What to Do When Wax Begonias Get Pests? Learn to Control 2 Pests and 2 Diseases
During the growth of wax begonias, the last thing people want to encounter is problems like pests and diseases. Such problems are extremely harmful to wax begonias, and if not dealt with promptly, they can easily cause the plant to wither and die. So what should you do when wax begonias get pests? What are the pest and disease control methods for wax begonias? Let us walk you through them below.
I. What to Do When Wax Begonias Get Pests
To know what to do when wax begonias get pests, we first need to know what kind of pest it is, because the control methods for each pest and disease are different. For details, see the section below on pest and disease control methods for wax begonias. Let us continue reading.
II. Pest and Disease Control Methods for Wax Begonias
Pests
① Red spider mite
Among the pests and diseases of wax begonias, the red spider mite is a relatively common pest. Around May each year is its peak outbreak period, so you must pay special attention at this time. This pest causes the leaves of wax begonias to gradually turn yellow and whitish, and finally to drop off.
Control method: To control this pest, we can spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 10% fenbutatin oxide emulsion.
② Aphids
Aphids are an extremely harmful pest. They mainly feed on the sap of wax begonias, gradually sucking the sap from the leaves and stems, which causes the plant to lose a large amount of nutrients and wilt.
Control method: This pest has an extremely strong reproductive capacity, so it must be controlled promptly. Generally, we can spray directly with a 3000-fold dilution of 2.5% fenpropathrin emulsion.
Diseases
① Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is one of the more frequently occurring pests and diseases of wax begonias. When it strikes, many white powdery spots appear on the leaves of wax begonias. These spots greatly affect photosynthesis, and over time gradually cause the wax begonia to wither and die.
Control method: To control powdery mildew, we can spray diseased plants with 80% sulfur at 400-fold plus 72% benalaxyl-cymoxanil at 600-fold.
② Damping-off
Damping-off is a disease that affects many plants, and wax begonias are no exception. This disease mainly damages the base of the stem and the leaves near the soil surface of wax begonias. When it strikes, many dark spots appear on the stem base near the soil surface, and over time they gradually spread, eventually causing the plant to wilt.
Control method: To control damping-off, we can drench the roots of diseased plants with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% damping-off wettable powder, generally once every 10-15 days. After 2-3 applications, the plant can recover.
Pest and Disease Control Techniques in Nurseries
Controlling pests and diseases of nursery stock is an important part of nursery seedling-raising techniques. During the process of cultivating nursery stock, strengthening the control of pests and diseases is beneficial for improving the growth, development and landscaping effect of the stock. Nursery pest and disease control must follow the principle of “prevention first, integrated control”, adopting comprehensive control measures in seedling-raising techniques and nursery management to keep pest and disease development in check.
I. Promptly Inspect the Pest and Disease Damage of Nursery Stock
1. When choosing a nursery site, conduct a pest and disease survey, with special attention to investigating soil-dwelling pests. Dig sample pits along diagonal lines or in a checkerboard pattern for the survey, then decide on control measures based on the survey results.
2. When inspecting leaf pests, note whether the nursery stock leaves have bitten notches, sieve-like holes, or leaves rolled together, and check whether there are insects or eggs in the nearby soil or in piles of rotting grass. When inspecting leaf diseases, note the shape, color and size of the spots, and whether there is white powder, black mold, etc. But be careful to distinguish disease spots from pesticide damage, fertilizer burn and sunscald.
3. Check whether the seedling stems have holes, fresh insect frass, wood shavings, galls, etc., to determine whether there is damage from stem-boring pests.
4. If you find phenomena such as dried, prematurely dropped or curled leaves, and there is no disease or insect on the surface of the dried leaves, check whether the roots are damaged by disease or insects.
II. Technical Measures for Nursery Pest and Disease Control
(1) Strengthen plant quarantine for nursery stock entering and leaving the nursery
Some pests and diseases have a narrow distribution range and cause serious damage only in limited areas. However, these pests and diseases can spread with seeds, cuttings or roots used as propagation material, logs and other garden products transported over long distances to new areas, expanding the scope of damage. During the exchange and transport of nursery stock, strengthen quarantine. If pests or diseases are found, immediately stop transport and take measures to eliminate them. Doing a good job of quarantine for nursery stock entering and leaving the nursery, as well as quarantine at the place of origin and during transport, and taking preventive measures, is a major measure for nursery pest and disease control.
(2) Adopt scientific seedling-raising technical control measures
1. Choose a good nursery site Avoid raising seedlings on plots that are heavy and wet, poorly drained or overly saline-alkaline. Also note that the previous crop and the planned nursery stock must not share common pests and diseases, and choose different tree species and densities for raising seedlings according to the different site conditions of the nursery.
2. Deep plowing in autumn and winter Deep plowing in autumn and winter can improve soil properties and eliminate pests and diseases overwintering in the soil.
3. Do a good job of nursery sanitation Promptly remove weeds, fallen leaves and pest- and disease-infested wood from the nursery and burn them in a centralized manner. Remove the mulch on the seedbed in good time to improve sanitary conditions, thereby reducing the population of pathogens and pests. Be careful to avoid piling up straw or barnyard manure in the seedling-raising area, to prevent pests and diseases from entering.
4. Practice crop rotation and adjust the sowing period Crop rotation can restore and improve soil fertility, enhance the resistance of nursery stock, and deprive pests and diseases of their parasitic conditions. Properly adjusting the sowing period can avoid the period when pests and diseases break out in large numbers, preventing or reducing the degree of damage to nursery stock.
5. Rationally select and breed nursery stock varieties There are differences in resistance to various pests and diseases among different tree species and among different varieties of the same tree species. If a variety only has fast-growing and high-yield characteristics but is not resistant to pests and diseases, it is very difficult to promote it in production. Strengthen the introduction and breeding of excellent landscaping tree species with strong pest and disease resistance.
6. Strengthen the tending and management of nursery stock
(1) Rational fertilization: Pay attention to the proper combination of the three elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and avoid applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. Organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed before application, to avoid attracting pathogens and pests.
(2) Maintain a reasonable seedling density: A reasonable seedling density is conducive to the growth of nursery stock and to controlling the development of pests and diseases.
7. Rational irrigation
In the irrigation of flowers and trees, the method, amount and timing of watering all affect the occurrence of pests and diseases. Sprinkler irrigation and “drenching” methods often aggravate the occurrence of leaf diseases, so it is best to use furrow irrigation, drip irrigation or watering along the edge of the pot. Watering should be moderate; too much water often causes root hypoxia and suffocation, leading to poor plant growth in mild cases and root rot in severe cases, especially for fleshy roots and other organs. The best time to water is in the morning on a sunny day, so that the humidity on the leaf surface can be reduced in time.
Through the above measures, plants can grow robustly and their resistance to pests and diseases can be enhanced. Various natural enemy insects, beneficial microorganisms and birds and other natural enemies increase noticeably, thereby improving the ability of the entire nursery plant system to control pests and diseases.
(3) Biological control
Using beneficial organisms to control nursery pests and diseases has the advantages of saving energy, lower control costs, no environmental pollution, no harm to natural enemies, promoting the healthy development of the ecosystem, and providing lasting control effects. The main methods used in nursery pest and disease control:
1. Microbial preparations That is, using bacteria, fungi, viruses or their metabolites that can cause disease in pests to control nursery plant pests. For example, using Bacillus thuringiensis emulsion to control the pagoda tree looper, etc.; microbial insecticides mainly include Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis, insect viruses, etc.
2. Controlling pests with insects That is, protecting and using parasitic or predatory natural enemies to control nursery plant pests. The parasitic natural enemy insects more commonly used include Trichogramma, Sclerodermus, Eulophidae, Aphelinidae and the longhorn beetle parasitic ichneumon wasps, etc.; predatory natural enemy insects include the Mongolian spotted ladybird, the harlequin ladybird, etc. In nursery seedling production, attention should be paid to protecting the ecological environment around the nursery to create conditions for the reproduction of natural enemies, thereby enhancing the control effect of various natural enemy insects on pests in nature.
3. Controlling pests with birds That is, protecting and using beneficial birds to control nursery plant pests. In nursery trees, hanging artificial bird nests to attract beneficial birds such as the great tit, woodpecker and grey-winged magpie can noticeably reduce the density of leaf-eating pests and stem-boring pests.
(4) Chemical control
Chemical control is a commonly used method for nursery pest and disease control, and also the main measure for controlling large-scale outbreaks of nursery stock pests and diseases and eliminating pest source bases. On the premise of doing a good job of forecasting and monitoring nursery stock pests and diseases, correctly using pesticides and applying them at the right time can generally achieve good control results.
1. Seed disinfection: Before sowing, disinfect the seeds or dress them with chemicals to eliminate pathogens on the seed surface and prevent pests and diseases from invading.
2. Soil disinfection: When raising seedlings on nursery land where pests or diseases have occurred or may occur, soil disinfection should be carried out first.
3. Spray control: Before the nursery stock becomes diseased, spray for prevention; after pests or diseases occur, immediately take measures such as chemical control and manual capture for integrated control.
4. Commonly used pesticides for nursery pest and disease control can generally be divided into 6 types according to different uses
(1) Insecticides They are agents used to control various pests, and some also have acaricidal effects, such as dichlorvos, dimethoate, methamidophos, chlordimeform, fenvalerate and other pesticides. They mainly kill pests through 4 modes: stomach poison, contact poison, fumigation and systemic action.
(2) Acaricides They are agents specifically for controlling mites (that is, red spider mites), such as tetradifon, dicofol and propargite. Acaricides have a certain selectivity, and their control effects differ for mites at different developmental stages; some have a good contact effect on eggs and larvae or nymphs, but a poorer effect on adult mites.
(3) Fungicides They are agents used to control plant diseases, such as Bordeaux mixture, zineb, carbendazim, triadimefon, iprobenfos and other pesticides. They mainly inhibit pathogen growth, protect crops from invasion, and penetrate into the crop body to eliminate invading pathogens. Most fungicides mainly play a protective role, preventing the occurrence and spread of diseases.
(4) Herbicides They are agents specifically used to control weeds in farmland, such as nitrofen, thiobencarb, trifluralin, chlorotoluron and other pesticides. According to their herbicidal action, they can be divided into contact herbicides and systemic herbicides; the former can only be used to control annual weeds that germinate from seeds, while the latter can kill perennial weeds. When some herbicides are used at excessive concentrations, both weeds and seedlings can be killed, or they can cause pesticide damage to crops.
(5) Plant growth regulators They are agents specifically used to regulate plant growth and development, such as gibberellin (920), naphthaleneacetic acid, chlormequat, ethephon and other pesticides. These pesticides have effects similar to plant hormones and can promote or inhibit plant growth and development to meet growth needs.
(6) Nematicides They are suitable for controlling various nematodes on vegetables, strawberries, tobacco, fruit trees and forest trees. Nematicides have developed from the original insecticides and fungicides with incidental effects into a class of agents. At present, nematicides are almost all soil treatment agents, most of which also have fungicidal and soil pest-killing effects, and some also have herbicidal effects. According to chemical structure, they are divided into 4 categories: halogenated hydrocarbons, dithiocarbamates and organophosphates.
(5) Physical control
In nursery stock production, advantage can be taken of the phototaxis of the adults of some pests by setting up black light lamps or high-voltage insect-killing lamps to trap and kill adults. Methods such as ultrasound, heat treatment and radiation irradiation can also be used to treat seeds and cuttings to eliminate pathogens or pests. For example, soaking Paulownia root cuttings in warm water at 47-51°C for 1 hour can control Paulownia witches' broom.
In summary, in the process of nursery production management, cultivation techniques must be continuously improved and enhanced, and strong seedlings must be cultivated to improve plant resistance to pests and diseases.
III. Main Pest and Disease Control Techniques in Nursery Production
(1) Aphids
Mainly including the goldenrain tree aphid, green peach aphid, mealy plum aphid, giant cypress aphid, rose long-tube aphid, willow giant aphid, autumn four-veined cotton aphid, Chinese white poplar aphid, Chinese pagoda tree aphid, etc. Aphids mostly overwinter as eggs, then migrate to other plants to continue causing damage, and return to the host before winter to cause damage and overwinter. Therefore, controlling the first generation hatched from overwintering eggs well is very important and key.
Control methods: (1) Combined with spring pruning, cut off branches with insect eggs; (2) At the bud-break stage, during the peak hatching period of overwintering eggs, spray for control. Spray one of the following: 6% imidacloprid emulsion at 3000 to 4000-fold, or 5% acetamiprid emulsion at 5000 to 6000-fold, or 50% phoxim emulsion at 800 to 1000-fold, or 2.5% deltamethrin at 2500 to 3000-fold, etc., as a foliar spray, and pay attention to safety when spraying. Omethoate is also a good remedy for controlling aphids, but omethoate may cause pesticide damage to Rosaceae plants such as peach blossoms, elm-leaved spirea and Japanese quince, so when using it on garden plants, be especially careful and try to avoid it. (3) Use yellow sticky traps to trap and kill winged aphids. (4) Pay attention to protecting and using natural enemies, such as ladybirds, lacewings, etc. (5) Apply per sq m
(2) Mites
Mainly including the apple red spider mite, hawthorn red spider mite, Chinese white poplar eriophyid mite and the winter grain mite that harms lawns, etc.
