A Detailed Guide to the Propagation and Pest and Disease Control Techniques of Mock Orange on the Gannan Plateau

Mock orange is an excellent nursery flower, with a unique flower form. Because of its high ornamental value, many regions in Europe and America are currently introducing it. It can be planted in gardens or made into potted plants. Below are the propagation techniques and pest and disease control methods for mock orange. Friends who love flowers and plants can try growing it.

1 Characteristics of Mock Orange

Mock orange is a shrub. Its flowers are white, and the flower form is beautiful. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from July to August. It has strong adaptability and a fast growth rate, making it an excellent flower and nursery plant.

2 Economic Value

2.1 Ornamental Value

Mock orange is fragrant and beautiful, with many flowers clustered together and a relatively long flowering period. It is an excellent ornamental flowering tree or shrub, suitable for planting in courtyards and scenic areas. It can also be used as a cut flower material. Mock orange has strong cold resistance and is suitable as a landscaping tree species for high-altitude areas such as Hezuo, Luqu and Xiahe in Gannan Prefecture. Seedling plants bloom early, flowering in 2~3 years, with good ornamental results.

2.2 Medicinal Value

The stems and leaves of mock orange are used as medicine. Collected in summer and autumn, dried in the sun or used fresh. It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in nature, and has the effect of clearing heat and draining dampness. It is used to treat cystitis and icteric hepatitis.

3 Growth Habits

Mock orange has strong adaptability. It likes light and warmth, is also cold-tolerant and heat-tolerant, and fears waterlogging. It blooms on current-year branches, so pruning should be done after flowering. During the seedling stage, shade should be provided. Transplanting should be done in early spring.

4 Cultivation Techniques

4.1 Environment Selection

A seedling-raising site should be chosen close to a water source, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, free of pests and diseases, with a high groundwater table and fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil.

4.2 Land Preparation and Fertilization

The nursery land should be fully cultivated. The first priority is careful land preparation; next is clearing weeds and applying base fertilizer; then the soil should be fully disinfected; finally, water it thoroughly to keep the soil moist.

4.3 Propagation

It is mainly propagated by seeds, and can also be propagated by division, layering and cuttings.

4.3.1 Seed Propagation

4.3.1.1 Seed Collection The capsules mature from late October to November, and the seeds are tiny. After cleaning the seeds, store them dry in cloth bags or sealed in plastic film bags, and place them in cold storage (5°C) or a refrigerator for storage, to be sown the following spring.

4.3.1.2 Sowing Mock orange is generally sown in spring. In the Hezuo area, sowing is carried out from early to mid-May. Because mock orange seeds are tiny, broadcast sowing or drill sowing is generally used on the bed surface, with a row spacing of 12~15cm. Sowing should be done on a windless and rainless day. Mix the seeds with fine soil and broadcast them on the seedling bed, then cover with 0.3cm thick rice straw, until the soil is no longer visible.

4.3.1.3 Post-sowing Management After sowing, keep the bed surface moist at all times to ensure uniform emergence. Seedlings emerge 20~30 days after sowing. Remove the straw on cloudy days or in the evening, and set up a shade shed. When the seedlings are 3~5cm tall, remove the shade shed and carry out full-light cultivation. When the seedlings are 10cm tall, loosen the soil, weed or irrigate them, and thin them in stages, with a plant spacing of  6~8cm. Loosen the soil, weed and irrigate 2~4 times throughout the year.

4.3.2 Division Propagation Division is carried out before sprouting in spring. Select robust plants with dense branches for division. 4.3.3 Layering Propagation On the mother tree, select robust 1-year-old branches. Layering is generally carried out in June. After digging a trench, press the branches into the trench, then earth up 5~6cm at intervals of 1~2 nodes, and finally cover with thick film to retain moisture.

4.3.4 Cutting Propagation

4.3.4.1 Hardwood Cuttings In the Hezuo area, hardwood cuttings are carried out from late April to early May. Select robust 1-year-old or 2-year-old branches and cut them into 10~15cm long cuttings (with at least 3 nodes). The plant and row spacing for cuttings is 5cm×20cm. Insert them into the soil 2/3~1/2 deep, then cover with soil and firm it, and water thoroughly. Set up a shade shed in late May. Generally, roots form about 1 month after cutting.

