TheNaturePlanet

Wintersweet, with its rich fragrance, is one of the highly ornamental flowers in the cold winter. The plant generally grows to a height of 2 - 4 meters. Its branches are vigorous and of an antique appearance. The leaves are oval - shaped, opposite, and rough on the surface. The flowers are mostly yellow, and their petals are waxy in texture. They bloom bravely in the ice and snow from November to March of the following year, adding vitality and elegance to the desolate winter.

So, is it better to plant wintersweet in pots or in the ground? Potted wintersweet is convenient to move and manage. It is suitable for being cultivated on balconies, in courtyards with limited space, or indoors. You can adjust its placement at any time to meet the growth requirements such as light and temperature. Moreover, you can precisely control the shaping of the plant to create a beautiful bonsai form, adding an artistic aesthetic and becoming a highlight of indoor and outdoor decoration. When planted in the ground, the roots of wintersweet can spread freely, resulting in more vigorous growth, numerous flowers, and a strong fragrance. It can better showcase its natural growth trend and magnificent landscape. In garden landscaping, when planted in the ground, wintersweet can be paired with other plants to create a winter landscape with a sense of hierarchy and artistic conception. Also, compared with potted ones, the daily maintenance of ground - planted wintersweet is relatively less meticulous.

The following are the planting and maintenance methods of wintersweet:

**Planting Methods**

**Seedling Selection**: Choose wintersweet seedlings with well - developed roots, thick branches, no pests or diseases, and an appropriate amount of soil balls. It is advisable to give priority to grafted seedlings, as they bloom early and have excellent quality, allowing you to enjoy the prosperous scene of blooming flowers more quickly.

**Soil**: Loose, fertile, well - drained, and slightly acidic sandy loam is preferred. For potted plants, you can mix leaf - mold soil, garden soil, and coarse sand in a ratio of 3:3:2 and add an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer. For ground - planted ones, the planting holes need to be improved by deeply turning over the soil and mixing in compost, manure, etc.

**Time**: Generally, plant it before the buds sprout in spring or after the leaves fall in autumn. Planting in spring is beneficial for root growth and recovery, while planting in autumn enables wintersweet to take root better before winter and enhance its cold - resistance.

**Maintenance Points**

**Light and Temperature**: Wintersweet loves light. Ensure sufficient light, with at least 6 hours of light per day to promote flower - bud differentiation and blooming. Potted plants can be placed on a south - facing balcony or in an open and bright area of the courtyard. For ground - planted ones, choose a sunny and open place. It has strong cold - resistance, but in extremely cold weather in the north, potted wintersweet needs to be properly insulated, such as moving it to the window indoors or wrapping the flower pot with cold - proof materials.

**Watering**: Follow the principle of "watering only when the soil is dry, and watering thoroughly when watering". During the growing season of potted wintersweet, keep the soil moist. In high - temperature summers, increase the frequency of watering, watering once in the morning and once in the evening, and spray water on the plant to maintain moisture. In winter, reduce watering and keep the soil in a slightly dry state. For ground - planted wintersweet, pay attention to drainage during the rainy season to prevent waterlogging, which may cause root rot.

**Fertilizing**: Apply thin liquid fertilizer once every 15 - 20 days during the growing season, mainly with nitrogen - based fertilizers to promote the growth of branches and leaves. After autumn, increase the application of phosphorus - potassium fertilizers, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, spraying once every 10 - 15 days to enhance the plant's cold - resistance and promote flower - bud differentiation. Stop fertilizing in winter and during the flowering period.

**Pruning and Shaping**: Prune the wintersweet after the flowers wither in winter. Cut off dead branches, diseased branches, over - dense branches, and excessive growth branches. Retain thick one - year - old branches, and keep 2 - 3 pairs of buds on each branch to promote the germination of new branches and more blooming. For potted wintersweet, you can also carry out shaping operations such as binding and bending according to the shaping requirements to enhance its ornamental value.