Hippeastrum is a beautiful bulbous perennial plant that belongs to the Amaryllis family. Flower growers love it for its exotic appearance and chic large flowers, which, depending on the variety, differ in color, pattern and terry size of the petals. How to grow bulbous plants correctly, what care is needed for hippeastrum at home, and what difficulties might a beginner encounter? Experienced florists are ready to give detailed answers to these questions.
What kind of flower is this, hippeastrum?
The flower was first discovered in the subtropics of Central America and only at the beginning of the 17th century was it successfully cultivated and began to be grown in gardens, greenhouses and on window sills. Currently, there are at least 80 plant species that amaze with their beauty and sophistication.
The hippeastrum bulb is small, only 6–10 cm in diameter, and has the shape of a cone. The leaves are large, at least 50 cm long, narrow (4–5 cm), fleshy and dense, rich green in color, with a groove in the middle. The peduncles are long, vertical, rise above the bush and end in inflorescences collected in a group of 4-5 flowers. Thanks to the many varieties, the petals range in color from white and soft pink to rich orange and bright red. The flower may not be uniformly colored, but may have streaks of darker or lighter colors. After flowering, a fruit is formed - a tricuspid capsule with small seeds.
Features of caring for hippeastrum at home
Hippeastrum prefers delicate care and will not tolerate careless treatment. Like a true inhabitant of the tropics, great importance it has lighting, humidity and air temperature.
Lighting
The flower loves bright light, duration daylight hours should be 12 o'clock. The ideal place for placement is windows on the south side, as well as on the southwest and southeast. To prevent the plants from wilting and getting sunburned, it is better to shade it at noon. To do this, you can prepare cardboard shutters in the form of panels for the windows. Hippeastrum tends to reach for the sun, so in order for it to develop stably, the pot should be periodically turned in different directions. If the plant has enough light, it can reach a height of more than a meter and bloom regularly.
Air temperature
For the heat-loving hippeastrum, care at home should be as close as possible to its natural habitat, and the air temperature should vary depending on the time of year. So, in summer the plant should be kept in the range from +18 °C to +25 °C; during the dormant period, the temperature should be lowered to +10–12 °C, otherwise the bulb will not be able to rest and replenish its reserves of nutrients necessary for flowering.
Air humidity
This indicator does not play a big role, but if the room has dry air or heating devices are running, then it is recommended to periodically spray the hippeastrum, once a day is enough. A refreshing shower or wiping the leaves with a damp sponge or piece of gauze has a beneficial effect on it. Such procedures should be carried out only from spring to autumn and at an air temperature of at least +20 °C, otherwise it can provoke various diseases. You can spray only the leaves and stems of the plant, avoiding droplets getting on the inflorescences. Water may cause stains on the petals, depriving them of their decorative properties.
Watering hippeastrum
This is one of the most important factors; home care for hippeastrum should provide it with regular, abundant watering during flowering. The water should not be cold; plants are extremely sensitive to its temperature. When watering, you should find a “golden mean”, despite the fact that the flower requires a lot of water at the beginning of the growing season, destructive waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed. The soil should be moderately moist, but not wet. It is better to water through a tray; the soil will absorb as much moisture as required. It is enough to carry out the procedure once a day; the frequency of watering depends on the level of soil moisture, but in the summer, most likely, the plant will require daily “quenching of thirst.”
Important! The plant should be watered carefully, without getting on top of the bulb; direct exposure to water can cause it to rot.
Soil composition for growing hippeastrum
The flower prefers fertile, loose, oxygen-rich substrates. Recommended soil composition:
- turf soil - 2 parts,
- fresh humus - 1 part,
- peat – 1 part,
- middle fraction sand – 1 part.
Be sure to prepare drainage: coarse expanded clay, broken shards or brick. Its volume should be at least 1/5 of the pot. It is recommended to plant the bulb on sand, and not in a ready-made substrate. Such a “pillow” 1-2 cm thick will protect it from the development of rot and other infections.
Fertilizer application
An integral part of hippeastrum care is the comprehensive application of fertilizers during the flowering period. Fertilizing should begin in the spring, as the leaves grow; during this period, you can use complex mineral fertilizer for decorative deciduous plants. With the appearance of flower stalks and until the end of the flowering period, the fertilizer is changed to a universal mixture for flowering plants. indoor plants or for amaryllis. Frequency of fertilizing: 2 times a month, alternating organic and mineral compositions.
Choosing a pot for hippeastrum
In order for the plant to grow well, develop and delight with flowers, the pot should be selected in a small size; its diameter should be only 3 cm larger than the bulb. If you choose a larger container, the flower will have many children, leaves, and it is possible that it will not bloom. To prevent the roots from being crowded, it is better to choose a fairly tall container.
How to plant hippeastrum correctly?
The plant does not tolerate transplantation well and to avoid stress it is better to use transshipment. If the flower was bought in a store, then you should lightly moisten the soil, place the container on its side and gently tap on it, as if “shaking out” the earthen lump. It is necessary to moisten the soil in order to reduce damage to the roots. After the earthen ball is removed from the old container, it is placed in a new pot. You need to carefully ensure that the bulb is only 2/3 immersed in the soil, and the upper part remains outside.
It is recommended to replant the first couple of years of hippeastrum annually in the spring before flowering begins. In adulthood, once every 2 years after flowering is enough. During transplantation, especially of adult plants, children can be found. In this case, they are carefully cut off with a sharp knife, sprinkling the cut areas with charcoal to prevent infection.
Advice! In the summer, it is recommended to plant hippeastrum in the garden or take it out onto the balcony. Natural temperature changes during the day and night have a positive effect on its health, flowering, and growing in open ground will provide many children.
How to take care of hippeastrum after flowering and during the dormant period?
After the plant has flowered, you need to wait until the last inflorescences and peduncle dry. Only after this can the peduncle shoot be cut off, leaving a small stump of about 3 cm. During this time, the bulb will have time to pick up the remaining nutrients in it. When summer is still in full swing, there is a high probability that the hipeastrium will bloom again, but if autumn (October) has arrived, then it must be prepared for “hibernation.”
In winter, caring for hippeastrum is not difficult. Watering is gradually reduced, and the plant is moved to a cooler and darker place. At this point, its leaves and stems are dry and can be cut off. The pot with the bulb is stored lying on its side at a temperature from +10 °C to +12 °, watering and fertilizing are completely stopped, the soil should be dry. The awakening of the flower begins in late January - mid-February; for this, it is moved to a warmer place and gradually begins to be watered. With the appearance of new leaves, you can apply fertilizer.
Hippeastrum refuses to bloom
Sometimes, even the most competent care of hippeastrum at home cannot guarantee regular flowering. There are 3 methods, repeatedly tested in practice.
- Before planting, the bulb should be kept in warm water for at least 3 hours; the temperature should be clearly at +43–45 °C. Next, the plant is planted according to the usual scheme; such a “bath” will ensure guaranteed flowering in 21 days.
- For a too capricious flower, the onset of the dormant period is ensured a little earlier - in August, by stopping watering and placing it in a dark, cool place. But awakening, as usual, is at the end of January. Such rest guarantees flowering in the coming year.
