Small periwinkle is a perennial plant with very delicate and beautiful flowers, which is often used to create decorative compositions on the site. Gardeners often combine it with various shrubs and other flowers. To date, about two dozen types of periwinkle are known, each of which has its own distinctive features, but at the same time they all require the same approach when growing.
In this article we will tell you about the care and planting of periwinkle in the open field, we will give a description of this plant and advice on its use for medicinal purposes. So, now about everything in order.
Description
Small periwinkle is an evergreen perennial plant that blooms with a carpet, which is often used to cover flower beds and ridges. The flower fell in love with both experienced landscape designers and novice gardeners, not only for its attractive appearance, but also for its unpretentiousness in care. The succulent green leaves of the plant have a dense structure and a shiny wax coating on the surface.
The five-petal inflorescence is most often pale purple orbluish tint. The small periwinkle plant has a significant advantage over other flowers - due to the high rate of growth and rooting of shoots, it quickly covers the ground, which does not allow weeds to develop. Its creeping stems can be up to a meter long. In the following sections, we will acquaint you in detail with the processes of caring for and planting periwinkle in open ground, which, by the way, is also frost-resistant, which is important in the climate of our country.
Choice of location and soil
It is not without reason that the periwinkle is considered one of the most unpretentious garden plants - it does not impose high requirements on the landing site. Both well-lit by the sun and shaded areas will do. The best place would be partial shade under the crown of a tree. The only thing worth paying attention to is the presence of a small hill in the place reserved for its cultivation. Excess moisture can accumulate in the lowlands, which leads to rotting of the plant.
In order to achieve more lush and abundant flowering, it is worth giving preference to fertile and loose soils, with good drainage and neutral acidity. But in general, the periwinkle small takes root in almost any land.
Features of sowing
It is permissible to plant a small periwinkle both in early spring and in late autumn. One of the important conditions for sowing (both in autumn and spring) is the introduction of a small amount of compost into the depleted soil during digging. And for better development of the root systemjust before planting, apply phosphorus fertilizers to the soil. If your site has heavy soils with a high clay content, then it is better to dilute it with peat, compost or well-rotted manure. These additives will act as a drain, which will greatly improve the penetration of water to the roots of the plant.
For sowing small periwinkle, grooves of small depth are prepared. Sowing seeds is carried out to a depth of about a centimeter, after which they are sprinkled with earth and well spilled with water. If you are going to grow plants to improve the quality of the soil (retaining erosion on the slope), then sow in a checkerboard pattern. In other cases, the distance between landings must be at least 35 centimeters.
Care
As such, constant care of the plant is not required at all. Growing a small periwinkle will definitely not cause you much trouble, because it does not even need to be watered - natural rainfall is quite enough. The only time to monitor soil moisture is during the sprout development stage. If the summer turned out to be very hot and dry, you can water the periwinkle every 1.5-2 weeks.
Removal of weeds, as mentioned above, this plant does not require at all. However, if desired, you can loosen the soil to provide the roots with oxygen, moisture and nutrients. This is especially true of the soil into which peat was introduced. And to enhance growth and development of side shoots, just pinch young stems.
Top dressing is desirable to carry out during the formation of buds and flowering, when the plant becomes weaker. Organics are used as fertilizers. After flowering, prune the bushes to give them a tidy appearance and prevent excessive nutrient consumption before the winter period.
Seed harvesting and propagation
Small periwinkle mainly reproduces by collecting, preparing and sowing seeds. Seeds are collected only after the final ripening of the fruit box, and each variety has its own appearance and ripening time. For example, in the lesser periwinkle, these are two curved sickle-shaped leaflets that contain brown seeds inside.
On average fruit boxes are harvested in September before the rainy season. Seeds are sorted, dried and sent for storage in woven bags in a dark place. Immediately before sowing, the seeds are disinfected by treating them with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush
In addition to growing from seeds, the periwinkle is also propagated vegetatively: cuttings and division.
Harvest cuttings produced at the very end of summer or early September. Just at this time, the plant is pruned and prepared for winter - the cut shoots are quite suitable for subsequent planting. For this, the strongest and he althiest cuttings are selected, without signs of damage. Landing is carried out in a previously prepared hole with fertile soil fertilized with peat. The cutting is deepened so that a few leaves remain above the ground, andthe sprout was in a vertical position. The distance between seedlings should be at least 30 centimeters. Plantings are watered, and closer to the onset of winter they are covered to protect against hard frosts.
The division of the bush must be done in early spring, until the active development of young shoots has begun. Dig up a he althy and lush bush, with a shovel or a sharp knife, separate the side part so that part of the root system is present on it. Then this part is planted in the prepared hole, carefully spreading the roots and sprinkling them with fertile soil, then watered. The distance between seedlings is maintained as with other propagation methods.
Diseases and pests
The main problems you may encounter when growing Periwinkle are aphids, powdery mildew and rust.
Because aphids are omnivorous and almost ubiquitous, carefully check not only the periwinkle, but also the plants closest to it for their presence. In order to get rid of and prevent infection, treat plants with soapy water.
But from powdery mildew and rust, a soapy solution is unlikely to help. If affected by these diseases, use fungicides. These are drugs like Topaz, Skora or Bordeaux mixture. It is also worth remembering that the cause of these diseases may be increased soil moisture.
Combination with other plants
Small periwinkle is a very friendly plant that gets along wonderfully with almost anyother flowers and shrubs. Some of the best combinations are compositions with primrose and lungwort, as well as with forget-me-nots and Goryanka. If you grow lilies on your plot, you can use periwinkle as a frame for them.
To emphasize the showiness and beauty of the periwinkle, a fern substrate will help. A rather pleasant combination is obtained by planting this flower together with low coniferous shrubs. Also periwinkle small can be used as a lush border along paths or in flowerbeds with delicate flowers in pastel shades.
Healing properties
Vinca minor is actively used in medicine. For example, for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, etc. In folk medicine, periwinkle is a wonderful blood cleanser. Tinctures and decoctions of this plant are used for rheumatism, diarrhea, fever and toothache. In addition, periwinkle perfectly relieves various kinds of spasms, which makes it possible to use it with a strong cough or in the treatment of neuritis.
For harvesting, this plant is collected no later than July. You need to cut the stems at a height of about 3-5 centimeters above the soil. The collected material is cleaned of debris, sorted and sent for drying. It is best to dry the periwinkle in natural conditions and at high air temperature.
In the case of traditional medicine, periwinkle is the basis of many vincamine preparations. Vincamine, contained in this plant in large quantities, stimulatesmetabolic processes in the brain and improves blood circulation. Such drugs are used for migraines, with a decrease in concentration and memory impairment, for example, in old age. But vincamine is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
However, it should be noted that self-medication can sometimes be quite dangerous, even if you are completely sure of the benefits of a particular plant. Be sure to check with your doctor, who will make the final decision about using periwinkle.
Interesting facts
Many peoples considered periwinkle as an almost mythical plant that could provide them with protection from evil spirits and adverse weather conditions. The plant was planted near the house, and when dried, it was used as a wearable amulet.
But the French and the Celts even performed magical rites with the so-called magical violet to determine the guilt of a woman in witchcraft. A periwinkle leaf was thrown into a frying pan with boiling oil while pronouncing the name of the suspected woman. Guilty was considered proven if the leaf flew off to the side.
