Can heather grow in a pot at home?

Heather grows in the wild in fields and mountain slopes. But you can also grow heather at home in pots - on a windowsill or balcony. To do this, you need to create conditions for him that are close to natural.

Description of the plant

Heather is a bush-shaped perennial plant. Its branches are covered with small bell-like flowers. The shade of flowers can be varied: from white to dark purple. At home, two subspecies of common heather are most often grown: slender and hibernating.

Potted heather is a great decoration for your home, balcony, or yard.

Characteristic features of the plant:

• shrub reaches 40-50 cm in height;
• small leaves are located opposite on the branches;
• flowers are located at the tips of the shoots in 4 pieces;
• the length of flowers differs in different varieties (from 5 mm to 2 cm).

For heather, it is important to choose the right soil - it should be acidic and peaty. Make sure the plant gets enough light and fresh air. The stuffiness in the room and direct sunlight negatively affect the condition of the shrub. The best temperature for keeping it is 10–25 ° C in summer and 12–15 ° C in winter. In the fall and spring, when temperatures are mild, bring the heather outside to fresh air.

Heather planting and home care

Heather propagates in three ways: by seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings. The best temperature for growing seedlings is 18–20 ° C.

Sow seeds at any time of the year in a soil mixture of peat, coniferous soil and sand. Cover the container with grains with foil or glass, ventilate and water the ground from time to time. Plant seedlings in permanent pots 8-10 months after germination.

Cut the cuttings in early autumn from strong shoots without flowers, put in water until roots appear and root in a mixture of peat and sand.

After the end of the flowering of the bush, you can divide the roots for a transplant. To do this, remove the plant from the pot and carefully divide it together with the soil into several parts. Plant the resulting seedlings in separate containers, water and fertilize with a special agent.

Home care:

• do not allow the earth to dry out;
• water with settled water without chlorine;
• in the off-season, spray the branches with warm water;
• feed the soil with organic and mineral fertilizers, especially during the period of active growth;
• acidify the soil in the pot with spruce bark or sulfur;
• transplant the plant into a larger pot every year, while trying not to damage the earthen ball.

After flowering, prune young shoots, keeping the shape of the bushes. Such manipulations will stimulate the appearance of new branches and buds.

With proper care, heather will decorate your home for years.

See also: powdery mildew on phlox

Heather is an evergreen wild shrub up to 60-70 cm high with small dark green needle-shaped leaves and brown bark. It blooms at different times (depending on the species) in elegant clusters of small bells. The colors are predominantly white, lavender or bluish. Heather has become quite widespread almost all over the world. In Russia, these flowers are often found in peat bogs and pine forests of Siberia and the European part.

Heather can be wild and cultivated, about which much less people know. These are mainly decorators and home florists. Breeding an ornamental flower is a rather troublesome business, as it is an extremely whimsical shrub. But, despite all the difficulties, this lesson is very exciting and quite rewarding. If someone has grown heather at home at least once in his life, he becomes his admirer for life.

Types of heather

At home, as a rule, three main types of plants are grown:

• Slender heather (Erica gracillis).
• Wintering heather (Erica huemalis).
• Mix.

Despite the fact that these three species are united by the general concept of "heather", they all have obvious differences.

Heather slender

This is a very beautiful short shrub (up to a maximum of 40 cm), pubescent with light green leaves. During the flowering period, it is densely hung with garlands of pink-red or purple bells, similar to pomegranate seeds.

Wintering heather

This shrub is slightly taller. The leaves are larger, flowering is gorgeous white flowers.

Heather Mix

It belongs to the most popular species in Russia. Its height reaches 40-50 cm. The plant is covered with small scaly leaves and is extremely branched. During flowering, which occurs in July, the heather grows overgrown with luxurious clusters of pink, white and purple flowers.

Heather at home

The lifespan of heather in nature can be more than a dozen years. In gardens or on an alpine hill, a cultivated bush lives up to 5 years. Heather grows much less at home - no more than 2 years, and then only with proper care and maintenance of the plant.

Care features

At home, the principle of caring for any type of decorative heather is approximately the same, although some still require special conditions for themselves.

What should a gardener do and remember? How to care for heather at home?

