What are the common care methods for perennial flowers

Perennial flowers are perennial plants. They grow vigorously and have a long lifespan. After being planted once, they can grow for many years. In cold regions, all the aboveground stems and leaves wither, and only the underground roots remain in a dormant state to overwinter, then begin to sprout and grow again the following spring. Among common flowers, the following all belong to this category: chrysanthemum, peony, hollyhock, goldenrod, hosta, mint, balloon flower, iris, Chinese iris, daylily, etc. Those kept evergreen in greenhouses include: asparagus fern, asparagus, bird of paradise, Rohdea japonica, dwarf lilyturf, orchid, umbrella plant, coleus, etc.

Cultivation methods for peony

Peony, also known as white peony, Hang white peony, and golden peony, is a famous herbaceous flower of the genus Paeonia in the family Paeoniaceae.

When does peony bloom, how to care for peony after budding, how to grow peony flowers, how to grow peony, the difference between peony and tree peony

The difference between peony flowers and tree peony flowers

Cultivation methods for hollyhock

Hollyhock is a plant of the genus Alcea in the family Malvaceae, also known as yizhanghong, shujihua, maganhua, rongkui, wukui, weizukui, and hukui.

How to plant hollyhock? Cultivation methods for hosta

Hosta is a plant of the genus Hosta in the family Asparagaceae; it is a garden ornamental plant.

Repot or plant every spring. For pot culture, change the pot once every spring; for ground planting, divide and replant about every 3 years. After planting new plants, place them in a shaded area, and once they resume growth, normal management can begin. The potting soil is generally leaf mold, peat soil, or sandy soil.

Temperature and light

Hosta is a relatively shade-loving plant, and for open-air planting, a shaded spot without direct sunlight is best. Indoor potted plants can be placed in a bright

indoor spot for viewing, but they must not be placed in direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will develop severe sunscald. After the weather gradually turns cold in late autumn, the leaves gradually turn yellow and wither. In winter, bring them indoors and they can overwinter in a cold room at 0-5°C, then be repotted and divided again the following spring. For open-ground cultivation, a little covering can help them overwinter.

In a growing environment above 34°C, the correct measures are:

(1) Increase air convection as much as possible to facilitate transpiration and bring down the internal temperature of the plant;

(2) Mist the leaf surface 2~4 times a day: the higher the temperature, the more times correspondingly. When the temperature is lower or on cloudy and rainy days, mist less or not at all;

(3) Wet the ground around it, which is very helpful for lowering the ambient temperature around it.

In a growing environment below 0°C, the correct measures are:

(1) Move it indoors to overwinter at no less than 0°C;

(2) If it cannot be moved, it needs to be wrapped in straw or buried with soil;

(3) When the temperature drops further, consider wrapping it in plastic film, but every two days at noon when the temperature is higher, uncover the film to let it breathe.

Watering and fertilizing

During the growing season, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. During the spring sprouting period and before flowering, nitrogen fertilizer and a small amount of phosphorus fertilizer can be applied as a top dressing to promote lush leaves and abundant flowers. In regions with little rainfall during the growing season, water frequently and loosen the soil to promote growth. In winter, appropriately control watering and stop fertilizing.

Propagation methods for hosta, how to grow hosta, mint

Mint blooms from August to October and fruits from September to November. Its scent has a strong penetrating power, is cooling, and refreshes the mind. Almost all mint varieties like damp and cool places. Generally speaking, mint can also grow in a sunny, warm, and humid climate. Soil that is deep and rich in organic matter is best. It is highly tolerant of moisture but not of drought, and avoids afternoon sun. Because mint spreads very aggressively, it is often regarded as an invasive species. When grown indoors, if there is insufficient sunlight, it tends to become leggy.

Balloon flower

Balloon flower, also known as baofuhua, lingdanghua, and sengmaohua, is a plant of the genus Platycodon in the family Campanulaceae, growing in China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and eastern Siberia. Its root can be used as medicine, and the young leaves can be pickled into a salted vegetable, called "goubao" pickles in Northeast China. In the Korean Peninsula and the Yanbian region of China, balloon flower is a very famous kimchi ingredient, and the local folk song "Balloon Flower Song" describes this plant. Based on the name alone, some people may mistakenly think that balloon flower is the stem of a tangerine, but in fact it has no direct relationship with tangerines or the genus Citrus.

