How to properly care for a money tree
In fact, caring for crassula is not as difficult and troublesome as it might seem. Care activities do not take much time and are not at all complicated. The main thing is to do everything correctly, based on the preferences and needs of the fat woman.
Illumination and temperature conditions
The fat woman loves good lighting. It is recommended to place pots and boxes with money trees on the south and south-east windows of the apartment. However, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can also harm the delicate and succulent foliage of the tree. It is better to slightly shade the windows with something during particularly sunny days. If there is a lack of natural light, artificial light from ordinary lamps will save you.
Note! In specialized stores you can purchase phytolamps designed to create additional lighting for indoor plants when there is a lack of natural light. The money tree is a fairly heat-loving plant.
The average temperature at which the flower should be kept is 21-26 degrees; during wintering it is reduced to 11-16 degrees
The money tree is a fairly heat-loving plant. The average temperature at which a flower should be kept is 21-26 degrees; during wintering it is reduced to 11-16 degrees.
Sharp and frequent changes in temperature provoke the inability of the money tree to bloom. Therefore, before the fat woman retires, you first need to slowly let the bush get used to the lower temperature.
Watering rules and humidity
The moisture-loving Crassula suffers from a lack of moisture, but its excess can be harmful. Each watering should be accompanied by loosening the soil in the soil. Then the water will not stagnate and provoke the appearance of various fungal diseases and mold.
Water quality is of great importance for irrigation. Tap water is poisonous for indoor plants due to the high content of chlorine and other impurities. Watering with hot and cold water is also destructive. The liquid must be strictly at room temperature.
The money tree is primarily famous for its lush and succulent foliage. Therefore, to maintain its strength and beauty, spraying is necessary, especially during dry seasons.
Fertilizing and soil quality
The money tree blooms on time and abundantly with timely feeding. Crassula needs to be fed once a month during its activity period. Fertilizers for Crassula should be comprehensive, including all the necessary minerals and nutrients for healthy growth. You need to purchase ready-made fertilizers for succulent plants. Only they are beneficial and contribute to the proper development of crassulla.
You need to start feeding the plant from planting, replanting or propagating the bush. First, fertilizers are mixed with planting soil. The soil for planting must be breathable, that is, it must have a drainage effect. Often, river sand is also added for this along with soil. But it is better to purchase ready-made substrates if it is problematic to make it manually.
Important! Do not overfeed the bush; you must be guided by the dosage of the drug indicated on the package
Improper care is the main reason for lack of flowering
Why Crassula does not produce buds and what to do about it
How to propagate a money tree at home
Often the owners of a money tree wonder why it does not bloom. It is possible to make Crassula bloom, but first you need to understand the reason for this behavior of the indoor plant. Most often, the owner himself, due to inexperience, makes mistakes in care, which provokes the appearance of various problems and diseases in the plant.
Money tree diseases
Improper care, diseases and pests
Frequent problems associated with lack of flowering that arise from improper care of the fat plant:
- rotting of the roots and root part of the trunk due to waterlogging of the soil or overcooling of the bush;
- withering and tarnishing of the ground part of the tree due to lack of watering and low indoor humidity;
- falling leaves and buds due to watering with cold water and hypothermia from cold drafts;
- burns on leaf blades and bud petals in the form of local yellow and light brown spots due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
If the money tree gets sick, it is almost impossible to achieve flowering. Crassula is affected by the following diseases:
- Silvery coating. It appears on the leaf blades, and if not treated, over the entire bush.
- Fungus. It infects the root part, expressed as a dark soft spot, which, if left untreated, rises up the trunk, infecting the entire plant.
- Chlorosis. The leaf blades take on a dull whitish-yellow hue. Occurs due to impaired chlorophyll formation and iron deficiency.
Crassula pests:
- Spider mite. It appears and lives on leaf blades, spins a thin web and eats the succulent parts of the plant. It deprives the tree of vitality, causing growth to stop and flowering not to occur.
- Mealybug. Appears as a white powder around the root collar and trunk.
Additional Information! To combat parasites, it is necessary to treat the bushes with fungicides or wash the plant under a warm shower and soapy water.