• First of all, you need a well-ventilated room, in which the temperature in winter does not exceed + 7-12 ° C (for the life of the plant and its flowering in winter, this condition is mandatory).
• Heather does not tolerate heat very well.
• The plant should have enough light.
• Growing heather at home requires timely watering. The soil should always be moderately moist, and the water can be used for watering and spraying the plant only if it is settled and contains a minimum amount of chlorine. Rain or melt is very suitable. When watering, you need to try not to get on the leaves of the bush, since otherwise it may begin to suffer from a disease such as gray rot.
• It is recommended to take a mixture of marsh and coniferous soil, as well as sand and peat as a nutrient medium for growing a plant (the ratio of parts is 3: 1: ½: 1).
• Heather, caring for which at home is troublesome, but exciting, is very sensitive to feeding, therefore it should be fertilized very carefully so as not to overdo it.A full range of mineral fertilizers for heather is applied in the spring immediately after pruning. The fertilizer calculation is as follows - from 20 to 30 milligrams per square meter of soil.
• To stimulate growth and shape the bush, it is necessary to cut it off, while avoiding stiff shoots, because it is from them that new branches begin to grow.

It is worth noting that common heather at home behaves unassumingly - it is a completely unpretentious plant in planting and care.

Diseases

Like all plants, heather is susceptible to several diseases. The bush can be affected by aphids, spider mites and fungal parasites. For any of the diseases, appropriate specialist advice is needed to cure the plant. But remember: if all the conditions for proper heather care are met, the risk of disease will be reduced to zero.

Reproduction

You can propagate heather:

• seeds (they are very small in a plant);
• cuttings;
• the way of dividing the bush.

Moreover, at home, it is preferable to propagate the plant by seeds, since the planting of this herb can be carried out in almost all seasons. The process of growing in this way is quite long and laborious, but the degree of seed germination is very high - about 90%. The soil should be spilled with a small amount of heated water, then put seeds on it, lightly press down and sprinkle a little with earth. After that, in order to avoid drying out of the soil and seeds, cover the pot with a foil hermetically. In about 30 days after sowing, the seeds will sprout. With the onset of warmth, the seedlings are taken out into the street so that it grows up. They are planted in a permanent place after about 1.5-2 years.

If you do not want to wait so long, propagation can be done by cuttings. For this, shoots should be carefully selected, which should be flexible and have vegetative buds at the ends. It should be remembered that it is the annual seedlings that take root best of all. Planting is recommended to be carried out in special decorative pots with a peat-sand mixture. Cuttings are cut in early autumn, and only from the upper parts of the plant. It is not recommended to cut the branches of flowering bushes for rooting.

When the plant propagates by dividing the bush (after flowering), it is taken out of the pot, then the rhizomes are divided into several parts and then planted in new containers.

As for transplanting plants, it is most favorable to do it in the spring, 1-2 years after the initial planting (but not during the flowering period). Old bushes do not need to be touched.

In any case, it must be remembered that heather, planting and home care for which does not take much time, is cultivated for no more than one year, after which it must be transplanted into the garden. However, if there is no desire to part with the enchanting plant that brings joy every day, you can continue to keep the heather indoors and further, but 6-10 days after flowering, you should cut the shoots and take them out to fresh air. Do not forget to immediately feed the bush with mineral fertilizers.

Application

Heather at home will be a wonderful decoration for a loggia, attic or terrace. It also looks harmonious in the apartment. Due to the fact that the flowering time lasts almost the entire year, the evergreen plant is a wonderful decoration for almost any interior.

The heather flower, which is a rather entertaining business to care for at home, looks very impressive in an ensemble consisting of several different plants. For example, it especially favorably emphasizes its decorative leafy neighbors. A beautiful combination is obtained when combined with juniper, broom, fern. ...

The use of heather in traditional medicine

Heather, easy to plant and care for at home, has medicinal properties.

In folk medicine, the plant is most often used in the form of an infusion. It is used as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, especially for colds, gout, cystitis and many other ailments.

We offer some of the most common and effective recipes.

Heather bath

To prepare it, take 50 grams of heather herb and steam it in 7 liters of boiling water. After half an hour, strain the infusion. When taking a bath, pour the resulting broth into it.

Such procedures are a good remedy for leg swelling, radiculitis and bone fractures.

Heather tincture

Pour 100 grams of the roots of this plant with 300 ml of alcohol. Insist the resulting solution in a dark place for 2 weeks. Then strain - the tincture is ready! Take 30-40 drops daily before meals, 3 times a day.

