Calling the gardener

Plant maintenance and care

This plant requires good maintenance, so it is advisable to start it by experienced aquarists. For him, calm fish that do not eat plant foods will become a suitable neighborhood. In the aquarium, it is worth giving it a place at the back or side wall.

Krinum wavy needs sufficient lighting. Therefore, this fact must be taken into account when choosing a place for a plant in an aquarium. The leaves of the krinum rise and are located at the very surface of the water, next to the light source, thanks to this, the krinum receives the right amount of light. When choosing a luminaire, consider the plant underneath the krinum leaves. For this, fluorescent lamps are well suited; additional illumination can be provided with ordinary lamps.

The water temperature should be close to that of a tropical reservoir. The most optimal is about 25 degrees. In the event that the water is cold (less than 22 degrees), the plant significantly slows down its growth and begins to shed old leaves. The required water hardness for krinum is soft or medium. A plant in a slightly acidic environment will quickly collapse. It is imperative to maintain the purity of the water in the aquarium, 1/4 of the volume should be replaced at least three times a month.

Krinum wavy loves to grow in fine-grained soil (with a high content of organic matter) with constant root dressing and air saturation. Leaves begin to grow from the bulb of the plant rather quickly, the first seedlings appear in about a month. He does not like transplants very much, so it is necessary to think over the place of his landing in advance.

It is also important to remember that krinum is a wavy poisonous plant!

Winter storage of krinum

In winter, the flower requires special care. Even before the onset of frost, a shelter of straw or peat is organized for the bulbs. After the end of frost, the shelter is removed to prevent rotting of the root sections. In regions with harsh winters, the bulbs are dug up, dried and pruned. They can be stored in a refrigerator or cool room.

At rest, krinums are not watered, irrigation with water is allowed only if there is a risk of overdrying the earth layer. Violation of the temperature storage regime, as well as excessive humidity, will inevitably lead to damage to root cuttings. Improper wintering can negatively affect the flowering of plants.

If the bulbs are stored indoors, it must be dry. It is advisable to disinfect the cellar and equip it with ventilation. In the spring, you can see that the krinum has woken up - it starts up an escape as soon as it comes out of a state of dormancy. If there is no dormant period, the plant is unlikely to bloom in summer.

Crinum Paewella - characteristics of the plant

The glory of a very delicate plant has been fixed for this flower. That is why it is so rare in flower beds, many growers simply do not risk taking it. It's a pity, especially since the interspecific hybrid - Powell's crinum (Crinum x powellii] feels great in the natural and climatic conditions of Ukraine. It can be grown both in the open during the cold season, they are brought into a frost-free room).

By the way, in the summer, you can grow indoor plant species in the garden, for example, the popular Moore's crinum.

Crinum bulbs are simply huge: at least 15 cm in diameter, in older specimens - 25 cm.When buying Powell's krinum, choose bulbs with a diameter of 20 cm or more, this is the standard for him. They are round in shape, spherical, in other species they can be slightly elongated, with long necks and whitish scales.The bulb gives a lot of leaves, up to 20 pieces, they are bright green, belt-like, 90-100 cm long, form a rosette in Powell's krinum. It is noteworthy that, unlike other amaryllis, young leaves of crinums are not flat, but rolled into a tube (a distinctive feature of a plant).

Peduncles up to 1 m high, umbellate inflorescence, consists of 6-12 large, slightly drooping bell-shaped flowers with pointed petals at the end. Usually, garden krinum flowers are pink or mauve. But Album has white flowers and is now even more popular than the pink varieties.

Blooms from July to September. A single plant looks very beautiful, but group plantings produce an even greater effect, and they bloom longer. In many famous botanical gardens in Europe, these bulbs are planted in large flower beds, visitors are, of course, delighted with them.

Garden crinum in winter

Krinum bulbs ready for wintering photo

Wintering krinum is possible only with the vigilant care of the grower. In autumn, it is necessary to cover the bulbs from a thick layer of peat or replace the mulch with straw up to half a meter thick (then it will settle). In the spring, as soon as the frosts pass and the snow melts, the mulch is removed so that the bulbs quickly wake up and do not rot.

