement
Chrysanthemums like neutral to slightly acidic humus soil with good drainage and aeration. Therefore, various moderately prepared culture soils should be blended according to different needs. A key link is to apply organic fertilizer more, heavily, and frequently, plus furnace ash, a small amount of phosphate fertilizer, and black alum, which greatly improves saline-alkali soil.
The soil structures for chrysanthemum cultivation can be divided into the following types:
1. Plain sandy soil Use clean sandy soil with few colloids and good drainage performance.
2. Ordinary culture soil In autumn, use 50% tree leaves (by compacted volume), 30% sawdust, and 20% horse manure, mix in layers and pile, sprinkling water thoroughly as the pile is built. If there is no horse manure, use 70% tree leaves and 30% sawdust, then sprinkle diluted human excrement and urine, pile it well, cover the top with 10cm of garden soil for fermentation, and in March or April of the following spring turn and break it up once or twice so it ferments evenly and is crushed. Then, by volume ratio, mix it evenly with 40% surface sandy soil and 20% furnace ash and pile it, keeping it moist regularly. After the two soils are fully blended and piled for two months, it becomes ordinary culture soil, which can be used that year or the next.
3. Fertilizer-added culture soil Two months before use, mix ordinary culture soil with 20% decomposed dry manure or soybean cake and pile it until uniform.
4. Heavy-fertilizer culture soil Two months before use, mix ordinary culture soil with 30% to 40% decomposed dry manure and 0.1% bone meal, blend
evenly and it is ready.
Before use, the above three culture soils need to be sieved with a coarse sieve while rubbing them into granules (moisture should reach the point where it forms a ball when squeezed and breaks apart when rubbed), and an appropriate amount of insecticidal and fungicidal pesticide should be mixed in when used.
(2) Water treatment
Water is extremely closely related to the growth and development of chrysanthemums. Irrigation should be carried out according to the growth and development stages of chrysanthemums. Irrigation and water control are especially important. At the same time, the amount of watering should be flexibly controlled according to temperature, sunny or cloudy weather, dry or humid air, and whether the flower pot is new or old, its size, and material.
1. Watering In spring, summer, and autumn, water around 10 a.m. every day; in winter, water in the afternoon. It is best for the water to moisten down to the bottom of the pot. Do not let water stagnate (watering too much so that water accumulates at the bottom of the pot), guard against half-watering (insufficient watering so that only half the pot is wet), and also prevent "water running" (the middle of the potting soil is not dry, but water escapes through gaps in the soil).
2. Supplemental watering Water appropriately according to the degree of dryness and wetness of the potting soil, keeping the upper and lower moisture levels of the potting soil consistent. When necessary, supplemental watering need not be limited by time or frequency.
3. Drainage watering During long periods of overcast and rainy weather or when watering is excessive on ordinary days, to prevent waterlogging damage, the pot should be loosened to let the soil breathe, and the amount of watering should be controlled, keeping the potting soil merely moist.
4. Frequent watering After White Dew, in mid-September, chrysanthemums enter a vigorous growth period. Combined with topdressing, increase the amount of watering (but do not overwater).
5. Misting In dry and windy seasons in spring and autumn, in addition to normal watering, use a watering can to spray water once a day. In spring, this can prevent seedlings from drying out and scorching in the wind; in autumn, it maintains fresh and tender branches and leaves and improves the ornamental effect. Spraying water on stuffy hot summer evenings can lower temperature and prevent disease. For cuttings and seedlings, spray water frequently to keep them moist.
6. Thorough watering When potting potted plants or planting field-grown plants into pots, regardless of pot size, dry soil is suitable. Plant firmly in the pot, place it in a fixed spot, and water thoroughly on the day of planting (if it is September weather, do not water heavily).
