Ficus Propagation Methods and New Techniques for Seedling Breeding

Ficus is an evergreen plant of the Moraceae family, with an elegant, massive crown and aerial roots that can form a forest from a single tree. It tolerates shade and sun, moisture and drought, has many varieties, and is easy to shape. It is an excellent tree species for soil and water conservation, urban greening, and bonsai creation. Several new techniques for propagating Ficus seedlings are briefly introduced below:

I. Ficus Seed Propagation Technique

Propagating Ficus seedlings from seed is simple and easy, yields a large number of seedlings, and produces seedlings with strong growth vigor. Every year in late autumn, from September to October, collect the blackened, ripe fruits from Ficus trees from the previous year, wrap them in double-layer gauze, and rub and wash them repeatedly in water until the flesh and pulp are completely washed away, leaving only the seeds. Spread them out to dry in the shade (do not sun-dry), then store them in a cloth bag or paper bag in a ventilated, dry place. The following year, around Early Spring (Lichun) in January to February or in May to June, take out the seeds, sun-dry them for 2 days, then evenly broadcast the tiny seeds onto a well-watered sand bed, cover with a small arched shed with plastic film. Seedlings will emerge completely in about half a month. Gradually vent and harden the seedlings. When the seedlings grow to more than 5 cm, thin or transplant them appropriately according to seedling density. When they reach 30 cm, they can be transplanted and established. In most areas of Yunnan, protection against late spring snow and cold damage is necessary before mid-March. In low-hot river valley areas, some Ficus seeds also mature once in early April; these can be picked, rubbed clean, dried, sun-dried for 2 days, and then broadcast onto a moisture-retaining, moderately shaded sand bed, and they will also germinate successfully. Ficus seed propagation is prone to damping-off disease at emergence, which can be controlled with carbendazim, Bordeaux mixture, etc.

For the sand bed, mix garden soil : farmyard manure : NPK compound fertilizer = 10000 : 500 : 20, mix well and water, cover with film and pile to compost for about 1 month until decomposed, then spread flat on the seedling bed to a thickness of 20 cm, and cover with a 2-3 cm layer of fine purple river sand. After broadcasting Ficus seeds, cover with 0.5 cm of fine river sand. Ficus can also be sown at 3-5 seeds per cell into tobacco floating seedling trays for soilless cultivation; after emergence, keep 1 seedling per cell, which also gives good results.

II. Ficus Cutting Propagation Technique

Cutting propagation can shorten the Ficus propagation time and allows the use of pruned waste branches to grow seedlings. In Yunnan, where the climate has distinct dry and wet seasons, protected cultivation for Ficus cuttings is best done 20 days before Early Spring (Lichun) in early January, while open-field cutting propagation is best done between Grain in Ear (Mangzhong) and Major Heat (Dashu). For cuttings, select 1-3 year old branches of 1-5 cm from the outer periphery of vigorous trees. Branches from one-year-old vigorous shoots that sprout from stumps after heavy pruning of large trees give even better results. Cut branches into 20-100 cm sections, with a slanted cut at the bottom and a flat cut at the top. Remove 90% of branches and leaves. Seal the top and de-branched cut ends tightly with plastic film. Soak the base in 5/10000 naphthaleneacetic acid or 1/10000 ABT No. 1 rooting powder solution for 1 hour, then immediately insert into the sand bed. The sand layer of the cutting bed should be thicker than that of the seed propagation bed, generally 10 cm thick. Insert cuttings generally 5-8 cm into the sand layer, allowing them to root in the sand layer; once roots form, they can quickly penetrate into the nutrient soil layer. After cutting, focus on managing moderate shading and temperature and humidity control before and after new bud emergence and rooting.

III. Ficus Air Layering (High Branch Layering) Propagation Technique

Air layering can rapidly propagate larger-sized Ficus seedlings. The annual rainy season is the period of vigorous root growth for Ficus; air layering around the Dragon Boat Festival in June is when Ficus roots most easily. Select an appropriate position on the outer branches of vigorous large trees (generally where branch diameter is 1-10 cm), use a knife to score the bark around 1/5 to 1/3 of the branch circumference, cutting deep to the xylem. Use thick, aging-resistant plastic film or straw matting, fill with moist fine river sand or river sand mixed with sawdust, and wrap it around the scored position. Within the branch's load-bearing capacity, use lightweight filler for a large wrap, which can promote well-developed roots in the layer. The following spring, saw off below the wrap to obtain an air-layered seedling, which can be directly transplanted and established. When transplanting, cut off 2/3 of the leaves, apply sufficient pond fertilizer, water thoroughly, and cover with film to establish. Treating the scored and wrapped area at layering time and the roots at transplanting time with rooting powder solution gives even better results. Air-layered seedlings with few roots or those not immediately planted can be heeled in temporarily in a nursery bed before transplanting.

IV. Ficus Grafting Technique

Ficus grafting has wide applications in rapid variety replacement, rapid bonsai creation, and rapid rejuvenation of aging large trees. The best grafting periods for Ficus are around Early Spring (Lichun) in January each year, or from mid-June to late July (Grain in Ear to Major Heat). For grafting, cut the rootstock at an appropriate position, remove lower branches and buds but retain some old leaves. Then take vigorous, plump, one-year-old leafy branches from the outer periphery of vigorous trees in the surrounding area as scions. For early spring grafting, select branches whose terminal buds have swollen and are about to sprout. For grafting during high summer temperatures, remove the overly tender top portion, seal the top tightly with plastic film, remove 2/3 of the leaves, then graft using cleft grafting, bark grafting, side grafting, or other methods. After joining, wrap tightly with plastic film strips, then apply an appropriate amount of clay ball as a moisture-retaining material at the graft site. Finally, cover the scion and graft site with a plastic bag, and tie the bag opening against the trunk below the graft site to seal in moisture. After grafting, promptly remove rootstock sprouts, keeping only old leaves. Once the scion sprouts and survives, remove the moisture-retaining plastic bag. After the graft wound heals, remove the plastic strips wrapping the graft site. Ficus grafting differs from grafting of other deciduous species: because it is done with leaves, the scion cannot be wax-sealed, so a plastic bag is needed for moisture retention.

V. Technique for Inducing Aerial Roots in Ficus

By inducing aerial roots, Ficus can strengthen its vigor, accelerate growth, and form the spectacle of a single tree becoming a forest. Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival when the rainy season is approaching, use a knife to make a wound on the trunk at the position where aerial roots are to be induced, cutting deep to the xylem. Choose the spot where the aerial roots are to be guided into the soil. Then find a thick dragon bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus), cut it into a bamboo section equal in length to the distance from the aerial root induction point to the soil entry point, split it in half and remove the internal nodes, fit the two halves tightly together and bind them into a hollow bamboo tube. Fill the tube with moist fine river sand, then fix both ends of the tube at the soil entry point and the wound induction point. During prolonged drought, water at the upper end of the tube. By the following spring, the aerial roots will have been induced and grown; the bamboo tube can be removed or left to rot naturally.

VI. Technique for Rapidly Propagating Large-Sized Ficus Seedlings

Ficus seedlings grown from seed have swollen radish-shaped roots. Roots exposed above ground can become trunks, and trunks buried in soil can become roots. Multiple roots tied together can merge into one root, and multiple trunks tied together can merge into one trunk. Moreover, the radish-shaped roots grow much faster than the trunk. Using this characteristic, the time to produce large-sized Ficus seedlings can be accelerated by at least 3 times, greatly shortening the propagation period. The specific method is: select a loose, fertile plot, deep-plow, level, and apply sufficient base fertilizer. Select ordinary brick-and-tile clay pot-shaped flower pots (generally 20-30 cm in diameter) whose diameter is the same as or close to the desired trunk diameter of the large Ficus seedling. Select small Ficus seedlings grown from seed (generally 1-3 cm trunk diameter) whose root system can fit in the clay pot, plant them in the pots, then place or plant the pots with seedlings into the nursery bed. To cultivate seedlings with a trunk diameter of 20-25 cm, the placement or planting density is generally 2.5 × 2.5 m. After placement, the potted seedlings should not be moved, but other crops or seedlings can be intercropped in the first few years. Potted seedlings placed in the nursery bed should have soil mounded around the pots, to a thickness of 2/3 of the pot height up to the pot rim. For potted seedlings planted into holes in the nursery bed, the planting depth is the same as the soil mounding thickness for placed seedlings. After half a year, once established and growing vigorously, cut off the main trunk near the pot soil, select 3-5 sprouted branches to train into main branches in a natural open-center shape, and carry out routine water and fertilizer management, just preventing Ficus roots from growing over the pot rim.

When Ficus seedlings are planted by this method, in the first year the roots fill the clay pot, in the second and third years the roots ball up together in the pot, and in the fourth and fifth years the multiple roots that have balled together have merged and grown into a single root, and one root has grown out through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, entering the nursery bed to form another root system. Before leaving the nursery, remove the pots that have been split apart, and remove the soil around the section of root inside the original pot that was formed by many rootlets merging into one root; expose it to the air to form the trunk diameter.

Braiding or binding several Ficus seedlings or several branches of one Ficus together for planting and propagation can also accelerate the formation of large-sized Ficus seedlings, though the effect is somewhat inferior to the pot method.

Using the conventional method of letting plants grow naturally, cultivating large-sized Ficus seedlings with a 20-25 cm trunk diameter generally takes fifteen or sixteen years. Using the above pot method to cultivate Ficus seedlings of the same size generally takes only five or six years, and it can increase nursery bed density, allow shaping of the tree form as needed, and produce young, vigorous seedlings with strong vitality, solving the problem of large trees declining after transplanting and being unable to recover.

Ficus branches are very flexible. During propagation, appropriately increasing planting density, applying more nitrogen fertilizer during the peak growing season of spring and summer, and pruning side branches can produce etiolated (spindly) seedlings. Several etiolated seedlings can be woven into various flower baskets; at the weaving junctions, remove the bark on the touching surfaces of two branches and approach-graft them, allowing several plants to merge into one, forming the peculiar spectacle of one trunk splitting into branches and branches merging into trunks, making it impossible to distinguish which is branch and which is trunk. Using one or several etiolated seedlings bent into auspicious phrases or characters and fixed with wire, various "character-shaped bonsai" can be cultivated. Using the swollen radish-shaped roots of seedlings, supplemented by branch and leaf shaping, "ginseng Ficus" bonsai can be cultivated.

New Techniques for Ficus Seedling Propagation

Complete Flower Planting Manual

Flower Planting Manual

Key Points for Spring Flower Planting

Flower Planting Manual (February Edition)

    Weather characteristics in February: This month is the last month of winter and the second coldest period of the year after January. By the end of February, the weather gradually warms and transitions toward spring, and a considerable number of flowers begin to shift from winter dormancy to the recovery stage. The main gardening tasks this month are as follows: first, continue cold protection and insulation work for potted flowers in protected facilities; second, do a good job of post-bloom pruning and repotting for some woody flowers; third, make advance preparations for cutting, grafting, and seed propagation of some flower species.

   1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February include: pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), cyclamen, dwarf sunflower, asparagus fern, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, safflower, cornflower, blanket flower, strawflower, scarlet sage, marigold, peacock chrysanthemum, dwarf petunia, California poppy, phlox, calceolaria, butterfly flower (Schizanthus), snapdragon, nasturtium, pansy, etc. Those that can be sown outdoors in the open at the end of February include: seeds of Magnolia species, Michelia species, Photinia species, Acer species, and Malus species (Rosaceae) that have been sand-stored and have already cracked and shown white; also camphor tree, tulip tree, privet, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, palm, goldenrain tree, soapberry, horse chestnut, lilac, etc. Seeds of wintersweet, summersweet (Calycanthus), wisteria, etc. should be soaked for 24 to 48 hours until they absorb enough water before sowing. Tuberose bulbs and amaryllis bulbs can also be potted in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February.

    2. Cutting. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by open-field cutting or cutting with plastic film mulch for moisture retention in February include: plum blossom (cut one-year-old branches after flowering of cultivars such as 'Gongfen' and 'Lüe'), nandina, cotton rose (southern regions), crape myrtle, winter daphne (southern regions), edgeworthia, pomegranate, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasminum, serissa, hibiscus, hypericum (plum), spiraea, mahonia, boxwood species, lespedeza, etc. Sand-stored branches of lilac and Chinese trumpet creeper can also be cut at this time. In early February, branches of weigela, deutzia, hydrangea, tamarisk, plane tree, grape, fig, etc. can continue to be cut and stored for cutting at the end of March.

    Ornamental plant species that can be cut indoors in February include: Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, African violet (leaf cutting), begonia, redback eupatorium (Excoecaria), scarlet sage, geranium, jasmine, chloranthus, bergamot, jade plant, jade leaf, echeveria, jewel plant, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, pilea, kalanchoe, Rieger begonia, clerodendrum, schefflera, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), cordyline, etc.

   3. Grafting. Indoors, use one-year-old vigorous black pine seedlings as rootstock to graft Japanese white pine, tortoise pine (Pinus thunbergii 'Contorta'), lacebark pine, etc., then plant in the ground and cover with film for insulation and moisture retention. Use one-year-old apricot or wild peach seedlings as rootstock for cleft grafting to propagate red-leaf plum, plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, etc. In areas south of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on wintersweet branches grow to the size of wheat grains, use wintersweet seedlings about 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter as rootstock for cleft grafting to propagate excellent cultivars such as 'Suxin', 'Xinkou', and 'Huti'; using bagging with air inflation for moisture retention gives a relatively high survival rate. Use vigorous branches of the rose cultivar 'Elizabeth' as rootstock-scion for cleft grafting or split grafting of excellent rose cultivars; adopting the measures of grafting first, then cutting, then covering with plastic film mulch for moisture retention and cold protection can greatly improve the graft survival rate.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in February include: plum blossom, wintersweet, Chaenomeles speciosa, osmanthus, Magnolia liliflora, gardenia, weigela, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, winter jasmine, forsythia, hypericum, hydrangea, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, red maple, Michelia, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: iris, blackberry lily, autumn zephyr lily, dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, variegated lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, Rohdea japonica, bleeding heart, hosta, purple hosta, Ornithogalum, bromeliads, purple-backed Rohdea, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern, spider plant species, kalanchoe, canna, arrowroot, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, Strelitzia, clivia, aloe, etc. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: nandina, cotton rose, hypericum, mahonia, hydrangea, Chaenomeles speciosa, edgeworthia, winter jasmine, forsythia, Caragana, Spiraea thunbergii, red-flowered spiraea, jasmine, chloranthus, damnacanthus, Magnolia liliflora, Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens', bamboo (Bambusa multiplex), and Sasa fortunei, etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. In February, seeds of nandina, holly species, Ardisia crenata, winter cherry, etc. can be collected. After processing, sand-store them to promote germination; sow only after the seeds have cracked and shown white. For clivia plants blooming in the greenhouse, artificial pollination can be given to obtain clivia seeds with better genetic quality.

    In February, pay attention to checking various sand-stored flower and tree seeds to see if any have become moldy; if mold occurs, clean them promptly. If seeds are found to be dry, supplement with appropriate spraying of water to maintain a certain humidity of sand and seeds. If a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, sow them within a short time; once the radicle has grown too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle, affecting the seed germination rate. Large seeds from sand storage can be sown in holes, while small seeds can be sown in drills or rows. After sowing, cover with grass or plastic film mulch for moisture retention and cold protection.

    2. Transplanting and establishment. In February, in southern regions where the soil does not freeze and temperatures are relatively high, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and established include: Dianthus species, snapdragon, hollyhock, variegated holly, daisy, pot marigold, etc.

    In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can be established. Deciduous species include: hibiscus, pomegranate, redbud, Malus species, ginkgo, sweetgum, Acer species, wisteria, crape myrtle, wintersweet, plum blossom (before sprouting and leafing out), Magnolia species, soapberry, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Chinese trumpet creeper, linden, tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow, spiraea, Triadica, deutzia, Sophora japonica, Sophora japonica 'Pendula', dwarf flowering cherry, Prunus triloba, hypericum (plum), weeping willow, golden weeping willow, cotton rose, smoke tree, persimmon, apricot, etc.; evergreen tree species such as Michelia species, camphor tree, Elaeocarpus, Ligustrum lucidum, Machilus, Phoebe sheareri, etc. can be delayed until late February to early March for planting; osmanthus, privet, Sabina chinensis, dragon juniper, oriental arborvitae, black pine, etc. should be given moderate pruning when planted.

    1. Cold protection. The weather in February is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (tunnel) maintenance, potted ornamental plants have consumed considerable internal nutrients, and the resistance of the plants has greatly decreased. Continue to carefully do moisture retention and cold protection work. If the greenhouse or tunnel has heating facilities, continue heating and prevent harmful gases or smoke from entering the tunnel or greenhouse. If straw curtains are hung on the top or around the tunnel, continue hanging them. In the event of sudden temperature drops after snow, do not be careless.

For overwintering potted flowers placed in protected facilities, continue ventilation and air exchange work; especially by the end of February, ventilation time can be extended during the period of highest daily temperature. It is worth noting that when indoor potted flowers are placed in the sun, it is best to place them inside a south-facing window without opening the window.

For the small number of cold-sensitive flowers kept in homes, such as Aglaia odorata, Phalaenopsis, Calathea, Syngonium, Begonia masoniana, croton, Dieffenbachia, etc., during particularly cold weather, a plastic bag can be placed over them at night, or they can be placed in the bathroom with a heating appliance such as a "bath heater" turned on to ensure they survive the winter safely.

    2. Watering. In February, due to relatively low temperatures, for most potted flowers it is sufficient to keep the potting soil moist so they can safely overwinter, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so water demand is low. Once water accumulates in the potting soil, it very easily causes root rot and plant death. For relatively dry indoor environments, frequently spray water on the leaves and mist the plants to increase the air humidity of the local environment. If the indoor air is excessively dry, in mild cases it causes leaves to lose green color, flower buds to stop growing, and in severe cases leaves to shrivel and wrinkle, and flower buds to shrivel and drop. For example, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, plum blossom, bitter orange (Daidai), kumquat, winter cherry, etc. may all experience bud drop and fruit drop, or even death. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should be basically consistent with the indoor or tunnel air temperature and soil temperature.

[page]    For those potted plant species placed indoors that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cineraria, primrose, kalanchoe, camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, pot marigold, etc., and fruit-viewing plants such as firethorn, nandina, bitter orange, bergamot, lemon, Ardisia crenata, four-season tangerine, winter cherry, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but water must also be sprayed on the leaves, flower buds, and fruits. Only in this way can the leaves be emerald green, the flower buds rapidly expand, and the fruits be brightly colored. Especially for peonies, plum blossoms, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana placed in tunnels for forcing, water must also be sprayed on the branches 1 to 2 times daily to accelerate the expansion of flower buds so they can bloom as scheduled. For large-flowered Cymbidium purchased from greenhouse cultivation, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse differ greatly from those in the home, if the leaves are not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often shrivel and wither. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese white pine bonsai, etc., the potting soil must be kept moist and the plants sprayed with water 1 to 2 times daily; otherwise, the plants may very likely die.

    In February, although most potted flowers need little water, inspection should be strengthened; especially during several consecutive days of rising temperatures, supplemental watering and spraying should be done promptly.

   In February, for greening trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, supplemental watering should be done promptly. Especially for evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, during sunny weather around noon, appropriate leaf spraying should also be done to prevent leaf shriveling and dropping after drying, which would affect spring recovery growth.

    3. Fertilizing. In February, base fertilizer can continue to be buried for most ground-planted greening trees and flowering shrubs. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken and pigeon manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. These can be applied by digging ring-shaped trenches around the outer periphery of the plant root system and then covering with soil, to meet the needs of plant growth and flowering/fruiting in spring and summer.

   In February, for potted flowers placed in 10°C to 15°C greenhouses (tunnels), such as camellia, sasanqua, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, Justicia aurea, winter daphne, plum blossom, European narcissus, hyacinth, tulip, Christmas cactus, night-blooming cereus, Vriesea, Tillandsia, Guzmania, clivia, etc., continue applying low-concentration monopotassium phosphate to promote plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, and tree-stump bonsai placed in tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, because they are still in dormancy, fertilizing should be stopped; otherwise, it easily causes root rot and plant death.

    4. Pruning. In February, ground-planted or potted plum blossom, wintersweet, forsythia, winter jasmine, etc. can be heavily cut back after flowering; for branches that have flowered, retain only 2 to 3 buds at the base and cut off the rest, to promote many new shoots that year and even denser branches and buds the following year. In addition, water sprouts, dead branches, and misshapen branches should also be pruned. For tree-stump bonsai types that are mainly pruned, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, Ficus, trident maple, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), oak, Fraxinus hupehensis, Adina rubella, Elaeagnus, holly, wintergreen, serissa, juniper, Juniperus rigida, etc., continue pruning; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repot them while pruning.

    5. Repotting. Late February to early March is the favorable time for repotting the vast majority of potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best done when the plant's winter dormancy is about to end, the root system is resuming growth, and leaf buds have not yet emerged. Flower species that can be repotted at the end of February include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, jasmine, chloranthus, brunfelsia, redback eupatorium (Excoecaria), sword fern, Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, fuchsia, begonia, wax begonia, painted begonia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, sago palm, clivia, Haworthia, aloe, Christmas cactus, night-blooming cereus, sedum, jade plant, jade leaf, kalanchoe, amaryllis, asparagus fern, spider plant, Norfolk Island pine, schefflera, Rohdea japonica, Strelitzia, shrimp plant, Justicia aurea, coral flower, clerodendrum, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, hydrangea, nandina, croton, Syngonium, arrowroot, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, bitter orange, kumquat, bergamot, etc.

    6. Pest and disease control. For powdery mildew appearing on the leaves of potted cineraria in greenhouses and gray mold appearing on primrose leaves, spray 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1500x dilution at the early stage of disease, once every 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.

For gray mold appearing on the leaves and flower crowns of potted cyclamen in tunnels, spray 50% iprodione wettable powder at 1000 to 1500x dilution.

For potted Belgian azaleas in tunnels, stop spraying foliar fertilizers such as "Duoxiaohao" on the leaves, because at this time the temperature is low and the tunnel humidity is high, so foliar fertilizer is difficult for the plant to absorb and instead easily breeds mold on the leaf surface, which in severe cases forms unsightly disease spots.

For aphids, scale insects, ants, and sooty mold appearing on potted flowers in greenhouses (such as bitter orange and kumquat), when there are few insects they can be brushed off with a brush; when there are many insects, spray 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000x dilution to kill them. After aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, sooty mold will also be eliminated.

For insect bodies such as mealybugs (Phenacoccus), white scale, oyster shell scale, and black round scale appearing on potted flower plants in tunnels, they can be brushed off with a stiff brush, or killed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, or sprayed with 2.5% lambda-cyhalothrin emulsifiable concentrate at 2500x dilution, or controlled by burying 3% carbofuran or 20% isofenphos-methyl granules in the flower pot.

