What are the daily management methods for winter-dormant flowers?

In winter, some flowers often go through a dormant or semi-dormant process. At this time, the plant's water content decreases, stored substances increase, metabolism weakens, and exchange of materials with the outside slows down. In response to these characteristics, which differ somewhat from the growth period, the following points should be done well:

1. Pay attention to room temperature: During the dormancy period of flowers, avoid room temperature being too high, otherwise it will affect the plant's normal dormancy, leading to excessive nutrient consumption, affecting growth and flowering the following year, and in severe cases causing death. For common flowers such as white orchid (Michelia alba), azalea, osmanthus, orange, etc., keeping the room temperature above 5°C is enough for wintering, with 8-12°C being optimal; for banana shrub (Michelia figo), Aglaia odorata, jasmine, hibiscus, etc., a room temperature of 10-15°C is suitable; for winter jasmine, oleander, Chinese rose, fig, pomegranate, conifers and cypresses, high temperatures are even less suitable, and a room temperature not lower than 0°C allows safe wintering.

2. Control water and fertilizer: For flowers that have entered dormancy, the supply of water and fertilizer must be strictly controlled. Too much watering can easily cause root rot and yellowing and falling of leaves. Therefore, except for varieties that grow and bloom in winter and spring, such as cineraria, cyclamen, calla lily, fuchsia, and epiphyllum, which can continue to be supplied with water as needed, all flowers that have entered dormancy should have watering controlled, such as banana shrub, jasmine, etc., especially shade-tolerant or fleshy-rooted varieties, such as Chinese evergreen, Monstera deliciosa, sago palm, orchid, etc., whose potting soil should be slightly drier than in summer and autumn; for others such as certain cacti, watering should be even more restrained, as long as the soil does not dry out completely. In addition, dormant flowers should be given little or no fertilizer, so as to avoid prematurely stimulating new shoots, affecting flowering the following year or suffering frost damage.

3. Shaping and pruning: For certain flowers dormant in winter, when early spring growth is about to begin, shaping can be combined with cutting off leggy branches, thin and weak branches, pest- and disease-affected branches, and overly dense branches, so as to facilitate ventilation and light penetration, concentrate nutrients, and nurture more and fuller flower buds. For some varieties, such as jasmine, the branches can be left at 20-25 cm and the rest cut off; for overly old branches, they can be cut off from the base to stimulate strong new branches. Azaleas and camellias generally do not need major pruning; merely cutting off a portion of overly dense and overly long branches in moderation is enough. 4. Prevent pollution: When potted flowers are placed indoors for too long, a lot of smoke and dust often accumulates on the leaf surface, easily polluting the leaves. In the early stage, dark brown mold spots appear on the surface of flowers and leaves, and over time they form a black soot-like layer, affecting the plant's photosynthesis, while also slowing flower growth and causing disease. Therefore, when growing flowers indoors, especially in rooms heated by coal fires, attention should be paid to preventing smoke and dust pollution, and the floating dust on the leaf surface should often be rinsed off with water close to room temperature.