Fleshy Oxalis
This article introduces the planting of fleshy Oxalis (also known as beauty Oxalis), sharing personal planting experience. Let's take a look together.
About sowing time:
Having no experience the first time, I waited for the Oxalis to wake up by itself before sowing, which made germination faster. Last year's extremely long winter is still memorable to us. It was so cold, and the beauty Oxalis woke up in November (the small bulbs sprouted a very thin filament). In other years, it might not wake up until December...
If sown too early, the seedlings may not grow fast due to the hot weather, so I tend to sow later, at the end of November, and they will germinate around Christmas...
Large bulbs germinate more easily and grow faster than small ones in the initial stage...
Small bulbs need more time to germinate and grow slower initially, so you need to be patient...
About the size of the pot: They are all small square pots of 9*8 centimeters. This size is too small for the spring Oxalis that has already burst the pot, but it is enough for beauty Oxalis, which basically grows close to the ground and does not require a deep pot.
About pot soil mixture:
This can be very professional, referring to the soil mixture for succulents, such as peat, perlite, and other types of soil, with certain proportions. Before sowing,消毒 the soil with something or other. However, I am usually lazy and do not want to make it so complicated. I always use "CuixX Shining Soil" for my plants...
If you plan to use old soil, it is recommended to add some base fertilizer. The upper layer of soil near the small bulbs should still be new soil, which is cleaner. Otherwise, the small bulbs can easily "dive" into the soil...
About the order of sowing:
I usually do it this way: first, put a layer of ceramsite at the bottom of the pot to prevent root rot, with a thickness of no more than 1 centimeter; then put some used soil from last year, no more than 1 centimeter thick, add some base fertilizer, I used chicken manure last year, the amount please refer to the instructions. If unsure, a small amount is always safe; then fill the pot with old soil to half its depth, mixed with some Ogreen fertilizer (slow-release fertilizer); then add new soil, filling it to 1 centimeter away from the pot opening.
Water the soil thoroughly until it is saturated without any standing water. The new shiny soil does not absorb water easily and can be treated like flour, gently leveling the surface of the soil to ensure there are no坑坑洼洼, otherwise, the small bulbs will disappear when thrown in.
Place the seeds gently on the surface of the soil, flat, pay attention to the spacing, sprinkle a very thin layer of new soil, recommended to pinch and sprinkle with your fingers like handling flour, with a thickness not exceeding 2 millimeters. Spray the top layer of soil with a spray bottle, and if any small bulbs are sprayed out, you can use a toothpick to adjust the soil around them so that the bulbs are not visible.
About maintenance during the germination period:
High humidity is required during the germination period, but it was fine last year even without covering with plastic film. Do not place the pot in a place with direct sunlight, just put it next to the indoor window sill. If the surface soil feels dry, you can spray it with a spray bottle. When most of them have germinated, you can gradually move them to be exposed to the sun. If not exposed to the sun frequently, they are easily grown into sprouts.
About maintenance during the growth period:
Basically, as long as they have germinated, they are easy to manage later. As long as the temperature is above 5 degrees, I keep my Oxalis outside, exposed to wind and sun.
Beauty Oxalis belongs to the fleshy Oxalis group and has similar maintenance points as succulents. Slightly control the water and expose to the sun more. Since the evaporation of water is slow in winter, there is no need to water frequently. It is better to water when it is completely dry, and proper drying can promote root growth...
The picture below shows how it looks at the end of January, with the large bulbs having more leaves.
The ten small ones can be seen with a few in the middle growing stronger and those near the pot wall weaker, as the pot wall blocks some sunlight.
The following picture clearly shows that they basically grow close to the soil and do not reach the pot opening after a month, so the bulbs of beauty Oxalis should not be buried too deep...
About watering:
Water temperature that is too high or too low can harm the plants, which is called water damage. The time for watering in winter should be chosen on sunny days between 10 am and 12 pm. After watering, you can take it out to dry and enjoy a breeze.
If tap water is too cold, please let it sit for a while before using it to water plants. This can disperse some chlorine and make the water temperature closer to room temperature. High humidity will somewhat affect the cold resistance of the seedlings, so when the temperature is too low, it's better not to water if possible...
About topdressing:
With the approach of spring, changes will accelerate, and the leaves will become more abundant. At this time, the demand for water will be higher than in winter. Remember to water in time. By the way, I always mix some Biwang (water-soluble fertilizer) into the water when watering, and the water is a very light blue... (Many experienced gardeners advocate frequent application of thin fertilizer, especially during the growing season)
The picture at the end of February shows that the leaves of the large bulbs have already reached the pot wall.
The appearance of the small bulbs. If the base fertilizer buried earlier is not enough, it will be difficult to dig a hole for topdressing at this time, so water-soluble fertilizer is convenient.
The picture at the end of March shows a large bulb in a separate pot, which has already started to grow small bulbs. This spring is too late, I don't know when it should bloom under normal conditions.
Ten small bulbs are completely tangled together and it is difficult to tell them apart. They have also started to grow small bulbs. I begin to suspect that ten is too crowded for them...
In April, the flowers finally bloom. Surprisingly, the small bulbs can even bloom in the same year. The large bulbs have more than ten flowers, and the ten small bulbs together have even more flowers than the large ones. A photo of the two pots, with the large bulbs on the left and the small ones on the right.
About dormancy:
Beauty Oxalis is an autumn planting variety and will dormancy in summer. After blooming, it basically stops growing, and the leaves on the side will gradually become soft and yellow, indicating that the bulbs are going to dormancy... (If you are planting small bulbs, they may go dormant directly without blooming)
During this period, there is no need to water too frequently. You can stop watering when about half of the leaves have turned yellow. If too much water is poured, the bulbs in the soil can easily rot and mold.
About digging up bulbs and the size of bulbs:
The small bulbs growing on the soil are white at first and can be harvested when they turn yellow (recommended to use tweezers, as digging up beauty Oxalis bulbs is too laborious); as for the bulbs under the soil, if you have enough patience, you can wait until the leaves are completely withered and then wait another one or two weeks before harvesting the bulbs. If you are in a hurry or accidentally get rained on and worry about the large bulbs in the soil, you can also harvest earlier.
Generally speaking, the small bulbs shared by flower friends and purchased in groups refer to the sesame-sized bulbs growing on the soil, which are the smallest and most suitable for sharing by post. The bulbs under the soil are slightly larger than the sesame bulbs, darker in color, sometimes called large bulbs, but actually also small, similar to mung beans...
If you dig deeper, you can find bulbs the size of rice grains; if you dig even deeper, you can find bulbs the size of soybeans. It was only when I harvested the bulbs that I discovered that beauty Oxalis bulbs can also grow into extra-large bulbs with a diameter of 5 millimeters. So, if you've planted beauty Oxalis in a pot, don't throw it away without digging three feet into the ground.
About storing bulbs:
After digging up the bulbs, it is recommended to let them dry in a cool and ventilated place for a period, especially for bulbs dug up earlier, which helps to form a deep brown skin on the surface of the bulbs, protecting them. When the bulbs are dry, label and store them. If using a sealed bag for storage, it is best to扎几个小洞 in the bag for ventilation.
When the temperature drops in autumn and the bulbs wake up, you can plant them again...
The above [] introduces the full content of the personal planting experience sharing of fleshy Oxalis (beauty Oxalis). I hope it is helpful to green plant enthusiasts!