Tuberose: planting and care in the open field, growing, storing bulbs in winter, when to dig

To grow lush tuberose bushes, you should follow the rules of planting and care in the open field. A perennial plant characterized by beautiful multi-colored inflorescences with a pleasant, persistent aroma. All varieties differ in flowering time, growth characteristics, shape and color. Cultivation is carried out in several ways. Care is simple, it involves timely watering, fertilizing, pruning and a number of other activities.

Description and features

Tuberose, another name for polyanthes, is a perennial plant in the Asparagus family. This decorative bush will be a decoration of any flower bed.

And pleasant notes of inflorescences will spread over large areas:

The root part is represented by oblong-oval bulbs with a diameter of up to 62 mm. From above they are covered with a brown shell with scales. The lower part of the root system is distinguished by long thread-like branches of a light color.
The growth of shoots and leaves occurs gradually. In the first season after planting, inflorescences rarely form. After the end of the flowering period, the old tuber dies off, and several young children appear in its place.
The stem is dense, erect, stretches up to 46 cm.
Leaves are located only at the bottom of the stem. They are oblong in shape and dark green in color. The leaves grow up to 42 cm long, 20 mm wide. The upper part of the stem is bare.
Bud blooming begins in early July and lasts until mid-autumn.
A spike-shaped inflorescence forms on the top of the stem. At this time, the height of the bush is 102 cm. Unopened buds are pink. The buds are located on slightly hanging pedicels.
Each flower blooms for three days. Each stem has up to 30 large flowers with a pleasant, sweetish aroma. The flowers are predominantly snow-white, pink or purple in color. Thick petals look like wax.
Flowers are arranged either one by one or in pairs. The buds of the bottom row open first.
After flowering, a ripe fruit remains in the form of a small flat-round box with seeds.

Inflorescence petals are used to create unusual perfume compositions and special cosmetic oils.

Views

There are more than 10 types of polyanthes in nature, but only two of them are used in horticulture.

Broadleaf

The variety belongs to the perennial group of plants. Flower bulbs grow in the form of a cone up to 6 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter. The stem is powerful, straight, up to one meter high.The basal zone of the stem is densely covered with wide bright green leaves. Inflorescences are formed in the form of an ear. The flowers are large, up to 46 mm in diameter, snow-white in color with a faint, delicate smell.

Tuber-bearing

All varieties of this variety of tuberose stretch up to 97 cm. A variety of flower propagates with large bulbs. Of these, leaves up to 48 cm high, similar to the leaves of cereals, sprout. The stem is erect, strong. The flowers are arranged in pairs, forming an ear. The inflorescence contains up to 28 tubular snow-white flowers with a strong sweetish aroma.

Popular varieties

All varieties of tuberose have a beautiful and unusual flowering with a pleasant, delicate aroma.

The Pearl

The variety is characterized by semi-double milky-colored funnel-shaped inflorescences. Flowering coincides with the last days of June. The height of the bush reaches 86 cm.

Pearl

The plant forms a bush 46 cm high. In one inflorescence up to 32 double flowers with a diameter of up to 56 mm are formed.

Shringar

Attractive buds with a pinkish tinge form on a strong, sturdy stem.

Sensation

A distinctive feature is that the bush consists of a large number of small inflorescences of a lilac-pink hue.

Pink Sapphire

The plant is distinguished by large, dense inflorescences of a dark purple color. This variety is used for industrial cultivation.

Yellow doll

Decorative variety differs from other varieties of tuberose with bright large yellow inflorescences.

Hindi, or decoration

Flowers of this variety are grown for industrial purposes. The buds begin to open in July. Pinkish flowers.

Growing methods

Most often, tuberose is not immediately planted in an open area, as it does not tolerate cold weather. It is better to germinate the tubers beforehand.

Regular

Before planting flower tubers in an open area, they should be properly prepared:

Most growers preheat the bulbs. For this purpose, the planting material is laid out on a damp tissue surface. The room must be warm. After the appearance of the first roots, they begin to plant.
It is also recommended to soak the bulbs in a growth-stimulating solution before planting. They use drugs such as Zircon or Kornevin.
It is useful to treat the planting material with "Fitosporin" or "Biostim". These drugs will help increase resistance to diseases and pests.

In order for flower bushes to please with lush flowering, it is recommended to follow a number of rules:

for planting, it is better to choose a sunny area with light shading at lunchtime, always protected from drafts;
flower develops well in nutritious, loose soil with good aeration and neutral acidity;
tubers are planted in the last days of April, when the soil warms up to +11 degrees;
on the selected area make indentations up to 3.5 cm at a distance of 16 cm.

Growing with moss or peat

Prepared tubers are placed in peat or moss, moved to a warm, dark place. Periodically carry out watering. As soon as the roots appear, the tubers are planted in containers with prepared soil.

Gladiolus technology

Growing according to the technology of gladioli is popular. In autumn, before the onset of frost, the tubers are dug up, washed and disinfected. Then the planting material should be thoroughly dried. Store at a temperature of +12 degrees, sprinkled with sawdust or sand.

