Podocarpus bonsai styling pictures for you to enjoy, let's take a look

That's all for the Podocarpus bonsai pictures. Friends who like them can grow a Podocarpus at home and try making a beautiful bonsai out of it!

Management of Tree Bonsai

Tree bonsai is a living organism after artistic processing, and requires watering, fertilizing, pruning, repotting, pest and disease control, and other maintenance and management measures to ensure the growth and development of the bonsai trees and maintain their proper ornamental value. A precious tree bonsai takes considerable effort to cultivate and create, so it should be cared for even more meticulously.
(1) Watering: Watering is a major management task for tree bonsai. Trees growing in pots are prone to drying out because of the limited soil in the pot; if water is not replenished in time, they will die from lack of water. Tree bonsai certainly need constant watering, but too much is also inadvisable; excessive water will cause leggy growth, and if the pot soil stays too wet for a long time, the roots cannot breathe well, which easily causes root rot and death. Therefore, bonsai watering must be appropriate, following the principle of "do not water until dry, and when watering, water thoroughly." The amount of water also depends on the habits of the tree species; drought-loving and moisture-loving species should be treated differently. In addition, water requirements differ by growing season. Generally, during the high-temperature period in summer, water once in the morning and once in the evening; in spring and autumn, water once a day or every other day; in winter, when trees are dormant, water once every few days; during the plum rain season or on rainy days, watering may not be needed. The water-holding capacity of the pot soil is related to the soil texture: sandy loam has good permeability and can be watered more frequently; clayey soil has poor permeability, so watering should not be excessive. The dryness or wetness of the pot soil can be judged by the growth of the leaves (wilted leaves indicate lack of water), the sound when tapping the pot, the color of the pot soil surface, and whether it has cracked.
There are two watering methods: root irrigation and foliar spraying. Evergreen species and moisture-loving species, such as pines and cypresses, camellias, and rhododendrons, can often have their leaves sprayed; deciduous species are mostly watered at the roots; miniature bonsai are best half-buried in wet sand. When watering, be careful not to give "half water," that is, not enough water, leaving the pot soil wet on top and dry below, which can also cause water shortage in the bonsai trees. Watering can be combined with fertilizing, and after applying topdressing, water promptly. Tap water should be stored in a water vat for a day before use, and the watering tool is best a sprinkling can with a rose head.
(2) Fertilizing: The nutrients in the pot soil are limited. In order to supply the necessary nutrients for the growth of bonsai trees, attention should be paid to supplementing appropriate fertilizer. Generally, tree bonsai grow slowly and do not need too much fertilizer, which would cause leggy growth and affect the beauty of the tree's form. Fertilizing should be timely and appropriate, with attention to the type of fertilizer and its nutrient content.
The nutrients needed for plant growth mainly consist of the three elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen fertilizer can promote the growth of branches and leaves, phosphorus fertilizer can promote the growth of flowers and fruit, and potassium fertilizer can promote the growth of stems and roots. Therefore, the choice of fertilizer should be based on the characteristics of the tree species and its growth conditions. Foliage-appreciated species should be given more nitrogen fertilizer; flower-appreciated and fruit-appreciated species should be given more phosphorus fertilizer; acid-loving species such as camellias, rhododendrons, Chinese fringe flower, and gardenia should be appropriately given some alum fertilizer water.
The following points should be noted when fertilizing bonsai:
1. Organic fertilizer and cake fertilizer must be fully decomposed before use; otherwise, fermentation in the pot soil easily burns the roots.
2. Liquid fertilizer should not be too concentrated and must be diluted before use; otherwise, fertilizer damage easily occurs.
3. Newly potted trees should not be fertilized before new roots have grown.
4. Fertilize when the pot soil is dry, and water after applying. Fertilizing before rain is better; fertilizing on rainy days is not advisable.
5. Liquid fertilizer water should not be sprinkled on the leaf surface.
6. During the growing season, topdressing should use quick-acting fertilizer; during dormancy, slow-acting fertilizer should be used; generally no fertilizer is applied during the plum rain season and autumn.
(3) Pruning: Bonsai trees are still constantly growing. If allowed to grow naturally without restraint, it will inevitably affect the tree's form and styling and cause it to lose its artistic value. Therefore, timely pruning is necessary: long branches are cut short, dense branches are thinned, and for pine species, when the buds just sprout, the growing tips and buds are pinched off to control the growth of new branches, so as to maintain a graceful tree form and appropriate proportions.
1. Pinching: To inhibit the height growth of tree bonsai and encourage side branches to develop flat and spreading, the tender tips of the branches can be pinched off.
2. Bud removal: When many adventitious buds grow at the base of the trunk or on the trunk of tree bonsai, they should be removed at any time to avoid the sprouting of forked branches that affect the beauty of the tree shape. In particular, species such as Chinese elm, Sageretia thea, winter jasmine, and Serissa japonica easily produce adventitious buds, so bud removal should be given even more attention.
3. Leaf removal: For foliage-appreciated tree bonsai, the ornamental period is often the period when new leaves sprout. For example, the new leaves of maples and pomegranates are red. Through leaf removal treatment, the trees can produce new leaves several times a year, bright and pleasing to the eye, improving their ornamental effect. For tree bonsai such as Chinese elm and ginkgo, the fresh tender new leaves can also be enjoyed through leaf removal.
4. Branch pruning: Tree bonsai often produce many new branches. To maintain their beautiful styling, attention must always be paid to branch pruning. The pruning method should be decided according to the tree form; for example, for a cloud-layer shape, the branches are pruned into a flat form. Generally, dead branches, parallel branches, crossing branches, and other branches that hinder beauty should all be cut off in time.
(4) Repotting and soil replacement: After tree bonsai have grown in a pot for many years, fibrous roots densely fill the bottom of the pot, making it difficult for water to penetrate and drain and for fertilizer to be absorbed, which affects the normal growth of the trees. At this time, they should be repotted and the soil replaced. For repotting, the original pot or a pot one size larger can be used, depending on the size of the tree. When repotting, root pruning and soil replacement can be combined; roots that are too dense or too long should be pruned. Replacing the soil can improve soil aeration and permeability, increase soil nutrients, help the bonsai trees grow robustly, and improve their ornamental effect.
Repotting of tree bonsai can be decided according to the following aspects:
1. Generally, small bonsai are repotted once every 1 to 2 years, medium bonsai once every 2 to 3 years, and large bonsai once every 3 to 5 years. If it is an old stump specimen, it can be repotted once every several years.
2. Species that grow vigorously and like fertilizer should be repotted more often, with shorter intervals; species that grow slowly and need less fertilizer can be repotted less often, with longer intervals. Old stump specimens of pines and cypresses should not be repotted often.
3. Species with luxuriant branches and leaves and well-developed roots should be repotted frequently. Repotting can be decided by the condition of root growth. When the pot soil is neither dry nor wet, turn the pot upside down and tap the bottom of the pot with your hand so that the tree, soil, and roots all come out together. Check the compaction of the soil mass and the distribution of the root system. If the soil mass is compacted and the roots densely cover the bottom surface of the soil mass, it indicates that repotting is necessary.
The best time for repotting is when the trees are dormant, mostly in early spring or late autumn. If a relatively large amount of the original soil is retained, repotting can be done at any time without seasonal restrictions. If most or all of the old soil needs to be replaced, the appropriate repotting period should be strictly selected.
When repotting, root pruning can be combined and considered according to the following conditions:
1. If the new roots of the tree are poorly developed and the root system does not densely cover the bottom surface of the soil mass, the original pot can still be used for repotting and root pruning is not needed. However, the soil should be appropriately replaced to stabilize its base.
2. For species with well-developed roots whose fibrous roots densely cover the bottom surface of the soil mass, a slightly larger pot should be used, the dense root system should be thinned, old roots removed, and a small number of new roots retained for repotting.
3. For some old stump bonsai, when repotting, the roots can be appropriately raised to increase their ornamental value. Old roots and parts of the root ends should be pruned off, and loose, fertile soil should be added to promote new root growth.
4. For the elongated fine roots of pine and cypress species, part of the root ends can be cut off as appropriate; while for boxwood and bamboo, which have well-developed fibrous roots, all the root ends should be cut off to control the fibrous roots from becoming too dense and covering the bottom surface of the soil mass, which would affect aeration and drainage.
5. Placement and protection: The place where tree bonsai are placed should be chosen to be well ventilated and well lit, and they should not be kept indoors with insufficient light for a long time. Light and air are very important for the growth of tree bonsai. Under dense shade or in courtyard corners and corridors, sunlight and air are insufficient, and there is no nourishment from rain and dew, so trees often grow poorly, with yellowing leaves that easily fall off. In a sunny courtyard or patio with circulating air, trees grow robustly, with emerald-green leaves and abundant flowers and fruit, displaying the beauty of bonsai posture. However, different tree species have different light requirements. Some shade-tolerant trees, such as Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, heavenly bamboo, and camellia, should be shaded during the high-temperature and strong-light period in summer; otherwise, they will also grow poorly or even die.
The identification of shade tolerance and light preference in trees includes the following aspects:
1. Needle-leaved pine species are mostly light-loving trees; while some cypress species with flat or scale-like leaves, as well as Podocarpus and Buddhist pine, are mostly shade-loving trees.
2. Evergreen broadleaf species such as boxwood, holly, Syzygium buxifolium, Ardisia japonica, and camellia are mostly relatively shade-tolerant; while deciduous broadleaf species such as plum, peach, crabapple, crape myrtle, Sageretia thea, pomegranate, elm, and hackberry are mostly light-loving. Those with dense branches and leaves are mostly more shade-tolerant, while those with spreading branches and open crowns are mostly more light-loving.
3. Broadleaf trees with thicker or leathery leaves are mostly shade-tolerant; broadleaf trees with thin and relatively large leaves are mostly light-loving.
4. Small shrubs under wild forests, such as wild tea, Serissa japonica, heavenly bamboo, Mahonia fortunei, and Ardisia japonica, are mostly shade-tolerant; species originally growing in open fields or sunny slopes, such as red azalea, Chinese fringe flower, Chinese wolfberry, yellow vitex, and Sageretia thea, are mostly light-loving.
The light preference and shade tolerance of tree bonsai have a great bearing on their placement and management measures, and they cannot be placed arbitrarily in violation of their biological characteristics. Shade-tolerant tree bonsai must be shaded in summer. In addition, the warmth preference and cold tolerance of trees are also very important for the placement and management of bonsai. Generally, cold-tolerant trees can be placed outdoors for overwintering without the need for cold protection. To prevent the pot soil from freezing and cracking, they can be buried underground with the pot surface exposed above ground. Tree bonsai from the south can be left in place in winter. Some less cold-tolerant trees, when potted north of the Yangtze River Basin, such as camellia, banana shrub, Fujian tea, kumquat, and banyan, must be moved indoors or into a greenhouse for overwintering in winter.
(5) Pest and disease control: Pest and disease control for tree bonsai is the same as for general potted ornamental trees. If pests and diseases are discovered but not controlled in time, they will seriously damage the growth of the trees and may even lead to death. Therefore, precious tree bonsai must be given careful maintenance. Common diseases of tree bonsai include the following:
1. Root diseases: The roots of old stump bonsai age and are prone to various bacterial and fungal root rots or root nodule diseases. Attention should be paid to disinfecting the pot soil and controlling the amount of watering.
2. Trunk and branch diseases: Common ones include stem rot and canker, with symptoms such as rotting on the surface of branches and trunk, decay of the inner wood, and spots on the branches. Timely chemical control should be used, such as spraying Bordeaux mixture and applying lime sulfur mixture.
3. Leaf diseases: Common ones include leaf spot, chlorosis, and powdery mildew, with symptoms such as yellow-brown or black spots on the leaf surface, leaf curling, wilting, and early leaf fall. Control methods: for leaf spot, remove diseased leaves and spray Bordeaux mixture; for chlorosis, spray the leaf surface with a 0.1 to 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution; for powdery mildew, spray with lime sulfur mixture at 0.3 to 0.5 degrees Baume.
Common insect pests of tree bonsai include the following:
1. Aphids: There are many kinds of aphids and they cause widespread damage. The leaves of affected trees curl and droop, and in severe cases the leaf surface becomes dirty black, dries up, and falls off. Control method: spray with a 2000 to 3000 times water solution of 40% dimethoate once a week; or spray with an 800 to 1000 times water solution of 2.5% derris extract.
2. Red spider mites: They occur when the temperature is relatively high. They suck the sap of branches and leaves. After the leaves are damaged, gray spots appear, and in severe cases they turn yellow and fall off. Control method: spray with a 1500 to 2000 times solution of 40% dimethoate emulsion or a 1000 times solution of 50% phosmet wettable powder; spraying with boiled chili water can also kill them.
3. Scale insects: There are many kinds and their feeding habits are diverse, and they cause fairly widespread damage. Scale insects suck the sap of trees and can also cause sooty mold, making the trees grow poorly, with branches and leaves turning yellow and early leaf fall. Control method: in addition to manual brushing to eliminate them, spray with a 1000 to 1500 times solution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or a 1000 to 1500 times solution of 80% dichlorvos.

Complete Flower Planting Manual

Flower Planting Manual

Key Points for Spring Flower Planting

Flower Planting Manual (February Edition)

    Weather characteristics of February: This month is the last month of winter and also the cold period second only to January in the year. By the end of February, the weather begins to gradually warm and transition toward spring, and quite a number of flowers also begin to shift from winter dormancy to the revival stage. The main flower-related tasks this month are as follows: first, continue to do a good job of cold protection and heat preservation for potted flowers in protected facilities; second, do a good job of post-bloom pruning and repotting of some woody flowers; third, do the preliminary preparation work for cuttings, grafting propagation, and sowing propagation for some flower species.

   1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February include: pot marigold, cyclamen, dwarf sunflower, asparagus fern, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, safflower, cornflower, blanket flower, strawflower, scarlet sage, marigold, peacock chrysanthemum, dwarf petunia, California poppy, phlox, calceolaria, Schizanthus, snapdragon, nasturtium, pansy, and others. By the end of February, seeds that can be sown outdoors in the open field include: magnolia, banana shrub, photinia, maple, and crabapple (Rosaceae) seeds that have already cracked and shown white after sand stratification, as well as camphor tree, Chinese tulip tree, privet, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, palm, goldenrain tree, soapberry, horse chestnut, lilac, and others; seeds of wintersweet, summersweet, wisteria, and others should be soaked for 24 to 48 hours until the seeds have absorbed enough water before sowing. Tuberose bulbs and amaryllis bulbs can also be potted in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings or by cuttings with plastic film added for moisture retention in February include: plum blossom (after flowering, cut one-year-old branches of varieties such as Gongfen and Lü'e), heavenly bamboo, cotton rose (southern regions), crape myrtle, Daphne odora (southern regions), Edgeworthia chrysantha, pomegranate, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, Jasminum odoratissimum, Serissa japonica, rose of Sharon, Hypericum (plum), spiraea, Mahonia fortunei, boxwood types, and Lespedeza. Sand-stored branches of lilac and Chinese trumpet creeper can also be cuttings at this time. In early February, branches of Weigela, deutzia, hydrangea, tamarisk, plane tree, grape, and fig can also continue to be cut and stored for cuttings by the end of March.

    Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by indoor cuttings in February include: Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, African violet (leaf cuttings), begonia, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, scarlet sage, geranium, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Buddha's hand, jade plant, jade leaf, Echeveria, graptopetalum, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Pilea cadierei, Bryophyllum, kalanchoe, Rieger begonia, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Schefflera, Aglaonema, and Cordyline.

   3. Grafting. Indoors, use one-year-old robust black pine seedlings as rootstock to graft Japanese white pine, Jinxiu pine, lacebark pine, and others, then plant them in the ground and cover with film for warmth and moisture retention. Use one-year-old seedlings of apricot, wild peach, and others as rootstock, and use cleft grafting to propagate redleaf plum, plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, and others. South of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on wintersweet branches grow to the size of wheat grains, use wintersweet seedlings about 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter as rootstock and cleft-graft excellent varieties of wintersweet such as "Suxin," "Xinkou," and "Huti," adopting the measure of bagging and inflating for moisture retention; the survival rate is relatively high. Use robust branches of the rose variety "Elizabeth" as rootstock scions, and cleft-graft or split-graft scions of excellent rose varieties; by adopting the measures of grafting first, then cutting, and then covering with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection, the grafting survival rate can be greatly increased.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in February include: plum blossom, wintersweet, Chaenomeles speciosa, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, gardenia, Weigela florida, Buddhist pine, emerald cypress, snowball, Chinese snowball, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Hypericum, hydrangea, Kerria japonica, Spiraea thunbergii, red maple, banana shrub, and others.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: iris, blackberry lily, autumn zephyr lily, dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, variegated lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, Rohdea japonica, bleeding heart, hosta, purple hosta, small tulip, bromeliads, Tradescantia spathacea, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern, spider plant types, Bryophyllum, canna, Calathea, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium, bird of paradise, clivia, aloe, and others. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: heavenly bamboo, cotton rose, Hypericum, Mahonia fortunei, hydrangea, Chaenomeles speciosa, Edgeworthia chrysantha, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Caragana, Spiraea thunbergii, red-flowered spiraea, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, wild tea, Magnolia liliiflora, four-season osmanthus, bamboo, and others.

    1. Collecting seeds. In February, seeds of heavenly bamboo, holly types, Ardisia crenata, winter cherry, and others can be picked, processed, and sand-stored to promote germination, and sowing can be done only after the seeds have cracked and shown white. For clivia plants blooming in the greenhouse, artificial pollination can be given in order to obtain clivia seeds with better genetic quality.

    In February, attention should be paid to checking various sand-stored flower and tree seeds to see whether any moldy seeds have appeared; if mold occurs, they should be cleaned in time; if the seeds are found to be dry, supplementary spraying can be appropriately given to maintain a certain humidity in the sand and seeds; if a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, they should be sown within a relatively short time. Once the radicle has extended too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle, affecting the seedling emergence rate. Large sand-stored seeds can be sown in holes, while small seeds can be sown in drills or rows. After sowing, pay attention to covering with grass or adding plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. In February, in southern regions where the soil does not freeze and the temperature is relatively high, herbaceous flower species that can be transplanted and planted out include: dianthus types, snapdragon, hollyhock, variegated holly, daisy, pot marigold, and others.

    In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can be planted out. Among the deciduous types are rose of Sharon, pomegranate, redbud, crabapple types, ginkgo, sweetgum, maple types, wisteria, crape myrtle, wintersweet, plum blossom (before sprouting and leafing out), magnolia types, soapberry, silktree, horse chestnut, redleaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Chinese trumpet creeper, linden, Chinese tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow, spiraea, San Ya, deutzia, Chinese scholar tree, dragon-claw scholar tree, dwarf flowering cherry, elm-leaved spirea, Hypericum (plum), weeping willow, golden weeping willow, cotton rose, smoke tree, persimmon, apricot, and others; evergreen tree species such as banana shrub types, camphor tree, Elaeocarpus, French holly, Machilus, and purple nanmu can be delayed until late February to early March for planting; osmanthus, privet, Sichuan juniper, dragon juniper, Chinese arborvitae, black pine, and others should be given moderate pruning when planted.

    1. Cold protection. The weather in February is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (or tunnel) maintenance, potted ornamental plants have consumed a relatively large amount of internal nutrients, and the resistance of the plants has greatly decreased, so careful moisture retention and cold protection work should continue. If greenhouses or plastic tunnels have heating facilities, heating should continue, and harmful gases or smoke should be prevented from entering the tunnel or greenhouse; if straw curtains are hung on the top or around the tunnel, they can continue to be hung; when sudden temperature drops occur after snow, even more care should be taken.

For overwintering potted flowers placed in protected facilities, ventilation and air exchange should continue to be done well. Especially by the end of February, the ventilation time can be extended during the period of the day with the highest temperature. It is worth noting that when indoor potted flowers are placed in the sun, it is best to put them on the inner side of a south-facing window without opening the window.

For a small number of cold-sensitive flowers grown at home, such as Aglaia odorata, Phalaenopsis, Calathea roseopicta, Syngonium, begonia, croton, and Dieffenbachia, on particularly cold days, plastic bags can be added at night, or they can be placed in the bathroom with heating appliances such as a "bathroom heater" turned on to ensure they can overwinter safely.

    2. Watering. Because the temperature in February is relatively low, for the vast majority of potted flowers, it is enough to keep the pot soil moist so they can overwinter safely, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so water demand is low. Once water accumulates in the pot soil, it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death. For relatively dry indoor environments, the plants should often be sprayed and misted on the leaves to increase the air humidity of the local environment. If the indoor air is excessively dry, in mild cases the leaves will lose green color and the flower buds will stop growing; in severe cases the leaves will shrink and wrinkle and the flower buds will shrivel and fall off. For camellia, camellia sasanqua, rhododendron, plum blossom, bitter orange, kumquat, winter cherry, and others, bud drop and fruit drop, and even death, may occur. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should be basically consistent with the indoor or tunnel air temperature and soil temperature.

[page]    For those potted plant species placed indoors that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cineraria, primrose, kalanchoe, camellia, camellia sasanqua, Belgian rhododendron, and pot marigold, and fruit-appreciated plants such as firethorn, heavenly bamboo, bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, Ardisia crenata, four-season mandarin, and winter cherry, not only should the pot soil be kept moist, but the leaves, flower buds, and fruits must also be sprayed with water. Only in this way can the leaves be emerald green, the flower buds rapidly expand, and the fruits be brightly colored. In particular, for tree peonies, plum blossoms, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana placed in plastic tunnels for forcing, the branches must also be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day to accelerate the expansion of their flower buds so that they can bloom as scheduled. For large-flowered cymbidium purchased after being cultivated in greenhouses or plastic tunnels, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse or tunnel differ greatly from those in the home, if the leaves are not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often appear shriveled and withered. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese white pine bonsai, the pot soil must be kept moist, and the plants should be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day; otherwise, the plants may very likely die.

    Although most potted flowers need little water in February, inspection should be strengthened. Especially during several consecutive days of rising temperatures, supplementary watering and spraying should be strengthened in time.

   In February, for greening trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, water should be replenished in time. Especially for evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, appropriate foliar spraying should also be given around noon on fine days to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off afterward and affecting recovery growth in spring.

    3. Fertilizing. In February, base fertilizer can continue to be buried for most ground-planted greening trees and flowering shrubs. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken and pigeon manure, pond sludge, and septic tank cleanings. They can be applied by digging ring-shaped trenches around the outer perimeter of the plant root system and then covering with soil, to meet the needs of plant growth and flowering and fruiting in spring and summer.

   In February, for potted flowers placed in greenhouses (plastic tunnels) at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia, camellia sasanqua, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Belgian rhododendron, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, Daphne odora, plum blossom, European daffodil, hyacinth, tulip, Christmas cactus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, bromeliads, Tillandsia, Guzmania, and clivia, low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate can continue to be applied as topdressing to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, and stump bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, fertilizing should be stopped because they are still dormant; otherwise, root rot and plant death are very likely.

    4. Pruning. In February, ground-planted or potted plum blossom, wintersweet, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, and others can be heavily cut back after flowering. Of the flowering branches, only 2 to 3 buds are retained at the base, and all the rest are cut off, to encourage many new shoots that year and even denser branches and buds the following year. In addition, leggy branches, dead branches, and irregularly shaped branches should also be pruned at the same time. For stump bonsai types that are mainly pruned, such as Chinese elm, Sageretia thea, banyan, trident maple, Fujian tea, oak, Fraxinus, water willow, Elaeagnus, Chinese holly, holly, Serissa japonica, juniper, and Chinese juniper, pruning should continue; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repotting can be given at the same time as pruning.

    5. Repotting. Late February to early March is a favorable time for repotting the vast majority of potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best done when the plant's winter dormancy is about to end, the root system is resuming growth, and the leaf buds have not yet sprouted. Flower species that can be repotted by the end of February include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Brunfelsia, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, sword fern, Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, fuchsia, begonia, wax begonia, painted begonia, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, sago palm, clivia, Haworthia, aloe, Christmas cactus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, sedum, jade plant, jade leaf, kalanchoe, amaryllis, asparagus fern, spider plant, Norfolk Island pine, Schefflera, Rohdea japonica, bird of paradise, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, coral plant, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, camellia, camellia sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, croton, Syngonium, Calathea, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, bitter orange, kumquat, Buddha's hand, and others.

