Houseplants that can be easily grown from seed

Aeonium care at home

Home aeonium is distinguished by undemanding care and growing conditions.

Illumination

This plant belongs to the photophilous

Particular attention should be paid to varieties and species with variegated foliage, they should be provided with a lot of bright light. If they are even in a little shade, this will lead to curvature and elongation of their stems, while the foliage loses its color

In this regard, the flower is recommended to be placed on a southeast or south orientation window. But remember that in the afternoon, when the sun is at its brightest, the plant will need a light shade from the scorching rays. To do this, you can use a regular curtain.

Temperature regime

The plant reacts extremely negatively to an excessively high air temperature in the room. In summer, the room should not be warmer than 25 degrees, while the bush is recommended to provide a cool wintering at a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees.

The flower needs a constant supply of fresh air. In this regard, the room should be systematically ventilated, and the bush must be protected from a draft. In the warm season, if possible, the plant is transferred to the street. This can be done after the air warms up to 10 degrees. With the onset of autumn, the aeonium is returned to the house immediately after it starts to get colder.

Watering

Such a succulent plant does not need frequent wetting of the substrate. In summer, watering is more frequent than in winter. However, regardless of the season, care must be taken to ensure that the clod of earth in the pot is almost completely dry before watering.

As a rule, in the cold season, eonium is watered about once every 4 weeks. And during the growing season, this procedure is carried out approximately 1 or 2 times in 7 days. Well-settled water is suitable for this, the temperature of which should be close to room temperature. During watering, water should be poured very carefully, exclusively along the inner surface of the pot. Be careful not to let any liquid get onto the base of the stem or accumulate in the leaf outlet as this can cause rot.

Air humidity

Such a flower does not need spraying from a spray bottle, as it grows normally at any humidity. In order to remove dust from the surface of the foliage, just use a dry brush.

Fertilizer

Top dressing is carried out during the growing season 1 time in 15–20 days. For this, you will need a complex mineral fertilizer for succulents and cacti. In the cold season, the aeonium is not fed. Also, fertilizers are not applied to the substrate even when the bush was recently transplanted into a new soil mixture.

Eonium transplant

While the bush is young, its transplant is carried out systematically once a year. At the same time, an adult plant is transplanted not so often, about once every 2 or 3 years, after the root system ceases to be placed in a new container. Do not forget to lay a drainage layer with a thickness of 70 to 80 mm at the bottom of the new pot. The flower is transplanted by the transshipment method, trying to keep the clod of earth intact. The voids in the new container are filled with a soil mixture, which consists of leafy and soddy soil, coarse sand and peat. It is recommended to pour a small amount of charcoal into the soil mixture, this is a good prevention of the formation of rot.

If the bush is large and rather old, then you do not need to transplant it.Instead, it is recommended for him to change the top layer of the substrate 50 mm thick with a new soil mixture.

Please note that after transplantation, the root neck of the aeonium should be at the same level as in the old container.

If there are signs that the root system of the flower is injured, then after removing it from the pot, carefully remove all the soil mixture. Inspect the roots. Using a previously disinfected tool, cut out all rotten and damaged areas, after which these places should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Then plant the bush in a new container, while using a fresh soil mixture.

Giant Eonium transplant - master class - Georgy Aristov

Species diversity

Many succulent lovers admit that once you get at least one type of "live stones", it is impossible to stop, which is quite understandable - the variety is really impressive.

Optics

Lithops of this species have an unusual, lilac-purple color, the inner surface of the leaves is lighter than the rest of the areas. The flower buds have long white petals with rounded edges and pale yellow stamens. The buds are located deep "in the cracks" between the leaves. The height of adult optics does not exceed 2 cm.

Optics

Olive green

The leaves of this "living stone" have the shape of a heart, which has halves with a truncated upper part. The color of the flower is gray with a greenish tint, the flat top is intense gray with whitish blotches. The peduncle of the olive-green lithops is light green, the flower buds are of a delicate yellow hue.

