Tradescantia is a common home plant. Although in its homeland, in America, it is an ordinary weed. Our gardeners are very fond of wonderful decorative properties and unpretentious tradescantia. Home care: what is it?
If earlier the plant was simply tremendous success and it could be seen almost everywhere, now the fashion for this gorgeous ampelous plant has passed. But for beginner growers, breeding tradescantia is a great opportunity to try your hand.
What does the plant look like?
The tradescantia, which we will consider in detail at home today, looks very beautiful. Long stems with a bright green color can grow up to one meter in length. And if you place the pot with the plant on a high shelf, then the resulting greenery waterfall will become the highlight of the room’s interior.
The leaves of the plant grow up to 15 centimeters in length. They are very thin and are arranged alternately on the stem. Foliage can be either pure green or have a variegated color. Quite a few species can boast of reddish, white, and yellow stripes on their leaves.
But the plant blooms discreetly. The flowers at the tradescantia are very small and can have white, pink or purple hues. They open early, before the sun has begun to shine in full force. In the afternoon, the buds are closed. True, on a cloudy day, the tradescantia leaves the buds open until evening.
Plant care
Tradescantia - a flower that belongs to
ampelous plants, has very fragile graceful stems hanging from a beautiful waterfall. Although the plant belongs to perennials, it is recommended to rejuvenate it about once every 2 years, and sometimes this period is reduced to one year. The fact is that with growth, the lower leaves dry out and the stem is completely exposed. It does not look too beautiful, so the plant needs a transplant. We will talk about how to propagate the tradescantia a little later.
Temperature mode
Tradescantia flower, the care of which is not too complicated, is also undemanding and ambient temperature. It feels great in both cool and warm rooms. Of course, the plant will not tolerate excessive hypothermia, so the lower temperature bar is +10 degrees. But the white-flowered tradescantia also grows excellently at +7. In addition, the flower loves the influx of fresh air and is not at all afraid of drafts.
Light mode
Tradescantia - a flower, although unpretentious in care, but grows better in good light. If the bulk of home flowers needs a shade, then this green cascade prefers to receive direct sunlight. Penumbra also does not prevent the plant from fully displaying its decorative properties. But there are some nuances. Variegated varieties of tradescantia acquire a brighter color in a well-lit room, while monophonic leaves of the plant under the constant rays of the sun become faded. Plants placed in penumbra again acquire a juicy green hue.
Watering
Tradescantia, which we are currently considering home care, loves water. During the entire active period of vegetation, lasting from spring to autumn, it requires constant watering. It is simply impossible to fill it. The only “but” - the earthen lump should always be wet, but stagnation of water should not be allowed.
In the winter months, the plant is watered less, but still the ground should constantly remain slightly moist. The water that will be used for this purpose must be defended.
Feeding Tradescantia
During the spring and all summer, the plant must be fertilized, observing a frequency of two weeks. With the onset of winter, top dressing is carried out once for a month and a half. As a fertilizer, you can use any complex or organic compounds. But for variegated varieties, specialized fertilizers should be purchased. Top dressing must be combined with watering.
Landing: some subtleties
Tradescantia, planting and care of which is the topic of our conversation, is an undemanding plant. But if the goal is to get a really great example, then you need to follow some rules. As a planting substrate, you can take ordinary earth, but then the plant is completely safe from various unpleasant situations. After all, various pests can live in the earth. Sometimes tradescantia is literally occupied by black mosquitoes. You can cope with this only by using chemicals. And in order not to complicate the care of the plant, it is best to use a ready-made flower mixture. If there is no way to buy one, then you can make the soil yourself. It is necessary to take leaf humus, turf and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Previously, each component must be thoroughly calcined in the oven.
Humidity level
It is not always necessary to spray the tradescantia, but from periodic spraying it will not be worse. This is especially true in winter, when the heating season begins. You can irrigate the flower with settled water several times during the day. As you can see, the tradescantia is very unpretentious. Home care is completely simple. Now it's time to get acquainted with the options for plant propagation.
Plant propagation
The flower propagates very simply, and most importantly - quickly. The main method - cuttings - can be used throughout the year. But in winter, when daylight hours are significantly reduced, the process of rooting the plant is delayed. In the rest of the year, chopped cuttings give roots in two weeks. Planting substrate is composed of the following components: compost earth, sand and humus (in a ratio of 1: 1: 1). After the plant takes root, it will take no more than a month to regain its decorative effect.
Tradescantia, the reproduction of which is planned to be carried out, should not be too "old". For cuttings, it is necessary to choose young shoots. Cuttings intended for rooting must have at least 6 sections.
It is possible to propagate the flower with the help of seeds. This option is best for spring. You can start planting seeds in March, using window mini-greenhouses. A combination of peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1 is recommended as a planting substrate. The optimum temperature for seed germination is +20 degrees. The earth should be periodically moistened using a spray gun and also aired. When shoots appear, they must be sprayed quite often. Tradescantia grown from seeds bloom during the third year of life.
Diseases and Pests
Tradescantia flower (photo you see) is very fond of various parasites. Scale, aphids, thrips, spider mites - this is a list of the most common pests on the plant.
Scabies can be dealt with using soap or alcohol solutions. It is necessary to wet a cloth and remove insects. Such procedures are carried out several times a week, but not less than four. If the plant is affected too much, then it must be treated with drugs such as Actellik, Karbofos or Fufanon.
Aphid inflicts damage mainly on young shoots. The leaves lose color and fall off. Aphid milk becomes an excellent basis for soot fungus, which does not allow to fully undergo the process of photosynthesis. The plant will be saved from aphids by spraying with soapy solutions, since the soap covers the pests and prevents them from breathing. In the fight against spider mites, Fitoverm and the same Actellik will help.
We hope that our article has helped you get answers to your questions. And now your pet will delight you with its beauty.