Plant care
It will take a lot of effort to grow kalmia, the plant is demanding on the composition of the soil, watering and lighting. If all conditions are met, a beautiful, densely flowering shrub awaits the gardener.
Seat selection
For a bush, a semi-shady area of the garden, closed from direct sunlight and cold drafts, will be an excellent place. If representatives of the Heather family are already growing on the site, then the neighborhood with them will only benefit the plant. If there are no places with light fertile soil, then in advance the future site is fertilized with peat, compost, deciduous soil, sand are introduced.
Kalmia latifolia Galaxy
Pruning
Due to its slow growth, the shrub acquires its standard size only by 8-10 years. As the branches grow, they form a neat crown, which does not need formative pruning, although the bush tolerates it calmly
Nevertheless, attention should be paid to the appearance of the bush, in a timely manner to remove dead old branches, faded buds
The soil
Prefers dry, loose, sandy, acidic, well fertilized and drained soils. The distance between adjacent bushes should be at least 80 cm.
Top dressing
If a young seedling is planted in a properly selected, fertilized place, the next feeding is necessary in 2-3 years. Adult plants are fertilized once in April-June, a complex mineral fertilizer is chosen specifically for rhododendrons. Organic fertilizers are also suitable: in the spring, a urea solution is applied, during flowering, a solution of chicken manure or mullein.
As soon as the plant needs additional nutrient medium, the lower part of the leaf plate begins to fade. Changes in the color of the lower part of the leaf should be noticed in time and top dressing should be applied, since this moment can be skipped, due to the fact that the back of the leaf has a light shade.
Kalmia latifolia 'Kaleidoscope'
Watering and loosening the soil
A moisture-loving plant needs periodic watering, but it does not tolerate stagnation and excess moisture poorly. Watering time is determined as the topsoil dries up near the trunk. Additional spraying of the crown will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the plant. Water the bush in the morning or evening 2-3 times a week. Young plants need up to 3 liters at a time, adults 8-10 liters. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the trunk and remove weeds.
Wintering
Many adapted varieties in the temperate zone of Russia are easy to grow outdoors. However, the plant needs additional protection before freezing, especially for young shrubs. In the fall, after flowering, the plant is abundantly watered and the soil near the trunk is sprinkled with peat or humus with a layer of up to 15 cm. The plant requires complete shelter for the winter. If the shrub is small, it is covered with a wooden box without a bottom, covered with a covering material. For taller bushes, insulated wooden frames are used. The time of shelter must be chosen precisely, you cannot wrap up the bush in advance, it can wither, and belated actions will not save, the plant can freeze. In spring, the plant is opened gradually so that it gets used to the change in temperature.
Kalmia latifolia Sterntaler
Description of Calmia broadleaf
The homeland of Kalmiya, which belongs to the Heather family, is North America. In the middle of the XYIII century, the Swedish naturalist Per Kalma tried to cultivate this plant in European countries. In honor of him, the shrub got its name - Kalmia.Today this plant can be seen in the gardens of England, Italy, Germany, Austria, in the south of Poland, the Czech Republic. The genus of this plant has 8 species, one of which is Kalmia broadleaf.
The broad-leaved Kalmia bush is spreading, rather high (about 3 meters). It grows slowly, growing only 2 cm of branches per year. In the initial phases of plant development, the shoots are thin but resilient. The bark initially has a purple hue, but as it ages, it becomes gray-brown and lignified.
The leaves of the shrub are outwardly similar to laurel: they have a lanceolate-elliptical shape, the length of each leaf reaches 5-10 cm. The leaves are dark green above, and yellowish below.
Flowers give the plant a special beauty - pale pink, shaped like saucers, with ten dark anthers. In the bud stage, the stamens are in dimples at the base of the flower. The flowers are small, they are 2-2.5 cm in diameter.
Flowers of Kalmia broadleaf have an interesting adaptation to cross-pollination. The flower is arranged in such a way that the thin filaments are elongated arcuate, and the anthers abut against the projections on the petals in the form of pockets. When the bud opens or with a light touch to it, the filaments of the stamens quickly straighten, and mature anthers eject pollen through the apex opening of the nests.
The flowers of the plant are collected in corymbose inflorescences, which are located at the tops of the shoots. One inflorescence can contain about 250 flowers. In the southern regions, the shrub begins to bloom from mid-May to the whole of June. When flowering is complete, round woody bolls appear on the bush, in which seeds begin to ripen. Under favorable weather conditions, the seeds are fully ripe by the end of October - in November.