Continue clearing fallen branches and leaves under flowers and trees, and insect-infested branches and diseased leaves on potted plants; burn them in a concentrated manner, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year.

    7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, bean cake, etc. into a water tank or vat, add clean water, and seal for fermentation, so that it can be diluted during the growing season and used to water potted flowers. Alternatively, pile and ferment cake fertilizer, etc.; after about 2 months, spread out and dry in the sun. After fully drying, pack in plastic bags. The thoroughly composted and sun-dried granular powder of cake fertilizer can be scattered in flower pots as topdressing. For Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, large-flowered Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower types, it is more convenient than applying liquid cake fertilizer, especially when growing flowers on balconies, where it is both convenient and hygienic and can also reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases. In addition, it can also be used for mixing potting soil.

    8. Turning and freezing soil. In early February, continue turning and cultivating garden plots that have not been plowed; after overwintering freezing, once spring returns and the weather warms, dig trenches and make beds for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees.

    Plant species that can be trained and shaped by wiring in February include Sabina chinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, juniper, oriental arborvitae, true juniper, ginkgo, serissa, Juniperus procumbens, Japanese white pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Adina rubella, Caragana, small golden plum, Corylopsis, Chaenomeles speciosa, crape myrtle, Ficus, Chinese elm, trident maple, etc.

Continue re-wiring and adjusting plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago. If plants are found to have sunken binding constriction marks, first remove the metal or non-metal wire and replace with new binding material for wiring and fixation.

For shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai, landscape bonsai, small and miniature bonsai, stone-attached bonsai, etc., continue cold protection and insulation work, keeping them always in an environment not lower than 0°C to prevent plants from freezing to death or artificially cemented rocks from cracking and disintegrating due to freezing, causing undue losses.

Flower Planting Manual (March Edition)

(1) Flower species suitable for courtyard planting

    1. Ground-planted flower species

If the area in front of your courtyard is open and spacious, with good light and ventilation conditions, or if the distance from the row of buildings in front is greater than 30 m, and the soil has been improved to some extent, then you can plant some flower species that are relatively sun-loving and have higher requirements for the growing environment. Ground-planted flowers and trees such as: Magnolia denudata, ginkgo, osmanthus, Magnolia liliflora, Michelia, Magnolia × soulangeana, papaya, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Malus micromalus, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball viburnum, persimmon, cotton rose, tulip tree, plum blossom, rose, fig, camellia, crape myrtle, peony, pomegranate, wisteria, cherry blossom, grape, ornamental peach, nandina, red maple, redbud, hibiscus, Canary Island date palm, etc. If your courtyard is relatively shady and damp, choose flower and tree species suited to shady, damp conditions, such as palm, Photinia, Aucuba, French holly (Ligustrum lucidum), privet, Mahonia bealei, Magnolia grandiflora, camphor tree, dragon juniper, Elaeocarpus, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Fatsia japonica, Sabina chinensis, cedar, wintersweet, banana, clustered bamboo, etc. Regardless of the light, dryness, or wetness in your courtyard, when choosing ground-planted flowers and trees, pay attention to the following points: First, the minimum temperature that the flowers and trees can tolerate should not be lower than the local minimum temperature, to avoid frost damage; second, they should be compatible with local soil and moisture conditions, to avoid incompatibility; third, they should have fewer pests and diseases, a longer flowering and fruiting period, fragrance, and auspicious flower names; fourth, the number of flowers and trees should not be too many - a small courtyard can have 1 to 2 plants, while a large courtyard can plant several more; fifth, the height of mature large trees should not exceed the windows and balconies of the second floor, to avoid blocking light for upstairs residents and affecting neighborly relations; sixth, avoid planting flower and tree species that cause human allergies or contain toxic substances; seventh, choose large-sized plants that grow relatively slowly but are basically formed, so as to achieve greening and beautification effects early, such as ginkgo, Japanese fir, osmanthus, plum blossom, Podocarpus macrophyllus, etc., with a height of no less than 2 m; eighth, leave some open space for planting herbaceous flowers and placing potted ornamental plants.

There are many herbaceous flowers and groundcover plant species suitable for ground planting. Sun-loving, light-demanding ones include Dianthus, snapdragon, ornamental kale, pansy, scarlet sage, cockscomb, globe amaranth, Celosia, marigold, hollyhock, impatiens, lupine, daisy, pot marigold, corn poppy, autumn zephyr lily, dahlia, etc. Relatively shade-tolerant herbaceous flowers and groundcover species include: dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, hosta, purple hosta, Lycoris, Rohdea japonica, purple-backed Rohdea, Aspidistra, iris, Acorus calamus, saxifrage, etc.

    2. Potted flower species

There are many flower species suitable for potting in home courtyards. If conditions are good, you can choose some flower species requiring more meticulous management, such as plum blossom, Aglaia odorata, camellia, poinsettia, wintersweet, Belgian azalea, Norfolk Island pine, Brazilian ironwood (Caesalpinia ferrea), money tree (Pachira aquatica), king coconut, Michelia alba, chloranthus, jasmine, Ardisia crenata, bromeliads, money tree (Zamioculcas zamiifolia, also called dragon-phoenix tree), Fagraea ceilanica (commonly known as African jasmine), Cinnamomum species (commonly known as peace tree), calla lily, primrose, large-flowered Cymbidium, anthurium, Cymbidium ensifolium, Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium sinense, cyclamen, Oncidium, Vanda, Rieger begonia, tuberous begonia, Strelitzia, Chinese hibiscus, clivia, pothos, Fittonia, croton, Syngonium 'Pixie', Syngonium, bergamot, bitter orange, lemon, tulip, hyacinth, calceolaria, fishtail palm, areca palm, bottle palm, etc. For courtyards with relatively poor conditions, you can grow some types requiring relatively extensive management, such as nandina, sago palm, rhapis palm, chrysanthemum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, amaryllis, winter jasmine, forsythia, Caragana, serissa, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens', cacti, asparagus fern, rubber tree, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, schefflera, pilea, redback eupatorium (Excoecaria), bougainvillea, firethorn, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, Ficus, etc.

(2) Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: crape myrtle, redbud, wintersweet, summersweet (Calycanthus), red maple, and tulip tree; the latter five species all need seeds soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, until they absorb water thoroughly. Flower and tree species that can be sown after sand storage for germination include: sago palm, ginkgo, bamboo-leaf podocarp (Nageia), Podocarpus macrophyllus, fan palm, Magnolia liliflora, Michelia species, osmanthus, horse chestnut, nandina, holly species, pomegranate, Viburnum macrocephalum, etc. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: impatiens, marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, scarlet sage, cockscomb, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, four-season primrose, mallow species, four-o'clock, Strelitzia, clivia, asparagus fern, etc. Some cold-intolerant species should be sown inside plastic tunnel covers.

    2. Cutting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cutting in March include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, Portulacaria afra, jewel plant, echeveria, hydrangea, nandina, Chaenomeles speciosa, silver bud willow, hypericum, Podocarpus macrophyllus, pomegranate, fig, Fatsia japonica, gardenia, forsythia, winter jasmine, Sabina chinensis, winter daphne, firethorn, etc. Cuttings of cold-sensitive flowers should be taken in tunnels or indoors.

    3. Grafting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, side grafting to propagate Japanese white pine, Osaka pine, tortoise pine (Pinus thunbergii 'Contorta'), etc.; using 1- to 2-year-old Magnolia denudata or Magnolia liliflora seedlings as rootstock, cleft grafting to propagate Michelia and Magnolia × soulangeana, etc.; using 1-year-old peach or apricot seedlings as rootstock, cleft grafting to propagate plum blossom, longevity peach, ornamental peach, red-leaf peach, etc.; using finger-thick wintersweet seedlings as rootstock, when their leaf buds grow to the size of wheat grains, select scion branches of excellent wintersweet cultivars for cleft grafting and bagging for moisture retention, giving a relatively high survival rate; using triangle cactus (Hylocereus undatus) as rootstock to graft and propagate Christmas cactus and various cactus ball types, best done in tunnels. In addition, camellia, cherry blossom, osmanthus, red maple, etc. can also be grafted in March.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, red maple, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, upright juniper, Michelia, Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball viburnum, gardenia, osmanthus, Magnolia liliflora, etc.

    5. Division. Flower species that can be propagated by division in March include: orchid species, bleeding heart, Aspidistra, asparagus fern, sago palm, nandina, mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Sansevieria, purple triangular oxalis, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, dahlia, Strelitzia, etc.

(3) Management of courtyard flowers

    1. Management of ground-planted courtyard flowers and trees

(1) Transplanting. March is the best time for transplanting and establishing ground-planted flowers and trees. Among them, transplanting of plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliflora, Magnolia × soulangeana, tulip tree, red maple, etc. should be arranged as much as possible before the plants sprout and leaf out. When transplanting evergreen flowers and trees, some pruning of branches and leaves should be done to reduce transpiration and improve survival rate. For wintersweet, crape myrtle, redbud, hibiscus, horse chestnut, ornamental peach, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, etc., even after sprouting it does not matter, but appropriate pruning should still be done. Whether evergreen or deciduous trees, when transplanting, a sufficient and complete root ball should be kept; generally the root ball diameter should be greater than 6 times the trunk diameter.

(2) Fertilizing. For in-ground flowers and trees that were not given buried fertilizer in winter, before they sprout, dig a ring-shaped trench around the outer edge of the root system, about 15 to 20 cm deep, and apply thoroughly decomposed cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken droppings, pigeon manure, etc., or a multi-element compound fertilizer, to build a solid material foundation for their growth throughout the year.

[page]    (3) Pruning. For plants that have not yet been pruned, especially plum blossoms, wintersweet, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, etc. after flowering, besides necessarily pruning out dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and leggy flowering branches, one-year-old branches can be cut off 2 to 3 cm from the base of the branch, keeping only 2 to 3 buds; through severe renewal pruning, they will sprout more new branches in spring and form more flower buds in summer and autumn, favoring flowering the following year. For Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, etc., after flowering, prune off branches that spoil the plant's shape, and at the same time prune out some thin, weak branches and crossing branches in the inner canopy. For pomegranate, rose of Sharon, osmanthus, etc., which form flower buds and bloom on new branches produced in the current year, pruning can be done in March to adjust the plant's shape and improve ventilation and light penetration.

(4) Pest and disease control. For branches and leaves on plants that have already become infected with pests or diseases, promptly cut them off and destroy them; this can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in the current year. For some flowers and trees susceptible to pests and diseases, such as Chinese rose, papaya, Chaenomeles speciosa, grape, Malus halliana, etc., promptly spray Bordeaux mixture, etc. after leaf expansion to prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew, rust, and so on.

    2. Management of in-ground courtyard herbaceous flowers

The herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted and set out in March include: Dianthus chinensis, snapdragon, Calendula officinalis, daisy, hollyhock, Malva, Liriope with silver edges, Zephyranthes candida, Zephyranthes rosea, iris, Reineckea carnea, Ophiopogon japonicus, Liriope, Oxalis corymbosa, etc. For herbaceous flowers transplanted before February, or those transplanted before the New Year, if the plants have already resumed growth, such as ornamental kale, pansy, etc., first hoe weeds and loosen the soil, then apply a low-concentration liquid fertilizer, such as thoroughly decomposed odorless cake fertilizer water, 0.5% urea solution, or other quick-acting compound fertilizer solution.

    3. Management of courtyard potted flowers and trees

(1) Repotting. For potted wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles speciosa, Pyracantha, five-needle pine, nandina, Chinese elm, trident maple, oak, Chinese fringe tree, etc. placed outdoors, repotting can be done before they sprout and leaf out, replacing the soil with fresh, loose, fertile culture soil rich in organic matter, to lay a good foundation for spring and summer growth. For indoor plants such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, Chinese rose, jasmine, hibiscus, Strelitzia reginae, sago palm, poinsettia, Camellia sasanqua, Camellia japonica, Belgian azalea, Ardisia crenata, bitter orange, finger citron, lemon, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, clivia, Syngonium podophyllum, arrowroot, etc., repotting should be done before they are moved out of the room.

(2) Hardening off. In areas north of the Yangtze River basin, most potted flowers are still under indoor care in March, and equal attention must be paid to cold protection and ventilation. Because the weather this month is unstable and cold snaps occasionally move south, in early and mid-March, work to keep warm and protect against cold must still continue; in late March, doors and windows of the room can be opened during the day for ventilation and closed at night, so that Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, hibiscus, poinsettia, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, rubber tree, Norfolk Island pine, etc. can gradually undergo hardening and adapt to the outdoor environment, avoiding too-early sprouting that would affect that year's growth and normal flowering. For potted flowers north of the Yellow River, work to keep warm and protect against cold must still continue this month, and must not be taken lightly.

(3) Pruning. For indoor hibiscus, fuchsia, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Michelia alba, sago palm, rubber tree, fishtail palm, areca palm, croton, asparagus fern, begonias, etc., in conjunction with repotting, carry out necessary pruning, including cutting out diseased and pest-infested branches, dead branches, misshapen branches, thin and weak branches, and some yellowed leaves. For trident maple, Buddhist pine, true juniper, Huangshan pine, black pine, Chinese elm, Chinese fringe tree, oak, Syzygium buxifolium, etc. mainly appreciated for their tree stumps, wiring and pruning can also be done in March before sprouting, to further perfect their shapes. For plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese rose, ornamental peach, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, etc., severe renewal pruning can be done after flowering and before sprouting.

(4) Flower species suitable for balcony cultivation

Urban residents cannot all have a small courtyard, nor can they all live on the ground floor with a good small environment for growing flowers; more often they grow some strongly resistant ornamental plants on the balcony to decorate the interior, improve the living environment, and create for themselves an atmosphere of returning to nature.

Ornamental plants suitable for growing on balconies include one category of relatively drought-tolerant plant species: their surfaces or cuticles are thickened, or they are covered with wax, or their bodies are fleshy and thick with abundant sap, or their leaves are small and transformed into needle shapes with very little transpiration water loss, or they originate from arid desert regions and can withstand wind and heat, and are therefore very drought-tolerant, such as sago palm, cacti (Opuntia, Cereus, Crassula, Echinocactus, Carnegiea, Astrophytum, Aporocactus, Euphorbia tirucalli), Portulacaria afra, jade plant, graptopetalum, Echeveria, Lithops, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Pereskia, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, etc. There are also wintersweet, winter jasmine, Lycoris radiata, Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema, spider plant, etc.; these flowers generally will not die if not watered for 2 to 3 weeks in spring, and are quite suitable for balcony cultivation. There is also another category of flower species relatively tolerant of direct sunlight and dry hot winds, able to accept full light and resist short periods of unusually high temperatures, also suitable for balcony pot cultivation (especially on high-floor balconies), such as pomegranate, Chinese rose, banyan, orchid cactus, Ligustrum quihoui, Agave, Hippeastrum, Sageretia, oak, Chinese elm, trident maple, Adina rubella, black pine, prickly juniper, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, Ilex cornuta, holly, Vitex negundo, Euonymus, peach, Portulaca grandiflora, etc. In addition, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, five-needle pine, Aglaia odorata, Aspidistra, finger citron, bitter orange, lemon, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, Camellia japonica, Schefflera, Norfolk Island pine, etc. can also be used as slightly lower-level balcony pot plants, but water and shade management should be strengthened.

(1) Propagation of balcony potted flowers

Herbaceous flowers suitable for balcony potting, such as Salvia splendens, five-color pepper, winter cherry, marigold, Impatiens, petunia, etc., can be sown and raised in shallow pots at this time.

If a small amount of asparagus fern or clivia seeds has been collected, after washing them clean, they can first be sown indoors, and when the outdoor temperature reaches about 15°C, they can be moved to the outdoor balcony for cultivation.

Succulent plants such as Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum, jade plant, graptopetalum, Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, Euphorbia tirucalli, Crassula, etc. can be cut indoors at this time in plain sand or clean sandy loam, and moved to the balcony after spring returns and the weather warms.

Use a large flowerpot filled with loose sandy loam, or vermiculite, perlite, etc. as the cutting medium, and at a well-lit spot beside an indoor windowsill, cut and propagate gardenia, fuchsia, hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Buddhist pine, dwarf pomegranate, Chaenomeles speciosa, nandina, Daphne, Ardisia crenata, etc., but the pot mouth must be well covered with plastic film to retain moisture.

On the balcony, when grafting five-needle pine, Japanese black pine, plum blossom, peach, red maple, wintersweet, etc., bagging for moisture retention must be done, otherwise they will not easily survive.

(2) Management of balcony potted flowers

    1. Cold protection. Most ornamental plant species suitable for balcony potting are still indoors in March; while taking measures such as keeping warm, protecting against cold, ventilating, and exposing to light, plants that need repotting should be repotted in a timely manner. For strongly resistant flowers and trees placed on the balcony, the potting soil should be kept from freezing; if the potting soil freezes, it can easily cause frost heaving of potted flowers and trees, which will not only affect the plant's normal growth that year but in severe cases can cause the plant to die. Measures such as building a protective shed on site or moving them indoors or into a shed can be taken for cold protection.

    2. Pruning. For tree stumps such as wintersweet, Ilex cornuta, holly, black pine, five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, trident maple, Chinese elm, Sageretia, Adina rubella, Ligustrum quihoui, etc., pruning and shaping can be done; trunks and branches that need shaping can be wired and shaped in March; for plants that have not been repotted for 2 to 3 years, the soil can be changed; for bonsai placed on the balcony, keep the potting soil moist as the standard, water once every 3 to 5 days, and give appropriate misting. For plum blossom, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, wintersweet, peach, Camellia japonica, etc., necessary shaping and pruning can be done after flowering to promote the maintenance of a good plant shape, and a comprehensive cleanup of the plants should be carried out, cutting off diseased and pest-infested branches and leaves and destroying them; for dry cut surfaces on tree stumps, lime sulfur mixture, etc. can be applied for anti-rot treatment.

    3. Preparatory facilities. If conditions permit, a small water pool can also be built on the balcony, with a hard board (precast reinforced concrete) supported on top; using the humidity produced by evaporation from the pool, in summer place some flowers that relatively prefer humid air on it, such as orchids, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, Syngonium, Ardisia crenata, nandina, etc. The stored water is quite ideal for watering flowers.

    In March, before potted flowers are moved out of the room, you can also first set up stepped racks on the balcony for placing potted flowers, and choose the support points for hanging shade nets in summer, so that once potted flowers are moved out and encounter excessively strong sunlight, shade measures can quickly be put in place.

    In March, you should also prepare the culture soil for repotting, and stock up on various fertilizers and pesticides, etc., to meet the needs of balcony flower growing throughout the year.

Flower Growing Handbook (April)

Weather characteristics of April: As the force of cold air moving south from the north weakens, the warm, humid air currents from the south become stronger and stronger, and temperatures rise noticeably. After Qingming, although occasional southward cold air still has an effect, it can no longer pose a threat to potted flowers in most areas south of the Huai River; only areas north of the Huai River and Yellow River still have the danger of snow and frost. By the time of Guyu, the late frost has ended in areas south of the Huai and Yangtze Rivers, the minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and rainfall increases noticeably. Most potted flowers can be moved outdoors for care; but in areas north of the Huai River, potted flowers can only be moved out after late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, flower work includes the following:

1. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include Cleome spinosa, Mirabilis jalapa, Celosia argentea, Amaranthus tricolor, Portulaca grandiflora, Dahlia pinnata, Gomphrena globosa, Salvia splendens, Impatiens, Ipomoea, Quamoclit coccinea, Quamoclit pennata, Nicotiana, petunia, Callistephus chinensis, Coreopsis, Coreopsis tinctoria, marigold, red-yellow chrysanthemum, Zinnia, asparagus fern, Primula obconica, Tropaeolum majus, Kochia scoparia, Abutilon, Euphorbia heterophylla, basil, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Cosmos, Adenophora, Mimosa pudica, etc. Magnoliaceae flowers and trees that can be sown in April after sand storage include: Magnolia denudata, Magnolia amoena, Magnolia zenii, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia sinensis, Magnolia sprengeri, Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia delavayi, Magnolia parapetalum, Manglietia, Manglietia insignis, Manglietia ruyuanensis, Manglietia grandis, Michelia champaca, Michelia figo, Michelia multiflora, Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunnanensis, Michelia foveolata, Michelia omeiensis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Liriodendron hybrid, Liriodendron tulipifera from North America, etc.; other landscaping flowers and trees that can be sown in April include: Japanese fir, Sciadopitys verticillata, Norfolk Island pine, Pseudolarix amabilis, Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Albizia julibrissin, Taxus chinensis, Pittosporum tobira, Sapium sebiferum, Koelreuteria bipinnata, Sapindus mukorossi, Liquidambar formosana, maples, Ormosia henryi, wintersweet, Calycanthus chinensis, Exochorda racemosa, Lycium chinense, nandina, Ardisia crenata, palm, etc.

Ornamental plants that can be sown immediately after collection in April include: Gerbera, asparagus fern, Primula, winter cherry, Fatsia japonica, and Solanum mammosum, etc. Among them, Fatsia japonica fruits that have turned black and become soft with a whitish bloom can be picked at the end of April; after rubbing and washing out the seeds, sow them in a fertile seedbed; the seeds can also first be stored in sand until they crack and show white, then sown, covered with grass to retain moisture. Generally after about two weeks, once about 70% of the seeds have emerged, the covering grass should be promptly removed, and a shade shed should be built at the same time. For cultivating Solanum mammosum, the outer skin of the picked golden-yellow fruits can be peeled off, the seeds washed out, soaked in warm water for 24 hours, and sown in fertile sandy soil; after 10 days the seeds will germinate and emerge. When the seedlings have grown 6 to 8 true leaves and the plant height reaches 15 cm, they can be transplanted; they can be potted for fruit appreciation or grown in the ground as special cut flower material.

   2. Grafting

Flower and tree species that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, Sophora japonica var. pendula, ornamental peach, longevity peach, Robinia hispida, as well as cactus and crab claw orchid, etc.

    3. Division

Greenhouse foliage plants that can be propagated by division in April include: Spathiphyllum, Sansevieria, Aspidistra, ferns, Rhapis, spider plant, Agave, Aglaonema commutatum, Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema, arrowroot, aloe, Peperomia, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, etc. Flower species that can be divided in April include: daylily, five-color plum, hibiscus, banana shrub, spiderwort, Cattleya, Phaius, Dendrobium, iris, zephyr lily, rain lily, dahlia, etc.; flowers and trees that can be divided in April include: large-flowered chrysanthemum, caladium, canna, lily, hosta, purple hosta, amaryllis, iris, banana, Rohdea japonica, Aspidistra, Sansevieria, spider plant, asparagus fern, billbergia, liriope, dwarf lilyturf, reineckea, Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema, arrowroot, aloe, Peperomia, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, Rhapis, spider plant, Agave, silver king Aglaonema, Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema, arrowroot, aloe, Peperomia, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, etc. In addition, water willow and water lily can also be divided at this time.

