Snapdragon non-woven pot seedling cultivation techniques and pest and disease control methods

What are the non-woven pot seedling cultivation techniques for snapdragons? Snapdragon is a perennial herbaceous plant that is loved by many flower enthusiasts for its abundant and brightly colored flowers. Today, the editor will explain in detail the knowledge points related to non-woven pot seedling cultivation techniques for snapdragons.

I. Site and facility preparation

1. Seedling site requirements: level ground, free of pests, diseases and weeds, convenient water resources, rain shelter equipment, and easy to clean.

2. Seedling materials: seedling trays, non-woven fabric, seedling container forming machine, seed holding trays, sowing sticks, garden ground cloth, etc.

II. Variety selection and sowing time

1. Snapdragon varieties: creeping, dwarf, and medium-stem types should be selected for planting.

2. Sowing time: The sowing time can be determined according to flower sea needs. For example, in the Suzhou area, seedling cultivation starts from September to October, and the flowers will bloom by March to April of the following year.

III. Substrate preparation

Because non-woven pots are used for seedling cultivation, the pots have good air permeability and the substrate loses water easily. At the same time, after the substrate loses water, the pots become lighter and tend to tip over. Therefore, when mixing the substrate, garden soil can be appropriately added, which can not only increase the moisture in the substrate but also stabilize the pots. Imported brands can be used for peat, with fiber of 6mm or 10mm. Before use, the peat should be crushed and watered to facilitate later potting. Perlite of 5-7mm is suitable. Before use, the garden soil should have broken bricks and dead roots and weeds removed. The ratio of the three substrate components, peat : perlite : garden soil, is 5:3:2. A certain amount of soil disinfectant is added when mixing the substrate. A substrate mixer can be used for stirring, adding water while stirring, so that the moisture content of the substrate is 45%-55%, then set aside for later use.

IV. Sowing and seedling cultivation

Before sowing snapdragons in non-woven pots for seedling cultivation, a certain amount of non-woven fabric needs to be prepared. Therefore, a seedling container forming machine can also be used to make pots from non-woven fabric and fill the substrate through the machine's own device, achieving one-step forming. After the substrate filling is completed, the pots can be placed into seedling trays and moved to a designated location for later use. Snapdragon seeds are light-loving, so water before sowing. When sowing, sow one or two seeds per hole, not more or fewer. No soil covering is needed after sowing.

V. Seedling stage management

Before sowing, the substrate needs to be kept moist, with humidity controlled at around 75% and temperature controlled within 20-22°C. When sowing in August to September, measures for ventilation, shading, and humidity reduction need to be taken. Because the seeds are planted without soil covering, the root system is relatively shallow, so micro-sprinkler watering should be used in the early stage, and spray watering can be used in the later stage. When the seedlings grow to the 2-leaf 1-heart stage, fertilization can begin. Before fertilizing, use fertilizers with good water solubility, applying once every 7-10 days. It should be noted that fertilizer and water should be applied alternately.

VI. Pest and disease control

1. The main pests include aphids, snails, whiteflies, thrips, etc. For aphids, 10% imidacloprid 800-1000 times solution can be used for control; for snails, metaldehyde can be used for control; for adult whiteflies, yellow sticky traps can be used for trapping and killing; for thrips, blue boards can be used for trapping and killing.

2. The main diseases include: gray mold, stem rot, seedling rot, rust, etc.

2.1 Stem rot mainly damages the root and stem area. In the early stage, it causes light brown lesions on the root and stem, and in severe cases can cause the plant to wither and die. The main control methods include: crop rotation, soil disinfection, and chemical control; spray the affected area with 800 times solution of Genling wettable powder, or irrigate the root and stem area of the plant with 1000 times solution of 50% captafol wettable powder.

2.2 Seedling rot mainly damages seedlings, causing the roots of seedlings to become water-soaked, then gradually rot, wilt, and die. Control methods: in the early stage of disease, spray 800 times solution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder or 800 times solution of 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder.

2.3 Rust mainly damages leaves, tender stems, and flower stems. Control methods: in the early stage of disease, spray 15% triadimefon wettable powder or 800 times solution of 65% zineb wettable powder for control.

2.4 Leaf blight mainly occurs on leaves and stems. Control methods: in the early stage of disease, use 600 times solution of 65% zineb wettable powder or 800 times solution of Guoguang Yingna wettable powder for spray control.

2.5 Gray mold. Gray mold is an important disease in greenhouse cultivation of snapdragons. Control methods: in the early stage of disease, choose 1000 times solution of 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, or 800 times solution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder for spray control, spraying once every 10-15 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.

Hydroponic flower knowledge | Complete guide to hydroponic flower knowledge

Hydroponic flower knowledge | Complete guide to hydroponic flower knowledge

Ten questions on hydroponic flower techniques

1. What flowers are suitable for hydroponics? What advantages does it have?

Answer: In theory, any flower can be hydroponically grown, but different types of flowers have different environmental requirements. For example, some varieties that need water control to promote flowering may have flowering affected under hydroponic conditions. Some plants are sensitive to hypoxia, and air must be regularly pumped into the nutrient solution to supplement oxygen. At the same time, different types of flowers have different nutritional requirements, and suitable nutrient solution formulas need to be adopted. Therefore, flower plants must undergo appropriate acclimation before they can be hydroponically grown. There are many plants suitable for hydroponics, including jade
money tree, money tree, Peperomia obtusifolia, sun god, Calathea, little angel, Marian, asparagus fern, golden barrel cactus and other cacti, as well as jewel orchid, snake plant, etc. Hydroponic flowers can go for long periods without watering and fertilizing, have no foreign leaves, are clean and hygienic, beautiful and elegant, and are the first choice for home beautification and greening.

2. What substances are contained in the nutrient solution for hydroponic flowers?

Answer: The hydroponic nutrient solution contains all the essential nutrient elements required for flower growth, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, fluorine, etc. It is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic product. Please use it with confidence.

3. Why do hydroponic flowers need two concentrated solutions?

Answer: The main reason the concentrated nutrient solution for hydroponic flowers is divided into two parts is that when the concentrations of metal nutrient elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper in the nutrient solution are too high, they can precipitate each other and cause the nutrients to become ineffective. Therefore, in order to ensure sufficient and balanced nutrient supply, these non-toxic compounds cannot be mixed together in the concentrated nutrient solution. Therefore, if the hydroponic nutrient solutions currently sold on the market are only one type, the nutrients are often unbalanced.

4. Is more nutrient solution in the hydroponic flower container always better?

Answer: No. The depth of the nutrient solution in the container should be determined according to the growth of the flower root system and should not be too much. In general, when the root system is relatively well developed, part of the root system should be exposed to the air above the liquid surface so that the roots can absorb some oxygen from the air. This is very beneficial for healthy root growth. Do not add too much nutrient solution to the container, but it should not be too little either. If it is too little, the nutrient solution needs to be replenished frequently, causing inconvenience in management. Usually, maintaining a nutrient solution layer about 5-10 cm deep is sufficient.

5. Do household hydroponic flowers need sunlight?

Answer: This depends on the light requirements of the flowers being grown. If they are shade-loving types, they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. However, because hydroponic flowers placed at home are usually in environments with poor light, even shade-loving flowers need to be placed on a balcony with slightly stronger light at regular intervals. Generally, placing them on the balcony for one day each week is sufficient.

6. Do hydroponic flowers require a different nutrient solution for each type of flower?

Answer: No. There are many varieties of hydroponic flowers, but not every type of flower requires a corresponding nutrient solution. It is sufficient to select different nutrient solutions according to different major categories. Of course, a general-purpose nutrient solution can also be used. At present, the Soilless Cultivation Technology Research Office of South China Agricultural University has developed five types of nutrient solutions: general-purpose, foliage type, indoor plant type, orchid type, and flowering type.

7. Can flowers grown directly in soil be directly converted to hydroponics?

Answer: Converting from soil cultivation to hydroponics must go through a series of treatments. First, take out the soil-cultivated flowers and wash the root system clean, then soak the roots in hydroponic root treatment solution for about 20 minutes before placing them into a hydroponic container for hydroponic cultivation.

8. Do fish kept together with flowers need to be fed?

Answer: No feeding is needed. This is because most of the fish in flower-fish co-cultivation are small fish, and these fish only need to absorb plankton and root exudates from the nutrient solution to meet their needs. If fed, it is instead easy to cause the fish to overeat and die. At the same time, adding feed can also easily make the nutrient solution turbid and reduce the dissolved oxygen content in the nutrient solution, affecting the growth of flowers and fish.

9. When hydroponically growing flowers, should the nutrient solution be replenished or replaced?

Answer: This depends on the speed of water consumption by the plants. If the weather is dry and the plants are relatively large, generally the nutrient solution needs to be replenished about every 15-20 days. When replenishing, add an appropriate amount of nutrient solution. When replenishing the nutrient solution, never add too much; just add about 1/3-1/2 of the container depth.

10. What is the shelf life of the concentrated nutrient solution for hydroponic flowers? What should be noted during storage?

Answer: The shelf life of the concentrated solution for hydroponic flowers is almost unlimited, but generally do not use one that has been stored for more than 5 years. During storage, keep the concentrated nutrient solution away from light as much as possible, and do not place it where children can reach it.
Experience talk on household hydroponic flowers

As an environmentally friendly way of growing flowers, hydroponic flowers have the following characteristics compared with traditional soil cultivation: 1) Water replaces soil, odorless and tasteless, clean and hygienic. 2) No need to repot or loosen soil, reducing labor for flower growing. 3) Lightweight, can be moved anytime and anywhere. 4) Flexible material selection, can be reasonably matched according to indoor decoration. 5) Fewer harmful microorganisms in water, high seedling survival rate. The seedling survival rate can remain stable above 80%.

1. Flower varieties suitable for hydroponics. Many years of practice have proven that foliage plants are the first choice for household hydroponic flowers, such as Dieffenbachia, Dieffenbachia picta, Monstera deliciosa, Alocasia, pothos, lucky bamboo, asparagus fern, spider plant, aloe, inch plant, Tradescantia zebrina, coleus, Dracaena fragrans, Chamaedorea elegans, hibiscus, fuchsia, etc. In addition, salvia, azalea, camellia, cyclamen, amaryllis, calla lily, crown of thorns, kalanchoe, hyacinth, etc., these flowering plants have good results when grown hydroponically. Boston fern, calendula, petunia, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, etc., have low survival rates as hydroponic flowers.

2. Selection of hydroponic containers and bedding materials. 1) Containers. Any beautiful container that can hold water is acceptable. Transparent containers are best, such as beverage bottles (cut off the narrow neck), wine glasses, teacups, vases, fish tanks, etc. The opening must be somewhat large to allow gas exchange. The size, height, shape, color, and texture of the container should be coordinated with the hydroponic flowers. It is best to clean and disinfect before use. 2) Bedding materials. Bedding materials are often placed at the bottom of the hydroponic container, mainly to stabilize the plant, such as pebbles, yellow sand, perlite, etc. Small pebbles with elegant appearance and various shapes are best. They should also be cleaned and disinfected before use.

3. Time for hydroponics. Spring and autumn are most suitable for hydroponics, but it also varies by flower species. If the indoor temperature is 15°C-28°C, foliage plants can be hydroponically grown throughout the year. Flowering plants are best hydroponically grown when the first flower is in bud, such as cyclamen, hyacinth, azalea, camellia, etc., often hydroponically grown in early January, so that the full bloom period coincides with the Spring Festival, giving people the joy of spring warmth and blooming flowers.

4. Acquisition and treatment of hydroponic materials. 1) Root washing method. Select potted plants with full plant shape, vigorous growth, and no pests or diseases, remove them from the pot and soil, wash the root soil with water close to room temperature, and cut off decayed and aged roots? If fibrous roots are dense, about 1/3 can be cut off, but care should be taken not to damage new roots. Then soak the root system in 50% potassium permanganate aqueous solution for 30 minutes? This both sterilizes and disinfects, and can also promote new root growth. After that, proceed with hydroponics. This method is mostly used for relatively large plants and flowers that are difficult to root. 2) Water cutting method. Select robust, pest-free semi-lignified branches of the current year, cut them off and insert them into water for hydroponics. The cutting site is often 2-3 mm below the stem node. The cut should be smoothed with a sharp knife? Wiped and disinfected with liquor beforehand, and the lower leaves of the branch should be removed. Before rooting, it is best to use an opaque container or wrap a black plastic bag around a transparent container to facilitate rooting of the cuttings. This method is mostly used for flower varieties that root easily and grow quickly.

5. Water used for hydroponics and water changing. 1) Water. Mountain spring water is best, as its water quality is clean, pollution-free, non-settling, and contains various trace elements necessary for plant growth. Boiled cooled water is second. It is best not to use tap water, because it contains many impurities, easily settles, and the chlorine in it is harmful to plant growth. If rainwater or snow water can be used for hydroponics, it is even more beneficial to flower growth. 2) Water changing. Due to normal plant growth and metabolism, after a period of hydroponics, the oxygen in the water is continuously consumed. At the same time, the root system produces mucus, and the water quality is no longer as fresh as at the beginning. A considerable amount of the nutrient solution added to the water has also been absorbed by the plants, and excessive residual unabsorbed elements can also harm flowers. Therefore, water must be changed regularly. Changes in water quality are directly related to temperature. Spring and autumn are peak growth periods for flowers, so change the water once every 7-10 days; in summer, change the water once every 4-6 days; in winter, change the water once every 15-20 days. Each time the water is changed, the mucus at the roots should be washed off, and aged roots and rotten roots should be cut away. The height of the added water should be level with the root zone. Too deep can easily cause hypoxia and root rot, while too shallow can easily cause root water shortage and affect growth.

6. Addition of hydroponic nutrient solution. Hydroponic nutrient solution is the fertilizer for hydroponic flowers. Generally, after half a month of hydroponics, new roots will appear. Along with the growth of flower plants, nutrient solution must be continuously added in combination with water changes. Different types of flower nutrient solutions can be purchased on the market as needed. It must be noted that: 1) The various nutrient solutions purchased are stock solutions and must be diluted before use. The dilution ratio varies by flower species, so the instructions should be read carefully. 2) Various special nutrient solutions must be used specifically for their intended purpose, avoiding mismatching. For example, if orchid nutrient solution is applied to clivia, it will cause clivia not to bloom or to bloom very little. Some flowers do not need nutrient solution, especially during the dormant period. Directly changing the water regularly or adding a small amount of sugar water or salt water also works well, such as pothos and Dieffenbachia picta.

Pest and disease control techniques for hydroponic flowers

Hydroponics gets rid of infection from soil-borne pests and diseases, but it does not grow in a strictly sterilized vacuum environment and can still be harmed by pests and diseases in the display environment. Fungi, bacteria, and viruses in the air can still infect the stems and leaves of hydroponic flowers, causing lesions of varying degrees. Aphids and scale insects can drift indoors with the wind and land on hydroponic flowers to suck sap. Moths lay eggs on flowers, and the hatched larvae will also chew the tender leaves and stem tips of flowers. Flowers that are removed from pots, have their roots washed, and are converted to static hydroponics will likewise carry fungi, bacteria, viruses, eggs, larvae, etc. If not carefully checked and removed, hidden dangers will remain.

Because of the particularity of the display environment for static hydroponic flowers, once pests or diseases occur, it is not suitable to use chemical pesticides for insect control, nor should large doses of fungicides be used for sterilization. Although these drugs can play a role in killing insects and sterilizing, they also pollute the environment at the same time.

Prevention should be the main approach to possible pests and diseases in hydroponic flowers. When choosing flowers for hydroponics, select plants that are as robust, luxuriant, and pest-free as possible. If pests are found during cultivation, manual capture can be used, or they can be washed off with tap water. Infectious diseases in hydroponic flowers are not common. Only a few leaves may have brown lesions, shriveled necrosis, or irregular round wet lesions, which are formed by fungal or bacterial infection. Once found, the entire diseased leaf should be removed and burned so as not to let it spread. Prevention of non-infectious diseases. Non-infectious diseases are not caused by pathogen infection; they are caused by unsuitable environments. Stuffily hot high-temperature weather in summer, cold winter, dry climate, scorching sun, poorly ventilated environment, excessive shade, too high nutrient solution concentration, or inability to absorb nutrients in a balanced way can all cause leaf tip scorching and yellowing and falling of lower leaves in static hydroponic flowers. When summer temperatures are too high, dissolved oxygen in the solution drops sharply, making root rot more likely, which is an even more common symptom of static hydroponics. For the above different symptoms, identify the corresponding causes, correct them, improve the cultivation environment, and avoid the occurrence of non-infectious diseases.

