Delicate ageratum is in great demand among gardeners. And this is not surprising, because the plant has an attractive appearance and lush, long flowering. In addition, unpretentious character is a quality for which ageratum is valued. Planting and care in the open field, the characteristics of the plant and the problems with its cultivation - you will learn this and much more from our material.
Description
Ageratum is an attractive representative of the Astrov family. In its natural environment, this flower grows in North and Central America, as well as in Eastern India.
In Latin, the name of the plant means "ageless". And this name is the best fit for ageratum, because the buds retain their freshness and attractive appearance for a long time even after cutting.
The plant is a compact shrub, up to 60 cm high. It has emerald green leaves, which, depending on the variety, are triangular,oval and diamond-shaped.
Small flower buds are collected in baskets with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm. They exude a pleasant aroma, and are painted in white, blue or pink tones. Baskets, in turn, are collected in complex corymbose inflorescences, densely covering the bush and giving it the appearance of a colorful ball.
The flowering period begins in late May - early June, and lasts almost until frost. After the buds, small boxes are formed on the plant, each of which contains a huge amount of seeds. Moreover, the seed material remains viable for 3–4 years after harvest.
Although ageratum is a perennial plant, in our climatic conditions it is grown as an annual. The flower gets along with other plants, and it is used in creating compositions with other cultures. The best "neighbors" are marigolds, calendula and snapdragons.
Flower varieties
There are 60 plant species in nature. In addition, breeders have bred many varieties of ageratum. The following varieties have gained popularity among flower growers:
- Blue ball (Blueball). Compact hemispherical bush reaches 20 cm in height. It is densely covered with slightly pubescent shoots. The inflorescences are collected in baskets with a diameter of 6 cm. The color of the petals is bluish-lilac.
- Alba. This white ageratum is valued for its unpretentious nature and milky-snow shade of petals. Miniature, spherical bush reaches 20 cm in height. Inflorescences exude a strong, pleasant aroma.
- Ageratum blue mink. The flowers of the variety are painted in a rich pale blue hue. They are collected in dense inflorescences with a diameter of 6–8 cm, which densely cover a compact, spherical bush 25 cm high.
- Pink fields (Purple Fields). The hybrid variety is distinguished by an unusual purple color of the petals. Spherical bushes of the plant reach 30 cm in diameter and 25 cm in height. The inflorescences cover the plants so densely that the foliage of the crop is almost invisible.
- Red Sea. Variety with rich purple-red and ruby \u200b\u200binflorescences. The shrub reaches 40 cm in height. It blooms at the end of May, and pleases with its numerous buds until frost. Suitable for cutting.
- Bavaria. This ageratum is distinguished by two-color petals. In the central part they are painted in white tones. And at the edges, their color becomes a rich blue color. The shrub reaches 30 cm in height.
Ageratums - flowers for the garden, which will decorate the backyard. In addition, they are unpretentious, and even a novice gardener will grow them.
Growing a plant
There are two ways to propagate the ageratum - growing from seeds and cuttings. Let's start with the first method. Since the plant is thermophilic, it must be grown in seedlings. Keep in mind that 2–2.5 months will pass between sowing and planting seedlings in open ground. Therefore, work should begin in mid-late March.
As for the soil, a store-bought peat mixture is suitable for growing ageratum from seeds. Or make the soil yourself. To do this, mix in equal proportions:
- peat;
- sand;
- humus.
Be sure to disinfect the soil before planting ageratum. To do this, fill the soil with boiling water, then spread the soil in a 5-centimeter layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 70-90°C.
In addition, you can disinfect the soil in a steam bath. To do this, prepare a large container and lay an iron grate or bricks on the bottom. Pour water below the level of the stones. Pour the soil into a canvas bag, and place it on a stand. Steam the soil in a steam bath for 1.5–2 hours.
Growing seedlings
Flower seeds do not need to be prepared. But still, before sowing, hold them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the material from bacteria and fungi. How to plant:
- Fill the soil into the boxes.
- Mix the seeds with the sand. This will help distribute the material evenly over the surface of the soil.
- Spread the flower seeds. But at the same time, do not cover them with soil, but lightly press them to the ground.
- Spray the planting with water from a spray bottle.
- Cover crops with plastic wrap or glass.
- Place the greenhouse in a warm place.
For seeds to germinate, they need to create comfortable conditions.
Seedling care
At the stage of seed germination, it is important for crops to provide highhumidity. To do this, do not allow the earthen coma to dry out and spray the soil from the spray gun daily. In addition, it is recommended to keep the greenhouse in a room with a temperature of 20-25 ° C. Do not forget to ventilate the seedlings daily, and remove condensation from the glass.
Once the sprouts hatch, which occurs in the second week after planting, reduce moisture, remove glass or film and transfer the planting to a well-lit area.
During this period, it is desirable to maintain low humidity (25%). But it is not recommended to allow the soil to dry out, so periodically spray the seedlings with a spray bottle.