    6. Pest and disease control. For powdery mildew appearing on the leaves of potted cineraria in greenhouses and gray mold appearing on primrose leaves, choose 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1500 times dilution to spray at the early stage of disease onset, once every 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.

For gray mold appearing on the leaves and corollas of potted cyclamen in plastic tunnels, 50% iprodione (main ingredient iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution can be sprayed.

For potted Belgian rhododendron in plastic tunnels, foliar fertilizers such as "Duoxiaohao" should be stopped, because at this time the temperature is low and the humidity in the tunnel is high, so foliar fertilizer is difficult for the plant to absorb and instead easily breeds mold on the leaf surface, and in severe cases forms unsightly disease spots.

For aphids, scale insects, ants, and sooty mold appearing on potted flowers in greenhouses (such as bitter orange and kumquat), when there are few insects they can be brushed off with a brush, and when there are many insects they can be killed by spraying 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times dilution. After the aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, the sooty mold will also disappear accordingly.

For insect bodies such as mealy scale, white scale, oyster-shell scale, and black-brown round scale appearing on potted flower plants in plastic tunnels, they can be brushed off with a hard brush, or killed by dipping a cotton swab in alcohol, or sprayed with 2.5% lambda-cyhalothrin emulsifiable concentrate at 2500 times dilution, or controlled by burying 3% carbofuran or 20% fenamiphos granules in the flowerpot.

Continue to clear away dead branches and fallen leaves under flowers and trees as well as insect-infested branches and diseased leaves on potted flower plants, and burn them in a centralized manner. This can significantly reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year.

    7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, soybean cake, and others into a water pool or vat, add clean water, and seal for fermentation, so that in the growing season it can be diluted and used to water potted flowers. Alternatively, pile and ferment cake fertilizer and the like; after about 2 months, spread it out to dry in the sun, and after it is fully dried, pack it well in plastic bags. The thoroughly composted and sun-dried cake fertilizer in granular powder form can be scattered in flowerpots as topdressing. For Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, large-flowered cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower types, it is more convenient than watering with liquid cake fertilizer, especially when growing flowers on a balcony, where it is both convenient and hygienic and can also reduce the occurrence of foliar diseases. In addition, it can also be used for mixing potting soil.

    8. Turning and freezing soil. In early February, garden plots that have not yet been plowed can continue to be turned. After overwintering and freezing, when spring returns and the weather warms, trenches can then be opened and beds made for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees.

    Plant species that can be trained and styled by wiring in February include: emerald cypress, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, juniper, Chinese arborvitae, true cypress, ginkgo, Serissa japonica, creeping juniper, Japanese white pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, thousand-head red pine, water willow, Caragana, small golden coin plum, wintersweet, Chaenomeles speciosa, crape myrtle, banyan, Chinese elm, trident maple, and others.

Continue to re-wire and adjust plants that were styled 1 to 2 years ago. If sunken binding constriction marks are found on the plant, the metal wire or non-metal wire should first be removed, and new binding material should be replaced for wiring and fixation.

For shallow-pot stump bonsai, landscape bonsai, small and miniature bonsai, and stone-attached bonsai, continue to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection, keeping them always in an environment not lower than 0°C, to prevent the plants from freezing to death or the artificially cemented rocks from freezing and cracking apart, causing undue losses.

Flower Planting Manual (March Edition)

(1) Flower species suitable for courtyard planting

    1. Ground-planted flower species

If the area in front of your courtyard is open and spacious, with good light and ventilation conditions, or the distance from the row of buildings in front is greater than 30 m, and the soil has been improved to a certain degree, then you can plant some flower species that are relatively light-loving and have higher requirements for the growing environment. Ground-planted flowers and trees such as: white magnolia, ginkgo, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, banana shrub, Magnolia soulangeana, papaya, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Malus micromalus, Chinese snowball, snowball, persimmon, cotton rose, Chinese tulip tree, plum blossom, rose, fig, camellia, crape myrtle, tree peony, pomegranate, wisteria, cherry blossom, grape, ornamental peach, heavenly bamboo, red maple, redbud, rose of Sharon, Canary Island date palm, and others. If your courtyard is relatively shady and damp, then you should choose some flower and tree species suited to shady and damp conditions, such as palm, photinia, Aucuba japonica, French holly, privet, Mahonia bealei, southern magnolia, camphor tree, dragon juniper, Elaeocarpus, Buddhist pine, Fatsia japonica, Sichuan juniper, cedar, wintersweet, banana, clustered bamboo, and others. Regardless of how much light or how dry or wet your courtyard is, when choosing ground-planted flowers and trees, attention should be paid to the following points: first, the lowest temperature the flowers and trees can tolerate should not be lower than the local minimum temperature, to avoid freezing damage; second, they should be suited to the local soil and moisture conditions, to avoid incompatibility; third, they should have fewer pests and diseases, a relatively long flowering and fruiting period, fragrance, and auspicious flower names; fourth, the number of flowers and trees should not be too many; a small courtyard can have 1 to 2 plants, while a large courtyard can plant several more; fifth, the height of adult large trees should not exceed the windows and balconies of the second floor, so as not to obstruct the lighting of upstairs residents and affect neighborly relations; sixth, avoid planting flower and tree species that cause human allergies or contain toxic substances; seventh, choose relatively slow-growing but basically formed large-specification plants, so that greening and beautification effects can be achieved early, such as ginkgo, Japanese fir, osmanthus, plum blossom, and Buddhist pine, which should be no less than 2 m in height; eighth, leave some open space for planting herbaceous flowers and placing potted ornamental plants.

There are many kinds of herbaceous flowers and groundcover plants suitable for ground planting. Sun-loving and light-loving ones include dianthus, snapdragon, ornamental kale, pansy, scarlet sage, cockscomb, globe amaranth, celosia, marigold, hollyhock, impatiens, lupine, daisy, pot marigold, corn poppy, autumn zephyr lily, dahlia, and others. Relatively shade-tolerant herbaceous flowers and groundcover plant species include: dwarf lilyturf, large-leaf lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, hosta, purple hosta, Lycoris radiata, Rohdea japonica, Tradescantia spathacea, Aspidistra, iris, Acorus calamus, saxifrage, and others.

    2. Potted flower species

There are many flower species suitable for potting in home courtyards. When conditions are relatively good, some flower species requiring relatively meticulous management can be chosen, such as plum blossom, Aglaia odorata, camellia, poinsettia, wintersweet, Belgian rhododendron, Norfolk Island pine, Brazilian ironwood, money tree, king coconut, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, Ardisia crenata, bromeliads, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix wood), Fagraea ceilanica (commonly known as African jasmine), Cinnamomum types (commonly known as peace tree), calla lily, primrose, large-flowered cymbidium, anthurium, Cymbidium ensifolium, Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium sinense, cyclamen, Oncidium, Vanda, Rieger begonia, tuberous begonia, bird of paradise, Chinese hibiscus, clivia, pothos, Fittonia, croton, Syngonium, Syngonium, Buddha's hand, bitter orange, lemon, tulip, hyacinth, calceolaria, fishtail palm, areca palm, bottle palm, and others. For courtyards with relatively poorer conditions, you can grow some types requiring relatively extensive management, such as heavenly bamboo, sago palm, rhapis palm, chrysanthemum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, amaryllis, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Caragana, Serissa japonica, Chaenomeles speciosa, four-season osmanthus, cactus types, asparagus fern, rubber tree, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, Schefflera, Pilea cadierei, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, bougainvillea, large thorn, camellia, camellia sasanqua, hairy rhododendron, banyan, and others.

(2) Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: crape myrtle, redbud, wintersweet, summersweet, red maple, and Chinese tulip tree. The latter five all need their seeds soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, until they have absorbed water thoroughly, and then sown. Flower and tree species that can be sown and raised after sand storage for germination promotion include: sago palm, ginkgo, Podocarpus, Buddhist pine, Chinese fan palm, Magnolia liliiflora, banana shrub types, osmanthus, horse chestnut, heavenly bamboo, holly types, pomegranate, Chinese snowball, and others. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: impatiens, marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, scarlet sage, cockscomb, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, four-season primrose, mallow types, four-o'clock, bird of paradise, clivia, asparagus fern, and others. Some less cold-tolerant species should be sown inside plastic tunnel covers.

    2. Cuttings. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cuttings in March include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Portulacaria afra, graptopetalum, Echeveria, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, Chaenomeles speciosa, silver bud willow, Hypericum, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, fig, Fatsia japonica, gardenia, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, emerald cypress, Daphne odora, firethorn, and others. Cold-sensitive flowers are best cut indoors or in tunnels.

    3. Grafting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, side-graft to propagate Japanese white pine, Osaka pine, Jinxiu pine, and others; using 1- to 2-year-old white magnolia and Magnolia liliiflora seedlings as rootstock, cleft-graft to propagate banana shrub, Magnolia soulangeana, and others; using 1-year-old peach and apricot seedlings as rootstock, cleft-graft to propagate plum blossom, longevity peach, ornamental peach, red-leaf peach, and others; using finger-thick seedling wintersweet as rootstock, when its leaf buds grow to the size of wheat grains, select scions of excellent wintersweet varieties, carry out cleft grafting and give bagging for moisture retention, and the survival rate is relatively high; using three-ribbed cactus as rootstock, graft to propagate Christmas cactus and various cactus ball types, preferably in plastic tunnels. In addition, camellia, cherry blossom, osmanthus, red maple, and others can also be grafted in March.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: camellia, camellia sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, red maple, Buddhist pine, emerald cypress, upright cypress, banana shrub, Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball, gardenia, osmanthus, Magnolia liliiflora, and others.

    5. Division. Flower species that can be propagated by division in March include: orchid types, bleeding heart, Aspidistra, asparagus fern, sago palm, heavenly bamboo, Mahonia fortunei, Chaenomeles speciosa, snake plant, purple triangular wood sorrel, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, dahlia, bird of paradise, and others.

(3) Management of courtyard flowers

    1. Management of ground-planted courtyard flowers and trees

(1) Transplanting. March is the best time for transplanting and planting out ground-planted flowers and trees. Among them, transplanting plum blossom, white magnolia, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Chinese tulip tree, red maple, and others should be arranged as much as possible before the plants sprout and leaf out; when transplanting evergreen flowers and trees, some pruning of branches and leaves should be done to reduce transpiration and improve the survival rate; for wintersweet, crape myrtle, redbud, rose of Sharon, horse chestnut, ornamental peach, redleaf plum, cherry blossom, and others, transplanting is all right even after sprouting, but appropriate pruning should also be done. Whether evergreen or deciduous trees, when transplanting, a sufficient and proper soil ball should be carried. Generally, the diameter of the soil ball should be greater than 6 times the diameter of the main trunk.

(2) Fertilizing. For ground-planted flowers and trees that were not given buried fertilizer in winter, before they sprout, dig ring-shaped trenches around the outer perimeter of their root system, about 15 to 20 cm deep, and apply thoroughly composted cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken and pigeon manure, and others, or a multi-element compound fertilizer, to lay a material foundation for their growth throughout the year.

[page]    (3) Pruning. For plants that have not yet been pruned, especially plum blossom, wintersweet, Forsythia viridissima, winter jasmine, and others after flowering, in addition to pruning off dead branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, and leggy flowering branches, one-year-old branches can be cut at 2 to 3 cm from the base, retaining only 2 to 3 buds. Through heavy cutting back, they will sprout more new branches in spring and form more flower buds in summer and autumn, which is beneficial for flowering the following year. For camellia, camellia sasanqua, and others, after flowering, branches that spoil the plant shape can be pruned off, and at the same time some weak branches and crossing branches in the inner canopy can be pruned off. For pomegranate, rose of Sharon, osmanthus, and others that form flower buds and bloom on new branches produced in the current year, pruning can be done in March to adjust the plant shape and improve the plant's ventilation and light conditions.

(4) Pest and disease control. For branches and leaves on plants that have already been infected by pests or diseases, cut them off in time and destroy them, which can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases that year; for some flowers and trees susceptible to pests and diseases, such as rose, papaya, Chaenomeles speciosa, grape, and Malus halliana, spraying Bordeaux mixture and the like in time after leafing out can prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew and rust.

    2. Management of ground-planted courtyard herbaceous flowers

Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted and planted out in March include: dianthus, snapdragon, pot marigold, daisy, hollyhock, mallow, variegated lilyturf, autumn zephyr lily, chive lily, iris, Reineckea carnea, ribbon grass, dwarf lilyturf, red wood sorrel, and others. For herbaceous flowers transplanted before February, or transplanted before the New Year, if the plants have resumed growth, such as ornamental kale and pansy, first hoe weeds and loosen the soil, then apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer, such as thoroughly composted odorless cake fertilizer water, 0.5% urea solution, or other quick-acting compound fertilizer solution.

    3. Management of courtyard potted flowers and trees

(1) Repotting. For potted wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles speciosa, firethorn, Japanese white pine, heavenly bamboo, Chinese elm, trident maple, oak, and Fraxinus placed in the open, repotting can be done before they sprout and leaf out, replacing the soil with fresh potting soil that is loose, fertile, and rich in organic matter, to lay a good foundation for spring and summer growth. For Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, rose, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, bird of paradise, sago palm, poinsettia, camellia sasanqua, camellia, Belgian rhododendron, Ardisia crenata, bitter orange, Buddha's hand, lemon, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron, clivia, Syngonium, Syngonium, Calathea, and others placed indoors, repotting should be done before they are moved out.

(2) Exercise. In areas north of the Yangtze River basin, most potted flowers are still being kept indoors in March, so equal attention must be paid to both cold protection and ventilation. Because the weather this month is unstable and cold spells occasionally push south, insulation and cold protection must continue through early and mid-March. In late March, doors and windows of the home can be opened during the day for ventilation and closed at night, so that plants such as white orchid (Michelia alba), Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, hibiscus, poinsettia, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium podophyllum, rubber tree, and Norfolk Island pine can gradually become acclimated and adapt to the outdoor environment, avoiding premature sprouting that would affect that year's growth and normal flowering. For potted flowers in areas north of the Yellow River, insulation and cold protection must continue this month, and one must not be careless in the least.

(3) Pruning. For indoor plants such as hibiscus, fuchsia, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, white orchid (Michelia alba), sago palm, rubber tree, fishtail palm, areca palm, croton, asparagus fern, and begonias, carry out necessary pruning together with repotting, including removing diseased and pest-infested branches, dead branches, misshapen branches, weak and spindly branches, and some yellowed leaves. For plants grown mainly for their trunk form, such as trident maple, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Huangshan pine, black pine, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), oak (Quercus acutissima), and syzygium (Syzygium buxifolium), wiring and pruning can also be done in March before budbreak to further refine their shapes. For plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese rose, ornamental peach, winter jasmine, and Forsythia, heavy renewal pruning can be done after flowering and before sprouting.

(4) Flower species suitable for balcony cultivation

Urban residents cannot all have a small courtyard, nor can they all live on the ground floor with a good small environment for growing flowers. More often, they grow some strongly resistant ornamental plants on balconies to decorate the interior, improve the living environment, and create for themselves an atmosphere of returning to nature.

Ornamental plants suitable for balcony cultivation fall into one category of relatively drought-tolerant plants: their surfaces or cuticles are thickened, or they are covered with wax, or their tissues are thick and fleshy with abundant sap, or their leaves are small and transformed into needle-like forms with very little transpiration water loss, or they originate from arid desert regions and can withstand wind and heat, making them extremely drought-tolerant, such as sago palm, cacti (Opuntia microdasys, Cereus peruvianus monstrose, Crassula lycopodioides, Echinocactus grusonii, Trichocereus, Astrophytum, Aporocactus, and coral tree cactus), Portulacaria afra, jade plant, Graptopetalum, Echeveria, Lithops, night-blooming cereus, Epiphyllum, Pereskia, and Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. There are also wintersweet, winter jasmine, Lycoris, Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema, and spider plant; these flowers generally will not die if not watered for 2 to 3 weeks in spring, so they are quite suitable for balcony cultivation. Another category is flower species relatively tolerant of strong sunlight and hot dry winds, able to take full light and resist short periods of unusually high temperatures; these are also suitable as balcony pot plants (especially on high-floor balconies), such as pomegranate, Chinese rose, banyan, Yucca, Ligustrum quihoui, Agave, Hippeastrum, Sageretia thea, oak (Quercus acutissima), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), trident maple, Adina rubella, black pine, Juniperus rigida, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, Ilex cornuta, holly, Vitex negundo, Euonymus alatus, longevity peach, and Portulaca grandiflora. In addition, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, five-needle pine, Aglaia odorata, Aspidistra, Buddha's hand, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), lemon, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, camellia, Schefflera octophylla, and Norfolk Island pine can also be used as slightly lower-tier balcony pot plants, but water and shade management should be strengthened.

(1) Propagation of balcony potted flowers

For herbaceous flowers suitable for balcony potting, such as salvia, ornamental pepper, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), marigold, garden balsam, and petunia, shallow trays can be sown at this time to raise seedlings.

If a small amount of asparagus fern or clivia seed is collected, after washing it clean it can first be sown indoors, and when the outdoor temperature reaches about 15°C, it can be moved to an outdoor balcony for cultivation.

Succulent plants such as Epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, jade plant, Graptopetalum, Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, coral tree cactus, and Crassula lycopodioides can be cuttings-propagated indoors at this time in plain sand or clean sandy loam, then moved to the balcony after spring warmth returns.

Use a large flowerpot filled with loose sandy loam, or vermiculite, perlite, etc. as the cutting medium, and propagate by cuttings indoors near a window sill with better light: gardenia, fuchsia, hibiscus, bougainvillea, Buddhist pine, dwarf pomegranate, Chaenomeles speciosa, nandina, Daphne odora, and Ardisia crenata, but the pot mouth must be covered with plastic film to retain moisture.

On the balcony, when grafting five-needle pine, Pinus parviflora 'Zuisho', plum blossom, longevity peach, red maple, and wintersweet, bagging is needed to retain moisture; otherwise survival is not easy.

(2) Management of balcony potted flowers

    1. Cold protection. Most ornamental plant species suitable for balcony potting are still indoors in March. While taking measures such as insulation, cold protection, ventilation, and light exposure, plants that need repotting should be repotted in a timely manner. For the more resistant flower plants placed on the balcony, the potting soil should be kept from freezing; if the potting soil freezes, it can easily cause frost heaving of potted plants, which will not only affect the plants' normal growth that year, but in serious cases can cause plant death. Measures can be taken such as building a temporary shelter on site or moving them indoors or into a shed for cold protection.

    2. Pruning. For tree stumps such as wintersweet, Ilex cornuta, holly, black pine, five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, trident maple, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, and Ligustrum quihoui, pruning and shaping can be carried out. Trunks and branches that need shaping can be wired and styled in March. For plants that have not been repotted for 2 to 3 years, the soil can be replaced. For bonsai placed on the balcony, keep the potting soil moist as the standard, water once every 3 to 5 days, and give appropriate misting. For plum blossom, winter jasmine, Forsythia, wintersweet, longevity peach, and camellia, necessary shaping and pruning can be done after flowering to promote the maintenance of a good plant shape. Carry out a comprehensive cleanup of the plants, cut off branches and leaves infected by pests or diseases, and destroy them. For dry cut surfaces on tree stumps, apply lime sulfur mixture or similar as an antiseptic treatment.

    3. Preparatory facilities. If conditions permit, a small water pool can also be built on the balcony, with a hard board (prefabricated reinforced concrete) supported on top. Using the humidity produced by evaporation from the pool, in summer place on it some flowers that prefer humid air, such as orchids, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Syngonium podophyllum, Ardisia crenata, and nandina. The stored water is ideal for watering flowers.

    In March, before potted flowers are moved out, you can also first set up tiered racks on the balcony for placing potted flowers, and choose the support points for installing shade netting in summer, so that once potted flowers are moved out and encounter excessively strong sunlight, shade measures can quickly be put in place.

    In March, you should also prepare potting soil for repotting and stock up on various fertilizers and pesticides to meet the needs of balcony flower growing for the year.

Flower Growing Manual (April Volume)

Weather characteristics of April: As the force of cold air moving south from the north weakens, warm moist air from the south becomes stronger and stronger, and temperatures rise noticeably. After Qingming, although there are occasional effects of cold air moving south, it can no longer pose a threat to potted flowers in most areas south of the Huai River; only in areas north of the Huai River and Yellow River does the danger of snow and frost remain. By Guyu, areas south of the Yangtze and Huai rivers have ended late frost, the minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and rainfall increases noticeably. Most potted flowers can be moved outdoors for care; but in areas north of the Huai River, potted flowers can only be moved out after late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, flower-related tasks include the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include Cleome spinosa, Mirabilis jalapa, cockscomb, Amaranthus tricolor, Portulaca grandiflora, Dahlia pinnata, Gomphrena globosa, salvia, garden balsam, morning glory, Quamoclit coccinea, Quamoclit lobata, Nicotiana tabacum, petunia, China aster, Coreopsis, Coreopsis tinctoria, marigold, red-yellow chrysanthemum, zinnia, asparagus fern, Primula obconica, Tropaeolum majus, Kochia scoparia, Abutilon, Euphorbia heterophylla, basil, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Cosmos, Adenophora, and Mimosa pudica. Magnoliaceae flower and tree species that can be sown in April after sand storage include: Magnolia denudata, Magnolia cylindrica, Magnolia zenii, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia amoena, Magnolia sprengeri, Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia delavayi, Michelia, Manglietia, Manglietia insignis, Manglietia chingii, Manglietia grandis, Michelia champaca, Michelia figo, Michelia multiflora, Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunnanensis, Michelia foveolata, Michelia omeiensis, Liriodendron chinense, Liriodendron tulipifera hybrids, and Liriodendron tulipifera; other greening flower and tree species that can be sown in April include: Japanese fir, Sciadopitys verticillata, Norfolk Island pine, Pseudolarix amabilis, crape myrtle, redbud, Albizia julibrissin, Taxus chinensis, Pittosporum tobira, Chinese tallow tree, Koelreuteria bipinnata, Sapindus mukorossi, Liquidambar formosana, maples, Ormosia henryi, wintersweet, Calycanthus chinensis, Exochorda racemosa, goji, nandina, Ardisia crenata, and windmill palm.

Ornamental plants that can be sown as soon as collected in April include: Gerbera, asparagus fern, primrose, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), Fatsia japonica, and Solanum mammosum. Among them, Fatsia japonica fruits that have turned black, whitened, and softened can be picked at the end of April, rubbed and washed to extract the seeds, and then sown on fertile seedling beds; the seeds can also first be sand-stored until they crack and show white, then sown, covered with grass to retain moisture. Generally after two weeks, once about 70% of the seeds have emerged, promptly remove the covering grass and build a shade frame; for cultivating Solanum mammosum, the picked golden-yellow fruits can have their skins peeled off, the seeds washed out, soaked in warm water for 24 hours, and sown in fertile sandy soil. After 10 days the seeds can germinate and emerge. When the seedlings grow 6 to 8 true leaves and the plant height reaches 15 cm, they can be transplanted; they can be potted for fruit viewing or field-planted and cultivated as special cut flower material.

   2. Grafting

Flower and tree species that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, Sophora japonica 'Pendula', ornamental peach, longevity peach, Robinia hispida, as well as cactus and Schlumbergera.

    3. Division

Greenhouse foliage plants that can be propagated by division in April include: Spathiphyllum, Sansevieria, Aspidistra, ferns, Rhapis humilis, spider plant, Agave, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema, Calathea, aloe, Peperomia, Monstera deliciosa, and Philodendron bipinnatifidum. There are also the following that can be divided: Cymbidium, five-needle pine, Hosta, daylily, Helleborus, Canna, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, and Cymbidium. Those that can be divided are: large-flowered Cymbidium, daylily, Hosta, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, and Cymbidium. In addition, Cymbidium and Cymbidium can also be divided at this time.

    4. Cuttings

For most flower and tree species that root easily, as long as their leaf buds have not yet sprouted, they can all be propagated by cuttings in April. The main species include: boxwood types, Mahonia types, nandina, cypress types, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, crape myrtle, redbud, firethorn, spirea, Liriodendron, Spiraea thunbergii, Edgeworthia chrysantha, and Chaenomeles speciosa.

