Caring for a croton at home is not as easy as amateur gardeners would like. This is due to the pickiness of the flower, its exactingness to environmental conditions.
For the full growth of croton, which is also called codium, it is recommended to provide suitable temperature conditions, timely pruning of leaves and competent watering. In response, the leaves of the plant turn green, and will decorate any room.
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Varieties and types of flower
There are several dozen varieties of codium, however, the mottled appearance is the most popular among all. Many hybrid varieties that are suitable for keeping at home are bred from it.
The Croton plant is most popular with the following varieties:
Petra
The bush is formed by many dense green-yellow leaves, some veins are pink. The leaves are turned in different directions from the shoots, which gives the crown splendor. The shape of the bush is dense, the sheets closely adjoin each other.
Exlent
The shape of the sheets is somewhat reminiscent of oak. The leaf plate itself has a base and two blades extending from it. The leaves are greenish-yellow, with older ones having a more pinkish tint. The back of the sheet is almost completely pink.
Zanzibar
The bush is formed from a dense trunk and narrow leaves. Because of such leaves, the crown of the plant is somewhat reminiscent of a palm tree, however, the difference is also in the predominance of pink shades.
Mrs. Iston
This type of croton is a tall bush, the leaves on which are collected in small groups and look like flowers. The hue of the plant ranges from dark green to pinkish, yellow and golden colors.
Croton flower: nuances of growing
When buying a croton, one should take into account the fact that the plant is quite demanding. There are many nuances in caring for it, each of which affects the final appearance of the color.
What you need to know before purchasing a code:
- In places where the leaf or stem will be broken, the codeium begins to secrete poisonous juice. Therefore, it is recommended to look after the croton with special gloves, and also refuse to decorate the apartment with such a flower, where there are small children.
- This plant quickly dies from irrigation with cold water, and also does not tolerate drafts.
- Croton periodically blooms, but after that it begins to look not the best way. If you want to maintain its beautiful appearance, it is recommended to immediately remove the inflorescences.
- A flower needs a periodic warm shower. Leaves should be regularly cleaned with a damp sponge from dust.
If the novice grower is not afraid of these nuances of growing, you can safely get a croton and decorate the interior with it. Fortunately, the plant copes with this 100%. Of course, subject to competent care.
Interesting! Sometimes its leaves can mutate and change shape for no apparent reason. This is a feature of this flower. This fact does not present any danger.
Home Care
To take care of the codium, you should regularly allocate enough time for this. The plant is capricious, so you need to follow certain conditions, carefully monitor watering and fertilize the soil. In addition, you will often need to transplant the flower, and you need to do this correctly.
Soil requirements
Codium is not very picky about the soil. Universal soil can be purchased at the store, while the package should contain the mark "suitable for decorative and deciduous house plants."
The pot must be stable, the option of clay or plastic is equally suitable. The diameter of the container is half the crown. Each new transplant will need to prepare a container 2 cm in diameter larger than the previous one.
Optimal conditions
Croton is a sun-loving plant. When kept, he will need to provide a sufficient amount of sunlight, but in direct rays it is better not to leave it. In summer, it is better to put the pot on the north side of the window, and in winter - on the south.
If this is not possible, it is recommended to place the flower near the windowsill, where it will be provided with a sufficient amount of light, but the rays will not be able to burn the sheets.
Kodiyum grows very well in the fresh air, so as far as possible it can be taken out to the balcony. However, you need to monitor the absence of drafts, since the color does not tolerate them. The optimum temperature for maintenance in the summer is about 20-23 degrees, in the winter - from 16 and above.
Watering a flower
Watering the soil should also be carefully debugged by the grower. The flower does not tolerate overflow, but he also does not like drought. In both cases, the sheets quickly respond to yellowing and death.
To avoid overfilling, the soil and pot should be equipped with good drainage. Excess moisture will drain into the drip tray. In summer, the earthen lump should be moistened abundantly, and in winter, watering is recommended to be reduced. The earth should always be slightly moist. Watering is necessary with warm water, which was previously settled at room temperature.
It is also important to monitor air humidity. If it is very low, the sheets will quickly turn yellow and dry at the ends.
