When does Hoya开花
This article introduces the topics related to when Hoya flowers and a brief introduction to the flowering period of Hoya, let's follow the editor to see it together!
Hoya usually flowers in May, and the flowering period can last until August to October depending on regional differences. However, only the first flowers have more quantity, and the subsequent flowers are fewer. Next month, the flowering period of Hoya is approaching, how can we increase the number of its flowers? While it's still April, the editor quickly writes down the factors affecting Hoya flowering so that everyone has time to find problems and correct them in time, which will not affect the flower quantity during the flowering period. Let's get started now without further ado!
I. Seedling Age Too Short for Flowering
Hoya generally takes 3 years to flower, so remember to ask whether it can flower in the current year when purchasing seedlings, otherwise it is very likely that no flowers will be seen after one or two years of cultivation. However, there are also experienced flower friends who can make it flower within 2 years, but in most cases, young seedlings do have difficulty flowering. Therefore, if you encounter a situation where it doesn't flower after 2 years of cultivation, it cannot be ruled out that it is due to the short seedling age, which is not limited to purchased seedlings, but also to our own propagation.
II. Inappropriate Pots Result in Fewer Flowers
Hoya has a developed root system, and large seedlings are not suitable for planting in small pots, which cannot provide enough growing space for the roots, thus hindering the growth of the plant and preventing it from becoming more lush. The growth of vines is obstructed, and naturally, the number of flowers will be scarce. Therefore, when planting, deep pots should be used. Although it can also be planted in hanging pots, the depth of hanging pots is not enough, so the growth of branches and vines is not as good as that in breathable deep pots. Small seedlings, on the other hand, should not use large pots, otherwise they will either have yellow leaves and rot or the roots will not fill the pot, resulting in a decrease in flower quantity. It should be noted here that deep pots are not necessarily large-diameter pots, after all, it is easy to rot the roots if the watering amount is not properly controlled when small seedlings are planted in large-diameter pots. Taking the ordinary plastic pots as an example, with the same 22-23 cm diameter, the deep type No. 7 pot is only 19.7 cm high, the short and fat pot is only 15 cm high, and the ordinary 2-gallon pot I use is 21.5 cm high. When choosing, you cannot just think that the depth is enough just because it is written as a deep pot, it is best to choose a pot that suits the age of your own seedlings!
III. Soil Compaction Results in Fewer Flowers and Easy Death of Plants
Due to the limited space of the pot, the use of soil in our home potted plants is even more important. Only breathable and humus-rich soil can allow the roots to breathe freely and have sufficient nutrients. This point makes the editor envious of flower friends who live near mountains, who can dig some mountain soil to plant, while in this extremely flat area, even the soil in the fields is prone to compaction, so I can only mix my own soil. I use decomposed pine needle soil mixed with garden soil, perlite, and slow-release fertilizer, basically in a 3:2:1:1 ratio. If you don't have these, you can also dig some soil from under the trees to use, but it has more虫eggs, so it's best to fry or mix with insecticide before use. Never use compacted garden soil directly, as it may save money and effort at the beginning, but later you will find that not only do seedlings grow slowly, the leaves also turn yellow and fall, all because the roots cannot grow in a good soil environment. Even if the purchased seedlings that flower in the current year are used, the number of flowers will be scarce, and they will soon rot and die.
When does Hoya flower
IV. Improper Watering Affects Growth and Flowering
The issue of watering is not limited to Hoya, improper watering will affect the growth and flowering of almost all plants. For Hoya planted in deep pots, it is difficult to grasp the moisture status of the substrate, so overwatering is prone to occur, which can easily lead to root rot. Like the editor of Green Enthusiast Network, who cultivates on the rooftop, ensures good ventilation, and has built a rain shed, there is no need to consider rain when watering, just adjust the watering time based on factors such as temperature and sunlight intensity. In this kind of weather, it is basically watered once every 4 days, and in the south where the temperature is high, it can be watered once every 3 days.
