Schisandra planting and care outdoors in the Urals

Bunches of lemongrass berries - ripe harvest

Lemongrass (lat. Schizandra chinensis) is widespread as a valuable medicinal crop, but it is also used as an ornamental plant. This is a very unusual culture with a refined citrus aroma, which looks like a beautiful deciduous liana and bears fruit with bright red berries formed in a cluster.

Unusual plant - lemongrass, photo and description

More than a dozen different varieties of lemongrass are found in nature. Their difference comes down to a variety of tastes, shapes and sizes of the fruit cluster. The fruits also differ in the content of useful elements in the chemical composition.

Chinese Schisandra plant (lat. Schisandra chinensis)

The most common and cultivated is only one plant variety - Chinese magnolia vine (schizandra). It is a perennial plant of a liana-like type. It is simultaneously referred to the genus magnolia and lemongrass.

Blooming lemongrass in the garden

Important

Schisandra chinensis is characterized by cross-pollination, so that it bears fruit, it is necessary to grow several plants.

Useful properties of lemongrass

The healing qualities of lemongrass are used not only in medicines, but also in folk medicinal recipes.

Lemongrass fruits in cooking - homemade jam

Schisandra fruits are rich in various biologically active substances. The composition includes tannins, natural tonic elements schizadrin and schizadrol, essential oils, organic carbohydrates, acids, vitamin C.

• Lemongrass tincture on alcohol has a tonic effect, increases the body's stability during significant mental or physical exertion, and improves blood circulation in the vessels.
• Popular in dietetics as a valuable energy product. Lemongrass is used to make syrups, cocktails, fruit drinks and compotes that help relieve feelings of fatigue and weakness, and lift the mood.
• In the confectionery industry, lemongrass is used for additives in exotic toppings and jams.
• Many housewives prepare delicious jam, aromatic tea, tinctures and compotes from it.

Growing conditions

Schisandra is quite unpretentious, and at the same time an exotic plant that cannot be found on every site. With the right choice of a place and preparation of the soil for planting, its cultivation will not cause problems, but on the contrary will bring great pleasure to the gardener.

Choosing a site for lemongrass

The general development of the plant and its protection from diseases depends on the correct choice of the site for planting.

Choosing a place for planting lemongrass

It is important to consider the conditions that the culture likes:

• Good illumination, daylight hours should last at least 8 hours.Therefore, choose the south side when planting near garden buildings and structures;
• Closure from drafts and weathering. Protection from icy, frosty wind is especially important, this can be fatal to the plant.
• Places where the plant can curl are considered convenient for planting. Near any type of building - a fence, gazebo, arches, special trellises.

Soil preparation

Before planting, the soil must be prepared in advance. It is necessary to carry out the following procedures:

• loosening;
• fertilization with humus and peat, or wood ash, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate;
• drainage with river pebbles or bricks;
• deoxidize the soil to an acidity close to neutral.

Schisandra Chinese planting and care

Schisandra, like all vines, takes root very well and does not require special care. Having prepared the soil, you need to choose a suitable breeding method - seed or vegetative, and plant the plant correctly.

Vegetative planting method

The easiest way to reproduce lemongrass is vegetative:

• undergrowth;
• root layers;
• dividing the bush;
• cuttings.

Soaking lemongrass cuttings before planting

In the second, sometimes third year, a plant planted in this way already begins to bear fruit. Planting time for lemongrass vegetatively depends on climatic conditions.

Important

The soil should warm up enough, up to 10 degrees Celsius, and the possibility of reverse frost should be completely absent. The best time to plant lemongrass is the end of April and the first half of May.

It is advisable to plant several plants at the same time with a distance of up to a meter. Planting pits are drained and fertilized in preparation for planting.

Planting lemongrass cuttings

• With green cuttings, the shoots are cut before flowering to prevent woodiness. Choose for this two or three-year shoots. Cuttings are cut up to 8 cm in length.
• Reproduction by layering is carried out in the fall. Shoots from the main plant are bent and attached to the ground after 20-30 cm, watered and sprinkled with earth. In the spring, the cuttings take root and in the fall the shoots can be cut into pieces.
• In the fall, you can also cut off part of the rhizome shoots around the vine and plant them.
• Dividing a bush is mainly used only when transplanting bushes to another place. In this case, the bush is divided into parts so that the plant has its own stems and roots.

When propagating by cuttings and layering, it is recommended to soak them in a stimulator (Epin, Kornevin) for quick rooting. Vegetative propagation gives a positive engraftment of only about 50% of cuttings.

Seed method of planting lemongrass

It is important to know how to grow lemongrass from seeds, since this method is considered the most effective. Planting lemongrass with seeds is carried out in the fall. This should be done before the first frost - in late September or early October.

Preparing lemongrass seeds for sowing

Plants grown from seeds are usually monoecious, with the formation of heterosexual flowers and annual fruiting. Germination with this method usually reaches 85%, and fruiting occurs in the fourth year.

Advice

Schisandra seeds are harvested from ripe berries and sown in autumn. Sowing is done in shallow holes, and the natural stratification process in winter guarantees good and strong shoots.

Seeds sown in autumn give their first shoots at the beginning of the next summer, but they do not grow very quickly, no more than 5-6 cm per year. Young lemongrass requires only stable watering - the soil should be moist, but water stagnation should not be allowed. After watering, it is recommended to carry out near-surface loosening of the soil and removal of weeds. The plant does not need additional treatments during this period.

Lemongrass care

When caring for a plant, you should follow some rules:

• Young shoots should be shaded out of intense sunlight.In the future, care is reduced to shallow loosening and moistening of the soil.
• As it grows, lemongrass is important to feed and moisturize.
• The plant does not need special pruning, just removing dry and thickening vines is enough. With a strong thickening of the crown, you can cut off unnecessary ones and limit the growth of young shoots, cut out the root processes. It is necessary to completely remove old vines only if their crowns are significantly exposed.
• Lemongrass should be tied to a special trellis. This will provide good lighting and improve fruit ripening.