How should static hydroponic flowers with stem separation and root rot be maintained? Due to improper management, or root hypoxia and root rot, or infection by fungi, bacteria, and viruses, hydroponic flowers may develop leaf spot disease, with leaves turning yellow and falling in large numbers, causing the lower end to separate and lose ornamental value. For hydroponic flowers with stem separation and root rot, the method of plant renewal can be used: cut off the still intact upper branch 3 cm below the stem node, insert it in clean water, and after a period of maintenance and management, it can grow new roots and become an independent plant. As long as the branch with the separated lower end does not rot, new buds can also sprout at the stem node, at which point nutrient solution cultivation can be used instead. Lucky bamboo, pothos, rainbow bloodleaf, arrowhead plant, etc., can all use this method.

Complete manual for household hydroponic flowers

Four methods to obtain hydroponic plants

1. Remove flowers cultivated in soil or other organic substrates, or in inorganic substrates, from their pots, remove the soil or inorganic substrate from the roots, and convert them to static hydroponic nutrient solution cultivation.

2. Use flower branches as cuttings, insert them directly into static water, and after rooting, cultivate them with nutrient solution.

3. Some flowers produce runners (stolons) during growth, and small plants grow on the runners, such as spider plant and Aechmea, and these small plants can be removed and directly hydroponically grown.

4. For flowers that produce many tiller buds, such as clivia and bromeliads, the method of peeling off rooted tiller buds can be used for hydroponics.

How to prepare hydroponic nutrient solution

Household static hydroponic flowers (or simply hydroponic flowers) must meet three basic conditions:

1. Choose plants that are closely related to aquatic plants, that is, plants that retain aquatic genetic genes, for use as static hydroponic flowers.

2. Choose a leak-proof cultivation container without a bottom hole that matches the size and style of the hydroponic flowers.

3. Use a low-conductivity nutrient solution with ion-balanced absorption (appropriate ratio) and all essential mineral nutrients required for flower plant growth. The recommended formula is as follows:

(1) Major elements: calcium nitrate 0.27 g, potassium nitrate 0.13 g, potassium dihydrogen phosphate 0.08 g, magnesium sulfate 0.13 g.

(2) Trace elements: disodium edetate 8.0 mg, ferrous sulfate 5.0 mg, manganese sulfate 1.4 mg, boric acid 2.0 mg, zinc sulfate 0.07 mg, copper sulfate 0.04 mg, sodium molybdate 0.09 mg. (3) Purified water: 1 liter (1000 mL).

The pH value is 5.5 to 6.5, and the electrical conductivity EC is <0.5 mm/cm.

Cultivate the selected flowers in a vessel and add hydroponic nutrient solution to grow them, thus becoming a static hydroponic flower with a distinctive charm.

For preparing nutrient solution, it is best to use purified water. Of course, drinking tap water can generally also be used to prepare nutrient solution. Both have undergone strict treatment, are clean and hygienic, and meet the requirements of sterile (low-bacteria) cultivation. However, full attention must be paid to the fact that purified water has fewer impurities and pathogens and basically does not contain the nutrient elements necessary for plants, while tap water contains nutrient elements in unstable forms as the composition of the water source changes. Therefore, nutrient solution prepared with purified water has stable and consistent composition, while nutrient solution prepared with tap water has unstable composition.

Liquid chlorine is used when disinfecting tap water. If the chlorine in tap water is excessive, it is harmful to flower plants. A water purifier can be installed on the faucet. Let out the tap water and store it in a relatively large-diameter bucket for several days, stirring it several times with a wooden stick to remove chlorine. If water is urgently needed for changing water, 3 to 5 granules of sodium thiosulfate (commonly known as hypo) can be added to 10 kg of tap water and stirred evenly, which can also achieve a chlorine removal effect.

Most foliage flowers like a slightly acidic soil environment, and their intolerance to alkalinity cannot be changed during hydroponics. Static nutrient solution cultivation must adjust the pH of the solution to the range of 5.5 to 6.5, which can help flowers absorb trace elements, keep physiological metabolism undisturbed, grow normally, and maintain green leaf color.

How to carry out foliar fertilization

Static hydroponic flowers are cultivated under conditions of root hypoxia, which can cause certain defects in the normal development of flowers. In order to improve flower quality, the method of leaf surface fertilization can be used to supplement nutrient elements. During the vegetative growth period of flowers, a 0.2% potassium nitrate dilution can be sprayed on the leaf surface. A fine-hole spray bottle should be used, and try not to let the fertilizer solution run off. The back of the leaves should also be sprayed. Spray once a week, twice during the growth period, which can make hydroponic flowers flourish with lush branches and leaves. For flowers suitable for foliage viewing and also for flower appreciation, such as Spathiphyllum, begonia, bamboo begonia, calla lily, etc., during the bud stage, a 0.15% potassium dihydrogen phosphate dilution can be sprayed on the leaf surface once a week until the flowers open.

Temperature requirements for hydroponic flowers

Hydroponic flowers only change one method of flower cultivation; they do not change the growth habits of the flowers, nor can they change their habits. The foliage flower plants used in static hydroponics mostly originate from Latin American rainforests, or tropical high-temperature, high-humidity, shaded valley areas, and belong to non-cold-tolerant flower plants. Generally, when the temperature drops below 10°C, some varieties will suffer cold damage, with scorched leaf edges, yellowing old leaves, and drooping and falling off. Under static hydroponic conditions, the same phenomenon can also occur. Some flowers are relatively cold-tolerant, such as ivy, Vinca major, and Senecio, and grow normally at 5°C to 7°C. When the temperature is above 30°C, some flowers lose their leaf luster, grow sluggishly, and have scorched brown spots on leaf edges, showing a dormant state of intolerance to high temperature, such as bamboo begonia, begonia, and coleus. Above 30°C, root rot is common in static hydroponics. Of course, this is also related to the fact that dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution decreases as temperature rises. Controlling the temperature at 15°C to 28°C is suitable for various static hydroponic flowers. In addition, understanding the temperature required for the growth of each type of flower and creating suitable temperature conditions for its growth during static hydroponics is also very important.

Light requirements for hydroponic flowers

Static hydroponics mostly uses relatively shade-tolerant and shade-loving foliage flowers and a small number of flowering flowers. The characteristic of such flowers is that they do not need strong direct light during the growth period, and some flower varieties grow well in relatively shaded environments. Generally placed indoors, in living rooms, or offices, as long as there is scattered light coming through doors and windows and indoor lighting, their light needs can be fully met. If the light is too weak, the leaves of the flowers cannot carry out normal photosynthesis, cannot accumulate enough nutrients, and grow poorly. Some colored-leaf flowers, such as coleus and croton, will lose the color of their leaves in a low-light environment and become dull and lusterless. Only in an environment with relatively sufficient light but not direct strong light can such flowers maintain bright leaf color.

Plant growth has phototropism. The orientation of placed flowers should be rotated at regular intervals. This work can be completed together with cleaning the vessel and replacing the nutrient solution. After cleaning the root system, rotate the flower 180 degrees relative to its original orientation for cultivation, so that the flower will not grow leaning to one side, and the top shoot will always remain upright and upward.

Humid environment and good ventilation

The places of origin of foliage flowers are mostly warm and humid environments. Static hydroponics also needs to create a relatively humid environment to allow good growth. A simple method is to spray mist on the flower leaves (to prevent the sprayed mist from wetting furniture, you can move them to a balcony or outdoors for the operation, and after spraying, move the flowers back indoors). When spraying, it is best to use a fine-hole nozzle so that the sprayed mist droplets stick to the leaf surface and do not run down. For relatively firm flower leaves with a waxy film, such as Monstera deliciosa and clivia, a wet towel can be used to wipe the leaf surface, which can both increase leaf surface humidity and remove dust from the leaf surface. For those relatively large flowers that are difficult to move, a shallow dish or basin filled with clean water can be placed beside the flowers, and the evaporated water can likewise increase environmental humidity.

There must be a good ventilation environment. This is an important condition for the normal growth of flowers. Static hydroponic flowers placed indoors, if doors and windows are tightly closed and the air is turbid, are adversely affected in their growth. Especially when people go to work during the day and leave home, if doors and windows are not opened and some even draw the curtains, in such a harsh environment, hydroponic flowers can neither get the light they need nor fresh air, and dissolved oxygen continuously decreases, so their growth becomes worse and worse, resulting in yellowing and falling leaves and thin, shriveled new shoots. The place where hydroponic flowers are placed should have doors and windows opened regularly to form air convection, allowing outside fresh air to enter the room, which can increase the dissolved oxygen content in the nutrient solution.

Rooms with air conditioning can, of course, achieve the temperature required by hydroponic flowers, but the air in the room is dry, which can cause scorched edges and dry tips on the leaves of flowers with relatively thin leaves. Air-conditioned rooms also lack fresh air, reducing dissolved oxygen content. Ventilation should be carried out in a timely manner. This is beneficial to the growth of hydroponic flowers and to human health. Places with large hydroponic flowers displayed especially need to do this work well.

Pest and disease control for hydroponic flowers

Hydroponics gets rid of infection from soil-borne pests and diseases, but it does not grow in a strictly sterilized vacuum environment and can still be harmed by pests and diseases in the display environment. Fungi, bacteria, and viruses in the air can still infect the stems and leaves of hydroponic flowers, causing lesions of varying degrees. Aphids and scale insects can drift indoors with the wind and land on hydroponic flowers to suck sap. Moths lay eggs on flowers, and the hatched larvae will also chew the tender leaves and stem tips of flowers. Flowers that are removed from pots, have their roots washed, and are converted to static hydroponics will likewise carry fungi, bacteria, viruses, eggs, larvae, etc. If not carefully checked and removed, hidden dangers will remain.

Because of the particularity of the display environment for static hydroponic flowers, once pests or diseases occur, it is not suitable to use chemical pesticides for insect control, nor should large doses of fungicides be used for sterilization. Although these drugs can play a role in killing insects and sterilizing, they also pollute the environment at the same time.

Prevention should be the main approach to possible pests and diseases in hydroponic flowers. When choosing flowers for hydroponics, select plants that are as robust, luxuriant, and pest-free as possible. If pests are found during cultivation, manual capture can be used, or they can be washed off with tap water. Infectious diseases in hydroponic flowers are not common. Only a few leaves may have brown lesions, shriveled necrosis, or irregular round wet lesions, which are formed by fungal or bacterial infection. Once found, the entire diseased leaf should be removed and burned so as not to let it spread. Prevention of non-infectious diseases.

Non-infectious diseases are not caused by pathogen infection; they are caused by unsuitable environments. Stuffily hot high-temperature weather in summer, cold winter, dry climate, scorching sun, poorly ventilated environment, excessive shade, too high nutrient solution concentration, or inability to absorb nutrients in a balanced way can all cause leaf tip scorching and yellowing and falling of lower leaves in static hydroponic flowers. When summer temperatures are too high, dissolved oxygen in the solution drops sharply, making root rot more likely, which is an even more common symptom of static hydroponics. For the above different symptoms, identify the corresponding causes, correct them, improve the cultivation environment, and avoid the occurrence of non-infectious diseases.

How should static hydroponic flowers with stem separation and root rot be maintained? Due to improper management, or root hypoxia and root rot, or infection by fungi, bacteria, and viruses, hydroponic flowers may develop leaf spot disease, with leaves turning yellow and falling in large numbers, causing the lower end to separate and lose ornamental value. For hydroponic flowers with stem separation and root rot, the method of plant renewal can be used: cut off the still intact upper branch 3 cm below the stem node, insert it in clean water, and after a period of maintenance and management, it can grow new roots and become an independent plant. As long as the branch with the separated lower end does not rot, new buds can also sprout at the stem node, at which point nutrient solution cultivation can be used instead. Lucky bamboo, pothos, rainbow bloodleaf, arrowhead plant, etc., can all use this method.

How many hydroponic flowers are appropriate to display

Growing hydroponic flowers indoors can play a role in regulating mood, beautifying the environment, and can also purify the air. Properly displaying a few plants is beneficial. If the room area is not large and too many flowers are placed, flowers and people will compete for oxygen at night. So how many flowers are appropriate to place indoors? According to scientists' experiments, it is considered appropriate to calculate by room area, with one or two kinds of flowers planted per 10 square meters. By this standard, for a room of 50 square meters to 60 square meters, displaying about 10 hydroponic flowers of various sizes can satisfy viewing without causing flowers and people to compete for oxygen at night.

How to choose hydroponic flower materials in winter

Hydroponic flowers are deeply loved by people for their cleanliness, beauty, and ease of care. When choosing hydroponic flower materials in winter, the following four "requirements" must be noted:

First, choose flower types suitable for hydroponics. If a type unsuitable for hydroponics is purchased for water cultivation, it will gradually die before long because the roots rot. Aquatic plants, wetland plants, and a group of relatively drought-intolerant terrestrial plants are all relatively suitable for hydroponics, such as umbrella plant, arrowhead plant, pothos, Philodendron, Tradescantia zebrina, lucky bamboo, etc.

Second, choose flower types with strong cold resistance. Although some flowers are very suitable for hydroponics, they need relatively high temperatures to overwinter and are difficult to overwinter safely in ordinary homes, being susceptible to cold damage. Flower materials with relatively strong cold resistance that can overwinter with slight cold protection include Monstera deliciosa, purple-leaf inch plant, aloe, spider plant, umbrella plant, Chamaedorea elegans, bamboo palm, etc.

Third, choose flower materials that have already adapted to hydroponic conditions. Some flower vendors take soil-cultivated flowers out of the soil, wash the soil off the roots, and immediately supply them to the flower market. Although such flower materials look normal in growth, they still need to go through an adaptation process before they can grow normally in a hydroponic environment, so careful identification is required when purchasing. Flower materials that have already adapted to hydroponic conditions will grow some white water roots at the roots or stem base.

Fourth, choose robust plants without pests or diseases. Plants with upright and vigorous branches and leaves and full, glossy leaves are helpful for showing the ornamental effect that flowers should have.

Advantages of hydroponics

1. Simple daily management

The hydroponic flowers of "Hydroponic Flower King" are very simple to manage in daily life. Apart from changing the nutrient solution once every 7-10 days during the vigorous growth period in spring and summer, and once every 15-20 days in autumn and winter, they do not need extra care. Usually, it is only necessary to spray water on the leaf surface in dry seasons or in air-conditioned environments; when there is dust on the leaf surface, wipe it with a clean cloth or paper towel dipped in water. It saves the trouble of fertilizing, changing soil, and watering daily, and is very suitable for the fast-paced lifestyle of modern society.

2. Clean and stylish

Because hydroponic flowers are completely separated from the soil cultivation environment and grow directly in a relatively sterile or low-bacteria nutrient solution environment, they will not, like soil-cultivated flowers, pollute our living environment with pests and pathogens parasitic in the soil, making our homes safer, cleaner, and more reassuring. Moreover, because they are separated from soil, we can use more and more beautiful vases, vessels, and materials for planting. We can not only appreciate the flowers and leaves but also appreciate the usually unseen process of root growth and their various beautiful forms. They are very neat and stylish.

3. Many applicable varieties, and the technology is easy to master and operate

Because the adaptation technology for plant roots from a soil environment to an aquatic environment has been overcome, "Hydroponic Flower King" does not need water roots cultivated through planting baskets, nor does it need early computer or electric field mutagenesis. Only very simple technical treatment is needed, and soil roots can quickly transform into water roots. Anyone can grow vigorous, lush hydroponic flowers. This greatly shortens the production cycle, saves production costs, gives products greater profit space, and increases the competitiveness of products in the market. At the same time, because production costs are relatively low, more people can enjoy the lifestyle trend brought by new technology, rapidly expanding market share. Because planting baskets are not used, hydroponic flowers become more beautiful and refined.
Because rainwater changes the nutrient solution concentration and pH value, hydroponic flowers are not suitable for open-air cultivation. Thus, some light-loving plants are relatively difficult to grow hydroponically indoors at home, but common shade-loving and semi-shade-loving flowers can basically all be successfully grown hydroponically. The number of tested varieties has currently reached nearly 400. If you have a sunlight or artificially regulated greenhouse, then in theory any plant can be hydroponically grown, only with different degrees of difficulty.

4. Green and environmentally friendly, can be co-cultivated with fish

The "Hydroponic Flower King" nutrient solution does not contain toxic ingredients, so fish and flowers can be co-cultivated for a long time without any side effects harmful to flowers or fish. The fish in our specialty store still grow well after long-term rearing, and some customers add the nutrient solution to aquariums to fertilize aquatic plants, with very good results. Practice has proven that it is safe and reliable. At the same time, because it contains special ingredients, mosquitoes are not easy to breed in the nutrient solution. Moreover, when you change the water, if you pour the discarded nutrient solution into the soil of your potted flowers at home, there will be even more unexpected surprises. Practice has proven that the "Hydroponic Flower King" nutrient solution is a truly green and environmentally friendly nutrient solution, and its effect is very obvious.