7. Preventing drought and waterlogging
(1) Drought and dehydration. Due to dry weather or missed watering or water running from the pot, the potting soil becomes too dry, the chrysanthemum plant becomes dehydrated, leaves shrink, and tender branches droop. In this situation, never water immediately. First place the pot in a semi-shady place, water a little, or spray a little water on the leaves. After the stems and leaves recover and stand up, water thoroughly, so as to prevent root damage and deformation from dehydration.
(2) Preventing waterlogging damage. When potting, first use tile pieces to cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the flower pot, and according to the pot size, first place 1-7cm of sieved culture soil residue (or furnace ash) as a seepage layer to ensure excess water can be drained at any time. Check every two days. If water accumulation is found in the pot, poke the bottom hole with a bamboo stick and drain it quickly. Usually, be careful not to let earthworms block the drainage hole. During continuous overcast days, the chrysanthemum pot can be tipped over.
8. Water modification Dezhou's alkaline soil water contains alkali and relatively high minerals, which is extremely unfavorable for growing flowers. Therefore, the water must be treated to turn alkaline water into good water. Groundwater or tap water can be used, and the method of storing water in a pond for sunlight exposure and sedimentation can be used. A small amount of black alum can also be added to change alkaline water into neutral or slightly acidic water.
(3) Fertilization adjustment
Fertilizer is the nutrient material of plants. Lack of fertilizer or improper fertilization can cause weakening or death of chrysanthemum plants. Therefore, it is more appropriate to say "topdressing" than "fertilizing."
1. Organic fertilizer is the backbone and foundation of fertilizers. Before application, it must undergo fermentation treatment, turning raw fertilizer into decomposed fertilizer. Decomposed human excrement and urine and bone meal can be used as the base, mixed into the culture soil 3 months before use, fully stirred evenly, and then used. Horsetail slices can be used as base fertilizer, and sesame cake or soybean cake can be used as base fertilizer (and can also be used for topdressing). Various organic fertilizers need to be fermented for a year and used diluted with water in late autumn, which can make chrysanthemums vigorous. To prevent the soil surface from caking, affecting potting soil aeration, and causing flower drop and leaf loss, do not make the dilution too strong when mixing with water, and do not fertilize too frequently.
2. Inorganic fertilizers, calcium superphosphate or mineral powder, can be mixed into the culture soil in an appropriate amount as base fertilizer. Note that ammonium sulfate and urea should be used with caution; improper use can cause chrysanthemum plants to dry up and die or to grow excessively. When topdressing, apply less but frequently. Potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, and others can be appropriately added to base fertilizer and topdressing. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate and urea can be sprayed on the roots later.
(4) Light treatment
Chrysanthemums are typical short-day plants and are very sensitive to light. Therefore, extending the photoperiod (about 14 hours per day) or shortening the photoperiod (about 10h per day for about 40d) can be used to make them bloom earlier or later. There has already been much successful experience with this in the northwestern Shandong region.
1. Potted chrysanthemums can be cared for with light shading in spring and summer, which can keep the plants growing evenly and the branches and leaves fresh and tender. For cuttings and seedlings in spring and summer, adjust light appropriately to promote normal growth of the seedlings.
2. From autumn to winter, potted chrysanthemums should have sufficient light time to keep the flower color bright, but precious varieties such as 'Moju' and 'Lüyun' should be appropriately shaded so that the flower color and flower shape do not change.
3. When chrysanthemums first open, they can be moved indoors for viewing, where diffused sunlight is suitable. For short-day potted chrysanthemums, in addition to shading, sufficient sunlight should also be maintained.
Qiao Weimin
Rapid improvement of saline-alkali soil and water in gardens
Building cities amid greenery is the strongest voice of the times. More than 100 cities in China are located in saline-alkali areas, and garden greening on saline-alkali land is a worldwide problem, including irrigation, groundwater quality being alkaline, and high hardness. Using horticultural saline-alkali soil improvement fertilizer and saline-alkali improver to treat garden green space soil is a feasible, low-investment, and practical shortcut, significantly improving the survival rate of greening.
