Weigela eva ratke planting and care in the open field

Weigela — it is a perennial deciduous shrub, which for a long time has attracted the attention of flower growers, thanks to its beautiful colors, and also pleases the eye with its unusual appearance.

Weigela belongs to the honeysuckle family. It got its name from the German researcher and biologist Weigel.

Description

Weigela is a shrub with tall, erect, elongated shoots.

The leaves of the plant have an elongated oval shape, located on short petioles. The leaf plate has a variety of colors. Leaves can be solid green, have a border or specks.

The edges of the plate have small notches.

Flowers form on young plants in the leaf axils. They are located singly or collected in inflorescences. The color of weigela flowers is varied: white, yellow, delicate cream, pink, scarlet or dark red. Flowers have a tubular structure and look like a bell.

The flowering period begins in May and lasts up to 30 days. If the care of the shrub is correct, then the re-flowering occurs at the end of August.

At the end of the flowering period, seed pods with two valves ripen on the bush. Weigela seeds are very small.

Variety of species

The first specimens of weigela were brought to Europe from Japan. The plant is actively used for landscaping in Korea and eastern China. Currently, about 190 varieties of this shrub plant are known. Some of them grow naturally, most varieties are obtained by crossing.

• Weigela blooming... It is the most popular plant species and is grown in almost all botanical gardens and greenhouses in Western Europe. Shrubs reach a height of three meters. Shoots are thin and can bend in arches. The variety is resistant to low temperatures, but dies in severe frosts without additional shelter.

In ornamental gardening, such hybrid varieties of flowering weigels as weigela Carnival with a bright two-tone color of flowers, smoothly changing from pink to pale red, have gained wide popularity; Weigela Bristol Ruby with deep dark red flowers.

• Weigela hybrid... This variety is distinguished by a variety of flower colors. The most famous varieties are Weigela Eva Ratke, Candida, Styriake, Gustav Malle.
• Weigel Middendorf differs in the compact size of the bush. The leaves are small in size, dark green in color.Under natural conditions, this species grows like undergrowth in coniferous forests, and also occurs on rocky slopes. The flowers of this variety are drooping, have a pinkish color.
• Weigela Korean... Tall plant. The height of the shrub in the wild can reach four meters. Widely distributed in Japan and Korea. The flowers are bicolor, ranging from pale pink at the tips of the petals to deep red at the base.

Weigela: planting and care

In vivo the shrub grows in places with a mild climate, therefore, for its cultivation in regions with a temperate climate, it is necessary to create some conditions that will help the plant to feel more comfortable.

Lighting and location

Weigela is quite simple and undemanding to care for. Subject to the rules of maintenance, the plant can be successfully bred even by novice growers.

Since the shrub naturally grows in warm and humid climates, a sufficient amount of light will be required for active growth and flowering. It should be noted that weigela does not tolerate direct sunlight, therefore, in the summer, you should take care of a little shading of the plant. It will help prevent burns on the leaves. The preferred planting site will be the western or eastern side of the garden plot.

Watering plants and moisture

For watering the plant, soft settled or rainwater is used. In the summer, during the flowering period, the bush is watered 2-3 times a week. At this time, you should monitor the condition of the top layer of the soil, which should not be too dry. After watering, the soil is mulched to prevent moisture evaporation. Sawdust, shavings or fallen leaves can be used as mulch.

If the soil is allowed to dry out, the plant can shed flowers. With a strong waterlogging of the soil, rotting of the root system or the development of fungal diseases is possible.

Shaping and pruning

Sanitary pruning of shrubs is carried out in early spring. It is necessary to remove the shoots that have died in winter.

The next pruning is done at the end of the flowering period. The branches should be cut to the first bud, as well as weak and poorly developed shoots.

The formation of the crown is carried out once every two years. As a rule, it is combined with the rejuvenation of adult shrubs. To rejuvenate the weigela, it is necessary to remove the three-year-old shoots, and shorten the rest by one third.

Planting and soil

For planting, two-year-old seedlings are used. Young plants are planted in early spring before the active growth of the plant begins. Landing is carried out in pre-prepared planting pits with a depth of 0.5 meters, filled with a drainage layer and nutrient soil. After planting, the soil around the shrub should be carefully compacted and the plant should be watered abundantly. The soil around the weigela is mulched using small pebbles or sawdust.

Reproduction

Weigelu is propagated by sowing seeds or cuttings. For propagation by cuttings, cuttings up to 10 centimeters long should be prepared, treated with a biostimulant and planted in a nutrient mixture consisting of peat and coarse sand. Also for this purpose, you can use ready-made peat pots. After that, the cuttings are covered with plastic bags or glass jars to maintain a constant temperature and humidity. After three weeks, the cuttings should take root. After they are transplanted to a permanent place, they are pinched.

Seed propagation

Weigela seeds are sown in early spring. No prior preparation is required. The seeds are sown in small containers or pots filled with nutrient soil. They are covered with glass from above to maintain the temperature and humidity of the air. After the appearance of real leaves, the seedlings dive, the plantings are thinned out if necessary. In the first year, seedlings grow only seven centimeters. Active growth starts from the second year. The height of young shrubs reaches half a meter.

Preparing for winter

Weigela grows well in temperate climates. At the end of autumn, the shrub is insulated. To do this, after the leaves have fallen off, the shoots are tightly tied with a rope and bent to the ground. From above, the bushes are covered with spruce branches, hay, straw or artificial covering material. After a snowfall, shrubs can be additionally covered with snow.

Plant feeding

Weigela needs regular fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers. Fertilization is carried out in spring and autumn. In early spring, the plant is fed with mineral fertilizers and compost; in the fall, fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are applied.

Diseases and pests

Weigela is resistant to disease and insect pests. Long-term improper care can cause damage to plants by diseases. If the rules for caring for a plant are violated, growers may face the following difficulties:

• excess moisture leads to the development of rot and death of the plant;
• lack of sunlight inhibits growth and flowering;
• leaf spots appear as a result of high humidity;

If pests such as aphids, spider mites or whiteflies have been found on the surface of leaves and stems, the vines should be treated with special insecticidal preparations.

Weigela is directly related to the honeysuckle family. This plant is represented by shrubs. The plant was named after the German Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel, who was a botanist, chemist and pharmacologist. Under natural conditions, this plant is found in the eastern and southeastern parts of Asia, in the Far East and on the island of Java. The genus unites 15 species represented by deciduous shrubs. Only 7 species and 10 varieties are cultivated, which are highly decorative. Weigela not only has a very effective appearance, but is relatively unpretentious, and it can be easily propagated.

Weigela features

The plant loves moisture and grows quite well in the shade. This upright shrub does not form stolons. Opposite petiolate leaf plates do not have stipules, they are serrate-serrate or serrate. The length of the bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers is about 5 centimeters. Flowers are solitary or are part of loose inflorescences. They can be painted in cream, carmine red, pink, yellow and other colors, while often during flowering, the color changes from a paler shade to a brighter one. The fruits are represented by a bivalve box with small seeds inside.

Landing weigela

What time to plant

The best time to disembark a weigela is spring. In this case, it is necessary to have time to plant the plant before the buds swell, but the earth should already warm up, in which case it will take very well. The shrub planted in the fall dies during the first wintering.

