Cultivation methods and precautions of trumpet creeper

How to grow trumpet creeper

Pot soil selection

When planting potted trumpet creepers, choose deep, airtight clay pots or wooden barrels. Fill the pot with fertile, loose, well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil. Alternatively, you can mix leaf mold with garden soil. Soil dug from the street can also be used after being exposed to the sun and adding some base fertilizer. (The best is fertile pine needle soil)

Placement Environment

Trumpet creeper likes an environment with plenty of sunlight. In a semi-shady environment, the plant will not grow vigorously and the flowers will be few and light in color. Place the plant in a sunny courtyard, balcony, south- or west-facing balcony if possible, and make sure to ventilate it in time. Do not place the flower pots in north-facing or enclosed balconies.

Water and fertilizer requirements

Trumpet creeper likes a humid environment, is slightly drought-resistant, and is afraid of waterlogging. Therefore, water the plant frequently during the growing season to keep the soil in the pot slightly moist but not waterlogged. Trumpet creeper will enter a dormant period from late autumn to the following spring. At this time, the soil in the pot should be kept dry and slightly moist.

Trumpet creeper is very fond of fertilizer. In addition to adding sufficient base fertilizer to the soil when potting and repotting, nitrogen-based fertilizer should be applied once every 10 to 15 days after germination to promote the growth of branches and leaves. But starting from May , fertilizers mainly composed of phosphorus and potassium should be applied to promote flower bud differentiation and bud formation. Starting from June , spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on the leaves once every 7 to 10 days to promote bright blooming. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers 1 to 2 times after the flowers fade to ensure sufficient nutrients before wintering. Trumpet creeper hibernates in winter, so do not fertilize it.

Proper trimming

After a short dormancy in winter, the plants will enter a vigorous growth period in early spring, so it is necessary to promptly cut off dead branches, weak branches, overgrown branches, and messy branches in early spring, and shorten the overly long branches to promote the sprouting of new strong branches.

Precautions for the cultivation of trumpet creeper

Pest control

The water and fertilizer requirements for trumpet creeper mention that trumpet creeper likes a humid environment, but also in a high temperature and high humidity environment. Trumpet creeper is easily harmed by aphids. Therefore, it is required to ventilate frequently during the maintenance process to ensure sufficient humidity, but appropriate cooling is required to avoid insect pests. In addition, once aphids are found, rinse them with clean water or spray them with pesticides in time to avoid serious insect infestation.

Setting up the support pole

Trumpet creeper is a climbing plant. When it grows to a certain extent, it needs to set up supporting poles and build a frame for it to climb and grow. At home, you can place the trumpet creeper at the bottom of the flower stand and let it climb the edge of the flower stand to grow. It can decorate the flower stand and save the trouble of setting up a bracket.

Pruning skills

Usually when buds sprout in early spring each year, for plants over 5 years old, the main trunk is shortened to 30~40 cm, and the roots are pruned at the same time to retain the main root system and replant. After new branches sprout out from the pot, only keep 3 to 5 new branches on the top and cut off the rest. Control the water and fertilizer. After a year of maintenance, you will have a beautiful and young trumpet creeper again.