Caring for a potted anthurium at home after purchase

Anthurium is a plant in the Araceae family, native to the subtropics of South and North America. Hybrids can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It is recommended to quarantine the plant for 10 days immediately after purchase. If no signs of fungal infection appear within this period, the anthurium can be grown indoors.

How to care for a potted anthurium at home after purchase

Place the plant on a windowsill on the south or east side of the house. If this is not possible, place the plant near a window. In spring and summer, provide the anthurium with a temperature of +20…+25ºС. From October to March, the plant is dormant; the recommended temperature range is +16…+18ºС.

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Caring for anthurium at home after purchase:

1. Water when the soil dries out about 1/3 of the way. Use settled or rainwater. After 20 minutes, drain the excess water from the tray.
2. Provide the plant with high humidity (around 90%). Regularly remove dust from the leaves with a damp sponge.
3. In spring and summer, the plant requires additional feeding. Use organic matter such as rotted cow manure, humus, or compost. Kemira Plus and Agricola are recommended as mineral fertilizers. Fertilize once every 20 days. Organic and mineral fertilizers can be alternated.

Once the anthurium has finished blooming, remove the flowers immediately. If you want to obtain seeds, use artificial pollination: use a brush to collect pollen from one plant and transfer it to another. If you place the cut flowers in water, they will delight you with their beauty for a whole month.

For comfortable growth, the plant requires repotting. The first time, anthuriums are repotted after a 10-day quarantine. Young plants are then repotted once a year, and plants older than 3 years are repotted once every 3 years. Repotting is done by transshipment—the anthurium is placed in a new container along with its root ball.

Any container 1-2 cm larger in diameter than the old one is suitable for repotting. Add drainage to the bottom of the pot using small stones, pebbles, or broken bricks. Recommended substrate composition:

• turf, sphagnum moss, peat (1:2:2);
• sand, peat, soil from a forest where deciduous trees grow - in equal parts;
• crushed pine bark, rotted cow manure, peat (2:1:4).
• You can add a few pieces of charcoal and pine bark to the soil mixture.

To ensure frequent blooms, maintain optimal temperature, humidity, and light levels. Cover the top layer of soil with sphagnum moss to minimize moisture loss. If the plant is located on a south-facing windowsill, provide shade. Frequent relocation of the plant's container negatively impacts flowering. Potassium fertilizers are recommended during the blooming period.

How to propagate anthurium correctly

The flower is propagated by seeds and cuttings. For seed propagation, collect the planting material after artificial pollination. Since the seeds quickly lose viability, they should be sown immediately. Seed propagation procedure for beginners:

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1. To prevent fungal diseases, the seed is first soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
2. A layer of perlite is made at the bottom of the planting container, then loose peat is poured in.
3. They make a groove and place the planting material there.
4. The soil is watered and lightly compacted.
5. The pot is covered with a plastic bag or glass on top.
6. The first shoots will appear in 10–15 days.

When the plant forms two pairs of true leaves, it is pricked out. The seedlings are planted in individual containers. Typically, one or two more pricks are required. Once the plant has strengthened and formed five to six leaves, it can be potted.

It's much easier to propagate the flower by cuttings. Use tip cuttings or stem shoots. Separate a lateral shoot from the parent cutting and inspect its base. If the root system is weak or absent, coat the base of the cutting with Kornevin and place the plant in a container with sand. To speed up germination, cover the cutting with a glass jar. Once roots have formed, the anthurium can be potted.

How to treat anthurium leaf diseases

If care instructions are not followed, the plant may become ill. Avoid overwatering, drafts, sudden temperature changes, and high humidity. The cause of the disease can be determined by the appearance of the leaves:

1. Yellowing of the leaves indicates root rot. Repotting and soil replacement are required. Damaged root fragments should be removed.
2. If black spots appear on the leaf margins, it's due to excess calcium. Reduce the amount of mineral fertilizer.
3. Longitudinal stains are caused by excess moisture.
4. Leaf curling occurs due to temperature imbalance.

Overwatering, stagnant water in the pot, and poor drainage—improper care can lead to fungal diseases. The plant may become ill with:

• septoria - brown spots with a black border appear on the leaf blades;
• fusarium - the leaves turn yellow and wither;
• rust - red spots-pustules appear;
• powdery mildew - the leaves become small, turn yellow and curl.

At the first signs of fungal infections, remove damaged plant parts. Anthuriums are sprayed with Maxim, Ordan, and Topaz. Proper care should be restored to prevent further fungal infections.

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The most dangerous virus for the plant is the bronze leaf spot virus, which causes the leaves to wrinkle and develop small holes on the surface. The plant must be destroyed; treatment is impossible.

How to provide humidity for a plant

Ideally, you should have a humidifier at home to maintain optimal humidity. If you can't afford one, regularly mist the plant's leaves with cool water from a spray bottle.

To ensure the necessary humidity, the plant can be grown near aquariums. Place trays of water on the radiator to gradually evaporate the moisture. Another effective way to increase indoor humidity is to grow ficus, dracaena, and sparmannia. These plants humidify, purify, and ionize indoor air.

Anthuriums have a striking and unique appearance. They are used to decorate the interiors of apartments and offices. The flowers not only delight the eye, but also, according to feng shui, remove negative energy from the home. The flower brings good luck, attracts financial flows, and relieves negative emotions.