How to care for Zygocactus to survive the winter safely
Today's sharing: knowledge related to how to care for Zygocactus to survive the winter, including methods for Zygocactus to survive the winter safely, the specific content is as follows:
1. Temperature: As the temperature drops, Zygocactus should be moved to a sunny indoor area to prevent frost damage. The room temperature should be maintained around 15℃. During the blooming period, a temperature of 10℃ to 15℃ is ideal. When the temperature is below 5℃ or above 20℃, it will affect the plant's growth and flowering. During the flowering period, move the pot to a scattered light area for maintenance to extend the viewing period. Avoid sudden temperature drops or large day-night temperature differences; if the temperature suddenly drops to below 10℃ during the flowering period, it can lead to bud drop and flower drop.
2. Watering: Although Zygocactus enjoys moisture, its rootstock, like cacti, prefers dry conditions, so follow the principle of "better dry than wet, water only when necessary, and water thoroughly when dry." In winter, due to low temperatures, avoid excessive watering, generally once every 4 to 5 days, keeping the soil slightly moist. Never let water accumulate in the pot, as it can cause root rot. Spraying the leaves with water during the bud formation stage helps in producing more buds, so it's important to spray water frequently to keep the变态 stems and buds moist. Once Zygocactus has flower buds, avoid overly dry or wet soil to prevent bud and flower drop.
3. Fertilizing: For Zygocactus that is forming buds, it should be supplied with ample fertilizer, which is beneficial for both bud formation and vibrant flower colors. Phosphorus fertilizer should be the main type, or apply well-rotted thin liquid fertilizer every 7 to 10 days to promote more bud formation. You can also spray 0.2% phosphorus acid monopotassium solution on both sides of the leaves and buds, or mix it with water for浇施. This flowering promotion fertilization should continue until the buds bloom. During the flowering period, to ensure continuous blooming, apply liquid fertilizer or phosphorus and potassium fertilizer every 10 to 15 days, or a small amount of compound fertilizer. If the required nutrients are insufficient, not only will it be difficult for all the buds to bloom, but it can also cause continuous bud and flower drop.
4. Pest and disease control: The common pest affecting Zygocactus is scale insects, which are easily contracted in a poorly ventilated environment during winter. Scale insects can cause significant damage to Zygocactus, ranging from rust spots on the rootstock and scion, affecting appearance, to severe cases where the plant dies. If scale insects are found, they should be removed immediately with tools, or if there are many, use a bristle brush or bamboo slice to scrape off the insects, then spray with a 500 to 800 times solution of omethoate, continuing the treatment for 2 to 3 times.
5. Pruning: For Zygocactus grown through grafting, the growth is vigorous. Generally, use thin bamboo sticks or wire to make circular supports to prop up the drooping stems, spreading them into an umbrella shape, and cut off irregular stems and diseased branches, properly thinning out dense and weak buds on the stems. Retain one robust bud at each node end, removing other buds to save nutrients and concentrate them on the remaining buds, making the buds larger, the flowers uniform in size, and the colors vibrant. Since Zygocactus blooms continuously, it's important to cut off the withered flowers and top leaves in time to save nutrients and maintain the plant's vigor.
6. Lighting: Zygocactus is a short-day flowering plant, requiring 8 to 10 hours of sunlight daily to bloom within 2 to 3 months. In winter, place Zygocactus in a sunny indoor area to promote bud differentiation and frequently rotate the pot to ensure even sunlight exposure for bud development and balanced flowering. When placing Zygocactus indoors, be sure to provide shading, as it's not conducive to bud formation without it.
7. It is often observed that some Zygocactus grow well but do not bloom or bloom very little. This may be due to an inappropriate placement location, as it is a short-day plant and can only form buds with less than 10 to 12 hours of sunlight daily. If there is sufficient daylight and strong lighting at night, the plant is less likely to form buds under such long-daylight conditions.
The above introduces the complete methods for caring for Zygocactus to survive the winter safely. I hope it can be helpful to you. Don't forget to check out more experience and common sense!