Olive green

Marble

The top of the leaves is grayish-whitish or greenish-gray with broken lines of a deep gray shade, which form a "marbled" pattern. Lithops marble has a velvety surface, flowers have snow-white petals and yellow centers, a diameter of about 50 mm.

Marble

Leslie

Lithops of this species have significantly shortened obverse-conical fleshy leaves. The color is gray or gray-blue. "Cracks" between foliage are shallow, in most cases in the form of an arc.

On the surface of truncated foliage, the pattern resembles a mesh that diverges from several thick "trunks" or a darkish spot that occupies the lion's share of the top.

Leslie

Brownish

It is a brownish-brown or coffee-brown flower, the flattened surface of its foliage is covered with specks of various shapes. In the intervals between them, the color is more intense, so it seems that the leaves are covered with a dark mesh.

Flowers of a bright lemon shade with a column of a large number of the same yellow stamens. The size of flowers often reaches 3 cm in diameter.

Brownish

Aucamp

These lithops or living stones are quite popular among flower growers; they differ from other representatives of the species with densely grown foliage. The cracks dividing the flower into 2 parts are small and short. At the tops of the leaves, there is a pattern consisting of various specks and thick lines. The cracks have the same color as the lower part, the outer edge is bordered.

Aucamp

Kegle-shaped

Due to the brick-coffee hue and the usual shape for Lithops, the leaves of the plant resemble light roasted coffee beans. On the truncated tops, there is a dark brown pattern of mesh and specks.

The blossoming buds of the pin-shaped lithops are yellow-orange, the succulent blooms all summer and autumn.

Keglevid

Beautiful

The foliage of the succulent is gray-olive or ocher-olive; there is a gap between the leaves, which reaches almost to the soil. The surface of the sheets is dotted with a dark olive pattern consisting of broken lines.

Adult flowers rise 3 cm above the ground and grow overgrown with babies in a short time. In September, the beautiful lithops form and open buds, the flowers have white petals and a pleasant, pronounced smell.

Beautiful

Divided

A succulent plant with greenish-gray foliage, on the plates there is a pattern consisting of specks of a saturated shade. And if in most living stones the foliage has a truncated heart-shaped shape or looks like coffee grains, then in a divided one it is in the form of a forked cylinder or hoof. Lithops of this species have yellow flowers.

Divided

Soleros

This plant looks like a slingshot, which is stuck in the ground, the foliage is cylindrical, olive green in color. The main color of the upper part of the leaves is dark greenish, the middle is dark gray, bordered by a light shade. During flowering, one white flower appears, similar to garden asters.

Soleros

False truncated

It differs from most lithops by a small and narrow break between 2 leaves. Various colors: brown, pink, gray. The height of adult bushes is no more than 3 cm.

The flat horizontal part of the sheets is covered with a pattern of the same color as the main color, but in a more saturated tone. The color is false truncated lithops in September-October with golden yellow flowers.

False truncated

Usually, flower growers who are fond of growing "living stones" do not stop at any one variety. Moreover, different pebbles can be planted in one container and lithops looks - the mix is ​​very impressive, especially when succulents begin to bloom profusely.

Types and varieties of osteospermum

The flower has long attracted the attention of breeders around the world. New varieties appear on the Russian market every year

But there are favorite ones that are in constant demand.

It is a vigorous variety, the height of the stems reaches 75 cm. It is distinguished by a rare color combination of reed and tubular flowers. The blue center emphasizes the snow-white of the bordering petals. Emerald greens are a welcome addition. The shrub branches well, lays flower buds until late autumn.

The newly emerged bright yellow variety of African chamomile strikes with a sunny shade of petals. They do not fade, retain the color intensity until wilting. It is a medium-sized variety that forms into a compact bush.

The full name of the osteospermum "Magic Yellow" - Summer Hero Magic Yellow, is a variety of Dutch selection

Osteospermum Akila

Low-growing variety, suitable for indoor growing, bush height 20 cm, bud diameter 6 cm. Flowers are constantly renewed. When creating a winter break, it grows up to 7 years without a transplant. A wide range of varieties are presented, from white with a blue center to yellow with a gray center. Mixes are often sold that combine a variety of shades.

