More and more often on the windows of apartments you can see a croton grown by the hands of a caring housewife.
The plant requires a lot of care, and grow it not just. It grows slowly.
If you observe a croton, showing caution, you can choose a “key” for the plant and it will grow perfectly, delighting you with its bright beauty. It all depends on the proper care and conditions of content.
One of the most important conditions regarding cultivation is watering. He must be moderate. One should not allow waterlogging of the earthen coma, since the plant reacts to this quickly. The leaves will begin to fall, and then, rot the roots and the stem. In the case when the stem becomes soft, the plant cannot be saved. But you can try to root the top, if it still remains and is healthy.
It is equally badly affecting the well -being of the croton and drying of the soil in the pot. The leaves will get through at first, and then fall off.
The plant should be watered a little, after drying the earth in a pot. Water should have room temperature (you can slightly warmer).
Watering time is determined by the appearance of the plant. When the leaves begin to sink slightly – the time has come for watering.
Crotons love light, but you must not allow direct rays of the sun on them. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor this and, as necessary, rearrange the plants to other places (less lit) or shadow them.
Croton should not be grown in partial shade. In this case, all the attractiveness of his leaves will be lost.
The plant needs high humidity. To do this, put it on a humid expanded clay or on another tray filled with water.
At least 1 time per week, the croton must be sprayed with warm water. In this case, the pot must be closed in order to avoid water entering the soil.
The plant loves heat. The air temperature in the room should be at least 18 degrees. You should also prevent drafts.
When the croton becomes crowded in the pot, and it will completely braid the earthen lump, it should be transplanted into a larger pot.
You should be very careful during the transplant, since the plant is very sensitive and can quickly drop its leaves.
To avoid this, it is necessary to gently transfer all the contents of the pot into the pot of larger size, without touching the lump itself with the roots. Free space, in a new pot, must be filled with new soil and compact.
The plant can be propagated by apical cuttings, or parts of the stem, which have a half -earned state. Steppy cuttings in water, but before rooting, the cuttings must be placed in warm water and wait until the milky juice produces.
It is necessary to carry out periodic pruning of the plant. This is useful for Croton, since after that the croton begins to branch.
But pruning should be carried out with caution, avoiding the ingress of milky juice on the skin and in the eyes. Otherwise, you risk getting a burn.
It is necessary to regularly conduct a visual examination of the croton in order to detect possible pests in time (shields and red spider mites). For preventive purposes, it is recommended to bathe the plant more often.
Although the process of caring for the plant is laborious and very specific, but not very complicated.
It is recommended, for starters, to grow (it is better, of course, to buy a finished plant) one croton. And having mastered all the subtleties of growing, leaving and content of this beautiful plant, you can buy or grow new crots of other varieties.
Different crotons can make a very picturesque composition of colorful and different forms of leaves, which will decorate and revive your home.