Growing Gloxinia: 17 problems and their solutions

Gloxinia did not wake up after wintering

The storage area for gloxinia tubers should be cool and dark. If the gloxinia tuber is mature and healthy, then as soon as you put it in the light and water it little by little, shoots begin to grow. Sometimes gloxinia wakes up on its own, and when you take it out into the light, it already has a shoot. However, in practice it does not always work out as it should.

Gloxinia does not wake up on time due to the fact that the rest period was too short, less than 4 months. It is quite possible that the winter was too dry and the tuber dried out. But in any case, gloxinia wakes up on its own. It just takes patience.

To avoid overdrying of the tuber, pots with gloxinia in winter should sometimes be lightly watered or sprinkled with water. Or you can place gloxinia tubers in plastic bags, adding a little soil or damp moss. Close the bags or seal them tightly. The bag will maintain constant moisture, and due to the fact that the bag is transparent, you will have the opportunity to observe the gloxinia tubers in winter. At the first appearance of leaves, you can immediately plant gloxinia in a pot.

If gloxinia does not wake up after wintering , it means that the gloxinia was sent to wintering too young, which did not have time to form a tuber, or the tuber has rotted.

If a gloxinia tuber was purchased in a store and it did not wake up from hibernation after last year’s flowering, it is possible that the tuber was sold of very low quality. Many gardeners complain about this problem. Outwardly, the tubers look quite safe, but in reality it may turn out that they are already old, or infected with some kind of infection or pests. The strength of such tubers is only enough to bloom for one season.

Dig up the tuber, examine it: if it is very wrinkled, then most likely it is lost. Break or cut it: the tuber should be slightly yellowish or pinkish when cut. If this is the case, then dry the sections, sprinkle with crushed coal, you can treat them with regular brilliant green or fucorcin (raspberry liquid, a strong antiseptic, has an antifungal effect, sold in pharmacies). You can treat the tuber with epin or zircon to increase the vitality of the tuber and stimulate it to form shoots.

If the gloxinia tuber is brown on the cut, then most likely it is gone. If the brown color is only on one edge, cut off all the rot, treat the tuber as described above and plant in new soil.

If you want the purchased tubers to be able to survive the winter without problems, then immediately after purchasing gloxinia tubers at home, treat all planting material in a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin. This treatment is aimed at preserving gloxinia tubers from rot.

The next step is to treat the gloxinia tubers with Actellik or Fitoverm. These drugs will help get rid of thrips, spider mites and other pests of indoor plants.

If you purchased gloxinia in a pot, change the soil and treat the tuber. The soil that is sold in pots along with plants is very poor.

Perhaps the tuber is already old and has simply died. Gloxinias live for three to four years. If you really value this particular variety of gloxinia, try to root a cutting or leaf in advance.

Gloxinia pests: description, photo, what to do

It is very important for hobbyists to detect and recognize pests in time in order to immediately begin treatment. They suck out cell sap, gnaw leaves and flowers, and some infect the root. But the worst thing is that pests spread diseases, including viruses.

For eradication at home, the old proven insecticide Actellik is usually used. Among the new drugs there are less “smelling” ones. But this is their disadvantage - it is impossible to understand when the concentration of toxic substances in the air becomes safe.

One of the advantages of Actellik is that the product has an acaricidal effect. That is, it destroys all pests, including arachnids (mites), and not just insects.

Gloxinia has pubescent leaves; the plant should be treated as follows:

Take a whole bag without holes large enough to comfortably accommodate the plant along with the pot.
Spray the inside of the bag with pest control.
Place gloxinia in the bag.
Tie tightly.
Take it out into a non-residential corridor, onto a balcony or street.
Separately treat the pallet against pests.
Leave for 30 minutes.
Remove the flower from the bag and do not bring it into the room until the smell dissipates.

When gloxinia multiply massively in greenhouses, greenhouse aphids or whiteflies may appear. It is extremely rare to see them in culture at home.

Ticks

This pest is an arachnid, not an insect. Insecticides that do not have an acaricidal effect are powerless against it.

Gloxinia can be inhabited by different types of mites:

arachnoid;
flat (flat);
transparent greenhouse;
cyclamen.

The pests are small and difficult to spot with the naked eye; it is better to use a magnifying glass. What the different mites have in common is that they all:

suck out cell sap, making punctures on vegetative organs;
slow down the development of the bush;
plates are deformed;
a coating appears on the outside, which may differ in color, for example, the spider mite leaves light gray, and the flat beetle leaves brown;
the growing point appears to be covered with dust;
on the back of the leaf, between the petiole and the stem, a thin web appears;
it seems that the vegetative organs affected by the pest have become more pubescent compared to those where the mite did not have time to move or has just begun “work”.

Dry air promotes the spread of the pest.

Thrips

Flying insects, active at night, signs of gloxinia damage are best seen on flowers:

all the corollas, even those that have just opened, seem to have withered;
pollen is scattered all over the petals and leaves;
the pest damages the anthers, deforming some;
flowers age quickly;
the growth point of the bush becomes light;
hairs become larger;
The pest larvae can be seen with a magnifying glass - these are small white worms.

Scale insects
It is very difficult to control the pest on pubescent gloxinias. It looks like a wax-covered growth, firmly attached to the vegetative organs. Usually the insect is first removed by hand, then treated with Actellik.

If at least one pest remains on the bush, a new colony will soon form. It is better to cut the gloxinia at the root, process the tuber, and replant it in a fresh substrate.

Mealybugs

The pest is clearly visible - white lumps that look like cotton wool or saliva appear in the places where the petioles or peduncles attach to the trunk.

Before processing, it is recommended to remove accumulations of cobwebs manually.

Nematodes

This pest is not an insect, but a roundworm. At the same time, it feeds on cell sap and poisons gloxinia with secretions. Depending on the species, it can settle on vegetative organs or underground parts.