Osteospermum Eklona

A common flower variety known as the Cape daisy. This is a tall shrub that reaches a meter in height.

Osteospermum Pass

The shortest shrub, grows well in small flowerpots. A bush with a height of 15 to 25 cm is strewn with buds up to 5 cm in diameter. The varietal line includes colors: white, pink transitional, lavender, pale lilac, purple. There are hybrids with flattened petals in the middle.

A mixture of two varieties of "Passion": "White" (white) and "Pink"

Osteospermum Mix

The representative of the double variety Berry White, pink. The cap of central tubular flowers is crowned with rows of reed inflorescences

According to the accepted classification, there are about 70 species of osteospermum and its hybrid varieties in nature. Among the most demanded representatives of the genus are the following.

Osteospermum Eklona

A type of shrub, reaching a height of one meter. The shoots of the plant are branched, such a crop is grown as an annual. The green mass is of medium size, there are notches along the edges of the leaves. The color of the inflorescences will mostly be white, on the basis of the usually visually noticeable veins that frame the core of a dark color. This species has varieties of hybrid origin.Among them, the following are very popular:

• "Zulu" - a culture with yellow inflorescences;
• "Bamba" - the flower can be white or purple;
• Sky and Ice is an attractive plant with white petals and a blue core;
• "Congo" - the hybrid blooms with pink or purple inflorescences;
• "Starry Ice" is a variety with petals that are blue on the inside and white on the outside.

Growing such a plant will allow you to have a culture in the garden, about 50-70 centimeters high. The flower is in demand due to the peculiarities of the inflorescences, to change the color of its petals as it blooms. Among the varieties bred artificially in ornamental gardening, the following are in demand:

• "Buttermilk" - initially the buds will be yellow, then the shade changes to bronze;
• "Bengal fire" - the plant blooms blue with white buds;
• "Lady Leitrim" - the culture has a dark core and lilac petals.

This variety includes varieties obtained artificially by breeders. A notable feature of ornamental shrubs is the development of a large number of inflorescences on one plant.

Among the varieties enjoying well-deserved attention, it is worth noting:

• "Akila white" - blooms with large white buds;
• "Passion" - the flower forms simple inflorescences, the color of which varies from white to lilac or pink, with longitudinal lines;
• "Double parple" is a purple flower with tubular petals.

In addition to the aforementioned representatives of the genus, gardeners often cultivate ampelous varieties, and new varieties are purchased to decorate flower beds and front gardens, such as "Eclonis white", "Akilla lavender shades", "Mix of colors".

Diseases and pests

When growing an exotic plant, experts recommend paying attention to a number of diseases and some dangerous pests that can not only spoil the appearance of a flower, but also lead to its death. Among the most dangerous pests, biologists distinguish the following insects:

Among the most dangerous pests, biologists distinguish the following insects:

• shield;
• thrips;
• spider mite;
• aphid.

Violation of growing and care conditions can provoke the development of fungal diseases. The most common diseases are putrefactive processes of the root system. To prevent them, it is necessary to provide the plant with high-quality drainage and moderate watering.

For many years, exotic plants have gained wide popularity, which are used not only in landscape design, but also in the design of residential premises. Professional breeders are working to adapt these plants to other climatic conditions.

For information on how to transplant turmeric into soil with zeolite, see the video below.

Seed requirements

In order for pelargonium seedlings to sprout and develop successfully, it is necessary to select high-quality planting material. The seeds should be brown, oblong and always firm. The rest of the seedlings can be produced either by low-quality seedlings, or even by leaving the grower without a “harvest”. To avoid such troubles, you should not buy seeds from the market or supermarkets. To this end, it is better to visit a specialized store, the quality of the goods in which will be guaranteed to be high. Good seeds are sold ready for sowing, so there is no need to carry out any complex manipulations to force them to germinate.

What geranium seeds look like - photo

Large garden geranium seeds. They are hard, oblong and brown in color. Next, you can see in the photo what geranium seeds look like:

Seeds of indoor pelargonium are small, slightly elongated, shiny.

