How to raise the latest potted iron tree?

Iron tree is also called phoenix tail iron, phoenix tail banana, phoenix tail pine, etc., cycad family cycad plants, the most famous is its flowering, known as "iron tree flowering", quaint tree shape, trunk thick, hard as iron, feather leaves clean and smooth light, four seasons often, the south planted in front of the court steps and lawn, the north should be a large potted garden porch and hall, below we will take a look at potted iron tree how to raise it!

Growth Habits of Iron Tree

Iron tree likes warm and humid environment, not cold, slow growth, life expectancy of about 200 years. In the tropics and subtropics of southern China, trees over 10 years old bloom and bear fruit almost every year, while cycas cultivated in the Yangtze River basin and northern China often do not bloom all their lives, or occasionally bloom and bear fruit. It likes light, iron element, and slightly bears half shade. When planting in open field in Shanghai area, it is necessary to take warm measures such as straw wrapping in winter. It likes fertile, moist and slightly acidic soil, but it can also tolerate drought. Slow growth, more than 10 years of plants can flower.

The propagation method of Scylla chinensis

1. Sowing: When there are male and female plants flowering at the same time, it is easy to get seeds by artificial pollination. The seeds germinated slowly 4~6 months after sowing, and seedlings were divided 2~3 years later. However, in general, northern planting rarely gets seeds, and more plants are used for reproduction.

2. Plant division: The vigorous perennial plants of iron tree often produce tiller buds at the base. Cut off the tiller buds with 4~5 leaves for three years and plant them into flower pots filled with river sand. The planting depth is about half of the plant height. Pour water thoroughly and place them in shade to promote root maintenance. Pot soil should be dry not wet, generally 2 to 3 months to take root, take root and then potted with moldy soil.

How do potted iron trees grow?

1. Soil: Iron tree should grow in fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil. The cultivated soil can be prepared with 1 part coarse sand and 4 parts pastoral soil, or 5 parts decayed soil and 1 part fine stone particles, or 2 parts sandy soil and 2 parts decayed soil. Like iron element, preparation of culture soil can be mixed with a small amount of iron filings, or early spring iron filings removed in the pot soil or buried in the pot, but also can use 0.5% ferrous sulfate spray to supplement iron, so that the leaves firm green.

2, fertilization: iron tree growth period 5~10 months can be applied compound fertilizer or urea 1~2 times a month, urea is best diluted with water 1000 times spraying leaves, foliar fertilizer should follow the principle of "eat less and eat more". Every day, the family's rice washing water, do not touch oil and water, with barrels, pots, the next day after the liquid fertilizer irrigation, with a certain fertilizer effect.

3, watering: iron tree growth is slow, do not like water, especially in spring, autumn, winter watering must strictly abide by the principle of wet and dry, that is, after watering once, when the pot soil is seen, then pour the second water. In addition to rainy days in summer, water should be poured once a day and sprayed to the leaf clusters, but avoid ponding, otherwise the rotten roots will cause death. After autumn growth gradually slow, water should be added control, maintain a certain degree of dryness, in order to winter.

4, temperature: iron tree growth temperature in 20~30℃, but more resistant to high temperature and cold. In winter, it can still overwinter outdoors at about minus 5℃, and it needs to be protected for overwinter below minus 10℃. Iron tree afraid of snow, such as snow days to move indoors or covered with plastic film, otherwise the next spring old leaves will yellow, lose ornamental value.

5, light: iron tree prefer adequate light and relatively warm, humid environment, usually should be placed in direct sunlight. However, potted iron trees are not resistant to the sun exposure, especially the new leaves of iron trees are very easy to burn, yellow. Therefore, after the new leaves grow out and in midsummer, certain shade conditions should be given.

6, change the pot: iron tree potted should pay attention to change the pot, generally at least 5 years to change the pot once. When changing pots, the pot soil can be mixed with phosphorus fertilizer such as bone meal, and the time for changing pots is about 15℃. At this time, the growth of exuberant, but also appropriate to cut off some old roots, in order to facilitate the timely growth of new roots.

7. Pruning: After the stem of iron tree grows up to 50 cm, the old leaves should be cut off in spring, and then cut once a year, or at least once every 3 years. If the plant is still small, the degree of expansion is not ideal enough, all the leaves can be cut off, so that the angle of new leaf growth will not be affected, the plant will be more perfect, pruning should try to cut to the petiole base, so that the stem neat and beautiful.

8. Diseases

① spot disease: iron tree often spot disease harm, can be in the summer more water, disease old leaves should be removed in time, early spray 75% Baiyinqing wettable powder 800 times solution, or 50% Tobu Jin wettable powder 800 times solution, about every 10 days spray 1 time, the effect is better.

② Scale insects: When iron trees are planted on balconies and maintained with insufficient ventilation and light transmission, the leaves are often vulnerable to scale insects. Repeated rubbing of the injured leaves with alcohol can kill adults and larvae, and rubbing of the injured leaves with cotton balls soaked in rice vinegar can kill scale insects.