What to do if the leaves of the Cineraria wilt
Abstract: This article provides tips on how to deal with the problem of wilting leaves in Cineraria and shares some experiences on the cultivation and care of this green plant. Let's find out more.
Cineraria, also known as Perennial Sunflower or Snake's Eye Daisy, belongs to the Compositae family, Cineraria genus, and is a perennial herbaceous plant usually cultivated as an annual or biennial. Cineraria prefers a warm, humid, ventilated, and cool environment, is not heat-tolerant, and is afraid of drought and waterlogging. It thrives in fertile, well-draining, loose soil. The flowering period is from December to the following April, with the peak bloom period in February and March. It is one of the important ornamental potted plants for the New Year and the Spring Festival.
Cineraria is usually propagated by sowing, and it generally takes 6 months from sowing to flowering. From flowering to seed collection (April to May) requires another 4 months. Different sowing times result in different flowering periods. Therefore, the sowing time can be chosen based on the target flowering period. For example, to see flowers during the New Year, sow in July; for the Spring Festival, sow in August; for Labor Day, sow in October. Early sowing results in larger plants and bigger flowers, while late sowing results in smaller plants and smaller flowers.
The sowing soil is usually made by mixing fine sand, garden soil, and humus, then sieved and treated with carbendazim powder for disinfection. When sowing, fill the pot with soil, wet the soil thoroughly with water, evenly spread the seeds, cover them with a thin layer of fine sand soil (the thickness is usually 1.5 times the size of the seeds), then cover with glass and place in a well-ventilated, shaded area for care. Seeds will start to germinate after 5 days, and the seedlings should be out in about 10 days. At this point, the glass can be removed, and the seedlings can be exposed to oblique sunlight in the morning and evening to strengthen them. Be careful of high temperatures, as seedlings are prone to damping off disease.
When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, transplant them carefully with a thin bamboo strip from the root, into prepared pots with a spacing of 2cm×3cm. Be careful not to get soil on the leaves to prevent rot. Then shade the area. After the seedlings have established, apply a thin layer of fertilizer. A month later, when the true leaves reach 4-5, they can be potted. Use a trowel to dig out the plants and directly plant them in 5-inch pots (which should be pre-fertilized), and place them under a shaded greenhouse for care. After the seedlings have adapted, gradually increase sunlight exposure and enter normal management.
What to do if the leaves of the Cineraria wilt
The optimal growing temperature for Cineraria is between 15°C and 20°C. High temperatures can cause etiolation, while low temperatures slow down growth. When the weather is cool, it is necessary to move the plants into a greenhouse for protective cultivation. The daytime temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at around 18°C, and the nighttime temperature at around 10°C. To ensure strong seedlings, fertilize twice a week, taking care not to get fertilizer on the leaves. When the indoor temperature exceeds 20°C, the leaves may become soft and droop, at which point you can open the windows for ventilation or sprinkle water on the leaves to cool them down. Avoid placing the pots too close together to prevent excessive growth. Generally, rotate the pots every two weeks to prevent plant deformation, which can affect flowering and ornamental value. Additionally, water only when necessary to promote sturdy seedlings.
Cineraria is prone to aphid infestations, which are favored by high temperatures, high humidity, and poor ventilation. To prevent aphids, the following measures should be taken: (1) Open the windows for ventilation whenever the temperature exceeds 20°C (usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.); (2) Do not water excessively; (3) Mix some furadan into the potting soil, which should prevent pests for about three months. Aphids are most likely to appear at the top of the plant and under the flower buds, where they can be difficult to detect at first. When an infestation is detected, use "Great Contribution" (a pesticide) for spraying, stem painting, and root watering, which is effective. This pesticide is odorless, has low toxicity to humans, does not pollute the air, is easy to use, saves labor and time, and does not harm the seedlings. (Available at most agricultural supply stores.) For seedlings, choose strong, short, thick-stemmed plants with abundant and bright flowers. Keep 3-5 pots of each variety, with more for those with especially nice colors and fewer or none for those with dull colors. To maintain the purity of the varieties, keep each color separately to avoid mix-ups. In early spring, when there are few pollinators due to the cold weather, hand pollination is necessary. Use a separate brush for each color, and pollinate between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily, twice in sunny weather (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), and once in rainy weather at noon. After the seeds mature, cut the flowers with petals, dry them in the sun, remove impurities like the flower receptacle, and store them in paper or cloth bags in a well-ventilated area for sowing. Note that the longer Cineraria seeds are stored, the lower their germination rate becomes.
From years of cultivation practice, I have found two characteristics of Cineraria: (1) It is slightly cold-tolerant; (2) It can bloom twice.
In the past two years, we placed more than a hundred extra pots of Cineraria in a glass house without heating. In the cold winter, especially before the Spring Festival in 2000 (January), it snowed heavily for three consecutive times, lasting for over half a month. When the outdoor temperature dropped to -10°C to -8°C, the indoor temperature at night also dropped to -3°C to -5°C. The leaves froze and became brittle, breaking easily when touched. Despite such low temperatures for several days, the leaves were able to grow again when the weather warmed up, except for the middle flower buds that gradually withered. Many new flower buds grew around them, and they bloomed beautifully.
Therefore, I believe that the leaves of Cineraria are not afraid of frost, but the flowers are. Short periods of low temperatures do not significantly affect it.
After the mature seeds are harvested from the mother plant, the old stems without seeds can be cut off 10cm to 15cm from the base and continue to be watered and fertilized as usual. New buds and flower buds will soon appear from the roots or branches, and new flowers will bloom even before all the seeds are harvested, although the stems will be thinner, the flowers smaller, and more sparse. Placed in a ventilated and shaded area, they can still bloom for a long time and seeds can be harvested a second time. Therefore, with good management, it is entirely possible to have a second blooming.
The above is a detailed introduction to what to do if the leaves of Cineraria wilt and related cultivation methods. Did you get it?