How to grow oleander plant 

Oleander is a flowering shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region. This flowering shrub gives flowers that are 1 to 3 inches. Flowers come in colours such as white, red, pink and sandal. Oleander can grow up to 19 ft tall and 10 ft wide. Oleander is highly toxic and all parts of the plant are poisonous. Don’t grow oleander where young children and pets play. Always wear protective wear when handling this plant. The best time to plant is in the spring and the fall season. Once established Oleander is fairly drought tolerant and grows best in warm weather conditions. This plant is a perennial in zones 9 to 11. Oleander should be grown in containers if you are living in colder zones. Here is how to grow oleander plant.

Growing conditions for oleander

Soil: Oleander likes soil that is well draining fertile and alkaline.
Sunlight: Oleander grows best when it gets full sunlight. So make sure it gets 6 hrs of sunlight every day.
Watering: Oleander being fairly drought tolerant needs to be watered well in hot summers. In other seasons water when the topsoil is dry.
Fertilising: Oleander grown in the soil can be fertilised twice a year. Oleander grown in containers can be fertilised once in 2 months.
Temperature: Oleander grows best when temperatures are between 15 to 29°C.

How to grow oleander plant 

Purchase a healthy sapling from your local nursery. Dig a hole that is twice the size of the root ball and plant your sapling. Add some compost as it can help to boost your plant’s growth. After planting gently water. When grown in the right conditions, oleander can grow quite fast and produce flowers in the flowering season ( summer to mid-fall season). If you are growing oleander in containers choose one that is at least 20 inches deep and wide.

Propagating oleander from stems

Oleander is quite easy to propagate from stems. Use protective wear before handling the plant. Take some stem cuttings that are at least 6 inches. Cut below the leaf node. Make a 45° cut remove the lower leaves and dip the cuttings in a rooting hormone. Fill a small pot with soil and insert the cuttings in it. Then gently water. Cuttings will form roots after 20 days. 

Pests and diseases

Oleander is generally pest-resistant but can still get attacked by scale and mealy bugs. Monitor your plant regularly for any kind of pest attack. You can use diatomaceous earth or neem oil to control these pests.

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3.How to grow cosmos from seeds in containers.

4.Easy flowers to grow for beginners.