Heather planting and care in the open field in the Urals

Summer is over. Many plants stop blooming. To the delight of gardeners, there are plants that bloom in autumn. Such a representative of the plant world is common heather. There are many varieties, with inflorescences, varied in color. The flowers are pleasing to the eye and have an enchanting honey scent. Growing heathers like fall flowers is easy.

It seems to be an evergreen shrub, rather unpretentious and always looks elegant. Where does it grow? Originally from Southeast Asia, then began to spread throughout the entire Asian territory, reached Europe and spread in the temperate zone. In a wild-growing natural form, bushes can be found in America and in the northern regions of Africa. Where does heather grow in Russia: mainly in European territory and in the southern regions of Siberia. Shrub grows in marshy areas and forests (mixed, coniferous, deciduous). In Russian gardens, it is rarely found, not all gardeners know it. However, when planting on Erica's site, the gardener does not lose. The shrub will truly become a worthy decoration. With its help, you can transform the territory of the site, creating delightful landscape design compositions.

What is heather

In Norway, it is the national flower. There is a legend that tells that on the hills, where very cold winds constantly blow, only the heather agreed to grow when God asked about it. As a reward for this, the bush was endowed with the ability to exude an amazing pleasant aroma and beautiful color of flowers. Awarded - excellent melliferous abilities. Also, God gave him high endurance and the ability to grow in difficult conditions on different soils. According to these characteristics, it can be compared with a rare flower of mountain edelweiss, which grows in areas that are difficult for humans to access.

The shrub has excellent melliferous properties. Flowering bushes are pollinated by various insects: wasps, flies, bees, butterflies, bumblebees. Heather (photo) is planted in gardens and in personal plots, it can also be grown in portable flowerpots or boxes.

Can be grown as a houseplant. The most suitable varieties for this turned out to be wintering heather (Erica huemalis) and slender erica (Erica gracillis).

What does heather photo look like?

The Erica bush has many shoots that branch strongly. It has small triangular leaves painted in green in various tones (bright, light, dark). Some varieties have been bred, with yellow, reddish, gray-silver, copper leaf color.

The color of flowers is even more varied. They are pink, yellow, purple, white, purple. From 6 to 30 flowers bloom on inflorescences. Reproduction of wild plants is carried out by seeds. The extreme branches bent to the ground take root, due to this, the bush grows strongly in breadth.Its diameter can be three meters or more. When does heather bloom? Flowering occurs at five, well, at least seven years of age. The period depends on the specific species.

The life span of a plant is from 30 to 50 years. Agree that these are extremely good indicators for a blooming long-liver?

Views

According to biologists, there are hundreds of different varieties of heather plants. In the Russian territory, varieties with frost-resistant properties are popular.

Representatives of different varieties differ in color of flowers and leaves, flowering time.

Calluna vulgaris

common heather in bloom

Common heather. A perennial and evergreen plant that looks like a shrub. Its width is 45 cm, and its height is 20 - 70.

Pollinated by various insects. The leaves are green (dark), triangular, scaly, slightly overlapping each other, like a tile. Leaves are from two to 2.5 cm long, sessile.

The corolla resembles a bell with an irregular shape. The petals are fused. The color is pink with a lilac tint, sometimes white. The inflorescences are lush, racemose.

Bushes bloom from July to August. The perianths remain on the plant after flowering, the appearance of the plant remains attractive.

You can often find common heather in the Urals. Where it is perfectly adapted to grow.

Calluna salisb

A decorative type of late blooming. Evergreen shrub, small in size, has a maximum height of 50 centimeters. The leaves are small, needle-shaped. Small mauve flowers (sometimes purple and white) look like bells. Grown indoors. It blooms when the air temperature does not even exceed +12 degrees. Flowering begins in autumn and lasts until half of winter.

Erika arborea

Erica is tree-like. An evergreen super early flowering shrub that can grow up to five meters in height. It has acicular, pubescent or bare leaves 1 centimeter long, Small flowers, in the form of wide white bells, the corolla length is three centimeters. A complex pyramidal inflorescence has a length of 20 - 40 centimeters. The flowers smell very nice. Abundant flowering occurs from March to April.

