Loose deer planting and care in the open field in the suburbs

Willow loosestrife is a very beautiful perennial. In nature, it can be seen in meadows, river banks, lakes and other places with high humidity. All summer until late autumn, it pleases any traveler or a passing person with its bright colors. The loosestrife blooms with small flowers, of which there are many on one shoot. Whole loosestrife bushes create truly chic compositions with many shades of raspberry, pink, purple, red and other colors.

A loosestrife in a home flower garden will look great. This plant will bring a feeling of warmth, joy and good mood to the inhabitants and guests of the house, without requiring special care. It is known that the loosestrife is called the most "unpretentious" perennial.

Conditions for growing loosestrife

Loose deer in landscape design photo

Loosestrife, or weeping grass, can grow in almost any conditions. But he prefers bright sun and a lot of moisture. Derbennik loves to grow in open or slightly shaded areas near ponds or wells. This perennial will adorn any decorative stream, fountain and other places close to water. The loosestrife can withstand up to 30 cm of flooding. This plant, even in the heat, is not afraid of excess moisture. At the same time, some time of summer drought is not at all scary for the loosestrife.

But if there are no “wet” places nearby, the loosestrife can be planted in a regular flower garden with sufficient watering.

The situation with the choice of soil is a little more complicated. Placun grass will grow well in light nutritious soil, but a very dry, loose or dense mixture will not work for it. That is why they try to plant the loosestrife near the water.

How to plant a loosestrife?

How to plant a loosestrife in open ground photo

It is recommended to fertilize the soil before planting plants. You can apply organic fertilizers to the entire area before digging or directly into the hole, just before planting the plants.

• Leave the distance between the holes within 35 cm when planting seedlings and about 50 cm when propagating by rhizomes. Next, it is necessary to water the planting sites abundantly.

Over the years, the bright and lush loosestrife bushes will delight the eye. This plant does not need replanting, splitting or rejuvenating shoots. It is necessary to plant the weeping grass only when the bushes become very thick.If you need to decoratively form a flower bed or change its design, then you can cut the bushes and young shoots of the loosestrife several times a year. Sometimes it is necessary to remove old plants that have already lost their decorative effect.

Loose care

Plakun-grass bushes require almost no maintenance. If they grow in sufficiently moist soil, they will delight with their flowering throughout the summer, without much care. The ideal landing site is the bank of a stream or an artificial reservoir. Watering is necessary only for those plants that grow in flower beds or flower beds. The plant needs regular abundant watering.

At the same time, the loosestrife bushes will not dry out due to a slight lack of moisture. These unpretentious plants will withstand both short-term drought and complete drying out of the soil. At the same time, old shoots will bloom brightly, and there will be fewer young ones.

The video will tell you about caring for a plakun grass and the beneficial properties of a plant:

What and how to feed the weeping grass

In order for plakun grass to have enough nutrients, it is necessary to replenish the stocks of organic and mineral substances in the soil annually. Plants will feel very comfortable if the soil around them is mulched with organic residues.

The best remedies for this are humus, peat, or compost. They will not only help to achieve a consistently high content of minerals in the soil, but also perfectly maintain stable soil moisture. Mulching is best done immediately after planting and every year in early spring.

You can also feed with mineral compounds, observing the consumption according to the instructions. Fertilizing with sulfate nitrophos is good: take 1 tablespoon in a bucket of water and water the bushes at the root, dividing the bucket of solution into 4-5 bushes.

• To obtain the maximum number of flower shoots, the loosestrife can be fed with any fertilizer for garden flowering plants.
• This can be done in the summer, when the plants are already blooming.
• The only thing to remember is that the loosestrider does not like the high nitrogen content in the soil! Unlike other plants, exceeding the nitrogen norm in the soil does not lead to growth stimulation, but to the wilting of the shoots. Therefore, top dressing must be selected with a low content of this element.

Pruning loosestrife

Once a year, loosestrife bushes need to carry out sanitary pruning, removing dried shoots. The most acceptable for this is autumn pruning. Old shoots are cut off and only the rhizome is left to winter. If you want dried flowers to decorate a winter garden, they perform sanitary pruning in early spring.

