Stevia cultivation on the windowsill
Culture stevia as a houseplant is not too much trouble . For her choose a well-lit and warm place . To do this, the most suitable windows facing south and south- west. This is especially important because of the optimal lighting and temperature dependent accumulation of stevioside . As substrates suitable peat composts with the addition of vegetable garden soil and sand that volume should be 50 %. At the bottom of the two-liter pot shard is placed , followed by a small layer of sand and top soil mix and planted seedlings or sapling . When plant height 15-20 cm top 3-5 cm cut in the middle of the internodes .
It can be used for breeding. Watering and care stevia is the same as for other plants . Water the plants sparingly, but often. Drought and soil moisture is unacceptable, as this die first suction roots. When growing stevia on the windowsill she needs frequent spraying and air humidification.
3-4 months after planting, there is a complete adaptation of plants to the home and can start forming a bush. To do this, one third or half of the upper branches are cut so that they remained 2-4 well formed buds and three pairs of leaves from which further evolve new shoots. From the edge of the wound smeared with pitch , oil or grease to prevent evaporation . Plants with deep cover with a plastic bottle or glass jar and put in a warm light place , but not in the bright sun.
Jar or bottle is removed gradually accustoming plants to the outdoors. Pruning repeated every 4-6 months. Without cutting stevia forms long thin branches and has several sloppy appearance . Stevia fed 2 times a month liquid fertilizer with trace elements , as well as other pot plants .
In the dark winter to maintain stevia illuminate 4-5 hours a day in the calculation of 40-50 W/m2, since it lacks not only light, but also the light of the day . Pots with stevia , which since autumn stored in the basement, in mid-March to expose windows southern orientation, already without supplementary lighting . Soon, they provide new shoots are trimmed as described above.
When planting and transplanting can not strongly disturb the soil and root system of stevia as reducing its strength is very low. In the summer the pots can be transported to the country, and prikopalis, monitor the level of nighttime temperatures. If there is no garden , bushes bring to the glassed-in loggia or balcony. With the onset of cool weather plants are entered into the room. Stevia grows well and multiplies on the window to the end of September. Then the plant is gradually transformed into a state of hibernation . At this time, the leaves should be cut off and the pots with stems hold about the balcony door at 5-10 ° C, basting occasionally .