How to save a gloxinia tuber in winter? How to prepare gloxinia for the winter to get a rapid flowering in the summer

Gloxinia, one of the most beautiful representatives of the Gesneriaceae family, in Europe, gloxinia flower home care began to be produced by the second half of the 19th century. The plant comes from the tropical forests of distant Brazil. The botanical name of gloxinia is Sinningia hybrida.

General information

The tropical beauty received it in honor of Wilhelm Sinning, a gardener at Boston University, who "fell in love" with a flower and devoted a lot of time to its selection and hybridization. The name Gloxinia comes from the German "Glocke", which translates as a bell. Indeed, the shape of the flowers of the plant is very reminiscent of bells.

Gloxinia-synningia - perennial tuberous plant having a shortened stem and thick dark green velvety leaves. The flowers, as mentioned above, are bell-shaped and come in a wide variety of colors and shades.

Some types of gloxinia have a bright, eye-catching speck on the inner surface of the flowers, while others surprise with the beauty of their frilled edge of the flower, painted in a contrasting color. Depending on the variety, gramophone flowers can be simple or double.

Gloxinia home care

Gloxinia is an undemanding plant in care and even an inexperienced grower can grow it. The flower loves a lot of light, but without direct contact. sun rays, as they can cause burns on the leaves. The optimum air temperature is 18-21 degrees in summer and 10-15 degrees in winter.

Gloxinia when caring for at home in which she is very "afraid" of spraying and drafts. From getting water on its leaves during spraying, it may appear dark spots and decay on leaves and flowers.

To provide the necessary humidity, the plants are placed on a tray with pebbles filled with water. The water evaporates and will humidify the air around the flowers.

Watering gloxinia

Water soft gloxinia warm water so that it does not fall on the leaves or flowers. You can pour water into the pan and leave the plants to “drink” for half an hour. The water remaining after the procedure is removed.

During the period of growth and flowering, gloxinia is watered 2-3 times a week, and during rest - no more than 1 time per month. When watering a gloxinia flower, it is necessary to ensure that there is no excess moisture, as the plant can rot and die.

Gloxinia rest period

Gloxinia pleases with its flowering from April to September, and then a dormant period begins. At this time, the aerial part of the plant dies off and the tubers "fall asleep" for several months (3-4). After the complete death of the upper part of the plant, it is cut off, leaving about 1 cm above the ground.

Pots with “sleeping” tubers are moved to a dry, dark and cool place, making sure that the soil does not dry out. Accordingly, occasionally watered. You can not take out the plants, but simply cover them on top of the soil with a thick layer of clean and dry sand and leave them in the room.

Some flower growers, 2-3 weeks after the aerial part dies off, dig up the tubers and, having cleaned them of dead roots, store them in sawdust or peat in a dark, cool place. Tubers are periodically inspected for drying out or high humidity which are removed as needed.

Gloxinia after dormancy

Gloxinia begin to wake up somewhere in January-March. If the flower hibernated in a pot, then it is dug up, cleaned of soil, diseased and dried tubers are removed. If rotten places are found, then they are cut out sharp knife and sprinkle the cut with powdered charcoal. After these procedures, the tuber is left for a day to dry.

Gloxinia tuber planting

Before planting a gloxinia tuber, it is advisable to soak it for 30 minutes in a solution of a fungicidal agent (for example, Funzadol, Maxim) or a solution of dark pink potassium permanganate to prevent the formation of rot.

The pots are selected so that they are 1-1.5 cm in diameter larger than the previous ones, since, having got into too big pot, gloxinia will begin to grow tubers, and you can not wait for flowering. The plant should be planted in such a way that top part tuber slightly "peeped out" above the soil.

Ground for gloxinia

Planting soil can be purchased at a flower shop. Suitable "Saintpaulia" or "Violet". You can also prepare the mixture for planting yourself. To do this, mix sand, humus and leafy soil in a ratio of 1: 4: 4. Good drainage must be ensured. Transplanted gloxinia are placed on the windowsill and watered once a week.

Fertilizers for gloxinia

Be sure to fertilize the plant. When using liquid complex fertilizer this is done every two weeks. If you use fertilizer in the form of sticks, then one such stick is enough for about 2-3 months.

Gloxinia from seeds at home

Gloxinia can be propagated by seeds, leaf cuttings and tuber division. Getting seeds at home is almost impossible. It's easier to buy them in the store.

Sowing is carried out in November-February in low boxes, which are filled, taken in equal quantities and thoroughly mixed, with sand, peat and leafy soil. Seeds are simply sown on top of the soil, without sprinkling, and placed in a well-lit place.

It is necessary to spray regularly with warm water and maintain the temperature at 24-26 ° C. Seedlings can be expected no earlier than 2 weeks later. When the seedlings grow and they have 2 leaves, they are planted at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other, and when the third pair of leaves appears, the distance between the plants is increased to 5-7 cm. They are transplanted into pots during the period when the plants begin to touch each other with their leaves. The diameter of the pots should be 10-12 cm.

