How to grow stock (Matthiola incana)? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and growing environment

How to grow stock:

Variety selection: The main cultivated varieties include Aida (white flowers), Karmen (pale yellow flowers), Francesc (red flowers), Abella (purple flowers), and Incana (pale purple-red flowers).

Plant selection: Choose vigorous seedlings with undamaged roots and intact soil balls. If it is a single-petaled flower, its vigorous seedlings have long oval cotyledons, more serrations on the true leaves, and a darker seedling color. ⟦6 Flower pot selection: A shallow pot with a slightly larger rim.

Choosing a flower pot: a shallow pot with a slightly wider mouth.

Preparation of growing medium: It has no strict requirements for soil, but grows better in well-drained, neutral soil.

Preparation method: Mix humus soil, garden soil, and river sand in a ratio of 2:2:1.

Flower cultivation: Stock is a taproot plant and is not tolerant of transplanting. Therefore, to ensure survival, it should be transplanted with plenty of original soil, without breaking the soil ball, and with as little root damage as possible. Once the roots are damaged, it is not easy to recover. Seedlings need to be pricked out and transplanted before the true leaves unfold. Generally, after one pricking out, the seedlings can be planted in their final position.

Before final planting, apply some dry pig or chicken manure into the soil as a base fertilizer. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and provide shade without making it stuffy; potted plants should be moved to a cool, airy place, and after they survive, moved to a spot with ample sunlight.

Fertilization: During the growing season, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer once every 10 days. Nitrogen fertilizer should not be excessive, so as to avoid lush leaf growth with very few flowers. If too much nitrogen fertilizer has been applied, cut off part of the leaves and let the plant grow new leaves, so as to consume the excess nitrogen in the pot soil. Once the nitrogen in the soil is used up, the plant will bloom abundantly. When flower buds appear, appropriately apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can make the flowers larger and more brightly colored.

The growing environment of stock

Stock is native to the Mediterranean coast. It prefers a climate with warm, humid winters and cool, dry summers. It has now been introduced in many parts of the world, and is cultivated in both northern and southern China. It is slightly shade-tolerant at the seedling stage, and prefers ample sunlight during bud formation and flowering. It is relatively cold-tolerant and can withstand short periods of low temperatures around 0°C, but is not tolerant of frost. It dislikes hot, humid weather, and is prone to diseases in moldy rainy weather. In areas of southern China with higher altitude and cool summers, it can be planted in multiple seasons. In general areas, the hot summer must be avoided, and it should be cultivated in the three seasons of autumn, winter, and spring, mainly planting in winter and flowering in spring. Because the whole plant has soft hairs, stock loses relatively little water, so during the growing period it can generally be watered less, while during the flowering period it needs moderate watering. Its root system is extremely developed, and it requires fertile, loose soil with a deep soil layer. It is difficult to grow in heavy clay soil and poorly drained sites. Apply nitrogen fertilizer once at the seedling stage, and apply compound fertilizer 1-2 times during bud formation and early flowering.

Stock cultivation methods

(1) Variety selection

For potted stock, it is best to choose dwarf double-petaled varieties. At the seedling stage, select seedlings with light green, long oval cotyledons, and true leaves with large notches and wavy edges. These are often mostly double-petaled flowers.

(2) The flower pot size should be appropriate

For planting, it is best to use a large pot with a diameter of about 25 cm. The growing medium should be sterilized, loose, fertile potting soil, with base fertilizer applied at the bottom of the pot, planting 3 plants per pot.

(3) Choose a good growing medium

Stock requires loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil. For potting, you can use a growing medium made by mixing 6 parts leaf mold soil and 4 parts sandy soil, or a growing medium made of 1/3 each of leaf mold soil, peat soil, and sandy soil.

(4) Light should be suitable

Stock prefers partial shade. If the care location is too shady, there will be few flowers and pale colors, or only leaves will grow without flowering; if the light is too strong, it will cause the leaves to turn yellow and appear scorched.

(5) Temperature should be suitable

The suitable growth temperature for stock is 18°C-24°C. When the temperature exceeds 27°C, growth becomes poor. Therefore, cooling measures must be taken in hot summer, and the room temperature in winter should not be lower than 12°C.

(6) Watering should be moderate

After planting, water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. After 3-4 days, it can be placed in a well-ventilated, sunny spot. However, watering should not be too much, otherwise it easily causes root rot. At the same time, be careful not to splash water on the leaves, otherwise it easily causes leaf rot.

(7) Fertilization should be light

During growth and development, apply a dilute decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer about once every 7-10 days. Nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied too much, otherwise the leaves will grow very lushly but there will be few flowers. Therefore, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is best at 1:1:1. After flower buds appear, appropriately apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and the flowers will be larger and more brightly colored.

(8) Pinching and seed collection

When about 9 leaves have grown, pinching is needed to promote branching. When the plant grows to 40 cm, it needs to be supported with thin bamboo stakes. For seed saving, collect the seeds in time when the siliques turn yellow but before they split open.

How to grow potted stock and potted stock cultivation methods: that is all for today's introduction from the editor. If you want to grow potted stock, then get started right away!

How to grow stock, stock flower cultivation methods

How to grow stock: Stock is a common flowering plant, and it is very easy to grow. It can be potted indoors or planted outdoors. Whether grown indoors or outdoors, you need to understand stock's habits, environmental adaptability, watering, and other matters. Below is a summary of daily stock cultivation methods to help new flower growers.

Stock flowers prefer a cool growing environment and climate. Planting them in soil with good drainage that is neutral to slightly alkaline is more beneficial to the growth and development of stock flowers. Stock flowers are cold-tolerant but not shade-tolerant, and fear waterlogging. They should be in an environment with sunlight, good ventilation, and good drainage.

Stock has no strict requirements for soil, but grows better in well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Generally, use 5 parts leaf mold soil, 3 parts garden soil, and 2 parts decomposed manure soil, or mix 6 parts leaf mold soil with 4 parts sandy loam. At the same time, it can also be made by mixing equal parts of leaf mold soil, peat soil, and sandy soil.

Stock prefers ample sunlight, but is also slightly tolerant of partial shade. If light and ventilation are insufficient, it is prone to pests and diseases.

Watering stock flowers during the growing period is crucial. In spring, watering should not be too much, otherwise it will cause stem and leaf rot in stock, affecting flowering and other phenomena. In summer, stock should be watered more, and water should also be sprayed around it, which can effectively increase the humidity in the air; otherwise, the flower stalks will droop and the flowering period will be shortened. In autumn and winter, as the temperature gradually drops, watering should be appropriately reduced.

Stock prefers a warm winter, cool summer, and well-ventilated environment. In winter, it can withstand short periods of low temperature of -5°C. It dislikes dry heat. The suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation is 15°C.

Stock flowers should be given light fertilizer during growth and development. Growers should apply a dilute decomposed liquid fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphorus or a compound chemical fertilizer about once every 10 days. At the same time, growers should note that nitrogen fertilizer should be applied scientifically and reasonably, otherwise it will cause excessive vegetative growth of stock leaves and affect normal flowering. The best application ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer is 1:1:1.

After stock flowers fade, the spent flowers should be cut off, so that it can send out new shoots and bloom again. The flowering period begins in mid-April, with a second bloom in June-July.