Attractive croton or, as it is also called, codiaum is popular with flower growers. This unpretentious plant is distinguished by variegated large leaves that fit perfectly into any interior. In addition, new ones can be easily grown from an adult specimen. You will learn how to propagate croton at home from our material.
Soil and pot
Before we learn how to propagate a homemade croton flower, let's talk about the substrate for the plant. With any growing method, you will need to transplant seedlings into suitable soil, so the choice of substrate is no less important than the propagation method.
Remember: Croton milky juice is poisonous. Therefore, carry out any manipulations with the flower with gloves.
Kodieum prefers loose, fertile soil with an acidity of no higher than 6.5 pH. A universal mixture designed for decorative and deciduousplants. To make your own substrate, mix the following ingredients in equal proportions:
- humus;
- peat;
- turf land;
- sand.
Be sure to disinfect the mixture. To do this, bake it in the oven or hold it over steam. After disinfection, add charcoal to the substrate. And also do not forget to pour a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot, consisting of brick chips, expanded clay or pebbles. Please note that these materials should take up a quarter of the volume of the container.
For young plants, choose small pots. Give preference to models in which the width exceeds the depth. As for the material, Croton feels better in plastic containers.
Seed propagation
This method of how to propagate croton at home is not popular with flower growers. After all, such cultivation of a crop is a rather long and complex process. In addition, during seed propagation, indoor codiaum does not retain maternal properties. And this method is not suitable for variegated hybrids.
If you want to experiment, then start the event in late January - early February. For planting, use seeds no more than a year old. After this time, they lose their germination. Before propagating croton with seeds, prepare the seed. To do this, place the grains in water with a temperature of +60 ° C for half an hour. And then soak in a weak solution of a growth stimulant, for example, "Epin" or "Heteroauxin" fordays.
To grow croton, use an all-purpose potting mix for seedlings. If you make the substrate yourself, then be sure to disinfect it. To do this, hold the mixture over steam or heat in the oven.
Sow seeds in warmed up to +22 ° C and moistened soil to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Stretch a film or put glass on top of the planting. Put the greenhouse in a warm place.
Seedling care
In order for the seeds to germinate, keep the temperature in the greenhouse at +25…+27 °C. Do not allow the substrate to dry out and moisten the planting regularly. But do not spray the ground with a spray bottle, but use the bottom watering method. To do this, place the container or pot in a bowl of warm water. Do not forget to ventilate the planting daily and remove condensate from the shelter, otherwise the seeds will rot.
The first shoots will appear in about a month. Once this happens, start hardening off the seedlings. To do this, remove the shelter for an hour, then two, gradually increase the time. When the plants have 2-3 leaves, dive them into individual pots filled with a suitable substrate (see the "Soil" section).
How to propagate croton by cuttings
You can carry out such plant propagation at any time of the year, except for January-February. At this time, the flower is sleeping, so the cuttings will give weak roots or even rot. For propagation, choose apical, lignified shoots that have a strong growth bud. Cut them with sharp scissors so that the cuttings are at least 8 cm long and have at least one pair of leaves.
Rooting cuttings
So, how to propagate croton (flower) cuttings:
- Rinse the milky juice from the cut branches under running water. Dry them for 2 hours in a warm, bright place.
- Put the cuttings in water with a temperature of +23…+30 °C. Keep in mind that in cooler conditions, the branches will rot, and in very warm conditions, the risk of developing bacterial diseases increases. To speed up rooting, add any growth stimulant to the water.
- Place the plant containers in a well-lit area, but keep the cuttings out of direct sunlight.
- Keep the room temperature at +22…+25 °C and add water as it evaporates.
When the cuttings release roots and the shoots reach 2-3 cm, transplant the branches into individual pots. For the first few weeks, give young seedlings gentle care. To do this, provide the plants with warmth, diffused light and high humidity. With proper care, the roots are strengthened in the second week.
How to propagate croton leaf
This breeding method is quite simple. But keep in mind that growing a full-fledged plant from one leaf will not work. After all, croton shoots grow exclusively from the kidneys. Leaves cannot give them. Therefore, for propagation, choose a part of the stem that has an internode with a strong, he althy blade and one axillary bud.
This methodpractically does not differ from how to propagate croton by cuttings. True, a piece of a branch does not need to be dried, but should be immediately put into water with the addition of a growth stimulator. In order for the plant to take root, maintain the temperature of the liquid at the right level. When the leaf cutting grows roots, transplant it into the soil.
Plant care
Now that you know how to propagate croton in many ways, let's look at caring for a pet. Codiaum is an unpretentious plant, but in order for a flower to please with a lush crown and variegated leaves, you need to create comfortable conditions for it. To do this, maintain the optimum temperature and humidity in the room, do not forget to regularly feed and water the culture. We'll talk about these rules in more detail next.
Lighting
Croton loves light, but direct sunlight is contraindicated for him. And the east or west side of the room will be the ideal place for it. In winter, it is advisable to move the pot to the southern windowsill or you will have to provide additional lighting with a phytolamp, otherwise the plant will suffer from a lack of light and the motley pattern on the leaves will fade.
Temperature
Croton is a thermophilic plant. In summer, keep the temperature in the room where the flower grows within + 23 … + 27 ° C. In winter, do not allow coolness below +17 ° C. At any time of the year, protect the flower from drafts and sudden changes in temperature.
Like all tropical crops, codiaum prefers high humidity. To createoptimal environment for the flower, install a humidifier next to the pot. If this is not possible, then place the flower on a pallet filled with wet moss or expanded clay. But make sure that water does not reach the drainage holes. Otherwise, the plant will “suffocate.”
Irrigation
Croton is a moisture-loving plant and needs regular watering. But keep in mind that the flower does not tolerate stagnation of fluid at the roots. Therefore, moisten the soil as soon as the top layer dries to 1 cm. In summer, water the crop approximately 2-3 times a week, in winter, reduce irrigation to every 5-7 days.
For irrigation, use filtered, settled for at least 2-3 days, water at room temperature. Be sure to empty the drip tray after irrigation. Otherwise, the roots of the flower will rot.
Feeding
To make Croton happy with a lush, colorful crown, fertilize the soil regularly. From the beginning of April to the end of November, feed your pet with liquid mineral complexes. Fertilize only after watering.
Transfer
With proper care, croton grows quickly and becomes cramped in an old pot. Therefore, you need to periodically replant the flower. For young specimens, hold this event twice a year. Adults need to be repotted once every two years. For a plant, choose a pot with a diameter of 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. When the container reaches 25 cm in girth, stop repotting the croton. But annually change the top layer of soil to a depth of 2–3 cm. To make the plant more easily endure stress fromactivities, start it in early spring. Carry out the transplant itself using the transshipment method, trying not to destroy the earthen ball and not damage the roots of the flower.
Follow the recommendations on how to propagate croton, and provide the plants with proper care at home. And then you can grow a large collection of tropical flowers that will delight with colorful colors all year round.
