How to Propagate Blue Plumbago? Detailed Guide to Seed Sowing and Cutting Methods
Blue plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) is a fairly common plant in people's daily lives with strong ornamental value. Of course, if propagation goes poorly and the plant withers, it loses its beauty, so mastering the propagation methods of blue plumbago is very important. Regarding how to propagate blue plumbago, what are the propagation methods?
Blue plumbago is a fairly common plant in people's daily lives with strong ornamental value. Of course, if propagation goes poorly and the plant withers, it loses its beauty, so mastering the propagation methods of blue plumbago is very important. Regarding how to propagate blue plumbago, what are the propagation methods? Below, the editor takes everyone through a look.
I. How to Propagate Blue Plumbago / Seed Sowing / Cuttings
The propagation methods of blue plumbago can be divided into seed sowing propagation and cutting propagation, among which cutting propagation is the most common. Blue plumbago cutting propagation is generally carried out between May and June. Here the editor will not introduce too much, and everyone can read on for the specific methods.
II. Propagation Methods of Blue Plumbago
1. Cutting Propagation
Cutting Time
Blue plumbago cuttings are generally taken in spring or just as summer begins, usually in May or June. Cuttings cannot be taken in July or August, the hottest time of the year, because too hot weather easily causes blue plumbago to develop root disease. This is something everyone needs to pay attention to.
Cutting Selection
When propagating blue plumbago by cuttings, it is best to choose relatively robust young shoots or semi-mature branches, as this will give a relatively higher survival rate. When taking cuttings, the flowers of the blue plumbago should be removed, and it is best to also trim off some of the leaves.
Cutting Method
When taking blue plumbago cuttings, be sure to choose a suitable flower pot and potting soil. First moisten the soil, then insert the prepared cuttings. Never insert them when the soil is not moistened, as this can easily lead to cutting failure. The suitable temperature for the cuttings is generally between 20 and 25 degrees, and the rooting time is 2 to 3 weeks. Once the root ball has grown out, they can be planted out in flower troughs.
2. Seed Sowing Propagation
Among the propagation methods of blue plumbago, seed sowing is also a common propagation method. Its seeds take about two months from pollination to maturity. Before sowing, prepare a wick-watering pot. Blue plumbago has no great demands on the sowing soil; generally, ordinary flower-growing soil will do. Put the soil in the wick-watering pot, spray it moist with water, then press it flat with your hand. Then place the seeds on the soil and cover with a thin layer of soil on top. After completing the above steps, place it in a bright spot and quietly wait for it to germinate.
Blue Plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Blue Plumbago Profile: How to Grow Blue Plumbago / How to Propagate Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago CardBlue Plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Blue Plumbago Cultivation Methods and Precautions Introduction to Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago is also known as blue snow dan, blue flower jisong, blue jasmine, etc. It is a plant of the Plumbaginaceae family and the genus Ceratostigma, native to South Africa, and is a perennial evergreen shrub. When planted in the ground, the plant height is 1-2 m; in pots, 35-50 cm. When young, the branches are upright; later they become pendulous. Leaves are simple and alternate, thin, with entire margins. The spike inflorescence is terminal or axillary, the corolla is salver-shaped, light blue or white, the flowering period is June to September, and the fruit is a capsule.
The upper part of blue plumbago is trailing or very spreading, about 1 meter or taller. Leaves are thin, usually rhombic-ovate to narrowly oblong-ovate. The spike inflorescence contains about 18-30 flowers; the peduncle is short; the bracts are linear narrowly oblong-ovate, the corolla is pale blue to blue-white, the limb is broad, the lobes are obovate with rounded apex; the ovary is nearly pear-shaped with 5 angles.
Blue plumbago likes warmth, tolerates heat, likes light, tolerates slight shade, and is moderately drought-tolerant. There are 85 seeds per gram. It can be propagated by sowing, and also by cuttings or division. Cuttings are generally taken from May to June, the suitable rooting temperature is 20°C-25°C, and rooting occurs about 20-28 days after insertion.
The flowering period of blue plumbago is June to September.
It is often cultivated in South China, East China, Southwest China and Beijing, China. It is native to southern South Africa and has been widely introduced by various countries as an ornamental plant.
