Cactus ball
(xian ren qiu)
Commonly known as grass ball, also known as Changsheng ball, it is a perennial succulent herbaceous plant of the family Cactaceae. The stem is spherical or oval, up to 25 cm high, green, with several longitudinal ribs on the sphere, densely covered with needles, yellow-green, different lengths, and radiating. The flowers are born among vertical thorn bushes, silvery white or pink, long trumpet-shaped, up to 20 cm long, with scales outside the trumpet and long hairs on the scales. Cactus flowers usually bloom in the early morning or evening and last from a few hours to a day. The sphere often has many small balls growing on its sides, which are beautiful and elegant in shape.
Based on their appearance, cactus can be divided into velvet types, wart types, treasure types, hair column types, strong spiny types, sea urchin types, top flower types, etc. The prickly hairs of cactus can also be divided into long, short, sparse and dense; the hairs can be red, yellow, golden, etc.
Prickly pear cactus is loved by people because of its peculiar shape, colorful flowers and easy cultivation.
Characteristics of prickly pear
Cactus is a dicotyledonous plant and belongs to the Cactaceae family in plant taxonomy. There are many kinds, about 40 varieties, with different spherical shapes. The stems are spherical, oval, and have longitudinal ribs arranged in a radial pattern. The length and density of the stinging hairs are also different. The colors of the flowers include golden, white, and red. wait. Large, long trumpet-shaped flowers bloom from the bulbs in spring and summer. Little balls can grow on the sphere.
The homeland of prickly pear is South America. It is native to desert areas with high heat, dryness and little rain, and has developed the characteristics of being dry and drought-tolerant. Cacti are intolerant of cold and prefer to grow in sandy soil with good drainage. Summer is the growing season of cactus and its peak flowering period.
How to cultivate
1. Cacti are generally grown in pots at home. The cultivation soil is made of 5 parts of humus soil, 3 parts of sand, and 2 parts of sugar-husked ash. It would be better to add a little bone meal, and mix evenly before planting.
2 In the spring and summer, when the cactus begins to grow, apply fertilizer once every half month. It is best to apply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mixed fertilizer. In addition, provide adequate shade and avoid exposure to the scorching sun.
3 In winter, potted cactus should be moved indoors, and they can survive the winter safely if the room temperature is above 5℃. At this time, the family potted cactus can be placed in an indoor glass jar to keep warm during the winter, or it can be covered with a double-layer plastic bag to keep warm during the winter. In winter, the cactus is in a dormant period, so the pot soil should be relatively dry, otherwise the roots will easily rot.
How to graft
There are generally two types of grafting and propagation of flowers: branch grafting and bud grafting. There are many grafting methods, including cut grafting, cleft grafting, plug grafting, flat grafting, tongue grafting and For docking, etc., cactus is grafted flat. The specific method is as follows:
Cactus grafting can be carried out from May to October, and the best time is May to June and August to September. Sterilize a knife with an alcohol cotton ball and cut a 12 cm long cactus triangle (another plant of the cactus family). Insert it into a pot containing culture soil, compact it gently around it, sprinkle it with clean water, move it into a glass cover, or cover it with a double-layer plastic bag to observe whether the fairy triangle plant survives.
After planting a living cactus, use an alcohol cotton ball to sterilize the knife, cut off the cactus sub-balls, then cut flatly at 1/3 or 1/4 of the bottom of the cactus, and place the cactus balls on the cactus. On the triangular tube, gently move it left and right until it is firmly adhered. It is best to tie the two with thread so that they are closely joined. After grafting, place the pot in a cool place and wait three or four days before exposing it to sunlight. From then on, you can manage it normally. At this time, the cactus has been successfully grafted.
Handheld bonsai
Bonsai is the reproduction of the strange and beautiful mountains, water, flowers and grass in nature. According to the size of bonsai, it can be divided into large bonsai, general bonsai and miniature bonsai. Palm bonsai is miniature bonsai. This kind of bonsai is small, exquisite, lush and has a special interest. Cactus has strong adaptability to cultivation and high survival rate, making it a good material for palm bonsai. The following is a detailed introduction to two methods of making handheld bonsai.
1 Giraffe Bonsai Take two and a half table tennis balls, one with the mouth facing up and the other with the mouth facing down. Use "502" glue to stick the two together. Then, fill the upper half of the table tennis shell with culture soil and plant the grafted prickly pear cactus inside to create a giraffe-shaped billiard shell bonsai.
2 Dufengting Bonsai Take a small plastic box lid as a basin and burn a small hole in the center of the bottom of the basin to serve as a leakage hole. Then, stick the three toothpaste caps on the appropriate positions on the bottom of the basin as basin feet.
Finally, fill the pot with culture soil, plant a cactus of appropriate size, and place a small pavilion on top of the cactus to become the "Doufeng Pavilion". Put a few pebbles of different sizes in the basin as a foil to add beauty and realism.
