Land for Zamioculkas - how to properly prepare
The dollar tree is an exotic flower loved by many flower growers for its high decorative effect and unpretentious care. It's easy to grow it at home.However, in order to achieve a good development of Zamioculcas, you need to know its requirements, including choosing the right land for it.
Soil for zamiokulkas
What should be included
Zamioculcas grows in nature on stony-sandy soil, so it loves a substrate with a low coefficient of nutritional value and aeration
Loamy or humus-rich soil is not suitable - it retains moisture, which leads to rotting of the root system.
The plant feels comfortable in a mixture of turf and river sand, in which there is a considerable portion of gravel or expanded clay. The latter, due to its porous structure, actively absorbs liquid and retains it, normalizing the water balance in the soil.
Vermiculite is also suitable for drainage, which additionally prevents the spread of mold spores.
There are several substrate options:
- ready for succulents and cacti;
- universal (mixed with river sand and perlite);
- compiled by yourself.
To make a soil mixture with your own hands, you must mix in equal proportions:
- leafy ground;
- turf;
- river sand;
- peat soil with low acidity.
How to choose a ready-made soil
Ready-made primer is not only a great way to save your time. In addition, fertilizers are already included in it, which allows you not to worry about feeding.
What soil is needed for zamiokulkas
Choose a package that is suitable for weight relative to the size of the shrub.
Before planting Zamioculcas in store soil, you should carefully study the list of its components. You also need to pay attention to the date of packaging and the expiration date.
Be careful! Mold and straws are a sign of poor quality soil.
Soil preparation
Home-prepared soil is sterilized to eliminate bacteria, harmful insects and fungal spores.
The procedure is carried out in several ways:
- On medium power in the microwave for 20 minutes.
- In an oven at 150 ° C - 90 minutes.
Many experienced flower growers claim that when calcined, the amount of nutrients in the substrate is practically reduced to zero or its structure changes.
If you have concerns, you can use other disinfection methods:
- The soil is spread on a tray in a thin layer, spilled with boiling water, dried.
- Freeze until complete freezing. The disadvantage of this method is that if garden soil is included in the soil mixture, then weed spores are not destroyed.
Care advice
A young Zamioculcas is transplanted once a year, an adult - as needed, as evidenced by a container completely filled with roots.
What soil for zamiokulkas
It is recommended to use the transshipment method, because the root system is sensitive and does not react well to any mechanical stress.
To inspect the roots for rot or pests, an earthen lump is rolled over the surface of the table.
Microclimate
A succulent plant feels comfortable both in the sun and in shade. True, in the latter case, less frequent watering and nutrition are required. At the same time, the external characteristics of the plant undergo changes - the leaves become smaller, and the culture itself grows more slowly.
Zamioculcas is thermophilic: in summer, the temperature is maintained at 18-26 ° C, in the cold season, the indicators drop to 16 ° C.
It tolerates drafts well, so it can grow outdoors during the growing season.
There is no need to purposefully maintain air humidity. This tropical handsome man, in comparison with his relatives, feels quite comfortable even with the heating devices working. In this regard, spraying is carried out only for sanitary purposes to eliminate settled dust.
Location
The best option is a window sill with access to the East or West, where it will receive a sufficient amount of diffused light.
When placing the pot in the center of the room, in winter it should be moved closer to the window. After the cold season, the plant is gradually accustomed to the effects of the sun, so as not to provoke the appearance of burns in the future.
Watering
With waterlogged soil, there is a possibility of decay of the root system.
In what land to plant zamiokulkas
With a shortage of water, Zamioculcas will spend all its internal reserves on its own life support, as a result of which the leaf plates will begin to die off.
There is no risk of tree death - when the irrigation is resumed, its condition will return to normal, but this leads the culture to severe stress.
Ideally, the procedures should be carried out so that in the interval between them the earthen lump has time to dry out by ½ of the total volume.
Water is used soft, previously settled for 12 hours, and the excess is immediately drained from the pallet.
The frequency of watering depends on the season:
- in the summer - once every 1-2 weeks;
- in winter - once a month.
Top dressing
For a more active development of the flower, it should be fertilized regularly. The first top dressing is applied at the beginning of the growing season, in early spring.
Zamioculcas what soil is needed
Specialized remedies for cacti and succulents are used as preparations. They are diluted in accordance with the indicated proportions on the package, while reducing the concentration by 2 times. It also responds well to the alternate introduction of not only mineral complexes, but also organics.
Zamioculcas quickly absorbs fertilizers from the soil. In this regard, funds should be deposited every 2 weeks.
The procedure is stopped only in August, so that the plant enters the dormant stage and accumulates strength before the next growing season.
Additionally, foliar feeding is carried out by spraying a liquid with a low content of urea on the green mass, while adhering to a number of rules:
- Pre-check the condition of the tree - if it is sluggish, then the stomata will be clogged, and the event is useless.
- Spraying is not done if symptoms of any disease are present.
- If the plant is in the flowering stage, the procedure is abandoned.
Pruning
A haircut is relevant only when it is necessary to rejuvenate the tree and eliminate stiff shoots or leaf plates that have lost their decorative effect.
They also carry out the formation of the crown to give it certain outlines.
Manipulations are carried out very carefully with a garden pruner or a sharp knife, and the places of the cuts are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon in order to prevent the ingress of pathogenic bacteria.
Treatment of diseases and pests
Do not forget when growing Zamioculcas and about the possible occurrence of diseases and pest attacks, which is the reason for incorrect care or skidding when using poorly disinfected soil.
Soil for zamiokulkas
In order to avoid such situations, plant prophylaxis should be systematically carried out, expressed in the treatment with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations.
In this case, spraying with chemicals is done every 2 months or at least 2 times a year.