Crocosmia planting and care in the open field in siberia

Crocosmia or montbrecia is a perennial native to Africa, belonging to the Iris family. Despite the fact that crocosmia is a capricious plant, planting and care in the open field is also possible in our latitudes. The main thing is to know a few secrets for growing this African guest.

There are two ways to grow crocosmia - seeds and corms. It is undesirable to plant seeds directly into the ground, since they are very likely to simply not germinate. But the corms are more resistant to temperature extremes and pests, so they can be safely placed directly into the soil.

How to grow crocosmia from seeds

Planting crocosmia and caring for it in the open field in spring begins with harvesting seedlings - as already mentioned, direct sowing may not give results. In late winter or early spring, the seeds are poured into a bowl and poured over with water. After that, they need to be left for a day. A mixture of garden soil, peat, sand and compost is poured into pots or boxes - this is the most suitable soil for crocosmia.

After sowing, containers with future seedlings must be covered with foil and placed in a sunny place (artificial lighting is also suitable). As soon as 2-3 leaves have appeared on the sprouts, you can plant individual plants in more spacious pots. Before planting and caring for crocosmia outdoors in Siberia, where the climate is too harsh, take the flower pots out into the fresh air. Increase the amount of time the plant spends outside each day, so it will adapt more quickly to changing weather conditions.

Planting and caring for crocosmia in the open field

Crocosmia is best planted in well-lit areas; in the shade, you will get elongated pale plants. It is advisable that the flowerbed is on a hill - so the corms will not flood after the rains. Strong drafts can also damage flowers.

The time for planting crocosmia in open ground is mid-May, when the threat of late frosts disappears. In temperate climates, flowers can be planted by the end of April.

A place for planting should be chosen in advance so that in the fall to loosen the soil and add sand (so that the water does not stagnate in the roots after watering) and mineral fertilizers.

Before planting, it is necessary to water well and loosen the soil in the flower bed. Corms ready for planting must be planted so that a distance of at least 10 centimeters remains between adult plants. Planting depth is about 8 cm.

Planting crocosmia and caring for it in the open ground in the Urals is possible only if the garden bed can be covered during the cold weather. Growing in sunlit glazed greenhouses will give a good result.

To avoid cross-pollination, it is better to plant crocosmia of different varieties in different beds, with sufficient distance from each other.

Proper care of young crocosmia

The most important thing for crocosmia is timely watering. Perennials need to be watered every week, but you should monitor the weather so that the bulbs do not rot on rainy days. In hot weather, the abundance of watering should increase.

Before the first inflorescences appear, as soon as the leaves develop, it is necessary to make the first feeding. As fertilizers, a solution of mullein, mineral mixtures with potassium and special formulations for bulbous plants are suitable.

You don't need to tie up crocosmia - it keeps its shape on its own, so you don't have to worry about the safety of the peduncles.

Post-flowering care

As soon as the crocosmia blooms, it is advisable to cut off the peduncles - this way more plant energy will be spent on preserving the corms.

If a cold winter is expected, the bulbs are dug up in the fall, carefully peeled from the ground and stored in a cool room. However, if it is possible to do without digging, it is better to leave the corms in the ground. So the flowers will better develop the root system and will delight you with lush flowering next year.

Small-flowered species of montbrecia endure wintering without digging out of open ground, but it is better to play it safe by covering the flowerbed with a 20-centimeter layer of sawdust and leaves.

Let's summarize:

1. Preparation for planting and caring for crocosmia in the open field begins in the fall - a suitable place is chosen, the soil is loosened and fertilized.
2. Plants grow well in sunny heights, in soil rich in humus and peat.
3. Sowing with seeds directly into open ground for crocosmia is undesirable, it is best to prepare seedlings in advance.
4. The easiest crocosmic care is weekly watering.
5. Before wintering, the ground part of the plant is cut off, and the ground above the corms is covered with a layer of sawdust and leaves. Any other organic coating will do as well.

Wintering crocosmia - video

varieties ❀ planting ❀ care

 

Crocosmia (Latin Crocosmia), or montbrecia, or tritonia, is a bulbous plant that belongs to the Iris family. Today's cultivated crocosmia is a herbaceous bulbous perennial hybrid called crocosmia vulgaris. Crocosmia is a close relative of widely cultivated garden flowers such as crocus (saffron), iris (iris), ferraria, gladiolus and freesia. It looks great in open beds in combination with flowers such as daylily, canna, rudbeckia, salvia and echinacea. This plant is also suitable for cutting - crocosmia inflorescences stand in water for up to two weeks.