Care
Watering in spring and summer is plentiful, but not frequent. You should not set a clear watering schedule - this is the wrong way for any plant. As for the fat plant, you should strictly adhere to the following rule: water it only when the soil in the pot is completely dry. The whole thing, not just the top layer. This is easily determined by the weight of the pot.
In winter, at low temperatures, watering is extremely rare. The rule here is that it is better to underfill than to overfill. Crassula will not die from lack of moisture. And from excess, the roots will instantly rot.
Fertilizing is carried out in the warm season, with half the dose indicated on the fertilizer package, once every 3-4 weeks. Excessive amounts of fertilizer are very harmful for any plant, and for succulents it is simply disastrous. It is better not to fertilize at all than to add too much.
How to fix the problem
Everyone can correct the situation in the state of the money tree. It is important that this is done during the growing season of the plant. Being late with preventive measures will not allow the delicate stars of the inflorescences to bloom.
- Any problem in the growth of Crassula can be corrected by transplantation. Having carefully dug up a money tree bush, carefully inspect the root part, stem and leaves. They must be free of damage, light or dark spots. A new pot must be disinfected by washing with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate. An expanded clay layer is poured down as drainage. The prepared or purchased soil mixture is calcined in the oven or doused with boiling water. Treatment is carried out 2-3 days before plant transplantation. Before planting a money tree, the washed and treated roots must be dried.
- If the fat plant has been damaged by pests, remove the scale insects from the leaves with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol. You can simply wash the plant with soapy water. Fitoverm or Vertimek are even more effective against parasites on succulents. By spraying the bush several times with an interval of seven days, you can get rid of spider mites, mealybugs or aphids. In case of severe infection, cultivation of the soil in a pot is also necessary.
- Careful care of the flower and correction of shortcomings in its care are the steps necessary for the appearance of blooming stars among the fleshy leaves.
Flower growers always wait for fragrant inflorescences to appear on their green favorites. It seems that this is how the plant thanks its owners for their attention to it. Crassula rarely blooms, but when and how this happens, what is needed for this, is described in this article. Only excellent conditions will lead to the flowering of the money tree.
More information can be found in the video:
How the money tree blooms
The real official botanical name of the plant, which is popularly referred to as the “money tree”, is Crassula or Crassula. The flowering of Crassula is a truly significant event for the owners of this plant. It blooms very rarely, so proper care is especially important for the money tree. Usually the color of the flowers of the bush is white, but there are varieties with yellow and lilac petals.
Money tree or Crassula
A plant can only bloom when it is healthy. A healthy tree looks well-groomed without dried leaf blades and rotten stems. A well-groomed bush has a straight trunk that thickens closer to the base, elastic and hardy branches. The dark green fleshy leaf blades have a glossy shiny surface and an oval shape.
Periods of flower activity and rest
The peculiarity of Crassula is that it blooms quite late, in late autumn or early winter. But the plant itself begins to wake up, like other indoor plants, in early spring. Immediately after the last buds fade, the fat plant should go to rest. The money tree does not have a long dormant period - about two months. Sometimes the plant continues to actively develop in winter, which should not be allowed, since the tree definitely needs rest until March.
Additional Information! To send the bush into hibernation on your own, you need to reduce watering, gradually reduce the temperature and remove the flower pot to a dimly lit place.
Fat woman in the house - for money
Signs associated with the flowering of the money tree
Krasulla has medicinal properties, but is better known for its sign of bringing good luck and material well-being to the family. What other signs are there associated with the flowering of the money tree?
The appearance of flowers on Krasulla is a good sign. It predicts quick enrichment in material terms. The more abundant the flowering, the larger the profit.
There is another long-standing sign associated with the flowering of the Crassula. If a person manages to catch the very first buds blooming, then his most cherished wish will come true soon.
Feng Shui masters vying with each other about the amazing beneficial energy of the money plant. There are even certain rules for the location of the tree in the apartment. The tree is believed to bring great luck if placed on the southern and eastern sides of the apartment. And for the effect and benefit to be one hundred percent, you need to tie several special coins onto the branches with red threads.
Why is the Crassula called the money tree?
One of the names of the tree crassula is money tree. But its scientific name is Crassula, which means “thick” in Latin. The plant received this name for its juicy, fleshy leaves that accumulate water and a thick trunk.
At home, a coin tree can grow up to 2 meters. In nature there are 4-meter specimens.
