How to properly care for Guzmania at home?

Guzmania is an evergreen plant that has enchanting beauty. The beautiful color of both the flowers themselves and the leaves of the plant attracts the attention of every person. Many people are hesitant to have such a flower at home because they are afraid that they will not be able to provide it with proper care.

But these fears are in vain, since the plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, but the flower still has some peculiarities in care. The main thing is to monitor the level of moisture in the flower’s soil, the amount of light and humidity in the room.

Content:

Lighting for Guzmania
How to water a plant correctly?
Soil composition and replanting, temperature
Flowering period

Lighting for Guzmania

The first parameter that you need to pay attention to is the illumination of the place where guzmania grows. Despite the fact that the plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and is evergreen, you should not grow guzmania on windowsills that are located on the south side and are constantly exposed to sunlight.

Ideal conditions are partial shade, so if the windows are located on the sunny side, then it is best to grow the flower on a low stand a few meters from the window so that the leaves do not have direct contact with the sun's rays. If this is not possible, then you can artificially create partial shade on the window using various materials and even a piece of paper.

In winter, the flower will feel much better on the window.If there is not enough light, you can create artificial lighting, for example, using a fluorescent lamp. Such a light source should be located near the flower and shine for about 8 hours a day. If you begin to notice that large brown or yellow spots have begun to appear on the leaves of a flower, this is a sure sign that the plant has received a sunburn and it is necessary to change the place of life for the plant - remove the plant to a darker place.

How to water a plant correctly?

For every plant, watering is an important part of normal life and development. Since Guzmania is a bromeliad plant, the following recommendations should be taken into account when watering:

It is necessary to fill the flower outlet in moderate quantities with settled water at room temperature and leave for 1 – 2 minutes. All the liquid that has not been absorbed by the soil during this time is excess and can be poured out.
It is best to carry out soil watering only in hot and dry weather, as well as at high air temperatures in the summer. During the rest of the year, watering is carried out through the tray (socket).
In summer, it is necessary to water the flower every other day or two, but in winter. This process can be reduced to once a week.

Guzmania is a plant that has a negative attitude towards excessive watering. It is better for him to leave the soil somewhat dry, rather than, on the contrary, to moisten it too much. Therefore, after watering, you should not leave water in the outlet.

For this flower, it is best to use soft water, which has been infused for about 2 days and is at room temperature.

In order to rid the flower of dust and various harmful microorganisms, it is advisable to occasionally wipe the leaves with a soft sponge dipped in cool water. It is not recommended to spray the flower with a spray bottle.

Soil composition and replanting, temperature

You need to start caring for a flower like guzmania from the moment it is transplanted. The soil in which you purchased the flower in the store is not suitable for the further development and growth of the plant, because to create the most favorable conditions, a slightly different soil composition is required.

Today, the best choice would be a mixture of components such as sand, peat, turf and sphagnum, which should be taken in equal proportions. Do not forget that the plant needs a layer of expanded clay, which will serve as drainage.

Guzmania does not require a large pot for further growth. It is necessary to note the fact that this plant is an epiphyte, therefore it has an extremely delicate root system, so when replanting you need to be extremely careful, since it is very easy to damage the roots of the flower. Further care of the plant does not involve any replanting, only in case of propagation, since after the plant dies, it leaves behind “babies” that need to be replanted, and they will again delight with their charm.

In order to provide the plant with the most comfortable conditions, there is no need to create any special temperature conditions. In the summer, it will be enough to maintain the room temperature at 20-25 degrees, but in the winter, this figure should be around 17-20 degrees.

The main thing is not to allow the temperature to drop below 16 degrees. Of course, guzmania will not die from such a low temperature, however, if this is supplemented with a draft, the flower may get sick, which will bring a number of problems with its flowering.

Guzmania is a plant that loves high levels of humidity. It takes part of the moisture that a flower needs for normal development from the environment, and not from the soil. The optimal indoor humidity level should be 60-85%. This means that the flower will develop normally if it is placed in the kitchen or loggia in the summer.

For the winter, guzmania can be moved to the bathroom if there is a window in this room. An air humidifier can solve the problem of dry indoor air.

Flowering period

The most difficult and responsible aspect in the entire process of home care for guzmania lies in the flowering period of the plant. It is worth noting that the first flowers will form only after 3-4 years of the plant’s life.

The flowering period lasts several months and during this period the plant is truly beautiful and amazes everyone with its beauty. But guzmania will bloom only if it grows in conditions favorable to it. During the flowering period, it is necessary to especially carefully monitor the creation of comfortable conditions, then guzmania will delight you with beautiful flowers for several months.

There is one trick that can speed up the flowering process. Small apple slices are placed on the soil in which guzmania grows next to the plant itself, after which they need to be covered with a plastic bag.Ethylene, which will be released during the decay of apples, will enter the air, which will provoke the rapid appearance of flowers in the plant. But you should be extremely careful in this process, since the appearance of mold on the apples and the bag can infect the plant, and it will not produce flowers any time soon.

How to care for guzmania at home? Quite simple! The main thing is to comply with the basic requirements.

Video about the rules and subtleties of caring for guzmania and replanting it: