How to care for a potted osmanthus tree in winter so it overwinters safely
How to care for a potted osmanthus tree in winter? Please give guidance. In winter, when the absolute temperature is low and lasts a long time, household potted osmanthus often suffers frost damage. Based on years of experience, the author shares some views on the care of potted osmanthus in winter in northern China. "No bringing in during autumn" means it is better to bring it indoors late rather than early. Generally, in autumn...
How to care for a potted osmanthus tree in winter? Please give guidance
In winter, when the absolute temperature is low and lasts a long time, household potted osmanthus often suffers frost damage. Based on years of experience, the author shares some views on the care of potted osmanthus in winter in northern China.
"No bringing in during autumn" means it is better to bring it indoors late rather than early. Generally, the temperature drop at the turn of autumn and winter is not very large; as long as the temperature is not lower than -1°C, leaving potted osmanthus outdoors for 4 to 5 days will not cause problems. After low-temperature hardening, the cold tolerance of osmanthus will increase noticeably.
"Not freezing in winter" means keeping osmanthus from frost damage as much as possible. The following methods can be used for winter care in northern China:
First, place the potted osmanthus directly in a greenhouse, with the room temperature not higher than 3°C, to encourage it to enter dormancy. When placing it, let the osmanthus receive sunlight to the greatest extent possible. If direct sunlight is not available, place it in a brighter spot so it receives scattered light. In addition, place the osmanthus in a place with relatively stable air, not in a place with air circulation, to avoid damage from cold air invasion.
Second, bagging. Do not bag too early; start bagging when the lowest temperature reaches -5°C. Use thick transparent plastic film to make a rectangular bag according to the crown width and height of the osmanthus, put both the plant and the pot inside, with the bag opening facing upward. Tie a fixing frame (made of bamboo, wooden strips, branches, etc.) at the pot opening so the bag does not cling tightly to the leaves, to avoid frost damage to the leaves. On windless and warm days, the bag opening can be untied to let the osmanthus receive sunlight and allow ventilation. After spring begins, as the temperature rises, gradually untie the bag opening so the osmanthus adapts to the outside environment. When the temperature stabilizes at around 5°C, the bag can be removed.
"Late moving out in spring" means it is better to move the osmanthus out late rather than early. If moved directly outdoors, potted osmanthus is very likely to wilt. Entering April, the weather turns noticeably warmer, and indoor osmanthus should be moved outdoors one after another. To help it adapt to the outdoor environment, before moving it out, open the doors and windows every day at noon to allow air circulation and let the osmanthus get more sun. Generally, move it out after Qingming. In the early stage, it is best to move it outdoors during the day and back indoors at night. After several days of this back-and-forth, once the osmanthus gradually adapts to the outside environment, place it outdoors.
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