Oxalis - home care

Oxalis or Oxalis is a tuberous or bulbous plant of extraordinary beauty with delicate flowers and leaves that resemble clover leaves.

Belongs to the Kislichnaya family, which includes more than 800 species of annuals and perennials that grow naturally in South and Central America, Africa and even Central Europe.

The crop is grown not only in open ground. Indoor violet sorrel has become extremely popular at home; caring for it is not at all difficult.

Oxalis flowers are small purple, yellow, pink or white, and in some varieties they are bicolored. The color of the leaves, located on thin petioles, varies depending on the species from light green and silver to brown-red and dark purple.

The Latin name comes from a combination of two words: “OXYS” - sharp, sour and “ALS” - salt, describing the specific aroma and taste of the leaves, which contain oxalic acid.

How to grow herbs on a windowsill

Of particular interest is the plant's reaction to sunlight. The movement occurs due to changes in pressure in the cells of the leaves at their base, which is why the leaves of the sorrel closer to night or in cloudy weather fold and become like small butterflies. And they open again with the appearance of the sun. The slow motion of the folding leaves is captivating.

Composition and medicinal properties

Common oxalis has hemostatic, wound healing, tonic, analgesic, sedative, anthelmintic, and antidote properties due to its rich composition:

• ascorbic acid;
• glycosides;
• tannins;
• carotene;
• organic acids;
• B vitamins.

Oxalis contains most of oxalic acid, which gives the leaves a pleasant sour taste (hence the name of the plant). So, the “medicine” turns out to be quite tasty and helps eliminate many ailments:

• improves appetite;
• stabilizes metabolism;
• eliminates heartburn;
• reduces blood pressure;
• helps with mercury and arsenic poisoning;
• gets rid of worms;
• reduces high temperature;
• heals purulent wounds, boils;
• treats jaundice, gastritis, nephritis;
• copes with sore throat, stomatitis.

Benefits and harms

From wood sorrel you can make a seasoning that is added to soups, vegetables, cereals or meat.

In folk medicine, all parts of horned wood sorrel are used - flowers, peduncles and leaves. They are collected in spring or early summer, and then dried at a temperature of +40-50 degrees.

Prepared decoctions are prescribed for the treatment of scurvy, stomach and liver diseases. Serves as an excellent antiseptic . The juice can be used to treat scabies.

At the same time, taking it in large quantities is harmful - accumulated oxalic acid can negatively affect the kidneys and urinary system. It should also not be used by people with joint diseases.

Reproduction of wood sorrel by dividing rhizomes and seeds with video

Photos of crossandra species, home care
Reproduction of indoor oxalis flowers by dividing the rhizome is the most common way to obtain green offspring. It is carried out during a planned transplant of vegetation into a new container. To do this, you need to carefully remove the plant from the pot and remove the top layer of soil. Afterwards, part of the plant with the adjacent root system is carefully cut off from the main flower. The cut areas are treated with charcoal powder. Each part is planted in a separate pot with a drainage layer and nutrient substrate. Next, the flowers are watered with water at room temperature.

Growing indoor wood sorrel from seeds is the longest way to propagate a flower. To carry it out, preparation of a nutritious earthen mixture is required. The substrate consists of humus, peat and sand mixed in a ratio of 4:4:1. After disinfecting the soil, place it in a wide pot. Scatter the planting material over the soil layer. Moisten the soil by spraying clean water at room temperature from a spray bottle. Next, you need to create a greenhouse effect, thanks to which the seeds will begin to germinate. To do this, cover the pot with thick polyethylene or glass. The container with seedlings should be kept at a temperature of 17 ͦ C and in conditions with diffused sunlight. Every day you should ventilate the greenhouse and slightly moisten the substrate. The first shoots will appear within 10-40 days.

Watch the video below about propagating wood sorrel at home. This will help you carry out the process yourself:

Sun dependent and sensitive sorrel plant description

Myrtle tree. Photo. Useful properties of myrtle. Useful properties of myrtle

It is known that oxalis appeared in the 17th century and to this day they grow both in Central and South America and in Europe. In Ireland, since the 19th century, the shamrock has been recognized as a symbol of the state. In nature, flowers grow well in any climate; they are often found in deciduous forests in the middle zone of our country. An ornamental variety of plants was bred through selection, some of which tend to shed their foliage for the winter, but there is nothing wrong with that - after two months, the home flower will again delight you with its beauty.

