A Complete Guide to Soilless Cultivation Methods and Techniques for Flowers
Soilless cultivation of flowers is a newly emerged plant cultivation technique of modern times. It allows intensive production of large quantities of vegetables and cut flowers in a relatively small area, and it can not only shorten the production cycle but also greatly improve product quality, making the size of flowers and fruits uniform.
In today's cities, where homes are developing vertically into space, soilless cultivation is especially suitable for growing flowers in small scattered areas such as windowsills, balconies, hallways and desks. Growing flowers with soilless cultivation can eliminate underground pests and diseases, will not give off odors from fertilizing potting soil, and does not require mixing potting soil, saving the trouble of loosening soil, weeding and repotting and changing soil. More importantly: nutrient loss in soil-grown flowers can be as high as 40% - 60%, while nutrient loss in soilless cultivation generally does not exceed 10%. If cultivated properly, flowers and plants generally grow more vigorously than those grown in potting soil.
Some home flower growers in southern China often put stem cuttings of lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) without roots in a vase. In about 10 days they can take root and grow well, and after rooting they do not need to be planted in potting soil. Some other flowers and plants, such as bamboo-section dieffenbachia (Aglaonema), can also be cultivated and displayed this way, which is called “water culture”.
Most people think that soilless cultivation means hydroponic flower growing, but this is not the case. Water culture is only one method of soilless cultivation. Apart from single-stem, upright foliage flowers such as lucky bamboo and bamboo-section dieffenbachia, many other foliage and flowering plants that are strongly clumping or have no stems must first be fixed in place if they are to be displayed and enjoyed, so that they stand upright and grow without falling over. This requires using the granular growing media sold in flower shops, or bean stone, perlite and the like, to fix the root system, and then adding water for cultivation. Other commonly used methods include gravel culture, sand culture, vermiculite culture, asbestos block culture and plastic granule culture, collectively known as soilless cultivation.
When soilless cultivation is carried out in flower farms, the nutrient solutions are all prepared on site according to the different needs of various flowers and plants. This is quite complicated to carry out and involves many issues, such as the composition of nutrient elements, the concentration of the nutrient solution, the effectiveness of the nutrient components, the consumption and replenishment of nutrient elements, and the testing of pH. For home flower growers doing soilless cultivation, there is neither the means nor the need to prepare nutrient solutions themselves. Professional workers have designed and made many nutrient solutions for home flower growing, which are sold in flower shops. When using them, read the instructions carefully. The key point is that the amount of water should not be less than the dilution amount stated in the instructions, otherwise the concentration will be too high and burn the roots.
How to Take Fall Cuttings of Flowers? Fall Flower Cutting Techniques!
Fall is a peak growing period for flowers and plants, so for flower lovers this is the best time for taking flower cuttings. Everyone knows that cuttings are a propagation method in flower growing. If you want to have a garden of your own, then hurry up and learn flower cutting techniques from this Huinong Network editor!
In fall, the temperature is suitable, the air is crisp and cool, and the "autumn tiger" heat gradually fades. People feel especially comfortable, and many flowers and plants also enter a peak growing period, growing freely, so cuttings can also grow quickly. Therefore, many flowers enter their best cutting period in fall. Flower lovers who want to take cuttings of these flowers should start preparing.
Chinese rose
1. Select healthy flower branches that have not yet sprouted flower buds. Cut the upper part above the axillary bud, then cut downward diagonally into a horseshoe shape, leaving a length of 3 cm as the cutting. Fall is cutting season, the cutting season for money tree, jasmine and Chinese rose. Miss it and you will have to wait until next year.
2. Prepare clean river sand or vermiculite, insert the Chinese rose cutting, and water thoroughly.
3. Place in a shaded, ventilated spot, check the soil moisture in the morning, at noon and in the evening, and spray water to keep it moist.
4. Keep the temperature at 20 to 28 degrees. In about two weeks it will take root, and then new leaves will sprout.
5. Move to a position with plenty of light and care for it normally until the root color turns brown, then transplant.
Kalanchoe
1. Select robust kalanchoe branches, preferably somewhat thick ones, which grow and bloom easily.
2. Prepare a disposable paper cup and fill it with sand or nutrient soil. Kalanchoe takes root quite easily; it just needs to be loose and breathable.
3. Let the cutting dry for half a day, then insert it into the nutrient soil, water thoroughly, and keep it slightly moist. Watering once every three days is enough; if it is too wet, the roots rot easily.
4. Place in a ventilated spot with indirect light. In half a month it can take root and sprout new shoots.
Jasmine
1. Jasmine can be pruned appropriately in fall, but do not prune excessively. Select robust branches as cuttings, and cut one end of the cutting into a slanted cut. Leave two leaves, then cut half of each leaf off to reduce water and nutrient consumption.