Calluna rose

Early pink heather. The bush can reach a height of 90 cm, and the possible diameter of the bush is 50. The plant has a thin and straight stem, the branches are tough. The leaves are a narrowed oval of green color, do not have cuttings, as if they sit on the stem, have a length of one and a half centimeters. The flowers are drooping, have a cylindrical shape, they are red-scarlet, snow-white and pink. Corolla - 2 cm. Inflorescence - thin and even-standing raceme (10 -15 cm in height). It begins to bloom in April and ends in mid-summer. Shows excellent melliferous properties.

Heather varieties video:

Erica gracilis

Elegant. The bush is permanently green. Its height can be up to 50 centimeters. It has small and short side shoots, leaves are light green, five millimeters long. Goblet red flowers, have the shape of an elongated oval, in the inflorescence 4 flowers. Bloom from October to February.

Calluna vulgaris hill

Scottish heather. It is a perennial, evergreen and very branched shrub. Height 30 cm - 1 m. Brown-red bark on the stems. Thin twigs are capable of rooting. Small green leaves are shaped like short needles. The inflorescence is presented in the form of a one-sided brush. The flowers are white or white, with a lilac tint.

Garden heather

heather is a miracle

This variety is represented by a group of varieties that have increased resistance to frost.

Plants from this group are divided according to their height and are:

1. stunted
2. medium-sized
3. tall

Dwarf varieties are no more than 10 centimeters high. They spread over the surface of the soil, creating the effect of bright living rugs, which makes any landscape cheerful and somewhat original.

Looks very good when decorating rocky hills.

Recognized and available dwarf species:

Common varieties of medium height:

In tall varieties of heather, the bushes grow in height from 50 to 60 centimeters. Those who create multi-colored flower beds should pay attention to varieties from this group.

Common heather planting and care in the open field

The bush grows well in the open, he likes where there is good lighting. In a shady place, it will grow, but the flowering will end faster and the flowers will be paler. To plant heather, you need to choose either a completely open place, or slightly shaded, near trees (not too tall, not too dense), bushes. It resembles a forest edge.

What kind of soil is needed

Erica is one of the few plants that enjoys growing in acidic soils.

In order for the bushes to grow well and bloom for a long time, it is recommended to prepare a certain (correct) soil mixture, which consists of:

1. from two shares of coniferous land
2. from three lobes of peat (horse red)
3. and one share of sand

Coniferous land can be collected under spruce and pine trees (top layer).

How to choose seedlings?

Since these subspecies are in close useful cooperation with their myceliums, which are in the soil. You need to pay attention to their condition. When digging up a seedling, the condition of the mycelium is disturbed. As a result, disappointing results: poorly accepted during transplantation. It is good to buy seedlings from nurseries, which are sold in containers in which both the roots and myceliums are preserved.

It's important to know! Even when the bush dies, it looks alive and healthy for a long time.

In order not to be mistaken when choosing seedlings, you need to pay attention to some of the nuances right away:

• It is necessary that the lump of soil with the root system does not move away from the edges of the dishes in which it is located. Otherwise, the roots dry out, the plant may die.
• It is required that the soil in the pot with the seedling is slightly moist.
• Waterlogged soil contributes to decay of the roots, the death of the plant is possible.
• You should carefully consider the bush. The seedling should contain different shoots, both old and new. Young shoots are lighter than old ones. It is necessary that the stems have a large number of leaves. It is necessary to pay attention to the presence of vegetative buds.

Important! Plants in landscape compositions will look beautiful if the bushes are of the same height, but different in color.

How to care for heather

• The planting and care necessary and correct for heather is carried out in the spring, so that over the summer the bush can take root and grow stronger for wintering.
• At the bottom of the hole, it is necessary to pour pebbles as drainage. Planting seedlings should be carried out at a distance of about 40 centimeters from each other. Planting depth 30 centimeters.
• In the pits, you can add nitroamophoska t (30 grams), horny flour (50 grams).
• After planting, you need to pour five to six liters of water under the bush.

