How to Care for Full Moon Flower Seedlings After Potting
Recently transplanted Full Moon Flower seedlings are as fragile as newborns and require particularly delicate care. Many gardening enthusiasts find that the seedlings become wilted or collapse after repotting, which is often closely related to the details of care. Mastering the correct cultivation methods can help the Full Moon Flower grow from tender seedlings to flowering plants adorned with stars.
Three Key Elements of Post-Transplant Care
Environmental Transition Management
Place the plants in a well-ventilated, shaded area for the first 3 days after potting, and use a shading net to filter 50% of the sunlight. Starting from the 4th day, increase 1 hour of morning light exposure each day to avoid direct midday sunlight. Maintain a stable environmental temperature between 18-25°C and humidity around 60%.
Smart Watering and Fertilizing Plan
Use the "wet-dry alternation" watering method, and water the plants by immersion after the top 1cm of soil is dry. Combine with a 0.1% urea solution for foliar top dressing, applied once every 10 days. Focus on supplementing phosphorus and potassium elements during the seedling stage, using a monopotassium phosphate solution at a dilution of 1000 times for root irrigation.
Advanced Light Training
From the 2nd week, gradually extend the duration of light exposure, ensuring 4 hours of direct sunlight and 6 hours of scattered light each day. Use a light meter to monitor and control the light intensity between 3000-5000 lux. On cloudy and rainy days, supplement with plant growth lights to maintain light exposure.
In-Depth Analysis of Seedling Collapse Phenomenon
Root Drowning Crisis
When the soil oxygen content drops below 15% due to frequent watering, the new capillary roots will suffocate and rot. This manifests as the base stem softening and turning yellow, easily collapsing when touched. Emergency solution: immediately stop watering and loosen the soil, mix in perlite to improve aeration, and use a 1500 times dilution of metalaxyl for root irrigation disinfection.
Phototropic Etiolation Risk
Insufficient light causes abnormal internode elongation, resulting in thin and fragile stems. If the internode spacing of the etiolated seedlings exceeds 3cm, intervention is needed. Solution: increase blue spectrum light in the morning and spray with a 50ppm paclobutrazol solution to control growth speed.
Space Competition Dilemma
When seedlings are spaced less than 5cm apart, the roots become tangled, and nutrient competition leads to weak seedlings. Correct thinning technique: retain robust seedlings with uniform height and thick leaves, and use disinfected forceps to remove weak seedlings at a 45-degree angle. After thinning, sprinkle wood ash to prevent wound infection.
By scientifically adjusting the three major elements of water, light, and fertilizer, and combining it with proper plant spacing management, the base diameter of Full Moon Flower seedlings can increase by 0.3-0.5mm within 20 days. When new leaves are deep green and stems show signs of lignification, it indicates that the plants have developed the ability to resist lodging and can enter the normal care phase.