Among the abundance of beautifully flowering indoor plants, spathiphyllum is almost the most popular among flower growers. The care and reproduction of this flower is simple, although, like any living organism, it needs care. But if you are not too lazy and give him a little attention, he will thank you with his undemanding and long beautiful flowering.
Features of the plant
Like other aroids, spathiphyllum is not deadly, but still poisonous. Its leaves contain calcium oxalate, so touching them can cause dermatitis in some allergic people. Do not let the cat, if you have one in your house, chew on the plant. The death of the animal is unlikely, but sores on the oral mucous membranes, diarrhea and vomiting are unlikely to please you. On the other hand, the spathiphyllum does not release poisonous phytoncides into the air, so it does not threaten to inhale poison. At the same time, it is worth considering its useful properties. The plant perfectly cleanses of harmfulairspace components in the house. True, for the effectiveness of this process, six to seven adult plants must live in a room of twenty square meters. However, this is not a problem - the reproduction of the spathiphyllum is not difficult, even a novice grower can handle it.
Choosing a window sill
This plant is shade tolerant. Moreover, it just prefers dim, diffused lighting. In bright, direct light, spathiphyllum leaves fade and begin to dry. So the northern, usually empty window would be an ideal choice. True, if there is very little light (for example, a large branchy tree grows just in this place), then the foliage becomes densely green, shrinks and stretches. Flowering is questionable. Yes, and the reproduction of the spathiphyllum will not be successful - new specimens simply will not take root. But this plant survives well under artificial lighting. Even fluorescent lamps are not required - ordinary, apartment ones are enough. This is used by phytodesigners when decorating offices and shops. In summer, it would be nice to take the pots outside - to the balcony or to the garden. But again, you need to choose a shaded place so that the plants do not get burned and do not “sad” from excess sunlight.
Temperature conditions
Spathiphyllum does not need to create special thermal conditions. Ordinary room temperatures are fine for him. True, if the thermometer shows less than +18, the growth of the flower stops, and it will not bloom. Higher temperatures are also required for the reproduction of spathiphyllum:planted plants need 22-23 degrees for survival. Therefore, they are often covered with cut-off plastic bottles with holes, creating a mini-greenhouse.
From what you need to diligently protect the spathiphyllum is from drafts. Even with a fan running nearby, a flower can get sick and die. When using the air conditioner, you should not turn on the mode below 20 degrees, and the pots with plants should be moved away from it.
How often to water
Spathiphyllum is a moisture-loving plant. The soil in his "house" should always be wet. No need to wait for the complete drying of the earthen coma. However, when overflowing, the likelihood of root rot is high. Therefore, if water still remains in the pan an hour after irrigation, it must be drained. A sign of excess moisture is the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. Noticing them, it is necessary to revise the irrigation schedule. The lack of water is manifested by a sharp drooping of all leaves. There is no need to be afraid: just a couple of hours after receiving moisture, they will straighten up again.
Be especially careful when watering the planted spathiphyllum - reproduction and transplantation can injure the plant. Therefore, the land is well shed before these procedures, and watering is resumed only after three or four days.
Humidity matters
Loves spathiphyllum and sprays - like all plants with a large leaf plate. In the heat, such manipulations need to be done twice a day - in the morning, before the onset of the sun, and in the evening, when it subsides. If athere is no such possibility (for example, in the office), the pot is placed in a tray with wet moss, pebbles or expanded clay. However, even these measures do not eliminate the need to spray the flower in the summer at least every other day.
Transfers
Spathiphyllum needs to move to a new place of residence throughout its life. Young plants need to be transplanted annually, adults who are more than five years old - only when the roots have filled the entire pot. You can determine the moment by the roots that have stuck through the drainage holes. A new pot is bought low and only slightly larger than the previous one: in such conditions, the spathiphyllum takes root faster and blooms more readily. Drainage is a must, and it is better to choose larger. If possible, you need to add sphagnum to the soil - the soil will not dry out too abruptly. The ideal substrate will be consisting of sod land, sand, peat and leafy soil. The ratio is 1:1:2:2. After transplantation, in the evening, the plant is sprayed with epin (two drops per glass of warm water). So he will quickly and painlessly take root. For the same purpose, watering is stopped, but spraying is required twice a day until watering is resumed.
