How to cultivate osmanthus to make it more vigorous
Today, I will introduce to you how to cultivate osmanthus to make it more vigorous and share the secrets of keeping osmanthus healthy in terms of green plants and flowers. Next, the editor will introduce to you.
Osmanthus is one of the top ten famous traditional Chinese flowers. When it blooms, the fragrance is pleasant, and it stays green all year round. It is an excellent garden species. Many flower enthusiasts also like to pot osmanthus at home, but they often encounter yellow leaves and withering phenomena. Today, Lan Yao will focus on introducing the key points of managing potted osmanthus, hoping it will be helpful to you.
Key Points for Managing Potted Osmanthus
The management of osmanthus planted in the ground is very simple and easy to grow, but when potting, if you want the osmanthus to grow well and bloom with a fragrant aroma, Lan Yao suggests that you focus on the following points.
1. Loosely fertile potting soil
Osmanthus grows best in deep, loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy loam. When potting osmanthus, it is recommended to mix 3 parts of decomposed leaf soil, 4 parts of garden soil, 3 parts of river sand soil, and a small amount of fermented organic fertilizer, or 2 parts of general nutrient soil + 1 part of garden soil + a small amount of fermented organic fertilizer mixed evenly and planted.
When potting, you can add fermented organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot. It is recommended to pot with the original soil or remove the outer part of the original soil ball to expose the roots before planting (do not wash the roots). After planting, water thoroughly, and if it is not watered through the first time, you can water 2-3 times continuously. After watering through, place it in a bright and diffused light area for 2-3 days to slow down the seedlings, then gradually increase the light.
2. Maintain sufficient light
Osmanthus likes an environment with plenty of light. When caring for potted plants, except for the initial period of slow seedlings after potting, it is necessary to ensure at least 4 hours of direct sunlight during the growing period, preferably full sunlight. In summer, you can shade the pot to cool down, and it is fine for the osmanthus tree not to be shaded. When potting osmanthus on a balcony indoors, attention should be paid to opening the window for ventilation.
3. Water when the soil is dry, and water thoroughly
Many flower enthusiasts cannot keep their potted osmanthus well, and in fact, a major problem is the watering. The watering requirement for osmanthus is to water when the soil is dry and water thoroughly when watering. In daily maintenance, if the surface of the potting soil turns grayish-white, the surface feels hard when touched, or the soil below 2 cm of the surface dries, it indicates that watering is needed. Watering should be done until a large amount of water flows out of the bottom of the pot, and half-watering is not allowed.
In the northern region, due to the high alkalinity of the soil and water, a small amount of ferrous sulfate or citric acid can be added to each watering to prevent the potting soil from becoming alkaline. Because after the potting soil becomes alkaline, osmanthus is prone to iron deficiency yellowing, and in severe cases, it will wither.
For outdoor potted osmanthus, attention should be paid to drainage during consecutive rainy days to prevent waterlogging.
Before flowering in autumn, as the temperature begins to drop, it is advisable to reduce watering. Keeping the soil and air moist environment is important for flowering. If the air is dry, it is recommended to spray more water on the leaves to increase the relative humidity of the air, which is beneficial for the osmanthus to bud and bloom.
4. Reasonable fertilization to avoid fertilizer damage
Potted osmanthus germinates in mid-to-late March and quickly enters the vigorous growth period of new shoots. Therefore, it is recommended to apply a moderate amount of fermented organic fertilizer and slow-release fertilizer, and after germination, apply 1-2 times of balanced compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, or soybean cake fertilizer water to make the new shoots grow sturdy and full, laying the foundation for flower bud differentiation.
How to cultivate osmanthus to make it more vigorous
In mid-to-late May, the leaves become old and the new shoots stop growing, entering the nutrient accumulation period. At this time, it is recommended to focus on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote flower bud differentiation. It is suggested to shallowly bury fermented organic fertilizer + bone meal or calcium magnesium phosphorus fertilizer to continuously provide nutrients for osmanthus. Starting in August, add monopotassium phosphate fertilizer to each watering until flowering.
During the flowering period, osmanthus should stop top dressing. After the flowering period, you can apply 1-2 times of balanced compound fertilizer water with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to promote the recovery of the osmanthus plant. As the temperature decreases, you can apply 1-2 times of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers before winter to strengthen the osmanthus roots and lay the foundation for flowering next year.
Precautions for Managing Potted Osmanthus
1. Avoid concentrated fertilizers.
Many flower enthusiasts do not master the amount of fertilizer for potted osmanthus well and are prone to fertilizer damage. The application of fertilizer for potted osmanthus should follow the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently. If water-soluble fertilizers are not mastered, you can use more fermented organic fertilizers. Fermented organic fertilizers have a gentle effect and are less likely to cause fertilizer damage. Using them in small amounts multiple times is also acceptable without using water-soluble fertilizers.
2. Avoid raw fertilizers.
The tolerance of potted osmanthus to fertilizers is not strong, and raw fertilizers that have not been fermented cannot be used. Even rice washing water should be avoided before fermentation, as it is difficult to save once fertilizer damage occurs.
3. Avoid direct contact with fertilizer.
When potting osmanthus, the roots should not come into direct contact with the base fertilizer. The base fertilizer should be separated by soil, especially for bare-rooted osmanthus seedlings. When top-dressing, it should not be placed directly on the roots but should be shallowly buried along the edge of the pot.
4. Avoid not changing pots for a long time
Potted osmanthus is recommended to be repotted every 2 years, trimming old roots. The potting time is more suitable in late October every year or March in spring, as osmanthus grows slowly during this period, and the impact of repotting is smaller.
The above is the specific content about how to cultivate osmanthus to make it more vigorous and share the secrets of keeping osmanthus healthy from [Green Enthusiast Network], for everyone's reference and operation.