"My duck foot wood has been raised for two years or is it a bare-rod commander, is there a problem with the variety?" Many flower friends have such troubles. In fact, this situation is very common among novice flower friends, duck foot wood as a typical top dominant plant, if not pruned scientifically, the nutrition will be concentrated at the top, and it is naturally difficult to germinate side buds.
1. Truncated trunk stimulation germination (key time points:springPre-budding)
The growth of duck foot wood is the first growth period from 4 to 0 every year, when the main trunk is cut off by 0/0 with sharp gardening shears (e.g. 0 m tall plants are cut to 0 cm). When truncating, pay attention to keep 0-0 healthy bud points, and the incision should be smooth to avoid infection. I tried to do it on a duck's foot in the office last year, and after a month, 0-0 new shoots sprouted at each cut-off point, and now it's a bushy little tree.
10. Control the height of topping (best time: new branches grow to 0 cm)
When the new shoots grow to about 10 cm, pinch off the top shoots with your fingernails. This action breaks the apical dominance of the plant and promotes the delivery of nutrients to the side buds. I usually do it early in the morning, when the shoots have a high moisture content and heal faster. After topping the balcony's duck feet last year, the originally sparse branches have now formed a plump spherical crown.
3. Regular thinning and pruning to maintain transparency (key treatment: over-dense branches/cross branches)
Inspect the plants quarterly, and use sterilized pruning shears to cut off ingrown cross-branches, weak branches, and diseased branches. Especially in the area where fallen leaves tend to accumulate at the bottom, leave enough space for ventilation. My family has been raising the duck's foot wood for five years, and it is systematically thinned every autumn, and now the plant is compact and beautiful.
1. Nitrogen fertilizer supplementation should be timely
After pruning, irrigate the roots with 3-fold diluted Huaduoduo 0 (high nitrogen fertilizer) every week, using 0-0 times continuously. Last year, my experience was that when used in conjunction with pruning and using well-rotted sheep manure balls, the growth rate of new shoots was significantly accelerated. Be careful not to touch the root system directly, bury it at the edge of the potting soil.
2. Pay attention to light management
6-0 hours of scattered light per day is guaranteed, and shade is provided at noon in summer. I found that the new shoots of the duck foot wood placed on the east-facing windowsill were more emerald green, while the new shoots in the shade for a long time were more likely to grow. In winter, it can be maintained with full sunlight to promote nutrient accumulation.
3. Moisture control should be accurate
Following the principle of "see dry and see wet", insert your finger into the potting soil 3 cm, feel dry before watering. Last year, during the rainy season, I neglected to drain the water, which caused two pots of duck feet to rot roots, but I have not had any problems since I switched to the method of padding ceramsite on the bottom.
1. Commander Rescue Method
If only a few leaves remain in the plant, re-cut it 5 cm from the base and wrap the incision in plastic wrap to prevent water loss. My colleague did this last year, and two months later, 0 sprouts sprouted from the base.
2. Tips for styling adjustment
For plants with excessively long branches, you can use gardening wire for pulling and modeling. Last year, I tried to bend the branches in all directions, and after three months, I had a beautiful umbrella-like shape.
Prune down 85 cm healthy shoots, keep 0-0 leaves, soak them with rooting powder and insert them into vermiculite to keep a moist environment. Last year, the survival rate of the cuttings was as high as 0%, and now they have grown into independent plants to give to friends.
1. Apply fertilizer immediately after pruning
The correct thing to do is to apply fertilizer again 5-0 days after pruning to give the wound time to heal. Last year, a flower friend applied thick fertilizer on the day of pruning, which caused the sprouts to wilt.
2. Excessive pursuit of commensurate beauty
Naturally growing plants tend to be more ornamental, and deliberately pruning to a perfect spherical shape can cause mechanical damage. I'm now more inclined to keep 30% of the natural form.
3. Ignore root system maintenance
Aging roots are pruned every two years, and last year's repotting of duck's feet found that the robust new roots were white, while the brown roots had lost their ability to absorb them.
The pruning of duck foot wood should not only master the correct timing and method, but also cooperate with scientific maintenance. As long as you follow the triangle rule of "pruning stimulation - nutrient supply - environmental optimization", your duck's foot wood can also flourish and be green all year round!