Today there are a huge number of flowers that attract with their beauty. Mirabilis flower (Broken color) is a truly amazing plant that will be an excellent decoration for a personal garden. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that throughout the day it is almost inconspicuous, and closer to sunset the flower begins to exude a pleasant fragrance that lasts until dawn. For this, the people called the mirabilis "night beauty."
The history of gardening is silent about how and when this species was introduced into our country, but it is one of the most beloved among many gardeners. The unique plant is very popular not only because of its unique properties, but also because it is notable for its unpretentiousness. The mirabilis flower perfectly survives in almost all climatic zones and grows well on any type of soil. However, in order for him to please you with his beauty, it is necessary to provide him with proper care. This and much more will be discussed later.
general information
Mirabilis is a member of the Niktagin family, whose homeland is Mexico. In the climatic conditions of this country, the plant blooms for several years. However, in Russia, due to harsh winters, the flower is presented only in an annual form. Nevertheless, the plant perfectly reproduces by seed, so no problems arise with its dilution.
If you want to cheer up others, then show them a mirabilis flower. At the same time, you can do this even in winter, if you dig it from the garden and transplant it into a pot before the onset of the first frost. In the spring, the royal beard can be planted again in the garden. In this case, the life span of the flower can be increased to four years. But here it is important to take into account the fact that the night beauty loves the hot climate, so it is best to store her in the cellar. The optimum temperature for a plant is about 50-70 degrees Celsius.
A few words about planting material
Let's dwell on this issue in more detail. In order for the night beauty to take root in the garden normally and grow strong and strong, the seeds of the mirabilis flower must first be germinated on the windowsill. So you get high-quality seedlings that can be transplanted to the open ground immediately after the snow melts and the frost recedes. At the same time, the plant practically does not need any care during the entire time of seed germination. The royal beard will grow up healthy and will delight you and your loved ones with a unique fragrance.
If you have never been involved in the cultivation of this flower, and therefore you have no seeds, or they have lain for several years, then it is better to buy them. The royal beauty is a very popular species, so planting material is sold in almost every store for flower growers. In the future, you can collect them in your garden. As practice shows, about 96 percent of such planting material sprouts. In addition, the seeds retain their high characteristics for several years. At the same time, the mirabilis flower, the planting and care of which is very simple, sprouts well even without first soaking the seeds. It will be enough just to moisten the soil and carry out the sowing.
Sowing seeds
So how is this process carried out? It is necessary to plant the annual Mirabilis flower in a certain dish. Each gardener has his own preferences in this, therefore it is almost impossible to name a universal solution. If there are no special containers in your household, then ordinary disposable cups are quite suitable. In them you can not only sprout seeds, but also plant flowers in the garden without diving, which will allow you to avoid unnecessary trouble and accidental injuries of the root system of the plant.
Seeds are quite large, so it will be convenient to sow them both in large containers and in small containers. Planting material must be deepened into pre-created wells, between which should be left approximately 3 centimeters. The depth of the pits should not be large so that it is easier for the sprouts to break through the ground. In addition, it is not recommended to moisten the earth too much, since the annual Mirabilis flower, whose homeland is arid Mexico, does not like excessive amounts of moisture.
After sowing the seeds, it is not necessary to cover the containers with the plant with glass or film. It makes sense to equip the greenhouse only if you could not germinate the seedlings in time and do not have time to do this by the time of the proposed planting. Growth stimulants can also accelerate this process. But even without their use, the first sprouts appear two weeks after planting.
Sowing seeds in open ground
As already mentioned, the night beauty is very unpretentious and perfectly adapts to any climatic conditions. Therefore, if you did not have time to prepare seedlings in time, then you can immediately sow the seeds of Mirabilis flowers in the flowerbed. This is best done in early May, when the soil warms up well. The planting process is similar, as is the case with containers - slightly moisten the soil, make holes and sow the seeds.
Plant nutrition
This issue should be addressed in more detail. The mirabilis flower does not need any special fertilizers, however, experienced gardeners who have extensive experience in caring for a nocturnal beauty recommend feeding her a little when planting. This will significantly accelerate the process of plant adaptation in a new place, and also strengthen it. In addition, in order for the planting material to better absorb nutrients, the seeds need to be slightly filed or chopped with a pin.
