What you need to know when planting and growing a dollar tree, flower growers tips

Today we will tell you the secrets of planting and growing a "dollar tree".

You will learn the basics of care and breeding, as well as a few interesting facts about the plant.

Recommendations for the care of a dollar tree

To get started, learn the general information about the dollar tree.

Zamioculcas - a plant that belongs to the family of Aroids and originates in tropical Africa.

A dollar tree has a thick tuber-like rhizome and glossy leaves.

Now that we have learned a little about Zamiokulkas, we can proceed to the recommendations for the care of the plant.

Soil composition requirements

To find out what kind of soil is needed for Zamiokulkas, you need to remember which soils prevail in his homeland, in tropical Africa.

The flower requires loose soil that will “breathe” well and allow moisture to pass through. You can buy soil in a flower shop and add some river sand. Or else to make the substrate for zamiokulkas by mixing in equal quantities turf soil, leaf soil (obtained by rotting the fallen leaves), peat and river sand.

You can make an alternative "mix" of chernozem, peat and sand in equal proportions. When mixing the soil you need to add to it finely chopped sphagnum, which loosens the soil.

Content temperature and lighting

Zamioculkas unpretentious to the conditions of detention. It can be put both on the south and on the north window. A dollar tree is not afraid of drafts, in the warm season it feels great on the open balcony or in the garden.

However, when choosing a place for the flower, take care of the lighting. The lack of light affects the color saturation of the leaves, in addition, new leaves grow weak and unsuitable for reproduction.

A dollar tree quietly tolerates both low and very high temperatures. The optimum temperature is 18-20˚С. In winter, he feels well at a temperature of + 16-18˚С.

Thus, an African plant can be kept in an apartment without creating a tropical hot climate. The plant does not need to extend the sunny day by installing an extra lamp.

Regular watering and humidity

Watering zamiokulkas need not too often. The soil should not be constantly wet, and even more so in winter. Add water to the pot when the soil on the surface becomes dry. In winter, watering is done when the substrate in the pot resembles a clod of dry earth.

We turn to humidify the air. A dollar tree feels great with minimal air humidity. However, do not forget, at least once a month, to wipe the leaves of the plant with a damp cloth so as not to accumulate dust and dirt.

Fertilizer and top dressing of the soil

If the plant inhibits growth and development, then you need to think about how you can feed a dollar tree.

It is necessary to fertilize a plant during vegetation once a week, alternating organic fertilizers with mineral ones. The concentration of fertilizer should be 2 times less, so the finished feeding is diluted with water 1: 1.

Once a month, the dollar tree should be sprayed with urea or complex fertilizers. In this case, spray the body of the plant, and not the top layer of soil. Feeding up the plant according to the instructions, you save the color of the leaves, prevent disease and accelerate the growth of Zamiokulkas.

Features transplantation of zamiokulkas

In addition to fertilizing and watering, Zamiokulkas should be regularly transplanted into new pots so that the plant is disease resistant and has a healthy appearance. When do you need to transplant a dollar tree in order not to injure the plant?

Zamiokulkasa transplantation is carried out in April or May. At the same time, it is important to transplant the plant along with the soil from the old pot. Thus, you need to immediately abandon pots that are smaller than the old "house" or identical in size with it.

The plant is transplanted into a larger pot (3-4 cm larger than the old one in diameter), while the tops of the tubers of the roots do not cover the ground so that the root system is not over-wetted. 2 days after transplantation, the plant should be watered abundantly.

It is best to replant the plant in a plastic pot with a narrowed bottom. However, it should not be very high, so that during the next transplant you would not have to split it.

As you can see, it is quite simple to transplant zamiokulkas at home.

Reproduction at home

Many thought about how to multiply Zamiokulkas at home. In this section, we will answer this question and detail in detail the procedure for breeding a dollar tree.

Division of tubers

It is easy to propagate the zamiokulkas with tubers, as the tuber itself divides during growth. You just have to separate part of the tuber during a planned transplant of a plant.

Place the separation should be sprinkled with activated carbon crumbs and leave to dry. After that, plant the plant in a pot with nutrient primer, pre-covering the bottom of the pot with drainage.

This method of division is not the best, since there is a risk of death of the parent plant. In addition, a separated tuber may not settle down. It is worth remembering that young plants are not transplanted in this way due to the lack of a sufficient number of tubers.

As you can see, it is very simple to root a dollar tree with tubers; this type of breeding is available even to inexperienced florists.

Cuttings

Propagation by cuttings has its advantages, because, firstly, the cutting contains more nutrients that facilitate rooting of the new plant, and secondly, cuttings can be propagated even when the plant has only 2-3 branches, which can be used as cuttings.

As a rule, take a shoot from a dollar tree is easy. To do this, do not need special tools, it is important to follow the instructions.

For reproduction, a strong stalk of the optimal size is chosen (if you choose too small, it will take longer to root).The selected process is separated with a knife from the mother plant and placed in water (we also add activated charcoal for disinfection).

