Croton: home care. growing, breeding, transplanting croton

Croton care at home

A plant like croton is unpretentious, but you need to know how to properly care for it so that the flower develops quickly and pleases the eye with its color.

How to water a plant

Croton can be watered, sprayed and even washed, but this should be done at least 1 time per week. In spring and autumn, you need to water the plant every day or every other day.

Important! In between watering, make sure that the soil dries out a little.

Before you start watering croton, you need to warm up the water a little, since the plant does not like cold water.
Water only with warm boiled water. You can also just spray the plant. In winter, one watering every 2-3 days will be enough for a flower.

Features of feeding Croton

For a whole year, Croton should be fertilized with mineral and organic fertilizers. In spring and autumn, the plant needs to be fed once a week, in winter - once a month.
You need to fertilize with commercial products, but you can also use folk recipes such as coffee grounds, tea leaves and banana peels. The thickening and tea leaves are steamed and brought in once every 2 weeks. The banana peel should be cut into pieces and placed in a pot. Then it is covered with soil and watered. Banana peels decompose over time.

If you follow all the requirements, croton will show flowers in a few months, but the main thing is proper care.
If you nevertheless decide to use drugs for rapid development and growth, such as "Epin", "Zircon" or "Uniflor Grow", usually they should be used no more than 2 times a month. Be sure to carefully read the instructions and the description of the drug.
Liquid complex fertilizers, such as Oasis or Ideal, may also work.

Important! Water the plant before starting to fertilize.

Croton crown formation: how to properly prune a plant

Trimming is usually done to create a beautiful ball shape. Basically, the upper branches are pinched so that the croton can form the side shoots as you need them.
Before pruning, you need to treat the area with charcoal powder. This is done for disinfection.
The first pruning is done when the croton grows to 17 cm. The next pinching is done when the plant grows to 40 cm, and with the help of these shoots the flower can be propagated.

In addition to the formation of croton, branches that have suffered or dried from parasites are also cut off.

But you need to do this only when you know for sure that the plant cannot be cured.
It is also important to clarify that croton flowers take up a lot of the plant's energy, since there are a lot of them on it. Therefore, we recommend picking off yellow or white inflorescences.

Croton will not suffer from this.

All about Croton transplant

Young Croton should be replanted in the spring every year. To do this, you need a pot 3 cm larger than the previous one. Then you need to prepare the mixture. It is usually bought, and this mixture includes humus, turf and leaf land, peat and sand. The ratio is 1: 1: 1: 1: 1. This earthen mixture is called "Codiaum".
Lay charcoal at the bottom of the pot and cover the fertile soil with a 3 cm layer. Then you can start replanting the plant. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the earthen lump. The plant is transferred from an old pot to a new one. Then you should fill it with an earthen lump with soil mixture to the brim.

Now that you have transplanted an indoor flower, you need to know what croton will require and how to care for it after transplanting.
Water the plant so that the soil does not dry out, and spraying is carried out every day.Bright light will add color to the leaves. You can also wash the plant under a warm shower once a week.
We recommend buying another pallet and placing drainage in it. Pour some water there. This will provide warmth and optimal moist air that Croton needs.

Popular types

The genus unites from 17 to 1200 species. But Croton Motley is grown at home, on the basis of which a large number of decorative forms have been derived.

Croton the Motley

The peculiarity of a plant of this species is that the plant is able to change its color depending on the conditions of detention. In the wild, Croton Motley grows up to 3 meters in height. The leaf plates are short-peaked, brownish-green in color. Depending on the forms that this species has, the leaves can be flat-leaved, lobed, appendage and decorated.

Croton "Mrs. Aiston"

This species is a large shrub or tree. The foliage is maroon in color with spots of bright pink color. There is also a variety with original golden leaves with black spots, as well as a decorative form, which is distinguished by its pink-yellow color.

Croton "Petra"

In the wild, it grows up to 4 meters in height. The bush is densely branching. The leaf plates have a lobed, oval or pointed shape. The color of the leaves is dark green with a bright yellow canvas and the same color with specks and veins.

Croton "Black Prince"

Codiaum Black Prince

The leaf plates of this variety are flat, wide oval in shape. The main color of the leaves is greenish-black, covered with many specks of red, yellow, orange.