Usually the pest is discovered when the stem thickens, galls appear, and stepsons that do not want to develop are formed en masse. It is too late to treat gloxinia; it is better to throw it away along with the pot.

Some gardeners believe that to save a particularly valuable variety, a good top leaf can be rooted in water. But there is no guarantee that it is not infested with pests.

Podfools

The insects are called earth fleas because of their jumping ability. Clearly visible in the tray after watering. If it spreads strongly, it can gnaw the lower roots, but does not cause much damage.

You can remove the pest by eliminating overflows and stagnation of water in the pan.

Gloxinia did not have time to form a tuber

If gloxinia is grown from seeds, and the seeds are planted late, then the gloxinia may not have time to form a tuber . Gloxinia blooms only at six to seven months of age, when it grows six to seven pairs of leaves. In this case, the young gloxinia does not need to be sent for wintering, because the gloxinia may be completely lost. In winter, try to maintain sufficient humidity and light to prevent gloxinia from stretching out.

To understand whether gloxinia will overwinter or not, count the leaves: if there are only four or five pairs, then such a small gloxinia cannot be sent for the winter. Gloxinia will form buds when it has grown at least six pairs of leaves.

Also, the tuber does not have time to form when growing gloxinia from a leaf or cutting, especially if the cutting is too long and is deeply buried.

Do not overuse watering. Due to waterlogging, gloxinia may also not have time to form a tuber.

Why do gloxinia buds dry out without blooming and fall off?

Most often, the problem why gloxinia buds dry out without blooming lies in improper care. After all, if they appeared, it means that an obstacle to their further development appeared later. For example, there is a lack of nutrients, so be sure to feed the flowers in the summer. Buds usually appear at the end of March, and if in winter gloxinia was forgotten somewhere in the shade, a beautiful head of flowers is out of the question. During hibernation, it should not be left without regular watering and sunlight, as it must gain strength.

You can reanimate flowering using the following scheme of actions:

Increase the humidity in the room (for example, turn on a humidifier).
Ventilate the room, avoiding drafts.
Place the flower on the eastern windowsill.
Fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.
The soil after watering should be loose and slightly moist.
Plant in another pot.

The appearance of a gloxinia bud

Dry soil, pests, stale air in the room and low humidity may also be causes. Among fertilizers, preference should be given to phosphorus-potassium fertilizers without nitrogen. It is the gradual correction of these factors that is the answer to gardeners’ worries about what to do if gloxinia’s buds dry out.

Gloxinia shoots have become very elongated

Gloxinia shoots become very elongated after wintering, when the room is too warm and there is insufficient lighting. Add lighting, periodic air spraying and wet cleaning will help reduce the temperature in the room. Strong stretching of shoots can also occur in insufficient lighting plus overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers. Add light, do not feed with nitrogen fertilizers.

Gloxinias can elongate due to varietal characteristics; some varieties of gloxinias are prone to elongation of shoots. It is advisable to trim the elongated shoot. The tuber will give a new shoot. The cut shoot can be rooted, and it will also have time to bloom. If an extended shoot is left, it will most likely fall and take root. It will receive nutrition from its newly formed roots, and in addition draw nutrition from the tuber. A new shoot may grow on the tuber, but it will be weak, will not bloom, and the tuber will become weakened and may not survive the winter.

Types of Gloxinia

There are relatively few species of gloxinia - about 25 in natural conditions. But this flower is a long-time guest of apartments and houses, so breeders have developed different bright and colorful subspecies. They just work mainly with two main varieties.

Beautiful Gloxinia

The variety is notable for its large, bright bell-shaped flowers in violet, pink and purple. Less common are white and blue petals, as well as subspecies with double petals. On the wide oval plates of the leaves, an expressive relief pattern of veins and a short dense edge can be seen.

Tiny gloxinia

The name of the species reflects its entire essence - the tiny shrub reaches only 2-3 cm in height. It has very small velvety leaves up to 1 cm, and one miniature flower blooms on each peduncle. The petals are white below, but towards the top they gradually change color to deep purple.

Royal Gloxinia

Its peculiarity is its erect stems and shoots, due to which the flower forms a neat small bush up to 10 cm in height. The flowers reach 7 cm in diameter, and the peduncles of royal gloxinia are longer than those of most other varieties. A silvery pattern of veins appears on the dark, pubescent leaves.

Beautiful gloxinia

This variety is very similar to royal gloxinia, but more diverse. It has more variations in colors and shapes of petals, and the leaves are slightly lighter, with a pronounced relief.

Speckled Gloxinia

The exact name of speckled gloxinia is Gloxinia perennis or perennial gloxinia. Particularly interesting are its leaves, which acquire a reddish tint on the reverse side. Large fleshy shoots reach 70 cm, and several flowers are collected on them.

Gloxinia leaves have turned yellow

Gloxinia leaves turn yellow when overwatered. If the plant is flooded, it is immediately noticeable by the leaves. It may happen that the tuber begins to rot. Urgently remove the gloxinia tuber, inspect it for rot, treat it with phytosporin or other drugs, and replace the soil.

Gloxinia leaves may turn yellow due to lack of nitrogen. In general, fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers is recommended only at the beginning of the growing season, when the stem begins to grow. Subsequently, it is better to fertilize with fertilizers in which the content of phosphorus and potassium is much higher than the nitrogen content. Remember that overfeeding with nitrogen can lead to rot of the gloxinia tuber.

Chlorosis of Gloxinia leaves . Chlorosis can be caused by too hard water. Water for watering gloxinias should be settled and warm. Soften it with a drop of vinegar or lemon juice. Chlorosis can be caused by low soil acidity or high ash content. Change the soil.

Causes and solutions to common problems

If agricultural practices for growing gloxinia are violated, problems with buds appear . A quick search for the cause and elimination of errors will help restore the health of the plant. You can find out why gloxinia does not bloom and how to make it produce buds here.

