Indoor Horticulture Encyclopedia - Maintenance Tips Compilation
Sharing common knowledge about plant care, Indoor Horticulture Encyclopedia - Maintenance Tips Compilation, detailed introduction is as follows:
● To accurately know whether a plant needs watering, do a "bamboo test"! Insert a thin bamboo stick (toothpick can be used as a substitute) directly into the deepest part of the flowerpot, let it stay for one minute, and then pull it out. If the bamboo stick has soil or water stains on it, there is no need to water.
○ Arrange your plants so that they can be seen and reached easily. Don't consider aesthetics, also consider whether the watering can can reach the arranged flowerpots. The ideal method is to place the plants in order on shelves or stools, and make sure not to let large pots block the small ones.
● Be careful not to overwater. When the leaves of the plant become soft, you should immediately think of lack of water. Before watering, carefully check if the potting soil is very dry. In fact, the symptoms of overwatered plants are very similar to those of plants lacking water at the beginning: the plant weakens, and the over-absorbed tissue lacks rigidity. A few days later, brown spots will appear on the leaf edges or center, which gradually expand, turn black, and eventually die. At this stage, the plant has been invaded by fungal rot, and watering must be stopped immediately, keeping the plant dry, at least placing the plant in a well-ventilated area for about 15 days. Then, if possible, repot using a loose substrate, and don't forget to put a thick layer of good-draining material at the bottom of the pot. Carefully inspect the rest of the roots, cutting off the soft tissue or the obviously brown parts. Contrary to the usual method, do not water the plant immediately after repotting, but wait for about 15 days before watering. When the leaf spots spread to the petiole and the center of the plant, it is too late to save the plant.
P.S: The following plants often encounter this problem (Aglaonema, June Snow, cv. of大王黛粉叶, Starry万年青, larger皇后万年青, Green Jade黛粉叶, Silver Bay亮丝草)
○ Careful observation and full understanding of the plant can provide the most appropriate amount of water at the ideal time. Use Spathiphyllum as a reference. This is a sensitive plant, when dry, the leaf rosette leans, very noticeable. Once Spathiphyllum is short of water, you should check the condition of other plants.
● No need to worry about watering plants! Due to the diversity of plant structures and origins, the frequency and total amount of watering are interfered with, making it difficult to derive an infallible mathematical formula. "When must you water the plant?" The only correct answer should be: when the plant needs it! If you observe these "boarders" carefully, you will immediately notice their needs. Gradually, you will become an expert in "plant psychology," here are some practical suggestions.
Consider the season - during the plant's growing period, from mid-March to the end of September, plants need more frequent and abundant watering. Generally, the watering frequency during the growing period is twice that of the dormant period (from mid-October to the end of February), and the amount of water is 3-4 times. In the transition period, the rhythm of watering should change with the ambient temperature, but it should be known that almost every day you need to water once when the temperature starts from 24 degrees.
Watering of woody plants - under normal indoor temperatures (18-20 degrees), plants with hard stems or sturdy roots and thick leaves need to be watered an average of once a week during the growing period, and once every 10 or 15 days during the winter (dormant period). People are used to watering on the soil surface.
Watering of herbaceous plants - plants without an obvious above-ground stem (stemless) in a rosette shape or with thin, flexible stems and herbaceous plants need to be watered twice a week during the growing period and once during the winter. It is best to implement the "soak pot" method of watering.
Watering of orchid plants - Orchids with pseudobulbs or long, bamboo-like stems need to be watered once a week throughout the year, but every 3 or 4 days during the flowering period. Long, thin-stemmed or rosette-forming orchids need to be watered twice a week during the growing period and once a week during the winter. Use water without calcium, and do not wet the central part of the plant, empty the water from the saucer.
Watering of cacti and succulents - Water once every 6-10 days during the growing period, and no more than once every 15-20 days during the winter, depending on the temperature. Do not water if the temperature is cool.
Watering of bromeliad plants - For bromeliads, neoregelias, tillandsias, and their relatives, water an average of once a week throughout the year. During the growing period, let water (without calcium) remain in the center of the leaf rosette.
○ The plants you buy are cultivated in greenhouses, where all cultivation factors are carefully monitored. Professionals almost always grow plants in an inert substrate, using the most precise nutritional formulas to care for the plants. Indoor conditions are very different, so it is best to transplant the new plants into the most suitable indoor cultivation soil as quickly as possible.
● Plants must absorb various inorganic salts provided by fertilizers, but a high concentration of inorganic salts in the soil can burn the plant. Usually, diluting a capful of liquid fertilizer in 5-10 liters of water can ensure safe fertilization.
○ Fertilizers used for garden plants are not completely incompatible with indoor plant fertilizers. For example, you can use fertilizers for "azaleas" or "hydrangeas" on shrubs, and fertilizers for "pelargoniums" on flowering plants.
● Well-nourished, vigorous plants can effectively resist the invasion of diseases and pests. When treating parasites, apply a very low concentration of fertilizer. Three days after spraying insecticides, regularly apply a suitable fertilizer for the plant. The plant will recover faster.
