How to care for the rue plant

How to care for the rue plant

Have you ever heard of a plant capable of absorbing negative energies? One that could easily be grown in the wild and, when seen, people would come to collect it for its healing properties? Well, we mean the rue plant. Do you have at home? Today we explain how to take care of the rue plant.

Not only that, we are going to talk to you about its characteristics and we will go, step by step, telling you everything you need to know so that it is preserved for many years in your garden or in a pot.

What is the rue plant like?

What is the rue plant like?

The rue plant, also called just rue, is a perennial type shrub, that is, it will always have leaves. It can reach 50-100 centimeters in height and withstands both cold winters and hot summers.

It has a woody, rounded stem with many branches. As for the leaves, they are green, but with blue tints. What you may not know is that when these leaves are rubbed, they produce a very strong and unpleasant smell. The most striking thing about the plant are the flowers, which are like small yellow bouquets, with a black plum when it has fruit (that’s where the seeds are). Of course, be careful with it because inside that plum, in addition to being the seeds, there is also a “drug”, which can become toxic.

In the vegetable kingdom There is not only a variety of rue, but several of them. The most common to grow are both wild and common, but you must be careful of its toxicity, not only to handle it, but if you have small children or pets.

How to care for the rue plant

How to care for the rue plant

After what we have told you, you may want to have this plant in your garden due to the medicinal properties of rue what’s wrong with it. If so, here we give you all the details of each of the plant’s needs.

Location and lighting

You should know that for the rue plant the location is essential, to the point that if you do not choose it well you may find that it does not develop well, or it ends up withering.

You have to choose a place with a lot of sun, and if possible where no one will shade it. Keep in mind that we are talking about a wild plant, so it resists well.

Temperature

As for the temperature, as we have told you before, it resists both high and low temperatures. Now, in the case of frost, no.

When the temperature drops a lot, it is better to protect it so that you do not suffer.

Earth

The rue plant It needs a rather dry soil, and to be able to be alkaline. If you are going to have it planted in the garden, look for high places and provide it with a land with good drainage to avoid accumulations of water that can damage the roots of the plant.

Why did we tell you to put alkaline earth? Well, because it is a little trick to make rue flourish much more.

Irrigation

One of the main care of the rue plant is watering, and also the one that can cause the most problems. To begin with, you must understand that rue does not need constant watering. Just twice a week in spring and summer (maybe three if you live in a very hot area); and once a week in winter.

Now, drought is just as dangerous as flooding it. In both cases, you expose it to pests and diseases, so it is better to add a small amount, even more times, than to spend it (or stay short of watering frequency).

Fertilizer

In addition to the land that we have told you about before, it is important that, at least once a year, a little organic compost to provide extra nutrients so that it develops better.

You can do this either in autumn to give it support for the winter, or in early spring, to encourage its flowering.

road care

Pruning

Rue is pruned, yes, and it is always done in winter, not when spring comes. The objective is none other than to enhance their growth, that is why it is always said that It must be pruned at a maximum of 10 centimeters from the ground. This does, taking into account that the minimum height of the plant is 50, that practically cuts all of it; but it is a mechanism to renew it and give it strength.

In addition, you can also shape it, which makes it look very attractive in the gardens.

Transplant

As the rue plant is pruned in such a drastic way, transplanting when in the garden doesn’t make much sense. Now, in the case of being in a pot, you will have to control that the roots and growth are not too much for the pot in which it is.

If you see that the roots begin to appear through the drainage hole, it will be time to change it to a larger pot or directly to the ground.

Multiplication

The reproduction of the rue plant can be done in two different ways:

  • By seedswhich are inside the fruits that the plant gives after flowering. In this case, all you have to do is take them out, put them on a pot, without having to cover them, and put it in the light. They must have a minimum temperature of 20 degrees and, if you give it, they will germinate in two weeks, and in two months you will have to perform the first transplant.
  • By cuttings, that is, cutting parts of the mother plant and planting them directly in the ground (always at a minimum distance of 45 cm) so that they take root and develop.

Plagues and diseases

Although rue is a very resistant plant, that does not mean that it is not decimated with some pests and diseases. In general, what can attack the plant the most are the fungi (due to excessive watering), mites or whiteflies.

Protecting her from these problems will increase her life expectancy considerably.

Now that you know how to take care of the rue plant and that you know it more thoroughly, would you dare to have it at home? Don’t be afraid of that toxicity, if you know how to deal with it there should be no problem. Do you have any questions about their care? Ask us and we will answer you.

How to care for the rue plant

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