When is the best time to propagate lantern flowers?
A short piece of knowledge to share with you the best time to propagate lantern flowers and an introduction to the green plants and flowers for lantern flower propagation methods and timing, let's take a look!
Lantern flowers, also known as吊钟 crabapple or倒挂金钟, belong to the hanging bell genus of the Onagraceae family and are annual or perennial flowers. Lantern flowers have unique shapes and bright colors, and if the temperature is suitable, they can bloom from April to December. They are easy to propagate and are very popular among flower enthusiasts.
Just the other day, when my sister's friend came to visit and saw the beautiful lantern flowers in my sister's house, she wanted to learn how to grow them. My sister taught her the method of propagating lantern flowers and told her that early spring or autumn is the best time for propagation. Now, my sister wants to share the method with more flower friends in need, hoping they can also grow beautiful lantern flowers.
How to propagate lantern flowers?
01 Choosing the right time is the first step to successful propagation of lantern flowers:Propagation of lantern flowers can be carried out in February to March in spring or October in autumn, and the temperature should be around 18℃, as this is the best temperature for lantern flowers to germinate. If we propagate earlier, we can do it indoors, and after propagating lantern flowers, we can make a支架 for the lantern flowers and cover them with a plastic bag, which can not only increase the temperature but also maintain humidity.
Do not choose a temperature higher than 25℃ for propagating lantern flowers, as temperatures above 25℃ can cause lantern flowers to grow slowly, which is not conducive to the survival of propagated lantern flowers.
02 Choose a pot and soil: ① Soil: Propagation of lantern flowers can use sandy soil or sand, and regardless of which soil is used, it needs to be sterilized by high-temperature roasting or sunning to prevent black rot. ② Pot: The pot used for propagating lantern flowers can be any pot with good drainage, as after the roots have formed and survived, they will need to be transplanted into a larger pot suitable for lantern flower growth.
03 Choose cuttings: ① For spring propagation, we can choose strong branches that have grown in spring or use branches from the previous year. For autumn propagation, we can choose strong branches of lantern flowers from the current year for propagation. ② After selecting the branches, cut them into 8-10 cm segments, ensuring the top cut is smooth and the bottom cut is diagonal to facilitate more contact with the soil and easier rooting. Make sure each cutting has 2-3 buds and remove the first 1-2 leaves to make propagation easier. ④ To facilitate the survival of propagated lantern flowers, we can cut the branches diagonally and soak the cut ends in a potassium permanganate solution and root stimulant for 30 seconds before propagation.
04 Propagate lantern flowers:
After filling the pot with soil, insert several small holes in the pot with bamboo chopsticks to the depth of the propagated lantern flowers. Place the diagonal end of the lantern flower cutting into the hole, about 1/3 of the length of the cutting. Cover with soil, water thoroughly, and place in a shady place. Insert four sticks around the edge of the pot and cover the pot with a plastic bag to maintain moisture and warmth. In a shaded environment below 20℃, the roots usually form within 15-20 days. You can also directly insert the cuttings into the soil after making holes with chopsticks and spray water frequently with a fine-mist spray bottle to keep the branches moist without making the soil too wet.
When is the best time to propagate lantern flowers?
After the lantern flowers have rooted, we can transplant them into a pot
Pot: For lantern flowers, we can use a smaller hanging pot for planting, which not only has a good flowering effect but also a good viewing effect. The pot can be made of terra cotta, and the size can be about 3 inches, and then a larger pot can be used when the lantern flowers grow bigger.
Planting: ① After the propagated lantern flowers have rooted, we can transplant them into a pot about 3 inches in size. As the sand and sandy soil we use do not have much nutrition, it is not conducive to the growth of lantern flowers. ② We lay a piece of window screen at the bottom of the pot, then add 2-3 centimeters of decomposed manure and cover it with a layer of prepared soil to 1/3 of the pot. ③ Use toothpicks to transplant the lantern flower seedlings and place them in the center of the pot. Then cover with soil, compact, water thoroughly, and place in a shady place to slow down the seedlings. They can be managed normally after about 10 days. ④ When the lantern flowers have grown 3 pairs of leaves, we can repot them again. At this point, the lantern flowers grow faster, the roots are larger, and a larger pot is needed. We can use a 5-inch pot. Then pinch the tips of the lantern flowers to promote more lateral branches.
How to manage lantern flowers to make them more beautiful in the later stage?
Watering: Watering lantern flowers should use the "little and often" method, as too much water can cause root rot, and too little water can lead to drought and leaf drop.
Fertilizing: Lantern flowers have a long flowering period and therefore need more fertilizing. We can fertilize every 10-15 days during the growing season. When the temperature is above 35℃, we should stop fertilizing or use a dilute liquid fertilizer, as the lantern flowers are in a dormant state.
Sunlight: During the high summer temperatures, lantern flowers need to be shaded appropriately and placed in a well-ventilated area, otherwise, they may die due to high temperatures and strong sunlight.
Conclusion
The method of propagating lantern flowers is simple. Just choose strong branches from the current or previous year, propagate them in sand or sandy soil, water thoroughly, keep the branches moist, maintain a temperature of about 18 degrees, and the roots will form in 15-20 days. Then choose a smaller, shallow pot to transplant and care for the lantern flowers normally.
The above introduction to the best time to propagate lantern flowers and the methods and timing of lantern flower propagation are for reference only.