Garter lemongrass on a trellis

• For the winter, the plant should be well moistened and the soil should be mulched. This culture is frost-hardy and adult vines of Schisandra are not afraid of frost. Fruit buds can be damaged only in very severe frosts. To avoid freezing, the vines are simply removed from the support, tied together and bent closer to the ground, warming with dry foliage. Vines are taken out in early spring.

Watering and fertilizing

To ensure a healthy look and good fruiting, lemongrass should be properly fed:

• in spring, at the stage of budding in the near-stem circle, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be added at the rate of 40 g of each feeding per plant;
• at the stage of completion of flowering and active growth of lemongrass, add nitrogen (20 g), potassium and phosphorus (15 g each), and it is also important to use liquid organic feeding with prepared mullein or chicken droppings (solution in appropriate proportions 1:10 and 1:20);
• at the final stage, after harvesting, phosphorus and potassium are added, 30 g each, or wood ash.

Schisandra chinensis is a tropical culture that normally grows well in humid climates. Therefore, growing it on the territory of Russia in a garden, it is important to ensure regular moisture.

Advice

It is advisable to water lemongrass by sprinkling. This should be done in the evening or at night so that the sun does not burn the leaves, and at temperatures above 20 degrees, otherwise fungal infections are possible.

Mulching lemongrass with sawdust

For daytime irrigation, root watering can be used. Young plants especially need such moisture.

Adult lianas are watered in dry weather, at the rate of about 6 buckets for each. Watering should be done after each fertilization. Mulching with sawdust, bark or mulch paper is recommended for better moisture retention.

Diseases of the Chinese magnolia vine

It is believed that under normal conditions lemongrass is not exposed to diseases and pests. Only the introduction of diseases with planting material is possible. With improper care, it can be affected by black leaf spot, phyllocytosis, ascochitosis, powdery mildew.

• In the fight against fusarium wilting, it is important to disinfect seeds through spraying Granosan and disinfect greenhouses with formalin solution (5%).
• For the treatment and prevention of diseases, spraying of the bushes with fungicides and the removal of damaged areas of the plant (leaves, twigs, fruits) are used.
• If affected by powdery mildew, spraying with a solution of 0.5% soda ash and ground sulfur should be carried out. Spraying should be repeated after 10-14 days.
• For prophylactic treatment, a solution of Bordeaux liquid (1%) and Kuprozan powder (0.4%) is used.

When to harvest

Lemongrass begins to bloom and bear fruit productively only in the fifth year, but not earlier than three years, after transplanting to the place of cultivation.

Harvesting lemongrass

Fruits ripen in brushes with soft translucent red berries. It is advisable to harvest the fruits together with the branches - the stalks. They are used with green mint or dried leaves to brew natural, aromatic tea.

Outcome

Gardeners who decide to have a surprisingly beautiful and useful lemongrass plant will certainly be satisfied.It is not difficult to grow it, and as a reward for the care and attention, lemongrass will bring not only great aesthetic pleasure, decorating the garden with curved shoots with an openwork green crown, but will also bring huge practical health benefits, healing diseases and adding vital energy.

Chinese lemongrass is still rare on the plots of Russian gardeners. Many are simply afraid to plant an unknown exotic culture, considering it capricious and demanding to care for. But Chinese lemongrass is an unpretentious plant, nothing supernatural is required from a gardener. For compliance with the simple rules of care, the culture will thank you with a bountiful harvest of very useful berries.

What does Chinese lemongrass look like?

Chinese Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) is a small genus of plants from the Schisandra family. In nature, it is distributed mainly in China, Japan, in the north of the Korean Peninsula. It is also found in Russia - in the Far East, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands. Its first scientific description was given in 1837 by the botanist N.S. Turchaninov.

Schisandra chinensis in nature forms dense thickets

The habitat of the plant is river valleys, forest edges, old glades, clearings, burnt places. Accordingly, it is quite cold-resistant and shade-tolerant, which makes it suitable for cultivation in most of the territory of Russia.

Leaves and shoots have a characteristic aroma of lemon peel, and it is to this that the plant owes its name. Although it has nothing to do with citrus fruits.

In nature, lemongrass is a large plant. The length of a vine with a curling stem, if it is not limited by anything, reaches 12-15 m. At the same time, the stem is rather thin, only 2.5–3 cm in diameter. Flexible shoots are covered with brown bark. On young branches, it is smooth, elastic, shiny, darkens over time, changing color to black-brown, and peels off.

In autumn, Chinese lemongrass looks elegant and very impressive.

Leaves are dense, leathery, ovoid or in the form of a wide oval. The edges are carved with almost imperceptible teeth. The petioles are rather short, colored in various shades of pink and red. The front part of the front plate is glossy, bright green, the wrong side with a gray-gray tint, along the veins there is a strip of short soft "pile".

In autumn, the plant looks very attractive - the leaves are colored in different shades of yellow, from pale golden to saffron.

The flowering plant also looks nice. Lemongrass flowers resemble those made from magnolia wax. The petals are snow-white, before falling off, acquire a delicate pastel pink hue. The buds are collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces, located in the axils of the leaves. Pedicels are long enough, slightly nodding under their weight. Flowering occurs in the first half of July.

Schisandra chinensis flowers, spreading a pleasant aroma, attract pollinating insects to the garden

Schizandra fruits are small spherical bright scarlet berries, collected in 15-25 pieces in a cluster 8-12 cm long, resembling bunches of grapes or red currants. They also have a characteristic citrus aroma. Each contains 1–2 large seeds. The taste is extremely specific due to the high content of organic acids, resinous and tannins, essential oils. The skin is sweetish-salty, tart, the juice is very sour, astringent, the seeds are bitter.

In China, the fruit is called the "berry of five tastes."

It is almost impossible to eat fresh berries of Schisandra chinensis (especially its wild varieties)

The average yield of Schisandra chinensis is 3-5 kg ​​of berries from an adult plant. But once every 3-7 years there are "bursts" when the vine bears 1.5-2 times more fruits than the gardener expected. The harvest ripens in August or early September.

Schisandra is a dioecious plant.This means that pollination and subsequent fruiting is possible only with the simultaneous presence of specimens with "male" and "female" flowers on the site.

