Netherlands flower how to care. Dutch cacti and succulents: what to do to make these plants live happily ever after. Photos and names of decorative indoor plants
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For the first time, unusual and beautifully flowering plants began to be grown in pots or greenhouses in the era of the Great geographical discoveries. Today indoor flowers, a catalog with photographs and titles of which in paper form can fit in several closets, is a passion for millions of people around the world.
Photos and names of decorative indoor plants
Ornamental plants are valued for their flowers different forms and colors, unusual foliage, a variety of forms, including erect, creeping and hanging, herbaceous and tree-like. Indoor flowers can be of local origin and come from the most remote corners of the world. Such plants differ not only in appearance, but also in habits, they require different conditions maintenance and care.
Some people are passionate about succulents, while others are more interested in watching the growth of epiphytes. Although it is almost impossible to get acquainted with all types of home flowers, their photos and names, a short catalog will be an excellent help in choosing a “green pet” to your liking.
Abutilone
An evergreen shrub that easily tolerates crown formation, blooming from late spring to mid-autumn. Numerous varieties and hybrids indoor flower prefer partial shade, are responsive to care, giving their owner a mass of white, yellow, pink, crimson “bells” with a diameter of up to 10–12 cm.
To restore strength, the plant requires a cool winter at 12–15 degrees.
Aglaonema
The photo and name of this homemade flower in a pot became famous thanks to the famous film “Leon”. Today, the herbaceous perennial is popular due to its variegated, leathery, broadly lanceolate-shaped foliage and its unpretentiousness when kept in room conditions.
In the color of the leaves different types and varieties contain not only green, white and silver tones, but also bright pink and purple colors.
Maidenhair
Among houseplants, ferns are not uncommon. Herbaceous evergreens attract attention with their carved fronds and hardiness. One of the most popular ferns is the adiantum, whose young fronds are gracefully curled and pinkish-cream in color. In the house, the flower requires partial shade and cool maintenance in winter.
Azalea
These indoor plants with flowers of white, pink, and purple colors are not accepted by all gardeners. But with the creation of the right conditions and constant attention, medium-sized shrubs related to the plant delight with generous flowering and a long life at home.
Alocasia
Among the many species indoor flowers There are many crops belonging to the Araceae family. People from the tropics of the Southern Hemisphere invariably amaze with the splendor of their greenery and variety of forms.
When you come across photos of decorative house flowers with the name “alocasia”, it is easy to notice how different these plants are in appearance. And this is not surprising, because several dozen representatives of the genus, for example, fragrant, copper-red, are unpretentious decorative foliage crops valued by amateur flower growers.
Aloe
Unlike Alocasia, which loves moisture, all species are succulents that can survive drought thanks to the water accumulated in the succulent leaves. Tree aloe or agave are more often grown as home flowers. The plant is up to one and a half meters high and is decorated with long leaves, up to 30 cm long, with spines along the edges.
The value of the plant is in its non-capricious disposition and healing juice, which has a softening, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effect.
Anthurium
- another representative of the extensive Araceae family, which has become a popular indoor flower. The characteristic features of the plant are an underground stem, pointed, heart-shaped dense leaves supported on tall erect petioles, and inflorescence-cobs decorated with bright spathes up to 15 centimeters long. The modified leaf is painted in bright white-pink, scarlet, greenish-purple tones.
Asparagus
Related to the culinary delicacy of asparagus, as a houseplant it is distinguished by its unpretentious disposition, active growth and for a long time life in a pot. Several species of this crop, thanks to their needle-like foliage, ampelous or bush-like form, have long earned the respect and love of flower growers. Decorative effect The plants are complemented by rare but memorable flowering. The white flowers collected in clusters are small but fragrant. After they wither, red round berries are formed.
Aspidistra
From South-East Asia is an ornamental deciduous plant, the main attraction of which is its large, wide-lanceolate leaves up to 80 cm long. In catalogs, among photos of indoor flowers with the name “aspidistra,” you can find specimens with variegated leaves, decorated with white or yellowish stripes. The flowers of this species are inconspicuous and even invisible. Corollas of a reddish-brown or purple color appear close to the ground.
Balsam
House flowers in pots, in the photo, are popularly called “Vanka Mokrym” or “touch-me-not.” , which has taken up residence on the windowsills of our grandmothers, loves moisture, light and warmth. Extremely unpretentious plant thanks to the presence of a mass of varieties, it is ready to please the gardener with the flowering of simple and double flowers of the most different shades.
Begonia
Begonia is a rare plant that has decorative leaves and flowers. There are more than 1000 cultivated varietals and hybrid forms, actively used for landscaping inside and outside the house. House flowers can differ in the way they are propagated, be bushy or hanging, bloom seasonally or constantly.
Connoisseurs of decorative deciduous crops highly value the bright, unique greenery of these unpretentious, fast-growing flowers.
Indoor geranium (pelargonium)
Unpretentious, profusely and long-blooming pelargonium is an ideal indoor flower for beginners. The plant easily adapts to life in an apartment, can be shaped, can be renewed if necessary and reproduces vegetatively without any problems. And a sea of varieties of various shapes and colors will help create a unique atmosphere in your home and decorate the interior.