Control methods: (1) Do a good job of forecasting and monitoring, promptly inspect the leaf surface and leaf underside, preferably with the aid of a magnifying glass, and spray as early as possible when leaf mites are found damaging many leaves. Controlling early damage is the key to controlling later outbreaks. (2) Remove diseased and pest-infested branches and clear weeds, and burn them in a centralized manner. The eaves of houses around green areas are often habitats for overwintering mites, so they should be inspected and controlled. (3) When mite numbers are low and do not affect tree growth, spray clean water to wash them off. (4) When the pest occurs severely, spray evenly with 1.8% abamectin emulsion (also known as insect-mite nemesis, qimansu, insect-mite killer, insect-mite light, aifuding) at 7000 to 9000-fold; or use 15% pyridaben emulsion (also known as sumane, miemanling, shamianjin) at 2500 to 3000-fold, both of which have good control effects. Avoid using dichlorvos to kill mites; dichlorvos has a stimulating effect on mite reproduction. Do not use pyrethroid pesticides, as they are ineffective against mites. (5) Protect natural enemies, such as ladybirds, lacewings, etc.
(3) Scale insects and other piercing-sucking pests
Mainly including the crape myrtle felt scale, grass-covered scale, Korean globular scale, apple globular scale, euonymus arrowhead scale, spotted lanternfly, Chinese pagoda tree psyllid and other piercing-sucking pests.
1. Scale insects
Control methods: (1) Strengthen plant quarantine. Scale insects have weak mobility, their own spread and dispersal is limited, and their distribution is relatively concentrated. During the exchange and transport of nursery stock, strengthen quarantine; if such pests and diseases are found, stop transport immediately and take measures to eliminate them. (2) Before trees bud, spray the branches and trunk with 50-fold crystal lime sulfur to eliminate overwintering insects. (3) Combined with spring watering to revive growth, apply 3% carbofuran granules to the roots. Before watering, use a pointed iron spike to make holes around the plant roots every
2. Spotted lanternfly and Chinese pagoda tree psyllid
Control methods: Spray 1.2% bitter•tobacco emulsion at 800 to 1000-fold, spray 6% imidacloprid emulsion at 3000 to 4000-fold, or 5% acetamiprid emulsion at 5000 to 6000-fold, or 50% phoxim emulsion at 800 to 1000-fold, or 2.5% deltamethrin at 2500 to 3000-fold, etc., all of which can achieve good control effects. For the spotted lanternfly, egg masses can also be scraped off when pruning trees in spring.
(4) Leaf-eating pests
Mainly including the willow leaf beetle, willow tussock moth, pear stinging caterpillar, yellow-tailed tussock moth, cypress tussock moth, willow sawfly, boxwood webworm, apple brown tortrix, Chinese pagoda tree looper, mulberry stinging looper, elm blue leaf beetle, small green flower chafer, angular-banded tussock moth, small bagworm, millipede, etc. Most of them overwinter as larvae and come out earlier in spring to cause damage and activity.
1. Pests such as the willow tussock moth, cypress tussock moth, boxwood webworm, pear stinging caterpillar, yellow-tailed tussock moth, Chinese pagoda tree looper, mulberry stinging looper, grey-banded tussock moth and small bagworm
Control methods: (1) Manually remove egg masses. (2) When larvae are clustered and causing damage, remove the infested leaves and manually capture and kill the larvae. (3) Use frequency-vibration insect-killing lamps to trap and kill adults. (4) Before larvae reach the 3rd instar, choose biological or bionic pesticides, such as Bt wettable powder with a content of 16000 IU/mg at 500 to 700-fold, 1.2% bitter-tobacco emulsion at 800 to 1000-fold, 25% diflubenzuron suspension at 1500 to 2000-fold, 20% mibang suspension at 1500 to 2000-fold, etc. (5) When larvae occur over a large area, spray 20% fenvalerate at 2000 to 3000-fold, 2.5% deltamethrin at 1500 to 2000-fold, 50% phoxim emulsion at 1000 to 1500-fold, 20% fenvalerate-cypermethrin emulsion at 1000 to 1500-fold and other agents for control. (6) Protect natural enemies, such as braconid wasps, mantises, etc.
2. Pests such as the willow leaf beetle, willow sawfly and elm blue leaf beetle
Control methods: (1) Taking advantage of their death-feigning behavior, when overwintering adults climb the trees, shake them off and capture and kill them. (2) Manually scrape off eggs and newly hatched larvae and burn them in a centralized manner. (3) Inject chemicals into the trunk. Use 6% imidacloprid emulsion or 40% omethoate emulsion, injecting 1 milliliter per
(5) Stem borers
Mainly the larvae of the rose stem sawfly, ash Hartig stem sawfly, Asian longhorned beetle, peach red-necked longhorn beetle, etc., cause damage.
1. Rose stem sawfly
Control methods: (1) Strengthen maintenance and management. During the growing season, at any time prune off wilted or broken branches damaged by the pest (prune until there is no borer tunnel in the stem pith) and burn them in a centralized manner to eliminate the larvae and eggs inside. This method is the most effective and fundamental way to control the rose stem sawfly. (2) Rationally arrange plants. The adults of the rose stem sawfly are not good at flying long distances, so when designing plantings, varieties should not be too uniform, so as to form a natural isolation belt around them and prevent their spread. (3) When pruning in spring, any branches found with insects must be thoroughly eliminated. Cut off the infested branches and cut the larvae inside in half to kill them; if the insect body is found to have bored into the roots, use a syringe to inject 5 to 10 milliliters of 50-fold 6% imidacloprid emulsion into the borer hole, and immediately seal it with mud to kill the remaining larvae, and promptly dispose of and burn the cut branches. (4) At the early stage of adult emergence of the overwintering generation (the peak period of willow catkin flight) and the egg hatching period, spray 6% imidacloprid at 1500 to 2000-fold or 20% fenvalerate-cypermethrin emulsion at 1500 to 2000-fold to kill adults and larvae. Or bury 3% carbofuran granules at the plant roots. (5) Breed pest-resistant varieties. For example, the Mannheim rose with a low branching point has better pest resistance than the hybrid rose with a high branching point; rejuvenated roses have better pest resistance than old roses; double-flowered floribunda roses are relatively resistant to this pest. (6) Pay attention to protecting parasitic wasp natural enemies such as chalcid wasps. The rose stem sawfly has many natural enemies. Place the infested branches cut during the larval stage in a gauze cage and hang it where roses are planted; the small parasitic wasps fly out and then parasitize the larvae of other rose stem sawflies, with a parasitism rate often reaching over 50%.
2. Ash Hartig stem sawfly
Control methods: (1) Combined with spring tree pruning, eliminate overwintering larvae. Generally during spring pruning, cut off branches with brown spots and burn them in a centralized manner to reduce the number of overwintering larvae. (2) Spray to kill adults. In mid-to-late April, from the adult emergence period to the larval hatching period of the ash Hartig stem sawfly, spray the leaf surface and current-year branches with 40% omethoate at 1000-fold or 10% imidacloprid at 1500-fold plus a synergist. (3) Inject chemicals into the trunk. Inject 40% omethoate or 6% imidacloprid emulsion into the tree. The method is to dilute the liquid 10 to 20-fold, and inject 1 milliliter of liquid per
3. Longhorn beetle pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle and peach red-necked longhorn beetle
Control methods: (1) From the frass holes, manually hook out the larvae with wire and kill them. (2) Chemical control. At places with fresh frass holes, use tweezers to first remove the frass residue, and use a small knife to pry open the cortex around the frass hole, then immediately insert a 52% aluminum phosphide tablet or inject omethoate with a syringe to kill the larvae, then seal the damaged part with thin mud to prevent gas leakage. (3) Inject chemicals into the trunk. The method is to make a hole in the trunk 5 to 10 cm above the ground, with a hole diameter of 0.8 to 1
(6) Soil-dwelling pests
Soil-dwelling pests mainly refer to a class of pests that live in the soil during their damaging period, mainly including mole crickets, white grubs, cutworms, etc. This class of pests has many species and a wide range of hosts.
Chemical control methods: (1) Phorate. When making beds, evenly mix it into
Manual control methods: The occurrence sites of white grubs follow some patterns. On flat nursery land, their activity is closely related to soil temperature. When the soil temperature at
(7) Leaf spot diseases
Leaf spot disease is a general term for various shaped spot diseases caused by local infection of leaf tissue. But leaf spot disease does not only occur on leaves; some diseases occur both on leaves and on branches, flowers and fruits. Types of leaf spot disease: black spot, brown spot, round spot, angular spot, spot blight, ring spot, etc.
Control methods: (1) Strengthen cultivation management. Fertilize rationally, and ensure sufficient fertilizer and water; during summer drought, irrigate promptly; build the nursery on well-drained soil; planting density should be appropriate, so as to improve ventilation and light penetration and reduce leaf humidity; promptly remove weeds in the field. (2) Eliminate sources of infection. Sweep up fallen leaves at any time and pick off diseased leaves. In winter, carry out heavy pruning of severely diseased plants to remove overwintering pathogens on diseased stems. During the dormant period, spray lime sulfur at 3-5 degrees Baume. (3) Chemical control. Pay attention to applying chemicals promptly at the early stage of disease. According to the type of disease, choose from the following agents: 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000-fold, 10% difenoconazole water-dispersible granules at 6000-8000-fold. 50% amobam aqueous solution at 1000-fold, sprayed once every 10-15 d for 3-4 consecutive sprays.
(8) Powdery mildew group
Control methods: (1) Eliminate overwintering pathogens; in autumn and winter, combine with pruning to cut off weak and diseased branches, and remove dead branches and fallen leaves and burn them in a centralized manner to reduce the source of primary infection. (2) During the dormant period, spray 2-3 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture to eliminate overwintering mycelium in diseased buds or cleistothecia on diseased parts. (3) Strengthen cultivation management and improve environmental conditions. (4) Chemical control: at the early stage of disease, spray 15% triadimefon wettable powder at 1500-2000 times dilution, 40% Fuxing emulsifiable concentrate at 8000-10000 times dilution, 45% Tecto suspension at 300-800 times dilution. In greenhouses, 10% triadimefon smoke agent can be used for fumigation. (5) Biological agents: in recent years, biological pesticides have developed rapidly. BO-10 (150-200 times dilution) and antimycin 120 also have good control effects on powdery mildew. (6) Plant disease-resistant varieties: selecting disease-resistant varieties is one of the important measures for controlling powdery mildew.
(9) Anthracnose group
Control methods: (1) Strengthen maintenance management to enhance the disease resistance of plants. Use disease-free plants for cultivation; carry out rational fertilization and crop rotation; planting density should be appropriate to facilitate ventilation and light penetration and reduce humidity; pay attention to watering methods and avoid flood irrigation; potting soil should be renewed or disinfected in a timely manner. (2) Remove pathogens. Promptly remove dead branches and fallen leaves, cut off diseased branches, scrape off stem lesions, thoroughly remove diseased residues such as rhizomes, bulbs and corms, and eliminate the source of primary infection. During the dormant period, spray 3-5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture. (3) Chemical control during the disease period, especially timely spraying of fungicides at the early stage of disease. Optional agents include: 47% Garvion wettable powder at 600-800 times dilution, 40% Fuxing emulsifiable concentrate at 8000-10000 times dilution, 10% Score water-dispersible granules at 6000-8000 times dilution, 10% polyoxin wettable powder at 1000-2000 times dilution, 6% Lebigeng wettable powder at 1500-2000 times dilution, 50% carbendazim at 800 times dilution, 70% thiophanate-methyl at 1000 times dilution, 75% chlorothalonil at 800 times dilution or 80% anthracnose thiram at 800 times dilution, once every 10-15 d, spraying 4-5 times consecutively. (4) Breed or use disease-resistant varieties.
(10) Seedling damping-off and Rhizoctonia rot
Control methods: (1) For the control of seedling damping-off and Rhizoctonia rot, comprehensive control measures should be adopted, mainly based on seedling cultivation measures, combined with chemical control. (2) Treat the seedbed with chemicals and carry out proper soil disinfection. (3) Strengthen seedbed management. Select plots with higher terrain, better drainage and sufficient sunlight for raising seedlings. Promote seedling cultivation in nutrient pots. Carefully select seeds and raise seedlings at the appropriate time. (4) Spray chemicals promptly at the early stage of disease.
(11) Downy mildew (Phytophthora blight) group
Control methods: (1) Strengthen cultivation management. Promptly remove diseased branches and fallen leaves. Adopt scientific watering methods and avoid flood irrigation. For greenhouse cultivation, attention should be paid to ventilation and air permeability, and temperature and humidity should be controlled. Roses planted in the open field should also receive sufficient sunlight and ventilation. (2) Chemical control. Before flowering, in combination with the control of other diseases, spray 1:0.5:240 Bordeaux mixture, 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 800 times dilution, 50% captan wettable powder at 500 times dilution. In June, when scattered lesions appear in the field, begin spraying 58% Ridomil MZ wettable powder at 400-500 times dilution, 69% Anke MZ wettable powder at 800 times dilution, 40% phosethyl-Al wettable powder at 250 times dilution, 64% Sandofan wettable powder at 400-500 times dilution, 72% Kelu wettable powder at 750 times dilution. Spray once more in July to basically control the damage. (3) After the disease occurs, 50% aphytam copper wettable powder at 600 times dilution or 60% Hu · phosethyl-Al wettable powder at 400 times dilution can also be used for root irrigation, with each plant irrigated with
(12) Viral diseases
Control methods: (1) Propagate virus-free seedlings and take cuttings from healthy plants. Diseased plants or suspicious diseased plants cannot be used as propagation material. Conduct two selections of plants that appear healthy and grow vigorously; when taking cuttings, break the branches by hand rather than cutting them with a knife. Diseased plants should be treated in
Cultivation methods for several common flowers
Cultivation methods for several common flowers
1. Butterfly iris
Butterfly iris is a perennial herb of the genus Iris in the family Iridaceae. It is distributed in almost all provinces and regions of China, and also in Japan.