Morphological Characteristics of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago is a perennial evergreen shrub of the Plumbaginaceae family and the genus Ceratostigma. When planted in the ground, the plant height is 1-2 m; in pots, 35-50 cm. When young, the branches are upright; later they become pendulous. Leaves are simple and alternate, thin, with entire margins.
The branches of blue plumbago have ridged grooves, are upright when young, and become trailing after growing. Leaves are thin, simple and alternate, entire, short-rounded or oblong-spatulate, with an obtuse apex bearing a small protruding point, and a wedge-shaped base. The spike inflorescence is terminal and axillary, the bracts are shorter than the calyx, the calyx has sticky glandular hairs and fine soft hairs, and the corolla is pale blue, salver-shaped, with a narrow and long tube and 5 lobes at the apex.
The upper part of blue plumbago is trailing or very spreading, about 1 meter or taller, hairless except for the inflorescence, covered with fine calcareous particles.
Blue plumbago has a spike inflorescence that is terminal or axillary, a salver-shaped corolla that is light blue or white, a flowering period of June to September, and a capsule fruit. Blue plumbago likes warmth, tolerates heat, likes light, tolerates slight shade, and is moderately drought-tolerant. There are 85 seeds per gram. It can be propagated by sowing, and also by cuttings or division. Cuttings are generally taken from May to June, the suitable rooting temperature is 20°C-25°C, and rooting occurs about 20-28 days after insertion.
The leaves of blue plumbago are thin, usually rhombic-ovate to narrowly oblong-ovate, sometimes (not fully developed) elliptic or long-obovate, (1) 3-6 (7) cm long, (0.5) 1.5-2 (2.5) cm wide, with a suddenly acute apex bearing a small mucro, rarely obtuse or slightly concave, a wedge-shaped base tapering downward into the petiole, and the petiole base of the upper leaves often having small semicircular to oblong auricles.
The spike inflorescence of blue plumbago contains about 18-30 flowers, the peduncle is short, usually 2-12 mm long, and the rachis (including the fruiting period) is 2-5 (8) cm long, densely covered with gray-white to pale yellow-brown short tomentum along with the peduncle and the stem of 1-2 nodes below it.
The bracts are 4-10 mm long and about 1-2 mm wide, linear narrowly oblong-ovate, with a short acuminate apex; the bracteoles are about 2-6 mm long and about 1-2 mm wide, narrowly ovate or oblong-ovate, with an acute or short-pointed apex.
The calyx is 11-13.5 mm long, the calyx tube is about 1-1.2 mm in diameter at the middle, with 5 short oblong-triangular small lobes at the apex, the outside of the lobes covered with even fine pubescence, and the upper half or upper part of the calyx tube and the green parts of the lobes bearing stalked glands; the corolla is pale blue to blue-white, the corolla tube is 3.2-3.4 cm long and 0.5-1 mm in diameter at the middle, the limb is broad, usually 2.5-3.2 cm in diameter, the lobes are about 1.2-1.4 cm long and about 1 cm wide, obovate, with a rounded apex; the stamens are slightly exposed beyond the throat, the anthers are about 1.7 mm long and blue; the ovary is nearly pear-shaped with 5 angles, the angles widening and protruding into horns on the upper part of the ovary, the style is hairless, and the stigma is included.
Blue plumbago has emerald-green leaf color and elegantly understated flowers, giving a refreshing feeling in the hot summer, and can be potted to adorn rooms and balconies. Mature plants have pendulous branches, making them even more suitable for large combined container planting. The flowering period is June to September, and the fruit is a membranous capsule; the fruit has not been seen.
Ecological Habits of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago likes warmth, tolerates heat, likes light, tolerates slight shade, likes light and also tolerates shade, and is suited to a warm environment and well-drained sandy soil. It is moderately drought-tolerant. Under continuous outdoor temperatures above 35°C in Chongqing, it still grows well, with bright flower colors and a long flowering period. It likes loose and fertile soil, but can also grow well in soil with relatively high clay content. When potted in early June, flowers can be seen by early July, and the flowering period lasts relatively long, about 2 months.
