What to Do When Tradescantia pallida Leaves Turn Yellow? Supplement Light, Increase Water and Fertilizer, Cut Rotten Roots and Replant

Tradescantia pallida, a plant with remarkable benefits, is not only beautiful but also purifies the air and beautifies the home, and it has good medicinal applications as well. Such a plant is naturally kept in many homes, but during cultivation, with just a little carelessness, it will show yellowing leaves. So, what should be done when Tradescantia pallida leaves turn yellow? Today the editor will help everyone solve this problem.

1. When Tradescantia pallida Leaves Turn Yellow, Find the Cause

As a beautiful potted plant, Tradescantia pallida is not difficult to grow, but there are many beginners who do not care for it systematically, and as a result problems arise. Below, regarding yellowing leaves in Tradescantia pallida, the editor has compiled 5 causes of yellowing leaves in Tradescantia pallida and their solutions. Let's continue reading.

2. Causes of Yellowing Leaves in Tradescantia pallida and Solutions

1. Sudden Environmental Change

There are actually many causes of yellowing leaves in Tradescantia pallida, but the first thing everyone should consider is the environmental problem. Nowadays, many flower lovers buy their Tradescantia pallida online, which can easily cause a large regional span, and the environment changes too much at once. Tradescantia pallida cannot adapt for a while, and yellowing leaf symptoms appear.

Solution: It is very simple. Ask the seller about the previous growing environment of the Tradescantia pallida, then change the environment at home until the Tradescantia pallida fully adapts. After normal care for a period of time, the leaves of the Tradescantia pallida will recover.

2. Insufficient Light

Tradescantia pallida loves light. Except for needing appropriate shading at noon in summer, it needs sufficient light at all other times. If Tradescantia pallida is placed in a dark place for a long time, causing insufficient light, it is easy to cause the leaves to turn yellow and dry up.

Solution: If it is lack of light, it is very simple, just supplement light. For this, the editor suggests that flower lovers can move the potted Tradescantia pallida to a place with sufficient light, such as a balcony or a sunny windowsill.

3. Too Little Fertilizer

The growth of Tradescantia pallida cannot be separated from sufficient nutrients. Once too little fertilizer is applied, causing the plant to lack nutrients, it will also cause the leaves of Tradescantia pallida to turn yellow.

Solution: Flower lovers can supplement fertilizer in time, but of course the amount must be controlled well, because too much fertilizer will also cause the leaves to turn yellow. For this, the editor suggests that flower lovers can apply organic fertilizer to Tradescantia pallida 1-2 times a month, such as soybean cake or oil cake fertilizer water.

4. Lack of Water

Tradescantia pallida likes a humid environment. If watering is insufficient, or if it is not watered thoroughly for a long time, the plant will turn yellow due to lack of water.

Solution: If the yellowing leaves of Tradescantia pallida are caused by lack of water, flower lovers can replenish water in time, and can also spray around the potted Tradescantia pallida with a sprayer. However, do not water too much, otherwise it will have the opposite effect. In general, follow the principle of "do not water if not dry, water thoroughly when watering."

4. Rotten Roots

① Although Tradescantia pallida likes a humid environment, it cannot be watered too much, because when there is too much water, it is easy to cause water accumulation in the pot, thereby rotting the root system; ② If the roots of Tradescantia pallida are too long, they are also easy to rot. And when there is a problem with the roots, they cannot absorb nutrients normally, and over time, the leaves of Tradescantia pallida will naturally turn yellow.

Solution: If the yellowing leaves of Tradescantia pallida are caused by root rot, flower lovers should promptly cut off the rotten roots, then disinfect them and replace the soil for replanting.

Overall, although Tradescantia pallida is easy to grow, if you are not attentive, it will still have problems. But after reading the whole article, I believe everyone has a better idea now. When yellowing leaves appear, just solve it according to the methods above. Regarding yellowing leaves in Tradescantia pallida, the editor will introduce it here, hoping to bring help to everyone. Finally, may everyone's Tradescantia pallida bloom beautiful flowers~

Complete Flower Planting Manual

Flower Planting Manual

Key Points for Spring Flower Planting

Flower Planting Manual (February Edition)

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

   1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February include: Calendula officinalis, Cyclamen persicum, dwarf sunflower, Asparagus setaceus, Sinningia speciosa, tuberous begonia, Carthamus tinctorius, Centaurea cyanus, Gaillardia, Helichrysum bracteatum, Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, peacock chrysanthemum, Petunia, Eschscholzia californica, Phlox, Calceolaria, Schizanthus, Antirrhinum majus, Tropaeolum majus, Viola tricolor, etc. Those that can be sown outdoors in the open field at the end of February include: seeds of Magnolia, Michelia, Photinia, Acer, and Malus (Rosaceae) that have been sand-stored and have already cracked and shown white, as well as Cinnamomum camphora, Liriodendron chinense, Ligustrum lucidum, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha, Trachycarpus fortunei, Koelreuteria paniculata, Sapindus mukorossi, Aesculus chinensis, Syringa, etc.; seeds of Chimonanthus praecox, Calycanthus chinensis, Wisteria sinensis, etc. should be soaked for 24 to 48 hours, and sown after the seeds have absorbed enough water. Tuberose bulbs and Hippeastrum bulbs can also be potted in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by cuttings in the open field in February or by cuttings with plastic film mulch for moisture retention include: Prunus mume (after flowering, cut one-year-old branches of cultivars such as Gongfen and Lü'e), Nandina domestica, Hibiscus mutabilis (southern regions), Lagerstroemia indica, Daphne odora (southern regions), Edgeworthia chrysantha, Punica granatum, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum nudiflorum, Jasminum officinale, Serissa japonica, Hibiscus syriacus, Hypericum monogynum, Spiraea, Mahonia, Buxus, Lespedeza, etc. Sand-stored branches of Syringa and Campsis grandiflora can also be cut at this time. In early February, branches of Weigela florida, Deutzia scabra, Hydrangea macrophylla, Tamarix chinensis, Platanus orientalis, Vitis vinifera, Ficus carica, etc. can also continue to be cut and stored for cuttings at the end of March.

    Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by cuttings indoors in February include: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Saintpaulia ionantha (leaf cuttings), Begonia maculata, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Salvia splendens, Pelargonium hortorum, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Crassula ovata, Crassula portulacea, Echeveria glauca, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Pilea cadierei, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Begonia elatior, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Schefflera octophylla, Aglaonema modestum, Cordyline fruticosa, etc.

   3. Grafting. Indoors, use one-year-old robust Pinus thunbergii seedlings as rootstock to graft Pinus parviflora, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Pinus bungeana, etc., then plant them in the ground and cover with plastic film for heat and moisture retention. Use one-year-old seedlings of apricot or wild peach as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate Prunus cerasifera f. atropurpurea, Prunus mume, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Dianzui', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea', etc. In areas south of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on Chimonanthus praecox branches grow to the size of wheat grains, use Chimonanthus praecox seedlings with a diameter of about 0.8 to 1.2 cm as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate excellent cultivars of Chimonanthus praecox such as 'Suxin', 'Xinkou', and 'Huti'. Using bagging and air inflation for moisture retention, the survival rate is relatively high. Use robust branches of the rose cultivar 'Elizabeth' as rootstock scions, and use cut grafting or cleft grafting for scions of excellent rose cultivars. Adopt the measures of grafting first, then cuttings, then covering with plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection, which can greatly improve the grafting survival rate.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in February include: Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans, Magnolia liliflora, Gardenia jasminoides, Weigela florida, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, Viburnum macrocephalum, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Hypericum monogynum, Hydrangea macrophylla, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Michelia, etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: Iris tectorum, Belamcanda chinensis, Zephyranthes candida, Ophiopogon japonicus, Liriope platyphylla, Liriope spicata 'Variegata', Reineckea carnea, Rohdea japonica, Dicentra spectabilis, Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, Oxalis, Bromeliaceae, Tradescantia spathacea, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Chlorophytum, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Canna indica, Maranta arundinacea, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium podophyllum, Strelitzia reginae, Clivia miniata, Aloe vera, etc. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: Nandina domestica, Hibiscus mutabilis, Hypericum monogynum, Mahonia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Chaenomeles speciosa, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Caragana sinica, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Damnacanthus indicus, Magnolia liliflora, Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens', Bambusa multiplex, Sasa fortunei, etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. In February, seeds of Nandina domestica, Ilex, Ardisia crenata, Solanum pseudocapsicum, etc. can be picked. After treatment, carry out sand storage to promote germination, and sowing can be carried out only after the seeds crack and show white. For Clivia miniata plants blooming in the greenhouse, artificial supplementary pollination can be given in order to obtain Clivia miniata seeds with better genetic quality.

    In February, pay attention to checking various flower and tree seeds stored in sand to see whether there is seed mildew. If mildew occurs, clean them in time; if the seeds are found to be dry, appropriately supplement with spraying water to maintain a certain humidity in the sand and seeds; if a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, sow them in a relatively short time. Once the radicle extends too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle and affect the seedling emergence rate of the seeds. Large seeds stored in sand can be sown by dibbling, while small seeds can be sown in drills or rows. After sowing, pay attention to covering with grass or adding plastic film for moisture retention and cold protection.

    2. Transplanting and planting out. In February, the soil in southern regions does not freeze and the temperature is relatively high. Herbaceous flower species that can be transplanted and planted out include: Dianthus, Antirrhinum majus, Alcea rosea, Ilex crenata 'Variegata', Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, etc.

    In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can be planted out. Among the deciduous types are Hibiscus syriacus, Punica granatum, Cercis chinensis, Malus, Ginkgo biloba, Liquidambar formosana, Acer, Wisteria sinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume (before sprouting and leafing out), Magnolia, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus cerasifera f. atropurpurea, Prunus serrulata, Chaenomeles sinensis, Campsis grandiflora, Tilia, Liriodendron chinense, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Sapium sebiferum, Spiraea, Lespedeza, Deutzia scabra, Sophora japonica, Sophora japonica var. pendula, Prunus japonica, Prunus triloba, Hypericum monogynum, Salix babylonica, Salix babylonica 'Aurea', Hibiscus mutabilis, Cotinus coggygria, Diospyros kaki, Prunus armeniaca, etc.; evergreen tree species such as Michelia, Cinnamomum camphora, Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Ligustrum sinense, Machilus pingii, Phoebe sheareri, etc. can be delayed until the end of February to early March for planting; Osmanthus fragrans, Ligustrum lucidum, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Platycladus orientalis, Pinus thunbergii, etc. should be given moderate pruning when planted.

    1. Cold protection. The weather in February is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (or in-tunnel) maintenance, potted ornamental plants have consumed relatively large amounts of nutrients in their bodies, and the resistance of the plants has greatly decreased. Continue to carefully do a good job of moisture retention and cold protection. If there are heating facilities in the greenhouse or plastic tunnel, continue to provide heating, and prevent harmful gases or smoke from entering the tunnel or greenhouse; if straw curtains are hung on the top or around the tunnel, continue to hang the straw curtains; when encountering sudden temperature drops after snow, even more caution is needed.

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

For cold-sensitive flowers kept in small quantities at home, such as Aglaia odorata, Phalaenopsis, Calathea makoyana, Syngonium podophyllum, Begonia masoniana, Codiaeum variegatum, and Dieffenbachia, in particularly cold weather, you can add a plastic bag over them at night, or place them in the bathroom and turn on a heating appliance such as a "bath heater" to raise the temperature and ensure they can overwinter safely.

    2. Watering. Due to the relatively low temperature in February, for most potted flowers, it is enough to keep the potting soil moist so they can overwinter safely, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so water demand is low. Once water accumulates in the potting soil, it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death. For relatively dry indoor environments, frequently spray water and mist on the leaves of the plants to increase the air humidity of the local environment. If the indoor air is excessively dry, in mild cases the leaves will lose green color, and flower buds will stop growing; in severe cases the leaves will dry, shrink, and wrinkle, and flower buds will shrivel and fall off. For example, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron, Prunus mume, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Fortunella margarita, Solanum pseudocapsicum, etc. may all show bud drop, fruit drop, and even death. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should be basically consistent with the indoor or in-tunnel air temperature and soil temperature.

[page]    For those potted plant species placed indoors that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as Pericallis hybrida, Primula malacoides, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron 'Belgian Indica', Calendula officinalis, etc., and fruit-viewing plants such as Pyracantha, Nandina domestica, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus limon, Ardisia crenata, Citrus microcarpa, Solanum pseudocapsicum, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves, flower buds, and fruits must also be sprayed with water. Only in this way can the leaves be emerald green, the flower buds rapidly enlarge, and the fruits be brightly colored. Especially for Paeonia suffruticosa, Prunus mume, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, etc. placed in plastic tunnels for forcing, the branches must also be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day to accelerate the enlargement of their flower buds so that they can bloom as scheduled. For purchased Cymbidium hybridum cultivated in greenhouses or plastic tunnels, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse or plastic tunnel differ greatly from those in the home, if their leaves are not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often appear shriveled and withered. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese white pine bonsai, etc., their potting soil must be kept moist, and the plants should be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day; otherwise the plants may very likely die.

    Although most potted flowers do not need much water in February, inspection should be strengthened. Especially during several consecutive days of continuously rising temperatures, supplementary watering and spraying should be strengthened in time.

   In February, for greening trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, supplementary watering should be done in time. Especially for those evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, appropriate leaf spraying should also be given around noon on sunny days to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking, and falling off afterward, which would affect the recovery growth in spring.

    3. Fertilizing. In February, continue to bury base fertilizer for most greening trees and flowering shrubs planted in the ground. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken and pigeon manure, pond mud, septic tank cleanings, etc. Dig annular trenches around the outer perimeter of the plant root system, apply the fertilizer, and then cover with soil, so as to meet the needs of plant growth and flowering and fruiting in spring and summer.

   In February, for potted flowers placed in greenhouses (plastic tunnels) at 10°C to 15°C, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Pericallis hybrida, Primula malacoides, Cyclamen persicum, Rhododendron 'Belgian Indica', Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Daphne odora, Prunus mume, Narcissus, Hyacinthus orientalis, Tulipa, Schlumbergera truncata, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Aechmea, Tillandsia, Guzmania, Clivia miniata, etc., continue to apply low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate to benefit plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowers and trees, foliage plants, and tree stump bonsai placed in plastic tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, because they are still in a dormant state, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death.

    4. Pruning. In February, for Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum nudiflorum, etc. planted in the ground or in pots after flowering, heavy reduction pruning can be carried out. For flowered branches, retain only 2 to 3 buds at the base and cut off all the rest, to promote many new shoots in the current year and even denser branches and buds the following year. In addition, water sprouts, dead branches, and misshapen branches should also be pruned at the same time. For tree stump bonsai types that are mainly pruned, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Ficus microcarpa, Acer buergerianum, Ehretia microphylla, Xylosma racemosum, Fraxinus hupehensis, Adina rubella, Elaeagnus pungens, Ilex cornuta, Ilex, Serissa japonica, Juniperus formosana, Juniperus rigida, etc., continue pruning; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repot them while pruning.

    5. Repotting. From the end of February to early March is a favorable time for repotting most potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best done when the plant's winter dormancy is about to end, the root system is resuming growth, and the leaf buds have not yet sprouted. Flower species that can be repotted at the end of February include: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pelargonium hortorum, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Brunfelsia acuminata, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Monstera deliciosa, Ficus elastica, Fuchsia hybrida, Begonia maculata, Begonia cucullata, Begonia rex, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cycas revoluta, Clivia miniata, Haworthia, Aloe vera, Schlumbergera truncata, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Sedum, Crassula ovata, Crassula portulacea, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Hippeastrum, Asparagus setaceus, Chlorophytum, Araucaria cunninghamii, Schefflera octophylla, Rohdea japonica, Strelitzia reginae, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Cyrtanthera carnea, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Hydrangea macrophylla, Nandina domestica, Codiaeum variegatum, Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta arundinacea, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Fortunella margarita, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, etc.

    6. Pest and disease control. For powdery mildew appearing on the leaves of potted Pericallis hybrida in greenhouses, and gray mold appearing on the leaves of Primula malacoides, etc., at the early stage of disease, choose 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1500 times liquid and spray once every 10 days, 2 to 3 times in succession.

For gray mold appearing on the leaves and corollas of potted Cyclamen persicum in plastic tunnels, spray with 50% iprodione wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times liquid.

For potted Rhododendron 'Belgian Indica' in plastic tunnels, stop foliar spraying of foliar fertilizers such as "Duoxiaohao", because at this time the temperature is low and the humidity in the tunnel is high, so foliar fertilizer is difficult for the plant to absorb and instead easily breeds mold on the leaf surface, and in severe cases forms unsightly diseased spots.

For aphids, scale insects, ants, and sooty mold appearing on potted flowers in greenhouses (such as Citrus aurantium 'Daidai' and Fortunella margarita), when there are few insects, they can be brushed off with a brush; when there are many insects, spray with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times. After aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, sooty mold will also be eliminated accordingly.

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

Continue to clean up dead branches and fallen leaves under flowers and trees, and insect branches and diseased leaves on potted flowers, and burn them centrally, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year.

    7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, soybean cake, etc. into a water pool or water vat, add clean water, and carry out sealed fermentation, so that it can be diluted during the growing season and used to water potted flowers. Or pile and ferment cake fertilizer, etc., spread it out to dry after about 2 months, and after fully drying, package it well in plastic bags. The thoroughly composted and sun-dried cake fertilizer in granular powder form can be spread in flowerpots as topdressing. For Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Cymbidium hybridum, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower types, it is more convenient than applying liquid cake fertilizer. Especially when growing flowers on a balcony, it is both convenient and hygienic, and can also reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases. In addition, it can also be used for preparing culture soil.

    8. Turning and freezing soil. In early February, continue to turn and dig garden land that has not yet been fully plowed. After overwintering and freezing, when spring returns and the weather warms, then dig ditches and make beds for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees.

    Plant species that can be trained and shaped by wiring in February include Sabina chinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, Juniperus formosana, Platycladus orientalis, Sabina chinensis 'Procumbens', Ginkgo biloba, Serissa japonica, Sabina procumbens, Pinus parviflora, Pinus hwangshanensis, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Adina rubella, Caragana sinica, Prunus mume 'Xiaojinqian', Corylopsis sinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, Lagerstroemia indica, Ficus microcarpa, Ulmus parvifolia, Acer buergerianum, etc.

Continue to rewire and adjust plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago. If the plant is found to have sunken binding constriction marks, first remove the metal wire or non-metal wire, and replace it with new binding material for wiring and fixation.

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

Flower Planting Manual (March Edition)

(1) Flower Species Suitable for Courtyard Planting

    1. Ground-planted flower species

If the front of your courtyard is open and spacious, with good light and ventilation conditions, or the distance from the row of buildings in front is greater than 30 m, and the soil has been improved to a certain extent, then you can plant some flower species that are relatively sun-loving and have higher requirements for the growing environment. Ground-planted flowers and trees such as: Magnolia denudata, Ginkgo biloba, Osmanthus fragrans, Magnolia liliflora, Michelia, Magnolia soulangeana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Malus micromalus, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, Viburnum macrocephalum, Diospyros kaki, Hibiscus mutabilis, Liriodendron chinense, Prunus mume, Rosa chinensis, Ficus carica, Camellia japonica, Lagerstroemia indica, Paeonia suffruticosa, Punica granatum, Wisteria sinensis, Prunus serrulata, Vitis vinifera, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Nandina domestica, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Cercis chinensis, Hibiscus syriacus, Phoenix canariensis, etc. If your courtyard is relatively shady and humid, then choose some flower and tree species suited to shady and humid conditions, such as Trachycarpus fortunei, Photinia, Aucuba japonica, Ligustrum sinense, Ligustrum lucidum, Mahonia bealei, Magnolia grandiflora, Cinnamomum camphora, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Fatsia japonica, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Cedrus deodara, Chimonanthus praecox, Musa basjoo, Bambusa multiplex, etc. Regardless of the light, dryness, and moisture in your courtyard, when choosing ground-planted flowers and trees, pay attention to the following points: first, the minimum temperature the flowers and trees can tolerate should not be lower than the local minimum temperature, to avoid freezing damage; second, they should adapt to the local soil and moisture conditions, to avoid incompatibility; third, they should have fewer pests and diseases, a relatively long flowering and fruiting period, fragrance, and auspicious flower names; fourth, the number of flowers and trees should not be too many. A small courtyard can have 1 to 2 plants, while a large courtyard can plant several more; fifth, the height of adult large trees should not exceed the windows and balconies of the second floor, so as not to hinder the lighting of upstairs residents and affect neighborly relations; sixth, avoid planting flower and tree species that may cause human allergies or contain toxic substances; seventh, choose relatively slow-growing but already basically formed large-specification plants, which can achieve the effect of greening and beautification earlier, such as Ginkgo biloba, Abies firma, Osmanthus fragrans, Prunus mume, Podocarpus macrophyllus, etc., whose height should not be less than 2 m; eighth, leave some vacant land for planting herbaceous flowers and placing potted ornamental plants.

There are many species of herbaceous flowers and groundcover plants suitable for ground planting. Sun-loving and light-loving ones include Dianthus, Antirrhinum majus, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Viola tricolor, Salvia splendens, Celosia argentea, Gomphrena globosa, Sedum spectabile, Tagetes erecta, Alcea rosea, Impatiens balsamina, Lupinus, Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, Papaver rhoeas, Zephyranthes candida, Dahlia pinnata, etc. Relatively shade-tolerant herbaceous flowers and groundcover plant species include: Ophiopogon japonicus, Liriope platyphylla, Reineckea carnea, Hosta plantaginea, Hosta ventricosa, Lycoris radiata, Rohdea japonica, Tradescantia spathacea, Aspidistra elatior, Iris tectorum, Acorus calamus, Saxifraga stolonifera, etc.

    2. Potted flower species

There are many flower species suitable for potting in home courtyards. Under relatively good conditions, you can choose to plant some flower species requiring more meticulous management, such as Prunus mume, Aglaia odorata, Camellia japonica, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Chimonanthus praecox, Rhododendron 'Belgian Indica', Araucaria cunninghamii, Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica, Roystonea regia, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, Ardisia crenata, Bromeliaceae, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Fagraea ceilanica (commonly known as African jasmine), Cinnamomum (commonly known as peace tree), Zantedeschia aethiopica, Primula malacoides, Cymbidium hybridum, Anthurium andraeanum, Cymbidium ensifolium, Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium sinense, Cyclamen persicum, Oncidium, Vanda, Begonia elatior, tuberous begonia, Strelitzia reginae, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Clivia miniata, Epipremnum aureum, Fittonia, Codiaeum variegatum, Syngonium podophyllum 'Little Angel', Syngonium podophyllum, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Citrus limon, Tulipa, Hyacinthus orientalis, Calceolaria, Caryota mitis, Dypsis lutescens, Mascarena lagenicaulis, etc. For courtyards with relatively poor conditions, you can grow some types requiring relatively extensive management, such as Nandina domestica, Cycas revoluta, Rhapis excelsa, Chrysanthemum, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Hippeastrum, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Caragana sinica, Serissa japonica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans 'Semperflorens', Cactaceae, Asparagus setaceus, Ficus elastica, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Monstera deliciosa, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Schefflera octophylla, Pilea cadierei, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Pyracantha, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron pulchrum, Ficus microcarpa, etc.

(2) Propagation of Courtyard Flowers

    1. Sowing. Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, Calycanthus chinensis, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Liriodendron chinense. The latter five all need their seeds soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, and sown after the seeds have absorbed water thoroughly. Flower and tree species that can be sown and raised after sand storage and germination promotion include: Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Podocarpus nagi, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Livistona chinensis, Magnolia liliflora, Michelia, Osmanthus fragrans, Aesculus chinensis, Nandina domestica, Ilex, Punica granatum, Viburnum macrocephalum f. keteleeri, etc. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: Impatiens balsamina, Tagetes erecta, Gomphrena globosa, Zinnia elegans, Salvia splendens, Celosia argentea, Capsicum annuum, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Primula obconica, Malva, Mirabilis jalapa, Strelitzia reginae, Clivia miniata, Asparagus setaceus, etc. Some cold-intolerant species should be sown under plastic tunnel cover.

    2. Cuttings. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cuttings in March include: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pelargonium hortorum, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Portulacaria afra, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Echeveria glauca, Hydrangea macrophylla, Nandina domestica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Salix leucopithecia, Hypericum monogynum, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Punica granatum, Ficus carica, Fatsia japonica, Gardenia jasminoides, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum nudiflorum, Sabina chinensis, Daphne odora, Pyracantha fortuneana, etc. Cold-sensitive flowers should be cut indoors or in tunnels.

    3. Grafting. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old Pinus thunbergii seedlings as rootstock, side grafting to propagate Pinus parviflora, Pinus parviflora 'Osaka', Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', etc.; using 1- to 2-year-old Magnolia denudata or Magnolia liliflora seedlings as rootstock, cut grafting to propagate Michelia and Magnolia soulangeana, etc.; using 1-year-old peach or apricot seedlings as rootstock, cut grafting to propagate Prunus mume, Prunus persica 'Dianzui', Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea', etc.; using finger-thick seedling Chimonanthus praecox as rootstock, when its leaf buds grow to the size of wheat grains, select scions from excellent cultivars of Chimonanthus praecox for cut grafting and give bagging for moisture retention, resulting in a relatively high survival rate; using Hylocereus undatus as rootstock, grafting to propagate Schlumbergera truncata and various cactus ball types, preferably in plastic tunnels. In addition, Camellia japonica, Prunus serrulata, Osmanthus fragrans, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', etc. can also be propagated by grafting in March.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis, Michelia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Viburnum macrocephalum, Gardenia jasminoides, Osmanthus fragrans, Magnolia liliflora, etc.

    5. Division. Flower species that can be propagated by division in March include: Orchidaceae, Dicentra spectabilis, Aspidistra elatior, Asparagus setaceus, Cycas revoluta, Nandina domestica, Mahonia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Sansevieria trifasciata, Oxalis triangularis, Canna generalis, Alpinia zerumbet, Dahlia pinnata, Strelitzia reginae, etc.

(3) Management of Courtyard Flowers

    1. Management of ground-planted courtyard flowers and trees

(1) Transplanting. March is the best time for transplanting and planting out ground-planted flowers and trees. Among them, Prunus mume, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Liriodendron chinense, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', etc. should be transplanted before the plants sprout and leaf out as much as possible; evergreen flowers and trees should have their branches and leaves pruned somewhat during transplanting to reduce transpiration and improve the survival rate; for Chimonanthus praecox, Lagerstroemia indica, Cercis chinensis, Hibiscus syriacus, Aesculus chinensis, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Prunus cerasifera f. atropurpurea, Prunus serrulata, etc., even transplanting after sprouting is fine, but appropriate pruning should still be done. Whether evergreen trees or deciduous trees, when transplanting, bring a good and sufficient soil ball. Generally, the diameter of the soil ball should be greater than 6 times the diameter of the trunk.

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

[page]    (3) Pruning. For plants that have not yet been pruned, especially Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum nudiflorum, etc. after flowering, in addition to pruning dead branches, pest- and disease-infected branches, and excessive flowering branches, one-year-old branches can be cut off at 2 to 3 cm from the base, retaining only 2 to 3 buds. Through heavy reduction pruning, they will sprout more new branches in spring and form more flower buds in summer and autumn, which is beneficial for flowering the following year. For Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, etc., after flowering, prune off branches that damage the plant shape, and at the same time prune off some weak branches and crossing branches in the inner canopy. For Punica granatum, Hibiscus syriacus, Osmanthus fragrans, etc. that form flower buds and bloom on new branches produced in the current year, pruning can be done in March to adjust the plant shape and improve the ventilation and light conditions of the plant.

(4) Pest and disease control. For branches and leaves on plants that have already been infected by pests or diseases, promptly cut them off and destroy them, which can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in the current year; for some flowers and trees susceptible to pests and diseases, such as Rosa chinensis, Chaenomeles sinensis, Chaenomeles speciosa, Vitis vinifera, Malus halliana, etc., spraying Bordeaux mixture promptly after leaf expansion can prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew and rust, etc.

    2. Management of ground-planted courtyard herbaceous flowers

Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted and planted out in March include: Dianthus, Antirrhinum majus, Calendula officinalis, Bellis perennis, Alcea rosea, Malva, Liriope spicata 'Variegata', Zephyranthes candida, Zephyranthes grandiflora, Iris tectorum, Reineckea carnea, Ophiopogon japonicus, Ophiopogon japonicus, Oxalis corymbosa, etc. For herbaceous flowers transplanted before February, or herbaceous flowers transplanted before the new year, if the plants have resumed growth, such as Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Viola tricolor, etc., first hoe weeds and loosen the soil, then apply low-concentration liquid fertilizer, such as thoroughly composted odorless cake fertilizer water, 0.5% urea solution, or other quick-acting compound fertilizer solution.

    3. Management of courtyard potted flowers and trees

(1) Repotting. For potted Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles speciosa, Pyracantha, Pinus parviflora, Nandina domestica, Ulmus parvifolia, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma racemosum, Fraxinus hupehensis, etc. placed in the open, repot before they sprout and leaf out, replacing the soil with loose, fertile, fresh culture soil rich in organic matter, to lay a good foundation for spring and summer growth. For Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, Rosa chinensis, Jasminum sambac, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Strelitzia reginae, Cycas revoluta, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Camellia sasanqua, Camellia japonica, Rhododendron 'Belgian Indica', Ardisia crenata, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus limon, Monstera deliciosa, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Clivia miniata, Syngonium podophyllum 'Little Angel', Syngonium podophyllum, Maranta arundinacea, etc. placed indoors, they should be repotted before being moved out.

(2) Hardening. In areas north of the Yangtze River basin, most potted flowers are still under indoor maintenance in March, and equal importance must be given to both cold protection and ventilation. Because the weather this month is unstable and cold waves occasionally move south, in the first and middle ten days of March it is still necessary to continue cold protection and heat preservation work. In the last ten days of March, you can open the doors and windows of the room during the day for ventilation and close them at night, so that Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Monstera deliciosa, Syngonium podophyllum 'Little Angel', Ficus elastica, Araucaria cunninghamii, etc. can gradually undergo hardening and adapt to the outdoor environment, avoiding premature sprouting that would affect growth and normal flowering in the current year. For potted flowers north of the Yellow River, cold protection and heat preservation work still needs to continue this month, and must not be treated lightly.

(3) Pruning. For indoor Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Fuchsia hybrida, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Michelia alba, Cycas revoluta, Ficus elastica, Caryota mitis, Dypsis lutescens, Codiaeum variegatum, Asparagus setaceus, and Begonia, carry out necessary pruning in conjunction with repotting, including cutting off pest- and disease-infected branches, dead branches, misshapen branches, weak branches, and some yellowed leaves. For Acer buergerianum, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis 'Procumbens', Pinus hwangshanensis, Pinus thunbergii, Ulmus parvifolia, Fraxinus hupehensis, Xylosma racemosum, Syzygium buxifolium, etc., which are mainly appreciated for their tree stumps, wiring and pruning can also be carried out in March before sprouting to further improve their shapes. For Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Rosa chinensis, Prunus persica 'Duplex', Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, etc., heavy reduction pruning can be carried out after flowering and before sprouting.

(4) Flower Species Suitable for Balcony Planting

It is impossible for every urban household to have a small courtyard, nor is it possible for everyone to live on the first floor with a better small environment for growing flowers. More often, people grow some ornamental plants with stronger resistance on balconies to decorate the interior, improve the living environment, and create for themselves an atmosphere of returning to nature.

Ornamental plants suitable for balcony planting include one category of relatively drought-tolerant plant species. Their surface or cuticle is thickened, or they are covered with wax, or the plant body is fleshy and thick with more sap, or the leaves are relatively small and transformed into needle-like shapes with very little transpiration water loss, or they originate from arid desert regions and can withstand wind and heat, and therefore are very drought-tolerant, such as Cycas revoluta, Cactaceae (Opuntia microdasys, Cereus peruvianus 'Monstrosus', Crassula lycopodioides, Echinocactus grusonii, Carnegiea gigantea, Astrophytum asterias, Aporocactus flagelliformis, Euphorbia tirucalli), Portulacaria afra, Crassula ovata, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Echeveria glauca, Lithops, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Epiphyllum ackermannii, Pereskia, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, etc. There are also Chimonanthus praecox, Jasminum nudiflorum, Lycoris radiata, Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema modestum, Chlorophytum, etc. These flowers generally will not die if not watered for 2 to 3 weeks in spring, and are relatively suitable for balcony planting. There is also another category of flower species that is relatively tolerant of direct sunlight and dry hot winds, can accept full light, and can resist short periods of unusually high temperatures, and is also suitable for balcony pot planting (especially on high-floor balconies), such as Punica granatum, Rosa chinensis, Ficus microcarpa, Yucca, Ligustrum quihoui, Agave americana, Hippeastrum, Sageretia thea, Xylosma racemosum, Ulmus parvifolia, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Pinus thunbergii, Juniperus formosana, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis 'Kaizuca', Ilex cornuta, Ilex, Vitex negundo, Euonymus oxyphyllus, Prunus persica 'Dianzui', Portulaca grandiflora, etc. In addition, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Pinus parviflora, Aglaia odorata, Aspidistra elatior, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium 'Daidai', Citrus limon, Ficus elastica, Monstera deliciosa, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum, Camellia japonica, Schefflera octophylla, Araucaria cunninghamii, etc. can also be used as slightly lower-layer balcony pot plants, but water management and shading management should be strengthened.

(1) Propagation of Balcony Potted Flowers

Herbaceous flowers suitable for balcony potting, such as Salvia splendens, Capsicum annuum, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Tagetes erecta, Impatiens balsamina, Petunia, etc., can be sown and raised in shallow pots at this time.

If a small amount of Asparagus setaceus or Clivia miniata seeds is collected, after washing them clean, they can first be sown indoors, and when the outdoor temperature reaches about 15°C, move them to an outdoor balcony for cultivation.

Succulent plants such as Epiphyllum ackermannii, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Crassula ovata, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Echeveria glauca, Portulacaria afra, Euphorbia tirucalli, Crassula lycopodioides, etc. can be cut indoors at this time using plain sand or clean sandy loam, and moved to the balcony after spring returns and the weather warms.

Use a large flowerpot filled with loose sandy loam, or vermiculite, perlite, etc. as cutting substrate, and propagate by cuttings at a relatively bright place beside an indoor windowsill Gardenia jasminoides, Fuchsia hybrida, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Punica granatum 'Nana', Chaenomeles speciosa, Nandina domestica, Daphne odora, Ardisia crenata, etc., but the pot mouth should be covered well with plastic film for moisture retention.

On the balcony, when grafting Pinus parviflora, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Prunus mume, Prunus persica 'Dianzui', Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Chimonanthus praecox, etc., bagging for moisture retention must be carried out, otherwise it is not easy to survive.

(2) Management of Balcony Potted Flowers

    1. Cold protection. Most ornamental plant species suitable for balcony potting are still indoors in March. While taking measures such as heat preservation, cold protection, ventilation, and light exposure, plants that need repotting should be repotted in time. For relatively resistant flowers and trees placed on the balcony, keep the potting soil from freezing. If the potting soil freezes, it can easily cause frost heaving of potted flowers and trees, which will not only affect the normal growth of the plants in the current year but, in severe cases, cause plant death. Measures can be taken such as building temporary shelters on site or moving them indoors or into tunnels for cold protection.