If you have frosty winters, dig up the bulbs, dry them lightly in the shade and store in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. Garden krinums can also be simply transplanted into pots and placed in a cool, dark place, and contain plants without watering.

Plants grown in containers are brought into cold rooms, where the temperature will be around 5 ° C in winter. If there is a threat of lowering to zero, it is imperative to cover with warm covering materials.

By the way, some gardeners prefer not to risk it, because after the flowering of the krinum, the rainy season may well begin, which can provoke rotting of the bulbs. Therefore, krinums are dug up, cut off, dried in the shade and sent to storage in a cool dry room (you can sprinkle the bulbs with dry sawdust and store in boxes at + 5 ° C).

Preparing krinum bulbs for photo storage

Reproduction

Dividing the bulbs

The easiest way to get a new plant is to detach the babies that have grown around the parent rhizome. To get the flowering of a small bulb, the procedure is repeated every 12 months, 2-3 times.

• For the first time, you will need a pot with a diameter of 9-12 cm.
• After a year, it is increased to 15-18 cm.
• The next year, they are transferred to a larger container. In it, the krinum will bloom in the near future and will remain for 2-3 years in a row.

Full planting of the bulb is only needed in the first year. On the second and third, transshipment is carried out.

There are krinum seeds on sale. Sowing them is an interesting activity.

Seeds

An interesting feature of Moore's krinum grains is that the embryo continues to grow, immediately after falling off the mother plant. After a while, the tip of the embryo appears on the surface of the seeds. Moreover, germination occurs even in the absence of soil, and can germinate even on an absolutely dry surface, without soil and water. For example, on a table or on a windowsill.

This is due to the high moisture content of Moore's crinum seeds is 92%. By comparison, the seeds of other plants have the highest moisture ratio - no more than 15%.

If the grains of krinum are placed on top of a damp bud, they will germinate, and they will go deep into the soil on their own. This is how the plants take root.

The peculiarity of a young plant obtained from seeds is that it grows very actively throughout the year, without entering a dormant state. Therefore, there is a need for a three-fold transplant within 12 months from the moment of germination.

After a year of proper care, the plants form four to five leaves, and a rather large bulb. It blooms this year.

Varieties for garden and indoor cultivation

• Krinum asiatica is a plant with a round bulb and belt-like leaves. In height it reaches from forty to sixty centimeters. Umbrella inflorescences of Asiatic krinum consist of delicate flowers with linear petals. The color of the flowers is white, slightly greenish. Flowering occurs in March-October.
• Crinum Mura is the most common type for indoor cultivation. The leaves of the plant are wavy, belt-like - they reach a height of sixty to ninety centimeters. Mura blooms in the summer with delicate pink flowers.
• Powell's Crinum garden is very popular for outdoor cultivation. Large fragrant flowers reach fifteen centimeters in diameter and have a beautiful bright pink color. In the photo of the krinum flower, you can see the gracefully curved ends of the petals.

• Crinium bulbous broad-leaved - has beautiful and large white flowers. The petals are slightly reddish on the underside. The leaves of the plant are belt-shaped, up to a meter long, up to eleven centimeters wide. The flowering period is August-September.

• Crinum American - is distinguished by luxurious white or creamy inflorescences. This is a large plant with almost one and a half meter leaves and elongated petals. The flowering period begins in late summer and can be repeated in the spring.
• Crinum bulbous Mauritian - has inflorescences of white flowers with a slight purple tint. Quite a large species with meter-long leaves.
• Crinum Shinto (cintho) is a plant with a high stem and a luxurious white inflorescence. But a photo of still unblown buds can be seen that on the lower side the petals are decorated with spectacular burgundy stripes.
• Varieties for keeping in an aquarium or in a greenhouse with a pond
• Crinum floating - the owner of a round bulb, ribbon-like curly leaves and white-green flowers;
• Krinum wavy (or krinum kalamistratum) - is distinguished by an elongated bulb and ribbon-like leaves with a wavy edge;
• Krinum Thai is a plant with ribbon-like leaves up to two and a half centimeters wide and white-green fragrant flowers. Thai is considered a rarer species than other aquatic species.

Popular types of krinum

Krinum has a huge variety of species, each of which has its own characteristics of cultivation and maintenance. Thanks to this, you can find a plant that is right for your weather and home conditions.

