Cultivation Methods and Precautions for the Solanaceae Golden Fruit, Plus Flower Language and Propagation Methods
Nipplefruit (scientific name: Solanum mammosum L.), also known as golden fruit, five-fingered eggplant, etc. So what are the cultivation methods and precautions for golden fruit? What is its flower language? How do you propagate it? According to available information, golden fruit likes a warm and humid growing environment and requires ample light. The suitable temperature for golden fruit growth is between 15°C and 25°C. It can tolerate cold, but the overwintering temperature must not be lower than 12°C. Golden fruit is afraid of drought and also dislikes waterlogging, and it prefers loose, fertile, well-drained sandy soil.
I. Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Golden Fruit?
Soil
Golden fruit prefers loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy soil. It can also grow in neutral or slightly alkaline soil, and it likes deep soil layers.
Temperature and Light
Golden fruit likes a warm growing environment with ample sunlight and is not cold-tolerant. The suitable temperature for growth is 20°C to 30°C, and growth stops when the temperature falls below 0°C. Therefore, golden fruit needs to be kept indoors over winter, and the overwintering temperature should be above 10°C. In summer, it can endure high temperatures above 35°C, but not sustained high temperatures. Golden fruit is relatively suited to growing in strong light and cannot remain too shaded for long. Insufficient light will cause the plant to grow leggy and the leaves to turn yellow and drop.
Watering and Fertilizing
Golden fruit has relatively high water and nutrient needs and likes a humid environment, but it dislikes both drought and waterlogging. Watering should be moderate. In summer, when it is hot and dry, it can be watered once or twice a day. In addition, when potting up or repotting golden fruit, apply sufficient base fertilizer. During the growing period, to promote better growth, more nitrogen fertilizer can be applied, with liquid fertilizer applied once every half month. During the flowering and fruiting stages, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be the main focus.
Propagation Methods
Golden fruit is usually propagated by seed sowing and cuttings. Sowing is done in spring, while cutting propagation is mainly carried out in summer.
Precautions:
Dwarfing and Fruit Thinning
To make the golden fruit plant sufficiently dwarf, pinching can be done during the growing period, removing the terminal buds to encourage the development of side buds. After golden fruit sets fruit, the fruit yield is relatively large, so stakes can be set up to support the weight, and the fruit should be thinned appropriately so that the fruits grow large.
Pest and Disease Control
Golden fruit commonly suffers from leaf spot disease, anthracnose, viral disease and other diseases. Pests include aphids, whiteflies and red spider mites, which can be controlled by spraying with pesticides.
II. What Is the Flower Language?
The flower language of golden fruit is peace and good health for young and old, and completeness in gold and silver. Its meaning is very good, and it is a beautiful plant that carries people's good wishes.
There is a legend about golden fruit.
In a small village southeast of Tangqi, there was a young man named Axiang. His father died when he was young, and he was raised by his mother.
Axiang's mother raised him through great hardship. After Axiang grew up, he was very sensible and filial, which was well known in the surrounding area. One year, Axiang's mother fell ill and coughed all day long. One day, Axiang saw an old man with a white beard in his sleep. The old man told him to go find a wild fruit called golden fruit, pick the fruit together with the leaves, first eat the fruit, then boil the leaves into a soup, and Axiang's mother's illness would be cured.
The next day, Axiang set out to look for the fruit. Axiang went into the mountains, but the mountains were too large. Axiang searched very hard, but did not find that kind of golden fruit. However, Axiang was unwilling to go back just like that, so he kept up his courage and continued searching.
Later, Axiang grew tired, and as he walked he swayed unsteadily and felt dazed. He stepped into empty air and fell into a mountain gully. Fortunately, a tree saved him. Coincidentally, this tree was covered with golden-yellow fruits. When Axiang saw them, wasn't this the golden fruit the old man had spoken of?
Axiang was very happy. He picked several fruits and also gathered some leaves, then hurried home. Axiang's mother ate the fruit Axiang had picked and drank soup made from the leaves for several days, and her coughing problem actually improved.
Although this legend tells of a filial young man, it also indirectly describes the medicinal effects of golden fruit.
III. How Do You Propagate It?
1. Seed Propagation of Golden Fruit
Seed propagation is a commonly used method when propagating golden fruit.
Seed propagation is generally carried out in spring, and the seeds need to be collected in advance. After the golden fruit fruits mature, take out the seeds and sow them on a sand bed. Keep the temperature at 20°C——25°C, and the germination rate is very high. Generally, about two weeks after sowing, they will germinate.
Note that sufficient moisture must be maintained.
2. Cutting Propagation of Golden Fruit
Besides sowing, golden fruit can also be propagated by cuttings in summer. In summer, select the tender shoots at the top of the golden fruit for cuttings. Generally, the cuttings should be about 15 cm long. Insert the cuttings into a sand bed, and they will take root in about half a month. After rooting, transplant them.
3. Grafting Propagation and Layering Propagation of Golden Fruit
Golden fruit can also be propagated by grafting and layering.
Grafting is generally carried out in spring and autumn, and the main grafting methods are bud grafting or cut grafting. Grafting propagation can bring earlier flowering and fruiting.
For layering propagation, generally select relatively sturdy 1-year-old or 2-year-old branches of golden fruit and remove a ring of bark from the branch, usually by girdling, with a width of about 2 cm. Cover the treated branch with moist soil or sphagnum moss, and it can take root in about 2 months. When the root system has grown relatively well developed, remove it and replant it.