How to Cultivate Osmanthus in the North
A comprehensive guide on how to cultivate osmanthus in the north and the precautions for growing osmanthus in northern regions. Here are the detailed contents to follow.
Osmanthus is one of China's top ten famous flowers, belonging to the Oleaceae family of evergreen shrubs or small trees. It is a common variety for landscaping and home courtyard trees. The fragrance of osmanthus is quite special, "light and refreshing up close, and fragrant from a distance." Common varieties include golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, and red osmanthus. The flowers bloom during the Mid-Autumn Festival when the moon is full. Enjoying wine under the osmanthus tree is a beautiful experience. Many courtyard balconies like to care for several pots of osmanthus. Many northern gardening enthusiasts often ask, "How to care for osmanthus in the north?" Let me explain in detail below:
Selecting the Right Osmanthus Variety for Northern Planting
Most osmanthus varieties are not cold-resistant. Only golden osmanthus is a cold-resistant variety. Most golden osmanthus varieties can grow healthily at temperatures around minus 10 degrees. Golden osmanthus is the best variety for northern planting, especially the August golden osmanthus variety from Henan. Alternatively, using golden osmanthus as the scion and small-leaf privet as the rootstock can result in osmanthus that can adapt to temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees in the north.
The best time to plant golden osmanthus in the north is in spring. Planting in autumn may result in weak roots and tender new branches, which cannot survive the winter. For the first year of healthy growth, you can wrap the main stem with straw matting and use non-woven fabric to cover the tree to protect it from temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees. After three years, just prune some branches, retain healthy main branches, and it can safely survive the winter.
How to Configure the Soil for Planting Osmanthus
Osmanthus has southern and northern varieties. Southern varieties prefer slightly acidic soil and can adapt to soil with a pH value below 7.2. Northern varieties of golden osmanthus are more suitable for neutral or slightly alkaline soil. The soil should also meet the requirements of flowers for soil, such as being nutrient-rich, loose, breathable, and not compacted or waterlogged. Northern soil is generally alkaline with relatively less humus content, so mixed soil can be used when planting osmanthus.
Mixed soil is not difficult to configure. First, mix garden soil and humus soil to create a loose and breathable slightly acidic soil. Then, add freshwater river sand to dilute the acidity of the soil and increase its breathability and water filtration. To make the soil neutral, a small amount of lime and a little "bone meal" can be added to the mixed soil. After thorough mixing, it becomes neutral soil. Let it sit in a闲置 position for about a month, exposed to natural wind and sunlight, before planting the osmanthus tree.
How to Manage Osmanthus Trees Daily
First, there are three environmental requirements for caring for osmanthus:
1. Good ventilation and clean air. In northern regions with low precipitation and lots of dust, positions with excessive car exhaust or unclean air are not suitable for growing osmanthus, as leaves can become covered in dust, hindering respiration and easily causing various diseases, which also affect flowering.2. Sufficient sunlight. Southern varieties of osmanthus are slightly shade-tolerant, but golden osmanthus loves sunlight and requires at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. Insufficient sunlight can affect the growth of osmanthus and the differentiation of flower buds. The more sun golden osmanthus gets, the more flowers it produces. During the hot summer, when temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius, use straw mats to shade the osmanthus pots and provide shelter for the plants.3. Osmanthus prefers moisture but dislikes waterlogging in the soil. When planting in the ground, use a flat raised mound to facilitate drainage. For potting, use breathable and water-permeable ceramic pots. Watering should follow the method of "watering when dry, and watering thoroughly when watering." When the surface of the soil is dry, water the osmanthus immediately.Caring for humidity is the most challenging part. To grow osmanthus well, the air humidity should reach 65% or more. In the dry climate of the north, "increase humidity by spraying" is the solution. Spray the branches, surface soil, and around the pot twice a day, early in the morning and late in the evening. During high temperatures and dry seasons, increase to 3 to 5 times. Spraying is the best method to reduce temperature and increase humidity.
How to Cultivate Osmanthus in the North
Second, fertilize osmanthus appropriately. Pay attention to the following five points:
1. Fertilizing osmanthus in the north is relatively complicated. Most nutrient-rich fertilizers or solid fertilizers are acidic. When fertilizing osmanthus, use fertilizers with different pH values alternately.2. Use ripe "soybean cake fertilizer" or "fermented animal manure water" twice a month to supplement various nutrients mainly focused on nitrogen to promote root growth, followed by phosphorus and potassium to enhance disease resistance.3. Most fertilizers are acidic. Therefore, during fertilization, alternate using "plant ash water" to water the soil. Apply "bone meal" to the soil to balance the soil's pH value.4. Pay attention to the balanced supplementation of the three elements "nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium" during regular fertilization. After the autumn equinox, it is the blooming period for osmanthus. Once the temperature drops below 32 degrees Celsius, change the fertilization method and apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. You can use "monoammonium phosphate" diluted 1500 times with water to water the soil or spray on the leaves to supplement foliar fertilizer, promoting flowering and extending the blooming period.Third, pruning northern osmanthus trees:
Pruning is mainly aimed at shaping the tree to form a full canopy and promote the growth of branches. Winter pruning is beneficial for osmanthus to survive the winter, while spring budding is good for the growth of new buds. Summer pruning mainly promotes the growth of lateral buds.
1. Pruning starts in winter. Stop fertilizing the osmanthus tree in deep autumn, and when the temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius, prune the main branches, mainly "shortening" the current year's fast-growing branches. The tips of new branches are difficult to withstand severe cold. After pruning, wrap the top of the osmanthus tree with straw matting.2. After the winter pruning, many buds will sprout in the spring. Ignore the newly emerged buds and when they grow to about 10 centimeters, thin out the weak and uncertain buds, and also make appropriate selections among densely packed buds.3. In late spring and early summer, thin out some branches, axillary branches, whorled branches, and vertical (upward) branches to reduce nutrient consumption. Prune the fast-growing branches to promote the growth of lateral buds. After the lateral buds grow, be careful to avoid high-temperature direct sunlight in the summer.This article shares the complete introduction on how to cultivate osmanthus in the north and the precautions for growing osmanthus in the north, for everyone to learn and understand!