Seedling stage

Seedling stage refers to the initial stage of growth, from breaking through the soil to the period before 3-4 true leaves

At this stage, the roots are shallow and the seedlings are small. For those planted with garden soil, there is basically no need for topdressing; However, for planting with less fertilizer substrate, under the condition of appropriate temperature, topdressing can be carried out as appropriate, and the amount of attention should be less than that in the vigorous growth period

From the aspect of watering, the soil should be kept moist before the cotyledons unfold; After the cotyledons are expanded, it can be changed to the way of pouring through when the topsoil is dry

For perennial plants, this maintenance method is applicable to the initial germination stage of bulbous plants and various woody plants (especially those with deciduous dormancy habit. When they restart germination, some species will synchronize with the flower bud stage, or appear after flowering, which usually lasts for a short time)

Vigorous growth period

At this stage, plants grow rapidly, which is one of the periods when water and fertilizer are needed

Watering should be done thoroughly when the topsoil is dry. Fertilizer can be used as appropriate as long as the temperature is appropriate, whether potted or ground planting. After all, there is an important principle of topdressing. No new leaves (buds) need no fertilizer

For foliage plants, the fertilizer should contain more nitrogen; For plants that mainly observe flowers and fruits, fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium can be added appropriately

Bud stage and fruiting stage

This period is also the period when plants need water and fertilizer most. Different from simple long leaves, the growth of flower buds and fruits consumes nutrients; The growth of leaves is to accumulate nutrients

The watering method is the same as that in the vigorous growth period. When the topsoil is dry, it is watered thoroughly. The frequency shall be adjusted appropriately according to the plant growth and temperature change

As for fertilizer, fertilizer containing more phosphorus and potassium is usually used to promote the growth of flowers and fruits

Dormancy period

This stage is a period of plant recuperation. The growth almost completely stops (applicable to most plants, especially some evergreen plants) and even leaves (some woody plants with the habit of falling leaves in winter). All aboveground plants wither, leaving only permanent roots or bulbous roots (some perennial herbs), and there are few requirements for water and fertilizer

The general maintenance point is to cut off fertilizer, but not water

Slow seedling stage

The maintenance method in this period can be used for reference, that is, cutting off fertilizer and continuously watering, watering as usual, and watering thoroughly when the topsoil is dry; At this stage, the root system has not grown well and is sensitive to fertilizer, so there is no need to consider topdressing

In the slow seedling stage, no matter what kind of habits the plants are in, generally speaking, it is recommended to release light and ventilation, suspend the sun, and wait until they recover their growth in the future, and then serve them according to their own habits; For a few plants with solid skin, such as sunflower and hanging bamboo plum, cutting is easy to live. In the slow seedling stage, proper sun exposure will not affect their survival. It is easier to manage these plants

Flowering stage

There are seasonal blooms and the total flowering period is very short, such as apples, pears, apricots, etc. in the full flowering period, because the flower is sensitive to fertilizer, it is not recommended to use fertilizer when flowering in large quantities

There are also plants that bloom continuously all year round and have a long flowering period, such as dwarf cattle, carnation, geranium and sunflower. In a large number of flowering periods, when the temperature is appropriate, fertilizer (fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium) can be used as appropriate

As for the watering method, it is also that the topsoil is watered thoroughly when it is dry. This method is basically a general method and is almost applicable to most plants