Introduction
As such, the concept of "bulbous" in botany does not exist. This word unites several dozen genera of plants cultivated by humans, mainly for decorative purposes, having a modified stem - a bulb. It is not a root tuber like a potato and not a root tuber like a legume, used exclusively as a storehouse of nutrients. The bulb is not just a storehouse of "building material", it is, as it were, the embryo of a plant in miniature.
Three types of bulbs in a flower bed
The presence of the bulb is most often characteristic of three families: Liliaceae, Amaryllidaceae and Onions. The former include the well-known lilies and tulips, the latter - daffodils, irises and snowdrops, and the third - the well-known various onions and garlic. Recently, it is believed that the Onions are a subfamily of Amaryllis, but gardeners, as a rule, do not go so deeply into botany.
Most primroses are bulbous. Proleska or Scylla
The popularity of bulbous plants is due to several important factors. Firstly, it is the possibility of their constant replanting with each new season. Since the plant enters a dormant period in winter, its bulb can be easily dug up and transplanted without any fear of damage to the root system.
The second important condition that ensures bulbous popularity is the ability to adjust the time of their growth and flowering within a very wide range (practically, the whole year). This process is called forcing; it is very convenient for obtaining flowers of certain plants by a certain date.
The third advantage of bulbous plants is their excellent ability for vegetative propagation, which allows for several years in a row to obtain good quality seed material at no special cost. As a rule, the degeneration of bulbous plants during exclusively vegetative propagation is about 5 to 10 years, which gives a sufficiently large margin of time when planning to replace them with other crops.
Bulbous in their natural environment. Crocuses
Naturally, like any phenomenon, the use of bulbous plants has its drawbacks, which are mainly reduced to excessive depletion or even poisoning of the soil in which they are grown without crop rotation for several years.
Currently, there are a huge number of these plants that can decorate both any garden and the interior of any home due to the variety of their colors and shapes. The agrotechnology of most bulbous plants is quite simple. When growing them, no special skills or even technical means are required.
The greatest labor intensity when working with these plants is the work on their transplantation or storage of some thermophilic species in the winter. The rest of the activities on them practically do not require the attention of the gardener.
Most bulbs are of tropical or subtropical origin. Despite this, many plants in our climate do great outdoors. They endure cold winters at rest, sometimes withstanding frosts down to -30 ° C. Some species (crocuses, snowdrops) can tolerate temperatures down to -10 ... 12 ° C during active vegetation. Consider the most popular types of bulbous plants.
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Types and varieties of muscari plants
Muscari Armenian (Muscari armeniacum).
A perennial miniature plant with a few short basal leaves and a small peduncle 10-20 cm high.The inflorescence is shaped like an ear 2-8 cm long with densely collected, numerous (up to 70 and more) miniature flowers 0.4-0.8 cm long. The flowers are blue.
Muscari varieties of Armenian:
"Christmas Pearl" - is a tall bush with bright purple inflorescences;
Fantasy Creation is one of the most beautiful varieties of mouse hyacinth with greenish-blue and blue flowers;
"Blue Spike" is a terry muscari variety with lush, cluster-like inflorescences, consisting of 170 flowers. Suitable for cutting.
Muscari uviform (Muscari botryoides).
This species naturally occurs on meadows and mountain slopes in the subalpine and alpine belts of Central and Southern Europe. One of the most common in the culture. Leaves are linear, 3 cm wide, 25-30 cm long. Peduncle up to 20 cm high, on it up to 35 drooping dark blue flowers with white teeth. There are garden forms with white and blue fragrant flowers. Blooms in May.
Muscari grape varieties:
"V album" - a variety with lush, groin-like snow-white inflorescences;
"V carneum" is a bush with pink flowers.
Muscari broadleaf (Muscari latifolium).
A plant with dark green lanceolate leaves 15-17 cm long. Peduncle up to 25 cm long with an inflorescence bearing up to 100 dark purple flowers. It differs in that several peduncles can form from one bulb.
Muscari crested (Muscari comosum).
An unusual spectacular view with a tuft at the top of the peduncle, consisting of many lilac flowers with arcuate legs. The most popular variety of this species is "Plumozum", which is a bush with highly branched stems and purple-lilac flowers.