2. Prepare sterilized river sand or nutrient soil, water it beforehand to moisten it, and insert the cutting into the river sand or nutrient soil.
3. Place in a ventilated, shaded spot, keep it moist, spray water every day, and in about one month it can sprout.
Hydrangea
1. Choose relatively robust hydrangea branches of the current year and cut about 15 cm.
2. Find a relatively robust bud point, make a slanted horseshoe-shaped cut about 4 cm below it, and make a flat cut above the bud point, not too high and not too close to the bud point.
3. Remove the leaves, leaving only two, then cut off one half of each leaf to reduce evaporation and consumption.
4. Insert the cutting into prepared vermiculite or peat soil, with the node exposed outside.
5. Place in a shaded, ventilated spot, keep the temperature at 25 to 30 degrees, and spray water to maintain moisture.
6. Generally, it can take root in about 20 days. After one month, once the roots are robust, it can be transplanted.
Gardenia
1. Choose semi-lignified robust branches as cuttings, keep the axillary buds, leave one or two leaves, and cut off part of the leaves.
2. Insert the cutting into prepared river sand or another seedling-raising medium.
3. Place in a shaded, ventilated spot, keep the temperature at about 20 degrees, and in half a month to one month the cutting will begin to take root.
4. Wait until the roots are somewhat robust and new leaves have grown, then transplant and care for normally.
Money tree
1. For money tree cuttings, choose robust branches of the current year, cut 10-15 cm, keep the bud point, make the lower cut in a horseshoe shape and the upper cut flat.
2. Remove excess leaves, leaving two old leaves or new leaves at the top. If the old leaves are too large, half of them can be cut off to reduce consumption.
3. Insert the cutting into prepared river sand, place in a cool, ventilated spot, and water to keep it moist.
4. In about 20 to 30 days, the money tree can take root. Once the roots are stable and robust and the young plant looks vigorous, it can be transplanted.
Dahlia
1. Choose varieties that are dwarf, have large flowers and spreading leaves. When selecting cutting branches, keep appropriate buds. Keep 2 buds on the upper part, and cut the 3rd bud down to the leaf base and remove the leaf.
2. The growing soil is made by mixing 5 parts fertile garden soil free of weed seeds, 3 parts fine sand, perlite, vermiculite or fermented wood chips, and 2 parts decomposed compost. It must be disinfected by exposure to strong sunlight and high temperature before use.
3. Insert into the soil deep enough to reach the second bud, and water thoroughly; spray with New High Lipid Film, which can preserve warmth and moisture, isolate pathogen infection, and effectively increase the survival rate of dahlias.
4. On sunny days, water once in the morning and once in the evening, watering continuously for half a month, keeping soil moisture at 90%, and roots will form after 3 weeks. Because the plant is succulent and soft, stakes must be set up to prevent the stems and leaves from breaking.
Geranium
1. Generally choose branches with 3-4 leaf nodes at the top, cut them off diagonally 0.5 cm from the previous leaf node, making the cut as smooth as possible, then remove the leaves on the lower two nodes together with the petioles, leaving 2-3 small leaves at the top.
2. Put somewhat coarse sand (rice-grain size) at the bottom of the flowerpot for good drainage, and put fine sand on top (somewhat thick, all in the cutting layer) to help retain water.
3. After trimming the cutting, leave it in a cool place to dry for 1-3 hours. First water the sand thoroughly, insert the cutting, and spray water thoroughly.
4. Within half a month, place the potted cutting in a spot with strong indirect light and no direct sunlight. After half a month, the pot can be moved to a spot with half sun and half shade. After inserting, water with enough clean water, then water when dry and let it dry between waterings. It can take root in about three weeks.
Chrysanthemum
1. Cut the chrysanthemum branch in the middle, keep the upper part, and cut it into 20 cm lengths. Each branch section must keep one leaf bud, and the top part must keep the terminal bud. Then soak in rooting powder solution for 2 hours.
2. Choose soil rich in humus. First water to moisten the soil, then use a wooden stick to make a slanted hole 6-8 cm deep, put the chrysanthemum branch into the hole, and press the soil firm.
3. After pressing the branch firm, spray water again, spraying it wet and thoroughly, and place in a cool, ventilated spot.
4. After spraying the water, make a sunshade canopy, cover it during the day and open it at night, and spray water with a watering can on time to keep the soil moist.
5. After the cuttings survive, they can be transplanted and can be exposed to more sunlight. At this time, control watering; do not water too frequently, to avoid overly rapid growth.