After undergoing 1-2 courses of treatment, many people completely forget about gout, cystitis, and even sometimes about pulmonary tuberculosis.

A decoction made from leaves and flowers

To prepare it, you need to take 100 grams of crushed leaves and flowers of the plant, pour 1 liter of boiling water all together. Next, insist the resulting broth for 15 minutes in a water bath, cool, and then strain. Take 3 times a day, 70 ml before meals.

It is an excellent remedy for dissolving kidney stones, as well as for diseases of the gallbladder and liver.

As you can see, heather, planting and caring for which at home are described above, is not only an amazingly beautiful plant that pleases the heart, but also quite useful. Moreover, the article contains a far from complete list of its qualities.

Heather belongs to low-growing evergreen shrubs, during the flowering period, it very effectively forms a single carpet of colors of white, red, purple and lilac with a pleasant smell. If a forest bush is planted in the garden, then even during the first frost, flowers in the form of small bells continue to remain on the bush, pleasing the gardener's eye.

This plant is used in the garden as a decoration for an alpine slide, curb or rockery, as well as indoors in a pot. Despite the fact that heather is a rather unpretentious plant, it is very picky about the light and quality of the soil, especially in indoor conditions. In too dark places, it will not bloom, and if there is insufficient watering, it will wither, also does not like frequent transplants, so it is recommended to immediately think about where it will be planted.

When planting heather in a home pot, it must be borne in mind that it is mainly an annual plant, therefore, in order to preserve the bush, it must be cut off and transplanted once a year after flowering. In this article, we will show you how to care for shrubs at home and in the garden.

Rules for planting a heather flower at home in a garden

For indoor keeping, heather is planted in pots, placed on a balcony or window (the south side with direct sunlight is destructive, and the east and west are ideal, so consider the location), periodically airing the room.

Flowering shrub heather

For planting, it is important to make sure that the plant has not dried out, since the flowering type of flowers retains for a long time after dying off. You also need to examine the roots for decay - there should be no gray plaque on the ground.

When purchasing young heather bushes, you need to make sure that the branches are flexible and elastic with thick leaves, and at the end there are buds and new shoots.

For planting on a garden plot, the features are the same, and given that in nature the flower grows best on peat bogs, stony soils and wastelands, we think over the place and prepare the appropriate soil.

Heather in nature

Preparing the soil for planting a plant

The soil must be acidic, this is one of the most important requirements, and the rest is not so critical, although it is better to give preference to a mixture of humus, peat and sand with the addition of sawdust or needles.Also, shortly before planting, it is recommended to additionally oxidize the earth with a special liquid: for 10 liters of water we take 100 grams of apple cider vinegar or citric acid, you can use 50 grams of electrolyte for batteries.

Before planting, the root system of each bush is carefully manually straightened so that the roots look outward and not inward - if this is not done, then the heather will not be able to take root and die. When planting, the root collar of the bush should be slightly higher than the ground, and we lay out drainage at the bottom of each hole. When planting in a pot, you need to take a vessel 5-6 cm wider than the rhizome and be sure to leave a "native" lump of earth on the roots. The ideal time for disembarkation is from mid-April to early June.

If you decide to plant a flower with seeds, then remember that in indoor conditions heather will bloom in two years. Seeds are sown on the surface of the earth and put into a greenhouse (they are covered with a film). After two to three weeks, seedlings will appear, which are transplanted into open ground, preferably in the spring, but it is also possible at the end of September. Plants that have only reached the age of three are cut off, trying not to cut the branches at the root.

If an adult bush is not cut off (once a year in spring), the plant will wither and may die.

Heather flower close up

How to care after landing?

Heather is considered an unpretentious plant, but there are still some nuances:

• Loves fresh air, but does not tolerate drafts
• An indoor plant needs to be fertilized more often than a garden plant. For this, Kemira Universal or a special fertilizer for azaleas is used. For feeding, the product can be diluted in water or simply scattered over damp earth, slightly sprinkled with mulch. The plant often suffers from overfeeding the soil than from its poverty.
• Periodic mulching of the roots has a beneficial effect on the plant, since its roots are sometimes located above ground level. For this, you can use bark, shavings and sawdust.
• Avoid watering with tap water, which contains too much lime and chlorine
• Be sure to remove dried twigs and leaves.