Muscari blue (Muscari coeruleum).
Occurs in meadows of the subalpine and alpine belts. The flowers are blue with white oval teeth. Flower arrow up to 15 cm tall. Leaves are linear, narrowed downward, pointed. Blooms in May.
Muscari fragrant (Muscari racemosum).
A small plant with faint-hearted dark blue flowers and arcuate curved, narrow-linear, semi-cylindrical leaves. Homeland - Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia.
Muscari ordinary (Muscari hotryoides).
Leaves are linear, erect, almost flat. Blue, violet-blue, sometimes white, odorless flowers. Plant height up to 12 cm. Occurs in Central and Southern Europe, as well as in the Caucasus.
Common muscari varieties:
"Flight of Fantasy" - a bush with blue flowers;
"Peppermint Lollipop" - a variety with blue inflorescences;
"Pink Dawn" - a plant with pale pink racemose inflorescences;
Valeria is a spectacular variety with blue and white flowers;
"Golden fragrant" - it is distinguished by beautiful golden inflorescences;
"Magic Ocean" - valued for inflorescences with an unusual color: the upper flowers are pale blue, with a gradual transition to a deep blue color, which the lowermost flowers have.
Muscari racemosum (Muscari racemosum) and Shovitsa muscari (Muscari szovitsianum).
Plants are 14-25 cm high. Flowers are dark purple.
Varieties:
Airlie Giant
"Kenteb" - blue flowers
"Album" - white inflorescences
"Arnott" - flowers with a pinkish tinge
The photo selection below shows that the color of muscari can be different, depending on the variety, but it is always very rich and beautiful, this is the main value of this culture:
Planting muscari bulbs outdoors
Muscari, like all spring flowers, love an abundance of sunshine. Therefore, the site for planting muscari should be chosen lighted and calm. In addition, muscari, like crocuses, do not tolerate waterlogging, so the soil for planting a plant should be loose, aerated and fertile.
Muscari is best planted in the same flowerbed with perennial plants, observing the sequence of flowering and taking into account the climatic features of each of them. Crocuses, muscari, snowdrops, daisies, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths get along well with each other, so their neighborhood on the site is not prohibited.
Muscari are among the first spring flowers. Their flowering begins long before the foliage appears on the trees, so feel free to plant muscari next to the trees, without worrying about excess or lack of sunlight.
Such a neighborhood will solve the problem with weeds, wind and additional fertilizing.Muscari in the fall, with such a neighborhood, you can not dig out, and safely leave for the winter, just in the fall, do not rake the foliage, but leave it on the surface, this will protect the soil from freezing, including muscari bulbs.
Planting muscari is best done in autumn. The area for planting flowers should be clean, dug up and fertilized with organic matter. Plant in families of two or three bulbs per hole.
The bulbs for planting must be prepared in advance, inspected for the presence of diseases and pests, etched with a solution of karbofos or a weak solution of manganese. Another simple method of protecting against pests is also suitable. Some gardeners, before planting, coat the muscari bulb with Vishnevsky ointment, and then plant it.
The formed holes need to be well watered, before planting, you should take care of drainage, for this, pour sand into the hole. Plant large muscari bulbs individually, small 2-3 onions per hole. After planting, the holes are watered with liquid fertilizers for bulbous plants.
When buying flowers, carefully inspect their appearance and sprouts (if you take sprouted bulbs), the presence of black (brown) spots on the bulb or its lethargy are unacceptable.
Transplantation and reproduction of muscari bulbs can be done after 5-6 years of age of the plant.
5. Varieties:
5.1 Muscari neglectum
Perennial bulbous, flowering plants from 5 to 20 cm high. Leaves are narrow, linear, dark green, glossy, gracefully curved in an arc. Bulbs reach a diameter of 2.5 cm. Peduncles are strong, upright, bearing inflorescences with dark blue or purple, drooping, bell-shaped flowers at the tops. The tips of the flower petals can sometimes be white. Flowers bloom sequentially - from the base of the peduncles to its apex.
