It has long and firmly established in our minds the notion that our house - it is our fortress. So, here we are in full, but rather in relative safety. The relative, because even in our own home all kinds of hazards (implicit and explicit) is more than enough to begin to doubt the strength of the house-fortress. Such internal hazards include poisonous houseplants. Of course, keep in the house they can. But first, you need to know exactly which room the flowers are poisonous. Second - what it is (and who is) the danger they represent. And, thirdly, the need to learn the general rules of treatment of these plants. Let's start from the beginning.
List of toxic indoor plants
Almost every family of indoor plants are poisonous representatives. And surprisingly, the brighter, more beautiful and interesting plants, the more likely that it will be poisonous.
Here is a short list of poisonous plants, which are very often "live" in our homes and offices:
aralivye ivy or header, polyscias, Fatsa, Scheffler;
Indeed, the list still goes on and on. After a poisonous houseplants are about ten thousand species of pets. What is the danger of them?
The danger of poisonous plants
Poison can be a whole plant, or just some of its parts: the milky or cell sap, berries, flowers, roots, bulbs, leaves.
Plants with poisonous sap. First of all, the plant family Euphorbiaceae. The resins almost all euphorbias contain harmful substances, poisoning, which can occur in a very severe form. After contact with skin, they cause mild irritation, burns or ulcers. Getting on the mucous membranes, juice Euphorbiaceae plants causes inflammation of the eyes and mouth, disorders, digestive system (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) and the nervous system. Such an impact and provides the cell sap of some plants in the family Araceae, kutrovyh and Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllidaceae poisoning occurs when eaten onion plants).
Plants with poisonous organs. This is, firstly, a plant with poisonous berries of the nightshade family. Beautiful orange and red berries are particularly dangerous for children, who can not resist the temptation to try the tempting fruit. Its leaves and flowers are some dangerous kutrovyh (the most insidious of them - Oleander). Once inside the human or animal poison these plants causes a disturbance of the heart.
In addition, some domestic poisonous plants only can be called such. Some potted plants are dangerous for people with allergies. Basically provoke an allergic reaction may be pollen, but emit allergens and Netsvetov plants. These include all known geranium, ferns, oleander already mentioned and some Amaryllidaceae. In addition, even the earth, which grow potted plants, can be dangerous for people with allergies, because it live microscopic fungi that cause allergies.
Also people who are prone to allergies poisonous potted plants pose a threat to otherwise healthy people and pets.
Risk Group
Those who fall into this group? The most vulnerable to poisonous plants - children and pets. If you live in the house of small children, it is best to get rid of poisonous flowers or take them to places that are inaccessible child.
Pets are also experiencing increased interest in domestic plants. Cats and dogs, hamsters and guinea pigs, parrots and canaries can easily chew (peck) green leaves and as a result get severe poisoning, which can even result in death of the animal. Especially partial to the indoor plants cats and parrots (known to be very fond of young green).
Less prone to danger from poisonous houseplants adults. Still, some of them also are at risk. This is referred to allergy sufferers and those who care for the flowers.
Oddly enough, but very, very many especially ornamental plants are in fact insidious poisoners. Therefore, they will still grow at home. By and large, it is quite safe if you follow certain rules while.
security measures
It is clear that small children and pets make careful with plants virtually impossible. In the case when there are children at home, the plant can be isolated from the child, but with a number of cats will not pass. If the animal enforces the goal, it still gets to flower. Only one way out - to get rid of potential sources of danger (or not to have pets). However, children and animals dangerous only those plants that are poisonous aerial parts. Plants with tubers-toxic and are unlikely to harm both.
When growing and caring for poisonous plants is also necessary to comply with security measures. At work (especially cuttings and transplants) need to wear rubber gloves. This measure is necessary in order to protect your hands from the poisonous sap. And also need to make sure that the juice did not get into the eyes or mouth.
If you still got a poisonous juice on your skin or mouth, you need to take immediate action:
in contact with skin, wash the affected area thoroughly with running water and soap;
in contact with a poisonous juice with eyes, rinse them under running water for ten to twenty minutes;
or in contact with the juice of the poisonous flower inside to drink water with activated charcoal or induce vomiting in order to remove from the stomach swallowed a piece;
with a strong poisoning with loss of consciousness, seizures or heart palpitations urgent need to call an ambulance.
What absolutely can not do if poisoning poisonous plants, so it is to drink milk. Contrary to popular belief, it does not help in such cases, but also enhances the action of some fat-soluble toxins.
Still, should not be afraid. Not all flowers poisonous so much room. Most of them are capable of inflicting only light damage without much damage to health. Still, getting (or intending to do so) you liked the plant is to start to find out details about it. If you are willing to keep the home beautiful, but dangerous flower room, be prepared to confront his "poisonous substance". Although in most cases, all of these potential "poisoners" is actually quite harmless, good feeling in our homes and do not cause much trouble. So without a special need (children and pets in the house, or the tendency to allergy), do not give up enchanting croton or delicate cyclamen, just be careful - and everything will be fine!
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Ginger ale, ginger tea, gingerbread - all this brings to mind something very European (or, conversely, very oriental), delicious and even to some extent, very fairy. And certainly not about exotic medicinal plant, a native of the southern countries, which resembles its appearance bamboo shoots, and by the way, very beautiful flowers. Most of us are now familiar with ginger because of the fashion for Japanese cuisine and traditions serve slices of pickled ginger sushi and rolls. Knowing him as a spice, a matter of "Ginger: growing or buying" we are not puzzled.
