The plant is thermophilic and grows well at air humidity of at least 50%. This is a tuberous type belonging to the Gesneriaceae. The second name is Sinningia. It came to us from the tropics. Gloxinia lived in the mountainous regions of the Amazon River, in its upper part. There, periods of heavy rain turn into winter drought as the temperature drops, and the flower is accustomed to hiding and waiting until the rains that nourish the soil come again. Therefore, gloxinia is one of the flowers that require a period of rest.
Interestingly, in the past, amateur flower growers often believed that by shedding its leaves and withering, gloxinia passed away and was simply thrown away. It is necessary to care for it in resonance with its biorhythms, otherwise the plant will become exhausted, waste its life potential abnormally, will not have time to gain enough strength for the upcoming flowering, and may even die.
At home it grows well in the kitchen and on the insulated loggia because the humidity is higher there. It is carried out by leaves and from the tops, as well as by tubers (read about how to grow gloxinia from leaves).
On a note. Gloxinia itself “knows” when it needs to rest; at this time the foliage begins to turn yellow.
Usually the plant is prepared for sleep from September-October. Little by little, watering is reduced to nothing, and the dried leaves are carefully cut off and the pots are moved to more shaded areas. The flower's sleep is quite long, taking more than one month.
How and when does this happen?
In autumn, the flowering of mature syningias is no longer so active and gradually stops altogether. In order not to disrupt the natural process, gloxinias stop feeding and minimize watering. Enough time must pass for . You can cut off the drying leaves right at the root, or you can leave 2-3 cm arrows. A semi-dark zone with a temperature from +10°C to +13°C is ideal for the winter.
During sleep, gloxinias are watered very sparingly, once or twice a month. Pour water strictly along the edge of the pots so as not to wet the surface of the tuber. When watering, use lukewarm water.
The second option for hibernation is storing tubers in a sand-type substrate, or in peat, or in sphagnum moss. The tubers are removed from the pot and dropped into the selected substrate, keeping there until the end winter period. Every month, the lump in which the tuber is stored is sprayed with warm water once.
The temperature needed is the same as in the first option, 10-13 degrees. More experienced flower growers, knowing the nature and habits of the plant, having studied them subtly, focus on other indicators, using a labile resting time schedule, where in each case the period is calculated individually.
Young plants
How to get it?
The method that will be optimal to use depends on which storage option is chosen - in the ground or without it.
Reference. Regular monitoring of humidity levels and the presence of rot is required. If rot appears, we clean it and treat it with potassium permanganate.
After cleansing, sprinkle the wounded area eaten away by the fungus with ash. If the tuber was purchased in the fall, then during storage you need to use a soil-free method, carrying out disinfection both before and after hibernation (you can learn in detail about gloxinia diseases and methods of treating them).
In the soil
It's more simple and reliable option, the risk of rotting is minimal. Getting ready for bed follows the same scenario. About how to choose best soil for gloxinia, you can find out.
- Move the pot with the tuber to a cool and shady place.
- Periodically lightly moisten the top of the soil.
- You can add ice cubes to lower the temperature.
You can also cover the pot with a bag and put it in a cool place. Don’t forget to check for moisture and make sure the tuber doesn’t sprout. To “monitor” the temperature, you can put the pot in a box and put a thermometer in it. The same applies to the soilless storage method. Checking the tubers should be done twice a month.
The rest period lasts four to five months. By the end of January, you can expect awakening in the form of the first sprouts. When this happens, you should return the plant to the pot with fresh soil and place it in the brightest place (we wrote about what size pot is needed for the healthy development of gloxinia). They deepen it just a little bit. The sprout should rise slightly above the soil layer, or be on par with it. In the first seven days, no watering is done, then they start with moderate doses of moisture, gradually bringing it to normal.
Growth stimulation is not done until February, so that the tuber does not waste its strength., because the larger it is, the more abundant the flowering will become. Excess shoots are removed, leaving three or four pieces when they reach a length of five centimeters.
You can use them for propagation by rooting them in a jar, like a small greenhouse, periodically hardening and ventilating them.
Attention! If it turns out that the tuber is affected by rot after hibernation, then you need to disinfect it using the above method.
Can also be placed in the root for recharge.