Why don't they bloom?

First of all, the flower must be examined. The presence of spots on the leaves indicates a fungal disease (read about what diseases of gloxinia leaves are and how they are treated in our material). It is treated with fungicides.

Delayed blooming is caused by exposure to pests - thrips or spider mites (you can learn about what pests and infections can destroy gloxinia, as well as methods of treating them, here). Insects suck the sap of the plant, slowing down its development.

Having noticed moving light dots or cobwebs on the underside of the leaves, gloxinia is isolated. Treating with insecticides “Aktara” and “Fitoverm” will get rid of pests.

Empty

Periodically, after the sepals open, a green pea appears instead of a bud. Over time, the peduncle darkens and falls off.

There are several possible reasons for the appearance of barren flowers:

storing the tuber in a cold place;
lack of nutrients in the soil or high soil acidity;
young or old tuber.

Replanting into new nutrient soil is recommended. The barren flower is cut off, after a while new flower stalks will appear. Epin solution will help stimulate growth.

The petals turn black

The buds turn black and dry in poor soil, with low air humidity, due to flooding of the soil. It is possible that the soil acidity is incorrectly selected.

Treat the soil with one of the fungicides (Fitosporin, Fundazol).
Increase the humidity in the room - install a humidifier and a container of water.
Trim off dried parts of the plant.
Replant the flower in new soil. Treat with growth stimulator "Epin". The optimal soil acidity is 6-6.5 pH.
Protect the flower from direct sunlight, which can cause burns to the buds.

Drying

Why do the buds dry out? The main cause of drying out is improper lighting. Lack of light and direct rays of the sun are equally destructive for the plant. Other reasons include:

dry, stagnant air in the room;
drafts;
low or high temperature;
depleted soil;
lack of moisture;
spider mite

Each problem has its own solution:

Increase the humidity level in the apartment or directly next to the gloxinia.
Keep the air fresh, but avoid drafts.
Adjust the temperature to optimal levels (18-20°).
Fertilize with complex mineral fertilizer. Repeat the procedure every week.
Water the plant immediately after the top layer of soil dries.
Spider mites are one of the reasons for drying out of buds. Symptoms of its presence are punctures on the leaves. The pest is often detected by cobwebs on the leaves. The products “Aktellik” and “Fitoverm” will help to destroy it. It is advisable to carry out 2-3 treatments.

Video about the reasons for the drying of gloxinia buds:

Rotting

Rotting buds become brown, soft and moist . The problem arises when using fertilizers with high nitrogen content. Rot also appears after waterlogging. Infection with a virus and fungus cannot be ruled out. Measures to save the plant:

Removing rotten parts of gloxinia.
Complex treatment of the tuber with the preparations “Fitosporin”, “Fundazol”, “Maxim”.
Check soil moisture, do not water until the substrate dries out.
Find out the acidity of the soil; if it is high, replace the soil.
Choose fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.

Low temperatures combined with high humidity provoke the appearance of rot on the buds.

Spots appeared on gloxinia leaves

Spots on gloxinia leaves may appear from too bright lighting. Shade the gloxinia, otherwise it will get sunburn. Spots on gloxinia leaves can appear from excessive watering, as well as if you water with too cold water. Spotting of gloxinia leaves can be caused by drafts. Small spots on gloxinia leaves may indicate the presence of pests on the plant. Insecticide treatments are needed. In addition, gloxinia can be affected by various viral diseases, for example, tomato ringspot virus.

What to do if gloxinia buds dry out

Excessively dry air and high temperatures are the most common reasons why gloxinia buds dry out without blooming. So, if the summer is too hot, the plant should be sprayed in a timely manner. In addition, it is recommended to hang a dampened sheet or towel on the windows.

If there is constant wilting, you can feed with phosphorus-potassium supplements, since these microelements are especially important for the full formation of leaves.

If gloxinia's buds are still drying, and the owner is tormented by the question of what to do about it, attention should be paid to the presence of diseases or the appearance of parasites. Most often, the plant is affected by thrips, nematodes or spider mites.

In case of infection, the plant should be treated with insecticides 2-5 times. If the soil is also contaminated, plant it in another soil for a while. Repeated treatment is carried out after seven days. For prevention purposes, you can use phytosporin or foundationazole.

The following drugs show high effectiveness against most diseases:

Note! The appearance of light dots, spots or gray streaks on gloxinia leaves signals an infection with thrips. Their occurrence is accompanied by damage to the edges of the buds and further falling off. In this case, the stem dries out and collapses.

Gloxinia leaves curl

Curling of gloxinia leaves is possible if the room is too dry and hot. However, even if the air humidity is too high or the soil is excessively waterlogged, gloxinia leaves also curl, bend, short stalks form, or the formation of deformed flowers is observed. Adjust watering of gloxinias. Treat gloxinia with actellik or fitoverm against spider mites. Curling of gloxinia leaves can be caused by an overdose of potassium fertilizers.

A few more fungal diseases

Diseases of a fungal nature include septoria. It can be carried by raindrops and wind. Optimal conditions for the appearance of this disease:

being in a room with a temperature of 20-25° with a humidity of 98%;
moistening the leaves for a long time (up to 48 hours);
low light level.

Gray-brown spots appear on the leaves of the diseased plant. Outwardly, they resemble rust. The leaves then begin to fall. The stems dry out and gradually die off. The buds may also be damaged. It is recommended to treat the plant with fungicides such as Benomyl and other or any copper-containing preparations. Treatment should be repeated after 7-10 days.

Late blight is a disease caused by fungi. It can spread through soil and equipment, through planting materials and rainwater. The pathogens can live in soil for up to 8 years. Late blight occurs under the following circumstances:

over-compacted soil;
stagnation of water during irrigation;
dense population of plants;
the soil is poorly prepared;
watering is done with rainwater;
too frequent spraying;
air humidity 80% or higher;
temperature changes from 10 to 22° during the day.

