How to Care for Michelia
This article provides detailed tips on how to care for Michelia and the precautions for maintaining this green plant. Next, let's see what our editor has to introduce to netizens.
Michelia, with its evergreen, glossy leaves and small yellow flowers, exudes a rich fragrance, bringing a sense of joy when kept at home. Below are the cultivation methods and precautions for Michelia, with 5 techniques to ensure its robust growth and flowering throughout the year. Let's learn more about it!
Cultivation Methods for Michelia
1. Soil: Michelia thrives in acidic soil rich in humus, with good breathability and drainage. A mixture of 4 parts of humus soil, 3 parts of garden soil, and 2 parts of sand can be used, with a moderate amount of decomposed cake fertilizer placed at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer. Michelia has a weak root system and can easily rot in compacted soil that retains water, so it's necessary to change the water regularly to keep the soil loose and breathable, and to change the potting soil after a period of care.
2. Light: Michelia enjoys sunlight and requires at least 9 hours of sunlight every day during the growing period, ideally placed on a balcony or a sunny windowsill. In summer, take care to avoid direct strong sunlight to ensure robust growth, green and glossy leaves, and abundant flowering.
3. Watering: Michelia requires ample water during growth but is not tolerant of waterlogging, so avoid积水 when watering. In spring and autumn, it grows quickly, requiring watering 2 to 3 times a week. In summer, it's best to water once or twice in the early morning or evening, and to spray water around it daily to increase humidity. In winter, water should be given between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and only when the potting soil is completely dry.
How to Care for Michelia
4. Fertilizing: In spring and autumn, when Michelia grows quickly, use a thin solution of decomposed soybean cake fertilizer once a week, and stop fertilizing in summer. Michelia blooms several times a year, and during the bud differentiation stage, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days, stopping after flowering. After the flowers fade, apply organic fertilizer water every 2 weeks for 2 to 3 consecutive times to help it recover quickly.
5. Pruning: Michelia grows quickly and produces many buds and adventitious buds. Prune away dense, weak, and dry branches to focus nutrients on the main branches and leaves. When new branches have 15-20 leaves, it's necessary to pinch the tips to encourage the growth of lateral branches. Shorten long branches appropriately to control the plant's shape, making it fuller and ensuring the flowers are neatly and densely arranged.
Precautions for Michelia
1. Pay attention to watering and do not follow a fixed schedule. Water only when the potting soil is completely dry. During the blooming period, be careful not to overwater, as too much water may cause the flower buds to fall off.