The fiery beauty of the columbus is becoming more and more popular. This plant also has good greenery, but a flowering fire covering flexible shoots is the true goal of growing the familiar exotic to everyone. Columnea is one of the most difficult plants. Its signals are not always obvious, and disturbances in growth or development do not appear immediately. But if you try to follow the plant and go from the opposite – to avoid mistakes, and not strive for an hardly attainable ideal, the vivid spectacle of abundant flowering is quite achievable.
10 mistakes when growing columnea. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com African Violet Society of Qld
Despite the rather large diversity (there are more than two hundred plants in the genus Columnae), these bright evergreen epiphytes with drooping or straight shoots are easily recognizable at first glance.
Ampel and potted columns from the Gesneriev family with the same right they appear in the lists of the best and decorative-deciduous, and beautifully flowering plants.
Small, oval with an elongated tip, very tough, dark, densely sessile opposite leaves look noble and graceful. And fiery red, yellow, orange, occasionally white tubular flowers in the axils of the leaves are a true decoration of this unique exotic, as if engulfed in tongues of flame. Columnea is easily formed and is held back by pruning to half the length of the branches after flowering.
Columnae have to pay for such beauty – with careful care. The plant loves aphids. But pests are not the main problem, but the plant’s sensitivity to the slightest deviations from optimal conditions. Columnea is not at all as hostile and capricious as her reputation says. You just need to always be attentive to the plant signals.
Consider 10 common mistakes that are made when growing columnea. By avoiding repeating them, you will provide the bushes with everything they need for uniform growth and colorful flowering.
1. Ignoring the requirements for increased illumination
Columnians are photophilous and to expose them even in partial shade is the main mistake. To bloom and develop normally, the plant needs bright light and long daylight hours. Even a slight lack of light during the flowering period will inevitably affect the condition of the plant. And in the winter she needs a rearrangement.
At the same time, do not forget that the kolumnea does not like the direct sun so much that even one day in direct sunlight can deplorably affect the foliage.
2. Growing not on the windowsill
Columnians are plants that prefer natural light. Of course, supplementary lighting is also salutary for them in winter, but they should receive the bulk of the light from the sun.
Therefore, when choosing a place for a columnea, you should immediately refuse to introduce it into the interior. Columnea grows well on light windows, in secluded places without drafts. An eastern, western or southern window sill (with a diffusing screen) will help to avoid mistakes.
3. Lack of control over the minimum temperatures in summer
The minimum temperature indicators are indicated more often for winter, but the columbine has its own requirements for the period of active growth. This plant will develop normally and bloom for a long time only if the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees during May-September.
But you can not track changes in the direction of too strong heat, because it is more colum with optimal air humidity and at 30 degrees. Unacceptable cold snaps in summer have a deplorable effect on flowering.
4. Too long rest period
Columnaea is a special plant and is “fast” in everything. If many indoor crops need several months of preparation for flowering, then the columnea should “rest” for only a month. A dormant period in the cool or at least in temperatures lowered by several degrees for 4 weeks at 16 degrees is an achievable goal even in apartments, because the plant can always be placed on the coolest window close to the glass.
If there is simply no cool alternative to the place of detention, it is enough to increase the humidity of the air to compensate.
5. Temperature jumps
Columbians love stability. Constant temperature drops both in winter and in summer often lead to the fact that the lower leaves fall off more actively, and the tips of the upper ones lose their decorative effect. Accelerated degeneration is a direct result of drafts, which the columnist cannot stand. The more the same conditions the columnea grows, the better.
The reference point is + 25 … + 27 degrees in summer and + 18 … + 20 the rest of the time (except for the rest period at +16 degrees).
6. Unstable air humidity
Periodic spraying for a columnea in a room with dry air cannot be limited to. And they can only be carried out in a “foggy” way.
For columnians, when heating devices or air conditioners are operating, humidifiers must be installed in rooms with naturally low humidity. Even the simplest pallets with expanded clay or pebbles will make the moisture readings more stable.
7. Too frequent watering
Columnea loves moderately “fresh” soil. It cannot stand the complete drying out of the substrate, but average humidity, which is comfortable for other plants, with a slight drying out of only the upper layer of the substrate, is not the best option.
Achieve light constant humidity by frequent, but not abundant watering. Instead of more rare procedures, it is better to water the columnea with a small portion of water, but every 3-4 days. It is better to check the moisture content of the substrate regularly, it is convenient to use special indicators for this.
8. Water quality
Columnea is often watered with settled water, usual for indoor plants. But it is worth approaching this issue more carefully. Hard tap water will not soften even after standing for a long time, although the risk will be reduced.
Columnea is best watered with filtered, rain, melt, distilled or boiled water. And always check its temperature: it should not even be equal, but slightly higher than the temperature in the room. So the risk of watering with cold water, which the kolumney cannot stand, will be excluded.
9. Universal soil
To create an ideal light humidity for a columnea is possible only by choosing the right substrate. Yes, and the roots of a plant can develop normally only in high-quality, loose, humus, not compacted and nutritious soil. Universal soil is not the best option.
For columbus, a soil mixture for the Gesnerievs and soils for ampelous plants with slightly acidic reactions, in which leafy land dominates, are more suitable. Self-applied loosening additives – perlite, vermiculite, coarse sand – will also not be superfluous. As well as a very high one – 1/3 of the height of the pot – a drainage layer.
Important! You should not transplant columnei unnecessarily.
10. Too concentrated dressings
Columnians may bloom profusely, but they react painfully to excessive amounts of trace elements. They will perceive standard feeding with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks as overfeeding.
Columnea should be fertilized only from mid-spring to late summer, reducing the dosage of fertilizers or their frequency. Feeding is permissible only in a liquid way and only with full mineral fertilizers – the leaves of this culture are no less important than flowering.
Dear readers! If you nevertheless made mistakes, and the kolumneya becomes naked, stretched out or sick, then sometimes it is easier to grow a new plant than to save an old bush. After all, the columnea multiplies easily and grows quickly.
For details on the reproduction of Columnea, its main indoor types and features of care, read Columney’s article – scarlet flowers and a difficult character.
