Grow spathiphyllum. Care for the Tropical Guest

Spathiphyllum is a plant of the Aroid family, which grows in the undergrowth of a moist rainforest. Its habitat is quite extensive: it covers the rainforests of the Philippine Islands, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana and Colombia.

Elegant, beautiful, unpretentious, spathiphyllum quickly won the location of landscapers. And if some 10 years ago it was a rather rare plant that was considered a welcome gift, now almost every home or office, along with fern, dracaena and unchanged pelargonium, grows spathiphyllum.

Care of it is simple, reproduction also does not require much trouble, therefore this exotic beauty in our houses has taken root. But still in the cultivation of spathiphyllum there are secrets, the knowledge of which allows you to get a spectacular plant that blooms almost all year round. Consider what they are.

The plant tolerates a partial penumbra, but prefers bright lighting with protection from direct sun. If the leaves stretch, turn pale, flowering becomes weak, rare and short, which means that light is not enough.

The substratum should be chosen loose and airy, it should well "breathe" and let in moisture. This is important for all representatives of the tropical flora, is not an exception and spathiphyllum. Care, even the most thorough, will not work if the plant is planted in heavy rocky or clay soils with poor drainage. It is possible to make a substrate from a mixture of equal parts of coarse-grained river sand, humus, peat, turf and leaf earth with the addition of crushed charcoal and brick crumbs.

When transplanting spathiphyllum, you need to carefully choose a vase. It often happens that the plant, which is in the transport substrate and a close plastic pot, continuously blossoms, and carefully transplanted by the owner into a spacious vase with fresh soil, ceases to bloom, and for a long time - for a year or more. The flower grower is perplexed, and yet this is natural, since the flowering of this culture occurs only when the roots completely weave the soil com. This must be remembered by growing spathiphyllum.

Care of this plant, in addition, involves regular moistening of soil and air. Watering during the vegetation period should be regular and abundant, in autumn and winter it is reduced, provided the content is cool and there is no additional illumination. If the plant is contained in a warm room and is lightened, the moistening regime remains practically unchanged. In any case, between the watering it is necessary to slightly dry the top layer of the soil. Although spathiphyllum and a native of the tropics, for him, drying out (short, of course) is not as fatal as overflow. On the excess moisture is signaled black-brown tips of leaves (not to be confused with dry tips, which mean dry air!).

Elevated humidity of the air is loved by all the aroids, including spathiphyllum. Care for him should include regular spraying. This procedure will not only refresh the crown, but will also become a good prevention of spider mites, scabies and aphids.

Strong well-groomed plant is rarely exposed to pest attacks, because it is distinguished by high resilience. Fungi, viruses and bacteria also practically do not affect spathiphyllum. Diseases of this culture are most often associated with mistakes in care - this is a lack of lighting (leaves are pulled out, flowering stops) or its excess (sunburn), overflow (the tips of leaves turn black) or prolonged drying (loss of turgor, wilting leaves), improperly selected substrate Slow growth or its stop) or a lack of nutrients (leaves pale and dry up, flowering does not occur).

The most common problem is excessive watering on the background of heavy soil with poor aeration and low-power drainage. In this case, the soil turns sour, the roots begin to rot, the leaves become lifeless and fall, their tips turn black - there are all signs of waterlogging. This plant needs a special care. For spathiphyllum it is necessary to undertake immediately, otherwise it can be lost. The old soil is removed, the roots are washed, if there are decayed areas, they are cut out. Then the affected plant is planted in a fresh substrate and watered very carefully.

Twice a month during the vegetative period it is desirable to feed spathiphyllum with mineral fertilizer. If you do not allow mistakes in the care and observe the simple rules of agrotechnics, the plant will shine all year round with its glossy foliage adorned with snow-white coverlets of unusual flowers.