Reproduction of gloxinia cuttings

Gloxinia at home is quite simple to propagate using cuttings. To do this, select large and healthy leaves, cut them obliquely with a sharp knife and place them in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate for 8 hours. Then the leaf cuttings are placed in cups of clean water, which is changed weekly.

When roots appear, future beauties are planted in cups with soil or on peat tablets and covered with plastic bags. Packages are removed once a day for a few minutes to ensure ventilation. After the formation of tiny tubers at the ends of the cuttings, the packages are removed completely, and the grown plant can please the owner with its flowering in the same year.

Gloxinia leaf reproduction

It is also possible to reproduce gloxinia with one leaf blade without a cutting. To do this, cut off a healthy leaf and cut it along the central vein between the branches.

Next, the sheet is laid with cuts down on moistened peat or sand and covered with a bag. "Cubs" of gloxinia are formed from notches on the sheet. Transplant them into pots when more than 3 true leaves appear.

Propagation of gloxinia by tuber division

In order to reproduce gloxinia by dividing the tuber, it is necessary to select strongly overgrown tubers. They are cut with a knife into pieces so that each of them remains with 1-2 sprouts. Fresh cuts are covered with crushed coal and planted in pots with moist soil.

Diseases and pests

Like all indoor plants, gloxinia is subject to diseases and pests. Of the last "lovers" of the flower are thrips, spider mite, aphids, caterpillars and nematodes. Destroy them with the help of special insecticides.

At the same time, you need to be very careful when choosing a remedy, since some of them are capable of not only destroying pests, but also the plant itself.

Among the diseases, the most common are tuber rot, blackleg, fusarium and gray rot. Usually the cause of their occurrence is excessive watering.

For prevention, tubers are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, "Immunocytophyte" or another fungicide before planting. For “treatment”, the affected tissues of the plant are removed with a knife, the cut points are covered with chopped charcoal and treated with suitable fungicides.

Possible difficulties

With the right care tropical beauty Gloxinia can live up to 10 years, delighting its owners with colorful flowering. Moreover, the older and more developed the plant, the more flowers it will have. Sometimes their number reaches 50 pieces!

• Gloxinia leaves have brown spots - this indicates that water has entered them, as well as the use of too cold water for irrigation.
• Gloxinia leaves turn yellow - a sign of dry or too humid air, direct sunlight or an excess of fertilizer.
• Gloxinia leaves curl - this happens with excessive feeding and when exposed to drafts.
• Elongated pale leaves are a sign of a lack of lighting.
• Plaque gray color on flowers and leaves - this indicates the defeat of the plant with gray rot.
• The flowers remain hidden under the leaves - this happens when the daylight hours are short or the temperature is too low.

One of the most important points in the development of gloxinia there is a dormant period, because thanks to this the plant can delight with its colorful flowering every year. A flower that has rested and gained strength has more flower stalks, and the flowering itself lasts longer.

When does gloxinia go on vacation?

A dormant period is not required for all gloxinia. Young and small nodules still do not need it, but the bushes that have already produced flower stalks and have reached adult size go to rest for the winter.

Tubers that have reached a diameter of more than 2 cm, and which are more than a year old, hibernate at the end of October or November.

How to understand that gloxinia is preparing for a dormant period?

The fact that the flower wants to take a break can be understood by its appearance:

• at healthy plant the lower leaves gradually dry out;
• over time, the entire aerial part of the flower dries up.

Drying out as a transitional stage of preparation for winter can take place even if there are flower stalks on the bush. They may never have time to bloom, but this is not scary - the flower simply did not calculate its strength and threw out the flower stalks too late.

You can not cut off the remaining green top of the bush - it should dry out on its own. So all the nutrients from the green leaves pass into the tuber, and the flower gains strength before wintering.

How to prepare a flower for a dormant period?

As soon as gloxinia shows external signs of falling asleep, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering and completely eliminate top dressing.

Since the bright light will only interfere with the plant now, the pot must be removed from the windowsill and placed in a darker place.

How to store tubers in winter?

When the gloxinia is completely dry (its green part), it's time to start sending the tuber for storage.

There are two ways to store nodules in winter:

1. Directly in the pot without taking them out of the soil. Cut dry leaves and stems with scissors, leaving a small stump. Lightly moisten the ground and cover the flowerpot with a bag, tying it tightly. Remove the bag once a month to check the soil and re-moisten the soil if necessary, watering only around the edge of the pot.
2. In a bag of peat. Carefully remove the tuber, wash it, getting rid of the remnants of the earth. Be sure to let it dry. Pour a little peat into the bag and put the tuber on top. Spray a little with water and close the bag tightly.

Where to store tubers?

Prepared gloxinia tubers should be stored in a dark and cool room. Maximum temperature in the room should be 15 degrees Celsius, and the minimum - not lower than 5 degrees.

Love to grow beautiful, showy flowers? Then Gloxinia is perfect for you. Care at home for her is not very difficult. You need to know only a few nuances. But the look of her flowers is simply gorgeous. This plant seems to be created to decorate the home interior.

