Action (photo) Planting and caring for the plant
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Cultivation of action - planting and care of the bush
In the last decade a new plant has appeared in the parks and gardens - a delightful action littered with flowers. Under natural conditions, this shrub grows in East and South Asia, the Himalayas and Mexico. The plant belongs to the family of Hydrangea from the genus Deicia, numbering about 50 species. Today we will talk about how to create a garden of Eden on your site with the help of smartly flowering action bushes.
Action - a beautifully flowering deciduous shrub in height 0,5-4,0 m with a spreading or vertical crown. The leaves are hard, lanceolate or ovate, opposite, in the spring and summer - pale green, in the autumn - bronze, orange or yellowish, depending on the species and plant variety.
Flowers without a smell, simple or terry, are collected in small inflorescences-brushes of white, pink or lilac color with many shades. Hybrid forms are the most diverse in color. Inflorescences are formed on the lateral shoots of the previous year. The action blossoms from May to August.
This plant has a number of advantages that have already been evaluated by Ukrainian gardeners. In particular. it is unpretentious, hardy, grows rapidly, abundantly, durably and brightly blossoms, resistant to urban air pollution, rather drought-resistant, almost unaffected by diseases and pests.
How to care for the action
PLACE FOR LANDING.
Action loves heat and light. But many cold-resistant varieties have already been hatched, which are not afraid of winter winds. Even if part of the shoots and freezes, the shrub will not die. Cold-damaged young branches usually recover quickly and bloom in the same year.
The soil. To the soil, the plant is unpretentious, but for abundant flowering when planting the action in the pit it is desirable to add, in addition to the fertile soil, compost, humus and sand (for drainage) in the proportion of 2: 2: 1. If the soil on your site is acidic, add about 300 g of hydrated lime to the planting pit or up to 200 g of wood ash.
Landing of the action.
The depth of the landing pit for the action must be at least 50 cm. When planting plants in rows between bushes, leave a distance of at least 2,0 m, and between rows - 1,5-2,0 m. The root neck should be at ground level. The root system of action consists of several large and many small friable roots, thanks to which the plant tolerates the transplant well. However, one must take into account that the action does not like the stagnation of water, it needs to arrange a drainage layer of thickness 10-12 cm from small stones or sand.
WATERING.
The action is watered as the upper layer of the soil dries around the bush, but not more often than 2-3 times a month. After watering or rain in the trunk, it is useful to loosen the soil so that there is no stagnation of water and the plant is better "breathing". At the end of summer, the amount of watering is reduced.
CUTTING THE ACTION
The action needs annual pruning. As soon as it fades, discolored inflorescences are removed and the faded branches are cut to the first strong bud or to the base. To thin the crown and give the plant a certain shape, in autumn or early spring, cut out old unproductive branches and part of young shoots thickening the bush.
See also: Action (photo) planting and care
FERTILIZER
For rapid growth and lush flowering action needs to be fed. Top dressing that affects growth can be carried out only in the first half of summer, until the end of the flowering period of the bush. At this time it is useful to fertilize it with humus (0,5 buckets per bush) with the addition of a full complex of mineral fertilizers (25-30 g), granules of superphosphate or ash (150-200 g). In addition, in specialized stores you can buy ready-made liquid fertilizing (they are simply diluted in water in the proportion specified in the instructions). Ideal - alternate both types of feeding.
FIGHT AGAINST DISEASES AND PESTS.
The action is very resistant to various diseases and most pests, therefore, they do not need special protection from them.
Preparation for winter. If weather forecasters forecast a very cold winter, it is advisable to cover the near-spring circles of young plants in autumn with dry leaves (a layer about 15 cm). But we chose the sorts of action that perfectly feel in the climatic conditions of Ukraine and without winter shelter.
MAIN TYPES OF ACTION
There are about 50 types of action. Many of them are rare, in the climatic conditions of Ukraine they do not survive. Therefore, we will describe only the most common and suitable for growing in our gardens, parks and on the personal plots of amateur gardeners.