In addition, form pruning can be carried out. Natural flower beds do not need them. On decorative flower beds, young shoots can be cut several times over the summer to maintain the compact shape of the bush. Then the loosestrife bushes acquire splendor, density and beauty of the overall composition.

The loosestrife germinates very well from seeds. By the spring of next year, more seedlings of weeping grass may appear on the flower garden. Closely growing bushes begin to interfere with each other. To prevent this, it is necessary to cut off the flowering shoots in time, preventing the seeds from ripening.

Diseases and pests

Loosestrap plants are quite resistant to all types of diseases and ailments. In nature, they are very hardy and practically do not get sick. But there are exceptions in our flower beds. This is especially noticeable when placing plakun-grass bushes next to roses. Often, aphids that attack roses or other flowers can spread to the loosestrife.

To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully check the young shoots and remove or treat the infected with insecticides. In cases of untimely identification of damaged bushes, the parasite may spread, and loosestrife bushes will need to be treated. To combat aphids on the bushes of plakun-grass, you need to immediately use insecticides.

Preparing a loosestrife for winter

How the loaf of weepers hibernates grass photo

The loosestrife is a frost-hardy plant. For wintering in the middle lane, plakun-grass bushes do not need to be covered. Hilling a merlin with dry leaves or sawdust is not a necessary measure to preserve the plant in the winter. They withstand average frosts perfectly, even without snow.

Is the loosestrife pruned for the winter?

Yes, old shoots need to be cut off, because in the spring they will interfere: the plant will wake up early and it will be possible to damage the young shoots during spring pruning. Pruning a loosestrife for the winter is not difficult: all the shoots are cut off, leaving 8-10 centimeter sticks above the ground.

How to propagate weeping grass?

Placun grass is easily propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. When using any method, obtaining a new planting material occurs quickly enough. The loosestrife can reproduce on its own, occupying vast areas.

Dividing the bush When to replant the loosestrife?

How to propagate a loosestrife by dividing a bush

The easiest way to reproduce a loosestrife is the method of dividing the bush. This work can be done in the fall and early spring. The rhizome of the loosestrife is quite powerful and arboreal. To reproduce, it must be dug up and the root divided into parts with a sharp garden tool.

• You need to divide the root into two or three large parts with roots and shoots.
• It makes no sense to divide the rhizome into small pieces. These divisions are very weak, will adapt for a long time and may not be accepted at all.

Since the process of reproduction of a loosestrife by dividing a bush requires a lot of time and effort, they often resort to a simpler method - cuttings of basal shoots. Shoots are separated together with a heel-piece of root. They are very well accepted in wet soil when covered with transparent bottles or jars.

Growing a loosestrife from seeds

Loose seeds photo

Sowing in open ground

Loosestones easily reproduce by self-seeding. But you can help them in this. The easiest way is to sow seeds directly into the ground. Sowing loosestrife is recommended in the fall to ensure better rooting of future plants. Podwinter sowing allows seeds to undergo natural stratification, wake up earlier and sprout more amicably when warm comes.

• They prepare a garden bed, let the earth settle.
• They make shallow rows, sow less often, the seeding depth is 1-2 cm, the distance in the row is 5-8 cm.
• Between the rows - 15-20 cm.
• Grown plants are planted, leaving a distance between the bushes of 30-50 cm.

Growing seedlings of loosestrife

Seedlings of loosestrife photo

If you need seedlings, you can plant the seeds in the spring at home.

• Sowing is carried out from the end of January to the beginning of April.
• A loose, nutritious substrate is suitable for this.
• Before sowing, the seeds can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, mixed in damp earth. This stratification will improve germination.
• Seeds are rarely scattered over the soil, lightly sprinkled with a layer of soil and covered with foil. Periodically, the greenhouse must be opened and sprayed with water.
• The optimum temperature for seedlings is from +15 to +18 degrees.
• Plants are germinated to the present third leaf, and then transplanted into separate containers.

It is possible to plant loosestrife seedlings in the ground only when the time comes for the complete absence of spring frosts. The distance between the bushes should be at least 30 cm so that the grown plants do not interfere with each other. In addition, it must be remembered that plants grown in this way will bloom only in the second - third year after sowing.

