How to Grow Catnip? A Brief Discussion of Catnip Cultivation and Management Techniques
Catnip is one of many flower varieties, but what sets it apart is that besides its high ornamental value, it can also attract cats to eat it, which is also the source of its name. According to the editor's understanding, the survival rate of catnip planting is low, and if you want to grow it well, you need solid planting skills. The following are the catnip cultivation and management techniques compiled by the editor. Those who are interested can refer to them.
Catnip, a plant that can be grown all over the world, is a common flower. Its biggest feature is that it can attract cats to eat it, and it also makes cats appear intoxicated, which is very interesting. Catnip has strong vitality and can also adapt to various environments, so it is not difficult to grow.
Specific planting methods:
1. Sowing
Prepare a flower pot, place drainage stones in the pot, pour in soil, and sow directly with seeds, with 1-3 seeds per hole. Sprouting occurs in 10-14 days at 8-22 degrees. After sowing, provide appropriate shade to avoid direct sunlight.
2. Watering
In summer, water every day, because summer temperatures are high and mint prefers moisture; in winter, control watering. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 15-20°C, and the lifespan of seeds is generally 1 year. The root system is relatively sensitive to water, so waterlogging must be prevented, and the pot soil should be completely dry between two waterings.
Catnip planting methods: How to grow catnip
3. Light
Catnip likes light, and it is best to have sufficient light every day. Insufficient light easily causes leggy growth.
4. Pest prevention
Generally, catnip is not affected by pests and diseases, and there are not many diseases that can harm catnip, mainly fungal infection of the roots. If the soil contains a relatively high proportion of clay and drainage is poor, it will cause fungi to multiply in large numbers. These microorganisms use the plant's roots as nutrients, thereby harming the health of the flowers. Fungicides used for crops or flowers can be conveniently purchased on the market. Spraying once can effectively kill fungal spores in the soil and prevent root rot. If it is planted in a flower pot, water appropriately, and wait until the pot soil is dry before watering, so as to ensure its growth condition.
Overall, catnip itself is a wild plant, so it does not require overly careful management. If you want it to grow for a longer time, the main thing is to do a good job of cold protection. Because when winter comes, when the temperature is below 0 degrees, it will wither because it cannot adapt to the cold. Therefore, potted catnip needs to be moved indoors in time. As for catnip in the courtyard, you can wait for new seedlings to sprout on their own the following year.
Growing catnip requires careful management to raise it well. It has certain requirements for the growing environment, water, and light. When planting, fertilizer and water must be applied reasonably, otherwise it will cause catnip to die.
How to Cultivate Mint That "Clears Heat and Detoxifies"? A Brief Discussion of the Health Benefits and Care Techniques of Potted Mint
Mint, I think most people should know about it. It is a legendary magical herb that can clear heat and detoxify, and it has already been widely used in daily life. Besides its edible value, it also has ornamental value, making it an excellent household potted plant. Below are detailed health benefits and care techniques for potted mint. Take a look quickly.
1. Health benefits
The special aroma emitted by mint contains volatile oil, which has the effect of killing bacteria and viruses. The whole mint plant is medicine and has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. Decocting and holding it in the mouth can treat wind-heat cold, toothache, oral ulcers, headache and red eyes, measles, and chest and rib tightness and pain.
2. Care guide
(1) Soil selection Mint likes loose, fertile, sandy loam with good drainage. Leaf mold or mountain soil can be mixed with river sand and organic fertilizer.
(2) Light Mint likes warmth and moisture, therefore, sunlight should be sufficient.
(3) Temperature Mint has strong cold resistance. The suitable temperature is 20-30°C, and the overwintering temperature must not be lower than -6°C.
(4) Watering Mint is relatively drought-tolerant, but during the growing period, the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, and the pot soil should be kept moist.
(5) Fertilizing Use organic fertilizer for edible mint and quick-acting fertilizer for ornamental mint. Fertilize once every half month during the growing period.
(6) Pruning When the height of potted mint exceeds 25cm, prune 5-10cm evenly.
(7) Propagation Mint mostly uses the rhizome propagation method. In March-April or late October, dig out the underground rhizomes of the mother plant, select fresh rhizomes, cut them into small sections, place them vertically in the substrate, apply base fertilizer and then cover with soil, and keep the substrate moist during propagation.
In the editor's view, mint has very high medicinal value, and the whole plant is a treasure. The above is an introduction to the health benefits and care techniques of potted mint. Everyone can take a look.
A Brief Discussion of the Symptoms of Cabbage Caterpillars on Chinese Cabbage and Their Control Methods
Currently, Chinese cabbage is in its growing period. During this time, Chinese cabbage is inevitably threatened by pests and diseases, and cabbage caterpillars are one type of insect pest of Chinese cabbage.
First- and second-instar cabbage caterpillar larvae feed on the leaf flesh on the underside of leaves, leaving a thin and transparent epidermis. Larvae of the third instar and above noticeably increase their food intake, eating the leaves into holes or notches. In severe cases, they eat all the leaves, leaving only leaf veins and petioles, affecting plant growth and development and head formation. If the larvae are wrapped into the head, the insects feed inside the leaf head and also excrete feces that contaminate the heart of the cabbage, reducing the commercial value of the vegetable.
For the control of cabbage caterpillars, attention should be paid to promptly removing residual branches and old leaves, and deeply plowing the soil to avoid continuous cropping of cruciferous vegetables; mint or tomato can also be intercropped or relay intercropped to repel cabbage white butterflies from laying eggs and reduce damage, and large-scale planting of a single variety of cruciferous vegetables should be avoided; plastic film mulching cultivation can be carried out, advancing the early spring planting period and harvesting earlier, which can avoid damage by the second generation of larvae; at the same time, protect natural enemies of cabbage caterpillars such as spiders and ladybugs; frequency-vibration insect-killing lamps can also be used for control, which can well achieve killing adults, reducing field insect population density, and controlling their harm to vegetables; colored adhesive boards can also be used to trap insects, and where conditions permit, insect-proof net isolation cultivation can be used; from the peak egg hatching period to the second instar of larvae, biological pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis, granulosis virus, and polyhedrosis virus can be used for control. Insect growth regulators, safe insecticides that inhibit the synthesis of insect chitin, can also achieve good results; the control period should be grasped from the peak egg hatching period to before the third instar of larvae, and the following insecticides can be used for control: 0.5% emamectin benzoate microemulsion 2000 to 3000 times liquid; 15% indoxacarb suspension concentrate 3000 to 4000 times liquid; 10% etofenprox suspension concentrate 2000 to 3000 times liquid; 480g/L chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate 1500 to 2500 times liquid; 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate 2000 to 3000 times liquid; 25% diflubenzuron wettable powder 2000 to 3000 times liquid; 1.7% abamectin·beta-cyhalothrin soluble liquid 2000 to 3000 times liquid; 15% abamectin·chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate 1000 to 2000 times liquid; 2% abamectin·Bacillus thuringiensis wettable powder 2000 to 3000 times liquid; spray with water, with an interval of 10 to 15 days between sprays. Note that these agents should be applied in rotation to avoid the development of pesticide resistance.