Culture method of cactus

Cactus from wild to widely moved into home farming, it reflects a trend of urban residents to choose potted flower varieties. Because the building area is limited and the air is relatively dry, the cultivation of large or delicate potted flowers often does not grow well, so it is most suitable to choose some varieties with small size, drought tolerance, simple management and high ornamental value. Cactus plants just meet these requirements.

Family culture methods of cactus

Family cactus culture, it is appropriate to choose small, multi-flower ball-shaped species, cultivation should not think that this kind of plant is resistant to drought, while neglecting its normal watering and fertilization. Indoor cultivation, lead wire and plastic film can be used on the windowsill to create a high-temperature, high-humidity closed space, most cactus in such conditions not only grow fast but also crystal clear.

Potted soil requires sandy soil or sandy loam with good drainage and ventilation and containing calcareous soil. The newly planted cactus should not be watered first, it can be sprayed several times a day, a small amount of water can be watered half a month later, and the new roots can be watered normally after a month. When the winter temperature is low and the plant enters a dormant state, it is necessary to control watering. After the beginning of spring, with the increase of air temperature, plant dormancy was gradually released, and watering could be gradually increased. Apply mature thin liquid fertilizer every 10 days to half a month. Do not apply fertilizer in winter.

In general residential conditions, make full use of space, cultivate dozens of pots of various cactus, layout of a small "cactus garden" is not difficult. When the turn of spring and summer, a variety of cactus on the windowsill open a dazzling array of flowers, people after work, rest under such conditions, can not only eliminate fatigue, but also a kind of enjoyment of natural beauty.

Propagation methods of cactus

The common culture methods of cactus are cutting propagation, split propagation, sowing propagation and grafting propagation.

1. Cutting propagation method

① cutting time: under normal conditions, May to June cutting is the most suitable. Where there is a greenhouse, it can be carried out all year round.

Preparation of ② substrate: cactus is resistant to drought and barren, and avoid stagnant water. Therefore, the matrix must have the characteristics of good air permeability, good drainage and keeping moist, such as vermiculite, perlite and so on. It can also be prepared with 4 parts of coarse river sand, 3 parts of loam, 2 parts of rotten leaves and 1 part of grain husk ash.

③ cutting cuttings: strong and mature stem nodes were selected as cuttings from mother plants with strong growth potential and free of diseases and insect pests. Cut the cuttings from the mother plant with a rust-free scraper and wipe the cutters with alcohol before and after each cut.

④ dry cuttings: cuttings should not be cut immediately after cutting, they should be put in a dry room for 5 to 7 days, and the cuttings should not be cut until the cut dries up and the stem begins to shrink.

Soaking with ⑤ hormone: for varieties with difficulty in rooting, soaking the base of cuttings with plant growth hormone can greatly improve the survival rate. The method is: soak the base of cuttings with 50 to 100ppmGGR (plant growth regulator) solution for half to one hour, or soak the base of cuttings with 200ml / L naphthalene acetic acid solution for 4 hours. Most other varieties that are easy to root are cuttings without hormone treatment.

⑥ cuttage: the base of the cuttings will be shallowly embedded in the substrate, do not be too deep, resulting in rot. At this time, the cuttings are difficult to stand upright (because they have been softened by drying), so they can be flat on the substrate, or they can be supported by small wooden sticks, and then gently press the soil on both sides of the cuttings with both hands to make it close to the soil.

⑦ after-insertion management: first, water management. When cutting, the substrate is moist, but it is not easy to take root if it is too dry, so you can irrigate less water from the edge of the basin. But the substrate should not be too wet, otherwise it will easily lead to cuttings rot. Keep the basin soil moist all the time before taking root. In order to reduce water evaporation, the basin can be covered with plastic bags. The cuttings will take root in a month or so, so the plastic bag should be removed immediately. The second is light management. Before taking root, protect yourself from the sun and keep it in a semi-shady place. After rooting, water and light can be managed routinely.

