Muscari planting and care in the open field in the Urals

varieties ❀ planting ❀ care

 

Muscari (lat. Muscari), or viper onion, or mouse hyacinth is a genus of bulbous perennial plants of the Asparagaceae family, although it was previously ranked among the Hyacinth or Liliaceae family. There are about 60 species that grow in nature among bushes, on forest edges and on mountain slopes. It is one of the very first spring flowers to be grown often for cut. The muscari plant has a pleasant and rather strong aroma. Garden muscari are miniature and graceful, are a decoration for lawns, they are used in rabatki and rock gardens, as well as curb plants.

     

Muscari are in great demand in floriculture. They look great both in rock gardens and in decorative garden vases, and undersized varieties are successfully used for borders. Muscari in multi-tiered flower beds are very beautiful, in composition with other spring flowers: against the background of densely growing lilac-blue muscari, islands of taller early-flowering tulips or daffodils look very impressive. The combination of blue muscari with orange hazel grouses is great.

Muscari bulbs are ovoid, with light outer scales, 1.5-3.5 cm long and up to 2 cm in diameter.Leaves - basal, linear, up to 17 cm long and up to six pieces - appear in spring, but can reappear in autumn ... Muscari grow up to 30 cm in height.

The peduncle in muscari is leafless, in the flowers are cylindrical, barrel-shaped or tubular perianths, consisting of six accrete petals, bent along the edge. Color - from white to dark blue, length - about 0.5 cm and the same in diameter. Flowers are collected in dense inflorescences, racemose or apical, up to 8 cm long.

Muscari fruit is a winged, three-celled capsule, spherical or heart-shaped, with small wrinkled black seeds, the germination of which lasts only for a year.This genus has two significant advantages: almost all species are decorative and, in addition, muscari are completely unpretentious.

 

 

Muscari outdoor landing

 

Like all early spring flowers, muscari bloom when there are no leaves on the trees and shrubs, so there will be enough light for them in any case. Muscari have been growing in one place for several years, so plant them next to perennials, which you will not replant every year either. The soil is best loose, fertile and permeable. It is desirable that the site be located on a hill and protected from strong winds.

It is better to plant muscari in autumn, before the end of October. They are planted in groups as soon as muscari bulbs, which have been growing in one place for five years or more, are dug up. If you buy them at the store, carefully examine the shoots: they must be healthy. Sometimes in April, nurseries sell seedlings of already flowering muscari in boxes, and sellers claim that they can be immediately planted in the ground.

Before planting, inspect the bulbs and remove any darkened or damaged bulbs. Disinfect the bulbs for prophylaxis: first, pickle them for half an hour in a 2% solution of karbofos, then the same amount in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. The day before planting the muscari, water the prepared wells well, soaking the entire layer of soil through and through. Add river sand to drain each hole before planting. If the bulbs are large, they are immersed in the ground by 7 cm, and the distance between them is 5-10 cm. Small bulbs are buried by 3 cm, and the gap between the bulbs is 2-3 cm.

 

 

Muscari outdoor care

 

Caring for muscari is not difficult: this is a training plant for a novice florist. Muscari need watering only at the very beginning of the growing season, but, as a rule, at this time the soil is still wet after melting snow or spring rains. And the dormant period does not require soil moisture. If there was no snow in the winter, and the spring turned out to be dry, then there is a need for regular watering.

If the soil on the site is not too fertile, this can be corrected by feeding with organic fertilizers. With humus or compost, you can fertilize the soil in the fall when digging: 5 kilograms of fertilizer are consumed for each square meter. Subject to the regularity of such autumn digging with organic matter, muscari can grow in one area for up to ten years. But then you will have to seat them anyway.

Muscari blooms for a little longer than three weeks, and does not require special care at this time, just loosen the soil slightly after watering, trying not to damage the bulb, remove weeds and remove wilted flowers if they spoil the appearance of your flower bed. If the quality of the flowers has deteriorated over the years, then it is time to transplant the muscari.

Muscari transplant Vegetative propagation of muscari by separating the babies from the mother's bulb is carried out, as a rule, during the autumn digging, somewhere from mid to late October. When to transplant muscari, we already wrote - after 5-6 years of growth in one area, although when it is really time to dig out muscari, you will be prompted by the type of your flower bed. Muscari bulbs are removed from the ground, the babies are separated from the mother's bulb (there can be many, up to 30 pieces) and planted in the manner described above.

As soon as the muscari have faded, you need to carefully remove the peduncles and feed with liquid potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, which will help the bulbs to winter well. Reduce watering gradually until the leaves of the plant turn yellow and wither, and once this process is complete, do not water the plant again. Autumn is the time for digging the site and transplanting muscari who have reached the age of five. If your muscari is still too young to divide and transplant, simply remove any yellowed leaves from the area. Young plantings of muscari, especially if they grow on it next to other bulbs, must be mulched with peat for the winter.

 

 

Muscari breeding

 

In addition to the vegetative method, muscari reproduce well by self-seeding, therefore, in order to prevent uncontrolled growth of the site, it is necessary to cut the peduncles after flowering, leaving only a few for the seeds to ripen. The collected ripe seeds, capable of sprouting only within a year, are sown into the ground in the fall to a depth of 1-2 cm. Next spring, thin strings of seedlings will let you know that the process of bulb formation has begun. Such a plant will bloom in 2-3 years.

 

 

Storing muscari bulbs

 

Muscari are perennial plants; moreover, they can grow in one place for up to ten years in a row. But if for any reason you decide to dig up the bulbs and store them indoors, then remember the following rules:

❀ You need to dig out the bulbs only when the leaves of the plants begin to dry.

❀ Dug out bulbs need to be dried for several days, then put into peat or wet clean sand.
❀ Inspect and feel the bulbs once a week and immediately remove any that are rotten, damaged or soft.
❀ Humidity of air in storage is preferable 70%, temperature - 17 ºC.

But let us recall again: it is best to plant muscari in the fall, during the digging of the site, then it is also convenient to separate the babies from the mother's bulbs, followed by seeding, so it makes no sense to store the muscari bulbs indoors until spring.

 

 

Muscari diseases and pests

 

Most often, muscari suffer from mosaicscaused by the yellow dwarf onion virus. Symptoms: green mosaic on the leaves, shortened flower arrow, narrowed leaves and growth inhibition of the diseased specimen. Sometimes the plant becomes infected with the common cucumber mosaic, which is expressed with pale green strokes and spots on the deformed leaves. These viruses are transmitted by aphids and, once in the bulb, remain in it. Therefore, diseased specimens must be dug up and burned so that the infection does not spread to other plants. There is no cure for viral diseases yet, so fight the carrier - aphids, destroy it as soon as it appears on the plants. The method is simple and has long been known: dilute 2 teaspoons of liquid soap (Gala, Fairey) in two glasses of water and spray the plant with the solution.

Sometimes Muscari gets in trouble spider mite... In the fight against it, use drugs of the avermectin group (vertimek, actofit, fitoverm) strictly according to the instructions at an air temperature of 18 ºC.

 

 

Muscari species and varieties

 

Muscari Armenian

Among the species, the most often cultivated is the winter-hardy Armenian Muscari, or Colchis, which blooms in late spring for three weeks. It is he who is called "mouse hyacinth". The upper flowers in its inflorescences are sterile and have a lighter shade than the lower ones, dark blue with a white border. Muscari Armenian exudes a pleasant aroma. The most popular varieties are:

• Muscari Terry Blue Spike - extremely beautiful due to its multifloral nature (up to 170 flowers in an uviform inflorescence), unpretentious, can be used for cutting.
• Christmas Pearl - with very beautiful purple flowers.
• Fantasy Creation - very beautiful due to the combination of blue and blue-green shades.

 

Muscari uviform

The muscari species is found in the alpine belt of Southern and Central Europe, it is one of the most popular in culture since 1576. The flowers of the aciniform are smaller than those of the Armenian. In addition to the varieties of the usual blue shade, there are two garden varieties:
• var. album - white muscari, clusters, as if from pearls.
• var. carneum - a kind of pink.

 

Muscari pale

It grows on the slopes of the mountains, small pale blue bells bloom on low peduncles. Among garden varieties, the most popular is “White Rose Beauty"- his flowers are not pale blue, but pale pink.

 

Muscari crested

An original plant found in nature among shrubs, dry meadows and forest edges. On the peduncle of this species there is a tuft of purple flowers on arcuate pedicels. This plant looks great on lawns and lawns against the background of ground cover grasses. The most popular variety "Plumosum"- highly branched stems with many sterile purple-violet flowers.

 

Muscari Tubergena

Or Muscari Osh grows in northwestern Iran, blooms in mid-spring with blue flowers with pale teeth. Requires good drainage. The variety of Tubergen, which is distinguished by lighter flowers and crescent-shaped leaves, is separately distinguished by flower growers.

 

Muscari is cute

The Hebrew name is kadan nae (beautiful), found in the parks of Ashkelon. Flowering begins in winter: short dense ovoid inflorescences of bright blue flowers appear on low peduncles. The fold teeth are white.

 

In addition to these popular species in floriculture, there are many others: long-flowered muscari, changeable muscari, ambrosia muscari, white-grass muscari, large-fruited muscari, strange muscari, multi-flowered muscari, dense-flowered muscari, racemose muscari and so on.

 

Where to buy muscari 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

Muscari (Muscari) looks similar to small hyacinths. Belongs to small-bulbous perennial plants of the Asparagaceae family.

Leaves are elongated, lanceolate, collected in a basal rosette. Height is from 10 to 40 cm. The stem, in essence, is an elongated bulb. During the growing season, it accumulates a supply of nutrients.

Important: Oval bulbs are small - up to 2 cm. By the end of the growing season, a whole clump of plants will grow from one bulb, and up to 30 babies are formed on the mother bulb.

Features of growing muscari in the open field

Muscari easily tolerates winter and feels great outdoors without shelter. Loved by gardeners for unpretentiousness, early flowering, ease of care and breeding. The bulbs of a perennial blooming in early spring doze off in the ground until the next season, requiring little or no maintenance.

Planting muscari in the ground

In nature, the flower is propagated by seeds. Cultivars are preferable to plant with bulbs.

Bulb planting is carried out as follows:

1. Bulbs for sowing are sorted out. Discarded darkened, with signs of mold, damaged.
2. For the prevention of diseases and pests, the bulbs are soaked for half an hour in a 2% solution of karbofos, then for the same time in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. You can do without karbofos by keeping the planting material in potassium permanganate for about an hour or by treating it with any fungicide for flowers, for example, phytosporin.
3. The site is dug up in advance, at the same time adding compost (5 kg / m²).
4. Muscari are planted in groups of 10-30 onions in one place.
5. The day before planting, holes or grooves are prepared for bulbs up to 7 cm deep, 2-3 cm are enough for small bulbs.Pour 2 cm of drainage mixture (coarse river sand, small pebbles, expanded clay, clay shards with the addition of a small amount land).
6. The distance between the holes, depending on the size of the bulbs, the design idea, the desired density, the flower beds are kept 2-3 cm for small planting material and 4-10 cm for large ones.
7. A layer of soil above the bulbs 1-2 cm.
8. Plantings are watered abundantly with warm water.

Important. Flowers are often used in landscaping and landscaping city streets. To decorate a large array, 100-200 bulbs are used per square meter. About 8 cm of sod is removed from the site, the earth is loosened, compost is introduced, and carefully leveled. The bulbs are easily pressed into the soil and covered with the removed sod layer. Watering.

Seed planting is not practiced in amateur floriculture. Breeding stations and large producers of planting material are engaged in it. When planted with seeds, muscari flowers bloom after three years.

Muscari are planted after the end of the growing season - in the fall.

In the spring, you can plant already flowering plants grown in specialized nurseries, or obtained by forcing yourself.

Muscari is undemanding to the soil. More abundant and prolonged flowering, the formation of baby bulbs and growth will be on light fertile weakly acidic soils with a pH of 5.8-6.5 with good aerobic and moisture-permeable properties.

Important. An excess of soil moisture is destructive for muscari. It should not be planted on clay soils, in areas with a close occurrence of groundwater and accumulation of melt or rainwater, lowlands.

In the conditions of the Central regions of Russia, the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, the best time for planting muscari is from the end of August to November at a soil temperature of + 18 ° C. Then, before the frost begins, the bulbs will have time to take root. For a more successful "engraftment", the bulbs are preliminarily kept for several days in a cool place with t + 9-10 ° C.

Features of caring for muscari in the open field

Wild muscari grow on the slopes of the mountains, in the steppe, in dry meadows and forest edges, in shrub thickets.

In gardens, they are allocated sunny areas and places with average illumination rates, planted to decorate the plantings of ornamental and berry bushes. Considering that muscari bloom very early, they can be planted under deciduous trees that will not have time to shade the plantings.

Muscari is very useful for landscaping. It looks great next to other primroses (forsythia, crocuses, tulips, daffodils, stonecrop, crocuses, lilies of the valley, chionodox). It can be planted between the roots of peonies and among the overgrown astilbes, hosts, violets, aquilegia.

After flowering, the leaves of the muscari dry up, this place is sown with annuals.

During flowering, muscari requires high humidity. At a rate below 60%, the flowers are gently sprayed with warm water. During dormancy, the plant easily tolerates drought.

Muscari does not require special watering. He needs moisture only at the beginning of the growing season and during flowering, which occur in the spring, when the soil is moistened after the snow has melted. Flowers are watered only in winters with little snow and in dry springs.

During the formation of the bulbs, watering is not needed, excess moisture can only harm. Watering is completely stopped after two weeks from the beginning of budding.

Fertilizing and fertilizing a flower

Although muscari grows in any soil, top dressing will not hurt him. With the regular introduction of compost or humus in the fall, it pleases with the brightness and abundance of flowers, juicy greens. Half a bucket is enough for 1m².

After the leaves have completely wilted, the plantings are fed with any potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.

Do I need to prune the plant?

As soon as the last flowers wither, the dried inflorescences of the muscari are cut off. The ripening process of the seeds weakens the plants, and the abundant self-seeding clogs the neighboring flower beds.

Do not cut off or mow dying leaves, this will prevent the plant from actively accumulating nutrients for the winter.

Important. Like any cultivated plant, muscari needs weeding and shallow loosening.

Muscari transplant

On a well-groomed area with fertile land, a muscari transplant is required no more than once every 5-10 years, but usually heavily overgrown thickets, when signs of degeneration appear, are planted 3-4 years after planting.

Plants are relocated from late August to November, in rare cases in the summer after flowering. During flowering, bulbs that are clearly visible during this period are marked. In the fall, they are dug up and with an earthen lump, placed in prepared holes, watered.

Breeding muscari

Lovers propagate muscari vegetatively. For division, bulbs are taken from plants that have grown in one place for at least 2 and no more than 5 years. They are carefully dug out after the leaves have completely wilted or in autumn, the children are carefully separated and planted in the usual way. Plants obtained from daughter bulbs bloom in the second year.