II. Repotting and transplanting

    1. For potted flowers that could not be repotted in March, as long as the new shoots are not too long, or if during repotting not too much old soil is broken away and the root system is not heavily reduced, they can all be repotted in April. But it should be pointed out: for deciduous flower and tree species, if the new shoots are too long, especially for plum blossom, they absolutely must not be repotted after leaves have unfolded.

    2. April is the best period for transplanting outdoor flower and tree species. Whether deciduous or evergreen, as long as their leaf buds have not yet unfolded or the new shoots are not long, they can all be transplanted with a soil ball in April. For evergreen flower and tree species such as camphor tree, Magnolia grandiflora, Michelia types, and white orchid (Michelia alba) types, part of the branches and leaves must be pruned away to reduce transpiration water loss from the canopy. For deciduous flower and tree species, it is best to transplant when they have not yet unfolded leaves, such as Magnolia denudata, horse chestnut, linden, crabapple types, wintersweet, purple-leaf plum, ornamental peach, plum, and apricot. Usually the diameter of the soil ball for transplanting flower and tree species should be no less than 6 times the diameter of the trunk of the transplanted plant; only in this way, without damaging the soil ball, can transplanted plants have no worries afterward.

III. Bonsai styling

April is one of the best periods for bonsai styling. The ornamental plants most suitable for beginners to practice styling are those with strong adaptability whose branches and trunks can withstand repeated twisting and wiring by beginners without seriously affecting normal growth, such as Buddhist pine, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Serissa japonica, Adina rubella, juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Euonymus alatus, crape myrtle, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Chamaecyparis obtusa, banyan, Buxus sinica, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), winter jasmine, Edgeworthia chrysantha, ginkgo, black pine, and Chinese juniper. Other species suitable for styling in April include wild hawthorn, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, ornamental peach, firethorn, syzygium (Syzygium buxifolium), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), trident maple, oak (Quercus acutissima), Taxus cuspidata, Diospyros armata, Malus halliana, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), papaya, Elaeagnus pungens, Ilex cornuta, Pseudolarix amabilis, and Damnacanthus indicus.

As bonsai plants begin vigorous growth, promptly use metal wire or non-metal wire to continuously wire, guide, and correct them so they can always maintain a good ornamental state. For the care of five-needle pine bonsai, special attention should be paid this month to the following three aspects: First, timely bud removal. When winter buds move and granular needle-leaf primordia appear on them, remove 1/2 to 2/3 of the bud length to promote shorter and denser new shoots. Second, remove female and male strobili. When needle fascicle buds and male and female cones can be distinguished from new shoots, promptly remove all female cones borne at the tips of new shoots and male cones located at the bases of new shoots, reducing nutrient consumption during reproductive growth. Third, control watering. From the start of new shoot elongation, strictly control watering, watering only when dry, using misting instead of watering, to ensure the newly produced needles are short and clustered and the branch pads remain flat and well formed.

IV. Fertilization management

    1. Fertilization

For potted camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, azalea, winter jasmine, Forsythia, Daphne odora, kumquat, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), Schlumbergera, Cymbidium goeringii, large-flowered Cymbidium, Cymbidium sinense, and Phaius tankervilleae, because flowering or fruiting consumed a large amount of nutrients, when growth resumes after spring warmth, apply additional fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen, such as thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer liquid, to promote growth. For potted flower species about to bloom, such as Chinese rose, redbud, pomegranate, Cymbidium ensifolium, hibiscus, and white orchid (Michelia alba), topdressing should likewise be given, and the type can be monopotassium phosphate, etc., with concentration controlled at about 0.2%. For field-planted Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Michelia types, plum blossom, wintersweet, and crabapple after flowering, topdressing should also be applied in a timely manner to meet the needs of vegetative growth.

    2. Shaping and care

Money tree (Pachira aquatica) can be braided in April. Dig up seedlings of money tree that were sown or purchased, spread them in a cool place for 1 to 2 days to let them lose part of their moisture, then braid the trunks in odd numbers of 3, 5, or 7 into a braid. After braiding, press with a heavy object to fix the shape, then choose a suitable pot for planting. Money tree has extremely strong vitality; even if it cannot be processed into a braid or planted in time and is left spread out for 3 to 5 days, it will not affect its survival or subsequent normal growth.

    3. Adjust plant shape and prevent diseases

For potted flowers moved outdoors, promptly remove dead branches, yellow leaves, and spent stems, adjust the plant shape, and strengthen water and fertilizer management. For flower species prone to disease, promptly spray lime sulfur mixture or Bordeaux mixture to prevent possible diseases.

    4. Management of fruit-viewing potted plants

For potted fruit-viewing flower and tree species that bloom in April, such as papaya, ginkgo, firethorn, Aucuba japonica, and Malus halliana, especially dioecious or cross-pollinated species, during the flowering period pay attention to creating favorable conditions for pollination and fertilization so they can set fruit normally; do not miss the opportunity.

    5. Management of cutting beds

For newly cuttings-propagated ornamental plants, before they have formed callus tissue, special attention should be paid to misting and spraying management. Apart from those with intermittent misting equipment, they must be misted (sprayed) 2 to 3 times daily, always keeping the cutting medium moist, to create the best environment for callus formation and rooting.

Flower Growing Manual: Summer

Flower Growing Manual (May Volume)

Weather characteristics of May: Temperatures continue to rise, and rainfall gradually increases from south to north across our country. After each rainfall, temperatures rise noticeably. There is often continuous spring rain. By the time the spring rains end at Xiaoman, the weather turns muggy, marking the imminent arrival of summer. Therefore, May, at the turn of spring and summer, is a key period for growing flowers, and it plays an important role in laying the foundation for the summer and autumn growth of potted flowers. In May, flower growing from south to north mainly includes the following tasks:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

Flower and tree species that can be sown as soon as collected in May mainly include: Primula obconica, Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, and loquat. May sowing and seedling raising should pay attention to the following three points: First, keep the sowing bed moist, neither waterlogged nor overly dry and dehydrated. Second, cover the sowing bed with grass to retain moisture, to prevent sudden changes between dry and wet that cause seeds to "regress." Third, after emergence, remove the covering grass in several stages and promptly build a shade frame, to avoid scorching the seedlings.

For osmanthus, mature blue-black fruits can be picked at the end of May, mixed with sand and rubbed to remove the flesh, rinsed clean, and then stored in moist clean fine sand, where they can be kept until February of the following year. Only when the seeds crack and the radicle tip is exposed should they be sown in the ground. During storage, pay attention to preventing mice from stealing them and keep the sand moist.

For loquat sowing, the covering soil should not be too deep; generally no more than 2 to 3 cm is appropriate.

    2. Cuttings

Flower species suitable for cutting propagation in May include: salvia (pink, purple, white), Gomphrena globosa (white), marigold, Tagetes patula, dragon's mouth flower, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, begonias, Cosmos sulphureus, Chinese rose, azalea, dahlia, fuchsia, Justicia brandegeeana, poinsettia, Pelargonium, bougainvillea, hibiscus, Erythrina, Tropaeolum, Jasminum multiflorum, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Acalypha wilkesiana, Deutzia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Kerria japonica, pomegranate, Hibiscus syriacus, Buddleja, Campsis, gardenia, Epiphyllum, Epipremnum pinnatum, Epiphyllum, jade plant, Graptopetalum, Magnolia sieboldii, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, Cyperus alternifolius, Lantana camara, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Aglaonema, Cordyline fruticosa, Epipremnum aureum, Schefflera octophylla, Nerium types, firethorn, Mahonia, and Buddha belly bamboo with aerial roots.

    3. Grafting

In May, use 1- to 2-year-old potted Magnolia liliiflora seedlings or cutting-propagated plants as rootstock to graft and propagate white orchid (Michelia alba) and Michelia figo; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings for bud grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, and lace-leaf maple; use vigorous 2- to 3-year-old Rhododendron pulchrum cutting plants for cleft grafting to propagate Belgian azalea; use wild rose as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior varieties of Chinese rose; use Artemisia annua as rootstock for grafting to propagate superior chrysanthemum varieties; use 2-year-old seedling wintersweet as rootstock for softwood grafting of superior wintersweet varieties, and potted rootstock can also be used for grafting. In addition, cactus and Hylocereus trigonus can be used as rootstock for grafting and propagating Schlumbergera.

    4. Layering

Flower and tree species that can be propagated by air layering in May include: white orchid (Michelia alba), rubber tree, Aglaia odorata, Belgian azalea, camellia, croton, Michelia figo, and red maple. Those that can be propagated by ground layering include: plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese rose, gardenia, Buddhist pine, osmanthus, and Campsis.

II. Potting and transplanting

    1. Potting

For potted flowers used for street decoration during National Day, most species must be potted and established in May. After 3 to 4 months of careful care, they can bloom on schedule by late September to early October, thereby creating a joyful, enthusiastic, colorful holiday atmosphere. The main species include: salvia (pink, white, purple), Gomphrena globosa (white), cockscomb, zinnia, Cosmos sulphureus, China aster, Kochia scoparia, marigold, dragon's mouth flower, Asparagus cochinchinensis, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, and begonias.

    2. Transplanting

At the end of April and the beginning of May, when Magnolia denudata has finished flowering and is just about to sprout and unfold leaves, transplanting gives the highest survival rate. Some flower and tree species that sprout later and transplant easily can also be transplanted with a soil ball and established in early May, such as crape myrtle, Hibiscus syriacus, redbud, pomegranate, and Albizia julibrissin.

III. Flower management

    1. Watering

Because temperatures continue to rise, the water demand of potted ornamental plants will gradually increase. In addition to combining root watering with foliar misting, attention must also be paid to the quality of irrigation and spraying water. It is best not to use tap water directly, especially not tap water treated with bleaching powder. For this purpose, tap water can first be poured into a pool or small vat, then an appropriate amount of acidifying substance can be added to increase the acidity of the water, such as ferrous sulfate, with concentration controlled between 0.1% and 0.2%. Potted flower species suitable for acidic water mainly include: camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, azalea, Rhododendron simsii, gardenia, Daphne odora, clivia, chrysanthemum, crabapple types, and Camellia chekiangoleosa. Foliage types include: sago palm, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis humilis, rubber tree, ferns, Buddhist pine, croton, red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, bromeliads, Brazil wood, money tree, and Schefflera octophylla. Fruit-viewing types include: bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), firethorn, kumquat, Buddha's hand, lemon, nandina, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), and Ardisia crenata.

    2. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning. For recently moved-out white orchid (Michelia alba), when shortening branches, special care must be taken because the pith of its branches is loose and the cut surface easily loses water, dries out, and extends downward. For this reason, cut 8 to 10 cm above the bud eye intended to be retained, and absolutely do not cut too close to the bud eye. For potted Chinese rose, after flowering prune back moderately by 10 to 20 cm, so that bud eyes in the middle of the branch can differentiate flower buds.

(2) Bud removal. For potted wintersweet, when removing buds, also pay attention to the location; generally it should be 3 to 5 cm above the selected leaf bud, otherwise the wound will dry and shrink and affect the retained leaf bud downward. For Chinese rose potted that year, promptly remove the terminal bud to promote a good plant shape.

    3. Shading

After entering May, potted plants that prefer semi-shade or shade should be moved under a shade frame or tree shade, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Rhapis humilis, Calathea, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Dieffenbachia, Livistona, Syngonium podophyllum, orchids, azalea, Strelitzia, camellia, and sasanqua. For light-loving flower and tree species, full light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, firethorn, jasmine, and white orchid (Michelia alba). Bonsai plants such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Sageretia thea, trident maple, Adina rubella, oak (Quercus acutissima), Serissa japonica, black pine, and Pinus armandii var. masteriana require full light; while Buddhist pine, Damnacanthus indicus, syzygium (Syzygium buxifolium), Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', and five-needle pine can be appropriately shaded.

    4. Fertilization

For camellia, azalea, sasanqua, plum blossom, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, white orchid (Michelia alba), gardenia, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Daphne odora, clivia, orchids, and crabapple, after flowering remove spent flowers and stems respectively, and apply a compound fertilizer mainly of nitrogen with phosphorus as supplement, once every half month, to restore vegetative growth while laying the foundation for re-differentiating flower buds. For foliage-oriented species such as rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Aspidistra, and ferns, apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For foliage plants with colorful spots or patterns, such as Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii', Vriesea, Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', croton, Caladium, Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly', and Dieffenbachia, a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution can be applied as foliar topdressing, which can make the leaf color appear even more beautiful and vivid.

    5. Pest and disease control

For Chinese rose, Rosa multiflora, and roses, pay attention to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot, and promptly spray pesticide to kill any leaf-eating pests that appear. For bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), kumquat, Glycine max, Buddha's hand, lemon, and rue, the frequently appearing leaf-eating pest???citrus swallowtail larvae, should be killed by spraying pesticide as early as possible.

IV. Bonsai styling

Ornamental bonsai plant species that can still be styled in May include: plum blossom, small-leaf gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, Buddhist pine, Serissa japonica, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Adina rubella, Taxus cuspidata, and ginkgo. It is worth noting that when styling, one must be careful and cautious, and try not to damage the bark and trunk, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.

Flower Growing Manual (June Volume)

    Weather characteristics of June: By June, temperatures rise further. The Yangtze-Huai River basin enters the plum rain season. This year, plum rain begins on June 12 and ends on July 7. At this time, evenly matched cold and warm air masses meet in the region, causing frequent frontal or cyclonic activity. June is the season with the most rainfall in the year, often with long periods of continuous rain. For some flowers and most bonsai that are summer-dormant or semi-dormant, care should be especially careful, to avoid root rot caused by excessive rain, or excessive growth caused by insufficient light that disrupts shaping or affects normal flowering and fruiting of ornamental plants. In June, flower growing from south to north mainly includes the following:

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing

    Flower and tree species that can be sown in June include: primrose, lotus seed, cycad, loquat, and wintersweet. For wintersweet, when the urn-shaped fruit capsule on the mother tree turns from green to yellow and then from yellow to brown, and the seeds inside are brown, they can be picked. Promptly peel open the fruit capsule, extract the seeds, first soak in cold water for 24 to 36 hours, and after the seeds absorb enough water and swell, bury them in clean moist sand to promote germination. After about 2 weeks, the seeds can crack and show white; at this point open a furrow and sow. The covering soil thickness is generally 2 to 3 cm, and straw is added to retain moisture. After most seeds' cotyledons emerge, remove the covering grass in 2 to 3 stages and promptly build a shade frame.

    2. Cuttings

Summer has high temperatures and high humidity, and the cambium in flower and tree branches is highly active, making it the best time for cutting propagation of flower and tree species. There are two major categories of flower and tree species suitable for softwood cuttings in summer. One category is species that are difficult to root or root slowly from hardwood cuttings, such as osmanthus, camellia, Michelia figo, Ilex cornuta, holly, lilac, Magnolia liliiflora, Chaenomeles speciosa, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, coral tree, Erythrina, Belgian azalea, Buddha belly bamboo (with aerial roots), rubber tree, dawn redwood, pond cypress, and bald cypress. The other category is species that root relatively easily, such as boxwood types, Chinese rose, firethorn, Forsythia, winter jasmine, Jasminum, Serissa japonica, pomegranate, Hibiscus syriacus, Caragana, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, dragon-leaf pearl, Lantana camara, Kerria japonica, bougainvillea, Buddha's hand, lemon, Buddhist pine, nandina, Campsis, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, honeysuckle, hibiscus, Cordyline fruticosa, Hypericum, Hypericum, golden willow, dragon-claw willow, banyan, Brazil iron, Ardisia crenata, Edgeworthia chrysantha, croton, Deutzia, Philadelphus, crape myrtle, Weigela florida, Weigela, Spiraea cantoniensis, peach-leaf coral types, Schefflera types, Mahonia types, Fatsia japonica, Spiraea thunbergii, Hydrangea macrophylla, and poinsettia. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as Ipomoea cairica, Parthenocissus types, Tropaeolum, Torenia, Campanula, Heliotropium, Cyperus alternifolius, Pelargonium, coleus, begonias, pansy, Gomphrena globosa, zinnia, Tagetes patula, marigold, and Cosmos sulphureus.

Taking fully closed moisture-retaining cuttings of camellia and osmanthus as an example: the cutting time is from early June to mid-July, and it is ideal when the young shoots of osmanthus and camellia are semi-lignified. The medium can be yellow subsoil, sandy loam, or vermiculite. The cutting is the current year's new shoot, 10 to 15 cm long, retaining only 2 to 3 leaves at the tip. The lower cut is dipped for 10 seconds in 500 mg/kg No. 1 ABT rooting powder or naphthaleneacetic acid solution, briefly air-dried, then inserted into the seedling bed. The insertion depth is 1/2 to 2/3 of the cutting length, with spacing of 2 cm x 8 cm. After watering thoroughly, set up bamboo arches on the bed, cover with plastic film, press the edges firmly with mud, build a double-layer shade frame for shading, keep the bed surface moist, control the temperature inside the film at about 30°C, and maintain humidity above 90%. Generally after one month the cuttings will root abundantly.

    3. Grafting

For grafting, use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock to graft superior wintersweet varieties; use potted Magnolia liliiflora and Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock to graft white orchid (Michelia alba), Michelia figo, etc. For bud grafting, use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to propagate superior Chinese rose varieties; use 1-year-old seedlings of apricot, peach, and plum as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate longevity peach, ornamental peach, purple-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, Prunus japonica, plum blossom, and Prunus triloba; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings as rootstock to graft and propagate red maple, feather maple, and red maple. For branch grafting, use Camellia oleifera, Camellia chekiangoleosa, or single-petaled seedling camellia as rootstock to graft camellia and sasanqua; use Rhododendron pulchrum 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting of Belgian azalea or Western azalea.

    4. Layering

    Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in June include: azalea, honeysuckle, Hydrangea macrophylla, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, Weigela florida, oleander, osmanthus, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, lilac, gardenia, red maple, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, and white orchid (Michelia alba).

    5. Division

    Flower species that can be propagated by division in June include: kidney fern, calla lily (after flowering), Buddha belly bamboo, Cyperus alternifolius, Tradescantia spathacea, bromeliads, Haworthia, Aspidistra, spider plant, Acorus types, and Liriope platyphylla.

II. Seed collection and transplanting/establishment

    1. Seed collection

    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in June include: dianthus, cornflower, snapdragon, Silene armeria, Silene vulgaris, hollyhock, mallow, primrose, Calceolaria, and Hippeastrum (sow as soon as collected).

    Flower and tree seeds that can be collected in June: wintersweet seeds, after collection, if nursery conditions do not permit, can also be dry-stored until the following spring before sowing, without affecting germination rate. Peach, apricot, etc. should be sown as soon as collected, or their seeds stored in sand until they crack and germinate, then sown in the ground. Osmanthus seeds collected in June should have the fleshy fruit skin removed, be washed clean, and stored in moist sand to promote after-ripening of the seed embryo; when they germinate, choose a nursery site and sow.

    2. Transplanting, establishment, and potting

    In June, a considerable number of herbaceous flowers need transplanting, establishment, or potting, including: evening primrose, Cleome spinosa, garden balsam, Impatiens hawkeri, primrose, ornamental pepper, winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), Nicotiana tabacum, petunia, marigold, Tagetes patula, zinnia, Gomphrena globosa, salvia, dragon's mouth flower, Kochia scoparia, Cosmos sulphureus, cockscomb, and Alternanthera.

In summer, some large flower and tree species are no longer transplanted, to avoid affecting their survival rate and post-transplant growth. But for some small flowering shrubs, such as Fatsia japonica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia, Hypericum, gardenia, Ligustrum sinense 'Variegatum', Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea, and boxwood types, under special circumstances, transplanting with a soil ball is not impossible, exactly as the old saying goes: "Transplant at any time, just do not let the tree know." However, after transplanting, misting and shading management should be strengthened.

III. Flower management

    1. Watering

    In June, potted flower watering should pay attention to the following aspects: First, watering time; 10 a.m. or 5 p.m. is best, and under normal circumstances watering once a day is sufficient. Second, watering temperature; irrigation water and potting soil temperature should be kept basically consistent. If the difference between water temperature and soil temperature is too great, it will stimulate the roots and leaves of potted flowers and affect their growth. Third, combine watering and misting. When there has been no rain for several days, in addition to watering the pot, also mist the leaf surface and the area around the potted flowers to increase local humidity. If there are continuous cloudy days, decide whether to water and mist based on the dryness or wetness of the potting soil.

Flower species that enter semi-dormancy or dormancy in summer. Semi-dormant ones include: red wood sorrel, Pelargonium, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, and begonias. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, because their growth activity is very weak and metabolic level low, reduce watering and just keep the potting soil moist. Deeply dormant types include: cyclamen, Lycoris (types), Ranunculus asiaticus, and Dutch peony. Under high temperatures they show withering of aboveground stems and leaves and death of underground nutrient fibrous roots, and they summer-dormant in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. Watering must be stopped for them, they should be moved to a cool place, and the potting soil should just not be excessively dry.

[page]    If there is continuous rainfall, after the rain stops comprehensively inspect the potted flowers. If water accumulation is found in the pots, pour it out as soon as possible, and after the potting soil dries, loosen the soil, to avoid root rot. Alternatively, before heavy rain arrives, lay the potted flowers down, and after the rain stops, set them upright again.

    2. Fertilization

For vigorously growing species such as Monstera deliciosa, spider plant, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea types, kidney fern, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, sago palm, Aspidistra, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Green Queen', rubber tree, Anthurium, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Rhapis humilis, Norfolk Island pine, Brazil iron, Buddhist pine, money tree, wintersweet, Chinese rose, white orchid (Michelia alba), Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, plum blossom, camellia, sasanqua, Daphne odora, azalea, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Lantana camara, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Justicia brandegeeana, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), lemon, kumquat, pomegranate, crape myrtle, and firethorn, apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. For species currently flowering, also apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to meet the needs of growth, flowering, and fruiting.

For those flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, fertilization must be stopped. Especially for those succulent flower species, such as jade plant, Schlumbergera, Haworthia cooperi, Senecio, Sedum morganianum, Lampranthus, Stapelia, and Sedum types, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, fertilization should be stopped to avoid rot.

    3. Pruning and bud removal

(1) Pruning. For vigorously growing species such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Sageretia thea, Buddhist pine, Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Adina rubella, Chinese juniper, Ilex cornuta, holly, trident maple, Fontanesia fortunei, Tamarix, and firethorn, branches that affect styling should be pruned or shortened as early as possible, which can keep the plant well layered and good in appearance, and can promote more short branches and more new buds, forming a perfect shape early.

(2) Bud removal. For flowers such as Aglaia odorata, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, and Chinese rose, spent flowers and stems should be removed promptly, and flowered branches should be appropriately shortened to promote another round of flowering from lower lateral branches or flower buds. For flower and tree species such as white orchid (Michelia alba), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), azalea, camellia, wintersweet, plum blossom, and crabapple, in order to promote a good plant shape and more flower buds, more flowers, and better flowers that year or the next, overly vigorous branches should be pinched and buds removed to inhibit growth of terminal and lateral shoots and promote lateral bud sprouting.

    4. Shading

    In June, for flower and tree species that prefer shade or semi-shade, they must be moved under a shade frame to prevent harm to the plants from scorching sun. Such as hosta, Hosta ventricosa, asparagus fern, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, Chloranthus spicatus, Strelitzia, orchids, Rhapis humilis, rubber tree, ferns, Philodendron, Syngonium podophyllum, Dieffenbachia, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Epipremnum aureum, Peperomia, Philodendron 'Green Giant', red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Philodendron 'Red Queen', Livistona, Daphne odora, Aspidistra, and spider plant. For light-loving flower species, sufficient light must be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, firethorn, crape myrtle, jasmine, Serissa japonica, cycad, Chinese juniper, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), trident maple, Sageretia thea, Ilex cornuta, holly, Adina rubella, oak (Quercus acutissima), black pine, Pinus parviflora 'Zuisho', white orchid (Michelia alba), Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, Mahonia, and grape. For Buddhist pine, Damnacanthus indicus, nandina, Buddha belly bamboo, Guanyin bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), five-needle pine, and Podocarpus nagi, appropriate shading can be given.

    5. Pest and disease control

(1) Chinese juniper, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), papaya, firethorn, Buddhist pine, and crabapple types are prone to damage by trunk-boring longhorn beetles; timely use poisoned sticks to block and control them.

