Cultivation methods and precautions of red back laurel

Cultivation method of red back laurel

temperature

Red-backed osmanthus is a subtropical plant, not cold-resistant, and the suitable growth temperature is between 15-25℃, and the wintering temperature needs to be no lower than 5℃.

illumination

It tolerates partial shade and prefers scattered light. Avoid strong sunlight exposure. It needs to be placed in a shaded and ventilated place in summer, which is conducive to keeping the leaves of the red-backed osmanthus plant dark green.

Watering

Red-backed osmanthus likes a humid growing environment, but avoids waterlogging. Water sufficiently during the growing season to keep the potting soil and surrounding environment moist, but be careful to avoid waterlogging. Control watering in winter, generally water once every 7-10 days, and the soil in the pot can be slightly moist and relatively dry.

Fertilization

When planting or repotting and changing the soil, you can apply some compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. Apply compound fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium once every half a month during the growing season. During the flowering period, you can spray twice with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution. No fertilizer is needed in midsummer and winter.

soil

It likes fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam.

Reproduction method

There are two propagation methods: root division and cuttings. The root division method is generally carried out in March or April each year, and 2-3 year old seedlings are selected for transplanting. The most common method of propagation is cuttings. Choose one-year-old strong branches as cuttings, cut them into three sections and insert them into plain soil at a depth of about 23 cm. Shade and keep moist for about two months until they can take root.

Precautions for red back laurel

In terms of disease and pest control, common hazards include anthracnose, leaf blight and root-knot nematode disease. The first two diseases can be controlled by spraying 500 times diluted 65% mancozeb wettable powder, and for the prevention and control of insect diseases, 3% furadan granules can be applied. Red-backed cassia is easily damaged by scale insects, so pay attention to prevention and control.

The soil for cultivation must be acidic, and the pot should be changed every two years depending on the growth conditions. In hot seasons, it is advisable to place it under a shade shed for maintenance, and apply acidic liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks to make the branches and leaves lush and keep the leaf color bright.

The room temperature cannot be lower than 12℃ in winter, otherwise it will cause a large number of leaves to fall and the plant will enter dormancy. At the same time, the young branches will wither. If this happens, heavy pruning should be carried out immediately to promote new branches. When moving it outdoors in spring, be careful to protect it from wind, otherwise it will easily cause the leaves to curl or even the edges to dry out.