How to best care for camellias
Let me tell you how to best care for camellias and the precautions for growing them, a topic about flowers and plants. Let's take a look together.
Camellias, also known as wild camellias, come in a variety of colors, including red, purple, white, and yellow, and have good ornamental value, so many people enjoy growing them. So, do you know how to care for camellias? What should be paid attention to in daily maintenance? Let's find out together.
1. Acidic Soil
If camellia branches grow slowly, have few flowers, and do not grow in size, it is likely that the roots are not growing well. The most crucial factor for root growth is the soil. Generally, poor, compacted soil is not suitable for growing camellias. To grow camellias well, choose slightly acidic soil, so you can add a lot of decomposed leaf mold or well-rotted pine needle soil to the soil for growing camellias.
2. Sufficient Light
Camellias enjoy sunlight and can be exposed to plenty of light in all seasons except summer. This will help them grow well. In summer, it is important to provide shade, and it can be placed in an environment with scattered light or half-day sunlight. Additionally, if the flower buds are blocked by the top leaves, remove the leaves to ensure the buds can get sunlight.
3. Appropriate Temperature
Camellias are very sensitive to cold. If the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius, they will stop growing or grow very slowly. At temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius, they can grow and bloom normally. Therefore, maintaining a higher temperature is necessary for camellias to grow better and produce more flowers. Low temperatures can cause leaves and flower buds to fall, so be careful.
4. Watering and Fertilizing
The principle of watering camellias is to water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry, and the potting soil should be as loose and breathable as possible. Accumulation of water can easily cause root and leaf rot. Generally, after camellias produce flower buds, the amount of water should be moderate, neither too much nor too little, as it can easily cause dry or fallen flower buds. You can observe the surface soil of camellias, and water immediately when it turns white or has slight cracks. Additionally, since camellias prefer acidic and fear alkaline conditions, you can add 2 drops of salt-free vinegar or fermented fruit peel water when watering.
The best time to fertilize camellias is when the flower buds have just differentiated in May. Generally, you can apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizer every 15-20 days, for about 3 times. Also, during the growth period of camellia flower buds, promptly supplement with monopotassium phosphate, which can be diluted in 1000 times water and applied once every half month until the camellia flower buds fully open.
5. Thinning and Pruning
When camellia flower buds grow to the size of soybeans, it is necessary to thin them in time. Generally, strong branches can retain 2 flower buds, while thin branches can retain 1. When thinning, simply break off the flower buds or cut off half of them with scissors, and the remaining 1/2 will fall off by itself.
6. Ensure Ventilation
When growing camellias indoors, try to maintain good ventilation. Poor ventilation can easily cause leaf rot or leaf spot. If the ventilation is really poor, you can spray it with mancozeb once or twice a month.
Camellias are relatively easy to grow. As long as you pay attention to the details mentioned above, they will grow quickly, with lush branches and leaves, and more flowers each year. Whether it's potted camellias or camellias grown outdoors, you should follow these maintenance points.
The above is all about how to best care for camellias and the precautions for growing them. Have flower enthusiasts learned about it?