5.2 Muscari ungulate - Muscari botryoides
Flowering perennials up to 30 cm high. Leaves are green, glossy, linear, slightly curved or erect, 10 to 40 cm long. Peduncles are upright, strong, bear attractive, drooping, bell-shaped, blue, blue, rarely white flowers at the tops. Bulbs reach a diameter of 2 - 4 cm. Flowers open sequentially - from the base of the peduncles to the tops.
5.3. Armenian Muscari - Muscari armeniacum
Compact attractive bushes up to 25 cm high with glossy, green leaves. This variety is the most common in floriculture and is often used as the basis for new varieties. The flowers are bright, most often blue, collected in large cylindrical inflorescences.
5.4 Muscari broadleaf - Muscari latifolium
One of the largest and brightest varieties of muscari - the bushes reach a height of about 50 cm. Plants originate from South and West Asia. Each bulb produces only 1 - 2 wide, light green leaf blades, tightly covering the base of the peduncle. The flowers are large, tubular, colored in dark blue or purple shades.
5.5 Muscari Oche or Tubergena - Muscari aucheri, Muscari tubergenianum
A fairly common variety in flower culture, on the basis of which numerous cultivars of hyacinth were bred. Compact herbaceous plants, the height of which often does not exceed 10 cm. Each bulb emits only 3 linear leaves and a thin peduncle. At the top of the peduncle is a dense inflorescence, consisting of tubular flowers of a dark blue hue. Often the buds have an elegant white edging.
5.6 Muscari longiflorum - Muscari dolichanthum
This variety prefers the Caucasian mountain ranges. Each large bulb is capable of forming 4 - 6 linear green leaf plates and emitting an erect peduncle up to 20 - 25 cm high. The buds are brightly colored, blue.
5.7. Crested viper onion - Muscari comosum
Plants were discovered as early as the 16th century in the Mediterranean.These perennials have tough, green leaves and large buds. Buds bloom from the base of the inflorescence to their tops, extending the flowering period. Most often, the flowers are painted in a pinkish-purple hue.
5.7.1 Muscari plumosum - Muscari comosum ‘Plumosum’
Late flowering mouse hyacinth - often buds form as early as May. The bushes have rather wide, matte, green leaves and strong peduncles branched at the top. The flowers are long, tubular, collected in very fluffy inflorescences.
5.8 Myccari racemose - Muscari racemosum
Plants are native to Turkey, where they prefer to settle on the slopes of the mountains. They are bulbous perennials 15 - 30 cm high with emerald, narrow leaves and thick peduncles. During the flowering period, plants adorn themselves with fragrant, bright, tubular flowers of a blue or lavender hue.
5.9 Pale Muscari - Muscari pallens
Plants for which the steep slopes of the Caucasus Mountains are the best habitat. These very slender, graceful primroses have long, green belt-like leaves reaching 20 cm. Erect peduncles, often colored purple or burgundy, bear cylindrical inflorescences at the tops. The flowers are tubular, painted in very delicate shades of blue or pink. There are plants with white buds.
5.10 Large-fruited Muscari - Muscari macrocarpum
Flowering perennials with early bud formation. They are herbaceous bulbous plants 15 - 30 cm high with linear, narrow, dark green leaves. The leaf blades are slightly bent along the central vein. Peduncles are strong, erect, bearing large inflorescences on the tops. The inflorescences consist of many tubular buds with fused petals. Interestingly, in the lower part of the inflorescences, the buds are yellow, but towards the top they acquire a purple hue.
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Caring for tricirtis in the garden
Even a novice gardener can grow tricyrtis on his site, since there is nothing difficult in this. It is very good if the flowers are planted on an area that meets all the requirements of this culture. Caring for such a plant is very simple, so, you need to water it in a timely manner, feed it, weed it, loosen the soil surface between the bushes and pick off wilted flowers.
How to water and feed
Despite the fact that this crop is resistant to drought, it is moisture-loving. In this regard, she should ensure systematic abundant watering, especially if there is a prolonged drought. For irrigation, use settled water, which should warm up well in the sun. It is necessary to pour water gently, at the root. When the water is completely absorbed into the soil, it is recommended to loosen its surface and, if necessary, weed. Experienced gardeners advise covering the surface of the plot with mulch, which can be used as compost or humus, it will not only prevent the earth from overheating, moisture quickly evaporate, and weed grass grow actively, but it will also become a source of nutrients for tricirtis.