If you need to keep the planting material until next year:

• the bulbs are dried for several days;
• laid out in boxes with peat or wet river sand;
• rotted, damaged and soft bulbs are regularly examined and discarded;
• Temperature range + 17ºC. Indoor humidity should be around 70%.

Seed propagation is rarely used, as a rule, for selection, cultivation on an industrial scale. In strong plants, flower stalks are left with seed pods. Seeds collected only from the lower shoots are sown into grooves with a depth of 1-2 cm. In the spring, thin shoots will appear and bulb formation will begin, which will last 3 years.

In industrial greenhouses, the seedling propagation method is also used. It is difficult to repeat it at home. Seeds require stratification before planting. It is important to choose high-quality soil, carefully observe the humidity regime, and maintain the optimum air temperature. Even with the most careful care, the percentage of germination and survival of seedlings on the windowsill is not high.

Flowering muscari

Muscari are ephemeroids (short-flowering). Bloom from April to mid-June. Timing and duration depend on the climatic zone and variety.

Duration of flowering up to 3 weeks. Muscari flowers in the form of a cylinder or bell with curved teeth are collected in small dense clusters up to 8 cm long. Blue-violet muscari are found in nature. The colors of varietal plants are more varied - white, blue, lilac, yellowish.

Problems, diseases and pests in the flower

It is a little susceptible to disease. However, it may suffer from onion or cucumber mosaics. It is transmitted by aphids from diseased plants. The infected plants are dug up and burned. Aphids are destroyed by spraying the plants with a solution of 2 teaspoons of antibacterial liquid soap and 2 glasses of water.

In the event that a spider mite appears on the flower bed, avermectin preparations are used (Avertin, Fitverm, Vertimek, Acorin, Aversectin).

Important. Muscari contains toxic substances, when working with it, you should follow safety rules: do not eat, wear gloves.

The toxic flower scares away many pests from the flower garden and enriches the soil. After transplanting, roses, daffodils, peonies grow beautifully in its place. Bouquets of muscari, placed in the house, drive away mosquitoes, midges, flies.

Popular species and varieties

In the genus Muscari, there are from 40 to 60 species. Most famous among gardeners:

• Armenian (Colchis) muscari with large blue, white inflorescences. He is the most winter hardy. Its varieties are popular: multi-flowered (up to 170 bells in a bunch) Blue Spike, blue with shades of blue-green Fantasy Creation, purple Christmas Pearl, pale blue Azureu, Cantab, Sapphire.
• Muscari Tubergen or Muscari Osche with a two-color inflorescence. The upper bells are blue, the lower ones are darker blue. Blue Magic, White Magic, Ocean Magic varieties are in demand.
• Cultivars of the Grozdovidny muscari are white (Album) or pink (Carneum).
• A racemose muscari. It is distinguished by its purple color.
• Crested muscari. They are white.
• Broadleaf or Latifolium has wide leaves, one bulb often throws out several peduncles.
• The undersized light blue Pale Muscari has a pale pink White Rose Beauty in its varietal line.
• Muscari Crested or Muscari plumosum (Muscari comosum plumosum) with terry tuft-inflorescences of purple, lilac, lilac, colors on curved pedicels.

Difficulties in growing a plant. Useful Tips

Muscari are most afraid of mice, which often damage the bulbs. There are many ways to combat rodents:

• plant next to muscari plants that repel rodents - daffodils, hazel grouses, black root (cinoglossum);
• before planting, spray the onions with kerosene or spread them with balsamic liniment (Vishnevsky's ointment);
• generously sprinkle plantings with red pepper;
• regularly water the flower bed with a decoction of valerian roots;
• fill minks with stones, throw special smoke bombs at them;
• to lay out poisoned quick-action baits on the sites.

Answers to readers' questions

Plant lifespan?

Muscari perennials. With proper care, they can live up to 10 years in one place without a transplant.

Why doesn't the flower bloom?

Most likely these are old, heavily overgrown plantings with bulbs that have sunk deep into the ground. Transplant required.

How to care for a flower in winter?

Muscari tolerate winter well, do not need shelter. The broadleaf muscari and muscari of Osh are mulched before wintering.

In regions with severe frosts, fresh plantings are sheltered.

Muscari (Latin Muscari) is a small bulbous herbaceous perennial plant from the Asparagus family. More than 60 species of this attractive and surprisingly touching plant can be found in nature. Muscari flowers are graceful and diminutive, from 10 to 40 cm high. This is one of the first spring flowers with a pleasant aroma. It blooms in early spring, some species until June, with rich blue, pale blue, white flowers of an unusual cylindrical shape, creating a bright and positive mood in the garden awakening from winter.

In group plantings, muscari decorate lawns, garden plots, the plant is often used in rock gardens and rabatkas. Turkey is considered the birthplace of muscari, the plant is widespread in Europe, the Caucasus, in the Crimea and in the Mediterranean countries. In nature, it can be found on mountain slopes, forest edges or alpine meadows. There are other names for the flower, due to its small size and surprising similarity with hyacinth, it is also called viper onion or mouse hyacinth. Muscari is grown for cutting, it is perfect for forcing and is able to decorate a balcony or windowsill with its extraordinary flowering in winter.

Muscari description

Muscari is a perennial bulbous low plant, its height can be from 10 to 40 cm. The bulbs are small, ovoid, with light outer scales. The diameter of the bulbs is from 2-4 cm, in varietal muscarias - up to 4-5 cm. Possessing a very short vegetative period, which occurs in the spring, muscari belongs to ephemeroid plants. Most of the year, after flowering, the muscari is dormant - the ground part dies off, and the bulb accumulates all the nutrients it needs during the year in order to bloom again next spring. The leaves of the plant are narrow, collected in several pieces in a basal bundle, the length of the leaves is from 10 to 17 cm.
Muscari flowers are collected in lush inflorescences of the brush or apical inflorescences, up to 8 cm long, resemble hyacinth or lily of the valley in shape, have a delicate, pleasant, slightly intoxicating aroma.

More often you can find flowers in dark blue, blue, purple or lilac colors in gardens, less often - white.The flowers have an unusual barrel-shaped, cylindrical, sometimes tubular shape, with fused petals curved at the ends. The upper flowers of the inflorescence are sterile, they only attract insects that pollinate the plant. Muscaria fruit is a round or heart-shaped box, divided into three nests, which contain small black seeds. The flowering time of the plant in the southern regions is early spring, in the central and northern regions it blooms later. The flowering of muscaria lasts for several weeks.

MUSKARI IN OPEN GROUND

Planting site and soil  

Most of the cultivated plants of the genus are unpretentious, so the cultivation of muscari does not cause problems. Flowers prefer to grow in well-lit areas with direct sunlight, but can also live in the shade. Mouse hyacinth does not require much care and shelter for the winter, except that some varieties and species require mulching (broadleaf muscari and Oshe muscari). In addition, muscari flowers are undemanding to the soil, they grow almost everywhere. But if the substrates are light or medium, rich in organic components and with a slightly acidic pH (5.8-6.5), they grow especially expressive and attractive. Therefore, before planting muscari in the soil, it is advisable to add compost or humus at the rate of half a bucket per square meter. m.