    2. Pruning. For tree stumps such as Chimonanthus praecox, Ilex cornuta, Ilex, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Acer buergerianum, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Ligustrum quihoui, etc., pruning and shaping can be carried out. Trunks and branches that need shaping can be wired and shaped in March. For plants that have not been repotted for 2 to 3 years, change the soil; for bonsai placed on the balcony, keep the potting soil moist as the standard, water once every 3 to 5 days, and give appropriate spraying. For Prunus mume, Jasminum nudiflorum, Forsythia viridissima, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus persica 'Dianzui', Camellia japonica, etc., necessary shaping and pruning can be carried out after flowering to promote the maintenance of a good plant shape. Carry out a comprehensive cleanup of the plants, cut off pest- and disease-infected branches and leaves, and destroy them; for dry and withered cut surfaces on tree stumps, apply lime sulfur mixture, etc. for anti-corrosion treatment.

    3. Preparatory facilities. If conditions permit, you can also build a small water pool on the balcony, support a hard board above it (prefabricated with cement and steel bars), and use the humidity produced by evaporation from the water pool. In summer, place some flowers that relatively prefer humid air on it, such as orchids, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron 'Green Giant', Syngonium podophyllum 'Little Angel', Ardisia crenata, Nandina domestica, etc. The stored water is relatively ideal for watering flowers.

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

    In March, you should also prepare the culture soil for repotting, and prepare enough various fertilizers and pesticides, etc., to meet the needs of balcony flower growing throughout the year.

Flower Planting Manual (April Edition)

Weather characteristics of April: As the force of cold air moving south from the north weakens, the warm and humid airflow in the south becomes stronger and stronger, and the temperature rises noticeably. After Qingming, although there is occasionally the influence of southward-moving cold air, it can no longer pose a threat to potted flowers in most areas south of the Huaihe River. Only in areas north of the Huaihe River and the Yellow River is there still the harm of snow and frost. After Guyu, the late frost has ended in areas south of the Huaihe and Yangtze Rivers, the minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and rainfall increases noticeably. Most potted flowers can be moved outdoors for maintenance; but in areas north of the Huaihe River, potted flowers can only be moved out after the late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, the flower tasks are as follows:

1. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include spider flower, four-o'clock, cockscomb, amaranthus tricolor, moss rose, dahlia, globe amaranth, scarlet sage, garden balsam, morning glory, cypress vine, cardinal creeper, flowering tobacco, petunia, China aster, coreopsis, Spanish needle, marigold, red-yellow chrysanthemum, zinnia, asparagus fern, fairy primrose, nasturtium, summer cypress, maple-leaved mallow, painted spurge, basil, asparagus, cosmos, sand root, sensitive plant, and so on. Magnolia family flowering trees and shrubs that can be sown in April after sand storage include: white magnolia, Huangshan magnolia, Baohua magnolia, southern magnolia, Tianmu magnolia, Wudang magnolia, officinal magnolia, (Magnolia officinalis var. biloba), Oyama magnolia, mountain magnolia, Michelia, mangrove, red-flowered manglietia, Ruyuan manglietia, big-fruited manglietia, yellow champaca, banana shrub, many-flowered Michelia, Lechang Michelia, Yunshan white orchid, golden-leaved Michelia, Emei Michelia, Chinese tulip tree, hybrid tulip tree, North American tulip tree, etc.; other ornamental trees and shrubs that can be sown in April

include: Japanese fir, golden larch, Norfolk Island pine, golden larch, crape myrtle, redbud, silk tree, Chinese yew, Japanese pittosporum, Chinese tallow tree, Huangshan goldenrain tree, soapberry, sweetgum, maples, handkerchief tree, wintersweet, summer sweet, snowy pearl bush, Chinese wolfberry, heavenly bamboo, coralberry, windmill palm, etc.

Ornamental plants that can be sown immediately after harvest in April include: African daisy, asparagus fern, primrose, winter cherry, Japanese fatsia, and nipplefruit. Among them, Japanese fatsia: at the end of April, pick the fruits that have turned black and become soft with a whitish bloom, rub and wash out the seeds, then sow them on a fertile seedbed; alternatively, first store the seeds in sand until they crack and show white, then sow, and cover with grass to retain moisture. Generally after two weeks, when about 70% of the seeds have germinated, promptly remove the grass cover and build a shade frame; for cultivating nipplefruit, peel off the skin of the harvested golden-yellow fruits, wash out the seeds, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, sow in fertile sandy soil, and after 10 days the seeds will germinate and emerge; when the seedlings have grown 6 to 8 true leaves and the plant height reaches 15 cm, they can be transplanted, either potted for fruit viewing or planted in the ground as special cut flower material for cultivation.

   2. Grafting

Flowering trees and shrubs that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, dragon-claw pagoda tree, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-flowered black locust, as well as cactus and Christmas cactus, etc.

    3. Division

Greenhouse foliage plants that can be propagated by division in April include: peace lily, snake plant, cast-iron plant, ferns, lady palm, spider plant, agave, silver-king dumb cane, dumb cane, Guangdong dumb cane, maranta, aloe, peperomia, Swiss cheese plant, bird's nest fern, etc. Flowering plants that can be divided in April include: daylily, five-colored plum, hibiscus, daylily, purple aster, cattail, coreopsis, black-eyed Susan, aster, chrysanthemum, water lily, chrysanthemum, etc.; flowering shrubs that can be divided in April include: large-flowered chrysanthemum, flower-leaf chrysanthemum, beautyberry, etc.; also: chrysanthemum, etc. In addition, water lily and water lily can also be divided at this time.

    4. Cuttage

For most easy-to-root flowering trees and shrubs, as long as their leaf buds have not yet sprouted, they can be propagated by cuttage in April. The main types include: boxwood, mahonia, heavenly bamboo, cypress, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, crape myrtle, redbud, firethorn, spirea, Chinese tulip tree, bridal wreath, paper bush, Japanese quince, etc.

II. Repotting and Transplanting

    1. For potted flowers that could not be repotted in March, as long as the new shoots are not too long, or if not too much old soil is removed and roots are not excessively trimmed during repotting, they can be repotted in April. However, it should be pointed out: for deciduous flowering trees and shrubs, if the new shoots are too long, especially for plum blossom, they must never be repotted after the leaves have unfolded.

    2. April is the best period for transplanting outdoor flowering trees and shrubs. Whether deciduous or evergreen, as long as their leaf buds have not yet unfolded or the new shoots are not long, they can be transplanted with a soil ball in April; for evergreen flowering trees and shrubs such as camphor tree, southern magnolia, banana shrub, and white orchid, a portion of branches and leaves must be pruned off to reduce the transpiration of the canopy; for deciduous flowering trees and shrubs, it is best to transplant before their leaves unfold, such as white magnolia, horse chestnut, linden, crabapple, wintersweet, red-leaf plum, ornamental peach, plum, apricot, etc.; generally, the diameter of the soil ball for transplanting should be no less than 6 times the diameter of the trunk of the transplanted plant, so that under the condition of not damaging the soil ball, the transplanted plant can be free from worries.

III. Bonsai Styling

April is one of the best periods for bonsai styling. The ornamental plants most suitable for beginners to practice styling are those with strong adaptability, whose branches and trunks can withstand repeated twisting and wiring by beginners without seriously affecting their normal growth, such as Buddhist pine, green cypress, snowbush, water poplar, true cypress, winged euonymus, crape myrtle, velvet cypress, Hinoki cypress, banyan, boxwood, Chinese elm, winter jasmine, paper bush, ginkgo, black pine, Chinese juniper, etc. Other types suitable for styling in April include wild hawthorn, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, ornamental peach, firethorn, red machilus, Chinese ash, trident maple, oak, galo wood, golden bullet, hall crabapple, Fujian tea, papaya, Elaeagnus, horned holly, golden larch, tiger thorn, etc.

As the bonsai plants begin vigorous growth, promptly use metal or non-metal wire to continuously wire, guide, and correct them, so that they can always maintain a good ornamental state. For the maintenance of five-needle pine bonsai, special attention should be paid to the following three aspects this month: first, timely bud removal; when the winter buds sprout and granular needle leaf primordia appear on them, remove 1/2 to 2/3 of the bud length to promote shorter and denser new shoots; second, remove female and male cones; when the needle bundle buds and male and female cones can be distinguished from the new shoots, promptly remove all female cones at the top of the new shoots and male cones at the base of the new shoots to reduce nutrient consumption during reproductive growth; third, control watering; from the beginning of new shoot elongation, strictly control watering, water only when dry, and replace watering with spraying, to ensure that the new needles are short and clustered, keeping the branches flat and good.

IV. Fertilization Management

    1. Fertilization

For potted camellia, sasanqua, wintersweet, rhododendron, winter jasmine, forsythia, Daphne, kumquat, bitter orange, winter cherry, Christmas cactus, spring orchid, Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Phaius, etc., because flowering or fruiting consumes a large amount of nutrients, when they resume growth after warm spring, apply nitrogen-based fertilizer, such as thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer liquid, to promote their growth; for potted flowers about to bloom such as Chinese rose, redbud, pomegranate, Jian orchid, hibiscus, white orchid, etc., also apply topdressing, which can be potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc., with a concentration of about 0.2%. For ground-planted white magnolia, purple magnolia, banana shrub, plum blossom, wintersweet, crabapple, etc., after flowering, topdressing should also be applied in time to meet their nutritional growth needs.

    2. Shaping and Maintenance

Money tree can be braided in April. Dig up the money tree seedlings that were sown or purchased, spread them in a cool place for 1 to 2 days to let them lose some water, then braid them into a braid using an odd number of 3, 5, or 7 trunks, press with a heavy object after braiding to fix the shape, then choose a suitable pot to plant; the money tree has extremely strong vitality, even if it is too late to process into a braid or plant, spreading them for 3 to 5 days will not affect their survival and subsequent normal growth.

    3. Adjust Plant Shape and Prevent Diseases

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

    4. Management of Fruit-viewing Potted Plants

For potted fruit-viewing flowering trees and shrubs that bloom in April, such as papaya, ginkgo, firethorn, Japanese aucuba, hall crabapple, etc., especially dioecious or cross-pollinated types, during the flowering period, attention should be paid to creating favorable conditions for pollination and fertilization, so that they can normally set fruit, and do not miss the good opportunity.

    5. Management of Cutting Seedbeds

For newly cut ornamental plants, before they have formed callus tissue, special attention should be paid to water spraying and misting management. Except for those with intermittent misting equipment, water (mist) must be sprayed 2 to 3 times a day, always keeping the cutting medium moist, creating the best environment for their callus formation and rooting.

Flower Planting Manual: Summer

Flower Planting Manual (May Edition)

Climate characteristics of May: temperatures continue to rise, rainfall gradually increases from south to north in China, and after each rainfall, the temperature rises noticeably. There are many continuous spring rain days. After the spring rain ends at Xiaoman, the weather turns muggy, marking the imminent entry into summer. Therefore, May, at the turn of spring and summer, is a key period for planting and caring for flowers, and it plays an important role in laying the foundation for the summer and autumn growth of potted flowers. May flower care from south to north mainly includes the following:

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing

Flowers and flowering trees and shrubs that can be sown immediately after harvest in May mainly include: fairy primrose, Japanese fatsia, leatherleaf mahonia, loquat, etc. May sowing and seedling raising should pay attention to the following three points: first, keep the sowing seedbed moist, neither waterlogged nor too dry; second, cover the sowing seedbed with grass to retain moisture, to prevent sudden changes in seedbed moisture and cause seeds to "return to bud"; third, after emergence, remove the grass cover in several batches, and build a shade frame in time to avoid burning the seedlings.

Osmanthus can be harvested at the end of May when the fruits are mature and blue-black. Mix with sand and rub off the flesh, rinse clean, then store in moist clean fine sand, and it can be stored until February of the following year. Only when the seeds crack and the radicle tip is exposed can they be sown in the ground. During storage, pay attention to preventing rodents from stealing them, and keep the sand moist.

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

    2. Cuttage

Flower types suitable for cuttage propagation in May include: scarlet sage (pink, purple, white), globe amaranth (white), marigold, Tagetes patula, dragon's mouth flower, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, begonia, sulfur cosmos, Chinese rose, rhododendron, dahlia, fuchsia, coral flower, poinsettia, geranium, bougainvillea, hibiscus, coral tree, nasturtium, white jasmine, jasmine, chloranthus, red mulberry, deutzia, hydrangea, kerria, pomegranate, hibiscus, butterfly bush, trumpet creeper, gardenia, epiphyllum, kylin leaf, orchid cactus, jade plant, jewel leaf plant, Oyama magnolia, lily magnolia, Japanese quince, umbrella plant, lantana, red-back croton, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, bleeding heart vine, Guangdong dumb cane, cordyline, pothos, schefflera, oleander, firethorn, mahonia, and Buddha belly bamboo with aerial roots, etc.

    3. Grafting

In May, use potted 1- to 2-year-old purple magnolia seedlings or cuttings to graft and propagate white orchid and banana shrub; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings for bud grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, and weeping maple; use vigorous 2- to 3-year-old hairy rhododendron cuttings to cleft graft and propagate Western rhododendron; use wild rose as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior varieties of Chinese rose; use yellow wormwood as rootstock to graft and propagate superior varieties of chrysanthemum; use 2-year-old seedling wintersweet as rootstock; tender branch grafting for superior wintersweet varieties, and potted rootstocks can also be used for grafting. In addition, cactus and three-ribbed arrow can be used as rootstocks for grafting and propagating Christmas cactus.

    4. Layering

Flowering trees and shrubs that can be propagated by air layering in May include: white orchid, rubber tree, Aglaia, Western rhododendron, camellia, croton, banana shrub, red maple, etc.; those that can be propagated by ground layering include: plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese rose, gardenia, Buddhist pine, osmanthus, trumpet creeper, etc.

II. Potting and Transplanting

    1. Potting

For potted flowers used for street decoration during National Day, most types must be potted and planted in May. After 3 to 4 months of careful maintenance, they can bloom on time by late September and early October, to create a joyful, enthusiastic, and colorful holiday atmosphere. The main types include: scarlet sage (pink, white, purple), globe amaranth (white), cockscomb, zinnia, sulfur cosmos, China aster, summer cypress, marigold, dragon's mouth flower, asparagus fern, Impatiens hawkeri, coleus, begonia, etc.

    2. Transplanting

At the end of April and beginning of May, when white magnolia flowers have faded and just before budding and leafing, transplanting has the highest survival rate. Some flowering trees and shrubs that sprout later and are easy to transplant can also be transplanted with soil balls in early May, such as crape myrtle, hibiscus, redbud, pomegranate, silk tree, etc.

III. Flower Management

    1. Watering

As temperatures continue to rise, the water demand of potted ornamental plants will gradually increase. In addition to combining root watering and foliar spraying, attention must also be paid to the quality of irrigation and spray water. It is best not to use tap water directly, especially not directly use tap water treated with bleaching powder. For this purpose, tap water can first be poured into a water pool or small tank, then an appropriate amount of acidifying substance can be added to increase the acidity of the water, such as ferrous sulfate, with a concentration of 0.1% to 0.2%. Potted flower types suitable for acidic water mainly include: camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, rhododendron, azalea, gardenia, Daphne, clivia, chrysanthemum, crabapple, red-flowered camellia, etc.; foliage types include: sago palm, bird's nest fern, Swiss cheese plant, lady palm, rubber tree, ferns, Buddhist pine, croton, red (green) gem, giant taro, green emperor, arrowhead plant, maranta, bromeliads, Brazil wood, money tree, schefflera, etc.; fruit-viewing types include: bitter orange, firethorn, kumquat, Buddha's hand, lemon, heavenly bamboo, winter cherry, coralberry, etc.

    2. Pruning and Bud Removal

(1) Pruning: For the shortening pruning of white orchid not long after leaving the greenhouse, special attention should be paid because its branch pith is loose, and the cut surface is prone to dehydration and drying, extending downward. For this reason, consider cutting 8 to 10 cm above the bud eye to be retained, and never cut too close to the bud eye. For potted Chinese rose pruning after flowering, moderately lower by 10 to 20 cm, so that the bud eyes in the middle of the branch can produce flower buds.

(2) Bud removal: For bud removal of potted wintersweet plants, also pay attention to the position of bud removal, generally 3 to 5 cm above the selected leaf bud; otherwise, the wound will dry and shrink, affecting the selected leaf bud downward. For Chinese rose potted in the current year, promptly remove the terminal bud to promote the formation of a good plant shape.

    3. Shading

After entering May, potted plants that prefer semi-shade or shade should be moved under a shade shed or under tree shade, such as: Swiss cheese plant, lady palm, maranta, bird's nest fern, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, pink taro, fan palm, arrowhead plant, orchid, rhododendron, bird of paradise, camellia, sasanqua, etc.; for light-loving flowering trees and shrubs, sufficient light must be given, such as wintersweet, sago palm, Chinese rose, firethorn, jasmine, white orchid, etc.; bonsai plants such as Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, trident maple, water poplar, oak, snowbush, black pine, soft pine, etc., require sufficient light; while Buddhist pine, tiger thorn, red machilus, green cypress, five-needle pine, etc., can be appropriately shaded.

    4. Fertilization

For camellia, rhododendron, sasanqua, plum blossom, Aglaia, jasmine, white orchid, gardenia, wintersweet, Chinese rose, Daphne, clivia, orchid, crabapple, etc.; after flowering, remove the remaining flowers and withered stems respectively, and apply compound fertilizer mainly nitrogen with phosphorus as supplement, once every half month, to restore their vegetative growth and lay a foundation for re-producing flower buds; for foliage-oriented types such as rubber tree, Swiss cheese plant, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, bird's nest fern, cast-iron plant, ferns, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month; for foliage plants with colored spots and patterns, such as golden-edged snake plant, colorful bromeliad, golden-hearted Brazil wood, croton, caladium, white butterfly arrowhead plant, pink taro, etc., apply 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution as foliar topdressing, which can make their leaf color appear more beautiful and bright.

    5. Pest and Disease Control

For Chinese rose, rose, and rugosa rose, etc., pay attention to controlling powdery mildew and brown spot, and promptly spray pesticides to kill leaf-eating pests that appear; for citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, leaf-eating pests that often appear on bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, Buddha's hand, lemon, rue, etc., spray pesticides early to kill them.

IV. Bonsai Styling

Ornamental bonsai plant types that can still be styled in May include: plum blossom, small-leaved gardenia, mountain gardenia, Buddhist pine, snowbush, green cypress, water poplar, galo wood, ginkgo, etc. It is worth noting that when styling, one must be careful and cautious, and try not to damage the bark and branches, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.

Flower Planting Manual (June Edition)

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

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing

    Flowering trees and shrubs that can be sown in June include: primrose, lotus seed, sago cycad, loquat, wintersweet, etc. For wintersweet, when the pot-shaped fruit capsule on the mother tree turns from green to yellow, then from yellow to brown, and the seeds inside are brown, they can be harvested; promptly peel open the fruit capsule, release the seeds, first soak in cold water for 24 to 36 hours, after the seeds absorb enough water and swell, bury them in clean wet sand to promote germination. After about 2 weeks, the seeds will crack and show white, and then sow in furrows; the covering soil thickness is generally 2 cm to 3 cm, cover with rice straw to retain moisture, and after most seeds' cotyledons emerge, remove the grass cover in 2 to 3 batches, and build a shade frame in time.

    2. Cuttage

In summer, with high temperature and high humidity, the cambium in the branches of flowering trees and shrubs is active, making it the best time for cuttage propagation. There are two major categories of flowering trees and shrubs suitable for softwood cuttage in summer. One category is types that are difficult to root or root slowly with hardwood cuttage, such as osmanthus, camellia, banana shrub, horned holly, holly, lilac, purple magnolia, Japanese quince, snowball, Chinese snowball, coral tree, coral tree, Belgian rhododendron, Buddha belly bamboo (with aerial roots), rubber tree, dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, etc.; the other category is easier-to-root types, such as boxwood, Chinese rose, firethorn, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasmine, snowbush, pomegranate, hibiscus, broom, jasmine, chloranthus, dragon-leaf pearl, lantana, kerria, bougainvillea, Buddha's hand, lemon, Buddhist pine, heavenly bamboo, trumpet creeper, red-back croton, honeysuckle, hibiscus, cordyline, hypericum, gold plum, golden willow, dragon-claw willow, banyan, Brazil iron, ardisia, paper bush, croton, deutzia, mock orange, crape myrtle, Weigela, (Weigela florida), snowball viburnum, peach coral, schefflera, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, bridal wreath, hydrangea, poinsettia, etc. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as five-claw golden dragon, ground ivy, nasturtium, (Lotus berthelotii), heliotrope, umbrella plant, geranium, coleus, begonia, pansy, globe amaranth, zinnia, Tagetes patula, marigold, sulfur cosmos, etc.

Taking the fully enclosed moisture-retaining cuttage of camellia and osmanthus as an example: the cuttage time is from early June to mid-July, and it is most ideal when the tender branches of osmanthus and camellia are semi-lignified; the medium can be yellow subsoil, sandy loam, or vermiculite; the cutting is the current-year new shoot, 10 cm to 15 cm long, retaining only 2 to 3 leaves at the tip, the lower cut is dipped in 500 mg/kg No. 1 ABT rooting powder or naphthalene acetic acid solution for 10 seconds, then inserted into the seedbed after slightly drying; the insertion depth of the cutting is 1/2 to 2/3 of the cutting length, plant-row spacing 2 cm x 8 cm, after watering thoroughly, set up bamboo arches on the seedbed, then cover with plastic film, press the surroundings firmly with mud, build a double-layer shade shed for shading, keep the bed surface moist, control the temperature inside the film at about 30°C, maintain humidity above 90%, and generally after one month the cuttings will root in large numbers.

    3. Grafting

Grafting: use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock to graft superior wintersweet varieties; use potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to graft white orchid, banana shrub, etc. Bud grafting: use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to graft and propagate superior Chinese rose varieties; use 1-year-old seedlings of apricot, peach, plum, etc. as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate longevity peach, ornamental peach, purple-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, dwarf cherry, plum blossom, elm-leaved spirea, etc.; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings as rootstock for grafting and propagating red maple, feather maple, red maple, etc. Branch grafting: use oil tea, red-flowered oil tea, or single-petaled seedling camellia as rootstock for branch grafting of camellia and sasanqua; use "Purple Butterfly" and "Jade Butterfly" among hairy rhododendrons as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting of Belgian rhododendron or Western rhododendron.

    4. Layering

    Flowering trees and shrubs that can be propagated by layering in June include: rhododendron, honeysuckle, hydrangea, snowball, Chinese snowball, Weigela, oleander, osmanthus, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, lilac, gardenia, red maple, Aglaia, chloranthus, jasmine, white orchid, etc.

    5. Division

    Flower types that can be propagated by division in June include: sword fern, calla lily (after flowering), Buddha belly bamboo, umbrella plant, purple-backed dumb cane, bromeliads, Haworthia, cast-iron plant, spider plant, Acorus, golden-edged lilyturf, etc.

II. Seed Collection and Transplanting

    1. Seed Collection

    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in June include: dianthus, cornflower, snapdragon, dwarf catchfly, tall catchfly, hollyhock, mallow, primrose, calceolaria, amaryllis (sow immediately after harvest), etc.

    Flowering tree and shrub seeds that can be collected in June: after collecting wintersweet seeds, if nursery conditions do not permit, the released seeds can also be dry-stored until the following spring before sowing, without affecting their germination rate; peach, apricot, etc. should be sown immediately after harvest, or their seeds stored in sand until they crack and germinate before sowing in the ground; osmanthus seeds collected in June, after removing the fleshy fruit skin and washing clean, stored in wet sand to promote seed embryo after-ripening, and when they germinate, choose nursery land for sowing.

    2. Transplanting and Potting

    In June, a considerable number of herbaceous flowers need transplanting or potting, including: evening primrose, spider flower, garden balsam, Guinea impatiens, primrose, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, red-clothed tobacco, petunia, marigold, Tagetes patula, zinnia, globe amaranth, scarlet sage, dragon's mouth flower, summer cypress, sulfur cosmos, cockscomb, red-green grass, etc.

Entering summer, some large flowering trees and shrubs are no longer transplanted, to avoid affecting their survival rate and growth after transplanting. However, for some small flowering shrubs, such as Japanese fatsia, leatherleaf mahonia, mahonia, hypericum, gardenia, golden-edged privet, red-leaf barberry, boxwood, under special circumstances, transplanting with a soil ball is also acceptable, exactly as the old saying goes: "Transplant at any time, just don't let the tree know," but after transplanting, strengthen spraying and shading management.

III. Flower Management

    1. Watering

    June potted flower watering should pay attention to the following aspects: first, watering time, preferably at 10 a.m. or 5 p.m., generally watering once a day is sufficient; second, watering temperature, keep the irrigation water and pot soil temperature basically consistent; if the water temperature and soil temperature differ too much, it will cause the roots and leaves of potted flowers to be stimulated and affect their growth; third, combine watering and spraying; when encountering weather with no rain for several days, in addition to watering the pot, also spray water on the leaf surface and around the potted flowers to increase the humidity of the local space; if encountering continuous cloudy days, decide whether to water and spray according to the dryness and wetness of the pot soil.

Flower types that enter semi-dormancy or dormancy in summer. Semi-dormant ones such as: red wood sorrel, geranium, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonia, etc., when the temperature reaches above 30°C, because their growth activity is very weak and metabolic level is low, reduce watering and keep the pot soil moist; deep dormant types such as: cyclamen, Lycoris (species), ranunculus, Dutch peony, etc., under high temperature show aboveground stems and leaves withering and underground nutrient fibrous roots dying, with underground stems or tuberous roots dormant in the soil over summer; watering must be stopped, move to a cool place, and keep the pot soil not excessively dry.

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

    2. Fertilization

For vigorously growing types, such as Swiss cheese plant, spider plant, arrowhead plant, maranta, sword fern, bird's nest fern, sago palm, cast-iron plant, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, green queen, rubber tree, red palm, red-back croton, lady palm, Norfolk Island pine, Brazil iron, Buddhist pine, money tree, wintersweet, Chinese rose, white orchid, Aglaia, jasmine, chloranthus, plum blossom, camellia, sasanqua, Daphne, rhododendron, fragrant osmanthus, lantana, bleeding heart vine, shrimp plant, bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, pomegranate, crape myrtle, firethorn, etc., apply thoroughly decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month; for types currently blooming, also apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to meet their growth and flowering and fruiting needs.

For those flower types in dormant and semi-dormant states, fertilization must be stopped; especially for succulent flower types, such as jade plant, Christmas cactus, crystal (Haworthia cooperi), (Senecio articulatus), squirrel tail, (Lampranthus spectabilis), (Stapelia), sedum, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, stop fertilization to avoid rot.

    3. Pruning and Bud Removal

(1) Pruning: For vigorously growing types such as Chinese elm, Japanese apricot, Buddhist pine, Fujian tea, true cypress, green cypress, water poplar, Chinese juniper, horned holly, holly, trident maple, snow willow, tamarisk, firethorn, etc., promptly prune or shorten branches that affect styling, which can keep the plant clearly layered and good-looking, and promote more short branches and new buds, forming a perfect shape early.

(2) Bud removal: For flowers such as Aglaia, jasmine, chloranthus, Chinese rose, promptly remove the remaining flowers and withered stems, and appropriately shorten the branches that have bloomed, to promote the lower side branches or flower buds to bloom again; for flowering trees and shrubs such as white orchid, bitter orange, rhododendron, camellia, wintersweet, plum blossom, crabapple, etc., in order to promote good plant shape and more flower buds, more flowers, and better flowers in the current or next year, remove the terminal buds of overly vigorous branches to inhibit the growth of main and side shoots and promote side bud germination.

    4. Shading

    In June, for those flowering trees and shrubs that prefer shade or semi-shade, they must be moved under a shade shed to prevent damage from scorching sun. Such as hosta, purple hosta, asparagus fern, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchid, lady palm, rubber tree, ferns, Philodendron, arrowhead plant, pink taro, bird's nest fern, pothos, peperomia, giant taro, red (green) gem, green emperor, red queen, fan palm, Daphne, cast-iron plant, spider plant, etc. Light-loving flower types must be given sufficient light, such as pomegranate, wisteria, firethorn, crape myrtle, jasmine, snowbush, sago cycad, Chinese juniper, peach blossom, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Fujian tea, trident maple, Japanese apricot, horned holly, holly, water poplar, oak, black pine, (Pinus parviflora), white orchid, Aglaia, Chinese rose, mahonia, grape, etc.; Buddhist pine, tiger thorn, heavenly bamboo, Buddha belly bamboo, (Bambusa multiplex), five-needle pine, (Podocarpus nagi), etc., can be given appropriate shade.

    5. Pest and Disease Control

(1) Chinese juniper, green cypress, Chinese elm, papaya, firethorn, Buddhist pine, crabapple, etc. are prone to damage by trunk-boring longhorn beetles, and poison sticks should be used in time to block and control them.

(2) Chinese rose, rose, rugosa rose, etc., are prone to powdery mildew and brown spot during the plum rain season, and Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed early for control.

(3) White orchid, plum blossom, wintersweet, etc. are prone to aphid damage, and suitable pesticides should be selected early to spray and kill.

(4) Orchid leaves are prone to anthracnose infection, and fungicides such as carbendazim should be sprayed early for control.

(5) Bitter orange, lemon, kumquat, Buddha's hand, etc., tender leaves are prone to being eaten by citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae, and contact insecticides, stomach poisons, and other pesticides can be sprayed to kill them.

IV. Bonsai Styling

Plant types that can be styled in June are mainly woody ornamental plants with strong adaptability and resistance to wiring, and must be plants potted in early spring for hardening or planted in the ground. They are: Buddhist pine, winter jasmine, Elaeagnus, Huashan pine, green cypress, Chinese juniper, horned holly, holly, Chinese wolfberry, five-needle pine, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, plum blossom, ornamental peach, trident maple, snowbush, black pine, boxwood, Chinese elm, tamarisk, water poplar, true cypress, ginkgo, snow willow, firethorn, etc. June styling must be careful, wire slowly and lightly, and never rush or use excessive force.

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

Flower Planting Manual (July Edition)

