What to Do About Scorched Leaf Edges on the Flowering Almond: Apply Nitrogen Fertilizer / Increase Watering / Prune in Time
The flowering almond (Prunus triloba) is an ornamental plant of extremely high value, but some flower lovers encounter scorched leaf edges, which not only affects its appearance but also signals poor growth. So what should be done about scorched leaf edges on the flowering almond? Below, the editor will walk everyone through the causes and solutions.
What Characteristics Does the Flowering Almond Have?
The leaves of the flowering almond are usually elliptical to obovate, 2-6 cm long, with a short then gradually pointed tip and 3 lobes. The upper surface has sparse soft hairs or is hairless, while the lower surface bears short soft hairs. The leaf color is usually green, so the appearance of scorched edges is an abnormal phenomenon.
What to Do About Scorched Leaf Edges on the Flowering Almond
There are many causes of scorched edges, but the direct cause is a problem with the roots absorbing nutrients. This problem has two aspects: first, poor root development, such as root rot or root damage; second, insufficient water and fertilizer, so the roots have not enough nutrients to absorb.
1. Increase Watering
[Cause of scorched edges]: If watering is too little or there is no watering for a long time, even though the flowering almond has a strong drought tolerance, the roots will lack the water necessary for growth, thus causing scorched leaf edges.
[Solution]: What should be done about scorched leaf edges on the flowering almond caused by too little watering? The answer is naturally to increase watering. In summer, water once every 3-5 days; in spring and autumn, water once every 7-10 days, just so the soil does not become too dry.
2. Apply Nitrogen Fertilizer
[Cause of scorched edges]: Nitrogen fertilizer is a main component of chlorophyll in the leaves of the flowering almond. If nitrogen fertilizer is lacking, the leaves will lack nutrients, and the appearance of chlorophyll loss will make the leaves turn yellow with scorched, withered edges.
[Solution]: After the flowering period, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to ensure vigorous plant growth and lush branches and leaves. However, note that fertilizing should not be excessive, and in June phosphorus and potassium fertilizer also need to be supplemented in time.
3. Prune in Time
[Cause of scorched edges]: Vigorous growth of the flowering almond is what flower lovers want to see, but excessive vigor is not necessarily a good thing. For example, if branches and leaves grow too fast, some branches and leaves will become too dense and block light, so some leaves cannot enjoy sufficient sunlight, resulting in scorched edges.
[Solution]: When branches and leaves are too dense, the flowering almond needs to be thinned out. Cut off weak branches and dead branches to increase the plant's light penetration, so that every branch and leaf can enjoy sufficient sunlight, and the scorched edge phenomenon will improve.
What Is the Flower Language of the Flowering Almond, and When Does the Flowering Almond Bloom? It Blooms Before Leafing Out
The flowering almond is a very special plant. It can have many short branches like an elm, and it can also produce pink flowers like a plum blossom. Moreover, while many plants are still in their growth period, it already offers flowers covering its branches for people to admire in April, so it is much loved. So what is the flower language of the flowering almond? When does the flowering almond bloom? Is the flowering period of the flowering almond long? The editor will answer these one by one for everyone.
What Is the Flower Language of the Flowering Almond
As a common ornamental plant, what is the flower language of the flowering almond? The answer is bright spring sunshine, a riot of flowers, and thriving prosperity.
1. Flower Language One / Bright Spring Sunshine
The flowering almond likes sunlight, so it is often cultivated outdoors in the sun. When it blooms, the flowers and sunlight enhance each other's beauty, and its blooming happens to be in spring, the beginning of the four seasons of the year. Therefore, people later regarded one of the flower languages of the flowering almond as bright spring sunshine.
2. Flower Language Two / A Riot of Flowers
When the flowering almond blooms, its flowers open before its leaves. Although the flowers are not large, they are numerous and stand densely on the flowering branches, giving the impression from afar of a riot of flowers.
3. Flower Language Three / Thriving Prosperity
The opening of the pink flowers does not mean that the flowering almond will then wither; rather, it signals that its vitality is just beginning to burst forth. After the flowers fade, it will slowly enter a period of vigorous growth, and emerald-green leaves begin to sprout. So after the flowering almond blooms, it is not only beautiful but also carries the meaning of thriving prosperity.
When Does the Flowering Almond Bloom
The flowering almond usually blooms in April-May. Because the climate varies from place to place, its blooming time may be slightly earlier or slightly later. It is a little later than plum blossoms and others, but earlier than most flowering ornamental plants. The pedicel is generally 4-8 mm long, the flower shape has a broad bell-shaped calyx tube, and the flower color is pink.
Is the Flowering Period of the Flowering Almond Long
The flowering period of the flowering almond is generally about 1 month. It usually blooms in April and ends its flowering period in May, while the fruiting period is May-July. The fruit flesh is relatively thin. Although it is edible, both the taste and texture are very ordinary, so few people specially pick its fruit to eat. Instead, its seeds have high value.
