Mirabilis is a stunningly beautiful plant that requires special care, and therefore is excellent for even beginner growers. The minimum investment of time and effort will allow you to grow this attractive tropical plant right on your site. In this article you will learn all about the care and planting of a mirabilis flower, the photo of which is unlikely to leave you indifferent. A variety of colors and the ability to self-pollinate makes this plant very popular.
Description
Mirabilis flowers came to us from the countries of South America. The name translated from Latin means "amazing." The main feature of this plant is its flowering period, which begins exclusively after sunset. That is why the people these flowers have a second name - "night beauty." A perennial plant prefers the mild climate of warm regions. However, in our country there are not many cities with constantly warm weather. And since the most delicate root system sometimes freezes, the plant is most often grown as an annual.
As can be seen in the photo of the flowers of mirabilis, they have a cup shape. The color of the petals is very diverse - snow-white, yellow, delicate pink, purple and others. Plant height reaches 70-80 centimeters, and at least 15 seeds can be collected from one gram of ripened fruit. Mirabilis flowers have a rather strong aroma, so people who do not tolerate suffocating smells should not plant them near the house.
Species and varieties
Today, there are more than sixty varieties of this plant, however, only two have taken root in our country.
Mirabilis Yalapa is the most common variety among both beginners and experienced gardeners. They love this variety for a combination of unpretentiousness and excellent decorative qualities. A sprawling bush reaches a height of about a meter. The leaves of this variety of mirabilis are small in size, oblong and have a rich green tint. A long flowering period ends in mid-autumn. The varied color of the flowers (white, pink, red, purple and yellow) makes mirabilis the most popular among other varieties.
The long-flowered Mirabilis has a bush height of almost one and a half meters. A distinctive feature of this variety is a thicker branching and sticky surface of the leaves. The color of the flowers is exclusively white.
Lighting and temperature
The best temperature for growing these flowers is considered to be a limit from +18 ° C to +20 ° C. The plant is able to withstand a temperature drop of 10-12 degrees for a short time. But still, we advise you to adhere to these temperatures. In winter, these indicators should not be lower than 15 ° C.
Mirabilis flowers are considered warm and photophilous. The most pleasant for them is diffused and soft light, but it is better to protect the plant from direct sunlight. In the case of growing at home, artificial lighting is quite acceptable. When planting flowers in open ground, it is worth remembering that in the shaded area it will be much more difficult to achieve flowering.
Soil selection
In order to achieve the same magnificent and bright flowering as in the photo of the flowers of mirabilis, it is important to choose and prepare the soil mixture correctly. The preparation of the substrate is carried out immediately before planting in open ground. The optimal nutritional composition for mirabilis flowers should include:
- two parts of decomposed peat;
- two parts of turf land with a small clay content;
- one part of river sand;
- one piece of fine crumb brick;
- half of the dolomite flour.
The plant should not be planted in lowlands and marshy areas, since moisture stagnation is detrimental to the plant in such areas.
Dates of planting a mirabilis flower
Growing this plant will not take you much effort and time, because it is quite unpretentious. However, it is important to choose the place and time of landing. With the seed method of cultivation, the sowing procedure begins not earlier than April, when the soil is sufficiently warm. And at first the mirabilis flowers are sown in a warm greenhouse. Transplantation of mature shoots is carried out at the end of May. These dates are relevant for southern regions with a warm climate. For mid-latitudes, you should shift them a month in advance.
Soil preparation
Prepared soil is required for the care and planting of mirabilis flowers. Soil preparation begins in the fall, just before sowing, only a little wood ash is added to the ground. Before planting the plant in open ground, well loosen the area for planting. Even small weeds must be removed immediately, since their presence significantly interferes with the growth and development of cultivated plants. To fertilize the soil, it is important to make certain fertilizing.
A third of a compost bucket (necessarily rotted) and a tablespoon of the mineral preparation are brought into the hole for planting mirabilis flowers. These fertilizers are preferred because of their naturalness, as chemicals negatively affect the growth of young shoots.
Features of seed propagation
This method is considered the most effective and used among experienced gardeners. Mirabilis flower seeds remain viable for five years. Sowing seeds in the soil is carried out in April. But for those who live in cold regions, it is preferable to sow seeds in May, since earlier sowing threatens them with freezing. And in cold summer the plant does not always have time to bloom.
Before planting, carefully prepare the seeds. To accelerate the process of germination, they need to be soaked, previously treated with a manganese solution. Treated seeds are placed on wet cotton pads and covered. Containers with planting material are placed in the refrigerator chamber for several hours.
