Beginner's Guide to Flower Cultivation
The editor answers questions about home flower cultivation for netizens, offering some suggestions for beginner's flower cultivation. Corrections are welcome if there are any mistakes!
Many beginner flower enthusiasts are confused and have taken many detours. In fact, many expert flower growers have gone through the process step by step, learning from various failures. From killing hanging basket plants to cultivating orchids, kaffir lilies, and other flowers, looking back at old photos and records, it is clear that there has been some progress in flower cultivation. With the year-end approaching and some leisure time on hand, I would like to share some personal experiences and insights. Please feel free to criticize and correct any inappropriate points.
1. Choosing the Variety
Firstly, consider your growing environment. If you have good southern exposure, you can consider many herbaceous plants. I recommend geraniums, dwarf petunias, and longevity flowers, which all have the advantages of long blooming periods, abundant flowers, and a variety of colors. If you have northern or northeast exposure with short daylight hours, it's best to choose more leafy green plants or those that don't require much light, such as kaffir lilies, orchids, and pothos. If you have a small garden, you can consider planting perennials like roses and peonies. In any case, consider your environment.
Secondly, consider your cultivation level. Beginners are not recommended to try expensive and delicate plants, which can easily die and discourage you. For example, azaleas, orchids, and kaffir lilies. It's best to search for the plant name online first to see its suitable environment and cultivation precautions. Try to create a suitable environment for its growth, get familiar with its habits, and this will make it easier to succeed. Also, consider your local climate. For example, it is not suitable to grow kaffir lilies and roses in the south, or azaleas, gardenias, and orchids in the north, which will be counterproductive.
2. Soil Preparation
No matter the plant, the soil requirements are always to be loose and breathable, with good granular structure, capable of retaining water without waterlogging. Plants will grow healthily under these conditions. Soil ingredients can be gathered locally, such as leaves, weeds, garden soil, and pine needles, combined with homemade fertilizers like soybean dregs, fish intestines, and chicken manure that have been composted thoroughly. Mix these with other ingredients according to the plant's root characteristics and growth habits. For example, for plants like roses that have a "compost bin" shape, large plants can be fertilized heavily to ensure abundant and vibrant flowers. For plants like kaffir lilies with succulent roots, ripe hemp seeds or sunflower seeds are used as a base fertilizer due to their gentle and long-acting effects. Always pay attention to accumulating experience, and if you have the opportunity, make your own nutrient-rich soil. If it's not possible, it is recommended to buy peat and perlite, and use water-soluble fertilizers later, as this is a safer and easier soil formula.
3. Watering
Many people are confused about watering, and it's hard to master the balance between "thoroughly wet" and "damp but not dry." As a result, many people are afraid of overwatering and only water their plants every 10 days or even half a month, leading to root damage from prolonged drought and then rotting upon watering. In fact, even for plants with succulent roots like orchids and kaffir lilies, which have strong drought resistance, they are not afraid of frequent watering, but rather fear soil that is not breathable and humid, which can cause root rot. Therefore, the frequency and amount of watering should be judged based on the plant's growth, soil moisture, and weather conditions. If you are unsure about watering, it is generally recommended not to disturb the plant, such as repotting or changing soil, and place it in a semi-shaded area to observe for a while. When the potting mix is dry to half a finger deep, it's time to water. Water until the excess runs out of the bottom hole, then wait until the next watering.
For potted flowers with peat soil, it may be difficult to thoroughly wet the soil when it's completely dry. You need to water repeatedly until it is fully saturated. In hot summers, when plants evaporate quickly, don't stick to the old method of "thoroughly wet" and water when necessary. Maintain soil moisture to ensure a stable moist layer around the roots to avoid problems. In fact, many plants die from drought, with azaleas and gardenias being typical examples. Many people are afraid to water them, resulting in gradual root damage. Once the roots of these woody plants are damaged, it's hard to recover. In fact, commercial azalea seedlings usually come with sawdust as soil, which doesn't retain water well. Therefore, in the north, after the acclimatization period, water them thoroughly every day without any issues. Once the roots are damaged from drought, watering will cause rot. Many people say that azaleas can easily rot if overwatered, but this is actually due to drought damage, not excessive watering.
The above is the complete content of the "Beginner's Guide to Flower Cultivation (Some Suggestions)" for your comprehensive understanding and reference!