The yield of Schisandra chinensis is not amazing, but its fruits are, rather, not a delicacy, but a medicine

Application

In folk medicine, seeds and dried fruits of lemongrass are used. They are distinguished by a high content of vitamin C, as well as microelements vital for the body (iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, manganese). Lemongrass has the ability to relieve fatigue caused by intense physical and mental stress, sharpen vision and hearing, and relieve depression. It is also extremely useful for strengthening immunity and stimulating tissue regeneration, helps with vitamin deficiency, problems with the heart and blood vessels, and the respiratory system.

A handful of dry berries made it possible for Far Eastern hunters to forget about the feeling of fatigue and hunger throughout the day.

Dried berries of Chinese schisandra - a powerful tonic

There is also a fairly long list of contraindications. Lemongrass is prohibited for pregnant women and children under 12 years of age, as well as those who suffer from vegetative vascular dystonia, any allergies, chronic insomnia, high intracranial pressure, infectious diseases. At the same time, it is recommended to take drugs from it before noon, so as not to provoke insomnia. The simultaneous use of any sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antipsychotics, psychostimulating drugs is strictly prohibited. In general, it is undesirable to "prescribe" lemongrass yourself, it is better to consult a doctor first.

Common varieties

In nature, according to various sources, there are from 15 to 23 varieties of Schisandra chinensis. The culture also does not enjoy special attention from breeders, therefore the choice of varieties is limited. Most often, the following varieties are found in garden plots:

1. Sadovy-one. Self-fertile hybrid that does not need pollinators. Differs in high cold resistance, good yield, growth rate of shoots. The berries are very juicy and sour. The average brush length is 9–10 cm, each with 22–25 berries. Average yield is 4–6 kg per adult plant.
2. Mountain. A medium-ripening variety, bred in the Far East, it is considered one of the most promising there. The harvest ripens in the last decade of August. Differs in high winter hardiness and good immunity. Average brush length - 8-9 cm, weight - 12-13 g. It consists of 15-17 dark-scarlet bitter berries with a noticeable sourness. The pulp is firm, but juicy. The yield is low, 1.5–2 kg per plant.
3. Volgar. The variety is resistant to winter cold and summer drought, rarely suffers from diseases and pests. On the same plant, as a rule, both "male" and "female" flowers bloom, but sometimes there is a season when only "male" flowers are formed. The harvest ripens in early September. The mass of the brush is 6–7.5 g, it consists of 13–15 berries. The fruits are very sour, with a pronounced resinous aroma.
4. Firstborn. One of the latest achievements of Russian breeders, bred in Moscow. The variety is valued for its frost resistance and disease resistance. The berries are small, elongated, purple-scarlet, the flesh is bright red. Brush length - about 12 cm, weight - 10–12 g. The bush is medium-sized, monoecious plant. A significant drawback is low frost resistance, weak immunity. The length of the vine is no more than 5 m.
5. Myth. A hybrid, the origin of which could not be established for certain. The brushes are not too long, up to 7 cm, but the berries are not particularly sour, they can even be eaten fresh. Each seed contains 15-18 of them.
6. Oltis. The homeland of the variety is the Far East. It is valued for its good yield (3-4 kg per plant) and resistance to diseases typical of the crop. The berries are dark scarlet, small. The average length of the hand is 9–11 cm, weight is 25–27 g, each with 25–30 fruits.The taste is bitter and sour.
7. Purple. One of the oldest varieties, bred in 1985 in the Far East. The ripening period of the crop is the last decade of August. The first fruits are removed within 3-4 years after planting the seedling in the ground. Productivity - 3-4 kg per adult plant. The variety is distinguished by exceptional winter hardiness, but often suffers from diseases. The berries are small, the brushes are compact. The skin is scarlet, the taste is noticeably sour.

Photo gallery: varieties of schisandra chinensis

Planting and transplanting procedure

Schisandra chinensis is planted in garden plots not only for the sake of fruiting, but also for decoration. Liana is widely used in landscape design. Gazebos twined with leaves, railings, arches, "green walls" look especially impressive.

Schisandra chinensis is not only useful, but also a very ornamental plant.

Planting time depends on the growing region. In areas with a warm climate (Ukraine, southern Russia), it can be planned for September and even for the first half of October. There is enough time before frost, the plant will have time to adapt to new habitat conditions. In regions with a temperate climate (Ural, Siberia), the only option is spring. In central Russia, Chinese lemongrass is planted at the end of April or in the first ten days of May (the soil by this time should warm up to at least 10 ° C, but you need to be in time before the growth buds "wake up"). During the summer, the plant will form a developed root system and will have time to properly prepare for winter.

Experienced gardeners recommend planting at least three lemongrass seedlings (ideally, different varieties) at the same time, leaving an interval of about 1 m between them, and between rows - 2–2.5 m. If the vine is placed next to the wall, it is necessary to retreat from it about the same so that drops of water do not fall from the roof onto the plant (this is harmful to the roots). It is imperative to provide a place for placing the trellis. Otherwise, the plant will simply refuse to bear fruit. The simplest option is 2–3-meter pillars arranged in a row with wire stretched over them in several rows at different heights. As the vine grows, its shoots are tied to it, forming a structure similar to a fan. When grown in warm climates, the shoots of Schisandra chinensis are not removed from the trellis even for the winter.

Seedlings are chosen based on the state of the root system. It must be developed. Be sure to have at least three roots about 20 cm long. The average height of a 2-3-year-old plant is 12-15 cm.

Schisandra chinensis saplings are low, this is normal for culture

Chinese lemongrass prefers fertile soil, but loose and light, good air and water permeability. A heavy substrate, in which moisture stagnates for a long time - silty, clayey, peaty, is categorically not suitable.

The plant will endure both partial shade and shade, but the maximum possible yields are harvested when grown in an open, sunny place. It is desirable that it be protected from gusts of cold wind by some natural or artificial barrier located at some distance from the vine.

In areas with a temperate climate, lemongrass is most often located on the west side of buildings and structures, in the subtropics - on the east. In the first case, such an arrangement provides the liana with enough sun, in the second, it protects from the intense daytime heat.

Chinese lemongrass, planted in an open, sunny place, brings the maximum possible yield.

The culture also really does not like too moist soil at the roots. If the groundwater approaches the surface closer than 1.5–2 m, you need to look for another place for lemongrass.