Useful video
The rest period in gloxinia. Storing gloxinia tubers in winter at rest:
Conclusion
Advantages and disadvantages of soil and soilless methods:
- the risk of drying out during soil storage is minimal, this is especially important for young plants;
- storage in pots takes up a lot of space;
- when stored in bags without soil, it is possible to monitor for rot;
- does the soilless method possible wintering in a refrigerator.
For successful development and large, beautiful flowers of indoor gloxinia, a period of rest is needed from mid-autumn to the end of winter. At this time, the leaves of the flower fall off and only the tuber remains. The florist needs to create favorable conditions to maintain the viability of gloxinia during this period. Otherwise, the plant will become less attractive, stretch out and bloom poorly.
Adult indoor gloxinia needs a long rest in winter. If the plant has already bloomed at least once and formed tubers, it goes dormant. Moreover, the larger the tuber, the more successfully it is preserved. Young gloxinias that live only the first year may not go to sleep for the winter. The tuber of such plants is less than 2 cm in diameter, so without creating necessary conditions they dry out and die.
Time of onset of the rest period
Gloxinia is native to South America. Therefore, in its development the plant adheres to the seasonality of this region. The dormant time, when gloxinia is harvested for storage for the winter, usually occurs in September or October. Then a drought begins in her homeland.
If this does not happen on time, the flowering periods shift. According to the rules, they should occur in spring and summer. To avoid this, care is carried out in early autumn to prepare for winter. In case of late flowering, they wait until it is completed, and then carry out special preparatory measures.
Preparing for winter
Caring for gloxinia in winter at home involves creating a special microclimate to preserve the viability of the tubers. The plant requires preliminary preparation for winter. In September or October, after the plant has flowered, the light intensity is reduced. To do this, move the flower pot to a window facing the north side. The temperature is maintained no more than +15 degrees. Potash fertilizer is applied once. Watering is gradually reduced, moistening the soil with a small portion of water once every 7 days.
When the leaves begin to die, stop watering completely. During this period, the upper part of the gloxinia does not yet need to be cut off so that the beneficial substances descend from the green mass into the tuber. If this rule is not followed, vegetation processes will resume. When the green part of the gloxinia completely dies off on its own, it is cut off, leaving a stump 1 cm high.
Tuber storage
After completing the preparatory measures, the tubers of adult gloxinia are removed from the soil for subsequent storage. It is convenient to do this using the transshipment method:
- Transfer the earthen lump from the pot into a large, wide container.
- Use your fingers to gently knead the soil and divide it into several parts.
- Remove the tuber and remove any remaining soil from it.
Important!
Then the tuber is washed well under running cool water and dried. It cannot be sent for storage to wet. This leads to the formation of rot.
Methods and conditions for storing tubers
Gloxinia is used for wintering at home different methods. Suitable for storing developed roots plastic bag with a mixture of wet sawdust and washed and heated river sand. The mixture is slightly moistened. Otherwise, the tubers will turn sour due to lack of air and too much water.
The prepared mass is poured into the lower part of a thick bag. Then the prepared tuber is placed in it and covered with the remains so that it is completely hidden from view. After this, the bag is put away in a place suitable for wintering.
The premises for successful preservation of tubers in winter must meet the following requirements:
- lack of intense lighting;
- air temperature not lower than +3 degrees and not higher than +15 degrees;
- humidity from 60 to 90%.
These conditions are closest to the natural ones under which gloxinia overwinters in its homeland. The easiest way to create the necessary microclimate is to place bags of bulbs in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator intended for vegetables. This option for storing gloxinia is suitable if there are few plants.
Important!
The disadvantage of this method is that the air in the refrigerator becomes very dry. Therefore, you should regularly check the condition of the soil in the bag and, if necessary, moisten it.
Another suitable option— place bags of tubers on a glazed but not heated loggia or balcony. In this case, the air should not warm up above +20 degrees. Otherwise, the tubers will leave the resting stage ahead of time.
If the house has a cellar with considerable depth, where the temperature is maintained in winter at +5 degrees, gloxinia roots are placed in it. It is ideal if in such a room there is no fungus or mold on the walls and constant humidity is maintained. In such conditions, there is no need to additionally moisten the soil in the bag. It will always be in optimal condition.
If there is no space in the refrigerator, a suitable balcony or cellar, bags of tubers are placed under the bathtub. In this case, the conditions for humidity and light are met, only the temperature remains high.
The tubers are periodically inspected during storage to avoid the formation of rot. If traces of damage by putrefactive processes appear, the damaged areas are cut off to a normal tuber and the sections are sprinkled with ash or crushed activated carbon.
