How to care for a Decembrist flower at home

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

Novice gardeners think that the Decembrist at home requires special care. In fact, everyone can grow beautiful flowers. It is enough to perform all procedures on time, and the result will not be long in coming.

Description of the Decembrist flower

The birthplace of the Decembrist is Brazil. The plant is a kind of cactus with an original appearance. Its branches are strewn with beautiful inflorescences, along the edges of the leaves are jagged.

The length of the petals is about 8 cm. The buds open slowly, and for this reason they may not bloom for a long time. The peculiarity of this cactus is that its sepals and petals have a similar structure. Sometimes it is even impossible to distinguish them from each other.

How to care for a Decembrist at home

Indoor plant is unpretentious to care for. But if you do not follow the basic rules, then the cactus may not bloom. Grooming activities are as follows:

1. Lighting … The Decembrist prefers bright and diffused light. Therefore, it is advisable to place the flower pot next to the windows facing the east side. During flowering, the container with the plant cannot even be moved, otherwise the flowers will fall off.
2. Temperature … Caring for a Decembrist at home is not difficult. Flowers are undemanding to temperature. They can develop both at + 35 ° С and +2 ° С. The optimal indicator is + 18 … + 25 ° С. It is at this temperature that the plant feels comfortable. The Decembrist is not afraid of drafts, therefore, in the summer months, it is advisable to take pots with seedlings to the balcony. The only thing is that the cactus does not tolerate direct sunlight.
3. Watering, air humidity … You need to water the cactus correctly. During the flowering period, it is important to monitor the drying out of the soil. If the ground is dry at a depth of 1-3 cm, then it's time to carry out the procedure. Before and after flowering, the amount of watering will have to be reduced. Do not water the plants with cold tap water. It contains chlorine and calcium compounds. It is best to use settled, boiled water. In hot weather, the flower must be sprayed with a spray bottle several times a day. In winter, spraying will be required 2 times a month.
4. Top dressing … In nature, a cactus receives nutrients from the tree on which it grows. And there are not very many nutrients. Therefore, we can say that the Decembrist does not need feeding. But if you want to enjoy a long and beautiful flowering, you will have to stock up on fertilizers. The plant reacts positively to the introduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. From March to August, it is necessary to feed the cactus 2 times a month.
5. Transfer … How is the Decembrist transplant carried out at home, and what kind of flower care is required in the future? Young cacti need to be replanted every year, and the new container should be larger in diameter than the previous one. The transplant is carried out in early spring, immediately after flowering. In terms of soil, cacti prefer to grow on fertile, light soil. To make a soil mixture, you need to mix turf, sand, leafy earth, crushed coal, brick chips, wood ash. At the bottom of the container, you need to lay out a drainage layer, then fill up the soil and plant the seedlings.
6. Topping … In order for the plant to please with its decorative appearance, it is necessary to carry out pruning in a timely manner. For this, even scissors are not required, the excess processes must be unscrewed with rotating movements. Pinching is desirable after the flowering of the bush.

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It is not difficult to look after the Decembrist. It is enough to complete all procedures on time, and the cactus will delight with bright colors.

How to prepare the Decembrist for flowering

An important point in caring for a Decembrist is preparing it for flowering. What conditions must be observed in order for a cactus to please with its luxurious appearance:

1. Temperature. With the arrival of autumn, the bushes need to be taken out into the street. If the plants are already standing in the fresh air, then they need to be protected from bright light, rain.
2. Watering. You cannot water the cactus before flowering. In such conditions, it must be kept for a month. If the leaves wither, it's okay.
3. Lighting. At the end of October, the container with the seedling must be removed to such a place so that the daylight hours are no more than 10 hours.

All these measures are necessary so that the growth of shoots stops, and the plant proceeds to the laying of buds. If everything is done correctly, then in 50 days the cactus will bloom.

Decembrist care after flowering

The Decembrist is increasingly found at home, and this is not surprising. After all, indoor flowers do not require special care.

But many growers are faced with such a problem: after flowering, the buds are reset. To preserve the decorative appearance of the bushes, it is necessary to take proper care of them. During the dormant period, the cactus should be placed on the windowsill, creating a light partial shade.

Reproduction of the Decembrist

There are several ways to get young Decembrist seedlings. How the plant is propagated:

1. Seeds … The method is laborious and requires certain knowledge and skills. To get seeds, the grower needs to be pollinated. After a month, the ovary will reach a size of 2 cm, it will become pink and round. After 6 months, the berry must be removed, peeled from the pulp and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. You can start planting work in March-April. To do this, you need to prepare a container, soil, seeds. At the end of the work, the crops should be covered with foil. In a few weeks, the first shoots will appear.
2. Cuttings … The method is used much more often than seeds. It is necessary to start grafting in the spring, immediately after the flowering of the cactus. First you need to unscrew a small process from the mother bush, and leave it in the fresh air for 2 days. Then the seedling should be planted in the ground. Cover the top with foil.
3. Graft … Despite the fact that this method is popular, it is still considered labor intensive. First, you need to select a segment that will become the grafting material. The sides should be cut out on it in the form of a triangle. In this case, the acute angle should be directed to the previous segment. In this state, the cactus should be left for several days. This time is enough for the wounds to heal, and the damaged segment gets used to the new habitat. Then you need to cut the trunk, and split the cut point to a depth of 2 cm. The prepared segment should be inserted into the split. At the end, everything must be processed with coal, and the branches must be fixed with a needle or thread. After 2-3 weeks, it will be clear how successful the vaccination was.