    4. Cuttage

For most flower and tree species that root easily, as long as their leaf buds have not yet sprouted, cuttage propagation can be carried out in April. The main species include: boxwood, Mahonia, nandina, cypress, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Pyracantha, Spiraea, Liriodendron, Exochorda racemosa, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc.

2. Repotting and transplanting

    1. For potted flowers that could not be repotted in March, as long as the new shoots are not too long, or if not too much old soil is removed and the root system is not too heavily reduced when repotting, repotting can be done in April. But it should be pointed out: for deciduous flowers and trees, if the new shoots are too long, especially for plum blossom, they absolutely must not be repotted after leaf expansion.

    2. April is the best period for transplanting in-ground flowers and trees. Whether deciduous or evergreen, as long as their leaf buds have not yet unfolded or the new shoots are not long, they can be transplanted with a soil ball in April. For evergreen flowers and trees such as camphor, Magnolia grandiflora, Michelia, Michelia alba, part of the branches and leaves must be pruned off to reduce transpiration from the crown. For deciduous flowers and trees, it is best to transplant before leaf expansion, such as Magnolia denudata, horse chestnut, linden, crabapple, wintersweet, red-leaf plum, ornamental peach, plum, apricot, etc. Usually the diameter of the soil ball for transplanting flowers and trees should be no less than 6 times the diameter of the trunk of the transplanted plant; only in this way, without damaging the soil ball, can the transplanted flowers and trees have no worries.

3. Bonsai shaping

April is one of the best periods for bonsai shaping. The ornamental plants most suitable for beginners to practice shaping are those with strong adaptability whose trunks and branches can withstand repeated twisting and wiring by beginners without seriously affecting normal growth, such as Buddhist pine, Sabina chinensis, Serissa japonica, Adina rubella, true juniper, Euonymus, Lagerstroemia indica, soft juniper, false cypress, banyan, boxwood, Chinese elm, winter jasmine, Edgeworthia chrysantha, ginkgo, black pine, Sabina chinensis, etc. Other species suitable for shaping in April include wild hawthorn, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, ornamental peach, Pyracantha, Syzygium buxifolium, Chinese fringe tree, trident maple, oak, fragrant wood, golden bullet, Malus halliana, Fujian tea, papaya, Elaeagnus, Ilex cornuta, Pseudolarix amabilis, tiger thorn, etc.

As bonsai plants begin vigorous growth, metal wire or non-metal wire should be used in a timely manner for continuous wiring, guiding, and correction, so that they can always maintain a good ornamental state. For the care of five-needle pine bonsai, special attention should be paid this month to the following three aspects: first, timely bud removal; when winter buds move and granular needle leaf primordia appear on them, 1/2 to 2/3 of the bud length can be removed to promote shorter and denser new shoots; second, remove female and male cones; when needle fascicle buds and male and female cones can be distinguished on new shoots, promptly remove all female cones growing at the tips of new shoots and male cones located at the base of new shoots, reducing nutrient consumption during reproductive growth; third, control watering; from the beginning of new shoot elongation, watering must be strictly controlled, watering only when dry, substituting spraying for watering, to ensure that the newly produced needles are short and clustered, keeping the branch pads flat and good.

4. Fertilization management

    1. Fertilizing

For potted Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, wintersweet, azalea, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Daphne, kumquat, bitter orange, winter cherry, crab claw orchid, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium hybridum, Cymbidium sinense, Phaius tankervilleae, etc., because flowering or fruiting has consumed a large amount of nutrients, when they need to resume growth after warm spring, apply a topdressing mainly of nitrogen fertilizer, such as thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer liquid, to promote their growth. For potted flower species about to bloom, such as Chinese rose, Cercis chinensis, pomegranate, Cymbidium ensifolium, hibiscus, Michelia alba, etc., topdressing should likewise be given; the type can be potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc., with concentration controlled at about 0.2%. For in-ground Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Michelia, plum blossom, wintersweet, crabapple, etc. after flowering, topdressing should also be done in a timely manner to meet their nutritional growth needs.

    2. Shaping and care

Money tree can be braided in April. Dig up money tree seedlings that were sown or purchased, spread them in a cool place for 1 to 2 days to let them lose part of their water, then braid the trunks in odd numbers of 3, 5, or 7 into a braid; after braiding, press with a heavy object to fix the shape, then choose a suitable pot for planting. The money tree has extremely strong vitality; even if it cannot be processed into a braid or planted in time, spreading it out for 3 to 5 days will not affect its survival or later normal growth.

    3. Adjusting plant shape and preventing diseases

For potted flowers moved outdoors, promptly remove dead branches, yellow leaves, and faded stems, adjust the plant shape, and strengthen water and fertilizer management. For flower species prone to diseases, promptly spray lime sulfur mixture or Bordeaux mixture to prevent possible diseases.

    4. Management of fruit-appreciation potted plants

For potted fruit-appreciation flowers and trees blooming in April, such as papaya, ginkgo, Pyracantha, Aucuba, Malus halliana, etc., especially dioecious or cross-pollinated species, during the flowering period, attention should be paid to creating favorable conditions for pollination and fertilization, so that they can set fruit normally; do not miss the good opportunity.

    5. Management of cutting beds

For newly cut ornamental plants, before they have formed callus tissue, special attention should be paid to water spraying and misting management. Apart from those with intermittent misting equipment, water (mist) must be sprayed 2 to 3 times daily, always keeping the cutting medium moist, to create the best environment for healing and rooting.

Flower Growing Handbook Summer

Flower Growing Handbook (May)

Climate characteristics of May: temperatures continue to rise, and rainfall gradually increases from south to north across our country. After each rainfall, the temperature rises noticeably; there is much continuous spring rain. By the time the spring rain ends at Xiaoman, the weather turns muggy, marking the imminent arrival of summer. Therefore, May, at the turn of spring and summer, is a key period for growing flowers, and plays an important role in laying the foundation for the summer and autumn growth of potted flowers. In May, flower growing from south to north mainly includes the following:

1. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers and trees that can be sown immediately after collection in May mainly include: Primula obconica, Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, loquat, etc. Sowing and raising seedlings in May should pay attention to the following three points: first, keep the sowing seedbed moist, neither waterlogged nor too dry and dehydrated; second, the sowing seedbed should be covered with grass to retain moisture, to prevent sudden changes between wet and dry that cause seeds to "return to bud"; third, after emergence, remove the covering grass in several stages, and promptly build a shade shed to avoid scorching the seedlings.

For osmanthus, mature blue-black fruits can be picked at the end of May, mixed with sand and rubbed to remove the flesh, rinsed clean, and stored in moist, clean fine sand, where they can be kept until February of the following year. Only when the seeds crack and the tip of the radicle is exposed should they be sown in the ground. During storage, attention should be paid to preventing mice from stealing them and keeping the sand moist.

When sowing loquat, the covering soil should not be too deep; generally no more than 2 to 3 cm is appropriate.

    2. Cuttage

Flower species suitable for cuttage propagation in May include: Salvia splendens (pink, purple, white), Gomphrena globosa (white), marigold, Tagetes patula, dragon's mouth flower, Impatiens hawkeri, Coleus, begonias, sulfur cosmos, Chinese rose, azalea, dahlia, Fuchsia, coral flower, poinsettia, Pelargonium, Bougainvillea, hibiscus, Erythrina, Tropaeolum, downy jasmine, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Acalypha, Deutzia, Hydrangea, Kerria japonica, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, Buddleja, Campsis, gardenia, Epiphyllum, Epipremnum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, jade plant, graptopetalum, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, Cyperus alternifolius, Lantana camara, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Aglaonema, Cordyline, Epipremnum aureum, Schefflera, Nerium, Pyracantha, Mahonia, and Buddha belly bamboo with aerial roots, etc.

    3. Grafting

In May, use 1- to 2-year-old potted Magnolia liliiflora seedlings or cuttings to graft and propagate Michelia alba and Michelia figo; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings for bud grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, weeping maple, etc.; use vigorous 2- to 3-year-old red azalea cuttings to cleft graft and propagate Western azalea; use wild rose as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior varieties of Chinese rose; use yellow sagebrush as rootstock for grafting to propagate superior varieties of chrysanthemum; use 2-year-old seeded wintersweet seedlings as rootstock; graft superior wintersweet varieties by softwood grafting, and potted rootstocks can also be used for grafting. In addition, cactus and triangular stem can be used as rootstock for grafting to propagate crab claw orchid.

    4. Layering

Flowers and trees that can be propagated by air layering in May include: Michelia alba, rubber tree, Aglaia odorata, Western azalea, Camellia japonica, croton, Michelia figo, red maple, etc. Flowers and trees that can be propagated by ground layering include: plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese rose, gardenia, Buddhist pine, osmanthus, Campsis, etc.

2. Potting and transplanting

    1. Potting

For potted flowers used for street decoration during National Day, most species must be potted and set out in May; after 3 to 4 months of careful care, they can bloom on time by late September and early October, thereby creating a joyful, enthusiastic, colorful holiday atmosphere. The main species include: Salvia splendens (pink, white, purple), Gomphrena globosa (white), Celosia argentea, Zinnia, sulfur cosmos, Callistephus chinensis, Kochia scoparia, marigold, dragon's mouth flower, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Impatiens hawkeri, Coleus, begonias, etc.

    2. Transplanting

At the end of April and the beginning of May, transplanting Magnolia denudata after flowering and just before budding and leaf expansion gives the highest survival rate. Some flowers and trees that sprout later and survive transplanting easily can also be transplanted with a soil ball and set out in early May, such as Lagerstroemia indica, rose of Sharon, Cercis chinensis, pomegranate, Albizia julibrissin, etc.

3. Flower management

    1. Watering

As temperatures continue to rise, the water demand of potted ornamental plants will gradually increase. Besides combining root watering with leaf misting, attention must also be paid to the quality of water used for irrigation and spraying. It is best not to use tap water directly, especially not tap water directly treated with bleaching powder. For this purpose, tap water can first be poured into a water pool or small vat, and an appropriate amount of acidifying substance can be added to increase the acidity of the water, such as ferrous sulfate, with concentration controlled between 0.1% and 0.2%. Potted flower species suitable for acidic water mainly include: Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, plum blossom, azalea, red azalea, gardenia, Daphne, clivia, chrysanthemum, crabapple, Camellia chekiangoleosa, etc. Foliage types include: sago palm, Syngonium, Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis, rubber tree, ferns, Buddhist pine, croton, red (green) gem, Philodendron, green king, Syngonium podophyllum, arrowroot, bromeliads, Brazil wood, money tree, Schefflera, etc. Fruit-appreciation types include: bitter orange, Pyracantha, kumquat, finger citron, lemon, nandina, winter cherry, Ardisia crenata, etc.

    2. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning For Michelia alba that has just been moved outdoors, special attention must be paid when pruning back, because its branch pith is loose and the cut surface easily loses water, dries up, and extends downward. For this reason, the cut should be made 8 to 10 cm above the bud eye to be retained, and must not be too close to the bud eye. For potted Chinese rose, pruning after flowering should lower the height moderately by 10 to 20 cm; only bud eyes located in the middle of the branch can then form flower buds.

(2) Bud removal When removing buds from potted wintersweet plants, attention should also be paid to the position of bud removal; generally it should be 3 to 5 cm above the selected leaf bud, otherwise the wound will dry and shrivel and extend downward to affect the selected leaf bud. For Chinese rose potted in the current year, promptly remove the terminal bud to promote the formation of a good plant shape.

    3. Shading

After entering May, potted plants that prefer semi-shade or shade should be moved under a shade shed or tree shade, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis, arrowroot, Syngonium, Philodendron, red (green) gem, green king, pink lady arrowhead, Livistona, Syngonium podophyllum, orchids, azalea, Strelitzia reginae, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, etc. For light-loving flowers and trees, full light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, Pyracantha, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc. Bonsai plants such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, trident maple, Adina rubella, oak, Serissa japonica, black pine, soft pine, etc. require full light; while Buddhist pine, tiger thorn, Syzygium buxifolium, Sabina chinensis, five-needle pine, etc. can be appropriately shaded.

    4. Fertilizing

For Camellia japonica, azalea, Camellia sasanqua, plum blossom, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Michelia alba, gardenia, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Daphne, clivia, orchids, crabapple, etc., after flowering remove the faded flowers and stems respectively, and apply a compound fertilizer mainly of nitrogen and supplemented by phosphorus, once every half month, to restore nutritional growth while laying a foundation for forming flower buds again. For mainly foliage-appreciation species such as rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, red (green) gem, green king, Syngonium, Aspidistra, ferns, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For foliage plants with colored spots and patterns, such as Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii', five-color bromeliad, golden-hearted Brazil wood, croton, Caladium, white butterfly arrowhead, pink lady arrowhead, etc., a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be applied as a foliar topdressing, which can make the leaf color appear even more beautiful and vivid.

    5. Pest and disease control

For Chinese rose, Rosa multiflora, rugosa rose, etc., attention should be paid to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot disease, and for leaf-eating pests that appear, pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them. For common leaf-eating pests on bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, rue, etc.???citrus swallowtail larvae, spray pesticide early to kill them.

4. Bonsai shaping

Ornamental bonsai plant species that can still be shaped in May include: plum blossom, small-leaf gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, Buddhist pine, Serissa japonica, Sabina chinensis, Adina rubella, fragrant wood, ginkgo, etc. It is worth noting that when shaping, you must be careful and cautious, and try not to injure the bark and structure of the branches and trunk, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.

Flower Growing Handbook (June)

    Weather characteristics of June: By June, temperatures rise further. The Huai and Yangtze River basins enter the plum rain season. This year plum rain began on June 12 and ended on July 7. At this time, cold and warm air masses of equal strength meet in the region, causing frequent frontal or cyclonic activity. June is the season with the most rainfall in the year, often with long periods of continuous rain. For some flowers that are summer-dormant or semi-dormant, and for most bonsai, care should be especially careful, so as not to cause root rot due to excessive rain, or cause excessive growth due to insufficient light, disrupting the shape or affecting normal flowering and fruiting of ornamental plants. In June, flower growing from south to north mainly includes the following:

1. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

    Flowers and trees that can be sown in June include: Primula, lotus seeds, cycad, loquat, wintersweet, etc. For wintersweet, when the pot-shaped fruit capsule on the mother tree turns from green to yellow and then from yellow to brown, and the seeds inside are brown, they can be picked. Promptly peel open the fruit capsule and remove the seeds; first soak them in cold water for 24 to 36 hours; after the seeds have absorbed enough water and swollen, bury them in clean moist sand to promote germination. After about 2 weeks, the seeds will crack and show white; at this point open a furrow and sow. The covering soil thickness is generally 2 cm to 3 cm; add a straw cover to retain moisture. After most seeds' cotyledons have emerged, remove the covering grass in 2 to 3 stages, and promptly build a shade shed.

    2. Cuttage

In summer, temperatures are high and humidity is great; the cambium in flower and tree branches is highly active, making it the best time for cuttage propagation of flowers and trees. There are two major categories of flowers and trees suitable for softwood cuttage in summer. One category consists of species that are difficult to root or root slowly by hardwood cuttage, such as osmanthus, Camellia japonica, Michelia figo, Ilex cornuta, holly, lilac, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, Euphorbia tirucalli, Erythrina, Belgian azalea, Buddha belly bamboo (with aerial roots), rubber tree, dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, etc. The other category consists of species that root relatively easily, such as boxwood, Chinese rose, Pyracantha, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, Jasminum, Serissa japonica, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, broom, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Lantana camara, Kerria japonica, Bougainvillea, finger citron, lemon, Buddhist pine, nandina, Campsis, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, honeysuckle, hibiscus, Cordyline, Hypericum, banyan, Ardisia crenata, Edgeworthia chrysantha, croton, Deutzia, Philadelphus, Lagerstroemia indica, Weigela florida, Weigela, Schefflera, Mahonia, Fatsia japonica, Exochorda racemosa, Hydrangea, poinsettia, etc. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as, Tropaeolum, Cyperus alternifolius, Pelargonium, Coleus, begonias, pansy, Gomphrena globosa, Zinnia, Tagetes patula, marigold, etc.

Taking fully enclosed moisture-retentive cuttage of Camellia japonica and osmanthus as an example: the cutting time is from early June to mid-July; when the young branches of osmanthus and Camellia japonica are semi-lignified, it is most ideal. The medium can be yellow subsoil, sandy loam, or vermiculite. The cuttings are new shoots of the current year, 10 cm to 15 cm long, retaining only 2 to 3 leaves at the tip. The lower cut is dipped for 10 seconds in 500 mg/kg No. 1 ABT rooting powder or naphthalene acetic acid solution, briefly dried, and then inserted into the seedbed. The insertion depth of the cuttings is 1/2 to 2/3 of the cutting length, with plant and row spacing of 2 cm x 8 cm. After watering thoroughly, set up bamboo arches on the seedbed, then cover with plastic film, press the edges firmly with mud, build a double-layer shade shed for shading, keep the bed surface moist, control the temperature inside the film at about 30°C, and maintain humidity above 90%. Generally after one month, the cuttings will root in large numbers.

    3. Grafting

For grafting, use potted seeded wintersweet seedlings as rootstock to graft superior wintersweet varieties; use potted Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock to graft Michelia alba, Michelia figo, etc. For bud grafting, use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to graft and propagate superior Chinese rose varieties; use 1-year-old seedlings of apricot, peach, plum, etc. as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate, ornamental peach, purple-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, etc.; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings as rootstock for grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, red maple, etc. For stem grafting, use Camellia oleifera, Camellia chekiangoleosa, or single-petaled seeded Camellia japonica seedlings as rootstock for stem grafting Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua; use 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting Belgian azalea or Western azalea.

    4. Layering

    Flowers and trees that can be propagated by layering in June include: azalea, honeysuckle, Hydrangea, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, Weigela, oleander, osmanthus, Camellia japonica, plum blossom, wintersweet, lilac, gardenia, red maple, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc.

    5. Division

    Flower species that can be propagated by division in June include: Nephrolepis, calla lily (after flowering), Buddha belly bamboo, Cyperus alternifolius, Tradescantia spathacea, bromeliads, Haworthia, Aspidistra, spider plant, Acorus, Liriope with golden edges, etc.

2. Seed collection and transplanting and potting

    1. Seed collection

    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in June include: Dianthus chinensis, cornflower, snapdragon, Silene armeria, Silene armeria, hollyhock, Malva, Primula, Calceolaria, Hippeastrum (sow immediately after collection), etc.

    Flower and tree seeds that can be collected in June: after wintersweet seeds are collected, if nursery conditions do not permit, the extracted seeds can also be stored dry until the following spring for sowing, without affecting the germination rate. Peach, apricot, etc. should be sown immediately after collection, or their seeds stored in sand until they crack and germinate, then sown in the ground. Osmanthus seeds collected in June, after removing the fleshy fruit skin and washing clean, should be stored in moist sand to promote after-ripening of the seed embryo, and when they germinate, choose a nursery site for sowing.

    2. Transplanting and potting

    In June, a considerable number of herbaceous flowers need transplanting or potting, including: evening primrose, Cleome spinosa, Impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, Primula, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, petunia, marigold, Tagetes patula, Zinnia, Gomphrena globosa, Salvia splendens, Kochia scoparia, Celosia argentea, etc.

After entering summer, some larger flowers and trees are no longer transplanted, so as not to affect their survival rate and growth after transplanting. However, for some small flowering shrubs, such as Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia, Hypericum, gardenia, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, boxwood, under special circumstances, transplanting with a ball is not impossible, exactly as the old saying goes: "Transplant at any time, just do not let the tree know," but after transplanting, water spraying and shading management should be strengthened.

3. Flower management

    1. Watering

    Watering potted flowers in June should pay attention to the following aspects: first, watering time; 10 a.m. or 5 p.m. is better, and under normal circumstances watering once a day is sufficient. Second, watering temperature; the water used for irrigation should be kept basically consistent with the potting soil temperature; if the water temperature and soil temperature differ too greatly, it will irritate the roots and leaves of potted flowers and thereby affect their growth. Third, combine watering and misting; when there are several days without rain, besides watering the pot, also spray water on the leaf surface and around the potted flowers, to increase the humidity of the local space. If there is continuous cloudy weather, decide whether to water and mist according to the wetness or dryness of the potting soil.

Flower species that enter semi-dormancy or dormancy in summer. Semi-dormant ones such as: Oxalis corymbosa, Pelargonium, Fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonias, etc., when the temperature reaches above 30°C, because their growth activity is very weak and metabolic level is low, watering should be reduced, and keeping the potting soil moist is sufficient. Deeply dormant species such as: cyclamen, Lycoris (species), Ranunculus, Dutch peony, etc., under high temperatures show aboveground stems and leaves withering and underground nutrient fibrous roots dying, overwintering through summer as underground stems or tuberous roots dormant in the soil; watering must be stopped for them, move them to a cool place, and keep the potting soil from becoming excessively dry.

[page]    If there is continuous rainfall, after the rain stops, comprehensively inspect the potted flowers. If water accumulation is found in the pots, pour it out as soon as possible, and after the potting soil dries, loosen the soil, so as to avoid causing root rot. Or before heavy rain arrives, lay the potted flowers down, and after the rain stops, set the potted flowers upright again.

    2. Fertilizing

For vigorously growing species, such as Monstera deliciosa, spider plant, Syngonium podophyllum, arrowroot, Nephrolepis, Syngonium, sago palm, Aspidistra, Philodendron, red (green) gem, rubber tree, Anthurium, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Rhapis, Norfolk Island pine, Buddhist pine, money tree, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, plum blossom, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Daphne, azalea, Lantana camara, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Justicia brandegeeana, bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Pyracantha, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For species currently flowering, also apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to meet the needs of growth, flowering, and fruiting.

For those flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, fertilization must be stopped. Especially for fleshy flower species such as jade plant, crab claw orchid, Haworthia, Sedum, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, fertilization should be stopped to avoid rotting.

    3. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning For vigorously growing species such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, Buddhist pine, Fujian tea, true juniper, Sabina chinensis, Adina rubella, Chinese juniper, Ilex cornuta, holly, trident maple, tamarisk, Pyracantha, etc., branches affecting the shape should be pruned or cut back early, which can keep the plant clearly layered and good in appearance, and can promote more short branches and more new buds, forming a perfect shape early.

(2) Bud removal For flowers such as Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Chinese rose, etc., faded flowers and stems should be promptly removed, and flowering branches should be appropriately cut back, to promote the lower lateral branches or flower buds to bloom again. For flowers and trees such as Michelia alba, bitter orange, azalea, Camellia japonica, wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple, etc., in order to promote a good plant shape and more flower buds, more flowers, and better flowers in the current or following year, pinch and remove buds on overly vigorous branches, inhibiting the growth of terminal and lateral shoots and promoting the sprouting of lateral buds.

