Poinsettia mix how to care. Pruning and reproduction of poinsettia at home
Since the plant secretes the milky juice, which interferes not only with the drying of the cut, but also with the root formation, before planting the pieces of the stems in the ground:
- they cut the lower leaves;
- place slices for a few minutes immersed in water;
- then get wet with a paper napkin;
- the tips of the stems priprashivayut stimulator of rooting.
Now shanks intended for breeding poinsettia are ready for planting. As a substrate, you can use a light, breathable mixture of washed sand and perlite. The root system of young plants is not too large, so at first and before the transplantation of poinsettia for permanent residence, you can use very small pots or cups with a capacity of up to 250 ml.
A drainage hole is made at the bottom of the container. In the soil the stalk is immersed to a depth of 3 cm, that's enough. Seedlings are placed in the room greenhouse. Next, the young poinsettias require:
- watering as necessary;
- bright but not direct light;
- constant temperature in the range of 16–22 ° C;
- regular airing.
This care is enough for the tops of the stems in 45–60 days to give roots and be ready for transfer to permanent pots. For poinsettia transplantation, tanks with a diameter of 7–10 cm are taken, at the bottom of which a drainage layer is made, and then filled with substrate on the basis of sheet and turf soil with the inclusion of a small amount, cleaned of impurities, and sand.
With the beginning of active growth, the top of the seedling is removed. Such pruning poinsettia at home allows you to immediately get a branching bush with several bright inflorescences.
Similarly, transplant poinsettia, already flowered in the previous season. The procedure is carried out in the second half of spring after trimming a home plant.
Reproduction of poinsettia semenami
Few people know that for reproduction of poinsettia at home pruning is not so necessary. Self-pollinating tiny flowers, you can wait for the formation and maturation of rounded, almost black seeds.
It is more convenient to transfer pollen with a cotton swab or a thin soft brush. At the same time, it is important to touch each flower and make sure that the grains hit the fat where necessary.
After some time, green seed pods appear on the site of the flowers; they look like small onions.
When the foliage begins to fall off, the boxes are collected and stored in a paper bag without moisture. Dried, turned brown boxes easily open, and ripe seeds roll out.
To push the formation of sprouts, poinsettia seeds, spread out on moist soil and lightly sprinkled with soil, are sent to a household refrigerator for stratification for three months.
Germination begins in heat and takes several weeks. All this time, crops should be moderately moistened. We must not allow the appearance of mold or rot, so the greenhouse must be regularly aired.
Caring for seedlings is not much different from other home cultures. Small plants first dive, and then, when they get stronger, they transplant poinsettia into spacious pots.
Diseases and pests of poinsettia
The problems faced by the grower during transplantation, reproduction and pruning are associated with violations of the rules of care. Although this plant can not be called capricious, the flower can be attacked by insects, pathogenic fungi and dangerous bacteria.
Among the diseases and pests of poinsettia, all kinds of rot cause the greatest harm, provoked by non-observance of the irrigation regime and the maintenance of the flower in an excessively hot or excessively cold room. Infection with fungal infections and soil pests, such as nematodes or powdery worms, cannot be ruled out if the flower is transplanted into a substrate that has already been used and has not been disinfected. The plant, located in dry air, willingly attacked spider mites.
However, insects do not always await the poinsettia at home. Often, already from the manufacturer on the window sill the flower gets infected with the whiteflies hiding on the back of the leaves.
The fight against diseases and pests of poinsettia consists in the normalization of conditions of detention and the treatment of the source of the problem with fungicides or insecticides. The parts of the plant affected by the fungus should be removed and the damaged soil must be replaced.
