Aquilegia planting and care in the open field from seeds

The charming catchment is one of the most beloved shade-tolerant perennials. In the garden, touching aquilegia flowers with spurs seem to be fluttering fairies, then elven caps, shine with mystery and conquer with their grace. And although this is not the most spectacular of the blooming fashionistas, it is very reliable. And the flowering varieties of aquilegia are able to surprise no less than their most catchy competitors. Whatever aquilegia we are talking about, the most popular and affordable way to multiply their collection is to grow plants from seeds, especially since there is nothing complicated in this process.

Aquilegia (Aquilegia) is one of the most popular garden perennials. Despite the fact that the plant is mainly represented by various hybrid varieties and variety mixtures, and species aquilegia are considered very rare, seed propagation is the main method of propagation for all aquilegia. And although these plants can also be obtained by vegetative methods, it is easier, faster and much cheaper to obtain aquilegia from seeds. By purchasing just a few bags or collecting seeds yourself, you can get enough full-fledged seedlings for any large ensemble in one "run".

Aquilegia is easy to recognize by the famous spur on the flowers, thanks to which the plant got its specific name. Touching flowers evoking a wide variety of associations with fairy-tale characters and spirits are a small masterpiece of nature that you never tire of admiring. Complex flowers on thin pedicels in loose inflorescences mysteriously and weightlessly gleam in the shaded areas of the garden, sparkling against the bright background of leaves. Triple-complex, invariably bright in early spring, and in summer, and in autumn, the leaves seem to be an openwork and shining in the shade velvety background for quivering flowering. Simple or double, with a double perianth, the flowers of the catchment are ideally combined with bright leaves. Among the aquilegia there are plants that are undersized and taller, large-flowered and terry. You can choose them to your taste and for any decorative task.

Self-collection of aquilegia seeds and their selection for sowing

If you want to collect seeds from aquilegia yourself, then it is better to plant varieties at a considerable distance, not to mix in compositions, since they are very easily pollinated and crossed. If you collect seeds in decorative compositions and flower beds, then you can control the varietal purity of aquilegia by preventing natural pollination - by tying gauze isolators and self-pollination of flowers with a brush (you need to rinse and dry it after each pollination).The collection of aquilegia seeds is usually carried out in August, before they wake up (it is better to dry the seedlings in room conditions). With a slight pressure on the sides of the "boxes", the seeds easily wake up. Tying allows you to prevent this process. If it is not possible to sow seeds directly into the soil, then they are stored at a low temperature.

It is advisable to sow aquilegia seeds as fresh as possible. The seed life is limited, even after several months, the harvested seeds will need to be stratified. When buying aquilegia seeds, you need to carefully study the collection time and storage conditions, try not to buy seeds older than 1 year, even if you really like the varieties. The maximum shelf life is 5 years, seeds older than 2 years are difficult to force to sprout, but with proper sowing, strong seedlings can be obtained from them. Aquilegia is popular and affordable, there are a lot of seeds on sale, you just need to choose a reliable manufacturer. It is better to select mixtures and varieties to your taste.

Soil and containers for sowing aquilegia

Aquilegia can be sown on seedlings, and in seedling boxes, and directly into open soil. Moreover, the last option is the most popular and productive. When choosing containers for growing aquilegia seedlings, preference should be given to deep enough boxes or pots so that the plants have enough space to form a stem root. For diving, it is better to choose peat and paper containers in which you can plant the plant directly into the soil.

For aquilegia, a standard universal seedling substrate or any light soil mixture is quite suitable. If you are composing the substrate yourself, then mix in equal parts turf, leafy soil, humus and sand or a mixture of turf, humus and sand without leafy soil.

Sowing aquilegia seeds at home

The optimal time for sowing aquilegia seeds is considered to be sowing immediately after harvest, in the fall. When buying seeds, sowing for higher germination percentages is also best done in the fall. Alternative dates - early spring, but in this case aquilegia seeds will need stratification (preferably growing through seedlings, but you can also sow in the ground).

When sowing aquilegia in autumn no pre-planting treatment is needed in the soil of freshly harvested seeds. Sowing is carried out before winter, and the whole procedure is reduced to several steps:

1. On a seedbed with prepared, dug, loosened soil, carefully sow the seeds.
2. Cover them on top with a thin layer of soil (about 0.5 cm). Water carefully.
3. Mulch crops with humus or compost, covering with a thin layer of dry leaves (any mulching material available to you will do).

