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The Importance Of Fertilizing When Growing Cycads

By Ann Evans


These lovely seed plants are rare today, but were quite common during the Jurassic period, so common that some people call this period the 'Age of Cycads'. Thanks to their large, luxurious leaves, the plant is quite similar to some palm species, but they are not closely related to them. In any case, these plants are really specific, and here are some facts about growing cycads.

Fertilizing is really important for successful growing for any type of plants, but especially when it comes to cycads. They need high levels of nitrogen, for example, and that's why using common palm fertilizers won't do no good. This type of fertilizer has really low nitrogen level, but people often use it for all plants that look like palms. 18 to 25 % of nitrogen is considered to be the best for these particular plants.

There are several types of fertilizers that will help you achieving desired results when it comes to cycads. If you prefer using gradually releasing fertilizers, and this is the simplest solution, use plastic encapsulated pellets. They won't change their releasing rates if you change watering regime.

The largest problem with cycads is the fact they love warmer climates. If you grow them in colder areas, their leaves might get cold burns, and this will result with losing leaves. You can still save the plant. The best procedure for this is to add some fertilizer to your plant and leave it there for a few days. Then, you have to cut off all damaged leaves. When new leaves appear, in maybe two or three weeks, add more fertilizer to promote growth.

If you succeed in growing new, young leaves when it is still relatively cold outside, and there is still a possibility for frost in the morning, it might be a good idea to wrap your young leaves during nights. This will protect your new leaves from the morning frost and ensure their health in the rest of the year. These plants are native to warm regions, and require special attention when it is cold outside.

Some people grow cycads for plants alone, and some are more interested in seed production. If you are interested in producing seeds, you will have to have slightly different approach. The plants used for this purpose have to be strong enough to carry numerous heavy cones. That's why you need to fertilize them additionally maybe two months before the first cones will appear. In case you don't know when exactly this would happen, make sure the plant is old enough before using it for seed production..

If you are more interesting in growing these attractive plants for sale, your primary goal would probably be to grow plants with large, healthy, green leaves as soon as possible. This will require different approach, and you will start fertilizing them much earlier. In this case, your goal is to achieve faster growth in shorter period of time.

Try to gather as many professional advises about each species first and experiment with different fertilizers and different soil types. Some things might depend on the climate zone as well. Some species will be better for the seed production, and some will be perfect for some other purposes. Trust your instincts and this might make you even more successful in this really challenging work. Explore new ideas and good luck.




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