Ornithogalum dubium is a non-hardy variety of the milk star that is cultivated as a houseplant in this country. Care is not difficult if you follow a few tips. How to care for the Orange Milk Star.

The Ornithogalum dubium should only be watered sparingly

What should be considered when watering Ornithogalum dubium?

Always water when the substrate has dried on top. Do not leave water in the coaster.

After flowering, water more sparingly. Stop watering when the leaves turn yellow.

How do you fertilize the Orange Milkstar?

Only fertilize before and during flowering. For this you use a liquid fertilizer that is administered every fourteen days.

Can you prune Ornithogalum dubium?

You can only cut the faded inflorescences. Be sure to leave the leaves after flowering. They ensure that the onions are sufficiently supplied with nutrients. The leaves will retract by themselves after a few weeks.

Remember that Ornithogalum dubium is poisonous! Keep cuttings out of the reach of children.

Does the milk star have to be repotted?

Repotting is not necessary. The tubers are removed from the pot anyway as soon as the leaves of the milk star have retracted.

What diseases and pests can occur?

After flowering, the leaves turn yellow and wilt. This is normal and not a disease. If the onions are rotting, you have probably watered them too much.

Watch out for aphids! Rinse off an infestation with water and, if necessary, spray the leaves with nettle lye or commercially available agents.

How to care for the tubers in winter?

When the leaves have curled, remove the onions from the pot. Shake off the soil well and put the tubers in a place where they can dry.

Overwinter the dried onions in wood shavings or paper bags in a dark, frost-free place. The onions contain a particularly large number of toxins and must therefore be stored away from children and animals.

  • Store onions in excelsior or paper bag
  • dry, dark place
  • secure from children and pets!

tips

Ornithogalum dubium prefers a bright, warm location in the flower window. After flowering, you should leave it in place for a while. Occasionally you will achieve a second flower.

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