Croton "Disraeli"

Croton Disraeli

The foliage is lobed. The upper part of the leaves is colored green with yellow veins. The lower part has a brick-brown tint.

Croton "Excellent"

Croton Excellence

Outwardly, the leaves of this species are similar to oak leaves. In the upper part, they are painted greenish-yellow, and in the lower part, burgundy-red.

Planting and transplanting

Croton has a negative attitude towards the transplant. Therefore, young plants are transplanted, or rather transferred into a slightly larger (2-3 cm) pot, after a year, and adults after 2-3 years or less. During this procedure, try to preserve the integrity of the earthen coma as much as possible.

To grow a large codiaum bush, it will have to be replanted every 1-2 years.

If the bush has grown significantly and you do not want it to be larger, it is enough to change 5-6 cm of soil on top of the pot. Soil renewal is necessary when the old one has already turned white from salts or is too compacted.

It's time to change the soil in the pot with this croton, it looks unhealthy

Both ceramic and plastic pots are suitable for croton. But growing flowers will be better in plastic, so that it is easier to monitor the state of the root system. But for mature adult crotons, a container made of ceramics is more suitable.

It is heavy and stable, and this is important: because of the massive crown, the plant can fall. In addition, natural ceramics absorbs salts that Croton does not need.

A tall croton needs a heavy and stable ceramic pot.

Choose a pot that is about the same height and width

Pay attention to the drainage holes, they must be large. Before planting, if necessary, install a Croton support

Large specimens are not transplanted, they partially renew the soil from above

Croton is used to fertile, but porous and light soil. Approximate compositions:

universal soil for indoor plants, you can add orchid soil and charcoal;
on 3 parts of garden land, one and a half - peat and one sand;
a mixture of compost, leaf soil, peat and sand in equal proportions;
into 2 parts of leafy earth, one - peat, half a part of humus and sand, cut sphagnum moss for airiness;
into two parts of leafy land, one part of humus, peat, sand.

About a quarter of the pot should be drained. It will help remove excess moisture from the roots. Expanded clay, red brick chips, polystyrene, vermiculite are suitable as a drainage material. Before planting, be sure to sterilize the soil and drainage, scald the pot with boiling water.

We transplant croton

Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.
Pour some of the soil on top, moisten it.
Carefully remove the plant from the old pot without breaking the root ball.

Examine the roots, carefully remove the rotten.
Move the plant to a new pot.
Gradually fill the earth ball with new soil, compacting the void between it and the wall of the pot. Shake the container slightly in the process so as not to leave empty areas.
Water the plant lightly, spray it and place it in a slightly shaded warm place.
After a week, return to a permanent place, look after as usual.

Croton is stressed after transplant, treat it more carefully than usual

Support

Most varieties of indoor croton have massive, dense leaves and a relatively thin stem. This imbalance is not noticeable at a young age. But over the years, the crown becomes richer, and the trunk does not have time to increase the weight and slopes under its weight. Support is needed to keep the plant from breaking. For starters, sticks made from bamboo or another tree are suitable. You can buy a liana support (a stick wrapped in coconut fiber) or make something from scrap materials.

The support should help the croton not to bend under the weight of the crown

How to choose a healthy plant

When choosing croton in the store, pay attention to the color of the foliage. In a healthy plant, it is bright, the veins are especially expressively traced.

Look at the arrangement of the leaves. They look up at the top or almost parallel to the ground at the bottom of the trunk - this is the norm. Sadly hanging is a sign of illness. Examine the leaf plates carefully: dents, dry spots, dots - possibly marks left by pests. Check the stem to see if it has pits, indicating that the croton is dropping leaves. Make sure the earth ball is in good condition - not overdried or flooded. If you find alarming symptoms, it is better to refuse to purchase croton.

This plant is clearly painful, healthy croton leaves do not hang.

Keep the newly purchased croton in quarantine for at least two weeks, let it adapt to the new home. And only then transplant. All shipping soil must be removed if problems are found: rot, sourness, pests. If there is nothing, save the roots by leaving the soil.