After two pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings, dive the plants and transplant them into separate cups. Do not delay this event. After all, if the sprouts begin to interfere with each other, then in the future this will affect the appearance of the shrubs.
At this time, it is recommended to feed the sprouts, because the lack of nitrogen and minerals will affect their strength and growth. For these purposes, use complex preparations. But in no case do not exceed the dosage - this will have a bad effect on the future flowering of crops.
Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, start hardening seedlings. To do this, take the seedlings to fresh air for a couple of hours. But skip this event when it gets cold.
When to plant ageratum in open ground? The best time will be the end of May. You can plant earlier, but only if the risk of morning frost disappears.
Choosing a seat
Ageratum is a flower that prefers well-lit places. And at the slightest shadow, the shoots of the plant are strongly extended and the shrub itself loses the shape of a compact ball. Consider this when choosing a location for a flower garden.
As for the soil, light loams and sandy loams with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction are preferred for culture. Do not plant flowers on too fertile land. Here the plant will give a lot of leaves and shoots, but it is difficult to achieve lush and friendly flowering from it.
The plant does not like stagnant moisture at the roots, so you should not choose wetlands and lowlands for a flower garden. In this case, the root system of the culture will rot.
Ageratum: planting and care in the open field
The plant is planted by transshipment. It is recommended to maintain a distance of 20–25 cm between tall varieties, 15 cm is enough for dwarf varieties. How to plant seedlings:
- Dig holes that are 2-3 cm deeper than the seedling's earthen coma.
- Moisten the soil, and transplant the seedlings along with the earthen ball into the holes.
- Fill voids with soil and lightly compact.
- Water the planting again and mulch the soil surface with peat.
When planting seedlings, never use fresh manure. This will lead to intensive growth of shoots and leaves. At the same time, the buds will appear late, moreover, there will be few peduncles on the plant.
Crop care
Ageratum flower - unpretentiousplant. But that doesn't mean he doesn't need attention at all. To achieve long and friendly flowering, provide the culture with the right care, consisting of:
- regular watering;
- feeding;
- loosening the soil;
- trimmings.
Following you will learn in detail about each of these agrotechnical activities.
Irrigation
The ageratum flower tolerates drought well and has a negative attitude to waterlogging. Therefore, it is recommended to water the crop after the topsoil dries.
Please note that flowers growing on light sandy soils need frequent moisture. But if the plants "live" in heavy loam, then they should be watered much less frequently.
Feeding
To achieve long flowering, do not forget to fertilize the plant. Keep in mind that preparations containing nitrogen cannot be used for ageratum. Therefore, use phosphorus and potassium complex compounds. It is recommended to feed the flower twice a season:
- Spend the first application of fertilizer a week after planting the ageratum open ground.
- Feed the crops a second time when buds are developing.
If the color of the leaves and inflorescences has faded, then fertilize the plant a third time. But use complex mineral preparations for this.
Cutting
Be sure to remove faded shoots. This will improve the appearance of the plant. In addition, the removal of dead branches stimulates the emergence of new flower stalks. To prevent the branches from stretching, spendshaping cut. To do this, leave a few internodes on the shrub. Then the culture will take the form of a ball.
Loosening the soil
Do this after every watering. Then you will provide air access to the roots of the plant. This will protect the crop from diseases.
Propagation by cuttings
In autumn, choose the strongest and most beautiful shrub, transplant it into a pot and bring it indoors. Of course, you will not be able to achieve flowering from a culture at home. But then in the spring you will have something to cut green cuttings for further rooting.
After transplanting, keep the ageratum flower in a cool place. This will reduce the stress of the procedure. In the future, put the plant in a well-lit place and provide the culture with moderate watering. Once a month, feed the flower with a complex mineral fertilizer. But use only a quarter of the amount indicated on the package.
Start cuttings 1.5 months before planting the crop in open ground. How to run the event:
- Cut the shoots 10-15 cm long. Make the lower cut at an oblique angle.
- Moisten the substrate and make holes in the soil with a pencil.
- Treat the cut cuttings with "Kornevin", and bury them in the soil.
- Cover the seedlings with glass jars or cut plastic bottles.
- Place the plants in a bright place with a temperature of 20-22 °C.
For 3 weeks, provide the cuttings with regular watering and airing. After the shoots give roots, remove the greenhouse. A month later, when on cuttingsnew branches will appear, transplant the plants into open ground.
Diseases and pests
Ageratum is endowed with strong immunity. But with insufficient care or violation of the rules of agricultural technology, this flower can get sick. Most often, flower growers are faced with gray rot. This disease is treated with Bordeaux mixture.
The situation is much worse if the plant is affected by root rot. The disease is incurable, so at the first sign, destroy the affected shrub. In addition, be sure to remove the soil in which the crop grew, because it contains pathogens that can infect other plants.
The flower is often attacked by the whitefly - a moth-like butterfly. To destroy the pest, treat the shrub with Aktara or Tanrek insecticides. The spider mite is no less dangerous for the ageratum. You can recognize a harmful insect by a thin web that braids plants. For treatment, use Akarin or Nissoran acaricides.