Getting to know the flower

Gloxinia, also known as syningia, belongs to the Gesneriaceae family. motherland cultivars grown everywhere - the Andes, the upper reaches of the Amazon. Here they grow on rocky slopes, sometimes on very steep ones, clinging to them with their roots.

What is interesting about the gloxinia flower? Caring for it involves a dormant period when only the tuber hibernates. This is due to the climate of the places of growth of Gesneriaceae. wet and warm in summer, dry and moderately cool in winter.

Video about growing and caring for gloxinia

There were cases when people bought young plants of syningia. They bloomed beautifully, delighting their owners with their appearance, but died off in the fall, preparing for a dry winter, as expected. However, the owners exotic flowers due to lack of information about the physiology of the Gesneriaceae, it was believed that the plant died. And the remnants of the roots - tubers were thrown away. What a disappointment it was when it turned out that it was just hibernation. In order to avoid such mistakes, we will carefully study the home agricultural technology of gloxinia.

Lighting

It is best to grow it on windows facing the west or southwest. For north windows it is sometimes required additional illumination, for example fluorescent lamps soft light, especially in winter. For the south you will need a slight blackout. Frosted glass is best here.

photo of gloxinia

You can also apply a tint film on the windows, which is used by motorists. Just pick one that transmits light, just slightly diffuses, and does not arrange twilight in the room. The fact is that the wild relatives of gloxinia love sparse rainforests, preferring to avoid both open space, where everything is fried under the southern sun, and the twilight of the Amazonian Selva.

Watering

Our flowering tuber loves moderation in everything. So watering cannot be organized according to the principle: there is never too much water. Watering should be based on temperature conditions. In summer, in hot, dry weather, water more often and more abundantly. In winter, watering is significantly reduced. This is also designed not only to maintain soil hydrobalance, but also to comply with natural conditions. Where cultural gloxinia comes from, much more precipitation falls in hot summers than during a pronounced dormant period in winter. Again, when watering flowers, see that the next watering is done when upper layer the soil in the pot will dry out slightly. The plant can tolerate relative dryness, for this it has a reserve of moisture in the tuber. But waterlogging is fraught with the development of putrefactive processes of the tuber and the lower part of the stem.

In the photo gloxinia

Water with water warmer than temperature environment. This ensures its better absorption by the capillaries of the roots. Also make sure that the water is of low hardness. Its pH is preferably neutral. If you use tap water, then you need to defend it for a while.

Gloxinia is also demanding on indoor humidity. Especially in summer. Spray it every week with a spray bottle.

All about soil

• 2 parts of leaf humus;
• 2 hours of meadow black soil;
• 1 hour peat;
• 1 hour gray river sand.

This composition provides lightness and nutritional value of the soil. Do not forget to sterilize the soil before planting our tubers there. Sand needs to be calcined, scattering a small layer on a sheet in the oven. The soil can be steamed. To do this, pour it into an enameled bucket, pour a liter of water, close the lid, put on a slow fire. Thus, almost all possible pathogenic microflora, brought by us from fields and forests, perishes.

However, with such a tough heat treatment most of the useful soil microflora. The substrate practically becomes lifeless, which is why the applied fertilizers will be absorbed little. For these purposes, we enrich the soil with mixtures consisting of effective microorganisms. These drugs in a variety can be bought at flower shops or ordered. Such organisms colonize your substrate, thereby recreating the natural microflora, but without harmful microbes. This method is costly in terms of time and effort, but extremely effective.

Interesting idea to mix soil with hydroponics. This is very convenient for maintaining a stable soil moisture, helps to increase its aeration, assimilation nutrients. The hydrogel works like a sponge. During watering, it absorbs moisture, swelling. And then, as the soil surrounding it dries out, it gradually releases what has been absorbed. Thus, the roots do not suffer from stressful conditions caused by either strong moisture or excessive drying. Hydrogel is better to use German, French or Russian. Sold as a dry concentrate, which is a small granules. Take it large volumes, it's profitable.

One kilogram of dry hydrogel can absorb 300 liters of water.

We dilute it with water, wait a few hours, when it is well saturated. Can be immediately filled with liquid fertilizer complexes. You will get jelly-like little pieces. We mix them with the soil at the rate of one to two, no more. Everything, our modern substrate is ready. Now you can not be afraid that you will forget to water the plants on time, as the soil will contain additional source moisture. Drying with insufficient moisture, the hydrogel shrinks to its original size. But then it immediately recovers, absorbing moisture with its new arrival.

Let's start from the end, that is, from preparation for wintering, because this is the most crucial moment in caring for our ward.

Monsoon character natural conditions growth indicates that the plant needs a dormant period every year. It sheds leaves in autumn, most of the roots die off. Only the tuber remains, due to which gloxinia survives the winter calm.

