Today there are a huge number of flowers that attract with their beauty. Mirabilis flower (Broken colors) is a truly amazing plant that will be an excellent decoration for a personal plot. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that throughout the day it is almost imperceptible, and closer to sunset, the flower begins to exude a pleasant fragrance that continues until dawn. For this, mirabilis was popularly called the "night beauty".
The history of horticulture is silent about how and when this species was introduced into our country, but it is one of the most beloved among many flower growers. A unique plant is very popular not only because of its unique properties, but also because it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness. Mirabilis flower perfectly takes root in almost all climatic zones and grows well on any type of soil. However, in order for him to please you with his beauty, it is necessary to provide him with the right care. This and much more will be discussedspeech on.
General information
Mirabilis is a representative of the Nyctaginaceae family, whose homeland is Mexico. In the climatic conditions of this country, the plant blooms for several years. However, in Russia, due to harsh winters, the flower is presented only in an annual form. Nevertheless, the plant reproduces excellently by seed, so there are no problems with its breeding.
If you want to cheer up others, then show them the mirabilis flower. At the same time, you can do this even in winter if you dig it out of the garden and transplant it into a pot before the onset of the first frost. In the spring, the royal beard can be planted again in the garden. In this case, the life span of the flower can be extended up to four years. But here it is important to take into account the fact that the night beauty loves a hot climate, so it is best to store it in the cellar. The optimum temperature for the plant is considered to be around 50-70 degrees Celsius.
A few words about planting material
Let's take a closer look at this issue. In order for the night beauty to take root normally in the garden and grow strong and strong, the seeds of the mirabilis flower must first be germinated on the windowsill. So you get high-quality seedlings that can be transplanted to open ground immediately after the snow melts and frosts recede. At the same time, the plant practically does not need any care throughout the entire time of seed germination. The royal beard will grow he althy and will delight you and your loved onesunique fragrance.
If you have never cultivated this flower before, and, therefore, you do not have seeds or they have lain for several years, then it is better to buy them. The royal beauty is a very popular species, so planting material is sold in almost every flower grower store. In the future, you can collect them in your garden. As practice shows, about 96 percent of such planting material sprouts. In addition, the seeds retain their high characteristics for several years. At the same time, the mirabilis flower, planting and caring for which is very simple, germinates perfectly even without pre-soaking the seeds. It will be enough just to moisten the soil and sow.
Sowing seeds
So, how is this process carried out? It is necessary to plant an annual mirabilis flower in a certain dish. Each gardener has his own preferences in this, so it is almost impossible to name a universal solution. If there are no special containers in your household, then ordinary disposable cups are quite suitable. In them, you can not only germinate seeds, but also plant flowers in the garden without diving, which will allow you to avoid unnecessary trouble and accidental injuries to the root system of the plant.
Seeds are quite large, so it will be convenient to sow them both in large containers and in small containers. Planting material must be deepened into pre-created holes, between which approximately 3centimeters. The depth of the pits should not be large, so that it is easier for the sprouts to break through the soil. In addition, it is not recommended to moisten the ground too much, since the annual mirabilis flower, which is home to dry Mexico, does not like excessive moisture.
After sowing the seeds, the containers with the plant do not have to be covered with glass or film. It makes sense to equip a greenhouse only if you could not germinate seedlings in time and do not have time to do this by the time of the proposed planting. This process can also be accelerated by growth stimulants. But even without using them, the first sprouts appear already two weeks after planting.
Sowing seeds in the open field
As mentioned earlier, the night beauty is very unpretentious and perfectly adapts to any climatic conditions. Therefore, if you did not have time to prepare the seedlings in time, then you can immediately sow the seeds of Mirabilis flowers in a flower bed. This is best done in early May, when the soil warms up well. The planting process is the same as in the case of containers - slightly moisten the soil, make holes and sow the seeds.
Plant nutrition
This issue is worth dwelling on in more detail. The mirabilis flower does not need any special fertilizers, however, experienced gardeners who have extensive experience in caring for a night beauty recommend feeding it a little when planting. This will significantly speed up the process of adaptation of the plant in a new place, as well as strengthen it. In addition, in order for the boardingthe material absorbs nutrients better, the seeds need to be slightly filed or the shell split with a pin.
