Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that angels scatter these blue flowers over the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky.
Besides, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, in all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial of devotion and fidelity as garden forget-me-not.
Legends and beliefs
In many European countries in ancient times, the forget-me-not was honored as a special plant, and even holidays were held in its honor. In Russia, this flower was also called prigozhnitsa, feverish and witchcraft grass. Our ancestors believed that if you put a wreath of forget-me-nots on your beloved, then he will bewitch him stronger than any witchcraft.funds.
In Germany, there is still a widespread belief that the garden forget-me-not can open a treasure, and also help find out the name of the betrothed. Blacksmiths of many countries believed that steel, hardened in the juice of this fragile plant, became stronger and lighter, and the blade from it could cut iron.
Botanical characteristic
Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in the temperate climates of Europe and America, Asia and South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants that prefer moist and shady places. The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-seeding, rather strong seedlings are obtained, capable of overwintering in our winters.
Garden Species
Despite the great species diversity and many different modern varieties,in floriculture and ornamental gardening, the following forget-me-nots are most often used:
- marsh (Myosotis palustris);
- forest (M. caespitosa);
- alpine (M. alpestris);
- spread flower (M. dissitiflora);
- alpine garden (M. x hybrida hort).
In gardens, the most common cultural form is the alpine garden forget-me-not.
Based on it and the species listed above, various hybrids have been created today and many varieties have been bred that differ from each other not only in the color of the petals.
Popular varieties
Today, garden forget-me-nots with flowers painted in various shades of pink are popular:
- Victoria Rose.
- Rosilve.
- Carmen King.
- Pink dawn.
- Hope.
Blue and blue garden forget-me-nots are always in demand, the cultivation of which is exactly the same as for flowers of a different color.
Dark blue varieties such as Blue King, Indigo, Blue Basket, Ultramarine are quite widespread. Fans of sky blue and light blue will be pleased with such varieties of garden forget-me-not as Music, Blue Dali, Compinidi, Miro, Victoria, Pompadour.
Choosing a place
A plant like garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. A flower can grow in the sun, but most fully itsHe shows decorative qualities precisely in partial shade. Do not plant forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.
Beautiful garden forget-me-not: planting and care
This delicate flower can be propagated in a variety of ways. You can sow seeds directly in open ground or grow seedlings, divide the formed bush. In the case of especially rare varietal specimens, propagation by cuttings is possible.
The most easily accessible way that the garden forget-me-not reproduces is growing from seeds directly in the open field.
Carry out such a planting on warm and dry days of June or July, having previously prepared the soil on the site: dig up the soil, apply 1 m2 humus mixed with peat. Then the topsoil is dug up again, leveled and well spilled with water. After that, shallow furrows are made in the soil, where tiny forget-me-not seeds are sown. From above they are sprinkled with fine river sand and gently compacted. Landings are covered with non-woven covering material or film and left for two weeks. Depending on temperature and other external factors, seedlings appear, as a rule, this occurs after 14 days. They are opened and thinned out.
In the first year, the plants will form only a rosette of leaves, but they will bloom in the second year after planting.
Reproduction through seedlings
Usually growinggarden forget-me-not through seedlings is carried out for annual varieties, such as, for example, Mon Ami Blue. Seeds are sown superficially in pre-prepared containers with well-moistened soil in late March - early April. For seedlings, a special soil mixture is made, consisting of fine river sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 2. Before germination, containers with seeds, covered with glass or polyethylene, are kept at a temperature of +20… +23 0С, and after five days it is lowered to +18… +20 0С. All this time, the seedlings should be well lit.
After the appearance of sprouts, you can fertilize with weak solutions of mineral fertilizers and water as the topsoil dries up. In May, seedlings, often already with buds, are planted in open ground, covering them for the first time both from the burning sun and from recurrent frosts. By the end of July, the plants will have withered and their seeds will ripen.
Creating conditions
After the plant has been planted in a permanent place, it needs to be provided with moderate regular watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. When watering, you should try not to get water on the plant itself, but direct the jet closer to the roots.
The first top dressing is carried out before flowering, approximately 14 days after planting the plant in a permanent place. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers dissolved in water according to the instructions are suitable. In autumn, they bring into the soil under forget-me-nots asorganic and mineral fertilizers, and in the spring a small, about 5 cm, layer of peat-humus mixture or well-rotted compost mixed with garden soil is poured under the bushes. It is important to remember that garden forget-me-not is quite aggressive and spreads quickly by self-seeding. To prevent this, you should immediately remove faded branches, thereby preventing the setting of seeds and their further unauthorized "movement" in your area.