(2) Chinese rose, Rosa multiflora, and roses are prone to powdery mildew and brown spot during the plum rain season; spray Bordeaux mixture early for control.

(3) White orchid (Michelia alba), plum blossom, and wintersweet are prone to aphid damage; select suitable pesticide and spray to kill early.

(4) Orchid leaves are easily infected by anthracnose; spray carbendazim and other fungicides early for control.

(5) Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), lemon, kumquat, and Buddha's hand have tender leaves easily chewed by citrus swallowtail larvae; spray contact insecticides, stomach poisons, and other pesticides to kill them.

(5) For plants such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon, kumquat, and finger citron, the tender leaves are easily eaten by the larvae of the citrus swallowtail butterfly; they can be killed by spraying contact insecticides, stomach poisons, and other pesticides.

IV. Bonsai Shaping

The plant species that can be shaped in June are mainly woody ornamental plants with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and they must be plants that were potted and hardened off in early spring or grown in the ground. They are: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), thorny elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens), Huashan pine (Pinus armandii), mourning cypress (Calocedrus macrolepis), Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), wintergreen (Ilex chinensis), Chinese wolfberry (Lycium chinense), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), Midget crabapple (Malus micromalus), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), serissa (Serissa japonica), black pine (Pinus thunbergii), boxwood (Buxus sinica), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), water willow (Adina rubella), Shimpaku juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Shimpaku'), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), snow willow (Spiraea thunbergii), and firethorn (Pyracantha fortuneana), etc. Shaping in June must be careful, with gentle wiring and slow bending; never rush or use excessive force.

    Solar terms in June: June 5 is Grain in Ear; June 21 is Summer Solstice.

Flower Planting Manual (July Chapter)

Weather characteristics of July: On July 7, the plum rain season ends in the Jianghuai region. July 16 marks the beginning of the dog days, and August 15 marks their end, with most parts of the country entering the hottest period of the year. The average July temperature in most parts of China is above 24°C, and in areas south of the Jianghuai region it is 28°C; only northern Northeast China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have an average July temperature below 20°C. July flower care management mainly includes the following:
I. Flower Propagation
    1. Sowing
    Flowering plants that can be sown in July include: cineraria (Pericallis hybrida), fairy primrose (Primula malacoides), ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea), campanula (Campanula spp.), etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading, and increased ventilation and light penetration.
    In July, ripe fruits of Japanese apricot, peach, mountain peach, and flowering almond can also be harvested; after washing off the flesh, sow immediately in furrows, or store the cleaned pits in moist sand until they crack and then sow; wintersweet seeds can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds removed from the fruit capsule can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, which will not affect their germination rate.
    2. Cutting
    Flowering plant species suitable for cutting propagation in July include: purslane (Portulaca grandiflora), begonia species, coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides), clearweed (Pilea cadierei), scarlet sage (Salvia splendens), marigold (Tagetes erecta), French marigold (Tagetes patula), globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), geranium (Pelargonium spp.), Michaelmas daisy (Aster novi-belgii), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), coral flower (Pachystachys lutea), pepperomia (Peperomia spp.), Rhaphidophora (Rhaphidophora spp.), Chinese knotweed (Polygonum chinense), mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), pothos (Epipremnum aureum), etc.
    Woody flowering plant species suitable for cutting propagation in July include: red-back osmanthus (Excoecaria cochinchinensis), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii), St. John's wort (Hypericum chinense), golden St. John's wort (Hypericum patulum), Weigela (Weigela florida), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), trumpet honeysuckle (Weigela florida), snowball viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum), bridal wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia), winter daphne (Daphne odora), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), paper bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha), mountain magnolia (Magnolia sieboldii), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), jasmine (Jasminum sambac), Zhulan (Chloranthus spicatus), schefflera (Schefflera octophylla), mahonia (Mahonia fortunei), pomegranate (Punica granatum), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), firethorn (Pyracantha fortuneana), ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa), Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), serissa (Serissa japonica), banana shrub (Michelia figo), coral tree (Viburnum odoratissimum), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), Guelder rose (Viburnum macrocephalum), Viburnum sargentii, boxwood species, fig (Ficus carica), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), azalea species, camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), dragon-claw willow (Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'), golden willow (Salix babylonica), etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttings.
In addition, in July, some flowering trees and shrubs can also be propagated by water cutting. They are: gardenia, oleander, Chinese rose, jasmine, Zhulan, fig, pomegranate, fuchsia, crape myrtle, rose of Sharon, etc. When using the water cutting method to propagate flowers and trees, first, prepare a thick foam plastic board 1 cm to 2 cm thick, perforate it and use it as fixing material for the cuttings; second, keep the water used for cuttings clean, and add a few pieces of charcoal for anti-corrosion purposes.
    3. Grafting
One-year-old mountain peach or peach seedlings can be used as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, Japanese apricot, flowering almond, red-leaf plum, Meiren plum, etc.; rooted cuttings of wild rose, pink cluster rose, and 'Ten Sisters' rose can be used as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate variety roses, cut-flower roses, and rugosa roses, etc.; potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings can be used as rootstock for cleft grafting to propagate white orchid (Michelia alba), banana shrub, etc.; 2-year-old potted seedling wintersweet can be used as rootstock for cleft grafting to propagate superior wintersweet varieties; 2-year-old wintersweet seedlings can also be used as rootstock, using the method of green-twig side grafting with bagging for moisture retention, grafting at 3 cm to 4 cm above ground, and survival can be determined after 7 to 10 days; 'Purple Butterfly' and 'Jade Butterfly' azaleas can be used as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting to propagate Belgian azalea or Western azalea; cherry seedlings can be used as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior cherry varieties; current-year seedling rootstocks of Malus baccata, Malus hupehensis, or hall crabapple and crabapple can be used for 'T'-shaped bud grafting to propagate superior crabapple varieties; trident maple seedlings can be used as rootstock for bagged grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, and other nursery stock.
    4. Layering
    Flowering trees and shrubs that can be propagated by layering in July include: Aglaia (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, Chinese trumpet creeper, Guelder rose, oleander, trumpet honeysuckle, broom, osmanthus, gardenia, purple magnolia, jasmine, Zhulan, climbing rose, winter jasmine, etc.
    5. Division
    Ornamental plant species that can be divided in July include: hosta (Hosta plantaginea), purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), acorus species, umbrella plant, cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), purple-backed wandering jew (Tradescantia spathacea), bromeliad species, haworthia (Haworthia spp.), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), liriope species, lucky bamboo grass (Reineckea carnea), zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), Boston fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia), iris, inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina), etc. II. Seed Collection and Transplanting
    1. Seed Collection
    Flower seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock (Alcea rosea), mallow (Malva sylvestris), morning glory (Ipomoea nil), baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata), petunia (Petunia hybrida), phlox (Phlox drummondii), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria), sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus), daisy (Bellis perennis), delphinium (Delphinium grandiflorum), pansy (Viola tricolor), and ice plant (Lampranthus spectabilis), etc.
    Flowering tree and shrub seeds that can be collected in July include: wintersweet, Japanese apricot, peach, mountain peach, flowering almond, etc.
    2. Transplanting and Potting
    July is the main period for potting flowering plants for display during National Day; flowering plants transplanted and potted at this time can be seedlings from sowing or cuttings, and after 3 months of careful cultivation, they will bloom just in time for National Day for holiday decoration. They are mainly: scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, dahlia, Guinea impatiens, dragon's mouth flower (Antirrhinum majus), marigold, French marigold, summer cypress (Kochia scoparia), China aster (Callistephus chinensis), sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus), cockscomb (Celosia cristata), etc.
    In July, trees are generally not transplanted, but under some special circumstances, transplanting some flowering shrubs with soil balls is also feasible, such as mahonia, St. John's wort, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, Japanese aucuba, dragon juniper balls, etc. However, targeted pruning must be done, shade frames must be set up in time, and the frequency of water spraying must be increased; after they have basically survived, switch to normal management, and never be careless.
III. Flower Management
    1. Watering
For flower species that enter a semi-dormant state during high temperatures, such as red wood sorrel (Oxalis articulata), geranium species, fuchsia, clivia (Clivia miniata), calla lily, begonia species, sedum, kalanchoe, cactus species, Haworthia cooperi, Stapelia gigantea, string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus), Senecio radicans, winter daphne, Christmas cactus, portulacaria, aloe, etc., because the temperature is too high, their growth activity basically stops and their metabolic level is very low; watering should be reduced, the potting soil should be kept moist, and attention should be paid to shading and ventilation to create a relatively cool environment for them. If watered too much, it can easily cause root rot and will also seriously affect their recovery growth after autumn.
For flower species that enter a deep dormancy state during high temperatures, such as cyclamen, lycoris species, Persian buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus), and bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis), in July they show withered aboveground stems and leaves and dead underground nutrient fibrous roots, surviving the summer in a dormant state in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For flowers in deep dormancy, stop watering, move them to a cool place, and just keep the potting soil from becoming too dry.
For vigorously growing flower species, especially foliage plants, such as sago palm (Cycas revoluta), cast-iron plant, monstera (Monstera deliciosa), rubber tree, white orchid (Michelia alba), jasmine, Aglaia, Zhulan, Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), calathea species, syngonium species, red (green) gem (Fittonia spp.), giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos), green emperor (Dieffenbachia spp.), green queen (Aglaonema spp.), pink lady (Aglaonema commutatum), Brazilian iron (Dracaena fragrans), money tree (Pachira aquatica), camellia, sasanqua camellia, Japanese aucuba, firethorn, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, redbud (Cercis chinensis), wisteria, Chinese rose, etc., not only should the amount and frequency of watering be increased, but leaf surface spraying should also be appropriately given, combining spraying and watering. Especially during continuous cloudy days, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and spraying should likewise be given, and never be negligent. Once the potting soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilting, first spray the leaf surface, and after the leaves recover and stand up, then water the roots; never pour water forcefully at the roots, otherwise it can very easily cause woody flowers to "drop green leaves," or cause the plant's nutrient fibrous roots to rot, and even cause plant death.
For potted Japanese apricot bonsai, because July to August is their flower bud differentiation period, appropriate "water withholding" should be given to promote normal flower bud differentiation. The method is: keep the leaves of the potted plant slightly curled inward on both sides to control vegetative growth; if the vegetative growth of the branches cannot be controlled, when the second new flush sends out 2 to 3 leaves, keep only one leaf at the base and pinch off the rest, and flower buds can still differentiate in the leaf axil of this leaf.
    In July, when watering potted flowers, avoid the few hours around noon; watering before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. is preferable, so as to avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature, which would affect the growth of potted ornamental plants. If continuous rainy weather occurs this month, check the flower pots promptly after the rain; if water accumulation is found in the pots, pour it out in time, and after the potting soil dries slightly, loosen the soil once more to avoid root rot of potted plants.
    2. Fertilizing
    Ornamental plants whose fertilization management should be strengthened in July fall into four major categories. First, species with particularly long flowering periods, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as white magnolia, Chinese rose, Aglaia, jasmine, etc.; second, species that bloom abundantly in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, osmanthus, cotton rose (Hibiscus mutabilis), etc.; third, species for winter flower and fruit viewing, such as bitter orange, heavenly bamboo, wintersweet, azalea, etc.; fourth, foliage plants, such as palm bamboo (Rhapis excelsa), monstera, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, rubber tree, etc. As for fertilizer types, for the first three categories, in addition to applying necessary nitrogen fertilizer, appropriate amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied to meet the plant's comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for bud formation, flowering, and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea solution should be the main choice. As for the fertilization method, applying thin liquid fertilizer by watering is preferable.
    Flowering plants whose fertilization should be strengthened in July include: scarlet sage (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia (Zinnia elegans), globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), petunia, golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), Cymbidium ensifolium, marigold, four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa), dragon's mouth flower, etc. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, banana shrub, osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua camellia, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, white orchid, Aglaia, night-blooming jasmine (Telosma cordata), Chinese rose, crabapple species, Brunfelsia, bougainvillea, azalea, Zhulan, wintersweet, rose of Sharon, cotton rose, etc. There are many foliage plant species, such as bromeliads, Brazilian iron, palm bamboo, Norfolk Island pine, syngonium, calathea, giant taro, red gem, sago palm, rubber tree, monstera, ti plant, etc.
   In July, for ornamental plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state, fertilization must be stopped, especially for succulent ornamental plants, such as sedum species, Senecio (Kleinia spp.), ice plant, and Stapelia, where fertilization must be stopped to prevent plant rot.
    3. Pruning and Bud Pinching
Ornamental plants that can be pinched or have their buds removed in summer must be species with vigorous growth, strong sprouting ability, and tolerance to pruning. Pinching means directly removing the young terminal buds at the tip with the fingers. Bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry (Sageretia thea), red nan (Syzygium buxifolium), Euonymus bungeanus, boxwood, wintersweet, firethorn, Buddhist pine, tamarisk, thorny elaeagnus, water willow, Vitex negundo, Forsythia viridissima, hackberry (Celtis sinensis), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), banyan, white ash (Fraxinus chinensis), trident maple, crape myrtle, serissa, orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata), etc. Pruning means using scissors to cut off part of a new shoot to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and form beautiful crown pads or tree shapes. Bonsai plant species suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants not convenient for finger pinching, such as juniper (Juniperus rigida), Oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak (Quercus spp.), Ilex pernyi, and Shimpaku juniper, etc.
For potted flower species that continue flowering for a long time, such as Aglaia, Chinese rose, jasmine, and Zhulan, their spent flowers and withered stems should be removed promptly, and the flowered branches should be shortened back as necessary, which can promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and reblooming; for azalea, camellia, sasanqua camellia, crabapple, wintersweet, Japanese apricot, etc., overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be shortened back to form a better crown shape.
    4. Shading
    July is the month with the strongest sunlight and the highest temperature of the year, so special attention should be paid to shading management for potted ornamental plants.
For ornamental plants that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade shed to avoid damage to the plants from intense sunlight. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, monstera, camellia, sasanqua camellia, azalea, Zhulan, bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), orchid species, palm bamboo, rubber tree, red (green) gem, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, pink lady, pothos, pepperomia species, cast-iron plant, inch plant, Brazilian iron, Rhaphidophora, bromeliads, calathea species, lucky bamboo grass, etc.
For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, firethorn, jasmine, serissa, sago palm, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, peach, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, trident maple, black pine, water willow, oak, Jinsong pine, white orchid, Aglaia, Chinese rose, etc. For Buddhist pine, bamboo-leaf podocarpus, banana shrub, tiger thorn, cloud bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, and five-needle pine, etc., appropriate shading is necessary.
For small, miniature, and shallow-pot bonsai, because this month's temperature is too high and the air is relatively dry, in addition to necessary shading, the flower pots must also be buried in wet sand; this can reduce evaporation from the potting soil surface and also help protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots.
    5. Flowers in Air-Conditioned Rooms
For air-conditioned rooms, choose flower species with a relatively high degree of leaf leatheriness, or with a relatively thick cuticle on the leaf surface, slight tolerance to dry environments, and strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), mahonia, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, golden hibiscus, Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), palm bamboo, Canary Island date palm, bromeliads, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, monstera, schefflera, cast-iron plant, Japanese aucuba, etc., and it is not advisable to choose Boston fern, coleus, giant taro, syngonium, etc. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and spraying, and keeping them away from air-conditioner vents to prevent the wind from directly blowing on the plants and causing leaf tip withering and scorched edges.
    6. Pest and Disease Control
(1) When orchid new shoots unfold their leaves in July, the leaf tips are prone to infection by anthracnose, which gradually spreads to the whole plant and, in severe cases, can cause the plant to wither and die. This disease can occur throughout the year, and poor ventilation, high temperature and high humidity, and continuous rainy weather are more conducive to the reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the disease period, spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 800 times dilution or folpet at 500 times dilution for control.
(2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like frass accumulates on the stumps or main trunks of Japanese apricot, peach, crabapple species, red-leaf plum, cherry, flowering almond, etc., it is mostly caused by the larvae of the peach red-necked longhorn beetle boring and feeding. Methods such as manual extraction and killing, injection of systemic pesticides, insertion of poison sticks, and soil application of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the trunks. Note that when injecting pesticides, do not use dimethoate or omethoate, etc., to prevent phytotoxicity.
(3) In July, promptly control the boxwood leafroller moth (Glyphodes perspectalis) that harms boxwood, boxwood, boxwood, and boxwood; when this pest occurs severely, it can chew all the leaves bare. Once discovered, promptly spray pesticides such as trichlorfon, dimethoate, or fenvalerate. If long-term use of a certain pesticide has caused resistance, switch to a new pesticide type.
(4) In July, in some areas, citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae will continue to harm the new shoot leaves of bitter orange, kumquat, Jindou, Buddha's hand, lemon, Xiangyuan, and rue, etc., and stomach-poison pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them.
(5) The white wax insect that harms privet, small-leaf privet, water ash, and white ash has its emergence period from late July to late August; the right time should be chosen to spray pesticides such as Supusha for control, which can prevent the white wax insect from causing damage again the following year.
(6) The Japanese wax scale is a major pest harming large-leaf Euonymus japonicus, plane tree, Pittosporum tobira, camellia, red-leaf plum, deodar cedar, etc.; in severe cases, the insect bodies often cover branches and leaves. Early July is the peak hatching period of its nymphs, and pesticides such as dimethoate and Supusha can be sprayed promptly for control.
IV. Bonsai Shaping
    In July, because the temperature is high, air humidity is low, and plants are in a period of vigorous growth, branches are prone to infection by pathogens after damage and difficult to heal and recover, so most tree stump species are no longer suitable for wiring and shaping. Those that can still be shaped are plant species with strong adaptability and tolerance to wiring, and they must be plants potted and hardened off in spring or grown in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, Buddhist pine, Luohan cypress, mourning cypress, serissa, black pine, boxwood, water willow, etc.
    In July, plant shaping must be careful and meticulous, with gentle wiring and slow bending, applying force gradually; do not operate hastily or use too much force, otherwise it is very easy to cause the plant's branches and trunk to break, endangering its survival.
    Solar terms in July: July 7 is Minor Heat; July 23 is Major Heat.

Flower Planting Manual Autumn

Flower Planting Manual (August Chapter)