Action rough, or stellate (Deutzia scabra).
This species comes from Japan and China, it is most often found in the gardens of many countries of the world, including ours. Its name came from behind the leaves, covered with fine thin rough hairs. The plant is a comparatively low (up to 2,5 m) elegant deciduous shrub. Blossoms in June-July.
It differs in unusual red or gray-brown color of the bark, which peels off in autumn. Leaves are ovoid in shape, 4-9 in length, dark green in summer, and yellow-brown in autumn. Flowers are beautiful, star-shaped, white, slightly pinkish, pale pink-lilac or light crimson, up to 1,5 cm in diameter, collected in narrow vertical panicles up to 10-12 cm. Breeders bred a variety of varieties with large double flowers. As the inflorescences are quite heavy, the branches bend under their weight and take on the form of "weeping", which only enhances the decorativeness of the species.
See also: Grooming shrubs with your own hands for beginners
The action is elegant, or slender (D. gracilis), grows in the mountains of Japan and North China. One of the most beautiful species introduced into the culture. These are low (up to 1,5 m) deciduous shrubs of round shape. Branches thin arc-shaped, flowering abundant. Leaflets up to 6 cm, oblong-lanceolate, with pointed tips, top with sparse hairs, glabrous from below. In summer the color of the leaves is light green, in autumn - golden yellow. The flowers are white, collected in erect brushes up to 10 cm. Blooms in May. The graceful action does not tolerate low temperatures.
Action large-flowered (D. grandiflora) native to Korea and northern China. Deciduous shrub up to 2 m in height. Leaves are oval in shape, up to 5 cm, from above green, rough, and from below densely pubescent, white and soft like felt. The flowers are white, large (up to 3-4 cm), often single, sometimes grow in 2-3 pcs. Flowering early.
Action purple (D. purpurascens) comes from Southwestern China. The adult shrub grows to 2 m, the branches are thin. Leaves lanceolate or ovate, length 4-5 cm, width up to 2,5 cm, jagged along the edge, pointed, bright green on top, green on the underside, on both sides slightly covered with short hairs. Flowers of medium size (up to 2 cm in diameter), with purple sepals and purple-pink petals, are collected in semi-zoos along 7-13 pcs.
Action long-leaved (D. longifolia) a native of Western China. Deciduous shrub in height 1 -2 m. The leaves are jagged, 8-12 in length, up to 2,5 cm in width, on top of a muted dark green color, from below gray-green, slightly pubescent with short hairs. Flowers about 2,5 cm in diameter, collected in the inflorescences of the umbilical form, before the blossoming purple, and after the blossoming of a rich pink-lilac color. In winter it can withstand a temperature drop down to -15 ° C, it often freezes.
The range of choices for the selection
In order to choose the right sort of action for your garden, you need to know not only its decorative features, but also climatic preferences: how cold it is, how it tolerates winter winds, how it relates to drought, etc.
Breeders brought out many hybrid varieties of the action, which are endowed with the virtues of its various kinds and feel great in our gardens. So there is something to choose from, it's in the other - how not to drown in such a variety. In order to facilitate the selection process, we offer to your attention a few of the most decorative varieties of the action with excellent frost resistance and drought resistance characteristics, which perfectly acclimatize, grow rapidly and abundantly bloom in the natural and climatic conditions of Ukraine.
The action of the hybrid Mont Rose (D. hybrida Mont Rose) - A new hybrid variety. Deciduous shrub height up to 1,2 m, width up to 1,5 m. Blossoms from June to August. Flowers are soft pink. The leaves are dark green with pronounced veins, which increases the ornamentality of the plant. It grows well in the sun or in the penumbra, the soils are undemanding, very frost-hardy. It looks good on small private plots.
Action hybrid Hybrid Pink Pom (D. hybrida Pink Mouth Roth) - deciduous shrub up to 2 m. The leaves are green, small, rough. Flowers are pink, terry. The flowering period is June-July. Under the weight of abundant flowering branches bend to the ground, resembling a gentle-pink waterfall. Plants of this variety prefer sunny places and moistened soil.
