- What do you have to consider when watering the turtle plant?
- How is the succulent fertilized?
- When and how do you prune turtle plants?
- What do you have to pay attention to when repotting?
- What diseases and pests can occur?
- How do you care for tortoise plants in winter?
The turtle plant (Dioscorea elephantipes) owes its name to the unusual appearance of its storage organs, which are reminiscent of a turtle's shell. The succulent is a rarity that should be cared for by a gardening expert. How to care for the turtle plant.
The tortoise plant has a shell like that of a tortoise
What do you have to consider when watering the turtle plant?
- Don't keep it too wet!
- Let the substrate dry beforehand
- Observe storage organ
- use soft water
Before you water the turtle plant, check that the substrate is already dry. If the storage organ shows dents, it is high time to give it some water.
Pour carefully. The inside of the root ball should be just moist. Waterlogging is harmful. It is better to keep the plant too dry than too wet.
How is the succulent fertilized?
Fertilize from May to September. Use a liquid fertilizer for succulents. Slightly reduce the amount indicated on the packaging to avoid over-feeding.
When and how do you prune turtle plants?
A special feature of the tortoise plant is that the tendrils only grow once a year. You may only cut the dried tendrils when the leaves have fallen off.
What do you have to pay attention to when repotting?
In the spring you should check whether the turtle plant still has enough space in the pot. To do this, unpot them and shake off the old substrate. Examine whether the roots are healthy.
If necessary, place the plant in a larger pot. Renew the substrate. Cactus soil is suitable.
What diseases and pests can occur?
If it gets too wet, the plant will rot. The tortoise plant is quite susceptible to powdery mildew. Cut out affected areas and then treat the plant with a solution of fresh milk and water.
Aphids are more common. An infestation should be treated immediately with appropriate measures.
How do you care for tortoise plants in winter?
The tortoise plant does not tolerate low temperatures below twelve degrees. Place the plant in its winter location at the latest when the tendrils have lost their leaves. This should be dark and offer temperatures up to a maximum of 15 degrees.
To prevent the tortoise plant from drying out completely, occasionally gently wet it with a little water during the winter.
tips
The tortoise plant can be propagated by seeds. In indoor culture, however, it rarely develops fertilized flowers, so you may have to get seeds from a specialist dealer.