Soil Cultivation of Narcissus and the Bonsai Carving and Water Cultivation Method
Narcissus is not cold-tolerant; in North China it can overwinter in the open ground with a cover. It prefers warm winters and cool summers; it likes moisture and full sunlight and tolerates partial shade; it requires a moist, loose, well-drained, fertile clay loam, and also tolerates drought and poor soil. It is propagated by dividing the bulbs. Bulbs are planted in autumn. It likes water and fertilizer, and needs plenty of both during the growing period. During the growing period, a vitality nutrient solution can be sprayed.
Growing narcissus in soil is the simplest and easiest method. The way to cultivate soil-grown narcissus is: plant the narcissus bulb upright into the soil in a flowerpot, with the soil covering it until only a little of the leaf bud is exposed. If planting several bulbs, when arranging them the curved direction of the buds should face the center of the pot. After planting, water regularly with clear water and place in a spot with full sunlight and good air circulation. Soil-grown narcissus blooms in about 35 days, and the plants are neat and sturdy.
This method of bonsai shaping is relatively complex. Before cultivation, the bulb must be carved into shape with a knife. The bulbs used for carving must have fat bulbs and many flower stems, and the small offset bulbs on both sides must be arranged neatly and symmetrically. The shape is chosen according to the author's intention and the outward form of the bulb, and can be divided into ordinary carving and shaped carving.
Ordinary carving has two types: the "brush rack" (also called the upright type) and the "crab claw" type.
The "brush rack" type is made by cutting several vertical slashes 2 cm deep from the top of the bulb down between the buds, then standing it upright in water. Change the water once every 2 to 3 days, and let it grow naturally into a brush-rack shape.
The "crab claw" type means the bulb must be carved by hand before water cultivation: peel off the scales on one side of the bulb down to the light green bud body, and use a knife to carefully hollow out a small amount of the scales between the buds, without bruising the flower buds, so as to avoid causing "mute flowers". At the same time, the leaves must be peeled back along the leaf margin by 1/3 to 1/2, and the flower stalk must be cut longitudinally by 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm or a shield-shaped layer of skin 0.1 cm to 0.3 cm long must be nicked off, so that the injured part produces callus tissue and grows slowly, while the uninjured side grows normally; growth loses balance and curls toward the carved side. The greater the degree of injury, the greater the curling, presenting a "crab claw" appearance.
Because a carved bulb loses part of its scales and its nutrients are depleted, if a small bulb is used, the nutrients will be insufficient, causing failure to bloom or a shortened flowering period, which affects its ornamental value. Therefore, for carved bulbs, bulbs of grade 30 and above are generally chosen (main bulb circumference above 22 cm). Carving and water cultivation is a rather unique method in flower cultivation and shaping; it is the unique ornamental art of Zhangzhou narcissus. According to the different shapes of the bulbs, combined with the author's intention, careful conception, skillful use of force, carved arrangement, meticulous water cultivation and gradual trimming, it can become a beautiful work of art in a thousand postures full of life. Examples include: "Golden Rooster Crows at Dawn", "Flower Basket Offers Longevity", "Jade Pot Produces Saliva", "Green Dragon Spits Pearls", and so on.