It is best to choose a place for planting on a hill, while it must be protected from drafts and north winds, which can cause shedding of flowers and buds. Better to plant the weigela on the south side of the building. In good light, the flowers are very bright and the flowering is plentiful. For planting, you need loose soil with a lot of humus. Loamy or clayey soil, neutral or slightly alkaline, is suitable. It should be borne in mind that Weigela middendorffiana can be planted in peaty, slightly acidic soil. The planted seedling must be at least 3 years old.

How to plant

The depth of the landing pit is from 30 to 40 centimeters. If the soil is infertile, then the pit should be made deeper, because on the drainage layer (height 15 centimeters), which can be made from gravel, fragments of brick or sand, a layer of nutrient-rich soil should be laid (1.5 buckets of compost plus 100 grams of nitrophosphate ). Fertilizer should be thoroughly mixed with compost. In order for the seedling to begin better, its roots can be treated with a substance that stimulates root growth (Viva + or Radifarm).

If the weigela seedling is of a medium-sized variety (no higher than 100 centimeters), then a distance of at least 80 centimeters should be left between the bushes, the gaps between the bushes of high varieties (height up to 250 centimeters) should be from 150 to 200 centimeters. During planting, do not forget to straighten the roots of the seedling, the soil will need to be gradually poured into the hole and tamped in order to exclude the possibility of voids formation. It is possible to deepen the root collar by only 10–20 mm, but it is desirable that when the soil settles after watering, it is at the same level with the ground. The planted plant must be well watered, and the surface of the soil must be sprinkled with a layer of mulch.

Weigela care

Spring

Growing such a shrub is easy, and even a beginner can handle it. It is necessary to water the weigela only during the dry period, while a large amount of water is used (if the near-trunk circle is mulched, then watering will be more rare). You also need to do timely weeding and loosening of the soil, which is performed very carefully with only half the bayonet of the shovel, otherwise the root system can be damaged. You also need to feed the plant in a timely manner, while if you added nitrophosphate and compost during planting into the hole, then the bush will not need feeding for 2 years. In the third year, at the beginning of spring, weigela needs to be fed, for this, a complete mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil, for example: diammofoska, ammofoska, Kemiru-lux or other fertilizers, which include potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. In the last days of spring or the first - summer, during budding, it is necessary to make a second top dressing, while you need to take phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (potassium sulfate, superphosphate, etc.). Thanks to this, the plant will bloom for a long time and abundantly, and the branches will also strengthen, which is good for wintering. The third time the bush is fed during digging in the fall, while taking wood ash (for 1 m2 you will need 200 g of top dressing). You can use Kemira-autumn fertilizer for this purpose, while the dosage should be seen in the instructions.

Bloom

This shrub blooms 2 times per season. The first lush flowering is observed from the second half of May to mid-June, while flowers appear on the shoots of the last year. The second time the shrub blooms in August and blooms until September. At the same time, flowering is less abundant than in spring, and flowers grow on the shoots of the current year. During flowering, the plant looks very impressive.

Reproduction of weigela

The plant can be propagated quite simply by seed. It should be borne in mind that their germination is maintained only for 1-2 years, therefore, experienced gardeners do not recommend sowing seeds in boxes or greenhouses. The easiest way to propagate weigela is by self-seeding. In spring, when shoots appear from the seeds that have fallen into the ground, it will be necessary to select the strongest, and remove the rest. They will need to grow, which lasts 2 years, only after that they can be transplanted to a permanent place. But it must be borne in mind that with this method of reproduction, varietal characteristics are not always preserved. In this regard, gardeners with considerable experience recommend reproduction in a vegetative way, namely: by layering, young shoots from the stump, as well as summer green or last year's semi-lignified cuttings. For cutting cuttings, the length of which should be from 10 to 15 centimeters, you should choose this year's green shoots (cut in the last days of June) or last year's semi-lignified shoots (cutting is carried out before sap flow begins), or you can cut the root shoots. The leaf plates located at the bottom of the cuttings must be torn off, while the upper ones must be shortened by ½ part. The slice from the bottom must be dipped into Kornevin. The cuttings are planted in soil consisting of peat and sand, while its surface should be covered with a layer of sand equal to 4 centimeters. The shank must be deepened by only 10 mm, no more.Each plant should be covered with a cut plastic bottle or glass jar. The shelter needs to be cleaned every day for a while for airing and watering. The emerging young shoots need to be pinched in order for the plant to be more bushy.

Layers should be propagated in a different way. Choose the sturdiest bottom shoot and bend it to the ground. At the point of contact with the ground on the shoot, you need to cut the bark slightly. Then it is fixed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with soil. Already next spring, the cuttings will fully take root. Cuttings and cuttings can be transplanted to a permanent place only at the age of three.

How to trim properly

Weigele, like all shrubs, needs pruning. Young bushes need pruning only for sanitary purposes. To do this, at the beginning of spring, you need to cut off those branches that thicken the plant, as well as sick, injured and damaged by frost. Older plants need formative pruning, which should be done after the weigela has bloomed for the first time (in the middle of summer), while young shoots should not yet grow. It is worth remembering that during the re-flowering, flowers appear on the shoots of the current year. In this regard, if you did not carry out the formative pruning in time, and new branches began to grow, then it is recommended to postpone it until next year. Adult shrubs need rejuvenating pruning, carried out once every 3 years, while all branches that are more than 3 years old need to be cut off, and those that remain should be cut off by 1/3. In some cases, it may be necessary to prune all branches; after this pruning, the weigela recovers very well.

Diseases and pests

Often leaf-eating caterpillars and aphids settle on this shrub. During a long period of heat and drought, thrips or spider mites can settle on the plant. However, by the beginning of the drought period, the first flowering of the weigela is already ending. In order to destroy these harmful insects, it is recommended to use pesticides such as nitrafen, rogor or celtan, but it should be borne in mind that they are harmful to the environment. There are more harmless means for controlling harmful insects - these are insecticidal infusions made from plants such as hot pepper, wormwood or garlic. If the planted seedlings turn yellow and begin to fade, then this is most likely due to the fact that a bear has started up in the root system or the larvae of the May beetle have settled. They could get into the ground along with compost or humus during planting. To destroy them, it is necessary to water the bush with a solution of actara or karbofos.

Weigela most often suffers from gray rot, rust, and spotting. In order to get rid of a fungal or bacterial disease, you need to treat the bush with Bordeaux liquid (copper sulfate mixed with milk of lime). For preventive purposes, you can treat the plant during the appearance of leaves with Topsin's solution (3%).

Weigela after flowering

Seed collection

The seeds ripen in September and are harvested in October after the capsules begin to crack. In order for the seeds not to spill out on the surface of the soil, it is necessary to wrap several pieces of testes with gauze in September and fix it on the branch. After the box is ripe, you need to carefully cut it and bring it into the room. There you can remove the gauze and sprinkle the seeds onto a newspaper. After the seeds are dry, they need to be poured into a paper bag, on which do not forget to mark the name of the plant, its variety and the date when the seeds were collected. They should be placed in a dark, dry place where they will be stored until spring. It should be remembered that seeds retain good germination only for 1–2 years, while shrubs grown from seeds may not retain the varietal characteristics of the parent plant.

