Lavatera: growing from seeds, planting and care rules, characteristics

A representative of the Malvaceae family, the Lavater flower, is still as popular with gardeners today as it was several decades ago. The genus is not numerous, but it includes herbs, shrubs, and trees. The method of growing lavatera from seed is a fun and easy activity. In the end, the gardener gets a tall beauty with bright multi-colored buds. It is important to properly prepare the soil, sow the material and properly care for young seedlings.

Description and characteristics of the Lavater flower

This plant is also known by such names as wild rose or khatma.The natural habitat for Lavatera is the Mediterranean, East Asia and Australia. The genus is quite small, in total it includes about 25 species. And there are both trees and shrubs, and herbaceous plants. The first mention of this culture dates back to the 16th century, and it got its name in honor of the Lavater brothers - Swiss doctors and naturalists. Lavater gained particular popularity only in the last century.

The height of lavatera bushes varies from 0.5 to 1.5 meters. In recent years, breeders have bred many varieties of this ornamental culture. The main feature that unites them is the alternately arranged lobed leaf plates covered with small hairs. The shade of flowers at the lavater is amazing - there are yellow, and red, and pink, and white representatives here. The flowering of the plant is long - the first buds appear in June, and the last ones already in the middle of autumn.

Lavator flowers are great for cutting - they stand in a vase for a whole week without losing their decorative appeal.As for growing, many gardeners call lavateru a flower for the lazy. Indeed, the culture is one of the most undemanding and does not take much time from summer residents. Three-month-old lavatera is one of the most popular varieties grown by gardeners.

Pros and cons

Advantages and disadvantages - this is what gardeners first of all pay attention to when choosing flowers to decorate their site.

The advantages of lavater include:

• Attractive appearance and a diverse palette of colors.
• Unpretentiousness to the place of growth.
• Undemanding to watering and fertilizing.
• Easy to grow from seeds.

Of the minuses noted:

• The need to timely remove faded buds.
• In rare cases, rust damage.

Features of growing lavatera

There are no difficulties with growing lavatera from seeds even for beginner flower growers. The main thing is to choose the right place, prepare planting material and provide minimal care for the plant.

Preparing the landing site

To grow lavatera, you need soil that passes water and air well, has a loose structure. Since autumn, the selected area is dug up, weed roots are selected, and complex fertilizers are applied.

As soon as the frosts pass and stable warm weather is established in the spring, the soil is again lightly loosened and spilled with water.

Preparation of planting material

You can sow dry seeds of a plant immediately in open ground, making grooves in the ground. However, in order to bring the flowering period closer, many gardeners first grow seedlings in the apartment, and when the weather is consistently warm, they transfer it to the flower beds.

The process of growing seedlings is as follows:

• Plastic containers or wooden boxes are prepared, at the bottom of which a drainage layer is arranged.
• The gardening store buys special potting soil for flower seedlings and puts it in a container.
• The laid substrate is spilled with water at room temperature.
• Dry lavatery seeds are buried 10 cm into the soil.
• Cover containers with glass or plastic wrap.
• Periodically remove the shelter so that the crops are ventilated, at the same time they water the soil so that it is constantly slightly moist.
• When the first shoots appear (after about 15 days), they organize additional lighting, because without it the seedlings will stretch into a thread and will not be viable.
• When the sprouts get stronger, the cover is removed.
• In the future, regularly irrigate crops and turn the container on different sides to the sun to ensure uniform development of seedlings.
• The picking process is usually skipped, and seedlings are immediately planted in flower beds.

When and how to plant

The best time for planting an ornamental crop is April-May, depending on the climate in the region. Some gardeners also practice sowing seeds before winter. In this case, the beds will have to be insulated with dry foliage or spruce branches.

If it was decided to sow flower seeds immediately in open ground, carry out the following actions:

1. On the bed prepared in the fall, grooves are made at a distance of 25 cm.
2. Dry seeds are laid out in grooves at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
3. If the lavatera variety is tall, immediately install supports so that the flowers do not break gusts of wind.
4. Watering the planted material and waiting for seedlings.

In the case of ready-made seedlings, they are simply transferred to flower beds, maintaining the same distance between seedlings.

Lavatera grown from seedlings blooms 2-3 weeks earlier than the one that was sown directly in the open ground.

Recommendations for the care of ornamental crops

Decorative lavater care is simple, even inexperienced gardeners can handle it. All that a plant needs is periodic moistening, prevention of diseases and pests, the introduction of complex top dressing, preparation for the winter period.

Irrigation and fertilization

Lavatera is fairly dry climate tolerant and only requires watering in particularly hot weather. During such periods, moistening is carried out once a week, pouring about 20-25 liters of water under an adult bush. If it rains periodically, then this procedure is abandoned, the plant has enough natural precipitation.

Urea and nitrophoska are used to fertilize newly planted bushes. Each component is taken in a tablespoon and dissolved in a bucket of clean water. It is recommended to add nutrients a second time when buds begin to tie on the plant. In this case, sodium and potassium sulfate is used. They are measured by a tablespoon to a 10-liter bucket of water.

Wintering perennial

To save a perennial plant from frost, its shoots are bent to the soil and fixed with staples. Dry fallen leaves or spruce branches are thrown on top.In regions with especially cold winters, they pull over any covering material, spunbond or lutrasil, which are removed with the first warm days so that the plant does not turn.

How to deal with diseases and pests

The strong immunity of the ornamental culture allows you not to worry about its he alth, in rare cases the lavater is affected by rust. Then yellow or brown spots are noticed on the plant, localized on the underside of the leaves. Such areas must be removed, and the entire culture is sprayed using Bordeaux mixture. Also effective in the fight against rust are chemicals such as Topaz and Kuproksat.

If the lavatera is heavily affected by the disease, then it is better to dig up and burn such specimens so as not to jeopardize other plants in the area.

From insects on the lavater, aphids can occasionally be found. This happens when there are large colonies of this pest on the site. To destroy it, purchased drugs are used - "Aktara" or "Aktellik".

Methods of breeding lavatery

Lavater is bred only with the help of seeds. They are either immediately sent to open ground, or seedlings are first grown, and only then they are transferred to flower beds.

Landscape examples

The best companions in the garden for the beautiful lavatera are plants such as delphinium, petunia, irises. The decorative culture looks spectacular on a green lawn, in the background in mixborders. Low-growing varieties are used to create borders and framing paths. However, you should not combine more than three shades of lavater in one flower garden, such a mix looks clumsy and tasteless.

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