The landing pit is always prepared in advance. If the procedure is planned in the fall - a few weeks before it, and for spring planting - in the previous season. Average depth - 40-50 cm, diameter - 65-70 cm. At the bottom, a drainage layer 8-10 cm thick is required. You can use crushed stone, expanded clay, clay shards, ceramic chips.Fertile turf extracted from the pit is mixed with humus or compost (20-30 l), sifted wood ash (0.5 l), simple superphosphate (120-150 g) and potassium sulfate (70-90 g) and poured back, forming on the bottom of the hillock. The pit is then covered with something waterproof to prevent the rains from eroding the soil, and left until planting.

Read more about planting in our article: Planting Chinese lemongrass with seeds and in other ways.

At the bottom of the planting pit prepared for Schisandra chinensis, a drainage layer is required

Planting procedure:

1. The roots of the seedling are examined, all rotten and dried up are cut off, the rest are shortened to a length of 20–25 cm. Then they are soaked for a day in water heated to a temperature of 27–30 ° C. To disinfect and prevent the development of fungal diseases, you can add several crystals of potassium permanganate to it, to activate the development of the root system and minimize the stress associated with transplantation - any biostimulant (potassium humate, Epin, Zircon, succinic acid, aloe juice).
2. The roots are thickly coated with gruel of powdered clay and fresh cow dung, then dried in the sun for 2-3 hours. The correct mass resembles a thick cream in consistency.
3. The plant is placed on an earthen mound at the bottom of the planting pit. The roots are straightened so that they "look" down, not up or to the sides. Then they begin to fill the hole with small portions of soil, periodically compacting the substrate with your palms. In the process, you need to constantly monitor the position of the root collar - it should be 2-3 cm above the ground.
4. The soil in the near-trunk circle is watered abundantly, consuming about 20 liters of water. When it is absorbed, this area is mulched with peat chips or humus. The seedling will take root pretty quickly, but for the first 2-3 weeks it is advisable to protect it from direct sunlight by building a canopy from any white covering material.
5. Shoots are shortened, leaving 3-4 growth buds. All leaves, if any, are cut off.

The place for lemongrass is chosen deliberately, the plant does not tolerate transplanting too well

It is advisable to choose a place for Chinese lemongrass immediately and forever. Young seedlings tolerate the procedure quite easily, quickly adapt to new living conditions, but this cannot be said about adult plants.

Video: how to plant lemongrass correctly

Plant care and the nuances of growing in different regions

Caring for Chinese lemongrass is not particularly difficult, all the necessary procedures will not take a lot of time from the gardener.

Watering

Schisandra is a moisture-loving plant. In nature, it most often grows along river banks. Therefore, it is watered often and abundantly. The norm for an adult liana is 60-70 liters of water every 2-3 days. Of course, if there is cool, damp weather outside, the intervals between procedures are increased - the plant does not like water stagnant at the roots. Sprinkler irrigation is the preferred method.

In extreme heat, it is also advisable to spray the leaves daily in the evenings. This procedure is very useful for young plants planted in the garden this year.

If technically possible, Chinese lemongrass is watered by sprinkling, imitating natural precipitation

The next day after watering, the soil in the trunk circle should be loosened to a depth of 2-3 cm, and if necessary, weeded. Mulch will help save time on weeding. It also retains moisture in the soil.

Top dressing

If the planting hole has been prepared correctly, the nutrients in the soil will be enough for Schisandra chinensis for the next two years. They begin to feed the plant from the third season in the open field.

From fertilizers, the culture prefers natural organic matter. Chinese lemongrass grows rather quickly, so during the summer every 15–20 days it is watered with infusion of cow dung, bird droppings, nettle or dandelion leaves. In principle, any weed can be used.Raw materials are insisted for 3-4 days, before use they are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 (litter - 1:15). You can also use complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus - Nitrofosku, Azofosku, Diammofosku. Once every 2-3 years, at the beginning of the active growing season, 25-30 liters of humus or rotted compost are distributed in the near-trunk circle.

Nettle infusion - a natural source of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus

After harvesting, the plant needs potassium and phosphorus. 40-50 g of simple superphosphate and potassium sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water or distributed around the trunk circle in a dry form during loosening. Natural alternative - about 0.5–0.7 liters of wood ash.

Support for creepers

Lemongrass is grown on a trellis, since without this it is impossible to get a harvest. The average height of the supports is 2–2.5 m, the distance between them is about 3 m. It is advisable to restrict the liana in growth, this simplifies its care. A wire is stretched horizontally between the posts in several rows - the first at a distance of 50 cm from the ground, then every 70–80 cm.

Schisandra chinensis on a trellis looks very neat and bears fruit abundantly

Shelter for the winter

Schisandra chinensis is successfully grown not only in regions with a warm subtropical climate (Ukraine, southern Russia). Frost resistance up to -35ºС allows cultivating it in the North-West region, in the Urals, in Siberia. In central Russia, the plant does not need shelter for the winter, the vine is not even removed from the trellis. But where severe and prolonged frosts are not uncommon, it is better to insure yourself. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the main danger to culture is not winter cold, but return spring frosts. Therefore, there is no need to rush to remove the shelter.

The shoots are carefully detached from the support, laid out on the ground covered with a layer of mulch about 10 cm thick, covered with straw, spruce or pine spruce branches, fallen leaves and tightened with burlap, any other covering material that allows air to pass through. Beforehand, it is necessary to carry out moisture-charging irrigation, spending about 80 liters of water on an adult plant.

Harvesting

The first crop is harvested 4–6 years after Schisandra chinensis is planted in the ground. The fruits are removed with whole brushes. It is easy to check if they are ripe. You need to stretch the shoot and tap it lightly. Ripe berries will crumble. Their shelf life is very short. Fresh fruits need to be processed within the next 2-3 days to prevent mold and rot. Most often they are dried, sometimes frozen, and ground with sugar.

Pruning lemongrass

The first time lemongrass is pruned at planting, then - for the third season in the open field. As a rule, by this time the plant has time to form a developed root system and "switches" to shoots. 5-7 of the strongest and most developed stems are left on the liana, the rest are removed to the point of growth. In the future, pruning is carried out regularly, in spring and autumn. It is impossible to neglect the procedure - much fewer flowers are formed in dense thickets, it is almost impossible to pollinate them, accordingly, the yield also decreases.