Wintering

After the end of leaf fall (in the last days of October or the first days - November), you need to cover the near-trunk circle of the shrub with a layer of soil, while the height of the mound should be from 15 to 20 centimeters. It is recommended to bend the branches to the soil surface and fix them. From above, the bush is covered with spunbond or roofing felt, while the shelter is pressed so that it is not blown away by the wind. You can not bend the branches, but tie them with twine or rope, pulling them well. Fence the plant with a plastic or metal net. It is necessary to pour dry fallen leaves inside the resulting structure. On top, the structure must be insulated with a covering dense material.

Main types and varieties with photos and names

For mid-latitude gardeners, weigela varieties are most suitable, which are resistant to frost. These include the species and varieties described below.

Early weigela, or weigela pleasant (Weigela praecox)

In natural conditions, it grows in the Far East. The bush reaches a height of about 200 centimeters. There is pubescence on the foliage surface. The crown is spherical. The outer part of the flowers is deep pink. Inflorescences consist of 2 or 3 flowers, while they grow on the lateral shoots of this year. It happens that the pharynx of a flower has a white-yellow color, in the buds the flowers are painted purple. Flowering begins in the last days of May and lasts from 10 to 30 days. The variegated variety of weigela variegated is of the greatest interest. On the surface of the green leaf plates there are specks of yellow color, in the summer they acquire a cream color.

Weigela flowering, or weigela florida (Weigela florida)

The bush reaches a height of 300 centimeters. There are 2 rows of hairs on the surface of the shoots. Short-petiolate serrated leaf plates on the front side have pubescence located along the central vein, while on the seamy surface all veins have pubescence. The inflorescences consist of 3 or 4 flowers, painted in a deep pink color, which open in the last days of May. Flowering lasts approximately 20 days.

Popular forms:

1. Weigela purple, or weigela red (Weigela Purpurea). The height of the bush is about 150 centimeters, there is a lush crown. The leaf plates are brownish-red in color, the bright pink flowers have a yellow throat. Bloom is observed in June and July. Nana Purpurea is very similar to weigela purpurea, but the shrub is smaller.
2. Alba. It is a dwarf form. White flowers turn pink during wilting.
3. Variegata... This form is very beautiful and the most frost-resistant. Has small leaves. The racemose inflorescences are composed of deep pink flowers.
4. Weigela pink (Weigela florida Bunge)... The outer surface of the flowers is carmine pink, while the inner surface is almost white.
5. Weigela florida Victoria... The height of the bush is about 100 centimeters. The foliage is brownish red, and the flowers are purple in color.

Weigela hybrid (Weigela hybrida)

Has a spreading crown, lush flowering. The height of the bush is about 150 centimeters. Fragrant flowers have a funnel-shaped tubular shape, they can be part of loose inflorescences or be single. Depending on the variety, the color of the flowers can be pink, lilac, purple, white, violet-red.

Popular varieties:

1. Bristol Ruby... The variety appeared in 1941 in the United States. The bush can reach a height of 250-300 centimeters, while the diameter of its crown is 350 centimeters. The leaves are deep green in color. The pink flowers have ruby-red edges, sometimes their center is colored orange. This fast growing plant begins to bloom in the last days of June.
2. Red Prince... The variety was bred in the USA. A compact bush in height can reach 150 centimeters. Has a spreading crown, drooping branches. Bright red flowers look very beautiful against the background of green leaves.

Weigela middendorff (Weigela middendorffiana)

The height of the bush can vary from 100 to 150 centimeters. Ascending shoots.Large (from 3 to 4 centimeters) yellow flowers have orange spots in the throat. They are part of low-flowered inflorescences of 2–6 pieces, or they are solitary. Flowering is observed twice per season.

Also, quite often gardeners grow abundantly flowering weigela, pleasant weigela, early weigela, Japanese weigela, garden weigela, Maximovich weigela and Korean weigela.

The natural form of Weigela Korean is one of the few varieties that can be propagated by seeds. Large ruby ​​bells in small inflorescences are the visiting card of weigela Bristol Ruby. Dwarf weigela Nana Variegata looks very gentle and romantic. Weigela the Red Prince is distinguished not so much by red flowers as by characteristic wavy leaves Pink flowers with an elongated funnel and dark reddish leaves confirm that weigela Alexandra is in front of you. jasmine and chubushnik At first glance, Eva Rathke looks like the Red Prince, but it is given out by the flatter leaf blades of Weigela Carnival is just a holiday in shades of pink The Sunny Princess variety is one of the most delicate and noble Weigela Victoria is related to Alexandra, only her flower funnels are shorter and the leaves are wider than Ruby Star is not just another variety with red flowers, her petal tone contrasts less with the shade of the foliage Japanese weigela - another natural masterpiece The Olympiada variety you can recognize by the fuchsia petals and the bright light green tone of the wide leaf plates Weigela variegated stands out among the relatives with the light edging of Weigela's leaf plates All Summe Ruby strongly resembles Bristol Red , but it can be distinguished by its deep red colors without a raspberry undertone Sunny Princes is not always pale pink, it can t be bright This weigela can definitely become the star of your flower bed Japanese weigela is always ready to surprise with a variety of Weigela forms Olympiada is notable for a yellow-green shade of leaves White flowers with a pink center go well with the variegated leaves of this weigela It is easy to see that Alexandra and Victoria are close relatives of the variety Minor Black Weigela Rosea is Weigela's maiden dream come true Ebony and Ivory is a harmonious combination of ivory flowers and almost ebony shoots with dark Weigela leaves Monet looks very decorative even when there are no flowers on it. The fragrance of Weigela Tango will cheer you up no worse than the same name Weigela's Wings of Fire dance in the fall really resembles a burning bonfire Young leaves of weigela Victoria have an olive color and only with time they darken Weigela Pink Poppet during the flowering period will overshadow any rose with beauty Despite negative associations with the name, weigela Lucifer is a luxuriously beautiful Brigella shrub - a classic representative of the weigela species, it is with the first associations that arise when this is mentioned words Even if you do not like pink shades, the flowering of weigela Florida will not leave you indifferent Another pink weigela with a dance name - Minuet In this variety, the creators tried to enhance the contrast between white flowers and dark leaves If the varieties of Alexandra and Victoria are too cheerful for you, weigela Minor Black will help create a gothic setting

A flowering shrub with a beautiful name seems exotic to our gardeners, but in fact it deserves a place in a flower bed both by right of origin and due to its beauty. If you are not yet enjoying the lush flowering and fragrance, be sure to get acquainted with the weigela, because planting in open ground and caring for it is not as difficult as it seems.

The role of weigela in landscape design

Weigela is a perennial shrub related to honeysuckle.

Landscape designers love weigela for two things. Firstly, this shrub blooms twice a year, so it is easier to arrange a flowerbed of continuous flowering with it. The second highlight is the change in the shade of the flowers. Freshly opened buds are light, while fully open buds are bright. Weigela simply amazes with the play of shades in each flower cluster.