Autumn care for gloxinia after active vegetation is as follows:

1. Gradually reduce watering to zero. If you use hydrogel as part of the substrate, you can stop watering immediately. The remaining moisture will be absorbed from the hydroponics by the roots until its supply is completely depleted.
2. We stop feeding at the same time as watering - from mid-September.
3. Do not use hydroponics - reduce watering gradually, you still do not have a cactus.
4. The wintering plant is either not removed from the pot, or stored in the lower vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

The first option is simpler, but not possible in all apartments. Cool dark pantries or insulated cellars that remain relatively cool in winter are best suited for this. Optimal conditions for wintering: coolness 5-15 ° C, light humidity, darkness.

In the photo gloxinia on the windowsill

Housing conditions dictate the following actions for caring for gloxinia:

1. From mid-September, we reduce watering, we exclude top dressing;
2. After the leaves dry, cut with a sharp knife, leave about a centimeter from the ground;
3. After two weeks, we take it out of the soil, clean it from lumps of soil, remnants of the roots. We put in a bag with slightly damp sand;
4. All this, not tightly closing, is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator;
5. Periodically we take out a bag with tubers, check for festering, moisten as needed. We keep it this way until spring.
6. Found putrefactive processes, carefully cut to a healthy tissue. The cut point must be disinfected, preferably with crushed charcoal. We let it dry a little, after which we again send it to winter.
7. Our tubers wake up in the spring from late February to mid-April.

Photo of gloxinia

Care after waking up from winter sleep

So, the beginning of the growing season. When shoots appeared, we extract, clean from sand, wash the tubers under running water. You can make them a short-term bath from a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Especially if there was rotting or rotting in the winter, or if you are planting a purchased tuber for the first time, then such dressing is required. Use medicines containing fludioxonil.

We prepare the above described substrate. We pour expanded clay, soil. Fill half the pot. We put a tuber in the center. We fall asleep so that the place where the sprouts came from peeks out above the surface. This will prevent decay. Subsequently, we add earth so that the tuber completely disappears under the ground.

Water often, but in moderation. After two or three weeks from planting, we begin to feed. Gloxinia differs little from other flowers in terms of preferences for fertilizers. Responds well to nitrogen compounds.

Basic feeds:

• Before flowering, we give mainly nitrogen, alternating with small doses of potash and phosphorus compounds.
• Shortly before and during flowering, we increase the dose of phosphorus, reducing nitrogen. Phosphorus promotes good development peduncles.
• After the first flowering, we focus on potash fertilizers. They help the tuber to ripen better, stock up on nutrients.

In addition to the main ones, we give complex trace elements. It is better to fertilize more often, using a weaker concentration of dressings. About twice a month. Do not water dry soil. This can lead to root burns. So we fertilize after watering.

We follow temperature regime. In summer, gloxinia loves warmth, but it does not tolerate heat and stuffiness well. Likes airing, but intolerant of drafts. Most optimum temperature for spring-summer growth syningia +25 degrees.

Often in the summer the air in the apartment is too dry for flowers. It can also depress flowers. We spray them in the evening or when the sun goes to the other side of the house. We use warm, about forty degrees, water. It is desirable that the spray gun sprays moisture like mist, and does not pour in small streams.

Bloom

Flowers are the main decorative value. From the beginning of growth, green shoots develop from overwintered tubers until mid-May, and a peduncle is laid. Usually flowering is long, long. But it happens that by the end of June the gloxinia has faded. What to do to make the plant bloom again. After all, before the dormant period is still more than three months.

After the flowers wither, we cut the stem a little higher than the first pair of leaves. We give additional top dressing, increasing the dose of nitrogen fertilizers. This is to stimulate the growth of a new peduncle. After some time, several small shoots begin to grow from the place of the cut. We leave a couple of the strongest. Soon after, they open their buds. The second bloom time is shorter than the first one. But the flowers are smaller, less bright.

Video about gloxinia care

It often happens that after the first flowering, side shoots form near the ground itself. Then we completely cut off the old stem, let the most powerful grow from the stepchildren. It will bloom very soon.

And there are varieties of gloxinia that bloom twice without any pruning. As well as those that are generally not capable of re-blooming, no matter how you stimulate them to do so. And caring for gloxinia after flowering consists in timely watering, spraying, continuing top dressing, but already excluding nitrogen fertilizers. Now she is already accumulating strength for winter sleep.

Thanks to original flowers bell-shaped sinningia has firmly won a place among the most spectacular flowering houseplants. Its more familiar name is gloxinia. Care at home will require some skill and accuracy. But this flower does not set difficult requirements for its owners, but for proper care and attention thanks to the abundant and long flowering.

Gloxinia flower is one of the representatives of the numerous Gesneriaceae family. The botanical name is inspired by the German Glocke, which means "bell". The flower received its second name, sinningia, in honor of the German botanist W. Sinning. Previously, it was used exclusively to refer to tuberous forms, while the former was used more widely and included tuberless varieties. Today, both names are equivalent.

Gloxinia is a herbaceous perennial that "came" to our window sills from tropical Brazil. Most varieties have a tuber, in young age beige, darkening to Brown color; in some natural forms, it is replaced by a scaly rhizome. The stem is juicy, erect, covered with sparse hairs. Leaves are ovate, velvety, dark green; thanks to the prominent veins, they look “quilted”. They are located opposite. The size of the leaf plate depends on the variety and can reach 20 cm. Occasionally there are forms with hairless leaves.

