How to make homemade flower insecticides? Introduction to eco-friendly methods

How do you make eco-friendly flower insecticides at home? In our daily lives there are many very beautiful flowers, such as lavender, blue roses, pothos, cactus, mint geranium, dolphin flowers and so on. Because each has its own distinctive features, they are deeply loved by the broad community of flower lovers, and more and more people are taking up flower growing. Of course, growing flowers with beautiful blooms and vivid colors is not so easy; you must master the corresponding growing techniques and care points. Today the editor wants to talk about homemade eco-friendly flower insecticide methods, hoping they will be helpful for everyone's flower growing.

I. Advantages of eco-friendly flower insecticides

Eco-friendly flower insecticides do not cause phytotoxicity, do not hinder the healthy growth of flowers, and instead promote healthy flower growth.

II. Homemade methods for eco-friendly flower insecticides

(1) Laundry detergent solution

Preparation method: first stir 2 g of laundry detergent solution + 500 g of water, then add one drop of essential balm and stir, and spray the liquid using a filter-spray tool.

Control effect: can effectively control aphids, red spiders, scale insects, green stinging caterpillars, pierid butterflies, whiteflies and other pests.

(2) Garlic liquid

Preparation method: mash 30 g of garlic heads and add 500 g of water; after filtering out the garlic residue, spray the liquid using a filter-spray tool, spraying 3-4 times a day. You can also dip a writing brush in some of the sour liquid and apply it to the injured parts of the flowers. Inserting crushed garlic into the potting soil can eliminate ants, earthworms and nematodes.

Control effect: effectively controls rose powdery mildew and black spot disease.

(3) Sichuan pepper liquid

Boil 50 g of Sichuan pepper + 500 g of water down to 250 g of medicinal liquid, then dilute with 6-7 times its amount of water and spray.

Pest control effect: kills aphids, whiteflies and scale insects.

The above is the explanation of the key points on homemade eco-friendly flower insecticides. If you want to learn more about growing and planting knowledge, you can follow Huinong.com, or download the Huinong mobile APP to learn more.

A brief introduction to indoor flowers

Hydroponic flower techniques Hydroponic flower knowledge and planting methods

Now many flower lovers like hydroponic flowers; hydroponic flowers are clean, beautiful and simple. However, hydroponic flowers also require certain techniques. Here I have compiled relevant knowledge about hydroponic flowers to share with everyone. If there is anything incorrect, everyone is welcome to leave comments, update the thread and exchange ideas.

A brief introduction to hydroponic flower techniques

Hydroponic flowers are a common type of soilless cultivation. There are many methods; a few commonly used ones are briefly described below.

Deep flow technique: characterized by plant roots being fully or partially immersed in the nutrient solution; the nutrient solution is flowing; the nutrient solution is mixed with air to dissolve oxygen.

Nutrient film (NFT) technique: the nutrient film technique was developed from the plastic bag technique. A suitable amount of nutrient solution is placed in a plastic bag to cultivate plants, and on this basis further improvements were made: the plastic bag was changed to plastic film, laid on a frame of a certain shape; the nutrient solution is a thin layer 0.3 to 1.0 cm thick; part of the plant root system is immersed in the nutrient solution, and part is exposed to moisture; the nutrient solution flows; the outside of the plastic film is white and the inside is black, wrapping the plant to form a dark internal space.

The advantages are: it better solves the root system's demand for oxygen for respiration; the structure is simple and lightweight, and the cost is low; plants grow quickly, are easy to manage, and it is suitable for large-scale production.

Aeroponics technique: the nutrient solution is atomized and sprayed around the plant roots; the mist condenses on the root surface, and the water is absorbed by the roots. The roots are continuously or discontinuously in an environment saturated with nutrient droplets, which well solves the problem of water, nutrient and oxygen supply, and plants grow quickly. Aeroponics can also be used when rooting cuttings.

Glass bottle hydroponic technique: the aqueous solution can use a glass canning jar; wrap black plastic film around the bottle, or coat it fully with black paint, or paste a layer of black paper, so that the inside of the bottle is lightproof. Shading is beneficial to root growth and avoids algae growth. In summer, wrap a layer of white paper outside the black bottle to lower the temperature. In winter, tear off the white paper, use a foam plastic board as the bottle cap, cut a hole in the middle, clamp the plant, cover the bottle cap, and the top of the cap should also be black. Pour nutrient solution into the bottle, but not too full; leave a gap for the plant to breathe oxygen. If it is water rooting, there is no need to use nutrient solution; just add water, and switch to nutrient solution after roots grow. Specific operation process:

Changing the solution: for small seedlings, change the nutrient solution once every 1 to 2 weeks depending on the situation. For mature flowers, change it once a week during the summer peak growth season, and once every 1 to 2 weeks during the non-growing season.

