The South African turtle is a stem-type succulent plant belonging to the Dioscoreaceae family and the genus Dioscorea. The plant has a semicircular stem with a diameter of up to 1 meter. The surface of the stem has thick, cracked hexagonal nodules or approximately hexagonal nodules. Corky bark, many new polygonal wrinkles on the tumor, leaves alternate, heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves, thin color, racemes, Ankylosaurus yellow-green flowers are very small, dioecious, artificially pollinated Finally, the female plant bears seeds with wide feathery wings after flowering. Turtle-shelled dragons are native to the arid mountainous areas of southern Africa and have a Mediterranean climate, with warm and rainy winters and dry and hot summers.

When cultivating South African turtles, supports should be set up for their climbing stems to climb. The South African Tortoiseshell has a peculiar appearance, looking like a turtle shell, and many people like it. It has high popularity and can be used as a potted plant for succulent plant lovers. It can also be used as a rare plant in the botanical garden to decorate the desert plant greenhouse. So how to pot plants? Let’s take a look with the editor below! 1. Sowing and Propagation The sowing method is commonly used in the reproduction of Turtle-shelled Dragon. Because it is dioecious, pay attention to the matching of male and female plants during cultivation, and perform artificial pollination during flowering to increase the seed setting rate. Mexican turtle breeding can be done by seeding in the spring, while South African turtles can be seeded in the fall. ① Sowing temperature: This material is quite sensitive to temperature. It is recommended to control it within the range of 18-25 degrees and must not exceed 25 degrees. In a continuous temperature range of about 20 degrees, the germination rate can reach more than 80%. The best sowing season is in the fall. ② Sowing method: You can use the special soil for Clivia bought on the market plus the specially prepared medium for seedlings and cuttings (peat, vermiculite and perlite). After preparing the soil, use carbendazim mixed with water to infiltrate the pot until the plant material is fully saturated with water. Since the seeds of Tortoiseshell are relatively large, in order to facilitate transplanting in the future, they are sown on demand at a certain distance (about 2 cm). After sowing, sprinkle a layer of fine red jade soil on the surface. The main function is to make the tuber grow rapidly after the turtle emerges. If the tuber is buried too shallow, it will be pushed out of the soil. Then the covering film is placed on the balcony with scattered light to wait for seedlings to emerge. It usually takes 10 days or half a month for the seedlings to emerge, so you need to wait patiently. There is no need to pay attention to light for the emergence of turtle seeds, as long as there is scattered light. For example, on the balcony at home, avoid direct sunlight in the afternoon. After the seedlings sprout, the leaves are very delicate and can easily get sunburned. It is best to place it on the north balcony, as long as there is some sun in the morning. 2. Maintenance points 1. Preparation of pot soil. The roots of the turtle-shelled dragon plant are not deep, so it can be planted in a shallow pot. The most suitable depth of the flower pot is 6-10 cm. You can use plastic flower pots, which can play a role. It has a good water-retaining effect, which is convenient for weighing the weight of the flower pot and helping to judge the dryness and humidity of the soil. It can be a terracotta pot or a clay pot, which is beneficial to the growth of the plant and allows it to absorb sufficient nutrients. In the process of daily maintenance of turtle shells, loose and breathable soil needs to be selected as the cultivation substrate. In the process of soil preparation, Akadama soil, black fairy soil and peat soil can be mixed to make the cultivation substrate, and the diluted multi-bacteria can be sprayed Spirit solution is used for sterilization and disinfection to completely kill insect eggs in the soil to maintain the normal growth of plants. And there should not be too much humus in the soil, otherwise it will be easy for roots to rot or burn. When planting, just insert 1/3 of the stem into the soil, which will make it easier to grow healthily. 2. Light and temperature control. Turtle-shelled dragons are suitable for growing in an environment with sufficient astigmatism. They have poor tolerance to strong light. Especially in midsummer, the light intensity is relatively high. If the strong light is not blocked in time, the turtle-shelled dragons will be Sunburn causes stunted growth and dark brown spots on the leaves. Turtle-shelled dragons prefer a semi-shady environment. They can only get more sun in winter, and there is no harm in getting a little sun in early spring and late autumn. At other times, it is best to keep them indoors or in other ventilated areas. In a good and dark environment.

As for the temperature, the average temperature can generally reach 15 to 24 degrees, which is very good. If you want normal growth, it is usually above 10 degrees, and it is best to have some sunshine at this time. When the temperature drops to 5 degrees, the plants will basically stop growing.

3. Suitable watering. Turtle-shelled dragon has strong drought tolerance. How to judge whether a turtle needs watering mainly depends on whether the pot is "almost" dry. Excessive watering will only cause rot and kill the turtle. Regularly check the moisture and dryness of the potting soil. If the potting soil is relatively dry, you can water it. If the potting soil is still very moist, do not water it. When watering, it is recommended to use the soaking pot method to replenish water, and it should not be exhausted. Generally speaking, water should reach 1/3 or 2/3 of the soil. There are two main ways to water turtles. The first method is to pour water directly on the roots of the plants. If the amount of watering is not controlled well, you can replenish the water in batches to prevent the plants from causing root rot. The second type: Use the spray method to replenish water. This method is usually used in summer to spray water around the turtle plant, so that the plant's water needs can be met. Tap water should not be used directly for watering. Tap water will contain sterilized and bleached substances that are harmful to plants. We need to put the tap water in a bucket and let it sit for 24 hours or after being exposed to the sun before use. When watering your turtle daily, you should also be careful not to drip water onto the growing point when the canes are about to grow. Wait for the first vines to appear, then you can water normally. Try to water at noon on a sunny day, and don't let it fall leaves, so that the plant will not go dormant. 4. Fertilization method: Turtle Dragon is more suitable for thin fertilizer. Control the frequency of use and do not use too thick fertilizer. If it is a liquid fertilizer, you need to dilute the fertilizer with water in advance according to the proportion method, and fertilize according to the growth of the plant, usually every month , fertilize 1-2 times. 5. Pruning method: Pruning of turtle-shelled dragons is usually done during the growth period. It begins to sprout new shoots and branches every March, April and August and September. At this time, the main branches can be cut off, so that more side buds and side branches will sprout, and the plant shape will be more beautiful and lush in the later period. If the main branches are not pruned, the pressure will increase and become unbearable. In addition, plants will go dormant when the temperature is high in summer, so dead leaves and dry branches can be pruned to reduce nutrient consumption. 6. Pest and disease control: Tortoiseshell dragons are basically free of pests and diseases. As long as it is not too hot or too humid, they rarely die from illness. During daily maintenance, attention should be paid to avoiding strong light and rain, and at the same time strengthening environmental ventilation. 7. Repot Ankylosaurus can be repotted during the spring and autumn growing season. During this period, the temperature environment is more suitable and the plant can be repotted and resume growth faster. It cannot be performed during the dormant period in summer. Change the pot once a year. You can change the soil and add some perlite, peat soil and bark to prevent the tuber from rotting. When repotting the Turtle-shelled Dragon, 1/3 of the stem of the plant should be buried in the soil. This will make the plant easier to cultivate and the stem will grow faster. 3. Precautions 1. Root rot: If it has root rot, it may be caused by water in the soil. The water must be drained temporarily, and then it can be repaired and watered after all the water in the soil has been digested and absorbed. . 2. Withering and yellowing: The problem with it turning yellow may be due to too much fertilizer. Since it is not resistant to heavy fertilizers, light fertilizer must be used every time it is fertilized. When yellowing occurs, fertilizer should be controlled temporarily and fertilizer can be added after the leaves have repaired.