A Detailed Guide to Growing Chamaedorea elegans (Parlor Palm) at Home: Methods and Precautions

The parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) has become a fairly popular indoor potted plant in northern China in recent years. The parlor palm likes warm, humid and semi-shaded environments. The suitable temperature for growth is 20-30 degrees; at 13 degrees it enters dormancy, and the minimum overwintering temperature in winter is 3 degrees.

Here is a brief introduction to my growing method: for the pot, I chose a white plastic pot. But for first-time growers, it is best to use a clay pot (a clay pot can be placed inside another decorative pot, which is both attractive and breathable) to prevent root rot when too much water is given. For the potting soil, mix 2 parts peat soil + 1 part leaf mold + 1 part river sand + a little base fertilizer (decomposed cake fertilizer can be used) into a nutrient soil. For watering, keep the potting soil moist in summer and autumn, and frequently spray water on the leaf surface; in winter, keep the potting soil dry, water only when dry, and water sparingly when you do. When there is dust on the leaves, clean them with a small sprayer. For fertilizing, judge by the plant's growth (if the leaves are dark green and glossy, it is not lacking fertilizer; if they are yellow and dull, it indicates a lack of fertilizer). From March to August each year, apply decomposed sesame-oil cake fertilizer twice, either directly on the surface of the potting soil or buried in the soil. You can also water with soaked, decomposed cake fertilizer (sesame-oil cake, soybean cake, etc.) water. Stop fertilizing when winter arrives. For temperature, place it in a sunny spot indoors in winter, with an overwintering temperature no lower than 10°C; in other seasons, provide appropriate shade to prevent the leaves from turning yellow due to overly strong light. In a bright room, it can be kept in place for a long period.

Repotting: potted plants can be repotted once in spring every 2 to 3 years, appropriately removing the old soil around the edges and adding fresh potting soil, taking care not to damage too many roots. When the plants are small, 3 to 4 plants can be planted together in one pot as a unit. During the growing season, promptly cut off dead and withered leaves to keep the plant looking tidy. Propagation is by sowing seeds. It is dioecious; after flowering, it can bear fruit through artificial pollination. Collect the seeds after autumn and sow them immediately after collection.

In summary, the key points for growing the parlor palm are as follows

Light: The parlor palm likes semi-shade; under strong sunlight the leaves will turn withered and yellow; if placed in a spot with insufficient light for a long time, the plant will become spindly. So indoors it is best to place it in a bright spot by a window.

Temperature: The parlor palm likes warmth; the suitable growth temperature is 18—24 degrees Celsius, and it enters dormancy at 13 degrees Celsius. In winter it is best not to let it go below 10 degrees Celsius.

Watering: The parlor palm likes water; during the growing period keep the soil moist, and during the dormant period wait until two-thirds of the potting soil is dry before watering. In addition, the parlor palm likes high air humidity; if it is too dry, the leaf tips will turn brown. So during dry periods, such as autumn, take measures such as frequently spraying water on the leaf surface to raise the air humidity around the plant.

Fertilizing: During the growing season, apply a compound fertilizer to the plant once a month.

Potting soil: It is best to grow it in loam that drains well and is loose and fertile.

Propagation: The parlor palm is generally propagated from seeds.

Key points for growing the parlor palm in water culture

1. Avoid direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will turn withered and yellow, but when it is too shady the leaf color will also fade.

2. The parlor palm looks most beautiful at a plant height of 30-50 cm; when the plant is too tall, the bare lower part reduces its ornamental value, so when growing it you can plant small plants below.

3. Obtaining material for water culture: use the potted-plant root-washing method. After washing the roots in water, new roots will grow within a few days.

When growing the parlor palm, the following points should be noted:

(1) Beware of scorched edges caused by too much light. Since the parlor palm likes relatively shaded environments, indoors it should be placed near a north window, an east window or another spot with bright scattered light; the parlor palm is most afraid of direct strong light, and even brief exposure to the sun can cause the leaves to scorch and turn yellow. Conversely, if it is kept in a too dry and dark place for a long time, the leaf color will also fade and lose its luster.

(2) Suitable temperature. Generally the most suitable temperature for growth is 20-30°C; in winter the indoor temperature should be between 12-14°C, and the lowest temperature must not be below 10°C.

(3) Maintain the surrounding air humidity. It is necessary to frequently spray water on the leaf surface to increase air humidity.

(4) The potting soil must not use acidic soil, and a small amount of clay should also be added.

(5) It needs to be repotted once every 3 years.

(6) During the seedling stage, applying 3-4 times of dilute liquid fertilizer in spring and the two spring months is sufficient.

Pest and disease control methods for the parlor palm

Under high temperature and high humidity, the parlor palm is prone to brown spot disease. If brown spot disease is found, promptly use 800-1000 times diluted Topsin or Baijunling to control it.

When the air is dry and ventilation is poor, scale insects are also likely to occur. If scale insects are found, besides scraping them off by hand, you can also spray 800-1000 times diluted omethoate for control.

A Detailed Guide to Growing Schlumbergera (Christmas Cactus): Methods and Precautions

Growing Methods and Precautions for Schlumbergera (Christmas Cactus)

1. Schlumbergera is a plant with a strong phototropic response. During its growth, if you change its light-facing position, it will affect its growth, especially during the bud stage; changing its light-facing position may cause blind buds and bud drop. Therefore, during care, do not frequently change its light-facing position.

