Geykhera planting and care in the open field in the Urals

It's hard to believe, but there are decorative deciduous plants, the brightness of greenery that can outshine the most spectacular flowers. Heychera will take this, planting and care in the open field for which is quite simple and accessible to summer residents in many regions of Russia.

Description of heuchera for open ground

All species of Heuchera that exist in nature are natives of the American continent. Here plants from the Stonefragment family, justifying their origin, settled in the rocky wastelands of the center and south of the United States and some part of Mexico. Most of the plants domesticated by humans are perennial decorative deciduous crops. According to the description, in the open ground, heuchera, forming a lush rosette of split palmate leaves, changes their color depending on the season, miraculously transforming the corner of the garden allotted to it.

The appearance of the foliage depends not only on the season, but also on the type of heuchera. With two or three colored leaves with jagged, smooth or corrugated edges, you can transform the most inconspicuous area.

The decorative effect complements the flowering that lasts all summer. The brightest inflorescences on erect peduncles in Heuchera are blood-red with small corollas of a coral shade. In other species, flowers are predominantly white or pinkish, collected in sparse paniculate inflorescences.

When to plant Heuchera outdoors? What do you need to know about the nature of the plant and its preferences?

Conditions for growing heuchera in the open field

Usually, well-lit places are chosen for decorative deciduous plants, where bright colors on the leaves will look most advantageous. However, heuchera can easily settle down under the crowns of trees, and in an open area it can wither and will require frequent abundant watering.Therefore, it is better for her to find an area with light protection from the scorching midday sun, but not in a thick shade that will “wash away” unusual patterns from the leaves, leaving only a green background.

The requirement for sufficient illumination is especially important when planting in open ground and caring for variegated Heuchera.

Despite its bright appearance, this perennial is unpretentious and, with proper care, grows well in summer cottages. In plantings, Heuchera often coexists with hosts, conifers, herbaceous ground cover plants and shrubs, as well as tall flowering species.

When planting and nursing in the open field, perennial heucheras are not pretentious to the composition and nutritional value of the soil, but they do not tolerate:

• excessive acidity of the soil;
• high density of land at the landing site;
• stagnation of groundwater, melt and rainwater.

On a loose substrate that retains a moderate amount of moisture well, the plants are especially lush.

Planting time for heuchera in open ground

In nature, heucheras reproduce by seeds and vegetatively due to the growth of leaf rosettes. In the garden, it is better to use the second method.

Unfortunately, the seeds collected from garden varieties do not retain the varietal characteristics of plants, and plants close to wild-growing ones grow from them.

It is much easier to get Heuchera of the desired variety - using seedlings grown and seeds from a trusted manufacturer or dividing an adult outlet.

Seeds are sown in early spring in containers. In greenhouse conditions, the first shoots appear in 4-6 weeks. When real leaves open on the sprouts, the plant is transferred to open ground. Taking into account future growth, the sockets are planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other.

In May or early autumn, large, usually 3-4 year old heuchera rosettes are planted, which lose their compactness and fall apart. This means that daughter plants have appeared near the main plant, and it is time to separate them.

Planting perennial heuchera in open ground and caring for plants

To make the new plants more "fluffy", 2-3 rosettes with their own rhizomes are left on each plot. If for some reason the planting material has no roots, you should not throw it away. Cuttings with several leaves and a piece of stem can be rooted by treating with a stimulant and planting in a sand-peat mixture. In a shaded greenhouse, roots form in 3-4 weeks.

If cuttings are obtained in May or June, the time for planting Heuchera in open ground is in the middle or second half of summer. The soil under such plants must be mulched, and the seedlings themselves provide protection from the bright sun.

On cuttings and large cuttings, the places of the cuts are powdered with crushed charcoal. Planting pits under the Heuchera must have a depth of at least 30 cm and the same diameter. When this crop is used as a curb, the distance between the bushes is usually 25–35 cm.

After planting, the plants are watered, and the soil under them is sprinkled with peat, rotted sawdust or chopped grass.

Geyhera care after planting in open ground

These plants are hygrophilous. Therefore, the main care for Heuchera after planting in the open field includes:

• regular watering to prevent drying out of the soil;
• loosening the soil surface under and around bushes;
• weeding;
• feeding, which starts from the second year of life and is carried out with the help of complex means for decorative deciduous crops.

In the warm season, geykhers are watered 3-5 times a week. In hot weather and in the absence of rain, it is better to moisten the soil daily in the morning or after sunset.

So that no discolored burn marks remain on the leaves of the heuchera, the watering can should be kept as close to the ground as possible.

All plants of this genus bloom, but heuchera flowers are not always too attractive. If they interfere with the perception of the flower garden, or after wilting, the peduncles are removed by cutting off under the base. For the winter, the bushes leave with leaves.So that by spring the bases of the rosettes do not suffer from delusion, it is better to cover them with loose spruce branches, oak branches, non-woven material and mulch.

Everything interesting about geykher - video

The unique color of the colorful leaves makes this shrub very popular among both professional landscape designers and ordinary amateur gardeners.

Heuchera is one of the most beautiful ornamental plants.

It is a perennial plant of the saxifrage family. It is a herbaceous bush, in which leaves and peduncles diverge from a basal rosette.

The height of the plant is about 50 cm, the diameter of the bush can grow up to 60 cm.

There are about 200 natural species and hybrids of Heuchera with a variety of colors. Leaves can be green, purple, silvery, brown, orange.

Peduncles, collected in racemose or paniculate inflorescences, are white, red or pink in color.

Landing

Choosing a place and time

Geichera grows well both in open space, in a sunny place and in partial shade.

Depending on this, the plant can change the color of its leaves: in diffused light, the leaves acquire a muted shade, while in open space the color of the plant reaches its maximum brightness.

The only thing that Heuchera does not tolerate is winds and drafts. Therefore, the place where the plant is supposed to be planted should be protected as much as possible from strong air currents.

It is necessary to transplant the plant every 3-4 years, since over time the bush disintegrates, exposing the core. This is best done in spring, so that young plants take root well and grow stronger over the summer.

When planting, you need to pay attention to the following detail: the root socket cannot be buried in, it must remain on the surface of the earth.

Soil selection

Geykhera is quite unpretentious and grows well on various soils. But still prefers light permeable soil.

It is unacceptable to plant plants in places where water stagnates - this can lead to decay of the root system and the death of the plant.

To prevent this, when planting plants, peat, coarse river sand or fine gravel are added to the soil. These measures increase the drainage properties of the soil and prevent stagnant water.

Geichera is unpretentious, but the place and soil for its planting must be chosen carefully

Reproduction

The plant reproduces in two ways: by seeds and by dividing the bush.

