Everyone can provide caring care for lantana at home
An evergreen shrub with original inflorescences will become a real asset at home. To preserve all the decorative properties of the plant, it is necessary to organize proper care for lantana at home. Then there will be every chance to expect that the culture will delight the grower with luxurious and abundant flowering for a long time.
A bit of botany course
Main characteristicsb of the plant:
- refers to shrubs or semi-shrubs;
- has a specific smell, in which notes of onion and mint with lemon are guessed;
- erect branches of a greenish-gray hue (sometimes covered with frequent thorns);
- smooth / rough leaves with a serrated edge are opposite (can grow in a spiral);
- small bowl-shaped flowers are collected in spherical or corymbose inflorescences, the petals of which gradually change their color.
The root system of the Verbenov family is very well developed. When grown outdoors, the roots go deep into the soil. For this reason, when planting in tubs or pots, the culture requires frequent replanting.
To understand how to organize the care of lantana at home, you need to know some of the features of the growth of culture in the wild. Its tropical origins are the main clues to this secret.
These latitudes are characterized by:
- high humidity;
- warm climate;
- good lighting.
All these points must be taken into account when growing a flower. The flowering period of the shrub occurs in early May and lasts until October. With good lighting, the culture will delight with its special decorativeness throughout the year, but with a short break.
Proper care of lantana at home
The exotic plant is quite light-loving. For a flowerpot, choose a place with a fairly bright, but slightly diffused lighting. In some cases, partial shading is allowed. The best option would be south windows. However, care must be taken that direct sunlight does not cause burns on the foliage. In this regard, flowerpots are often placed in rooms with a south-west or south-east orientation.
If circumstances allow, then in the summer it is recommended to take lantana out to fresh air. A veranda, balcony or loggia will be a suitable place for such an exotic. In this case, you need to protect it from drafts.
Temperature regime
In the summer, the culture does not make special demands on the environment. The only condition to keep in mind is that the flow of fresh air must be continuous. Then the perennial can withstand hot weather up to 28-30˚С. Nevertheless, sudden changes in temperature are contraindicated for him. The shrub reacts to wintering in a completely different way.
Suitable conditions for this time are:
- microclimate at the level of + 15˚С;
- maximum indicators + 16 ... + 18˚С;
- possible decrease to + 8˚С.
Caring for lantana at home includes systematic crown pruning. Old shoots are shortened by a third or left 30-50 cm in height.
With all this in mind, many growers try to keep a flowerpot in a winter garden or a cool greenhouse. Others prefer to leave the tropical flower on the windowsill. At the same time, the perennial is regularly watered, because during the heating season, the dryness of the air is quite high.
Humid microclimate
As you know, exotic plants love high humidity. In the case of lantana, extreme moderation and caution are needed. The culture does not tolerate both dryness and waterlogging of the soil. Therefore, it is advised to water the plant as the top layer of the earth dries out.
The frequency of procedures largely depends on the weather conditions.:
- hot climate;
- rainy / damp summers;
- too dry air.
As the exotic grows, a large number of leaves are formed on the branches. This serves as another additional reason for frequent and abundant watering. In addition, on especially hot days, gardeners recommend thoroughly sprinkling the green mass. In winter, the amount of watering is minimized, but the soil in the pot is not allowed to dry out completely.
Spraying with lantana is carried out exclusively before the beginning of budding. To maintain the desired degree of humidity, pallets with perlite, vermiculite or pebbles, which are periodically moistened with water.
Planting and breeding methods
Growing lantana from seeds at home is easy. To do this, choose a voluminous pot, since the rhizome grows as quickly as possible. Prepare a suitable soil mixture.
Mix in equal parts:
- deciduous land;
- humus;
- turf;
- coarse sand.
Sowing of the culture is carried out at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, so that the seedlings will quickly sprout and get stronger. The seeds are deepened into the ground (loose, nutritious and well-drained) at a depth of 0.5-1 cm. The substrate is moistened with a spray bottle with warm water. The container is covered with glass or transparent film. Place in a warm place at a temperature of + 20 +С.
When growing seedlings under glass, it is necessary to adhere to the agrotechnical rules for sowing. Every day, the shelter is removed to ventilate (15-20 minutes) and spray the soil.
After the first shoots appear (after 2 weeks), the container is placed in a cool room + 16 ... + 18˚C to avoid stretching the shoots. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, seedlings are dived, planting in separate pots. To ensure proper care and reproduction of lantana, follow the guidelines above. As soon as the seedlings get stronger (they grow up to 12-15 cm in height), they are transplanted into suitable pots.
Simple grafting technology
The event is also held in early spring. For this, the planned pruning is performed so that there is no shortage of planting material.
Cuttings with such features are selected from the obtained segments.:
- 8-10 cm long;
- with 4-5 leaves;
- necessarily with the presence of a "heel" (a small branch from the trunk);
- at the "age" of one year, relatively young.
Subject to the above recommendations, lantana cuttings will be as successful as possible. Before germination, the lower leaves must be removed. Then place the shoot in a glass of water. The air temperature where it stands should not fall below + 22 +С. When powerful roots up to 1-1.5 cm long appear, the cutting is transplanted into a pot. The composition of the substrate indicated corresponds to the standard.
Unusual decorative properties are obtained when several varieties are planted in one tub or container. During flowering, the culture will look stunning, bringing a touch of pomp into the interior of the house.
Thus, caring for lantana at home will meet all your expectations. As you can see, the exotic shrub is not very whimsical, therefore it is suitable even for amateur gardeners.