Planting and caring for myrtle at home, rules of cultivation

Proper care of myrtle at home allows you to achieve excellent results in the cultivation of this culture. With timely watering, fertilizing and pruning, you can get a strong and viable plant. In order for a culture to develop fully, it is necessary to provide it with high-quality protection against pathologies and pests. Not of less importance is the creation of suitable conditions for the plant.

Description and characteristics of the plant

According to various estimates, there are from 40 to 100 varieties of myrtle. In nature, the culture reaches 3 meters. An indoor flower usually does not exceed 1 meter. The houseplant is a small myrtle that has a rounded crown and reaches 30-60 centimeters in height.

The plant is characterized by small leathery leaves, which are attached to the branches with short petioles. The culture has elongated leaves with a pointed tip. The flowers are single or double. They grow one at a time or form a brush. The fruits come in the form of berries or nuts.

How to take care

To ensure the full development of myrtle, you need to choose the right care for him. It must be complete.

Lighting and site selection

A houseplant requires a lot of bright lighting. He must be distracted. It is important to place the flowerpot on the west or east side. If you place the flower in the north, abundant flowering should not be expected. When placing a flower in the south, it should be shaded from the sun. In summer, cultivation can be done outdoors. It is recommended to choose a place for her that will be protected from the scorching sun. Myrtle should be adapted to soft saturated lighting.

Temperature regime

Keep the bush in a cool place in spring and summer. The temperature should be + 18-20 degrees. The plant poorly perceives hot weather. In winter, myrtle should be kept cool. The temperature should not exceed +10 degrees. The tree feels even better at +5 degrees. If the bush is warm in winter, its leaves fall off. A room with a flower should be systematically ventilated.

air humidity

Culture needs high humidity. Therefore, in spring, summer and autumn, the bush should be constantly sprayed. For this, it is recommended to use settled water. In the cold season, the bush should not be moistened.

How to water correctly

In order to properly care for the plant, first of all, it is necessary to choose the watering regime. Soft water should be used to moisten the soil. Previously, it is defended for at least a day.In spring, summer, autumn, the plant requires abundant watering. It is carried out when the top layer of soil dries up. During cold wintering, the amount of watering is reduced. It should be ensured that the earthen clod in the pot does not dry out. There should be no stagnation of liquid in the ground. If the earth is still dry, the flowerpot should be lowered into a container of water.

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Soil mix

You must plant myrtle in properly prepared soil. To do this, the pot must be filled with humus, peat, turf and sand, which are mixed in equal parts. You can also combine peat, turf, humus and sand. This is done in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5.

Top dressing and fertilization

From spring to fall, myrtle requires weekly fertilization. The drug is selected taking into account their goals. To achieve lush flowering, it is recommended to use products with a high phosphorus content.

If you plan to grow a miniature tree, nitrogen fertilizers are chosen. A universal option will be the usual complex products intended for deciduous crops.

Size and toe-in

By pruning, you can drastically change the appearance of the plant. The procedure is best done in the spring. If you make the pinching of young shoots in time, it will be possible to increase the density of the crown. This is allowed throughout the year.

It is important to trim and pinch correctly. After buying a tree, you need to decide on its shape. If the plant is not pruned in time, it will become pyramidal. If you remove the top, the crop will look like a shrub. When cutting the side shoots, it will be possible to get a lush tree.

It is important to consider that frequent pinching of myrtle will reduce the number of flowers.

pests

Quite often, myrtle encounters attacks of harmful insects. This leads to a deterioration in its development.

Aphid

These pests settle on the soiled side of the leaves and form entire colonies. As a result, wilting and drying of the leaves is observed. To combat pests, the bush should be sprayed with insecticides. Before carrying out the procedure, the flower must be rinsed with water. In this case, the crown must be lowered.

Shield

When infected with a scabbard, a sticky bloom forms on the bush. The pests absorb the juice from the leaves and cause serious damage to the myrtle. To combat pests, the leaves should be washed with soapy water, then treated with an insecticide.

