How to care for narcissus after carving and shaping? Practical methods shared
The art of narcissus carving and shaping has been discussed before, and experienced carvers all say: “three parts carving, seven parts growing.” Seven parts growing refers to the water culture of narcissus, also called soaking culture. After soaking culture, narcissus is potted, though some are potted directly in water. Details below:
Soaking and washing narcissus bulbs after carving
After narcissus bulbs are carved, they should be placed in water to soak and rinse. Always use clean water; if the water contains bleaching powder, let it stand for a day first, then take the clear water from the top for use. Soak and rinse for two days. When soaking, make sure the bulbs are submerged in the water with the cut side facing down. If the bulbs float, press them down gently with a board or similar. After one day of soaking, take out the bulbs and wash off the mucus one by one. When washing, hold the bulb in your hand and gently swish the carved side downward in the water to rinse until the mucus is washed clean, and remove any remaining mud and dried skin of dead roots from the bulbs; then put the bulbs in fresh water to soak again. On the second day of soaking, if mucus still seeps out, wash again in the same way. The purpose of soaking and washing is to prevent the bulbs from rotting and discoloring. The mucus inside the narcissus bulb is transparent and is a nutrient substance; when it flows out from the cuts, fungi can easily invade and cause mildew and rot; if the mucus is not washed clean, it will also stick to the carved bulbs, and sun exposure plus fungal invasion will turn the pure white bulbs brown and then black.
After the bulbs are taken out, it is best to spray-rinse them once more with clean water, and touch the cut areas with your fingers (because the mucus is transparent and hard to notice); if there is still mucus, wash it off with your hands. After the washed bulbs have soaked in water for 2 days, they have absorbed enough water, which also stimulates the root points to sprout. To protect the roots of the bulbs from turning yellow from sun exposure, to make them grow roots quickly, and to encourage root development, cotton (absorbent cotton, commonly called medicinal cotton) or gauze (absorbent gauze) should be draped over the part below the cut of the bulb, at the basal plate; and the cotton or gauze should hang down into the water to absorb water for the roots and provide warmth.
Some shapes, such as “Jade Elephant Carrying Treasure,” require the bulb to be placed upside down in water culture, and the cotton should cover the sunken area of the basal plate on top, wrapping the roots and going down into the water; if the shape mainly showcases the bulb, such as “Peach and Plum Competing in Spring,” then to keep the bulb white, its upper part can be covered with thin cotton or gauze to prevent it from turning yellow from sun exposure.
Water culture of narcissus bulbs after carving
After narcissus bulbs are carved, soaked, washed, and wrapped in cotton, they should be potted for water culture. If a large number have been carved, they can first be water-cultured in a coarse basin as a pot, or in a larger shallow basin or square tray; when the narcissus is about to bloom, move them to a fine pot on the display stand. If the number is not too large, they can be water-cultured directly in a fine pot. The choice of pot should harmonize with the shape to meet the requirement of “a well-matched pot,” for example, the “flower basket” shape should use a round or flower-pot-shaped narcissus pot; “Two Phoenixes Facing the Sun” is better with a square or oval one; if the roots are the main feature, a transparent tall cylinder should be used, or the plant should lean on a rockery. In short, the choice of pot should harmonize with the shape.
The general placement of narcissus bulbs in pots is mainly the face-up placement and the upright placement. The so-called “face-up placement” is with the cut side facing upward and the roots facing forward; the “upright placement” is with the cut side facing forward and the roots facing down, which is also the “normal placement.” Face-up placement suits the “crab narcissus” type; upright placement suits types such as “Spring in a Jade Pot.”
For special shapes, the placement methods can use “inverted placement” and “reverse placement” when potting. “Inverted placement” is with the leaf body below, the roots facing down, and the root end facing upward, such as the “Jade Elephant Carrying Treasure” shape, which mainly highlights the bulb and side bulbs, using the inverted form for a lifelike appearance. “Reverse placement” is “face-down placement,” with the cut side facing down and the uncut side of the bulb facing upward, such as the “Crabs Walking Sideways” type, where the complete and round bulb surface faces up, symbolizing the crab’s “iron armor,” while the flower scape and leaves curl and grow sideways around it, closely resembling crab claws.
However, whenever the cut side faces down and is submerged in water, care should be taken to prevent the flower scape and bulb from mildewing and rotting. The method is to prop the bulb up above the water surface, letting only the roots hang down to absorb water. If necessary, the bulbs can also be disinfected with chemicals after carving. Most narcissus grown in pots with face-up and face-down placement keep the same position from beginning to end. But some shapes need to be rotated and changed during cultivation, such as the elephant type and the crab type. Generally, they are first water-cultured face-up for 5——7 days, until the buds curl upward freely, which can also prevent the buds (especially the flower buds) from easily mildewing and rotting when placed in water early right after carving.
Management of potted narcissus after carving
Management after potting is very important for carved narcissus. Because the bulb has been carved, and the leaves, flower scape stems, and bulb are all cut and wounded, the wounds evaporate a lot of water and are prone to infection. In addition, new roots are growing, so warmth must be maintained. At first, place it in a cool place for 2—3 days, spray the plant with clean water frequently, and after the wounds gradually heal and new roots grow, move it to a place with ample sunlight for full photosynthesis, so the leaves turn green and do not grow leggy, which helps fix the shape.