The rhizome is relatively slender and weak, shallow in the soil, horizontal, yellow-brown. Leaves are sword-shaped, dark green, glossy. The flower stalk is taller than the leaves; flowers are numerous, arranged in a terminal, long and sparse raceme; style branches 3, dark purple, enlarged into petal-like form, recurved and covering the anthers; flowering period April-May. The common flower color of this species is light purple or light blue. It is suitable for natural-style planting, and is also suitable for flower borders, flower beds and as cut flower material.
Ecological habits: It prefers damp and shaded places, and has strong adaptability and cold resistance. When cultivated outdoors in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the aboveground stems and leaves do not completely wither during winter. It requires acidic soil and grows well in moist, fertile soil and a sunny environment.
Propagation: Mainly by division, generally once every 2-3 years. Division after flowering or in autumn is best, as it is conducive to full plant growth and flower bud differentiation. Divide the dug-out rhizomes and replant each section with 1-2 buds. For seed propagation, germination occurs 4-6 weeks after sowing, and flowering can only occur 2-3 years after sowing.
Cultivation and pests/diseases: Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting; after planting, the rhizomes should be pressed firmly; shallow planting is suitable, and deep planting is not. In early spring, remove residual leaves to facilitate new bud germination. During the vigorous growth period, water sufficiently and fertilize 1-2 times a month to achieve abundant flowers and lush leaves. During flowering, keep the soil moist, but avoid waterlogging; after flowering, apply one topdressing, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which is beneficial to rhizome development; after flowers fade and the rhizomes enter dormancy, keep the soil dry. Common leaf blight and bacterial soft rot are mostly caused by larvae of the noctuid moth, and can be controlled by spraying 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution; during the growing period, slugs and snails may also cause damage, and 3% lime water can be sprayed in the evening.
Planting some flowers and trees around farmers' houses improves the environment and beautifies life; with clever arrangement, the courtyard becomes wonderfully beautiful.
Planting one or two osmanthus or wintersweet trees as a solitary specimen or in pairs in the courtyard is a traditional Chinese garden arrangement; planting shade-tolerant flowers such as iris (commonly known as butterfly iris) and begonia in damp shaded areas by the wall will grow well without fine management; for potted flowers on the balcony, small aglaia and Chinese rose are more suitable; on the sunny side, sun-loving flowers such as chrysanthemums and salvia can be planted, and sufficient sunlight will make them grow better; cacti and variegated aloe on the roof still grow well even without care for a long time; in places needing shade, you might as well plant a few grapevines, morning glories or Boston ivy in front of the window or by the fence; even indoors, you can place a few pots of shade-tolerant asparagus fern and orchids on the desk or tea table, which will make the farm courtyard colorful and full of vitality!
2. Cineraria
Cineraria is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, densely covered with soft hairs throughout the plant. The leaves are in whorls of three, triangular, and resemble cucumber leaves, hence the name cineraria. Its flower colors are gorgeous and rich, including blue flowers rarely seen indoors; and the flowering period is long, lasting about 6 months, making it an ideal potted flower for festivals such as New Year's Day, Spring Festival and May 1st Labor Day, and a representative flower of winter and spring. However, it is not easy to cultivate cineraria potted flowers with good plant shape, beautiful leaf color and long flowering, and the following key technical measures in cineraria cultivation must be mastered.
Sowing time: generally mid-August is chosen. Cineraria prefers a cool climate and cannot tolerate hot high temperatures; the suitable growth temperature is 15°C-20°C. The sowing box should be placed under a shade shed or under tree shade; if sowing in beds, a shade shed must be built above the bed soil to reduce solar radiant heat.
Seedling moisture control: mainly by spraying water mist to lower the seedbed temperature and supply moisture to the seedlings. The principle of spraying is that moistening is enough; the seedbed soil should not be too dry, nor too wet. If too dry, it is difficult for wilted seedlings to recover; if too wet, and the seedlings are in a high-temperature period, they are very prone to root stagnation, resulting in a low seedling survival rate.
Preparation of culture soil: Cineraria prefers sandy soil rich in humus and well drained; a pH of 6.5-7.5 is relatively suitable. When preparing the culture soil for sowing, note that unpolluted leaf mold or plant ash, pure loess and fine sand should be mixed in a 3:1:1 ratio, then sieved, and no fertilizer should be added, as culture soil prepared in this way is beneficial to seed germination and growth. Overly sticky culture soil cannot withstand drying; once it cracks slightly, it will break the fibrous roots of the seedlings, causing seedling death and reducing the survival rate. The culture soil after pricking out can be the same as that used for sowing, to harden the seedlings. When potting, evenly place bean cake, bone meal or superphosphate into the culture soil as base fertilizer, or use barnyard manure, burnt soil ash, garden soil, rapeseed cake and fine sand mixed in a 3:2:2:1:1 ratio to prepare the culture soil, so as to ensure a sufficient supply of nutrients for the plants. Barnyard manure must be composted, decomposed and dried in the sun; rapeseed cake must be crushed, fully stirred and mixed, and sieved before it can be used as culture soil for final planting.
Pay attention to temperature control: Cineraria prefers a cool climate, avoids cold in winter and high temperatures in summer. Therefore, greenhouse cultivation should be used in winter, generally maintaining above 10°C, and often keeping the room temperature around 15°C for good growth; in summer, place the sowing box under a shade shed, or make a sowing bed under the shade shed, and water before 10:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m., and never water at noon, so that the seedlings can smoothly pass through the high-temperature period.
Pay attention to humidity control in winter: Cineraria has relatively high humidity requirements in order to grow well. How to keep humidity moderate in winter is the key to successful cineraria cultivation. If too dry, the leaves of cineraria are often in a wilted state, which is not conducive to leaf growth, easily turns the leaves yellow, and also easily causes red spider mites and aphids. If watered too much, indoor humidity is too high, which easily causes root, main stem and leaf rot, and also easily causes aphids; if the room temperature is too high and ventilation is poor, diseases are easily caused.
3. Corn poppy
Corn poppy, also known as Lichunhua and Manyuanchun, is an annual or biennial herbaceous flower of the genus Papaver in the family Papaveraceae. The plant height is 30 to 90 cm, the stem is slender, the branches are slender and weak, the leaves are alternate, the leaf blade is irregularly pinnatifid with serrations, and the whole plant has sparse hairs and milky juice. Flowers are solitary at the top of branches, the pedicel is long, the flower bud droops and then straightens when the flower opens. Most horticultural cultivars are double-petaled. The flower colors of corn poppy are extremely rich and gorgeous, including vermilion, dark purple, bright pink, snow white, tricolor, etc. The flower only lasts 1 to 2 days after opening, but the buds are numerous and open successively. The flowering period is May to June, the capsule is spherical, the fruit ripening period is July, and the seeds are very small.
Corn poppy is native to Asia and Europe, and is also distributed in North America. It is cold-resistant and suitable for sufficient light and a cool climate in spring; it cannot tolerate severe summer heat and dampness. It is usually sown in drills in flowerbed beds in early winter. It has low soil requirements, but loose and fertile sandy loam is best. The row spacing is 20 cm. After sowing, cover with plastic film, or sow in early spring when the surface soil has just thawed, and gradually remove the plastic film after seedlings emerge. Corn poppy is a taproot flower; the roots are fine and deep, with few lateral roots. In the seedling stage, the root length is often about 1 times greater than the plant height, so it cannot be transplanted. If transplanted reluctantly, the survival rate is also very low. When drill sowing results in relatively dense seedlings, thin them out two or three times at intervals, maintaining a plant spacing of 10 to 15 cm. Corn poppy has low water and fertilizer requirements, but avoids heavy water and heavy fertilizer and soil waterlogging.
Corn poppy is excellent material for flower beds, flower borders and flower strips. It can also be sown in pots in a greenhouse or cold frame in January, and moved out in late April for use as flowers for the May 1st holiday. For home flower growing, it can be cultivated on a south-facing enclosed balcony. In January, use a flower pot with an inner diameter of 20 cm, fill it more than half full with loose old pot soil, press it level, sow 20 to 30 seeds, cover with soil just enough that the seeds are no longer visible, and after sowing, soak the pot in water for moisture. After seedlings emerge, thin them out several times, removing the weak and keeping the strong, and finally keep 3 to 5 plants for final planting. When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, gradually fill in planting soil up to the rim to prevent the slender stems from lodging. Keep sufficient light and fresh ambient air, with nighttime temperatures not lower than 5°C, avoid drought and waterlogging, and they can bloom in March until May 1st.
Corn poppy and opium poppy belong to the same family, not only resembling each other in appearance but also having the same habits. The only differences are that opium poppy has a larger plant shape and fruit, and is covered throughout, while corn poppy is smaller and covered with sparse hairs throughout. However, corn poppy is suspected by some people to be the drug opium. In fact, although corn poppy contains milky juice in its body, its components do not contain laudanum. Its flowers can be made into a gargle with antitussive effects, and its milky juice has analgesic and antidiarrheal effects. On a warm sunny spring day, patches of corn poppy in the courtyard and green space compete in blooming, like clusters of red clouds and also like squares of silk handkerchiefs; when a breeze blows, both people and flowers feel as if floating.
4. Pocketbook flower
Pocketbook flower is a herbaceous plant of the genus Calceolaria in the family Scrophulariaceae. The flower colors include yellow, purple, red, creamy white, orange-red, dark brown, etc., and the flowers are adorned with colorful spots and markings, very lovely, and are often used for indoor decorative display. It blooms from December to February of the following year, and the flowering period under greenhouse cultivation is March to April.
Pocketbook flower is native to the Mexico and Chile region. It prefers cool and humid conditions and can grow indoors in winter at 3°C to 6°C. During the growing period, relatively high air humidity must be maintained, and attention should be paid to ventilation; sufficient light is beneficial to plant flowering.
Ventilation and shading: Pocketbook flower prefers cool conditions, and the suitable growth temperature is around 10°C. If the stems and leaves develop luxuriantly during the growing period, and the potting soil is too wet plus sultry, the stem base of the plant will rot. To lower the temperature, shading measures are often taken at noon to create a ventilated and cool environment. Especially after flowering in spring until the seeds mature in May to June, ventilation work must be done well, and shading at noon is beneficial for the seeds to develop and mature.
Watering and fertilizing: Pocketbook flower prefers a warm and humid environment, but avoids overly wet potting soil and excessive watering during flowering. Generally, water only when the potting soil is dry. If in a greenhouse, frequently spraying water to increase air humidity is even better. Watering should not directly wash over the plant; if water accumulates on leaves and buds, it easily causes rot. During the pre-flowering growing season, apply decomposed cake fertilizer water once every 10 days (diluted 10 times), and at the early flowering stage apply more phosphorus-based fertilizer. Fertilization must not let fertilizer water contaminate the leaves, so as to avoid rotten hearts and leaves.
Propagation techniques: Pocketbook flower is generally propagated by sowing. When seeds are lacking, division can also be used. Sowing should be carried out when the weather turns cool after the high-temperature period, that is, from August to September, because seedlings are prone to damping-off and rot during high temperatures. Use leaf mold or peat soil mixed with half sand, sieve and disinfect it, then put it into a shallow pot, fill it with enough water by the soaking method, and then sow. The seeds of pocketbook flower are very small, in the form of relatively coarse powder granules. When sowing, it is best to first fold a thick piece of paper into a small triangular funnel, place the seeds in it, then hold the lower part of the small funnel with the right hand so that the seeds fall evenly into the sowing pot. Do not make it too dense, otherwise the seedlings will grow slender and weak after emergence. For covering soil, only use a fine sieve to cover with a thin layer of fine soil (it does not matter if not covered). After sowing, cover the pot with glass to maintain humidity. Before emergence, place it in a cool place, keep the temperature at around 20°C, and emergence can occur in about 7 to 10 days. After emergence, remove the glass, thin the seedlings, and let them gradually receive sunlight, lowering the temperature to around 15°C.
When the seedlings produce 2 true leaves, they can be transplanted, and when they grow 4 to 6 true leaves, they can be potted individually. The culture soil uses 2 parts leaf mold, 1 part barnyard manure, 1 part sand and 6 parts garden soil mixed together, with a pH value of 6.5. From November to December, they can be potted in large pots for final planting.
5. Cockscomb
Cockscomb, also known as red cockscomb and rooster amaranth, is named because its inflorescence is twisted and folded like a cockscomb. It is an annual herbaceous plant with a plant height of 30-50 cm. The stem is erect, and the upper part of the stem is flat, green or red. The leaves are alternate, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, gradually narrowed at the tip, entire, with petioles. The spike is terminal; the flower axis is flat and fleshy, cockscomb-shaped, yellow, white or red-purple, with silky luster. The flowering period is July-October. The utricle is ovate, circumscissile, containing 4 seeds. The seeds are black and glossy, with a 1000-seed weight of 0.85 g. It is used for flower beds and flower borders, and can also be potted; it is also relatively good as a cut flower, and the vase life can reach more than 10 days.
Cockscomb has four types, namely child-mother cockscomb, common cockscomb, garden wool cockscomb and phoenix-tail cockscomb. In addition, there are many varieties. Divided by plant height, there are dwarf types (20-30 cm), medium-stem types (40-60 cm) and tall-stem types (higher than 60 cm); divided by flowering period, there are early-flowering and late-flowering differences. The colors range from extremely pale yellow (nearly white) to golden yellow and brown yellow, and from jade red, rose red, orange red to purple red, and there are also mixed colors such as sajin and Erqiao with yellow and red series intermingled.