    4. Shading

After entering May, potted plants that prefer semi-shade or shade should be moved under a shade shed or tree shade, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis, arrowroot, Syngonium, Philodendron, red (green) gem, Livistona, Syngonium podophyllum, orchids, azalea, Strelitzia reginae, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, etc. For light-loving flowers and trees, full light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, Pyracantha, jasmine, Michelia alba, etc. Bonsai plants such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, trident maple, Adina rubella, oak, Serissa japonica, black pine, etc. require full light; while Buddhist pine, Syzygium buxifolium, Sabina chinensis, five-needle pine, etc. can be appropriately shaded.

    In June, for those flowers and trees that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade awning to prevent damage to the plants from the scorching sun. Such as hosta, purple hosta, asparagus fern, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, zhu lan, bird of paradise, orchids, palm grass, rubber tree, ferns, philodendron, syngonium, pink lady leaf, spring feather, pothos, peperomia, green giant, red (green) gem, green emperor, red queen, fan palm, daphne, aspidistra, spider plant, etc. Light-loving flower species, on the other hand, must be given sufficient light, such as pomegranate, wisteria, firethorn, crape myrtle, jasmine, june snow, sago palm, Chinese juniper, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Fukien tea, trident maple, bird plum, horned holly, holly, water willow, oak, black pine, tortoise pine, white orchid, milan, Chinese rose, mahonia, grape, etc.; for podocarpus, tiger thorn, nandina, Buddha belly bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, five-needle pine, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, etc., appropriate shading may be given.

    5. Pest and disease control

(1) Chinese juniper, cypress, Chinese elm, papaya, firethorn, podocarpus, crabapple and others are susceptible to the harm of trunk-boring longhorn beetles, and poisoned sticks should be used promptly to block and control them.

(2) Chinese rose, rose, and rugosa rose are prone to powdery mildew and brown spot disease during the plum rain season, and Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed early for control.

(3) White orchid, plum blossom, wintersweet and others are susceptible to aphids, and suitable pesticides should be selected early for spraying and killing.

(4) Orchid leaves are easily infected with anthracnose, and fungicides such as carbendazim should be sprayed early for control.

(5) For bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, finger citron, etc., the tender leaves are easily eaten by the larvae of the citrus swallowtail butterfly, and pesticides such as contact insecticides and stomach poisons can be sprayed to kill them.

IV. Bonsai shaping

The plant species that can be shaped in June are mainly woody ornamental plants with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and they must be plants that were potted for hardening in early spring or grown in the ground. They are: podocarpus, winter jasmine, Elaeagnus, Huashan pine, cypress, Chinese juniper, horned holly, holly, Chinese wolfberry, five-needle pine, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, plum blossom, ornamental peach, trident maple, june snow, black pine, boxwood, Chinese elm, tamarisk, water willow, true juniper, ginkgo, snow willow, firethorn, etc. Shaping in June must be careful, with gentle and slow wiring, and one must never rush or use excessive force.

    Solar terms in June: June 5 is Grain in Ear; June 21 is Summer Solstice.

Flower Planting Manual (July Chapter)

Weather characteristics of July: On July 7, the plum rain weather in the Jianghuai region ends. July 16 is the start of the dog days, and August 15 is the end of the dog days, with most parts of the country entering the hottest period of the year. The average July temperature in most parts of China is above 24°C, and in areas south of the Jianghuai region it is 28°C; only in northern Northeast China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the average July temperature below 20°C. The main contents of flower care management in July are as follows:
I. Flower propagation
    1. Sowing
    The herbaceous flowers that can be sown in July include: cineraria, four-season primrose, ornamental kale, campanula, etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading, and increasing ventilation and light transmission.
    In July, mature fruits of plum, wild peach, mountain peach, elm-leaf plum, etc. can also be picked, the flesh washed off, and then sown in furrows immediately, or the cleaned stone fruits can be stored in wet sand until they crack and then sown; wintersweet seeds can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds removed from the fruit capsule can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, which will not affect their germination rate.
    2. Cuttage
    The herbaceous flower species suitable for cuttage propagation in July include: purslane, begonia, coleus, Pilea, salvia, marigold, Tagetes patula, globe amaranth, geranium, Dutch aster, purple loosestrife, umbrella grass, creeping fig, coral flower, pepper grass, Rhaphidophora, knotweed, kalanchoe, pothos, etc.
    The woody flower species suitable for cuttage propagation in July include: red-backed eupatorium, nandina, poinsettia, crown of thorns, Hypericum, goldenseal, Weigela, hydrangea, weigela, snowball viburnum, snow spray, daphne, gardenia, edgeworthia, mountain spirea, bougainvillea, milan, jasmine, zhu lan, schefflera, mahonia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, hibiscus, firethorn, cordyline, hibiscus, june snow, banana shrub, coral tree, rubber tree, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum sargentii, boxwood, fig, purple magnolia, osmanthus, rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, dragon-claw willow, golden silk willow, etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttage.
In addition, in July, water cuttage can also be used to propagate some flowers and trees. They are: gardenia, oleander, Chinese rose, jasmine, zhu lan, fig, pomegranate, fuchsia, crape myrtle, hibiscus, etc. To use water cuttage to propagate flowers and trees, first, prepare a thick foam plastic board of 1 cm to 2 cm, perforate it, and use it as fixing material for the cuttings; second, keep the water for cuttage clean, and add a few pieces of charcoal for antisepsis.
    3. Grafting
One-year-old mountain peach or wild peach seedlings can be used as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, elm-leaf plum, red-leaf plum, beauty plum, etc.; using cuttage seedlings of wild rose, pink cluster rose, and 'Ten Sisters' as rootstock, bud graft to propagate variety roses, cut-flower roses, and rugosa roses, etc.; using potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock, * graft to propagate white orchid, banana shrub, etc.; using 2-year-old potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock, * graft to propagate superior varieties of wintersweet; also using 2-year-old wintersweet seedlings as rootstock, adopt the method of softwood side grafting with bagging for moisture retention, grafting at 3 cm to 4 cm above the ground, and after 7 to 10 days it can be determined whether it has survived; using 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' among as rootstock, cleft graft or side graft to propagate Belgian azalea or Western azalea; using cherry seedlings as rootstock, bud graft to propagate superior varieties of cherry blossoms; using current-year seedling of Malus baccata, Hubei crabapple, hall crabapple, or crabapple as rootstock, carry out "T" shaped bud grafting to propagate superior varieties of crabapple; using maple seedlings as rootstock, bagged grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple and other seedlings.
    4. Layering
    The flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in July include: milan (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, Chinese trumpet creeper, Viburnum macrocephalum, oleander, weigela, broom, osmanthus, gardenia, purple magnolia, jasmine, zhu lan, climbing Chinese rose, winter jasmine, etc.
    5. Division
    The ornamental plant species that can be divided in July include: hosta, purple hosta, Acorus, umbrella grass, aspidistra, purple-backed oyster plant, bromeliads, Haworthia, spider plant, Liriope, Reineckea, zephyr lily, sword fern, iris, Tradescantia zebrina, etc. II. Seed collection and transplanting and planting
    1. Seed collection
    The herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock, mallow, morning glory, baby's breath, petunia, phlox, foxglove, snake's eye chrysanthemum, sweet pea, daisy, delphinium, pansy, mesembryanthemum, etc.
    The flower and tree seeds that can be collected in July include: wintersweet, plum, wild peach, mountain peach, elm-leaf plum, etc.
    2. Transplanting, planting, and potting
    July is the main period for potting herbaceous flowers displayed during National Day. The herbaceous flowers transplanted and potted at this time can be seedlings from sowing or cuttage. After 3 months of careful maintenance, they will bloom exactly during National Day for holiday decoration. They are mainly: salvia, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, dahlia, Guinea impatiens, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, Tagetes patula, Kochia, China aster, sulfur chrysanthemum, cockscomb, etc.
    In July, trees are generally not transplanted, but under some special circumstances, it is also feasible to transplant some flowering shrubs with soil balls, such as mahonia, Hypericum, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, aucuba, dragon juniper ball, etc. However, targeted pruning must be done, shade awnings must be built in time, and the frequency of water spraying must be increased. After they basically survive, they can be transferred to normal management. One must never be careless.
III. Flower management
    1. Watering
For flower species that enter a semi-dormant state at high temperatures, such as red-flowered oxalis, geraniums, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonias, sedum, kalanchoe, cacti, Haworthia, Stapelia grandiflora, string of pearls, Senecio, daphne, Christmas cactus, portulacaria, aloe, etc., because the temperature is too high, their growth activity basically stops and their metabolic level is very low, so watering should be reduced, the potting soil should be kept moist, and attention should be paid to shading and ventilation to create a relatively cool environment for them. If watered too much, it is easy to cause root rot and will also seriously affect their recovery growth after autumn.
For flower species that enter a deep dormancy state at high temperatures, such as cyclamen, Lycoris, ranunculus, and bleeding heart, in July the aboveground stems and leaves wither, and the underground nutrient fibrous roots die, surviving the summer in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For flowers in deep dormancy, watering should be stopped, they should be moved to a cool place, and the potting soil should be kept not too dry.
For flower species with vigorous growth, especially foliage plants, such as sago palm, aspidistra, Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, white orchid, jasmine, milan, zhu lan, Norfolk Island pine, Calathea, Syngonium, red (green) gem, green giant, green emperor, green queen, pink lady leaf, Brazilian iron, money tree, camellia, sasanqua, aucuba, firethorn, bitter orange, lemon, podocarpus, pomegranate, redbud, wisteria, Chinese rose, etc., not only should the amount and frequency of watering be increased, but appropriate foliar spraying should also be given, combining spraying and watering. Especially in continuous cloudy weather, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and spraying should likewise be given, and one must not be negligent. Once the potting soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilted, first spray the leaves with water, and after the leaves recover and stand up, then water the roots. One must not pour water heavily at the roots, otherwise it is very easy to cause woody flowers to "drop green leaves," or cause the plant's nutrient fibrous roots to rot, and even cause plant death.
For potted plum bonsai, since July to August is its flower bud differentiation period, appropriate "water withholding" should be given to promote normal flower bud differentiation. The method is: keep the leaves of the potted plant slightly curled inward on both sides to control vegetative growth; if the vegetative growth of the branches cannot be controlled, when the second new shoots send out 2 to 3 leaves, keep only one leaf at the base and pinch off the rest, and flower buds can still differentiate in the leaf axils of this leaf.
    In July, when watering potted flowers, the few hours around noon should be avoided, and watering before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. is preferable, so as to avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature, which would affect the growth of potted ornamental plants. If continuous rainy weather occurs this month, check the flower pots promptly after the rain, and if water accumulation is found in the pots, pour it out in time. After the potting soil is slightly dry, loosen the soil once more, so as to avoid root rot in potted plants.
    2. Fertilization
    There are four major categories of ornamental plants whose fertilization management should be strengthened in July. First, species with particularly long flowering periods, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as white magnolia, Chinese rose, milan, jasmine, etc.; second, species that bloom profusely in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, osmanthus, cotton rose, etc.; third, species for viewing flowers and fruits in winter, such as bitter orange, nandina, wintersweet, rhododendron, etc.; fourth, foliage plants, such as palm grass, Monstera deliciosa, spring feather, rubber tree, etc. As for the types of fertilizer, for the first three categories, in addition to the necessary nitrogen fertilizer, appropriate amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied to meet the plants' comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and to provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for their budding, flowering, and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea liquid should be the main choice. As for the fertilization method, thin liquid fertilizer applied by watering is preferable.
    The herbaceous flowers whose fertilization should be strengthened in July include: salvia (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia, globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan, petunia, shrimp plant, Justicia brandegeeana, Cymbidium ensifolium, marigold, marvel-of-Peru, dragon's mouth flower, etc. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, banana shrub, osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, hibiscus, jasmine, white orchid, milan, night-blooming jasmine, Chinese rose, crabapple, Brunfelsia, bougainvillea, rhododendron, zhu lan, wintersweet, hibiscus, cotton rose, etc. There are many foliage plant species, such as bromeliads, Brazilian iron, palm grass, Norfolk Island pine, Syngonium, Calathea, green giant, red gem, sago palm, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, cordyline, etc.
   In July, for ornamental plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state, fertilization must be stopped, especially for succulent ornamental plants, such as sedum, Senecio, mesembryanthemum, Stapelia, etc., and fertilization must be stopped to prevent plant rot.
    3. Pruning and bud pinching
Ornamental plants that can be topped and have buds pinched in summer must be species with vigorous growth, strong sprouting ability, and tolerance to pruning. Pinching means directly removing the tender shoot tip buds with the fingers. The bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, bird plum, red nan, Euonymus bungeanus, boxwood, wintersweet, firethorn, podocarpus, tamarisk, Elaeagnus, water willow, Vitex, forsythia, hackberry, Fukien tea, banyan, white ash, trident maple, crape myrtle, june snow, orange jasmine, etc. Pruning means using scissors to cut off part of the new shoots to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and form beautiful crown plates or tree shapes. The bonsai plant species suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants that are not convenient for finger pinching, such as juniper, Oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, cat's-eye holly, true juniper, etc.
For potted flower species that continue to bloom for a long time, such as milan, Chinese rose, jasmine, zhu lan, etc., their spent flowers and faded stems should be removed in time, and the branches that have already bloomed should be properly shortened to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and reblooming. For rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, crabapple, wintersweet, plum blossom, etc., the overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be shortened to form a better crown shape.
    4. Shading
    July is the month with the strongest sunlight and the highest temperature of the year, so special attention should be paid to shading management for potted ornamental plants.
For those ornamental plants that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade awning to avoid damage to the plants from the scorching sun. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, Monstera deliciosa, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, zhu lan, bird of paradise, orchids, palm grass, rubber tree, red (green) gem, spring feather, pink lady leaf, pothos, pepper grass, aspidistra, Tradescantia zebrina, Brazilian iron, Rhaphidophora, bromeliads, Calathea, Reineckea, etc.
For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, firethorn, jasmine, june snow, sago palm, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, bird plum, trident maple, black pine, water willow, oak, tortoise pine, white orchid, milan, Chinese rose, etc. For podocarpus, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, banana shrub, tiger thorn, cloud bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, five-needle pine, etc., appropriate shading is necessary.
For small, miniature, and shallow-pot bonsai, because the temperature is too high this month and the air is relatively dry, in addition to necessary shading, the flower pots must also be buried in wet sand. This can reduce evaporation from the potting soil surface and also help protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots.
    5. Flowers in air-conditioned rooms
In air-conditioned rooms, choose flower species with a relatively high degree of leathery leaves, or with a relatively thick cuticle on the leaf surface, slightly tolerant of dry environments, and with strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese fatsia, mahonia, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, golden hibiscus, fan palm, palm grass, Canary Island date palm, bromeliads, spring feather, Monstera deliciosa, schefflera, aspidistra, aucuba, etc., while it is not advisable to choose sword fern, coleus, green giant, Syngonium, etc. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and spraying, and keeping away from air-conditioner vents to prevent the wind from directly blowing on the plants and causing their leaf tips to wither and leaf margins to scorch.
    6. Pest and disease control
(1) When orchid new shoots unfold leaves in July, the leaf tips are easily infected with anthracnose, which gradually spreads to the whole plant, and in severe cases can cause the plant to wither and die. This disease can occur throughout the year, and poor ventilation, high temperature and high humidity, and continuous rainy weather are even more favorable for the reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the onset period, spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800 times solution or folpet 500 times solution for control.
(2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like insect frass accumulates on the stumps or trunks of plum blossom, peach blossom, crabapple, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, elm-leaf plum, etc., it is mostly caused by the larvae of the peach red-necked longhorn beetle boring and feeding. Methods such as manual digging and killing, injection of systemic pesticides, insertion of poisoned sticks, and soil burial of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the trunk. Note that when injecting pesticides, avoid dimethoate, omethoate, etc., to prevent phytotoxicity.
(3) In July, timely control the boxwood leaf roller moth that harms boxwood, boxwood, sharp-leaf boxwood, and pearl boxwood. When this insect occurs severely, it can eat all the leaves bare. Once discovered, pesticides such as trichlorfon, dimethoate, or fenvalerate can be sprayed in time. If a certain pesticide has been used for a long time and resistance has developed, a new type of pesticide can be used instead.
(4) In July, in some areas, citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae will continue to harm the leaves of new shoots of bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, citron, and rue, and stomach poison pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them.
(5) The white wax insect that harms privet, small-leaf privet, water wax, and white wax tree has its emergence period from late July to late August. The right time should be chosen to spray pesticides such as Supracide for control, which can prevent the white wax insect from causing harm again the following year.
(6) The Japanese wax scale is a major pest harming large-leaf boxwood, French plane tree, pittosporum, camellia, red-leaf plum, cedar, etc. In severe cases, the insect bodies often cover the branches and leaves. Early July is the peak hatching period of its nymphs, and pesticides such as dimethoate and Supracide can be sprayed promptly for control.
IV. Bonsai shaping
    In July, due to high temperature, low air humidity, and plants being in a period of vigorous growth, branch injuries are prone to infection by pathogens and are not easy to heal and recover, so most tree stump species are no longer suitable for wiring and shaping. Those that can still be shaped are some plant species with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and they must be plants potted for hardening in spring or grown in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, podocarpus, cypress, june snow, black pine, boxwood, water willow, etc.
    In July, plant shaping should be careful and meticulous, with gentle and slow wiring, applying force gradually, and one must not operate hastily or use too much force, otherwise it is very easy to cause the branches and trunk of the plant to break and endanger its survival.
    Solar terms in July: July 7 is Minor Heat; July 23 is Major Heat.

