Cineraria: planting and care
The cineraria plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. In nature, there are about fifty species of this flower. It is mainly used as an ornamental garden plant.
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Planting cineraria
Process landings cineraria is not difficult. This plant prefers bright light, but at the same time it should not be exposed to direct rays of the sun at midday. The flower will feel good on fertile neutral soil with good drainage properties. It is necessary to plant cineraria in the second half of May, when the threat of night frosts has already passed.
There are no special features in planting cineraria. You just need to dig small holes and place the cineraria seedlings in them, without shaking off the roots of the soil in which the seedlings grew. After planting, the soil must be compacted and watered. If there is a threat of frost, the flower must be covered with special material overnight.
Homemade cineraria
When containing cineraria in an apartment place it on the east or west side. This will create the best lighting conditions for the flower. The plant will grow well in a relatively cool room. It is best if the temperature does not exceed 20 degrees.
Cineraria should be watered regularly, ensuring moderate soil moisture. The soil should not be dry, but excess moisture is also not allowed. For irrigation, it is preferable to use soft rain, melt or settled water. Although the plant loves moist air, you should not spray it. It is better to place pots with cineraria on trays with wet sand or expanded clay.
To plant cineraria, use low and wide containers, filling them with light and loose soil. soil with high nutritional capacity. For better air penetration, add pieces of bark or perlite to the soil. Be sure to put a drainage layer on the bottom. During the months of active growth, be sure to apply complex fertilizers every ten days, which are recommended for flowering plants.
Reproduction of cineraria
Like many other plants, cineraria can be propagated by seeds and vegetative way. In this case, cineraria seeds are planted only for seedlings, which are then transplanted into open ground. The seeds of this plant have excellent germination.
At the end of March, start landing seeds:
- Mix equal amounts of sand and peat and fill a shallow container with this soil.
- Level the surface of the soil and spray it with water from a spray bottle.
- Now sprinkle the seeds over the surface of the soil and press them against a ruler.
- Then sprinkle everything with water again and cover the box with glass.
- Place the box in a warm place for a week.
- When the seedlings hatch, remove the glass and transfer the seedlings to a bright but cool room. This way you will avoid pulling out the seedlings.
- After waiting for two leaves to appear, plant the seedlings in separate containers. Try to remove the plants together with a lump of earth so as not to damage the delicate roots.
If you want to propagate cineraria by cuttings, then this should be done in the summer. There is no need to cut off the branches. The cuttings just need to be torn off with a sharp movement from the mother plant, so that a piece of the heel comes off along with the cutting. Then stick the cuttings into pre-prepared soil, compact and water. To create a favorable microclimate cover up cuttings plastic bottles. After rooting, gradually accustom the plant to normal air. Keep the soil constantly moist.
Cineraria in open ground
Only cineraria seedlings are suitable for growing in open ground conditions. At the same time, it must be planted at the age of 50-60 days. At the same time, a couple of weeks before the planned transplant date, it is necessary to fertilize with mineral fertilizers.
Dig holes 20 cm deep and put organic fertilizer in them. It can be compost or humus. Add ammonium nitrate and superphosphate. Mix fertilizers with the soil and plant the seedlings. During the first week, cover the seedlings to create a greenhouse effect. In this case, the plant will quickly adapt to open ground.
Cineraria care
For good development, cineraria must be properly watered. Too little moisture causes the plant to become weak and begin to wither. An excess of water affects the condition of the root system - it begins to rot. There are quite a few species of cineraria that tolerate drought well. Therefore, when the summer is wet enough, the cineraria does not need to be watered. It has enough moisture, which the plant gets from precipitation. After watering, the soil next to the cineraria must be loosened and all weeds that draw nutrients from the flower should be pulled out.
To extend the flowering period, pick off faded buds. Pruning of cineraria is not necessary. Be sure to feed the plant. If the soil where the plant lives is poor in nutrients, fertilize it with mullein infusion. Be sure to periodically apply mineral and organic fertilizers. First of all, this plant needs potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Then the plant will have a developed root system, healthy leaves and lush inflorescences. Fertilizers must be applied twice a month until the flowering period ends.
Cineraria: photo