Hibiscus
Perennial, related to garden mallows and, in Russian conditions it has taken root as a houseplant. A large flowering crop grown as a shrub or standard tree. At proper care and sufficient nutrition, it has an enviable longevity, grows to a height of 2–2.5 meters and regularly produces spectacular red, pink, and coral flowers.
Hippeastrum
Bulbous perennial popular thanks to simple care and incredibly bright flowering. It is accompanied by the appearance of powerful, up to 70 cm tall, peduncles with several simple or double flowers. The color of the corollas depends on the variety and can be variegated, white, pink, scarlet or deep purple. The leaves form a furry basal rosette and have smooth surface and a pointed linear shape. In autumn, this type of indoor flowers enters a dormant period that lasts several months and requires dry, cool storage of the bulbs.
Gloxinia
Velvety large bells and the same exquisite “soft” oval-shaped leaves - character traits home flower gloxinia. A tuberous plant with a winter dormant period, flowering requires long daylight hours, nutritious soil and a wide pot.
Above one rosette of leaves, several dozen spectacular flowers can simultaneously flaunt in all shades from white to deep purple.
Guzmania
Guzmania attracts attention thanks to its bright foliage bordering the not so noticeable and lush inflorescence. Flowering, which begins after 3 years of planting and lasts up to 3 months, means the imminent death of the mother plant, which must be replaced by basal daughter rosettes.
Dieffenbachia
Decorative foliage plant with large leaves of different colors is relatively unpretentious, stands out for its high growth rate and numerous natural and varietal forms. As in nature, at home, the flower with the name shown in the photo in a pot should receive enough moisture, warmth, nutrition and a lot of bright, but diffused light.
Dracaena
Accustomed to truly “Spartan” conditions in nature, dracaena is not capricious in an apartment. Several of its varieties are grown as house flowers, eventually forming a “tree” with a bare trunk and a cap of tough green or variegated foliage at the top.
Zamioculcas
Zamioculcas, a tuberous plant from the Araceae family, is often found in the collections of gardeners who are keen on evergreen ornamental deciduous crops. An unpretentious indoor flower with a height of 50 to 150 cm forms several powerful, dense stems covered with glossy oval-pointed leaves. Adult plants, with proper care, form milky-white inflorescences-cobs.
Kalanchoe
Encyclopedias and catalogs of indoor plants and plant names often contain references to. Moreover, plants with this name are often included in the list of ornamental and medicinal crops. We are talking about different related species, interesting and remarkable in their own way.
The common features of all varieties are unpretentiousness, rapid growth, easy propagation by all available by vegetative means and responsiveness to care.
Decorative varieties amaze with the splendor of flowering, and viviparous Kalanchoe species will help cope with skin and colds.
Clivia
Clivia is an evergreen rhizomatous plant with a powerful basal rosette long leathery leaves. During flowering, the plant produces a powerful peduncle with bright orange-yellow corollas gathered at the top into an umbrella. At home, flowers last for more than 3 weeks.
Maranta
Arrowroot is a low, often creeping or ampelous perennial with decorative foliage, on one leaf blade combining shades of light and dark greens, purple and pink, white and brownish tones.
Euphorbia Mile
Euphorbia Milya in Russia is better known as the “crown of thorns”. This unpretentious plant in nature reaches a height of 2 meters. In a pot, a succulent with a stiff stem covered with long thorns and a tuft of leaves at the top is much smaller. The unusual appearance of the plant is completed by small inflorescences bordered by bright bracts in scarlet, pink, yellow and white tones.
Sansevieria
Sansevieria or “mother-in-law’s tongue” has been a regular on window sills for many years. Unassuming home flower popular for its tough foliage, with variegated patterns or light borders. 
is one of the most common indoor flowers, but the cylindrical variety with pointed, erect leaves of an original shape is only gaining adherents.
Crassula
The decorative house flowers in the photo owe their name to their fleshy, coin-like leaves. Crassula or " Money Tree» excellent home plant, which even a beginner can take care of. In terms of endurance and easy propagation, the flower can only be compared with Kalanchoe. Even a fallen leaf soon takes root and gives rise to a new plant.
Tradescantia
Tradescantia – excellent ampelous flower For home grown. The plant is different rapid growth, highly decorative, unpretentious and easy agricultural technology. The presence of varieties with variegated foliage of different shades allows you to create unique compositions using one crop. It is moisture-loving, amenable to crown formation and takes root easily, in water or on the ground.
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis or "butterfly-like" flower. This most popular orchid in nature is an epiphyte. At home, the flower is content with a special pot and substrate, unlike ordinary soil. Relatively simple care for phalaenopsis allows a novice orchid lover to master all the features of these ornamental plants.
Usambara violet (Saintpaulia)
At first sight, the Uzambara violet captivates with the appearance of its fleecy foliage, gathered in lush rosettes, above which simple, semi- or double flowers of the most bizarre shapes and colors reign with a bright cap. Modern varieties Saintpaulias number in the thousands and represent giant and dwarf plants, plain and variegated flowers, green leaves and greenery with white or pink edging.