- In mid-July, the leaves must be cut off and watering of the plant should be stopped. After 30 days, you should water the flower with water, and then apply complex fertilizer. This “shock therapy” will allow you to enjoy the blooming hippeastrum already at the end of August or September.
Important! The plant refuses to bloom for a reason; it probably lacks micronutrients, but it is quite possible that the bulb has rotted or pests have appeared. Therefore, before stimulating flowering using the above methods, you should observe the flower, perhaps in this way it gives signals for help.
Diseases and pests of hippeastrum
A strong, healthy hippeastrum - home care should begin with a daily and thorough examination. This is the only way to notice a disease or pest in time and begin treatment.
- The plant suddenly stopped growing and there were no new leaves. Most likely, the bulb is damaged; it is recommended to remove it from the pot and inspect it for pests.
- Blackening of the inflorescences indicates that the hippeastrum is frozen or the soil is too wet. Damaged flowers need to be cut off and the pot moved to a warmer place, stopping watering the plant.
- Another sign that the flower is too damp is pale and limp leaves. You need to check that the holes in the bottom of the pot are not clogged and that the drainage is well ventilated. Watering should be stopped for a while and the soil should be allowed to dry thoroughly.
Most often, when caring for hippeastrum, you can notice such serious diseases as gray rot and red burn of the bulb (staganosporosis). Diseases are not so easy to identify and if treatment is not started in time, the plants are difficult to save.
- Gray rot is a fungal spore that affects the leaves and looks like a gray coating. It is better to remove severely damaged leaves immediately, and spray the remaining leaves with a 2% solution of laundry soap and a 2% solution of copper sulfate, mixed in equal parts. Most often, this disease is caused by high humidity.
- A red burn on an onion can be seen by characteristic bright spots or stains; these places should be carefully cut out, and the sections should be treated with brilliant green or foundation, and then sprinkled with charcoal powder. You should make sure that there are no more new lesions on the bulb, and only then plant it in fresh soil and a disinfected container. Provokes the appearance of the disease too heat air and humidity.
Pests can be easily detected by inspecting the plant. Thrips and aphids are small insects that are located over the entire surface of the leaf, and mites should be looked for on the reverse side along the characteristic silvery cobwebs. To combat them, you can use spraying with a solution of laundry or green soap, as well as more modern medications.
Carefully! Hippeastrum juice is very poisonous, so it is advisable to carry out all work with gloves and not leave it in the children's room. At the first signs of poisoning (vomiting, diarrhea), you should consult a doctor, as complications may occur that cause impaired renal function.
In general, caring for hippeastrum is not much different from caring for other bulbous plants. The worst thing for them is dampness; proper watering will save you from many problems and allow you to enjoy the beauty of the blooming “star” throughout the spring-summer period.
Hippeastrum care video
Hippeastrum is a beautiful indoor plant that is often grown on windowsills. It earned its fame thanks to its original colors that attract attention.
It is a bulbous plant native to Latin and Central America. Belongs to the genus Amaryllidaceae.
Florists have developed many interesting varieties. It differs from real amaryllis in that hippeastrum has up to 6-7 flowers on a hollow peduncle.
You will learn in this article how to care for Hippeastrum at home, how to replant a flower, what soil is needed for Hippeastrum and much more.
Photo
Home care
The Hippeastrum flower does not require any special care at home. It develops well and blooms at home. It is considered an excellent plant for forcing; it is only important to create the necessary conditions for flowering and choose right time to start the growing season.
Important: Effective flowering occurs when maintenance conditions close to natural are observed.
Conditions and temperature
Moderate temperatures in summer are suitable for it, within 22-25 degrees. Hippeastrum tolerates wintering calmly. However, special care is required for Hippeastrum in winter. At this time, the bulbs go into a dormant state, so they need to be provided with cool conditions, about 10-12 degrees Celsius. It is not recommended to lower the temperature below this limit, as well as to store it in too warm conditions to avoid unwanted germination or drying out of the bulb.
Humidity and watering
Indoor Hippeastrum come from arid areas, so they do not really need additional spraying, and at low ambient temperatures this can also cause damage. Also do not spray during the flowering period.
Watering should be taken with full responsibility: Severe waterlogging can damage the bulbs. Between watering, you need to let the soil dry out a little.
Towards the end of the growing season, when flowering stops and the leaves begin to dry out, watering is gradually reduced. Bulbs that have fallen into a dormant period do not need watering; but if they are too dry, you can moisten them slightly.
Attention: a dormant period is required for this plant.
Placement and lighting
For Hippeastrum, choose a light location. It feels good both in diffused light and in direct sunlight. Good light is important for full flowering. Lack of lighting can even cause home hippeastrum to refuse to bloom.
Soil and planting
It is recommended to plant in soil made from a mixture of turf soil, peat and sand. Since the plant has a clearly defined dormant period, there is no need to completely replace the soil every year; you can do this less often if additional feeding is available.
Trimming
The dormant period lasts approximately from late October to early February. The plant's flower stalks begin to dry out, and then the leaves. The flower stalks themselves are cut off when they are dry, and the leaves are left until they are completely dry, then they can be carefully plucked off.
After the leaves have dried, the bulbs are moved to a dark, cool place: during this period, light and moisture are not needed.
Growing and Reproduction
For full flowering, a dormant period must necessarily pass; it usually lasts 2-3 months. It is necessary to prepare for flowering in advance; this takes 6-8 weeks. Pots with bulbs are planted in the ground and brought into a warm room.
Before planting, the bulbs should be checked and cleaned of dry roots. It is not recommended to take the pot too large; its diameter should not be more than 10 cm than the bulb itself. After which you should water it lightly, but not too much, so that the still dormant bulbs do not rot. In a few weeks the plant will produce a beautiful bud.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are given during the period of active growth, approximately once every 3 weeks. A month before the start of the dormant period, feeding is stopped. Fertilizers for Hippeastrum should be applied either mineral or for beautifully flowering plants.
Bloom
Flowering lasts approximately 3-4 weeks. At this time you need to feed. To achieve the beginning of flowering, keep the bulb slightly damp, but without flooding. When the first sprout appears, watering is increased slightly.
Flowering occurs in about 1 or 2 months, depending on conditions and the availability of sufficient light.
After flowering ends, the dried arrow is cut off, but the leaves are not touched. The green peduncle is not cut off, but allowed to dry on its own.
After this, it continues to grow green mass and recover. The next flowering will be much more effective if the plant is given a period of rest.
During flowering, the bulb produces one or two arrows, on which are located 4-6 large flowers, slightly reminiscent of a lily in appearance.
Transfer
Useful video
You can learn more about caring for “Hippeastrum” at home in the video below:
Diseases and pests
Hippeastrum does not always bloom at home. In some cases, flowering cannot be achieved. This often happens due to improperly organized rest period. In addition, watering affects the condition - if it is excessive, the bulb may begin to rot. A lack of minerals and an incorrectly chosen location may also be the reason for the lack of flowering in hippeastrum.
Sometimes it is attacked by pests. The most common - spider mites, scale insects and scale insects. They are fought with the help of special drugs. You should choose those pest control products that are recommended for use indoors.
