Ripsalidopsis care at home: pests photo, description of diseases, instructions on how to root on the street, make a transplant after purchase in the store

Ripsalidopsis is a magnificent evergreen plant belonging to the cactus family. In our area, this flower wandered from the hot tropical forests of South America.

Many are impressed by the beautiful Ripsalidopsis flowers - they appear on the tips of green shoots. The hue of the buds can vary from just white to deep red. This article will provide information on reproduction and all stages of home care with a photo of an overseas “guest”.

Growing at home

Temperature

The optimal temperature for competent flower care at home should be about 18-22 degrees. But this applies only to the spring-summer period. From the end of autumn to the beginning of spring, the temperature should be even less - 10-12 degrees above zero. Such a difference contributes to the formation of new buds for summer flowering.

Important! On very hot days, it is recommended to remove the flowerpot with the flower in the coolest place. It could even be a bath. Hot air is one of the main dangers for ripsalidopsis.

Watering mode

Soil wetting time depends on the state of its upper layer. It should be constantly a little wet. Therefore, in hot weather you will have to water the flower quite often. But in the autumn-winter period, watering should be reduced to about once every 7-10 days. However, it is necessary to reduce the frequency and abundance of watering gradually so as not to bring the plant to stress.

Lighting

This item should be given special attention. The grower will not notice the full development and lush bloom without providing ripsalidopsis with bright, but diffuse lighting (for what other reasons does not ripsalidopsis bloom?). To do this, you need to choose the eastern (rarely - southeast) sides of the room. The south window sill is also suitable. But then in the days of the scorching sun, the plant will need to be hidden from the burning rays. To do this, you can use reflective foil or just a sheet of paper. In the warm season, you can put a flower in the fresh air. Such manipulation will only enhance plant health.

The soil

It is best to choose soil with a pH level that will not exceed 6. In addition, the substrate should be light, nutritious, good air permeability. To prepare the soil yourself, you need to take deciduous, sod, humus, peat and sandy soil (proportions 6: 1: 4: 2: 2, respectively).

Important! It is recommended that the soil be decontaminated before planting the flower. To do this, it must be placed for several hours in the freezer or for several minutes in the microwave. Thus, all harmful organisms are destroyed.

Pruning

Cut the segments of the plant in order to form a beautiful smooth bush. Stems should not be allowed to be very long and thin.

Do not trim parts of the flower with pruning shears or scissors. It is necessary to remove long shoots by simple twisting.

Top dressing

In the spring-summer period, ripsalidopsis enters the phase of active flowering and growth. Therefore, it needs constant top dressing - fertilizers must be applied at least once every two weeks. Experienced growers are advised to choose mineral complexes with a minimum amount of nitrogen. Ready-made complexes that are designed to fertilize cacti are ideal.

Pot selection

The flowerpot should be sized for ripsalidopsis. If the root system is not yet developed, then it is better to pick up the pot as little as possible. You need to change it for a larger one once a year as the plant grows and the root volume increases.

Humidification

Despite the fact that the plant belongs to the cactus family, it tolerates very dry air around. Therefore, it is recommended to spray both the flower itself and the air around as often as possible. And also wipe the sheet plates with a wet cloth. It is advisable to carry out such procedures in the evening.

Step-by-step transplant process

Young plants can be changed "place of residence" every year, for adults a little less often - about once every 2-3 years. But this can be done only after the last bud disappears. Also you can not disturb the flower with transplants during its rest - usually from November to January.

At the bottom of the pot you need to put a drainage layer about 2-3 centimeters in height. Then pour the same amount of prepared soil.
Lightly water the ground.
Get ripsalidopsis from the previous container. To make the flower easier to come out of the old pot, you need to knock on the walls of the container. After extracting the plant, you need to clean the root system of the old earth.
After that, place the plant in a container with earth and add the rest of the soil. You need to tamp the soil so that the flower holds well in the pot. But this must be done very carefully so as not to harm ripsalidopsis.
At the end of the process, water the soil well. Place the flowerpot in a dark and cool place for 5-7 days. Do not feed or water at this time. After the specified time, return the flower to its usual place.

Reference! Transplant the plant, just bought in the store, you need as soon as possible. And you need to do this according to the same algorithm.

We offer you to watch a video about the process of transplantation of ripsalidopsis:

How to care for a flower after a purchase in a store?