But why is the Crassula called the money tree? Perhaps the plant received this name for its round, shiny leaves that resemble coins.
But most likely the reason is different. Crassula is called the “money tree” because of the existing sign that the flower brings good luck, wealth and happiness.
Of course, this is just a belief, but the popularity of money trees is only growing from year to year.
Money tree blossom
In fact, flowering is a natural process for the Crassula. However, like many succulents, it is a rare flowering plant. And the reason is the following. In his homeland, in the tropics of South Africa, there are no such short days as in our climatic zones. Therefore, all succulents grow well and bloom only if there is plenty of sunlight throughout the year. Here in autumn and winter the days are short, and the weather is most often cloudy. The sunlight that the plant receives in the warm season is not enough for it to bloom. And yet, the money tree also blooms indoors.
Of course, the flowering of the Crassula cannot be called enchanting. It very rarely happens that flowers shower the entire crown. Most often, single inflorescences can be observed on a flowering money tree. But if the flowering is abundant, then the entire crown seems to be shrouded in a translucent haze. After all, the flowers of the money tree are very delicate, small and collected in fluffy inflorescences. Usually the flowers are light in color - from pure white to yellow-cream. There are also specimens with white-green and white-pink flowers. But there are very few species with blue or red flowers, although there are some.
Crassula inflorescences come in the form of panicles, umbrellas and racemes. There are quite a lot of flowers in each inflorescence, but they are so small that the inflorescence is mistaken for a flower. Species with single axillary flowers are much less common. The flowers themselves are bell-shaped with five pointed and bent back petals and five stamens. The blooming Crassula exudes a wonderful sweetish aroma, and the flowers taste sweet. However, it is not worth taking a sample, since such tasting is fraught with poisoning from the arsenic contained in the flowers.
What should I do to make the crassula bloom?
In order for you to have the opportunity to admire the flowers of the money tree, first of all you need to eliminate the reasons that interfere with flowering.
Temperature
The plant does not like bright sunlight, so if a pot of Crassula is on a southern windowsill, you need to remove it from the sun, especially closer to autumn. In winter, the most comfortable temperature for a money tree is + 10 degrees. At the same time, you need to reduce daylight hours to 8 hours a day. Usually, many gardeners bring the plant onto the balcony or loggia, but you need to make sure that it does not freeze. When the first frost occurs, the fat plant should be brought indoors, but not placed near heating devices.
Watering Crassula
Despite the fact that the fat plant is a moisture-loving plant, an excess of moisture in the soil can only harm it. If there is an excessive amount of water in the soil, the plant’s growth and development may slow down, and there is a high probability of rotting of the root system. Typically, watering is carried out after the top layer of soil dries to a shallow depth. During the growth period, the fat plant needs moderate watering, and at the beginning of flowering, the amount of water should be increased. The water used for irrigation should be at room temperature.
How to feed and fertilize the fat plant?
This plant readily accepts regular fertilizing, which is applied to the soil once or twice a month. To feed the fat plant, use a complex of fertilizers for indoor plants or a special fertilizer for cacti and succulents. The fertilizing period takes place once a month, from March to September; the rest of the time the plant should rest.
How to stimulate Crassula to flower?
The money tree periodically needs to be replanted. It is not necessary to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot and use special soil for succulents for replanting. During this period, it is recommended to prune the crown. It is necessary to cut off all shoots that have not grown, starting from the top of the tree. From spring to autumn, the money tree needs to be fed with complex fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus. In the fall, when you put the fat plant in a cool room and reduce watering, after replanting and pruning, you can feed the plant a little, thereby stimulating its flowering.
Crown formation
For an attractive appearance of the money tree, its crown is formed immediately after the young shoot takes root. In most cases, the owners of the flower will form it like a tree. To do this, you need to remove the top of a young cutting that has just begun to grow.
To do this, you will need tweezers, with which you need to carefully remove the double leaves that appear after the tree has formed four pairs of fully formed leaves. Next, you need to remove the next two young leaves so that the order of growth is not disturbed.
What keeps the money tree from blooming?
If a plant has been in the house for a long time and has never bloomed, this means that it has some problems in its development. We need to take a good look at it and determine the ways of action to improve the activity of the plant.