Blue plumbago grows on the foothills of low mountains and on flat ground. It likes warmth and cannot tolerate cold. In North China and other temperate regions, it is cultivated as a greenhouse flower. The optimum growth temperature is 25°C. It likes light and tolerates slight shade, and should not be exposed to scorching sun. It requires a moist environment; dryness is unfavorable to its growth. It cannot tolerate drought and is best grown in humus-rich, well-drained sandy loam.
Blue plumbago likes a warm, humid environment with ample sunlight, cannot tolerate cold, is relatively shade-tolerant, and fears strong direct sunlight. It is best grown in fertile, slightly acidic soil, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 10°C. During the growth period, thin liquid fertilizer should be applied frequently, once a week during the spring and summer growing seasons. After being moved out of the greenhouse when the weather warms, it should be placed in semi-shade or under a shade shed, and watered reasonably according to the plant's needs. In high temperatures it should be shaded, and water should be sprinkled around the pot soil at appropriate times. Spraying New High Lipid Film preserves fertilizer and moisture; spraying Flower Bud Strengthening Agent at the bud stage can promote strong buds, plump petals, vivid flower color, rich fragrance, and a longer flowering period.
In North China and other temperate regions, blue plumbago is cultivated as a greenhouse flower.
Cultivation Techniques of Blue Plumbago Cultivation Points
Substrate
Blue plumbago grows better when planted in peat; growth in garden soil is noticeably slower. Mixing in some perlite is enough.
Flower Pot
A relatively wide pot is better for blue plumbago; it need not be too deep. Blue plumbago is a shrub and will send roots underground and spread laterally to produce new branches. Choose a large flower pot; it grows quickly and needs large amounts of water and fertilizer, while a small flower pot restricts growth. Generally speaking, seedlings I took as cuttings in autumn are planted in an Elho No. 10 round pot by the following summer.
Fertilizer
Blue plumbago likes fertilizer. For base fertilizer, long-acting slow-release fertilizers such as Osmocote or hoof and horn can be used. There are no particular rules for regular topdressing; basically any fertilizer can be used. I habitually use Peter's Professional for root drenching, and for solid topdressing I use Leili Haifusheng. Foliar spraying has a very good effect, using Peter's Professional plus seaweed extract.
Water
Blue plumbago likes a relatively moist substrate. If it lacks water and is watered immediately, it can recover. If it lacks water for a long time, the leaves easily turn yellow and the plant weakens. In summer, for the ones I grow in No. 14 pots, at least twice a day of watering is needed, and often an extra watering at noon.
Pests and Diseases
The main pest and disease problem of blue plumbago is the larvae of noctuid moths, small green flesh worms. Use abamectin or Leili 609, or Xiangshan Plant Insecticide King. White powder on the back of the leaves is normal, and curling of old leaves is not a disease either.
Pruning
Blue plumbago is not afraid of pruning. After flowering, cut off the spent flowers, and it can bloom again in about 20-30 days. Old branches should not be more than two years old. I generally do hard pruning every autumn when moving it indoors, cutting off black branches and keeping only the stout green branches newly grown that year.
Others
If it rains during the peak flowering period, the flowers are easily damaged, affecting the ornamental display. It likes strong sun, and flowering is still acceptable in semi-shade. In winter, low temperature and cutting off water can force dormancy, but a certain amount of light must be ensured. According to my experience, the low-temperature limit is about zero degrees. Some flower growers in Shanghai have successfully overwintered it, but the branches have to regrow.
Potted Flower Management
Medium pH 5.5-6.0. The planting depth should be such that the pot soil just covers the top of the plug seedling soil ball. A small amount of fertilizer can be added to the medium.
Temperature: the optimum growth temperature is 17°C-26°C, and it can withstand up to 35°C. Strong light and relatively high temperatures favor branching.
Fertilizer: apply a complete-element compound fertilizer at 200-300 ppm at least once a week.
Water: keep the medium surface dry in daily care. When watering, be careful to water thoroughly to prevent the EC value from being too high and soil salinization.
Management: during the process of growing to a finished seedling, pinching is needed 2-3 times, and pinching can delay the flowering period by about 2 weeks.
Blue Plumbago Pests and Diseases: The roots are easily damaged by root-knot nematodes. Note that the soil should be disinfected before use. During the disease period, a diluted solution of 80% dichloropropane emulsion can be sprayed on the soil surface. For pests there are scale insects, which can be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% phosmet emulsion.
