Gloxinia is a beautiful indoor plant, the large flowers of which are mesmerizing to the eye. Such a flower will become a real decoration of your home. But first of all, you need to familiarize yourself with important information on how to properly care for this indoor plant.
South and Central America is home to gloxinia. It is preferable to buy a houseplant in the summer when it blooms. Choose a flower with a large number of still unblown buds, then with proper and timely care, it will bloom within two to three months. Gloxinia requires a sufficient amount of diffused and bright light, and it is not recommended to expose the plant to direct sunlight. Otherwise, the leaves will begin to wilt and turn yellow. The optimal location for the pot is a window sill on the east or west side of the dwelling.
Be extremely careful when watering the plant. Waterlogging of the soil can lead to the reproduction of putrefactive fungi. Never water gloxinia with cold tap water, as this will cause the stems to wilt. Use settled water at room temperature for irrigation, while it should not accumulate in the pan.
Feed your houseplant twice a month with liquid fertilizer (during flowering), using only half the recommended dose. During the dormant period, fertilize the flower is not worth it. Timely cut off the stems with faded buds at the very base. Gloxinia does not tolerate temperature extremes and drafts. The optimal temperature regime is 20-22 degrees, in winter it can be 14-18 degrees. Try to keep the humidity in the 65-80% range. If water gets on the leaves, it can lead to disastrous consequences. Therefore, place a container of water next to the pot or spray the air around the flower with a fine spray.
For transplanting gloxinia, you can use a ready-made substrate that is commercially available. If you decide to compose the soil yourself, you need to mix two parts of leafy soil, one part of river sand and one part of peat land. Good drainage is very important for the flower. Choose a pot that is wide and shallow.