Leaf seating
Sooner or later you will want to expand your plantation of these beautiful plants. First of all, we will warn against the mistakes of those who have not grown spathiphyllum before. Reproduction by leaf is impossible. Unlike, for example, begonias, a spathiphyllum leaf dipped into water simplywill rot without giving roots. The same will happen if it is immediately stuck into the ground, as is done with many succulents. Florists practice spathiphyllum propagation by cuttings or by dividing the rhizome. Of course, the use of seeds is also possible, but it is complicated by many factors, which will be discussed below.
Cutting
Vegetative methods are applicable to almost any plant - some more, others less. Spathiphyllum is no exception. Reproduction by dividing the bush is most popular due to the relative simplicity of the process. At the base of an adult plant, "babies" are formed - a small leaf rosette with pecked roots. In the spring, when transplant time comes, they are carefully separated from the mother plant. The main thing in this process is to untangle the roots, trying not to break them off. The cuttings are rooted in soaked sand or perlite. Reproduction of spathiphyllum will occur without trouble if each new bush is covered with a transparent cap, preferably with holes. If they are absent and they cannot be done, you will have to air the plantings two or three times a day. When the root system grows and gets stronger, the transplanted plants move into the substrate, prepared in the way already described.
Rhizome division
You can plant a spathiphyllum in another way. Reproduction by root divisions, on the one hand, gives almost one hundred percent survival rate. On the other hand, you need to be able to do this so as not to ruin the mother plant. So only experienced people resort to it.flower growers. Such an operation is also performed in the spring, during transplant manipulations, so as not to disturb the plant once again. The rhizome is divided with a sharp knife, the slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. By no means activated! Otherwise, the steps are the same as for grafting.
Seed Trouble
There is another way, very unreliable, to get a new spathiphyllum. Reproduction at home using seed material is theoretically possible, but unlikely to be successful. Firstly, to obtain them, artificial pollination is required, which does not always give the planned results. Secondly, the germination of the seeds of this flower is very low. Moreover, the seeds are not stale: even after a day, half of them are guaranteed not to sprout. Thirdly, after sowing in sandy-peat soil, the container is covered with glass, and your task is to simultaneously maintain its humidity and prevent the seed from suffocating. Therefore, basically the method remains purely theoretical - gardeners propagate spathiphyllum vegetatively.
Flowering
The main thing that attracts lovers of indoor plants in spathiphyllum is a long, up to two months, flowering. An additional bait is the fact that most varieties produce "cobs" quite willingly. However, it happens that, despite the care and proper care, the plant is naughty. There are several ways to push him in the right direction.
- Changing the pot. The most common refusal to bloomcaused by unfavorable light or thermal conditions. You can try to move the plant to a more "bright" place. At first, in order for it to get used to, you need to either shade it or move it to a less lit place. After adaptation, it will be possible to give the spathiphyllum more light. Very often, almost immediately, he throws out the buds.
- High humidity often stimulates flowering. Either spray more frequently, or turn on a humidifier, or simply place a container of water nearby.
- If such simple actions did not give a result, transfer spathiphyllum (temporarily!) to water fasting. At first, water it less often than usual for a couple of weeks, and then leave it completely without water for a week. In order not to harm the flower, spray it more often. After holding the specified time, move the pot closer to the light, return to normal watering regimen and feed the spathiphyllum with fertilizers for flowering plants. It will bloom within a month.
Well, to make flowering longer, you should cut off the faded "cobs" in time. Then they will not slow down the development of new ones.
Try bringing a spathiphyllum to your window garden. Reproduction (see photo in the article), easy and almost always successful, will allow you to quickly decorate your home with this beautiful plant with glossy leaves and delicate white flowers.
