Potted Care Tips and Landscape Applications for February Orchid
February orchid (Orychophragmus violaceus) is a flowering plant commonly seen in flower beds and similar places. Because it can create a natural, beautiful landscape effect and has characteristics such as low-maintenance management, abundant wild charm and a long ornamental period, it has become the most distinctive element in the field of landscape greening. At the same time, February orchid can also be grown in pots to decorate the home. Below we will look at the cultivation techniques for February orchid.
I. Ecological Habits of February Orchid
February orchid originates from Northeast and North China, and is widely distributed across North China and the Northeast region of China, throughout the northern provinces and cities. It has now been promoted and applied for many years in the provinces and cities of the Yangtze River basin, all with satisfactory results. It grows naturally on flat ground, beside houses or on small hills. It is robust, highly cold-tolerant, seldom troubled by pests and diseases, and widely adaptable, maintaining bright green throughout the entire winter. It is not strict about soil requirements and can grow in ordinary garden soil, and can also adapt to neutral or weakly alkaline soil. It grows vigorously in fertile, moist, sunny environments, and also grows well in shady, damp environments. Because of its strong self-seeding and growth ability, it can achieve good greening and landscape effects even on barren slopes and relatively dry places. It grows on flat ground or under tree shade; the leaf shape becomes larger or develops into deeply pinnatifid leaves under tree shade.
II. Potted Cultivation Techniques for February Orchid
1. Sowing Time
Sowing can be done in summer or autumn, but August to September is the most suitable. Each gram contains 300 to 400 seeds, and the sowing rate is about 1 kg per mu. Calculated per square meter, this should be 1 to 2 grams per square meter. If the hydroseeding method is used, the amount per unit area is best increased by 10 to 20%.
2. Sowing Method
First prepare the potting soil, and try to choose a medium-deep and wide flower pot, as the result will be better this way. Fill the pot with soil mixed from garden soil, perlite and plant ash, and add a small amount of base fertilizer.
Evenly scatter the prepared seeds into the pot, cover with a thin layer of soil, water thoroughly, cover the pot with glass or plastic film to ensure a certain temperature and humidity, and then manage normally. When the seedlings emerge, promptly provide sunlight.
3. Soil
February orchid is not strict about soil. It is best to choose loose, fertile and well-drained sandy soil. For potted February orchid, the requirements for potting soil are relatively high; here you can consider evenly mixing 6 parts garden soil, 2 parts perlite and 1 part plant ash, and sufficient base fertilizer should be placed in the pot.
4. Light
Since February orchid is a short-day plant, it does not need too long daily sunlight; indoor diffused light is sufficient.
5. Temperature
Since February orchid is cold-tolerant, temperature regulation can be extensive; the most suitable temperature for growth and flowering is between 15°C and 25°C.
6. Fertilizing
February orchid likes fertilizer. Sufficient fertility will not only make February orchid grow faster, but also promote its flowering and fruiting; fertilize 4 times a year. The flower bud fertilizer in early spring, the vigor fertilizer after the flowers fade, the fruit-strengthening fertilizer after fruit set, and the seedling-strengthening fertilizer before winter. If a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution is sprayed on the leaves once each during the flower bud stage and the young fruit stage, the flower color will be more brilliant and the fruit will be fuller.
7. Pests and Diseases
Common pests in February orchid cultivation include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, snails and leaf miners. If pests are found, promptly carry out chemical control.
8. Pruning
To maintain a good ornamental effect for February orchid, it must be controlled so that it does not set seed. Generally, during the seed-setting period, use a lawn mower to trim it to a height of 10 ~ 15 cm.
III. Landscape Greening Applications of February Orchid
1. February orchid has elegant, subtle flower colors and a long flowering period, and is a spring groundcover plant. It is most suitable for planting under trees, at forest edges, in residential communities, on slopes or at the edges of lawns. It can be planted independently in patches, or mixed with various shrubs such as elm-leaved spirea and kerria, forming a spring scenery feature with a distinctive wild charm.
2. February orchid can be applied in large quantities in parks, urban streets, and green belts on both sides of highways or railways. When it blooms in large areas, the greening and beautifying effect is excellent. In recent years, Beijing has adopted mechanical hydroseeding for slope greening along highways, with even more ideal results. With self-seeding and self-propagating seeds, by mid-to-late June, new seedlings can already grow just as the previous generation of plants withers. Therefore, February orchid groundcover basically does not show bare soil, and it is an extremely good plant material for highway slope greening.