Trimming is carried out only with a sharply sharpened and disinfected instrument

The procedure is carried out at the very beginning of March: they get rid of all frozen, dried or broken branches under the weight of snow. If you do not have time before the start of active sap flow, you can destroy the plant.

In the fall, after the fall of the foliage, cut off shoots intertwined, poorly located, weak, deformed, affected by diseases and pests, "bald". Also cut off that part of the vine that has been bearing fruit for the last 3 years. This is necessary for the correct development of new shoots and plant rejuvenation.

The purpose of pruning Schisandra chinensis is to form a shrub evenly illuminated by the sun.

If the vine forms too many new shoots, pruning is carried out in the summer.Each of them is shortened, leaving 10–12 growth buds. Also, do not forget about the fight against root shoots. Only the strongest layers are not cut out in order to then replace the old branches with them.

After the plant reaches the age of 15-18 years, radical rejuvenating pruning is carried out. Only 4–5 healthy, strong, fruiting shoots are left, the rest are cut to the point of growth.

Reproduction methods

Amateur gardeners most often propagate Chinese lemongrass by vegetative methods. You can also try to grow a vine from seeds, but in this case, the preservation of the varietal characteristics of the parent is not guaranteed. In addition, this process is quite time consuming.

Vegetative propagation

For vegetative propagation, root shoots, cuttings and layering are used.

1. As a rule, lemongrass is abundant in root growth. This breeding method is provided by nature itself. It is only necessary to carefully excavate the soil, separate the "offspring" from the adult plant and immediately plant it in the chosen place. In regions with a warm climate, the procedure is carried out both in early spring and after fruiting. Where it does not differ in softness, the only suitable time is the beginning of March.

   Root propagation is the easiest way to get new Chinese lemongrass

2. Root cuttings can also be used. The root is cut into pieces 7-10 cm long. Each should have 2-3 points of growth. The planting material is kept for 2-3 days wrapped in a napkin moistened with a solution of any biostimulator, then planted in open ground or a greenhouse horizontally, maintaining a distance of about 10-12 cm between the cuttings. They are not buried in the soil, sprinkled with a layer of humus or rotted compost 2-3 cm thick. Care of cuttings is basically regular watering. Those of them that give shoots are transferred to a permanent place next spring.
3. For propagation by layering, only non-lignified green shoots at the age of 2-3 years are used. The procedure is carried out in the fall. The branch is bent to the ground, fixed at a distance of 20-30 cm from the top, covered with humus or fertile soil, and watered abundantly. A new layer should appear in the spring. By the fall, it will get stronger enough, it can be separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place. You can bend to the ground and cover the entire shoot with soil. Then he will give not one, but 5-7 new seedlings. But they will be far from being as powerful and developed.

   Reproduction by layering is a method used not only for schisandra chinensis, but also for most berry bushes

Germinating seeds

Seeds of Chinese magnolia vine remain viable for a very short time, literally 2-3 months. Therefore, it is best to sow them immediately after harvest. Seedlings are not grown at home, planting material is embedded in a garden bed before winter. They are deepened by a maximum of 1.5 cm; they must be sprinkled with snow on top, as soon as it falls out enough.

Schisandra chinensis seeds must be thoroughly cleaned of pulp and dried before planting to avoid the development of rot.

Experienced gardeners advise mixing lemongrass seeds with dill. The latter rises earlier. This trick allows you not to lose the planting site, and in the future the plants form a kind of natural "canopy", providing the seedlings with partial shade necessary for them.

You can save the seeds until spring, but stratification is required - imitation of the cold season. During the winter, seeds are stored in a refrigerator in a small container filled with a mixture of peat chips and sand, constantly kept in a slightly moist state and previously sterilized.

There is another interesting way to prepare for landing. Until the middle of winter, the seeds are not extracted from the fruit. Then they are thoroughly cleaned of pulp, put in a linen bag or wrapped in gauze and placed under cool running water for 3-4 days (a toilet cistern will do).Then the seeds in the bag are buried in a container with moistened sand and kept at room temperature for a month. After that, they are buried in the snow for about the same amount.

After stratification, the seed skin begins to crack. In this form, they are planted in individual peat pots filled with a mixture of humus and coarse sand. The first shoots should appear in 12-15 days, but if the seeds were not constantly in a humid environment, the process can take 2-2.5 months. The seedlings do not differ in growth rate, stretching only 5–7 cm per year.

Stratification has a positive effect on seed germination

Further care consists in providing protection from direct sunlight, maintaining the soil in a moderately moist state and periodically watering with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate to prevent fungal diseases.

Schisandra sprouts can be waited for a long time, they do not differ in growth rate

In the first decade of June, the seedlings are transferred to the garden bed, leaving at least 10 cm between them. During the summer, they are protected from the hot sun, and a shelter from frost is built for the winter. After 2-3 years, the matured plants can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Typical diseases, pests and control

Schisandra chinensis by nature has good immunity. Due to the high content of tannins in the fabrics, almost all pests bypass it. Birds don't like fruits either. Breeders have learned to protect plants from mold and rot. All modern varieties are extremely rarely affected by these diseases. However, the list of fungi dangerous for culture is not limited to them. Schisandra chinensis can suffer from the following diseases:

• fusarium. Most often, young plants are infected with the fungus. They stop developing, the shoots darken and become thinner, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The roots turn black, become slimy to the touch. For prophylaxis, the seeds are kept in a Trichodermin solution for 15–20 minutes before planting, and the soil in the garden is spilled with it. The diseased plant must be immediately removed from the garden and burned, eliminating the source of the infection. The soil in this place is disinfected by pouring a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate;
• powdery mildew. Leaves, buds and stems are covered with spots of a whitish bloom, similar to scattered flour. Gradually it thickens and turns brown. The affected parts of the plant dry out and die off. For prophylaxis, the liana and the soil in the garden bed are powdered with crushed chalk, sifted wood ash, and colloidal sulfur every 10-15 days. To combat the disease at an early stage, use a solution of soda ash (10-15 g per 10 liters of water), in severe cases - fungicides (HOM, Topaz, Skor, Kuprozan);
• leaf spot (ascochitis, ramulariasis). Irregular brownish-beige spots with a black-brown border appear on the leaves. Gradually, the fabrics in these places are covered with small black dots from the inside, dry out, and holes are formed. For prophylaxis, seeds are soaked for 2-3 hours in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate, Alirin-B. Having found alarming symptoms, even minimally affected leaves are cut and burned, the plant is sprayed 2-3 times with an interval of 7-12 days with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate. Fungicides of biological origin are also used.