Flower Planting Manual Autumn

Flower Planting Manual (August Chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display
    August has high temperature, strong light, and low humidity, and is the high-temperature dry-hot period second only to July in the year. The average monthly temperature in most parts of the country is between 24°C and 28°C. The potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display are some light-loving or high-temperature-tolerant species. Among the woody flowers are mainly: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, tortoise pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden pine, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, Huashan pine, podocarpus, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Fagraea, cinnamon, milan, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, hibiscus, five-color sage, coral tree (Erythrina), Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, palm grass, money tree, schefflera, plumeria, four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, broadleaf mahonia, Japanese fatsia, aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, Fukien tea, banyan, Chinese rose, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: impatiens, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, salvia, dahlia, China aster, bamboo-node begonia, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, phlox, five-color pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, calendula, Lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, sulfur chrysanthemum, marvel-of-Peru, zinnia, etc. In addition, there are aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, spring feather, Monstera deliciosa, pothos, silver queen aglaonema, etc.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. In August, woody flowers that can be sown include: peony, elm-leaf plum, red-flowered camellia, summer wintersweet, American summer wintersweet, podocarpus, etc. They can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds can be stored in wet sand until they crack and show white, and then sown in the ground. Canary Island date palm can be sand-stored for germination and then sown in bags. Pomegranate for fruit viewing is collected after ripening and cracking, the fleshy layer outside the seeds is rubbed off, and the seeds are sand-stored until germination before sowing. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: baby's breath, petunia, snapdragon, coneflower, oxalis, yarrow, nasturtium, pyrethrum, etc. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, wax begonia, four-season primrose, coleus, calendula, etc.
2. Cuttage. Using a mixed substrate prepared from alkaline-leached rice chaff ash and wet fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, and carrying out moisture-retaining bed cuttage or pot cuttage, the following flower and tree species can be propagated: firethorn, mahonia, wintersweet, banana shrub, bougainvillea, coral tree, milan, aucuba, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball, hibiscus, jasmine, zhu lan, rubber tree, galorwood, podocarpus, schefflera, cordyline, hydrangea, purple magnolia, etc. Using yellow subsoil, sandy loam, etc. as substrate, boxwood, pomegranate, hibiscus, French holly, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, nandina, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, june snow, spirea, snow spray, gardenia, etc. can be cut. In addition, herbaceous flowers such as salvia, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur chrysanthemum can also be cut this month.
3. Grafting. In August, the following flower and tree grafting can be carried out: in northern regions, use Chionanthus as rootstock, * graft osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstock, bud graft to propagate Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock, * graft white orchid; use current-year seedlings of wild peach as rootstock, bud graft plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered dwarf cherry, elm-leaf plum, etc.; use cherry seedlings as rootstock, bud graft Japanese cherry blossom; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, etc. as rootstock, bud graft superior varieties of Chinese rose; use seedlings of Malus baccata, crabapple, Hubei crabapple, etc. as rootstock, bud graft Midget crabapple and hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock, change crown grafting to red maple and feather maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock, stem graft variegated weeping fig; use single-petal camellia as rootstock, stem graft superior varieties of camellia; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock, stem graft and * graft superior varieties of wintersweet. In addition, cleft grafting can also be used to propagate large-flowered wisteria.
4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, Chinese trumpet creeper, banksia rose, climbing Chinese rose, weigela, hydrangea, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, forsythia, Chaenomeles, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, zhu lan, banana shrub, hibiscus, podocarpus, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), milan (air layering), red maple (air layering), etc.
5. Division. In August, ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: Reineckea, hosta, purple hosta, little angel, multi-head green emperor, bromeliads, Polygonatum, aspidistra, umbrella grass, water buttonbush, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily, purple triangular oxalis, Guangdong evergreen, Dutch aster, fine-leaf Acorus, sword fern, silver queen aglaonema, Calathea, Syngonium, Haworthia, etc. In addition, Lycoris, calla lily, freesia, etc. can also be divided and planted as small bulbs this month.
Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when transplanted with large soil balls and supplemented by heavy pruning, strengthening management such as shading, watering, and spraying after transplanting can achieve a relatively high survival rate, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edged Oriental arborvitae, golden-hearted (edged) boxwood, Hypericum, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, Chinese rose, rhododendron, gardenia, podocarpus, banana shrub, dragon juniper ball, Shu juniper ball, boxwood ball, pomegranate, hibiscus, aucuba, French holly, etc. In the courtyard, herbaceous flowers can also be transplanted and planted, such as salvia, globe amaranth, marigold, cockscomb, Tagetes patula, dragon's mouth flower, etc., and they can be expected to bloom between September and October.
2. Pruning. In August, continue pruning the roadside hedges in the courtyard such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, and Photinia. For ground-planted balls, such as Photinia, dragon juniper, Shu juniper, bayberry, firethorn, pittosporum, horned holly, holly, etc., pruning must also be done again. For ground-planted flowers and trees that continue to bloom for a long time, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, hibiscus, bougainvillea, five-color sage, etc., spent flowers should be removed in time, and the branch tips should be properly shortened. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers, such as salvia, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, marigold, etc., topping and pinching should be given.
3. Watering. In August, for flowering shrubs transplanted in spring and planted herbaceous flowers, watering and spraying management should be strengthened. For plants whose trunks are tied with straw ropes, the straw ropes should be sprayed wet to ensure that the plants do not show wilting of new shoots and tender leaves. Spray more and water cautiously to ensure no water accumulation at the roots.
4. Fertilization. In August, for ground-planted red-flowered hibiscus, golden-edged (hearted) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf sand cherry, croton, red mulberry, aucuba, shell ginger, etc., in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced three elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be applied. For species that continue to bloom, such as Chinese rose, daily fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, five-color sage, etc., as well as species about to bloom, such as osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, autumn peony, etc., appropriate amounts of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied promptly. For camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc. that are in flower bud differentiation, a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed through foliar topdressing.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, for scale insects occurring on cedar, privet, pittosporum, osmanthus, crape myrtle, Photinia, camellia, etc., promptly spray 40% Supracide 1500 times solution for control. For chrysanthemum tiger and aphids occurring on ground-planted chrysanthemums, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawfly and tobacco cutworm that eat Chinese rose leaves, promptly spray 10% fenvalerate 1000 times solution for control.
6. Seed collection. In August, woody flower species whose seeds can be collected include: peony, elm-leaf plum, red-flowered camellia, podocarpus, summer wintersweet, etc. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: peony, moss rose, marvel-of-Peru, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer, etc.
Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Watering. In August, water between 9 and 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For those ornamental plant species that prefer acidity, 0.1% ferrous sulfate can be added to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense fine hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron cross begonia, hairy-leaf begonia, etc., water droplets falling on the leaf surface are not easy to evaporate and can easily cause leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting can be done; the leaf rosette flower buds of Gerbera (African daisy) and the center of the leaf rosette of clivia also cannot be drenched with water, and dirty water flowing into the leaf rosette will cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water must be given sparingly and sprayed more, and water should be poured into the leaf tube to meet their needs. This month, while watering and spraying potted plants, be sure to loosen the soil, once every 10 days, otherwise repeated watering will cause the potting soil to harden. For flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, control watering and spraying, maintaining the potting soil at a slightly moist level, and by spraying the small environment around the flower pot, create a relatively cool and moist environment for them.
2. Fertilization. In August, for foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, aspidistra, rubber tree, spring feather, palm grass, red (green) gem, Norfolk Island pine, golden palm, beautiful areca, areca palm, fishtail palm, fan palm, pothos, Brazilian wood, Dutch iron, money tree, sword fern, lu dou tree, Fagraea (African jasmine), cinnamon (peace wood), coin tree (dragon-phoenix wood), Syngonium, green emperor, green queen, poinsettia, pink lady leaf, schefflera, aucuba, pocket coconut, croton, Japanese fatsia, etc., low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer, or cake fertilizer water. For species with long flowering periods, such as Chinese rose, white orchid, jasmine, zhu lan, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, milan, four-season osmanthus, daily fragrant osmanthus, bougainvillea, five-color sage, etc., as well as fruit-viewing bitter orange, finger citron, kumquat, lemon, rich seed, firethorn, golden bullet, fruit pomegranate, nandina, papaya, etc., in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, appropriate amounts of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc. For potted herbaceous flowers that bloom in autumn, such as salvia, globe amaranth, dry chrysanthemum, marigold, Tagetes patula, dragon's mouth flower, China aster, chrysanthemum, pocket sunflower, etc., apply thin liquid fertilizer once every half month to ensure lush leaves and abundant flowers after autumn. For flower and tree species in flower bud differentiation, such as camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, osmanthus, rhododendron, etc., low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to the leaves. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, never let the fertilizer liquid drip on the leaves, so as to avoid leaf rot. To be safe, after fertilization, spray the leaves with water once in time to wash away any fertilizer droplets that may adhere to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in dormant and semi-dormant states, such as clivia, wax begonia, calla lily, cyclamen, daphne, aloe, kalanchoe, portulacaria, Christmas cactus, sedum, purple triangular oxalis, cacti, cactus balls, etc., all forms of topdressing must be stopped, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot or death of the plants.
3. Shading. In August, the summer heat is still strong, and shading management for courtyard potted flowers is still very important. For those ornamental plant species that prefer coolness, such as Monstera deliciosa, spring feather, little angel, rubber tree, areca palm, green giant, Syngonium, Calathea, red (green) gem, palm grass, pothos, green emperor, green queen, orchid grass, pink lady leaf, pepper grass, bromeliads, water buttonbush, mirror grass, ferns, Buddha belly bamboo, phoenix-tail bamboo, spider plant, Reineckea, pocket coconut, Fittonia, purple velvet, blood leaf orchid, silver queen aglaonema, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, red palm, begonias, lucky bamboo, aspidistra, asparagus fern, purple hosta, etc., continue to provide shade awnings, pull up the shade net at 9 a.m., and remove it after 4 p.m. If there are not many potted flowers, they can also be moved indoors during the 6 to 7 hours around noon. If conditions permit, they can also be moved under the dense shade of large trees, and then moved out from the tree shade in mid-September.
4. Pruning. In August, continue to pinch or prune those tree stump bonsai with vigorous growth, tolerance to pruning, and easy sprouting, such as Chinese elm, bird plum, Fukien tea, banyan, white ash, water willow, boxwood, etc. For Chinese rose, flowering pomegranate, milan, etc., shorten and prune after each flowering. For potted chrysanthemums, do a good job of bud stripping and bud removal?BR>5. Pest and disease control. In August, control pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail, rose sawfly, and peach red-necked longhorn beetle. Pay attention to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, and leaf blight. Pay attention to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leaf miners, and stem borers.
Potted plants suitable for balcony display
In August, the balcony still has strong light and dry-hot air, and only some potted ornamental plants with very strong resistance or long placed on the balcony can adapt. Such as black pine, tortoise pine, five-needle pine, Chinese elm, bird plum, water willow, horned holly, holly, wintersweet, fruit pomegranate, flowering pomegranate, boxwood, Oriental arborvitae stump, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, white ash, Fukien tea, Chinese rose, bougainvillea, agave, five-color sage, ginkgo, jasmine, milan, trident maple, podocarpus, etc. In August, some flowers and trees on the balcony can be moved indoors with air conditioning, such as Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Cymbidium sinense, Vanda, Oncidium, South American cycad, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, red palm, green giant, red (green) gem, Calathea, areca palm, king coconut, little angel, Monstera deliciosa, aspidistra, pothos, palm grass, money tree, clivia, fuchsia, Fittonia, shrimp plant, Brazilian wood, Japanese fatsia, etc.
Propagation of balcony flowers
In August, on the balcony, use large-diameter flower pots, cover with plastic film, and carry out moisture-retaining cuttage of some ornamental plants. The cuttage substrate can be a mixture of rice chaff ash and fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, or vermiculite alone. Ornamental plant species that can be cut include: schefflera, aucuba, bamboo-node begonia, gardenia, shrimp plant, coral flower, daily fragrant osmanthus, zhu lan, cordyline, jasmine, Guangdong evergreen, silver queen aglaonema, camellia, sasanqua, banana shrub, etc. During the 5 to 6 hours around noon, they should be moved indoors. Indoors, some ornamental plants can also be water-cut, but the water must be changed frequently, such as: Chinese rose, gardenia, jasmine, zhu lan, schefflera, aucuba, fig, cordyline, plumeria, geranium, Guangdong evergreen, fuchsia, etc.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering and spraying balcony potted flowers should be careful. First, avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature and air temperature; second, pay attention to the time of watering and spraying, which can be before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.; third, while watering, do not neglect loosening the soil of potted plants; fourth, it is best to add a small amount of ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to meet the needs of most ornamental plants that prefer a slightly acidic soil environment. If the balcony is relatively spacious, a simple sand pool can be built with bricks, with 10 cm thick wet sand placed inside, and then some potted flowers that prefer moisture can be placed on the wet sand, such as: Monstera deliciosa, aspidistra, little angel, camellia, sasanqua, Syngonium, spring orchid, Cymbidium ensifolium, bromeliads, red (green) gem, zhu lan, etc. Usually, spraying water instead of watering is very beneficial for their safe overwintering. For Cymbidium, tiger-head orchid, Oncidium, Cattleya, fuchsia, Dendrobium, crystal anthurium, black-leaf alocasia, etc., they can be moved indoors with air conditioning, and spraying water instead of watering ensures they can pass the summer normally. For flower species placed on the balcony that are relatively tolerant of high temperatures, such as Chinese rose, milan, jasmine, pomegranate, bougainvillea, Chinese elm, bird plum, boxwood, trident maple, black pine, tortoise pine, wisteria, Fukien tea, water willow, agave, sago palm, etc., water can be given 1 to 2 times a day and sprayed 1 to 2 times.
2. Fertilization. In August, stop fertilization for balcony potted plants in dormant and semi-dormant states. For vigorously growing foliage plants, spray or water with 0.3% urea solution, or scatter multi-element compound fertilizer granules on the pot surface. For flowers and trees mainly for viewing flowers and fruits, such as white orchid, milan, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, bitter orange, firethorn, finger citron, kumquat, etc., continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For Chinese elm, bird plum, horned holly, holly, podocarpus, Fukien tea, trident maple, water willow, boxwood, etc., after each pruning, apply a thin fertilizer once.
3. Shading. In August, for potted plants placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, especially shallow-pot stump bonsai, such as five-needle pine, podocarpus, Chinese juniper, Fukien tea, plum blossom, trident maple, etc., soft grass, moss, or wet cloth can be placed on the pot surface, which can both retain moisture and lower temperature, and protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface soil from damage. If the balcony is relatively spacious, a shade net can be used to block light. If there are not many and relatively precious potted flowers and trees on the balcony, it is best to move them indoors during the 5 to 6 hours around noon.
4. Pruning. In August, for most tree stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, bird plum, june snow, white ash, oak, small bayberry, trident maple, banyan, Fukien tea, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, small-leaf privet, boxwood, firethorn, etc., pinching or pruning is still needed this month. For spent flowers, faded stems, dead branches, and yellow leaves on other potted ornamental plants, they should also be cut off in time.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, red spider mites are most likely to appear on the balcony, and 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder 1500 times solution should be sprayed promptly to kill them. For a small number of scale insects appearing on flowers and trees, they can be removed by sticking with transparent tape. For aphids that often appear on chrysanthemums, 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution should be sprayed to kill them.

Flower Planting Manual (September Chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display
In September, the temperature in most parts of China gradually declines, with an average monthly temperature between 20°C and 24°C. This month, there are many types of potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display. Among them, woody ornamental plant species include: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden pine, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, podocarpus, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Australian cycad, Fagraea, cinnamon, osmanthus, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, hibiscus, cotton rose, Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, money tree, schefflera, palm grass, plumeria, bottle palm, broadleaf mahonia, Japanese fatsia, aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, palm tree, Chinese rose, fishtail palm, areca palm, king coconut, cordyline, beautiful areca, fiddle-leaf fig, red maple, South American cycad, spruce, schefflera, fu mu (Clusiaceae), large Buddha belly bamboo, silver birch, milan, white orchid, orange jasmine, lu dou tree, nandina, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: large-flowered canna, salvia, early chrysanthemum, bamboo-node begonia, marigold, five-color pepper, Lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, dahlia, dragon's mouth flower, etc.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. Woody flowering plants that can be sown include: tree peony, red camellia, Michelia species, Magnolia species, Manglietia species, buckeye (Aesculus) species, summersweet (Calycanthus), Canary Island date palm, and others. Among these, buckeye seeds can be sown in furrows, with the hilum facing down; the soil covering should not be too deep, ideally 2 to 2.5 cm, and plastic film or straw should be added to retain moisture. Summersweet seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, and seedlings will emerge about 2 weeks after sowing. Except for summersweet, whose seeds can be stored dry until spring sowing, all the other species must be stored in moist sand. September is a great time for autumn sowing of herbaceous flowers. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: hollyhock, dianthus, tall catchfly, dwarf catchfly, pansy, snapdragon, petunia, California poppy, daisy, corn poppy, pot marigold, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, and others. In addition, greenhouse flowers such as cyclamen, primrose, trollius, cineraria, wax begonia, gerbera, and calceolaria can also be sown at this time, but they must overwinter in a plastic tunnel.
2. Cuttings. Using a medium of half sand and half rice-hull ash, woody flowering plants that can be propagated by moisture-retaining cuttings in the courtyard include: firethorn, mahonia, Michelia, bougainvillea, Weigela, spotted aucuba, fuchsia, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball viburnum, Weigela florida, Brunfelsia, jasmine, chloranthus, golden-veined shrimp plant, coral plant, rubber tree, schefflera, cordyline, and others. Using ordinary sandy soil as a seedbed, woody flowering plants that can be propagated by cuttings include: boxwood species, purple magnolia, hypericum, spiraea, pomegranate, hibiscus, crape myrtle, snowflake spiraea, hydrangea, French holly, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, nandina, fig, oleander, serissa, gardenia, fatsia, Chaenomeles speciosa, tree peony, and others. Some herbaceous flowers can also be propagated by cuttings, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur cosmos, and winter chrysanthemum.
3. Grafting. The following flowering plants can be propagated by grafting: using peony root sections as rootstock to graft superior varieties of tree peony; using seedling rootstocks of wild peach, apricot, etc. to bud-graft flowering almond, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, and others; using field maple seedlings as rootstock to bag-graft red maple, feather maple, and others with moisture retention; using white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to bud-graft superior varieties of white magnolia and Lilacina magnolia; using potted purple magnolia as rootstock to *-graft white orchid; using citrus seedlings as rootstock to bud-graft kumquat and others; using fringetree as rootstock to *-graft osmanthus; using potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock to *-graft superior varieties of wintersweet.
4. Layering. Ornamental flowering plants that can be propagated by layering include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Weigela florida, hydrangea, gardenia, oleander, winter jasmine, Forsythia, osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, Michelia, camellia, chloranthus, French holly, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowflake spiraea, spiraea, and others.
5. Division. Ornamental plants that can be propagated by division include: spring orchid, cymbidium, sword-leaf orchid, peony, tree peony, Guangdong evergreen, purple triangular wood sorrel, black-eyed Susan, snake plant, Anthurium 'Little Angel', multi-headed green philodendron, silver-queen aglaonema, Boston fern, nandina, Chaenomeles speciosa, purple magnolia, silver-striped liriope, cast-iron plant, big-leaf liriope, and others. In addition, hyacinth, tulip, freesia, calla lily, lycoris, and Mediterranean bluebell can also be divided at this time, with the daughter bulbs replanted to cultivate large flowering bulbs.
Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting. Because September temperatures are still relatively high, unless there is a special need, flowering plants are generally not transplanted in the courtyard. If for the arrangement of a new courtyard or the renovation of an old courtyard, transplanting can be done provided the soil ball is kept intact. Species include: oleander, dragon juniper, Michelia, Sabina chinensis, osmanthus, camellia, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, boxwood species, hypericum, French holly, red-flowered loropetalum, spotted aucuba, and others. Transplanting requires heavy pruning, plus enhanced watering, misting, and shading management to ensure success. Some herbaceous flowers can still be planted out or potted up for viewing in golden October. Species include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, cockscomb, periwinkle, sulfur cosmos, dahlia, pot marigold, dwarf canna, early chrysanthemum, and others.
2. Pruning. Continue pruning the vigorously growing, strongly sprouting courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants; this is also the last pruning of the year for balls in the northern region during the growing season. Courtyard hedge and color-block tree species suitable for pruning mainly include: boxwood species, French holly, Photinia davidsoniae, privet, small-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, golden-edged thuja, and others. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: dragon juniper, Sabina chinensis, boxwood, bayberry, holly fern, holly, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, Forsythia, and others. Ground-planted herbaceous flowers that can be pinched back include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, Kochia, marigold, French marigold, and others. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to encourage a full plant shape and more flower spikes on the side shoots; stop pinching after late September. For ground-planted woody flowering plants that bloom continuously over a long period, such as variety roses, floribunda roses, miniature roses, climbing roses, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, lantana, and bougainvillea, promptly cut off spent flowers and withered stems, and moderately shorten the flowering branches to effectively promote reblooming.
3. Watering. In September, the climate is relatively dry. For trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in the courtyard in spring of the same year, continuing good watering and misting management is one of the key measures to consolidate their survival. First, water the roots to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged; second, spray water on the straw ropes wrapped around the trunks to create a locally moist protective layer for the trunk; third, spray water on the canopy to reduce leaf transpiration and increase local humidity. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to retain moisture.
4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted colorful foliage plants, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, red maple, red-flowered loropetalum, variegated shell ginger, croton, spotted aucuba, red mulberry, red-leaf dwarf cherry, red-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, and others, to keep their leaf color fresh and vivid, appropriately apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For ground-planted flowering plants that bloom continuously or are viewed for flowers or fruit in autumn, such as crape myrtle, roses, fragrant osmanthus, four-season kumquat, flowering pomegranate, bougainvillea, cotton rose, chrysanthemum, canna, dahlia, lantana, nandina, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, and others, as well as a large number of ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers, it is suitable to apply a quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, for kumquat, silver osmanthus, and orange osmanthus that are in bloom, fertilizing can be stopped during the flowering period.
5. Pest and disease control. For the green slug moth that damages crape myrtle, firethorn, crabapple, and other flowering plants, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal at 800 times dilution for control; for the star longhorn beetle that damages crape myrtle, quince, and crabapple, insert poison sticks into the insect holes for control; for powdery mildew appearing on rose and chrysanthemum plants, use 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution in the early stage of the disease for control.
6. Seed collection. Woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected are mainly flowering plants of the Magnoliaceae family, such as Oyama magnolia, Michelia, purple magnolia, white magnolia, Magnolia wilsonii, Ledong Michelia, many-flowered Michelia, Michelia maudiae, southern magnolia, and others. In addition, there are buckeye species, crape myrtle, lilac, crabapple species, redbud, pearl bush, yew, shiny-leaf wintersweet, and others. For Magnoliaceae as well as yew, buckeye, crabapple species, and others, the seeds must be stored in moist sand until early next spring after treatment, and sown only after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be harvested include: marigold, zinnia, garden balsam, four-o'clock, cockscomb, periwinkle, strawflower, China aster, and others; after harvesting, thresh promptly and store dry until spring for sowing.
Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Watering. In September, light is strong, temperatures are high, and the air is quite dry, so watering management for potted flowers must not be neglected. As for watering frequency, for generally moisture-loving foliage plants, in the first half of the month water or mist once each in the morning and afternoon; in the second half of the month reduce to watering once, with appropriate misting of the leaves. For most potted flowers and bonsai, water once a day, supplemented by misting the leaves. Water before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidic conditions, add a small amount of 0.1% light-green ferrous sulfate powder to the irrigation water. For flower species that resume growth after autumn from summer dormancy or semi-dormancy, gradually increase the amount and frequency of watering (or misting). While watering potted plants, loosen the soil once every half month.
2. Fertilizing. September is the period of vigorous growth for most flowers. Some flower species that were dormant or semi-dormant in summer begin to resume growth as temperatures gradually cool, so fertilizing management should be given great attention this month. For foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, money tree, Brazil wood, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, lady palm, Chinese gray fagraea, cinnamon species, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix tree), Norfolk Island pine, fishtail palm, pothos, red (green) gem, green emperor, silver queen, maranta species, Syngonium, fiddle-leaf fig, and others, still mainly use low-concentration dilute fertilizer liquid, such as 0.3% urea solution. For flowering plants with a very long flowering period or a peak flowering period in autumn, such as roses, three-color lantana, lantana, pomegranate, crape myrtle, Aglaia odorata, white orchid, jasmine, four-season osmanthus, fragrant osmanthus, osmanthus, and others; for fruit-viewing plants such as bitter orange, nandina, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, quince, golden bullet tree, beautyberry, fruiting pomegranate, and others; and for colorful-leaf plants such as croton, spotted aucuba, bromeliads, variegated ficus, golden-edged Brazil wood, cordyline, coleus, and others, apply fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For fuchsia, geranium, calla lily, cyclamen, wax begonia, Daphne, Christmas cactus, sedum species, purslane tree (jade leaf), purple triangular wood sorrel, clivia, and Epiphyllum that are resuming growth, resume applying low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and entered the flower bud enlargement stage, such as camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, plum blossom, Michelia, azalea, and others, apply low-concentration nutritionally balanced fertilizer; for potted herbaceous flowers, such as scarlet sage, marigold, chrysanthemum, China aster, dahlia, dwarf sunflower, and others, apply a light fertilizer once every 10 days to meet their needs for bud formation and flowering next month.
3. Shading. In September, temperatures are relatively high and sunlight is still intense, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers still cannot be relaxed. For shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, Boston fern, Boston fern, bird's nest fern, Syngonium, maranta species, pothos, lady palm, green emperor, silver queen, orchid grass, Dieffenbachia, Queen palm, cast-iron plant, begonia, Epipremnum pinnatum, Anthurium 'Little Angel', red (green) gem, crystal anthurium, Alocasia amazonica, Fittonia, red-veined shrimp plant, asparagus fern, schefflera, variegated brake fern, watermelon peperomia, variegated dieffenbachia, giant taro, anthurium, staghorn fern, mirror grass, Adina, king palm, lucky bamboo, and others, provide 5 to 6 hours of light per day through shading; for light-loving species, such as trident maple, lacebark elm, Fujian tea, ginkgo, water willow, black pine, Oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, crape myrtle, Norfolk Island pine, wisteria, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, firethorn, roses, oak, and Chinese fringe tree, give full sunlight; for semi-shade-loving species, such as Buddhist pine, five-needle pine, Damnacanthus, red nanmu, ?tree, epiphyllum, nandina, jade tree, azalea species, camellia, sasanqua, fingered citron, bitter orange, kumquat, and others, provide appropriate shading around noon. For newly transplanted and potted autumn herbaceous flowers, also provide appropriate shading to prevent wilting and to avoid affecting their recovery and growth.
4. Pruning. For potted chrysanthemums, continue the work of removing buds and disbudding; for roses, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, chloranthus, bougainvillea, lantana, golden shrimp plant, coral plant, and others, prune after each flowering; for tree-stump bonsai species that tolerate pruning, sprout easily, and grow vigorously, such as lacebark elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, Fujian tea, banyan, red nanmu, small-leaf privet, water willow, boxwood, Oriental arborvitae (stump), true juniper, Chinese fringe tree, and tamarisk, continue pruning or bud pinching. In addition, money tree seedlings can be braided into a "braid" and potted up.
5. Pest and disease control. For the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on potted plum blossom, crabapple, longevity peach, ornamental peach, and other plants, insert poison sticks to block and kill them, or apply carbofuran granules for control. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, and felt scale appearing on potted flowering plants, use 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution for control.
Potted plants suitable for balcony display
In September, the balcony still has strong light and dry air, and only some potted flowers that have been placed on the balcony for a long time or potted flowering plants with strong resistance can adapt to the special balcony environment. They are: black pine, yellow pine, red pine, five-needle pine, lacebark elm, Chinese plum yew, water willow, trident maple, holly fern, holly, wintersweet, fruiting pomegranate, boxwood, Oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, Fujian tea, Chinese fringe tree, banyan, bougainvillea, roses, agave, ginkgo, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, hackberry, Buddhist pine, prickly elm, serissa, firethorn, lantana, and others. For some flower species that prefer a cool environment, they can continue to be placed indoors with air conditioning, such as cymbidium, oncidium, dendrobium, cattleya, vanda, spider orchid, Alocasia amazonica, crystal anthurium, anthurium, clivia, fuchsia, Fittonia, and others; for some common foliage plants, move them indoors for 4 to 5 hours around noon, such as lady palm, Monstera deliciosa, Brazil wood, money tree, pothos, cast-iron plant, areca palm, fishtail palm, king coconut, spotted tree, spotted aucuba, schefflera, and others. Propagation of balcony flowers In September, on the balcony, continue to use large-diameter flower pots as containers, filled with a mixed medium of rice-hull ash and moist sand at 1/2 each, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, to propagate some ornamental plants by cuttings, such as gardenia, cordyline, spotted aucuba, schefflera, fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, chloranthus, jasmine, red-back osmanthus, coral plant, golden shrimp plant, Michelia, silver-queen aglaonema, and others. Schefflera, roses, gardenia, fig, Guangdong evergreen, and others can also be propagated by water cuttings indoors.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. For some ornamental plants that prefer moisture, such as spring orchid, sword-leaf orchid, cymbidium, Monstera deliciosa, cast-iron plant, camellia, sasanqua, Anthurium 'Little Angel', chloranthus, bromeliads, and others, they can be placed on wooden slats over a balcony water pool or water tank, or placed in a self-built simple sand pool, and usually misted instead of watered. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, also mist more and water less, to keep the potting soil loose and moist; especially in air-conditioned rooms, mist at least 1 to 2 times a day, otherwise even a relatively drought-tolerant five-needle pine bonsai will dehydrate and die if not watered or misted for 5 to 7 days. For potted ornamental plants with strong resistance placed on the balcony, continue to water once a day and mist 1 to 2 times, or use the soaking method to prevent the phenomenon of wet top and dry bottom in the potting soil. Watering time should still avoid the 2 to 3 hours around noon, be careful that the water temperature does not differ too much from the soil and air temperatures, and add a small amount of light-green ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to avoid physiological yellowing of the plants.
2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species gradually resuming growth from dormancy or semi-dormancy, appropriately apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for vigorously growing potted bonsai, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once after each pinching and pruning; for potted flowering plants mainly viewed for flowers and fruit, such as white orchid, roses, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, chloranthus, bitter orange, firethorn, fingered citron, kumquat, and others, continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for potted flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and whose buds are growing, such as camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, plum blossom, osmanthus, chrysanthemum, and others, according to the species, apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or a balanced multi-element compound fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The types of fertilizer applied to flowers on the balcony should not carry an off-odor, especially not a foul smell, and when applying, be careful not to splash down to the floor below, and operate carefully.
3. Shading. For tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering, prevent soil compaction, and protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface layer of the potting soil, continue to cover the pot surface with wet grass, moss, wet cloth, and so on; when there are not many potted flowers, move them indoors for 5 to 6 hours around noon; if there are many potted flowers and conditions allow, continue to set up supports and pull shade nets to block light.
4. Pruning. In September, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as lacebark elm, Chinese plum yew, water willow, boxwood, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, Oriental arborvitae (stump), Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, small-leaf privet, Chinese fringe tree, and others, still need pinching or pruning. For other potted flowering plants, dead branches, yellow leaves, spent flowers, and withered stems should also be cut off promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In September, the balcony has high temperatures and dry air, and potted flowering plants are most prone to red spider mite damage, which can be sprayed with 25% Omite wettable powder at 1500 times dilution; for the double-striped cedar longhorn beetle appearing on dragon juniper, Chinese juniper, and sabina bonsai, and the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on plum blossom, crabapple, quince, longevity peach, and other flowering plants, continue to insert poison sticks or apply carbofuran for control; for various scale insects damaging camellia, firethorn, crape myrtle, wintersweet, and other flowering plants, when few in number, wipe them off manually, and when numerous, spray 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution for control.

