Red-leaf ornamental peach: propagation and cultivation techniques and key points for pest and disease control
Red-leaf ornamental peach is a variant of ornamental peach, produced in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu Changmei Flowers, Shandong, Huangchuan in Henan and other places. Red-leaf ornamental peach prefers a warm, sunny environment and a suitable growing temperature of 15-30 degrees. It can be propagated by sowing or grafting, mostly using wild peach as rootstock. Today the editor will specifically explain the propagation and cultivation techniques of red-leaf ornamental peach and the key points for pest and disease control.
I. Rootstock cultivation
① Seed collection and treatment
In October, select fully ripe wild peach fruits, remove the flesh to obtain clean seeds, and dry them in a sheltered place in the shade. They can be sown directly in autumn or stored in sand and sown in spring, generally mainly sown in spring after sand stratification storage. Sand stratification storage treatment: in November, choose an outdoor spot with higher terrain, good drainage, facing shade and away from the sun, and dig a pit. After digging the pit, first spread a layer of coarse sand at the bottom, then spread 5-10 cm of wet river sand, then place the seeds and wet sand in the pit in alternating layers at a ratio of 1:3, finally cover with 10 cm of wet sand, and at the same time dig drainage ditches on both sides of the pit to prevent rainwater from seeping into the pit.
② Nursery site preparation
Choose a field with convenient water source and transportation, slightly higher terrain and deep soil as the nursery site. In autumn and winter, deep-plow the nursery site once. In February of the following year, apply 2000 kg of fully decomposed barnyard manure per mu, or 200 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer, combined with 75 kg/mu of superphosphate. Use machinery to harrow the field continuously 3-4 times to fully level the nursery site and evenly mix the fertilizer into the soil. Manually mark lines and open ditches at a width of 1.5 m to make seedbeds, in which the seedbed width is 1.2 m, the compartment ditch width is 0.3 m, and the compartment ditch depth is 0.25 m. To prevent sunlight from scorching young seedlings, seedbeds are mostly oriented north-south, and the length is controlled within 15 m. If too long, a middle ditch must be opened so that the surrounding ditch, middle ditch and compartment ditch, the "three ditches", are connected, to facilitate drainage and personnel operations. To prevent pests and diseases in the nursery site, before sowing, ferrous sulfate (15-20 kg/mu) granules can be mixed with fine soil and broadcast, and at the same time 3% carbofuran (furadan) granules can be broadcast at 5 kg per mu.
③ Sowing
From March to April, when about 30% of wild peach seeds begin to germinate and "split open", the seeds can be screened out with a sieve, moldy seeds and impurities removed, and plump seeds selected for drilling. Open drilling furrows with a row spacing of 30 cm and a furrow depth of 6 cm. Evenly drill the seeds into the furrows, then cover with 5 cm of fine soil, and cover with rice straw, pine needles, straw, sawdust, etc. to preserve moisture and allow air permeability, and water thoroughly. Around mid-April, when about 10%-20% of the wild peaches begin to emerge, remove the covering, and at the same time clean the ditches and drain silt to prevent water accumulation and root rot. Every 10 days, spray with 50% carbendazim diluted 1000 times for sterilization, and spray with 2.5% deltamethrin diluted 2500 times to control underground pests.
1. Graft propagation
Red-leaf ornamental peach grafting mainly uses cleft grafting, including single-bud side cleft grafting and cut grafting, generally carried out from March to April. Bud grafting includes "T"-shaped budding, generally carried out from June to July. When grafting onto large trees, the main branches can be grafted, also called "multi-head top grafting" or "high-branch top grafting."
2. Single-bud side cleft grafting
In early March, select a plump bud on a red-leaf ornamental peach branch, use a knife to cut both sides of the scion into a slope about 2-3 cm long. After cutting the scion, cut the scion horizontally 0.5-1 cm from the single bud. Select 1-2 year old wild peach as rootstock, cut it off 5-8 cm above the ground, and use pruning shears to make an oblique cut about 3 cm long. Insert the scion into the rootstock so that the cambium of the rootstock and scion align, and bind and seal with plastic film from bottom to top. After sealing to the top, wind back downward and tie a knot at the starting position.
