The Cultivation Method and Precautions for Potted Gardenia
Let's talk about the topic of the cultivation method and precautions for potted Gardenia jasminoides. Gardenia jasminoides prefers a warm and humid climate, enjoys sunlight but cannot withstand strong sunlight, and grows well in loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly clayey acidic soil. It is a typical acidic flower.
Cultivation Method for Gardenia jasminoides
In the seedling stage, Gardenia jasminoides should be weeded and watered frequently to keep the seedbed moist, and fertilized with diluted human urine as the best choice. After planting, weeds should be removed, the soil loosened, and fertilized once each in early spring and summer, and soil should be added appropriately.
Soil Mixture
Gardenia jasminoides is an indicator plant for acidic soil, so the slightly acidic environment of the soil is crucial for its growth. The growing medium should be a mixture of 70% slightly acidic sandy loam and 30% decomposed leaf matter. Keeping the soil pH value between 4.0-6.5 is ideal.
Temperature
The optimal growth temperature for Gardenia jasminoides is 16°C-18°C. Low temperatures and direct sunlight are extremely detrimental to its growth. Therefore, in summer, Gardenia jasminoides should be placed in a well-ventilated, humid, and moderately shaded area or under a greenhouse. In winter, it should be placed in a sunny environment with a temperature not lower than 0°C to allow it to hibernate. High temperatures can affect flowering the following year.
Watering
Gardenia jasminoides prefers humid air, and watering should be increased during the growing season. Water the plant when the potting soil becomes white, and water thoroughly. In hot summer days, spray the leaves 2-3 times a day to increase air humidity and help the plant cool down. However, after the buds appear, avoid excessive watering to prevent bud drop. In winter, slightly dry soil is preferable to prevent root rot.
Fertilizing
Gardenia jasminoides is a plant that loves fertilizer. To meet its nutritional needs during the growing season while maintaining a slightly acidic soil environment, you can mix ferrous sulfate into the fertilizer solution to ferment. After entering the peak growing season in April, you can apply fertilizer every two weeks (it is best to dilute the water more to prevent burning the flowers). This not only meets the plant's fertilizer needs but also keeps the soil environment in a relatively balanced slightly acidic state, preventing chlorosis and avoiding the damage caused by suddenly supplementing ferrous sulfate and localized acidity.
Precautions for Potted Gardenia jasminoides
The soil for potting should be a mixture of 40% garden soil, 15% coarse sand, 30% manure soil, and 15% decomposed leaf soil.
In the seedling stage, pay attention to watering to keep the potting soil moist and apply thin, decomposed fertilizer frequently. It is best to use rainwater or fermented rice washing water for watering.
If you water with a 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution or alum fertilizer solution (the two can be used alternately) every 10-15 days during the growing period, it can prevent the soil from turning alkaline and also supplement iron elements to the soil, preventing the leaves of Gardenia jasminoides from turning yellow.
In summer, spray water on the leaves of Gardenia jasminoides once in the morning and evening to increase air humidity and enhance leaf luster.
Precautions for Cultivating Gardenia jasminoides
The main diseases of Gardenia jasminoides include brown spot, anthracnose, sooty mold, root rot, and chlorosis. Indoors, diseases can occur throughout the year, and in severe cases, the plant may lose leaves, fruits, or die. Applying benomyl or carbendazim at the initial stage or during the occurrence of the disease can effectively control the disease.
Chlorosis
Gardenia jasminoides often develops chlorosis, which is caused by various reasons and requires different measures for prevention and treatment. Chlorosis caused by nutrient deficiencies: This type of chlorosis starts from the lower old leaves and gradually spreads to the new leaves. The causes are generally as follows.
1. Lack of potassium: Old leaves turn from green to brown.
2. Lack of phosphorus: Old leaves become purple or dark red. For these situations, you can apply decomposed human urine or cake fertilizer. Chlorosis caused by iron deficiency: This type of chlorosis appears on the new leaves, initially with the leaves turning light yellow or white, while the veins remain green. In severe cases, the veins also turn yellow or white, and the leaves will eventually wither and die. For this situation, you can spray a 0.2%-0.5% ferrous sulfate solution for prevention and treatment.
3. Chlorosis caused by magnesium deficiency: This type of chlorosis starts from the old leaves and gradually spreads to the new leaves, with the veins remaining green. In severe cases, the leaves will fall off and die. For this situation, you can spray a 0.7%-0.8% borax magnesium fertilizer. Overwatering, frost, etc., can also cause yellowing of leaves, so special attention should be paid during maintenance. Gardenia jasminoides is prone to scale insect infestations and accompanying sooty mold in winter when indoor ventilation is poor and humidity and temperature are too high. Scale insects can be removed with a bamboo stick or sprayed with a 20% petroleum emulsion diluted in 200 times water. For sooty mold, you can wipe with water or spray with a 1000 times solution of benomyl.
4. Lack of nitrogen: Pure yellow leaves, new leaves small and brittle.
Scale Insects
There are generally two types, one is the糠介 (rice husk scale) and the other is the吹棉介 (cottony scale). Sooty mold is caused by the excrement of scale insects. Both types of scale insects are piercing-sucking insects. The back surface of the insect is covered with a layer of wax, which is impenetrable to most pesticides. Pyrethroids or their improved agents can be used for spraying to kill them. Once a week, usually 2-3 times are needed for complete eradication. Sooty mold is caused by black mold infection and will not fall off after spraying any medication; it must be wiped clean to solve the problem.
The above information introduces the complete content of the cultivation method and precautions for potted Gardenia jasminoides. I hope it can help you, and at the same time, I hope everyone comes to see more life experience knowledge!