It is worth noting that despite the warm weather that lasts in May, slight frosts are nevertheless quite possible. Therefore, so that still fragile flowers do not die, you should cover the beds at night with a film, and remove it during the day so that the night beauty can breathe fresh air and soak up the warm sunshine.
Cutting
Photos of mirabilis flowers, seedlings of which are obtained by seed, look simply amazing. However, the plant can also be propagated by cuttings, although this is not very common among gardeners, since this method is more laborious, fraught with great difficulties, and also does not guarantee a 100% result.
All work is done in the following sequence:
- select all the shoots on the bush that are stiff and cut them off;
- dry the cuts a little;
- place shoots in water to which add growth stimulant;
- After a few weeks, when young shoots appear, the cuttings are placed in slightly moistened soil, to which mineral fertilizers are added.
If you follow this scheme, then the plant will form a he althy root system in just two weeks, and you can start planting Mirabilis flowers in the garden.
Recommendations for choosing the soil for the royal beard
What do seasoned growers say? What alreadyIt was said at the beginning of the article that this type of plant adapts perfectly to any type of soil, but heavy loamy soils are best suited. If there are none on your personal plot, then you do not need to bring them into your garden. Plant the night beauty anywhere you want. Of course, flowering in this case will not be so lush and plentiful, however, an amazing aroma at night will spread throughout the garden.
Choosing a landing site
Mirabilis flower is a heat-loving plant, so it just needs a lot of sunlight. Therefore, it is worth setting aside well-lit and protected from the north wind and drafts for landing. And in order for the care of the shrub to be easy and unconstrained, the plant must have free, unhindered access. Here, in fact, are all the recommendations for choosing a place for landing a night beauty.
Irrigation
The culture in question loves dry soil, but this does not mean at all that she does not need water at all. As with any other representative of the flora, moisture is a source of nutrients and life for plants. Watering should not be quite frequent and plentiful. All you need to do is not let the soil dry out too much. You can find out that a plant lacks moisture by its appearance. The flowering period of the night beauty begins at the end of June, so if by this time the buds do not begin to bloom, then this indicates that you need to increase the amount of watering.
Howtake care of the beauty of the night
So what do you need to know about this? Mirabilis, unlike many other varieties of garden flowers, is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and high resistance to various diseases and pests, so caring for it is very simple and does not require too much effort. You do not have to adhere to a special regime, often feed the flowers with special fertilizers, and so on. However, there are still some tips and tricks to follow.
When planting seedlings of Mirabilis flowers, it has already been said earlier, as well as the fact that it is recommended to feed it in order to speed up the process of adaptation of the shrub in the open field. However, you should not use fresh organic fertilizers for this, as they have a detrimental effect on the root system and can lead to the death of a night beauty. To achieve abundant flowering and increase the aesthetic appearance of the plant, it will be quite enough to occasionally pour any mineral fertilizers diluted in water into the wells. As for the intensity of top dressing, only two are enough in one season.
If the summer turned out to be very hot and with little precipitation, then it is recommended to water at least three times a week in the evenings so that the moisture evaporates too quickly. In addition, periodic loosening of the soil should be carried out so that the roots can breathe normally, as well as remove weeds in a timely manner.
Pruning shrubs is done as needed. If plantsbegin to interfere with each other and take away free space from neighbors, then they can be slightly thinned out.
Flower period
How does this process happen? Mirabilis flower begins to bloom in early summer, usually at the end of June. During this period, the night beauty literally flashes with many multi-colored lights. Russia is characterized by shades from yellow to crimson. However, phenomena are also very common when buds of various colors appear on the shrub, for example, white, yellow and pink. Such a sight is simply breathtaking in its beauty. This is explained by the fact that the flower simultaneously receives both the "maternal" and "father" colors.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, mirabilis is one of the most amazing plants. It will be an excellent decoration for any personal plot, and can also be used in landscape design, for example, to create a hedge. In addition, the contemplation of the royal beard and the inhalation of its aroma has a relaxing effect on a person and helps to cope with a bad mood and put the nervous system in order. Therefore, you should definitely plant a night beauty in your garden so that on warm summer evenings you can sit after a hard day's work and enjoy the sweet floral aroma and the unique beauty of this shrub.
