Cissus is an unpretentious ampelous plant from the Grape family. Many flower growers love him. People call it indoor grape or birch. The Cissus genus has about 300 plant species. They are common in the tropics and subtropics. Typically, cissus are vines that cling to supports with their antennae. The leaves of these plants are whole and dissected.
Indoor grapes cannot boast of lush flowering. It blooms quite rarely. Nondescript, pale cissus flowers are collected in false umbellate inflorescences. Cissus is prized for its beautiful ornamental leaves. It is grown in hanging pots. Caring for him is simple, the plant is great for novice growers. He will be able to plant greenery in an apartment, an office, and the hall of a larger building. Indoor conditions are most often grown cissus rhomboid, antarctic and multicolored.
Cissus: care and cultivation at home
Temperature
Indoor grapes are thermophilic plants. In the spring and summer, he prefers a temperature of 18-25 degrees. In addition, it can be taken outside in the summer. In the autumn-winter period, he will be comfortable at a temperature of 18 degrees. It can withstand temperatures as low as 10 ° C, but in such conditions it is better not to contain it. Antarctic cissus can grow at a temperature of 5 ° C, but the capricious multi-colored cissus needs a constant room temperature throughout the year. It must not fall below 16 ° C. It should be borne in mind that cissus does not tolerate drafts. Due to the sudden changes in temperature, indoor grapes can shed their leaves.
Location and lighting
The light-loving Cissus prefers well-lit places. Bright diffused light suits him. Antarctic cissus can grow in partial shade. It can be placed in the halls of offices, government agencies. Some people even grow it in bathrooms. Cissus varicoloured also has no special lighting requirements. But in order for him to grow and develop well, he needs a lot of light. But it must be protected from direct rays of the sun, especially in the summer on the street. Of all the indoor cissus plants, the rhomboid cissus is the most photophilous. Despite his love for sunlight, he needs to be shaded on hot days.
Watering
In the spring-summer period, cissus plants grow very quickly and need abundant watering, since their large deciduous mass evaporates a lot of moisture in summer. But the plant should not be poured, as the roots will rot. Also, do not overdry the soil. Water the indoor grapes as the top layer of the earth dries up. With the onset of cold weather, watering is reduced. In winter, watering should be moderate, since cissus does not develop so quickly at this time of the year.
Air humidity
Since under natural conditions cisussi grow in tropical and subtropical zones, humid indoor air is very important for them, especially if it is in a dry room.Cissus varicoloured is very picky about moisture, it is sprayed more often than other species. Experienced flower growers recommend spraying this plant in winter twice a day. In summer, as well as in houses with moderate humidity, it is sprayed not so often, but regularly. Indoor grapes are very fond of taking a shower. This procedure can please him in the summer. For hygiene reasons, he can take water procedures after winter.
Top dressing
Indoor grapes need regular feeding, especially during periods of intensive growth. It is fed with complex mineral fertilizers for non-flowering plants from April to September. Fertilizers are applied every week. In winter, cissus does not need feeding.
Transfer
Since cissus grows and develops very quickly, it is transplanted every year until the plant is five years old. Then it can be replanted every 2-3 years. It is better to prepare an earthen substrate for indoor grapes yourself. The composition of the optimal soil mixture for cissus includes leaf, peat, humus, turf soil and sand (in equal parts). Do not forget about good drainage so that water does not stagnate in the roots of the plant. Expanded clay can be used as drainage.
Pruning
In order for cissus to always look attractive, it must be regularly trimmed and pinched. Every spring, rejuvenating and sanitary pruning is carried out. In order for the plant to branch better, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the shoots. In the process of growth, indoor grapes are given the shape they like.
Reproduction
There is nothing difficult in breeding cissus. It propagates vegetatively using apical cuttings that remain after pruning. Cuttings are treated with a growth enhancer and rooted in water or light earth. To make the plant look more decorative, several rooted cuttings are placed in one pot. Cissus can also be propagated by dividing the bush during transplantation.
Diseases and possible problems
The greatest threats to indoor grapes are spider mites and leaf aphids. Chemicals to control these pests are used very carefully, since the leaves of cissus are very sensitive.
If the cissus leaf plates become convex and concave, the plant should be sprayed more often. Also, dry air in a room can dry out the tips of its leaves. The pale color of the leaves indicates a lack of trace elements. If the plant is growing slowly, it needs to be fed.