- One of the reasons may be pathogenic fungi, which gradually destroy the roots, leaves and stem of the plant. During transplantation, fat plants pay attention to the condition of the root system. The appearance of rot on the roots should raise alarm. Before placing Crassula in another pot, you need to wash the roots and remove damaged parts. Then place the tree in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several minutes. After this, be sure to wash the roots under running water at room temperature.
- Excess moisture when the plant is in rooms with low temperatures will lead to the appearance of dropsy on the leaves of the succulent. It appears as dotted light brown bumps. In this case, the plant is urgently replanted, replacing the soil.
- If during the dormant period the leaves of the fat plant begin to turn yellow and fall off, it means that the air temperature is above normal. Only a gradual decrease in it and the inclusion of additional lighting will bring the plant’s condition back to normal.
- The appearance of pests such as aphids and spider mites on the leaves contributes to the drying out of the leaves. And the mealybug will cover the trunk and leaf axils with sticky white fluff. The scale insect pest feeds on plant juices from the inside, which is noticeable by the waxy brown tubercles.
The appearance of pests, infection by fungi and bacteria, and improper care are the main reasons for the failure of the fat plant to bloom.
How to care for it
The money tree is not a demanding plant. This is explained by the substantial supply of moisture that is stored in its leaves.
Crassula easily tolerates a lack of fluid or drought for a month. But excess moisture or its presence in the saucer under the flowerpot is painful for the fat plant.
Care at home comes down to watering, periodic inspection and fertilization.
Crassula simply loves fresh air. Feels good in the yard, but needs a location protected from direct sunlight.
The optimal temperature for plant growth varies throughout the year: it overwinters well in the range from 10 to 17 degrees, it will not die if + 5 occurs for a short time. But above 18 degrees is undesirable: the shoots stretch upward, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Therefore, when choosing where the plant should stand in winter, you should avoid places near heating devices, especially those deprived of fresh air.
How to water?
- It must be remembered that the plant tolerates drought better than a swamp. In winter, start watering when the soil becomes dry to a depth of 5 cm.
- In summer, water as soon as the soil surface dries. Usually, once or twice a week is enough for the hot season.
- During the resting period of the plant, which lasts from September to April, the plant should not be pampered; it is enough to water the fat plant once a month. Observe the measure: the ground should become moist, but not wet. Dampness will lead to the formation of fungus and mold.
- In its homeland, Crassula is accustomed to a dry climate, so it does not need to be sprayed with water. Dust from the leaves is removed with a cloth moistened with water; the plant really does not like dirt. You can sometimes pamper a flower with a shower, but it is better to cover the ground with a film during the procedure.
How to feed a fat woman
The plant is undemanding and should not be fed frequently. For normal growth in spring, it is enough to fertilize once a month. Otherwise, the fat woman may get sick.
You don’t have to think long about what to feed the flower. Suitable fertilizer for cacti, diluted according to the instructions. You can purchase it at any flower shop.
The rest of the time, you can fertilize less frequently, once every two months, the concentration of the solution can be halved. This will help avoid burns to the root system. In the period from November to April, you can refuse feeding.
How to form a crown
To make the crown beautiful and symmetrical, the flower is periodically placed with different sides facing the window.
With proper pruning, Crassula can turn from a bushy plant into a small tree or a real bonsai. Formation begins when the plant has at least eight leaves and the trunk is approximately 20 cm high.
Why is it better to work with such a baby? In this case, after pruning, hemp will not remain to spoil the appearance of the plant.
The formation of the crown occurs by removing the buds between the very top leaves of the plant. Carefully, so as not to damage the delicate shoots, the leaves are pulled apart and the bud at the very top is pinched off.
After a short period of time, the results are checked. When several new shoots appear, it is considered that a positive result has been achieved. Otherwise, the work is repeated.
There is an article on the blog about the medicinal properties of Crassula, read it.
Video on how to form the crown of a Crassula
When the crown of an adult plant is formed, the cut areas must be sprinkled with ash or activated carbon powder.
To the question of whether it is possible to prune a money tree, the answer is unequivocal - you can. The plant is not afraid of such a process as crown formation even in adulthood. It is necessary to cut off excess branches above the brown ring of the stem. From this place the growth of a new shoot will subsequently begin.
