Platycodon in the garden and at home

DESCRIPTION OF CALADIUM

Caladium is a perennial herb with arrow-shaped leaves, large and juicy. The veined leaves are the most delicious thing about this plant! The leaves grow from the very root, but the plant has no stem. In nature, caladium grows up to five meters, and the width of its leaf plates reaches thirty and even fifty centimeters.

The leaf plate of most species has a double color. The most common colors are magenta, white, yellow, green, red. There are shades of silver, pink, beige and others (except, perhaps, blue and light blue).

It is the shape of the leaves that is the reason why the people call the Caladium "elephant ears", "angel wings" and even "Christ's heart". Flowers appear on it in summer, outwardly resemble nondescript lilies. Unisexual, have no perianth, collected on the cob, surrounded by a white veil. The fruit of the plant is a broom with berries.

CALADIUM CARE

The dormant period for Caladium begins in November and lasts until the end of winter. During this period, the tubers of the plant should be stored in a pot, in a dark room, the temperature in which does not rise above 13-16 ° C (although many argue that the tubers are perfectly preserved at a temperature of 18-20 ° C). For this, a pantry or even a place under the bed is suitable. If the soil is too dry, the plant can be lightly sprayed.

With the onset of spring, the first shoots appear on the tubers. Now the plant needs to be removed from the pot, carefully cleaned of last year's roots and planted in a small pot (7.5-9 cm). As for the soil, it is best to mix turf soil with peat, humus and sand (proportion 1: 1: 1: 0.5). If possible, add bone meal and sphagnum, and then put the pot in the light at room temperature (from 23 to 25 ° C).

The first time should be watered sparingly, and after good roots have formed, abundantly. During the growing season, the plant needs to be fed

It is very important to monitor the humidity of the air and do not forget that the caladium is a tropical plant, and therefore loves high humidity. When the caladium grows up, it should be transferred to a larger pot.

When is the best time to do this procedure, the plant itself will tell you. How? Roots will emerge from the drainage hole. So that the leaves do not turn pale, the flower pot should be placed in a bright place, but the sun's rays should not fall on it. The more light around a flower, the brighter the color of its leaves. By the fall, the Caladium is watered less often, in November they completely stop watering and, finally, they take the plant to rest. This flower can multiply both by seeds and vegetatively.

When the caladium grows up, it should be transferred to a larger pot. When is the best time to do this procedure, the plant itself will tell you. How? Roots will emerge from the drainage hole. So that the leaves do not turn pale, the flower pot should be placed in a bright place, but the sun's rays should not fall on it. The more light around a flower, the brighter the color of its leaves. By the fall, the Caladium is watered less often, in November they completely stop watering and, finally, they take the plant to rest. This flower can multiply both by seeds and vegetatively.

Caladium is a plant that can decorate any home. He, like a magnet, attracts admiring glances. However, the juice of this beautiful plant is poisonous. Most often it causes allergies, but sometimes it causes a sore throat, swelling of the tongue and, as a result, respiratory arrest. Therefore, where there are small children or pets, you need to be especially careful with this beautiful, but unsafe plant for health.Even an adult caring for Caladium should take safety precautions. It is better to take the plant in your hands with gloves.

If you follow the rules for caring for a flower, it will certainly reward its owner for patience and work with elegant caps of leaves of a unique color!

Growing digitalis through seedlings

Foxglove can be sown not only in the soil, but also for seedlings. This method allows you to control the conditions for seed germination and preserve young plants, providing them with an optimal dive. There is nothing complicated in the seedling method, but it is used less often than sowing directly into the soil.

Sowing foxglove seeds

Unlike sowing into the soil, it is necessary to sow foxglove seeds for seedlings at the beginning of spring - in the first or second decade of March.

Sowing technique foxglove:

1. The containers are filled with soil, carefully leveled.
2. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle.
3. Seeds are scattered (as rarely as possible) over the surface of the substrate, trying to avoid dense sowing.
4. From above, the seeds are carefully sprinkled with sand or sifted substrate, creating the thinnest possible layer.
5. The containers are covered with foil or glass.

