ADENIUM: GROWING FROM SOWING TO FLOWERING
From February to April - the optimal time for sowing adenium seeds. I want to share some subtleties at work.
SOIL OPTIONS FOR ADENIUM
The substrate must be airy, loose. Perfect fit: soil for cactus, coconut, vermiculite, perlite - in any variations and proportions. I liked the mixture of vermiculite + perlite more (1:1) with the addition of fine crumbs of charcoal (for barbecue).
NUANCES OF SOWING ADENIUM
I pre-soak the seeds for half an hour or an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a stimulant ("Zircon", "Fish", "HB-101" - on 2 drops in a glass), keeping it constantly warm. Then I put the seeds on the barrel, evenly distributed over the surface of the soil, without deepening, just push a little (can be sprinkled with a layer of soil 0, 5 cm).
The substrate must be moist, but not wet.
Greenhouse required (I use transparent cookie jars with lids.).
Temperature - not less than + 26 city., Ideally - +30-32 city. Light is not required for germination. I put crops on a warm battery, pipe or in the bathroom on a heated towel rail.
In the photo adenium, seed-grown. Waiting for flowering 5 years old!
IN THE PHOTO MY ADENIUM
CONDITIONS FOR SEEDINGS OF ADENIUM
Sprouts need light, so I rearrange the containers in a warm sunny place. If necessary, I illuminate them with a lamp and heat the air.
After the appearance of the second pair of leaves of the greenhouse, I ventilate and gradually remove the covers.
I start feeding the seedlings with a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content..
When they grow up and get stronger, I sit in glasses (100 ml). Protect from cold and drafts.
© Author: Natalia KOSMINA, Altai Territory Photo by the author
WHY ADENIUM DRIES OR DOES NOT COLOR? THE SPECIALIST ANSWERS
Adenium seedling developed normally at first, and then disappeared. What could be the reason for death and what conditions are needed for the plant?
Lydia CHERABAEVA.
Adenium – PHOTO
There may be several reasons for death, and all of them are caused by disturbances in plant care.
- Lack of light for adenium
With a lack of lighting, the plant is quickly depleted.. From October to mid-February, it is advisable to supplement it or keep it on the southern window, lowering the temperature a little (up to + 18-20 degrees.).
- Hypothermia of adenium
Adenium is afraid of cooling roots, especially in wet ground. Monitor the temperature on the windowsill, in cold weather it can be below room temperature 10-15 degrees. Put a thermometer next to the pot and keep the temperature below +15 city. If needed, insulate the windowsill, lift the plant on the stand, in severe frosts, remove from the window.
- Improper watering of adenium
Lack of moisture in summer with active sun and high temperatures will lead to dryness. Excessive watering is dangerous in winter, from which the roots rot. Need to water, focusing on the condition of the soil: it should dry out between waterings, but you can't overdry.
In the summer, you will have to water frequently and abundantly in the sun.. In winter - depending on the lighting and temperature of the content. Providing summer conditions (good light and warmth), then you need to water in the same mode. There is no way to supplement the plant? Reduce temperature and watering.
- Excessive feeding
An adult plant is fed regularly during the growing stage, but young seedlings do not need large doses of fertilizers and painfully tolerate their excess. The first 3 it's better not to feed them for a month, and then start gradually, with a light dosage (1/10 part of the recommended).
- Transplanting adenium into a large pot
It is impossible for adenium to dramatically increase the volume of the substrate. It stays wet for a long time after watering, which leads to root disease. Pot size must match the root system. Add to the peat soil about 50% perlite (or coarse sand, brick chips), this ensures good soil drainage. Transplant is carried out only by careful transshipment.
TIP Leaves can cause drought in hot summer, when plants need regular watering.
Adeniums grow in 1,5 l pots, do not bloom. The stems are stretched and bent, leaves remained only on the crown. What to do with plants?
