When winter comes into its own and there are bitter frosts outside the window, in many houses on the windowsills an unusual cactus blooms without needles. At the ends of its dark green shoots, beautiful flowers appear once a year. Caring for this plant is simple, but has differences from caring for other species of cacti.
In order for a zigocactus to appear in your collection, it is not necessary to go to the store for it. To do this, you must have material suitable for reproduction, which can be taken from friends or relatives, and follow simple planting rules. In this article, we will tell you how to properly plant a Decembrist flower.
Zygocactus (Decembrist, Schlumbergera): description and characteristics of the plant
This is an unusual forest cactus that grows in natural conditions on tree trunks in the tropics. The root system of the plant is unstable to various adverse factors, this can cause the death of the plant. With proper home care, zigocactus blooms in November and ends in February.
During flowering, the cactus can not be moved and rotated, as this can lead to falling buds. The Decembrist does not tolerate dry air, so it is recommended to spray him with a spray gun. To extend this process, cover the flower trunk with ice from the refrigerator or snow. Before talking about how to plant a Decembrist, it is necessary to discuss the preparatory work on which the result of this manipulation depends.
Capacity selection
Do not forget that the roots of the Decembrist are superficial, in addition, they are very sensitive to various adverse conditions. When hypothermia or overheating, acidification of the soil, they rot and die. To plant, you need a low and fairly wide pot. In a very deep container, the roots of the bottom do not reach, so moisture can accumulate at the bottom. This swamps the substrate and causes rotting.
Choosing a pot (if you are replanting an adult plant), the size of the new container is easy to determine by placing it in a new old flowerpot. He should enter it completely, and between the walls there should be a bit of free space (not more than a centimeter). Decembrist can be planted in both ceramic and plastic containers.
What soil is needed?
To understand how to properly plant a Decembrist, so that the plant feels comfortable at home, you need to find out about his preferences in nature and try to bring them as close as possible to indoor ones. Under natural conditions, zigocactus grows on tree branches or between rocks. This provides free access to the roots of the air and unhindered outflow of water.
For the Schlumberger, a loose, light, well-permeable soil and air mixture is necessary. A slightly acidic nutrient substrate should be selected (5.5 - 6.5 pH). It is easy to compose on your own. It should include:
- Peat.
- Sod and leaf land.
- Ground brick chips, expanded clay, perlite, coarse sand, wood bark or pieces of coal.
Large inclusions help make the soil lush and loose. Crushed coal in this composition is used as an antiseptic. Baking powder and nutrient are combined in a ratio of 1: 2.
Of the finished compositions, a special soil for succulents and cacti is suitable for the Decembrist. Add sand and vermiculite to it. Drainage plays an important role. It does not allow root decay and waterlogging of the soil. Expanded clay balls, pebbles, charcoal are used as drainage for zigocactus.
How to plant a Decembrist: general rules
Such an unusual plant in many respects can be planted in two ways: seeds and cuttings. Most often, flower growers use the second option, knowing well how to plant a Decembrist from a leaf. I must say that one segment will not be enough for this.
Decembrist propagation leaves can be broken off only after flowering is completed. It is better to use an escape with three to four segments of the stem. They should be removed very carefully, since they are very tightly connected. Propagation of this flower by processes is carried out from April to June. The mother plant already ceases flowering by this time, so spring and summer are the most favorable time for new plants.
Many flower growers who know how to plant a Decembrist with a cuttings combine this process with pruning a flower when there are many healthy processes.
Choose a handle
A very old plant should not be used for propagation. Carefully inspect the flower, select a less dense area. Find a place where young segments end and old ones begin. The shoot must be healthy, free from damage and consist of at least two leaves. Unscrew or break off part of the stem with rotational movements. Well, if it has aerial roots, but do not be discouraged when they are not. In this article we will tell you how to plant a sprout of a Decembrist without roots.
Separating the stalk, hold the mother plant with your hands. Sprinkle the wound on the flower with sand or charcoal. If you want to grow a lush bush of the Decembrist, then use a few cuttings. Do not use scissors or a knife to get them.