Conditions for germination of foxglove seeds

In order for friendly shoots to appear in 2-3 weeks, it is enough for the foxglove to provide a bright place and room temperatures. For digitalis, diffused lighting with protection from direct sunlight is preferable. Airing is carried out daily, the soil is moistened as needed.

Seedling foxglove. Deborah RusticPumpkin

Growing plants

Until the foxglove seedlings form the first pair of leaves, the soil is gently moistened, maintaining light moisture. The glass or film is removed immediately after germination. Lighting and temperatures remain the same.

Diving seedlings and caring for young foxgloves

The pick is carried out as soon as two or three true leaves are formed. The plant is transferred into large boxes with a distance of 5-7 cm between shoots or into individual containers.

For digitalis seedlings, systemic irrigation is carried out, maintaining light soil moisture. If the soil is compacted, it is gently loosened. Seedlings should be kept in bright, but diffused lighting and protected from sudden temperature changes.

Hardening of foxglove seedlings

For digitalis, it is better to harden within 1 - 2 weeks, gradually increasing the time of its stay in the fresh air.

Foxglove seedlings transplanted into a separate pot

Reproduction methods

Cannes are propagated by seed and vegetative methods. However, the first option is rarely used, since it does not guarantee that new plants will retain their main varietal qualities.

Growing seedlings from seeds

Sowing cannes in open ground is generally acceptable for regions with a warm climate. In the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals, the plant is recommended to be grown in seedlings.

Canna seeds are covered with a hard shell, through which it is difficult for the sprout to break through, so they are processed before sowing. They do it in different ways:

slightly destroy the surface of the seed by rubbing it on a piece of sandpaper

Do this carefully so as not to damage the plant embryo; the seeds are placed in a refrigerator or wrapped in a cloth and buried in the snow for 2-3 hours. Then they are soaked in warm water for a day; put the seeds in a strainer and pour boiling water over them

During this procedure, a characteristic crackle of a bursting shell will be heard; keep the moistened seeds on a hot battery for 12-15 hours.

Cannes can be grown from seeds, but it is much easier to do this by dividing the rhizome.

After processing, the seeds are placed in seedling boxes or separate pots filled with a loose, nutritious composition. The seeding depth is 1.5–2 cm. Peat tablets or pots are ideal for sowing. The containers are installed in a bright, warm place. During germination, the soil is kept in a moist state, preventing stagnation of water. You do not need to cover the seedling boxes or pots with foil.

The first cannes sprouts appear 25-30 days after sowing. If the seedlings are in a common box, in the phase of the formation of the first leaf, they are picked into cups or pots. The growing temperature during this period is reduced to 19–20 degrees so that the seedlings do not stretch out. Two weeks before planting in the ground, the seedlings are hardened by exposing them to an open balcony or street in a place protected from the sun and wind. The first walk lasts 15–20 minutes, then the time is gradually increased.

Rhizome division

The procedure for reproduction of canna by dividing the rhizome is carried out before the start of active growth of the kidneys. This method allows you to get a large number of flowering plants by mid-summer. The process consists of the following steps:

1. At the beginning of March, the rhizome with a sharp knife is divided into small fragments so that each one has 1 developed kidney and 2-3 small, outlined ones.
2. Places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
3. Each piece is planted horizontally in a pot filled with a mixture of soil, peat and sand in equal amounts. In this case, a developed kidney should look up.
4. The pots are placed in a bright place. Germination temperature - 22-24 degrees.

For the formation of a developed root system, the first inflorescences on young plants are recommended to be removed.

Cannes can be germinated in pots on a windowsill

How to plant?

As we have already mentioned, most Drummond phlox varieties prefer illuminated areas, in partial shade they wither and do not bloom. That is why this crop should be planted in open areas. You should not be afraid of direct ultraviolet rays - these flowers are quite resistant to drought, but what they do not tolerate is stagnation of moisture. With excessive moisture, the roots rot and the plant quickly dies. The crop grows best on nutritious fertile land. In fertilized soil, the inflorescences are larger, and their flowering lasts much longer.

The easiest way is to purchase already grown seedlings of this or that plant for seedlings, and then transplant them to a permanent place on your site. But Drummond phloxes are suitable for seed reproduction, in which case you just need to have a little patience. If you decide to get Drummond phlox from seeds, you need to know about the intricacies of this process.