Croton description

Croton is a small shrub with bright leathery foliage. Its natural dimensions can reach several meters, but indoor views look less ambitious. Their average size reaches 70 cm, but some can grow up to 1.2 m. Croton has erect stems, forming many lateral shoots, decorated with large petioled leaves. In this case, the shape of the leaf blades can differ: there are both uniform oblong and asymmetric, three-lobed, notched and some other varieties. The leaves can also resemble laurel or oak. The edge of the foliage can be flat or slightly wavy. Fresh leafy shoots most often have a pale yellow-green hue, but over time, the leaf begins to acquire a rich green and burgundy color. This combination of colors gives the codiaum its unusual appearance.

The foliage of all croton varieties has pronounced veins. Often they are painted in contrasting shades. At the same time, the possible unusual appearance of the croton bush, especially at the beginning of the growing season, may be explained by the plant's tendency to mutations.During this period, its young foliage can take on a particularly unusual shape. This property allowed breeders to create a large number of hybrid varieties that differ in the shape and color of the foliage.

The bloom of croton is less expressive than the color of its foliage. During this period, the bush forms racemose inflorescences located in the sinuses. They include miniature creamy flowers.

When purchasing an adult codiaum bush, you should carefully examine it. The foliage should be dense, firm and glossy. The brightness of the veins will indicate the health of the plant. The presence of pits on the trunk is traces of fallen leaves, but there should not be too many of them. In addition, care should be taken to prevent the bush from getting too cold on the way home.

Croton. CARE AND MAINTENANCE. My flowers. My experience.

Propagation of croton by air layers

It happens that the croton stem is bare for a number of reasons. The flower loses its decorative effect. To save the day and grow a new young tree, air layers can be obtained from the old one in two ways.

The first way

In late spring, and preferably in summer, a circular cut of the bark is made on the croton stem at a distance of 15 cm from the top of the plant. The strip should be about 7 cm. The place of this cut, for the rapid formation of roots, is treated with growth stimulants and wrapped with sphagnum moss. Then everything is wrapped in dark plastic wrap. The top edge is easily reinforced so that it can then be opened a little while the moss is regularly moistened. And the lower edge is strengthened stronger, tied with a string. Sometimes they do it differently: around the cut on the stem, put on a plastic ring cut from a plastic glass or bottle, fix it well and fill the space with peat, as shown in the diagram.

Rooting scheme with air layers

In any case, the roots on the stem should appear in a month, but you will have to wait for them to grow well and become at least 5 cm, so that in the future they can provide the young plant with food and moisture. Only then can the cutting be cut and the air cut can be planted in the prepared soil. The place for the pot is chosen shaded for several weeks. Good watering and spraying of the plant is a must.

Result

Second way

A lignified shoot is selected on the plant and bend it to the ground. To accelerate the formation of roots, in that part of the shoot that is closer to the ground, part of the bark is removed, this place is treated with a growth stimulator. The place of future rooting is fixed with a wire pin and sprinkled with soil. In two to three weeks, new leaves should appear from the ground. When they are old enough, the air cut is ready for transplanting. Dig it out of the ground carefully and transplant it into your pot in its permanent location. Do not forget that it takes time for the plant to get stronger, take root well, and begin to grow on its own. We put the pot in a bright, but shaded place, water, spray.

Reproduction at home

There are several ways to reproduce Codiaum at home.

Cuttings

To do this, in the spring, a stalk 15 centimeters in size is cut off. It is placed in a warm solution of water and activated carbon until the milky juice disappears from the handle.

Then it is dried, and the leaves are wrapped in a bag, which reduces the evaporation of moisture from the flower. After the above steps, the cutting is planted in a peat sand mixture and covered with a film until the roots appear.

The plant should be regularly ventilated for a couple of hours.

Air layering

A branch with a bare stem is taken, bends to the ground and sprinkled with earth. Once the branch is rooted, it is cut off and placed in a new pot according to the transplant rules.

Seeds

Seeds are sown in greenhouse conditions similar to propagation by cuttings in January or February. Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a special solution of phytohormones according to the instructions in the description.

The first shoots appear after 3-4 weeks.