Signs of late blight are brown spots with a pale green border. The inside of the leaves may become covered with a coating of white mold. It manifests itself well when wet weather sets in. Leaves dry out and die when dry weather sets in. Dark brown stripes may appear on the stems. The plant is withering. It is very difficult to treat a sick gloxinia. Chemicals don't help. Only proper prevention will be effective. It is necessary to water the plants with cuprozan. You can use polycarbicide and polymarcin for this. Before planting gloxinia or when transplanting it, you need to sterilize the soil. It is good to soak the roots of the plant for 5 minutes in a suspension of captan. It is almost impossible to cure a diseased plant, so the only correct way out is to burn it.

Gray rot also has its own symptoms. A fluffy white coating appears. It affects pedicels and leaf petioles. The flower rots and dies. The reasons are the close arrangement of plants, increased humidity in the room, insufficient ventilation of the roots due to compacted soil. You just need to provide moderate watering and add sand, perlite or vermiculite to the soil. These additives will ensure high-quality ventilation of the roots. There should be no drafts in the room with gloxinia. The disease is treated with fungicides at intervals of 7 days.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease. With it, all parts of the plant are covered with a white coating, which quickly turns powdery. The disease develops with excessive watering, temperature changes, and dampness in the room. It is better to burn a completely infected plant immediately. You can try to treat the initial stage of the disease with fungicides.

Gloxinia does not bloom

Gloxinia does not bloom due to overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen only stimulates green growth, but slows down flowering. Delayed flowering may be affected by insufficient lighting, low ambient temperature, low humidity or insufficient watering. Flowering can also be affected by improper or too short wintering, as a result of which the tuber did not have time to prepare for the next season. In order for gloxinia to bloom well next season, it needs a rest period of four months.

For gloxinia to bloom fully, it simply needs good lighting. Gloxinias love light! From the moment they awaken, immediately place pots with gloxinia tubers in places where there is a lot of light, or organize additional lighting, otherwise the buds may not appear at all, and if they do appear, there may be few of them, or the flowers may not be fully formed and may turn out to be empty flowers , or not fully open.

The size of the pot also plays an important role. To grow gloxinia, it is better to choose a small, low and wide pot rather than a deep one. In a large pot, gloxinia will take a long time to grow the tuber to the detriment of flowering. For an adult gloxinia tuber, the pot should be about 9-12 cm in diameter. And after gloxinia begins to actively grow, it is necessary to fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

In addition to the pot, gloxinia annually needs replanting and new fertile soil. You can make the soil mixture for gloxinia yourself: humus, coniferous soil, leaf soil, sand, perlite or hydrogel, peat. But before use, it must be calcined for pests and pathogens. Spread the soil on a tray and bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

If it is not possible to make your own soil mixture, then you will have to use a store-bought mixture, but fertilize more often.

Conditions for abundant flowering

Proper care when growing gloxinia will allow you to achieve long-lasting flowering with large, brightly colored buds.

During the period of bud formation, provide a large amount of sunlight for 12-14 hours. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. If there is a lack of natural light, lamps are connected. Pots are placed at a distance from each other; if crowded, flowering is weak.
The second most important condition is loose nutrient soil for indoor gloxinia. A ready-made universal mixture based on peat with the addition of vermiculite is suitable. Apply fertilizing every week. The drug "Kemira Lux" is recommended.
Water regularly, but without stagnating moisture. The water is settled, at room temperature. Top watering is carried out along the edge of the pot, avoiding drops falling on the leaves (you can find out how to select a pot for gloxinia, as well as the features of planting and watering the plant here).

After the end of the growing season, gloxinias provide conditions for winter rest (read what needs to be done after gloxinia has bloomed here, and you can find out about the features of its wintering here). Watering is reduced, the amount of light is reduced, and fertilizing is removed. All dried leaves of the plant are cut off. The tuber in the pot is sent to a dark, cool place, watered sparingly. With proper care, gloxinia blooms for 5-6 months.

The petioles of gloxinia leaves rot, the buds rot, turn black and die

In gloxinia, leaf petioles rot, buds rot due to excessive waterlogging, too acidic soil pH, as well as excessive amounts of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Change the soil, adjust the watering. To avoid overdoing it with nitrogen, use only complex fertilizers that contain phosphorus and potassium in addition to nitrogen. Additionally, carry out two or three treatments with phytosporin, Maxim or another fungicide to preserve the gloxinia tuber from rotting.

If gloxinia's buds turn black and die , then most likely the winter was too cold, the soil is too poor and there is not enough nutrition, or there is severe overwatering. Typically, problems with flowering are solved by fertilizing with phosphorus fertilizers and additional lighting. Treat with fungicides. If the problem is not corrected, then most likely there is a problem with the tuber: it has begun to disappear.

Causes of spoiling buds in Gloxanias

Gloxinia is a beautiful indoor plant that pleases the eye with its decorative greenery and bright, exquisitely shaped flowers. The homeland of this exotic beauty is Brazil. But today it has successfully undergone acclimatization and is perfectly grown by gardeners at home.

However, it should be noted that gloxinia is a rather demanding plant. It needs proper care and daily attention from the grower, and then the exquisite flower will delight you with its shapes and colors.

When starting to grow gloxinia, everyone, both experienced and just beginning gardeners, should have a clear idea of what kind of care the flower needs, as well as what problems it may encounter and how to prevent them.

The pretentiousness of the plant requires strict adherence to all the rules of growing at home; any violation can lead to the flower starting to hurt, its leaves turning yellow and withering, and the buds drying out, turning black, and rotting without any bright colors.

Light-loving gloxinia, with a sufficient amount of bright light, has a juicy green leaf color and a well-formed rosette.

If there is too much sun and its rays are burning, then the plant will begin to fade, the leaves will lose their juiciness and droop, the unopened buds will begin to dry out and their number will noticeably decrease.