Here are some more tips to help you form the crown correctly:
A young Crassula, on a trunk that has not yet become woody, will grow leaves. There is no need to remove them. Over time, the leaves fall off on their own. An ugly crown results if you begin to water it abundantly in winter. As a result, gnarled elongated stems will form instead of a tree-like trunk. If you want to make the Crassula trunk more fleshy, pinch off the tops
In this way, all the plant’s forces are directed toward thickening the stem. When forming the crown, care is taken to ensure that the tree can support its stems and not break. Therefore, the inside of the tree is periodically thinned out. The reason why Crassula does not grow may be a deep pot that inhibits the growth of the plant
Instead of a crown, a root system will begin to form. All work on crown formation is carried out periodically, with breaks; frequent pruning of the tree is tiring.
How to make Crassula bloom at home: basic growing conditions
Crassula or Crassula is a tropical plant, therefore some aspects of caring for it will be such as to bring the conditions as close as possible to those native to the flower. It is important to remember that the period of active growth is spring and summer, and autumn and winter are a time of rest and slowdown of all life processes in the plant.
Before planting a crassula or money tree, choose the right pot: it should have holes in the bottom where excess water will drain.
The main condition for growing a light-loving fat plant is to provide it with a bright, sunny place, but without exposure to direct midday sun. To create such conditions, in summer the flower is exposed to the air in a place protected from rain and not in the sun.
When growing in an apartment, a south-eastern window sill would be ideal, where the plant will have enough light with a minimum amount of direct sunlight. Here it can stand for the entire period of its active growth.
But for the winter you can safely move it to the windowsill of a south window. During this period, the sunlight will not be as intense. It has been noticed that the plant gives its color faster if it is provided with shorter daylight hours. This is one of the ways to make Crassula bloom faster at home.
Temperature: room temperature, in winter it requires coolness (about +10 °C), which will help the plant survive the dormant period. If it is not possible to create such conditions during the cold season, then place the flower away from heating appliances. Otherwise, it will begin to stretch out in growth, and also sprout very small leaves.
In summer, the ideal ambient temperature will be from +20 to +25°C. Try to ensure that the plant is not exposed to drafts during the period of active growth. After all, this is one of the factors why the leaves of the Crassula flower turn yellow and fall off.
Air humidity: does not matter.
Substrate: flower soil mixture with 1/3 sand and 1/3 loam. Drainage must be laid as the bottom layer. It is better to use expanded clay for this, which absorbs excess moisture well.
Watering: economical; In winter, keep the substrate almost dry. Moisturizing the crassula (money tree) is an important step in caring for the plant at home. You can’t overwater it – this is a sure way to rotting of the root system and shedding of leaves.
Humidification should be carried out only with settled water, the temperature of which will reach room temperature. If the plant is in the sun, the top soil in the pot will dry out quickly, but the lower layers may remain quite moist.
This must be taken into account when caring for a flower. The easiest way to understand when to moisten the soil is to check the top layer. If it has dried 3-4 cm deep, then it’s time to water it.
The first indicator that the soil is waterlogged and the plant is suffering from excess moisture is the shedding of leaves. It is these changes in Crassula that indicate the beginning of rotting of the root system.
Spraying is a necessary element in plant care. It is appropriate to carry it out on hot days or when the flower comes into contact with heating devices. Sometimes Crassula can be given a warm shower. If this cannot be done, then during the process of growing and caring for the fat plant, provide periodic spraying with a spray bottle.
Before showering the plant, first wrap the pot in polyethylene to prevent excess moisture from getting into the soil. The money tree can be taken out into the sun only after the water has drained from it.
Fertilizing: in the summer, apply fertilizer for cacti every 2 weeks. But during the rest period, it is enough to add excipients once every three months. Do this the day after watering, this way you will protect the root system from getting burned.
Rule 7.
Care - inspect the plant at least once a week, remove old leaves with your hands; if small shoots have white roots, they will no longer grow fully, but most likely will fall down - for reproduction. You can carefully break them off and plant them immediately in a glass - there will be a new money tree. You can also grow roots in water.
