Haworthia pearl is a succulent. She comes from hot Africa. This means that its care is somewhat different from what plants require in temperate climates. How to grow pearl haworthia at home? Rules and useful tips from professionals will be presented to your attention.
Description
The plant is a succulent with fleshy leaves and pointed tips. They have a rich dark green hue, as well as convex white growths, thanks to which pearl haworthia got its name. The leaves are rather rigid, triangular in shape and collected in a beautiful rosette. Their width is about 2 cm, and the maximum length reaches 12 cm.
At home, the plant blooms quite rarely. Its flowers are small, white-pink or greenish. In order to achieve flowering, it is necessary to create growing conditions for the plant as close to natural as possible.
Optimal conditions
Depending on the time of year, the conditions for the growth of pearl haworthia should also change. In spring and summer, the optimum temperature is +23-+25 degrees during the day and +15-+17 degrees at night. The plant feels great on the windowsills, but it is desirable that direct sunlight does not fall on it. To protect from the open sun, blinds or an ordinary curtain made of tulle are suitable. Despite the fact that the plant is native to the African continent, direct sunlight can leave burns on its leaves.
In winter, the air temperature should drop to +10 degrees. This can be done by taking the haworthia out onto a glazed balcony. Since there is no scorching sun in winter, the plant feels great on the balcony. At the same time, experts recommend bringing the succulent inside the apartment if the temperature outside has dropped to -5 degrees and colder.
Soil requirements
The pearl haworthia is quite demanding on the soil. Home care for this plant involves performing the necessary actions so that it pleases the eye for a long time. One of the most important factors is choosing the right substrate for the growth of a tropical plant.
The soil should include sand, shell rock, clay and nutritious light earth. Such a filler can be purchased at a flower shop, or you can make it yourself, observing the proportions. It is important that the soil on which haworthia grows is slightly alkaline and has a neutral acidity, inotherwise, the succulent is doomed to death.
Also, haworthia loves rocky soils. In order to provide the plant with growing conditions close to natural, stones, broken brick or coarse perlite, pieces of lava or pumice can be added to the soil.
Choose a pot
Photos of pearl haworthia show all the charm of this plant. However, in order for it to feel good, you need to choose the right pot. The best option is a shallow and wide round container. Square pots should be discarded, as the roots can wrap in them.
Transfer
Immediately after purchasing the plant, it is recommended to transplant it into a new pot with soil. This is due to the fact that often the containers in which haworthias are offered for sale are smaller than necessary.
Plant transplantation is performed according to the following algorithm:
- Haworthia must be carefully removed from the old pot.
- Earth ball is preferably left on the roots, but you need to make sure that they are alive. Dry or rotten roots of haworthia pearl should be carefully trimmed with scissors.
- The new pot should be slightly larger than the previous one, but it is not recommended that the difference between them be very large, as in this case the plant begins to grow the root system instead of leaves. Suitable containers made of plastic or ceramic, shallow, but wide.
- It is also important to make sure that there is a hole in the bottom of the new pot to drain excess liquid when watering. Otherwise, the water will stagnate and contribute to root rot.
- Drainage should be laid at the bottom of the pot. It can be either expanded clay, perlite, or simple foam, crushed to the desired size.
- Pour a small amount of soil into the bottom of the pot, in which to form a hole.
- Place the plant in the hole and sprinkle it with earth, then tamp lightly.
At this stage, the plant transplant is considered complete. It is also recommended to water the plant with clean water at room temperature immediately after the manipulations.
Irrigation
In the care of pearl haworthia at home, one of the main points is watering. It must be regular in order for the plant to receive enough fluid and nutrients from the water. It is recommended to adhere to the following simple tips from professionals:
- Watering should be carried out as the topsoil dries. In the summer, this is approximately 1-2 times a week. In winter, watering is reduced to 1 time in 2 weeks.
- The application of water must be plentiful so that its excess pours out through the hole in the bottom of the pot.
- It is important to use settled water at room temperature. Water directly from the tap contains a large amount of calcium s alts and chlorine, which can harm haworthia. When settling, these substances form a precipitate.
Also not recommended for irrigationuse cold water, as it can lead to burns of the root system and their freezing. In addition, watering should be carried out in the ground so that water does not get inside the outlet - this can lead to rotting of the plant.
The succulent is indifferent to air humidity, it is able to adapt to any conditions. At the same time, it is also not recommended to spray the leaves, it is only allowed to occasionally wipe the dust on them with a slightly damp cloth.
Feeding
For haworthia, pearl care also involves periodic fertilization. You can only feed the succulent in the spring and summer, as in winter the plant hibernates and the sap flow inside the leaves slows down.