If desired, this culture can not be fed at all. But you should know that it responds very well to feeding both with organic matter and with complex mineral fertilizers. It is forbidden to use fresh manure for fertilizing.
Transfer
Very often, such a flower does not need to be transplanted, all the more so if it systematically receives additional feeding during intensive growth and flowering.
However, if tricyrtis must be transplanted, then first you will need to find the most suitable site, pay special attention to the soil, it must be acidic, and its composition includes organic matter and peat
Reproduction of tricirtis
The propagation of this culture by the seed method is described in detail above. Simultaneously with the transplant of the bush, you can also make its division.To do this, remove the bush from the soil, remove soil residues, as well as dried and rotten roots from its rhizomes. Then the bush is divided in half or into several divisions, while each of them should have shoots and roots. Places of cuts must be processed with crushed coal, then the cuttings must be planted in pre-prepared holes. The holes should be covered with fertile soil, after which the planted plants are watered abundantly.
Wintering
Tritsirtis needs shelter for the winter. To protect the bushes from frost, they should be covered with a thick layer of peat or agrofibre. In the southern regions, where the climate is mild, and winters are warm, in principle, tricyrtis can be left uncovered for the winter, but experienced gardeners still recommend doing this, as it may suffer if very little snow falls in winter.
Diseases and pests
Tricirtis has a very high disease resistance. However, if it is grown in heavy soil and watered very abundantly, the root system can rot due to stagnant water. For preventive purposes, sand should be added to the ground before planting during digging. And also try to develop such an irrigation system so that the water in the soil does not stagnate.
Slugs and snails can harm such a plant, they not only gnaw holes in the leaf plates, but also leave sticky phosphorescent traces. You will have to collect the gastropods with your hands. It is also recommended to cover the surface of the soil around the bushes with a layer of coarse bark or crushed egg shells, such pests move along it with great difficulty.
Muscari - care
How to care for muscari in the garden
Caring for muscari is not difficult: this is a training plant for a novice florist. Muscari need watering only at the very beginning of the growing season, but, as a rule, at this time the soil is still wet after snow melt or spring rains. And the dormant period does not require soil moisture. If there was no snow in winter, and the spring turned out to be dry, then there is a need for regular watering.
If the soil on the site is not too fertile, this can be corrected by fertilizing with organic fertilizers. With humus or compost, you can fertilize the soil in the fall when digging: 5 kilograms of fertilizer are consumed for each square meter. Subject to the regularity of such autumn digging with organic matter, muscari can grow in one area for up to ten years. But then you will have to seat them anyway.
Flowering muscari
Muscari blooms for a little longer than three weeks, and does not require special care at this time, just loosen the soil slightly after watering, trying not to damage the bulb, remove weeds and remove wilted flowers if they spoil the appearance of your flower bed. If the quality of the flowers has deteriorated over the years, then it is time to transplant the muscari.
Muscari transplant
Vegetative propagation of muscari by separating babies from the mother's bulb is carried out, as a rule, during the autumn digging, somewhere from mid to late October. When to transplant muscari, we already wrote - after 5-6 years of growth in one area, although when it is really time to dig out muscari, you will be prompted by the type of your flower bed. Muscari bulbs are removed from the ground, the babies are separated from the mother's bulb (there can be many, up to 30 pieces) and planted in the manner described above.
Breeding muscari
In addition to the vegetative method, muscari reproduce well by self-seeding, therefore, in order to prevent uncontrolled growth of the site, it is necessary to cut off the peduncles after flowering, leaving only a few for the seeds to ripen. The collected ripe seeds, capable of sprouting only within a year, are sown into the ground in the fall to a depth of 1-2 cm. Next spring, thin strings of seedlings will let you know that the process of bulb formation has begun. Such a plant will bloom in 2-3 years.
Muscari pests and diseases
Most often, muscari suffer from the mosaic caused by the yellow dwarf onion virus.Symptoms: green mosaic on the leaves, shortened flower arrow, narrowed leaves and growth inhibition of the diseased specimen. Sometimes the plant becomes infected with the common cucumber mosaic, which is expressed with pale green strokes and spots on the deformed leaves. These viruses are transmitted by aphids and, once in the bulb, remain in it. Therefore, the diseased specimens must be dug up and burned so that the infection does not spread to other plants.