In nature, flowers grow well in any climate

Oxalis are perennial herbaceous plants from the genus Oxalidaceae (lat. Oxalidáceae). They are found both in forests and in home cultivation as a potted plant.

Oxalis got its name from the sour taste of its leaves, which contain vitamin C and oxalic acid salts (“oxys” in Latin - sour). In Russia, sorrel is often called “hare cabbage” or false clover.

There are more than 900 varieties in nature. Basically - perennial herbaceous plants, consisting of separate small plants that create the appearance of a single cover. There are plants with aboveground stems or stemless, not tall plants with modified underground shoots or reaching 2 m or more, tubers, bulbs or rhizomes from which adventitious roots radiate.

Some species of oxalis have plants with ordinary rhizomes, fleshy nodules or bulbs, and sometimes large shoots.

In indoor plants, the bulbs are small in size and brownish in color.

Oxalis leaves often have a triangular shape, but there are species with four lobes; if you touch them, they will fold in pairs, forming a circle. Since the plant is sensitive to light, after sunset or in cloudy weather the flowers close, and with the advent of sunlight the buds open again, resembling a blooming clover.

Wintering garden oxalis in rooms

This indoor plant is becoming increasingly popular in decorating gardens, balconies, terraces and even city flower beds. Due to the elegant appearance of the bushes and the inimitable variety of colors, sorrel is planted in flower beds and open soil. But only the most cold-resistant species can overwinter in the ground, and even then with careful cover under a layer of leaves, spruce branches and non-woven materials.

To preserve them for next year, heat-loving oxalis need to be moved indoors. If the wood oxalis have retained their leaves for the winter and even bloom, and the plants have been dug up in advance, before frost, then the rules for their wintering are no different from indoor wood oxalis.

If the oxalis have dropped their leaves, then it is better to preserve the prepared nodules in the same way as any bulbous ones - outside the soil or in an “intermediate” substrate:

• After digging, the bulbs are cleaned and dried in a shaded, ventilated room;
• Having placed the bulbs in a cardboard box or disinfected sand, peat, coconut substrate or sawdust, oxalis is sent for the winter along with other bulbous plants in a cool, dry room.

For oxalis triangularis and other species that can bloom for more than 9 months, fertilizing is reduced for the winter, but not stopped.

Caring for oxalis at home

Sphagnum

Oxalis is quite undemanding in care, and both experienced gardeners and beginners can cope with its cultivation. You can easily grow a larger number of species as a garden plant, and oxalis is also used for landscaping verandas and balconies.

Lighting and location

Oxalis needs bright, indirect light. It thrives in partial shade. The very heat-loving triangular oxalis must be protected from cold drafts.

Temperature

Due to the fact that these plants are undemanding in care, they feel quite comfortable at normal room temperature.

But you should pay attention to the fact that in winter the temperature in the room where the sorrel is located should not drop below 16 degrees. In the warm season, it is recommended to move oxalis outside or transplant it into flower beds

How to water

In summer, this plant needs to be watered quite abundantly. But after autumn comes, watering is gradually reduced, and in winter you just need to make sure that the soil is always a little moist. At any time of the year, make sure that there is no stagnation of water in the ground, as this can have a rather negative effect on the root system of the plant.

Rest period

A large number of species of wood sorrel, during a dormant period lasting a month or a month and a half, do not lose their foliage, but simply stop growing. The plant needs to be watered very rarely at this time. In the case when a plant loses its foliage in autumn, watering is significantly reduced, eventually stopping watering the plant altogether. And it is best to put it in a cool and fairly dry room at this time.

Bloom

Oxalis can bloom in any month, regardless of the time of year, if it is provided with sufficient lighting. To do this, after the period of normal flowering ends, watering is significantly reduced and the plant is moved to a cool room (thereby you will create an artificial dormant period). After 4 weeks, the plant is transplanted into fresh soil mixture, watered abundantly, and placed in a well-lit place. Oxalis will bloom in approximately 30–40 days.

