How to plant a Decembrist sprout, seeds: how to do it correctly at home, what kind of flower pot needs a flower and its photo, as well as the choice of land for zigocactus

Decembrist (Schlumbergera, zygocactus) - a plant that, when well maintained, pleases with lush flowering in the winter.

To become the owner of a zygocactus, it is not necessary to go to the store. At home, it is not at all difficult to get a new plant yourself.

It is only necessary to have material suitable for propagation and to observe the rules for planting Schlumbergera. So, you will learn how to plant a flower. Read more about the landing of the Decembrist in the article.

Which pot is needed?

Before planting, you need to choose in which pot to place the flower. Therefore, it should be remembered that zygocactus has a superficial root system that is extremely sensitive to adverse conditions.

As a result of overheating or hypothermia, bay, acidification of the soil, the roots of the plant rot and die.

Photo

Below you will see a photo of what pot the plant needs:

Dimensions

For planting you need to take a low wide pot. In too deep a container, the roots do not reach the bottom, so moisture may remain at the bottom of the pot. This causes swamping of the substrate and rotting of the root system.

When choosing a pot for a transplant, the appropriate size is determined by placing the old flowerpot in a new one. It should fully enter, leaving a little free space between the walls - not more than one centimeter.

An excessively spacious pot will lead to an active growth of green mass and roots, which will interfere with the flowering of the plant.

Material

Decembrist can be planted in both ceramic and plastic containers. In this case, the features of the selected material should be taken into account. Ceramics are natural and porous.

If it is not covered with glaze, oxygen passes freely to the roots, and excess moisture evaporates through the walls of the pot. This prevents such unpleasant phenomena as decay of the root system and the development of mold.

Ceramic pot has excellent thermal conductivity. However, in the process of extracting a plant from such a container during transplantation, roots sucked to the inner walls may be damaged. Another disadvantage of this material is the formation of salt deposits on the surface of the flowerpot, which clog pores. Getting rid of salts is quite difficult.

In bright and colorful pots coated with glaze, the pores are partially closed. Plastic is an artificial material. Such flowerpots are easy to clean. The downside is the fact that the plastic does not have porosity, makes it difficult for oxygen to reach the roots and slows down the evaporation of moisture.

Excessively plentiful and frequent watering leads to root decay. (about how to properly water the Decembrist, so that it flourishes magnificently and is healthy, you can find out here). This flaw can be corrected. It is enough to ensure good drainage during planting and to prevent overmoistening of the soil.

In a container designed for Schlumberger, there must be a drainage hole, which will allow water to drain freely.

What land?

In the natural environment zygocactus lives on branches of tropical trees or between rocks. Such conditions imply free air access to the roots and good water flow.

Growing Schlumberger at home, it is necessary to provide him with conditions close to natural. The soil for the Schlumbergera should be light, loose and perfectly pass water and air. It is necessary to choose a nutrient slightly acidic substrate with an optimum acidity of 5.5 - 6.5 pH.

It’s quite simple to form the soil mixture yourself. It should include the following ingredients:

Peat.
Leafy and turfy land that contains many nutrients.
Ground expanded clay, brick chips, coarse sand, perlite, particles of wood bark or pieces of coal. Large inclusions make the soil loose and lush, contributing to better water permeability.
Crushed coal. Used as an antiseptic.

The nutrient part and baking powder are combined in a ratio of 2: 1.

Soil recipe:

peat - 1 part;
turf land - 1 part;
sheet land - 1 part;
coarse sand - 1 part;
crushed charcoal - 10%;
brick chips - 10%.

Of the ready-made mixtures, the special soil for cacti is suitable for Decembrist. You need to pour vermiculite and sand into it.

Drainage plays an important role.. It prevents waterlogging of the soil and rotting of the roots. Expanded clay, charcoal, or pebbles can serve as drainage for zigocactus.

Detailed step-by-step instructions for planting a house at home

How to plant at home? There are two ways to plant a plant:

cuttings;
seeds.

Most often use the first option.

Scion

It should be noted that propagation of schlumbergera using shoots is best done from April to June.