By dividing the bush, both natural plant species and hybrids can be propagated, and only natural plant varieties can be propagated by seeds.

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Bush dividing method

The bush is dug up, the old part is cut out. Places of cuts are processed with crushed charcoal. The strongest lateral shoots are selected for planting. If young bushes are planted in an open space, then at first they need to be shaded. For this, old boxes may well fit.

Seed method

Seeds are sown on seedlings in March-April.

A pre-treated (heated or scalded with boiling water) light soil is poured into a wide landing container (with sides not less than 5 cm). The seeds are mixed with sand and poured on top in a thin layer. Moisten the soil well and cover the container with foil or glass.

It is best to place the landing container on a sunny windowsill. Under these conditions, the first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks.

There is no need to remove glass or film immediately after the sprouts appear, just open them regularly for airing.

In the phase of 3 leaves, the seedlings can be cut open.

Young plants are transferred to open ground only when the threat of a return of spring frosts has passed. By winter, young bushes will get stronger and will delight the eye next year.

Care

Watering and feeding

The homeland of the shrub is the western part of North America, where heuchera grows mainly in mountainous areas, so it does not require abundant watering

Under natural conditions, Heuchera grows in places where the amount of moisture is limited. Therefore, it is not worth pouring it in the garden. Heuchera tolerates a lack of water much better than strong waterlogging.

Fertilize the plant 2-3 times per season. In this case, the dose of applied fertilizers should be small and equal to about half of that recommended for similar plants.

Preparing for winter

It is not worth trimming the leaves on the plant in the fall, so the plant will winter better.

Heuchera is quite frost-hardy and tolerates frost well. Adult bushes do not need additional shelter, and it is better to cover young one-year-olds for the winter with hay or tops.

Pest and disease control

This culture is quite resistant to disease, it is rarely affected by any infections.

Damage to plants is mainly caused by snails, slugs and worms, which settle on the leaves and gnaw them. In order to prevent these pests from entering the bushes, you need to regularly inspect the plant and remove parasites.

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Most popular varieties

Among the most popular varieties are the following:

• Palace Purpl (lat. Palace Purpl). Heuchera with brown or burgundy leaves, cream-colored peduncle.
• Marmalade (lat.Marmelade). The outer part of the leaves is colored yellow or orange, the lower one has a purple hue. Flowers have a greenish tint.
• Regina (Latin Regina). One of the most common varieties. The leaves are silvery with a blue tint, the flowers are pink.

See the most popular varieties of Heuchera in the photo:

Application in landscape design

Heucheras in the beds are arranged both independently in groups and combined with other plants.

Compositions of several varieties of geyher with different colors look very attractive.

Mixed plantings, as a rule, are formed from heucher, daylily, primroses and ornamental shrubs.

In landscape design, heuchera is combined with other plants, or different varieties of this flower are combined.

The beauty of this plant and the simplicity of its care have won the hearts of many gardeners. And more and more often bright geyher bushes can be found in gardens and flower beds.

Watch the video about the features of the Heuchera plant and the rules for its planting and reproduction:

Jul 22, 2015Elena Tymoshchuk

Do not give up the idea of ​​growing Heuchera outdoors. If you have at least minimal experience in the field of floriculture, then you can easily cope with this task. In many ways, success in this matter depends on the correct choice of location.

Today there are many varieties of Heuchera that thrive even in the mountainous regions of North America. What can we say about our climatic zone, if even stony soil is a perfectly suitable place for growing this plant. The presence of geychera on the site can significantly transform any landscape design, because its decorative properties will add variety to the design of a suburban area.

Description of heuchera: varieties and varieties

It's time to get to know this little-known plant for many domestic gardeners. Geichera refers to the family of evergreen mperennial plants, which in adult state reach a height of 40-60 cm. The stem is covered with rounded, medium-sized leaves, which are located on long petioles. They begin at the very root, forming together a rosette. The plant enters the flowering phase at the end of May, and this action lasts until autumn. The flowers have the form of a panicle, the length of which is 20 cm. With the end of flowering, capsule fruits containing seeds are formed.

The whole variety of Heuchera varieties can be imagined in the form of two main groups:

• Decorative deciduous;
• Decorative flowering.

Its foliage provides decorative properties. It is difficult to find another similar plant that would provide for so many different color palettes and leaf textures. The flowers do not look as impressive as the leaves, however, in some varieties, it is the inflorescences that are the main detail that makes them attractive. In such varieties of Heuchera, flowers and leaves form a contrasting composition.

The Heuchera family includes about 400 varietiesthat differ in different shades. Therefore, among them, every florist can find plants that will successfully fit into the landscape design of his site.

Among the varieties known today, the most popular are cylindrical heuchera, American blood-red.

1. Heichera is blood-red. It has denser leaves compared to other types of plants. Due to the fact that this variety is often used in decoration, it served as the basis for the creation of new varieties. During the season, forms flowers in the form of bells, the color can vary from red to pink. The flowering time lasts from June to August. It is very easy to care for this variety, and although it tolerates periods of drought, it does better in the shade. The most popular plants are Monet, Hercules, Robusta.
2. American Heichera. The plant has rounded leaves, flowers are yellow-green in color. A feature of the variety is a wide color palette of foliage, provides many different shades and borders. It looks most impressive in the spring and autumn periods, when the leaves acquire a pronounced shade. It looks paler in the summer months.
3. Heuchera is cylindrical. It stands out in larger sizes against the background of other plants. It thrives best in lighted areas, and can also be grown in partial shade conditions. Forms cylindrical flowers that can be green, coral or red in color. The characteristic shade of the leaves is green.
4. Heuchera small-flowered. Among the representatives of this group, the variety "Purple Castle" is the most popular. From the name it is clear that its main feature is rich purple leaves, which are complemented by a metallic sheen. It tolerates well not only periods of drought, but also frost. It is not difficult to care for this variety. It can winter well without damaging the foliage.

Planting a plant

First of all, the owner needs to decide on a suitable landing site and prepare the ground... The plant feels great with many perennials, does not have a depressing effect on them. Therefore, heuchera can be combined with other types of plants or arrange a flower garden, forming it from different varieties of heuchera.

Heuchera grows best on light and nutritious soils, where there is no stagnation of water. It is not recommended to choose areas with acidic soil for planting. At the stage of soil preparation, a small amount of coarse river sand or pebbles is required. Planting is best in May. It is recommended to arrange seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. Throughout the season, it is necessary to ensure that the soil remains moist, but it is necessary to avoid excess of it. Otherwise, it will lead to the death of the plant. In open ground, different methods of planting a plant are used: using seeds, cuttings or a rosette taken from an adult bush.

