Gravilat: planting and care in the open field, growing from seeds, description of the best varieties

A representative of the Rosaceae family will decorate the backyard, complement the flower beds and alpine slides near artificial reservoirs. Gravilat is widespread throughout Russia, caring for a plant is simple, it is important to correctly plant a flower and choose the right place for a perennial. There are quite a lot of plant varieties; in landscape design, types of gravel of red and yellow shades are popular.

Description and features

Gravilat is an unpretentious perennial flowering plant, suitable for growing by novice gardeners. Brief description of the plant:

• Upright stem with rough feathery leaves.
• Forms corymbose or paniculate inflorescences.
• Root system - creeping with a stiffened main root.
• Has medicinal properties.
• Average plant height is 60 centimeters.
• The flowers are 3-4 cm in diameter.
• Frost-resistant plant that can withstand temperature extremes.

Some types of Benedict grass form bell-shaped inflorescences. The duration of flowering and its beginning are determined by the genetic characteristics of the variety.

Views

Breeders have about 60 types of gravel. On the territory of Russia, Benedict grass is common in the Urals, Siberia, the Volga region, the Far East, the Caucasus and other areas. Beautiful hardy perennial found in Europe.

Mountain

The most common type of gravel. The plant is low - up to 20 centimeters. Forms bright yellow flowers, great for alpine hills, flowering period begins in May.

Creeping

Flowers of this species adorn rocky gardens. Inflorescences in the form of yellow bells. Creeping gravel is used to create carpets. The leaves of the plant are decorative, dissected, small, velvety.

Urban

Benedict grass - the second name of the city gravel. This species is common in Europe. Forms erect stems up to 50 centimeters high. The flowering period begins in May. The flowers are yellow, 3 cm in diameter.

Chilean

A tall type of gravel. The height of an adult plant reaches 60 centimeters or more. Bright red flowers will not leave indifferent looks. Based on this species, hybrid varieties are derived. Of the shortcomings - a short flowering period.

Hybrid

The fruits of labor of breeders. Most often, Chilean gravel is taken as the basis for creating a new variety. All hybrids are characterized by increased frost resistance and disease resistance.

Bright Red

Forms a shrub-shaped perennial. Distributed in the Caucasus. The flowers are orange-red with beautiful golden yellow stamens. The flowering period begins in May and continues until the end of August.

River

Endangered species listed in the Red Book. Forms wild thickets along the banks of rivers and reservoirs. It can reach 80 centimeters in height. The flowers are very beautiful, reminiscent of a drooping terry bell, an unusual pink color with various transitions of shades.

Note: It is a good honey plant and natural insecticide.

Rossa

Rocky mountain plant, absolutely undemanding to soil quality and growing conditions. Forms a bush of medium branching with a height of not more than 40 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the species is genetic frost resistance, it tolerates winters with frosts down to -36 ^{С. The flowers are yellow, planted in groups in rocky gardens and on alpine hills.}

Tri-flowered

The birthplace of the species is North America. It grows on the slopes in dense groups, the perennial reaches a height of no more than 35 centimeters. The second name is "prairie smoke" - the seed pods form long white hairs stretched upwards. During windy days, the boxes sway and create a visual effect of trailing smoke.

Terry

Distinguished by a beautiful original appearance of inflorescences resembling terry poppies. The flowering period is long - from May to September. The species is quite frost-resistant.

Large-leaved

Herbaceous perennial up to 80 centimeters high. Forms small yellow flowers with a diameter of not more than 2 centimeters. An unsolicited look for landscaping.

Popular varieties

Based on different types of gravel, various varieties of plants were created, differing in the shape and color of inflorescences, flowering duration and other features.

Fire Opal

Hybrid variety with double large flowers of bright orange color. Forms a bush up to 8 centimeters high, blooms from June to July. Shade-tolerant variety with high winter hardiness.

Princess Juliana

Effective variety with semi-double flowers of bright orange color of English selection. The bush is formed up to 60 centimeters high. Stems original burgundy. Winter hardiness is average.

Gladys Perry

One of the most popular varieties of gravel, forms inflorescences of rich red color. Suitable for growing on alpine hills and as border plants. The winter hardiness of the variety is average.

Lionel Cox

Representative of river gravel. The height of the bush is 35 centimeters. The flowers are small, drooping, no more than 2 centimeters in diameter, in the form of bells. The color of the inflorescences is a delicate, orange-yellow.

Album

A sort of river gravel. They are planted to decorate the coastal zones of artificial reservoirs. The flowers are inconspicuous, in the form of green bells, from which pale pink petals peek out.

Lady Stradeten

Chilean gravilata perennial with large bright double flowers. Flowering time from June to August. Light-loving plant, undemanding to the quality of the soil.

Mr. J. Bradyshaw

Representative of Chilean gravilat up to 60 centimeters high. The flowers are large, semi-double, intense red, reminiscent of miniature roses. Differs in high winter hardiness, blooms from June to July.

Fireball

Popular variety of the Chilean species. Forms one large flower on a flowering stem. The rich red color of the petals makes the variety attractive for use in landscape design. The height of the bush is 50-60 centimeters.

Goldball

Hybrid variety of Chilean species with large double flowers. The flowering period is 2 summer months. Flowers bright yellow. Suitable for flower beds and alpine slides. The height of the bush is 50 centimeters.

Borisin

Perennial is actively used in landscape design. The flowers are bright red, the height of the plant is 30 centimeters. Blooms from May to July. Winter hardiness is average, grows well in sunny places.

