Crossandra: planting and care
Crossandra is native to the tropics. In its natural habitat, this flower grows up to 1 meter in height. In the conditions of our country, it can be grown as a houseplant, creating favorable conditions.
Crossandra landing
The stage of planting this flower requires a very responsible approach. Crossandra can be grown from seeds or cuttings of an adult plant. When purchasing seeds, be sure to ask about their expiration date. The fresher the seeds are, the more likely they are to germinate well.
- For planting, use a mixture of peat and humus. Loosen the soil a little before planting and sow the seeds; they should not be buried too deep.
- Place the pot with the crops in a dark place. After three weeks, the first shoots will hatch. Until the sprouts get stronger, cover them with film and transfer them to a lighted place.
- Water shoots as the soil dries out, while avoiding excessive soil moisture.
- When the sprouts reach 5-6 cm, they are picked into separate containers.
Much easier grow crossandra from cuttings. To do this, you just need to cut a twig from an adult plant and place it in a container with water until the roots appear. This will happen in about a month. Then you need to plant the cutting in the ground and care for it like an adult plant. For better results, after planting, the cutting can be covered with a jar or polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions for it. The cover must be removed after the plant has taken root well.
Crossandra care
For the normal existence of a plant, it needs dispersed lighting. To do this, it is better to place the crossandra on the east or west side of the apartment. If necessary, you can place a pot with a plant on a southern windowsill, but then during the period of bright sun it is necessary to shade it.
Crossandra does not like sudden changes in temperature. It is best to provide the flower with a temperature of 22 degrees to 27 during the growing season. In winter, the plant goes into a state of dormancy and rest. During this period, it is better to reduce the temperature to 18 degrees. Do not expose the crossandra to drafts, as this will cause it to begin to shed its leaves.
For crossandra, it is important to keep the soil in the pot at moderate moisture. For irrigation you need to use soft water. It is best to use water that has been standing for several days or purified with a household filter. It should be at room temperature. In summer and spring, water the plant every week, and in winter you can reduce watering. Remember that it is easier to water dry soil in a pot than to save the crossandra from waterlogging.
This plant loves moisture not only in the soil, but also in the air. Because the atmosphere is too dry, its leaves and flowers fall off. It is permissible to use different methods to increase humidity. For example, place a pot with a plant near an aquarium or on a tray with wet pebbles. In the hot season, you can successfully humidify the air by spraying. But at the same time, do not allow moisture to get on the flowers.
From time to time, the crossandra needs to be fed with complex fertilizer compounds. They can simply be added to water for irrigation. In winter, during the dormant period, you should not produce feeding. For a beautiful aesthetic appearance, the crossandra must be trimmed periodically. To do this, faded shoots are shortened by a third of their length. The cuttings remaining from pruning can be rooted and used to propagate the plant.
How to replant a flower
The operation of replanting the plant should be carried out in the spring. This must be done every year. If there is a need, you can replant the plant at other times of the year.
When transplantation Be especially careful with the root system of the plant. Crossandra plants grow quickly, so when replanting, use a pot three times larger than the previous one. If the root system is not developed or has slowed down, then completely replace the soil with a more nutritious one and pay more attention to the watering schedule.
Be sure to place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot. It is ideal to take expanded clay or crushed stone for this purpose. The drainage layer should be at least 5 centimeters. After transplanting, care for the plant as usual.
Photos of crossandra