How to collect geranium seeds

If the plant is indoors, then it is possible to get seeds only by dusting pelargonium on your own.To do this, pollen from the stamen of one flower is very carefully and carefully transferred to the pistil of another with tweezers, a toothpick or a cotton swab.

Soon, a box will appear in the middle of the flower, which will gradually ripen, dry up and fall off. Further, how to collect pelargonium seeds is very simple and understandable, but it should be warned that plants will grow from such seed material that will be inferior to the mother in color saturation.

Pelargonium Seed Selection

To avoid possible mistakes, you need to carefully select and prepare planting material.

When choosing seeds, you should pay special attention to the following points:

1. Colour. Quality pelargonium seeds have a rich brown color. Slight dullness and light shade are allowed.
2. Form. The developed seeds are oblong; on the sides, insignificant depressions are visible on them.
3. The size. The planting material is large enough.
4. The shell. Pelargonium seeds are characterized by a dense leathery shell.

Also, when choosing a planting material, pay attention not only to the beauty, shape and saturation of the shade of the buds, but also to the conditions of detention that will need to provide a flower for healthy growth and full bloom. If it seems too difficult for you to create the appropriate conditions for growing the selected type of geranium from seeds at home, it is better to opt for another variety of pelargonium.

Seed handling

As already mentioned, geranium seeds have a dense shell, which makes it difficult for them to germinate. Sometimes you have to wait for seedlings for a long time, but the seeds still do not germinate. The reason for the failure is improper seed treatment before planting or lack of it.

Before planting, geranium seeds must undergo scarification - a procedure to remove a dense film. It is not difficult to carry out this procedure on your own. This will require fine sandpaper. With its help, only the upper dense layer is removed from the seeds, and no deep breaks remain.

After that, they are treated with phytohormones ("Epin", "Zircon") and soaked in warm water for several hours.

If you purchased high-quality seeds from a well-known company, or, for example, bought seeds from China, then complex preparatory procedures will not be required. All you need to do in this case is to keep the planting material in a dry, dark place, protected from insects and sunlight.

If the package with seeds indicates that the material is not prepared for planting, or you have some doubts about the quality of the preparation, additional processing will be required. For this, phytohormones are used ("Epinom", "Zircon"), after which the seedlings are soaked in warm water for several hours. Carrying out such procedures helps to accelerate seed germination and improve the quality of seedlings.

When to plant seeds

If you have the right lighting, you can plant seeds at any time of the year. It is still better if the plant has natural light and sunlight. Therefore, the period from November to April is considered the best option.

How to grow turmeric at home and how to properly care for a plant

The plant is quite capricious. Turmeric loves warm, humid conditions and long daylight hours, but does not prefer direct, but diffused sunlight. In case of insufficient lighting, growth slows down, the duration of flowering is reduced, the intensity of the color of the petals decreases. Therefore, in summer, turmeric needs a warm, bright place, and in bright sun, shading. To grow turmeric, you need an air temperature of at least 20 ° C, a bright location, high air humidity and regular spraying in the summer.

Turmeric prefers bright, diffused light, without direct sunlight.Therefore, it is recommended to grow it at home near the windows of the western and eastern directions. Shade from the bright sun should be provided for windows in the south direction in spring and summer. In the summer, it is useful to place the plant outdoors (on the balcony, in the garden), avoiding direct sunlight. It should be remembered that with a lack of lighting, turmeric can slow down in growth and bloom worse.

The plant needs high humidity. In the spring, before the emergence of shoots (April - early May), the plant is rarely watered, with water at room temperature. In the summer they are often sprayed, watered regularly. Watering and spraying is carried out with soft settled water. To create additional moisture, the pots can be placed on pallets with damp stones (expanded clay, etc.), while the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. However, in order to avoid decay of the rhizomes, water stagnation in the pot should not be allowed. In November, after all the shoots and leaves dry out, watering is stopped. Only occasionally moisten the soil so that the tubers do not dry out.

Between procedures, only the upper centimeters of the soil should completely dry out, but it is better to maintain uniform, constant moisture. From the moment turmeric is planted in the substrate and before preparation for digging, the soil should not be allowed to dry completely: even a short drought can be fatal for turmeric.

