Gardeners' opinion
The following are the reviews of those who grow Arabis in the open field in the middle latitudes of Russia and the CIS:
I bought the seeds by accident, knowing nothing about this plant. I planted it along the path. It turned out that care for him is practically not required. Blooms in May and early June. Winters under the snow. After flowering, boxes with seeds remain, which spoil the view a little - I remove them. In the spring, when it gets warmer, it immediately begins to grow.
Tatiana
I bought bags of pink and white arabis seeds two years ago. Not all seeds have sprouted. There were no flowers in the first year. But the next one was a gorgeous bloom.
Lydia
This plant requires almost no maintenance. It pleases with luxurious flowering and tolerates winter with practically no additional measures. In order for it not to lose its appearance, it must be trimmed, giving it the desired shape.
Arabis planting and care in the open field
The soil for cultivation should be nutritious, loose and sandy; before planting or sowing, it is advisable to fertilize with mineral or organic fertilizers.
If the soil is too dense, then sand should be added to it. In general, this plant is unpretentious and can grow on poor soils, but then the flowering will be poorer.
Bushes are planted on distance 40 cm from each friend. Several seedlings are planted together. After that, watering is carried out and, if the site has not been previously fertilized, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied after a couple of days.
The flowering of the seed-derived razuha begins at second year of life
Please note that mainly the specific forms of the flower are propagated by the seed method, since varietal characteristics are lost during generative reproduction.
Caring for this culture is not burdensome. The main necessary procedures are weeding and loosening the soil. Watering is needed only in prolonged heat, and even in this case it is better not to be zealous, since rezuha is resistant to dryness and will more easily survive it than the bay. Withered flowers should be pruned for longer flowering.
Fertilizers are applied once a year before flowering. As a top dressing, a complex mineral fertilizer or humus is suitable.
Arabis transplant
Sometimes a perennial Arabis needs to be transplanted to another place, then, in addition to the question of leaving and planting, the question arises of how to transplant a rezuha. By the way, the photo below shows a variety of Arabis called "Snow Cloud".
So, with regard to transplanting, it is important to remember that Arabis has very thin roots that are easily damaged, so it is better to transplant using the transshipment method. Here are detailed instructions for transplanting this plant:
- We prepare wells in advance with a depth of no more than 25 cm.
- Before transplanting, water the soil so that the soil is sufficiently moist.
- We loosen the soil next to the Arabis and carefully pull it out along with the earth from its original place.
- We transplant the razuha into a new hole.
- We fill the plant with soil and compact it a little.
- Water the plant again.
Views
Among the many species for cultivation, the following are used.
Alpine
Alpine Arabis is one of the most popular species that grows in the highlands of Western Europe and North America, the Polar Urals, the Far East, and the northern part of Scandinavia.
The flowers are white or pale pink in color, appear in April. They are collected in small racemose inflorescences. The leaves have different shapes - oval at the roots and heart-arrow-shaped on the stems.
Bruiform
Bruiform arabis is common in the alpine and subalpine belt of the mountainous regions of Bulgaria, Greece and Albania. The cushion-shaped bush reaches ten centimeters in height. Loose inflorescences contain only 3-6 white flowers. Small ciliate leaves of the plant are oval and slightly tomentose on the surface.
Caucasian
This subspecies is widespread in the Caucasus, Crimea, the Mediterranean, as well as Asia Minor and Central. The flowering period begins in June and lasts for four weeks, but individual flowers can appear on the bush until autumn. White large flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. Small leaves are green in color with dense white pubescence. They have an oblong shape with large teeth along the edge.
Escaping
Escaping Arabis in natural conditions lives in the Balkans. Often this plant up to 12 centimeters high serves to anchor sliding slopes. The flowers are white or purple. Despite the unpretentiousness and resistance to frost, this species requires a reliable shelter for the wintering period.
Undersized
The height of a bush belonging to this variety - no more than 15 centimeters... It is most widespread in the Alps and Apennines. White flowers appear in late May or early June.
Prolomnikovy
Broaching Arabis is found in Turkey, mainly on stone slopes at an altitude of about 2300 meters above sea level. The plant reaches 5-10 centimeters in height. Its small, pointed oval leaves form neat rosettes. White flowers are collected in loose corymbose inflorescences.