Cockscomb is native to India. It prefers a hot and dry climate and fears waterlogging. It grows well in sunny, fertile sandy soil, avoids sticky soil, and grows poorly in barren and impermeable soil, with smaller inflorescences. It can self-sow and propagate.
Propagation by sowing: sow in open-field seedbeds in spring from March to April. When sowing, it should not be covered with soil; after covering with grass, water and keep the soil moist. After germination, remove the covering grass. Transplant when there are 2 leaves. When the seedlings grow to 5-10 cm, plant them out or pot them. No fertilization is needed at the seedling stage, otherwise the side branches will grow vigorously and affect the development of the main branch. After the cockscomb forms, thin fertilizer can be applied to promote growth. Seeds are prone to variation, so careful selection is necessary every year when saving seeds.
The flowering period of cockscomb can be regulated by controlling the sowing time. Generally, sowing can be carried out from March to June, and sowing is done according to flower use needs to meet the demand for holiday flowers.
Growth habits: It prefers a warm and dry climate, fears drought, likes sunlight, and is not tolerant of waterlogging, but has low soil requirements. It can generally be planted in ordinary soil courtyards. It is a new approach to developing courtyard economy at present, and people of insight might as well give it a try.
Propagation and cultivation: Seed propagation method. Around Qingming, select a good plot, apply sufficient base fertilizer, plow finely and harrow evenly, level and make beds, evenly scatter the seeds on the bed surface, cover lightly to just hide the seeds, firm the soil and water thoroughly. Generally, at a temperature of 15-20°C, seedlings can emerge in 10-15 days. For summer sowing after Mangzhong, sow at a row spacing of 30 cm. When the seedlings are 6 cm tall, thin them at a plant spacing of 20 cm. The thinned seedlings can be transplanted to other fields, and after transplanting they must be watered. During the seedling stage, weeding and loosening the soil must be done, and when it is not too dry, water as little as possible. When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, apply one topdressing. After the rows close, appropriately remove old leaves. When flowering and earing, if the weather is dry, water appropriately, and strictly prevent water accumulation in low-lying areas during the rainy season. After earing, the flower buds in the leaf axils of the lower part can be removed to concentrate nutrients on the growth of the top main ear.
Pest and disease control: If root rot occurs at the seedling stage, quicklime can be broadcast in the field. During the growing period, cotton bollworm is likely to occur; spraying omethoate or pyrethroid pesticides on the leaves can provide control.
Harvest and processing: Generally around White Dew, when the seeds gradually turn black and mature, the flower stems can be cut off in time and placed in a ventilated place to dry. When drying, take them out early and bring them back late, and do not let them be exposed to night dew, so as to avoid deterioration and reduced medicinal efficacy. Store in bags.
6. Garden balsam
Garden balsam is also called nail grass, Tougucao, golden phoenix flower and sajin flower. Its place of origin is China and India, and it can be planted in flower pots or flower beds. Garden balsam is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, about 25-35 cm tall. The flowers include white, pink, orange-red, copper-red, etc. The flower types include single-petaled and double-petaled, and it is a very beautiful plant.
The suitable temperature for garden balsam germination is 22°C-30°C. Sowing period: March-April or September-October
The suitable temperature for garden balsam growth is 15°C-32°C. Flowering period: May-July, December-February.
1. Before planting:
Flower growth is closely related to various factors in the natural environment. Among factors such as temperature, light, water and growing medium, temperature is the most important factor affecting flower growth. If air conditioning or heating is used indoors to regulate temperature, planting will not be affected by season, but after emergence, the plants must be placed by a sunny window so they can receive as much sufficient sunlight as possible.
2. When planting:
Good, now it is time to prepare to start sowing. Please confirm once more before sowing: are the conditions required for seed germination and growth now available?
3. Planting:
1. When planting, pay special attention that at most only a thin layer of soil may cover the surface of the flower seeds, 1-3 times the diameter of the flower seeds (be as accurate as possible; feeling is also important). If the seeds are buried too deep, it will make seed germination difficult.
2. Adjust the watering can to spray mode and spray an appropriate amount of water on it;
3. Cover the mouth of the flower pot with glass or plastic paper to reduce water evaporation;
4. Place the flower pot in a shaded place without light, and remember to open it for 15-20 minutes every day for ventilation;
5. Flower seeds generally germinate in about 10-15 days. Be patient while waiting for germination. Sometimes factors such as temperature changes will affect the seed germination time, so please wait patiently.
4. Emergence:
1. The seeds have germinated! At this time, please wait until the first pair of leaves on the sprout opens symmetrically, then immediately remove the covering (glass plate, plastic paper), and place it in a sunny place, avoiding direct sunlight, pay attention to temperature changes, and do not water excessively.
2. When the first pair of cotyledons has fully expanded and turned green, it is necessary to gradually increase the duration of light under direct sunlight.
3. When the first pair of true leaves grows, place it under all-day direct sunlight, and pay attention to the dryness of the growing medium and water appropriately; when the second pair of true leaves grows, it indicates that the most difficult stage of planting has been passed. As long as temperature and moisture are well controlled, garden balsam will grow vigorously.
5. Light:
1. If the plant lacks light, etiolation often occurs, making the plant slender, weak and prone to lodging; the light duration should be increased.
2. Turn the flower pot as often as possible so that the branches and leaves receive sunlight from all angles and grow fully
6. Maintenance:
1. When the seedlings grow to nearly one cun, keep the robust plants and the rest need to "move" ~~ repotting
2. When repotting, be careful not to damage the fibrous roots. When moving the seedling out, dig a hole of appropriate width and depth in the center of the flower pot, let its root system spread fully, cover with growing medium, press lightly, and then water an appropriate amount.
7. Watering:
1. During the emergence period, the soil needs to be kept moist. After emergence, it is better to keep it somewhat on the dry side, with the surface soil dry and the interior still moist;
2. Water as much as possible in the morning, avoiding sunlight
3. It is best to let the water stand for 4-6 minutes first, to dissipate the chlorine in tap water
4. When watering, it is best to use a fine-hole pot, starting from a place far from the plant and gradually moving closer to the plant, watering more around and less near the plant, and try not to splash on the leaves and stems.;
7. Lily
Lily is a perennial root vegetable crop of the genus Lilium. Its main food part is the bulb. In addition to being used as a vegetable, processed products are also widely used in medicine and health foods.
Ziyuan County has a long history of planting lilies, but due to long-term mixed varieties, extensive cultivation management and relatively low unit yield, if better economic benefits are to be obtained from planting lilies, great efforts must be made in cultivation.
1. Site selection: It is suitable to choose acidic sandy loam with sufficient sunlight, deep soil, convenient irrigation and drainage, and a pH value of 5.7-6.3 for cultivation. The previous crop is preferably a legume or grass plant. Rotation should be carried out, and continuous cropping is not suitable.
2. Select good varieties: There are many lily varieties, mainly Longya lily, Yixing lily and Lanzhou lily. Ziyuan County mostly uses Longya lily, which has large heads, good quality, strong stress resistance, vigorous growth and high yield. Generally, small bulbs (single fruit weight 30-50 g) are used for propagation. Lily bulbs are prone to carrying diseases, so healthy bulbs with no rotten bottom, no disease spots and no mechanical damage must be selected as seeds to ensure neat emergence and less disease. When planted in the current year, they can be harvested the following year. If the seed source is insufficient, scale propagation can also be used, but it must be planted continuously for three years before harvest. Seeds are collected in July, stored in sand for after-ripening, and sown from late August to September.
3. Land preparation and sowing: Before planting, in August, scatter about 100 kg of lime per mu, deep plow the soil two to three times, then apply 30-40 kg per mu of potassium sulfate ternary compound fertilizer, prepare the land and make beds. The bed surface width is about 1 m, and the bed height is 20-30 cm, so that there is no waterlogging. Then open furrows for planting. At the bottom of the furrow, apply decomposed organic fertilizers such as chopped cattle pen manure, chicken manure, burnt soil ash and tung oil cake, at 1200-1500 kg per mu, cover with a thin layer of soil, then plant. The seed bulbs must not touch the organic fertilizer. If rapeseed bran is used, the lily turns yellow and the export grade is low; if pig manure is applied, insect pests are likely to occur. The cultivation density is 30 x 20 cm, the seed amount per mu is 125-150 kg, and the harvest amount one year after planting is 4-6 times the seed amount.
4. Pest and disease control:
Disease control: The main diseases of lily are damping-off and root rot. Before planting, first soak the seeds in 300 times formalin for 5 minutes, then dry them and sow. After emergence, use 80% mancozeb at 1000 times dilution or 25% carbendazim at 1000 times dilution or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 600-800 times dilution, alternating once every 7-10 days, spraying 2-3 times consecutively.
Insect pest control: For underground pests, 50% phoxim emulsion or 50% dexon can be mixed into poisonous soil and evenly scattered into the planting furrow; for aphids, spray 10% imidacloprid wettable powder at 2000 times dilution, once every 7-10 days.
5. Timely harvest: Harvest can be carried out from July to August every year. Harvesting on a sunny day one week before the Start of Autumn gives the highest yield; harvesting after the stems and leaves wither in autumn is also possible, but the dry slice rate is low and the benefit is not as good as the former. At harvest, large bulbs can be sold fresh or processed into dry slices, and small bulbs below 50 g are all kept as seed.
8. Bleeding heart
Bleeding heart is native to Hebei and Northeast China. It prefers a semi-shaded environment with sufficient scattered light and is relatively cold-resistant, but fears severe summer heat and high temperatures and fears intense sunlight exposure. Therefore, it is suitable to be placed under large trees in the courtyard, under grape trellises, on the shady side of tall buildings, or on east- or north-facing balconies. During the summer dormancy period, it should be placed in a well-ventilated shaded place, must not receive direct sunlight, and water should often be sprinkled on the nearby ground to increase air humidity and lower temperature.
Ecological habits:
Cold-resistant, avoids high temperatures, prefers a shaded and humid environment and loose fertile neutral soil; both sandy soil and clay soil result in poor growth. By midsummer the stems and leaves turn yellow and it enters dormancy. Dormant in hot summer. Not tolerant of drought; prefers moist, well-drained fertile sandy loam. Both sandy soil and clay soil result in poor growth. Avoid direct sunlight. Flowering period April-June. It sprouts relatively early in spring, and after flowering until summer the stems and leaves gradually turn yellow and it becomes dormant.
Bleeding heart propagation:
For propagation and cultivation, division, cutting and sowing can all be used.
Bleeding heart division propagation method.
It is suitable to carry out in early spring in February after the buds begin to move and before new leaves grow. When dividing, dig up the entire plant, shake off the soil from the roots, then use a knife to cut off the tender rhizomes with roots around the main rhizome, divide into 2-3 plants, plant them in a previously prepared seedbed, cover with 2-3 cm of soil, water thoroughly, and place in shade. Division can also be done after the plants enter dormancy in autumn, with a method similar to early spring division. It must be timely; if the new leaves of the old plant have already unfolded before division, the root system is easily damaged and the survival rate is low. Division can also be done during the dormant period in late autumn, but the survival rate is not high. It can only be divided once every 2 or 3 years, and cannot be divided every year.
The common method is division. Before germination in March, dig out the underground part, remove old roots and rotten roots, separate the rhizomes naturally into sections, with each piece carrying 3-5 buds, and replant. They can bloom in May of the same year. In spring, break off basal shoots for cuttings, and roots can develop in about 1 month. For seed propagation, seedlings must be cultivated for 3 years before flowering.
Bleeding heart cutting propagation method
Cutting medium: Choose loose, well-drained sandy loam rich in humus as the medium, with a pH value between 5 and 6. It is best to disinfect it with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution before use.
Cutting time: Carry out from June to July every year. At this time there is more rain, and the ground temperature and air temperature are also relatively suitable, so the cutting survival rate is high.
For softwood cuttings, in June and July, after all flowers have faded, select branches that are fully developed and have relatively plump axillary buds, cut off the inflorescence, and after 7-10 days cut the robust lower branches with axillary buds into sections of 2 to 3 nodes, each section about 10-15 cm long, keep one leaf at the upper end, and thin out some small leaves. Insert 2 nodes into the soil, with the upper node and small leaves exposed above the soil surface, at a plant and row spacing of 10 cm x 10 cm.
Dip the cut end in sulfur powder or plant ash, insert into plain soil, water and place in shade, often spray water on the cuttings, but restrict watering of the potting soil; keep it slightly moist but not dry. Roots can form in more than a month. The following spring, pot and plant with soil. With good management, they can bloom in the same year. The insertion depth is 1/3 of the branch length. The cutting bed can use sandy loam or sandy soil, and fertilizer must absolutely not be applied. After cutting, water thoroughly and shade. Generally, roots can form in 30-40 days.
Post-cutting management:
After cutting, water thoroughly once with a fine-hole spray pot so that the cuttings are in close contact with the medium. Cover the bed surface with an arched shed, cover with plastic film, and cover with straw curtains to create a semi-shaded environment. Control the temperature at around 25°C; when too high, ventilate appropriately to cool down, and always keep the bed soil moist. Roots can form in about 40 days. Gradually remove the shed film and straw curtains. The following spring they can be transplanted and planted out, and they bloom in the same year.
Plant in March-April; cuttings are mostly taken in late March, and sowing is mostly in autumn. Field-planted bleeding heart needs covering for insulation in winter. Potted plants are mostly divided or repotted around late March. In hot summer, place in semi-shade, and in the rainy season take care to prevent water accumulation in the pot.