For water culture management, pour out all the water and replace it with clean water every day, soaking up to just below the wounds. Under the climatic conditions of the Pingtan area of Fuzhou, it generally takes about 4 weeks from carving and soaking to blooming (other regions should refer to the predicted narcissus blooming period). For the first two weeks, change the water once a day and spray clean water 1—2 times; for the last two weeks, change the water once every 2 days. When the temperature is higher, spray water once. Under ample sunlight, once water-cultured until the eve of the festival, it can be moved into the hall or parlor for display or exhibition. After moving it into the hall or parlor, it should still be moved out every day to bask in the sun, and the water should be changed frequently. In the north, where heating equipment makes room temperature high, if the room temperature exceeds 20 degrees, attention must be paid to preventing “mute flowers” (the entire spathe of the narcissus bud turns yellow and withers).
Narcissus is not afraid of cold, but bulbs that have been carved lose half or even more than half of their substance, have insufficient nutrition, and their callus tissue is fragile, so they cannot withstand frost damage. In the north, care must be taken against freezing outdoors. The growing temperature for narcissus is between 4—25 degrees, and the most suitable temperature is 10—18 degrees; the relative humidity should preferably be 85 percent-95 percent. When water-culturing narcissus in various places, pay attention to adjustment, and do not let improper water culture or unsuitable conditions cause all the effort to be wasted at the last step.
Methods for carving and shaping narcissus and care after shaping
Narcissus carving and shaping means using a carving knife to cut the narcissus bulb at different positions, prompting the leaves and flower stems of the narcissus to grow in different directions according to the needs of the shape, thereby achieving the shaping goal of combining form and artistic conception.
Reminder: narcissus bulbs are toxic. When carving, soak the bulbs in water until no more thick white sap overflows before proceeding to the next step of cultivation. Do not let children touch narcissus bulbs, and certainly do not let them eat them by mistake. If your hands accidentally get mucus on them, wash them with water promptly.
The images in this article come from the internet
How to grow narcissus after carving
Narcissus is also called Lingbo Fairy, Gold and Silver Terrace, Jade Exquisite, Yaonv Flower, Lady's Flower, Heavenly Scallion, Elegant Garlic, Heavenly Garlic, Pair Orchid, Female Star, Flower in Snow, and so on. It has a unique fragrance. Narcissus is mostly water-cultured, and its leaves are elegant, its fragrance rich, and it stands gracefully, hence the elegant title “Lingbo Fairy.” According to expert growers, caring for narcissus requires: “three parts carving, seven parts growing.” Three parts carving means carving the narcissus bulb; seven parts growing means the water culture of narcissus, also called soaking culture. After soaking culture, narcissus is potted, though some are potted directly in water. Details below:
1. Soaking and washing narcissus bulbs after carving
After narcissus bulbs are carved, they should be placed in water to soak and rinse. Always use clean water; if the water contains bleaching powder, let it stand for a day first, then take the clear water from the top for use. Soak and rinse for two days. When soaking, make sure the bulbs are submerged in the water with the cut side facing down. If the bulbs float, press them down gently with a board or similar. After one day of soaking, take out the bulbs and wash off the mucus one by one. When washing, hold the bulb in your hand and gently swish the carved side downward in the water to rinse until the mucus is washed clean, and remove any remaining mud and dried skin of dead roots from the bulbs; then put the bulbs in fresh water to soak again. On the second day of soaking, if mucus still seeps out, wash again in the same way. The purpose of soaking and washing is to prevent the bulbs from rotting and discoloring. The mucus inside the narcissus bulb is transparent and is a nutrient substance; when it flows out from the cuts, fungi can easily invade and cause mildew and rot; if the mucus is not washed clean, it will also stick to the carved bulbs, and sun exposure plus fungal invasion will turn the pure white bulbs brown and then black.
After the bulbs are taken out, it is best to spray-rinse them once more with clean water, and touch the cut areas with your fingers (because the mucus is transparent and hard to notice); if there is still mucus, wash it off with your hands. After the washed bulbs have soaked in water for 2 days, they have absorbed enough water, which also stimulates the root points to sprout. To protect the roots of the bulbs from turning yellow from sun exposure, to make them grow roots quickly, and to encourage root development, cotton (absorbent cotton, commonly called medicinal cotton) or gauze (absorbent gauze) should be draped over the part below the cut of the bulb, at the basal plate; and the cotton or gauze should hang down into the water to absorb water for the roots and provide warmth.
Some shapes, such as “Jade Elephant Carrying Treasure,” require the bulb to be placed upside down in water culture, and the cotton should cover the sunken area of the basal plate on top, wrapping the roots and going down into the water; if the shape mainly showcases the bulb, such as “Peach and Plum Competing in Spring,” then to keep the bulb white, its upper part can be covered with thin cotton or gauze to prevent it from turning yellow from sun exposure.