Planting is best done in the first half of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed. However, these plants are highly frost-resistant, so planting can be done at the end of autumn. With prolonged warming, the seeds can grow ahead of time, then subsequent frosts will immediately destroy the seed material. That is why planting seeds in November can be carried out only when the probability of warming is completely excluded.

If you do not trust the forecasts of the hydrometeorological center, you can use folk signs. For example, after the last leaf flies off the cherry, the heat will no longer return. If, nevertheless, an unexpected warming has occurred, you need to cover the planting area with agrofibre or any other covering material as soon as possible - it will not allow the soil to thaw under the rays of the still warming sun.

In areas with warm winters, Drummond phloxes can be planted even in winter in December or early January. To do this, you will need to stock up on black soil and leave it in a relatively warm place. When snowfalls begin in winter and the snow finally covers the ground, you need to trample the site for planting, pour out the prepared soil, scatter the seeds and cover them with snow.

When exactly to plant phlox - in spring or autumn, it is the business of every grower. In any case, if you intend to achieve abundant and long flowering in the current season and at the same time minimize the risk of freezing, spring planting is preferable. To do this, light grooves should be made in a pre-prepared area and moistened abundantly, then leave so that the moisture is completely absorbed.2-3 seeds are planted in one hole, 12-15 cm of space are left between the holes. If all the seedlings germinate at once, do not worry - you can always pinch the weakest ones later.

After a couple of weeks, the first shoots appear, until this moment it is best to cover the planting area with agrofibre - this way you can maintain the required level of moisture. After germination, the soil should be carefully loosened and fertilized. To begin with, nitrogen compounds are needed, and then complex solutions are introduced at intervals of two weeks. In this case, flowering will begin no earlier than the first decade of July and will last almost until the end of autumn.

For autumn planting, seedlings are placed in the substrate in October or November. If there is already a layer of snow, it must first be removed, and then the seeds must be poured directly onto the frozen soil so that the distance between them is 4-6 cm. The planting material must be covered with leaves with mulch and covered with snow.

For beginner growers, it is best to grow phlox by seedling method. For this, in March, seeds are planted in boxes or containers. They will need to be kept in a heated room, where the temperature is kept at around 15 degrees, and the humidity is consistently high. Under these conditions, sprouts appear 7-14 days after planting. Then you need to ensure a stable-moderate moisture of the substrate, otherwise there is a high risk of rot on the roots and death of seedlings. After 3 weeks, young shoots can be dived or transplanted into peat pots, several pieces at a time.

The planting material will need to be fertilized three times at intervals of 10 days, then reduce watering. In order for the bush to grow as magnificently as possible, the seedlings at the stage of 5-6 leaves are pinched, and in May they are moved to a permanent site.

7.Healing properties

Platicodon rhizomes contain many useful substances - saponins, calcium, phosphorus and iron, B vitamins, protein and insulin.

Interestingly, in Korea, the roots are considered edible and eaten. They are used to prepare hot dishes and put in various salads.

Since their taste is bitter, the plants need special processing before use. Rhizomes of adult bushes are dug up, shaken off the ground and washed with plenty of running water and cleaned. To remove bitterness, sprinkle the roots with salt and keep it that way for several hours.

7.1 Application in medicine

It is believed that taking drugs based on the rhizomes of this flower helps to relieve coughing - Platycodone has an expectorant effect, thinning and removing phlegm from the upper respiratory tract. Plants also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Green mass is not used for medicinal purposes - the shoots and leaves contain toxic substances and, if ingested, they can cause symptoms of poisoning.

9. Varieties and types of platycodon:

9.1 Platicodon Astra Blue-semi-double

Abundantly and long-blooming perennials, the main distinguishing feature of which is the presence of 2 rows of petals. The flowers are blue, up to 8 cm in diameter and open in June. The flowering period can cover all summer months. A characteristic feature of the variety is also the fact that even in adult form, the plants remain compact and often do not exceed 30 cm in height.

9.2 Platicodon Fiji

A compact perennial herb up to 50 cm high. The flowers are blue, up to 6 cm in diameter and bloom in the summer months. The buds can be arranged either singly or be collected in small inflorescences.

