Key Points for Cultivating Watermelon Pepper Plant
Today's plant experience is about the watermelon pepper plant, a herbaceous flower. Here are some useful tips for cultivating watermelon pepper plant, which are worth collecting!
The watermelon pepper plant thrives in a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment with high air humidity. To maintain its beautiful leaf patterns, the following points must be observed:
1. Substrate
The plant should be cultivated in loose, fertile soil with good drainage. It grows poorly in clay soil. Potting soil should be a mix of decomposed leaf soil and coarse sand or coal ash. You can also use a mix of peat soil and perlite.
2. Temperature
The watermelon pepper plant is intolerant to severe cold and extreme heat. The optimal growth temperature is between 20-30°C. Growth slows down when the temperature exceeds 30°C or drops below 15°C. The minimum temperature in winter should not be lower than 10°C, otherwise, the plant may suffer from frost damage, or even physiological diseases.
3. Soil
Use a mainly decomposed leaf soil mixed with a small amount of river sand for potting.
4. Light
Since the watermelon pepper plant is shade-tolerant, it should be placed in a bright indoor area with diffused light, avoiding direct strong sunlight. In spring and autumn, it should be moved to an outdoor area with good ventilation and some sunlight. It prefers semi-shade or diffused light and can be exposed to full sun in winter. In summer, it needs to be shaded by 50%, otherwise, the leaves may get sunburned. However, too much shade will make the leaves look dull, grayish-green, and the patterns will not be distinct.
5. Water
During the growing season, keep the potting soil moist but avoid waterlogging, as this can cause root rot and leaf drop, or even kill the entire plant. In summer and dry seasons, spray the leaves with water 2-3 times a day to increase humidity and promote pattern formation on the leaves. The plant is afraid of both drought and waterlogging; drought can cause wilting and yellowing, even death, while waterlogging can lead to root rot. Keep the soil slightly moist and water when the surface of the potting soil looks dry. In winter, if the temperature is relatively low, control the watering to allow the soil to alternate between dry and wet.
6. Fertilizer
Usually, apply a dilute cake fertilizer or compound fertilizer once a month. Do not use too much nitrogen fertilizer, as a lack of phosphorus can cause the leaf patterns to disappear and reduce the ornamental effect. Use a balanced fertilizer and avoid using only nitrogen fertilizer, which can make the “watermelon” stripes indistinct and greatly reduce the ornamental value. It's best to use a dilute liquid fertilizer to water the potting soil, as too concentrated fertilizer can cause plant necrosis.
7. Humidity
The plant requires high air humidity and does not tolerate dry conditions. In addition to regular watering, you should frequently spray water on the plant. If possible, it's best to sprinkle water in the growing environment to increase humidity, which works well. In a dry environment, the leaves will not grow normally.
8. Disease and Pest Prevention
Diseases and pests are rare, with leaf spot disease being the most common. You can spray fungicides like carbendazim or metalaxyl-M to prevent it. The main pests are red spiders and scale insects, which can be controlled by spraying specific insecticides such as dicofol or dinotefuran to control red spiders; and chlorpyrifos or chlorpyrazole to control scale insects. Attention should be paid to the disinfection of the cultivation site, pots, and soil. Root collar rot and gummosis can be controlled by spraying Bordeaux mixture to prevent the spread of the disease.
The above is a comprehensive introduction to the key points for cultivating watermelon pepper plants, hoping to provide green plant enthusiasts with some relevant knowledge.