Shefler at home - easy and simple.

Sheffler can not be called a capricious plant, it is rather unpretentious. The leaves of this plant are very decorative, like a palm with fingers spread out, which turns to the sun. "Tree-umbrella" - so called the chief of the British for the similarity of leaflets emanating from one point, with the umbrella spokes. Variety variety of this plant includes specimens with different structure, size and color of leaves.

As a rule, the shepherd at home feels remarkably in a bright place, but does not like direct sunlight. At the same time, it grows well in the penumbra, but it needs fresh moist air. Care of the head of the house is simple, if you follow certain rules. In summer, the plant can be placed in the garden, choosing a place protected from the sun and wind. When the temperature rises (from 20 degrees), sprinkle the leaves with lukewarm water (cold water tender young leaves do not favor - they can blacken and dry out). In any case, do not overmoist the soil, and if in the period of active growth the shepherd should be watered moderately, then in winter, watering should be minimized as much as possible. The moisture stagnates, and the roots rot, the plant discards the leaves. It is necessary to take it out of the pot, cut off the damaged roots with a sharp clean knife, sprinkle the slices with ashes and plant it in fresh ground, into a well drained pot. Watch the state of the earth - wet, but not wet, drain excess water from the pan. If there are doubts - to water or not - just loosen the soil, sprinkle the leaves, and put the water on tomorrow. For green-cheeked chefler, the winter temperature is comfortable 12-18 degrees, for variegated - not lower than 18.

From March to the end of summer, the shafler at home needs fertilizer twice a month, and the plant that has undergone transplantation can only be fertilized with the appearance of an active young growth - this is a sign that the roots have recovered.

Shephler can be successfully propagated by seeds. In winter (January-February), they are sown in a ready-made substrate, but you can use a mixture prepared independently: take the sod-humus earth, humus and sand (2: 1: 1). At the bottom of the pot put keramzit, shards, or crumbled polystyrene - provide drainage, for the seedlings, the soil moisture is destructive. Crops must be watered, covered with glass or film. Put a pot of crops in a warm place (with an air temperature of at least 22 degrees). From time to time, you need to ventilate the ground and wipe the condensate from the glass. At the time of seedlings, change the location of the pot - the plant needs light and cool, 15 degrees is enough for its development. Do not forget about moderate watering and air humidification.

Shefler at home reproduces and cuttings. The apical cuttings are obtained when pruning a plant. This procedure is performed in order to ensure that the shephler does not expand and obtain a beautiful form of the bush. Cuttings root in the soil, with this there are no big problems even for beginners.

Annually in the spring young stalkers are transplanted, for this purpose it is necessary to take a substrate in which sod, leaf land, humus and sand in a proportion (2: 1: 1: 1) are mixed. Transplanting of old plants is carried out if necessary.

It should be remembered that the shepherd at home with improper care can be attacked by pests (worms, mites, scutes). To avoid this, just properly determine the plant for the winter and do not allow the air to dry.

Thus, the contents of the shepherd at home, although it requires compliance with certain rules, but in fact quite easy, and even a budding florist can grow this "umbrella tree", whose hands are always turned towards the sun!