Cultivation methods and precautions of Osmanthus fragrans

Pot soil

Osmanthus prefers slightly acidic, well-drained, fertile sandy loam. Osmanthus grows slowly in strongly acidic soil, with yellow and withered leaves and few branches. In soil with a pH value of 3-4, grafted two-year seedlings have 2-3 branches in the first year, and the branches are only 6 cm long, which is 2 times less and 1-2 times shorter than in soil with a pH value of 6.

In alkaline soil, ginger leaves will wither in two or three months and gradually die.

Fertilizer is the key to flower prosperity

Osmanthus likes pig manure. It can be mixed into the potting soil, or applied to the bottom of the pot after being decomposed and dried. The amount of fertilizer to be applied should be based on 1/4 of the height of the pot. Cover the fertilizer with a layer of soil about 1 to 2 inches thick, and then plant Osmanthus fragrans. No fertilizer is needed within a year.

In places in the city where there is no pig manure, you can use the hoof horns of donkeys, horses, and mules to ferment into water. Water it once in the spring when the seeds sprout. Before August, water it every 7 to 10 days. You can also fry soybeans and raw peanuts, grind them into powder, dig a root hole and bury it in the soil in the pot. According to observations: if there is sufficient fertilizer, the flowers will bloom profusely, be fragrant, and the number of flowers will be 2 to 3 times. Insufficient fertilizer, few branches, few flowers, and no fragrance.

Watering should be appropriate

When watering osmanthus, you should master two less and one more: water less when repotting before new shoots appear, water less on rainy days, and water more on dry days in summer and autumn. After repotting and watering thoroughly, the moisture content should be maintained at around 50%. The soil moisture content in the dog days (July to September) should be around 60%. Identification method: The soil in the pot can be formed into a ball when you pinch it with your hands, but it will fall apart when you put it down. Pay attention to drainage on rainy days to prevent water accumulation and root rot. Practice has shown that if the soil is waterlogged by more than 90%, osmanthus will easily die.

At the same time, the air humidity must be maintained. Place the osmanthus in a shady place and spray water on the leaves once in the morning and evening every day. Or place a fish tank or small basin filled with water next to it, and place the osmanthus in the open air to be exposed to the night dew and increase humidity to keep the leaves fresh.

Flowering control

The formation and differentiation of flower buds to flowering of Osmanthus fragrans requires a high temperature-low temperature-high temperature process. Differentiation begins at a high temperature of around 30°C, and flower buds are formed in 25 to 31 days. After 3 to 5 days of low-temperature dormancy at around 15°C, the flower buds begin to sprout. After the flower buds sprout, they will bloom quickly at a high temperature above 25'C.

modeling

The main purpose of osmanthus is to appreciate its leaves, shape and flowers. The flowers are small but fragrant, and the main beauty is the leaves and shape. The shape should express prosperity, solemnity, elegance and innocence. You can choose Ligustrum lucidum as the rootstock. First move the broad-leaf Ligustrum lucidum to a flowerpot. From the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox, you can use the grafting method to graft it. That is, graft the osmanthus branches onto the Ligustrum lucidum branches and remove the Ligustrum lucidum branch tops.

After it survives, cut the osmanthus from the mother plant to form a new osmanthus plant. The general survival rate can reach 100%. Some Ligustrum lucidum rootstocks do not have beautiful shapes. You can select a shape first, such as curved, twisted, etc., and then shape them according to your personal preference before grafting. Where large-leaved Ligustrum lucidum is not available, small-leaved Ligustrum lucidum can be used as rootstock. After the osmanthus is grafted, watering cannot be neglected, just like normal management.