Key Points for Fertilizing Potted Flowers in Autumn and Winter
Today, I will introduce the key points for fertilizing potted flowers in autumn and winter. Let's delve into the details together.
When assigning management tasks to the gardening friends in the practical camp today, we used a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer formula for topdressing. Some friends wondered why we still use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers for hydrangeas and jasmines, as they are not flowering and have no flower buds. Let's talk about the characteristics of fertilizing in autumn and winter.
Key Points for Fertilizing in Autumn and Winter
When fertilizing potted flowers, it is usually necessary to follow the growth period principle. In the leaf growth stage, a nitrogen-predominant or balanced fertilizer is used, also known as a general growth fertilizer. Once the potted plants develop flower buds, the fertilizer is switched to one high in phosphorus and potassium to promote flowering.
This is the approach during the plant's growing period. However, when it comes to autumn and winter, we cannot simply fertilize based on whether the potted plants have flower buds.
Because as autumn sets in and temperatures drop, many cold-sensitive plants gradually stop growing and enter a dormant state by winter.
If we continue to fertilize in autumn as we would during the growing period, with nitrogen for leaf growth and phosphorus-potassium for flower buds, our potted plants may freeze during the winter, especially when there are sharp temperature drops, such as the recent widespread cooling.
Many plants have good cold resistance, but their new and tender branches are not cold-resistant, such as hydrangeas and roses. Cold-sensitive plants are even more susceptible.
Therefore, in autumn and winter, for some cold-sensitive plants like jasmine, milania, fragrant vines, and indoor green plants, although they no longer flower or have flower buds, it is still necessary to increase the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Because phosphorus-potassium fertilizers not only promote flowering but also help the plant's branches mature and the roots develop. With mature branches and accumulated nutrients, the plant's cold resistance will increase.
If the plant's roots are strong, their resilience will also greatly improve, which is very helpful for enhancing frost resistance and resistance to diseases and pests.
Therefore, in autumn and winter, we deliberately apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to some non-flowering plants to improve their frost resistance and help them survive the winter. In addition to flowering plants, indoor green plants are also recommended to be top-dressed with potassium dihydrogen phosphate fertilizer a few times, as most indoor green plants are sensitive to cold. Timely application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers promotes plant maturity and root growth, making them less likely to freeze to death.
For cold-sensitive and dormant plants in winter, we need to deliberately increase the use of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. However, for plants that continue to grow in winter, it is still necessary to apply a general growth fertilizer regularly. For example, young plants sown in autumn, such as pansies,勋章菊 (medal flowers), dwarf petunias, and Marguerite daisies.
These plants are in the vegetative growth stage in autumn and winter and require continuous application of general growth fertilizers. Accumulating more nutrients in winter makes it easier for them to burst into growth in spring, making it simple to have a full pot of flowers.
The above introduction on the key points for fertilizing potted flowers in autumn and winter, which ensures the plants do not freeze during winter, is provided for green plant enthusiasts to reference. I hope it can solve your problems in managing green plants and flowers.