It is necessary to ensure that the top layer of the soil is always kept moist and does not dry out. Especially if the summer is dry and hot. Dry air adversely affects development. In the heat, you need to spray it with water from a sprayer, preferably in the evening. Water temperature - room temperature.

Loosening and weeding is carried out throughout the season. Top dressing is done. Fertilizer "Kemira Lux" is recommended. Before feeding, it is diluted in water. Dosage according to instructions.

After planting, it is good to mulch with sawdust, coniferous soil, peat. This action prevents the soil from drying out.

Until the buds appear, it is recommended to cut the branches at the top. This must be done in March, at the end of the month. Then the bush will be thicker. Pruning is done by 5-6 centimeters, no more.

In old bushes, the part of the branch located slightly below the inflorescence should be removed. Too much pruning is not worth it, it should be done in moderation. Otherwise, the bushes will not look aesthetically pleasing.

Wintering

Russian winters, especially in Siberia, and sometimes in central Russia, are very cold, which are difficult for a plant to endure. Therefore, high-quality drainage is necessary so that the water does not stagnate near the roots and does not freeze. For the winter, the bushes are covered with sawdust, spruce or pine branches.

How is heather propagated?

There are three methods:

• Division of the bush.
• Seed reproduction.
• Cuttings.

Most often, the separation of the new bush from the main one is used. For this purpose, the bush must be dug out, the roots must be shaken off a little, divided and planted.

The grafting method is used. The apical branches are cut and rooted. The length of the handle is 4 centimeters. The twigs are planted in a greenhouse for rooting, and planted in the ground in the spring.

Seed propagation is used mainly by breeders to create new varieties and hybrids. Species specimens have very small seeds; they should not be covered with earth. They are evenly distributed over the moist soil surface. Crops are protected from the effects of cold and sun.

What medicinal properties does Erica have?

Heather has rich medicinal properties and is used to treat all kinds of inflammatory processes in various organs (kidneys, respiratory tract). The plant promotes the healing of various wounds. It is a good antiseptic. Erica is used for bronchitis, tonsillitis and other conditions caused by infection and inflammation. The plant component relieves pressure. It is very useful for heart problems.

Application of heather:

• Honey collected by bees from heather flowers has many valuable properties.
• Add to animal feed.
• Fragrant pillows are made from dried plants.
• Used to decorate the landscape.
• Flowers make a very aromatic tea
• Used as a seasoning.

Veresk is not only beautiful, fragrant, but also useful for medicinal, food and household purposes. It is very often grown in industrial agrofirms, for the same animals or for the manufacture of medicines, and, of course, to obtain heather honey.

Heather in landscape design photo

Exclusively because of their decorative qualities, lush and fairly long flowering period, these delicate bushes are appreciated by many gardeners. It is quite frost-resistant and can withstand drought and shade, these properties allow you to plant such an adaptable plant in absolutely any place.

If you follow the planting and maintenance guidelines, you can get a solid floral carpet. Which will look great both against the background of an emerald lawn, and in the form of curbs, near paths.

DIY heather garden video review:

An ancient legend tells that the Creator invited the plants to settle on the barren hills, which, through an oversight, were left without vegetation. They all refused, except for heather. As a reward, God endowed him with the scent of a honey plant, beauty and unpretentiousness. A wonderful drink made from heather honey, capable of giving youth and beauty, was glorified in his ballad by Robert Stevenson. Indeed, in terms of healing properties, heather honey is much superior to other types of honey, although it is inferior to them in taste.

Heather is a creeping perennial shrub of the heather family and the only representative of its kind. It has about 20 ornamental varieties for horticultural cultivation. The medicinal honey plant has "cousins" - Erica, also representatives of the heather family, but from a different species. They are sometimes also called heather, but this is not entirely correct.