And also, like every living creature, the fat girl loves attention and love! Talk to the tree, share your secrets, dreams and desires with it - and the plant will generously thank you
By the way, Feng Shui also recognizes the power of the fat woman. According to this teaching, the tree should be in the south-eastern part of the house, a lot of small coins should be poured onto the ground around the trunk, and bills should be secured to the leaves. From time to time, coins must be washed clean, bills taken into the wallet, and new ones placed in their place. This activates the money circulation in the house.
And finally: a strong money tree spell (use no more than once a year)
- In the church you need to buy 7 thin candles.
- For irrigation, collect a glass of water (live, spring, rain, melt).
- Find 7 coins of 1 kopeck.
- At midnight (alone), place the fat woman on the floor and form a circle of 7 lit candles around it.
- Read this spell from a piece of paper seven times, each time placing 1 coin in a circle and pouring a thin stream of water on it.
- Write the plot in pencil on a piece of paper in block letters:
I put coins in the black earth, and silently steal money from the tree. Let it bloom in my house and bring a lot of wealth with it. I drive away the fate of lack of money, it will no longer set foot on the threshold.
The piece of paper with the spell must then be rolled into a thin tube and placed in a pot against the wall.
Did you know that the money tree blooms? And this is a very good sign. People say: “In a house where the money tree blooms, there will always be prosperity and prosperity.” In China, they believe that if you put coins (always yellow metal) in a pot with a money tree, or hang the same coins on the tree when the plant blooms, then prosperity in the house is guaranteed.
Many people are surprised when they find out that the Crassula blooms, and even in ordinary home conditions. Not every gardener is pleased with this plant’s flowering!
The money tree is known to almost everyone, and this plant grows in many homes. Correctly it is called Crassula (Tree-like) or Crassula. This flower is simple, not capricious.
But not everyone is happy with its flowering. Why? But because not everyone knows the characteristics of this plant and not everyone knows how to organize proper care for it.
The main reasons why Crassula does not bloom: 1. The money tree may first begin to bloom when it is about 5 years old. Perhaps the plant has not yet reached this age, and therefore does not bloom.2. Crassula blooms more readily if daylight hours are short. It is likely that the plant has been exposed to too much sunlight for too long and needs rest.3. The plant belongs to the genus of succulents and does not really need a lot of moisture. Most likely, the soil under the money tree is too waterlogged, which is why you only have to admire the leaves.
First you need to eliminate these reasons. Then things will go much easier.
Learn how to properly care for a money tree and make it bloom in this video.
Source, based on Marmalade Fox
How to trim a fat plant at home and how to pinch it to form a crown (with video)
The version that the money tree does not require pinching is not true. In apartment conditions, the plant often branches little; branches and shoots are formed quite long and thin. Another problem with growing indoors is that the stems do not always have time to become woody; under the weight of the leaves they tend to the bottom and can easily break off.
To prevent this from happening, you need to know how to prune Crassula or Crassula correctly, and carry out the procedure as necessary. In addition, pinching makes it possible to shape the crown of the plant, which will have a beneficial effect on its external decorative characteristics.
The most common form of Crassula in apartments is wood. It is important that there is only one sprout in one pot. If this rule is not followed, then over time during the development of the plant you will end up not with trees, but with thickets. In such conditions, the flower stretches upward, branches poorly, and the shoots do not allow each other to develop normally.
In order for your Crassula to grow correctly, you need to know how to form a crown. To perform the pinching procedure, wait until the branch has at least 4 pairs of leaves. As soon as a bud appears in front of the last pair, remove it with tweezers or your fingernail. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the last couple of sheets.
Over time, new buds will appear in greater numbers at the pinching site - these are the first signs that the plant has begun to branch. Remember these basic steps on how to properly pinch a Crassula plant. It is rare, but it still happens that one unnecessary process subsequently grows, and it should be removed immediately.
It is not advisable to pinch below the 4th pair of leaves - this will lead to the formation of an irregular crown. It is this distance that is guaranteed to ensure the correct shape for your money tree in the future.
If you want to form a crown on an overgrown tree, then it is important to know how to properly prune a crassula at home. Pinching an incorrectly formed adult plant will not produce results. Break off or cut off the top part of the stem, and sprinkle the cut areas with ash. Over time, the “wounds” will heal, and new buds will begin to grow in the axils of the old leaves. After 4 pairs of leaves appear, pluck the young shoots.
