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Part one “The Way of the Little Kangaroo”
Probably, many of you have repeatedly asked yourself the question, with a sigh, throwing away yet another Dutch flower in the trash: “Why did it die???” And they made an unambiguous conclusion that the reason was evil ones who supplied low-quality goods. After all, your grandmother’s aloe has been growing for decades. No drainage, no fertilizer. In the common corridor. And here! And you, waving your hand, swore off buying plants in the store. I was like that once too. Until a year ago I came across an interesting topic on the forum, based on the materials of which this article was written.
So why are Dutch plants still dying? Where do so many myths about their supposedly capricious and quarrelsome nature come from?
The most basic reason is the human factor. As a rule, plants imported to Russia are not the same best quality. Scratches, bruises, (re-grading) - those minor defects that we will not address special attention, in Holland are already considered marriage. For the intermediary, the main thing is profit: buy cheaper, sell more expensive.
During transportation, plants are often flooded, and a truck with a consignment of green goods can get stuck somewhere along the road. And if such a delay occurs in winter, then... In general, comments are unnecessary.
True, not all intermediaries are so bad and ignorant. Monopolist Russian market The 7 Flowers company does not import plants from Holland, but transports them by plane. The shipment arrives overnight, and the next day 70% of the goods are distributed to stores. Deliveries are made twice a week, and the quality of the flowers leaves much to be desired.
And then the flowers go to the direct customer. To the flower shop. Or to the supermarket. Or to a stall with the proud name “Flowers” to diversify the assortment and attract potential buyers, perhaps? In general, depending on your luck.
And from this moment the second stage of their existence begins, because Most sellers do not have any special knowledge in the field of floriculture. At best, the average seller can distinguish a violet from a cactus and boast of the exotic word “succulent”; at worst, you will explain to him what titanopsis looks like (something has drawn me to succulents today)… And if you ask for advice on care for a plant you like, the first thing you will hear will be the words: “As soon as you bring it home, replant it immediately. It’s in the transport soil, there’s no food there, the flower in it will certainly die.”
Part two “Myths of modern Holland”
And this is the first myth about Dutch plants that started it all. I suggest calling it “The myth of transport soil”. But what is “transport soil” (hereinafter referred to as “t/g”)? Just any soilless mixture: peat, coco, vermiculite, perlite, etc. (that which does not contain soil). This is a requirement of quarantine services around the world. In some places they are more loyal, in others they are tougher (for example, generally bare-rooted). But in the concept of the average amateur gardener, t/g is what the plant is transported in, but not grown. Something temporary, short-lived and, of course, not of the highest quality. But we want only the best for our pets! And for some reason it never occurs to anyone that it is unlikely that the plant would grow roots so well and actively if the substrate were so unsuitable for it. If only it were transported in this substrate, and not grown from the moment of cuttings until the moment of delivery to the customer. It is difficult to imagine how enormous costs a producer will incur if he each time TRANSPLANTS a batch of, for example, gardenias from the soil in which they grew to the soil in which they arrive at their destination. Often, when washing the roots from the “harmful Dutch land”, the lump has to be literally torn apart - it is so tightly entwined with roots. I confess, I myself once suffered from this. I trusted the sellers' word and was too lazy to think logically. The result is three ruined chamelaciums.
Therefore, the first thing you need to do with the plant (assuming that the flower/plant is healthy and not purchased at a discount) after you bring it home is to give it time to adapt. At the same time, you will carry out preventive treatment against. And only after two or three weeks (ideally a month) can you carefully transfer the plant to new pot and with the addition of special soil. This is a rule because there are exceptions to it:
- In beautifully flowering plants (azaleas, roses, gardenias), all buds and flowers are cut off. In most cases, roses are TRANSPLANTED into special soil for roses, because... In terms of acidity, peat is not suitable for them. And the apartment is not a greenhouse. Create suitable conditions Growing such a capricious plant in peat is quite difficult for an amateur gardener. Moreover, in Dutch greenhouses, cultivation in peat soils has been put on stream, because... It is faster and more convenient to “drive out” plants using a point-drip irrigation system, adding almost all the nutrition in liquid form. This is not fatal, but it creates some problems when moving into ordinary soil.
- Palms, dracaenas, cordylines, ficuses, crotons should be carefully checked for the presence of a plastic basket in the center of the root system. If such a basket is found, it must be removed as much as possible. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, but otherwise, over time, the plastic can injure large roots, which will lead to their rotting and death of the plant.