Lush tall weigela bush looks great against the backdrop of the lawn

Weigela usually begins to bloom in mid-May and ends only in mid-June. Summer flowering is the most beautiful and lush, often behind the buds, greenery is not at all visible. At the end of August, the bush is again covered with inflorescences, but on a more modest scale. Flowers remain on the weigel until the very end of September.

Landscape designers use this shrub:

• in single plantings as a bright accent on the lawn;

  Weigela stamp looks no worse than pink

• in group plantings to cover bare tree trunks, especially with an openwork crown;

  The slightly disheveled weigela bush contrasts perfectly with the tall spruce cone.

• on alpine slides and rockeries (mostly undersized varieties);

  Dwarf weigela will become a bright spot against the background of rough cobblestones

• as a hedge (tall) and mixborder (low and medium).

  Even a low weigela hedge can transform a boring gray fence.

That is, in almost any role that other ornamental shrubs perform, weigela can also come in handy. By the way, thanks to the varietal variety of shrubs, beautiful compositions can be created from different subspecies of weigel.

The plant grows well next to conifers, traditional for rockeries, as well as other shrubs: spirea, cotoneaster, viburnum (better Buldenezh), barberry, Japanese quince.

Climatic requirements

In nature, weigela grows in Central Asia, more than 15 varieties of this plant have been found there. Only three species are found on the territory of the Russian Federation, all of them grow in the southeast of the country.

If you come across Weigela early, Middendorf or Pleasant on sale, know that these are wild-growing species. They will grow well in the Far East, but they are not adapted to a more severe climate.

Varietal weigels came to us from Europe, where they were popularized by a professor of botany by the name of von Weigel. Therefore, they are quite resistant to cold climates and feel great in the middle zone of the Russian Federation under the open sky.

Automating weigela watering is a great way to provide a moisture-loving plant with the correct moisture regime.

Weigela prefers fertile soil with a lot of humus, alkaline or neutral reaction and good aeration (loose or loosened). It is extremely important not to allow waterlogging, otherwise the plant accustomed to a drier climate will quickly die.

If your region has acidic soil or you cannot provide the weigel with the correct moisture regime, it is better to grow this shrub in a tub. If there is a sufficiently dry place on the site and you are ready, if necessary, to apply the necessary fertilizers and regulate the reaction of the soil, landing in the ground is quite acceptable.

Weigela usually grows in a tub only until the age of three.

Popular varieties

Weigela is incredibly diverse in color and flower shape, bush height and crown characteristics. Thanks to the efforts of specialists, every gardener can find a variety of this shrub that fully meets his needs and tastes. Among the most famous subspecies of weigela:

• Bristol Ruby is a tall subspecies of hybrid origin. Well suited for single plantings and hedges, grows up to 2.3 m in diameter and 3.5 m in height. It got its name from the ruby ​​red flowers that bloom in June-July. Recovers quickly after pruning;
• Nana Variegata is a slow growing dwarf variety bred specifically for rockeries. Leaves are white-motley, and this is a marker of light-loving varieties. Flowers are collected in inflorescences of 3-4, have a pale pink or crimson color;
• Middendorf is a natural type of medium-sized shrub (1–1.5 m). Leaves are bright green with two-sided edging along the veins. The flowers are medium yellow, growing singly or 2–6 on one peduncle. It blooms twice, in our climate for 25-30 days. Weigela Middendorf is the only subspecies that easily tolerates the acidic reaction of the soil and grows on peaty soil;
• Candida is a tall variety with white flowers. Popular with foreign gardeners.
• Eva Rathke is a Polish hybrid of the Korean weigela and the abundantly flowering weigela. The bush has a height of 0.7-1 m, the crown is compact. Tubular flowers of a carmine shade with shine appear in July-August. The growth rate is moderate. Needs shelter for the winter.

The most beautiful varieties of weigela in the photo

The natural form of Weigela Korean is one of the few varieties that can be propagated by seeds. Large ruby ​​bells in small inflorescences are the visiting card of weigela Bristol Ruby. Dwarf weigela Nana Variegata looks very gentle and romantic. Weigela the Red Prince is distinguished not so much by red flowers as by characteristic wavy leaves Pink flowers with an elongated funnel and dark reddish leaves confirm that weigela Alexandra is in front of you. jasmine and chubushnik At first glance, Eva Rathke looks like the Red Prince, but it is given out by the flatter leaf blades of Weigela Carnival is just a holiday in shades of pink The Sunny Princess variety is one of the most delicate and noble Weigela Victoria is related to Alexandra, only her flower funnels are shorter and the leaves are wider than Ruby Star is not just another variety with red flowers, her petal tone contrasts less with the shade of the foliage Japanese weigela - another natural masterpiece The Olympiada variety you can recognize by the fuchsia petals and the bright light green tone of the wide leaf plates Weigela variegated stands out among the relatives with the light edging of Weigela's leaf plates All Summe Ruby strongly resembles Bristol Red , but it can be distinguished by its deep red colors without a raspberry undertone Sunny Princes is not always pale pink, it can t be bright This weigela can definitely become the star of your flower bed Japanese weigela is always ready to surprise with a variety of Weigela forms Olympiada is notable for a yellow-green shade of leaves White flowers with a pink center go well with the variegated leaves of this weigela It is easy to see that Alexandra and Victoria are close relatives of the variety Minor Black Weigela Rosea is the embodiment of Weigela's maiden dream Ebony and Ivory is a harmonious combination of ivory flowers and almost ebony shoots with dark leaves of Weigela Monet looks very decorative even when there are no flowers on it.The fragrance of weigela Tango will cheer you up just as well,than the dance of the same name In autumn, weigela Wings of Fire really resembles a burning bonfire Young leaves of weigela Victoria have an olive color and only with time they darken Weigela Pink Poppet during the flowering period will outshine any rose with beauty Despite negative associations with the name, Weigela Lucifer is a luxuriously beautiful Brigella shrub - a classic a representative of the weigela species, it is with the first associations that arise when this word is mentioned Even if you do not like pink shades, the flowering of weigela Florida will not leave you indifferent Another pink weigela with a dance name - Minuet In this variety, the creators tried to enhance the contrast between white flowers and dark leaves If varieties Alexandra and Victoria are too cheerful for you, Weigela Minor Black will help with create a gothic setting

For all types of weigela, the opposite arrangement of leaves, the absence of stipules, the funnel or bell-shaped shape of the flowers, the erect position of the shoots and fruits in the form of bivalve bolls remain in common. By these signs, you can easily recognize relatives, even if other parameters differ greatly.

Video about the types and varieties of shrubs

Planting methods in open ground

Planting a weigela traditionally begins with choosing a suitable place. It should be sunny or located in a weak partial shade, this southeastern beauty does not like strong shading. Light-loving varieties with edging on the leaves are planted only in a sunny place. Another important point is the wind. There must be protection from it (a building, a fence, a less sensitive shrub), otherwise strong gusts will ruin flowers and foliage.

We plant weigela with seedlings:

1. Dig a hole in the selected place 50x50 cm and a depth of half a meter. For regions with fertile land, where active feeding is not required, a pit depth of 40 cm is recommended.If there are several seedlings, make sure that the distance between them is 2 m for tall varieties and 0.8 m for low-growing ones, since over time the bush forms a lush crown.

