Breeding methods and precautions of Rhododendron tatarinowii

1. Temperature

This plant often grows at altitudes of 1,000-3,000 meters, where the temperature is cool all year round. These conditions should also be met when transplanting it for garden planting. Especially in summer, attention should be paid to cooling down. It is most appropriate to keep the temperature at 15-20 degrees. During the flowering season, the temperature can be appropriately raised and maintained at 20-25 degrees.

2. Fertilizer and water management

This plant prefers a relatively acidic environment, but the soil in the north is generally alkaline, so before planting, the land should be treated with some decomposed fertilizer rich in acidic substances. The root system of this plant is whisker-like, so it has high requirements for fertilizer concentration and water quality, especially when applying fertilizer, it should be used less but applied more often, at the right time and in the right amount. In spring, you can use phosphorus fertilizer once a month to promote the growth of branches, leaves and flower buds. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers can be used monthly thereafter. When the plant is dormant in winter or its growth is slow in summer, the amount of water should be reduced appropriately to prevent root rot. Since this plant prefers a relatively humid environment, it should be sprayed with water more often in the north.

3. Pruning

By pinching off the terminal buds you can encourage the plant to grow thicker and flower faster. If there are too many flowers and they are too complicated, you can cut off some of the flower buds. This will make the flowers of that year bigger and brighter, and will also be conducive to growth and flowering in the second year. Pruning is usually done in spring or autumn after flowering, and dead, leaning, or diseased branches are cut off to avoid consuming extra nutrients and make the entire plant bloom better.

4. Flowering period control

This plant can control the timing of flowering by refrigerating the flower buds in autumn and then warming them when appropriate. To make this plant bloom earlier, you can place it indoors at a temperature of 20-25℃ and spray it with an appropriate amount of water at the right time. This way, it will bloom earlier after a period of time! On the contrary, if you want to delay flowering, keep it in a low temperature state, control the temperature at 2-4℃, and water it when the pot is dry.