Meanwhile, ginger can easily be potted or garden green pet. This is not only a versatile spice and an aphrodisiac, but also one of the oldest medicinal and flowering plants. Prized for the amazing properties of ginger root, like the mystical mandragorovogo man. It has a flavor reminiscent of a mixture of mint and lemon and incomparable burning taste. It is added to sweet and bitter drinks, meat and fish dishes, desserts and pastries.
How does the plant itself, few people know, because accustomed to contemplate ginger only as fresh or dried root or flavored powder. That is why the attitude of experimentation fans indoor and country Floriculture downright provokes growing this exotic plant in a flower pot or on a dacha. And as practice shows, it is not difficult to do. With good care and proper conditions ginger can achieve meters high and even bloom. Let's get started ...
Where to begin?
Ginger seeds do not breed for one simple reason: in its nature in the wild does not exist. And in the industrial breeding it does not give full seed. Yes, and there is no need for this, as ginger is easily propagated by dividing rhizomes.
The cultivation of ginger at home to start with the selection of planting material. To do this, it is quite suitable fresh root, which can be purchased at almost any vegetable section of the supermarket. Buying root it for planting, choose the rhizome with a smooth and shiny skin. It should not be too dry or (worse yet) peremorozhennym, and most importantly, it must be sprout buds (eyes like a potato).
Before planting is put back into the warm water (an hour or two or three) to awaken the kidney to increase. If you are going to put not all back, but only part of it, then the cut or air dry powder the ash (activated charcoal). Pot for this unusual houseplant needs broad as ginger root system grows in breadth. At the bottom of the pot put a drainage layer thickness of three or five centimeters. Prepare the soil mixture, well lets air: turf ground, leaf mold and sand in equal proportions. Now plant the root, burying it in the ground to a depth of two to three centimeters eyes up, and then pour plenty of newly made beds. If done correctly, about two weeks will appear the first shoots of ginger.
Caring for the growing ginger
Once out of the ground appeared shoots are green, your task is to become a good and competent care. Ginger - plant heat-loving and water-loving. Therefore, basic care is reduced to the frequent watering and maintaining a warm and humid climate near the plant.
Desiccate the soil in which grows ginger is unacceptable - it will lead to the inevitable death of the young plants. Watered as needed: little and often. After each watering carefully and shallow loose soil. To maintain the humidity spray growing ginger every day (or every other day).
Ginger loves light. Therefore provide him sufficient daylight, but protect from direct sunlight. Like any growing bodies, young ginger should be fed. So for better growth add to his diet of mineral and organic (preferably complex) fertilizer for indoor plants. Here, in general, all the basic rules of care for growing ginger.
Ginger in the garden of the villa
For the cultivation of ginger in the garden area, it should also be first sprout houses, planted back in February and March. In the spring and summer he will begin active growth. By this time, the ginger should be transplanted to a bed. It is clear that to grow in the garden, you can not sprout a root and a few - while in your garden of green are a few bushes ginger. From the moment of landing until full ripening spicy rhizome should pass six to ten months, depending on the climate: warm regions it will ripen faster.
Digging roots of ginger should be in the fall, after the leaves turn yellow and wither away. If you are planting ginger for decorative purposes, for its exotic flowers, leave the roots in the ground to hibernate. Then the probability of flowering ginger in the coming season will increase many times over. Caring for plants in the open ground is also not difficult. It needs to be watered (preventing dryness of the soil), protect from direct sunlight and spray.
Harvesting
Spicy ginger roots are ready for use for its intended purpose within three to four months after planting. But by this time they are still quite small, although it has all the taste and aromatic qualities. To get a good harvest requires at least eight to ten months.
Fresh young leaves and stems of ginger are also edible. They can be used in salads, at any time, but to get carried away large rhizomes pruning is not necessary.
Store fresh ginger roots can be in a dry place or in the refrigerator for several months. For longer storage roots should be crushed and dried. By the way, dried ginger has a stronger aroma and pungency.
Practical advice
In the cultivation of ginger on a windowsill or in the garden there is no fundamental differences. For the success of this venture should just comply with the conditions of cultivation. Here are some tips from the practice of home "imbirevodstva."
For planting is necessary to share the root of jumpers processes.
In order to protect the plant from fungal diseases, root before planting to be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
To ginger not only grew well, but also bloomed, it has to be fertilized with potassium (for growth) and phosphorus (for flowering), fertilizers.
Spray Ginger need frequent: almost every day, and even better - several times a day.
The best place for growing ginger - penumbra.
For the cultivation of ginger at home can be planted at any time of year, but this is best done in winter.
At room conditions the pot of wintering plants should be clean, dry and in a cool place where the temperature will not rise above 15 degrees.
If ginger is grown for human consumption, then it should be fertilized with organic fertilizers for vegetable (edible root) crops.
As you can see, the special difficulties of ginger cultivation is not. Therefore, if you are strong in the spirit of experimentation, or if you just want to try to grow exotic plants at home or in the garden, the ginger is quite suitable for the realization of your crop plans. Personally grown up this amazing fabulous spice you and amuse your self-esteem, and will be ready in the summer of ginger ale and bake Christmas gingerbread winter. And you are always on hand will not only be a universal remedy for the common cold, but also an amazing spice awakening love passion.
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