How often should you water a pink quill (Tillandsia cyanea)? Introduction to watering and propagation methods
Planting a potted plant in the cold winter will make everyone feel that it brings a touch of vitality to winter, adding a stroke of color to winter's monotonous palette. What's more, the pink quill (Tillandsia cyanea) is light purple in color, very fresh and elegant, and is relatively easy to grow, with many propagation methods. Below we introduce the specific operation of each propagation method in detail.
How to water the pink quill (how often to water)
The pink quill likes a high-temperature, high-humidity environment and is not tolerant of low temperatures or dryness. The growing environment should have plenty of light, and the soil should be loose, well-draining leaf mold or peat soil. In winter the temperature should not be lower than 10°C. Water when you see the soil has dried, and just keep the soil moist. Generally, watering a small amount about every 2-3 [days] is enough.
Propagation methods of the pink quill
1. Seed propagation
Pink quill seeds are generally obtained by artificial pollination. When the seeds are obtained, they must be sown immediately. The sowing soil can be a mix of peat soil + perlite + river sand. Before sowing, the soil needs to be sterilized first, then the seeds are evenly scattered on the soil and covered with plastic film; no soil covering is needed.
The optimal temperature for germination is between 24°C and 26°C, and seedlings emerge in one to two weeks. When the young seedlings grow 3 to 4 leaves, they can be transplanted into other pots for permanent planting.
2. Division propagation
The best time for division is from April to June. When you observe that the offsets have grown 3 to 5 leaves and reached a height of 10 cm, first pull the whole plant out of the pot, clear away the soil, then break off the offsets, disinfect the wounds and let them dry naturally in the sun, and finally insert them into suitable soil. At this time, ensure the soil and air humidity, and do not let direct sunlight hit them. After 1 to 2 months, when new roots have grown, they can be cared for according to normal maintenance methods.
3. Cutting propagation
Cutting propagation is also a common propagation method among flower lovers. Wait until the tiller shoots of the pink quill grow to 10 cm high and produce 3 to 5 leaves, then they can be cut off directly. The wounds should be disinfected and dried in the sun, then inserted into coarse sand or perlite. As with division, ensure moderate soil and air humidity, and simply do not let direct sunlight hit them. After 1 to 2 months, when new roots have grown, they can be cared for according to normal maintenance methods. The selection of tiller shoots is very important: they should not be too large, nor too small.
What to do if the pink quill turns green
The pink quill is an ornamental plant of the genus Tillandsia in the Bromeliaceae family. A characteristic of Bromeliaceae plants is that the flowers of a blooming plant entering the end of its growth period will slowly turn green and finally wither. The simplest case is the ornamental bromeliad. Friends who have grown ornamental bromeliads can recall whether the flower of an ornamental bromeliad was originally red, then slowly began to turn green from the bottom and then withered.
The pink quill is no exception. Generally, the ornamental period of the pink quill's flower bract lasts 4 months. As time passes, the flower bract begins to turn green from the bottom, marking that the pink quill has begun to enter its withering period. After withering, if the plant is healthy, new daughter plants will grow at the perennial root. This natural withering of the original flowering plant proceeds in sync, and this is a signal for propagation. Flower lovers can divide the plants when the new daughter plants have grown to a certain size, thus extending the life of the pink quill.
How to make the pink quill bloom in winter
1. Do not use the previous fertilizer again; switch to a fertilizer with more K and less N. Some friends may think that to make flowers bloom well you need to add more P fertilizer, but not every plant is like that. Especially in the three weeks before you want them to bloom, no fertilizer is needed at all, but as for watering, you can still follow the previous frequency.
2. When the flower bract gradually changes color, it is not due to a lack of sunlight, but a sign that the flower is about to wither. At this time, you can choose to remove the flower bract directly, so that they can grow side shoots. The withered flower spike can be removed directly. The temperature should be controlled between 20-25°C. If there are no problems with humidity either, after some time they can bloom again.
The pink quill that blooms in winter is truly very beautiful, but while it is beautiful, the pink quill is also prone to some small problems, such as leaves turning green, or pest attacks. These will affect the growth of the pink quill, but today we have introduced some prevention and control methods. As long as we take preventive measures in advance, we can reduce the harm to a minimum.