They love to grow thanks to it beautiful flowering. It is simply incredible in its beauty. Proper care behind the plant affects the formation of buds. They can be noticed as soon as about four pairs of leaves are formed. The number of buds is directly related to the conditions of detention and the age of the tuber. Gloxinia flowering lasts up to five months, starting in April and ending in early September.
Often the absence of luxurious flowers prompts the main question to arise, why gloxinia does not bloom. Let's try to figure this out.
What influences the lack of flowering
The main reason for the lack of flowering in gloxinia will be improper care for it. Much depends on following the basic rules for keeping a flower. The main factors influencing flowering include:
- Gloxinia tubers have become old.
- Excessive overfeeding of the tuber or its contamination.
- The presence of harmful microorganisms in the soil.
- Low illumination at high temperatures.
- Lack of fertilizing.
- Incorrect processing
- Rolling flowers
- Poor humidity
- Failure to comply with landing requirements.
If you purchased a flower with an old tuber, you can get it to bloom through good watering. It happens that the tubers receive too much fertilizer or, in the worst case, they become infected. As a result, the flower becomes weak and simply does not have enough strength to bloom.
Gloxinia can get sick because of the soil. The presence of pests in it does not allow flowering to occur. In this case, only a transplant can help. In addition, its correct composition is important. The best would be the one that includes coniferous and leaf soil, humus, sand and peat. To remove harmful microelements in the soil, it is calcined in the oven for half an hour.
The plant is demanding of good lighting, so its lack will necessarily affect the flowering of gloxinia. And if at the same time it is even overpriced temperature regime, then the flower will begin to stretch out, and will bloom much later, or may not begin at all. IN winter period for gloxinia, you can use artificial additional lighting using fluorescent lamps.
Into the soil indoor flower beneficial microelements must be supplied in sufficient quantities, so flowering will directly depend on regular fertilizing. It is also important not to overdo it, since there will be no excess fertilizer. useful flower. In any case, in a flower, both excess and deficiency will affect the lack of flowering. In addition, the foliage may turn yellow. The best fertilizers for gloxinia there will be phosphorus-potassium ones, nitrogenous ones should be avoided.
Gloxinia blooms in waves. The absence of a second wave of budding may be affected by improper processing, which is carried out after the end of the first.
If there are drafts in the room and the temperature is low, the flower buds will curl.
Gloxinia is demanding on indoor humidity. Its deficiency can delay the flowering of the plant.
Gloxinia cannot be planted in a large planting container. As a result, the tuber will begin to actively grow, and flowering will be poor. Ideal option there will be a low and wide pot of small diameter.
How to influence the flowering of gloxinia
To stimulate gloxinia to bloom, you need to take the following measures:
- after the plant has flowered, you need to cut off its stem so that the lower leaves remain on it;
- as soon as the stepchildren appear, the strongest ones are selected, the rest are necessarily removed;
- all this time the flower is fertilized to stimulate growth.
After the measures taken, buds will begin to form on the shoots. During this period, fertilizers are used for flowering plants.
Homemade gloxinia needs a period of rest, so in the fall its watering is noticeably reduced, and with it fertilizing. It is allowed to apply it once every three weeks. These actions will lead to the gradual drying of the flower. When finished, it is important to trim the gloxinia, leaving a stump of up to 2 centimeters. The pot is kept in a room with a temperature of about 15 degrees. Nice place there will be a bathroom. There the flower is placed directly under the bath and covered with film. Watering is carried out in small quantities twice a month. They do not try hard to prevent the tuber from rotting. In mid-winter, gloxinia is transplanted into new soil.
When breeding gloxinia, a common defect is a violation of the normal development of the plant, namely, when the bush takes on a disheveled shape. The shoots of the flower begin to stretch out, and the flower itself falls on its side. This creates certain inconveniences in care; in addition, the bush loses its compact appearance and may even break. What is the reason for this phenomenon and how to help the plant?
Reasons for the “disheveledness” of gloxinia
If the bush begins to lose its shape and stretch out, you don’t need to look far for the reason. Most often this occurs as a result of a violation of the conditions of detention, namely a combination of two factors:
- insufficient lighting;
- high air temperature.
This combination is typical for the winter period, when the radiators begin to work, and the duration of daylight hours is significantly reduced. It is precisely during the period when the tubers wake up that the shape of the bush is largely determined.
Gloxinia will grow lush and beautiful if you provide it with a comfortable temperature and good lighting during the period from the beginning of tuber germination to flowering.
How to prevent gloxinia from stretching?
