How to care for Lycoris radiata
The editor will tell you how to care for Lycoris radiata and the topic of the flowers and plants, please see the detailed introduction below.
Lycoris radiata, also known as black garlic, crow garlic, garlic head grass, or婆婆酸, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family, Lycoris genus. It grows wild in damp slopes and streamsides, as well as on the tops of hills and mountains with thick soil layers in the crevices. It has leaves in autumn, bright red flowers, blooming from August to September, and fruiting in October. Lycoris radiata was mainly wild in the past, but now it is mostly cultivated artificially, which is suitable for courtyard cultivation and has high horticultural value. It is cold-resistant, shade-loving, moisture-loving, drought-resistant, and thrives in loose, fertile, slightly acidic humus soil. It has the habit of summer dormancy. Lycoris radiata is a fine perennial herbaceous flower, with leaves to admire in winter and flowers in autumn.
Propagation methods
1. Bulb division: Use bulb division in spring and autumn, dividing every 4-5 years. Plant the bulbs near the mother bulb, and try not to damage the fibrous roots when dividing the small bulbs. Choose flat, well-drained, and fertile damp land for planting. It can bloom in about one or two years. Keep the soil moist and control watering to avoid bulb rot.
Cultivation methods
1. Potting soil preparation: The potting soil for cultivating Lycoris radiata should be fertile sandy loam, requiring fertile, moist, rich in humus, and well-drained. The growing medium can be mixed with 2 parts of decomposed leaf soil, 2 parts of garden soil, and 1 part of sand, and a small amount of decomposed manure can be added, or fertile garden soil can be used directly as potting soil.
2. Choosing a pot for planting
The best pot for planting Lycoris radiata is a clay pot or purple sand pot. New pots should be soaked in water for a few days before use, and the pot diameter should be over 15 centimeters.
3. Potting
When potting, first cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with broken pot pieces, then add coarse sand, fine sand, and potting soil. Plant with bulbs in autumn and winter, selecting large bulbs that have been growing in the field for more than 3 years and can bloom, with a diameter of over 7 centimeters. Plant one bulb per pot or 3-4 bulbs in a large pot. In general, warm regions plant in autumn, while cold regions in the north often plant in spring. The planting depth should be slightly covering the top of the bulb with soil. After planting, water thoroughly, keep the soil moist, and avoid excessive watering to prevent bulb rot.
4. Daily management
Lycoris radiata loves to grow in a sunny environment. Insufficient light can lead to poor flowering. In spring and autumn, it should be placed in a semi-shaded area for care. In summer, avoid direct sunlight, and indoor planting requires placing the pot in a sunny and ventilated area.
Usually, fertilize 2-4 times a year. The first time is after defoliation and before flowering, using decomposed cake fertilizer or compound fertilizer. The second time is from late October to early November, before the growth period after flowering, to promote larger flowers. After flowering, reduce nitrogen fertilizer and increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to make the bulbs strong and full. In autumn, stop fertilizing and watering to allow it to enter dormancy gradually. When digging up the bulbs after the plant withers, prevent damage to the fibrous roots, otherwise, it will affect flowering. Choose a sunny day to dig up the bulbs when the soil is dry, remove the soil, slightly dry them, and store them. You can also cut the leaves, keep the soil in a greenhouse for dormancy, maintain a room temperature of 5°C-10°C, keep the room dry, well-ventilated, and prevent bulb rot. After the flowers fade, cut off the remaining flowers.
Lycoris radiata requires frequent watering during the vegetative growth period to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged to prevent bulb rot. Twenty days before flowering to the flowering period, an adequate supply of water must be provided to achieve uniform and prolonged flowering. When the surface soil is dry and white, water should be supplemented. No more watering and fertilizing during the dormancy period.
The above-sharing on how to care for Lycoris radiata and the explanation of planting methods are for reference by green plant enthusiasts.