Action hybrid Hybrid Strawberry Fields (D. hybrida Strawberry Fields) - deciduous shrub height and width of about 1,5 m. The flowers are large, very beautiful, the middle is pink, the petals are violet with a white fine border. The flowering period is June-July. Special requirements to the place of disembarkation and soil do not show. Ideal for beginner gardeners.
Action rough bundle fD. scabra Plena) - deciduous shrub 2-3 m high, width 1,2-1,8 m. The flowers are very beautiful, soft pink, terry, shaped like bells. Blossoms in June-July. The soil and the landing site is not exacting. Ideal for beginners gardeners.
The action of rough Candidissima (D. scabra Candidissima) - shrub height 1,5-2,0 m. Flowers white, terry, collected in the inflorescence. Blossoms in June-July. He prefers sunny places, does not impose special requirements on the soil.
Reference by topic: Pruning of decorative shrubs in spring - by groups
DECISION IN GARDEN DESIGN
Action - a real decoration of the garden area, it is appropriate in any composition and allows you to create cozy corners in the garden. A large picturesque, lushly flowering action bush with branches falling from heavy white, pink, purple flower brushes can serve as a magnificent color spot against the backdrop of a green lawn. In the garden compositions with the action well combines forsitia with lemon-yellow flowers.
Tall sorts of action are often planted as a hedge along the fence that faces the street or the roadway. They are placed at a distance of 1,5-2,5 m from each other, depending on the variety.
Low grades of action can cover the bases of high lilac bushes, decorate the inner paths or visually divide different parts of the garden (for example, a playground from the main zone). And surrounded by bushes action gazebo will be the most comfortable place in your garden, you can also be alone, so that you can look through the magazine at your leisure, and have a cup of tea with guests, and play with children in board games or read fairy tales.
© Author: Ksenia and Maryan SHVED
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This year, the action delighted me with a gorgeous flowering. What is the best way to feed the shrub in the fall so that it replenishes its strength for the next season? Is it necessary to insulate the plant annually for the winter?
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- At the beginning of September, you can apply potash fertilizer (10-15 g per plant, scattered on wet soil) or "treat" with an infusion of ash. This is quite enough. At the end of the month, I usually cover the base of the action with loose soil to a height of 15-20 cm and mulch it with straw. If rain is expected, I cover this area for a while (until dry weather returns) with a waterproof film so that the rhizome does not become overwetted. In November, I wrap the crown in burlap. Some gardeners bend bush branches to the ground and pin them.
At the onset of stable subzero temperatures, they are covered with coniferous paws (for snow retention), on top - with spunbond (you can even put another piece of roofing material or slate). In winter, they regularly throw snow on the bushes.
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Oriental Beauty Action
It fascinates with its flowering! In addition, this delightful shrub is very easy to propagate by cuttings.
For cuttings in July, I cut young lignified branches. The lower section is oblique, under the node, and after 3 internodes, the upper straight section. I remove the lower leaves, cut off the upper ones by half, so that they do not take away the "seedlings" of strength.
I dig a planting hole with a depth of 30-40 cm, abundantly water the soil and make a recess in it with a stick. I insert the action stalk and compact it with soil. I cover with a cropped bottle of dark plastic from above - it turns out a mini-greenhouse. I don’t close the lid: it’s so convenient to water, and the condensate easily evaporates. I tighten the cap in September.
I do not insulate action bushes for the winter. After wintering, the plant
comes out healthy and unscathed. In the spring I cut old and crooked branches, in the snow or after rain I scatter complex mineral fertilizer around the bushes (according to the instructions). I am glad that my action is resistant to various diseases and pests.
Natalya POPOVICH, Volyn region Author photo
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After flowering in forsytsia and lilac, I cut off the faded inflorescences.
In iris, I break the "spent" peduncles along with the old leaves from the rhizome itself. Slices pour on pounded coal. Then I feed the plants with complex fertilizer Kemira (according to instructions).