Important!
If the bulbs were purchased in the fall, they are immediately sent for storage. First place for a quarter of an hour in a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection and dry.
Storage in soil
It is much easier to care for a flower in winter if you do not remove the roots from the soil. Preliminary preparation in this case it is executed in the usual way. Then the container with the root system in it is moved to a colder room. You can put it on the floor near balcony door, but shouldn't be nearby heating devices. This ensures the optimal temperature.Another option is to take the pots out to an unheated glassed-in loggia or move them to the cellar. Any room where the temperature will be significantly lower than that created during the growing season is suitable.
The top layer of soil is sometimes moistened with water. You should not water the soil too much, but you should not allow the soil to dry out completely. This is a good way to store tubers in the bathroom. For additional cooling, it is recommended to occasionally place pieces of ice on the surface of the soil.
Advantages and disadvantages of storage methods
The proposed methods for preserving the viability of tubers are used in accordance with the age and condition of the plant. They have their pros and cons:
- young gloxinia is left in the ground for the winter, this is more likely to prevent the tuber from drying out;
- if not suitable place to place a lot of pots or flowers, the off-ground method is more suitable;
- when placing tubers in bags, the risk of rot formation increases, so they are often checked;
- It is most convenient to keep bags of gloxinia in the refrigerator in winter;
- if there is no suitable room or large refrigerator, it is optimal to store the roots in the bathroom;
- Gloxinia purchased in the fall can be preserved using a soilless method with mandatory preliminary disinfection.
Winter care for young gloxinias
For young plants, the winter dormancy period proceeds differently. In flowers of the first year of life, a very small tuber is formed. Therefore, without additional moisture in winter, it will die. Such specimens do not hibernate. Since the daylight hours at this time of year are short, the plants are provided with additional lighting, extending it to 12 hours.
It is important to support optimal level air temperature. If the room is hot, the plant will develop an aerial part and stretch the stem instead of growing a mass of roots. Therefore, the temperature should be maintained at +20 degrees. Water the flower rarely, so as not to provoke rotting of the tubers.
For gloxinias that have already bloomed once, a special approach is required. They have already formed a medium-sized tuber. Therefore, conditions are created for the flower to be in a half-asleep state. To do this, the pots are placed on the north side and sometimes watered a small amount water. When the daylight hours lengthen, the rested gloxinia will begin to grow again.
Awakening of Gloxinia
With the end of winter, young shoots hatch on the tubers. This indicates that the plant is coming out of sleep. Then prepare fresh soil, water it a little and plant the tubers in it. There is no need to deepen them; it is better to leave the top on the surface. Watering begins 7 days after planting. Do not overwater the plant so as not to provoke fungal diseases.
IN initial period During the growing season, weak shoots are removed, leaving only a few of the strongest ones. This is necessary for better tuber formation. How beautifully and magnificently the gloxinia will bloom depends on its strength.
Important!
Broken off shoots are not thrown away; they will become excellent material for growing new flowers. They are dug in in fresh soil, lightly watered and covered. plastic bottles with several holes for ventilation.
Possible problems
If the tubers were stored in unsuitable conditions, they wake up ahead of schedule. There are several solutions to solve this problem:
- If very small sprouts appear on the tuber, then they are left and the amount and volume of moisture are reduced.
- Large shoots are cut off and the root is returned to its storage location. In the spring, it is transplanted into prepared soil.
- Immediately plant the tuber in a container and illuminate it with fluorescent lamps. Then the plant grows weak and very thin. At the end of winter, the top of such a flower is cut off and rooted in another pot. After a short time, gloxinia produces young shoots.
- Keep awakened tubers in cooler conditions to slow down development. At the same time, they create high-quality natural lighting.
When a flower does not awaken in due time, its vitality is restored as follows:
- Place 2-3 tbsp at the bottom of a plastic bag. l. light soil, moistening it with water.
- Place the bulb on the ground and seal the bag.
- The bag is placed in a well-lit place so that the temperature in it is from +24 to +28 degrees.
- Every 3 days the bulb is ventilated.
After 15 days, the tuber sprouts. Their number depends on the quality of lighting. The better it is, the more sprouts are formed. The awakened plant is transplanted into a pot, leaving 2 shoots on the tuber. Unnecessary ones are cut off and used as a means of propagation.
