Heather at home in a pot: planting and care, how to grow

Heather is an evergreen shrub distributed throughout the world. In Russia, it is primarily found in Siberia and the European part, where it has chosen pine forests and peat bogs. This plant is very whimsical, it is not easy to care for it in the garden, and even more so at home. But this culture has a lot of fans. It serves not only as an unusual decoration, but also brings many benefits. Growing heather in a pot at home is an interesting activity, the main thing is to take into account the characteristics of the plant.

Best varieties to grow at home

There are not many varieties of heather used for growing at home.

Slender

One of the most beautiful indoor varieties. Neat bushes, up to 40 centimeters high, with light green leaves, densely hung with inflorescences during the flowering period. The color of the flowers is pink, red, purple, which makes them look like clusters of pomegranate.

Wintering

This variety grows up to half a meter, the flowers are also larger than those of the slender heather. The flowers are white, the size is up to 2 centimeters.

Mix

Heather mix is loved by many gardeners due to the fact that its flowers are painted in a variety of bright colors. It can be pink, purple, white. This variety reaches a height of half a meter and grows very luxuriantly. Blooms in July.

Regular

Height of common heather is more than half a meter, it also strongly branches, the color of the stems is reddish. Flowers of lilac and pink shades, do not fall off for a long time even after the end of the flowering period.

Necessary conditions for a flower

Heath lives less in an apartment than in the wild or garden - up to two years. In order for the plant to please with flowers all this time, it is necessary to grow it correctly and then take care of it.

Location and lighting

When choosing a room in which you plan to grow heather, you need to consider the following:

• it should be well ventilated;
• heat damages the plant, so you need to prevent overheating (do not place near heaters and batteries);
• lots of diffuse sunlight.

The ideal option is an insulated loggia, where the desired temperature will be kept in winter. But avoid the south side and direct sunlight.

Temperature conditions

High temperatures are detrimental to heather. Therefore, in winter + 12-15 degrees is enough for him, in summer - up to +25. When growing seedlings, try to keep the temperature around + 18-20. The plant is also contraindicated in stuffiness. But temporary removal to the street in spring and autumn on warm (but not hot!) days will have a good effect.

Indoor humidity

For heather, an abundance of moisture is important; in rooms with dry air, it will grow poorly. To avoid this, gardeners are advised to spray the bushes.

Optimal soil composition and pot size

For heather, a shallow and wide pot is best, but when planting a plant, you need to focus on the roots. The depth of the container should exceed their length, in addition, as the heather grows, you need to transplant it into a larger pot. Heather is often planted in long boxes, then you can assemble a composition from several varieties.

As for the land, the best option is acidic soil with a base of peat and humus, in which there will be a sufficient amount of organic matter. Good drainage is also important.

Rules for planting a heather flower at home

Heather can be planted with seeds or seedlings. When buying seedlings, you need to carefully consider each one, since even dead bushes do not lose their leaves and seem to be alive.

Terms and technology of planting operations

Seed planting is carried out in any season as follows:

1. Dig deep into a mixture of peat, softwood and sand.
2. Cover the pots tightly with film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.
3. Ventilate periodically, water the ground when it dries.
4. After 8-10 months after the seeds germinate, the plants can be transplanted into individual pots.

If you decide to use seedlings, then choose strong stems without flowers. First they need to be put in water, and when the roots appear, plant them in a pot. Use a mixture of peat and sand.

Rules for crop care

Heather is a whimsical plant, and if you decide to grow it at home, then you will need time and patience. Fortunately, care for different varieties should be the same. Mulching has a good effect on heather, but be sure to remove dry leaves and branches.

Water and irrigation of the bush

It is important that the heather soil is always moist. It is also sensitive to water. It is necessary to water only with settled water, practically without chlorine. If the water in your area is heavily chlorinated, then defend it for 2 weeks, or even better, use melted or rain water. Pour carefully, under the very root, so that water does not fall on the leaves, otherwise gray rot may appear. But for better hydration, the plant can be lightly sprayed.

What and when to feed

Feeding is very important for heather, but too much should not be applied either.During the period of active growth, fertilize with complex mineral fertilizers. The first time - in the spring, after you trim. One square meter requires 20-30 milligrams. Organics will also work, and use spruce bark or sulfur to oxidize the earth.

