Causes of Degeneration of Autumnplanted Bulbous Flowers and Methods of Rejuvenation

  Generally, gardening divides bulbous flowers into spring planting and autumn planting based on the planting time. Before planting bulbous flowers, you must first distinguish their temperature requirements, that is, you must know whether it is a spring-planted bulb or an autumn-planted bulb.

  Spring-planted bulbs, such as amaryllis and gladiolus, require higher temperatures during their growth period, so they are planted in spring. They bloom in spring and summer, and as the temperature drops in winter, the aboveground parts wither and gradually go dormant. In the north, where the winter temperature is often minus 5 degrees Celsius or even lower, the underground bulbs cannot withstand such low temperatures and need to be dug out and stored to protect over the winter. Autumn-planted bulbous flowers, such as tulips and hyacinths, are cold-resistant and heat-sensitive. Planted in autumn, the temperature rises in early spring of the following year, they grow rapidly, bloom in spring, and when the temperature reaches high temperatures in summer, the aboveground parts wither, while the underground bulbs go dormant over the summer. If the planting time of the two is wrong, cultivation failure is inevitable.

  Commonly cultivated autumn-planted bulbs include: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, snowdrops, bulbous irises, freesias, ornithogalums, saffron, grape hyacinths, etc. Lilies are somewhat special. Although they are also autumn-planted bulbs, their provenance is too complicated. They mainly include: Asian lilies, musk lilies, musk Asian hybrid lilies, and oriental lilies. These different lilies have quite different habits, and many lily varieties bloom in summer under natural conditions, which is too different from other autumn-planted bulbs, so they are not discussed together.

  In home planting, bulbs often degenerate due to various reasons, so that the bulbs cannot bloom in the next year, or the bulbs become smaller year by year, and lose their value for planting. To rejuvenate the bulbs, we must first understand the various reasons that lead to bulb degeneration, and then start to find ways and methods to solve the problems. Let's analyze these common problems and causes one by one, and find corresponding countermeasures.

  1. Close planting

  When planting in pots, bulbs are often planted in very small containers or densely planted for the sake of aesthetics. We know that commercial bulbs were originally planted in large fields before harvest, and their roots are deep and long, especially daffodils and snowdrops of the Amaryllis family, and hyacinths of the Liliaceae family, which have long and developed root systems. They are forced to be planted in smaller containers. As long as the bulbs are large enough, the bulbs can also bloom well by consuming their own nutrients. In such a case, if you plan to do a one-time cultivation from the beginning, you can discard the bulbs after the flowers bloom. However, many flower lovers hope that they can bloom year after year. If you plan to do the latter, you need to choose a spacious and comfortable container for the bulbs so that their roots can stretch out. The bulbs of a single plant planted in a large and deep pot are a bit out of proportion, so it is better to choose a large pot for group planting. For example: daffodils with a bulb circumference (perimeter) of about 14 work points, 4-5 bulbs can be planted in a pot with a diameter of 25 cm and a depth of not less than 20 cm. The soil temperature of a larger container changes less than that of a smaller container. For some bulbs whose roots are particularly sensitive to temperature, such as tulips and saffron, the small change in soil temperature can extend the growth period of the bulbs and provide the necessary time to accumulate more nutrients. When the volume of the container is large enough, it can be close to the effect of ground planting. Generally speaking: planting in large containers is more conducive to rejuvenation than planting in small containers, choosing a larger container for group planting is more conducive to rejuvenation than a smaller container for single plant planting, and ground planting is more conducive to rejuvenation than potted plants.

  2. Hydroponics

  This is a pure one-time cultivation method from the beginning, so don't think about rejuvenation. If you really can't bear to discard it after it blooms, just find a piece of land to plant it!