3. Cut grafting
Cut grafting is the main branch grafting method for red-leaf ornamental peach, mostly carried out from March to April. Select a branch segment of red-leaf ornamental peach that grows vigorously and has plump lateral buds as the scion. Cut the lower part of the scion into a 2-3 cm long slope, cut the scion to retain 5-6 cm, keeping 2-3 buds. Select 1-2 year old wild peach seedlings as rootstock, cut off at 5 cm above the ground at the base of the rootstock, choose the side of the rootstock that is thicker, smooth, without nodes, and with straight wood grain, use a cut-grafting knife between the xylem and cortex on one side of the rootstock, then insert the long cut surface of the long scion facing the large cut surface of the rootstock into the rootstock cut, so that the cambium on both sides or one side of the scion cut surface is closely aligned. After inserting and aligning the scion, immediately use plastic film to wrap the rootstock cut cortex at the scion and bind it, and pay attention to wrapping the entire interface and the rootstock cross-section with plastic tape.
4. "T"-shaped budding method
The "T"-shaped budding method is carried out from June to July. Use red-leaf ornamental peach branches as scions. Make the cut 0.7-1 cm below the petiole, cut obliquely upward to 0.5-0.7 cm above the bud, then make a horizontal cut 0.5 cm above the bud. The bud piece is about 1.5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide, without xylem, cut into a shield-shaped bud piece to prevent air drying. Select 1-2 year old wild peach seedlings as rootstock, choose a smooth-barked part and use a knife to carve a "T" shape, use the bone handle of the budding knife to gently lift the rootstock bark, insert it into the rootstock cut, so that the top of the bud piece closely meets the top of the T-shaped cut, then bind the wound with plastic tape.
5. Post-grafting management
Check survival 15-25 days after grafting red-leaf ornamental peach. If the grafted bud is fresh, or the bud on the scion has sprouted or not sprouted but the interface has produced callus tissue, it indicates survival. If the bud piece is dried up, or the scion is dried up or blackened or even rotted, it indicates the scion has died and immediate re-grafting is needed. After successful grafting, many suckers often still sprout on the rootstock, which is unfavorable to scion growth. Suckers should be cut off in time to reduce nutrient consumption.
II. Seedling stage management
1. Loosening soil and weeding
For grafted red-leaf ornamental peach seedlings, manual weeding is used. Use a hoe or small shovel to manually remove weeds in the seedbed and the "three ditches". Generally, from May to July, weed twice each month, and from August to October, weed only once each month.
2. Water and fertilizer management
For grafted red-leaf ornamental peach seedlings in spring, the soil should follow the principle of alternating dry and wet. In rainy seasons, do a good job of clearing ditches and draining silt in the nursery site. In summer drought, water thoroughly with plenty of water. In autumn, water less, and in winter, do not water. At the same time, when watering in summer, topdressing can be combined at the same time. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in June-July, and wash the seedlings with clean water, fully diluting and dissolving to promote seedling absorption.
3. Topdressing interval
Generally topdress once every 15 days, continuously 1-2 times, which can promote flower bud differentiation. After August, apply a small amount of potassium fertilizer to promote lignification of autumn shoots of red-leaf ornamental peach seedlings, which is beneficial for red-leaf ornamental peach to overwinter safely.
4. Pest and disease control
The main diseases of red-leaf ornamental peach include ornamental peach gummosis, leaf curl disease and shot hole disease. The main pests include aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, etc. For diseases, spray Bordeaux mixture or 3-5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture, or spray 70% thiophanate-methyl diluted 1000 times. For pests, spray 40% omethoate diluted 1000 times.
III. Pruning and shaping
The tree shape of large red-leaf ornamental peach trees is mainly natural open-center form. Set the trunk at 50-60 cm to promote new branch growth, select 3-4 main branches, and keep 2-3 secondary branches on each main branch. Red-leaf ornamental peach is mainly pruned during dormancy, with growth-period pruning as a supplement. Dormancy pruning mainly determines the framework, removing crossing branches, overlapping branches, weak twigs, water sprouts, etc. Growth-period pruning mainly includes post-flowering re-pruning and summer pinching to promote branching, and shortening long flowering branches to save nutrients, promote plump flower buds and bright flower color.
Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
All flowers that have passed the high-temperature season enter another growth peak in autumn. At this time, sunlight is sufficient and temperature is suitable, so the supply of fertilizer and water nutrients should be increased so that flower plants have a strong vegetative body before winter arrives. After the beginning of autumn, temperature gradually decreases and sunshine weakens. For many citizens who love growing flowers, flowers need to be cared for according to the climate characteristics of this season so that they can smoothly pass autumn and overwinter.Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
I.General management measures
1. Strengthen fertilizer and water management
Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to flowers that dormancy in winter. Flowers that do not dormancy in winter can still be given nitrogen fertilizer, especially foliage plants, which should still be given fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer. But when applying, attention should be paid to combining it with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Reasonable application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can improve the cold resistance of flowers. Plants that bloom in winter, such as cineraria, pocketbook plant, cyclamen, poinsettia and wintersweet, are in the vegetative growth period in early autumn, so fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer should be applied. In late autumn, most are in the bud gestation period. When fertilizing such flowers, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be dominant and nitrogen fertilizer supplementary. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is not conducive to winter flowering. For flowers and nursery stock planted in the open field, generally do not water if the soil is not dry, and water thoroughly when watering. Potted flowers should be watered frequently and thoroughly, and it is not suitable to water only half, causing wet top and dry bottom, which affects root growth; excessive watering should also be prevented to avoid root rot. After entering autumn, water supply should be controlled to promote maturation of new shoots, avoiding flowers and nursery stock from producing new shoots in late autumn and winter, which is not conducive to overwintering. However, in early or mid-autumn, due to higher temperatures, flowers and nursery stock produce new shoots. During this period, water should be supplied sufficiently to ensure that new shoots can grow and mature in time. In autumn, watering time should be in the morning and afternoon. The purpose is to make the water temperature close to the soil temperature, which is conducive to absorption and avoids damaging the root system.
2. Pay attention to flowering period regulation
Many flowers are arranged to bloom during New Year's Day and Spring Festival. Therefore, forcing cultivation or inhibitory cultivation should be carried out. For example, baby's breath is a long-day flower. If it is required to bloom in winter, supplementary lighting must start in early September, generally adding 4 hours of light from 10:00 at night to 2:00 in the morning for 1 consecutive month. Chrysanthemum is a short-day flower, and supplementary lighting is also necessary to delay its flowering. Supplementary lighting also starts from early to mid-September and stops 50 days before the expected flowering. For some warmth-loving flowers, such as anthurium, bird of paradise and phalaenopsis, note that heating should be added when the daily average temperature is below 15°C. For lilies cultivated in autumn and winter, in addition to heating at low temperatures, supplementary lighting is also needed to prevent hidden buds.
3. Strengthen pest and disease control
The main autumn pests include: for carnation and baby's breath, prevent cabbage caterpillars; for gerbera, prevent leaf mites; for chrysanthemum, prevent cabbage caterpillars and aphids; for lily, prevent aphids, etc. Main diseases: chrysanthemum leaf spot disease, rose black spot disease, powdery mildew, carnation leaf spot disease, gerbera spot disease, etc. Diseases should focus on prevention, pay attention to ventilation, reduce air humidity in the greenhouse, increase application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, improve plant disease resistance, and spray chemicals for protection and control.
4. Intertillage and weeding
Intertillage can loosen the surface soil, reduce water evaporation, increase soil humidity, promote air circulation and nutrient decomposition in the soil, and create good conditions for flower root growth and nutrient absorption. Weeding can avoid weeds competing with flowers for soil nutrients, water and sunlight. Intertillage can weed at the same time, but weeding cannot replace intertillage. The depth of intertillage is generally 3 to 5 cm. At the same time, intertillage and weeding can also help prevent pests and diseases and reduce the probability of pest and disease occurrence in the coming year.
