How to plant ageratum and care for it outdoors.
Such a beautiful flower as ageratum has a unique property: growing it with a continuous canvas makes it possible to create a fluffy carpet from inflorescences, against which any flower looks wonderful. This is used by flower growers, creating works of art on flower beds. And landscape designers are able to turn an ordinary flowerpot into a luxurious bouquet, combining ageratum with ordinary petunias.
Shortly before planting in a flower bed
This tropical guest in our country is grown as an annual. Even small frosts can harm the ageratum, so it should not be planted in the ground earlier than June. And then there is no need to worry - there is no more unpretentious plant. The shrub immediately begins flowering, which continues until December.
Seedlings for planting in the ground should be strong, with an inflorescence that has already begun to form.
There are two ways to get seedlings.
- Growing from seeds. Suitable for obtaining plants of different colors and with the possibility of making various combinations from them in the future.
- Cuttings. It is worth using if you want to preserve the unique properties of the original sample.
The seeds are pressed into the ground over the entire surface of the box and covered with glass. Every day, an hourly airing and wetting of the soil from a spray bottle is mandatory. After the sprouts appear, the glass should be removed, and then wait for the formation of three true leaves. Now everything is ready for picking seedlings in separate cups.
Advice
To get strong shoots, you should use fluorescent lamps. This will help avoid pulling and thinning the stems.
For cuttings, the flower is transplanted into a pot in the fall and kept in a warm place. In the spring, strong cuttings are cut from the plant. Pruning is done below the kidney with a sharp knife. So the cutting will avoid rotting, it will build up a powerful root system. The sections are placed in a moist, loose substrate for several weeks.
Preparing the future place of residence
The place for the flower bed, where it is planned to plant the ageratum, should be sunny. Without bright light, it begins to stretch, lateral shoots stop developing, and flowering becomes scarce. The slightest shading of the bushes should be avoided. Frequent rains and strong winds are not capable of harming the plant.
The only requirement for the soil is that it should not be stony. The roots simply cannot master it. All other types of soil are suitable for growing ageratum. Gardeners prefer light, loose soils. With increased acidity, the earth is alkalized.
Advice
Wood ash neutralizes acidity well. Five tablespoons of ash are stirred in a ten-liter container and infused for several hours.
In places where excess moisture accumulates, ageratum should not be planted. This plant requires moderate watering. Experienced gardeners even remove the topsoil and drain before planting. You can do without drainage by loosening the soil well.
The flower needs fertilizing. Organic fertilizers are applied in doses. On organic-rich soils, the plant begins to grow fat. There is a build-up of side shoots and root system. And flowering becomes scarce, then stops altogether.
We plant and grow according to the rules
Ageratum is ready for planting in open ground when the first inflorescences are formed on the seedlings. In order not to damage the stems and roots, the cups are cut with scissors. The seedlings are not deeply buried. The distance between them should be 20 cm.
Now it remains to water the plants with water. Important:
- watering is better in the evening;
- the soil should be slightly moistened;
- watering at the root.
To prevent the earth from being compacted, it is necessary to loosen the soil. This will provide a constant flow of air to the roots.
Advice
The tops of the shoots should be trimmed regularly, leaving four pairs of leaves. Ageratum will release many new shoots with inflorescences. The bush will look compact and neat. To stimulate permanent flowering, you need to constantly remove dried parts of the plant.
The flower is fed once a month. First, a half dose of fertilizer is introduced into the soil, then it is increased. For constant abundant flowering, the plant needs mineral supplements and weak organic matter. Complex fertilizers will be the best option.
Possible troubles: diseases and pests
Sudden frosts pose a serious danger to the ageratum. A frozen plant cannot withstand bacterial infections. Putrefactive processes begin in the roots, which lead to the death of the seedling. It is better to disembark later, when the threat of a cold snap has passed completely.
Advice
In order for the flower to endure frost with the least loss, hardening is carried out. Seedling boxes are taken out into the street. For a start, half an hour is enough, then the time is gradually increased.
Root rot is a dangerous disease for ageratum. It occurs when the soil is excessively wet and loosening is insufficient. The main symptoms are:
- lack of flowering;
- new shoots are not formed;
- the stem turns black.
It is no longer possible to cure the flower. It must be removed from the ground and burned, and the intact ones must be treated with a fungicide ("Oxyhom"). Gardeners take the same measures for bacterial wilting. A distinctive feature of this infection is stem shrinkage.
The whitefly loves to settle on the ageratum. When you touch the bush, does a white cloud fly up? Unfortunately, a whitefly came to visit... Feeding on the sap of the plant, it does not allow it to develop. In a few days, the shrub will die.
The spider mite also feeds on juice. It is almost invisible to the human eye, but the result of its activity is visible from afar. The entire bush is covered with cobwebs and dries up. In the early stages of damage, you can get rid of insects using insecticides ("Aktara", "Aktellik").
It is worth fighting for the ageratum - the garden will be transformed, and the composition of flowers will acquire perfection. Experts count more than 60 of its types. It can be herbaceous plants up to 10 cm with pink flowers, and there are tall shrubs with blue inflorescences.
By planting ageratum together with other flowers, you can create unique combinations and unusual compositions. Fluffy balls of inflorescences look great in flower beds with snapdragons, calendula and scented tobacco. You just need to make a little effort and discover the talent of a landscape designer in yourself.
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