While in a greenhouse, the tuber may turn green. This is normal, after planting in the ground it will become a normal shade. Sometimes, when you wake up, the roots appear first, not the green mass. Then it is also transplanted into a pot, sprouts appear in a few days.
Wintering without rest
When gloxinia does not fall into a state of rest, it loses its attractiveness and becomes very elongated. Lack of rest leads to few flowers appearing. To avoid this, the plant is forced to rest.
To do this, cut off the upper part of the flower in October without waiting for it to fade on its own. The containers are moved to a dark, cold room.
Important!
Dutch gloxinia obtained from seeds cannot be forced to rest. Such a flower has not formed tubers, so it dies.
When the flowering of such a plant ends, cut off the upper part, leaving a pair lower leaves. Soon new leaves grow from the axils. Caring for such gloxinia continues in the usual way.
Conclusion
At proper preparation and timely implementation of all recommendations, wintering of gloxinia is successful. With the onset of spring, the awakened plant begins to actively develop and soon pleases with beautiful and abundant flowering.
This beauty from the world of flowers requires special treatment. Previously, not all flower growers knew that the gloxinia, a resident of the tropics, sheds its leaves in the winter and waits out a dormant period in the form of a tuber, which is why this flower was sometimes thrown away. Now everything is different. We know that winter rest is necessary, but how to properly ensure it?
Gloxinia in the photo
Sinningia comes from mountain forests South America. Not from the evergreen jungle, but from the upper reaches of the Amazon, where the rainy summer months give way to the dry, relatively cool winter months. Why does the physiology of Gesneriaceae require a period of rest. Otherwise, you can not only weaken the plant, preventing it from blooming next spring, but also completely destroy it.
There are two main ways to store gloxinia tubers in winter.
- We store the tuber removed from the pot;
- The plant overwinters together with the earthen clod.
Video about caring for gloxinia
Let's take a closer look at them. So, first one.
The foliage begins to fade - we slowly stop watering and complete the cycle of fertilizing with fertilizers. Thus, we prepare the plant for winter sleep. Towards the end of September and mid-October, Sinningia sheds its leaves. Its roots are dying. All that remains is the tuber that has ripened over the summer. We are going to save it. To do this, carefully remove it from the soil.
The best way to do this is by transshipment:
- We take a large container for the soil, for example a basin
- We turn over the pots with gloxinia over it
- Gently knead the earthen lump with your fingers until it breaks up into several parts.
- We clean the tuber from pieces of soil and remnants of roots
We can wash the tuber under running water, after which you need to dry it. It is highly not recommended to store a wet tuber - this is fraught with the development of putrefactive processes.
We will store the developed root in a bag with wet sand or wet sawdust. But sand is preferable. You just need to use gray river one, first wash it from dust, and then bake it in the oven thin layer on a baking sheet. This way we get rid of the infection.
Storage sand should be slightly damp, but do not over-wet it. Otherwise, the roots may turn sour due to lack of oxygen and excess liquid. Now we prepare a strong bag, pour wet sand on the bottom, put a tuber, cover it with sand to hide it from view. Now you need to decide on a place.
Overwintering the root systems of domestic Gesneriaceae must meet three conditions:
- Lack of bright light
- Temperature +3 °C to +15 °C
- The air should be no drier than 60%, but no more than 90%
This provides normal conditions, close to the natural environment of the places where Sinningia comes from. Storing it in winter works best at the bottom of the refrigerator, where we usually store vegetables and herbs. If you have a lot free space and some gloxinia tubers, then put your bags there. But remember that the air inside is very dry. You need to check periodically to make sure the sand is not dry. Most likely, once or twice during the winter you will have to slightly moisten it.
Another option is to consider an insulated unheated loggia or balcony. It is important that the temperature does not rise to +20 °C. This can provoke tubers to wake up early from sleep.
It is also good to hide the plants in a warm, deep cellar, where winter temperatures are around +5 °C, high relative humidity, and there are no or almost no fungal mold processes on the walls and shelves. Then you don’t even have to check the humidity of the sand or sawdust substrate - it will always be optimal.
You can also store bags under the bathtub. This is the most compromise option. Not everyone has a lot of refrigerator space, a warm cellar or a balcony. The humidity and darkness of the bathroom allow us to hope for a good winter. Only the temperature is high.
Another option is to store bags of tubers on the mezzanine of the hallway. But you can forget about them if you don’t water them on time. And this is harmful for the bulbs.