     

Crocosmia corms, small in size, are covered with reticular membranes. The height of the crocosmia is from 40 to 100 cm. It has a branching stem with linear or xiphoid leaves and a powerful peduncle, which makes the montbrecia look like a gladiolus. It is sometimes called that - Japanese gladiolus, and the agricultural technology of montbrecia is not much different from the agricultural technology of this flower culture. Orange, white and yellow star-shaped crocosmia flowers up to 5 cm in diameter are collected in 3-5 pieces in dense paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a polyspermous rounded capsule.

 

 

Crocosmia growing from seeds

 

In late February or early March, crocosmia seeds are soaked in water for a day, changing it every 6 hours, after which crocosmia seeds are sown into a substrate consisting of turf, peat, humus and sand. The crops are covered with foil and placed as close to the light as possible.

Caring for crocosmia in the seedling period involves the implementation of procedures usual for a florist. As soon as the seedlings appear, the cover is removed from them and they are looked after like any other seedlings: they water it as needed, carefully loosen the soil around the seedlings. Try to keep the substrate in a slightly moist state at all times, but do not overmoisten it, otherwise the seedlings can get sick with fungal diseases.

In the phase of development of the second or third true leaf, the seedlings dive into more spacious containers, where they will grow up in anticipation of transplantation into open ground. Two weeks before transplanting, start taking the seedlings outside for a short time, increasing the duration of the hardening procedure daily.

 

 

Crocosmia planting in open ground

 

Crocosmia is planted in the ground in late April or early May, when the soil warms up to 6-10 ºC. Crocosmia should only be planted in an open, sunny area, otherwise you may never wait for its flowers. The soil should be moisture-permeable, and the groundwater in the area where the montbrecia will grow should not lie too high - the plant does not like stagnant water in the roots.

Prepare a flower bed for crocosmia in the fall: for each m², add two buckets of humus, 100 g of slaked lime, 40 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium chloride. Crocosmia planting in spring is preceded by application to the soil followed by incorporation of nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 30 g per m².

Seedlings are planted in holes at a distance of 10-12 cm between plants, the gap between rows is 25-30 cm. After planting crocosmia on a flower bed, it is watered and covered from the scorching sunlight for 2-3 days. A plant grown from seeds will bloom in the third year, although under optimal conditions for crocosmia, you can see its beautiful inflorescences in the second year.

 

 

Crocosmia outdoor care

 

Water the plant abundantly once a week. After watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil in the flower bed so that a crust does not form.

Regular feeding of the plant is necessary. You can grow crocosmia without top dressing if you planted it in fertile soil, but if the soil on the site is poor, starting with the appearance of the second leaf, every 10 days fertilize the soil with mullein infusion (one part of the fertilizer is infused with 10 parts of water) and complete mineral fertilizer, dissolving 2 g of the drug in 1 liter of water.

During the formation of crocosmia buds, potash fertilizers are more needed. As you can see, caring for a crocosmia flower is not at all difficult, and if the planting of montbrecia and care in the open field is carried out in accordance with the agricultural technology of the crop, you should not have problems with flowering and plant health.

 

 

Crocosmia reproduction

 

Crocosmia is propagated by corms and seeds. For seed propagation, it is more expedient to use the seedling method, since in the open field the seeds may not germinate.

Vegetative propagation is carried out by dividing the corms. Annually, around one adult corm, about five children are formed, blooming the next year. At the same time, the mother plant continues to form children.

Growing and caring for crocosmia involves the regular division and planting of the corms of the plant. From time to time, when the planting of crocosmia becomes too dense, the corms are dug up in the spring, the babies are separated from the mother's bulbs and planted. Crocosmia should be planted at the same time as its seedlings are planted on a flower bed - in late April or early May. Before planting in open ground, you can plant crocosmia in pots to grow the bulbs a little, and in May or June, transplant them to a flower bed along with an earthen clod.