At the end of the 20th century, the International Union of Architects was held in Beijing. The conference's outlook for the new century was: build cities in greenery. At present, ecological city construction across the country is developing rapidly. China's urban development has reached the 6th stage, and the main task is to develop greenery, but greening in saline-alkali areas across the country has always been a difficult problem. More than 100 cities nationwide are located in saline-alkali areas. Saline-alkali land improvement technologies, including hidden pipe salt drainage and isolation layer alkali improvement, have been popularized nationwide. In recent years, we began exploring rapid improvement of garden saline-alkali soil and water and achieved preliminary results. The supporting rapid improvement technology for soil and water is summarized as follows:
(1) Rapid improvement of saline-alkali soil
"Horticultural saline-alkali soil improvement fertilizer" (hereinafter referred to as improvement fertilizer) was formulated by referring to domestic and foreign materials and made from 10 raw materials including "sodium ion adsorbent," soil acidifier, chemical improver, humic acid, and rooting agent. It also contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and various trace elements. It combines organic improvers with inorganic improvers and quick-acting with slow-acting effects, with the best NPK content ratio. Using the principles of acid-base reaction, ion exchange, and salt conversion, it improves the physical and chemical properties of saline-alkali soil, lowers pH and salt content, and increases soil fertility. It can be used as both base fertilizer and topdressing. It combines alkali improvement and fertility building in one.
"Sodium ion adsorbent" has strong exchange capacity and adsorption capacity for Na+, SO42-, Cl-, etc. in saline-alkali soil. After the improvement fertilizer is applied to the soil, it can reduce pH and alkalinity, adsorb ammonium ions and potassium ions, and increase the soil's cation exchange capacity, thereby achieving the purpose of soil improvement and desalination and moving the soil in a direction favorable to plant growth. For plants growing under saline-alkali site conditions, it is effective for 1 to 2 years. In addition, because "sodium ion adsorbent" has good exchange performance, it can be used to improve cation exchange capacity, adjust pH, exchange and capture harmful metal ions in the soil, and reduce soil salt content. The effect is very obvious, and the desalination rate can reach 18.6% to 29.3%.
At present, since the improvement fertilizer was promoted nationwide in 1997, 8 special formulas have confirmed effects: Dezhou formula, Tianjin formula, Yinchuan formula, Panjin formula, Lanzhou formula, Yancheng formula, Liaocheng formula, and Dongying formula. In 2003, the formula was continuously adjusted, and a third-generation formula was launched. In particular, the acidity increased to varying degrees, with pH 5.5-6.0. The improvement fertilizer can be used for the cultivation of trees, green spaces, and lawns (surface broadcasting).
In recent years, the Bohai Rim region centered on Tianjin has become a hot area for national economic development. How to effectively green the coastal saline-alkali zone has always been a difficult problem. In the greening project of the Tianjin Development Zone Water Purification Plant undertaken by Tianjin Liuyuan Nursery, the soil salt content was 0.40% and the soil pH was 8.5, belonging to coastal moderately saline-alkali land. 40t of improvement fertilizer (Tianjin formula) was applied at 1kg/m2, and a mixed lawn of ryegrass and tall fescue was sown over 40,000 m2. It formed a lawn in one pass, and the lawn green period was extended by 18-20 days. This project won 2nd place in the 1996 Tianjin Development Zone greening project evaluation. Under the same site conditions in the development zone, the lawn formation rate of lawns without improvement fertilizer was 60%.
Tianjin Development Zone Lvyuan Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd. has used improvement fertilizer to treat saline-alkali for many years in its construction specifications and has completed many projects including the greening of Cuixiang Village residential area. The tree survival rate reached over 95%.
Yan Xiuhua of the Yinchuan Association for Science and Technology planted **poplar on saline-alkali land with pH 8.0, applying 1kg of improvement fertilizer (Yinchuan formula) per plant, and the survival rate increased by 8.7% compared with the control; applying 100kg of improvement fertilizer per mu increased ground diameter growth by 0.49cm compared with the control. When planting white ash, applying 1kg per plant increased its growth height and ground diameter by 0.44m and 0.27cm respectively compared with the control.
