When is the best time to plant clove plants?
This article provides a detailed introduction to when to plant clove plants and an overview of the cultivation and propagation of green ornamental flowers, followed by a comprehensive introduction.
In a broad sense, the term "clove" refers to species in the clove genus, while in a narrow sense, it often specifically refers to a certain species in the clove genus. It is generally believed that clove refers to the widely distributed and cultivated Hebei purple clove and its variety, white clove.
Cloves belong to the Oleaceae family and are deciduous shrubs or small trees. Winter buds are ovate and covered with scales. Young branches are round, with a solid pith. Leaves are simple, opposite, elliptical or lanceolate, with petioles, entire or sometimes lobed, rarely pinnate. Flowers are bisexual, forming terminal or lateral paniculate inflorescences. Calyces are small, bell-shaped, with 4 lobes or truncate, persistent. Corollas are tiny, funnel-shaped, with 4 varying depths of lobes, white, purple, magenta, and blue-violet, among others. Stamens are 2, attached to the middle or upper part of the corolla tube. Ovaries are 2-locular, with 1-2 seeds in each locule, oblong, flat, with fine wings. Capsules are oblong, smooth or warted, and split open on the back.
There are 30 species of clove plants, of which 24 are found in China. There are also many varieties, hybrids, and cultivars.
They are mainly distributed in the temperate regions of Asia and the southeastern part of Europe. In China, they are widely cultivated in various cities and provinces in the north, northeast, northwest, extending to Ürümqi in Xinjiang, and south to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Hubei provinces.
Clove plants prefer warm, humid conditions and plenty of sunlight, with strong cold resistance. Currently cultivated species can safely overwinter in the north, growing, flowering, and fruiting normally. Clove plants have strong drought resistance, are not picky about soil, and can tolerate barren conditions. Except for highly acidic soils, clove plants can grow normally in various types of soil, with loose, neutral soil being the best. They should not be planted in low-lying areas as waterlogging can cause diseases or lead to the death of the entire plant. Clove plants are sun-loving, grow weakly in shaded or semi-shaded areas, and bloom rarely. They have a long lifespan, with some ancient trees living for hundreds of years.
Key points for cultivation
(1) Planting and watering
Cloves should be planted in sunny locations with loose, well-drained soil. Generally, bare-root planting is done before spring germination, selecting 2-3-year-old seedlings, with planting holes 70-80 cm in diameter and 50-60 cm deep. Each hole should be fertilized with 1000 grams of well-rotted organic fertilizer and 100-150 grams of bone meal, thoroughly mixed with the soil as a base fertilizer.
After planting, water thoroughly every 10 days for 3-5 times. After each watering, loosen the soil to retain moisture, which helps raise soil temperature and promotes the rapid growth of new roots. During the vigorous growth and flowering season, water 2-3 times per month. During the rainy season, be sure to排水防涝. Before entering winter in mid-November, make sure to water thoroughly.
(2) Pruning
Generally, before spring germination, prune weak branches, dense branches, dry branches, and diseased branches, and retain a reasonable number of renewal branches. If seeds are not needed, remove the remaining inflorescences after flowering. Remember not to prune the branches of the clove plants before flowering, otherwise there will be no flowers to enjoy.
(3) Clove plants generally do not require fertilization or only a small amount of fertilizer. Excessive fertilization can cause Luxuriant growth, thus affecting the formation of flower buds and reducing flowering. However, after flowering, apply some phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen fertilizers, with no more than 75 grams of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers per plant, plus 25 grams of nitrogen fertilizer. If using manure or compost, it must be thoroughly decomposed and mixed evenly with the soil, applying about 500 grams per plant.
Propagation
Clove plants can be propagated by播种, cutting, grafting, layering, and division.
(1) Seed sowing
Seed sowing can be done in spring and autumn, either in indoor pots or in outdoor beds. In the north, spring sowing is best, from late March to early April. Before sowing, store the seeds in sand at 0-7°C for 1-2 months to ensure germination within half a month after sowing. When sowing, make furrows 3 cm deep, with a plant spacing of 2-10 cm. When the seedlings have grown 4-5 pairs of leaves, they should be transplanted to pots or thinned. Seedlings are susceptible to waterlogging, so drainage should be ensured during the rainy season. In the North China region, anti-freezing measures should be taken for the seedlings in winter.
(2) Cutting
About one month after flowering, select strong, lignified branches of the current year as cuttings, about 15 cm long, with 2-3 pairs of buds. After cutting, treat the cuttings with 50-100 mg/L of indolebutyric acid for 15-18 hours, then plant them in sand beds covered with plastic film, which can root in one month. Cuttings can also be taken from lignified branches in autumn and winter, buried in the ground, and then planted the following spring.
(3) Grafting
The rootstock is often European clove or small-leaf privet, and can be grafted using bud or branch grafting.
① Bud grafting is usually done from late June to mid-July, selecting dormant buds on strong current-year branches as scions, using a shield-shaped bud grafting method without woody tissue, grafting onto the stem of the rootstock 5-10 cm above the ground, with winter protection.
② Branch grafting is done in autumn and winter, taking cuttings that are buried in the ground and then grafted in the following spring. Cuttings that survive the winter can germinate and grow up to 50-80 cm in the first year, but few new branches form flower buds. Therefore, before the second-year buds germinate, the branches should be cut short 30-40 cm from the ground to promote the growth of lateral branches, allowing the branches to mature and flower normally. For grafted plants, it is important to prune the suckers from the rootstock.
The above is [] about when to plant clove plants and the cultivation and propagation of clove plants, hoping it can bring help to your life!