Key Points for Sowing Flowers in Different Seasons, Fertilizer Types and Application Techniques

1. Organic fertilizer: Fertilizer containing large amounts of organic matter is called organic fertilizer, also known as farmyard manure. Organic fertilizer contains large amounts of humus and organic matter, and can provide plants with various nutrient elements; it can improve the availability of sparingly soluble sulfates in the soil and reduce the fixation of phosphorus by the soil, and is of great significance for improving loam fertility and improving soil structure. Commonly used organic fertilizers include human and animal urine and dung, livestock manure and urine, poultry manure, bone meal, fish meal, barnyard manure, compost, green manure, cake fertilizer, peat, plant ash, fallen leaves, weeds, green manure, etc. Organic fertilizer is characterized by rich organic matter content, comprehensive nutrient composition, and long fertilizer effect duration. It is worth noting that organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed before use.

(1) Application of compost and waterlogged compost. Both compost and waterlogged compost are made by using plant residues, such as straw, leaves, weeds, plant-based garbage, and other waste materials as the main raw materials, adding human or livestock urine and dung, and subjecting them to piling and waterlogging. In the piling of compost, aerobic decomposition conditions must be created for microorganisms, and the fermentation temperature is relatively high. Waterlogged compost is mostly fermented under water, mainly through anaerobic decomposition, and the fermentation temperature is low. Generally, the C/N ratio required for microbial fermentation is optimally 25:1. Different organic materials have different C/N ratios, and an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer is needed to adjust during fermentation. 3 Carbon-to-nitrogen ratios of different organic materials. Plant materials and fertilizer types. Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N). Weeds 2545:1. Dry rice straw 67:1. Wood and bark 480:1. Alfalfa and clover 20:1. Chinese milk vetch 1017.3:1. Sawdust 250:1. High-temperature compost 9.6710.67:1. Ordinary compost 1620:1. Compost and waterlogged compost contain relatively high organic matter and various nutrient elements and are complete fertilizers, with slow but lasting fertilizer effects, and are generally used as base fertilizer. Long-term application of compost and waterlogged compost can improve the soil. In nurseries, the amount of compost and waterlogged compost applied is usually 7501500Kg/mu. Nitrogen in compost is insufficient due to consumption by microorganisms, so it is best to topdress with quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer after applying compost. The mixing ratio of various waterlogged compost materials should be determined according to the intended use of the fertilizer. If used as topdressing in the same year, the fertilizer is required to decompose quickly. 50kg of green grass can be used, with 1015kg of human urine and dung added, 12kg of lime, or 2.55kg of plant ash. (See Table 14 for the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content of organic fertilizers.) If used as base fertilizer for the next year, first dry the green grass in the sun for 12 days, cut it into 710cm long sections, spread the chopped grass at the bottom of the pit, about 17cm thick, then spread horse and mule manure, and pour water and human urine and dung to completely submerge the grass. When the fertilizer ferments and the manure water turns black-green, add a layer of black soil, then add another layer of green grass, horse manure, and water. Pile layer by layer in this way up to the ground, and finally irrigate so that the pit surface maintains a water layer 3cm thick. In autumn, take the fermented fertilizer out onto the ground, turn and break it up, and then pile it into a large mound shaped like a steamed bun. The decomposition of compost is the result of microbial activity. External conditions affecting microbial activity include moisture, air, temperature, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) of the compost materials, and the pH of the environment in which the microorganisms are located. As long as the conditions required for microbial activity are met, the compost can decompose. Before piling, plant residues need to be soaked to absorb water. Moisture is very important in the composting process. Usually, a moisture content of 6070% of the dry materials is appropriate, which is beneficial to the life of microorganisms in the pile and the softening of organic materials, and can also promote uniform decomposition from top to bottom in the compost. Usually, if water can be squeezed out when the material is tightly held by hand, it indicates that the moisture is appropriate. If aeration in the fertilizer pile is good, aerobic microbial activity is intense. This is beneficial to microbial composting and decomposition; when aeration conditions are poor, anaerobic microorganisms are vigorous, organic matter decomposes slowly, less available nutrients are released, and composting takes a long time, but it is beneficial to the formation and accumulation of humus. Therefore, the two can be combined; in the early stage of piling, aerobic conditions should dominate, so that the compost decomposes rapidly and releases nutrients, while in the middle and later stages the compost is kept in a state without air circulation, to preserve the nutrients already released and promote the accumulation of humus. The method is as follows: in the early stage of composting, ventilation can be achieved by setting up ventilation towers, ventilation trenches, or using loose piling methods. When the compost is decomposed, the pile naturally collapses, then it is pressed tight and sealed with mud, and facilities such as ventilation towers are removed, so that air circulation in the fertilizer pile is reduced. During the decomposition process of compost, the temperature inside the pile changes with the decomposition of organic matter, entering high temperature from low and medium temperature. High-temperature cellulose-decomposing bacteria require a temperature of 5060°C and are thermophilic microorganisms. When composting in winter, an appropriate amount of horse manure can be added to the compost materials, using the heat generated by the activity of the high-temperature cellulose-decomposing bacteria contained in it to raise the compost temperature, or sealing the pile surface with mud can be used to reduce heat loss and accelerate the decomposition of the compost. Microbial activity requires carbon as an energy source and nitrogen as material for building cells. The activities and reproduction of microorganisms require a certain ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N), generally less than 25:1. If the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in composting materials is greater than 25:1, microorganisms cannot reproduce in large numbers, organic residues decompose slowly, and microorganisms will absorb inorganic nitrogen from the external environment. If the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of organic matter is less than 25:1, microorganisms reproduce quickly and organic residues decompose easily. In order to accelerate microbial activity and promote compost decomposition, dilute manure or other nitrogen fertilizer can be added to the compost to adjust the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio required by microorganisms. During the decomposition process of compost, the decomposition of organic matter produces large amounts of organic acids, making the environment acidic and affecting the life activities of microorganisms. Because general microorganisms are suitable for living in neutral or slightly acidic environments, alkaline substances such as lime, plant ash, or calcareous soil should be appropriately added to the compost to adjust the pH value in the compost. There are two types: ordinary compost and high-temperature compost. The former has a low fermentation temperature, while the latter requires high-temperature fermentation. First, ordinary compost: suitable for areas or seasons with high temperature and abundant rainfall. For composting, choose a place with relatively flat terrain and close to a water source. The pile width is 2 m, the maximum height is 1.52 m, and the pile length depends on the amount of material. Before piling, first compact and level the ground, spread a layer of turf soil or peat to absorb the leachate fertilizer liquid, then evenly spread dead branches, fallen leaves, weeds, garbage, etc., and splash on human and livestock urine and dung and sewage. Each layer is about 1526cm thick, and the top of the pile is covered with a layer of fine soil or river mud to reduce water evaporation and ammonia volatilization. After piling for about 1 month, turn and break it up once, and add an appropriate amount of water. In summer, with high temperature and frequent rain, after about 2 months of composting, turn and break it up once; in winter, it takes 34 months to decompose. Second, high-temperature compost. High-temperature compost is a major method for the harmless treatment of organic matter. After high-temperature treatment, human urine and dung, tree fallen leaves, weeds, mixed dead plants, various straws, etc. can eliminate lurking pathogens, insect eggs, and weed seeds, etc. This is beneficial to environmental sanitation and human and livestock health. In order to accelerate the decomposition of weeds, leaves, etc. and increase the temperature of the fertilizer pile, high-temperature compost must be mixed with horse manure, using the thermophilic high-temperature cellulose-decomposing bacteria in horse manure to promote the decomposition of plant residues. If the high-temperature compost uses a semi-pit type, decomposition is fast and thorough, and nutrient loss is small. The method is as follows: choose a shady, high, and dry place close to a water source as the fertilizer yard. Dig a pit in the ground. If the plant materials are calculated at 0.5 tons, the pit depth is 1 m, and the excavated soil is piled around the pit to form a ring of earth ridges. Level the bottom of the pit, dig a cross-shaped trench with both depth and width of 20cm, dig upward along the edges at both ends of the trench until reaching the earth ridge, and make the outer outlet trumpet-shaped. Spread two layers of short branches vertically and horizontally at the bottom of the pit, and set several straws or branches upright at the trench at the edge of the pit as ventilation towers. Then spread plant materials and tread them firm, add a layer of fine soil, splash lime water, scatter horse manure once, and then splash human urine and dung. Then spread another layer of materials, piling layer by layer in this way until about 30cm above the pit surface, and cover the top with a layer of soil about 3cm thick, making the fertilizer pile shaped like a steamed bun. After 12 days, allow it to ventilate fully, and finally seal the top with river mud, pond mud, etc. The above two composting methods are traditional fertilizer-making methods for crop fertilizer. They are characterized by rich and comprehensive nutrient content. High-temperature compost has sterilizing and insect-killing effects. The production of commonly used potting soil and leaf mold in flower production is similar to composting. They also use plant materials such as fallen leaves and fallen flowers, pouring on dilute human urine and dung to promote the decomposition of plant residues. The difference is that leaf mold requires the addition of a considerable amount of garden soil, has a long decomposition time, and has no high-temperature fermentation process, so it cannot kill insects or sterilize, and often causes bacteria and insect eggs to lurk in the potting soil or leaf mold, causing new plants to be infected with viruses or breed pests.