Flower Planting Manual Winter

Flower Planting Manual (October chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display

    In October, temperatures drop in most parts of the country, with the monthly average temperature between 10°C and 19°C. This month, there are many species of potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display, among which woody ornamental plant species include: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, Japanese umbrella pine, whitebark pine, Japanese fir, spruce species, Buddhist pine, Japanese podocarp, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Dutch iron, Chinese gray fagraea, cinnamon tree, osmanthus, cotton rose, rubber tree, schefflera, variegated ficus, hibiscus, golden larch, croton, Brazil wood, money tree, lady palm, ponytail palm, Mahonia bealei, fatsia, spotted aucuba, thick-leaf ficus, fishtail palm, areca palm, king coconut, cordyline, beautiful phoenix palm, fiddle-leaf fig, desert rose, South American cycad, false kamani, giant Buddha-belly bamboo, red maple, silver birch, Aglaia odorata, white orchid, spotted tree, orange jasmine, nandina, and others. Herbaceous flowers include: scarlet sage, large-flowered canna, dahlia, China aster, chrysanthemum, small chrysanthemum, bamboo-node begonia, dragon's mouth flower, French marigold, marigold, five-color pepper, cockscomb, pot marigold, periwinkle, globe amaranth, petunia, Guinea balsam, and others. It should be noted that in North China, Northeast China, and other places, when temperatures drop below 10°C, attention should be paid to cold protection for southern flowers grown in the north.

Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Woody flowering plant species that can be sown include: tree peony, red camellia, Michelia species, Magnolia species, Manglietia species, buckeye species, summersweet, rich-seed tree, soapberry, kuding tea, Buddhist pine, Japanese podocarp, French holly, Elaeocarpus, beautiful phoenix palm, yew, Chinese fan palm, privet, small-leaf privet, camphor tree, Weigela, palm, pond cypress, and others. Among these, buckeye should be sown with the hilum facing down, and summersweet seeds should be soaked for 24 to 36 hours before sowing. Except for summersweet and Weigela seeds, which can be stored dry until spring sowing, all other species can have their seeds cleaned and stored in moist sand to promote germination until the seeds crack and show white in early spring before sowing. Note that before storage and germination promotion, the seeds should be rinsed clean; the moisture content of the sand should be such that it forms a ball when held in the hand and breaks apart when released, and the ratio of seeds to sand is about 1?3. During storage and germination promotion, the seeds should be checked frequently to prevent the seeds from drying out or becoming moldy. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: hollyhock, mallow, corn poppy, pot marigold, snapdragon, dianthus species, pansy, Boston ivy, blackberry lily, dwarf catchfly, tall catchfly, California poppy, daisy, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, and others. Greenhouse flowers such as trollius, gloxinia, petunia, cineraria, Chinese primrose, African gerbera, and calceolaria can also be sown in plastic tunnels.

    2. Cuttings. Woody flowering plant species that can be propagated by cuttings include: red-back osmanthus, schefflera, night-blooming jasmine, lantana, firethorn, mahonia, fingered citron, bleeding heart vine, cordyline, Michelia, aucuba, hibiscus, bougainvillea, jasmine, chloranthus, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, four-season osmanthus, gardenia, Weigela, snowball viburnum, red-flowered spiraea, snowflake spiraea, hypericum, red-leaf plum, roses, Viburnum macrocephalum, crape myrtle, hibiscus, oleander, fig, Chaenomeles speciosa, and others. The cutting medium can be ordinary sandy loam or yellow subsoil, or a mixture of half sand and half rice-hull ash, using fully enclosed moisture-retaining cuttings. In addition, for cuttings of some southern flowering plants, when Frost's Descent arrives, attention should be paid to cold protection. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, wax begonia, bamboo-node begonia, inch plant, golden pothos, clearweed, coral plant, golden shrimp plant, shrimp plant, golden-veined shrimp plant, winter chrysanthemum, and others. Those that can be propagated by cuttings (this section is missing!!)

    3. Grafting. Using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, bag-graft five-needle pine (including Osaka pine) and yellow pine with moisture retention; using peony roots as rootstock, graft superior varieties of tree peony; using one-year-old Japanese maple seedlings as rootstock, bag-graft red maple, feather maple, and others with moisture retention; using one-year-old white magnolia seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft superior varieties of white magnolia, Lilacina magnolia, red-flowered magnolia, and others; using triangular cactus as rootstock, graft various cactus balls; using one-year-old citrus seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft kumquat.

    4. Layering. Flowering plant species that can be propagated by ground layering include: camellia, plum blossom, Weigela, hydrangea, Weigela florida, Chaenomeles speciosa, August osmanthus, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, purple magnolia, gardenia, hypericum, French holly, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Michelia, snowflake spiraea, red-flowered spiraea, and others.

    5. Division. Woody flowering plant species that can be propagated by division include: nandina, Mahonia bealei, mahonia, tree peony, Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball viburnum, double-flowered kerria, spray flower, spiraea, sago palm, and others. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: peony, hosta, spring orchid, purple hosta, bird of paradise, cymbidium, sword-leaf orchid, Persian buttercup, black-eyed Susan, iris, blackberry lily, lily of the valley, Guangdong evergreen, silver-queen aglaonema, purple triangular wood sorrel, multi-headed green philodendron, Boston fern, cast-iron plant, and others. Flower species that can be propagated by dividing bulbs include: calla lily, amaryllis, freesia, lycoris, tulip, Mediterranean bluebell, and others.

Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers

    1. Transplanting. For some deciduous ornamental plants, according to local climate changes, transplant after Frost's Descent arrives and the leaves fall, such as hibiscus, redbud, flowering almond, pomegranate, lilac, red-leaf plum, purple magnolia, ornamental peach, longevity peach, floribunda roses, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, and others. For some evergreen flowering shrubs, such as Mahonia bealei, nandina, Sabina chinensis, dragon juniper, golden-edged thuja, four-season osmanthus, gardenia, large-leaf boxwood, boxwood, and Korean boxwood, when transplanting, first, shorten and prune before transplanting; second, keep the soil ball intact; third, strengthen watering and misting management after transplanting. Courtyard herbaceous flower species that can be planted out include: dianthus, daisy, hollyhock, ornamental kale, pansy, pot marigold, verbena, phlox, snapdragon, autumn zephyr lily, dwarf lilyturf, and lily turf. Bulbous flower species that can be ground-planted include: narcissus, pheasant's eye narcissus, tulip, hyacinth, and others.

    2. Pruning. Carry out the last pruning of the year for courtyard hedges and balls, requiring precision and thoroughness, with the standard being flat surfaces, straight lines, and round balls. Courtyard color-block and hedge plant species suitable for pruning include: golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, red-flowered loropetalum, golden-edged thuja, golden-edged boxwood, large-leaf boxwood, boxwood, French holly, privet, Photinia davidsoniae, small-leaf privet, and others. Balls requiring pruning include: dragon juniper, boxwood, bayberry, holly fern, holly, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, and others. For ground-planted flowering plants in the courtyard that bloom continuously, such as roses, crape myrtle, lantana, bougainvillea, and others, continue to cut off spent flowers and withered stems, and moderately shorten the flowering branches. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, such as scarlet sage, marigold, globe amaranth, and others, promptly cut off the open flower spikes to encourage the side shoots to continue producing buds and blooming, thereby extending the viewing period.

    3. Watering. For courtyard flowering plants newly planted this year, continue good watering and misting work: first, keep the root soil moist, but there must be no waterlogging; second, continue misting the leaves. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to retain moisture.

    4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, apply a quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; for osmanthus species that have already flowered, dig ring-shaped trenches and bury basal fertilizer; for roses, crabapple, crape myrtle, cotton rose, as well as camellia, Michelia, plum blossom, wintersweet, and others that have been pruned, bury an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer; for nandina and firethorn in the fruit-viewing stage, as well as fingered citron, kumquat, bitter orange, and golden bullet tree in the south, appropriately apply a small amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can effectively extend the fruit-viewing period.

    5. Pest and disease control. For wood-boring pests appearing on ground-planted plum blossom, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, crabapple, and others, continue to use poison sticks for control. For fallen dead branches and leaves in the courtyard, promptly sweep them up, gather them, and burn them. In the north, for thick large trunks in the courtyard, whitewash the trunks at the end of the month, or directly apply lime-sulfur mixture to the trunks.

[page]    6. Seed collection. Woody plant species whose seeds can be collected include: Buddhist pine, Japanese podocarp, soapberry, buckeye, purple magnolia, white magnolia, Manglietia, southern magnolia, Magnolia delavayi, Magnolia amoena, Michelia champaca, golden-leaf Michelia, Michelia maudiae, red-flowered Manglietia, Michelia platypetala, pond cypress, lady palm, Ardisia crenata, beautiful phoenix palm, Chinese fan palm, kuding tea, French holly, camphor tree, privet, small-leaf privet, Viburnum macrocephalum, hall crabapple, quince, sago palm, ginkgo, yew, oil tea, and others; these seeds must all be stored in moist sand. Seed species that can be stored dry include: crape myrtle, tulip tree, red maple, Japanese maple, golden larch, dawn redwood, Japanese cedar, Chinese tallow, silk tree, goldenrain tree, cotton rose, southern sour jujube, redbud, camptotheca, bishop wood, and five-angle maple. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: scarlet sage, cockscomb, zinnia, globe amaranth, dahlia, marigold, French marigold, China aster, garden balsam, four-o'clock, Kochia, strawflower, cosmos, snow-on-the-mountain, painted euphorbia, sensitive plant, and telegraph plant.

In addition, at the end of October, for canna, dahlia, and others, when their aboveground parts are nearly withered, dig up the underground rhizomes, store them in sand indoors, keep the room temperature no lower than 5°C, and cut and replant them in spring next year.

Management of courtyard potted flowers

    1. Watering. Although the weather has turned cooler, in most areas south of the Huai River, temperatures are still above 17°C, and the air is quite dry, so potted flower watering management must be careful and meticulous. For some moisture-loving foliage plants, such as rubber tree, cast-iron plant, Monstera deliciosa, pothos, Syngonium, Chinese gray fagraea, cinnamon tree, giant taro, red gem, and others, water once a day on sunny days, supplemented by misting the leaves; for summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn, including semi-dormant species, such as calla lily, cyclamen, clivia, purslane tree, Daphne, geranium, fuchsia, and others, increase the amount of watering. For wintersweet, plum blossom, camellia, and others that bloom in winter and early spring, control watering and mist more to promote the enlargement of their flower buds. In northern regions, for relatively cold-sensitive flower species, reduce watering to accelerate the lignification of new shoots, which helps them overwinter safely. The best watering times are 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

    2. Fertilizing. For summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn cools, promptly apply low-concentration quick-acting liquid fertilizer; for camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, primrose, clivia, cyclamen, cymbidium, Belgian azalea, pheasant's eye narcissus, and others that bloom in winter or early spring, continue to apply a mixture of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1% urea; for most foliage plants, after mid-October, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer and appropriately apply some low-concentration potassium fertilizer to increase the cold resistance of the plants; for fruit-viewing potted plants, such as bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, nandina, winter coral, rich-seed tree, golden bullet tree, and others, apply a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in early to mid-October.

    3. Shading. For some very shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, Monstera deliciosa, maranta species, Syngonium, green gem, Boston fern, peperomia species, and others, shading is still needed for 2 to 3 hours around noon.

    4. Pruning. For most bonsai and potted flowers that must be moved indoors in winter, in mid-to-late October, first cut off dead branches and leaves, diseased and pest-infested branches, and weak thin branches; for leggy branches, carry out heavy shortening; for binding materials that have been in place for 1 to 2 years, they can be removed, or removed and then re-bound, to prevent long-term binding at fixed positions from damaging the cambium of the branches and causing the branches and leaves to die.

    5. Cold protection. In northern regions in mid-to-late October, some ornamental plant species that cannot tolerate low temperatures below 10°C can be moved into tunnels in time; for some relatively cold-tolerant woody potted flowering plants or tree-stump bonsai, they can be buried at the end of the month in wind-sheltered, sunny soil to prevent the potting soil from freezing. In the Yangtze River basin, weather change information should be accurately grasped to avoid the threat of southward cold waves.

    6. Pest and disease control. Cut off dead branches and fallen leaves on potted flowering plants, collect them, and burn them. For potted chrysanthemums, control pests such as aphids, chrysanthemum beetles, leafminer larvae, and inchworms.

Potted plants suitable for balcony display

    In early to mid-October on the balcony, there is still strong light and dry air, and only those potted flowering plants that have been placed on the balcony for a long time and have strong resistance can adapt to the outdoor balcony environment. They are: black pine, yellow pine, lacebark elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, water willow, Chinese fringe tree, Fujian tea, Buddhist pine, Oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, boxwood, pomegranate, bougainvillea, thick-leaf ficus, ginkgo, roses, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, sago palm, firethorn, lantana, tamarisk, red maple, and others. Some cold-sensitive southern flowering plant species can no longer continue to be placed on the balcony when temperatures drop to 10°C. For some flower species that prefer a cooler environment, they can be placed in ordinary indoor spaces at the beginning of the month, such as cymbidium, crystal anthurium, Fittonia, cattleya, phalaenopsis, oncidium, and others. For some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon and placed on the balcony at other times, such as lady palm, Brazil wood, money tree, pothos, cast-iron plant, areca palm, fishtail palm, king coconut, spotted tree, schefflera, and others. In northern regions, when temperatures drop to 10°C, the vast majority of flowering plants can no longer be placed on the balcony. Propagation of balcony flowers In early October, continue to use wide-mouthed large flower pots as cutting containers on the balcony, filled with a mixed cutting medium of rice-hull ash and moist sand at 1/2 each, or use vermiculite alone as the cutting medium, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, to propagate a small number of ornamental plants by cuttings, such as gardenia, schefflera, rubber tree, aucuba, Michelia, jasmine, chloranthus, Guangdong evergreen, coral plant, golden shrimp plant, shrimp plant, hibiscus, fingered citron, silver-queen aglaonema, golden pothos, geranium, and others.

Management of balcony flowers

    1. Watering. For woody ornamental plants placed on the balcony, such as sago palm, banyan, rubber tree, schefflera, Brazil wood, money tree, Aglaia odorata, white orchid, jasmine, and others, water once a day, supplemented by misting the leaves; for species that have already formed flower buds and will bloom in winter and early spring, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, and others, watering should not be excessive, and misting the branches and leaves at the same time can effectively promote the enlargement of their flower buds. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, such as Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Anthurium 'Little Angel', cast-iron plant, cordyline, bird's nest fern, anthurium, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, maranta species, pothos, and others, misting should be the main method and watering supplementary, to keep the potting soil from drying out.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species resuming growth from dormancy and semi-dormancy, such as clivia, cyclamen, calla lily, as well as cymbidium, bromeliads, and Chinese cymbidium, apply a mixture of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1% urea; for fruit-viewing plants such as bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, lemon, nandina, golden bullet tree, rich-seed tree, firethorn, winter coral, and others, continue to apply a small amount of low-concentration quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for Aglaia odorata, white orchid, chloranthus, jasmine, and others, apply 1 to 2 times dilute phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in early October to help them overwinter smoothly.

    3. Shading. In early to mid-October, for tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering, protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed on the surface of the potting soil, and prevent the potting soil from compacting, continue to cover the surface of the potting soil with wet grass, moss, wet cloth, and so on; especially shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai should be given more attention. For some shade-loving foliage plants, on clear days, move them indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon. Shade nets set up in summer can be removed after mid-October.

    4. Pruning. In mid-to-late October, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as lacebark elm, Chinese plum yew, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, Oriental arborvitae (stump), Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, privet, Chinese fringe tree, and others, necessary pruning and shaping must be carried out. For metal wires or non-metal wires that have been bound for more than a year, they can be untied first; if the shaping requirements have not yet been met, a new binding position can be used for training and fixing, which can avoid deep constriction marks causing serious damage to the plant. For ordinary potted flowering plants, such as roses, wintersweet, plum blossom, Chaenomeles speciosa, hall crabapple, and others, appropriate pruning can also be carried out.

    5. Pest and disease control. In late October, dead branches and fallen leaves of all potted flowers on the balcony can be collected and burned together. For tree-stump bonsai whose trunk xylem is partially exposed, apply lime-sulfur mixture to the trunk, which can both protect the trunk xylem and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases next year.
Flower Planting Manual (November chapter)

    Weather characteristics of November: This month is the turn between autumn and winter. November 7 is the Start of Winter, the beginning of winter in our country, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River are about to freeze; November 22 is Minor Snow, when the Yellow River basin and areas to the north begin to see snow, and the Yangtze River basin also begins to enter winter. This month, flower and tree maintenance should focus on two aspects: first, pruning and cleaning ground-planted flowers and trees, whitewashing trunks and removing pests, turning the soil and applying basal fertilizer; second, effectively doing cold and freeze protection work for bonsai and flowers in greenhouses and tunnels. This month's flower care management mainly includes the following contents.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in the greenhouse in November include: trollius, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, African gerbera, clivia, asparagus fern, hosta, and others.

    Flowering plant species that can be sown immediately after collection in November include: snowball viburnum, small-leaf privet, privet, camphor tree, pencil cedar, Japanese podocarp, Buddhist pine, soapberry, rich-seed tree (Ardisia crenata), palm, French holly, photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, and others.

    2. Cuttings. In November, open-field cuttings can be done, but plastic film covering must be added. Flowering plant species that mainly need heat preservation and cold protection include: red-leaf plum, plum blossom (referring to varieties such as green calyx and palace pink), roses (referring to easily rooting varieties such as floribunda roses and Elizabeth), Chaenomeles speciosa, and others.

    Flowering plant species that can be propagated by root cuttings in November include: red-leaf plum, hall crabapple, Chaenomeles speciosa, holly fern, holly, Chinese trumpet creeper, lacebark elm, serissa, and others. Some of these root cuttings can be used to make small and miniature bonsai.

    Flowering plants that can be densely planted and propagated by cuttings in the greenhouse or tunnel in November include: boxwood, Korean boxwood, large-leaf boxwood, silver-edged boxwood, clearweed, golden-edged privet, gardenia, hypericum, Hypericum patulum, mahonia, golden-edged serissa, and others. If managed properly, complete root systems can grow by spring next year, and they can be used for ground planting to cultivate ball-shaped greening forms. In winter, in the greenhouse, bamboo-node begonia, begonia species, lotus-leaf begonia, geranium, hibiscus, fuchsia, jade tree, purslane tree, red-back osmanthus, golden shrimp plant, shrimp plant, and others can also be propagated by cuttings, and can be used for potting and cultivation after spring begins.

    In November, in the Yangtze River basin, cuttings of cotton rose, Chinese trumpet creeper, grape, and others can also be cut and stored until spring next year for cuttings, which can significantly speed up rooting and increase the cutting survival rate.

