How to grow osmanthus trees well
About the experience of raising osmanthus trees and the detailed cultivation techniques, let's get to know together next.
Osmanthus is one of the top ten famous traditional flowers in China. When in bloom, it has a fragrant aroma and is evergreen throughout the seasons, making it an excellent garden species. Many flower enthusiasts also like to grow osmanthus in pots at home, but often encounter yellowing leaves and wilting. Today, Lan Yao will focus on introducing the key management points of potted osmanthus, hoping it will be helpful to you.
Key points for managing potted osmanthus
The management of osmanthus trees planted in the ground is very simple and easy, but when growing in pots, to ensure the osmanthus grows well and blooms with a fragrant scent, Lan Yao suggests focusing on the following points.
1. Loosely fertile potting soil
Osmanthus grows best in deep, loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy loam soil. When growing osmanthus in pots, it is recommended to use a mixture of 3 parts decomposed leaf soil, 4 parts garden soil, 3 parts river sand soil, and a small amount of fermented organic fertilizer, or 2 parts general nutrient soil + 1 part garden soil + a small amount of fermented organic fertilizer mixed evenly.
When potting, you can add fermented organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot. It is recommended to pot with the original soil or remove the outer part of the original soil ball to expose the roots before planting (do not wash the roots). After planting, water thoroughly once. If you are afraid it won't be thorough, you can water 2-3 times consecutively. After watering thoroughly, place it in a bright area with scattered light for 2-3 days to recover, then gradually increase the light.
2. Maintain sufficient light
Osmanthus enjoys a sunny environment. When caring for potted plants, except for the initial period of acclimatization after potting, it is necessary to ensure at least 4 hours of direct sunlight during the growing period, preferably full sun. In summer, you can shade the pot to cool down, but it's fine if the osmanthus tree is not shaded. For potted osmanthus on indoor balconies, make sure to open the windows for ventilation.
3. Water when the soil is dry
Many flower enthusiasts have difficulty growing potted osmanthus well, and the problem often lies in watering. The watering requirement for osmanthus is to water when the soil is dry and to water thoroughly when watering. Usually, if the surface of the potting soil turns grayish-white, the surface feels hard to the touch, or the soil below 2cm is dry, it indicates that watering is needed. Watering should be done until a large amount of water flows out from the bottom of the pot, and do not water halfway.
In the northern regions, due to the high alkalinity of the soil, a small amount of ferrous sulfate or citric acid can be added to each watering to prevent the potting soil from becoming alkaline. Because when the potting soil becomes alkaline, osmanthus is prone to iron deficiency yellowing, and in severe cases, it will wither.
For outdoor potted osmanthus, be mindful of drainage during consecutive rainy days to prevent waterlogging.
As the temperature begins to drop in autumn before flowering, it is advisable to reduce watering. Keeping the soil and air moist before and after the potted osmanthus flowers is important. If the air is dry, it is recommended to spray more water on the leaves to increase the relative humidity of the air, which is beneficial for osmanthus bud formation and flowering.
4. Reasonable fertilization to avoid fertilizer damage
Potted osmanthus begins to germinate in mid-March and quickly enters the vigorous growth period of new shoots. Therefore, it is recommended to apply a moderate amount of fermented organic fertilizer and slow-release fertilizer, and after germination, apply 1-2 times of balanced compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, or soybean cake fertilizer water to make the new shoots grow robust and solid, laying the foundation for flower bud differentiation.
In mid-to-late May, when the leaves are mature and the new shoots have stopped growing, they enter the nutrient accumulation period. At this time, it is recommended to focus on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote flower bud differentiation. Suggest shallowly burying fermented organic fertilizer + bone meal or calcium magnesium phosphorus fertilizer to continuously provide nutrients for osmanthus. From August, add monopotassium phosphate fertilizer to each watering until flowering.
During the flowering period, osmanthus should stop top-dressing. After the flowering period, you can apply 1-2 times of balanced compound fertilizer water to promote the recovery of the osmanthus plant. As the temperature decreases, you can apply 1-2 times of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers before winter to strengthen the osmanthus roots and lay the foundation for flowering next year.
Points to note when managing potted osmanthus
1. Avoid concentrated fertilizers.
Many flower enthusiasts cannot control the amount of fertilizer for potted osmanthus, which can easily cause fertilizer damage. The application of fertilizer for potted osmanthus should follow the principle of applying thin fertilizers frequently. If water-soluble fertilizers are not easy to control, you can use more fermented organic fertilizers, which have a gentle effect and are less likely to cause fertilizer damage. Using them in small, frequent amounts is also fine without water-soluble fertilizers.
2. Avoid raw fertilizers.
The tolerance for fertilizer of potted osmanthus is not strong, and raw fertilizers that have not been fermented should not be used, even something as simple as rice washing water should be avoided before fermentation, as it can be difficult to save once fertilizer damage occurs.
3. Avoid direct contact with fertilizer.
When potting potted osmanthus, the roots must not come into direct contact with the base fertilizer. The base fertilizer should be separated by soil, especially for bare-rooted osmanthus seedlings. When top-dressing, do not place it directly on the roots but shallowly bury it around the pot edge.
4. Avoid not changing pots for a long time.
Potted osmanthus is recommended to be repotted every 2 years to cut off old roots. The best time for repotting is in late October or March of the following spring, as the growth of osmanthus is slow at this time, and the impact of repotting is smaller.
The above (Green Plant Enthusiast Website) introduces how to grow osmanthus trees well and the detailed cultivation techniques of osmanthus trees. Have green plant enthusiasts understood?