Natalia TKACHENKO, question from email. mail
Place on a sunny windowsill urgently, protecting the roots from cooling. Adeniums are very light-requiring. With a lack of lighting, the lower leaves quickly lose, stretch out, do not bloom. If it's warm and daylight 12-13 hours, then flowers are formed almost all year round. Until the beginning of March, it was advisable to light up the plants or slightly lower the temperature of the content and reduce watering.
SPRING WORKS
In the spring, as soon as the adeniums start to grow, Better to do low pruning: the cut must be at the transition point of the caudex (thickening) thin stem or slightly higher (depends on your preference). But before pruning, I advise you to carefully transfer the plants in order to align the position of the stem, position the lower thickened part more vertically. If by the time of pruning the plants have time to recover in good conditions, then the cut off tops can be tried to root according to the method for succulents. Weak cuttings, likely, will not take root.
© Author: N. Semenova
SURPRISE FROM THE DESERT ROSE
I grow adeniums from seeds not for the first time and successfully bring them to “fat-ass”. However, I never waited for them to bloom., although I dreamed of seeing in all its glory. Finally, last year turned out to be “fruitful” for me.: not only admired the flowers of the desert rose, but got the seeds.
FROM THE TOP
I don't like adeniums - "giraffes" (growing in one trunk), That's why I always cut them.. They begin to branch actively and build up caudex. Pruning, sure, pushes back flowering, but they make beautiful specimens.. After another such haircut, I rooted the top. She didn't get too fat., leaves are good, large (fed with foliar fertilizer "Plantofol", in substrate — «Osmokot»). But what's interesting, side shoots appeared from the base. They will grow up and cover the bare trunk. A plant stands on a sunny windowsill, watering (as the soil dries) combined with bathing (wash the leaves with warm water).
HOORAY, BLOOM!
In May last year, I saw buds on this instance. While they were developing, replaced the top layer of soil in the pot, to give adenium extra strength. A month later it bloomed, and after two more seed pods appeared (specially flowers are not pollinated, the plant stood all summer on the windowsill with the window constantly open). In the middle of October they cracked. All 20 seeds showed excellent germination - friendly seedlings by the beginning of winter.
© Author: Anna GRIDINA. Krasnodar region. Photo by the author
WHY ADENIUM DROPS THE BUD – VIDEO
This is a completely new plant for me.. It blooms in the second year, and I'm looking forward to this event.
I put the newcomer on the west window and let him get used to the situation.. Two weeks later, transplanted into a mixture of universal soil for indoor flowers and soil for cacti and other succulents (1:1). It turned out, adenium tolerates heat well, but in the summer I ventilated the winter garden, where was the pet, and the temperature did not rise +25 city. In winter there is not lower +15 city. At this time, the plant has a dormant period, so from the beginning of autumn I reduce watering, and in severe frosts I don’t water at all. I feed a flower from spring to autumn once a 10 days of fertilizer for succulents. Don't risk spraying., just dust off.
Prompt, is it possible to root an adenium stalk or is this plant propagated only by seeds? I want to take a sprout from a friend.
Yes, adenium can be grown from cuttings. And this method has an important advantage over the seed method.: when cuttings, the plant retains its varietal characteristics. However, there is a small minus - you will not get such a powerful caudex, as in specimens on their roots with a hypocotyl.
HOW TO ROOT
The main thing is to dry the cut well. Put the cutting in a shaded place and "forget" for two, or even three weeks. The thicker the cutting, the longer it takes to dry. If it starts to wrinkle, shrinking is normal. Worse - do not dry, which is fraught with the occurrence of rot, then the situation can't be fixed..
Plant the dried stalk in a mixture of sand and peat and moisten with drying. Or, to control cut condition and root appearance, put in water, maintaining its minimum level at the bottom. The escape is saturated with moisture, restore turgor - and through 7-10 days roots will appear.
Cutting tadenium usually in the warm season, then better survival. In winter, you will have to provide additional lighting and a temperature of at least +20 city.