Loose deer in landscape design: a selection of photos

Merbennik lythrum willow-leaved in landscape design photo

Loosestrife willow weakens grass in landscape photo

Loosestrife in the garden photo mixborder

Blossoming loosestrife plakun grass photo

Flowers loosestrife planting and care photo plakun grass

The willow loosestrife is not only one of the largest, but also the most "reliable" garden perennials.He creates festive and vivid compositions, conquering with the beauty of the soaring “spiers” of inflorescences soaring over dense curtains. In nature, this amazing plant prefers to grow along the banks of rivers and lakes, reaches truly gigantic proportions. But even in the garden, the loosestrife will amaze with its size and brightness. Regardless of whether we are talking about basic species or individual varieties, all loosestriders show themselves as amazingly hardy and unpretentious plants.

Loosestrife, or Plakun-grass (Lythrum salicaria)

Conditions necessary for a loosestrider

Derbenniki are rightfully considered one of the most plastic perennial garden plants that can grow equally successfully on sites with different conditions. This plant thrives only in bright enough light. It is better for him to choose sunny or slightly shaded areas, open and warm places.

As for the soil, everything is much more complicated here. Placun grass will thrive in any moist, nutritious and light soil, but will not thrive in overly compacted, scarce, and all types of dry loose soils. That is why, when choosing a place for a loosestrife, first of all, you need to focus on the water bodies in the garden. A pond, especially a landscape type, as well as streams are an ideal choice for this plant. But with compensation for moisture levels and constant maintenance of its indicators, the loosestrife will be able to settle in ordinary garden soil. When choosing a growing site, keep in mind that plakun-grass during the summer endures immersion in water to a depth of 30 cm, is not afraid of stagnant waterlogging in the hottest season.

Loose planting rules

The planting of loosestrife is carried out according to the usual scheme. Before planting on the bottom of the pit or in the soil before digging, it is advisable to apply organic fertilizers, and after planting, be sure to water the plants abundantly. The recommended planting distance is 35 cm for seed-derived plants and about 50 cm for cuttings.

The loosestrife does not lose its decorative effect for many years, it has been introduced into gardens for decades. He has no requirements for permanent or regular transplants, rejuvenation and separation. It is necessary to replant plants as needed, when their sizes exceed the permissible norms or old curtains lose their decorative effect.

Features of the care of the loosestrife

The loosestrife belongs to those garden plants that practically do not need care. The exception is crops that are planted in insufficiently moist soil. For such loosestriders, it is necessary to constantly compensate for moisture evaporation and maintain stable soil indicators. Regular and abundant watering, in particular, is necessary for all loosestrife growing on flower beds. But those that grow near water bodies do not need watering at all. But at the same time, one should not be afraid that a short-term drought and complete drying out of the soil will deplorably affect the attractiveness of plakun-grass: loosestriders really prefer wet conditions, but they are so hardy that they will not suffer from their absence for a certain period.

Willow loosestrife, or Plakun-grass

Top dressing for loosestrife

In order for the loosestrife to have enough nutrients in the soil for abundant and prolonged flowering, it is necessary to maintain stable soil characteristics annually by the method of early spring feeding. It is best to mulch the soil with compost or peat, which will play the role of not only a long-lasting fertilizer, but also a means of maintaining stable soil moisture. It is advisable to carry out the first mulching immediately after planting, and then renew it annually in the spring. But you can replace mulching with fertilization in the soil.

With the beginning of the flowering period, in order to achieve the greatest decorative effect of the loosestrife, it is advisable to use mineral fertilizers to further stimulate the formation of new peduncles. Any fertilizer mixture for garden flowering plants will work.The only requirement is the minimum nitrogen content in them. Placun grass, unlike all other perennials, reacts to an excess of nitrogen not by actively growing greenery, but by lodging shoots.

Pruning loosestrife

Pruning is a mandatory component of caring for this perennial. Traditionally, only one pruning is carried out, sanitary, removing the ground parts left over from the last year. The loosestrife can also be cut at the end of autumn, completely cutting off all aerial parts at the root, or leaving dry shoots to decorate the winter garden and carry out such a complete pruning in the spring.