Selection of hydroponic flower types

The growth and development of flowers require suitable conditions of water, oxygen, nutrients, light, temperature, etc. The water serving as the hydroponic medium contains a certain amount of oxygen. As long as light and temperature are suitable and the nutrient elements needed for plant growth are replenished in time, flowers can grow normally in water.

Due to differences in ecological habits and tissue structure, different flowers have different requirements for oxygen content in water. Some flowers have ventilated tissue in their bodies, and the oxygen produced by these plants during photosynthesis can be sent through the ventilated tissue to the root system for respiration; some flowers have aerial roots at stem nodes, and these aerial roots can absorb oxygen needed by the plant from the air; some flowers, although lacking both ventilated tissue and aerial roots for absorbing oxygen, are very adapted to hydroponic conditions. However, if the oxygen content in the water cannot meet the needs of some flowers for normal growth and development, then such flowers are not suitable for hydroponics. Therefore, to succeed in hydroponics, it is necessary to choose flower types that can adapt to hydroponic conditions, and never cultivate blindly, so as not to cause hydroponic failure.

Flower types adapted to hydroponics

Araceae

Araceae flowers have great adaptability to water conditions. When propagated by water cuttings, most can root in a relatively short time and grow rapidly, quickly forming a plant shape with certain ornamental value; after soil-cultivated plants are washed with water, most of their root systems can adapt to the hydroponic environment. Araceae flowers adapted to hydroponics include pothos, Dieffenbachia, Dieffenbachia picta, Aglaonema silver queen, Aglaonema golden queen, Philodendron, mini Monstera deliciosa, Monstera deliciosa, Spathiphyllum, green emerald, Philodendron, Philodendron panduriforme, Philodendron imperial green, arrowhead plant, Alocasia, anthurium, emerald gem, etc.

Commelinaceae

Almost all flowers in the Commelinaceae family can adapt to hydroponics, such as: purple-leaved spiderwort, Rhoeo discolor, Lophatherum gracile, Tradescantia zebrina, etc., all of which can quickly take root and grow when propagated in water.

Liliaceae

The vast majority of flowers in the Liliaceae family can adapt to hydroponics, such as: aloe. Aloe arborescens, Haworthia fasciata, spider plant, Cordyline fruticosa, Dracaena, asparagus fern, snake plant, agave, golden-edged lucky bamboo, sea onion, silver-edged Rohdea japonica, silver-edged Ophiopogon, etc.

Crassulaceae

Flowers in the Crassulaceae family are also relatively well suited to hydroponic conditions, such as: Aeonium, Sedum, silver jade, jade plant, Bryophyllum, etc.

In addition, flowers that can adapt to hydroponics include Aucuba, Cyperus alternifolius, Coleus, purple velvet plant, blue pine, Begonia maculata, Begonia masoniana, green emerald, Clivia, Paphiopedilum, Codiaeum variegatum, silver ragwort, Senecio, Pereskia, triangle bamboo, Guzmania, Cryptanthus, Chloranthus, Trachelospermum, Euphorbia, Euphorbia tirucalli, variegated periwinkle, Excoecaria cochlechinensis, Senecio, English ivy, Hedera helix, Rhapis, Chamaedorea elegans, etc.

When selecting the types of hydroponic flowers, in addition to considering their ability to adapt to hydroponic conditions, the following factors should also be noted:

Although some flowers are very well suited to hydroponic conditions, they have relatively high requirements for overwintering temperatures. For example, some species of the Dieffenbachia genus and Codiaeum variegatum require overwintering temperatures above 15°C; pothos, Syngonium, golden-edged lucky bamboo, and Dracaena species also require overwintering temperatures above 10°C. For rooms that are heated in winter, this certainly poses no problem, but for most households, getting these flowers safely through the cold winter is still very difficult. Although some flowers will not cause the entire plant to die after overwintering, due to the effects of low-temperature freezing damage, the leaves of the plant will become wilted and listless, lose their proper luster, turn yellow, and the leaf tips or leaf margins will become scorched, or new scorch spots will appear on the leaves, and may even cause massive leaf drop or partial death of branches and leaves, thereby losing their ornamental value. Therefore, when there is no stable indoor heating, attention must be paid to selecting flower species with strong cold resistance. Flowers suitable for hydroponics in ordinary households include:

Flowers with strong cold resistance

Such as Rohdea japonica, Trachelospermum, Rhapis, agave, Aucuba, jade plant, sea onion, variegated Ophiopogon, etc., which can withstand low temperatures around 0°C.

Flowers with a certain degree of cold resistance

Such as Monstera deliciosa, purple-leaved spiderwort, Lophatherum gracile, aloe, spider plant, silver jade, Cyperus alternifolius, purple velvet plant, silver ragwort, Chloranthus, Euphorbia tirucalli, variegated periwinkle, Hedera helix, Chamaedorea elegans, etc., which can overwinter safely with slight protection during the winter.

Of course, some flowers such as Philodendron 'Red Emerald', Philodendron 'Green Emerald', Syngonium, pothos, Sansevieria, Codiaeum variegatum, etc., although it is relatively difficult for them to overwinter safely, they are easy to obtain, grow quickly, and have high ornamental value, so they can also be considered for purchase and cultivation in warm spring.

Shade tolerance

Because indoor lighting conditions are relatively poor, it is advisable to choose flower species that prefer semi-shade or tolerate semi-shade. At the same time, even shade-preferring or semi-shade-tolerant foliage plants have different requirements for light intensity. For example, Codiaeum variegatum, purple-leaved spiderwort, and Tradescantia zebrina need sufficient scattered light, but Spathiphyllum, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Aglaonema modestum, and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen' all have extremely strong shade tolerance. Because different rooms and different lighting conditions within a room vary, suitable flower species should be selected according to the lighting conditions of the placement location, to ensure normal growth and maintain good ornamental quality. When light is insufficient, it will cause the branches and leaves of the plant to grow leggy, the stems to become thin, the internodes to become longer, the leaves to become smaller, deformed, lose green color and lose their proper luster, and leaves with colored stripes to fade, and may even produce massive leaf drop, thereby seriously affecting the ornamental quality of the flowers.

Hydroponic spider plant technique

Spider plant, with fresh green leaf color and orchid-like leaf shape, fresh and elegant, is a common household foliage flower that people love. In addition, it has the unique effect of purifying indoor air, which is one of the important reasons people like to grow it indoors.

1. Container: The container bottle can be single-layer or double-layer. For a single-layer bottle, take a bottomless plastic bottle or bottomless ceramic bottle and plant the spider plant in it. For a double-layer bottle, take a plastic sieve as the upper layer and a bottomless bottle as the lower layer, plant the spider plant in the upper plastic sieve, and let the spider plant roots hang down into the bottle.

2. Taking seedlings: Remove the potted or field-grown spider plant from the pot or dig it up from the ground, remove the soil from the roots, wash the roots with clean water, cut off old roots and rotten roots, keep the fibrous roots, cut off some leaves (old leaves, diseased and pest-damaged leaves), keep healthy leaves, generally leaving 6 to 10 leaves.

3. Potting: For the single-layer bottle potting method, insert the prepared spider plant into the bottle, secure the bottle mouth with sponge and insert a plastic straw, which is used for water supply. Let the spider plant stand upright, fill the bottle with clean water and flower nutrient solution, and let the spider plant roots grow immersed in water. For the double-layer bottle cultivation method, plant the spider plant on the plastic sieve, with the roots passing through the small holes of the plastic sieve into the lower bottle. Place ceramic granules or gravel (large particles) in the sieve, let the spider plant stand upright, and fill the lower bottle with clean water and flower nutrient solution. After potting is complete, place the spider plant indoors or in a cool place for management.

4. Management:

① Water: For single-layer container bottle cultivation, add water and flower nutrient solution once every 4 days, inputting water through the straw until full. For double-layer bottles, change the water once a week. When changing water, pour out the bottle water, wash the container bottle clean, fill with clean water and flower nutrient solution, and place the plastic sieve on the water bottle.

② Fertilizer: Through adding water and changing water, flower nutrient solution is added at the same time. For foliar feeding, spray the branches and leaves with diluted flower nutrient solution once every 3 days.

③ Pest and disease control: If pests or diseases are found, spray the leaves with all-purpose powder mixed with water.

④ Promoting flowering: The spider plant blooms half a year after potting. When blooming, do not spray water on the flowers to prevent premature flower drop. After the flowers fade, cut them off from the branch tips to promote reblooming.

The outstanding choice for static hydroponics

Plants of the Araceae family have 105 genera and more than 2500 species, originating from tropical Asia, arising in forest waters or swamps. Through a long history of evolution, the vast majority have currently developed into terrestrial plants, with very few aquatic species.
Common excellent ornamental plants (genera) in the Araceae family include: Anthurium, Monstera, Scindapsus, Epipremnum, Zantedeschia, Dieffenbachia, Caladium, Philodendron, Spathiphyllum, Alocasia, etc. Although the plants of the above genera are all terrestrial, they have extremely close kinship with aquatic vascular plants: some are themselves hygrophilous species, some have aerial roots, some easily produce adventitious roots, and some easily develop aerenchyma in stressed environments.
For terrestrial plants in static hydroponics, root respiration is in a severely oxygen-deficient state. The prerequisite for success is correctly selecting the plant species, that is, it has close kinship with aquatic plants. Araceae plants have close kinship with aquatic plants, specifically manifested as:
One, Araceae plants evolved and developed centered on aquatic genetic genes. The new Engler system holds that the most primitive in the Araceae family is Acorus, and the most evolved is Pistia, both of which are aquatic plants.
Acorus is an aquatic or hygrophilous evergreen herb, the most primitive genus in the Araceae family, originating in the Old Tropics of the Late Cretaceous (about 100 million years ago), and first arose in aquatic environments. Pistia is almost distributed across the freshwater waters of all major continents of the Old and New Worlds, and is the most evolved monotypic genus in the Araceae family. It is a floating plant propagated by vegetative means, easy to migrate and spread, and with very strong reproductive capacity. In addition, the Araceae family also includes famous aquatic species such as Acorus gramineus, Calla palustris, and taro.
The evolved Pistia genus, as an aquatic plant, is not a simple repetition of the primitive Acorus genus, but a dialectical “negation of the negation”, a repetition on a higher basis. Although the vast majority of species in the Araceae family grow on land, they all come from aquatic ancestors, forming in appearance a “negation” of their aquatic ancestors. And finally transforming into the more advanced aquatic plant Pistia genus, this return is another “negation”, which is the dialectical law of “negation of the negation”. It shows that the opposing poles of aquatic and terrestrial reach unity in dialectical development. This is the unique philosophical reason why Araceae plants are the outstanding choice for static hydroponics.
Two, the Araceae family belongs to the Arales order, which has only two families. The other family in the same order is the aquatic Lemnaceae, which consists of floating or submerged herbaceous plants. This proves that the Araceae family and the aquatic Lemnaceae share a common aquatic ancestor, and there is an extremely close kinship between them.
From this it can be seen that Araceae plants evolved forward centered on aquatic genetic genes, following an approximately spiral curve.
Three, the relationship of the Arales order in the plant classification system: The Hutchinson system holds that the Arales order evolved from the Liliales, and a few aquatic types in the Liliales have a parallel development relationship with the hygrophilous Najadales. The Takhtajan system holds that the Arales order shares a common ancestor (primitive lily types) with the Arecales and Commelinales, and can be traced further back to the Magnoliales. The Cronquist system holds that the Arales order has close kinship with the Pandanales and Arecales, and shares a common ancestor with the Liliales. From the above classification systems, it can be inferred that the Arales order has kinship correlations with the Liliales, Arecales, etc., which contain aquatic plants.
In summary, Araceae plants evolved forward centered on aquatic genetic genes, share a common ancestor with the aquatic Lemnaceae, and have kinship correlations with the Liliales, Arecales, etc., which contain aquatic species. Therefore, containing aquatic genetic genes is the direct reason that makes Araceae plants the outstanding choice for static hydroponics.

Judging and handling root rot in hydroponics

During the hydroponic process, plants often suffer root rot due to management and other reasons. For example, excessively low temperatures, overly concentrated fertilizer, and diseases can all cause root rot, and root rot will deteriorate water quality and affect plant growth. To judge whether the roots are rotten: first, smell the roots with your nose; if there is a foul odor, it proves the roots have rotted; second, smell the water; if the water has a foul odor, it indicates the root system may also be rotting and deteriorating; third, observe the appearance of the root system; if the root system has turned yellow and discolored, it indicates the root system has been damaged. After the root system rots, gently pull at the root zone with your hand, and its epidermis will easily tear off, leaving only the lignified part.

After root rot appears, it should be cut off promptly. Generally, root rot gradually spreads upward from the root tip. After pruning, continue until normal roots are reached. After changing the water, pay attention to observation. If root rot continues to appear, handle it promptly.

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), etc., with slight preparation, they can become hydroponic carriers of various 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 delightful feeling of returning to nature.

One, Bottles and jars

1. Such as metal beverage cans, glass or plastic wide-mouth bottles, paper foil-coated square beverage boxes, etc., which were originally used to hold liquids. As long as the original contents are rinsed clean, they can be used as hydroponic carriers.

2. Planting cup: According to the size of the mouth of the selected container, choose a plastic cold drink cup of a size that fits just about 1/3 into the mouth, as the carrier for anchoring the plant. As shown in Figure 1, cut a “well”-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 (non-woven cloth) about 8×12 cm, used as clothing lining. Gently rinse off the soil from the plant seedlings to be hydroponically grown or purchased potted flowers 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 (scraps cut from shoulder pads for tops or sofa and seat cushions), or a small amount of rock wool or glass wool (used as insulation material, some yellow, some yellow with white) to thicken it, so that it can just fit into the plastic planting cup to anchor the plant. If none of the above items are available, floral foam, after appropriate cutting, can also be used 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 nutrient solution. It must be noted that the nutrient solution level should maintain a space distance of no less than 1 cm from the bottom of the planting cup. This is the key to the success or failure of hydroponics. By means of the capillary 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 between the liquid level and 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 light-blocking material to prevent direct sunlight from breeding algae, which would compete with the cultivated plants for nutrients. In summer, to prevent a large rise in liquid temperature caused by direct sunlight exposure, it is best to have sun-shading measures, or place it in a location not exposed to direct sunlight.

Two, Boxes and cases

1. Box body: Usually white hard foam boxes of the polystyrene type used for packaging and shock protection, or corrugated cardboard boxes or wooden boxes of a certain strength, etc., 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 inside of 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-transmissive, 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 of the same area as the box, about 2.5 cm thick, to serve as the top cover and planting board. Cut a certain number of planting holes of about 6 cm diameter in the board. As with bottles and jars, as long as the selected plastic cold drink cup can be placed in it while exposing about 1/2 of the cup height, it is fine. The number of planting holes depends on the size of the box. Generally 6 to 16 holes. In addition, on the side of the top cover, near the inner side of the box body, cut a small hole of 2 cm diameter, for peeking at the nutrient solution level and adding nutrient solution in normal times.

3. Planting cup: Material selection and preparation are the same as for bottles and jars.

4. Floating board: Take a polystyrene foam board 2.5 to 3 cm smaller on all four sides than the net area inside the box, and 2.5 to 3 cm thick, as the floating board. Regularly cut some small holes of 1 to 2 cm diameter on it, to increase the air content of the floating board and facilitate the root system extending into the nutrient solution. Lay a thin layer of rock wool (about 1 cm dry thickness) on the floating board, or glass wool of the same thickness, or 25 to 50 g/sq m non-woven fabric, for capillary absorption of the nutrient solution. If these things truly cannot be obtained, medical sterile absorbent gauze can also be used as a substitute. The area of the capillary-absorbing 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), immersing into the nutrient solution to absorb it, thereby ensuring that a moist layer with nutrient solution forms on the floating board. The plant's root system can extend freely on the floating board, coming into direct contact with air more. Another part of the root system can still extend through the four edges of the floating board, or through the small holes on 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 cultivation box. When just planted, the liquid level should be slightly higher, controlled so that the floating board just touches the non-woven fabric root roll extending from the planting cup, so that the nutrient solution can be absorbed upward. The highest liquid level must leave a certain space in the cultivation box. When the nutrient solution decreases to 3 to 5 cm due to plant absorption and transpiration, nutrient solution should be added until the liquid depth is about 10 cm.

(2) When the nutrients in the nutrient solution change greatly, or there is precipitation, turbidity, foul odor, or pathogen infection, the nutrient solution should be renewed as appropriate, until completely renewed.