4.3.4.2 Softwood Cuttings Select semi-lignified branches of the current year and take cuttings in July~August each year. Cut them into 10~15cm long cuttings, retaining 1/4 of the leaves. The plant and row spacing is 5cm×5cm. Insert them into the soil 3/4 deep. Use river sand or vermiculite as the cutting medium. After cutting, spray water promptly and cover with a shade net for shading. Roots form in about 20 days.

4.4 Water and Fertilizer Management

2~3 years after planting, loosen the soil and hoe weeds 2~3 times each year, and do a good job of replanting missing seedlings. Each year, before sprouting, before flowering, before fruiting and after leaf fall, carry out soil loosening, fertilization and irrigation. Fertilize regularly 3~4 times a year and water 5~6 times, which is beneficial to the growth of mock orange, prolongs the flowering period, and makes the flowers large and beautiful.

4.5 Cultivation Techniques

1-year-old seedlings are 20~30cm tall, and after two years they can be lifted from the nursery for planting. Spring planting is generally chosen; in the Hezuo area, planting is carried out before the buds sprout in spring (April~May). Autumn planting is not suitable. When planting seedlings, they must be planted with a soil ball to ensure the root system spreads out naturally. After 2 years of cultivation, the tree height is 100~120cm and the ground diameter is 1~1.5cm. It can bloom in 2~3 years, with good ornamental results.

4.6 Shaping and Pruning

Shaping and pruning are carried out in winter after leaf fall each year or before sprouting the following spring. The principle of shaping and pruning is even branch distribution, forming a perfect crown, and robust growth. First, shorten the branches, which can form a beautiful crown. Also remove dead branches, inner-canopy branches, slender branches, crossing branches, pest-and disease-affected branches, poorly growing branches and dense branches, which helps concentrate nutrients for the flowering branches and also forms a neat and good crown.

5 Pest and Disease Control

Mock orange has few pests and diseases. After 3 years of cultivation, only slight aphid damage was found on mock orange. Aphids mainly damage tender leaves, shoot tips, flowers and young buds, etc. They can be controlled by spraying 1000~1300 times diluted wettable mieyaling powder, 50% wettable pirimicarb powder, or 50% pirimicarb aqueous solution at 500~1 000 times dilution.

The above is a detailed introduction to the propagation and pest and disease control of mock orange on the Gannan Plateau. In the editor's view, mock orange has high ornamental value and is easy to grow, making it a good potted flower variety.

Plum Blossom Pest and Disease Control

There are many types of plum blossom diseases, the most common being powdery mildew, leaf curl disease and anthracnose, etc. Today the editor will share with you the control methods for plum blossom pests and diseases.

1. Powdery mildew. This disease often occurs in environments with high humidity, high temperature and poor ventilation. In early spring in March, when plum blossoms sprout, the tender buds and new leaves are susceptible to infection by the pathogen. A very thin white powdery layer appears on the affected parts, followed by black or yellow particles the size of needle heads on the powdery layer. In the later stage, the leaves turn yellow and die.

2. Leaf curl disease. It can be controlled by spraying thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim, or by spraying 1% Bordeaux mixture, once every week, and 3-4 times is enough to cure it.

3. Anthracnose. In the early stage of the disease, spray 70% thiophanate-methyl 1000 times dilution or spray zineb 600 times dilution for control. When various other diseases are found, spraying the above two solutions is also effective.

The above are the control methods for plum blossom pests and diseases.

Control of Common Pests and Diseases of Plum Blossom

    Control methods for common pests and diseases of plum blossom -- The physiological diseases of plum blossom are mainly caused by improper care, including waterlogging damage, pesticide damage, etc.

    1. Waterlogging damage of plum blossom

    It is caused by water accumulation at the roots leading to root rot of plum blossom, often manifested as poor growth and even death. Therefore, plum blossom should be watered in moderation, and at the same time water accumulation in pots during the rainy season should be prevented. For field-planted plum blossom, choose a plot with higher terrain and good drainage; for potted plum blossom, choose loose soil with good drainage.

    2. Pesticide damage of plum blossom

    It is caused by improper spraying or improper use of pesticides. For example, the use of dimethoate, pyrethroid insecticides and other pesticides can easily cause premature leaf fall of plum blossom, which in turn affects flowering the following spring. Therefore, to control plum blossom pests, it is best to use 50% phoxim or 50% fenitrothion emulsion at 1000 times dilution. In addition, plum blossom has weak resistance to harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide and photochemical smog, and is highly prone to poisoning and even death. Therefore, plum blossom should not be planted downwind of factories with pollution sources.