Fertilizer

This plant needs to be fed only during flowering, as well as during the period of active growth once every two or three weeks. Complex mineral fertilizer is excellent for this (use ½ of the recommended dose).

Features of transplantation

A wide flower pot is perfect for oxalis, in which, after a period of dormancy, you need to plant not one, but several bulbs or nodules. Don't forget about a good drainage layer.

Earth mixture

Almost any soil mixture is perfect for growing oxalis. You can, for example, use purchased universal soil or mix sand, leaf, turf, and peat soil in equal parts. If the soil mixture is too nutritious, then the flowering of sorrel will be scanty, but the foliage will be dense.

How to propagate

Most often, oxalis is propagated by bulbs or nodules that grow near the old rhizome or bulb. As a rule, they are planted with 5–10 bulbs (nodules) in one flower pot and sprinkled with a little soil. The new plant grows and develops quite quickly. So, after only a little more than 4 weeks from the moment of planting, a full-fledged plant grows. Thanks to this feature, flowering is regulated.

If desired, it is quite possible to grow sorrel from seeds. Since the seeds are quite small in size, sowing is done on the surface of the soil (it is not covered with a layer of soil on top). The soil mixture must be moistened using a sprayer.

We protect from the sun and select the soil

Oxalis does not require special care at home. This is an unpretentious creature, but loves illuminated places with diffused light. Exposure to direct sunlight may cause burns. If the pot is located on a sunny window, then in the summer it is worth organizing protection from some material so that the incident light becomes more diffused. Due to lack of lighting, leaf cuttings become elongated and the blades themselves become smaller. In winter, the plant also needs good lighting.

During the period of intensive growth, abundant watering is required, which is best done as the soil dries. Water should not stagnate; moderate watering is sufficient. It is worth noting that regular spraying has a beneficial effect on growth. Oxalis indoors, if the conditions are properly organized, goes into a dormant period until spring.

Caring for a delicate creature with trifoliate leaves is not complete without feeding. Complex mineral fertilizers and organic matter are used. They are introduced from April to the end of August. To avoid damaging the roots, it is recommended to halve the concentration of fertilizer. It is better to replant young specimens every year, adults – once every two to three years. When planting, you need to provide good drainage; a layer of fine gravel or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot will do. This will prevent the root system from constantly coming into contact with water and the plant will be less likely to suffer from root rot.

The earth mixture should be loose and light (a substrate for decorative deciduous plants is suitable). It is better to remove old roots and tubers so that the shoots develop more intensively. Growing catharanthus from seeds, begonia, and balsam is carried out in a similar way.

We meet the first shoots

Oxalis triangularis

Oxalis can be propagated in several ways, depending on the species. The Deppe variety reproduces well from daughter tubers. It is best to time this process to coincide with the end of winter or the beginning of spring. Several tubers are planted in a separate container, covered with a centimeter layer of soil. After transplanting, water them and place the pot in a cool place until germination. After planting the tubers, oxalis begins to bloom in about 40 days. Seeds are usually sown in spring; they do not need to be covered with soil. The soil must be kept moist until germination by spraying it. In the first year, rosettes appear and the root system is formed.

Some varieties can be propagated by leaves and cuttings (Ortgisa variety). To do this, cut a small stalk with a leaf and place it in a glass of water. In a few weeks, thin roots will appear. Root the cuttings in loose soil under plastic or glass.

In the garden, wood sorrel is used as a ground cover or border plant. The green or red clearings that this delicate creature forms look impressive. This plant is also used to decorate rocky walls or alpine slides.

Careful watering and air humidity

All wood sorrel trees, without exception, gradually begin to water less by winter, reducing watering from September-October and drying the soil a little more between waterings. They stop watering only for four-leaf clover (Oxalis Deppe), all others simply water much more carefully.

It is better to prefer waterings that allow the substrate to dry out in the upper third or even to the middle of the pot, rather than the usual summer watering for wood sorrel, which involves drying out the soil in the top layer.

