AQUILEGIA - GROWING AND CARE, PLANTING WITH SEEDS FOR SEEDLINGS

In Ukraine, this plant with delicate, graceful flowers is called eagles. And in Russian - catchment area, this is a literal translation from Latin (moisture is collected in long shpotsam flowers). It is known more than 100 species of aquilegia, common in Europe, Asia, America. On the American continent and in England this plant is known under the name of columbine, which means the dove, the dove. Ancient Germans called the flowers of aquilegia shoes of elves (in the mythology of Celtic tribes, elves are forest men, personifying the spirits of natural elements).

Garden plant, whose biography began in the XIII century, today is experiencing a real renaissance - in the fashion of new varieties and hybrid forms with the original coloration of flowers.

FLOWERS OF AQUILEGIA.

Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris) is a herbaceous perennial of the family of buttercups. Root - core. Lace leaves of the root rosette - on long cuttings, twice or thrice truncate-dissected.

The leaves are characterized by a gray bloom that gives them a special decorative effect. On erect peduncles in a loose panicle, the flowers of the original form are collected - five pointed sepals and the same narrow funnel-shaped petals that end in most species with shports.

In European species (A. alpine, ferriferous, common, olimpic), the Sporers are crocheted or twisted with a ringlet; they are long and straight with American flowers (A. Blue, Canadian, Californian, Golden, Skinner), in Chinese (Aquilegia fan, parakvilegia) flowers do not have any shports at all. Blossoms aquilegia in May-June 25-30 days, some varieties - until late autumn. Flowers in diameter 6-11 see Fruits-leaflets ripen in July, they are poisonous. Seeds are small, black, shiny.

Reproduction and technique of aquilegia cultivation

Due to the well-developed rod root system, aquilegia relatively easily tolerates a lack of moisture.

To the soil is undemanding, but gratefully responds to the loose soil, fertilized with humus or by the composted soil. Over the summer, plants 1-2 times are fed with a solution of mineral or organic fertilizer. It is also recommended that the fertile soil under the bushes be planted every year.

Aquilegia prefers slightly shaded places. In the penumbra blossoms longer than in the sun, and the flowers do not melt. After flowering, stems are cut off necessarily - the plant easily multiplies by self-sowing and pollutes the variety plantings. It is recommended to replace old bushes through 5-6 years with young plants. Unlike many other plants, the aquilegia can not be rejuvenated by dividing the bush - the children inherit all maternal diseases. The most valuable and rare varieties are accepted cuttings.

HOW TO PLANT AQUILEGIA. CARE.

Seeds of aquilegia are planted in late autumn directly on the bed or in the spring for seedlings. Seedlings need a deep enough dish for a good development of the stem roots. In May, with the onset of stable heat, young plants are planted in the garden to grow, and in early August or spring of next year - to a permanent place.

Young plants bloom for the second year. Aquilegia has many diseases and pests - powdery mildew, rust, gray rot, aphids, spider mites, etc. At the first signs of powdery mildew (white coating on leaves and petioles), after sunset, sprinkle plants with a weak urea solution, 1% suspension sulfur or a topaz preparation. Spray should be on the top and bottom surfaces of the leaves. You can also pour sulfur powder into the nylon stocking and pollinate the plants in hot, windless weather. Processing should be repeated 2 more times with an interval of 7-10 days.

With spores of rust fungus (orange pads on the back of the leaf), you can fight with topaz. In a rainy summer, aquileges may suffer from gray rot, then the best means of struggle is the timely removal of the affected parts. Against aphids, caterpillars, spider mites can be used as chemical preparations, and infusions of garlic, onion husks, yarrow.

Use in site design and garden partners.

Aquilegia is one of the few plants for shady places, group plantings under trees, in the trunks. It is very decorative combination of it with various cereals and ferns. We only need to take this moment into account: in the background, the beauty of aquilegia is lost, its place near benches, arbors, paths - where one can admire the original flowers near. Their gracefulness is also emphasized in the most favorable way by stones. The best neighbors are lupins, bells, irises, balan, brunner, astilba, host.

Varieties and types of aquilegia.

The most common among us is the common Aquilegia (A. vulgaris), the most frost-resistant species with many varieties and hybrids (peduncles 50–90 cm high) with red-white flowers (Crimson Star and Rote Stern), yellow-blue-white (Elena ) pink-yellow (Delictissima), pink-white (Rosea).

There are terry varieties of blue, crimson, pink, white, and hybrids with flowers in diameter 9-11 cm. Effective early blooming variety Edelweiss with large white flowers. A. blue (A. caerulea) - American species, which has many garden forms with long shportsevymi lilac-white, raspberry-white, yellow and pink flowers. By the way, the blue aquilegia is the emblem of the American state of Colorado.

It is interesting to have a short (15-20 cm for dwarf forms) A. fan (A.flabellata) with flowers in diameter 5-6 see. in May, the flowers are lilac-blue, blue with white bend and white. The longer the other (30 days), the A. olimpisa (A. olimpisa) blooms with blue and pink flowers. Among the species popular in the culture are also low (45-35 cm) and abundantly blooming A. goldenfish (A. chrysantha) - long spurs, large flowers.

Tip:

To see re-flowering of aquilegia at the end of summer, at the end of flowering, cut all the shoots by a third. Aquilegia refers to "youngsters": bushes older than 5 years bloom worse, grow smaller - it is better to always grow new plants to replace them.

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Aquilegia - benefits and harms, use and contraindications

GROWING

Better grows in the penumbra, excessive shading, like a completely open place, is undesirable.

It takes a little shelter for the winter (for example, dry leaves).

