Mirabilis is a stunningly beautiful plant that requires special care, and therefore perfect even for beginner growers. The minimum investment of time and effort will allow you to grow this attractive tropical plant right on your site. In this article, you will learn everything about the care and planting of a mirabilis flower, a photo of which is unlikely to leave you indifferent. A variety of colors and the ability to self-pollinate make this plant very popular.
Description
Mirabilis flowers came to us from the countries of South America. The name means "wonderful" in Latin. The main feature of this plant is its flowering period, which begins only after sunset. That is why among the people these flowers have a second name - "night beauty". The perennial plant prefers the mild climate of warm regions. However, there are not many cities in our country with constantly warm weather. And since the most tenderthe root system sometimes freezes through, the plant is most often grown as an annual.
As you can see in the photo of Mirabilis flowers, they are cup-shaped. The color of the petals is very diverse - snow-white, yellow, delicate pink, purple and others. The height of the plant reaches 70-80 centimeters, and at least 15 seeds can be collected from one gram of ripe fruits. Mirabilis flowers have a rather strong fragrance, so people who cannot tolerate suffocating odors should not plant them near the house.
Types and varieties
Today, there are more than sixty varieties of this plant, but only two have taken root in our country.
Mirabilis Jalapa is the most common variety among both beginners and experienced growers. They love this variety for a combination of unpretentiousness and excellent decorative qualities. The spreading bush reaches a height of about a meter. The leaves of this variety of mirabilis are small in size, oblong in shape and have a rich green tint. The long flowering period ends in mid-autumn. A variety of flower colors (white, pink, red, purple and yellow) makes Mirabilis the most sought after among other varieties.
Mirabilis longiflorum has a bush height of almost one and a half meters. A distinctive feature of this variety is a denser branching and sticky surface of the leaves. The color of the flowers is exclusively white.
Lighting and temperature
The best temperature for growing these flowers is the limit from +18 ° C to +20°C. The plant is able to withstand a temperature drop of 10-12 degrees for a short time. But still we advise you to adhere to the indicated temperatures. In winter, these indicators should not be lower than 15 ° С.
Mirabilis flowers are considered warm and light-loving. The most pleasant to them is diffused and soft light, but it is better to protect the plant from exposure to direct sunlight. In the case of growing at home, artificial lighting is quite acceptable. When planting flowers in open ground, it is worth remembering that it will be much more difficult to achieve flowering in a shaded area.
Soil selection
In order to achieve the same lush and bright flowering as in the photo of Mirabilis flowers, it is important to choose and prepare the soil mixture correctly. The preparation of the substrate is carried out immediately before planting the plant in open ground. The optimal nutrient composition for mirabilis flowers should include:
- two pieces of decomposed peat;
- two parts of sod land with a small amount of clay;
- one part river sand;
- one piece of fine brick crumbs;
- half of dolomite flour.
You should not plant a plant in lowlands and swampy areas, because in such areas moisture stagnation is detrimental to the plant.
Mirabilis flower planting dates
Growing this plant will not take you much time and effort, because it is quite unpretentious. However, it is important to choose the right place and time of landing. With the seed method of cultivation, the sowing procedurebegins not earlier than April, when the soil warms up enough. And first, Mirabilis flowers are sown in a warm greenhouse. Transplantation of strengthened sprouts is carried out at the end of May. These terms are relevant for the southern regions with a warm climate. For mid-latitudes, you should shift them a month ahead.
Soil preparation
For the care and planting of Mirabilis flowers, prepared soil is required. Soil preparation begins in the fall, just before sowing, only a little wood ash is added to the ground. Before planting the plant in open ground, loosen the area for planting well. Even small weeds must be removed immediately, as their presence significantly interferes with the growth and development of cultivated plants. To fertilize the soil, it is important to make certain top dressings.
A third of a bucket of compost (necessarily rotted) and a tablespoon of a mineral preparation are introduced into the hole for planting mirabilis flowers. Preference is given to these particular fertilizers because of their naturalness, since chemicals adversely affect the growth of young shoots.
Features of seed reproduction
This method is considered the most effective and used among experienced gardeners. Mirabilis flower seeds retain their germination capacity for five years. Sowing seeds in the ground is carried out in April. But for those who live in cold regions, it is preferable to sow seeds in May, as earlier sowing threatens to freeze them. And during a cold summer, the plant does not alwayshas time to bloom.
Before planting, carefully prepare the seeds. To speed up the germination process, they need to be soaked, after having been treated with a manganese solution. The treated seeds are placed on wet cotton pads and covered. Containers with planting material are placed in the refrigerator for several hours.