- Large trees (palm trees, for example) are grown in greenhouses in ordinary soil up to the right size, then they dig it up, plant it in a t / g, allow it to recover a little and send it to the customer with a beautiful piece of paper stating that the plant was grown in a substrate without any soil.
So, we have come to the conclusion that the first myth about the “harmful Dutch countrywoman” has no basis, except rich imagination its many creators.
Myth one and a half, which boils down to the fact that it is bad soil for indoor plants, is almost as baseless as myth number one. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the criticized Dutch. What will be important to you in business if you want to get maximum profits at minimum costs? Cheapness starting materials and the pace of production - first of all. If we talk about plants, it is cheaper, faster and easier to grow a bush from several cuttings than from several seeds. It is cheaper to plant it in a thin-walled plastic pot and in soil that is not only cheap, but also sterile, light, moisture-absorbing, breathable, non-flowing, and easily entwined with roots. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet ALL of these criteria at the same time. I can not.
Another thing is that it is not very comfortable for us loved ones to keep plants in this very peat: either it will dry out, or become moldy from overwatering, or become salty from excess fertilizer, or jump from the window to the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. And the pots are inconvenient: light, small, and do not hold their shape well. And it's difficult to water. How can you get there with a watering can if the plant almost jumps out of the pot, and the distance between the substrate and the lower leaves is sometimes less than a centimeter. Yes, this is extremely inconvenient.
So it’s not a matter of the soil, but mainly our laziness. And... in superstitions. Strange as it may sound. And if superstition has nothing to do with it, then where did it come from? second myth? Myth "About the Eggs of Mysterious Insects". It is not as famous as the first two, but Lately is becoming more and more popular. Among the pests of indoor plants, there is hardly a mutant of such size, the eggs of which would be visible to the naked eye and reach several millimeters in diameter. But perhaps this myth is a consequence of the firmly rooted belief that “over the hill” everything is better than here: the grass is greener, the sun is yellower, and fungus gnats are the size of chafers. But seriously, calling long-lasting fertilizers (such small whitish balls, from one to two millimeters in size) or particles of absorbent materials (which are often added to the substrate to increase its moisture capacity) insect eggs can only be done without the slightest idea that substances do exist. Those. trite out of ignorance. And where there is ignorance, there is superstition. However, we often receive pests as a specific bonus when purchasing a plant, but it is difficult to judge where they come from - from native greenhouses or during transportation and sale.
And finally, the third and last myth. Myth “About Dutch plants overfed with hormones”. Surprisingly, this time I have no desire to refute this myth. Because there is not a single fact indicating that the Dutch grow their plants without the use of chemicals. Hormones are needed to grow not just a bush, but a beautiful and compact bush, abundantly strewn with flowers and buds (in the case of beautifully flowering ones) in the shortest possible time. Without the use of hormones, you can only grow the above-mentioned grandmother’s aloe on the windowsill. For years. Exclusively for the soul. And if many amateur flower growers cannot always do without epin-zircon-heteroauxin and other delights, then what can we say about experts in their field?
In mass production, the so-called retardants - chemical substances, which slow down plant growth. This results in a compact crown and large flowers. Remember hibiscus, which instantly begins to grow foliage in rooms. Hormones are not applied directly to the soil - spraying vegetative plants or soaking cuttings before planting has a greater effect. By the way, such methods were also widely used in Soviet floriculture (see the magazine “Floriculture” for the 70-80s). Therefore, there is no point in trying to wash away all sorts of plants from the roots along with the soil. harmful substances, which the nasty Dutch stuffed the poor thing with. All you achieve is another shock for the plant. The strongest of all three is that it transfers along the way to your windowsill. The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which actively participate in the absorption processes. Washing the roots for a plant is like heart surgery for a person. Most often, such manipulations lead to death. Note, not phytohormones, but precisely our attempts to rid the plant of them, and not in the most humane way.
Another thing is that a plant stimulated for abundant flowering, spends all its resources on flowering and upon completion of the process, it simply has no energy left for anything else. The flower withers, is taken out and eventually dies. This especially applies to azaleas (primarily these), cyclamens, poinsettias and other beautiful flowering plants. And here the only way out is to tear off all the flowers and buds (as described above), unless, of course, you buy indoor plant, and not a “living bouquet”.