2. Ramet propagation: many cacti can grow daughter plants, such as spherical cacti grow small balls on the stem, while round fan cacti or segmental cacti will grow young plants. We must pay more attention to these varieties. You can cut off the growing point of the cactus with a knife. After a period of cultivation, many small balls will grow near the growing point, waiting for the ball to grow to the right size. It can be cut off and propagated by cutting.

3. Sowing and reproduction: the process of using seeds to reproduce cactus is also very interesting, because only by breeding with seeds can you cross out some new varieties and bring some surprises to yourself. In sowing and breeding, pollination of cactus flowers is the first step in the whole process, because most cacti cannot pollinate themselves, so you have to act as a "matchmaker" to help them. You can use a cotton swab to stick the pollen to the pistil, then you can wait for the good news, and soon when the fruit is full and ripe, you can take out the seeds and wash them. As the cactus seeds are very small, it is best to wrap the seeds in gauze and rinse them under the water source. Then, the seeds are scattered and sowed on the wet basin soil, placed in a dark place, and the temperature is maintained at about 20 ℃. The winter temperature should not be lower than 10 ℃. After the seeds have developed into seedlings, they can be transplanted for the first time, and then continue to be cultured in the dark for a period of time, then they can be planted in a small basin, or the roots of the seedlings can be removed and grafted on the rootstock soil.

4. Grafting propagation: grafting is a horticultural technique commonly used in cactus. Because the root system of some cactus is very fragile, after long-term cultivation, the root system will gradually lose its original function and disappear, and the plant will lose its vitality. Grafting is a panacea to save these cacti. In addition, such as accelerating the growth rate of cactus or allowing diseased plants of root rot to continue to grow after removal of the affected area, grafting can be used to achieve the goal. When grafting, the selected rootstock-triangular column is one of this kind of cactus. The method is to remove the growing point of the triangular column and cut it off obliquely on the edges and corners, then put the cactus with the root system in the center of the rootstock, and then fix the position with rope or weight. After 1-2 weeks, the rope and weight can be removed.

Disease and pest control of cactus

1. Cabbage insects, locusts: can be sprayed with 2000 times of deltamethrin.

2. The prevention and control of red spiders should be based on defense, and the cultivation environment should be properly ventilated, but a certain degree of humidity should be maintained to avoid muggy and dry. The commonly used drugs are 40% omethoate 1000-1500 times, 40% dicofol 1000 times, and so on. Spray once every 7 to 10 days in the high temperature and dry season, and thoroughly before overwintering.

3. Prevention and control of scale insects: due to the waxy shell on the body of adults, drug control often can not achieve the desired effect, so more attention should be paid to prevention. The cultivation place should be kept clean. When shell insects are found, bamboo can be scraped off in time, or the insect-infested branches can be cut off and burned. Drug scale control must be carried out shortly after the eggs hatch, when the worm has not yet grown into a waxy shell, and must be sprayed repeatedly in order to have an effect. The drugs used are usually 50% malathion 1000 times, 25% imidophos EC 800 times, 40% omethoate EC and 80% dichlorvos EC mixed with 1000 times water.

4. Grubs, golden needle worms and ground tigers can be irrigated with 50% phoxim 800-1000 times.

5. Prevention and control of rot: prevention and control of rot should give priority to prevention. First of all, improve the environmental conditions of the cultivation site, so that the occurrence and spread of pathogens can be greatly reduced. Secondly, cultivation management should be strengthened. Planting soil should not be mixed with immature organic fertilizer. The fertilizer applied would rather be light than thick. It is found that the waterlogging should be drained in time, and some of the bad roots can be cut off, and the wound can be dried before planting. Regular spraying of fungicides on or around the cactus plays a certain role in preventing the occurrence of rot. The commonly used fungicides are zinc benzoate, carbendazim and thiophanate.

6. Golden spot, concave spot and scab: spray with 75% chlorothalonil 800 times or 50% carbendazim or 70% methyl topiramate 600 times 800 times

7. Rust: 25% triadimefon (triadimefon) 2000-3000 times liquid spray can be used.