Be sure to wipe the sheets with a damp sponge at least 2 times a week. This will ensure the removal of dust from the plant, so it will grow better and look more neat.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Croton fertilizer is also an important step in caring for it. For top dressing, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made mineral composition that is suitable for this type of plant.
15-20 minutes before top dressing, moisten the soil. This stage will save the roots and not burn them. Then a fertilizer solution is applied.
Feeding should be done at least 2 times a month. It is necessary to start fertilizing the soil from April, and to finish in November.
Trimming
In order for a plant to please a lush and beautiful crown, it must be periodically trimmed. For young codiums plucking is used. Also appearing buds or flowers. This greatly debilitates the codium, which is why it loses all its beauty. After trimming unnecessary sheets, it is important to process all sections with charcoal powder.
How to transplant?
To transplant a flower, it is transshipped. Young plants are recommended to be handled at least 2 times a year, as they are characterized by intensive growth. Adult croton will need to be transplanted once every two years.
How to transship:
- Wear gloves.
- Gently holding the plant, remove it from the pot.
- Shake off excess land slightly, then place in a new container.
- Fill the voids with fresh soil, not reaching a surface distance of 1 cm.
When the root system is placed in a 25-centimeter diameter pot, transplantation is no longer required. It will be enough to remove the topsoil once a year and put fresh soil in its place.
Winter care
In the winter season, almost all care procedures for croton are preserved, but reduced in quantity. In winter, kodiyum perfectly manages without fertilizer, but if the grower leaves top dressing, it must be reduced to once a month.
Watering the plant is less necessary, but you also need to make sure that the soil does not dry out and is slightly moist. It is recommended to give up the shower before spring, but washing the leaves is important to continue. The number of wipes is also better to reduce.
Croton propagation
Reproduction of croton occurs using seeds or cuttings. Each of them requires certain knowledge and skills from a grower. Incorrect transplant procedures can quickly ruin the codeium.
Seed way
Seeds must be freshly picked. Initially, they must be thoroughly heated in water, the temperature of which is 60 degrees. After half an hour, remove the seeds, leave for a day to swell.
Then the seeds can be planted in a previously prepared soil 1 cm deep into the soil. Germination occurs at a temperature of 22 degrees. While no sprouts are observed above the surface of the earth, watering is carried out through a pan.
After the seedlings have sprouted with three leaves, they can be planted in a personal pot. The diameter of the container should be about 7 cm.
Cuttings
It is the apical stalk that is most easily acquired by roots. It should be about 7-10 cm tall. First, the poisonous juice that has appeared on the surface should be washed off the slice. Then dry thoroughly in air for a couple of hours.
The leaves that are on top should be cut in half parallel to the veins. The bottom sheets must be removed altogether.
Then the stem is placed in water, the temperature of which is from 23 to 30 degrees and is suitable for germination of roots. The container should be placed under diffused light. You can plant in the soil that plant, the roots of which have reached 2 cm in length.
Care for the young croton should be the same as for an adult. However, instead of rubbing the leaves and the shower, he needs frequent spraying of the small crown.
Pest and Disease Control
Most often, codium is ill due to improper conditions of detention. Therefore, if yellow spots appear on the leaves or the sheets are bent, and some of them have fallen, care for the flower should be normalized. Since croton emits toxic juice, pests are rare guests on its surface.
Most common:
Spider mite
It is a small red spider. It affects the bottom of the leaves. It is determined by the white web on the surface. You can get rid of it by treatment with a ready-made insecticide or a solution of soap and tobacco.
Shield aphids
Mostly affects adult plants. It appears dark spots on the foliage. Larvae creep over the entire surface of the codium. To get rid of the pest, it is necessary to treat the plant with an insecticide several times with an interval of a week.
Croton lowered, drops leaves, dries - what to do?
Such a signal indicates improper conditions of detention.
To prevent the death of a home plant, it is recommended to influence several key factors:
- provide optimal air humidity;
- adjust watering;
- check for pests.
Of course, such a moody plant is not suitable for every housewife. It requires attention and will not tolerate errors during departure. However, some professional flower growers easily find an approach to croton, and in return receive a beautiful decoration in their home.