Growing Calmia from Seeds
Calmia seeds
Calmia is grown from seeds in seedlings. The seeds are purchased at specialized points of sale, but they are quite rare. If, by a lucky chance, your friends have a magnificent kalmia growing on the site, collect the seeds yourself.
Dry the seeds, put in a paper envelope or cloth bag, and store in a cool dry place. Sowing should be started in March, but the seed needs preliminary processing. 2-2.5 months before sowing, get the seeds from a secluded storage place and send them to the refrigerator for stratification.
Calmia seedlings photo
- For sowing, you will need containers with loose, acidic nutrient soil (a mixture of peat and sand is suitable).
- Spread the seeds over the soil surface, irrigate with a fine spray, and cover the top with oilcloth or clear glass to maintain the greenhouse effect.
- Lighting will need bright diffused, maintain the air temperature within 22-25 ° C.
- Seeds germinate within 3-4 weeks, do not forget to raise the shelter daily for ventilation, periodically spray the soil surface.
- With the appearance of shoots, you can remove the shelter, thin out the dense shoots.
- At the stage when 3-4 true leaves appear, plant the senets in separate pots.
- Further care consists in moderate watering.
Ideally, seedlings are grown in pots for 2 years, and transplants into open ground are carried out in spring or autumn.
Planting Calmia
For replanting, you need to choose a suitable unshaded place on the site.
Ground requirements
In this respect, Calmia has similar preferences to rhododendrons and grows best on neutral soils. Despite the fact that the presence of peat in the soil makes it light and breathable, too much of it "pampered" the crop, making it unstable in the future to unfavorable environmental factors. The same can be said for heather soils.The soil in its optimal quality should be composed of peat with the addition of leafy soil, coniferous litter or bark of coniferous plants with the addition of a part of sand (ratio 3: 2: 1: 1). If you add to this composition a balanced complex of mineral fertilizers (about 60 g per planting pit), in the future the plant will be less sick.
Landing scheme and rules
The planting scheme should take into account the density of the natural soil. If the soil is loose, the distance between future plants should not be less than one and a half meters. Rough, dense soil will not allow the bushes to grow strongly over time, so they can be brought closer to 0.8 m.To plant a 3-year-old seedling, a planting pit 50x50 cm in size with a slightly deeper depth is enough for arranging a drainage layer. Considering that kalmia really does not like waterlogging, when planting it, do not forget about the classic drainage, for example, from sand mixed with broken brick, which is poured into the very bottom of the planting pit with a layer of 20-30 cm.
Seedling care after planting
Caring for a newly planted kalmia plant will require more attention than a mature plant. The poorly developed root system of a young seedling, already located in the upper layers of the soil, is very sensitive to drying out of the soil. Watering is required regularly, followed by very careful loosening. Instead of loosening the soil, it can be mulched with peat, sawdust or any other suitable material. The bark of coniferous trees or the needles themselves are very well suited as a mulch for calmia.
Top dressing
2-3 times per season feeding is carried out. For the first time in early spring, when the active growth of the plant begins, urea is added at the rate of 30 g per 8 l of water. Then they use slurry, carefully diluted in a 1:15 ratio, so as not to burn the roots. The complex "Kemir-universal" has proved itself well as an autumn fertilizer. It can be scattered directly on the ground at the rate of 100 g for each plant.
Watering
After the kalmia has taken root well in a new place, watering can be reduced somewhat. Fertilizers are not canceled so as not to lose the decorative effect of the plant, but they reduce the content of the nitrogen component in it, giving preference to potassium and phosphorus. In the fall, rotted organic matter should be added to the soil.
Planting kalmias in the open field
Planting and caring for kalmia does not require special knowledge or skills, it is enough to understand some of the plant's preferences in order to plant it correctly and avoid mistakes in care.
Site selection
Kalmia does not like bright sunlight, it will only put up with a few morning hours in direct sunlight.
The rest of the day, openwork partial shade under the sparse crown of deciduous or coniferous trees is desirable.
Even in winter, the shrub reacts painfully to bright sunlight.
Less frost-resistant species and varieties need protection from cold winter winds, so a secluded corner in the garden is chosen for them, not in a draft.
Suitable soil
Like many heathers, kalmia grows on acidic soils and does not accept the presence of lime in the soil, as well as the use of crushed limestone as drainage.
Sandy or clayey soil, before planting kalmia, must be improved by introducing peat or leaf humus.
