The impact of temperature difference on succulent plants and its control "The impact of temperature difference on succulent plants and control strategies"

The influence of temperature difference on succulent plants and its controlIntroduction about succulent plants, the influence of temperature difference on succulent plants and its control, the following is a detailed introduction.1. The influence of temperature difference on succulent plantsFor most species of succulent plants native to South Africa, the most suitable temperature for growth is between 12-28 degrees Celsius, which should also be the average high and low temperatures of the growing season in the native habitat.In the Jiangnan region represented by Hangzhou, where Laojiang is located, due to its location in the convergence and struggle zone of north and south airflows, it is often the case that cold air just leaves and subtropical high pressure dominates. There are only about 4 months (May, June, October, and November) in a year when the temperature can maintain between 12-28 degrees Celsius. For most other months, it is either too cold or too hot, so that people often go from wearing cotton clothes to short-sleeved shirts directly, and then suddenly have to wear sweaters after wearing short-sleeved shirts for only two days. (This is also the reason why spring and autumn clothing are not selling well in Hangzhou)Such climate is barely bearable for humans, but it is quite troublesome for plants, especially succulent plants. Some people say that large temperature differences can promote plant growth. That's right, diurnal temperature differences can indeed promote plant growth. But you may not have understood the principle of this growth. Let me explain it to you slowly......The quality of plant growth depends on the amount of nutrient accumulation in the body. During the day, photosynthesis in plants is a process of nutrient production. Within a reasonable upper temperature limit, the higher the temperature, the stronger the photosynthesis, and the more nutrients produced. We can think of this process as adding points to the accumulation of plant nutrients.At night, due to the lack of light, most plants stop the physiological process of nutrient production, and the score is zero. However, the transpiration of plants still continues. Transpiration is the process by which plants rely on environmental temperature to evaporate water from the leaves, and at the same time, rely on the capillary effect brought about by evaporation to promote root water absorption. This process consumes nutrients in the plant body, and can also be seen as a process of deduction from the accumulation of plant nutrients. The higher the environmental temperature, the greater the transpiration, the more deduction, so how much nutrients a plant can accumulate in a day depends on how much is produced during the day and how much is consumed at night.Through the above explanation, I believe everyone should have an understanding. The higher the temperature during the day, the more nutrients the plant produces, and the lower the temperature at night, the less nutrients the plant consumes. The effect of diurnal temperature difference is reflected here. (X-J) grapes are sweet and sticky, why are (X-J) tomatoes able to taste like persimmons? Not because of hard work, but because of the climate of "wearing a fur coat in the morning and wearing纱 in the afternoon".Well, since we know this principle, I believe no one will argue with Laojiang about the difference between sudden temperature changes and diurnal temperature differences.In fact, sudden temperature rises and falls due to climatic reasons are not only beneficial to plants, but also have extremely serious harmful effects. They not only disrupt the normal physiological order of plants, but also promote the occurrence of various accidents. From the perspective of physiological order, for example, in spring, after the temperature has risen for a period of time, plants begin to show signs of growth, and you have already started to water and fertilize busily. Suddenly, the temperature drops, and the newly sprouted leaves immediately become rigid. Not to mention the consequences of the water and fertilizer you pour, this rigid leaf may trigger your urge to chop your head off. You say you won't chop it, okay, don't chop it. After a few months, the rigid leaf starts to grow, with a pointed top and a round bottom, the whole thing looks like a gourd...... This is still good, if it's all this shape, it can be passed off as a new variety to cheat yourself. The problem is that there is only one gourd leaf among a circle of good leaves. Do you still chop it or not?And then there are accidents. It's fine if the temperature drops suddenly after high temperatures, as South African succulents can handle short-term temperatures below zero, but it's麻烦 if the temperature rises suddenly after low temperatures. In the middle of winter, if the temperature suddenly rises to 25 degrees Celsius, and the greenhouse is stuffy, the temperature can soar to 50 degrees in an instant. When you come back at night, you'll have a whole greenhouse of steamed meat waiting for you to揭盖......In addition to these, there are pests and diseases, fungi, etc., all of which are related to sudden changes in temperature.I think the summary of this section needs to be stated separately - temperature difference can promote the growth and accumulation of nutrients in succulent plants, but it must be controlled diurnal temperature difference. Sudden changes in the weather cause temperature differences that are harmful to plants.2. How to create and use temperature differencesThe family cultivation environment defines that it is difficult for us to achieve the perfect artificial temperature difference of greenhouses (greenhouses rely on the sealing effect of polyester film to store heat in the sun to increase daytime temperature and create a larger temperature difference). However, families have their own advantages. As long as we are not living in a pergola, we can at least keep warm in winter and cool in summer, and avoid extreme temperatures. So how to create temperature differences requires us to figure out ways in this slightly obvious temperature difference at home.