Cycads are woody plants whose appearance resembles that of palms and ferns. These plants can survive in a wide range of climatic conditions ranging from tropical to subtropical to warm temperate. Their evergreen pinnate leaves have made them a preferred option for landscaping. There are a number of things that you need to know if you have plans of growing cycads.
Understanding some basics about the reproduction of the plants will go a long way into helping you take care of them. When mature these plants propagate themselves through the production of cones. Each plant is classified as either male or female. The cones produced by each of the groups differs in size, shape and even color.
Cycads are generally hardy plants that grow quite easily. The main requirement is that they should be provided with well drained soils. Too much water is damaging as it causes rotting of the roots. Their ability to do well in potted soils have made them a common plant indoors. You will need to be very patient bearing in mind the slow growth rate of the plants. The slow growth also means that there is no need to repot frequently.
You start by preparing the soil well. If your soil is heavy clay, plant above ground level in a raised bed. Mulch well to prevent loss of moisture from the soils. Fertilizer should be added about four times in a year to ensure that growth is optimal. The fertilizer should have phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Spray on a regular basis to keep away pests.
If you intend to transfer them from a pot to the ground, you will be well advised to do this with a young plant. The roots should not be disturbed until the trunk has emerged. The best time to transplant is during spring when the temperatures are becoming favorable. Ensure that the plants are placed in a position where there are exposed to sunlight. The temperature should average about 21 degrees Celsius.
There are a number of things that you need to consider if you intend to have the cycads indoors. Every effort should be made to ensure that the plants do not dry out. This may mean that you water them about twice a week in summer and sparingly during winter. The idea is to keep the soils moist while avoiding to saturate them.
Location is another important consideration when dealing with indoor plants. Make sure that the plants are placed at a point where they are exposed to adequate natural light. Avoid putting the plants behind glass windows as this puts on them at risk of burns from the sunlight. Ensure also that they are placed away from direct sources of heat. In the frost free months, it is advisable to keep the plants in the open for a couple of hours.
Dust accumulation on the leaves is a problem that you may have to deal with from time to time for plants that are grown indoors. The dust interferes with the amount of light getting to the leaves and should therefore be removed. The best way to deal with this problem is to wash off the dust using slightly soapy water. Light rains may also help get rid of most of it.
Understanding some basics about the reproduction of the plants will go a long way into helping you take care of them. When mature these plants propagate themselves through the production of cones. Each plant is classified as either male or female. The cones produced by each of the groups differs in size, shape and even color.
Cycads are generally hardy plants that grow quite easily. The main requirement is that they should be provided with well drained soils. Too much water is damaging as it causes rotting of the roots. Their ability to do well in potted soils have made them a common plant indoors. You will need to be very patient bearing in mind the slow growth rate of the plants. The slow growth also means that there is no need to repot frequently.
You start by preparing the soil well. If your soil is heavy clay, plant above ground level in a raised bed. Mulch well to prevent loss of moisture from the soils. Fertilizer should be added about four times in a year to ensure that growth is optimal. The fertilizer should have phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Spray on a regular basis to keep away pests.
If you intend to transfer them from a pot to the ground, you will be well advised to do this with a young plant. The roots should not be disturbed until the trunk has emerged. The best time to transplant is during spring when the temperatures are becoming favorable. Ensure that the plants are placed in a position where there are exposed to sunlight. The temperature should average about 21 degrees Celsius.
There are a number of things that you need to consider if you intend to have the cycads indoors. Every effort should be made to ensure that the plants do not dry out. This may mean that you water them about twice a week in summer and sparingly during winter. The idea is to keep the soils moist while avoiding to saturate them.
Location is another important consideration when dealing with indoor plants. Make sure that the plants are placed at a point where they are exposed to adequate natural light. Avoid putting the plants behind glass windows as this puts on them at risk of burns from the sunlight. Ensure also that they are placed away from direct sources of heat. In the frost free months, it is advisable to keep the plants in the open for a couple of hours.
Dust accumulation on the leaves is a problem that you may have to deal with from time to time for plants that are grown indoors. The dust interferes with the amount of light getting to the leaves and should therefore be removed. The best way to deal with this problem is to wash off the dust using slightly soapy water. Light rains may also help get rid of most of it.
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