Cylinder cleaners, Callistemon – care, cutting and wintering

The cylinder cleaner prefers a sunny, airy place in their own four walls or a bright place outdoors. The cylinder cleaner can only grow bushy and form its beautiful inflorescences in a bright location with daily, direct sunlight.

• In summer, the cylinder cleaner appreciates an airy, sunny location in the room
• Patios, balconies and winter gardens are also particularly suitable
• Temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius are ideal in summer
• Permanent light and almost no shadow are ideal
• In winter he loves it light but cool
• In winter temperatures between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius, the plant can take a break
• Low winter temperatures are very important for a new bloom
• The myrtle plant gets along well with dry room air
• When cultivating in the room, the room should be well ventilated
• The location should be protected from the wind, as the cylinder cleaner does not like wind

pour

Most species of this plant grow in water-rich areas such as streams or in places that are continually flooded. Accordingly, the substrate should always be kept moist when cleaning the cylinder. The plant therefore needs a lot of water. Like all other species from the genus of the myrtle family, the cylinder cleaner does not like lime.

• Pour cylinder cleaners with rainwater, as they cannot tolerate calcareous tap water
• The plant needs plenty of water, especially in summer (the main growing season)
• The earth should always remain moist
• It is also important to ensure that the root ball does not dry out
• The cylinder cleaner reacts very sensitively to waterlogging
• There should be no excess water left in the saucer or planter
• A bucket with a sufficient drainage layer is ideal against waterlogging
• Plants planted outdoors can cope well with drought
• During the winter rest period, the water supply should be severely restricted
• To prevent dry leaves, the plant should be sprayed with water as soon as the first buds appear

Substrate

The cylinder cleaners are heavy eaters who need a good humus and nutrient-rich soil. As a rule, the cylinder cleaner thrives in common, inexpensive potting soil without any problems.

• Ideally, plant the cylinder cleaner in lime-free rhododendron or bog soil
• Deciduous or compost soil can also be used for cultivation
• The substrate may be neutral or acidic, but not calcareous
• Normal potting soil with only a little lime can also be used
• The potting soil should ideally contain plenty of coarse-grained parts such as chippings, gravel, limestone quarries, expanded clay fragments, lava gravel or coarse sand
• These proportions ensure structural stability and air transport to the roots
• For a better permeability of the earth, an admixture of styrofoam balls or pieces of bark is recommended
• Strong, well-growing plants should be repotted in larger plant containers in spring

Fertilize

In their homeland, cylinder cleaners grow up in a nutrient-rich environment. It survives even without nutrients, which then, however, is at the expense of the ability to flower. As a container plant, the cylinder cleaner regularly needs fertilizer from spring to autumn, whereby a conventional container plant fertilizer is completely sufficient.

• In summer, the myrtle plant needs a portion of fertilizer every two weeks
• It is fertilized from April to August
• Only lime-free fertilizers can be used
• Commercially available liquid fertilizer or water-soluble powder in medium concentration is completely sufficient
• It is also possible to give slow-release fertilizers in March, which are refreshed in June
• The amount recommended by the manufacturer must not be exceeded
• The cylinder cleaner must not be fertilized during the winter rest period

Overwinter

The cylinder cleaner is usually very sensitive to frost. Precisely because many of the species on offer are not hardy, they should overwinter as frost-free and light as possible.

• The plants can only tolerate frost to a limited extent
• They should be brought inside as soon as the nighttime autumn temperatures drop below about 10 degrees Celsius
• As evergreen plants, cylinder cleaners should overwinter lightly
• Cool to cold, but frost-free temperatures of around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius are ideal
• Higher temperatures are possible, but can result in loose crowns
• In the dormant period from autumn to winter, the plants do not need to be fertilized and only need to be watered a little
• The winter quarters should be briefly ventilated more often in frost-free weather
• The cylinder cleaners are only allowed outside after the ice saints in May
• From February onwards, the plant should get as warm and sunny a place as possible in the apartment
• The plants should be allowed a certain acclimatization phase after the winter rest, so that they should not be placed in the blazing sun at first
• For acclimatization, a partially shaded location is recommended for 2 weeks
• In this way, the plant slowly hardens without the first rays of sun scorching the leaves

To cut

Cylinder cleaners are easy to cut. The plant should be cut back immediately after flowering, as it will flower on the wood of the previous year. The pruning is also required to achieve a more compact growth and better branching.