Benefits and harms
Indoor flowers Hippeastrum are poisonous plants. Care should be taken when working with bulbs. After any work, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Pets and children should not touch the poisonous parts of the plant to avoid an allergic reaction and poisoning.
Hippeastrum– an interesting plant that can transform any interior. Its bright flowers leave no one indifferent. A forced period of dormancy may cause concern, but if it is organized correctly, hippeastrum will delight you with flowering twice a year.
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Among indoor flowers, hippeastrum is particularly attractive, as it is at the same time a rather complex plant in terms of planting and care. For this reason, not all gardeners manage to achieve its flowering. Below we will tell you everything about growing it and overcoming possible problems.
Hippeastrum - description of the flower
Hippeastrum flowers belong to a perennial plant emerging from a bulb. When it blooms and grows, large linear leaves are formed, which can stretch up to 70 cm and have a width of 4-5 cm. They are arranged in two rows, opposite each other.
Did you know? Although most hippeastrums have leaves with a familiar green color, a number of varieties have purple leaves, which makes the plant especially attractive even without flowering.
At proper care an inflorescence with 2-6 flowers appears on the hippeastrum. The flowers are large, can reach 15 cm in length, and their width is often 25 cm.
Their color can be very different: from white to dark red. After flowering, a fruit is formed in the form of a box, in which the hippeastrum seeds ripen.
When fully ripe, they can be used for planting and obtaining bulbs; fortunately, they have 100% germination rate.
However, this plant is quite difficult to grow at home, as it differs in a number of features:
- It is almost impossible to obtain seeds suitable for future sowings from light and white varieties of hippeastrum, since they are hybrids.
- For full plant growth in summer time It is good to plant it in the garden, digging it into the soil along with the pot.
- Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to achieve hippeastrum flowering at home, you should be prepared for the fact that all efforts will be made for only 10 days of flowering.
Choosing a pot for hippeastrum
The size of the pot will directly depend on the size of the hippeastrum bulb. Please note: when planting, the bulb should be placed in the middle of the pot, leaving 5 cm to each edge. Thus, the pot for this flower must be at least 15 cm in diameter.
As for the height of the pot, on the contrary, it should not be too high, because the bulb does not need to be completely immersed in the soil ( its upper part remains half above the ground). In addition, at the bottom of the pot it will be necessary to lay out drainage from stones, and above it there is still a fairly large layer of soil.
There are no clear restrictions regarding the material of the container for hippeastrum, but it is still better to use ordinary plastic pots for this plant.
This is due to the fact that ceramics can heat up intensely in the sun, often causing overheating of the flower bulb. In this case, his death will be inevitable.
Choosing soil for hippeastrum
Hippeastrum flowers are quite demanding on the composition of the soil in the pot, so it must be prepared especially carefully.
The most important requirement is lightness of the soil, which could quickly pass moisture through itself and provide good air supply to the bulb.
It is also important that the soil contains a lot of organic fertilizers, and its acidity level does not exceed 6 pH.
It is quite difficult to obtain such a soil mixture by mixing it yourself, so it is better to go to a specialized store and purchase ready-made soil for bulbous indoor flowers. It’s true that it wouldn’t hurt to add a little sand to the purchased soil. 
If you still decide to prepare a soil mixture for hippeastrum yourself, then use the following components for it (the ratio is indicated in numbers):
- clay-turf soil (2);
- leaf soil(1);
- humus (1);
- peat (1);
- sand (1).
Which hippeastrum bulbs are best to choose?
Most often, hippeastrum is propagated by bulbs, which can be purchased at a regular flower shop. However, when choosing bulbs, you must remain as careful as possible, since spoiled planting material will only bring you trouble.
It is worth going for them in spring or autumn, since this is the ideal time for forcing a flower.
The most important key to getting a large and healthy flower is This is the use of large bulbs that store a sufficient supply of nutrients. Thanks to this, not only will a large plant grow from the bulb, but it will also be guaranteed to bloom.
But in addition to its large size, the bulb must also have a strong neck and bottom. It’s great if its upper scales are dry and brown. If there are seals, red or dark spots, or rot on the bulb, it has already deteriorated and is not worth buying.
But often bulbs are sold not just in bags without soil, but also in pots. In such cases, when purchasing a flower, it is necessary to inspect the roots of the bulb, which should be visible through the hole in the bottom of the pot.
A healthy bulb will be indicated by:
- roots are white;
- the body of the bulb is hard and strong to the touch;
- dry, brown scales;
- absence of wet or discolored areas.
Important! If the store offers significant discounts on hippeastrum bulbs, be sure to ask the sellers what they are connected with. Very often this is done to sell rotten planting material, although prices may also be reduced due to the end of the planting season.
Where to place the hippeastrum?
Hippeastrums love moderate temperature, which during their growing season should not exceed +23 ˚С, but should not fall below +17 ˚С.
However, if we're talking about about the dormant period of the plant, it is better to remove the bulb from the room and take it to the basement, where the temperature is at +10 ˚С.
Since hippeastrums love a lot of sun, their place is only near a window, into which light falls almost throughout the day. But the sun's rays should not shine directly on the flower; it is better to curtain the window with thick tulle so that the leaves and flowers of the hippeastrum do not get burned.
In this case, the flower pot should be constantly rotated, otherwise it may stretch to one side.
Hippeastrum needs good lighting even after flowering, since without it the bulb and seeds in the box will not be able to fully ripen for the next planting.
Air humidity is also important for the flower, and if it is low, it will need spraying (just make sure that drops of water do not fall on the flowers).
Planting and propagation of hippeastrum
Hippeastrum suggests the possibility of planting the most different ways, among which you can use both seeds and plant parts at home. You can try each of them.
Seed method
Planting hippeastrum in a pot by seed involves the full maturation of the box formed after flowering.
It is very important that during this period the plant receives enough nutrients, moisture and sunlight, since otherwise the seeds may not ripen.
When the box with them is completely dry, it is simply torn off, after which the seeds can be immediately used for sowing.
Please note that when propagating hippeastrum from seeds, in the first year of sowing, the bulb in the ground is just beginning to form, which means that only the next year it will be able to produce an arrow with leaves. It may take another 1-2 years before full flowering occurs.
However, despite the need for a long wait for flowering, it is thanks to the seed method that it is possible to obtain varietal hippeastrums with a clear manifestation of all characteristics.
Vegetative methods
Vegetative methods of propagating hippeastrums involve either the use of daughter bulbs that are formed near the main one (they can be separated only after the diameter reaches at least 2 cm), or by dividing the bulbs into two parts.
Both of these options are used only when transplanting a flower, when the bulb is dug out of the soil.
When planting hippeastrums with the help of daughter bulbs, flowering also does not occur in the first year. They need 2-3 years to ripen and gain strength for flowering.
Landing technology
When planting a bulb in pre-prepared soil, it is important to consider the following nuances:
Important! If during planting or transplanting the bulb there are scales on it that can be easily removed with your fingers, it is better to remove them immediately, since they are already dead and will rot if they come into contact with moisture.
