This flower is beautiful and amazing. In addition to the fact that it is very beautiful, and this, perhaps, can be said about all representatives of the amaryllis family (amaryllis, hippeastrum, clivia), nerine begins to bloom in the midst of autumn. Although at this time most of the indoor plants, to one degree or another, are prepared for the dormant period during the winter.
Taking care of such a flower is not easy, but also not as difficult as it might seem. Any florist will cope with it if he observes the rules of growing and adheres to the deadlines.
Features of care for nerina
The flower has not one rest period, but two. One in winter, when it fades, the other in the summer months. Almost all amaryllids do not change the color of the foliage, until spring they are green and only at this time they begin to dry out. At the moment of winter dormancy, flower buds are laid. This must not be missed and everything must be taken with great responsibility.
The main rules are cool temperatures and dry air. In some cases, nerin is left in the room and trying to bring the situation closer to the conditions of its detention. But it is almost impossible to do this at home, because in winter for a flower it is necessary to reduce the air temperature to + 10 ... + 7 degrees. You can use the loggia, if there is one in the apartment and taking into account that the balcony room does not freeze. Also, as an option, the space between the window frames. But such windows are very rare, and a double-glazed window is unsuitable for such.
There is an easier way, albeit a little exotic: when the nerina stops blooming, its watering must be reduced, and in December it must be stopped altogether. After the leaves on the plant are completely dry, they need to be removed. And then take the pot and send it to the refrigerator, on the bottom shelf. An insulated balcony with an appropriate temperature or a dry cellar will also work. In such conditions, the flower will be stored until March.
When it comes time to get it, then there are difficulties. It is impossible for the air temperature to be high. You need to place the flower in the coolest place in the apartment and where there is little light. Difficulties can be avoided if spring comes early in the region of residence. Under such circumstances, the temperature outside is likely to be positive, somewhere around +5. This is enough to carry nerina out into the street. The open air suits her perfectly for comfortable growth and development. Where there is a warm climate, such a plant can be safely grown in open soil and not dug out for the winter.
Bulbs wake up in March-April. At the same time, the processes of reproduction and transplantation fall. Only now the awakening of nerine is very short-lived. Already in the middle of summer, the leaves of the plant become dry and the second period of dormancy is approaching. According to the rules, if the flower was kept in a bright room in winter, the rest lasts from May to August. But with a similar method of content, it shrinks.
From the middle of summer, it is necessary to reduce moisture and completely stop it until August. At the same time, you can plant the bulbs purchased at the store. Forcing nerina occurs at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, the plant itself will give a hint of the exact time.The first characteristic is that the neck of the bulb takes on a bronze tint. Now you need to start moisturizing the plant and feeding it.
It is worth paying special attention to the fact that the leaves must dry naturally, they cannot be cut off while they are green. And if it's August outside the window, but the plant is still with green leaves, this means that there is a problem with watering. So the soil somehow got moisture. It is important to observe a certain air temperature in winter. Otherwise, the plant may develop earlier and then the moment of flowering will be in question.
Watering. There should be regular, moderate watering, without waterlogging, for the period of active development and growth of the plant. This is especially important at the beginning of autumn, September-October. If the leaves turn yellow and die off, then you need to moisturize less and gradually stop watering.
Top dressing. It is necessary to feed the plant only during the flowering period (once a week) and growth (once every two weeks). Top dressing is a simple liquid fertilizer for flowering plants.
Planting and transplanting. The capacity must be taken small. If two bulbs are planted in a large pot, they will not develop well. Diameter 11-13 cm, this is the optimal pot size. It is better to plant the bulbs tightly to each other and not fully deepen, some should remain on the surface. Water only immediately after planting and no longer moisturize until development.
Experienced flower growers do not advise replanting the plant unnecessarily. You can simply replace the topsoil before forcing.
You can completely transplant the plant after 4-5 years of life, and if necessary, do it in April. The composition of the soil for replanting: equal parts of sand, humus and turf. The presence of drainage is required.
Reproduction. You can use two methods: seeds and babies. Seeds are rarely used, as it is a troublesome and painstaking business. The easiest way is in the spring, at the time of transplanting, to divide the baby bulbs and plant them in another pot. Flowering from a young plant will have to wait 3-4 years.
Caution! It is worth not forgetting that nerine, of course, is a flower of extraordinary beauty, but it is also poisonous. You only need to work with him with gloves, and then wash your hands well. Keep children and pets away from it.
