How to disinfect an aspidistra | Gardening enabled

how to clean an aspidistra

When you have a plant like aspidistra you know that over time, if you take good care of it, it will become very beautiful. But sometimes it doesn’t turn out that way, and in the end, you can start to look bad. But do not worry, because it is a very resistant plant and it is enough to know how to clean an aspidistra.

If you don’t know how to do it, or if you find yourself in this situation where the plant is starting to look weird and you don’t know what to doit may interest you because it could revitalize it.

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When to disinfect aspidistra

Mottled Aspidistra Leaves

You should know that when it comes to sanitizing an aspidistra, the exact moment to do it is important so that the plant can survive (or not).

The best time is winter because during these months the plant is in a kind of lethargy and this makes handling easier and less stressful.

You mean you can’t touch it first? Yes and no. You can do a quick sanitation process in which you don’t touch the pot or the roots, but you can remove the brown, dead or weak leaves (never the half green ones as they will suffer more).

But really, the full sanitation process would take during the cold months.

How to disinfect aspidistra

To clean the aspidistra it is necessary to cut the old brown leaves

At this point, if you have an aspidistra and have been using it for a long time to know how to clean the plant, you probably know what care it needs. So let’s go focus only on the revitalizing part of the plant, something that many do not know and in the context of care, few report it. However, it is important.

When cleaning an aspidistra, you should consider the following:

See if the location is correct

First, observe the plant in its current location. you must see if it really meets the care and needs of the plant.

If you notice that the the leaves have brown areas because the sun burns them too much, and it would be advisable to find another place where the rays are not affected and avoid these burns (especially if you are going to clean it).

You already know that, among its care, it is important to provide it with a semi-shaded, cool and airy place, since it does not like stale air too much.

wash the leaves

Another important point to clean an aspidistra is to wash the leaves. Overtime, dust accumulates on the leaves and this makes the plant unable to carry out its photosynthesis correctly.

So the leaves will have to be washed. You can do this with a damp cloth but you can also use soap and water to, in addition to washing it, disinfect it if you see scale insects (you can also use water and alcohol) .

When washing, our recommendation is that you do with a soft sponge and rub a little on the leaves. In this way you will clean it well and, above all, you will remove any “insect” that has decided to remain on the plant such as spiders, scale insects or aphids.

Dry, dead, burnt leaves? say goodbye

When you wash it, you will realize by touch and sight, which leaves are not good. It may be because they are dry, dead or burnt. In fact, some will easily detach from the plant, allowing you to easily remove them.

But if they don’t turn out like that, you should cut them off as they affect the appearance of your aspidistra and, in addition, they are a hotbed of infection of pests and diseases which you must take into account.

potted aspidistra

Check the roots and the pot

Many times the aspidistra begins to show signs of decay due to pot growth and needs new nutrients and a new pot to reappear.

Thus, another of the care to be provided is to graft it. take it out of the jar (sometimes it is so compact that it is impossible to do it without breaking it) and check the roots a bit in case you see something rotten, or a bug that shouldn’t be there.

Although many believe that it is better not to touch the roots or move them, we recommend that you do so because it is the way to lose this already depleted substrate and the new soil serves as food more quickly.

Of course, don’t spend opening the roots or moving it around a lot because that will stress you a lot more. If it is very compact maybe and you have to exert some force it is better than leaving it with soil that does not nourish it because if you plant it like that the only thing you will get is that it continues to deteriorate.

Once you have it ready it will be time to fill the new pot and for that the best thing to do is to mix it with substrate (if possible for acidophilic plants) and 30% pearlite. This way you ensure that it has adequate nutrients and, at the same time, drainage so that water does not accumulate there.

watering and rest

You already have the aspidistra in its new pot and don’t worry because it may look even worse than before you start cleaning it. This is completely normal.

Now what you need to do is water abundantly and place it in a place with plenty of light but no sun. You need to keep it there all winter (remember that the best time to clean the aspidistra is fall or early winter).

During this time, it should not be watered too much, it is better to do it with a small amount and, when the good weather begins to arrive (spring), increase the watering (this way we ensure that the lethargy passes good) .

The first spring watering

In connection with this first spring watering, if you add a little iron chelate, much better, because you will give it a very powerful energy shot that will help make its leaves greener.

From this moment you can water it every month with fertilizer (particularly rich in nitrogen).

Welcome to the new leaves

If you did everything right, the aspidistra will give you new leaves, stronger, greener and healthier than the ones it already had. So when you remove them, you can cut off the old ones.

Do not be afraid, if you cut them, this plant will develop others, so it must be done.

Is it clear to you how to clean an aspidistra?

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