Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) is a charming exotic beauty. In this article, you can learn about caring for this green princess, correct replanting, the right temperature conditions and how to deal with pests.
Basics
Aglaonema is a wonderful representative of the Aroid family. The plant came from the tropical forests of New Guinea, also from Southeast Asia, where it grows along the river banks.
It is an evergreen herb with a rather bulky stem. The color of the leaves depends not badly on the species, but they are leathery in texture, and resemble an egg or lancelet in shape. The leaves have an unusual structure. In the middle of the plate there is a depressed vein, but on the seamy side it is convex. The edge is solid, and the plate is very patterned.
Сhinese evergreen inflorescences are cobs with a green-white veil that grow from the axils of the upper leaves. But the fruit is a berry in which there is an orange or white seed.
Be careful when working with the plant, if the juice of the aglaonema bush gets on the mucous and skin tissues, it can cause severe irritation.
Rinse the damaged area with running water, after any interactions with the flower - wash your hands with soap and water.
Watering
Water for irrigation should be used exclusively soft. You need to boil it or let it brew for a day. Watered at the moment when the topsoil dries up. In the spring and summer, the plant needs to be watered regularly, because this is the vegetation time for it. In winter, it will be necessary to water after a couple of days as the earthen lump dries up.
Be careful, because overflow or drought can harm your favorite flower.
Since the plant is tropical, it needs high humidity. Aglaonem needs to be sprayed often, and it would be best to put it in a tray with expanded clay (you can also choose pebbles) and pour water there. Make sure that the water and the bottom of the pot do not touch.
In the cold season, if the room is cool, then you need to spray the plant with great care.
Temperature
During the warmer months, a comfortable temperature will be 20-25 degrees Celsius (68-77 degrees Fahrenheit). In winter, temperatures should not drop below 16 degrees Celsius (60.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Sudden changes in temperature must not be allowed and the plant must be protected from drafts.
Light
The flower prefers partial shade, so the leaves should be protected from direct sunlight, otherwise they can leave burns on the plate. If your plant is variegated, then you need a bright and diffused light, otherwise the chinese evergreen will lose its decorative effect.
Other recommendations
Below are some tips to help you keep your pet healthy. When performing some procedures, adhere to safety rules, when working with chemicals - wear gloves.
1.Fodder
In winter, aglaonema does not need feeding at all. Fertilizer should be introduced from the very beginning of spring until the end of summer. The procedure should be performed 1-2 times a week using mineral fertilizers or organic matter. Dilute the nutrient solution according to the instructions.
2.Transplant
When the plant is young, then transplant it once in the spring. If the plant is older, then much less often - once every 4-5 years, also in spring. It is best to take a substrate from humus and leafy soil, peat, coal and sand. Ingredient ratio: 1: 6: 1: 2: 2. A soil mixture of sand, peat and leafy soil is also suitable. The ratio is as follows: 1: 1: 2.
There should be a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot; the well-known expanded clay is perfect.
This plant can be grown hydroponically.
- Possible problems
- Brown tips and wrinkled leaf plate. Most likely the humidity in the room is too low. Do not forget to spray the flower from a spray bottle, and you can also put it in a pallet with expanded clay or peat.
- Leaves curl. This factor indicates sharp changes in temperature in the room, or that the aglaonema has been exposed to a draft. Create the desired temperature and place in a draft-free place. It is better to cut off the affected leaves.
- White-yellow spots on the leaves. It is a factor of burns from direct sunlight. The plant must be rearranged in partial shade and allowed to cool, after which the leaves must be moistened.
- Slow growth and brown foliage. This is due to the fact that the bush was watered with cold water or tap water. the liquid must necessarily be warm or room temperature. It is defended for at least 24 hours, or 0.2 grams of oxalic acid is added to one bucket of water and stirred thoroughly, also leaving for a day. Citric acid will give the same effect.
4.Multiplication methods
- Cuttings. This method can be used after the trunk of the plant begins to curl. The stem must be cut in the same way as with the upper cutting. Then it is divided into parts 9-10 centimeters in length, sheet plates must be present on these parts. We leave it in the fresh air for a day, and we treat the cuts with coal. The end of the cutting itself must be planted in the substrate 5 centimeters deep.
- Seeds. Here you will need to wait until the fruits ripen on the bush itself. From the pulp you will need to get seeds, which you should definitely rinse under water. Then they are sown in bowls filled with sand and peat.
- Division. The easiest way, when transplanting, you need to carefully divide the rhizome into two parts.
