Indoor periwinkle: care and cultivation in pots, photo

Growing indoor periwinkle requires special attention. The plant must be provided with comprehensive care, transplanted in a timely manner, protected from diseases and pests. At home, periwinkle is grown from seeds, it can be propagated in various ways.

Description

Periwinkle houseplant is a herbaceous perennial or semi-shrub. Its main characteristics:

• dense and glossy leaves, their shape is oblong;
• branched stems;
• the length of the shoots can reach 0,6 m;
• weaving in height;
• flowers are white, pink, lilac, purple;
• long flowering, which falls on May-September, with a competent periwinkle content, it lasts all 5 months.

The flowers of the periwinkle are quite large with a small 5-cut calyx

Growing from seed at home

At home, periwinkle is grown from seeds. To do this, you need to pick up a pot, prepare the soil and fulfill several conditions.

Soil preparation

For indoor periwinkle, you can purchase ready-made soil mixture. It should be suitable for flowering plants. The soil may be neutral or acidic. All conditions correspond to the composition for geraniums.

You can prepare the soil for indoor periwinkle yourself. To do this, mix in equal parts:

• sod land;
• leaf humus;
• peat.

Sand must also be added to this mixture.

The right pot

For indoor periwinkle, it is important to choose the right pot. The plant has a voluminous root system, which should not be crowded. It is recommended to choose a pot with a margin of several centimeters. It is better to use clay containers.

Cultivation

Even as a houseplant, the periwinkle must be planted at a specific time. The optimal time is the second half of winter or the first half of spring.

First, the seeds are sown in one container. Planting material can be purchased at the store or prepared independently. In the second case, treatment with a solution of potassium permanganate is required. Landing algorithm:

1. Fill the container with soil, not forgetting the drainage layer.
2. Make grooves with an interval of 3 cm and a depth of 1-1,5 cm.
3. Sow seeds. You can plant them in holes of 2-3 pieces.
4. Sprinkle with earth, lightly compact.
5. Moisten the soil.
6. Cover the container with black film and keep at a temperature of 23-25 ​​° C.

Seed spitting takes about a week. After rooting and the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, remove the film and keep the container with seedlings at 16-20 ° C in a well-lit place.

3 weeks after the appearance of sprouts, nitrogen or phosphorus top dressing is needed. The pick is carried out when the bushes grow up to 8 cm and will have 4 leaves. It is recommended to plant 2-3 plants in one pot.

Transplant to another pot

For the well-being of indoor periwinkle, it is recommended to transplant it into a new pot every year. This should be done in the spring after the plant awakens and before its active growth.

Each time the container should be a few centimeters larger so that the root system has enough space.

Algorithm for transplanting indoor periwinkle:

1. Prepare a suitable pot and disinfect. It is better not to limit yourself to scalding the container, but to wipe it from the inside with an alcohol solution or potassium permanganate.
2. Organize a drainage layer.
3. Fill the pot with soil.
4. Carefully remove the plant from the old container.
5. Examine the root system. It is necessary to trim all damaged and dead roots with the capture of a healthy area by at least 4 cm and subsequent processing. To do this, use a sharp tool and crushed charcoal.

Care

The well-being of indoor periwinkle, the abundance and splendor of its flowering depend on the correct content. It consists in several aspects.

An important condition is the correct temperature:

• in the spring and summer, the flower feels good in room conditions at 18-25 ° C;
• in winter, the plant has a dormant period that requires coolness – the optimum temperature is 15 ° C.

Another important aspect of growing is lighting. Partial shade or diffused light is recommended. If direct sunlight hits the plant in the morning, then burns will appear on the leaves. With a lack of light, the stems are drawn out, the decorative effect of the flower suffers.

Watering indoor periwinkle should be regular, but moderate. It is recommended to do this when the earth ball has just begun to dry out – in room conditions this is usually required every 3-4 days. The flower should be sprayed periodically, especially at low humidity. This should be done with warm water.

To control the abundance of watering, you can put a pot with a plant in a pan. If there is water in it 15-20 minutes after watering, then it must be drained, and next time reduce the amount.

In winter, the intensity of watering should be reduced. During this period, the risk of root rot increases.

Indoor periwinkle should be fed regularly. Do this throughout the growing season, not using fertilizers only in winter. It is recommended to feed the flower every 2 weeks, and on warm days every 1,5 weeks. Fertilizers should be used mainly mineral, sometimes organic. Effective formulations for roses.

