Technical Summary of Family Hydroponic Flower Cultivation
An in-depth introduction to hydroponic flower cultivation for concerned netizens, a summary of family hydroponic flower cultivation techniques, very useful tips, recommended for collection!
1. What are the difficulties in summering hydroponic flowers? Hydroponic flowers are cultivated using non-solid media (water or water supplemented with an appropriate amount of plant nutrient solution). Currently, most family hydroponic flowers are cultivated in still water, with dissolved oxygen below 1mg/l, and the flowers struggle to maintain life in oxygen-deficient containers. As summer temperatures rise, plant physiological metabolism becomes vigorous, microorganisms multiply, oxygen consumption increases dramatically, dissolved oxygen decreases continuously, water quality deteriorates, and many adverse factors can affect the growth of hydroponic flowers, potentially causing root rot, withered leaves, or even the untimely death of the plants. Therefore, in addition to preventing extreme heat in summer, increasing the oxygen content of the nutrient solution is key to ensuring the safe summering of hydroponic flowers.
2. How to increase the dissolved oxygen content in the nutrient solution? There are several methods to increase dissolved oxygen, summarized as chemical and physical methods. The following introduces several easy-to-operate and effective methods.
1. Increase the frequency of changing the nutrient solution. Changing the nutrient solution is the simplest method to increase dissolved oxygen. Measurements show that the dissolved oxygen content in fresh nutrient solution is 70%-90% higher than in the original solution, which can promptly improve the physiological hypoxia condition of flowers. Flowers with developed hydroponic roots should be changed every 3-5 days, not exceeding 7 days. When changing the nutrient solution, attention should be paid to not having too large a temperature difference between the new and original solutions, as too large a temperature difference may cause physiological disorders in the flower roots. When changing the solution, rinse the roots with clean water, remove withered and rotten roots, and trim old roots to promote new root growth. If the nutrient solution suddenly becomes cloudy or has mosquito eggs, it should be replaced with new nutrient solution immediately.
2. Vibration aeration for smaller hydroponic flowers with clear and undamaged roots and transparent nutrient solution, vibration method can be used to increase oxygen. The operation method is to hold the flower with one hand, grasp the container with the other hand, and gently shake it more than 10 times. The dissolved oxygen content of the nutrient solution after shaking can increase by over 30%. This method is not suitable for hydroponic flowers with cloudy nutrient solution or poor root development, and the nutrient solution must be completely replaced.
3. Aerating the container. If there is an aquarium with ornamental fish nearby while caring for hydroponic flowers, the oxygen rod from the fish tank can be used to aerate the container.
3. What is the suitable location for hydroponic flowers in summer? Most hydroponic flowers are shade-tolerant ornamental leaves and flowers, such as Syngonium, Spathiphyllum, Amydrium, Anthurium, and Bromeliads. These flowers prefer warm and humid conditions, slightly shade-tolerant, and dislike high temperature and dry heat. "Hydroponic" only changes the cultivation form and cannot change their growth habits and required environmental factors. In summer, it is best to place hydroponic flowers in a bright, slightly humid, cooler environment with good ventilation. Avoid direct sunlight, but also not too shaded, to prevent the flowers from being hindered in photosynthesis, becoming weak in growth, with elongated stems, and thin leaves, causing colored blocks and patterned leaves to lose their luster.
4. Can hydroponic flowers be placed in an air-conditioned room? Yes. However, they should not be placed directly in front of the air conditioner outlet, as excessive wind speed can damage the branches and leaves, causing leaf curling or even burnt edges and withered leaves. Consider the flowers' temperature requirements, which are higher during the day than at night. If the air conditioner is turned off at night, the environmental temperature may be higher than during the day when the air conditioner is on, which is disadvantageous for the growth of hydroponic flowers. Placing a basin of water next to the flowers or spraying the leaves with water to increase environmental humidity while the air conditioner is on, and placing the flowers further away from the air conditioner outlet to avoid significant day-night temperature differences is acceptable.
5. What to do if hydroponic flowers have root rot? As temperatures continue to rise, water temperatures will also increase, microbial reproduction accelerates, dissolved oxygen decreases, and water quality deteriorates. Improper addition of nutrient solution, leading to excessive dissolved concentrations, can cause root rot in hydroponic flowers, especially in the Lily family such as Dracaena, Rhapis excelsa (Fine-leaf Dracaena), and Dracaena fragrans. The following methods can help restore the growth of flowers with rotting roots: a) Remove all rotten roots and cut off the infected parts of the stem with a sharp knife. b) Soak the pruned flowers in a 0.5% potassium permanganate solution for 10-20 minutes to sterilize. c) Rinse the soaked flowers in running water. d) Place the cleaned flowers back in the original container with clean water. e) Change the water every 1-2 days, only using clean water without nutrient solution. If the water is clear, the frequency of water change can be reduced. After 10-15 days of care, new roots should sprout. f) Continue to cultivate new roots in clean water, and when the temperature stabilizes between 18-25 degrees, use nutrient solution.