Growing hippeastrum in a pot
When growing hippeastrums at home, the flowers need to be given a lot of attention and care. Although in general it consists of providing a good place to grow, watering and fertilizing, this plant still has its own requirements for all these aspects.
Watering hippeastrum
Hippeastrum is quite whimsical in watering, since it cannot be over-filled with water, nor allowed to suffer a lack of moisture. Also, during each growing season of a flower, it requires special water balance:
Please note that water should not fall on the bulb - it should only be poured into the soil.
Fertilizer and feeding
Fertilizer for hippeastrum must be selected taking into account the stage of flower development. In addition, it is important to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.
First, it is better to buy special fertilizers intended for bulbous indoor plants. Feeding the hippeastrum proceeds according to the following scheme:
Hippeastrums respond best to fertilizing with potassium fertilizers. In general, soil fertilization should be done every two weeks, but nutrients should not be applied to dry soil. In addition, if you have just transplanted or planted hippeastrum, the first feeding must be done no earlier than after 1 month.
How to make hippeastrum bloom?
It often happens that a bulb produces arrows with leaves for several years in a row, but a peduncle does not appear on it. The first reason may be that the bulb is too small, which simply does not have enough strength to flower,
IN wildlife Hippeastrums are found in South America, with a number of varieties living in subtropical and tropic climates, others prefer rocky slopes where growing conditions are very harsh. The first bulbs came to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, and the flowering of hippeastrum made a huge impression in the countries of the Old World, where the fashion for bulbous crops was gaining momentum.
Gradually the plant was studied, Europeans learned how to grow hippeastrum and how to care for the flower. A hundred years later, the first hybrid plants were bred. And if in nature there are several dozen species of these bulbous plants, then the number of varieties already exceeds two thousand. Today, any gardener who has at least once seen the spectacular flowering of hippeastrum will certainly not give up the thought of decorating his own windowsill with a luxurious plant.
Depending on the species and age, the hippeastrum bulb has a diameter of 5 to 10 cm and consists of a short section of the stem and surrounding closed scales.
In the axil of every fourth scale the rudiments are formed:
The leaves of hippeastrum are located opposite each other, in width, depending on the variety, do not exceed 4–5 cm, and in length reach 50–70 cm. A florist planning to grow hippeastrum should know that the year of this plant is divided into three clearly defined period:
When the long-awaited time of flowering arrives, red, white, pink, striped and spotted flowers sitting on the petioles open at the tops of the hollow peduncles.
Large bulbs can form two or three peduncles, but specimens with less than four leaves or that have not reached a diameter of 6–7 cm are unlikely to bloom this season.
Leaves appear one at a time approximately once a month, and when after flowering the plant goes into dormancy for 2 to 3 months, there are no external signs of bulb development, but it is actively accumulating strength. Arrows with bright flowers appear once a year, but with proper care, as in the photo, hippeastrum at home pleases with flowering twice. The timing and duration of this period depend on the selected variety, care features, in particular, on the room temperature. On average, flowering lasts about three weeks.
However, sometimes gardeners cannot get flower shoots to appear from the plant. How to care for hippeastrum so that in addition to leaves, the bulb regularly forms flower stalks? The reason for the lack of flowers is often incorrectly selected conditions for growing hippeastrum or the properties of the bulb:
If there are no visible reasons for the refusal to flower, the bulb is healthy and well-fed, it can be forced to throw out the peduncle by resorting to one of the proven methods:
- Dead scales are carefully removed from the bulbs;
- study the root system, if necessary, cutting off rotten or damaged roots and treating the cut areas with a fungicide.
- To grow hippeastrum, a pot is enough, the walls of which are 3 cm away from the bulb. Larger containers are only detrimental to flowering.
- A drainage layer must be installed at the bottom.
- And the bulb is planted so that most of it remains above the ground.
- Daytime air temperature is 20–22 °C;
- At night, the air should be slightly cooler, about 18 °C.
- 3 grams of magnesium sulfate;
- 9 grams of potash fertilizers;
- 3 grams of ammonium nitrate;
- 7 grams of superphosphate,
- as well as a mixture of microelements.
- Before the period of “hibernation” of the bulb;
- After the plants have emerged from dormancy and begin to show signs of development;
- When the hippeastrum has not yet thrown out an arrow with buds;
- When the plant has bloomed and the arrow has already been cut off.
- 1 liter of turf soil;
- 0.5 l of leaf soil;
- 0.5 l of humus;
- 0.5 liters of sand and peat.
- The plant is removed from the old pot, the bulb is freed from the ground.
- The roots are carefully examined. All dry, diseased and damaged items are removed.
- It is recommended to sprinkle the places where the roots are cut with crushed charcoal or activated carbon to prevent the development of diseases.
- All dried outer scales on the dark brown and black bulb must be removed to light tissue, thereby starting the growth process and preventing infection with rot.
- If there are children on the bulb, they can be left for reproduction or removed, thereby stimulating active flowering. Here it is worth considering that children left on the plant can lead to a long absence of shoots with buds.
- A slightly moistened soil mixture is poured into a prepared pot with drainage at the bottom.
- The bulb is buried half or a third into the soil, then the soil around it must be compacted.
- After the transplant is completed, the hippeastrum should be watered with settled water at room temperature and placed on a bright, warm windowsill, where there is no direct sunlight.
- With this planting method, the neck of the bulb will not suffer from waterlogging.
- Part of the bulb will be warmed by the sun, and sunbathing is an excellent stimulator for fast and rich flowering.
- With this planting method, hippeastrum tolerates the cutting of the peduncle without stress after flowering, and quickly increases the lost mass.
- The sun has an excellent bactericidal property that suppresses harmful bacteria and infectious diseases.
After planting, the pot with hippeastrum must be placed in a cool (+10-+15 C) dark place so that the root system can grow. The peculiarity of bulbous flowers is that in sunlight they quickly produce leaves, and the development of the root system lags behind for two weeks. If you plant such a plant in the soil after the leaves appear first, it will develop poorly and feed on vitality bulbs. Only healthy and strong roots will properly nourish the green mass and give bright flowering.
Three weeks after planting, hippeastrum can be placed on the windowsill at home. At this time, it is important to ensure that the soil in the pot does not dry out. If the temperature in the room is +20-+25C, then in a week or two a thick peduncle will appear from the bulb. During this period, it is necessary to provide the plant with maximum light so that the arrow does not overgrow and stretch. Watering will have to be reduced to a minimum until the active growth of the peduncle stops and the formation of buds begins.
Hippeastrum after flowering
After the hippeastrum blooms, the peduncle is cut off. If the bulb is large, then another arrow may appear in a week. Then the plant needs to be fed with phosphorus fertilizer and enjoy its beauty for some time. This also happens when the soil in a pot frequently dries out and is a consequence of stress. In this case, it is better to break the arrow if you plan to plant the bulb next year, and give the bulb the opportunity to build up the required mass.
If the main goal of cultivation is bright flowering, then the rest period of the hippeastrum after flowering must be strictly observed. In this case, the bulb is transplanted into fresh soil every year, after cooling for two months in the refrigerator.
