Lianas are a special category of indoor plants. With flexible long shoots, powerful or graceful, indoor climbers take your gardening to the next level. They are grown in ampels and on supports, on green walls and in cascades, used for masking and even for dividing space. Lianas cannot become a true interior decoration without careful care. Any mistakes they make affect the state of the leaves and growth rates, the density of foliage and the beauty of colors. These are stable ornamental plants that depend on their owners even more than bushy herbaceous stars.
Lianas are a special category of indoor plants
There are many nuances and subtleties in growing indoor vines. Plants whose shoot length allows you to experiment with forms and methods of landscaping need a little more attention than ordinary potted plants. Indeed, in lianas, pruning, pinching off shoots, controlling the pace and direction of growth, timely direction along the supports are perhaps the most important in care.
But also the basic procedures, feeding and watering, for these crops determine the degree of decorativeness for many years. Most vines, with moisture problems, shed part of the leaves, the lower part of the shoots is exposed, and too abundant or poor feeding irreversibly leads to a violation of growth and development.
And capricious vines depend on air humidity more than ordinary perennials. But at the same time, vines are one of the most stable, durable, reliable gardening options. Most often, in addition to basic care that does not allow mistakes, they do not require any extra effort.
Lianas constantly add in volume, open up new possibilities, and are suitable for both beginners and experienced flower growers. Vines require regular, systematic care and gratefully respond to attention and care. There are general rules in growing them that should not be forgotten under any circumstances.
1. Individual approach
Each vine is unique and requires its own special care program. And the easiest way to avoid mistakes is by documenting the schedule of procedures and the characteristics of the plant. A small plate or tag on the pot with general information about preferences, an indicator of the degree of humidity, a log of fertilizing, watering and replanting is the best way not only to provide the plant with everything it needs, but also the easiest way to identify and analyze its mistakes in time.
Responsibly approach is already to the choice of a plant, not guided only by an impulse or external effect. Lianas, even if we are talking about graceful ampels, are plants that are brought into the house for many years. Studying the information, checking the information provided by the seller, evaluating your capabilities and characteristics of the house in comparison with the preferences of plants will help you immediately start getting to know the climber correctly. And after observing the quarantine period, keeping in medium conditions, the plant adapts to the interior quickly and painlessly.
The most important aspect of a personalized approach is pruning. It is carried out purely on the recommendation for each individual species and after a thorough analysis of the state of the plant itself. But watering, and feeding, and transplanting, and even the choice of conditions should be selected after studying the requirements of a particular plant.
Scindapsus. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Dennis Amith
2. Stages of watering = stages of development
The need for moisture in all indoor plants changes with the development stage and season. And for the vines, it is important to observe not just a regular irrigation schedule, but the rule of irrigation correction, depending on changes in moisture demand.
During the period of active growth, all vines need much more water than during the rest period. Waterlogging in the summer and during the active growth of young shoots, the vine can forgive, and in winter it will never pass without a trace. With droughts, the opposite is true – in winter they affect less than in summer. For any vines, the complete drying of the earthy coma is a phenomenon that is best avoided. If, as a result of a combination of circumstances, the earthen lump has dried out strongly, then instead of resuming irrigation, you need to saturate the soil with moisture by immersion, allowing the excess water to drain off.
The surest way to avoid the difficulties associated with improper watering is to constantly check the degree of drying of the soil. For each indoor plant in the watering recommendations there is also a clarification of how much the substrate should dry out between procedures.
And a few more nuances of watering for indoor vines:
- vines prefer morning watering;
- water must be drained from the pallets;
- reduction and resumption of abundant watering is carried out smoothly, and not abruptly, trying to adapt the plant gradually;
- the water temperature for vines should not be equal to the temperature of the air and substrate, but exceed it by several degrees, especially during the period of active growth;
- vines are sensitive to water characteristics and the instructions for each species for watering with soft or settled water should not be ignored;
- watering the vines, you need to try not to soak the base of the shoots and avoid any wetting of the leaves.
