How to grow spider plants? Just remember these care tips and you're all set

Taken literally, the name "spider plant" naturally refers to a kind of "orchid" that can be grown in a pot and hung up in midair with a rope or net; or a kind of "orchid" whose leaves trail downward. True enough, but spider plants and orchids are two completely different kinds of flowers.

Orchids belong to the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and originated in our country; they are one of China's famous flowers, with leaves growing in clusters and pointing upward. Spider plants, however, belong to the lily family (Liliaceae) and originated in South America. Besides having clustered leaves similar to those of orchids, they mostly send out long stems from the soil, and at the tips of these stems grow bundles of leaves; moreover, roots form at the base of these leaf clusters, so when cut off they can become a new plant on their own. If the trailing stems and branches extend out from the center of the pot in all directions, they form a distinctive hanging basket plant that can be suspended in midair.

And on these long stems stretching out in all directions, small pure white flowers often bloom. Because of different varieties, the leaf color can be pure green or edged with white or pale yellow, and people give them the lovely names golden-edged spider plant or silver-edged spider plant. Hanging a spider plant in front of a window or in any suitable indoor space for viewing, it never competes with other flowers for space, and it is highly adaptable, not choosy about soil. Its leaves may look slender and elegant, but it is very drought-tolerant, thanks to its thick, fleshy roots.

Too much watering will instead cause root rot and hinder growth. But if the indoor air humidity is too dry, such as when it is hung in a room with heating and the humidity is too low, the leaf tips will dry out. At this time, you can use a household spray bottle to mist the leaves regularly. Although spider plants are not as eye-catching as roses and cannot create a cheerful atmosphere, they have a free and easy posture and a light, elegant, refreshing quality that gives people a serene enjoyment. Moreover, they do not demand much care, and they stay the same through all four seasons and do not take up precious indoor space. They often make flower lovers, after trying many kinds of flowers, finally choose them, to accompany people's lives for a long time and decorate the indoor space all year round.

Key points for winter management of the nursery

When winter comes, people move their potted flowers indoors one after another so they can overwinter safely. To keep potted flowers lush in branches and leaves and abundant in fruit and bright in bloom in winter, special attention should be paid to the following aspects in management:

Placement in the potted flower nursery should be careful. Light is a necessary condition for flowers to survive. After flowers are brought indoors, the positions where they are placed should take into account the characteristics of each kind of flower. Usually, flowers that bloom in winter and spring (such as Christmas cactus, cyclamen, cineraria, poinsettia, camellia, etc.) and autumn-sown herbaceous flowers (such as carnation, snapdragon, etc.), as well as flowers that like light and warmth (such as Milan orchid, jasmine, white orchid, hibiscus, etc.), should be placed on the windowsill or in a sunny spot near the windowsill; some flowers that like semi-shade in summer and light in winter (such as clivia, fuchsia, etc.) also need to be placed in a sunny spot; flowers that like warmth and semi-light (such as asparagus fern, wax begonia, rhododendron, etc.) can be placed relatively close to the windowsill; evergreen flowering trees that like sunlight but can tolerate low temperatures, or flowers in a dormant state (such as osmanthus, citrus, etc.), can be placed in a cool spot with scattered light (above 0°C). Indoors, attention should be paid to ventilation, which can both reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases and help flowers grow robustly.

Watering requires attention 

Improper winter watering of potted flowers often causes poor growth or root rot. Generally, indoor potted flowers should be watered 2 to 3 times a week, and each watering should soak through,

to prevent "half-way water." The water used for watering flowers must be exposed to sunlight so that its temperature is close to room temperature before use (the difference between soil temperature and air temperature must not exceed 5°C). Watering time is mostly around noon; if watered in the evening, the night is cold and the flower roots are prone to cold damage. Indoor air is dry in winter, so besides watering, appropriate misting can also be done. For foliage plants such as Monstera deliciosa, asparagus fern, sago palm, rubber tree, etc., the leaves should be misted frequently to remove dust and keep them clean, which helps photosynthesis.

Fertilizing should be flexible 

In winter, for flowers in a dormant or semi-dormant state, such as pomegranate, rose, cactus, croton, Chinese evergreen, etc., fertilizing should be stopped, but these trees and flowers must be repotted once in early winter or early spring to benefit growth and flowering and fruiting the following year. For foliage plants such as Monstera deliciosa, asparagus fern, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, and Aspidistra elatior, an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer and ferrous sulfate can be applied, once a month being suitable.

For flowering plants such as cyclamen, camellia, wintersweet, calceolaria, and clivia, an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be added, which can make the flowers large and beautifully colored and the fragrance rich.