At home, it is not always possible to achieve re-flowering of poinsettia, and often the plant is thrown away as soon as its red leaves fall. However, with proper care, poinsettia may bloom again, albeit not so effectively. In greenhouses leveled leveled plants are obtained from the use of growth inhibitors. Natural beauty may seem nicer to us. Therefore, in order to grow poinsettia at home, it is necessary to follow a few simple rules:
THE SOIL. Provide the required soil composition. The soil should be loose and nutritious. The most suitable option is a mixture of turf, peat, leaf soil and sand in the same proportion. The acidity of the soil should be neutral (pH 6.0-7.0) or slightly acid (pH 5.0-6.0).
TEMPERATURE MODE. Considering that the most comfortable room air temperature for this plant is at least +20 ° C, it should not be taken out onto the balcony, even if it is glazed. In addition, it must be borne in mind that the limiting lower temperature threshold should not be below 14 ° C. At the same time, relatively cool conditions will be needed in the spring from February-March to March-April, during the rest period of the poinsettia. In any case, it is impossible that poinsettia leaves touch cold glass, the plant dies from the cold. In the spring the plant is transferred to a warm room. Speaking about the temperature regime for poinsettia, one should keep in mind that the longest flowering is observed at a temperature of + 15 ° C. For this reason, poinsettia is not placed next to radiators. In the summer the plant is best kept on the balcony or veranda. In September, the poinsettia is brought into the house and kept at a temperature of + 18 ° C.
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LIGHTING. It is necessary to take care of bright and good lighting, and strictly avoid direct sunlight. Poinsettia often perishes on the north windows. If it is possible to equip additional lighting in winter, this will make it possible to extend the flowering of the plant for a longer period.
WATERING. Poinsettia requires abundant watering. But it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil. By the next watering, it should dry out, but it should not turn into a shriveled lump. The water temperature should be a few degrees warmer than the air temperature in the room. From cold water, the plant can shed its leaves. Water during irrigation should saturate the substrate, pass through the drainage, and its excess out of the hole in the pot. In no case should the roots be allowed to be constantly in the water.
SUPPORTING. You can not feed the plant during the flowering period and in the rest period. Long-acting fertilizers are added to the soil mixture during transplantation. Also in spring and summer, and in the fall before flowering, poinsettia is fed with complex soluble fertilizer 2-3 times a month.
SPRAYING. Twice a day it is necessary to spray the air around the plant, increasing its humidity, thereby creating the conditions of native tropical forests. At the same time fall on the leaves is not desirable, they may become stained. In March, for the rest period, spraying is stopped. With the onset of warm days and the beginning of the growth of new shoots, around May, spraying is resumed. Frequency is observed, focusing on humidity and air temperature. On hot days, spraying is carried out more often, on cool days - they do without them altogether.
VENTILATION. In the summertime, when keeping in the room, the poinsettia is aired. At the same time eliminate drafts. At the slightest discomfort, poinsettia will drop foliage. In warm rooms, airing is carried out at any time of the year.
FORMATION. In order to ensure the budding of flower buds, after a flowering period, the plant is cut half in half, leaving 3-5 buds, and placed in a dry room with an air temperature not exceeding 15 ° C. During this period (about 2 months) it is not watered or is extremely rare. Around May, weak new shoots are removed and 5-6 strong ones are left. Poinsettia is transplanted into a large pot. Pot put in a naturally lit room. From this moment begin regular watering. Make sure that the shoots are not stretched, occasionally shortening them until August. This contributes to better tillering and the formation of more inflorescences. In August, flower buds are formed, therefore pruning is stopped.
PHOTO PERIODISM. In September-October, poinsettia needs to create a short light day (less than 12 hours). To do this, it is covered with a dark material, package or box for about 14 hours for 2 months. This contributes to the formation of buds and the coloring of bracts.
TRANSFER. Poinsettia transplants are performed every few years. If you need to transplant the plant, do it in mid-May at the end of the rest period. Transplantation is carried out by the method of transshipment without breaking the earthy coma. They take a pot, more spacious, put a three-centimeter drainage layer on the bottom and a soil consisting of peat, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Then the flower is planted, after removing the rotten and dead roots, well watered.