In fall, flowers grow quickly, and flower cuttings can help flower-loving friends save on the cost of growing flowers. As long as you learn fall flower cutting techniques, you can have your own garden, so take action now!
Hyacinth Cultivation Techniques and Precautions
According to the Huinong Network editor, hyacinth is a bulb flower that likes cool conditions. It is cold-tolerant but not heat-tolerant, has many flower colors and varieties, and has a rich floral fragrance. Winter and spring are its flowering period, and it has the habit of summer dormancy. Its normal flowering period is from January to March. It is a very easy flower to cultivate. Below are the hyacinth cultivation techniques and precautions compiled by the Huinong Network editor. Flower-loving friends, take a quick look!
Hyacinth cultivation techniques:
Reblooming ability: strong (but the reblooming effect is not good).
Cultivation difficulty: easy (suitable for water culture, pot culture and ground planting).
Soil covering depth: plant the bulb shallowly, covering two-thirds of the bulb with soil.
Planting temperature: cultivate when the daytime maximum temperature is stable at 10-15°C, which is favorable for the bulb to take root. Natural flowering period: the natural flowering period of hyacinth is around March in spring, and it usually blooms about 120 days after planting. The timing of flowering is affected by temperature and light.
Bulb treatment: after getting the hyacinth bulb, remove the miscellaneous roots at the bottom of the basal plate, soak in diluted carbendazim solution for 30 minutes to achieve disinfection and sterilization, then take it out after soaking, place it in a cool, ventilated spot to dry naturally, and wait for planting.
Upper bulb: before treatment; lower bulb: after treatment, soaked in carbendazim for 30 minutes and then naturally dried.
Warm reminder: some people are allergic to hyacinth and will itch after touching hyacinth bulbs, so it is recommended that everyone wear gloves when cleaning the bulbs. If your hands itch, there is no need to panic; wash your hands with soap and it will be fine after a while.
Soil culture method:
Pot selection: a flowerpot 10 cm in diameter for 1 bulb, a flowerpot 17 cm in diameter for 2~3 bulbs.
Soil selection: use fertile, well-drained nutrient soil for cultivation, and avoid overly wet or heavy clay soil.
Potting: plant the bulb shallowly, exposing 1/3 of the bulb.
Watering: after planting, water thoroughly and place in a cool spot to wait for sprouting.
Water culture method:
Water level requirement: prepare a water culture container and fill it with water, with the water line about 5 mm from the basal plate of the bulb. Do not let the bulb directly touch the water surface or even soak in the water.
Dark treatment: place the bottle in a dark, ventilated place, or use a black plastic bag or light-blocking board to cover the transparent container (dark conditions are favorable for the bulb to take root), and change the water every 2~3 days. Rooting time: fast ones can produce roots in about one week, slow ones in about 2~4 weeks. After sprouting, the water culture bottle can be moved to a spot with plenty of sunlight. Add water when there is little; the water level still must not soak the bulb.
Daily care precautions
1. Turning the pot. The hyacinth flower stalk has strong phototropism. When maintaining potted plants indoors with a single light source, the pot needs to be turned once a day so that the hyacinth receives even light, so as to prevent the flower stalk from growing leaning to one side.
2. Mold. During cultivation, if ventilation is poor and humidity is too high, the bulb is prone to mold spots. As long as the bulb does not become soft and rot, there is no need to worry. For bulbs grown in water culture, the moldy parts can be wiped with carbendazim, keeping ventilation and water clean; for bulbs grown in soil, diluted carbendazim can be used for watering.
3. Stunted scape (flower stalk trapped). This is when the flower stem cannot extend normally and is clamped by the leaf cluster, creating a "shrunken neck" phenomenon. The main reason is that the temperature during flowering is too high. Hyacinth flowering is generally suitable at 15-20°C. If you find that the hyacinth shows signs of a trapped scape, you can move the potted flower to a warm, dark place for care, delaying the plant's flowering time.
4. Reblooming. Hyacinth has poor reblooming ability; the next year's flowering is sparse and the ornamental effect is poor. If you want the hyacinth to rebloom, you can add a little slow-release fertilizer to the soil as a base fertilizer during the first cultivation, cut off the flower stem after flowering, do not cut the leaves, and at the same time water normally and supplement with liquid fertilizer. Wait until the leaves are completely yellow and withered, then stop water and fertilizer. There is no need to lift the bulb; when it sprouts again in fall, resume water and fertilizer.
Hyacinth cultivation is especially simple, and it does not disappoint in flower color when blooming. It is a flower very suitable for lazy growers. The above are the hyacinth cultivation techniques and precautions. Busy friends can consider cultivating it!