Essential knowledge for growing flowers, so you can say goodbye to being totally confused when growing plants

Growing flowers is a skill every household should have. It not only decorates your home, but also supports your health.

But there are certain techniques to growing flowers!

1. Seedling stage

For all kinds of plants started from seed, whether flowers or vegetables, this refers to the earliest stage of growth, from breaking through the soil until 3~4 true leaves have formed.

At this stage, the roots are shallow and the seedlings are small. For those planted in garden soil, basically no additional fertilizing is needed; but for those grown in a low-nutrient substrate, when the temperature is suitable, you can fertilize as appropriate, and note that the amount should be less than during the vigorous growth stage.

As for watering, before the cotyledons unfold, the soil should stay moist; after the cotyledons unfold, you can switch to the method of watering thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry.

For perennial plants, this care method applies to the early sprouting stage of bulbous plants and the early sprouting stage of various woody plants (especially those with a deciduous dormancy habit; when they begin to sprout again, some species will do so at the same time as the bud stage, or only after flowering, and this usually lasts only a short time).

2. Vigorous growth stage

At this stage, the plant grows rapidly and this is one of the periods when it needs water and fertilizer. The watering method is also to water thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry; the only thing you can control is the frequency. Whether in pots or in the ground, as long as the temperature is suitable, fertilize as appropriate.

After all, there is an important principle for additional fertilizing: do not fertilize until new leaves (or buds) appear. For plants grown mainly for foliage, the fertilizer should contain a bit more nitrogen; for plants grown mainly for flowers or fruit, you can appropriately add fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium.

Different kinds of plants enter the vigorous growth stage at different times. Annual plants: it occurs in the early growth period, that is, the time from the seedling stage until just before budding.

Plants grown mainly for foliage: the suitable-temperature spring and autumn seasons are the vigorous growth stages. Woody plants: it mainly depends on the species; some have their vigorous growth stage at the same time as the young fruit swelling period, especially fruit trees like apple, peach, and pear.

3. Bud stage and fruiting stage

This period is also when plants most need water and fertilizer. Unlike simply growing leaves, the growth of buds and fruit consumes nutrients, while the growth of leaves accumulates nutrients.

But different kinds of plants also differ in when this stage occurs.For annual and biennial plants with a short growth period, it appears in the middle to late part of plant growth, such as sunflower, various beans, rapeseed (considering the time of harvesting the seeds), and so on.

For perennials, the differences are even greater:Some appear before leaf growth, such as various Lycoris species and woody plants that bloom in early spring, especially those that flower before leafing out, such as Forsythia suspensa, winter jasmine, and magnolia; some are almost synchronized with the vigorous growth stage (when budding and flowering occur, the branches and leaves also grow vigorously at the same time), such as pomegranate, crape myrtle, and Jasminum floridum.

The watering method is the same as in the vigorous growth stage: water thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry, and adjust the frequency appropriately according to the plant's growth and temperature changes. But for plants grown mainly for foliage, since the ornamental effect of flowers and fruit is inferior to that of the leaves, and sometimes in order to make the leaves grow better you may instead need to remove the flowers and fruit (such as Hydrocotyle vulgaris and Peperomia obtusifolia) to avoid excessive nutrient consumption, therefore this stage basically does not apply to such plants.

4. Dormant stage

This stage is the period when the plant rests and recuperates. Growth almost completely stops (applicable to most plants, especially certain evergreen plants), and leaf drop may even occur (in certain woody plants with a habit of dropping leaves in winter). In some perennial herbaceous plants, all aboveground parts wither, leaving only the perennial root or bulb state, with very little demand for water and fertilizer.

The general care point is to stop fertilizing, but do not stop watering.That means: during dormancy, there is no need to fertilize it; but watering is still the same as usual, watering thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry, only much less frequently than during the usual vigorous growth period, as well as during budding, flowering, and fruit development.

For example, for the same plant, during the dormant period, watering is about once every 7~14 days or even longer; but during the usual vigorous growth period, watering is about once every 4~7 days or even shorter.

5. Recovery-from-transplanting stage

This is a special stage. It occurs when a plant has been transplanted or newly bought and its growing environment has changed greatly. Its care method is unrelated to what stage the plant is in. During the recovery period, the care method is rather special.

The care method during this period can fully draw on dormant-period care: stop fertilizing but do not stop watering, water as usual, and water thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry. Since at this stage the root system has not yet grown well and is sensitive to fertilizer, there is no need to consider additional fertilizing.

As for how long recovery takes before the plant resumes growth, it all depends on how it performs.

If, at transplanting, the roots are only lightly damaged, the plant is herbaceous, and the seedling is small, then the recovery period will be relatively shorter; if, at transplanting, the roots are bare or even rather severely damaged, and the plant is woody and the seedling is large, then the recovery period will be relatively longer.

During the recovery period, no matter what habit the plant has, generally speaking, it is recommended to place it in diffused light and a ventilated spot, and temporarily hold off on sun exposure. Once it resumes growth later, then care for it according to its own habits (sun-loving ones must be given sun; shade-loving ones continue to be placed in diffused light and a ventilated spot).

For a small number of very tough plants, such as moss rose and Tradescantia zebrina, types that root easily even from cuttings, during the recovery stage, appropriate sun exposure will not affect their survival. Managing this type of plant is even easier.

6. Flowering stage

This is also a special period, and different kinds of plants have different requirements.

For those that flower seasonally and whose total flowering period is very short, such as apple, pear, and apricot, during full bloom, since flowers are relatively sensitive to fertilizer, it is not recommended to fertilize them when they are blooming heavily.

There are also plants that bloom continuously all year round and have a very long flowering period, such as petunia, dianthus, geranium, and moss rose. During heavy blooming, when the temperature is suitable, you can fertilize as appropriate (fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium).

As for the watering method, it is likewise to water thoroughly whenever the surface soil looks dry. This method is basically universal and applies to almost all plants.

A few additional points

1. Plant dormancy is affected by multiple conditions together. Besides low winter temperatures, it is also related to short-day conditions; in summer, when the weather is too hot and too dry, it can also cause plant dormancy.

This depends not only on habit, but other conditions must also be paid attention to together. After all, plant dormancy is its way of resisting unfavorable environments.

2. Repotting is major surgery. How to do it also depends on the conditions. Generally speaking, choosing to do it during the dormant period and the early growth stage has the least effect on the plant, and can even be negligible; but if it is done during the recovery period, vigorous growth period, bud stage, flowering stage, or fruit development stage, then there will be adverse effects, ranging from delaying growth to abnormal flower and fruit drop in severe cases.

Except for some plants that go dormant in summer, for most plants, midsummer is the least suitable time for repotting, especially during high-temperature periods. In short, no matter what, repotting must be done with extra caution, and you should choose the right timing before considering it.

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