It is better to water once a week with rain or melt water., you can also settle the water in containers before watering. Add acid to the water periodically. Watering is done at the root, trying not to get on the ground part - the plant can hit gray rot, while trying to prevent the topsoil from drying out, which mainly feeds the bush.

Shrub heather in landscape design

Reproduction is carried out by seeds, dividing the bush and layering. To divide the bush in the spring, after digging the bush, carefully divide it into two or three parts, preserving the earthen coma on the roots and replant it to a new place. When propagating by layering, sprinkle large shoots with earth to a depth of 10 cm. The hill is often moistened so that the roots germinate faster. When the rope takes root, cut it off from the mother bush and transplant.

Pests and the fight against them

Heather has several enemies that need to be dealt with carefully:

• Aphids (we use Decis, Intra-virus)
• Spider mite (we fight with Aktara and Aktellika)
• Gray rot (use Fundazol, Topaz, Rovral from it)
• Powdery mildew and rust - we spray the bushes with copper preparations

If you create favorable conditions, heather will grow wildly and decorate your home (or plot) with wonderful colors and an extraordinary aroma. And knowing that this plant does not require special care methods, it is perfect not only for experienced flower growers, but also for beginners.

Heather is an evergreen wild shrub up to 60-70 cm high with small dark green needle-shaped leaves and brown bark. It blooms at different times (depending on the species) in elegant clusters of small bells. The colors are predominantly white, lavender or bluish. Heather has become quite widespread almost all over the world.In Russia, these flowers are often found in peat bogs and pine forests of Siberia and the European part.

Heather can be wild and cultivated, about which much less people know. These are mainly decorators and home florists. Breeding an ornamental flower is a rather troublesome business, as it is an extremely whimsical shrub. But, despite all the difficulties, this lesson is very exciting and quite rewarding. If someone has grown heather at home at least once in his life, he becomes his admirer for life.

Types of heather

At home, as a rule, three main types of plants are grown:

• Slender heather (Erica gracillis).
• Wintering heather (Erica huemalis).
• Mix.

Despite the fact that these three species are united by the general concept of "heather", they all have obvious differences.

Heather slender

This is a very beautiful short shrub (up to a maximum of 40 cm), pubescent with light green leaves. During the flowering period, it is densely hung with garlands of pink-red or purple bells, similar to pomegranate seeds.

Wintering heather

This shrub is slightly taller. The leaves are larger, flowering is gorgeous white flowers.

Heather Mix

It belongs to the most popular species in Russia. Its height reaches 40-50 cm. The plant is covered with small scaly leaves and is extremely branched. During flowering, which occurs in July, the heather grows overgrown with luxurious clusters of pink, white and purple flowers.

Heather at home

The lifespan of heather in nature can be more than a dozen years. In gardens or on an alpine hill, a cultivated bush lives up to 5 years. Heather grows much less at home - no more than 2 years, and then only with proper care and maintenance of the plant.

Care features

At home, the principle of caring for any type of decorative heather is approximately the same, although some still require special conditions for themselves.

What should a gardener do and remember? How to care for heather at home?

• First of all, you need a well-ventilated room, in which the temperature in winter does not exceed + 7-12 ° C (for the life of the plant and its flowering in winter, this condition is mandatory).
• Heather does not tolerate heat very well.
• The plant should have enough light.
• Growing heather at home requires timely watering. The soil should always be moderately moist, and the water can be used for watering and spraying the plant only if it is settled and contains a minimum amount of chlorine. Rain or melt is very suitable. When watering, you need to try not to get on the leaves of the bush, since otherwise it may begin to suffer from a disease such as gray rot.
• It is recommended to take a mixture of marsh and coniferous soil, as well as sand and peat as a nutrient medium for growing a plant (the ratio of parts is 3: 1: ½: 1).
• Heather, caring for which at home is troublesome, but exciting, is very sensitive to feeding, therefore it should be fertilized very carefully so as not to overdo it. A full range of mineral fertilizers for heather is applied in the spring immediately after pruning. The fertilizer calculation is as follows - from 20 to 30 milligrams per square meter of soil.
• To stimulate growth and shape the bush, it is necessary to cut it off, while avoiding stiff shoots, because it is from them that new branches begin to grow.

