How to grow pocketbook plant? Detailed care methods

  The name "pocketbook plant" originally comes from Latin and means "tiny flower shoe." When it was first discovered in the Andes region of South America, the local people did not like it, considering it a "puffbag" unwilling to communicate with others; apart from children picking it in the wild to play with, most adults dismissed it with disdain. Who would have thought that after someone described it as a "pocketbook," the local people's perception completely changed. Indeed, since the pocketbook plant appeared on the scene, it has been invincible in the international flower market, quickly spreading to countries around the world and becoming a rising star among indoor potted flowers for the home.

  So how do you cultivate this beautiful pocketbook plant? Below we will look at its key care points.

  Soil: A loose, well-aerated, well-drained sandy loam rich in humus is required, with a small amount of bone meal added as base fertilizer; it should be sterilized at high temperature before use.

  Temperature: The optimal growing temperature for pocketbook plant is around 15°C. Above 20°C, growth, bud formation and flowering are affected. If the temperature can be lowered to around 10°C during flowering, the flowering period can be extended. However, the nighttime temperature during the growing period and the overwintering temperature must not fall below 10°C.

  Light: It likes light but dislikes direct exposure to strong sunlight. When the light is too intense at noon, appropriate shading should be provided and good ventilation maintained, otherwise damping-off disease is easily caused; increasing light duration can advance flowering. For example, if 3 hours of light are added daily starting in November, it can bloom by the end of January the following year; for greenhouse cultivation, 30% shading should be applied before October, no shading from October to March of the following year, and about 50% shading during the flowering period after March.

  Water: Drought will cause poor plant growth, so drainage must be attended to; excessive moisture easily causes root rot. When watering, avoid splashing the leaves, as the leaf surface is hairy and prone to rot. Water according to the principle of "water when dry, stop when wet"; you can frequently sprinkle water around the flower pot to keep air humidity above 80%, but note that during the flowering period, water must not be sprayed on the flowers, so as not to affect seed setting.

  Fertilizer: It likes fertilizer, but it should not be too concentrated. During the growing period, apply a dilute fermented cake fertilizer solution or hoof and horn liquid fertilizer once every half month; be sure to avoid fertilizer water contaminating the leaves, which can make flowers abundant and leaves lush. If excessive vegetative growth of stems and leaves is observed, stop fertilizing immediately; when repotting, mix an appropriate amount of decomposed fertilizer into the potting soil; when flower spikes appear, apply 1% superphosphate solution twice to make the flower colors more vivid.

  Pollination: Natural pollination of pocketbook plant is difficult, so when collecting seeds, artificial pollination should be carried out starting from the flowering period, consciously conducting selection and hybridization. Generally, it should be done in the morning. After pollination, the corolla can be cut off; at the same time, strengthen shading and ventilation, avoid direct sunlight, and keep the potting soil slightly dry, which can increase the seed-setting rate and produce fuller seeds.

  Pest and disease control: Pocketbook plant is prone to pests and diseases, and measures should be taken during cultivation. Damping-off disease easily occurs at the seedling stage; soil should be sterilized, diseased plants removed, or the potting soil kept slightly dry. When the air is too dry and the temperature too high, red spider mites, aphids, etc. easily occur; pesticide can be sprayed, air humidity increased, or temperature lowered.