The most suitable place for a flower is a southwestern window sill. If the pot is on a north window, it is necessary to provide the plant with additional lighting in winter so that it does not reach out in search of light.
The daylight hours must be at least 12 hours.
As for the temperature, it is undesirable to place the flower next to a heating radiator - it emits hot and dry air. It is better that the air temperature in the room where gloxinia grows is 18-20 degrees.
How to return gloxinia to its compact appearance?
If it was not possible to save the flower, and it still lost its shape, this does not mean that you can say goodbye to the bush. Fortunately, the situation can be corrected by using a simple method.
So, what needs to be done with an elongated bush? At the end of spring, after the first flowering, the above-ground part of the plant should be cut off. Moisten the remaining part (tuber) and place the pot in a bright place. It is better to choose a window that does not open to protect the flower from a possible draft.
By the beginning of summer, new shoots will emerge from the tuber. Since there is enough light during this period, the new bush will grow compact and lush.
Formation of Gloxinia - video
is a very popular houseplant. But, like any plant, gloxinia has its secrets, problems, in a word, there are problems when growing. To avoid them, you need to try to correct the conditions of gloxinia at the first sign of their appearance.
1. Gloxinia did not wake up after wintering
Storage location for gloxinia tubers should be cool and dark. If gloxinia tuber mature and healthy, you just have to put it in the light and water it little by little, and shoots begin to grow. Sometimes gloxinia wakes up on its own, and when you take it out into the light, it already has a shoot. However, in practice it does not always work out as it should.
Gloxinia does not wake up on time due to the fact that the rest period was too short, less than 4 months. It is quite possible that the winter was too dry and the tuber dried out. But in any case, gloxinia wakes up on its own. It just takes patience.
To avoid overdrying of the tuber, pots with gloxinia in winter should sometimes be lightly watered or sprinkled with water. Or you can place gloxinia tubers in plastic bags, adding a little soil or damp moss. Close the bags or seal them tightly. The bag will maintain constant moisture, and due to the fact that the bag is transparent, you will have the opportunity to observe the gloxinia tubers in winter. At the first appearance of leaves, you can immediately plant gloxinia in a pot.
If gloxinia did not wake up after wintering, this means that a gloxinia that was too young was sent to winter, it did not have time to form a tuber, or the tuber rotted.
If a gloxinia tuber was purchased in a store and it did not wake up from hibernation after last year’s flowering, it is possible that the tuber was sold very low quality. Many gardeners complain about this problem. Outwardly, the tubers look quite safe, but in reality it may turn out that they are already old, or infected with some kind of infection or pests. The strength of such tubers is only enough to bloom for one season.
Dig up the tuber, examine it: if it is very wrinkled, then most likely it is lost. Break or cut it: the tuber should be slightly yellowish or pinkish when cut. If this is the case, then dry the sections, sprinkle with crushed charcoal, you can treat them with regular brilliant green or fucorcin (raspberry liquid, a strong antiseptic, has an antifungal effect, sold in pharmacies). You can treat the tuber with epin or zircon to increase vitality tuber, stimulate it to form shoots.
If the gloxinia tuber is brown on the cut, then most likely it is gone. If the brown color is only on one edge, cut off all the rot, treat the tuber as described above and plant in new soil.
If you want the purchased tubers to be able to survive the winter without problems, then immediately after purchasing gloxinia tubers at home, treat all planting material in a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin. This treatment is aimed at preserving gloxinia tubers from rot.
The next step is to treat the gloxinia tubers with Actellik or Fitoverm. These drugs will help get rid of thrips, spider mites and other pests indoor plants.
If you purchased gloxinia in a pot, change the soil and treat the tuber. The soil that is sold in pots along with plants is very poor.
Perhaps the tuber is already old and has simply died. Gloxinias live for three to four years. If you really value this particular variety of gloxinia, try to root a cutting or leaf in advance.
2. Gloxinia did not have time to form a tuber
Spots on gloxinia leaves may appear from too bright lighting. Shade the gloxinia, otherwise it will get sunburn. Spots on gloxinia leaves can appear from excessive watering, and also if you water too much. cold water. Spotting of gloxinia leaves can be caused by drafts. Small spots on gloxinia leaves may indicate the presence of pests on the plant. Insecticide treatments are needed. In addition, gloxinia can be affected by various viral diseases, for example, tomato ringspot virus.
8. Gloxinia leaves curl
Rolling Gloxinia leaves perhaps if the room is too dry and hot. However, even if the air humidity is too high or the soil is excessively waterlogged, gloxinia leaves also curl, bend, short stalks form, or the formation of deformed flowers is observed. Adjust watering of gloxinias. Treat gloxinia with actellik or fitoverm against spider mites. Curling of gloxinia leaves can be caused by an overdose of potassium fertilizers.
