Gloxinia is a popular houseplant that has beautiful flowers that resemble bells in shape. The culture belongs to the Gesneriaceae family and is a tuber. She has a pronounced period of vegetation and dormancy, during which the plant regains strength and prepares for the next season. Therefore, you should understand when gloxinia has faded - what to do next and what conditions are necessary for the flower during the rest period.
Gloxinia flowering period at home
In late February, the plant begins to vegetate and when 2-3 leaves appear at gloxinia, buds begin to form. If this happens in standard terms, then the plant may bloom again in August. To do this, you need to help him.
Gloxinia needs a rest in winter
Therefore, if gloxinia faded in June, you should figure out what to do next. First of all, the plant needs regular feeding, which will allow it to restore the spent strength. It is also recommended to trim the top of the outlet and leave no more than 2-3 leafy shoots after the last flowers wither. This stimulates the growth of side shoots, among which should be left 2-4 the strongest, and the rest removed. It is on them that buds will eventually appear.
The type of flowering in gloxinia is cap. About 10 buds are formed on one sprout. The color of the petals is very diverse, the main shade can be white, pink, red and purple. The flowering period in the presence of favorable conditions lasts 3-4 months.
Depending on the variety, the flowers can be simple and terry, plain or two-tone, with a regular or wavy edge.
Important! The repeated flowering of gloxinia is not as magnificent as the first.
How to prolong flowering
Peak abundant gloxinia bloom occurs in spring-summer, and more precisely in May-June. But in order to extend it, it is necessary to provide the plant with favorable conditions. It is impossible that in this period direct sunlight fell on the leaves, so it is necessary to make a slight shading.
It is also important to ensure the temperature of the content is not more than +22 degrees and the humidity level is in the range of 60-80%. On particularly hot days, it is recommended that additional containers of water be placed near the pot to increase evaporation.
Attention! Gloxinia should not be sprayed to increase humidity, since all its parts are pubescent.
To maintain a favorable temperature, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the room. But it is important that there are no drafts. Therefore, before airing, it is necessary to rearrange the flower pot in a secluded place, and only then open the window.
For prolonged flowering gloxinia need to provide favorable conditions
To prolong gloxinia flowering, it is necessary to regularly water the plant with settled water. This should be done as necessary, avoiding even slight drying of the roots. Ignoring this rule will lead to premature wilting of all buds.
Attention! It is necessary to water gloxinia along the edge of the pot or into the pan. If moisture gets on top of the tuber, it can rot.
The duration of flowering also depends on the top dressing of the plant. To increase it, it is necessary to water the plant every 10 days with a nutrient solution based on mineral phosphorus-potassium fertilizers for flowering crops. You can buy them at any specialized store.
What to do with faded gloxinia flowers
You should also know what to do with the faded flowers of gloxinia. After withering, they must be removed along with the stem at the base. This will redistribute the strength of the plant and stimulate the formation of new buds.
If this is not done in a timely manner, then seed boxes are formed. Their appearance prevents the formation of new colors.
Withered buds must be removed in a timely manner.
Gloxinia after flowering - what to do with the plant
How to care for gloxinia after flowering can tell experienced owners of green spaces. During this period, you need to properly prepare the plant for wintering. This procedure consists of several steps that must be followed so that the tuber safely survives prolonged hibernation.
Pruning
Immediately after the last flowers wither, pruning the outlet is not recommended. It is necessary to maintain metabolic processes in plant tissues, due to which nutrients from the leaves pass into the tuber.
Subsequently, the shoots will begin to wither themselves, and then you need to cut the outlet, but leave a small stump of 2 cm high at the same time. As a result, when it also dries, it must be carefully unscrewed from the tuber.
Important! If trimming gloxinia immediately after flowering, it stimulates the growth of shoots, which will significantly weaken the plant.
In young seedlings, the rosette is maintained throughout the winter. This is due to the fact that their tubers are not sufficiently developed and are not yet able to survive the winter without additional nutrition. Therefore, it is impossible to cut off the aerial part from them, otherwise they will never come out of hibernation.
In this case, you need to provide the plant with full care, which consists of a 12-hour daylight and regular watering.
Recovery dressing
What else needs to be done when gloxinia fades? Before the plant goes into hibernation, it is necessary to restore the spent strength. To do this, it is recommended to fertilize with potash fertilizers. This will allow the tuber to fully ripen and make a supply of nutrients that will be required for 3-4 months of hibernation.
Experienced growers recommend using potassium monophosphate for this. To prepare a nutrient solution, you need to dissolve 5 g of the product in 2 l of standing water. After that, mix thoroughly until the components are completely dissolved. Pour the resulting liquid at a rate of 150 ml per 1 pot.
Important! Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content cannot be used during this period, since they stimulate the growth of the aerial parts, which negatively affects the gloxinia immunity.
Restorative top dressing is applied once, immediately after the removal of all faded buds, but in the presence of leaves.
Shrinking of the outlet is a sign of preparation of gloxinia for hibernation
Preparing the plant for hibernation
Care for gloxinia after flowering at home also consists in observing certain conditions of detention. Starting in September, the flower pot needs to be rearranged in a less lit place. In this case, lower the temperature to +15 degrees. When kept in such conditions, watering is also reduced to 1 time per week.
All this in a complex stimulates the process of withering of the outlet and prepares the plant for the upcoming hibernation.
If this is not done, then some varieties of gloxinia may continue to grow. As a result, the shoots are stretched, the rosette is deformed, and the plant loses its decorative effect. All this weakens the flower and can cause a lack of flowering in the next season.
Important! Gloxinia, like many tuberous plants, requires a long, cool dormant period to form buds.
Where and how to store the tubers of the "asleep" gloxinia
There are two ways to store gloxinia tubers at home in winter: in the ground and without it. Each of them has its own characteristics, so before you make a choice, you need to familiarize yourself with them. Regardless of the method selected, the general storage rules must be followed throughout the rest period:
- lack of bright light;
- temperature mode - from +3 to +12 degrees;
- moderate humidity -60-85%.
Important! Only under all conditions will the flower survive the winter well and can please lush flowering in the next season.
Pot
When storing gloxinia tuber in a pot, it is necessary, after the socket has completely faded, remove the aerial part and allow the soil to dry out a little for several days. Then you should sprinkle the top layer of earth with dry river sand to prevent the development of fungus.
After preparation, it is necessary to pack the pot with the tuber in a plastic bag without tying it. Then store in a cool dark place.
On a note! For this, a basement, an insulated balcony, a space under the bathroom may come up.
To prevent the tuber from drying out, it is necessary to moisten the soil in the pot once a month slightly. The disadvantage of this method is that the tuber can begin to grow early.
When stored in a pot, gloxinia needs to be watered occasionally
Package
When storing a tuber without earth, it must first be cleaned of soil, washed and thoroughly dried. After that, carefully examine for suspicious dark spots. If available, remove the rotted areas with a sterile knife to a healthy tissue.
Before laying for storage, it is necessary to sprinkle the slices with charcoal or ash, and then leave to dry for a day.
To store tubers without soil, you will need to prepare a plastic bag with a zip fastener. After that, put in it a slightly moistened mixture of river sand and sawdust, and only then place the prepared gloxinia tubers in it.
As such, planting material is best stored in the lower compartment of the refrigerator. The advantage of this method is that during the winter it is possible to constantly monitor the condition of the tubers, and to carry out hydration in a timely manner.
Storing tubers in a bag makes it easy to maintain
Gloxinia is the favorite of many gardeners. At the same time, it is not demanding of care and, subject to the basic rules of storage during hibernation, is able to please lush and long flowering. The main thing is to adhere to all recommendations.