Heather is low (30-70 cm), but extremely decorative. Its small fragrant flowers, similar to small bells, are collected in inflorescences, enveloping bushy stems in an air cloud. The leaves are also very decorative, as if rolled into a tube (therefore, until the heather blooms, it is often confused with a juniper). Heather begins to bloom at the end of summer.Healing honey plant is especially beautiful after the first frost, when its leaves turn yellow and crimson. Frozen inflorescences do not fall off and remain on the bushes for a long time, giving them an exquisitely decorative look. In landscape design, heather is usually planted next to dwarf conifers, along garden paths, in curbs, or on alpine slides.

The long existence of heather on infertile soils has developed a symbiosis with the simplest fungi (mycorrhiza), which help heather roots extract nutrients from poor soils. The root system of heather is literally entangled with mushroom threads, and the mushrooms themselves feed on the life force of heather, so this unique plant practically does not need fertilization. Mother Nature is wise. Thus, she took care of the survival of the heather on empty, infertile soils.

Features of the soil for heather

Heather prefers the climate of central Russia, loves acidic, poorly fertilized and loose soils. Prefers open, sunny places, in extreme cases - partial shade. When planting heather, keep in mind that it absolutely does not tolerate lime and alkaline soils. An ideal soil substrate for it: peat mixed with sand, coniferous soil and sawdust in a ratio of 3: 1: 1: 1. Coniferous land is taken from a depth of 5-6 cm from a spruce or pine forest. And if you manage to get high-moor peat, then you do not need to add sand to the soil mixture. For 1 cubic meter m of soil, it is useful to add 70-80 g of sulfur.

From the place intended for planting heather, remove the top soil for 1 bayonet of a shovel and replace it with a soil mixture. Then lightly trample the soil, walking on it in small steps, and pour it abundantly with slightly acidified water. As one of the acidification options: 100 g of apple cider vinegar 6% per 10 liters of water.

Planting heather

Heather can be planted in both spring and winter. But it is preferable in the spring, then the heather will have time to take root and survive the winter frosts perfectly. Several planting methods are suitable for him: saplings, seeds, layering, dividing the bush and apical cuttings.

Planting heather by layering

By layering, heather can multiply independently. Over time, its main trunk and old branches lay down and take root on their own, giving life to numerous shoots, so the planting of heather in the country should be artificially limited to a small fence or other structure. And if you want to help your beloved honey plant, sprinkle mature shoots with peat 1-2 cm and fix them in the soil. A year after powdering, you will receive a ready-made seedling, which should be separated from the mother bush and planted in a separate hole.

Planting heather seedlings

Organize the planting holes at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, and make them 2 times the size of the root ball. When placing seedlings, keep in mind that heather roots grow horizontally, but in nursery-bought containers they are crowded towards the center. Therefore, before planting the heather, spread its roots as carefully as possible to the sides. Drop in the seedling to the level of the root collar. After planting, lightly tamp the soil with your hands, pour abundantly and mulch the base of the seedling with peat or sawdust, and best of all - with small chips from the bark of coniferous trees, because this is where the heather mycorrhiza is necessary for life. If the soil on your site is clayey, pour drainage (pebbles, crushed stone, broken brick) into each planting hole to a height of 2-3 cm.

Planting heather seeds

Heather can also be planted with seeds, but this is a rather lengthy process. First, the seeds are placed in bowls, scattered in a thin (2-3 mm layer), moistened and covered with glass. After 2-3 weeks, the seeds will germinate, and then they are sown in wooden boxes with a soil substrate, the composition of which is written above. Seedlings usually appear one month after planting the seeds. Temperature regime for its full development: 18-20 ° С.Remember to keep the soil moisture at a moderate level in the crates. In the summer, boxes with seedlings are periodically taken out into the open air for hardening. Heather seedlings will be ready for open field planting only after 1.5-2 years.

Planting heather with apical cuttings

And if an ornamental honey plant is already growing in your country house, it is quite possible to propagate it with apical cuttings. At the end of summer, cut the cuttings from the strongest branches of the shrub (do not take flowering shoots). Root the cuttings in separate pots filled with peat and sand (3: 1). Maintain the room temperature at 15-18 ° C. Once every 2-3 weeks, feed the cuttings with a urea solution: 1 g per liter of water and micronutrient fertilizers. During wintering, cuttings will root well, and in spring they can be planted in open ground.