    3. Grafting. Using field maple seedlings as rootstock, bag-graft red maple and feather maple indoors; using apricot seedlings and peach seedlings as rootstock, cut-graft plum blossom (with the graft union buried in soil to overwinter); using thick strong branches of roses (Elizabeth variety) as rootstock-scion, and branches of superior rose varieties as scions, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting and then cuttings, so that the union heals and the lower cut roots at the same time, which can accelerate the process of cultivating grafted seedlings of superior rose varieties.

    4. Layering. Flowering plant species that can be propagated by ground layering in November mainly include: Chaenomeles speciosa, gardenia, small-leaf gardenia, pomegranate, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, Buddhist pine, Weigela florida, osmanthus, hydrangea, purple magnolia, plum cypress, Michelia, snowball viburnum, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowflake spiraea, and others.

    5. Division. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in November include: Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball viburnum, snowflake spiraea, red-flowered spiraea, three-pronged, hypericum, Hypericum patulum, mahonia, butterfly bush, tree peony, broom, winter jasmine, Forsythia, jasmine, jasmine, chloranthus, phoenix-tail bamboo, and Phyllostachys bambusoides, and others.

South of the Yangtze River basin, you can dig up the underground rhizomes or tubers of dahlia, canna, and Indian shot (Canna generalis), store them in sand until March of the following spring, then cut, divide, and replant them.

Herbaceous flowers that can be propagated by division include: white bletilla (Bletilla striata), Jian orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium), spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Huilan orchid (Cymbidium faberi), hosta, purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), iris, ornamental bromeliads, big-leaf liriope (Liriope platyphylla), Japanese sacred lily (Reineckea carnea), autumn zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), Japanese clematis (Rohdea japonica), cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), and so on.

    1. Collecting seeds. Flower seeds that can be collected in November include: scarlet sage (Salvia splendens), globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), cockscomb (Celosia argentea), China aster (Callistephus chinensis), French marigold (Tagetes patula), African marigold (Tagetes erecta), maple mallow (Abutilon), and so on.

    Ornamental woody plants whose seeds can be collected in November and stored dry include: black pine (Pinus thunbergii), Huangshan pine (Pinus hwangshanensis), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), Japanese sawara cypress, Japanese hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana), happy tree (Camptotheca acuminata), eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides), red-twig dogwood (Cornus alba), Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum), wisteria, crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), caragana (Caragana sinica), and bridal-wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia). Woody plants whose seeds can be sown immediately after collection or must be stored in moist sand include: privet (Ligustrum lucidum), small-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense), windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), pencil cedar (Juniperus virginiana), soapberry (Sapindus mukorossi), Chinese wolfberry (Lycium chinense), Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), holly (Ilex), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), firethorn (Pyracantha), photinia (Photinia), Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), and rose (used for raising rootstock), and so on.

   2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flowers that can continue to be planted out in flowerbeds and transplanted for flower-border arrangements in November include: dwarf catchfly (Silene pendula), dianthus (Dianthus chinensis), hollyhock (Alcea rosea), musk mallow (Malva sylvestris), large-flowered pansy (Viola × wittrockiana), snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), daisy (Bellis perennis), pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea), and so on.

    Tree species that can be transplanted in November include: camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), soapberry (Sapindus mukorossi), privet (Ligustrum lucidum), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), red maple (Acer palmatum), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), horse chestnut (Aesculus chinensis), linden (Tilia), giant redbud (Cercis gigantea), tulip tree (Liriodendron chinense), Magnolia × soulangeana, papaya (Chaenomeles), crabapple (Malus), and so on. Among these, when transplanting evergreens, the branches and trunk must be appropriately reduced or cut back, and most of the leaves removed; the trunk should be bound with straw rope, and a large root ball must be kept (generally the root ball diameter is about 6 to 7 times the trunk diameter) to ensure survival. When transplanting deciduous trees, the trunk may be cut back and large branches pruned, with a good root ball kept and the trunk bound. After transplanting large trees, watering and spraying the trunk with water must be strengthened to ensure survival. In addition, cuts on the trunk and large branches should be sealed with wax or wrapped with plastic film to prevent massive evaporation of water from within the tree.

    In November, plum bonsai, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana, among others, can be transplanted into pots and placed in a greenhouse to force flowering, so as to meet the need for indoor display around the Spring Festival.

    In November, potted hyacinths, tulips, and pheasant's eye narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) should be moved into a greenhouse to encourage them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Watering. For most ornamental flowers placed in a greenhouse, a plastic tunnel, or a room (including bonsai), the amount of watering in November should be based on keeping the potting soil moist as the specific standard; it must not be too wet, because if the temperature is low and watering is excessive, the plants are prone to root rot and death. If the indoor temperature is relatively high, the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, and necessary misting of the leaves should be given.

For those potted flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua camellia, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, and cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida), as well as fruit-ornamental plants such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), Buddha's hand (Citrus medica), lemon, firethorn, nandina (Nandina domestica), winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), and Ardisia crenata, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be misted frequently, to benefit the swelling and growth of flower buds and to make the fruits appear even more brightly colored.

For foliage plants placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, and rooms, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be misted frequently so that they always remain lush green and glossy. In greenhouses and rooms with relatively high temperatures, the amount of watering may be increased. For less cold-tolerant foliage plants, such as Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, Dieffenbachia, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', croton (Codiaeum variegatum), and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', the amount of watering should be controlled to help them overwinter safely.

[page]    In November, the best time for watering potted flowers is around 10 to 11 a.m., and the water temperature should be basically the same as the soil temperature, so as to avoid adverse reactions in plants caused by water that is too cold, which would then affect their safe overwintering.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flowers placed indoors where the temperature is above 15°C, such as western azalea (Rhododendron), camellia, sasanqua camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), daphne (Daphne odora), cineraria, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, clivia (Clivia miniata), tulip, ornamental bromeliads, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), and bromeliad 'Tricolor', you can continue to apply low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; using a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution can promote their growth and flowering.

For most potted woody flowers, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, topdressing should be stopped, to help them enter normal dormancy for overwintering. For most woody plants grown in the ground, such as crabapple types, southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), Magnolia × soulangeana, manglietia (Manglietia), Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunshanensis, Michelia figo, Michelia foveolata, gardenia, horse chestnut (Aesculus chinensis), camphor tree, spiraea, osmanthus, grape, rose, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, soapberry, silk tree, windmill palm, red maple, tree peony, forsythia, Chinese peony, and Hypericum, dry cake fertilizer can be buried and applied, with 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg per plant; smaller plants can receive a little less, to build a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

    3. Pruning. Continue pruning hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped topiary that have not yet been fully pruned; after pruning is completed, base fertilizer can be applied.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, carry out all-around shaping and pruning, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Fukien tea (Carmona retusa), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), firethorn, serissa (Serissa japonica), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), wintersweet, and crabapple, to build a good framework for next year's growth and shaping.

Prune ground-planted or potted roses that have not yet been pruned; for each plant, aside from retaining 3 to 5 vigorous 1- to 2-year-old stems at 30 cm to 50 cm from the base, cut away the remaining old stems from their base and remove all thin, weak branches. For unpruned ground-planted crape myrtle, heavily cut back the current year's branches; aside from retaining 20 cm to 30 cm at the base of a few thick branches, remove all the other current year's branches, to encourage more thick new shoots the following year and lay a foundation for more flowering.

For common ornamental woody plants in flowerbeds, along roadsides, and in courtyards, such as crape myrtle, rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), osmanthus, camphor tree, plane tree (Platanus), purple magnolia, forsythia, plum blossom, wintersweet, cherry blossom, camellia, silk tree, firethorn, pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), and crabapple, cut away all malformed branches, thin and weak branches, inner-canopy branches, and diseased or pest-infested branches, and appropriately cut back water sprouts protruding beyond the crown. In addition, in November the coarse bark of large palm trees can be peeled, and the trunks cleaned up, so that they display their proper ornamental effect.

    4. Cold protection. For potted woody flower species that are not very afraid of cold, such as camellia, sasanqua camellia, rhododendron, spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Huilan orchid (Cymbidium faberi), nandina, Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), jasmine, white orchid (Michelia alba), Chloranthus, bottle orchid (Aglaonema), bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, kumquat, Ardisia crenata, Schefflera, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, fishtail palm (Caryota), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), money tree (Pachira aquatica), Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), and rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa), they can be placed in a plastic tunnel, as long as the indoor temperature is kept no lower than about 5°C.

For less cold-tolerant potted flower species, such as Calathea, Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron selloum, Aglaonema, croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Pachystachys lutea, golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), Dracaena fragrans, red (green) gem (Ficus), Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', frangipani (Plumeria), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and Dendrobium, they should be placed indoors where the room temperature is no lower than 10°C, or protected through winter in a double-layer plastic tunnel.

For those relatively cold-tolerant bonsai or potted woody flowers, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple types, azalea (Rhododendron simsii), pomegranate, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), crape myrtle, boxwood (Buxus sinica), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), and red maple, they can be buried directly in the soil together with their pots in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot; under conditions no lower than -10°C, frost damage generally will not occur. If particularly cold weather occurs, a film or soft straw can be added for cold protection.

For potted flowers or bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or rooms in November, besides ensuring certain temperature conditions, ventilation and air exchange should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon for ventilation, to prevent plants from remaining stuffy indoors for a long time, which can cause flower drop, fruit drop, and leaf drop. In addition, no toxic gases such as coal gas should enter the room, otherwise it is also easy to cause leaf drop and fruit drop. When ventilating, also note that plants must never be directly exposed to cold drafts.

    5. Pest and disease control. For woody flowers prone to leaf diseases, such as grape, crabapple types, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, and chrysanthemum, collect the fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can significantly reduce disease occurrence the following year.

For street tree trunks, continue whitewashing. For dead-trunk-style and split-trunk-style stump bonsai, apply lime sulfur mixture to the dead trunk and split trunk areas for antisepsis, to prevent deep decay of the stump's xylem.

For whiteflies, scale insects, and the like appearing on potted woody flowers placed in greenhouses or plastic tunnels (they may occur on bitter orange, Buddha's hand, sago palm, orchids, camellia, clivia, and cast-iron plant), first wipe them off with a damp cloth, and second spray and kill them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For aphids appearing on potted plants placed indoors (they may occur on white orchid, Aglaonema, bitter orange, and Chinese rose), spray tobacco water for control.

For western azaleas placed in plastic tunnels, stop spraying foliar fertilizers such as Yemianbao; otherwise, due to poor indoor ventilation and high air humidity, sooty mold is extremely likely to occur.

    Bonsai plant species suitable for shaping in November mainly include: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), Sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), Euonymus pendulus, serissa (Serissa japonica), plum blossom, wintersweet, Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), boxwood (Buxus sinica), pearl boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), and Malus halliana, and so on.

For bonsai stumps that have been tied and suspended with palm rope for 1 to 2 years, when relatively deep constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the old palm rope can be removed in November and the trunk and branches re-tied and adjusted.

For new stumps such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), water willow (Adina rubella), firethorn, and Elaeagnus, after preliminary root trimming, trunk cutting, and branch breaking, plant them in sandy loam fields by the shallow-burial, high-mounding method; after they sprout branches the following year, shaping can then proceed.

For stumps that after 1 to 2 years of care and shaping have basically taken form, in November, according to the shaping characteristics of the trunk, roots, and branches, select a suitable pot and repot them, and pair them with fist-sized stones and dotted moss, so they can be displayed indoors around the Spring Festival.

Well-shaped tall plum stumps, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), crape myrtle, Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), and Chaenomeles speciosa can be potted in suitable containers in November, with water management strengthened, and can be used the following spring for display in plazas, parks, and grand halls.

Flower Planting Handbook (December Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of December: This month, most regions of China enter winter, and the weather turns colder. Snowfall increases from north to south across China, and temperatures in the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions successively drop below zero, with frequent hard frosts. This month, flower and tree care should emphasize three aspects of work: first, do a good job of heat preservation and freeze protection for cold-sensitive flowers and trees brought into greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and rooms; second, do a good job of pruning, cleaning up, and turning and fertilizing the soil for open-field flowers and trees; third, do a good job of preparing composted organic fertilizer and mixing potting soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in December include: gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), clivia (Clivia miniata), tuberous begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), cyclamen, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), and African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), and so on. Woody plant species that can be sown outdoors immediately after collection or stratified in sand to promote germination include: rose (such as 'Elizabeth'), nandina, Ardisia crenata, holly types, firethorn, windmill palm, privet, camphor tree, small-leaf privet, soapberry, photinia, and Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), and so on.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental flower species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings in December include: plum blossom (mainly cultivars such as 'Gongfen' and 'Lüe'); rose (mainly easy-to-root cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda rose, and miniature rose); red-leaf plum, wintersweet (cutting with heel), spiraea, and boxwood types, and so on. Among these, plum blossom and red-leaf plum cuttings should use yellow subsoil; rose cuttings should use a mixed medium of 2:1 rice-hull ash and fine sand; other types can use ordinary sandy loam, covered with plastic film for heat and moisture retention.

In greenhouses, African violet (Saintpaulia) can be propagated by leaf cuttings; combined with pruning, cuttings can be taken from hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), geranium (Pelargonium), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum), gem plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense), Echeveria, portulacaria (Portulacaria afra), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), wax begonia (Begonia × semperflorens-cultorum), bamboo begonia (Begonia maculata), Rieger begonia (Begonia × hiemalis), Chloranthus, jasmine, clerodendrum (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), lantana (Lantana camara), Schefflera, daphne, pothos (Epipremnum aureum), and cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa), and so on. Using cold frames, cuttings can also be propagated from gardenia, golden-heart (golden-edge) boxwood, mahonia (Mahonia fortunei), Hypericum, forsythia, winter jasmine, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Japanese arborvitae (Thujopsis dolabrata), serissa (Serissa japonica), firethorn, silver willow (Salix gracilistyla), and Tripterygium, and so on. In addition, branches of Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora), lilac (Syringa), and grape can be cut and stored in sand, to be rooted as cuttings the following spring.

    3. Grafting. Superior plum blossom cultivars, such as 'Guhong' and 'Zhusha', can be grafted in December using seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, or peach sown that year; after digging up the rootstock, use cleft grafting or cut grafting, then plant at a certain spacing in a seedbed, burying soil up to above the graft union, even covering most of the scion. Be careful not to let water seep into the graft union when watering, cover with plastic film for heat and moisture retention, and remove the film the following spring after the scion sprouts. Use dug-up wild rose plants to bud-graft superior rose cultivars; or use vigorous branch sections of the 'Elizabeth' rose cultivar (10 to 12 cm long), cut-graft or cleft-graft superior rose scions onto the upper end, then plant the grafted 'Elizabeth' sections into a loose seedbed. The graft union can be buried together in sandy soil; do not let water seep into the graft union when watering, cover with plastic film for moisture and heat retention, and the following spring after the scion sprouts remove the film; only after it has completely survived should a blade be used to cut the binding tape at the graft union. In addition, red maple can be side-grafted indoors with bagging for moisture retention.

    4. Layering. Woody plant species that can be propagated by layering in December include: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), plum blossom, camellia, osmanthus, Michelia figo, Chaenomeles speciosa, purple magnolia, snowball viburnum (Viburnum), weigela (Weigela florida), gardenia, winter jasmine, forsythia, hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), bridal-wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia), Chinese snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum), Spiraea thunbergii, and pomegranate, and so on.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in December include: autumn zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), liriope (Ophiopogon japonicus), Japanese sacred lily (Reineckea carnea), hosta, purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), red wood sorrel (Oxalis triangularis), cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), Jian orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium), spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Huilan orchid (Cymbidium faberi), sword fern (Nephrolepis), blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), iris, big-leaf liriope (Liriope platyphylla), lilyturf (Ophiopogon), Japanese clematis (Rohdea japonica), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), and Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema). When cutting off young offshoots from the base of large variegated bromeliad plants, they must be small plants that have already grown on the mother plant for three or four months; otherwise the colored bands of the divided offshoots easily disappear, and special attention should be paid to this.

    Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in December include: nandina, Hypericum, mahonia (Mahonia fortunei), Chaenomeles speciosa, rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa), red-flowered spiraea (Spiraea), Caragana, forsythia, winter jasmine, Jasminum, jasmine, Chloranthus, purple magnolia, gardenia, sisal (Agave sisalana), bamboo palm (Bambusa multiplex), and dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Pleioblastus fortunei), and so on.

    1. Collecting seeds. Flower seeds that can be collected in December are generally those of herbaceous flowers moved into greenhouses or cold frames, such as Salvia types, globe amaranth types, African marigold, French marigold, cyclamen, and clivia, and so on. Clivia seeds are best sown immediately after collection.

    Woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected in December mainly include: rose, wisteria, privet, small-leaf privet, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, holly types, camphor tree, and photinia types. After treatment, these seeds basically all need sand stratification to promote germination; only after the seeds crack and show white the following year can they be sown in the ground. If stored dry, they easily lose viability, causing sowing and seedling propagation to fail the following year.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flower species that can be planted out in flowerbeds in December include: dianthus types, ornamental kale, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, pot marigold, and daisy, and so on. Some herbaceous flowers can also be potted and placed in plastic tunnels, such as daisy, pot marigold, snapdragon, ornamental kale, dianthus, and pansy; the following spring they can be used for street display.

    In December, most deciduous greening trees and flowering shrubs can be transplanted and planted out, such as rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate, redbud (Cercis chinensis), crabapple types, wintersweet, plum blossom, white magnolia, purple magnolia, soapberry, goldenrain tree, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya (Chaenomeles), Magnolia × soulangeana, crape myrtle, wisteria, Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora), linden, tulip tree, red maple, ornamental peach, Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica), and weeping pagoda tree, and so on. For evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, however, transplanting should be more cautious. Evergreen tree species that can be transplanted in winter include: privet, osmanthus, windmill palm, southern magnolia, camphor tree, rhododendron, and holly, and so on. When transplanting, first heavily cut back the main leader and large branches, and remove most of the leaves; at the same time keep a large root ball, bind the trunk with straw rope and wrap it with plastic film, seal cuts on the trunk and large branches with wax or wrap them with film to reduce water transpiration. After transplanting, frequently spray water on the leaves and trunk to ensure normal survival.

    Stumps and woody flowers that can be potted in December include: plum blossom, wintersweet stumps, camellia, sasanqua camellia, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana. Place them in plastic tunnels for flower-forcing treatment, and they can be expected to bloom during the Spring Festival.

    In December, potted hyacinths, tulips, and pheasant's eye narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) should continue to be kept in tunnels for flower forcing, which can induce them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Cold protection. In a simple plastic tunnel with a temperature no lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without suffering frost damage, such as asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), asparagus (Asparagus), cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), aucuba (Aucuba japonica), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), sword fern (Nephrolepis), rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa), nandina, Michelia figo, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, camellia, spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Huilan orchid (Cymbidium faberi), bamboo palm (Bambusa multiplex), dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Pleioblastus fortunei), and sago palm (Cycas revoluta), and so on.

For ornamental plant species requiring an overwintering temperature no lower than 5°C, such as Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Schefflera, rubber tree (Ficus elastica), jasmine, white orchid (Michelia alba), Chloranthus, pocket coconut (Chamaedorea elegans), calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Jian orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium), ink orchid (Cymbidium sinense), Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, cyclamen, primrose (Primula), lantana, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), geranium, hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), and Buddha-belly bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa), they can overwinter in a double-layer plastic tunnel. For species requiring an overwintering temperature no lower than 10°C, such as croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Caladium, peperomia (Peperomia), Calathea, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), fishtail palm (Caryota), Dracaena fragrans, money tree (Pachira aquatica), nerve plant (Fittonia), bromeliads, Dieffenbachia, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), large-flowered cymbidium (Cymbidium hybridum), clerodendrum (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), Aglaonema, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, sago palm (Cycas), red (green) gem (Ficus), Oncidium, and Cymbidium hookerianum, in a well-sealed double-layer tunnel they must also be appropriately heated; during especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, add straw mats on top of the tunnel, and remove them after the temperature turns warmer.

For those relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple types, azalea (Rhododendron simsii), pomegranate, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), crape myrtle, wisteria, boxwood types, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), red cedar (Juniperus), water willow (Adina rubella), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), and Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), when the temperature is no lower than -10°C they generally will not freeze; in especially cold weather, add plastic film or soft straw for cold protection.

[page]    Whether placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or rooms, bonsai, potted flowers, and foliage or fruit-ornamental plants, besides maintaining the corresponding indoor temperature, should also be well ventilated; doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, for ventilation, to prevent leaf drop, flower drop, and fruit drop. When ventilating, also be sure not to let cold drafts directly hit the plants, to avoid adverse reactions.

    2. Watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and rooms, keep the potting soil moist as the standard; if the temperature is low and watering is excessive, root rot is extremely likely. When the temperature rises, increase the amount of watering and give appropriate leaf misting.

For those potted flower plant species that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua camellia, Belgian azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, primrose (Primula), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), hyacinth, and European narcissus, and fruit-ornamental types such as bitter orange, lemon, Buddha's hand, four-season mandarin (Citrus), kumquat, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), Ardisia crenata, and nandina, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but leaf misting must also be given, to benefit the swelling of flower buds and to increase the brightness of flowers and fruits.

For most foliage plants placed indoors, both the potting soil should be kept moist and the leaves should be misted, always keeping the plant leaves clean. For less cold-tolerant foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, croton (Codiaeum variegatum), and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', when the room temperature is already close to the lowest temperature limit they can tolerate, special attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering, so as to ensure they can overwinter safely.

    In December, the best time for watering is the 3 to 4 hours around noon, and the water temperature should be kept basically consistent with the air temperature and soil temperature, to avoid adverse reactions in potted flowers caused by water that is too cold.

For newly transplanted flowers and trees outdoors, check frequently and give timely supplementary watering; for transplanted evergreen trees, appropriately mist the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking, and falling off.

    3. Fertilizing. For most potted woody flowers, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

For most greening trees and woody flowers grown in the ground, such as crabapple types, southern magnolia, white magnolia, purple magnolia, manglietia (Manglietia), Michelia types, red maple, gardenia, horse chestnut, camphor tree, osmanthus, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, soapberry, silk tree, goldenrain tree, windmill palm, Chinese peony, tree peony, forsythia, Hypericum, grape, rose, spiraea, tulip tree, mock orange (Philadelphus), deutzia (Deutzia), pomegranate, crape myrtle, wisteria, firethorn, nandina, lilac, Chinese trumpet creeper, Rosa banksiae, Hypericum, weeping willow, Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), cypress types, Sophora japonica var. pendula, flowering almond (Prunus triloba), dwarf flowering cherry (Prunus japonica), white silk plum (Prunus), photinia, redbud, and rose of Sharon, while turning the garden soil in December, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the outer perimeter of the plant root zone, such as cake fertilizer, pig and cattle manure, pond mud, and septic tank residue, to build a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

For potted flower species placed indoors at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia, sasanqua camellia, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), bromeliads, daphne, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, clivia, tulip, and freesia (Freesia), continue topdressing with 1.2% monopotassium phosphate solution to promote bud formation and flowering.

