How to cultivate Eichhornia crassipes
An article sharing some tips and knowledge about how to cultivate Eichhornia crassipes and the key points of its cultivation techniques. Next, the editor will provide you with detailed answers.
Eichhornia crassipes belongs to the Pontederiaceae family Eichhornia genus, a perennial herbaceous plant, also known as water hyacinth, water narcissus, and Eichhornia azurea. The stem of Eichhornia crassipes is very short, the flowers are light blue, with a multi-faceted trumpet shape, the upper petals are larger; there is a distinct bright yellow spot at the center of the petals, resembling the eyes of a phoenix and the flower spots at the end of a peacock's tail, very pleasing to the eye and beautiful. It is often used as a landscaping material in garden water features. The blooming period is from August to September, with large-flowered and yellow-flowered varieties. Eichhornia crassipes cultivated at home is mainly in small ponds and potted plants, and the flowers are light blue and white after blooming, very attractive.
Eichhornia crassipes is native to Brazil. It is widely distributed in the Yangtze and Yellow River basins and the southern provinces of China. Eichhornia crassipes prefers a warm and humid environment with abundant sunlight and is highly adaptable. The suitable water temperature is 18-23°C, it can also grow above 35°C, and growth stops below 10°C; it has a certain cold resistance. It likes to grow in shallow water and can also grow in water with little flow, drifting with the water. It reproduces rapidly. After flowering, the flower stem bends into the water to grow, and the ovary develops and swells in the water. Eichhornia crassipes is susceptible to cold, easily frozen at temperatures below 7°C, grows rapidly above 13°C, and dies in large numbers above 43°C. It prefers sunlight and dislikes shade, prefers moisture and dislikes congestion, prefers fertilizer and dislikes alkaline fertilizers, so it is best to use decomposed animal manure, dung, and sewage for breeding.
I. Propagation methods of Eichhornia crassipes: The propagation methods of Eichhornia crassipes include seed propagation and division propagation, and family cultivation usually adopts rhizome propagation.
1. Seed propagation:
In September-October, when the small fruits of Eichhornia crassipes turn light yellow, pick the bent fruiting pedicel, air-dry after harvesting, and remove the seeds. In late February to early March of the following year, soak the seeds in water at 25-30°C for 10 days, then broadcast on the water surface, maintaining a temperature and humidity of about 30°C, and they can germinate after 7 days. When the seedlings have 5-6 leaves, the leaves start to expand, have a certain buoyancy, and can be transplanted after the seedlings branch out.
2. Division propagation:
Eichhornia crassipes has many axillary buds that can develop into new plants. The stolons are long and brittle, and when broken off, they also become independent new plants, with strong asexual propagation ability. Generally, in spring, separate or cut off small axillary buds with roots from the mother plants preserved indoors and put them into water to form a new plant, which is easy to survive.
II. Pond culture of Eichhornia crassipes: Generally, ornamental Eichhornia crassipes are raised in small ponds in the courtyard. When the water temperature in the pond reaches about 18°C, the seedlings can be placed in the pond on a sunny and windless day. When starting to raise, it is best to have a water depth of about 1 meter in the pond, and about 150 kilograms of Eichhornia crassipes seedlings per mu.
When raising, choose a windward and sunny area of the water surface and try to enclose the seedlings to prevent Eichhornia crassipes from drifting. When the seedling density increases, gradually expand the area.
After Eichhornia crassipes propagates, it is necessary to thin out, divide the pond, or collect in a timely manner. Eichhornia crassipes grows very fast, and in the shortest time, it can propagate 12-13 plants in a month. Under suitable water and fertilizer conditions, sometimes one plant can produce four plants in a day.
III. Pot culture: Family cultivation of Eichhornia crassipes usually adopts pot culture.
1. Potting soil preparation: For family cultivation of Eichhornia crassipes, pot culture is usually used, and the first step in pot culture is to prepare the cultivation soil. Preparing the cultivation soil is very important. A flowerpot is a special small environment, and no single type of soil can meet all the needs of Eichhornia crassipes. Therefore, pot culture of Eichhornia crassipes must use artificially prepared soil to replace the soil and keep the plant fixed in the pot, with certain water retention and drainage properties. Eichhornia crassipes prefers fertile and moist soil. Pot culture can use 15% decomposed leaf soil, 20% river sand, 20% vermiculite, and 45% pond mud to prepare the cultivation soil. After the cultivation soil is prepared, it is best to disinfect it at high temperature (fry it in an iron pot) before use, or it can also be sunned to kill germs.
2. Potting: Usually raised in March, first place broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, then add some decomposed cake fertilizer, crushed bones, fish bones, chicken feathers, etc., as base fertilizer, then fill in 5-10 centimeters of cultivation soil, add clear water, and choose a flowerpot without a drainage hole for water culture, with moderate depth and water level. Before raising, trim the long lateral roots, damaged roots, and excess fibrous roots of Eichhornia crassipes. Then place it in the pot. After planting, keep it in a shaded environment for about a week, then move it to a sunny place for maintenance after the roots recover.
3. Fertilization management: Eichhornia crassipes requires a lot of fertilizer. In the growing season, fertilize once every half a month or so, preferably in the evening.
4. Water changing: After planting, change the water every 7-10 days. If there are withered leaves, remove them in time during water changing.
5. Pruning: Be sure to prune Eichhornia crassipes once in spring, cutting off withered branches or submerged leaves to help it grow better.
6. Control sunlight: Eichhornia crassipes is a short-day plant and grows fastest under strong sunlight. For family cultivation, to control the rapid growth of Eichhornia crassipes, sunlight can be appropriately controlled.
7. Overwintering: In cold areas, overwintering is usually done in an indoor pool, keeping the water temperature at 15-20°C. The greenhouse must maintain fresh air and plenty of sunlight. Move Eichhornia crassipes into the greenhouse pool before frost. Eichhornia crassipes to be kept for seed should be moved to a separate pool in the autumnal equinox, keeping the plants sparse, allowing them to be in a isolated state, with the large leaves gradually withering and rotting, and the small Eichhornia crassipes increasing. Use these small Eichhornia crassipes as seedlings for storage. During the seedling preservation period, fertilize with decomposed animal manure diluted to a concentration of 1:20. When fertilizing, gently lift the seedlings to expose them to the water surface, then apply the fertilizer to the water, not directly on the seedlings.
This article shares the specific content of how to cultivate Eichhornia crassipes and its cultivation techniques for everyone's reference.