Planting heather by dividing rhizomes

This is the easiest and fastest method of planting heather. At the end of summer, a heather bush is dug up, and the root, without shaking it off the ground, is cut into pieces so that each one has young shoots, the old stems are cut off. Then the root with the shoots is planted in a separate hole.

More about planting heather

Heather care

If you want to have a dense plantation of heather, then in early spring (before budding), moderately prune the upper branches of the shrub. In addition, in the fall, after flowering, heather branches should be cut 5-7 cm below the faded inflorescences, and the cuttings should be left for the winter as a shelter. They should be removed in the spring.

Garden melliferous plants are fed with mineral fertilizer at the rate of 30-40 g per 1 sq. m, once a season. Water as needed. Weeds are removed, thus carrying out natural loosening of the soil.

If the winters in your region are harsh, you can cover the heather for the winter with spruce branches, having previously sprinkled a mulching layer under each bush: sawdust, peat, dry leaves, etc. able to live up to 50 years.

Heather varieties

Heather variety Alba Plena

The heather of the Alba Plena variety is an upright shrub, 30-50 cm high, with small inflorescences of white double flowers.

Heather variety Alexandra

The Alexandra heather variety is a short (20-30 cm) shrub, abundantly covered with inflorescences with pinkish-purple flowers framed by dark green leaves.

Heather variety Gold Haze 

Heather variety Gold Haze is a medium-sized (40-60 cm) unusually decorative shrub with snow-white inflorescences of bell-shaped flowers framed by lemon-colored leaves.

When planting a wonderful honey plant, keep in mind that thanks to heather alone, you can organize bright decorative meadows in the country. Just select varieties with different colors of flowers and leaves.

Not everyone knows that heather, planting and caring for it in the open field, requires suitable conditions and some attention from gardeners, in spring, after winter, in summer and in autumn, it has its own growing characteristics. In addition, pruning is an integral part of cultivation, just like feeding, watering ...

Planting heather

The further growth of the shrub depends on the correct planting of heather, so it is important to approach this moment with great responsibility. There are several ways to plant heather:

• Planting heather seedlings... Saplings are purchased from a nursery or specialty store. It is important that the seedling is in a container - this is how the rhizome system and symbiosis with fungal bacteria are preserved. Pay attention to the branches - in living plants they are flexible and elastic. Don't buy mature plants - chances are they won't take root
• Planting heather seeds - this method is considered the most time consuming. The seeds should be sown in a small container and transferred to a greenhouse. The first shoots will appear in two to three weeks.In general, seedlings are grown for two years indoors, the temperature regime of which varies from +17 ْ to +21 ْ С
• Layers - the strongest shoot is covered with turf and fixed to the ground for rooting. After a year, the plant can be transplanted to a permanent place. The transplant should be done with extreme caution, since this is a great stress for the plant, the bush may even die due to damage to the roots. The shrub should be dug out with a lot of soil, while it is desirable to capture all the soil surrounding the root system. The plant is moved into a bag, and preferably a container, and then planted in a pre-prepared place
• Planting by cuttings - the fastest way to propagate a plant and get a beautiful shrub in the near future. Cuttings are made from the top of the flower. Cuttings are rooted in personal pots filled with turf soil and peat-humus mixture

Heather loves acidic soils. Neutral or alkaline soil is absolutely not suitable for the plant. The shrub grows best in peat mixed with sawdust and pine needles substrate. It is advisable to plant the plant in bright light with little shading - not far from other trees or bushes. It is not recommended to plant heather in the shade - in the absence of sunlight, it ceases to bloom.

