Does lucky grass prefer shade or sun, and what are the care methods and precautions?
Today I introduce an ornamental plant that can be easily found all around rural areas. Its name is "lucky grass" (Reineckea carnea). It not only has tenacious vitality, but also has significant medicinal value. You can chop it up and stew it with pig lungs, or steam it with honey and eat it. It is especially suitable for children to eat and has a good preventive effect on colds, fever, cough, sore throat, and so on.
As an ornamental plant, lucky grass has beautiful fruit, and its flower language also carries very good meaning, symbolizing happiness, good fortune, harmony, and celebrations arriving at the door. It is native to southwestern China, mostly distributed in areas south of the Yangtze River, and is most commonly seen in various parts of the southwest. For care, it can grow well at a growth temperature of 18 to 30 degrees Celsius, and it is cold-tolerant. In northern winters, it needs protection and a warming mat outdoors to prevent cold and survive the winter. It likes light, and maintaining sufficient sunlight can make it energetic, but when extreme temperatures reach above 30 degrees Celsius, shade umbrellas should be added in time, otherwise direct strong light can easily scorch the leaves.
For watering, the principle for lucky grass is to water when dry and let it dry between waterings, and keeping the soil moist is best, avoiding excessive drought in daily care. Beginner flower growers are advised to touch the potting soil with their hands. If it is too wet, do not water, because this can easily cause root rot. It is recommended to water once every two days, and after each watering, touch the soil with your hands to check its condition, and do not let it become too dry or too wet. At the same time, in relatively dry environments, a sprayer can be used to spray water on the leaves to increase air humidity.
As for soil, generally when bought at a flower shop, the owner will have prepared the soil. If individual farmers display it for sale themselves, then you need to mix suitable soil yourself. The recommended soil choice is to prepare potting soil with 2 parts leaf mold, and 1 part each of garden soil and sand.
In terms of fertilizer, which is indispensable for daily flower growing, during the flowering period of lucky grass (August to June), fertilizer needs to be given regularly. At this time, compound fertilizer or diluted liquid fertilizer is recommended, applied once every half a month to about 20 days, which can promote growth and flowering. In addition, fertilization should be paused when temperatures exceed the suitable range for growth.