Air humidity is one of the most “dangerous” parameters when selecting conditions for keeping wood sorrel in winter. The thing is that oxalis at this time are sensitive to a combination of coolness and high humidity, heat and low air humidity to the same extent.

If the oxalis are kept at a temperature of about 18 degrees (or higher), the air humidity should be average and increase proportionally with the temperature: the hotter the room, the more the air humidity rises.

Spraying in winter is unacceptable. If the air is too dry, simple trays with damp moss or pebbles, indoor fountains, or the plant are moved closer to humidifiers and groups of tropical moisture-loving species.

Starting from September-October, watering for all oxalis without exception is reduced

The most interesting types of sorrel

1. Common sorrel (Oxalis acetosella L) - most often found in nature in forest belts. Perennial no more than 10 cm high. It has creeping rhizomes. The leaf is triangular, with long petioles.

The garden form of common wood sorrel (var. subpurpurascens) is frost-resistant, has pink flowers and grows like a carpet on the soil surface.

2. Nine-leaved wood sorrel (Oxalis enneaphylla) is an incredibly beautiful garden variety of wood sorrel. Perennial about 10 cm high, more demanding than wood sorrel. It is distinguished by greyish-silver-green carved dissected leaves (as if three-fingered in a square). The flowers are larger than those of the common sorrel and can be pink or white. This guest needs slightly acidic soil, rich in humus, with good drainage and shelter for the winter. Grows in sunny places.

Has beautiful varieties:

1. Sheffield Swan - large white flowers, gray-green leaves.

2. Alba - even larger white flowers.

3. Minitifolia - a miniature copy of the original species of nine-leaved wood sorrel. Blooms May-June.

3. Oxalis triangularis subsp.papilionacea, also known as Oxalis regnellii, is a very unusual plant. The leaves are light green or dark burgundy, consisting of 3 lobes. In spring and summer it is covered with many small white flowers. Winters well in the middle zone, but has a tendency to grow. I also cultivate this oxalis as a house flower.

4. Red sorrel (Oxalis rubra) - a tall species, shoot height is about 40 cm. The tripartite leaves are slightly pubescent at the base, the flowers are red or pink. It has a variety with soft pink flowers (Pink Dream).

5. Depp's sorrel (Oxalis deppei) - the most common sorrel, with green 4-fingered leaves, brown in the center. The height of the plant is about 35 cm. The reddish-crimson flowers are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences about 2 cm long. The corms are edible. Corms are planted 2-3 together with other bulbous plants (gladioli, tulips).

The choice of wood sorrel species is not limited to this; beautiful resistant hybrids and little-used species can transform your garden and surprise even the most picky gardener. What is the price of glandular sorrel (O.adenophylla).

Or poor sorrel (Oxalis inops).

Personally, I now grow moth sorrel as a houseplant, but many gardeners are happy to plant it in the garden.

Do you have sorrel growing?

Popular varieties

There are many varieties of this plant. Many of them are grown to decorate a garden plot, so you should choose a flower based on color.

Description

Triangular sour or oxalis triangularis is a beautiful bush with lilac, velvety triangular flowers.
The plant is not tall, reaches a maximum length of 25 cm. If the plant is grown correctly, the flowers have a bright purple color. It blooms in summer, but in winter on the windowsill it will remind you of summer, because its leaves from a distance resemble butterflies. The butterfly flower has tiny inflorescences. Usually the flowers are pink, white, yellow. They perfectly complement the purple leaves.

How does oxalis reproduce?

Decorative oxalis can reproduce in several ways. This occurs when cuttings, bulbs (tubers) or leaves are used. This is one of the main differences between home crops and garden crops, which reproduce exclusively through seeds. If you grow oxalis at home, which you can buy at any flower shop, then this can be achieved with the help of tubers (bulbs). You just need to carefully separate them when replanting each year. Then the material for planting needs to be distributed into separate containers. It is allowed to plant 4-10 small tubers in 1 pot. After some time, oxalis will begin to grow and become very thick. After transplantation, watering should be moderate. The soil should not dry out, but at the same time the roots should not be allowed to rot. It is best to place the pot in a cool place. You can put the bush in the light only after the first shoots appear. Within a month after this, the bush will become very lush.