Flowers are bell-shaped; color, size and degree of doubleness depend on the variety and are distinguished by an enviable variety. The petals are usually unevenly colored: the pharynx is lighter than the edges. It can be painted whitish or yellowish even with dark petals; sometimes additionally “decorated” with speckles or strokes of a darker shade. Peduncles solitary, formed in the axils. Easily pollinated. The seeds are small.

Common varieties

There are many varieties of gloxinia given to us by nature. AT indoor floriculture two of them took root: royal gloxinia (Gloxinia regina) and beautiful gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa). Thanks to active breeding work, many varieties and hybrids have appeared within each species.

By size, gloxinia are divided into standard (25-35 cm), compact (15-25 cm), miniature (5-15 cm) and microminiature species (5 cm or less). For example, the popular gloxinia Avanti is a series of hybrids with compact, not prone to stretching, and at the same time profusely flowering bushes.

According to the arrangement of the petals in the bud, gloxinia is divided into terry and simple. Gloxinia terry is more attractive, but it is more difficult for her to open buds. Due to demand, more and more terry varieties appear. For example, the Negress, which is distinguished by the rich purple color of the petals. Among the white terry varieties, the large-flowered High Light and the marshmallow-pink Triumph Tender are remembered.

Gloxinia Yesenia, a standard Dutch hybrid with raspberry-colored petals, which has become widespread, also boasts a large double flower. Not inferior in beauty and popularity and simple varieties. For example, gloxinia Kaiser Wilhelm with dark purple petals, bordered by a clear white stripe. Gloxinia Rosalind does not lose ground - a variety with simple snow-white petals, bordered by a wide crimson stripe.

According to the color of the petals, monophonic, chintz and tiger gloxinia are distinguished. Gloxinia Madonna - an example of a solid color - a large-flowered snow-white plant. Gloxinia Empress can be attributed to chintz - a variety popular in indoor floriculture with simple flower. Its white petals are covered with small purple dots. Another chintz gloxinia, Zaznoba, is decorated with a larger speck. Gloxinia Shagane is an example of a brindle coloration. In addition to the speck, it has a wide strip along the edge of the petals.

Distinguish gloxinia and in shape flower buds, highlighting cup-shaped, tubular, funnel-shaped, gramophones and unusual shoe-shaped tides. Among the variety of varieties, everyone will be able to choose a suitable "pet".

How to care for gloxinia

Caring for gloxinia at home is simple, it is enough to clearly follow the rules of agricultural technology; but they require attention. Surprisingly, even in ideal conditions a plant that is rarely approached develops worse. But the proud Brazilian beauty perceives love and care with “gratitude”.

Lighting

For optimal care for synningia, bright but diffused light is required. Moreover, the intensity of illumination affects only appearance bush. On the western and east side the stem will be thicker and the internodes shorter, respectively, the plant will be more compact.

A thinner stem is formed on the northern windows, drooping under the weight of leaves and buds, leaves are laid less often: in this case, gloxinia will need a backup. You can form a bush by pinching the growth point at the desired height: this procedure will make it more lush and compact, but will delay flowering for a month and a half. On window sills of southern orientation, without shading, sinningia feels uncomfortable.

Buds, regardless of the location of the pot, are laid when the duration daylight hours reaches 12 hours. For some varieties, 10 hours is enough. That's why experienced growers organize additional lighting for their colors with the help of fluorescent or LED lamps, artificially prolonging the daylight hours and simulating the laying of buds.

Temperature and humidity

Like other indoor flowers that came to us from the tropics, gloxinia is thermophilic. Optimal range to care for her - 20-25 degrees. The lower limit of endurance is 17 degrees. The plant tolerates the period of summer heat calmly, but it has a negative attitude to temperature changes. Do not like gloxinia also drafts and wind. Therefore, this representative of the Gesneriaceae family cannot be taken out into the open air: even if she survives, she will not be able to restore her appearance this season.

Gloxinia is quite suitable for the humidity of the air in our apartments, therefore additional measures on its increase is not accepted.

How to water gloxinia

Gloxinia care involves moderate watering without waterlogging or overdrying the earthy coma. In the first case, the tuber rots, in the second, the leaves wither and flowering stops. The main guideline is the top layer of soil - it should dry out between waterings. Sinningia tolerates light drying better, so if you are not sure if it has dried out enough, wait another day. It is better for novice flower growers to add water more often, but little by little.

Gloxinia can be watered both from above and below. With the first method, it is easier to control the amount of moisture that the soil will “take”; the second method allows you to avoid droplets on the leaves and tuber.

Don't forget to drain excess water from the pallet! During the dormant period, watering is not required - it is enough to spray the soil from a spray gun once a month.