And a certain amount of potassium fertilizer can prevent cold damage and resist lodging. For such flowers, granular potassium dihydrogen phosphate or superphosphate can be added along the pot wall, and the fertilizing time is best during the flower bud growth period. For fruiting plants such as golden osmanthus, golden bean, finger citron, and firethorn, phosphorus fertilizer should be added. The method is to apply a small amount of solid phosphorus fertilizer from the edge of the pot, until the fruit is close to ripening, at which point topdressing can be stopped.

Pruning should seize the right timing 

"Seventy percent depends on management, thirty percent depends on pruning." Through pruning, flowers are made neat in plant shape, graceful in posture, and abundant in flowers and fruit. Winter is the best

time for pruning flowers. For Chinese elm, Chinese boxthorn, trident maple, photinia, banyan, etc., whose purpose is to view the trunk and branches, all crowded branches, diseased and pest-damaged branches, leggy branches, and weak diseased branches can be cut off completely, and the other branches properly shortened, so that the stump keeps clear layers and clean branch pads. For flowering types such as wintersweet, plum blossom, winter jasmine, rose, hibiscus, poinsettia, cotton rose, and rose, after the flowers fade and the leaves drop, the one-year-old branches can be cut off from 2 to 3 cm above the base, prompting the retained basal buds to sprout and send out more new shoots, ensuring lush leaves and abundant flowers the following year. In addition, for the vast majority of potted flowers, shaping and pruning can be combined with repotting in early spring. For deciduous flowers, repotting must be done before the new buds sprout, otherwise it will cause an imbalance in water income and expenditure and lead to poor growth or death of the plant.

Winter care of foliage plants 

To keep foliage plants native to tropical and subtropical regions green and full of vitality in winter, the following points should be achieved:

1. Keep warm and prevent freezing

Different foliage plants have different minimum overwintering temperature requirements, with great differences, and different varieties of the same kind also differ markedly in cold resistance. Therefore, according to differences in region, plant species, and variety, they should be brought indoors for the winter in batches and by category. Keeping warm and preventing freezing is an important care task for foliage plants to overwinter safely. According to the different overwintering temperature requirements of foliage plants, the author believes they can be divided into four categories, with different warmth-keeping and freeze-prevention measures taken for each.

The first category, foliage plants whose overwintering temperature cannot be lower than 5°C, such as asparagus fern, variegated ivy, schefflera, Japanese aralia, variegated sansevieria, taro, clearweed, and Chinese fan palm. These plants have a certain cold resistance and can overwinter safely under ordinary cold-protection facilities, and can also be placed in a single-layer plastic greenhouse or an ordinary greenhouse.

The second category, foliage plants that cannot be lower than 8°C, such as jade plant, saxifrage, Aglaonema, fishtail palm, Buddha belly bamboo, and red bird's nest fern. They have a certain cold resistance, but during the coldest times an additional layer of plastic film should be added over the greenhouse or indoors.

The third category, foliage plants that cannot be lower than 10°C, such as asparagus fern, spider plant, Peperomia, caladium, red-striped prayer plant, pothos, dragon tree, Norfolk Island pine, and lucky bamboo. As soon as winter begins, they should be placed in a double-layer plastic greenhouse or a greenhouse with an added layer of plastic film.

The fourth category, foliage plants that cannot be lower than 15°C, such as areca palm, croton, white net leaf plant, money tree, and Boston fern. They have relatively high overwintering temperature requirements and are best placed in a heated greenhouse. If there are no heating conditions, they can be placed in a double-layer plastic greenhouse; in southern care, from 3 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, an additional layer of plastic film should be added over the top of the foliage plants, and removed after 9 a.m. the next day.

2. Proper watering

After winter begins, the growth of foliage plants basically stagnates, and some plants enter a dormant stage, with their water-absorbing capacity greatly reduced, so watering should not be too much or too heavy. Before entering the shed or indoor space, they should be watered thoroughly once; while in the shed, the pot soil should be kept slightly dry as much as possible to help the foliage plants overwinter. When the pot soil is found to be too dry, watering should be done at 11 a.m. on a clear, warm day, and it is absolutely inadvisable to water too heavily or to water in the early morning or evening. The water temperature should be similar to room temperature, and the temperature difference must not be too large. Foliage plants generally need watering once every half month in winter; too much easily causes root rot. In northern winters the indoor air is dry, so plants such as Calathea peacock need to be sprayed with cool water on the leaves during the day to raise indoor humidity and maintain their beautiful leaf color; during the overwintering period of taro, spraying warm water once every 3 to 5 days can keep the leaves dark green; Dieffenbachia needs warm water sprayed 2 to 3 times a week in winter to wash dust off the leaves, raise indoor air humidity, and make the patch colors bright and strong.