Dezhou Huaneng Power Plant is located in a moderately saline-alkali area in northwestern Shandong dominated by chlorides and sulfates. In the plant's green space, 36 cedars were on the verge of death due to saline-alkali damage causing dead branches and yellowing. Only 2kg of improvement fertilizer (Dezhou formula) per plant was spread on the surface, the soil was loosened, and water was applied. The saline-alkali soil was rapidly improved, and 34 of the 36 cedars showed immediate "revival" and miraculously put out tender green new buds.
Practice in recent years shows that improvement fertilizer has the advantage of rapid treatment compared with other alkali improvement methods for treating moderately or less saline-alkali soil (salt content below 0.4%). In particular, when trees, flowers, and lawns are under tight construction schedules and there is no time to apply other alkali improvement measures, using improvement fertilizer is simple and easy. As long as the improvement fertilizer is spread on the surface, the soil is loosened, and water is applied, soil pH can drop rapidly, but the decrease in salt content takes several months to show effect. Generally, one application is effective for 1-2 years. For trees with a diameter at breast height of 5cm, use 0.5-1kg per plant. Especially for heavier alkali patches in green spaces, "a small amount" should be applied "multiple times" at intervals of several days to be effective.
(2) Rapid improvement of alkaline water and slightly brackish water
For many years, domestic and foreign researchers have been exploring ways to improve saline-alkali water quality. Beijing already has electrodialysis desalination technology, and Tianjin has water treatment instruments, but due to high cost, they have not yet been widely promoted. Brackish water and alkaline water are very unfavorable to trees and flowers. Improving water comes first. Watering with fresh water and improved water is key. Even if the soil has been improved, if slightly alkaline water with pH above 7.8 is still used for irrigation, after several months it will become alkaline soil again.
It is usually thought that water with a mineralization degree above 2g/L is brackish water. Brackish water causes salt damage to plants and is not suitable for irrigating plants. The soil and irrigation well water in northern China are mostly saline and alkaline. In many places, shallow well groundwater and deep well groundwater are used to irrigate garden green spaces. Even on good farmland, irrigating with saline-alkali water quality leads to secondary salinization of the land. Especially on saline-alkali land, irrigating with brackish water and alkaline water is undoubtedly adding salt to salt.
Alkaline water generally does not have high mineralization degree, but its pH is relatively high, which can cause soil alkalization. Slightly brackish water has a mineralization degree of 2-3g/L. Even if the pH is neutral, it will cause soil salinization.
In the past, some people used ferrous sulfate to improve alkaline water quality, but both theory and practice show that this practice causes excessive sulfur and available iron in the soil, makes the soil compacted, and causes plant poisoning and death. Moreover, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and copper antagonize iron and reduce iron availability.
Some people also tried using oxalic acid to improve saline-alkali water quality, but the result was not ideal because oxalic acid causes trace elements in the water to precipitate. Therefore, it also did not succeed.
The Ministry of Agriculture's "Irrigation Water Quality Standards" stipulate: "On non-saline-alkali soil, the salt content standard for farmland irrigation water quality is set at no more than 1500mg/L as appropriate." Among the cations in brackish water, sodium is the most abundant. Excessive sodium causes soil salinization and harms garden plants.
In 2000, on the basis of promoting saline-alkali soil improvement fertilizer, we also launched a saline-alkali improver, composed of 8 raw materials. Compared with improvement fertilizer, the NPK content is somewhat reduced, and the components of organic acids and organic matter are increased. Through ion adsorption, acid-base neutralization, and conversion of salts, it improves irrigation water quality. It has low cost and quick effect. Through surface broadcasting, it acts on irrigation water, improves water quality, and increases the survival rate of garden plants.