Planting muscari

Plant mouse hyacinth in groups of 10 to 30 pieces. Previously, the bulbs (except for store bulbs) must be treated with a fungicide, for example, Fitosporin. The distance between them when planting is on average 4-7 cm. The depth is up to 8 cm, it, like the distance, depends on the size of the bulb, for a smaller size - less, for large bulbs - more. In any case, there should be a layer of soil of at least 1 cm above the bulb.Sometimes, planting one to two hundred plants per square meter is recommended as a scheme. m.
If the muscari is supposed to be planted on the lawn, the sod is carefully removed on the selected area to a depth of 8 cm.Then the soil is loosened, filled with compost, removing exactly the same amount of soil in order to maintain an even surface of the lawn, and the bulbs are planted. The cut piece of lawn immediately after planting the muscari is returned to its place and well watered. Muscari flower bulbs ↓

Muscari care

During growth and flowering, mouse hyacinth needs a moist (but not wet) substrate. In no case should water stagnate in the soil - this leads to rotting of the bulbs. For this reason, even slightly flooded areas in spring or during rains are not suitable for planting muscari. Plants especially need moisture during the flowering period. Watering is completely stopped after two weeks. After the leaves die off, a semi-dry soil will be best for the bulbs.
In order for muscari to bloom and grow well, compost is added to the soil in the spring. Container plants are additionally fed with liquid complex fertilizers every 2 weeks during the growing season.
Caring for muscari also involves loosening the soil and removing weeds that can interfere with bulb development.
If muscari flowers are grown on a lawn, the lawn is not mowed there during the growing season.

Otherwise, the muscari bulbs will be small, and over time they will disappear altogether. Lawn mowing resume after complete wilting and drying of the leaves.
Caring for muscari is also facilitated by the fact that the plant is almost not affected by diseases and pests. The bulbs are only threatened by rodents, from which they are saved by scarers, mousetraps or special preparations.
The Muscari planting site needs to be changed every four years. This can be done during the flowering muscari, when the location of the bulbs is noticeable. To do this, the overgrown curtains are dug out with a shovel and transplanted together with a lump of earth to a new place without damaging the roots.

After that, they must be watered well. In places where the presence of resting after the flowering of the bulbs is well determined, the mouse hyacinth is transplanted in the fall.
With careful care, faded muscari buds are removed. Indeed, on the one hand, seed ripening takes away some of the nutrients from the growing bulbs, and on the other hand, self-seeding contributes to the proliferation of muscari plantings, which may be undesirable in a particular case. In some varieties, the seed pods are so decorative that they should not be removed, such as the Blue Spike terry variety.

Bloom

Flowering lasts a little longer than 20 days. At this time, you should only regularly loosen the soil surface (after watering), while you need to be very careful so as not to injure the bulb. It is also necessary to carry out timely weeding and, if necessary, cut off fading flowers. If you notice that over time, the flowers of the plant began to lose their former decorativeness, then this means that the muscari must be planted.

Transfer

Muscari can be propagated vegetatively with babies separated from the mother's bulb. In this way, the plant is propagated in the fall at the same time when the site is being digged (from the middle to the last days of October). Transplanting should be done only on those bushes that have grown in the same place for 5 to 6 years. However, you can understand that muscari needs seating by its appearance. The bulbs must be dug up and then separated from the mother's babies (there are up to 30 of them). Then the bulbs will need to be planted in the way described above.

Muscari after flowering

At the end of flowering, it is necessary to carefully cut off all flower stalks and feed with liquid phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to prepare the bulbs for wintering. Watering the muscari should be less and less. When the leaves on the bushes are completely dry, you need to stop watering them altogether. In the autumn, it is necessary to dig up the site, and plant the bushes of five years old. From the bushes that are not transplanted this year, you need to remove the old leaf plates. Plants that have been transplanted or planted should be sprinkled with a layer of mulch (peat).

CULTIVATION OF MUSCARI IN CONTAINERS

In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to grow muscari flowers in decorative containers. How to plant muscari in this case?
A plastic pot with a drainage hole and bulbs planted in it in the fall is dropped in the garden, and in the spring they are placed in a beautiful flower pot, or the bulbs are transplanted together with the ground without disturbing the roots. Complement the flower arrangement with the planting of other spring-flowering plants, for example, they are plantedpansies... When the flowers lose their decorative effect, they are again moved into the ground together with the pot for the further formation of bulbs, and left in this state until next spring. Growing muscari in a container requires more care. Indeed, in this case, the plants are often watered and fed.

CULTIVATION OF MUSKARI IN CLOSED GROUND (distillation) 

Only healthy bulbs of the largest diameter are suitable for forcing, depending on the type and variety, their size can be from 6 to 10 cm in diameter. You can buy them or use your own planting material. Muscari bulbs are dug out after the entire ground part has died out, washed, treated with a fungicide (Fitosporin, a weak solution of potassium permanganate, etc.), dried at room temperature and stored until September in a ventilated and dry place at a temperature of +20 ° C. Purchased bulbs are not processed, they are ready for planting. Then the storage temperature is lowered to +17 ° C. The main condition for growing muscari in pots and containers in winter is the correct temperature regime. Muscari will not bloom without exposure at a temperature of + 2-5 ° C.

Depending on the desired flowering time, the planting time of the bulbs is calculated: 3-4 months of aging in cool conditions, plus two to three weeks for forcing.Having decided on the timing, the bulbs are placed in a cold place with a temperature of +9 ° C for about 35 days, stored in dry sawdust, cotton wool or wrapped in paper. After that, the temperature is lowered to +5 ° C (you can use a refrigerator). Two weeks before the end of the cold storage period, the muscari is planted tightly in pots in moist soil, deepening the bulbs by 2 cm, the upper part should remain in the air.
The substrate for forcing muscari is similar to that used for open field: nutritious and aerated. You can use a mixture of peat, forest soil and sand (or perlite). At the bottom of the container, you must definitely put something for drainage (expanded clay, shards, pebbles).
After the allotted time, the pots are transferred to a warm and bright place with a temperature of about +10 °, after a day or three the temperature is raised to +15 ° C. When the soil dries up, it is moderately watered, without falling on the top of the bulb. Flowering should come in two weeks, in a cool room it will last longer, but still will not exceed 10 days. 

Popular varieties of muscari

In ornamental gardening, the following types are most widespread.

Muscari Armenian (M. armeniacum) native to Southwestern Transcaucasia and Northwestern Turkey grows on dry plains. On Russian household plots, this species is found more often than others. Flowers are cornflower blue. The plant is very unpretentious, winter-hardy. By the end of flowering, the stems often lodge, reducing the decorative effect of the plantings. There are garden forms and varieties. Often used for group plantings.

Muscari Osh (M. aucheri) occurs naturally in northwestern Iran. The flowers are blue, distinctly bell-shaped. The species does not react well to excessive moisture.

Muscari uviform (M. botryoides) grows on meadows and mountain slopes in the subalpine and alpine belts of Central and Southern Europe. One of the most common in the culture. Outwardly, it is similar to Armenian Muscari, but has narrower and shorter inflorescences. The flowers are blue with a purple tint. White-flowered and pink-flowered forms are known. In culture since the end of the 16th century.

Muscari is fickle (M. commutatum) grows on mountain slopes in the Mediterranean. The flowers are dark blue-violet. Winter-hardy.

Muscari broadleaf (M. latifolium) forms thickets along forest edges in Asia Minor. It has rather wide leaves, giving the plant an unusual look. The flowers are dark purple. Heat-loving, in the conditions of central Russia it needs light shelter for the winter. In warmer regions, it is used for group plantings.

White muscari (M. leucostomum) is found in the Black Sea region, Central Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Iran. Prefers loose fertile soils. The flowers are dark blue, with a purple tint and a white throat.

Muscari unassuming (M. neglectum) grows in nature on forest edges, in thickets of bushes and on rocky taluses in the Mediterranean countries. The leaves are large, belt-like, sometimes appear already in the fall. The flowers are deeply dark blue with white edging. At the top of the inflorescence are sterile light blue flowers. A very unpretentious and winter-hardy species, it reproduces well by self-sowing.