However, it is also undesirable to grow a plant in a purely heather or peat soil, since such a soil reduces the resistance of the shrub to diseases, "pampering" it.
The calmia plant perceives moderately moist soil well, but does not tolerate stagnation of moisture, and in an area with groundwater occurrence close to the earth's surface, it will be necessary to arrange drainage grooves.
How to plant correctly
In the spring, holes are dug on the selected bed at a distance of 0.8-1.5 m between the bushes - depending on whether they are planted in a dense or loose group.
The size of the holes is approximately 50x50 for two- or three-year-old seedlings.
Their depth is commensurate with the length of the root system, usually no more than 50-60 cm.
A drainage of sand or broken brick is laid on the bottom with a layer of 15-20 cm, a mixture of leaf earth, pine needles, high-moor peat and sand is poured on top in a ratio of 2: 1: 3: 1 and 50-60 g of mineral fertilizers are added.
The plant is placed in a hole so that its root collar is at the level of the soil.
Sprinkle the roots, lightly tamp and watered. The near-stem space is mulched with small chips or peat.
Diseases and pests
Terry kalistegia refers to plants with strong immunity. But if the summer is rainy and cold, then the culture can get sick with fungal diseases, for example, root rot or powdery mildew. For treatment, treat the vine with the fungicide Fitosporin or Topaz. But in order to prevent the development of the disease, it is better to spray the plant in the spring for prevention purposes.
Calistegia is quite poisonous, and most pests bypass it. But liana is adored by snails and slugs, and these insects are able to destroy the foliage and buds of the plant in a short time. To get rid of parasites, treat the culture with "Karbofos" or "Thunderstorm". Eggshells also help scare off pests. It should be crushed and scattered near the trunk circle.
Features of growing Calmia broadleaf
Subject to certain care rules, you can grow this ornamental shrub in your garden, which will decorate the site, will delight the eyes with lush flowering. It is not very susceptible to disease and rarely suffers from pests, so most likely there will be no problems on this side.
But you definitely need to pay attention to watering and preparing the plant for winter.
Kalmia tolerates a short drought well. But in the dry summer period, it is imperative to water it at least once every 2 weeks. About 10 liters of water are poured under each of the bushes. You just need to make sure that the soil has time to dry out. It is also not worth pouring the plant too much. Autumn watering is also important when preparing kalmias for wintering.
Particular attention should be paid to preparatory measures to protect the bushes from the winter cold. You can build something like a house or an open box on top of the kalmia.
The upper part of it can be covered with spruce branches and fallen leaves. Such a shelter will help the ornamental bush to survive the winter. This structure will not only protect the plant from frost and cold winds, but also from the winter sun, which can also be fatal for kalmias.
Broad-leaved Kalmia, like its other varieties, can become an adornment of any suburban area.
It is decorative all year round both in single plantings and in compositions with other plants, but it is especially good in spring, when it is covered with a lush cloud of delicate flowers.
In our country, this ornamental shrub is not found everywhere. And the reason for this is some difficulties in its cultivation and care.
Planting and leaving
On the territory of Russia, this plant grows well only in zones 5 and 4. When you are in the latter, you will need a winter shelter, since the plant must be protected from sunlight and cold wind. Able to grow in a sunny area, but prefers partial shade. For planting, you will need non-acidic soil, it is additionally recommended to use a drainage system.
The mixture used should consist of sand, pine needles, peat and leafy earth. Mineral fertilizers can be used, but not more than 50 g per well. Closed root plant can be planted on any warm day, but it is preferable to do this in the spring. The landing hole should have dimensions of 50x50x50 cm. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole and is made of sand, broken brick or fine-grained expanded clay. The distance between the holes must be at least one meter. When planting, the level of the soil and root collar must match.
Like rhododendron, this type of plant tolerates drought well, but will not tolerate strong watering. Watering should be done every few weeks, but stay moderate.
Before this, the soil is carefully loosened, since the root system is on the surface. In the fall, watering is also necessary in order for the kalmia to survive the winter well.
It is recommended to use top dressing no more than three times a year. To make the solution, you will need urea. Dry fertilizers are scattered around the bush. Regular mulching is required to avoid possible overheating of the roots. It is extremely resistant to pests and diseases.
Main types and varieties:
- narrow-leaved kalmia "Rubra". Used as an ornamental plant;
- narrow-leaved "Compact". The inflorescences have a rich purple color;
- narrow-leaved "Alba". Its inflorescences are white;
- broadleaf kalmiya.