Reproduction of poinsettia
Under natural conditions, the plant propagates by seed, at home - exclusively by cuttings in the spring or early summer. For this you need:
Cut from a new shoot a stalk about 7 centimeters long. The stalk should be with 3-6 well developed buds.
The shoot should be cut right below the last knot below.
Place the stalk in warm water for ten minutes to wash off the poisonous milky juice, blot the slice and sprinkle with coal for disinfection. For better rooting using root-type "Kornevin".
Plant the cuttings in a plentifully watered soil. It should include sand, humus and dry manure. The soil temperature for rooting is 24-28 ° C.
Cover the pots with plastic wrap and put in a warm, but not dark place without the direct rays of the sun, periodically ventilate and spray.
Rooting will last almost a month.
As it grows, if necessary, the pot is replaced with a larger one by transferring the plant.
For better tillering, young plants pinch.
Flowering occurs a year after rooting.
Possible problems, diseases and pests
Poinsettia can suffer from aphids, whiteflies, thrips, spider mites, and mealybugs. This is manifested in the appearance of honey dew, spots and folded leaves, their yellowing, drying out or dying off. Some of these signs are also observed when watering the substrate, the absence of drainage, cold air or soil, as well as lack of light. With very dry air and insufficient watering, the leaves become pale, after they turn yellow and brown, the inflorescences fall.
To avoid these problems will help the proper care of poinsettia and the necessary conditions of detention. Diseases and pests are treated with standard techniques and preparations in these cases.
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Poinsettia is the most beautiful flower of the euphorbia family. This beautiful flower is also called the Christmas star. The colors of poinsettia blooming leaves can be quite diverse, bright red, creamy yellow, purple, bright yellow, pale pink, mottled and many others. Poinsettia blooms for several weeks, so this flower will surprise and delight you with colorful blooms for a long time and will create a friendly atmosphere in your home.
Types and varieties
There are quite a few types of poinsettia, of which the most popular are:
Sonora white (white) Strawberry and cream (maroon), Winter rose (velvet red), Jingle bells (red-spotted), Premium Red (soft red) EuroGlory Black Beauty (bright red), Maren (light pink), Infinity white (snow white) Carousel dark red (soft red) Peterstar marble (pink and green), Ice punch (red and white), and many other species.
Home care
This flower does not like direct sunlight, so try to put the poinsettia where diffused light will fall on it. More comfortable she feels on the north side. On hot summer days, she is not averse to soaking up under the shade of the sun, while watching that the plant does not blow as this flower reacts very badly to drafts and starts to hurt, shedding its leaves. 
If it is not possible to keep poinsettia outdoors, then ventilate the apartment more often. If you want your flower to bloom in the New Year, then before that you must strictly observe the light day. As soon as it begins to darken, the flower must be removed in the dark, and put on the window, only with the rising of the sun. Therefore, the poinsettia must be in the dark for at least 12 hours. As a rule, begin to prepare a flower bloom 2 months before the event. 
After 2 weeks, after reducing the daylight hours, buds begin to form at the plant. If you continue to observe the abbreviated light day, the most beautiful bright bracts will soon bloom. Long daylight hours, on the contrary, it keeps the plant from flowering, and has a beneficial effect on the growth of leaves and root system.
The temperature is very important in order for your poinsettia to blossom in winter, the temperature should be in the range of 14 to 16 ° C. In warmer times, the temperature should be between 18 and 25 ° C. This plant likes high humidity, so it must be sprayed. Water for spraying must be separated at room temperature.
Watering
In warm summertime, the poinsettia needs to be watered quite plentifully, while taking care not to flood the plant. In cooler times and in winter, watering is necessary to reduce, and water the plant, only when the soil dries out completely. In the dormant period, when the plant has faded, watering should be reduced, but at the same time see that the soil is not very dry, because otherwise the plant will die. The temperature in the rest period should be in the range of 12 to 14 ° C.
Top dressing poinsettia
In order for your poinsettia to always be well-dressed and often delight you with its lush flowering, it must be fed. Especially in feeding, the plant needs after ottsvetaniya to gain new strength and re-raise the buds. As a rule, feed this flower every 2 weeks, starting with the arrival of spring, until the end of autumn. You can choose any dressing, but make sure that it was exclusively for indoor plants.
Transplant and pruning
Replanting such a gorgeous plant should be every spring, it is best to do it in April or May. It is very important to conduct the annual cutting of the stems into 1/3 part. On the remaining stems should remain from 3 to 5 buds. At this time, the poinsettia needs to be put on a warm and cozy place, it is desirable that it be a sunny windowsill. Watering should be done with extremely warm water.
As soon as the plant releases the leaves, it can be transplanted into a new pot with fertilized soil. In this case, keep in mind that every year the plant grows, respectively, the pot should be larger than the previous one.
Land for transplantation should be slightly acidic, the pH of which should not exceed 6 units, while at the bottom of the pot it is necessary to line the drainage so as not to rot the roots. After transplantation, the plant should receive sufficient watering and spraying, but make sure that the plant simply does not pour.
Then a lot of new shoots will appear on the plant, of which only 6 of the strongest need to be left, all remaining to be removed without pity, as they will pull the juices and the plant will begin to lose strength. If you have the desire, the cut cuttings can be supplied with water so that they give roots. Then they can be planted, and after a certain amount of time you get a full-fledged plants.
Look after your plant, and do not let poinsettia give too long shoots, it looks ugly, and besides, the plant will spend too much energy in the empty.
Breeding
Poinsettia usually begins to propagate in the spring, or at the beginning of the summer by cuttings. On a cut-off handle, there must be at least 5 internodes, otherwise you just have nothing to do. When cutting, the milky juice is secreted, while it is sufficiently blotted with a napkin, if it does not stop flowing, then the cutting must be placed in cold water for a while in order to stop the secretion of juice.
Then place the cut to sprinkle with charcoal. This is done for the purpose of disinfection, so that the plant does not start to rot. Root plants can be in boiled water, or in the sand with peat taken in equal parts. Stimulants can be used to speed up the process. He has proven himself in such events as a growth stimulator "heteroauxin". The temperature during rooting should be in the range from 24 to 28 ° C.
During the rooting of cuttings, they must be sprayed daily, and the room should be aired. They take root for a long time, as a rule, it takes about a month. Ready cuttings with roots are transplanted into separate pots with fertilized soil. Then, when the cuttings take root, expel abundant leaf, they are pruned to the required length.
be careful
Despite all the beauty of the plant, poinsettia is still quite poisonous plants, especially poisonous milky juice. Therefore, during all work with this flower, it is advisable to wear protective rubber gloves to avoid poisoning. Poinsettia juice can cause: vomiting and nausea, dermatitis, indigestion and diarrhea, fever and allergies. Therefore, do not neglect all precautions.
Diseases and pests of poinsettia
With the wrong care of poinsettia, worms (honeydew) may appear. With a lack of watering, as a rule, the leaves begin to dry from the tips. With an excess, begin to rot. Because of the cold temperature, the flower can completely lose all the leaves, so it follows that the room is always warm and there are no drafts.
Due to lack of light, the leaves begin to fade and then fall off. With excessive heat, the leaves darken and fall off. If the leaves turn yellow, the plant itself dries and begins to die, then the spider mite is present. In the presence of thrips, the leaves acquire wavy spots, and begin to curl.
That is why it is so important not to flood the plant, while ensuring that there is enough moisture in the soil. Do not allow drafts, and watch the daylight mode. When transplanting plants, be sure to treat the soil with hot water to kill the presence of possible pests and infection.
Care in the dormant period
After lush blooming, shoots need to be shortened to the optimum length, and place the flower in a dry room at 10 to 15 ° C. The flower should rest for several weeks, watering it is reduced, but at the same time make sure that the soil does not dry out.
