Camellia Winter Management
Abstract: This article shares the experience of growing camellias at home, focusing on winter management. Detailed introduction is provided below.
Many camellia enthusiasts are unaware of the winter management methods for camellias. Camellias have a certain level of cold resistance, and those planted in the ground in difficult areas along the Yangtze River can successfully survive the winter as long as their roots are not frozen, which generally does not affect their growth the following year.
When the temperature drops to 0℃, potted camellias should be moved to a sunny indoor area or a plastic greenhouse facing the sun for care. If the temperature inside the greenhouse reaches above 25℃ in the afternoon, ventilation should be provided to cool down, especially when affected by warm currents and abnormal weather conditions. Otherwise, the plants may drop leaves and buds, and some sick plants may even be suffocated to death.
Watering camellias in winter should still follow the principle of watering only when the soil is dry and ensuring thorough watering. However, this should be done differently. The water temperature should be the same as or slightly higher than the air temperature. If the water temperature is more than 5℃ lower than the air temperature, it may cause the camellia to 'catch a cold'. Camellias are only semi-dormant in winter, with leaves and buds still growing, and some varieties can even bloom amidst frost. Therefore, camellias in plastic greenhouses should still be fertilized to accumulate more nutrients for blooming and nutritional growth after the beginning of spring.
For varieties like Yilanjiao, sufficient winter fertilization leads to bright and beautiful flowers with a long blooming period, and they can resist wind and rain as well as vibrations. Without winter fertilization, it is easy for buds and flowers to fall in the spring. However, the concentration of fertilizer should not be too high, with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers as the main components. It is also possible to add 1/500 potassium dihydrogen phosphate to diluted organic liquid fertilizer, applying once a month.
When the indoor-overwintering potted camellias bloom (early blooming varieties start flowering at the end of November, and general varieties bloom from February to April), they should not be placed in areas with too strong light or too high temperatures, as this may cause the flowers to wither early. Removing excessive flower buds can promote larger and more colorful flowers and extend the blooming period. When watering, avoid spraying water on the flowers, as this may cause flower rot and shorten the blooming period. Remove the withered flowers in a timely manner after they have bloomed.
Have you understood the detailed introduction of the shared camellia winter management (practical) tips?