Hippeastrum care at home: reproduction
Hippeastrum is propagated by dividing bulbs, pups and seeds. During seed propagation, the genetic characteristics of the mother plant are not transmitted. Most varieties are F-hybrids, which means that when their seeds are sown, the characteristics of the variety will be lost. The baby follows the maternal line 100%.
If you need to propagate an interesting variety, then it is better not to observe a dormant period and keep the plant in the active phase for several years in a row, preventing flowering. Then full-fledged children are formed faster, which in two to three years can be separated from the parent.
Experienced flower growers use in their practice this method of propagating hippeastrum at home, such as cutting out or cutting the bottom. The method is quite simple, but requires skill and cleanliness.
- 1. Using a sterile scalpel, make cuts on the bottom of the onion or scrape off a small part of it in the center, moving towards the rim of the edges.
2. Dry the plant and place it in neutralized wet peat and seal it hermetically.
3. The package is placed in the refrigerator.
4. Air the bag two or three times a week for 10-15 minutes a day.
5. After small peas-onions have formed at the cut site, the bag is removed from the refrigerator and placed in a warm (from +20C) dark place.
6. It remains to monitor the moisture level of the peat in the bag and the condition of the young bulbs. With good care, within 6-8 months they will be ready to separate from the queen cell and plant on their own.
The soil for hippeastrum should be light, loose, low acidity and high in nutrients and mineral salts.
If you have to buy a ready-made mixture, for growing hippeastrum it is better to choose soil for bulbous crops, and then mix it with vermiculite or sand to make it loose.
When the earth mixture is made independently, use three parts of leaf soil and an additive of one part of humus; if necessary, sand and dolomite flour are mixed into the soil:
IN summer months The bulbs can be planted in open ground, where the same care for the hippeastrum, in the photo, continues as at home. And before frost, the bulbs are dug up and moved indoors.
Lighting when growing hippeastrums
Hippeastrums are photophilous and feel best in the most illuminated places, even tolerating direct sunlight.
But in the shade the plant blooms poorly, the bulb recovers and grows more slowly. The lack of light can be judged by pale, elongated leaves and peduncles. In the shade, your plant may not produce buds at all. If you want to see beautiful blooming inflorescences on your window, choose windows on the south side of the house.
Air temperature and watering features when growing hippeastrum
To ensure that the plant has flowers for as long as possible, caring for hippeastrum at home involves creating optimal temperature and humidity conditions.
Hippeastrums do not like temperature changes; during storage it is important not to let the temperature drop below +5 °C, which can damage the flower buds. But in the garden, the plant can withstand short-term frosts down to –1 °C if it is covered with non-woven material.
The optimal air humidity for this type of bulbous plant is 75–80%.
Watering when growing hippeastrum also has its own specifics. Until the needle rises 10–15 cm, the plant is moistened moderately, making sure that the top layer of soil dries out between waterings.
As the flowers begin to open, the amount of moisture is increased, trying to prevent overwatering that is dangerous for the roots.
Feeding hippeastrum
The first feeding of the hippeastrum is carried out no earlier than 4–6 weeks after the plant “awakens”. Then the flower should receive support in the form of fertilizers every two weeks, and the last feeding is carried out for a month before sending the bulb to rest.
Fertilizing is always combined with watering so that the fertilizer gets into the moist soil.
Potassium is considered the most important element in the nutrition of the hippeastrum. When hippeastrum blooms, it is fertilized with a phosphorus-potassium mixture with a small addition of nitrogen. As leaves appear, the proportion of nitrogen is increased, bringing it to the amount of phosphorus. From May until the end of summer, you can alternate feeding with organic and mineral fertilizers. If you use a complex ready-made composition, it is better to choose a mixture for bulbous plants, where the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 1: 3: 4.5.
How to care for hippeastrum if the plant is grown without soil, in a solution of nutrients? In this case, for 10 liters of water you will need:
When growing hippeastrum, you need to remember that an excess of nitrogen can lead to diseases. Such bulbs can rot and tolerate the dormant period less well.
Video about flowering hippeastrum
When and how to replant hippeastrum?
Hippeastrums are bulbous plants. They bloom very beautifully - on a long arrow there are 4-5 large flowers, similar to lilies. They are quite unpretentious, and even amateurs without experience can grow a flower. One of the conditions for caring for hippeastrum is its regular replanting.
When to replant hippeastrum
It is recommended to replant adult hippeastrums every two years, and young plants are replanted annually. The best time for this is spring. It is best to replant the plant after it has flowered, after 3-4 weeks. If root system healthy, there is no need to trim it, just remove the dry and diseased roots.
Choosing a pot for transplanting
For replanting, you should choose a pot that is only a few centimeters larger than the previous one. In too large a container, the hippeastrum will not bloom, but will direct all its strength to reproduction - the formation of children.
The distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should be no more than 2 centimeters.
The plant has a fairly developed root system, so it is better to choose a pot that is not too high, but wide at the bottom. It is better if it is ceramic - this will allow the roots to breathe. In addition, such a pot will not tip over under the weight of large long leaves. You can also use a long container for group planting. The bulbs are placed at a distance of 10 cm.
Soil preparation
Hippeastrums grow well in nutritious, loose soil. At home, such a substrate can be made by mixing the following components in equal parts:
Be sure to place a drainage layer (expanded clay) on the bottom of the pot.
Preparing the hippeastrum bulb for transplantation
After removing it from the old pot, remove all dry and black scales from the bulb, peeling it down to the white elastic tissue. This helps to activate further flower growth and will help get rid of putrefactive bacteria hiding between the scales.
Place the peeled onions in a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. Pink colour and then dry thoroughly.
Often there are small children on the hippeastrum. To speed up flowering, they are removed so as not to take away the strength from the mother bulb. If further propagation of the plant is planned, the bulbs are left. Already formed young bulbs should be separated and transplanted into a separate pot, where they will bloom in the third year.
The children remaining on the bulb during transplantation can delay the next flowering of the hippeastrum.
Hippeastrum transplantation
When transplanting, the bulb must be placed in the soil so that it protrudes 1/3 above the surface. Experienced flower growers claim that this will bring flowering closer. Compact the soil around the bulb and water it.
At the bottom of the pot, right on the drainage, you can put complex fertilizer in the form of a stick (1 piece). Place the pot with the transplanted plant on a well-lit windowsill in a warm room.
Hippeastrum transplantation - video
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Transplantation / planting / hippeastrum. Reproduction.
Transplantation / planting / hippeastrum.
