How to care for indoor flowers in early winter? These care points you need to master

With the arrival of winter, temperatures gradually drop, sunshine hours shorten and intensity weakens, and the growth and development of all kinds of flowers undergo major changes. Particular attention must be paid to the characteristics of each when caring for and managing potted flowers.

1. Moving indoors should be timely. The time for moving potted flowers indoors differs from one flower to another. Warm-loving flowers and plants such as Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), begonia (Begonia), cyclamen (Cyclamen), jasmine (Jasminum) and split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) should be moved indoors when the temperature is 10°C; spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), Aspidistra elatior, Schefflera arboricola and rubber plant (Ficus elastica) should also be moved indoors when the temperature drops to 5°C. The vast majority of flowers are best moved indoors before Frost's Descent. Potted flowers indoors need ventilation; when the temperature is higher at noon, doors and windows can be opened to ventilate and dissipate heat.

2. Water and fertilizer should be appropriate. From the middle and late part of the month, watering should be controlled and fertilizing stopped, so as to avoid root rot from too much water and leggy branches and leaves from too much fertilizer, which would affect overwintering. If the potting soil is not too dry, do not water or water only lightly; especially for shade-tolerant flowers and potted flowers placed in darker, low-temperature indoor spots, frequent watering and excessive water amounts are strictly forbidden, and no standing water may remain in the saucer. Some flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cyclamen, clivia (Clivia miniata), Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) and rhododendron (Rhododendron), have passed dormancy and begun to enter their peak growing season, so from autumn until they bloom at the Spring Festival, fertilizer and water should be supplied continuously, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be appropriately increased to favor flower bud formation and budding and blooming. When watering, simply spray the leaf surface with a spray bottle and loosen the soil in time to keep the potting soil loose.

3. Prune reasonably. Aside from flowers that bloom in early spring, most flowers can be pruned and shaped in autumn and winter, with pruning done in late autumn and early winter; this reduces nutrient consumption by the plant in winter, promotes vigorous potted flowers, and results in more blooms the following year. When pruning, remove diseased branches, dead branches, overly dense branches and leggy branches, and clear away diseased and dead leaves, laying a good foundation for potted flowers to overwinter.

4. Pest and disease control should be thorough. Autumn and winter are still seasons with a high incidence of pests and diseases, and plants are easily harmed by pests such as scale insects, red spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. Diseases include leaf spot and rot of branches and trunks. Before potted flowers are moved indoors, these pests and diseases must be thoroughly treated, and they must never be allowed indoors to cause harm. For those with no pests or diseases found, chemicals can be sprayed for prevention. Generally, 50% carbendazim 800-fold solution plus 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1500-fold solution, or 50% Tuzet wettable powder 600-fold solution plus 40% isocarbophos 1000-fold solution and similar agents can be chosen for control.

5. Ensure sufficient sunlight. Some light-loving woody flowers that bloom in summer, such as jasmine, Chinese hibiscus and orange jessamine (Murraya paniculata), should be placed in a sunny spot so the plants receive full light and the leaves can carry out photosynthesis better; they should be placed on a south-facing balcony or under a window to promote the ripening of current-year branches, help them overwinter safely, and ensure they remain full of flowers and lush leaves the following year. Potted flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as rhododendron, clivia, cyclamen and poinsettia, should also be placed in a sunny spot to receive sunlight; otherwise flowering is delayed or they may not bloom at all. Generally, foliage plants are more shade-tolerant and can be given some light, placed in a sheltered spot for 2-3 hours at noon on clear days, 1-2 times per week.