Shaping and trimming

Pruning is another activity necessary for a plant. It is carried out after flowering. Fresh stems are removed to form a bush. At the same time, the stiff ones must be left - it is they who will then give new shoots. Some growers prefer not to prune the heather to keep the flowers longer, but pruning still makes the bush grow fuller and produce better flowers.

Transfer

Heath needs to be repotted every year as it grows quickly. You need to transplant carefully - the plant is sick for a long time. The root system is especially affected, as it is shallow and has many small roots.Therefore, try not to damage the earthen ball. The pot should be selected with large drainage holes and larger than the previous one, but for the bush it should remain a little cramped.

Susceptibility to diseases and parasites: prevention and treatment

Heath rarely gets sick at home, but there are still a few diseases and parasites that a gardener can encounter. First of all, it is gray rot. It occurs due to excess moisture and stagnation of water at the roots. White growths and spots on the plant, wilted leaves testify to gray rot. You can fight it with drugs Fundazol and Topaz. As a preventive measure, spray the leaves with a weak solution of copper sulfate.

Most diseases and parasites are also easy to deal with:

1. Against powdery mildew, which causes white and brown spots, Fundazol will help.
2. Rust - drug Topaz. It can be recognized by the red spots on the foliage.
3. Aphid - preparations Inta-Vira and Decis.
4. Spider mite - Aktellik, Aktar.

But if the growth of a shrub has slowed down, its branches have become crooked, and the color of leaves and flowers has changed, then the plant is infected with viruses. In this case, only the destruction of the diseased heather helps, so that the disease does not spread to other bushes. Best to burn them.

How to store heather in winter

In order for the heather to survive the winter safely, it must be kept cool (up to +8 degrees) and the soil should not dry out. But at the same time, watering is slightly reduced.

Methods of reproduction

Heather can be propagated by seedlings and seeds, and both methods give good results. If you observe the temperature regime at home, you can breed heather at any time of the year.

Seedlings

Propagation with seedlings is a fairly quick and easy way. Cuttings for this purpose should be:

• flexible;
• with vegetative buds at the ends;
• annual;
• no flowers;
• from the tops of the bushes.

It is recommended to plant them in special pots, in a peat-sand mixture. Choose autumn for breeding.

Seeds

Seeds are the most reliable way to breed heather. The germination rate is 90%, in addition, the time of year affects the planting of seeds less. However, seeds require more time and labor than seedlings. Sowing occurs as follows:

1. Pour the finished soil with warm water.
2. Spread the seeds on the ground, lightly press them down and sprinkle with soil on top.
3. To prevent the soil from drying out, cover the pot with foil.

Seeds germinate in about a month. You can also stand the seeds outside the ground, in cups or saucers. To do this, they are laid out in a dish with a thin layer, poured with water and also hermetically sealed. After the appearance of the first sprouts, they are planted in pots.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Gardeners who are just starting to grow heather have a hard time dealing with it. You need to know how and what to do at each stage of its growth, as well as other features of the culture.

When does the plant bloom?

The heather bloom time is the end of August. Its great advantage is that even after the flowering period, the inflorescences do not fall off, but remain on the bush, so that the latter does not lose its decorative qualities for a very long time.

What to do after flowering?

In the home, heather is often grown as an annual plant. In order for the bush to safely survive the winter, and next year to please you with flowering again, you need appropriate top dressing after flowering, as well as pruning. It is also important to keep temperatures cool during the winter months.

What is the lifespan of a plant?

In the garden, heather can bloom for a long time - up to 5 years, while in nature its life is sometimes calculated for decades. But at home, this period is much shorter - 1 or even 2 years, if all the necessary conditions are created.

Why does heather dry?

Heath dries up from lack of moisture. In dry seasons, you need to provide abundant watering, do not forget to also spray the plant, moisten the air if possible.Also, the reason may lie in the soil, which has become slightly acidic. This requires appropriate feeding, for example, you can add acid along with water twice a year.

Despite the difficulties in planting and growing, heather remains one of the most interesting and useful plants. In addition to beautiful flowers that can be admired for a very long time, it is also used in medicine, cosmetology, and therefore is highly valued by gardeners.

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