   If possible, try to free the area from weed roots in advance.

2. Place drainage on the bottom of the pit - layers of gravel and sand. The layer thickness is about 15 cm, it is better not to decrease it.

   Any stones, fragments of bricks or ceramics of a suitable size can be used as drainage

3. Place a seedling in the hole and carefully cover it with a soil mixture of 2 parts humus / leafy soil, 2 parts sand and 1 part turf soil. If your garden lacks fertile soil, add 100 g of nitrophoska and 15 liters of compost for each bush to the soil mixture. Compact the soil by hand and lightly (weigela roots do better in loose soil). The root collar should be at ground level.

   If your weigela is grown in a container, you do not need to free the roots from the soil, plant it along with a lump

4. Water the plants abundantly and mulch the root circle.

   If there is enough water, the puddle will be absorbed into the ground for a long time.

For this method, three-year-old nursery seedlings are best suited; younger plants are not yet ready to grow outdoors without additional supervision.

If experience suggests that the survival rate of plants in your garden is low, you can treat the weigela with a growth stimulator (Radifarm, Viva +).

Weigela care in the garden

If you know the basic needs of a weigela, caring for her becomes not too difficult.

Firstly, the plant needs constant aeration, so the soil in the trunk circle must be loosened regularly. After watering or weeding, it is imperative to cultivate the land to a depth of 5–8 cm. Since not every garden owner can devote so much time to an individual bush, an easier solution can be found - to mulch the tree trunk circle with peat or sawdust. If the mulch layer is 10 cm, the need for frequent loosening will completely disappear.

Wood sawdust, pine needles, bark chips are excellent mulching materials

The root system of the weigela is fibrous (without a well-defined central root extending into the depths), but diverges to the sides not too close to the surface.Therefore, when loosening, you can be sure that when the spade bayonet is fully buried, you will not damage the roots.

The second need is water procedures. It is especially important to water the weigela during dry periods and in spring after a winter with little snow. You shouldn't feel sorry for moisture - each bush needs a bucket of water for 8-10 liters.

When pruning, be sure to keep in mind that the plant reacts differently to each type of pruning.

The third stage of caring procedures is pruning. It is held annually in the spring to remove twigs that have frozen over the winter. You only need to form a bush once every 2-3 years.

Video: pruning a young plant

How to care during growth and flowering

To help the weigela get ready for the lush spring bloom, it needs to be fed. Mineral fertilizers are applied even in the snow, so that when the plant wakes up, it can immediately take advantage of useful elements. Urea (20 g per m2), superphosphate and potassium salt (10 g per m2) are used as top dressing.

The time for the second treat comes when the flower buds form. Then weigela needs double superphosphate and potassium sulfate (30 g per 1 bush or 1 m2 of area). The third feeding is carried out before the autumn digging and consists of ash (200 g per 1 m2) or a specialized composition (for example, "Kemira-autumn").

Weigela responds well to universal fertilizers

After feeding the plant, it is imperative to water it very abundantly.

Once I lost several ornamental bushes due to too abundant feeding. I so wanted to have more flowers that I carried out additional processing with mineral fertilizers with increased concentration. I myself do not understand how, with the additional education of a laboratory assistant in chemical analysis, I could have treated chemicals so negligently. But the shameful result in the form of three seedy skeletons of the once strong bushes worked more effectively than any lectures, examinations and an additional tub of cold water. After that, I try to never forget that any feeding is a serious chemical experiment, no matter how ordinary it looks. I even got myself a notebook with observations and always write down what and when I did in my kindergarten, so as not to allow such annoying situations anymore, not out of an excess of enthusiasm, but simply out of forgetfulness.

Post-flowering care

Immediately after flowering is over, it is the best time for formative pruning of the weigela. In this case, old shoots are removed, and young ones are shortened by half. The second procedure is postponed for 2 or even 3 years. Further work is carried out according to the calendar, taking into account the weather, the climate of your region and the state of the plants.

One of the most difficult tasks in caring for a weigela is to properly prepare a thermophilic plant for winter. As the saying goes, here it is better to overdo it than to miss it. Gardeners use two methods of covering: with pressed branches and collected.

If it is necessary to protect the bush from the weight of the snow, a frame made of crossed sticks can be made under the covering material.

Low-growing and young shrubs for the winter "spread" on the ground, carefully bending the branches and fixing them so as not to straighten out. Such a mound can be framed with mulch and covered with a waterproof material of choice (from spandbod to film), and then fix the shelter. It is convenient to do this from above with spruce branches, and around the bush - with stones.

This winter shelter is enough for the middle lane.

Tall bushes with woody branches with this approach are easy to break, so they are covered in an upright position. It is necessary to tie the bush into a loose bundle, cover with the selected material and protect with a wire frame.

Video: secrets of handling weigela

As a lazy gardener, I really love the tradition of decorating flower beds with stones. At first, when covering a bush, it was necessary to look for suitable pebbles throughout the site and even quietly from my husband to adapt building materials for this business.Then I just found the right amount of beautiful rounded stones in my neighbors and friends, and now I always keep them near the bushes. In the summer they are decorative, and in the winter they become functional.

What problems do gardeners have

One of the possible difficulties when planting a weigela is the wrong time. While most other shrubs and trees are preferred to be planted in the fall, it is best to replant them in the spring. The bushes of the autumn planting take root much worse and often die. To "preserve" the seedlings until spring (if you accidentally or unknowingly acquired them in the fall), dig in them in an inclined position and sprinkle most of the crown with earth. In this state, the weigela successfully overwinters and you can plant it in the spring.

The rest of the problems, too, in most cases, are associated with the untimely execution of garden robots, or an insufficient number of them.

Video: weigela in her own garden

Table: seasonal care jobs

I’ll say banality, but the plants in your own garden are almost children. While I was lazy to deal with them more often 2-3 times a year, at the very least, they managed themselves and looked almost decent. But as a mother is disappointed with her own kids, watching the success of their peers, so I began to be ashamed of my flower bed, visiting my friends. The flowerbed was formed precisely from the calculation of saving time, since I love flowers, and I hate sowing annuals every year. But you also have to tinker with the bushes to make them really beautiful. Given the fact that horticultural enthusiasm attacks me in short bursts and usually out of season, it was really difficult to synchronize the needs of the plants and my own mood. Over time, I managed to discipline myself and include the minimum care required for a flower bed in my daily plans. The result turned out both with and without a manicure - it seems a trifle, but the image changes dramatically. True, new plants appear extremely rarely now - I treat everyone as an adopted baby.

Reproduction methods

Gardeners practice reproduction of weigela by seeds and vegetative methods: cuttings (rooting of cut shoots), layering (rooting of shoots due to bending and covering with earth without tearing from the bush), young shoots of the stump ("kids" that regularly appear at the root neck). Growing cuttings from shoots and shoots is carried out identically, and the method of cutting is simpler, since the young growth does not require additional care at the stage of rooting.

Weigela is most often propagated by arcuate layering.

