Plant these flowers now and harvest a sea of ​​flowers in summer!

Spring is here, and it's time to enjoy the flowers. Looking at the various spring flowers posted online, many people are eager to enjoy them:

Hey, this flower is nice, can I grow it too?

Wait a minute! Most flowering plants need a period of growth before they can bloom. The most brilliant flowers in spring are those that were planted in the autumn and winter of the previous year , such as various spring flower bulbs and spring grass flowers. If you remember to buy bulbs when you see the tulips that others have planted blooming in spring, it will definitely be too late - at this time you can only buy potted plants that have already bloomed.

Some common autumn bulbs include hyacinths, grape hyacinths, daffodils and tulips. If you are attracted to them, remember to buy and start planting this autumn | pxfuel

So if you want to have flowers to see in the summer, you should hurry up and plant summer flowers from now on . Foreign horticultural bulbs are mainly divided into two categories according to the planting season - autumn-planted bulbs and spring-planted bulbs . Autumn-planted bulbs are generally planted in the autumn, grow for a period of time, and bloom from winter to spring; spring-planted bulbs include many different plant groups, which are not closely related in classification, but all spend the winter in storage organs ("bulbs") and all sprout in spring .

Most spring-planted bulbs prefer heat and are relatively more resistant to moisture . They are better adapted to the synchronous rainy and hot climate in eastern China than autumn-planted bulbs, so they are easier to cultivate than most autumn-planted bulbs.

If you don’t want to spend the summer watching others drying their flowers while you have nothing to show for it, now is a good time to plant spring bulbs .

lily

Hybrid lilies are a type of bulbous plant that is very suitable for cultivation in eastern China. They are both heat-resistant and cold-resistant , and most varieties can safely overwinter outdoors in Beijing.

Imported lily bulbs arrive around March each year, so this is the perfect time to plant lilies.

Imported lily bulbs arriving in mid-March | Globulus

Different lily varieties have different flowering times. If the lily bulbs were planted in previous years and have already gone through a growing season, the earliest to bloom are the Lilium longifolium . They usually sprout in late autumn and early winter and bloom in early spring, from March to May in the south and from April to June in the north.

Lily of the Valley | A Yee / flickr

If it is the first year of cultivation of imported lily bulbs, the earliest to bloom is the Asian lily . For the Asian lilies cultivated in the south, the fastest growing varieties will bloom as early as April.

Asiatic lily, a relatively short species among lilies | A Yee / flickr

The last to bloom are the Oriental lilies , which usually do not start to bloom until mid-June. The wild Oriental lily species, Lilium 'Black Beauty', does not bloom until mid-July.

Oriental lily with large, fragrant flowers | Skarg / Wikimedia

Gloria

Gloriosa is also a type of bulb that is grown in spring and blooms in summer. Gloriosa is native to tropical regions from Asia to Africa and prefers more humidity and heat than lilies . Although Gloriosa is sometimes called "Gloriosa lily", it is actually not related to lilies, but belongs to the Colchicum family .

Garland | Brian Gratwicke / Wikimedia

The tepals of Gloriosa are reversed and curled upwards, like a blazing flame, warm and dazzling, with a very tropical atmosphere. Most of the original species and varieties of Gloriosa are climbing vines, requiring a support frame and a relatively large space .

Gladiolus

The flowering period of gladiolus is more scattered than that of lilies. Some varieties bloom in autumn and winter, and some in early spring - but now most of them are summer-blooming varieties. The ones we can buy more easily are also spring-planted summer-flowering varieties.

Gladiolus | Pixabay

Gladiolus is very easy to grow. It can be planted in the ground or in pots . After planting, it basically does not need to be managed except watering. However, when it blooms, the inflorescence is too heavy and the plant is easy to fall over or even break in half. Therefore, the plants with more dangerous shapes can be tied to the support column before flowering.

Dahlia

Dahlias are also bulbous plants suitable for cultivation now. There are many varieties of dahlias. Except for a few small varieties suitable for potted plants, most varieties are large and require good light and ventilation conditions, so they are only suitable for outdoor cultivation . And dahlias need much more space to grow than their tubers, so you need to reserve enough space for them.