Also, the health and appearance of the flower directly depends on proper watering, timely feeding, temperature conditions and other factors. Let's look at them in more detail.

Why do the buds dry out?

One of the reasons why buds dry out is lighting. Too much light is bad, too little is also a disaster. Therefore, when choosing a place for a pot with gloxinia, it is necessary to take this feature into account and position the plant so that the lighting level is optimal. Then the flowering will be abundant and bright.

Also among the reasons that can lead to gloxinia buds drying up without blooming are:

excessive soil and air moisture;
cold;
high temperature in the room;
stale air;
drafts;
excessive or insufficient feeding;
dry air.

As you can see, there are a large number of factors on which the duration and abundance of flowering depends. And when a problem is identified, it is worth considering all of them in order to provide timely assistance to the flower and not lose it.

Watering the plant is the next point that needs to be paid attention to. If it is carried out incorrectly, the buds do not open, the leaves die, and the root system suffers.

Proper watering is important for gloxinia. Water must flow to the roots through the soil, so it is carefully poured over the edge of the pot so as not to flood the rosette. Excess water is removed from the pan so that the roots do not begin to rot.

During cold weather, watering can be reduced to spraying, but it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil and prevent it from drying out, understanding that for normal growth the plant needs moderate moisture.

For watering and spraying, only settled water at room temperature is used.

Gloxinia requires special attention during the heating season. At this time, the air in the room is quite dry; under such conditions, the buds rarely open. It is recommended to periodically spray the flower, however, in this matter one should adhere to the “golden mean”. Excessiveness harms the plant.

These are the main points of care, the violation of which can disrupt the proper growth and flowering of gloxinia. But besides them, you should understand that if the temperature is too low and in drafts, gloxinia buds also wither and fall off.

Now about feeding. The lack of nutrients in the soil does not allow the plant to gain strength and fully realize itself: to form flower stalks and bloom. If the buds turn black and then begin to dry out, then this is a sure sign that the soil has a low amount of microelements. This means that the indoor flower needs feeding. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are best suited for these purposes.

Peduncles also dry out when gloxinia is damaged by pests of indoor plants such as:

If they are detected, the flower should be immediately treated with insecticides.

Why do buds rot and not bloom?

If gloxinias are not properly cared for, their buds not only dry out, but also rot. And this happens for several reasons. The first thing you should pay attention to is the condition of the soil.

If the soil in the pot is too wet and practically does not dry out, then this may well lead to the formation of rot not only on the tubers, but also on the surface of the flower.

If this is the reason, then reducing watering helps restore the plant's condition.

Also, the buds rot if the soil in the pot is too acidic and contains a lot of nitrogen. In this case, it is recommended to replant the flower.

And for feeding, use special fertilizers that contain potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen and other elements. If such a problem arises, the rotting bud is torn off and the plant is treated with a fungicide.

For these purposes, use “Fitosporin”, “Maximom” or other drugs of this group. Dosage and frequency according to the instructions for use.

Gloxinia inflorescences also rot when they are too cold. Low temperatures can cause enormous damage to the plant.

In any case, if rot appears, then it is necessary to establish the cause and eliminate it. Then remove all parts of the flower that are rotting, and only then treat the plant with anti-rot preparations.

Gloxinia produces a barren flower

First, on the gloxinia , as usual, the sepals open, and inside, instead of a bud, there is a green pea, a barren flower . After some time, the peduncle on which this underdeveloped bud grew turns brown.

Perhaps the gloxinia tuber was stored at too cold a temperature. Cut this peduncle and wait for the next peduncles. After a while, watch how new buds open, perhaps everything will return to normal without additional intervention. Try a few more sprays with Epine to help the plant relieve stress and help the formation of normal buds.

Prevention

Preventative measures are the best way to avoid problems in growing a flower.

Why do gloxinia leaves curl and what to do in this case:

sunburn. After buying a flower, place it on the western windows, not on the southern ones;
overflow Before watering, you need to check the dryness of the soil with your finger;
drafts. You need to put the pot in a warm place while airing;
temperature. Adjust the temperature immediately after purchasing the flower.

Important! Another important preventative measure is regular fertilization, which helps avoid the occurrence of diseases.

Although gloxinia is considered a demanding plant, caring for the flower is not so difficult. The main thing is to adhere to the basic rules.

Gloxinia's buds do not fully open

Gloxinia's buds do not fully open , and then turn brown and become soft. This is quite possible, if gloxinia has too many buds and does not have enough fertilizing, it is simply not able to cope with flowering. In this way, gloxinia itself regulates its flowering. This may be a varietal feature.

It is possible that it bloomed too early or late, when the daylight hours are short and there is simply not enough light for it. Typically, this occurs during the off-season.

Under-opening of buds may result from an attack by spider mites or thrips. Treat with insecticides.

What causes diseases and pests to appear?

We can consider gloxinia to be lucky and unlucky at the same time:

On the one hand, all bushes, except the first-year ones, the most dangerous period for indoor plants - winter, are spent in a state of rest without an above-ground part. The almost complete absence of watering, keeping it away from drafts and heating devices prevents the development of many diseases or prevents the infestation of pests. And amateurs have learned how to properly store gloxinia tubers. Or they gave up growing crops.
On the other hand, leaf diseases on gloxinia are difficult to treat. They are large, thick, juicy, covered with hairs. Any damage, stains or dry ends, edges are clearly visible, and the loss of even one plate is difficult to disguise. The treatment leaves stains on the leaves that cannot be washed off due to the thick hairs.

Gloxinia rarely gets sick or suffers from pests. With good care at home and kept separately from other crops, hobbyists may not encounter infections or insects for years.

Physiological or functional diseases caused by improper care or exposure to unfavorable external factors are not uncommon in gloxinia.