Hippeastrum needs to be replanted every year. It is better to do this at the beginning or end of its dormant period, possibly after flowering. From the garden, hippeastrum is transplanted into a pot in the fall. In this case, the grown bulb often needs to change the pot to a larger one. Transplantation, as well as planting a new hippeastrum bulb, is carried out according to the same rules. When transplanting/planting/ hippeastrums, the bulbs are inspected. If necessary, they are treated in potassium permanganate, the wounds are covered with brilliant green, and sprinkled with crushed coal. Severely affected bulbs are thrown away. Dead hippeastrum roots are removed. Very long roots of large bulbs are trimmed with pruning shears and the cut area is sprinkled with charcoal. The children formed on the bulb are separated for further reproduction. The soil mixture for hippeastrum is prepared from peat, sand, leaf and turf soil, taken in equal parts. You can use purchased soil for bulbous or indoor plants. Before planting, the bulb is kept in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. When planting in a pot, it is buried half or 2/3 of the height. The bulb for forcing for faster flowering is buried only 1/3. The pot for hippeastrum is chosen to be narrow. Its diameter should exceed the diameter of the bulb by no more than 6 cm. Otherwise, the hippeastrum may not bloom. The height of the pot must be no less than its diameter. The higher the hippeastrum pot is, the more space there will be for its roots. Therefore, tall pots for hippeastrum are preferable. A small drainage made of expanded clay, pebbles, etc. is placed at the bottom of the pot. Place a small mound of soil mixture in the center of the pot. They put an onion on it. The roots of the hippeastrum bulb are carefully spread in the pot and sprinkled with soil on top. The pot is placed in a tray. In order for the substrate to settle, it is watered with warm water, without getting on the bulb. Until the flower shoot appears on the bulb, the hippeastrum is no longer watered. The pot with the planted bulb is stored according to the period of development of the hippeastrum. During the dormant period, the pot is placed in a cool, dark room. In case of expected flowering - in a warm, bright place. When replanting hippeastrum with leaves in autumn, watering and maintenance are regulated according to the period of hippeastrum growing. To create a lushly blooming winter composition of hippeastrum, some gardeners plant several hippeastrum bulbs of the same or combined varieties in one wide pot. In this case, the same feeding area is calculated for one bulb as in conventional cultivation.
Hippeastrum can be propagated vegetatively and by seeds. During seed propagation, the varietal characteristics of hippeastrum are lost. Although vegetative defrosting by scales and dividing the bulb retain these characteristics, they are in little demand in practice, due to the fact that the propagation process is somewhat lengthy, and any variety of hippeastrum can now be bought inexpensively in stores. The best material for vegetative propagation hippeastrum, retaining all the characteristics of the variety, are the daughter bulbs. They can be noticed when transplanting hippeastrum. Then they are separated from the mother bulb along with the roots and, if any, leaves. Onions without roots should first be grown in sphagnum, perlite or sand. Daughter bulbs are grown according to the same rules as adult bulbs. Only during the first 2 years they are not allowed a period of rest. With proper care for 3-4 years, young hippeastrums bloom.
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Beauty in the home: when and how to replant hippeastrum
To achieve beautiful and abundant flowering, you need to know when to replant the hippeastrum. Very often, the reason for the lack of buds lies precisely in improper care, when the plant is simply forgotten about. It happens that a flower remains in the same soil for many years.
A lack of nutrients leads to a painful condition - the flower simply has nowhere to get the necessary components for normal development. The hippeastrum begins to wither, shed its leaves and lose turgor, and may even die if it is not replanted in time.
Hippeastrum: plant features
Hippeastrum came to us from South America, where it can often be found in the wild. It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates. The plant can also be found on mountain slopes, where there are practically no other representatives of the flora.
For the first time in Europe, hippeastrum was seen in the second half of the 16th century, when the fashion for a wide variety of bulbous plants was gaining momentum. Then he made an indelible impression in many countries - botany lovers appreciated the beautiful flowers of a wide variety of shades.
Within 100 years, active hybridization of hippeastrum began, as a result of which the world saw its new varieties. Today there are 90 species and more than 600 hybrids of hippeastrum in the world. And with all this, the plant bulbs remain similar regardless of the variety: 5-10 cm in diameter, surrounded by closed scales, they throw out a short section of the stem.
As for the leaves, they are always located opposite each other, and the width of each as a whole does not exceed 5 cm. The length can also vary depending on the variety - from 50 to 70 cm.
The dormant state for the plant lasts for 2-3 months - during this time it does not show signs of bulb development. Then the hippeastrum begins to grow leaves, approximately one every 4 weeks, and throws out an arrow with buds. Their number and duration of flowering varies depending on the type of flower.
On average, you can enjoy the beauty of a plant for about 3 weeks. At the same time, in indoor specimens growing at home, frond formation can occur not once, but 2 times a year.
Ideal time to transplant
To know how to properly transplant hippeastrum, you need to familiarize yourself with the main life stages of the bulb. Since the flower goes into a dormant state, it is best to change the substrate during the following periods:
Also, recently purchased plants that are in a transport pot and stale soil require replanting. In order for them to actively grow in new conditions, it is necessary to first change the substrate, which will contribute to more successful acclimatization.
As for adult hippeastrums, they need to be replanted approximately once every 2 years. If the plant is young, then it needs annual transshipment to promote good root growth. For all plants, regardless of age, the top layer of soil is changed once a year.
It is optimal to carry out work in the spring, and there is no need to prune a healthy root system. It is enough to simply remove dry shoots.
How to transplant hippeastrum correctly
Even a novice gardener can cope with transplanting hippeastrum - this plant is quite unpretentious and will successfully withstand all manipulations. The only nuances that should be taken into account are the selection of the pot and soil mixture.
Choosing a pot
The preferred pot is ceramic. You can choose a container from a different material, but it must be stable.
The diameter of the pot should not be too large - it is optimal if it is larger size the bulbs are only 5-6 cm. However, the container is chosen high so that the roots of the flower can develop normally.
If the pot is chosen correctly (not too wide for the bulb), the hippeastrum will begin to bloom actively. Otherwise, he will direct all his energy to reproduction and will begin to actively produce children, but you are unlikely to see arrows with buds.
Soil composition
In order for a plant to develop normally, it needs to be provided with a sufficient amount of nutrients in the substrate. The soil should be constantly moderately moist, since hippeastrum reacts negatively to stagnant water. Loose, air-permeable soil with an acidity level of about 6.0 is welcome.
For replanting, you can purchase a ready-made mixture for flowering indoor plants or prepare it yourself from several components:
It is imperative to place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot - expanded clay or brick crushed into small pieces is suitable for this. It will prevent water from accumulating at the bottom of the container, preventing excessive moisture and subsequent rotting of the plant bulb.
How to replant (step by step instructions)
You can correctly transplant hippeastrum according to the following instructions:
Care after transplant
After the hippeastrum is transplanted, it needs proper watering and other important stages of care. In order for the flower to receive the required amount of moisture, it is recommended to combine top watering with bottom watering (into a tray), while making sure that water does not get on the bulb itself to avoid rotting. When dust appears on the leaves, they need to be wiped or washed under running warm water.
When the flower shoots out an arrow with buds and it reaches a height of approximately 12-15 cm, the hippeastrum should be shed with a weak solution of light pink potassium permanganate. A week after watering, it is recommended to add fertilizer to the soil for flowering indoor plants with a high phosphorus content, which stimulates flowering.
Hippeastrum: planting and care
Hippeastrum is one of the most common indoor plants. Hippeastrum is often called amaryllis, but there is a difference between these plants: hippeastrums bloom from late winter to early summer, and amaryllis - in autumn. In addition, hippeastrums have a larger flower arrow.
What is hippeastrum?
The plant has a fleshy bulb and dark green broad-line leaves. Hippeastrum flowers, two or four, are collected in an umbrella. They are brightly colored, with pointed petals, and develop on a leafless, hollow peduncle.