In early May, the shoots are cut, so that the plant is at least 15 cm in height. After they are transplanted into a larger pot, they change the soil without fail, and begin to water more frequently.
As soon as the plant releases new shoots, everything needs to be repeated again. Leave only 6 of the strongest, cut off the rest and put in water for reproduction or discard. Watch the plant, not allowing poinsettia to grow excessively. In this case, you need to regularly prune it, then your flower will be not only lush and beautiful, but also healthy.
Poinsettia is a very beautiful flower, decorated with red, in most cases, petals, sometimes pink or cream. Such a plant pleases its owners in the winter period of time, therefore the flower is an original decoration of the New Year holidays. According to this statement, poinsettia has a second name, which is associated with the New Year celebrations - the Christmas star.
Poinsettia Features
This is a beautiful flower, it is also called euphorbia, it belongs to this family, and has a poisonous juice, which can cause an allergic reaction or irritation if it enters the stomach.
Caution Therefore, when working with this flower, you should wear gloves, during breeding, for example, or pruning. If poinsettia juice gets on the skin, wash it with plenty of water, especially eyes and mucous membranes.
The most difficult thing about caring for a plant at home is to wait for the flowering to occur. This flower has earned its popularity due to its various leaves, which give it decorativeness, while the flowers themselves are small and yellow in color, resembling an umbrella in appearance.
As a rule, it is a disposable flower that close people give to their relatives for Christmas, but if you put in as much effort as possible, then it will be a perennial blooming poinsettia.
Basic Poinsettia Care
Since the flower is of southern origin, it requires an appropriate situation, the optimum air temperature for its existence reaches 20 degrees, in some cases it can develop in a room where the temperature is 25 degrees. Poinsettia reacts to any draft or hypothermia by dropping leaves.
As for watering, the flower should be saturated with water carefully, the ground should be completely wet, but at the same time, it should not be allowed to stand in the pan. Before each watering, it is necessary to check the top layer of soil, which should be dry, but should not be overdried, because, again, the flower will shed its leaves. In summer, the plant should be watered well, plentifully, and in winter, on the contrary, there should be less water for the soil to be slightly moist. And after poinsettia blooms, its leaves must be sprayed with slightly warm and settled water.
Poinsettia loves the sun's rays, but in the summer during the hottest hours the flower should be shaded, and if it is warm outside, it can be brought to fresh air, this is not only a recommendation, it is a necessity.
At the beginning of each spring, when poinsettia begins to grow, the flower must be fertilized by any mineral and complex means, it can be a liquid or granulated dressing. The maximum interval between fertilizers is 3 weeks. In addition, it is possible to fertilize not only the earth, using poorly concentrated fertilizers for leaves, which include useful trace elements, for example, iron or zinc, molybdenum. This will make the leaves bright and fresh in appearance.
Poinsettia blooms at home
If you properly care for poinsettia at home, the flower will surely bloom, for this you should follow two basic rules. First, after the flower has bloomed, it is necessary for it to create all conditions for rest. Secondly, artificial methods to reduce the light day before the flowering process.
Poinsettia, which was bought in December, costs two months, then drops the leaves, so the flower must be ensured complete rest. To do this, they change the situation around the plant, stop watering it, in rare cases they moisten the soil to prevent it from drying out. The temperature in the room should be lowered to 14 degrees, and only after two months, in March, the conditions of the environment are resumed, this applies to watering and lighting.
When the poinsettia begins to grow, it is necessary to transplant the flower into a wider pot, and add fresh earth. Two months later, the plant begins to grow, so it is necessary to cut, as a rule, growing shoots. During the period of summer and autumn, poinsettia continues to grow, and in order to maintain its beautiful appearance, it is necessary to periodically cut further.
