How to cultivate and manage potted foliage plants

1. Seedling raising

From germination to seedling transplanting, various cultivation and management measures carried out during this period are called seedling raising. One or two-year-old foliage plants mainly sow and propagate, and their growth and development cycle is short. If the seedlings are weak, it is difficult to rejuvenate in the later stage. Will directly affect the growth and flowering after planting. Therefore, raising seedlings is particularly important. The goal of seedling management is to cultivate strong seedlings with lush roots, strong plant types and no pests and diseases. To cultivate healthy seedlings, we need to focus on the following work.

(1) Control suitable low temperature conditions (below 15℃): Generally, the temperature required for seed germination is relatively high, mostly 15 ~ 25℃, but after emergence, if the temperature continues to be too high, it will not be conducive to seedling growth. Because when the temperature is high, the growth rate of stems and leaves is obviously faster than that of roots, which affects the development of roots and leads to the growth of seedlings in vain. Especially some biennial foliage plants need to go through a low temperature stage (vernalization stage) below 10℃ to promote flower bud differentiation, otherwise it will affect flowering.

(2) Increase the light intensity and interplant seedlings in time: After the seedlings are unearthed, the cover should be removed at any time and the crowded, thin or diseased seedlings should be pulled out to ensure that the seedlings have enough growth space and obtain good lighting and ventilation conditions, which is a necessary measure to cultivate healthy seedlings. Thinning should not be too late, but should be started after the seedlings grow real leaves, and the seedlings should be watered immediately to prevent the loose seedlings from dying during thinning.

(3) Reasonable watering: the seedlings are tender, the roots are shallow and few, and the drought resistance is weak, so the soil in the seedbed must be kept moist frequently. Water the seedling stage. Adhere to a small number of times. Water with a fine-hole watering can, and pay attention to prevent the seedlings from lodging or splashing soil on the leaves. At the same time, it is also necessary to control the amount of watering reasonably and keep the soil dry and moist. The soil is too wet. When the permeability becomes worse, the seedlings are easy to be infected with diseases, but sometimes the soil is kept dry properly, so that the seedlings can exercise moderately without water (squatting seedlings), which is beneficial to the deep growth of roots. Nursery in protected areas (greenhouses and cold beds) should strengthen the management of ventilation and humidity reduction to prevent the emergence of high seedlings.

(4) Appropriate topdressing: After the seedlings grow real leaves, combined with watering, topdressing with 1-2 times of thin water and fertilizer is very beneficial to the robust growth of seedlings. Or topdressing with 0. 1%-0.2% urea and potassium dioxygen phosphate aqueous solution, the effect of strengthening seedlings is also obvious.

(5) Disease control: The seedlings are weak in growth, poor in stress resistance and vulnerable to underground pests and germs. Special attention should be paid to strengthening management. For detailed methods, please refer to the relevant chapters on pest control.

transplant

Two-year-old foliage plants in the open field need direct seeding cultivation except for a few varieties that are not resistant to transplanting. Most of them are raised in seedbeds, 1 ~ 2 times and then planted in flower beds, flower diameters or pots for maintenance. This process is called transplantation. Through transplanting, the plant spacing is increased, the sunshine is more abundant, the air is more ventilated, the main roots are cut off, the lateral roots are promoted to grow, and developed root groups are formed, thus effectively expanding the area for obtaining nutrition and promoting the vigorous growth of seedlings. In addition, by transplanting for many times, the growth of plants can be inhibited, excessive growth can be prevented, and the flowering period can be delayed.

The transplanting time of seedlings should be determined according to the types of seedlings, growth conditions and climatic conditions. It grows quickly after emergence and can be transplanted after 2 weeks. Slow growth, transplanting after one month. Transplanting time can also be determined according to the growth height of seedlings: generally, transplanting should be carried out at a height of about 5 cm. The transplanting time can also be determined according to the number of true leaves: ground seedlings are usually transplanted when the seedlings grow 4-5 true leaves, and potted seedlings are often transplanted when the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves. Cold-tolerant flower varieties, transplanted in early spring; For foliage plants that are not hardy (biennial foliage plants), transplant them before late autumn frost, then transfer them to a cold bed for wintering, or transplant them after early spring frost. As for cuttings, they should be transplanted immediately after they take root. It is best to choose cloudy or windless evening as the specific transplanting time, because there is no direct sunlight at this time and the air humidity is high, which is beneficial to the recovery of transplanted seedlings.

