Rules for planting and caring for heather in a pot at home

Heather is an evergreen shrub distributed throughout the world. In Russia, it is primarily found in Siberia and the European part, where it has chosen pine forests and peat bogs. This plant is very whimsical; it is not easy to care for in the garden, and especially at home. But this culture has many fans. It not only serves as an unusual decoration, but also brings many benefits. Growing heather in a pot at home is an interesting activity, the main thing is to take into account the characteristics of the plant.

The best varieties for growing at home

Not many varieties of heather are used for growing at home.

Slim

One of the most beautiful indoor varieties. Neat bushes, up to 40 centimeters high, with light green leaves, densely hung with inflorescences during the flowering period. The color of the flowers is pink, red, purple, which makes them look like pomegranate clusters.

Wintering

This variety grows up to half a meter, the flowers are also larger than those of slender heather. The flowers are white, size up to 2 centimeters.

Mix

Heather mix is ​​loved by many gardeners due to the fact that its flowers are painted in a variety of bright shades. It can be pink, purple, white. This variety reaches a height of half a meter and grows very luxuriantly. Blooms in July.

Ordinary

The height of common heather is more than half a meter, it also branches heavily, the color of the stems is reddish. Flowers of lilac and pink shades do not fall off for a long time even after the end of the flowering period.

Necessary conditions for a flower

Heather lives shorter in an apartment than in the wild or garden - up to two years. In order for the plant to delight with flowers all this time, it is necessary to grow it correctly and then care for it.

Place and lighting

When choosing a room in which you plan to grow heather, you need to consider the following:

• it should be well ventilated;
• Heat harms the plant, so you need to prevent overheating (do not place it near heaters or radiators);
• a lot of diffused sunlight.

The ideal option is an insulated loggia, where the desired temperature will be maintained in winter. But avoid the south side and direct sunlight.

Temperature

High temperatures are detrimental to heather. Therefore, in winter it is enough for him to have +12-15 degrees, in summer – up to +25. When growing seedlings, try to keep the temperature around +18-20. Stuffiness is also contraindicated for the plant. But temporary removal to the street in spring and autumn on warm (but not hot!) days will have a good effect.

Indoor humidity

An abundance of moisture is important for heather; it will not grow well in rooms with dry air. To avoid this, gardeners advise spraying the bushes.

Optimal soil composition and pot volume

For heather, a shallow and wide pot is best, but when planting the plant you need to focus on the roots. The depth of the container should exceed their length, and as the heather grows, it needs to be transplanted into a larger pot. Often heather is planted in long boxes, then you can put together a composition of several varieties.

As for the soil, the best option is acidic soil with a base of peat and humus, which will contain a sufficient amount of organic matter. Good drainage is also important.

Rules for planting heather flowers at home

Heather can be planted with seeds or seedlings. When purchasing seedlings, you need to carefully consider each one, since even dead bushes do not lose leaves and appear to be alive.

Timing and technology of planting work

Planting seeds is carried out in any season as follows:

1. Bury the seeds at a shallow depth in a mixture of peat, pine soil and sand.
2. Cover the pots tightly with film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.
3. Ventilate periodically and water the soil when it dries.
4. 8-10 months after the seeds have sprouted, the plants can be transplanted into separate pots.

If you decide to use seedlings, then choose strong stems without flowers. First you need to put them in water, and when the roots appear, plant them in a pot. Use a mixture of peat and sand.

Rules for caring for crops

Heather is a finicky plant, and if you decide to grow it at home, you will need time and patience. Fortunately, different varieties need to be cared for in the same way. Mulching has a good effect on heather, but be sure to remove dry leaves and branches.

Watering and irrigating the bush

It is important that the soil for heather is always moist. It is also sensitive to water. It is necessary to water only with settled water, practically without chlorine. If the water in your region is highly chlorinated, then leave it for 2 weeks, or even better, use melt or rain water. Pour carefully, right to the roots, so that water does not get on the leaves, otherwise gray rot may appear. But for better hydration, the plant can be lightly sprayed.

What and when to feed

Feeding is very important for heather, but you shouldn’t apply too much either. During the period of active growth, fertilize with complex mineral fertilizers. The first time is in the spring, after you prune. 20-30 milligrams are required per square meter. Organic matter is also suitable, and to oxidize the earth, use spruce bark or sulfur.

