Secrets of caring for a money tree at home or how to grow a lush bush

The money tree (from Lat. Crassula) is also known under the name Crassula and Crassula. To grow a money tree, home care is not complicated. It is important not to overmoisten the soil and find the right location. In gratitude for the attention, the plant will delight with a beautiful green crown, and upon reaching the age of five it can be covered with delicate flowers.

According to the teachings of Feng Shui, a beautiful, and even more so a blooming fat woman brings prosperity and well-being to the house.

Where is the best place to put a tree to attract good luck

The popularity of the fat woman in public reception rooms, libraries, institutes, office premises, apartments is caused by her beautiful appearance, unpretentious care and special symbolism. With age, the indoor flower with dense, thick, coin-like leaves takes on the appearance of a real tree due to the fact that the shoots turn brown. In height, a money tree at home can reach 1.5 - 2 m, expanding in width by 1.2 - 1.5 m.

Feng Shui philosophy endows Crassula with a powerful force to attract good luck, prosperity and happiness. A similar belief developed on the basis of the ancient Chinese legend about a solar tree, the crown of which was covered with gold coins instead of leaves.

In order for a living symbol of wealth to bring prosperity to the house, it is necessary to get it correctly and find the right place:

1. It is best to buy a Crassula seedling yourself or quietly pinch off the shoot from an adult specimen. It is believed that wealth is attracted only by self-brought, and not a donated seedling;
2. It is best to place the pot in the southeastern part of the house or office (Feng Shui wealth sector);
3. A well-rooted indoor flower is decorated with Chinese coins on a red ribbon or a few coins are buried in the ground.

Money tree, home care

Crassula has from 300 to 350 species, among which there are succulents, perennial herbaceous plants. In decorative floriculture, two types are popular - tree and silver. Young seedlings differ from adult plants in their green trunk and leaves; with age, the shoots grow stiff. The leaves are dense, medium-sized, have a different shape depending on the variety. Flowering in natural conditions is accompanied by the ejection of lush inflorescences of small white, pinkish or pale yellow flowers.

Prerequisites for a money tree:

Detailed description of growing conditions

To grow a beautiful money tree, home care must be regular. She is not whimsical. But nevertheless, neglect of agricultural cultivation leads to a loss of decorative appearance and disease.

To avoid problems during care, the following are recommended:

• do not allow strong waterlogging of the soil, a sharp increase or decrease in temperature;
• you cannot leave the plant in direct sunlight on the windowsill and in the fresh air;
• do not feed too often;
• trim the crown not more often than once a year;
• transplant as the root system grows (no more than once a year).

Location and lighting

An adult fat woman grows well in a flowerpot located on the floor near the windows. The diffused light is enough for her.

An important condition is the remote location from the central heating batteries and heating devices during the heating season.

The plant reacts poorly to drafts, but even with a lack of fresh air, it can shed its leaves. It is advisable to place the pot on a windowsill, near a window or balcony, but not on the aisle or in a dark corridor.

Watering a flower

Moderation in watering is one of the main conditions for the normal growth of domestic culture. It is advisable to use clean, soft water at room temperature.

Watering is desirable according to the following scheme:

• in winter - 1 time in 7 - 10 days;
• from spring to autumn - once a week with the introduction of complex fertilizers into the water once a month;
• in a very hot summer period - 2 times a week.

If a dense crust forms on the surface of the substrate between waterings, then it is desirable to loosen it. This will provide air for the roots.

Temperature

The temperature regime of apartments and offices is suitable for normal growth and development.

To prevent crassula from getting sick, it is advisable to observe the following conditions:

• not have pot in the autumn-winter period near heating devices;
• in an unheated room should not be left for the winter with temperatures below + 15 ° С;
• avoid sudden temperature changes;
• during the summer heat, do not put under the air conditioner;
• when the temperature rises to + 30 ° C and above, you can spray the leaves daily.

Top dressing

Complex compositions for succulents and cacti are suitable for fertilization. The high nitrogen content of these products helps to maintain the green mass and the bright color of the leaves.

In order not to provoke a burn of the delicate root system, it is advisable to use the composition indicated in the instructions in a concentration reduced by half. Top dressing should be done in moist soil.

Transfer

Ready-made soil for succulents is suitable for transplanting. To prepare a soil similar in composition at home, use in equal proportions sod land, peat, sand with the addition perlite... Young plants are transplanted every 1 to 2 years. Adult specimens do not require frequent transplants. Upon reaching the age of 10, only the top layer of the earth is replaced in a pot with a new one, without replanting.

During the transplant, it is advisable to adhere to the following recommendations:

• the new container may be 1 - 1.5 cm larger than the previous one;
• at the bottom of the container, a sufficient number of drainage holes are needed;
• during the procedure, a drainage layer is necessarily poured onto the bottom, after a layer of new soil, the roots of the tree are placed on it, trying not to destroy the formed earthen lump under the root system, sprinkle with soil on top so as not to deepen the root collar.

After transplanting, the surface is watered with a Heteroauxin solution in order to reduce the stress of the root system and activate the adaptation process in a new place.

Reproduction

For breeding an indoor flower at home, use the method of dividing a bush, cuttings, growing from a leaf. The complex method of growing from seeds is used by breeders to create new varieties of crops; it is not used at home.