The most commonly used universal fertilizer for cacti. They contain all the necessary nutrients in the right proportion. It is recommended to fertilize with nutrient complexes no more than 1 time per month, since haworthia can change the color of the leaves from an overabundance of useful minerals.
Flowering
A photo of pearl haworthia shows that its flowers are pale and inconspicuous. Fortunately, the plant at home blooms quite rarely. Home plant growers recommend cutting off the peduncle when it appears. This is due to the fact that the plant gives all its strength for the appearance of flowers, as a result of which its appearance may deteriorate and growth will slow down.
Common mistakes
People who have not experienced growing succulents before may make such mistakes whencaring for haworthia at home:
- With a lack of natural light, the leaves of the plant lengthen, and the rosette stretches.
- When the temperature is too high in winter, the edges of the leaves begin to curl, and the white color of the growths becomes yellowish and becomes dull and inconspicuous.
- Haworthia leaves may turn yellow and curl when in close proximity to heating appliances in winter.
- If transplantation is necessary, the succulent begins to stretch in length, and its socket is deformed.
- With an excess of moisture, the outlet becomes loose, and the leaves come off easily.
- If the leaves have acquired an unusual reddish or yellowish tint, then this may indicate an excess of fertilizer.
- If water gets inside the outlet or excessively frequent watering, especially in winter, the plant may begin to rot. It becomes pale and soft. Only an urgent flower transplant can save the situation.
- If the temperature is too low, haworthia can change the color of the leaves to a darker shade, and also begin to rot.
Most of the problems described above can be solved by establishing a succulent care system.
Pests
Like any other plant, pearl haworthia is susceptible to attack by pests. Among them, the following are often found:
- Aphid is a small black or green insect whose only purpose in life is reproduction, as a result of which the populationis growing steadily. It feeds on plant sap, therefore, in order for the flower not to die, urgent treatment with such preparations as Aktara, Iskra Bio is required. It is also recommended to check other houseplants for aphids.
- The spider mite is characterized by the appearance of cobwebs on the leaves. You can fight it with the help of treatment with drugs "Agravertin", "Neoron". You need to use the drugs at intervals of 1 week for a month.
- Mealybug leaves behind a sticky mass on the leaves. To get rid of it, the drug "Aktara" is used.
- The scale insect is able to suck the juice from the leaves. Any of the previously described drugs is suitable for its destruction.
- When affected by thrips, a dark shiny coating appears on the leaves. Affected plants are subject to treatment with Fitoverm.
Use any pest control products strictly according to the instructions, otherwise the plant may die.
Reproduction by "kids"
Often in the spring, the succulent has "babies" - small plants that grow next to the mother and are woven by the root system. They need to be separated and transplanted. This is done according to the following scheme:
- Slices when dividing haworthia should be treated with a fungicide to prevent decay and left to dry for several hours.
- For small young plants, choose small size pots.
- To the bottom is a mustplace drainage - for better waste of excess water when watering.
- After that, half of the container must be filled with earth and a small depression made.
- A small plant is placed in it, after which it is sprinkled with earth and lightly compacted.
After transplanting, haworthia should be watered. Also, young plants need a dormant period immediately after separation from the mother succulent. In the period of 5 weeks after disembarkation, they cannot be transferred from place to place, and watering should be moderate.
Reproduction by leaf
It is possible to increase the population of haworthia pearl at home without waiting for the moment when children grow from the mother plant. To do this, carefully, using a sharp knife or scalpel, separate the sheet from it and grease it with "Fundazol". After that, the sheet should lie dry for 2 days. Then it needs to be planted in sand, moistening occasionally.
After a month in the sandy substrate, the leaf should take root. After that, he is ready for transplanting into a pot with soil. If rooting does not occur, then the leaf will begin to wither, dry out or rot.
Seed propagation
Waiting for Haworthia seeds to appear can take quite a long time. However, there are breeders who try to propagate the plant in this way:
- The best option is to plant seeds in individual containers.
- The substrate is a mixture of vermiculite, sand, fine perlitefraction, seramis, dolomite flour and universal soil for succulents.
- It is not necessary to cover the seed with the substrate, as it will be difficult for it to germinate.
It is also recommended to cover the pots with foil to maintain a constant level of humidity. When choosing this method of propagation of pearl haworthia, you need to prepare for the fact that this process will take a long time. The first shoots appear 2 weeks after sowing the seeds, and the havortia can grow to the size of an adult plant only in a few years.
Conclusion
Pearl haworthia is a rather unpretentious succulent that even a novice grower can handle. The secret of an attractive appearance is the selection of the right soil, good lighting, regular watering, as well as the periodic application of mineral and organic fertilizers. Under these conditions, the plant will grow and give a large number of "children".