Alternatively, cut the rhizomes into sections for propagation. In autumn, dig out the underground part, separate the rhizomes naturally into sections, and plant them separately. In addition, the rhizomes can be cut into sections, each with a bud eye, inserted into sand, and planted in pots after rooting. For seed propagation, seedlings must be cultivated for 3 years before flowering.
Bleeding heart sowing propagation method.
When the seeds mature in late June, harvest them in time. Cut off the inflorescence and dry it in the sun, winnow the seeds clean, then broadcast them in the seedbed, water sufficiently, and seedlings can emerge in about 15 days. Cover in winter to protect the seedlings through winter. The following spring, plant out the robust young seedlings, with a plant and row spacing of 30-50 cm being suitable. Seedlings from sowing need 3 years to bloom.
It is generally not used for home propagation, and is adopted by garden departments for mass propagation or for breeding new hybrid varieties.
Bleeding heart cultivation
For field planting, choose a place with higher terrain. Before planting, deep plow the bed soil and apply decomposed organic fertilizer; during the growing period, topdressing can be combined with irrigation; in summer high temperatures, when the stems and leaves turn yellow and it enters dormancy, the dead branches can be cut off. Watering thoroughly once before Frost's Descent is beneficial for cold protection. For potting, use light culture soil with added fertilizer, water thoroughly after planting, and place in a sunny place for maintenance; during the growing period, provide sufficient fertilizer and water. Move it less during the flowering period, so as not to cause fallen flowers and affect ornamental value; after flowering, if seeds are not needed, promptly cut off the faded flowers.
Bleeding heart management
Bleeding heart is cold-resistant and shade-loving, and not tolerant of high temperatures. It grows well when planted in loam rich in humus. Generally, it should be watered once a week. During the flower bud formation period, apply decomposed fertilizer water 1-2 times. Watering does not need to be excessive; keeping it moist is enough. During the growing period, apply diluted mature urine at 5 times water once every 2-3 weeks. If directly sown in a flower bed, thin when there are 5 leaves, at a plant spacing of 30 cm. In March of the following year, apply diluted mature urine at 3 times water once more and wait for it to bloom. In July, collect the black fruit, dry it in the sun and thresh to collect seeds
Bleeding heart pests and diseases
For scale insects, spray 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution to kill them; leaf spot disease sometimes occurs, and 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution can be sprayed for control.
For leaf spot disease, 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution can be sprayed. For pest damage, there is scale insect damage, and 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times dilution can be sprayed to kill them.
9. Daylily
Large-flowered daylily is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Hemerocallis in the family Liliaceae. It is native to China, Japan and Eurasia, and is now widely cultivated around the world. It is an excellent perennial garden flower.
Large-flowered daylily has strong drought resistance, tolerates high temperatures, resists low temperatures, and has a wide suitable temperature range. It can be planted from south to north in China. It has strong disease resistance and wide adaptability to soil. Except for overly acidic, overly alkaline, overly sandy and overly sticky soil, it can generally be cultivated. A pH value between 6.5 and 7.5 is best.
Propagation Methods
Dividing the clumps of daylily is the most commonly used propagation method. This method is simple to perform, the plants survive easily, and growth is relatively uniform. Division can be done by digging up the entire mother clump and replanting it in divisions, or by digging out part of the plants from one side of the mother clump to serve as seedlings while leaving the rest to continue growing.
Division is mostly carried out in spring before sprouting or in autumn after the leaves fall. If divided and transplanted in spring, the plants can bolt and bloom the same year; if divided and transplanted in autumn, they will only bolt and bloom the following year. When transplanting, choose plants that are vigorous, have many flower buds, good quality, and are free of pests and diseases.
When dividing, dig out a portion of the tillers from the clump to serve as seedlings; the dug-out portion must have roots. Cut apart at the shortened stem, remove the old roots, decayed roots, and diseased roots, retain as many fleshy roots as possible, shorten them appropriately (leaving about 10 cm), and then plant. Planting should be done on a sunny day, digging, dividing, and planting the seedlings as you go, injuring the roots as little as possible so the plants recover quickly. Generally, divide once every 2 to 3 years to ensure vigorous growth of the plants.
Sowing is a method for rapidly producing seedlings in large quantities, but because the seed germination rate is low, the seeds must first be soaked to germinate, and the plants can only be planted out one year after sowing. The seed collection period begins around September each year; the plants are required to be robust, the fruits plump, and free of pests and diseases. Sowing takes place the following spring.
The seedbed should first be given sufficient base fertilizer; the bed is 1.3 to 1.7 m wide and about 30 m long, with drainage ditches dug on both sides. When sowing, open shallow furrows about 3 cm deep every 20 cm, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with a layer of fine soil, then spread a thin layer of fine sand. Before emergence, water and weed, maintaining good soil moisture, and by autumn the seedlings can be lifted and planted. Each mu of seedbed uses 2.5 kg of seed and can raise 50,000 to 60,000 seedlings.
Seeds can also be soaked to hasten germination and then sown in the open field to raise seedlings, with a sowing rate of 5 to 7 kg per mu, using flat-ground drilling. Open furrows at a row spacing of 30 cm, about 3 cm deep, sow one seed every 3 to 5 cm, and after the plants grow 2 to 3 leaves, apply one application of dilute human and animal manure. For overwintering, use small arch sheds for cold protection; after spring begins, strengthen field management, and by August they can be transplanted. Seeds collected from evergreen daylily can be sown directly, or stored at room temperature before sowing.
Division of buds: Flower buds refer to the small plants on the flower stems of large-flowered daylily. The flower buds can be cut from the flower stems; if they are relatively large, they can be further divided before planting. After transplanting, the flower buds can take root within a week. Rooted flower buds can be used to propagate plants, increasing the number planted and ultimately improving economic returns.
Tissue culture: Use young leaves, filaments, and flower stalks and other organs to culture into plants. The method is to first induce the young organs to produce callus tissue, then culture them into small plantlets using an appropriate medium under suitable conditions of temperature, humidity, light, and air. Then the small plantlets are temporarily planted in nutrient pots and, after a period of cultivation, grown into young plants, after which they are planted out. However, this method has not yet been widely accepted.
Besides the four methods described above, other methods can also be used to propagate large-flowered daylily. Individual clonal plants can be divided into thin slices with growth points and root systems, and after about 6 months of planting they can be divided again. When dividing, these plants must not be smaller than 1/4 of the original plant. Another method is to cut the top of the flower crown and use plant growth regulators to strengthen the vitality of the cut plants, carry out in vitro culture to promote rooting, and then plant them.
Planting
Large-flowered daylily is mostly planted in early spring in early March before sprouting. Although the large-flowered daylily is not strict about soil requirements, because it can grow for many years after planting, attention should be paid to the choice of planting site. It is best to choose flat land with a low groundwater table or sloping land with good water sources and irrigation conditions, with good drainage, loose soil, and deep soil layers. Newly reclaimed wasteland must have the soil fully weathered, or organic fertilizer applied to increase its organic matter content. The land must be leveled; because the large-flowered daylily has strong tillering ability, the plant and row spacing must be maintained at 40 to 50 cm when planting. Dig holes for planting; the holes are triangular, planting 3 to 5 plants. Planting should not be too deep or too shallow; if too deep, tillering is slow; if too shallow, tillering is fast but the plants mostly grow thin and weak. Generally, the planting hole is more than 30 cm deep, base fertilizer is applied up to 15 to 20 cm from the ground surface, and after planting the soil is covered and compacted. Apply 500 to 600 kg per mu of human and animal manure mixed with water as a spot application to set the seedlings, ensuring the survival rate.
Management
Fertilization: The large-flowered daylily has a long flowering period and a relatively large demand for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Besides applying sufficient base fertilizer at planting (rotted cow manure or pig manure is preferable), fertilizer should also be applied according to the needs of different developmental stages. When nitrogen is sufficient, it can promote robust plant growth and enlarge the leaves. Phosphorus can promote root growth, enhance tillering ability, help the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, enhance bud formation ability, and promote drought resistance, cold resistance, and disease resistance, improving quality. When potassium is sufficiently supplied, the plant tissues are tough, growth is robust, and disease resistance is strong; in the middle and late stages it can make the flower scapes emerge neatly and thickly, the flower buds develop plump and large, and bud formation ability is enhanced. Therefore, fertilizer should be applied twice before and during the flowering period, each application mainly using quick-acting fertilizer, combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and nitrogen fertilizer must not be applied alone. A 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can also be sprayed to promote larger flowers? and can also achieve the effect of extending the flowering period.
Irrigation: The large-flowered daylily has relatively strong drought resistance and does not need much water during the vegetative growth period, so irrigation should be based on the water requirements of each growth and development stage of the daylily, combined with local climate, soil, and water source conditions. After new seedlings are transplanted, the soil water-holding capacity must be maintained at 70% to 80%, and watered promptly in drought. During the seedling stage the plants are small and their water demand is also small. From the start of reproductive growth, the water demand gradually increases; if water is lacking at this time, growth will be affected. During the flower bud stage, the soil must be kept moist regularly to prevent the flower buds from dropping due to drought, generally watering once every week. Watering should be thorough and even, preferably in the morning and evening. In July and August there is a lot of rainfall, so drainage and waterlogging prevention are needed. Before winter begins, winter water should be applied to ensure early sprouting the following year.
Weeding: After planting and during the seedling stage, intertillage and weeding should be done in time. During the seedling stage, intertillage should be shallow rather than deep, and as the seedlings age, the intertillage should be deepened. Before the spring seedlings emerge, do one shallow loosening of the soil; after emergence, shallow hoeing 3 to 4 times at appropriate times can achieve the dual purpose of weeding and drought prevention. Intertillage and weeding should be done when the soil moisture is moderate, and can be stopped once the leaf clusters cover the ground. Remove weeds in the daylily field in time; if weeds are overgrown, they easily cause pests and diseases and affect the growth and appearance of the daylily.
Weeding can be done either by traditional manual weeding or by using herbicides suitable for large-flowered daylily. Sethoxydim, also known as nabujing, is a selective pre-emergence and post-emergence stem-and-leaf treatment agent that can control grass weeds such as barnyardgrass, wild oat, foxtail, goosegrass, and bermudagrass; penoxalin, also known as amine nitrosol, is a selective pre-emergence soil treatment agent with very good pre-emergence control of annual narrow-leaf weeds and certain broadleaf weeds, such as crabgrass, goosegrass, foxtail, shortawn foxtail, and annual bluegrass and other annual grass weeds, as well as lambsquarters, amaranth, chickweed, fireweed, and shepherd's purse and other broadleaf weeds; metolachlor, also known as isopropyl metolachlor, is a selective pre-emergence dryland soil treatment agent used to control barnyardgrass, crabgrass, goosegrass, foxtail, and lovegrass and other annual grass weeds, and also controls amaranth, purslane, shepherd's purse, fireweed, chickweed and other small-seeded broadleaf weeds and rice flatsedge, with poor control effect on perennial weeds and most broadleaf weeds; fluazifop-buthyl, a post-emergence stem-and-leaf treatment herbicide, has good control effect on annual and perennial grass weeds, but is ineffective on broadleaf weeds and sedges. In addition, there are also Surflan, Snapshot, and others, all of which can be used to control weeds in large-flowered daylily fields.
Pest and Disease Control: Rust, leaf spot, and leaf blight are diseases to which daylily is highly susceptible. Rust is a fungal disease and the main disease of daylily in the middle and late stages; it begins to occur in early May, is most severe from June to July, and only gradually stops after October, damaging leaves and flower stalks. A small number of yellow powdery spots initially appear on the leaves, then gradually spread to the entire leaf, until the whole plant dies. When the disease occurs, fungicides such as triadimefon and sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate can be sprayed for control. Leaf spot is caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium and is the main disease of daylily during the seedling stage; it begins to occur from late March to early April, with the peak from mid-to-late April to mid-to-late May. It often occurs in the middle part on both sides of the leaf midrib; after perforation it causes interruption of water and nutrient transport, the leaf tips turn yellow and wither first, and finally the whole leaf wilts and dies. Bordeaux mixture or lime sulfur mixture can be sprayed for control.;
Leaf blight is caused by pathogenic fungi of the genus Colletotrichum and is a seedling-stage disease that occurs after leaf spot. It generally begins to occur in early May, is most severe in early to mid-June, and mainly damages leaves, and also damages flower stalks. It occurs from the seedling stage; water-soaked small spots initially appear at the middle edge of the leaves, then gradually spread upward and downward, forming brown streaks, and finally turning grayish white; in severe cases the whole leaf dies. It can be controlled by spraying 600 to 800 times diluted 50% carbendazim, or by spraying Bordeaux mixture around Qingming.
The main insect pests of daylily are red spiders and aphids. The red spider is a small, spider-like red mite that mainly sucks sap on the underside of leaves, causing grayish-white spots at the damaged areas. It can be controlled with 40% dimethoate emulsion, 20% mite ovicide wettable powder, and others. Aphids mainly occur in May, first damaging the leaves, then sucking sap on the flower buds; the damaged flower buds are thin and small and easily drop off. They can be controlled with lime sulfur mixture, 40% dimethoate emulsion, 25% malathion emulsifiable concentrate, tobacco lime water, and others. In addition, in trials on large-flowered daylily propagation it was found that from May to August snails cause relatively serious damage to large-flowered daylily, and control measures should be taken in time.