How to grow weigela seedlings

Unlike many other ornamental shrubs, weigela reproduces well by seeds. The collected seeds remain viable for a whole year, but they should not be stored longer. Preliminary preparation of seeds is not required, they are quite tenacious and without additional help. For sowing, you can use seedling trays or flower pots covered with film, in general, any semblance of a mini-greenhouse.

As a rule, all plants sprout at the same time, which greatly simplifies the care of young shoots. The pick is carried out after the appearance of the second pair of leaves, then you can do weeding. If the seedlings have enough room for growth (7–8 cm between neighbors), in the future they only require watering.

If you could not find tools for picking, you can use the tools at hand

At the end of the first year after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings grow up to 6-7 cm in height, and the root system occupies an area with a diameter of 3-5 cm. At this stage of life, the stem does not branch yet, but it has 3 or more pairs of leaves, as well as axillary and apical kidneys. These seedlings are ready for outdoor growing. It is best to take the boxes out into the garden and place them under the trees that create partial shade.

Such a bush is suitable for planting in the ground or tub.

By the second year of life, the seedling has a height of 40-50 cm and has a well-grown superficial root system. Such a plant can already find a permanent residence in your garden. But the first flowers will have to wait another 2 years.

The seed propagation method is not suitable for hybrid and garden forms of weigela, in which the desired decorative properties have been imparted by grafting. It is best to sow natural forms of weigela: pleasant, early, Middendorf.

We grow weigela from cuttings

Vegetative propagation is the best way to maintain the varietal traits of your green pet. The optimal time for this procedure is mid-June, when the spring flower buds have already completed their function, and the new ones have not yet appeared. Young, not yet stiff shoots should be cut off. The bottom cut should be straight, the traditional oblique will cut the knot to which the leaves are attached. The top cut should be positioned above the sheet cushion, the bottom cut just below it.

In the distant school years, you were certainly told that plants have three ways of arranging leaves on a stem: alternate (ladder), opposite (paired leaves grow opposite each other) and whorled (leaves cover the stem in a ring). Novice gardeners should definitely remember this, since cuttings in plants with an alternate position are cut from the bottom along the oblique, with whorled and opposite ones - only in a straight line.

You can use a regular blade to cut the cuttings.

On the issue of cutting off the two pairs of leaves remaining on the stem, experts are not in agreement: you can remove them completely, cut them in half, or leave 2/3 of the leaf blade.

Then you should proceed like this:

1. Put fresh cuttings in water at room temperature for 1–2 hours.

   The water level in the jar should not be high - it is enough to moisten the lower 2-3 cm

2. Treat the prepared stems with a growth stimulant and leave overnight in a dark, warm room. The optimum holding time is 12 hours, the temperature is 20o-25oC. As a stimulant, a solution of 150 mg of heteroauxin in 1 liter of water is usually used. Please note that without stimulating growth, the probability of rooting the cuttings is reduced by an order of magnitude.

   When buying a bag, be sure to calculate how much product is needed to process all your cuttings.

3. Prepare a mixture of sand with peat and plant the cuttings in open ground, having placed them at a depth of 1 cm. Top the soil mixture should be covered with washed river sand, and then covered tightly with plastic wrap (as an option, with a cut plastic bottle). Water the seedling twice a day until it is fully rooted.

   The cut bottle is the easiest and cheapest mini greenhouse

Experts say that if you stick to this method, good rooting is guaranteed.

Weigela reproduces equally well with both winter and summer cuttings. But summer seedlings bloom for the first time as early as 2 years old, and this is a huge advantage for impatient gardeners. Unfortunately, the first buds will have to be removed before opening in order for the bush to form a more lush and dense crown.

If you missed summer cuttings, you can try growing winter cuttings. They are pruned in April, separating the stem under the bud with unblown leaves. Further, the technology is similar, but rooting is carried out in pots with a soil mixture of sand and turf. After the formation of roots, the plants are pinched and fed with cow dung (0.5 l of slurry per 1 m2) or mineral fertilizers (30 g of superphosphate + 25 g of ammonium nitrate).

Rooting of cuttings is not guaranteed, so prepare them with a margin

Note that despite additional efforts, winter cuttings not only grow worse, but also take root less readily. Therefore, if you need a guaranteed result, it is better to wait until summer.

The nuances of cultivation in different regions

Due to the high adaptability of the weigela, it grows well almost throughout the country.But there are several nuances that should be taken into account by a gardener from regions with a harsh climate.

Growing in the suburbs and the Leningrad region

In this region, hybrid varieties of this shrub feel best: Candida, Eva Ratke, Rosea, Lucifer. Of those that grow wild in a temperate continental climate, Weigela early is appropriate, which is often found in the south of the Ussuri region and blooming (varieties Purpurea and Alba). But the latter tolerates the cold worse and needs careful shelter. If you are not embarrassed by the need to protect plants from frost, Weigela garden and Weigela Middendorf will also grow well in a garden near Moscow. Here they will not only grow well, but will also be able to successfully propagate by cuttings and seeds according to the standard scheme.

A cottage near Moscow, decorated with weigels, resembles a cozy house in Provence

Weigela planting in the Moscow region is carried out according to the technology already described above. The only difference is that a spring planting is recommended. The first flowering will have to wait 4 years.

In cold climates, weigela of autumn planting often dies already in the first winter, despite careful wrapping.

If you want to get a richly flowering compact bush, two additional dressings per year are enough. During the swelling of leaf buds (but before the first leaves bloom), nitroammofosk is introduced, 40 g per bucket of water under each bush. At the end of spring, before the blooming of flower buds, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added in the amount of 30 g per 10 liters of water for each bush.

Before the first frosts, the bushes should be covered with agrofibre, dry leaves or spruce branches (just like roses). If the winter is predicted to be harsh, it is better to play it safe and use roofing material or spandbod for shelter.

Video: the best variety of weigela for the middle lane

Growing in Siberia and the Urals

The only obstacle to the normal growth of weigela in this region is the severe winter frosts. Therefore, only the most resistant varieties of weigela need to be planted here: Alba, Striatum, Victoria, Styriaka, Red Prince, Eva Rathke. Gardeners claim that they are able to survive the winter with a short-term temperature drop down to -43 ° C. Of course, even these varieties will not hibernate without shelter, but they can be grown outdoors without wasting time on winter care of tubs.

Despite the apparent fragility and tenderness, this weigela Styriaka is able to withstand an extremely harsh winter.

The planting of seedlings here is also preferable in the spring, since the autumn does not have time to get strong enough before frost. For the rest, caring for a weigela in Siberia is almost the same as in other regions.