The procedure of transplanting rice seedlings is: select seedlings first, and then transplant rice seedlings. Sowing should be carried out under the conditions of proper wetting and drying of seedbed soil to prevent root damage. There are two methods for transplanting seedlings: bare-root transplanting and transplanting with soil. Bare root transplantation is suitable for small seedlings and easy-to-survive varieties. Transplanting with soil is suitable for large seedlings and varieties that are difficult to survive (such as laver, violet, cinnamon, etc.). When transplanting, if the taproot is large, the soil root should be cut off to promote the growth of lateral roots. The row spacing of transplanted plants should be gradually increased according to the size of seedlings, growth rate and fertility of seedbed soil. Generally speaking, the first plant spacing is about L ~ 6 cm, and the second plant spacing is about 8 ~ 15 cm. If potted, the number of pots should be gradually increased. It should also be noted that the transplanting should not be too deep. After planting, water (root water) should be given in time, and the flowerpot should be moderately shaded or moved to the shade for a few days.

For a few species of foliage plants with straight roots, such as morning glory, corn poppy and water chestnut, it is not suitable for transplanting and needs direct seeding.

Core digging and plastic surgery

In horticulture practice, technical measures such as pruning, core removal, bud grafting and column filling are usually taken to prune and reshape plants, so as to achieve the cultivation effect of beautifying plant morphology and promoting the full display of leaf color.

1. Pruning For foliage plants, pruning includes thinning and cutting. In the growth period, thinning combined with shaping, that is, removing over-dense branches, thinning branches and pests, can improve ventilation and light transmission conditions, promote uniform distribution of branches, concentrate nutrients on flowering branches, and reduce the occurrence of pests. After flowering, it is one of the measures to prolong the flowering period to cut off the flowering branches from the 2-3 nodes at the base to promote the axillary buds at the lower part of the branches to stretch out new branches and bloom again.

2. Picking the heart, also called pinching the head, refers to picking off the terminal bud of the branch. Kerning plays an active role in the cultivation and management of foliage plants, which can effectively control the height of plants and promote the dwarfing of plants. Promote the germination of lateral branches and increase the number of flower branches; Control the flowering period, ensure that the flowering is neat and consistent, and delay the flowering period. Leaf-watching plants are generally plucked 1-3 times, starting from planting and stopping one month before bud formation. The flowers suitable for picking their hearts all year round are zinnia, safflower, Solidago japonica, calendula, trollius chinensis and begonia. However, not all foliage plant species need to be picked, such as Cuiju, Dianthus, Celosia cristata, Butterfly and Abelmoschus manihot. The main branches are mainly flowering. After coring, not only the flowering period was delayed, but also the number of flowers decreased and the flower posture changed color. So coring depends on the specific situation of foliage plants.

3. Bud wiping and bud stripping is to remove too many useless axillary buds on the upper part of branches, limit the increase of the number of branches and the germination of too many buds, and reduce nutrient consumption. Bud stripping is to remove lateral buds after bud formation, keep terminal buds and concentrate nutrition to improve flowering quality.

4. Erect a post and install it. For vine foliage plants with tall plants, easy lodging or slender branches, such as morning glory, dill and sweet pea. In order to make their posture more beautiful and resist wind and lodging, it is often necessary to support columns and install vines with appropriate shapes to show their graceful posture.

Scientific fertilization

There are 16 kinds of nutrient elements necessary to maintain the normal soil growth of foliage plants: Carbon (c), hydrogen (h), oxygen (o), nitrogen (n), phosphorus (p), potassium (k), calcium (ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (s) and iron (Fe). Among them, the first nine elements are in great demand, which is called a large number of elements; The latter seven elements are called trace elements because of their small demand. No matter whether it is macro-elements or micro-elements, once its content is insufficient or lacking, it will have a serious adverse impact on the growth and development of foliage plants.

