Mikania

Mikania is originally from America, and its central and southern parts. It is a rather large genus, numbering about 450 species, but growers grow Mikania ternata (trifoliate) as a houseplant. In order for the plant to be comfortable, you will have to make some effort and take proper care of it, but still mikaniya cannot be called capricious.

Mikania: description of the plant

Mikania: photo

Mikania is a herbaceous perennial, the shoots of which, as they grow, become lodging, therefore, Mikania is grown as an ampelous plant. It looks beautiful and impressive in hanging pots and baskets.
The leaf plate is complex, consisting of 5 diamond-shaped segments. The upper leaf is the largest, and the pair of lower ones, respectively, are the smallest - their length is no more than 2 cm. The petioles of Mikania are brown-brown, the leaves are dark green with red veins, and the seamy side of the leaf has a purple color. The surface of the leaves is velvety, very pleasant to the touch. It is the foliage of the plant with its unusual color and interesting shape that performs the main decorative function, since mikania blooms at home extremely rarely. The flowers of this plant are quite small and have a yellow-white color.

Mikania: the secrets of plant care

Mikania: photo

Mikania needs a lot of light, regardless of the season, so that its foliage remains spectacular and does not lose color brightness, but in the daytime the light must be diffused to prevent sunburn. In the morning or evening, direct sunlight will not harm the plant.

Mikania needs moderate temperatures and does not tolerate extreme heat very well. The optimum temperature will be + 18 ... + 22 degrees in the warm season and approximately + 13 ... + 16 degrees in the winter. If you do not provide the plant with a cool winter, then Mikania may die.

Mikania needs a fairly high air humidity and regular ventilation, which must be done very carefully to prevent drafts. To ensure the required level of humidity, place a vessel with water next to it or place the dipping on a tray with expanded clay and a little water (the water should not reach the drain hole of the pot). It is categorically impossible to spray mikaniya, since spots appear on the surface of the leaf plate from moisture, and the appearance of the plant becomes less attractive.

In the process of watering mikaniya, the soil should not be waterlogged, it should always be slightly damp. Also, moisture stagnation should not be allowed, so excess from the pallet or pots must be drained in a timely manner. In winter, the plant is watered much less often and only after the ground has dried out after the previous watering. But it is also impossible to allow the land to dry completely, therefore it is very important to adjust the schedule and volume of irrigation.

Fertilizing Mikaniya is necessary only in the spring-summer period, feeding every couple of weeks. To feed Mikania, like most plants, basic elements are needed: potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Pick up a complex liquid fertilizer for ornamental-deciduous plants, but when using the dosage, it must be halved.

Transfer

Mikania: photo

Young Mikanii need to be replanted every year, as they are actively growing, and the planting capacity should be increased. But an adult Mikaniya is enough to transplant once every three years. Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot, and then add nutritious soil. Suitable soil for decorative leafy indoor plants, which can be purchased at any flower shop.If you are used to preparing the soil mixture yourself, then mix equal parts of sand, peat and leafy soil with two parts of sod land.

Mikania: reproduction

Since we do not count on the flowering of Mikania, the main method of plant propagation is by rooting the apical cuttings. Cuttings are cut in the spring, when all living things wake up and begin to grow actively. They can be rooted in water or soil. When rooting in water, add an activated charcoal tablet to help the water stay cleaner for longer. After a while, you will notice the appearance of roots, and when they grow to three centimeters, the plant can be planted in a pot.

If you root the cuttings immediately in the soil, then first put them in water with a growth stimulator ("Zircon", "Epin") for several hours, and then deepen them 2-3 cm into the moist soil and install a transparent cover on top to get greenhouse. Air the cuttings daily and keep the soil moist. As soon as new leaves appear on the handle, it can be assumed that rooting has taken place.

Possible problems and solutions

Mikania: photo

If negative changes occur in the appearance of mikaniya, then this is most likely due to improper care.
In case of a lack of light, mikania leaves become smaller, and the branches stretch and become thinner.
If the tips of the leaves become thin and darken, it is probably due to the low humidity in the room.
If the leaves lose their color and become lethargic, then you may have overflowed the plant and the water stagnates in the ground.
Also, you may encounter diseases that will have to be treated with special drugs.

If the air humidity is too high and there is no ventilation, the mowing can get sick with "powdery mildew", which manifests itself as a light bloom on the surface of the leaves. Gradually, the affected area becomes larger, small light spots of plaque darken and spread, then the leaf dries and dies. In order to cure the plant, it will be necessary to remove the affected areas, and twice or three times, with a difference of a week, carry out the procedure for treatment with an antibiotic solution or fungicide for plants.

Gray mold usually appears where it is wet and cool. It is not difficult to notice the disease, since a shaggy gray bloom will be delighted on the affected parts of the plant. Remove all damaged parts of the plant, treat with Fundazol or Topsin-m, loosen the soil regularly (only without fanaticism, so as not to damage the roots), and ventilate the room.
Harmful insects that infect Mikania are also easy to spot. A spider mite usually appears at high humidity, the cobweb between the leaves will inform you of its presence. To get rid of it, you will need to carry out two or three treatments with insecticides ("Fufanon"," Fitoverm ","Actellik"- any of the listed drugs will do). The same Fitoverm and Aktellik. And also "Decis" and "Inta-vir" will help you cope with thrips, which, on the contrary, prefer low humidity and high air temperature.

The conclusion suggests itself: with proper care for mikania (maintaining the desired temperature and humidity, a well-regulated irrigation system and regular ventilation of the room), all of the above problems can be avoided, and growing mikaniy will not cause you any trouble.