Features care for bromelium at home

Bromeliad is a plant native to the tropics, easily grown at home. There are about 50 species, they differ in the structure of the leaves and inflorescences, and some wild subspecies even bear fruit and are used by the locals in the preparation of food. The flower serves as an exotic decoration for homes and workplaces, well suited to the modern style of interiors.

Now, thanks to the flower growers who brought it in and observed the peculiarities of development, the plant can be bought in our stores. And although this herbaceous perennial flower does not belong to fastidious, bromeliad still requires some attention, and the article will help you figure out how to care for it.

Optimal conditions for growing in the house

The temperate climate is unusual for this plant. If you just bring a flower from the store and start watering as usual, it will die. Even if the plant does not require constant monitoring and care, it is necessary to spend time on ensuring that it feels comfortable.

Location and lighting

Bromelium for normal growth requires moisture, which the plant receives both from the air and from the soil, so care at home begins with the choice of location for the flower. Choose the wettest place in the house.

The room should be free of drafts and well lit, but it is better to avoid direct sunlight - burns on the leaves can occur. If these conditions are met, the plant will feel comfortable on the eastern sill or in the southern part of the house.

Temperature conditions

Maintaining a normal temperature contributes primarily to the flowering of bromelium. For optimum conditions a temperature of +25 ° C is required.If flowering has already begun or bromeliad enters a dormant stage, lower the temperature to +18 ° C. The lower acceptable threshold is +12 ° C.

Features care for bromelium at home

In order to avoid unnecessary problems with growing a flower, you should take into account everything: water quality for irrigation, periodic procedures for leaves and inflorescences, soil, proper feeding, timely disposal of parasites, the need for transplantation and other points specific to bromelia.

Watering and moisture

Due to the peculiarities of the root system, the plant cannot absorb all the necessary moisture with their help. Therefore, the flower is watered correctly into a rosette of leaves (fertilizing is carried out in the same way). On hot days, bromelium must be watered quite often - every 2-4 days. During colder periods, when moisture evaporates slowly, it is watered once a week. Nevertheless, the soil must be wet, so that the root system does not dry out. Concerning air: at home, 60% of humidity is enough. Some efforts are made to achieve this mark. You can use air humidifiers or place containers with moss and expanded clay next to the plant.

For the flower is very useful periodic spraying of the leaves. Having figured out how to water the bromelium, also do not forget to wash the plant outlet every few months.

Soil and fertilizer

The rhizome of a flower needs a loose, air-permeable soil. Optimal soil for bromeliad is obtained from the following components:

• 2 pieces of leafy ground;
• ½ part sand;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part of the humus.

Drainage 3 cm thick (or one third of the pot) is laid out on the bottom of the flower tank, an expanded clay layer is suitable. Adding charcoal will make the soil more fertile. Also in the soil you can add bark of conifers and sod land. During the period of intensive growth, the plant needs regular fertilizer, once every 2-3 weeks. In case activity is not observed, it is enough to enrich the soil with fertilizers once a month.Under natural conditions, bromeliads are consumed with a small amount of nutrients, hence the main rule of fertilizing is to fertilize moderately. As a top-dressing, special mineral liquid mixtures for bromeliads are used. The solution is introduced during watering in the bromeliad.

Bromeliad: flowering period

Bromeliad blooms only once in its life and lasts for several months, most often in the summer, after which the plant dies. As already noted earlier, the main condition under which successful flowering can be achieved is to maintain the temperature at 21-25 degrees. Sometimes there is no apparent reason to understand why bromeliad does not bloom. However, even in conditions close to ideal, the plant may never bloom.

There is a technique by which the process in question can be stimulated by circumventing the natural terms and conditions. The fact is that ripe fruit, especially not ripe, secrete ethylene, which provokes flowering plants. Buy some fruits (unripe bananas are best), put them next to bromeliad, wrapping everything in a plastic bag,and your plant will bloom regardless of the period.

Bromeliad after flowering

Children will grow out of the maternal outlet, which can be left behind, gradually removing the dried parts of the flower and subsequently planting them in different pots. This way you can save offspring after the bromelium has faded. Children will continue to develop separately and will also bloom.

Bromeliad Transplant Rules

Before transplanting bromelium, keep in mind that often the plant does not tolerate transplantation, therefore it is better to grow new bushes from the children. Use young shoots, tied at the base.

For seedlings you will need a soil mixture:

• substrate for orchids;
• sand;
• peat.

All ingredients are taken in equal quantities and mixed until homogeneous.Soil is laid out in a pot on a pillow of clay stones or expanded clay.

The escape is separated when he has grown to at least a third the length of his parent. The seedling is deepened into the soil by 2-3 cm. While the roots are forming at the plant, it is necessary to prop the process with a wooden peg.

Problems in growing: pests and diseases

Since bromelium itself is not fastidious, problems and diseases arise mainly due to mistakes made during the care of the plant. The main enemies of the flower are scale insects and mealybugs. Flags feed on sap from leaves and stems, and the product of their vital activity is a fluid that promotes the development of fungus. The described pests are harvested by hand, then the leaves are cleaned with a solution of green soap.

Some problems occur without pests. Dried leaf tips indicate low humidity. Direct sunlight can cause burns, and the leaves become stained. If the plant begins to wither and turn yellow, most likely the reason lies in a low temperature or in too abundant watering.Bromeliad requires a lot of moisture, but you should wait until the moisture is completely absorbed.

If you pay due attention to the plant, it will decorate your home flower collection for a long time. In order not to lose the flower, continue to care for his offspring as well as for the parent, and you will watch more than once how the bromelium blooms.