How to fertilize flowers? Master scientific fertilization techniques

Nowadays, more and more friends are growing all kinds of flowers, and during the process of growing flowers, it is also necessary to fertilize them appropriately to promote better growth. Below, I will introduce the fertilization techniques for flowers.

Fertilizing flowers is fairly complex. The general principles to follow are: the amount of fertilizer should be small but applied frequently; inorganic chemical fertilizers must not be broadcast or come into contact with the base of the stem; organic fertilizers must be composted and decomposed before use; in summer, when temperatures are high and humidity is high and plants are growing vigorously, more fertilizer should be applied; in winter, when temperatures are low and light is weak and plants grow slowly, less should be applied; after heavy rain, or when leaves are yellow-green and dull due to fertilizer deficiency, fertilizer should be applied promptly, and so on. Below, I will introduce the fertilization techniques for flowers.

1. Base fertilizer for flowers: For large-scale field-planted flowers or nutrient seedling beds, decomposed organic fertilizer is mostly used. The base fertilizer application rate is 1500-3000 jin per mu. If cake fertilizer, bone meal, dried livestock manure, etc. are used instead, the rate is 100-200 jin per mu, or 20-40 jin per mu of biological fertilizer can be applied at the same time, evenly turned into the soil during land preparation, and planting can be done several days later. Nutrient seedling beds mostly use highly adsorbent media such as peat. Add an appropriate amount of nutrient elements before planting seedlings, let them fully adsorb, and then plant; 0.001-1 ppm of the trace elements manganese, iron, zinc, boron, copper, and molybdenum can also be added at the same time.

2. Topdressing for potted flowers: Because the medium capacity in pots is limited, potted flowers need to be supplied with various nutrients at any time. For seedlings that have turned green and produced new leaves, topdressing should begin. The amount of topdressing depends on the size of the pot. Apply 40-60 granules of compound fertilizer per pot each time (imported compound fertilizer); for seedlings that are already growing robustly, apply 100-120 granules per pot each time, twice a month, plus 5-8 sprayings of formulated liquid fertilizer; if there is heavy rain, an additional topdressing should also be applied. Topdressing should be applied around the edge of the pot, as far from the stem base as possible, and especially fertilizer granules must not fall into the center of whorled leaves (such as Dracaena species, Bromeliad species, etc.). If flowering needs to be forced, spraying 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be added to speed up flower bud development and make it more robust, generally spraying once every 3-5 days.

Topdressing methods for different types of potted flowers:

(1) Topdressing for bulbous and succulent flowers: Because bulbs and succulent stems can store nutrients and the root system is relatively small, the topdressing amount can be half the normal amount. Since they have relatively high requirements for nitrogen, potassium, and calcium, when using formulated liquid fertilizer, potassium nitrate and calcium nitrate are often used as the main components.

(2) Topdressing for fibrous-root flowers: These flowers need to be planted in loose media, such as Rhododendron hybridum and ornamental bromeliads. Topdressing requires small amounts applied frequently, with the topdressing amount being 1/5-1/4 of the normal amount, that is, applying 15-30 granules of compound fertilizer per pot each time.

(3) Topdressing for large-leaved shade-loving foliage flowers: These flowers grow rapidly and have well-developed root systems, so they need a large amount of fertilizer, such as Rohdea japonica in the Araceae family. In addition to the normal amount applied twice a month, with 100-120 granules of compound fertilizer each time, also spray formulated liquid fertilizer 5-8 times.

(4) Topdressing for bonsai: The characteristic of bonsai fertilization is that the amount should be small and the fertilizer effect should last long. Generally, slow-release organic fertilizers such as bone meal and cake fertilizer are used as the main body, mixed with slowly released urea-formaldehyde, phosphate rock powder, etc. and a small amount of fertilizer. If no ready-made special bonsai fertilizer is available, commercially sold flower fertilizer can be rolled in olive oil or wrapped with plastic film and treated with liquid to achieve sustained, long-lasting effects; the fertilizer can then be shallowly buried under the substrate at the edge of the pot. For large-scale bonsai production, the formulated liquid fertilizer spraying method can be used, spraying once every 3-5 days, with an interval of water spraying to wash out salts.