5. Shaping and pruning
Autumn shaping and pruning should mainly be "light", avoiding excessive "heavy" pruning that causes weakened tree vigor or even dead seedlings. Pruning methods mainly include pinching and branch pruning. Focus on the natural form of the plant and shape as needed. Among them, tree species are mainly pruned by branch pruning, highlighting the trunk, ensuring the trunk reaches a certain height before allowing it to branch; shrubs are mainly pinched to maintain their original shape or promote the formation of an ideal shape and expand their crown width. Shaping and pruning can improve the quality of flowers.
Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
II.Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting
For the arrangement of newly built courtyards or the renovation of old courtyards, ground-planted flowers can also be transplanted provided they are kept with soil balls. Transplanting requires intensive pruning, and strengthened watering and shading management can ensure that transplanting is absolutely safe.
2. Pruning and pinching
Continue pruning vigorously growing courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants with strong sprouting ability. This is also the last pruning in the growing season in northern regions for courtyard hedges and ball-shaped plants in autumn. Courtyard hedges and color-block plants suitable for pruning mainly include: boxwood types, French holly, Photinia davidsoniae, privet, small-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, golden-edged Platycladus orientalis, etc. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: dragon juniper, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', bayberry, Chinese holly, wintergreen, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, forsythia, etc. Ground-planted herbaceous flowers that can be pinched include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, Kochia scoparia, marigold, Tagetes patula, etc. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to promote a full plant shape and more inflorescences on lateral shoots. Stop pinching after late September.
3. Seed collection
The woody ornamental plants from which seeds can be collected are mainly flowering trees of the Magnoliaceae family. For Magnoliaceae as well as Taxus chinensis, horse chestnut, crabapple types, etc., after treatment the seeds must be stored in wet sand until early spring of the following year, and sown after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be harvested include: marigold, zinnia, garden balsam, four-o'clock, cockscomb, periwinkle, strawflower, China aster, etc. After harvesting, thresh in time and store dry until spring of the following year before sowing.
Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
III.Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Pruning
For potted chrysanthemums, continue to do a good job of bud removal and bud thinning; for rose, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, bougainvillea, Lantana camara, Pachystachys lutea, coral plant, etc., prune after each flowering; for those bonsai tree-stump types that tolerate pruning, sprout easily and grow vigorously, continue to prune or remove buds.
2. Pest and disease control
Pests and diseases of autumn flowers are somewhat reduced compared with summer, so pest and disease management should focus on prevention. For peach red-necked longhorn beetles appearing on potted plum, crabapple, longevity peach, ornamental peach and other plants, poisonous sticks can be inserted to block and kill them, and burying carbofuran granules can also be used for control. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale, etc. appearing on potted flowers and trees, use 40% Supracide diluted 1500 times for control.
Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
IV.Key points and measures for flower care and management after the Beginning of Autumn
As the old saying goes: "Eighteen days after the Beginning of Autumn, every inch of grass sets seed," meaning that after the Beginning of Autumn, plants in nature all set seed and end their lives. This solar term is also very important for flower growers. Many flowers need strengthened fertilizer and water management, autumn pruning and care, so that the plants enhance their stress resistance.
For example, osmanthus about to bloom should be given more fertilizer water containing phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and it will bloom as soon as September arrives; plum blossoms that bloom in winter, after water restriction, are prompted to transform leaf buds into flower buds, and the formed flower buds should be strengthened by increased application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and the leaves should be protected from falling; orchids should maintain air humidity to prevent autumn dryness, and be given more fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium to promote the growth of flower buds of Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi; (for example, when Cymbidium goeringii has just shown flower buds, promote their enlargement) wolfberry should be properly pruned to promote more autumn flowers and fruiting. Among chrysanthemums, early chrysanthemums already have quite large flower buds, and large-trained chrysanthemums also need bud thinning and shoot removal, etc. So after the Beginning of Autumn there are quite a few things to do in flower management.
Autumn flower cultivation and management measures
1. Irrigation: Irrigation should be carried out in the morning and evening. Avoid irrigation at noon when temperatures are high, and avoid using cold water with a large temperature difference. Ground irrigation can be used, and leaf surface spraying can also be used to lower temperature.