After transplanting oxalis, watering should be moderate.

You can propagate oxalis using another method. To do this, cuttings should be prepared on adult specimens. When the cut is made, the shoots are placed in ordinary water. After a couple of weeks, small shoots should appear on them. When their length grows to 1.5 cm, you can place the cuttings in the prepared soil.

How to transplant sorrel

Transplanting wood sorrel is an integral process of caring for this indoor flower. Usually it is transplanted into a new pot every year, since the tubers during this period of time occupy all the soil allocated for them. If you plan to reproduce, you need to choose a new pot larger than the previous one. If the transplantation process is related to prevention, you can divide the bush and remove some of the unnecessary roots.

When the plant is fully mature and has grown sufficiently, it needs to be replanted. For a new pot, it is better to immediately prepare drainage, which will take up one third of the container: this will protect against overflow. The best time to change the habitat of wood sorrel is spring. The transplant is carried out step by step.

• Make a drainage layer.
• Fill up the soil. You can buy standard soil for home flowers in the store or prepare it yourself: peat, sand, humus and leaf soil are taken in a ratio of 1X1X1X1 and mixed. Experienced gardeners say that it is useful to add a small amount of coconut shavings to the soil to provide more comfortable conditions for the plant.
• Remove the sorrel from the old pot, clean the roots and place it in a new “home”.
• For the first few days, carefully monitor the condition of the flower. Watering can be increased during the first time after transplantation, but always check to see if excess water has appeared in the pan.

How and when to replant

Oxalis grows very quickly, so the flower requires annual replanting, which should be done in the spring with the beginning of active growing season. During the same period, it is possible to propagate sorrel. If you do not plan to get new specimens, then take a pot 2 cm larger than the previous one. If you divide the plant into several parts, then leave the same container.

Place drainage at the bottom of the vessel to help drain excess water. It can be made from gravel or expanded clay, pouring stones in a layer of about 2-3 cm. Then add a layer of soil consisting of:

• 1 part of turf land;
• 1 part leaf humus;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part sand.

The substrate for planting oxalis should be loose and rich in potassium. In poor soil the leaves will not be brightly colored. If it is not possible to make a soil mixture yourself, you can purchase a universal soil for indoor plants with neutral acidity.

The soil in which sorrel will be grown must be loose

The transplantation process then consists of the following steps:

1. Remove the plant from the old pot and wash the roots.
2. Cut off the dry and rotten parts and dry them a little.
3. Moisten the substrate in a new container and place the plant on it.
4. Cover the roots with soil and tamp it down lightly with your palm.
5. Water a little again and place the sorrel in a place with diffused light.

   After transplanting, place the sorrel in a place with diffused light

To make the oxalis bush lush, several seedlings can be planted in one pot. Crowding does not interfere with the development of the plant; on the contrary, it will grow a lush leaf mass and turn into a dense clump.

Oxalis care at home

In its natural environment, wood sorrel sheds all its leaves and inflorescences in the fall and freezes until spring. The gardener’s task is not to let the house flower go into hibernation, but to continue flowering and grow further. This is not difficult to do indoors, the main thing is to provide the flower with proper care.

If the air temperature does not drop below fifteen degrees, the sorrel will continue its natural cycle. Do not allow the temperature to drop to the critical temperature of eight degrees. Caring for indoor oxalis involves watering, fertilizing and moistening the leaves.

The humidity of the room should be moderate, although this plant can survive the dry air of winter heating just fine. It is advisable to spray the leaves in winter with a spray bottle and fill the pot with wet expanded clay.

Purple wood sorrel likes slightly cool air temperatures. Try to keep it away from radiators and heating objects.

Location and lighting

The forest beauty Oxalis in nature prefers shady forests, so try not to place it on the south side of the apartment. The most preferred places are east and west. She is not afraid of direct sunlight, but too much of it can cause damage. With a lack of lighting, the flower slows down its growth slightly.