6. What to do if algae grow in the nutrient solution? Algae growth in the cultivation process of hydroponic flowers is a common phenomenon, especially in summer when temperatures are high, the container has good transparency, and the environment is bright. Or if the interval between changing nutrient solutions is too long, it can trigger the massive growth of algae. Algae compete with flowers for oxygen, their secretions pollute the solution, and reduce the quality of the nutrient solution. Algae attached to the flower roots hinder root respiration and interfere with the normal physiological activities of the flowers, causing significant harm. Once algae grow in the nutrient solution, discard the contaminated solution, thoroughly clean the container and remove algae attached to the flower roots, and replace with new nutrient solution.
7. What fertilizer to use for hydroponic flowers? How to fertilize in summer?
Hydroponic flowers are a special cultivation form, a method of soilless cultivation where the plant roots are anchored in water (or a specialized plant nutrient solution), also known as nutrient solution cultivation.
Hydroponic flowers should be cultivated with a matching plant nutrient solution. However, different flowers require different nutrients at different growth stages, and if you are cultivating five, six, or even a dozen different hydroponic flowers of various species, it is not practical to buy a separate bottle of matching nutrient solution for each flower. For simplicity, a general-purpose plant nutrient solution can be chosen.
General-purpose plant nutrient solutions usually contain all the essential nutrients (including macronutrients and micronutrients) required for plant growth, with a balanced ratio of various elements,无机盐 in ionic form, a wide range of applications, suitable for the nutrient needs of different flower species at different growth stages, non-toxic, non-harmful, pH value, and ionic concentration conducive to nutrient absorption. There are many types of plant nutrient solutions on the market (C-S), with varying quality. It is best to purchase products from reputable manufacturers at hydroponic flower specialty stores.
Whether to use nutrient solution cultivation or just water cultivation in summer varies in opinion. According to the author's experience, flowers that can tolerate high temperatures and have strong growth should be cultivated with nutrient solution; flowers with fine roots and half-dormant or dormant in temperatures around 30℃ should only be cultivated with water. For example, Amydrium, Epipremnum aureum, Chamaedorea elegans, Red宝石, and Philodendron, cultivated with nutrient solution can maintain growth advantage and enhance ornamental value. For flowers like Coleus, Begonia, and Bromeliads, a bottle of water is enough to safely survive the summer.
When preparing the nutrient solution, strictly follow the proportions indicated in the instructions and do not arbitrarily increase the concentration. Because the root tissue structure of flowers grown in hydroponic conditions has changed, being looser, with larger cells and thinner cell walls, directly absorbing water, nutrients, and oxygen from the nutrient solution, making them highly sensitive to nutrient solution concentration, which can be harmful to flowers if too high. As long as the concentration of macronutrients is not lower than 1 micro-mole per liter, a lower concentration is beneficial for plant growth. It is recommended to change the nutrient solution every 5 days in summer.
8. Can soil-grown flowers be converted to hydroponic flowers in summer? Converting soil-grown flowers to hydroponic flowers is most suitable in spring and autumn when temperatures are around 15-25℃, which is suitable for flower growth and easily adaptable to the changed cultivation environment. When changing the cultivation form of flowers in summer, the following factors should be considered: ① Choose varieties closely related to hydrophytic flowers. ② Flowers that still grow normally and develop healthily at temperatures around 30℃. Experiments have shown that Syngonium, Chamaedorea elegans, Red宝石, Philodendron, Spathiphyllum, and some Bromeliad flowers have a high survival rate when converted from soil to hydroponic cultivation in summer. They adapt to the hydroponic environment quickly, with few root rots, and after 15-20 days of cultivation, not only do lateral roots grow on old roots, but adventitious roots also sprout from the root tips. When converting from soil to hydroponic cultivation, the soil around the flower roots should be thoroughly removed. Rinse repeatedly to protect the roots from or minimize damage, use a larger container for cultivation, change the water daily, and after five days, change the water every 2-3 days. When the water roots grow to 5 cm long, cultivate with a low concentration of plant nutrient solution.
The above is a summary of the related content on family hydroponic flower cultivation techniques, hoping it is helpful to you!