Muscari multiflorous (M. polyanthum) is found in the meadows of the subalpine and alpine belts of Southwestern Transcaucasia and Northeastern Turkey. The flowers are bell-shaped, bright blue, with pale teeth.

Reproduction and sowing

Muscari propagates mainly vegetatively, by daughter bulbs. They are formed, as a rule, in large quantities. When transplanting, daughter bulbs are separated, disassembled and planted to a depth of 6–8 cm at a distance of 10 cm from each other. If you need to quickly get dense enough plantings, the bulbs are planted at a distance of 5 cm.

A transplant is recommended every 5-7 years. Seed propagation is also possible, it is usually used for botanical species.Seeds are sown immediately after collection, at the beginning - in the middle of summer, since during storage they quickly lose their germination. Many muscari species produce abundant self-seeding. Young plants obtained from seeds bloom in the third year.

Like most early spring small-bulbous plants, muscari are planted in rock gardens, in the foreground of mixborders, on lawns, in the form of borders, in boxes and pots.

Muscari Armenian, broad-leaved and grape-like muscari are best suited for forcing.

Storing the bulbs

The largest and healthiest bulbs dug out in early - mid-summer are stored in a well-ventilated room. Until the beginning of October, they are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, then it is reduced to 17 ° C. In mid-October - early November, they are planted in pots to a depth of 1–2 cm.

Before planting, the bulbs are soaked for 1 hour in a solution of potassium permanganate of medium strength. The soil in the pots must be moist. Further development of plants depends on temperature. At 9 ° C, rooting of the bulbs takes place within 1.5 months. Flowering occurs approximately 20 days after the temperature rises to 12-15 ° C.

Muscari pests and diseases

Muscari are susceptible to the following diseases:

1. 1. Leaf mosaic is a viral disease transmitted by aphids.
      The first sign of the mosaic is the dwarfism of the plant, its leaves look narrowed and deformed. The disease is transmitted by aphids, which infects a healthy bulb. If the bulb has already become infected, it must be dug up and burned so as not to infect other healthy specimens with the virus. A viral disease cannot be cured, it can only be prevented, that is, to fight the carriers of the mosaic - aphids. To destroy aphids, a solution is used, consisting of 2 teaspoons of liquid soap and 2 glasses of water. Spray the plant with this solution.
   2. Spider mite. Muscari is sometimes affected by spider mites. To combat it, drugs such as Aktofit, Fitoverm are used. When processing a plant with these drugs, you must strictly follow the instructions.
   3. Slug damage. If you find that the leaves of the plant are eaten away in some places and residues of mucus are observed on them, then the plant has been attacked by mucus. The reason for the appearance of slugs is excessive moisture.

Muscari planting and care in the open field photo

The age of primroses is short, but beautiful. Even in a short period of their active growing season, they manage to bring joy to the hearts of gardeners, announcing the arrival of spring. Meadows and fields, gardens and parks are illuminated with bright heads, bringing notes of warmth to the landscape that has just awakened from winter sleep. One of the first to appear is the mouse hyacinth with its bright blue inflorescences. An unpretentious perennial will easily fit into a garden design, even if you have no experience in flower cultivation at all. This article will tell you about the muscari primrose planting and care in the open field photo of the plant, the subtleties of growing and reproduction.

Muscari: origin, description, photo

The bulbous perennial received the Latin name Muscari thanks to the botanist F. Miller. The scientist noted that the scent of flowers is similar to the scent of musk. The plant is included in the Asparagus family, but the ancient botanical classification put it on a par with hyacinths. The external similarity of these cultures has only minor differences, so the name of the mouse hyacinth has taken root among the people. The perennial was nicknamed the viper onion because of the old stories in which it was narrated about the eating of deciduous mass by snakes. In fact, the reptiles simply basked in the sunny meadows, where primroses often grow.

Informative! Other synonymous names for the bulbous culture are associated with bright appearance and love of moisture - rain flower, grape hyacinth, earthy lilac.

Representatives of the genus Muscari are low herbaceous plants, the underground part of which is represented by a perennial bulb.The form of the vegetative organ is ovoid, the covering scales are painted in light colors. The length of the onion is from 1.5 to 4 cm, the diameter is 20 mm.

With the arrival of spring, fleshy narrow-lanceolate leaves, covered with pronounced parallel veins, sprout from the bulb. The length of the leaf blades is 10-17 cm, they form a basal rosette. Each rosette consists of 2-7 leaves.

Erect bare peduncle ends with a multi-flowered raceme. The flowers are simple, like a bell. The corolla consists of six fused petals with a bent serrated edge. The length of the flower-bearing brush is 2-8 cm. Each bud is attached to the stem by a shortened peduncle. Depending on the species and variety, the color of the petals can be white, yellow, pink, but the main gamut is blue-violet. Some varieties have a combined color; a white skirt runs along the edge of the blue perianth. The shape of the corolla also depends on the species. There are barrel-shaped, tubular and cylindrical flowers.

Inside the flower there are 6 stamens with blue or purple anthers and one pistil. The apical buds are sterile and serve to attract pollinators. During flowering, a thick, pleasant aroma spreads through the garden.

Know! By its nature, the culture belongs to the ephemeroids. In a short vegetative period, a tiny bush 10-30 cm high manages to germinate, blossom, and form seeds. The rest of the time, the viper bow rests and accumulates strength for wintering.

After the flowers wither, spherical or heart-like boxes with three chambers are formed. Viper onion seeds are very small, shriveled, black. Seed material quickly loses its germination capacity.

The Mediterranean is considered to be the homeland of the primrose. The largest number of varieties is concentrated in the territory of this region. The range also includes Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Bright heads grow on grassy slopes, along forest edges, in mountainous areas covered with forests, near melting snows.

The introduction led to the naturalization of the Mediterranean in Australia, North America. About 10 species of mouse hyacinth have spread across the territory of Russia. More often found on the Crimean peninsula, the Caucasus. The population of the Caucasus is fighting hard against flower thickets that sprout at the site of planting of various crops.

The healing properties of muscari

The composition of primrose petals includes esters, alcohols, flavonoids, organic acids and ascorbic acid. The combination of these substances endowed mouse hyacinth with anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, bactericidal, anti-aging properties.

Attention! Official medicine does not use preparations based on plant bulbs. They contain plant alkaloids.

Traditional medicine uses only alcoholic infusions of petals and essential oil. This limitation is due to the fact that the perennial is poisonous. Inflorescences are used as medicinal raw materials. Alcohol extracts are used exclusively for external use. Use should be limited to children, pregnant women, allergy sufferers. Inflammatory skin diseases, burns, open wounds, acne in Asian countries are treated with an alcohol extract of the petals.

For cosmetic purposes, treatment of bronchitis, diseases of the nervous system, increasing libido, essential oil is used. It is used for massage, aromatherapy. The range of its application extends to the field of cosmetology. The oil is added to cosmetics, since it has anti-aging properties, easily copes with the elimination of fine wrinkles. The perfume industry has long incorporated the honeyed notes of primrose into perfumes. It perfectly complements floral scents. But annoying mosquitoes and cockroaches do not tolerate fragrant inflorescences. The dried petals will also help expel moths from the wardrobe.

Important! Experts recommend that gardeners with sensitive skin use rubber gloves to protect their hands. The juice of the bulbs can cause contact dermatitis.