10. Amaryllis
Amaryllis, also known as belladonna lily, baizhilian, and trumpet flower, is a plant of the genus Hippeastrum in the Amaryllidaceae family. The amaryllis flower stalk stands gracefully, with 4 to 6 vermilion trumpet-shaped flowers borne at the top, opening toward the sun, appearing especially gorgeous and pleasing. Because the amaryllis resembles clivia in appearance, it also has the laudatory name "junzihong." Tianjin calls it "yanzhixue," which captures the idea quite well. It is now widely cultivated around the world; besides potted ornamental use, it is planted in open-field courtyards to form community landscapes and add garden scenery. In recent years, European and American horticulturists, to make it convenient for flower growers, have specially produced amaryllis as canned flowers. To date, production in Europe is relatively large; the main producing country, the Netherlands, had amaryllis sales output value reaching 19.1 million US dollars in 1995, and Belgium, Germany, France, and Spain all have certain production. In Asia, eastern India produces amaryllis bulbs, but production facilities are backward and quality is poor. In China, during 1912-1949, Nanjing, Shanghai, and other places already had potted ornamental amaryllis; beginning in the 1970s it was planted around open-field courtyards in southern China as a landscape ornamental. In recent years, many excellent varieties have been introduced from abroad across the country, many of them dwarf varieties suitable for potted ornamental use, creating conditions for the development and utilization of amaryllis.
Sowing and division are commonly used for propagation.
Sowing propagation: Sow indoors in pots in May to June; the suitable germination temperature is 18 to 22°C, and germination occurs about 20 days after sowing. During the seedling stage, pay attention to fertilizer and water management; when there are 3 to 4 true leaves, carry out the first transplanting, maintaining a certain plant spacing. From sowing to flowering takes 3 to 4 years.
Division propagation: For potted amaryllis, carry it out when repotting in February to March; before dividing and planting, first remove the old roots and old soil, separate the small bulbs growing beside the mother bulb, and pot them separately according to bulb size; generally flowering bulbs have a circumference of 24 to 26 cm. When planting, 1/3 of the bulb is exposed above the soil surface. Plant in March, and they flower in April to May.
In recent years, scale cutting, scoring, and tissue culture methods have been widely used abroad to propagate amaryllis.
Scale cutting propagation: Select well-developed, disease-free bulbs, peel off the overly old outer scales, and keep the plump middle scales for propagation, but each scale must have a stem disc. In September, insert the scales into a sand bed and keep them moist at 18 to 20°C; small bulbs form and roots grow at the base the same year. The following spring new shoots grow from the small bulbs, and they need to continue to be cultivated for 3 years to become flowering bulbs.
Scoring propagation: Select bulbs with a circumference of 24 to 26 cm, soak the bulbs in 1% copper sulfate solution for 5 minutes, wash with water, cut off 1/3 of the bulb, gently score the main bud in the center of the bulb with a knife, place flat on a sand bed, keep the room temperature at 18 to 22°C, maintain relatively high air humidity, and after 2 months several small bulbs form between the scales.
For potted amaryllis, use loose, fertile, slightly acidic leaf mold or peat soil. A flowering bulb with a circumference of 24 to 26 cm needs a 12 cm pot; commercial cultivation also uses 18 to 20 cm pots, planting 3 bulbs. The planting depth is based on 1/3 of the bulb being exposed above the pot soil. Water little at first planting; when flower stems or leaves appear, keep the pot soil moist. During the growth period, fertilize once every half month; after the flower stem emerges, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once. After flowering, continue to supply water and fertilizer to promote plump and full bulbs. In commercial production, amaryllis is often forced; flowering bulbs pretreated at a low temperature of 5°C for 50 days, under conditions of a soil temperature of 21°C and a room temperature of 17 to 19°C, flower 6 weeks after planting. According to trial reports, soaking bulbs in indoleacetic acid can increase the weight and number of small bulbs. Soaking bulbs in gibberellin (GA3) can increase bulb weight and enlarge flower diameter. Soaking in chlormequat (CCC) can increase the number of flowers. Spraying the leaf surface of amaryllis with indoleacetic acid, gibberellin, and chlormequat can likewise increase the number of small bulbs and flowers.
If seeds are to be collected from amaryllis, artificial pollination should be carried out to increase the seed-setting rate. Because amaryllis seeds are flat and extremely thin and easily lose water and lose germinating ability, they should be sown immediately after collection. If producing bulbs, cut off the flower stems in time after flowering to avoid consuming bulb nutrients. After leaves grow, strengthen fertilization to promote bulb enlargement and the production of new bulbs. Bulbs can be stored for 8 to 10 weeks at 13°C, and can be stored long-term at 5°C.
The main diseases are viral disease, leaf spot disease, and nematode disease. Leaf spot damages leaves and flowers.
11. Peony
Peony is one of China's traditional famous flowers and has a cultivation history of more than 3,000 years. Peony flower forms are varied, the flower colors are gorgeous, the green leaves are elegant, and the clumps are full; used for landscaping and ornamental purposes, it can lead people into a breathtakingly beautiful fantasy world.
Peony is a perennial herbaceous flower of the Ranunculaceae family, with a plant height of about 1 m; the flowers are borne singly at the top of the current year's branches, and some are borne in the leaf axils at the top; the flower stem is relatively long; the flowers are divided into single and double forms, and the flower colors include white, yellow, pink, purple, rose, and many other colors.
Peony flowers have strong cold resistance and can overwinter naturally in the open field in most areas of northern China. However, heat resistance is relatively poor, and growth stops in hot summers. It likes sunlight, but can also grow and flower in light shade. It likes moisture, but fears waterlogging, and is suitable for growing in deep, fertile, and well-drained sandy loam; low-lying saline-alkali land is not suitable for cultivation.
Peony is commonly propagated by division, and the division time is preferably from late August to mid-September. The division method is to dig up clumps that are more than 3 years old, shake off the soil, let them dry slightly in the shade until somewhat wilted, then take three or four buds as one plant, find the smallest natural connection point and cut it open with a sharp knife, and coat the cut with charcoal powder for antisepsis. To promote new root germination, the fleshy roots can be retained at 15 cm in length and shortened. After division, plant as soon as possible.
The growth characteristics of peony are rapid growth and flowering after sprouting in spring; after flowering, upward growth stops and the number of leaves no longer increases. At the end of autumn all aboveground stems and leaves die, while underground the long spindle-shaped fleshy roots accumulate abundant nutrients, buried deep in the soil, and at the root crown there are dormant young buds waiting to emerge, breaking through the soil when spring returns the following year.
1. Site requirements:
Choose sandy soil with high terrain, dryness, good drainage, deep soil layers, and loose fertility. Before planting, apply sufficient base fertilizer, preferably rotted cake fertilizer (200 kg/mu) or dried manure (1,500 kg/mu), and only after deep plowing and leveling can planting proceed.
2. Planting time and specifications:
The suitable planting time is generally from late August (End of Heat) to late September (Autumn Equinox); for planting density, generally for ornamental use 80 cm x 70 cm, planting about 1,200 plants per mu, and for production use 60 cm x 50 cm, planting about 2,200 plants per mu. When planting, the hole specifications are generally about 35 cm deep and about 20 cm in diameter; the depth of the seedling is preferably with the buds 3 cm below the ground surface; finally fill the hole with soil, tamp it firm, and pile up a 10 cm mound of soil to prevent cold, preserve soil moisture, and serve as a marker. After planting, depending on soil moisture, water appropriately for overwintering.
3. Field management:
(1) Intertillage and weeding: In the following spring, before peony sprouts, level the soil mounds from the previous autumn; during the growth period, keep the soil loose and free of weeds, hoeing after rain and hoeing after long drought.
(2) Removing side buds: Besides the bud borne at the top of the stem, peony also bears 3 to 6 side buds in the leaf axils of the upper stem. If the side buds are removed early, nutrients can be concentrated so that the main bud flower is large and plump; if the side buds are kept, the flowers bloom abundantly and the ornamental period is long. This can be controlled independently according to need.
(3) Watering and topdressing: Peony has fleshy roots and a well-developed root system with strong drought resistance, so generally no watering is needed; if spring drought or summer drought lasts a long time, water once or twice, preferably with uncontaminated river water; in winter, depending on soil dryness and wetness, one winter water can also be applied. Peony grows vigorously and has a large fertilizer demand, so it can be fertilized twice a year; before winter begins, apply some long-acting fertilizer, such as rotted cake fertilizer (150 kg/mu) or dried human manure (1,500 kg/mu); before or after flowering, apply some quick-acting fertilizer, such as compound fertilizer or diammonium (10 to 15 kg/mu); foliar topdressing can also be combined, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate or trace element fertilizer, sprayed once every 15 to 20 days.
4. Pest and disease control:
(1) Diseases: Mainly leaf spot, including red spot and brown spot; the peak incidence is generally in summer and autumn when temperatures are high and humidity is high; in the early stage of the disease, 800 times diluted 40% carbendazim can be sprayed on the leaf surface for control; in severe cases, use 500 times diluted 40% carbendazim sprayed once every 15 days, and 2 to 3 times is enough for control.
(2) Insect pests: Mainly white grubs and nematodes. For white grubs, during the peak occurrence period in July to August, use 30% carbofuran (5 kg/mu) or 50% phoxim granules (3 kg/mu) or isofenphos-methyl liquid, mix with organic fertilizer or sand to form poisoned bait, spread evenly, and then deep hoe; nematodes are root-knot nematodes with strong transmissibility and cause relatively serious harm to peony; the symptoms are nodules of different sizes on the fibrous roots, weak plant growth, yellowing, scorching, and early dropping of leaf edges, and in severe cases the plant becomes short until death. For control, 30% carbofuran granules can be used at 25 g/sq m, evenly applied to the affected plot during the rainy summer period, followed by deep hoeing 5 to 10 cm. Because root-knot nematodes are aerobic lower animals that mainly live within 5 to 20 cm of the soil layer, when applying the pesticide, it must absolutely not be too deep.
12. Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum is a short-day plant; in the long-day seasons of spring and summer, it can only carry out vegetative growth. After the Beginning of Autumn, as the weather turns cooler and the sunshine duration shortens, it can begin flower bud differentiation, nurture flower buds, and bloom with gorgeous flowers despite frost.
Chrysanthemum has strong adaptability and is not strict about climate and soil conditions; it is cultivated everywhere in China, and can grow in slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils. Small chrysanthemums have stronger cold resistance than large chrysanthemums, and the flowers do not wither after several severe frosts. At temperatures above 10°C dormant buds can sprout, and 20 to 25°C is the most suitable temperature for growth. Chrysanthemum is drought-tolerant, fears waterlogging, and likes loose, fertile sandy soil rich in humus, a cool climate, and sufficient sunlight.
Chrysanthemum can be propagated by many methods such as division, cuttings, grafting, and sowing. Grafting and sowing have high technical requirements and relatively cumbersome propagation processes, and it is difficult to propagate successfully without superb cutting and grafting skills and techniques such as selection of fine varieties and artificial pollination. These two propagation methods are also used only when large numbers of seedlings are needed, in nurseries; for home chrysanthemum growing, division and cuttings are generally used for propagation.
1. Seed propagation: Before sowing, apply sufficient rotted organic fertilizer as base fertilizer, and deep plow and harrow finely to make flat beds. Mix the seeds evenly with fine sand and broadcast, cover with fine soil about 0.5 cm thick, and after sowing cover with a shade net and water thoroughly. In early spring when it is cold, cloudy, and rainy, cover with plastic film to maintain soil moisture and temperature. Watering should be done with a fine spray to prevent the soil surface from crusting. After about 10 days the seedlings emerge; remove the shade net or plastic film, and when the seedlings have 2 to 3 leaves they can be transplanted to the field. Chrysanthemum greens can be direct-sown; in southern China they can be sown in February, and in cold northern regions only in early April, with a seeding rate of about 0.2 kg per mu.
2. Division propagation: In mid-to-late March, the old chrysanthemum greens stubble can be dug up, exposing the root crown, and the lateral buds that already have roots can be cut off together with the old roots and transplanted to the field. Division propagation is more suitable when new shoots are sprouting.
3. Cutting propagation: Cutting propagation can be carried out throughout the growing season, with the highest survival rate for cuttings taken from April to June. The seedbed is best made with new soil mixed with composted rotted organic fertilizer. Cut branches with 3 to 5 nodes and a length of 8 to 10 cm, remove the basal leaves, and insert to a depth of 1/3 to 1/2 of the cutting length. After cutting, keep the bed moist, avoid waterlogging, provide shade in high-temperature seasons, and when temperatures are lower, build a plastic film arch shed for warmth and moisture retention. Generally after 15 days they can be transplanted to the field.
Some people may like chrysanthemums in vases, so here are a few tips for everyone:
1. Before putting chrysanthemums in a vase, first cut off the flower leaves on the lower part of the stem that may be submerged in water. Because chrysanthemums have a relatively long flowering period, up to 2 to 3 weeks, while the flower leaves quickly turn yellow; the flower leaves submerged in water will compete with the flowers for nutrients and may also breed bacteria.
2. To make the chrysanthemum flowering period last long, not only should the water be changed every day, but each time the water is changed, cut off 1 inch of the stem base submerged in water, so that the water-absorbing channels can always be kept unobstructed.
3. Chrysanthemums in a vase likewise need certain nutrients. The simplest method is to put a vitamin tablet into the water, or add 1 teaspoon of white sugar. However, organic nutrients (such as white sugar) will provide a great possibility for bacterial reproduction, so at the same time 1 to 2 drops of bleach solution or a little bleach can be put into the water to effectively control bacterial reproduction (the dose of bleach should be increased or decreased as appropriate depending on the amount of water, the number of flowers, and the purity of the bleach).
13. Wax Begonia
Wax begonia, also known as glass emerald and glass begonia, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Begonia in the Begoniaceae family. It likes well-drained, humus-rich sandy loam, is not cold-tolerant, and fears exposure to the sun and rain. The single leaves are alternate, ovate to long ovate, and the leaf colors include green, dark red, and others. The flower colors include bright red, pink, white, and others, and it flowers in all four seasons.