Ficus
Catalog of indoor flowers with photographs and names various types and varieties of ficus can be published as a separate book. Today there are almost a thousand varieties of this plant; several dozen are grown in culture, in the form of a bush, tree, ground cover and even hanging specimens. Most widespread received and rubber.
Chlorophytum
– the leader among plants in terms of air purification ability. But this is not the only reason for the popularity of indoor flowers. An unpretentious and easily propagated indoor herbaceous perennial forms lush rosettes of pointed-lanceolate leaves of green or variegated color. The peculiarity of the culture is the flowers and daughter rosettes of the plant formed on long hanging shoots.
Hoya
Among domestic vines, hoya takes one of the first places in beauty and popularity. An evergreen perennial with long stems covered with dense “waxy” leaves and umbrella-shaped inflorescences of fragrant star-shaped flowers, it leaves no one indifferent. At the same time, ivy growing on a suitable surface does not require special care and is excellent for keeping at home.
Video: 70 indoor plants in my interior
When you come to the store to buy indoor flowers again, with a 90% probability you will buy a Dutch plant. According to the papers, it may be Danish or Belgian, but its real origin is difficult to determine, so we will call all plants that came to stores at auctions Dutch. What does this mean? First of all, the flower you bought was grown in an industrial greenhouse under mass production conditions. For normal growth in indoor conditions, it requires an adaptation period. This is the question we will consider in more detail.
Among flower growers there are different opinions on the quality of Dutch plants, and therefore the possibility of their further successful cultivation in our apartments. Many of them blame Holland for all mortal ills. Let's figure it out.
Quality of supplied plants
High-quality, high-quality flowers cost good money at auction. What we don't pay attention to minor defects, scratches, bruises), in Holland is already considered a defect. Even completely healthy, standard plants that bloomed yesterday are sold at half price. Let's face the truth - all the cheap rejects, as well as the second-grade ones, are bought up by companies and taken to Russia.
True, “substandard plant” does not mean “doomed to death.” In greenhouses, plants grow in conditions suitable for them - high humidity air, very good lighting for 12-14 hours a day, watering and fertilizing on schedule. Why should they feel good when they get into apartments with radiator-dried air and an almost complete absence of light? The solution to the problem is the correct adaptation of the plant.
A separate case is if the plant has been standing for weeks or months in a garden center, store, etc. Here the buyer himself must prove himself. It is necessary to choose a viable plant, and not with cries "Haaaaachu !!!" rush to the first potted herbarium you like. By buying obviously "trash", we ourselves contribute to such an attitude towards us. Who knows how old the cut roses from Holland are that are sold on every corner? At least a month!
Transport soil
A very common concept, supported by instructions for action: “All Dutch plants sit in transport soil, in which nothing can grow, only slowly (or not very slowly) wither. And therefore they must be urgently replanted, washing the roots under water.”
Transport soil is a reality. But, only in the sense that this mixture, used by the Dutch, is designed for transportation. It can be any soilless mixture - peat, coconut, vermiculite, perlite, mineral wool, bark, etc. That is, everything that does not contain soil (this is a requirement of quarantine services around the world). The criteria are: lightness, sterility, cheapness, moisture-holding capacity, breathability, non-flowing nature, entwined with roots, ability to regulate acidity, degree of fertilizer retention, etc. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet all these criteria at the same time. Does not work.
Is peat really that bad? Considering all of the above, it's not that bad. And then, is soil really food? No - it's a plate! To use analogies, peat is a cardboard plate from McDonald's, and homemade super-duper soil is Dresden porcelain.
But what is important for a plant is not what it eats, but what it eats. It needs N, P, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, etc. After transplantation, the plant has enough nutrients for a month and a half. And then we start feeding them. And if we do this correctly, then even in the original peat the plants live and bloom for several years without replanting.
Plants get sick and die not because of peat, but because of a bunch of other reasons, the first of which is the itchy desire to transplant the plant (which is already sick) into a new good, healthy, nutritious soil from the “bad” transport soil, and even wash it roots. If the plant is healthy and has already covered every possible space with its roots, what is the point of trying to find and wash away the remains of peat, mercilessly tugging at the roots under water? The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which are actively involved in the absorption of everything useful.
Another thing is that we ourselves are not very comfortable keeping plants in peat. Either it will dry out, or it will become moldy from overwatering, or it will become salty from excess fertilizer, or it will jump from the window to the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. Naturally in industrial greenhouses There are no these “risk factors”, everything is automatic and under the close attention of professionals.
There is no need to rush to replant plants immediately after purchase, unless the soil has turned sour, or you deliberately bought a sick, problematic plant at a discount. Where more important than plants ensure optimal light conditions, temperature and humidity.
Choose the right moment to transplant. Give the newly purchased plant a couple of weeks to come to its senses. Simply transfer the plant to a larger pot, adding fresh soil around the edges. But it’s better not to do even this in winter or during the plant’s dormant period.
Hormones and stimulants
“In Holland, plants are grown exclusively on hormones, and therefore they have little chance of survival without them.”
