Red fescue - the best ornamental plant for the site
Red fescue is a perennial herb. Due to its rather attractive appearance, this plant is used to decorate a variety of flower beds and lawns. Very often it is sown on sports grounds, in front of administrative and office buildings, in private sectors, etc.
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Plant features
This herb has a sufficiently developed root structure that allows it to germinate for several years in a row.
Attractiveness to external the sight of any lawn will give the fescue a dark green color:
- The width of the leaves reaches 1-2 millimeters, which gives the plant fluffiness.
- The edges of the leaves are characterized by roughness.
- Red fescue develops after winter species.
- This plant is characterized by the presence of erect, bare and smooth leaves, the height of which ranges from 30 to 100 centimeters.
- The grass blooms in the summer, throwing out a panicle inflorescence, the length of which is no more than 10 centimeters.
- Fescue seeds are characterized by their oblong shape. Their length can range from 5 to 7 millimeters.
- This plant is characterized by a high degree of environmental sustainability.
For red fescue is characteristic increased level of frost resistance and drought resistance. If in winter there is a certain amount of water on the lawn, it does not matter. This plant will easily tolerate excess moisture. Red fescue does not require special care. It is an undemanding plant that provides additional convenience to the gardener.
Fescue propagation
Reproduction of this plant is carried out in a natural vegetative way. Before planting red fescue, you must pick the right soil... This plant can not germinate in virtually any soil. But if you choose a soil that is characterized by air permeability, lightness, and low nutritional value, then the grass will grow much faster.
The soil for this plant must be well-drained.
There are three most effective ways to propagate red fescue:
- Seeds.
- By dividing the bush.
- From seedlings.
Fescue seeds can be found at any store, or harvested from an adult plant. Seeds can be sown at different times. This action is carried out either in late autumn, or in late April - early May, when the weather improves and becomes warm. If the sowing of seeds is carried out in the fall, then it will sprout much faster and already in the month of May you can have an excellent fluffy lawn. Planting seeds must be done in nests, which should be located no closer to each other than 20 centimeters. To plant seeds, it is necessary to form a small hole, sow the seeds and cover them with earth on top.
In order to grow red fescue in a seedling way, in early spring (at the end of March) in small boxes:
- A light substrate is used as a soil for planting seeds.
- It is necessary to sow seeds on top of the ground.
- You do not need to sprinkle seeds on top of it.
- The specific shape of the seeds allows them to stick into the ground with their sharp tips on their own.
- Watering crops must be carried out regularly with settled water. The seed box is placed in a dark and cool place.
- After the crops have risen, it must be moved to a bright place.
- In order to avoid pulling out the sprouts, it is necessary that the box is located in a cool place.
- After the seedlings grow up and two leaves appear on the shoots, you can plant it in the ground.
- It is necessary to plant seedlings in bunches.
- The distance between the beams should be no more than 20 centimeters.
- If the seeds are planted in mid-March, then the seedlings can be planted as early as May.
To make planting a plant by dividing a bush absolutely does not require time. This procedure is performed in early spring, when the weather becomes stably warm. To do this, you need to completely dig up the red fescue bush and divide it into several pieces. Next, you need to dig holes at a distance of 20 centimeters from each other and plant a plant in them.
Red fescue takes root very well. Therefore, any method of planting it is quite productive.
Plant care
Red fescue is a rather unpretentious plant. But proper care for it will ensure excellent growth of the bush. Best of all, this plant ripens in open, sunny places.
If red fescue is planted in a dark place, then it may lose its dark green color.
Fescue blooms in June. During this period, the plant throws out peduncles-ears, which take a lot of strength from the bush and significantly reduce its volume. That is why peduncles must be removed. Red fescue is of mountain-alpine origin, which requires planting it in well-drained soil. It is necessary to plant this plant only when it reaches the age of three. Otherwise, red fescue may not tolerate transplanting and dry out.
Red fescue is very resistant to frost and can easily endure winter.
Therefore, it is not required to cover it. The leaves of this plant can freeze out at very low temperatures, but in the spring-summer period they are able to fully recover. At the beginning of early spring, red fescue must be cleared. For this, a sparse-toothed rake is used, with the help of which the plant is cleared of dry and dead leaves. Red fescue does not require special care, which greatly facilitates the work of gardeners.
Diseases of red fescue
Red fescue is quite resistant to a variety of plants. But still, sometimes powdery mildew or rust can be observed on it.
Causative agents powdery mildew are powdery mildew mushrooms that carry a great danger to red fescue.
- This disease is characterized by the presence of small mealy spots on the leaves of plants.
- Over time, their size increases significantly and becomes gray or purple in color.
- Plaque can be on one or both sides of the leaf, as a result of which it dries up.
- If the disease of red fescue was noticed in the first stages, then it is necessary to remove them.
- Also, this plant must be sprayed with special preparations, which include potassium permanganate, copper oxychloride, a mixture of soda ash and soap.
- Spraying must be done every 5-7 days. In order to prevent this disease, plants are sprayed 3-4 times in the summer.
- Sulfur is used as a raw material for spraying, which must be diluted with water or sprinkled dry on the plant.
Rust is a very dangerous disease of red fescue.
- It is characterized by the appearance of small specks of orange or rusty color on the leaves.
- These spots are constantly growing, leading the leaf of the plant to death.
- The fight against this disease is quite simple.
- Initially, it is necessary to remove absolutely all affected areas from the plant.
- Further, the fescue is sprayed with red fugicides.
These diseases are very rare in red fescue. But still they do happen.
The gardener must always be ready to deal with them.
Red fescue is a versatile plant that is characterized by a very attractive and aesthetic appearance and does not require special care. That is why this plant is widely used for landscape design.
More information can be found in the video.