Photo gallery: symptoms of schisandra chinensis diseases

It is necessary to use any chemicals to fight diseases only as a last resort, because they have the property of accumulating in the tissues of the plant. The best prevention is competent care, and this is what needs to be focused on. The contaminated parts are burned as quickly as possible, rather than being stored somewhere in the far corner of the site.

Chinese lemongrass is a plant that not only decorates the garden, but is also very useful.There is nothing difficult in regularly getting a harvest of berries rich in vitamins, microelements and organic acids. The plant does not make any unusual requirements for agricultural technology, it successfully adapts and bears fruit in a variety of climatic and weather conditions.

Among the ornamental plants, there are many that will appeal to avid pragmatists. Planting lemongrass on the site will be an excellent solution for those who, together with the aesthetic pleasure of decorating a country landscape, are important to get a useful action that will pay off the effort, money and time spent on caring for the vine. Until late autumn, the plant does not lose its attractiveness. In spring, lemongrass enchants with white fragrant flowers, in summer ˗ lush emerald greens, from which peep out brushes covered with ripening berries. In autumn, it changes color, becoming lemon yellow, emphasizing the bright beauty of its scarlet fruits. Vines grow quickly, covering the supports with a carpet of leaves, and can hide behind themselves any imperfections in the garden: old buildings, fences, sheds, chipped walls. The arches and gazebos entwined with them look great.

Choosing a landing site

Chinese lemongrass is native to the subtropics. The main place of its growth in the wild is the Far Eastern region, especially the Amur Region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, less often it is found on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Lemongrass owes its cultivation to gardeners, who fell in love with it for its catchy beauty, and the simple care and unpretentiousness of the vine added its advantages in the eyes of the owners of summer cottages. It is grown in the Baltics, Ukraine, Belarus, in the middle zone and in the south of Russia, in Western Siberia.

In the garden, the success of liana breeding is directly related to the competent choice of a site for planting it. If it is done correctly, the plant will not only reward it with high decorativeness, but will also bring a good harvest of useful berries. It is better not to plant lemongrass in the shade; it prefers sunny and warm places. Drafts and dry hot winds are equally detrimental to the vines, so the site must be protected from them. The plant develops best at the southern walls of buildings. It can be planted from the west or east side. In this case, lemongrass will have enough light that will fall on it for half for.

Cultivation of a crop requires thorough soil preparation. Abundant fruiting from lianas can be expected only in loose, highly nutritious soil with a high content of humus and with a neutral or as close to it reaction as possible. Good drainage is very important for them. The plant is demanding on the structure and quality of the soil.
Prepare a suitable substrate for it according to the following rules:

1. If the soil on the site is characterized by high acidity for lemongrass, it is neutralized by adding lime.
2. Clay is added to peaty and sandy soil and the mixture is enriched with organic fertilizers.
3. If the soil in the garden is a heavy loam that does not allow water and air to pass through to the roots of vines, it is prepared for their cultivation by adding sand and humus.

Advice

Lemongrass does not like excessive moisture, so it is better to plant it in areas where groundwater is low. If they are close to the surface of the soil, it is recommended for the plant to fill up high ramparts or choose natural hills.

Disembarkation rules

The time for planting lemongrass on the site depends on the characteristics of the local climate. In the middle lane, the procedure is carried out in the spring, from late April to early May. In the southern regions, it is better to plant in the fall, in October. There is one nuance worth considering. Growing lemongrass will be more successful if it is immediately placed in a permanent place without replanting. Therefore, the timing of the procedure is also determined by the time of purchase of the planting material. If the vines bought in the fall are buried for the winter, they may not take root during a spring transplant.

Bushes growing separately from each other develop poorly, so it is better to place lemongrass in a row of 3 copies, leaving an interval of 1 m between them.They are planted in a trench, the width of which is 0.5 m, and the depth does not exceed 0.6 m. to facilitate further care of the vines, in the middle, at a distance of about 1.5 m, metal stakes are installed on which the trellis will be attached. The bottom of the trench is covered with a 30-centimeter drainage layer of crushed stone, gravel, broken brick or slag, slightly compacting it. A nutritious substrate is poured on top, in which the soil is thoroughly mixed with the following components:

• rotted manure;
• phosphorus;
• nitrogen;
• lime;
• sand.

There is another option for preparing the soil for lemongrass: take leaf compost, sod soil and humus in equal proportions, add superphosphate (0.2 kg) and wood ash (0.5 kg). The fertile mixture is crushed into the trench. In those places where the vines will be planted, a cone-shaped tubercle is formed from it, which is slightly compacted. If the cultivation of lemongrass is planned at the wall of the house, a trench is made at a distance of 1-1.5 m from it. This will protect the roots of the vine from waterlogging: drops from the roof will not fall on them.

For breeding lemongrass on the site, it is better to choose seedlings that have reached 2-3 years. By this age, their height is usually only 10-15 cm, but their root systems are already well developed. Before planting, the underground part of the plant is dipped into a bucket with a clay mash mixed with a mullein (1 liter of fertilizer per 1 bucket of water). The seedling is placed on a tubercle and, carefully spreading the roots along it in all directions, sprinkle it with soil. It is important to ensure that the root collar of the plant is not deeply buried, but remains at the level of the soil surface. The land around the vines is slightly compacted, well watered and mulched using peat or humus. A layer of organic substrate near its trunk will help keep moisture in the soil and feed the seedling. Young plants take root easily.