Time from sowing to flowering of blue plumbago in a 10 cm pot: 14-18 weeks.
Repotting
Repot every spring, generally using a 15-20 cm pot, and large containers can also be used for cultivation. When repotting, prune appropriately, being careful to protect new shoots. For plants more than 3 years old, hard pruning should be done, and after pruning apply callus anti-corrosion film to the wounds so they heal quickly.
Cultivation Methods of Blue Plumbago
Cultivation of blue plumbago is relatively simple, and management is also relatively extensive. It is a flower that tolerates heat and high temperature and humidity. In the hot summer, blue plumbago gives people a refreshing feeling, and it has relatively few pests and diseases. Although its cultivation is relatively simple, some effort is still required when growing it so that better blue plumbago can bloom. So, what are the cultivation and management methods of blue plumbago?
1、Temperature and Light
Blue plumbago likes warmth and cannot tolerate cold. The optimum growth temperature is 25°C, and it can withstand up to 35°C. Strong light and relatively high temperatures favor branching. The minimum winter temperature should be above 7°C. The plant likes light and can also tolerate shade. It should be placed in a bright spot and receive several hours of direct sunlight each day, but should not be exposed to scorching sun. During overwintering, it is best to let it receive somewhat more sunlight.
2、Fertilizing
During the growth period, blue plumbago needs frequent liquid fertilizer, once a week during the spring and summer growing seasons.
3、Watering
During vigorous growth, blue plumbago needs large amounts of water, and the environment around the plant should be kept moist. You can spray water on it or place the flower pot on wet pebbles. In winter, reduce watering; it is enough if the pot soil does not dry out completely.
4、Propagation
Blue plumbago is propagated by cuttings. In spring or summer, select 8-10 cm branches as cuttings, insert them in culture soil, cover with plastic film, and place in a bright spot. After roots grow, remove the plastic film and begin cultivation.
5、Cultivation and Repotting
Blue plumbago should be planted in well-drained soil. Repot in spring; if repotting is not necessary, the plant should be taken out, pruned appropriately, and then replanted back into the original pot with fresh culture soil.
6、Management
During the process of growing to a finished seedling, blue plumbago needs pinching 2-3 times, and pinching can delay the flowering period by about 2 weeks.
7、Pests and Diseases
The roots are easily damaged by root-knot nematodes. Note that the soil should be disinfected before use. During the disease period, a diluted solution of 80% dichloropropane emulsion can be sprayed on the soil surface. For pests there are scale insects, which can be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% phosmet emulsion.
Warm Tips
Only branches grown in the current year can flower on blue plumbago. Therefore, every spring the plant should be pruned, cutting off weak branches and the main stems, and new branches growing from the old stems will flower before long.
Propagation Methods of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago propagation mostly uses cuttings and division, and can also be propagated by sowing.
Cutting Propagation
Blue plumbago cuttings can be taken in spring, early summer, or late summer. Every spring, cuttings are taken along with repotting and pruning. For summer cuttings, select robust and plump biennial young shoots or semi-mature branches 10-15 cm long, insert them in a sand bed. The best rooting temperature is 20-25°C. After insertion, spray with New High Lipid Film, and roots will form in about 20-30 days. After 3 weeks, they can be potted for cultivation. The best rooting temperature is 20-25°C, and roots will form in about 20-30 days after insertion.
Seed Sowing Propagation
Blue plumbago is very easy to sow, and it can bloom in the same year. Plant some little sky flowers; not only do they not easily attract insects, but the flowering period is also long.
1. Plug tray specifications: 288, 200, 128 or 72 plug trays
2. Medium: choose a lightweight medium free of pests and diseases with good drainage. It can be made by mixing peat and vermiculite in a certain proportion, with pH 5.8-6.2 and EC value less than 0.75 mS/cm
3. After sowing, cover with coarse vermiculite. The suitable germination temperature is 22-23°C, and the suitable seedling growth temperature is 18°C-21°C
4. Germination days: 4-6 days
5. Light: light is not needed during the germination stage, but timely supplementary light after germination can effectively shorten the growing cycle
6. Water: keep the medium moist during the seedling raising period to avoid wilting of the seedlings
7. Fertilizer: after the cotyledons emerge, begin applying 100 ppm fertilizer once or twice a week. Later increase the nitrogen fertilizer concentration to 150-175 ppm, and fertilizers with N-P-K ratios of 13-2-13 or 14-0-14 and 20-10-20 can be applied alternately
8. Growth regulators: not needed at the plug seedling stage
9. Plug seedling raising days: 6-8 weeks (288 plug tray)
Disease Control of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago has strong growth, tolerates heat, is relatively tolerant of high temperature and high humidity, has few pests and diseases, is simple to manage, and has a long ornamental period.