Ciliated
This species of perennial plant lives in the California mountains at 500 meters above sea level. Characteristic features are ciliate dark green leaves combined with lilac or pink flowers. The width of the bush reaches 25 centimeters, and the height, as a rule, is no more than 8 cm. This is a capricious species that cannot tolerate frost, but loves hot weather.
Ferdinand of the Coburg Variegat
This plant, widespread in Bulgaria, attracts attention with its unusual color of leaves - with a light green center and a spectacular edging of white, light pink or yellow.
Planting arabis
Gardeners most often stock up on seed material in flower shops and shops. When choosing seeds for planting, you need to know that the best time to grow is in autumn (mid-October) and the height of spring. By this time, you should worry about the containers for planting. The optimum soil temperature is 20 ° C.
Plant Arabis only in well-heated soil.
It is not necessary to plant seeds deeply, it is enough to immerse them to a depth of 5 mm from the soil surface. Covering material that is laid over the sown plot of land will help to achieve high germination. This inexpensive but very effective technique will greatly simplify the procedure for growing arabis, including watering it, and create optimal drainage. All this guarantees not only the best conditions for seed germination, but also rapid growth and early flowering of an adult plant.
Arabis is transplanted into open ground after the first 2-3 leaves appear. In order for individual bushes to grow well without interfering or displacing each other, observe the appropriate arrangement of seedlings - 40 x 40 cm.If you want to achieve the effect of a flower carpet, then plant 3 or even 4 plants in one hole.
Young arabis plant
Expect flowering next year. True, there are often varieties and varieties of arabis, which delight with luxurious flowering by the end of the summer period.
Attention! In order for the plant to delight you with a beautiful, abundant color in the next season, the stems on which the inflorescences were located must be carefully trimmed.Leave 3-4 cm and gently sprinkle with soil .. You can propagate the culture by cuttings
Therefore, do not rush to get rid of the cut branches!
You can propagate the culture by cuttings. Therefore, do not rush to get rid of the cut branches!
Description of the plant
The perennial flowering plant Arabis belongs to the Cabbage or Cruciferous family. Its name, the origin of which is not known for certain, is translated from Greek into Russian as a gnash, harshness. This flower is also known by other names. For the very tough, sharp hairs covering the leaves of some varieties of Arabis, which can even injure the plant if carelessly touching the plant, it is called rezuha. There is also a more delicate name for this fragile-looking flower with a firm character. People call him the sun bunny for the bright flowers among the emerald leaves.
The height of this creeping shrub is only about 25-30 cm. But its stems can grow in width to a distance of 35-40 cm, rooting independently as they grow. This rather strong and very hardy plant is grown as a ground cover crop, which is able to grow strongly and cover large areas in a short period of time. This characteristic feature of Arabis made the plant indispensable for creating unique garden compositions, especially in the composition of alpine hills and rocky gardens, which are a natural growing environment for Arabis.
The advantage of this resistant plant is its frost resistance, Arabis perfectly withstands negative temperatures, without losing leaves under the snow cover. Some Arabis varieties are evergreen. Its small heart-shaped leaves can be either serrated or with an even edge, with a smooth surface or slightly pubescent. They have a rich green color, which is an excellent backdrop for vibrant colors. But there may be varieties in the color of the leaves of which there are silvery colors in the form of stripes or spots.
Arabis looks especially impressive during the flowering period, when the bushes are literally strewn with many small, up to 15 mm in diameter, very bright flowers of a wide variety of shades. They can be bright pink, rich lilac, golden yellow or snow-white. The flowers, which are both simple and double, form into compact racemose inflorescences.
Calendula plant: medicinal properties and contraindications
During the period of abundant flowering, which begins in mid-spring and usually lasts for 4-5 weeks, and in cool weather can drag on for up to 8 weeks, Arabis exudes an unusually pleasant, sweetish aroma. Some species of Arabis are grown as honey plants.
