Soil for gloxinia: how to choose the right soil, pot and how to independently prepare the desired composition of the earth?

Each house has its favorite plants. Gloxinia, which is increasingly gaining popularity among flower growers, was no exception.

It has a large number of flower buds and can please anyone with its attractive flowering. In this article, we will talk about the soil for growing this beautiful flower and proper care for it. You can also watch a useful video on the topic.

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Gloxinia - a popular perennial flower of the Gesneriaceae family. The name comes from Latin and means "bell". This name is very appropriate, since gloxinia flowers are very similar to fluffy bells. Gloxinia flowers come in a variety of colors and shades. This flower is persistent and strong. It is attributed to tropical plants. Such a flower needs a lot of light.

The plant is very picky and the lack of light will affect its growth and productivity. Normal growth requires 12 to 14 hours of lighting. The scientific name of the gloxinia-synningia flower. This is a perennial tuberous plant with a shortened stem and thick dark green velvety leaves. The flower is very popular and attracts many with its appearance.

Selection options

Gloxinia fussy plant. We will figure out what kind of land is needed for this plant. For its normal and proper growth, nutrient soil is required, moderately saturated with oxygen. The soil should be loose, soft, nutritious and breathable. The flower prefers nutritious soils, which will provide a sufficient number of trace elements during the flowering period. The fate of your flower depends on the right choice of soil. It is important to select and select the correct soil composition. The health of your plant, its fertility and further development depends on it.

This indoor flower prefers nutritious soils, which will provide a sufficient number of trace elements during flowering. For the favorable growth of this plant, it is necessary to take a mixture of land: -one part of deciduous soil; - one part - peat soil; - half of the sand. To loosen the soil, I take ripe sawdust. They serve as an excellent baking powder and at the same time nourish the soil.

IMPORTANT: Do not water the soil. This can lead to rotting of the tuber and its further death. The soil acidity should be between 5.5 and 6.5 pH. With greater acidity, the plant dies.

How to cook at home?

You can prepare the necessary soil yourself at home. For preparing the soil, humus and leafy soil are perfect. Sand, peat and turf will also be needed.

All components are taken in approximately equal proportions and mix well until a homogeneous mass is obtained. The resulting mixture should be loose and airy.
A small layer of drainage is required. Its basis will be pebbles, polystyrene and expanded clay. I use small gravel or pebbles. Some use an air cushion.
Put the pot with the plant in an empty pot of a larger diameter, forming a gap between the pots. It is possible to compose the soil from ready-made peat-based mixes purchased.

Each person selects the soil for gloxinia individually. The main factors for the cooked can be identified as follows:

moisture permeability;
ease;
friability;
breathability.

Such a mixture of soil will provide the necessary nutrition for the root and gloxinia tuber itself.

Before planting the tuber, in a self-prepared mixture, it is strongly recommended to decontaminate the soil. Sand must be further sterilized. It can be calcined on a sheet in the oven. The soil needs to be doused with steam to exclude the multiplication of pathogenic microflora in it.

Right pot

For a favorable and proper cultivation of gloxinia, it is recommended to select a low and wide pot. Almost any dish will do. At the bottom of the pot there must be a drainage with a height of at least 2 cm. It is possible to grow the plant in tall pots, just need more drainage, about a third of the pot. The pot can be either plastic or clay. The choice is up to you.

Each has its pros and cons. It is recommended to take pots with a diameter of up to 15 cm. The main thing is that the selected pot is 5-6 cm larger in diameter than the tuber itself. The height of the pot is also selected relative to the tuber. It is necessary to pour a layer of drainage and the amount of soil that completely covers the tuber, leaving room for the root. In practice, everything looks different. Absolutely any pot is suitable for planting gloxinia tuber.

For the sake of experiment, I cut a pot from a two liter plastic bottle. It turned out that the plant feels great in such a pot. Means the choice of the pot does not play a particularly important role, unlike the right soil. The advantage of tall pots is that they do not allow the lower leaves of the plant to touch the surface.

You can learn more about choosing a gloxinia pot here.

How to transplant?

Gloxinia must be transplanted regularly once a year. It is better to do this at the end of winter, after a period of flower sleep. Small sprouts appear on the tuber, so it's time to transplant the plant. Old soil, in composition after a year of use, is not suitable for it. She needs a new, fresh and fertile soil.

When transplanting a plant, it must be carefully removed from the old soil and clean the roots from the ground.
Wash the tuber in water so that the condition of the spine is better visible.
If you see rotten or damaged roots, they must be removed or cut.
After you should dry the tubers during the day.
After all of the above manipulations with tubers, they are planted and on the first three days they do not water.
The sooner you transplant the sprouts, the better it will be for the flower itself.
The tuber is not completely filled in to give the first leaves to grow.
After the growth of the first leaves, the tuber is completely covered with earth.

Watch the gloxinia transplant video:

You can learn more about the correct gloxinia transplant here, and more about planting and caring for the flower can be found in this material.

Watering

Not a little attention is paid to the gloxinia watering. The plant is whimsical and not every water is suitable for irrigation. She loves clean and filtered water. The water settled for 2-3 days is suitable. If this is not possible, it is necessary to strain the water through a filter to get rid of unwanted impurities. The water temperature should be a couple of degrees above room temperature.

In the warm periods of the year, watering is carried out up to 4-5 times a week. In a cooler period, the dormant period of the plant, watering is reduced to 1 time in 5-7 days. It is necessary to monitor the drying of the soil, add water as it dries. If your house is wet, the frequency of watering should be reduced so that the root does not begin to rot.

TIP: Soft water is great; it improves the absorption of nutrients. In order not to provoke waterlogging of the soil, it is better to add water to the pan.

Top dressing

The first two months after planting the tuber, gloxinia does not need to be fed. Fertilizer is introduced into the pot at the edges so that the solution does not catch the leaves. Suitable for watering with fertilizer in the evening, when the sun no longer falls on the plant. The first fertilizing should be mineral.

Subsequent mineral dressing is alternated with organic fertilizers every two weeks. Nitrogen fertilizers should be used before buds appear. After their appearance, phosphorus fertilizers are used. With an excess of nitrogen fertilizer, flower buds practically do not form. To enhance flowering, phosphorus fertilizers are used. They prevent leaf aging and drying.

Microelements in fertilizers directly affect the number and size of buds. All necessary fertilizers are sold in special stores. If you don’t have the opportunity to buy fertilizer, bird droppings will do. A light fertilizer solution is made, the proportions you will find on the Internet.

Watch the video about feeding gloxinia:

You can find out more about how to properly water and feed gloxinia at home in this material, and read more about the nuances of flower care here.

Conclusion

Gloxinia is a fastidious plant that loves proper care. Timely water, transplant and fertilize the plant and it will delight you all year round. Create an acceptable habitat for the flower and don't forget about the soil.