Weather characteristics of July: On July 7, the plum rain weather in the Yangtze-Huai region ends. July 16 is the first day of the dog days, and August 15 is the last day, and most parts of the country enter the hottest period of the year. The average July temperature in most parts of China is above 24°C, and in the areas south of the Yangtze-Huai region it is 28°C; only northern Northeast China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have an average July temperature below 20°C. July flower management mainly includes the following:
I. Flower Propagation
    1. Sowing
    Herbaceous flowers that can be sown in July include: cineraria, fairy primrose, kale, campanula, etc. When sowing, attention should be paid to moisture retention, shading, and increasing ventilation and light transmission.
    In July, mature fruits of plum, peach, mountain peach, elm-leaved spirea, etc. can also be picked, washed to remove the flesh, and then sown in furrows; or the washed stone fruits can be stored in wet sand until they crack before sowing; wintersweet seeds can be sown immediately after harvest, or the seeds released from the fruit capsule can be dry-stored until the following spring for sowing, without affecting their germination rate.
    2. Cuttage
    Herbaceous flower types suitable for cuttage propagation in July include: purslane, begonia, coleus, clearweed, scarlet sage, marigold, Tagetes patula, globe amaranth, geranium, Dutch chrysanthemum, purple loosestrife, umbrella plant, Boston ivy, coral flower, peperomia, kylin leaf, knotweed, kalanchoe, pothos, etc.
    Woody flower types suitable for cuttage propagation in July include: red-back croton, heavenly bamboo, poinsettia, crown of thorns, hypericum, gold plum, Weigela, hydrangea, (Weigela florida), snowball viburnum, bridal wreath, Daphne, gardenia, paper bush, Oyama magnolia, bougainvillea, Aglaia, jasmine, chloranthus, schefflera, mahonia, pomegranate, crape myrtle, hibiscus, firethorn, cordyline, hibiscus, snowbush, banana shrub, coral tree, rubber tree, Chinese snowball, Tianmu viburnum, boxwood, fig, purple magnolia, osmanthus, rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, dragon-claw willow, golden willow, etc. Amaryllis can also be propagated by scale cuttage.
In addition, in July, water cuttage can also be used to propagate some flowering trees and shrubs. They are: gardenia, oleander, Chinese rose, jasmine, chloranthus, fig, pomegranate, fuchsia, crape myrtle, hibiscus, etc. To use water cuttage to propagate flowering trees and shrubs, first prepare a thick foam plastic board of 1 cm to 2 cm, perforate it and use it as fixed cutting material; second, keep the water for cuttage clean, and put in a few pieces of charcoal for anti-corrosion.
    3. Grafting
One-year-old mountain peach or peach seedlings can be used as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, elm-leaved spirea, red-leaf plum, beauty plum, etc.; use cuttings of wild rose, (Rosa multiflora var. cathayensis), and "Ten Sisters" as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate variety Chinese rose, cut-flower Chinese rose, and rugosa rose, etc.; use potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock for grafting to propagate white orchid, banana shrub, etc.; use potted 2-year-old seedling wintersweet as rootstock for grafting to propagate superior wintersweet varieties; 2-year-old wintersweet seedlings can also be used as rootstock, using the method of softwood side grafting with bag moisture retention, grafting at 3 cm to 4 cm from the ground, and after 7 to 10 days it can be judged whether it has survived; use "Purple Butterfly" and "Jade Butterfly" among hairy rhododendrons as rootstock for cleft grafting or side grafting to propagate Belgian rhododendron or Western rhododendron; use cherry seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting to propagate superior cherry blossom varieties; use current-year seedling of Malus baccata, (Malus hupehensis), or hall crabapple, crabapple as rootstock, perform "T"-shaped bud grafting to propagate superior crabapple varieties; use seedlings of Japanese maple as rootstock, bag grafting to propagate red maple, feather maple, and other seedlings.
    4. Layering
    Flowering trees and shrubs that can be propagated by layering in July include: Aglaia (air layering), wintersweet, honeysuckle, hydrangea, trumpet creeper, Chinese snowball, oleander, Weigela, broom, osmanthus, gardenia, purple magnolia, jasmine, chloranthus, climbing Chinese rose, winter jasmine, etc.
    5. Division
    Ornamental plant types that can be divided in July include: hosta, purple hosta, Acorus, umbrella plant, cast-iron plant, purple-backed dumb cane, bromeliads, Haworthia, spider plant, lilyturf, Reineckea, (Zephyranthes candida), sword fern, iris, inch plant, etc. II. Seed Collection and Transplanting
    1. Seed Collection
    Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in July include: hollyhock, mallow, morning glory, baby's breath, petunia, phlox, foxglove, Spanish needle, sweet pea, daisy, delphinium, pansy, (Lampranthus spectabilis), etc.
    Flower and tree seeds that can be harvested in July include: wintersweet, plum, peach, wild peach, and flowering almond.
    2. Transplanting and potting up
    July is the main period for potting up herbaceous flowers to be displayed during the National Day holiday. The herbaceous flowers transplanted and potted at this time can be seedlings grown from seed or from cuttings; after 3 months of careful care, they will bloom right around the National Day holiday for festive decoration. They are mainly: scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, globe amaranth, dahlia, Impatiens hawkeri, snapdragon, marigold, French marigold, summer cypress, China aster, sulfur cosmos, cockscomb, and so on.
    In July, trees are generally not transplanted, but under some special circumstances, transplanting certain flowering shrubs with root balls is also feasible, such as Mahonia, Hypericum, golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, Aucuba, and Chinese juniper balls. However, targeted pruning must be carried out, shade frames must be set up in time, and the frequency of water spraying must be increased. After they have basically survived, they can be shifted to normal management. Do not be careless.
III. Flower management
    1. Watering
For flower species that enter a semi-dormant state at high temperatures, such as red woodsorrel, geraniums, fuchsia, clivia, calla lily, begonias, sedum, kalanchoe, cacti, Haworthia cooperi, Stapelia grandiflora, string of pearls, Senecio radicans, Daphne, Christmas cactus, portulacaria, aloe, and so on, because the temperature is too high, their growth activity basically stops and their metabolic level is very low. Watering should be reduced, the potting soil should be kept moist, and attention should be paid to shading and ventilation to create a relatively cool environment for them. If watered too much, it is easy to cause root rot and will also seriously affect their recovery growth after autumn.
For flower species that enter a deep dormant state at high temperatures, such as cyclamen, Lycoris, Ranunculus, and bleeding heart, in July the aboveground stems and leaves wither and the underground nutrient fibrous roots die, and they spend the summer dormant in the soil as underground stems or tuberous roots. For flowers in a deep dormant state, watering should be stopped, they should be moved to a cool place, and the potting soil should simply be kept from becoming too dry.
For flower species with vigorous growth, especially foliage plants, such as sago palm, Aspidistra, Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, Michelia alba, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, Chloranthus, Norfolk Island pine, Calathea, Syngonium, red (green) gem, green giant, green emperor, green queen, pink vein leaf, Brazilian iron, money tree, camellia, sasanqua, Aucuba, firethorn, bitter orange, lemon, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, redbud, wisteria, Chinese rose, and so on, not only should the amount of watering be increased and the frequency of watering increased, but foliar spraying should also be given appropriately, combining spraying and watering. Especially during continuous cloudy days, because the temperature is relatively high and the air is dry, watering and spraying should likewise be given, and carelessness must be avoided. Once the potting soil is found to be too dry and the leaves wilted, first spray water on the leaves, and after the leaves recover and stand up, then water the roots. Do not pour water heavily at the roots, otherwise it is very easy to cause woody flowers to "drop green leaves," or cause the plant's nutrient fibrous roots to rot, and even cause the plant to die.
For potted plum bonsai, because July to August is its flower bud differentiation period, appropriate "water withholding" should be given to promote normal flower bud differentiation. The method is: keep the leaves on both sides of the potted plant slightly curled inward to control vegetative growth; if the vegetative growth of the branches cannot be controlled, when the second new shoot produces 2 to 3 leaves, keep only one leaf at the base and then pinch off the rest; flower buds can still differentiate in the leaf axil of this leaf.
    In July, when watering potted flowers, avoid the few hours around noon; watering before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. is appropriate, so as to avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature, which would affect the growth of potted ornamental plants. If continuous rainy weather occurs this month, check the flower pots promptly after the rain. If water accumulates in the pots, pour it out promptly, and after the potting soil dries slightly, loosen the soil once more, so as to avoid root rot of potted plants.
    2. Fertilizing
    In July, there are four major categories of ornamental plants for which fertilizer management should be strengthened. The first is species with especially long flowering periods, blooming from spring and summer into autumn, such as white magnolia, Chinese rose, Aglaia odorata, and jasmine; the second is species that bloom profusely in autumn, such as chrysanthemum, osmanthus, and cotton rose; the third is species grown in winter for flowers and fruit, such as bitter orange, nandina, wintersweet, and rhododendron; the fourth is foliage plants, such as palm bamboo, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, and rubber tree. As for the types of fertilizer, for the first three categories, in addition to the necessary nitrogen fertilizer, an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, to meet the plant's comprehensive needs for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and provide sufficient nutritional guarantee for bud formation, flowering, and fruiting; for foliage plants, thin cake fertilizer liquid or urea solution should be the main choice. As for the fertilizing method, applying thin liquid fertilizer by watering is preferable.
    In July, herbaceous flowers for which fertilizing should be strengthened include: scarlet sage (white, purple, pink), cockscomb, China aster, zinnia, globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, black-eyed Susan, petunia, goldfish plant, shrimp plant, Jian orchid, marigold, four-o'clock, snapdragon, and so on. Woody flowers include: crape myrtle, pomegranate, poinsettia, banana shrub, osmanthus, camellia, sasanqua, hibiscus, jasmine, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, night-blooming jasmine, Chinese rose, crabapple, Brunfelsia, bougainvillea, rhododendron, Chloranthus, wintersweet, rose of Sharon, cotton rose, and so on. There are relatively many kinds of foliage plants, such as bromeliads, Brazilian iron, palm bamboo, Norfolk Island pine, Syngonium, Calathea, green giant, red gem, sago palm, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Cordyline, and so on.
   In July, for ornamental plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state, fertilizing must be stopped, especially for succulent ornamental plants, such as sedum, Senecio, Lampranthus, and Orbea, where fertilizing must be stopped even more, to prevent the plants from rotting.
    3. Pruning and bud pinching
Ornamental plants that can be tip-pruned and bud-pinched in summer must be species that grow vigorously, have strong sprouting ability, and tolerate pruning. Pinching means directly removing the young shoot tips with the fingers. Bonsai plants suitable for pinching mainly include: Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Adinandra, Euonymus bungeanus, boxleaf euonymus, wintersweet, firethorn, Buddhist pine, tamarisk, Elaeagnus, Adina rubella, Vitex, forsythia, hackberry, Fujian tea, banyan, Fraxinus, trident maple, crape myrtle, serissa, Murraya paniculata, and so on. Pruning means using scissors to cut off part of a new shoot to promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and form beautiful crown pads or tree shapes. Bonsai plant species suitable for pruning are mostly woody ornamental plants that are inconvenient to pinch with the fingers, such as juniper, oriental arborvitae, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, Ilex cornuta, and Sabina chinensis.
For potted flower species that continue flowering for a long time, such as Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, jasmine, and Chloranthus, their spent flowers and withered stems should be removed promptly, and the branches that have already flowered should be shortened back as necessary, which can promote the sprouting of lower lateral buds and blooming again. For rhododendron, camellia, sasanqua, crabapple, wintersweet, plum blossom, and so on, overly long branches protruding from the crown should also be shortened back, so as to form a better crown shape.
    4. Shading
    July is the month with the strongest sunlight and the highest temperature of the year, so special attention should be paid to shading management for potted ornamental plants.
For ornamental plants that prefer shade or partial shade, they must be moved under a shade frame to avoid damage to the plants from scorching sun exposure. Such as ferns, hosta, purple hosta, Monstera deliciosa, camellia, sasanqua, rhododendron, Chloranthus, bird of paradise, orchids, palm bamboo, rubber tree, red (green) gem, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, pink vein leaf, pothos, pepperomia, Aspidistra, Tradescantia zebrina, Brazilian iron, Epipremnum pinnatum, bromeliads, Calathea, Reineckea carnea, and so on.
For light-loving species, sufficient light can be given, such as pomegranate, wisteria, crape myrtle, firethorn, jasmine, serissa, sago palm, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, peach, plum blossom, wintersweet, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, trident maple, black pine, Adina rubella, oak, Pinus thunbergii, Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, Chinese rose, and so on. For Buddhist pine, podocarpus, banana shrub, Damnacanthus, asparagus fern, bamboo palm, five-needle pine, and so on, appropriate shading is necessary.
For small, miniature, and shallow-pot bonsai, because the temperature this month is too high and the air is relatively dry, in addition to necessary shading, the flower pots must also be buried in wet sand, which can reduce evaporation from the potting soil surface and also help protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots.
    5. Flowers in air-conditioned rooms
In air-conditioned rooms, choose flower species with a relatively high degree of leathery leaves, or with a relatively thick cuticle on the leaf surface, slightly tolerant of dry environments, and with strong resistance, such as rubber tree, Japanese aralia, Mahonia, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, Hibiscus, Chinese fan palm, palm bamboo, Canary Island date palm, bromeliads, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, Schefflera, Aspidistra, Aucuba, and so on, while species such as sword fern, coleus, green giant, and Syngonium are not suitable. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to combining watering and spraying, and keeping them away from air-conditioner outlets, to prevent the wind from directly blowing on the plants and causing their leaf tips to wither and leaf edges to scorch.
    6. Pest and disease control
(1) When orchid new shoots unfold their leaves in July, the leaf tips are easily infected by anthracnose, which gradually spreads to the whole plant and, in severe cases, can cause the plant to wither and die. This disease can occur throughout the year, and poor ventilation, high temperature and high humidity, and continuous overcast rain are even more favorable for the reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Ventilation should be strengthened, and during the onset period, 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 800 times dilution or folpet at 500 times dilution should be sprayed for control.
(2) When reddish-brown sawdust-like insect frass accumulates on the stumps or main trunks of plum, peach, crabapple, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, flowering almond, and so on, it is mostly caused by the larvae of the peach red-necked longhorn beetle boring and feeding. Methods such as manual removal and killing, injection of systemic pesticides, insertion of poisoned sticks, and soil application of carbofuran can be used for control, and can effectively kill the larvae inside the trunk. Note that when injecting pesticides, dimethoate, omethoate, and so on are prohibited, to prevent phytotoxicity.
(3) In July, timely control should be carried out against the box tree pyralid that harms boxleaf euonymus, Japanese box, sharp-leaf box, and pearl box; when this pest occurs severely, it can gnaw all the leaves bare. Once discovered, pesticides such as trichlorfon, dimethoate, or fenvalerate can be sprayed promptly. If a certain pesticide has been used for a long time and the pest has developed resistance, a new type of pesticide can be substituted.
(4) In July, in some areas, citrus swallowtail butterfly larvae will continue to harm the new shoot leaves of bitter orange, kumquat, golden bean, finger citron, lemon, citron, and rue, and stomach-poison pesticides should be sprayed promptly to kill them.
(5) For the white wax insect that harms privet, small-leaf privet, ligustrum, and ash tree, late July to late August is its emergence period, and the right time should be chosen to spray pesticides such as Supracide for control, which can prevent the white wax insect from causing damage again the following year.
(6) The Japanese wax scale is a major pest harming large-leaf euonymus, London plane, pittosporum, camellia, red-leaf plum, deodar cedar, and so on. In severe cases, the insect bodies often cover the branches and leaves. Early July is the peak hatching period of its nymphs, and pesticides such as dimethoate and Supracide can be sprayed promptly for control.
IV. Bonsai shaping
    In July, because the temperature is high, the air humidity is low, and the plants are in a period of vigorous growth, branches are prone to infection by pathogens after injury and are not easy to heal and recover, so most tree stump species are no longer suitable for wiring and shaping. Those that can still be shaped are some plant species with strong adaptability and tolerance for wiring, and the plants must be ones that were potted and acclimated in spring or planted in the ground. They are: winter jasmine, ginkgo, Buddhist pine, Thuja, Calocedrus, serissa, black pine, boxleaf euonymus, Adina rubella, and so on.
    In July, plant shaping must be careful and meticulous, wiring gently and slowly, applying force gradually, and one must not operate hastily or use too much force, otherwise it is very easy to cause the plant's branches and trunk to break, endangering its survival.
    Solar terms in July: July 7 is Minor Heat; July 23 is Major Heat.

Flower Planting Manual: Autumn

Flower Planting Manual (August installment)

Flowers suitable for display in courtyards
    August has high temperatures, strong light, and low humidity, and is the second-highest period of high-temperature dry heat in the year after July. The average monthly temperature in most parts of the country is between 24°C and 28°C. Potted ornamental plants suitable for display in courtyards are some light-loving or high-temperature-tolerant species. Among the woody flowers are mainly: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, Pinus thunbergii, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden larch, lacebark pine, Japanese fir, armand pine, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Fagraea fragrans, cinnamon, Aglaia odorata, pomegranate, rubber tree, Ficus variegata, hibiscus, Lantana camara, ivory red (Erythrina), Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, palm bamboo, money tree, Schefflera, plumeria, four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, broadleaf Mahonia, Japanese aralia, spotted Aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, Fujian tea, banyan, Chinese rose, and so on. Herbaceous flowers include: Impatiens, large-flowered canna, variegated shell ginger, scarlet sage, dahlia, China aster, begonia, snapdragon, marigold, French marigold, phlox, five-color pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, calendula, Lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, four-o'clock, zinnia, and so on. In addition, there are Aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Monstera deliciosa, pothos, and silver queen aglaonema, and so on.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. In August, woody flowers that can be sown include: peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia, summer wintersweet, American summer wintersweet, Buddhist pine, and so on. They can be sown as soon as collected, or the seeds can be stored in wet sand until they crack and show white, and then sown in the ground. Canary Island date palm can be sand-stored to promote germination and then sown in bags. Ornamental pomegranate is harvested after the fruit ripens and cracks; rub and wash off the fleshy layer outside the seeds, store in sand until germination, and then sow. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: baby's breath, dianthus, petunia, snapdragon, coneflower, oxalis, yarrow, nasturtium, pyrethrum, and so on. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, wax begonia, fairy primrose, coleus, calendula, and so on.
2. Cuttings. Using a mixed substrate prepared from alkaline-leached rice chaff ash and wet fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, conducting moisture-retaining bed cuttings or pot cuttings can propagate the following flower and tree species: firethorn, Mahonia, wintersweet, banana shrub, bougainvillea, Erythrina, Aglaia odorata, spotted Aucuba, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball viburnum, hibiscus, jasmine, Chloranthus, rubber tree, fragrant olive, Buddhist pine, Schefflera, Cordyline, hydrangea, purple magnolia, and so on. Using yellow subsoil, sandy loam, and so on as the substrate, cuttings can be taken of boxwood, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, French holly, golden-edge privet, red-leaf barberry, nandina, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, serissa, spiraea, bridal wreath spiraea, gardenia, and so on. In addition, herbaceous flowers such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, and sulfur cosmos can also be propagated by cuttings this month.
3. Grafting. In August, the following flower and tree grafts can be carried out: in northern regions, use fringetree as rootstock and cleft-graft osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstocks and bud-graft to propagate Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock and cleft-graft Michelia alba; use current-year seedling peach as rootstock and bud-graft plum, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered dwarf flowering almond, flowering almond, and so on; use cherry seedlings as rootstock and bud-graft Japanese cherry; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, and so on as rootstocks and bud-graft improved varieties of Chinese rose; use Manchurian crabapple, Chinese pearleaf crabapple, Hupeh crabapple, and so on seedlings as rootstocks and bud-graft Mulus spectabilis and Hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock and top-graft red maple and laceleaf maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock and cleft-graft variegated weeping fig; use single-petal camellia as rootstock and cleft-graft improved varieties of camellia; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock and cleft-graft or cleft-graft improved varieties of wintersweet. In addition, cleft grafting can also be used to propagate large-flowered wisteria.
4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, trumpet creeper, banks rose, climbing Chinese rose, weigela, hydrangea, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball viburnum, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, forsythia, Chaenomeles, Hall crabapple, Mulus spectabilis, osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, Chloranthus, banana shrub, hibiscus, Buddhist pine, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), Aglaia odorata (air layering), red maple (air layering), and so on.
5. Division. In August, ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: Reineckea carnea, hosta, purple hosta, Syngonium, multi-head green emperor, bromeliads, Solomon's seal, Aspidistra, umbrella plant, Adina, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily, purple triangular oxalis, Guangdong evergreen, Dutch aster, fine-leaf acorus, sword fern, silver queen aglaonema, Calathea, Syngonium, Haworthia, and so on. In addition, Lycoris, calla lily, freesia, and so on can also have their small bulbs divided and planted this month.
Management of flowers planted in courtyard ground beds
1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when transplanted with large root balls and supplemented by heavy pruning, strengthened management of shading, watering, and spraying after transplanting can achieve a relatively high survival rate, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edge thousand-head oriental arborvitae, golden-heart (edge) boxwood, Hypericum, Mahonia, Japanese aralia, Chinese rose, rhododendron, gardenia, Buddhist pine, banana shrub, Chinese juniper ball, Sabina chinensis ball, boxwood ball, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, Aucuba, French holly, and so on. In courtyards, herbaceous flowers can also be transplanted and planted out, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, cockscomb, French marigold, snapdragon, and so on, which can be expected to bloom between September and October.
2. Pruning. In August, for hedges in courtyards such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, and Photinia, pruning should continue to be given. For ground-planted ball-shaped plants, such as Photinia, Chinese juniper, Sabina chinensis, bayberry, firethorn, pittosporum, Ilex cornuta, and holly, pruning must also be done again. For ground-planted flowers and trees that continue blooming for a long time, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, hibiscus, bougainvillea, and Lantana camara, spent flowers should be removed promptly, and the branch tips should be shortened back moderately. For ground-planted herbaceous flowers, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, French marigold, and marigold, tip pruning and pinching should be given.
3. Watering. In August, for flowering shrubs transplanted in spring and herbaceous flowers planted out, watering and spraying management should be strengthened. For plants whose trunks are wrapped with straw rope, the straw rope should be sprayed wet to ensure that the plants do not show wilting of new shoots and tender leaves. Spray more and water cautiously, ensuring that water does not accumulate at the roots.
4. Fertilizing. In August, for ground-planted red-flowered loropetalum, golden-edge (heart) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf sand cherry, croton, red mulberry, spotted Aucuba, variegated shell ginger, and so on, in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced three elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be applied. For species that continue flowering, such as Chinese rose, fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, and Lantana camara, as well as species about to bloom, such as osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, and autumn anemone, an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied promptly by watering. For camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, and so on that are in the midst of flower bud differentiation, a small amount of monopotassium phosphate solution can be sprayed by foliar topdressing.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, for scale insects occurring on deodar cedar, privet, pittosporum, osmanthus, crape myrtle, Photinia, camellia, and so on, 40% Supracide at 1500 times dilution should be sprayed promptly for control. For chrysanthemum beetles, aphids, and so on occurring on ground-planted chrysanthemums, 90% trichlorfon crystal at 1000 times dilution can be sprayed to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawfly and tobacco cutworm that gnaw the leaves of Chinese rose, 10% fenvalerate at 1000 times dilution should be sprayed promptly for control.
6. Seed collection. In August, woody flower species whose seeds can be collected include: peony, flowering almond, red-flowered camellia, Buddhist pine, summer wintersweet, and so on. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: peony, moss rose, four-o'clock, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer, and so on.
Management of potted flowers in courtyards
1. Watering. In August, watering should be done between 9 and 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidity, 0.1% ferrous sulfate can be added to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron-cross begonia, and hairy-leaf begonia, water droplets that fall on the leaf surface are not easy to evaporate and can easily cause leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting can be done; the leaf rosette flower buds of Gerbera (African daisy) and the center of the leaf rosette of clivia also must not be drenched with water, as dirty water flowing into the leaf rosette will cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water must be given sparingly and spraying done more, and water should be poured into the leaf tank to meet their needs. This month, while watering and spraying potted plants, attention must be paid to loosening the soil, which can be done once every 10 days; otherwise, repeated watering will cause the potting soil to harden. For flower species in a dormant or semi-dormant state, watering and spraying should be controlled, with the degree of keeping the potting soil slightly moist as the standard, and a relatively cool and moist environment can be created for them by spraying water in the small environment around the flower pots.
2. Fertilizing. In August, for foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra, rubber tree, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, palm bamboo, red (green) gem, Norfolk Island pine, Arecastrum, beautiful date palm, areca palm, fishtail palm, Chinese fan palm, pothos, Brazilian wood, Dutch iron, money tree, sword fern, Schefflera, Fagraea fragrans (African jasmine), cinnamon (pingan wood), gold coin tree (dragon-phoenix tree), Syngonium, green emperor, green queen, poinsettia, pink vein leaf, Schefflera, Aucuba, miniature coconut, croton, Japanese aralia, and so on, low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be applied, such as urea solution, special flower fertilizer, or cake fertilizer water. For species with long flowering periods, such as Chinese rose, Michelia alba, jasmine, Chloranthus, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, four-season osmanthus, fragrant osmanthus, bougainvillea, and Lantana camara, as well as fruiting ones such as bitter orange, finger citron, kumquat, lemon, Ardisia, firethorn, golden bullet, fruit pomegranate, nandina, and papaya, in addition to ensuring nitrogen supply, an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should also be applied, such as monopotassium phosphate and so on. For potted herbaceous flowers that bloom in autumn, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, drought chrysanthemum, marigold, French marigold, snapdragon, China aster, chrysanthemum, and miniature sunflower, thin liquid fertilizer can be applied once every half month to ensure lush leaves and abundant flowers after autumn. For flower and tree species in the midst of flower bud differentiation, such as camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, osmanthus, and rhododendron, low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied to the leaves. When applying organic fertilizer to ornamental plants, the fertilizer liquid must not be dripped on the leaves, so as to avoid causing leaf rot. To be safe, after fertilizing, spray the leaves once promptly to wash away any fertilizer droplets that may adhere to the leaves. For ornamental plant species in a dormant or semi-dormant state, such as clivia, wax begonia, calla lily, cyclamen, Daphne, aloe, kalanchoe, portulacaria, Christmas cactus, sedum, purple triangular oxalis, cacti, and cactus balls, all forms of topdressing must be stopped; otherwise, it is very easy to cause root rot or death of the plants.
3. Shading. In August, the summer heat is still strong, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers is still very important. For ornamental plant species that prefer coolness, such as Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Syngonium, rubber tree, areca palm, green giant, Syngonium, Calathea, red (green) gem, palm bamboo, pothos, green emperor, green queen, orchid grass, pink vein leaf, pepperomia, bromeliads, Adina, mirror grass, ferns, Buddha belly bamboo, fernleaf bamboo, spider plant, Reineckea carnea, miniature coconut, nerve plant, purple velvet plant, bloodleaf, silver queen aglaonema, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, anthurium, begonias, lucky bamboo, Aspidistra, asparagus fern, purple hosta, and so on, shade frames can continue to be given, pulling on shade netting at 9 a.m. and removing it after 4 p.m. If there are not many potted flowers, they can also be moved indoors for the 6 to 7 hours around noon. If conditions permit, they can also be moved under the dense shade of large trees, and then moved out from under the tree shade in mid-September.
4. Pruning. In August, continue to give pinching or pruning to tree stump bonsai that grow vigorously, tolerate pruning, and sprout easily, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Fujian tea, banyan, Fraxinus, Adina rubella, boxleaf euonymus, and so on. For Chinese rose, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, and so on, shorten back after each flowering. For potted chrysanthemums, do a good job of bud removal and disbudding. 5. Pest and disease control. In August, control should be carried out against pests such as scale insects, citrus swallowtail, rose sawfly, and peach red-necked longhorn beetle. Attention should be paid to the prevention of orchid leaf diseases, including anthracnose, gray mold, and leaf blight. Attention should be paid to the control of chrysanthemum aphids, leaf miners, and stem borers.
Potted plants suitable for balcony display
In August, the balcony still has strong light and dry-hot air, and only some potted ornamental plants with very strong resistance or those placed on the balcony for a long time can adapt. Such as black pine, Pinus thunbergii, five-needle pine, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Adina rubella, Ilex cornuta, holly, wintersweet, fruit pomegranate, flowering pomegranate, boxleaf euonymus, oriental arborvitae stump, Chinese juniper, creeping juniper, oak, Fraxinus, Fujian tea, Chinese rose, bougainvillea, agave, Lantana camara, ginkgo, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, trident maple, Buddhist pine, and so on. In August, some flowers and trees on the balcony can be moved indoors with air conditioning, such as cymbidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Cymbidium sinense, Vanda, Oncidium, South American cycad, black-leaf alocasia, crystal anthurium, anthurium, green giant, red (green) gem, Calathea, areca palm, king coconut, Syngonium, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra, pothos, palm bamboo, money tree, clivia, fuchsia, nerve plant, goldfish plant, Brazilian wood, Japanese aralia, and so on.
Propagation of balcony flowers
In August, on the balcony, large-diameter flower pots can be used, covered with plastic film, to keep moisture for cutting propagation of some ornamental plants. The cutting substrate can be rice chaff ash mixed with fine sand at a ratio of 2:1, or vermiculite alone. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by cuttings include: Schefflera, spotted Aucuba, begonia, gardenia, goldfish plant, coral flower, fragrant osmanthus, Chloranthus, Cordyline, jasmine, Guangdong evergreen, silver queen aglaonema, camellia, sasanqua, banana shrub, and so on. During the 5 to 6 hours around noon, they should be moved indoors. Some ornamental plants can also be water-propagated indoors, but the water must be changed frequently, such as: Chinese rose, gardenia, jasmine, Chloranthus, Schefflera, Aucuba, fig, Cordyline, plumeria, geranium, Guangdong evergreen, and fuchsia.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. In August, watering and spraying balcony potted flowers must be done carefully and cautiously. First, avoid too great a difference between water temperature and soil temperature and air temperature; second, pay attention to the time of watering and spraying, which can be done before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.; third, while watering, do not neglect loosening the soil of potted plants; fourth, it is best to add a small amount of ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water, to meet the needs of most ornamental plants that prefer a slightly acidic soil environment. If the balcony is relatively spacious, bricks can be used to build a simple sand bed, with 10 cm of wet sand placed inside, and then some potted flowers that are relatively moisture-loving can be placed on the wet sand, such as: Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra, Syngonium, camellia, sasanqua, Syngonium, Cymbidium goeringii, Jian orchid, bromeliads, red (green) gem, Chloranthus, and so on. Usually spraying water instead of watering is very beneficial for them to pass the summer safely. For cymbidium, tiger orchid, Oncidium, Cattleya, fuchsia, Dendrobium, crystal anthurium, black-leaf alocasia, and so on, they can be moved indoors with air conditioning, using spraying instead of watering, to ensure they can pass the summer normally. For flower species placed on the balcony that are relatively tolerant of high temperatures, such as Chinese rose, Aglaia odorata, jasmine, pomegranate, bougainvillea, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, boxleaf euonymus, trident maple, black pine, Pinus thunbergii, wisteria, Fujian tea, Adina rubella, agave, and sago palm, water can be given 1 to 2 times a day and sprayed 1 to 2 times.
2. Fertilizing. In August, fertilizing must be stopped for balcony potted plants in a dormant or semi-dormant state. For vigorously growing foliage plants, 0.3% urea solution can be sprayed or applied by watering, or multi-element compound fertilizer granules can be scattered on the pot surface. For flowers and trees grown mainly for flowers and fruit, such as Michelia alba, Aglaia odorata, pomegranate, crape myrtle, jasmine, bitter orange, firethorn, finger citron, and kumquat, quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should continue to be applied. For Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Ilex cornuta, holly, Buddhist pine, Fujian tea, trident maple, Adina rubella, and boxleaf euonymus, after each pruning, a thin fertilizer can be applied once.
3. Shading. In August, for potted plants placed on the balcony receiving full sunlight, especially shallow-pot stump bonsai, such as five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, Fujian tea, plum blossom, and trident maple, soft grass, moss, or wet cloth can be placed over the pot surface, which can both retain moisture and lower temperature and protect the plant's nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface soil from damage. If the balcony is relatively spacious, shade netting can be used to block light. If there are not many and relatively precious potted flowers and trees on the balcony, it is best to move them indoors for the 5 to 6 hours around noon.
4. Pruning. In August, for most tree stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, serissa, Fraxinus, oak, small bayberry, trident maple, banyan, Fujian tea, Chinese juniper, oriental arborvitae, small-leaf privet, boxleaf euonymus, and firethorn, pinching or pruning is still needed this month. For spent flowers, withered stems, dead branches, and yellow leaves on other potted ornamental plants, they should also be cut off promptly.
5. Pest and disease control. In August, red spider mite damage is most likely to appear on the balcony, and 25% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder at 1500 times dilution should be sprayed promptly to kill them. For a small number of scale insects appearing on flowers and trees, they can be removed by sticking with transparent tape. For aphids that often appear on chrysanthemums, 90% trichlorfon crystal at 1000 times dilution is suitable for spraying to kill them.

Flower Planting Manual (September installment)