It is worth noting that common heather at home behaves unassumingly - it is a completely unpretentious plant in planting and care.

Diseases

Like all plants, heather is susceptible to several diseases. The bush can be affected by aphids, spider mites and fungal parasites. For any of the diseases, appropriate specialist advice is needed to cure the plant.But remember: if all the conditions for proper heather care are met, the risk of disease will be reduced to zero.

Reproduction

You can propagate heather:

• seeds (they are very small in a plant);
• cuttings;
• the way of dividing the bush.

Moreover, at home, it is preferable to propagate the plant by seeds, since the planting of this herb can be carried out in almost all seasons. The process of growing in this way is quite long and laborious, but the degree of seed germination is very high - about 90%. The soil should be spilled with a small amount of heated water, then put seeds on it, lightly press down and sprinkle with earth a little. After that, in order to avoid drying out of the soil and seeds, tightly cover the pot with foil. In about 30 days after sowing, the seeds will sprout. With the onset of warmth, the seedlings are taken out into the street so that it grows up. They are planted in a permanent place after about 1.5-2 years.

If you do not want to wait so long, propagation can be done by cuttings. For this, shoots should be carefully selected, which should be flexible and have vegetative buds at the ends. It should be remembered that it is the annual seedlings that take root best of all. Planting is recommended to be carried out in special decorative pots with a peat-sand mixture. Cuttings are cut in early autumn, and only from the upper parts of the plant. It is not recommended to cut the branches of flowering bushes for rooting.

When the plant propagates by dividing the bush (after flowering), it is taken out of the pot, then the rhizomes are divided into several parts and then planted in new containers.

As for transplanting plants, it is most favorable to do it in the spring, 1-2 years after the initial planting (but not during the flowering period). Old bushes do not need to be touched.

In any case, it must be remembered that heather, planting and home care for which does not take much time, is cultivated for no more than one year, after which it must be transplanted into the garden. However, if there is no desire to part with the enchanting plant that brings joy every day, you can continue to keep the heather indoors and further, but 6-10 days after flowering, you should cut the shoots and take them out to fresh air. Do not forget to immediately feed the bush with mineral fertilizers.

Application

Heather at home will be a wonderful decoration for a loggia, attic or terrace. It also looks harmonious in the apartment. Due to the fact that the flowering time lasts almost the entire year, the evergreen plant is a wonderful decoration for almost any interior.

The heather flower, which is a rather entertaining business to care for at home, looks very impressive in an ensemble consisting of several different plants. For example, it especially favorably emphasizes its decorative leafy neighbors. A beautiful combination is obtained when combined with juniper, broom, fern. ...

The use of heather in traditional medicine

Heather, easy to plant and care for at home, has medicinal properties.

In folk medicine, the plant is most often used in the form of an infusion. It is used as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, especially for colds, gout, cystitis and many other ailments.

We offer some of the most common and effective recipes.

Heather bath

To prepare it, take 50 grams of heather herb and steam it in 7 liters of boiling water. After half an hour, strain the infusion. When taking a bath, pour the resulting broth into it.

Such procedures are a good remedy for leg swelling, radiculitis and bone fractures.

Heather tincture

Pour 100 grams of the roots of this plant with 300 ml of alcohol. Insist the resulting solution in a dark place for 2 weeks.Then strain - the tincture is ready! Take 30-40 drops daily before meals, 3 times a day.

After 1-2 courses of treatment, many people completely forget about gout, cystitis, and sometimes even pulmonary tuberculosis.

A decoction made from leaves and flowers

To prepare it, you need to take 100 grams of crushed leaves and flowers of the plant, all together pour 1 liter of boiling water. Next, insist the resulting broth for 15 minutes in a water bath, cool, and then strain. Take 3 times a day, 70 ml before meals.

It is an excellent remedy for dissolving kidney stones, as well as for diseases of the gallbladder and liver.

As you can see, heather, planting and caring for which at home are described above, is not only an amazingly beautiful plant that pleases the heart, but also quite useful. Moreover, the article contains a far from complete list of its qualities.

Of the many varieties of plants, the most suitable for growing at home are indoor heather (Erica gracilis) and wintering (Erica huemalis).

