How to propagate night-blooming cereus
Here is detailed information about how to propagate night-blooming cereus and the best timing and methods for doing so.
The night-blooming cereus flowers at night with a strong fragrance, hence the name. Its strong scent also repels mosquitoes, making it a favorite among flower enthusiasts. How to grow it? We can manage it through cutting, temperature and light, watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Specific methods are as follows:
Propagation by cutting
1. Night-blooming cereus can be propagated in spring or autumn. Choose semi-woody, sturdy branches as cuttings, then cut them into segments of 10-15 cm, leaving the top two leaves and removing the rest for easier propagation.
2. Place a mixture of decomposed leaf soil, garden soil, and sand in the flowerpot. Then, use chopsticks to make a few small holes, 2-3 cm deep, and insert the prepared night-blooming cereus cuttings into them. After covering the cuttings with soil and watering thoroughly, place the pot in a shaded area. It's important to frequently spray water on the branches, keeping the soil slightly moist but not waterlogged. Under normal conditions, roots will form in 20-30 days, after which you can proceed with regular care.
Adequate light and warm environment
The night-blooming cereus prefers plenty of sunlight and a well-ventilated environment, as it is native to South America and the southern regions of China. It is not cold-resistant and fears frost. Therefore, when temperatures drop with the arrival of frost, it should be moved indoors for care. The winter temperature should be between 7-15°C for the night-blooming cereus to overwinter successfully.
Watering
Water the night-blooming cereus when the young leaves start to droop slightly, but avoid waterlogging. It is especially important to manage rain protection during the rainy season. In winter, growth is slow, so watering should be controlled.
Fertilizing
When repotting the night-blooming cereus each year, add decomposed organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer. During the growing period, apply a thin and frequent application of liquid fertilizer every 15-20 days. When growth is slow in winter and spring, fertilization should be controlled.
Pruning
The night-blooming cereus grows quickly, so it needs to be pruned after a period of growth to encourage more new branches and flowers. Every winter, prune away the diseased, spindly, and dense branches to improve ventilation and overall growth.
Conclusion
The method of growing night-blooming cereus is simple. With adequate sunlight, a warm environment, watering when the soil is dry, applying thin and frequent fertilizer, and reasonable pruning, it can grow well and bloom profusely.
The above is a specific introduction to how to propagate night-blooming cereus, the best timing, and methods. I hope it brings some knowledge of flowers to green plant enthusiasts.