Flowers Suitable for Courtyard Display
    August has high temperatures, strong light, and low humidity, and is the high-temperature dry-hot period of the year second only to July, with average monthly temperatures in most parts of the country between 24°C and 28°C. Potted ornamental plants suitable for courtyard display are some light-loving or high-temperature-tolerant species. Among the woody flowers are mainly: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, Japanese black pine, five-needle pine, golden larch (Pseudolarix amabilis), Japanese golden pine (Sciadopitys verticillata), lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana), Japanese fir (Abies firma), Huashan pine, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Chinese gray lily wood (Fagraea ceilanica), Lanyu cinnamon, Aglaia, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan (Ficus benjamina), Chinese hibiscus, lantana, coral tree (Erythrina variegata), Dutch iron (Yucca elephantipes), croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Brazilian wood, palm bamboo, money tree, umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla), Frangipani (Plumeria rubra), four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, golden Japanese aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, Fujian tea, banyan, Chinese rose, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: impatiens, large-flowered canna, shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), scarlet sage, dahlia, China aster, bamboo-joint begonia, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, peacock chrysanthemum, phlox, five-color pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), lycoris, periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, four o'clock flower, zinnia, etc. In addition, there are cast-iron plant, Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema modestum), Philodendron bipinnatifidum, monstera, pothos, and silver queen (Aglaonema commutatum), etc.
Propagation of Courtyard Flowers
1. Sowing. In August, woody flowers that can be sown include: tree peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia (Camellia chekiangoleosa), summer wintersweet (Sinocalycanthus chinensis), American summer wintersweet (Calycanthus floridus), Buddhist pine, etc.; they can be sown immediately after collection, or the seeds can be stored in wet sand until they crack and show white, then sown in the ground. Canary Island date palm can be stored in sand to promote germination and then sown in bags. Ornamental pomegranate is harvested after the fruit ripens and cracks; rub and wash off the fleshy layer outside the seeds, store in sand until germination, and then sow. Flowering plants that can be sown include: baby's breath, fan columbine, petunia, snapdragon, coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), oxalis species, yarrow (Achillea millefolium), nasturtium, pyrethrum, etc. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, wax begonia, fairy primrose, coleus, pot marigold, etc.
2. Cutting. Using a mixed substrate prepared from alkaline-leached rice chaff ash and wet fine sand at a 2:1 ratio for moisture-retaining bed cutting or pot cutting, the following flower and tree species can be propagated: firethorn, mahonia species, wintersweet, banana shrub, bougainvillea, coral tree, Aglaia, golden Japanese aucuba, Guelder rose, snowball, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, Zhulan, rubber tree, galorium, Buddhist pine, schefflera species, ti plant, hydrangea, purple magnolia, etc. Using yellow subsoil, sandy loam, etc. as substrate, boxwood species, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, French holly, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, heavenly bamboo, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, serissa, spirea, bridal wreath spirea, gardenia, etc. can be cut. In addition, flowering plants such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, and sulfur cosmos can also be cut this month.
3. Grafting. In August, the following flower and tree grafting can be carried out: in northern regions, use fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) as rootstock for cleft grafting osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate Yulan magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana); use potted purple magnolia as rootstock for cleft grafting white orchid; use current-year peach seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting Japanese apricot, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered plum, and flowering almond, etc.; use cherry seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting Japanese cherry; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, etc. as rootstock for bud grafting superior rose varieties; use Malus baccata, crabapple, and Malus hupehensis seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting Midget crabapple and hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock for crown replacement grafting red maple and feather maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock for stem grafting variegated weeping fig; use single-petaled camellia as rootstock for stem grafting superior camellia varieties; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock for stem grafting and cleft grafting superior wintersweet flowers. In addition, cleft grafting can be used to propagate large-flowered wisteria.
4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, Chinese trumpet creeper, Lady Banks' rose, climbing rose, trumpet honeysuckle, hydrangea, Guelder rose, snowball, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Japanese quince, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, osmanthus species, purple magnolia, jasmine, Zhulan, banana shrub, Chinese hibiscus, Buddhist pine, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), Aglaia (air layering), red maple (air layering), etc.
5. Division. In August, ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: lucky bamboo grass, hosta, purple hosta, little angel, multi-head green emperor, bromeliads, Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum), cast-iron plant, umbrella plant, water buttonbush, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), purple triangular wood sorrel, Guangdong evergreen, Michaelmas daisy, fine-leaf acorus, Boston fern, silver queen, calathea species, syngonium, haworthia, etc. In addition, lycoris, calla lily, freesia, etc. can also have their small bulbs divided and planted this month.
Management of Courtyard Ground-Planted Flowers
1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when moved with large soil balls and supplemented with heavy pruning, strengthened management such as shading, watering, and spraying after transplanting can achieve a relatively high survival rate, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edged thousand-head arborvitae, golden-hearted (edged) boxwood, St. John's wort, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, Chinese rose, azalea, gardenia, Buddhist pine, banana shrub, dragon juniper balls, Shu juniper balls, boxwood balls, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, Japanese aucuba, French holly, etc. In the courtyard, flowering plants can also be transplanted and planted out, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, cockscomb, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, etc., and they are expected to bloom between September and October.
2. Pruning. In August, roadside hedges in the courtyard such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, and photinia should continue to be pruned. Ground-planted ball plants, such as photinia, dragon juniper, Shu juniper, bayberry, firethorn, Pittosporum tobira, Chinese holly, wintergreen, etc., must also be pruned again. For ground-planted flowers and trees that continue flowering for a long time, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, lantana, etc., spent flowers should be removed promptly, and the branch tips should be shortened back appropriately. For ground-planted flowering plants, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, peacock chrysanthemum, marigold, etc., topping and pinching should be given.
3. Watering. In August, for flowering shrubs transplanted in spring and flowering plants planted out, watering and spraying management should be strengthened; for plants whose trunks are wrapped with straw rope, the straw rope should be sprayed wet to ensure that the plants do not show wilting of new shoots and tender leaves; spray more and water cautiously to ensure no water accumulation at the roots.
4. Fertilizing. In August, for ground-planted red-flowered maple, golden-edged (hearted) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf sand cherry, croton, red mulberry (Acalypha wilkesiana), golden Japanese aucuba, shell ginger, etc., in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced three elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be applied. For species that continue flowering, such as Chinese rose, day-fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, lantana, etc., as well as species about to bloom, such as osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, autumn anemone, etc., appropriate amounts of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied promptly. For camellia, sasanqua camellia, Japanese apricot, wintersweet, etc. in the midst of flower bud differentiation, a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed through leaf surface topdressing.
5. Pest and Disease Control. In August, for scale insects occurring on deodar cedar, privet, Pittosporum tobira, osmanthus, crape myrtle, photinia, camellia, etc., promptly spray 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution for control. For tiger moths and aphids occurring on ground-planted chrysanthemums, spray 90% trichlorfon crystals at 1000 times dilution to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawfly and tobacco cutworm that chew Chinese rose leaves, promptly spray 10% fenvalerate at 1000 times dilution for control.
6. Seed Collection. In August, woody flower species whose seeds can be collected include: tree peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia, Buddhist pine, summer wintersweet, etc. Flowering plants whose seeds can be collected include: Chinese peony, moss rose, four o'clock flower, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum), etc.
Management of Courtyard Potted Flowers
1. Watering. In August, water between 9 and 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidity, add 0.1% ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron cross begonia, and hairy-leaf begonia, water droplets that fall on the leaf surface do not evaporate easily and can easily cause leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting is permissible; the leaf rosette flower buds of Gerbera and the center of the clivia leaf rosette also must not be drenched with water, as dirty water flowing into the leaf rosette can cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water less and spray more, and inject water into the leaf tube to meet their needs. This month, while watering and spraying potted plants, be sure to loosen the soil, once every 10 days, otherwise repeated watering will cause the potting soil to harden. For flower species in dormant and semi-dormant states, control watering and spraying, just maintaining the potting soil slightly moist; by spraying water around the small environment around the flower pot, create a relatively cool and moist environment for them.
2. Fertilizing. In August, for foliage plants, such as monstera, cast-iron plant, rubber tree, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, palm bamboo, red (green) gem, Norfolk Island pine, queen palm, beautiful date palm, areca palm, fishtail palm, Chinese fan palm, pothos, Brazilian wood, Dutch iron, money tree, Boston fern, lu dou tree, Chinese gray lily wood (African jasmine), Lanyu cinnamon (pingan wood), coin tree (dragon-phoenix wood), syngonium, green emperor, green queen, poinsettia, pink lady, schefflera, Japanese aucuba, petite coconut palm, croton, Japanese fatsia, etc., low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer, or cake fertilizer water. For species with long flowering periods, such as Chinese rose, white orchid, jasmine, Zhulan, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia, four-season osmanthus, day-fragrant osmanthus, bougainvillea, lantana, etc., as well as fruit-viewing bitter orange, Buddha's hand, kumquat, lemon, rich fruit, firethorn, golden bullet, fruit pomegranate, heavenly bamboo, papaya, etc., in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, appropriate amounts of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate. For potted flowering plants that bloom in autumn, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, drought chrysanthemum, marigold, French marigold, dragon's mouth flower, China aster, chrysanthemum, petite sunflower, etc., apply thin liquid fertilizer once every half month to ensure lush leaves and abundant flowers after autumn. For flower and tree species in the midst of flower bud differentiation, such as camellia, sasanqua camellia, Japanese apricot, osmanthus, azalea, etc., apply low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to the leaf surface. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, never let the fertilizer liquid drip on the leaves, to avoid causing leaf rot. To be safe, promptly spray the leaf surface once after fertilizing to wash off any fertilizer droplets that may adhere to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in dormant and semi-dormant states, such as clivia, wax begonia, calla lily, cyclamen, winter daphne, aloe, kalanchoe, portulacaria, Christmas cactus, sedum species, purple triangular wood sorrel, cactus species, and ball cactus species, etc., stop all forms of topdressing, otherwise it can very easily cause plant root rot or death.
3. Shading. In August, the heat is still strong, and shading management for courtyard potted flowers remains very important. For ornamental plant species that prefer coolness, such as monstera, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Alocasia cucullata, rubber tree, areca palm, giant taro, syngonium, calathea species, red (green) gem, palm bamboo, pothos, green emperor, green queen, orchid grass species, pink lady, pepperomia, bromeliads, Adina pilulifera, mirror grass (Pilea peperomioides), ferns, Buddha belly bamboo, phoenix tail bamboo, spider plant, lucky bamboo grass, petite coconut palm, Fittonia, purple velvet plant, Ludisia discolor, silver queen, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, anthurium, begonia species, lucky bamboo, cast-iron plant, asparagus fern, purple hosta, etc., continue to provide shade shed cover, pull on the shade net at 9 a.m. and remove it after 4 p.m. If there are not many potted flowers, they can also be moved indoors for the 6 to 7 hours around noon. If conditions permit, they can also be moved under the dense shade of large trees, and then moved out from the tree shade in mid-September.
4. Pruning. In August, continue to pinch or prune vigorously growing, pruning-tolerant, and easy-to-sprout tree stump bonsai, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Fujian tea, banyan, white ash, water willow, boxwood, etc. For Chinese rose, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia, etc., shorten back after each flowering. For potted chrysanthemums, do a good job of bud removal and disbudding?BR>5. Pest and Disease Control. In August, control pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail, rose sawfly, and peach red-necked longhorn beetle. Pay attention to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, and leaf blight. Pay attention to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leaf miners, and stem borers.
Potted Plants Suitable for Balcony Display
In August, the balcony still has strong light and dry-hot air, and only some potted ornamental plants with very strong resistance or long placed on the balcony can adapt. Such as black pine, Japanese white pine, five-needle pine, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, water willow, Chinese holly, wintergreen, wintersweet, fruit pomegranate, flowering pomegranate, boxwood, Oriental arborvitae stump, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, white ash, Fujian tea, Chinese rose, bougainvillea, agave, lantana, ginkgo, jasmine, Aglaia, trident maple, Buddhist pine, etc. In August, some flowers and trees on the balcony can be moved indoors with air conditioning, such as Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Cymbidium sinense, Vanda, Oncidium, South American cycad, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, anthurium, giant taro, red (green) gem, calathea, areca palm, king coconut, Alocasia cucullata, monstera, cast-iron plant, pothos, palm bamboo, money tree, clivia, fuchsia, Fittonia, golden shrimp plant, Brazilian wood, Japanese fatsia, etc.
Propagation of Balcony Flowers
In August, on the balcony, use large-diameter flower pots covered with plastic film for moisture-retaining cutting of some ornamental plants; the cutting substrate can be rice chaff ash mixed with fine sand at a 2:1 ratio, or vermiculite alone. Ornamental plant species that can be cut include: schefflera, golden Japanese aucuba, bamboo-joint begonia, gardenia, golden shrimp plant, coral flower, day-fragrant osmanthus, Zhulan, ti plant, jasmine, Guangdong evergreen, silver queen, camellia, sasanqua camellia, banana shrub, etc.; during the 5 to 6 hours around noon, they should be moved indoors. Indoors, some ornamental plants can also be water-cut, but the water must be changed frequently, such as: Chinese rose, gardenia, jasmine, Zhulan, schefflera, Japanese aucuba, fig, ti plant, Frangipani, geranium, Guangdong evergreen, fuchsia, etc.
Management of Balcony Flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering and spraying balcony potted flowers must be careful. First, avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature and air temperature; second, pay attention to the time of watering and spraying, which can be before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.; third, while watering, do not neglect loosening the soil of potted plants; fourth, it is best to add a small amount of ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to meet the needs of most ornamental plants for a slightly acidic soil environment. If the balcony is relatively spacious, use bricks to build a simple sand bed, place 10 cm thick wet sand inside, and then place some potted flowers that prefer moisture on the wet sand, such as: monstera, cast-iron plant, Alocasia cucullata, camellia, sasanqua camellia, syngonium, spring orchid, Cymbidium ensifolium, bromeliads, red (green) gem, Cymbidium goeringii, etc.; usually use spraying instead of watering, which is very beneficial for their safe summering. For Cymbidium, tiger orchid, Oncidium, Cattleya, fuchsia, Dendrobium, crystal anthurium, black-leaf alocasia, etc., they can be moved to air-conditioned rooms and sprayed instead of watered to ensure they can pass the summer normally. For flower species placed on the balcony that are relatively tolerant to high temperatures, such as Chinese rose, Aglaia, jasmine, pomegranate, bougainvillea, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, boxwood, trident maple, black pine, Japanese white pine, wisteria, Fujian tea, water willow, agave, sago palm, etc., water 1 to 2 times a day and spray 1 to 2 times.
2. Fertilizing. In August, stop fertilizing balcony potted plants in dormant and semi-dormant states. For vigorously growing foliage plants, spray or water with 0.3% urea solution, or scatter multi-element compound fertilizer granules on the pot surface. For flowers and trees mainly for flower and fruit viewing, such as white orchid, Aglaia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, bitter orange, firethorn, Buddha's hand, kumquat, etc., continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Chinese holly, wintergreen, Buddhist pine, Fujian tea, trident maple, water willow, boxwood, etc., after each pruning, apply a thin fertilizer once.
3. Shading. In August, for potted plants placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, especially shallow-pot stump bonsai, such as five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, Fujian tea, Japanese apricot, trident maple, etc., cover the pot surface with soft grass, moss, or wet cloth, which can both retain moisture and lower temperature and protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface soil from damage. If the balcony is relatively spacious, use a shade net to block light. If there are not many potted flowers and trees on the balcony and they are relatively precious, it is best to move them indoors for the 5 to 6 hours around noon.
4. Pruning. In August, for most tree stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, serissa, white ash, oak, small bayberry, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, small-leaf privet, boxwood, firethorn, etc., pinching or pruning is still needed this month. For other potted ornamental plants, spent flowers, withered stems, dead branches, and yellow leaves should also be cut off promptly.
5. Pest and Disease Control. In August, red spider mites are most likely to appear on the balcony, and should be promptly sprayed with 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder at 1500 times dilution. For a small number of scale insects appearing on flowers and trees, they can be removed by sticking with transparent tape. For aphids that often appear on chrysanthemums, spray with 90% trichlorfon crystals at 1000 times dilution.

Flower Planting Manual (September Chapter)

Flowers Suitable for Courtyard Display
In September, temperatures in most parts of China slowly decline, with average monthly temperatures between 20°C and 24°C. This month, there are relatively many potted ornamental plant species suitable for courtyard display. Among the woody ornamental plant species are: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden pine, lacebark pine, Japanese fir, Buddhist pine, Podocarpus nagi, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Australian cycad, Chinese gray lily wood, cinnamon species, osmanthus, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated banyan, Chinese hibiscus, cotton rose, Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, money tree, umbrella tree, palm bamboo, Frangipani, bottle palm, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, golden Japanese aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, palm tree, Chinese rose, fishtail palm, areca palm, king coconut, ti plant, beautiful date palm, fiddle-leaf fig, red maple, South American cycad, spruce species, schefflera, Garcinia subelliptica (Clusiaceae), large Buddha belly bamboo, silver birch, Aglaia, white orchid, orange jasmine, Pandanus tectorius, heavenly bamboo, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: large-flowered canna, scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, bamboo-joint begonia, marigold, five-color pepper, lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, dahlia, dragon's mouth flower, etc.
Propagation of Courtyard Flowers
1. Sowing. Woody flower species that can be sown include: tree peony, red-flowered camellia, banana shrub species, magnolia species, manglietia species, buckeye species, summer wintersweet, Canary Island date palm, etc. Among them, buckeye seeds can be sown in furrows, and when sowing the hilum should face down; the covering soil should not be too deep, with 2 to 2.5 cm being appropriate; cover with plastic film or straw to retain moisture. Summer wintersweet seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours and then sown in the ground, and seedlings can emerge about 2 weeks after sowing. Except for summer wintersweet, which can be dried and stored until the following spring for sowing, the above seeds must all be stored in wet sand. September is a great time for autumn sowing of flowering plants; flowering plant species that can be sown include: hollyhock, dianthus, tall catchfly (Silene armeria), dwarf catchfly (Silene gallica), pansy, snapdragon, petunia, California poppy, daisy, corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas), pot marigold, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, etc. In addition, greenhouse flowers such as cyclamen, primrose, nasturtium, cineraria, wax begonia, Gerbera, and calceolaria can also be sown at this time, but they must overwinter in a plastic tunnel.
2. Cutting. Using half sand and half rice chaff ash as cutting substrate, the flower and tree species that can be propagated by moisture-retaining cutting in the courtyard include: firethorn, mahonia, banana shrub, bougainvillea, Weigela, golden Japanese aucuba, fuchsia, Guelder rose, snowball, trumpet honeysuckle, Brunfelsia, jasmine, Zhulan, golden vein justicia, coral flower, rubber tree, schefflera, ti plant, etc. Using ordinary sandy soil as a seedbed, woody flowers that can be propagated by cutting include: boxwood species, purple magnolia, St. John's wort, spirea, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bridal wreath spirea, hydrangea, French holly, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, heavenly bamboo, fig, oleander, serissa, gardenia, Japanese fatsia, Japanese quince, tree peony, etc. Some flowering plants can also be cut, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur cosmos, cold chrysanthemum, etc.
3. Grafting. The following flower and tree grafting propagation can be carried out: use peony root sections as rootstock to graft superior tree peony varieties; use peach, apricot, etc. seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate flowering almond, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, Japanese apricot, etc.; use green maple seedlings as rootstock for bagged moisture-retaining stem grafting of red maple, feather maple, etc.; use white magnolia seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting superior white magnolia and Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock for cleft grafting white orchid; use citrus seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting kumquat, etc.; use fringetree as rootstock for cleft grafting osmanthus; use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock for cleft grafting superior wintersweet varieties.
4. Layering. Ornamental flowering trees and shrubs that can be propagated by layering include: Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince), Weigela florida, Hydrangea macrophylla, Gardenia jasminoides, Nerium oleander, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Osmanthus fragrans, Magnolia liliiflora, Jasminum sambac, Michelia figo, Camellia japonica, Chloranthus spicatus, Quercus ilex (French holly), Viburnum plicatum (snowball), Viburnum macrocephalum, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, and others.
5. Division. Ornamental plants that can be propagated by division include: Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Paeonia lactiflora, Paeonia suffruticosa, Aglaonema modestum, Oxalis triangularis, Rudbeckia laciniata, Sansevieria trifasciata, Syngonium podophyllum (small angel), Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (multi-head green emperor), Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nandina domestica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Magnolia liliiflora, Liriope platyphylla (silver-striped), Aspidistra elatior, Liriope muscari, and others. In addition, Hyacinthus orientalis, Tulipa gesneriana, Freesia refracta, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Lycoris radiata, Scilla peruviana, and others can also have their daughter bulbs separated and replanted at this time to cultivate large flowering bulbs.
Management of flowers planted in the ground in courtyards
1. Transplanting. Because temperatures in September are still relatively high, unless there is a special need, flowering trees and shrubs are generally not transplanted in courtyards. If it is for the arrangement of a newly built courtyard or the renovation of an old courtyard, transplanting can also be carried out provided that soil balls are kept intact. Species include: Nerium oleander, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Michelia figo, Sabina chinensis, Osmanthus fragrans, Camellia japonica, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Buxus species, Hypericum monogynum, Quercus ilex, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', and others. Transplanting requires heavy pruning, and watering, misting and shading must be strengthened to ensure success. Some herbaceous flowers can still be planted out or potted for viewing in golden autumn October. Species include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Antirrhinum majus, Celosia cristata, Catharanthus roseus, Cosmos sulphureus, Dahlia pinnata, Calendula officinalis, Canna indica (dwarf), early chrysanthemums, and others.
2. Pruning. Continue pruning courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants that grow vigorously and have strong sprouting ability; this is also the last pruning of the year for ball-shaped plants during the growing season in northern regions. Courtyard hedge and color-block tree species suitable for pruning mainly include: Buxus species, Quercus ilex, Photinia davidsoniae, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea' (golden-edge thousand-head), and others. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Sabina chinensis, Buxus, Myrica rubra, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Photinia, Pittosporum tobira, Pyracantha fortuneana, Forsythia viridissima, and others. Ground-planted herbaceous flowers that can be pinched back include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Cosmos sulphureus, Kochia scoparia, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, and others. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to promote a full plant shape and to produce more inflorescences on lateral shoots; stop pinching after late September. For ground-planted woody flowers that bloom continuously for a long time, such as hybrid roses, floribunda roses, miniature roses, climbing roses, Lagerstroemia indica, Punica granatum (flowering pomegranate), Lantana camara, Bougainvillea spectabilis, and others, promptly cut off faded flowers and withered peduncles, and moderately shorten the branches that have already flowered, which can effectively promote reblooming.
3. Watering. In September, the climate is relatively dry. For trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in the courtyard in spring of the same year, continuing to do a good job of watering and misting is one of the key measures to consolidate their survival. First, water the roots to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged; second, spray water on the straw ropes wrapped around tree trunks to create a locally humid protective layer for the trunks; third, spray water on the crowns to reduce leaf transpiration and increase humidity in the local space. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to maintain moisture.
4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted colorful foliage plants, such as Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata', Codiaeum variegatum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Acalypha wilkesiana, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' (dwarf red-leaf cherry), Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea', and others, appropriate additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to keep the leaf color bright and vivid. For ground-planted flowering trees and shrubs that bloom continuously or are viewed for flowers and fruit in autumn, such as Lagerstroemia indica, roses, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Citrus microcarpa (four-season orange), Punica granatum (flowering pomegranate), Bougainvillea spectabilis, Hibiscus mutabilis, chrysanthemums, Canna indica, Dahlia pinnata, Lantana camara, Nandina domestica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Ardisia crenata, Fortunella margarita, and others, as well as large numbers of ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers, quick-acting fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be applied. For Fortunella margarita, Osmanthus fragrans 'Yingui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Dangui', and others that are blooming, fertilization can be stopped during the flowering period.
5. Pest and disease control. For the green slug moth damaging Lagerstroemia indica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Malus spectabilis and other flowering trees and shrubs, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal at 800 times dilution for control; for the citrus longhorned beetle damaging Lagerstroemia indica, Chaenomeles sinensis and Malus spectabilis, insert poison sticks into the insect holes for control; for powdery mildew appearing on rose and chrysanthemum plants, apply 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution in the early stage of the disease for control.
6. Seed collection. The woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected are mainly flowering trees of the Magnoliaceae family. Such as Magnolia sieboldii, Michelia figo, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia denudata, Michelia chapensis, Michelia chapensis (Leshan), Michelia floribunda, Michelia maudiae, Magnolia grandiflora, and others. In addition, there are also Aesculus species, Lagerstroemia indica, Syringa, Malus species, Cercis chinensis, Exochorda racemosa, Taxus chinensis, Chimonanthus nitens, and others. For Magnoliaceae, as well as Taxus chinensis, Aesculus, Malus species and others, after treatment the seeds must be stored in wet sand until early spring of the following year, and sown only after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected include: Tagetes erecta, Zinnia elegans, Impatiens balsamina, Mirabilis jalapa, Celosia cristata, Catharanthus roseus, Helichrysum bracteatum, Callistephus chinensis, and others; after collection, thresh promptly and store dry until spring of the following year before sowing.
Management of potted flowers in courtyards
1. Watering. In September, light is strong, temperatures are relatively high, and the air is quite dry, so watering management for potted flowers must not be neglected. As for watering frequency, for generally moisture-loving foliage plants, in the first half of the month water or spray once each in the morning and afternoon, and in the second half of the month change to watering once, with appropriate leaf misting. For most potted flowers and bonsai, water once a day, supplemented by leaf misting. Water before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidic conditions, add a small amount of 0.1% light-green ferrous sulfate powder to the irrigation water. For flower species that resume growth after autumn from summer dormancy or semi-dormancy, gradually increase the amount and frequency of watering (or misting). While watering potted plants, loosen the soil once every half month.
2. Fertilizing. September is exactly the period of vigorous growth for most flowers. Some flower species that were dormant or semi-dormant in summer also begin to resume growth as temperatures gradually turn cooler, so great attention should be paid to fertilization management this month. For foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, Ficus elastica, Pachira aquatica, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Rhapis excelsa, Fagraea ceilanica, Cinnamomum species, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix wood), Araucaria heterophylla, Caryota mitis, Epipremnum aureum, Scindapsus pictus (red/green gem), Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, Ficus lyrata, and others, still mainly use low-concentration dilute fertilizer liquid, such as 0.3% urea solution. For flowering trees and shrubs with a very long flowering period or those whose peak flowering period is autumn, such as roses, Lantana camara, Lantana camara, Punica granatum, Lagerstroemia indica, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Osmanthus fragrans, and others; for fruit-viewing plants such as Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Diospyros armata, Callicarpa bodinieri, Punica granatum (fruit pomegranate), and others; and for colorful-leaf plants such as Codiaeum variegatum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Bromeliaceae species, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Dracaena fragrans 'Victoriae', Cordyline fruticosa, Coleus blumei, and others, fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be applied. For Fuchsia hybrida, Pelargonium hortorum, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Begonia semperflorens, Daphne odora, Schlumbergera truncata, Sedum species, Portulacaria afra (jade leaf), Oxalis triangularis, Clivia miniata, Epiphyllum hybridum, and others that are resuming growth, low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be resumed; for flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and entered the flower bud swelling stage, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Michelia figo, Rhododendron species, and others, low-concentration fertilizer with balanced nutrients can be applied; for potted herbaceous flowers, such as Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, chrysanthemums, Callistephus chinensis, Dahlia pinnata, dwarf sunflowers, and others, apply thin fertilizer once every 10 days to meet the needs of bud formation and flowering next month.
3. Shading. In September, temperatures are relatively high and sunlight is still intense, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers still cannot be relaxed. For those shade-loving and cool-loving foliage plant species, such as Monstera deliciosa, Ficus elastica, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis', Asplenium nidus, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum, Rhapis excelsa, Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', orchids, Dieffenbachia seguine, Arecastrum romanzoffianum, Aspidistra elatior, Begonia species, Epipremnum pinnatum, Syngonium podophyllum (small angel), Scindapsus pictus (red/green gem), Anthurium crystallinum, Alocasia amazonica, Fittonia verschaffeltii, Pachystachys lutea, Asparagus setaceus, Schefflera arboricola, Pteris multifida 'Variegata', Peperomia argyreia, Dieffenbachia picta, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Anthurium andraeanum, Platycerium bifurcatum, Pilea peperomioides, Adina pilulifera, Arecastrum romanzoffianum (king palm), Dracaena sanderiana, and others, through shading give 5 to 6 hours of light per day; for light-loving species, such as Acer buergerianum, Ulmus parvifolia, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Ginkgo biloba, Adina rubella, Pinus thunbergii, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Araucaria heterophylla, Wisteria sinensis, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Pyracantha fortuneana, roses, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus chinensis, and others, full sunlight can be given; for semi-shade-loving species, such as Podocarpus macrophyllus, Pinus parviflora, Damnacanthus indicus, Syzygium buxifolium, Osmanthus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Nandina domestica, Crassula ovata, Rhododendron species, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Fortunella margarita, and others, appropriate shading can be given around noon. Newly transplanted and potted autumn herbaceous flowers should also be appropriately shaded to prevent wilting and to avoid affecting their recovery and growth.
4. Pruning. For potted chrysanthemums, continue to do a good job of bud removal and disbudding; for roses, Punica granatum (flowering pomegranate), Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Lantana camara, Pachystachys lutea, Cyrtanthus, and others, prune after each flowering; for tree-stump bonsai species that tolerate pruning, sprout easily and grow vigorously, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Ficus microcarpa, Syzygium buxifolium, Ligustrum quihoui, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis var. sargentii, Fraxinus chinensis, Tamarix chinensis, and others, continue to prune or pinch buds. In addition, Pachira aquatica seedlings can be braided into a "braid" and potted.
5. Pest and disease control. For the peach red-necked longhorned beetle appearing on potted Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, Prunus persica 'Dulcis', Prunus persica 'Duplex' and other plants, poison sticks can be inserted to block and kill them, or carbofuran granules can be buried for control. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale, and others appearing on potted flowering trees and shrubs, use 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution for control.
Potted plants suitable for display on balconies
In September, balconies still have strong light and dry air. Only some potted flowers that have been placed on balconies for a long time or relatively resistant potted flowering trees and shrubs can adapt to the special environment of the balcony. They are: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus thunbergii 'Jin song', Pinus densiflora, Pinus parviflora, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Acer buergerianum, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, Punica granatum (fruit-viewing pomegranate), Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Fraxinus chinensis, Ficus microcarpa, Bougainvillea spectabilis, roses, Agave americana, Ginkgo biloba, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Celtis sinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Hemiptelea davidii, Serissa japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lantana camara, and others. For some flower species that prefer a cool environment, they can continue to be placed indoors with air conditioning, such as Cymbidium hybridum, Oncidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Vanda, Hymenocallis, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Clivia miniata, Fuchsia hybrida, Fittonia verschaffeltii, and others; for some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 4 to 5 hours around noon, such as Rhapis excelsa, Monstera deliciosa, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Pachira aquatica, Epipremnum aureum, Aspidistra elatior, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Caryota mitis, Cocos nucifera (king coconut), Dracaena, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera arboricola, and others. Propagation of balcony flowers In September, on the balcony you can continue to use large-diameter flower pots as containers, filled with a mixed substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and can cuttings-propagate some ornamental plants, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Cordyline fruticosa, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera arboricola, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Cyrtanthus, Pachystachys lutea, Michelia figo, Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', and others. You can also water-propagate Schefflera arboricola, roses, gardenia, Ficus carica, Aglaonema modestum, and others indoors.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. For some ornamental plants that prefer moisture, such as Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Syngonium podophyllum (small angel), Chloranthus spicatus, Bromeliaceae, and others, they can be placed on wooden slats over a balcony water basin or water tank, or placed in a simple self-built sand pool, and ordinarily misting can replace watering. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, mist more and water less to keep the potting soil loose and moist; especially in air-conditioned rooms, spray water at least 1 to 2 times a day, otherwise even a relatively drought-tolerant Pinus parviflora bonsai will dehydrate and die if not watered or misted for 5 to 7 days. For relatively resistant potted ornamental plants placed on the balcony, continue to water once a day and mist 1 to 2 times a day, or use the soaking method to prevent the phenomenon of wet top and dry bottom in the potting soil. Watering time should still avoid the 2 to 3 hours around noon, taking care that the water temperature does not differ too much from the soil temperature and air temperature, and add a small amount of light-green ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to avoid physiological yellowing of the plants.
2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species gradually resuming growth from dormancy or semi-dormancy, appropriately apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer; for vigorously growing potted stumps, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once after each pinching and pruning; for potted flowering trees and shrubs mainly viewed for flowers and fruit, such as Michelia alba, roses, Punica granatum, Lagerstroemia indica, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Pyracantha fortuneana, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, and others, continue to apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for potted flowers that have completed flower bud differentiation and whose flower buds are growing, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Osmanthus fragrans, chrysanthemums, and others, according to the different species, apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or a balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer. The types of fertilizer applied to flowering trees and shrubs on the balcony should not carry an off-odor, especially not a foul smell, and when applying, take care not to splash down to the floor below, and operate carefully.
3. Shading. For tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering frequency, prevent soil compaction, and protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface layer of the potting soil, continue to cover the pot surface with wet straw, moss, wet cloth, and so on; when there are not many potted flowers, move them indoors for 5 to 6 hours around noon; if there are many potted flowers and conditions permit, continue to set up supports and pull up shade netting to block light.
4. Pruning. In September, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Sabina procumbens, Ligustrum quihoui, Fraxinus chinensis, and others, pinching or pruning is still needed. For other potted flowering trees and shrubs, dead branches, yellow leaves, faded flowers and withered peduncles should also be removed promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In September, balcony temperatures are high and the air is dry, and potted flowering trees and shrubs are most prone to red spider mite damage, which can be sprayed and killed with 25% Omite wettable powder at 1500 times dilution; for the double-striped fir longhorned beetle appearing on Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Sabina chinensis, and Juniperus bonsai, and the peach red-necked longhorned beetle appearing on Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, Chaenomeles sinensis, Prunus persica 'Dulcis' and other flowering trees and shrubs, continue to insert poison sticks or bury carbofuran for control; for various scale insects damaging Camellia japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lagerstroemia indica, Chimonanthus praecox and other flowering trees and shrubs, when the number is small they can be wiped off manually, and when the number is large, spray 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution for control.

