How to raise potted mosquito repellent grass?

Mosquito repellent grass, also known as geranium, is a perennial herb or shrub-like plant of the family Pelargoniaceae. It is widely popular because of its volatile aroma and has a variety of odors. Including rose, citrus, mint, coconut, bean curd and a variety of fruit flavors, can be used to make essential oils, ornamental value is also very high, let's take a look at how potted mosquito repellent grass is raised!

Growth habits of mosquito repellent grass

Mosquito repellent grass likes temperature and drought tolerance, is not resistant to cold, is afraid of waterlogging, and has no high requirement for water. It is suitable to grow in neutral or weakly alkaline soil, and sufficient sunshine is needed for growth. Light has a good effect on its development and the increase of essential oil content. The area with annual sunshine hours of 1100 to 1300 hours can basically meet its growth needs. Cultivation requires fertile sand or loam with deep soil layer, loose texture and rich humus, while heavy clay soil and low-lying land with poor drainage are not suitable for cultivation.

Breeding methods of mosquito repellent grass

1. Sowing: sow the seeds in clean fine sand in early March, with a depth of 3 cm. Water thoroughly 4 hours after insertion, and keep the basin soil moist after that, not too dry or too wet. Put it in a warm and bright place in early spring, and the room temperature is about 20 ℃. It can sprout and root in about 1 month, and then plant separately.

2. Cutting mosquito repellent grass is easy to survive in spring and autumn. Cut the stout branches with terminal buds in April, May or September and October, which are 5 cm long and 8 cm long. After the cutting is dried, 2-3 terminal buds are retained, shaded and moisturized. It can take root and survive in about 15-20 days, and when the cuttings grow new leaves, they can be potted.

How to raise potted mosquito repellent?

1. Soil: mosquito repellent grass prefers neutral and acidic soil and grows very fast at seedling stage, so pots are changed more frequently in seedling stage. 6 parts of peat soil, 1.5 parts of vermiculite, 1.5 parts of perlite and 1 part of coal ash are used in 6 months. The PH value is slightly acidic and neutral, and the prepared commodity (PH = 5.5-7) can also be purchased from the flower market. After six months, the plant has strong adaptability and can use soil at will.

2. Temperature: the most suitable growth temperature of mosquito repellent grass is 10: 25 ℃, it can survive the winter safely above 0 ℃, and lemon aroma can be emitted normally when it is above 15 ℃. The higher the temperature, the stronger the fragrance. Spraying an appropriate amount of water spray to the plant leaves can make citronella aldehyde release continuously, thus making the mosquito repellent effect better.

3. Lighting: mosquito repellent grass likes the environmental conditions with sufficient sunshine, warmth and good ventilation. When the light is not too strong in spring and early summer, the flowerpot can be placed in a place with sufficient light to receive sufficient light, but in the hot season of midsummer and early autumn, it is appropriate to put it in a shaded place to avoid strong light, otherwise the branches and leaves will be burned.

4. Watering: mosquito repellent grass is resistant to drought and afraid of stagnant water, so water should be properly controlled in the process of growth. Too much watering, basin soil water content is too large, will cause overgrowth or rotten roots. When the spring and autumn growth and flowering is exuberant, it can be watered more appropriately, but it should also be appropriate to keep the basin soil moist. If the temperature is low in winter and the plant grows slowly, it should be watered as little as possible.

5. Fertilization: in addition to applying sufficient basal fertilizer during cultivation, thin liquid fertilizer can be applied every 7 to 10 days in the growing season, especially in the period of full flowering. It is better to dilute with rotten livestock and poultry manure with water, and it can also be poured with rotten cake fertilizer. Three to five days before fertilization, little or no watering, watering when the basin soil is dry, is more beneficial to root absorption.

5. Disease and insect pests: root rot or stem and leaf rot caused by improper management of mosquito repellent grass, followed by leaf shrinkage, black spots, and then the whole plant shrinks. This is caused by too much humidity, too high temperature, poor ventilation or excessive seedling density. Can be sprayed with fungicides such as carbendazim or carbendazim (800 to 1000 times liquid). But do not spray frequently.

What if the leaves of mosquito repellent grass turn yellow?

1. Improper fertilization: if you fertilize every day in the mosquito repellent growing season, and there is no watering at any time after applying fertilizer in spring, sometimes it takes a long time to apply fertilizer, so that the leaves of mosquito repellent grass will turn yellow. Fertilization should be applied frequently with thin fertilizer, which is beneficial to the growth of mosquito repellent grass. Fertilizer can be applied every 15 to 20 days in the growing season. Try to apply little or no fertilizer in summer, but pay attention to watering after fertilization.

2. Improper watering: the leaves turn yellow and fall off soon, most of which are caused by excessive watering. Watering should be based on the principle of humidity between dryness and dryness between studies. High temperature in summer should be less watering and no fertilization, which is beneficial to the development of root system and improve disease resistance. In family cultivation, rice panning water can be used instead of ordinary water. Water thoroughly once every 3 to 6 days, but no stagnant water. Pay attention to small basin soil surface whitening, large basin soil surface 1 cm under the tide when watering. The high temperature from July to August should often spray water to cool down, keep the surrounding environment moist, and do not accumulate water in the basin.

3, the temperature difference is too large: mosquito repellent grass likes light, if the potted mosquito repellent grass is placed indoors or outdoors for a long time, the great temperature difference between day and night will also make the leaves of mosquito repellent grass slowly turn yellow. Mosquito repellent grass like shade, do not bear strong light when growing, especially in summer to strengthen shade, can be planted under trees or shade, family potted plants are generally placed indoors to sprout.

4. pest prevention: if the humidity is too high, the temperature is too high, and poor ventilation or excessive seedling density cause the growth of diseases and pests, this will also make mosquito repellent leaves yellow or even rot roots. To often put potted mosquito repellent grass outside to bask in the sun, if put indoors to maintain indoor air circulation. At the same time, regular use of pesticides can be sprayed with fungicides such as white fungus mosquito repellent or carbendazim (800 to 1000 times liquid), but not frequently.