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The galán de noche is a shrub that is highly appreciated not only for its beautiful appearance, but also for its rare ability to beautify and aromatize the afternoons and nights of each garden or green space. If you want to know how to grow your own gallant at night and his cares To have it in the best possible conditions, keep reading us in this Green Ecologist article.
Incense plant characteristics
Also called lady of the night and with the scientific name of Cestrum nocturnum, the galán de noche is a shrub of the nightshade family that comes from the American continent. Can reach heights up to five metersAlthough it can be perfectly grown in a pot, where logically its size is much smaller.
Its leaves, oval and with long petioles, are of a pleasant light green color, but the most beautiful thing is its light inflorescences, white or greenish yellow, which the plant forms in clusters of numerous flowers, which from the last hours of the day and throughout the night are especially fragrant. The gallant at night blooms from late spring and, if conditions are right, throughout the summer.
The branches of the bush are quite long and almost hanging in shape when they grow up to 70 cm, which they can reach. It should be mentioned, however, that both the plant and its flowers and fruits are toxicTherefore, special care must be taken to keep children and pets away from it.
If you want to know more about Solanaceae: what they are and examples, we recommend this other article.
Location for the gallant at night
If you don't know where to plant a gallant at night, look for an area outdoors, preferably always in semi-shadow. The late-night hunk can tolerate full sun exposures, but only in mild climates and without intense summers. In a semi-shady area it will always develop better.
If it is about how to care for a trouser press in a pot, the indications are basically the same: preferably place it outdoors and semi-shade, always using a pot of sufficient depth.
Soil for the gallant at night
The Cestrum nocturnum It is not demanding in terms of the soil, being the only important point, as in many other species, since it must be offered a drainage as best as possible. Excess moisture in the soil has a high probability of causing rotting in the roots of this plant, so it is imperative that it is in a well-drained soil or substrate and that, if it is in a pot, it has drainage holes.
A universal mixture with equal parts peat, coconut fiber and worm castings will give great results, while on land it will be enough to find light soil and aerate it and release it. If it is not enough, you can add perlite and vermiculite or dig a hole about 50 cm deep and fill it with the potting mix.
We leave you these other two articles by Green Ecologist about Perlite for plants: what it is, what it is for and how it is used and Vermiculite: what it is, uses and how to make it.
Irrigation for the gallant at night
Although he cannot stand waterlogging, the late-night hunk needs a frequent watering that you maintain a certain level of humidity in your soil, especially during the warmer months. Therefore:
- In the warm months: from spring to summer it is common to water every 48 hours.
- In the cold months: about two weekly irrigations will suffice.
In a pot, it is important to remove the excess water from the dish about 10 minutes after watering.
Subscriber of the gallant at night
If we want the bush to produce a good number of its characteristic flowers and to develop well, during spring and summer it is necessary to add fertilizer. We recommend, as always when possible, resorting to organic fertilizers such as compost, bokashi or worm castings, the latter especially beneficial for the garden.
In this way, you can keep your plants healthy and strong without resorting to chemicals. Add a few inches of fertilizer to the soil every two weeks, around the base of the plant.
If you want to know more, here is information about Bokashi: what it is and how to make it or How to make worm castings.
Pruning and transplanting the gallant at night
Although it is not necessary to carry out a pruning as such and regular maintenance is enough, removing the dry and withered leaves, the shrub can be pruned after the first annual bloom in order to favor a more abundant and vigorous second flowering.
It is vital, as always, to use well-sharpened and properly sterilized tools for each use.
Why do the leaves of the lady at night turn yellow
If you have a groomsman with yellow and wrinkled sheets, it can usually be due to overwatering that causes waterlogging in the soil and damage to its roots. Reduce waterings immediately and observe the evolution of the plant, checking the level of soil moisture before watering each time.
There are not many diseases of the gallant at night, since if the plant is not watered excessively it is not particularly susceptible to the attack of fungi. Like many other species, yes it is vulnerable to attack by aphids, whiteflies and spider mites, but these pests can be controlled by the usual methods, such as potassium soap.
To learn more about the subject, visit these other Green Ecologist articles on Home Remedies to eliminate aphids on plants or Whitefly: how to eliminate it.
If you want to read more articles similar to Galán at night: care, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