Flowers suitable for display in courtyards
In September, temperatures in most parts of China gradually decline, with the average monthly temperature between 20°C and 24°C. This month, there are relatively many species of potted ornamental plants suitable for display in courtyards. Among the woody ornamental plant species are: Norfolk Island pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese golden larch, lacebark pine, Japanese fir, Buddhist pine, podocarpus, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Australian cycad, Fagraea fragrans, cinnamon, osmanthus, pomegranate, rubber tree, Ficus variegata, hibiscus, cotton rose, Dutch iron, croton, Brazilian wood, money tree, Schefflera, palm bamboo, plumeria, bottle palm, broadleaf Mahonia, Japanese aralia, spotted Aucuba, ginkgo, crape myrtle, jasmine, palm tree, Chinese rose, fishtail palm, areca palm, king coconut, Cordyline, beautiful date palm, fiddle-leaf fig, red maple, South American cycad, spruce, Schefflera, Garcinia (Clusiaceae), large Buddha belly bamboo, silver birch, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Murraya paniculata, Schefflera, nandina, and so on. Herbaceous flowers include: large-flowered canna, scarlet sage, early chrysanthemum, begonia, marigold, five-color pepper, Lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, dahlia, snapdragon, and so on.
Propagation of courtyard flowers
1. Sowing. Woody flower species that can be sown include: peony, red-flowered camellia, banana shrub, magnolia, manglietia, horse chestnut, summer wintersweet, Canary Island date palm, and so on. Among them, horse chestnut seeds can be sown in furrows, and when sowing, the hilum should face downward, and the covering soil should not be too deep, with 2 to 2.5 cm being appropriate, then covered with plastic film or straw to retain moisture. Summer wintersweet seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours and then sown in the ground, and about 2 weeks after sowing they will sprout. Except for summer wintersweet, which can be dry-stored until the following spring for sowing, the above seeds must all be stored in wet sand. September is a great time for autumn sowing of herbaceous flowers. Herbaceous flower species that can be sown include: hollyhock, dianthus, tall catchfly, dwarf catchfly, pansy, snapdragon, petunia, California poppy, daisy, corn poppy, calendula, black-eyed Susan, iris, verbena, and so on. In addition, greenhouse flowers such as cyclamen, primrose, trollius, cineraria, wax begonia, Gerbera, and calceolaria can also be sown at this time, but they must overwinter in a plastic tunnel.
2. Cuttings. Using half sand and half rice chaff ash as the cutting substrate, the flower and tree species that can be propagated by moisture-retaining cuttings in courtyards include: firethorn, Mahonia, banana shrub, bougainvillea, Weigela, spotted Aucuba, fuchsia, Viburnum macrocephalum, snowball viburnum, weigela, Brunfelsia, jasmine, Chloranthus, golden-vein justicia, coral flower, rubber tree, Schefflera, Cordyline, and so on. Using ordinary sandy soil as the seedbed, woody flowers that can be propagated by cuttings include: boxwood, purple magnolia, Hypericum, spiraea, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bridal wreath spiraea, hydrangea, French holly, golden-edge privet, red-leaf barberry, nandina, fig, oleander, serissa, gardenia, Japanese aralia, Chaenomeles, peony, and so on. Some herbaceous flowers can also be propagated by cuttings, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, sulfur cosmos, and cold chrysanthemum.
3. Grafting. The following flower and tree grafting propagation can be carried out: use peony root segments as rootstock and graft improved varieties of peony; use seedling peach, apricot, and so on as rootstocks and bud-graft to propagate flowering almond, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-leaf peach, plum blossom, and so on; use green maple seedlings as rootstocks and bag-cleft-graft red maple, laceleaf maple, and so on with moisture retention; use white magnolia seedlings as rootstocks and bud-graft improved varieties of white magnolia and Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock and cleft-graft Michelia alba; use citrus seedlings as rootstocks and bud-graft kumquat and so on; use fringetree as rootstock and cleft-graft osmanthus; use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock and cleft-graft improved varieties of wintersweet.
4. Layering. Ornamental flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering include: Chaenomeles, weigela, hydrangea, gardenia, oleander, winter jasmine, forsythia, osmanthus, purple magnolia, jasmine, banana shrub, camellia, Chloranthus, French holly, snowball viburnum, Viburnum macrocephalum, bridal wreath spiraea, and spiraea.
5. Division. Ornamental plant species that can be divided include: Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Jian orchid, peony, peony, Guangdong evergreen, purple triangular oxalis, Rudbeckia, snake plant, Syngonium, multi-head green emperor, silver queen aglaonema, sword fern, nandina, Chaenomeles, purple magnolia, silver-striped dwarf lilyturf, Aspidistra, large-leaf lilyturf, and so on. In addition, hyacinth, tulip, freesia, calla lily, Lycoris, Mediterranean bluebell, and so on can also have their daughter bulbs divided and planted at this time to cultivate large flowering bulbs.
Management of flowers planted in courtyard ground beds
1. Transplanting. Because the temperature in September is still relatively high, unless there is a special need, flower and tree transplanting is generally not carried out in courtyards. If it is for the arrangement of a newly built courtyard or the renovation of an old courtyard, transplanting can also be carried out on the premise of good root balls. Species such as: oleander, Chinese juniper, banana shrub, Sabina chinensis, osmanthus, camellia, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, boxwood, Hypericum, French holly, red-flowered loropetalum, spotted Aucuba, and so on. Transplanting requires heavy pruning and strengthened management of watering, spraying, and shading to ensure that transplanting is absolutely safe. Some herbaceous flowers can still be planted out or potted up for viewing in golden autumn October. Species include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, French marigold, snapdragon, cockscomb, periwinkle, sulfur cosmos, dahlia, calendula, dwarf canna, early chrysanthemum, and so on.
2. Pruning. Continue to prune courtyard hedges and ball-shaped ornamental plants that grow vigorously and have strong sprouting ability; this is also the last pruning of the year for ball-shaped plants in northern regions during the growing season. Courtyard hedges and color-block tree species suitable for pruning mainly include: boxwood, French holly, Photinia, privet, small-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, golden-edge thousand-head oriental arborvitae, and so on. Ball-shaped ornamental plants suitable for pruning include: Chinese juniper, Sabina chinensis, boxwood, bayberry, Ilex cornuta, holly, Photinia, pittosporum, firethorn, and forsythia. Those that can be tip-pruned and pinched among ground-planted herbaceous flowers include: scarlet sage, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, summer cypress, marigold, and French marigold. Pinching should be done once every 10 days to promote a full plant shape and produce more inflorescences on lateral shoots, and pinching should stop after late September. For ground-planted woody flowers that continue blooming for a long time, such as variety Chinese rose, floribunda rose, miniature rose, climbing Chinese rose, crape myrtle, flowering pomegranate, Lantana camara, and bougainvillea, spent flowers and withered stems should be cut off promptly, and the branches that have already flowered should be shortened back moderately, which can effectively promote them to bloom again.
3. Watering. In September, the climate is relatively dry, and continuing to do a good job of watering and spraying management for trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in courtyards in spring of the same year is one of the key measures to consolidate their survival results. First, water the roots to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged; second, spray water on the straw rope wrapped around the trunk to create a locally moist protective layer for the trunk; third, spray water on the crown to reduce leaf transpiration and increase the humidity of the local space. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers planted successively, moisture-retaining spraying should also be done well.
4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted colorful foliage plants, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, red maple, red-flowered loropetalum, variegated shell ginger, croton, spotted Aucuba, red mulberry, purple-leaf sand cherry, red-leaf plum, and red-leaf peach, in order to keep the leaf color fresh and bright at all times, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied appropriately. For ground-planted flowers and trees that continue blooming continuously or are viewed for flowers and fruit in autumn, such as crape myrtle, Chinese rose, fragrant osmanthus, four-season kumquat, flowering pomegranate, bougainvillea, cotton rose, chrysanthemum, canna, dahlia, Lantana camara, nandina, firethorn, Ardisia crenata, and kumquat, as well as a large number of ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers, quick-acting fertilizer with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be applied. For kumquat, silver osmanthus, and orange osmanthus that are blooming, fertilizing can be stopped during the flowering period.
5. Pest and disease control. For the green slug moth that harms crape myrtle, firethorn, crabapple, and other flowers and trees, 90% trichlorfon crystal at 800 times dilution can be sprayed for control; for the star longhorn beetle that harms crape myrtle, papaya, and crabapple, poisoned sticks can be inserted into the insect holes for control; for powdery mildew appearing on Chinese rose and chrysanthemum plants, 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution can be used for control in the early stage of onset.
6. Seed collection. The woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected are mainly flowers and trees of the Magnoliaceae family. Such as Oyama magnolia, banana shrub, purple magnolia, white magnolia, Yunshan Michelia, Lechang Michelia, many-flowered Michelia, Michelia maudiae, and southern magnolia, and so on. In addition, there are horse chestnut, crape myrtle, lilac, crabapple, redbud, pearl bush, yew, and shiny-leaf wintersweet, and so on. For Magnoliaceae as well as yew, horse chestnut, crabapple, and so on, after treatment the seeds must all be stored in wet sand until early the following spring, and sown in the ground after the seeds crack. Herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected include: marigold, zinnia, Impatiens, four-o'clock, cockscomb, periwinkle, strawflower, and China aster, and so on. After collection, thresh promptly and dry-store until the following spring for sowing.
Management of potted flowers in courtyards
1. Watering. In September, the sunlight is relatively strong, the temperature is relatively high, and the air is quite dry, so the watering management of potted flowers must not be neglected. As for watering frequency, for generally moisture-loving foliage plants, in the first half of the month water or spray once each in the morning and afternoon, and in the second half of the month change to watering once, with appropriate spraying of the leaf surfaces. For most potted flowers and bonsai, water once a day, supplemented by spraying the leaf surfaces. Water before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. For ornamental plant species that prefer acidic conditions, a small amount of 0.1% light green ferrous sulfate powder can be added to the irrigation water. For flower species that resume growth after autumn from summer dormancy or semi-dormancy, gradually increase the amount and frequency of watering (or spraying). While watering potted plants, loosen the soil around the plants once every half month.
2. Fertilizing. September is precisely the period of vigorous growth for most flowers. Some flower species that were dormant or semi-dormant in summer begin to resume growth as the temperature gradually turns cooler, and fertilization management should be highly valued this month. For foliage plants, such as Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree (Ficus elastica), money tree (Pachira aquatica), Brazilian wood (Dracaena fragrans), Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Rhapis excelsa, Fagraea fragrans, Cinnamomum species, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (dragon-phoenix tree), Araucaria heterophylla, Caryota mitis, Epipremnum aureum, red (green) gem, green emperor, silver queen, Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, Ficus lyrata, etc., still mainly use low-concentration dilute fertilizer liquid, such as 0.3% urea solution, etc. For flower trees with a very long flowering period or whose peak flowering period is autumn, such as Rosa chinensis, three-color sage, Lantana camara, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Osmanthus fragrans, etc., fruit-viewing plants such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, Nandina domestica, Ardisia crenata, Pyracantha fortuneana, Chaenomeles sinensis, golden bullet, Callicarpa species, fruiting pomegranate, etc., and colorful-leaf plants such as Codiaeum variegatum, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Bromeliaceae species, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana', Cordyline fruticosa, Coleus scutellarioides, etc., should be topdressed with fertilizer types balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For Fuchsia hybrida, Pelargonium hortorum, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Begonia semperflorens, Daphne odora, Schlumbergera truncata, Sedum species, Portulacaria afra (jade leaf), Oxalis triangularis, Clivia miniata, Epiphyllum hybrids, etc., which are resuming growth, low-concentration liquid fertilizer can be resumed by watering; for flowers that have completed flower-bud differentiation and entered the flower-bud swelling stage, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Michelia figo, Rhododendron species, etc., low-concentration fertilizer types with balanced nutrition can be topdressed; for potted herbaceous flowers, such as Salvia splendens, Tagetes erecta, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Callistephus chinensis, Dahlia pinnata, dwarf sunflower, etc., a thin fertilizer can be topdressed once every 10 days to meet their needs for bud formation and flowering next month.
3. Shading. In September, the temperature is relatively high and the sunlight is still intense, so shading management for courtyard potted flowers still cannot be relaxed. For those shade-loving foliage plant species, such as Monstera deliciosa, rubber tree, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Boston fern, bird's nest fern, Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum, Rhapis excelsa, green emperor, silver queen, orchid grass, Arecastrum romanzoffianum, Aspidistra elatior, Begonia species, Epipremnum pinnatum, little angel, red (green) gem, Anthurium crystallinum, Alocasia amazonica, Fittonia species, Pachystachys lutea, Asparagus setaceus, Schefflera octophylla, Pteris multifida 'Variegata', Peperomia argyreia, Dieffenbachia species, green giant, Anthurium andraeanum, Platycerium bifurcatum, Pilea peperomioides, Adina pilulifera, king palm, Dracaena sanderiana, etc., through shading, give 5 to 6 hours of light per day; for light-loving species, such as Acer buergerianum, Ulmus parvifolia, Fujian tea, Ginkgo biloba, Adina rubella, Pinus thunbergii, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Lagerstroemia indica, Araucaria heterophylla, Wisteria sinensis, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Pyracantha fortuneana, Rosa chinensis, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', etc., full light can be given; for semi-shade-loving species, such as Podocarpus macrophyllus, Pinus parviflora, Damnacanthus indicus, Syzygium buxifolium, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Nandina domestica, jade tree, Rhododendron species, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Fortunella margarita, etc., appropriate shading can be given around noon. For newly transplanted and potted autumn herbaceous flowers, appropriate shading should also be given to prevent the plants from wilting and affecting their recovery growth.
4. Pruning. For potted chrysanthemums, continue to do a good job of bud removal and flower-bud thinning; for Rosa chinensis, flowering pomegranate, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Lantana camara, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, etc., prune after each flowering; for those stump bonsai species that tolerate pruning, easily sprout, and grow vigorously, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Fujian tea, Ficus microcarpa, Syzygium buxifolium, Ligustrum quihoui, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis 'Procumbens', Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Tamarix chinensis, etc., continue to prune or pinch off buds. In addition, for money tree seedlings, "braids" can be made and potted.
5. Pest and disease control. For the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on potted Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, longevity peach, Bitao, etc., poison sticks can be inserted to block and kill them, or control can be carried out by burying carbofuran granules. For Japanese wax scale, cottony cushion scale, armored scale, felt scale, etc., appearing on potted flowering trees, use 40% Supracide 1500-times solution for control.
Potted plants suitable for display on balconies
In September, the balcony still has strong light and dry air. Only some potted flowers that have been placed on the balcony for a long time or relatively resistant potted flowering trees can adapt to the special environment of the balcony. They are: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Pinus densiflora, Pinus parviflora, Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Acer buergerianum, Ilex cornuta, holly, Chimonanthus praecox, fruit-viewing pomegranate, Buxus sinica, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Fujian tea, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Ficus microcarpa, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Rosa chinensis, Agave americana, Ginkgo biloba, Aglaia odorata, Jasminum sambac, Celtis sinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Hemiptelea davidii, Serissa foetida, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lantana camara, etc. For some flower species that prefer a cool environment, they can continue to be placed indoors with air conditioning, such as Cymbidium hybridum, Oncidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Vanda, spider orchid, Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium crystallinum, Anthurium andraeanum, Clivia miniata, Fuchsia hybrida, Fittonia species, etc.; and for some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 4 to 5 hours around noon, such as Rhapis excelsa, Monstera deliciosa, Brazilian wood, money tree, Epipremnum aureum, Aspidistra elatior, Areca lutescens, Caryota mitis, king coconut, bandou tree, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera octophylla, etc. Propagation of balcony flowers In September, on the balcony, a large-mouth flowerpot can continue to be used as a container, filled with a mixed substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and some ornamental plants can be propagated by cuttings, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Cordyline fruticosa, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Schefflera octophylla, Osmanthus fragrans 'Rixianggui', Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Michelia figo, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', etc. It is also possible to water-propagate Schefflera octophylla, Rosa chinensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Ficus carica, Aglaonema modestum, etc. indoors.
Management of balcony flowers
1. Watering. For some ornamental plants that relatively prefer moisture, such as Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, bandou orchid, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra elatior, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, little angel, Chloranthus spicatus, Bromeliaceae, etc., they can be placed on wooden slats set over a balcony water pool or water vat, or placed in a simple self-built sand pool, and ordinarily spraying water is used instead of watering. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, more spraying and less watering should also be done, so as to keep the potting soil loose and moist; especially in air-conditioned rooms, spray water at least 1 to 2 times a day, otherwise even a relatively drought-tolerant Pinus parviflora bonsai will dehydrate and die if not watered or sprayed for 5 to 7 days. For relatively resistant potted ornamental plants placed on the balcony, continue to water once a day and spray 1 to 2 times, or use the immersion method to prevent the phenomenon of the potting soil being wet on top and dry below. The watering time should still avoid the 2 to 3 hours around noon, pay attention that the water temperature does not differ too much from the soil temperature and air temperature, and add a small amount of light green ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water to avoid physiological yellowing of the plants.
2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species gradually resuming growth from dormancy or semi-dormancy, low-concentration liquid fertilizer should also be appropriately applied by watering; for vigorously growing potted stumps, a thin liquid fertilizer can be applied by watering after each pinching and pruning; for potted flowering trees mainly for viewing flowers and fruits, such as Michelia alba, Rosa chinensis, pomegranate, Lagerstroemia indica, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Pyracantha fortuneana, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, etc., continue to topdress quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for potted flowers that have completed flower-bud differentiation and whose flower buds are growing, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Osmanthus fragrans, Chrysanthemum morifolium, etc., according to different species, appropriately apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or a multi-element compound fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The types of fertilizer topdressed to flowering trees on the balcony should not carry unusual odors, especially not foul odors, and when applying by watering, be careful not to splash down to the floor below, and operate carefully.
3. Shading. For stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full light, in order to reduce the amount of watering, prevent soil compaction, and protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed in the surface layer of the potting soil, continue to cover the pot surface with wet grass, moss, wet cloth, etc.; when the number of potted flowers is small, they can be moved indoors for 5 to 6 hours around noon; if there are many potted flowers and conditions permit, continue to set up supports and pull up shade nets to block light.
4. Pruning. In September, for stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Adina rubella, Buxus sinica, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Fujian tea, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Sabina chinensis, Sabina procumbens, Ligustrum quihoui, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', etc., pinching or pruning is still needed. For other potted flowering trees, dead branches and yellow leaves, and faded flowers and rotten stems should also be cut off in time.
5. Pest and disease control. In September, the balcony has high temperature and dry air, and potted flowering trees are most prone to red spider mite damage, which can be sprayed and killed with 25% Balleba wettable powder 1500-times solution; for the double-striped fir longhorn beetle appearing on Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis, Juniperus bonsai, and the peach red-necked longhorn beetle appearing on Prunus mume, Malus spectabilis, Chaenomeles sinensis, longevity peach, etc., continue to insert poison sticks or bury carbofuran for control; for various scale insects harming Camellia japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lagerstroemia indica, Chimonanthus praecox, etc., when the number is small they can be wiped off manually, and when the number is large, spray 40% Supracide 1500-times solution for control.

Flower Planting Manual Winter

Flower Planting Manual (October Chapter)

Flowers suitable for courtyard display

    In October, temperatures drop in most parts of the country, with the monthly average temperature between 10°C and 19°C. This month is suitable for many kinds of potted ornamental plants for courtyard display, among which woody ornamental plant species include: Araucaria heterophylla, Pinus parviflora, Japanese golden larch, Pinus bungeana, Japanese fir, Picea species, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Cycas revoluta, Canary date palm, Dutch iron, Fagraea fragrans, Cinnamomum kotoense, Osmanthus fragrans, Hibiscus mutabilis, rubber tree, Schefflera octophylla, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata', Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pseudolarix amabilis, Codiaeum variegatum, Brazilian wood, money tree, Rhapis excelsa, Beaucarnea recurvata, Mahonia bealei, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica 'Variegata', Ficus microcarpa, Caryota mitis, Areca lutescens, king coconut, Cordyline fruticosa, Phoenix roebelenii, Ficus lyrata, Adenium obesum, South American cycad, Garcinia subelliptica, Bambusa ventricosa, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum', Grevillea robusta, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, ludou tree, Murraya paniculata, Nandina domestica, etc. Herbaceous flowers include: Salvia splendens, Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata, Callistephus chinensis, Chrysanthemum morifolium, small chrysanthemum, Begonia coccinea, dragon's mouth flower, Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, five-color pepper, Celosia cristata, Calendula officinalis, Catharanthus roseus, Gomphrena globosa, Petunia hybrida, Impatiens hawkeri, etc. It should be noted that in North China, Northeast China, and other places, when the temperature drops below 10°C, attention should be paid to cold protection for southern flower species planted in the north.

Propagation of courtyard flowers

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

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

    3. Grafting. Use 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, bag and keep moist to graft Pinus parviflora (including Osaka pine), Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera'; use peony roots as rootstock to graft fine varieties of tree peony; use one-year-old Acer palmatum seedlings as rootstock, bag and keep moist to graft red maple, feather maple, etc.; use one-year-old Magnolia denudata seedlings as rootstock, bud-graft fine varieties of Magnolia denudata, Magnolia soulangeana, red-flowered magnolia, etc.; use three-edged arrow as rootstock to graft various cactus balls; use one-year-old citrus seedlings as rootstock to bud-graft Fortunella margarita.

    4. Layering. Flowering tree species that can be propagated by low layering include: Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Weigela florida, Hydrangea macrophylla, Weigela florida, Chaenomeles speciosa, Osmanthus fragrans 'Bayuegui', snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, Magnolia liliiflora, Gardenia jasminoides, Hypericum monogynum, French holly, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Michelia figo, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, etc.

    5. Division. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division include: Nandina domestica, Mahonia bealei, Mahonia fortunei, tree peony, Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, double-flowered Kerria japonica, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea species, Cycas revoluta, etc. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division include: peony, Hosta plantaginea, Cymbidium goeringii, Hosta ventricosa, Strelitzia reginae, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Ranunculus asiaticus, Rudbeckia laciniata, Iris species, Belamcanda chinensis, Convallaria majalis, Aglaonema modestum, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Oxalis triangularis, multi-headed green emperor, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Aspidistra elatior, etc. Flower species that can be propagated by bulb division include: Zantedeschia aethiopica, Hippeastrum rutilum, Freesia refracta, Lycoris radiata, Tulipa gesneriana, Scilla peruviana, etc.

Management of courtyard ground-planted flowers

    1. Transplanting. For some deciduous ornamental plants, according to local climate changes, transplant after the arrival of Frost's Descent and leaf fall, such as Hibiscus syriacus, Cercis chinensis, Amygdalus triloba, pomegranate, Syringa oblata, Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Magnolia liliiflora, Bitao, longevity peach, floribunda rose, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', etc. For some evergreen flowering shrubs, such as Mahonia bealei, Nandina domestica, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Sabina chinensis, Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea', Osmanthus fragrans 'Sijigui', Gardenia jasminoides, Euonymus japonicus, Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, etc., when transplanting, first, pruning back should be carried out before transplanting; second, a good soil ball should be kept; third, watering and spraying management should be strengthened after transplanting. Courtyard herbaceous flower species that can be planted include: Dianthus chinensis, Bellis perennis, Alcea rosea, ornamental kale, Viola tricolor, Calendula officinalis, Verbena hybrida, Phlox drummondii, Antirrhinum majus, Zephyranthes candida, Ophiopogon japonicus, Reineckea carnea, etc. Bulbous flower species that can be ground-planted include: Narcissus tazetta, Narcissus poeticus, Tulipa gesneriana, Hyacinthus orientalis, etc.

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

    3. Watering. For newly planted courtyard flowering trees of the year, continue to do a good job of watering and spraying: first, keep the root soil moist, but there must be no standing water; second, continue to spray the leaf surfaces. In addition, for newly planted herbaceous flowers, also do a good job of spraying to retain moisture.

    4. Fertilizing. For ground-planted autumn herbaceous flowers in the courtyard, it is appropriate to topdress quick-acting fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; for Osmanthus species that have already flowered, open ring-shaped trenches and bury base fertilizer; for Rosa chinensis, Malus spectabilis, Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus mutabilis, Camellia japonica, Michelia figo, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, etc. that have been pruned, bury an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer; for Nandina, Pyracantha fortuneana, and southern Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Fortunella margarita, Citrus aurantium var. amara, golden bullet, etc. that are in the fruit-viewing state, appropriately apply a small amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer by watering, which can effectively prolong the fruit-viewing period.

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

[page]    6. Seed collection. Woody plant species whose seeds can be collected include: Podocarpus macrophyllus, Nageia nagi, Sapindus mukorossi, Aesculus species, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia denudata, Manglietia species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia delavayi, Magnolia chapensis, Michelia champaca, Michelia figo 'Jinye', Michelia maudiae, Manglietia insignis, Michelia platypetala, Taxodium ascendens, Rhapis excelsa, Ardisia crenata, Phoenix roebelenii, Livistona chinensis, Ilex kudingcha, French holly, Cinnamomum camphora, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Viburnum macrocephalum, Malus halliana, Chaenomeles sinensis, Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Taxus chinensis, Camellia oleifera, etc. These seeds must all be stored in wet sand. Seed species that can be dry-stored include: Lagerstroemia indica, Liriodendron chinense, red maple, Acer palmatum, Pseudolarix amabilis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Cryptomeria japonica, Sapium sebiferum, Albizia julibrissin, Koelreuteria paniculata, Hibiscus mutabilis, Choerospondias axillaris, Cercis chinensis, Camptotheca acuminata, Bischofia polycarpa, Acer truncatum, etc. Herbaceous flowers whose seeds can be collected include: Salvia splendens, Celosia cristata, Zinnia elegans, Gomphrena globosa, small dahlia, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes patula, Callistephus chinensis, Impatiens balsamina, Mirabilis jalapa, Kochia scoparia, Helichrysum bracteatum, Cosmos bipinnatus, mountain snow, Euphorbia heterophylla, Mimosa pudica, Desmodium gyrans, etc.

In addition, at the end of October, for Canna generalis, Dahlia pinnata, etc., when their aboveground parts are nearly withered, dig up the underground rhizomes, store them in sand indoors, keep the room temperature not lower than 5°C, and cut and divide them for planting again next spring.

Management of courtyard potted flowers

    1. Watering. Although the weather has turned cooler, in most areas south of the Huai River, the temperature is still above 17°C, and the air is quite dry, so potted flower watering management must be careful and meticulous. For some moisture-loving foliage plants, such as rubber tree, Aspidistra elatior, Monstera deliciosa, Epipremnum aureum, Syngonium podophyllum, Fagraea fragrans, Cinnamomum kotoense, green giant, red gem, etc., on sunny days it is appropriate to water once a day, supplemented by spraying the leaf surfaces; for summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn, including semi-dormant species, such as Zantedeschia aethiopica, Cyclamen persicum, Clivia miniata, Portulacaria afra, Daphne odora, Pelargonium hortorum, Fuchsia hybrida, etc., the amount of watering needs to be increased. For Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Camellia japonica, etc. that flower in winter and early spring, watering should be controlled and spraying increased, to facilitate the swelling of their flower buds. In northern regions, for flower species relatively sensitive to cold, watering should be reduced, which can accelerate the lignification of their new shoots and help them survive the winter safely. The best watering time is 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

    2. Fertilizing. For summer-dormant flowers resuming growth after autumn cools, promptly topdress low-concentration quick-acting liquid fertilizer; for Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Pericallis hybrida, Primula species, Clivia miniata, Cyclamen persicum, Cymbidium sinense, Belgian azalea, Narcissus poeticus, etc. that flower in winter or early spring, continue to topdress a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% urea; for most foliage plants, after mid-October, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer and appropriately topdress some low-concentration potassium fertilizer, thereby increasing the cold resistance of the plants; for fruit-viewing potted plants, such as Citrus aurantium var. amara, lemon, Fortunella margarita, Nandina, winter coral, rich seed, golden bullet, etc., a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be topdressed in early to mid-October.

    3. Shading. For some foliage plant species that are very shade-loving, such as Dieffenbachia, Monstera deliciosa, Calathea species, Syngonium podophyllum, green gem, Boston fern, Peperomia species, etc., shading is still needed for 2 to 3 hours around noon.

    4. Pruning. For most bonsai and potted flowers that must be moved indoors in winter, in mid-to-late October, first cut off dead branches and fallen leaves, pest-damaged branches, weak branches, etc.; for leggy branches, carry out strong pruning back; for binding materials that have shaped the plant for 1 to 2 years, they can be untied, or untied and then re-bound, to prevent long-term binding at fixed positions from injuring the cambium of the branches and causing dead branches and leaves.

    5. Cold protection. In northern regions in mid-to-late October, some ornamental plant species that cannot tolerate low temperatures below 10°C can be moved into greenhouses in time; for some relatively cold-tolerant woody potted flowers or stump bonsai, they can be buried at the end of the month in wind-sheltered, sunny soil to prevent the potting soil from freezing. Areas in the Yangtze River basin should accurately grasp weather change information and avoid the threat of southward cold waves.

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

Potted plants suitable for display on balconies

    In early to mid-October on the balcony, there is still strong light and dry air. Only those potted flowering trees that have been placed on the balcony for a long time and have relatively strong resistance can adapt to the open-air environment of the balcony. They are: Pinus thunbergii, Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Adina rubella, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Fujian tea, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Platycladus orientalis, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis, Buxus sinica, pomegranate, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ficus microcarpa, Ginkgo biloba, Rosa chinensis, Jasminum sambac, Aglaia odorata, Cycas revoluta, Pyracantha fortuneana, Lantana camara, Tamarix chinensis, red maple, etc. For some cold-sensitive southern flowering tree species, when the temperature drops to 10°C, they can no longer continue to be placed on the balcony. For some flower species that prefer a cooler environment, they can be placed in ordinary rooms at the beginning of the month. Such as Cymbidium hybridum, Anthurium crystallinum, Fittonia species, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Oncidium, etc. For some common foliage plants, they can be moved indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon, and at other times can be placed on the balcony, such as Rhapis excelsa, Brazilian wood, money tree, Epipremnum aureum, Aspidistra elatior, Areca lutescens, Caryota mitis, king coconut, bandou, Schefflera octophylla, etc. In northern regions, when the temperature drops to 10°C, the vast majority of flowering trees can no longer be placed on the balcony. Propagation of balcony flowers In early October, on the balcony, a wide-mouth large flowerpot can continue to be used as a cutting container, filled with a mixed cutting substrate of half rice husk ash and half wet sand, or vermiculite alone can be used as the cutting substrate, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and a small number of ornamental plants can be propagated by cuttings, such as Gardenia jasminoides, Schefflera octophylla, rubber tree, Aucuba japonica, Michelia figo, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, Aglaonema modestum, Justicia brandegeeana, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Aglaonema 'Silver Queen', Epipremnum aureum, Pelargonium hortorum, etc.

Management of balcony flowers

    1. Watering. For woody ornamental plants placed on the balcony, such as Cycas revoluta, Ficus microcarpa, rubber tree, Schefflera octophylla, Brazilian wood, money tree, Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Jasminum sambac, etc., water once a day, supplemented by spraying the leaf surfaces; for species that have already formed flower buds and will flower in winter and early spring, such as Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Belgian azalea, etc., watering should not be too much, and at the same time spray the branches and leaves, which can effectively promote the swelling of their flower buds. For potted foliage plants placed indoors, such as Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, little angel, Aspidistra elatior, Cordyline fruticosa, bird's nest fern, Anthurium andraeanum, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Calathea species, Epipremnum aureum, etc., spraying should be primary and watering secondary, so as to keep the potting soil from drying out.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flower species resuming growth from dormancy and semi-dormancy, such as Clivia miniata, Cyclamen persicum, Zantedeschia aethiopica, as well as Cymbidium hybridum, Bromeliaceae, Cymbidium sinense, etc., apply by watering a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% urea; for Citrus aurantium var. amara, Fortunella margarita, golden bean, lemon, Nandina, golden bullet, rich seed, Pyracantha fortuneana, winter coral, etc. mainly for fruit viewing, continue to apply by watering a small amount of low-concentration quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; for Aglaia odorata, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, Jasminum sambac, etc., topdress 1 to 2 times with thin phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in early October, to help them pass the winter smoothly.

    3. Shading. In early to mid-October, for stump bonsai and potted flowers placed on the balcony receiving full light, in order to reduce the amount of watering, protect the nutrient fibrous roots distributed on the surface of the potting soil, and prevent the potting soil from compacting, continue to cover the surface of the potting soil with wet grass, moss, wet cloth, etc., especially shallow-pot stump bonsai, which should be given even more attention. For some shade-loving foliage plants, on clear days, move them indoors for 3 to 4 hours around noon. The shade nets set up in summer can be removed after mid-October.

    4. Pruning. In mid-to-late October, for stump bonsai placed on the balcony, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Ficus microcarpa, Fujian tea, Platycladus orientalis (stump), Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sabina chinensis, Sabina chinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', etc., necessary pruning and shaping must be carried out. For metal wires or non-metal wires that have been bound for more than a year, they can first be untied; if the shaping requirements have not yet been met, a new binding position can be changed for further binding and fixation, which can avoid deep constriction marks causing serious harm to the plant. For ordinary potted flowering trees, such as Rosa chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, etc., appropriate pruning can also be carried out.

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

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

I. Flower propagation

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

    Flowering tree species that can be sown as collected in November include: Spiraea cantoniensis, Ligustrum quihoui, Ligustrum lucidum, Cinnamomum camphora, Sabina virginiana, Nageia nagi, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sapindus mukorossi, rich seed (Ardisia crenata), Trachycarpus fortunei, French holly, Photinia serratifolia, Photinia davidsoniae, etc.

    2. Cuttings. In November, open-field cuttings can be carried out, but plastic film mulching must be added. The main flowering tree species for heat preservation and cold protection include: Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea', Prunus mume (referring to varieties such as green calyx and palace pink), Rosa chinensis (referring to easy-rooting varieties such as floribunda rose and Elizabeth), Chaenomeles speciosa, etc.

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

    Flowering trees that can be densely planted and propagated by cuttings in greenhouses or plastic sheds in November include: Buxus sinica, Buxus bodinieri, Euonymus japonicus, Euonymus japonicus 'Variegatus', Pilea cadierei, Ligustrum sinense 'Aureum', Gardenia jasminoides, Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum kouytchense, Mahonia species, Serissa foetida 'Aureovariegata', etc. If managed properly, complete root systems can grow by next spring, and they can be used for ground planting to cultivate ball-shaped greening forms. In winter, in greenhouses, cuttings can also be propagated for Begonia coccinea, Begonia masoniana, Begonia nelumbiifolia, Pelargonium hortorum, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Fuchsia hybrida, jade tree, Portulacaria afra, Excoecaria cochinchinensis, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, etc., and after spring begins they can be used for potting cultivation.

    In November, in the Yangtze River basin, cuttings of Hibiscus mutabilis, Campsis grandiflora, grape, etc. can also be cut and stored, to be used for cuttings next spring, which can significantly speed up their rooting and increase the cutting survival rate.

    3. Grafting. Use green maple seedlings as rootstock, bag indoors and graft red maple, feather maple; use apricot seedlings and peach seedlings as rootstock, cut-graft Prunus mume (the graft union is buried in soil to overwinter); use thick strong branches of Rosa chinensis (Elizabeth variety) as rootstock scion, and use branches of fine Rosa chinensis varieties as scions, carry out cleft grafting or cut grafting and then cuttage, so that the union heals and the lower cut roots at the same time, which can accelerate the process of cultivating grafted seedlings of fine Rosa chinensis varieties.

    4. Layering. Flowering tree species that can be propagated by low layering in November mainly include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Gardenia jasminoides, small-leaf gardenia, pomegranate, Camellia japonica, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Weigela florida, Osmanthus fragrans, Hydrangea macrophylla, Magnolia liliiflora, Sabina chinensis 'Pyramidalis', Michelia figo, Spiraea cantoniensis, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, Spiraea thunbergii, etc.

    5. Division. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in November include: Chaenomeles speciosa, Spiraea cantoniensis, Spiraea thunbergii, Spiraea japonica, sanya, Hypericum monogynum, Hypericum kouytchense, Mahonia species, Buddleja lindleyana, tree peony, Caragana sinica, winter jasmine, Forsythia viridissima, Jasminum officinale, Jasminum sambac, Chloranthus spicatus, bamboo, feibai bamboo, etc.

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

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

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

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

   2. Transplanting and establishing. Herbaceous flower species that can continue to be transplanted for flowerbed establishment and flower border arrangement in November include: Silene pendula, Dianthus chinensis, Alcea rosea, Malva sylvestris, large-flowered Viola tricolor, Antirrhinum majus, Bellis perennis, Calendula officinalis, ornamental kale, etc.

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

    In November, Prunus mume stumps, Chimonanthus praecox, camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, etc. can be transplanted and potted, and placed in plastic sheds to force flowering, so as to meet the needs of indoor display around the Spring Festival.

    In November, potted hyacinth, tulip, Narcissus poeticus, etc. should be moved into plastic sheds to promote flowering around the Spring Festival.

    1. Watering. For most ornamental flowers (including bonsai) placed in greenhouses, plastic sheds, or rooms, the specific standard for the amount of watering in November is to keep the potting soil moist, and it must not be too wet; if the temperature is low and watering is too much, the plants are prone to root rot and death. If the indoor temperature is relatively high, then appropriately increase the amount of watering and give necessary leaf-surface spraying.

For those potted flower species that flower around the Spring Festival, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Pericallis hybrida, etc., as well as fruit-viewing plants Citrus aurantium var. amara, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, lemon, Pyracantha fortuneana, Nandina, winter coral, rich seed, etc., not only keep the potting soil moist, but also frequently spray the plants, to facilitate the swelling growth of flower buds, and also make the fruits appear more brightly colored.

For foliage plants placed in plastic sheds, greenhouses, and rooms, not only keep the potting soil moist, but also frequently spray the leaf surfaces, so that they always remain verdant and glossy. In relatively high-temperature greenhouses and rooms, the amount of watering can be increased. For relatively less cold-tolerant foliage plants, such as Syngonium podophyllum, Calathea species, fendai leaf, green emperor, Codiaeum variegatum, silver queen, etc., the amount of watering should be controlled, to help them safely overwinter.

[page]    The watering time for potted flowers in November is preferably 10 to 11 a.m., and the water temperature is required to be basically consistent with the soil temperature, so as to avoid adverse reactions in plants caused by too low water temperature, which would then affect their safe overwintering.

    2. Fertilizing. For potted flowers placed indoors at temperatures above 15°C, species such as Western azalea, camellia, Camellia sasanqua, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, Pachystachys lutea, Justicia brandegeeana, Daphne odora, Pericallis hybrida, Cyclamen persicum, Chaenomeles speciosa, hyacinth, Clivia miniata, tulip, ornamental Bromeliaceae, Schlumbergera truncata, colorful Bromeliaceae, etc., continue to topdress low-concentration phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; using 0.2% monopotassium phosphate fertilizer solution can promote their growth and flowering.

For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants, bonsai, etc. placed in ordinary plastic sheds, stop topdressing, to help them normally dormancy and overwinter. For most ground-planted flowering trees, such as Malus species, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia liliiflora, Magnolia soulangeana, Manglietia species, Michelia chapensis, Magnolia yunshanensis, Michelia figo, Michelia figo 'Jinye', Gardenia jasminoides, Aesculus species, Cinnamomum camphora, Spiraea species, Osmanthus fragrans, grape, Rosa chinensis, Chimonanthus praecox, Prunus mume, cherry blossom, Sapindus mukorossi, Albizia julibrissin, Trachycarpus fortunei, red maple, tree peony, Forsythia viridissima, peony, Hypericum monogynum, etc., bury and apply dry cake fertilizer, with each plant using 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg; smaller plants can use less, laying a material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

    3. Pruning. Continue to prune hedges, green walls, and ball-shaped forms that have not completed pruning, and after pruning is completed, apply base fertilizer.

For bonsai plant species mainly pruned by cutting, carry out all-around shaping and pruning, such as Ulmus parvifolia, Fujian tea, Sageretia thea, Acer buergerianum, Xylosma japonicum, Fraxinus chinensis 'Dui Jie', Pyracantha fortuneana, Serissa foetida, Sabina chinensis, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Chimonanthus praecox, Malus spectabilis, etc., laying a good framework for next year's growth and shaping.

Prune ground-planted or potted Rosa chinensis that have not yet been pruned. For each plant, apart from retaining 3 to 5 robust 1- to 2-year-old stems at 30 cm to 50 cm from the base, cut off the remaining old stems from their base, and cut off all thin and weak branches; for unpruned ground-planted Lagerstroemia indica, carry out strong pruning back of the current year's branches, apart from retaining 20 cm to 30 cm from the base of a few thick branches, cut off all the remaining current year's branches, to help it produce more robust new shoots next year and lay a foundation for more flowering.

For common flowering trees in flowerbeds, along roadsides, and in courtyards, such as Lagerstroemia indica, Hibiscus syriacus, Osmanthus fragrans, Cinnamomum camphora, Platanus orientalis, Magnolia liliiflora, Forsythia viridissima, Prunus mume, Chimonanthus praecox, cherry blossom, camellia, Albizia julibrissin, Pyracantha fortuneana, Pittosporum tobira, Malus spectabilis, etc., cut off all disordered branches, weak branches, inner-canopy branches, pest-damaged branches, etc., and appropriately prune back leggy branches protruding from the crown. In addition, in November, thick palm trees can be stripped of palm fiber, and the trunks cleaned well, so that they show their proper ornamental effect.

    4. Cold protection. For relatively less cold-sensitive potted flowering tree species, such as Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, Rhododendron, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Nandina, Araucaria heterophylla, Jasminum sambac, Michelia alba, Chloranthus spicatus, bottle orchid, Citrus aurantium var. amara, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, lemon, Fortunella margarita, Ardisia crenata, Schefflera octophylla, Monstera deliciosa, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Caryota mitis, rubber tree, money tree, Canary date palm, Rhapis excelsa, etc., they can be placed in plastic sheds, as long as the room temperature is maintained at not lower than about 5°C.

For potted flowering plants that are not cold-tolerant, such as arrowroot (Maranta), pink taffeta leaf (Episcia), arrowhead vine (Syngonium), deep-lobed philodendron (Philodendron), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), croton (Codiaeum variegatum), gold-vein justice (Justicia), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), Brazilian iron (Dracaena fragrans), red (green) gem (Pleomele), green giant (Monstera), green emperor (Philodendron 'Imperial Green'), silver queen (Aglaonema), frangipani (Plumeria), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, etc., they should be placed indoors at a room temperature not lower than 10°C, or protected through the winter in a double-layer plastic greenhouse.

For those relatively cold-tolerant bonsai or potted flowering trees, such as wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), crabapple types (Malus), azalea (Rhododendron), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), boxwood (Buxus), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), red maple (Acer palmatum), etc., they can be buried directly together with their pots in wind-sheltered, sun-facing soil; under conditions not lower than -10°C, frost damage generally does not occur. If particularly cold weather occurs, a film or soft grass can be added for cold protection.

For potted flowers or bonsai placed in greenhouses, conservatories or rooms in November, besides ensuring a certain temperature condition, ventilation and air exchange should also be carried out well; doors and windows can be opened around noon for ventilation, to prevent the plants from being stuffy indoors for a prolonged period, which causes flower drop, fruit drop and leaf drop. In addition, toxic gases such as coal gas should not intrude indoors, otherwise it can also easily cause leaf drop and fruit drop in the plants. During ventilation, care should also be taken never to let the plants be directly exposed to cold drafts.

    5. Pest and disease control. For flowering trees prone to leaf diseases, such as grapes, crabapple types, roses, Chinese roses, camellias, chrysanthemums, etc., collect the fallen leaves under the plants and burn them, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of diseases the following year.

For street tree trunks, continue whitewashing; for dead-trunk style and split-trunk style stump bonsai, apply lime-sulfur mixture to the dead trunk and split trunk parts for antisepsis, to prevent deep decay of the stump xylem.