When sowing aquilegia in spring and for seedlings, and it is advisable to stratify the seeds into the ground, store in the cold. There are several options for this procedure:

• keep the aquilegia seeds in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks;
• mix seeds with soil, place in a container and bag and keep in the refrigerator all winter;
• take aquilegia seeds or a mixture of seeds with sand or substrate outside, place in a snowdrift, etc.

Some growers are experimenting with the reverse procedure - keeping the seeds in heat (35 degrees for 4-5 weeks) or scarification (sanding). But, as a rule, more friendly aquilegia shoots are still obtained when cooled.

When sowing in spring for seedlings of self-collected or purchased seeds from the collection of the fall of the previous year, you must:

1. Fill the container with the substrate and smooth its surface, pour the substrate with warm water.
2. Sparsely scatter stratified aquilegia seeds over the surface and sprinkle on top with a few millimeters of soil (preferably sifted).
3. Transfer containers to room conditions for germination, covering with glass or film.

You can sow aquilegia seeds in spring and in open soil.The optimal time for sowing seeds is considered April or early May, when the soil warms up. Seeds freshly harvested in the fall of the previous year can be used without stratification. Seeds of aquilegia are also sown to a depth of half a centimeter, as in the fall, but the crops are covered with foil on top. For germination, regular watering is needed. The shelter is removed only when friendly shoots appear. If you want to simplify the growing process, sowing can be carried out later, but then young plants will have to provide more thorough care.

The most difficult process is sowing very old seeds... In this case, the procedure changes somewhat, stratification is carried out after sowing:

1. Aquilegia seeds must be washed in water and soaked for several hours in a warm solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Seeds are sown in a leveled substrate and lightly covered with soil.
3. Without covering the containers, leave them at room temperature for 3-4 days.
4. The containers are taken outside or refrigerated for stratification for 4-6 weeks.
5. Bring crops back to warm, place in standard room conditions.

Conditions for germination of aquilegia seeds

For aquilegia seeds, both heat and coolness are equally harmful. The optimum temperature, in which even old seeds germinate at a maximum in a month, is 16-18 degrees. Lighting should be as bright as possible, but diffused.

Growing aquilegia

In containers, seedlings are grown until the second leaf appears. Seedlings should be protected from waterlogging and complete drought, direct sunlight, and very careful watering should be carried out.

Diving seedlings and caring for young aquilegia

It is advisable to dive aquilegia seedlings directly on the beds, in open soil. If the seeds were sown early, there is no way to plant them even in a greenhouse, then the plants dive either into individual containers or into large boxes, increasing the distance between the plants, and they are transferred to the soil already in June. When diving with aquilegia, you need to handle it very carefully, trying to avoid even the slightest injury to the rhizome. Seedlings are kept in the same cool conditions. Supplementary lighting of at least 1-2 hours will only benefit the plants.

When sowing in open soil, friendly young shoots of aquilegia are thinned out at the same stage, leaving a distance of 5-20 cm between the plants.

Picking aquilegia seedlings

Planting aquilegia seedlings in the soil

Aquilegia obtained from seeds will bloom only in the second year, but full disclosure of the decorative greenery should not be expected earlier than the third year. Therefore, most often aquilegia in May-June is transferred to growing on separate seedling beds, and transplanted to a permanent place only in August of this year or in the spring of next year. But you can plant plants and immediately in decorative compositions.

When choosing a place for growing aquilegia, it should be remembered that these are shade-tolerant plants that are best suited for partial shade. On sunny grounds, aquilegia will also take root, but they will fade faster and will not be pampered with their luxurious foliage. The soil can be virtually anything, as long as the condition of sufficient nutritional value, looseness, and water permeability is met. Before planting, it is better to improve the soil with the addition of compost or other organic fertilizer. It is advisable to dig up the soil on the site in advance, but you can carry out the procedure immediately before planting.

The distance for planting aquilegia seedlings is from 25 cm for the lowest varieties to 40 cm for the highest ones. Plants are transferred with full preservation of the earthen coma.

Young aquilegia need a little more intensive care than adults or those obtained by division: it is necessary for the plants to be weeded so that delicate plants do not suffer from aggressive neighbors, and do not forget to loosen the soil after abundant watering and rainfall. Watering is carried out before the resumption of active growth, later - only during a prolonged drought.In summer, for young aquilegia, you can fertilize with full mineral fertilizers. If your aquilegia suddenly bloom in the same year, then cut off the shoots immediately after flowering, preventing the seeds from setting.