During the growth period, blue plumbago commonly suffers from root-knot nematode disease damaging the roots, and a diluted solution of 80% dichloropropane emulsion can be sprayed on the soil surface.
The roots are easily damaged by root-knot nematodes. Note that the soil should be disinfected before use. During the disease period, a diluted solution of 80% dichloropropane emulsion can be sprayed on the soil surface. For pests there are scale insects, which can be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% phosmet emulsion plus New High Lipid Film, which greatly improves the utilization rate of the effective ingredients of the pesticide when sprayed together to kill them.
Variety Classification of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago mainly has two varieties: one is Taiwan blue plumbago, with a spreading and tall plant, propagated by cuttings; the other is an excellent seed-sown variety with a compact plant shape that can be planted in wall-hanging pots.
Species of the Same Genus
Purple Plumbago P. indica
Upright or climbing shrub, 0.5-1.5 m tall. The inflorescence axis is hairless, the calyx is cylindrical and red, the apical lobes have glandular hairs, and the corolla is red. Native to tropical Asia. It is now semi-wild or cultivated in other tropical regions of the world.
It is also cultivated in Guangdong and Yunnan, China. White Plumbago P. zeylanica, a climbing subshrub, 1-3 m tall. Leaves ovate to oblong-ovate, apex acute to acuminate, petiole base enlarged and stem-clasping. The spike inflorescence is terminal and axillary, the inflorescence axis has glands, and the corolla is salver-shaped and white. It is distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Taiwan, China.
It also occurs in other tropical regions of the world. The roots can be used medicinally.
Small Blue Plumbago P. micrantha
Annual herb, 20-50 cm tall, the whole plant tinged with red. The leaf base is auriculate and stem-clasping. Flowers are in fascicled inflorescences of 3-5, the corolla is light blue-purple and narrowly campanulate. The capsule is light blackish-brown and circumscissile.
Related Species
White Plumbago (form) Plumbago auriculata Lam. form. alba (Pasq.) Peng
Blue Plumbago Blue Flower Plumbago (original form) Plumbago auriculata Lam. form. auriculata
Blue Plumbago Guizhou White Flower Plumbago (doubtful species) Plumbago esquirolii Levl.
Blue Plumbago Purple Flower Plumbago Plumbago indica L.
Blue Plumbago White Flower Plumbago Plumbago zeylanica L.
Blue Plumbago Sharp-petaled White Flower Plumbago (variety) Plumbago zeylanica L. var. oxypetala Boiss.
Blue Plumbago White Flower Plumbago (original variety) Plumbago zeylanica L. var. zeylanica L.
Distribution Area of Blue Plumbago
Blue plumbago is native to South Africa and is now cultivated in various places. It has been widely introduced by various countries as an ornamental plant. The type specimen was collected from a plant cultivated in India.
Blue plumbago is commonly cultivated in South China, East China, Southwest China and Beijing in China, mainly distributed within Henan province (Jigong Mountain, Funiu Mountain, Taihang Mountain), extending north along the Taihang Mountains (Shanxi) to Beijing, and east to Jiangsu (Xuzhou), Shanghai and the Zhoushan Archipelago in Zhejiang (Qushan).
Blue plumbago is cultivated in various parts of China. In many places in southern China it is grown outdoors, while in the north it needs to be cultivated in a greenhouse.
The dietary therapy or medicinal value of blue plumbago
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Medicinal value
The roots of the blue plumbago plant are used in India to treat warts.
The role and uses of blue plumbago: ornamental value
Native to southern South Africa, it has been widely introduced by various countries as an ornamental plant.
