Shabo's elegant and incredibly fragrant carnation is considered by many to be a bit outdated, old-fashioned and even a “grandmother's” flower. Despite this, she is still one of the favorite summer plants of gardeners. All this is due to the unique beauty and tenderness of the flowers, as well as the endurance of the plant, which is relevant in our climate. However, to grow Shabo cloves at home is worth a lot of effort. Today we will talk about the process of planting these flowers. Do not be embarrassed by the long vegetative period and demanding care - they are not able to overshadow the joy of admiring the plant during flowering. Our article will let you know all about the care and planting of Shabo cloves. Photos of this plant are unlikely to leave you indifferent.
Description
Garden clove Shabo is not an independent plant variety - it is a hybrid that remains the most recognizable among all varieties of this flower. Despite the fact that the hybrid is bred as a biennial plant, most often it is grown as an annual crop. However, sometimes you can meet the long-term clove Shabo.
This species has a very compact rhizome with a weak branching, which lies at a depth of not more than twenty centimeters. Shoots about half a meter high have a nodular structure and are covered with narrow sessile leaves of a gray hue. As can be seen from the photo, the clove Shabo flowering period is covered by medium-sized double flowers, with a diameter of at least six centimeters, which are collected in small inflorescences. This size of flowers looks perfect in bouquets, in addition, they have a more delicate and pleasant aroma than ordinary greenhouse carnations. A variety of colors - white, pink, cherry, yellow and purple colors - is also an advantage of this hybrid. A long wait for flowers (about six months from the time of planting) and care for Shabo cloves are rewarded with long and plentiful flowering. It lasts more than four months, right up to the very frosts.
Collection and selection of seeds for planting
Clove Shabo is a fairly popular plant, and therefore you can find its seeds without much difficulty. On average, one gram of purchased seeds contains at least four hundred potential plants. And if you take into account the high percentage of germination (more than 80%), then we can say that you will definitely get a good result. The seeds of cloves Shabo retain the ability to germinate for 2-3 years, which allows you to purchase them in advance. But to prevent unpleasant situations, it is better to double-check the dates of collection and packaging and purchase the latest.
For those who are constantly engaged in growing Shabo cloves, the issue of buying seeds is not of interest. Self-collection is the solution to this problem, despite the difficulty of this process. For complete ripening, the presence of dry, warm and sunny weather throughout its growth and flowering is important. In regions where autumn is too cold and humid, plants are transferred to protected areas. Within one and a half to two months, ripening occurs, after which the seeds are sprinkled on their own. To simplify their collection, it is necessary to pre-tie the fertility with gauze or mesh.
Soil and container preparation
Planting Shabo clove seeds with seeds requires prepared soil. Regular chernozem even of high quality will not be enough. It is necessary to purchase a universal substrate with a light and loose structure. If you decide to fertilize the soil yourself, then prepare:
- turf land;
- peat;
- humus;
- sand.
All of the above components must be mixed in equal amounts. At the same time, it is recommended to use river sand, and humus should be carefully rubbed to a powder state. Such a substrate will be an excellent source of nutrients for cloves and will have good drainage properties.
To plant Shabo cloves from seeds, special containers for seedlings are required, which will provide the roots of the young plant with freedom, without delaying excess moisture. Most often, seedlings are used, which are easy to find in any flower or hardware store. There are several basic requirements that must be observed when choosing them:
- Container height - no more than six centimeters.
- Material - it is undesirable to use containers made of plastic, since during prolonged interaction with moisture, it begins to emit harmful substances.
- The presence of dividing partitions. Containers divided into several sections are much more convenient to use.
Before laying the substrate, be sure to treat the container for seedlings with boiling water or a weak manganese solution for disinfection.
Sowing
Sowing this plant is a fairly easy task. Especially if you have prepared good soil, convenient containers and quality seeds. Almost the very first Shabo clove is sown, before the preparation of seedlings of vegetables and other plants. As a rule, the period of preparation of seedlings lasts from late December to early February.
In order to be sure of the germination of seeds, you can use various stimulants in which they are soaked for 5-6 hours before planting. But it is advisable to calcine and cool the sand to sprinkle the planted plant immediately before use. The soil for planting Shabo cloves does not require sifting, since the seeds are not very small.
A layer of soil is poured onto the bottom of the container, after which it is spilled with water. Seeds are sown on moist soil with a distance of at least a centimeter. From above they are sprinkled with pre-prepared calcined sand and covered with a film or glass. Accumulated condensate should be removed periodically.
Germination conditions
The advantage of this type of carnation is sparing conditions for growing seedlings. There is no urgent need for constant sunlight and warmth. A temperature of about 15-16 degrees is sufficient for seed germination. A slightly higher temperature is permissible, but not more than 20 degrees.
One of the most important conditions for successful cultivation is maintaining optimal humidity. The soil should not dry out, but excessive moisture is unacceptable, since cloves are very sensitive to various kinds of rot and mold. Therefore, watering is more convenient to carry out by daily spraying of plantings from the sprayer. You should also air the seedlings every morning.
On average, after 4-5 days of proper care, the first seedlings gradually begin to appear. For 10 days, the appearance of the main part of seedlings. It is worth remembering that at high temperature the germination of cloves will significantly slow down.
Seedlings
With the advent of the first shoots, the film or glass from the containers is removed and the growing conditions change slightly. Namely:
- significantly increases the brightness of lighting by moving containers to the window or installing lamps for illumination;
- the air temperature drops to 12-14 degrees (a higher temperature will lead to an abundant growth of seedlings, not allowing them to become thicker, which will subsequently affect the abundance of flowering).
The main danger for cloves at this stage of cultivation is the defeat of seedlings with a black leg. Therefore, you should carefully monitor the moisture of the soil, preventing its drying out. If the sprouts become too thin and elongated, pour a little soil into the seedling container.