2. Shading: Continue shading treatment for shade-loving flowers and nursery stock to prevent sunscald, such as Monstera deliciosa, rhododendron, asparagus fern, ferns, orchids, etc.
3. Propagation:
(1) Sowing: Woody flowers that can be sown include peony, Buddhist pine, etc., and seeds can be sown as soon as collected; herbaceous flowers that can be sown include petunia, snapdragon, nasturtium, pot marigold, etc.
(2) Cuttage: Herbaceous flowers that can be propagated by cuttings include herbs, Scutellaria barbata, geranium, etc.; woody flowers suitable for cuttage propagation include bougainvillea, Aglaia odorata, rhododendron, camellia, Buddhist pine, etc.
(3) Grafting: Use Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata as rootstock to bud-graft Magnolia soulangeana; use wild peach as rootstock to graft ornamental peach, purple-leaf peach and red-leaf plum; use green maple as rootstock to graft red maple and laceleaf maple; use wild rose, etc. as rootstock to graft modern roses, etc.
(4) Layering: Flowering trees that can be propagated by layering include: wintersweet, Chinese trumpet creeper, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, red maple, etc.
(5) Division: Flowers that can be propagated by division include: Reineckea carnea, hosta, Cyperus alternifolius, iris, Acorus calamus, Nephrolepis cordifolia, etc.
4. Fertilizer and water management: For vigorously growing flowers, fertilize once every half month. For flowers currently blooming, apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer as topdressing.
5. Pruning and bud removal: For hedges such as red-leaf loropetalum, golden-leaf privet and French holly, prune in time; for flowers such as rose, crape myrtle, Aglaia odorata and jasmine, cut off spent flowers and faded stems and appropriately shorten-prune, cut off diseased and pest branches and weak branches, etc., to promote new branch growth and reblooming.
6. Seed collection: Woody flower seeds that can be harvested include peony, Buddhist pine, Calycanthus chinensis, etc. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be harvested include: Chinese peony, Scutellaria barbata, garden balsam, morning glory, etc.
Autumn potted flower cultivation and management measures
All flowers that have passed the high-temperature season enter another growth peak in autumn. At this time, sunlight is sufficient and temperature is suitable, so the supply of fertilizer and water nutrients should be increased so that flower plants have a strong vegetative body before winter arrives. After the beginning of autumn, temperature gradually decreases and sunshine weakens. For many citizens who love growing flowers, flowers need to be cared for according to the climate characteristics of this season so that they can smoothly pass autumn and overwinter.I. General management measures
1. Strengthen fertilizer and water management
Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to flowers that dormancy in winter. Flowers that do not dormancy in winter can still be given nitrogen fertilizer, especially foliage plants, which should still be given fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer. But when applying, attention should be paid to combining it with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Reasonable application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can improve the cold resistance of flowers. Plants that bloom in winter, such as cineraria, pocketbook plant, cyclamen, poinsettia and wintersweet, are in the vegetative growth period in early autumn, so fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer should be applied. In late autumn, most are in the bud gestation period. When fertilizing such flowers, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be dominant and nitrogen fertilizer supplementary. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is not conducive to winter flowering. For flowers and nursery stock planted in the open field, generally do not water if the soil is not dry, and water thoroughly when watering. Potted flowers should be watered frequently and thoroughly, and it is not suitable to water only half, causing wet top and dry bottom, which affects root growth; excessive watering should also be prevented to avoid root rot. After entering autumn, water supply should be controlled to promote maturation of new shoots, avoiding flowers and nursery stock from producing new shoots in late autumn and winter, which is not conducive to overwintering. However, in early or mid-autumn, due to higher temperatures, flowers and nursery stock produce new shoots. During this period, water should be supplied sufficiently to ensure that new shoots can grow and mature in time. In autumn, watering time should be in the morning and afternoon. The purpose is to make the water temperature close to the soil temperature, which is conducive to absorption and avoids damaging the root system.