Dahlias can be divided into many groups according to their shapes. In addition to the difference between single petals and double petals, there are also cactus-shaped, water lily-shaped, spherical, double orchid-shaped, etc. caused by the deformation of ligulate flowers | Pixabay

Although dahlias are heat-resistant, they cannot tolerate long-term waterlogging . You can raise the soil where dahlias are grown so that water will not accumulate around the roots of the dahlias.

If you have a yard, you can buy whatever you want, as long as you buy the right plants for the environment. You can buy perennial plants or trees and shrubs that need to grow for a few years before they reach their best condition, and then wait for them to surprise you when they bloom.

Although it has "hydrangea" in its name, H. paniculata is a giant compared to the potted hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla. If you have a yard, it is worth planting a paniculata and waiting for it to grow into a large clump. | Frank Vincentz / Wikimedia

But if you only have a balcony or windowsill, your unlimited desire to buy things will be in irreconcilable conflict with the limited space. If you want to see flowers quickly and don’t want to watch a plant grow for years, then grass flowers are the best choice .

"Herb flower" is a common name used in gardening. It can refer to herbaceous plants in general, and sometimes specifically refers to one- or two-year-old ornamental flowers that are shorter-lived but have more flowers.

Various potted plants and flowers for sale | Michelle oshen / flickr

Annual and biennial flowers usually bloom quickly after germination , and the time from planting to flowering is relatively short. However, they may not really only live for one year. Some grass flowers are actually perennial plants, but they are often viewed as annual and biennial plants.

The most common herbaceous flowers are generally the hardiest. These herbaceous flowers usually do not require frequent human management. As long as they are watered in time and not allowed to become completely dehydrated, they can continue to bloom.

Morning Glory

Suitable flowers for sowing now are mainly fast-growing, heat-loving annual flowers. Morning glory is suitable for sowing at this time. Japanese morning glory is mainly varieties of the species Ipomoea nil. They bloom relatively quickly and can bloom in early summer and the flowering period lasts until autumn.

The tricolor morning glory variety 'Heavenly Blue'. This variety is only suitable for the south. In the north, it blooms too late, so it often freezes to death before it blooms... | TANAKA Juuyoh / flickr

The main varieties of morning glory are I. purpurea and I. tricolor . These varieties bloom slowly, usually starting to bloom in midsummer and blooming in autumn when the temperature drops.

sunflower

Sunflowers can also be sown now. If you are growing them indoors, choose dwarf varieties with smaller plants, such as Helianthus annuus 'Teddy Bear', which is the 'Teddy Bear' variety in Van Gogh's paintings; if you are growing them outdoors, choose varieties with more open plants, such as Helianthus debilis 'Italian White', or varieties with taller plants and larger inflorescences.

Dwarf sunflower variety 'Teddy Bear' | pxfuel

If you don’t want to start from seeds, now is also a good time to buy summer-blooming grass seedlings . Eastern China is hot and rainy in the summer, and many spring grass flowers are prone to rot or dehydration in this climate. At this time, heat-resistant and moisture-resistant grass flowers are needed to take over.

Petunia

Petunia is one of the most heat-tolerant grass flowers. Many of the popular petunia strains on the market are asexual strains and can only be propagated by cuttings , such as the most famous spray variety 'Starry Sky', so you can buy commercial seedlings directly.

Petunias in various colors | Jerzy Opioła / Wikimedia

Petunias are very suitable for outdoor hanging pot cultivation. They do not require careful management and can grow very compactly and have many flowers in an exposed environment. However, if they are cultivated indoors in a light-deficient environment, they should be pinched and topped after the petunias have finished blooming to promote the plants to continue blooming.

Million Bells

Million Bells is a general term for hybrid varieties of the genus Calibrachoa. Their flowers are smaller, but there are more flowers than petunias. The maintenance is similar to that of petunias, and it is also a very suitable herbaceous flower to start planting now.