How to Care for the Flowering Almond After Blooming
1. Pruning
After the flowering period of the flowering almond ends, it will begin to sprout branches and buds. So after the flowers fade, cut off the spent flowers and flowering branches to prevent some pests that feed on flowers from targeting the spent flowers of the flowering almond as a host. After pruning, carry out reasonable watering and fertilizing according to the cultivation methods for the flowering almond to ensure sufficient nutrients for its growth.
2. Topdressing
After the flowers fade, branches and leaves begin to grow, so topdressing should be done after the flowers fade, mainly with nitrogen fertilizer and supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. After that, apply 1-2 times per month of dilute fertilizer water, using the growth condition of the flowering almond as a reference. If growth is relatively vigorous, fertilize once; if growth is weaker, topdress once every 15 days.
How to Grow Household Potted Flowers and Plants Well in Summer? What Should Be Noticed?
Suitable Light and Preventing Sunscald
Light is the energy source for flowers to manufacture nutrients, so many flowers can only have abundant flowers and lush leaves under sufficient light conditions. However, different flowers, or the same flower at different growth stages, have different light requirements, hence the gardening saying: “Shade for camellias, sun for peonies, half shade and half sun for four-season orchids.”
Generally, flowers that like sufficient light, such as Chinese rose, pomegranate, osmanthus, jasmine, plum blossom, peony, poinsettia, croton, chrysanthemum, dahlia, Aglaia, white orchid, hibiscus, crape myrtle, kumquat, aquatic flowers, and cacti, should be placed in a sunny place for care after being brought outdoors in spring. But in midsummer, they also need to be moved to a slightly shaded place to prevent strong light from scorching them.
Generally, shade-loving or strongly shade-loving flowers, such as orchids, Monstera deliciosa, spider plant, asparagus fern, camellia, azalea, ivy, gardenia, lucky bamboo, begonia, palm bamboo, nandina, Aspidistra, ferns, and clivia, should in summer be kept in a well-ventilated environment with 50-80% shade. If exposed to direct strong light, their branches and leaves will wither and yellow, or even die. For these flowers, in summer it is best to place them on an east- or north-facing balcony or windowsill; or place them indoors in a well-ventilated spot with bright scattered light; or build a shade shed with reeds or bamboo blinds and place the flower pots under it for care. In this way, light intensity can be reduced, helping the flowers grow robustly.
Lower the Temperature, Increase Humidity, and Pay Attention to Ventilation
Temperature is an essential condition for flower growth. Due to the long-term influence of the natural climate conditions of their places of origin, different flowers have formed their own optimum, maximum, and minimum temperatures. For most flowers, the suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. In most regions of our country, the highest summer temperature can reach above 30°C. When the temperature exceeds the maximum limit for flower growth, the normal life activities of the flowers will be hindered, causing stunted plants, local leaf scorch, reduced flower quantity, and shortened flowering period. For many kinds of flowers, high temperature is an important reason why they bloom little or not at all in summer.
Flowers native to tropical and subtropical regions, such as banana shrub, camellia, azalea, and orchid, have long grown under warm and humid maritime climate conditions and have formed a special ecological requirement for humid air during their growth. They generally require air humidity not lower than 80%. If their air humidity requirements can be met during care, they will grow well; otherwise, they are prone to poor growth, dry leaf edges, and scorched young leaves.
Under household conditions, there are mainly the following 4 methods for cooling and increasing humidity in summer:
(1) Spray water to cool down. In summer, while watering normally, according to the different air humidity requirements of different flowers, spray water on the branches and leaves 2-3 times a day, and at the same time sprinkle water on the ground around the flower pots 1-2 times.
(2) Spread sand to cool down. Spread a thick layer of coarse sand on a north- or east-facing balcony, then place the flower pots on the sand surface. In summer, sprinkle clean water on the sand surface 1-2 times a day. Using the moisture contained in the sand to absorb heat from the air can achieve the purpose of cooling and increasing humidity.
(3) Cool with a water basin. Place a piece of hard miscellaneous wood or a cement precast slab on top of a water tank filled with cold water, then place the flower pots on the wooden board or cement slab, and add water once a day. After being heated, the water continuously evaporates, which can both increase air humidity and lower air temperature.
(4) Place the flower pots indoors in a well-ventilated spot with scattered light, spray clean water 1-2 times a day, and use an electric fan to blow air for cooling.
