Gloxinia flower care: conditions for abundant flowering of "bluebells"

Gloxinia is a perennial. Belongs to the family of gesneriaceae, the genus gloxinia. Another name for the flower is Sinengia. Indoor plants have a very short stem, sometimes it is completely absent. Rhizome tuberous. The leaves are velvety, located opposite. Flowers in the form of open bells. They can grow singly or in bunches, be simple or terry. The colors are very different, both monophonic and mottled, or with a fringing of petals.

What does gloxinia care include

Care includes several aspects, especially in the autumn-winter period. Organization of temperature and light conditions, watering, top dressing, transplanting - all this for each flower individually. Growing gloxinia at home is not particularly time-consuming or difficult. However, it has certain features that the grower needs to know about. Especially if you are just learning to grow indoor plants.

Lighting requirements

Many abundantly flowering plants are photophilous. In this regard, gloxinia is no exception. She loves the abundance of light, and only under this condition gives a lot of buds. However, there is one condition: the light from the sun should not be direct. In no case is it worthwhile to keep a pot with a plant on a window on the south side. Diffused light is more suitable. To do this, you need a light curtain that will not let in all the sun's rays, or a place where direct sunlight does not fall. Ideal would be windows on the east or west side of the house. A shelving unit with artificial lighting is also suitable.

Water treatments

The plant is quite hygrophilous. However, just pouring a lot of water is not the best way to care. It is necessary to water gloxinia, observing the four rules.

1. Watering should be done only when the topsoil has become dry.
2. In no case should water be poured onto the plant itself, but only along the edge of the pot.
3. An even better option is to simply pour water into the sump. Through holes in the bottom, it will moisten the soil. After several hours, if the water still remains in the sump, it must be drained, since the excess can be harmful.
4. A plant needs more active watering during the flowering period.

In addition, additional hydration of the ground part is necessary so that it is healthy and juicy. To do this, use a spray, as with some other plants, is not worth it. Drops on the surface of the leaves can harm them. It is better to place a bowl of water near the pot. You can use wet expanded clay in a container.

During flowering

The most beautiful flowering gloxinia - cap, when the bells form a copious large cap. However, this is not always the case. A plant will bloom well only with proper lighting, good soil and timely top dressing. If all the conditions are met, then from spring to autumn gloxinia will delight the eye with its opening buds.

Flowering begins in April-May. Usually in April, when the buds are laid and flower stalks are formed, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are needed. And already during the period of rapid flowering - only phosphorus. However, it is often not worth feeding, it is enough once or twice a month.

Caring for gloxinia during flowering consists, in addition to top dressing, in proper watering - plentiful, but without excess. And also in the good organization of lighting. Daylight hours should last at least 14 hours.

Gloxinia blooms all summer. If, with proper care, for some reason, flowering has stopped, you can stimulate the plant. To do this, you must perform five steps.

1. Cut leaves, leaving only a couple of the lowest.
2. After a few days, swollen buds and then sprouts will appear in the sinuses.
3. Choose one or two of the most powerful, pinch off the rest.
4. Fertilize with nitrogen fertilizer to enhance growth.
5. Wait for the buds to appear, feed them with phosphorus to improve flowering.

During rest

After flowering, in late autumn, a dormant period begins, which lasts until the end of winter. When the foliage begins to turn yellow, watering should be reduced. After complete drying of the ground part, it is completely stopped. There are two ways to winter tubers - in a pot and with digging. The preparation and storage procedure is described in detail in the table below.

Table - Description of wintering methods for gloxinia tubers

If the tuber has enough heat and moisture during the winter, it can sprout. Here you need to evaluate how strong the root is. If powerful, the sprout must be carefully removed. If weak and small, removing the sprout can destroy the plant. Then it is better to plant it in the ground and let it grow.

Features of landing and transplanting

After hibernation or the acquisition of tubers, they need to be planted in the ground. There are a number of rules here too. The main ones relate to pot selection and soil preparation.

Soil and capacity selection

It is better to choose a finished soil. The most suitable marking is “For violets”. However, you need to bring it as close as possible to the needs of gloxinia. Therefore, you need a little baking powder - a handful per liter of soil. Vermiculite, perlite or sphagnum can act as a baking powder. You can make the soil mixture yourself. It should include several components.

• Earth (three parts). This is the basis of the soil. It is desirable to take it from under any street trees, except oak.
• Sand (two parts). Promotes better penetration of moisture, prevents caking.
• Peat (three parts). Makes the mixture more friable, convenient for the plant to receive nutrients and moisture.
• Humus or rotted manure (100 g per 2-3 liter of mixture). Serve as fertilizer. You can not add this component, but then a week after planting, you need to start feeding. According to reviews, it is best to take fertilizers for flowering plants.

"Moving" to a new pot

In January-February, new buds appear on the tubers. If this does not happen, the plant must be placed in a warm, lit room. Even if the plant hibernated in a pot, and not in a bag, it needs a transplant with the start of the next season. New soil is needed and, possibly, a new tank if the old one has become small. Gloxinia should be transplanted in seven stages.

