How to cultivate Michelia alba
Today, the editor will elaborate on how to cultivate Michelia alba and the precautions for potting Michelia alba, as follows:
Whenever watching old Shanghai movies or TV series, there is often a scene where an elderly grandmother or a little girl is selling Michelia alba on the street. Women in old Shanghai particularly liked to wear Michelia alba on their collars because of its pure white and fragrant flowers, which possess a noble and elegant temperament.
Michelia is an evergreen tree belonging to the Magnoliaceae family and the Michelia genus. If grown outdoors, it can reach a height of 17 meters. The flowering period of Michelia alba starts from April in spring and can last until late autumn, with summer being the peak blooming season. The flowers have a strong fragrance, and planting one or two in the courtyard can fill the whole garden with its scent. It can also be cultivated in pots. However, many flower enthusiasts say that Michelia alba in pots is prone to yellowing leaves. Below, Lan Yao briefly introduces the cultivation methods and precautions for potting Michelia alba.
Cultivation methods and precautions for Michelia alba in pots
Michelia alba has average cold resistance and may suffer frost damage when temperatures drop below 0 degrees Celsius in winter. Generally, it is required that winter temperatures do not drop below 5 degrees. Therefore, it can only be grown outdoors in southern regions, while in other areas, pot cultivation is the main method, with the plants moved indoors for winter and then moved outdoors again when spring temperatures stabilize. To successfully cultivate Michelia alba in pots, it is recommended to pay attention to the following three points.
1. Potting soil selection and potting method
Michelia alba has fleshy roots and does not tolerate waterlogging. When potting, the soil should be loose and well-draining. For woody flowers, to enhance plant stability, some garden soil is usually added to the soil mix to increase its weight, making the roots more stable. The soil mix can be made of one part garden soil, one part decomposed leaf soil, and one part river sand, mixed evenly and then planted. If there is no garden soil, it can also be planted in nutrient-rich soil.
The Michelia alba seedlings available in the market are generally cultivated in garden soil. When potting, if we also use the garden soil mix, we can transplant with the original soil ball. If using pure nutrient-rich soil, it is recommended to remove 2/3 of the original soil before planting.
It is important to note that after removing 2/3 of the original soil ball, the Michelia alba may show soft leaves or even leaf drop, which is a normal seedling establishment phenomenon. As long as the seedling establishment is successful, the subsequent maintenance will be simple. Additionally, if the seedlings are planted in summer, they can only be transplanted with the original soil, otherwise, they may wither.
2. Sufficient sunlight
Michelia alba prefers an environment with plenty of sunlight. If sunlight is insufficient, Michelia alba may grow tall without flowering. During the growing season of Michelia alba, it is recommended to maintain full sunlight or at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. In summer, potted Michelia alba can be slightly shaded, or the pot can be shaded to prevent the soil from becoming too hot and damaging the roots.
3. Moderate watering and fertilizing
Michelia alba has fleshy roots and does not tolerate waterlogging. Watering should adhere to the principle of watering thoroughly when the soil is completely dry. In the hot summer, water can be added when the surface of the potting soil is dry. In case of continuous rainy weather, it is important to ensure drainage and prevent waterlogging in the pot.
Michelia alba grows rapidly, blooms profusely, and has a long blooming period, requiring a large amount of fertilizer. However, since Michelia alba grows new branches and forms flower buds simultaneously, the right fertilizer needs to be chosen when applying additional fertilizer.
In spring, when Michelia alba starts to grow, the additional fertilizer should be a balanced growth fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When Michelia alba starts to form flower buds, it is necessary to increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. At this time, a water-soluble fertilizer can be applied every 7 days, mainly using Huaduo No. 1, or alternating between Huaduo No. 1 and monopotassium phosphate, which increases phosphorus and potassium fertilizers while also providing nitrogen, allowing Michelia alba to maintain branch growth and produce more flower buds.
Finally, it is important to note that Michelia alba prefers acidic soil. If the potting soil becomes alkaline, it may easily develop iron deficiency and yellowing leaves. Therefore, during regular maintenance, it is recommended to apply sulfate iron fertilizer once a month to maintain soil acidity. In autumn and winter, Michelia alba leaves often develop spots, which will naturally shed when new leaves grow in spring. This is a natural metabolic phenomenon and there is no need to worry.
The above are some tips and knowledge on how to cultivate Michelia alba and precautions for potting Michelia alba. I hope this article can provide you with some help!