Flower Planting Manual Winter

Flower Planting Manual (October Chapter)

Flowers suitable for display in courtyards

    In October, temperatures drop in most parts of the country, with monthly average temperatures between 10°C and 19°C. This month there are many kinds of potted ornamental plants suitable for display in courtyards, among which woody ornamental plant species include: Araucaria heterophylla, Pinus parviflora, Sciadopitys verticillata, Pinus bungeana, Abies firma, Picea species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Cycas revoluta, Phoenix canariensis, Yucca elephantipes, Fagraea ceilanica, Cinnamomum kotoense, Osmanthus fragrans, Hibiscus mutabilis, Ficus elastica, Schefflera arboricola, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pseudolarix amabilis, Codiaeum variegatum, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Pachira aquatica, Rhapis excelsa, Beaucarnea recurvata, Mahonia bealei, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Ficus microcarpa (thick-leaf), Caryota mitis, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Cocos nucifera (king coconut), Cordyline fruticosa, Phoenix roebelenii, Ficus lyrata, Adenium obesum, Cycas revoluta (South American), Garcinia subelliptica, Bambusa ventricosa, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Grevillea robusta, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Dracaena, Murraya paniculata, Nandina domestica, and others. Herbaceous flowers include: Salvia splendens, Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata, Callistephus chinensis, chrysanthemums, small chrysanthemums, Begonia maculata, Antirrhinum majus, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Capsicum annuum (five-color pepper), Celosia cristata, Calendula officinalis, Catharanthus roseus, Gomphrena globosa, Petunia hybrida, Impatiens hawkeri, and others. It should be noted that in North China, Northeast China and other places, when temperatures drop below 10°C, attention should be paid to cold protection for southern flowers planted in the north.

Propagation of courtyard flowers

    1. Sowing. Woody flower species that can be sown include: Paeonia suffruticosa, Camellia chekiangoleosa, Michelia species, Magnolia species, Manglietia species, Aesculus species, Calycanthus chinensis, Ardisia crenata, Sapindus mukorossi, Ilex kudingcha, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Quercus ilex, Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Phoenix roebelenii, Taxus chinensis, Livistona chinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Cinnamomum camphora, Weigela coraeensis, Trachycarpus fortunei, Taxodium distichum, and others. Among them, when sowing Aesculus, the hilum should face downward, and before sowing Calycanthus chinensis the seeds should first be soaked for 24 to 36 hours. For the above seeds, except that Calycanthus chinensis and Weigela coraeensis seeds can be stored dry until spring sowing, all other species can, after the seeds are cleaned, be stored in wet sand to promote germination until the seed grains crack and show white in the following spring before sowing. Note that before storage and germination promotion, the seeds should be rinsed clean; the moisture content of the sand should be such that it forms a ball when held in the hand and disperses when released, and the ratio of seeds to sand is about 1:3. During the storage and germination promotion process, the seeds should be checked frequently to prevent the seed grains from drying out or becoming moldy. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: Alcea rosea, Malva sylvestris, Papaver rhoeas, Calendula officinalis, Antirrhinum majus, Dianthus species, Viola tricolor, Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Belamcanda chinensis, Silene armeria, Silene armeria (tall), Eschscholzia californica, Bellis perennis, Rudbeckia hirta, Iris, Verbena hybrida, and others. Greenhouse flowers such as Tropaeolum majus, Sinningia speciosa, Petunia hybrida, Pericallis hybrida, Primula obconica, Gerbera jamesonii, Calceolaria herbeohybrida can also be sown in plastic greenhouses.

    2. Cuttage. Woody flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Schefflera arboricola, Cestrum nocturnum, Lantana camara, Pyracantha fortuneana, Mahonia, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Cordyline fruticosa, Michelia figo, Aucuba, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Gardenia jasminoides, Weigela coraeensis, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea japonica (red flower), Spiraea thunbergii, Hypericum monogynum, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', roses, Viburnum macrocephalum, Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, Nerium oleander, Ficus carica, Chaenomeles speciosa, and others. The cutting substrate can be ordinary sandy loam or yellow subsoil, or a mixture of half sand and half rice husk ash, using fully closed moisture-retaining cuttings. In addition, for cuttings of some southern flowering trees and shrubs, when Frost's Descent arrives, attention should be paid to cold protection. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Tagetes erecta, Begonia semperflorens, Begonia maculata, Tradescantia zebrina, Epipremnum aureum, Pilea cadierei, Cyrtanthus, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea (gold-vein), Chrysanthemum (cold chrysanthemum), and others. Those that can be propagated by cuttings (this part is missing!!)

    3. Grafting. Using 1- to 2-year-old Pinus thunbergii seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft Pinus parviflora (including Pinus parviflora 'Osaka') and Pinus thunbergii 'Jin song' with moisture retention; using peony roots as rootstock, graft superior varieties of Paeonia suffruticosa; using 1-year-old Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' and others with moisture retention; using 1-year-old Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft superior varieties of Magnolia denudata, Magnolia soulangeana, Magnolia liliiflora and others; using Hylocereus trigonus as rootstock, graft various cactus balls; using 1-year-old citrus seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft Fortunella margarita.

    4. Layering. Flowering tree and shrub species that can be propagated by ground layering include: Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Weigela coraeensis, Hydrangea macrophylla, Weigela florida, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans 'Bayuegui', Viburnum plicatum (snowball), Viburnum macrocephalum, Magnolia liliiflora, Gardenia jasminoides, Hypericum monogynum, Quercus ilex, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Michelia figo, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica (red flower), and others.

    5. Division. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division include: Nandina domestica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia, Paeonia suffruticosa, Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora', Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea, Cycas revoluta, and others. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: Paeonia lactiflora, Hosta plantaginea, Cymbidium goeringii, Hosta ventricosa, Strelitzia reginae, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Ranunculus asiaticus, Rudbeckia laciniata, Iris, Belamcanda chinensis, Convallaria majalis, Aglaonema modestum, Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', Oxalis triangularis, Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (multi-head green emperor), Nephrolepis cordifolia, Aspidistra elatior, and others. Flower species that can be propagated by bulb separation include: Zantedeschia aethiopica, Hippeastrum, Freesia refracta, Lycoris radiata, Tulipa gesneriana, Scilla peruviana, and others.

Management of flowers planted in the ground in courtyards

    1. Transplanting. For some deciduous ornamental plants, according to local climate changes, transplant after Frost's Descent arrives and the leaves have fallen, such as Hibiscus syriacus, Cercis chinensis, Prunus triloba, Punica granatum, Syringa, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Magnolia liliiflora, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Dulcis', floribunda roses, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', and others. For some evergreen flowering shrubs, such as Mahonia bealei, Nandina domestica, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea', Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Gardenia jasminoides, Euonymus japonicus, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, and others, when transplanting, first, shorten and prune before transplanting; second, keep soil balls intact; third, strengthen watering and misting management after transplanting. Courtyard herbaceous flower species that can be planted out include: Dianthus, Bellis perennis, Alcea rosea, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Viola tricolor, Calendula officinalis, Verbena hybrida, Phlox drummondii, Antirrhinum majus, Zephyranthes candida, Liriope, Reineckea carnea, and others. Bulbous flower species that can be planted in the ground include: Narcissus, Narcissus poeticus, Tulipa gesneriana, Hyacinthus orientalis, and others.

    2. Pruning. Carry out the last pruning of the year for courtyard hedges and ball-shaped plants, requiring precision and thoroughness, with the standard being flat surfaces, straight lines, and round balls. Courtyard color-block and hedge plant species suitable for pruning include: Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum, Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea', Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus', Euonymus japonicus, Buxus sinica, Quercus ilex, Ligustrum lucidum, Photinia davidsoniae, Ligustrum quihoui, and others. Ball-shaped plants requiring pruning include: Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Buxus, Myrica rubra, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Photinia, Pittosporum tobira, Pyracantha fortuneana, and others. For continuously blooming ground-planted flowering trees and shrubs in the courtyard, such as roses, Lagerstroemia indica, Lantana camara, Bougainvillea spectabilis, and others, continue to cut off faded flowers and withered peduncles, and moderately shorten the branches that have already flowered. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, such as Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, Gomphrena globosa, and others, promptly cut off opened inflorescences to promote continued flowering and blooming on lateral shoots, thereby extending the viewing period.

    3. Watering. For courtyard flowering trees and shrubs newly planted in the same year, continue to do a good job of watering and misting; first, keep the root soil moist, but there must be no waterlogging; second, continue to mist the leaves. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of misting to maintain moisture.

    4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, apply quick-acting fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; for Osmanthus species that have already bloomed, dig ring-shaped trenches and bury basal fertilizer; for roses, Malus spectabilis, Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus mutabilis, as well as Camellia japonica, Michelia figo, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, and others that have been pruned, bury an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer; for Nandina, Pyracantha fortuneana, as well as southern Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Diospyros armata, and others that are in the fruit-viewing state, appropriately apply a small amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can effectively extend the fruit-viewing period.

    5. Pest and disease control. For trunk-boring pests appearing on ground-planted Prunus mume, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus serrulata, Malus spectabilis and others, continue to use poison sticks for control. For fallen dead branches and leaves in the courtyard, promptly sweep them up, gather them and burn them. In the north, for thick large trunks in the courtyard, whitewash the trunks at the end of the month, or directly apply lime-sulfur mixture on the trunks.

[page]    6. Seed collection. Woody plant species whose seeds can be collected include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Sapindus mukorossi, Aesculus, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia denudata, Manglietia, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia delavayi, Magnolia amoena, Michelia champaca, Michelia foveolata, Michelia maudiae, Manglietia insignis, Michelia platypetala, Taxodium distichum, Rhapis excelsa, Ardisia crenata, Phoenix roebelenii, Livistona chinensis, Ilex kudingcha, Quercus ilex, Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Viburnum macrocephalum, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Taxus chinensis, Camellia oleifera, and others; these seeds must all be stored in wet sand. Seed species that can be stored dry include: Lagerstroemia indica, Liriodendron chinense, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Acer palmatum, Pseudolarix amabilis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Cryptomeria fortunei, Sapium sebiferum, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, Hibiscus mutabilis, Choerospondias axillaris, Cercis chinensis, Camptotheca acuminata, Bischofia polycarpa, Acer truncatum, and others. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: Salvia splendens, Celosia cristata, Zinnia elegans, Gomphrena globosa, Dahlia pinnata (small), Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Callistephus chinensis, Impatiens balsamina, Mirabilis jalapa, Kochia scoparia, Helichrysum bracteatum, Cosmos bipinnatus, Cerastium tomentosum, Euphorbia heterophylla, Mimosa pudica, Codariocalyx motorius, and others.

In addition, at the end of October for Canna indica, Dahlia pinnata and others, when their aboveground parts are close to withering, dig up the underground rhizomes or tubers, store them in sand indoors, keep the room temperature not lower than 5°C, and cut and divide them for replanting in the following spring.

Management of potted flowers in courtyards

    1. Watering. Although the weather has turned cooler, in most areas south of the Huaihe River temperatures are still above 17°C, and the air is quite dry, so potted flower watering management must be careful and meticulous. For some moisture-loving foliage plants, such as Ficus elastica, Aspidistra elatior, Monstera deliciosa, Epipremnum aureum, Syngonium podophyllum, Fagraea ceilanica, Cinnamomum kotoense, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Scindapsus pictus (red gem), and others, on sunny days water once a day, supplemented by leaf misting; for summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn, including semi-dormant species, such as Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Clivia miniata, Portulacaria afra, Daphne odora, Pelargonium hortorum, Fuchsia hybrida, and others, increase the amount of watering. For Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Camellia japonica, and others that bloom in winter and early spring, control watering and mist more to facilitate the swelling of their flower buds. In northern regions, for relatively cold-sensitive flower species, reduce watering, which can accelerate the lignification of new shoots and help them overwinter safely. The best watering time is 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

    2. Fertilizing. For summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn cools, promptly apply low-concentration quick-acting liquid fertilizer; for Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Pericallis hybrida, Primula, Clivia miniata, Cyclamen persicum, Cymbidium sinense, Belgian azalea, Narcissus poeticus, and others that bloom in winter or early spring, continue to apply a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% urea; for most foliage plants, after mid-October, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer and appropriately apply some low-concentration potassium fertilizer to increase the cold resistance of the plants; for fruit-viewing potted plants, such as Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', lemon, Fortunella margarita, Nandina, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Ardisia crenata, Diospyros armata, and others, in early to mid-October a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be applied.

    3. Shading. For some very shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, Monstera deliciosa, Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, Scindapsus pictus (green gem), Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis', Peperomia species, and others, around noon for 2 to 3 hours, shading is still needed.

    4. Pruning. For most bonsai and potted flowers that must be moved indoors in winter, in mid-to-late October, first cut off dead branches and fallen leaves, pest-damaged branches, weak branches, and so on; for leggy branches, carry out heavy shortening; for ties that have been shaping for 1 to 2 years, they can be untied, or retied after untying, to prevent long-term binding at fixed positions from damaging the cambium of the branches and causing the branches and leaves to die.

    5. Cold protection. In northern regions in mid-to-late October, some ornamental plant species intolerant of low temperatures below 10°C can be promptly moved into greenhouses; for some relatively cold-tolerant woody potted flowers or tree-stump bonsai, at the end of the month they can be buried and planted in wind-sheltered, sunny soil to prevent the potting soil from freezing. Areas in the Yangtze River basin should accurately grasp weather change information and avoid the threat of southward cold waves.

    6. Pest and disease control. Cut off dead branches and fallen leaves on potted flowering trees and shrubs, collect them uniformly and burn them. For potted chrysanthemums, control aphids, chrysanthemum beetles, leaf miner larvae, inchworms and other pests.

Potted plants suitable for display on balconies

    In early to mid-October on balconies, there is still strong light and dry air. Only those potted flowering trees and shrubs that have been placed on balconies for a long time and have relatively strong resistance can adapt to the open-air balcony environment. They are: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus thunbergii 'Jin song', Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Fraxinus chinensis, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Podocarpus macrophyllus, Platycladus orientalis, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Buxus sinica, Punica granatum, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ficus microcarpa (thick-leaf), Ginkgo biloba, roses, Jasminum sambac, Aglaia odorata, Cycas revoluta, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lantana camara, Tamarix chinensis, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', and others. Some cold-intolerant southern flowering tree and shrub species, when temperatures drop to 10°C, can no longer continue to be placed on the balcony. For some flower species that prefer a cooler environment, they can be placed in ordinary rooms at the beginning of the month. Such as Cymbidium hybridum, Anthurium crystallinum, Fittonia verschaffeltii, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Oncidium, and others. For some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon, and at other times can be placed on the balcony, such as Rhapis excelsa, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Pachira aquatica, Epipremnum aureum, Aspidistra elatior, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Caryota mitis, Cocos nucifera (king coconut), Dracaena, Schefflera arboricola, and others. In northern regions, when temperatures drop to 10°C, the vast majority of flowering trees and shrubs can no longer be placed on the balcony. Propagation of balcony flowers In early October, you can continue to use wide-mouthed large flower pots on the balcony as cutting containers, filled with a mixed cutting substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, or use vermiculite alone as the cutting substrate, cover with plastic film to retain moisture, and cuttings-propagate a small number of ornamental plants, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Schefflera arboricola, Ficus elastica, Aucuba, Michelia figo, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaonema modestum, Cyrtanthus, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen', Epipremnum aureum, Pelargonium hortorum, and others.

Management of balcony flowers

    1. Watering. For woody ornamental plants placed on the balcony, such as Cycas revoluta, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus elastica, Schefflera arboricola, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian wood), Pachira aquatica, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, and others, water once a day, supplemented by leaf misting; for species that have already formed flower buds and will bloom in winter and early spring, such as Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Belgian azalea, and others, watering should not be excessive, and at the same time mist the branches and leaves, which can effectively promote the swelling of their flower buds. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, such as Monstera deliciosa, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Syngonium podophyllum (small angel), Aspidistra elatior, Cordyline fruticosa, Asplenium nidus, Anthurium andraeanum, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum, and others, all should be mainly misted and supplemented by watering, to keep the potting soil from drying out.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species resuming growth from dormancy and semi-dormancy, such as Clivia miniata, Cyclamen persicum, Zantedeschia aethiopica, as well as Cymbidium hybridum, Bromeliaceae, Cymbidium sinense, and others, apply a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% urea; for Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Fortunella margarita, Fortunella hindsii, lemon, Nandina, Diospyros armata, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Solanum pseudocapsicum, and others mainly viewed for fruit, continue to apply a small amount of low-concentration quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, and others, in early October apply 1 to 2 times thin phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to help them overwinter smoothly.

    3. Shading. In early to mid-October, for tree-stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, in order to reduce watering frequency, protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed on the surface of the potting soil, and prevent the potting soil from compacting, continue to cover the surface of the potting soil with wet straw, moss, wet cloth, and so on; especially for shallow-pot tree-stump bonsai, even more attention should be paid. For some shade-loving foliage plants, on clear days around noon for 3 to 4 hours, they can be moved indoors. Shade netting set up in summer can be removed after mid-October.

    4. Pruning. In mid-to-late October, for tree-stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Ehretia microphylla (Fujian tea), Platycladus orientalis (stump), Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Ligustrum, Fraxinus chinensis, and others, necessary pruning and shaping must be carried out. For metal wires or non-metal wires that have been tied for more than a year, first untie them; if the shaping requirements have not yet been met, change to a new tying position and bind and fix again, which can avoid deep constriction marks causing serious damage to the plants. For ordinary potted flowering trees and shrubs, such as roses, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, and others, appropriate pruning can also be carried out.

    5. Pest and disease control. In late October, dead branches and fallen leaves of all potted flowers on the balcony can be collected and burned together. For tree-stump bonsai whose trunk xylem is partially exposed, apply lime-sulfur mixture to the trunk, which can both protect the trunk xylem and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in the coming year.
Flower Planting Manual (November Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of November: This month is the turn of autumn and winter. November 7 is the Beginning of Winter, the start of winter in our country, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River are about to freeze; November 22 is Minor Snow, when the Yellow River basin and areas to the north begin to have snowfall, and the Yangtze River basin also begins to enter winter. This month, flower and tree maintenance should attach importance to two aspects of work: first, pruning and cleaning ground-planted flowering trees and shrubs, whitewashing trunks and removing insects, turning the soil and applying basal fertilizer; second, for bonsai and flowers in greenhouses and plastic tunnels, effectively do a good job of cold protection and freeze protection. This month's flower care management mainly includes the following contents.

I. Flower propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in November include: Tropaeolum majus, Sinningia speciosa, Begonia tuberhybrida, Cyclamen persicum, Gerbera jamesonii, Clivia miniata, Asparagus setaceus, Hosta plantaginea, and others.

    Flowering tree and shrub species that can be sown immediately after collection in November include: Spiraea cantoniensis, Ligustrum quihoui, Ligustrum lucidum, Cinnamomum camphora, Sabina virginiana, Nageia nagi, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sapindus mukorossi, Ardisia crenata (Ardisia crenata), Trachycarpus fortunei, Quercus ilex, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, and others.

    2. Cuttage. In November, open-field cuttings are possible, but plastic film mulching must be added. Flowering tree and shrub species for heat preservation and cold protection mainly include: Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus mume (referring to varieties such as green calyx and palace pink), roses (referring to easy-to-root varieties such as floribunda roses and Elizabeth), Chaenomeles speciosa, and others.

    Flowering tree and shrub species that can be propagated by root cuttings in November include: Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Malus halliana, Chaenomeles speciosa, Ilex cornuta, Ilex chinensis, Campsis grandiflora, Ulmus parvifolia, Serissa japonica, and others. Some of these root-cutting seedlings can be used to make small and miniature bonsai.