9. Gloxinia leaves turned red
Redness of gloxinia leaves begins with a lack of phosphorus. Phosphorus starvation causes gloxinia to stop blooming altogether. To correct this problem, feed gloxinia with superphosphate or another fertilizer that contains more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen. For example, diammofosk fertilizer or liquid fertilizers containing a set of additional microelements are suitable for this.
10. Gloxinia’s lower leaves dry out
Gloxinia's lower leaves dry out with insufficient air humidity, or vice versa, overflow. Possible infection. Treat with phytosporin or other fungicide. If this happens in the fall, when gloxinia is preparing to retire, then this is normal.
11. Gloxinia does not bloom
Gloxinia does not bloom due to overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen only stimulates green growth, but slows down flowering. Delayed flowering may be affected by insufficient lighting, low temperature ambient air, low humidity or insufficient watering. Flowering can also be affected by improper or too short wintering, as a result of which the tuber did not have time to prepare for the next season. In order for gloxinia to bloom well next season, it needs a rest period of four months.
For gloxinia to bloom fully, it simply needs good lighting. Gloxinias love light! From the moment they wake up, immediately place pots with gloxinia tubers in places where there is a lot of light, or organize additional lighting, otherwise the buds may not appear at all, and if they do appear, there may be few of them, or the flowers may not be fully formed and may turn out to be empty flowers , or not fully open.
The size of the pot also plays an important role. To grow gloxinia, it is better to choose a small, low and wide pot rather than a deep one. IN big pot gloxinia will take a long time to grow the tuber to the detriment of flowering. For an adult gloxinia tuber, the pot should be about 9-12 cm in diameter. And after gloxinia begins to actively grow, it is necessary to fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
In addition to the pot, gloxinia annually needs replanting and new fertile soil. You can make the soil mixture for gloxinia yourself: humus, pine soil, leaf soil, sand, perlite or hydrogel, peat. But before use, it must be calcined for pests and pathogens. Spread the soil on a tray and bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
If it is not possible to make your own soil mixture, then you will have to use a store-bought mixture, but fertilize more often.
12. The petioles of gloxinia leaves rot, the buds rot, turn black and die
Gloxinia leaf petioles rot and buds rot due to excessive waterlogging, too acidic soil pH, as well as excessive amounts of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Change the soil, adjust the watering. In order not to overdo it with nitrogen, use only complex fertilizers, which contain, in addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Additionally, carry out two or three treatments with phytosporin, Maxim or other fungicide to preserve the gloxinia tuber from rotting.
If Gloxinia's buds turn black and die, then most likely the winter was too cold, the soil was too poor and there was insufficient nutrition, and there was severe overwatering. Typically, problems with flowering are solved by fertilizing with phosphorus fertilizers and additional lighting. Treat with fungicides. If the problem is not corrected, then most likely there is a problem with the tuber: it has begun to disappear.
13. Gloxinia produces a barren flower
In the beginning on gloxinia, as usual, the buds are laid, the sepals open, and inside instead of a bud there is a green pea, barren flower. After some time, the peduncle on which this underdeveloped bud grew turns brown.
Perhaps the gloxinia tuber was stored at too cold a temperature. Cut this peduncle and wait for the next peduncles. After a while, watch how new buds open, perhaps everything will return to normal without additional intervention. Try a few more sprays with Epine to help the plant relieve stress and help the formation of normal buds.
14. Gloxinia’s buds do not fully open
Gloxinia's buds do not fully open, and then they turn brown and become soft. This is quite possible, if gloxinia has too many buds and does not have enough fertilizing, it is simply not able to cope with flowering. In this way, gloxinia itself regulates its flowering. This may be a varietal feature.
It is possible that it bloomed too early or late, when the daylight hours are short and there is simply not enough light for it. Typically, this occurs during the off-season.
Under-opening of buds may result from an attack by spider mites or thrips. Treat with insecticides.
15. Gloxinia’s buds are drying up
Gloxinia's buds are drying up due to too dry air, high air temperature. If the summer is very hot, spray gloxinia. Hang a damp sheet on the window. Try feeding with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
16. All the leaves of gloxinia began to wither
If Gloxinia's leaves began to wither in the fall, this means that gloxinia is preparing for winter. Reduce watering to a minimum. Wait until the gloxinia has completely withered, cut off the upper part of the shoots, leave only a small stump and send the gloxinia tuber for the winter. It can be in the same pot, or it can be in a plastic bag, as described in problem 1.
If gloxinia’s leaves begin to wither during the growing season, then most likely there is a problem with the tuber. It rotted from too much waterlogging. Dig up immediately, cut off the affected leaves, treat the tuber with fungicides and plant in fresh soil.
17. How to make gloxinia bloom again
If your gloxinia has faded and no longer forms peduncles, and you want make gloxinia bloom again, trim it to 2-3 pairs of leaves. In 1.5-2 months, the gloxinia will grow a new stem, and your favorite gloxinia will bloom again. Repeat flowering can be stimulated by fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
The rights to the images belong to myhome-flowers.ru, dimetris.com.ua, forum.prihoz.ru: Sweet Berry, flickr.com: smalla, CameliaTWU, philipbouchard, Meighan, Larra Jungle Princess, carolinesoer, kasmil, Gerbera2009, ??? ??, livingflame, Sirelroka
Gloxinia is a tuberous plant with charming funnel-shaped flowers, velvet leaves and a somewhat shortened stem, which is a representative of the Gesneriev family. In its natural environment, it can be found in the tropical rainforests of Peru and Brazil.
Gloxinia is unpretentious, but in order for it to grow and develop normally at home, the gardener will have to make some efforts.
Basic care mistakes
Growing gloxinia will not cause any trouble for both experienced and novice plant growers, but only if the basic care rules are followed. In order for a plant to enjoy generous flowering, it must receive sufficient light, moisture and nutrition. Gross growing mistakes may not kill him, but will significantly affect the quality of flowering and visual appeal.
Why do gloxinia leaves curl?
If you are interested in the question of why gloxinia’s leaves began to curl inward, then the answer to this question is simpler than you think. Gloxinia leaves curl if the air in the room is too dry or it suffers from cold. Also, plant growers can sometimes encounter the fact that for some reason the buds of gloxinia begin to dry out.
The reason for these troubles lies in the lack of moisture in the air and too high temperature environment. The plant feels comfortable only in conditions high humidity and appropriate temperature, and therefore their maintenance is vital for him. Sometimes the problem can be solved if feed the plants with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. In addition, gloxinia leaves curl if spider mites settle on them.
Lack or excess of fertilizing
Lack of fertilizer - a serious problem for gloxinia, which grows in its natural environment on nutritious soils. A lack of calcium leads to the fact that all of the young leaves of the plant lose their color intensity and may even curl and turn pale. An excess of this element is manifested by the appearance of light, shapeless necrotic spots or interveinal chlorosis on the leaves.
Did you know? To improve indoor air quality, scientists recommend installing several gloxinia bushes in the room, since the plant intensively produces oxygen, which prevents the appearance of unpleasant symptoms of oxygen starvation.
That the plant is suffering from lack of phosphorus, will tell you the rich dark green color of the leaves with a slight blue tint, as well as the appearance of brown or red-violet spots. Pathological changes are first observed on the lower leaves, but gradually the whole plant is involved in the process.
The development of the bush slows down greatly. If new leaves appear, they are smaller, flowering is either completely absent or greatly delayed. If the plant's buds turn black, this may be a sign that it overwintered in low temperatures, suffers from lack of nutrition and excessive watering. Most often, fertilizing the bushes with phosphorus fertilizers and improving the quality of lighting helps speed up flowering. Excess phosphorus leads to impaired absorption of iron by the plant, which causes the appearance of interveinal chlorosis on its leaves.
No less dangerous for gloxinia and lack of nitrogen. Plants use nitrogen as building material for protein, in addition, the element is part of chlorophyll. When there is a lack of nitrogen, a plant experiences a significant reduction in growth rate, its shoots become thinner, and the size of the inflorescences decreases. In general, the bush looks weak and lifeless, and its leaves take on a pale green color.
If gloxinia suffers from lack of nitrogen, yellowing and lightening begins with the veins and adjacent parts of the leaves. Parts of the leaves located at some distance from the veins, even with a severe lack of nitrogen, can retain their natural color. If a bush does not receive enough nitrogen, then green veins are virtually never observed on its leaves.
However, these symptoms should not be confused with natural aging of the leaf, since degradation of the leaf plate in this case begins from the interveinal space. The old lower leaves are primarily affected by a lack of microelement, but over time, changes become visible on all parts of the plant. Sometimes, with a chronic lack of nitrogen, all the leaves of gloxinia begin to gradually dry out and fall off.
Did you know? In the 18th century in Europe, King Charles II of Sweden created the “language of flowers,” in which gloxinia meant “love at first sight.”
If you notice that gloxinia has become very tall, this may also be a sign that the plant is suffering from overfeeding with nitrogen or lacking light. In this case, it is necessary to immediately provide the gloxinia with a sufficient amount of light and stop feeding it with fertilizers.
If the leaves of gloxinia have acquired a dark green color and become larger and juicier, and flowering is delayed, then this is a sure sign that the plant overfed with nitrogen and you should stop administering this microelement for a while.
Overfeeding and underfeeding equally negatively affect the development of the bush: if the plant does not receive enough nutrients, there is a significant decrease in its growth rate, as well as a delay or absence of flowering. The main danger of overfeeding is that in this case the plant may suffer from chemical burns. And if at this moment you do not provide it with the necessary help (wash the soil well or replant it in new soil), then this may cause the complete death of gloxinia.
Gloxinia begins to rot
Excessive watering excess nitrogen and increased acidity soil– the most common reasons Gloxinia rotting. If the plant completely droops, its leaves begin to dry out and fall off, then this is a sure sign that the gloxinia tuber is rotting. At the initial stage, the disease makes itself felt by the loss of leaf turgor, which is not restored after watering.
Important! Gloxinia should be protected from hypothermia, since even a short lack of heat can cause the tubers of the plant to rot, and if you do not help it during this period, it will die very quickly.
When the tuber rots, to save the plant, you need to thoroughly clean it of rot, cut off all its leaves and soak for 20 minutes in a steep solution of potassium permanganate, then dry it, treat the damaged area with crushed charcoal and plant in slightly moist soil. After transplantation, the plant should receive a minimum amount of moisture.
Gloxinia does not bloom
Very often, inexperienced plant growers, wanting to provide gloxinia with all the necessary nutrients, heavily feed it with nitrogen. However as a result of excessive introduction of a microelement to the plant, on the contrary, it completely refuses to bloom. The thing is that gloxinia reacts poorly to overfeeding with nitrogen. This element perfectly stimulates the growth of green mass, but at the same time causes a delay in flowering.
In addition, the reason for the lack of flowering can be a lack of light, drafts, low ambient temperature, lack of moisture and even too short wintering. In order for gloxinia to please with generous flowering next season, it needs to be provided with a period of rest for at least three months, and after waking up, immediately place the pot with the plant in a well-lit place. Lack of light can cause buds to not form, and, in addition, there may be very few of them, or they may not form correctly, which will cause the appearance of empty flowers or their incomplete opening.
Did you know? There are different varieties gloxinia, but on average the size of the bushes ranges from 20 to 50 cm. However, science knows a very tiny species of gloxinia: its bushes reach a height of no more than 5 cm, and the size of its leaves does not exceed 1 cm.
Sometimes gloxinia stubbornly refuses to bloom due to an incorrectly selected pot. To grow gloxinia, you should choose wide and low pots. Excessive pot depth can cause the plant to intensively grow tubers to the detriment of flowering.
Many gardeners complain that for some reason gloxinia does not wake up after wintering. If gloxinia does not germinate after winter, then There may be several reasons for this. For example, a healthy and mature tuber was stored for less than three months and did not have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of all the substances necessary for active growth. Also, the reason may be that it became very dry during the winter.
Important! To avoid drying out of gloxinia tubers, during wintering they should be stored in tightly closed plastic bags with a small amount of damp soil or moss.
Moisten the tubers periodically and make sure they do not dry out. When the first leaves appear, immediately transplant them into prepared pots.If the gloxinia tuber has not died of old age or has not been infected by a fungus, then it will definitely germinate and delight you with generous flowering, you just need to wait a little.
Main diseases of gloxinia
If you want gloxinia to delight you with generous flowering, then you need to know what leaf diseases exist and how to treat them, as well as familiarize yourself with the main difficulties in growing it.
Late blight
Late blight is one of the most dangerous fungal diseases for gloxinia.
The infection spreads through soil, contaminated planting material, equipment or rainwater.
Important! To prevent infection of gloxinia tubers by infectious diseases, in addition to sterilizing the soil, it is necessary to disinfect the planting material. To do this, place the tuber or cuttings of the plant in the Kaptan suspension for five minutes.
The incubation period of the disease is on average two months. Infection of plants with a disease can be facilitated by:
- incorrect watering;
- dense soil;
- placing bushes too close;
- water stagnation;
- high air humidity;
- low ambient temperature.
Fusarium
Fusarium is a fungal infection manifested by yellowing and wilting of leaves, and later of the entire plant. The source of infection is contaminated seed material and soil. First, the pathogen affects small roots, and after the mycelium grows, larger roots are also involved in the pathological process. The spread of infection occurs through the vessels of the plant, first the stem is affected, and over time the entire plant. The lower leaves die first, and all the rest become watery. Individual areas of the leaves may acquire a pale green or light yellow color. To stop the spread of infection, all diseased plants should be removed immediately. Fundazol can be used as a prophylactic treatment.
Gray rot
Gray rot- this is dangerous infectious disease, resulting from improper care of gloxinia. The infection spreads quickly, affecting the tubers of young plants. When a bush is infected with gray mold, the plant begins to develop slowly and bloom poorly.
To prevent the further development of infection, all areas damaged by the fungus on the tubers should be removed to healthy tissue. To prevent re-infection, the cut site is dried, treated with sulfur or crushed charcoal, and only then planted in the ground again.
Blackleg
Blackleg is caused by a phytopathogenic fungus found in the soil. In affected plants, the root collar is the first to suffer, as a result of which the stem begins to creep along the ground as if it had been cut down.
To prevent the development of infection, before planting plants, you should first disinfect the soil by heating it. If a bush becomes infected, it is treated with a solution copper sulfate. Before or after planting seeds in the ground, the soil is treated with charcoal or colloidal sulfur. Watering should also be adjusted, as excessive soil moisture contributes to the development of infection.
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is caused by a fungal infection. The disease is characterized by the appearance of a powdery coating on the plant: outwardly, the plants look as if someone had dusted them with flour. Predisposing factors contributing to the development of the disease are considered to be excessive watering and sudden temperature fluctuations.
The source of the disease is soil or infected planting material. When a bush is damaged powdery mildew To prevent the spread of infection, it is recommended to destroy it. However, at the initial stage of the disease, the plant can be saved by treatment with any fungicidal drug, for example, Vectra.
Main pests of gloxinia
Gloxinia sometimes suffers greatly from attacks by various pests, but most of all it is susceptible to attack aphids, spider mites and thrips.
How to deal with aphids
If you notice green or brownish small insects on your plants, then most likely the gloxinia has been attacked by aphids. The insect feeds on the cell sap of plants. The pest primarily attacks young leaves, as a result of which they begin to curl and become deformed. In case of minor damage, the insect is swept away with a brush, after which it is simply destroyed. If massive infestation of gloxinia is observed, it is recommended to treat the bush "Confidor" or "Decis".
How to get rid of ticks on gloxinia
When Gloxinia is affected spider mite you can notice small spots on the edges of its leaves, which have a silvery tint on the underside of the leaf. Such defects appear in places where the mite sucks cell sap from the plant. Over time, a thin web also becomes noticeable on the underside of the leaves. To repel a pest attack, wipe the leaves with a sponge dipped in hot water. soapy solution. Insecticides can be used "Neoron". The drug is treated two or three times with an interval of no more than 7 days.
Thrips on Gloxinia
Thrips have a slightly elongated body and are considered the most common pest that affects indoor plants. If you notice that gloxinia's leaves are withering and you don't know what to do, then carefully inspect the bushes for thrips infestation. The insect feeds on cell sap or nectar of plants. The first sign that a plant is infected with thrips is the appearance of light stripes on the sheets, which over time merge and form conglomerates, which leads to withering of the plant.
Thrips are very tenacious, and therefore the best remedy Insecticides are considered to combat them. If a pest is detected, the affected plant must be isolated from all other indoor plants and the place where the pot stood must be thoroughly disinfected. Drugs are used to control pests "Actellik" or "Intavir".
If you take proper care of the bushes and surround them with attention, then for sure blooming gloxinia will become the main decoration of your home.
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Gloxinia (lat. Gloxinia) is a tuberous perennial that is grown mainly in pots. However, there are also varieties suitable for planting in open ground. Gloxinia (you can also find the name “sinningia”) is native to the tropics and subtropics of Asia and America. However, these plants are bright flowers They get along well on our windowsills. Read below about how to care for gloxinia, when to replant and prepare for wintering.
Gloxinia blooms in summer, and sometimes twice a year, after which the above-ground part dies off. The flower needs a period of rest, which occurs in winter.
Temperature and lighting
Gloxinia needs sufficient diffused lighting for 12-14 hours a day. Placing a flower on sunny windows requires shading, since direct ultraviolet rays leave burns on the leaves. On northern windows, gloxinias' stems and peduncles stretch out due to lack of light, and you may not wait for the second flowering of the year. To form a neat bush, gloxinia must be turned once a week with the other side facing the light source.
The optimal air temperature for gloxinia is 18-22°C during the growing season. When a flower sprouts tubers, it needs to be raised to 25 degrees, and during the dormant period it needs to be lowered to 10-14°C. Drafts should be avoided. Elevated temperatures lead to overheating of the root system - gloxinia stops developing, the leaves wither, the flowers do not open or quickly fall off. At low temperatures, the plant also suffers - the leaves turn black and yellow, the buds wither.