For more details on how to trim a fat plant, see the video below:
It may take more than one year to form the correct crown of an adult Crassula. The flower grows quite slowly, so be patient. You should not prune in the first months after transferring the plant to a new pot - this can lead to disease and wilting of the fat plant. Give it time to take root in the new soil and you can carry out the formation.
What signs and superstitions are there?
To attract money, you should grow a fat plant yourself or purchase a small sprout. The smaller the shoot can be rooted, the sooner good luck will visit the owner.
Even if there is no time at all, take a few minutes to communicate with Crassula. You can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, saying any words about wealth over the tree.
Signs for good luck:
- If other plants need enough watering and fertilizing, caring for the fat plant is a little different. The plant is a succulent and will tolerate a lack of moisture, but without communication it will dry out and wither. Choose an energetically active day of the week, that is, Wednesday, to tell the tree about upcoming financial plans and ask for support in business;
- They don’t just wipe the leaves, but also count them during the procedure. The saying here is that money likes counting;
- To attract money, Crassula is planted in a red pot. If the container is ordinary, then it is tied with a scarlet ribbon or painted with red lines, symbolizing cash flow;
- Do not place a money tree near electrical appliances that interfere with the free circulation of financial energy;
- A dusty plant will not bring prosperity, so they try to periodically remove dirt from the leaves;
- The flowerpot is placed on a windowsill facing south or southeast. Thick leaves are susceptible to burns, so Crassula is shaded from the sun's rays;
- After receiving financial profit, they select several coins, which are placed in a heap near a flowerpot with a fat plant. Coins are considered a powerful money magnet and enhance the influence of the plant.
A strong magical effect is tying banknotes to a fat woman. It is advisable to choose red threads or satin ribbons to attach money of different denominations.
Over time, old bills are replaced with new ones to prevent stagnation of monetary energy. For the New Year, it is recommended to decorate the tree with chocolates in golden foil, tied with scarlet ribbons.
We create optimal conditions for the flowering of Crassula
Almost any soil is suitable for this flower. The tree reproduces very simply - a full-fledged plant can grow from an ordinary small leaf. The plant takes root very quickly, immediately putting down roots into the soil.
Proper care of the money flower will help you achieve its flowering. It consists of the following:
- Maintaining temperature conditions. Money flowers must be taken out into the fresh air. However, it must be taken into account that a sharp change in temperature can have a detrimental effect on the flowering of the tree. The best time of year to let the flower “breathe” is late spring and summer. The optimal temperature for the growth of Crassula is 15 – 30 degrees. Some flower growers believe that Crassula should be kept cold in winter, then it will definitely bloom in the spring:
Proper watering. There is no need for excess moisture in the soil. With an excess of water, flower growth slows down significantly. Also, due to oversaturation of soil moisture, rotting of the root system of the fat plant is possible. The tree should be watered when the surface layer of soil dries 0.5 cm deep. When watering, you need to achieve slightly moist soil. However, during periods of tree flowering, especially at the very beginning, the volume of water to moisten the soil can be slightly increased.
Feeding. The money flower needs timely feeding; this should be done a couple of times a month. It is better to choose fertilizers that are intended for cacti and other plants belonging to the class of succulents.
Transfer. Growing a fat plant involves its subsequent transplantation. This home tree can be classified as a fast-growing
In order to choose a pot of the correct volume, pay attention to the top of the tree - it should correspond to the volume of the pot chosen for replanting. During the replanting process, try not to damage the root system.
Replant the tree together with most of the earthen ball. However, some lovers believe that they know how to get Crassula to bloom - the new pot should be no more than 1 cm larger than the previous one, see:
- Shaping the trunk. Many gardeners advise cutting off the top of a plant that has reached a height of 35 cm. This circumstance contributes to better tree growth, the formation of a strong trunk and a beautiful crown.
The plant also needs constant care. Regular ventilation of the room and ridding the tree of dried leaves are encouraged. If the tree grows intensively, you need to use supports for gartering the branches. It is also necessary to wipe the leaves from dust with a damp cloth.
By following the above recommendations, you will provide the best conditions for the intensive growth of the plant, but also for its flowering.
Soil and pot for money tree
Let's consider which pot is suitable for a money tree and what kind of soil is needed. For growing money trees, preference is given to ceramic pots.