Geyhera care

A photo of a plant can make anyone want to plant such beauty on their site. And I must say this a task within the power of everyone... It is quite easy to care for a Heuchera, since it does not require much attention to itself. Although it still provides for certain requirements:

• diffused shadow;
• deep drainage;
• permeable soil.

You can enjoy the beautiful flowering of heuchera planted from seeds if you choose a place for it in the shade of trees or in partial shade, since morning light is enough for it.The most illuminated areas are best suited for planting red-leaved Heuchera. As a result of exposure to sunlight, it will just acquire a characteristic red tint. If it is planted in the shade, then it is throughout the season will not change its green color... There are many varieties that adapt well to direct sunlight. The silvery mosaics that decorate the leaves begin to look brighter, the varieties that have purple leaves take on a darker shade.

A feature of Heuchera is that the roots are located near the surface. This requires the gardener to carry out activities that will help prevent the roots from drying out. The simplest and most effective way is mulching. Thanks to mulch, moisture will evaporate more slowly, and the soil will be well supplied with oxygen, and will also retain a loose structure thanks to underground inhabitants. Straw, sawdust, compost, gravel, foliage, etc. will perfectly cope with the role of mulch.

In the process of caring for heuchera, it is necessary to ensure the permeability of the soil, since with stagnant water there is disease risk and death. For this reason, it is necessary to deal with the drainage device even before planting.

Over time, heuchera bushes begin to look less attractive, as the middle of the bush begins to be exposed. The rejuvenation of the bush can be carried out as follows: for this you need to dig out a heuchera bush, divide it into sockets, which are then seated in prepared places. It is best to do this in late summer, when the plants have faded, or in the spring, before the leaves have begun to bloom. Plants do not suffer from such an operation, therefore, after transplantation, they quickly take root.

In late autumn, the foliage begins to dry out, but you do not need to touch it, since it will provide protection to the plants during the winter when the cold hits. Only inflorescences with seeds can be removed, since heuchera after flowering do not look so attractive. Once harvested, the seeds can serve as material for planting new plants. Plants with light leaves, as well as newly planted bushes, are necessary before winter protect from cold with foliage.

Fertilizer and feeding of Heuchera

Initially, heuchera was a wild plant that lived in the mountains, where the soil was not very fertile. The new varieties have little in common with their wild relatives, as they are provided with all the necessary nutrients. For this reason, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is very rare. It is usually sufficient to apply fertilizer in the spring, at the time when planting is carried out. If you missed it, then this work can be done at the end of the growing season. For better assimilation, fertilization must be completed by watering the plantings.

Plant propagation

If you want to increase the representation of Heuchera on your site, then the easiest way to do this is by dividing the bush... This method does not in any way impair the decorative properties of the variety. It is recommended to do this in early spring or autumn. To do this, you need to take a prepared plant and separate the outlet from it, which, when planting, is buried at a greater distance than for the mother plant.

Heuchera can also be propagated by cuttings. To do this, you need to prepare cuttings 4-6 cm long in the summer and bury them in a greenhouse. Usually, growing young bushes takes 3-4 weeks, after which you can transplant to a permanent place.

The seed propagation method is very time consuming and laborious. Therefore, this method of growing flowers is rarely resorted to.

Diseases and pests

The advantage of the plant is that it is resistant to most diseases, the same applies to many pests. But there are cases when powdery mildew, rust, gray rot were found in certain varieties of Heuchera. This is usually facilitated by factors such as too frequent watering or insufficient drainage of the land.This leads to stagnation of moisture in the root zone, resulting in favorable conditions for the development of pathogens. When fertilizing in large quantities, the protective properties of plants are reduced.

Conclusion

Geykhera is an exotic plant for our country, but many flower growers have learned how to grow it in the garden and at home. This is not difficult to do, since the plant is unpretentious. The main difficulties can arise only with the choice of a suitable place for this plant. You can grow these flowers from seeds, cuttings and rosettes... As for leaving, there are no problems with this, since Heuchera is resistant to most diseases and pests.

Planting Heuchera

Flowers Olga Ravilova

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2014-04-23 Heuchera (Coral Bells, Heuchera) in pots is an exquisite decoration.

Heuchera (Latin Heuchera, English Coral Bells) is a plant of the saxifragaceae family. The birthplace of Heuchera is the mountain ranges of western North America.

Geykhera are perennial, rhizome, herbaceous plants 40–60 cm high. The genus includes about 70 species. Heuchera leaves are collected in rosettes. Flowers are small, pink, red, white; They are collected in panicles. Geikhera are decorative, first of all, for their foliage, and in its beauty they are second only to the host. Leaves are medium, round-cordate-lobed, on long hairy-pubescent petioles, forming a basal rosette.

Varieties of HeucheraGeicher "Obsidian".

The main value of these plants is in the varied color of the leaves, which, in addition to green, includes various shades of white, cream, red, purple, brown, gray and silver in different combinations. At the same time, many types of geyher retain their decorative effect from spring to late autumn, leaving under the snow with foliage.

Mixes from different varieties of Heuchera decorate any garden. Photo: Summerhill Garden Center

Heichera blood red differs in denser leaves than other species. Its flowers are small, bell-shaped, blood-red, crimson or pink. They are collected in loose paniculate inflorescences on thin peduncles. Heuchera blooms for a long time, from June to August. The plant is very hardy, drought-resistant, but, nevertheless, it needs places protected from the sun.

Heichera is blood-red. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Heuchera hybrid similar to blood-red Heuchera, but differs from it in larger sizes and blooms longer. The leaves are usually green with white and creamy dots. Heuchera hybrid flowers are white, pink, coral, red. The inflorescences look like a white lace cloud. Currently, there are many varieties of hybrid heuchera, with different leaf colors.

Heuchera hybrid Photo:

Heuchera small-flowered differs in very decorative leaves - with gray-silver spots; there are plants with purple foliage. Small-flowered heuchera flowers are creamy pink. Plant height 40-60 cm.

American Geichera - its leaves are rounded, below it can be brown-lilac, flowers are yellow-green. Varietal American Heuchera can differ significantly in color of the leaves, there are specimens with different shades and borders. The color of the leaves of American Heuchera can vary, and it is most vividly colored in spring and autumn.

Heuchera is cylindrical. This plant is slightly larger than the rest of the species. Inflorescences of heuchera cylindrical, dense, beige-green, pink or coral; the leaves are green. Heuchera cylindrical prefers a sunny location or light partial shade.

Applications of HeucheraMulticolored mixes of Heuchera are pleasing to the eye.

The use of geyher on the site is extremely diverse: they are used in group and specimen plantings, near-trunk zone, mixborders, flower beds, rabatkas, rocky gardens - rock gardens and rockeries, in the coastal zone of water bodies.