For the winter, young aquilegia are mulched with compost or humus.

Next spring, be sure to add soil to the base of the aquilegia bushes, in order to prevent exposing the rhizomes and raising them in the soil from the very beginning.

Catchment, or Aquilegia (Aquilegia)

Alternative breeding methods for aquilegia

These perennials always give active self-seeding, practically continuously providing you with ready-made seedlings. Young plants should be carefully dug up and transplanted to any desired place, if there is a need for additional copies of aquilegia (if not, then as they grow, self-seeding will help to effortlessly replace adult bushes when they degenerate).

Vegetatively, aquilegia is rarely propagated, the plants tolerate transplanting very poorly due to deep and fragile roots. You can divide it only in early September or early spring, digging up aquilegia bushes, leaving only 2-3 young leaves and carefully cutting the taproot lengthwise into pieces with 2-3 buds and a good bundle of roots in each. For rooting, you need regular watering.

Varietal aquilegia can be propagated by cuttings of young shoots with leaves that have just begun to bloom, breaking them off with a "heel" and rooting under the hood.

This beautiful flower is found in many flower beds. Seeing him once, you definitely want to plant such beauty at home or in the country. This is a varied, variegated and incomparably beautiful aquilegia. This plant will decorate any place - a garden, a city flower bed or your personal plot with your favorite flowers. The flower has been cultivated since ancient times. It can be found in medieval paintings, even in the works of Shakespeare.

The name of the plant comes from the Latin words "water" and "to collect". By the way, the second name of aquilegia sounds like this: catchment. Although, others believe that the flower got its name from the word meaning "eagle". Growing aquilegia yourself is not so difficult, so feel free to choose this flower to decorate your plots!

Description of the flower with photo

Aquilegia refers to plants with a two-year development cycle. In the first year, a renewal point appears near the base of the shoot. After flowering, when autumn comes, a root rosette is formed from it. Its leaves die off next spring. Then new leaves grow, which also form a rosette. Already from it, a peduncle with flowers and stem leaves appears.

The flowers of this plant have a common shape. They are solitary, drooping. Some varieties have hollow spurs - outgrowths of petals, in the middle of which nectar accumulates. As for the color, it is impossible to describe it. The fact is that each variety or variety of aquilegia has its own color, usually including several shades. These are purple, and crimson, and white, as well as yellow, blue, pink and many other colors.

Plant height can vary depending on the variety. Flowers form at the top of the stem. The petioled leaves are ternary, also very beautiful. They have an interesting gray-green color.

One of the main advantages of this flower is its ease of growing. A few simple steps - and the aquilegia will decorate your flower bed.

Types and varieties of aquilegia with photos

In nature, this flower is represented by more than 100 species. However, not all of them are decoratively grown. As for cultivation, the following varieties are most often used:

• Alpine... It grows up to 30 cm, with very good care it can reach 80 cm. The flowers are large, about 8 cm in diameter. Spurs are present - they are curved and short. The color range of the variety includes different shades of blue. Blooms in mid-summer.

  Alpine Aquilegia / Aquilegia alpina.

• Ordinary. This is a European species, reaching a height of 40-80 cm. The flowers are not too large - about 5 cm. The varieties of this species can be of different shades, with or without spurs, double and simple. Most often, this species is characterized by shades of blue and purple. It survives severe frost - up to -350C.
• Fan-shaped... Another name for this species is Akita. This plant reaches 60 cm, and the flowers grow up to 5-6 cm in diameter. There are spurs - long and strongly curved. There can be 1-5 flowers on a peduncle. The main color is blue, lilac, along the edge you can see a fuzzy white border. Thanks to self-seeding, it grows well.

  Aquilegia flabellata. Aquilegia fan-shaped Ministar.

• Hybrid... This is a group of varieties of different forms that came out as a result of crossing the aquilegia of the common and American flower species. Its height can reach 50-100 cm. It can be with spurs of different lengths or even without them. The flowers of these varieties are large, about 9 cm. They may be simple, double.

  Aquilegia hybrid large-flowered mix

• Canadian... Red-yellow flowers with spurs that like to grow in the shade on moist soil.

  Aquilegia canadensis (Aquilegia canadensis)

• Dark. This aquilegia has drooping dark flowers 3-4 cm in diameter. Her spurs are short, but beautifully curved. The stamens are protruding. It begins to bloom around the beginning of summer.