In any case, replanting does not guarantee a problem-free life for the plant, and its absence means certain death. Each plant must be approached wisely. It is important not just to replant (transfer), but to know with whom, when and why this event is being carried out. This is especially true for Dutch plants. They have come a long way before getting to your windowsill, and they have had to endure many trials. Remember this. The myths of modern Holland are good only for the “Collection of Legends about Plants”, but not for practical application.
And good luck to you and your green pets!
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Almost everything we buy at garden centers are Dutch houseplants, including cacti and succulents. They have two features: they are exceptionally well grown (you simply cannot create such conditions for a plant at home), but on the other hand, they are planted in a specialsoil substitute , an inert substrate, the use of which is justified in intensive greenhouse culture, against the background of constant application of fertilizers, growth stimulants, control of soil and air humidity, when using agents that suppress soil microflora (this is very critical for succulents that do not have resistance to microorganisms). Thisalmost hydroponics , simply based on peat.
In such conditions, plants develop special “water” roots and learn to absorb from aqueous solutions or constantly moist substrates provide all the nutrients they need. Such roots in ordinary soil cannot perform their functions and die off. The plant begins to look unimportant and often simply dies. You've probably been through this with many beautiful "Dutch" men. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the plant; it just lived in different conditions, and now it needs to adapt to others. Strong specimens of non-capricious plants begin to re-root. Therefore, the “native” Dutch roots that were in the peat are of no value;can be deleted, at least a significant part of the small roots entwining the earthen lump, leaving only the thickest and largest ones. In any case, the plant will take root again; the “water” roots that are unnecessary in ordinary soil will rot, and there is nothing good about that. Rid the plant of this ballast immediately. Moreover, succulents and cacti take root easily, like many other plants.
Dutch cacti and other succulents sit in peat. At home, we do not use chemicals that inhibit the development of microorganisms, and when good watering soil microbes are rapidly diluted. A passive defense is to dry out the coma, but in the case of peat this should not be done, because it will not be possible to spill it after drying.
In conventional indoor culture, peat, the industrial soil of Dutch plants, is not an optimal substrate for succulent plants. It has excessive moisture capacity: it retains a lot of moisture, which is dangerous for cacti and there is a risk of rotting. After complete drying, this soil is difficult to wet again: water flows down the walls of the pot, but the middle of the lump remains dry, unless you soak the entire glass, but succulents will not stand this. Thus, the plant simply does not receive moisture when watering.
Another reason why you need to replant plants from Dutch substrate is its exceptional poverty nutrients; it is calculated that plants will be able to develop and grow normally in itonlyin the presence of regular fertilizing with complex fertilizers in strictly calculated quantities. However, year-round feeding in our conditions is impossible for succulents: at a minimum, plants must rest during the winter period.
We must also remember that in stores, plants could be actively watered when kept in the dark; they often acquire an uncharacteristic appearance, after which it is difficult to revive them and accustom them to room conditions. Hence such a large percentage of dead plants.
Winter plant shopping
“Dutches” purchased in winter are the most difficult case, so a plant purchased in winter should not be replanted; wait until spring. In winter, succulents are in a dormant period; it is better not to touch the plant. In winter, succulents may also become lethargic; this is normal. In winter the main thing isdon't flood, otherwise you will lose all the new cacti and succulents you purchased. December and January can be periods for cacticomplete rest, no watering at all.
Transfer
In the spring, when replanting, disassemble the earthen ball, remove as much peaty Dutch soil as possible and check the condition of the root system, cut off all dead roots. It happens that most of the roots turn out to be rotten. All this must be removed.
Plants purchased in spring and summer are usually replanted almost immediately, giving several days for adaptation, completely changing the soil, or even simply cutting cuttings and re-rooting the plant again. The base, if it does not give growth, is thrown away.
Most of us have purchased indoor plants at least once from a specialty store or supermarket section. Some people were given such indoor flowers in pots as a gift. We are well aware that all this variety of shapes, sizes and riot of color is grown on an industrial scale in greenhouses and then, crossing borders between countries and thousands of kilometers, ends up in our stores.
Since industrial plants are most often brought to us from Holland, such purchased indoor flowers in pots are usually called “Dutch”. With their appearance, a number of persistent beliefs arose among buyers and quickly spread, like ripples on the water from a thrown pebble. Some of them are myths, others are true, but all affect the future fate of the plant. Let's try to understand this mythology together with a specialist - Olga Alenushkina.