Heuchera look good in mixed flower beds, in particular with irises, sedums, hosts, primroses, ornamental grasses and many other plants.Geykhera are combined with early flowering plants: forest trees, kandyks, crocuses.

Another big plus in growing geyher is that they are decorative from the moment the leaves grow back to autumn frosts, which makes it possible for them to be used for a long time in groups to create bright contrasting spots, near water bodies, on shaded rocky hills.

Planting HeucheraHeuchera (Heuchera sanguinea). Photo: Wikimedia Commons

An important advantage of geychers is shade tolerance... When choosing a place for planting, remember that it is best for growing it in semi-shady places with diffused shadow from deciduous trees or shrubs.

In purple-leaved varieties in sunny areas, the foliage color becomes darker, and the silvery mosaic is more saturated. But heuchera can also grow in sunny areas, subject to regular watering.

It is undemanding to the soil, but it develops better and blooms more abundantly on fertile, light, moderately moisture-absorbing, well-drained soil in the presence of lime. Heuchera can also be grown in denser loamy soils if well drained. In this case, you need to add organic additives - rotted tree bark or compost.

The optimum soil acidity for these plants is pH 5.8 to 6.3.

Reproduction of heucheraHeuchera is easiest to propagate by division. Photo: A Garden for the House

Propagated by Heuchera seeds, dividing adult 5-6-year-old bushes and green cuttings. Rosettes with small leaves on long stalks, which appear in spring, are cut on cuttings. Cuttings are rooted in June.

It is better to divide the bushes in the spring, they easily divide themselves without the use of tools. Each separated part should have 4–5 buds and roots.

With seed reproduction, seeds are sown in autumn or spring, preferably in boxes, because they are very small. After one pick, the seedlings are planted in the beds, for the winter they are covered with leaves with a layer of 10 cm. The next year they are planted in a permanent place. Heuchera seedlings bloom in the third year.

But we must bear in mind that many beautiful plants cannot be obtained from seeds. The color and shape of the flowers of the parents are not transmitted through the seeds, but mostly unpretentious green-leaved plants grow. And only less than a quarter of the plants will be somewhat similar to their parents and to the label on the seed envelope. Therefore, it is more advisable to propagate varietal heuchera in a vegetative way.

If the plant for planting is purchased in early spring with an open root system, it can be temporarily placed in a bulk container and placed in a room or greenhouse. At a later date, it is planted in open ground.

If the plant is bought in a pot, you should wash its root system from the substrate, straighten it and trim the tips of the roots. If there are a lot of leaves, but few roots, you need to remove some of the large and all old leaves in order for the plant to take root.

When planting, you need to make sure that no voids form between the roots - "air pockets", and the middle of the outlet is not covered with earth.

Geyhera care

Dry weather in spring and first half of summer negatively affects the seasonal development of plants, especially before flowering. It is important at this time to ensure timely and optimal watering, since the lack of moisture in the soil negatively affects the abundance and duration of flowering, the size and number of inflorescences.

Water and feed heuchera need to be very careful, since plants are sensitive to an excess of organic matter and stagnant water.

The soil should be moderately moist, especially in the surface horizon, where the root system of plants is located. Watering is desirable in the morning or evening. For the best retention of moisture in the soil and to prevent drying out of the roots, it is recommended to mulch heucheras with peat or rotted foliage annually in the fall.

In good soil and with optimal illumination, heucheras do not need mineral fertilizing. Mineral fertilizers should be applied as needed.In the spring before flowering, and in the summer at the end of it, a complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content is applied. Plants do not tolerate an excess of organic matter and stagnant water (all this can lead to diseases, decay of roots).

Heychera need huddle every year, since its bases grow above the soil level. Geykhera needs transplants; every 3-5 years, the bushes need to be divided (in the spring, before flowering). Heuchera also needs to be hilled, as the stem grows and becomes bare above the soil level. Light-leaved varieties of Heuchera and young plants are recommended to be covered with foliage for the winter.

Pest control and disease prevention

Heuchera can be affected by snails and slugs; spot and downy mildew. In general, heucheras are stable; an excess of moisture, organic matter in the soil, as well as increased acidity can lead to diseases.

This small plant surprises not only with its airy and delicate flowers, but also with its incredibly beautiful leaves - of various shapes and colors. In a garden of any style: English landscape, luxurious Moorish or strict regular - such a decorative deciduous perennial like Heuchera looks great. Planting and caring for this plant is quite simple and even a novice gardener can do it, but there are some nuances and rules that should be followed and taken into account when growing geyher.

Botanical characteristic

This perennial, belonging to the saxifrage family, was named after the German physician and naturalist I.G. In total, there are about 70 natural species of this plant, most of which grow in various regions of North America. Heuchera is a rather low, about 30-50 cm, herbaceous perennial, dense and variably colored long-stemmed leaves of which are collected in a basal rosette. The flowering of this plant in the middle lane can be observed in the middle of summer. If the place was chosen correctly and all conditions were created, then in June-July each bush throws out peduncles reaching a meter in length and decorated with small flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences. They are red, pink, white, depending on the type and variety to which the Heuchera belongs. Planting and care, the photo below shows how the Heuchera villosa blooming bush of the Autumn Bride variety looks spectacular.

After flowering, a fruit-box is formed, inside which there are many very small seeds. The plant is quite frost-hardy and shade-tolerant.

Historical reference

At the very beginning of the 17th century, the botanist Karl Klusius described a plant - mountain undergrowth - brought from North America. It was then that the Heuchera flower was first mentioned in the scientific literature. Planting and caring for this plant was not described there, but it is known that by the middle of the same century it was cultivated in French gardens. John Tradescant Jr. was the first famous gardener to grow geychera, and the year of their introduction into the culture is considered to be 1656.

At the beginning of the 19th century, other representatives of the Heuchera genus were described, including the Heuchera sanguinea, a blood-red Heuchera found in Mexico. The planting and care of which did not differ from the already known species.

At the beginning of the last century, geychera were quite rare in the gardens, and most of them were species of plants and their natural forms. The situation changed after the famous French breeders of that time, father and son Lemoine, began to hybridize this perennial. The first hybrid form, obtained from crossing small-flowered and blood-red, was the quail-shaped heuchera. Planting and care (a photo of a modern plant of this species of the Pluie de Feu variety is presented below) is exactly the same as that of its "ancestors". Subsequently, breeding work was carried out both in France by the Lemoine family and in the UK by A. Blum. The latter received from crossing hairy, small-flowered, American and cylindrical more than a dozen complex hybrid forms.