Aeration: open the bottle cap for a moment every morning and evening to let the roots be fully exposed to the air. After a period of adaptation, aeration can be skipped for more than 1 month continuously.

replenishing water: flowers grow vigorously in summer and consume a lot of water, so water must often be added to the bottle to prevent the nutrient solution from drying up.

Preparation of hydroponic nutrient solution: fertilizer tablets sold on the market or prepared chemical fertilizers can be used. If conditions permit, you can prepare it yourself; the formulas are as follows:

Formula 1: (pH 6-6.5)

Monopotassium phosphate 0.44 g/L; potassium sulfate 0.14 g/L; calcium nitrate 0.59 g/L; ammonium nitrate 0.19 g/L; magnesium sulfate 0.53 g/L; trace elements 2 mL; Fe-EDTA 2 mL.

Formula 2: (pH 6-65)

Calcium nitrate 1.64 g/L; magnesium sulfate 0.98 g/L; potassium nitrate 1.01 g/L; trace elements 2 mL; monopotassium phosphate 0.27 g/L; Fe-EDTA 2 mL.

Preparation method of trace element solution:

Boric acid 2.86 g, zinc oxide 0.11 g, manganese chloride 181 g, copper dichloride 0.05 g, sodium molybdate 0.025 g. Dissolve the above chemicals in 800 mL of water, then make up to 1000 mL.

How hydroponic flowers overwinter

Generally, flowers enter dormancy below 5-8°C, and tissues undergo necrosis below 0°C. Therefore, if the indoor temperature is above 5°C, hydroponic flowers can generally overwinter safely; in the south, winter indoor temperatures generally do not fall below 5°C. If there are a few days of extreme low-temperature weather, it can be solved by lighting a 60-watt incandescent lamp above the flowers to create a local microclimate; in the north, because most indoor areas have heating, the safe overwintering of hydroponic flowers can also be met.

Why hydroponic flowers need their water changed

Because plants absorb water and inorganic salts from the nutrient solution, the nutrients in the nutrient solution become fewer and fewer. At the same time, due to root respiration and metabolism, harmful substances in the water become more and more numerous. Therefore, after hydroponic flowers grow for a period of time, the nutrient solution must be replaced with new solution. In fact, this is the same principle as soil-cultivated flowers; soil-cultivated flowers need fertilizing and repotting once a year for the same reason. For hydroponic flowers, during the vigorous growth period of spring and summer the water-change interval should be shorter, and in autumn and winter when growth is slow it can be longer.

Simple hydroponic facilities -- bottles and jars and cultivation management

Using waste containers such as beverage cans, wide-mouth bottles, white polystyrene hard foam boxes (cases) and so on, with slight tidying up, they can become hydroponic carriers of different sizes and shapes. This not only adapts to local conditions and makes the best use of materials, but can also green the surrounding environment, with quite a charming atmosphere of returning to nature.

I. Bottles and jars

1. Metal beverage cans, glass or plastic wide-mouth bottles, paper foil-lined square beverage cartons and so on were originally used to hold liquids; as long as the original contents are rinsed clean, they can be set aside as hydroponic carriers.

2. Planting cups: according to the size of the mouth of the selected container, choose a plastic cold drink cup that fits just about 1/3 into the mouth as the carrier for anchoring the plant. As shown in Figure 1, cut a "#"-shaped hole in the bottom of the cup so that the root system can extend through the cup bottom into the nutrient solution, while the plant's anchoring material will not leak out. The opening also serves a ventilation function.

3. Anchoring the plant: prepare a piece of non-woven fabric (nonwoven cloth) about 8×12 cm, of the kind used for clothing lining. Gently rinse the soil off the seedling to be hydroponically grown or a purchased potted flower with soil, without damaging the root system. Wrap and roll the root system with the non-woven fabric, then wrap the outside with porous plastic sponge (cut scraps left from making shoulder pads for jackets or cushions for sofas and chairs), or a small amount of rock wool or glass wool (used as insulation material; some is yellow, and some is yellow with white) and so on to thicken it, so that it can fit exactly into the plastic planting cup and anchor the plant. If none of the above items are available, floral foam can also be appropriately cut to serve as anchoring material. Immerse the non-woven fabric roll wrapping the root system, together with the exposed root system, into the bottle or jar containing the nutrient solution. It must be noted that the distance from the nutrient solution surface to the bottom of the planting cup should be no less than 1 cm. This is the key to success or failure in hydroponics. With the aid of the wicking action of the non-woven fabric, the nutrient solution is continuously supplied to the root system for nutrition. After about half a month, the nutrient solution gradually decreases as the crop grows and transpires. When the liquid level drops to 1/4 of the container height, new nutrient solution can be added. At this time, the distance from the liquid surface to the bottom of the planting cup can be somewhat larger, about 3 cm.

