Growing Methods and Precautions for Baby's Breath
This article focuses on the growing methods and precautions for Baby's Breath, as well as related cultivation techniques for green plants and flowers. Let's take a look together.
Summary: Baby's Breath is one of the top ten cut flowers in the world, loved by many flower enthusiasts for its high ornamental value and frequent use as a flower arrangement material. It is also relatively easy to cultivate and is very suitable for home decoration. Now, I will share the growing methods and precautions for Baby's Breath with everyone.
Methods for Growing Baby's Breath
1. Soil
Baby's Breath does not have high requirements for soil, but it grows best in well-drained, fertile, and loose loamy soil. Generally, slightly alkaline lime soil or gritty loamy soil is sufficient.
2. Light
Baby's Breath does not require strict sunlight; it only needs to be placed on a balcony or windowsill for 2-4 hours of sunbathing when sunlight is not intense. However, it is important to note that in the summer, when sunlight is strong, Baby's Breath should be moved to a shaded area to avoid sunburn and yellowing of the leaves.
3. Temperature
Baby's Breath grows best at a daytime temperature of 25°C. If the temperature exceeds 30°C for too long, it can increase the likelihood of abnormal flowers. The optimal night temperature is 10-15°C. If it drops below 10°C, combined with short autumn and winter days, it can lead to dormancy or clustering.
4. Watering and Fertilizing
Proper water and fertilizer management is an important factor in growing Baby's Breath well. It prefers fertilizer but is sensitive to excessive water. Regular fertilizing is best, using compound fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the growing season. Approaching the flowering period, more fertilizers with higher phosphorus and potassium content are needed. Baby's Breath also requires more water during the growing season, with ample water before and after flowering to ensure enough moisture and nutrients for the buds to open.
5. Pruning and Pinching
Baby's Breath grows well with sufficient sunlight, so it is necessary to prune the branches. It starts to sprout lateral buds about 30 days after planting, and it is important to pinch the top at this time, leaving only the lower 3-4 pairs of leaves to promote the growth of lateral branches. Generally, 6-8 lateral branches are retained per plant.
Precautions for Growing Baby's Breath
1. Baby's Breath enjoys fertilizer. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting and regularly apply top dressing after planting, mainly using nitrogen fertilizer and gradually increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
2. When the plant reaches 30 centimeters tall, control the watering, especially during the budding period. The flowering period should also be kept on the drier side.
3. Baby's Breath thrives in warm, sunny conditions, but overly intense sunlight and high temperatures are not suitable for its growth, so sunlight should not be too strong.
4. Baby's Breath seedlings are prone to death when repotting, so it is important to repot with soil and avoid washing the seedlings over after watering. Alternatively, the method of watering without repotting can be used to supplement water.
5. In winter, additional sunlight is needed for Baby's Breath. We must not only maintain the necessary daylight for Baby's Breath but also supplement light at night. Also, in cold winter temperatures, we must keep Baby's Breath warm.
6. Baby's Breath does not often have pest and disease issues, but occasional occurrences of aphids or snails can be seen. These can be controlled by diluting eucalyptus oil or using a neutral laundry detergent for spraying. For snails, a snail-killing granule pesticide can be sprayed on the potting soil.
The above information about the growing methods and precautions for Baby's Breath and related cultivation techniques is provided for your comprehensive understanding and reference.