How to care for indoor flowers? Master these methods
With the development of society, people's longing for nature and pursuit of beauty have become stronger and stronger, and all kinds of flowers, with their vitality, beauty, warmth and romance, have become everyone's favorites. In leisure time, tending flowers and plants has become an important part of some people's lives, adding interest to life while also benefiting physical and mental health.
1 Functions of indoor green plants
Indoor plants may be grown for their flowers, foliage, fruit or stems, and all have strong ornamental value. Rare flowers and unusual plants, endlessly varied, help people understand nature and increase scientific knowledge while being enjoyed. Placing suitable plants indoors can not only beautify the environment, regulate temperature and humidity, and purify the air, but some plants placed indoors also have health benefits for the human body. Some flowers can absorb formaldehyde from the air, such as snake plant, spider plant, Aspidistra, Philodendron bipinnatifidum and orchids; some can absorb carbon dioxide from the air, such as narcissus and aloe; some can absorb chlorine from the air, such as pothos and ivy; some can absorb computer radiation, such as spider plant, cacti, dragon tree, weeping fig and sword fern; some can absorb nitrogen oxides, such as narcissus, chrysanthemum and four o'clock flower.
2 Common indoor flower varieties
2.1 Potted flowers
Potted flowers are the basic material for plant decoration in all kinds of places, easy to arrange and replace, diverse in type and form, and with a relatively long ornamental period.
2.1.1 Varieties suitable for display in bright indoor spots without direct light: sago palm, Swiss cheese plant, Aspidistra, clivia, lucky bamboo, palm, rhapis palm, Chinese fan palm, date palm, etc.
2.1.2 Varieties suitable for display in bright indoor spots with a certain amount of direct light: camellia, ti plant, citrus, hosta, Calathea, ferns, bromeliads, banana shrub, hydrangea, asparagus fern, areca palm, spider plant, etc.
2.1.3 Varieties suitable for display in indoor spots with ample sunlight for short-term enjoyment: poinsettia, croton, geranium, begonia, primrose, jasmine, Christmas cactus, orchid cactus, queen of the night, cyclamen, white magnolia, etc.
2.2 Hydroponic flowers
Hydroponic flowers use water as the medium, with the flowers planted in containers such as glass or plastic with a certain degree of transparency, and supplied with the needed inorganic nutrients for ornamental purposes; this belongs to the static hydroponic method of soilless culture with a non-solid medium. Compared with traditional soil cultivation, it has many advantages: first, you can view not only the plant's flowers, stems and leaves, but also its root system; second, flowers and fish can be kept together, which is more fun; third, growing plants in water is very clean and hygienic, with no peculiar smell; fourth, watering, fertilizing and other care procedures are very simple, suited to a lazy pace.
2.2.1 Herbaceous flowers suitable for water culture: peace lily, umbrella plant, pepperomia, anthurium, calla lily, Phalaenopsis, asparagus fern, begonia, Alocasia, clivia, etc.
2.2.2 Woody flowers suitable for water culture: Dracaena fragrans, money tree, ponytail palm, parlor palm, Dracaena deremensis, etc.
2.2.3 Climbing flowers suitable for water culture: spider plant, pothos, ivy, etc.
2.2.4 Succulent flowers suitable for water culture: snake plant, golden barrel cactus, aeonium, jade plant, Haworthia fasciata, etc.
3 Display forms of indoor flowers
3.1 Point style
The most common and ordinary display form; beside the sofa, in corners, on coffee tables and table tops, they can all be arranged in point style.
3.2 Line style
Within a certain range, arrange the flower pots in a line.
3.3 Patch style
Several pots or a dozen pots form a small patch, usually in a larger room.
3.4 Wall style
Combined with interior decoration design, locally protruding wall sections or recessed wall niches can be set in the wall to hold potted flowers or trailing plants, and brackets can also be set on the wall.
3.5 Hanging style
In a larger indoor space, choose lighter-weight shade-tolerant foliage plants, such as bird's nest fern and ivy, for hanging, but on the premise that it does not affect people's activities.
4 Placement requirements for flowers indoors
4.1 Placement requirements for different places
The living room is the main place for family members' activities and for receiving guests; greening should mainly be simple, beautiful and elegant, and flowers and plants with good ornamental value should be chosen, such as clivia and cyclamen. The bedroom is a place for rest and is somewhat warmer, so foliage plants or small flowers with light, elegant colors can be chosen, such as orange jasmine, bromeliads and golden barrel cactus. The study is a room for reading and writing, and a quiet and elegant atmosphere should be created; asparagus fern, spider plant and so on can be chosen. The kitchen is generally small in area and short of light, with more smoke and higher humidity, so clearweed and stonecrop can be chosen. The dining room is where family members and guests eat, and for the purpose of improving the dining environment, lucky bamboo and schefflera can be chosen.
4.2 Placement requirements for different plants
4.2.1 Because foliage plants have relatively good shade tolerance, they become good material for greening a home; large foliage plants can be placed beside the sofa or in the corner of the living room, such as money tree and rubber plant, but they should not be arranged in too many.
4.2.2 Flowering plants come in many varieties, such as jasmine, Chinese rose and narcissus, which can release fragrance and make the home fresh and pleasant; they can be placed on table tops, coffee tables and other places.
4.2.3 Cactaceae plants have strong drought tolerance and fewer diseases, and also absorb carbon dioxide from the air. On a sunny windowsill or in a small room with long sunlight hours, orchid cactus and similar plants can be placed.
4.2.4 Ferns are tolerant of shade and moisture, resistant to pests and diseases, evergreen all year round, and graceful in form, such as sword fern, maidenhair fern and tree fern; they can be placed on the windowsill of a shaded room, on the desk and in the bedroom.
