Management methods for several common flowers in summer
Chinese rose
In summer, potted Chinese roses are mostly in a dormant or semi-dormant state. How to break dormancy, rejuvenate and maintain them, and encourage Chinese roses to bloom continuously through summer has become the focus of summer management. To this end, the measures that should be taken are:
1. Thinning and pruning. After Chinese roses bloom, they should be cut below the third compound leaf of the faded flower to stimulate strong new shoots and early bud formation and flowering. Weak branches and short branches should be pruned first and pruned high; vigorous branches should be pruned later and pruned short, to promote the weak and restrain the strong, and strive for neat flowering. The length cut from long branches should not exceed 1/2, to prevent slow germination of axillary buds. In addition, too many flowers should not be retained in each flush, otherwise nutrients are dispersed, the flowers are small, and the next flush of flowers is affected. For potted Chinese roses, 3 to 5 flowers are appropriate.
2. Increase fertilizer and water. In summer, Chinese roses grow rapidly, and both water evaporation and nutrient consumption are high. Only by supplying sufficient nutrients and water can vigorous growth be ensured. During the flowering period, a diluted liquid of sealed and fermented soybean cake and poultry manure should be applied once every 10 days, so that the plants have abundant flowers and luxuriant leaves and the summer dormancy of Chinese roses is broken. The soil in potted Chinese roses is limited, and in high-temperature weather it easily heats up and dries out, so the number of water sprays must be increased. It is best to spray once in the morning and once in the afternoon each day to create a humid environment and promote the growth of flowers and leaves.
3. Appropriate shading. When the average temperature is 20 to 25°C, it is most favorable for the growth and flowering of Chinese roses. When the temperature exceeds 33°C, Chinese roses enter a semi-dormant state. Therefore, in summer it is best to move the potted flowers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to a ventilated place under trees or a trellis to receive scattered light, creating a suitable environment for the growth and flowering of Chinese roses.
4. Loosen the soil and remove weeds. A fine wire rake can be used to break the soil and remove weeds, loosen the potting soil, enhance aeration, and promote normal root growth.
5. Prevent disease and control insects. The high-temperature rainy season in July and August is a period of high incidence of many diseases. The place where flower pots are placed should frequently be sprayed for sterilization with 15% limewater or aqueous solutions such as carbendazim and potassium permanganate. For leaf spot disease, 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 500 to 1000 times dilution can be sprayed on the leaf surface. For powdery mildew, 600 times dilution of triadimefon or 400 times dilution of thiram can be used. Spray once a week, for 2 to 3 consecutive times. If longhorn beetle larvae are found causing damage, the branch tips should be cut off immediately. If leaf-eating pests are found, the appropriate pesticide should be sprayed immediately for control.
Alocasia (drip-guanyin)
Alocasia (drip-guanyin) is a well-known large indoor foliage plant with thick, glossy leaves. It is suitable for placement in the living room and is full of tropical flavor. When the soil water content is high, it drips water downward from the leaf tips or leaf edges, hence the name "drip-guanyin."
Alocasia is tolerant of shade and afraid of strong light. In summer, the flower pot should be placed in a ventilated place indoors without direct light, and water should often be sprayed around it and on the leaf surface to increase air humidity, lower leaf temperature, and keep the leaves clean. But watering must not be excessive, otherwise the tubers will rot. Alternating dry and wet, with no standing water, is best.
Alocasia grows rapidly in summer and has a high nutrient demand. Every 15 to 20 days, a liquid fertilizer such as decomposed soybean cake water should be applied alternately with a compound fertilizer (it likes nitrogen fertilizer); otherwise, the lower part of the stem easily becomes bare, and yellow leaves or smaller leaves appear. Applying a 2% ferrous sulfate solution about once every 20 days can make Alocasia leaves larger, thicker, and greener. When Alocasia has grown to a size suitable for home placement, spraying the whole plant with a 2% paclobutrazol solution not only makes the plant compact and delicate, but also makes the leaves thick and increases its ornamental value.
Tulip
The flowering period of tulips is from March to May each year. After tulips bloom, the new bulbs in the underground part develop rapidly, and the mother bulb serving as the planting bulb disappears. Therefore, after tulips fade, the flower stalk should be cut off immediately, and the bulb with leaves should be planted in a pot (or in the ground). When planting, base fertilizer should be added first, preferably soybean cake crumbs and bone meal, to promote the growth of the small bulbs split off. The new bulbs develop from lateral buds in the leaf axils of the fleshy scales of the mother bulb. After the terminal bud of the mother bulb forms a flower bud, the lateral buds germinate.
During the period of promoting lateral bud germination, thin fertilizer should also be applied two or three more times, while at ordinary times watering is needed to prevent drying out.
In summer, tulips enter a semi-dormant period. At this time, the small bulbs should be dug out of the pot, dried, and stored. According to the growth rule of apical dominance, the first lateral bud below the terminal flower bud develops most robustly and can become a good flowering bulb, while the lateral buds below it weaken in sequence. By September to October, the good flowering bulbs should be potted again and given base fertilizer. Those planted in the ground in winter can overwinter in the open field; potted ones should be placed outdoors in a warm, sunny place, and the potting soil should be on the dry side and avoid being wet. In this way, after the Beginning of Spring the following year, it will grow new leaves from the soil. During this period, thin fertilizer should be applied two more times, and by March or April it will bloom again.
Early small chrysanthemum
The natural flowering period of early small chrysanthemums is around National Day. Summer field management directly affects whether they can bloom on time, so it is especially important. The technical points of summer field management:
Appropriate watering. Early small chrysanthemums like moisture and fear waterlogging, so watering in summer is crucial. Too much water easily causes root rot, while lack of water affects plant growth. Therefore, watering should follow the principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet. A thorough watering can be given once every 4 to 5 days, and after watering, attention should also be paid to loosening the soil to preserve moisture. On cloudy and rainy days, water less or not at all, and in rainy weather standing water should also be drained promptly to prevent root rot from soaking too long. Watering should also be done at the right time, in the morning and evening, and watering at noon must be avoided.
Reasonable pinching. Reasonable pinching can make early small chrysanthemum plants full in shape and produce more flower buds. Pinching should begin when the chrysanthemum seedlings grow 6 leaves, and afterward pinching should be done once every time 6 leaves grow. Generally, pinching 3 to 4 times before flowering is sufficient.
Appropriate fertilizing. Summer is the peak growth season for early small chrysanthemums, so appropriate fertilizing is very necessary, but the amount of fertilizer should be determined according to the plant's growth condition. Plants growing vigorously should be given less fertilizer, while poorly growing ones should be given more. The fertilizing interval should be about 20 days, and the fertilizer applied should mainly be a compound fertilizer with the three major elements. Fertilizing should stop after flowering.
Prevent and control diseases and pests. The main diseases and pests of early small chrysanthemums include gray leaf spot, black spot, gray mold, aphids, scale insects, and cutworms. If they occur, 50% carbendazim at 500 times dilution or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 800 times dilution can be sprayed to control gray leaf spot, black spot, and gray mold; 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution can be sprayed to kill scale insects and aphids; and to control cutworms, 50% phoxim at 1500 times dilution can be poured around the plant roots, with an amount of 300 milliliters per plant, which can also be done together with watering. (Information source: Ningbo Agricultural Economy Network)