Can calla lily seeds be planted in spring?
As an elegant representative of bulbous flowers, calla lilies are popular for their unique Buddha spaths and straight flower styles. Early spring is an important node for horticulture enthusiasts to plan and plant. This article will systematically analyze the key points of spring cultivation of calla lily bulbs from both aspects of climate adaptability and practical skills. Adaptability of dominant temperature conditions for spring cultivation of calla lily bulbs When the day and night temperature stabilizes in the range of 15-22℃ (usually March-April), the dormant germ in the bulb begins to activate. At this time, the surface temperature rises to around 18℃, which not only avoids low-temperature freezing damage, but also promotes root development. Compared with autumn planting, spring cultivation can shorten the root cycle by 20 days. Suitability of light intensity The gradually increasing scattered light in spring can meet the light requirement of 4-6 hours per day during the seedling period, preventing strong light in summer from burning buds. Planting experiments in the Yangtze River Basin showed that the flowering rate of plants sown in March was 37% higher than that sown in May. The selection criteria for high-quality ball throughout the entire process of calla lily ball cultivation select plump balls with a diameter of ≥ 5 cm, and the skin should be dark brown and free from mold spots. Through the pressing test: the survival rate of the seeds with good resilience reached 92%, and only 63% of the concave seeds survived. The substrate ratio plan uses a mixed substrate of peat soil: perlite: decomposed pine needles =5:3:2, and the EC value is controlled at 0.8-1.2mS/cm. Self-mixing soil requires high-temperature steam disinfection for 30 minutes to kill soil-borne bacteria such as Fusarium. The planting depth and spacing follow the "triple rule": the planting depth is 3 times the height of the seed ball (about 8-10cm), and the plant spacing is kept at 25-30cm. After covering with soil, gently press the surface layer and pour thoroughly with root-fixing water until water comes out from the drainage hole. Key points for maintenance during the germination period of the bulb are temperature and humidity control to maintain the ambient temperature of 18-25℃ and the air humidity of 60%-70%. A transparent moisturizing mask can be used to assist and ventilate for 2 hours a day to prevent mildew. The rhythm of water and fertilizer management maintains the micro-moisture of the substrate before sprouting, and applies Huaduo No. 1 diluted 1000 times every week after leaf expansion. During the budding period, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer were applied instead, and 0.1% magnesium sulfate solution was sprayed on the leaves.
Through scientific temperature control and meticulous cultivation management, calla lily seeds planted in spring can achieve a survival rate of more than 95%. By mastering the three core skills of ball pretreatment, substrate disinfection, and depth control, you can harvest slender flower buds in early summer. It is recommended to combine local phenological characteristics and plant timely when the average daily temperature stabilizes above 15℃.