CROTON PLANT (GARDEN CROTONS)

Here I am to talk about CROTON PLANT which are beautiful, gorgeous stunning plants which are called the Codiaeum Variegated. it’s more commonly known as the ‘Garden Croton ‘. most of must have come across these plants as they commonly adorn gardens and parks and also brightly lit indoor spaces.

They bring beauty and interest to any dull garden or any dull area. they just live it up with colour. these plants are the most colorful that I have come across, especially in their foliage. now in my balcony I have very little sunlight and I cannot keep many flowering plants.

That is why I choose to keep plants that have interesting leaves, interesting foliage, that will add colour to my display of plants. So, croton is a good choice for such gardens. Now the ones that i have here are fairly new purchases.

Like these ones that I have planted in earthen pots are maybe two months old. And this one is still in a bag. Now the sunlight that I receive is not too much, it is just one to two hours of sunlight, Direct sunlight in summer. but these crotons that I have been with me haven’t changed colour much.

WHAT ARE GARDEN CROTONS

These are evergreen perennial shrubs that are found in tropical areas. they are native to places like Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and western Pacific Ocean islands. So, you can even go and plant them out in the garden and you can see that in India there are many places, many gardens that use these shrubs to beautify them.

Crotons do very well do very well then, they are planted directly in the ground, but if you are living in a place where winter is very harsh, they cannot be planted directly into the ground because they will not survive. they belong to tropical climate.

Crotons can grow up to be really very tall shrubs they can grow up to be 6feet tall too, that is if you give them ample mud or really large container there are many variants and names that I have come across are Lemon Petra, golden dust and so on.

TO READ MORE ABOUT TULSI PLANT CLICK HERE

GARDEN CROTON CARE

we will look at how to care for these plants, especially when you keep them indoors or when you keep them in your balcony areas.

1. First thing we need to do is select a good pot for the plant. the pot that you select must have drainage holes at the bottom. because the plant like any other plant does not like to have wet and soggy roots. the water must drain out.
2. Second thing is using a nutrient rich loamy soil. The soil must be rich in nutrients and also must be a good loamy soil that has good drainage, that doesn’t hold too much water and doesn’t compact the roots. it must not be very clay-based soil.
3. The next thing is finding a good spot for your plant. Crotons to maintain their colour need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. but it will do well even in small amount of sunlight. the ideal spot is east –west facing window where it will get large amount of light.
4. The next tip is keeping your plant away from drafts of air, they do not like windy drafts or cold drafts or directly under the fan or where the air conditioner breeze is blowing. keep it in a place where there are not any drafts, and they will do well and don’t move your plant unless it’s necessary and also don’t keep changing place of your Croton plant because Crotons like to get used to the place. so, the moment you move them they have to adjust to a new place all over again and it might stress your plants. Water your plants regularly.
5. Water requirements —Water your Crotons regularly, especially in summer months where it is very hot and it is drier, plants need to be watered every day. You have to keep an eye on your Crotons. over-watering also may cause harm to it.
6. Temperature — Crotons are tropical plants, and temperature for them in the day should be around 21 to 27 degrees Celsius and in the night, it can go down to 18 degrees Celsius. the ideal humidity range for a croton is between 40 to 80 ⁰0, and if it is around 70 ⁰0 it is very optimum for your plant. If you are in a dry climate, you can use different techniques to increase the humidity around your plants.
7. Fertilization

Crotons need to be fertilized mostly and use fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen and potassium, because that is what is plants need. so, you need to fertilize them if you want to grow your crotons to grow really tall, when they fill up your existing pot, always re-pot them and put them into a pot that is at least an inch bigger, so that the roots fill up the entire pot.

Now, if you want to your croton plant to remain same size you don’t have to do that. you have to keep it in a same pot for a longer time. so, what you can do is just scoop up 2 to 3 inches of soil from the top and replace it with good nutrient rich soil. this you can do instead of repotting it.

CLICK READ TO ABOUT ECOTOURISM

PROBLEMS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER

You may encounter some problems while dealing with these plants, especially the tips burning or turning brown. when this happens, you have to check if you have watered your plant properly or not or the plant. might be getting less water. if leaves are wilting you might be over watering your plants so you have to keep a check on your plants to see if they are getting exactly what they want, and I am sure your plants will thrive. If the colours are fading provide lighter, provide more shade if there are grey patches on your leaves. If there are spider mites that have attacked your plant, use a soapy solution. you can mix a little bit of soap with water, and you can wash the leaves of your Croton Plants.