How to cultivate baby's breath flowers
The editor will discuss how to cultivate baby's breath flowers and provide a detailed explanation of the maintenance points for this plant. Next, the editor will introduce the topic to netizens.
Baby's breath is one of the top ten cut flowers in the world, loved by many gardening enthusiasts for its high ornamental value and frequent use as a flower arrangement material. Cultivating baby's breath is also relatively simple and 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 lime soil or gritty loamy soil is sufficient.
2. Light
Baby's breath does not require strict sunlight; it only needs to be placed on a balcony or windowsill for 2-4 hours of daylight when sunlight is not strong. However, it is important to note that during the summer, when sunlight is intense, baby's breath should be moved to a shaded area to avoid sunburn and yellowing of the leaves.
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 likelihood of deformed flowers. The optimal night temperature is 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
Proper fertilization and watering are important factors in growing healthy baby's breath. Baby's breath prefers fertilizer but dislikes too much water. It is best to fertilize regularly, using compound fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the growing season, and more phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizer as the flowering period approaches. Baby's breath requires more water during the growing period, and it is important to provide ample water before and after flowering to ensure the buds have enough water and nutrients to open.
5. Pruning and Pinching
Baby's breath grows well with sufficient sunlight, so it is necessary to prune the branches. Note that about 30 days after planting, side buds will start to grow, and it is important to pinch the tips, leaving only the lower 3-4 pairs of leaves to encourage side branch growth. Generally, 6-8 side branches are retained per plant.
Precautions for cultivating baby's breath
1. Baby's breath loves fertilizer. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting and regular top dressing after planting, mainly using nitrogen fertilizer and gradually increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
2. When the plant grows to 30 centimeters, it is important to control the water, especially during the bud formation stage. The flowering period should also be kept on the drier side.
3. Baby's breath prefers a warm and sunny environment, but too strong sunlight and high temperatures are not suitable for its growth. Therefore, the exposure to sunlight should not be too intense.
4. Baby's breath seedlings are prone to death when repotting. When transplanting, it is important to keep the soil around the roots and avoid washing the seedlings away after watering. Alternatively, the method of watering without repotting can be used to supplement water.
5. During the winter, it is necessary to supplement sunlight for baby's breath. We need to maintain the necessary daylight for the plant during the day and provide additional lighting at night. Also, during cold temperatures in winter, it is important to keep the plant warm.
6. Baby's breath does not often have pest or disease problems, but occasionally there may be aphids or snails. In such cases, dilute eucalyptus oil or neutral laundry detergent can be sprayed to kill aphids. For snails, a snail-killing granule can be sprayed on the potting soil.
The above is a comprehensive explanation of how to cultivate baby's breath flowers and detailed maintenance points. I hope it can serve as a starting point to solve your problems with green plants.