If your home is cold or you want to add beauty to the winter garden, then such krinums are perfect as:

• Makovana. In nature, it is found on the slopes of the Natal mountains. In an umbellate inflorescence there are about 15-20 flowers, a rounded bulb up to 25 cm in diameter. It blooms in late autumn. Did you know?It never hurts to put a couple of charcoals in any pot. This will saturate the soil with useful trace elements.

• Broadleaf. It has a large number of large belt-like leaves, colored bright green. The inflorescences are in the shape of an umbrella, the flowers are placed close to each other on short pedicels. The flowering period is in late August or early September.
• Floriferous. Distributed in the north of Australia. It has short, light green leaves. Blooms in December with beautiful small inflorescences. The bulb is small with a short neck.

If you want to embellish a warm greenhouse, then the following are perfect:

• Girlish or Verginsky krinum. The plant is native to southern Brazil. Loves warm and humid climate. Has a large brown onion. The leaves are rather narrow, sharp and long, with pronounced transverse veins. Umbellate inflorescence can contain up to 6 flowers, located on very short pedicels. The flowering period is in autumn.
• Ceylon. The plant is native to Africa and Asia. It has a bulb that reaches 25 cm in diameter, with a short neck.The inflorescence includes up to twenty flowers and is located on a long and high stem, which is colored bright green or red. There are not so many leaves, the number reaches 10 pieces. They are light green, long and belt-like.
• Rough. Homeland is South Africa. The bulb is large with a short neck. The leaves are long, differing in that they are often wavy at the base. The inflorescence is in the shape of an umbrella and contains from four to eight flowers. They fit tightly to each other and are located on short pedicels.

Bulbs also propagate such garden flowers as crocus, snowdrop, gladiolus, crocus, lily, hazel grouse, daffodil, tulip, lycoris, ixia, kandyk, allium, zephyranthes, chionodoxa, sparaxis, tigridia and dahlia.

Crinums live even in water. An excellent decoration for any pond or aquarium can be:

• Floating. Distributed in rivers and streams with large currents. The bulb reaches 5 cm in diameter. The stem of the plant is very short. The leaves are long, dark green or brown colored, have a belt-like shape, often wavy or corrugated along the edges. Umbrella inflorescence is usually located on a long stalk, consists of many red or white flowers. Did you know?The plant has very beautiful long leaves. Thanks to this, it got its name: "crinis" is translated from Latin as "hair".

• Purple. The favorite habitat is the subtropics. The plant has a long stem that rises above the water. Inflorescences are located on it, the petals are painted white. The leaves are hidden under water, reaching a length of 40 cm.The bulb is small, about 6 cm in diameter.

For outdoor cultivation, it must be borne in mind that the plant can withstand temperature changes and be wind resistant. Powell's crinum is perfect for decorating a flower bed. The bulb of the plant looks like a ball, reaches a diameter of 15 cm.

Leaves reach a meter in length, belt-like, colored light green. Umbrella inflorescence is located on a high stalk. The flowers are quite large, up to 20 cm in diameter, painted in light pink or white.

Crinum Moore is a favorite home flower that gives the home coziness and beauty. It feels great in a dry home climate and does not need complex maintenance. It has a large bulb reaching 20 cm in length.

The leaves are long, belt-like, sometimes wavy. The inflorescence is located on a high stalk, forming an umbrella shape. It can include up to ten flowers, the petals of which are pink. This type of krinum is the most common for home cultivation, greenhouses or greenhouses. It is the most cultivated.

Caring for crinum in the garden

How to care for krinum.

Planting krinum and caring for this bulbous plant in the open field does not contain any difficulties. You will need to water and feed the plant during the growth period, loosen the soil around it and weed the weeds, and with the onset of autumn, prepare the krinum for wintering. As soon as the plant enters a dormant period, and yellowing and falling leaves serve as a signal for this, the bushes are covered with a layer of straw or peat up to half a meter thick. If your winters are harsh, and even snowless, then it is better to dig up the krinum bulbs and store them in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator until spring. Or, transplant them in the fall into a container and keep them in a cool room without watering.

