The cultivation and management of succulents in summer
Do you know these? Introduction to succulents, the cultivation and management of succulents in summer. The following editor will provide you with detailed answers.
Cultivating succulents, the common difficulty people feel is how to ensure that some species with summer dormancy habits can safely survive the summer. Some people may think: Isn't summer dormancy the same as winter dormancy? Just stop fertilizing and reduce watering. In fact, the management during the summer dormancy period is much more complex.
Firstly, due to different species and climates in various cultivation regions, it is difficult to uniformly determine when a certain genus enters dormancy. It can only be done through careful observation and experience accumulation during cultivation, which is different from the management of winter dormant species. During winter dormancy, the management can be relatively unified. Even if the plant has not entered dormancy, forcing it to dormancy by stopping water in advance does not cause much harm. If it has already entered dormancy and is watered once, it will not be a big problem as long as attention is paid to insulation. However, one must be cautious with summer dormant species. If water is stopped in advance without entering dormancy, the high temperature and evaporation rate may cause withering. For some species that complete the alternation of old and new leaves during the dormancy period, if water is stopped in advance, it will affect the differentiation of new buds and force the early withering of old leaves, which will affect the alternation and may cause the entire plant to die. If a plant has entered dormancy and is watered and fertilized, it may cause rot. Therefore, only by correctly mastering the dormancy period can the management during the summer dormancy period be done well.
Secondly, ventilation and cooling during the summer dormancy period are relatively difficult. Although the original habitat is dry in summer, it is relatively cool, unlike most regions in China where summers are hot. The summer management of "summer type" succulents begins on May 5th, the start of the summer solstice according to the Chinese calendar, but by the phenological standard, summer is defined as consecutive 5 days with an average daily temperature above 22°C, which is the hottest season of the year. Due to regional differences, the climates vary greatly, and the arrival of summer also varies, with southern and northern regions having different climates even during the same summer.
Generally speaking, the summer in the south is humid and hot, while in the north it is dry and hot. Relatively speaking, from May to mid-June in the north is not that hot, with a relatively large diurnal temperature difference, which is still favorable for the growth of succulents. However, after the beginning of June, the temperature is high, the diurnal temperature difference is small, and it is hot and humid, which is very unfavorable for the growth of succulents, especially for "winter type" and "intermediate type" succulents. By the time of the beginning of autumn on August 8th, although the diurnal temperature difference begins to gradually increase, high temperatures and intense sunlight remain the main features of the climate during this period, known as "autumn old (H)," which continues until the end of August with the end of the "stopping heat" solar term. In the south, the high temperature and humidity weather can even last longer, extending to mid-September when summer ends.
In addition, summer is often accompanied by hail, strong winds, and floods caused by heavy rain and continuous rainy weather, which can cause significant damage to succulents, even leading to complete loss. In summer, "summer type" succulents such as Echinopsis, Euphorbia, Hylocereus, Lophophora, Stenocactus, Agave, Echeveria, Pachyphytum, and others enter the peak growing season. Most species of cacti can bloom beautiful flowers in May and June, some in July, and some continuously throughout the summer.
Light: "Summer type" succulents should be provided with ample sunlight. Insufficient light not only causes the plants to stretch but also affects flowering. For some species with columnar or spherical stems, such as cacti and Euphorbia, the succulent stems may suddenly become thin, severely affecting the appearance, and it is difficult to restore them to their original state. For leaf-viewing succulents, it can cause the plant shape to become loose and the leaf color to become dull. Especially for some species with red leaves or patterns or powdery leaves, the succulent leaves can turn green, the patterns on the leaves or the powder can decrease, or even disappear. Therefore, it is best to place the plants in an outdoor area with sufficient light and good ventilation for maintenance; however, for some delicate species, strong direct sunlight should be avoided from June to August, to prevent sunburn. For plants that have been placed indoors or in other areas with insufficient light for a long time, they should not be suddenly placed in strong light. They should first be maintained in a semi-shaded area for a period of time before being moved to a brighter area, allowing them to gradually adapt to the environment.
Temperature: Although "summer type" succulents prefer high-temperature environments, attention should also be paid to ventilation and cooling when the temperature continues to exceed 38°C. For greenhouse-grown plants, the plastic film around the greenhouse can be opened for ventilation and cooling, leaving the top with plastic film to prevent rain and covered with a shading net to help cool down. If conditions allow, fans or electric fans can be installed in the greenhouse to enhance ventilation and prevent plant rot caused by stuffy heat and humidity. For some valuable species, white or light-colored stones can be placed on the surface of the potting soil to reflect sunlight and prevent the soil from absorbing too much heat.
Watering: For "summer type" succulents that are growing, water can be given sufficiently but should not accumulate. During the rainy season, attention should be paid to drainage to prevent waterlogging, which can cause root rot. It should be noted that although succulents are drought-resistant, they do not like drought. If they are short of water for a long time during the growing season, the plants will not die, but growth will be extremely slow or even stop, and their appearance will be poor. Therefore, sufficient water must be provided during the growing season, with the best watering time being early morning or evening, but avoid watering during the high temperatures of noon.
Fertilizing: "Summer type" succulents can be fertilized with a thin liquid fertilizer or a "low nitrogen high phosphorus potassium" compound fertilizer every 10 to 15 days during the growing season, depending on the variety. Newly planted plants should not be fertilized within a month, nor should weak plants. For most succulents, fertilization can be done every half month, and for slow-growing varieties, once a month, and some extremely slow-growing varieties may not need to be fertilized at all. Do not water for a few days before fertilizing, and after the potting soil is basically dry, loosen the soil the day before and fertilize the next day to help the plant absorb the nutrients. Since the osmotic pressure of the roots of most succulents is very low, except for a few species like Opuntia, the concentration of the fertilizer solution should not be too high. The type of fertilizer should vary depending on the plant variety and growth stage. Generally, nitrogenous fertilizers can be slightly more for young seedlings, leafy green plants, while phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied more during the bud differentiation and flowering stages, and for plants with spherical or columnar stems, red, yellow, or other non-green leaf colors. Stalk-like succulents should be fertilized with more potassium. Organic fertilizers such as fermented soybean cakes, sesame cakes, chicken, pigeon manure, and bone meal can be used, but they must be fully decomposed and diluted with water before use. Inorganic fertilizers such as urea, monopotassium phosphate, superphosphate, and various compound fertilizers and special fertilizers available on the market (C-S) can also be used when the plants are growing vigorously, but the concentration should be low and the frequency should be infrequent, otherwise, it can cause soil compaction, affecting plant growth, and it would be counterproductive. However, unfermented eggshells, soy milk, fresh milk, and salty meat broth or bones should not be used. Care should be taken not to splash fertilizer solution on the plants.
"Intermediate type" succulents can be placed in a bright area without direct sunlight during summer, such as the inside of a balcony or under the trees in the courtyard. Watering can be done according to the climate, variety, and growth of the plant. In May and early June, when the temperature is not too high and the plant is still growing, normal watering can be done, with some thin fertilizer applied as appropriate. From late June to July, when the plant's growth has basically stopped, watering should be controlled to keep the potting soil slightly dry, and fertilization should be stopped. "Winter type" succulents have basically stopped growing in summer and should avoid direct sunlight, be well-ventilated, strictly control watering, and especially avoid rain, especially long-term rain or heavy rain.
The above is a specific introduction to the cultivation and management of succulents in summer, for netizens to refer to and learn from.