Formative pruning is carried out depending on the quality in which the loosestrife grows and how important the shape and silhouette are for the beauty of the overall composition. In natural-style gardens, the loosestrife does not need such pruning, but if you want to maintain a more accurate and architectural form of the plant, then during the summer it is advisable to carry out a formation that gives the bushes a greater density and regularity of shape.

Do not forget to cut off the faded flower stalks before the seeds ripen. This plant is prone to self-seeding and due to this it is quite aggressive, the seeds germinate quickly and take root very well, therefore, the timely cutting of the inflorescences will prevent the unwanted spread of the loosestrife in the garden.

Diseases and pests

These large perennials are considered pest and disease resistant. But in garden culture, especially on flower beds with roses, they are often attacked by aphids, which easily move to dense loosestrife from neighboring plants. Therefore, in compositions with loosestrife, it is extremely important to conduct constant monitoring for the earliest possible detection of pests and prevent their spread. It is better to fight aphids on this plant immediately with insecticides.

Winter hardiness of plakun-grass

Without exception, all loosestrife are frost-resistant hardy plants, for which, for successful wintering in the middle lane, there is no need to provide even the slightest shelter in the form of hilling with dry leaves, and even more so to create intensive protection.

Breeding loosestrife

Derbenniki can be propagated both by seeds and by dividing a bush or by rooting root cuttings.

Vegetative methods

The easiest way to get new plants is by dividing adult bushes, which can be done at any time convenient for you, both in spring and autumn. Since the rhizome of the loosestrife is powerful, woody, it is necessary to use a sharp ax or shovel for separation. The bushes are divided into 2-3 parts with strong enough roots and several points of growth. It makes no sense to separate small fragments of the loosestrife, because the plants will take too long to adapt and recover, they may not take root at all.

Loosestrife, or Plakun-grass (Lythrum salicaria)

Since the process of digging and dividing the rhizomes of the loosestrife is very laborious, and the plant itself is large, the optimal method of propagation from among vegetative ones is an alternative method - the separation of basal cuttings together with the heel. They root easily in all wet conditions under the hood.

Seed propagation of the loosestrife

Derbenniki are able to reproduce by seeds on their own, but even from the collected seeds, powerful plants capable of flowering can be obtained. Sowing seeds is carried out either in seedlings or in open soil. It is advisable to plant seeds in the ground before winter to ensure the necessary stratification. They are sown for seedlings in March. For this breeding method, it is advisable to use a loose, nutritious substrate.

On the surface of the soil, seeds are scattered quite rarely, they are only slightly covered with soil and mandatory spraying is carried out. Germination is carried out under glass or film at temperatures from 15 to 18 degrees. Young shoots are grown up to the stage of releasing 3 true leaves, after which each plant must be planted in separate containers.

Willow loosestrife, or Plakun-grass

Loose grass seedlings can be transferred to the soil only after the threats of return frosts have completely disappeared. The recommended planting distance is about 30 cm. Plants obtained from seeds bloom no earlier than in the second and third years after sowing.

The loosestrife is a beautiful ornamental plant (just look at the photo once to make sure of this), which is not at all difficult to grow. You just need to plant a loosestrife, feed it with fertilizers and water it a couple of times a month - that's all the care, and then it reproduces itself perfectly. Breeders adapted the wild species to the conditions of the garden and developed varieties - these specimens tolerate drought well, bloom profusely and for a long time. They have large inflorescences.

Varieties and varieties of loosestrife

Derbennik has many popular names, as it is distributed almost all over the world, except for the Arctic. It blooms from July to September; in autumn the plant becomes brighter and more decorative. Valued as a honey plant: flowers emit a lot of nectar and are readily visited by bees. The roots and stems are used in folk medicine.

The plant is an excellent honey plant

In horticulture, mainly two types are used: twig and willow. At first glance, they are practically no different. Ivolistny feels great near reservoirs, it can be planted directly into the water in shallow water. Breeders have worked on the plant and developed varieties with increased decorative effect and more compact sizes. This can be seen in the photo. They bloom earlier and longer, the inflorescences have a pink range.