Hormones are not a myth. To speed up ripening and for simultaneous flowering, various drugs are used (though not of such demonic properties as rumor gives them). Therefore, for example, Dutch orchids often miss one or even two flowering periods after purchase. You can also cite the example of the “famous” ficus Safari. When grown indoors, the leaves become large, the beautiful variegation disappears, and the leaves turn green.
Also used are so-called “growth retardants” (retardants). They are used mainly to reduce internodes and give plants compact shape. Without their use, even in a greenhouse, the shape is not preserved. You try planting miniature roses outside. These cute little creatures with large flowers on the tops, when planted in the ground, turn into 70 cm giants, on which flowers of the same size look small and unattractive.
Another question is beautiful flowering plants supplied for certain holidays: poinsettias, azaleas, cyclamens, conifers, primroses. These plants belong to the category of “living bouquets”; their lifespan is determined by the manufacturer for a month or a month and a half. But this is there, “over the hill”, where flowers are interior items, decor festive table. 99% of Germans will throw away faded poinsettias after the New Year, and primroses after Easter. Tradition, and nothing can be done. 99% of Russian flower growers will fight to the last to revive such a plant. The percentage of successes and failures is 50/50.
Of course, such hormone-stimulated flowering is not in vain for the plant; it greatly weakens it. And here the choice is up to the florist - what he wants more - to enjoy flowering according to full program once or pick off the flowers, slowly adapt the plant and enjoy the annual, but not such “explosive” flowering.
Nets and plastic cups on the roots
“Six months later I decided to replant the plant - and discovered that the cutting was originally planted in a plastic pot, which was later “buried” in a larger pot.”
Growing in plastic cups, firstly, technologically (when we're talking about about mass production, especially using hydroponics), secondly, limiting growth is convenient for transportation. If we want the plant to grow upward and wider, we must remove these cups whenever possible, which, unfortunately, is often traumatic for the plant. Ficus, aglaonema, begonia and other plants are found with such cups.
Pests
“In the ground there are often mysterious eggs of Dutch insects unknown to science.”
When tested, the eggs turn out to be: a) perlite, b) long-lasting fertilizers. But there really are real pests (including snails and slugs). This is most likely the result of crowding of plants during transport or at the point of sale.
Add to bookmarks:
Part one “The Way of the Little Kangaroo”
Probably, many of you have repeatedly asked yourself the question, with a sigh, throwing away yet another Dutch flower in the trash: “Why did it die???” And they made an unambiguous conclusion that the reason is the evil ones who supply defective goods. After all, your grandmother’s aloe has been growing for decades. No drainage, no fertilizer. IN common corridor. And here! And you, waving your hand, swore off buying plants in the store. I was like that once too. Until a year ago I came across an interesting topic on the forum, based on the materials of which this article was written.
So why are Dutch plants still dying? Where do so many myths about their supposedly capricious and quarrelsome nature come from?
The most basic reason is the human factor. As a rule, plants imported to Russia are not the same best quality. Scratches, bruises, (re-grading) - those minor defects that we don’t pay much attention to are already considered a defect in Holland. For the intermediary, the main thing is profit: buy cheaper, sell more expensive.
During transportation, plants are often flooded, and a truck with a batch of green goods can get stuck somewhere along the road. And if such a delay occurs in winter, then... In general, comments are unnecessary.
True, not all intermediaries are so bad and ignorant. Monopolist Russian market The 7 Flowers company does not import plants from Holland, but transports them by plane. The shipment arrives overnight, and the next day 70% of the goods are distributed to stores. Deliveries are made twice a week, and the quality of the flowers leaves much to be desired.
And then the flowers go to the direct customer. To the flower shop. Or to the supermarket. Or to a stall with the proud name “Flowers” to diversify the assortment and attract potential buyers, perhaps? In general, depending on your luck.
And from this moment the second stage of their existence begins, because Most sellers do not have any special knowledge in the field of floriculture. At best, the average seller can distinguish a violet from a cactus and boast of the exotic word “succulent”; at worst, you will explain to him what titanopsis looks like (something drew me to succulents today)… And if you ask for advice on care for a plant you like, the first thing you will hear will be the words: “As soon as you bring it home, replant it immediately. It’s in the transport soil, there’s no food there, the flower in it will certainly die.”
Part two “Myths of modern Holland”
And this is the first myth about Dutch plants that started it all. I suggest calling it “The myth of transport soil”. But what is “transport soil” (hereinafter referred to as “t/g”)? Just any soilless mixture: peat, coco, vermiculite, perlite, etc. (that which does not contain soil). This is a requirement of quarantine services around the world. In some places they are more loyal, in others they are tougher (for example, generally bare-rooted). But in the concept of the average amateur gardener, t/g is what the plant is transported in, but not grown. Something temporary, short-lived and, of course, not of the highest quality. But we want only the best for our pets! And for some reason it never occurs to anyone that it is unlikely that the plant would grow roots so well and actively if the substrate were so unsuitable for it. If only it were transported in this substrate, and not grown from the moment of cuttings until the moment of delivery to the customer. It is difficult to imagine how colossal costs a producer will incur if he replants a batch of, for example, gardenias from that soil, in which they grew up, into the soil in which they will arrive at their destination. Often, when washing the roots from the “harmful Dutch land”, the lump has to be literally torn apart - it is so tightly entwined with roots. I confess, I myself once suffered from this. I trusted the sellers' word and was too lazy to think logically. The result is three ruined chamelaciums.