The requirements of hydroponic flowers for a moist environment and good ventilation

The places of origin of foliage flowers are mostly warm and humid environments. Static hydroponics also needs to create a relatively humid environment to allow them to grow well. The simple method is to spray the flower leaves with water (to prevent the sprayed water mist from wetting furniture, you can move them to a balcony or outdoors for the operation, and after spraying move the flowers back indoors for display). When spraying, it is best to use a fine-nozzle spray head, so that the sprayed mist droplets adhere to the leaf surface and do not flow down. For relatively firm flower leaves with a waxy film, such as Monstera deliciosa and Clivia, you can wipe the leaf surface with a wet towel, which can both increase the humidity of the leaf surface and remove dust from the leaf surface. For those relatively large flowers that are difficult to move, you can place a shallow dish or basin of clean water beside the flowers, and the evaporated water can likewise increase environmental humidity.

There must be a good ventilation environment. This is an important condition for the normal growth of flowers. Static hydroponic flowers placed indoors, if doors and windows are tightly closed and the air is turbid, are unfavorable for their growth. Especially when people go to work during the day and leave home, the room does not open doors and windows, and some even draw the curtains. In such a harsh environment, hydroponic flowers can neither get the needed light, nor have fresh air, and the dissolved oxygen continuously decreases, so the growth will become worse and worse, producing phenomena such as yellowing and falling leaves and thin, shriveled new shoots. The place where hydroponic flowers are placed should open doors and windows at regular times to form air convection, letting outside fresh air enter the room, which can increase the dissolved oxygen content in the nutrient solution.

Rooms with air conditioning can of course achieve the temperature required by hydroponic flowers, but the air in the room is dry, which can cause scorched edges and dry and withered leaf tips in flowers with relatively thin leaves. Air-conditioned rooms likewise lack fresh air, reducing the dissolved oxygen content. Ventilation should be done in a timely manner, which is beneficial to the growth of hydroponic flowers and to human health. Places with large hydroponic flowers on display especially need to do this work well.

The light required by hydroponic flowers

Static hydroponics mostly uses relatively shade-tolerant, shade-preferring foliage flowers and a small number of flowering flowers. The characteristic of such flowers is that they do not need strong direct light during the growth period, and some flower varieties grow well in relatively shady environments. Generally placed indoors, in living rooms, or offices, as long as there is scattered light coming through doors and windows and indoor lighting, their light needs can be fully met. If the light is too weak, the flower leaves cannot carry out normal photosynthesis and cannot accumulate enough nutrients, resulting in poor growth. Some colored-leaf flowers, such as Coleus and Codiaeum variegatum, will lose the color of the leaf surface in a relatively weak-light environment, becoming dull and lusterless. Such flowers can only maintain their leaf color and luster in an environment with relatively sufficient light that is not exposed to strong direct light.

Plant growth has phototropism. The orientation of placed flowers should be rotated at regular times. This work can be combined with cleaning the utensils and changing the nutrient solution. Rotate the flowers, after root cleaning, 180 degrees relative to their original orientation for cultivation, which will prevent the flowers from growing leaning to one side, with the top shoots always standing upright and upward.

How hydroponic flowers overwinter safely

How hydroponic flowers overwinter

Generally, flowers go dormant below 5-8°C, and tissues will undergo necrosis below 0°C. Therefore, if the indoor temperature is above 5°C, hydroponic flowers can generally overwinter safely; in the south, indoor temperatures in winter 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; and in the north, because most indoors have heating, it can also meet the safe overwintering needs of hydroponic flowers.

Why hydroponic flowers need water changes

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

Hydroponic method for cyclamen

Growing cyclamen in water only began to appear in Europe in the last year or two. Because this cultivation method frees cyclamen from traditional flower pots and substrate, it is both clean and beautiful, and can give blooming cyclamen plants multiple cultivation and application forms. As soon as it appeared on the market, it won enthusiastic welcome from consumers. In fact, hydroponic cyclamen is not difficult. First, you need to select a satisfactory cyclamen potted flower and prepare a container for hydroponically growing cyclamen. With the preparation work complete, you can begin making hydroponic cyclamen. For hydroponic cyclamen, the purchased cyclamen potted flower should be turned out of the pot together with the substrate (potting soil), placed under a faucet and rinsed clean with a relatively gentle water flow. You can also place the plant together with the substrate in a basin of water, rinse off the substrate in the water, and then wash it clean with tap water. Note that throughout the entire process of removing the substrate, the movements must be gentle, and try to avoid damaging the cyclamen root system. The rinsed-clean cyclamen plant can then be placed in the pre-prepared hydroponic container, add water, 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 cultivating cyclamen. The nutrients in the cyclamen tuber can allow the cyclamen plant to maintain 4-6 weeks of normal growth and flowering. At the same time, the water surface height should be kept below the tuber. Generally, according to the evaporation of water, add water to the container 1-2 times a week to maintain the water surface height.

In fact, in hydroponic cyclamen, the cyclamen plant is only one factor. To make hydroponic cyclamen distinctive in features and outstanding in personality, it also depends on the choice of hydroponic vessels and the combination method of the cyclamen plants. This all depends on the maker's unique perspective and flexible creativity.

Exposed-root hydroponic method for Hoya

Hoya has always been soil-cultivated. Now, through exposed-root hydroponic experiments, it has the following characteristics; ① labor-saving; 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 exposed-root hydroponic method is:

(One) Seedling treatment: Dig up the soil-cultivated Hoya, wash it clean with clean water, cut off dead leaves and diseased and pest-damaged leaves, and soak it in diluted flower nutrient solution for half a day.

(Two) Potting: Take a glass bottle or vase (without a bottom hole), place a few beautiful river stones at the bottom of the bottle, move the treated Hoya seedling onto the river stones in the vase, spread out the root system, add clean water, add flower nutrient solution, and place it indoors or in a cool place.

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

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

There is a big difference between flower hydroponics and water culture

In recent years, some water-cultured and hydroponic flowers have been favored by people because they are fresh and environmentally friendly, elegant in style, easy to maintain, and easy to combine. On the surface, the cultivation forms of water-cultured and hydroponic flowers are the same, that is, liquid maintenance, so many people conflate the two. In fact, they are clearly different.

Flowers used for water culture generally have enlarged bulbs, which store abundant nutrients. Their growth and flowering mainly rely on the nutrients stored in themselves. During cultivation, it is only necessary to soak the root system in clean water and fix it, with no need to supply nutrients. The main flowers suitable for water culture are narcissus, tulip, hyacinth, lucky bamboo, etc. To make water-cultured flowers grow luxuriantly and bloom brilliantly, the key is to select 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 to 3 days (lucky bamboo once every 7 to 10 days), to maintain sufficient oxygen content in the water and improve root activity; third is to maintain sufficient sunlight to make them grow robustly.

Hydroponic flowers, on the other hand, fix the plant roots on the cover board or floating board of the flower pot, and soak the root system in water, while the water must be equipped with reasonable inorganic nutrients. Therefore, flower hydroponics is also called nutrient solution cultivation. The habits and internal structure of flowers suitable for hydroponics are all suited to normal growth in water. The main varieties currently cultivated include Clivia, spider plant, Christmas cactus, Brazil wood, Rohdea japonica, clustered Xanthosoma, Monstera deliciosa, jade plant, Tradescantia zebrina, Bryophyllum, etc.

Northeastern University in China, using bioengineering mutation technology, after 8 years of effort, has developed 9 series and more than 500 kinds of hydroponic flowers, including both herbaceous flowers and woody flowers; both cactus and succulent plants, and flowering flowers such as Clivia and Phalaenopsis. With technological progress, some high-grade flowers introduced from abroad in recent years, such as bromeliads, Anthurium, and Hippeastrum, have also successfully achieved hydroponics. Some flowers with Chinese characteristics, such as Ludisia, have also achieved hydroponic domestication.

For truly well-mutated hydroponic flower plants, the traits of their root system have already changed. The root hairs have degenerated, and most are vertically growing taproots, unlike the roots and root hairs of water-cultured plants, which are distributed in a net-like pattern. After aquatic mutation, the plant's aquatic root genes are expressed, so the leaves of truly aquatic flower plants will become larger and thicker, and the leaves and branches will be 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, acids, or alkalis. 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 note to control the pH value between 5.5 and 6.5. The replaced nutrient solution can be used as fertilizer for other crops.

Brief introduction to flower hydroponic techniques

Flower hydroponics is a common type of soilless cultivation. There are many methods, and several commonly used ones are briefly described below.

Deep flow technique: characterized by the plant root system 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. On this basis, further improvements were made: the plastic bag was changed to a 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 plastic film is white outside and black inside, wrapping the plant to form an internal dark space.

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

Glass bottle hydroponic technique: For the aqueous solution, a glass canning jar can be used. Wrap the surroundings of the bottle with black plastic film, or coat it fully with black paint, or paste a layer of black paper, to the extent that the inside of the bottle is not light-transmissive. Shading is beneficial to root growth and avoids algae breeding. In summer, wrap a layer of white paper around the outside of 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, not too full, and leave a gap for the plant to breathe oxygen. If it is water propagation to promote rooting, then there is no need to use nutrient solution; just add water. After roots grow, then change to nutrient solution. Specific operation process:

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

Ventilation: Open the bottle cap for a moment every morning and evening, letting the root system be fully exposed to the air. After a period of adaptation, ventilation can be omitted for more than 1 month continuously.

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

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

Formula 1: (pH value 6-6.5)

Potassium dihydrogen 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 value 6-6.5)

Calcium nitrate 1.64 g/L; magnesium sulfate 0.98 g/L; potassium nitrate 1.01 g/L; trace elements 2 mL; potassium dihydrogen 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.

Multiple hydroponic methods for flowers

① Water cutting method: This is the simplest and easiest method to succeed. Cut off part of the stem or branch from the selected mother flower plant, insert it into water, and under suitable conditions it will take root, sprout, and grow into a new plant. When cutting branches, cut 3-5 mm below the node, and the cut surface should be flat, with no longitudinal cracks. When cutting branches with aerial roots, protect the aerial roots well and insert them into water. Pothos, lucky bamboo, etc. are all suitable for this hydroponic method.

② Root washing method: Select flowers with ornamental value, robust growth, and already formed through soil cultivation (or other substrate cultivation), remove the soil, wash the root system, and then change to hydroponics. When washing the roots, it is best to use running water. Plant the washed flowers in a prepared vessel, and pour in tap water that covers 2/3-1/2 of the root system. Initially, change the clean water once a day, and at the same time wash the roots and the vessel. After a week, reduce the frequency of water changes. When the cultivated flowers grow new roots in the water, it indicates they have adapted to the hydroponic environment, and you can change the water once every 7-10 days, or even longer.

③Tiller stripping method: Suitable for flowers with strong tillering ability, such as Clivia and bromeliads. The method is simple and the survival rate is high. Select a relatively large tiller, remove the upper soil to expose the part connected to the mother plant, strip the tiller from the mother plant by hand or with a sharp blade (protecting the tiller's roots), wash off the soil attached to the roots, and cultivate it hydroponically.

④ Method of taking small plantlets from stolons: Some flowers grow stolons during growth, and the stolons bear one to many small plantlets, most of which have a small amount of fully developed roots. Spider plants and Guzmania both have this characteristic. Using this characteristic of the flowers, taking formed small plantlets for hydroponics is very simple and convenient.

For hydroponic flowers, it is advisable to choose Monstera deliciosa, Clivia, pothos, Tillandsia, Aglaonema modestum, Rhoeo discolor, lucky bamboo, spider plant, and bulbous flowers such as tulip, lily, hyacinth, Hippeastrum, and gladiolus, etc.

Guide to overcoming difficulties in summer care of hydroponic flowers

One, Where are the difficulties in getting hydroponic flowers through the summer?

Answer: Hydroponic flowers use non-solid media (water or water with an appropriate amount of plant nutrient solution added) to cultivate ornamental plants. At present, household hydroponic flowers are mostly static water cultivation, with dissolved oxygen below 1 mg/L, and the flowers barely maintain life in an oxygen-deficient vessel. As summer temperatures rise, plant physiological metabolism becomes vigorous, microorganisms multiply in large numbers, oxygen consumption increases sharply, dissolved oxygen continuously decreases, and water quality deteriorates, forming many unfavorable factors for the growth of hydroponic flowers, which may cause root rot, wilted branches and leaves, and even cause the entire flower to die. Therefore, in summer, in addition to preventing extreme heat and high temperatures, increasing the oxygen content of the nutrient solution is the key to ensuring that hydroponic flowers safely pass the summer.

Water-grown silver-edged grass

Two, How can the dissolved oxygen content of the nutrient solution be increased?

Answer: There are many ways to increase dissolved oxygen, summarized into two categories: chemical methods and physical methods. The following introduces several methods that are easy to operate and effective.

1. Increase the frequency of replacing the nutrient solution

Replacing the nutrient solution is the simplest way to increase dissolved oxygen. According to measurements, the dissolved oxygen content of fresh nutrient solution increases by 70%-90% compared with the original solution, and can promptly improve the physiological oxygen deficiency of the flowers.

For flowers that have already grown water roots, it is advisable to change the nutrient solution once every 3-5 days, and no more than 7 days. When replacing the nutrient solution, note that the temperature difference between the new solution and the original solution should not be too large; too large a temperature difference may cause physiological disorder in the flower root system.

When changing the solution, patiently rinse the root system with clean water, remove withered and rotten roots, and cut the aged roots shorter to promote new roots.

If the nutrient solution suddenly becomes turbid, or mosquito egg masses or mosquito larvae breed in it, new nutrient solution should be replaced immediately.

2. Vibration oxygenation

For hydroponic flowers in relatively small vessels, as long as the root system is clear and undamaged and the nutrient solution is transparent, the vibration method can be used to increase oxygen. The operation method is to fix the flower with one hand and hold the vessel with the other hand, gently shaking more than 10 times. After shaking, the dissolved oxygen content of the nutrient solution can increase by more than 30%.

Hydroponic flowers with cloudy nutrient solution and poorly developed root systems are not suitable for the vibration aeration method; the nutrient solution must be completely replaced.

3. Use an automatic water changer for hydroponic flowers

Measurements show that the dissolved oxygen content in flowing water can reach 8-12 mg/l, while in still water it is only 1 mg/l. The automatic water changer for hydroponic flowers was designed and made according to this principle. The entire frame is a flower cultivation container, with a micro circulation pump installed inside. The outlet end of the pump is connected to a set pipe; during operation, the nutrient solution circulates through the pipe, increasing dissolved oxygen for the flowers to absorb. After the pump stops working, a certain liquid level is maintained around the roots. Cultivating with an automatic water changer is undoubtedly like letting hydroponic flowers soak in an "oxygen bar," and their growth is noticeably better than with static hydroponics.

The automatic water changer for hydroponic flowers should generally be cleaned and the liquid changed once every 30-35 days.

4. Aerate the container

If, while growing hydroponic flowers, there is also a tank of ornamental fish nearby, you can use the spare air outlet tube of the fish tank air pump, connect a rubber tube, and put the air stone into the static hydroponic flower container to aerate it (the airflow should not be too strong, to avoid splashing the nutrient solution out). Using the flow of air to increase oxygen also works quite well.

III. What position is suitable for placing hydroponic flowers in summer?

Answer: Most of the flower materials selected for hydroponic flowers are shade-tolerant foliage flowers and flowers grown for both their flowers and leaves, such as Syngonium podosum, Aglaonema commutatum, Spathiphyllum, Anthurium, and Bromeliaceae. These flowers prefer warmth and humidity, tolerate slight shade, and dislike high temperature and dry heat. "Hydroponics" only changes the cultivation form; it cannot change their growth habits or required environmental factors. In summer, it is best to place hydroponic flowers in a bright, slightly humid, cooler environment with good ventilation. Avoid direct sunlight, but do not place them in overly shaded conditions either, lest photosynthesis be blocked, growth weaken, stem nodes elongate, and leaves become thinner. This can cause variegated and patterned flower leaves to lose their luster.

IV. Can hydroponic flowers be placed in an air-conditioned room?

Answer: Yes. However, hydroponic flowers should not be placed directly facing the air outlet of the air conditioner. Too fast airflow can damage the branches and leaves, causing curled leaves in mild cases and scorched edges and withering in severe cases. It is also necessary to consider that flowers require higher temperatures during the day than at night. If the air conditioner is turned off at night and the ambient temperature is higher than the daytime temperature when the air conditioner is on, this is unfavorable for the growth of hydroponic flowers.

When the air conditioner is on, place a basin of clear water beside the flowers or spray the leaf surfaces to increase ambient humidity. If the flowers are placed farther from the air conditioner outlet and the day-night temperature difference is not large, there is no problem.