But you need to know about the causes of infectious diseases, why and where pests come from on a bush, in order to prevent their occurrence:

Already infected plants are brought into the house and placed in the main collection without quarantine;
pathogenic microorganisms enter the premises on animal fur, clothing or dirty hands of the owners;
infection can occur through a bouquet of flowers, vegetables, fruits;
some pests come from neighbors or from plants under the window;
fungal spores, eggs or insect larvae are carried by the wind through an open window.

But most often, contaminated tools or poorly treated soil become the source of diseases and pests. Unsanitary conditions provoke and aggravate problems, which is generally unacceptable when growing indoor plants.

All the leaves of Gloxinia began to wither

If gloxinia's leaves begin to wither in the fall, this means that gloxinia is preparing for winter. Reduce watering to a minimum. Wait until the gloxinia has completely withered, cut off the upper part of the shoots, leave only a small stump and send the gloxinia tuber for the winter. It can be in the same pot, or it can be in a plastic bag, as described in problem 1.

If gloxinia’s leaves begin to wither during the growing season, then most likely there is a problem with the tuber. It rotted from too much waterlogging. Dig up immediately, cut off the affected leaves, treat the tuber with fungicides and plant in fresh soil.

Main diseases of gloxinia: symptoms and treatment methods

The most common cause of slow growth and lack of flowering of gloxinia is various fungal infections. For treatment to be effective, you need to learn to distinguish between their symptoms.

Did you know? Late blight is a disease so dangerous that the founders of Marxism seriously considered it as one of the causes of bourgeois-democratic revolutions in Europe. One way or another, it was late blight that caused the famous Great Famine in Ireland in the middle of the 19th century, destroying almost the entire potato crop for four years in a row.

Late blight

The causative agent of this most dangerous infection is the Phytophthora

. The degree of harmfulness of this parasite is evidenced by its very name, literally translated from Greek as “plant killer.” Phytophthora feels very bad in dry, heated, intensely lit soil with good ventilation, but as soon as at least one of these conditions is violated, the fungus instantly becomes active.

After 7–10 days, the first symptoms of the disease can be observed on the indoor plant, namely:

light coating on the inside of the leaf plate;
chaotically located spots on the stem and the outside of the leaf (the color of the spots is brown, purple or brown, a characteristic feature is the presence of a light edging);
areas of soft rot on all above-ground parts;
if the disease overtakes the plant during the flowering period, the buds dry out and fall off.

Modern science has developed many fungicidal drugs that help fight late blight quite quickly and effectively. However, the problem is that most of them are extremely toxic, and therefore cannot be used indoors. So, it is very important to recognize the “enemy” as quickly as possible and try to defeat him using more gentle methods.

To do this, first of all you need to remove all the affected fragments, and then carefully treat the plant:

a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
garlic infusion;
aloe juice diluted with water in equal parts;
kefir diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and infused for 3-4 hours.

Find out also how to care for gloxinia after flowering.

If the disease progresses, you can use a proven remedy - the biological product Fitosporin-M. It is non-toxic and completely safe.

Fusarium

Another name for this disease is tracheomycosis. Its causative agent is fungi of the genus Fusarium

, activated by high humidity and insufficient watering. Unlike late blight, with fusarium blight, gloxinia leaves are not covered with plaque or spots, but simply wither, sag, first acquiring a watery structure, and then gradually drying out.

The development of the disease is especially visible on the upper part of the flower. Before treating gloxinia affected by Fusarium, it is necessary to eliminate the causes that provoke increased development of the fungus. The flower itself must be thoroughly washed with slightly warm water and treated with Fundazol. Usually the drug is used three times with a week's break.

At the final stage of treatment, you can treat the flower with Fitosporin-M, Previkur or Alirin-B. The drugs Benomil and Vectra also show high effectiveness, but these drugs are quite toxic.

Gray rot

The causative agent of gray rot is the mold fungus Botrytis. Like any fungus, it is activated by high humidity, however, an additional factor that increases the likelihood of contracting this disease is not dry soil, but sudden changes in temperature.

Important! Gray rot spreads very quickly to neighboring plants, so the affected specimen must be immediately placed in strict quarantine.

The characteristic symptoms of gray rot are brown spots on the leaf blade with a gray coating similar to mold. At first, the lesions are small, but they soon grow and merge into a single mass, becoming lighter in color and becoming covered with the fluff characteristic of any mold. As the disease develops, it covers the entire plant, the stem becomes covered with light yellow rings, the buds soften and fall off without opening.

It is usually not possible to defeat a spreading fungus with “soft” preparations, so many gardeners immediately resort to potent fungicides.

In particular, the plant can be treated with such means as:

"Horus";
"Teldor";
"Switch."

The advantage of these drugs is that, while highly effective, they are classified as moderately hazardous to the environment and can be used even indoors, albeit with all necessary precautions.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is another common disease of indoor plants that is fungal in nature. Infection usually occurs through the soil or from contact with other flowers. If the pot is in a well-lit place and watering is not carried out regularly, the likelihood of infection increases. The main symptom of powdery mildew is a whitish coating that appears on the back of the leaf and small white spots on the outside.

Contrary to the existing misconception, these spots do not have a fibrous structure: the name “mealy” comes from the fact that in the first stages of the lesion the leaf looks as if it had been sprinkled with flour. Control methods are treatment with homemade disinfectants (aloe juice, garlic, etc.) or the use of non-toxic fungicides and immunostimulants.

In addition to the same “Fitosporin-M”, Gamair, “Baktofit”, “Planriz” and “Pseudobacterin-2”, as well as “Immunocytofit” and “Novosil” show high effectiveness against powdery mildew.

Root rot

As you can guess from the name, the causative agents of root rot (and they can be various fungi, including the above-mentioned penicillium, late blight and fusarium, as well as pythium, diplodia or rhizoctonia) do not develop on the green parts of plants, but underground, in the roots; more precisely, if we talk about gloxinia, tubers. Therefore, external signs of damage are not so obvious.