  Aquilegia Barlow Blue Barlow Blue

• Aquilegia skinner... It has red-yellow flowers that hang down beautifully. Spurs are straight.

  Aquilegia skínneri

In addition to these species, flower lovers are also interested in other varieties of aquilegia, among which there are ferruginous, blue, small-flowered and two-colored, Siberian, etc.

When to plant seeds for seedlings

So how do you grow aquilegia? It can be sown both in autumn and spring. In the first case, sowing is done directly into the ground. But in the spring it is best to sow a flower in boxes for seedlings. The month of March is perfect for this, when the days become noticeably longer.

Growing seedlings

Preparation of land and seeds

The preparation of the seeds of this plant depends on their quality. If you are sure that they are good, then you don't need to do anything special with them. But purchased seeds often give poor shoots.

In this case, it is still better to subject them to stratification. The seeds should be placed in a cloth dampened with water, but not too wet. Wet sand is also suitable for this.

There are also ways to stimulate the growth of aquilegia seeds.

• They can be sown in boxes and placed in a cold place for a month. It could be a refrigerator, or it could be a street. In the second case, the box is buried in snow. The optimum temperature for such an exposure of seeds is 0-50C.
• There is another option - warm stratification. This is the exposure of seeds before planting at a high temperature - about 350C.

Particular attention should be paid to seeds that have been stored for several years. They can be stimulated as follows: rinse, sow in containers, put in a warm place for a couple of days, and then in a cold place for a month. After that, the seeds are again placed in the heat.

The following method also helps the seeds to germinate well: they are poured onto a hard surface and lightly rubbed on top with sandpaper.

As for the soil, it is easiest to prepare the substrate yourself. Sod land, sand and leaf humus are mixed in equal amounts. That's the whole secret!

Sowing

When choosing boxes for seeding, you need to pay attention to their height. Aquilegia has a rather delicate and long root, which should have enough space in the container.

Sowing is done by simply scattering seeds over the surface of the prepared substrate. It is not worth deepening them. Just press down a little on top with your hand and sprinkle with a thin layer of soil on top.

Watering should only be done with a sprayer so as not to wash out the seeds. That's all - aquilegia is ready for germination!

Seedling care

To create greenhouse conditions for seeds, after sowing, the boxes are covered with transparent film or glass. In order for the flowers to sprout well, you need to provide them with some conditions:

• There should be enough light, so it is better to put boxes on the windowsill of a large window.
• The humidity must be kept high.
• The air temperature should not be lower than 150C.

It's important to know! Direct sunlight should still be kept out of the plant. You need to pay attention to this when choosing a place for seedlings.

The cover from the boxes is removed immediately after the first shoots appear. Seedlings can only be watered from a spray bottle, since they are very fragile. The temperature regime is the same as for sowing.

Of course, picking is carried out after the appearance of two true leaves in the plants. If you are late with this procedure, then the plants will outgrow, their roots will become more susceptible to damage. Then the flowers will weaken and be more prone to disease.

It is best to dive aquilegia into special peat pots. In this case, when transplanted to a permanent place, the roots of the flower will not be damaged.

Aquilegia or catchment: video

Transplanting seedlings into open ground

Well, your seedlings have already grown and you want to quickly decorate your flower bed with flowers. But there is no need to rush - it is important to find the right time. The best time for planting in the ground is when the frost has definitely passed, the temperature outside does not drop below 150C.

It is also advisable to choose the right place. Although aquilegia is not too whimsical, it still likes to grow on light soils, with good moisture and loose. Before planting, it is advisable to dig up the site by adding humus or, for example, compost. You need to calculate fertilizers as follows: approximately 1 bucket per 1 m3. You need to dig it not too deeply - about 20 cm.

Now you can start disembarking. To do this, we make holes at a distance of about 20-30 cm. In each we put a peat cup with grown aquilegia. If the plant variety is tall, then more space should be left between the seedlings - up to 40 cm.

Immediately after planting the plants, it is advisable to shade a little from the sun, otherwise they may die. After transplanting, the aquilegia must be carefully watered.

Attention! Different varieties of aquilegia do not get along well next to each other. In addition, they become pollinated and lose their characteristics.

Reproduction

It is also worth mentioning that aquilegia seeds are often sown before winter. This can be done artificially or just wait for self-seeding. In addition, there is another way to reproduce aquilegia - cuttings and dividing the bush. It is usually used for the most valuable and expensive varieties.