It is better to select moderately wet, fairly light and loose soils that contain a lot of nutrients and humus.

Watering as the soil dries, without drying the soil.

If in spring the roots of the plant were above the surface of the soil, they should be dug in as carefully as possible. To pour and feed the nitroammophic (1 tsp under the bush).

The best time for planting-transplanting and dividing is April, before flowering, or August.

Sowing - early spring.

If samosev is undesirable, after bloom, the peduncles are removed.

The use and benefits of aquilegia

With pneumonia, premenstrual syndrome, jaundice, gastric colic 1 tsp. chopped grass fill in 1 st. boil, boil 15 min. in a water bath, cool, strain and wring out the raw material, add boiled water to the original volume. Take on 1 st.l. 3 times a day before meals.

For the treatment of burns, skin inflammations and skin diseases 1 tsp. seeds of aquilegia fill in 1 art. boiling water, bring to a boil and insist 2 hours.

To treat impotence helps powder dry grass aquilegia. Take it on 1 tsp. 3 times a day for 21 days, then take a break for 7 days and repeat the course.

Contraindications aquilegia

Individual intolerance, pregnancy and lactation period, children's age up to 16 years, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

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AQUILEGIA HYBRID KIRIGAMI (KIRIGAMI).

Foreign companies annually bring elegant floral novelties to exhibitions. One of them - Hybrid Aquilegia Kirigami (Kirigami). This is a whole series of varieties of different colors, suitable for growing in containers. What else is she good for? The fact that its seeds do not need prolonged stratification. To stimulate germination, a temperature of + 10-13 degrees is enough for two months. So, it's time to start sowing!

According to the representative of Syngenta, an active participant in the exhibition, the seeds of the aquilegia of the Kirigami series sprout for two to three weeks. Ideally, when the plow with crops by the beginning of February is already sufficiently cooled. As the daylight increases, the seedlings do not stretch. And the bushes in the future will turn out to be compact (30-50 cm), they will bloom profusely and for a long time, both in the sun and in partial shade.

Sowing tricks

The soil needs a slightly acidic (pH 5,5-5,8), based on peat. Sow seeds in boxes, scattering them on the surface. You can use the cassettes, spreading in each 3-4 seed. In the latter case, seedlings do not need picking, it is enough to transfer them into a permanent flowerpot. By the way, it is not necessary to sprinkle crops, but to maintain a normal level of humidity it is better to spray a thin layer of sand. The box or cassettes are covered with foil and put in a cool place. It is advisable to monitor the behavior of the seeds are possible "upstart".

Seed care

The second name of aquilegia is the catchment. Despite this, you need to water the plant sparingly. For lush flowering, it is important to start feeding seedlings in sowing boxes. Battery Ratio: NPK = 13: 2: 13. Do you think that phosphorus is not enough? But higher doses can lead to elongation of seedlings.

In spring, a perennial that has grown up can be used to decorate the garden by arranging flowerpots with it everywhere or by planting aquilegia bushes in open ground. The beauty will bloom in the first year. And excellent wintering in the presence of good snow cover.

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GROWING AQUILEGIA - PLANTING AND CARE, ADVICE AND FEEDBACK

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WALKING THROUGH LIFE WITH AQUILEGIA

Aquilegia grew in my parents' garden during my youth. At that time, it seemed to me a rather nice plant, but no more. These were the most ordinary varieties that did not cause any special emotions. But years later I saw an interesting flower in the catalog and did not believe that it was an aquilegia. It so happened that she was waiting for me at the purchased suburban area - inherited from the old owners. Terry, just the one I noticed when looking at the catalog.

Among the people, aquilegia has many names - eagle, columbine, elven slipper, catchment area.

AQUILEGIA FROM SEEDS

To increase germination, seeds are stratified. I sow them in January in a substrate from a mixture of soddy soil, leaf humus, sand, taken in equal parts. I put the container with crops in a corner where the temperature is not more than + 5-7 degrees. There is rarely a free place in the refrigerator, so I take the bowl out on a cool veranda for three weeks.

Then I take the containers into the house, put them in a warm, bright place and wait for the shoots. Depending on the variety, they appear within 14-30 days.

Seedlings always turn out strong, do not require special care.

I plant seedlings in open ground in mid-May. I handle carefully, without damaging the root system.

PLACE FOR AQUILEGIA IN THE GARDEN

The most decorative aquilegia in partial shade. Of course, if you can’t find such a place, plant the plant in the sun, just water regularly. Many do not dare to grow a flower because they consider it exclusively shade - and moisture-loving. This is not entirely true. Aquilegia loves moisture, but is able to do without watering for some time, as it has long cord-like roots (it easily extracts moisture from deep soil layers).

Aquilegia blooms more colorfully and more abundantly on light, loose soil rich in humus. But it has been noticed that in other conditions, not entirely favorable, she also pleases. In the spring, I mulch the soil around the bush with humus - the plant thanks for the abundant flowering.

SECRETS OF CARE FOR AQUILEGIA

In July, I cut the stems of the plant to the height of the basal leaves. I don’t collect seeds from hybrid varieties, since the young generation will still not look like the mother.

Aquilegia winters well - I never cover it with anything.

In one place, without loss of decorativeness, the curtains grow for 5-6 years. It is risky to transplant old specimens - they “get sick” for a long time. This is due to the rather branched root system of aquilegia, which is difficult not to damage. Therefore, I try to divide the plant every 4 years.

If you have not yet fallen in love with this culture, take a closer look at it. Aquilegia is no longer the simple one we used to see her. Today it is a fashionable graceful plant with beautiful flowers of a wide variety of colors!

© Author: Oksana ANDREIKO, Belgorod

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