MYTHS and TRUTH ABOUT STORE-BUYING HOUSEPLANTS
Poor quality houseplants purchased in stores. This belief is based on the fact that many of these industrial plants die as soon as they bloom, or even before. But by blaming the manufacturers in this case, for whom, in our opinion, this situation ensures the constant purchase of more and more new flowers, we forget about one more intermediate link.
Industrial indoor plants are purchased and delivered to our stores by domestic intermediary companies, whose representatives are mainly concerned with the price, and not the quality of the “Dutch”. Therefore, plants are often purchased that producers consider to be defective - dented, scratched, flowering inappropriately for the variety, etc. And during transportation, care is often limited to only abundant watering. But the plant may not be moisture-loving at all or require maintaining a certain temperature regime, especially during winter frosts.
The manufacturer simultaneously grows hundreds of thousands of various types indoor plants. Only someone who does not take into account the unnecessary costs time and money. And enterprising capitalists are very good at calculating and minimizing them. Therefore, plants come to us in the same soil in which they were grown.
And if they grew lush leaves and branched roots, then everything was in order with the nutrients in their life. Another thing is that they were initially grown in a soilless mixture, otherwise, when crossing the border, not a single phytosanitary service will allow their import into the country. As a rule, peat, perlite, vermiculite, sand, coconut fiber, etc. are used for such a mixture.
Peat is an almost ideal soil for both most plants and growers. This is a light, breathable, practically sterile, non-flowing and moisture-intensive substrate that is easily entwined with plant roots. Other natural inexpensive material, which would simultaneously possess all these characteristics, simply does not exist. Here, indoor plants come to us in thin plastic pots with peat mixture.
Also, peat cannot be fertilized too much. In addition, small store-bought pots very quickly become too cramped and lose their shape. This is how the misconception-myth about transport soil that is harmful to plants arose.
True, this belief is not a myth for all plants. The exception in this case is large plants, such as palm trees, which are grown in the ground and, before shipping, are transplanted into a transport peat mixture that is not very suitable for them.
Excess of various chemicals in the soil , where the plant is sold. This belief, opposite to the previous one, also requires immediate replanting of a store-bought plant, but justifies this by overfeeding it with various growth regulators and phytohormones.
When growing industrial indoor plants on a large scale, various chemicals are actually widely used. This and growth regulators or retardants for the formation of compact foliage rosettes and large flowers. Therefore, the plant, finding itself without such feeding, begins to build up its normal green mass, and the initially purchased small compact flower can end up occupying half the windowsill.
And phytohormones to stimulate abundant flowering. In this case, the plant spends almost all its energy on forming more and more new buds and flowers and dies from exhaustion (this situation is most typical for azaleas, poinsettias, etc.).
In the case of this belief, it is not the application itself that is a myth. chemicals, and their presence in the ground. The fact is that they are introduced either by spraying vegetative plants or by soaking cuttings before planting. Therefore, replanting into clean soil, and even washing the roots, will not help in this case.
White balls on the ground surface are eggs of insect pests. This myth-belief is not as widespread as those described above, but still persistently circulates among hobbyists buying indoor plants in stores. Although it is difficult to imagine the size of the pests that could hatch from these “eggs”.
The reality is that these are just long-lasting fertilizer balls with a diameter of 1–2 mm or particles of various absorbent materials used to increase the moisture capacity of the soil.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN BUYING A HOUSEPLANT IN A STORE
Let us now consider what, contrary to myths, you should still do when bringing a store-bought plant into your home in order to prevent it from dying in the near future.
First of all, the newly acquired flower must be quarantined - that is, placed in a place where it cannot infect any pests already existing in the house. It is not known for certain where industrial flowers acquire these pests - in their own greenhouses, during transportation or already in a store, but they are almost always present on them. Therefore, without preventive treatment special drugs A beginner should not be allowed near other indoor plants.
While in quarantine, the new plant recovers from the stress caused by various movements and moves, and adapts to the conditions of the new room. In two or three weeks, when it finally gets used to it, it can be carefully transferred (not transplanted) into a new pot. But like any self-respecting rule of advice, in this case there are also a number of exceptions:
Based on materials from the portal dedicated to indoor plants
Probably, many of you have repeatedly asked yourself the question, with a sigh, throwing away yet another Dutch flower in the trash: “Why did it die???” And they made a clear conclusion that the reason was the evil Dutch manufacturers who supplied low-quality goods. After all, your grandmother’s aloe has been growing for decades. No drainage, no fertilizer. In the common corridor. And here! And you, waving your hand, swore off buying plants in the store. I was like that once too. Until a year ago I came across an interesting topic on the forum, based on the materials of which this article was written.So why are Dutch plants still dying? Where do so many myths about their supposedly capricious and quarrelsome nature come from?