9.3 Platycodon grandiflorum Rose florist

This attractive bush reaches a height of 50 - 70 cm and is distinguished by the presence of wide-open bell-shaped buds of a delicate pink hue. Flowers are solitary, up to 8 cm in diameter and open in June.

9.4 Platicodon Astra White

A compact and profusely blooming perennial with bright white, often drooping bell-shaped flowers. The buds are arranged singly and are distinguished by characteristic thin blue strokes - veins on the surface of pointed petals. Plants reach a height of 25 cm and are distinguished by early flowering. The first flowers can open at the end of spring.

9.5 Platicodon grandiflorum Komachi

Blooming perennials from 30 to 45 cm high with violet-blue flowers up to 8 cm in diameter. Buds consist of 5 pointed petals and are formed in June-August.

9.6 Platicodon Mariesii blue

Tall variety - bushes can reach a height of 90 cm.This herbaceous perennial forms upright burgundy shoots, on which are located green lanceolate leaves jagged along the edge. During the flowering period, which can already come at the end of spring, the plants adorn themselves with buds painted in a rich blue hue.

9.7 Platycodon grandiflorus Shell Pink

Large-flowered platycodon up to 60 - 80 cm high with wide-open, delicate, star-shaped pink flowers. On the pointed petals there are darker pink veins, the buds reach 6 - 8 cm in diameter. The flowering period begins in summer.

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Features of growing zinnia - when to plant, and how to care (video instruction)

And growing zinnia from seeds is such a simple process that many gardeners fell in love with it. For those who are not yet familiar with these flowers and do not know how to grow it from seeds, we dedicate this article.

Description of the plant

Zinnia belongs to annuals, which are grown from seeds. Due to its rapid growth, with the help of zinnias, you can give the garden more brightness from the beginning of summer until the arrival of autumn.

The seeds of this flower culture are quite large. Therefore, growing charming zinnia from seeds will turn into a fascinating process, because working with it is very simple. From the date of planting of seedlings, it will take only 2-2.5 months when the buds will bloom and the plants will bloom. How you can achieve these results can be found in more detail below. We offer photos of flowers and a step-by-step description of the planting process and cultivation.

Magnificent zinnia is capable of growing, reaching gigantic sizes (for example, like the California giant variety), and maybe dwarf bushes, representatives of the Lilliputian form (pictured).

Choosing a place for plants

In terms of soil for growing zinnia in a personal plot, fertile and loose soil is suitable. An important quality that the soil should have is drainage. Since zinnia does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the soil, you can add sand when planting. Thus, it will be possible to "dilute" the soil and avoid stagnation of water after irrigation or rain.

You can grow zinnia on the site using seeds in one of the following ways:

• sowing seeds at home for seedlings;
• sowing seedlings directly to the garden bed under the open sky.

Sowing for seedlings

Individual deep pots can be used for planting seedlings, which are filled with a light and loose substrate.

The seedlings of this flower culture are quite large in size. Therefore, they must be buried in the soil to a depth of about 1 cm. At the same time, additional covering of containers with a film to create a greenhouse effect is not required. You can see the first shoots in about 5-7 days. They will be the same as in the photo.

Further, it is not difficult to care for the seedlings. It will be enough for seedlings to fertilize a couple of times. Also, until the zinnia sprouts are transplanted to the garden, they must be hardened, periodically taking them out into fresh air, gradually increasing the intervals. The grown sprouts need to pinch the tops. This way you can achieve the formation of a more beautiful bush.

Zinnia does not belong to frost-resistant plants, and therefore, it is possible to plant seedlings grown at home from seeds only when the earth is sufficiently warmed up.As a rule, seedlings can be transplanted to the garden bed at the end of May. The scheme for planting seedlings: 30-35 cm between plants and about the same in the aisles.

Sowing directly to the garden

The holes for the seeds are prepared 5 cm deep. You can place several seedlings in one hole. With the correct planting time, the first shoots will appear on the surface of the soil after a week. If necessary, it will be possible to thin out the sprouts, leaving about 30 cm between them in order to grow full-fledged flowers. It is recommended to cover seedlings with special material so that possible frosts do not damage the crops.