Pick
Unlike other types of this flower, Shabo clove requires a double pick. This is due to early sowing and a long period of growth until the moment of full transplantation into open ground. The first shoots of the plant develop rapidly, so in containers it quickly becomes very crowded. Therefore, from individual boxes they must be transplanted into larger pots. The soil used is the same as when sowing seeds. If desired, you can add a little more humus or a small amount of organic fertilizer to it.
The first pick is carried out when two leaves appear. Shoots are planted in individual containers or special cassettes having a diameter of at least 3-4 centimeters. It is permissible to transplant plants into a larger common container, but its depth should still not exceed 6 centimeters.
The second transplant is carried out in the presence of eight leaves. This happens around the last days of March. The transfer of each plant is carried out directly with the earthen lump in which it grew. The size of the pots in this case is almost doubled. The diameter of the container for the second transplant should not be less than 10 centimeters.
Seedling Care
The main requirements still remain: maintaining the temperature no higher than 14 degrees, ensuring adequate lighting and airing in warm weather. To stimulate the thickening of vegetation and strengthen branching, pinch should be done after the appearance of the fifth pair of leaflets. The grown seedlings also do not tolerate excessive soil moisture, so watering should be neat. With slow growth and blanching of the sprouts, fertilizing with nitrogenous fertilizer should be performed. When the clove is damaged by a black leg, the diseased plant is removed as quickly as possible, the soil is allowed to dry out a bit, sprinkling the vacant place with sand and crushed coal.
Before transplanting clove seedlings to a permanent place, hardening should be carried out. Such adaptation should be started immediately after the second dive. The simplest method of hardening is to lower the night temperature to 9-10 degrees. The plant is carried out overnight in a colder room, and on May days it is permissible to place seedlings on the street or on an open balcony. With increasing air temperature in the street and the absence of night frosts, seedlings are completely moved to a greenhouse or greenhouse, which is periodically opened for ventilation. Hardening allows you to get a strong and healthy plant, which quickly adapts to growing conditions in the open ground.
Transplanting seedlings
The transfer of seedlings to permanent pots, which are planned to decorate the garden plot, can be carried out with the onset of constant warm weather - in late April or in the first May days. In this case, the plant is first taken out into the open air for the whole day, returning it to the room at night again. This procedure is carried out until the night air temperature on the street does not stop at around 8-10 degrees Celsius. A hardened plant can tolerate open soil at the end of May. It is not afraid even of short-term night frosts.
Carnation Chabot prefers areas of fertile soil that are well-lit by the sun. Acceptable is either neutral or slightly alkaline earth, strictly without admixture of manure. The only acceptable organic fertilizer is ripe compost. Also, clay should not be admixture in the soil. To organize a summer flowerbed of carnations, carefully prepare the soil in which they will be planted. Starting in the fall, it is necessary to introduce compost and phosphorus fertilizers into the soil in large quantities. In spring, soil preparation does not end - a month before transplanting seedlings, potash and nitrogen fertilizers are added to it.
Plant care
To obtain beautiful and large flowers (as in the photo) Shabo cloves, certain procedures should be carried out:
- Constant watering, providing moderate soil moisture.
- Loosening of soil after rainfall and heavy watering.
- Periodic top dressing - a week after transplanting into the open ground and during the formation of buds.
- Removing side buds to increase the size of the main flowers.
- Removing damaged and diseased plants.
- Permanent inspection of the plant.
With the onset of autumn cold weather, it is desirable to transfer the plant again to the room. Continuing caring for cloves, you can achieve an increase in the flowering period even in a balcony, terrace or room in the house. It is important to maintain a low temperature and plenty of light.
Disease
The main cause of various diseases is improper care. It is also worth noting that planting cloves near tulips is completely unfavorable, since it is from them that transmission of fungal diseases is possible. Consider the main problems that you may encounter when growing Shabo cloves:
- Alternariosis. A disease of a fungal genus that causes the appearance of dark spots on the stems. It causes irreparable damage to the plant, leading to its death. The disease progresses in particularly hot weather, and its source is most often the remains of old vegetation. To get rid of alternariosis, it is necessary to spray the plant with a solution of Bordeaux fluid.
- Fusarium One of the most common garden diseases, affecting the plant literally from the inside and causing it to dry. At the beginning of the disease, the stems of the plant become brown, and the leaves turn yellow. Unfortunately, you can get rid of fusarium only by completely destroying the infected plant with the preventive treatment of surrounding plants with fungicides.
- Rust is another disease that affects cloves during growth. Rust is recognized by yellow and brown bloated spots on leaves and stems. The appearance of this problem is the result of excessive watering, a lack of potassium or an excess of nitrogen.
Parasites
When growing Shabo cloves from seeds, you should remember about parasites that can ruin the plantings. Pests settle on weakened plants, so it is important to observe agricultural technology and maintain cleanliness on the site. The main threats to cloves are bear cubs, spider mites and earwigs.
To get rid of the bear, it is enough to spill the minks with soapy water, fill the dug holes with manure and pickle the insect with special chemicals. Medvedka is an insect that causes damage to absolutely all plants on the site, therefore it is quite difficult and troublesome to remove it.
The earwig does not do much harm to the plant itself during growth. This parasite simply eats greens and flowers, so once you go to the site, you may not find the long-awaited flowers. The destruction of the pest is carried out using drugs such as Fufanon and Karate.
Spider mites are small insects of yellow or red color, similar at the same time to a spider and a tick. A favorable environment for their development is dry soil. These pests feed on the plant's juice, and their appearance can be recognized by the translucency of the leaves. Spraying cloves with Actelik allows you to completely get rid of the spider mite. Sometimes folk methods help (using onion and garlic husks, as well as tobacco).