By this time, the flowering of the mother plant has already been completed. The spring-summer period is the most favorable for obtaining new zygocactus.

You can combine the breeding of the Decembrist with its trim, which results in a large number of cuttings (about whether it is possible to cut the Decembrist and how to do it at home, we talked about here).

To plant a Schlumberger sprout, you must follow the instructions:

Getting a segment of the stem

For the purpose of reproduction, it is better not to use too old a plant. Inspect the Schlumberger. Choose a less dense section of the plant. Find a place where young links end and old ones begin. A segment of the stem should be healthy, without damage, and consist of two to three segments.
Break off or unscrew with rotational movements part of the stem with aerial roots. At the same time, hold the Decembrist with the other hand.
Sprinkle a wound on the mother plant with charcoal or sand.

If you plan to grow a lush bush, you will need several cuttings. Cutting off the processes with a knife or scissors is not recommended.

Preparation of cuttings

Place the handle on paper or saucer and dry for two to three days in a dry, dark place.

Soil, drainage and capacity

To plant a plant, you must:

Prepare a new clean drain. It is allowed to take expanded clay, which was used for another culture. Rinse, sanitize and dry it. Check the instructions for the purchase of drainage: some types of special expanded clay should be saturated with moisture before laying. In this case, soak the drainage in advance in clean soft water. The maximum service life of expanded clay is six years.
Prepare the soil mixture (about what should be in the composition of the soil for Decembrist and how to cook it yourself, read here).
Disinfect the substrate using crushed charcoal.
Process the new pot with boiling water and dry.Disposable cups can be used as containers.

Accommodation

Fill the tank one-third with drainage.
Pour the prepared soil mixture to half the height of the pot.
Lightly compact the ground, water well.
Make a recess in the center. If you need to plant several cuttings, the grooves are made according to the number of processes.
Treat the lower tip of the shank with Kornevin or Zircon.
Plant the process vertically, as if placing it on the ground. Existing roots cannot be deeply buried - the maximum depth should be one centimeter.

Rooting

For rooting it is necessary:

Having planted the stem in the soil, you can cover it with polyethylene or a glass container to create a greenhouse effect. However, the plant is successfully rooted and with free access to air at a favorable temperature.
Place the container with the handle in partial shade and keep it at high humidity and temperature from +15 to + 20 ° C. Keep away from direct sunlight.
Daily airing: remove cover for 30-60 minutes.
Pour settled water at room temperature, moderately, but regularly. Keep the topsoil moist. Avoid stagnation of water.By the end of the first week after planting, the stalk gives the first roots. Complete rooting occurs by the fourth to fifth week.
After the appearance of new segments on the shoot, remove the greenhouse. Now you can transplant the young plant into a permanent pot with nutritious loose soil (how to properly transplant the Decembrist at home, read here).

Rooting cuttings can be carried out in water:

Put the shoot in a container of warm water so that only half of it is immersed in water.
Add water regularly during evaporation. If the liquid becomes yellowish and thicker over time, it has deteriorated. In this case, the handle should be washed and placed in a clean container with new water.
After 7-14 days, the root system appears. It is necessary to plant the shoot in the ground.

Seeds

You can use the seed method of propagation of zygocactus. This option allows you to experiment with the color of flowers. At home, getting Decembrist seeds is practically not realistic, so you should buy them in a specialized store.

Then proceed according to plan:

Moisten the substrate in the tank with settled water at room temperature.
Sow the seeds, each pressed to the soil. No need to deepen.
Keep at + 23 ° C and above. Moisturize the earth regularly.
Shoots appear at different times. The first - after 14 - 20 days. If all sprouts are required, continue to moisten the soil. The remaining seeds can germinate even several months after sowing.
After three months, sprouts with two to three segments can be planted in separate pots.Young plants should be kept according to the usual Decembrist care scheme.

Read about how to feed the Decembrist and how to care for it to bloom.

Landing Schlumbergera is not particularly difficult. You can choose the most popular way - cuttings, or purchase seeds in a flower shop. The shoots easily take root at home, and the seeds have a high germination capacity. The main components of success are good planting material, suitable soil and proper care.