When winter comes into its own and there are bitter frosts outside the window, in many houses an unusual cactus that does not have needles blooms on the windowsills. Once a year, beautiful flowers appear at the ends of its dark green shoots. Caring for this plant is simple, but different from caring for other types of cacti.
You don't have to go to the store to get a zygocactus in your collection. To do this, you need to have material suitable for propagation, which can be taken from friends or relatives, and follow simple planting rules. In this article we will tell you how to properly plant a Decembrist flower.
Zygocactus (Decembrist, Schlumbergera): description and features of the plant
This is an unusual forest cactus growing naturally on tree trunks in the tropics. The root system of the plant is not resistant to various adverse factors, this can cause the death of the plant. With proper care at home, zygocactus blooms in November andthis process is completed in February.
During flowering, the cactus should not be moved or rotated, as this may cause the buds to fall off. The Decembrist does not tolerate dry air, therefore it is recommended to spray it with a spray gun. To prolong this process, cover the stem of the flower with ice from the refrigerator or snow. Before talking about how to plant a Decembrist, it is necessary to discuss the preparatory work on which the result of this manipulation depends.
Capacity selection
It should not be forgotten that the roots of the Decembrist are superficial, and besides, they are very sensitive to various adverse conditions. When hypothermia or overheating, acidification of the soil, they rot and die. For planting, you need a low and fairly wide pot. In a very deep container, the roots do not reach the bottom, so moisture can accumulate below. This waterlogs the substrate and causes rot.
When choosing a pot (if you are transplanting an adult plant), the size of the new container is easy to determine by placing it in a new old flowerpot. He should enter it completely, and there should be a little free space between the walls (no more than a centimeter). The Decembrist can be planted in both ceramic and plastic containers.
What soil do you need?
To understand how to properly plant a Decembrist, so that the plant feels comfortable at home, you need to learn about its preferences in nature and try to bring them as close as possible to indoor ones. In vivozygocactus grows on tree branches or between rocks. This provides free access to the roots of air and unhindered outflow of water.
Schlumberger requires a loose, light, air- and moisture-permeable soil mixture. You should choose a slightly acidic nutrient substrate (5.5 - 6.5 pH). It's easy to make your own. It should include:
- Peat.
- Sod and leaf land.
- Crushed brick chips, expanded clay, perlite, coarse sand, tree bark or pieces of coal.
Large inclusions help make the soil lush and loose. Crushed coal in this composition is used as an antiseptic. Baking powder and nutritional part are combined in a ratio of 1:2.
From ready-made compositions, a special soil for succulents and cacti is suitable for a Decembrist. Add sand and vermiculite to it. Drainage plays an important role. It prevents rotting of the roots and waterlogging of the soil. Expanded clay balls, pebbles, charcoal are used as drainage for the zygocactus.
How to plant a Decembrist: general rules
Such an unusual plant in many ways can be propagated in two ways: seeds and cuttings. Most often, flower growers use the second option, knowing well how to plant a Decembrist from a leaf. I must say that one segment will not be enough for this.
Leaves for reproduction of the Decembrist can be broken off only after flowering is completed. It is better to use a shoot with three or four stem segments. They should be removed veryCarefully, because they are interconnected very tightly. The reproduction of this flower by processes is carried out from April to June. The mother plant has already stopped flowering by this time, so spring and summer are the most favorable times for getting new plants.
Many flower growers who know how to plant a Decembrist with a cutting combine this process with pruning a flower when there are many he althy shoots left.
Choose a cutting
A very old plant should not be used for propagation. Carefully inspect the flower, choose a less dense area. Find the place where the young segments end and the old ones begin. The shoot must be he althy, not damaged and consist of at least two leaflets. Unscrew or break off part of the stem with a twisting motion. It's good if it has aerial roots, but don't be upset when they don't. In this article we will tell you how to plant a Decembrist shoot without roots.
When separating the cutting, hold the mother plant with your hands. Fill the wound on the flower with sand or charcoal. If you dream of growing a lush Decembrist bush, then use several cuttings. Do not use scissors or a knife to get them.
Preparation of cuttings
The separated parts of the shoots are laid out on paper or cloth and dried for two to three days in a dark, dry place. Prepare drainage. Expanded clay previously used for another crop can be used. In this case, it is washed and dried. Read carefullyinstructions for drainage: some types are required to be saturated with moisture before laying. Drainage is soaked in soft clean water. It is important to know that the maximum use of expanded clay is six years.
Prepare your own potting mix or store-bought mix. Soil prepared by yourself must be disinfected with boiling water or by placing it in a preheated oven or microwave for ten minutes. Treat the new pot with boiling water and dry it. You can use disposable plastic cups as the first container.
Landing
So, we have completed all the preparatory work, and it's time to learn how to plant a Decembrist offspring. In a container filled with a third of the drainage, pour the soil mixture up to half the height of the pot. Compact the soil a little and water it well. Make a small indentation in the center. If you want to get a lush bush, plant several cuttings, making indentations according to the number of shoots.
The lower tip of the cutting without a root is treated with "Zircon" or "Kornevin". It is planted, as if putting it on the ground. If the cutting has roots, they should not be deeply buried - the depth should be a maximum of one centimeter.
Caring for a young plant
It is not enough to know how to properly plant a Decembrist offshoot. After planting the cutting, cover it with plastic wrap or a glass jar. This will create a greenhouse effect. True, many experienced flower growers claim that the plant takes root perfectly,if you provide him with free access to air at a favorable air temperature.
Place the container with the cutting in partial shade and keep it at a temperature of +15 to +20 °C and high humidity. Keep the young plant out of direct sunlight. Air every day: open the shelter for 30 minutes.
Watering is carried out with settled warm water moderately, but regularly. The topsoil must always be kept moist. Water stagnation is not allowed. After about a week, the cutting will give the first roots. Full rooting occurs in a month. The new segments that appeared on the handle indicate that the rooting was successful, and you can remove the greenhouse.
Now you can plant a Decembrist in loose and nutritious soil and a prepared pot. How to do it right? Most flower growers use the most gentle transshipment method in this case, which allows you to save the roots of a young flower.
Rooting
Cuttings can also be rooted in water. To do this, put the process in a container with settled warm water. This must be done in such a way that only half of it is immersed in water. When evaporation occurs, the liquid must be topped up regularly.
If over time the water becomes viscous and yellowish, it has gone bad. In this case, the stalk must be thoroughly rinsed and placed in a container with clean water. After a week or two, the first roots appear. After that, you can transfer the Decembrist to the ground. How to plant it, you already know. It is then cared for like an adult plant.
How to plant Decembrist seeds?
The seed method of propagation of zygocactus is used infrequently. It allows you to experiment with the color of the flowers. It is rather difficult to obtain Decembrist seeds at home, so it is advisable to purchase them in a specialized store.
- Moisten the substrate in the container with settled water.
- Sow the seeds, press each one into the soil. They should not be deepened.
- The container with seeds is kept at a temperature of +23 °C and above.
- The soil should be regularly moistened.
- The first shoots will appear in 14–20 days.
If you want to sprout from all seeds, keep moistening the soil. The remaining seeds sometimes germinate even after several months. After about three months, sprouts with two or three segments can be planted in separate containers. Care for young plants is carried out in accordance with the usual care scheme.
Cutting
Gently unscrewing the Decembrist segments is called pruning. So you can remove extra shoots, damaged or diseased segments, those that grow in the wrong direction. This procedure should be carried out in early summer. It will allow you to give the bush a beautiful shape, to ensure abundant flowering in winter, since the buds are formed only on young and he althy shoots.
Transfer
The Decembrist should be transplanted at the end of February, when flowering is completed. Young plants need to be transplanted annually, and adults - once every 3 years.
Feeding
The Decembrists needtop dressing. To do this, you can use complex fertilizers intended for epiphytic plants. If it is not possible to purchase them, use complex fertilizers. In this case, the dose indicated in the instructions is halved.
In the spring, top dressing is carried out once a month. In the summer, when the stems begin to grow actively, the plants are fertilized twice a month. In autumn, all top dressing is stopped to allow the plant to gain strength before budding. At the same time, it is necessary to treat the plant with a fungicide to avoid fungal diseases.
Planting a Schlumberger does not cause serious problems even for beginners in indoor floriculture. You can choose the most suitable method for yourself - cuttings or sowing seeds. Each of them has its own merits. The shoots are quick and easy to root at home, and the seeds usually show high germination.