Features of growing a plant

When growing a Mediterranean guest, it is important to provide him with a large area. The curtain spreads quite quickly. The neighbors in the flower bed are selected taking into account the fact that you will be transplanting only after a few years, it is better to plant together with other perennials.

Among the unique properties of the viper onion, it is worth noting the love of light, but the ability to grow in the shade. This feature is associated with the early flowering period. Bright heads will appear before the leaves bloom on the trees shading the garden.

The ephemeroid is planted in small groups. A single flower will not give the desired effect. Like other representatives of bulbous cultures, mouse hyacinth is used for early forcing. Even when there is snow outside the window, the house can be filled with the honey scent of a flower.

Perennial culture of muscari: species, varieties

Muscari is a genus of 44 species of bulbous perennials. The following varieties are most often found in culture:

• Armenian (Colchian);
• Osh (Tubergena);
• changeable;
• aciniform;
• crested;
• multi-flowered;
• broadleaf;
• large-fruited;
• pale;
• strange;
• racemose;
• pretty.

Some varieties growing in the Caucasus have high decorative qualities and are only being introduced into culture. These include European species, which are not widespread on the territory of Russia due to their weak winter hardiness. Dense-flowered, Azerbaijani, musky, blue, white-green varieties, as well as muscari Shovitsa, Geldreikh, neglected, are considered promising.

Know! Ornamental varieties planted by humans in the wild go through the naturalization process quickly.

Spring in the southwest Caucasus and northwest Turkey gives locals the opportunity to admire the sky-blue primroses. By the beginning of May, multi-flowered flower brushes, similar to blue balls, can be seen in various parts of the natural landscape. Each flower looks like a tiny barrel 0.5 cm long. The place where the petals pass into the limb is indicated by a constriction. The edge of the flower is serrated, white. At the top of the 20 cm long inflorescence, there are several lighter buds that serve to attract insects. They do not give seeds. Three-chambered capsules are tied only with fertile flowers. Flowering lasts 3 weeks.

The underground part is represented by an elongated onion up to 3 cm long and 2–2.5 cm in diameter. The leaf rosette consists of 3–7 plates tapering at the top. The height of the bush is 15-20 cm, the width of the lower part of the leaf is 5-8 mm. For the winter, the deciduous mass dies off, the bulbs have a high threshold of winter hardiness, they do not need shelter.

It is interesting! The breeders liked the high decorativeness and frost resistance, therefore, more than 170 varieties were bred on the basis of the species.

Gardeners prefer the Dutch Blue Spike cultivar. Its lush inflorescences consist of a large number of buds. This became possible thanks to the branched pedicels, each of which bears 2-3 flowers. In total, the erect peduncle bears up to 170 blue corollas. The bulbs of this variety are somewhat larger, reaching a diameter of 3.5-4 cm, but the number of children does not exceed 3 pieces. And there are no seeds on the peduncle, since all the buds are sterile. Blue Spike blooms 2 weeks later than Armenian, pleases the eye for 20 days. The leaf rosette reaches 20 cm in height, the peduncle is 5 cm higher. The advantages of the variety include unpretentiousness, high decorative qualities, winter hardiness, the ability to use for cutting.

The following varieties are no less popular:

1. Fantasy Creation with double buds that turn from greenish to bright blue.
2. Safe with white-bordered dark blue flowers in a pyramidal inflorescence.
3. Peppermint with pale blue petals that have white teeth along the edge. Differs in very long flowering and the ability to grow rapidly.
4. The artist is a cultivar up to 15 cm high. Its inflorescences turn from green to blue with a white border, emitting an incredible fragrance.
5. Christmas Pearl is a hybrid with violet-blue "barrels". Used for distillation, has international awards.
6. Superstar has an elongated inflorescence, consisting of many white-bordered deep blue buds.
7. Cambridge - a low bush blooms rather late, has azure corollas.
8. Dark Eyes forms dense heads with blue bells. A white border runs along the edge of the rim. The bush reaches a height of 30 cm, blooms for 3-4 weeks.

Advice! In addition to being placed in the garden, bright heads can decorate a balcony or windowsill. For these purposes, landing in containers, early distillation is used.

The Tubergen variety got its name from the surname of the botanist who brought it from Iran to Europe. The onions are small, up to 2 cm long, about 10 mm in diameter. The rosette consists of 2-3 leaves 15 cm long and 5 mm wide. The flowering stem reaches a height of 25 cm, forms a dense blue inflorescence. The crown corollas are lighter. The teeth of the petal are white. The period of decorativeness falls in the middle of spring, by winter the deciduous mass withers. Excess moisture is destructive for a perennial.

The Magic variety is very popular. The bulbs of this cultivar produce a large number of flowering stems. The Ocean variety has blue petals with a white crown on the inflorescence. White Magic has rounded snow-white heads, Blue Magic has a flower brush that smoothly changes color from the crown. Above are snow-white corollas, then light blue and sky blue.

A changeable viper onion in the wild has settled on the grassy slopes of the Mediterranean. It has large onions 3 cm long and 25 mm in diameter. Deciduous cover 30-40 cm long forms a basal rosette of 5-6 narrow plates. The flowers are oblong, blue-violet with white teeth. The edges of the bud are bent inward. Decorative for 3 weeks in mid-spring. Used for landscaping in Central Russia, Uzbekistan.

Know! In addition to being unpretentious, most species have good winter hardiness.

The grapevine variety grows in the highlands of Europe, where it has been widely used for garden decoration for more than four hundred years. The small, narrow heads are composed of small blue-violet barrels with white teeth. The height of the bush is 10-12 cm, the leaves are narrow. Blooms in early May, decorative up to 3 weeks. The garden form Alba has snow-white petals, the Carneum has a light pink corolla.

The crested look looks very unusual. Its blue-purple tufted hands are sure to grab everyone's attention. The number of buds in a brush reaches hundreds. It grows in meadows and edges of Europe, North Africa, south-west Asia. It often turns into a weed.

Corollas of fertile flowers are brownish with a lighter edge. The form of the perianth is jugular. The arrow appears in early summer, gradually expanding, reaching a height of 50-70 cm. Leaves 3-4, but when cultivated in a fertile substrate, the number increases. It also becomes possible to see 2 inflorescences. Dense bulbs rarely produce offspring, but abundant fruiting allows you to grow a crop from seed.

On a note! Hybrid "Plumozum" has a greater number of sterile buds, stands out with a lilac color of the tuft. It looks great surrounded by decorative deciduous crops with a bluish tint of the plates.

The multi-flowered species is widespread in the mountainous meadows of the Transcaucasus, in Turkey. But it is used for landscaping even in the Moscow region.A bright blue head appears among the long foliage in mid-spring. The length of the leaf blades is 20-25 cm, the flower-bearing stems are only 10-15 cm tall. A pale blue edging runs along the edge of the tubular rims.

The broadleaf variety has gained incredible popularity due to its external resemblance to hyacinths. Sheet width up to 25 mm. Broad lanceolate plates 15 cm long "embrace" a deep purple peduncle. Arrow height 22-26 cm, cylindrical shape. Each inflorescence consists of 70-100 elongated buds. The homeland of this reduced copy of hyacinth is Asia Minor, so the exotic has a thermophilic character and is suitable for cultivation in the South of Russia. Decorative for 20-30 days from mid-spring. In cool climates, it is used for forcing.

Another thermophilic species is large-fruited. In Turkey and Greece, it blooms in May. A brown edging runs along the edge of the yellow petals. The height of the bush is 20-23 cm. Recommended as a pot culture, winters indoors.

It is interesting! The combination of bright yellow open buds and closed purple buds attracts the attention of flower growers. The view is promising for the southern regions.