TOP 5 useful tips

1. When using weigela in group plantings, be sure to make a common near-trunk circle. This will greatly facilitate loosening, watering and mulching the area and you will spend less time caring for the group..
2. You should not buy expensive pest control drugs for weigela. You can also do with traditional means: anabazine sulfate (0.2% solution), nicotine sulfate (0.4% active substance + a little soap to fix on the leaves), trichlormegaphos (0.2-0.3% solution), karbofos (solution 0.2%), chlorophos (0.3-0.5%). If you are afraid to work with chemicals and complex insecticides ("Keltan", "Rogor", "Nitrafen"), an infusion of makhorka, garlic, wormwood, onions or bitters will help get rid of aphids, leaf-eating caterpillars, thrips, spider mites and mealybug pepper.
3. If you notice bacterial cancer on the root neck of the bush, do not try to save it - all efforts will be in vain. It is better to dig up and burn the plants quickly so that other representatives of the flora in your garden do not get infected with this disease.
4. Those who are lazy to care for weigela seedlings can simplify their task and take advantage of the help of nature. There is no need to pick seeds in the fall - leave them in the ground and let them grow without your participation.In such a severe test, the strongest seedlings will survive, which will be much easier to grow up to two years of age.
5. When freshly transplanted seedlings begin to wither and change the color of the leaves to yellow, this indicates a plant disease. Check for surface signs of parasites and make sure the humidity is correct. It so happens that everything is in order, but the plants continue to wither. Then, most likely, you unintentionally brought in the parasites yourself when fertilizing the seedling - the larvae of the May beetle or the bear that feed on the roots. Try to spill soil around the bushes with a solution of karbofos or actara, and the weigela will recover over time.

Even if the flowering is not too abundant, weigela looks very decorative

What gardeners say: reviews from practitioners

As you can see, weigela is not as capricious as she is said to be. Most gardeners are happy with their shrubs, even if they don't follow their care plan 100%. Therefore, be sure to try planting it at home, because you can get no less pleasure from leaving than from contemplating its bright buds.

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Blooming weigela wins the hearts of summer residents. To cultivate this plant in the garden, before purchasing a seedling, its species characteristics and requirements for growing conditions are studied. The decisive characteristic on which the health of the bush depends is winter hardiness. The number of varieties that can safely endure frosts that occur in mid-latitudes every year is limited.

They choose a new tenant not for a gorgeous image, but guided by common sense. A thermophilic plant purchased in spring is safe only in the first summer season. After wintering, it develops poorly, fights for life, it is no longer up to flowering, inevitably dies in the coming years. Money, energy and time will be wasted on leaving.

1 Features of the selection of seedlings

Weigela's homeland is Southeast Asia with a mild climate, so its natives are not suitable for growing in areas with cold winters. In order not to torment the plant and not waste time on it, frost-resistant varieties bred by breeders or species originating from the Far East are selected for the site.

They buy seedlings older than two years in a pot at least thirty centimeters high with four to five shoots, they will better take root in a new place. Age is important because the frost resistance of weigela increases with the years, and full flowering occurs in the third or fourth season. Acquired undeveloped rooted cuttings less than 25 cm have little chance of survival. Mature shrubs above a meter are more difficult to adapt to unfamiliar conditions.

Plants with an open root system are cheaper and sometimes preferable. In this case, before purchasing, inspect the lower part for damage, make sure that there are no spots or rotting fragments on the branches and leaves. Such bushes are bought shortly before planting, the roots are moistened and wrapped in thick paper, making sure that they do not dry out.

1.1 What types and varieties to choose?

When choosing bushes, they are guided by those that have shown themselves on the positive side in the plots of other gardeners. High survival rate in plants that have already been tested in the same area in the nursery, breeders or hobbyists.

View	Popular varieties	Variety description / growing conditions
Weigela blooming (W.florida)	Alexandra	Dense bush, height 1.2–1.5 m. It blooms profusely with pink-red flowers 3 cm long on the shoots of last year. Loves sunny places. Withstands up to -23 ° C.
	Carnaval	Height and width up to 120 cm, branches are arcuate. The flowers are white-pink, tubular, 2–2.5 cm. Flowering on old shoots in June, which must be bent down for the winter. Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny location.Winter hardiness - zone 5 (-23 ° C).
	Rumba	A neat shrub 0.9 m high, 1.2 m wide. Pink tubular flowers with a yellow neck adorn it from May to July. The green leaves are bordered with purple. It grows successfully only on damp ground in a sunny place, up to -23 ° C.
	French Lace	Height and diameter 1.2 m, green leaves with a yellow border, do not burn. Blossoming: May – June, dark red petals. Prefers moist soil in the sun, zone 5.
	Majorie	Shrub 1–1.5 m blooms with light pink and white phonographs in June on the branches of last year. For the winter they are bent to the ground. Drained soil, sunny place, (-23 ° С).
	Styrika (Styriaca)	A fast-growing shrub up to 1.5 m high in May and June is strewn with an abundance of pinkish-strawberry flowers. Growing leaves and shoots are reddish, with time they turn green. The landing site is chosen in a sunny place protected from the wind with damp but drained soil. After flowering, the weigela is cut off, covered for the winter, zone 5.
	Nana Variegata	Green leaves with a golden border, height 1 m. Pink bells bloom in May-June on last year's branches. Often they freeze over, but after pruning they grow back and bloom in August. They grow better in places protected from the north wind in the sun or in partial shade.
	Nana Purpurea	Shrub up to 100 cm high with reddish-brown leaves. Tubular dark pink flowers bloom in May – June. On too wet soil, flowering is poor. The place is sunny, protected from the cold wind. For the winter, the bushes are tied up and laid on the ground. It freezes slightly, but quickly grows back and blooms by autumn.
	All Summer Red	A miniature bush blooms bright red flowers in May-June, after cutting it blooms again from July to September. Height in a pot - 0.7 m, in open ground - up to 1.5 m. Sun, humus-rich soil (up to -23 ° C).
Weigela hybrid (W.hybrida)	Candida	Height - up to two meters, leaves are light green, white buds, 3-4 pieces, collected in loose inflorescences, bloom in May – June. Loves a sunny place and damp lands with drainage. Zone 5.
	Bristol Ruby	A stately shrub 2 m high, 2.5 m in diameter, abundantly covered with ruby-red flowers on last year's shoots, which are bent to the ground for the winter. Planted in a sunny place, avoiding waterlogged soil.
	Eva Rathke	Sprawling dark red stems 1.5 m tall with large leaves. Large dark red funnels, collected in panicles, bloom profusely in June – July. Sunny place, moist soil with drainage. Requires shelter for the winter. Zone 5.
	Red Prince	The diameter is 1.5 m, the branches are outstretched, hanging down, flowers up to 5 cm long are rich red, bloom in early June, again in September. The place is sunny, the soil is rich, moist, drained, down to -23 ° С.
	Brigela	Variegated bush 1.5–2 m high. Leaves are green with a yellow border, bell-shaped flowers are bright ruby. The location is sunny, sheltered from the wind, with fertile, drained land. A good shelter for the winter is a must.
	Ebony and Ivory	Height 0.6–0.9 m, width 0.9–1.2 m, flowering in May – June. The flowers are white, the leaves are dark green with purple. Requires fertile, drained soil, planting in the sun or partial shade. Zone 4 (up to - 29 ° С).
Weigela early or pleasant (W.praecox)		A native of the Far East with a height of 1.5 to 2 m. Drooping white-pink-purple bells (color changes over time) up to five centimeters long bloom for 10-30 days, starting from the last days of May, from the third decade of August - again, already less long and magnificent. Grows in open, sunny areas, tolerates any drained soil. It takes root well after transplantation. They cover for the winter to avoid freezing at very low temperatures.
Weigela Middendorf (W.middendorffiana)		The homeland of the shrub is Sakhalin and the Far East.Height –1–1.5 m. It blooms twice a season with yellowish funnels 3–4 cm long. The first time in early May, the second - in August – September. For active growth and lush flowering, they are planted in a sunny place with loose, moderately moist soil. When shaded, the lower part of the branches is strongly exposed. Every two or three years old trunks are cut to the ground. Winter hardiness in the middle lane.
Weigela Korean (W.coraeensis)		In nature (Korea, China, the Far East), the bush grows up to five meters, in culture - about 1.5 m, has a spreading crown and bare trunks. It blooms from late May to early July, changing the color of the petals from white-pink to bright carmine. Grows in brightly lit areas, protected from the wind, loves moist, loose soil. In the harsh winter it freezes over. Flowering occurs on the shoots of the last year, so it needs shelter. The affected plant recovers after pruning, but may not bloom.

