Detailed Guide to Growing Four O'Clock Flowers (Mirabilis jalapa) in Pots

  Four o'clock flowers (Mirabilis jalapa) are mostly used for courtyard landscaping, and can also be grown as potted plants. They begin blooming in July and do not finish until November, opening in the evening, with rich colors and a fragrance. As potted plants for enjoyment, they are very simple to manage and do not require deliberate, careful tending; even with rough care, they often still maintain good growth. So, how do you grow four o'clock flowers in pots?

  Four o'clock flowers are quite tenacious and prefer a semi-shaded growing environment. As long as the soil in the pot is fertile, loose, breathable and well-draining, and simple management of water and fertilizer is done well, they often bloom in clusters of abundant flowers right on schedule, very exquisite. Today, the editor will share with you the growing method for potted four o'clock flowers.

  1. Preparing the potting soil

  As with the vast majority of other requirements, the soil mix is based on being fertile, loose, breathable and well-draining. The editor recommends a mix of 3 parts leaf mold, 3 parts compost soil and 4 parts sandy soil, mixed thoroughly before use. The soil prepared this way is not only soft and breathable, with good drainage, but also fairly fertile, making it very suitable for the growth of four o'clock flowers.

  2. Preparing the seedlings

  Potted four o'clock flower seedlings are generally obtained by propagation through sowing, but before sowing it is recommended to soak the seeds to increase the germination rate and ensure the seedlings emerge more neatly and evenly. Usually, when the ambient temperature is kept at 15-20°C, seedlings emerge in about 1 week. Wait until the seedlings grow to a certain height and have enough tolerance for the new potting soil environment, then transplant them into pots to establish them at the right time.

  3. Potting process

  When the four o'clock flower seedlings grow to a height of about 15 cm, it is basically early summer, and one can select some robustly growing seedlings for potting and transplanting. The potting and transplanting process for four o'clock flower seedlings is basically the same as that for other ordinary potted flowering plants. After potting, water once thoroughly, then place the pot in a semi-shaded, ventilated spot to recover.

  4. Daily management

  Four o'clock flowers prefer a warm growing environment. Besides using fertile, loose sandy loam rich in humus, the care and management after the seedlings are potted and established is also relatively simple. In addition to normal watering, on sunny days with relatively high temperatures, more water should be sprayed in the evening to retain moisture; once a week in the evening, a dilute liquid fertilizer can be applied 1-2 times to ensure the plant maintains normal growth activity.

  The growing process for potted four o'clock flowers is relatively simple, exactly the same as that for ordinary potted flowering plants, except that later we need to carry out reasonable care and management according to their growth habits. As long as you are not especially lazy, it is generally easy to grow them well, because four o'clock flowers have strong adaptability to the growing environment and are not as delicate as many other flowering plants; even with rough care, they are not easy to kill.