3. Air humidity directly determines the state of the leaves
Indoor vines have a very large vegetative mass. A huge number of shoots and leaves leads to the fact that the plant becomes more sensitive to deviations in air humidity from comfortable indicators. If changes in humidity, short-term periods of dry air can be compensated for in other plants, then vines usually react immediately, starting with drying of the tips of the leaves and ending with growth failure. The more moisture-loving the liana, the more carefully the indicators need to be monitored.
For all vines without exception, except for species with pubescent leaves, spraying is a mandatory item in the care. By freshening the leaves, increasing the humidity, it also saves the plants from overheating and allows them to more fully compensate for the rate of moisture evaporation. Vines are sprayed always in the morning and never under the sun.
Spraying is carried out only when kept at room temperature or higher. For vines that do not tolerate dry air, spraying alone is indispensable. They can be supplemented or replaced by installing humidifiers – pallets with wet moss or expanded clay, special devices.
ะฆะธัััั (Cissus). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com hopefulauthor
4. Hygiene is important, regardless of size
No matter what liana, even the most gigantic, we are talking about, the plants need to be protected from the accumulation of dust and dirt. At least once a week, choosing a method in accordance with the characteristics of the leaves, dust must be removed from the plant. If the size allows and the vine has glossy leaves, is not afraid of getting wet, it is better to arrange a shower.
Close inspection is just as important for indoor vines as any other care item. As part of spraying or cleaning measures, it is imperative to take care of regular leaf inspections. Paying attention to the condition of the back of the leaves and shoots, it is worth noting any deviations from the norm, including changes in color. Even if there are no signs of diseases and pests, timely identification of problems will allow you to quickly adjust the care.
All vines depend on access to fresh air. Stagnant air currents, lack of circulating air leads not only to a greater accumulation of pollution, but also maximizes the risk of pest infestation. The rooms in which the vines are located must be regularly ventilated, protecting the plants from temperature extremes and drafts. If the vines do not belong to the most capricious species, it is advisable to place them for the summer, if not in the garden, then on an open balcony, where they can be fully satisfied with fresh air.
5. Loosening as for garden plants
For indoor vines, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil, preventing compaction and maintaining optimal air and water permeability. It is especially important to renew the structure of the upper surrogate of the substrate for large, not transplanted annually, plants.
Over time, in the absence of loosening, actively growing vines suffer not only from compaction, and even crusting of the soil, but also from its pollution. With regular loosening, problems with the condition of the soil can be prevented, and plant debris can be removed in a timely manner. Loosening the substrate for indoor vines has its own rules:
- it is carried out superficially, to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm;
- you need to loosen the soil very carefully, at the walls of the pot, making sure not to hurt either the shoots or the roots of the plant.
Stephanotis. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com jmchapp
6. Micro and macronutrients are equally important
It is difficult to make a mistake in dressing for indoor lianas: in order for the plant to receive all the nutrients it needs, it is enough to follow the instructions on the type of fertilizer, the frequency and period of dressing. But in caring for indoor vines, they often make one serious mistake – they choose fertilizers, thinking only the ratio of macronutrients.
For plants with active growth of a large vegetative mass, trace elements are no less important than nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus. For any signs of a shortage of individual substances, additional feeding should be carried out immediately, and in choosing the type of fertilizer, it is always better to give preference to preparations specially designed for vines or complex complex compositions.
For top climbers, calcium is important, which ensures the growth and formation of young shoots, magnesium, which allows maintaining the uniform beauty of colors, iron, which is also responsible for the growth and quality of leaves, as well as sulfur, copper, molybdenum, manganese.
For vines, it is undesirable to use long-acting fertilizers: the risk of uneven absorption of nutrients in them is much higher than in other indoor plants. It is better to lower the concentration of fertilizer for the treetop, but to carry out the procedures more often than to make top dressing of high concentration.
