Alokaziya: how to care at home

Alocasia is a rare but popular tropical plant in room culture.

It has dense leaves that repeat the shape of the heart, which are the main decoration of the plant.

In another way, this flower is called a trefoil or an elephant ear.

We create optimal conditions in the house for a flower from the tropics

Growing alokaziya in the home is not such an impossible task. It is necessary to observe some rules, create suitable conditions for the plant and enjoy the view of a beautiful ornamental plant. With all its beauty, alokaziya is a poisonous plant, therefore, caring for it, you should observe safety rulesbesides keep her away from children and animals. Like all tropical representatives of the flora, alokaziya prefers a fertile substrate rich in humus, high humidity and an appropriate temperature regime.

Lighting Requirements

In the summer it needs a bright sun, however direct rays are undesirabletherefore, it is better to locate it on the east or west, but not the south window-sill - it will destroy the leaves of the plant. If there are no other options, you need to priten the flower or put it away from the window.

Strong shading, like excessive sunlight, will cause problems with the leaves, which can become uneven in color, which will affect the decorative effect, or burn spots on the leaves of alokaziya can occur.

In winter, when the daylight hours are shortened, for Alokazia, it is desirable to extend it with the help of the backlight up to 12 hours.

Temperature requirements

Alocasia, although of tropical origin, feels good at room temperature in the region 22-26 degrees. In the summer, she is good on the street if the place is suitable and meets the conditions of detention. By the way, it does not tolerate drafts, so it is necessary to provide protection from them both on the street and at home.

Summer holidays on the street are well reflected in the appearance of the flower, she probably likes the open air more than at home.

If you send Alokaziya "on vacation", then you need to return it to your house in August, when the street and room temperature coincides. Upon the return of alokazii, quarantine is necessary.

In the cold season, alokaziyu should be at a temperature not lower than 17 degrees.

Home Alokazia Care Tips

To care for alokazii need to adapt, considering all factors:

• temperature;
• lighting;
• plant size.

How to conduct watering

As already mentioned, watering the plant requires moderate, as the soil dries. Categorically cannot be allowed water stagnation in the pot and pan. Also do not allow the drying of the earth in a pot. If alokaziya fades or leaves dry, it indicates insufficient watering or moistening. In the summer, the need for watering usually occurs once every two days; in the winter, once or twice a week.

Water for irrigation needs soft and defended.

What is the humidity of the flower loves

Coming from the tropics, the flower needs high humidity, so it must be sprayed twice, and even three times a week, and in the summer - at least every day.

If the conditions of detention are dry, an additional measure is to place the pot on a pallet with moistened pebbles or expanded clay. You can not neglect the maintenance humid environment - this is fraught with the appearance of ticks.

When to feed

Having transplanted the plant and letting it adapt, in a month it should be started to feed it. For this, mineral fertilizers diluted to low concentrations are used.

If you want to feed organic nitrogen-containing fertilizers, you need to do it with great care: overdose is dangerous for rotting parts of the plant. Not having much experience, it is advisable to use only mineral supplements.

It is good to alternate watering and foliar feeding with the same solution. Complex mineral compounds for soil fertilizer need not be diluted, 5-7 pellets after irrigation can be put on the soil surface. Gradually, they will, fertilizing with watering, fertilize it.

All the details of transplanting: which substrate and pot to pick up

Alokaziya likes nutrient soil, the substrate should have a slightly acid reaction, it is good to pass air and moisture. The multiplicity of transplants is once a year; adult specimens can be transplanted once every two years.Transplantation is carried out in early spring, when alokaziya is out of rest, after buying a new copy, it should first be placed in quarantine. Soil composition:

• leaf earth - 1 part;
• coniferous land - 1 part;
• peat land - 1 part;
• sand - 0.5 parts.

A soil mixture consisting of equal parts of greenhouse and garden soil and sand is also suitable.

Pots Alokaziya loves high, equipped with large drainage holes.

Large plants can be transplanted by transshipment with an earthy clod in a container having a larger diameter.

Strongly ramming the pot in the ground is not worth it, it will later settle itself when watering, after which you can add more ground from above. The soil in the pot is supposed to be loose.

Breeding methods

Owners of an adult plant are interested in the question of how to propagate alokaziya.