In order for the breeding process to be successful, it is recommended to provide the following points:

1. Prepare a container corresponding to the appendix. Large roots will take too long to develop before the seedling grows.
2. It is not advisable to use thin plastic cups or bottles for rooting. Ceramic, glass containers are better suited.
3. As a soil, you can use perlite, peat tablets, aqua soil, clean water, steamed earth mixture for seedlings.

Propagation by cuttings

The most suitable time for cutting planting material is early spring. At this time, an even shoot is chosen, the length of which is at least 10 cm. It is cut with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 °. The knife is pre-disinfected over a fire or wiped with a solution of alcohol, chlorhexidine.

For reproduction you will need:

• a healthy stalk, dried for two hours;
• rooting powder (Kornevin, Heteroauxin);
• container with a suitable substrate or water.

For rooting in water, use the following scheme:

• half fill the glass beaker with clean, non-chlorinated water;
• the powder that activates the growth of roots is diluted in a container with water;
• the lower leaves are removed from the cutting and placed in a glass so that the cut does not touch the bottom or walls.

In the first and second methods, the roots appear by the end of the second week.

Video instruction on how to propagate a money tree at home:

Leaf propagation

Just like cuttings, leaves are rooted in water or substrate. For this:

1. Pick a healthy, sturdy leaf from the bottom of the tree.
2. Break it off so as not to damage the base.
3. Allow to lie down for several hours to dry the juice at the base.
4. For rooting in water, dissolve Kornevin in a glass and place the leaf there by 2/3.
5. For rooting in the soil, the leaf is buried in the ground at an angle by a third. The surface is sprayed with a stimulant solution, and then covered with a glass to create greenhouse conditions.

Dividing the bush

The third method is used when transplanting a group of plants growing nearby or dividing a large tree into parts. If heap-planted cuttings grew together for a long time and formed a woven root system, then they are carefully separated with an orange stick (you can injure fragile roots with your fingers), and then they are seated in different containers.

When large branches were cut from an adult fat woman during formative pruning, they can also be rooted like cuttings in water or soil. If the shoots were accidentally broken off by the fall of the plant or under the influence of the wind, they can also be rooted.

For this:

• remove broken, damaged, scratched leaves and branches;
• the base is trimmed with a sharp, clean knife;
• let it dry, treat it with a stimulant and root it;

Until the fat woman takes root, it is advisable to maintain the moisture of the soil, preventing it from drying out.

Bloom

Taking proper care of the bastard for several years can lead to flowering. This only happens with adult specimens that have reached maturity. Most often, flowering occurs in the spring, if a dormant period was observed during the winter period at a temperature of + 12 ° C to + 15 ° C. At the same time, the decrease in temperature occurred gradually and did not provoke leaf fall. And with the onset of spring, the temperature regime was also gradually brought to indicators from + 22 ° С to + 25 ° С. And potassium-phosphorus fertilizers were introduced into the soil, contributing to the formation of flower buds.

Possible reasons why the tree does not bloom:

• too young age;
• unsuitable light and temperature conditions;
• with systematic waterlogging of the substrate;
• with excessive accumulation of nitrogen in the soil, which enhances the formation of the crown.

In order for the plant to bloom, many advise keeping it in a dark place for two weeks. Such a measure most often leads to the loss of a lush crown and elongation of the shoots. It is best to provide the crassula with bright, diffused light.

Crown formation

Since the crown becomes thick over time, and in winter non-characteristic (thin, curved) shoots appear, Crassula is periodically pruned. This procedure is recommended to be carried out at the end of February, cutting off no more than ¼ of the shoots at a time. After cutting, the cut sites are treated with crushed activated carbon or wood ash.

In order to form the appearance of a young specimen and provoke the beginning of branching, pinch the top. After a while, two shoots develop at the site of pinching the upper bud. After 5 - 6 months, when they get stronger, their tops are also pinched, promoting further branching.

In order for the branches on the bastard to develop evenly, it must be periodically turned towards the light.

There are two more reasons for sanitary procedures that require immediate pruning, regardless of the season:

• total rejuvenation of an adult specimen, when the tree is cut almost to the root;
• removal of shoots infected with a virus, fungus or other types of diseases.

Diseases and pests

Crassula is highly immune to various viruses. Violation of the conditions of agricultural technology can provoke a deterioration in appearance:

• leaves become too sluggish and soft in the case of very rare or, on the contrary, excessive watering (the roots are saturated with moisture, rot and can no longer direct water to the leaves);
• the appearance of a dried crust, brown spots on the foliage is associated with the effect of burning sunlight (in this case, you can shade the window or remove the flower to another place);
• if the tree has few dense straight branches, and more curved thin branches, the problem is a lack of lighting;
• leaf fall can provoke a lack of moisture, temperature changes, too cold or too hot air, exposure to an air conditioner;
• during a drought, thin cobweb threads may appear in the crown - this indicates a spider mite defeat, in this case, the use of specialized means will be required;
• when uncharacteristic spotting appears, the crown is also treated with a fungicide against possible viruses.

With constant waterlogging of the soil on the surface, you can notice the appearance of small jumping insects. These are harmless suckers. They disappear with timely drying, loosening or replacement of the upper layers of the soil.

Timely care of the money tree allows you to easily grow a beautiful and well-groomed plant that will delight you with greenery, flowering and bring good luck to your home.

Money tree, home care in winter - video