Tradescantia room - one of the most popular plants. He is loved by the majority of housewives for unpretentiousness and simplicity in leaving. In natural environment, tradescantia looks like a perennial grass with creeping stems.
Did you know? Tradescantia was so named in the 17th century in honor of the family of gardeners Tradescant. Tradescantia breeding became popular in the 18th century.
Excellent for growing in pots, as the plant is climbing and has long ampelous stems. Tradescantia varieties of more than 30, and each of them is different texture, color of the leaves and the type of strips.
The composition of the soil for the flower
Tradescantia, although an unpretentious flower, still requires a certain attention and care. Land for Tradescantia must be of high quality and loose. It is better to buy ready-made soil for ampelous plants, but you can cook it at home. You will need sheet, humus, turfy soil and sand (2: 1: 1: 1), all this must be thoroughly mixed and you can land the Tradescantia.
Important! If you decide to prepare your own soil, then you should first freeze it, and then roast it in the oven so that the harmful microorganisms that live there die.
What should be the lighting
Tradescantia grows better on the west and east side. With this arrangement, it receives a fairly bright light, but in a diffused form. Also, the plant feels good near the windows on the north side, the south is not suitable for it, and if you decide to put it on this window, then in hot hours you need to cover the plant from the sun.
Tradescantia with variegated leaves is more whimsical to the light, if it is not enough, then the leaves become just green, and if brute - burn out. The white-flowered species of Tradescantia is the most tolerant to shade. In summer, the plant can be taken out on the balcony or planted in the garden.
Important! If you decide to plant a plant in the garden for the summer or take it out to the balcony, then make sure that the Tradescantia is not in direct sunlight and far from drafts.
Temperature
Tradescantia in the summer period needs a temperature not higher than 25 ° C. In winter, when she has a period of rest, it is better to hide in partial shade in a cool place, with a temperature not higher than 12 ° C. Temperature changes are not terrible for her, the main thing is that the plant does not freeze.
Tradescantation care at home
Tradescantia does not require special care conditions, but regular transplantation, high-quality earth and watering are necessary.
Features of watering in the summer and winter
Watering Tradescantia depends not only on the season, but also on the degree of humidity in the room where the plant is contained. As soon as you notice that the soil of the plant is dry, you should immediately water the tradescantia.
In winter, the Tradescantia must be watered no more than 1-2 times a week. If it is dry and hot in the room, it is necessary to increase the frequency of watering.
Important! Fresh air is also important for healthy plant growth. In summer, the Tradescantia is best left in the fresh air before the first autumn rains..
In the summer, when the sun is at its zenith and high temperature, the plant should be watered frequently. And it is best to hide it in the shade, as the leaves can get burned.
Air humidity
Tradescantia needs high humidity. Therefore, in the summer period it is often necessary to spray the plant and moisten the leaves. In winter, this procedure is optional. If you overdo with spraying, you can cause rotting of the plant.
When and how to feed a plant
Tradescantia needs feeding only during the period of active growth: in summer and spring. In autumn and winter, this is not necessary, as the plant is asleep during this period. The most suitable for it will be a complex of mineral and organic fertilizers. Feeding is desirable to be carried out every 2 weeks.
If you have a variegated variety of Tradescantia, then with organic fertilizer the leaves lose their color.
Proper transplanting and pruning
Usually, pruning and transplanting of tradescantia is combined. Young plants are transplanted every year, older plants - once every 2 years. Since the plant is aging rather quickly, it is necessary not only to transplant the tradescantia into another pot, but to prune the old, bare stems. In order not to bare the stems, it is necessary to prune the young shoots and transplant the plant.
The size of the pot for Tradescantia should not be too large for it, the diameter of about 20 cm is considered normal. The pot into which you are going to transplant the plant should be equipped with drainage. Then pour a layer of soil, place the plant in it, straightening the roots. Sprinkle with soil, seal it and pour abundantly on top.
Tradescantia reproduction
It is best to propagate the Tradescantia at home in the spring. But it takes root well in summer and autumn. In winter, the plant does not take root.
There are 3 ways of breeding tradescantia: seeds, grafting and dividing the root.