Blue plumbago grows vigorously, is heat-tolerant, relatively tolerant of high temperature and high humidity, has few pests and diseases, is easy to manage, and has a long ornamental period. Its leaves are emerald green and its flowers are elegantly colored, giving a refreshing feeling in the hot summer. It can be potted to decorate rooms and balconies.
The garden uses of blue plumbago
The branches of mature blue plumbago plants hang down, making it more suitable for large container combination potting. During the Olympic Games, it can be used for environmental arrangements around venues, roads, overpasses and other major sections, and can also be planted in the ground at forest edges or to accent lawns. It is one of the new superior flowering plants used to decorate Beijing's environment during the Olympic Games.
The cultural background and legend of blue plumbago
Legend has it that in ancient times a warrior fell in love with a princess of a fallen kingdom. For love, and to be together forever, the warrior decided to take the princess of the fallen kingdom and flee their own country together. The two went to live in seclusion, but the warrior was ruthless, and his fate was to be grasped on the battlefield. So even though they left their own country, the warrior ultimately died in battle. However, it was not the enemy who defeated this warrior, but a black bear. In the end, the princess of the fallen kingdom also hanged herself with blue cloth strips. At the place beneath her feet where she died, there was exactly a patch of blue plumbago. Therefore, legend says that blue plumbago is the most magical and powerful thing under the heavens, able to make the person you long for share life and death with you. However, this longing is melancholy, so its flower language is: coldness, melancholy.
Research
Under suitable conditions, blue plumbago can bloom all year round, with winter-spring (April-December) and summer-autumn (June-September) as the two peak flowering periods. Judging from the specimens that have been studied, the style is short, and the glands on the inner side of the stigma are dense and short, consistent with the short-styled type of heterostyly in this species reported by O. Dahlgren (in Svensk Bot. Tidskr 12:363-367. 1918); mature fruit specimens have not yet been seen in China, which may be related to this. In addition, the following one form is also cultivated in China.
The flower language of blue plumbago
The flower language of blue plumbago: coldness, melancholy.
Legend says that blue plumbago is the most magical and powerful thing under the heavens, able to make the person you long for share life and death with you. However, this longing is melancholy.
Blue plumbago pictures
Introduction to the propagation methods of blue plumbago
Blue plumbago is mostly propagated by cuttings, division and sowing. Sowing of blue plumbago is generally best done in spring, while cuttings can be done in spring or in early or late summer. The editor will now introduce in detail the cutting and sowing propagation methods of blue plumbago.
Blue plumbago
I. Cutting propagation
Blue plumbago cuttings can be taken in spring, early summer or late summer. Each spring, do this in conjunction with repotting and pruning. For summer cuttings, select vigorous and plump biennial young shoots or semi-mature branches 10-15 cm long, and insert them into a sand bed. The best rooting temperature is 20-25°C. After insertion, spray with Xin'gaozhimo, and they will root in about 20-30 days. After 3 weeks they can be potted for cultivation. The best rooting temperature is 20-25°C, and after insertion they will root in about 20-30 d.
II. Sowing propagation
Blue plumbago is very easy to sow, and it can bloom in the same year. Plant a little Xiaotian; it not only rarely gets bugs, but also has a long flowering period.
1. Plug tray specifications: 288, 200, 128 or 72 plug trays
2. Medium: choose a lightweight medium free of pests and diseases with good drainage. It can be made by mixing peat and vermiculite in a certain proportion, with a pH value of 5.8-6.2 and an EC value of less than 0.75 mS/cm
3. After sowing, cover with coarse vermiculite. The suitable germination temperature is 22-23°C, and the suitable growth temperature during the seedling stage is 18°C-21°C
4. Germination days: 4-6 days
5. Light: light is not needed during the germination stage, but timely supplementary light after germination can effectively shorten the growing cycle
6. Moisture: keep the medium moist during the seedling-raising period to avoid wilting of the seedlings
7. Fertilizer: after the cotyledons emerge, begin applying 100 ppm fertilizer 1-2 times per week. Later, increase the nitrogen fertilizer concentration to 150-175 ppm. Fertilizers with N-P-K ratios of 13-2-13 or 14-0-14 and 20-10-20 can be applied alternately
8. Growth regulators: not needed during the plug seedling stage
9. Plug seedling raising days: 6-8 weeks (288 plug tray)