Red Dragon

Terry Chilean look. The flowers are red or white, 5 centimeters in diameter, loved by gardeners for the beautiful shape of the petals. The plant is exacting to light, is fine addition to flower beds.

Rigoletto

A distinctive feature of the variety is a long flowering period. The flowers are bright, red, collected in inflorescences. The height of the bush is 50 centimeters, the diameter of the flower is 4 centimeters. Used for single landings and placement in rock gardens.

Growing seedlings

A common way of growing gravilata is seedlings. Seed material must be prepared and disinfected by soaking the seeds before planting in a solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours.

Timing

Sowing seeds for seedlings can be started in late February - early March.

It is not recommended to delay sowing, as young bushes can be planted in the ground as early as the end of April.

How to plant

Seedboxes and soil are disinfected. Drainage is installed at the bottom in the form of expanded clay or small pebbles, the soil is covered. Next, you need to draw grooves at a distance of 3 centimeters from each other. Seeds are laid out at the same distance, sprinkled with earth and watered abundantly with warm water.

Seedling boxes are recommended to be covered with foil and put on a warm windowsill. In a film greenhouse, it is recommended to make holes for ventilation.

Soil Requirements

Gravilat is undemanding to the soil, a peat mixture with the addition of sand is suitable. Overdrying of the soil should not be allowed, regular watering is necessary.

Dive

Young plants are planted in individual pots at the stage of three true leaves. It is important not to damage the fragile root system during transplantation, otherwise the seedlings will take root and get sick for a long time.

Feeding

Plants do not need additional feeding. But for better growth and the formation of a he althy root system, the bushes can be watered with complex mineral fertilizer 1.5 weeks after the dive.

When and how to plant in open ground

If in spring the soil warms up to +10 ^{С, the threat of frost has passed, then the seedlings are planted in open ground at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other. Young bushes will bloom next season.}

Planting seeds in open ground

If for some reason it was not possible to grow seedlings or the sowing dates were missed, then gravel can be planted by direct sowing of seeds in open ground.

Spring

You can sow seeds in the ground at the end of April. The beds are pre-prepared:

• Dig up to a depth of 30 centimeters.
• Loosen, bring in sand and wood ash.
• Mark the grooves.
• Sowing seeds.

The distance between seedlings in this case will be less, about 15 centimeters. When the first shoots appear, they must be thinned out. When the bushes reach a height of 15 centimeters, the plants can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Autumn

The timing of sowing in the fall will depend on the natural and climatic conditions of the region. Gravilat is planted just before the onset of cold weather, it is important that the sprouts do not have time to hatch and freeze. The bed does not need to be additionally covered.

Care

All species are unpretentious, even beginners can cope with caring for plants. It is important to remember that gravel is a light-loving flower that does not tolerate drought well. At the same time, moisture stagnation at the roots is highly undesirable. Cannot plant gravilate in swampy areas.

Irrigation

Irrigation of plantings should be moderate as the soil dries. It is not recommended to allow the soil to dry out and its increased moisture. Watering is carried out under the root.

Pruning inflorescences and peduncles

To maintain the decorative appearance of plants, it is recommended to carry out preventive pruning of dried leaves, inflorescences and flowering stems. It is necessary to remove plant residues in a timely manner to avoid the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Loosening and weeding

Loosen plantings as needed, removing all weeds. After weeding and loosening, the bushes are mulched with a mixture of peat and sand. It must be remembered that the root system of gravel is superficial, perennials can be loosened to a depth of no more than 2-3 centimeters.

Feeding

Gravilat can do without top dressing. But if you want to activate growth or stimulate flowering, apply top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers. To improve the color of the leaves, one-time feeding with manure or humus is used.

Diseases and pests

The herbaceous shrub is a natural insecticide, that is, it is able to repel pests and insects with its specific smell, in addition, the leaves and stems of plants are covered with small villi, which makes the bush inedible for caterpillars and slugs.

Gravilat is not prone to fungal and bacterial infections, tolerates temperature changes well and reacts neutrally to poor soils.

Reproduction

Increasing the population of gravilat in your area is quite simple. Plants are propagated by seeds or division of the bush. Seeds are collected in summer, after flowering. You can make autumn sowing in the ground before winter.

Seeds

Sowing seeds of Benedict grass can be done in the ground or grow seedlings from them. Each gardener chooses the most convenient way. The seed is dressed, hardened and calibrated.When buying seeds in a store, special attention is paid to individual recommendations for growing a variety.

Dividing the bush

The bush is divided with a sharp knife and carefully transplanted to a new place, watered abundantly. Gravilat is propagated in this way in early spring before the flowering period begins. In some regions, young seedlings are transplanted in the fall. It is important that the bush has time to take root and grow stronger before the onset of the first frost.

Landscape use

Gravilat - an indispensable attribute of rocky gardens and rock gardens. Types of river gravel are planted to decorate the coastlines of decorative reservoirs. Plants harmoniously look in joint plantings with peonies, phloxes, lilies and irises.

Hybrid varieties are used in border plantings. Flowering stems of tall gravilates are used to create flower arrangements and bouquets.

Partners

Benedict grass is a natural insecticide and honey plant, so it is often planted by gardeners in vegetable beds. Gravilat itself prefers various bulbous flowers as neighbors. When planting together, it is necessary to take into account the growth of adult plants and the flowering period.

Gravilat or "Greek rose" - a beautiful unpretentious perennial, will be a wonderful decoration of a rock garden or a harmonious addition to flower beds. If it is important that there is a lot of flowering vegetation in the flower beds, choose gravel varieties with a long flowering period.

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