Caring for seedlings growing in the garden is also not difficult. The main thing is to moderately water the soil and feed the plants using complex fertilizers.

Often, flower growers use this particular option for planting zinnia seeds, since growing it in this way is much easier than using the seedling method.

Even in spite of the fact that seedlings begin to bloom in the garden much later than the planted seedlings. So, for example, when planting seedlings at the end of May, zinnia flowers will bloom in June, and seedlings planted in a flowerbed in May will delight with flowering at the end of July.

You can get acquainted with the process describing the cultivation of zinnia by watching the video.

How to collect planting material

The seed pods should be carefully cut from the stem using sharp scissors. Dry seeds should be removed onto a sheet of paper, which can later be used as an envelope for storing seeds until next spring.

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Types and varieties of nasturtium with photos and names

Naturally growing nasturtium is a perennial plant. However, in mid-latitude gardens, this flower can only be grown as an annual because it cannot survive the winter outdoors. The most popular among gardeners are the cultivated types of nasturtium, which will be described below.

Foreign nasturtium, or Canary

The homeland of this vine is South America. The length of greenish shoots can reach 3.5 m, while they braid trellises and arbors relatively quickly. Flowering begins in mid-summer and ends with the onset of frost. Small flowers of deep yellow color have corrugated petals, as well as green spurs. Small leaf plates can be five- or seven-part. In middle latitudes, the seeds do not have time to ripen.

Large nasturtium

Fragile bare shoots are strongly branched, they can have a length of about 2.5 m. There are not creeping, but erect varieties, in this case, the height of the shoots can reach 0.7 m. Abundant flowering begins in June, and ends with the onset of frost in the fall. This species reproduces well by self-seeding. The seeds remain viable for 4 years. Large, asymmetrical leaf plates are rounded and thyroid. Their front surface is greenish, and the seamy side is gray. They have long petioles, and the leaves reach 80 mm in diameter. This species has many varieties, among which there are also compact bush forms, for example:

• King Theodore - deep red flowers;
• Peach Melba - there are red spots in the center of cream flowers;
• Salmon Baby - semi-double flowers have a salmon color;
• Ladybug - there are burgundy specks in the middle of the apricot flower.

Cultural nasturtium

This species has combined hybrids of nasturtium large and shield-bearing nasturtium. Densely leafy shoots. The thyroid leaf plates are purple or green in color. In this type, varieties differ in height and shape:

• compact varieties up to half a meter high;
• creeping varieties, the stems of which reach 4 meters in length;
• dwarf varieties, the height of which does not exceed 15–20 centimeters.

Varieties:

• Gleming Mahagani - the height of the bush is about 37 centimeters, the flowers are double red;
• Golden Globe - a spherical bush in height reaches 0.25 m, and in width - 0.4 m, leaf plates are round greenish, double large (about 65 mm in diameter) flowers are painted in yellow-golden color;
• Moonlight - the length of the shoots of this climbing plant is about 2 m, the color of the flowers is yellowish.

Small nasturtium

Thin, branched, grooved shoots are about 0.35 m high. Small thyroid leaf plates are rounded, petioles are thin and very long. Small yellow flowers reach 30 mm in diameter, there are dark spots on the surface, 3 upper petals are velvety and have a sharp edge along the edge, curved spurs have a cylindrical shape. Flowering is observed in June – October. Varieties:

• Cherry rose - the height of the bush is about 0.3 m, the double flowers have a deep red color;
• Black velvet - a bush in height reaches 0.3 m, the color of simple flowers is maroon almost black, in diameter they reach 60 mm, this variety is sometimes called "Black Lady".

Shield-bearing nasturtium

This species is represented by creeping dwarf shrubs. Fragile juicy stems are dark green in color, they reach 4 meters in length. The thyroid leaf plates are dark green in color. The color of the flowers is intense dark red. Flowering is observed in June-October, the seeds have time to ripen. The most popular variety is Lucifer: the height of erect bushes is about 0.25 m, the color of the stems is greenish, large leaf plates of a dark green color have a dark red tint. Simple orange-red flowers reach 60 mm in diameter.

Also, ornamental types of nasturtium are azure, ciliate, multi-leaved, beautiful, tricolor, but they are rarely grown in middle latitudes.