Rules for growing and caring for poinsettia at home, how to prune
Caring for Poisentia at home interests many people. This beautiful ornamental plant is often called the Christmas star, because it blooms during the New Year holidays. In order for the culture to retain its decorative properties as long as possible, it must receive full care. It should include timely pruning, watering and fertilizing. Crop protection against diseases and pests is of great importance.
Description and characteristics
This plant is also called the most beautiful milkweed. It belongs to the Euphorbia family. The flower grows naturally in Mexico and Central America. This culture belongs to evergreen shrubs. In the tropics it grows up to 4 meters.
When growing a house, the height of the poinsettia does not exceed 30-50 centimeters. The plant is characterized by dark green elliptical leaves.The culture also has light yellow flowers, around which bright red bracts form.
The efforts of breeders led to the creation of plants with white, yellow, pink bracts. The two-tone color is very impressive.
Varieties
Today, many varieties of poinsettia are known, each of which has certain characteristics.
Premium Red
It is a classic flower that has bright red bracts. In the middle, the flowers are yellow. The plant is characterized by pointed leaves.
Cortez burgundy
This variety was named after the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez, who conquered Mexico. The bracts of the plant are purple in color.
Cortez red
This plant is characterized by scarlet apical leaves. The bracts are covered with dark green veins.
Miro Premium
This plant is characterized by white-pink bracts. It has interesting crinkle leaves.
white star
This plant is characterized by dull green flower stalks with a pearly hue. The bracts are characterized by a champagne shade.
Pink Cortez
The culture has pink leaves. In the middle, the bracts become softer and lighter.
Home care rules
In order for the plant to develop fully and bloom abundantly, it must receive quality care.
Seat selection
The poinsettia needs well-lit areas without drafts. In the summer, it is recommended to take the flower to fresh air. If this is not possible, the room with the plant should be systematically ventilated.
Lighting and temperature conditions
Culture needs good lighting. Therefore, it is placed on sunny windowsills. In winter, there is often a lack of lighting. This causes the leaves to drop.Additional artificial lighting of the culture will help to avoid this. In the fall, before the start of flowering, the day length is reduced. Culture needs a constant temperature of +18 degrees. The flower can be + 18-25 degrees. During flowering, the indicator should not be lower than +14 degrees.
During the rest period, it is worth maintaining the parameters + 12-14 degrees.
Ambient humidity
Excessive dryness of the air can be the cause of the violation of the development of poinsettia. Insufficient moisture often leads to leaf drop. In addition, high temperatures and low humidity lead to active reproduction of red mites. A continuous spray of lukewarm water increases humidity and helps control pests.
watering mode
In summer, the culture needs frequent watering. In winter, after flowering is over, it is rarely recommended to moisten the soil. It is forbidden to use cold water for irrigation. Do not over-wet the soil, as this will lead to root rot.
top dresser
Mineral fertilizers are applied every 14 days. This is done from spring to fall. In the summer, it is worth adding a complex composition or using a solution of mullein. With the onset of flowering, the need for potash compounds increases.
Size
The plant is characterized by rapid development. To prevent it from getting too large, it is recommended to cut short after flowering. In this case, it is necessary to leave stems measuring 10 centimeters.
Flowering characteristics
For a culture to fully flourish, it must be properly maintained. In the second half of March, the stems should be shortened by 30%, and the plant should be moved to a pot with a high-quality drainage layer.The substrate should include leafy earth, sod, compost, sand and peat. These components are mixed in equal parts.
Transfer
It is recommended to replant the flower every year. The procedure should be carried out in the spring. In March, the stems should be cut and the plant should be kept warm. When leaves appear, the crop is moved to a larger pot. When new shoots form, it is worth leaving 5-6 of the strongest branches.
Dormant period
At the end of September, it is recommended to reduce the sunshine duration to 10 hours. After 8 weeks, the plant is moved to a dark place or covered with a cloth. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve the formation of buds. Also, this procedure stimulates the coloring of the bracts.
Post-flowering care
For 2.5 months after the end of flowering, it is recommended to gradually reduce watering. It is recommended to moisten the soil only after complete drying.
the reproduction
It is recommended to propagate poinsettia by cuttings. The procedure is carried out in spring and summer. The shoots contain a milky juice. Therefore, they must be immersed in hot water. Then the cuttings are dried and planted in a composition of sand and peat.
Diseases and pests
Sometimes the flower is faced with the development of diseases and pest attacks. In such a situation, you must act immediately.
Spider
These small red insects cause spots on the leaves. Usually the pests start in conditions of insufficient humidity. A soap solution will help to cope with it.
cochineal
This pest secretes white mucus.As a result, a white flower appears on the bush, the leaves turn yellow. The reason for the reproduction of pests is high temperature or excess nitrogen fertilization.
To cope with pests, the bush is treated with a solution of alcohol and soap.
Shield
When these insects appear, the development of the plant is disturbed. To cope with pests, it is recommended to wipe the leaves with soapy water. The adults are harvested by hand.
Thrips
When attacked by these small pests, the leaves turn silvery white and become covered with beige dots. Aktara, Fitoverm help to cope with thrips. You can also use an infusion of onion or garlic.
gray rot
With the development of this pathology, the leaves become covered with gray-white spots. The fungal infection spreads rapidly, resulting in drought and crop death. Preparations Skor, Oxyhom, liquid Bordeaux help to cope with pathology.
Powdery mildew
With the development of this pathology, a white bloom appears on the surface of the plant. After some time, white spots affect the whole plant, which leads to the death of the flower. Fitosporin M. helps to cope with powdery mildew.
Fusarium
This disease is accompanied by the appearance of watery patches on the leaves and black rings on the cuttings of the shoots. The affected plant dries out quickly. With a minor lesion, it is enough to transplant the bush. In difficult cases, the drugs Previkur, Maxim are used.
Possible problems and their solutions when growing
When growing poinsettia, there is a risk of various problems. To deal with it, you need to establish the provoking factor of the violation.
The leaves are turning yellow
If the plant is in a cool room and there is excessive moisture in the soil, root rot occurs. This causes yellowing of the foliage. Also, the causes of problems are caused by high air humidity, which leads to the active reproduction of spider mites. Pests often cause yellow foliage.
Falling foliage
Poinsettia leaves fall when the air is dry, low temperature, excessive moisture in the soil. In addition, insufficient watering of the culture leads to the appearance of this problem. Leaf fall is observed in preparation for the dormant period. Sometimes the reason for this phenomenon is strong temperature fluctuations and lack of lighting.
does not bloom
The lack of flowering is associated with a violation of the rules of crop care. In order for a plant to begin flowering, it must first of all provide the correct temperature regime and the optimal duration of sunshine.
Additional tips and tricks
For the poinsettia to develop normally, the following recommendations should be followed:
- When the leaves fall, it is recommended to reduce the number of waterings so that the soil becomes almost dry. You also need to stop fertilizing and cut the stems at a height of 15 centimeters. It is recommended to move the plant to a warm, cool place and provide it with a dormant period until May.
- In May, to stimulate development, it is worth placing the flower in a well-lit place and starting to moisten the soil and apply fertilizers. When the plant begins to grow, it must be moved to new soil.
- At the beginning of October, it is worth putting the flower in a closet or box for 14 hours. This will help stimulate bud formation.
- When the bracts open, it is worth providing the culture with proper care.
The poinsettia is a popular ornamental plant that can decorate any home. In order for a culture to develop fully and flourish as long as possible, it must be properly maintained. To do this, water, cut and feed the flower in time. Protection against dangerous fungal infections and insect pest attacks is also important.