Spider

This pest forms cobwebs and seriously damages the plant. To cope with pests, the culture must be treated with tobacco tincture. You can also use an insecticide.

Transfer

It is worth replanting a plant in such situations:

• after purchase;
• Once a year, for young plants;
• with an interval of 3-4 years for adult crops.

When buying a plant, it must be planted immediately in new soil. It is important to familiarize yourself with the state of the root system. If necessary, it is recommended to cut its fragments. It is important to remember the sense of proportion so as not to harm the bush.

To perform a transplant, it is worth doing the following:

1. Refuse to water the soil for several days. This will help pull the plant out of the pot without damaging its roots.
2. Take the bush, turn the pot upside down and remove the root ball.
3. Use a pointed stick to carefully remove the soil from the roots.The bush must remain rooted.
4. Treat the root system with a stimulating agent - Kornevin. This will improve the adaptation of the crop to new conditions.
5. Choose a jar. In diameter, it should be 2 times smaller than the crown of the tree.
6. Pour a layer of drainage on the bottom. It is allowed to make the floor with your own hands or buy it in a store. Spread soil over drainage.
7. Carefully place the plant in a pot and cover with soil. It is worth controlling that the neck of the bush remains above the ground.
8. Water the bush abundantly and transfer the pot to the shade.

Diseases

With constant overwatering of the plant, there is a risk of rotting of the root system and its damage by pathogenic fungi and bacteria.This is fraught with negative health consequences. Dealing with problems can be very difficult. Sometimes they cause the death of a culture.

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Bloom

To achieve lush flowering, the myrtle should be placed on the south side. In the absence of flowering against the background of compliance with the watering regime and lighting, it is worth looking for reasons. In such a situation, the following factors play a role:

1. Sudden change in lighting. If it is necessary to move the myrtle to a brighter place, it is done gently.
2. Lack of fresh air.
3. Insufficient humidity.
4. Spring pruning. This will cause increased branch development and lack of flowering. In order for the buds to appear next year, the crown should be formed in the summer, after the end of flowering. This can also be done in winter.

In order for the myrtle to bloom abundantly, it must be fed with substances containing a large amount of phosphorus. In this case, nitrogen fertilizers are not used.

If a plant is damaged by pests and diseases, it should not be expected to bloom, since all forces will be spent on survival.

Pollination of flowers is necessary to obtain seeds. In the street, insects are responsible for this. Inside it is worth carrying out the manipulation yourself using a soft brush. Ripe seeds have a dark blue tint. They are used to grow new plants.

Growing difficulties

When growing myrtle, many growers face various problems.

Stems stretch, leaves shrink and fade

When the stems are pulled vigorously, the leaves become very small. This indicates a lack of lighting.

Leaves wither, turn yellow, edges curl

If the leaves lose their tint and turn yellow and their edges curl, this indicates an excessive amount of lighting.

Falling leaves

If the leaves dry out and crumble in winter, you can suspect an increased dryness of air and temperature. The plant needs fresh air and humidity. Also, leaf fall is observed with standing water and sunburn.

Breeding methods

There are several breeding options for myrtle. Each of them has certain characteristics.

Cuttings

This is an appropriate method if the main purpose of propagating the crop is to maintain the characteristics of the parent plant. In this case, the cuttings should be cut from a healthy plant. They must be semi-lignified. To improve rooting, the cut should be treated with a special stimulating compound - for example, Kornevin. It is recommended to place the cutting in the prepared hole at an angle of 45-55 degrees and moisten the soil.

Seeds

This method is considered less effective, but it is also sometimes used. In early spring, you need to prepare the substrate by mixing peat and sand in equal parts. It is recommended to place it in boxes 8-10 centimeters thick, sow the seeds and cover with glass. The temperature should be +20 degrees. Sometimes the glass must be opened to ventilate and moisten the soil. After 2 weeks, the first shoots will appear. If there are a lot of them, the garden should be thinned out. After the appearance of at least 3 leaves, the plant should be moved to separate pots. After 1 month, nitrogen preparations are introduced in low concentration.