After landing

At first, after being placed in the ground, caring for lemongrass involves

• protection from the bright sun (he needs shading within 2-3 weeks);
• loosening the soil to a shallow depth;
• weeding;
• spraying vines with warm water in dry weather.

In the homeland of the culture, the climate is warm, but humid, so in the sultry summer, its cultivation will require constant attention. Young lemongrass are especially in need of regular spraying, which can die without a sufficient amount of water. Watering adult plants is necessary in 2 cases: when the days are dry and after each feeding. Warm water is used for the procedure, 5-6 buckets are consumed per bush. To keep moisture in the soil longer, the hole is covered with dry earth from above.

The first 2 years after planting Schisandra are characterized by intensive growth of the root system. In lianas, it is fibrous and located close to the surface of the soil ˗ at a distance of 8-10 cm. Therefore, care in the form of loosening is important to carry out carefully and shallowly, plunging into the soil by only 2-3 cm. Schisandra reacts well to fertilizers. Both organic and mineral compositions are suitable for him. During the period of active development of the root system, it is better to apply them dry, scattering them over the surface of the soil like mulch.

When the seedlings reach the age of 3 years, the feeding scheme changes. Three times a season they are fed with complex mineral preparations. The first feeding is carried out in early spring, while the buds of the vines are still asleep, adding nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in equal proportions. You can use nitrophoska for it (at the rate of 4-50 g per 1 m²). The time for the second comes after the end of flowering, when the formed ovaries are actively growing. During this period, the plant needs more nitrogen, but it also needs potassium with phosphorus. Experienced gardeners recommend watering lemongrass with diluted and fermented mullein (1 bucket per 1 bush). It is allowed to replace it with bird droppings.

After harvesting, the vine is fertilized for the last time. Potassium and phosphorus are used for the third feeding. Mineral preparations are embedded in the mulch using a rake, not forgetting to water the plants abundantly after the procedure. Growing a crop will not bring any trouble if you add compost to the soil every 2-3 years, deepening the nutrient composition by 6-8 cm.

Supports and trim

Competent care of lemongrass involves tying it to the supports. It is advisable to grow vines on a trellis, then they will be better lit, and their brushes and berries will turn out to be larger. If lemongrass is not tied up, its decorative effect will decrease, it will be a short bush and most likely will not please with the harvest. It is better to install the trellis immediately when planting vines, in extreme cases, next spring. During her absence, wooden stakes can be used as a support for young shoots.

The posts for the trellis must be chosen long, their height after digging in should be 2-2.5 m. They are deepened into the soil by 0.6 m, and then 3 rows of wire are pulled. The lower one is located at a height of 0.5 m from the surface. Young seedlings are tied to it in the first year of their development in the garden. 0.7-1 m is left between the remaining rows. They will be needed when the shoots grow up. Care in the form of periodic tying is needed for lemongrass all summer. Vine branches are placed on the trellis in a fan-like manner, directing them upward. They are not removed for the winter.

Advice

If lemongrass was planted near the house, ladders installed at an angle will provide support for it.

Plant pruning is carried out for preventive purposes and to increase decorativeness. They begin to perform it when the seedling germinates in one place for 2-3 years. In the life of a vine at this time, the stage of intensive development of roots is replaced by a phase of active growth of green mass. A lot of shoots appear on it, of which 3-6 need to be left, cutting off the rest as close to the soil as possible. If lemongrass is adult, its old 15-18-year-old branches, bearing few fruits, are also removed, replacing them with the strongest young shoots.

The optimal time for pruning is autumn, when the vine has already dropped its leaves. If necessary, you can spend it in the first half of the summer. In winter and at the end of spring, it is dangerous to do this: after removing the shoots, the plant will abundantly excrete juice and may dry out. With the arrival of heat, it is only allowed to get rid of the root growth. Do this every year by pruning it under the soil. If the procedure pursues sanitary purposes, then dry, damaged, small shoots that thicken the crown are removed from lemongrass. The side branches of the vine should not be too long. When pruning, 10-12 buds are left on them.

Schisandra is a very spectacular plant that will adorn the garden with its elegant decoration from spring to autumn. It will come in handy in winter, its berries will give a boost of vigor and help in the treatment of many diseases. Tea made from leaves, stems or bark of lemongrass has a pleasant color and delicate aroma. In addition to its healing effect, it tones, refreshes and perfectly quenches thirst.

Growing lemongrass on the site has its own characteristics. In order for the vines to bring a rich harvest, you will have to try: choose the right place for them, carefully prepare the soil, put up supports, regularly spray, feed and cut. But the complexity of caring for a plant does not differ; if the listed recommendations are followed, even beginners in gardening will successfully cope with it.

Chinese schisandra, the cultivation and care of which requires compliance with certain conditions, is gaining great popularity among gardeners, the benefits and healing properties of which can hardly be overestimated for the human body. It is quite easy to breed wonderful lianas in the country, you only need a little knowledge and a desire to have a beautiful plant in the garden.

Schisandra chinensis saplings - how to choose?

It is possible to grow a beautiful powerful liana and achieve fruiting only after the successful purchase of seedlings and the correct planting of lemongrass. For planting, select healthy bushes of two or three years of age, having roots of at least 20-25 centimeters. When buying, the roots of the plant should be moist, without visible damage.

If the Chinese Schizandra seedlings are sold with a lump of soil, this is even better, the plant will be less stressed when transplanted to a permanent place. The bark of young vines should be smooth, a wrinkled cover may indicate a lack of moisture in the plant and improper storage.

During transportation, the roots are wrapped in a damp cloth, in a plastic bag and transported in this state, especially if the plant is transported over long distances. If the roots of the plant were dry when sold, but in general, after visual inspection, they look strong and vigorous, place lemongrass in water for 10-12 hours to saturate the roots and plant with moisture. Stimulants of root formation (Epin, Zircon, etc.) can be added to the water, lemongrass will quickly recover from stress and restore vital processes.

Planting seedlings - we take into account the nuances and prepare the place

How to grow Chinese magnolia vine, how is a wonderful vine planting? Planting Chinese Schisandra is a quick and easy process, you just need to properly prepare the soil and the planting hole. Plants are located on the southern side of the site, in drafts and in the shade, lemongrass does not grow well. It is not recommended to plant a vine near buildings, outbuildings that create a shadow, if necessary, 1.5-2 meters retreat from the structures.

