The main rules for caring for an episode at home
Episia is an ornamental perennial plant that belongs to the Hesperiev group and is distinguished by a huge variety of colorful colors. Caring for the episode at home does not cause any particular difficulties, because despite the fact that the plant is native to the tropical forests of Central and South America, the plant is undemanding to the conditions of detention. Thanks to this, an ornamental plant, pleasing with a spectacular appearance and the ability to clean the air well, is very popular among flower growers.
Home Episode Care and Plant Varieties
There are no less than 40 home-grown Episation varieties:
- Copper;
- Lilac;
- Clove-flowered;
- Creeping;
- Silver shine;
- Chocolate velor;
- Blue Nile;
- Silvery sky;
- My darling;
- Chocolate Soldier;
- Pink brocade;
- Forest beauty.
The care and reproduction of the episode flower is not particularly difficult, because, unlike its tropical "counterparts", this plant is unpretentious. But an ornamental plant is very demanding on heat and humidity.
Location and lighting
Before growing an episode, you need to find a suitable place for it. Like all tropical plants, the episode is very fond of light, but direct sunlight is destructive for it. She needs soft, diffused lighting.
The scorching sun discolors bright and variegated leaves, causing them to dry and slowing down the growth of the plant as a whole. The lack of sunlight is no less dangerous. It leads to stretching of shoots and too sparse arrangement of leaves.
The best option for growing an episode will be window sills on the east or west side. Also, a pot with a plant can be placed on the northern balcony or windowsill - but only if they are not shaded by buildings or trees.
The south side is not suitable for growing episodes due to the abundance of sunlight. If the choice fell exactly to the south, it must be placed in a hanging planter and positioned at least 1-2 m from the window.
Temperature and humidity
The description is undemanding to the air temperature. It easily adapts to summer heat up to + 36 ° С, but does not tolerate temperatures below + 16 ° С. Also, the ornamental plant must be protected from drafts.
This bright "representative" of the tropics is very fond of high humidity, which it needs for active growth and flowering. It is especially important for young plants up to 1-2 years old.
Lack of moisture is one of the main reasons why the episode does not bloom.
Ways to increase humidity:
- pour wet expanded clay into the pallet;
- water the plant and cover the bush with plastic wrap for 25-35 minutes;
- cultivate an episode in florariums.
To saturate the plant with moisture, its leaves should not be sprayed, as the abundance of moisture can worsen their appearance.
Soil and pot selection
The Episode is best grown in a shallow but wide enough flowerpot.In its bottom, holes must be made to remove excess fluid.
A light, breathable soil with a neutral or slightly acidic soil is used to grow a tropical plant. For this, a ready-made substrate is used, intended for growing Saintpaulia and violets or prepared independently from river sand, peat and leafy soil, taken in a 1: 1: 2 ratio.
Watering and spraying
Like most people from the rainforest, Episation is very fond of moisture. At the same time, it is impossible to spray the leaves of the plant directly, since from this the foliage begins to rot quickly.
Episation needs regular and abundant watering throughout the growing season. The soil in the flower pot should never dry out, so the plant is best watered every 3-4 days. After 1-2 hours after watering, the excess liquid must be drained from the flowerpot.
When caring for an episode at home in winter, the amount of watering is reduced to 1 time in 7-8 days. It is best to water the flower only after the soil is 1-2 cm dry. Water must be poured along the edge of the flowerpot or under the very root and be careful not to fall on the leaves of the episode.
Feeding the Episode
Correct feeding of the episode ensures the full growth and development of the plant, increases its immunity to diseases and pests. The most preferred are complex mineral and organic fertilizers, which alternate and are applied once every 12-15 days, best of all after preliminary watering of the soil.
In the fall, feeding episodes stop until spring.
Transfer
Episation has a high growth rate, so the ornamental plant should be replanted at least once a year, preferably in April or May.
Flower transplant:
- take a pot 2-3 cm wider than the previous one;
- pour drainage and a layer of soil into the pot;
- water the description and remove it from the old container;
- place the plant in a new pot along with a soil ball, carefully sprinkle all the voids with soil and water.
Once every 3 years, it is necessary to carry out a full transplant, with a soil replacement. During the procedure, carefully examine the rhizome of the plant, carefully remove all dried, rotten and damaged fragments.
Growing a plant from seeds
Episation is most often grown from seed. They are best sown in late January or early February. Already in summer, a tropical plant can delight you with bright, beautiful flowers. It should be borne in mind that when sowing seeds, part of the varietal traits is lost.
Episode seeds are best planted in a nutritious, loose, ready-to-use medium without subsequent embedding, placed in a small plastic container or cup.
Cover the container with seeds with plastic wrap or glass and make sure that the air temperature does not drop below + 20 ° C.
After about 13-15 days, the first shoots appear on the soil surface. In 20-23 days after sowing, the seedlings can already be dived.
Reproduction of the episode
For reproduction of the episode, various methods are used - with a sheet, side rosettes. In the first case, you will need a leaf from a strong, healthy plant, carefully separated and pre-dried.
Prepare a small plastic container with nutritious, loose soil. Plant the taken leaf to a depth of about 5 mm and leave to root for 4-8 weeks.
If the bushes of the episode have grown a lot, it can be propagated by side rosettes. This is best done during transplanting by carefully separating the lateral shoot from the mother flower. They must be immediately transplanted into separate plastic containers with nutrient soil.
How to root an episode without separating from the mother plant:
- Place the lower parts of the side shoots in a bowl of water, without separating from the mother trunk. After the roots of the rosettes appear, cut off the shoot and transplant it into the soil.
- Dig in a side outlet in a small pot next to the mother plant. Cut off the shoots after they begin to grow actively and transplant them into separate pots.
The least effective way of reproduction of the episode is considered to be the seed method, since it is quite laborious and time-consuming.
Diseases and pests
The tropical plant is distinguished by strong immunity and high resistance to disease, therefore, when caring for an episode at home, flower growers rarely encounter its diseases.
In some cases, the flower may suffer from root rot caused by over-watering. Remove all the affected, rotten areas of the rhizome, and then pour the episode under the root with Fitosporin-M or Hyocladin.
In some cases, pests can attack the episode:
- mealybugs;
- aphid;
- nematodes.
For pest control, effective and safe insecticidal preparations are used - Fitoverm, Aktara, Mercaptophos, Neoron, Aktelik.
Episation is an attractive and unpretentious ornamental plant that can be grown both in a flowerpot on a windowsill and in a hanging planter. This perennial culture with bright, colorful flowers will adorn any room, and its ease and ease of maintenance make it an excellent option for aspiring florists.