Plant the three-masted flower correctly
If you have decided on a garden-worthy three-masted flower, we recommend spring planting. This means that the perennial has enough time for vital rooting before winter. Look out for a sunny, shady to partial shade and sheltered location with humus, slightly acidic soil. There you create a small pit that offers enough space for the root ball to develop. If you mix in some bog soil, deciduous or coniferous compost, the flower will immediately feel in good hands. Pot out the young plant in order to plant it in the middle to just below the first pair of leaves. Pour generously with soft water and spread a layer of mulch.
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- Three-masted flower - unfold potential in the right location
- Is the three-masted flower deadly poisonous?
- Care of the three-masted flower: pruning, fertilizing, watering and Co.
Care tips
In view of the simple maintenance program, it is hardly surprising that a three-masted flower is an ideal entry-level plant. These few aspects need to be considered:
- Water abundantly in the first two years, later reduce the watering
- From spring to autumn, fertilize organically or liquid every 14 days
- Cut off withered flower stems for autumn re-bloom
- Cut back close to the ground in the bed before the first frost
Since the god's eye is only partially hardy, pile the perennial in the bed thickly with autumn leaves and coniferous twigs. Tropical species and varieties move to the warm windowsill when temperatures drop below 10 degrees.
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Which location is suitable?
With regard to the ideal site conditions, three-masted garden flowers and non-winter-hardy indoor plants largely agree:
- Sunny to partially shaded location
- Warm and sheltered from the wind
- Nutrient-rich, humus-rich and well-drained soil
- The sunnier the location, the wetter the soil
Since an excess of lime impairs growth and the willingness to flower, the substrate should have a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.0. The use of rhododendron or bog bed soil is therefore ideal for indoor plants.
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What soil does the plant need?
Treat your three-masted flower to fresh, moist, nutrient-rich and well-drained soil. The top priority is a slightly acidic pH value of 5.5 to 6.0, because a god's eye does not want to be bothered with lime. For the pot culture, therefore, the use of bog soil or azalea substrate, enriched with lava granulate (€ 10.95 at Amazon *) for the best water extraction.
When is the flowering time?
The three-masted garden flower sets the scene twice a season with its delicate blossoms. Look forward to cheerful splashes of color from May to July and again in September. The only requirement is to cut back the withered flower stalks down to the foliage to make room for the re-flowering. In indoor culture, the god's eye keeps its flower pile from spring to autumn without ceasing if you clean off every withered flower promptly.
Cut the three-masted flower correctly
Cultivated as a garden perennial, cut a three-masted flower twice a season. The first cut is made immediately after the summer bloom and stops above the deciduous leaves. A second bloom will then flourish in autumn, at the end of which you cut the flower close to the ground. For room culture, the specialist trade mostly offers evergreen Tradescantia for pots and hanging baskets (€ 14.99 on Amazon *). Cleanse the withered flowers consistently and only cut the leaves off if they take on an unsightly look.
Water three-masted flower
Three-masted flowers require significantly more irrigation water when they are young than when they are older. In the first two years of life, water the flower so regularly that the soil never dries off. As the process progresses, the water requirement is reduced so that the substrate surface can dry out 1-2 cm deep. In principle, use soft water, because the god's eye proves to be poorly tolerant of lime.
Fertilize the three-masted flower properly
The nutritional requirement of a three-masted flower is on a medium level. Fertilize the flower in the bed from May to August every 14 days with compost and horn shavings. (€ 6.39 at Amazon *) In the pot, pamper the floral graces every 2 weeks with a liquid fertilizer in a diluted concentration. From September to March the application of fertilizers is stopped.
Overwinter
Without comprehensive winter protection, the three-masted flower in the bed will not get through the cold season. After the autumn pruning, pile the perennial at least 20-30 cm high with autumn leaves or brushwood. In the pot, you give the exotic beauties in time before the first frost. A cool winter at 10-15 degrees Celsius is also possible, as is permanent placement on the warm window sill.
Propagate three-masted flower
Propagation from cuttings is particularly popular among hobby gardeners because it is so uncomplicated by hand:
- Cut off several non-flowering head cuttings during the summer
- Defoliate the lower half so that at least 1 pair of leaves remains
- Put in groups of 6-8 specimens in pots with moist peat sand
- Keep constantly moist in the partially shaded window seat
Within 2 to 3 weeks, the cuttings have their own root system, which is shown by the first fresh shoot. Now you can repot your pupils in a substrate for adult three-masted flowers or put them outdoors.
Another common method for garden species has proven to be the division of the root ball. To do this, dig up the root ball, cut it in half and plant it in the loose, nutrient-rich, slightly acidic soil at the new location.
Is three-masted flower poisonous?
The three-masted flower is considered to be slightly poisonous. This results in careful handling of the flower, provided that children and pets could be within reach. If the hobby gardener already has a tendency to allergic reactions, we recommend wearing gloves for reasons of caution during planting and maintenance work.
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How do I care for the three-masted flower as a houseplant?
The non-winter-hardy species and varieties would like to linger on the sunny windowsill, at temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees. Keep the slightly acidic substrate constantly moist on young specimens without letting it dry out. On the other hand, you should only water older three-masted flowers when the top 1-2 cm of the soil feel dry. Only use decalcified tap water or collected rainwater. A god's eye is fertilized in indoor culture from spring to autumn every 2 weeks with diluted liquid fertilizer. If you cut off the withered stems after the first flowering to the evergreen foliage, a distinctive second bloom will appear in autumn. You can trim down tendrils that are too long at any time, whereby an appointment in early spring is particularly recommended.
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Nice varieties
- Concord Grape: beautiful garden variety with purple-violet flowers and blue-frosted leaves; Height 40-50 cm
- Innocence: White blooming, hardy god's eye that blooms in both summer and autumn; Height 40-50 cm
- Bilberry Ice: Impresses with white flowers adorned with a pale blue eye; well hardy and of compact habit
- Variegata: Pretty three-masted Rio flower with 60 cm long tendrils and white flowers for indoor culture in the traffic light
- Zebra ampelkraut: Exotic houseplant with delicate pink flowers and striped leaves on long tendrils;