    Flowering trees and shrubs that can be densely cuttings-propagated in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in November include: Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Euonymus japonicus, Euonymus japonicus 'Argenteovariegatus', Pilea cadierei, Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Gardenia, Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum bellum, Mahonia, Serissa japonica 'Aurea', and others. If managed properly, complete roots can grow by the following spring, and they can be used for ground planting to cultivate ball-shaped greening shapes. In winter, in greenhouses you can also cuttings-propagate Begonia maculata, Begonia, Begonia, Pelargonium hortorum, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Fuchsia hybrida, Crassula ovata, Portulacaria afra, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, and others; after spring begins they can be used for potting and cultivation.

    In November, in the Yangtze River basin you can also cut Hibiscus mutabilis, Campsis grandiflora, grape and other cuttings and store them, to be cuttings-propagated in the following spring, which can significantly speed up their rooting and increase the cutting survival rate.

    3. Grafting. Using Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstock, bag and graft Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' and Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' indoors; using apricot seedlings and peach seedlings as rootstock, cleft-graft Prunus mume (the graft union is buried in soil to overwinter); using thick strong branches of roses (Elizabeth variety) as rootstock scions, and branches of superior rose varieties as scions, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting and then cuttings, so that the union heals and the lower cut roots at the same time, which can speed up the process of cultivating grafted seedlings of superior rose varieties.

    4. Layering. Flowering tree and shrub species that can be propagated by ground layering in November mainly include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans', Punica granatum, Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Weigela florida, Osmanthus fragrans, Hydrangea macrophylla, Magnolia liliiflora, Sabina chinensis, Michelia figo, Spiraea cantoniensis, Viburnum plicatum (snowball), Viburnum macrocephalum, Spiraea thunbergii, and others.

    5. Division. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in November include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica (red flower), Sambucus, Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum bellum, Mahonia, Buddleja lindleyana, Paeonia suffruticosa, Caragana rosea, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum officinale, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Bambusa multiplex, Bambusa multiplex var. nana, and others.

South of the Yangtze River basin, the underground rhizomes or tubers of Dahlia pinnata, Canna indica, and Canna generalis can be dug up, stored in sand until March of the following spring, and then cut, divided and planted out.

Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: Bletilla striata, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, ornamental Bromeliaceae, Liriope platyphylla, Reineckea carnea, Zephyranthes candida, Aglaonema modestum, Aspidistra elatior, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and others.

    1. Collecting seeds. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in November include: Salvia splendens, Gomphrena globosa, Zinnia elegans, Callistephus chinensis, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Abutilon, and others.

    Flowering tree and shrub species whose seeds can be collected in November for dry storage include: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus taiwanensis, Pinus parviflora, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Chamaecyparis pisifera (Japanese), Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese), Albizia julibrissin, Liquidambar formosana, Camptotheca acuminata, Eucommia ulmoides, Cornus alba, Sapium sebiferum, Wisteria sinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Caragana sinica, Spiraea cantoniensis. Flowering tree and shrub species that can be sown immediately after collection or must be stored in wet sand include: Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Trachycarpus fortunei, Cinnamomum camphora, Sabina virginiana, Sapindus mukorossi, Lycium chinense, Taxus chinensis, Magnolia grandiflora, Ilex chinensis, Ilex cornuta, Pyracantha fortuneana, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, roses (used to cultivate rootstock), and others.

   2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be planted out in flower beds and transplanted for flower border arrangement in November include: Silene armeria, Dianthus, Alcea rosea, Malva sylvestris, Viola tricolor (large-flowered), Antirrhinum majus, Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, and others.

    Tree species that can be transplanted in November include: Cinnamomum camphora, Magnolia grandiflora, Albizia julibrissin, Sapindus mukorossi, Ligustrum lucidum, Koelreuteria paniculata, Sapium sebiferum, Magnolia denudata, Osmanthus fragrans, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Aesculus, Tilia, Cercis gigantea, Liriodendron chinense, Magnolia soulangeana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Malus spectabilis, and others. Among them, when transplanting evergreen trees, the branches and trunk must be appropriately shortened or cut back, and most leaves removed, the trunk bound well with straw rope, and a large soil ball kept intact (generally the soil ball diameter is about 6 to 7 times the trunk diameter), only then can survival be ensured; when transplanting deciduous trees, the trunk can be cut back and large branches pruned, with a soil ball kept intact and the trunk bound well. After transplanting large trees, watering and trunk misting management must be strengthened for survival. In addition, cuts on the trunk and large branches should be sealed with wax or wrapped with plastic film to prevent massive evaporation of water from the tree body.

    In November, plum bonsai, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince), and Malus halliana (Hall crabapple) can be transplanted into pots and placed in a greenhouse to force flowering, so as to meet the needs of indoor display around the Spring Festival.

    In November, potted hyacinths, tulips, Narcissus poeticus (pheasant's eye narcissus), and the like should be moved into a greenhouse to encourage them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Watering. For most ornamental flowers (including bonsai) placed in a greenhouse, plastic tunnel, or indoor room in November, the amount of watering should be based on keeping the potting soil moist; it must not be too wet, because if the temperature is low and watering is excessive, the plants are prone to root rot and death. If the indoor temperature is relatively high, the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, along with necessary misting of the leaves.

For those potted flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, and cineraria, as well as fruit-viewing plants such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara), Buddha's hand citron, lemon, Pyracantha, nandina, winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), and Ardisia crenata, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be misted regularly to promote the swelling and growth of flower buds and to make the fruits appear more brightly colored.

For foliage plants placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, and indoor rooms, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be misted regularly so that they always remain lush green and glossy. In greenhouses and indoor rooms with higher temperatures, the amount of watering can be increased. For less cold-tolerant foliage plants, such as Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, Dieffenbachia, Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Codiaeum variegatum (croton), and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', watering should be controlled to help them survive the winter safely.

[page]    In November, the best time to water potted flowers is around 10 to 11 a.m., and the water temperature should be basically the same as the soil temperature, so as to avoid adverse reactions in plants caused by water that is too cold, which would in turn affect their safe overwintering.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flowers placed indoors at temperatures above 15°C, such as Rhododendron obtusum (Belgian azalea), camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea (golden shrimp plant), Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant), Daphne odora, cineraria, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, Clivia miniata, tulip, ornamental bromeliads, Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus), and Vriesea, continued topdressing with low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be applied; using a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can promote their growth and flowering.

For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, topdressing should be stopped to help them enter normal dormancy for the winter. For most field-planted flowering trees, such as Malus species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Manglietia, Michelia chapensis, Michelia yunshanensis, Michelia figo, Michelia 'Golden Leaf', Gardenia jasminoides, Aesculus chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Spiraea, Osmanthus fragrans, grape, Rosa chinensis (Chinese rose), wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, palms, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' (red maple), tree peony, Forsythia, herbaceous peony, and Hypericum, dry cake fertilizer can be buried as application, with 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg per plant; smaller plants can receive less, laying a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

    3. Pruning. Continue pruning hedges, green walls, and topiary ball shapes that have not yet been fully pruned; after pruning is completed, base fertilizer can be applied.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, carry out comprehensive shaping and pruning, such as Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm), Carmona retusa (Fukien tea), Sageretia thea (Chinese sweet plum), Acer buergerianum (trident maple), Xylosma congestum, Fraxinus hupehensis 'Dui Jie Bai La', Pyracantha, Serissa japonica (snowbush), Sabina chinensis (Chinese juniper), Podocarpus macrophyllus, wintersweet, and crabapple, so as to build a good framework for next year's growth and shaping.

Prune field-planted or potted Chinese roses that have not yet been pruned: for each plant, apart from retaining 3 to 5 robust 1- to 2-year-old stems at 30 cm to 50 cm from the base, cut off the remaining old stems from their base and remove all thin and weak branches; for unpruned field-planted crape myrtle, heavily shorten the current-year branches, retaining only 20 cm to 30 cm from the base of a few thick branches and cutting off all other current-year branches, so as to encourage more robust new shoots next year and lay a foundation for abundant flowering.

For common flowering trees in flowerbeds, along roadsides, and in courtyards, such as crape myrtle, Hibiscus syriacus (rose of Sharon), Osmanthus fragrans, Cinnamomum camphora, Platanus orientalis (oriental plane), Magnolia liliiflora, Forsythia, plum blossom, wintersweet, cherry blossom, camellia, Albizia julibrissin, Pyracantha, Pittosporum tobira, and crabapple, cut off all distorted branches, thin and weak branches, inner-canopy branches, and diseased or pest-infested branches, and appropriately shorten water sprouts that protrude beyond the crown. In addition, in November, the old fibrous sheaths can be stripped from thick palm trunks, and the trunks cleaned well, so that they display their proper ornamental effect.

    4. Cold protection. For potted flowering trees that are not very sensitive to cold, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, Cymbidium goeringii (spring orchid), Cymbidium faberi (Hui orchid), nandina, Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine), jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaonema, bitter orange, Buddha's hand citron, lemon, kumquat, Ardisia crenata, Schefflera arboricola, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Caryota mitis (fishtail palm), Ficus elastica (rubber tree), Pachira aquatica (money tree), Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island date palm), and Rhapis excelsa (lady palm), they can be placed in a plastic tunnel, as long as the temperature is maintained at no lower than about 5°C.

For cold-intolerant potted flower species, such as Calathea, Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron bipinnatifidum (deeply divided philodendron), Aglaonema, Codiaeum variegatum (croton), Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Dracaena fragrans (Brazilian iron plant), red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Plumeria rubra (frangipani), Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and Cymbidium, they should be placed indoors at a room temperature no lower than 10°C, or protected through the winter in a double-layer plastic tunnel.

For relatively cold-tolerant bonsai or potted flowering trees, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus species, Rhododendron simsii (mountain azalea), pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, crape myrtle, Buxus sinica (Chinese boxwood), Sageretia thea, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Pinus parviflora (five-needle pine), Calocedrus macrolepis (Chinese incense cedar), Sabina chinensis, Acer buergerianum, and Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', they can be buried directly together with their pots in wind-sheltered, sunny soil; under conditions not lower than -10°C, they generally will not suffer cold damage. If particularly cold weather occurs, a plastic film or soft straw can be added for cold protection.

For potted flowers or bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or indoor rooms in November, besides ensuring certain temperature conditions, ventilation and air exchange should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon for ventilation, to prevent plants from being stifled indoors for long periods and thereby dropping flowers, fruits, and leaves. In addition, toxic gases such as coal gas should not intrude indoors, otherwise it is also easy to cause leaf and fruit drop. When ventilating, care must also be taken never to let plants be directly hit by cold drafts.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowering trees prone to leaf diseases, such as grape, Malus species, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, and chrysanthemum, collect the fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can significantly reduce disease occurrence next year.

For street tree trunks, continue whitewashing; for dead-trunk style and split-trunk style stump bonsai, lime-sulfur mixture can be applied to the dead or split trunk parts for antisepsis, to prevent deep rot in the xylem of the stumps.

For whiteflies, scale insects, and the like appearing on potted flowering trees placed in greenhouses or plastic tunnels (they may occur on bitter orange, Buddha's hand citron, cycads, orchids, camellia, Clivia miniata, and Aspidistra), first wipe them off with a damp cloth, and second spray and kill them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For aphids appearing on potted plants placed indoors (they may occur on Michelia alba, Aglaonema, bitter orange, and Chinese rose), spray tobacco water for control.

For Belgian azaleas placed in plastic tunnels, stop spraying foliar fertilizers such as Yemianbao; otherwise, due to poor indoor ventilation and high air humidity, sooty mold is extremely likely to occur.

    The main bonsai plant species suitable for shaping in November are: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Calocedrus macrolepis, Sabina chinensis, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa' (plume false cypress), Sabina procumbens (creeping juniper), Euonymus pendulus, Serissa japonica, plum blossom, Corylopsis sinensis (winter hazel), Xylosma congestum, Ilex cornuta, holly, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Ulmus parvifolia, and Malus halliana.

For bonsai trunks that have been bound with palm rope for 1 to 2 years, when relatively deep constriction marks are found on the trunk or branches, the old palm rope can be removed in November and the trunk and branches re-adjusted with new binding.

For new stumps of Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Bougainvillea, Adina rubella, Pyracantha, Elaeagnus, and the like, after preliminary root trimming, trunk cutting, and branch removal, plant them in sandy loam fields using the shallow-burial, high-mounding method, and shape them after they sprout next year.

For stumps that have basically taken shape after 1 to 2 years of care and shaping, in November, according to the shaping characteristics of the trunk, roots, and branches, choose suitable pots and repot them, and pair them with fist-sized stones and dotted moss, so they can be used for indoor display around the Spring Festival.

For well-shaped tall plum stumps, Podocarpus macrophyllus, ornamental peach, crape myrtle, Sabina chinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, and the like, in November suitable pots can be chosen for potting, water management strengthened, and they can be used next spring for display in plazas, parks, and auditoriums.

Flower Planting Manual (December Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of December: This month, most regions of China enter winter, and the weather turns colder. Snowfall increases from north to south across China, and temperatures in the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions successively drop below zero, with frequent heavy frost. This month, flower and tree care should focus on three aspects: first, do a good job of heat preservation and freeze protection for cold-sensitive flowers and trees that have entered greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and indoor rooms; second, do a good job of pruning, cleaning, and land turning and fertilizing for open-field flowers and trees; third, do a good job of preparing composted organic fertilizer and mixing potting soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in December include: Sinningia speciosa (gloxinia), Asparagus setaceus (asparagus fern), Clivia miniata, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter coral, and Gerbera jamesonii. Flowering tree species that can be sown outdoors as soon as collected or stratified in sand for germination include: Chinese rose (such as 'Elizabeth'), nandina, Ardisia crenata, holly species, Pyracantha, palms, Ligustrum lucidum (glossy privet), Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum quihoui, Sapindus mukorossi, Photinia, and Photinia davidsoniae.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental flowering tree species that can be cut outdoors in December include: plum blossom (mainly cultivars such as 'Gongfen' and 'Lüe'); Chinese rose (mainly easy-to-root cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda roses, and miniature roses); Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' (red-leaf plum), wintersweet (cut with a heel), Spiraea, and Buxus species. Among these, plum blossom and red-leaf plum cuttings should use yellow subsoil; Chinese rose cuttings should use a mixed substrate of rice chaff ash and fine sand at 2:1; other species can use ordinary sandy loam, covered with plastic film to keep warm and moist.

In greenhouses, African violets can be propagated by leaf cuttings; combined with pruning, cuttings can be taken of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pelargonium (geranium), Epiphyllum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Graptopetalum, Echeveria, Portulacaria afra, Kalanchoe daigremontiana (mother of thousands), Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Begonia semperflorens (wax begonia), Begonia maculata, Begonia elatior, Chloranthus spicatus, jasmine, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Lantana camara, Schefflera arboricola, Daphne odora, Epipremnum aureum (pothos), and Cordyline fruticosa. Using cold-frame seedbeds, cuttings can also be propagated of gardenia, Euonymus japonicus 'Aureus' (golden-hearted/golden-edged euonymus), Mahonia, Hypericum, Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum (winter jasmine), Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki cypress), Serissa japonica, Pyracantha, Salix leucopithecia (silver bud willow), and Edgeworthia chrysantha. In addition, branches of Campsis grandiflora (Chinese trumpet creeper), Syringa (lilac), and grape can be cut and stored in sand for cuttings next spring.

    3. Grafting. Superior plum blossom cultivars, such as 'Guhong' and 'Zhusha', can be grafted in December using seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, and peach sown that year: lift the rootstock and use cleft grafting or cut grafting, then plant them in seedbeds at a certain row and plant spacing, covering soil up to above the graft union, even burying most of the scion. Be careful not to let water seep into the graft union, cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist, and remove the covering film in early spring after the scion sprouts. Use dug-up wild rose plants to bud-graft superior Chinese rose cultivars; or use robust branch segments of the 'Elizabeth' Chinese rose cultivar (10 to 12 cm long), cut-graft or cleft-graft superior Chinese rose scions onto the upper end, then insert the grafted 'Elizabeth' segments into a loose seedbed. The graft union can be buried together in sandy soil; do not let water seep into the graft union when watering, cover with plastic film to retain moisture and heat, remove the covering film after the scion sprouts the following spring, and only after it has completely survived should a blade be used to cut the binding tape at the graft union. In addition, red maple can be side-grafted indoors with bagging to retain moisture.

    4. Layering. Flowering tree species that can be propagated by layering in December include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, plum blossom, camellia, Osmanthus fragrans, Michelia figo, Chaenomeles speciosa, Magnolia liliiflora, Viburnum macrocephalum (snowball viburnum), Weigela florida, gardenia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis (bridal wreath spirea), Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Spiraea thunbergii (baby's breath spirea), and pomegranate.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in December include: Zephyranthes candida (autumn zephyr lily), Ophiopogon japonicus (dwarf lilyturf), Reineckea carnea, Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, Oxalis corymbosa (pink woodsorrel), Aspidistra elatior, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis cordifolia (sword fern), Belamcanda chinensis (blackberry lily), Iris, Liriope platyphylla (big-leaf lilyturf), Ophiopogon bodinieri, Rohdea japonica, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and Aglaonema modestum. When cutting off offsets from the base of a large variegated bromeliad, the small plants must have already grown on the mother plant for three to four months; otherwise, the colored bands of the separated offsets tend to disappear, and special attention should be paid to this.

    Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in December include: Nandina domestica, Hypericum, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Rhapis excelsa, Spiraea japonica (red-flowered spirea), Caragana sinica (peashrub), Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum officinale (common jasmine), jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Magnolia liliiflora, gardenia, Agave sisalana (sisal), Bambusa multiplex (fernleaf hedge bamboo), and Sasa fortunei.

    1. Collecting seeds. The herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in December are generally those of herbaceous flowers moved into greenhouses or cold frames, such as Salvia splendens types (scarlet sage), Gomphrena globosa types (globe amaranth), Tagetes erecta (marigold), Tagetes patula (French marigold), cyclamen, and Clivia miniata. Clivia miniata seeds should be sown as soon as collected.

    Woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected in December mainly include: Chinese rose, Wisteria sinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Pyracantha, Ardisia crenata, holly species, Cinnamomum camphora, and Photinia species. After treatment, these seeds basically all need sand stratification for germination; only after the seeds crack and show white next year can they be sown in the ground. Under dry storage, they easily lose viability, leading to failure in sowing and seedling raising next year.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. Herbaceous flower species that can be planted out in flowerbeds in December include: Dianthus species (pinks), ornamental kale, large-flowered pansy, snapdragon, Calendula officinalis (pot marigold), and Bellis perennis (daisy). Some herbaceous flowers can also be potted and placed in plastic tunnels, such as daisy, pot marigold, snapdragon, ornamental kale, Dianthus, and pansy; next spring they can be used for street display.

    In December, most deciduous greening trees and flowering shrubs can be transplanted and planted out, such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, Cercis chinensis (redbud), Malus species, wintersweet, plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Sapindus mukorossi, Koelreuteria paniculata (goldenrain tree), Albizia julibrissin, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', cherry blossom, Chaenomeles sinensis (Chinese quince), Magnolia soulangeana, crape myrtle, Wisteria sinensis, Campsis grandiflora, Tilia (linden), Liriodendron chinense (Chinese tulip tree), Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', ornamental peach, Styphnolobium japonicum (Japanese pagoda tree), and Sophora japonica var. pendula (weeping pagoda tree). However, transplanting evergreen trees and flowering shrubs should be more cautious. Evergreen tree species that can be transplanted in winter include: Ligustrum lucidum, Osmanthus fragrans, palms, Magnolia grandiflora, Cinnamomum camphora, rhododendron, and holly. When transplanting, first heavily shorten the main leader and large branches, remove most leaves, and also carry a large root ball; bind the trunk with straw rope and wrap it with plastic film; seal the cut ends of the trunk and large branches with wax or wrap them in film to reduce water transpiration. After transplanting, frequently mist the leaves and trunk to ensure normal survival.

    Tree stumps and flowering trees that can be potted in December include: plum blossom, wintersweet stumps, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Malus halliana. Place them in plastic tunnels for flower forcing, and they can be expected to bloom during the Spring Festival.

    In December, potted hyacinths, tulips, Narcissus poeticus, and the like should continue to be kept in tunnels for flower forcing, which can induce them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Cold protection. In simple plastic tunnels with temperatures not lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without suffering cold damage, such as Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri' (asparagus fern), Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra elatior, Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia), Aucuba japonica 'Variegata' (spotted laurel), Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm), Nephrolepis cordifolia, Rhapis excelsa, Nandina domestica, Michelia figo, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha, camellia, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Bambusa multiplex, Sasa fortunei, and cycads.

For ornamental plant species requiring overwintering temperatures not lower than 5°C, such as Araucaria heterophylla, Schefflera arboricola, Ficus elastica, jasmine, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm), Zantedeschia aethiopica (calla lily), Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Rhododendron obtusum (Belgian azalea), Bougainvillea, cyclamen, Primula (primrose), Lantana camara, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Dypsis lutescens (areca palm), Pelargonium, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and Bambusa ventricosa (Buddha belly bamboo), they can overwinter in double-layer plastic tunnels. For species requiring overwintering temperatures not lower than 10°C, such as Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium bicolor, Peperomia (radiator plant), Calathea, Dracaena sanderiana, Caryota mitis, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Fittonia (nerve plant), bromeliads, Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia), Cymbidium hybridum, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Pachystachys lutea, Aglaonema, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Cymbidium, Zamia (South American cycad), red (green) gem, Oncidium, and Cymbidium hookerianum, inside well-sealed double-layer tunnels they must also be appropriately heated; during particularly cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, cover the top of the tunnel with straw curtains, and remove them after the temperature warms up.

For relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Xylosma congestum, crape myrtle, Wisteria sinensis, Buxus species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Acer buergerianum, Calocedrus macrolepis, Sabina chinensis, Platycladus orientalis (Chinese arborvitae), Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, and Fraxinus hupehensis 'Dui Jie Bai La', when temperatures are not lower than -10°C they generally will not freeze; if particularly cold weather occurs, add a plastic film or soft straw for cold protection.

[page]    Whether placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or indoor rooms, bonsai, potted flowers, and foliage and fruit-viewing plants must not only be kept at an appropriate indoor temperature, but also be given ventilation; doors and windows can be opened for ventilation around noon, the warmest time of the day, to prevent leaf, flower, and fruit drop. When ventilating, care must also be taken not to let cold drafts directly hit the plants, so as to avoid adverse reactions.

    2. Watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and indoor rooms, keep the potting soil moist as the standard; if the temperature is low and watering is excessive, it is very easy to cause root rot. When the temperature rises, increase the amount of watering and give appropriate misting of the leaves.

For those potted flower species that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, plum blossom, wintersweet, cineraria, primrose, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, hyacinth, and Narcissus poeticus (European narcissus), and fruit-viewing types such as bitter orange, lemon, Buddha's hand citron, Calamondin orange, Fortunella hindsii (Hong Kong kumquat), winter coral, Ardisia crenata, and Nandina domestica, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves must also be misted, to promote the swelling of flower buds and also increase the brightness of flowers and fruits.

For most foliage plants placed indoors, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves should also be misted, always keeping the leaf surfaces clean. For less cold-tolerant foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, Codiaeum variegatum, and Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', when the room temperature is already close to the lower limit of the minimum temperature they can tolerate, special attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering, so as to ensure they can overwinter safely.

    In December, the best time for watering is the 3 to 4 hours around noon, and the water temperature should be kept basically consistent with the air temperature and soil temperature, to avoid adverse reactions in potted flowers caused by water that is too cold.

For newly transplanted flowers and trees outdoors, check frequently and replenish watering in time; for transplanted evergreen trees, appropriately mist the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking, and falling off.

    3. Fertilizing. For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, and bonsai placed in ordinary plastic tunnels, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise, it is very easy to cause root rot and death of the plants.

For most field-planted greening trees and flowering trees, such as Malus species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Manglietia, Michelia species, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', gardenia, Aesculus chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Osmanthus fragrans, wintersweet, plum blossom, cherry blossom, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, palms, herbaceous peony, tree peony, Forsythia, Hypericum, grape, Chinese rose, Spiraea, Liriodendron chinense, Philadelphus (mock orange), Deutzia scabra, pomegranate, crape myrtle, Wisteria sinensis, Pyracantha, Nandina domestica, Syringa, Campsis grandiflora, Rosa banksiae (Lady Banks' rose), Hypericum, Salix babylonica (weeping willow), Cryptomeria fortunei (Chinese cedar), Cedrus deodara (deodar cedar), cypress species, Sophora japonica var. pendula, Prunus triloba (flowering almond), Prunus japonica (Japanese bush cherry), Exochorda racemosa (pearlbush), Photinia, Cercis chinensis, and Hibiscus syriacus, in December, while turning the garden soil, fertilizer can be buried around the outer perimeter of the plant root zone, such as cake fertilizer, pig and cattle manure, pond mud, and septic tank residue, laying a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

For potted flower species placed indoors at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, plum blossom, wintersweet, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, bromeliads, Daphne odora, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, Clivia miniata, tulip, and Freesia, continue topdressing with 1.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution to promote flower bud formation and flowering.