And in order to get a beautiful and flourishing poinsettia for the New Year holidays, it is necessary to create artificial conditions in the fall and reduce the light day. To do this, from the beginning of September, it is necessary for several hours a day to cover the plant, for example, with thick paper, you can put a pot with a flower in the closet. This blackout should be done for 12 hours, within two months, as a result, before the new year, the poinsettia will show the first buds. After this, the darkening of the daylight is no longer necessary, it remains only to wait until the stipules of the flower become brightly colored.
Flower reproduction
As a rule, the breeding process is carried out by cuttings, this should be done in the spring. For breeding, young shoots are chosen, on which there are at least three leaves, the sections are immediately lowered into room temperature liquid, literally for 15 minutes, in order to remove the milky juice, it does not allow poinsettia to take root. Fresh slices can be treated with special agents that stimulate the formation of roots. For planting the cuttings, the soil is used, which includes peat and river sand, but best of all, peat tablets help to root the cuttings.
You can use another method of rooting, for example, the stem is dipped in water with the addition of stimulants for some time, when the roots appear on the shoots, then it can be transplanted into the substrate.
All cuttings must be covered with a plastic bag, left in a warm and sunny place; it is enough to remove the cover once so that the flower breathes. The soil is always watered, but not flooded, but kept wet, before the poinsettia takes root, it will take many months. When the first leaves appear on the cuttings, the packet can be removed, for a start, for a short time, then for a long period, and then forever. After the flower has let the sixth leaf, it pinch, and in the fall transplanted into a spacious pot.
Poinsettia Diseases
If the flower leaves fall, then a frequent reason for this is poor or poor lighting, dry soil or, conversely, too wet. Yellow leaves indicate that there are violations with irrigation and the soil is not wet enough; moreover, the flower can strike a red spider mite, from which a solution of laundry soap will help.
Also on the leaves of poinsettia may appear spots that indicate insufficient or excessive lighting, this may be the result of an oversupply of fertilizer, as well as the fact that the plant was watered with cold water, dry air in the room, also leads to flower disease.
Gray rot causes an appropriate patina, soft to the touch, not only on the leaves of the plant, but also on its shoots, as a rule, the damaged parts of the poinsettia are removed, this suggests that the room needs to be aired more often.
- After the leaves have fallen, it is necessary to reduce the watering of the plant so that the soil remains almost dry, stop feeding the flower, and also cut off all the stems at a height of 15 cm. After that, the poinsettia must be moved to a place where it is cool and dark so that it rests there until the month of May.
- Upon the arrival of spring, the flower is exposed to the sun, watered and fertilized with special mineral means, as soon as the poinsettia wakes up and grows, it should be immediately transplanted into a new pot, with fresh earth.
- In early autumn, in particular, in October, poinsettia for the night is placed in a box that does not transmit light or in a cupboard for 14 hours, every day. This will help stimulate the growth of new flower buds.
- After the first bracts began to open, you can look after poinsettia as usual.
When is it better to buy poinsettia
The acquisition of such a flower must be taken responsibly, as a rule, its transportation is not always carried out properly, so it does not quickly adapt to room conditions. During the selection, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the soil of the flower may be too wet or there are several buds that have not yet blossomed.
After the flower has been brought home, it is necessary to put it on a bright window sill, where there are no drafts, while the poinsettia will adapt, the room should be kept at a temperature not less than 16 degrees. In addition, to get used to the new environment, poinsettia will take three weeks, after which it can be transplanted into a new soil, where there is sand and vermiculite, as well as drainage. If you follow all these rules, the flower will please with its beauty for at least 4 months.
For more information on how to properly care for poinsettia at home, tell the video.
Do you know which indoor plant is considered the most popular home decoration for the New Year and Christmas? We will answer you with confidence - this is poinsettia. This wonderful flower has other names: poinsettia, spurge the most beautiful, poinsettia beautiful, Christmas star. Surely you have noticed how the onset of winter holidays transforms the window sills of many city apartments. They appear simply indescribable beauty with bright red leaves. And this is not surprising, many growers sincerely love and appreciate poinsettia.