(1) How to create temperature differences in winterAlthough I mentioned earlier that I still advocate going with the flow and not fussing around too much, and trying to use existing environmental facilities as much as possible, for the severe winters in the south, going with the flow is tantamount to admitting that succulent plants, especially Vasei species, have a dormant period of nearly half a year, which is unfair to many southern flower friends. Therefore, the temperature difference in winter is mainly achieved through daytime insulation.Insulation first requires consideration of sealing. Some flower friends in Shanghai have achieved some success by using large storage bins or building "pigeon coops" outside the window sills. I approve of the above two methods. I didn't advocate them when it comes to water control, but when it comes to insulation in winter, I think these two methods are still feasible.But these two methods each have their own flaws: the storage bins are too small in volume and are just a drop in the bucket for flower friends with a large-scale cultivation. The pigeon coops can work during the day, but when the cold wind blows outside the window at night, the internal temperature immediately drops close to the outside temperature. Taking the lowest temperature of minus 5 degrees Celsius in Hangzhou in winter, the leaves of Vasei will turn white and foggy within a week, and then start to rot after the spring. Unless air heating lines and temperature controls are installed, and people with an electrician's license are hesitant to use them, why? You'll know when you get an electrician's license.After all, it's better to stir up less trouble, and wrapping the existing flower shelves is a more environmentally friendly method. Common flower shelves are generally divided into two types, wooden and metal. For wooden shelves, it is recommended to use阳光板 directly for wrapping (which is more aesthetically pleasing and has good insulation effects), and the other four sides except the front and bottom can be fixed with wood screws. The front can be made into a curtain form with greenhouse film or soft glass lamp to facilitate opening. A few water trays can be placed under the flower shelf to increase humidity and store heat during the day to slowly release it at night to prevent the temperature from dropping too fast when the sun can't shine at night. Metal shelves can be completely wrapped with greenhouse film, and double or even quadruple layers can be used to enhance insulation. The same as wooden shelves.After such treatment, the shelves need to be placed in a place where they can be exposed to the sun during the day. Generally, on a sunny day with an outdoor temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside the greenhouse can rise to about 25 degrees. And at night, no matter how low the outside temperature is, the temperature inside the greenhouse can be slightly higher than the room temperature due to the double insulation effect of the family environment. This method is suitable for Vasei and Aizoaceae plants.(2) How to create temperature differences in summerThis topic is rather tragic, as the sauna weather in the south is pervasive, and there is no good way except for air conditioning. There's nothing to say about the day, as frying eggs on the manhole covers is happening every day. It's a bit better at night, at least the outdoor temperature can be lower than 30 degrees Celsius, but indoors, the zero temperature difference of 30 degrees Celsius during the day and night is difficult to change. You say you have air conditioning, but after all, only a few families have central air conditioning. With split-system air conditioners, air conditioning is only turned on in bedrooms at night, and you certainly won't put your flowers in the bedroom, will you? Some students have installed small air conditioners in greenhouses or greenhouses, which is of course a good method. But if everyone does this, what else is there for Laojiang to nag about? After all, there are more students who prefer practicality......We've talked about it before, Vasei is in deep dormancy in summer, marking the end of the growing season. Compared with winter dormancy, summer dormancy is a physiological cycle behavior, and controlled dormancy allows the plant to accumulate the momentum for growth in the next growing season, which is relatively beneficial for the plant. Therefore, the purpose of creating temperature differences in summer is not for growth, but for maintenance. Appropriate enlargement of the temperature difference during the summer dormancy period can prevent plants from experiencing physiological disorders due to high temperatures. It can also use the relatively low temperature at night to dissipate the heat accumulated in the potting soil during the day, thereby maintaining the health of the roots.Therefore, the temperature difference in summer is mainly to lower the night temperature, with the day left to its natural course, as long as shading is done well, let it be whatever temperature it is. At night,降温 is carried out using physical methods such as spraying and electric fans without using air conditioning equipment. Spraying needs to be done until the soil surface changes color and the plant surface is covered with water droplets, and then an electric fan is turned on to blow. The evaporation of water can take away heat. The data measured by Laojiang using this method is - in the middle of summer, when the temperature around the flower pot is 32 degrees Celsius at 8 p.m., the temperature can be lowered to 29 degrees Celsius after spraying and blowing for one hour. Then, by opening windows for ventilation or using the air conditioning breeze in the room, the lowest temperature in the greenhouse at night can reach the outdoor temperature (about 27 degrees Celsius), which is enough for Vasei to dormancy in summer.The above method is only suitable for Vasei plants. For Aizoaceae plants, Laojiang suggests that water should not be stopped and the plants should be raised in the open air. As long as it is a healthy seedling of more than 2 years old, the more it is exposed to the sun, the more spirited it becomes.