    4. Pruning. Prune hedges, green walls, and topiary ball shapes that were not fully pruned in November. Hedge and green wall types include Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet), Euonymus japonicus (evergreen euonymus), Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis' (Chinese juniper), Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens' (four-season osmanthus), and Photinia davidsoniae; topiary balls include Ilex cornuta, Myrica rubra (Chinese bayberry), Photinia, Buxus species, Pittosporum tobira, Forsythia, Pyracantha, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca' (dragon juniper), and Juniperus rigida (needle juniper). While completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied.

For field-planted flowering trees not fully pruned in November, such as Chinese rose, crape myrtle, palms, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Photinia, Platanus orientalis, plum blossom, and wintersweet, carry out shaping and pruning; after pruning is finished, fertilizer can be buried around the root zone.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly shaped by pruning, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Ilex cornuta, Carmona retusa, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma congestum, Fraxinus hupehensis 'Dui Jie Bai La', Pyracantha, Serissa japonica, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Calocedrus macrolepis, Sabina chinensis, crabapple, and Chaenomeles sinensis, continue pruning in December to build a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repotting can be combined with pruning.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowering trees whose leaves are prone to pests and diseases, such as grape, Malus species, rose, Chinese rose, camellia, and crape myrtle, collect the dead branches and fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can reduce disease occurrence next year. At the same time, spray lime-sulfur mixture for sterilization and disinfection.

For powdery mildew on potted cineraria and gray mold on primrose, the former should be controlled promptly with triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl, and the latter with thiophanate-methyl.

For species prone to scale insects among flowers and trees in greenhouses and plastic tunnels, such as bitter orange, Buddha's hand citron, cycads, camellia, and Aspidistra, first wipe them once with a cloth, then control them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For flowering tree species on which aphids often appear on potted plants when ventilation is poor, such as Michelia alba, Aglaonema, bitter orange, Chinese rose, and Carmona retusa, tobacco water can be used for control.

On the trunks and large branches of field-cultivated Pittosporum tobira, Osmanthus fragrans, Platanus orientalis, camellia, Ligustrum quihoui, Pyracantha, Nerium oleander, crabapple, Magnolia denudata, Cercis chinensis, gardenia, Cedrus deodara, Photinia, crape myrtle, and wintersweet, various scale insects often appear, such as Ceroplastes ceriferus (horned wax scale), Ceroplastes japonicus (Japanese wax scale), Ceroplastes rubens (red wax scale), armored scales, Unaspis yanonensis (arrowhead scale), mealybugs, and Eriococcus (felt scales). At this time, spraying and killing with relatively high concentrations of pesticides such as Supracide, quinalphos, and buprofezin rarely causes phytotoxicity.

    6. Composting fertilizer. To meet the needs of next year's seedling raising and potting soil preparation, the idle winter time can be used to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, and tea seed cake into water vats or ponds, add water, and seal them for soaking, composting, and fermentation.

Dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, and tree branches can be stacked in alternating layers with garden soil and set on fire to burn, forming burnt soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and seedling raising next year.

Barnyard manure, pond mud, chicken droppings, and pigeon droppings can be mixed with garden soil and piled for composting, sealed for fermentation, and used for next year's topdressing of seedlings and preparation of potting soil.

    7. Preparing potting soil. Using the idle winter time, find a piece of open ground or a spot under tree shade, and pile up as much potting soil as possible to prepare for next spring's repotting and potting of herbaceous flowers. Generally, use 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, 1 part each of composted sawdust, tobacco powder, or rice chaff ash, plus about 5% composted cake fertilizer and 2% to 3% compound fertilizer. The garden soil and leaf mold should be sieved to remove stones, tree roots, and other debris, then thoroughly mixed; cover with plastic film, or pile it indoors. After 3 to 4 months, it can be used for repotting or potting herbaceous flowers.

    8. Turning the soil and freezing clods. For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttings, and planting out seedlings, plowing can be done in December; for plots for sowing and planting out seedlings, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, and pond mud can be applied before turning the soil; do not make beds for now. After overwintering and freezing of clods, in early spring next year dig furrows and make beds, which can greatly reduce the cost of seedling management and also reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.

Ornamental plant species suitable for bonsai shaping in December include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Sabina chinensis, Calocedrus macrolepis, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa', Platycladus orientalis, Juniperus procumbens (Japanese garden juniper), Juniperus chinensis 'Shimpaku', Pinus thunbergii (Japanese black pine), Pinus parviflora, Pinus densiflora (Japanese red pine), Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, Euonymus pendulus, Ginkgo biloba, Serissa japonica, Caragana sinica, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Corylopsis sinensis, Tamarix chinensis (Chinese tamarisk), Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles cathayensis, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Wisteria sinensis, crape myrtle, Ficus microcarpa (Chinese banyan), Carmona retusa, Fraxinus hupehensis 'Dui Jie Bai La', and Xylosma congestum.

For bonsai plants fixed and shaped with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if they have been fixed for one year, or obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk or branches, the original binding material should be removed and the trunk and branches re-suspended and trained with metal wire or palm rope.

For field-planted plum stumps, Podocarpus macrophyllus, crabapple, Ginkgo biloba, Sabina chinensis, crape myrtle, and the like that have already been shaped, after some necessary pruning and shaping, choose suitable pots and pot them well, strengthen management, so that next year they can be used for display in public places or indoor rooms.

In winter, for some shallow-pot landscape bonsai and stump bonsai, careful management is essential: first, prevent the potting soil from freezing and injuring the plant roots; second, prevent freezing from disintegrating the artificially cemented rocks; third, prevent plants planted on the rockery from freezing to death or dying of drought. They can be placed in a location that does not freeze, and watered and misted regularly so they can overwinter safely.

Flower Planting Manual (January Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of January: This month is the month with the lowest temperature and the coldest weather of the year. January 5 is Minor Cold, right around the "third nine-day period," when most regions of China enter the severe cold period; January 20 is Major Cold, when cold air from the north frequently moves southward, frost is heavy and snow is thick, and the lowest temperatures of the year occur. This month, the most important thing in flower care is to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection for cold-sensitive flowers, bonsai, and the like in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and indoor rooms; next is auxiliary work such as tree pruning, clearing dead branches and fallen leaves, turning and preparing the land, and preparing potting soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses in January include: Sinningia speciosa, Asparagus setaceus, Clivia miniata, tuberous begonia, cyclamen, winter coral, and Gerbera jamesonii. Ornamental plant species that can be sown outdoors in open fields include: Chinese rose ('Elizabeth'), Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, holly, Pyracantha, palms, Photinia, Photinia davidsoniae, Sapindus mukorossi, Ligustrum lucidum, Wisteria sinensis, Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree), and Koelreuteria paniculata.

    2. Cuttings. Ornamental plant species suitable for outdoor or plastic-film-covered cutting propagation in January include: plum blossom (cultivars such as 'Lüe' and 'Gongfen'), Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Chinese rose (cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda, and miniature), cherry blossom, wintersweet (with heel), Spiraea, Buxus species, pomegranate, Salix leucopithecia, Mahonia, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Serissa japonica, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Hypericum, Forsythia, Spiraea thunbergii, Jasminum nudiflorum, and Jasminum officinale. Species that can be propagated by cuttings in greenhouses include: jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Pelargonium, Fuchsia hybrida, African violet (leaf cuttings), Belgian azalea, Bougainvillea, Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation), Cyperus alternifolius (umbrella plant), Graptopetalum, Portulacaria afra, Crassula ovata (jade plant), Echeveria, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum, Pilea cadierei (aluminum plant), Pilea peperomioides (Chinese money plant), Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Begonia elatior, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Schefflera arboricola, Ficus elastica, Daphne odora, Excoecaria cochinchinensis (Chinese croton), Aglaonema modestum, Epipremnum aureum, and Cordyline fruticosa. In addition, branches of Syringa, Campsis grandiflora, Tamarix chinensis, grape, Weigela florida, Deutzia scabra, Hydrangea macrophylla, Platanus (plane tree), and Ficus carica (fig) can be cut and stored in sand for cuttings in March.

    3. Grafting. For superior plum blossom cultivars, one-year-old seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, Prunus davidiana (David peach), and Prunus persica (peach) can be used as rootstocks for rootstock grafting propagation; after grafting, plant them in seedbeds and cover with plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold. In Guangdong, often between Minor Cold and Major Cold, bud-grafting is used to propagate Calamondin orange and kumquat; using dug-up wild rose to bud-graft superior Chinese rose cultivars, with the Chinese rose 'Elizabeth' cultivar as rootstock-scion, cut-graft or cleft-graft superior Chinese roses, grafting and cutting carried out simultaneously, covered with plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in January include: Magnolia liliiflora, camellia, plum blossom, Weigela florida, gardenia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, pomegranate, and Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'.

    5. Division. Herbaceous ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: Ophiopogon japonicus, Liriope platyphylla, Liriope spicata 'Variegata' (variegated lilyturf), Reineckea carnea, Zephyranthes candida, Zephyranthes carinata (pink zephyr lily), Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, Tradescantia spathacea (Moses-in-the-cradle), Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris, Chlorophytum (spider plant types), Rohdea japonica, Aglaonema modestum, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, bromeliads, Tulbaghia (society garlic), Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger), Monstera deliciosa, and Aloe. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: Nandina domestica, Hypericum, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Rhapis excelsa, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, Caragana sinica, Forsythia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum officinale, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Damnacanthus indicus, gardenia, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Buxus, and Magnolia liliiflora.

    6. Collecting seeds. In January, if there are mature Asparagus setaceus or Clivia miniata seeds in the greenhouse, they can be sown as soon as collected; seeds of mature winter coral can also be sown indoors at this time. In January, seeds of Nandina domestica, Pyracantha, holly species, and Ardisia crenata can be collected; after treatment, carry out sand stratification for germination, and only after the seeds crack and show white can they be sown.

    In January, frequently check seeds stored in sand, including Magnolia species, Michelia species, Photinia species, and holly species, to see whether the seeds have become moldy. If mold appears, the seeds must be poured out, rubbed and washed again, and replaced with clean fine sand for storage; if the seeds are found to be dry, replenish with misting in time; if the seeds are found to have cracked and shown white or the radicle has already emerged, they must be sown immediately, and covered with plastic film or straw, pine needles, etc. to retain moisture and heat.

II. Transplanting and Planting Out

    In January, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and planted out in less cold regions include: Dianthus species, ornamental kale, Calendula officinalis, and Bellis perennis. In relatively cold regions, seedlings of Dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragon, pansy, and primrose can be potted and first placed in simple plastic tunnels, and after spring returns and the weather warms, used for display in street flowerbeds, green spaces, and flower borders.

    In January, most deciduous flowering shrubs and greening trees can be transplanted and planted out, such as Hibiscus syriacus, pomegranate, Cercis chinensis, Malus species, Ginkgo biloba, Liquidambar formosana (Chinese sweetgum), Acer species (maples), wintersweet, plum blossom, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Sapindus mukorossi, Koelreuteria paniculata, Albizia julibrissin, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', cherry blossom, Chaenomeles sinensis, Magnolia soulangeana, crape myrtle, Wisteria sinensis, Campsis grandiflora, Tilia, Liriodendron chinense, ornamental peach, Triadica sebifera, Spiraea japonica, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Chinese rose, Styphnolobium japonicum, and Sophora japonica var. pendula. For evergreen tree species, especially Cinnamomum camphora and Ligustrum sinense, except in special cases, transplanting should generally be advanced to December or delayed to February; of course, in wind-sheltered places, with heavy shortening and pruning after transplanting and strengthened cold protection and watering management after transplanting, it is also acceptable.

    In January, although the weather is cold, in areas south of the Yangtze River it does not affect the collection of wild tree stumps during forestry afforestation land preparation, mainly deciduous stumps, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Rhododendron simsii, crape myrtle, Acer palmatum (Japanese maple), Wisteria sinensis, wintersweet, wild plum, Elaeagnus, and Euonymus pendulus; for evergreen stumps, such as Nandina domestica, Ilex pernyi (Perny holly), Ilex cornuta, holly, and Xylosma congestum, heavy shortening and pruning must be done and most leaves removed. Whether deciduous or evergreen stumps, the shallow-burial, high-mounding method should be adopted for cultivation, and straw curtains added to protect against freezing.

III. Cold Protection

This month's cold protection and heat preservation work is the top priority in management; even a slight negligence will bring serious losses to potted flowers and bonsai overwintering. According to the lower limit of the minimum temperature that each different flower species can tolerate, a special safe overwintering environment should be created for them, either in a greenhouse, in a plastic tunnel, in an indoor room, or buried in open-field soil. In simple plastic tunnels with temperatures not lower than 0°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures around 0°C can be placed, such as Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri', Asparagus cochinchinensis, Aspidistra elatior, Fatsia japonica, Livistona chinensis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Rhapis excelsa, Nandina domestica, Aucuba japonica (spotted laurel), Michelia figo, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium, Ardisia crenata, Daphne odora, cycads, Acorus calamus (sweet flag), Bambusa multiplex, and Sasa fortunei. In double-layer plastic tunnels with temperatures not lower than 5°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures around 5°C can be placed, such as Araucaria heterophylla, Ficus elastica, jasmine, Chloranthus spicatus, Michelia alba, Chamaedorea elegans, Aglaonema, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, kumquat, bitter orange, lemon, Dypsis lutescens, camellia, sasanqua, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum, Bambusa ventricosa, Belgian azalea, Bougainvillea, and Lantana camara. In double-layer plastic tunnels or greenhouses with auxiliary heating equipment, flower species that can tolerate low temperatures around 10°C can be placed, such as Codiaeum variegatum, Caladium bicolor, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, bromeliads, Peperomia, Coleus (coleus), Dracaena sanderiana, Caryota mitis, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Fittonia, red (green) gem, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Philodendron 'Imperial Green', Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Aglaonema, Cymbidium hybridum, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Vanda, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant), Zamia, Adenium obesum (desert rose), Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Pachystachys lutea, and Justicia carnea (Brazilian plume flower). During particularly cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, straw curtains should be added on top of the tunnel, and only after the temperature warms up can the straw curtains stop being added. On very cold days, strengthen inspections of heating facilities and duty personnel, especially at 5 to 6 in the morning; never let the fire go out or the power fail, otherwise it is very easy to cause cold damage to plants. For relatively cold-tolerant potted flower and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet, plum blossom, Malus species, Rhododendron simsii, pomegranate, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Xylosma congestum, crape myrtle, Wisteria sinensis, Buxus species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Acer buergerianum, Calocedrus macrolepis, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Platycladus orientalis, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, and Fraxinus hupehensis 'Dui Jie Bai La', they can be buried in soil together with their pots; when temperatures are not lower than -10°C, cold damage generally will not occur, and in particularly cold weather, add a plastic film or soft straw for insulation.

It is worth noting that whether potted flowers or bonsai are placed in plastic tunnels, greenhouses, or indoor rooms, including fruit-viewing and foliage plants, besides maintaining an appropriate air temperature, ventilation and air exchange should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, for ventilation, to prevent flower, leaf, and fruit drop. When ventilating, also try to avoid cold drafts directly hitting the plants.

In January, special attention should be paid to inspecting greenhouses and plastic tunnels during each cold air southward movement; if broken glass, torn film, etc. are found, plug and repair them in time, so as not to freeze potted flowers. When supplying coal, gas, or oil heating to greenhouses, also check carefully to ensure no leaking gas or smoke enters the greenhouse or plastic tunnel, so as to prevent smoke damage and other causes of flower, leaf, and fruit drop.

To force tree peonies to bloom at the Spring Festival, potted tree peonies can be placed in a greenhouse, heated to 18°C to 25°C during the day, kept at about 10°C at night, and given 4 to 5 additional hours of light each day (incandescent lamps), and they can be expected to bloom around the Spring Festival. Potted plum blossom, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, and Jasminum nudiflorum can also be placed in plastic tunnels at about 15°C for flower forcing, with appropriately increased light duration, to meet the need for indoor display of potted flowering trees during the Spring Festival. For potted hyacinths, tulips, Narcissus poeticus, and Freesia that were placed in greenhouses in December, strengthening water and fertilizer management can also be expected to be used for decorative display during the Spring Festival.[page]

IV. Watering

    In January, for watering management of potted flowers, the most important thing first is to pay attention to the temperature of the water used for watering and misting, that is, to keep the water temperature broadly consistent with the soil temperature. If the difference between the two is too great, it is very easy to cause adverse reactions in potted plants, and even make the plants drop leaves, rot roots, or die. The watering time is best arranged in the 2 to 3 hours around noon. Second, according to different plant species, determine the amount, frequency, and method of watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and indoor rooms, keeping the potting soil moist is appropriate; when the temperature is low, reduce watering accordingly; when the temperature rises, increase the amount of watering and give misting of the leaves. For most foliage plants, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but also the leaves should be misted, always keeping the leaves of the plants clean. For less cold-tolerant foliage plant species, such as Dieffenbachia, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea, and Codiaeum variegatum, when the temperature approaches the lower limit of the minimum temperature the plant can tolerate, the amount of watering should be especially controlled. For those potted flower species that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, poinsettia, cineraria, wintersweet, plum blossom, primrose, hyacinth, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Calendula officinalis, and fruit-viewing types such as Pyracantha, bitter orange, Buddha's hand citron, lemon, Ardisia crenata, kumquat, Fortunella hindsii, and winter coral, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be misted, to promote the swelling of flower buds and also increase the bright color of the fruits.

   In January, although potted flowers need little water, inspections should be strengthened to prevent potted flowers placed in out-of-the-way spots from lacking water; replenish watering in time for plants whose potting soil has dried out, which can reduce the death of overwintering plants.

For newly planted greening trees and flowering shrubs, check frequently and replenish watering in time; especially for transplanted evergreen ornamental plants, appropriately mist the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off due to overly dry air.

V. Fertilizing

For most greening trees and flowering shrubs planted in the ground, such as crabapples, white magnolia, Southern magnolia, purple magnolia, Yulan magnolia, manglietia, michelia, maples, gardenia, horse chestnut, camphor tree, linden, crape myrtle, Chinese trumpet creeper, osmanthus, wintersweet, plum blossom, Buddhist pine, cherry blossom, soapberry, silk tree, goldenrain tree, palm, Chinese guger tree, nanmu, tupelo, camptotheca, tree peony, forsythia, boxwood, grape, coral tree, Chinese rose, hydrangea, red-leaf plum, dwarf flowering cherry plum, flowering almond, tulip tree, deutzia, mock orange, banksian rose, elaeocarpus, golden weeping willow, weeping elm, Japanese cedar, Taiwan cedar, deodar cedar, Chinese scholar tree, dragon-claw scholar tree, white fringe tree, rose of Sharon, lilac, crape myrtle, photinia, nandina, black bamboo, pomegranate, loquat, etc., if the fertilization task was not completed in December, while turning the soil, you may bury and apply cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. around the outer perimeter of the tree root system, to lay a good material foundation for spring growth and flowering.

For potted flowers placed in a greenhouse at about 10°C to 15°C, such as Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, daphne, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, red-eyed narcissus, spectabilis, hyacinth, tulip, multi-colored bromeliad, clivia, bird of paradise, Christmas cactus, etc., you may continue to topdress with low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering.

For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, bonsai, etc. placed in a plastic tunnel, since the plants are in a dormant state in winter, fertilization should be stopped, otherwise it can easily cause root rot and death of the plants.

Six. Pruning

For hedges, green walls and topiary balls, etc. that were not pruned in December, continue pruning; for flowering shrubs that were not pruned in December, such as Chinese rose, crape myrtle, banksian rose, Chinese trumpet creeper, wisteria, floribunda rose, camphor tree, plane tree, Chinese tallow tree, photinia, pomegranate, red-leaf plum, papaya, wintersweet, plum blossom, palm, grape, etc., continue pruning; after pruning is completed, bury and apply base fertilizer around the outer perimeter of their root systems, to meet their spring growth needs.

For bonsai plant species that are mainly pruned and supplemented by wiring, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, bougainvillea, Fukien tea, oak, Chinese fringe tree, water willow, Russian olive, firethorn, serissa, Chinese juniper, etc., you may continue, according to the original composition requirements, the development and change trends of the plant trunks and branches, and your personal aesthetic taste, to adjust and prune them, to lay a good foundation for spring growth and shaping. While pruning, plants that have not been repotted for many years may be repotted.

Seven. Pest and disease control

For the trunks or large branches of crabapples, plum blossoms, flowering almonds, papaya, loquat, ornamental peach, cherry blossom, red-leaf plum, etc. that have been hollowed out by peach red-necked longhorn beetles, etc., they may be sawed off, and the sawed-off trunks and branches should be burned.

Clean up the leaves under Chinese rose, rose, grape, crape myrtle, etc., gather them and burn them in a centralized manner, which can reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases in the coming year.

For horn wax scale, tortoise wax scale, red wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, arrowhead scale, mealybug, thread scale, etc. appearing on the trunks and branches of pittosporum, plane tree, privet, firethorn, persimmon, gardenia, plum blossom, wintersweet, photinia, etc., spray and kill them with high-concentration vamidothion, quinalphos, buprofezin, lime sulfur mixture, etc., which can effectively suppress a major outbreak of scale insects in that year.

For powdery mildew appearing on cineraria in the greenhouse and gray mold easily appearing on primrose leaves, thiophanate-methyl may be used for control, to prevent them from spreading to other plants.

For scale insects and sooty mold appearing simultaneously on plants such as bitter orange, finger citron, kumquat, etc. in the greenhouse, carry out integrated control: first use a wet cloth to wipe off the sooty mold patches on the leaves and the insect bodies attached to the dry branches, then spray dimethoate and other pesticides for control.

For gray mold appearing on cyclamen plants in the greenhouse, spray 50% iprodione (main ingredient is iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution for control.

Eight. Composting fertilizer

Pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea seed cake, etc. into a water tank or water vat to soak and ferment, so that it can be used for watering potted flowers during the growing season; stack withered grass, branches, fallen leaves, etc. with garden soil in layers, set them on fire and burn them, to make homemade burned soil, which can be used as covering soil when sowing and raising seedlings in spring; mix barnyard manure, pond manure, tobacco powder, chicken droppings and pigeon manure, etc. with garden soil for composting and fermentation, which can be used as fertilizer for preparing culture soil.

Nine. Plowing and freezing of soil clods

For nursery land that was not turned over in December, seize the time to plow in early January; while plowing the garden land, apply cake fertilizer, compound fertilizer, farmyard manure, etc. into it, and after overwintering and freezing of the soil clods, in early spring dig furrows and make beds, for use in sowing and planting seedlings.

Because January is especially cold, the plant species suitable for shaping must be those with soft branches, good flexibility, and easy shaping operations, such as Buddhist pine, emerald cypress, ginkgo, Japanese boxwood, velvet cypress, Chinese juniper, serissa, creeping juniper, true juniper, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, water willow, golden larch, winter hazel, winged euonymus, banyan tree, wisteria, etc. After shaping, the plants are best placed indoors or in a simple plastic tunnel, and moved outdoors after spring returns and the weather warms, which is beneficial to the healing of parts that may have been damaged during shaping.

For plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago with palm rope or metal wire, etc., if obvious sunken constriction marks are found at the binding sites, the original binding material should be removed, and they should be re-wired and trained.

    In January, for some shallow-pot tree stump bonsai, shallow-pot landscape bonsai, and small and miniature bonsai, management must be strictly strengthened. Small and miniature bonsai should be buried on indoor sand beds; tree stump bonsai must be prevented from having the pot soil freeze, which would damage the plant's fibrous roots and could cause the artificially cemented rocks to disintegrate; also prevent the plants planted on small stones from freezing and dying. They should be placed in a place that does not freeze, and watered and sprayed regularly, only then can they be ensured to overwinter safely.