Reproduction
When using seeds, the following procedure is carried out:
- collection takes place at the end of October. They are cleaned and placed in a pre-prepared container. Contained at a moisture content of 5% and a temperature of about 4 * C;
- seeds are sown in containers in early December. They are pre-filled with river sand and peat;
- containers are covered with a net and stored outdoors. This will serve as a kind of stratification;
- the boxes are placed in the greenhouse in March. They are covered with a film and kept at a temperature of 19 to 26 degrees Celsius;
- the first shoots should appear in three weeks. The percentage of similarity between them is good and is more than 90%;
- they can grow a few centimeters in a year, after which they can be planted. To accelerate growth, you can spray calcium with potassium humate;
- in the fourth year, they can be planted in deep containers. A mixture of sand, compost and peat is used as a soil;
- in the sixth year of life, the plant can bloom for the first time;
- and at the age of seven, it can be transplanted into open ground.
All fertilizers must be applied very carefully around the perimeter of the plant. In the first years of a young bush's life, it is recommended to use a nitrophoska. You will need no more than a gram of this fertilizer per liter of water. After transplanting into larger containers, groundbait is carried out three times, with a regularity of two weeks. For the reproduction of kalmias using cuttings, they must be harvested in the summer. Previously, they are treated with a solution based on a growth stimulant. Then they are planted in a greenhouse and wrapped in plastic wrap.
The moisture level plays an important role in the process of their development. After five months, the first roots should appear. Only then can they be planted in a permanent place. Low-lying branches are used for the manufacture of layering. They are neatly bent and buried in the ground.
For the early development of the root system, they must be watered regularly.
After the roots appear, the layers are carefully separated and transplanted into a previously prepared hole. Root offspring, as well as a dug out and transplanted bush, should be looked after
The first sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring, when frozen or dried branches are found.
Description of the famous species
This type of kalmia is a broadly spreading plant, reaching a height of about 3 meters.
The height of broadleaf Calmia in the Moscow region reaches an average of about 80 cm.Over a year it grows by 2 cm.
The leaves of the plant are elliptical, lanceolate. Outwardly, they resemble the leaves of a laurel tree. Their length on average ranges from 10 cm to 50. The upper plate is colored dark green, the lower part with a yellowish tint.
Especially saucer-shaped flowers, collected in umbellate inflorescences, stand out. The color of delicate buds is most often pink. Inside each flower are dark anthers, which are involved in the reproduction of the plant.During the flowering period of the shrub, the buds cover almost the entire crown of the calmia.
The diameter of such a work of art is only 2.5 cm. The plant begins to bloom in the last month of spring or early summer. After that, the fruits appear on the kalmias in the form of graceful capsules, densely filled with seeds. They are fully ripe by mid-autumn.
There are some peculiarities of planting and caring for Kalmia broadleaf.
If you want to quickly plant a shrub on your personal plot, it is advisable to plant it in the spring. To do this, you can purchase seedlings that have been grown in pots.
The most suitable place for a shrub is a semi-shaded area in the country. It can be planted next to a tall tree, which will provide the plant with ideal growth conditions.
Acidic soil with good water permeability is suitable for planting Calmia broadleaf. It can be sandy soil fertilized with humus.
Immediately before planting the seedling, it is advisable to put peat in the hole. This will provide the plant with enough minerals to grow.
When caring for a shrub, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Top dressing. Three times per season, the soil around the plant must be fed. In the spring, you can use a urea solution (30 grams per 8 liters of liquid). In the autumn, mineral fertilizers are scattered under the bushes. When the plant is actively developing, the root system can be fertilized with slurry. For this, one part of manure is diluted with 15 parts of water. Then, the bushes are watered with this solution.
Watering. In order for the shrub to develop well, it must be provided with competent watering. It consists in a moderate distribution of moisture under the bush
It is important that the soil dries out a little before the next watering. When preparing a shrub for wintering, it should be poured abundantly with water and mulched with tree bark and peat.
- Regular branch care. As soon as spring comes, kalmia bushes should be cleaned of dry branches and inflorescences. There is no need to prune the plant, as it always has a beautiful crown.
Loosening the soil. As a result of abundant spring rainfall, the soil under the bush hardens
Therefore, you should carefully fluff the soil. Thanks to this, the roots receive oxygen, and the plant develops well.
In addition to broadleaf calmia, there are other types of shrubs. Let's take a look at some of them.