Homeland poinsettia is considered the south of Mexico, as well as Central America. This extraordinary plant boasts a huge amount of a wide variety of flowers. Some varieties of the Christmas star are distinguished by pale pink, white and even apricot leaf shades. But the popular Christmas stars are plants with the brightest scarlet, bright lemon and sugary crimson leaves. In such an amazing plant it is difficult not to fall in love at first sight!
If you have already become happy owners of beautiful poinsettia, we are in a hurry to congratulate you on this amazing event!
So, you brought refined euphorbia the finest in your house, proudly showed it to your relatives and friends and ... put it on the windowsill. But, no matter how much you would like it, simple irrigation and periodic dressing is simply not enough.
Poinsettia is an exquisite plant that needs special care. Accuracy, diligence, perseverance - these are the three main features that should be inherent to all owners of a delightful Christmas flower. Standard care of the plant in this particular case is simply impossible.
The first thing to do is provide the plant a decent period of adaptation at home. You cannot literally transplant a plant into a new pot, water it, fertilize it and so on. Leave Punsetia alone for a couple of days. After all, a plant is also a living organism, which should be rearranged, get used to new conditions and a new habitat for it. Only after 3-4 days you can start caring for a Christmas star. So, let's begin.
Caring for poinsettia at home
For such a delicate flower as spurge, the most beautiful, even a small journey from the supermarket to the house can be a real stress. Therefore, two days after purchase, the flower should be watered with distilled water. This will slightly revive the beautiful poinsettia. It is quite possible that at the flower shop the Christmas star was watered just before your purchase. Therefore, check the soil moisture.
The next stage is the selection of a place for poinsettia. The main thing - to determine the amount of sunlight. This is a very important parameter in this case.
Choosing a place and lighting a flower
The Christmas star loves the windowsills of the southwest, southeast and south side of the house. Scattered sunshine is just the perfect lighting for poinsettia. In the summer, this “gorgeous beauty” will be willing to air out on the open balcony and enjoy the rays of the gentle summer sun. The main thing is to prevent rain or hail from falling on the plant; precipitations can irreparably damage an already fragile and delicate flower.
Poinsettia is afraid of drafts. This should be remembered when choosing a place for a plant.
If you place poinsettia on the windowsill, do not lean it against the glass. In the winter season, touching the cold window can have a deplorable effect on the condition of the leaves of the plant, and on the flower as a whole. You should also beware of drafts if the grower decided to ventilate the poinsettia outdoors.
The optimal temperature for the Christmas star
As we mentioned above, after moving to a new place for poinsettia, it is very important to create the necessary conditions for acclimatization. This also applies to temperature. The flower will feel comfortable in a room with a temperature ranging from 15 to 20 degrees. But this is only the first time. Then you should adjust the correct mode for each season.
It is important! In summer, the temperature of the home poinsettia should range from 18 to 25 degrees. In winter, which accounts for the finest bloom of the Rozhdestvenskaya star, the temperature of the content should not exceed 14-16 degrees.
In the dormant period, the temperature should be lowered to the maximum possible for this type of plant. If we are talking about poinsettia, then it is 12-14 degrees. By the way, it is very important to regulate day and night temperatures. For example, many gardeners try to lower the temperature in a room where poinsettia is contained, at night by at least a couple of degrees.
Plant transplant
The best time to transplant poinsettia is the end of spring. When winter frosts are finally left in the past, nature will begin to bloom and fill with amazing colors. It is at this time that the kidneys begin to appear on the poinsettia. This is a sure sign for plant breeding: the most beautiful spurge is ready for transplanting.
The first thing to do is to carefully remove one third of the stem parts of the plant. As a result, after pruning, at least three viable buds should remain on each stem. Then the plant is carefully and very carefully watered (but in no case poured!) With settled water. This is necessary in order to begin to appear new leaves. Once the process is started, you can begin the transplant.
