How do you care for a bromeliad (Guzmania) so it grows into a full, lush clump?

1. Watering

If you want it to grow into a full, lush clump, you should pay close attention when watering it: let tap water sit for two or three days before using it. When it is dormant in winter, you need to control the amount of water appropriately; just sprinkle a little water on the surface of its leaves. Also note that when watering it, you must not pour water directly onto the soil, but rather pour water into the center of the rosette.

2. Fertilizing

1. It blooms in winter, and during its blooming period its demand for nutrients is enormous, so you must provide it with a sufficient nutrient supply. Give it a liquid fertilizer about once every 15 days, such as soybean cake fertilizer or rice-washing water that has been fermented for many days. With enough fertilizer in this way, the flowers can grow into a full, lush clump.

2. If there is not enough fertilizer, it will lack elements, and then it cannot grow normally. At this point you need to repot it, add fresh fertile soil, and add some liquid fertilizer and flower fertilizer.

3. Temperature

Its most suitable growing temperature is 15 to 22 degrees. If the temperature is too high, it is bad for its growth, but if it is too cold for a long time, its growth will also slow down and its leaves will lose their original color. So in the depths of winter you need to use some cold-protection treatments for it so the flowers can open normally; only with a suitable temperature will it have a chance to grow very dense flowers.

4. Light

If you want it to produce many flowers with beautiful color, light is very important. Even in the depths of winter, it needs four to five hours of sunlight every day. If it is a rainy day, you can use artificial light instead. In summer you should move it to a shady area; even if it is kept indoors you must shade it so it will not be damaged.

5. Soil

If you want it to grow into a full, lush clump, soil is the most basic material. Choose fertile soil with enough drainage and air permeability, and ideally rich in humus. If you are growing it at home, you can use grass ash mixed with some fine sand.