Reasonable Watering and Appropriate Fertilizing
In summer, the temperature is high, evaporation is fast, and plant transpiration is also strong, so flowers need more water. Therefore, for most flowers, a sufficient water supply should be given. As for how to manage the amount of watering in summer? It should be determined according to the flower species, plant size, and the actual dry-wet condition of the potting soil. Generally, herbaceous flowers themselves contain more water and have high transpiration intensity, so watering should be more; woody flowers can be watered appropriately less. Under normal circumstances, most flowers should be watered thoroughly 1-2 times a day. Never give half-watering, otherwise the leaves will often curl and turn yellow, and over time the whole plant will wither and die.
In summer, it is best to water flowers with rainwater, or first let tap water sit in the sun for 1 to 2 days. The best watering times are morning and evening. Avoid watering with cold water at noon, because at that time the temperature is very high and the outside temperature can often reach around 40°C. Not only is transpiration strong, but water also evaporates quickly. A sudden shock of cold water causes leaf surface cells to change from a turgid state to wilting, making the leaves scorched and withered, and in severe cases causing the entire plant to die. This phenomenon is especially obvious in some herbaceous flowers. If cold water is poured at noon in midsummer during the early stages of flower bud formation, blooming, or fruit setting, it can also easily cause bud drop, flower drop, and fruit drop.
What needs special mention here is: in midsummer, because the soil temperature is high, after a shower it is necessary to water in time to flush out the high humidity and stuffiness in the potting soil and lower the potting soil temperature; if water accumulates in the pot after a rainstorm, it should be poured out immediately, or use a bamboo stick to poke several small holes in the potting soil (be careful not to damage the roots) so that water can flow out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, to avoid root rot.
For fertilizing potted flowers in summer, the principle of “thin fertilizer applied frequently” should be followed. Too high a fertilizer concentration can easily cause root rot. Generally, for vigorously growing flowers, apply dilute liquid fertilizer once about every 10-15 days. Fertilizing should be done on sunny days when the potting soil is relatively dry, because fertilizing in wet soil easily causes root rot. The best fertilizing time is in the evening after it has gradually cooled. The next day after fertilizing, water once. The type of fertilizer varies with the flower. Flowers that like acidic soil, such as camellia, azalea, white orchid, gardenia, and jasmine, avoid alkaline fertilizers and should use acidic or physiologically acidic fertilizers, such as superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and ferrous sulfate. When flowers enter the flower bud differentiation and bud formation stage, it is suitable to apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote more blooming. For foliage-oriented flowers, it is suitable to apply more nitrogen fertilizer to promote emerald-green leaf color. For bulbous flowers, more potassium fertilizer should be applied to help the bulbs become plump. For large-flowered and long-flowering plants such as dahlia, during the bud formation and flowering stage, an appropriate amount of complete fertilizer is needed so that all flowers can open with beautiful shape and vivid color. For fruit-oriented flowers, fertilizer and water should be appropriately controlled during the flowering stage, and sufficient complete fertilizer should be applied during the fruit-swelling stage, so the fruit will be large and abundant.
During the care of potted flowers, if the plant is found to be short and weak, with small branches and pale yellow leaves, this is a sign of nitrogen deficiency, and nitrogen fertilizer should be supplemented in time; if the plant grows slowly, the leaves curl, the plant is short, and the root system is underdeveloped, this is mostly caused by phosphorus deficiency, and fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus should be supplemented. If the leaf edges and leaf tips turn yellow (old leaves first, then new leaves), then turn brown and fall off, and the stems are soft and easy to bend, this is mostly caused by potassium deficiency, and potassium fertilizer should be topdressed.
Helping Dormant Flowers Safely Through Summer
Some flowers, such as cyclamen, fuchsia, four-season begonia, narcissus, geranium, Caladium, clivia, freesia, gloxinia, tulip, and epiphyllum, enter a semi-dormant or dormant state when the high-temperature summer season arrives, showing reduced or paused growth so as to resist the harm of adverse external environmental conditions. To help these flowers safely pass the summer dormancy period, corresponding measures must be taken to carefully care for them according to their physiological characteristics during dormancy. The main measures are:
(1) After early summer arrives, move dormant flowers to a cool and ventilated place, avoid direct sunlight and prevent rain, otherwise root rot or even death can easily occur;
(2) Strictly control watering. During dormancy, too much watering and long-term wet potting soil can very easily cause root rot, while too little watering and too dry potting soil can easily cause the root system to shrink. Therefore, watering should be done to keep the potting soil slightly moist. However, it is necessary to frequently spray water on the branches and leaves and sprinkle water on the ground around the flower pots to form a moist and cool microclimate, which is beneficial for dormancy. But for flowers such as gloxinia that have dense fuzz on the leaf surface, and for cyclamen whose flower buds are sensitive to water and moisture, it is not suitable to spray water on the leaf surface or the center of the leaves;
(3) Stop applying any fertilizer. Because the physiological activities of flowers during dormancy are extremely weak, they do not need fertilizer. If fertilizer is applied, it can also easily cause root rot, bulb rot, and even the death of the whole plant.