The second thing to do is to prepare a more spacious pot and a new ground for the plant. For the Christmas star, it is better to choose a soil with a neutral pH. For the root system of the plant, it is desirable to provide a good drainage layer. You can buy it in a flower shop or cook it yourself. For example, from gravel.
On a note! Any drainage material will be even more effective if special holes are made in the pot.
The third - this is the most responsible thing - the direct transplant of a plant into a new soil. Poinsettia should be handled with an earthy ball. After completion of transplantation, the plant should be plentifully watered with settled water and put in a warm place. On this transplant is complete!
The fourth thing a plant grower should prepare for is the removal of shoots. After transplantation, they will begin to form with tripled force. It should be left no more than five young shoots, and the rest is carefully cut.
Fertilization
Christmas star is very favorably related to various types of dressings. But it is necessary to make them in accordance with the individual schedule of plant development. The first top dressing in the current calendar year is made two weeks after transplanting the plant into a new pot. Organic or mineral complex fertilizer will be perfectly suited for this purpose. Subsequent feeding is made throughout the summer with a boarding school in two to three weeks. The main principle, which should adhere to: the alternation of organic and mineral fertilizers. Since the poinsettia will be in a state of active growth, it will require a lot of strength and energy. And fertilizers will fully satisfy the needs of the plant in these necessary elements.
With the onset of autumn, feeding the Christmas star should change its character somewhat. From the beginning of September, combined potash-phosphate fertilizers should be applied. Of course, the fertilizer schedule should overlap with irrigation.
Watering poinsettia
Christmas star belongs to the category of moisture-loving plants. But overdoing with watering is not worth it. As with many other plants, the frequency of watering depends on the stage of plant development. In the period of active growth, watering should be much more often than in a period of rest. Of course, it all depends on the degree of drying of the ground part of the soil. Watering should be carried out at least once every 5 days. In this case, all the water that accumulates in the pan, passing through the drainage holes, should be immediately removed. Otherwise, poinsettia roots will gradually rot, the plant will die.
Christmas Star Reproduction
Euphorbia is propagated by the most beautiful one of the most popular methods of planting - cuttings. Performing this procedure correctly is not so difficult as it seems at first glance.
- The best period for reproduction of poinsettia is the beginning of winter (January) or summer (June-July).
- For reproduction, you can use cut cuttings.
- Initially, the cuttings are immersed in warm water in order to stop the release of the milky juice.
- Then the cuttings are rooted in loose substrate. The temperature in the room where the cuttings will be grown should be at least 22 degrees. For rooting young sprouts need at least four weeks.
- As soon as rooting occurs, the plants should be seated in different pots, and then pinch them to form side shoots.
Problems that may arise during the care of poinsettia
Poinsettia rarely gets sick. Root rot may be infected. The main reason - the wrong care. Too frequent watering, high humidity in the room, drafts - all this can adversely affect the condition of the plant.
Speaking of pests, the Christmas star may suffer from the invasion. spider mite. If the plant grower noticed traces of this insect on the plant, then it is worthwhile to immediately clean the poinsettia leaves from the pest. You can, for example, try to clean the leaves with a soft sponge and soap, and then gently rinse the plant under a warm shower. If the spider mite has spread too much, then insecticides should be used.
There are several other factors that negatively influence the development of poinsettia. One of them - burns on the leaves. Unfortunately, many plant growers face this unpleasant moment when poinsettia is left in the hot afternoon hours in the open sun. In this case, there is only one way out - you should pritenyat spurge the finest in the hot summer months.
Often at poinsettia, for no apparent reason, begin to turn sharply yellow, and then the leaves fall. This is a consequence of the incorrectly set temperature in the room. The grower should immediately normalize the climate acceptable to the Christmas star, as well as eliminate possible drafts.
The Christmas star is a gorgeous new year plant that will bring joy to your home! Take care of your "green pet" and do not forget to provide him with proper care. Poinsettia is sure to answer you for kindness and care with its magical flowering.
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