How to care for the blue snowflake plant
This article introduces the basics of caring for the blue snowflake plant at home. The following tips will help you understand how to cultivate this plant. The editor of this site will provide an introduction.
I bought a pot of (T-W) blue snowflake, which is very beautiful and has attracted many neighbors to plant this flower as well. Over the years, the mother plant in my home has become more and more lush, and the cuttings have spread far and wide. However, the blue snowflake plants of my neighbors are not doing well, with yellow leaves and unhealthy growth. Yesterday, I helped a neighbor prune their blue snowflake plant, which made me realize the need to write this guide on planting experience.
There are mainly two varieties of blue snowflake plants, one is (T-W) blue snowflake, with a loose and tall plant structure, and the other is a superior seed-propagated variety, with a compact shape suitable for hanging baskets.
The following experience is mainly for (T-W) blue snowflakes.
Substrate: Peat is better for planting, garden soil grows slower, and adding some perlite is fine.
Pot: A wider pot is preferable, not too deep, as blue snowflakes are shrubs that spread roots underground and produce new branches horizontally. Choosing a large pot allows for rapid growth and requires a lot of water and fertilizer, while a small pot restricts growth. Generally speaking, the cuttings I plant in autumn are ready for a 10-inch round pot by the next summer.
Fertilizer: Blue snowflakes like fertilizer, with base fertilizer like Ogreen or long-acting slow-release fertilizers like horse hoof. Top dressing is not too picky and most fertilizers can be used. I usually use Huaduo for root feeding and Leili Haifu Sheng for solid fertilizer. Foliar feeding with Huaduo and seaweed extract is also effective.
Water: Prefers a moist substrate, and if water is replenished immediately after a deficit, it can recover. Long-term water deficiency can cause leaves to turn yellow and the plant to weaken. In summer, I water my 14-inch pots at least twice a day, and often need an extra watering at noon.
Pest and Disease Control: The main pests and diseases of blue snowflake plants are the larvae of nocturnal moths, small green caterpillars, which can be controlled with Abamectin or Leili 609, Xiangshan Plant Insecticide. White powder on the back of leaves is normal, and curling of old leaves is not a disease.
Pruning: Blue snowflakes do not fear pruning. After flowering, cut off the spent flowers, and it can bloom again in about 20-30 days. Old branches should not be kept for more than two years. I usually do a heavy pruning every autumn when I bring the plant indoors, cutting off black branches and leaving only the new, robust green branches from the current year.
Other Tips: During the full bloom period, if it rains, the flowers are easily damaged, affecting the观赏 value. They like full sun, but also do well in semi-shade. In winter, they can be forced into dormancy with low temperature and no water, but ensure a certain amount of light. The lowest temperature I've experienced is about zero degrees, and some Shanghai flower enthusiasts have successfully overwintered the plants, but they need to regrow branches.
The above tips on how to care for blue snowflake plants are provided to help you after reading this article!