Views

In modern horticulture, it is not the natural species themselves that are most often found, but various hybrids and varieties of Heucher:

• American (Heuchera Americana) - with long-petiolate leaves of a cordate-rounded shape, bordered along the edge. They differ in various color options.
• Hairy (Heuchera villosa) - stands out with large leaf plates, painted in apricot-bronze, light green and various shades of purple.
• Blood red (Heuchera sanguinea) - also called "red bell", has denser leaves than other species. This is the most unpretentious and stable Heuchera. Planting and caring for it in the garden is minimal, the most important thing is not to plant it in sunny places, as it prefers to grow in partial shade and shade.
• Small-flowered (Heuchera Micrantha) is one of the most spectacular types of Heuchera. On the leaves of plants of this species, there is a silvery color in the form of spots and "blots" of various sizes, there are also varieties with a velvet-cherry, almost purple color.
• Cylindrical (H. Cilindrica) - the largest representative of the genus Heuchera. The species got its name because of the cylindrical shape of dense inflorescences, which are reddish, pink and greenish-yellow in color. The leaves of this species are usually green.

Popular varieties

It is unlikely that anyone will be able to say exactly how many varieties of geyher exist today. Almost every year, breeders delight lovers with new and interesting plants. The approximate number of modern varieties is about 200. It will not work to tell about everything, but we will try to highlight interesting and popular ones.

• Low, only 25 cm, Heuchera variety Amethyst Mist Coral Bells stands out with glossy foliage of deep purple color, covered as if with an ice pattern of thin silvery veins.
• The leaves of the beauty of the Regina variety, whose height is about 30 cm, are painted in lavender with an ash-silver tint. On high - 50-60 cm - pink inflorescences bloom in June.
• Geichera Autumn Leaves (AutomnLeaves) is practically a chameleon variety, as it changes the color of its leaves three times per season. In the spring they are "firemen" - bright red, in the summer - gray-green, and in the fall they turn crimson. The preferred landing site is partial shade.
• The Beauty Color variety is distinguished by a two-tone color of the leaves, a green border around the edge and bright veins.
• Creamy yellow leaves decorated with reddish-brown veins will surprise the Elektra Heuchera. The intensity of the yellow color changes during the season, and blooms with milky white bells. It is better not to plant in the sun.

If desired, all of these varieties, as well as many others, can be grown as indoor plants.

Heuchera: planting and care in the open field

When growing this perennial, it is quite important to choose the right place for its placement. The splendor of the bush and its flowering, the brightness of the color of the leaves, and the life of the plant depend on this. Thinking about where to land the Heuchera, it is better to opt for those areas where the sun is in the morning hours, or where there is a slight partial shade. Despite the fact that this plant is shade-tolerant, it will reveal its beauty of Heuchera only in openwork penumbra. Planting and caring for young plants have their own characteristics: they should be located in places protected from strong winds and with well-drained, light and nutritious soil. This plant is unpretentious, but in areas where water stagnates for a long time, for example, after rain, it will die, since the root system will quickly begin to rot.

How to care for this flower?

We will not repeat how unpretentious the Heuchera plant is. Planting and caring for him is simple: the right place with good soil, timely watering, mulching and hilling. As noted, this perennial does not tolerate stagnant moisture, but it also does not like overdrying the soil.The ground around the plant should be constantly slightly moist, then the leaves will be large and beautiful, and the flowering will delight. In order to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture, especially on hot days, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the heuchera bush with humus, foliage, grass or straw. Planting and care in the fall, as well as mulching the plant, especially after the first frost, will prevent its death from extinction in spring.

Feed or not?

Quite often, you can read in various sources that geychera of any kind and type do not need feeding. This is partly true, but only when you have well-“filled” fertile soils. And in this case, it should be remembered that all stocks come to an end someday. Many flower growers feed Heucheras with complex mineral fertilizers with a small amount of nitrogen twice a season: before and after flowering. When feeding this plant, use only half of the manufacturer's recommended dose, it is no longer worth it.

Diseases and pests

Heuchera, planting and caring for which corresponds to the agricultural technology of this plant, is quite resistant to various diseases and insects that want to feast on it. But unfavorable weather conditions, as well as a lack or excess of water weaken the flower, and the larva of the furrow weevil beetle can begin to "feast on" its roots. The insect itself is black-brown, only about 10 mm long, decorated with deep grooves on the elytra. They feed at night, nibbling the edges of the leaves, and during the day they hide in the soil. There they lay eggs, from which white larvae hatch with a brown head, gnawing at the roots. Pests also include slugs and snails that love to "chew" young leaves.

Of the diseases affecting Heuchera, the most common are bacterial spots and fungal infections.

How to propagate?

It is quite easy to get seedlings of a plant like Heuchera. Planting and caring for young plants in the open field is simple, but first you need to get seed in one of three ways:

- sowing seeds;

- dividing the bush;

- by rooting the side cuttings.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Divide the bush

The easiest way to get some small geyher is to subdivide a three to four year old plant. For this you need:

1. Dig up the plant carefully.
2. With a clean and sharp knife, divide it into several parts.
3. Cut off dry leaves up to the buds located in the axils of old leaves.
4. Damaged and long roots must be cut off, and the cut should be sprinkled with ash, crushed coal or a root formation stimulator.
5. Before planting, you need to dig a hole 0.3x0.3 m in size.
6. At the bottom, put a little of any complex fertilizer and well-rotted humus.
7. Having straightened the roots, fill the hole with soil and compact it well.
8. Water and protect from sunlight.

Growing from seeds

You can propagate a plant like Heuchera by seed. Planting and leaving is easy. It is important to remember that the germination of the seeds of this plant lasts only six months after collection. Pay attention to the date of packing if you buy them in the store. If they are packed in a foil bag, then their shelf life can increase up to one and a half years. Heuchera seeds are planted on seedlings in March-April, depending on the level of illumination in the house. In the prepared soil, previously laid out in containers with a height of more than five centimeters and spilled with a weak warm solution of potassium permanganate, loosened and leveled, seeds are sown, previously mixed with clean river sand. They should not be deepened; it is enough to press a little into the ground. Then the containers are covered with glass or transparent film, after which they are placed on a warm, well-lit windowsill. Seedlings will appear in 14-21 days, all this time you need to air the plantings daily. When the first three leaves appear, the seedlings dive. In May, seedlings can be taken out into the garden or moved to a greenhouse, and in early June they can be planted in open ground.In autumn, young plants should be covered with straw or spruce branches.

Cuttings

Another way of reproduction of geyher is by cuttings, which allows not to dig up the plant. Near the ground, you need to find shoots with buds, cut them off and transfer them to a greenhouse or to a seedling bed. The twigs are treated with a root formation stimulator and planted in the ground so that the buds rise above the ground. After about 4–5 weeks, the planted cuttings will take root, and after a couple of months they can be transplanted into open ground.