That is all the editor has to introduce about February orchid. The care method for February orchid is very simple; it has no strict requirements for temperature and humidity, and as long as the environment is not very harsh, it can grow very well. In addition, February orchid is also a common wild vegetable; its stems and leaves are abundant and beneficial to human health.
How to Care for Potted February Orchid
February orchid is generally planted in patches as groundcover on slopes and under tree shade. It is highly adaptable and has low requirements for soil, fertilizer and water. If February orchid is grown in pots for indoor ornament, how should it be cared for? (1) When growing February orchid in pots, sow the seeds collected in October of the same year using the conventional sowing method, and pot them before winter in November. (2) The potting soil is prepared by evenly mixing garden soil, perlite and plant ash in a ratio of 6:2:1. When potting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, and after the seedlings stand upright, move them to a sunny place for conventional fertilizer and water management. (3) Fertilize 4 times a year, namely the flower bud fertilizer in early spring, the vigor fertilizer after the flowers fade, the fruit-strengthening fertilizer after fruit set, and the seedling-strengthening fertilizer before winter. If a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution is sprayed on the leaves once each during the flower bud stage and the young fruit stage, the flower color will be more brilliant and the fruit will be fuller. (Reporter: Anonymous)When Is the Best Time to Sow February Orchid? Planting Methods and Care Tips for February Orchid
Image: February orchid (Orychophragmus violaceus)
[Common Question] When is the best time to sow February orchid? Planting methods and care tips for February orchid
[Expert Answer]
Introduction:
Orychophragmus violaceus (February orchid), of the family Brassicaceae and genus Orychophragmus, is an annual or biennial herb. Because it begins to bloom with blue-purple flowers around the second lunar month, it is called February orchid. It grows on plains, mountains, roadsides and field edges. It has relatively low requirements for conditions such as soil and light, is tolerant of cold and drought, and has tenacious vitality. Legend has it that when Zhuge Liang led troops on a campaign, he once picked the young tips of this "turnip" as a vegetable, hence the name. February orchid is a flowering plant commonly seen in flower beds and similar places. Because it can create a natural, beautiful landscape effect and has characteristics such as low-maintenance management, rich variety, abundant wild charm, low planting cost and a long ornamental period, it has become the most distinctive element in the field of landscape greening. Below, the editor will take everyone to appreciate the elegance of February orchid and learn about its planting methods and techniques.
Sowing Time:
Sow from August to September, and it blooms the following spring. February orchid is tolerant of drought, poor soil and cold, and is very easy to grow: scatter the seeds, cover with soil, water, and give it a little routine care.
Planting Methods and Techniques for February Orchid:
1. Soil:February orchid is not strict about soil. It is best to choose loose, fertile and well-drained sandy soil. For potted February orchid, the requirements for potting soil are relatively high; here you can consider evenly mixing 6 parts garden soil, 2 parts perlite and 1 part plant ash, and sufficient base fertilizer should be placed in the pot.
2. Light:Since February orchid is a short-day plant, it does not need too long daily sunlight; indoor diffused light is sufficient.
3. Temperature:Since February orchid is cold-tolerant, temperature regulation can be extensive; the most suitable temperature for growth and flowering is between 15°C and 25°C.
4. Fertilizing:February orchid likes fertilizer. Sufficient fertility will not only make February orchid grow faster, but also promote its flowering and fruiting; fertilize 4 times a year. The flower bud fertilizer in early spring, the vigor fertilizer after the flowers fade, the fruit-strengthening fertilizer after fruit set, and the seedling-strengthening fertilizer before winter. If a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution is sprayed on the leaves once each during the flower bud stage and the young fruit stage, the flower color will be more brilliant and the fruit will be fuller.
5. Pests and Diseases:Common pests in February orchid cultivation include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, snails and leaf miners. If pests are found, promptly carry out chemical control.
6. Pruning:To maintain a good ornamental effect for February orchid, it must be controlled so that it does not set seed. Generally, during the seed-setting period, use a lawn mower to trim it to a height of 10 ~ 15 cm.
[Editor's Comments] February orchid is a common wild vegetable in early spring, also called Orychophragmus violaceus. Its stems and leaves are rich in nutrients, and its seeds have a very high oil content. Whether eaten as a dish or pressed for oil, it is extremely beneficial to the human body. Wild collection is generally carried out in spring from March to April; if cultivating artificially, it can be chosen in August or September. The editor of First Agricultural Economics above has introduced the planting methods and care tips for February orchid, hoping it will be helpful to you.