How to Grow Michelia alba? A Detailed Guide to Its Cultivation Methods
Michelia alba is also called yellow magnolia, yellow orchid, and so on. It is a plant of the Magnoliaceae family, and Michelia alba has extremely high ornamental value, with a very strong fragrance when it blooms. Moreover, its flowers and leaves are also raw materials for various aromatic oils and traditional Chinese medicines, and its wood is also used in various industries, so its economic value cannot be underestimated. So how should Michelia alba be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation methods for Michelia alba. Let's take a look!
1. Cultivation Environment
Michelia alba likes to grow in warm, humid, sunny, slightly acidic soil. Its tolerance to alkali and drought is very poor, but the soil moisture content should not be too high either, so it is also necessary to ensure that the soil has good drainage and irrigation capacity. After choosing the land, the land preparation work should be done well, deep plowing the soil about 30 cm, and disinfecting it to eliminate pathogens in the soil and prevent them from affecting the growth of Michelia alba. And because Michelia alba has a relatively large demand for nutrients, we should also apply sufficient base fertilizer when preparing the land to meet the nutritional needs of Michelia alba's growth.
2. Propagation Methods
The propagation methods of Michelia alba include cuttings, grafting, and so on. However, the rooting rate of cutting propagation is relatively low, and China's climate is not suitable for Michelia alba cuttings, so it is basically impossible to harvest seeds. Therefore, grafting is generally the main method, and the rootstock for grafting Michelia alba can be Magnolia liliiflora. The rootstock is planted in spring, as close to the scion as possible, to facilitate the scion work. Moreover, if the rootstock and scion are closer, the grafting position can be lowered, improving the grafting survival rate. The grafting time is generally during the peak growth period of Michelia alba. If the propagation quantity is not large, layering propagation can be used; although the propagation speed is slow, the survival rate is high.
3. Water and Fertilizer Management
Michelia alba blooms relatively many times, and each time it blooms, its demand for nutrients increases. Therefore, we must topdress in time, otherwise it will reduce the flowering rate of Michelia alba. The topdressing fertilizer is mainly decomposed farmyard manure, and the concentration should be controlled according to the time. In spring, mainly use light liquid fertilizer, then gradually increase the concentration. In summer, fertilization should avoid noon, to prevent excessively high temperatures from burning the plant, and stop topdressing in September-October. Then pay attention to doing the watering work well, especially during the high temperatures of summer; watering should make the soil thoroughly wet, to prevent root rot. Insufficient water will cause the leaves to turn yellow and wither, but too much is also not suitable, as it easily causes root rot and leads to pests and diseases.
4. Daily Management
Michelia alba sprouts twice a year, and when it sprouts, the branches generally stop growing. It only resumes growth at the second sprouting, at which time it generally grows branches while sprouting, with about 5-6 flowers per sprouting, and the flowering period is from June to August. Therefore, when Michelia alba is growing, we should do the pruning work well, removing pests and diseases on the plant, old and dead branches, and excessively vigorous branches, and so on. Then remove old and dead leaves to prevent excessive nutrient consumption, control the growth speed of Michelia alba, promote the growth of flower buds, increase flower quantity and flower quality, and enhance ornamental value.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation methods of Michelia alba. The cultivation methods of Michelia alba are relatively simple, but attention should be paid to doing the management work well. Create a good growing environment for Michelia alba, enhance its growth ability, and expand the economic benefits of planting. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!