Codeum seeds

Pruning and shaping the crown

Lateral shoots of croton grow more slowly than the central stem

Therefore, it is important to form the crown of the flower so that the bush grows lush. Carry out the first pinching of the plant when the codiaum reaches a height of 15 cm

This will provoke increased growth of lateral shoots. Re-pinch when the branches grow 20 cm in length.

In the future, regularly shorten shoots that are too elongated, and remove dried leaves, damaged and weak branches. And also cut out the flower buds, as they draw out the forces from the plant. After the procedure, be sure to sprinkle the cuts with crushed charcoal.

Diseases and pests of codium

Any deviations from the rules for caring for Croton lead to disease.

The sun's rays cause leaf burns, to prevent disease, it is enough to limit their exposure to the plant.
Insufficient lighting leads to the loss of bright shades of the leaves. If there is little light in the room, an additional source must be provided.
Excessive watering leads to decay of the roots, and a lack of moisture provokes drying of the leaves

Therefore, it is important to maintain a balance of water treatments.
Drafts and temperature changes are your worst enemies. From them Croton sheds leaves

The optimum temperature for a flower is 17-22 degrees.
Milky sap attracts Spider Mites and Shield Aphids. They can lead to death if not eliminated in time.

In the fight against pests, treatment with specialized insecticidal agents will help. At home, you can prepare a soap-tobacco solution and wipe the leaves and stems with it. 3 hours after the procedure, be sure to rinse the plant with clean warm water.

After interacting with the flower, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, as the plant sap is poisonous.

Home care

To care for the codiaum, you should regularly allocate a sufficient amount of time for this. The plant is capricious, so you need to observe certain conditions of maintenance, carefully monitor watering and fertilize the soil. In addition, you will often need to transplant the flower, and this must be done correctly.

Ground requirements

Codiaum is not very picky about the soil. Universal soil can be purchased at the store, while the packaging must contain the note "suitable for decorative deciduous houseplants."

The pot must be stable, clay or plastic is equally suitable. The diameter of the container is half the crown. Each new transplant will need to prepare a container 2 cm in diameter larger than the previous one.

Optimal conditions of detention

Croton is a sun-loving plant. When kept, he will need to provide a sufficient amount of sunlight, but it is better not to leave it in direct sunlight. In the summer, it is better to put the pot on the north side of the window, and in the winter - on the south.

Codiaum grows very well in the fresh air, therefore, as far as possible, it can be taken out onto the balcony. However, you need to monitor the absence of drafts, since the color does not tolerate them. The optimum temperature for keeping in the summer is about 20-23 degrees, in the winter - from 16 and above.

Watering a flower

Watering the soil must also be carefully debugged by a florist. The flower does not tolerate overflow, but it also does not like drought. In either case, the sheets quickly react with yellowing and withering away.

To avoid overflow, the soil and pot must be well drained. Excess moisture will drain into the pan. In summer, the earthen ball should be moistened abundantly, and in winter it is recommended to reduce watering. The soil should always be slightly damp. It is necessary to irrigate with warm water, which was previously settled at room temperature.

Be sure to wipe the sheets with a damp sponge at least 2 times a week.This will remove dust from the plant, making it grow better and look cleaner.

Top dressing and fertilization

Fertilizing croton is also an important step in caring for it. For feeding, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made mineral composition that is suitable for this type of plant.

Feeding should be carried out at least 2 times a month. It is necessary to start fertilizing the soil in April, and finish in November.

Trimming

In order for the plant to please with a lush and beautiful crown, it must be periodically pruned. For young codiaums, plucking is used. The emerging buds or flowers are also removed. This greatly wears out the codiaum, which is why it loses all its beauty.

After cutting off unnecessary sheets, it is important to process all cuts with charcoal powder.

How to transplant correctly?

To transplant a flower, it is transshipped. It is recommended to reload young plants at least 2 times a year, as they are characterized by intensive growth. An adult croton will need to be transplanted once every two years.

How to perform transshipment:

Wear gloves.
Gently hold the plant and remove it from the pot.
Shake off excess soil slightly, then place in a new container.
Fill the voids with fresh soil, before reaching the surface a distance of 1 cm.