• So that the cylinder cleaner can grow back nicely, it should be cut back vigorously in spring before repotting
• This is especially true for older plants in order to promote a beautiful growth habit again
• In order to encourage the emergence of new flowers, the branches should be pruned back slightly after flowering
• The pruning should be done just below the withered inflorescence
• In particular, remove the dead ends of the shoots, as no more flowers or leaves will grow on them
• The plant should be thinned out regularly
• By removing wilted flowers immediately, the plant grows beautifully bushy and dense
• A more pronounced pruning can also be made, for example to rejuvenate or if the cylinder cleaner has become too big
• A radical cut back is possible, but should only be reserved for younger cylinder cleaners, especially since it takes a lot of strength to push through again

Multiply

In their Australian homeland, seeds often only reproduce when the fruits open due to a bush fire. Otherwise, the flowers are pollinated by birds thanks to the valuable nectar. In February, March as well as in August and September, new cylinder cleaners can be pulled using demolition cuttings. The best time to plant the cuttings is spring. Alternatively, you can sow seeds in spring.

• In spring, the plants are propagated by cuttings
• To do this, cut off an approximately 10 cm long blossomless side shoot from this year
• This axillary cutting is to be severed with a piece of the old trunk at the base
• The young plant should then be stuck in a slightly damp mixture of equal parts peat soil and sharp sand
• They should be placed individually in 7 cm pots
• Perlite can also be used instead of the sharp sand
• They take root at around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius
• It is best to let the young plants take root with a foil cover / plastic bag
• After the first roots have formed, the cover can be removed
• The first roots form after about 6 to 8 weeks
• The location for the pupils should be bright but not full sun
• In addition to lots of light, they also need sufficient water and fertilizer
• The earth must always be kept moderately moist
• Growing plants should be fertilized every two weeks
• The new shoot shows whether the cutting has actually grown
• If the first roots emerge through the drainage hole, the plant should be moved to a larger pot with standard soil
• The further processing is now carried out as with a full-grown specimen
• In the case of propagation by seeds, these should be sown in spring at a cool room temperature

Repot

In spring, as soon as the pot is too deeply rooted, the cylinder cleaner should be planted in a larger container. Alternatively, after replacing the soil, the plant can remain in the previous pot, in which case the root ball has to be cut back by about 2 to 3 cm all around.

• The cylinder cleaner should be repotted in spring
• A common flower or unit soil can be used
• Repotting is rarely required, approximately every 4 years
• Only necessary if roots look through the drainage hole and if there is strong root penetration
• It is advisable to cut back the plant beforehand in order to promote growth

Diseases and pests

Since the cylinder cleaner is a fairly undemanding plant, it proves to be immune to numerous pests and diseases. This is also thanks to the leaves enriched with essential oils, which exude a citrus scent. The greatest danger, however, is too much lime. Because with very hard water, fertilizer or soil, the cylinder cleaner grows poorly and the leaves quickly turn yellow. In such a case, the damaged plant must immediately be repotted in lime-free soil. In addition, decalcified irrigation water and lime-free fertilizer must always be used. Incorrect overwintering can lead to pest infestation despite its strong resistance.

Scale insects

• Often occur in winter quarters
• They can be recognized by the brown bumps or sticky secretions under the leaves and twigs
• Remove the pests with a sharp knife
• In the event of severe infestation, the animals should be coated with oily agents

Aphids

• Also usually occur during the winter
• The unwelcome guests are best removed with a sharp jet of water
• Alternatively, these can be wiped off with your fingers
• A mixture of water and washing-up liquid has also proven itself (cover the soil)
• Since aphids avoid thyme and lavender, the cylinder cleaner can sensibly be planted next to these plants

Whiteflies

• Control outdoors is hardly possible due to the rapid increase in numbers
• Pesticides only help to a limited extent, as the animals mostly sit on the underside of the leaves and quickly fly away
• However, pesticides based on rapeseed oil or potash soap are very helpful
• These should be applied to the top and bottom of the leaf every 8 days, dripping wet
• Yellow boards are unsuitable
• Basil and marigolds do not like white flies at all, which is why they can be placed next to the cylinder cleaner

Conclusion
Cylinder cleaners are very beautiful plants that are very interesting in terms of flowering alone. Because with proper care and depending on the species, the plant blooms up to three times a year. In the open air as well as on the terrace at home, the cylinder cleaner impresses with its beautiful flowers and long and splendidly colored stamens. The plant is very easy to care for and can be cultivated in pots without any problems. Above all, it is important to choose a bright location and use water and earth without lime. Regular fertilizing thanks to the cylinder cleaner with full color.