2. Schlumbergera is a plant adapted to weakly acidic soil; the pH value of the soil it adapts to is 6.5-6.8, and too high or too low will affect its growth and the brightness and color of the flowers. Generally, tap water is neutral or above neutral, so watering flowers with tap water for a long time will inevitably make the soil alkaline. Therefore, every half year the soil should be adjusted once with ferrous sulfate. The method is: take 2-3 g of ferrous sulfate, add 200-300 ml of clean water, shake well to fully dissolve it, and pour it in when the flowers need watering. If you have pH test paper, you can use 200-300 ml of clean water, add an appropriate amount of ferrous sulfate, adjust to 6.5, and pour it in when water is needed.

3. To make Schlumbergera bloom abundantly and brightly, after passing through the midsummer dormancy period, promptly add fertilizer; for the soil, a 1:1:1 compound fertilizer can be used. For the leaf surface, a potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed.

4. For potted Schlumbergera, it is best to choose a loose, fertile, well-draining, slightly acidic potting soil, and never allow water to accumulate in the pot. From spring to early summer, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once every 10-14 days; stop fertilizing during the high-temperature period in summer; from the beginning of autumn to flowering, fertilizer and water should be continuous, generally applying liquid fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer once a week, and adding 1-2 applications of quick-acting phosphorus fertilizer before flowering. During this period, sufficient nutrients should be supplied, which is beneficial both for flower bud formation and for bright flower color. Schlumbergera likes semi-shade; after being moved outdoors in spring, place it in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot, and after summer begins move it to a cool, ventilated shady spot for care. In the height of summer, Schlumbergera's growth is at a standstill; at this time water less, but spray water 2-3 times a day. If too much water is given at this time, the roots rot easily. After autumn begins, it can be placed in a spot with more sunlight to promote flower bud differentiation. Schlumbergera is not cold-tolerant; after the weather turns cool in autumn, move it indoors and place it in a sunny spot, with room temperature preferably maintained at around 15°C. During the bud stage, spray water frequently to keep the modified stems and flower buds moist. During the flowering period, a temperature of 10-15°C is best. After flowering there is a short dormant period; at this time water less, stop fertilizing, cut off all the spent flowers, and trim the plant shape. After new shoots grow on the stem segments, resume normal water and fertilizer management.

A Detailed Guide: Growing Methods and Precautions for the Fortune-Bringing Finger Citron (Buddha's Hand)

This episodeFeng shui fortune-bringingbrings us the growing methods and precautions for the fortune-bringing finger citron (Buddha's Hand). The finger citron is a tropical and subtropical plant that likes a warm, humid, sunny environment; it is not tolerant of severe cold, fears frost and drought, and is tolerant of shade, poor soil and waterlogging. Next, let feng shui for bringing wealth continue to explain it in detail for us!

Growing methods for the finger citron (basic knowledge):
Best propagation time: mid-to-late March.

Best growing soil: The finger citron is suitable for growing in acidic loam, sandy loam or clay loam with deep soil, loose and fertile texture, rich humus and good drainage.

Growth humidity requirement: The most suitable humidity for the finger citron is 70%-90%.

Best growing temperature: The most suitable growing temperature for the finger citron is between 22-24°C, and the overwintering temperature should be above 5°C.

Best growing light: An annual sunshine duration of 1200-1800 hours is suitable.

Precautions for growing the finger citron:
Applying fertilizer:
1. In spring, when new shoots sprout, fertilizing should be light. It is best to apply a thin nitrogen fertilizer once a week along with watering.
2. Summer is the vigorous growth period for the finger citron, with abundant flowers and fruits and a high fertilizer demand, so the fertilizer concentration should also be increased accordingly. Fertilizers should mainly be phosphorus and potassium fertilizers such as dried cakes, bone meal, decomposed animal offal liquid or compound fertilizer.
3. From early autumn to mid-autumn, apply a phosphorus, potassium and calcium compound fertilizer, which helps increase the fruit-setting rate. In late autumn, after picking the fruits, promptly apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer so the plant can be greatly replenished with nutrients and regain its growth vigor, laying the foundation for flowering and fruiting the following year.

Key watering points:
1. Because the finger citron has shallow roots and weak absorption capacity, pay attention to frequent watering.
2. The vigorous growth period of the finger citron occurs during the high temperatures of summer, when the water requirement is relatively large; besides watering in the morning and evening, spraying water is also needed to increase environmental humidity.
3. After autumn begins, the amount of watering can gradually be reduced.
4. During the low-temperature period from late winter to early spring, indoor evaporation is slow; you can water once in the morning every three to five days, keeping the potting soil moist.
5. During the flowering and early fruiting stages, do not water too much, to prevent a large number of flowers and fruits from dropping.

Pruning essentials:
1. Plants planted in the same year that flower and bear fruit should not be allowed to bloom; remove the flower buds early to promote thick growth of the tree form and expansion of the crown.
2. Trees that have entered the peak flowering and fruiting period are generally pruned after budding in March and after harvesting the fruits in autumn and winter.
3. When regulating flowers and fruits, attention should be paid to removing early flowers (that is, flowers blooming in late spring and early summer, because most of the flowers blooming at this time are male flowers and cannot bear fruit). For excess axillary buds sprouting on branches during the female-flowering period, they must also be removed to reduce nutrient consumption, improve growing conditions, and achieve the high-yield goal of fewer dropped flowers and more fruits.
4. The finger citron grows vigorously and quickly and has many branches, so reasonable pruning and shaping must be carried out every year to make the tree vigorous and promote even distribution of fruiting branches.
5. Carry out pruning and shaping after harvesting the fruits and before budding in March, cutting off crossing branches, weak branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, dead branches and water sprouts.
6. Most of the finger citron's short branches are fruit-bearing mother branches and should be retained as much as possible; all summer shoots that grow in summer should be cut off entirely, except for the few needed to expand the crown.

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