For whiteflies, scale insects, etc. appearing on potted flowering trees placed in conservatories or greenhouses (they may occur on bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), finger citron (Citrus medica), sago palm (Cycas revoluta), orchids, camellias, clivia (Clivia miniata) and aspidistra (Aspidistra)), first, wipe them off with a damp cloth; second, spray and kill them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For aphids appearing on potted plants placed indoors (they may occur on Michelia (Michelia alba), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) and Chinese roses), spray tobacco water for control.

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

    The main types of bonsai plants suitable for shaping in November are: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), velvet cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), procumbent juniper (Juniperus procumbens), winged spindle (Euonymus alatus), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), plum blossom (Prunus mume), winter hazel (Corylopsis), oak (Quercus), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), boxwood (Buxus), pearl boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), etc.

For bonsai stumps that have been tied and suspended with palm rope for 1 to 2 years, when deeper constriction marks are found on their trunks and branches, the old palm rope can be removed in November, and the trunk and branches can be re-tied and adjusted.

For new tree stumps such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), water myrica (Adina rubella), firethorn (Pyracantha), Elaeagnus, etc., after preliminary root trimming, trunk cutting and branch cutting, plant them in sandy loam fields by the shallow-burial and high-mounding method, and shape them after they sprout branches the following year.

After 1 to 2 years of cultivation and shaping, tree stumps that have basically taken form can, in November, be repotted into suitable containers according to the shaping characteristics of the trunk, roots and branches, and matched with fist stones and dotted with moss, so they can be displayed indoors around the Spring Festival.

Well-shaped tall plum stumps, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), etc., can be potted in suitable containers in November, with strengthened water management, and can be used the following spring for display in squares, parks and grand halls.

Flower Planting Manual (December Chapter)

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

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in conservatories in December include: gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), clivia (Clivia miniata), tuberous begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), etc.; flower and tree species that can be sown outdoors immediately after collection or stratified in sand for germination include: Chinese rose (such as 'Elizabeth'), nandina (Nandina domestica), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), holly types (Ilex), firethorn (Pyracantha), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), privet (Ligustrum), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), small-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense), soapberry (Sapindus), photinia (Photinia), and Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), etc.

    2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental flowering trees that can be propagated by open-field cuttings in December include: plum blossom (mainly cultivars such as 'Gongfen' and 'Lüe'); Chinese rose (mainly easy-to-root cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda rose and miniature rose); red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) (cutting with heel), spiraea (Spiraea), boxwood types (Buxus), etc. Among them, plum blossom and red-leaf plum cuttings should use yellow-heart soil, Chinese rose cuttings should use a mixed substrate of rice-hull ash and fine sand at 2:1, and other types can use ordinary sandy loam, covered with plastic film for heat and moisture retention.

In conservatories, African violet (Saintpaulia) can be propagated by leaf cuttings; combined with pruning, cuttings can be taken of hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), geranium (Pelargonium), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), gem flower (Graptopetalum), stone lotus (Echeveria), purslane tree (Portulacaria afra), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), longevity flower (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), four-season begonia (Begonia semperflorens), bamboo-joint begonia (Begonia maculata), Rieger begonia (Begonia × hiemalis), chloranthus (Chloranthus), jasmine (Jasminum), bleeding-heart glorybower (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), lantana (Lantana camara), schefflera (Schefflera), Daphne, pothos (Epipremnum aureum), cordyline (Cordyline), etc. Using cold-frame seedbeds, cuttings can also be taken of gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), golden-heart (golden-edge) boxwood (Buxus), mahonia (Mahonia), hypericum (Hypericum), forsythia (Forsythia), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), firethorn (Pyracantha), silver bud willow (Salix gracilistyla), snowbell (Styrax), etc. In addition, branches of trumpet creeper (Campsis), lilac (Syringa) and grape can be cut and stored in sand, to be used for cuttings the following spring.

    3. Grafting. Superior plum blossom cultivars, such as 'Guhong' and 'Zhusha', can be grafted in December using seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, peach, etc. sown that year; after digging up the rootstock, perform cleft grafting or cut grafting, then plant them on the seedbed at a certain spacing between plants and rows, covering soil up to above the graft union, even burying most of the scion, taking care that water does not seep into the union, and covering with plastic film for heat and moisture retention; the following spring, after the scion sprouts, remove the covering film. Use dug-up wild rose plants to bud-graft superior Chinese rose cultivars; or use robust branch segments of the 'Elizabeth' Chinese rose cultivar (10 to 12 cm long), cut-graft or cleft-graft superior Chinese rose scions at the upper end, then insert the grafted 'Elizabeth' scion segments into a loose seedbed. The graft union can be buried together in sandy soil, taking care that water does not seep into the graft union, covering with plastic film for moisture and heat retention; the following spring, after the scion sprouts, remove the covering film, and only after it has completely survived use a blade to cut open the binding tape at the union. In addition, red maple (Acer palmatum) can be side-grafted indoors with bagging for moisture retention.

    4. Layering. Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in December include: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), plum blossom (Prunus mume), camellia (Camellia japonica), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), banana shrub (Michelia figo), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), snowball (Viburnum), weigela (Weigela florida), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), forsythia (Forsythia), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), snowflake (Deutzia scabra), Guelder rose (Viburnum macrocephalum), bridal wreath (Spiraea), pomegranate (Punica granatum), etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in December include: autumn zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus), Reineckea (Reineckea carnea), hosta (Hosta), purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), red wood sorrel (Oxalis rubra), aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior), Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern (Nephrolepis), blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), iris (Iris), large-leaf lilyturf (Liriope), lilyturf (Ophiopogon), Rohdea (Rohdea japonica), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), etc. When cutting off the offsets at the base of a large variegated bromeliad plant for division, the small plants must have already grown on the mother plant for three to four months; otherwise the colored bands on the divided offsets easily disappear, and special attention should be paid to this.

    Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in December include: heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), hypericum (Hypericum), mahonia (Mahonia), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), broadleaf lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), red-flower spiraea (Spiraea), Chinese peashrub (Caragana), forsythia (Forsythia), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), sweet jasmine (Jasminum), jasmine (Jasminum sambac), chloranthus (Chloranthus), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), sisal (Agave), bamboo fern (Bambusa multiplex), and dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Sasa fortunei), etc.

    1. Collecting seeds. The herbaceous flower seeds that can be collected in December are generally herbaceous flower types moved into conservatories or cold frames, such as salvia types (Salvia), globe amaranth types (Gomphrena), marigold (Tagetes erecta), French marigold (Tagetes patula), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), clivia (Clivia miniata), etc. Clivia seeds should be sown immediately after collection.

    Woody ornamental plants whose seeds can be collected in December mainly include: Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), wisteria (Wisteria), privet (Ligustrum), small-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense), firethorn (Pyracantha), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), holly types (Ilex), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), photinia types (Photinia). After treatment, these seeds basically all need sand stratification for germination, and only after the seeds crack and show white the following year can they be sown in the ground; under dry storage they easily lose viability, leading to failure in sowing and raising seedlings the following year.

    2. Transplanting and field planting. Herbaceous flower species that can be field-planted in flower beds and flower borders in December include: dianthus types (Dianthus), ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea), large-flowered pansy (Viola × wittrockiana), snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), daisy (Bellis perennis), etc. Some herbaceous flowers can also be potted and placed in greenhouses, such as daisy, pot marigold, snapdragon, ornamental kale, dianthus, pansy, etc., and can be used for street display the following spring.

    In December, most deciduous greening trees and flowering shrubs can be transplanted and field-planted, such as rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate (Punica granatum), redbud (Cercis chinensis), crabapple types (Malus), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), soapberry (Sapindus), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), horse chestnut (Aesculus), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), papaya (Chaenomeles), Yulan magnolia 'Erqiao' (Magnolia × soulangeana), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wisteria (Wisteria), trumpet creeper (Campsis), linden (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), red maple (Acer palmatum), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica), weeping pagoda tree (Sophora japonica var. pendula), etc. For evergreen trees and flowering shrubs, transplanting should be more cautious. Evergreen tree species that can be transplanted in winter include: privet (Ligustrum), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), azalea (Rhododendron), holly (Ilex), etc. When transplanting, first heavily reduce and prune the main shoot and large branches, and remove most leaves, while also taking a large soil ball, binding the trunk with straw rope and wrapping it with plastic film, and sealing the cut ends of the trunk and large branches with wax or wrapping them with film to reduce water transpiration; after transplanting, frequently spray water on the leaves and trunk to ensure normal survival.

    Tree stumps and flowering trees that can be potted in December include: plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet stumps (Chimonanthus praecox), camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), and hall crabapple (Malus halliana). Place them in greenhouses for flower forcing, and they can be expected to bloom during the Spring Festival.

    In December, potted hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis), tulips (Tulipa), red-cupped narcissus (Narcissus poeticus), etc., should continue to be kept in greenhouses for flower forcing, which can promote them to bloom around the Spring Festival.

    1. Cold protection. In a simple plastic greenhouse with a temperature not lower than 0°C, the following ornamental plants can be placed without frost damage, such as asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior), Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), spotted aucuba (Aucuba japonica), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), sword fern (Nephrolepis), broadleaf lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), banana shrub (Michelia figo), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), firethorn (Pyracantha), camellia (Camellia japonica), Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, bamboo fern (Bambusa multiplex), dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Sasa fortunei), sago palm (Cycas revoluta), etc.

For ornamental plant species requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 5°C, such as Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), schefflera (Schefflera), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), jasmine (Jasminum sambac), Michelia (Michelia alba), chloranthus (Chloranthus), pocket coconut (Chamaedorea elegans), calla lily (Zantedeschia), Philodendron 'Spring Feather' (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum), Monstera deliciosa, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), primrose (Primula), lantana (Lantana camara), kumquat (Fortunella), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon (Citrus limon), areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), geranium (Pelargonium), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Buddha belly bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa), etc., they can overwinter in a double-layer plastic greenhouse. For species requiring an overwintering temperature not lower than 10°C, such as croton (Codiaeum variegatum), caladium (Caladium), pepperomia (Peperomia), arrowroot (Maranta), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), fish-tail palm (Caryota), Brazilian iron (Dracaena fragrans), money tree (Pachira aquatica), nerve plant (Fittonia), bromeliads, pink taffeta leaf (Episcia), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), large-flowered Cymbidium (Cymbidium), bleeding-heart glorybower (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, South American cycad (Zamia), red (green) gem (Pleomele), Oncidium, Cymbidium hookerianum, etc., in a well-sealed double-layer greenhouse, they should also be appropriately heated; during especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, cover the top of the greenhouse with straw curtains, and remove them after the temperature turns warmer.

For those relatively cold-tolerant potted and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), crabapple types (Malus), azalea (Rhododendron), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), oak (Quercus), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wisteria (Wisteria), boxwood types (Buxus), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), water myrica (Adina rubella), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), and Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), etc., when the temperature is not lower than -10°C, they generally will not suffer frost damage; in particularly cold weather, additionally cover with plastic film or soft grass for cold protection.

[page]    Whether placed in greenhouses, conservatories, or rooms, bonsai, potted flowers and foliage and fruit ornamental plants, besides necessarily maintaining a suitable indoor temperature for them, should also be well ventilated; doors and windows can be opened for ventilation around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, to prevent leaf drop, flower drop and fruit drop. During ventilation, care must also be taken not to let cold drafts directly hit the plants, so as to avoid adverse reactions.

    2. Watering. For most potted flowers and bonsai placed in conservatories, greenhouses and rooms, keep the potting soil moist as the standard; if the temperature is on the low side and watering is excessive, it easily causes root rot in the plants. When the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and appropriate leaf spraying can be given.

For those potted flowering plants that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida), primrose (Primula), longevity flower (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), European narcissus (Narcissus), etc., and fruit ornamentals such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon (Citrus limon), finger citron (Citrus medica), four-season tangerine (Citrus), kumquat (Fortunella), winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but leaf spraying must also be given, to facilitate the expansion of flower buds and also increase the brightness of the flowers and fruits.

For most foliage plants placed indoors, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but leaf spraying should also be given, always keeping the plant leaves clean; for foliage plant species that are not very cold-tolerant, such as pink taffeta leaf (Episcia), arrowhead vine (Syngonium), arrowroot (Maranta), croton (Codiaeum variegatum), silver queen (Aglaonema), etc., when the room temperature is already close to the lowest temperature limit they can tolerate, special attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering, so as to ensure they can overwinter safely.

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

For newly transplanted flowering trees outdoors, check frequently and supplement watering in time; for transplanted evergreen trees, appropriately spray water on the leaves around noon to prevent the leaves from drying, shrinking and falling off.

    3. Fertilizing. For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants and bonsai placed in ordinary greenhouses, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it easily causes root rot and death of the plants.

For most greening trees and flowering trees planted in the ground, such as crabapple types (Malus), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), manglietia (Manglietia), banana shrub types (Michelia), red maple (Acer palmatum), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), horse chestnut (Aesculus), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), soapberry (Sapindus), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), peony (Paeonia lactiflora), tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), forsythia (Forsythia), hypericum (Hypericum), grape (Vitis), Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), spiraea (Spiraea), tulip tree (Liriodendron), mock orange (Philadelphus), deutzia (Deutzia), pomegranate (Punica granatum), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wisteria (Wisteria), firethorn (Pyracantha), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), lilac (Syringa), trumpet creeper (Campsis), banksian rose (Rosa banksiae), hypericum (Hypericum), weeping willow (Salix babylonica), Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), cypress types (Cupressaceae), dragon-claw pagoda tree (Sophora japonica var. pendula), elm-leaved spirea (Prunus triloba), dwarf flowering cherry (Prunus glandulosa), white silk plum (Physocarpus), photinia (Photinia), redbud (Cercis chinensis), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), etc., in December, while turning the garden soil, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the outer roots of the plants, such as cake fertilizer, pig and cattle manure, pond sludge, septic tank residue, etc., to lay a good material foundation for next year's growth and flowering.

For potted flower species placed indoors at 10°C to 15°C, such as camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), azalea (Rhododendron), plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), bromeliads, Daphne, cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida), primrose (Primula), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), clivia (Clivia miniata), tulip (Tulipa), freesia (Freesia), etc., continue to apply 1.2% monopotassium phosphate solution as a top dressing, to promote flower bud formation and blooming of the plants.

    4. Pruning. Prune hedges, green walls and ball-shaped topiary that were not yet pruned in November; hedges and green walls such as privet (Ligustrum), small-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense), French green (Ligustrum), large-leaf boxwood (Euonymus japonicus), Shu juniper (Sabina), four-season osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), etc.; balls such as horned holly (Ilex cornuta), bayberry (Myrica rubra), photinia (Photinia), boxwood types (Buxus), pittosporum (Pittosporum), forsythia (Forsythia), firethorn (Pyracantha), dragon juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Kaizuca'), prickly juniper (Juniperus rigida), etc.; while completing pruning, fertilizer can be applied.

For ground-planted flowering trees not yet pruned in November, such as Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), photinia (Photinia), plane tree (Platanus), plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), etc., carry out shaping and pruning; after pruning is completed, fertilizer can be buried and applied around the root system.

For bonsai plant species mainly shaped by pruning, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), oak (Quercus), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), firethorn (Pyracantha), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), crabapple (Malus), papaya (Chaenomeles), etc., continue pruning in December to lay a good framework for next year's growth; for plants that have not been repotted for many years, repotting can be carried out together with pruning.

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

For powdery mildew on potted cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida) and gray mold on primrose (Primula), the former should be controlled in time with triadimefon or thiophanate-methyl, and the latter with thiophanate-methyl.

For species of flowering trees in conservatories and greenhouses that are prone to scale insects, such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), finger citron (Citrus medica), sago palm (Cycas revoluta), camellia (Camellia japonica), aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior), etc., first wipe them with a cloth, then control them with pesticides such as Supracide.

For flower and tree species on which aphids often appear on potted plants when ventilation is poor, such as Michelia (Michelia alba), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), etc., tobacco water can be used for control.

For the trunks and large branches of open-field flowering trees such as pittosporum (Pittosporum), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), plane tree (Platanus), camellia (Camellia japonica), small-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense), firethorn (Pyracantha), oleander (Nerium oleander), crabapple (Malus), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), redbud (Cercis chinensis), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), photinia (Photinia), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), etc., various scale insects often appear, such as horned wax scale (Ceroplastes ceriferus), Japanese wax scale (Ceroplastes japonicus), red wax scale (Ceroplastes rubens), armored scale (Diaspididae), arrowhead scale (Unaspis yanonensis), mealybug (Pseudococcidae), felt scale (Eriococcidae), etc.; at this time, use higher-concentration pesticides such as Supracide, quinalphos and buprofezin to spray and kill them, with little pesticide damage.

    6. Composting fertilizer. To meet the needs of raising seedlings and mixing culture soil next year, the winter leisure time can be used to pour rapeseed cake, soybean cake, tea-seed cake, etc., into water vats or ponds, add water and seal for soaking and fermentation.

Stack dry withered grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, branches, etc., in alternating layers with garden soil, set on fire and burn to form burned soil, which is an excellent covering soil for sowing and raising seedlings next year.

Mix barnyard manure, pond sludge, chicken droppings and pigeon droppings, etc., with garden soil and pile for composting, sealed for fermentation, can be used for topdressing seedlings and mixing culture soil next year.

    7. Mixing culture soil. Using the free time in winter, find a piece of open ground or a spot under tree shade, and pile up as much culture soil as possible, to prepare for repotting and potting herbaceous flowers the following spring. Generally, use 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold (or 2 parts alpine humus soil), 1 part fine sand, 1 part each of composted sawdust, tobacco powder or rice-hull ash, plus about 5% composted cake fertilizer and 2% to 3% compound fertilizer; the garden soil and leaf mold should be sieved to remove stones, tree roots and other debris, and after fully mixing them, cover with plastic film, or pile them indoors; after 3 to 4 months, they can be used for repotting or potting herbaceous flowers.

    8. Turning soil and freezing clods. For garden plots to be used next year for sowing, cuttings and planting seedlings, plowing can be carried out in December; for garden plots for sowing and planting seedlings, cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond sludge, etc., can be applied before turning; without making beds for the time being, after overwintering and freezing clods, in early spring the following year, trenches can be drawn and beds made, which can greatly reduce the cost of seedling management and also reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.

Ornamental plant species suitable for bonsai shaping in December include: Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), velvet cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), Oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), creeping juniper (Juniperus procumbens), true juniper (Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii), black pine (Pinus thunbergii), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), red pine (Pinus densiflora), water myrica (Adina rubella), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), winged spindle (Euonymus alatus), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), Chinese peashrub (Caragana), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), winter hazel (Corylopsis), tamarisk (Tamarix), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), papaya crabapple (Chaenomeles), boxwood (Buxus), pearl boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), wisteria (Wisteria), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), banyan (Ficus), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), oak (Quercus), etc.

For bonsai plants fixed and shaped by coiling with palm fiber (rope) or metal wire, if the fixation has already lasted one year, or obvious constriction marks are found on the trunk and branches, the original binding material should be removed, and metal wire or palm rope should be used again for tying, suspending and pulling.

For ground-planted plum stumps, Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), crabapple (Malus), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), etc., that have already been shaped, after some necessary pruning and shaping, choose suitable pots and plant them well, strengthen management, so they can be used for display in public places or rooms the following year.

In winter, for some shallow-pot landscape bonsai and tree-stump bonsai, careful management must be given: first, prevent the potting soil from freezing and damaging the plant root system; second, prevent freezing from disintegrating the artificially cemented rocks; third, prevent the plants planted on the rockery from freezing to death or drying to death. They can be placed in a place that does not freeze, and regularly watered and sprayed, so they can overwinter safely.

Flower Planting Manual (January Chapter)

    Weather characteristics of January: This month is the month with the lowest temperature and the coldest weather of the year. January 5 is Minor Cold, around the "Sanjiu" period, and most parts of China enter the severe cold period; January 20 is Major Cold, with cold air from the north frequently moving south, heavy frost and thick snow, and the lowest temperature of the year appears. This month, the most important thing in flower maintenance is to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection for cold-sensitive flowers, bonsai, etc., in conservatories, greenhouses and rooms; the next is auxiliary work such as tree pruning, clearing dead branches and fallen leaves, turning and preparing the land, and preparing culture soil.

I. Flower Propagation

    1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in conservatories in January include: gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), clivia (Clivia miniata), tuberous begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), etc. Ornamental plant species that can be sown in open fields outdoors include: Chinese rose ('Elizabeth'), nandina (Nandina domestica), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), holly (Ilex), firethorn (Pyracantha), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), photinia (Photinia), Chinese photinia (Photinia davidsoniae), soapberry (Sapindus), privet (Ligustrum), wisteria (Wisteria), Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria), etc.

    2. Cuttings. Ornamental plant species suitable for open-field or film-covered cutting propagation in January include: plum blossom (cultivars such as 'Lüe' and 'Gongfen'), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Chinese rose (cultivars such as 'Elizabeth', floribunda and miniature), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) (with heel), spiraea (Spiraea), boxwood types (Buxus), pomegranate (Punica granatum), silver bud willow (Salix gracilistyla), mahonia (Mahonia), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), snowbell (Styrax), hypericum (Hypericum), forsythia (Forsythia), bridal wreath (Spiraea), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), sweet jasmine (Jasminum), etc. Species that can be propagated by cuttings in conservatories include: jasmine (Jasminum sambac), chloranthus (Chloranthus), geranium (Pelargonium), fuchsia (Fuchsia), African violet (Saintpaulia) (leaf cuttings), Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius), gem flower (Graptopetalum), jade leaf (Crassula), jade tree (Crassula ovata), stone lotus (Echeveria), night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), clearweed (Pilea), mirror grass (Pilea peperomioides), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), Rieger begonia (Begonia × hiemalis), bleeding-heart glorybower (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), schefflera (Schefflera), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), Daphne, red-backed excoecaria (Excoecaria cochinchinensis), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), pothos (Epipremnum aureum), cordyline (Cordyline), etc. In addition, branches of lilac (Syringa), trumpet creeper (Campsis), tamarisk (Tamarix), grape (Vitis), Weigela, deutzia (Deutzia), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), plane tree (Platanus) and fig (Ficus carica), etc., can be cut and stored in sand, to be used for cuttings in March.

    3. Grafting. Superior plum blossom cultivars can be propagated by grafting using one-year-old seedlings of apricot, fruiting plum, mountain peach and wild peach as rootstocks; after grafting, plant them buried on the seedbed, cover with plastic film for moisture and cold protection. In Guangdong, between Minor Cold and Major Cold, four-season tangerine (Citrus) and kumquat (Fortunella) are often propagated by bud grafting; use dug-up wild rose for bud grafting superior Chinese rose cultivars, use the 'Elizabeth' Chinese rose cultivar as rootstock and scion, cut-graft or cleft-graft superior Chinese roses, with grafting and cutting carried out simultaneously, cover with plastic film for moisture and cold protection.

    4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in January include: purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), camellia (Camellia japonica), plum blossom (Prunus mume), weigela (Weigela florida), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), snowball (Viburnum), Guelder rose (Viburnum macrocephalum), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), forsythia (Forsythia), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), snowflake (Deutzia scabra), bridal wreath (Spiraea), pomegranate (Punica granatum), red maple (Acer palmatum), etc.

    5. Division. Herbaceous ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus), large-leaf lilyturf (Liriope), silver-edge lilyturf (Liriope), Reineckea (Reineckea carnea), autumn zephyr lily (Zephyranthes candida), pink zephyr lily (Zephyranthes), hosta (Hosta), purple hosta (Hosta ventricosa), purple-backed Rohdea (Tradescantia spathacea), Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern (Nephrolepis), blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis), iris (Iris), spider plant types (Chlorophytum), Rohdea (Rohdea japonica), Guangdong evergreen (Aglaonema), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), bromeliads, small tulip (Tulipa), shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), Monstera deliciosa, aloe (Aloe), etc. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division in January include: heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), hypericum (Hypericum), mahonia (Mahonia), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), broadleaf lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), bridal wreath (Spiraea), red-flower spiraea (Spiraea), Chinese peashrub (Caragana), forsythia (Forsythia), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), sweet jasmine (Jasminum), jasmine (Jasminum sambac), chloranthus (Chloranthus), tiger thorn (Damnacanthus), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), snowbell (Styrax), boxwood (Buxus), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), etc.

    6. Collecting seeds. In January, if there are mature asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus) and clivia (Clivia miniata) seeds in the conservatory, they can be sown immediately after collection; mature winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum) seeds can also be sown indoors at this time. In January, seeds of heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), firethorn (Pyracantha), holly types (Ilex) and coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), etc., can be collected; after treatment, carry out sand stratification for germination, and only after the seeds crack and show white can they be sown.

    In January, frequently check the seeds stored in sand, including magnolia types (Magnolia), banana shrub types (Michelia), photinia types (Photinia), holly types (Ilex), etc., to see whether the seeds have become moldy; if mold appears, the seeds must be poured out, re-rubbed and washed, and replaced with clean fine sand for storage again; if the seeds are found to be dry, supplement spraying with water in time; if the seeds are found to have cracked and shown white or the radicle has already emerged, they must be sown immediately, and covered with plastic film or straw, pine needles, etc., for heat and moisture retention.

II. Transplanting and Field Planting

    In January, herbaceous flowers that can be transplanted and field-planted in less cold areas include: dianthus types (Dianthus), ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea), pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), daisy (Bellis perennis), etc.; in relatively cold areas, sown seedlings of dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragon, pansy, primrose, etc., can be potted and first placed in simple plastic greenhouses, and after spring returns and the weather warms, used for display in street flower beds, green spaces and flower borders.

    In January, most deciduous flowering shrubs and greening trees can be transplanted and field-planted, such as rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), pomegranate (Punica granatum), redbud (Cercis chinensis), crabapple types (Malus), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana), maple types (Acer), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), soapberry (Sapindus), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), horse chestnut (Aesculus), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), papaya (Chaenomeles), Yulan magnolia 'Erqiao' (Magnolia × soulangeana), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wisteria (Wisteria), trumpet creeper (Campsis), linden (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum), red-flower spiraea (Spiraea), snowbell (Styrax), Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica), dragon-claw pagoda tree (Sophora japonica var. pendula), etc. Evergreen tree species, especially camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) and French green (Ligustrum), etc., this month, except in special circumstances, should generally be transplanted earlier in December or delayed to February; of course, in wind-sheltered places, with heavy reduction pruning after transplanting and strengthened cold protection and watering management after transplanting, it is also acceptable.

    In January, although the weather is cold, in areas south of the Yangtze River it does not affect the collection of wild tree stumps during the process of forestry afforestation and land preparation, mainly deciduous tree stumps, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), azalea (Rhododendron), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), wisteria (Wisteria), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), wild plum (Prunus mume), Elaeagnus, winged spindle (Euonymus alatus), etc.; for evergreen tree stumps, such as heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), cat-spine (Ilex pernyi), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), oak (Quercus), etc., heavy reduction pruning must be done and most leaves removed. Whether deciduous tree stumps or evergreen tree stumps, they should be cultivated by the shallow-burial and high-mounding method, and covered with straw curtains for freeze protection.

III. Cold Protection

This month's cold protection and heat preservation work is the top priority in management work; a slight negligence will bring serious losses to potted flowers and bonsai overwintering. According to the lower limit of the lowest temperature that various flower species can tolerate, create a special environment for them to overwinter safely, either in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse, or indoors, or buried in open-field soil. In a simple plastic greenhouse not lower than 0°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures around 0°C can be placed, such as asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior), Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), sword fern (Nephrolepis), broadleaf lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), aucuba (Aucuba), banana shrub (Michelia figo), Cymbidium goeringii, Dendrobium, coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), Daphne, sago palm (Cycas revoluta), calamus (Acorus), bamboo fern (Bambusa multiplex), dwarf white-stripe bamboo (Sasa fortunei), etc. In a double-layer plastic greenhouse not lower than 5°C, ornamental plant species that can tolerate low temperatures around 5°C can be placed, such as Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), rubber tree (Ficus elastica), jasmine (Jasminum sambac), chloranthus (Chloranthus), Michelia (Michelia alba), pocket coconut (Chamaedorea elegans), bottle orchid (Aglaia), calla lily (Zantedeschia), Philodendron 'Spring Feather' (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum), Monstera deliciosa, kumquat (Fortunella), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon (Citrus limon), areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), large Buddha belly bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa), Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), lantana (Lantana camara), etc. In a double-layer plastic greenhouse or conservatory with auxiliary heating equipment, flower species that can tolerate low temperatures around 10°C can be placed, such as croton (Codiaeum variegatum), caladium (Caladium), arrowhead vine (Syngonium), arrowroot (Maranta), bromeliads, pepperomia (Peperomia), coleus (Coleus), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), fish-tail palm (Caryota), Brazilian iron (Dracaena fragrans), money tree (Pachira aquatica), nerve plant (Fittonia), red (green) gem (Pleomele), green giant (Monstera), green emperor (Philodendron 'Imperial Green'), silver queen (Aglaonema), Aglaia (Aglaia odorata), large-flowered Cymbidium (Cymbidium), Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Vanda, money tree (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), South American cycad (Zamia), desert rose (Adenium obesum), pink taffeta leaf (Episcia), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), coral flower (Pachystachys), etc.; during especially cold periods, from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, it is advisable to cover the top of the greenhouse with straw curtains, and only stop covering with straw curtains after the temperature turns warmer. On very cold days, strengthen inspection of heating facilities and duty personnel, especially at 5 to 6 in the morning; never let the fire go out or the power fail, otherwise it easily causes frost damage to the plants. For those relatively cold-tolerant potted flower and bonsai plant species, such as wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), crabapple types (Malus), azalea (Rhododendron), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), oak (Quercus), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), wisteria (Wisteria), boxwood types (Buxus), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), summer cypress (Kochia), Oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), small bayberry (Myrica), horned holly (Ilex cornuta), holly (Ilex), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), etc., they can be buried together with their pots in the soil; at not lower than -10°C, frost damage generally does not occur, and in particularly cold weather, additionally cover with plastic film or soft grass for heat preservation.

It is worth noting that whether potted flowers or bonsai are placed in greenhouses, conservatories, or homes, including fruit and foliage ornamentals, besides necessarily maintaining a suitable air temperature for them, ventilation and air exchange should also be done well; doors and windows can be opened for ventilation around noon, when the temperature is highest in the day, to prevent flower drop, leaf drop and fruit drop. During ventilation, also try as much as possible to avoid cold drafts directly hitting the plants.

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

To force tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) to bloom at the Spring Festival, potted tree peonies can be placed in a conservatory, heated to 18°C to 25°C during the day, kept at about 10°C at night, and given 4 to 5 hours of additional light each day (incandescent lamps); they can be expected to bloom around the Spring Festival. Potted plum blossom, wintersweet, camellia, sasanqua camellia, hall crabapple, hall crabapple, winter jasmine, etc., can also be placed in a greenhouse at about 15°C for flower forcing, with appropriately increased light duration, to meet the need for indoor display of potted flowering trees during the Spring Festival. For potted hyacinths, tulips, red-cupped narcissus, freesia, etc., that have been placed in the conservatory in December, strengthen water and fertilizer management, and they can also be expected to be used for decorative display during the Spring Festival.[page]

IV. Watering

    For watering management of potted flowers in January, first and most important is to pay attention to the temperature of the water used for watering and spraying, that is, keep the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature; if the difference between the two is too large, it easily causes adverse reactions in potted plants, and may even cause leaf drop, root rot or death of the plants. The watering time is best arranged in the 2 to 3 hours around noon. Second, according to different plant species, determine the amount, frequency and method of watering; for most potted flowers and bonsai placed in conservatories, greenhouses and rooms, keep the potting soil moist as appropriate; when the temperature is on the low side, correspondingly reduce watering; when the temperature rises, the amount of watering can be increased and appropriate leaf spraying can be given. For most foliage plants, not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but attention should also be paid to leaf spraying, always keeping the plant leaves clean; for foliage plant species that are not very cold-tolerant, such as pink taffeta leaf (Episcia), arrowhead vine (Syngonium), arrowroot (Maranta), croton (Codiaeum variegatum), etc., when the temperature approaches the lower limit of the lowest temperature the plant can tolerate, the amount of watering should be especially controlled. For those potted flower types that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as camellia (Camellia japonica), sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua), Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), primrose (Primula), hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), longevity flower (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), etc., and fruit ornamentals such as firethorn (Pyracantha), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), finger citron (Citrus medica), lemon (Citrus limon), coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), kumquat (Fortunella), kumquat (Fortunella), winter coral (Solanum pseudocapsicum), etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the plants must also be sprayed with water, to facilitate the expansion of flower buds and also increase the bright colors of the fruits.

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

For newly planted greening trees and flowering shrubs, check frequently and supplement watering in time; especially for evergreen ornamental plants after transplanting, appropriately spray water on the leaves around noon as well, to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off due to overly dry air.

V. Fertilizing

For most ground-planted greening trees and flowering shrubs, such as crabapple types (Malus), white magnolia (Magnolia denudata), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), Yulan magnolia 'Erqiao' (Magnolia × soulangeana), manglietia (Manglietia), banana shrub types (Michelia), maple types (Acer), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), horse chestnut (Aesculus), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), linden (Tilia), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), trumpet creeper (Campsis), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), soapberry (Sapindus), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), schima (Schima superba), machilus (Machilus), purple tree (Nyssa), camptotheca (Camptotheca), tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), forsythia (Forsythia), boxwood (Buxus), grape (Vitis), coral tree (Viburnum), Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), dwarf flowering cherry (Prunus glandulosa), elm-leaved spirea (Prunus triloba), tulip tree (Liriodendron), deutzia (Deutzia), mock orange (Philadelphus), banksian rose (Rosa banksiae), elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus), golden willow (Salix), weeping elm (Ulmus), Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), Taiwan fir (Taiwania), deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica), dragon-claw pagoda tree (Sophora japonica var. pendula), white silk plum (Physocarpus), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), lilac (Syringa), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), photinia (Photinia), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), purple bamboo (Bambusa), pomegranate (Punica granatum), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), etc., if the fertilizing task was not completed in December, while turning the soil, bury and apply cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, pond sludge, septic tank cleanings, etc., around the outer roots of the trees, to lay a good material foundation for spring growth and flowering.

For potted flowers placed in a conservatory at about 10°C to 15°C, such as Belgian azalea (Rhododendron), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana), gold-bract flower (Pachystachys lutea), Daphne, cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida), primrose (Primula), cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), red-cupped narcissus (Narcissus poeticus), hall crabapple (Malus halliana), hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), tulip (Tulipa), multicolor bromeliad (Neoregelia), clivia (Clivia miniata), bird of paradise (Strelitzia), crab claw orchid (Schlumbergera), etc., continue to apply low-concentration monopotassium phosphate solution as a top dressing, to facilitate the growth of the plants and flower bud formation and blooming.

For most potted flowering trees, foliage plants and bonsai placed in greenhouses, because the plants are dormant in winter, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise it easily causes root rot and death of the plants.

VI. Pruning

Continue pruning hedges, green walls and ball-shaped topiary not yet pruned in December; continue pruning flowering shrubs not yet pruned in December, such as Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis), crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), banksian rose (Rosa banksiae), trumpet creeper (Campsis), wisteria (Wisteria), floribunda rose (Rosa), camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), plane tree (Platanus), Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum), photinia (Photinia), pomegranate (Punica granatum), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), papaya (Chaenomeles), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), plum blossom (Prunus mume), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), grape (Vitis), etc.; after pruning is completed, bury and apply base fertilizer around the outer roots, to meet the needs of spring growth.