Fertilization

Gloxinia is quite "gluttonous": full flowering does not occur until the tuber accumulates required amount nutrients. During the growing season, top dressing of gloxinia is carried out every two weeks, after the appearance of peduncles - once every 10 days. Moreover, during the active set of green mass, additives with a predominant content of nitrogen and potassium are used; after laying buds, the plant needs more phosphorus. The concentration indicated on the package is halved. Top dressing begins 2 weeks after planting the tuber and stops as soon as it begins to prepare for rest.

Post-Purchase Care

Gloxinia care after purchase may be different depending on the goals. Gloxinia tubers grown in industrial greenhouses, forcibly "output" to abundant flowering using hormones. Spending all the energy on the formation of more and more buds, the plant either dies immediately after flowering, or goes to rest and does not wake up. Synningia usually gives fewer flowers while conserving strength.

If you want to enjoy flowering as long as possible, the bush is watered and fertilized in the usual way. If your task is to preserve the variety in the long term, it is better to remove the flower stalks and replace the substrate with a more nutritious one. In the process of transplanting, the tuber is carefully examined for the presence of gils; upon detection damaged areas are cut out, the wounds are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

During and after flowering

Gloxinia blooms in spring and summer. Specific dates for laying buds depend on the variety and variety.

During flowering it is important:

1. Carefully monitor to earthen clod did not dry up.
2. Fertilize the plant every 10 days with flowering fertilizer.
3. Remove faded buds along with flower stalks in a timely manner: remaining on the bush, they “pull” as much strength from the plant as during flowering.

After the gloxinia has faded, it can be forced to bloom again - but only if the tuber is healthy, mature and strong. To do this, the stems are cut so that 2-3 pairs of leaves remain on each. The bush continues to be fed regularly. A second wave of buds can form on the stepsons that have appeared - they will open in the fall.

Care for gloxinia after flowering is minimal: during this period they reduce, and then completely stop feeding. The leaves of the plant turn yellow and wither, giving the accumulated nutrients to the tuber. You don't need to cut them. Sinningia drinks less water: they continue to water it little by little until the aerial part dies off completely.

rest period

After the tuber has fallen asleep, it can be left in the same pot, which is cleaned in a dark, cool place. Some growers prefer to extract it from the old soil and place it in sawdust or coconut fiber. Regardless of the option chosen, the substrate is slightly moistened from a spray bottle once a month. For a good rest of sinningia, three months is enough. Young plants in the first year of life are not allowed to fall asleep - their nodules are too weak and will not be able to wake up! They continue to be watered and fed as usual throughout the winter.

Reproduction of gloxinia

Reproduction of gloxinia at home is not difficult. You can get young plants vegetatively (top or leaf cuttings, flower stalks), seeds and tuber division.

Among other methods of propagation of gloxinia, vegetative is preferable. Children obtained in this way bloom within six months and retain the flower color characteristic of the mother plant. Some features (for example, the compactness of the Avanti gloxinia bush) are preserved only when the gloxinia is propagated by a peduncle.

Reproduction of gloxinia leaf:

1. A healthy leaf is cut off.
2. If you plan to plant it as a whole, the cutting is cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
3. When planting by the toaster method, the sheet plate is cut into several parts so that there are several veins on each segment along the cut line - they will release the children.
4. The planting material is dried, the places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
5. For planting use a mixture of peat, perlite, vermiculite and sand (3:1:1:1:1), planting material deepen by 1 cm, watered abundantly.
6. You can wait for the roots to appear in the water, but in this case, the planting material rots more often.
7. The containers are placed in greenhouses, regularly ventilated and watered.
8. After 1.5-2 months, babies appear.
9. The young are seated individual containers in the phase of two true leaves.

When propagating gloxinia with a cutting, the upper part of the stem with 2-4 leaves is cut off, and sits down as in the first method. To root the peduncle, its base is additionally treated with root formation stimulants. The buds are removed before planting.

Growing gloxinia from seeds at home is an interesting activity. For pollination, pollen is applied to the pestle with a soft brush. You can collect it from other buds of the same plant or from synningia of other colors. In the first case, most seedlings will be similar in color to mother plant; in the second, you can get unexpected and original colors. But be prepared for the fact that most of the best varietal traits will be lost - most plants will turn out to be unattractive, especially when hybrids are pollinated.

After full ripening (about 3 months), gloxinia seeds are sown in a pre-moistened mixture of peat and sand. No need to deepen. The containers are placed in a greenhouse, if necessary, moistened from a spray bottle. Shoots dive twice, and when they reach 6-8 cm, they are seated in separate containers.

Large and strong gloxinia tubers can be divided. Do this after new shoots have hatched, using a sharp, clean knife. On each part there should be points of growth. The places of cuts must be treated with crushed charcoal; the delenki are dried and planted in the usual way.

Transfer

Gloxinia is transplanted annually after the tuber awakens. The procedure is not difficult - even beginner flower growers can easily cope with it.

Suitable soil and pot for gloxinia

The soil for gloxinia should be light, breathable, and at the same time moisture-intensive. Therefore, leafy soil, peat and sand (2:3:1) are used for the base. Peat should be low-lying or neutralized - gloxinia does not survive in acidic substrates. Perlite and vermiculite must be added to the resulting mixture to improve moisture capacity.