Such an instance is breeding material one of following ways:

• division of rhizomes;
• using daughter tubers;
• grafting;
• seeds.

As a rule, breeding occurs in early spring and is timed to transplant.

Division of rhizomes

This method is combined with transplant plants. It is necessary to remove the soil without damaging the roots. Caked before you need to blur.

Sharp knife divide the rhizome in such a way that each delenka had a growth bud or rosette of leaves. The cut should be sprinkled with charcoal and give an hour to dry.

When the cut dries, you should plant a flower in the appropriate soil mixture and water. Week to make sure that the temperature does not fall below 23 degrees. Before acquiring leaves of elasticity, you must regularly spray the plant. Keep it in this period is better in the penumbra.

Daughter tubers

Replacing alokaziya, among the roots you can see small tubers.They are quite capable of growing into a full-fledged plant.

They should be separated and introduced for germination in a special substrate. Pot for baby can serve disposable cupDo not forget to provide drainage holes.

Two months later, the tuber will release the first leaf.

Cuttings

The cuttings of the plant (the top or part of the trunk with one or two buds) should be soaked for half an hour in the fungicide preparation, after which the part where the roots should grow should be sprinkled with a root stimulator.

After that, the stalk is rooted in a mixture of peat and sand, taken in equal parts, and kept in a warm and bright place, but not under direct sunlight, with lower heating of the soil. As required, moisten the soil. Rooting required about a month.

Seeds

If you were lucky to see how your Alokazia blooms, you did not remove the peduncle for the sake of the beauty of the leaves and waited for the seeds, you can try to use them as a seed. They should be sown immediately after harvest.

They germinate in a mini greenhouse in warm, moist air in a light substrate. Emerged shoots need to dive in small pots. After a year, your young plant will have large leaves. Varieties of alokazii with variegated leaves are not propagated by the seed method, since variegation in these conditions is not transmitted.

Methods of pest and disease control

If your alokaziya receives the right care, its diseases are unlikely. However, if alokaziya is sick, its leaves darken, dry and fall, or the leaves turn yellow, what should I do? The plant needs a certain level of moisture, if it is not followed, parasites can start.

Most often the flower is affected by aphids, scutes, ticks.

• The spider mite envelops the lower part of the leaf with thin spider webs. Get rid of it by washing the leaves with soapy water or insecticides.
• Aphids deplete the plant by feeding on its juice, as a result of which the leaves dry out and curl up.Destroyed by washing with soapy water, nicotine sulfate solution or finished products. After processing the plant, after a day wash it, shielding the soil with cellophane.
• Shchitovka breeds with great speed. It is exposed to a tobacco solution with soap, kerosene and denatured alcohol. Adults are removed with a moistened swab, the larvae with a soap solution or insecticide.

The cause of the flower ailments can not be parasites, but care errors.

• Pale leaves due to lack of lighting.
• Dry spots on the leaves - burns caused by direct sunlight.
• Disturbance in the uniform color of leaves or their drying are the result of temperature changes or drafts.
• Drying tips of the leaves - the result of a lack of moisture due to scarcity of watering or low humidity.
• Growth arrest signals the need for additional food or transplanting into a more spacious container.
• Withering leaves indicate improper watering: insufficient or excessive. Another plant thus responds to the excessive compaction of the substrate and the violation of breathability.
• Rotting rhizomes happen due to a combination of drafts, low temperatures and an overabundance of moisture.
• Sometimes the plant sheds leaves. If the inspection of tubers showed no damage, it is necessary to replace the soil, place the plant in a cool place and stop watering - it is time to rest. When new shoots appear, provide heat, light, and moisture.

Medicinal properties

As already mentioned, alokaziya - a poisonous plant. This property is inherent in all its parts. Many poisonous substances have long been used by folk medicine, and in the modern world and traditional.

Alocasia and its medicinal properties are widely used in chinese medicine.

• Alokaziya tincture on vodka is used in the treatment of wounds, pains in the joints and back, polyarthritis.
• A tumor is treated with this plant, both benign and malignant.
• It is used for stomach and tooth pain.
• With the help of this plant they are trying to cope even with such ills as tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Exotic tropical plant alokaziya is quite possible to grow and multiply at home. A little attention and care, and she will delight you with beautiful views of leaves and exotic flowers. However, do not forget about its toxicity and take precautions so as not to harm yourself and your environment.