The main reason is the human factor. As a rule, plants imported to Russia are not of the best quality. Scratches, bruises, (re-grading) - those minor defects that we don’t pay much attention to are already considered defective in Holland. For the intermediary, the main thing is profit: buy cheaper, sell more expensive.
During transportation, plants are often flooded, and a truck with a consignment of green goods can get stuck somewhere along the road. And if such a delay occurs in winter, then... In general, comments are unnecessary.
True, not all intermediaries are so bad and ignorant. The monopolist of the Russian market, the 7tsvetov company, does not import plants from Holland, but transports them by plane. The shipment arrives overnight, and the next day 70% of the goods are distributed to stores. Deliveries are made twice a week, and the quality of the flowers leaves much to be desired.
And then the flowers go to the direct customer. To the flower shop. Or to the supermarket. Or to a stall with the proud name “Flowers” to diversify the assortment and attract potential buyers, perhaps? In general, depending on your luck.
And from this moment the second stage of their existence begins, because Most sellers do not have any special knowledge in the field of floriculture. At best, the average seller can distinguish a violet from a cactus and boast of the exotic word “succulent”; at worst, you will explain to him what titanopsis looks like (something has drawn me to succulents today)... And if you ask for advice on care for a plant you like, the first thing you will hear will be the words: “As soon as you bring it home, replant it immediately. It’s in the transport soil, there’s no food there, the flower in it will certainly die.”
Part two “Myths of modern Holland”
And this is the first myth about Dutch plants that started it all. I suggest calling it “The myth of transport soil”. But what is “transport soil” (hereinafter referred to as “t/g”)? Just any soilless mixture: peat, coco, vermiculite, perlite, etc. (that which does not contain soil). This is a requirement of quarantine services around the world. In some places they are more loyal, in others they are tougher (for example, generally bare-rooted). But in the concept of the average amateur gardener, t/g is what the plant is transported in, but not grown. Something temporary, short-lived and, of course, not of the highest quality. But we want only the best for our pets! And for some reason it never occurs to anyone that it is unlikely that the plant would grow roots so well and actively if the substrate were so unsuitable for it. If only it were transported in this substrate, and not grown from the moment of cuttings until the moment of delivery to the customer. It is difficult to imagine how enormous costs a producer will incur if he each time TRANSPLANTS a batch of, for example, gardenias from the soil in which they grew to the soil in which they arrive at their destination. Often, when washing the roots from the “harmful Dutch land”, the lump has to be literally torn apart - it is so tightly entwined with roots. I confess, I myself once suffered from this. I trusted the sellers' word and was too lazy to think logically. The result is three ruined chamelaciums.Therefore, the first thing you need to do with the plant (assuming that the flower/plant is healthy and not purchased at a discount) after you bring it home is to give it time to adapt. At the same time, you will carry out preventive treatment against pests and diseases. And only after two or three weeks (ideally a month) can you carefully transfer the plant into a new pot with the addition of special soil. This is a rule because there are exceptions to it:
In beautifully flowering plants (azaleas, roses, gardenias), all buds and flowers are cut off. In most cases, roses are TRANSPLANTED into special soil for roses, because... In terms of acidity, peat is not suitable for them. And the apartment is not a greenhouse. It is quite difficult for an amateur gardener to create suitable conditions for growing such a capricious plant in peat. Moreover, in Dutch greenhouses, cultivation in peat soils has been put on stream, because... It is faster and more convenient to “drive out” plants using a point-drip irrigation system, adding almost all the nutrition in liquid form. This is not fatal, but it creates some problems when moving into ordinary soil.
Palms, dracaenas, cordylines, ficuses, crotons should be carefully checked for the presence of a plastic basket in the center of the root system. If such a basket is found, it must be removed as much as possible. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, but otherwise, over time, the plastic can injure large roots, which will lead to their rotting and death of the plant.
Large trees (palm trees, for example) are grown in greenhouses in ordinary soil to the required size, then dug up, planted in a t/g, allowed to recover a little and sent to the customer with a beautiful piece of paper stating that the plant was grown in a substrate without soil.
So, we have come to the conclusion that the first myth about the “harmful Dutch countrywoman” has no basis except the rich imagination of its many creators.