There is no cure for viral diseases yet, so fight the carrier - aphids, destroy it as soon as it appears on the plants. The method is simple and has long been known: dilute 2 teaspoons of liquid soap (Gala, Fairey) in two glasses of water and spray the plant with the solution.
Sometimes a spider mite causes trouble for muscari. In the fight against it, use drugs of the avermectin group (Vertimek, Aktofit, Fitoverm) strictly according to the instructions at an air temperature of 18 ºC.
Using muscari in the garden
All species are very decorative and are widely used in floriculture. They are used to create multi-tiered flower beds in combination with other early blooming spring flowers. With the help of mouse hyacinth, alpine slides and rockeries are made out.
They create curbs from them, they are irreplaceable for planting among a green lawn, under trees or near bushes. Beautiful planting of muscari in groups among others at the same time flowering perennials: scillas, pushkinia, small-flowered fritillaria, early irises, primroses. Mouse hyacinth harmonizes well with forget-me-nots, viols, hyacinths, begonias, daffodils and other undersized flowers. Evergreen shrubs of juniper, mahonia, yew and thuja can be a good background for such groups.
Many types of muscari are planted in containers, decorating and enlivening terraces or loggias in this way.
Compositions made up of different varieties of this culture look spectacular in the garden.
Features of growing muscari
Photos of these flowers can make any gardener want to plant them on the site. If you know how to care for bulbs, then you will not have any problems with muscari. They can be left in the soil for the winter, since these plants renew their leaves every year and delight the owner with bright flowers.
It is recommended to plant muscari in the most illuminated place where there is fertile soil. Caring for it is as easy as it is for many other bulbous plants.
A well-lit place is best for planting muscari, although this plant will feel normal in partial shade. It will be enough for him if the sun illuminates the earth before lunchtime. You can also advise to follow the above recommendation and plant the muscari under a tree.
Then you can enjoy the flowers of this decorative culture even before the dense foliage appears. It is not recommended to choose shady places for planting, as you will not wait for it to bloom there. Indeed, in conditions of constant humidity, there is a high probability that the bulbs will begin to rot.
Tips from experienced florists
You can plant these flowers in any soil, but it is imperative to ensure good drainage.
It is important to remember that high humidity has a negative effect on bulbous plants.
Therefore, if you are going to plant it in moist soil, where there is a little shade, it will not hurt to put a small amount of gravel in the holes before burying the bulbs.
Muscari is not very demanding on moisture, since its needs are mostly met by water formed in the spring as a result of melting snow. During the season, muscari will be able to feel good if the intervals between waterings are small.
You need to be especially careful at the moment when the muscari enters the flowering phase, since in this case you need to monitor the state of the earth and, if necessary, water it.
This plant is highly resistant to various diseases, since, due to its specific smell, many pests bypass it.
Muscari: planting and leaving
After it became clear to you where it is better to plant muscari, it is time to get acquainted with the agricultural technology of its planting. When planting for the first time, it is advisable to place the bulbs at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other. Subsequently, they can be slightly thinned out.
When determining the planting depth, it must be assumed that it should correspond to twice the height of the bulb.
There are a few basic points to consider when growing muscari:
- it is necessary to place the bulbs at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other;
- the bulbs should be deepened by 5 cm;
- it is best to plant in autumn - in September-October.
Before planting these flowers, you must place them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. Muscari is a cold-resistant crop, however, it is also necessary to leave them in the ground for the winter because this is one of the requirements of the agricultural technology of their cultivation.
It is recommended to plant these flowers from September to the end of October. However, in some cases, it is allowed to postpone this operation in the spring. The bulbs should lie in a cool, dark place before planting.
If you need muscari for planting in spring, then you can only find flowering bulbs. Although this state does not predispose to planting, however, if your desire to plant them at this time is so great, you can try.
Muscari attracts many gardeners who try to pay great attention to the beauty of their site. And in this regard, this plant fully meets their expectations, since it can decorate any flower bed.
Growing these flowers is not that difficult.
If bulbs grow in your country house, then you will not have any difficulties with muscari. Moreover, caring for this plant is not burdensome, because it does not need to be dug out for the winter. With the onset of spring, in the very first days of your arrival at the dacha, you will be able to admire the first blossoming flowers.
Reproduction
Muscari growing in the wild reproduce by self-seeding, but bloom in the fourth year. In the practice of flower growers, the following methods of plant propagation are used:
- Vegetative. Daughter bulbs are used for it. They are formed in large numbers on maternal specimens. Thanks to this, the flowers grow very quickly. Each bulb forms several peduncles, which creates real flowering thickets of muscari. With this breeding option, the main thing is to correctly sort the dug out bulbs. Large babies bloom in a year. This allows you to plan beautiful group plantings of different plants blooming in spring.
- Seed. To grow mouse hyacinth from seeds, use purchased seeds and collected from their ripe inflorescences. They are harvested in the fall and immediately sown in prepared soil for muscari in an open area or in special containers for pre-growing seedlings. The depth of planting seeds in the soil is 1 cm. Seeds are stratified only when they are planted in a container. It is necessary to closely monitor the delicate shoots of plants. Crust on the soil, weeds, excess or lack of moisture, poor soil inhibit the growth of weak seedlings.
- Cut-out method, bottom cut. This method is used for the rapid reproduction of muscari. With a sharp knife, carefully remove the bottom of the onion, treat it with a fungicide. They are laid out with a cut up on a mesh, kept at a temperature of 22 degrees. After three months, small bulbs are born at the cut site. The mother's bulb is planted with the bottom up, put in a cool place. Children are growing up. Large bulbs are planted in a permanent place. Small specimens can be planted in a separate container.
Muscari is growing rapidly.The easiest way is to propagate the plant by dividing the bush and, in accordance with the requirements of the correct planting, transfer the flower to the right place.
Planting a plant
Before you start planting muscari, you need to choose the best site. The advantage of the plant is that it blooms when the other plants do not even have blossoming foliage yet. For this reason, it is not necessary for a muscari to choose a place with good lighting, because he will have enough light even near trees.
It's important to know! The flower is suitable for fertile, loose soil, which perfectly permeates moisture and air. The acid content should be minimal, otherwise liming should be used
Muscari clay soil is not suitable. Bulb growth is largely accelerated in fertile soil, flavored with humus or compost. In addition, the resulting flowers will be bright and large. If you carry out regular feeding, muscari can grow in one place for at least a decade without a transplant.
The acid content should be kept to a minimum, otherwise liming should be used. Muscari clay soil is not suitable. Bulb growth is largely accelerated in fertile soil, flavored with humus or compost. In addition, the resulting flowers will be bright and large. If you carry out regular feeding, muscari can grow in one place for at least a decade without a transplant.
Blue muscari flowers with white border close-up
Seed planting
If you plan to plant a plant using seeds, then the material is sown immediately after it has been harvested. It should be understood that reproduction in this way is not suitable for every variety. The resulting plants will not carry varietal traits. Within a year, seed germination will be significantly reduced.
Seed material is sown directly into open ground. The depth of the hole for planting should be no more than 2 cm. In winter, the planting will undergo stratification in natural conditions, and in the spring the first shoots will appear. Within a few months, a bulb will form and greens will grow. Flowering can only be expected in the second or third year of planting.
Planting seedlings
Planting muscari with bulbs is the preferred breeding option. When the soil is well prepared, you can start planting. The work should be completed no later than the end of October, before frosts come. In this case, the bulb will have time to take root well and get stronger.
Before planting, the bulbs are left in a room with cool air, which does not exceed +9 ℃. In the future, it will be easier for the bulb to adapt to the new place. Immediately before planting, the material should be soaked in a medium-strength manganese solution for an hour. Immediately afterwards, the bulbs can be safely placed in the soil.
Due to the small size of the bulbs, it is better to plant them in a trench, the depth of which will be no more than 8 cm. Experienced gardeners cover the bottom of such a trench with a layer of river sand 2 cm thick.This creates good drainage and protection against many pathogenic bacteria. The distance between landings should be at least 7 cm
During the planting period, it is important that the earth warms up to +18 ℃