Quite a rare species - pale. Grows in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus. A very delicate and beautiful ephemeroid 12-17 cm high. The arrow appears by the end of May, has a pale blue color with a white skirt along the edge. The brush contains up to 40 bell flowers. Flowering is short, only 10-12 days. The covering scales of the bulb are cast in a pinkish tint. It reproduces poorly vegetatively and generatively. It has a white-flowered form, as well as White Rose Beauty varieties with a two-color white-pink corolla and a pale blue Blue Sky variety.

The strange variety is very attractive. Her homeland is Transcaucasia, where the decorative period falls at the end of April. Dark purple heads 2 cm long with elongated flowers delight the eye for 3-4 weeks. The height of the perennial is 10-12 cm.

The cystiform ephemeroid is widespread in Europe, the Caucasus, the Crimea and the Mediterranean. It prefers to grow on the slopes of warm meadows, among thickets of bushes. The rosette consists of 2-6 leaf blades 10-12 cm long. The flower-bearing stem with dark blue oblong flowers reaches the same height. Decorative 20-30 days, flowering period falls in May. It has been used for landscaping for almost 450 years, and with dignity it endures severe winters.

Know! The view of Sosnovsky attracts with large barrel-shaped flowers with a white skirt. The petals are dark blue. The culture outwardly resembles the Armenian viper onion, but prefers to grow on a rocky substrate.

The homeland of muscari pulchellum (pretty) is the Mediterranean. Bright blue heads appear in winter. The inflorescence is small, but very dense. Exot is notable for its short stature, reaching a height of 8-12 cm.

Muscari landing

In the wild, the viper onion grows well without human intervention, annually illuminating the forest glades with blue clouds. But varietal varieties still require little attention from the gardener. First of all, you need to find a place for the flower carpet and plant it correctly.

When to plant

The culture is unpretentious, but it will take some time to take root. This process works best in cool weather with constant moisture. Therefore, planting work is traditionally carried out in the fall until mid-October. Spring planting of onions is also possible. It is carried out very early, as soon as the snow cover melts and the ground warms up to 5⁰C.

In the fall, planting is much more convenient, since the bulk of the work on the garden plot has already been completed. Still such terms are associated with the reproduction of perennials. Daughter bulbs ripen by autumn, so planting material is easy to obtain. When buying bulbs, remember that they must match the dimensions described above.

Remember! There should be no areas of decay, flabbiness, traces of mold and injuries on the planting material.

For spring planting, grown seedlings are often used. It is sold in nurseries or garden centers. It is better to plant such material in late April or early May. Examine the seedlings carefully for diseases. A sign that should alert you is the presence of yellow strokes on the foliage. From the pot, the transplant is carried out by the transshipment method.

Seat selection

When choosing a place, it is better to give preference to areas protected from strong winds. A slight bias is encouraged. Ephemeroid develops well in direct sunlight, but slight shading will not harm it. But stagnant water can lead to decay of the bulbs, so planting in the lowlands is contraindicated for a primrose. Try to identify the snake bow to other perennials, but leave room for it to grow a curtain. In mass, mouse hyacinths look more spectacular.

Soil for muscari

The condition of the soil is only partly important for the proper development of the Mediterranean guest. It is preferable to plant on loose fertile substrates with a slightly acidic environment. The hydrogen index is 5.7-6.5. The more fertile the soil, the larger the bulbs will form, and the more magnificent the flowering will be. Loams flavored with humus are ideal.

Attention! Clay and peat substrates are not suitable for normal development - the former provoke stagnation of moisture and contribute to the deterioration of the underground part of the plant, and from the latter, moisture evaporates too quickly.

If the soil does not meet the requirements, replace it to a depth of 15–20 cm. To prepare the site, add humus or mature compost. Take 5 kg of fertilizer for each square meter of the flower bed.

Preparation of planting material

Before planting, the bulbs are subject to rejection and mandatory disinfection. Select only firm, healthy specimens. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is used for etching. Planting material is kept for 30-60 minutes. You can soak the onions in a solution of Karbofos or Fitosporin, prepared according to the instructions. Disinfection will destroy the spores of fungal pathogens.

How to plant muscari correctly

A small planting instruction will help you organize the process correctly:

1. Dig up the area to the depth of a shovel bayonet a few days before the planned event. For digging, add mature compost or humus in the amount of 5 kg per square meter of area.
2. Prepare grooves or holes, the depth depends on the size of the onions. Large material is planted to a depth of 5-8 cm, small 3 cm.
3. Planting density depends on the desired result. Usually, mouse hyacinth is planted in groups of 20-30 individuals, but a compacted planting of up to 200 individuals per square meter is also possible.
4. Water the flower bed the day before the event. Place a 1–2 cm layer of sand at the bottom of the hole to ensure sufficient drainage.
5. Plant the culture in 4-8 cm increments, depending on the size of the planting material.
6. Fill the grooves with the substrate, compact a little.
7. Pour plenty of warm water over the crop.

Remember! Excessive burying of the bulbs will complicate the germination process, and too shallow depth will lead to freezing. It is optimal if there is 2 cm of soil above the onion.

Muscari care

Even a beginner can handle caring for a Mediterranean guest. The culture is undemanding and capable of growing without human intervention, but you can only get a harmonious flower bed with lush heads with some effort.

Watering

At the beginning of the vegetation cycle, exotics require frequent abundant watering, excluding stagnant water. Irrigation is especially important in the south, where spring is rapid and the soil dries out quickly. In the Middle Lane, it is important to be guided by the weather conditions. The prolonged spring period with long retention of moisture in the soil contributes to the best crop growth. By the time the flowering stems wilt, watering is gradually reduced.When the bush falls into a dormant period, excessive moisture threatens with decay, therefore it is not accepted to water the ephemeroid after flowering.

Top dressing and fertilizers

You can feed the jacket in spring or autumn if you are going to separate the kids. As a fertilizer, organic matter is used, since mineral complexes are not particularly needed for the primrose. Liquid mineral dressings are used only for cultivation in containers and for distillation. Then top dressing is applied every 2 weeks, because the soil in an enclosed space is quickly depleted. In the spring, humus is poured under the bushes, and in the fall, fertilizer is applied for digging.

Know! If you annually feed the curtain with organic fertilizers, it can grow in one place for 7-10 years, after which it will require rejuvenation.

Muscari when and how to propagate

The ephemeroid reproduces vegetatively with the help of the separation of children, as well as by the seed method. Wild individuals often reproduce by self-sowing, but many hybrids do not form seeds, therefore vegetative propagation is preferable.

Baby onions will be trimmed in September. For this, the curtain is dug out and the material is sorted. Large specimens are immediately planted in a permanent place, in spring they will bloom. Children are planted on a training bed in a little shade. They are grown for 1-2 years, planting in 2-3 cm increments. The separation of children allows you to rejuvenate the curtain, it is carried out every 3-5 years.

Seed propagation is used extremely rarely, since seedlings will develop for 3-4 years to adulthood. They will also require special attention from the gardener. Seeds are sown before winter so that they undergo natural stratification. The filling is carried out to a depth of 10-15 mm. The filamentous seedlings will appear in the spring. They are carefully monitored, removing weeds, avoiding stagnation or moisture deficit, and the formation of a crust. You can plant the shoots that have appeared as a result of self-seeding, but usually the wilted peduncles are removed.

Know! The scientific name for generative reproduction of wild-growing relatives is myrmecochory. The seeds have fat-containing glands that attract ants. Insects carry seeds away from the growing area.

