The New Guinea hyacinth is what we usually call the multicolored phoenix or the four seasons of the phoenix, if the environment is suitable, it can really be able to bloom in the spring all year round. Its plant is low, generally twenty or thirty centimeters high, and can be cultivated into a pot on the balcony window sill, or it can be hung up to grow into a weeping potted plant.
New Guinea hyacinth is native to Africa, its main flowering period is concentrated in late spring and summer and autumn, it likes a warm and humid environment, likes plenty of sunshine, but does not like excessive exposure, especially in high temperatures, such as temperatures above 35 degrees should pay attention to proper shade.
1. Growth temperature and light
New Guinea hyacinth is afraid of excessive heat and excessive cold, the temperature grows best between 15 and 26 degrees, during this temperature period, it can continue to flower, such as the temperature in winter, if it can be maintained above 15 degrees to give sunlight, it can still flower.
In the summer, if the temperature is higher than 35 degrees, it does not like to flower, and it is even easy to be sunburned. If the winter temperature can be maintained above 7 degrees. It is safe to overwinter. At low temperatures, such as below 12 degrees Celsius, we should pay attention to reducing watering and stopping fertilization.
In general, the New Guinea hyacinth is more like the sun, after all, it is a flowering plant, it just likes the soft light, afraid of the exposure of high temperatures, if the temperature can continue to maintain below 25 degrees, you can bask in more sun, in the high temperature season to proper shade.
2. Drainage of potting soil
During the rainy season, also avoid frequent rain. The soil planted must have good drainage, it is very afraid of waterlogging, if the soil is often wet, it is easy to cause rotten roots.
The soil drainage of potted New Guinea hyacinths must be good, and appropriate coarse sand, perlite and coarse coconut shells can be added to the soil, and other materials can be used to increase drainage and transparency.
3. Pay attention to watering
New Guinea hyacinth does not like the soil is often wet, but it likes moisture, in a more light environment, you can keep the soil slightly moist, the topsoil is dry, you can water it in time. Don't let the soil dry out constantly, otherwise its plants will easily fall off.
4. Fertilize to promote flowering
The maintenance of potted New Guinea hyacinths also needs to pay attention to frequent fertilization, after all, it is a flowering plant, and flowering needs to lose a lot of nutrients. If you want it to continue to bloom bright flowers, it is definitely necessary to fertilize frequently, especially in the spring, summer and autumn, the temperature can be maintained at 15 to 28 degrees, you can add fertilizer every one or two weeks, and try to give as much sunlight as possible.
In the early stage of plant growth, there is less flowering, you can give more general-purpose fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, such as almost); and when its leaves grow strong enough, you can supplement the flower-promoting fertilizer every one or two weeks, including the common flower No. 2 and potassium dihydrogen phosphate.
5. Prevention of pests and diseases
Conservation of potted New Guinea hyacinths should also pay attention to the prevention of pests and diseases, especially in the high temperature season, we must pay attention to avoid the environment is not ventilated, do not raise it in a closed space, when the ventilation is not good, we must pay attention to opening more windows, spraying germicides in advance, preventing the breeding of germs, if it is a preventive fungicide, you can use common carbendazim, methyl tolbuzin, manganese zinc and so on.
If your New Guinean hyacinth is infected with powdery mildew and black spot disease, pay attention to cutting off the diseased leaves in advance and spraying powerful bactericides, including the common nacross, triazolone and pyrimidine, etc., if there is no effect, you can spray Lunasen.
If you want to prevent insect pest breeding, when the New Guinea hydrangea potted plant has just been bought home, you can sprinkle a little small white medicine (furazine) on the surface of the potting soil, and if you are infected with aphids, whiteflies and other insect pests in the later stage, you can spray acetamiprid, imidacloprid or chlorpyrifos to remove.