When you have a plant like the aspidistra you know that over time, if you take good care of it, it will become very beautiful. But sometimes it doesn't happen that way, and in the end you can start to look bad. But don't worry, because it is a very resistant plant and you just have to know how to clean up an aspidistra.
If you don't know how to do it, or you find yourself in that situation where the plant starts to look weird and you don't know what to do, this may interest you because it could revitalize it.
When to sanitize the aspidistra
You should know that when it comes to sanitizing an aspidistra, the exact moment to do it is important so that the plant can survive (or not).
The best time is winter because in those months the plant is in a kind of lethargy and that makes handling easier and less stressful.
You mean you can't touch it before? Yes and no. You can do a quick sanitation process in which you don't touch the pot or roots, but you can remove those brown, dead or weak leaves (never those that are half green because they will suffer more).
But really the complete sanitation process would take in the cold months.
How to sanitize aspidistra
At this point, if you have an aspidistra and have been with it for a long time to find out how to clean up the plant, you most likely know the care it needs. So off we go focus only on the part of revitalizing the plant, something that many do not know about and within care there are few who report this. However, it is important.
When cleaning an aspidistra, you should take into account the following:
See if the location is correct
First of all, observe the plant in its current location. You have to see if it really meets the care and needs of the plant.
If you notice that leaves have brown areas is because the sun burns it too much, and it would be advisable to find another location where the rays are not affected and avoid those burns (especially if you are going to clean it up).
You already know that, among its care, it is important to provide it with a place that is semi-shaded, cool and ventilated, because it does not like stale air too much.
wash the leaves
Another important point to clean an aspidistra is to wash the leaves. Over time, the dust accumulates on the leaves and that makes the plant unable to perform its photosynthesis correctly.
So you're going to have to wash the leaves. You can do this with a damp cloth but you could also use soap and water to, in addition to washing it, disinfect it if you see any mealybugs (you can also use water and alcohol).
When washing it, our recommendation is that you do with a soft sponge and rubbing a little on the leaves. In this way you will clean it well and, above all, you will take away any "insect" that has decided to stay on the plant such as spiders, mealybugs or aphids.
Dry, dead, burned leaves? say goodbye
When you are washing it, you will realize by touch and by sight, which leaves are not good. It may be because they are dry, dead or burned. In fact, some will easily come off the plant, making it easy for you to remove them.
But if they don't turn out like this, you should cut them because they affect the appearance of your aspidistra and, in addition, they are a focus of infection of pests and diseases that you must take into account.
Check the roots and pot
Many times, aspidistra begins to show signs of decay due to outgrowing the pot, and needs new nutrients and a new pot to re-emerge.
So, another of the care to be provided is to transplant it. take it out of the pot (sometimes it is so compact that it is impossible to do it without breaking it) and check the roots a little in case you see something rotten, or some bug that shouldn't be there.
Although many think that it is better not to touch the roots or move them, we recommend doing it because it is the way to lose that substrate that is already exhausted and that the new land serves as food more quickly.
Of course, do not spend opening the roots or moving it a lot because it will stress much more. If it is very compact, maybe and you have to exert some force, that is better than leaving it with a soil that does not feed it because, if you plant it like this, the only thing you will achieve is that it continues to deteriorate.
Once you have it ready, it will be time to fill the new pot and for this the best thing you can do is mix it with substratum (if possible for acidophilic plants) and 30% perlite. In this way, you ensure that it has adequate nutrients and, at the same time, also a drainage so that water does not accumulate in it.
irrigation and rest
You already have the aspidistra in its new pot and don't worry because it can look even worse than before you started cleaning it up. It's totally normal.
Now what you should do is water abundantly and place it in a place with lots of light but without the sun giving it. You must keep it there all winter (remember that the best time to clean up the aspidistra is autumn or early winter).
During that time, you shouldn't water it a lot, it's better to do it with a small amount and, when the good weather begins to arrive (spring), increase the watering (that way you make sure that the lethargy passes well).
The first watering of spring
Related to that first spring watering, if you add a little iron Chelate, much better, because you will be giving it a very powerful shot of energy that will help make its leaves greener.
From that moment you can water it every month with fertilizer (especially rich in nitrogen).
New leaves welcome
If you've done everything right, the aspidistra will give you some new leaves, stronger, greener and healthier than the ones it already had. So as you pull them out, you can cut off the old ones.
Do not be afraid, if you cut them this plant will develop more new ones, so it should be done.
Is it clear to you how to clean an aspidistra?