(2) Application of mud fertilizer. Fertile silt in rivers, ponds, ditches, and lakes is collectively called mud fertilizer. It is formed by fine surface soil, filth, dead branches, and fallen leaves brought by wind and rain gathering at the bottom of rivers, ditches, ponds, and lakes, plus the excrement and remains of aquatic animals, as well as the residues of aquatic plants. These materials form mud fertilizer through long-term decomposition by anaerobic microorganisms. Different mud fertilizers have different fertilizer effects. If the sludge water surface is black-green and smells bad, the sludge has many honeycomb-like holes, the traces of plant stems and leaves in it cannot be clearly seen, and the fertilizer effect of the lighter-volume material is high; on the contrary, if the water surface is clear and bright, the dug-out mud blocks are grayish-white, tightly structured, and have no honeycomb-like holes, the fertilizer effect is relatively poor (see Table 15). Mud fertilizer is a cool-natured fertilizer with a long and stable fertilizer effect. In order to rapidly transform the nutrients of mud fertilizer and eliminate the reducing toxic substances produced by long-term waterlogged anaerobic conditions, it should first be spread out, dried for a period of time, and then broken up before application. When nurseries use mud fertilizer as base fertilizer, the application amount is very large. It can not only supply nutrients to seedlings, but also thicken the soil arable layer and improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Using mud fertilizer to prepare potting soil for planting flowers has good results. First spread the mud fertilizer in the open field, and after it dries slightly, cut it into mud blocks 1cm in size, mix in about 1/5 rice chaff ash, and use this soil to plant Michelia alba, jasmine, etc., resulting in lush leaves and brilliant flowers.