Yuka is a heat-loving flower from the Agave family, which came to temperate latitudes from the tropical and subtropical climate of Central America. A tree or shrub plant is also known as a “denim tree”, since it was this crop that became the raw material for the denim. The beautiful and unpretentious culture in the care in the wild is represented by 30 species, some of which are cultivated in Central Russia on the windowsills of apartments and in the garden open ground.
Material Content:
The nuances of growing Yuki
Yucca flower has its own characteristics that should be considered when growing:
- Bright lighting - the culture, being a native of desert areas with a scorching sun, needs good lighting.
- Flowering - buds are laid only when the flower is in the cold for a long time.
- Growth rates - Yucca develops very slowly, which makes impatient growers acquire an adult plant.
Yuka Flower (Yucca): home care
The homemade yuka flower, reaching a height of up to 2 m, requires only the most basic rules.
Lighting and location
To provide the necessary bright lighting similar to natural, it is recommended to place the yucca near the southern windows.In the absence of such an opportunity, the brightest rooms are selected, where, if necessary, an additional light source is organized.
Temperature
For the spring-summer period, the temperature is suitable for the plant in the range of 20-25 ° C. In winter, lowering the temperature should be limited to a limit value of 10 ° C.
Substrate requirement
Yucca needs a light, well-drained soil with a pH response of 5.5-7.5 and excellent water throughput. The substrate can be purchased in the store or prepared independently, taking humus, compost, turfy earth and sand in equal parts.
Irrigation system and humidity
Watering the yucca should not be plentiful and frequent, in which the edges of the leaves can darken and root rot begin to develop. With an optimal irrigation regimen between procedures, the substrate should have time to dry to a depth of 5 to 7 cm. The yucca growing under the hot sun does not need to be sprayed, with the exception of some water-loving species.
Advice! If the apartment has too dry air, it is better to install a humidifier or a container of water near the flower.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
The plant responds well to top-dressing by the foliar method, which is carried out twice a month from mid-spring to late summer. As fertilizers, preference is given to mineral complexes, the concentration of which, when used, should be half that indicated on the package.
How to care for leaves, dust removal
To facilitate the breathing of the flower and rid the leaf plates collected in sockets from accumulated dust, you can resort to spraying from a finely dispersed atomizer. However, this procedure should not be abused.
Yucca flower transplant
Culture is transplanted only when the need arises - the pot has become small, the rhizome has become rotten, or the yucca was acquired 2 weeks ago.
During the procedure:
- A high stable pot is selected, at the bottom of which a claydite drainage layer is placed.
- By transshipment, the instance is moved to a new container.
- The remaining voids are filled with soil, which is compacted and moistened.
Attention! In the case of the disease, the earthen lump is disturbed, and the diseased sections of the rhizome are removed, after which the plant is planted in a new substrate.
Outdoor landing
Often, yucca adorns the plots of country houses with its exotic look. And in this case, one of the main stages for successful cultivation is planting.
Soil preparation and location
For garden varieties, a well-lit place with a deep groundwater table is chosen. If the relief of the site allows, it is better to select areas on the hills with slight shading at the peak of solar activity. When digging a site, in order to ensure a loose soil structure, peat and sand are introduced.
Landing technology
Yucca is planted in the spring after the establishment of stable heat or in early autumn. Wherein:
- Preparing landing pits, twice the diameter of the root system of seedlings.
- A layer of gravel is placed at the bottom.
- After planting seedlings, the soil is slightly compacted and moistened.
Garden care
Yucca in the open requires little attention. For an exotic flower, it is necessary to provide two main components - watering and top dressing.
Watering
The main rule when watering is to avoid excessive moisture. Decreased foliage will be a signal for the next portion of irrigation, which is carried out by standing water.
Fertilizer application
After planting a young plant in the garden for the first two years, the yucca is fertilized during the active vegetation period twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers. After the flower reaches the age of three years, top dressing can be carried out with the inclusion of organic fertilizers.
Winter care
So that yucca successfully wintered in the open ground, its foliage is collected in a tight bunch and covered with organic material. It is also possible to cut the stem halfway and then turn it around.
Plant propagation
Yucca propagates both by seed and vegetative, which is more acceptable due to the excessively slow growth rate of the crop.
Cuttings
With the advent of spring and until the end of summer, cuttings are carried out in which:
- Slices of prepared cuttings are dried in the shade.
- After 12 hours in the air, planting material is buried 4 cm in moist sand.
- Rooting is observed after 3-4 weeks when keeping plantings in a room with bright light and a temperature of 25-30 ° C.
Parts of the trunk
From an adult, overgrown specimen, you can get several young plants.
If you use the method of reproduction, in which:
- The tops of an adult plant are cut off.
- Slicing sites are treated with an antiseptic.
- After drying in fresh air, the tops are immersed in boiled water.
- After root formation, new plants are planted in separate pots.
Advice! If the barrel has significant dimensions, then you can divide it into several parts, each of which can be planted in an individual tank.
Pests, diseases and control methods
When immunity is weakened due to violation of the nursing care regulations, scabies, spider mites, aphids and thrips are noted on the yucca. The shield can be successfully treated with a saturated soapy solution, which is left for an hour. After that it is washed off. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated. In the fight against harmful insects, insecticides are the most effective. Among the most common diseases, rot and spotting are distinguished, which can be cured at the initial stages of development by spraying with fungicides.
Possible growing problems
Cultivation of a representative of exotic flora is often fraught with certain difficulties:
- Yellowing leaf plates - if yellowness touched only the lower tier of leaves, then this is a natural process associated with the growth of yucca. With the appearance of yellow spots of an elliptical shape, a brown spot is diagnosed, which must be treated in a timely manner.
- Leaf drying - the lower leaf plates dry for natural reasons, while the reason for the drying of the upper ones is the heat and lack of light. If the problem touched only the tips, then this is due to dry air.
- Leaf drop - an excess of moisture in the soil can provoke a similar situation, which is easy to cope with when normalizing the irrigation regime.
Garden Yuka flower in landscape design
An exotic representative fits perfectly into the Mediterranean-style gardens. Drought-tolerant culture is indispensable in the design of rockeries and compositional flower beds, where the yucca is located in the center. The flower looks great on flights of stairs and rocky patios. An exotic representative in a flowerpot will decorate any architectural art objects.
Thus, the undemanding yucca flower, the care of which is not even burdensome even for a busy person, is a beautiful plant that can decorate not only a living room, but also a personal plot, bringing a touch of overseas design to the landscape.