After germination, the seeds are planted in containers with soil. Pots for planting should be equipped with good drainage. Before this, the soil for planting is slightly moistened and treated with a fungicide. You do not need to deepen the seeds - just lightly sprinkle them with a layer of soil. In one small seedling pot, no more than two seeds are planted. Watering seedlings is carried out carefully, along the edges of the container so that the seeds do not float to the surface. After this, the plantings are covered with film and placed in a warm and well-lit room.
Seedlings before transplanting into open ground are periodically watered and fed. It is also important to conduct regular hardening for two weeks before transplanting. To do this, containers with seedlings are taken out to the street, so that the plant gradually adapts to new conditions.
Sowing pattern
After preparing the soil and planting material, you can proceed to planting mirabilis flowers. The photo of the night beauty illustrates the density and splendor of a flowering bush. Due to the increased spreading of large flowers, holes for planting need to be dug at a distance of at least 45 centimeters from each other. If the soil is too acid, immediately before planting, wood ash or dolomite flour is introduced into it. The first few nights after transplanting seedlings into the open ground, it is necessary to cover the plant in order to protect it from the cold.
Care
During planting and care, the flowers of the mirabilis show the basic requirements for soil moisture. Despite the relative resistance to drought, the plant needs abundant and regular watering. Lack of moisture leads to cessation of growth and lack of ovary. Due to too dry soil, buds cease to form, and it makes no sense to grow a nocturnal beauty - a mirabilis flower. To prevent drying out of the soil in the hot summer, watering is carried out every other day. Under normal weather conditions, a weekly water supply is sufficient.
Mirabilisa night flowers necessarily require fertilizing. Regular top dressing is the key to lush and long flowering. During the summer, the plant is fertilized at least three times, while mineral fertilizers are preferred. If there is no desire to use chemicals, then it is perfectly acceptable to fertilize the soil with organic matter - mullein, compost or bird droppings. Fertilizers are introduced into the root zone.
Some florists feed mirabilis flowers with tincture of "Gumata". An important point when choosing fertilizers is the amount of nitrogenous compounds in the preparation. Too much nitrogen provokes the growth of greenery and significantly slows down the flowering process. The most effective are potassium and superphosphate additives.
In the process of growing, it is important to periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner.
Pruning
To maintain an attractive appearance and preserve decorative qualities, the plant needs some care. Mirabilis flower grows quite widely and highly. To form a neat crown helps annual pruning. This procedure is carried out after the first frost. Lignified branches are cut at an angle with a sharp knife. Removing old branches stimulates the growth of new shoots.
The plant can not be cut, as the general condition does not depend on this procedure. Pruning is carried out mainly for the formation of the crown and the growth of young shoots. Removing faded inflorescences is important to prevent spontaneous sowing.
Other breeding methods
Cuttings, as a method of reproduction, are considered ineffective and require too much effort and attention. For this, semi-lignified branches are used, which are cut into cuttings and placed in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”. Before planting in the ground, the places of the slices are slightly dried. After this, the cuttings are planted in prepared nutrient soil.
To accelerate the process of germination, the lower part of the soil is heated to a temperature of +24 ° C. Two to three weeks after planting, the mirabilis flower is well rooted and needs care. The plant is kept in a room with an air temperature of at least +24 ° C and constantly moisten the soil. After the final rooting, the cuttings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place, provided there are no night frosts.
Growing a mirabilis flower is also possible from tubers. This method is less used because it does not give 100% confidence in seedlings - during the winter storage, many tubers simply die. To propagate mirabilis in this way, the largest and healthiest specimens are selected, which must be germinated before planting.
Dug up tubers are placed in sawdust or sand. The container with planting material is placed in a dry and dark room with an air temperature of +5 ° C. Under such conditions, they are aged until the next sowing season. Before planting, the tubers are wrapped with a damp towel and kept in a warm room until the roots appear.
Disease control
In general, mirabilis flowers are considered a plant with high immunity and resistance to many diseases. But with improper care, infection of the leaves of the plant with rust is possible. This disease can be recognized by brown and red spots. In case of infection, the affected parts of the plant are immediately removed and must be destroyed, and the bush itself is sprayed with a solution of Fundazole or another fungicidal preparation.
Due to increased soil moisture, root rot often occurs. In this case, the bush is completely dug up and destroyed, and the soil on the site is treated with disinfectants.