How to make hippeastrum bloom at home

Watering and feeding krinum.

The soil around the krinum should be kept in a slightly moist state, especially during the period of active growth and budding, but the soil should not be moistened abundantly, since the bulbs deteriorate and die in dampness. Water for irrigation should be settled and heated in the sun.

Crinum is fertilized in the open field twice a month with liquid mineral and organic compounds alternately.To prepare the mineral composition, 5 g of complex fertilizer is dissolved in 10 liters of water. For organic solutions, use manure, bird droppings, or use ready-made fertilizers that can be purchased in specialized stores. Before flowering, a solution of potassium salt and superphosphate is introduced into the soil.

Diseases and pests of krinum.

Of the pests, spider mites, scale insects and worms pose a danger to krinum. Amaryllis worms strongly oppress the plant, it begins to lag behind in growth, its leaves turn yellow and fall off, and a sooty mushroom settles on the sticky secretions left by pests. If the bulbs are heavily affected by worms, it is better to throw them away, but if you find pests immediately after they appear, then you can deal with them by treating the crinum on the leaves with an insecticidal solution. The scale insects are also destroyed with an insecticide solution, but since these insects are reliably protected from any poisons by the shell, it is necessary to remove adults from the plant before processing with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or soapy water. The fight against spider mites is carried out with acaricides, since these pests are not insects, but arachnids. By the way, drugs such as Aktellik, Aktara, Akarin and Fitoverm are insectoacaricides and perfectly cope with all the pests of krinum.

In the photo: Flowering krinum in the open field

Of the diseases, one should beware of such fungal infections as anthracnose and staganosporosis, or a red burn. Anthracnose develops rapidly in warm and humid conditions, and a red burn can be diagnosed by red spots and stripes on the leaves and bulbs of krinum. Both of these diseases are treated with a solution of Fundazole or another fungicide of a similar effect.

Caring for a nocturnal garden

Growing nocturnum in open soil is easy enough, like most other horticultural crops... Watering should be carried out regularly, while after it and after rain, it is sometimes necessary to loosen the soil surface. After the appearance of weeds, it must be removed immediately, and the bushes are systematically fed. In some cases, due to heavy inflorescences, the stems bend to the surface of the soil, which makes the bushes less attractive. In this case, you will need to install supports, to which the shoots are tied.

Experts advise cutting off the inflorescences immediately after they wither. This culture needs shelter only if a very frosty and little snow winter is expected. The plantings should be covered with non-woven material (lutrasil or spunbond). Spruce paws can also be used to cover the site.

How to water and feed

Watering such flowers is necessary on average 1 time in 7 days, for this they use warm water heated in the sun. During prolonged dry and sultry periods, the frequency of watering should be increased. At the same time, during prolonged rains, watering is suspended, since if the soil is excessively wet all the time, this significantly increases the likelihood that earthen fleas will harm the bushes, since they like to settle on crops belonging to the Cabbage family. It is necessary to water and loosen the soil surface only in the morning.

During the first season, the flowers are regularly fed with a solution of a complex mineral fertilizer, which contains a large amount of nitrogen. In the second year, during the period of bud formation, the plant should be fed with liquid complex fertilizer for flowering plants or phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Reproduction of nocturnal

Species and varieties with simple flowers can be propagated by seed. But if terry night violets are cultivated, then they are propagated exclusively by dividing the bush, since if you independently collect seeds from the bushes and sow them, then the grown plants will have simple flowers.The division of bushes of terry varieties is carried out at the beginning of the spring period or in the autumn. To do this, the bush is carefully removed from the ground, divided into several parts, and the cuts are processed with crushed charcoal. Then the delenki are planted in pits, which are prepared in advance.

In late autumn, before the first frosts, the soil surface near the plants must be covered with a layer of mulch, which will save the root system from severe frosts in a winter with little snow.

Nocturnal pests and diseases

The night violet is affected by the same diseases and harmful insects as the rest of the Cruciferous family. Such a flower can be harmed by cabbage aphids, cruciferous fleas and bugs, cauliflower stem moth, cabbage moth, caterpillars of turnip and cabbage whiteflies and cabbage scoops, larvae of rape sawfly and cabbage fly and cruciferous gall midge. Insecticides are used to kill harmful insects; they can be bought at a specialized store. Experts advise to try to find a remedy that effectively destroys pests, while not harming the environment.