16 among the essential elements, foliage plants can obtain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water, and other elements need to be absorbed from soil. However, the original supply of nutrients in natural soil is very limited, especially the contents of ammonia, phosphorus and potassium (also known as three elements) can not meet the needs of the growth and development of foliage plants, and must be supplemented by fertilization. The agricultural proverb says well: "crops-branches and flowers-all depend on fertilizer." Similarly, in flower cultivation, fertilization management is the key to determine the growth and development quality of foliage plants. However, fertilization must be reasonable, otherwise it will be counterproductive. For example, excessive fertilization will cause "eutrophication", resulting in excessive growth of branches and leaves, and even fertilizer damage. The so-called rational fertilization means that on the basis of understanding the characteristics of various fertilizers, according to the needs of different foliage plants and the same kind of foliage plants at different growth and development stages, nutrients are applied in a timely and appropriate manner.

1. Fertilizers commonly used by foliage plants can be divided into organic fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers (chemical fertilizers) according to their source and properties.

(1) Organic fertilizer: Also known as full-effect fertilizer, it contains various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and is rich in organic matter. Commonly used are cake fertilizer, human excrement, poultry excrement, bone meal and plant ash. Organic fertilizer is characterized by stable and lasting fertilizer effect, which can improve soil structure and is mainly used as base fertilizer. Pay attention to full fermentation and decomposition when using, and disinfect, kill insects and sterilize, otherwise it will cause fertilizer damage such as burning roots or breed pests and diseases.

(2) Inorganic fertilizer: also known as mineral fertilizer, is a chemical fertilizer synthesized by chemical methods or refined from natural ores. It is characterized by single nutrient composition, but high content and fast fertilizer efficiency. Long-term use is easy to cause soil hardening or increase acidity and alkalinity, so it should be adjusted and used, which is mainly suitable for topdressing. Commonly used are:

Nitrogen fertilizer: ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, urea, etc.

Phosphate fertilizer: superphosphate, phosphate rock powder, etc.

Potassium fertilizer, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, etc.

Compound fertilizer; Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mixed granular fertilizer

2. The main function of fertilizer:

(1) Nitrogen fertilizer: It is also called "foliar fertilizer" because it can capture the nitrogen needed by plants to synthesize chlorophyll and protein, strengthen photosynthesis and promote the vegetative growth of leaves and stems.

(2) Phosphate fertilizer: it can promote seed germination, strengthen root growth, especially promote flower bud differentiation, blossom and bear fruit early, which has a great influence on flowering quality, so it is also commonly known as "flower fertilizer".

(1) Potassium fertilizer: It can improve the intensity of photosynthesis, enhance the growth of plant stems, and has obvious lodging resistance to plants, so it is commonly called "stem fertilizer". At the same time, potassium fertilizer can also improve the stress resistance of plants, which has a good effect on improving colored leaves.

3. Fertilization management

(1) Fertilization methods: According to the nature and efficiency of fertilizers and the needs of plants, there are three main fertilization methods; Base fertilizer, topdressing and foliar fertilizer.

(1) base fertilizer; Slow-acting organic fertilizer is the main fertilizer, and a small amount of inorganic fertilizers such as calcium superphosphate and phosphate rock powder are also used to supplement the base fertilizer. Base fertilizer should be applied dry, mainly mixed with culture soil, or applied to the bottom of planting pit when transplanting. The purpose of applying base fertilizer is to improve soil fertility and soil structure.

② Topdressing: quick-acting inorganic fertilizer is the main fertilizer. Organic fertilizers such as decomposed human excrement, cake fertilizer and water are also used. Topdressing should be carried out at seedling stage, vigorous growth stage, before and after flowering and fruit-setting stage, and the principle is "a small amount for many times". Generally, the organic fertilizer is diluted by 3-5 times, and the inorganic fertilizer is diluted to about 0.2%-0.5%, and topdressing 1 time every L week. The specific time for topdressing should be sunny and the soil slightly dry, and 4 ~ 5 pm is the best. Try to avoid polluting the leaves when topdressing, and water 1 time in time the next morning after application. Top dressing should be stopped in high temperature in summer, rainy season or winter dormancy.

