Detailed Explanation of the Key Techniques for Soilless Cultivation of Flowers and Bonsai
The historical development of flowers and bonsai in China can be described as having a long and enduring history. Over the course of these several thousand years, China's flower and bonsai culture has grown ever more thriving, and its reputation internationally is truly resounding. Of course, flowers and bonsai differ in quality and artistic value, and appreciating bonsai and caring for bonsai both require mastering certain techniques and principles in order to truly understand flowers and bonsai.
China's bonsai culture contains many categories, such as bonsai varieties, the development of bonsai, the appreciation and creation of bonsai, and so on. Below, let us gain a fairly comprehensive understanding of its soilless cultivation techniques.
The soilless cultivation technique for flowers and bonsai is a new technique in which perlite, vermiculite or other lightweight stones are placed in a flower pot (do not use residual decaying plant matter, such as sawdust, cottonseed hulls and similar organic humus, as the cultivation substrate), and then an inorganic salt nutrient solution is added to cultivate flowers. The nutrient solution contains a variety of disinfecting agents, and the substrate in the pot is also an inorganic mineral, so it does not breed insects, ants or bacteria; it also contains all the various elements needed for plant growth, which can make plants grow quickly, with sturdy plants, more flowers that are earlier, larger and fragrant, and with cold resistance and heat tolerance, and few pests and diseases. Nowadays, only soilless-cultivated flowers and bonsai can be exported and enter advanced countries; soilless-cultivated indoor plants are even more suitable for display in high-grade hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, office buildings and modern homes. Soilless-cultivated flowers and bonsai have good prospects for market sales. In addition, fresh cut flowers and vegetables grown in nutrient solution greenhouses can increase yield and quality, and can supply the market in all four seasons.
Flowers and bonsai can be converted from soil cultivation to soilless cultivation at any time. The specific operating method is as follows: Prepare the nutrient solution by diluting commercially available soilless cultivation nutrient solution with tap water according to the specified multiple.
Remove from the pot by using your fingers to push the plant root system together with the soil out through the hole at the bottom of the pot. Wash the roots by soaking the soil-bearing root system in water close to the ambient temperature, and carefully wash the soil from around the roots clean. During operation, try not to damage the roots.
Soak the roots by placing the washed roots in the prepared nutrient solution for 10 minutes to allow them to fully absorb nutrients. Potting and pouring the solution: choose a plastic pot, ceramic pot or porcelain pot of suitable size (with a saucer) and wash it clean. Place a tile piece over the hole at the bottom of the pot or plug it with plastic gauze, then put a small amount of perlite and vermiculite into the pot. Next, place the plant roots into the pot and hold them upright; then fill perlite, vermiculite and other lightweight minerals around the root system, and gently shake the flower pot so that the perlite and other materials fit closely around the root system. Immediately pour the prepared nutrient solution around the edges until liquid flows out from the hole at the bottom of the pot. To reinforce the root system, although substrates such as perlite and vermiculite are loose and breathable, they do not easily hold the plant root system firmly in place. When necessary, fragments such as quartz stone and ax-cut stone can be placed on top of the substrate around the root system to reinforce the roots and prevent lodging. For tree-stump bonsai, quartz stone and similar materials can likewise be used to help press down the roots; strange stones leaning against ancient trees add even more natural scenery.
Arrangement and spraying water: spray some clean water on the leaf surfaces of the potted plants and tidy up their appearance.
Daily management: for soilless-cultivated flowers and bonsai, the requirements for environmental conditions such as light, temperature and humidity are no different from those for soil cultivation. In ordinary management, attention should be paid to watering with tap water at the proper time. During the plant growth period, apply nutrient solution once a week, with the amount depending on the size of the plant. For flowers whose leaves grow slowly, reduce the amount as appropriate; in winter or during the plant dormancy period, apply once a month or once every half month. Indoor foliage plants can survive under weak light conditions, so the amount of nutrient solution should be reduced. The nutrient solution can also be used for foliar spraying. For soilless cultivation of flowers and bonsai, generally nutrient solutions for soilless cultivation such as "Meihua", "Jinyue" and "Xuanwu" can be used, or the "Hongmei" soilless cultivation nutrient solution, which sells well in Shanghai and other places, can be used.
If preparing it yourself, the following formula designed by the author can be used:
1. Major elements: potassium nitrate 3 grams; calcium nitrate 5 grams; magnesium sulfate 3 grams; ammonium phosphate 2 grams; potassium sulfate 1 gram; potassium dihydrogen phosphate 1 gram.
2. Trace elements: (chemical reagents should be used) disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate 100 milligrams; ferrous sulfate 75 milligrams; boric acid 30 milligrams; manganese sulfate 20 milligrams; zinc sulfate 5 milligrams; copper sulfate 1 milligram; ammonium molybdate 2 milligrams.
3. Tap water: 5000 milliliters (5 kilograms). Prepare the major elements and trace elements separately into solutions, then mix them together. The amount of trace elements used is very small and not easy to weigh, so the trace elements can be prepared at an enlarged multiple, and then an amount reduced by the same multiple can be extracted. For example, the trace elements can be weighed out at 100 times and made into a solution, and then 1% of that solution can be extracted, which is the required amount. The nutrient solution made according to the above formula is slightly acidic, with a pH value of 6.2. The nutrient solution is non-toxic, odorless, clean and hygienic, and can be stored for a long time. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor flowers and bonsai such as Monstera deliciosa, banana tree, rubber fig, Brazilian iron, palm family plants, Dieffenbachia, croton, Maranta family, ferns, African violet, Phalaenopsis, paphiopedilum, begonias, clivia, five-needle pine, Aglaia odorata, camellia, Chinese rose, fuchsia, jasmine, azalea and kumquat.