Shaping and trimming

Pruning is another activity necessary for the plant. It is carried out after flowering.Fresh stems are removed to form a bush. The woody ones should be left - they will then produce new shoots. Some gardeners prefer not to prune the heather in order to preserve the flowers longer, but still, thanks to pruning, the bush grows more luxuriantly and forms flowers better.

Transfer

Heather needs to be replanted into a new container every year, as it grows quickly. You need to replant carefully - the plant gets sick for a long time. The root system is especially affected, since it is shallow and has many small roots. Therefore, try not to damage the earthen ball. It is worth choosing a pot with large drainage holes and larger than the previous one, but for the bush it should remain a little cramped.

Exposure to Diseases and Parasites: Prevention and Treatment

At home, heather rarely gets sick, but there are still several diseases and parasites that a gardener may encounter. First of all, it is gray rot. It occurs due to excess humidity and stagnation of water at the roots. Gray rot is indicated by white growths and spots on the plant and wilted leaves. You can fight it drugs Fundazol and Topaz. As a preventive measure, spray the leaves with a weak solution of copper sulfate.

Most diseases and parasites are also easy to deal with:

1. Fundazol will help against powdery mildew, which causes white and brown spots to appear.
2. Rust – drug Topaz. It can be recognized by the red spots on the foliage.
3. Aphids – preparations Inta-Vira and Decis.
4. Spider mite – Aktellik, Aktar.

But if the growth of the bush has slowed down, its branches have become crooked, and the color of the leaves and flowers has changed, then the plant is infected with viruses.In this case, only destroying the diseased heather helps so that the disease does not spread to other bushes. It's best to burn them.

How to store heather in winter

In order for heather to survive the winter safely, it must be kept cool (up to +8 degrees) and the soil must not be allowed to dry out. But at the same time, watering is slightly reduced.

Reproduction methods

Heather can be propagated by seedlings and seeds, and both methods give good results. If you maintain the temperature regime at home, you can grow heather at any time of the year.

Seedlings

Reproduction using seedlings is a fairly quick and easy way. Cuttings for this purpose should be:

• flexible;
• with vegetative buds at the ends;
• annuals;
• no flowers;
• from the tops of the bushes.

It is recommended to plant them in special pots, in a peat-sand mixture. Choose autumn for breeding.

Seeds

Seeds are the most reliable way to propagate heather. Germination is 90%, and seed planting is less affected by the time of year. However, seeds require more time and labor than seedlings. Sowing occurs as follows:

1. Water the finished soil with warm water.
2. Place the seeds on the ground, lightly press them down and sprinkle soil on top.
3. To prevent the soil from drying out, cover the pot with film.

The seeds germinate in about a month. You can also keep the seeds outside the ground, in cups or saucers. To do this, they are laid out in a container in a thin layer, watered with water and also hermetically sealed. After the first shoots appear, they are planted in pots.

Frequently asked questions and answers

Gardeners who are just starting to grow heather find it difficult to cope with. It is necessary to know how and what to do at each stage of its growth, as well as other cultural features.

When does the plant bloom?

Heather flowering time is the end of August. Its great advantage is that even after the flowering period, the inflorescences do not fall off, but remain on the bush, so that the latter does not lose its decorative qualities for a very long time.

What to do after flowering?

At home, heather is often grown as an annual plant. In order for the bush to safely survive the winter and delight you with flowering again next year, appropriate feeding after flowering is necessary, as well as pruning. It is also important to keep the temperature low during the winter months.

What is the lifespan of a plant?

In the garden, heather can bloom for a long time - up to 5 years, while in nature its life is sometimes calculated in decades. But at home, this period is much shorter - 1 or even 2 years, if all the necessary conditions are created.

Why does heather dry out?

The heather dries out from lack of moisture. In dry seasons, you need to provide abundant watering, do not forget to also spray the plant, and humidify the air if possible. Also, the reason may lie in the soil, which has become slightly acidic. This requires appropriate feeding; for example, you can add acid along with water twice a year.

Despite the difficulties in planting and growing, heather remains one of the most interesting and useful plants. In addition to beautiful flowers that can be admired for a very long time, it is also used in medicine and cosmetology, and therefore is highly valued by gardeners.