V. What should be done if hydroponic flowers develop root rot?

Answer: As the temperature continues to rise, the water temperature also rises, microbial growth accelerates, dissolved oxygen decreases, and water quality deteriorates. Improperly adding nutrient solution can make the dissolved concentration too high, and both can cause root rot in hydroponic flowers, especially in Cordyline fruticosa of the Liliaceae family, Cordyline stricta (fine-leaved dracaena), and Cordyline fruticosa 'Tricolor'.

The following methods can restore the growth of flowers with root rot:

① Remove all rotted roots completely. If the stem has already been infected, use a sharp knife to cut off the infected parts as well.

② Soak the pruned flowers in a 0.5% potassium permanganate solution for 10-20 minutes to sterilize them.

③ Take out the soaked flowers and rinse them under running water.

④ Place the cleaned flowers back into the original container and grow them in clear water (the container should be washed clean).

⑤ Change the water once every 1-2 days, using only clear water without adding nutrient solution. If the water quality is clear, the frequency of water changes can be reduced. After 10-15 days of care, new roots may sprout.

⑥ When new roots first sprout, continue growing them in clear water. Once the temperature stabilizes at 18-25°C, cultivate them with nutrient solution.

VI. What should be done if algae grow in the nutrient solution?

Answer: Algae growth in the nutrient solution is a common phenomenon during the cultivation of hydroponic flowers. Especially in summer, high temperatures, good container transparency, a bright environment, or leaving the nutrient solution unchanged for too long can all trigger massive algae growth. Algae compete with flowers for oxygen, and their secretions pollute the solution, lowering the quality of the nutrient solution. Algae attached to the flower roots hinder root respiration and interfere with the normal physiological activities of the flowers, causing great harm.

Once algae grow in the nutrient solution, decisively pour out the contaminated solution, thoroughly clean the container, brush off the algae attached to the roots, and replace it with new nutrient solution.

At present, scientists in our country are researching a kind of "algae-eating insect" that can filter-feed on algae, called a natural "nemesis" of algae damage. Once the experiment succeeds and it is promoted for use, adding a small amount of "algae-eating insects" to the nutrient solution of hydroponic flowers can prevent algae growth.

Algae reproduction depends on relatively good light. Using a baffle or old newspaper to shade the hydroponic flower container and avoid direct strong light will relatively reduce the chances of algae growth.

VII. What fertilizer should be used for hydroponic flowers? How should fertilizer be applied in summer?

Answer: Hydroponic flowers are a special cultivation form and a cultivation method of soilless culture. The flower roots are anchored in water (or a dedicated plant nutrient solution), so it is also called nutrient solution culture.

Hydroponic flowers should be cultivated with plant nutrient solution matched to them. However, different flowers require different nutrient elements at different growth stages. If five or six, or even a dozen, bottles of hydroponic flowers of different varieties are grown at the same time, it is unrealistic to buy a matching bottle of plant nutrient solution for each flower. For simplicity, a general-purpose plant nutrient solution can be chosen.

General-purpose plant nutrient solutions generally contain all the nutrient elements necessary for flower growth (including macroelements and microelements), with a balanced ratio of various elements. The inorganic salts are in ionic form, and the application range is wide, suitable for the nutrient needs of different flower varieties at different growth stages. They are non-toxic and harmless, and the pH value and ion concentration are conducive to nutrient absorption.

There are many types of plant nutrient solutions sold on the market, with varying quality. It is best to go to a specialty hydroponic flower shop and choose products from manufacturers with a good reputation.

Whether to use nutrient solution culture or only clear water culture in summer is a matter of differing views. According to the author's experience, for flowers that are relatively tolerant of high temperatures and grow vigorously, use nutrient solution culture; for flowers with fine roots that are in a semi-dormant or dormant state at around 30°C, use only clear water culture. For example, Spathiphyllum, Epipremnum aureum, mini Monstera, red ruby, and Philodendron are suitable for nutrient solution culture to maintain their growth advantage and enhance ornamental quality. For flowers such as Coleus, Begonia maculata, and Bromeliaceae, a bottle of clear water is enough for them to pass the summer safely.

When mixing nutrient solution, strictly follow the proportions indicated in the instructions, and do not arbitrarily increase the concentration. This is because the root tissue structure of flowers sprouting under hydroponic conditions has changed, becoming looser and with larger cells than under soil cultivation. The cell walls become thinner, and they directly absorb water, nutrients, and oxygen from the nutrient solution, making them extremely sensitive to the concentration of the nutrient solution. Too high a concentration is harmful to flowers. As long as the concentration of macroelements is not lower than the level of micromoles per liter, a lower concentration is beneficial to flower growth.

In summer, it is advisable to replace the nutrient solution once every 5 days.

VIII. Can soil-cultivated flowers be converted to hydroponic flowers in summer?

Answer: Converting soil-cultivated flowers to hydroponic flowers is most suitable in spring and autumn, when the temperature is around 15-25°C, which is suitable for flower growth and makes it easy for them to adapt to the changed cultivation environment. To change the cultivation form of flowers in summer, the following factors should be considered: ① Choose varieties that are more closely related to wetland flowers. ② Choose flowers that still grow normally and develop soundly at around 30°C. Experiments have shown that Syngonium podosum, mini Monstera, Philodendron erubescens, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Epipremnum aureum, and some Bromeliaceae flowers have a relatively high survival rate when converted from soil cultivation to hydroponics in summer. They adapt quickly to the hydroponic environment, their roots rarely rot, and after 15-20 days of cultivation, not only do lateral roots grow from old roots, but water roots can also sprout from the root stem ends.

When converting from soil cultivation to hydroponics, the soil around the flower roots must be cleaned off thoroughly. Rinse repeatedly to protect the roots from damage or minimize it. Use a larger-capacity container for cultivation, change the water once a day, and after five days, change the water once every 2-3 days. When the water roots grow to 5 cm long, cultivate with a low-concentration plant nutrient solution.

Hydroponic method for lucky bamboo

Liliaceae, Dracaena genus, also known as Wanshouzhu, native to Brazil and western Africa.

Characteristics

Evergreen shrub. The plant form is slender and upright, without branching. Leaves are long lanceolate, dark green, with sheath-like petioles. Common types include golden-edged lucky bamboo, whose leaves have yellow longitudinal stripes. Silver-edged lucky bamboo, also known as edged bamboo banana, is a smaller plant with silver-white longitudinal stripes along the leaf edges.

Habits

Prefers high temperature and high humidity. The overwintering temperature should be kept above 10°C. Avoid direct sunlight in summer, otherwise it will scorch the leaves.

Key points for hydroponic care

1: When the air is too dry, the leaves will scorch. During the growing period, water should be sprayed on the leaf surfaces frequently.

2: Suitable with sufficient scattered light. When light is insufficient, the color of striped varieties will fade.

Hydroponic method for Anthurium

Araceae, Anthurium genus, also known as Anzu flower and lampstand flower.

Characteristics

Perennial evergreen herb. Internodes are short, and leaves grow from the base of the plant. Leaves are round-cordate or ovate, dark green. Flower stalks grow from the leaf axils. The spathe is upright and spreading, waxy, glossy, orange-red or scarlet, with a yellow spadix extending straight.

Habits

Prefers high temperature, high humidity, and a semi-shaded environment. Avoid direct sunlight. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C, and overwintering should be above 10°C.

Propagation

Division, tissue culture.

Key points for hydroponic care

1: Not cold-tolerant; in winter, heating and warmth must be provided.

2: Prefers relatively high air humidity and a semi-shaded environment.

Methods for obtaining hydroponic materials

Use the potted root-washing method.

Hydroponic method for rhododendron

The characteristic of soilless culture is replacing soil with artificially made substrate. The Hunan Provincial Forestry Research Institute used solid substrate for soilless cultivation of rhododendron and obtained very satisfactory results. The variety was summer azalea. Under soilless cultivation, the crown structure was compact, the number of flowers was greater, the flower diameter was larger, and there were fewer pests and diseases. It not only improved flower quality but also greatly reduced heavy physical labor, making it a cultivation method worth vigorously promoting.

1. Preparation of substrate

Rhododendron roots are very fine and require a loose substrate to facilitate air permeability and drainage. Use 1 part vermiculite, 1 part perlite, 1 part river sand, and 1 part coal cinder mixed in proportion. After mixing, sterilize the substrate with 0.1% carbendazim solution, stir it evenly into the substrate, and cover with plastic film for 1 day. Then rinse it multiple times with clear water. After drying, mix evenly with 0.4% agricultural compound fertilizer solution, cover again with plastic film for one month, and then it can be used for potting.

2. Preparation of nutrient solution

Rhododendron has relatively strict fertilizer requirements. During the growing period, apply thin fertilizer frequently. According to experiments, using agricultural compound fertilizer as the main component, supplemented with trace elements, controlling the pH value at around 5, and spraying low-concentration foliar fertilizer can achieve good results.

Preparation of macroelements: Add 2 g agricultural compound fertilizer and 0.5 g magnesium sulfate to 1 liter of water as the standard solution.

Preparation of trace elements: Add 20 g disodium edetate, 15 g ferrous sulfate, 4 g manganese sulfate, 6 g boric acid, 0.2 g zinc sulfate, 0.1 g copper sulfate, and 0.2 g ammonium molybdate to 1 liter of water as the mother solution. When using, add 1 ml of trace element mother solution to 1 liter of standard solution to make the full-strength element solution. Preparation of foliar fertilizer: Add 1 g urea, 1 g monopotassium phosphate, 0.02 g boric acid, and 0.1 g V.B1 to 1 liter of water.

3. Water and fertilizer management

Because the substrate has good drainage and air permeability but poor water retention, the watering amount is generally greater than with soil cultivation, as long as the substrate is kept moist. At this time, it is exactly the period of flower bud formation and leaf bud sprouting, so the fertilizer requirement is relatively large; water with full-strength nutrient solution about once every 10 days. From March until the flower buds open, spray foliar fertilizer about once every 15 days. After flowering, the water requirement is large; in addition to daily watering, spray water on the leaves in the evening. At this time, the fertilizer requirement is also large, so it can be changed to watering with nutrient solution once a week and spraying foliar fertilizer once, to promote strong new branches and benefit flower bud differentiation. After the dog days begin, pay attention to keeping the substrate moist and spray water on the leaves; the fertilization amount can be reduced to watering with nutrient solution about once every 20 days. After the weather cools in autumn, the fertilizer amount can be gradually increased, applying full-strength nutrient solution about once every half month and spraying foliar fertilizer 1-2 times, to promote healthy and robust flower bud growth. After winter begins, the physiological activity of rhododendron is weak, so fertilization is not suitable; simply water appropriately according to the dryness and wetness of the substrate. During the cultivation process, basically no pests or diseases occurred.

Hydroponic method for broadleaf lady palm

Palmae, Rhapis genus, also known as Guanyin bamboo. Native to Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan, and other places.

Characteristics

Evergreen clumping shrub. Stems are cylindrical, unbranched, with nodes like bamboo, covered with brown coarse fibrous leaf sheaths like palm fiber. Leaves are clustered at the top of the stems, leathery, dark green and glossy, palmately deeply lobed, with 4-10 lobes. Dioecious.

Habits

Prefers warm, shady, humid, and well-ventilated environments. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. In winter it should be kept above 4°C, and it can tolerate short-term low temperatures of around 0°C.

Propagation

Generally carried out by division combined with repotting. Choose large, dense clumps. First take the plant out of the pot, then use a sharp knife to divide the clump into several clumps. When dividing, try to cut as few roots as possible, and keep the divided plants with a certain plant shape. Then repot them, water thoroughly, place them in a semi-shaded, humid place, and spray water on the leaves frequently. After they resume growth, they can be transferred to normal care.

Sowing is done in autumn after the seeds mature, sowing them in pots immediately after collection. Move them into a greenhouse in winter, and they will emerge in the second spring.

Key points for hydroponic care

1: Shade-tolerant, but when light is too weak it easily produces yellow leaves, and when ventilation is poor it breeds parasites.

2: During the growing period, water should be sprayed on the leaf surfaces frequently.

Methods for obtaining hydroponic materials

Pot cultivation and root washing are suitable. The root system of broadleaf lady palm is relatively hard in texture and not easy to rot after hydroponics, but new roots sprout slowly, requiring one and a half months.

Hydroponic method for purple velvet plant

Native to Indonesia, Asteraceae, Gynura genus, also called purple velvet gynura, etc.

Characteristics

Purple velvet plant is a perennial herb or subshrub, with thick and multi-branched stems. Leaves are opposite, long ovate. The leaf margins have relatively coarse double serrations. It is named for the purple-red fine hairs densely covering the stems and leaves like velvet. Purple velvet plant has bright, beautiful, and elegant coloration, making it an excellent flower type for indoor cultivation.

Habits

Purple velvet plant likes sufficient sunlight, but during high temperatures in summer and autumn, it should be placed in a semi-shaded environment. Direct sunlight will cause sunscald and scorched leaves, but when too shaded, the plant will fade and turn green. The overwintering temperature should be kept above 10°C.

Propagation

Purple velvet plant is propagated by cuttings. During growth, select thick and strong branches, cut 10 cm long shoot tips as cuttings, and place them in a shaded, humid place after cutting; they can root in 2-3 weeks. After the cuttings grow, pinch them promptly to promote lateral branch sprouting.

Key points for hydroponic care

1: Branches can be cut and inserted into water, and water roots can grow in more than 10 days. However, roots easily rot during high summer temperatures.

2: Purple velvet plant grows rapidly. When the branches reach an appropriate height, pinch them promptly to promote new shoot sprouting.

Hydroponic method for parlour palm

Palmae, Chamaedorea genus, also known as dwarf coconut, etc., native to Mexico and Venezuela.

Characteristics

Evergreen small tree, with a short plant. Stems are slender and upright, unbranched, dark green, with irregular ring patterns. Leaves are clustered at the top of the stems, pinnately compound, with 20-40 leaflets, sickle-shaped, dark green, and glossy.

Habits

Prefers warm, humid, and semi-shaded environments. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. At 13°C it enters dormancy, and the minimum overwintering temperature in winter is 3°C.

Key points for hydroponic care

1: Avoid direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will turn withered and yellow, but when too shaded, the leaf color will also fade.

2: Parlour palm is most beautiful at a plant height of 30-50 cm. When the plant is too tall, the lower part becomes bare and reduces ornamental value. When cultivating, small plants can be grown below.

Obtaining hydroponic materials

Use the potted root-washing method. After washing with water, new roots can grow in a few days.

Hydroponic method for cactus

We know that cactus is favored for its unique drought tolerance and beautiful appearance, but because cactus uses traditional cultivation methods, it has problems such as being dirty and difficult to manage. More people kill their beloved plants because they cannot manage fertilizer and water well. Now cactus cultivation has entered a new stage: hydroponics.

1: Selecting the mother plant

First, choose a cactus with a robust body. The key is to choose a plant whose lower root-stem part protrudes downward. Cactus cultivated by grafting on three-ribbed sword is easier to hydroponically grow.

2: Treatment

After selecting the mother plant, completely cut off the original dead roots below the body, requiring a flat cut. Then rinse off the soil attached to the root-stem part with clear water, and dry it in a dry place for 3 days so that the cut is completely dry.

3: Hydroponics

Prepare a glass bottle of suitable size, or process a mineral water bottle. Fix the selected and treated cactus at the bottle mouth with floral foam or foam, then add nutrient solution below, with the nutrient solution height exactly touching the root-stem part. In production, we recommend making a glass water tank 60-100 cm long and 20 cm wide (transparent containers make it easy to observe the contact surface between the liquid level and the root-stem part), preparing children's foam puzzle boards or white construction foam boards, and using a sharp knife to cut several small triangular holes in the board (for fixing golden barrel cactus, you can cut off the mouth of a discarded purified water bottle and use it upside down; note: cut off the bottle mouth so that the roots of the golden barrel cactus can be exposed from the cut bottle mouth, then place it in a flat body containing nutrient solution). Insert the three-ribbed sword into the triangular holes, and at this time all the roots of the three-ribbed sword just touch the liquid surface.

4. Post-hydroponic treatment

Buy two magnets with a diameter of 6-10 cm and put them into the container, in order to magnetize the nutrient solution and thereby accelerate the growth of water roots. (You can also buy a small wall-suction submersible pump specially for ecological fish tanks from the market, attach it to the inner wall of the nutrient solution, and electrify it to achieve oxygen-carrying circulation through the flow of the nutrient solution.)

5: Key points for hydroponic care

Place the planted cactus in an environment with relatively strong scattered light and keep the temperature above 20°C. Generally, water roots emerge in 3-7 days. After water roots appear, immediately replace the nutrient solution.

Note:

During the induction process of cactus, it is strictly forbidden to spray water on the body, as it easily causes the body to rot and die.

What should be noted when growing clivia hydroponically at home?