(3) How to create temperature differences in other seasonsIn winter, we focus on daytime insulation, and in summer, we focus on nighttime降温. Then, in the golden spring and autumn seasons, we need to get close to nature. Getting close to nature means making the temperature difference of the cultivation environment close to the outdoor temperature difference. The natural large temperature difference of about 10-15 degrees Celsius in the outdoor spring and autumn seasons, combined with the fresh outdoor air and natural jade dew, is a waste not to take advantage of.There's no need to say much about the methods here, natural ventilation, forced ventilation with electric fans, open-air raising, and so on. As long as the greenhouse becomes a pergola, the purpose is achieved. Of course, we need to guard against the sudden cold in spring and the return of subtropical high pressure.(4) The use of temperature differencesHaving learned to create temperature differences, we can use them to regulate plant growth. The plump or dwarf标本株 you see on Japanese websites are also the result of extensive use of temperature differences.For succulent plants, the theoretical dormant period is the reproductive growth stage in the last few weeks before dormancy. During this stage, the apparent growth is weak, but the accumulation of nutrients in the plant body reaches a peak. And the timing is different for different families - Vasei plants show it in early summer, and Aizoaceae plants show it in late autumn.During this period, by increasing the temperature difference, we can promote the accumulation of nutrients in the plant. The plant will become plump due to the increase of dry matter in the body, and the thickening of stems and leaves can correct the etiolation accumulated during the growing period. In addition, the low temperature at night can slow down the growth of the plant, making it naturally appear plump. Enough temperature difference can even offset the etiolation caused by insufficient light, but Laojiang hasn't tested it, just mention it in passing.Furthermore, temperature differences can provide external conditions for the differentiation of plant flower buds. Plants that have been adjusted by temperature differences will have more uniform and vigorous flowering in the following flowering period. This is very beneficial for the hybridization of Vasei and the ornamental flowers of Aizoaceae. Imagine, a group of living stones blooming collectively overnight, the feeling is indescribable unless you witness it with your own eyes.Temperature differences are also very important for Vasei plants to control flowering. I believe students who have experience in hybridization know that sometimes, despite careful planning, one of the pair cannot bloom on time, and the hybridization has to be abandoned. But fortunately, we still have temperature differences to use. By increasing temperature differences, especially by raising the high temperature during the day, we can promote the differentiation of plant flower buds. This is an invariant principle that does not need proof. By controlling the high temperature during the day, we can control the flowering time of Vasei plants. The higher the temperature during the day, the faster the differentiation of flower buds, otherwise, the slower. Thus, the flowering time of hybrid plants can be adjusted and unified. For example: suppose you want to hybridize two Vasei plants, one has a flower stem 30 centimeters high, and the other just starts to show a bud. Then, quickly, put the fast-growing one on the window sill, and keep the other one in the greenhouse, and after a while, the flowering speed will be the same.However, for Vasei plants with flowering seasons that are not the same, the method of adjusting temperature differences may not be very effective. Taking Shou as an example, the earliest flowering is Kangping, which flowers in April, and the latest is Qing蟹, which only shows a flower spike in June. This gap is almost impossible to adjust with family cultivation temperature differences. However, I estimate that it can be done in greenhouses, otherwise, Laojiang's hybrid seedlings of Kangping * Qing蟹 might have come from Mars.In addition, temperature differences can also be used to control pests and diseases in pots. Especially in spring and autumn, appropriate low temperatures at night can inhibit the growth of bacteria in the pot and the activity of pests, ultimately reducing the use of chemicals and achieving the purpose of environmentally friendly gardening.Temperature differences can also increase the thermal expansion and contraction of planting material particles, indirectly improving the soil quality through the physical changes of the soil itself.In short, the reasonable use of temperature differences is the key to growing good Vasei plants. If sunlight, water, and planting materials are the staple food for family cultivation of plants, then the above three can only solve the problem of food and clothing, while suitable temperature differences are a supplement that can make the plants enter a well-off level.The above sharing of the influence of temperature differences on succulent plants and its control, I hope it brings a little help to your life!