However, as a rule, root rot is characterized by slower growth and rapid wilting of the flower, and watering does not eliminate the situation, and sometimes even worsens it. As the disease progresses, the leaves begin to become covered with brown wet spots and fall off. In the end, the plant dies, that is, literally rots “on the vine.” To combat the disease, an urgent transplant of the flower into a new pot with fresh soil is most often required.

As for special preparations, you can try using diluted ones for watering in accordance with the instructions:

"Alirin-B";
"Maksim";
"Trichodermin";
"Tricholavit";
"Fundazol";
"Previkur";
"Discor";
"Mikosan";
"Vitaros";
"Gamair";
"Glyocladin."

Important! Some experts recommend using the drug “Topaz” to combat root rot of indoor plants, however, due to the very high toxicity of this product, resorting to it is too dangerous.

Chlorosis

Chlorosis is not a fungal infection, but a systemic disease associated with disruption of photosynthesis processes in the green parts of the plant. This condition is caused by a deficiency of minerals in the soil, primarily iron, as well as zinc, magnesium, nitrogen, etc. Chlorosis is very easy to diagnose: the leaf blade loses its rich green color and becomes more yellow (the veins may remain green).

In parallel, the disease is accompanied by other signs of weakening - slowing growth, reducing the size of young leaves, drying out their tips, curling, falling, etc. A specific treatment for chlorosis consists of feeding gloxinia with iron, but this mineral must be in chelated form (associated with organic acids ), otherwise the plant will not be able to absorb it.

The easiest way for this purpose is to use one of these preparations for watering and spraying:

"Antichlorosis";
"Ferovit";
"Ferrylene";
"Micro-Fe";
"Brexil-Fe" etc.

rust mushroom

It is more correct to call this disease rust fungus or simply rust. It can be excited by various mushrooms belonging to the genus rusty - for example, Puccinia

or
Phragmidium
.

Characteristic symptoms are brown, yellow, red or orange spots on the outside of the leaf blade and so-called pustules (a collection of fungi in the form of a kind of wart) on the back. As the disease progresses, the spots increase in size and merge, the affected leaf turns yellow and falls off.

Among the fungicides effective against rust pathogens are the following:

"Oxychom";
"Strobe";
"Ordan";
"Bayleton";
"Vectra";
"Abiga Peak";
"Hom."

Did you know? The plant owes its name to the 18th century German botanist Benjamin Peter Gloksin. However, by an interesting coincidence, in the German language there is a word “glocke”, meaning “bell”, to which gloxinia flowers are very similar in shape (there is even a strong, albeit erroneous opinion that the word “gloxinia” comes from “glocke” ").

Anthracnose

This disease can be caused by several types of fungi, in particular Kabatiella

,
Gloeosporium
and
Colletotrichum
. However, depending on the specific type of pathogen, the symptoms of the disease can vary greatly.

In particular, the development of anthracnose on gloxinia can be suspected by one of the following signs:

the appearance of small yellow spots on the leaves, in the center of which you can see a dark dot or, as the affected area increases, a gray ring;
the spots are larger, have a red or brown color and a yellow edging, round or oval in shape, gradually the tissue in the affected area dries out and crumbles, forming a hole;
the spots cover both leaves and stems, are large in size, brown in color, and there are fluffy pustules inside the spots (in the first stages of the lesion, a darker depression is visible in the center of the spots).

You can fight anthracnose using such products as Oxychom, Abiga-Pik or Strobi.

Phyllosticosis

The causative agent of the disease is pathogenic fungi of the genus Phyllosticta

The disease is diagnosed based on the following characteristic signs:

red or purple dots on the green parts of the plant;
over time, each dot grows into a spot with a darker edge, which gradually dries out and crumbles, forming a hole;
If you look closely, you can see dark, round-shaped fungal spores on the affected areas.

Phyllosticosis can be cured even on those leaves where foci of infection are visible, so there is no need to mercilessly remove all fragments affected by the disease - you can first try to carry out a therapeutic treatment of the flower.

To do this, you can use one of these fungicides:

"Vectra";
"Oxychom";
"Strobe";
"Abiga Peak";
"Skor";
"The keeper";
"Vitaros".

We recommend reading about planting gloxinia and caring for it at home.

How to make gloxinia bloom again

If your gloxinia has bloomed and no longer forms flower stalks, and you want to force the gloxinia to bloom again , cut it back to 2-3 pairs of leaves. In 1.5-2 months, the gloxinia will grow a new stem, and your favorite gloxinia will bloom again. Repeat flowering can be stimulated by fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

The rights to the images belong to myhome-flowers.ru, dimetris.com.ua, forum.prihoz.ru: Sweet Berry, flickr.com: smalla, CameliaTWU, philipbouchard, Meighan, Larra Jungle Princess, carolinesoer, kasmil, Gerbera2009, ??? ??, livingflame, Sirelroka

Diseases caused by pests

Pests cause a lot of damage to flowers. The most popular type of gloxinia pest is thrips. These are insects that feed on plant juices. Their individuals are clearly visible in the photo. Their size in adulthood is up to 1.5 mm. Signs that pests have appeared are small, light-colored dots on the leaves of the flower. If they are detected, you need to isolate the flower pot from other plants. After this, you need to treat gloxinia with insecticides such as Intavir, Fitoferm, Aktara, Actellik or Karate. To completely destroy thrips, you need to carry out triple treatments at intervals of 7 days. You can take photos to track the dynamics of treatment. Otherwise, the leaves turn black and fall off.

Gloxinia after flowering: what to do, where and how to store tubers

There are two methods that will keep the tubers intact during the winter.

During the storage period there is a risk of developing fungal or any other diseases. It is improper storage that most often causes illness. Sudden and frequent changes in temperature and dampness lead to problems with gloxinia in the future.