4. Cultivation management: if a transparent glass container is used, the bottle body must be covered with a shading material to prevent direct sunlight from causing algae growth that competes with the cultivated plants for nutrients. In summer, to prevent the liquid temperature from rising greatly due to sun exposure, it is best to provide shade measures or place it where sunlight cannot directly shine.

II. Boxes and cases

1. Box body: usually white hard polystyrene foam boxes used for shockproof packaging, or corrugated cardboard boxes or wooden boxes with a certain strength, can all be used. Generally about 35×25×15 cm to 60×40×16 cm. If the box bottom (body) has holes, they can be leveled with wooden boards or foam boards. Line the box with black agricultural film to prevent nutrient solution leakage. If it is confirmed that the box body will not leak and is not light-transmitting, the film can be omitted. If there is no black film, other films can also be used as substitutes.

2. Top cover: the top cover also serves the function of a planting board. Find a polystyrene foam board the same area as the box and about 2.5 cm thick to serve as the top cover and planting board. Cut a certain number of planting holes about 6 cm in diameter in the board. As with bottles and jars, it is enough that the selected plastic cold drink cup can be placed in it while about 1/2 of the cup height is exposed. The number of planting holes depends on the size of the box. Generally 6?16 holes. In addition, on the side of the top cover, near the inner side of the box body, cut a small hole 2 cm in diameter for peeking at the nutrient solution level and adding nutrient solution in normal times.

3. Planting cups: material selection and preparation are the same as for bottles and jars.

4. Floating board: take a polystyrene foam board 2.5?3 cm thick and 2.5?3 cm smaller on all four sides than the inner clear area of the box as the floating board. Cut some small holes 1?2 cm in diameter regularly on it to increase the air content of the floating board and help the root system extend into the nutrient solution. Lay a thin layer of rock wool (about 1 cm dry thickness), or glass wool of the same thickness, or 25?50 g/sq m non-woven fabric on the floating board as a wick for the nutrient solution. If these things really cannot be obtained, medical sterile absorbent gauze can also be used as a substitute. The area of the wicking cotton layer is about 6 cm larger on all four sides than the floating board, so that the excess part laid on the floating board can hang freely from all four sides of the floating board (like an apron) and dip into the nutrient solution to absorb it, thereby ensuring that a moist layer with nutrient solution forms on the floating board. The plant root system can stretch freely on the floating board and have more direct contact with air. Another part of the root system can still extend through the four edges of the floating board, or through the small holes in the floating board, into the nutrient solution to absorb nutrients. This method can compensate for the unfavorable environment of general static hydroponics, which cannot circulate the nutrient solution and oxygenate it.

5. Cultivation management:

(1) Pour the prepared nutrient solution into the growing box. Right after planting, the liquid level should be slightly higher, controlled so that the floating board just touches the non-woven fabric root rolls extending from the planting cups, so that the nutrient solution can be drawn up by seepage. The highest liquid level must still leave a certain amount of space inside the growing box. When the nutrient solution decreases to 3-5 cm through the plant's absorption and transpiration, add more nutrient solution until the liquid depth is about 10 cm.

(2) When the nutrients in the nutrient solution change greatly, or when there is precipitation, turbidity, a foul odor, or infection by pathogenic bacteria, the nutrient solution should be renewed as appropriate, up to a complete replacement.

Hydroponic Cyclamen

Growing cyclamen in water only began to appear in Europe in the last year or two. Because this cultivation method frees cyclamen from the traditional flower pot and substrate, it is both clean and attractive, and it can give blooming cyclamen plants many forms of cultivation and use. As soon as it appeared on the market, it won enthusiastic welcome from consumers. In fact, growing cyclamen in water is not difficult. First, choose a satisfactory potted cyclamen, and prepare a container for hydroponic cyclamen. With the preparation done, you can begin making a hydroponic cyclamen. For hydroponic cyclamen, the purchased potted cyclamen should be turned out of the pot together with the substrate (potting soil), then rinsed clean under a fairly gentle stream of tap water; the plant can also be placed together with the substrate in a basin of water and the substrate swished away in the water, then rinsed clean with tap water. Note that throughout the entire process of removing the substrate, the movements must be gentle, and try as much as possible to avoid injuring the cyclamen roots. The rinsed cyclamen plant can then be placed in the prepared hydroponic container, water added, and a beautiful hydroponic cyclamen is made.

It should be pointed out that no fertilizer of any kind needs to be added to the water for growing cyclamen. The nutrients in the cyclamen tuber can keep the cyclamen plant growing and flowering normally for 4-6 weeks. At the same time, the water level must be kept below the tuber. Generally, based on the water evaporation, add water to the container 1-2 times per week to maintain the water level.