Sorts of willow loosestrife:

• ModernPink.
• Lady Sackville.
• Robert.
• Blush.
• Pink pearl.
• Roseum.
• Sticflamme.
• Swirl.

Variety Robert

Loosestrife more compact, shorter than its relative. The flowers have a similar color, but differ in more rare inflorescences.

• Helen.
• Rose Queen.
• Modern Pink.
• Dropmore Purple.
• The Rocket.
• Modern Gleam.

Rose Queen variety

Reproduction and planting

The loosestrife prefers sunny places with nutritious soil and an abundance of moisture. It even grows in water. You can plant where no other crops grow. But in a flower garden with rare watering it feels no worse. It does not bloom in the shade, in partial shade the bloom is somewhat poorer than in full sun.

In the soil for planting, add high moor sour peat in advance and mix with the top layer of soil.

Loosestones are propagated most often dividing the bush or by digging up root cuttings. This is a quick and easy method. This procedure is carried out in spring or late autumn. The root of an adult plant must be chopped up with an ax or a bayonet shovel. Delenki are immediately planted in a new place and watered abundantly.

Derbennika can decorate an artificial pond in the garden

Seeds sown on a flower bed as soon as the snow melts or in the fall at the beginning of November. The bush will bloom next year and will live in one place for a long time. If you want to speed up the flowering process, you will have to grow seedlings. In March, seeds are scattered over the surface of the earth in a seedling container. And lightly crush with soil. Spray with water and cover with glass or foil. Seed germination temperature is about 17 degrees. After the appearance of several leaves, they dive into the cups. They are planted in open ground when stable warm weather is established. A distance of 40 cm is left between the bushes.

Advice. In the spring, if you cut the bush in half by pruning, the flowering will be more lush.

Loosestrife seeds

Loose grass care, fertilization and feeding

The loosestrife responds with abundant flowering to fertilization. Complex fertilizers are applied in the spring. But do not overdo it with nitrogen - this will affect the stability of the stem.

As for leaving, there is nothing special here: fertilizing, weeding young shoots, watering. Weeding will be successfully replaced by mulching with peat, and it will also save moisture for the plant: even though the root of the loosestrife is powerful, it is completely shallow.

The plant will survive the winter well even without shelter.

The loosestrife is a perennial plant, in one place it can develop for a long time without dividing. Does not require anti-aging pruning and shelter for the winter.

Council Under favorable conditions, the loosestrife reproduces well by self-seeding, if you are not satisfied with this option, remove the faded inflorescences.

The use of loosestrife

Loosestones are edible, but animals don't like the taste. The inflorescences and root of the loosestrife are used as a dye in the food industry; treated with vinegar, they are used as a yellow paint for paper or leather goods. The tannins contained in the plant were used to treat fishing nets - the impregnation protected them from decay.

Official medicine does not use loosestrife, but does not deny its medicinal properties. As a folk remedy, the roots and tops of loosestrife are used, as a hemostatic, antibacterial, wound healing, diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent. It has an analgesic and tonic effect.

The plant is widely used in folk medicine

The plant has a number of contraindications, so it is imperative to consult a doctor. Derbennik is contraindicated for use by people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, suffer from constipation. The loosestrife has a vasoconstrictor effect, it should not be used for hypertensive patients and people with high blood clotting, with a tendency to develop blood clots.

Diseases and pests

The loosestrife has good immunity to pathogens. Pest insects also do not particularly like him. Aphids can be noted as the most common pest of loosestrife in our latitudes. Since the loosestrife is a valuable melliferous plant - bees especially love it, so as not to harm bees, bumblebees and other pollinators, wash off the aphids with water from a spray bottle with the addition of laundry soap. Or use folk methods of struggle: decoction of onion peels, tomato tops, infusion of garlic or tobacco.

Loosestrife is resistant to disease

The loosestrife looks good in the background of flower beds, at the entrance to the site, they can cover an unsightly fence. It goes well with other plants. It blooms for a long time and does not lose its decorative effect. A tall and brightly blooming bush is simply impossible not to notice.