1. Wait for the first sprouts to appear. After that, remove the tuber from the ground or a bag of sawdust, shake off the remaining soil, remove the old root shoots. Wash under running water.
2. Rotten, dried out places. A sharp knife is used. Slices need to be sprinkled with coal dust. If most of the root has deteriorated, it is best to throw it away.
3. Prepare a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Water should be warm. Put tubers there for half an hour.
4. Place planting material in the ground. Sprinkle lightly with earth, cover with foil. The soil mixture in the pot should be approximately two-thirds of the volume.
5. Remove film daily. About an hour. This is important for ventilation.
6. Remove film completely. When two good strong sheets appear. Add earth so that the tuber is well covered.
7. Water moderately and carefully. Keep water out of leaves and tuber.

Everything described must be taken into account for those who do not know how to care for gloxinia after purchase. If the plant was acquired during the dormant period, but before the onset of spring, you need to “wake it up” and plant it. If a flowering gloxinia is purchased, then care should be taken according to all the rules until the fall. It is not necessary to transplant a flowering plant.

Breeding methods

Gloxinia is also good because it can be propagated in several ways: leaves, cuttings, parts of a tuber, seeds. The methods are unequal in complexity and efficiency, but give the opportunity to choose the most convenient option.

1. New leaf plant. It is believed that to multiply gloxinia with a leaf is the easiest. Choose a sturdy leaf having a stalk. Gently cut under the root. Put in water for about a week or immediately planted in moist soil. Roots begin to appear from the bottom of the stem. In both cases, a new plant is covered with film when planting in the ground, the container is placed in a warm, lit room. New outlets may not appear soon - in about a month.
2. Using a stem cuttings. The upper part of the plant stem is needed. At about 3 cm, it will be immersed in the soil, preferably the presence of several leaves. Given these requirements, cuttings are cut. Planting material is placed in moist soil. If the top is cut off from a powerful plant, then a medium-sized pot is needed, about 10 cm in diameter. After planting, the sprout is covered with a package, it is removed after about a month.All this time you must not forget about hydration and ventilation.
3. Seed propagation. Growing gloxinia from seeds is not easy. Usually the method is used when they want to get a new variety. To do this, pollinate flowers from different plants, wait for the appearance of the seed box. As soon as it begins to burst, cut the box, dried in a small container. At the end of winter, the soil is prepared. Seeds are mixed with sand or scattered on the surface. Cover with a film. Humidify with a spray gun. You need enough heat and light. Sprouts appear in two to four weeks. After a month, the plants are dived, planted at a distance of 1-2 cm. After another month and a half, seedlings are planted in separate pots.
4. Tuber division. Use it when there is no other option. For a plant, this is quite traumatic; a flower can ache and take root for a long time. Division is carried out when there are sprouts of at least 2 cm. It is necessary that at least one sprout remains on each part. Cut the tuber with a sharp disinfected knife. Slices sprinkled with coal dust. Place parts of the tubers in moist soil. There should not be an excess of moisture so that the plant does not rot.

Reasons for no flowers

It's a shame when the expectations of a beautiful plentiful flowering are not met. There may be various reasons. Gloxinia usually does not bloom due to five errors in care.

1. Improper care. Too cold or lack of moisture in the soil and air. With a lack of light, flowering may also be absent.
2. Old plant. If the tuber is many years old, you need to water it more abundantly.
3. Pest infestation. It is necessary to replace the soil.
4. Draft. Or low temperature. The flower reacts to this not only by the absence of bells, but also by twisting the leaves.
5. Inappropriate capacity. Too large as well as deep pots may require a lot of strength for gloxinia to grow. They do not remain on flowering.

Errors when growing with a photo

In addition to the lack of flowering, other problems are possible when growing gloxinia. Let us dwell on the five most common.

1. The buds dry during flowering. The reason is the lack of moisture. For the same reason, the leaves of plants dry. It is necessary to put wide cups, bowls of water next to the flower pot, often spray from the spray gun next to gloxinia.
2. Buds fade and blacken, flowers do not bloom. The reason may be the abundance of buds. The plant simply does not have enough strength, and it discards the flowers. It is necessary to feed it with a complex composition with the presence of phosphorus and potassium. The redness of the leaves indicates a lack of these elements.
3. Leaves lose color, become faded. This is a lack of magnesium. You need to use fertilizer with this element.
4. Leaves turn yellow. The reason may be excessive watering, as well as the need for nitrogen. It is necessary to use appropriate means.
5. Brown spots appear on the leaves.. Most likely, this is the effect of draft or cold water. It is necessary to rearrange the plant, watered only with warm water.

Diseases and Pests

With high humidity, abundant watering and non-compliance with the rules of care, a flower can develop various diseases. It should, at the slightest suspicion, inspect the plant, check for diseases. Here are three main symptoms that gloxinia requires treatment.

1. Gloxinia flowers wither and fall. It can be a pest - a spider mite, thrips. It is necessary to use funds against parasites.
2. Brown spots appear on the leaves.. If the spots turn into tears, then this is phylosticosis. Reddish brown spots with dark rims - Ascochitosis. With anthracnose, brown spots move from leaves to shoots. It is necessary to carry out appropriate treatment.
3. White plaque visible on the plant. This is powdery mildew, the occurrence of which is facilitated by low temperature and high soil moisture. It is necessary to treat the plant with special preparations, to organize the right microclimate.

Growing gloxinia at home has many secrets and subtleties. However, the basic rules are simple. They are to create optimal conditions for this plant. Do not forget that initially the flower is an inhabitant of the tropics. He needs abundant, but not excessive humidity, enough heat and light, the correct organization of the rest period. Under these conditions, the plant will bloom for many seasons.