The division of the bush is used only in extreme cases, when it is necessary to preserve some particularly valuable form or variety. The fact is that the aquilegia root system lies very deeply, and fragile roots do not tolerate the transplantation and division procedure.

If you still had to resort to this method, choose a 3-5 year old bush in early spring or early autumn, dig it out, very carefully so as not to damage the small roots, wash them off the ground.

Cut off all the shoots at a height of 5-7 cm and all the leaves, except for two or three of the youngest, then cut the taproot in half lengthwise so that on each half there are two or three renewal buds and several small roots, sprinkle the cut with crushed coal and Plant the delenki in boxes of light but nutritious potting soil. Most likely, they will be sick for a long time.

Reproduction of aquilegia by cuttings is much easier to carry out. In the spring, while the leaves have not yet blossomed, a young shoot of aquilegia is cut out "with a heel", the lower end is treated with a root root and planted in a greenhouse or in the ground, but under a plastic bottle in loose soil, or better in river sand somewhere in a place shaded from the sun ...

You will have to water the cutting without removing the shelter, which can be removed for ventilation only after ten days.It takes about 3-4 weeks for rooting, after which the cutting is dug up and transplanted to a permanent place.

Summer catchment care

In the summer, aquilegia care mainly consists of periodic feeding. First you need to use mineral fertilizers. For 1 m2 there are 50-60 g of superphosphate, 10-20 g of potassium salt and 20-30 g of nitrate.

To fertilize these flowers in summer, a solution from a mullein with the addition of superphosphate (20 g) and potassium salt (8-10 g) is also suitable, all for 1 bucket of water. This amount is enough to fertilize 1 m2.

Plants that are already 4-5 years old have weak and small shoots. This happens due to the fact that the upper roots rise and can rise 8-9 cm above the soil. But this can be avoided. It is necessary to pour peat compost mixed with humus under each bush. The height of the embankments is approximately 3-4 cm. This procedure is done at the end of each summer.

Forcing aquilegia in spring

There is one way how to get early flowering of this wonderful plant. For this, the forcing of aquilegia is performed.

In the fall, its rhizomes are transplanted into ordinary flower pots or other deep containers. So the plants are stored in a dark place until the onset of constant cold weather.

For the winter, the boxes are placed in cool places. Cellars are suitable for this, and a cold greenhouse would also be an excellent place.

And already in mid-January or early February, boxes with aquilegia are transferred to a warm place. There they need good lighting. The temperature should not be lower than 12-160C.

If you adhere to all these conditions, then you can enjoy the lovely flowers of aquilegia already in early April.

Do not worry if aquilegia bloomed abundantly in one year, and weaker in the second. Thus, these plants simply rest and gain strength. This process can be balanced by the timely removal of faded shoots.

Diseases and pests

Aquilegia, like many other flowers, is unfortunately susceptible to pests and various diseases. The latter include powdery mildew, rust.

If gray rot appears, then the parts affected by it must be removed and then burned.

The same applies to plants affected by rust. By the way, you can fight the latter.

To do this, use a soap solution mixed with copper sulfate, sulfur-containing preparations are also suitable. Plants are sprayed with such solutions.

However, the most common aquilegia problem is powdery mildew... White fungal bloom on leaves and stems affects plants. It begins to change color, turns brown, and then curls up and eventually dies. Green soap diluted with colloidal sulfur will help eliminate this problem. Or Fitosporin solution.

Insects can also spoil the life of the aquilegia in your flower bed. Spider mites and aphids, nematodes and scoops can covet on it. Aphids and spider mites can be fought with Actellik, Karbofos or Millennial Paste.

But plants affected by nematodes are unlikely to be saved. It is best to burn them. Aquilegia must then be planted elsewhere. And in the previous section, plants are planted that are not afraid of this pest - garlic, onions, cereals.

How to collect your seeds

Aquilegia seeds are harvested from plants that have faded. In most, the stems are cut at this time so that they do not spoil the flower garden. But if desired, the peduncles can be left.

Note! Aquilegia reproduces by self-sowing.

If you do not want to allow this, then you need to put gauze bags on the fruits until the seeds ripen. As a rule, they can be harvested in early August. From the collected dried inflorescences, small black seeds of an elongated shape are carefully removed. Their size reaches 2.5 x 1.5 mm.

