The latest culture method of antler fern

Antler fern, also known as Milu antler fern, antler mistletoe, antler fern and so on, is an epiphyte of the genus Ceratopteris of Pteridaceae. It is considered to be one of the most peculiar ornamental ferns, chic and funny, and it is also a precious and rare boutique of indoor foliage plants. It is very popular in parks, botanical gardens, shops and bedroom windowsills in Europe and the United States. Let's take a look at the breeding methods of deer horn ferns.

Growth habits of Dryopteris Dryopteris

Ceratopteris prefers warm and humid environment and is afraid of strong light, so it is better to use scattered light. The temperature in winter is not lower than 5 ℃. The soil is suitable for loose rotten leaf soil, with alternation of generations, and both sporophyte and gametophyte live independently. The distribution area is tropical monsoon climate, hot and rainy, the average annual temperature is 22.6 ℃, the average temperature in January is 15-17 ℃, the extreme minimum temperature is not less than 5 ℃, the extreme highest temperature is 39.5 ℃, the annual precipitation is about 2000 mm, and the relative humidity is not less than 80%. It is often epiphytic on the trunks and branches of the seasonal rain forest, such as neem, couplet, weeping banyan, etc., and can also be attached to the forest edge, the trunk of sparse forest or withered trees. Humus leaves accumulate fallen leaves, dust and other substances as nutrition.

Ramet propagation of Dryopteris Dryopteris

1. Ramet time: the ramet propagation of Dryopteris is best carried out after the soil is thawed in early spring (February and March). At this time, the temperature is more suitable for the recovery of the root system of Dryopteris, and does not affect its own absorption of nutrients. At the same time, when the growth of vegetative leaves of antler fern is too dense, it can be adjusted in combination with ramet reproduction, which is beneficial to the growth and development of neosporophyte.

2. Split method: take the mother plant out of the flowerpot, shake off the excess pot soil, separate the root system as much as possible, and cut it into two or more plants with a sharp knife. Each plant should have a considerable root system. Each of the split seedlings is a new individual.

3. Ramet management: after filling the pot, the ramet is irrigated or watered once. Because its root system is greatly damaged and its water absorption capacity is very weak, it takes about 3 to 4 weeks to recover the new root germination, so it is necessary to control watering within 3 to 4 weeks after ramet to avoid rotting roots, but the transpiration of its leaves is not affected. In order to maintain the water balance of leaves, it is necessary to spray the leaf surface once or three times a day. Don't fertilize it these days. After ramet, if you pay attention to the excessive sunlight, it should be maintained in the shade shed.

Culture methods of Ceratopteris Dryopteris

1. Soil configuration: the antler fern breeding soil is made of imported peat with loose, draining and ventilating specifications of 5mm to 40mm, the peat is broken and mixed with water, the standard of adding water is to add water and mix well, hold a handful of peat tightly in hand, and the water seeps out from the fingers to be planted in a cup. The amount of peat in a 9cm basin is about 250ml, and a packet of 300L imported peat can hold about 1200 cups.

2. Pot planting: the old pots that are re-used must be soaked in potassium permanganate 1000 times solution for more than half an hour, then rinse with clean water and dry for use. Small potted plants are generally planted with pots with a caliber of 12 cm. When planting, the substrate is about 2 cm at the bottom of the cup, and then the sieve seedlings are moved into the cup. The seedlings should not be planted too deep, and the base of the flat plant should be suitable. The matrix is loose and tight moderately, filled to 9 minutes of the cup, 2 plants / pot.

3. Fertilizer and water management: antler fern likes the humid climate, requires the relative air temperature of the growing environment to be 60-75%, sprays more water during the peak growth period in summer, maintains a high humidity environment, and sprays fertilizer and water once every ten days in pot or hanging pot cultivation. Apply thin cake fertilizer or nitrogen and potassium fertilizer once or twice a month, and the amount of water should be controlled in winter.

4. Temperature control: the optimum growth temperature of antler fern is 18-30 ℃, and it can grow well in 33-35 ℃ during the day. Avoid cold frost, the overwintering temperature needs to be kept above 10 ℃, and the winter temperature drops below 4 ℃ to enter the dormancy state. If the ambient temperature is close to 0 ℃, it will die of frostbite.

5. Light management: the antler fern is afraid of strong light, should avoid strong light or dry wind, and grows well near the bright indoor window. Greenhouse cultivation should cover 50% to 70% of the sun in summer and about 30% in winter. Although the antler fern also has a strong ability to adapt to weak light, when the light is insufficient, the growth is slow and the plant is delicate.

6. pest control: it is common for deer horn fern to have leaf spot disease that harms spore leaves, which can be controlled by spraying 65% zinc wettable powder 600 times. Scale insects and whiteflies harm sporophytes or vegetative leaves when ventilation is poor, and can be captured or sprayed with 1000 times omethoate EC in small amounts. Some antler ferns are more likely to be infected with fungal or bacterial diseases, so we should pay attention to adjusting the ventilated environment and not overwatering.