    4. Pruning. Prune hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped topiary not yet fully pruned in November. Hedges and green walls include privet, small-leaf privet, Chinese privet (Ligustrum), large-leaf boxwood, Sabina chinensis, four-season osmanthus, and Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), and so on; ball-shaped types include Chinese holly, bayberry (Myrica rubra), photinia, boxwood types, pittosporum, forsythia, firethorn, dragon juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Kaizuca'), and Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), and so on. While completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied.

For ground-planted woody flowers not yet fully pruned in November, such as rose, crape myrtle, windmill palm, red-leaf plum, photinia, plane tree, plum blossom, and wintersweet, carry out shaping and pruning; after pruning is finished, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the roots.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), Fukien tea (Carmona retusa), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), firethorn, serissa (Serissa japonica), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), crabapple, and papaya (Chaenomeles), continue pruning in December to build a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repotting can be combined with pruning.

    5. Pest and disease control. For woody flowers whose leaves are prone to pest and disease problems, such as grape, crabapple types, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, and crape myrtle, collect the dead branches and fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can reduce disease occurrence the following year. At the same time, spray lime sulfur mixture for sterilization and disinfection.

For powdery mildew on potted cineraria and gray mold on primrose, the former should be controlled promptly with triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl, and the latter with thiophanate-methyl.

For species prone to scale insects on flowers and trees in greenhouses and plastic tunnels, such as bitter orange, Buddha's hand, sago palm, camellia, and cast-iron plant, first wipe them once with a cloth, then control them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For flower and tree species on which aphids often appear on potted plants when ventilation is poor, such as white orchid, Aglaonema, bitter orange, Chinese rose, and Fukien tea, tobacco water can be used for control.

On the trunks and large branches of open-field cultivated plants such as pittosporum, osmanthus, plane tree, camellia, small-leaf privet, firethorn, oleander, crabapple, white magnolia, redbud, gardenia, deodar cedar, photinia, crape myrtle, and wintersweet, various scale insects often appear, such as horned wax scale, Japanese wax scale, red wax scale, armored scale, arrowhead scale, mealybug, and felt scale. At this time, spraying and killing with pesticides such as Supracide, quinalphos, and buprofezin at relatively high concentrations rarely causes phytotoxicity.

    6. Composting fertilizer. To meet the need for raising seedlings and mixing potting soil next year, use the winter slack time to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea-seed cake, and the like into water vats or ponds, add water, and seal them for soaked fermentation.

Stack dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, and branches in alternating layers with garden soil, set them on fire and burn them to form burned soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and raising seedlings next year.

Mix barnyard manure, pond mud, chicken droppings, and pigeon manure with garden soil and compost them, sealing for fermentation; they can be used for topdressing seedlings and mixing potting soil the following year.

    7. Mixing potting soil. Using the free time in winter, find an empty space or a spot under tree shade and stack as much potting soil as possible, in preparation for repotting and potting herbaceous flowers the following spring. Generally use 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, 1 part each of composted sawdust, tobacco powder, or rice-hull ash, plus about 5% composted cake fertilizer and 2% to 3% compound fertilizer. The garden soil and leaf mold should be sieved to remove stones, tree roots, and other debris, then mix thoroughly, cover with plastic film, or pile it indoors; after 3 to 4 months, it can be used for repotting or potting herbaceous flowers.

    8. Turning the soil and freezing the clods. For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttings, and planting out seedlings, plowing can be done in December; for plots for sowing and planting out seedlings, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, and pond mud can be applied before turning the soil; do not make beds for now. After overwintering and freezing the clods, make furrows and beds in early spring the following year, which can greatly reduce the cost of seedling management and also reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.

Ornamental plant species suitable for bonsai shaping in December include: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Japanese arborvitae (Thujopsis dolabrata), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), Shimpaku juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Shimpaku'), black pine (Pinus thunbergii), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), red pine (Pinus densiflora), water willow (Adina rubella), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), Euonymus pendulus, ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), serissa (Serissa japonica), Caragana, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), wintersweet, tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles cathayensis, boxwood (Buxus sinica), pearl boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), wisteria, crape myrtle, banyan (Ficus microcarpa), Fukien tea (Carmona retusa), Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), and Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), and so on.

For bonsai plants fixed by coiling and shaping with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if the fixation has already been in place for one year, or obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the original binding material should be removed and metal wire or palm rope used again for tying and guiding.

For ground-planted plum stumps, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), crabapple, ginkgo, Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), and crape myrtle that have already been shaped, after some necessary pruning and shaping, select suitable pots and plant them well, strengthen management, so that they can be used the following year for display in public places or rooms.

In winter, for some shallow-pot landscape bonsai and stump bonsai, careful management is a must: first, prevent the potting soil from freezing and damaging the plant roots; second, prevent freezing from disintegrating the artificially cemented rocks; third, prevent the plants planted on the rockery from freezing to death or drying to death. They can be placed in a location that does not freeze, and watered and misted regularly, so that they can overwinter safely.

Flower Planting Handbook (January Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of January: This month is the month with the lowest temperatures and the coldest weather of the year. January 5 is Minor Cold, right around the "Sanjiu" period, and most regions of China enter a severe cold period; January 20 is Major Cold, with cold air from the north frequently moving south, heavy frost and thick snow, and the lowest temperatures of the year appearing. This month, the most important thing in flower care is to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection for cold-sensitive flowers, bonsai, and the like in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and rooms; next is auxiliary work such as tree pruning, clearing dead branches and fallen leaves, turning and preparing the soil, and preparing potting soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in January include: gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), clivia (Clivia miniata), tuberous begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), cyclamen, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), and African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), and so on. Ornamental plant species that can be sown outdoors in the open field include: rose ('Elizabeth'), nandina, Ardisia crenata, holly, firethorn, windmill palm, photinia, Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), soapberry, privet, wisteria, Chinese tallow tree, and goldenrain tree, and so on.

    2. Cuttings. Ornamental plant species suitable for open-field cuttings or cuttings under plastic film in January include: plum blossom (cultivars such as 'Lüe' and 'Gongfen'), red-leaf plum, rose (cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda, and miniature), cherry blossom, wintersweet (with heel), spiraea, boxwood types, pomegranate, silver willow (Salix gracilistyla), mahonia (Mahonia fortunei), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), serissa (Serissa japonica), Tripterygium, Hypericum, forsythia, Spiraea thunbergii, winter jasmine, and Jasminum, and so on. Species that can be propagated by cuttings in greenhouses include: jasmine, Chloranthus, geranium (Pelargonium), fuchsia (Fuchsia), African violet (Saintpaulia) (leaf cuttings), Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius), gem plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense), jade leaf (Portulacaria afra), jade plant (Crassula ovata), Echeveria, epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), pilea (Pilea cadierei), mirror grass (Pilea peperomioides), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), Rieger begonia, clerodendrum (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), Schefflera, rubber tree (Ficus elastica), daphne, red-back eucalyptus (Excoecaria cochinchinensis), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), pothos (Epipremnum aureum), and cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa), and so on. In addition, branches of lilac, Chinese trumpet creeper, tamarisk, grape, Weigela coraeensis, deutzia, hydrangea, plane tree, and fig can be cut and stored in sand, to be rooted as cuttings in March.

    3. Grafting. For superior plum blossom cultivars, one-year-old seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, mountain peach, or wild peach can be used as rootstock for rootstock grafting propagation; after grafting, plant them buried in a seedbed and cover with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection. In the Guangdong region, between Minor Cold and Major Cold, four-season mandarin and kumquat are often propagated by bud grafting; use dug-up wild rose to bud-graft superior rose cultivars, and use the 'Elizabeth' rose cultivar as rootstock-scion to cut-graft or cleft-graft superior rose cultivars; grafting and cutting propagation are carried out simultaneously, covered with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in January include: purple magnolia, camellia, plum blossom, weigela (Weigela florida), gardenia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), snowball viburnum (Viburnum), Chinese snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum), winter jasmine, forsythia, hydrangea, bridal-wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia), Spiraea thunbergii, pomegranate, and red maple, and so on.

    5. Division. Herbaceous ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: liriope (Ophiopogon japonicus), big-leaf liriope (Liriope platyphylla), silver-edge liriope (Liriope), Japanese sacred lily (Reineckea carnea), autumn zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), pink zephyr lily (Zephyranthes rosea), hosta, purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), purple-backed Japanese clematis (Rohdea japonica), Jian orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium), spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Huilan orchid (Cymbidium faberi), sword fern (Nephrolepis), blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), iris, spider plant types (Chlorophytum), Japanese clematis (Rohdea japonica), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), bromeliads, small tulip (Tulipa), shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), Monstera deliciosa, and aloe (Aloe), and so on. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: nandina, Hypericum, mahonia (Mahonia fortunei), Chaenomeles speciosa, rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa), Spiraea thunbergii, red-flowered spiraea (Spiraea), Caragana, forsythia, winter jasmine, Jasminum, jasmine, Chloranthus, wild coffee (Damnacanthus indicus), gardenia, Tripterygium, boxwood, and purple magnolia, and so on.

    6. Collecting seeds. In January, if there are mature asparagus fern or clivia seeds in the greenhouse, they can be sown immediately after collection; mature winter cherry seeds can also be sown indoors at this time. In January, seeds of nandina, firethorn, holly types, and Ardisia crenata can be picked; after treatment, sand stratification is carried out to promote germination, and sowing can only be done after the seeds crack and show white.

    In January, frequently check seeds stored in sand, including magnolia types, Michelia types, photinia types, and holly types, to see whether the seeds have become moldy. If mold appears, the seeds must be poured out and rubbed clean again, and clean fine sand replaced for storage; if the seeds are found to be dry, supplementary misting should be given in time; if the seeds are found to have cracked and shown white or the radicle has already emerged, sowing must be carried out immediately, and plastic film, straw, or pine needles should be added for heat and moisture retention.

II. Transplanting and Planting Out

    In January, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and planted out in less cold regions include: dianthus types, ornamental kale, pot marigold, and daisy, and so on; in relatively cold regions, after potting seedlings of dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragon, pansy, and primrose, they can first be placed in a simple plastic tunnel, and after spring returns and the weather warms they can be used for display in street flowerbeds, green spaces, and flower borders.

    In January, most deciduous flowering shrubs and greening trees can be transplanted and planted out, such as rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate, redbud, crabapple types, ginkgo, sweetgum, maple types, wintersweet, plum blossom, white magnolia, purple magnolia, soapberry, goldenrain tree, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya (Chaenomeles), Magnolia × soulangeana, crape myrtle, wisteria, Chinese trumpet creeper, linden, tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow tree, red-flowered spiraea (Spiraea), Tripterygium, rose, Chinese scholar tree, and Sophora japonica var. pendula, and so on. For evergreen tree species, especially camphor tree and Chinese privet (Ligustrum), except under special circumstances this month, transplanting should generally be moved earlier to December or delayed to February; of course, in a wind-sheltered location, with heavy cutback after transplanting and strengthened cold protection and watering management after transplanting, it is also acceptable.

    In January, although the weather is cold, in regions south of the Yangtze River it does not affect the collection of wild stumps during forestry afforestation site preparation, mainly deciduous stumps, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), azalea (Rhododendron simsii), crape myrtle, Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), wisteria, wintersweet, wild plum, Elaeagnus, and Euonymus pendulus, and so on; for evergreen stumps, such as nandina, cat-spine (Ilex cornuta), Chinese holly, holly, and Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), heavy cutback must be done and most leaves removed. Whether deciduous stumps or evergreen stumps, the shallow-burial, high-mounding method should be used for cultivation, and straw mats should be added for freeze protection.

III. Cold Protection

This month's cold protection and heat preservation work is the top priority in management; even a slight negligence will bring serious losses to potted flowers and bonsai overwintering. Based on the lower limit of the lowest temperature each different flower species can tolerate, create a special environment for safe overwintering for them, either in a greenhouse, in a plastic tunnel, indoors, or buried in open-field soil. In a simple plastic tunnel no lower than 0°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 0°C can be placed, such as asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), asparagus (Asparagus), cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), sword fern (Nephrolepis), rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa), nandina, aucuba (Aucuba japonica), Michelia figo, spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii), Dendrobium, Ardisia crenata, daphne, sago palm (Cycas revoluta), sweet flag (Acorus calamus), bamboo palm (Bambusa multiplex), and dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Pleioblastus fortunei), and so on. In a double-layer plastic tunnel no lower than 5°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 5°C can be placed, such as Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), jasmine, Chloranthus, white orchid (Michelia alba), pocket coconut (Chamaedorea elegans), bottle orchid (Aglaonema), calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), camellia, sasanqua camellia, Jian orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium), Cymbidium sinense, epiphyllum (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), Buddha-belly bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa), Belgian azalea, bougainvillea, and lantana, and so on. In a double-layer plastic tunnel or greenhouse with auxiliary heating equipment, flower species that can tolerate low temperatures of around 10°C can be placed, such as croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Caladium, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, bromeliads, peperomia (Peperomia), coleus (Coleus), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), fishtail palm (Caryota), Dracaena fragrans, money tree (Pachira aquatica), nerve plant (Fittonia), red (green) gem (Ficus), Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Aglaonema, large-flowered cymbidium (Cymbidium hybridum), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Vanda, money tree (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), sago palm (Cycas), desert rose (Adenium obesum), Dieffenbachia, poinsettia, golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), and coral plant (Jatropha multifida), and so on. During especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, it is advisable to add straw mats on top of the tunnel, and stop adding straw mats only after the temperature turns warmer. On very cold days, strengthen inspections of heating facilities and duty personnel, especially at 5 to 6 in the morning; fire and electricity must never be cut off, otherwise it is very easy to cause frost damage to plants. For those relatively cold-tolerant potted flower and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple types, azalea (Rhododendron simsii), pomegranate, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), Japanese xylosma (Xylosma congestum), crape myrtle, wisteria, boxwood types, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), small bayberry (Myrica), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), holly, and Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), they can be buried in the soil together with their pots; when the temperature is no lower than -10°C, frost damage generally will not occur, and in especially cold weather, plastic film or soft straw can be added for insulation.

It is worth noting that whether potted flowers or bonsai are placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or homes, including fruit-ornamental and foliage plants, besides maintaining the corresponding air temperature, ventilation and air exchange should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, for ventilation and air exchange, to prevent flower drop, leaf drop, and fruit drop. When ventilating, also try to avoid cold drafts directly hitting the plants.

In January, special attention should be paid to inspecting greenhouses and plastic tunnels during each cold air movement southward; if broken glass, torn film, and the like are found, timely plugging and repair should be done to prevent potted flowers from freezing. When supplying coal, gas, or oil heating to greenhouses, also check carefully so that no leaking gas or smoke enters the greenhouse or plastic tunnel, to prevent smoke damage and the like from causing flower drop, leaf drop, and fruit drop.

To encourage potted tree peonies to bloom during the Spring Festival, the potted plants can be placed in a greenhouse, heated to 18°C to 25°C during the day, kept at around 10°C at night, and given 4 to 5 additional hours of light per day (incandescent lamps), and they can be expected to bloom around the Spring Festival. Potted winter sweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, winter jasmine, etc. can also be placed in a shed at around 15°C for forcing and given appropriately increased light duration, which can meet the need for indoor display of potted flowering plants during the Spring Festival. For potted hyacinths, tulips, red-cupped narcissi, freesias, etc. that have already been placed in the greenhouse in December, strengthened water and fertilizer management may also make them usable for decorative display during the Spring Festival. [page]

IV. Watering

    For the watering management of potted flowers in January, the most important thing is to pay attention to the temperature of the water used for watering and spraying, that is, to keep the water temperature roughly consistent with the soil temperature. If the difference between the two is too great, it can very easily cause adverse reactions in potted plants, and may even cause leaf drop, root rot or death. Watering should best be arranged within the 2 to 3 hours around noon. Second, according to different plant species, determine the amount, frequency and method of watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, sheds and rooms, it is suitable to keep the potting soil moist; when the temperature is lower, watering should be reduced accordingly, and when the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and water can be sprayed on the leaves. For the vast majority of foliage plants, it is necessary both to keep the potting soil moist and to spray water on the leaves, always keeping the leaves clean. For foliage plant species that are not very cold-tolerant, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium, Maranta and Codiaeum, when the temperature approaches the lower limit of what the plant can tolerate, watering must be especially controlled. For those potted flowers that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, poinsettia, cineraria, winter sweet, plum, primrose, hyacinth, kalanchoe and Calendula, and for ornamental-fruit types such as pyracantha, bitter orange, fingered citron, lemon, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, Fortunella hindsii and winter cherry, not only must the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be sprayed with water, which helps the flower buds swell and can also enhance the bright color of the fruit.

   Although potted flowers need little water in January, inspections should be strengthened to prevent potted flowers placed in out-of-the-way spots from lacking water, and plants whose potting soil has dried out should be watered in time, which can reduce the death of overwintering plants.

For newly planted landscaping trees and flowering shrubs, inspections should be made frequently and supplementary watering given in time. Especially for evergreen ornamental plants after transplanting, water should also be appropriately sprayed on the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off because the air is too dry.

V. Fertilizing

For most field-planted landscaping trees and flowering shrubs, such as Malus species, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Manglietia, Michelia species, Acer species, gardenia, horse chestnut, camphor tree, linden, crape myrtle, Chinese trumpet creeper, osmanthus, winter sweet, plum, Buddhist pine, cherry blossom, soapberry, silk tree, goldenrain tree, palm, Chinese schima, Machilus, Nyssa, camptotheca, tree peony, forsythia, boxwood, grape, coral tree, Chinese rose, hydrangea, red-leaf plum, dwarf flowering cherry, elm-leaved spirea, tulip tree, deutzia, mock orange, Banksian rose, Elaeocarpus, golden weeping willow, weeping elm, Japanese cedar, Taiwania, deodar cedar, Japanese pagoda tree, dragon-claw pagoda tree, Exochorda, rose of Sharon, lilac, crape myrtle, photinia, nandina, black bamboo, pomegranate, loquat, etc., if the fertilization task was not completed in December, then while turning the soil, cake fertilizer, manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. can be buried and applied around the outer edge of the tree root system, laying a material foundation for spring growth and flowering.

For potted flowers placed in greenhouses at about 10°C to 15°C, such as Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, Daphne, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, red-cupped narcissus, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, tulip, Vriesea, clivia, bird of paradise and Christmas cactus, low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can continue to be applied as a top dressing to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering.

For most potted flowering plants, foliage plants and bonsai placed in sheds, because the plants are dormant in winter, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

VI. Pruning

For hedges, green walls and topiary balls, etc. that were not pruned in December, continue pruning; for flowering shrubs not yet pruned in December, such as Chinese rose, crape myrtle, Banksian rose, Chinese trumpet creeper, wisteria, floribunda rose, camphor tree, plane tree, Chinese tallow, photinia, pomegranate, red-leaf plum, papaya, winter sweet, plum, palm, grape, etc., continue pruning; after pruning is completed, bury and apply base fertilizer around the outer edge of their root systems to meet the needs of their spring growth.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly pruned with wiring as a supplement, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia, bougainvillea, Fukien tea, oak, Chinese fringe tree, water willow, Elaeagnus, pyracantha, Serissa and juniper, continue to adjust and prune according to the original composition requirements, the development and change trends of the plant trunk and branches, and personal aesthetic taste, laying a foundation for spring growth and shaping. While pruning, plants that have not been repotted for many years can be repotted.

VII. Pest and Disease Control

For the main trunks or large branches of Malus species, plum species, elm-leaved spirea, papaya, loquat, ornamental peach, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, etc. that have been hollowed out by peach longhorn beetles, etc., they can be sawed off, and the sawed-off trunks and branches burned.

Clear away the leaves under Chinese rose, rose, grape, crape myrtle, etc., gather them and burn them in a centralized place, which can reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases the following year.

For Ceroplastes, tortoise wax scale, red wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, arrowhead scale, mealybug, thread scale, etc. appearing on the trunks and branches of Pittosporum, plane tree, privet, pyracantha, persimmon, gardenia, plum, winter sweet, photinia, etc., spray and kill them with high-concentration Supracide, quinalphos, fenitrothion, lime sulfur mixture, etc., which can effectively suppress a major outbreak of scale insects that year.

For powdery mildew appearing on cineraria in the greenhouse and gray mold easily appearing on primrose leaves, thiophanate-methyl can be used for control to prevent them from spreading to other plants.

For scale insects and sooty mold appearing at the same time on bitter orange, fingered citron, kumquat and other plants in the greenhouse, carry out integrated control: first use a wet cloth to wipe off the sooty mold patches on the leaves and the insects attached to the dry branches, then spray pesticides such as dimethoate for control.

For gray mold appearing on cyclamen plants in the greenhouse, spray 50% iprodione (main ingredient: iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution for control.

VIII. Composting Fertilizer

Pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into a water tank or vat to soak and ferment, so as to be used for watering potted flowers during the growing season; stack dry grass, branches, fallen leaves, etc. with garden soil in layers, set them on fire and burn them to make homemade burned soil, which can be used as covering soil when sowing and raising seedlings in spring; mix manure, pond fertilizer, tobacco dust, chicken droppings and pigeon manure, etc. with garden soil for composting and fermentation, which can be used as fertilizer for preparing potting soil.

IX. Plowing and Freezing of Soil

For nursery land not yet plowed in December, time should be seized in early January to carry out plowing. While plowing the garden land, apply cake fertilizer, compound fertilizer, farmyard manure, etc. into it. After overwintering and freezing of the soil, in early spring dig furrows and make beds for sowing and planting seedlings.

Because January is especially cold, plant species suitable for shaping must be those with soft branches, good toughness and easy shaping operations, such as Buddhist pine, cui cypress, ginkgo, boxleaf holly, velvet cypress, Chinese juniper, Serissa, creeping juniper, true juniper, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, water willow, Caragana, winter hazel, Euonymus alatus, banyan, wisteria, etc. After shaping, the plants should best be placed indoors or in a simple plastic shed, and moved outdoors after spring returns and the weather warms, which helps the healing of parts that may have been injured during shaping.

For plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago with palm rope or metal wire, etc., if obvious sunken constriction marks are found at the binding sites, the original binding material should be untied and wiring and guiding done anew.

    In January, strict management should be strengthened for some shallow-pot stump bonsai, shallow-pot landscape bonsai, and small and miniature bonsai. Small and miniature bonsai should be buried in indoor sand beds; for stump bonsai, prevent the potting soil from freezing, which would damage the plant's fibrous roots and could cause the artificially cemented rocks to disintegrate. Also prevent plants planted on small rocks from dying of cold after freezing. They should be placed in a place that does not freeze, and watered and sprayed regularly, only then can they be ensured a safe winter.