Fittonia: care at home for this heat-loving plant

Fittonia is a beautiful creeping plant belonging to the soil cover. Recently, it has gained special popularity among florists, as it can revitalize and beautify the interior of any room with its bright, rich green with elegant leaves. Fittonia can be distinguished from other indoor plants by branched creeping shoots. On them grow leaves of an oval or heart-shaped form of an emerald shade. The homeland of this luxurious plant is the vast territory of South America, as well as the wetlands of Peru. Now any plant grower has the opportunity to purchase a viable variety of fittonia that perfectly adapts to the climatic conditions of an ordinary city apartment. In this article, we would like to talk about how to properly cultivate fittonia. Care at home for this exotic plant is to create the conditions closest to natural. That is, to grow a healthy specimen, one should maintain a special temperature and humidity, and also provide him with the necessary light.

Fittonia: care at home. We create optimal climatic conditions

This beautiful plant from South America loves heat, so the most favorable temperature for it is + 25-26 ° C. In winter, fittonia can tolerate a slight drop in it - up to + 20 ° C. The plant does not tolerate a sharp cold snap, drafts and even simple airing, so in the cold season, when opening the window, take care of the "python" and cover it with polyethylene. Do not take a pot of fittonia on the balcony, terrace or loggia, even if it's warm outside. The plant prefers scattered sunlight and does not tolerate direct sunlight. In order for your fitton at home to grow well and not hurt, allocate for her a secluded place. It should be sufficiently illuminated and protected from air currents and drafts.

Fittonia: care at home. Humidity and watering

An important condition for plant development is the maintenance of high air humidity in the room. To do this, you can use a household appliance (humidifier) or put a pot of flower in a tray with pebbles or river sand, which periodically need to pour water (2 or 3 times a week). Fittonia loves timely and regular watering. In the hot season, moisten the substrate in the pot at least twice a week, or even more often. For irrigation take a clean soft water, always at room temperature. In the autumn-winter period, the plant is watered less often - once every 5 or 6 days. Also loves and hydration from the spray fitting fittonia. Caring for it means spraying its leaves, especially on hot days, and also wiping them from dust with a damp, clean cloth. Clean the plant is necessary, because through the leaves it "breathes".

Fittonia: care at home. Top dressing and substrate

Feed the plant only in the period of active development and growth, that is, from March to October. To do this, use mineral and organic complex fertilizers, alternating them. Perfectly suitable for top dressing special mixtures for variegated plants. When transplanting, it is necessary to select a suitable substrate. As a rule, the plant is good for nutrient soil mixtures from peat, turf and leaf earth, and also sand (2: 2: 2: 1). Advice: with the growth of fittonium and excessive stretching of branches, it is necessary to pinch shoots, forming a dense and attractive crown.