The specifics of planting and caring for muscari in Siberia

The Siberian region has an inhospitable climate with cold early winters. The autumn landing of the Mediterranean guest is carried out towards the end of the summer. In order for the roots to form, the substrate temperature should not drop below 14-15⁰C. If planted in August, the culture will have time to take root before severe frosts. It is recommended to place the planting material in a cool room for 3-4 days. This measure promotes rapid rooting.

You should not neglect the application of fertilizers, because the growing season in the zone of risky farming has been reduced. Organic feeding will help the bulb build up the strength for a successful wintering. Frequent irrigation is not required, since in spring in Siberia the land remains wet for a long time. With the arrival of winter, young individuals must mulch with humus to avoid freezing.

Advice! Container cultivation of viper onions is also possible, then the pots are brought into the room for the winter. Heat-loving individuals are grown in this way, or the bulbs are removed annually for winter storage at home.

Flowering muscari

Ephemeroid remains decorative for 3-4 weeks. During this period, he will not need special care. By the end of flowering, reduce watering, regularly loosen the topsoil, being careful not to damage the underground part. Be sure to pull out the weeds. What to do with faded arrows is up to you. If you leave them, the likelihood of self-seeding will increase, decorative qualities will suffer. If it is necessary to collect seeds, leave 1-2 heads, wrapping them with gauze. If you notice a deterioration in the decorative qualities of the curtain, plant the children in the fall.

Flower care after flowering

When the decorative period comes to an end, remove the wilted heads, but do not touch the foliage.Thanks to the green leaves, the underground part will be able to accumulate enough nutrients for the production of children and wintering. You can help exotic by introducing a liquid top dressing based on potassium and phosphorus. When the deciduous mass withers, the need for watering will disappear. Remove dry leaves. Rejuvenate the jacket if necessary.

Preparing for winter

Bulbous perennial is winter-hardy, even tolerates severe winters without shelter. Remove plant debris from the site before wintering. Mulch the young growth with peat.

The viper onion is often planted with other bulbous relatives. The underground part of these plants, according to rodents, is a real delicacy. To protect the flower bed from damage by voles, do not use straw as mulch and be sure to lay spruce branches over the garden bed. The use of traps and sprinkling of hot pepper on the soil will not hurt either.

Advice! If you choose the imperial hazel grouse as a neighbor to the mouse hyacinth, the mice will forget the way to the flower bed. In addition, the colors of these exotic plants are in perfect harmony.

Do you need to dig up the bulbs every year

Annual digging of onions is not needed for a winter-hardy perennial. If you are worried about whether heat-loving species overwinter, it is better to dig up the planting material and store it at home. But containerized cultivation will make it easier to cultivate exotic plants. With this growing method, it is enough to simply bring the pot into a cool room.

How to store bulbs correctly

To keep planting material indoors, use the following rules:

• remove the onions only after the deciduous mass has wilted;
• before storing, be sure to dry the bulbs under a canopy;
• store material in boxes with wet sand or peat;
• a weekly inspection will protect you from damage, be sure to throw out the onions that have rotted, become soft;
• maintain a humidity level of 70%, a temperature background of 15-17⁰C.

But it is better to completely abandon the extraction of the onions from the soil.

How to transplant a flower correctly

The primrose transplant has two goals - reproduction, rejuvenation of the curtain. The procedure is carried out 5-7 years after planting, but the timing varies depending on the condition of the flower bed. In case of loss of decorative appearance or excessive growth, exotics can be planted earlier, for example, after 3-4 years. If the Mediterranean guest is feeling well, the curtain may not be touched until 10 years old.

Plants dig in, remove the bulbs from the ground. After sorting, they are seated in a new place in accordance with the requirements described above.

Remember! Be sure to disinfect the bulbs before planting in a new location.

Nuances of planting muscari in open ground in autumn

Regardless of the season, planting operations are carried out according to the same scheme. Do not forget about the following rules:

• pickle the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide;
• lay out sandy or pebble drainage on the bottom of the holes;
• a layer of soil from the crown of the onion to the soil surface of at least 2 cm;
• planting is carried out in groups in sunny areas with a weakly acidic environment;
• do not forget to apply organic fertilizers.

If a broad-leaved species or Tubergen has become your chosen one, do not neglect mulching the root collar.

Muscari armeniacum (Armenian) planting and care in the open field photo

Muscari armeniacum is a frequent visitor to the flower beds of Russians. Its cultivation has no peculiarities and is carried out in accordance with the recommendations described in the article. But it is worth knowing that there is another common method of growing mouse hyacinth. It consists in planting under a layer of lawn. Upon awakening, the stems will hatch through the turf layer to form a luxurious floral carpet.

The process is as follows. A section of turf is cut out on the selected part of the lawn. The depth of removal of the sod layer is 7-8 cm. The piece is carefully laid aside.A few more centimeters of earth are removed from the hole, thoroughly mixed with compost. Bulbs are planted in the prepared substrate. The density depends on the design idea. The surface is covered with a removed piece of lawn, watered abundantly.

Attention! With this method of cultivation, it is impossible to cut the grass until the rosettes of the mouse hyacinth wither.

Muscari pests and diseases

Pests bypass the Mediterranean guest, and of the diseases, only plant viruses are dangerous - yellow onion dwarfism, cucumber mosaic. Growth retardation, shortening of flowering stems, too narrow leaf blades, the presence of streaks or a mosaic pattern on the foliage are dangerous signs of infection. There is no salvation from the disease, so you have to remove the diseased specimen and burn it away from the site. To prevent infection will help dressing, destruction of aphids, buying individuals only in the nursery.

If aphids have settled near the flower, do not hesitate to destroy it. Treat your neighbors in the flower bed with soapy water or use insecticides.

It is extremely rare for spider mites to settle on the leaves. They are detected by the presence of yellow specks on foliage and threads of silvery spider webs. The colony is destroyed by infusion of garlic, Fitoverm, Aktara.

Muscari in landscape design, combination with other plants

Blue, lilac, white and pink primrose caps are widely used in garden design. Experts recommend planting a Mediterranean guest on alpine slides, lawns, flower beds, consisting of several tiers. Rocky rockery, narrow edging of the curb, tinning the near-trunk circle of fruit trees - landscape designers have found such a use for the flower.

Advice! Pots or flowerpots with mouse hyacinths will decorate the balcony, window sill, terrace. Neighborhood with forget-me-nots, pansies or daisies will complement the composition.

From neighbors, peonies, hyacinths, hazel grouses, daffodils are suitable for viper onions. They are planted in the background. In the immediate vicinity, you can plant woods, anemone, crocuses, dwarf tulips, primrose.

How to plant a flower for a beautiful combination in the garden

To get harmonious compositions, it is important to choose the right neighbors for the exotic. They are selected taking into account the nature of the vegetation of the Mediterranean guest. Since the ephemeroid does not retain decorativeness for long, its unsightly glades are masked by planting later flowers nearby - subulate phlox, hosts, yaskolka, ground cover. By the time of their active growth, the perennial tops will already wither.

European landscape designers recommend a solid carpet composition that combines multi-colored varieties. In the parks, you can find mouse hyacinths along the paths. Glades under deciduous trees look harmoniously. Such a neighborhood will benefit fruit crops, because during flowering, the Mediterranean guest attracts many pollinators.

Beautiful compositions are obtained by planting a snake bow on an alpine hill or rockery, you can sprinkle the flower bed with decorative stones.

Conclusion

It is very simple to grow muscari outdoors, the main thing is to follow the planting and care rules described in the article. This fragrant bright flower will delight you for a long time with a presentable appearance, and every year herald the arrival of spring.

Video tips: how to plant and care for muscari in autumn