Cultivation and Management of Camellia
This article provides a detailed introduction to the care and cultivation of camellia for home gardening enthusiasts. Our site editor will introduce the following information.
Camellia, also known as early camellia, is a shrub or small tree with pubescent young branches. The leaves are 4-8 centimeters long, and the flowers come in red, white, or a mix of red and white colors. The flowers are bright and have a diameter of 3.5-7 centimeters, with a pleasant fragrance. The leaves are evergreen, the tree posture is graceful, the branches extend gracefully, and they are charming and lovely. They have the characteristics of a long blooming period, numerous flowers, and bright flower colors. The fragrant varieties have a strong aroma, especially during the flowerless season from New Year's Day to the Spring Festival, when the branches are full of flowers, exuding a fresh fragrance, making them particularly endearing.
People in the north often buy camellias from the south. If you want to grow camellias well, you must pay attention to the following points:
1. Pot and Soil Selection: The best pot for planting camellias is a clay pot, which is good for ventilation and water absorption. New pots should be soaked in water for one day to reduce heat before use; old pots must be cleaned and disinfected to prevent diseases and pests. Young camellia seedlings should use small pots, and as the plant grows, gradually switch to slightly larger pots. The size of the pot should be proportional to the size of the plant. The potting soil should be loose and fertile mountain soil or sandy loam. Clayey, alkaline, or lime soils are not suitable, and lime soil is especially harmful and will not survive. The bottom of the pot should be kept open, with a layer of coarse sand or coarse aggregate first laid to facilitate drainage and ventilation. The best planting time is in early spring, February to March. After planting, water thoroughly, place in a semi-shaded, windless, and warm area to acclimate for 1-2 weeks, and then it can recover and proceed with normal maintenance.
2. Watering: Proper watering is the key to the survival of newly planted camellias. Especially for seedlings sent by mail, careful watering is essential to balance the water supply to the above-ground parts and the roots. Because of the damage to the roots and the long duration of mailing, the roots, branches, and leaves of mailed seedlings are severely injured, resulting in poor revival ability and poor water absorption capacity of the roots. Excessive watering can cause root hypoxia, impaired breathing, and lead to root suffocation and death. After watering thoroughly the first time, do not water again unless the potting soil is too dry. Spray water on the plant and pot surface 2-3 times a day to keep the potting soil slightly moist, ensuring that the leaves do not lack water without making the potting soil too wet, until the camellia seedlings start to sprout and grow new branches, indicating that they have survived, and then normal watering can resume.
3. Fertilization: Avoid fertilizing newly planted camellia seedlings at the beginning. Early fertilization can easily cause the death of seedlings. Since the growing environment of camellia seedlings has changed, plus root damage during digging and during mailing, and after planting, they need to adapt to a new environment, which takes a long time. If new roots are just beginning to grow and continuous fertilization is applied, it will kill the seedlings. Therefore, no root fertilizer should be applied for the first two to three months. When leaves and roots start to grow, spray 0.2% phosphorus acid potassium solution and a small amount of urea nitrogen fertilizer on the leaves to accelerate the vigorous growth of camellia seedlings. Spray once every 7-10 days for 1-2 months, promoting root growth through leaf absorption until new branches and leaves grow and basically age before applying root fertilizer. Initially, do not apply concentrated fertilizer, but apply light fertilizer frequently, every half a month, to promote root strength and leaf growth, and rapid growth.
4. Light and Shading: Camellias enjoy plenty of sunlight and should receive full sun in spring. Since new camellias cannot withstand cold winds and sun exposure in early spring, they should be placed in a windless, warm, semi-shaded outdoor area; if it's too cold outside, they should be placed in a room with scattered light. As the temperature rises, the pot can be gradually moved outdoors. With the continued rise in temperature, the pot can be placed on the north window sill of the south-facing room or on the balcony of the north-facing room, exposed only to morning and evening sun, avoiding direct sunlight around noon. In summer, it should be placed under a veranda or in a garden shed. If such facilities are not available, use a sparse reed shed to shade it to prevent the strong midday sun from burning the leaves and causing diseases.
5. Disease and Pest Control: Camellias have few diseases and pests. The main diseases include gray spot, soot, and (T-J) disease. Early prevention and treatment are necessary. Once a disease occurs, spray with a 300-fold dilution of Bordeaux mixture. If there are scale insects or red spiders, they can be removed manually, and if red spiders occur, they can be sprayed with a solution of soaked tobacco leaves mixed with chili water, which is also effective. Generally, do not use pesticides to prevent environmental pollution.
The above is the specific content of [] regarding the care and cultivation of camellias. If it can be of help to you, remember to visit our website often!