The water in the tank is periodically changed and monitored so that the cutting does not rot. As soon as the roots appear - the young plant is transplanted into the soil.

There is another variant of grafting, in which the plant is placed in the ground. After cutting the shoot, the place of separation is treated with crushed coal and left for a day without being placed in water or a substrate. This is done so that the cutting closes the juice-carrying channels on the cut and forms a cork layer.

After a day, the cutting is placed in a moist, light, nutritious soil with the addition of peat and trace elements. To make it easier to take root, you can install a greenhouse-cap above it (for this you can take an ordinary glass jar), which must sometimes be removed for ventilation.

As soon as the first leaf with a reddish film appears on the plant, a cutting is taken. Water the young plant should be so that the water does not hit the kidney (it is better to pour water around the perimeter of the pot).

Leaf reproduction

The easiest type of breeding, which does not require much time and other resources. During leaf reproduction, it is important to understand that the leaf is the entire branch that grows from the ground. The trunk of the zamiokulkas is in the ground and is a tuber with roots. So, for reproduction using small leaves, which are part of a large leaf.

Before you multiply your plant, prepare a sharp knife and a container of water. Carefully cut the leaf off the dollar tree and lower it into the water so that 2/3 of the leaf is submerged in water. When cutting a piece of paper you need to grab a small part of the stem.

From the moment you put the leaf in the water, and until the roots appear, it can take about 3-6 months, so do not sin on a bad leaf or wrong instruction.

Also cut sheet can be planted in peat. In this case, after cutting the sheet, it must be left to dry for one day, and only then “stick” into the peat.The leaf sets to 1/3 of the length and water with sufficient amount of water (do not over-wet the substrate, otherwise the leaf will simply rot).

Next, the dishes with a sheet to cover with glass / can / polyethylene. Sheet from time to time need to be watered and aired. The time of germination of roots is the same as when immersed in a sheet of water.

Possible problems in cultivation, diseases and pests of zamiokulkas

Money tree is affected by pests most often due to improper care. The most frequent "visitors" of the plant are the spider mite and the scab.

Let's start with spider mitewhich is parasitic on the plant.

A small arachnid animal that feeds on plant sap. The tick is very small and difficult to see. The parasite causes severe damage to the plant, so you need to urgently fight it.

To destroy the pest, you can either soap solution (which need to wipe the entire body of the plant), or use specialized tools to combat the parasite - acaricides.Also spider mite is afraid of alcohol. Moisten a cotton swab with a 96% solution and wipe the entire plant.

The second pest of a dollar tree - scythe.

Shchitovka belongs to the family of hemiptera insects. It parasitizes many plants, therefore Zamiokulkas is no exception. For the fight, you can use all the same soap solution from laundry soap, which is applied to the entire body of the plant.

After processing with soap, cover with plastic bag. The treatment is carried out several times until the parasite leaves the plant. We do not recommend the use of chemicals to combat the shield, as they are quite toxic, and spray them in a residential area is prohibited.

In addition to parasites, zamiokulkas can suffer from diseases. Therefore, we will tell you how to identify the "sore" and cure it.

1. Dark spots on the leaves. There are several reasons: excessive moisture, draft or too low temperature. Reduce the amount of watering and move the flower pot to another location.After a while, the zamiokulkas will return to normal.

2. Rotting stalk. The plant begins to rot if it is watered excessively at low temperature. At the same time there is a characteristic putrid odor. In addition to the stem, the roots also begin to rot, so the situation must be rectified promptly so that the plant does not die.

To save a dollar tree, it is dug up and cut off the rotten parts. The cut sections are treated with activated carbon chips. After "resuscitation", the body of the plant must be treated with a fungicide and transplanted into another pot with new soil.

3. The plant began to dry. Zamioculcas dries and sheds leaves for two reasons: aging or mechanical damage. So do not worry, just carefully clean the leaves and stem, so that the plant is not injured.

4. Yellowing of the leaves. We recalled this problem above, when we discussed the irrigation regime. Yellow leaves appear on the plant when there is a surplus of moisture. Also, if rot appears on the roots, the leaves will begin to turn yellow.To cure a plant, you just need to dry the soil or, if it is in a neglected state, transplant it into a new dry substrate.

5. Stains on the stem. If the spots are not wet / soft to the touch, then this is just a feature of the plant. Also dark spots left behind scutes. Yellow dry spots on the leaves appear after sunburn. In this case, just change the place, and the plant itself will be restored.

Pruning Zamiokulkas

We have dealt with the main pests and diseases of the dollar tree, now we are starting pruning zamiokulkasa.

Pruning plants carried out in the spring. During rapid growth, the upper kidney, which receives the most nutrients, is gently removed. Shoots pruned so that in the end the crown resembled the shape of a ball. After pruning, the dollar tree immediately forms the lower buds, which then turn into young shoots.

Now you know that keeping a dollar tree at home is not as difficult as it may seem.Do not forget about the care of the plant, and it will always please you.