Sowing propagation can be done in all four seasons. First compact the pot soil and soak it thoroughly. Because the seeds are tiny, mix them with fine sand, scatter evenly, and cover lightly with fine sand or not at all. Cover with a glass plate or film to retain moisture, and they will germinate quickly. When the seedlings grow to 2 to 3 leaves, move them into pots, and at this time dilute liquid fertilizer can be applied. When they grow to 4 to 6 cm tall, plant them out for normal management.
Cutting propagation: Cut 7 to 10 cm cuttings, dry them in the shade for 1 to 2 hours, keep half a leaf, and insert into sandy soil. Keep the pot soil moist, and they will root quickly; this can be done in all four seasons.
Cultivation management: The pot soil should be well-drained, humus-rich sandy loam. During the growth period, moderate moisture is required, and composted dilute liquid fertilizer should be applied once every 1 to 2 weeks. Wax begonia likes light, but fears direct sun exposure; too strong light easily makes the leaves curl and develop scorch spots, while insufficient light makes the plants grow thin and weak and affects flowering. The optimum growth temperature is 20°C, and the minimum temperature is 10°C; lower than that it is easily damaged by cold. In the high-temperature summer season it is in a semi-dormant state and should be placed in a well-ventilated shaded place, and fertilization should be stopped at this time. To make the plant shape full, pinch the tips multiple times during the growth period while applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. After 1 to 2 years of planting, wax begonia appears aged, and it can be heavily pruned from the base to promote new shoots, and after pinching treatment it can restore its original luxuriant appearance. Repot once a year, removing old roots and necrotic roots.
14. Fuchsia
Fuchsia, also known as hanging bell begonia and lantern begonia, is an evergreen subshrub of the genus Fuchsia in the Onagraceae family. The flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils at the branch tips; the pedicel is long; the calyx tube is bell-shaped or tubular and often drooping. The flower colors include pink, purple-red, apricot yellow, white, and others; it flowers in all four seasons, most abundantly in spring and autumn. There are many fuchsia varieties, with different plant shapes and flower forms.
Fuchsia is native to South America and likes a mild, cool, and humid environment; its optimum growth temperature is 10°C to 15°C. In summer it fears strong direct sunlight and high temperatures; in winter it fears cold below 5°C. No wonder it is called the "delicate maiden among flowers." Its requirements for fertilizer and water differ according to the season; in spring and autumn the demand is relatively large, while in the hot summer season fuchsia is in a semi-dormant state and watering must be controlled to avoid root rot and death. Measures such as ventilation and cooling should be taken, water should be sprayed on the leaves frequently, and the plants should be placed under a shade shed to ensure safe overwintering through summer. After the weather cools in autumn it revives; strengthen fertilizer and water management, pinch and shape in time, and promote lateral branches. Generally, it can flower 2 to 3 weeks after pinching, so pinching is also often used to control the flowering period. The pot soil is preferably fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam, and it can tolerate weak alkalinity.
Fuchsia sets fruit with difficulty after flowering, so cuttings are usually used for propagation; this can be done throughout the year, but spring is preferable. One-year-old tender branches survive most easily; choose robust, plump top branches with three or four nodes, 5 cm to 10 cm long, keep the upper 3 small leaves, and insert to a depth of one node in sandy soil; keep the temperature at 15°C to 20°C; spray water once a day to maintain air humidity, and roots will form after two weeks. The young seedlings should be potted in time with culture soil, and pinched in time to promote lateral branches. Old plants should be repotted every spring, combined with heavy pruning during propagation, and the old roots around them cut off to rejuvenate the plants. Spring cuttings have an advantage, namely that the seedlings have relatively strong heat resistance, and mostly do not lose leaves during the dog days. Cuttings taken before the dog days bloom after autumn, hence the saying "raise the young, not the old." If the plants lose leaves in summer, generally after the Beginning of Autumn they should be cut back immediately to promote new branches, topdress with liquid fertilizer, and they can bloom in autumn.
15. Clivia
Clivia has strong vitality and is easy to cultivate, but to grow it well, the correct cultivation method is indispensable. For a good clivia, cultivation skill and the plant itself can be split 30-70, which shows the importance of cultivation techniques. Only by understanding the growth habits of clivia can one explore and summarize the correct cultivation techniques, so that growing clivia is easy and effective, and the clivia grown will be pleasing to the eye. The growth of clivia is greatly affected by water, soil, fertilizer, light, temperature, and humidity factors. Let us discuss views on these six aspects:
1. Water: As is well known, plant growth cannot be separated from water; the absorption of nutrients and all physiological activities must depend on water, but different plants have different requirements for water, and the water quality in different places is also different. Clivia's requirements for water are as follows:
The pH of water: Clivia likes neutral or slightly acidic water, with a pH value of about 6.5. The water pH varies from place to place; if it is not neutral or slightly acidic water, improvement should be considered. For example, alkaline water can be neutralized with rice-washing water.
Water quality: The water quality of tap water, river water, lake water, and others differs; clean water rich in minerals is the best. Tap water has been treated by artificially added chemicals, and usually should be stored for several days before being used to water flowers.
Water content in the soil: The suitable water content should be 20% to 40%, preferably neither dry nor wet. If the water content in the soil is too high for a long time, the air permeability in the soil will become poor, easily causing root rot; conversely, if the water content is too low, it will cause dehydration, leading to the roots shriveling and withering.
Watering method: The principle of watering is not to water if not dry, and to water thoroughly when watering. The practice of giving a tiny bit at a time, like a dragonfly skimming the water, is extremely harmful. The "dry" mentioned here does not mean dry to the point of no water, but rather that the water content in the soil is relatively low, which is the time to water. People who grow clivia regularly usually tap the flower pot with their fingers and judge the water content in the soil by the sound produced by the tap. If the tapping sound is dull, it indicates that the water content in the soil is relatively high, and there is no need to water; conversely, if the sound is crisp, it indicates that the water content in the soil is relatively low, and watering should be done immediately. The reason the dragonfly-skimming practice is extremely harmful is that most of the small amount of water is absorbed by the soil or flows away directly along the channels formed in the soil, and very little is absorbed by the root system, almost equal to not watering at all.;
In addition, watering should also pay attention to the following: the water temperature and soil temperature should be close, and the temperature difference between the two should not be too large; watering time is preferably in the morning and evening; at noon in summer, when the temperature is very high, watering is not suitable; watering should avoid the flower heart, especially during the period of bolting and flowering, to prevent unclean water from causing heart rot.
2. Soil: Clivia's roots are fleshy roots, suitable for growing in loose, fertile, water-permeable, and well-aerated soil, so the choice of cultivation soil should strictly consider these four factors.
Soil texture: Leaf mold meets the above four requirements and is the first choice for growing clivia. The leaf mold is best made from oak leaves (oak tree leaves); leaves of other trees such as larch, hazel, pear, and apple can also be used, but pesticide factors should be noted. Walnut tree leaves are toxic and cannot be used. High-quality leaf mold should be moderately rotted tree leaves, with a rotting degree of about 50%; too high a rotting degree is not good, as water permeability and air permeability are poor.
To further improve the structure of the leaf mold and enhance water permeability and air permeability, some larch pine needles, carbon from burned rice husks (not ash), washed river sand, and furnace cinder can also be added, accounting for 10% to 20%. Compacted and barren ordinary soil is not suitable for growing clivia and will seriously affect the normal growth of clivia.
In addition, the soil pH differs in different regions; neutral or slightly acidic soil should be chosen, with a pH value between 6.5 and 7.
3. Fertilizer: As the saying goes, "For a crop to bloom beautifully, it all depends on fertilizer." Fertilizer is an indispensable and important nutrient source for the vigorous growth of clivia. Clivia is a flower that likes fertilizer, and mature clivia must have sufficient fertility.
Fertilizing clivia should be determined according to the size, variety, growth and development, and season of the clivia. Applying too much or too little fertilizer is not conducive to the growth of clivia. Too much will cause root burn, and the leaves will wrinkle or become stunted; too little will lack nutrients, and the clivia will grow slowly, with the leaves clearly becoming narrower, soft, and not upright.
Types and uses of fertilizer: Fertilizer is divided into solid fertilizer and liquid fertilizer.
Solid fertilizer: Castor seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, perilla seeds, and others, after being fried and cooked, plus a small amount of bone meal, make a very good solid fertilizer. Solid fertilizer is usually used as base fertilizer (bottom fertilizer and waist fertilizer), applied twice a year (spring April to May, autumn September to October), but it must not touch the roots, so as to avoid causing root burn.
Liquid fertilizer: Sesame, peanuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, freshwater fish (with internal organs removed), and others, after full fermentation, make good liquid fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer as a supplementary fertilizer has a quick effect but short-lasting fertility, and can be applied once every half month. The application of liquid fertilizer should follow the principle of low concentration and small amounts applied many times, to prevent excessive fertilizer from burning the roots. In spring and autumn, clivia grows vigorously, and liquid fertilizer should be applied to provide sufficient nutrients. When applying liquid fertilizer, prevent it from dripping onto the clivia leaves or the heart of the plant, so as to avoid leaf rot or heart rot; after each fertilization, use a spray can to spray clean water to rinse the clivia leaves or the heart of the plant.
What has been discussed above is all organic fertilizer; inorganic fertilizer can also be used, and takes effect even faster. Clivia growth emphasizes nutritional balance, requiring not only the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium we are familiar with, but also various trace elements. A serious deficiency of any one element will have adverse effects on the normal growth of clivia. This is also the reason people have long mostly used organic fertilizer.
4. Light: Light is an indispensable element for clivia photosynthesis. Sufficient light is needed; when growing clivia indoors, it should be placed on a windowsill to ensure sufficient light. It is not tolerant of strong light and likes weak light (dappled light); in summer when light is strong, shading treatment is needed to prevent scorching the leaves. Clivia leaves have strong phototropism; regularly adjust the direction toward the light to make the plant shape neat; if conditions permit, the direction of leaf extension should be consistent with the north-south direction.
Clivia leaves should be kept clean; often wipe the dust off the leaves with a soft damp cloth, which is beneficial to photosynthesis.
5. Temperature: The suitable temperature for clivia growth is 15°C to 25°C, neither cold nor hot.
In summer, when the temperature is above 25°C, measures such as ventilation and shading should be taken to lower the temperature; above 30°C with low humidity will cause the leaves to lose luster; high temperature with much water will make the leaves grow too long; high temperature may even cause high-temperature disease, leading to the whole plant rotting away.
Below 10°C, growth and development will be slow; below 5°C, growth will be inhibited; below 0°C, the leaves will freeze and be damaged or die.
6. Humidity: Clivia likes a warm and humid environment; low environmental humidity will affect the luster of the leaves; dry air and wind and sun in the open field will make the leaves lose their delicate luster, becoming rough and dull in color. People have found that clivia cultivated in flower cellars is delicate, succulent, and lustrous, while clivia grown on windowsills cannot achieve this effect, and the reason lies precisely here. The solution is to try to create a small environment similar to a flower cellar on the balcony.
To grow clivia well in summer, one should achieve "six preventions" and "six don'ts."
1. Prevent direct sunlight, don't expose to the sun. In summer, clivia should be shaded from strong light all day. Using the slanted sunlight to expose it for a while every morning is enough to satisfy photosynthesis.
2. Prevent high temperatures, don't let it dry out. The suitable temperature for clivia in summer is 18°C to 25°C; placing it in an air-conditioned room is best, and a shaded, ventilated place on the balcony is also acceptable. When watering, it is best to use tap water that has been sunned for two or three days; water once every day after 6 o'clock in the afternoon, and do not let the pot soil become too dry or too wet.
3. Prevent leggy growth, don't fertilize. Summer is the dormant period of clivia; stop fertilizing, water moderately, and controlling humidity is an effective measure. If the pot soil has too much fertilizer or strong fertilizer effect, the upper part of the soil in the pot should be poured out, mixed with 1/3 to 2/3 sand, mixed evenly, and put back into the pot; this not only reduces the fertilizer effect but also has a cooling effect.
4. Prevent dust pollution, don't water with dirty water. The leaf surface of clivia should be kept clean; once a week, dip a fine gauze in clean water, wring it dry, and gently wipe once. Watering with dirty water will cause the roots and leaves to rot and turn yellow.
5. Prevent soil compaction, don't put clay (loess) into the pot. Clivia is suited to cultivation in loose, aerated, water-permeable, fertile leaf mold with a pH value of about 7.0.
6. Prevent diseases, don't let it get infected. When changing soil or wiping leaves, the movements should be gentle, to prevent wounds on roots and leaves that exude sap, causing infection and decay.
16. Cyclamen
Cyclamen is native to the southeastern coast of the Mediterranean, from the coastal low mountain forest zones of Israel and Jordan to Greece. It is now widely cultivated around the world. Cyclamen likes a cool, humid, and well-lit environment. The suitable growth temperature is 15 to 20°C; below 10°C, growth vigor weakens, flower color becomes dull, and it easily withers; when the temperature reaches above 30°C, the plant enters dormancy. In the hot summer regions of China, cyclamen is then in a dormant or semi-dormant state; while in the Kunming area of Yunnan Province, where it is like spring all year round, summers are cool and humid, so it does not go dormant and continues normal growth. When the temperature exceeds 35°C, the plant is very easily damaged and rots to death. During the seedling stage it has relatively strong resistance to high temperatures. During the growth period, the relative humidity is preferably 70% to 75%. Cyclamen is neutral to day length, and temperature is the main environmental factor affecting flower bud differentiation. The suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation is 15 to 18°C. During the growth period, the required light intensity is 28,000 to 36,000 Lx; if higher than 45,000 Lx or lower than 15,000 Lx, the photosynthesis intensity drops significantly. But it is also not tolerant of strong summer sunlight exposure and should be cultivated under a shade shed. It often self-pollinates, and can also cross-pollinate. It has relatively strong resistance to sulfur dioxide and is suitable for indoor greening in factory areas.