Myth one and a half, which boils down to the fact that peat is a bad soil for indoor plants, is almost as baseless as myth number one. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the criticized Dutch. What will be important to you in business if you want to get maximum profits at minimum costs? The cheapness of raw materials and production rates are in the first place. If we talk about plants, it is cheaper, faster and easier to grow a bush from several cuttings than from several seeds. It is cheaper to plant it in a thin-walled plastic pot and in soil that is not only cheap, but also sterile, light, moisture-absorbing, breathable, non-flowing, and easily entwined with roots. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet ALL of these criteria at the same time. I can not.
Another thing is that it is not very comfortable for us loved ones to keep plants in this very peat: either it will dry out, or become moldy from overwatering, or become salty from excess fertilizer, or jump from the window to the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. And the pots are inconvenient: light, small, and do not hold their shape well. And it's difficult to water. How can you get there with a watering can if the plant almost jumps out of the pot, and the distance between the substrate and the lower leaves is sometimes less than a centimeter. Yes, this is extremely inconvenient.
So it’s not a matter of the soil, but mainly our laziness. And... in superstitions. Strange as it may sound. And if superstition has nothing to do with it, then where did the second myth come from? Myth "About the Eggs of Mysterious Insects". It is not as famous as the first two, but recently it has become more and more popular. Among the pests of indoor plants, there is hardly a mutant of such size, the eggs of which would be visible to the naked eye and reach several millimeters in diameter. But perhaps this myth is a consequence of the firmly rooted belief that “over the hill” everything is better than here: the grass is greener, the sun is yellower, and fungus gnats are the size of chafers. But seriously, calling long-lasting fertilizers (such small whitish balls, from one to two millimeters in size) or particles of absorbent materials (which are often added to the substrate to increase its moisture capacity) insect eggs can only be done without the slightest idea that substances do exist. Those. trite out of ignorance. And where there is ignorance, there is superstition. However, we often receive pests as a specific bonus when purchasing a plant, but it is difficult to judge where they come from - from native greenhouses or during transportation and sale.
And finally, the third and last myth. Myth “About Dutch plants overfed with hormones”. Surprisingly, this time I have no desire to refute this myth. Because there is not a single fact indicating that the Dutch grow their plants without the use of chemicals. Hormones are needed to grow not just a bush, but a beautiful and compact bush, abundantly strewn with flowers and buds (in the case of beautifully flowering ones) in the shortest possible time. Without the use of hormones, you can only grow the above-mentioned grandmother’s aloe on the windowsill. For years. Exclusively for the soul. And if many amateur flower growers cannot always do without epin-zircon-heteroauxin and other delights, then what can we say about experts in their field?
In mass production, the so-called retardants are chemicals that slow down plant growth. The result is a compact crown and large flowers. Remember hibiscus, which instantly begins to grow foliage in rooms. Hormones are not applied directly to the soil - spraying vegetative plants or soaking cuttings before planting has a greater effect. By the way, such methods were also widely used in Soviet floriculture (see the magazine “Floriculture” for the 70-80s). Therefore, there is no point in trying to wash away from the roots of the plant all sorts of harmful substances that the nasty Dutch stuffed the poor thing with. All you achieve is another shock for the plant. The strongest of all three is that it transfers along the way to your windowsill. The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which actively participate in the absorption processes. Washing the roots for a plant is like heart surgery for a person. Most often, such manipulations lead to death. Note, not phytohormones, but precisely our attempts to rid the plant of them, and not in the most humane way.Another thing is that a plant, stimulated for abundant flowering, spends all its resources on flowering and upon completion of the process it simply has no strength left for anything else. The flower withers, is taken out and eventually dies. This especially applies to azaleas (primarily these), cyclamens, poinsettias and other beautiful flowering plants. And here the only way out is to tear off all the flowers and buds (as described above), unless, of course, you are buying a houseplant and not a “living bouquet”.
In any case, replanting does not guarantee a problem-free life for the plant, and its absence means certain death. Each plant must be approached wisely. It is important not just to replant (transfer), but to know with whom, when and why this event is being carried out. This is especially true for Dutch plants. They have come a long way before getting to your windowsill, and they have had to endure many trials. Remember this. The myths of modern Holland are good only for the “Collection of Legends about Plants”, but not for practical application.
And good luck to you and your green pets!
Sincerely, Olga Alenushkina, Moscow
NProbably, many of you have repeatedly wondered, with a sigh, throwing away yet another Dutch flower in the trash: “Why did it die???” And they made a clear conclusion that the reason was the evil Dutch manufacturers who supplied low-quality goods.