Pruning and Shaping to Prevent Leggy Growth
After many flowers enter summer, they often tend to grow leggy, affecting flowering and fruiting. To maintain a beautiful plant shape with many flowers and abundant fruit, pruning and shaping are needed. Summer pruning generally mainly includes measures such as pinching, bud removal, leaf removal, bud thinning, and fruit thinning.
(1) Pinching. For some herbaceous flowers, such as four-season begonia, fuchsia, scarlet sage, chrysanthemum, Dutch chrysanthemum, and early small chrysanthemum, when they grow to a certain height, pinch off the top to promote more branching and more blooming. For some woody flowers, such as kumquat, when the current-year branches grow to about 15-20 cm, they should also be pinched to promote more fruiting.
(2) Bud removal. In summer, many flowers often sprout adventitious buds from the stem base or branches, which should be removed in time to avoid consuming nutrients and disrupting the plant shape.
(3) Leaf removal. For some foliage flowers, old leaves should be appropriately cut off to promote new leaves, making the leaf color even more beautiful.
(4) Bud thinning and fruit thinning. For flower-oriented flowers, such as dahlia, chrysanthemum, and Chinese rose, excess flower buds should be thinned in time; for fruit-oriented flowers, such as kumquat, pomegranate, and Buddha's hand, when the young fruit grows to the size of a soybean, excess young fruit should be thinned; for some flowers that cannot set seeds or whose seeds are not going to be collected, the spent flowers should be cut off in time after blooming.
(5) Shaping. For flowers such as poinsettia, plum blossom, ornamental peach, and crown of thorns, in summer the side branches are often bent and shaped to make the plant full and beautiful.
Comprehensive Management of Disease Prevention and Pest Control
In summer, the temperature is high and the humidity is great, which favors the massive occurrence of pests and diseases. The policy of “prevention first, comprehensive control” should be implemented, and in the spirit of “treat early, treat small, treat thoroughly” the prevention and control work should be done well to ensure robust flower growth.
(1) Common summer diseases include powdery mildew, anthracnose, gray mold, leaf spot, nematode disease, and bacterial soft rot. Powdery mildew mainly harms Chinese rose, plum blossom, peony, chrysanthemum, dahlia, begonia, cineraria, and fuchsia. After being affected, the plant becomes short, the young shoots bend, and the leaves become uneven or curled. On young buds, young leaves, young shoots, and flower buds, it is as if covered with a layer of white powder and many small black spots grow. In severe cases, the leaves shrink and dry up, and even the whole plant dies. Anthracnose mainly harms orchids, white orchid, Aglaia, plum blossom, rubber tree, and cactus. After most flowers are infected by the pathogen, nearly round disease spots appear on the leaf surface, with edges mostly purplish brown or dark brown and centers light brown or grayish white. On the disease spots, small black spots arranged in concentric rings often grow. When the disease is severe, the leaves wither and die. Gray mold mainly harms peony, Chinese peony, cyclamen, begonia, and fuchsia. The affected parts of leaves, stems, and flowers show brown or purplish brown rotting. When the weather is humid, gray mold-like substances grow on the disease spots. In severe cases, the whole plant dies. To control the above three diseases, the following methods can be used: ① In early spring, thoroughly remove dead branches and fallen leaves, and promptly cut off diseased branches, leaves, and buds and destroy them together to reduce sources of the pathogen; ② Strengthen cultivation management, fertilize and water reasonably, pay attention to ventilation and light, make the plants grow robustly, and improve disease resistance; ② In the early stage of disease, spray 50% carbendazim or 50% thiophanate 500-800 times liquid.
(2) Common summer pests fall into two major categories: piercing-sucking mouthpart pests and chewing mouthpart pests. The former mainly include aphids, red spiders, whiteflies, and scale insects. These pests often gather in groups on leaves, tender stems, flower buds, and branches, using needle-like mouthparts to pierce into the flower body and suck sap, causing leaves to turn yellow and curl, and leading to leaves withering, yellowing, and falling off. For control, spray 50% dichlorvos emulsion 1000-1500 times liquid. This pesticide easily causes phytotoxicity to flowers and trees such as plum blossom, cherry blossom, azalea, and flowering almond, so these flowers and trees must not use it. The latter mainly include moth and butterfly larvae, various beetles, and underground pests. These pests eat leaves and bite roots, causing plants to wither and die. For control, spray 50% dichlorvos emulsion 1000-1500 times liquid, or use 500-800 times liquid to irrigate the root zone. In summer, the temperature is high and pesticides volatilize easily. In addition, at high temperatures the human body's emission functions are enhanced and skin absorption increases, so toxic substances can easily enter the human body and cause poisoning. Therefore, when applying pesticides in summer, it is advisable to move the flower pots outdoors and apply in the morning and evening.