Hydroponic clivia is a hygienic and simple cultivation method. When cultivating at home, note:

①Container selection. The bottom of the growing container should have no holes, and it is best to choose a transparent one, so that you can enjoy the leaves and flowers as well as the root system. A glass bottle can be used; a non-toxic plastic bottle or ceramic container can also be used. The size of the container depends on the size of the plant, and the mouth diameter should not be too large.

②The growing solution. It can be nutrient solution or clean water, but when cultivating in clean water, attention must be paid to foliar fertilization to supply the nutrients needed for the growth of Clivia.

③Changing the solution. Hydroponic Clivia needs regular solution changes, and the frequency depends on the weather. When the temperature is low, it can be changed about once a month; when the temperature is high, it can be changed once every 10 days. When changing the solution, be careful to wash the growing container clean.

How to scientifically grow Hippeastrum (amaryllis) hydroponically

In early winter, choose one or several large Hippeastrum bulbs that have flowered or not yet flowered, cut off all the roots and leaves, peel off the outer dark brown skin to reveal the white and green parts, and soak them in clean water. After about 48 hours, take the bulbs out, wash off the mushy material at the cuts with clean water, dry them in the shade, and place them in a flower container. The flower container can be a bowl, a basin, or a narcissus pot, etc. Place washed small stones, perlite, water-absorbing mountain stones, etc. inside, then place the treated Hippeastrum bulbs on top. Then pour in clean water, preferably clear spring water (if using tap water, it must have been left standing for several days). The water depth should be enough to cover the small stones and other filler material, or about 1 cm below the upper rim of the flower container, and finally place it indoors in a spot with sufficient light. Keep the room temperature at about 10°C, and in about 7-10 days it will begin to grow leaves and roots. The water in the pot must always be kept at the original water level line. When the leaves grow to 2-3 cm, fertilizer must be replenished in time. Every 10-20 days, when adding water, add an appropriate amount of 1% urea solution or 0.03% monopotassium phosphate solution or other compound fertilizer solution containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In late spring of the following year, plant the bulbs with roots into a flower pot for routine care. Bulbs treated hydroponically in this way bloom slightly later than other conventionally potted Hippeastrum, just in time for the summer period when flowers are scarce.

Technical management of hydroponics

1. What is hydroponics?
Answer: Hydroponics, also called soilless cultivation or nutrient solution cultivation, is an agricultural production technique that uses nutrient solution and its supporting facilities instead of soil to grow crops. In order to fix the plants and increase air content, most hydroponic plants also use inert sand, gravel, peat, perlite, etc. as solid substrates, so it is also called sand culture, gravel culture, peat culture, etc.
Since the beginning of human agricultural history, crops have been grown in soil, so the English word agriculture is formed from Agr (soil) and Culture (cultivation), giving Agriculture. In 1699, the British scientist Woodward used 3 different kinds of water, namely rainwater, river water, and garden soil leachate, to grow mint. As a result, the mint grown in garden soil leachate grew the fastest, so he concluded that “plant growth is determined by certain substances in the soil.” Unfortunately, due to technical limitations at the time, Woodward did not carry out further research. It was not until 1859-1865 that the German scientists Sachs and Knop first conducted precise experiments in soilless cultivation and succeeded in growing plants with an artificial nutrient solution made from inorganic salts. They called this method hydroponics, and Sachs and Knop are therefore recognized as the founders of soilless cultivation technology.

◆2. What are hydroponic flowers?
Answer: Hydroponic flowers are flowers grown using soilless cultivation technology. Hydroponic flowers are further divided into medium-based hydroponic flowers and medium-free hydroponic flowers. Medium-based hydroponics refers to the sand culture, gravel culture, etc. mentioned earlier; medium-free hydroponic flowers are further divided into direct hydroponic flowers, floating hydroponic flowers, planting basket hydroponic flowers, atomized hydroponic flowers, drip irrigation under nutrient film, and many other cultivation forms. Each cultivation form has its advantages and disadvantages, but if judged only by beauty, durability, and suitability for home cultivation, direct hydroponics is the most stylish, beautiful and simple, so the hydroponic plants currently sold on the market are generally in the direct hydroponic form.

◆3. Why is nutrient solution the key to the success of hydroponic flowers?
Answer: We all know that in a greenhouse environment, when inert substrates are used as the medium, soilless cultivation is already a very simple and mature technology, because computers control humidity, temperature, light intensity, nutrient solution injection time, etc. in a timely manner, and specialized technicians use pH meters, conductivity meters, etc. to timely test the pH of the nutrient solution and the balance of various elements. But in a home environment, these conditions are very difficult to achieve. First of all, if hydroponic flowers placed in the home still use substrate cultivation, then aesthetically there is no difference from soil cultivation, so home hydroponic flowers should be medium-free soilless cultivation, and without a medium, plants are very prone to root rot and odor; this requires that the nutrient solution must enable plants not to rot roots, not to produce odor, not to have off-flavors, and still grow normally when oxygen is lacking. In addition, the hygiene needs of the home require that the nutrient solution should not easily breed mosquitoes and insects and should be non-toxic. Moreover, home lighting cannot be adjusted at any time like in a solar greenhouse, so the nutrient solution is also required to lower the threshold of plant photosynthesis so that it can grow well in office and home environments. What is more, it is impossible to require every user to have specialized botanical knowledge like a botanical expert, so the nutrient solution must also be convenient to use, easy to operate, and easy for anyone to learn. Therefore, hydroponic flowers suitable for home cultivation have higher technical requirements for the nutrient solution.
Since humans mastered soilless cultivation technology, scientists have successfully researched no fewer than tens of thousands of nutrient solution formulas, but formulas that simultaneously meet the above requirements are very rare; moreover, because of commercial interests, major flower companies regard their own nutrient solution technology as their top secret, so the nutrient solution formulas that can be obtained from public materials are only theoretical or experimental formulas, which can only serve as reference material and cannot be used in production activities. In fact, whether a nutrient solution is suitable for home environments can be known with just one try. You only need to see whether the displayed plants grow vigorously and whether water roots grow, because as the saying goes: “Practice is the only criterion for testing truth!”

◆4. How can hydroponic flowers safely overwinter?
Answer: Generally, flowers go dormant below 5-8 degrees Celsius, and below 0 degrees Celsius their tissues will become necrotic. Therefore, if the indoor temperature is above 5 degrees Celsius, hydroponic flowers can generally overwinter safely; in the south, indoor temperatures in winter generally do not fall below 5 degrees Celsius. If several days of extreme low-temperature weather occur, it can be solved by lighting a 60-watt incandescent lamp above the flowers to create a local microclimate; in the north, because most interiors have heating, they can also meet the safe overwintering needs of hydroponic flowers.

◆5. Can hydroponic flowers only cultivate certain specific flowers?
Answer: In modern greenhouses, generally speaking, the common popular flowers we see can all be grown hydroponically. But in a home environment, because certain specific conditions cannot be met, at present only some semi-shade and shade-loving flowers can be cultivated, and in homes with balconies the suitable varieties are a bit more numerous.

◆6. Can ornamental fish grow normally in hydroponic flowers? How should water changes and regular feeding be handled?
Answer: Because the “Hydroponic Flower King” nutrient solution is completely non-toxic and rich in various minerals, fish can grow very well in it. Each of our specialty stores has a sample of fish kept in hydroponic flowers, precisely to tell customers this information.
Generally speaking, only hydroponic flowers with a volume of more than one liter are suitable for keeping fish, and because the volume is limited, fish species should also be selected carefully. Some fish species with strong adaptability should be chosen, such as goldfish, small koi, etc. Some fish with strong aggressiveness or destructiveness are also not suitable for keeping in hydroponic flowers, because they will damage the plant roots; and some delicate fish are also unsuitable, because even keeping them in a dedicated aquarium is difficult to succeed, let alone in a relatively poor-condition small vase. Water changes can be carried out at the same time as the normal water changes for the flowers, and feeding is the same as when we usually keep fish in a fish tank, with no difference.
Because the special substances in the “Hydroponic Flower King” nutrient solution can increase the oxygen solubility of water, thereby facilitating the respiration of plant roots, fish generally will not lack oxygen in the nutrient solution, so oxygenating equipment does not need to be installed on days that are not especially hot.

◆7. What are the requirements for the water used to dilute the nutrient solution for hydroponic flowers?
Answer: Hydroponic Flower King nutrient solution is a highly concentrated liquid and must be diluted before use; when diluting, generally tap water can fully meet the requirements, and there is absolutely no need to use bottled water or purified water. If well water or river water is used, then a water quality test must be carried out to understand the composition of mineral content in the water. If the content of a certain mineral in the water exceeds the standard, the nutrient solution formula must be adjusted to facilitate the normal growth of the plants.
During dilution, tap water can be used directly to dilute the nutrient solution without waiting for the chlorine in the water to evaporate, because the unique formula in Hydroponic Flower King will make the chlorine in tap water evaporate quickly. However, if the water temperature and room temperature differ too much, the diluted nutrient solution should be left standing indoors for a period of time to prevent the plant roots from being damaged at the root hairs due to a sudden temperature change, which would cause the plant to wilt.

◆8. What is planting basket hydroponics?
Answer: Planting basket hydroponics is a hydroponic cultivation method that uses the principle of plant root hydrotropism. The principle of hydrotropism is that plant root tips always grow toward the direction with sufficient moisture. This is shown when a plant's surface soil lacks water; in order to protect itself, its root tips will grow deeper into the soil to absorb the water needed for plant growth and development and adapt to natural changes. At this time, root growth has a very obvious directionality; whereas plants growing in swamps or water do not lack water, so their roots grow more chaotically, without obvious directionality. Therefore, if you place a potted plant on the mouth of a wide-mouthed glass bottle filled with water, with the bottom not needing to directly contact the water, the gap being about 1-2 cm, and do not water the bonsai but only spray a small amount of water, then after about a week, roots will begin to grow from the bottom of the bonsai toward the water. At this time you do not need to add water; let its roots grow longer and longer as the water level drops; if you use some fast-growing plants for the experiment, the effect will be even more obvious. Similarly, you can remove from the pot a bonsai that has already grown water roots, fix the plant with a planting basket, and decorate it with stones or ornaments, and it becomes a pot of planting basket hydroponic flowers. The difference is that at this time, because there is no soil, you must replace the clean water with nutrient solution. It is just that simple.

◆9. Why do hydroponic flowers need water changes?
Answer: Because plants absorb water and inorganic salts from the nutrient solution, the nutrients in the nutrient solution become fewer and fewer, and at the same time, due to root respiration and metabolism, harmful substances in the water become more and more, so hydroponic flowers must be given new nutrient solution after a period of growth. In fact, this is the same principle as soil-cultivated flowers; soil-cultivated flowers need fertilization and need to change the soil once a year for the same reason. For hydroponic flowers, the water change interval should be shorter during the vigorous growth period of spring and summer, and longer in autumn and winter when growth is slow.

◆10. Why do hydroponic flowers sometimes become weaker and weaker or show poor growth?
Answer: It may be caused by too long an interval between solution changes, an incorrect nutrient solution ratio (too dilute or too concentrated), or light that is too weak. If these factors are ruled out, then see whether the nutrient solution water level is too high, preventing the plant roots from respiring normally and causing oxygen deficiency; if none of these are the case, then we suggest you had better go to a specialty store of Hydroponic Flower King for consultation.

Exposing the hydroponic flower market -- distinguishing true from fake hydroponic flowers

At present, many companies are developing franchise stores for hydroponic flowers, causing a great commotion across the country. In particular, a company in Beijing claims its franchise stores will spread throughout the country. As a scientific researcher, I originally did not want to express many opinions, but in order to maintain the healthy development of our country's hydroponic flower industry, after witnessing everything I cannot help but complain. This is because the fraud involved not only harms consumers' interests, but will also cast a shadow over the hydroponic industry. Right now it is the low-temperature season, plant respiration is weak, and plants can be kept in water for a period after their roots are washed and they are directly soaked in water. Plants with strong flooding tolerance, such as Araceae plants, can survive in water for 1-2 months, but once the weather turns hot, plant physiological respiration becomes strong, and oxygen deficiency and root rot will immediately appear. A hydroponic work bought home for dozens or hundreds [yuan] is only a fleeting sight, which not only harms consumers' interests but also greatly affects the development of the hydroponic industry. Now I use a scientific perspective to expose the "deception tricks" involved.

1. The plants sold by franchise stores are basically Araceae plants. Once winter comes, these plants slow their growth rate and their respiration weakens. In addition, Araceae plants are relatively closely related to aquatic plants and have strong flooding tolerance. After their roots are washed and they are directly soaked in water, no discomfort can be seen from the plant for a time, but it is impossible for them to grow vigorously in water; they can only maintain the balance of water metabolism, while nutrient absorption and respiratory function are severely blocked. Once the weather turns hot, the root system will suffer oxygen deficiency, become foul, and rot. For other terrestrial plants with somewhat stronger land adaptations, this method simply cannot work, so this is the main reason why they can currently only use Araceae plants to "deceive." Their so-called induction liquid, I think, would be better and more honestly called "deception liquid." It is simply impossible for plants to undergo changes in tissue structure within a few minutes.

2. Collecting high franchise fees for franchise sales is itself a kind of commercial hype. If the goods were genuine, it would be beyond reproach; if the technology were unique, it could also dominate the market and truly have the meaning of franchising. But now this kind of franchising can be called a money scam. First, the technology has no scientific or technological content at all; it is just washing roots and soaking in water, something even a fool could imitate at a glance. Absurdly, some training fees reach 18,800 yuan. Second, hydroponic technology itself is a technology that has developed over decades and is no longer a technology exclusive to a certain company; using franchising simply cannot monopolize the market. Other hydroponic flower stores can likewise operate, and with better funding and more reliable technology than franchise stores. Once you close, the franchise fee is also equivalent to being thrown away. Truly hydroponic flowers are not suitable for long-distance transportation. In fact, what they are selling now are all products made from soil-grown seedlings after root washing. It might be more accurate to call them bare-root flowers.

3. A reminder: Araceae plants in late autumn, winter, and early spring can also be kept in water for a period after their roots are washed and they are soaked in water. Everyone might as well give it a try; there is no need at all for a deception liquid.

I have studied hydroponics for many years and have also inspected several countries abroad with relatively developed hydroponic technology. Our country's current hydroponic market can be said to be full of charlatans of all kinds, a mix of the genuine and the fake. However, in the end these franchise frauds will still be cleared out by history and science. I remind everyone to keep your eyes sharp and not be led astray by deception liquids.

How to distinguish true from fake hydroponic flowers

True and fake hydroponic flowers are essentially the difference between induced flowers and non-induced flowers. At present, many hydroponic flower operators do not understand hydroponic flowers from a scientific perspective, but proceed only from the angle of commercial hype and personal profit, passing off some ordinary soil-cultivated plants as hydroponic plants for sale, fooling consumers and causing very bad social effects. After some citizens buy them at high prices, the plants die from physiological discomfort before long, seriously hindering the healthy development of the hydroponic flower industry. In response to this problem, buyers can distinguish true from fake in the following aspects to avoid being cheated.

A. Judge true from fake by root morphology: Induced hydroponic flowers usually exist in the form of fibrous adventitious roots and will not, like roots in soil, have distinctions among taproots, lateral roots, capillary roots, and root hairs, that is, they will not exist in a state of multi-order branched secondary roots. Even if there is branching, it is only a small amount of branched roots based on fibrous adventitious roots, with few orders and a simple root structure, which is its most obvious feature. In addition, for some plants that originally have radicles, after induction the number of first-order adventitious roots increases markedly, that is, the proportion of roots greatly increases, and the root system is numerous and well developed, resembling a beard.

B. Judge true from fake by root color: Plant water roots formed by aquatic induction mostly have the characteristics of being white, crisp, and tender. Even for some varieties that show their original root color, their water roots are still noticeably lighter in color than land roots, such as yellowish-white, pale yellow, light brown, etc. This is related to the well-developed parenchyma tissue of water roots and the fact that the cells have undergone no or little suberization and lignification from thickened cell walls.

C. Judge true from fake by root completeness: Roots induced by aquatic conditions begin regrowth and differentiation from primary adventitious roots, and all of this is completed in the water environment, so the root system is complete. In contrast, some soil-cultivated plants, even if carefully washed, always still have slight damage or serious residual roots. This completeness of the root system is difficult for soil-washed seedlings to achieve.

D. Judge true from fake by water clarity: Fake hydroponic works made from soil-washed seedlings, because the root system has not formed adaptability to water, will under anaerobic conditions carry out anaerobic respiration and release large amounts of toxic intermediate metabolites, causing the water in the container to quickly become cloudy or deteriorate. Visually, it shows a turbid, unclear appearance, that is, water quality deterioration or odor, followed by root rot and eventually dead seedlings.