After all, your grandmother’s aloe has been growing for decades. No drainage, no fertilizer. In the common corridor. And here! And you, waving your hand, swore off buying plants in the store.
So why are Dutch plants still dying? Where do so many myths about their supposedly capricious and quarrelsome nature come from?
The most basic reason is the human factor. As a rule, plants imported to Ukraine are not of the best quality. Scratches, bruises, (re-grading) - those minor defects that we don’t pay much attention to are already considered a defect in Holland. For the intermediary, the main thing is profit: buy cheaper, sell more expensive.
During transportation, plants are often flooded, and a truck with a consignment of green goods can get stuck somewhere along the road. And if such a delay occurs in winter, then... In general, comments are unnecessary.
And then the flowers go to the direct customer. To the flower shop. Or to the supermarket. Or to a stall with the proud name “Flowers” to diversify the assortment and attract potential buyers, perhaps? In general, depending on your luck.
And from this moment the second stage of their existence begins, because Most sellers do not have any special knowledge in the field of floriculture.
At best, the average seller can distinguish a violet from a cactus and boast of the exotic word “succulent”; at worst, you will explain to him on your fingers what titanopsis looks like (something has drawn me to succulents today)…
And if you ask for advice on caring for a plant you like, the first thing you will hear will be the words: “As soon as you bring it home, replant it immediately. It’s in the transport soil, there’s no food there, the flower in it will certainly die.”..
Part two “Myths of modern Holland”
And this is the first myth about Dutch plants that started it all.
I suggest calling it “The myth of transport soil.”
But what is “transport soil” (hereinafter referred to as “t/g”)?
Just any soilless mixture: peat, coco, vermiculite, perlite, etc. (that which does not contain soil). This is a requirement of quarantine services around the world. In some places they are more loyal, in others they are tougher (for example, generally bare-rooted). But in the concept of the average amateur gardener, t/g is what the plant is transported in, but not grown.
Something temporary, short-lived and, of course, not of the highest quality. But we want only the best for our pets! And for some reason it never occurs to anyone that it is unlikely that the plant would grow roots so well and actively if the substrate were so unsuitable for it.
If only it were transported in this substrate, and not grown from the moment of cuttings until the moment of delivery to the customer.
It is difficult to imagine how enormous costs a producer will incur if he each time TRANSPLANTS a batch of, for example, gardenias from the soil in which they grew to the soil in which they arrive at their destination.
Often, when washing the roots from the “harmful Dutch land”, the lump has to be literally torn apart - it is so tightly entwined with roots. I confess, I myself once suffered from this. I trusted the sellers' word and was too lazy to think logically. The result is three ruined chamelaciums.
Therefore, the first thing you need to do with the plant (assuming that the flower/plant is healthy and not purchased at a discount) after you bring it home is give time to adapt.
At the same time, you will carry out preventive treatment against pests and diseases. And only after two or three weeks (ideally a month) can you carefully transfer the plant into a new pot with the addition of special soil. This is a rule because there are exceptions to it:
In beautifully flowering plants (azaleas, roses, gardenias), all buds and flowers are cut off. In most cases, roses are TRANSPLANTED into special soil for roses, because... In terms of acidity, peat is not suitable for them.
And the apartment is not a greenhouse. It is quite difficult for an amateur gardener to create suitable conditions for growing such a capricious plant in peat. Moreover, in Dutch greenhouses, cultivation in peat soils has been put on stream, because... It is faster and more convenient to “drive out” plants using a point-drip irrigation system, adding almost all the nutrition in liquid form.
This is not fatal, but it creates some problems when moving into ordinary soil.
Palms, dracaenas, cordylines, ficuses, crotons should be carefully checked for the presence of a plastic basket in the center of the root system. If such a basket is found, it must be removed as much as possible. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, but otherwise, over time, the plastic can injure large roots, which will lead to their rotting and death of the plant.
Large trees (palm trees, for example) are grown in greenhouses in ordinary soil to the required size, then dug up, planted in a t/g, allowed to recover a little and sent to the customer with a beautiful piece of paper stating that the plant was grown in a substrate without soil.
So, we have come to the conclusion that the first myth about the “harmful Dutch countrywoman” has no basis except the rich imagination of its many creators.
Myth one and a half, which boils down to the fact that peat is a bad soil for indoor plants, is almost as baseless as myth number one.
