How to cultivate Yunnan flowers indoors
Regarding the experience of caring for Yunnan flowers indoors and detailed instructions on the correct home care methods for green plants, the following article will introduce these aspects.
Yunnan flowers, also known as Epiphyllum, belong to the Cactaceae family and are native to countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua in South America. The flowers of Yunnan are pure and beautiful, but the entire blooming process lasts only four hours, giving rise to the saying "Yunnan flowers appear for a moment." Yunnan flowers have a very high ornamental value and are known as the beauty under the moon. Let's introduce how to care for Yunnan flowers at home.
1. Soil
Yunnan flowers thrive in loose, breathable, well-draining, and slightly acidic soil rich in humus. It's best to use sandy soil and avoid heavy, clayey soil. Normally, you can mix decomposed leaf soil, garden soil, and sand in a 2:2:1 ratio.
2. Watering
Yunnan flowers enjoy moisture but dislike waterlogging. From early autumn to early spring, when the temperature is relatively low, the plants are in a dormant state and should be strictly watered. As the temperature warms up in late spring and the plants start growing, increase watering to keep the soil moist. During the vigorous growth period, sprinkle water around the potted plant to increase humidity.
3. Fertilizing
Yunnan flowers are fond of fertilizer. When potting, add some decomposed organic fertilizer and mix a small amount of bone meal and superphosphate with the soil. During the spring growing period, top-dress with a solution of ferrous sulfate, and use a solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate during the budding period. After flowering, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizer every 20 days until the plant enters the dormant period.
4. Temperature
Yunnan flowers prefer warm temperatures, with the most suitable growing environment between 16-24 degrees Celsius. In winter, it's best to keep the temperature above 10 degrees. If the temperature drops below 5 degrees, the plant will stop growing and may even suffer frost damage.
5. Light
Although Yunnan flowers bloom at night, they require sufficient light during their blooming period to promote photosynthesis.
6. Repotting
Repot the potted plant regularly, once every 1-2 years. Repotting can be done in spring or at the end of summer and early autumn. Keep the potting soil dry before repotting, then remove the plant from the pot. After removing the pot, clean the soil attached to the roots and trim any old, weak, or diseased roots before replanting in a new pot.
7. Support
For potted plants over three years old, it's important to tie and secure them to prevent toppling over.
8. Controlling Bloom Time
Since Yunnan flowers bloom in the evening, if you want to enjoy "Yunnan flowers appearing for a moment" during the day, you can adjust the plant's schedule by completely shading it during the day when the flower buds are swelling and ready to bloom. Then, use artificial light at night to make the plant "reverse day and night," so it will bloom during the day.
The above are suggestions and methods for cultivating Yunnan flowers indoors and detailed instructions on the correct home care methods.