As soon as the flower begins to throw up leaves in the fall, reduce watering to a minimum. And you can also move the flower to a cooler place so that the sorrel can rest for two months and continue to grow. This period is very important for the plant, and although it will not completely shed all its foliage, development will pause, giving it the opportunity to recover before spring and summer flowering. Flower care during the winter months is kept to a minimum.

Young shoots that have appeared indicate that the dormant period has ended. Now you can feed it, move it to a warm place and start watering it as before.

Fertilizer and feeding

It is usually fed with mineral fertilizers, but organic ones are also suitable. All of them are sold in flower shops, so it makes no sense to prepare them at home. The procedure is carried out during the period of growth and budding once every twenty days. Fertilize for the last time at the end of August and completely stop feeding until spring.

Watering

Water it often, but do not allow water to stagnate. You should especially carefully monitor the condition of the soil during the flowering period. In winter, any watering is stopped, and with the appearance of shoots, honey mushrooms are resumed. Oxalis loves to be sprayed. To do this, use a spray bottle and soft water. In summer, the plant should be moistened at least every three days, and in winter it should be stopped altogether. Spraying has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the leaves and inflorescences of sorrel. They become brighter, more saturated colors and denser.

Breeding

There are several ways to grow sorrel at home. In nature, this flower reproduces by seeds, but at home this method is not used due to difficulties.

The main methods are the following:

• The simplest of all methods is propagation using rhizomes. As soon as the first shoots appear in the spring, the plant is pulled out of the pot and the root is divided into parts. Be sure to soak it in a manganese solution. After transplanting, the roots are watered every five days.
• You can propagate the plant using leaves. A leaf is carefully torn off from a large bush and placed in a glass of water. You cannot cut the leaf, as this will affect its further condition. It was noticed that a leaf cut with a knife does not produce roots well. After the roots appear, plant the sprout in a permanent place in the pot.
• The plant is propagated using cuttings as follows. Cuttings are cut from the mother plant and treated with Kornevin solution. Then they are planted in pre-prepared leaf soil with sand and watered thoroughly. Caring for cuttings involves frequent watering.
• Propagating from bulbs is the fastest way to get a new plant. In just thirty days there will be a fully formed flower. To do this, separate the bulbs and plant them in separate pots. After which the pots are placed in a cool, dimly lit place and watered. As soon as sprouts appear, the flowers are transferred to a permanent place.

The soil

You can buy a regular substrate at a flower shop, or you can prepare it yourself. Oxalis is undemanding to soil composition and usually grows well in soil that is average in all respects. To prepare the soil you will need peat, turf and leaf soil and, of course, sand for drainage.

Hygiene is a priority

All oxalis that retain leaves in winter require frequent inspection and attention. Leaving dry leaves, fading cuttings and flowers, and allowing the substrate under the bush to become clogged just in winter is the biggest mistake. Any damaged or fading parts should be removed as soon as possible.

The “cleaner” the bushes are (even if you have to leave not so many leaves), the less the risk that oxalis will be seriously damaged by pests and diseases during wintering.

It is worth observing the plant for another reason: this way you can take timely measures by moving the sorrel to brighter places and raising the humidity to a comfortable level.

Types of indoor oxalis

There are several types recommended for home growing:

• Quatrefoil oxalis has four leaves instead of the usual three. The leaves are dark green with a burgundy edge, and the inflorescences are bright crimson. This wood sorrel is an inhabitant of southern forests. In nature, it can only be found in South America. In its homeland, this flower has acquired a lot of legends and beliefs. It is believed that by bringing raspberry sour home, you can attract wealth and good luck.
• Ferruginous oxalis is distinguished by large white inflorescences with purple veins. The bushes themselves are small in size with grayish leaves.
• A resident of coniferous forests, violet sorrel is very loved by home gardeners. It is propagated by dividing the rhizomes. The bushes usually reach twelve centimeters. The inflorescences come in pink, white or purple shades.
• The unusual sorrel Bouvius has a large inflorescence located on a long stalk. The height of the stem sometimes reaches thirty centimeters. Bouvium blooms with pink flowers.
• Triangular sorrel is considered the most suitable for home growing. This southern variety can be seen in the wild in Mexico. Flowers of purple or pink color are located on thin shoots. The leaves are dark, purple in color.
• Multi-colored wood sorrel has white inflorescences with a red border, which close at night and open again in the morning.