Diseases and pests
All varieties of Arabis are characterized by resistance to insects and rot, but sometimes the culture can suffer from such ailments as viral mosaic and cruciferous flea infestations. The Arabis mosaic virus (rezuhi) is manifested by the appearance of small brownish spots on the foliage, which later increase in size and connect to each other. Unfortunately, this disease is incurable, therefore, damaged bushes must be immediately removed from the site and burned. The soil must be treated with a strong solution prepared from potassium permanganate, and not to grow flowers in this area for at least a year.
In dry and hot summers, a cruciferous flea can appear on Arabis, which many gardeners are trying to get rid of by laborious dusting of the bushes with wood ash. Experienced flower growers recommend protecting plants from this insect by periodically treating the site with drugs such as Iskra, Karbofos, Biotlin and Aktara.
Growing seedlings
One of the simplest and most reliable methods of growing perennial Arabis is to prepare seedlings from quality seeds, which are readily available at garden centers or specialist shops.
Timing
Seeds for seedlings should be sown in April, using special containers or boxes filled with a substrate with a balanced composition.
Soil preparation
The growth and development of Arabis seedlings depends on properly prepared soil. The optimal composition is a mixture of three parts of garden soil and one part of river sand (it can be replaced with small pebbles).
How to plant
The seeds must be placed in the prepared substrate to a depth of 0.5 centimeters. The air temperature in the room where the containers with seedlings will be located should not exceed +20 ° С. To accelerate the emergence of seedlings, cover the containers with agrospan or another type of non-woven fabric.
Watering
Water the seedlings only when the soil requires moisture. Frequent irrigation is not required, but the condition of the soil should be monitored regularly.
Loosening
The topsoil with seedlings should have a loose and light structure, so it needs daily loosening with a small rake or a regular fork.
Picking
When the first leaf plates appear in the seedlings, a pick is required. To do this, you need to distribute them in separate cups or transplant them at a distance of at least 30 centimeters from each other.
This procedure is only necessary if you plan to grow a flower separately. In the case of growing arabis as a ground cover plant, picking is not carried out.
Hardening
The hardening of the plant should be started 10-12 days before planting in an open area. In order for Arabis to adapt well to new conditions, it must be taken outside daily, gradually increasing the duration of its stay in the fresh air. In this case, it is necessary to provide seedlings with reliable protection from drafts.
Reproduction of Arabis
If Razuha is already growing in the garden, then it can be easily propagated by cuttings. An apical shoot ten centimeters long or a leaf of a plant with a heel is used as a cutting. To get a "heel" the leaf is torn off, not cut off. Cuttings are propagated by cuttings after flowering.
Cuttings are planted in a loose, moist substrate. If a shoot is used, then its lower part is preliminarily freed from leaves. From above, the cuttings are covered with a glass jar or other transparent cap and placed in a bright place.
During rooting, it is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil and ventilate the plantings every day. After about three weeks, roots should appear on the cuttings. The fact that the plants have taken root can be found by restoring the turgor of the leaves. Rooted cuttings can be planted in the garden bed.
Alpine Arabis: growing from seeds
Grow seed crusts can be both seedling and non-seedling method. When to plant Arabis? V home conditions for growing seedlings, sowing of seeds is carried out in April. In open ground, seeds are planted in October.
Growing seedlings:
- The seedling containers are filled with a soil mixture of garden soil and sand (3: 1). Small stones can be used instead of sand.
- The seeds are placed in moist soil to a depth of five millimeters, sprinkled with soil and sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
- The boxes are covered with glass, film or non-woven material and placed in a warm place with an air temperature within +20 degrees.
- Crop care consists in moistening and ventilating the soil. If the seedling containers are covered with glass or polyethylene, it is necessary to ventilate the crops every day so that the soil does not sour.
- After about twenty days, seedlings will appear, which are immediately exposed in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. At the same time, the shelter is removed and the frequency of soil moisture is reduced.
- When one true leaf appears on the rezuha seedlings, they are dived into separate pots.You can use a larger box and plant the seedlings at a distance of thirty centimeters from each other.
If Alpine or Caucasian Arabis is grown as a ground cover plant, the seedlings need not be dived.
Ten days before planting in open ground, the plants begin to harden. To do this, they are taken out to an open balcony or garden. Seedlings should be placed in a shaded place without drafts.