The plant is hardy and light-loving.
How to plant hippeastrum bulbs correctly?
Hippeastrum bulbs are sold in all flower shops - all you have to do is plant the plant correctly and provide it with proper care.
Hippeastrums are replanted once every three years, only the top layer of soil is changed annually.
Hippeastrum bulbs need to be placed separately on a layer of drainage in small pots - the distance between the wall and the bulb was 3-4 cm. Then, to a depth of about 2/3 of the bulb, you need to fill it with ordinary flower soil so that the upper edge with the head protrudes above the ground.
The pot with hippeastrum should be placed in a warm, bright place (on the windowsill above the radiator). And after flowering, you can move it to a sunny and warm place in the room or keep the plant outdoors from late May to late autumn.
During the dormant period from October to December, the hippeastrum is best left in a dark place at a temperature of 12-15 “C.
How to water hippeastrum?
After planting the bulbs in winter, the substrate should be kept slightly moist, and when the flower shoot begins to grow, increase watering. For watering, you only need to take warm water; in addition, until the bud opens, the plant must be sprayed frequently.
From mid-August, in order to prepare for the dormant period, watering of the hippeastrum should be gradually reduced and completely stopped from October.
About once a month, pour water into the pan to prevent the roots from dying. The soil in pots containing resting bulbs should feel dry, not wet. Start moderate watering after transplanting into another pot in mid or late December.
How to fertilize hippeastrum?
During the growing season, hipperastrum should be fertilized weekly with flower fertilizer, and fertilizing should be stopped after the leaves wither and during the dormant period.
Why doesn't hippeastrum bloom?
First of all, check whether you are caring for the plant correctly.
In December - February, pots with bulbs are placed in a warm place with a temperature of 22-25 ° C (for example, near a central heating radiator) and not watered until the flower arrow appears, then the pots are transferred to a bright window and warm water is poured into a tray so that the soil dries out well soaked in it. If the water has cooled down and the top layer of soil in the pot is still dry, replace the cooled water with warm water several times. At this time, the hippeastrum is watered very sparingly until the flower shoot reaches 8-10 cm in height, since otherwise the leaves will grow and the flowers will not develop. After this, watering is gradually increased.
A month after flowering, the hippeastrum is transplanted into a fresh earth mixture made up of leaf, humus and turf soil with an admixture of washed coarse sand (1: 2: 1: 1), or into ready-made soil for begonias.
You can grow hippeastrum without a dormant period. In this case, they are kept all year round in a sunny window in a warm room and watered with warm water as the soil dries out. With this care, they bloom twice a year: in October - November and between March and May, the leaves remain healthy and do not lose their decorative effect.
The flowering period of hippeastrum can be extended if the bulbs are gradually replanted from the beginning of March and encouraged to germinate. Trim each wilted flower at the base.
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Hippeastrum care at home
Hippeastrum is one of the most beautiful bulbous plants, intended for growing in room conditions. It is best to plant it in the soil in late September early October, when outdoor bulbous plants are planted in the garden bed.
Hippeastrum at home: transplantation, temperature regime
Before planting, new flower growers have many questions about caring for hippeastrum at home, and one of them is: how to properly replant hippeastrum, choose a pot, soil and position the bulb?
Finding the optimal size container is quite simple. You need to focus on the size of the bulb. If you place it in the center of the container, then there should be a space of 3-4 cm from the onion to the edges of the pot. After flowering, the bulb will grow in width and can produce children that need space for normal development. The height of the pot should be at least 15-20cm. Hippeastrum has a very powerful root system, and if comfortable conditions are created, the bulb will quickly regain its strength after flowering and thank its owners with the younger generation.
To transplant hippeastrum at home, it is better to use a wet mixture of peat and sand 50/50. The sand will compact the peat and prevent the roots from rotting. Drainage at the bottom of the pot ensures that the bulb does not rot and the roots will freely absorb moisture. Expanded clay, fine gravel, and large-fraction foam balls are perfect for the drainage system.
When planting, 2/3 of the bulb is placed in the soil, and 1/3 of it should look out. This is done for prevention purposes.
This method is ideal for quickly propagating rare varieties of hippeastrum.
Hippeastrum diseases
Excess fertilizer can cause the death of the plant. During the period from the appearance of the arrow to the end of flowering, it is enough to carry out two or three fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. If the soil contains the necessary microelements, then you can do without fertilizers and start feeding after trimming the peduncle. A strong concentration of fertilizers and excess nitrogen can burn the roots and cause the bulb to rot.
Hippeastrum responds well to feeding with potassium permanganate liquid. It not only nourishes the plant, but also disinfects the soil. Watering with potassium permanganate is an excellent prevention against red rot, which often causes plant death. When infected with this disease, it is necessary to remove all the red tissue on the bulb and sprinkle it with foundationol powder and lubricate it with brilliant green.
Problems with hippeastrum at home
The bright winter sun can cause burns on the leaves of hippeastrum. If the hippeastrum is on the windowsill, then it is better to shade it with parchment paper or spandex.
You can often observe that instead of a peduncle, leaves grow from the bulb. This suggests that planting rules have been violated and flowering should not be expected this year. This happens if:
There is a delay in the development of the root system;
the rest period has not been maintained;
We hurried to put the pot on the windowsill and the roots did not have time to fully develop.
What to do if hippeastrum does not bloom? There are several reasons for this behavior:
- 1. Planting a young bulb, recently separated from its parent, which has not yet gained strength for full flowering.
2. No rest period.
3. Incorrect planting: the bulb is completely immersed in the soil.
If the hippeastrum does not bloom in the first case, follow agricultural practices and wait three to four years until the plant gets stronger.
If the bulb is strong and mature, then it is necessary to gradually dry the soil in the pot, remove dry leaves, pull the bulbs out of the soil, inspect it, place it in an airtight bag and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for two months. Once a week, the bag should be ventilated and the condition of the bulb checked. If it rots or redness is observed, then you need to cut off the infected areas, treat the sections with foundation, dry them and put them back in the refrigerator. After observing the dormant period, the plant is planted in the soil, following the rules.
Proper agricultural technology and careful care of hippeastrum at home will help to quickly propagate the flower and serve as a guarantee of excellent flowering.
Hippeastrum: transplantation, cultivation, care, photo
The beauty of the hippeastrum flower can bewitch. The plant blooms only once a year, but what! However, sometimes unpleasant surprises also occur: the flower never appeared or the plant began to wither. To prevent this from happening, you need to know the nuances of caring for hippeastrum and its growth characteristics.
Plant characteristics
Hippeastrum is usually classified as a bulbous plant, so it has its own characteristics of care and reproduction. In total, about 90 species of this plant are known. Accordingly, the size of the bulb may vary. It can reach a diameter of approximately 5-10 cm.
Hippeastrum, which is also transplanted using bulbs, has linear leaves. Their color is predominantly green, but some specimens may have a purple coloration. The inflorescences of the plant are umbrella-shaped, the length of the peduncle is from 35 to 80 cm.
The color of the flowers of this plant can be very different. Sometimes it can simply surprise you with its color scheme and unusual combinations.
