There are many attractive vines that take root perfectly at home. And a special place among such crops is occupied by tetrastigma Voigne (room grapes). This climbing plant looks spectacular, and at the same time caring for it does not take much time and effort. You will learn how to grow a vine at home from our material.
Description
This unpretentious climbing houseplant belongs to the Grape family. And in its natural habitat it can be found in the tropical forests of Laos and Vietnam. There the liana grows up to 30 meters in length. And although the plant is smaller when grown at home, it is still not suitable for small spaces. Indeed, in a year, lashes of vines can grow up to a meter in length. So they will have to be constantly shortened.
This evergreen vine has a thick stem, from which numerous felt-pubescentyoung shoots. They are densely covered with large leaves, reaching up to 25 cm in length. The shape of the plates is vane, the surface is glossy.
Home care
Tetrastigma Vuanier is an unpretentious plant, and if desired, even a novice florist can grow it. After all, in order to create comfortable conditions for culture, you only need to maintain the optimum temperature, humidity and lighting in the room. It is also necessary to provide the flower with minimal care, which consists of the following agricultural activities:
- regular watering;
- periodic feeding;
- scheduled transplant;
- cropping;
- disease and pest prevention.
Lighting
Tetrastigma Vuanier is a light-loving plant, but direct sunlight is contraindicated for it, because the leaves of the flower get burns from them. Therefore, it is desirable to grow home grapes near an east or west window. Yes, you can put the pot on the south windowsill, but here you need to remember to shade the plant at noon.
Temperature
This ornamental home plant belongs to heat-loving crops. And from spring to autumn, it is desirable to maintain the temperature in the room within + 23 … + 27 ° C. In summer, you can take the plant to the balcony or garden, but you should choose places for it where the direct rays of the sun or sharp gusts of wind do not reach.
In winter, grapes require cooler conditions (+15…+17 °C). But it is important to remember that lowering the temperature to +12 ° C willcritical for a flower. And in this cold, he will quickly freeze and die.
Water and air humidity
Home grapes are a very moisture-loving plant. And in order for home grapes to please with lush foliage, it is important not to allow the soil to dry out, and to moisten the soil as soon as it dries to a depth of 1-2 cm. Experienced flower growers recommend growing vines in special pots for indoor plants with automatic watering. This approach greatly reduces the risk that you will dry out the earthen room.
Despite the moisture-loving nature, homemade grapes do not tolerate stagnation at the roots. Indeed, such a phenomenon can lead to the occurrence of rot. Therefore, do not forget to drain excess liquid from the pan after 1-2 hours of watering the field.
Tetrastigma takes root perfectly in the dry conditions of a city apartment. But still, it is advisable to spray its foliage with water from a spray bottle at least once a week. But such a procedure can be carried out only in the warm season. In winter, especially if the crop is grown in a cool room, spraying should be avoided.
At any time of the year, home grapes need fresh air. Therefore, do not forget to regularly ventilate the room. But keep in mind that the plant does not tolerate drafts and sudden changes in temperature. So take the flower to another room while airing.
Feeding
Tetrastigma Vuanier responds well to top dressing. And it is advisable to fertilize home grapes once atwo weeks from spring to autumn. For these purposes, use complex mineral compositions. And also sometimes pamper the liana with organic matter, for example, green manure. In winter, the plant has a dormant period, at which time it does not need to be fed.
Transfer
Young home grapes grow rapidly and will need to be replanted 1-2 times a year for the first two years. It is advisable for adult specimens to hold this event every spring. But if you have large grapes that are difficult to transplant, then annually change the topsoil to a depth of 3 cm.
For plants, choose stable pots, one size larger than the previous ones. As for the soil, for indoor grapes, the usual store mix, intended for decorative and deciduous crops, is suitable. An excellent option would be the primer "Fasco".
If you want to create a substrate yourself, then mix the following components in equal parts:
- turf soil;
- leaf land;
- compost;
- river sand;
- peat.
Before transplanting, be sure to disinfect the substrate by calcining it in the oven or holding it over steam. Otherwise, the plant will die from microorganisms living in the soil.
In addition, do not forget to put a thick layer of drainage on the bottom of a new container, for example, expanded clay, pebbles, brick chips. Carry out the transplant procedure itself using the transshipment method.
Cutting and support
Cut off as suchthe plant does not need And this procedure is carried out only to curb the growth of indoor grapes. If you decide to cut the culture, then use only well-sharpened tools for this. Also, during the event, try not to touch the young leaves of the creeper, otherwise she will drop them along with the shoots.
The shoots of Voigne's tetrastigma are growing rapidly. And if the stems of the vine fall on top of each other, then due to thickening they will not have enough light. This will cause the plant to shed its leaves. Therefore, it is important to guide the growth of creeper shoots using a thick metal support.
Reproduction
Tetrastigma Vuanier is easily propagated by cuttings. Moreover, this event can be held at any time of the year. For cuttings, choose apical shoots, and cut them with sharp scissors so that at least one growth point and two or three leaves are present on the blanks. Then treat the cut points with any growth stimulator, for example, Kornevin or Zircon, and plant the branches in a moistened mixture of peat and sand. In order for the plants to take root faster, it is advisable to cover the planting with polyethylene.
Caring for cuttings consists of regular watering and airing. And it is also important to keep the temperature in the greenhouse within +24 °C. When the plants take root and begin to produce new shoots, then transplant them into individual pots.
Diseases and pests
Tetrastigma Wuanje is a plant with strong immunity, and at home it almost never gets sick. But if regularlymake mistakes in care, then the forces of the vine will be depleted, and it will become vulnerable to microorganisms and parasites.
Of the pests, the plant is most often attacked by spider mites. These pests appear on the vine due to low air humidity. Insects can be recognized by a thin, sticky web and a whitish coating, which they leave on the stems of the culture. To get rid of ticks, give the flower a warm shower with a water temperature of 40 degrees. If this does not help, then treat the plant with an insecticide, for example, Aktara or Actellik.
In addition, if the norms of agricultural technology with liana are violated, the following problems arise:
- Pulling out shoots. This results in a lack of light. Move the vine to a lighted area.
- Brown spots appeared on the leaves. Such damage occurs if the plant is exposed to direct sunlight. In addition, growing in a too cold room can lead to the appearance of brown spots. Correct the situation depending on the cause.
- The leaves are covered with yellow spots. Watering with hard water leads to a similar phenomenon.
When choosing an ornamental plant for your home, pay attention to tetrastigma. This attractive creeper will decorate any room, and at the same time even an inexperienced grower can grow it. The main thing is to adhere to the rules of care, and clearly carry out all agrotechnical measures, and then the culture will delight with its impeccable appearance for a long time.