7. Transplant is carried out only on demand
Only young vines are transplanted annually. The older and larger the plant, especially if it is formed on supports that are difficult to transfer to other containers, the less often it will be necessary to transplant, delaying it until the roots completely absorb the substrate.
If the vines grow quickly, the roots appear in the holes after a few months, and the plant itself does not tolerate too spacious containers, you should not wait for a favorable period for transplanting in the new spring, but transplant then and as often as necessary, up to several times a year …
Passionflower (Passiflora). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com T. MA
8. A healthy vine starts with a quality substrate
The soil for vines is selected individually according to the required reaction, composition and ratio of components. But there are still general criteria for the substrate in which indoor climbers are grown. The soil should be nutritious, breathable, loose in texture, not prone to compaction over time, sufficiently rough, water-permeable.
The structure of the soil is determined by the type of root system, choosing light substrates for plants with thin and weak roots, medium ones for fast-growing vines and heavy ones for shrub vines with ligneous shoots and powerful rhizomes grown in the largest containers.
For any liana, loosening and disinfecting additives are welcomed – charcoal, wood ash, moss, bark, vermiculite, perlite, expanded clay, etc.
Vines require high drainage. The risk of waterlogging of the soil, even with the most careful care of vines, especially ampels, is much higher than that of ordinary potted plants. Drainage can prevent many problems, stabilize conditions and lighten containers when growing in hanging planters.
9. The transplant should be done with great care.
Before transplanting, it is worth assessing the condition of the plant itself and its capabilities. Large vines, due to their heavy weight (and often medium-sized indoor climbers), cannot be properly transplanted by yourself. The number of working hands should allow not only to cope with a heavy earthen clod, but also to protect all shoots and leaves from injury.
It is better to transplant all vines, without exception, with minimal contact with the roots. Only the contaminated topsoil and freely crumbling soil are removed from the earthen coma. If you need to completely replace the soil, then the earthen lump is carefully loosened, and the roots are kept in a weak solution of fungicides (at least potassium permanganate).
When the root system is exposed, too long roots are cut, all damaged or dry areas are removed. In plants with a very dense root ball, formed as a result of a long absence of transplanting and leading to an almost complete absence of soil inside the root ball, longitudinal cuts are made. Even if the vine is not capricious, the absence of unnecessary root injuries will allow it to quickly adapt and grow.
The day before transplanting, the vine is watered to simplify the procedure. You need to act quickly during transplantation, not allowing the roots to dry out. It is advisable to control the depth of the plant, keeping the same and making sure that the root collar is approximately 2-3 cm below the edge of the pot, which will allow replacing the topsoil in the future without transplanting.
The vine should be positioned exactly in the middle of the pot, without shifting, which can cause the container to become unstable as the plant develops. The substrate is poured in small portions, leaving loose and not tamped too hard.
Hoya. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Silas Price
10. Delicate handling is most important after transplant
Any transplant of indoor vines is completed with abundant watering. It is carried out by saturating the substrate with small portions of water for high-quality and uniform moisture. The next watering is carried out only after the substrate has dried to the extent recommended for each plant (usually in the upper 2-3 cm). The usual watering schedule is not resumed immediately.
Top dressing during this period can lead to serious root injuries and problems with vine growth.
After transplanting, the plants are not fed for 2-4 weeks, during which there are enough nutrients contained in the soil. Top dressing during this period can lead to serious root injuries and problems with the growth of the vine.
In order for the vine to quickly adapt and resume growth after transplanting, the plant needs to create conditions similar to quarantine after purchase – soft, appropriate, but more delicate lighting. Increased or at least stable air humidity also improves the adaptation process.
After signs of new growth appear, the vine is transferred to its usual conditions. Before putting the plant in its place in the room, it is worth checking the condition of the leaves and shoots and be sure to add soil if its level has sunk greatly in the pots.