Heuchera is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Saxifrage family. In the natural environment, it lives in the rocky areas of North America. The name is given in honor of the German doctor, botanist Johann Heinrich von Heicher.

Heuchera is a compact bushes about 50 cm high with exquisite, luxurious leaves that change their color during the growing season, and more than once. No other plant can match the rich palette and varied combinations of variegated colors.

Geichera in landscape design photo

Leaves are leathery, attached on long petioles, have serrated edges. They can be smooth, corrugated, curly. The leaves can be colored bright red, almost black, maroon, amber, pink, purple, yellow, green, silver with stripes, specks, specks, patterns.

There are decorative leafy and decorative flowering heucheras. Small bell-shaped flowers are painted in white, cream, red, they are collected in paniculate inflorescences. Flowering will last all summer, it can bloom until frost. The fruit is a capsule filled with small seeds (1 g contains about 20,000 seeds).

Growing Heuchera from seeds When to sow for seedlings

Heychera seeds photo

Heuchera is propagated by seed and vegetative method.

During seed propagation, the species and varietal characteristics of the plant are lost if the seeds are collected from hybrid forms. Therefore, it is better to purchase seeds in specialized stores. Then your work will not be useless, and the result will please.

How and when to plant seeds for seedlings

Heuchera from seeds growing for seedlings photo shoots

You can sow seeds:

• in open ground (by the end of April)
• grow seedlings (in early March).

Do not plant the seeds deeply, but it is best to scatter them over the surface of the substrate, lightly press into the soil with your palm and moisten from the spray bottle.

• For growing seedlings, use containers with loose, water and breathable soil.
• Cover crops with foil, ventilate regularly, moisten the soil.
• Seed germination will take about 1-1.5 months.
• The grown seedlings are carefully seated in separate skippers and continue their careful care: they are watered moderately, provided with light and warmth.

Heuchera seedlings ready for planting photo

• As the time for planting in the ground approaches, the seedlings are hardened, taking them out into the street in a place protected from the wind. Gradually increasing the length of stay, the plants are taught to the open air and the sun. When the seedlings can be outside for a full day, in the absence of night frosts, they are planted in a flower bed.

When planting young plants in a permanent place, deepen by 3-4 cm, keep a distance of 20 cm between them.

Video about growing heuchera from seeds:

Getting a lot of seedlings from seeds is the easiest and cheapest way to propagate Heuchera in your area. This plant can be used to decorate mixborders and shady areas of the garden.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

When the plant reaches the age of 3-4 years, the time for dividing the bush comes. It is recommended to do this in May or September.

How to divide a heuchera bush photo

• Each section should contain 2-3 leaf rosettes and part of the rootstock.
• It is necessary to prune roots that are too long, remove rotten areas and treat the cut with a fungicide.
• Dig a 30 by 30 planting hole, the depth is slightly more than the size of the root system.
• Maintain a distance of about 25 cm between the bushes.
• Water, mulch the site.

Propagation of heuchera by cuttings

How to cut a geyhera stalk photo

• Reproduction by cuttings is carried out in June-July.
• The stalk should be part of the bush without rhizomes.
• Partially remove the leaves at the bottom, treat the stalk with a growth stimulator: keep it in a solution of heteroauxin or root for a day.

Rooted geyhera stalk ready for planting photo

• Root in a sandy-peat mixture, covered with a transparent glass or bag.
• Ventilate daily, moderately moisten the soil (it is better to water through a tray).
• Rooting of heuchera cuttings will take 3-4 weeks. Then transplant to open ground.

Geyhera care in the garden

Geikhera variety Petite Pearl Fairy photo

Growing features:

• If you do not have a goal to collect seeds in the fall, it is better to immediately remove the peduncle of decorative deciduous heucheras, since it will rise above the bush and the plant will not look neat.
• In decorative flowering heucheras, remove the peduncle immediately after flowering.
• Falling of the lower leaves is a natural process. But the trunk is bare, therefore, before flowering, the plant should be removed from the soil and transferred into the hole so that the trunk is sprinkled with earth.
• Young leaves are bright, but seem translucent, over time they thicken, become darker.
• In landscape design, Heuchera goes well with astilba, daylilies, primroses, incense, ornamental cereals.

Where to plant Heuchera

Heuchera is shade-tolerant. Grows well in the shade of other plants. The best place would be the west or east side, where access to sunlight is possible only in the morning or evening hours. Varieties with red leaves grow well under the sun, variegated forms will also be brighter under the influence of direct sunlight.

Watering

When grown in the sun, water regularly; on dry, hot days, do this twice a day: early in the morning and in the evenings. Stagnant water will negatively affect the condition of the plant: water less often in the shade. Pour water under the bush so that drops do not fall on the leaves.

Priming

The plant is picky about the choice of soil. Only acidic soils are contraindicated. It can grow in rocky areas, but the bush will be more luxuriant in fertile loose soil.

How to feed Heuchera

In the first year after planting or transplanting, additional feeding will not be needed. Then apply universal complex fertilizers depending on the type of plant (decorative leafy or decorative flowering). Top dressing is applied before and after flowering, the dose should be halved from that recommended by the manufacturer.

Leaving after flowering and wintering

Flowering begins in summer and lasts about 2-3 months. Cut off the withered peduncles.

The plant overwinters in the garden. In no case should heuchera leaves be removed - they will serve as protection for the root system. Cover additionally with fallen tree leaves (preferably oak).

Types and varieties of heuchera with photos and names

The genus Heuchera has about 70 species. Conventionally, they are divided into lems and mountain ones, since in their natural environment they occupy forests and woodlands of the mountainous regions of the United States and Mexico. Let's get acquainted with the most popular species and varieties among gardeners that are used in landscape design and for breeding new varieties.

Heuchera blood-red Heuchera sanguinea

Heuchera blood-red Heuchera sanguinea photo

It has green leaves and bright red flowers. It is also called a red bell. Peduncles stretch 50 cm in length. In some varieties, the leaves have a speck of a creamy, white shade. This cold-resistant species is popular in our latitudes. Famous varieties: Hercules, Monet, Variegata.

Heuchera hairy Heuchera villosa

Heuchera hairy Heuchera villosa Bronze Wave photo

The leaves are large, velvety, peduncles and petioles are pubescent.

Popular varieties:

Heuchera variety Rachel Heuchera villosa Rachel photo in the garden

• Bronze brave is a variety with leaves about 20 cm in diameter, of a bronze shade.
• Rachel - flowers are painted in a pale pink shade.