Therefore, the first thing you need to do with the plant (assuming that the flower/plant is healthy and not purchased at a discount) after you bring it home is to give it time to adapt. At the same time, you will carry out preventive treatment against. And only after two or three weeks (ideally, after a month) can you carefully transfer the plant into a new pot with the addition of special soil. This is a rule because there are exceptions to it:
- In beautifully flowering plants (azaleas, roses, gardenias), all buds and flowers are cut off. In most cases, roses are TRANSPLANTED into special soil for roses, because... In terms of acidity, peat is not suitable for them. And the apartment is not a greenhouse. It is quite difficult for an amateur gardener to create suitable conditions for growing such a capricious plant in peat. Moreover, in Dutch greenhouses, cultivation in peat soils put on stream, because It is faster and more convenient to “drive out” plants using a point-drip irrigation system, adding almost all the nutrition in liquid form. This is not fatal, but it creates some problems when moving into ordinary soil.
- Palms, dracaenas, cordylines, ficuses, crotons should be carefully checked for the presence of a plastic basket in the center of the root system. If such a basket is found, it must be removed as much as possible. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, but otherwise, over time, the plastic can injure large roots, which will lead to their rotting and death of the plant.
- Large trees (palm trees, for example) are grown in greenhouses in ordinary soil up to the right size, then they dig it up, plant it in a t / g, allow it to recover a little and send it to the customer with a beautiful piece of paper stating that the plant was grown in a substrate without any soil.
So, we have come to the conclusion that the first myth about the “harmful Dutch countrywoman” has no basis except the rich imagination of its many creators.
Myth one and a half, which boils down to the fact that it’s a bad soil for indoor plants, is almost as baseless as myth number one. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the criticized Dutch. What will be important to you in business if you want to get maximum profits at minimum costs? Cheapness starting materials and the pace of production - first of all. If we talk about plants, it is cheaper, faster and easier to grow a bush from several cuttings than from several seeds. It is cheaper to plant it in a thin-walled plastic pot and in soil that is not only cheap, but also sterile, light, moisture-absorbing, breathable, non-flowing, and easily entwined with roots. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet ALL of these criteria at the same time. I can not.
Another thing is that it is not very comfortable for us loved ones to keep plants in this very peat: sometimes it dries out, sometimes it becomes moldy from overwatering, sometimes it becomes salty from excess fertilizer, sometimes it jumps off the window onto the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. And the pots are inconvenient: light, small, and do not hold their shape well. And it's difficult to water. How can you get there with a watering can if the plant almost jumps out of the pot, and the distance between the substrate and lower leaves sometimes less than a centimeter. Yes, this is extremely inconvenient.
So it’s not a matter of the soil, but mainly our laziness. And... in superstitions. Strange as it may sound. And if superstition has nothing to do with it, then where did it come from? second myth? Myth "About the Eggs of Mysterious Insects". It is not as famous as the first two, but has become more and more popular lately. Among the pests of indoor plants there is hardly a mutant of this size whose eggs would be visible naked eye and reached several millimeters in diameter. But perhaps this myth is a consequence of the firmly rooted belief that “over the hill” everything is better than here: the grass is greener, the sun is yellower, and fungus gnats are the size of chafer. But seriously, calling long-lasting fertilizers (such small whitish balls, from one to two millimeters in size) or particles of absorbent materials (which are often added to the substrate to increase its moisture capacity) insect eggs can only be done without the slightest idea that substances do exist. Those. trite out of ignorance. And where there is ignorance, there is superstition. However, we often receive pests as a specific bonus when purchasing a plant, but it is difficult to judge where they come from - from native greenhouses or during transportation and sale.
And finally, the third and last myth. Myth “About Dutch plants overfed with hormones”. Surprisingly, this time I have no desire to refute this myth. Because there is not a single fact indicating that the Dutch grow their plants without the use of chemicals. Hormones are needed to grow not just a bush, but a beautiful and compact bush, abundantly strewn with flowers and buds (in the case of beautifully flowering ones) in as soon as possible. Without the use of hormones, you can only grow the above-mentioned grandmother’s aloe on the windowsill. For years. Exclusively for the soul. And if many amateur flower growers cannot always do without epin-zircon-heteroauxin and other delights, then what can we say about experts in their field?