5 Care and management of indoor flowers
5.1 Potted plants
5.1.1 Light: most indoor foliage plants like a semi-shaded environment, but they should also get proper sun every week, and should not be placed in strong light for long periods; therefore, reasonable light should be given according to each plant's characteristics so as to benefit its growth. For example, fishtail palm and rhapis palm can grow very well under indoor light, while rubber plant and succulents need to receive sufficient sunlight to grow well.
5.1.2 Temperature: the suitable growth temperature for most foliage plants is 15~30°C; below 10°C they stop growing, and the overwintering temperature should preferably be above 15°C. Foliage plants should be kept warm in winter; sago palm and snake plant in particular all like a warm environment. But indoor temperature should not be too high or too low; if too high, flowers tend to wither, and if too low, growth and development are affected.
5.1.3 Humidity: indoors, drought-loving plants should be placed in spots with strong light and good ventilation; placing them in dark places will cause leggy growth. Moisture-loving plants should be placed in relatively humid places; if the air is too dry, leaf tips will turn yellow, so watering should be frequent to keep the potting soil moist. Some potted flowers also need frequent spraying of the leaf surface to create a humid environment and meet their full water requirements, such as Alocasia.
5.1.4 Watering: different plants need different amounts of water. For Araceae plants such as Swiss cheese plant and calla lily, and most fern potted soils, water must be given promptly when the soil dries out. For trailing vines such as pothos, which have many leaves, smooth leaf surfaces and aerial roots, water demand is relatively large during the growth period, and the leaf surface should also be sprayed with water. For plants such as ponytail palm and Dracaena, which have relatively strong water retention and storage capacity and lose less water through evaporation, the amount of watering need not be too much; keeping the soil moist is enough. Some taro foliage plants have dense leaves and are relatively sensitive to water; when short of water, they tend to show poor symptoms such as leaf curling and yellow, withered leaf tips, so water demand is relatively large during the growing season. In short, the principle should be alternating dry and wet.
In addition, plants need different amounts of water in different seasons. Generally, spring and summer are the growth periods of indoor foliage plants, when more water is consumed, so water must be supplemented in appropriate amounts. Especially in summer with high temperatures and low air humidity, water should be supplemented even more. In winter, most indoor foliage plants are in the dormant period, and watering can be done once every 5~7 days. No matter the season, watering must be thorough, so that the entire root system is completely moistened; never give half-hearted watering that wets the upper layer while the lower layer stays dry, as this easily causes the upper roots to rot and the lower roots to lack water, affecting plant growth.
5.1.5 Fertilization management: for indoor ornamental plants, fertilization is mainly with liquid fertilizer and granular compound fertilizer. Foliage plants especially need nitrogen fertilizer; if nitrogen fertilizer is lacking, chlorophyll forms slowly, photosynthesis is not vigorous, and the leaf surface loses its luster; but if there is too much nitrogen fertilizer, it will cause excessive, spindly growth. For plants grown for both flowers and foliage, more phosphorus fertilizer should be applied before flowering, with thin fertilizer applied frequently. In winter, when temperatures are low and plant growth is slow, fertilization should be stopped.
5.1.6 Pest and disease control: pest and disease control should follow the principle of giving priority to prevention and combining prevention with control. The main pests are red spider mites, aphids and so on, and the main diseases are powdery mildew, rust and so on. Pay attention to ventilation and regularly check the leaf back, leaf base, leaf tip and other places; when insects are found on individual branches, gently brush them off with a soft brush, and if the infestation is too severe, move the plant outdoors and spray pesticide. Pest control should be sprayed when the nymphs are crawling; the pesticide can be 40% omethoate 1000~1500 times solution or 40% Supracide 1500 times solution, and for controlling red spider mite damage, use 25% pyridaben wettable powder 1500 times solution for spraying.
5.2 Hydroponic plants
5.2.1 Nutrient supply: use special fertilizer for hydroponic flowers as much as possible, and apply it strictly according to the instructions, strictly preventing fertilizer damage caused by applying too much or too high a concentration. According to the number of water changes, generally each water change should be accompanied by adding nutrient solution once, to replenish the nutrients lost when changing the water.
5.2.2 Changing water and washing roots: generally a water change interval of 5~7 days is suitable, depending on seasonal changes and the different conditions of the plants. In summer, plants grow vigorously, temperatures are high, and water easily deteriorates, so the water change interval should be shortened; in winter, most plants are in a dormant or semi-dormant state and temperatures are lower, so the water change interval can be longer. Overall, a shorter water change interval is beneficial to plant growth.
5.2.3 Spraying water and washing leaves: most indoor hydroponic foliage plants like relatively high air humidity, otherwise leaf tips or leaf edges are easily scorched; therefore water should be sprayed frequently to raise air humidity and strengthen plant growth.
5.2.4 Proper ventilation: strengthening ventilation keeps indoor air fresh and can also increase the oxygen content in the water, which is beneficial to the growth of hydroponic flowers.
5.2.5 Lighting and temperature: shade-loving flowers such as ferns, Orchidaceae and Araceae plants should be properly shaded; neutral flowers such as Swiss cheese plant, poinsettia and schefflera are not strict about light intensity, generally liking ample sunlight, and can also grow normally under shade. As for temperature, keeping the root system temperature of hydroponic flowers within the range of 15~30°C is best for their growth.
5.2.6 Timely pruning: for hydroponic flowers, especially some varieties with vigorous growth and relatively well-developed root systems, root pruning should be carried out when growth begins in spring; it can also be combined with water changes to prune away excess, aged and rotted roots at any time, ensuring normal growth.
5.2.7 Keeping clean: during the care of hydroponic flowers, cleanliness and hygiene must be maintained, the water must not be polluted, organic matter must not be added, and algae that grow must be removed promptly.