Heuchera cylindrica

Heuchera cylindric variety Greenfinch Heuchera cylindrica Green finch photo

A bush with showy leaves. They are rounded, heart-shaped, painted green with darker veins and a silvery pattern. A cloud of small flowers of white, greenish, pink, coral hue rises on a long peduncle (about 90 cm).

Varieties:

Heuchera cylindrical variety Hyperion Heuchera cylindrica Hyperion photo

• Hyperion - the peduncle stretches 0.5 m, the flowers are red-pink.
• Greenfinch - greenish cream flowers.

Heuchera small-flowered Heuchera micrantha

Heuchera small-flowered Heuchera micrantha photo in the garden

She is considered the most spectacular. The shape of the leaf plate is similar to that of a maple leaf, with silvery spots. Peduncle about 60 cm high ends in a paniculate inflorescence, consisting of many flowers of a creamy pink hue.

The most popular varieties:

Heuchera variety Bressingham Bronze Heuchera micrantha Bresslngham Bronze photo

• Bressingham Bronze - has leaves of a red-brown color

Heuchera variety Purple castle Heuchera micrantha Palace Purple photo

• Palace Purpl - dark purple leaves.

Heuchera American Heuchera americana

Heuchera american variety green spice heuchera americana green spice photo

The leaf plates are rounded, attached on long petioles. The underside is tinted mauve, the top is yellow-green. The flowers are yellow-green.

The most popular variety is Green Spice. Green leaves have silvery spots, the main shade changes to dark yellow, the spots become larger, and the veins take on a purple hue.

Heuchera hybrid Heuchera hybrida

Heuchera hybrida cascade dawn photo

The main background of the leaf plate is green, there is a cream speck and contrasting veins. The flowers are colored white, coral, red or pink.

Varieties:

Geuchera hybrid Ruby Vale Ruby Veil photo

• Cappuccino
• Ruby Vale
• Cancan

Heuchera hybrid Beauty color heuchera beauty color photo

• Beauty Color.

Gooseberry Heuchera Heuchera grossulariifolia

Heuchera gooseberry-leaved Heuchera grossulariifolia photo

Very hardy look. The leaves are green. Peduncles reach a length of 65 cm, flowers are snow-white or yellow.

Heuchera varieties for the middle lane with photos and names

Popular varieties of geychera are already quite common in gardens; they can be seen even in city parks and squares. Let's take a closer look at the ones most beloved by our gardeners.

Heuchera Marmalade Heuchera Marmalade

Heuchera Marmalade Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ photo

The greenish-boggy shade of the leaves turns into blood red, the inflorescences are small and inexpressive, all the decorativeness of the variety is in its bright spectacular leaves, creating a refreshing contrast against the background of green neighbors.

Heuchera Berry Smoothie

Heuchera Berry Smoothie photo

Yellow-pink, with hints of peach, the color of the leaves of the berry smoothie Heuchera Berry Smoothie mesmerizes with its fantastic tenderness and charm.

Geykhera midnight rose select Midnight rose Select

Geykhera midnight rose select Midnight rose Select photo

No less charming is the Midnight rose Select variety with a purple color of leaves, mottled with chaotic specks of pale pink color.

Heuchera Velvet Night Heuchera Velvet Night

Heuchera Velvet Knight Heuchera Velvet Night photo

The dark purple leaves of Heuchera Velvet Night are almost black in color, making them truly reminiscent of twilight at night.

Heuchera 'Zipper'

Heuchera Zipper 'Zipper' photo

The yellow-green leaves of the variety Zipper Heuchera 'Zipper' are crimson on the underside of the leaf plate, and the leaves themselves have a three-toed dissection with a coarsely toothed wavy edge.

Heuchera 'Amethyst Myst'

Heuchera amethyst Mist Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’ photo

The delicate shade of purple-pink leaves of the Amethyst Mist variety Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’ looks luxurious against the background of neighboring brunners, periwinkle and Ayuga will become good companions.

Heuchera ‘Marvelous Marble’

Heuchera ‘Marvelous Marble’ photos

Marvelous Marble Heuchera ‘Marvelous Marble’ leaves a fantastic coloration of silvery, purple, pink and green. The marble pattern, with a clear line of expressive veins, attracts the eye even from afar.

This small plant surprises not only with its airy and delicate flowers, but also with its incredibly beautiful leaves - of various shapes and colors. In a garden of any style: English landscape, luxurious Moorish or strict regular - such a decorative deciduous perennial like Heuchera looks great. Planting and caring for this plant is quite simple and even a novice gardener can do it, but there are some nuances and rules that should be followed and taken into account when growing geyher.

Botanical characteristic

This perennial, belonging to the saxifrage family, was named after the German physician and naturalist Geicher I.G. In total, there are about 70 natural species of this plant, most of which grow in various regions of North America. Geykhera is a rather low, about 30-50 cm, herbaceous perennial, dense and variably colored long-stemmed leaves of which are collected in a basal rosette. The flowering of this plant in the middle lane can be observed in the middle of summer. If the place was chosen correctly and all conditions were created, then in June-July each bush throws out peduncles reaching a meter in length and decorated with small flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences. They are red, pink, white, depending on the type and variety to which the Heuchera belongs. Planting and care, the photo below shows how the Heuchera villosa blooming bush of the Autumn Bride variety looks spectacular.

After flowering, a fruit-box is formed, inside which there are many very small seeds. The plant is quite frost-hardy and shade-tolerant.

Historical reference

At the very beginning of the 17th century, the botanist Karl Klusius described a plant - mountain undergrowth - brought from North America. It was then that the Heuchera flower was first mentioned in the scientific literature. Planting and caring for this plant was not described there, but it is known that by the middle of the same century it was cultivated in French gardens. John Tradescant Jr. was the first famous gardener to grow geychera, and the year of their introduction into the culture is considered to be 1656.

At the beginning of the 19th century, other representatives of the Heuchera genus were described, including the Heuchera sanguinea, a blood-red Heuchera found in Mexico. The planting and care of which did not differ from the already known species.

At the beginning of the last century, geychera were quite rare in the gardens, and most of them were species of plants and their natural forms. The situation changed after the famous French breeders of that time, father and son Lemoine, began to hybridize this perennial. The first hybrid form, obtained from the crossing of small-flowered and blood-red, was the quail-like Heuchera. Planting and care (a photo of a modern plant of this species of the Pluie de Feu variety is presented below) is exactly the same as that of its "ancestors". Subsequently, breeding work was carried out both in France by the Lemoine family and in the UK by A. Blum. The latter received from crossing hairy, small-flowered, American and cylindrical more than a dozen complex hybrid forms.