Top dressing with full mineral fertilizer is carried out 1 time in 2 weeks during the entire growing season (from April to October). In the autumn-winter period, the plant is not fed.
Fertilizers for flowering indoor plants are used to replenish the soil, in standard dosages.

Usually, by the end of November, all aerial shoots of turmeric dry out, and it falls into a dormant period. After the dying off of the aerial part, the rhizome, without removing it from the pot, is stored in a cool dry place at a temperature of 10-15 ° C. Until February-March, the plant is kept in a semi-dry substrate, which is occasionally moistened so that the tubers do not dry out. The container with tubers can be removed from the substrate and stored in the sand. The dug out rhizomes of the plant are stored in complete darkness in winter: access of light to the roots at the stage of complete dormancy can become destructive.
Some sources claim that the rhizomes of some types of turmeric must be stored at a colder temperature (7-9 ° C). Therefore, when buying a plant, it is necessary to clarify the storage temperatures of tubers for a particular species.

The main pests of turmeric are spider mites and scale insects. To eliminate them, it is necessary to treat the plant with insecticides and humidify the air in the growth zone. To combat leaf spot, fungicide treatment is used.
With the wrong care of turmeric, the following problems arise:

• Keeping in a dimly lit place leads to slower growth in spring, faded color of leaves and bracts.
• The plant does not bloom if wintering conditions are violated.
• The edges of the leaves become dry when there is insufficient soil or air moisture.

Growing conditions

To create the most favorable conditions for freesia, it should be grown in a greenhouse or greenhouse, but this method is more suitable for professionals or experienced gardeners. Such a plant, if necessary, can be cultivated all year round. However, in mid-latitudes, it is not able to survive the winter in the soil, therefore, corms are dug up in autumn. Such flowers can be grown at home, while indoor freesia begins to bloom in winter. There are basic rules regarding the growing conditions for all types of this plant:

1. Such a flower is very fond of light, while the required duration of daylight hours for it is 12-14 hours. But it should be borne in mind that it does not tolerate the direct rays of the sun, therefore, a small partial shade should be chosen for planting it.
2. The plant must be protected from drafts.
3. The soil should be loose and well-drained.A soil mixture consisting of leafy, sod and humus soil, as well as peat, which is taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1, is best suited for growing. It is best if the acidity is low.
4. If the variety is small-flowered and narrow-leaved, then it can be planted more compactly, while spreading, broad-leaved ones are planted more freely.
5. In order to achieve abundant flowering, the temperature should be controlled. So, until the plant blooms, it should not exceed 22 degrees.
6. Cutting flowers can be carried out only when at least 2 flowers bloom in the inflorescence. Flowers that have begun to fade should be cut off in a timely manner, otherwise they will take nutrients from those that have not yet opened.
7. Some shrubs have weak stems (for example, the broken freesia varieties) and therefore need support.
8. The flower needs high humidity. However, when spraying it, it should be borne in mind that moisture should not get on the flowers or buds. It is best to spray at 17-18 hours.
9. If the weather is extremely cold or hot, then because of this, the flowers begin to deform and many empty buds grow.

1. Seven Secrets of Success:

Botanical name: Osteospermum.

Osteospermum flower - family

Origin. South Africa.

Description - what the plant looks like. Osteospermums or African chamomile are biennial or perennial herbaceous plants that are pleasant in all respects.

The leaves are green, often long and narrow; the leaf blade has small denticles.

The flowers are large, solitary, with a dark center, appearing on the tops of long, slender stems. In fact, the flowers are inflorescences consisting of very small tubular flowers. The petals of some species are often twisted and look rather unusual. Shades of flowers are very diverse and range from white to pink, orange, blue, purple, salmon, red. When damaged, the leaves and stems give off an interesting aroma.

Currently, dimorphoteka and osteospermum are often confused - they are close relatives, but it was decided to call perennial plants osteospermums, and annuals - dimorphoteka.

Height. For growing indoors, low-growing species are suitable, whose height does not exceed 15 - 60 cm.