Diseases and pests

Oxalis, if all care conditions are met, almost never gets sick and is not attacked by harmful insects. Most problems can be caused by:

• lack/excess of watering the plant;
• lack/excess of lighting;
• lack of fertilizing;
• too small pot.

Certain actions will often help solve the problem.

• Find the optimal location for the plant, where direct sunlight will not hit the leaves, but it will not be completely dark.
• Monitor the frequency and abundance of watering. And also check the soil and drain the water from the pan.

One of the most common problems is this: the root system rots, and fungus gnats take up residence in the roots. In this situation, saving the home occupant becomes more difficult. However, it is possible to return an indoor flower to a healthy existence.

• Remove the plant from the pot. Carefully and carefully shake off the roots from adhering soil.
• Cut off those shoots on which rot has spread.
• Replant the sorrel in the dried soil.
• Spend several days with moderate (less than usual) watering so that the flower adapts to new living conditions without the trimmed part.

The number of pests that are eager to attack a home resident is large: mealybug, scale insect, whitefly. If you find any, do not hesitate and take measures to destroy the enemies on the plant. The mealybug looks like a white bump on the leaves or shoots of oxalis. Gradually, as the mealybug multiplies, a white coating forms on the leaves.

For treatment, it is necessary to wipe all affected areas on the oxalis with a cotton pad soaked in a soap solution. It would be a good idea to wipe all the leaves with an alcohol solution or calendula infusion. The procedure can be carried out once every few days. If the situation has not been triggered, no further action is required.

If the bug has already attacked a large area of ​​the flower, you should resort to chemicals. Spray the affected areas with a solution that can be purchased at the store every 10 days. “Fitoferm”, “Tanrek” and “Biotlin” have proven themselves best. These combination sprays will cause even a large colony of mealybugs to retreat.

Scale insects are resistant to external influences, so getting rid of them involves some difficulties. The scutellum, or small shell, protects insects from the environment. Insects are tightly attached to the surface of the wood sorrel, making it difficult to remove an individual. It is easy to notice scale insects: tubercles of different shades (depending on the type of parasite) will be on the leaves and shoots. However, in the early stages, the pest can only be detected by sticky leaves: insects leave behind a sticky liquid.

If the situation is advanced, you need to remove adult scale insects. Chemicals will not affect them: the shells will protect the scale insect from any liquid. To remove insects from a leaf, you can soak a cotton swab or disk in a soapy solution and treat all leaves on both sides, as well as adjacent stems. Treat the plant, pot and nearby objects (as well as the wall and window sill, which are in close proximity to the pot) with chemicals. Actellik is suitable for this purpose, but you need to remember: a strong odor will accompany the treatment process with this drug, so it is advisable to place the pot in an isolated place.

One of the most unpleasant pests are small butterflies that greedily swoop down on the plant. Appears on sorrel in cases where the soil becomes waterlogged at elevated air temperatures. In this case, you can notice midges circling around the wood sorrel. The length of the pest does not reach more than 3 mm, and the body is covered with powdery pollen. For effective control, rinse the sorrel under running water, which should be cool. Next, you can begin treating the plant with insecticidal agents designed to combat whiteflies. It is better to purchase drugs in a specialized store.

For information on the features of caring for sorrel, see the following video.

Problems during cultivation

Why doesn't it bloom

Among the reasons are the lack of a rest period and depletion of oxalis. The crop will not bloom if fertilizer is applied in excess.

Phytodiseases

Oxalis is disease resistant. However, excessive watering provokes root rot. The plant is revived by transplanting into dried soil, pruning diseased areas of the plant, and reducing watering.

Water deficiency and soil depletion cause the plant to wilt. Drying foliage is caused by sunburn, dry air, and inability to adapt to new conditions.

Pests

Aphid

They resist parasites in 3 ways:

• mechanical: manually collect pests;
• chemical: seedlings are treated with insecticides (Inta-Vir, Aktara);
• folk: spray plants with laundry soap.