There are practically no special instructions for caring for a cactus at home after purchase in a store. The only thing you need to do is arrange the plant for about three weeks quarantine. This will detect all existing diseases and pests, and also protect other plants from the collection from them.

We must not forget about the transplant after the purchase, after the time allotted for quarantine. The soil in which the ripsaldidopsis was kept in the store must be replaced with a new one.

Wintering

The process of preparing for the winter period consists in adapting to new irrigation conditions and temperature conditions. It is necessary to change the conditions of detention gradually. Around the beginning of October, begin to reduce the abundance of soil moisture. Then by the end of autumn the plant will get used to moderate watering. The same thing needs to be done with air temperature.

During wintering you should not disturb ripsalidopsis with any changes, including transfers. Starting from the end of January, you can gradually increase the amount of water introduced into the ground to prepare the flower for awakening and new flowering.

Street cultivation

Many flower growers do not recommend planting the described plant on the street. But if, nevertheless, the flower has already been planted in open ground, then it is necessary to ensure proper care for it.

Ripsalidopsis can be moved to the open ground only when the night air temperature stops falling below 16-18 degrees.

During rain, it is better to protect the flower from water falling on it, covering it with a film. It is also worth taking care of humidified air. To do this, it is best to place a large container filled with water near the plants. Do not forget to replenish it regularly, as in the heat, water evaporates quickly.

How to propagate?

The seeds. Answering the question of how to propagate ripsalidopsis at home, one cannot help but mention that you can get the seeds yourself, for this you need to cross two related plants. You can even flowers of different types. Using a brush, pollen from one flower is transferred to another flower. Thus, crossing occurs. After some time, the berry ripens on the fertilized flower. However, the ripening process can be delayed for a very long time. You can remove the berry from ripsalidopsis when you notice that the fruit is already quite wrinkled. It will have seeds ready for planting.
Seeds retain their ability to germinate for several years. A wide low capacity is well suited for sowing seeds. Soil should consist of sheet land and river sand in equal proportions. After the first ripening, seedlings are planted in different pots, several pieces in each container. This will make the bushes more lush and beautiful.
Propagation by cuttings. To separate the stalk from an adult plant, you need to do this only with rotational movements. From each stalk 2-3 segments are separated. Within two to three days, the cuttings are dried. After this, the shoots are placed in moist soil, but do not bury the stems in the soil.
It is necessary to fix the handle so that it stands upright. You need to wait until the shoot takes root and then plant a small flower in a permanent pot.
Graft. Ripsalidopsis is inoculated on the stalk of the peresy prickly. Grafting is recommended in the warm season. The branched upper part with leaf plates is removed from the peresia, leaving a bare stem, which is split at the top. For the scion, the shoot with 2-3 segments is cut off, sharpened with a wedge and inserted into the cleft at the rootstock section.
The vaccine is fixed with an oblong thorn, spike, needle and wrapped with thread (can be replaced with a patch). A pot with a rootstock cuttings is not covered, fusion at a temperature of about 18-20 ° C is achieved after 15 days, the graft is growing. The garter is removed. The most important thing at the end of this process is to timely remove all shoots and leaves that appear below the vaccination.

The grafted plant is distinguished by lush flowering.

How to root in open ground?

To land ripsalidopsis on the street, you must wait for warm nights. Soil needs to be prepared. To do this, add humus of leaves to it, a little litter, be sure to take care of drainage. Then the prepared soil is well moistened and plants are planted in it. The care is the same as in the room. The main thing is to choose the right place in which there will be no drafts and a very scorching sun.

Photos of pests and a description of diseases

If we talk about pests, then most often it is a spider mite, mealybug, scutellum and mockworm, the photos of which will help visually identify the insect on the plant.
The most common ailments are fungal and bacterial infections.

At the very beginning, the disease can be distinguished by the decay of a small area in which a wet spot appears. Soon decay spreads over the entire surface of the flower.

You need to get rid of infected areas. The remaining healthy plant is treated with fungicides. Processing is performed several times with an interval of 5-7 days. Such manipulation will help get rid of pests and diseases. Also do not forget about quarantine for a sick plant.

Ripsalidopsis is a very unpretentious plant that does not require special growing conditions. But the appearance of the plant is simply magnificent, it attracts attention, which in principle is not surprising.