June to September is the peak growing season for balloon flower. In late June and July, top dressing should be applied in a timely manner according to plant growth, mainly with human and livestock manure, combined with a small amount of phosphorus fertilizer and urea. Whether direct-seeded or raised as seedlings and transplanted, watering should be done during drought. If water accumulates in the field during the rainy season, balloon flower roots rot very easily, so drainage should be emphasized. Prevent water accumulation and root rot; the flowering period of balloon flower lasts as long as 4 months, and removing flowers is also an important measure to increase yield.

Iris

Iris (scientific name: Iris tectorum), also known as roof iris (Chinese Botany Magazine), blue butterfly (Guangzhou), purple butterfly, flat bamboo flower (Shaanxi), and toad seven (Hubei), is a plant of the genus Iris in the family Iridaceae.

Chinese iris

It is a variety under the genus Iris in the family Iridaceae. It grows in wastelands, roadsides, and hillside grasslands, especially in overgrazed saline-alkali pastures.

Chinese iris has relatively strong adaptability to soil, and for cultivation, well-drained sandy loam is sufficient.

Before transplanting, remove weeds from the soil to ensure nutrients do not leach away, and ensure sufficient base fertilizer, so that Chinese iris can grow vigorously for a long time.

Daylily

Although daylily-type flowers originally mainly came from China, they have long been little improved. After the 1930s, some botanical gardens and gardening enthusiasts in the United States collected Hemerocallis plants produced in countries such as China and Japan and carried out crossbreeding. There are now more than ten thousand varieties, making them important ornamental and cut flowers, and also the category with the most varieties among flowers in the family Liliaceae.

Daylily grows robustly, has strong adaptability, and is cold-resistant. It can grow in dry, humid, and poor soil, but its growth and development will be poor, with small and few flowers. Therefore, during the growth period (from the start of growth to before flowering), if drought occurs, it should be irrigated appropriately, and if there is waterlogging from rain, drainage should be emphasized. In early spring before sprouting, plant in holes, first apply base fertilizer, cover with a thin layer of soil, then plant the roots in, with a plant spacing and row spacing of 30-40 cm. After planting, water thoroughly once. During the growing period, apply top dressing once every 2-3 weeks, and spray with Xinguo lipid film to retain fertilizer and moisture. Apply fully decomposed organic fertilizer once before winter.

When used as ground cover, it requires almost no management.

Cultivation methods for asparagus fern

Asparagus fern is a highly ornamental plant that can be placed in the living room or study. While purifying the air, it also adds a literary atmosphere. Its root is used as medicine and can treat acute bronchitis, with the function of moistening the lungs and relieving cough.

1. Potting soil: For cultivating asparagus fern, fertile sandy loam should be used. It requires warmth and humidity, is rich in leaf mold, and must have good drainage. Generally, a mix of 4 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts compost soil, and 1 part sand can be used, and the soil should be changed and fertilizer added regularly. If excessive fertilization causes "root burn," the pot needs to be turned out to remove the fertilizer, and the root ball should be rinsed with clean water, then replaced with new soil for cultivation.

2. Watering: Watering is the key point in cultivating and growing asparagus fern. Too much watering and overly wet potting soil can easily cause root rot, while too little watering can cause leaf tips to scorch and turn yellow. Therefore, during watering, it should be determined according to the weather, growth condition, and the dryness or wetness of the potting soil, following the principle of not watering when dry and watering thoroughly when watering. In hot and dry weather, spraying water on the leaf surface can increase humidity and lower temperature, while in winter, watering should be reduced.

3. Fertilizing: Asparagus fern does not like heavy fertilizer, but it also cannot lack fertilizer. Limited by the potting soil in containers, asparagus fern cultivation must supplement nutrients in a timely manner to meet growth requirements. When fertilizing asparagus fern, apply frequently and in small amounts, and do not apply concentrated fertilizer, otherwise it will cause yellow leaves. Generally, applying a thin, fully decomposed liquid fertilizer once a month is sufficient. After the plant grows and takes shape, fertilization can be appropriately controlled and reduced. During the growing season, apply a thin fertilizer containing ammonia and phosphorus 1~2 times a month to encourage lush branches and leaves; other liquid fertilizers may also be used. It should be noted that during the flowering period, do not fertilize too much; applying liquid fertilizer twice each in May~June and September~October is sufficient.

4. Light: Asparagus fern must not be exposed to the scorching sun during cultivation. In hot seasons, it should be placed in a cool and ventilated place. At the same time, during the flowering period, asparagus fern is afraid of both wind and rain, so attention should be paid to good ventilation. In good weather, it can be appropriately placed outdoors to receive sunlight. In winter, the temperature for potted asparagus fern should be kept above 5°C to avoid freezing damage.

5. Placement: Asparagus fern loves a clean and air-circulating environment. If stimulated by harmful gases such as smoke, dust, coal gas, and pesticides, the leaves will turn yellow, curl, and even die. Therefore, asparagus fern should be placed in a clean, well-ventilated environment, away from decorative materials such as marble that release mercury gas.

6. Plant pruning:

Pruning for missing cladodes: When the growth position of small cladodes on the main branch is unsatisfactory or they are missing for some reason, short pruning can be carried out at an appropriate position on the main branch to force the dormant buds there to sprout. Generally, the height of the cut is the height at which the cladodes emerge, and the position of the thorns on the branch is the position at which the cladodes emerge, while the greater the thickness of the branch, the higher the sprouting rate of the dormant buds.

Renewal pruning of the whole plant: If the branches and leaves of the whole plant grow poorly due to severe sunburn or overly dry potting soil, lack of fertilizer, or some unknown reason, the whole plant can be renewed. During renewal pruning, all cladodes can be cut off, but attention should be paid to the positions where the recurved thorns on the branches grow, because they determine whether the distribution of the retained branches is even. Pruning in the growing season generally makes it easy to sprout new branches. After pruning, watering should also be appropriately reduced, and the potting soil must absolutely not be kept overly wet, otherwise the pruning will fail.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a perennial climbing plant with clustered spindle-shaped fleshy tuberous roots underground; the leaves are not noticeably reduced; green linear cladodes replace the function of leaves. Also known as sidong, tianji, tianwendong, wanzangteng, dadangmen gen, tiandong, and mingtiandong. It is distributed in central China and the Yangtze River basin.

Bird of paradise

Light

Bird of paradise needs no less than 4 hours of direct light every day, and ideally bright light all day.

Temperature

Generally, bird of paradise growth is hindered above 40°C and suffers freezing damage below 0°C, and it grows well within the range of 18°C-30°C. It is best to ensure a nighttime temperature (13°C-18°C) and a daytime temperature (31°C-35°C).

Fertilizer and water

Ensure a sufficient and regular water supply.

Rohdea japonica

Rohdea japonica (scientific name: Rohdea japonica) is a species in the genus Rohdea. It is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant, also known as yun, qiannianyun, kaihoujian, jiujielian, dongbudiao, dongbudiaocao, tiebiandan, wumudu, baishacao, and zhanshejian. It is native to southern China and Japan, and is a very popular excellent ornamental plant with a long history of cultivation in China.

Rohdea japonica likes warmth and humidity, tolerates waterlogging and likes semi-shade, is not drought-tolerant, likes semi-shade, is not tolerant of scorching sun, has average cold resistance, and likes slightly fertile acidic soil, though neutral and slightly alkaline soil can also support growth, so only a little fertilizer is needed.

Rohdea japonica can be propagated by division or sowing. Division propagation is best carried out in spring and autumn. If sowing, sow seeds without flesh in March-April into the soil, keep the soil moist, with a suitable temperature of 20-30°C, and they can germinate after about 30 days. Rohdea japonica is easy to cultivate and has strong adaptability. With a small amount of fertilizer, attention to shading, and attention to ventilation, and ensuring the temperature of its environment in winter is above 0°C, it can grow well.

Umbrella plant

It likes a warm and slightly humid environment, needs ventilation and sunlight, and a cool environment is best. Just do not expose it to the scorching sun. One thing to note is that umbrella plant cannot stand cold. The soil should be warm and moist, a clay environment with relatively much decaying vegetation. In winter, as long as the temperature is not lower than 5°C, it is fine.

Coleus

Coleus is distributed in countries such as India, Indonesia, and Nepal, and is a warmth-loving plant. It has strong adaptability. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than 10°C. In summer, provide shade. It likes sufficient sunlight, and ample light can make the leaf color vivid.