Heather slender - it is an evergreen shrub up to 40 cm tall, with linear (4 pcs. In whorls) leaves of light green color up to 5 mm long. Flowers 5-10 mm long, bell-shaped, pink-red, arranged in 4 pieces. at the ends of lateral shoots.

• Flowering period: between September and February.
• Homeland: South Africa.
• Known in culture since 1774, it has many varieties that differ in a variety of flower colors.

Wintering heather differs from a slender bush in height - up to 50 cm and larger, up to 2 cm long, bell-shaped white flowers.

Heather propagation

Reproduction by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush during transplantation is available.

Growing heather at home, seed reproduction is carried out at any time of the year at a temperature of +18 + 20 ° C. Seeds are sown in bowls with a substrate consisting of coniferous, peat soil and river sand with a ratio of 1: 2: 1 and are not buried in the soil. The plate is covered with glass on top until shoots appear, which will appear 3-4 weeks after sowing. In the first week, you need to maintain high humidity, then spray on top 4-5 times a month. In the summer, the seedlings need to be taken out into fresh air, protected from sunlight for hardening, and after 8-10 months they can be planted in a separate pot.

When heather propagates by cuttings, the latter are cut at the end of summer from strong shoots, but not from flowering ones. Then the cuttings are rooted in separate pots with a soil mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions. The substrate should be poor, loose and constantly moist. The best temperature for rooting is + 15-20 ° C. Rooted cuttings grow faster than seedlings and bloom earlier.

The fastest, easiest and most reliable way to reproduce is by dividing the rhizomes after flowering. The plant must be removed from the pot without shaking off the earthen lump and divided into parts. Then the separated parts are seated in separate pots, watered abundantly and fed.

Planting a heather plant

The best time to plant a plant is April - early May or late September - early October. The soil mixture should consist of peat, river sand and coniferous soil (proportion - 3: 1: 2, respectively), with the addition of coniferous soil or pine forest litter.

Planting material requirements:

• the plant should be with a closed root system;
• shoots should be elastic, flexible and well leafy;
• at the ends of the shoots there should be active vegetative buds.

Saplings take root well at the age of 2 years. The planting depth for a plant is 25-30 cm, the root collar is at ground level, and the distance between seedlings is at least 30 cm.

Heather at home: growing in pots

The plant is cultivated indoors for no more than one year. If heather implies growing at home, then it can be saved for the next year.To do this, it is necessary to cut off the shoots 5-7 days after the flowering period and place the plant in the fresh air. Carry out a full feeding cycle and prune the bush.

When grown at home, heather is often infested with aphids or spider mites, and if the humidity is too high, fungal diseases are possible.

Plant care

The main care for heather is regular watering, mulching the soil and controlling the acidity of the soil. Most varieties of heather have a shallow root system, so the soil cannot be loosened. Heather prefers care that includes annual fertilizing with mineral fertilizers at the rate of 40-50 g / sq. m. for young plants and 20-30 g / sq. m. for adults. Fertilizers are applied to the soil around the plant, excluding contact with leaves and flowers.

Heather at home needs regular ventilation and spraying of the plant, especially at high air temperatures. The flower should be placed in a well-lit, sunny place. During the flowering period, indoor heather requires maintenance at a temperature not higher than + 12 ° C.

Basic rules for caring for indoor heather:

• water only with softened, settled, melt or rainwater at room temperature, which does not contain chlorine and lime;
• the substrates must not be allowed to dry;
• in summer, keep at an air temperature within +18 + 25 ° С, in winter +8 + 12 ° С;
• in summer and winter, place it indoors, creating a microclimate, and in the off-season, take it outside, protecting it from drafts;
• spray daily with warm water during the spring-autumn period to prevent pest infestation;
• during the period of active growth (spring-autumn), feed with organic and mineral fertilizers;
• acidify the soil with gray or spruce bark;
• it is necessary to transplant or replace the substrate in the pot annually without disturbing the earthen lump.

To stimulate flowering, growth and maintenance of the decorative appearance of the bush, regular pruning of heather is required, which is carried out after flowering. During pruning, you need to maintain the shape of the bush, removing the dead tips of the shoots. When removing shoots close to the middle, old dark wood should not be pruned.

Heather belongs to the heather family. In Norway, it is considered the national flower. At home, two types are grown: slender and hibernating.