○ Suggestions for using fertilizers:
Liquid fertilizer application: To avoid the sudden absorption of too much inorganic salt by the roots, apply it on moist substrate. The best method (regardless of the fertilizer characteristics) is to dilute a capful of liquid fertilizer in a large watering can (at least 5 liters), and use this low-concentration solution every time you water. The interval between each watering is 3 days or more, or 2 days if it is very hot. Using this method, plants will slowly absorb nutrients without being burned and will grow more regularly, ultimately achieving good results. To avoid overdose, in the reservoir, the fertilizer is poured into the water at half the recommended concentration.
Granular fertilizer: Always use the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer and then evenly sprinkle the granular fertilizer on the surface of the nutrient soil. You can also gently bury them with a long-handled steel rake.
Leaf fertilizer: Spray this fertilizer on the underside of the leaves so that it can be absorbed through the stomata. Do not spray excessive amounts on plants with a lot of fluff or very thin leaves.
● As soon as a plant shows any abnormal symptoms (spots, discoloration, cessation of growth, insects on stems and leaves), isolate it in a room with good light and moderate temperature. This prevents cross-infection between plants and allows for better observation.
○ Spraying the leaf rosette at least once a month is a good method to prevent pest invasion and to make the plant look fresh. Use a fine and forceful spray to remove eggs and larvae, especially on the underside of the leaves. You can achieve effective treatment through preventive measures.
● Absolutely avoid waterlogging, regularly ventilate the room or maintain good ventilation near the plants, and make sure that water droplets evaporate within half an hour after spraying. Also, be flexible with watering according to the ambient temperature, and keep the plant dry when the temperature drops below 15 degrees.
○ When a plant shows any abnormal symptoms, do not rush to spray pesticides. A yellowed or fallen leaf is not serious at all. First, place the "suspicious" plant in a bright, cool room for isolation and observation, reduce watering, and stop fertilizing.
● Insecticides are generally toxic. Do not spray directly on plants placed on beautiful furniture. If the temperature permits (minimum 15 degrees), you can移植 the plant to a balcony or garden, or spray in a bathtub, and then rinse thoroughly with water after application.
○ Pruning will not pose any danger as long as it does not damage the plant's basic structure (main stem). Therefore, you can prune overgrown branches or poorly placed branches at any time without causing a negative reaction from the plant.
● When washing the leaves, you must use water without inorganic salts or add a decalcifier to the water. Because using tap water containing calcium will leave stains on the leaves, which look dirtier than dust.
○ To prevent damage or tight binding of strings on stems and branches, first tie the string to a support, make a double knot, then tie the string in an "eight" shape around the plant stem without tightening, and finally tie the end of the string to the support, allowing the plant to grow unrestricted.
● Burn a metal needle used for knitting to white and make a small hole in the center of a plastic lid filled with mineral water, then invert the bottle and insert the bottle mouth into the potting soil to a depth of at least 3 centimeters and secure it. Then make a small hole in the bottle bottom to allow air in, so that water can slowly seep into the potting soil under the action of gravity.
○ It is easier to manage overwintering plants in a cool room than in a warm one. Most indoor plants can survive the winter in a room with a daytime temperature of 18 degrees and a nighttime temperature of 15 degrees. If the temperature exceeds this limit, you need to increase the humidity, which is the key to successful overwintering of plants.
● Not all indoor plants can easily rebloom. Plants such as rhododendrons, primroses, cyclamen, aster, violet, and verbena lose their ornamental value once they are past the flowering period and should be replaced regularly. You can try using a new main color flower plant for each replacement. The replaced ones can be used to decorate the foliage plant planting slots.
○ If you need to cut cuttings or branches of different varieties from a friend's house, first wrap them with absorbent paper or wet cotton and then place them in a metal box (do not use a plastic box). This way, the cuttings can be preserved for several days, but they need to be ventilated from time to time to prevent rotting.
● Soak large seeds in warm water for 24-48 hours before sowing to make them germinate faster. For seeds with thick coats, you can cut open the seed coat with a sharp knife to facilitate seed germination.
○ When the plant cluster is too dense,梳理 the disordered roots as carefully as possible. If necessary, rinse the root ball under the tap to remove as much soil as possible to see the root condition. If it is not possible to divide the old plant into several clusters, you can cut off the root suckers with roots for planting.
● Ideal cutting organs include: current year's full-grown branches without flowers; full, strong, and fully green leaves; a section of strong stem. If the plant has suffered from drought or waterlogging, you need to consider whether it can be used to cut cuttings, otherwise, you may end up with a weak new plant.
○ Clean the tools thoroughly in soapy water after each use and dry them very carefully. This keeps them perfect in any situation. The vigorous growth of plants partly depends on the quality of the tools used, so don't hesitate to soak the tools in bleach or household disinfectant regularly to effectively remove various microbes.
The detailed introduction of the Indoor Horticulture Encyclopedia - Maintenance Tips Compilation is as above, did you know it?