 

 

Crocosmia post-flowering care

 

How and when to harvest crocosmia seeds

If you are already growing crocosmia, then you are unlikely to need its seeds, because sooner or later you will have to divide the corms of the plant, so that you will have planting material. If you are just going to grow montbrecia, then it is better to buy seeds in the store.

Preparing crocosmia for winter For those who live in an area with cold winters, it is better to dig up crocosmia corms in the fall. This should be done no earlier than mid-October, since by this time babies are growing around the bulbs. Corms are dried with good ventilation and a temperature of about 10 ºC, and then stored as gladiolus bulbs.

In areas where winter frosts are not so frequent, you can leave the corms in the ground, but cover the area with compost, on top of which you can put spruce branches, shavings or dry leaves.

In the southern regions, it will be enough to sprinkle a flowerbed with crocosmia in the fall with a layer of dry foliage 20 cm thick and cover it with a film on top. As soon as the frost ends, the shelter is removed, and the old crocosmia leaves are cut off at the level of the surface of the site.

 

 

Crocosmia diseases and pests

 

Crocosmia is a plant resistant to both diseases and pests, however, as a result of insufficient care or prolonged waterlogging of the soil, it can be affected by such diseases:

Fusarium, from which, first of all, the leaves of the plant turn yellow, dry and die off, the peduncles are bent, the flowers are deformed, and their color changes. To combat fusarium, montbrecia treatment with fungicides is used.

Gray rotcovering the crocosmia bulbs with a fluffy gray bloom. It is easier to prevent gray rot than to get rid of it, and jaundice cannot be cured even with a strong desire - no medicine has yet been invented for viral diseases.

Jaundice, or grassiness, from which the tips of the leaves first turn yellow, and then the foliage acquires a straw tint, and the plant dies. This viral disease is carried by leafhoppers.

To prevent all kinds of diseases, planting and caring for montbrecia should be carried out in strict accordance with its agricultural technology, in addition, it is necessary to process the seeds before sowing and corms before planting with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, and from time to time change the plot for crocosmia.

   

Of the pests, bears, thrips and especially spider mites are dangerous to montbrecia.

Medvedki They feed on corms of plants and lay offspring in the soil at a depth of 10 cm, and they can only be removed by arranging traps for insects: in early autumn, fresh horse manure is laid in a hole about 50 cm deep, after which they throw earth into the hole and mark the place with a pole. After a while, a hole is dug up and the bear, settled in the manure for the winter, is destroyed.

Thrips feed on plant sap, from which discolored spots, stripes or streaks appear on the leaves. Leaves die off, stems bend, flowers lose their beauty. To combat thrips, drugs Agravertin, Fitoverm, Actellik, Karbofos or Confidor are used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Spider mites may appear on crocosmia during dry periods. These are sucking insects that pierce the ground parts of the plant and feed on its sap. In addition, ticks are carriers of incurable viral diseases. In the fight against spider mites, the same insectoacaricides are used as for the destruction of thrips.

 

 

Crocosmia species and varieties

 

In nature, there are about 55 species of crocosmia, but most often the following are grown in culture:

 

Crocosmia golden (Crocosmia aurea)

It is a plant with linear or xiphoid leaves and bright yellow-orange flowers. Crocosmia of this species blooms in early autumn; it has been cultivated in culture since 1846. The species has forms with orange, red and yellow flowers.

 

Crocosmia masoniorum

It is a compact bush that grows up to 60-80 cm in height. Plants of this species have xiphoid ribbed leaves up to 5 cm wide and small bright orange flowers, collected in a horizontally deviating brush. Flowers open in the middle of summer. This species is more winter hardy than other members of the genus.

 

Crocosmia paniculata

A tall plant with corrugated leaves, reaching a height of 150 cm. This is one of the earliest flowering species of crocosmia, whose panicles of small but bright orange flowers bloom in mid-June.

 

Crocosmia pottsii

In nature, it grows in Africa, in a swampy area, so it will be comfortable in the partial shade of the garden, where the soil does not dry out so quickly.The leaves of plants of this species are narrow and smooth, and the flowers are small.

 

Crocosmia common (Crocosmia crocosmiiflora)

Or garden montbrecia, is one of the first crocosmia garden hybrids. This plant is up to 1 m high with a straight, thin and branched stem, narrow xiphoid or broadly linear erect leaves of a light green shade and small funnel-shaped flowers of yellow or orange-red color, collected in a panicle. This hybrid blooms in July or August.

