How to care for green velvet flowers
Do you know these? How to care for green velvet flowers and the experience of growing velvet flowers and green plant maintenance methods and skills, if there are any mistakes, please correct them!
Talking about calla lilies, they really make people love and hate them! We love their beautiful appearance and hate their sentimental nature. But since they look so good, a bit of sentimentality is forgivable.
Newcomers or those about to start should not be scared, just get to know their temperament, and the calla lily beauty says it is still easy to take care of. I hope that this ultimate maintenance tutorial can help you avoid detours on the road to growing calla lilies and become a master sooner.
Image: Report to the teacher
One
Classification
This is not about the classification of different calla lily varieties, but rather a simple classification of calla lilies into three categories based on plant shape and growth habits:
>> Large sunny varieties
This type of calla lily usually grows tall and upright, originally found in wild environments with abundant water, high humidity, and rich organic matter, and grows relatively fast. Maintenance requires plenty of water and fertilizer plus sufficient sunlight. Representative varieties: Porto Wave,滴水观音 (Dīshuǐ Guānyīn), Sarrancolin, Reya, Green Velvet, etc.
>> Medium shady varieties
Originally grows under forests, relatively shade-tolerant, and not as demanding for sunlight. The plant shape is relatively small, and the growth rate is also slower. Representative varieties: Big Fairy, Small Fairy, Pink Dragon, Nairobi, and various arrowhead calla lilies.
>> Small rock-growing varieties
Small plant shape, very slow growth, usually takes 1-2 months to sprout a new leaf, a real slowpoke. However, their leaves are not easy to consume, and a pot can easily grow 8-9 leaves, with hard and thick leaves, drought-resistant and sun-resistant, not resistant to moisture and cold, and most afraid of root rot and烂根. Representative varieties: Hami Melon, White Rhino, Jacqueline, Plate Shield, Scales, Black Velvet, etc.
Image: Timelord
Two
Light
After simply classifying the calla lily beauties, the next step is to allocate territory for them.
Large varieties: Require a lot of light, the brightest place in the room must be reserved for them. However, appropriate shading is still needed in the summer to prevent sunburn on the leaves.
Medium varieties: Relatively worry-free, just need bright scattered light.
Rock-growing varieties: Have high requirements for ventilation, and it's best to give them an open and bright environment. Varieties with lighter leaf colors can have more light, while those with darker leaf colors can be a bit shadier.
Image: KK's Notebook
Three
Potting Soil
When choosing a pot for calla lilies, prioritize terra cotta pots and green mountain pots. The soil should be loose and breathable to facilitate drying and wetting cycles.
The soil for medium and large calla lilies is similar, with an ideal state being a dry-wet cycle every 3-5 days, and it is recommended to control this within a week. This means that after watering thoroughly, the soil surface is just dry after 3-5 days. Rock-growing varieties have higher requirements for soil breathability and water permeability, and more hard granules need to be added, with ceramic beads used at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer.
Green Velvet Flower Care
Image: Xiaomi
Four
Watering and Fertilizing
The watering principle for medium and large calla lilies is "water when dry, stop when wet." Under the premise of ensuring good soil breathability and water permeability, water can be supplied as much as possible, which helps the plant grow better and the leaves look better.
Rock-growing calla lilies grow slowly, have less water demand, and with hard and thick leaves, water evaporation and consumption are also low, so watering does not need to be too frequent, water only when completely dry. Too much water can easily cause root rot.
Calla lilies do not require a lot of fertilizer, and it is sufficient to apply an appropriate amount of slow-release fertilizer and top-dress with liquid fertilizer as needed. Generally, fertilize once every half month during the spring and autumn growing seasons, alternating between general-purpose fertilizer and high-nitrogen fertilizer. In the summer high-temperature period, when plant growth slows down, fertilizer should be controlled or stopped. In winter, if the plant is dormant, fertilizing is strictly prohibited.
Image: Zhízhé Yan
Five
Temperature
As a typical tropical plant, calla lilies naturally prefer warmth and fear cold. 15℃ is the red alert line for most calla lilies, especially for rock-growing calla lilies, the temperature threshold needs to be higher.
Therefore, in areas where winter temperatures are not reached, water and fertilizer should be controlled to let them hibernate. However, calla lilies are not easily frozen to death, as long as the underground bulbs are still there, they will be a vigorous calla lily the next year.
In spring, when temperatures rise above 20℃, the growth of calla lilies becomes more obvious, and watering and fertilizing can be normal. In summer, when temperatures exceed 30℃, calla lily growth slows down, and attention should be paid to high temperatures, strong light, high humidity, and other issues.
Image: Homeplants
Six
Dividing and Repotting
Calla lilies are usually propagated by dividing. Since their fibrous roots are relatively fragile, the roots should be straightened before dividing, and the wounds should be dried before planting. Here is a small tip to increase success rates: when planting after dividing, use a mixture of original soil and new soil, as the divided seedlings are more adapted to the original soil, and this can reduce the time for seedlings to adapt.
Similarly, when repotting, try to disturb the original soil ball as little as possible, adding an appropriate amount of new soil at the edges. To prevent root rot, never repot small seedlings into large pots.