Ceramics is a porous material, so moisture can evaporate not only from the surface of the soil, but also from the walls of the pot. This is very useful for a plant that is afraid of waterlogging and stagnation of water.
An unpretentious money tree with a thick trunk and oval leaves does not require special maintenance conditions.
The size of the money tree pot is chosen depending on the size of the succulent’s root system. The roots should fit freely in it, but should be no more than 1 cm from the walls. In a container that is too spacious, the earth turns sour and pathogenic fungi multiply in it.
The height of the pot should not exceed its width. Too deep pots are not required here, since the root system of the plant is superficial.
To plant fat plants, they use purchased soil for succulents and cacti. When making soil for a money tree with your own hands, you need to use the following ratio: 4:1:1:1:1:
- Sod land;
- Leaf soil;
- Humus;
- Coarse sand;
- Brick chips.
When planting a plant, the drainage hole is covered with a shard. But the bottom of the pot must be laid with drainage at least 3 cm thick made of small expanded clay or pebbles.
Soil for money tree
Crassula does not require a specific type of soil, but still prefers loose soil. Soil for the plant can be bought at a flower shop, but drainage is necessary for the fat plant. The drainage composition can be made of any non-rotting material, for example, cork or expanded clay.
Crassula is very sensitive to excess moisture, so the use of soil drainage is a necessary condition when caring for the plant. Before planting a flower in the ground, place one or two layers of expanded clay on the bottom of your properly selected pot, then add loose soil and plant the plant.
When using drainage, the soil near the money tree will not turn sour, because expanded clay absorbs all excess moisture. Gradually, as the soil dries, it will return to the plant all the moisture it absorbed.
How to propagate Crassula (money tree) at home
Reproduction: apical cuttings, leaves - these are the most effective types of plant reproduction. It is also possible to produce seeds, but it does not retain the maternal properties of the fat plant, and is quite complex and labor-intensive. Therefore, the use of the vegetative method is considered the most acceptable at home.
Reproduction of the fat plant by apical cuttings gives almost 100% results, while preserving all the features of the mother tree, and the rooting process can take place in two ways: in water or in soil.
First you need to separate the planting material from the adult plant. Inspect and find a well-developed shoot on the bush, approximately 10-12 cm in size. Separate it from the plant with a sharp knife, remove the lower leaves and leave to wither for 24 hours.
If rooting is carried out in water, then the shoot is lowered into a container of water, to which any drug has been added to enhance the development of the root system, for example “Kornevin”. Try to install the planting material so that it does not drown in the liquid.
Leave the container with the sprout in partial shade, out of direct sunlight. The first roots will appear in the 2-3rd week. The young plant is ready to be planted in the ground. You already know how to transplant an adult fat plant at home; the same principles apply to planting a plant after the roots have appeared. Prepare a small pot, put drainage in the bottom, and fill it halfway with soil.
Place the planting material and cover it with the remaining soil. Make sure that the soil does not touch the leaves, but only covers the area where the roots have appeared. Moisten the soil and leave in partial shade for 2-3 weeks.
Rooting of cuttings can be carried out directly into prepared soil. This is done in the following steps. Prepare the pots: wash the old ones with soap under running water, and soak the new ones in boiling water.
This will help prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the new soil and protect the fat plant from transmitting diseases and pests, such as mites, scale insects, fungal or bacterial bacteriosis, etc.
Choose pots that are small in height but wide enough. There must be holes at the bottom of the container.
Lay out the drainage and fill the pot halfway with soil. In the prepared soil, use your finger or pencil to make a small depression and place the planting material there. Add soil, not reaching the edge of the pot by 2 cm, do not compact it.
The soil can be purchased at any flower shop (for cacti or universal), or you can prepare it yourself using garden soil and sand (1:1).
Conditions of detention
The most important thing is lighting. Crassula tolerates sunlight well at any time of the day or year. Bright light is a necessity. Without a sufficient amount of it, the branches stretch out, the internodes increase, the crown thickens, which further shades the plant.
The second important factor is temperature. From spring to autumn, the fat woman tolerates fairly high temperatures, moreover, she loves them. In the fall, you should gradually lower the temperature in the room in order to create a minimum for winter: +5 - +10 degrees are very useful for the rest period.
Proper lighting and temperature are the two most important conditions for the formation of flower buds!