It is worth noting that despite the warm weather that lasts in May, small frosts are nevertheless quite possible. Therefore, so that the immature flowers do not die, you should cover the beds at night with film, and remove it during the day so that the night beauty could breathe fresh air and soak under the warm sunshine.
Cuttings
Photos of mirabilis flowers, seedlings of which were obtained by the seed method, look simply amazing. However, the plant can also propagate by cuttings, although this is not too common among gardeners, since this method is more time-consuming, involves great difficulties, and also does not guarantee a one hundred percent result.
All work is performed in the following sequence:
- select on the shrubbery all the shoots that are numb, and cut them off;
- dry the cut points a little;
- put the shoots in water, in which add a growth stimulator;
- after a few weeks, when young shoots appear, the cuttings are placed in slightly moistened soil, to which mineral fertilizers are added.
If you adhere to this scheme, then the plant will form a healthy root system in just two weeks, and it will be possible to start planting mirabilis flowers in the garden.
Recommendations for choosing a soil for a royal beard
What do experienced gardeners say? As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, this type of plant perfectly adapts to any type of soil, but heavy loamy soils are best suited. If there are none on your personal plot, then you do not need to import them into your garden. Plant the night beauty anywhere you want. Of course, the bloom in this case will not be so lush and plentiful, but the amazing aroma at night will spread throughout the garden.
Choosing a place to land
Mirabilis flower is a thermophilic plant, so it just needs a lot of sunlight. Therefore, it is worthwhile to set aside well-lit and protected places from the north wind and drafts. And to care for the bush was easy and laid back, the plant should have free unhindered access. Here, in fact, all the recommendations for choosing a place for planting a night beauty.
Watering
The culture in question loves dry soil, but this does not mean that it does not need water at all. As with any other flora, moisture is a source of nutrients and life for plants. Watering should not be quite frequent and plentiful. All that is required of you is to prevent the earth from drying out too much. To learn that the plant does not have enough moisture, you can by its appearance. The flowering period of the nocturnal beauty begins in late June, so if by this time the buds do not begin to bloom, then this indicates that it is necessary to increase the number of waterings.
How to care for a night beauty
So what do you need to know about this? Mirabilis, unlike many other varieties of garden flowers, is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and high resistance to various diseases and pests, so caring for it is very simple and does not require too much effort. You do not have to adhere to a special regime, often feed flowers with special fertilizers and so on. Nevertheless, some tips and recommendations that need to be followed still exist.
When planting seedlings of mirabilis flowers, it was already said earlier, as well as the fact that it is recommended to feed it in order to accelerate the process of adaptation of the bush on open ground. However, you should not use fresh organic fertilizers for this, since they have a detrimental effect on the root system and can lead to the death of a nocturnal beauty. To achieve abundant flowering and increase the aesthetic appearance of the plant, it will be quite enough to occasionally pour into the wells any mineral fertilizers diluted in water. As for the intensity of top dressing, in just one season just two are enough.
If the summer turned out to be very hot and with a small amount of precipitation, then watering is recommended to be carried out at least three times a week in the evenings, so that the moisture evaporates too quickly. In addition, periodic loosening of the soil should be done so that the roots can breathe normally, and also remove weeds in a timely manner.
Shrubs are trimmed as needed. If the plants begin to interfere with each other and take away free space from the neighbors, then they can be slightly thinned.
Flowering period
How is this process going? The mirabilis flower begins to bloom in early summer, usually in late June. During this period, the night beauty literally flares up with many colorful lights. For Russia, shades from yellow to raspberry are characteristic. However, phenomena are also very common when buds of various colors, for example, white, yellow and pink, appear on the bush. Such a spectacle is simply breathtaking in its beauty. This is due to the fact that the flower simultaneously receives both the "mother" and the "father" color.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, mirabilis is one of the most amazing plants. It will be an excellent decoration for any homestead, and can also be used in landscape design, for example, to create a hedge. In addition, the contemplation of the royal beard and the inhalation of its aroma produces a relaxing effect on a person and helps to cope with a bad mood and tidy up the nervous system. Therefore, you must definitely plant the night beauty in your garden so that you can sit after warm working days on warm summer evenings and enjoy the sweet floral aroma and the unique beauty of this shrub with pleasure.