How to Grow a Money Tree? A Full Guide to Growing Methods and Precautions
The money tree (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is a perennial herbaceous ornamental plant. Unlike most ornamental plants, the money tree has underground tubers and basically no main stem above ground. In addition to its extremely high ornamental value, the money tree can also purify the air, absorb carbon dioxide, and increase the concentration of negative ions in the air. It is one of the main plants grown by many flower growers, so how should the money tree be grown? What precautions should be taken? Let's take a look below!
1. Choosing soil
The soil for planting a money tree should be chosen from a place with strong permeability, and be fertile and loose. You can use vegetable garden soil mixed with a small amount of sand. Keep the soil pH at around 6.2; it can be slightly acidic but must not be too alkaline. Before growing, pay attention to the planting density. This is because the money tree's tubers are relatively large and the plant is thick and sturdy. So in order to avoid the plants becoming too dense after later growth and affecting each other's growth, create a good growing environment for the money tree and improve its ornamental value.
2. Fertilization method
The money tree is very fond of fertilizer. During the process of growing a money tree, not only should sufficient base fertilizer be applied before growing, but also topdressing during growth must be no less than 2 times per month. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer to prevent excessive nitrogen fertilizer from causing excessive vegetative growth of the money tree. Then appropriately add phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote the tenderization and thickening of the money tree's leaves. In addition, control fertilizer application according to temperature changes. When the temperature is below 16°C, stop fertilizing.
3. Watering in time
The money tree likes a dry-and-wet environment. During growing, water appropriately according to the money tree's growth progress and the soil's moisture content. When the surrounding temperature is above 30°C, insufficient water can easily cause the money tree to dry up, so it must be watered once every day. However, because the money tree has strong drought resistance, when watering you should maintain the method of small-drop drip irrigation. When the temperature is suitable, keep it to once a week. When entering high-temperature weather such as summer, appropriately increase the surrounding humidity level.
4. Light and temperature
The money tree prefers warmth and is not very suitable for growing in a low-temperature environment, so try to keep the money tree's growing temperature at around 25°C. If the temperature is above 33°C, it will affect the money tree's growth, so cool it down in time and do a good job of shading. Although the temperature in winter is relatively low, you must also ensure the temperature does not fall below 10°C. Too low a temperature can easily cause cold damage to the money tree and reduce its survival rate. The money tree has relatively high light requirements, but you must also prevent direct strong light, otherwise it can easily scorch new leaves.
5. Precautions
Shading work for the money tree is very important. In summer, especially at noon when the temperature is highest, pay attention to cooling and shading. Also, the soil's water content should not be too high. Too much water in a low-temperature environment is not conducive to the money tree's growth and can easily cause the money tree's rhizome to rot. And in a low-temperature environment, stop topdressing work, otherwise it will also harm the money tree's rhizome. When the temperature is too low, also pay attention to doing a good job of cold protection to prevent cold damage.
The above is the editor's brief introduction to the money tree's growing methods and precautions. The money tree's growth habits are rather unusual; for example, it likes light but cannot take direct sunlight, and it likes water but cannot have too much, and so on. So everyone must pay attention to these aspects during the growing process, improve the money tree's survival rate, and only then can you ensure that unnecessary losses to growing benefits are avoided. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone.