How to care for eustoma: we tame the Irish rose

In open ground, eustoma can reach a height of 30-90 cm. But in indoor floriculture, flowers no higher than 25 cm are used. Externally, lisianthus is very similar to a rose, especially when it is just beginning to open. When fully disclosed, it resembles a terry poppy. Large simple or double flowers can have a different color - from white to saturated blue tones. In the bush 20-35 buds that do not bloom at the same time. The plant has dull gray shades of oblong-oval leaves, a strong stem.

Native American tribes living in America have a legend. For the first time, a plant blossomed on the grave of a girl who refused to be the beloved of the god of war. Because of this, she died.

Interesting Facts

• Eustoma is common in the southern and northern regions of the United States, on the islands of the Caribbean, in Mexico. It grows in the tropical climate of Africa, Argentina, Australia.
• In Europe, they met her thanks to the Irish botanist Patrick Brown.
• Under natural conditions, lisianthus grows on river banks, in lowlands.
• Popular names - “Irish rose”, “Japanese rose”, “Texas bell”, “prairie gentian”, “tulip gentian”.

"Domesticated" species

There are about 60 species of lisianthus. In home breeding, Russell eustoma, large-flowered, is used. From these two species, breeders of America and Japan bred dozens of varieties. In several ways, they are combined in sortoserii. The most popular are presented in the table.

Table — Types of eustoma adapted for indoor use

Care for eustoma: what to consider

Lysianthus will require patience and devotion from the owner. Only proper care of the potted eustoma prolongs the life of the magnificent plant. Correct agricultural practices will allow for long flowering.

Location, light, temperature

Bright diffused lighting is suitable. Avoid direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation, as the plant may receive burns. Window sills with access to the west or east are perfect. Extend daylight hours in winter using special lamps.

Lisianthus is very fond of fresh air, he needs frequent regular airing in the warm season. Eustoma is taken out to covered terraces and balconies. The most comfortable conditions in summer are 20-25 ° C during the day. At night, the temperature can be 5 ° C lower. You can save eustoma in winter if you keep the regime within 8-10 ° C. Conditions must be created after flowering and last until the period of active growth.

Humidity and watering

Dry air is very harmful to the Irish rose. Therefore, she should not be in the room where the climate equipment works - heaters, air conditioners.

• Spraying. It is carried out extremely rarely, so as not to harm. Soft water is used. It is advisable to boil it. Spraying is small - there should not be drops of water on the leaves, spoiling their appearance. It is recommended to completely abandon spraying, especially during flowering. To increase the humidity level, you can use a humidifier or put a container of water near the pot.
• Watering. The soil should be moist, but without stagnation of water. Watered with soft, filtered or boiled warm water. The plant needs to be moistened when its top layer dries by two to three centimeters. A stream of water goes under the root. Better if it does not fall on the leaves. Otherwise, the risk of the appearance of fungal diseases increases.

Feeding and trimming

In the spring, during the period of leaf growth, organic and mineral fertilizer is suitable. Attention should be paid to complexes with a high nitrogen content. They contribute to good leaf growth. You need to feed the plant three to four times a month.

How to care for eustoma (lisianthus) during flowering? As buds begin to form, we immediately stop the nitrogen recharge. It can lead to slight flowering or cause its absence. Eustoma (lisianthus) can be fed with mineral complexes that are designed for flowering crops. You can cook them yourself or buy in a store. The main thing is that they contain a lot of phosphorus and potassium.

Soil and transplant

Light, loose, well-permeable soil with a neutral or acidic reaction is the best choice for lisianthus. If you purchase the finished mixture, then you can give preference to the substrate for the senpolia. You can make the soil yourself from peat and rotten bark, mixing in equal proportions.

Irish rose is very sensitive to transplant. Therefore, the transshipment method is used taking into account the five rules.

1. Transshipment is carried out after winter.
2. The flowerpot should be slightly larger than the previous version.
3. Since the roots of the plant are not very developed, a shallow capacity is suitable.
4. Without fail, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom.
5. The flower is transferred to a new pot with a lump and roots.

Seed propagation

Features. In home floriculture, eustoma propagation by cuttings is not carried out. Only the sowing method is used. It is suitable because many gardeners grow lisianthus as an annual. For convenient use, it is better to take store products. It is implemented in the form of pellet balls. 1 g of seed contains up to 23 thousand small seeds. No need to cover the seeds with earth. When planting, they are slightly pressed in. Growing eustoma from seeds at home is a long process that takes six to seven months. Suitable time for sowing in November-December. By summer, you can wait for flowering.

Procedure

1. Lysianthus is sown in small tablets of peat, which are previously soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Three to four granules are placed in a tablet. If several shoots are obtained, then the extra ones are removed.
3. A seed container is placed in a well-lit place.
4. It is covered with polyethylene.
5. The optimum daytime temperature is 23-25 ​​° C, at night - at least 14 ° C.
6. To increase daylight hours to 12-14 hours, phytolamps are used.
7. The soil is periodically moistened by spraying.

After two weeks, the seeds should germinate.To strengthen them, protect against diseases, phytosporin is sprayed. You need to teach seedlings to grow without shelter. In this case, the film is not immediately removed. It should be removed at first for 10-15 minutes, gradually increasing the time.

Main enemies

The main reason for the appearance of diseases and pests lies in unsystematic care. Inept actions of the gardener lead to serious consequences. The leaves of the eustoma wither, yellow, which means the soil is waterlogged. Excessive watering also leads to rotting of the root system. Lisianthus does not bloom - the plant was transplanted at the wrong time.

Pests

Irish roses have bitter juice, so pests attack it much less often than other indoor crops. But, if nevertheless they appeared, prompt action is needed. If it was noticed that the leaves wither, insects appeared on them, spots of different colors, then you should stock up on effective spray preparations.

With a weak defeat, insects can be removed on their own. Small pests are eliminated with a damp cloth soaked in water, soapy water or alcohol. Damaged leaves are removed. Switch to spraying with drugs should be in case of severe damage.

Disease

Among the diseases, lisianthus is very susceptible to fungal infection:

• Fusarium wilt;
• gray rot;
• powdery mildew.

If the eustoma does not grow as it should be, then the air is humid and cold. First of all, the flower is provided with proper conditions. Effective treatment involves the use of special drugs - insecticides and acaricides. It can be "Saprol", "Topsin", a solution of foundationazole. Spraying is carried out two to three times.

Gardeners may face the fact that the plant loses only the ovary that has appeared or the buds turn yellow and fall off. The reason is in dry air, drafts or the plant was watered with cold water. If it is summer, then hot air contributes to the ailments. Therefore, having studied how to care for eustoma, you need to choose not only the optimal conditions for its maintenance, but also correctly calculate the flowering time.