Seeds
With the seed method of reproduction, you will have to wait a little for the results: the seed needs time to ascend.
Seeds are planted in peat soil mixed with sand. The optimum temperature for sprouting plants is + 20 ° C. Do not forget to water the plant and to air the room in which there is a container with sprouts. After the appearance of 3 leaves of the plant can be planted in small pots. With this method of reproduction, tradescantia will bloom for 3 years of life.
Cuttings
This breeding method is most popular. It can be held every year. To do this, you need to cut the escape of tradescantia and divide into cuttings up to 15 cm in length. Cuttings are planted in pre-prepared pots. The ground for proper growth of cuttings should consist of humus, compost soil and sand. The temperature for normal rooting of a plant should be + 20 ° C. 
Dividing bush
The division of the root of the tradescantia is most often produced during the transplantation period of the plant. Carefully removing the plant from the pot, it is necessary to divide the rhizome with a sharp sheath or knife. Cut off the old and diseased roots, disinfect the cut points with activated charcoal. Then it is necessary to transplant the separated plants into small pots with drainage and soil from humus, compost soil and sand.
Possible problems, diseases and pests of Tradescantia
Tradescantia diseases can arise from various factors, but first of all its condition depends on the conditions of detention.
If the plant is contained in a dry and hot room, it can be affected by aphids, flaps, spider mites.
Get rid of shields is quite simple: you need to remove them from the leaves with a fleece with a soap or alcohol solution. This kind of solution weakens the flail and, with regular cleaning 4 times a week, they completely disappear. If the defeat of the shields is strong, then it is better to buy the drug in the store and process the plant.
Why tradescantia turns yellow is pretty easy to figure out. Blame aphid, which eats up and damages young shoots and leaves. The leaf dies off, loses color and dries. Aphids secrete sticky juice, on which soot fungus often parasitizes, which reduces the level of plant photosynthesis. Against aphid, an effective method is treating plants with a solution of household soap. With a strong infection, you must buy any insecticide and process the plant.
For aphids dandelion tincture helps a lot. To cook it, you will need: 2-3 tbsp. spoons of root or fresh dandelion leaves, which we fill with a liter of warm water (up to 40 ° C) and leave for 2 hours in a cool place. Spray the plant every 8 days with this solution until the aphid disappears.
As a preventive remedy for spider mites, frequent spraying of the plant and airing the room where it grows is best suited. If the plant is still affected by this pest, then use any suitable insecticide.
If you start to notice that the growth of Tradescantia has stopped, yellow spots appeared on the leaves, the plant is not sufficiently moistened, and you need to feed its roots. The leaves became green or monotonous - not enough lighting, change the location of the plant.
If the leaves have become monotonous, then perhaps you incorrectly cut the plant or incorrectly performed grafting.
Useful properties of tradescantia
Tradescantia has long been valued not only for its original beauty, but also for the baggage of useful properties. The medicinal properties of Tradescantia are known to many gardeners. It is valuable as an excellent means to stop bleeding, heals wounds, cuts and minor scratches well.
For the treatment of the above skin damage, you should attach a fresh leaf to the damaged area and wrap with a bandage. It will quickly stop the bleeding and heal the scratch, reducing bruising and swelling.
Also, preparations based on tradescantia are effective for gastrointestinal diseases, diseases of the throat and SARS.
Did you know? The infusion of leaves of Tradescantia has a positive effect on the treatment of tuberculosis.
If you often chew a leaf of Tradescantia and rub juice into the gums, you can get rid of periodontal disease.
With catarrhal diseases, it is necessary to use the tradescantia decoction (20 cm. Of the stem with leaves per 200 ml. - grind the tradescantia and pour hot water over, insist 2 hours). In diabetes and various injuries, alcoholic extract of Tradescantia is useful (20 cm. Stems of Tradescantia for 500 ml. Vodka - insist 2 weeks). In diabetes - 1 tsp. diluted in 50 ml. water and drink 3 times a day for 15 minutes. before meals. When injuries are useful lotions, rubbing with this infusion.
Tradescantia is a beautiful plant and often indispensable. It combines an aesthetically beautiful bush with a large stock of healing properties. It will be a great addition to your existing collection of beautiful home plants.
