Secrets and subtleties of growing plectrantus at home
Growing plectrantus at home is not particularly difficult. He is able to develop successfully even with the most minimal care. The main value of plectrantus is beautiful leaves, which, depending on the species, can be monotonous green or have different borders and veins of a contrasting color.
Read also:arrowroot - home care!
Botanical description of plectrantus
Plectrantus flowers have practically no value. They are rather small and inconspicuous.
Shoots of room mint are cascading, densely leafy, with a tetrahedral stem. But there are also other types of plectranthus with erect stems. They look more like small shrubs.
In room culture, the following types are most common:
- Shrub;
- Ertendali;
- Coleus;
- Southern.
The first of them - shrub plectrantus is also known under the name "molar tree".
If you grind its leaves, they give off a strong scent that repels moths well. The other three types are ampelous plants that can be planted in various hanging flowerpots and pots.
Growing conditions
Growing plectrantus at home is not particularly difficult. The sparrow is well suited for very busy people or budding growers as it requires minimal maintenance.
Lighting
Indoor mint requires intense but diffused lighting. Only variegated forms usually need more light. In winter, the lighting for the plectrantus should be as intense.
If the plant at this moment lacks light, its shoots will grow and become thin and weak.
For summer, the flowerpot can be taken out into the garden or placed on the terrace. The place for placement must be chosen so that direct sunlight does not fall on the plant. Prolonged exposure to intense sunlight can cause significant burns on the leaves.
Watering
During the period of intensive growth, room mint requires moderate watering. When the summer heat sets in, you can water more often. Watering and air humidity for plectrantus in winter should be significantly reduced. If this is not done, the risk of fungal diseases increases. For irrigation, it is best to use settled water at room temperature.
You can not completely dry out indoor mint, this will lead to the fall of most of the leaves and the plant will lose its decorative appearance.
The soil
Sparrow does not have any special requirements for the composition of the soil. The culture develops worst of all in heavy airtight loams. The composition of the soil for plectrantus can be as follows:
- 1 piece of leafy land;
- 1 part of pure river sand or, if absent, perlite;
- 1 part deoxidized peat.
If there is no opportunity for self-compilation of an earthen mixture, you can use a universal soil for growing indoor decorative deciduous plants. Also, a pot with a plant must have good drainage.
Temperature regime
In the summer, the temperature for growing plectrantus should be within + 23-26 ° C. Moreover, the plant is very useful for the difference between day and night temperature indicators. In winter, the bristle flower requires a cooler content, but the temperature should not fall below + 10 ° C.
Basic care activities
Growing plectrantus at home is impossible without proper care. Indoor mint, especially young plants, has a rather intensive growth rate, so it needs an annual transplant. It is best carried out in the spring.
The new pot should not be much larger than the old one. When transplanted into too large a container, souring of the soil that has not been developed by the roots can be observed, which can lead to the death of the plant.
Older specimens of roommint, depending on the condition, can be transplanted once every 2-3 years.
During the period of intensive growth from March to August, it is recommended to feed the bristle flower with any complex mineral fertilizer for indoor plants. It should be diluted according to the attached annotation.
Shoots of old plectrantus become bare over time. To return the plant to its decorative appearance, anti-aging pruning is carried out. During it, all old shoots are cut to a height of 8-10 cm.
Reproduction methods
Reproduction of plectrantus at home is not particularly difficult. Like the vast majority of other indoor crops, it can be easily propagated by cuttings.
To do this, in spring or summer, cuttings are cut from the plant with a length of no more than 10 cm. They can be rooted, depending on capabilities or preferences, in water or substrate. When rooting in an aqueous medium, boiled water is poured into a small transparent container. To prevent the development of putrefactive processes, a piece of charcoal is placed on the bottom.
When rooting in the substrate, the cuttings are planted in a loose and nutritious soil mixture. The planting depth should not exceed 1 cm. The cuttings can be covered with a plastic bag or glass jar on top. The greenhouse effect created under them will facilitate faster establishment. With any rooting method, the first roots usually appear in 2-3 weeks.
If the rooting process took place in an aquatic environment, then after the appearance of the first roots, they must immediately be planted in the soil mixture.
Seed reproduction of plectrantus is also possible. But due to its complexity and duration, it is most often used by breeders to develop new varieties and forms.
It is not at all difficult to grow a spectacular plectrantus plant with your own hands. The main thing is to adhere to the necessary agrotechnical measures and create the appropriate conditions for development.