It is necessary to store the seeds correctly. It is advisable to keep them at sub-zero temperatures. In this case, they do not lose their ability and will thrive perfectly when sown in the spring.

Seedlings of aquilegia (catchment).Disembarkation, leaving: video

Many gardeners are attracted by aquilegia, growing from seeds of which does not require special difficulties and preparation. An unpretentious plant can grow on any soil under any conditions. But a lush bush, decorated with bright multi-colored inflorescences, can only be obtained if the plant is provided with optimal growing conditions. An important role in this is played by the choice of a site for planting - the plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, so it is better to plant it in the shade or partial shade.

Aquilegia

Pinkish, bluish, yellow flowers will decorate any garden. The catchment - the second name of aquilegia - does not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, you can even choose a place for this plant under a tree. The flower is characterized by rather powerful roots - up to 70 cm in diameter and the same amount in depth. Despite the strong root system, the catchment does not tolerate transplantation very well - its thin roots formed on the main root are very easy to injure.

Aquilegia blooms from May to July. For almost 3 months you can admire lush bushes with multi-colored inflorescences and thin leaves. In August, the seeds begin to ripen, by the end of the month they can already be harvested. It is important to have time to collect the seeds on time, otherwise they will fall to the ground, leaving empty fruits on the bushes. It is better to cut off slightly brown - unripe - fruits and dry them.

Important! The seeds can be stored in a cool place for up to five years.

Cultivation of the catchment

Reproduction of aquilegia is done in several ways:

• sowing seeds into the soil;
• sowing seeds for seedlings;
• dividing the bush;
• grafting.

Growing aquilegia from seeds is easier, more flowers are obtained, and they take root faster after transplanting. When propagating by division or cuttings, the bush is injured, and this can negatively affect the further development of a fragile flower. That is why preference is given to sowing seeds.

Seed propagation

You can sow seeds both in spring and late autumn. In the second case, the seeds germinate better. If there is confidence in the good germination of the planting material, then the seeds are sown immediately to a permanent place. Otherwise, they are sown in open ground with further replanting to a permanent place. In order not to be disappointed in the future flower garden, when sowing, you must follow all the recommendations for proper planting.

Dividing the bush

Spring sowing

1. It is advisable to collect planting material in the fall.
2. Sowing time: mid-April.
3. Seeds are sown in the soil warmed up to at least 16 degrees - the first shoots appear after 3 weeks.
4. To increase the percentage of germination of seed, it must be stratified: either hardened in the refrigerator for a month and a half, or held in a place with a high temperature (about +35 degrees) for about a month.
5. Seeds are planted in shallow holes at a distance of about 25 cm from each other.
6. Before the emergence of seedlings, it is advisable to cover the bed with a film to create favorable conditions. At the same time, it is necessary to control the air temperature (+14 - +19 degrees), illumination and soil moisture.
7. As soon as a couple of leaves appear on the sprouts, they can be planted in a permanent place.

Sowing before winter

• A garden bed is being prepared.
• Seeds are poured over the surface, lightly pressed into the soil or sprinkled with a thin layer.
• Along the edge of the bed, sides are laid out, on top of the bed is covered with a canvas. In this form, the seeds "hibernate"; in the spring, after the snow melts, the canvas is removed.

Advice! Bumpers - planks can be replaced with a container without a bottom.

• The sprouts are transplanted to a permanent place when they have 3 or 4 leaves.

Propagation by cuttings

Sowing seedlings - if the material is of unknown quality

• Sowing time is March.
• The soil is prepared - sand, sod and humus from fallen leaves in equal amounts.
• To increase germination, seeds are stratified.You can stimulate them with special preparations, for example, "Zircon".
• For sowing, choose deep dishes, since the roots of the aquilegia are long, but weak.
• The seeds are spread on moistened soil and sprinkled on top with a small layer of earth or pressed a little into the ground.
• Before the seeds germinate, the containers are covered with some material (paper, film) on top to maintain soil moisture.
• Before transplanting to a permanent place, the seedlings create optimal conditions. It is important not to allow waterlogging - it can provoke a black leg disease, which leads to the death of the sprouts.

Advice! To obtain stronger seedlings, it is necessary to provide additional lighting and a cool temperature regime - about +17 degrees.

• When 2 - 3 leaves appear, the sprouts must be dived into separate containers, and by the end of May they are planted in a permanent place.