Loosestones properties: video

Blossoming loosestrife: photo

On the banks of rivers or on the outskirts of swamps, you can see extensive clumps of tall plants with spike-shaped pink, purple or purple inflorescences. This is a loosestrife (lat.Lythrum), also popularly nicknamed the bobbery, is a perennial herb belonging to the family of loosestrife (lat.Lythroideae).

Another common name for loosestrife is plakun-grass. This is due to the fact that in the summer, in the morning, small drops of water can be seen on its leaves - this is how the plant gets rid of excess moisture. And according to legend, the transparent droplets are the tears of the Virgin Mary mourning her son.

According to the botanical classification, the loosestrife is the closest relative of the pomegranate.

It is believed that the original homeland of the loosestrife was Eurasia, but together with humans, it spread throughout almost the entire globe, except for the Arctic and Antarctic. The first thing that attracts attention in plakun-grass is its high (up to 50 cm) bright inflorescences, consisting of small star-shaped flowers of different shades. It is thanks to its exquisite appearance and amazing unpretentiousness that this perennial quickly won the love of gardeners.

In addition to its spectacular appearance, the loosestrife has other indisputable advantages:

• The plant is medicinal. Moreover, this fact is recognized by both traditional and official medicine. When preparing broths, all parts of the plant are used, both roots and stems with leaves. The loosestrife helps with dental problems, diseases of the genitourinary system, headaches, colds.
• The loosestrife is a melliferous plant, and the honey obtained from it has a tart and pleasant taste.
• From flowers and roots of plakun-grass, a yellow food coloring is produced, which is distinguished by high persistence.
• The tannins contained in the roots are used to impregnate fishing nets, which protects them from decay.

Loosestones suitable for outdoor cultivation and popular varieties

Today there are about 30 known species of loosestrife (in Russia - about 15), but usually only two of them are found in gardens - willow and twig-like.

The willow loosestrife, also called willow-like, (Latin Lythrum salicaria) is easily recognizable by its stalk covered with hard fluff. This is an extremely unpretentious species that can easily endure even the most severe weather conditions. Its narrow leaves, slightly similar to willow, have a rather interesting property: in summer they are green, and closer to autumn they acquire a rich red hue. The special decorative value of the plant is the numerous flowers collected in dense spike-shaped inflorescences.

The most popular among gardeners are the following varieties of willow loosestrife:

• "Robin" (Robin). These perennials can reach a height of 1.2 m, and its flowers are painted in purple.
• "Feuerkerze" (Candle fire). Tall, dark pink inflorescences stand out vividly against a background of blue-green dense foliage.
• Blush. This variety is distinguished by lush, pale pink inflorescences.

D. "Robin", D. "Feuerkerze", D. "Blush"

• "Robert" (Robert). Neat, low bushes with crimson flowers. It is considered the most common variety in the middle lane.
• Swirl. Due to the rare, lilac inflorescences, the loosestrife bushes seem to be airy and translucent.
• "Lady Sackville" (Lady Sackville). A plant with very tall stems covered with purple flowers.

D. "Robert", D. "Swirl", D. "Lady Sackville"

• "Red hybrids" (Red hybrid). Variety with bright red-pink inflorescences on strong tall stems.
• "Morden Pink" (Modern pink). The total height of the plant is about 1 m, the color of the flowers is pale pink, with a cream shade.
• "Zigeunerblut" (Gypsy blood). Neon purple-pink flowers against a background of bright green foliage. The maximum height of the shrub is 1.2 m.

D. Red hybrids, D. Morden Pink, D. Zigeunerblut

This is just an incomplete list of varieties of willow loosestrife. Every year, breeders bring out more and more new hybrids, surprising gardeners with a variety of colors of inflorescences.

Rod-shaped loosestrife (Latin Lythrum virgatum) is not characterized by high frost resistance, therefore it is best to plant it in the southern regions. This species is somewhat lower than willow, its stems are more branching and lacking a fluff, and the inflorescences are very bright and lush. The most common varieties include:

• Rosy Gem. The name of the variety speaks for itself: its main feature is tall, luxurious bright pink inflorescences.
• "Helene" (Helen). The flowers also have a rich purple hue, however, the height of the plant itself rarely exceeds 50-60 cm.
• Rocket. The variety is distinguished by neat squat bushes and bright pink flowers.