Description

Heather is an evergreen fast-growing shrub up to sixty centimeters high. It can be both branching and creeping. The plant has decorative needle-shaped leaves of various colors, ranging from light green to silver-gray. There are varieties with multi-colored leaves: red, orange or gold. It is they who give the heather a special charm.

The plant has a different time and flowering time, depending on the selected species. When this period comes, the bush becomes a bright decoration of any room for a long time. For example, slender heather pleases in autumn and winter. Small flowers are similar in shape to barrel-shaped bells, formed by not fully accreted ordinary or double petals. They are found in white, purple, lilac-pink or other colors and cover the entire plant. Inflorescences are round or pyramidal in shape. This is a magnificent honey plant with the most delicate aroma. From the side, the bush looks like a dazzling flash.

Some features

In the wild and in home gardens, the plant blooms throughout the summer. This period is shifted to October - March when leaving and planting heather at home. Withered flowers do not lose their color; they remain on the shrub for several months, retaining its decorative effect. For this reason, they can not be removed, however, if you cut them off, then others grow more abundantly and delight with bright colors. Heather is a rather unpretentious plant.There are certain features of breeding, subject to which it will delight flower growers for many years. In the summer, the plant can be transferred to the balcony, not forgetting about frequent watering.

Cultivation

In the wild, the plant propagates by seed. Heather at home is bred using cuttings or dividing the bush in mid-spring or autumn. Experts advise using the latter method, as it gives the best results. The procedure must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the root system. Further, the heather is well watered. When propagating by seeds, remember that the shrub will bloom in two years.

How to care for heather at home

The plant grows best in cool rooms with ample supply of fresh air and also prefers diffused light. It is not recommended to place it near heat sources. The optimum temperature is 7–12 degrees in winter and about 20 in summer. Does not tolerate even short-term dryness of the soil, dry and hot air. It is advisable to mulch the soil, this has a good effect on the shrub. It is imperative to remove dried leaves and branches. Watering must be done at the root. At least twice a year, you should acidify the soil by adding acid to the water.

Difficulties

When caring for heather at home, the following problems are possible:

• a grayish-white bloom has formed on the leaves, the cause is powdery mildew;
• slow growth is the result of improper acidity of the land in which the plant is located, or a high nitrogen content;
• the leaves acquire a brownish tint, young shoots wither - this is a consequence of stagnant water, and in some cases an excess of nutrients;
• branches and flowers dry up, the reason is insufficient watering, dry indoor air, slightly acidic soil environment.

Pruning

After the end of the flowering period, the shrub is subjected to formative pruning, which inhibits its aging. In addition, thanks to this procedure, the splendor of the plant is preserved. Only the green part of the bush with leaves is cut off. In this manipulation, the branches are shortened at different levels to maintain the sloppy, natural look of the plant. If you process the shrub to the wood itself, then it will die. For abundant flowering, heather branches are pinched at home.

Diseases and pests

The plant is resistant to pests and diseases. However, in unfavorable conditions, for example, with high air humidity, heather is exposed to powdery mildew and gray rot. For prophylaxis, the shrub is sprayed with antifungal chemicals.

Purchase at a flower shop

When buying this magnificent plant, you need to pay attention to the condition of the flowers, they should not crumble, and the branches must be flexible. The problem is that a shrub can die even from a short-term dryness of the soil during transportation, but in appearance this will not be noticeable, since for several months it does not lose its decorative effect.

Looking to buy potted heather? At home, he will survive if you carefully examine the condition of the bush before buying. If the plant is weak, it will quickly die if it finds itself in other conditions.

Necessary activities

As soon as the bush was brought home, perform the following manipulations:

1. Using a shower head, rinse the plant with cool water. This will have a positive effect on the condition of the plant.
2. Transplant the heather into a larger container. This culture has a poorly developed root system, so the plant is planted to a depth of fifteen centimeters to prevent decay. The roots are carefully straightened, they should look outward, and if this is not done, then the heather may not take root.
3. The pot with the plant is placed in a tray with pebbles or wet peat. The ideal planting time is from April to early June.