Cacti bloom
Cacti are generally cultivated for 3-4 years, and they should bloom when the ball diameter reaches 3-4 cm. To make the prickly pear bloom, you should pay attention to the following points:
1. Sunshine The prickly pear requires plenty of sunlight. If the prickly pear is placed indoors for a long time, it will not bloom if there is a lack of sunlight.
Temperature: Cactus requires warmer environmental conditions. If the ambient temperature does not reach above 20 degrees, it will not bloom.
2. Watering. Do not water too much to cause the pot soil to become too wet. It should be dry rather than wet. Especially during the dormant periods of winter and summer, watering should be controlled more sparingly.
3 Fertilization Although cactus is resistant to barrenness and drought, it is not easy to bloom when it is both droughty and lacking in fertilizer. Therefore, appropriate water and fertilizer should be provided during cultivation, and thin, well-rotted cake fertilizer should be applied every 10 days to half a month during the growing season. Do not fertilize too much, as excessive fertilization will also cause failure to bloom.
In the four small environments, pay attention to creating a local environment with suitable temperature and high humidity for the cactus. For example, use plastic film to make a closed shed on the windowsill and place the cactus in it for maintenance. Not only will the cactus grow faster, but the color will also be better. Bright and easy to bloom.
My approach is as follows: place the flower pots on the balcony with sufficient sunlight and air circulation. Before the frost every year, cover them with a plastic shed to survive the winter safely and avoid freezing damage. After the Spring Festival and before the Qingming Festival, because the balls are large and thorny, it is difficult to change pots. Remove the old soil and replace it with 15% chicken manure; 10% bean cake, 10% old lime, 5% plant ash, 5% sawdust, coarse sand or honeycomb cinders. 15%, 40% garden soil prepared fertilizer soil. During the growth period, increase fertilizer and water in a timely manner, use bean cake liquid and fishy fertilizer as top dressing, and spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate outside the roots, or apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and adhere to the principle of dry and thorough watering.
The environmental protection effect of prickly pear
(Cactus-anti-radiation)
In life and work, planting a pot of prickly pear can absorb electromagnetic radiation. The breathing holes open at night and release a large amount of oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide. Placing this kind of plant next to electrical appliances in the home or office can effectively reduce the electromagnetic radiation pollution generated by various electrical and electronic products and increase the concentration of negative particles in the indoor air. Therefore, placing this plant next to the electrical appliances in the home or office Placing this kind of plant can help the human body minimize the radiation released by the computer. There is also a saying in Feng Shui that placing large potted pointed-leaf plants on the balcony can bring good luck and avoid bad luck.
(Prickly Pear - Natural Oxygen Bar)
Cactus respiration occurs mostly at night when it is cooler and humid. When breathing, carbon dioxide is taken in and oxygen is released. Therefore, placing such a huge object as golden amber in the room is tantamount to adding an air freshener, which can purify the indoor air. Therefore, it is an ideal flower for indoor decoration at night.
(Cactus - Vacuum Master) Don’t underestimate the cactus, it is still a master at absorbing dust! Placing a cactus indoors, especially a hydroponic cactus (because hydroponic cactus is cleaner and more environmentally friendly), can purify the environment.
The medical value of prickly pear
Synonyms: Xianrenquan ("Chinese Plant Illustrated Book"), thorn ball, wing ball, snow ball ("Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine").
Source: It is the stem of the prickly pear plant of the Cactaceae family.
Nature and flavor: sweet, bland.
1. "Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine": "Sweet, cold."
2. "Luchuan Materia Medica": "Cold in nature, slightly sour."
3. "Hunan Medicine Chronicle": "Light, flat."
Indications: Treatment of cough due to lung heat, blood in phlegm, carbuncle, and burns due to decoction.
1. "Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine": "Smooth intestines, purge fire, and eliminate carbuncle."
2. "Luchuan Materia Medica": "Clear the heart and lungs, stop bleeding. Treat cough due to lung heat. , there is blood in the sputum. "
3. "Hunan Medicine Chronicle": "Reduces swelling and relieves pain, promotes qi and blood circulation, removes dampness and reduces fever, and promotes muscle growth."
Usage and dosage. : Oral administration: decoction, 3 to 5 qian (2 to 3 taels for fresh). External use: Pound for application or apply juice.
Selection of prescriptions:
1. Treat burns caused by decoction and bites caused by snakes and insects: Punch the whole prickly pear plant into juice and apply on it.
("Hunan Medicine Chronicles")
2. Treat sores on the palms: Punch the whole prickly pear plant into pieces and apply it. ("Hunan Medicine Chronicle")
3. Treat stomach pain: 3 liang of prickly pear (peeled off the skin), decoction in water, once or twice a day. ("Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine")