6 Mirabilis in landscape design
With the help of spectacular bushes, you can revive any corner of the garden:
- plant tall varieties in the background of a flower garden or along a fence, creating a kind of hedge;
- use undersized forms to decorate flower beds, rockeries, borders and lawns, place in small separate groups or along garden paths;
- dwarf and miniature varieties up to 30 cm high, bred relatively recently, are suitable for growing in pots, containers and boxes that can be used to decorate a balcony, terrace or veranda.
When placing a night beauty on a site, it should be remembered that she behaves quite aggressively towards neighboring crops and is able to disperse and occupy nearby territory on her own. In addition, the plant is not suitable for people who do not tolerate persistent rich aromas.
Mirabilis is truly an amazing flower. Throughout the summer cottage season, it will delight with uncomplicated bright phonographs. Any summer resident can cope with growing from seeds or from a tuber, and caring for an unpretentious crop is simple and inexpensive.
Types and varieties of zinnia with photos and names
In nature, there are more than 20 different types of zinnia, while only 4 of them are cultivated by gardeners, namely: narrow-leaved zinnia (Zinnia Hage), graceful, fine-flowered and linearis. Breeders are especially careful with such varieties as graceful and narrow-leaved zinnia. Thanks to their painstaking work, a large number of excellent varieties and hybrids of zinnia were born, which today are grown with pleasure by gardeners of different countries.
Zinnia elegans
According to the shape of the inflorescences, all varieties and hybrids are divided into 7 categories. The following categories are most popular in mid-latitudes:
Zinnia dahlia
Powerful compact or spreading bushes in height can reach 0.6–0.9 m. Their shoots are of the first order. Large leaf plates are about 12 centimeters long. Terry hemispherical inflorescences reach about 14 centimeters in diameter. Varieties:
- Violet is a terry variety, reaching a height of 0.6–0.75 m, dense inflorescences can be painted in a variety of shades of purple;
- Orange kenig - the height of the bush is 0.6–0.7 m, double inflorescences reach 14 centimeters in diameter, and they are colored orange-red;
- Polar bear - the height of a compact bush is about 0.65 m, inflorescences are densely double, they are painted white with a greenish tint.
Zinnia midget, or pomponnaya
The height of this branchy compact bush is no more than 0.55 m, it has many shoots of the second, third and fourth order. The leaf plates are small. The inflorescences are relatively small, so, in diameter, they reach only 50 mm, and in shape they are similar to a pompom on a cap. Varieties:
- Little Red Riding Hood - the height of the bush is about 0.55 m, densely double rich red inflorescences have a rounded or truncated-conical shape;
- Tom Tumb - the height of a compact bush is about 0.45 m, double dense inflorescences have a red color, and their shape is a slightly flattened ball;
- Tambelina - the height of the stems in plants of this variety is about 0.45 m, the inflorescences can be painted in different colors, and in diameter they reach 40-60 mm.
Ziniya fantasy
The height of compact bushes is almost spherical in shape, about 0.5–0.65 m. The leaf plates are large. Curly loose inflorescences consist of narrow reed flowers, rolled into tubes and bent in various directions, some of them are bifurcated at the tips. Varieties:
- Fantasy - the height of the bush is about 0.6 m, loose double inflorescences reach 10 centimeters in diameter, they can have various colors, for example: red, purple, pink, salmon, purple, deep yellow, orange-red, white, etc. ;
- Gift - the color of the inflorescences is deep red.
In other countries, the following are very popular:
Zinnia haageana, or narrow-leaved zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia)
The homeland of this species is Mexico. This erect plant is an annual that forms branched bushes. Seated pointed leaf plates have an elongated or lanceolate shape. Small rich orange inflorescences can be double or simple. Varieties:
Zinnia tenuiflora
This type is most often used to form landscape flower beds. The height of the bush is about 0.6 m, thin geniculate shoots are painted in a pale red color. In diameter, small inflorescences reach 30 mm. Purple curved narrow ligulate flowers have twisted tips. Varieties: Red Spider.
Zinnia linearis
This type can be easily confused with narrow-leaved zinnia, because its leaf plates are thin and sharp, like the tips of nail scissors. This species is the smallest of those cultivated by gardeners. The spherical bushes reach a height of about 0.35 m.The inflorescences are also small. The yellow reed flowers have an orange edge. Such a flower is most often grown in balcony containers, in small flower beds, in pots and on alpine slides. Varieties:
- Golden ai. Reed flowers are white. The middle is also white and consists of tubular flowers. The inflorescences are similar to chamomile.
- Caramel. The middle is black, and the reed flowers are caramel yellow.
- Yellow Star. The inflorescences are yellow.
- Cherry Ivory - inflorescences have a cherry color, the tips of the reed flowers are cream;
- Scarlett Yellow - inflorescences are red with rich yellow tips.
Characteristic
Perennial shrub with thick roots in the form of tubers. In our climate, it does not tolerate winter cold, so the Night Beauty is grown annually from seeds. In nature, there are about 60 species of shrubs, Mirabilis Yalapa and Mirabilis Himalayan are the most common and loved by gardeners. Plants do not require special care and are less susceptible to pest attacks.
Crown
The shape of the shrub is elongated-rounded, reaches a height of 30 to 80 cm. Stems are erect, densely covered with branches, lignite in the lower part. The shade of the bark is reddish, the leaves are opposite, on petioles, they are elongated, smooth, green.
Flowers
The flowers are funnel-shaped, with a large calyx (up to 2.5 cm in diameter) and a long tube (see photo). The color can be two-color or one-color, always bright - crimson, purple, orange, white, red, yellow. Shield-shaped inflorescences are collected at the apex.
Peculiarities
Mirabilis is native to North America. Flowers open in the evening, and wither very quickly, after a few hours. Pollinated by hawk moths - butterflies that fly at night. The faded flowers are replaced by new ones, this continues throughout the season, until autumn. The aroma is intense, very pleasant, tropical.
The fruits of the plant are dense capsules with one achene. The dark brown, ribbed fruits can be stored for up to 3-5 years, maintaining their germination capacity.
Application
Landscape designers use Mirabilis as a low decorative hedge, framed by paths and alleys. Tall varieties work well as a background placeholder in mixborders.
The plant is used to decorate terraces, balconies, planting in deep large pots. Bushes look equally good both in single and in group plantings next to marigolds, zinnia, chamomiles.
Possible growing problems
The culture is rarely attacked by insects and diseases. Mirabilis and faithful care reduces their appearance to zero.
Pests
Of all the known parasites, only aphids take root on the bushes - on young individuals. You can get rid of it with Fitoverm and Intavir.
Diseases
With systematic waterlogging of the soil, the plant becomes ill with root rot.There is no cure, the affected specimen is dug up and burned. The land where he was is treated with fungicidal solutions.
Signs of improper care
If the rules for disembarkation and supervision are violated, the culture may experience:
- yellowing of foliage - with fungal infections;
- small buds - due to insufficient lighting;
- stopping growth and development - with constant presence in the shade or lack of nutrients.
The culture refers to unpretentious varieties that even beginners in gardening can grow.
Compliance with the recommendations will help to grow a beautiful and eye-catching flower garden
Growing mirabilis from seeds
Sowing mirabilis for seedlings
The night beauty flower is propagated by seeds, which must be scarified before sowing, that is, slightly damage their hard shell with a file or sandpaper. Then the seeds of the night beauty are placed in a thermos with warm water for a day. When to sow mirabilis? Seeds of mirabilis are sown in early or mid-April in cups filled with light neutral or slightly alkaline soil: you can buy ready-made soil in the store, or you can make a substrate yourself by mixing two parts of sod land and peat, one part of humus or compost, half a part of washed sand and adding for every 5 liters of the resulting soil mixture half a glass of wood ash or 2 tablespoons of dolomite flour. The cups are filled to ¾ of the volume, the mixture is compacted and abundantly watered with the fungicide solution. Place two seeds in each cup, sprinkle them with a layer of loose soil 1-1.5 cm thick and spray with water from a fine spray.
Crops are placed in a greenhouse and kept at a temperature of 18-20 ºC.
Growing mirabilis at home
Seedlings will begin to appear in 5-6 days, and as soon as this happens, remove the cover from the mirabilis and move the crops as close to the light as possible. When the seedlings develop their first true leaf, cut the weaker seedling in each pot at ground level so that it does not interfere with the development of the stronger one. At about the same time, you need to make the first top dressing, for example, Solution, Fertik or Krepysh.
Mirabilis at home needs watering only after the earthen coma has completely dried, since it does not tolerate waterlogging. When the seedlings reach a height of 10-15 cm, they are transplanted into large pots by transshipment and fed a second time with complex mineral fertilizer. As soon as the seedlings of mirabilis recover from the pick, proceed to the hardening procedures: within two weeks, you need to accustom the plants to the external environment. To do this, the seedlings are taken out to the balcony or yard every day, gradually increasing the time the seedlings stay in the open air until the night beauty can be there for a whole day.
3 Planting seedlings in open ground
Seedlings of mirabilis can be planted in the garden only after the threat of return frosts has passed. The Mexican flower requires a well-lit, open area where it will not be shaded by nearby tall crops or buildings. When planted in the shade or partial shade, the bushes will begin to stretch ugly, and the flowering will be scarce and short-lived.
It is advisable to grow herbaceous shrubs on fertile clay or loamy soils. In case of increased acidity, the site must be lime, adding the necessary additives during digging (slaked lime, chalk, dolomite flour). It is not necessary to allocate low-lying places or beds with moist soil for culture, otherwise the plant will ache and wither from an excess of moisture.
For planting work, it is better to choose a cloudy or rainy day - according to experienced gardeners, it is this weather that will allow the seedlings to quickly adapt and take root in a new place:
- Prepare holes at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. Their depth should correspond to the size of the earthen root ball.
- Water the plants in pots 1-2 hours before transplanting so that the earth does not crumble and expose sensitive roots.
- Remove the night beauty from the pot, trying to preserve the integrity of the earthen coma, and place it in the center of the hole.
- Cover the voids with earth and water.
In the southern regions, the seeds of the night beauty can be sown directly into the open ground, carrying out work in late April or early May. The seed must be scarified and soaked in advance, as described above, then distributed into grooves to a depth of 3 cm, keeping a distance between future plants of 7-8 cm. Thin out the grown seedlings and take care of them as usual.
Adorable zinnias, how to collect the seeds of these flowers? Hints, tips
It is impossible not to fall in love with zinnia at first sight. When the flower is dissolved, it is a colorful ball with many petals.
Variety of varieties
There are many varieties of zinnia. There are tall plants here, the stems of which rush up to 1 meter. These giants look great in both single and group plantings. In the latter case, they are placed in the middle of the flower bed, framed with border flowers.
Breeders have bred dwarf plants that do not exceed 20 cm in height. These look great along the paths, gracefully border the lawn, flower bed.
The color range of zinnias is varied. It can be white, yellow, red, pink, orange, there are even variegated colors.
The inflorescences of these charming creatures can be pompom, dahlia, cactus, chrysanthemum, fantasy, Gaillardium.
To be able to admire the graceful plants annually in your suburban area, it is not necessary to buy zinnia seeds. Experienced gardeners know how to collect seeds, but beginners will quickly master this simple science. Then you can breed your favorite varieties.
Seed collection time
Even during the blooming of the buds, it is necessary to notice those bushes that you like the most. Place sticks near them. Leave on one plant, which will be the mother plant, no more than 5-6 inflorescences. Then they will grow large enough to give excellent seeds.
From the moment of budding to the ripening of seeds, at least two months must pass.
Therefore, here's another important thing to know about zinnia: how to collect seeds and when should it be done? Since these flowers do not tolerate autumn frosts, it is important to have time to collect flower seeds
Zinnia should not be caught in the first frost. If in your region nighttime autumn frosts, when the temperature drops below -1 ° C, may be in mid-September, then the buds you like should bloom no later than mid-July.
Since these flowers do not tolerate autumn frosts, it is important to have time to collect the flower seeds. Zinnia should not be caught in the first frost
If in your region nighttime autumn frosts, when the temperature drops below -1 ° C, may be in mid-September, then the buds you like should bloom no later than mid-July.
Another important condition that will help to obtain high-quality material is planting plants with light flowers separately from bright ones. So, the buds of a white, yellow color, being in the vicinity of crimson, red, can get dusty
The result is a plant that has red dots on light-colored flowers. From the seeds next year, a completely different zinnia color will appear. How to collect seeds so that they are well stored until next spring is another question that should be resolved at the beginning of autumn. They must be collected in dry, clear weather. This should be done during the day, as there is abundant dew in the morning and evening hours at this time of the year.
Zinnias: How to Collect the Seeds of These Plants?
After choosing the optimal day for collecting seeds, you need to carefully examine the flower head. It should consist of dried scales, these are the seeds of zinnia. You can see how they look in the photos. Seeds are dark oval scales 3-5 mm long, pointed on one side.
Will clearly show how to collect zinnia seeds, photo
It is important not to confuse them with dried petals. Proceed in stages
First, cut off the dried flower head with a pruner. Place it on a piece of cellophane or light-colored paper
Carefully remove the faded petals; underneath you will find flower seeds. Zinnia must be well ripe
If its head is not dry enough, cut it off, put it on paper and dry it at room temperature. If possible, then at +35 ° С. After that, using the method described above, collect the seeds.
How to collect seeds from which double flowers will grow?
Not always, subsequently, from the collected seeds, plants with double inflorescences will appear. To increase the chance of a fluffy flower forming, only collect seeds that are closer to the edge of the bud head.
Pay attention to which seeds look like. If they are brown in color, have a notch in the upper part, then a flower with petals, like a chamomile, will grow from them next year.
There is a high probability of the appearance of terry seeds from longer, darker and downwardly pointed seeds. It is very high in long seeds of a triangular, subulate shape of gray color.
Divide the collected seeds into small paper bags, label the variety. You can store them at room temperature in a cool place for 3-4 years. After this time, they will lose their germination.
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Features of care for mirabilis
Mirabilis is an undemanding patient plant that requires a minimum of control. Caring for mirabilis consists in performing typical simple procedures.
The soil
Mirabilis varieties Yalapa cannot stand acidic soil
In addition, it is imperative that the area where you plan to plant the plant is dry. The flower will not tolerate swamps and increased moisture
It is also good to add lime to the ground, this will prolong the life and growth of the plant.
Top dressing
Lack of nutrients in the soil causes poor flowering. Fertilizers must be applied once a month. It is recommended to use complex formulations for decorative flowers. It is equally beneficial to feed the plants with wood ash. To do this, the bush should be well watered with settled water, and then sprinkle the ground around it with ash.
The night beauty does not need organic feeding, as they will acidify the earth, and the plant does not like this. You should not feed the flower and more than recommended, as an excess of nutrients can become a strong impetus for the growth of leaves, but not for planting buds.
Pruning
Since the night beauty is a perennial plant, in the fall, at the end of the first frost, it is necessary to cut off all green shoots at a level of ten centimeters from the ground and let them dry well, then dig out the rhizomes, dry them in the sun and place them in boxes, covering them with dry sand or sawdust. You shouldn't forget about it, it is part of leaving.
Diseases and pests
Waterlogging is the main cause of root rot damage to the flower and, as a rule, the gardener himself creates the problem. However, if this did happen, then in order to correct the situation, first of all, you should stop watering. Remove all damaged parts of the plant, and treat the rest with fungicides. The soil around the affected plants, as well as those adjacent to them, must be cultivated to prevent the spread of the disease.
Leaf speck and rust can also touch the charming night beauty. Destruction of infected areas of the plant and treatment with fungicides will heal the plantings and protect the flowers from damage.
For its stability, unpretentiousness and aroma - this unusual plant is so loved by gardeners. And the simplicity of breeding makes it affordable even for summer residents who are just beginning to get acquainted with the basics of crop production.
Seed collection
After the flower withers, a fruit will form, a seed capsule, in which a single seed is located. The grain is large and strong, dark in color, with a rough wrinkled surface. The shape of the seeds is round and pronounced ribbed.
Germination remains for three years
However, it should be borne in mind that this seed will produce a plant with flowers of unpredictable colors.
Storing tubers
It is necessary to dig out the roots of mirabilis with the onset of the first cold weather. Depending on the region, this can fall in the October-November months.
Step-by-step instructions for digging out and the algorithm for storing the roots of mirabilis:
- Cut off all branchy bushes (tops) so that it is convenient to dig the tubers.
- Use a shovel to dig out the “tubers-carrots” to a depth of approximately a bayonet and preferably 5–7 centimeters from the bush, so as not to hurt the tubers growing to the side.
- Wash and pickle in one of the fungicides (for example, in “Maxim” or in copper sulphate).
- Cut off all the roots, and then process with brilliant green.
- Dry well and store. Wet tubers should not be stored.
The roots (tubers) of mirabilis can be preserved in the same way as dahlias. For example, in a subfield in sawdust or sand. Again, a refrigerator is also suitable, only it is advisable to wrap them in the beginning in a newspaper and only then in a bag.
Planting and housing conditions
Mirabilis is a sun-loving shrub. It grows well outdoors even with minimal maintenance.
Lighting and location
For planting, choose well-lit places, warmed up, warm, possibly with light partial shade. Lowlands will not work, nor are permanently wet areas with heavy, poor soils. The plant needs a lot of free space because the root system is shallow. The night beauty will reclaim the land, taking it away from nearby plants, if the plantings are too close.
Temperature
Mirabilis loves warmth and grows poorly if the temperature drops below + 15 ° C. The optimal mode is +22, + 28 ° С. In the southern regions, the shrub winters well when the minimum value does not fall below + 5 ° С. In areas with a harsh climate, the tubers are dug up in the fall and stored until spring, like dahlias.
Humidity
Night beauty blooms around the clock on cloudy days, is not afraid of precipitation and drafts. A closed room must be ventilated; on verandas and glazed balconies, do not allow stagnation of air. On hot days, spraying the leaves will help the shrub to bloom fully.
Priming
Dense soils with no drainage are not suitable for the full growth and development of Mirabilis. Strong acidification will also negatively affect the plant. Choose fertile areas with deep, clayey calcareous soil.
Mirabilis from seeds at home
They select the optimal place for growth for a tropical flower. Provides early flowering for guaranteed seed ripening:
- find the warmest, sunniest place in the garden;
- protect plants from drafts, strong winds;
- prepare neutral or slightly acidic soil;
- shade in the hottest afternoon hours;
- exclude low-lying areas of the site for planting.
Increase the period for seed ripening in regions with early frost by using non-woven material. They wrap a plant with it or make a small protective frame.
2 Growing seedlings from seeds
An unusual tropical culture is so unpretentious to care for that in many places it can be found in a feral form. Even a novice gardener is capable of growing mirabilis in open ground, it is so easy and simple. In flower shops, you can buy yalapa seeds and get a spectacular plant by seedling.
It is recommended to start sowing seeds in late March or early April. Residents of the northern regions (Siberia and the Far East) should not postpone work until later, but it is better to sow mirabilis in early March, otherwise the plant will not have time to form normally and please with flowering. Sowing is carried out in several stages:
- The seeds of the night beauty are hidden under a hard shell, which will not allow the seedlings to hatch quickly. To speed up the process, the seeds need to be scarified - gently damage the protective shell with a file or sandpaper. After that, they must be soaked in warm water, placed in a thermos for a day. You can fill the seeds with warm water and without scarification, but then it will take a little longer for germination.