In mass production, the so-called retardants - chemical substances, which slow down plant growth. This results in a compact crown and large flowers. Remember hibiscus, which instantly begins to grow foliage in rooms. Hormones are not applied directly to the soil - spraying vegetative plants or soaking cuttings before planting has a greater effect. By the way, such methods were also widely used in Soviet floriculture (see the magazine “Floriculture” for the 70-80s). Therefore, there is no point in trying to wash away all sorts of plants from the roots along with the soil. harmful substances, which the nasty Dutch stuffed the poor thing with. All you achieve is another shock for the plant. The strongest of all three is that it transfers along the way to your windowsill. The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which actively participate in the absorption processes. Washing the roots for a plant is like heart surgery for a person. Most often, such manipulations lead to death. Note, not phytohormones, but precisely our attempts to rid the plant of them, and not in the most humane way.
Another thing is that a plant stimulated for abundant flowering, spends all its resources on flowering and upon completion of the process, it simply has no energy left for anything else. The flower withers, is taken out and eventually dies. This especially applies to azaleas (primarily these), cyclamens, poinsettias and other beautiful flowering plants. And here the only way out is to tear off all the flowers and buds (as described above), unless, of course, you are buying a houseplant and not a “living bouquet”.
In any case, replanting does not guarantee a problem-free life for the plant, and its absence means certain death. Each plant must be approached wisely. It is important not just to replant (transfer), but to know with whom, when and why this event is being carried out. This is especially true for Dutch plants. They did long haul, before getting to your windowsill, and they had to endure a lot of trials. Remember this. The myths of modern Holland are good only for the “Collection of Legends about Plants”, but not for practical application.
And good luck to you and your green pets!
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Most of us have purchased indoor plants at least once from a specialty store or supermarket section. Some people were given such indoor flowers in pots as a gift. We are well aware that all this variety of shapes, sizes and riot of color is grown on an industrial scale in greenhouses and then, crossing borders between countries and thousands of kilometers, ends up in our stores.
Since industrial plants are most often brought to us from Holland, such purchased indoor flowers in pots are usually called “Dutch”. With their appearance, a number of persistent beliefs arose among buyers and quickly spread, like ripples on the water from a thrown pebble. Some of them are myths, others are true, but all affect future fate plants. Let's try to understand this mythology together with a specialist - Olga Alenushkina.
MYTHS and TRUTH ABOUT STORE-BUYING HOUSEPLANTS
Poor quality houseplants purchased in stores. This belief is based on the fact that many of these industrial plants They die as soon as they bloom, or even earlier. But by blaming the manufacturers in this case, for whom, in our opinion, this situation ensures the constant purchase of more and more new flowers, we forget about one more intermediate link.
Industrial indoor plants are purchased and delivered to our stores by domestic intermediary companies, whose representatives are mainly concerned with the price rather than the quality of the “Dutch”. Therefore, plants are often purchased that producers consider to be defective - dented, scratched, flowering inappropriately for the variety, etc. And during transportation, care is often limited to only abundant watering. But the plant may not be moisture-loving at all or require maintaining a certain temperature regime, especially during winter frosts.
The manufacturer simultaneously grows hundreds of thousands of different types of indoor plants in greenhouses. Only someone who does not take into account the unnecessary costs time and money. And enterprising capitalists are very good at calculating and minimizing them. Therefore, plants come to us in the same soil in which they were grown.
And if they grew lush leaves and branched roots, then with nutrients everything was in order in their lives. Another thing is that they were initially grown in a soilless mixture, otherwise, when crossing the border, not a single phytosanitary service will allow their import into the country. As a rule, peat, perlite, vermiculite, sand, coconut fiber, etc. are used for such a mixture.
Peat is practically ideal soil for most plants and growers alike. This is a light, breathable, practically sterile, non-flowing and moisture-absorbing substrate that is easily entwined with plant roots. Other natural inexpensive material, which would simultaneously possess all these characteristics, simply does not exist. Here indoor plants come to us in thin plastic pots with peat mixture.
Also, peat cannot be fertilized too much. In addition, small store-bought pots very quickly become too cramped and lose their shape. This is how the misconception-myth about transport soil that is harmful to plants arose.
True, this belief is not a myth for all plants. The exception in this case is large plants, for example, palm trees, which are grown in the ground and, before shipping, are transplanted into a transport peat mixture that is not very suitable for them.
Excess of various chemicals in the soil , where the plant is sold. This belief, opposite to the previous one, also requires immediate replanting of a store-bought plant, but justifies this by overfeeding it with various growth regulators and phytohormones.
When growing industrial indoor plants on a large scale, various chemicals are actually widely used. This and growth regulators or retardants for the formation of compact foliage rosettes and large flowers. Therefore, the plant, finding itself without such feeding, begins to build up its normal green mass, and the initially purchased small compact flower can end up occupying half the windowsill.
And phytohormones to stimulate abundant flowering. In this case, the plant spends almost all its energy on forming more and more new buds and flowers and dies from exhaustion (this situation is most typical for azaleas, poinsettias, etc.).
In the case of this belief, it is not the application itself that is a myth. chemicals, and their presence in the ground. The fact is that they are introduced either by spraying vegetative plants or by soaking cuttings before planting. Therefore, transplanting into clean soil, and even washing the roots, will not help in this case.
White balls on the ground surface are eggs of insect pests. This belief-myth is not as widespread as those described above, but still persistently circulates among hobbyists who buy indoor plants in stores. Although it is difficult to imagine the size of the pests that could hatch from these “eggs”.