After germination, the seeds are planted in containers with soil. Pots for planting should be equipped with good drainage. Before this, the soil for planting is slightly moistened and treated with a fungicide. It is not necessary to deepen the seeds - just lightly sprinkle them with a layer of soil. No more than two seeds are planted in one pot for seedlings of a small size. Watering the seedlings is carried out carefully, along the edges of the container, so that the seeds do not float to the surface. After that, the landings are covered with a film and placed in a warm and well-lit room.
Seedlings are periodically watered and fed before transplanting into open ground. It is also important to carry out regular hardening for two weeks before transplanting. To do this, containers with seedlings are taken outside so that the plant gradually adapts to new conditions.
Sowing pattern
After preparing the soil and planting material, you can proceed to planting mirabilis flowers. The photo of the night beauty clearly illustrates the density and splendor of a flowering bush. Due to the increased spreading of large flowers, planting holes must be dug at a distance of at least 45 centimeters from each other. If the acidity of the soil is too highimmediately before planting, wood ash or dolomite flour is added to it. The first few nights after transplanting seedlings into open ground, it is necessary to cover the plant in order to protect it from the cold.
Care
The main requirements for planting and caring for Mirabilis flowers are soil moisture. Despite the relative resistance to drought, the plant needs abundant and regular watering. Lack of moisture leads to cessation of growth and the absence of an ovary. Due to too dry soil, buds stop forming, and it makes no sense to grow a night beauty - a mirabilis flower. In order to prevent the soil from drying out in the hot summer, watering is carried out every other day. Under normal weather conditions, a weekly application of water is sufficient.
Mirabilis night flowers necessarily require fertilization into the soil. Regular feeding is the key to lush and long flowering. During the summer, the plant is fertilized at least three times, with preference given to mineral supplements. If there is no desire to use chemicals, then it is quite acceptable to fertilize the soil with organic matter - mullein, compost or bird droppings. Fertilizers are applied to the root zone.
Some flower growers feed Mirabili flowers with Humate tincture. An important point when choosing fertilizers is the amount of nitrogenous compounds in the preparation. Too much nitrogen encourages green growth and significantly slows down the flowering process. Potassium and superphosphate supplements are considered the most effective.
Bduring the cultivation process, it is important to periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner.
Cutting
To maintain an attractive appearance and maintain decorative qualities, the plant requires some care. Mirabilis flower is quite wide and grows high. Annual pruning helps to form a neat crown. This procedure is carried out after the end of the first frost. Lignified branches are cut at an angle with a sharp knife. Removing old branches stimulates the growth of new shoots.
The plant may not be pruned, since the general condition does not depend on this procedure. Pruning is carried out mainly to form the crown and enhance the growth of young shoots. Removing faded buds is important to prevent spontaneous seeding.
Other breeding methods
Cuttings, as a method of propagation, are considered ineffective and require too much effort and attention. To do this, use semi-lignified branches, which are cut into cuttings and placed in a growth stimulant solution, such as "Heteroauxin" or "Kornevin". Before planting in the ground, the places of cuts are slightly dried. After that, the cuttings are planted in prepared nutrient soil.
To speed up the germination process, the lower part of the soil is heated to a temperature of +24 °C. Two to three weeks after planting, the mirabilis flower takes root well and its shoots need care. The plant is kept in a room with an air temperature of at least +24 ° C and the soil is constantly moistened. After final rootingcuttings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place, provided there is no night frost.
Cultivation of the Mirabilis flower is also possible from tubers. This method is less used, since it does not give 100% confidence in seedlings - during winter storage, many tubers simply die. To propagate mirabilis in this way, the largest and he althiest specimens are selected, which must be germinated before planting.
Dug out tubers are placed in sawdust or sand. The container with planting material is placed in a dry and dark room with an air temperature of +5 ° C. In such conditions, they are kept until the next sowing season. Before planting, the tubers are wrapped in a damp towel and kept in a warm room until roots appear.
Fight disease
In general, Mirabilis flowers are considered a plant with high immunity and resistance to many diseases. But with improper care, infection of the leaves of the plant with rust is possible. You can recognize this disease by brown and red spots. In case of infection, the affected parts of the plant are immediately removed and subject to destruction, and the bush itself is sprayed with a solution of "Fundazol" or another fungicidal preparation.
Due to the high humidity of the soil, rotting of the roots often occurs. In this case, the bush is completely dug up and destroyed, and the soil on the site is treated with disinfectants.