3. Ventilation and air flow

Foliage plants overwintering in a shed or indoors need a certain amount of air humidity, but it should not be too high. Therefore, on clear, warm days, doors and windows should be opened to regulate air humidity; especially in plastic greenhouses, where air humidity is higher, ventilation should be paid even more attention. Ventilation is generally suitable after 9 a.m. and before 3 p.m. Light is also very important for cultivating foliage plants in winter. In winter, sunlight shines at a slant, and light intensity is half that of summer, so some large sun-loving woody foliage plants should be placed at the outer edge of the shed, such as dragon tree, fishtail palm, rubber tree, and croton. Under sufficient light, foliage plants can also become thin and yellow in winter. For some small herbaceous foliage plants, they should be placed in high positions, such as asparagus fern and coleus; shade-tolerant and semi-shade-loving foliage plants can be placed in the middle, such as pothos, broadleaf lady palm, areca palm, Monstera deliciosa, asparagus fern, clearweed, taro, and cordyline. These plants also need a certain amount of light in winter. Because humidity in the shed is high, if light is often lacking, pests and diseases will occur, so during the overwintering period it is necessary to "turn the shed" and change positions to ensure the foliage plants overwinter safely.

1. Pay attention to pruning and shaping the branches and leaves of deciduous plants.

2. Topdressing before winter begins: pay attention to plants that bloom in winter such as wintersweet and plants that bloom in spring.

3. For cold-intolerant plants, wrap the trunks if they should be wrapped, and wrap the crowns in plastic film if they should be wrapped.

4. Generally, watering can be skipped in winter, but when long-term drought occurs, attention should be paid to replenishing water. (Winter is also a good time for pest control; pay attention to observing insect eggs on the branches of deciduous plants, and turning the soil and applying pesticide to kill overwintering larvae, etc.)

How to grow gardenia: uncovering the secrets of yellowing leaves and failure to bloom in gardenias

 Among flowers, gardenia is undoubtedly one that people are relatively familiar with, and people very much like to grow it at home, but many peoplehow to grow gardeniado not understand it very well, which leads to many problems during cultivation, such as yellowing leaves and failure to bloom. Today the editor will introduce to everyonehow to grow gardeniaandthe reasons for yellowing leaves and failure to bloom in gardenias.

（Gardeniaplanted in the courtyard has a strong ornamental effect)

    Gardenia grows the same through all four seasons, with evergreen leaf color, and when it blooms it is fragrant and elegant, with white flowers appearing pure white, looking especially fresh and beautiful, and very much liked by people. It is often used by people for potted cultivation in courtyards, balconies, and other places. It has strong environmental adaptability and can grow well in these places. It has strong decorative and ornamental effects. Below, the editor will discuss, based on the various characteristics of gardenia,how to grow gardenia.

First, grow it in acidic soil. Gardenia needs scattered light, so it likes acidic soil. If the soil is alkaline, gardenia will be unable to absorb iron well, which greatly affects the formation of chlorophyll, further causing the flower branches to wither and even die; therefore its soil must be loose, fertile acidic soil, and some substances with this effect can also be added to it.

（Gardeniahas a very good decorative effect)

    Second, place it in a cool place. Gardenia absolutely must not be placed in the blazing sun, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and withered, but this does not mean placing it in full shade, because it has a certain need for light. It is best to place it where it maintains 60% light daily. In addition, after entering April, fertilizing should be done twice a month.

Third, air humidity. Gardenia likes moisture, so the air must not be too dry. According to expert statistics, if the air humidity is lower than 70%, it will affect the normal opening of the flowers, but if it is too wet, it will also cause root and stem rot and yellowing leaves. So besides normal watering, clean water should also be sprayed frequently nearby. Another point that requires great attention is that water must not be applied too much, otherwise it will also affect growth. So how should gardenia be watered?

a. When you see the soil is dry, knock the flower pot with your hand; if there is a hollow sound, it needs watering. Stop when water begins to leak from the bottom of the pot. The water used is best mixed with some eggs, soybean milk, etc., which is more beneficial to growth.

(In full bloom,gardenia, a different kind of beauty)

    Fourth, key points for fertilizing. Gardenia likes fertilizer, but too much fertilizer must not be added at one time; be sure to apply thin fertilizer frequently, and absolutely do not cut corners, otherwise the branches will become thick, the leaves large and dark green, and it will lose its own ornamental effect.

Fifth, temperature requirements. The growing temperature for gardenia must not be too low, because it likes warmth. Generally speaking, the temperature during the growing season is best at 18 to 22 degrees, and 5 to 10 degrees in winter. If it is lower than minus 10 degrees, it will suffer cold damage, and the north should pay special attention to this.

Sixth, proper pruning. Gardenia grows very easily into a lush tangle of branches and leaves, creating a feeling of being impenetrably dense and chaotic, which disperses nutrients and worsens its ornamental quality, so it needs pruning. When pruning, it is best to retain 3 main branches, and at any time cut off new shoots sprouting from root suckers. After the flowers fade, the branches should be cut short in time, so that new shoots will sprout below the cut. When the new shoots grow three nodes, they should be pinched back to prevent blind growth.

