How to care for golden-edged Daphne odora in winter? Master these methods for a safe overwintering
Golden-edged Daphne odora is a traditional famous flower in China, with a wide range of uses. Besides pure ornamental value, its roots can be used as medicine, and its stem bark fibers can also serve as a raw material for papermaking. The flowering period of golden-edged Daphne odora usually falls during the Spring Festival, so care in autumn and winter is especially important, as it directly affects whether the plant can bloom during the Spring Festival. Below, Qinnong Web will introduce to you how to care for golden-edged Daphne odora in winter.
I. Winter care methods for golden-edged Daphne odora
1. Move it indoors
Usually after Frost's Descent, we need to move golden-edged Daphne odora indoors for care. The safe overwintering temperature for golden-edged Daphne odora is above 5°C, so during the day it can be placed by a south-facing window to receive sunlight, and on clear days the window can be opened for ventilation. At night, it should be moved to a warmer spot indoors. Do not leave golden-edged Daphne odora by the window all the time out of laziness, because outdoor temperatures are low at night, and even with the window closed, placing it by the window may still cause frost damage.
2. Fertilizing
If no base fertilizer was applied to the potting soil of golden-edged Daphne odora at the beginning, then it needs to be top-dressed frequently, but raw fertilizer and concentrated fertilizer must not be applied, and no ants, earthworms, or other creatures should appear in the soil. Light fertilizer is preferable, and soybean water or monopotassium phosphate solution can be used. If too concentrated fertilizer is accidentally applied at one time, you can water promptly and continuously several times to let the fertilizer flow out from the bottom of the pot and reduce fertilizer damage, then place the pot in a ventilated place to let the potting soil dry as soon as possible.
3. Watering
In winter, golden-edged Daphne odora grows relatively slowly, so the amount of watering must be properly controlled. Usually we can tell whether the watering amount is appropriate from the feedback of the leaves. If the leaves are upright and pointing upward, it means water and fertilizer are normal; if the leaves droop, it means too much or too frequent watering.
If too much water is given and waterlogging occurs, it can easily lead to root rot. After root rot occurs, promptly take the plant out of the pot, cut off the rotten roots, wash them with fungicide, and then replant.
II. What to do if golden-edged Daphne odora drops buds in winter
Bud drop is also a common but rather troublesome problem. Since the flowering period of golden-edged Daphne odora is mainly in winter, bud drop will reduce the number of blooms and affect ornamental value, so preventive preparation should be made in advance, mainly starting from two aspects: temperature control and fertilizing.
1. Temperature control
Golden-edged Daphne odora likes warmth and is not tolerant of strong light. Excessively strong sunlight and low temperatures can both cause bud drop. Besides controlling temperature, attention should also be paid to the fact that in a stuffy environment, golden-edged Daphne odora is very prone to mosaic disease, which can cause massive bud drop, so Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed promptly for prevention and control.
2. Fertilizing
Fertilizing emphasizes light fertilizer applied frequently, and can continue from after early autumn until after the flowers bloom. Before flower buds form, phosphorus fertilizer should be the main type; after flower buds form, monopotassium phosphate solution can be used instead for foliar spraying or root drenching. The fertilizer water should be sprayed evenly on both the front and back sides of the leaves. After this treatment, the flower buds will grow firmly on the branches, and there is no need to worry about bud drop.
The above is the relevant content introduced by Qinnong Web on how to care for golden-edged Daphne odora in winter. We hope it can be of some help to flower lovers. Qinnong Web also has introductions to the cultivation knowledge of many other flowers, and friends who are interested can continue to follow us!