Are you buying and caring for New Year flowers correctly?

Phalaenopsis

The original meaning of Phalaenopsis in Greek is "orchid that looks like a butterfly". When the flowers bloom, the long pedicels are full of flowers, like a group of butterflies dancing, so it is called the "Queen of Orchids".

Purchase points

Look at the leaves: the leaves are emerald green, shiny, thick, numerous and neat, and stand upright, indicating that the flower plant has strong vitality. If the leaves are wrinkled, dark, and drooping, it means that the plant is lacking nutrition and may have root rot.

Look at the flowers: 8-11 buds are best, 6-8 are also acceptable, and less than 6 is of average quality. When the flowers are fully open, the horizontal distance reaches 12 cm, which is the best quality. The quality is also very good when it is around 10 cm. The flowers should be neat and orderly.

Look at the soil: Phalaenopsis requires loose soil for cultivation. Pure garden soil is not suitable for Phalaenopsis. It is best to mix sphagnum moss, bark, broken rubble, water plants, moss, etc. with garden soil.

(Source: Baidu Knows)

Maintenance points

Temperature: Phalaenopsis prefers a high temperature and high humidity environment. The temperature should not be lower than 16℃ before flowering. The peak flowering period is around the Spring Festival. In order to extend the viewing time, the temperature can be lowered appropriately, but the minimum temperature should not be lower than 13℃.

Humidity: Phalaenopsis originally lived in primeval forests and prefers an environment with high humidity, so Phalaenopsis at home should be watered about once a week, preferably around 10 am. Watering must be made sure to be thorough, with water seeping out from the water holes.

(Source: Baidu Encyclopedia)

If the temperature is lower than 16℃, reduce the watering frequency appropriately. You can spray water on the leaves and surrounding areas to maintain humidity. Be careful not to sprinkle water on the flowers when they are blooming.

Flower lovers who have heating at home should not place Phalaenopsis near the radiator. The air is too dry and the leaves of Phalaenopsis can easily dry up and the buds fall off.

Fertilization: Phalaenopsis likes fertilizer. If the temperature is sufficient, you can fertilize it all year round. Compound fertilizer can be used as normal fertilizer. Apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers before and after the flowering period. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be used. Generally, 7000 times liquid is used for small seedlings, and 5000 times liquid can be used for large seedlings.

Note: After the Phalaenopsis flower withers, the flower stalks must be cut off in time so that it can continue to bloom next year.

Daffodils

Narcissus has the elegant name of "Fairy on the Water". It has elegant color and fragrant scent and is one of the most popular New Year flowers.

Key points for purchase:

Time: The daffodils that you grow by soaking yourself need to be purchased about 45 days before the New Year.

Look at the shape: Excellent narcissus bulbs should be large, slightly flat in shape, hard in texture, and have shiny skin. It is best to have symmetrical small bulbs next to the main bulb.

(Author: Luan Qingchun Source: Sina Blog)

Look at the color: Dark brown bulbs are of better quality, have intact capsules, bright colors, and no signs of dryness, rot, or insect damage.

Press: Pinch the bulb between your thumb and index finger and apply a little force. You can feel the flower arrow. The elastic and firm ones are the flower arrows, and the flat and soft ones are the leaf buds. By pressing, you can roughly determine the number of flower arrows.

Finished products: When buying finished flowers near the end of the year, choose daffodils with large flowers, thick and shiny leaves, and thick pedicels.

(Author: The Running Snail Source: Nitu.com)

Maintenance points:

Put into water: Peel off the outer skin and the bottom of the narcissus bulb, slightly exposing the ivory scales, and place it upright in the container. It is best to put some pebbles in the container first to stabilize the bulb.

Pour in clean water to just cover the base of the bulb.

Changing water: Daffodils need clean and fresh water to grow, otherwise the roots will easily rot. Therefore, after putting them in water, the water needs to be changed every day. After the roots grow out, the water can be changed once a week or so. Pay attention to fixing the water level and avoid it fluctuating.