For aquilegia bushes, it is better to choose a shady area. It is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm between the bushes, and if a plant of large varieties is grown, then at least 30 cm.

Watershed care

After transplanting the sprouts to a permanent place, it is necessary to shade them for the first time for better development and adaptation. Further care is as follows:

• Loosening and weeding: as needed. The heavier the soil, the more often it needs to be loosened.
• Watering: infrequent, but abundant. Aquilegia belongs to moisture-loving crops, but deep and powerful roots allow it to withstand any drought.

Important! The lack of moisture affects the size of the flowers and the brightness of the foliage: the former become smaller, and the latter, paler.

• Top dressing: depends on soil fertility. Top dressing is applied to the fertile soil twice: with the beginning of active growth and development of plants (late spring) and in summer. Organic or mineral additives are used in liquid form, combining them with abundant moisturizing and loosening. Fertilizers are applied to poor soil several times. If the plant needs feeding, its flowers become smaller and paler.
• Disease and pest control: bushes are often affected by fungal diseases, powdery mildew, rust and gray mold. Also nematodes, aphids and spider mites settle on aquilegia. Whenever any danger is detected, it is important to take the necessary action.

The first flowers will appear on the bush only in the second year of planting. When the time of flowering is over, the stems bearing the inflorescences should be cut off so that the appearance of the plant remains attractive. Every year it is necessary to add new soil to the roots to enable new shoots to develop. Careful care is the main component of flower health, which will delight you with beautiful and vibrant flowers for up to six years.

In the Middle Ages aquilegia, or catchment, revered as a plant that can protect against witchcraft. And modern flower growers, of course, will agree that a flower of amazing beauty really has magical powers. Admirable glances are attracted not only by flowers, but also by delicate foliage.

From early spring to late autumn, the garden is decorated with a variety of aquilegia. Growing from seeds, grafting, dividing bushes - these propagation methods allow you to get spectacular flowering bushes already on second year after planting.

How to grow aquilegia from seeds.

Aquilegia seeds remain viable 2-3 years... The highest germination energy is possessed by freshly harvested seeds - by sowing them immediately after harvesting, you will get friendly, leveled shoots.

If you do not cut off wilted inflorescences, aquilegia will give abundant self-seeding. The next year, young plants can be transplanted to another area or replaced with aging bushes.

When sowing in spring, the seeds are preliminarily stratify... Experienced flower growers offer different ways to carry out this procedure.

• The seeds are mixed with wet disinfected sand and buried in the snow or kept in the refrigerator at a temperature 5-7 ° C within a month.
• Old seeds are washed, dried, sown in boxes and left in a warm room for 3-4 days. After that, the crops are frozen and brought back into a warm room. At a temperature 18 ° C seedlings appear in 3-4 weeks.

In open ground, seeds are sown at the end of April-May, after the soil warms up well.

If you decide to grow aquilegia seedlings, the seeds can be sown already in March. Fill small boxes with leafy, turf, and sand substrates. Level the surface thoroughly, compact and water gently.

Spread the seeds evenly, being careful to leave even gaps between them. To do this, you can pour into a box a small layer of snow, then black seeds will be clearly visible, or mix them with wet sand.

Do I need to add aquilegia seeds? The opinions of flower growers on this matter are ambiguous. Some of them believe that it is still necessary to sprinkle, but the layer of sand or light substrate should be very thin. Others recommend simply pressing the seeds into the soil and watering gently with a spray bottle.

After sowing, cover the boxes with glass, plastic wrap or newsprint and leave in a warm room. At a temperature 16-18 ° C seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks. As soon as the first shoots appear on the surface, transfer the containers to a bright room.

Aquilegia or catchment, video:

Lack of light and high humidity can provoke the appearance of such a dangerous disease for seedlings as blackleg.

At the end of April-May, grown seedlings with two real leaves are planted in separate small pots or boxes according to the scheme 5 × 5 cm.

If weather conditions permit, you can plant the plants directly into the ground.

Division of the bush.

You can propagate aquilegia in this way only as a last resort... The root system of the plant is so deep and fragile that it is impossible to dig out the bushes without damaging the numerous roots. If for some reason you still need to carry out such an operation, choose 3-5 year old plants.

In early spring or late August or early September, dig up the bushes you want. Cut off the aerial part, leaving everything 2-3 young leaves... Wash the root system off the ground very carefully. After that, cut the main taproot into several pieces so that at least 2-3 kidneys.