Hoya still prefers a humid environment, and as the flowering period approaches, the temperature will gradually rise. At this time, in addition to watering, it is necessary to frequently spray the leaves. Remember to only spray the leaves and avoid spraying the flower buds and flowers, otherwise it will cause the flowers to fall. Be careful not to spray water when the sunlight is too strong, as it may burn the leaves. After May, many people say to water before 10 am, but there is still a difference in sunlight intensity between the north and south in summer. In the area north of the Huai River, the sun is already very strong at 10 am, so the editor usually waters after getting up at 7:30 am, and in the afternoon, after 6:30 pm when it's cool and the temperature of the pot substrate has dropped. Never water when the sun is too strong and the substrate temperature is high, as it may cause root burn and yellowing of the leaves, which is not conducive to flowering. The flowering period also coincides with the rainy season, so try not to let it get too wet, as getting water into the flower heart can easily cause rot, and excess water can accumulate in the pot.
V. Improper Fertilization Results in No Flowering or Few Flowers
It is well known that fertilizing is necessary for growing flowers, but the editor recently saw many新手 flower friends having problems with improper fertilization when browsing the forums. Fertilization is indeed an easy-to-make mistake in maintenance, and experienced flower friends may not find it difficult, but it can be challenging for beginners. Compared to not fertilizing, Hoya may grow weakly with few flowers, small flowers, and pale leaves, but the consequences of over-fertilization are usually more serious. Even the editor's father, who has been doing landscaping for many years, once accidentally used uncomposted fish intestine water to water, and it took several months for the flowers to recover completely, although they didn't die, the leaves turned yellow and fell off in a large area the next day, and the editor only found out about this situation after asking the family. Have you also encountered such situations? Fertilization mistakes leading to yellowing leaves and falling leaves, looking wilted and on the verge of death.
Fertilization is not that difficult, and everyone can handle it by just remembering these points. Generally, during the seedling germination stage in spring, the branches and leaves will grow rapidly, and at this time, more nitrogen fertilizer is needed compared to phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. The editor never uses urea and always uses self-made organic fertilizer or compound fertilizer, flower多多, etc. For nitrogen fertilizer, the editor often uses decomposed bean cake water, diluted with water more than 100 times and used once every 15 days. If you can't control the amount, you can use flower多多 No. 1 or No. 10 to replace it. The No. 10 has a higher nitrogen content, suitable for fast-growing young seedlings, while No. 1 is a balanced fertilizer suitable for large seedlings, the same as compound fertilizer, you can use whatever you have. It is diluted with 1 gram per 1000 milliliters of water and used once every 10 days.
When the flower buds appear before entering the flowering period, it is necessary to change to fertilizers with a high ratio of phosphorus and potassium elements, either monopotassium phosphate or flower多多 No. 2. You cannot continue to use compound fertilizer or nitrogen fertilizer, especially nitrogen fertilizer, as continued use will only lead to the continuous growth of branches but no flowering, as flower bud formation and flowering require phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. It is recommended to use once every 10 days, and normally, 3 times can make the flowers bloom. Remember to stop fertilizing when the flowers are open, so we can enjoy the flowers for a longer time. Don't think that flowers need nutrients and continue to fertilize, otherwise the flowers will wilt prematurely.
VI. Direct Strong Light is Not Good for Flowering
Light is the most important factor affecting Hoya flowering, which is often overlooked by everyone. Hoya is different from the climbing flowers introduced before by the editor, such as fireworks flowers, sweet osmanthus, wisteria, or bougainvillea, which all prefer sufficient sunlight, but Hoya likes semi-shaded flowers. Generally, 4 hours of sunlight per day can meet its growth needs. In the current month, it can be placed on a south-facing, east-facing, or west-facing balcony for cultivation. Moderate sunlight can increase the duration of sunlight, and the leaves will be greener and more lush, and the plant will be strong, naturally resulting in more flowers.
The key is that its flowering period is in summer, and the sunlight is too strong in the summer months. Remember to let it晒 morning sun before 9 am and evening sun after 5 pm, and must build a sunshade net because its vines climb relatively high, so you need to pay attention to the coverage area when shading to prevent burning and scorching the leaves and flowers. Of course, you cannot move it to a hidden place for the entire summer just to avoid sunburn. Excessive lack of sunlight will cause the leaves to turn yellow, the internodes to lengthen, the leaves to shrink, few flowers, small flowers, and unable to bloom are all normal. Since it is sensitive to changes in the environment, it is best to keep it in the same place all year round and not move it randomly. Just shade it in summer, so it will not become unaccustomed to random environmental changes and shed leaves.