D. Rosy Gem, D. Helene, D. Rocket

• Rose Queen. In general, the variety is similar to the "rocket", but with a more delicate shade of inflorescences.
• Dropmore Purple. The most cold-resistant of all twig-like loosestrife. Will delight you with magenta colors from June to August.

D. Rose Queen, D. Dropmore Purple

Loose deer in landscape design

In addition to its endurance, the loosestrife also has a number of qualities that make it attractive to most gardeners and landscape designers. Firstly, the period of its flowering is very long - from the beginning of June to September. Secondly, like all perennials, the loosestrife is ideal for decorating mixborders: in this case, it is preferable to place it in the background. When choosing the optimal position for plakun-grass, remember that the brighter its inflorescences are, the visually closer the plant itself will seem.

Although the loosestrife is often used for arranging all kinds of flower beds and flower beds of varying degrees of complexity, it looks great without neighbors. Most often it is planted next to artificial pools or directly into the water.With this arrangement, other moisture-loving plants, for example, cages, irises, astilbe, gunners or marsh gladioli, will make the best company of plakun-grass.

If you want your garden to look natural and a little wild, plant tansy or any umbrella next to the loosestrife. You can also achieve a similar effect by simply placing several varieties of loosestrife of different heights next to it.

In front of shrubs with whorls of delicate, restrained shades, bright spots of phlox, chrysanthemums or peonies will look favorably. If you have chosen a loose-leaf variety with rich colors, try slightly diluting the flower bed with lilies, tradescantia, calla lilies or any cereals.

Plakun grass can be used to create themed corners in the garden. For example, a pharmacy, consisting of medicinal plants. In this case, as neighbors to the loosestrife, you can plant a medicinal burnet, magnificent elecampane, goldenrod. Or a corner of butterflies, planted with fragrant representatives of the kingdom of Flora, attracting beneficial insects: loosestrife, oregano, valerian, echinacea.

Keep in mind that a very fast growing and hardy loosestrife can gradually crush weak plants. Therefore, only strong and unpretentious flowers and shrubs should be adjacent to it.

Loose care

Location, soil

It is best to plant a perennial in peat soils. The loosestrife does not tolerate an excess of alkali and nitrogen, in addition, too dense or too loose, dry soil is categorically contraindicated for it. In principle, a plant is able to tolerate a lack of nutrients, but in this case it stops blooming.

Plakun-grass feels great on the banks of reservoirs, it does not reflect the spring and autumn floods at all. You can plant a loosestrife even in shallow water (preferably up to 20 cm deep). In this case, the composition of the soil should be as follows: one third of humus and two thirds of clay, which is needed so that nutrients do not wash out and pollute the water.

For planting, both well-lit and slightly darkened areas of the garden are suitable. It is preferable that they were closed from the wind, otherwise the plant will begin to break and lean to the ground.

Reproduction

The loosestrife is propagated in three ways.

Division of the bush. The difficulty of this method lies in the fact that the root system of the loosestrife is very powerful and woody, so it can be very difficult to chop it up even with an ax. For this reason, only relatively young plants are propagated in this way.

The bush is dug up and divided into two or three parts, each of which should have several powerful roots and shoots. To avoid rotting, it is recommended to sprinkle the sections with crushed coal.

Cuttings. Two options are possible here.

1. In the first case, basal cuttings with a small part of the maternal stem ("heel") are carefully separated from the main bush.
2. The second option - the stems are simply cut into cuttings at least 10 cm long so that each has two internodes. They need to be placed in the water before the roots appear.

Growing from seeds. In general, it is a rather convenient and not burdensome method, but, unfortunately, loosestrife seeds are not often found on sale. However, you can assemble them yourself. Towards the end of August, oblong fruits filled with small seeds ripen on the bushes.

Since the loosestrife reproduces well by self-sowing, do not forget to immediately remove the faded shoots before the seeds ripen, otherwise, it can fill your entire garden.

