Cultivation methods of Camellia
The website introduces knowledge about the woody flower Camellia, including its cultivation methods. The site editor will introduce the cultivation methods to netizens.
Camellia has a variety of flower colors, a long blooming period, magnificent and elegant colors, a graceful tree shape, branches mostly extending horizontally, a full posture, and a large number of flowers, making it very suitable for potted plant appreciation. The key points to grow Camellia well are:
One, the potting soil should be suitable
Potted Camellia should choose a loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic potting soil. In the north, it is advisable to use decomposed leaf soil or peat soil as the main ingredients for the potting soil. The best pot for planting Camellia is a clay pot, which is beneficial for breathability and water absorption. New pots should be soaked in water for 24 hours to reduce heat before use; old pots must be cleaned with water and sterilized before use to prevent diseases and pests.
Young Camellia seedlings should use small pots, and as the plant grows, gradually replace them with slightly larger pots, keeping the size of the pot proportional to the plant. The potting soil should be loose and fertile mountain soil or sandy loam, while clay soil and alkaline soil are not suitable, and lime soil should be avoided at all costs. The bottom of the pot should have a clear hole, and first lay a layer of coarse sand or coarse slag particles to facilitate drainage and ventilation.
The best time for planting is early spring, February to March. After planting, water thoroughly, place in a semi-shaded, wind-protected, warm area to acclimate for 1-2 weeks, and then it can resume growth and normal maintenance can be carried out.
Two, fertilization should be light
Fertilization should aim to be light and fully decomposed. Fresh or concentrated fertilizer will burn the roots. Especially for one or two-year-old seedlings, the roots are tender and weak, and should not be fertilized with concentrated fertilizer. Generally, apply a dilute nitrogen fertilizer once in February to March to promote the growth of branches and leaves, a dilute cake fertilizer water once between April and May to benefit flower bud differentiation, and a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once between September and October to enhance flower size and color.
To maintain the appropriate acidity of the potting soil, you can apply sulfate fertilizer water or water soaked with green grass when fertilizing. For newly planted Camellia seedlings, avoid fertilizing at the beginning. Early fertilization can easily cause the death of young seedlings, as the change in growing environment, root damage during digging, and injury during mailing require a longer period to adapt to the new environment and recover. If young roots are just beginning to grow and continuous fertilization is applied, it will certainly kill the seedlings.
Therefore, no root fertilizer should be applied for the first two to three months after planting. When leaves and roots start to grow, spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution and a very small amount of urea nitrogen fertilizer on the leaves to accelerate the vigorous growth of Camellia seedlings. Spray once every 7-10 days for 1-2 months to promote root growth until new branches and leaves appear and basically harden, at which point root fertilizer can be applied. However, do not apply concentrated fertilizer at the beginning, but apply light fertilizer frequently, once every half month, to promote strong roots and leaves, and rapid growth.
Three, watering should be proper
Proper watering is the key to the survival of newly planted Camellia. Especially for mailed seedlings, watering must be careful to balance the water supply to the above-ground stems and leaves with the root system. Mailed seedlings suffer severe root, branch, and leaf damage due to digging and prolonged mailing, resulting in poor revival ability and poor root water absorption. Excessive watering can lead to root hypoxia, impaired respiration, and root death. After the first thorough watering, do not water if the potting soil is not too dry. Spray water on the plant and pot surface 2-3 times a day to keep the potting soil slightly moist. This ensures the leaves are not short of water and the potting soil is not too wet until the Camellia seedlings start to sprout, unfold new leaves, indicating that they have survived, and then normal watering can be carried out.
Watering should keep the potting soil moist but not too wet. Water thoroughly when watering and avoid watering halfway up the pot.
Four, shading should be appropriate
Camellia prefers a shady and humid environment, with a semi-shaded environment being the most suitable. From April to September every year, it should be cared for under a greenhouse. Strong sunlight in the summer can burn the leaves and buds, causing leaf curling, scorching, and falling off. Even in autumn and winter, excessive sunlight is not beneficial to its growth and development.
Camellia enjoys abundant sunlight in spring and should be exposed to full sunlight. Since newly planted Camellia cannot withstand cold wind and sunlight in early spring, it should be placed in a wind-protected, warm, semi-shaded outdoor area; if it is cold outdoors, it should be placed in an indoor area with scattered light. As the temperature rises, the pot can be gradually moved outdoors. With the continued rise in temperature, the pot can be placed on the north window sill of the south-facing house or the north-facing balcony, only receiving morning and evening sun, avoiding direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
In the summer, it should be placed under a canopy or in the courtyard. If such equipment is not available, a sparse reed canopy can be used to shade it from the intense midday sun to prevent leaf burn and disease occurrence.
Five, prevent and control diseases and pests
Camellia has fewer diseases and pests. The main diseases include gray spot disease, sooty mold, and (T-J) disease. Early prevention and treatment are necessary. Once the disease occurs, spray with a 300-fold dilution of Bordeaux mixture. If there are pests such as scale insects or red spiders, they can be removed by hand or sprayed with a solution of soaked tobacco leaves mixed with chili water, which is also very effective. Generally, avoid using pesticides to prevent environmental pollution.
The above is the specific content of the cultivation methods of Camellia, for everyone's reference and operation.