It is recommended to periodically check the tubers for the presence of putrefactive formations. If they make themselves known, we cut them out. sharp knife or a razor to healthy tissue. Be careful and careful. If you don’t notice the rot in time, you risk losing the entire plant. For disinfection, dust the cut area with ash.
We wait until spring. We watch when the first shoots appear. Then we remove the tuber, inspect it for rot, clean it if necessary, and dip it in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. You can then place it in the root - very nutritious for future flowers. Now we plant in a new substrate for leaf growth and flowering.
If you bought tubers in the fall, then we store them without soil with mandatory pre-winter and pre-spring treatment with disinfectants, for example, potassium permanganate.
Storage in the ground
Caring for gloxinia in winter is greatly simplified if we leave the plant untouched. We also stop watering in the fall. We are waiting for the leaves to fall completely. Then we place the pot with the wintering nodule closer to the coolness. For example, if you have cold balcony, then keep the pot closer to its door, away from the radiator - this will ensure the wintering temperature required.
You can also take the wintering pots to the cellar, or put them on the balcony if you have it insulated. It is important that gloxinia in pots in winter experience temperatures significantly lower than the +30°C that are sometimes observed in apartments.
It also requires occasional moistening. upper layer water. Do not over-moisten, but do not over-dry the soil. By the way, storing in pots is more appropriate in the bathroom. To create a lower temperature for the tuber, place ice cubes on the surface of the soil. This will lower the temperature of the substrate surrounding the tuber to the most acceptable levels.
Video about peace in gloxinia
A tuber that remains to winter in the ground is much less susceptible to putrefactive processes.
Pros and cons of off-ground and ground storage of gloxinia in winter
- It is better to store young Sinningia without removing it from the ground. This way there is less risk of drying out;
- Pots with soil are bulky; if there is little space and a lot of flowers, choose off-ground storage;
- Bags of tubers need to be checked frequently for rot;
- The bags are conveniently stored in the refrigerator - the most suitable method wintering flower named gloxinia;
- Wintering in the bathroom is an option if you don’t have a cellar, balcony, or large refrigerator;
- Moisten the top layer of soil with ice - best way storing gloxinia in a warm room in winter.
- We store purchased tubers without soil with mandatory disinfection.
06 Mar 2018
Gloxinia is a beautiful indoor flower , which can compete in popularity with indoor violet. Gloxinia and violet are relatives and belong to the same family Gesneriaceae. Their common features are velvety leaves collected in a rosette.
Gloxinia stands out for its flowers - large bells, they are compared to gramophones. Gloxinia flowers come in different colors: pink, scarlet, burgundy, lilac, purple, with a bright border, speckled, terry-shaped, with corrugated edges. The buds are single, each on a long stalk. After opening, the flower can last a week, but gloxinia bloom lasts from one month to six months, depending on the strength of the tuber and care of the plant.
Unlike violets, gloxinia has a tuber which requires a period of rest. In autumn, after flowering ends, the above-ground part of the plant dries up, the tuber sleeps until spring. In order for gloxinia to bloom magnificently, it is necessary to provide the plant with a year-round cycle: in the spring - the awakening of the tuber and the growth of green mass, in the summer - flowering, in the fall - the plant goes into a dormant state, in the winter - storing the tuber in a dormant state. Each stage V growing gloxinia at home conditions Let's study it in detail.
Gloxinia tubers:
The basis indoor flower- tuber, you can buy it. When growing gloxinia from seeds or through rooting a leaf or cutting, you will receive your flower tubers. The gloxinia tuber is flattened, with small indentations on its upper part. A healthy tuber with a smooth surface, hard, not wrinkled, without dents or wounds. The size of an adult tuber is 4-6 cm in diameter. After 3-4 years of age, the tubers age, bloom poorly, and may not germinate.
After purchasing gloxinia tubers or after a period of storage, it is recommended to disinfect them and stimulate them to germinate. To do this, the tubers are soaked for no more than half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate or with Fitosporin to prevent the appearance of rot. Add drops of “Zircon” or “Epin” (1 drop per 100 ml) to the soaking solution to stimulate tubers to germinate. After soaking and drying, additionally spray purchased flower tubers with “Fitoverm” or “Aktelik” to disinfect them from pests and their larvae. For disinfection, cuts and wounds are dried, lubricated with brilliant green or sprinkled with charcoal.
