Decembrist - features of flower care at home

Today, more and more often, the Decembrist flower is used to decorate apartments and offices. Care and breeding for this plant has long been painted by professionals, so beginners can only clearly observe simple recommendations. If everything is done correctly, then the green pet will regularly delight with numerous bright flowers that bloom in the winter months (hence the name).

It is worth considering that, despite the origin of the flower, the features of its structure and the external similarity to a cactus, the conditions for maintaining these green spaces vary significantly. In order to prevent serious mistakes when growing Schlumbergera (the official name of the species), you need to permanently remember a number of rules on its content.

Creating optimal conditions for growing plants

It is worth considering that the room Decembrist is quite picky about leaving, moody and whimsical. But, if you initially provide him with suitable conditions, this will solve many problems and greatly simplify the process of growing plants:

• Humidification and watering. In this regard, the flower is similar to many leafy indoor pets. Watering he needs to provide moderate, as the soil dries. But during the flowering period, soil moisture should be more intense, but at the same time it is impossible to fill the plant, this can lead to decay of the fragile root system. The home-grown Decembrist flower should grow on constantly moistened soil until the last buds come off. Then we reduce the frequency of irrigation, and in the warmer months we use water only when the soil dries well. The liquid should be used soft, room temperature.
• Temperature and lighting. Despite the love of light, the green pet does not tolerate direct sunlight. In the afternoon, it is better to clean it at partial shade. But the temperature of the Schlumberger is not so demanding, the main thing is that there are no sharp drops in performance. The optimal interval is considered to be 19-25 ° C, but in the fall it is better to change the conditions - at 15 ° C the Decembrist will get well before the upcoming flowering. Immediately after the appearance of the flowers, we expose the pot to a room where the temperature is kept within 20 ° C. As soon as the buds come off, again we remove the bush in cool.

Tip: Despite the relationship with the cactus, the Decembrist does not tolerate heat. For this reason, it needs to be sprayed regularly in the summer months, otherwise the plant will quickly wither away even with watering sufficient for the season.

• The use of fertilizing. In the case of Decembrist, home care implies the use of fertilizers that will ensure active growth and full development. It is best to use a composition of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The product is diluted with water and used according to the instructions until the buds are formed.

This is the minimum that should be provided to the Schlumberger if you want to enjoy not only its bright greens, but also beautiful winter flowers. In addition to this, there are several points to which you should pay attention.

Transplanting and pruning a flower

Decembrists, like most other indoor plants, require regular transplants. For the manipulation, you need to use a special fertile mixture intended for cacti. It can also be prepared independently by mixing sheet soil with peat, sand and crumb brick.Be sure to lay out the bottom of the pot with a layer of drainage. It is better to take a flowerpot wide, but not very deep.

It is worth considering that the manipulation is not carried out during the flowering period of the plant. Young bushes are replanted at least 1 time per year, more mature ones can be replanted once every 3 years. Florists who perform the procedure on a schedule and in compliance with all recommendations note the active growth of Decembrist and its abundant flowering.

There is another manipulation that you should not refuse when breeding Schlumbergera at home - pruning. The procedure is carried out at the beginning of the summer season. For her, you don’t even need to purchase special tools, the extra segments of the bush are simply unscrewed by hand. As a result, the bush acquires the desired shape and blooms even more magnificent than usual.

Decembrist propagation recommendations

For the propagation of Decembrists by novice growers, it is preferable to use the method of rooting cuttings. These segments on the shoot simply break down, slightly dried for three days, and then planted in fertile soil. To do this, use small pots. Planted parts of plants are recommended to create greenhouse conditions by covering them with a transparent film or a jar.

Tanks are put in a shaded place at a temperature of 15-20ºС, we provide them with regular ventilation and frequent watering. Such an approach almost always gives the desired result, subject to the above rules.

Useful recommendations for keeping indoor plants

Decembrists blooms very brightly and luxuriantly, but only if the basic rules for caring for the plant are met. In addition, there are several more nuances, the observance of which will allow counting on the maximum possible decorative effect:

1. If you need to extend the flowering period of a plant, it must be placed in a cool room.
2. During flowering, temperature differences should not be allowed. In general, at this time the flower pot is not recommended to be rearranged or even rotated - the buds will quickly fall off.
3. In the winter months, the Decembrist is especially in need of light. Therefore, you need to take care of the availability of a source of artificial lighting.
4. To guarantee abundant and timely flowering, at the end of summer, Schlumberger stop spraying and fertilizing, reduce the frequency of watering.
5. Do not be surprised if the purchased flower discards the first buds. This is a normal process of adapting to new conditions, over time, everything will work out.
6. In the summer months, the Decembrist needs access to fresh air. It is better for the entire warm period to put it on a balcony or loggia.

Subject to all the above recommendations, you can count on the fact that the indoor plant will delight with bright leaves and regular flowering for 15-20 years. In some botanical gardens, such flowers live for 120-150 years.

The main problems in growing a flower and methods of dealing with them

Any changes or shortcomings in the conditions of the flower may negatively affect its condition. Specialists identify several types of problems that the owners of the Decembrist may encounter:

• The bush has too few buds or it does not bloom at all. It is possible that the specimen just needs a transplant or it needs more fertile soil. Negative on the flowering of the species is the lack of light or non-compliance with the frequency of watering. There is one more thing to keep in mind - after the flowering of the Decembrist, the buds must be removed, giving place to new ones.
• The leaves are dry. Most often this is due to the activity of parasites, for example, scale insects. Chemicals are used to fight the disease. At the same time, we must not forget that it is necessary to process not only the leaves of the plant, but also the windowsill, on which representatives of the pest can remain. Also, parts of the Decembrist begin to dry due to direct sunlight. As a result, burns occur, leading to withering and falling of the leaves.
• Mass folded foliage on the background of wilting. Most often it is a consequence of the activity of fungi. Parasites in this case can penetrate into the plant through wounds on the leaves or by damage to the root system. But small spots of reddish or red color indicate the presence of a spider mite. White lumps similar to pieces of cotton wool, a symptom of the presence of mealybug. In all these cases, specialized chemicals are used to treat the plant.

Competent and proper care for the Decembrist can lead to the fact that he will bloom not only at Christmas, but 2 or even 3 times a year. You just need to remember that after each flowering plant needs at least a short rest. Some experts believe that frequent flowering leads to faster depletion of the soil, which is why the bush needs to be replanted a little more often than usual. In general, it is necessary to rely not only on the rules, but also to listen to your intuition, to evaluate the general condition of the plant.