Temperature: The suitable temperature for daffodils to grow is generally around 15℃ to 25℃. It is difficult for them to survive if the temperature is too low. If the temperature is higher than 25℃, daffodils will easily enter a dormant period and the flower buds will shrivel and fall off, so pay attention to controlling the temperature.

If the indoor temperature is high, you can pour out the water at night and add water again in the early morning to slow down the growth of leaves.

Control the flowering period: No fertilizer is needed during the maintenance of daffodils, but it is best to expose them to the sun frequently after they have taken root. Lack of sunlight can easily lead to leaves growing without flowers.

If the flowering period is delayed, you can replace the warm water of about 12℃ in the daffodil pot, cover the daffodils with a plastic bag at night. Flower lovers who have the conditions can use a 60-watt light to supplement the light at a distance of about 30 cm from the flowers.

(Author: yaya Source: Sina Blog)

Cyclamen

Cyclamen is a perennial bulbous flower with a long flowering period and many varieties. It is a famous ornamental flowering plant.

Key points for purchase:

The plant should be compact, with upright flowers and leaves, and the flowers should be of uniform height. It is best not to choose cyclamen with messy flowers and leaves.

Maintenance points:

Less water: Cyclamen is a bulbous plant with a strong water storage capacity, so do not water it frequently. Before watering, touch the soil of the cyclamen with your hand. If it is dry, it means it needs watering.

Light: Cyclamen likes scattered light and should be placed in a bright place indoors. It should be avoided from long-term direct sunlight, but also should not be placed in the shade for a long time. Excessive light will cause the leaves of cyclamen to wilt, and long-term shade will cause the leaves of cyclamen to grow too long and the flower stems to become loose, reducing its ornamental value.

Pollination: For flowers that have just opened for one or two days, you can use a cotton swab or brush to alternately apply pollination to the stamens. After the flower withers, if the pedicels remain bent and stiff, pollination is successful. Before summer, the fruit will crack and the seeds will fall out.

Dormancy: In the later stage of Cyclamen flowering, yellow leaves, fewer flowers and buds will appear. This is a signal that it is entering a dormant period. At this time, you should cut off the remaining flowers in time, gradually reduce watering, and slowly cut off water.

Azalea

Azalea is a traditional flower in our country. It has many varieties, rich colors and is gorgeous. It is one of the most popular New Year flowers in the north.

Purchase points

Choose plants that are strong, have shiny green leaves, and have many flowers.

Rhododendrons are rather delicate and not very easy to grow. Flower lovers who are not good at growing flowers can choose easier-to-grow varieties such as national flag, sandblast, and green peony.

(Author: Ifyou2008 Source: Nitu.com)

Maintenance points

Humidity: Many of the newly purchased azaleas during the Chinese New Year are grown in greenhouse environments. After being brought home, some azaleas will not adapt to the obviously different environment, and may experience bud falling, wilting leaves, etc. Therefore, flower lovers should water the plants in time, water the leaves frequently, maintain humidity, and help azaleas adapt to the home environment.

Light: Azalea prefers a semi-shaded environment, but in winter it can be placed indoors in the sun to receive sufficient light, which is also conducive to the flowering of the azalea.

(Author: Inddzzo Source: Tahuaxing Forum)

Temperature: Rhododendron prefers a warm environment, and the temperature in winter should not be lower than 15℃. If you want to extend the flowering period, you can lower the temperature appropriately, but it is best not to be lower than 12℃.

(Author: ymys18 Source: Nitu.com)

Nutrients: Rhododendrons have a long flowering period and bloom a lot, which consumes a lot of nutrients. Insufficient nutrition is the reason why many azaleas drop their buds and wilt.

Therefore, flower lovers should remove the dead flowers in time to reduce nutrient consumption. You can also apply a little thin organic fertilizer. Be careful not to apply too much fertilizer, otherwise it will easily cause fattening and burn the seedlings.