(8) Foliage fertilizer: also known as topdressing outside the roots, is a method of applying fertilizer by dissolving fertilizer and spraying it directly on the leaves with a spraying device. Fertilizer is absorbed by penetrating into the internal tissues of leaves through pores or cuticles on the leaves. Small dosage, quick effect, especially suitable for supplementing rhizosphere, insufficient absorption and correcting nutrient deficiency. Foliage fertilizer should be carried out in the morning and evening when the temperature is low and the humidity is high, and sprayed evenly on both sides of the leaves, so that the fertilization effect will be ideal.

(2) Requirements of foliage plants on fertilization at different growth stages:

① Seedling growth period: the demand for nitrogen fertilizer for seedlings is small, and a small amount of human manure diluted to 20% can be used for 2 ~ 3 times, and urea is not suitable. Phosphate fertilizer can promote seed germination and is often used for seed dressing. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are beneficial to the growth of roots and stems, and proper application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer at seedling stage is beneficial to strong seedlings.

(2) vigorous growth period of seedlings: the demand for nitrogen fertilizer is large, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, appropriate application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and increased fertilization.

③ Before and after flowering and at the fruiting stage: the amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced. Adding phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can promote flower bud differentiation and achieve the goal of bright flowers and big fruits.

(3) Fertilization characteristics of foliage plants:

Base fertilizer should be sufficient, and topdressing should be early. This is the basic requirement of fertilization management of herbaceous foliage flowers.

Leaf-watching plants grow in small stations from germination to flowering and fruiting, and there is no dormancy period, which requires a lot of fertilizer. Therefore, the application of base fertilizer can ensure the proper supply of nutrients in the whole life cycle of flowers. Organic fertilizer is the main base fertilizer, commonly used are manure, cake fertilizer, livestock manure, plant ash, etc. Some fertilizers (ammonium sulfate, calcium superphosphate, etc. ) sometimes used as base fertilizer, but quick-acting fertilizer (such as urea, etc.). ) try not to use it. Base fertilizer should be applied into soil with soil preparation, and cake fertilizer and superphosphate should be applied into holes or ditches before sowing to avoid loss. Because the root system of foliage plants is shallow, base fertilizer should not be applied deeply.

Topdressing should be earlier, because foliage plants have stronger fertilizer absorption ability in the early growth period. With the gradual maturity and slow growth, the ability to absorb fertilizer gradually decreases. Therefore, topdressing early can greatly improve fertilizer efficiency. So when did you start topdressing? It is best to start after the seedlings are planted and survive, and then apply it every 7- 10 days until the flowering stops. Thin and quick-acting liquid fertilizer is the best topdressing. Some foliage plants and plants with long flowering periods, such as zinnia and Catharanthus roseus. Water topdressing combined with quick-acting fertilizer at flowering stage can maintain the quality of later flowering. Leaf-watching plants with regenerative ability, such as fuchsin and Dianthus. After the first flowering, cut off the aboveground part, and then topdressing 1-2 times, topdressing is sufficient, which can promote the second flourishing growth.

In a word, foliage plants need many kinds of nutrition. Therefore, scientific fertilization management should adopt comprehensive fertilization measures, that is, the choice of fertilizers should be diversified and the fertilization methods should be diversified. In this way, the fertilizer efficiency can be exerted reasonably and the demand of foliage plants can be fully met. However, fertilizer has acid-base reaction, so it should be distinguished when mixing, otherwise it will produce chemical reaction and lose fertilizer efficiency.