In fact, in hydroponic cyclamen, the cyclamen plant is only one of the factors. To make a hydroponic cyclamen distinctive and full of character, it also depends on the choice of hydroponic vessel and the way the cyclamen plants are combined. This all relies on the maker's unique perspective and flexible creativity.

Root-exposed hydroponic method for Hoya

Hoya has always been grown in soil. Now, through root-exposed hydroponic trials, it has the following characteristics: 1) saves labor; 2) hygienic; 3) few pests and diseases; 4) simple management; 5) long flowering period; 6) you can view the roots, view the leaves, and also enjoy the flowers, etc.

The root-exposed hydroponic method is:

(1) Seedling treatment: dig up the soil-grown Hoya, wash it clean with clear water, cut off dead leaves and leaves damaged by pests or disease, and soak it in diluted flower nutrient solution for half a day.

(2) Potting: take a glass bottle or vase (without a drainage hole), put a few attractive river stones in the bottom of the bottle, move the treated Hoya seedling onto the river stones in the vase, spread out the roots, add clear water, add flower nutrient solution, and place it indoors or in a cool, shaded place.

(3) Management: One, spray the leaves with clear water once a day; after one or two days, spray the leaves with flower nutrient solution once every three to four days. Two, change the water once every fifteen days, and after changing the water add nutrient solution. Three, one month after potting, inject flower nutrient solution into the head of the Hoya, half a milliliter each time, and thereafter inject once a month to promote growth, flowering, and prolong the flowering period.

(4) About two to three months after potting, it can bloom. After the flowers fade, prune the branches, change the water, add nutrient solution and inject, and it can bloom again.

There is a big difference between hydroponic flowers and water-grown flowers

In recent years, some water-grown and hydroponic flowers have become favored by people for being fresh and environmentally friendly, elegant in style, easy to care for, and easy to combine. On the surface, water-grown and hydroponic flowers have the same cultivation form, namely liquid maintenance, so many people lump the two together. In fact, they are clearly different.

Flowers used for water-growing generally have enlarged bulbs, which store abundant nutrients. Their growth and flowering mainly rely on the nutrients stored in themselves. When cultivating them, you only need to soak the roots in clear water to fix them in place, with no need to supply nutrients. Flowers suitable for water-growing mainly include narcissus, tulips, hyacinths, lucky bamboo, and so on. To make water-grown flowers grow luxuriantly and bloom beautifully, the key is to choose fully developed bulbs to provide the nutrients needed for their growth process; second is to change the water frequently, insisting on changing the water once every 2-3 days (change the water once every 7-10 days for lucky bamboo), maintaining sufficient oxygen content in the water and improving root activity; third is to maintain sufficient sunlight so that they grow robustly.

Hydroponic flowers, by contrast, have the plant roots fixed on the cover plate or floating board of a flower pot, with the roots soaked in water, and the water must be provided with reasonable inorganic nutrients, so hydroponic flowers are also called nutrient solution culture. The habits and internal structure of plants suitable for hydroponics are suited to normal growth in water. At present, the main varieties cultivated include clivia, spider plant, Christmas cactus, corn plant, lucky bamboo, clustered taro, Swiss cheese plant, jade plant, inch plant, mother of thousands, and other plants.

Northeastern University in China used bioengineering mutation technology and, through 8 years of effort, has developed 9 series and more than 500 kinds of hydroponic flowers, including both herbaceous flowers and woody flowers; including both cacti and succulents, and flowering ornamental flowers such as clivia and Phalaenopsis. With technological progress, some high-grade flowers introduced from abroad in recent years, such as bromeliads, anthurium, and amaryllis, have also successfully achieved hydroponics. Some flowers with Chinese characteristics, such as tiger tongue orchid, have also achieved hydroponic domestication.

In truly well-mutated hydroponic flower plants, the characteristics of the root system have already changed; the root hairs have degenerated, and most are vertically growing taproots, unlike the roots and root hairs of water-grown plants, which are distributed in a net-like pattern. After aquatic mutation, the plant's water-root genes are expressed, so the leaves of truly aquatic flower plants become larger and thicker, and the leaves and branches are more tender than those grown in soil.

The key to hydroponic flowers is to prepare the nutrient solution well. When preparing the nutrient solution, never use metal containers or containers that have held grease, acid, or alkali. When using tap water to prepare the nutrient solution, a small amount of humic acid compounds should be added to treat the chlorides and sulfides in the water. For hydroponic flowers, add or replace the nutrient solution once a week, and be careful to keep the pH value between 5.5 and 6.5. The replaced nutrient solution can be used as fertilizer for other crops.