Preparation of cuttings
Separated parts of the shoots are laid out on paper or cloth and dried for two to three days in a dark, dry place. Prepare a drain. You can use expanded clay, previously used for another culture. In this case, it is washed and dried. Carefully read the instructions for drainage: some types are required to absorb moisture before laying. Drain soak in soft clean water. It is important to know that the maximum period of use of expanded clay is six years.
Prepare a soil mixture prepared by yourself, or a finished store composition. Self-prepared soil must be disinfected with boiling water or placed for ten minutes in a preheated oven or microwave. Process the new pot with boiling water and dry it. You can use disposable plastic cups as the first container.
Landing
So, we have completed all the preparatory work, and it's time to find out how to plant the process of the Decembrist. In a container filled with drainage by a third, pour soil mixture with half the height of the pot. Compact the soil a little and water it well. In the center, make a small indentation. If you want a lush bush, plant several cuttings, making indentations in accordance with the number of processes.
The lower tip of the handle without root is treated with Zircon or Kornevin. It is planted, as if putting on the ground. If the stem has roots, they should not be deeply buried - the depth should be a maximum of one centimeter.
Young plant care
It is not enough to know how to properly plant the process of the Decembrist. After planting the stalk, cover it with plastic wrap or a glass jar. This will create a greenhouse effect. True, many experienced flower growers claim that the plant is well rooted if it is provided with free air access at a favorable air temperature.
Put the container with the handle in partial shade and keep it at a temperature of +15 to +20 ° C and high humidity. Protect the young plant from direct sunlight. Ventilate every day: open the shelter for 30 minutes.
Watering is carried out with well-maintained warm water sparingly, but regularly. Topsoil should always be wet. Water stagnation is not allowed. After about a week, the stalk will give the first roots. Complete rooting occurs in a month. New segments appearing on the cuttings indicate that the rooting was successful, and the greenhouse can be removed.
Now you can plant Decembrist in loose and nutritious soil and a prepared pot. How to do it right? Most flower growers use in this case the most gentle method of transshipment, which allows you to save the roots of a young flower.
Rooting
Cuttings can also be rooted in water. To do this, it is necessary to put the shoot in a container with well-maintained warm water. This must be done in such a way that only half of it is immersed in water. During evaporation, fluid must be regularly added.
If over time the water becomes viscous and yellowish, it has deteriorated. In this case, the handle must be thoroughly washed and put in a container with clean water. After a week or two, the first roots appear. After that, you can transfer the Decembrist to the earth. How to plant it, you already know. Then he is taken care of as an adult plant.
How to plant Decembrist seeds?
The seed method of propagation of zygocactus is used infrequently. It allows you to experiment with the color of flowers. It is rather difficult to get Decembrist seeds at home, so it is advisable to purchase them in a specialized store.
- Moisten the substrate in the container with settled water.
- Sow the seeds, each pressed to the soil. They should not be deepened.
- A container with seeds is kept at a temperature of +23 ° C and above.
- The soil should be regularly moistened.
- The first shoots appear in 14–20 days.
If you want to get sprouts from all seeds, continue to moisten the soil. The remaining seeds sometimes germinate even after a few months. After about three months, sprouts with two to three segments can be planted in separate containers. Care for young plants is carried out in accordance with the usual scheme of care.
Pruning
Gently loosening the Decembrist segments is called trimming. So you can remove excess shoots, damaged or diseased segments, those that grow in the wrong direction. This procedure should be carried out in early summer. It will allow to give the bush a beautiful shape, to provide abundant flowering in winter, since buds are formed only on young and healthy shoots.
Transfer
Decembrist should be transplanted in late February, when the flowering is completed. Every year it is necessary to transplant young plants, and adults - every 3 years.
Top dressing
Decembrists need top dressing. For this, you can use complex fertilizers designed for epiphytic plants. If you can’t purchase them, use complex fertilizers. In this case, the dose indicated in the instructions is halved.
In the spring, feeding is carried out once a month. In the summer, when the stems begin to grow actively, plant nutrition is carried out twice a month. In the fall, all dressings cease to allow the plant to gain strength before budding. At the same time, it is necessary to treat the plant with a fungicide in order to avoid fungal diseases.
Planting a Schlumberger does not cause serious problems even for beginners in indoor floriculture. You can choose for yourself the most suitable method - cuttings or sowing seeds. Each of them has its own merits. The shoots take root quickly and easily at home, and the seeds usually show high germination.