How to grow baby's breath in a pot
This article provides knowledge on how to grow baby's breath in a pot and the precautions for its care, specifically including the following contents:
Baby's breath is one of the top ten cut flowers in the world, loved by many flower enthusiasts for its high ornamental value and frequent use as a flower arrangement material. It is also relatively easy to cultivate, making it a suitable decorative plant for the home. I am now sharing the cultivation methods and precautions for growing baby's breath.
Methods for growing baby's breath
1. Soil
Baby's breath is not very picky about soil, but it grows best in well-drained, fertile, and loose loamy soil. Generally, slightly alkaline lime soil or gritty loam soil is sufficient.
2. Light
The cultivation of baby's breath does not require strict lighting conditions. It only needs to be placed on a balcony or windowsill to receive 2-4 hours of sunlight when the sun is not too intense. However, during the summer, when sunlight is strong, it is necessary to move the baby's breath to a shady place to prevent its leaves from being sunburned and turning yellow.
3. Temperature
Baby's breath grows best at a daytime temperature of 25°C. If the temperature exceeds 30°C for too long, it can increase the chance of deformed flowers. The optimal night temperature is between 10-15°C. If it drops below 10°C, combined with short days in autumn and winter, it can lead to dormancy or clustering.
4. Watering and fertilizing
Proper fertilization and watering are important factors in growing baby's breath well. It prefers fertilizer but dislikes too much water. Regular fertilization is best, using compound fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the growing season, and more phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizer close to flowering time. Baby's breath requires plenty of water during the growing period, especially before and after flowering, to ensure that the flower buds have enough water and nutrients to bloom.
5. Pruning and topping
Baby's breath grows well with sufficient sunlight, so it needs to be pruned. After about 30 days of planting, side shoots will start to emerge, and it is important to topping at this time, leaving only 3-4 pairs of leaves at the bottom to promote side branch growth, generally retaining 6-8 side branches per plant.
Precautions for growing baby's breath
1. Baby's breath likes fertilizer. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting and regular top dressing after planting, mainly using nitrogen fertilizer and gradually increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
2. When the plant reaches 30 centimeters tall, it is necessary to control the water supply, especially during the budding stage, and the soil should be relatively dry during flowering.
3. Baby's breath prefers a warm and sunny environment for growth, but overly strong sunlight and high temperatures are not suitable for it, so the sunlight should not be too intense.
4. Baby's breath seedlings are prone to death when repotting. When transplanting, make sure to transplant with soil, and be careful not to wash the seedlings away after watering. Alternatively, the method of watering without repotting can be used to supplement water.
5. During the winter, additional sunlight is needed for baby's breath. We must not only maintain the necessary daylight for baby's breath but also provide supplementary lighting at night. Also, we need to keep the plant warm in low winter temperatures.
6. Baby's breath does not often suffer from diseases or pests, but occasionally there may be aphids or snails. In such cases, diluted insect repellent or a neutral laundry detergent can be sprayed to kill aphids. For snails, a snail-killing granular agent can be sprayed on the potting soil.
The above-mentioned content on how to grow baby's breath in a pot and the precautions for its care, if it can be of help to you, remember to visit the website often!