Sprinkle the slices crushed charcoal and plant the cuttings in loose fertile soil. It is best to choose an area located in partial shade.

Propagation by cuttings.

Aquilegia refers to cross-pollinated plants, and if there are several species or varieties on your site that bloom at the same time, it is quite difficult to get pure-bred seeds. In order for new plants to retain all parental characteristics, it is better to propagate aquilegia. cuttings.

At the base of the stems of adult plants, basal rosettes are formed, which are successfully used for reproduction. In the spring, when the leaves have not yet blossomed and are pinkish in color, carefully break off or cut off the young rosettes at the very root collar. Treat them with a growth stimulant - can be soaked in solution heteroauxin or dust the bottom cut with powder.

It is best to root cuttings in a greenhouse, greenhouse or in a special garden bed. First, sprinkle a thick layer of coarse sand on top of it with a layer of fertile, loose earth. Lay the disinfected sand on top in a layer 0.5-1 cm.

Plant the cuttings to the depth no more than 1 cm, placing them so that the heel is in the sand and does not touch the ground below it. Cover the plantings with foil, glass or covering material, under which constant temperature and humidity will be maintained.

During rooting, protect the cuttings from direct sunlight, spray regularly and ventilate, lifting the film for a short time. Make sure the soil stays moderately moist.

For propagation, you can use cuttings that appear on mother plants in late summer. But they take root much worse than spring ones, so for the winter plantings need to be carefully covered spruce branches.

Landing in the ground.

Aquilegia can be grown both in partial shade and in sunny areas, but if in the first case large ones are formed, profusely flowering bushes, then in bright light the plants look oppressed, and the duration of flowering is sharply reduced.

The catchment is quite unpretentious and can grow on any soil, but develops best on loose, moist and fertile loams. Before planting, the site is dug to a depth of at least 20 cm, make compost and humus.

Low-growing species growing in nature on stones are more hardy and feel good even in the sun, but when planted in the shade on rich soil, they form lush bushes.

Outdoor care.

In one place, aquilegia is grown for 5-6 years, after which the old plants are replaced with young ones. The root system of mature bushes rises over time and in winter the plants often freeze out.

After the snow melts, you need to remove the dry stems. At the same time, try not to damage young leaves that appear very early. If the top of the roots is bare, carefully put them back in place and add fresh soil.

Caring for mature plants is reduced to weeding and watering. The deep root system allows the aquilegia to easily tolerate drought, but with abundant watering, especially in hot weather, the bushes look more impressive. To reduce the amount of watering and retain moisture, the soil around the bushes is mulched.

Over the summer plants 1-2 times fed with complete mineral or organic fertilizer.

Withered peduncles are cut off, in which case it is possible avoid self-seeding, and the bushes retain their decorative effect longer. Some species (ferruginous catchment and others) may at the end of summer bloom again, however, less abundant than in spring.

Aquilegia is a cross-pollinated plant, and if you want to collect your own seeds, the selected bushes are best planted away from the rest. To prevent pollen from other plants from accidentally getting on the testes, gauze caps are put on the buds. In this case, carry out artificial pollination.

In September-October, the plants are examined and diseased specimens are removed. The bases of the bushes are mulched with compost or humus. Most species and garden forms of aquilegia in the middle lane winter without special shelter for the winter. Only some thermophilic species freeze out in winters with little snow. In the first year, young plantings are necessarily covered.

Different species and varieties bloom at different times, so by picking up plants according to the flowering time, you can admire the blooming aquilegia for a long time.

Pay attention to this material - Azarina: growing from seeds.

Low-growing species such as alpine aquilegia height 30–38 cm, used in rock gardens, as border plants. In addition, they can be grown in pots, containers, and used for forcing.

Tall and medium-sized varieties and forms are planted along the banks of reservoirs, in mixed groups. Next to berry, lupine, irises, ferns and hosta look great:

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• Aquilegia Barlow with terry, aster-like flowers and beautiful, juicy foliage;
• Skinner's Aquilegia with large double flowers and long spurs;
• Aquilegia glandular, reaching in height 45 cm, with two-colored corollas - dark blue on the outside and white on the inside.
• Aquilegia hybrid - the most popular among florists, with flowers with a diameter 8-9 cm, various shapes and colors.

Individual flowers last for a week, the whole plant blooms for about a month. Having picked up the types and varieties with different flowering periods, you will be able to admire the bright original inflorescences for a long time.

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