  3. Time and temperature

  We know that autumn-planted bulbs generally have a vernalization process. That is, the time process of rooting and breaking dormancy at low temperatures (2-10 degrees). This process generally lasts 2-4 months. However, the habits of various autumn-planted bulbs are not the same, so the corresponding weather temperature should be selected to determine the planting time. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the temperature drops to around 20-24 degrees during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September. The roots of Fritillaria, Grape Hyacinth, and Freesia become active first. These three can be planted in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River from late September to the end of September. In late September, during the autumnal equinox, the temperature drops to 18-20 degrees, and the roots of daffodils, snowdrops, and bulbous irises also wake up, so they must be planted from early to mid-October. In mid-to-late October, the temperature is below 18 degrees, and hyacinths, ornithogalums, and saffron are planted. Tulips are planted in early November when the temperature is below 15 degrees. Here, we must pay special attention to the fact that due to the large climate differences between the north and the south, the planting time should pay attention to the local weather forecast and determine the corresponding time according to the temperature, rather than blindly following the statements in the books.

  4. Root system and planting depth

  Planting bulbs in autumn is a one-time process. Once damaged, it cannot be repaired. Therefore, during the planting period, plant once and avoid transplanting. In addition, in terms of planting depth, potted plants cannot be planted too deep due to conditions. Generally, according to the size of the bulb, hyacinth, daffodil, and snowdrop can be covered with soil to the bud at the top of the bulb, and the top bud is slightly exposed above the soil. Tiger eye evergreen, saffron, and grape hyacinth have smaller bulbs and are covered with 2-3 cm of soil. Bulbous irises, tulips, and freesias are tall and thin, so it is better to cover them with 5 cm of soil. If planted in the ground, hyacinths, daffodils, and snowdrops are covered with 5 cm of soil, and bulbous irises, tulips, and freesias are covered with 10 cm of soil.

  5. Natural bulbs and forced cultivation

  Since autumn-planted bulbs have the characteristic of breaking dormancy by low temperature, they can be artificially refrigerated for a period of time, and can quickly germinate and bloom when planted without the need for natural low temperature accumulation. This method is forced cultivation. On the contrary, bulbs that break dormancy through natural seasonal low temperature accumulation without artificial refrigeration are called natural bulbs. Forced cultivation artificially imitates natural low temperature. For professional cultivation, it is planted immediately after the cold storage ends, and the appropriate temperature is provided on a large scale. These are impossible for ordinary gardening enthusiasts. Moreover, from cold storage to retail and then to the hands of consumers, the bulbs have to experience a temperature change, and it is very likely to encounter high temperature. At this time, some bulbs have begun to take root, and it is inevitable that they will be damaged. So we still try to buy natural bulbs, which is safer. In addition, low temperature has some other effects on bulbs: daffodils, snowdrops, grape hyacinths, and saffron, low temperature treatment will make their plants short and compact.

  6. Water and soil quality

  Autumn-planted bulbs prefer loose, breathable, well-drained, low-salt, neutral soil. Leaf mold is recommended. When planting bulbs, you must prevent water accumulation, especially for those who like to use trays for potted plants. You must keep the tray dry and avoid water accumulation, which will not only make the pot too wet and airtight, but also breed diseases. It is also better to choose breathable purple sand pots and ceramic pots. The holes at the bottom of plastic pots should be large enough. Porcelain pots are generally not used.

  7. Light and humidity

  The original ecology of autumn-planted bulbs often grows under the sparse shade of tall deciduous trees. Imitating the light changes and humidity of this state is our direction. When autumn and winter come, the leaves of the trees fall one after another, and the open space in the forest is sunny, so the autumn-planted bulbs should be given sufficient sunlight at this stage. At this stage, the fallen leaves will play a role in heat preservation and moisture retention. When early spring arrives, the bulbs growing underground will sprout and bloom before the leaves sprout. In April, when the shade of the trees gradually becomes larger, the flowers of the bulbs have begun to wither, and the shade of the trees provides a cool small environment for the bulbs. At this corresponding stage, artificial cultivation should also provide a cool small environment for the bulbs, with bright light but not direct sunlight.

  8. Fertilizers and nutrients

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