- For sowing mirabilis, you should use ready-made storey soil - universal or for growing seedlings. The main thing is that it has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH.
- You can compose the substrate with your own hands by mixing 1 part of humus or compost, ½ part of washed river sand, 2 parts of peat and 2 parts of garden soil. For 5 liters of ready-made soil mixture, it is advisable to add ½ cup of wood ash and 2 tbsp. l. dolomite flour to reduce acidity.
- It is better to use a shallow container or cups with drainage holes as a container for planting - they must be filled ¾ of the height with a soil mixture, spilled with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or any fungicide.
- In each cup (when planting in a common container - in each well), you need to put 2 seeds. They should be buried half a centimeter, sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and sprinkled with warm water from a fine spray bottle.
- To create a greenhouse effect and speedy germination of the container, it is advisable to cover it with glass or transparent film. Then place the cups in a warm place with an air temperature of + 18 + 20 ° C and monitor the condition of the soil - it should not dry out.
- To avoid the development of mold and putrefactive processes, the transparent cover must be removed daily for 15-20 minutes for airing, and the condensate collected on the glass must be wiped off with a hygroscopic cloth.
- After the emergence of seedlings (after 1-2 weeks from the day of sowing), the transparent cover can be removed and the cups can be rearranged closer to the light. Water after the topsoil dries.
- After the formation of the first true leaf, you need to remove the weak seedling so that it does not interfere with the growth of the stronger one.
- When 2 true leaves are formed, you can carry out the first feeding with complex mineral fertilizer using any store-bought composition, for example, "Krepysh", "Solution", "Fertika".
- The grown seedlings, which have reached a height of 10-15 cm, must be transplanted into larger pots by transshipment, so as not to injure sensitive roots. It is advisable to use deep containers in which the tap root system can develop normally. After transshipment, the seedlings of mirabilis should be fed a second time using the same mineral composition.
2 weeks before the planned planting in open ground, you need to start hardening the seedlings. It must be exposed daily to the open air (on an open balcony or in the courtyard), increasing the stay every day. When a night beauty can be on the street for a whole day without fear of return frosts, she can be safely planted in a flower bed.
Dense seeds of a night beauty are pre-soaked in warm water
Features of care in the garden
The plant does not require special knowledge or skills when planting on a personal plot. Care is not difficult, but it requires adherence to the norms recommended in the description of the culture.
What conditions do mirabilis like
Culture has a special relationship to temperature and lighting. Despite the fact that the buds open at night, the plant should be under the sun throughout the day.
Additional Information! When planting a shrub in the shade, slow growth and development of small flowers are noted.
What is the plant afraid of
In mirabilis, planting and care provides for the protection of the plant from cold and drafts. It reacts poorly to constantly moist soil and its increased acidity.
Watering
For the growth of a beautiful and healthy flower, regular soil moisture is required. The frequency of watering is determined by the weather: in dry times it increases, in the temperate period it is carried out no more than once a week. With a prolonged absence of rain and complete drying of the earth, its moistening is carried out three times a week.
Watering
Mulching
The procedure is applied in warm areas and takes place in the fall, before the start of the winter season. This approach helps to protect the root system from the cold, keep it from freezing. Peat, straw, compost, leaves are used as mulch.
Loosening
In the spring-summer season, the plant is supported by loosening the compacted soil. Gently digging up the soil will help increase the amount of oxygen supplied to the root system. The procedure is combined with the removal of overgrown weeds.
Top dressing
Mirabilis planting and subsequent care requires fertilization at least three times during the growing season:
- for the first time - after planting the young, nitrogenous solutions are introduced;
- in the second - mineral compositions, feeding takes place in the second half of July;
- in the third, the final feeding with mineral fertilizers should be carried out in the last days of August.
Interesting! Florists pay attention that an overabundance of nutrients also negatively affects the condition of plants, as well as their lack.