A gentle 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, the unpretentious nature is the quality for which the ageratum is valued. Planting and care in the open ground, plant features and problems with its cultivation - this and much more you will learn from our material.
Description
Ageratum is an attractive representative of the Astrov family. In the natural environment, this flower grows in North and Central America, as well as in East India.
Translated from Latin, the name of the plant means "ageless". And this name is the best suited for the Ageratum, because the buds for a long time retain their freshness and attractive appearance 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 rhomboid in shape.
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 on the plant, small boxes are formed, each of which contains a huge amount of seeds. Moreover, the seed retains germination 3-4 years after harvest.
Although ageratum is a perennial plant, in our climatic conditions it is grown as an annual. The flower coexists with other plants, and it is used in creating compositions with other cultures. Marigolds, calendula and snapdragons are considered the best "neighbors".
Varieties of flower
In nature, there are 60 species of plants. In addition, many varieties of ageratum have been bred by breeders. The following varieties have gained popularity among flower growers:
- Blue ball (Blueball). The compact hemispherical bush reaches 20 cm in height. It is densely covered with slightly pubescent shoots. Inflorescences are collected in baskets with a diameter of 6 cm. The color of the petals is bluish-lilac.
- Alba This white ageratum is appreciated for its unpretentious nature and milky-snow shade of petals. A 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. The baskets are very fluffy, in appearance resemble mink fur, which is why the name of the variety appeared.
- Pink fields (Purple Fields). The hybrid variety has an unusual purple color of petals. Spherical bushes of the plant reach 30 cm in diameter and 25 cm in height. Inflorescences cover the plants so densely that the foliage of the crop is practically invisible.
- Red Sea Variety with saturated purplish-red and ruby inflorescences. Shrub reaches 40 cm in height. It blooms in late May, and pleases with its many buds to 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 takes on a rich blue color. The shrub reaches 30 cm in height.
Ageratumy - flowers for the garden, which will decorate the infield. In addition, they are unpretentious, and even a novice gardener will grow them.
Growing plants
There are two ways to propagate ageratum - growing from seeds and cuttings. First, consider the first method. Since the plant is thermophilic, it must be grown in seedlings. Keep in mind that between sowing and planting seedlings in open ground will take 2–2.5 months. Therefore, work should begin in mid-late March.
As for the soil, store peat mix is suitable for growing agratum from seeds. Or make the soil yourself. To do this, mix in equal proportions:
Be sure to sanitize the soil before planting the agratum. To do this, fill the soil with boiling water, and then spread the soil with a 5-centimeter layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20–30 minutes at a temperature of 70–90 ° C.
In addition, you can disinfect the soil in a steam bath. To do this, prepare a large container and lay the iron grate or bricks on the bottom. Pour water below the stones. Pour the soil into a canvas bag and place it on a stand. Steam the land in a steam bath for 1.5–2 hours.
We grow seedlings
Flower seeds do not need preparation. But still, before sowing, hold them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the material from bacteria and fungi. How to sow:
- Pour the soil into the boxes.
- Mix the seeds with sand. This will help to evenly distribute the material on the surface of the soil.
- Spread the flower seeds. But at the same time, do not fill them with soil, but lightly press them to the ground.
- Spray the landing with water from the spray gun.
- Cover the crops with plastic wrap or glass.
- Put the greenhouse in a warm place.
For the seeds to sprout, they need to create comfortable conditions.
Seedling Care
At the stage of seed germination, it is important for crops to provide high humidity. To do this, prevent the earthen coma from drying out and spray the soil daily from the spray gun. In addition, it is recommended to keep the greenhouse in a room with a temperature of 20–25 ° C. Do not forget to air the seedlings daily, and remove condensation from the glass.
As soon as the sprouts hatch, what happens the second week after planting, reduce moisture, remove the glass or film and transfer the planting to a well-lit place.
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 from the spray gun.
After two pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings, dive the plants and transplant them in separate cups. Do not delay with 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 a 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 adversely affect the future flowering of crops.
Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, begin to temper seedlings. To do this, take the seedlings to fresh air for a couple of hours. But discard this event during a cold snap.
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.
Seat selection
Ageratum is a flower that prefers well-lit places. And with the slightest shadow, the shoots of the plant are greatly extended and the shrub itself loses the shape of a compact ball. Consider this when choosing a place for a flower garden.
As for the soil, light loams and sandy loams with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction are preferred for the culture. Do not plant flowers on too fertile land. Here the plant will give a lot of leaves and shoots, but lush and friendly flowering from it is difficult to achieve.
The plant does not like stagnation of moisture at the roots, so do not choose wetlands and lowlands for the flower garden. In this case, the root system of the culture will rot.
Ageratum: planting and care in the open ground
The plant is planted by transshipment. Between tall varieties it is recommended to maintain a distance of 20–25 cm, dwarf varieties are enough for 15 cm. How to plant seedlings:
- Dig holes with a depth of 2-3 cm greater than the volume of earthen coma seedlings.
- Moisten the soil, and transplant seedlings along with an earthen lump into the pits.
- Fill the voids with soil and lightly compact.
- Water the planting again and mulch the surface of the soil with peat.
When planting seedlings, never use fresh manure. This will lead to intensive growth of shoots and leaves. In this case, the buds will appear late, in addition, the peduncles themselves on the plant will be few.
Crop care
Ageratum flower is an unpretentious plant. But this does not mean that he does not need attention at all. To achieve a long and friendly flowering, provide the culture with proper care, consisting of:
- regular watering;
- top dressing;
- loosening the soil;
- trimming.
Next, you will learn in detail about each of these agricultural activities.
Watering
Ageratum flower tolerates drought well and negatively relates to waterlogging. Therefore, watering the crop is recommended after the topsoil has dried.
Please note that flowers growing on light sandy loamy soils need frequent hydration. But if the plants "live" in heavy loam, then they should be watered much less frequently.
Top dressing
To achieve long flowering, do not forget to fertilize the plant. Note that for ageratum, you can not use drugs with a nitrogen content. Therefore, use phosphorus and potassium complex formulations. It is recommended to feed the flower twice a season:
- Spend the first fertilizer application a week after planting an agratum planting soil.
- Feed crops a second time during bud development.
If the color of the leaves and inflorescences faded, then fertilize the plant a third time. But use complex mineral preparations for this.
Pruning
Be sure to remove the faded shoots. This will improve the appearance of the plant. In addition, the removal of dead branches stimulates the appearance of new peduncles. To prevent the branches from stretching out, carry out the forming pruning. To do this, leave a few internodes on the shrub. Then the culture will take the form of a ball.
Soil loosening
Hold this event after each watering. Then you will provide air access to the roots of the plant. This will protect the culture from disease.
Propagation by cuttings
In autumn, select the strongest and most beautiful shrub, transplant it into a pot and bring it into the room. Of course, you will not succeed in achieving flowering from the culture at home. But then in the spring you will have why to cut green cuttings for further rooting.
After transplanting, hold the flower agratum in a cool place. This will reduce stress from the procedure. Then put the plant in a well-lit place and provide the crop with moderate watering. Once a month, feed the flower with a complex mineral fertilizer. But make only a quarter of the dose indicated on the package.
Proceed to cuttings 1.5 months before planting the crop in the open ground. How to conduct an 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 of the cuttings with “Kornevin” and dig them into 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.
Within 3 weeks, provide the cuttings with regular watering and ventilation. After the shoots give root, remove the greenhouse. After a month, when new branches appear on the cuttings, transplant the plants in the 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 fluid.
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 culture grew, because in it remained pathogens that can infect other plants.
A whitefly, a moth-like butterfly, often attacks a flower. To destroy the pest, treat the shrub with Aktara or Tanrek insecticides. A spider mite is no less dangerous for the ageratum. A harmful insect can be recognized by the thin web surrounding the plants. For treatment use acaricides "Acarin" or "Nisoran".