Bright and colorful, this flower decorates any interior and is a favorite among most housewives. Is gloxinia capricious? How to care for her so that she willingly blossomed? Such nuances excite all newly made gardeners if the mentioned plant appears at their home. Today we will try to answer all questions, so that your sill is always decorated with lush bells.
What does gloxinia look like?
This flower is so popular that you will probably immediately know its description. A wide, like velvet, leaf and a huge bright inflorescence-bell - these are the main characteristics of this green pet. A distinctive feature is that the flowers bloom in whole bouquets, which gives an even greater charm to the plant. In almost every organization, if not in every apartment, gloxinia grows. How to care for her, many know based on their practical experience, but it is not always so deep as to take into account the individual characteristics of the plant.
The second name of the flower is hybrid syningia. Her homeland is Brazil, rainforests, Peru. It is a perennial tuberous plant with velvet leaves, a short stem and funnel-shaped flowers - gramophone. Their colors are very different, and the petals are simple and with a terry edge. It is thanks to this variety that growers never get bored of gloxinia. How to care for her, usually tell friends or sellers in the store in which you bought your flower. But the information may be incomplete, and after a while you notice that your decorative pet does not look at all as you would like.
Plant species
As we have already noted, there are a huge number of species that differ in the shape or color of the flowers. But this is not all: there is a different gloxinia in size. How to care for a microminiature plant whose height does not exceed 4 cm? This issue is relevant for beginner gardeners, and we will also discuss it. Miniature varieties grow from 5 to 12 cm in size. These are already more familiar flowers in care. The third type is compact gloxinia, from 12 to 25 cm in length. And, finally, the standard, familiar to all, beauty exceeds 25 cm in height. All of these species have specific care requirements, which we will now focus on.
The first condition for growth is good lighting.
Gloxinia is very sickly. The first clue to the question of how to care for gloxinia at home is the right place on the windowsill. Of great importance is the length of daylight. The optimal lighting is scattered sunlight. Permissible content in partial shade, but in this case, the plant is greatly extended and loses decorativeness. You can adjust the light intensity yourself based on the appearance of the pet. If the leaves in the outlet are arranged horizontally, have a beautiful, dark green color, and the stem is short and thick, then the lighting is selected optimally. This moment is especially important for a young plant, since an elongated, curved rosette does not look so beautiful at all. You can easily diagnose a lack of sunlight by the leaves raised up. In this case, excess ultraviolet radiation also negatively affects the plant. The leaves turn yellow and twist, as if hugging the edge of the pot. Such signs indicate that the flower should be shaded.
Optimum temperature
Continuing the conversation on how to care for gloxinia at home, it is necessary to note the temperature regime. The plant came to us from the rainforests, that is, it does not like strong heat and direct sunlight. The optimum temperature, which is maintained in the shade of the rainforest, is +20 degrees. Allowed fluctuations within 2 degrees. For an adult plant, this is a natural temperature regime, in which, by the way, it knocks out the most beautiful gloxinia flowers. How to care for the plant at this moment, we will consider a little lower, but for now you should remember that at an air temperature of +28 and above the plant stops developing, the root system overheats, the buds do not bloom, and the flowers quickly wither. To save gloxinia, it should be moved to a shaded and cooler place. At the same time, if the temperature is below +18 degrees, the shoot growth will stop, the leaves begin to turn yellow or black, the buds fall, and the root system can rot.
All this is true if we are talking about an adult plant, but if you decide to grow a young flower from a tuber, then you need to provide a higher temperature - about +25 degrees. This will allow the green pet to grow faster and release new shoots.
Watering and humidity
Dry air is not at all like by tropical guests, so it’s better not to put them near a central heating battery. Otherwise, you will get small and ugly flowers. Gloxinia (how to care for it in the winter, we will disassemble it separately) needs moist air. If you cannot provide optimal conditions for it, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and curl, and the buds will fall off without even opening. To achieve at least some semblance of a tropical climate, it is very often necessary to spray water from the spray gun around the plant or, even better, place the pot in a pan filled with wet pebbles or expanded clay. You can also place sphagnum moss in a pot , which will be sated with water during irrigation and maintain the necessary humidity. But in this case, it is necessary to ensure that the leaves do not rot from contact with wet moss.
For spraying and watering, you need to use warm settled water. Do not forget that water should not fall on pubescent leaves, you can not spray the leaves. In general, watering should be plentiful, but accurate. Water cannot be splashed onto leaves and flowers, just like pouring it into the center of a tuber - this can adversely affect weak roots. It is necessary to carefully distribute life-giving moisture from the watering can with a thin nose over the entire surface of the pot. Excessive watering can lead to decay of the roots, peduncles, and stem.
Soil and pot selection
You have reviewed the basic care requirements that must be considered. Now let's study the whole process of gloxinia cultivation, starting with planting a young tuber. You already imagine how to care for gloxinia in a pot, it remains to choose the right soil. The basic requirement is that the earth is loose and breathable. You can use the store, already prepared soil or a mixture of sheet, peat soil and sand. You can use other components of your choice, the main thing is that the soil does not become heavy, poorly transmitting water. Pure peat is not recommended. The optimum pH of the earth should not exceed 6.5; gloxinia does not grow well on acidic soils. Before planting a flower, it is necessary to disinfect the soil, for this use special preparations or ordinary potassium permanganate.