Heather care according to the season

Heather, planting and caring for which requires time and attention from the owners, has its own growing characteristics. Heather care technology changes simultaneously with the change of season:

• Heather care in summer. The heather family is hard to tolerate heat - the optimal temperature for it is not higher than + 20 ْ С. On hot days, in the evening, the bush can be sprayed with water. In June, the plant needs active watering, in July, watering should be limited and additional fertilizing introduced - it is best to feed the heather with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers during this period. In August, watering is carried out depending on the weather and the level of precipitation - if the weather is dry and hot, then watering should also be introduced
• How to care for heather in the fall - heather does not require special care in the fall, you just need to remove the fallen leaves from the plant. It is resistant to cold, not afraid of frost. In September, the bush does not need watering or fertilizing; in October, the mulch layer is renewed. Plants are pruned in October or November, depending on the growing region.
• How to care for heather in winter - During the winter, heather does not require much maintenance. Only during severe cold weather and lack of snow does the plant cover itself with non-woven fabric.
• How to care for heather in spring. Caring for heather after winter is as follows - after the snow melts, the heather is cut at the level of faded inflorescences. Spring pruning of heather is best done early, before the first shoots appear. Add fresh soil in case of subsidence of the soil. It is advisable to mulch shrubs - it is best to mulch heather with gravel or crushed pine bark. In May, the heather needs to be fed - you can fertilize with acidic fertilizers (in the priority fertilizer for hydrangeas)

Pruning heather

In order for the heather to be lush and pleasing to the eye, it should be pruned every year at the beginning of spring. It should be trimmed before the first buds appear, so as not to harm the plant. Only the tops can be removed.

This procedure activates the growth of the lateral shoots of the shrub, which improves its appearance. And if parts of heather have dried up after winter, then it is simply necessary. In some cases, it is possible to prune heather in the fall, using the cut parts as a protective blanket - after the summer haircut, only dead, unnecessary stems are removed.

Plants less than three years of age are cut rarely and in small quantities, only overgrown shoots are cut.Mature shrubs can be pruned with great vigor. For pruning, it is best to use a pruner with sharp blades.

How to revive heather

Heather is an unpretentious plant, but it is also susceptible to various diseases. The main diseases of heather are fungus, gray mold and viruses.

Gray rot develops due to an excess of moisture in the soil. If you do not start treatment on time, the plant may die. Symptoms of gray rot are gray patches on branches and leaves. If it is found, treat the plant with a solution of copper sulfate.

When affected by fungal diseases, the plant is also covered with bloom, there is a massive fall of leaves and the death of branches. It is possible to cure the plant with the help of fungicidal preparations to combat pathogenic fungi - Fundazol, Hom and others.

If the flowers and shoots have an unreasonable deformation, then, most likely, a virus has infected the plant. At this stage, there is no effective cure for plant diseases caused by viruses - the affected shrub is best removed so that other plants do not become infected. It is recommended to burn the diseased bush.

Heather, planting and care in the open field are not too complicated, but, nevertheless, they require careful care. Inspect shrubs, water, feed on schedule and fight pests, then the plant will certainly delight you with a beautiful and lush flowering!

In landscape design, heather compositions can create a marvelous play of flowers on the soil. A creeping heather shrub, no higher than 70 cm in height, evergreen and blooming in the fall, will revive any landscape. An irreplaceable plant in rockeries and stone gardens.

Description of heather shrub

The legendary shrub has a history of its appearance on earth, as the most unpretentious plant that the Creator settled on unusable land. As a reward for agreeing to live in eternal struggle, God endowed the plant with valuable qualities:

• the beauty of the eternal green leaves;
• healing properties;
• aroma and bloom at the end of summer.

A low, creeping shrub grows on acidic soil without a close standing of groundwater. The plant does not like swampy soil, it grows in symbiosis with mushrooms, which help to turn lean soil into food, but can only exist on acidic soil. Without symbiosis with the mycelium, the plant will die. Heather looks like a plant that defeated nature's autumn wilting.

The leaves are rolled into a tube, do not fall off for the winter. Flowers after a long flowering do not crumble, do not change color, and create a picturesque spot. Garden heather is represented by 20 varieties with different heights of the bush and a varied shade of flowers, small bells, abundantly strewn with a branch. Heather flowers are melliferous and are used to treat inflammatory diseases in folk medicine.

