Huali Lu's Cultivation and Care
An article about the related topics of Huali Lu, a succulent plant, focusing on its cultivation and care. Next, the editor will introduce it to everyone.
Huali Lu's cultivation is similar to ordinary Huali Lu, and it is better to use a smaller pot.
Huali Lu prefers a cool semi-shaded environment, with its main growing period in the cooler spring and autumn seasons, requiring a certain level of humidity in the air. It is drought-resistant but not cold-resistant, dislikes high temperatures and humidity, and is afraid of strong sunlight and excessive shade. It is prone to root rot if the soil is waterlogged, and is usually cultivated in a greenhouse or outdoor seedbed.
I. Temperature
Huali Lu is suitable for growing in a warm winter and cool summer environment. When the temperature is high in summer, the plant enters a dormant or semi-dormant state, with slow or complete cessation of growth. It should be placed in a ventilated, cool, and dry area, avoiding strong sunlight and long-term rain, and excessive watering should be avoided, and fertilization should be stopped until the cool autumn returns to normal management.
In winter, the minimum night temperature should be around 8°C, and the daytime temperature should be above 20°C for the plant to continue growing. Normal watering should be maintained, and if watering is restricted, the plant will enter a dormant state. It can tolerate low temperatures of 3°C to 5°C, even short-term 0°C低温, but if it is exposed to temperatures below 5°C for a long time, the leaves will have frostbite marks, especially the outer leaves, which are easily frozen and turn white, and cannot be restored to their original state.
Therefore, it is best to maintain the winter temperature of Huali Lu above 5°C.
II. Light
It is sensitive to light. If the light is too strong, the leaves will not grow well and will appear light reddish-brown, and sometimes strong direct sunlight can burn the leaves, leaving unsightly scars. If the growing area is too shaded, it will cause the plant to become loose and not compact, with thin and long leaves and poor transparency of the "window," making it difficult for such plants to recover their original appearance, only waiting for these elongated leaves to fall off slowly and new healthy leaves to grow.
Plants grown in semi-shade have thick and full leaves with high transparency. Therefore, a layer of shade net can be added from May to September, and the shade net should be removed from October to April of the following year to provide full sunlight.
III. Soil
Huali Lu is suitable for growing in loose and fertile soil with good drainage and breathability, containing lime and having a coarse particle size. A mixture of 2 parts of decomposed leaf soil and 3 parts of coarse sand or vermiculite is commonly used for planting, mixed with a small amount of bone meal, etc. High-end varieties like 'Huali Lu Zoujin' and 'Mao Huali Lu' can also be planted with artificial materials such as red jade soil, orchid stone, and planting stone, but an appropriate amount of peat soil should be added to increase the organic content of the soil.
IV. Watering
During the growing period, water only when the soil is dry and water thoroughly, avoiding waterlogging and no rain, especially no long-term rain, to prevent root rot. However, it is also not suitable for long-term drought, as the plant will not die, but the leaves will become shriveled and the leaf color will become dull.
When the air is dry, water can be sprayed frequently on the plant and its surrounding environment. During the growing season, a transparent colorless beverage bottle with the top cut off can be used to cover the plant for maintenance, creating a humid environment for growth, which can make the leaves plump and the "window" more transparent.
However, the beverage bottle must be removed during the high-temperature summer to prevent the plant from dying due to stuffy heat and humidity.
V. Fertilization
During the growing period, plants with vigorous growth can be fertilized once a month with well-rotted thin liquid fertilizer or low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer. New plants or plants with weak growth do not need to be fertilized. Fertilization is not necessary during the dormant period of high summer temperatures or low winter temperatures. Fertilization time should be chosen on a sunny morning or evening.
VI. Repotting
Since Huali Lu's roots secrete acidic substances, causing soil acidification and root aging, it is advisable to repot once a year in spring or autumn. If the plant stops growing and the leaves become shriveled during the growing period, it is likely that the roots are damaged and should be repotted and the roots organized promptly.
When repotting, cut off the aging hollow roots, shorten the long roots, retain the robust white new roots, and plant them with new culture soil. The newly planted plant can be frequently sprayed with water but should be watered less, which can help the plant recover growth quickly.
As the flowers of Huali Lu have low ornamental value, if seeds are not needed, the flower stem can be pulled out from the base to avoid consuming too much nutrients. It is important to note that the flower stem should not be cut with scissors but pulled out by hand to avoid leaving residual flower stems between the leaves, which can negatively affect the growth of new leaves.
VII. Disease and Pest Control
The main disease is root rot, caused by poor permeability of the cultivation material and long-term waterlogging in the soil. Therefore, the cultivation environment should be improved, and soil with good breathability should be selected to avoid long-term waterlogging. In addition, long-term waterlogging in the center of the plant can cause heart rot.
If the soil is not changed for a long time, the aging and hollowing of the roots can cause physiological diseases in the plant, causing the plant to stop growing, the leaves to become shriveled and not plump. In this case, the soil should be changed promptly. The pest is root mealybug, which can be controlled by high-temperature treatment of the soil before planting and adding insecticides to the soil.
The detailed introduction of the cultivation and care of Huali Lu provided above, do you understand it now?