Experience in Cultivating Mesembryanthemum Plants
A Mini Guide to Plant Management, focusing on succulents, particularly the cultivation experience of Mesembryanthemum plants. Below is an introduction for you in detail.
There are many types of Mesembryanthemum plants, and this article is about a hobbyist's daily care experience, including caring for new plants and sowing experience, which is very helpful for beginners and can help avoid many detours.
1. Sowing Time: Sow in autumn, winter sowing is not recommended. If you are in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, or Shanghai area, it's best not to sow after December. Last December, I bought a reptile mat and have been sowing seeds, but the results were not ideal. Although the temperature of the reptile mat was adequate and the germination rate was fine (basically 100% germination in winter), the seedlings were very slow-growing and fragile, like sprouting beans in a greenhouse. The common situation with winter sowing is: germination is not a problem, but the survival rate is very low. My suggestion is to sow all the seeds when the temperature is below 30 degrees Celsius (other regions can refer to the temperature), for example, in early September. The seedlings sown in September are several times larger than those sown in November and are very sturdy.
2. Pest Prevention
Don't think that just because you have covered the surface with mulch, the small black bugs won't come to you! I often see hobbyists asking how to deal with small black bugs. My advice is to try to dry the soil surface, and mulching is necessary, but sometimes if the mulch is very wet, the small black bugs may still appear. After discovering the small black bugs, apply medicine promptly, or you can also sprinkle DX for prevention.
3. Fungus Prevention
There's not much to say about this; just control the watering. If there is already fungus, you can sprinkle some carbendazim powder or spray the soil surface with a potassium permanganate solution, then ventilate and dry, and the fungus will disappear immediately.
4. Sunburn Repair
In this season, with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, the direct sunlight temperature can reach over 40 degrees Celsius. Do not expose the watered plants to direct sunlight; otherwise, they will immediately wilt. If the plants become dried out from the sun, do not water them immediately. Sunburn is also a wound, and watering thoroughly at this point will immediately cause wilting. I have had this bitter lesson... The proper approach is to place them in a shaded area to recover a bit, then soak the pot, slightly moist but not too wet, and then start praying. With luck, they might recover...
By the way, watering after sunburn is a sure way to kill the plants... My 54a plants all died from sunburn, and half of the Chocolate Daylilies also died... It was very sad. At that time, I was inexperienced and watered them, and then they all wilted.
5. Watering Methods
You can soak the pots, but I usually don't soak them completely. In weather like that of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, where the humidity is already high, if the plants are dry, just soak the pots without completely soaking them, slightly moist is fine, and do not wet the soil surface. Too much water can easily cause etiolation and attract small black flies. Since the root system of the plants is shallow, their watering frequency is much lower than that of the plants, the soil does not dry easily, so the watering frequency should not be high; otherwise, the plants will easily rot.
6. Root Pruning for Seedlings
For the plants sown in autumn, when they are transplanted in spring, you can prune the roots, usually leaving 0.5 cm, and let them dry for a few days before potting. The soil for potting can have an appropriate amount of particles added. It's fine to use moist or dry soil. My habit is to use dry soil and then spray a layer of water on the surface, and spray some more when it dries, but do not water thoroughly, as it will cause immediate etiolation and the soil being too moist can easily attract pests.
7. Soil Treatment for Sowing
Does the host use heating or soaking with medication to sterilize the soil? Answer: Directly use the microwave, both bugs and fungi will die... Soil sterilization is necessary, but according to my experience, peat often contains insect eggs, and unturned soil often has some springtails and other moisture bugs. It's best to heat it at high temperatures... Crispy, high temperature is the most convenient, safest, and most effective method.
8. Sowing Duration
When sowing, you definitely cover it with plastic wrap? How long after germination do you completely remove the cover? Answer: I buy those sowing boxes with lids, or you can use a lunch box and cover it with the lid. Every night, I open the lid for ventilation, and when about two-thirds of the seeds have germinated, I increase ventilation and reduce the time of stuffiness. The duration of stuffiness depends on the germination situation, usually about ten days or so. As long as most of them have germinated, you can open the cover. There are no strict rules. I myself am afraid of mold and wilting, so I ventilate for a while every night, and if I feel the soil is dry, I soak the pot with a light potassium permanganate solution. Place the sowing box near the north window if possible, or in a bright indoor area if not.
9. Soil Mixture Issues
Soil mixture issues are a commonly discussed topic, still, it depends on your local climate conditions and requires personal exploration and adjustment.
For sowing soil, I personally use a lot of particles, with some vermiculite or peat on the surface, mainly to keep the top layer moist and level the sowing soil.
How do you mix the soil for transplanting? There's not much to say about the soil mixture for transplanting seedlings. It still depends on your environment. I personally grab a bit of various small particles, with a preference for more particles, mainly because of the high rainfall in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai.
10. Issues to Consider When Buying Seeds
Is the source of the seeds important? What's your opinion? What should you pay attention to when buying seeds? Answer: This is a side issue. I believe different sources definitely make a difference. For example, ordinary Shouli Marble and the Marble selected by the D-god have different prices. Which seller has a better source is not something I think is necessary to discuss, as long as it's the right version, other issues don't matter. Also, a seller may sometimes import multiple sources under the same catalog number, so not every batch is the same.
The specific content shared above about the cultivation experience of Mesembryanthemum plants is for everyone's reference and operation.