Soil and watering
Gloxinia loves humidity. In a dry room, the leaves begin to curl and the buds may not open. You cannot spray the fluffy leaves of the plant, but you can place trays of water nearby. During the growing season, gloxinia should be watered abundantly, avoiding water getting on the leaves and rosette. The top layer of soil should dry out between waterings.
When the flowering period ends at the end of August, watering should be reduced slightly. After this, gloxinia will begin to prepare for a period of rest and fade - then you need to water even less often. Gloxinia roots are thin and superficial, so they choose wide, but very deep pots. The best soil for a flower you can prepare it yourself: mix leaf and peat soil with river sand in a ratio of 2:1:1. Will do purchased soil for violets.
Gloxinia fertilizer
Growing Gloxinia in open ground
From April to early August, gloxinias need to be fed weekly. Fertilizers for flowering plants that contain more potassium and phosphorus than nitrogen are suitable. The use of humic acids has a good effect. Fertilizers can be combined with the application of growth stimulants, but not with fungicides.
It is important not to overfeed the plant, since the buds of such gloxinia will rot and the cuttings will not take root well. It is better to prepare a weaker solution than prescribed on the fertilizer package. You should not fertilize flowers that are sick, weakened, have recently undergone transplantation, or are in a dormant period. If you do not fertilize healthy gloxinias at all, the plant will develop worse, the flowers will turn pale and become smaller.
Transfer
Every spring, with new germination of tubers, they are transplanted into new soil. In the spring, the tubers are removed, even if they were stored in the ground, cleaned of old roots, in addition to the largest ones, and planted in fresh soil. The distance between the tuber and the walls of the pot should be 3-4 cm. It is better to plant immediately after the sprout appears. Before this, you can treat with a fungicide solution to prevent the development of fungal diseases.
Before planting, the tuber should be inspected for damage. If there are rotten areas, they are removed with a sharp, clean blade, and the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. It happens that after wintering the tuber becomes lethargic and wrinkled. In this case, you can try to restore it.
- Soak in a solution of epin or zircon. To prepare it, dissolve 10 drops in 200 ml of boiled water. room temperature. A day later, the tuber is planted in the ground.
- Wrap the soft and wrinkled tuber in a damp cloth for 2-3 days. If after time it becomes hard, plant it in the ground.
- You can moisten the vermiculite with the solution described above and place the tuber in it for 1-2 days. If it has not sprouted, then it is buried entirely, and if there is a sprout, then it is left on the surface.
Before planting, you need to put a 1-2 cm layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot - this can be polystyrene foam, expanded clay. Then fill the container with soil, and place the tuber in the center, 2/3 deep into the ground. Now cover the pot with cellophane or a transparent container and place it in a warm place for germination.
Once a day, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated for 10-15 minutes. With the appearance of the first pair of leaves, the greenhouse can be covered only at night, and after 4 days it can be removed completely. After the stem grows, the tuber must be covered with 1 cm of soil.
When did gloxinia bloom?
After the flowering period ends, the stem dies. It is important to allow the plant to complete this process on its own. Caring for gloxinia after flowering is simple: when the leaves wither, reduce watering, and when the upper part dries out, stop it altogether.
Now the tuber can be dug up or left to be stored in a pot, ensuring the air temperature is 10-14 degrees. If gloxinia is still young and has not grown the tuber to sufficient size, it does not need a winter dormant period.
If gloxinia has faded at the beginning of summer, you can bloom it again. To do this, after the end of flowering, cut off the stem and leaves, leaving only a couple of lower ones. Stepchildren form in their sinuses. It is necessary to leave the strongest ones and remove the rest. During this period, fertilize with nitrogen for growth, and with the appearance of buds - with a phosphorus-potassium complex. The second flowering will be less lush.
Growing in open ground
During the summer, gloxinia can be planted in the garden. For this, large tubers with a diameter of 8-10 cm are selected. Planting occurs when the air temperature is stable at 18-20 degrees. Choose a damp, shaded place, protected from the wind. In open ground, plants grow larger than in pots, so they need to be planted at a sufficient distance from each other. Before frost, you need to dig up the tubers for storage, without waiting for the natural drying of the stem.
Difficulties in growing
Due to errors in the conditions of maintenance, gloxinias are subject to attacks by pests. If gloxinia's leaves become thicker, deformed, or curl at the edges, the plant is most likely affected by the cyclamen mite.