Aphid

Shchitovka

To get rid of scale insects, wipe the leaves with a napkin or toothbrush, which is moistened in a solution of soap or alcohol, and sprayed with Aktara.

Whitefly

The flower is washed with tap water and treated with Fitoverm, Actellik.

Spider mite

It is necessary to wash the foliage with tobacco and soap solution, rinse with lukewarm water and treat the crop with Akarin.

Spider mite

The following symptoms indicate diseases if sorrel is not properly cared for:

1. Stunted growth. Temperature does not match. Requires relocation to cool.
2. The appearance of gray rot. Reduce watering, spray with Fundazol.
3. Closing leaves in broad daylight. The sun's rays are shining and the soil is dry. Water the bush and place it in another place.
4. Death of a flower. Overwatering and rotting of tubers are possible. The crop is dumped out of the container, undamaged tubers are selected and planted in fresh soil.
5. Leaf spotting. To protect against burns, place oxalis in a shaded place.
6. Formation of a green tint on the leaves. If there is a shortage of light, find another window for the pot, but not in direct sunlight.
7. Suspension of flowering. The soil is depleted, the dormant period has not yet begun. Replanting into a new substrate will be required.

Reproduction methods

Propagation by seeds

Oxalis growing in the wild reproduce by seeds. However, this method of propagation is not often used by flower growers, since it is relatively long and ineffective. But if you have a desire to grow a flower from a seed, then you can try it. Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds:

1. First of all, prepare a suitable soil mixture. Its composition should include sand, peat and leaf humus (1: 4: 4).
2. At the very beginning of spring, distribute the seeds evenly over the surface of the substrate; there is no need to embed them or sprinkle them with soil on top.
3. Cover the container with glass (film), which will allow you to maintain the high humidity necessary for germination (about 100%).
4. Move the crops to a cool (16 to 18 degrees) and well-lit place; the light must be diffused. Make sure that the substrate in the container is always slightly damp; for this you need to regularly water it using a sprayer.
5. Don't forget to ventilate your crops every day.

If everything is done correctly, the first seedlings will appear after 7–30 days (depending on the freshness of the seed material).

Reproduction by daughter bulbs

It is much faster and easier to propagate a flower vegetatively. To do this, during transplantation from the bush, you need to carefully separate the daughter nodules or bulbs that have formed around the tap root. After this, several of them are planted in one container and covered with a not very large amount of substrate on top. After this, the pot is placed in partial shade and do not forget to occasionally water it moderately. When young shoots appear, the container is moved to a well-lit place, protected from direct sunlight, and after 4-6 weeks your home will already be decorated with a profusely blooming lush bush.

Tuber division

Immediately after the end of the dormant period, when the first new leaf plate is formed on the bush, the tuber must be removed from the pot and all substrate removed from it

Carefully rinse it in a pinkish solution of potassium manganese and divide it into several parts with a sharp, disinfected instrument. The cut areas on the cuttings need to be sprinkled with coal powder, after which they are planted in individual pots

Then they are transferred to a well-lit place (the light should be diffused) and provided with regular watering, which is carried out immediately after the lump of earth in the pot dries. Feeding of the divisions is carried out once every 15 days, while the first time fertilizer is applied a week after planting.

Breeding mistakes and ways to avoid them

Errors when propagating oxalis can be as follows:

1. The seeds do not germinate for a long time. Perhaps they were covered with soil, and after moistening, they deepened even more.
   Important. It must be remembered that when sowing small oxalis seeds only need to be spread over the surface of the substrate.
2. The shoots stretch out and become thin. In this case, the plantings must be provided with sufficient light.
3. Not all cuttings sprouted. When planting, pay attention to the eyes, which should be present on each part of the tuber. Also, you should not divide the tuber into many small parts, otherwise there is a high probability that the small sections will not take root.
4. Spots appeared on the seedlings. They most likely suffered from sunburn after being sprayed. It is necessary to prevent direct sunlight from entering the plant by shading or changing the location.

There are many ways to propagate oxalis, so everyone can choose the most suitable one for themselves. And if you follow all the recommendations described above, you can easily get new luxuriantly and profusely flowering bushes of the plant.