How to cultivate baby's breath flowers
The editor provides netizens with knowledge on how to cultivate baby's breath flowers, including cultivation methods and precautions. Next, the editor will introduce the topic to everyone.
Baby's breath is one of the top ten cut flowers in the world. Due to its high ornamental value and frequent use as a floral arrangement material, it is loved by many flower enthusiasts. Moreover, cultivating baby's breath is relatively simple and is very suitable for home decoration. Now, I will share the cultivation methods and precautions for baby's breath with everyone.
Cultivation methods for baby's breath
1. Soil
Baby's breath does not have high requirements for soil, but it grows best in well-drained, fertile, and loose loamy soil. Generally, slightly alkaline calcareous soil or silty loam soil is sufficient.
2. Light
The cultivation of baby's breath does not require strict lighting. It only needs to be placed on the balcony or windowsill to receive 2-4 hours of sunlight when sunlight is not strong. However, it is important to note that in the summer, when sunlight is intense, baby's breath should be moved to a shady place to avoid leaf sunburn and yellowing.
3. Temperature
Baby's breath grows best at a daytime temperature of 25°C. If the temperature exceeds 30°C for too long, it can increase the probability of malformed flowers. The optimal nighttime temperature is between 10-15°C. If it drops below 10°C, combined with short autumn and winter days, it can lead to a dormant or clustering state.
4. Watering and Fertilizing
Managing fertilizer and water is an important factor in cultivating baby's breath well. Baby's breath prefers fertilizer but dislikes excessive water. It is best to fertilize regularly, using a compound fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the growing period, and more phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizers as the flowering period approaches. Baby's breath requires a higher water demand during the growing period, and it is necessary to provide ample water before and after flowering to ensure the flower buds have enough water and nutrients to open.
5. Pruning and Pinching
Baby's breath generally grows well with sufficient sunlight, so it is necessary to prune the branches. Note that baby's breath will start to sprout lateral buds about 30 days after planting. It is important to pinch the top growth, leaving only 3-4 pairs of leaves at the bottom, to promote the growth of lateral branches. Generally, 6-8 lateral branches are retained per plant.
Precautions for cultivating baby's breath
1. Baby's breath loves fertilizer. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting and regularly apply top dressing after planting, starting with nitrogen fertilizer and gradually increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
2. When the plant reaches 30 centimeters tall, it is important to control the water supply, especially during the bud formation period. The flowering period should also be kept on the dry side.
3. Baby's breath prefers to grow in warm, sunny conditions. However, too much intense sunlight and high temperatures are not suitable for its growth, so the sunlight should not be too strong.
4. Baby's breath seedlings are prone to death when repotting. When transplanting, it is important to do so with soil attached and to be careful not to wash the seedlings away when watering. Alternatively, the "pot-off" watering method can be used to supplement water.
5. During winter cultivation, it is necessary to supplement sunlight for baby's breath. We not only need to maintain the necessary daylight for baby's breath but also provide supplementary lighting at night. Additionally, we need to keep baby's breath warm when temperatures are low in winter.
6. Baby's breath does not often show signs of diseases or pests, but occasionally there may be aphids or snails. In such cases, diluted peppermint oil or neutral laundry detergent can be sprayed to kill the aphids. For snails, a snail-killing granular agent can be sprayed on the potting soil.
The information provided above about how to cultivate baby's breath flowers and the related cultivation methods and precautions may help you in your daily life!