Jinan Daming Lake Park is located on neutral good farmland. Because of irrigation with slightly brackish water, the soil developed secondary salinization, causing many years-old lacebark pines in the park to shed needles and turn yellow, and many plants died. In 2002, saline-alkali improver was applied, and the lacebark pines turned green again.
In the Hengshui Development Zone (moderately saline-alkali land), 3600 Chinese junipers were planted. After the trees were planted, 1.5kg of saline-alkali improver was broadcast per plant. Although the water quality was alkaline, the survival rate reached 92.6%. The effect of rapid improvement of saline-alkali soil was achieved, while the survival rate of 80 Chinese junipers without saline-alkali improver was only 50%.
Due to the high groundwater level (water quality slightly brackish and slightly alkaline), plane trees and Chinese junipers showed chlorosis, and applying the improver also had good effects.
(3) Several issues to note in "rapid improvement"
1. Adaptive planting
On various degrees of saline-alkali land, when cultivating garden plants, "select trees according to the site" and adhere to the principle of "matching trees to sites." Choosing trees, flowers, and grasses with a certain saline-alkali tolerance is also an important means of cooperating with rapid improvement of saline-alkali soil and water. (Such as the lawn "Light of Salt Land")
2. Improve alkali and suit trees, scientific management
Apply improvement fertilizer and improver, improve soil and treat water, rapidly improve saline-alkali soil, and plant precious tree species and acid-soil flowers and trees. In green spaces with high groundwater levels, cultivation should be raised; "flushing salt with large water" and watering "alternately wet and dry" should be moderate. Management should be carried out according to the ecological habits of different tree species. Only then can better greening effects be achieved.
3. Effective scope of rapid improvement
Using improvement fertilizer and improver to treat saline-alkali is only suitable for the treatment of moderate and mild saline-alkali soil and water (pH 7.8-8.8, soil salt content not exceeding 0.4%, water salt content not exceeding 0.3%, or mineralization degree not exceeding 3g/L). The effect on alkalized soil is better than on salinized soil.
For heavier saline-alkali soil and water, foreign soil, hidden pipe salt drainage, and salt-isolation layer greening techniques should be adopted. The dosage of improvement fertilizer is 0.5-1kg per m2, and the dosage of improver is 1-1.5kg per m2. When transplanting large trees (diameter at breast height 8-15cm), the dosage should be appropriately increased to achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Wei Kunfeng Liu Huiyuan (Dezhou Saline-Alkali Soil Greening Research Institute 253016)
Liu Haichong (Tianjin Lvyuan Environmental Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd. 300457)
Cutting propagation of figs in plastic greenhouses
The fig belongs to the genus Ficus in the mulberry family. It is a deciduous shrub and can also be a small tree, about 3-5m tall. Its branches are smooth, and its leaves are large, thick, and dark green. The crown is complete and the posture is beautiful, giving it high ornamental value. Figs have few pests and diseases and strong adaptability to saline-alkaline soil, growing well in soil with a salt content of 0.2%-0.5%. Due to climate influence, urban green space soil tends to have intensifying secondary salinization. Figs increasingly show their advantage of salt-alkali resistance, growing on soil that has undergone secondary salinization or on saline-alkali soil without soil replacement, with no salt damage occurring. It has strong drought resistance, dust resistance, and sulfur dioxide resistance. The fruit is edible when ripe and tastes delicious. The stems, branches, and fruit also have medicinal value. After 3-4 years of seedling growth, it can overwinter without burying soil or providing cold protection. It is one of the good greening tree species deeply loved by people in coastal saline-alkali areas. Figs are easy to propagate by division and layering, but the propagation coefficient is not as large as that of cuttings. The method of hardwood cutting is introduced as follows:
(1) Soil overview
The soil of the Hekou Community Nursery belongs to salinized fluvo-aquic soil. The groundwater level is 0.7-1m, the soil salt content is 0.25%-0.35%, the total nitrogen content is 0.012%-0.037%, the groundwater mineralization degree is 10-20g/L, available phosphorus is 5-6mg/L, available potassium is 75mg/L, and organic matter content is 0.35%-0.46%.