After soaking, you do not need to immediately plant the tubers in pots; wait until they sprout. To awaken the tubers, they are laid out on a layer of peat, placed in a warm place (the temperature for awakening the tubers is +23...+25 degrees), in diffused light, and the tubers are regularly sprayed to moisturize. After the sprouts appear, the tubers are planted in pots.
If a gloxinia tuber does not sprout, it looks shriveled, and it may be dead. A living tuber is yellow or pinkish when cut. Gloxinia tubers die due to improper storage conditions - they dry out or rot, as well as from old age.
Planting Gloxinia:
To plant gloxinia tubers, choose a pot that is not deep, 4-5 cm in diameter large sizes tuber. Planting gloxinia tubers in new land carried out at the beginning of each season.
Land for planting gloxinia suitable for violets. To make up the substrate, mix leaf soil, peat and sand (perlite or vermiculite) in a ratio of 2:2:1. Gloxinia does not like acidic soil, so it is recommended to add a little to the soil for planting. charcoal, which will reduce acidity and absorb excess moisture. If the soil reacts neutrally, leaf chlorosis may occur.
When planting gloxinia, be sure to make drainage with a 2-3 cm layer of expanded clay or other material. When planting sprouted tubers, the sprouts should remain in the light, then as they grow, soil is added so that the tuber is at a depth of 1-2 cm. After planting the gloxinia tubers, water along the edge of the pot and after the soil settles, more soil is added.
Gloxinia in spring the ground part is actively growing and during this period it is important to follow the rules of flower care - lighting, temperature, watering and nutrition, these factors depend correct formation plants and the beginning of flowering.
Lighting for gloxinia should be bright, but without the midday rays of the sun, so north or south windows are not suitable for this flower. From the east or west side, morning or evening Sun rays will not harm flowers, plants turn towards the light source different sides so that the rosette of leaves does not turn out one-sided. You can grow gloxinia in the back of the room under artificial lighting, the plants develop well under phyto lamps and the flowers are presented with a better view.
With a lack of lighting, the stem becomes elongated, few buds are formed, and the flowers and leaves are pale in color.
In direct sunlight, flowers quickly fade, and burns may appear on the leaves.
Temperature. The growth rate of gloxinia largely depends on temperature, and if the room is hot, the plant’s stem quickly stretches, becomes unstable, and falls under the weight of flowers and buds. Some varieties tend to stretch the stem. Excess nitrogen and lack of lighting further accelerate the overgrowth of the stem. To grow a compact rosette of leaves for gloxinia after germination of tubers, the temperature is kept at +19...+23 degrees.
If the temperature is below +18 degrees, the development indoor flowers slows down, the risk of tuber rot increases, the plants feel uncomfortable, the leaves curl, and flowering does not occur.
At temperatures above +25 degrees, flowers fade ahead of schedule, the stems quickly outgrow and lie down. Reduce the impact of heat on houseplants, you can increase the air humidity, but you cannot spray on leaves and flowers, as droplets of water will leave stains on them. Spray the air around your home flowers, place containers with water or damp moss between the pots.
Gloxinia in feeding needs regularly, every week or once every 10 days, but the fertilizer is diluted at 2 times lower concentration than for other indoor flowers. Fertilizing begins after the sprouts appear until the end of flowering. You can use a complex fertilizer, where the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is balanced in a ratio of 1:2:2.
Excess nitrogen leads to overgrowth and stretching of the stem of the flower, delaying the onset of flowering. If there is a shortage of this element, growth is slowed down, the tuber does not grow, so young plants that have not yet begun to bloom are fertilized with compounds containing a high nitrogen content or alternate mineral fertilizers with organic.
Phosphorus and potassium are important for flowering gloxinias; their deficiency reduces the number of buds, the buds may not open, and the flowers are pale in color. A sign of phosphorus deficiency is reddening of the leaves.
Watering. Watering gloxinia it is necessary in moderation, after the top layer of soil in the pot has dried. These house flowers tolerate a lack of water more easily than waterlogging. Excessive watering leads to rotting of the tuber; at the same time, leaves and buds may begin to rot from the petioles. The combination of waterlogging and excess nitrogen in the soil accelerates the decay process.
To water home gloxinias, you must use soft water. room temperature. You need to water the flowers along the contour of the pot, moistening the soil around the tuber and preventing moisture from getting into the center of the rosette.