 

Since breeding work on the development of new varieties and hybrids of montbrecia is ongoing, today there are more than 400 cultivars of this plant. The most famous of them are the following varieties of crocosmia:
❀ Emily Mackenzie - leafy and compact shrub up to 60 cm high. The upright arrows of this plant are strewn with orange-brown flowers with a bright spot in the center.
❀ Crocosmia Lucifer - a plant up to one and a half meters high with straight peduncles and very bright red flowers. This variety is particularly frost-resistant, therefore, in areas with not very cold winters, corms can be left in the soil for the winter. ❀ George Davidson - a variety up to 70 cm high with amber-yellow flowers that look even brighter against the background of dark green foliage. This variety is excellent in cutting. Blooms in July-August.
❀ Crocosmia Red King - this variety has bright red flowers with an orange center.
❀ Spitfire - a bush up to 60 cm high, blooming from August to the end of September with fiery orange flowers.
❀ Tangerine queen - the height of this variety is about 120 cm, the flowers are bright orange.

Such varieties as Babylon, Golden Fleece, Star of the East, Norwich Canari, Mistral, Vesuvius, Bouquet Parfait, Lady Oxford, Rheingold, Heath Magesti, Lady Wilson, Aurora, Frans Hals, Jace Coy, Lady Hamilton and Lady Hamilton look great on a crocosmic flowerbed other.

 

Where to buy crocosmia bulbs

 

The Scientific and Production Association "Sady Rossii" has been introducing the latest achievements in the selection of vegetable, fruit, berry and ornamental crops into the wide practice of amateur gardening for 30 years. In the work of the association, the most modern technologies are used, a unique laboratory for microclonal reproduction of plants has been created. The main tasks of NPO Sady Rossii is to provide gardeners with high-quality planting material for popular varieties of various garden plants and novelties of world selection. Delivery of planting material (seeds, onions, seedlings) is carried out by Russian post. We are waiting for you for shopping: NPO Sady Rossii

There are two ways to grow crocosmia - seeds and corms. It is undesirable to plant seeds directly into the ground, since they are very likely to simply not germinate. But the corms are more resistant to temperature extremes and pests, so they can be safely placed directly into the soil.

How to grow crocosmia from seeds

Planting and caring for crocosmia in the open field

The time for planting crocosmia in open ground is mid-May, when the threat of late frosts disappears. In temperate climates, flowers can be planted by the end of April.

A place for planting should be chosen in advance so that in the fall to loosen the soil and add sand (so that the water does not stagnate in the roots after watering) and mineral fertilizers.

Before planting, it is necessary to water well and loosen the soil in the flower bed. Corms ready for planting must be planted so that a distance of at least 10 centimeters remains between adult plants. Planting depth is about 8 cm.

Planting crocosmia and caring for it in the open ground in the Urals is possible only if the garden bed can be covered during the cold weather. Growing in sunlit glazed greenhouses will give a good result.

To avoid cross-pollination, it is better to plant crocosmia of different varieties in different beds, with sufficient distance from each other.

Proper care of young crocosmia

Before the first inflorescences appear, as soon as the leaves develop, it is necessary to make the first top dressing. As fertilizers, a mullein solution, mineral mixtures with potassium and special formulations for bulbous plants are suitable.

You don't need to tie crocosmia - it keeps its shape on its own, so you don't have to worry about the safety of the peduncles.

Post-flowering care

If a cold winter is expected, the bulbs are dug up in the fall, carefully peeled from the ground and stored in a cool room. However, if it is possible to do without digging, it is better to leave the corms in the ground. So the flowers will better develop the root system and will delight you with lush flowering next year.

Small-flowered species of montbrecia endure wintering without digging out of open ground, but it is better to play it safe by covering the flowerbed with a 20-centimeter layer of sawdust and leaves.

1. Preparation for planting and caring for crocosmia in the open field begins in the fall - a suitable place is chosen, the soil is loosened and fertilized.
2. Plants grow well in sunny heights, in soil rich in humus and peat.
3. Sowing with seeds directly into open ground for crocosmia is undesirable, it is best to prepare seedlings in advance.
4. The easiest crocosmic care is weekly watering.
5. Before wintering, the ground part of the plant is cut off, and the ground above the corms is covered with a layer of sawdust and leaves. Any other organic coating will work as well.