When to plant Chinese lemongrass? The timing of planting seedlings is in September and October, in early spring you can also plant a liana (preferably for the northern regions, in the Urals, Siberia, where in the fall, frequent early frosts can destroy the plant).

Land for planting should be loose and preferably with drainage. A hole is dug with a depth of 0.4-0.5 meters and a width of 50-60 centimeters, pebbles, broken brick or slate are laid on the bottom of the hole. Then a fertile mixture is poured (turf soil, compost or humus), the seedling is placed vertically and covered with the remaining fertile soil mixture. When planting, the root collar of the Chinese magnolia vine should be 5-4 centimeters above ground level. Then the plant is thoroughly watered (2-3 buckets of water per bush will be enough).

When planting several lemongrass seedlings, plants are placed every 1.3-1.5 meters, leaving a row spacing of 2.2-2.5 meters. It is advisable to plant at least two vines with different varietal characteristics, this technique allows you to increase the yield of Chinese magnolia vine several times.

Schisandra chinensis - planting by seeds

Growing Chinese Schizandra from seeds is also possible, seed reproduction is carried out in April and May, but before sowing, the seeds must be stratified. In autumn, the seed is mixed with moistened sand and stored at a temperature of 5-7 ° C above zero (at home, you can store it in the refrigerator). Once every 14 days, seeds with sand are taken out and aired, not forgetting to mix.

60 days before sowing the seeds (in February, March), the container with the seedlings is transferred to a warm room (t + 20 ° C) for one month. Then the temperature is lowered to + 8 ° C for 30 days. During the entire time of stratification, the sand should remain moist.

in the photo - the seeds of schisandra chinensis

Sowing of Schisandra chinensis seeds is carried out in pre-prepared grooves 20 mm deep in moistened soil diluted with sand (1: 1). After sowing, the furrows are filled up, slightly compacting the soil, mulched with peat chips with sand (1: 1) in a small layer (2-2.5 cm), then watered. It is advisable to equip the garden bed in a greenhouse. Watering is required rarely, only on hot days in the morning.

After each watering, it is advisable to shake off the grown plants from excess water by running your palm over the leaves of lemongrass, allowing the leaves to dry completely. This approach allows you to protect young shoots of Chinese magnolia vine from rot. High humidity and high air temperature are detrimental to young seedlings. It is recommended to keep the leaves dry. For better airing of the sprouts, do not sow lemongrass seeds too thickly.

For the winter, grown plants in the greenhouse do not require shelter. The next year, the seedlings of Chinese lemongrass are planted in a permanent place. Usually, seedlings grown from seeds in this way are equivalent to four-year-old vines.

How to care for lemongrass?

Chinese lemongrass, the cultivation of which is not so painful, still requires the fulfillment of a number of criteria. In order for the vine to quickly grow stronger and grow, take care of feeding the young plant. Young lemongrass is fertilized according to the following scheme; in the spring, 4 tsp are introduced into the trunk circle. ammonium nitrate and mulch with compost (humus).

Until August, in the summer, every 7-10 days, organic fertilizer is applied in liquid form for Chinese magnolia vine. According to experienced agronomists involved in the cultivation of Schisandra chinensis, liquid top dressing is most effective for young vines. The mullein solution is prepared at the rate of 1:30 and the plants are watered, chicken droppings are diluted in the same way.

When Chinese lemongrass begins to bear fruit, such frequent feeding is stopped and the vines are fertilized only as necessary (usually once a year in the fall). Lemongrass is not afraid of wilting. All fertilizers for an adult plant are reduced to mulching with compost (5-7 cm) or fallen leaves (15-20 cm). Having created just such conditions, the future harvest is laid, and not the growth of shoots.

In a state of slight stress, the plant intensively begins to lay more female inflorescences, prepares to multiply by seeds, and not by root suckers, this is the whole secret of the productivity of Chinese lemongrass. If an adult liana is often fed, new vines with male flowers will actively grow.

Young liana requires quite frequent watering, the soil must not be completely dried out. Lack of moisture leads to the fact that the leaves of the Chinese magnolia vine turn yellow and fade, light green or brown spots also appear on the leaves, sometimes the edges of the leaves acquire a brown color. An adult plant that has entered fruiting is watered only when the foliage withers in the summer.

When caring for vines, you need to know how to properly cut Chinese lemongrass, dense thickets lead to a lack of flowers, therefore, the plant does not bear fruit. There is no nectar in the flowers, pollination is mainly due to the wind in dry weather. Male flowers are located at the bottom of the vines, female ones at the top, the pollen must go up to set fruit. Without pruning, it is impossible to comply with these conditions; through dense foliage, pollination occurs weakly or does not occur at all, as a result, Chinese magnolia vine fruits are not formed.

in the photo - caring for Chinese lemongrass

In early spring, it is imperative to carry out thinning pruning for the proper formation of the plant, removing all intertwined tops and shoots, dry and frozen branches. Vines of the second order (those that grow from the main central stems) are recommended to be shortened by 25-30 centimeters.

When growing vines, be sure to take care of the support; without a trellis, fruiting will be scarce. Do not let the vine grow, dig up all excess layers, keep the plant in the trellis perimeter. Restricting root nutrition within the trellis will force the Chinese magnolia vine to multiply by seeds, thus, we specifically create conditions for the formation of more flowers.

When caring for a wonderful plant, it is important to remember that in the near-trunk circle the earth is not loosened, the roots that are located at a shallow depth are damaged, it is recommended to mulch with humus or compost. To get Chinese lemongrass to bear fruit as early as possible and to harvest a good harvest of fruits, you must follow the basic golden rules:

1. Planting seedlings in an amount of at least two, it is not advisable to propagate by layering;
2. When planting, watch out for the root collar, which should not be buried in the ground, but be 5-7 centimeters above the soil surface;
3. The recommended width of the support (trellis) for lemongrass with aerial shoots is 0.3 meters;
4. Young vines need watering and feeding;
5. Pruning of Chinese lemongrass is mandatory;
6. After entering into fruiting, feeding and watering is limited, not allowing the plants to "fatten".