Planting Method of Rosehip Seedlings
An introduction to the cultivation of rosehip roses, the planting method of rosehip seedlings, some very useful tips and knowledge, recommended for collection!
Nowadays, many rose enthusiasts buy seedlings directly to reduce costs, and when they receive the small seedlings, they don't know how to handle them properly. Here are some experiences from fellow gardeners:
1. Is it necessary to soak and wash the roots upon receiving the seedlings?
Many gardeners, for various reasons such as compacted soil, the presence of pathogens, or fear of water loss, remove the pot, clean the soil, and soak the roots in water. Some even add various ingredients to the water, including fungicides, insecticides, and hormones to promote root growth. Is it really necessary? What is the purpose of the seller sending the seedlings with soil? Isn't it to minimize various damages to the seedlings? However, as soon as you get it, you wash the roots and give it a bath. Plants are not humans; moving plants can damage their vitality. Some may say the soil looks too compact, especially the red mountain soil in the south, but why do you find the roots so good after washing? Do you need to completely remove the protective soil around the roots, whether it's a 10*10, 12*12, or 15*13 pot? Rosehip seedlings can develop a very extensive root system in the first year (except for a few varieties like Song Xia), and after a year, the soil wrapped around the roots can be ignored. When is root soaking used? It is usually a remedial measure for bare-root seedlings that have dehydrated after arrival. Soaking for a longer time in low temperatures is fine, but doing so in high temperatures can be lethal to the seedlings because roots also need to breathe. If the temperature is above 30 degrees Celsius and you soak the roots for half a day, it's like letting the seedlings commit suicide. Adding medicine for prevention might seem harmless, but it's like an unnecessary action. After all, plants can also develop resistance to drugs, just like humans. It's important to rotate the use of different drugs to minimize resistance.
My approach is to check the roots for rot or pests upon receiving the seedlings. If there are no serious issues, gently loosen some soil around the root ball to allow better integration with the new soil. For ground planting, you can plant directly, and for pot planting, use a slightly larger pot than the original one, not too large. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and normal care is sufficient afterwards.
2. The plant shape is too ugly, give the seedling a severe cut
As a result, the seedling dies shortly after the severe cut. Pruning seedlings is unnecessary. Some gardeners may ask: What if the plant shape is ugly, lying flat, or with tall, thin stems? Can we prune it? Experts can, but it depends on the care after pruning. Beginners don't need to do it. I advocate tolerance and leniency for the poor posture of seedlings, focusing on keeping them alive and strong first. With a strong base, it's easier to prune the shape later. Is there another way? Yes, my approach is to twist the top of tall seedlings hard enough to injure but not break them. This way, the leaves are still there for photosynthesis, but the apical dominance is weakened, making it easier for new buds to form below.
3. Feed the seedling more, add more fertilizers. Grow quickly!
Soon, your small seedling becomes a pickled vegetable. You blame it: "You ungrateful thing, you even die in front of me." Why? Because too much fertilizer, whether organic or inorganic, in the soil is like pickling vegetables. The roots don't absorb water, but lose it instead. How to fertilize? My approach is not to fertilize within the first month after receiving the seedlings, as the fertilizer in the soil is enough for the small plants. After a month, apply thin fertilizers frequently. Remember: you can't make a fat man in one meal.
4. It has a flower, but it's reluctantly cut
Many gardeners are惊喜ed to see a large flower bud on a small seedling. They can't bear to cut it, wanting it to bloom and be beautiful. As a result, the small seedling remains a short child, yellow and thin after half a year at home. Why? Because you're letting an underage girl get pregnant and have children. You still expect her to grow. Blooming is a plant's reproductive behavior and requires a lot of nutrients. So for this kind of early love, as a parent, you should cut it immediately and let it bloom properly when it's mature. Haha, the current task is to grow.
5. Give the seedling a luxurious single room, a big little cottage
Many gardeners, after collecting new seedlings with great effort, cherish them. As soon as they get home, they move them from a small shed to a luxurious house. A big pot with more soil is more powerful, they think. Wrong! This is not ground planting, where the earth acts as a buffer. For pot planting, you need a pot that fits the size of the seedling. Too big a pot is not good for root development, and too much water can lead to root rot. Don't expect to do it all at once, changing the pot gradually as the seedling grows. This way, the soil won't retain too much water and will dry faster.
6. What kind of soil to use
There are many soil formulas used by gardeners, and I won't list them all here. I'll just talk about the type of soil roses like: slightly acidic, granular, and rich in organic matter. How to mix it? I'll talk about my formula, and gardeners can use local materials. My seedling soil mix is: 15% domestic peat, 15% mushroom residue (mainly sawdust and cottonseed hulls), 10% perlite, 10% decomposed pig manure, 50% garden soil, and a small amount of medicine for controlling underground pests. Notice that half of the mix is garden soil. Why? This not only reduces costs but also because pure peat is not suitable for growing roses. If it works in the seedling stage, it might not be as good for mature plants. So the main food for mature plants is high-quality garden soil, usually taken from the surface soil of gardens or orchards that have been cultivated for many years, which farmers call ripe soil.
7. Can you plant shade-tolerant varieties of seedlings in places with little sunlight, like north-facing balconies?
Frankly, roses, whether big or small, love the sun. Shade tolerance is relative. With less sunlight, roses will have fewer leaves and flowers, so the references that claim shade tolerance are somewhat misleading. If you have less than 4 hours of direct sunlight (which is the absolute minimum), roses really won't grow well. It's a different concept to keep them alive versus making them bloom. I understand shade tolerance as the ability of rose varieties to survive in low-light conditions. If you want them to bloom well, it's better to plant other flowers in shady areas and forget about roses.
Do you understand the detailed planting method for rosehip seedlings now?