(2) Land preparation and bed making
In early October, before the greenhouse plastic film is covered, level the land, apply 50kg of phosphate fertilizer and 2kg of sulfur powder per mu, spread evenly, deep plow, and fully sun-dry to kill harmful soil pathogens, enhance soil permeability, and improve fertility. For ease of operation, make beds 1.5m wide in a north-south direction.
(3) Cutting collection and treatment
From late October to mid-November, select current-year fig branches that are robust, free of pests and diseases, and 1-2cm thick as stock shoots. Before cutting, carry out sterilization treatment: soak the entire branch in a 500-fold carbendazim solution for half an hour. When cutting, use sharp scissors to prevent the cut from splitting, which facilitates wound healing and the formation of adventitious roots.
Cutting method: cut each cutting to 10-15cm long, with 2-4 buds on it; cut from 0.5cm below the lower node of the cutting, on the side opposite the bud, with the cut facing downward toward the bud in a horseshoe shape. This facilitates healing of a large wound area and is also conducive to rooting of the cutting. Cut the upper end of the cutting into a flat opening 0.5cm from the upper bud, which both reduces water evaporation and facilitates wound healing. Whether or not hormone treatment is used makes little difference.
(4) Cutting method and cutting time
For cuttings, insert vertically at a spacing of 10cm x 15cm or 15cm x 20cm. This is good for seedling growth and also saves greenhouse area. The insertion depth should be 1/2-2/3 of the cutting length. The lowest upper bud should be 3-4cm above the soil to avoid submerging the tender bud when watering the seedlings. Because water that has soaked the soil has a relatively high soluble salt content, it easily causes salt damage to the buds, creating a "pickled vegetable" situation and affecting the sprouting of tender buds. Therefore, cuttings should be cut, treated, and inserted as you go. "Treated as you go" refers to disinfecting the stock shoots and dipping the wound exudate in plant ash to control the flow of liquid.
The suitable time for cutting is after fig leaves fall and before the soil freezes, that is, from late October to mid-November, after the greenhouse film is covered. At this time, fig leaves have fallen, and the branches have stored a large amount of nutrients, making propagation easy. Note that if the branches suffer freezing damage, it will affect the survival rate of cuttings. For large-scale cutting propagation, it is late autumn and early winter, when idle agricultural labor is more concentrated and the price is cheaper.
(5) Management after cutting
After cutting, press the soil firm so that the soil is in close contact with the cuttings, water promptly, and pay attention to heat preservation, humidification, and wind protection in the plastic greenhouse. Inside the greenhouse, ventilate promptly at noon when the temperature is relatively high to regulate the temperature, observe soil moisture, and ensure the water needed by the cuttings. From mid-November to the end of February of the following year, cover the greenhouse with straw mats at night to help preserve moisture and heat. Because the temperature is relatively low, the cuttings generally neither root nor sprout; as long as the soil is not very dry, that is fine. In March of the following year, as the temperature rises, the average daily temperature in the greenhouse is 15-20°C, and the cuttings begin to root and sprout. At this time, excessive young buds and those in improper growth positions should be removed promptly. When new shoots grow to 10-15cm, apply a small amount of urea with watering (2.5-3kg per mu), or spray 0.1% urea on the leaves, to ensure the nitrogen needed for normal seedling growth. Spray 800-fold omethoate solution to control whiteflies. From mid-April to early May, when the temperature is stable, remove the greenhouse plastic film, harden and restrain the seedlings, loosen the soil and weed promptly, and promote robust and well-developed root growth of the seedlings. From June to July, leaves grow in large numbers, the height reaches 60-80cm, and when many roots have formed, move the seedlings out on cloudy and rainy days and transplant them into the nursery or pot them. In the nursery, plant them at a spacing of 60cm x 90cm for normal management. By November, plant height can reach 1.5-2m. (Li Hongguang)