The reality is that these are just long-lasting fertilizer balls with a diameter of 1 - 2 mm or particles of various absorbent materials used to increase the moisture capacity of the soil.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN BUYING A HOUSEPLANT IN A STORE
Let us now consider what, contrary to myths, you should still do when bringing a store-bought plant into your home in order to prevent it from dying in the near future.
First of all, the newly acquired flower must be quarantined - that is, placed in a place where it cannot infect any pests already existing in the house. It is not known for certain where industrial flowers acquire these pests - in their own greenhouses, during transportation or already in a store, but they are almost always present on them. Therefore, without preventive treatment special drugs A beginner should not be allowed near other indoor plants.
While in quarantine, the new plant recovers from the stress caused by various movements and moves, and adapts to the conditions of the new room. In two or three weeks, when it finally gets used to it, it can be carefully transferred (not transplanted) into a new pot. But like any self-respecting rule of advice, in this case there are also a number of exceptions:
Based on materials from the portal dedicated to indoor plants
Probably, many of you have repeatedly wondered, with a sigh, throwing away yet another Dutch flower in the trash: “Why did it die???” And they made a clear conclusion that the reason was the evil Dutch manufacturers who supplied low-quality goods. After all, your grandmother’s aloe has been growing for decades. No drainage, no fertilizer. In the common corridor. And here! And you, waving your hand, swore off buying plants in the store. I was like that once too. Until a year ago I came across an interesting topic on the forum, based on the materials of which this article was written.So why are Dutch plants still dying? Where do so many myths about their supposedly capricious and quarrelsome nature come from?
The main reason is the human factor. As a rule, plants imported to Russia are not of the best quality. Scratches, bruises, (re-grading) - those minor defects that we don’t pay much attention to are already considered a defect in Holland. For the intermediary, the main thing is profit: buy cheaper, sell more expensive.
During transportation, plants are often flooded, and a truck with a consignment of green goods can get stuck somewhere along the road. And if such a delay occurs in winter, then... In general, comments are unnecessary.
True, not all intermediaries are so bad and ignorant. The monopolist of the Russian market, the company 7tsvetov, does not import plants from Holland, but transports them by plane. The shipment arrives overnight, and the next day 70% of the goods are distributed to stores. Deliveries are made twice a week, and the quality of the flowers leaves much to be desired.
And then the flowers go to the direct customer. To the flower shop. Or to the supermarket. Or to a stall with the proud name “Flowers” to diversify the assortment and attract potential buyers, perhaps? In general, depending on your luck.
And from this moment the second stage of their existence begins, because Most sellers do not have any special knowledge in the field of floriculture. At best, the average seller can distinguish a violet from a cactus and boast of the exotic word “succulent”; at worst, you will explain to him what titanopsis looks like (something has drawn me to succulents today)... And if you ask for advice on care for a plant you like, the first thing you will hear will be the words: “As soon as you bring it home, replant it immediately. It’s in the transport soil, there’s no food there, the flower in it will certainly die.”
Part two “Myths of modern Holland”
And this is the first myth about Dutch plants that started it all. I suggest calling it “The myth of transport soil”. But what is “transport soil” (hereinafter referred to as “t/g”)? Just any soilless mixture: peat, coco, vermiculite, perlite, etc. (that which does not contain soil). This is a requirement of quarantine services around the world. In some places they are more loyal, in others they are tougher (for example, generally bare-rooted). But in the concept of the average amateur gardener, t/g is what the plant is transported in, but not grown. Something temporary, short-lived and, of course, not of the highest quality. But we want only the best for our pets! And for some reason it never occurs to anyone that it is unlikely that the plant would grow roots so well and actively if the substrate were so unsuitable for it. If only it were transported in this substrate, and not grown from the moment of cuttings until the moment of delivery to the customer. It is difficult to imagine how enormous the costs a producer will incur if he each time TRANSPLANTS a batch of, for example, gardenias from the soil in which they grew to the soil in which they arrive at their destination. Often, when washing the roots from the “harmful Dutch land”, the lump has to be literally torn apart - it is so tightly entwined with roots. I confess, I myself once suffered from this. I trusted the sellers' word and was too lazy to think logically. The result is three ruined chamelaciums.Therefore, the first thing you need to do with the plant (assuming that the flower/plant is healthy and not purchased at a discount) after you bring it home is to give it time to adapt. At the same time, you will carry out preventive treatment against pests and diseases. And only after two or three weeks (ideally a month) can you carefully transfer the plant into a new pot with the addition of special soil. This is a rule because there are exceptions to it:
In beautifully flowering plants (azaleas, roses, gardenias), all buds and flowers are cut off. In most cases, roses are TRANSPLANTED into special soil for roses, because... In terms of acidity, peat is not suitable for them. And the apartment is not a greenhouse. It is quite difficult for an amateur gardener to create suitable conditions for growing such a capricious plant in peat. Moreover, in Dutch greenhouses, cultivation in peat soils has been put on stream, because... It is faster and more convenient to “drive out” plants using a point-drip irrigation system, adding almost all the nutrition in liquid form. This is not fatal, but it creates some problems when moving into ordinary soil.