2. Water culture of narcissus bulbs after carving
After narcissus bulbs are carved, soaked, washed, and wrapped in cotton, they should be potted for water culture. If a large number have been carved, they can first be water-cultured in a coarse basin as a pot, or in a larger shallow basin or square tray; when the narcissus is about to bloom, move them to a fine pot on the display stand. If the number is not too large, they can be water-cultured directly in a fine pot. The choice of pot should harmonize with the shape to meet the requirement of “a well-matched pot,” for example, the “flower basket” shape should use a round or flower-pot-shaped narcissus pot; “Two Phoenixes Facing the Sun” is better with a square or oval one; if the roots are the main feature, a transparent tall cylinder should be used, or the plant should lean on a rockery. In short, the choice of pot should harmonize with the shape.
The general placement of narcissus bulbs in pots is mainly the face-up placement and the upright placement. The so-called “face-up placement” is with the cut side facing upward and the roots facing forward; the “upright placement” is with the cut side facing forward and the roots facing down, which is also the “normal placement.” Face-up placement suits the “crab narcissus” type; upright placement suits types such as “Spring in a Jade Pot.”
For special shapes, the placement methods can use “inverted placement” and “reverse placement” when potting. “Inverted placement” is with the leaf body below, the roots facing down, and the root end facing upward, such as the “Jade Elephant Carrying Treasure” shape, which mainly highlights the bulb and side bulbs, using the inverted form for a lifelike appearance. “Reverse placement” is “face-down placement,” with the cut side facing down and the uncut side of the bulb facing upward, such as the “Crabs Walking Sideways” type, where the complete and round bulb surface faces up, symbolizing the crab’s “iron armor,” while the flower scape and leaves curl and grow sideways around it, closely resembling crab claws.
However, whenever the cut side faces down and is submerged in water, care should be taken to prevent the flower scape and bulb from mildewing and rotting. The method is to prop the bulb up above the water surface, letting only the roots hang down to absorb water. If necessary, the bulbs can also be disinfected with chemicals after carving. Most narcissus grown in pots with face-up and face-down placement keep the same position from beginning to end. But some shapes need to be rotated and changed during cultivation, such as the elephant type and the crab type. Generally, they are first water-cultured face-up for 5——7 days, until the buds curl upward freely, which can also prevent the buds (especially the flower buds) from easily mildewing and rotting when placed in water early right after carving.
3. Management of potted narcissus after carving
Management after potting is very important for carved narcissus. Because the bulb has been carved, and the leaves, flower scape stems, and bulb are all cut and wounded, the wounds evaporate a lot of water and are prone to infection. In addition, new roots are growing, so warmth must be maintained. At first, place it in a cool place for 2-3 days, spray the plant with clean water frequently, and after the wounds gradually heal and new roots grow, move it to a place with ample sunlight for full photosynthesis, so the leaves turn green and do not grow leggy, which helps fix the shape.
For water culture management, pour out all the water and replace it with clean water every day, soaking up to just below the wounds. Under the climatic conditions of the Pingtan area of Fuzhou, it generally takes about 4 weeks from carving and soaking to blooming (other regions should refer to the predicted narcissus blooming period). For the first two weeks, change the water once a day and spray clean water 1-2 times; for the last two weeks, change the water once every 2 days. When the temperature is higher, spray water once. Under ample sunlight, once water-cultured until the eve of the festival, it can be moved into the hall or parlor for display or exhibition. After moving it into the hall or parlor, it should still be moved out every day to bask in the sun, and the water should be changed frequently. In the north, where heating equipment makes room temperature high, if the room temperature exceeds 20 degrees, attention must be paid to preventing “mute flowers” (the entire spathe of the narcissus bud turns yellow and withers).
Narcissus is not afraid of cold, but bulbs that have been carved lose half or even more than half of their substance, have insufficient nutrition, and their callus tissue is fragile, so they cannot withstand frost damage. In the north, care must be taken against freezing outdoors. The growing temperature for narcissus is between 4-25 degrees, and the most suitable temperature is 10-18 degrees; the relative humidity should preferably be 85 percent-95 percent. When water-culturing narcissus in various places, pay attention to adjustment, and do not let improper water culture or unsuitable conditions cause all the effort to be wasted at the last step.
4. How to extend the narcissus blooming period
From first opening to full bloom to fading, narcissus generally lasts a relatively long 14-15 days. If care is poor and the temperature is high, the blooming period is even shorter, and a short blooming period lowers its ornamental value. How can the blooming period be extended and the flowers made more abundant? “Flower Mirror” and “Broad Group Fragrance Manual” contain records such as this: “I (Yu Ruoying) every year beg three or four stems from friends and place them at my study head, and the fragrance lasts ten days,” and also, “Gardeners near the river in Hangzhou plant them into groves; because the soil is near salt brine, the flowers are luxuriant,” and “for vase placement, salt water is suitable for growing them.” The specific method is: before the flower buds split open, put a little table salt in the flower pot, and the blooming period can be extended by 2-3 days.
Summary: The above is an introduction to how to grow narcissus after carving. I hope everyone will exchange more experience on narcissus care.