Disembarkation: timing and technology

The features and timing of planting a loosestrife directly depend on which breeding method you have chosen. However, there are general recommendations. First of all, you need to dig up the ground. If the soils are poor in humus, high moor peat is introduced into them (about 8-10 buckets per 1 sq. M.).Organic fertilizers are also placed at the bottom of the pit pits.

The division of the bush is carried out in spring or autumn. Plants are planted at a distance of at least half a meter from each other and watered abundantly. Then compost and humus are added to the ground.

If you prefer to propagate the bushes by cuttings, it is best to carry out this procedure in May, when the young shoots are growing. The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse with high humidity, after two to three weeks the plants will get strong enough and can easily do without shelter. In the spring, the loosestrife can be rooted in the originally intended place.

Before planting, the seeds of plakun-grass are subjected to cold stratification for two to three weeks. They are sown in open ground in late autumn, usually allocating a small bed for this. In the spring, the grown bushes are transferred to the "school", and in September-October they can already be rooted in a permanent place. Next year, the loosestrife will delight you with its flowers.

In order not to wait a whole year and speed up flowering, you can prepare seedlings in February or early March. Seeds are spread over the surface of the ground, lightly sprinkled with soil, sprayed with water, and then covered with foil or glass. The optimum temperature for seedlings is about + 15 ° C. After the appearance of the first three or four true leaves, the seedlings are seated in separate cups. Shoots are transferred to open ground immediately after the establishment of stable warm weather (above + 12 ° C). The distance between plants should be at least 30-35 cm.

Please note that during seed propagation, loosestrife can lose their varietal characteristics.

Usually, these perennials can grow in one place without transplanting and dividing for decades without losing their decorative effect. If, for some reason, you need to move the plant to another area, this should be done in early spring or late autumn.

Watering, feeding

As has been said more than once, the loosestrife is hygrophilous. But at the same time, oddly enough, a perennial can easily tolerate dry weather, however, in this case, it stops blooming.

Usually, the loosestrife is watered intensively 2-3 times a month. In the heat, this is done more often, especially if it grows on a flower garden, next to other plants.

But if you planted a weeping grass on the shore of a reservoir, then you don't need to water at all. In this case, the perennial will receive all the necessary moisture through its powerful roots.

In the spring and early summer, the loosestrife is fed with any complex fertilizers, the main thing is that they have a minimum nitrogen content. In soil rich in minerals, perennials can reach heights of up to two meters. In summer, wood ash, compost and humus can be added to the ground. Since the roots of the plant are superficial, you need to be extremely careful with loosening. It is better to replace this procedure with the usual mulching with peat, among other things, this will help to keep the necessary moisture in the soil.

An adult loosestrife is extremely unpretentious, but young plants require some care. Weeds are removed around them, and after the rain, the bushes must be carefully shaken off the water.

Trimming and shaping

Usually, the loosestrife is cut only for wintering, and during the summer cottage they are limited only to plucking shoots growing in the wrong direction. This shrub is rarely purposefully given any form.

But if you want, you can improve the appearance of the weeping grass. To do this, in the spring you need to cut off the shoots at a height of 20-30 cm. As a result of these simple actions, by the beginning of flowering, you will have a dense spherical bush. Also, this technique is used so that a plant that is exposed to all winds does not break.

Wintering

Placun grass perfectly tolerates winter cold. In autumn, the stalks of the loosestrife are cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground or simply mowed at the root.It should be added that even the dried stalks of the loosestrife are very decorative, so many do not remove them until spring. They cover the bushes only in very severe frosts in the absence of sufficient snow cover.

Loosestrife pests and diseases

The plant is very resistant to various diseases and pests. The main and, perhaps, the only enemy of the loosestrife is the aphid. In the fight against it, a decoction of tomato leaves, citrus fruits or onion peels can help you. Since the loosestrife is a melliferous plant, you should not use strong chemical insecticides, so as not to kill bees and bumblebees.

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The loosestrife is the perfect option for any garden. It is ecologically plastic, able to coexist with most plants and is surprisingly beautiful. You do not have to spend a lot of time caring for it, and you can admire the luxurious inflorescences of plakun-grass for many years.