Container

Growing flowers in containers allows you to enjoy flowering much earlier. Tubers are planted in containers already in early February and covered with a small layer of earth. Store until roots appear in a dark and warm place.

In March, the first roots should appear, and the container is moved to the light. In the future, plantings should be regularly watered. When warm weather sets in, the container is taken out into the street, choosing a shaded place. After 12 days, it is acceptable to leave the container under the sun.

In autumn, before the onset of frost, the container is brought home again and cleaned in a dark, cool place.

Care

Since polyantes loves warmth, it is not easy to grow it. The flower makes special demands on air temperature and light. Useful tips to help you properly care for tuberose.

Irrigation

Establish regular moderate watering. On dry days, water once every two days with warm, settled water. The procedure is carried out in the morning. No irrigation during rainy weather.

Feeding

To make the flowers lush and bright, several top dressings are carried out throughout the season. The plant responds well to both mineral and organic compounds.

The first application of nutrients is carried out before the appearance of buds, then - during the active blooming of buds. The last time the application of nutrients is carried out after the bush has faded.

Winter storage

The bulbs begin to be dug up after the plant has faded and forms a seed box. The dates coincide with the second half of autumn. The procedure is carried out carefully so as not to damage the roots.

To maintain the germination of planting material, you need to follow some rules:

dug out tubers are washed;
disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate;
lay out on the surface and leave to dry completely.

Store the seed should be in a dry dark place at a temperature of +14 degrees until the spring. It is best to immerse the tubers in sand or sawdust.

Cutting

Tuberose pruning is carried out in two cases:

When a flower bush was improperly cared for, and as a result, the stem stretched out a lot.It is highly likely that the plant will die as soon as the buds begin to open. In this case, you need to cut off all the leaves. Stop watering the plant and fertilizing. Bulbs are dug up and sent to a dark room.
As soon as the bushes fade, the yellow, drooping foliage is cut off completely. They do this so that all the nutrients are directed to the growth and development of the bulb.

In the process of growing from flower bushes, wilted leaves, damaged shoots and broken inflorescences should be periodically cut off.

Despite the fact that tuberose stems are strong, it is recommended to tie them to a support. A strong wind can easily damage the long stem of the plant.

Transplantation and reproduction

Polyantes does not respond well to frequent transplants. You can not start the procedure at the beginning of the growing season. In April, it is permissible to transplant tubers only if no change of location has been carried out in the last year.If green sprouts appear, then transplantation cannot be carried out.

Reproduction of tuberose in most cases occurs by bulbs. The plant in good conditions is able to form up to 10 bulbs. Already in July, it is permissible to separate the children from the main tuber. Tubers with a diameter of 26 mm or more are suitable for transplantation.

Seed propagation is only suitable for regions with a warm climate. The growing procedure is complicated.

We need to create optimal conditions for the first roots to appear.

Recommendations and features of care

When caring for a heat-loving plant, there are some points to consider:

The flower needs good lighting, inflorescences will not appear in the shade. In the hot afternoon, it is better to create a shade for the flower bed.
The air temperature should not fall below +21 degrees. If the weather is cold, then growth stops, and flowering does not occur.
The plant loves high humidity (68-75%). Therefore, periodically the bushes should be sprayed with water.
The planting area should be dug up in advance and sandy drainage should be done, as the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture.

Diseases and pests

Care involves preventive treatment from infection with various infections and pest attacks. Gardeners need to know the first signs of a problem and be able to deal with it in time.

Tuberose pests cause infections and plant death:

Often the bulbs of the plant are damaged by the root onion mite. Gradually, the tubers begin to rot, the leaves turn yellow, dry, deform and become covered with a whitish coating.
Medvedka vulgaris also spoils the growth of the flower. She eats the roots, gnaws the stems and leaves of the plant. Leaves begin to turn yellow and flower growth slows down.
Young shoots of tuberose are damaged by aphids. The insect sucks the juices from the plant, as a result it dries up and dies. The leaves are curled, dark sticky marks appear on them. Buds that have time to open have small flowers of pale color.

Among tuberose diseases, the most common are the following:

As a result of gray or white rot, the bush begins to darken, dry and rot. The stem is covered with a grayish bloom. Brown spots are observed on the leaves. The buds become small, soft, quickly wither and fall off. Drugs such as Teldor, Horus will help in the fight against the disease.
Penicillosis is accompanied by the appearance of brown spots on any part of the plant. Over time, the spots become covered with a greenish bloom, and the plant rots completely. The fungus gains its distribution in cool, rainy weather. Chemical preparations will help to cope with the disease: Maxim, Fundazol, Bordeaux liquid.

Landscape use

Flowers are used to decorate holiday bouquets, decorate homes and offices.

Tuberose is the perfect addition to any flower bed. Especially successful is the combination with gladioli. The care for these varieties of flowers is the same. Tuberoses look beautiful in combination with flowers of small growth.