When the root system will fit in a 25 cm diameter pot, transplanting is no longer required. It will be enough to remove the top layer of soil once a year and put fresh soil in its place.

Winter care

In the winter season, almost all croton care procedures are preserved, but reduced in quantity. In winter, the codiaum does well without fertilization, but if the grower leaves the dressing, it must be reduced to once a month.

You need to water the plant less often, but you also need to make sure that the soil does not dry out and is slightly moist.

It is recommended to give up the shower until spring, but it is important to continue washing the leaves. It is also better to reduce the number of wipes.

How to plant croton at home

If you nevertheless decide to grow croton in your home, you need to know a few nuances for the proper development of the plant.

Did you know? Croton is able to optimize the workplace environment for successful negotiations, protects the owner from the negativity of strangers.

Where to place Croton: choosing a place and lighting

Croton needs to be provided with a sunny spot. The color of its leaves depends on the amount of light. The plant is not afraid of direct sunlight, so you can place the flower directly on the windowsill and not create diffused light. The window must face the east or west side.
You also need to monitor the plant after purchase, since the croton must get used to the new place. If he likes the place, the crown will acquire a unique color, and if, on the contrary, he does not have enough light, the leaves will be ordinary, that is, green. In winter, it is better to expose the plant to direct sunlight, and in spring it should be avoided.

Requirements for temperature and humidity

The optimum temperature for croton in summer should be 30 ° C. In winter, it is better to stick to 13 ° C, as he does not like a drop in temperature, especially a long one. If the temperature drops sharply below 10 ° C, the leaves will begin to fall off, so it is better to place it closer to the battery.
As for humidity, Croton loves dry room air, namely 80%. In summer, the humidity should rise, so the plant should be frequently sprayed with distilled water. In winter, when the temperature drops, it is better not to touch the flower and just water it.

What should be the soil for planting

Croton loves fertile and slightly acidic soil mixtures. You can make them yourself. Garden mixture, peat and sand are taken and mixed in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. You can also add leafy soil, and for adult plants, this component is increased.Before planting, the soil must be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the mixture is dry, you can start transplanting.

How to choose a croton pot

The croton pot should be regular and the size of the plant's root system.

This is important because if you choose a pot that is too large for a plant, you may overflow.
A regular plastic pot is suitable, from which it will be more convenient for you to transplant Croton into another pot

The process of transplanting a purchased plant

Expanded clay must be laid at the bottom of the pot. He should fill the pot part. Then you need to carefully remove the earthen ball from the pot. If you see that the surface of the coma is covered with roots, you need to carefully transfer the plant into a new pot of a slightly larger size. If the roots are covered with earth and there are not very many of them, then the plant must be transplanted into a pot that is suitable for croton in size.
You can also add some root feeders, for example, "August". These fertilizers are long lasting. When adding such dressings, the root system will crawl out through the holes in the bottom of the pot, so it is better not to add water to the pan.

How to trim croton to make it fluffy

The handsome man grows in the form of a bush or tree, over time, on its shoots, old leaves dry and fall off, the shoots stretch out and lose their decorative effect. And the flower itself does not grow so actively and densely over the years. Pruning is done primarily to stimulate growth, acquire new forms of the bush, renew shoots and cuttings.

To force the codiaum to branch, you need to pinch all the shoots

The formation of a full-fledged crown for this tree must be done by phased pruning:

at 1.5 years, the plant is pinched to awaken the lateral buds and create new shoots;
at 2 years old, partial pruning is done, regulating the growth of new shoots - adjusting the growth of shoots will help form a beautiful and desired crown shape;
at the age of 5, a full-fledged pruning is performed: here the emphasis is not on the formation of the crown, but more on the stimulation of growth, since at this age the flower begins to slow down the growth processes.

Croton trimming should be done with a sharp, machined tool in one motion for each cut. Treat the cut sites with charcoal several times after the procedure. After pruning, let the plant rest, put it in partial shade, reduce watering.

Important! After pruning, the plant cannot be sprayed - the cut sites may rot. Proper care of any plant guarantees a healthy and beautiful appearance

Croton will respond with gratitude with a palette of bright colors of its amazing leaves. It is important to approach the care of the plant with love in order to create warmth and comfort in the home.

