There are many attractive vines that perfectly take root at home. And a special place among such crops is the tetrastigma Wuanye (room grapes). This climbing plant looks spectacular, and at the same time care for it does not take much time and effort. You will learn about how to grow a vine at home from our material.
Description
This unpretentious climbing plant belongs to the Grape family. And in its natural habitat it can be found in the rainforests of Laos and Vietnam. There, the liana grows to 30 meters in length. And although the plant has smaller sizes when grown at home, it is still not suitable for small-sized rooms. Indeed, for a year, lashes of creepers can grow up to a meter in length. So they will have to be constantly shortened.
This evergreen creeper has a thick stem from which numerous felted-pubescent young shoots emerge. They are densely covered with large leaves, reaching up to 25 cm in length. The shape of the plates is lobed, the surface is glossy.
Home Care
Tetrastigma Vuagnier is an unpretentious plant, and even a beginner grower can grow it if desired. Indeed, in order to create comfortable conditions for the culture, you only need to maintain the optimum temperature, humidity and lighting in the room. It is also necessary to provide the flower with minimal care, which consists of the following agrotechnical measures:
- regular watering;
- periodic top dressing;
- scheduled transplantation;
- pruning
- prevention of diseases and pests.
Lighting
Tetrastigma Vuanye is a photophilous plant, but direct sunlight is contraindicated, because from them the leaves of the flower get burns. Therefore, it is advisable to grow homemade grapes near the east or west window. Yes, you can put a pot on the southern windowsill, but here you must not forget to shade the plant in the afternoon.
Temperature
This decorative plant for the home belongs to heat-loving crops. And from spring to autumn it is advisable to maintain the temperature in the room within + 23 ... + 27 ° C. In summer, you can take the plant to the balcony or to the garden, but you should choose a place for it where direct sunlight or sharp gusts of wind do not reach.
In winter, grapes require cooler conditions (+ 15 ... + 17 ° C). But it is important to remember that lowering the temperature to +12 ° C will become critical for the flower. And in such a cold, he will quickly freeze and die.
Watering and humidity
Home grapes are a very hygrophilous plant. And to make homemade grapes delight with lush foliage, it is important to prevent the soil from drying out and moisten the soil as soon as it dries to a depth of 1-2 cm. Experienced growers recommend growing the vine in special pots for indoor plants with automatic irrigation. This approach significantly reduces the risk that you dry the earthen clod.
Despite the moisture-loving nature, home grapes do not tolerate stagnation at the roots. After all, such a phenomenon can lead to the appearance of rot. Therefore, do not forget to drain excess fluid from the pan, after 1-2 hours the irrigation field.
Tetrastigma perfectly survives in the dry conditions of a city apartment. But still it is advisable to spray her foliage with spray water at least once a week. But a similar procedure can be carried out only in the warm season. In winter, especially if the crop is grown in a cool room, spraying should be canceled.
At any time of the year, home-made grapes need an influx of fresh air. Therefore, do not forget to regularly air the room. But keep in mind that the plant does not tolerate drafts and sudden changes in temperature. So take the flower to another room while airing.
Top dressing
Tetrastigma Vuagnier responds well to dressing. And it is advisable to fertilize homemade grapes once every two weeks from spring to autumn. For these purposes, use complex mineral formulations. And sometimes spoil the vine with organic matter, such as green manure. In winter, the plant begins a dormant period, at which time it does not need to be fed.
Transfer
Young homemade grapes are growing rapidly, and during the first two years it will have to be replanted 1-2 times a year. For adults, it is advisable to conduct this event every spring. But if you have large grapes that are difficult to transplant, then annually change the topsoil to a depth of 3 cm.
For plants, choose resistant pots, one size larger than the previous ones. As for the soil, the usual store mix intended for decorative and deciduous crops is suitable for indoor grapes. An excellent option would be Fasco soil.
If you want to create a substrate yourself, then mix the following components in equal parts:
- turf soil;
- sheet earth;
- compost;
- river sand;
- peat.
Before transplanting, be sure to sanitize the substrate by calcining it in the oven or holding it over steam. Otherwise, the plant will die from microorganisms living in the soil.
In addition, do not forget to pour a thick layer of drainage on the bottom of the new tank, for example, expanded clay, pebbles, brick chips. The transplant procedure itself is carried out by the transshipment method.
Trimming and support
The plant itself does not need pruning. And this procedure is carried out only to restrain the growth of indoor grapes. If you decide to crop, then use only well-sharpened tools. In addition, during the event, try not to touch the young leaves of the creeper, otherwise she will drop them along with the shoots.
The shoots of tetrastigma Woigner grow rapidly. And if the stems of the creeper will fall on each other, then because of the thickenedness they will not be enough light. And this will lead to the fact that the plant will drop leaves. Therefore, it is important to direct the growth of creeper shoots using a thick metal support.
Breeding
Tetrastigma Wuanye is easily propagated by cuttings. Moreover, this event can be held at any time of the year. For cuttings, select apical shoots, and cut them with sharp scissors so that at least one growth point and two to three leaves are present on the workpieces. Then treat the cut sites with any growth stimulant, such as Kornevin or Zircon, and plant the branches in a moistened mixture of peat and sand. In order for plants to take root more quickly, it is advisable to cover the planting with polyethylene.
Care of cuttings consists of regular watering and ventilation. And it is also important to maintain the temperature in the greenhouse within +24 ° C. When the plants take root, and begin to produce new shoots, transplant them into individual pots.
Diseases and Pests
Tetrastigma Vuagnier is a plant with strong immunity, and at home it almost never gets sick. But if you regularly make mistakes in leaving, then the forces of the liana will be depleted, and it will become vulnerable to microorganisms and parasites.
Of the pests, the plant is most often attacked by spider mites. These pests appear on the vine due to low humidity. Insects can be recognized by a thin, sticky web and a whitish coating, which they leave on the stems of the culture. To get rid of ticks, arrange a flower with a warm shower with a water temperature of 40 degrees. If this does not help, then treat the plant with an insecticide, for example, Aktara or Aktellik.
In addition, in case of violation of agricultural standards with a vine, the following problems arise:
- Stretching the shoots. Lack of light leads to this. Move the liana to a lighted place.
- Brown spots appeared on the leaves. Similar damage occurs if direct sunlight enters the plant. In addition, brown spots may be caused by growing in too cold a room. Correct the situation depending on the cause.
- The leaves were covered with yellow spots. This phenomenon is caused by hard watering.
When choosing a decorative plant for the home, pay attention to tetrastigma. This attractive vine will become an adornment of any room, and even an inexperienced gardener can grow it. The main thing is to adhere to the rules of care, and clearly carry out all agricultural activities and then the culture will delight for a long time with its impeccable appearance.