For bonsai plant species mainly shaped by pruning and supplemented by tying, such as Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), Fujian tea (Carmona retusa), oak (Quercus), Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), water myrica (Adina rubella), Elaeagnus, firethorn (Pyracantha), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), prickly juniper (Juniperus rigida), etc., continue, according to the original composition requirements and the development and change trends of the plant trunk and branches, to adjust and prune according to personal aesthetic taste, laying a good foundation for spring growth and formation. While pruning, plants that have not been repotted for many years can be repotted.

VII. Pest and Disease Control

For the main trunks or large branches of crabapple types (Malus), plum blossom types (Prunus mume), elm-leaved spirea types (Prunus triloba), papaya (Chaenomeles), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), ornamental peach (Prunus persica), cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), etc., that have been hollowed out by peach red-necked longhorn beetles, etc., they can be sawed off, and the sawed-off trunks and branches burned.

Clear the leaves under Chinese roses, roses, grapes, crape myrtle, etc., gather them and burn them in a concentrated place, which can reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases next year.

For horned wax scale (Ceroplastes ceriferus), tortoise wax scale (Ceroplastes japonicus), red wax scale (Ceroplastes rubens), cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi), armored scale (Diaspididae), arrowhead scale (Unaspis yanonensis), mealybug (Pseudococcidae), soft scale (Coccidae), etc., appearing on the trunks and branches of pittosporum (Pittosporum), plane tree (Platanus), privet (Ligustrum), firethorn (Pyracantha), persimmon (Diospyros), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), plum blossom (Prunus mume), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), photinia (Photinia), etc., use high-concentration Supracide, quinalphos, buprofezin, lime-sulfur mixture, etc., to spray and kill them, which can effectively suppress a major outbreak of scale insects that year.

For powdery mildew appearing on cineraria (Pericallis × hybrida) in conservatories and gray mold easily appearing on primrose (Primula) leaves, thiophanate-methyl can be used for control, to prevent them from spreading to other plants.

For comprehensive control of scale insects and sooty mold appearing simultaneously on plants such as bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), finger citron (Citrus medica) and kumquat (Fortunella) in conservatories, first use a damp cloth to wipe off the sooty mold patches on the leaves and the insect bodies attached to the dry branches, then spray pesticides such as dimethoate for control.

For gray mold appearing on cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) plants in conservatories, spray 50% iprodione (main component iprodione) wettable powder at 1000 to 1500 times dilution for control.

VIII. Composting Fertilizer

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

IX. Plowing and Freezing Clods

For nursery land not yet turned and reclaimed in December, seize the time to plow in early January; while plowing the garden land, apply cake fertilizer, compound fertilizer, farmyard manure, etc.; after overwintering and freezing clods, in early spring draw trenches and make beds, for use in sowing and planting seedlings.

Because January is especially cold, plant species suitable for shaping must be those with soft branches, good flexibility and easy shaping operations, such as Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Chinese cypress (Juniperus chinensis), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), boxwood (Buxus), velvet cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera), Chinese juniper (Sabina chinensis), snow-in-summer (Serissa japonica), creeping juniper (Juniperus procumbens), true juniper (Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii), five-needle pine (Pinus parviflora), Huangshan pine (Pinus hwangshanensis), black pine (Pinus thunbergii), water myrica (Adina rubella), Chinese peashrub (Caragana), winter hazel (Corylopsis), winged spindle (Euonymus alatus), banyan (Ficus), wisteria (Wisteria), etc. After shaping, the plants are best placed indoors or in a simple plastic greenhouse, and moved outdoors after spring returns and the weather warms, which is beneficial for the healing of parts that may have been injured during shaping.

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

    In January, strict management should be strengthened for some shallow-pot stump bonsai, shallow-pot landscape bonsai, and small and miniature bonsai. Small and miniature bonsai should be buried in indoor sand beds; for stump bonsai, prevent the pot soil from freezing, which would damage the plant's fine fibrous roots and could cause artificially cemented rocks to disintegrate. Also prevent plants grown on small rocks from freezing to death; they should be placed in a non-freezing location and given regular watering and misting to ensure they overwinter safely.

Care measures for the southern plant date palm

Part One: "Southern Plant Compilation"

Frangipani

Frangipani, its flowers really resemble eggs, milky white on the outside and bright yellow in the center, just like the white and yolk of an egg, and they look really cute. Its branches are thick and fleshy. The leaves are also large, and the flowers and leaves cluster at the tips of the branches. Frangipani blooms brilliantly in summer, giving people a feeling of purity and elegant temperament, and is very suitable for people to admire carefully. After the leaves fall, the bare trunk curves naturally, and its form is quite beautiful. It is very suitable for planting in courtyards and lawns. Frangipani likes a high-temperature, high-humidity environment with plenty of sunlight and good drainage. It is naturally robust and can tolerate drought, but it fears cold and hates waterlogging. It likes to grow in acidic soil, but it is also resistant to alkalinity. For cultivation, deep, fertile, well-aerated acidic sandy loam rich in organic matter is best. Propagation uses the cutting method. When planting frangipani, attention should also be paid to pest and disease control. For example, if small brown spots appear on the leaves or the leaves even turn dark black, that is frangipani leaf spot disease, and at this time you should pay attention and take measures. Of course, there may also be other diseases, so frangipani needs your care and attention. In fact, besides white, frangipani also comes in red and yellow varieties, all of which can be used to extract essence for making high-grade cosmetics, soap, and food additives, at a rather high price and with great potential for commercial development; the fresh flowers can also be dried for making tea, commonly known as frangipani tea, which has the effects of treating heat dysentery and moistening the lungs to detoxify. The frangipani tree has a beautiful form, with many branches on the stem in strange and varied shapes; its leaves resemble those of loquat, and after they fall in winter, semicircular leaf scars remain on the branch tips, much like deer antlers dotted with beautiful spots, making it a preferred small tree of excellent quality for tropical landscaping, courtyard arrangement, and potted display. The bark is thin and grayish green, rich in toxic white sap, which can be used externally to treat scabies, red swelling, and other conditions. The wood is white, light, and soft, and can be used to make musical instruments, tableware, or furniture. Frangipani flower meaning: nurturing hope, resurrection, rebirth, as simple and ordinary as life itself, so it can always be so close to people, without distance.

Yulan magnolia

Yulan magnolia is a tall deciduous tree, with dark gray bark that is rough and cracked; the branchlets are slightly stout and grayish brown; the winter buds and flower stalks are densely covered with pale gray-yellow long silky hairs. The leaves are papery, obovate, broadly obovate, or obovate-elliptic, with the vigorous shoots at the base having elliptic leaves. Yulan magnolia flowers resemble lotus flowers very much. When in full bloom, the petals spread out in all directions, making the courtyard appear in patches of green and white, with dazzling white light, and it has high ornamental value; combined with waves of delicate fragrance that refresh the heart and mind, it is truly an ideal flower type for beautifying courtyards. Yulan magnolia likes light and is relatively cold-tolerant, and can overwinter in the open ground. It loves dryness and avoids low humidity; waterlogged planting sites easily cause root rot. It prefers fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy soil, and can also grow in weakly alkaline soil. In the warmer south, it can bloom from December to January of the following year. Yulan magnolia has strong resistance to harmful gases. For example, if this flower is planted in a factory polluted by sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas, it has a certain resistance and sulfur-absorbing capacity. When artificially fumigated with sulfur dioxide, 1 kg of dry leaves can absorb more than 1.6 g of sulfur. Therefore, Yulan magnolia is a very good pollution-resistant landscaping tree species for areas with air pollution. Yulan magnolia likes light; young trees are relatively shade-tolerant, but it is not tolerant of strong light or west-facing sun exposure. Excessive light or west-facing sun can easily cause the tree to suffer sunscald. Yulan magnolia likes fertilizer. In addition to applying base fertilizer at planting, it should be fertilized every year afterward. Sufficient fertilizer can make the plant grow vigorously, with lush green and thick leaves, not only producing many flower buds but also large flowers, a long flowering period, and rich fragrance. Yulan magnolia is a tree species with relatively strong disease resistance. Its main diseases include anthracnose, chlorosis, and leaf sunscald. Besides ornamental value, Yulan magnolia also has medicinal and edible value. Yulan magnolia flowers contain volatile oil, mainly citral, clove oil acid, and others, and also contain magnolia alkaloids, alkaloids, yulan magnolia essence, capric acid, rutin, oleic acid, vitamin A, and other components, and have certain medicinal value. Yulan magnolia flowers are pungent and warm in nature, with the effects of dispelling wind and dispersing cold, opening the orifices, and freeing the lungs and nose. They can be used for headaches, blood-stasis-type dysmenorrhea, nasal congestion, acute and chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and other conditions. Modern pharmacological research shows that Yulan magnolia flowers have an inhibitory effect on common skin fungi.

Yulan magnolia flowers are rich in vitamins, amino acids, and various trace elements, and have the effects of dispelling wind and dispersing cold and regulating qi and the lungs. They can be processed into snacks or brewed as tea. The flower meaning of Yulan magnolia represents gratitude. Yulan magnolia often produces large white flowers amid lush greenery, and with its fragrant scent it gives people an indescribable temperament, truly fresh and lovely. Because the tree is tall and the flowers are positioned relatively high, swaying in the wind and full of spirit, it is like a heavenly maiden scattering flowers, very lovely.

Maranta

Maranta is an herbaceous plant. Most varieties have underground rhizomes or tubers, with solitary, relatively large leaves that are ovate or ovate-lanceolate, with pinnate venation arranged in two rows, and entire margins. Maranta is a relatively good groundcover plant with diverse colors and is a very good foliage plant. Maranta is a tropical plant that likes warm, humid, and brightly lit environments. It is not cold-tolerant, nor drought-tolerant, and fears scorching sun. If exposed to direct sunlight, it will scorch the leaves, causing localized scorching at the leaf edges, stopping new leaf growth, and yellowing the leaf color, so shade should be provided during cultivation. Maranta is relatively sensitive to water. During the growing period, it should be watered thoroughly to keep the pot soil moist, but the soil should not be waterlogged, otherwise it will cause root rot and even plant death. Maranta is somewhat "delicate." It requires enough careful attention all 365 days; if the environment fluctuates greatly for a few days, it will leave "evidence of the crime" on the plant. This is the consensus of Maranta seedling traders and producers. Plants in the Marantaceae family do not have many pests and diseases, mainly scale insects, whiteflies, and others. Of course, it also has other values, such as medicinal value and dietary value. Maranta starch is almost entirely starch, contains no vitamins, and has a protein content of only 0.2%. It can be used as a thickener for soups, sauces, puddings, and desserts. Added to water and boiled, it becomes a transparent, odorless, tasty paste. Maranta starch is fine in texture and, compared with other starches, can be cooked at lower temperatures and in shorter times, and is easy to digest, making it especially suitable for custards and other egg products that cannot be overcooked, and also suitable for making light-flavored, low-salt, and low-protein foods. Effects: clears the lungs and stops cough, clears heat and promotes urination. Indications: used to treat cough due to lung heat and painful urination due to damp-heat in the bladder.

Chinese fringeflower

Chinese fringeflower is an evergreen shrub or small tree. The bark is dark gray or light grayish brown, with many branches. The young branches are reddish brown and densely covered with stellate hairs. The leaves are leathery and alternate, ovate or elliptic, 2-5 cm long, with a short pointed apex and a rounded, oblique, asymmetrical base, with stellate hairs on both surfaces, entire margins, and dark red color. Chinese fringeflower likes light and is slightly shade-tolerant, but in shade the leaf color easily turns green. It has strong adaptability and is drought-tolerant. It likes warmth and is cold-tolerant. It has strong sprouting and branching ability and is tolerant of pruning. It is tolerant of poor soil, but grows best in fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil. Chinese fringeflower has dense branches and lush leaves, a graceful posture, and is tolerant of pruning and wiring. It can be used for hedges and also for making stump bonsai. When it blooms, the whole tree is full of red flowers, extremely spectacular. Chinese fringeflower is an evergreen plant, and the new leaves are bright red. Different lines vary in leaf color and flower color at maturity, and leaf size also differs. In landscaping applications, the main considerations are leaf color and leaf size, bringing about leaf-color contrast and forming color contrast, and the flowering periods can also be staggered. Main pests: aphids, geometer moths, yellow noctuid moths, daopan noctuid, large and small cutworms, and scarab beetles, etc. Common diseases of Chinese fringeflower: anthracnose, damping-off, and mosaic disease. Anthracnose: mainly harms old leaves and basal leaves. Because the leaves themselves are red, the lesions appear as

black round spots, or nearly round, causing early leaf fall. Damage is severe in the rainy season from July to August. The pathogen is Actinomyces. The pathogen overwinters as mycelium on diseased leaves and is the primary infection source for the disease the following year. When you find disease on the branches and leaves of Chinese fringeflower, you must treat it promptly.

Ornamental peach

Ornamental peach is a variety of peach, a tree 3-8 m tall; the crown is broad and spreading; the bark is dark reddish brown and rough and scaly when old; the branchlets are slender, hairless, glossy, green, turning red on the sunny side, with many small lenticels; the winter buds are conical, blunt at the tip, covered with short pubescence, often clustered 2-3 together, with a leaf bud in the middle and flower buds on both sides. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, or obovate-lanceolate. Ornamental peach likes sunlight and is drought-tolerant, but not tolerant of humid environments. It likes a warm climate and has good cold tolerance, able to overwinter safely in a natural environment at minus 25 degrees Celsius. It requires fertile, well-drained soil. It does not like waterlogging; if planted in waterlogged low-lying places, seedlings easily die. Landscaping value: ornamental peach has large and brightly colored flowers, beautiful when blooming, with an ornamental period of as long as 15 days. In landscaping it is widely used along lakesides, streams, both sides of roads, and parks, etc. In small-scale greening projects such as courtyard greening accents and private gardens, it is also used for potted viewing and is often used for cut flowers and making bonsai. A common form is also weeping ornamental peach. Ornamental peach has a wide range of landscaping uses and outstanding greening effects, showing particularly good results in the same year of planting. It can be planted in rows, in groups, or as specimens, and shows particularly good greening effects in the same year. Ornamental peach is one of the commonly used colorful nursery stock in landscaping, usually used together with purple-leaf plum, purple-leaf dwarf cherry, and other nursery stock. When combined with flowering shrubs, it forms a scene of a hundred flowers blooming together. Besides ornamental value, it also has medicinal value. The gum secreted from the peach trunk, commonly known as peach gum, can be used as an adhesive and is a kind of polysaccharide substance; hydrolysis can produce arabinose, galactose, xylose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, and others. It is edible and also used medicinally, with the effects of breaking blood, harmonizing blood, and boosting qi. Diseases and pests often occur in summer and autumn. Its main diseases include white rust and brown rot, shot hole disease, anthracnose, gummosis, and leaf curl. Main pests include aphids, red spiders, scale insects, and red-necked longhorn beetles.

Artificial plant communities

1. Satsuki azalea + Chinese fringeflower + Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginatus' + thornless holly ball

These four plants have strong adaptability and are relatively widely planted in Fuzhou. The three foliage-color plants are planted linearly, giving rich leaf color, and together with large-specimen thornless holly balls, they form a neat, full, and clearly layered roadside greening color band effect.

2. Chinese fringeflower + Photinia × fraseri ball + Michelia figo + Japanese maple

Chinese fringeflower itself is widely planted in Fujian and has good adaptability, and both its leaf color and flower color are very beautiful, while the Photinia × fraseri ball has old green leaves dotted with new red leaves, setting each other off beautifully. The four plants are rich in layers when combined, forming a landscape road with vertical rhythm and spatial layering, and a strong sense of guidance.

3. Chinese fringeflower + Japanese aralia + Canary Island date palm + frangipani

This combination of several plants is mainly green, with leaves both small (Chinese fringeflower) and broad (Japanese aralia, frangipani), while the Canary Island date palm adds a touch of tropical flavor. The layers are rich, with the effect of reducing space and bringing people closer.

4. Moso bamboo + iris

Moso bamboo is very suitable for planting in Fuzhou. It is a running bamboo, with spacing between the culms. Iris has a graceful posture and gorgeous, varied flower colors. The two combined together have a very charming appeal.

5. Dwarf gardenia + Chinese fringeflower + Aucuba japonica + osmanthus

Dwarf gardenia has leaves like sparrow tongues and a low plant form, and can be used as the lowest layer of plants. Aucuba japonica has yellow spots in its leaf color and is a relatively good foliage plant, while the tree osmanthus has fragrant flowers that refresh the heart and mind. The combination has spacing and density, changes in leaf color, and added floral fragrance.

6. Azalea + Chinese fringeflower + Fagraea ceilanica + canna

Azalea has brilliant flowers, and with Chinese fringeflower and Fagraea ceilanica as a foil, it is even more moving. Canna has broad leaves, reducing space and making people feel close.

7. Groundcover lawn + marigold + Photinia × fraseri + Chinese fringeflower ball + Dan gui osmanthus

With green groundcover as the base, marigold's bright yellow flowers are extremely beautiful. Marigold is backed by Chinese fringeflower and red Photinia, and the Dan gui osmanthus has a spreading tree form. The several plants set each other off and are rich in variation.

8. Dwarf lilyturf + guava tree

Both dwarf lilyturf and guava tree have very good adaptability in Fuzhou and grow normally. Dwarf lilyturf has fine, soft leaves and is very suitable as groundcover. The guava tree has smooth yellow bark, a graceful posture, and relatively large leaves with well-spaced density, making it very suitable for open woodland paths.

9. Lawn + Agave americana 'Marginata' + shaped ficus + yellow-flowered Senna bicapsularis

With green lawn as the base, agave has broad leaves with silver-yellow and green alternating leaf color, and combines very harmoniously with the shaped ficus, while yellow-flowered Senna bicapsularis has a beautiful posture and brilliant flower color. This combination of several plants is rich in layers, with color changes that are nevertheless harmonious.

10. Liriope + Rhapis excelsa + Areca palm + papaya tree

This plant arrangement is suitable for one side of a small building. Liriope has fine, soft leaf shapes, while Rhapis excelsa and areca palm have broader leaves, and papaya has large palmate leaves, with its fruit borne on the trunk and a very graceful posture.

11. Copperleaf + Duranta erecta + Chinese fringeflower

As a plant combination for pattern flower beds, copperleaf has bright leaf color and serves as the edge, Duranta erecta has yellow-green leaf color, and Chinese fringeflower has dark purple leaf color. The combination of the three plants as a parterre is extremely attractive.

Part Two: "Maintenance Plan 4"

Landscaping maintenance and management plan

Maintenance and management are very important in landscaping. It is long-term, repeated work with relatively comprehensive technical requirements, including damage by people and livestock, sanitation and cleaning, pruning of flowers, grass, and trees, watering and fertilizing, pest and disease control, and planting of flower bed plants. The completion of green space does not mean the completion of the landscape. People often say "three parts planting, seven parts management." Only with high-quality, high-level maintenance and management can the landscape gradually take shape and become perfect.

Current characteristics of plants in the park:

1. The green area is about 245,419 ten-thousand sq m, with a high greening coverage rate and large quantities of trees and pruned shaped shrubs of different specifications and varieties. In the early stage, growth has gradually taken shape. After careful investigation by us, the planting characteristics are roughly divided into two areas according to the original master plan:

1) Plaza area: The plant planting style in this area is relatively open. The plaza is mainly planted with ginkgo, nanmu, and large trees in rows,

with appropriate matching of low shrubs, and the overall space is relatively transparent.

2) Factory area: The plant variety mix in this area is complex, with large and small trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants interplanted.

The entrance is mainly planted with relatively precious large plants (Canary Island date palm, jacaranda, small-leaf ficus stump,

top-grade osmanthus, etc.). Whether the office-area courtyard can still maintain its elegant, refined, spacious, and grand

scenery, and whether the hotel villa-area courtyard can still carry forward its delicate, gentle, leisurely, and expansive atmosphere,

all depends on later maintenance and management.

2. From the greening conditions in the vertical area, we can find the following problems: 1. Shaped shrubs are not growing well and have monotonous shapes; 2. Flowering shrubs have poor tree vigor, and flowering conditions (including number of flowers, flower size, color, and reblooming) are unsatisfactory; 3. The lawn has many weeds, and in local areas the grass has a tendency toward widespread gramineous weeds; 4. There are pest and disease problems.

I. We plan to take the following corrective measures:

1. Promote three-dimensional horticulture and carry out varied shaping of hedges and shrubs. For flowering shrubs planted as accents, take growth-promoting measures to promote their growth and then shape them according to their form, which depends on the specific plant's growth and plant shape. In local areas, hedges are highly regular, and the neat uniform strips undoubtedly make the courtyard, which should be free and leisurely, appear mechanical and rigid. We can likewise try pruning them into wave shapes to match the relaxed and casual landscaping of the residential area, enlivening the atmosphere of the entire courtyard and also creating a more flowing living environment.

2. Immediately begin pest and disease control. For plants showing pest and disease characteristics, immediately carry out large-scale chemical control.

3、

4、

5. For lawn weeds, apply chemicals and increase the workload of manual removal. For different plants, implement different maintenance and management plans (mainly fertilizer supply: base fertilizer, topdressing, and foliar fertilizer; different plants in different seasons all have different fertilization methods and fertilizer choices). Plant labeling. We classify and count all plants, then make green labels indicating their

family and genus, species, and growth habits, and label all plants in the area. This can both

enrich employees' general plant knowledge and add to the cultural atmosphere of the park, and with eye-catching labels

bring more attention to the greening.

6. Greening maintenance is not a matter of one morning or one evening. While doing the corrective work well, we will also

adopt different maintenance and management measures for different plants at different times. We arrange our daily work by month

(detailed rules attached), striving to make our work bring the landscape effect in the blueprint to the extreme, and

we also ask Party A to give more opinions so that our work can gradually become more perfect and complete.

7. Maintenance responsibilities

Within the contracted maintenance period, our company will, in accordance with landscaping maintenance operating procedures and landscaping maintenance quality standards, organize reasonably, maintain carefully, and dispatch professional horticulturists to organize, guide, and arrange management and protection work, and flexibly dispatch no fewer than ____ experienced workers according to the weather in each season and plant growth conditions, to complete the maintenance and management tasks with guaranteed quality and quantity.

VI. Maintenance content

1. Management procedures: including watering, opening basins and earthing up, pruning, fertilizing, weeding, pruning and bud removal, pest and disease control, straightening, and replanting (nursery stock costs billed separately), and the whole process. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

2. Management tools:

A. Flower shears, long shears, high-altitude shears, weed shovel machine, lawn mower

B. Sprayer, bucket, dump cart, bamboo basket

C. Shovel, hoe, saw, electric saw, ladder

D. Fuel, maintenance costs

3. Maintenance content:

A. Trees: apply organic fertilizer once a year, 0.25 kg of cake fertilizer per plant, and topdress once, 0.1 kg of compound fertilizer mixed with urea per tree, using hole application, spraying, and water-soluble fertilizer, etc., then cover with soil, water thoroughly, with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, maintain the trees' natural growth state without shaping pruning, promptly cut off yellow branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, shaded vigorous shoots, and drooping branches that obstruct vehicle passage, and promptly clean up pruning debris. Remove weeds around the tree roots once a week to ensure no weeds.

B. Shrubs, hedges, bagged seedlings: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, using broadcasting and water-soluble fertilizer, etc., water once within three hours after application, water once a day (except rainy days), with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases. For those pruned into round, square, or conical shapes, trim lightly once a week and heavily once a month, with smooth and attractive cut surfaces, promptly remove pruning debris, promptly cut off dead branches and diseased and pest-infested branches, promptly replant old, diseased, and dead plants, and remove weeds once a week.

C. Herbaceous plants: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, using broadcasting and water-soluble fertilizer, etc., water once within three hours after application, water once a day (except rainy days), with water penetration depth of more than 10 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, cut off spent flowers once a week and remove weeds once a week, and promptly cut off dead and yellow branches.

D. Taiwan grass: fertilize once a quarter, applying 10 kg of urea mixed with compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, with even fertilization and thorough watering, water penetration depth of more than 5 cm, promptly control pests and diseases, promptly replant wilted, dead, and missing parts, with coverage rate above 98%, and mow 1-2 times a month.

(II) Specific annual landscaping maintenance work schedule:

January: the month with the lowest temperatures of the year, when open-ground trees are in a dormant state.

1. Winter pruning: fully carry out shaping and pruning work on deciduous trees; prune dead branches, damaged branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and branches that interfere with overhead lines and buildings on large and small trees.

2. Street tree inspection: promptly inspect the tying and staking of street trees. If loosened ties, lead wire cutting into bark, or loosened stakes are found, rectify immediately.

3. Pest control: winter is a favorable season for eliminating landscape pests. In the loose soil under trees, dig up the pupae and cocoons of stinging moths and burn them in a centralized way. In mid-January, scale insects begin activity, but at this time they move slowly, and we can adopt the method of scraping off the larvae on the trunks. Controlling pests in winter often achieves twice the result with half the effort.

4. Green space maintenance: in green spaces and flower beds, pay attention to removing large weeds; lawns should be weeded and edged promptly; in green spaces, pay attention to antifreeze watering.

February: temperatures rise somewhat compared with last month, and trees are still in a dormant state.

1. Maintenance is basically the same as in January.

2. Pruning: continue pruning dead branches and diseased branches of large and small trees. Before the end of the month, finish pruning all kinds of trees.

3. Pest control: continue to focus on controlling stinging moths and scale insects.

March: temperatures continue to rise. After mid-month, trees begin to sprout, and in late March some trees (such as camellia) bloom.

1. Tree planting: spring is a favorable time for planting trees. After the soil thaws, immediately seize the opportunity to plant trees. Before planting large and small trees, do planning and design well, dig (or hoe) the tree pits in advance, and ensure digging, transporting, planting, and watering are done promptly in sequence. When planting shrubs, also ensure digging, transporting, and planting are done promptly, and water fully to increase seedling survival rate.

2. Spring irrigation: because spring is dry and windy with high evaporation, to prevent spring drought, water green spaces and other areas promptly.

3. Fertilization: after the soil thaws, apply base fertilizer to plants and irrigate. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

4. Pest and disease control: this month is a critical time for pest and disease control. Some nursery stock showed sooty mold, and the boxwood leaf roller also appeared (control by spraying pesticides such as fenitrothion). For controlling stinging moths, the method of digging up pupae can continue to be used.

April: temperatures continue to rise, and trees all sprout, bloom, or unfold leaves and begin to enter a period of vigorous growth.

1. Continue tree planting: in early April, seize the time to plant trees that sprout late. Shrubs that died in winter (azalea, Chinese fringeflower, etc.) should be promptly removed and replanted, and newly planted trees should be watered fully.

2. Irrigation: continue timely watering of maintained green spaces.

3. Fertilization: for lawns and shrubs, combine with irrigation and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer as topdressing, or carry out foliar spraying as needed.

4. Pruning: cut off branches that dried up in winter and spring, and evergreen hedges can be pruned.

5. Pest and disease control: (1) After the second molting, scale insects successively move into bark cracks, tree holes, the base of trunks, wall corners, and other places, secreting white waxy thin cocoons and pupating. They can be swept away with a hard bamboo broom and then buried deeply or soaked in a centralized way. Alternatively, pesticides such as fenitrothion can be sprayed. (2) Longhorn beetles begin activity. A grafting knife or self-made steel wire can be used to remove the larvae, but the wound should be as small as possible. (3) Control work for other pests and diseases.

6. Maintenance in green spaces: pay attention to removing weeds and climbing plants in large green spaces. Lawns should also be weeded and edged.

May: temperatures rise sharply, and trees grow rapidly.

1. Watering: during the peak leaf expansion period, trees have a very large water demand and should be watered in good time.

2. Pruning: prune spent flowers. Street trees receive their first bud-removal pruning.

3. Pest and disease control: continue to focus on catching longhorn beetles. The first generation of stinging moths hatches, but has not yet reached a harmful level; make corresponding measures according to the actual situation in the maintenance area. Sooty mold caused by scale insects, aphids, and others has also entered its peak period (on crape myrtle, Pittosporum tobira, oleander, etc.). In mid- and late May, spray 10-20 times rosin mixture and 50% parathion emulsion at 1500-2000 times dilution to control diseases and kill pests. (Other pesticides such as insecticidal antibiotics and Huabao can also be used.)

June: high temperatures

1. Watering: plants have a large water demand and should be watered promptly; one cannot "leave it to the weather."

2. Fertilization: combine loosening the soil and weeding, fertilizing, and watering to achieve the best effect.

3. Pruning: continue bud removal and tiller removal on street trees. Carry out pruning on hedges, ball-shaped plants, and some flowering shrubs. {Care measures for the southern plant date palm}.

4. Drainage work: during heavy rain, pay attention to drainage in low-lying areas.

5. Pest and disease control: in mid- and late June, stinging moths enter the peak hatching period, and measures should be taken promptly. At present, spraying 50% fenitrothion emulsion at 500-800 times dilution is basically used. (Or compound BT emulsion can be sprayed.) Continue manual capture of longhorn beetles.

6. Do a good job of pre-flood and pre-typhoon inspection of trees, and straighten, reinforce, and re-tie loosened and tilted trees.

July: the highest temperatures, with strong winds and heavy rain after mid-month.

1. Transplanting evergreen trees: during the rainy season, with sufficient moisture, conifers and bamboos can be transplanted, but pay attention to weather changes and water promptly once high temperatures occur.

2. Drainage: drain promptly after heavy rain.

3. Topdressing: apply quick-acting fertilizers such as nitrogen fertilizer dry before rain.

4. Street trees: carry out typhoon-prevention bud-removal pruning, prune all branches that conflict with power lines, and inspect tree stakes one by one. If looseness or instability is found, straighten and tie them tightly immediately. Prepare in advance in terms of labor organization, materials, tools, and equipment, and send people to inspect at any time, handling dangerous situations promptly when found.

5. Pest and disease control: continue controlling longhorn beetles and stinging moths. For longhorn beetles, 50% fenitrothion at 1:50 dilution can be injected (or fruit tree treasure or Yuanke No. 3), then seal the hole, which can also achieve very good results. Camphor tree bagworms should be cut off promptly, and the insect nests destroyed to avoid renewed damage.

August: still the rainy season

1. Drainage: after heavy rain, drain low-lying waterlogged areas promptly.

2. Typhoon prevention for street trees: continue doing a good job of typhoon prevention for street trees.

3. Pruning: in addition to general summer pruning of trees, carry out shaping pruning on hedges.

4. Intertillage and weeding: Weeds also grow vigorously, so timely weeding is necessary, and fertilization can be combined with weeding.

5. Pest and disease control: Focus on catching longhorn beetles, paying attention to catching them at the roots. Aphid damage and the camphor tree borer (Camphor tree nest borer) should be controlled promptly. In humid weather, watch for powdery mildew and rot disease, and take timely measures. September: Temperatures drop somewhat; do related work well in preparation for National Day.

1. Pruning: In preparation for city appearance work, remove buds below the third-level branching of street trees. Shape-prune hedges. Weed within green areas, edge the lawn, and promptly clean up dead trees, so that trees have green branches and leaves and green areas are clean and tidy.

2. Fertilization: For some trees that grow weakly and whose branches are not sufficiently substantial, apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

3. Pest and disease control: Shot hole disease (cherry blossom, peach, plum, etc.) is at its peak incidence; use 500% carbendazim 1000-fold solution to prevent infection. Longhorn beetles begin to shift to the roots to cause damage; pay attention to catching longhorn beetles at the roots. Also promptly control the wood borer moths on poplar and willow. Do a good job in controlling other pests and diseases.

4. Do a good job inspecting various greening facilities before the holiday.

October: Temperatures drop; in late October it enters early winter, trees begin to shed leaves, and successively enter the dormant period.

1. Prepare well for autumn tree planting; in late October, once cold-tolerant trees shed their leaves, planting can begin.

2. Green area maintenance: Promptly remove dead trees and water promptly. The work of weeding and edging green areas and lawns must be done well. Fertilize flowering plants that are growing poorly.

3. Pest and disease control: Continue catching longhorn beetles at the roots. Also pay attention to observing and controlling the camphor tree borer. November: The soil begins to freeze at night and thaw during the day, entering deep winter.

1. Tree planting: Continue planting cold-tolerant plants, completing before the soil freezes.

2. Soil turning: Turn the soil in green areas to expose pests preparing to overwinter.

3. Watering: Water dry, compacted soil, and complete this before freezing.

4. Pest and disease control: Various pests prepare to overwinter in late November, so control tasks are relatively light.

December: Low temperatures; begin winter maintenance work.

1. Winter pruning: Prune some evergreen trees and shrubs.

2. Eliminate overwintering pests and diseases.

3. Prepare well for next year's adjustment work: After deciduous plants shed their leaves, observe the maintenance area and map out the locations to be adjusted.

VII. Green area maintenance quality objectives

1 Greening maintenance technical measures are complete and management is proper, achieving no bare loess.

2 Landscape plants

2.1 Normal growth. Various plants in newly built green areas reach normal form within three years; if plants or grass are damaged or die due to poor management, the replacement seedlings must survive within one year.

2.2 Landscape tree crowns are basically complete, with main and lateral branches evenly distributed, appropriate in number, and reasonably pruned; the inner canopy is not messy, with ventilation and light penetration. Flowering shrubs bloom promptly and normally, and are pruned promptly after flowering. Hedge and color-block branches and leaves are normal, neat and uniform. Street trees have no missing plants, and there are no dead trees in green areas.

2.3 New shoots of deciduous trees grow normally, and leaf size and color are normal. Under general conditions, yellow leaves, scorched leaves, curled leaves, and leaves with insect excrement or insect webs must not exceed 5%, and the preservation rate of normal leaves is above 90%. Coniferous

Part Three: "Annual Greening Maintenance Plan"

Annual Greening Maintenance Plan

January

1. Carry out winter shaping and pruning of various deciduous trees, cutting off dead branches, overlapping branches, crossing branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and lower lateral branches, to ensure that tree development trends toward reasonableness, tree branch form is improved, and the breeding of pests and diseases is reduced.

2. Appropriately thin out trees that are too densely growing, which can reduce pests and diseases and increase growth vigor.

3. Carry out winter plowing and soil turning to improve the soil, and apply winter fertilizer to all trees, ground cover, and lawns to ensure the nutrient needs of seedlings and lawns.

4. Winter is a favorable season for eliminating landscape pests. In the loose soil under trees, dig up the pupae and cocoons of slug moths and burn them in a concentrated manner.

5. As appropriate, de-thatch individual lawn types and prune 1-2 times. February

1. Carry out weeding, pruning, and fertilization work on lawns.

2. Do a good job in pest and disease control, especially paying attention to powdery mildew on narrow-leaved mahonia and the globular mealybug on coral and Japanese fatsia.

3. In particular, strengthen freeze protection and insulation measures for trees, and do a good job loosening and banking soil around tree root systems.

4. Apply a topdressing of fertilizer (urea) to cool-season lawns once at the end of the month, 10g/mu.

March

1. To prevent spring drought, water trees promptly.

2. Promptly mow lawns and remove weeds, and clean up winter grass in tree beds and flower beds.

3. Pest and disease control: Strengthen observation and inspection, and do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control. In particular, pay special attention to sooty mold and the boxwood leaf roller. In mid-March, crape myrtle scale eggs hatch; from late March, pear rust occurs on crabapple species and cool-season lawns; pay attention to prevention and reporting.

4. For local depressions and low-lying spots appearing in lawns, bank soil and cover with sand; carry out low pruning of winter ryegrass lawns to ensure the germination and growth of the underlying grass.

April

1. Do a good job in loosening soil, weeding, and pre-flowering fertilization for field-planted flowers and trees. In particular, apply light fertilizer to herbaceous perennials and spring-sown flowering plants; for lawns and shrubs, combine with irrigation and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer as topdressing, or carry out foliar spraying as needed.