When choosing a pot, give preference to wide and shallow vessels. Moreover, the material from which it is made can be anything: clay, plastic. The diameter of the pot should not be too large: for young tubers, a container with a diameter of 7-10 cm is enough, and for adult plants - 11-15 cm. These sizes stimulate the growth and development of the plant, while in a more spacious pot gloxinia can forget about flowering.
Tuber planting
You have a young gloxinia. How to care for her so that she willingly and abundantly color? We will analyze the issue point by point. In February-March, tubers stored in the cellar begin to sprout. If they were stored in a pot with old soil, they must be removed and cleaned from last year's roots and soil. Be sure to soak the tuber in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (this takes no more than an hour). If you want to grow a flower faster, then soak it in a growth stimulator.
Next, the tuber is planted in a pot and sprinkled with soil. This is the most difficult period, as it is associated with maximum risk. Most often, the tuber at this time dies from decay, that is, its death is associated with excessive moisture in the soil. The fact is that at first the ground part begins to develop, and only then a new root system is formed. Therefore, watering should be very accurate, strictly along the edge of the pot, until the soil is slightly moistened.
How to care and feed
The gloxinia should not be fed the first one and a half to two months after planting. At this time, it is best to put the pot in a bag and put it in a light and warm place (+25 ° C), but without direct sunlight. Important! The plant needs to be ventilated every day for 15 minutes. After the first leaves appear, the packet is opened, and after 3-4 days they are removed. As the stem grows, they gradually add soil. While the plant is in the bag, there is no need to water it: the soil remains moist and loose, the roots grow back quickly, and there are almost no losses.
After about two months, your gloxinia will be ready for feeding for the first time. How to care for her during the flowering period, we will discuss a little later, but for now it is necessary to make the first fertilizer. You can choose any drug for decorative flowers. It could be Etisso for root dressing. Make sure that the solution does not fall on the leaves and the growth point. The first top dressing should be mineral (you can take “Uniflor Bud” or “Humate”, in addition to the already indicated), and after two weeks the procedure should be repeated, but with organic fertilizer, that is, with ordinary mullein garden solution.
Before the first buds appear, organics are alternated with nitrogen fertilizers. They cause active vegetative growth, but with their excess practically no flower buds are formed. With the advent of the first buds, nitrogen supplements are replaced by phosphorus ones - they enhance flowering. In the midst of flowering, potash fertilizers and trace elements must be applied. An excellent choice will be the drug "Kemira Lux." Make sure that at least two weeks pass between the subcortex.
How to care for gloxinia during the flowering period
If you followed all the recommendations and grew the right plant, then after the formation of the fourth pair of leaves, buds begin to form. Their number can vary greatly - it depends on the mass of the tuber, as well as on the conditions of maintenance, temperature, humidity and soil composition. Care for a flowering plant includes regular watering, maintaining optimal air humidity, as well as regular application of necessary fertilizers. The flowering pot must be protected from direct sunlight, but the lighting should be sufficient. If the flower is in the shade, then you need to regularly turn it in the direction of the light source. Some hybrids can bloom twice, especially if the flowering was early. To stimulate the emergence of new buds, the plant is pruned to the root and fed. Soon after, new shoots begin to grow.
Rest period
Most often, beginner gardeners are interested in how to care for gloxinia after flowering. It is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. In September-October, watering is gradually reduced, and after the leaves begin to dry, they stop completely. As soon as the aboveground part completely dies, the tuber freezes and plunges into hibernation, which will last 3-4 months. Now your task is to provide optimal conditions in which gloxinia can winter. How to care for this plant in winter? You can put the pot of tubers in a cool place, the temperature should be about +10 degrees. During the entire period of rest, the soil must be moistened so that the roots do not dry out. There is another option: the roots are dug up and placed in wet sand, stored in a cool place. This method is convenient because at any time you can check the condition of the tubers. Sand can only be slightly moist, and you can store it at the bottom of the refrigerator.
Gloxinia Reproduction
There are many ways to get a new plant. The simplest is the division of the tuber. At the time of spring planting, you can separate the young baby and put her in a separate pot. The second option is to sow the seeds. Seeds need to be collected after flowering, when a box with seeds remains on the trunk. To do this, bring the paper and, tapping the box, shake out small, dusty seeds. They are sown in February and March. On day 12-14, the seeds begin to germinate. Care is to maintain optimum temperature and humidity. After about a month, the first pick is made, after another month, the shoots are seated in separate cups. After about 5 months, they will bloom. In the first year of life, the rest period is not maintained, plants will grow all winter.
The easiest way to propagate is a vegetative one, that is, using a leaf stalk. During flowering, one or more leaves are cut from the lower tier of the outlet. It is very good if the petiole will be short and thick. It should be immersed in water and soaked until the roots appear. After this, the stalk is planted in the ground, and the pot is covered with a bag until it is completely rooted. It takes about three weeks, after which you will have a new gloxinia flower. How to care (the photo shows how beautiful your green pet will bloom) for him during the growing season and rest, we have already considered.
Gloxinia Disease
Most often, tropical guests get sick due to excessive watering. The tubers begin to rot, and the plant quickly turns yellow. At the initial stage of the disease, the tuber can be saved by transplantation. At the last stage, the tuber is completely affected by rot, and it remains only to throw it away. A common disease is late blight. It can not be treated, so the plant is destroyed along with the ground.