Hydroponic bonsai is most suitable for lazy people, easy to grow and worry-free
Hydroponic bonsai mainly involves fixing the plant rhizomes in a planting basket and allowing the root system to grow naturally into the plant nutrient solution. This nutrient solution can replace natural soil in providing the plant with water, nutrients, temperature and other growth factors, enabling the plant to grow normally and complete its entire life cycle. Hydroponic plants cultivated with this soilless cultivation technique are even more favored by flower consumers for their cleanliness and hygiene, elegant style, strong ornamental value, and environmental friendliness with no pollution. Let's learn about the characteristics of hydroponic bonsai below.
The selection of hydroponic plants for hydroponic bonsai should follow these principles:
(1) Choose existing indoor potted flowers with strong ornamental value and relatively wide application.
(2) Give priority to plant species suitable for growing in aquatic and wet environments, with strong rooting ability, wide adaptability, and strong stress resistance, as well as plants with highly ornamental aquatic root systems and long ornamental periods.
Recommended plants suitable for hydroponics:
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum): Hydroponic pothos is extremely shade-tolerant and can be placed in a sunny spot indoors in all four seasons. In rooms with dim light, it should be moved to a brighter environment every half month to recover for a period, otherwise the internodes tend to lengthen and the leaves become smaller.
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana): In the early stage of water-grown lucky bamboo, pay attention to changing the water promptly and pruning the roots. After rooting, maintain attention to details such as light, water, and temperature.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum): When hydroponically growing spider plant, dig out the potted spider plant, remove the soil from the roots, cut off old roots and rotten roots, keep the fibrous roots, place it into a container bottle, fill the bottle with clean water, and let the spider plant roots soak in the water to grow.
Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum): When hydroponically growing anthurium, half of the root system should be exposed to the air, otherwise root rot is very likely. It is normal for it to appear green. As long as it is not direct sunlight, healthy root growth can usually be ensured.
Alocasia (Alocasia amazonica): For hydroponic alocasia, choose a plant that is growing well, clear away old leaves and dead leaves on the stem, keep only two or three new leaves, loosen the pot soil, remove the plant from the pot, then rinse the entire plant clean. It must not carry soil, because first, it easily pollutes the water quality, and second, it carries pathogens that easily cause root rot.
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis): Hydroponic hyacinth is one of the easiest ornamental flower varieties to grow among hydroponic flowers. At the beginning of hydroponics, wash the glass bottle clean, then pour in tap water, but do not fill it full; limit the water to 1-3 cm from the base plate of the hyacinth bulb.
Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus): For hydroponic asparagus fern, select a robustly growing, well-developed asparagus fern as the mother material for hydroponics. A simple visual sign of good growth is tender buds visible on the root system.
Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia seguine): The water used for hydroponic dieffenbachia should be pollution-free and slightly acidic. If using tap water, it must be drawn in advance and left in the air for more than one day to fully dissolve oxygen and release chlorine. When changing the water, wash away the mucus on the roots and cut off rotten roots and scorched leaves. Pay attention to ventilation; poor ventilation also affects growth. Avoid strong direct sunlight in summer, and avoid insufficient sunlight in winter, which causes yellow leaves.
Advantages of hydroponic bonsai:
(1) It has strong ornamental value: you can view the leaves and flowers while also viewing the roots. It has even greater three-dimensional ornamental value.
(2) Convenient management: no need to constantly worry about watering, or fear that overwatering will cause root rot and death.
(3) Quick fertilization: just drip nutrient solution in the required amount, with no need to fret over fertilizer or worry that excessive fertilization will cause fertilizer damage.
(4) No need to worry about infection from soil-borne pests and diseases; just keep the pot water clean.
(5) Elegant display: it can be seen in offices, meeting rooms, and bedrooms everywhere, and it has a trend of growing popularity.
Disadvantages of hydroponic bonsai:
(1) Insufficient nutrients: it relies only on nutrient solution supplementation and cannot match soil-cultivated flowers in having relatively complete nutrient sources. It is prone to deficiencies of certain nutrients.
(2) Troublesome to change and wash: water must be changed or containers cleaned every 5-7 days, and the bottle water easily grows algae, affecting the beauty of its appearance.
(3) Afraid of wind and easily blown over. It is not as firm and stable as soil-cultivated flowers.
(4) Afraid of sun exposure, which easily causes water loss after exposure, producing scorched yellow leaves and death.
Hydroponic potted plants have broad market prospects. They are extremely ornamental and simple to grow and easy to care for, so they are also called "lazy person's bonsai."