2. Cut off branches that dried up in winter and spring; begin pruning evergreen hedges.

3. Pest and disease control: Mainly control aphids, sooty mold, and beetles. Keep relevant records.

May

1. This month is the peak period for trees leafing out, with very high water demand, so water promptly.

2. Prune spring flowering shrubs such as osmanthus and Malus halliana, and promptly carry out bud removal on plane trees, red-leaf plum, crape myrtle, and other trees.

3. Weed flower beds and shrub color blocks. At the same time, carry out weeding work on lawns and promptly prune lawn grass to control its height.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control.

June

1. Water plants promptly to ensure sufficient water supply.

2. Loosen soil and weed tree beds and color-block shrubs, and carry out weeding work on lawns.

3. Lawns must be pruned promptly, and their growth height controlled, paying attention to controlling the occurrence of large-scale pests and diseases. Apply compound fertilizer once to lawns that grow poorly or lack fertilizer, so they can pass the summer safely.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control.

July

1. In high-temperature weather, especially ensure that plant watering work is carried out.

2. Carry out soil loosening and weeding on flower beds and color-block shrubs, and at the same time do a good job in weeding ground cover. This month the weather is hot, with high temperatures and relatively high humidity; weeds grow quickly, so seize the opportunity to carry out weeding and grass removal to prevent grass overgrowth; continue intertillage and weeding and loosening the soil.

3. Earnestly do a good job in typhoon and flood prevention; reinforce and secure trees in the garden to prevent lodging; promptly dredge and drain low-lying or severely waterlogged places.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control.

August

1. Carry out summer pruning of evergreen trees, and carry out shape pruning of hedges.

2. Lawn weeds grow vigorously; weed and prune promptly, control lawn height, and combine fertilization with weeding. Promptly supplement and topdress fertilizer, mainly P and K fertilizer, together with N fertilizer; for small seedlings, shrubs, and herbaceous flowers, apply light fertilizer frequently, and at the same time pay attention to mastering the fertilization period and climate.

3. In high-temperature weather, daily watering and drought relief work must be ensured, and it must not be chosen between 10:00 and 15:00, to avoid burning seedlings. (Including: tree bed maintenance, weed control, soil loosening, etc.)

4. Continue to do a good job in typhoon and flood prevention, further reinforce and secure large trees in residential areas to prevent lodging; and promptly dredge and drain ditches in low-lying and easily waterlogged places to prevent water from accumulating for too long.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control.

September

1. Carry out shape pruning of hedges. Weed within green areas and promptly clean up dead trees, so that trees have green branches and leaves and green areas are clean and tidy.

2. Thin out trees that are too densely growing, and at the same time carry out bud removal work.

3. Lawns must be pruned, edged, and cleared of weeds promptly, and attention must be paid to pest and disease control work.

4. Carry out weeding work on flower beds and color-block shrubs, and at the same time do a good job in weeding ground cover, and collect flower seeds.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting, reporting, and control.

October

1. Prune spherical shrubs; to ensure a beautiful appearance, neat and clearly layered. Prune the tree form of evergreen trees so that their growth and development trend toward reasonableness and their tree posture and appearance are improved.

2. Strengthen management of newly planted flowering plants, promptly fill in bare gaps and water, and fertilize those growing poorly.

3. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting and reporting, actively control, and keep relevant records. November

1. Carry out branch thinning and pruning of evergreen trees and evergreen shrubs, mainly for ventilation and light penetration, reducing pests and diseases, and enhancing growth vigor.

2. Do a good job in weeding and edging flower beds, color-block shrubs, and green areas, promptly pull out weeds, and promptly replant bare gaps. As appropriate, adjust trees in the local layout; some evergreen trees and a few deciduous tree species can be transplanted. Begin cold protection and insulation work; for trees with poor cold resistance

wrap them with straw and bank soil.

3. Strengthen maintenance and management of newly planted plants, pay attention to timely watering, and prune appropriately. As appropriate, de-thatch and aerate lawns, and at the same time prune 2-3 times.

4. Carry out fertilization work in late November, and combine with additional application of organic fertilizer to carry out soil turning in green areas.

5. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting and reporting, actively control, and keep relevant records. December

1. Do a good job in weeding and edging color-block shrubs and green areas, and promptly pull out weeds.

2. Carry out branch thinning and pruning of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, mainly removing residual stumps and dead branches, in order to make next year's tree growth better (flowering shrubs that have already formed flower buds must not be pruned), and at the same time pay attention to cleaning insect cocoons on trunks and branches.

3. Wrap sago palms, date palms, and other southern plants with straw rope to ensure they overwinter safely.

4. Pest and disease control: Do a good job in forecasting and reporting, actively control, and keep relevant records.

Part Four: "Latest Commonly Used Plants in Southern Landscapes"

Commonly Used Landscape Plants in Southern China

Evergreen trees:

Norfolk Island pine, slash pine, Chinese fir, Caribbean pine, Chinese weeping cypress, mahogany, big-leaf mahogany, Sterculia lanceolata, Chinese saraca, sugar apple, longan, Dracontomelon duperreanum, Michelia macclurei, golden shower tree, Chinese arborvitae, Chinese juniper, dragon juniper, Fujian cypress, Buddhist pine, Japanese cedar, Buddhist pine, long-leaf Buddhist pine, white champaca, southern magnolia, houpo magnolia, camphor, camphor tree, cinnamon, Paulownia kawakamii, Hainan ormosia, Taiwan acacia, siamese cassia, red camel's foot tree, camel's foot tree, Hong Kong orchid tree, almond, mango, Ormosia henryi, Cleistocalyx operculatus, Elaeocarpus hainanensis, avocado, Alstonia scholaris, Alexander palm, Chinese fan palm, fishtail palm, Queen palm, rose apple, Syzygium hainanense, sapodilla, lemon-scented gum, Timor white gum, swamp mahogany, blue gum, paperbark tree, Irvingia malayana, Torreya grandis, Cephalotaxus fortunei, Indian rubber fig, banyan, small-leaf fig, cluster fig, weeping fig, large-leaf banyan, sacred fig, beefwood, jackfruit, Acer oblongum, Castanopsis sclerophylla, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, candlenut, silk oak, Elaeocarpus apiculatus, big-leaf elaeocarpus, sea hibiscus, Ilex rotunda, glossy privet, osmanthus, loquat, albizia, royal palm, fish-tail palm, Washingtonia, sugar palm, Canary Island date palm, autumn maple, rosewood, Dillenia indica, jackfruit, yellow cassia, jackfruit, large-leaf privet, Michelia chapensis, Schefflera octophylla, Heteropanax fragrans

Deciduous trees:

Small-leaf terminalia, Chinese swamp cypress, water wax gourd, Chinese tallow tree, Japanese raisin tree, sand pear, soapberry, goldenrain tree, frangipani, bald cypress, pond cypress, Chinese tulip tree, white magnolia, Chinese parasol tree, sawtooth oak, cork oak, Chinese hackberry, Chinese elm, white oak, camptotheca, large-flowered crape myrtle, beautiful silk floss tree, flame tree, peacock flower, jacaranda, yellow cassia, chinaberry, Chinese mahogany, coral tree, cockspur coral tree, chestnut, silk tree, sweet acacia, Kalopanax septemlobus, sweetgum, weeping willow, Magnolia soulangeana, purple-leaf plum, ornamental peach, plum, papaya, Indian

rosewood, red-leaf plum

Evergreen shrubs:

Sago palm, Chinese plum yew, orchid tree, large-leaf box, dense-flowered elaeagnus, camellia sasanqua, sweet viburnum, spotted laurel, St. John's wort, three-stamen areca, areca palm, Chinese fan palm, four-season orchid tree, soft-branch allamanda, small-leaf justicia, callistemon, Fukien tea, gardenia, crown of thorns, poinsettia, Yunnan jasmine, aucuba, holly, azalea, dragon tree, croton, red mulberry, golden-edge mulberry, golden-leaf fig, smooth senna, red-stemmed azalea, ardisia, orange jasmine, red-back hibiscus, ylang-ylang, camellia, oil tea, large-leaf tea, oleander, yellow oleander, small-flower allamanda, snowbush, michelia, pittosporum, mahonia, nandina, Japanese fatsia, magnolia coco, hibiscus, coral vine, red azalea, Adam's needle, yucca, South China box, lady palm, soft-leaf date palm, short-spike fishtail palm, dwarf lady palm, bamboo palm,

golden banyan, fiddle-leaf fig, willow-leaf fig, golden-vein justicia, Schefflera octophylla, variegated duranta, yellow-leaf duranta, justicia, golden-leaf privet, giant taro, Philodendron selloum, Monstera deliciosa, Aspidistra, snake plant, Rhaphiolepis indica, variegated hibiscus, Euphorbia cotinifolia, small-leaf box, African jasmine, Brunfelsia, Cuphea hyssopifolia, crinum lily, spider lily, Calliandra, Chinese fringeflower, Datura, white paper flower, red paper flower, Rhododendron mucronatum, Belgian azalea, Senna bicapsularis, tecoma, myrtle, ixora, Yunnan jasmine, jasmine, Euphorbia milii, blue plumbago, blue star flower, butterfly pea, nandina, pepper tree, red-back hibiscus,

Deciduous shrubs:

Confederate rose, Bridalwreath spirea, Thunberg spirea, modern rose, Abelia chinensis, pomegranate, beautyberry, Magnolia liliflora, lespedeza, honeysuckle, Hydrangea macrophylla, hibiscus syriacus, redbud, plum, Spiraea prunifolia, pearl bush, butterfly tree, elderberry, fig, Sichuan pepper, trifoliate orange, butterfly bush, wax leaf

Vines:

Monstera deliciosa, bougainvillea, Millettia reticulata, flame vine, Rangoon creeper, Akebia trifoliata, honeysuckle, Euonymus fortunei, climbing fig, kiwifruit, Euonymus fortunei, Hong Kong rhaphidophora, Mucuna birdwoodiana, wax flower, Rhaphidophora hongkongensis, pothos, star jasmine, Chinese ivy, English ivy, Schisandra chinensis, Boston ivy, Chinese trumpet creeper, passionflower, Lagerstroemia indica, Mucuna sempervirens, Thunbergia grandiflora

ylang-ylang, Thunbergia grandiflora, Rangoon creeper, coral vine, Boston ivy, flame vine, Mucuna birdwoodiana, Clerodendrum speciosum, wisteria, climbing fig, cypress vine, morning glory, morning glory, snake vine, Jasminum officinale, Dutchman's pipe, garlic vine, wood rose, Bignonia, passionflower

Bamboo:

Bambusa textilis, Bambusa chungii, moso bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo, Phyllostachys glauca, golden-stripe bamboo, Neosinocalamus affinis, hedge bamboo, bitter bamboo, Indocalamus, Buddha belly bamboo, Dendrocalamus latiflorus, Bambusa textilis, Thai bamboo, Bambusa pervariabilis, square bamboo, green bamboo, Guanyin bamboo, Bambusa multiplex, red bamboo

Lawns and ground cover plants:

Bermuda grass, Chinese lawngrass, fine-leaf lawngrass, carpet grass, centipede grass, jointed paspalum, Manila grass, lawngrass, Guangdong evergreen, spiderwort, banghua, lilyturf, large-leaf curculigo, Liriope, Reineckea carnea, Aspidistra, black-eye spiderwort, Acorus gramineus, autumn zephyr lily, spring zephyr lily, golden spider lily, white butterfly, butterfly iris, red wood sorrel, Tradescantia zebrina,

Calathea roseopicta, Syngonium podophyllum, Syngonium podophyllum, pothos, Tradescantia zebrina, sword fern, Pilea cadierei, small banglan, peace lily, silver-edge lilyturf, red lantana, yellow lantana, purple lantana

, dusty miller, clerodendrum, shrimp plant, firecracker flower, asparagus fern, evening primrose, beach morning glory, ivy, star jasmine, ginger lily, umbrella plant, papyrus, iris, purple loosestrife, narcissus, lotus, water lily, Wedelia trilobata, red wood sorrel, Brazilian peanut vine, dichondra, purple amaranth, round-leaf alternanthera, coleus, fine-leaf verbena, red-green alternanthera, autumn zephyr lily, spring zephyr lily, amaryllis, lily, calla lily, periwinkle, centipede grass, Manila grass, Korean lawn grass, Bermuda grass, large-leaf carpet grass, variegated grass, bahia grass, dwarf lilyturf

Palm species:

Royal palm, Washington palm, triangle palm, king palm, foxtail palm, Butia palm, bottle palm, club palm, Middle Eastern date palm, Canary Island date palm, Bismarck palm, oil palm, sugar palm, windmill palm, dragon-scale palm, Chinese fan palm, Queen palm, fishtail palm, Queen palm, Washingtonia, beautiful date palm, short-spike fishtail palm, long-spike fishtail palm, areca palm, three-stamen areca, traveler's palm, lady palm,

Seasonal flowers

Star flower, African impatiens, four-season begonia, scarlet sage, petunia, hybrid dianthus, ornamental kale, French marigold, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, wishbone flower, cockscomb, pot marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, moss rose, purslane, cosmos, cineraria, spider flower, daylily, lavender, purple loosestrife

Part Five: "Examples of Southern Plant Configuration"

Southern Plant Configuration

Philodendron selloum + umbrella plant + variegated galangal

Large Dracaena + rainbow Dracaena + nandina + sword fern + placed rocks

Royal palm + sugar palm + beautiful date palm + canna + coleus + croton

Royal palm + Canary Island date palm head + red Dracaena + red mulberry + ixora

Royal palm + Alexander palm + areca palm + large-leaf lady palm + golden leaf

Part Six: "Commonly Used Landscape Plants in Southern China"

Commonly Used Plants in Southern Courtyards

I. Palm category:

1. Royal palm 2. Alexander palm 3. Washington palm 4. Silver date palm 5. Canary Island date palm 6. Three-stamen areca

7. Chinese fan palm 8. Mexican fan palm 9. Areca palm 10. Broadleaf lady palm (slender-leaf lady palm) 11. Golden cane palm 12. Soft-leaf date palm

II. Tree category (street trees, shade trees):

1. Flamboyant tree 2. Silk cotton tree 3. Pink floss-silk tree 4. Coral tree 5. Pointed-leaf elaeocarpus 6. Blackboard tree

7. Small-leaved banyan 8. Water banyan 9. Mango 10. Chinaberry 11. Cinnamomum 12. Large-leaf trumpet vine

13. Red sandalwood 14. Frangipani 15. Indian almond 16. Traveller's palm 17. Red-fruited screw pine 18. Autumn maple

19. Star fruit 20. Pointed-leaf osmanthus 21. Golden shower tree 22. Albizia 23. Cajeput tree

24. Eucalyptus 25. Hainan rose apple 26. Large-leaf aphanamixis 27. Orchid tree 28. Mahogany

29. Mountain fig 30. African tulip tree 31. Yellow trumpet tree 32. Goldenrain tree

III. Flowering shrub category:

1. Four-season osmanthus 2. Slender-leaf bamboo 3. Tree fern 4. Yellow banyan 5. Bougainvillea

6. Yellow cassia 7. Red bottlebrush 8. Golden-edged sisal 9. Hibiscus 10. Fagraea 11. Variegated banyan

12. Hibiscus 13. Banana shrub 14. Trumpet vine 15. Powderpuff plant 16. Crepe jasmine 17. Dragon society orchid

18. Century plant 19. Yucca 20. Firecracker vine 21. Yellow oleander 22. Polyscias

IV. Ground cover or color blocks:

1. Pittosporum 2. Monstera 3. Pothos 4. Bird's nest fern 5. Red gem 6. Large-leaf polygala 7. Umbrella tree

8. Little angel 9. Golden leaf 10. Cigar flower 11. Slender-leaf frog orchid 12. Three-star arrowroot 13. Hairy azalea

14. Dwarf Chinese fan palm 15. Philodendron 16. Variegated duranta 17. Spider lily 18. Tradescantia 19. Soft-stem allamanda

20. Variegated galangal 21. Asparagus fern 22. Golden peanut 23. Slender-leaf ixora 24. Boston fern 25. Yellow shrimp plant

26. White butterfly 27. Pilea 28. Variegated dieffenbachia 29. Rainbow cordyline 30. Croton 31. Liriope

32. Silver-edged grass 33. Jasmine 34. Velvet calathea 35. Taiwan grass 36. Large-leaf carpet grass

37. Manila grass 38. Bermuda grass 39. Ryegrass 40. Tall fescue

There are also some commonly used plants:

1. Bodhi banyan 2. Mountain fig 3. Water banyan 4. Bellflower 5. National Day flower 6. Golden shower tree

7. Siamese cassia 8. Sausage tree 9. Thailand yellow large yellow flower ball 10. Golden melaleuca

11. Winged senna 12. Twin-pod sophora 13. Japanese cherry 14. Water banyan 15. Grey magnolia

16. Hainan sajin 17. Variegated money tree 18. Hainan ormosia 19. Mahogany

20. Albizia 21. Sandalwood osmanthus 22. Autumn osmanthus 23. Bay laurel 24. Mexican fan palm 25. Slender-leaf bamboo

26. Indian yellow (purple) sandalwood 27. Red sandalwood 28. Dianella 29. Leizhou banyan 30. Cat-tail tree

Commonly used garden plants in the South

1. Evergreen trees

Norfolk Island pine, Cunningham's araucaria, Chinese fir, large-leaf araucaria, kauri, Masson pine, slash pine, camphor tree, Japanese cinnamon, giant eucalyptus, cajeput tree, rose apple, Hainan rose apple, autumn maple, Taiwan acacia, ear-pod acacia, ear-pod acacia, red sandalwood, small-leaf banyan, large-leaf banyan, mountain fig, bird-catching fig, Indian rubber fig, variegated Indian rubber fig, bodhi tree, candlenut, mahogany, dillenia, blackboard tree, Indian almond, small-leaf Indian almond, jackfruit, wax apple, choerospondias, sapodilla, chinaberry, beefwood, white magnolia, night-fragrant magnolia, Michelia macclurei, small-leaf elaeocarpus, southern magnolia, yellow hibiscus, mango, longan, lychee, olive, loquat, waxberry, pomelo, water banyan, Buddhist pine, dragon juniper, podocarpus, osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, banana shrub, Aglaia, camellia, weeping fig, butterfly fruit, obliquely-leaved fig

2. Deciduous trees

Dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, Chinese swamp cypress, tulip tree, Chinese parasol tree, Bischofia, albizia, large-leaf albizia, silver albizia, sweetgum, weeping willow, sausage tree, anthocephalus, silver birch, hackberry, soapberry, Chinese pistache, chinaberry, Chinese tallow, tung tree, ginkgo, sterculia, persimmon, fig, mulberry, papaya, guava, red maple, acacia

3. Palm category

Alexander palm, royal palm, king palm, bottle palm, club palm, triangle palm, foxtail palm, queen palm, oil palm, sugar palm, large sabal, Washington palm, Canary Island date palm, Middle East date palm, Iranian honey date, Chinese fan palm, fish-tail palm, sugar palm, scaly date palm, soft-leaf date palm, three-stamen areca, green palm, fragrant palm, long-spike fishtail palm, short-spike fishtail palm, areca palm, windmill palm, banana, traveller's palm, cordyline, lady palm, slender-leaf lady palm, white bird of paradise, red-stem philodendron, false taro

4. Foliage shrubs

Golden-leaf weeping fig, golden banyan, fiddle-leaf fig, willow-leaf fig, Garcinia, variegated reed bamboo, Polyalthia longifolia pendula, red-fruited screw pine, pittosporum, variegated hibiscus, sago palm, red bottlebrush, shrub night-fragrant, Cotinus, golden-vein justicia, fatsia, creeping juniper, variegated cassava, nandina, schefflera, variegated schefflera, pepper tree, red-backed excoecaria, red mulberry, Japanese lilac, duranta, variegated duranta, yellow-leaf duranta, orange jasmine, croton, halberd-leaf croton, Hainan croton, gold-dusted croton, Gendarussa vulgaris, Fukien tea, small-leaf boxwood, golden-leaf privet, crown of thorns, yellow-striped century plant, agave, silver-edged agave, yucca, bottle palm, cast-iron plant, snake plant, cactus, calla lily, philodendron, monstera, variegated shell ginger, beach naupaka, thick-leaf rhaphiolepis, variegated breynia, Ceylon phyllanthus, Chinese rose

5. Flowering shrubs

African jasmine, yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, rare jasmine, hibiscus, Chinese hibiscus, hanging lantern flower, Chinese lantern, poinsettia, powderpuff plant, bougainvillea, large-flower gardenia, hydrangea, red-bract flower, melastoma, red-flower loropetalum, large-flower datura, white paper fan, red paper fan, yellow allamanda, Western azalea, twin-pod senna, hard-stem trumpet vine, rose myrtle, ixora, phoenix-tail pearl, Yunnan yellow jasmine, jasmine, crinum lily,

spider lily, crab claw flower, dwarf canna, stone sea pepper, fiddle-leaf coral, blue snowflake, blue star flower, fan butterfly

6. Ground cover

Purple-backed calathea, arrowhead plant, white butterfly arrowhead, pothos, tradescantia, Boston fern, pilea, small mussel orchid, peace lily, liriope, silver-edged liriope, red-flower lantana, yellow-flower lantana, purple-flower lantana, silver-leaf dusty miller, bleeding glorybower, shrimp plant, firecracker red, asparagus fern, beach evening primrose, beach morning glory, ivy, star jasmine, ginger lily, umbrella plant, papyrus, iris, purple loosestrife, narcissus, lotus, water lily, three-lobed wedelia, red-flower oxalis, Brazilian peanut vine, dichondra, purple amaranth, round-leaf alternanthera, coleus, slender-leaf verbena, red-green grass, autumn zephyr lily, pink zephyr lily, amaryllis, lily, calla lily, periwinkle, centipede grass, Manila grass, Korean velvet grass, Bermuda grass, large-leaf carpet grass, variegated blunt grass, bahia grass, dwarf lilyturf

7. Vines

Large-flower thunbergia, rangoon creeper, coral vine, Boston ivy, firecracker vine, white-flower mucuna, beautiful clerodendrum, wisteria, creeping fig, cypress vine, morning glory, maple-leaf morning glory, snake vine, jasmine, large-flower Dutchman's pipe, garlic vine, wood rose, Macfadyena unguis-cati, passionflower

Chapter Seven: "Document on Common Plant Arrangements in the South"

Practical Plant Arrangement Table ———— Concise Table of Common Plant Arrangements

Aquatic plants:

Wetland plants: Hankow willow, weeping willow, cotton willow, sand willow, artemisia willow, soap willow, small-leaf poplar, Liaoning poplar, sand juniper, Chinese juniper, Oriental arborvitae, dawn redwood, chinaberry, Chinese wingnut, white ash, forsythia, elm, split-leaf elm, Chinese elm, Chinese tallow, cherry blossom, eucommia, goldenrain tree, cotton rose, hibiscus, oleander, Boston ivy, grape, wisteria, false indigo, tamarisk, buttercup, water hyacinth buttercup, long-leaf alkali buttercup, marsh willow-leaf, willow-leaf vegetable, marsh woundwort, Chinese woundwort, mint, Mazus, speedwell, watercress, Scirpus, water wool grass, flat-stem Scirpus, water nutgrass, spike-flower water nutgrass, globe-flower flat sedge, red-scale flat sedge, jointed rush, small-flower rush, small rush, slender rush, knotgrass, common smartweed, red smartweed, clustered smartweed, dock-leaf smartweed, willow-leaf smartweed, small arrow-leaf smartweed, mile-a-minute, prickly smartweed, halberd-leaf smartweed, large halberd-leaf smartweed, Japanese knotweed, cogongrass, reed grass, large-leaf reed, Beckmannia, long-awn needle grass, wild rice grass, silvergrass, Job's tears, limpograss, wet-place ground orchid,

Emergent plants: softstem bulrush, reed, lotus root, arrowhead, broad-leaf bog sedge, water plantain, lotus, purple loosestrife, cattail, duck-tongue grass, water hyacinth, sweet flag, pickerelweed, rice, mangrove, narcissus, water celery, wild rice stem, taro, water clover, reed, water chestnut, three-edge sedge, needle rush, water torch, umbrella sedge, broad-leaf cattail

Floating plants: duckweed, water hyacinth, water lily, fox nut, Victoria water lily, spatterdock, water hyacinth, water snowflake, water shield, yellow bladderwort, floating fern, water snowflake,

Submerged plants: hornwort, water plantain

Colorful-leaf plants:

Red or purple: sweetgum, lacquer tree, Japanese maple, box elder, bittersweet, red oak, Tang maple, Chinese tallow, staghorn sumac, sumac, mountain ash, nandina, euonymus, hawthorn, Chinese pistache, Chinese wingnut, barberry, Hubei hornbeam, Boston ivy

Golden yellow or yellow-brown: ginkgo, persimmon, goldenrain tree, tulip tree, Chinese parasol tree, elm, walnut, catalpa, dawn redwood, crape myrtle, Chinese elm, nanmu, wild jujube, kiwi, horse chestnut, water elm mountain ash, wintersweet, pomegranate, yellow cassia, witch hazel, soapberry, acacia

Aromatic plants:

Aromatic plants that can be planted in residential areas include: mint, basil, lemon balm, German chamomile, lemongrass, sage, dandelion, pot marigold, thyme, borage, scented geranium, mallow and other herbs; lavender, rosemary, gardenia, rose, lemon verbena and other shrubs.

Woody plants with fragrance rotating through the four seasons, such as: plum blossom and orange blossom in spring; gardenia and white magnolia in summer; osmanthus in autumn, and wintersweet in winter.

Pollution-resistant and exhaust-resistant plants: black locust, paulownia, lacebark pine, Chinese juniper, coral tree, photinia, pittosporum, fatsia, etc.

Nitrogen-fixing plants: Robinia, Lonicera, Albizia, false indigo, Caragana, Glycine, Lespedeza, Melilotus, Pisum, Phaseolus, Myrica, Elaeagnus, Cycas

Nectar-source, bird-attracting, butterfly-attracting plants: dwarf yew, Buddhist pine, Chinese torreya, Japanese holly, camphor tree, waxberry, privet, ternstroemia, viburnum, aucuba, mahonia, firethorn, boxwood, pittosporum, fatsia, etc.; butterfly bush, Chinese pistache, and other fragrant-flower plants (such as Citrus plants in the Rutaceae)

Perennial (herbaceous) flowers: red-hot poker (torch lily), lupine, blue fescue, astilbe, coreopsis, golden creeping Jenny, oregano, large-flower hibiscus, red-flower mint, variegated star jasmine, cineraria, hellebore, lycoris, daylily, iris, spiderwort, hosta, variegated canna, red-leaf canna, Dutch aster, largeflower bushclover, bletilla, perennial verbena

Four-season flowering trees:

Spring: various cherry blossoms (early cherry, late cherry, weeping cherry, etc.), various crabapples (Malus micromalus, Chaenomeles, Chaenomeles speciosa, etc.), Magnoliaceae (southern magnolia, white magnolia, Yulan magnolia, purple magnolia, red magnolia, banana shrub, Michelia maudiae, etc.), redbud, red-leaf

plum, peach blossom, camellia, winter jasmine, lilac, etc.

Summer: crape myrtle, hibiscus, hydrangea, banana shrub, summer azalea, pomegranate (flower), gardenia, trumpet vine, albizia, acacia. Autumn: osmanthus, crape myrtle, hibiscus, flower pomegranate, cotton rose, trumpet vine, etc.

Winter: honeysuckle, nandina, plum blossom, banana shrub, camellia, sasanqua, etc.

Classification diagram of common greening tree species:

(1) Evergreen conifers

1. Tree category: deodar cedar, Korean pine, black pine, dragon juniper, Masson pine, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Norfolk Island pine, Japanese cedar, Chinese torreya

2. Shrub category: (Buddhist pine), Oriental arborvitae, creeping juniper, creeping juniper, Japanese cedar, five-needle pine

(2) Deciduous conifers (no shrubs):

Tree category: dawn redwood, golden larch, pond cypress, bald cypress

(3) Evergreen broadleaf trees:

1. Tree category: camphor tree, southern magnolia, privet, windmill palm

2. Shrub category: coral tree, large-leaf boxwood, small-leaf boxwood, boxleaf euonymus, Chinese holly, orange tree, photinia, pittosporum, osmanthus, oleander, yellow jasmine, winter jasmine, gold-dusted coral, nandina, snow-in-summer, small-leaf privet, fatsia, gardenia, mosquito fern, camellia, hypericum, azalea, yucca (pineapple flower, arrow hemp), sago palm (iron tree), mahonia

(4) Deciduous broadleaf trees:

1. Tree category: weeping willow, upright willow, Chinese wingnut, dragon-claw willow, Chinese tallow, pagoda tree, Chinese parasol tree (Chinese parasol

tree), plane tree (French plane), pagoda tree (Chinese pagoda), Sophora japonica pendula, albizia, ginkgo, chinaberry (bitter chinaberry), catalpa

2. Shrub category: cherry blossom, white magnolia, peach blossom, wintersweet, crape myrtle, redbud, Acer truncatum, green maple, red-leaf plum, Chaenomeles, bellflower crabapple, hydrangea, Spiraea cantoniensis, golden bell flower (golden strip), cotton rose, hibiscus (hibiscus tree), Alchornea davidii (guiyuan tree), pomegranate

(5) Bamboo category: Bambusa multiplex, moso bamboo, moso bamboo, purple bamboo, Bambusa multiplex, phoenix-tail bamboo, Buddha-belly bamboo, golden-rimmed jade bamboo

(6) Vines: wisteria, star jasmine, Boston ivy (Boston ivy, wall-climbing tiger), ivy, grape vine, wintercreeper

(7) Flowers: sun rose, chrysanthemum, salvia, canna, five-color amaranth, cabbage (ball cauliflower), chrysanthemum, orchid

(8) Lawn: velvet grass, zoysia grass, lilyturf, four-season green grass, tall fescue, Manila grass, clover, dichondra

Detailed Table of Common Plant Arrangements

Table of Common Street Trees

Name Scientific name Family Tree shape Characteristics

Camphor tree Cinnamomun camphcra Lauraceae Spherical Evergreen large tree, leaves alternate, three-veined, double fragrant, berries spherical.

Plane tree Platanus x acerifolia Platanaceae Oval Likes warmth, pollution-resistant, tolerant of pruning. Large crown with dense shade, suitable as street tree and shade tree.

Maple Liquidamdar formosana Hance. Hamamelidaceae Conical Deciduous tree, bark grey and smooth, leaves triangular, slow-growing, beautiful tree form

Flamboyant tree Delonix regia Raffin Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Sun-loving, likes warm-hot climate, not cold-tolerant, fast-growing, pollution-resistant, wind-resistant; flowers red and beautiful, flowering period May-August

Albizia Albizia julibrissin Mimosa family Umbrella-shaped Flowers pink, June-July, suitable as shade ornamental tree, street tree

Acacia Albizia farnesiana Wild. Mimosa family Umbrella-shaped Deciduous sub-tree, fast-growing, dense branches and leaves, flowers golden yellow, excellent tree vigor

Weeping willow Salix babylonica Linn. Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous sub-tree, suitable for low-temperature land, vigorous and rapid growth, beautiful tree form

Banyan Ficus retusa Linn. Moraceae Spherical Deciduous tree, broad crown, fast-growing, strong canopy density, suitable for various pruning

Camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora Ness. Lauraceae Spherical Evergreen tree, broad crown, large and round, robust growth, beautiful tree form

Chinese fan palm Livitonia chinensis R.Br. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single upright trunk, dark green leaves, robust growth, very beautiful posture

Longan tree Euphoria longana Lanark. Sapindaceae Round Evergreen tree with round crown, strong canopy density, slower growth, very beautiful posture

Chinaberry (chinaberry tree) Melia azedarach Linn. Meliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous tree, fast-growing, irregular crown, slightly umbrella-shaped, flowers pale purple

Chinese parasol tree Sterculia platanifolia L. Sterculiaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, broad leaves, fast-growing, upright when young, crown spreading when old

Paper mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera Vent. Urticaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, leaves huge and soft-thin, branches spreading in all directions, umbrella-shaped crown, also beautiful posture

Alder Alnus formosana Makino. Fagaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, tolerant of moisture and heat, unsuitable for dry land and hard soil, tall and beautiful tree form

Ash tree Faxinus insularis Hemsl. Oleaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, robust, fast-growing, beautiful tree form and leaf shape. Norfolk Island pine Araucaria cuninghamii Araucariaceae Conical Evergreen conifer, sun-loving, likes warm-hot climate, not cold-tolerant, likes fertilizer, fast-growing, narrow conical crown, beautiful posture

Qinghai spruce Picea carassifolia Pinaceae Tower-shaped Evergreen conifer, neutral, shallow-rooted, suitable for the Northwest region

Korean pine Pinus koraiensis Pinaceae Tower-shaped Evergreen conifer, weakly sun-loving, likes cold-cool humid climate and acidic soil, needles blue-green

Chinese juniper (juniper) Sabina chinensis Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen conifer, sun-loving, young trees slightly shade-tolerant, drought and barren-tolerant, cold-tolerant, slightly moisture-tolerant, tolerant of pruning, good dust-proof and sound-insulating effect

Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora L. Magnoliaceae Oval Evergreen tree, flowers large white and fragrant, beautiful tree form,

Taiwan acacia Acacia confusa Merr. Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree, bark smooth when young, rough when old, trunk mostly curved, strong growth

Date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Arecaceae Pinnate Evergreen broadleaf tree, trunk branching, strong heat resistance, robust growth, beautiful posture

Canary Island date palm (Canary date palm) Phoenix dactylifera Arecaceae Pinnate Evergreen broadleaf tree, trunk thick, tall and majestic, pinnate leaves dense and spreading,

Royal palm (royal palm) Oreodoxa regia H.B.K. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single upright trunk, up to 18m tall, slightly swollen in the middle, pinnate compound leaves, very strong vitality, great ornamental value

Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Ginkgoaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, autumn leaves yellow, cold-tolerant, deep-rooted, not tolerant of waterlogging, resistant to various toxic gases

Tulip tree (horse jacket tree) Liriodendron chinense Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, likes warm humid climate, relatively strong resistance, fertile acidic soil, fast-growing, long-lived, leaf shape like a horse jacket, flowers yellow-green, large and beautiful.

Chinese white poplar Populus tomentosa Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, likes cool-temperate climate, pollution-resistant, deep-rooted, fast-growing, relatively long-lived; tree form upright, trunk straight, bark grey-white

Lombardy poplar Populus nigra var. italica Salicaceae Narrow cylindrical Deciduous broadleaf tree, cold and drought-tolerant, slightly tolerant of saline-alkali and waterlogging, fast-growing

Chinese elm Ulmus parvifolia Ulmaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, likes warm humid climate, drought and barren-tolerant, deep-rooted, fast-growing, long-lived, resistant to smoke and dust and toxic gases, strong dust retention capacity

Box elder (compound-leaf maple) Acer negundo Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, likes fertile soil and cool humid climate, tolerant of smoke and dust, tolerant of dry cold, tolerant of light saline-alkali, tolerant of pruning, autumn leaves yellow {Maintenance measures for date palms among southern plants}.

Table of Characters of Common Landscape Trees

Name Scientific name Family Tree shape Characteristics

Camphor tree Cinnamomun camphcra Lauraceae Spherical An evergreen large tree with alternate leaves, triplinerved veins, aromatic scent, and spherical berries.

London plane Platanus x acerifolia Platanaceae Ovate Prefers warmth, tolerant of pollution, resistant to pruning. Large crown with dense shade, suitable as a street tree and shade tree.

Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora L. Magnoliaceae Ovate Evergreen tree with large white fragrant flowers and a graceful form.