E. Leaf angle can also distinguish true from fake: In particular, many herbaceous flowers that are extremely sensitive to ethylene, after induction, show a noticeably flatter leaf attachment angle than soil-washed seedlings from soil cultivation, that is, epinastic growth leading to an increased angle, or even drooping.

Increasing the dissolved oxygen content of hydroponic nutrient solution

Apart from the requirements for light, temperature, and humidity, which are completely the same as those for soil cultivation, hydroponic flowers differ vastly in management requirements for water, fertilizer, and oxygen -- Water: Home hydroponic flowers should use soft water as the water source, and generally tap water that meets national standards can be used. Tap water has undergone filtration, sedimentation, and sterilization treatment, is clean and hygienic, and has a pH below 7, so it can be safely used to cultivate hydroponic flowers. River water, lake water, pond water, and well water are polluted to varying degrees, are seriously eutrophic, and may differ greatly in various ions. If the content of one ion exceeds the standard, long-term use will damage the plants or poison them to death, so such water is not suitable as a water source for hydroponic flowers. Fertilizer: Home hydroponic flowers must use a low-concentration special nutrient solution based mainly on nitrate nitrogen fertilizer. Hydroponic flower nutrient solutions generally contain all the nutrient elements necessary for flower growth, with a balanced ratio of various elements, and inorganic salts in ionic form, suitable for the nutrient needs of different flower varieties and their various growth and development stages. They are also non-toxic, harmless, and have appropriate pH, which is conducive to nutrient absorption. It is not advisable to crush soil fertilizer or granular chemical fertilizer and use it for hydroponic flowers. Short-term use may have no obvious effect on the flowers, but long-term application will inevitably hinder normal physiological metabolism. It is even more unacceptable to use organic fertilizer as the fertilizer source for hydroponic flowers. Diluted urine can be used for foliar spraying, but must never be added to the nutrient solution. Oxygen: In home hydroponic flowers, the water (nutrient solution) is in a static state, and dissolved oxygen is below /ppm/L. The flowers barely maintain life in an oxygen-deficient vessel, and their roots are commonly seen growing in reverse, extending toward the liquid surface in search of more oxygen. Therefore, increasing the oxygen content of the hydroponic nutrient solution is very necessary for the normal growth of flowers, especially in summer. There are several simple and easy ways to increase dissolved oxygen: 1. Increase the frequency of changing the nutrient solution. 2. Vibrate to increase oxygen: fix the flower plant with one hand, and gently shake the vessel with the other hand more than 10 times. After shaking, the dissolved oxygen content of the nutrient solution can increase by about 30%. 3. Add an appropriate amount of "solid oxygen" to the nutrient solution or add 1% hydrogen peroxide (3% hydrogen peroxide solution). 4. Use a micro submersible pump or an oxygen pump (both are standard aquarium products) to aerate the nutrient solution. In such an environment, plant roots can obtain sufficient oxygen, respiration is very vigorous, and the flowers are prompted to grow robustly.

See through fake hydroponic flower technology at a glance

Hydroponic flowers, with flowers and fish kept together and a combination of movement and stillness, are the first impression they give. The earlier concept in China first sprouted at the turn of the 21st century (although some people earlier also grew some Araceae plants, lucky bamboo, and similar plants that are easy to keep in water, that concept does not belong to the "hydroponic flower" concept popular now!). It rose in 2003. Many enterprises and institutions with market vision successively devoted themselves to preliminary research and planning work in this industry. Coupled with the broadcast of "Hydroponic Flowers" on CCTV Channel 7 and Channel 2, it flourished from 2004 to 2005. Hydroponic flowers could be said to bloom everywhere in China, with some providing technical study and training, some producing at bases, and some franchising flower shops. Many fake hydroponic flower companies, enterprises, and individuals, stimulated by profit, put on shows in the market. On the one hand, they added fuel to the hype of the domestic hydroponic flower market concept, letting many citizens understand and recognize this newly born concept and product; on the other hand, many investors and operators became sacrifices to this wave of market trends. As for 2006, the great waves washed away the sand. Those with their own core technology and production capacity, and with relatively strong economic strength and operational ability, could still survive in such a chaotic market tide, and those who could remain were very few. However, hydroponic flowers, such a fashionable flower product, represent a new trend and new current in the development of the flower industry. Driven by economic interests in the market economy, there are still a small number of speculators existing in the market!

The author has been in this industry for three or four years and is relatively familiar with it. In view of the uneven quality of the current hydroponic flower market, this article makes a systematic analysis and summary, all to give the general public who love hydroponic flowers, as well as investors interested in joining the hydroponic flower industry, a preliminary and comprehensive understanding for everyone's reference:

2. What are truly hydroponic flowers?

From a sensory point of view, using glass vases of various shapes, with plants and flowers grown above (at present, the variety scope of hydroponic technology has been expanded to include other woody plants, vines, succulents, etc.), and a few cute small fish kept below, these are hydroponic flowers (plants)! But from a technical level, truly hydroponic flowers refer to those cultivated and grown through various biological, physical, computer, and other technical means so that the physiological characteristics of their root system change and they have water roots with plant aerenchyma tissue, and can adapt to long-term cultivation in water, only then can they become truly hydroponic flowers (plants)!

3. How to identify truly hydroponic flowers?

Judging from the senses:
Report on the current state of hydroponic flower technology. 1. Introduction:
For a successful truly hydroponic plant, after induction and acclimation, the plant root system should be white and elegant, with many fibrous roots, and very obviously different from soil-cultivated plants. The roots of soil-cultivated plants are all relatively dark black in color! (Except for the roots of a small number of plants that have their own unique color, such as red-leaf loropetalum, whose roots, branches, and stem segments are all dark red after induction! There are also some plants whose roots are nearly white after the soil is removed!)

In addition, if the plant's growth condition is not very robust and the leaves are drooping, it shows that it was only just planted in the bottle not long ago and was placed there to deceive users! Even if it has been induced, it still cannot be sold as a commodity!

Judging from the technology:

Judging from the technology:

1) Whether it has a professional technical level

If, as some merchants say, all that is needed is the so-called "induction liquid," "acclimation liquid," or "nutrient solution," and soaking the plant in water for a few days or a few hours, with some even saying that hydroponic flowers can be achieved in just a few dozen minutes or a few minutes, this claim can only fool those who do not understand biotechnology. Those who understand biological principles all know that if plant roots are severely oxygen-deficient in water, the roots will soon carry out anaerobic respiration, thereby fermenting and rotting. As a result, large amounts of fermentation products accumulate in the bottle, mosquitoes breed, insects grow, the water becomes turbid and unclean, and the plant soon dies!
Only when the induction of plant water roots is truly achieved, forming hydroponic plants with aerenchyma tissue that can adapt well to low-oxygen conditions in water, can they truly be called hydroponic flowers. And the cultivation of water roots is also not something that nutrient solution alone can fully accomplish and realize. It requires integrated biological, physical, computer, and other methods and means, and after a relatively long period of cultivation, only after fully adapting to the water environment can it become professional truly hydroponic flowers!

2) Whether it has relatively strong artistic combination level and ability?

Hydroponic flowers belong to mid-to-high-end consumption. Their ornamental value lies in: artistically arranged combinations; each product lies in its artistic glass bottle container, beautiful plant shape, white and elegant roots, and the perfect combination and matching of ornaments such as fish and aquatic plants in the bottle! Whether it is a professional hydroponic flower work, apart from the natural sensory impression, a strong artistic combination is not something an ordinary beginner can put together! From this technical level, we can tell at a glance whether the manufacturer has such aesthetic level!

3) Whether it has the facility conditions for producing hydroponic flowers and fixed supply channels?

Whether it has the facility conditions for producing hydroponic flowers can also show whether the merchant has the ability for professional hydroponic flower production. If there are neither fixed production facilities nor capable and branded producers as supply sources, then such a provider of hydroponic flowers is very likely just taking soil-cultivated plants and washing their roots to make "hydroponic flowers"!

Examining by variety:

The varieties of hydroponic flowers that a truly professional hydroponic flower producer can produce are not limited to plants such as those in Araceae and Crassulaceae that are themselves easy to keep in water, such as Alocasia, Philodendron, lucky bamboo, Monstera, and Rohdea. These plant varieties are themselves near water and hydrophilic, and ordinary methods can achieve cultivation in water. A professional producer should be able to achieve hydroponics of all kinds of woody plants and all kinds of water-fearing plants, such as sago palm, cactus, money tree, Polynesian ivy, and even yew, osmanthus, fruit trees, etc.! If the plant varieties a merchant can provide are single and limited, then it is certainly not a professional hydroponic flower manufacturer!

Examining by time:

Time is the final and only criterion for testing hydroponic flowers. If they cannot adapt to long-term cultivation in water and are only a fleeting sight, dying within a few days, many of these are hydroponic flowers that speculators produce within a few hours by washing away soil-cultivated roots, and within a few days the flowers bloom and fade! Therefore, at present, for those owners who cannot provide a product shelf life, most are speculators. If a merchant cannot provide a shelf life for the product, it is recommended not to buy, so as to avoid being cheated!
4. How to identify a truly professional hydroponic flower producer?

Driven by profit, many market speculators use various "formal" means in publicity and information transmission channels to muddle through and fool the broad masses of consumers and investors. In order to leave no foothold for so-called high-tech shell companies and "guerrilla" technology transfer companies that shoot one place and move to another, which rent a few offices in national universities (such as Wuhan University, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Tsinghua University, Huazhong Agricultural University, China Agricultural University, Beijing Forestry University, etc.), research institutes (such as the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Forestry, a certain research center, etc.), institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture (such as the veteran cadre bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, a certain technology center of the Ministry of Agriculture), or office buildings, and then start advertising to rake in money despite having no real hydroponic flower technology, no base, no scale, and no technical personnel. It also aims to deprive malicious low-price transfers of some immature so-called "hydroponic flower technologies" of a market for deception, and more importantly, to enable you to learn these truly genuine technologies.

The author solemnly reminds: No matter where in the country or on what media you see similar technology or similar advertisements, you must keep your eyes sharp, be more mindful, look at several more, and compare more; you must carefully compare unit scale, technical strength, personnel quality, product quality, and after-sales service, {{remember: you must look at their flower shop products, and then ask for the phone numbers of their franchisees, and try as much as possible to go to the franchisees to see for yourself and confirm the authenticity of the technology. Many places may not provide this to you, so then you must think twice before acting. This is the most direct and final method of judgment. Of course, in addition, those "high-level" companies will also, like "medical shills," "education shills," "real estate shills," and "wine shills," fool you with the skill of the "great deceiver" Zhao Benshan, making it impossible for you to guard against it!}}; you must carefully check the authenticity of the technology, training capability, and relevant certificates; you must absolutely not be deceived by these so-called high-tech companies, bringing unnecessary losses to your finances and spirit. Apart from distinguishing whether something is truly a hydroponic flower through product channels, in fact everyone only needs to be a bit more mindful to see through many speculators one by one. The following points of experience, several types


 How to carry out foliar fertilization for hydroponic flowers

Static hydroponics is a cultivation method under root oxygen deficiency conditions and will cause certain defects in the normal development of flowers. In order to improve flower quality, the method of foliar fertilization can be used to supplement nutrient elements. During the vegetative growth period of flowers, a 0.2% potassium nitrate dilution can be used to spray the leaves.

A fine-hole spray bottle should be used, and as far as possible the fertilizer solution should not be lost. The underside of the leaves should also be sprayed. Spray once a week, and twice during the growth period, which can make hydroponic flowers flourish with lush branches and leaves. For flowers suitable for foliage viewing and also for flower appreciation, such as Spathiphyllum, four-season begonia, bamboo begonia, calla lily, etc., during the bud stage a 0.15% monopotassium phosphate dilution can be used to spray the leaves once a week until the flowers open.

Planting and planning of landscape and horticultural plants

The process of urbanization has driven the prosperity of urban landscape design across the country. As urban functions gradually improve, parks, greening plazas, ecological corridors, and suburban scenic areas have increasingly become modern symbols of cities and inevitable ways to enhance urban environmental quality, improve quality of life, and satisfy cultural pursuits. It can be seen that the concepts of landscape planning and design are gradually deepening and perfecting, and the field is also expanding.

1. Arrangement

According to plant ecological habits and garden layout requirements, rationally arrange various plants in the garden (trees, shrubs, flowers, turf, and ground cover plants, etc.) so as to give play to their garden functions and ornamental characteristics. Garden plant arrangement is an important part of garden planning and design.

The arrangement of garden plants includes two aspects: on the one hand, the arrangement among various plants, considering the selection of plant species, the combination of tree clusters, the composition of plane and elevation, color, seasonal aspects, and garden artistic conception; on the other hand, the arrangement between garden plants and other garden elements such as rockery, water bodies, buildings, garden paths, etc.

2. Seasonal aspects

The appearance plants present in different seasons. During the growth process of plants through the four seasons, the shape and color of leaves, flowers, and fruits change with the seasons. When flowering, fruiting, or when leaf color changes, they have relatively high ornamental value. Garden plant arrangement should make full use of the seasonal characteristics of plants.

In different climatic zones, the timing of plant seasonal expression differs. Beijing's spring scenery season comes later than Hangzhou's, while its autumn scenery season appears earlier than Hangzhou's. Even in the same region, whether the climate is normal or not often affects the timing and color of seasonal appearance. Low temperature and drought will delay the sprouting and flowering of vegetation; red leaves generally need a large temperature difference between day and night to turn red. If the frost period appears too early, the leaves will fall before turning red, and beautiful autumn colors cannot be produced. Factors such as soil and maintenance management also affect seasonal changes, so seasonal changes can be artificially controlled. For exhibition needs, special treatments can even be used on potted plants to force or delay flowering or to make plants with different flowering periods bloom at the same time.

The arrangement of garden plants using the seasonal aspects of plants with relatively high ornamental value and distinctive characteristics can give people hints of the season, enhance the sense of season, and express the unique artistic effect of plants in garden landscapes. For example, mountain flowers in full bloom in spring, lotus reflecting the sun in summer, abundant fruits filling the garden in autumn, and wintersweet fragrance drifting in winter. The requirement for a garden to have scenery in all four seasons refers to the overall landscape of a region or a park; in local scenic areas, the characteristics of one or two seasons are often highlighted, mostly by using a single species or several plants planted in mass groups. For example, the peach and willow of Su Causeway in Hangzhou are spring scenery, Quyuan Fenghe is summer scenery, Manjuelong osmanthus is autumn scenery, and admiring plum blossoms in the snow on Gushan is winter scenery. In order to avoid the phenomenon of dullness during periods when seasonal aspects are not obvious, methods such as mixed arrangement of trees with different flowering periods and increasing evergreen trees and herbaceous flowers can be used to prolong the ornamental period. For example, in Wuxi Plum Garden, osmanthus is mixed among plum blossoms; plum blossoms are viewed in spring, osmanthus in autumn, and in winter the evergreen osmanthus leaves can still be seen. In the peony garden at Huagang Guanyu in Hangzhou, peonies are the main plants, arranged with red maple, boxwood, crape myrtle, pine trees, etc., so that after the peonies fade, a good landscape effect is still maintained.

3. Lawn

Densely planted perennial low herbs that are artificially trimmed into a flat artificial grass surface are called lawns, while long grassy areas that are not trimmed are called grassland. The main herbaceous plants used for urban and garden lawns include Zoysia, buffalo grass, bermudagrass, carpet grass, St. Augustine grass, centipedegrass, ryegrass, bluegrass, bentgrass, etc.

Lawns are generally set in front of houses, around large buildings, in plazas or forest clearings, for ornament, recreation, or use as sports grounds. Regular lawns already existed in ancient Western gardens. In the mid-18th century, after the appearance of the English natural landscape garden, natural-style lawns began to be used on a large scale in gardens. Ancient Chinese imperial gardens and parks had large areas of open woodland and grassland, and lawns only appeared in modern gardens.

Lawns have the following classification methods:

By combination of plant materials, they can be divided into: 1. Pure lawn. A lawn using one kind of plant material. 2. Mixed lawn. A lawn composed of multiple plant materials. 3. Flower-dotted lawn. A lawn mainly of perennial low grasses or grass-like plants, mixed with a small amount of herbaceous flowers.

By use, lawns can be divided into: 1. Recreation lawn. Open for people to enter for rest, walking, games, and other outdoor activities. Generally, grass species with fine leaves, relatively strong toughness, and relatively good trampling tolerance are selected. 2. Ornamental lawn. Not open, and people cannot enter for recreation. Generally, grass species with uniform green color, a relatively long green period, heat tolerance, and cold resistance are selected. 3. Sports field lawn. Different grass species are selected according to the requirements of different sports events; some require grass species with fine and soft leaves, some require grass species with tough leaves, and some require grass species with well-developed underground stems. 4. Traffic safety lawn. Mainly set along land transportation lines, especially on both sides of highways, and on airport aprons. 5. Soil-conserving and slope-protecting lawn. Used to prevent soil and water from being washed away and to prevent dust from flying. Mainly grass species with rapid growth, well-developed root systems, or creeping habits are selected.