(Place thegardeniain a sunny spot)

    Seventh, disease prevention. Usually the gardenia diseases we see are of four kinds:

a. Iron deficiency, which is the most common kind. Iron deficiency affects the formation of chlorophyll, then makes the leaves lose their green color. At this time, ferrous sulfate water and low-concentration black alum water can be used, three times a month.

b. Magnesium deficiency, which causes the veins of the lower old leaves of gardenia to turn yellow. At this time, a low-concentration magnesium sulfate solution should be sprayed.

c. Soil too wet or too dry; for this, see point three.

d. Blazing sun; for this, see point two.

Eighth, propagation methods. Gardenia generally has two propagation methods: cuttings and layering.

a. Cuttings: in the plum rain season, use tender branches 15 cm long and insert them in a seedbed; they root in 10 to 12 days.

b. In April, select two-year-old branches 20 to 25 cm long, lay them in the soil, keep them moist, and they root in about 30 days; separate them from the mother plant in summer and plant them separately the following spring.

Reasons for yellowing leaves in gardenia

First, improper moisture

a. Overwatering: in this case the tender leaves of gardenia are dull yellow and lack luster, but the old leaves show no obvious change. At this time, just take the flower out of the pot and place it in a ventilated, cool place, then put it back after the soil dries.

b. Lack of water: the leaf tips or edges become withered and dry, and the old leaves turn yellow and fall from bottom to top, but in this case the new leaves grow relatively normally. At this time, water thoroughly and soak through.

（Gardenialeaves turning yellow, there are many reasons)

    Second, improper light

a. Too much light: yellow spots appear on the sun-facing part of the leaves. At this time, simply move it to a shaded place for care and it can recover; the newly grown leaves will no longer have yellow spots.

B. Insufficient sunlight: at this time the leaves will turn yellow and even fall off. Simply place it under the sun to supplement sunlight.

Third, improper fertilizing

a. Too much fertilizer, mainly shown by brown tips on the new leaves, thick but lusterless leaf surfaces, and scorched yellow old leaves falling off. At this time, fertilizing must be stopped immediately, and in severe cases the soil should also be flushed to lower the concentration. b. Insufficient fertilizer: insufficient fertilizer can also cause the plant to turn yellow. For example, with iron deficiency, the leaves are pale yellow or white while the veins remain green; at this time, spray 0.2%-0.5% ferrous sulfate water for control. With magnesium deficiency, the old leaves turn yellow first, then the new leaves turn yellow, while the veins remain green; at this time, spray 0.7%-0.8% boron-magnesium fertilizer for control.

Fourth, temperature too low. Too low a temperature can also cause leaf yellowing; simply move it to a warmer place.

Reasons for gardenia not blooming

First, improper water and fertilizer. Once water and fertilizer are excessive, the plant will grow leggy, and without enough nutrients for reproductive growth, flower bud formation will be affected, leading to no blooming or very few blooms; some may bloom and even drop immediately. During the flower bud differentiation stage, special attention should be paid to the combination of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, which is beneficial to flower bud formation and budding; if fertilizing is too concentrated during the budding stage, or watering is suddenly more and then less, it will also cause flowers and seedlings to drop.

（Gardenianever blooming, pay attention)

    Second, unsuitable light. Gardenia likes shade, and special attention should be paid to overly strong light in summer and overly weak light in winter. Too much or too little light will affect gardenia blooming.

    Third, soil with high alkalinity. Gardenia likes acidic soil. If the soil for cultivating gardenia has high salt and alkali content, it will cause the plant to turn yellow and ultimately affect blooming.

    Fourth, failure to prune and shape,Gardenia branches are messy, and a large number of miscellaneous branches consume a large amount of nutrients, while overly dense branches affect photosynthesis; both are important reasons for failure to bloom.

    Fifth, severe pests and diseases,this I believe everyone can understand; severe pests and diseases will inevitably cause flowers and buds to drop.

How to grow narcissus Recommended growing methods for narcissus

More plants:

[Peace lily tree] [Dieffenbachia] [Chinese evergreen] [Japanese aralia] [Nandina] [Ivy] [Epiphyllum]

[Spider plant] [Winter jasmine] [Cymbidium] [Milan orchid] [Crinum lily] [Magnolia] [Peace lily] [Anthurium]

[Bird of paradise] [Hydrangea] [Dahlia] [Cineraria] [Clematis] [Lantana] [Pansy] [Daphne]

[Tulip] [Night-blooming jasmine] [Tuberose] [Hibiscus] [Kalanchoe] [African daisy] [Mimosa] [Campanula]

[Water lily] [Casablanca lily] [Hydrangea] [Red maple] [Japanese maple] [Scarlet sage] [Iris]