A decoction of wild heather sprigs has long been used when bathing newborns to disinfect water in a bath. The infusion was considered healing. Well water was taken, heather tea was an antiseptic.

Reproduction and planting of heather

The plant requires acidic soil and a dry, sunny area with light shade from nearby tall trees. This is the perfect imitation of a forest edge. To create acidic soil at the planting site, it will be necessary to add high peat, sand, and leaf humus with coniferous litter. A layer of fallen needles can be found in spruce thickets or collected under pine trees. All mineral fertilizer mixtures also have an acidic environment.

Planting an ornamental shrub is best done in the spring. Over the summer, the bush will take root and in winter it will go strong. Imported varieties can be planted in open ground only in spring for obvious reasons. In order to prevent water from stagnating at the bottom of the planting pit, it is necessary to arrange drainage from broken bricks, pebbles, sand. It is necessary to create compositions with planting seedlings at a distance of up to 40 cm and a depth of 30 cm, while the root collar does not deepen.

If the soil is clayey, drain by placing sand and broken bricks on the bottom of the pit. It is possible to create plantings with a distance between the bushes of seedlings of 30-40 cm, the planting depth is also 30 cm, without deepening the root collar. The planted plant needs regular watering until it takes root. Planting and caring for heather in the first year is straightforward.

Seedlings can be purchased at a specialized store, or you can take part of a bush, or grow a cutting. The seedling must be 1-2 years old. If the seedling is purchased in a container, then it must be alive, with shoots and the substrate moist, but not wet.

When planting, the neck of the seedling is not deepened, and the planting hole is mulched with bark or peat.

Heather care

The plant is stunted. Shoots grow only 2 cm per year. However, after three years, young bushes need to be pruned annually so that new shoots appear. Otherwise, the bush loses its decorative effect. The plant loves limited watering, without moisture stagnation. Complete mineral fertilizers such as Kemir and phosphorus fertilizers will add decorative effect to the bush. Caring for heather during the growing season consists in shallow loosening of the soil, timely watering and mulching of the planting hole. For the winter, the plant needs shelter. In April, the bush is opened.

The bushes of wondrous beauty will be in the hands of a gardener who spares no time for the annual shortening of old shoots. Then there will be more young flowering twigs on the bush. Once having seen a photo of a heather plant in bloom, an amateur will try in every way to get planting material.

It is not difficult to propagate a plant, all parts of the plant are suitable for this, and you can grow it up as a pot culture. For an amateur gardener, reproduction by apical cuttings may be of interest. In the fall, cut the shoots without flowers and root them in a container with peat and sand. In winter, the plant will get stronger, and it can be planted in the ground. But separate containers with plants in the landscape also look good. Their root system is small and there is enough nutritional area.

These same young plants are excellent breeding material. In nature, heather bushes are renewed by seeds and rooting of branches that have fallen to the ground. Therefore, the thickets of this plant become impenetrable from the springy perennial litter. In order for the bush to remain elegant in garden conditions, regular pruning and maintenance is required. Having created a heather flower bed, in the fall it will not be so sad in the autumn garden. Life goes on, flowering does not end for a long time. And I just want to leave as a souvenir a photo of an ordinary heather in the autumn garden.

The benefits of heather

The story about this amazing plant would be incomplete without knowledge of its healing power. The special usefulness of autumn heather honey is known to connoisseurs. In addition, in folk medicine, dried flowers of the plant, its leaves and young shoots are used.

Self-medication is rarely beneficial. Before using traditional medicine, you need to consult a doctor and get a prescription for the drug.

Infusions and decoctions are made from dried material. Contraindications for use are constipation and low acidity. It removes inflammatory processes in any human organs. Powders and ointments are used to treat the skin. Baths are made with heather for joint diseases. Even the hair responds favorably to the rubbing of the infusion of flowers. It turns out that heather is a home doctor.

Features of planting and caring for heather - video