Lawns are mainly used in the following aspects:

Environmental protection. In garden green spaces, lawns and trees both play roles in purifying air, preventing heat and lowering temperature, adsorbing dust, and reducing noise, and can protect the environment and maintain ecological balance. Lawn grass individuals are small, numerous, occupy little space, grow quickly, have strong adaptability, are easy to survive, and produce quick greening effects. Grass grows close to the ground, and its function in preventing dust from flying and soil and water loss is significant. Lawns form ventilation channels in green spaces and can improve the living environment in tropical areas.

Garden art. Lawn space is similar to water space, plaza space, etc.; it can open up broad sight lines, guide the line of sight, increase depth and layering, and fully express the beauty of terrain.

Urban construction. Lawns are often used in places in modern cities that need low green spaces, such as along roads, under high-power grid lines, and places above underground facilities where the soil layer is relatively thin.

Construction

There are mainly four methods of lawn construction: 1. Directly sowing grass seed. Generally carried out in spring and autumn. Cold-season grasses mostly use this method. 2. Directly planting grass. Generally carried out in spring and summer. Northern China mostly uses this method. 3. Propagating with stem and branch segments. Generally carried out in summer or the rainy season. Warm-season lawns mostly use this method. 4. Directly laying grass blocks. It can be done in all four seasons in warm regions, and northern China uses this method in summer and autumn to lay sports field lawns.

At present, the method of directly sowing to build lawns is widely used. The spray-seeding method can be used to spray a mixture of grass seed, adhesive, and fertilizer onto rocky slopes to force grass to grow, or grass seed can be placed in advance on non-woven fabric to sprout and grow into lawn vegetation belts, which are then laid on the ground to form a lawn. The advantages of the direct sowing method are: less grass seed used, uniform distribution, neat emergence, the ability to prevent weeds from growing, not being washed away by water when planted on slopes, and the ability to form various patterns. In addition, seeds or stem and branch segments can be used in advance under soilless or thin-soil conditions to produce grass blocks, or belt-shaped grass blocks can be rolled into grass rolls, which can be used to lay lawns indoors or outdoors at any time and can take shape immediately after laying. Lawn construction currently tends toward factory-based seedling cultivation.

Maintenance

The key points of lawn maintenance are: 1. Weeds must be continuously removed in the first year. 2. Timely pruning. Prune when the grass grows to 4-10 cm high, and the amount pruned each time should not exceed half of the grass height. Lawns are generally kept at 2-5 cm high. 3. During the growing season, it is appropriate to apply granular mixed fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Generally applied after pruning and before sprinkler irrigation. 4. Lawns should not be used excessively. Periods of use and maintenance periods should be stipulated, and open use should be rotated by zones at regular intervals. 5. Pay attention to the prevention and control of lawn diseases and insect pests. Replant in time and replace necrotic parts.

4. Flower bed

A garden facility in which ornamental plants are planted on a certain range of rectangular plots according to formal or semi-formal patterns to express the collective beauty of flowers.

Classification

There are several classification methods: 1. By form, they can be divided into three-dimensional flower beds and flat flower beds. Flat flower beds can further be divided by composition into three types: formal, natural, and mixed. 2. By viewing season, they can be divided into spring flower beds, summer flower beds, autumn flower beds, and winter flower beds. 3. By planting material, they can be divided into annual and biennial herbaceous flower beds, bulb flower beds, aquatic flower beds, and specialty flower beds (such as chrysanthemum beds and aster beds). 4. By expression form, they can be divided into: flower-cluster flower beds, which use flower clusters tall in the center and low at the edges to form color-block patterns, expressing the beauty of flower colors; embroidered-style flower beds or carpet-bedding flower beds, which win by floral patterns, usually using low-growing colorful foliage plants as the main material, unrestricted by flowering season, and appropriately combined with some dwarf herbaceous flowers with small, dense blooms, giving an exceptionally long viewing period. 5. By application mode, they can be divided into single flower beds, continuous flower beds, and group flower beds. In modern times, movable flower beds have also appeared, composed of many potted flowers, suitable for paved ground and indoor decoration.

Thesis on landscape plant arrangement and planning from

Design

First, the theme, position, form, color combination and other factors of the garden scenery to be expressed must be considered from the surrounding overall environment. In specific design, graph paper can be used, at a scale of 1:20 to 1:100, to draw in detail the patterns, the flower species or cultivars used, the number of plants, the height, the planting distance, etc., with an accompanying implementation manual. The designer must have a full understanding of garden art theory as well as the growth and flowering habits, ecological habits, and ornamental characteristics of plant materials. A good design must take into account continuous flowering from spring to autumn, and make plans for replacing flower species in different seasons as well as changes in patterns.

Herbaceous flowers used in flower beds should preferably be varieties with neat plant form, abundant flowering, uniform blooming and a long flowering period, bright flower colors, tolerance to dryness, resistance to pests and diseases, and dwarf habit. Commonly used ones include snapdragon, daisy, pot marigold, China aster, cockscomb, Chinese pink, petunia, scarlet sage, marigold, pansy, zinnia, etc. (see garden plants).

Flower beds are mainly used in formal gardens in front of buildings, at entrances, in squares, beside roads, or on lawns in natural-style gardens. The traditional Chinese form of ornamental flower display is the flower platform, mostly raised several tens of cm above the ground, with a border built of brick or stone and soil filled in the middle for planting flowers and plants. Sometimes the edge of a flower bed is enclosed with a low railing, such as a peony platform or herbaceous peony railing.

5. Flower border

A type of flower bed, using a relatively natural way to plant shrubs and ornamental herbaceous plants, in a long belt shape, mainly for viewing from one side. The English word flowerborder is also translated as flower border or flower path.

Flower borders are divided by the plants grown into annual plant flower borders, perennial plant flower borders, and mixed planting flower borders, with the latter being the most common. In design, flower borders should mainly use perennial flowers, appropriately combined with some annual and biennial herbaceous flowers and bulb flowers, or low shrubs that have been shaped and pruned. Generally, taller species are planted at the back and shorter ones at the front, but stiff rows of tall and short front-to-back lines should be avoided; occasionally a small number of tall plants can be slightly brought forward to form an uneven, naturally interesting effect. To strengthen the color effect, various flowers should be planted in clumps and clusters; attention should also be paid to the coordination of flower color and flowering period among the clumps, requiring a naturally harmonious beauty overall. Hedges, walls, or shrub clusters are often used as the background. The width of a flower border is generally 1-2 m. If the ground is relatively wide, it is best to leave a 1.2-1.3 m open space between the flower border and the background hedge, planted with turf or paved with pebbles as a separation strip, so as to prevent tree roots from affecting the growth of the flower border plants and to facilitate maintenance and management of the plants behind the flower border and the hedge. Since perennial flowers will expand their growing area year by year, appropriate space should be left between clumps at the time of initial planting, and annual, biennial, or bulb flowers should be planted to fill the gaps. Perennial flowers can be replanted once every three to four years, or a portion of the plants can be replaced each year, to facilitate renewal and rejuvenation of the plants. Usually, attention should be paid to watering and removing weeds and dead flowers and leaves, maintaining the flower border's graceful beauty and full vitality. In early winter, half-hardy species should be covered with fallen leaves, wormwood, and soil to overwinter safely.

6. Hedge

A fence formed by densely planting trees or shrubs in rows, also called green hedge or living hedge.

The main uses of hedges in gardens are: enclosing sites, dividing spaces, screening or guiding the line of sight to focal points of scenery, serving as the background for statues, fountains, small garden facilities, etc., and using special planting methods to form dedicated scenic areas (such as a maze). In modern times, there is also "hedge landscaping," which combines with the garden theme and uses flexible planting methods and shaping and pruning techniques to form garden landscapes like undulating strange rocks and huge stones.

China already used hedges several thousand years ago; in the Book of Songs there is the line "break willow to fence the garden." Later, hedges were mostly used as outer protective fences for homesteads and vegetable plots, and were not fully utilized in gardens. Hedges were widely used in European gardens, and in the 16th-17th centuries were often used as edging for roads and flower beds. In the 17th-18th centuries, sculptural hedges prevailed, with the top or head and tail of the hedge processed into bird and beast shapes; in the formal gardens of emperors and large estate owners, evergreen plants such as boxwood were often pruned into low, narrow hedges and arranged into various geometric shapes. Since the beginning of the 20th century, China has used hedges relatively commonly in newly built parks and urban green spaces.

Hedges can be divided by height into low hedges (below 0.5 m), medium hedges (0.5-1.5 m), and tall hedges (above 1.5 m). The main use of low hedges is to enclose garden plots and serve as decoration; the use of tall hedges is to divide different spaces and screen scenery. Forming an enclosed sightline with tall hedges is far more lively than using walls and the like. As a background for statues, fountains, and artistic facility scenery, tall hedges can especially create a beautiful atmosphere.

Hedges can be divided by planting method into single-row and double-row types. In Chinese gardens, the double-row type in a quincunx pattern is generally adopted for quick effect. Some garden designers advocate the single-row type, on the grounds that the single-row type is conducive to balanced plant growth, while the double-row type is not only unconducive to balanced growth but also costly and prone to weeds.

Hedges can be divided by maintenance and management method into natural style and formal style. The former generally receives only a small amount of pruning to regulate growth vigor, while the latter requires regular shaping and pruning to maintain its bodily appearance. In the same scenic area, natural-style hedges and formal-style hedges can form completely different landscapes, and one must be good at using them.

Hedges can be divided by plant species and their ornamental characteristics into green hedges, colored-leaf hedges, flower hedges, fruit hedges, branch hedges, thorn hedges, etc., and must be carefully selected and planned according to the garden theme and environmental conditions. For example, even among coniferous green hedges, some leaves have a golden velvet texture, giving people a sense of peace, softness, and ease; some leaves are dark green and hard in texture, forming a serious and solemn atmosphere; broadleaf evergreen tree species are numerous, so they produce even more different effects. Another example is flower hedges: not only do flower color and flowering period differ, but there are also differences in flower size, shape, and presence or absence of fragrance, forming scenes of different moods; as for fruit hedges, besides differences in size, shape, and color, they can also attract different kinds of birds.

Tree species used as hedges must have habits such as strong sprouting ability, strong branching ability, strong wound-healing ability, tolerance to pruning, strong shade tolerance, and few pests and diseases. The planting method for hedges is to first deep-plow and prepare the soil in the predetermined planting strip, apply base fertilizer, and then, depending on the expected height and type of the hedge, plant at spacings of about 20, 40, and 80 cm respectively. After planting, water thoroughly and prune promptly. The principle of maintenance pruning is: for formal-style hedges, the lower branches and leaves should be exposed to sunlight as much as possible to avoid withering due to excessive shading; therefore the lower part of the crown should be broad and it should become narrower toward the top, usually best with a regular trapezoid or bun shape. For natural-style hedges, appropriate measures to regulate tree vigor and renew and rejuvenate must be taken according to the respective habits of different tree species and the local climate.

7. Climbing greenery

A greening form that uses climbing plants to decorate buildings. In addition to beautifying the environment, climbing greenery also has effects such as increasing leaf area and green visibility rate, blocking sunlight, lowering temperature, and absorbing dust, thereby improving environmental quality.

Climbing greenery has the following characteristics:

1. Diverse uses. Climbing greenery is a decorative art in which climbing plants attach to buildings, and the greening form can change with the shape of the building. Climbing plants can be used to green walls, balconies, and roofs, decorate lamp posts, fences, pavilions, corridors, flower stands, and entrances and exits, and can also screen buildings with poor appearance.

2. Very little ground occupation. Because climbing plants grow by attaching to buildings, they occupy very little ground. In cities with large populations, high building density, and insufficient green space, the superiority of climbing greenery is especially evident.

3. Easy propagation. Climbing plants propagate conveniently, grow quickly, cost little, and are simple to manage. Herbaceous climbing plants sown in the same year deliver benefits in the same year. Woody climbing plants are usually propagated by cuttings, layering, and other methods, root easily, and some can be propagated several times a year.

Selection of climbing plants

Climbing plants have climbing organs. For example, hyacinth bean, morning glory, passionflower, honeysuckle, and wisteria have twining stems; Boston ivy and Virginia creeper have suckers; grape and loofah have tendrils; climbing fig and ivy have aerial roots; banks rose and wild rose have arching runners or hooked thorns. Climbing greenery can be arranged according to the adsorption or climbing ability of climbing plants. For example, plants with suckers or aerial roots have strong adsorption and are suitable for wall greening coverage; plants with twining stems, tendrils, or hooked thorns have relatively strong climbing ability and are suitable for greening decoration of flower stands, balconies, fences, etc. Plant species can also be selected according to local conditions based on the ecological habits of climbing plants. The more cold-tolerant Boston ivy, honeysuckle, wisteria, Virginia creeper, and wild grape are suitable for cultivation in northern China; in southern China, in addition to the above plants, ivy, star jasmine, Chinese trumpet creeper, climbing fig, mucuna, and banks rose can also be used. Sun-loving Chinese trumpet creeper, wisteria, and grape are suitable for planting on the sunny side of buildings; shade-tolerant ivy and Boston ivy are suitable for planting on the shady side of buildings.

8. Ancient trees

Ancient trees refer to old trees that have grown for more than a hundred years; famous trees refer to trees that have social influence and are world-renowned, and their tree age often also exceeds a hundred years. Ancient trees that have grown for more than a hundred years have entered a stage of slow growth, with trunk diameter increasing extremely slowly, giving an impression of having weathered many storms and being vigorous and antique in form. Most of the world's long-lived trees are pine and cypress species, oak species, fir species, banyan species, as well as pagoda tree, ginkgo, and others. Famous trees are famous either for their peculiar posture and extremely high ornamental value, such as the "Guest-Greeting Pine" in Huangshan, China; or for historical events, such as the Han cypress in the Dai Temple on Mount Tai, planted when Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices. Or they are famous for legends and strange tales, such as the "Yellow Emperor's Hand-Planted Cypress" in the Xuanyuan Temple in Huangling, Shaanxi, nearly 20 m tall with a lower circumference of 10 m, the largest cypress in China, said to have been planted personally by the legendary Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, ancestor of the Chinese nation; such as the "Hundred-Horsemen Chestnut" on Mount Etna on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean, whose huge, dense shade is said to have sheltered an ancient king, queen, and the hundred horsemen accompanying them from wind and rain. The ginkgo in Tanzhe Temple in Beijing (called the "Emperor Tree") is said to have been planted in the Liao Dynasty, more than 30 m tall and 4 m in diameter.

The significance of protecting ancient and famous trees: 1. Ancient and famous trees are witnesses to history. Many ancient and famous trees have experienced the change of dynasties, the joys and sorrows of the people, and the vicissitudes of the world, and can be used to write explanations and popularize historical knowledge. 2. Ancient and famous trees add luster to culture and art; they are subjects of poetry and painting by literati of past dynasties, and are often accompanied by beautiful legends and wonderful stories. 3. Ancient and famous trees are also fine scenery of scenic spots and historical sites, such as the "Crouching Dragon Pine" at Jietai Temple in Beijing, whose iron-hard twisting branches are like a soaring azure dragon, giving people aesthetic enjoyment. 4. Ancient trees are important materials for studying natural history; their complex annual ring structure contains the history of changes in ancient hydrology, ancient geography, and ancient vegetation. 5. Ancient trees have special significance for studying tree physiology. People cannot use tracking methods to study the physiological process of long-lived trees from birth to death, but ancient trees of different ages can exist at the same time, presenting the temporal sequence of tree growth and development as a spatial arrangement, which is beneficial to scientific research. 6. Ancient trees have great reference value for tree species planning.

In view of the important value of ancient and famous trees, many countries have carried out research work on protection and rejuvenation. The first is to organize professionals or establish associations of ancient and famous tree enthusiasts to conduct visits and surveys, register by grade, and keep records and files. The second is to adopt various protection measures, such as installing lightning rods to prevent lightning strikes; loosening the soil, watering, and fertilizing at appropriate times, and preventing and controlling pests and diseases; filling and plugging tree holes to prevent spread and enlargement; and supporting leaning trunks and drooping branches with supports. The third is to rescue and rejuvenate endangered ancient and famous trees, such as adopting technical measures like replacing soil at the roots, burying tree branches underground and laying trapezoidal bricks or turf larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, and increasing aeration, so that a group of increasingly decaying pines and cypresses regain vitality.