Alpine rose (aka rhododendron, or rosewood) is a beautiful garden plant belonging to the heather family and is presented in cultivation by semi-deciduous, deciduous and evergreen shrubs. Counting over a thousand varieties, an attractive flower has firmly won its place in the garden plots of many gardeners, as well as in their hearts.
Rhododendron (photo available in the review) looks great near ponds, hedges and alpine hills, along the edges of lawns and along paths. Such a plant is especially original in group plantings created on the color contrast of numerous varieties, of which there are more than one thousand.
Description of alpine roses
The main advantage of rhododendron is the flowers (red, purple, pink, white, lilac) collected in brushes, similar to a chic bouquet , which, depending on the characteristics of the variety, have a different shape: bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, tubular. The leaves of the garden shrub also vary in shape and size. The fruit of the plant is a multi-seeded box with small (about 2 mm) seeds. The root system is quite compact, located close to the soil surface and consists of a large number of fibrous roots.
Growing conditions
Alpine rose - a flower that is a native of the territories from foggy Albion. It prefers a mild, humid climate and acidic, permeable, humus-rich soil. With a close location of groundwater, the plant should be planted on a raised bed. It is very important to determine the correct location for the rhododendron: with moderate shading, without fatal drafts. In the domestic climate, winter-hardy varieties are recommended for cultivation. The optimal neighbors for a garden flower are trees with a deep root system: oak, larch, pine.
The nearby maple, willow, alder, poplar or elm will deprive the alpine rose of food, because they will consume nutrients from the soil at the same depth. Good neighbors for a garden flower are apple trees and pears.
Watering Secrets
Caring for an Alpine rose consists in carrying out the most necessary procedures: it is watering, spraying, feeding, forming a bush, as well as combating pests and diseases. It is not recommended to loosen and dig the soil near the rhododendron due to the close occurrence to the surface of its roots. Weeds should be removed manually, without the use of garden tools.
Correct and timely watering of the plant has a positive effect on the laying of flower buds of the next year. It should be produced with soft rain or settled water. It is especially necessary to moisten the soil during the formation of buds and flowering. The day before watering, it is recommended to acidify and soften by adding a small amount of peat to it. The frequency of watering measures is determined by the condition of the leaves: with lethargy and the acquisition of a matte shade, you can judge the plant's need for moisture. Along the way, alpine rose leaves are often sprayed with soft water.
Bush pruning
Rhododendron (the photo conveys the incredibly fresh charm of a garden plant) needs minimal pruning, as the bush itself is able to form the correct shape.
Pruning alpine roses is carried out in the spring, before the movement of the juice. Too tall plants are recommended to be trimmed, and you should also rid them of frozen and old shoots. Slices of branches 2-4 cm thick must be treated with garden var.
Alpine rose tends to bloom profusely and bear fruit every two years. In order to avoid such constancy and in order to ensure abundant annual flowering, it is recommended to break wilted inflorescences. This will give the plant strength to form flower buds next year.
Feeding Activities
Alpine rose, like any garden plant, needs regular top dressing. Moreover, it is recommended to fertilize even those rhododendrons that were planted this year. The first feeding is carried out in early spring, the last is carried out in late July, at the end of flowering and with the beginning of growth of young shoots. The optimal fertilizer for an alpine rose is semi-rotted manure, diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 15 and infused for several days. Before feeding, the plant must be watered. Of the mineral preparations, rhododendron is most suited to superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium and calcium in low concentrations.
Seed propagation method
Alpine rose propagates by seed and vegetative means. Plant seeds should be sown in a well-moistened soil, consisting of sand and peat soil at the rate of 1 to 3. Planting containers in order to create a greenhouse effect need to be covered with glass and set in a bright place for germination. If necessary, it is recommended to moisten the substrate, daily ventilate and remove condensation from the glass.
After about a month, an Alpine rose will delight young shoots, which should appear more freely with the appearance of 2-3 real leaves. The first year young shoots are kept in the greenhouse, and the next season they are planted in open ground at a constant place of growth. With the seed method of planting, seedlings develop very slowly and bloom will please 6-8 years later.
Alpine rose: vegetative propagation
The easiest way to multiply rhododendron is to dig up the layering, for which a flexible, young shoot growing at the very bottom of the bush needs to be bent, laid in a previously made groove and stitched to the ground in its middle part. Leave the top of the shoot on the surface, tied upright to the peg.
The method of propagation by cuttings consists in planting cuttings cut from a half-lignified shoot in a sand-peat mixture. The lower sections of future plants are previously recommended to withstand in a growth stimulator. The planting capacity should be covered with glass or film and patiently wait for the 3.5 months that are necessary for the emergence of shoots of evergreen shrubs and 1.5 for deciduous ones. Growing is carried out in boxes of coniferous-peat mixture. In winter, the plant is kept in a cool, bright place at a temperature of + 8-12 ° C. In the spring, another couple of years can be grown in boxes, and after 1-1.5 years planted in a new place.