Yulan magnolia Magnolia denudata Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Fairly cold-hardy, dislikes waterlogging. Large pure white flowers, blooming from March to April. Suitable for garden viewing.

Chinese tulip tree (horseshoe tree) Liriodendron chinense Magnoliaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm and humid climates, fairly strong resistance, fertile acidic soil, fast-growing, long-lived; leaves shaped like a Chinese jacket, flowers yellow-green, large and beautiful.

Chinese arborvitae Thuja orientalis Linn Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen tree, neat in form when young, often crooked when old, vigorous growth, long-lived, beautiful form.

Ash tree Faxinus insularis Hemsl. Oleaceae Round Evergreen tree, robust, fast-growing, beautiful form and leaf shape. Java bishopwood Bischoffia javanica Blanco Euphorbiaceae Round Evergreen tree; when young leaves sprout it is very ornamental, vigorous growth, beautiful form.

Weeping willow Salix babylonica Linn. Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous sub-tree, suitable for low-lying wet ground, lush and fast-growing, beautiful form.

Chinese incense cedar Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz Cupressaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree with grayish-brown bark showing irregular longitudinal fissures; branchlets alternate, green when young, flattened.

Royal palm Roystonea regia Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single upright trunk, up to 18m tall, slightly swollen in the middle, pinnate compound leaves, very vigorous, highly ornamental.

Japanese euonymus Euonymus japonica Celastraceae Ovate Prefers warm and humid climates, tolerant of toxic gases. Grown for foliage. Suitable for hedges and foundation planting.

Maple tree Liquidamdar formosana Hance. Hamamelidaceae Conical Deciduous tree with smooth gray bark, triangular leaves, slow growth, beautiful form.

Chinese wingnut Pterocarya stenoptera Juglandaceae Umbrella-shaped Highly adaptable, tolerant of waterlogging, fast-growing. Suitable as a shade tree, street tree, and bank-protection tree.

Creeping juniper Sabina procumbens Cupressaceae Evergreen creeping dwarf shrub, branches spreading and trailing on the ground, leaves needle-like. Slow-growing, unique in form, with lush, flowing green foliage. Suitable for ground cover and beautification around courtyard stones, ponds, sand pits, and slopes. {Maintenance measures for the southern plant date palm}.

Golden dewdrop Duranta repens Verbenaceae Round Evergreen shrub. Suitable for large potted plants, flower troughs, and hedges. Golden dewdrop with yellow leaves is grown mainly for foliage and has wide uses; it can serve as ground cover, be pruned into shapes, form patterns, or be used for color-contrast planting, eye-catching and striking. Chinese holly Ilex cornuta Aquifoliaceae Round Tolerant of toxic gases, slow-growing. Green leaves and red berries, very beautiful. Suitable for foundation planting. Paper mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera Vent. Moraceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree with huge, soft, thin leaves and spreading branches, also beautiful in form.

Chinese elm Ulmus parvifolia Ulmaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers warm and humid climates, tolerant of drought and poor soil, deep-rooted, fast-growing, long-lived, resistant to smoke, dust and toxic gases, with strong dust-retention ability.

Chinese juniper Juniperus Chinensis Linn Cupressaceae Conical Evergreen medium tree with densely growing dark green branches, vigorous growth, suitable for pruning, beautiful form.

Japanese pittosporum Pittosporum tobira Pittosporaceae Round Fragrant white flowers, blooming in May. Suitable for foundation planting, as a hedge, or potted. Date palm Phoenix dactylifera Linn Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Tillering trunk, up to 20-25m tall, leaves gray-white with arching curves, vigorous growth, beautiful form.

Hankow willow Salix matsudana Salicaceae Umbrella-shaped Suitable as a shade tree, street tree, and bank-protection tree.

Silk tree Albizia julibrissin Mimosaceae Umbrella-shaped Pink flowers, June to July; suitable as a shade ornamental tree and street tree.

Japanese black pine Pinus Thumbergii Porl. Pinaceae Conical Evergreen tree with grayish-brown bark, orange-yellow branchlets, needles in pairs of two, long-lived.

Purple-leaf plum Prunus cerasifera. F.arropurpurea Rosaceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous small tree with smooth reddish-brown branchlets, ovate leaves entirely purple-red, pale pink small flowers in April, purple drupe. Suitable for both specimen and group planting, and as a backdrop.

Washington palm Washingtonia filifera Wend. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Single cylindrical trunk, swollen at the base, up to 4-8m tall, fan-shaped round leaves, vigorous growth, beautiful form {Maintenance measures for the southern plant date palm}.

Japanese pagoda tree Sophora japonica Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Dense branches and leaves, broad crown; suitable as a shade tree and street tree.

Scrambled egg tree Cassia glauca Lam. Fabaceae Round Deciduous tree with even-pinnate compound leaves, yellow flowers, fast-growing, beautiful form.

Box elder (ash-leaved maple) Acer negundo Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Deciduous broadleaf tree, prefers fertile soil and cool, humid climates, tolerant of smoke and dust, dry cold, and mild salinity-alkalinity, resistant to pruning, yellow autumn leaves.

Japanese maple Acer palmatum Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped Elegant leaf shape, red autumn leaves. Suitable for garden viewing and potting.

Golden larch Pseudolarix amabilis Rehd. Pinaceae Ovate-tower-shaped Evergreen tree with well-spaced branches and leaves, linear leaves alternate on long shoots, small leaves radiating; the tree form is strong and upright.

Bottle palm Hyophorbe amaricaulis Mart. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Trunk about 3 m tall, with an oval swollen base forming a bottle shape, very beautiful in form.

Mandarin orange tree Citrus reticulata Rutaceae Round White flowers, yellow-green fruit, fragrant. Suitable for group planting.

Chinaberry tree Melia azedarch Linn. Meliaceae Round Deciduous tree with grayish-brown bark, bipinnately odd-pinnate compound leaves, purple flowers, fast-growing.

Snow rose Serissa serissoides Rubiaceae Round Evergreen small shrub. Dark green leaves, snow-white flowers, slightly pale pink. Fine branches and leaves with good texture; suitable for potting, low hedges, ground cover, flower beds, and pruning into shapes.

Dragon juniper Juniperus chinensis var. Kaituka, Hort Cupressaceae Upright tower-shaped Evergreen medium tree with densely growing dark green branches, vigorous growth, very long-lived, very beautiful form.

Dragon-claw pagoda tree S. j. cv. Pendula Fabaceae Umbrella-shaped Branches drooping; suitable for garden viewing, planted in pairs or rows.

Dragon-claw willow S. m. cv. Tortuosa Salicaceae Round Branches twisted like a roaming dragon; suitable as a shade tree and ornamental tree.

Pygmy date palm Phehix Roebelenii Brien. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Upright trunk, 2m tall, thin and small petioles, leaflets alternate or opposite; an excellent variety with beautiful leaves.

Buddhist pine Podocaarpus macrophyllus D. Don Podocarpaceae Long conical Evergreen tree with a simple, elegant bearing; can be pruned as premium bonsai material, or shaped into round, conical, or tiered forms for garden landscaping and beautification.

Masson pine Pinus massoniana Lamb. Pinaceae Umbrella-shaped Evergreen tree with red-brown trunk bark, brown winter buds, and a majestic appearance when large.

Nandina Nandina domestica Berberidaceae Umbrella-shaped Elegant branches and leaves, red berries in autumn and winter; for garden viewing, can be group-planted or potted. Norfolk Island pine Araucaria ecelsa Br. Araucariaceae Conical Evergreen coniferous tree with whorled branches, lower ones drooping, dark green leaves, beautiful form, vigorous growth.

Glossy privet Ligustrum lucidum Oleaceae Ovate White flowers, blooming in June. Suitable as a hedge or street tree.

Chinese fan palm Livistona chinensis R. Br. Arecaceae Umbrella-shaped Upright trunk up to 6-12m tall, round leaves, petiole margins spiny, lush growth, elegant posture.

Globe juniper Junlperus chinensis cv. Globosa. Cupressaceae Broadly round Shrub, without a main trunk, branches clustered.

Green maple Acer serrulatum Aceraceae Umbrella-shaped conical Deciduous tree. Upright trunk. Light and graceful form; can be trained into a noble bonsai, and serves as an elegant street tree, landscape tree, and forest-bathing tree.

Boxwood B. bodinieri Buxaceae Ovate Fine, dense branches and leaves; suitable for garden viewing. Can be group-planted, used as a hedge, or potted. Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica D. Don Taxodiaceae Conical, ovate, round Evergreen tree. Branches whorled, graceful

Chapter Eight: "Cultivation and Maintenance of Arecaceae Plants"

The Arecaceae family is a very distinctive group of evergreen plants in the monocotyledon class, with stems single or clustered, upright or climbing; leaves clustered at the top of the stem, well-developed root systems, tolerant of drought and poor soil, and strongly resistant to pests and diseases, making them outstanding for creating tropical-style garden landscapes. This section introduces their introduction, transplanting, and disease control.

Brief Introduction to the Introduction Process

There are 183 genera and about 2400 species of Arecaceae plants worldwide, widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical humid regions of the world. High temperature and high humidity are important conditions for the normal growth and development of most palm plants, while a few palm plants have unique adaptability to adverse environments, such as the silver date palm (wild date palm) distributed in extremely arid areas at the edge of deserts, and quite a few palm species that can withstand long-term water immersion, such as the swamp palm. Most palm plants are rich in fiber, with tough stems and well-developed root systems, giving them strong wind resistance, such as the false betel nut and Chinese fan palm.

Since the 1940s, in urban construction across many tropical and subtropical cities worldwide, the landscape value of palm plants has been recognized, and they have been used as key varieties for urban greening and beautification, such as in Miami in the United States, Jakarta in India, Bangkok in Thailand, as well as Cape Town in South Africa and Singapore.

Some landscaping companies in Guangdong began the work of introducing and applying palm plants in the early 1980s. Over the following twenty-plus years, southern provinces and regions such as Guangxi, Fujian, and Yunnan, as well as later Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Yunnan, successively set off a wave of introducing, producing, and applying palms.

Led by Guangdong Palm Landscape Company, several units, based on plant geography and ecology theory, through observational research on the growth and mortality rates of introduced and acclimatized Arecaceae plants, found that plants native to the Northern Hemisphere generally have cold-hardiness potential because they experienced ancient glacial climates, while species native to high latitudes and high altitudes in the Southern Hemisphere also have relatively strong cold tolerance. Through research on the cold tolerance and cold-tolerance mechanisms of palm plants, researchers found that the main factors affecting introduction and acclimatization are: temperature, light, humidity, moisture, and soil. The most significant effect of the temperature factor is governing plant growth and development; low winter temperatures are the leading factor affecting the success or failure of palm plant introduction and acclimatization. Through research on palm salt tolerance and shade tolerance, researchers screened out a batch of varieties with relatively strong saline-alkaline tolerance and shade tolerance; at the same time, through the control of diseases and pests such as palm Phytophthora disease, coconut leaf beetle, and red palm weevil, the incidence of palm pests and diseases was greatly reduced. In addition, researchers also studied the mechanism of palm seed germination, summarized and invented palm seed germination acceleration technology, mastered whole-crown transplanting of palm plants and large-specification container seedling cultivation technology, and did fruitful work on soil improvement, winter cold protection and maintenance, and other technologies.

At present, researchers have screened and promoted about 80 species of palm plants in South China, including royal palm, Chinese fan palm, broadleaf lady palm, southern coconut palm, and fishtail palm; in Shanghai and surrounding areas, the Arecaceae plants successfully applied mainly include Butia palm, woolly Washington palm, Canary Island date palm, Washington palm, and more than ten other species, and the related research technology has been appraised by experts as reaching the world's advanced level.

Taking the Washington palm as an example

Discussion of the Occurrence and Control of Phytophthora Disease

Damage and General Symptoms of Palm Phytophthora Disease

This disease often causes damage on palm plants such as royal palm, large Chinese fan palm, Washington palm, Mexican blue palm, and Canary Island date palm. In affected plants, the central leaf cannot emerge normally, new leaves shrink and dry up, and in severe cases the whole plant withers in patches. The pathogen of Phytophthora disease is caused by Phytophthora fungi and can be identified by culture in an incubator. The pathogen mainly overwinters in the soil or on diseased plant residues. The bacteria spread through watering, rain splash, and air movement.

Occurrence Pattern of Phytophthora Disease in Washington Palm

This disease occurs during the high-temperature, high-humidity period between summer and autumn. Drought followed by rain, or poor management after transplanting, such as heavy watering, causing soil moisture content to

suddenly increase, poor ventilation, or plants located in wind-gap positions, are prone to infection. The disease is severe in low-lying, poorly drained, and continuously cropped plots. In addition, this disease is often related to severe root injury caused when digging seedlings, followed by long-distance transport.

When it occurs, the base of the unexpanded young central leaf rots, and the leaves turn gray-green and droop, and can be pulled out with slight force. Dissecting the stem, the growth point and even the entire central part of the plant show paste-like secretions with a foul odor, and the infected tissue can grow white mold-like substances. In severely affected plants, root damage is also often seen, with the main symptoms being blackened, rotted roots and an unusual

odor. This disease mainly occurs at the seedling stage and in nurseries; adult trees planted in green spaces are less commonly affected.

Symptoms

In recent years, the damage in nursery land has been relatively severe. In the early stage of the disease, yellow-brown water-soaked lesions first appear near the ground, and the lesions rapidly expand and are slightly sunken; when moist, the surface is densely covered with white cottony mold, and the diseased part rots and smells bad. When it occurs on leaves, the diseased part is yellow-brown, and white mold grows under moist conditions. When it occurs on stems, it is initially dark green, then expands, becomes moist and soft, and later the upper part shows withering. This disease can harm the entire palm plant. Sometimes purulent liquid exudes when the root system and stem are cut open, and in severe cases the margins of young leaf veins carry large amounts of gray-black mycelium. Phytophthora disease is a vascular bundle disease; in severe cases the whole plant wilts, droops, dries up, and eventually dies, with a high fatality rate.

According to surveys, the peak period of this disease is mostly the high-temperature and high-humidity period, that is, the optimum temperature is 27°C to 35°C. For example, in 2006, the disease period in the coastal areas near the Pearl River Delta was July to October, in Xiamen August to November, in Shanghai June to September (also occurring in early spring), and in the mountainous areas of western Pearl River Delta August to November, but in all places the disease can be seen within 1 to 2 months after typhoons and rainstorms, sometimes occurring sporadically, sometimes appearing in patches.

Control Methods

I. Preventive Cultivation Measures

1. Pay attention to ventilation, dryness, and drainage in the nursery. You can moderately prune leaves in autumn and winter each year, and dig pits and earth up the planting site to keep the nursery land dry. Usually, increase potassium fertilizer, and also apply quicklime and calcium superphosphate separately, to enhance plant tissue density and resistance to infection, and improve the plant's disease resistance.

2. Choose a good plot; select loam or sandy loam land with high terrain and good drainage for planting.

3. Implement crop rotation; land that has grown Washington palm requires rotation of three to four years or more.

4. Strengthen field management, increase organic fertilizer, promote robust plant growth with deep roots and lush leaves, and improve resistance. Implement high-ridge (bed) cultivation. Appropriately control watering in the rainy season, drain water promptly after rain so that the ground dries after rain; water promptly in drought, and strictly prohibit flood irrigation when watering, and do it on clear afternoons or evenings.

5. Achieve prevention first and integrated control. Usually observe carefully, often prune dead branches and fallen leaves, remove diseased plants promptly when found, bury them deeply or burn them, and disinfect the diseased holes with lime.

II. Chemical Control

One to two months before the onset of disease in summer and during the disease period, use 64% Sandofan wettable powder (1:500 to 600), 80% fosetyl-aluminum (1:400), or other hymexazol-type products such as Kameitong, that is, soil fungicide (usual dosage 600 to 700 times), lime-sulfur mixture (1:1:100), Dexon (500 times), etc. for control. Specific control methods: when transplanting Washington palm, first spray the planting site and Washington palm roots with 600 to 700 times soil fungicide solution, or first dig pits and expose them to the sun for sterilization during continuous sunny days, or spread lime powder for disinfection, or use Dexon 500 times solution for soil disinfection.

After a typhoon, promptly spray Sandofan (better) or fosetyl-aluminum (prone to resistance), add 0.4% washing powder and pour into the heart or spray for both prevention and treatment. You can also spray 80% mancozeb 700 times solution, once every 7 to 10 days, spraying two or three times in succession, which can effectively prevent and control the occurrence of Phytophthora disease. After adopting this measure, the Washington palm and woolly Washington palm at the Shanghai base of Guangdong Palm Landscape Company have reduced their disease incidence from 20% in 2004 to below 10%.

Control Experience

The control effect of using carbendazim and similar products is not obvious. If all leaves are cut off in the early stage of disease and the plant is transplanted elsewhere, about 30% can gradually revive after 2 to 3 years, but growth is poor.

It is understood that this disease rarely occurs in high-temperature, dry areas such as Los Angeles, so this disease is related to high temperature and high humidity, and the infection route is through surface water, groundwater, and rainwater. When plant roots, trunks, and leaves are damaged, the pathogen invades and multiplies greatly when water is sufficient, ultimately causing blockage of vascular transport tissue, and the plant wilts and dies from water loss. The heart rot disease introduced in some literature is actually also Phytophthora disease, only occurring in the central leaf area.

This disease is different from anthracnose, which occurs on leaves, with small water-soaked spots at onset that later expand into larger lesions and are easily found, and can generally be controlled with agents such as carbendazim. As for leaf spot disease, it refers to diseases occurring on leaves, with common pathogens including Phyllosticta and Pestalotiopsis, often causing leaf blight, but anthracnose and leaf spot disease rarely cause plant death. Transplanting Techniques for Large Single-Trunk Seedlings

Preparation Before Transplanting

1. Root-prune the seedlings to be transplanted in advance; after root pruning, the soil ball size is twice the ground diameter, and the root-pruning depth is 50 cm to 60 cm. Stones and broken roots should be removed from the root-pruned soil and backfilled promptly, and moisture should be maintained: the purpose is to exercise the seedling's adaptability and promote new root growth. After root pruning, it is best to keep them for more than 30 days, and transplant only when new roots begin to sprout. If heeled-in seedlings are used, the effect is even better.

2. Dig holes and prepare the soil. Dig holes 20 days before transplanting at the planting site; the hole specification is generally 1.5 times the soil ball. The soil from digging the holes should be exposed to the sun in the open for a period, and the backfill soil is best a pre-prepared mixed soil: pond mud + farmyard manure or mushroom soil + an appropriate amount of matured phosphate fertilizer + an appropriate amount of river sand, with sand:soil at 4:6.

Planting Time

In the Pearl River Delta region, transplanting can be done all year round, with spring and autumn being best; try to avoid summer and winter, especially January and July. Most Arecaceae plants like warmth and humidity. In summer, temperatures are high, seedlings evaporate water quickly, and it is easy to cause excessive water loss and affect survival; in winter, temperatures are low, some places even have frost, and strong north winds can easily cause frost injury or even death of seedlings.

Moving Seedlings

Some large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings have relatively thick trunks, and moving seedlings is labor-intensive, with seedlings very prone to injury. Therefore, when moving seedlings, the trunk should be wrapped with burlap sacks or rice straw, especially the green wrapped trunk portion at the boundary between trunk and petiole. First, it protects the trunk; second, it maintains moisture and blocks sunlight. In addition, when lifting seedlings, combine with leaf pruning, remove old leaves, and retain 40% to 45% of the leaves (specifically depending on tree vigor). At the same time, cut off 1/5 of the leaf together with the petiole, to minimize water evaporation.

Planting

It is best to plant seedlings on the same day they are dug; if the time is too long, seedlings evaporate a lot of water and are prone to water loss affecting survival. If they cannot all be planted the same day, cover them with shade netting and spray a small amount of water on the leaf surface every day, doing well in shading and moisture retention.

1. Backfilling soil Once the seedling is positioned, backfill soil. When the backfill reaches half the height of the soil ball, first compact the loose soil. After backfilling is complete, make the soil mound into a "water storage basin" slightly higher around the edges and slightly lower in the middle, to facilitate watering and moisture retention.

2. Watering Immediately after backfilling, water thoroughly to settle the roots. Before watering, first use bamboo poles, etc. to poke and firm the loose soil around the soil ball, until the loose soil no longer sinks.

3. Fixing There are many kinds of supports; using three bamboo poles to form a triangular support is the most economical and practical one. The tying height is at 2/3 of the trunk.

Post-Planting Management

1. Moisture retention Spray the leaves and trunk wrapping twice a day, except on rainy days, to the extent of wetting the leaves and trunk wrapping. Do not water the roots, because excess water will flow downward, and accumulated water will cause root rot. Cover the area around the tree base with rice straw for sun protection, to prevent excessive soil temperature differences from causing soil compaction, and to keep the soil around the soil ball loose, moist, and aerated, which is conducive to new root sprouting.

2. Wind protection Because transplanted large single-trunk palm plants are generally taller and are often affected by thunderstorms and strong winds after transplanting, check regularly after planting whether the supports have come loose, especially after strong winds; if the trunk is found to be leaning, straighten and tie it promptly.

3. Topdressing About one month after planting, urea water can be used for foliar topdressing by spraying, with topdressing about once every half month. After the first new leaf grows and matures, use fully decomposed peanut bran for hole fertilization. Dig the holes by opening a ring-shaped trench outside the edge of the soil ball; the trench width and depth are each 30 cm, and the fertilizer must be mixed evenly with the backfill soil.

4. Pest and disease control Newly transplanted large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings are relatively weak in vigor and highly susceptible to pests and diseases, especially young leaves and central leaves. For insect control, 5% methamidophos plus 5% omethoate can be applied. At present, the invasive pest "coconut leaf beetle" is quite seriously harmful to Arecaceae plants; adults and larvae concentrate in the overlapping spaces of not-yet-unfolded central leaves and chew the leaf flesh, causing some or all of the newly emerged leaves to die, and affected plants grow slowly or even die. The control methods include the following: ① 81% malathion emulsion 1000 times solution; ② cypermethrin 500 times solution; ③ use "Yejiaqing", all of which can achieve good control effects. Based on practical operation, the author believes that the simplest, most convenient, and long-lasting method is to hang a packet of "Yejiaqing" on the central leaf in combination with tying during planting.

For large single-trunk Arecaceae seedlings, about one month after planting, whether they have survived can be roughly determined based on whether their leaves remain green, but to truly determine survival, it is generally necessary to wait until after one growing season and use whether new shoots and new roots have emerged as the standard. After the author used the above transplanting techniques in construction, the transplanting survival rate increased from the original 75% to more than 90%, and the above techniques are highly operable and worth promoting and applying.

Transplanting Techniques for Seedlings, Large Trees, and Clustered Seedlings

Key Techniques for Transplanting Seedlings

Palm plants are most suitable for transplanting during the period after germination and rooting. At this time, the seedlings are smaller and can be transplanted with seeds, and since there are few fibrous roots, the root system is not easily damaged when moving seedlings. Use nutrition bags for seedling cultivation; the size depends on the time for cultivating the seedlings. Generally speaking, 1-year-old seedlings are suitable with 16 cm x 18 cm containers, and 2-year-old seedlings with 19 cm x 20 cm; nutrition bags that are too small are not conducive to rapid seedling growth. Prepare the nutrition soil with loose topsoil, burnt soil, and wheat bran, mixed evenly in a 5:2:1 ratio with a small amount of phosphate fertilizer, then bag it. First fill half the bag with mixed soil, then place the seedling, then straighten the seedling, fill it full, and compact it, so that the seedling root system is closely attached to the mixed soil, then water thoroughly. Palm plants cannot be planted too deep, otherwise it will affect seedling growth. If too deep, lift the seedling upward to spread out the seedling root system.

Key Techniques for Transplanting Large Trees

Arecaceae plants cultivated in nurseries for 5 to 10 years mostly require several bed changes and transplantings, so selecting sparse-planted robust seedlings gives a higher survival rate.

Reduce root damage Palm plant root tissue is young and tender, with many lateral roots and capillary roots. When digging, bring as large a soil ball as possible and prevent it from loosening and cracking. Minimize root damage as much as possible, so as to maintain normal respiration and water absorption capacity and improve transplanting survival rate. During construction, accurately set out lines and determine hole positions to avoid rework and prevent the soil ball from loosening.

Leaf pruning The amount of leaves retained during transplanting should be comprehensively determined according to different species, the climate at transplanting, and transplanting and maintenance conditions.

Generally, about 40% of the original leaf number should be retained. Retaining too many leaves will cause leaf yellowing due to high water evaporation; retaining too few leaves makes plant recovery difficult and the cycle long, and the initial landscape effect is also poor.

Protect the plant stem and its pseudostem During digging, transport, loading, and unloading, the stem should be protected from damage, and the pseudostem should not be squeezed or bent; this is the guarantee of plant health and rapid recovery.

Soil at the new planting site Arecaceae plants suffer root tip damage during transplanting, and it is difficult for new root tips to sprout within one month after transplanting, so water absorption capacity is weak. At this time, good soil permeability and aeration are conducive to seedling survival, so when planting, dig large holes and pay attention to the quality of imported soil, adding peat soil and compound fertilizer to facilitate palm recovery after planting.

Maintenance Within one month after planting, the plant has poor adaptability, and the seedlings should be carefully maintained; be sure to replenish water promptly and shade appropriately, striving to make new leaves sprout within three months. If continuous rainy weather occurs after transplanting, palm seedlings recover better, because rainy days can avoid adverse factors such as intense sunlight.

Key Techniques for Transplanting Large Clustered Seedlings

Clustered species of Arecaceae plants have multiple growth points; after growing into a multi-trunk clustered state, they can grow new roots relatively quickly after transplanting. However, clustered palms also have disadvantages such as heavy trunks, large leaf area causing high water evaporation, and poor ventilation making them susceptible to strong wind damage. Therefore, in addition to handling them according to single-trunk palm transplanting, the following technical measures should be added:

1. Implement "hairy root method" transplanting That is, after digging a relatively large soil ball, use a small shovel to remove part of the soil along the outer edge of the soil ball, retain more fibrous roots and a moderate soil ball, and immediately wrap it with moisture-retaining lightweight material, to reduce the weight of the soil ball while ensuring survival. For example, this method can be used for transplanting slower-recovering clustered palms such as fishtail palm and three-stamen areca.

2. Implement bare-root heel-in or pot planting for centralized maintenance until new roots sprout and the plant is stable before formal planting. This method is suitable for robust clustered palms such as areca palm, Ptychosperma elegans, and Hawaiian palm, and can reduce freight and facilitate construction.

In short, for transplanting large seedlings and large trees of Arecaceae plants, in brief, do well in five aspects, namely: select robust seedlings; dig good soil balls and transport them carefully; moderately prune leaves; ensure aeration and drainage at the planting site; and do well in post-planting maintenance of sun protection and moisture retention. The sign of successful transplanting of large seedlings and large trees is being able to retain most leaves and sprout new leaves within half a year after planting, among which sprouting three healthy new leaves is complete transplanting success

Drainage: First understand the hydrological conditions of the planting site, and try to place the bottom of the soil ball at a position 100-150CM above the year-round groundwater level of the planting site and with thick fertile soil; at the same time, do well in building a drainage layer for the soil ball root system underground and a surface runoff guidance network, to prevent water accumulation in the soil ball after planting; if the hydrological conditions cannot meet the requirements, the method of planting with a raised soil ball can be used, that is, use loose media mixed with fertile soil or use coarse sand to first pile up the planting site as high as possible to meet the above requirements, then place the plant on the soil pile, and fill and bury the soil ball with mixed loose soil or planting soil mixed with humus soil; remove debris from the soil around the planting site, or appropriately improve the soil with loose media, to achieve the condition of loose and breathable plant roots; strengthen inspections in the rainy season, promptly clear drainage facilities and appropriately loosen the soil at the roots, to facilitate waterlogging prevention and drainage. Moisture retention: Immediately after planting, water once to settle the roots, ensuring the soil ball roots are moist and closely combined with the surrounding soil, promoting root development; then water thoroughly three more times and promptly cover the soil ball to prevent surface soil cracking. In hot summer, also spray water more on the ground and tree crown, to increase environmental humidity and reduce transpiration; leaf moisture retention treatment includes a. newly planted seedlings should have leaves appropriately pruned to reduce the transpiration area of leaves; b. appropriately spray anti-transpirants on leaves to inhibit plant physiological metabolism and reduce physiological water loss; c. under sunny weather conditions, spray atomized water on leaves as much as possible to strengthen leaf water absorption and weaken transpiration; check the moisture status of the soil ball and roots at any time and replenish water promptly, ensuring the moisture of the soil ball and the permeability of root respiration. Fertilization: In addition to maintaining moisture for the plant after planting, appropriately spray low-concentration foliar fertilizer to strengthen post-planting nutritional supplementation; frequently check the root sprouting status of the plant; if the plant is found to have grown new roots, consider increasing root fertilization, generally choosing the season when the monthly average temperature is higher than 2O°C, applying mainly organic fertilizer as much as possible, with an appropriate additional application of compound fertilizer with high P and K content, to promote balanced plant nutrition and ensure its rapid recovery and healthy growth. Pest and disease control: Spray pesticides to control pests and diseases before seedlings leave the nursery, and after arriving at the site, also spray the plants for pest and disease control before unloading, and ensure continuous application three times at intervals of one week to ten days within one month after planting, and then also reasonably formulate a pest and disease control plan. Special

Chapter Nine: "Maintenance Plan"

Shidali'en (Nanjing) Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. Greening

Main

ten

ance

Plan

Nanjing Gensen Flowers and Trees Co., Ltd.

October 8, 2010

Project Overview

"Shidalien (Nanjing) Optoelectronics Co., Ltd." is located at No. 31 Hengfei Road, Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone, with a factory green space area of 28,186 sq m. The plant configuration in the factory green space is relatively reasonable, with rich colors and obvious seasonal changes, forming a distinct layered and naturally ecological plant community that basically displays the natural landscape of plants. The arrangement of flowering shrubs and hedges between the factory buildings gives each factory area a different landscape style. Dozens of plant varieties have been planted in the factory area, including camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora), southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora), zelkova trees (Zelkova serrata), osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), and crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica). Among them are a tree-lined avenue composed of large-specification camphor trees, and scenic spots at the gatehouse composed of varieties such as ancient red maples, fruiting pomegranates, Malus spectabilis, ginkgos, and Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis).

In view of the existing conditions of the factory green space landscape, we believe that the initial greening construction was relatively extensive, with insufficient understanding of plant habits, especially the inadequate replacement of planting soil in green areas, and in some areas the garbage soil was not replaced, resulting in poor plant growth.

Greening Maintenance Plan Schedule

January (Minor Cold, Major Cold)

1. Shaping and pruning of fruit trees.

2. Frequently check cold-protection equipment, facilities, and protective wrapping on seedlings.

3. Turn the soil for winter plowing and apply sufficient winter fertilizer.

4. Prune dead, damaged, diseased, and pest-infested branches and leaves; thoroughly remove overwintering bagworm cases, slug moth cocoons, and latent overwintering pests.

February (Start of Spring, Rain Water)

1. Continue winter pruning of deciduous trees and fruit trees.

2. Continue pruning diseased and pest-infested branches, and pay attention to observing the occurrence of pests and diseases (such as cottony cushion scale, globose scale, etc.).

3. Continue collecting and making compost, prepare potting soil, and continue applying winter fertilizer to various deciduous trees. March (Awakening of Insects, Spring Equinox)

As the weather gradually warms, many pests and diseases are about to occur. Maintain and repair various insect and disease control equipment and prepare pesticides. Pay attention to the occurrence of aphids and globose scale, and achieve timely prevention and control. April (Clear and Bright, Grain Rain)

1. Do a good job in the prevention and control of pests such as scale insects, mites, cutworms, white grubs, and mole crickets, as well as powdery mildew and rust disease.

2. Do a good job in loosening soil, weeding, and fertilizing before flowering. Apply dilute fertilizer weekly to perennial flowers and spring-sown herbaceous flowers.

3. Do a good job in bud removal and pruning of trees. Remove excess young buds and improperly positioned branches at any time.

4. Dredge and repair the drainage system.

May (Start of Summer, Grain Full)

1. Perform post-flowering pruning on spring-flowering shrubs and hedge pruning; according to technical operation requirements, perform bud removal and pruning on trees, and prune and remove root suckers from the roots of young seedlings at any time.

2. Continue to strengthen tree maintenance and management, do a good job in replenishing seedlings, thinning seedlings, and finalizing seedlings, and apply additional fertilizer and frequent dilute fertilizer.

3. This month the temperature gradually rises, and pests and diseases cause great harm to trees and flowers. Attention should be paid to pest forecasting and forecasting, and pest and disease prevention work should be done well.

4. Carry out lawn mowing and continue to remove weeds from the lawn.

June (Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice)

1. This month enters the plum rain season, with high temperatures and high humidity, so replanting should be carried out promptly.

2. Perform post-flowering pruning and fertilizing on flowering shrubs, and pinch and prune some spring-sown herbaceous flowers.

3. Continue removing weeds and continue mowing.

4. Do a good job in pest and disease control. This month focus on controlling pests such as bagworms, slug moths, tussock moths, inchworms, and tortoise wax scale, as well as leaf spot disease, anthracnose, and sooty mold.

July (Minor Heat, Major Heat)

1. This month the weather is hot and weeds grow quickly, so continue intertillage weeding and loosening the soil.

2. Pests such as bagworms, slug moths, longhorn beetles, tortoise wax scale, armored scale, second-generation cottony cushion scale, and mites occur in large numbers. Attention should be paid to prevention and control, and at the same time continue to prevent and control anthracnose, powdery mildew, leaf spot disease, etc.

3. During the dog days with high temperatures, irrigation for drought resistance is needed when there is little rain. This month is also a month with more heavy rain, so attention should be paid to preventing waterlogging.

4. This month enters the typhoon and tidal flood season. Work on typhoon prevention and flood control should be done well, with frequent inspections and timely righting of wind-toppled trees.

August (Start of Autumn, End of Heat)

1. Continue intertillage weeding and loosening the soil.

2. Continue doing a good job in drought prevention and drainage to ensure normal growth of seedlings.

3. This month the seedlings grow vigorously, so apply additional fertilizer in a timely manner; for young seedlings, apply dilute fertilizer frequently.

4. Continue doing a good job in typhoon prevention and flood control, and promptly right wind-toppled trees when found.

5. Continue doing a good job in pest and disease control, and conscientiously prevent and control the main pests harming trees (bagworms, second-generation slug moths, longhorn beetles, mites, etc.) and main diseases (powdery mildew, anthracnose, leaf spot disease, etc.).

September (White Dew, Autumn Equinox)

1. Continue to do a good job in pest elimination and disease control; in particular, frequently check the occurrence of aphids, wood borers, etc., and once found, control them immediately.

2. Continue intertillage weeding, continue removing lawn weeds, carry out lawn mowing, and perform shaping and pruning on ball-shaped plants and hedges.

3. Continue to do a good job in pest and disease control. In particular, check the occurrence of more common pests and diseases such as aphids, bagworms, slug moths, brown spot disease, and sooty mold on flowering shrubs, and control them in a timely manner.

October (Cold Dew, Frost Descent)

1. Do a good job in pest and disease control, and eliminate various adult insects and eggs.

2. Continue intertillage weeding.

3. After seedlings stop growing, check the survival rate, clarify the inventory, and ensure the smooth progress of winter and spring greening work.

November (Start of Winter, Minor Snow)

1. Do a good job in cold protection, whitewash some trees, or wrap them with straw rope.

2. Carry out winter tree pruning, cut off diseased branches and dead branches; branches with insect eggs as well as competing branches and excessive