Hyacinth care

The plant is quite unpretentious, but this does not mean that you can take care of it at random. The flower belongs to garden crops, therefore, when growing at home, it is necessary to create conditions for the hyacinth as close as possible to natural ones.

Watering and spraying

Hyacinth prefers well-moistened soil, but the flower does not tolerate excess water. For watering, it is recommended to use a watering can with a thin elongated spout, which will allow you to control the process so that moisture does not get on the bulb. The liquid is poured around the edges of the pot without touching the leaf axils.Water must be clean (separated, filtered, rain or melt) and at room temperature. The frequency of watering depends on the rate of drying of the land, which should always be moderately damp.

Important! Hyacinth should not be sprayed

Top dressing for lush flowering

For this, mineral fertilizers are used for bulbous crops. Top dressing is applied every 2 weeks from the beginning of growth until the leaves die off after flowering. You can make your own formula. This will require:

• Sod land;
• Leafy land;
• Compost;
• Sand;
• Peat.

The components are taken in a 2: 1: 2: 1: 1 ratio and mixed thoroughly (large fragments are removed).

Peduncle pruning

After flowering, the hyacinth begins to wilt. First, the peduncle dies off, then the leaves. The first must be removed before the ovary appears, otherwise the bulb will spend energy on the formation of seeds, which is not at all necessary at the moment. Pruning is carried out immediately after the flower is dug out of the ground. The procedure is needed in order to remove excess tissue. Various pests or parasites may remain on them, which will not allow the bulb to be preserved during the dormant period. The stem is cut completely, leaving only a small stump.

Pruning hyacinth

Temperature regime

The plant feels comfortable at a temperature of 20-22 degrees.

Advice. It is better to place hyacinth at a sufficient distance from heating appliances, otherwise the leaves may dry out.

Lighting and supplementary lighting

In poor light, hyacinth is unable to bloom. At home, you need to provide the plant with 12-hour daylight hours. In winter, it is better to use an additional light source.

Newly planted bulbs are kept in a dark place for 6-8 weeks to promote better root development. When the sprouts reach a height of 2-2.5 cm, the hyacinth is transferred to a semi-shaded place. When buds appear, the flower is placed in a brightly lit space (direct sunlight should fall on it only in the morning and evening). At the end of flowering, the pot is transferred to a place where direct sunlight does not fall. After the foliage withers, the illumination does not matter, the bulbs are removed in a dark place.

Important! Since the flower always reaches for the light source, the hyacinth should be unwrapped regularly. Otherwise, the peduncle will outweigh to one side and fall

If you do not want to constantly rotate the pot, you can install a special support for the stem.

During bud formation

In the first half of spring, when hyacinth is actively growing and preparations are underway for flowering, the following conditions must be met:

1. Immediately after planting - complete darkness for 4-6 weeks. When the sprouts stretch up to 3-5 cm, partial shade.
2. High humidity.
3. Air temperature - 5 degrees (no more) for 1-1.5 months.

In the second half of spring and during the flowering period:

1. When the peduncle with buds has just appeared, the lighting should be intense and prolonged, but without access to direct sunlight.
2. When the buds are formed, you need to switch to moderate watering.
3. The air temperature is about 12 degrees (during the growth of shoots), 20-22 degrees (during the flowering period). Do not allow sudden changes in temperature. Hyacinth must be protected from drafts.

In the summer, when the flower accumulates strength:

1. Lighting should be diffused;
2. Watering is moderate;
3. The air temperature varies from 18 to 20 degrees.

During the rest period

In the fall, preparations are made for winter. Flower care must meet the following requirements:

1. When the leaves dry naturally, the bulbs are dug up, peeled and dried;
2. Humidity is moderate;
3. The temperature is within 15-20 degrees.

During wintering, lighting is not important as the bulbs are stored outdoors in a dark room. Humidity should be moderate; temperatures range from 15 to 20 degrees.

On a note.Leaves should not be harvested ahead of schedule, as they participate in the process of photosynthesis and saturate the bulb with nutrients. To speed up the withering process, you can reduce the number of waterings.