Try to put yourself in the shoes of the criticized Dutch. What will be important to you in business if you want to get maximum profits at minimum costs? The cheapness of raw materials and the pace of production are in the first place.
If we talk about plants, it is cheaper, faster and easier to grow a bush from several cuttings than from several seeds. It is cheaper to plant it in a thin-walled plastic pot and in soil that is not only cheap, but also sterile, light, moisture-absorbing, breathable, non-flowing, and easily entwined with roots. Try to imagine any other soil in place of peat that would meet ALL of these criteria at the same time. I can not.
Another thing is that it is not very comfortable for us loved ones to keep plants in this very peat: either it will dry out, or become moldy from overwatering, or become salty from excess fertilizer, or jump from the window to the floor due to the lightness or playfulness of pets. And the pots are inconvenient: light, small, and do not hold their shape well.
And it's difficult to water. How can you get there with a watering can if the plant almost jumps out of the pot, and the distance between the substrate and the lower leaves is sometimes less than a centimeter. Yes, this is extremely inconvenient.
So it’s not a matter of the soil, but mainly our laziness. And... in superstitions. Strange as it may sound.
And if superstition has nothing to do with it, then where did the second myth come from? Myth “About the eggs of mysterious insects.”
It is not as famous as the first two, but recently it has become more and more popular. Among the pests of indoor plants, there is hardly a mutant of such size, the eggs of which would be visible to the naked eye and reach several millimeters in diameter.
But perhaps this myth is a consequence of the firmly rooted belief that “over the hill” everything is better than here: the grass is greener, the sun is yellower, and fungus gnats are the size of chafers. But seriously, calling long-lasting fertilizers (such small whitish balls, from one to two millimeters in size) or particles of absorbent materials (which are often added to the substrate to increase its moisture capacity) insect eggs can only be done without the slightest idea that substances do exist. Those. trite out of ignorance. And where there is ignorance, there is superstition.
INBy the way, we often receive pests as a specific bonus when purchasing a plant, but it is difficult to judge where they come from - from native greenhouses or during transportation and sale.
And finally, the third and last myth.
The myth “About Dutch plants overfed with hormones.”
Surprisingly, this time I have no desire to refute this myth.
Because there is not a single fact indicating that the Dutch grow their plants without the use of chemicals. Hormones are needed to grow not just a bush, but a beautiful and compact bush, abundantly strewn with flowers and buds (in the case of beautifully flowering ones) in the shortest possible time.
Without the use of hormones, you can only grow the above-mentioned grandmother’s aloe on the windowsill. For years. Exclusively for the soul.
And if many amateur flower growers cannot always do without epin-zircon-heteroauxin and other delights, then what can we say about experts in their field?
In mass production, the so-called retardants are chemicals that slow down plant growth. The result is a compact crown and large flowers.
Remember hibiscus, which instantly begins to grow foliage in rooms. Hormones are not applied directly to the soil - spraying vegetative plants or soaking cuttings before planting has a greater effect. By the way, such methods were also widely used in Soviet floriculture (see the magazine “Floriculture” for the 70-80s).
Therefore, there is no point in trying to wash away from the roots of the plant all sorts of harmful substances that the nasty Dutch stuffed the poor thing with.
All you achieve is another shock for the plant. The strongest of all three is that it transfers along the way to your windowsill. The procedure for washing the roots, regardless of the qualifications of the rinser, leads to injury to the root hairs, which actively participate in the absorption processes. Washing the roots for a plant is like heart surgery for a person. Most often, such manipulations lead to death.
Note, not phytohormones, but precisely our attempts to rid the plant of them, and not in the most humane way.
Another thing is that a plant, stimulated for abundant flowering, spends all its resources on flowering and upon completion of the process it simply has no strength left for anything else.
The flower withers, is taken out and eventually dies. This especially applies to azaleas (primarily these), cyclamens, poinsettias and other beautiful flowering plants.
And here the only way out is to tear off all the flowers and buds (as described above), unless, of course, you are buying a houseplant and not a “living bouquet”.
In any case, replanting does not guarantee a problem-free life for the plant, and its absence means certain death.
Each plant must be approached wisely. It is important not just to replant (transfer), but to know with whom, when and why this event is being carried out.
This is especially true for Dutch plants. They have come a long way before getting to your windowsill, and they have had to endure many trials.
Remember this.
The myths of modern Holland are good only for the “Collection of Legends about Plants”, but not for practical application.
And good luck to you and your green pets!