Reasonable watering

Watering is a routine management work in the cultivation of foliage plants, and it is also an important link directly related to the growth of foliage plants, which cannot be simply engaged in. Because different kinds of foliage plants and their different stages of growth and development have different demands for water, timely and appropriate watering and balanced water supply are the key to good watering. The following focuses on

Watering measures for biennial herbaceous foliage plants.

1, watering method

(1) ground irrigation: water with rubber hose or plastic hose. Suitable for flower beds, flower borders and foliage plants planted in border fields.

(2) Sprinkler watering: it is a special watering method for potted foliage plants. It is an ideal tool for watering seedbeds and seedbeds to install a matching fine-hole nozzle on the watering pot. Because the water column it sprays is very small, it will not scatter the seeds and wash the seedlings down.

(3) Drip irrigation: it is an advanced irrigation method that slowly applies water into the soil of plant root layer through drip irrigation facilities. It has the advantages of water saving, labor saving, balanced water supply and no damage to soil structure, so it is worth being widely used in production.

(4) Immersion irrigation: put the flowerpot into a shallow trough or basin filled with water, and let the water penetrate into the soil from the bottom hole of the basin. However, it should be noted that the water outside the pot can only reach L/2 ~ 1/3 of the pot. When the surface of the basin soil is wet, it should be taken out immediately, and it is not advisable to soak it for a long time to prevent the seeds from floating out of the surface or sinking and burying in the loose soil layer, which will affect the seed germination rate. Immersion irrigation method is mainly used to irrigate potted seedlings,

2. Watering time Watering in the morning or afternoon in spring and autumn. In summer, it is cold in the morning and evening, and it is warm in winter around noon. The choice of watering time should be as close as possible to the soil temperature, and the temperature difference should not exceed 5℃, so as to avoid the sudden change of soil temperature caused by watering to damage the root system and affect its absorption function.

3. The number of watering, the frequency and quantity of watering mainly depend on seasonal changes, weather conditions and plant growth. In spring and autumn, plants grow rapidly and need a lot of water, but the temperature is not very high. The amount of scattered water is small, and the water should be moderate, not too much and not too little. Generally, water it once a day. In summer, the sunshine is strong, the temperature is high, and the water evaporation is large. Water in Qin Ying, once in the morning and once at night. In winter, the temperature is low. Open-field herbaceous foliage plants, with slow growth and reduced water demand, can be watered once every two to three days. However, for herbaceous foliage plants in greenhouse, it is at the peak of growth, so it is advisable to strengthen watering. When watering specifically, you need to master it flexibly according to the daily weather conditions. In case of sunny or windy weather, the water loss is faster, so the watering amount should be increased, and in case of cloudy day, the watering amount should be reduced.

Water seeds properly before and after germination, with a small amount and multiple times as the principle. When entering the seedling growth period, we should moderately reduce the amount of watering and deliberately squat the seedlings, which is beneficial to bud pregnancy and prevent the plants from growing in vain. In the vigorous growth and flowering period of seedlings, sufficient water should be poured to meet the vigorous metabolic needs of plants, but for those varieties that are easy to drop flowers and fruits, the water amount should be controlled well and should not be too much. In the seed formation period, proper watering reduction is beneficial to seed maturity.

4. The experience of watering should be timely and appropriate. In addition to the above-mentioned basic requirements on watering, people have also summed up a set of practical experience in long-term practical work. Usually, we can judge whether it is necessary to water by listening, looking at the color and touching the soil. Listening means flicking the flowerpot with your fingers. If it is dull and audible, it means that the soil is wet and does not need watering. Look at the color, that is, when the basin is dusty. Which means the soil has been

It's dry and needs watering. If the soil is dark, it means that the soil is not dry and does not need watering. Touching the soil is to knead the soil with your hands. If it is lumpy, it means that the soil is wet and does not need watering. If you pinch it with your hands, the soil will be broken and not agglomerated, indicating that the soil is dry and needs watering.

In a word, watering is a daily work of foliage plant cultivation. Must be based on the principle of not watering when wet and thoroughly watering when dry. The soil surface should be dry and wet, and it is forbidden to be dry and wet (with water in the middle) or dry and wet (with water at the bottom of the nest).