Palm trees, dracaenas, cordylines, ficuses, and crotons should be carefully checked for the presence of a plastic basket in the center of the root system. If such a basket is found, it must be removed as much as possible. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, but otherwise, over time, the plastic can injure large roots, which will lead to their rotting and death of the plant.
Large trees (palm trees, for example) are grown in greenhouses in ordinary soil to the required size, then dug up, planted in a t/g, allowed to recover a little and sent to the customer with a beautiful piece of paper stating that the plant was grown in a substrate without soil.
So, we have come to the conclusion that the first myth about the “harmful Dutch countrywoman” has no basis except the rich imagination of its many creators.
Myth one and a half, which boils down to the fact that peat is a bad soil for indoor plants, is almost as baseless as myth number one. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the criticized Dutch. What will be important to you in business if you want to get maximum profits at minimum costs? The cheapness of raw materials and production rates are in the first place. If we talk about plants, it is cheaper, faster and easier to grow a bush from several cuttings than from several seeds. It is cheaper to plant it in a thin-walled plastic pot and in soil that is not only cheap, but also sterile, light, moisture-absorbing, breathable, non-flowing, and easily entwined with roots. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet ALL of these criteria at the same time. I can not.
Another thing is that it is not very comfortable for us loved ones to keep plants in this very peat: either it will dry out, or become moldy from overwatering, or become salty from excess fertilizer, or jump from the window to the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. And the pots are inconvenient: light, small, and do not hold their shape well. And it's difficult to water. How can you get there with a watering can if the plant almost jumps out of the pot, and the distance between the substrate and the lower leaves is sometimes less than a centimeter. Yes, this is extremely inconvenient.
So it’s not a matter of the soil, but mainly our laziness. And... in superstitions. Strange as it may sound. And if superstition has nothing to do with it, then where did the second myth come from? Myth "About the Eggs of Mysterious Insects". It is not as famous as the first two, but has become more and more popular lately. Among the pests of indoor plants, there is hardly a mutant of such size, the eggs of which would be visible to the naked eye and reach several millimeters in diameter. But perhaps this myth is a consequence of the firmly rooted belief that “over the hill” everything is better than here: the grass is greener, the sun is yellower, and fungus gnats are the size of chafers. But seriously, calling long-lasting fertilizers (such small whitish balls, from one to two millimeters in size) or particles of absorbent materials (which are often added to the substrate to increase its moisture capacity) insect eggs can only be done without the slightest idea that substances do exist. Those. trite out of ignorance. And where there is ignorance, there is superstition. However, we often receive pests as a specific bonus when purchasing a plant, but it is difficult to judge where they come from - from native greenhouses or during transportation and sale.
And finally, the third and last myth. Myth “About Dutch plants overfed with hormones”. Surprisingly, this time I have no desire to refute this myth. Because there is not a single fact indicating that the Dutch grow their plants without the use of chemicals. Hormones are needed to grow not just a bush, but a beautiful and compact bush, abundantly strewn with flowers and buds (in the case of beautifully flowering ones) in the shortest possible time. Without the use of hormones, you can only grow the above-mentioned grandmother’s aloe on the windowsill. For years. Exclusively for the soul. And if many amateur flower growers cannot always do without epin-zircon-heteroauxin and other delights, then what can we say about experts in their field?
In mass production, the so-called retardants are chemicals that slow down plant growth. The result is a compact crown and large flowers. Remember hibiscus, which instantly begins to grow foliage in rooms. Hormones are not applied directly to the soil - spraying vegetative plants or soaking cuttings before planting has a greater effect. By the way, such methods were also widely used in Soviet floriculture (see the magazine “Floriculture” for the 70-80s). Therefore, there is no point in trying to wash away from the roots of the plant all sorts of harmful substances that the nasty Dutch stuffed the poor thing with. All you achieve is another shock for the plant. The strongest of all three is that it transfers along the way to your windowsill. The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which actively participate in the absorption processes. Washing the roots for a plant is like heart surgery for a person. Most often, such manipulations lead to death. Note, not phytohormones, but precisely our attempts to rid the plant of them, and not in the most humane way.Another thing is that a plant, stimulated for abundant flowering, spends all its resources on flowering and upon completion of the process it simply has no strength left for anything else. The flower withers, is taken out and eventually dies. This especially applies to azaleas (primarily these), cyclamens, poinsettias and other beautiful flowering plants. And here the only way out is to tear off all the flowers and buds (as described above), unless, of course, you are buying a houseplant and not a “living bouquet”.
In any case, replanting does not guarantee a problem-free life for the plant, and its absence means certain death. Each plant must be approached wisely. It is important not just to replant (transfer), but to know with whom, when and why this event is being carried out. This is especially true for Dutch plants. They have come a long way before getting to your windowsill, and they have had to endure many trials. Remember this. The myths of modern Holland are good only for the “Collection of Legends about Plants”, but not for practical application.
And good luck to you and your green pets!
Sincerely, Olga Alenushkina, Moscow