Note! Under the right conditions for storing planting material, the plant can wake up earlier than usual, in the first ten days of February. Then the first buds will begin to bloom in the first half of March

flower tubers

Pot

After the flower has bloomed, it can winter at home. In this case, the tubers are left in the pot.

What to do when gloxinia fades and how to store tubers in a pot:

moisten the soil with a little water around the edges of the pot. Abundant watering is fraught with rotting of roots and the appearance of mold, so it is better not to overdo it;
containers with tubers need to be sprinkled with sand, covered with a tray and wrapped in a plastic bag;
then the containers need to be moved to a dark, cool place;
The main thing is that the room in which the planting material is located is not damp, otherwise all the tubers will become moldy and can be thrown away.

Note! The optimal temperature at which planting material should be stored is 12 °C. Gloxinia tubers need to be watered regularly with a small amount of water.

As a rule, by the end of January - beginning of February, the first shoots begin to appear from the planting material. This is the first signal that the flower needs to be taken indoors and replanted in new soil.

Gloxinia tubers need to be watered regularly with a small amount of water. As a rule, by the end of January - beginning of February, the first shoots begin to appear from the planting material. This is the first signal that the flower needs to be taken indoors and replanted in new soil.

This method is most preferable for young gloxinia tubers, which are going to rest for the first time.

Storage of planting material

Plastic bag

The second storage method is in a bag.

Step-by-step process for storing gloxinia tubers in a bag:

Carefully remove the gloxinia tubers from the pot, clean the earthen ball with your hands, then rinse them under a gentle stream of water.
During washing, the main thing is not to damage the tubers.
Place the washed planting material on a towel to dry.
When the tubers are dry, you need to carefully examine them. Weak and thin roots are cut off.
For storage, it is better to take not an ordinary plastic bag, but a bag with a zip-lock fastener.
Pour a few tablespoons of peat into the bag, the same amount of vermiculite and add a few tablespoons of water.
Mix the soil until smooth.
Then place the tubers in it, shake the bag so that the roots are in the ground.
Close the bag so that there is no air left in it.

For your information! Through a transparent bag it will be easy to see if mold suddenly appears or the roots begin to rot.

If during the inspection it turns out that mold has nevertheless appeared on the planting material, you need to immediately take action before it is too late.

What to do if the tubers are covered with mold:

Remove the planting material from the bag.
Trim the damaged area.
Sprinkle the cut area with crushed charcoal.
Place the tubers in the fresh air and dry them.
Then put it back into the bag.

In this case, it is better to throw out the old soil and make a new one. If you cover the planting material again with the old substrate, there is a high probability that mold will appear again.

Mold on tubers

This method of storing planting material is used most often. It is suitable for adult plants that have been sent into dormancy for several years.

Gloxinia after flowering needs special care and rest. This is necessary so that the flower gains strength over the winter and begins to bloom as quickly and abundantly as possible in the spring. When storing gloxinia tubers, you need to take into account a number of nuances so that they do not die or become infected with any diseases.

Possible problems and illnesses

Forewarned is forearmed.
Let's look at all the troubles that can befall gloxinia. Diseases:

Tuber rotting.
Excess moisture in the soil, too much nitrogen fertilizing, as well as water getting into the growing point can lead to root rot. A sign is drooping leaves that do not rise after watering. You should dig up the root and examine it.
If the growing point rots, then you need to root the strongest cuttings and throw away the root. If the rot is located in another place, it needs to be cut off and the root should be kept in a purple solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the cut with coal. Leave the tuber to dry for 3 days. Then plant it in the pot again.
Late blight.
At first the plant simply withers, and then all its above-ground parts begin to rot. It’s too late to save; you need to get rid of the infected flower in order to save the rest of the plants from infection.
Fusarium.
Dark stripes on the stem, brown spots on the root collar and brown wilting leaves. Only at the initial stage can you try to cope with the disease by treating it with a fungicide.

Pests: thrips and red spider mites. When examined, insects can be found on the stems and on the back of the leaves.

Systemic insecticides are used for control. In addition, it is necessary to increase air humidity, which pests do not like.

Gloxinia! All the buds constantly wither and dry out... Why?

If they turn brown, it is a disease, treat with a fungicide. And if the sepals of an underdeveloped bud open, and the bud itself turns black, then you flooded it

Young gloxinia blooms normally only in the 2nd year

You're probably flooding it. It seems warm, otherwise one might think about cold drafts. Water only from the tray.

requires special care... for winter (autumn) they cut off the top part of the plant and put it in a dark, damp place, in the city - under a bath, you don’t have to water it... from February - a new cycle of its life begins...

I love these flowers, they’re really capricious, try changing the place and watering the tray and soil specifically for these flowers. They are so beautiful - velvety!

maybe water gets on the buds? or spray other nearby flowers? and also feed

Personally, I don’t do anything special, I don’t water it in a tray, and I prune it only in the spring, it immediately produces young shoots... I don’t consider gloxinia a whimsical plant...

My gloxinia baby produced three huge buds a year later, but they began to fade. And I watered it from the tray, and there was enough lighting... I threw away the flower (I repent), and gave the tuber and leaf to my neighbor. A year later (the flower grew in partial shade) a luxurious flowering plant grew. The soil was garden soil.

Replant in normal, fresh soil. Optional for violets, etc. No need to spray. It seems to me that she simply does not have enough nutrition, she definitely needs drainage! I don’t know what about garden soil - it seems very suspicious to me.

My gloxinias are not capricious) I have a grove of them on the western and southern windows. All are strewn with buds - both young and older gloxinias) During budding, the main thing is not to move them from place to place, if the air in the apartment is dry - spray it around the plant, feed it once every two weeks with fertilizer for flowering plants.

my gloxinias

Rather, you filled it in by watering it in a tray, without getting it on the leaves and without spraying. Feed it with fertilizer for flowering plants. I wish you good luck!

I had this happen. I changed the soil the next year (they don’t tolerate replanting well) and everything returned to normal.

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