Land and feeding

Acidic and loose soil, the presence of drainage are the most important conditions for home care. Indoor heather should be constantly in moist soil. Shortly before transplanting the plant, the soil must be additionally acidified. To do this, dilute one hundred grams of apple cider vinegar or citric acid in ten liters of water. During flowering and growing season, it is recommended to feed the shrub with organic fertilizers once every thirty days. Heather at home requires frequent moistening and spraying. Water for this manipulation is used at a standing and room temperature. During rest, the frequency of watering is reduced, fertilizers are not applied. Pine bark can be poured over the soil, which will prevent rapid evaporation of water, increase acidity and disinfect the substrate. At the beginning of the spring period, it should be transplanted and mineral fertilizers applied.

What is the use of heather

The plant contains special substances that give it anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, cleansing and other useful properties. Flowering shoots are considered medicinal raw materials; infusions, decoctions, teas, powders are prepared from them. Heather is used in both folk and traditional medicine to treat:

• renal pathologies;
• sore throat;
• bronchopulmonary diseases;
• rheumatism;
• radiculitis;
• diarrhea;
• dermatological diseases;
• nervous disorders;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• wounds, ulcers on the skin;
• burns.

Rubbing in heather infusion slows down the hair loss process and improves its appearance. Before using the plant for medicinal purposes, it is advisable to consult with specialists. It is contraindicated when taken orally for people with low acidity of gastric juice.

Heather at home

Reviews about this bush are only positive:

• unpretentious plant with a compact crown, but has some growing characteristics;
• slow growth, no more than 2 cm in two years;
• long-liver;
• abundant flowering;
• heather has an unusually pleasant smell;
• the plant is very fond of bees;
• can grow on a balcony, indoors and in a summer cottage.

The owners of this beautiful plant give the following tips:

• should not be planted in damp places;
• fertilization is necessary for growth and development;
• be sure to mulch the soil with humus or peat;
• regular watering is required;
• cover with spruce branches in case of frosty and little snowy winter.

Application

Heather foliage is used to produce a dye for fabrics, from which famous Scottish kilts and plaids are sewn. The plant is used to brew the traditional Scottish beer - heather ale. Honey is made from heather and used for diet tea drinks. The shrub is part of the paraphernalia in magic and is considered a powerful talisman. If you create favorable conditions for growth at home, heather will delight flower growers for many years.

Heather grows in the wild in fields and mountain slopes. But you can also grow heather at home in pots - on a windowsill or balcony. To do this, you need to create conditions for him that are close to natural.

Description of the plant

Heather is a bush-shaped perennial plant. Its branches are covered with small bell-like flowers. The shade of flowers can be varied: from white to dark purple. At home, two subspecies of common heather are most often grown: slender and hibernating.

Potted heather is a great decoration for your home, balcony, or yard.

Characteristic features of the plant:

• shrub reaches 40-50 cm in height;
• small leaves are located opposite on the branches;
• flowers are located at the tips of the shoots in 4 pieces;
• the length of flowers differs in different varieties (from 5 mm to 2 cm).

For heather, it is important to choose the right soil - it should be acidic and peaty. Make sure the plant gets enough light and fresh air. The stuffiness in the room and direct sunlight negatively affect the condition of the shrub. The best temperature for keeping it is 10–25 ° C in summer and 12–15 ° C in winter. In the fall and spring, when temperatures are mild, bring the heather outside to fresh air.

Heather planting and home care

Heather propagates in three ways: by seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings. The best temperature for growing seedlings is 18–20 ° C.

Sow seeds at any time of the year in a soil mixture of peat, coniferous soil and sand. Cover the container with grains with foil or glass, ventilate and water the ground from time to time. Plant seedlings in permanent pots 8-10 months after germination.

Cut the cuttings in early autumn from strong shoots without flowers, put in water until roots appear and root in a mixture of peat and sand.

After the end of the flowering of the bush, you can divide the roots for a transplant. To do this, remove the plant from the pot and carefully divide it together with the soil into several parts. Plant the resulting seedlings in separate containers, water and fertilize with a special agent.

Home care:

• do not allow the earth to dry out;
• water with settled water without chlorine;
• in the off-season, spray the branches with warm water;
• feed the soil with organic and mineral fertilizers, especially during the period of active growth;
• acidify the soil in the pot with spruce bark or sulfur;
• transplant the plant into a larger pot every year, while trying not to damage the earthen ball.

After flowering, prune young shoots, keeping the shape of the bushes. Such manipulations will stimulate the appearance of new branches and buds.

With proper care, heather will decorate your home for years.

See also: powdery mildew on phlox