Wintering crocosmia - video

Crocosmia, or montbrecia, are two different names for the same plant. There is also a third name - tritonia, and the people call this plant the Japanese gladiolus. From Latin the name "crocosmia" (

Crocosmia

) translates as "saffron smell" - they really have dried flowers. And the name "montbretia" was given to the flower in honor of the French botanist de Montbret.

Crocosmia (montbrecia)

The flower owes its appearance to the French breeder Lemoine, who crossed in 1880

crocosmia golden

and

Potts

... The result is a kind of garden hybrid of two interesting South African plants with graceful star-funnel-shaped flowers, collected in small red-orange spikelets. Since then, the flower has become famous in Europe.

Crocosmia (montbrecia) looks great in open flower beds due to its long and abundant flowering, which, depending on the weather and climate, can last from mid-summer to September and sometimes even longer - until frost. When cut, it stays fresh for 2 weeks. This flower will be a wonderful decoration for any bouquet.

Dried crocosmia flowers have a saffron scent Crocosmia has narrow-obvious light green leaves and thin branched peduncles up to one meter high. Her corm is medium-sized with several brown shells. In our climate, you can grow this exotic, observing some rules.

Planting and breeding

Crocosmia can be propagated by corms, children, seeds. Brownish-red large seeds are sown on a light window or in a greenhouse in February - March, as they grow up, the seedlings are planted in pots. They are planted on the garden bed with a lump of earth in mid-May. Seedlings grown from seeds bloom in the second or third year, children - in the second. In the middle lane, corms are planted in the soil at the same time as gladioli (late April - early May).

Crocosmia seeds.

Crocosmia loves moist, loose, humus-rich soil. Prepare your planting site in the fall. Add sand, mineral fertilizers to poorly drained soil. Plant the corms to a depth of 7-10 cm, keeping a distance of 10-12 cm between them. In order for the plant to bloom earlier, grow it in small pots and plant it with a lump of earth.

Care

Crocosmia should be watered abundantly, but infrequently. Loosen and weed the soil after watering or raining. Set pegs as needed to tie up the stalks.To speed up the growth of plants, feed them with nitrogen fertilizers.

Crocosmia thickets In the summer, go to feeding with mullein infusion (1:10) and mineral supplements with potassium content. When the flowering ends, it is important to cut the peduncles - the corms will ripen better, which means that they will be better preserved both in the ground and in the dug out form.

Crocosmia is quite resistant to fusarium disease and grassiness. The main pests for it are bears and thrips.

Wintering

In the northern regions, crocosmia is dug up for the winter. It is important to do this no earlier than in the second half of October, so that by this time the children will mature and grow. Dry the corms in a well-ventilated area. Store them in a place where the bulbs will not dry out, at a temperature no higher than 10 degrees.

Crocosmia bulbs.

Crocosmia can overwinter well only in dry soil. At low planting sites, it is better to dig up the corms so that they do not get wet. In the spring, after removing the cover, cut off any old leaves. It is also worth digging out the corms every three years for the sake of reproduction. If this rule is ignored, the plants will bloom worse due to thickening.

Crocosmia varieties

• Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie'

Very decorative, beautiful variety. The flowers are brownish-orange, symmetrical, with bright orange spots at the center of the flower. Blooms late. Plants up to 60 cm high.

Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie'.

• Crocosmia 'Norwich Canary'

The plant is up to 60 cm high. The flowers are drooping, canary yellow.

Crocosmia 'Norwich Canary'.

• Crocosmia 'Star of the East' 

"Star of the East" is one of the most beautiful and large-flowered varieties. Late flowering, height up to 1 m, apricot-orange flowers in the shape of a star with a light core are up to 10 cm in diameter. They require shelter for the winter - low frost resistance.

Crocosmia 'Star of the East'.

• Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Of all the crocosmies, it is the brightest colored. The plant is tall - up to 1.5 m, has erect peduncles and bright, tomato-red flowers. Although it has high frost resistance, it is better to cover it for the winter.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Graceful crocosmia inflorescences will perfectly decorate your summer and autumn flower garden. They will look equally good both on their own and in a group with other flowers - daylilies, cniphophies, cannes, dahlias, yarrow, rudbeckia, echinacea, salvia, sedum, helenium, chrysanthemums.