Proper care of any plant guarantees a healthy and beautiful appearance. Croton will answer with gratitude with a palette of bright colors of its amazing leaves.

It is important to approach the care of the plant with love in order to create warmth and comfort in the house.

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Croton flower: the nuances of growing

When buying croton, you should take into account the fact that the plant is quite demanding. There are many nuances in caring for it, each of which affects the final appearance of the color.

What you need to know before purchasing codiaum:

In places where a leaf or stem is broken, the codiaum begins to secrete poisonous juice. Therefore, it is recommended to take care of croton with special gloves, and also refuse to decorate an apartment with such a flower with small children.
This plant quickly dies from watering with cold water, and also does not tolerate drafts.
Croton blooms periodically, but after that it begins to look not in the best way. If you want to keep its beautiful appearance, it is recommended to immediately remove the inflorescences.
The flower needs a periodic warm shower. Leaves should be regularly wiped with a damp sponge to remove dust.

If these nuances of growing are not scary for a novice grower, you can safely purchase Croton and decorate the interior with it. Fortunately, the plant copes with this 100%. Of course, subject to proper care.

Seed propagation

This breeding method is not popular with breeders. After all, growing croton from seeds takes a lot of time. In addition, flowers propagated in this way do not retain varietal characteristics.

If you are not averse to experimenting, then start the event in January-February. Please note that croton seeds quickly lose their germination. Therefore, use fresh grains harvested this year for germination. Be sure to prepare the seed before planting. To do this, hold the seeds for half an hour in water with a temperature of +60 ° C. And then soak them for a day in warm water with the addition of any growth stimulant.

Plant the prepared seeds in a moist, universal soil for seedlings to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Please note that before sowing, you need to warm up the mixture to +22 ° C, and in the future you should maintain it in this state. Therefore, the bottom heating is indispensable. After planting, stretch glass or plastic over a container or pot, and place an impromptu greenhouse in a warm place.

Moisten the soil regularly to avoid drying out, while using the bottom irrigation method. That is, put the greenhouse for a while in a basin filled with warm, settled water. And also do not forget to wipe off condensation from the shelter. Maintain the temperature near the planting within + 22-25 ° C. Only in such conditions croton seeds germinate at home.

Growing and caring at home

Croton flower is a native of the humid tropics. He does not tolerate drafts and dry air; cold, drying out of the earth, and lack of light are destructive for him. The bright color of the leaves directly depends on the amount of light, but direct sunlight can leave burns on them. Therefore, it is better to place the plant on the west or east window.

It signals any unfavorable deviations in care by changing the color and wilting of the leaves. And they are extraordinarily beautiful: hard, glossy, painted in different colors depending on age. Young leaves are predominantly yellow and light green in color, over time they acquire pink and red shades, old leaf plates can have a rich dark green, burgundy, purple color. The shape of the leaves depends on the variety and can be oval, narrow-leaved, three- and multi-lobed, with smooth or wavy edges.

Lighting and temperature

With a lack of light, the leaf plates turn green and lose their decorative effect. Therefore, on windows facing north, plants need additional lighting. The flower is also demanding to the temperature regime. In summer, he feels comfortable at + 20- + 25 degrees Celsius. When the temperature rises, watering should be increased.

Watering and humidity

Croton requires balanced watering with settled, slightly warmed water. Water should be abundant and regular in summer. With a lack of moisture, the leaves lose their turgor and droop, and with an excess, the root system rots. Therefore, the excess water from the sump must be drained.

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The plant also needs systematic finely dispersed spraying. Adjust the spray so that moisture settles on the leaves and evaporates, rather than dripping off them. Instead of spraying, you can wipe the leaf plates with a damp cloth. To increase the humidity level, pebbles are poured into the pallet and a pot with a plant is placed on it. Keep the pebbles always wet.

Fertilization

In the spring-summer period, Croton needs regular feeding. They ensure the active development of the plant and the bright color of the leaf plates. Complex fertilizers are applied every 1-2 weeks 15 minutes after watering.

In winter, Croton is in a resting phase, therefore, feeding is reduced to 1 time per month or even stopped.