Tradescantia: care at home. Planting, growing, reproduction of the family Tradescantia

Tradescantia is a common household plant. Although in her homeland, in America, she is an ordinary weed. We are very much loved by gardeners for the excellent decorative properties and unpretentiousness of Tradescantia. Home care: what is it?

If before the plant was simply a grandiose success and it could be seen almost everywhere, now the fashion for this luxurious ampel plant has passed. But for beginners floriculture breeding Tradescantia - a great opportunity to test your strength.

What does a plant look like?

Tradescantia, care at home, for which we will now consider in detail, looks very beautiful. Long, bright green stems, can grow to a length of one meter. And if the pot with the plant is placed on a high shelf, the resulting waterfall of greenery will be the highlight of the interior of the room.

Leaflets grow to 15 centimeters in length. They are very thin and are located on the stalk alternately. The foliage can be both pure green, and have a motley color. Quite a lot of species can boast of reddish, white and yellow stripes on their leaves.

But the plant does not flower well. The flowers of Tradescantia are very small and can have white, pink or purple hues. They are revealed early, while the sun has not yet begun to shine in full force. In the afternoon the buds are closed. True, on an overcast day, Tradescantia leaves the buds blossoming until the evening comes.

Care of the plant

Tradescantia - a flower that belongs to ampel plants, has very fragile elegant stems, hanging down a beautiful waterfall. Although the plant belongs to perennials, it is recommended to rejuvenate it approximately every 2 years, and sometimes this period is reduced to one year. The fact is that as the growth grows, the lower leaves shrivel and the stalk is completely bare. It does not look very beautiful, so the plant needs a transplant. About how to propagate Tradescantia, we'll talk a little later.

Temperature conditions

Flower Tradescantia, care of which is not too complicated, also undemanding and the temperature of the surrounding air. He feels great both in cool and in warm rooms. Of course, the plant will not suffer excessive hypothermia, therefore the lower temperature plate is +10 degrees. But Tradescantia white-flowered grows well at +7. In addition, the flower loves the influx of fresh air and is not at all afraid of drafts.

Light mode

Tradescantia - a flower though unpretentious in care, but it grows better with good light. If the bulk of domestic flowers needs to be shaded, then this green cascade prefers to receive direct sunlight. The penumbra also does not prevent the plant from fully exhibiting its decorative properties. But here there are some nuances. The variegated varieties of Tradescantia acquire a brighter color in a well-lit room, while the single-colored leaves of the plant become faded under the constant rays of the sun. And the plants placed in the penumbra again acquire a juicy green tint.

Watering

Tradescantia, home care for which we are now considering, very fond of water. During the entire active period of vegetation, lasting from spring to autumn, it requires constant irrigation. Pour it is simply impossible. The only "but" - earthen lump should always be wet, but stagnation of water can not be allowed.

In the winter months, the plant is already watered less, but still the land must remain slightly moist. The water that will be used for this purpose must be defended.

Feeding of Tradescantia

During the spring and summer, the plant must be fertilized, observing a periodicity of two weeks. With the onset of winter fertilizing is carried out once a month and a half. As a fertilizer, you can use any complex or organic compounds. But for variegated varieties, specialized fertilizers should be purchased. Top dressing must be combined with watering.

Embarkation: some subtleties

Tradescantia, planting and caring for which is the topic of our conversation, is an undemanding plant. But if the goal is to get a truly magnificent specimen, then it is necessary to observe certain rules. As a planting substrate, you can take ordinary land, but then the plant is completely uninsured from various unpleasant situations. After all, various pests can live in the earth. Sometimes Tradescantia in the literal sense of the word is occupied by black mosquitoes. You can cope with this only by using chemical preparations. And in order not to complicate the care of the plant, it is best to take advantage of the finished flower mixture. If there is no way to buy one, then you can make up your own soil. It is necessary to take a sheet humus, turf and sand in a proportion 2: 1: 1. Beforehand, each component must be thoroughly calcined in the oven.

Humidity level of air

Spraying Tradescantia is not always necessary, but periodic spraying will not be worse. This is especially true in winter, when the heating season begins. Irrigate the flower with standing water several times during the day. As you can see, very inexpensive Tradescantia. Care at home is quite simple. Now it's time to get acquainted with the plant breeding options.

Reproduction of a plant

The flower reproduces very simply, and most importantly - quickly. The main way - cuttings - can be used throughout the year. But in winter, when the light day is significantly reduced, the process of plant rooting is delayed. In the rest of the year, cut cuttings give roots after two weeks. The planting substrate is made up of the following components: compost soil, sand and humus (in a ratio of 1: 1: 1). After the plant takes root, it will take no more than a month to regain its decorativeness.

Tradescantia, the reproduction of which is planned to be carried out, should not be too "old". For cuttings, young shoots must be selected. Cuttings intended for rooting must have at least 6 sections.

You can reproduce the flower with the help of seeds. This option is best for spring. Plant seeds can begin in March, using window mini-fellows. As a planting substrate, a combination of peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1 is recommended. The optimum temperature for seed germination is +20 degrees. The earth should be periodically moistened using a spray gun and also ventilated. When sprouts will appear, they need to be sprayed quite often. Blossomed Tradescantia, grown from seeds, during the third year of life.

Diseases and pests

The flower of the Tradescantia (the photo you see) is very much loved by a variety of parasites. Shield, aphids, thrips, spider mite - this is the list of most common pests on the plant.

With scabbards you can handle using soap or alcohol solutions. It is necessary to wet a rag and remove insects. They perform such procedures several times a week, but not less than four. If the plant is affected too much, then it must be treated with such drugs as "Aktellik", "Carbofos" or "Fufanon."

Aphids inflict damage mainly on young shoots. The leaves lose color and fall off. Milk of aphids becomes an excellent basis for black fungus, which does not allow to fully pass the process of photosynthesis. From aphids the plant will be rescued by spraying with soap solutions, since soap covers pests and does not allow them to breathe. In the fight against spider mite will help "Fitoverm" and the same "Actellik."

We hope that our article has helped you to get answers to your questions. And now your pet will please you with its beauty.