In summer, indoor periwinkle can be kept on the balcony or in the yard, the flower must be protected from the wind

For the splendor of the indoor periwinkle bush and the appearance of new healthy shoots, pinching is recommended.

If any mistakes are made when caring for a flower, then you can identify them by its appearance:

• yellowing and dying of the leaves, the loss of their healthy shine may indicate a lack of moisture or too high a temperature in the room;
• poor flowering may indicate too low a temperature or a draft, or a lack of nutrients in the soil;
• cessation of flowering usually indicates a large age of the plant;
• yellowed tips of the leaves indicate too dry air in the room;
• dropping buds may indicate a lack of light, watering or nutrients.

Reproduction

Indoor periwinkle is propagated by seed methods or cuttings. Both cases have their own characteristics.

Indoor periwinkle is propagated with seeds in February-March. The algorithm is similar to the usual planting of this flower. Seeds are recommended to use last year, because they have better germination.

Cuttings are carried out in early spring or at the end of summer, when flowering is on the decline. For propagation, take apical cuttings. They must be young, healthy and strong. The algorithm is this:

1. Cut cuttings about 10 cm.
2. Trim the leaves at the bottom.
3. Treat sections with a growth stimulator.
4. Put the cuttings in water or well-moistened clean sand.
5. Cover with foil with ventilation holes.
6. Keep the cuttings in a shady place at 15-18 °C.
7. At the first sign of growth, remove the film.
8. Gradually increase the light intensity.
9. Plant in a permanent location.

Trimming

Indoor periwinkle is prone to weaving, therefore it requires annual pruning. It is necessary to get rid of old and diseased shoots, too long branches. For cutting, use a sharp and sterile tool. After the procedure, process it again.

In addition to annual pruning, timely removal of wilted flowers is recommended. This allows the plant not to waste nutrients, increases its attractiveness.

Pruning is important to maintain the decorative qualities of the indoor periwinkle, even with this measure, its appearance changes after a few years, therefore it is recommended to replace the flower

Diseases and pests

Growing periwinkle at home does not exclude its defeat by diseases and pests. One problem is powdery mildew. It appears as a bloom on leaves and buds, resembling flour. For the fight, fungicides Vectra, Skor, Thiovit and Topaz are used.

With a slight lesion, a solution of soda ash (5 g per 1 liter of water) with the addition of soap chips is effective. The composition is used for abundant spraying 1 time per week.

The plant may suffer from powdery mildew due to stagnant moist air, sudden temperature changes

One of the enemies of indoor periwinkle is aphids. The insect can be introduced with another plant or soil, pet hair. Winged individuals can enter the house through an open window or balcony.

The appearance of aphids is expressed by a painful appearance of the plant, small punctures, sticky surface of the stems and leaves. Pests are carried by viruses and fungal spores. To combat insects, drugs Actellik, Iskra, Decis, Akarin, Fitoverm are used. From folk remedies, solutions of tobacco, garlic, lemon peels, wood ash, and celandine are effective.

To prevent aphids, it is necessary to quarantine newly acquired flowers, and keep the ground for planting or transplanting for some time in the freezer

Another potential enemy of the indoor periwinkle is the spider mite. It has very small dimensions (up to 5 mm), the color may be different. The main sign of the appearance is light and pale yellow spots on the leaf plates, a thin cobweb on the wrong side. You can fight the pest with chemicals Actellik, Skelta, Fitoverm, Flumite.

Among folk remedies for spider mites, infusions of onions, garlic, soap, ammonia are effective.

Photo of flowers in the interior

Periwinkle looks spectacular among various indoor flowers, the photos below prove this.

In well-lit rooms, the periwinkle can be placed on special shelves or stands with other flowering houseplants, choosing the same palette or creating contrasts.

You can place a pot with indoor periwinkle in a flower pot. A great option is a suspended structure that can be placed on a window, balcony, wall.

In summer, a periwinkle pot can be placed in a flowerpot and hung outside

The room periwinkle is quite compact, therefore it will fit even on narrow window sills or shelves

With good lighting, the flower can be placed on the table in the kitchen or dining room, enlivening the interior.

In summer, periwinkle can decorate terraces and verandas, the rest of the time it will perfectly enliven the interior of any room, especially in a rustic style.

Conclusion

Growing indoor periwinkle is no more difficult than other indoor plants. It is planted by seeds, propagated in the same way or by cuttings. Periwinkle, with proper care, will delight with its flowering for 4-5 months.