Medical properties

Myrtle products have a number of beneficial properties. They have an astringent effect, heal wounds and stop bleeding. Also, myrtle relieves inflammation, eliminates tumor formations, has an antitoxic effect, resists pain and viral infections. Myrtle is used to fight inflammatory processes in the digestive system.

Vegetable oil is suitable for outdoor use. It is used to treat viral infections and colds.

It is useful to be near the plant with rhinitis, tonsillitis, sore throat, flu.Myrtle secretes phytoncides, helps to fight pathogenic bacteria, to increase the overall resistance of the body. For colds, it is useful to chew the leaves of the culture. They strengthen the immune system and help to quickly eliminate the disease. Myrtle essential oil has a sedative and analgesic effect. Therefore, it is used for headaches. Also, the plant is considered a natural antibiotic.

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Kinds

Today, many varieties of myrtle are known, each of which has certain characteristics.

Ordinary

This species is characterized by a short, branched trunk covered with reddish scales. The bush has green leaves that smell nice. The flowers are white or pink. The fruits are in the form of red-black berries.

Lush

This is a bush or tree with peeling bark. The leaves are elliptical and have a dark green tint.

Hekwen

The tree is covered with shiny leaves. They are distinguished by a wrinkled edge. It is the hardiest species of myrtle.

ralph lauren

This plant is characterized by an upright shrub with pink flowers and red fruits. It has variegated leaves with a cream border.

Citric

The leaves of this plant have a pronounced lemon scent. They reach 10 centimeters in length. The flowers are white then turn yellowish.

Tarentina

It is a dwarf plant that grows quickly. The leaves do not exceed 1.5 centimeters. The bush is characterized by lush flowering.

with small leaves

It is a dwarf plant that has small leaves - 2 centimeters long. The plant reaches a maximum of 60 centimeters.

municipalities

This myrtle grows well at home. Under natural conditions, it grows up to 4 meters. The indoor bush is only 50 centimeters long. The leaves are oval and up to 5 centimeters long.

African

Sometimes there are fake myrtle species in stores. They resemble her in appearance, but do not belong to the Myrtle family. These include the Afrikana variety. It is a small tree with thin shoots and small foliage.

Bonsai style crown formation

Bonsai can be grown from myrtle. To form the necessary bends of the branches and trunk, it is worth using a thin stiff wire and stretch marks.To give the crown the desired shape, pruning is performed and part of the lower leaves are removed.

Maintenance tips and tricks

To be successful in growing myrtle, you need to carefully consider the culture when buying. In addition, the following should be considered:

1. Myrtle requires bright but diffused lighting.
2. In spring and summer, it is worth systematically applying fertilizers at intervals of 1 week. For this, complex fertilizers are used.
3. The bush needs constant leaf moisture. In winter, this procedure should not be carried out.
4. In spring and summer, you need to keep the temperature at + 18-20 degrees, in winter it is done at + 5-10 degrees.
5. There is a dormant period in winter. If the bush is located in the northern part of the room, this phase will last 3 months. If you put the culture in the southern part, then the dormant period will be 6 weeks.
6. Training pruning should be done annually, at the start of the growing season.
7. The bush can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.
8. Young bushes need annual transplantation. It is recommended to move adult cultures to a new place with an interval of 2-3 years.
9. To avoid damaging the myrtle with dangerous diseases, it is worth watering the plant properly and controlling the humidity of the air.

Myrtle is a useful plant with excellent decorative properties. To successfully grow a culture, it is necessary to provide it with quality and comprehensive care.To do this, it is recommended to water the plant properly, apply fertilizers in a timely manner and protect the plant from pests and diseases.