Methods for promoting rooting in hydroponic plants and flowers
Hydroponic flowers use modern bioengineering technology, applying physical, chemical, and bioengineering means to domesticate ordinary plants and flowers so that they can grow in water for a long time, forming a new generation of high-tech agricultural projects. With hydroponic flowers, flowers fill the room with fragrance above while fish swim freely below. They are hygienic, environmentally friendly, and labor-saving, so hydroponic flowers are also called “lazy person's flowers.”
1. For large plants that have already taken shape and reached an ornamental effect, clear water can be used for induction, such as cactus and tree-stump bonsai like iron tree. The goal of cultivating these plants is simply to maintain the original tree shape. Gravel and perlite can only be used inside the planting cup as a medium to fix the plant or hold the rhizome, while the induction of water roots and aerenchyma must be carried out in a water environment. As for plants that have completed the root-promotion stage, if they are moved to an induction pool, the rhizome can be wrapped with sponge and planted into the planting hole, or placed in a planting cup and planted into the planting hole, depending on the variety.
2. In terms of effect, the nutrient stress caused by clear water can better accelerate the formation of root aerenchyma and the development of water roots, but from a cultivation perspective, it is better to use a nutrient solution of moderate concentration in the water. This is related to the fertilizer tolerance of the plants after induction. For cactus, removing soil roots during induction is necessary. Because cactus is a succulent plant, drying it for a period before induction is more favorable for root promotion, since root promotion in succulents has stricter water requirements in the seedbed: too much easily causes rot, while too little affects the efficiency of root promotion.
How to grow peace lily (Spathiphyllum), how to grow hydroponic peace lily
Peace lily is 40-60 cm tall and is composed of a white spathe and a yellow-white spadix. It looks very much like a palm, hence the name peace lily. So how is peace lily cultivation different from that of other plants? Can peace lily be grown hydroponically? Let's take a look.
How to grow peace lily:
1. Light: Light is very important for plant growth. Peace lily needs relatively good light in winter and early spring, but as the light gradually intensifies, it should be gradually shaded. If it is being enjoyed in a shaded place, it must not be placed directly in the sun for exposure, as this is very bad for the growth of peace lily.
2. Temperature: Peace lily is a high-temperature-loving species and should be cultivated in a high-temperature greenhouse. In winter, the minimum nighttime temperature should be 14-16°C, and the daytime temperature should be around 25°C.
3. Watering: During the growth period, peace lily should keep the pot soil moist often, but it must not be watered too much. If watered too much, the pot soil will remain wet for a long time, easily causing root rot and yellowing and withering of the plant.
4. Fertilization: Do not apply concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer, and after applying solid fertilizer, water once with clear water. It is best to use dilute fertilizer water instead of clear water for irrigation. In this way, fertilizer damage generally will not occur, and peace lily will grow very lushly.
5. Pests: Plants are most favored by pests during the growth period. Miticides should be sprayed regularly for prevention and control, such as dicofol, hexythiazox, and pyridaben.
How to grow hydroponic peace lily?
Now many plants use the hydroponic method, because hydroponics can save a lot of trouble and is convenient to grow. So peace lily can also use the hydroponic method, but the following key points should be noted during hydroponics:
1. Light: The light for hydroponic plants should mainly be scattered light; it does not necessarily have to be exposed to the sun, and direct sunlight should be avoided as much as possible in summer. 2. Temperature: The growth temperature for hydroponic plants is 5°C-30°C. Within this range, hydroponic plants can grow normally, so this also applies to peace lily.
3. Changing water: When growing hydroponic plants in summer, water should be changed about once every 7 days, and in winter about once every 10-15 days.
4. Hydroponic plants can also develop dry and withered leaves, so in daily care, clear water should be sprayed on the leaf surface to retain moisture. It is best to spray foliar fertilizer once a week to ensure that peace lily continues to grow well.
Conclusion:Peace lily is called a "lazy person's flower" because it is very easy to grow, and hydroponic peace lily is even more convenient. If you also like peace lily, you might as well give it a try.
More information:
| Meaning of calla lily | How to grow happiness tree | Effects and functions of Chinese rose | Effects of cactus fruit | Hangzhou white chrysanthemum |
| Effects and functions of peace tree and osmanthus tea | Effects and functions of Gynostemma pentaphyllum | Effects and functions of rosemary | June snow bonsai |
| Marigold cultivation | How to care for happiness tree | Flower pictures and names | Effects of pothos flower | How to grow gardenia |