When infested with spider mites, white dots appear on the leaves, which subsequently turn into yellow-brown spots. When thrips settles on gloxinia, the leaves acquire a silvery tint and white streaks and dots appear on them. Gradually they turn brown and dry, and their edges turn up.
Tubers often rot due to excessive watering and root system. In this case, the leaves lose turgor, which is not restored after watering. In this case, the plant can only be saved by re-rooting the top. The tuber must be removed and inspected, the rot must be cut out, soaked in a fungicide solution and try to germinate again. The buds may not bloom due to drafts and watering with cold water.
Root and stem rot
Gloxinias are susceptible to fungal diseases. Their development is facilitated by excessive watering, keeping them in a cold and damp room, using contaminated soil or planting material. Watery dark spots appear on the leaves, the stem becomes soft. The plant can be saved by removing all infected parts and further treatment with drugs such as “Maxim”, “Fitosporin”.
Bloom
The flowering period of gloxinia occurs in late spring and early summer. The flowers are oblong, large, and sometimes may have irregular shape, be drooping. Depending on the variety, gloxinia flowers are blue, pink, white, purple, red, brindle, and bicolor. If the plant fades in late summer-early autumn, it will prepare for wintering. And if gloxinia has bloomed earlier, it is quite possible to achieve repeated flowering.
Reproduction
Gloxinias are easy to propagate. This can be done using a leaf (both part of it and a cutting), seeds, peduncle, shoot, and also by dividing the tuber.
Propagation using a leaf
Propagation of gloxinia by cuttings is the most popular method. It is better to root a young leaf with a small petiole up to 3 cm in boiled water and dark glass containers. To avoid rotting, add an activated carbon tablet to the water.
The cuttings are rooted immediately in the soil. To do this, fill the container nutritious soil, and in the center they make a hole with river sand. The cutting is fixed in it and covered with a transparent container or polyethylene on top to create a mini-greenhouse. It can be removed with the formation of tubers - usually this happens after a month.
Reproduction of gloxinia by parts of the leaf blade
It can also be propagated by part of a leaf. To do this, take a large sheet and make cuts along the veins. The sheet is placed on the ground, pressed a little and covered with a greenhouse. This way you can get several young gloxinia babies, but the tubers will be smaller than when rooting cuttings.
Propagation by seeds
For propagation, take seeds that were collected less than 3 years ago. They are sown in the cold season - from November to February. To do this, take a wide, shallow container, cover it with leaf soil and sow the seeds without sprinkling them with anything on top. Cover the container transparent material and kept in a bright room with a temperature of 22 degrees.
When the first 2 leaves of the sprouts grow, gloxinias are planted at a distance of 2 cm from each other. And when the seedlings grow to 3 leaves, they are planted 5 cm. After these leaves have developed well, the plants are planted 10 cm, but again in a common bowl. You can finally plant gloxinias in pots only when the bushes begin to touch each other.
Reproduction by peduncle
When gloxinia fades, you need to cut off the peduncle and place it in water for rooting. After the roots grow, they treat it in the same way as with a cutting.
Reproduction by stepsons
In spring, several shoots form on the tuber. You can root everything or only the strongest ones. Such shoots easily take root in water and are then planted in the ground.
Tuber division
In the spring, the overgrown tuber is cut into pieces with 1-2 sprouts on each. The sections are sprinkled with crushed coal, after which the sections are planted in separate pots and germinated in the same way as a regular tuber after wintering. The soil is not moistened for two days after planting. The method is risky for valuable varieties, since in areas of fresh cuts there is a high risk of developing fungal infections and, as a consequence, loss of sprouts.
Why doesn't it bloom
The lack of flowering in gloxinia can be caused by several reasons:
By following all the rules of care, you can achieve lush flowering. And in order for the period to last longer, faded flower stalks must be removed immediately.
Purchase
In a flower shop you can buy both gloxinia seeds and tubers or formed flowering plant. The price usually depends on the variety. Among lovers of these flowers, the Alenushkina Gloxinia website is popular - there you can purchase both adult plants and cuttings and tubers of your favorite varieties. On average, you can purchase gloxinia in the range of 100-200 rubles per piece.
If you choose a tuber in a store, inspect it carefully. It should be whole and hard, not have dark rotten areas, and reach 3-4 cm in diameter. In its upper part there is a small depression with dormant buds. If they are awakened, you can see small furry sprouts.
When you buy a mature plant, carefully inspect the leaves for pests. The flower should look healthy, have no suspicious spots, with elastic, uniform leaves. By selecting the right plant and providing it with proper care, you will receive a bright bouquet on the windowsill.