I. Key points for potted cyclamen propagation and cultivation: cultivation techniques
Sowing is mostly used for propagation. Sow in September and they flower the following winter. The bulb-cutting method can also be used for propagation, but it easily rots, so it is mostly not adopted. The key to cultivation is that during the summer dormant period a cool but not overly wet environment should be maintained. Bulbs 2 to 3 years old have the strongest growth vigor, so old bulbs are often culled. Repot once a year.
II. Propagation and cultivation care of cyclamen planting
1. Sowing: Cyclamen tubers cannot naturally produce small tubers, so sowing is generally used for propagation. However, cyclamen virus damage is serious, and seeds often have a relatively high virus infection rate; if the virus infection rate is >20%, then before sowing, the seeds must be detoxified. The method is: soak the seeds in 0.1% mercuric chloride for 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse clean with water; then soak in 10% sodium phosphate solution for 10 to 20 minutes and rinse clean; finally soak in a 35 to 40°C colloidal solution, treat for 48 hours, rinse clean with water, and then sow. Determine the sowing date according to the flower supply time. Generally sow 13 months before the flower supply time, and early-flowering varieties also need 8 to 10 months. To supply flowers for Christmas, New Year's Day, and Spring Festival, sowing is usually done in September to October.
Cyclamen germinates slowly and emerges unevenly, with a germination rate of about 85% to 95%. To germinate earlier and emerge evenly, seed soaking to hasten germination can be done before sowing (detoxified seeds sown immediately do not need germination hastening): soak the seeds in cold water for 24 hours or in 30°C warm water for 2 to 3 hours, wash off the sticky material on the seed surface, wrap in a wet cloth to hasten germination, treat at 25°C for 1 to 2 days, and when the seeds slightly sprout, take them out and sow. For sowing soil, use equal parts vermiculite and fine furnace cinder mixed; equal parts peat soil and vermiculite mixed; or equal parts loam, leaf mold, and river sand mixed. Sow in spots, at a spacing of 2 cm x 2 cm, covering with 0.5 cm of soil. Use the pot-soaking method to keep the pot soil moist, at a temperature of 18 to 20°C, germinating in 30 to 40 days. When the sown seedlings grow 1 true leaf, divide the seedlings at a spacing of 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm, using soil mixed in a ratio of leaf mold 5, loam 3, river sand 2. When planting, make the top of the small tuber level with the soil surface, keep moist, place in weak light during the recovery period, and after growth resumes, gradually increase light, strengthen ventilation, keep the temperature at 15 to 18°C, topdress appropriately, and be careful not to let the fertilizer liquid contaminate the leaves, so as to avoid causing rot. When the seedlings have 3 to 5 leaves, pot them.
2. Tuber division method: For excellent cyclamen varieties that set fruit poorly, the tuber division method can be used for propagation. In late August, when the tuber is about to sprout, cut the tuber lengthwise from the top into several pieces; each piece must carry a bud eye, and the cut should be coated with plant ash or charcoal powder, dried slightly, and then potted. Careful maintenance and management are required. This method has a small propagation coefficient, the tubers easily rot, management is difficult, flowering is sparse, the plant shape is not beautiful, and the tuber exposed above the soil surface is not round; it is used very rarely.
In recent years, international research on the vegetative propagation of cyclamen has been carried out in many aspects. The successful methods include: 1. tuber tissue culture, in which the tuber is cut into pieces and cultured aseptically to form regenerated plants; 2. cuttings taken from leaf buds with some tuber tissue attached; 3. in the original pot, cutting off the upper part of the tuber and then dividing it with vertical cuts so that regenerated shoots form, etc. Method 3 is described in detail below. The cyclamen tuber is formed by the abnormal thickening of the hypocotyl. After the upper part is cut off, adventitious buds can arise from the cut surface and then form regenerated plants. By dividing one tuber, many regenerated individuals can be obtained. The procedure is: select a robust, plump, well-developed tuber and divide it 1 to 2 months after flowering; the suitable time for division is May to June. First regulate the moisture of the potting soil, because if division is done under normal cultivation conditions, the wound will secrete a large amount of sap; this bleeding not only affects growth vigor, and especially hinders the formation of adventitious buds, but also easily leads to rot. Therefore, watering should be controlled to reduce soil moisture. When the leaf tips feel soft to the touch, this is the suitable time for division. First cut off the upper part of the tuber, about 1/3 of the tuber in thickness. Then make radial cuts (for tubers with a diameter of 4 cm or less) or grid-like vertical cuts (for tubers with a diameter of more than 4 cm), to a depth that does not injure the root system. If grid-like cutting is done, the incision spacing is 1 cm; a tuber 6 cm in diameter can be cut into 27 pieces.
Immediately after division, cover the pot well with plastic film and carry out maturation treatment at 30°C until periderm forms on the wound, which takes about 12 days; then promote adventitious buds at 20°C. During this period (about 20 to 30 days), the key management point is to maintain the soil moisture present at the time of division. The pot can be weighed together at the time of division, and every 2 to 3 days the lost water can be replenished according to weight. From 70 to 80 days after division, each cut piece forms adventitious buds; lower the temperature to 15°C so that they gradually adapt to the environment. From the beginning of adventitious bud formation (about 35 days after division), gradually increase the amount of water supplied, and apply liquid fertilizer once a week. About 100 days after division, regenerated plants are basically formed and can be transplanted into pots. Flowering usually occurs 11 to 14 months after division. This method is carried out in the original cultivation pot, is simple and easy to perform, and does not require complicated techniques or equipment; the time to form regenerated plants is short; the regenerated individuals are uniform in character; and the regeneration rate is high. It is a vegetative propagation method with great application prospects. It can be used to propagate clonal lines of superior cultivars; in addition, it also has practical value in the production of first-filial-generation (F1) hybrid seed.
III. To meet the need for flowers at different periods, the following methods are mainly used to control the flowering period:
1. Regulate the sowing date. By taking advantage of the strong tolerance of seedling-stage plants to high temperatures and placing them in a cool, ventilated environment so that they do not go dormant in summer, the flowering period can be advanced. Sowing can be done from December to early summer, and flowering occurs in about 12 months. The sowing time can be determined according to the required flowering period.
2. Control environmental factors to delay or advance dormancy in the plants, or to break or prolong dormancy in dormant tubers. For example, for flowering plants about to enter dormancy, if phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied additionally, appropriate shading is provided, and they are placed in a cool, ventilated place at 25°C, they can continue to flower until June to July.
3. Use certain volatile chemical agents to break or promote dormancy in the bulbs in order to control the flowering period. For example, injecting aqueous solutions of ether, camphor, etc. into the buds or fumigating with them can break dormancy. For example, in a sealed space of 1000 cubic meters, placing 0.5 cm of ether and treating for 24 to 48 hours causes cyclamen tubers to quickly break dormancy, resume growth, and flower earlier. As another example, placing a cloth ball soaked with ester solutions such as ethyl naphthaleneacetate or ethyl phenylcarbamate beside a cyclamen tuber about to sprout can keep the tuber from sprouting for several weeks, thereby delaying the flowering period.
IV. Control of cyclamen diseases and insect pests
1. Soft rot is caused by Bacterium
aroideae and occurs under high temperature and high humidity in summer. It damages leaf stalks and flower stalks, causing water-soaked softening; in dry weather the lesions dry up, while in cloudy and rainy weather they rot and smell foul. The pathogen overwinters in the soil. Control methods: first, the potting soil for planting must be thoroughly disinfected; second, during high summer temperatures, control water, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer, do not let the plants be injured, maintain air circulation, and provide appropriate shading; third, promptly remove diseased leaves and burn them, and spray with Bordeaux mixture.
2. Anthracnose is caused by the pathogen Glomerella
rufomaculans. The lesions are tea-brown, round, and sunken; later the lesions enlarge and bear black conidia, which disperse and infect via water. Control methods: remove infected leaves and leaf stalks and burn them; avoid wetting the leaves when watering; in the early stage of the disease, spray with a 500- to 600-fold solution of 50% carbendazim.
3. Nematode disease is caused by parasitism by the cyst nematode Heterodelaradicicola. When the soil temperature is 25 to 30°C and the soil moisture is about 40%, nematode damage is favored, and they invade the roots and form root galls. Affected plants grow weakly, lower leaves turn yellow, and the whole plant may even die. Control methods: disinfect the soil; burn affected plants; soaking in hot water at 50°C for 10 minutes can kill the nematodes.
4. Aphids cause leaves to curl, leaf stalks to bend, growth to be hindered, and flowers to fail to open. They can be controlled with a 1500-fold solution of dimethoate. Red spider mites are also seen causing damage; spray with a 1500-fold solution of trichlorfon.
17. Narcissus
In the cold winter months, narcissus can unfold fresh green leaves and produce plain, elegant, fragrant flowers in a dish of clear water. Placed on a table indoors, it brings people vitality and a feeling of spring.
According to Chinese flower introductions: narcissus cultivation methods include soil culture, sand culture, water culture, and carved shaping. The cultivation requirements are not demanding; as long as the temperature is maintained at about 15°C, there is sufficient sunlight, and water is given frequently and changed often, it can bloom after 25 to 30 days of growing. However, several points should be noted:
1. The temperature must not exceed 25°C, otherwise growth stops and the plant enters dormancy, causing the flower buds to turn yellow, shrink, and wither;
2. Sunlight must be sufficient, otherwise the leaves will grow into garlic leaves;
3. The water used must be clean, otherwise deterioration of the water causes pollution and root rot.
Narcissus has a special growth characteristic: its flowering date can be decided by people themselves. If it is required to bloom during the Spring Festival, the bulb (narcissus head) can be planted in a pot about 20 to 300 days before the Spring Festival; after being potted, it begins to grow until flowering. Several cultivation methods are introduced below:
Soil culture
For soil culture, the soil should be loose humus soil. Before planting, peel off the dry, withered bulb scales on the outside of the narcissus head and scrape off the old roots, then add humus soil to 3 cm below the rim of the pot. Hold the pot with both hands and shake it so that the humus soil becomes firm, then set the basal plate of the narcissus bulb in the pot, continue adding soil for about 1 cm, and then water thoroughly. Next, place the flowerpot in a cool place; after 5 days, once roots have grown from the basal plate, place the flowerpot in a sunny place for growing. When watering in soil culture, pay attention to watering only when dry and watering thoroughly when watering; that is, do not water if the soil is not dry, and once you water, water until it leaks from the bottom of the pot. Watering should be done in the morning or evening, otherwise it will damage root growth.
Sand culture
For sand culture, it is best to use washed clean fine sand, and the pot should also be a breathable earthenware pot. Before planting, first put sand into the pot to 3 cm below the rim, then set the narcissus head, with old stem scales and old roots removed, into the flowerpot filled with fine sand, and add about 1 cm more sand so that the lower stem of the narcissus head is buried about 1 cm in the sand. Then water thoroughly and place in a cool place. After 5 days, place it in a sunny place until flowering. When planting narcissus heads in sand, water thoroughly every day; failure to water in time will cause water deficiency and affect flower root growth. Watering should also be arranged in the morning and evening.
Water culture
Before water culture, also peel off the old stem scales and old roots cleanly, then place it in a narcissus growing bowl, add water to about 1 cm at the lower bulb of the narcissus head, and place it in a cool place. After roots grow from the basal plate, place it in a sunny place until flowering. For water-cultured narcissus, it is best to change the water every day; on the one hand, this prevents deterioration of the water from causing pollution and root rot, and on the other hand, by changing the water every day, the water stays clean and the roots grown are also white and beautiful.
Carved shaping of narcissus
In order to make the flowers and leaves grow in varied and graceful forms, the flower head needs to be carved. The specific procedure is: first peel off the dry, withered scales on the outside of the bulb and scrape off the old roots, then carve. When carving, first observe the growth tendency of the buds and use the curved side as the carving surface, then use a small pointed knife to gently make a horizontal line from left to right on the bulb 2 cm from the basal plate, then make one vertical line on each of the left and right sides, and then peel off the scales within the range of the horizontal and vertical lines layer by layer. At the same time, dig out the scales between the buds until the leaves and pale yellow flower scapes are exposed; at this point the leaves can be curled. Next, carry out shaping treatment on the flower scapes: use a small knife to scrape a line from top to bottom above the flower scape and below the flower bud, or use a needle to prick the flower scape several times from top to bottom. The growth of the flower scape will then become abnormal and likewise bend toward the wound side. According to the requirements of different shapes, the degree and position of scraping also differ. Carved and shaped narcissus heads should be promptly put into water to soak, with the wounded surface facing down, in order to remove the mucus secreted from the wound, changing the water every day, and soaking for about 2 to 3 days. Once the mucus has been cleaned away, take it out and cover the basal plate (root plate) with absorbent cotton. Then place it with the carved surface facing up into a narcissus bowl, add water, and place it in a cool place for growing. Change the water once a day to keep the water clean. When the basal plate has grown to about 1 cm, place the narcissus bowl in a sunny place for growing. Remember that during the growing process the temperature must not exceed 20°C; change the water frequently, once a day; spray water frequently, 1 to 2 times a day; and provide frequent sunlight. In this way, the flowers cultivated will be luxuriant, fragrant, and graceful in form.;