Views

In modern gardening, it is not the natural species themselves that are most often found, but various hybrids and varieties of Heucher:

• American (Heuchera Americana) - with long-petiolate leaves of a cordate-rounded shape, bordered along the edge. They differ in various color options.
• Hairy (Heuchera villosa) - stands out with large leaf plates, painted in apricot-bronze, light green and various shades of purple.
• Blood red (Heuchera sanguinea) - also called "red bell", has denser leaves than other species. This is the most unpretentious and stable Heuchera. Planting and caring for it in the garden is minimal, the most important thing is not to plant it in sunny places, as it prefers to grow in partial shade and shade.
• Small-flowered (Heuchera Micrantha) is one of the most spectacular types of Heuchera. On the leaves of plants of this species, there is a silvery color in the form of spots and "blots" of various sizes, there are also varieties with a velvet-cherry, almost purple color.
• Cylindrical (H. Cilindrica) - the largest representative of the genus Heuchera. The species got its name because of the cylindrical shape of dense inflorescences, which are reddish, pink and greenish-yellow in color. The leaves of this species are usually green.

Popular varieties

It is unlikely that anyone will be able to say exactly how many varieties of geyher exist today. Almost every year, breeders delight lovers with new and interesting plants. The approximate number of modern varieties is about 200. It will not work to tell about everything, but we will try to highlight interesting and popular ones.

• Low, only 25 cm, Heuchera variety Amethyst Mist Coral Bells stands out with glossy foliage of deep purple color, covered as if with an ice pattern of thin silvery veins.
• The leaves of the beauty of the Regina variety, whose height is about 30 cm, are painted in lavender with an ash-silver tint. On high - 50-60 cm - pink inflorescences bloom in June.
• Geichera Autumn Leaves (AutomnLeaves) is practically a chameleon variety, as it changes the color of its leaves three times per season. In the spring they are "firemen" - bright red, in the summer - gray-green, and in the fall they turn crimson. The preferred landing site is partial shade.
• The Beauty Color variety is distinguished by a two-tone color of the leaves, a green border around the edge and bright veins.
• Creamy yellow leaves, decorated with veins of reddish-brown color, will surprise the Heuchera variety Electra. The intensity of the yellow color changes during the season, and blooms with milky white bells. It is better not to plant in the sun.

If desired, all of these varieties, as well as many others, can be grown as indoor plants.

Heuchera: planting and care in the open field

When growing this perennial, it is quite important to choose the right place for its placement. The splendor of the bush and its flowering, the brightness of the color of the leaves, and the life of the plant depend on this. Thinking about where to land the Heuchera, it is better to opt for those areas where the sun is in the morning hours, or where there is a slight partial shade. Despite the fact that this plant is shade-tolerant, it will reveal its beauty of Heuchera only in the openwork penumbra. Planting and caring for young plants have their own characteristics: they should be located in places protected from strong winds and with well-drained, light and nutritious soil. This plant is unpretentious, but in areas where water stagnates for a long time, for example, after rain, it will die, since the root system will quickly begin to rot.

How to care for this flower?

We will not repeat how unpretentious the Heuchera plant is. Planting and caring for him is simple: the right place with good soil, timely watering, mulching and hilling. As noted, this perennial does not tolerate stagnant moisture, but it also does not like overdrying the soil. The ground around the plant should be constantly slightly moist, then the leaves will be large and beautiful, and the flowering will delight. In order to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture, especially on hot days, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the heuchera bush with humus, foliage, grass or straw. Planting and care in the fall, as well as mulching the plant, especially after the first frost, will prevent its death from extinction in spring.

Feed or not?

Quite often, you can read in various sources that geychera of any kind and type do not need feeding. This is partly true, but only when you have well-“filled” fertile soils. And in this case, it should be remembered that all stocks come to an end someday.Many flower growers feed Heucheras with complex mineral fertilizers with a small amount of nitrogen twice a season: before and after flowering. When feeding this plant, use only half of the manufacturer's recommended dose, it is no longer worth it.

Diseases and pests

Heuchera, planting and caring for which corresponds to the agricultural technology of this plant, is quite resistant to various diseases and insects that want to feast on it. But unfavorable weather conditions, as well as a lack or excess of water weaken the flower, and the larva of the furrow weevil beetle can begin to "feast on" its roots. The insect itself is black-brown, only about 10 mm long, decorated with deep grooves on the elytra. They feed at night, nibbling the edges of the leaves, and during the day they hide in the soil. There they lay eggs, from which white larvae hatch with a brown head, gnawing at the roots. Pests also include slugs and snails that love to "chew" young leaves.

Of the diseases affecting Heuchera, the most common are bacterial spots and fungal infections.

How to propagate?

It is quite easy to get seedlings of a plant like Heuchera. Planting and caring for young plants in the open field is simple, but first you need to get seed in one of three ways:

- sowing seeds;

- dividing the bush;

- by rooting the side cuttings.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Divide the bush

The easiest way to get some small geyher is to subdivide a three to four year old plant. For this you need:

1. Dig up the plant carefully.
2. With a clean and sharp knife, divide it into several parts.
3. Cut off dry leaves up to the buds located in the axils of old leaves.
4. Damaged and long roots must be cut off, and the cut should be sprinkled with ash, crushed coal or a root formation stimulator.
5. Before planting, you need to dig a hole 0.3x0.3 m in size.
6. At the bottom, put a little of any complex fertilizer and well-rotted humus.
7. Having straightened the roots, fill the hole with soil and compact it well.
8. Water and protect from sunlight.

Growing from seeds

You can propagate a plant like Heuchera by seed. Planting and leaving is easy. It is important to remember that the germination of the seeds of this plant lasts only six months after collection. Pay attention to the date of packing if you buy them in the store. If they are packed in a foil bag, then their shelf life can increase up to one and a half years. Heuchera seeds are planted on seedlings in March-April, depending on the level of illumination in the house. In the prepared soil, previously laid out in containers with a height of more than five centimeters and spilled with a weak warm solution of potassium permanganate, loosened and leveled, seeds are sown, previously mixed with clean river sand. They should not be deepened; it is enough to press a little into the ground. Then the containers are covered with glass or transparent film, after which they are placed on a warm, well-lit windowsill. Seedlings will appear in 14-21 days, all this time you need to air the plantings daily. When the first three leaves appear, the seedlings dive. In May, seedlings can be taken out into the garden or moved to a greenhouse, and in early June they can be planted in open ground. In autumn, young plants should be covered with straw or spruce branches.

Cuttings

Another way of reproduction of geyher is by cuttings, which allows not to dig up the plant. Near the ground, you need to find shoots with buds, cut them off and transfer them to a greenhouse or to a seedling bed. The twigs are treated with a root formation stimulator and planted in the ground so that the buds rise above the ground. After about 4–5 weeks, the planted cuttings will take root, and after a couple of months they can be transplanted into open ground.