How to organize competent care of the Washington palm tree at home
Caring for your Washington DC at home can seem a little daunting. But this is only at first glance. In fact, to get a gorgeous plant with a spreading crown and an attractive "skirt" around the trunk, you don't have to make much effort. Subject to all the prerequisites, your Washington DC will definitely fulfill its purpose - it will become the best interior decoration.
Seat selection
In order for the leaves of washingtonia to develop evenly, as it grows, it must be regularly turned towards the light source!
In the heat, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight, moving it a little further from the window. In winter, on the other hand, make sure that the palm receives the optimal amount of light every day and does not suffer from artificial heat sources.
If Washington is constantly in a closed room, then it is useful for it to arrange air baths - to take it out on the balcony for several hours or just outside. It is better to do this in late spring, when the air has already warmed up enough. Read about the date palm!
The optimum temperature for keeping Washington is between + 18-21 ° C. At the same time, some deviations are possible, for example, in summer, the maximum mark should not exceed + 24 ° C, and for successful wintering, the plant requires lower indicators - about + 10-18 ° C.
Priming
Washingtonia prefers dense clay-sod soil with a slightly alkaline index. The ideal option would be a ready-made substrate for growing palm trees. But you can prepare the soil yourself. For her you will need:
- sod land - 2 parts;
- leafy earth (humus) or moist peat - 2 parts;
- perlite or coarse sand - 1 part.
We mix everything and plant Washingtonia in the resulting soil. At the same time, it is advisable to choose a pot high with a hole in the bottom.
The optimal time for transplanting is considered spring, when the plant has already come out of dormancy.
Young Washingtonians are transplanted every year, upon reaching the age of 3 - once every 3 years, after 5-6 years - once every 5 years. As for adult palms, the age of which is more than 10-15 years, in the case of them, a transplant is replaced by a change in the top layer of soil. The need for this procedure is usually indicated by a root that has appeared on the surface of the substrate.
And remember that with each next transplant, you will need a tub slightly larger and wider than the previous one.
When caring for Washingtonia at home, do not forget to periodically feed it - in the spring, summer and autumn, soluble fertilizers for palm trees are applied to the soil 1-2 times a month.
Watering
One of the worst enemies of Washington is a dry substrate, so you need to constantly monitor its condition and water the plant in time: in summer it is abundant a couple of times a week, in winter, when it is at rest, it is scarce, once every 10-14 days.
In winter, the soil should be barely damp!
Do not forget that excessive watering, exactly like drying out the soil, can adversely affect the health of the plant. When the substrate is waterlogged, the root system can rot, which will subsequently lead to drying out of the leaves.
In addition, when watering Washington, it is important to take into account the size of the tub and the humidity in the room. For optimal plant growth and development, moisture should be between 55 and 75%. However, if in summer it is quite simple to ensure this condition - by opening the windows, then in winter when the heating system is operating, the air should be artificially humidified. For this, a spray bottle is usually used, spraying with it both the plant itself and the surface of the soil. If such a measure seems inconvenient for you, then you can install a household air humidifier. In winter, it is recommended to additionally wash the leaves with clean water at room temperature. Only this must be done carefully so as not to injure your hands on the thorns.
The basic rules for watering are as follows:
- a young plant, unlike an adult and an old one, does not need abundant watering and the amount of moisture;
- never put a container of water under the pot - the earth always absorbs a lot of moisture, which is unacceptable for Washington;
- it is advisable to use soft water for irrigation - it can be bottled or real rainwater.
What should you keep in mind?
In general, it is not difficult to take care of Washington at home, but at the same time certain difficulties are possible, which it is advisable to know about:
- This palm tree can grow to a fairly impressive size, so before making such a purchase, you should take into account the size of the room in which you are going to place it.
- Washingtonia is unable to withstand attacks from certain pests such as worms, aphids, spider mites and shield... For this reason, it is important to regularly inspect the plant and to prevent the appearance of parasites.
- If watering is insufficient, the leaves will quickly turn yellow, if the air is too dry, their tips will turn brown, at low temperatures, the foliage will wither, and light dry spots on it will indicate an excess of light.
With proper care and timely implementation of the above procedures, there are no special problems with the cultivation of Washingtonia.