During the seedling period, seedlings can get sick with a black leg. An older plant sometimes infects keela, peronosporosis, alternaria, sclerotinia, phomosis, botrytis and fusarium, they are also fungal diseases. Also, the night violet can be struck by such bacterial diseases as black rot and vascular bacteriosis. For this culture, viral diseases such as mosaic and ring spot are very dangerous, since today they are considered incurable. In the fight against fungal diseases, fungicides show high efficiency, the choice of which in specialized stores is quite wide. However, those bushes that are affected by viral or bacterial diseases must be removed from the soil and destroyed as soon as possible. The area where the affected bushes were grown for three or four years will not be suitable for growing a single crop.

However, if you adhere to the rules of prevention and provide the plants with proper care, then they will be highly resistant to both harmful insects and diseases.

Crinum care at home and garden

This evergreen plant has a voluminous root network, blooms very beautifully and, with proper care, can grow taller than human growth. Therefore, it will best decorate the interior of large rooms, and will also look great in greenhouses.

Lighting

For proper growth and development, the flower needs the maximum amount of sunlight, without partial shade or shade. It is better to keep it in a spacious room near windows on the south side. It is recommended not to allow the plant to come into contact with the window glass to prevent burns or hypothermia.

In the spring-summer period, subject to a warm climate, you can keep the plant outdoors, but avoid excessive rainfall on the surface of the foliage.

Due to the lack of lighting, the flower can shed the lower layers of foliage, therefore it is necessary to use an additional light source, for example, fluorescent lamps. In such conditions, the daylight hours of the krinum should last up to 16 hours a day.

Temperature and humidity

South African species, which include, for example, the Moore variety, have their own requirements for home and outdoor care. In spring and summer, temperatures in the range of 21-27 ° C are suitable for such species. They can be kept outdoors at this time. In the subtropics, it is even allowed to stay outdoors in winter, but only with the condition of lightly covering the plant with a cloth.

Crops native to tropical countries, such as the Thai variety, prefer warmer temperatures. In spring and summer, it is advisable to keep the plant at a temperature of 22-28 ° C, and in winter and autumn - 15-18 ° C (but do not allow the temperature to drop below 14 ° C).Moisture control does not play a significant role in the care of the crinum. It is recommended to occasionally wipe dust off foliage with a damp cloth.

Watering and feeding

The flowering period can be controlled by reducing the frequency of watering. So in winter, krinum can bloom if watering is reduced at the end of summer, which will provoke the onset of a dormant period. During the period of active flowering, watering is necessary often, the amount of watering will directly depend on the moisture content of the upper soil layer. As soon as it dries up a little, water the flower. After the end of flowering, the amount of watering is reduced, the soil during this period should be moderately moist.

During the dormant period, it is recommended to rearrange the plant in a cooler and less illuminated room, water it very rarely.

Complex fertilizers for flowering crops are used as top dressing. Top dressing should be done with the first appearance of young leaves and then every 14 days throughout the entire flowering period.

Soil and pot

To prepare the substrate, it is necessary to combine the following components in a certain ratio:

• 1 piece of leafy land;
• 2 parts of clay-sod land;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part of humus;
• 1 part of coarse river sand;
• a little charcoal can be added as an antiseptic.

The pot needs to be spacious and voluminous. This is due to the fact that the culture has a powerful root network for which sufficient space is needed.

Flowering and wintering

If a young plant was purchased, then you should not expect flowering from it in the near future, most likely, the flower will begin to bloom in 3-4 years. The flowering period usually falls in August-September, the beginning of which is characterized by the appearance of new foliage and flowers. During this period, it is recommended to make the first feeding and carry it out every 2 weeks until the end of this period.

In winter, with normal growth and development, the plant enters a dormant stage, during which the amount of foliage decreases and the plant stops blooming. During this period, the flower pot is transferred to a cool room, the average temperature is 16-18 degrees Celsius for tropical species, and for South African species - 4-7 degrees Celsius. Reduce the number of waterings to 2-3 times a month. Top dressing during this period is not performed.

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