Features of home hippeastrum
The hippeastrum flower, a photo of which can be seen in this article, has a number of features that you simply need to know in order to grow it.
If you prefer plants with light flowers, then keep in mind that they produce very few seeds suitable for planting. In the summer, it is most advisable to move this plant to the garden by burying it in your garden plot.
Blooming hippeastrum can be a great gift for any holiday. After all, the timing of its flowering is easily regulated. The flowering period lasts about ten days for each flower. Bulbs are used for forcing large size, since they contain a fairly large supply of essential nutrients.
How to care for hippeastrum at home?
Growing hippeastrum is a rather difficult and painstaking process. Because of this, many are hesitant to have a blooming hippeastrum at home. For its growth, you should choose a well-lit place, preferably in a southern direction. However, the leaves should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The temperature should ideally be maintained at 17-25 °C.
Hippeastrum, the transplantation of which into open ground in the summer is very favorable, should be protected from excessive waterlogging. At first, you need to water it very little, increasing the volume only with the appearance of a peduncle, which will signal that the growing season has begun.
Hippeastrum bulbs do not like direct contact with water. You should ensure that the soil is moist, but in no case wet. The bottom method of watering from a tray is suitable, which is more gentle. After flowering has finished, watering can be significantly reduced and then stopped altogether.
Hippeastrum transplantation technique
Hippeastrum, planting and caring for which requires some effort, will certainly thank you with unusually beautiful and lush flowering. An important point for replanting it is the choice of pot. There should not be a distance exceeding 2 cm between the bulb and the wall. The hippeastrum, which is transplanted every three to four years, is planted either before the dormant period, or immediately before leaving it.
To replant a plant, it is better to use the transshipment method so that the root system is minimally damaged. About a third of the bulb should be above the soil surface.
Reproduction
Hippeastrum, the planting and care of which are described in this article, has two methods of reproduction: seed and vegetative. In this case, it is better to sow the seeds immediately after you have collected them. So their germination rate reaches almost 100%. If the seeds dry out, the germination rate decreases sharply - up to 30%. However, the flower requires artificial pollination to produce seeds.
You can also separate the so-called children from the main bulb. This can be done, for example, during a transplant. The baby is placed in a separate pot. It is noteworthy that for two years the leaves on it are not removed even during the dormant period.
Rest period
The hippeastrum flower, a photo of which can be seen in this article, is characterized by the presence of a dormant period. It lasts from September to January. Plants that were outdoors in the summer need to be brought indoors by September. At this time, watering should be minimized and then stopped altogether. In this regard, the leaves of the flower will dry out, which need to be removed and the stem cut off. After this, the pot should be sent to a dark and dry place with a temperature of 6-12 °C. There is no need to water it. The plant stays in this state for 6-8 weeks. After this, the period of awakening begins.
Hippeastrum flowering period
Hippeastrum, which was transplanted before the dormant period, needs to activate flowering. They especially resort to tricks to speed up this process if there is a celebration the day before, for which it is simply necessary to make arrangements.
In order to speed up flowering, hippeastrum bulbs can be treated with water at a temperature of 43-45 ° C for three hours before planting in the ground. Temperature extremes will trigger flowering in about three weeks.
You can also stop watering your pet at the end of August, and then move it to a dry and dark place until the end of January. After this, watering resumes again. After one to a month and a half, the plant is again ready to delight you with its flowers.
Some gardeners also practice another technique. In July, all the leaves of the plant are cut off and watering is stopped, and with the resumption of watering, a liquid complex fertilizer is introduced. However, to avoid burns, the kidney must first be thoroughly wetted. The flowering period in this case will be around August or September.
Why does hippeastrum refuse to bloom?
Interruptions in flowering may be due to soil depletion. After all, this plant consumes quite a lot of nutrients, and their supply in a small pot is very limited. To avoid this, you need to fertilize regularly. This can be done along with watering.
The reason for the lack of flowering may be pests. It is to fight them that the plant can devote all its main forces, but there simply won’t be any left for flowering.
Flowering will not occur due to waterlogging of the soil, as well as due to rotting of the bulb.
The timing and quality of subsequent flowering directly depend on how correctly the plant was introduced into the dormant period and how it spent it. From mid-September, you should completely stop watering, cut off the wilted peduncle and remove fallen leaves. Thus, the plant goes into a dormant period, which will last until you move the pot from a dark, cool room to a well-lit place and resume watering. Hippeastrum will again begin a period of active growth.
When growing flowers indoors, hobbyists often encounter diseases and pests. To prevent them from causing a lot of trouble and killing your pet, preventive maintenance should be carried out periodically in the form of examination and antiviral treatment. Hippeastrum, transplantation of which is carried out with inspection of the bulb, can be treated with solutions of antifungal drugs.
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They belong to the bulbous plants. They bloom very beautifully - on a long arrow there are 4-5 large flowers, similar to lilies. They are quite unpretentious, and even amateurs without experience can grow a flower. One of the conditions for caring for hippeastrum is its regular replanting.
When to replant hippeastrum
It is recommended to replant adult hippeastrums every two years, and young plants are replanted annually. The best time for this is spring. It is best to replant the plant after it has flowered, after 3-4 weeks. If the root system is healthy, there is no need to trim it; it is enough to remove dry and diseased roots.
Choosing a pot for transplanting
For replanting, you should choose a pot that is only a few centimeters larger than the previous one. In a container that is too large, hippeastrum will not bloom, but will direct all its strength to reproduction - the formation of children.
The distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should be no more than 2 centimeters.
The plant has a fairly developed root system, so it is better to choose a pot that is not too high, but wide at the bottom. It is better if it is ceramic - this will allow the roots to breathe. In addition, such a pot will not tip over under the weight of large long leaves. You can also use a long container for group planting. The bulbs are placed at a distance of 10 cm.
Soil preparation
Hippeastrums grow well in nutritious, loose soil. At home, such a substrate can be made by mixing the following components in equal parts:
- turf land;
- leaf soil;
- humus;
- sand.
Be sure to place a drainage layer (expanded clay) on the bottom of the pot.
Preparing the hippeastrum bulb for transplantation
After removing it from the old pot, remove all dry and black scales from the bulb, peeling it down to the white elastic tissue. This helps to activate further flower growth and will help get rid of putrefactive bacteria hiding between the scales.
Place the peeled onions in a pink potassium permanganate solution for 30 minutes and then dry thoroughly.
Often there are small children on the hippeastrum. To speed up flowering, they are removed so as not to take away the strength from the mother bulb. If further propagation of the plant is planned, the bulbs are left. Already formed young bulbs should be separated and transplanted into a separate pot, where they will bloom in the third year.
The children remaining on the bulb during transplantation can delay the next flowering of the hippeastrum.
Hippeastrum transplantation
When transplanting, the bulb must be placed in the soil so that it protrudes 1/3 above the surface. Experienced flower growers claim that this will bring flowering closer. Compact the soil around the bulb and water it.
At the bottom of the pot, right on the drainage, you can put complex fertilizer in the form of a stick (1 piece). Place the pot with the transplanted plant on a well-lit windowsill in a warm room.
Hippeastrum transplantation - video