The root system of synningia is superficial, so the pot should be low. Like any indoor plant, gloxinia blooms only after it has completely entwined the roots with an earthen ball, so the distance between the sides of the pot and the tuber should not exceed 3-4 cm.

Step by step transplant process

For gloxinia, transplantation begins with awakening. If you plant a sleeping tuber and cover it with earth, you will have to wait a long time for sprouts from it.

The tuber is woken up as follows:

• in late February - early March, they are removed from the substrate in which he slept;
• stand for several hours in a weak solution of Fundazol;
• you can process it with Epin or Zircon;
• drainage and a layer of fresh soil are poured into the prepared container so that the tuber is subsequently buried by 1-2 cm;
• the tuber is placed on the ground, watered, covered until the right amount its sprouts are not needed;
• put the container in a warm, well-lit place;
• after the appearance of 2-3 sprouts, soil is poured so that the tuber is covered;
• after the sprouts grow up, add more earth so as to deepen the tuber a little.

Until the gloxinia tuber is covered, it is better to use bottom watering - moisture ingress on it is undesirable.

Diseases and pests

The diseases most characteristic of gloxinia are caused by various fungi. It's gray rot powdery mildew, late blight, which appear most often due to violations of agricultural technology.

The main pest of gloxinia is the cyclamen mite. When it appears, young leaves are deformed, do not grow to the right sizes. The plant is treated with acaricides (Neoron, Kleschevit, Fitoverm) at least three times. Sometimes gloxinia is affected by thrips - they are interested in pollen. It is not difficult to notice these pests - they are small black bugs with a forked tail. To get rid of using systemic insecticides (Fufanon, Aktara); all flower stalks without fail are removed.

Potential Growing Problems

When caring for gloxinia, it is important to follow all the rules of agricultural technology. Their disturbances appear external signs. If they are not eliminated in time, the plant may die.

Gloxinia is a popular indoor flower among flower growers. flowering plant. It won love with its amazing beauty, which gracefully fits into every interior. This flower conquers everyone with its amazing and unique brightness, sophistication.

Gloxinia. Appearance

A houseplant is a perennial that has tuberous rhizome. The stalk of gloxinia is short with large succulent leaves in the form of an oval, and a juicy green color. The flowers are bell-shaped, large enough, arranged on long stalks. Their structure can be terry, semi-double and even with wavy petals. The flowers have a different monochromatic color, as well as with different color transitions. Gloxinia, or, as it is called in another way, synningia, has enough large variety varieties that differ in the size of the flowers and their color, in the height of the stem, in the color of the leaves. Most popular varieties home flower:

• Gloxinia Avanti differs from other varieties in its large flowers of bright colors, blooming together. The leaves of this synningia are dense and relatively small.
• Gloxinia Hollywood is widely known for its large uniform purple flowers.
• gloxinia Brokada - it's easy perfect gift for the florist. Sinningia of this variety with a low stem and beautiful double flowers. So that after the acquisition the plant gives pleasure to the florist with its lush bloom you need to know how to care for gloxinia at home.

How is the flower cared for?

Gloxinia. Home care

Like all indoor plants, synningia has certain care requirements that flower growers follow.

Lighting and temperature

Gloxinia, the photo of which can be admired below, loves space and diffused, but bright light, which should last at least 14 hours for her (for this, you can additionally turn on the lamp at night daylight). To find out if our beauty has enough light, you need to pay attention to her leaves: if they are located horizontally, then there is enough, and if they stretch upwards (towards the light), then there is a lack of it. But we must remember that the direct rays of the sun falling on a houseplant can destroy it.

Gloxinia is afraid of drafts, therefore, putting a home flower on the windowsill, you can not open windows often. Sinningia does not need to be sprayed, because this home flower will not tolerate moisture on the leaves. But at the same time, a houseplant needs high humidity, this can be achieved by leaving a container of water on the windowsill next to a pot of gloxinia.

During the period of growth and flowering for synnengia room temperature required only in winter when home plant is at rest, it is necessary to provide a temperature of about 10 0C. If you look at the leaves, you can determine the problems of the plant (if any). Signs by which gloxinia show their temperature preference:

• if the leaves are omitted, then the houseplant is cold;
• if the leaves are raised up, then this is an overheating of the home flower.

Therefore, when a problem is found, it must be fixed.

Synningia blooms in May-June. When this period ends, the stems and leaves should be removed from the houseplant, leaving only the bottom 2 or 4. Then stepchildren will appear in the axils of this pet, only a couple of resistant ones should be left, and the rest should be removed.

Watering gloxinia

It is necessary to moisten synningia with slightly warmer water. room temperature. During the growing season of the plant, watering should be carried out in a saucer or from above, but at the same time, so that drops of water did not fall on leaves and flowers. Water only when the top layer of soil is dry. By the end of summer, it is required to water less often, so that by mid-autumn the synningia enters a state of rest.

