How to manage flowers in April? All the care tips are here

In April, as the cold air masses moving south from the north weaken, the warm, moist air currents from the south become increasingly strong, and temperatures rise noticeably. After Qingming, although there are occasional influences of cold air moving south, they no longer pose a threat to potted flowers in most areas south of the Huaihe River; only in areas north of the Huaihe River and the Yellow River does the danger of snow and frost remain.

By Guyu, the late frost has ended in areas south of the Yangtze-Huai region, the minimum temperature does not drop below 5°C, and rainfall increases noticeably. Most potted flowers can be moved outdoors for care; while in the Huaibei region, potted flowers must not be brought out until after the late frost ends in May. In April, from south to north, the floral activities are as follows:

I. Flower propagation

1. Sowing

Flowers suitable for sowing in April include spider flower, four-o'clock, cockscomb, amaranthus tricolor, moss rose, dahlia, globe amaranth, scarlet sage, garden balsam, morning glory, cypress vine, roundleaf cypress vine, flowering tobacco, petunia, China aster, coreopsis, creeping zinnia, marigold, red-yellow chrysanthemum, zinnia, asparagus fern, Chinese primrose, nasturtium, Kochia scoparia, mapleleaf hibiscus, painted euphorbia, basil, asparagus, cosmos, ladybell, sensitive plant, and others.

Magnolia family trees and shrubs that can be sown in April after sand stratification include: white magnolia, Huangshan magnolia, Baohua magnolia, southern magnolia, Tianmu magnolia, Wudang magnolia, houpo magnolia, biloba magnolia (Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba), Oyama magnolia, mountain magnolia, Michelia, Manglietia, red-flowered manglietia, Ruyuan manglietia, big-fruited manglietia, yellow magnolia, banana shrub, many-flowered Michelia, Lechang Michelia, Yunshan white orchid, golden-leaved Michelia, Emei Michelia, Chinese tulip tree, hybrid tulip tree, North American tulip tree, and others.

Other landscaping trees and shrubs that can be sown in April include: Japanese fir, golden larch, Norfolk Island pine, golden larch, crape myrtle, redbud, silk tree, Chinese yew, pittosporum, Chinese tallow tree, Huangshan goldenrain tree, soapberry, sweetgum, maples, ormosia, wintersweet, summersweet clethra, white spiraea, Chinese wolfberry, heavenly bamboo, coral ardisia, palm, and others.

Ornamental plants that can be sown as soon as collected in April include: African daisy, asparagus fern, primrose, winter coral, Japanese fatsia, and nipplefruit. Among them, Japanese fatsia fruits that have turned black, whitish, and soft can be picked at the end of April, rubbed and washed to extract the seeds, and then sown on fertile seedbeds; the seeds can also first be sand-stored until they crack and show white, then sown, covered with grass to retain moisture. Generally after two weeks, once about 70% of the seeds have sprouted, the covering grass should be removed promptly, and a shade frame should be set up at the same time; for cultivating nipplefruit, the picked golden-yellow fruits can be peeled, the seeds washed out, soaked in warm water for 24 hours, and sown in fertile sandy soil; after 10 days the seeds will germinate and emerge, and when the seedlings grow 6 to 8 true leaves and the plant height reaches 15 cm, they can be transplanted, either potted for fruit viewing or field-planted and cultivated as special cut flower material.

2. Grafting

Flower trees that can be grafted in April include: wintersweet, dragon-claw pagoda tree, ornamental peach, longevity peach, red-flowered bristly locust, as well as cactus and Christmas cactus.

3. Division

Greenhouse foliage plants that can be divided in April include: peace lily, snake plant, cast iron plant, ferns, palm grass, spider plant, agave, silver king dieffenbachia, Chinese evergreen, Guangdong evergreen, calathea, aloe, peperomia, Swiss cheese plant, philodendron; greenhouse flowers that can be divided include: clivia, bromeliad, bird of paradise, African daisy, hosta, cattleya orchid, phaius orchid, dendrobium orchid, cymbidium, Chinese cymbidium, spring orchid, begonia; bulbous and perennial flowers that can be divided include: dahlia, caladium, canna, lily, blood lily, amaryllis, hosta, iris, blackberry lily, tuberose, reineckea, daylily, rain lily, and others. In addition, water lilies and bowl lotuses can also be cut and divided at this time.

4. Cuttage

For most easy-to-root flower trees, as long as their leaf buds have not yet sprouted, cuttage propagation can be carried out in April. The main species include: boxwood, mahonia, heavenly bamboo, cypress, podocarpus, pomegranate, crape myrtle, redbud, firethorn, spiraea, Chinese tulip tree, bridal wreath spiraea, paper bush, and flowering quince.