Each of the breeding methods has its own characteristics, and is often used in practice. Which of the options to give preference, the florist has the right to choose himself.

Why doesn't the Decembrist bloom?

Improper flower care at home prevents the Decembrist from blooming. What to do in this case, and what are the reasons for what is happening:

1. The cactus was placed on the northern windowsill. It is advisable to rearrange the plant to the east side or slightly shade the window.
2. Lack of nutrients. In this case, fertilization is necessary.
3. Improper watering. Due to a lack of moisture, the plant may never bloom.
4. Pests can not only spoil the appearance of flowers, but also completely destroy them.
5. Rare transplant. If the florist has not transplanted the plant for several years, then the seedlings are unlikely to please him with their decorative appearance.

Why does the Decembrist wither

This can happen in the following cases:

• with excessive fertilization;
• due to stagnant water;
• due to the development of fungal diseases;
• with improper care;
• due to extreme heat, cold air, drafts.

Decembrist does not tolerate a sharp change in growing conditions. Therefore, plants react sharply to any changes.

Why do leaves fall

If the leaves of the cactus begin to crumble, this is a bad sign. The florist will have to find out why this is happening and change the conditions for keeping the plant. For what reasons do the leaves fall off:

1. Pests (see below).
2. Inappropriate conditions of detention. Cactus can shed its leaves due to lack of nutrients or infrequent watering.

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Also, the following factors can lead to negative consequences: sharp drops in temperature, draft, transplant, change of location, position of the pot. To rectify the situation, the Decembrist must be fed. You can also replace the soil, flowerpot.

Diseases and their treatment

Caring for a Decembrist at home does not cause difficulties even for beginners. Plants rarely get sick, but still some diseases make themselves felt. The greatest danger is posed by:

1. Phytophthora and Pityum. Infections are carried with the soil and affect the root system. The first symptoms of the disease are the falling of the segments, the wilting of the flowers, after which the cactus becomes gray in color. To save the plant, you can use drugs such as Skor, Topaz, Maxim, Vitaros.
2. Fusarium. Fungus that penetrates the soil. It leads to decay of the root system. For preventive purposes, drugs such as Baylon, Mikol are used. If fusarium has made itself felt, then it will not be possible to save the plants.
3. Bacterial diseases. The Erwinia group of bacteria remains the most dangerous. The symptoms of infection are as follows: a damp spot appears at the base of the stem, which is slippery to the touch. It is useless to treat a cactus, it is easier to cut off the affected area.

Pests of the Decembrist

The following insects pose the greatest danger to the Decembrist:

1. Spider mite. A small parasite that can be seen with the naked eye, you can recognize it on a cactus by its red pigmentation. Most often, it appears in rooms with dry air. The following drugs will help get rid of the tick: Fitoverm, Vertimek, Aktofit, Aktellik, Neoron.
2. Mealybug. Affected flowers wither, fall off. As a preventive measure, plants need to be watered regularly and dried buds should be picked off. If the worm made itself felt, then Aktara and Confidor will help save the plant.
3. Shield. The pest sucks out all the juices from the plant, after which the leaves turn yellow and dry out. Mechanical cleaning will help save the bushes. If you do not start the fight against the parasite in time, the bushes will die.

Insects can harm the Decembrist. Only timely treatment with special preparations will help save flowers.

Poisonous Decembrist or not

Scientists have proven that the cactus is completely safe for the health of people and animals, which means that it can be safely grown at home. The only thing you need to make sure that none of the household members eat plants.

Indeed, for the normal growth of flowers, fertilizers have to be applied to the soil. And these substances can be hazardous to human health. If you notice any signs of poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Is it possible to keep the Decembrist at home

The cactus gets along well in the apartment, flower growers fell in love with it for its bright and beautiful flowering. If you have doubts about whether to start a flower in the house or not, then you should throw them away.

Cacti are not only able to decorate any room, they also cleanse the apartment of negative energy. In addition, plants play a positive role when placed near a sleeping place. They charge a person with cheerfulness, and draw out negative thoughts overnight.

The Decembrist can be safely taken to your apartment. The indoor plant develops well at home and, with proper care, regularly pleases with its bright and lush flowering.

Summarize

1. The Decembrist is an unusual cactus that can decorate any room. In addition, it acts as a filter and cleans the house of negative energy.
2. It is not difficult to look after the Decembrist. It is enough to perform all procedures on time, and the plant will delight you with bright colors.
3. When growing a Decembrist, a florist may face some difficulties. Diseases and pests often make themselves known. If you regularly carry out preventive measures, then you will not even have to think about ailments.