2. Pay attention to flowering period regulation
Many flowers are arranged to bloom during New Year's Day and Spring Festival. Therefore, forcing cultivation or inhibitory cultivation should be carried out. For example, baby's breath is a long-day flower. If it is required to bloom in winter, supplementary lighting must start in early September, generally adding 4 hours of light from 10:00 at night to 2:00 in the morning for 1 consecutive month. Chrysanthemum is a short-day flower, and supplementary lighting is also necessary to delay its flowering. Supplementary lighting also starts from early to mid-September and stops 50 days before the expected flowering. For some warmth-loving flowers, such as anthurium, bird of paradise and phalaenopsis, note that heating should be added when the daily average temperature is below 15°C. For lilies cultivated in autumn and winter, in addition to heating at low temperatures, supplementary lighting is also needed to prevent hidden buds.
3. Strengthen pest and disease control
The main autumn pests include: for carnation and baby's breath, prevent cabbage caterpillars; for gerbera, prevent leaf mites; for chrysanthemum, prevent cabbage caterpillars and aphids; for lily, prevent aphids, etc. Main diseases: chrysanthemum leaf spot disease, rose black spot disease, powdery mildew, carnation leaf spot disease, gerbera spot disease, etc. Diseases should focus on prevention, pay attention to ventilation, reduce air humidity in the greenhouse, increase application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, improve plant disease resistance, and spray chemicals for protection and control.
4. Intertillage and weeding
Intertillage can loosen the surface soil, reduce water evaporation, increase soil humidity, promote air circulation and nutrient decomposition in the soil, and create good conditions for flower root growth and nutrient absorption. Weeding can avoid weeds competing with flowers for soil nutrients, water and sunlight. Intertillage can weed at the same time, but weeding cannot replace intertillage. The depth of intertillage is generally 3 to 5 cm. At the same time, intertillage and weeding can also help prevent pests and diseases and reduce the probability of pest and disease occurrence in the coming year.
5. Shaping and pruning
Autumn shaping and pruning should mainly be "light", avoiding excessive "heavy" pruning that causes weakened tree vigor or even dead seedlings. Pruning methods mainly include pinching and branch pruning. Focus on the natural form of the plant and shape as needed. Among them, tree species are mainly pruned by branch pruning, highlighting the trunk, ensuring the trunk reaches a certain height before allowing it to branch; shrubs are mainly pinched to maintain their original shape or promote the formation of an ideal shape and expand their crown width. Shaping and pruning can improve the quality of flowers.
II. Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers
1. Transplanting
For the arrangement of newly built courtyards or the renovation of old courtyards, ground-planted flowers can also be transplanted provided they are kept with soil balls. Transplanting requires intensive pruning, and strengthened watering and shading management can ensure that transplanting is absolutely safe.
2. Pruning and pinching
Continue pruning vigorously growing courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants with strong sprouting ability. This is also the last pruning in the growing season in northern regions for courtyard hedges and ball-shaped plants in autumn. Courtyard hedges and color-block plants suitable for pruning mainly include: boxwood types, French holly, Photinia davidsoniae, privet, small-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, golden-edged Platycladus orientalis, etc. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: dragon juniper, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', bayberry, Chinese holly, wintergreen, photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, forsythia, etc. Ground-planted herbaceous flowers that can be pinched include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, Kochia scoparia, marigold, Tagetes patula, etc. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to promote a full plant shape and more inflorescences on lateral shoots. Stop pinching after late September.
3. Seed collection
The woody ornamental plants from which seeds can be collected are mainly flowering trees of the Magnoliaceae family. For Magnoliaceae as well as Taxus chinensis, horse chestnut, crabapple types, etc., after treatment the seeds must be stored in wet sand until early spring of the following year, and sown after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be harvested include: marigold, zinnia, garden balsam, four-o'clock, cockscomb, periwinkle, strawflower, China aster, etc. After harvesting, thresh in time and store dry until spring of the following year before sowing.