Having selected and delivered a plant, they plant it, following the rules and taking into account the characteristics of this instance.

2 Planting and care - 6 basic rules

The purchased bush is planted at the end of the spring return frosts. If necessary, do this during the thawing period of the earth, while covering it with lutrasil or a cut plastic bottle and shading it from the bright sun. Weigels planted in autumn, without having time to take root, as a rule, die.

The sissy's place of residence is determined on a sunny area protected from the wind with loose, moderately moist permeable soil, avoiding lowlands and deep shade. The work is performed in the following order:

1. 1. Dig a hole 0.5 m deep and wide.
2. 2. Sand with crushed stone, gravel or broken brick is placed on the bottom in a layer of 0.15–0.2 m.
3. 3. Pour half of fertile soil with a mound in the middle.
4. 4. Inspect the plant, cut off broken or diseased branches, shorten the roots that are too long, and remove any rotten parts that have been identified.
5. 5. Set the weigela on a mound so that the root collar is at ground level, straighten the roots to the sides, leaving no tangled or twisted areas.
6. 6. Fill up the pit, water it abundantly, mulch with humus.

When planting several seedlings, they maintain the distance between them, focusing on the size of an adult bush: from 0.8-1 m for low ones, up to 1.5-2 m for high ones. Caring for them is standard: weeding, watering, loosening, adding sawdust with a layer of up to ten centimeters.

Exposed dry soil in the absence of mulch, cracking, harms the superficial root system!

They are fed in spring for growth with nitrogen fertilizers, at the beginning of June, stimulating flowering - with phosphorus-potassium, in autumn - with potash for better maturation of wood. To protect against aphid damage, they are treated with infusion of garlic, onions, tobacco. Chemical methods of control: spraying with a 0.3% solution of chlorophos, karbofos or trichlormegaphos.

Once every three years after flowering, the shoots are cut to a quarter of the length, stimulating subsequent tillering. At the same time, bare, poorly flowering, old or damaged branches are removed. When the leaves fall off, the bushes are tied and bent, to prevent freezing, they are covered with lutrasil or spruce branches. In the spring, they make sure that the plantings are not flooded with melt water.

3 Breeding methods - which is easier and more effective?

Beautifully flowering bushes are in demand and will fit everywhere. Decorative seedlings are sold, donated, exchanged for other plants. Therefore, a rare gardener neglects the possibility of increasing their number, especially since it is feasible for a beginner. There are four known breeding methods:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• layering;
• dividing the bush.

When choosing a breeding method, the properties of the species are also taken into account. For example, any manipulations are suitable for flowering weigela, and the Middendorf variety is picky in this regard, only attempts at breeding with the help of green and lignified cuttings are crowned with success.

3.1 Alternative methods of plant propagation

Seeds are sown in spring in a container, then covered with glass or foil, regularly ventilated. Thickened seedlings are thinned out. They dive after the real leaves grow. In the second half of June, the pots are taken out into the garden, protected from the hot sun.

On plants growing in the middle lane, seeds rarely ripen, they remain viable for only one year!

If necessary, sow in early spring in the ground mixed with sand, covered with glass. Seedlings appear in 20-30 days. Grooming in the usual way, moving when growing up. For autumn sowing, a plot is dug up, mixing the soil with humus, leveled and slightly compacted, the seeds are scattered, adding a centimeter layer of peat. For the winter, seedlings are reliably covered with spruce branches, Lutrasil or leaves. In the spring season of the third year, they are transplanted to a permanent place.

This method of cultivation is used when it is necessary to obtain a large number of species plants that do not retain varietal characteristics. They will begin to bloom no earlier than the fourth year. For these reasons, seed reproduction of weigela is not widespread.

For breeding by layering in April-May, a low-lying shoot is chosen, cuts are made in the middle, bent down, fixed and covered with earth. In the summer, weeds are removed, watered. By the fall, roots appear and processes rise. At the end of the next summer, the plants are cut off and dug up. The amount of planting material obtained during this procedure is small.

Divide bushes older than three years with numerous shoots from the ground. After leaf fall, the plant is dug up, parts of the root with at least one or two branches are cut off with a clean knife. The wounds are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. Allow to dry for two to three hours, cut the trunks in half. For the winter, the delenki are added to boxes of sand in a dark cool room, periodically moistened. Planted in spring when the soil thaws. This method is suitable only for owners of a warm basement and is a hassle.

The most productive way is grafting. It is not difficult, the number of plants obtained is large, and the survival rate is high. Summer seedlings bloom in the second year, because both professionals and amateurs prefer this method.

3.2 Reproduction of weigela by green and lignified cuttings

In June – July, petioles 20–25 cm long are harvested from the lower part of annual shoots no less than 0.5 cm thick, making an oblique cut under the last bud, a straight cut above the upper one. The leaves are removed, kept for at least six hours in Kornevin's solution and planted in partial shade, to a depth of 10 cm, in fertile moist soil, periodically watered. By autumn, trunks of 10-15 cm grow, they are grown up to two years of age, sheltering for the winter, then transplanted to the right place.

The survival rate when propagated by green cuttings exceeds 90%.

In the spring, before the buds open, cuttings 8–15 cm long and up to one centimeter in diameter are harvested from lignified branches, immersed in a Heteroauxin solution for up to 5 hours. Then it is buried almost to the top in boxes with a mixture of earth and peat, sprinkled with a layer of sand and placed in a room with diffused light. The percentage of successful rooting of winter cuttings is low.

After the shoots and the first leaves grow back, they are planted in containers with loose fertile soil, pinching for tillering. When the weather is warm, put the pots in the garden to protect them from the bright sun. Regularly water and feed the bushes with mullein solution or superphosphate with ammonium nitrate.

By the autumn season, the plants reach twenty centimeters. For the winter, they are brought into the basement, if it is impossible to ensure a warm content, they are added dropwise, covered with leaves, straw or spruce branches. The next spring, the seedlings are cut short. By the onset of autumn, 5-6 shoots up to 0.8 m tall will ripen on them. In April, a year later, the bushes are moved to a permanent place.

It is not easy to grow and preserve weigela in difficult climatic conditions.To do this, you will have to study its features and apply knowledge in practice, combining them with careful care and exact compliance with the requirements of a capricious plant. For this, it will thank you with bright abundant flowering and longevity.