Million-dollar lilies planted in hanging pots | SGS / Wikimedia

After the million bells bloom, the number of flowers will gradually decrease and the plant shape will become loose. At this time, it is also necessary to pinch and top to promote flowering. If well maintained, million bells can survive for several years, which is longer than the ornamental period of petunias.

Catharanthus roseus

Vinca is very easy to bloom and likes hot and sunny weather. At the same time, Vinca is also shade-tolerant and can bloom even when cultivated indoors without direct sunlight. However, the plant will grow larger and produce fewer flowers in the shade.

Vinca roseus | David J. Stang / Wikimedia

When caring for vinca, you need to pay attention that vinca cannot tolerate waterlogging and long-term rain . So if it is potted, you need to take the vinca to a place where it will not get wet when it rains heavily; if it is planted in the ground, you need to plant the vinca in well-drained soil, and it is best to raise the roots so that the soil does not accumulate water.

sage

Most salvia species also bloom in summer. Most salvias are perennial plants that can grow for many years, but some American salvias are often used as annual or biennial flowers for viewing, such as Salvia serrata, Salvia officinalis, Salvia vermilion, etc. These salvias can be planted now and start to bloom in early summer.

Sage, with its small purple flowers, looks quite refreshing in summer | Andy Miccone / flickr

If well cared for, they will continue to bloom into the fall and will easily live into their second or even third year.

Beautiful vanilla

Many of sage's relatives in the Lamiaceae family also bloom in the summer. Most Lamiaceae plants are both ornamental flowers and herbs . When cultivated, you can pick a small amount for cooking, and wait until the summer to see the flowers.

Many varieties of basil are widely cultivated in the south, and the commonly known "Golden Basil" and "Basil" are both basil. These basil can be used to make dishes with various flavors. At the same time, they can also be used as annual herbaceous flowers for viewing. The layered inflorescence like a pagoda is very spectacular.

Basil variety 'Siam Queen' | Dinesh Valke / flickr

There are many varieties of thyme , most of which have a strong fragrance. Although the flowers are relatively small, they are very delicate and beautiful.

Thymus pulegioides 'Foxley' | Globulus

The only oregano species we are familiar with may be oregano vulgare (Pizza grass) and sweet oregano (Marjoram) O. majorana, which are used as spices. However, in recent years, many flowering varieties of oregano have been introduced into China. The bracts of the inflorescence are very exquisite and the colors are varied.

Bracts of Oregano | Globulus

Margaret Daisy

In April, the Marguerite chrysanthemum gradually began to enter its peak flowering period. The more formal name of the Marguerite chrysanthemum is Argyranthemum (Argyranthemum hybrid), which is a very beautiful face-blind small chrysanthemum. However, these small chrysanthemums are shrubs and are not easy to be stepped on.

There are many varieties of Marguerite chrysanthemum, with endless variations in flower color and shape. When in full bloom, the flowers can even completely cover the leaves, making it a wonderful ornamental plant.

Margaret daisy | David J. Stang / Wikimedia

However, Margaret chrysanthemums also need to be carefully maintained - they are very afraid of lack of water . Once they wither due to lack of water, it is difficult to recover to the state of blooming. And they also need to be pruned and topped after flowering, otherwise it will be difficult to bloom again.

Exploding Marguerite 'Comet Pink' | Peter Stevens / flickr

In addition to the Marguerite, now is also the time to start planting many other Asteraceae ornamental plants . Annual and biennial flowers include zinnia, cosmos, cornflower, marigold, five-color daisy, etc.; perennial flowers include coreopsis, rudbeckia, galea, Jerusalem artichoke (devil ginger), Jerusalem artichoke, etc. These Asteraceae plants mainly bloom in summer.

Aster and related species bloom later, probably not until late summer or early autumn, but they produce a huge number of flowers, and once they bloom, they will bloom desperately, allowing you to enjoy a sea of ​​flowers in the last flowering season of the year.

As for that, if the indoor lighting is particularly poor , there are almost no flowering plants suitable for you...

Author: Yu Tianyi

Cover image source: Andy Miccone / flickr

This article comes from the Species Calendar, welcome to forward

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