We care for camellia correctly
Camellia differs from many plants that live on windowsills or in tubs in that it blooms in winter, when most of the flowers either remain dormant after flowering, or even freeze and go into hibernation. In order for this demanding southern beauty to feel well in the dry air of the apartment, it is necessary to provide her with conditions that are most similar to her natural habitat.
Competent and, most importantly, proper care for the camellia should include:
- choosing a place with good lighting;
- cool temperatures, especially in winter;
- abundant watering;
- regular feeding;
- periodic pruning.
How much light does a flower need?
Camellia needs good lighting for at least 12 hours a day, but this does not mean at all that you need to put it under the sun. The light should be diffused, coming from the west or east windows.
The exception is young, newly planted plants - they must be placed in a shaded place for the first two weeks.
Temperature regime depending on the season
In summer, camellia feels best in the fresh air, that is, outside. But you need to place the pot under the shelter of a canopy or large trees. The optimum air temperature in the spring and summer for a plant is about 25 degrees Celsius.
In winter, when the camellia begins to bloom, the pot with the plant must be placed in a room where the air temperature does not rise above 12 degrees Celsius. This is a prerequisite for flowering.
Watering nuances
Abundant watering is the key to the lush flowering of camellia. Coming from the tropics, she is very fond of moisture and, with a lack of it, sheds foliage and refuses to bloom. The frequency of watering depends on the conditions of detention: a plant standing in a cool room is watered less often, in a warm room - more often.
In early summer, when new flowering buds begin to form on the bush for the next winter flowering, watering should be slightly reduced.
Features of dressings
Camellia responds well to feeding, and they can be done all year round, because the flower does not have a pronounced rest period: in summer it lays new buds, and in winter it blooms. In order for the bush to grow a lush crown, preparations with a high nitrogen content are used. For abundant flowering, potassium-phosphorus fertilizing is carried out.
Also, ready-made preparations intended for orchids or azaleas.
When to prune?
Camellia forms well on its own, but in order to give the bush a more rounded shape, strongly elongated branches can be cut at the end of autumn.
Some growers also remove some of the buds, leaving no more than 2 on each branch so that the remaining inflorescences are larger.