Gloxinia dormancy and tuber storage.
Gloxinia in October goes into a state of rest. Fertilizing is stopped after flowering has ended, watering is carried out less frequently, and the leaves gradually wither and dry out. At the end of October, the stem is cut off, leaving a small stump, the pot with the tuber is moved to a cool place where the temperature is +12...+15 degrees. While the tuber is dormant in a pot of soil, water it infrequently so that the tuber in the ground does not dry out.
Young one-year-old plants, obtained from seeds or after rooting leaf cuttings, are not put into dormancy in the first year; they continue to be watered and fertilized as before. In young gloxinias, the tuber is still very small; it will not survive a long hibernation and will not germinate in the spring. If gloxinia has more than 5 leaves in a rosette, then its tuber can be put into a dormant state and sent for storage.
You can dig up a gloxinia tuber for storage, place it in a bag of peat and put it on a shelf in the refrigerator, but be careful temperature regime not less than +10 degrees. With this storage, the risk of the tuber drying out is minimal. However, you should not reduce the temperature when storing tubers, since after a cold winter, problems arise during flowering; buds may form, but not open.
The gloxinia tuber should remain in hibernation for 4 months from November to February, during which time it will gain strength for lush flowering in the new season.
Problems when growing gloxinia:
Beautiful gloxinia flowers look decorative on a properly grown compact rosette of leaves with a short stem.
Gloxinia stretches out when there is a lack of light, high temperature, overabundance nitrogen fertilizers. It is recommended to cut off the elongated stem; it can be rooted separately. After correcting errors in care, the tuber will grow a new compact shoot.
Gloxinia, like almost all Gesneria plants, needs a period of rest. At this time, the tuber is gaining strength, and future flowers and leaves are formed in it. Gloxinia rests only under strictly defined conditions. If the temperature regime is disturbed (which happens most often) or the watering regime, gloxinia may wake up ahead of time. But... everything is in order:
By the end of autumn, gloxinia ends flowering. The leaves gradually turn yellow and die, all the useful and nutrients from them pass into the tuber. The above-ground part of the plant is cut off, leaving a stem of no more than a centimeter. At this time, watering is reduced and gloxinia, ideally, should fall asleep. You can store gloxinia tubers in winter in different ways:
- As soon as flowering stops, gloxinia tubers are thoroughly cleaned of soil, treated with a fungicide, and sprinkled with clean sawdust, peat or vermiculite. The tubers prepared in this way are placed in a cool dark place until spring. Periodically, the tubers are checked, lightly sprinkled with water and checked to see if they have woken up.
- As soon as the leaves begin to die, significantly reduce watering. Dead parts of the plant are cut off. The pot with gloxinia is sent to a cool, dark room. If you live in a private house, you can put pots with tubers in a dry basement. There, the temperature and humidity remain almost unchanged during the winter. From time to time they check the gloxinia and moisten the soil a little, but only a little.
Gloxinia overwinters at a temperature of +8+15˚С in dark room. If everything is done correctly, then in such conditions the plant tuber will rest well and gain strength.
At the beginning of February, take out the pots with gloxinia, place them in a bright place and begin to water them little by little.
However, sometimes gloxinia wakes up ahead of time. This means it was too warm and light. The sleeping buds woke up and began to grow. What to do if gloxinia wakes up in January?
Often in the first winter they don’t fall asleep - that’s not a big deal. In winter, however, you will have to tinker with it a little more: add up to 12 hours of light a day so that it grows a large tuber over the winter. Next winter, like all other gloxinias, she will rest.
But if an adult gloxinia wakes up ahead of time, then one of the following measures must be taken (depending on the condition of the plant):
- Small sprouts can be easily removed and watering reduced to a minimum. In spring, increase watering and place gloxinia in a bright place.
- If you miss the moment and the sprouts have already become large enough, cut them off, leaving the first pair of leaves on the stem. The cut top can be rooted and a new gloxinia of the same variety can be obtained. Place the tuber with leaves in a cool, bright room. What to do - let it grow. But in cool conditions, growth will slow down a little, and light will help nutrients accumulate in the tuber. In addition, the tuber's dormant buds will awaken. Your gloxinia will become even more magnificent by summer.
Let me remind you a few important rules caring for gloxinia: water it only warm water around the tuber. Water should not get into the middle of the tuber or onto the hairy leaves.
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