Top dressing gloxinia

The main rule for growing this plant is that an excess of fertilizer will do more harm than a lack of it. Gloxinia is fertilized once every 10 days with a specialized complex.

In preparing a home flower for a dormant state, the plant should not be fed. If you do not carry out top dressing at all, then the flowering will be short and small, and the colors will become pale.

After a dormant period, a houseplant can be fertilized with special mixtures for rapid growth, during the flowering period of synningia fertilize to improve flower quality.

Gloxinia transplant

Care should be taken more carefully after a period of rest, as a rule, this occurs at the end of winter. A houseplant needs to be repotted once a year. It is better to purchase the soil in special stores or prepare it yourself from leafy soil, humus, in a ratio of 2: 1, respectively. When transplanting, you need to take a container for a home flower larger than before, lay drainage there, as well as a layer of soil mixture, and then shift the earthen ball with gloxinia, sprinkled with soil, tamp. Synningia should be transplanted carefully so that the tubers are only half in the ground.

Gloxinia. reproduction

Houseplant can be propagated different ways, which are quite numerous. But the choice of method primarily depends on the variety of synningia. Therefore, when purchasing a houseplant, it is necessary to recognize its variety, so that later it can be propagated with high quality. Methods for propagating room gloxinia:

Reproduction by seeds.

In special stalls you can buy any variety of room gloxinia. It is better to choose seeds in granules for self-planting. The packaging will say when they will germinate, but it is usually 4 to 6 months. And if sowing will be carried out in winter, then even more - up to 10 months.

For sowing gloxinia seeds, you can use ready-made greenhouses or make them yourself. To do this, you need to take a deep container with a lid, you need to put it there and soak the peat tablets, distributing the granules over them. To ensure ventilation of the seeds, it is necessary to make a couple of holes in the lid. Then put the finished greenhouse in a warm, well-lit room. The temperature of this room should be approximately 23°C. Moisten the soil only as needed. After the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to wait until they get stronger so that they can be planted in a permanent container.

leaf reproduction.

For self breeding gloxinia leaf, you need to take the most little leaf and cut along the thickest veins, cut the petiole, leaving no more than 2 cm. For these manipulations, it is better to take a tool with sharp blade so that the leaves do not rot. This prepared material should be planted in a container with moist soil, covered with a film until the first leaves appear.

Reproduction by tubers.

This type of reproduction is quite painful for the plant, so it is carried out extremely rarely. A healthy tuber is chosen; if rot is found on the tuber, it must be cut off. Then cut them up and treat them with charcoal for disinfection. Each of the pieces of tubers should have a process. Then these tubers are planted in containers with moist soil.

Reproduction by peduncles.

After the flowering period is over, the flower stalk must be cut off from the plant and placed in a container with water for the roots to appear. Then, too, land in moist soil and cover with a film.

Reproduction by stepchildren.

Place the shoot in water for the appearance of roots, then plant it in the ground.

Reproduction by cuttings

This is the most elementary and fairly popular way of propagating home synningia. During the formation of buds, you need to take a leaf cutting, somewhere 4 cm no more. If the leaf is wilted, then to restore it, it must be lowered into water, then put in boiled water with a temperature of up to 25 0C. Then, as in the previous methods, place it in loose, moist soil. A month later, the appearance of a tuber is already possible.

Problems in growing synningia

Having considered home care for gloxinia, reproduction, it must be remembered that, like any houseplant, it can destroy various diseases.

Diseases and pests of synningia

Gray rot is the most well-known disease that appears on synningia due to improper care. Signs of its appearance are brown spots on the leaves of a houseplant. When treating, it is necessary to remove damaged leaf fragments and treat with a fungicide.

root rot. It is also quite common on indoor syningia. Signs of this disease appear on the roots of the home flower, they turn brown and the stem may rot at its base. The reason for the appearance on gloxinia is excessive watering or the water that moistened the soil was cold enough.

Black leg, late blight - these diseases are also detrimental to synningia. To do this, as a preventive measure, a houseplant should be treated with phytosporin preparations. If the disease has already manifested itself, then the home flower should be treated with a drug - fundazol.

Cyclamen mites. Unfortunately, these mites are difficult to detect on gloxinia. But, if there is a deformation and thickening of the leaves wrapped down, dried tops of the shoots, wilted buds, then these are all clear signs of their presence on a houseplant.

Thrips. They can be found on gloxinia by light dots, spots that appear on its leaves. If they are not removed, they will dry out. In order not to destroy the indoor plant, it is necessary to transplant it by replacing the soil and treating the home flower with insecticides.

To avoid damage or death of gloxinia as a result of damage by pests or diseases, it is necessary to carefully examine the flower for damage and promptly recognize the cause of their appearance.

Problems with growing gloxinia and their solution

There are also such phenomena:

Sinningia can be safely called a fairly unpretentious home flower. Caring for gloxinia at home is quite simple, but there are some features that flower growers need to follow. And with due attention, the beautifully flowering gloxinia will smell fragrant on the windowsill of any living space.

Gloxinia care at home