III. Management of courtyard potted flowers
1. Pruning
For potted chrysanthemums, continue to do a good job of bud removal and bud thinning; for rose, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, bougainvillea, Lantana camara, Pachystachys lutea, coral plant, etc., prune after each flowering; for those bonsai tree-stump types that tolerate pruning, sprout easily and grow vigorously, continue to prune or remove buds.
2. Pest and disease control
Pests and diseases of autumn flowers are somewhat reduced compared with summer, so pest and disease management should focus on prevention. For peach red-necked longhorn beetles appearing on potted plum, crabapple, longevity peach, ornamental peach and other plants, poisonous sticks can be inserted to block and kill them, and burying carbofuran granules can also be used for control. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale, etc. appearing on potted flowers and trees, use 40% Supracide diluted 1500 times for control.
IV. Key points and measures for flower care and management after the Beginning of Autumn
As the old saying goes: "Eighteen days after the Beginning of Autumn, every inch of grass sets seed," meaning that after the Beginning of Autumn, plants in nature all set seed and end their lives. This solar term is also very important for flower growers. Many flowers need strengthened fertilizer and water management, autumn pruning and care, so that the plants enhance their stress resistance.
For example, osmanthus about to bloom should be given more fertilizer water containing phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and it will bloom as soon as September arrives; plum blossoms that bloom in winter, after water restriction, are prompted to transform leaf buds into flower buds, and the formed flower buds should be strengthened by increased application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and the leaves should be protected from falling; orchids should maintain air humidity to prevent autumn dryness, and be given more fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium to promote the growth of flower buds of Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi; (for example, when Cymbidium goeringii has just shown flower buds, promote their enlargement) wolfberry should be properly pruned to promote more autumn flowers and fruiting. Among chrysanthemums, early chrysanthemums already have quite large flower buds, and large-trained chrysanthemums also need bud thinning and shoot removal, etc. So after the Beginning of Autumn there are quite a few things to do in flower management.
1. Irrigation: Irrigation should be carried out in the morning and evening. Avoid irrigation at noon when temperatures are high, and avoid using cold water with a large temperature difference. Ground irrigation can be used, and leaf surface spraying can also be used to lower temperature.
2. Shading: Continue shading treatment for shade-loving flowers and nursery stock to prevent sunscald, such as Monstera deliciosa, rhododendron, asparagus fern, ferns, orchids, etc.
3. Propagation:
(1) Sowing: Woody flowers that can be sown include peony, Buddhist pine, etc., and seeds can be sown as soon as collected; herbaceous flowers that can be sown include petunia, snapdragon, nasturtium, pot marigold, etc.
(2) Cuttage: Herbaceous flowers that can be propagated by cuttings include herbs, Scutellaria barbata, geranium, etc.; woody flowers suitable for cuttage propagation include bougainvillea, Aglaia odorata, rhododendron, camellia, Buddhist pine, etc.
(3) Grafting: Use Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata as rootstock to bud-graft Magnolia soulangeana; use wild peach as rootstock to graft ornamental peach, purple-leaf peach and red-leaf plum; use green maple as rootstock to graft red maple and laceleaf maple; use wild rose, etc. as rootstock to graft modern roses, etc.
(4) Layering: Flowering trees that can be propagated by layering include: wintersweet, Chinese trumpet creeper, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, red maple, etc.
(5) Division: Flowers that can be propagated by division include: Reineckea carnea, hosta, Cyperus alternifolius, iris, Acorus calamus, Nephrolepis cordifolia, etc.
4. Fertilizer and water management: For vigorously growing flowers, fertilize once every half month. For flowers currently blooming, apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer as topdressing.
5. Pruning and bud removal: For hedges such as red-leaf loropetalum, golden-leaf privet and French holly, prune in time; for flowers such as rose, crape myrtle, Aglaia odorata and jasmine, cut off spent flowers and faded stems and appropriately shorten-prune, cut off diseased and pest branches and weak branches, etc., to promote new branch growth and reblooming.
6. Seed collection: Woody flower seeds that can be harvested include peony, Buddhist pine, Calycanthus chinensis, etc. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be harvested include: Chinese peony, Scutellaria barbata, garden balsam, morning glory, etc.