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What conditions are needed to grow osmanthus trees? A detailed explanation of planting key points

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What conditions are needed to grow osmanthus trees
    Hello, osmanthus is a long-day plant that prefers to grow in places with ample sunlight, deep fertile soil and good drainage. The soil should be slightly acidic, pH 5.5-6.5. It dislikes alkaline soil and fears waterlogging and coal smoke. In the north it needs to be grown in pots and overwintered in a low-temperature greenhouse; a temperature of around 0°C will not harm potted osmanthus. Osmanthus cultivation includes both open-field cultivation and pot cultivation. In the north it is all grown in pots. 
    1. Open-field cultivation Field planting of osmanthus is mostly carried out in early spring. The planting site should be chosen in a place with ample sunlight, good drainage and deep soil. Before planting, first dig a large hole and apply plenty of organic fertilizer, while also adding some plant ash. The seedlings need to be transplanted with a soil ball to help them survive. After planting, water thoroughly. After they survive, apply one liquid fertilizer. From July to August, apply 1-2 applications of water-and-fertilizer. Before winter arrives, apply decomposed compost. After that, each year in late March apply a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer as a top dressing, in July apply a quick-acting phosphorus-potassium fertilizer as a top dressing, and in October apply an organic fertilizer again. After each fertilization, water promptly and cultivate and weed in time. Usually pay attention to timely prevention and control of pests and diseases. In this way growth can be accelerated, and the tree will bloom abundantly year after year, with many flowers and a fragrant scent. 
    2. Pot cultivation To make osmanthus bloom more and have a fragrant scent, you need to grasp five main links: choosing good potting soil, watering at the right time, skillfully applying top dressing, proper pruning, and preventing and controlling pests and diseases. 
    Cultivated varieties can be propagated by sowing, grafting, cuttings or layering; the seeds have an after-ripening period and need to be stored in sand for about half a year before sowing. Cuttings are taken before sprouting in spring. Choose one-year-old branches as cuttings, insert them into plain sandy soil or peat soil, cover them with plastic film, and keep them in a shaded place for care. After the Beginning of Autumn they can take root. When propagating seedlings in large quantities, the north mostly uses Ligustrum quihoui and the south mostly uses two-year-old large-leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum) seedlings as rootstock. Before sprouting in spring, cut them off 5 cm above the ground and then graft them by the cut-grafting method. Potted osmanthus in the north is mostly propagated by approach grafting from the Summer Solstice to before the beginning of the dog days. In early spring, first plant Ligustrum quihoui in a pot, then approach graft it with branches of similar thickness on the osmanthus tree. Around White Dew, cut the scion away from the mother plant, and at the same time cut off the branches above the rootstock graft union. 
    Osmanthus likes a warm, dry environment with ample sunshine and fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Potted osmanthus needs to have its soil changed once each year before spring sprouting, and at the same time appropriately prune overly dense and aged fibrous roots. From April to September, it should be placed in a ventilated, sunny place for cultivation, and watering should follow the principle of watering when dry and allowing it to dry between waterings. Avoid overwatering or water accumulating in the pot after rain. During the flowering season, watering should not be too much either. Otherwise, it easily causes bud drop. 
    Osmanthus likes fertilizer. During the growing season, apply a thin, decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. Apply one dry fertilizer before flowering and one after flowering ( about 50 grams of sauce residue per pot). Applying it before flowering can promote abundant flowering; applying it after flowering promotes strong and neat growth of new branches the following year. Osmanthus is a fragrant flowering woody plant and likes fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, throughout the growing period, appropriately apply more fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium. In late autumn it needs to be moved to a cold room above 0°C for overwintering, keeping the potting soil slightly moist so that it enters full dormancy, which is beneficial for flowering the following year.

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