Features of growing heuchera and plant care

Recently, decorating the front entrance with unusual flowers is gaining more and more popularity. Inexperienced gardeners can be advised to grow an ornamental plant such as Heuchera, planting and caring for it is simple, you just need to know some of its properties. How does a flower multiply, when is it better to plant it in open ground, what top dressing and watering frequency does it need?

Reproduction methods

Heuchera can be grown in different ways. The plant reproduces both by seeds and by dividing the bush. Let's consider each method in more detail:

• Growing Heuchera from seeds. Flower seeds are rather small, so it is customary to mix them with sand before sowing. This allows you to get more uniform, friendly seedlings. It is best if the seed container contains drainage holes to help prevent moisture stagnation. In addition, the height of the container should be at least 5 cm. Seeds are sown on moistened soil, carefully spreading over the surface. Then wrap it up with foil or cover with glass. Seedlings appear in about 2-3 weeks. During this entire period, the container must be periodically ventilated, and the soil must be moistened. The shelter is removed after the appearance of 3 leaves, after which the seedlings dive. The distance between young plants should be 4 to 6 cm.

• Growing by dividing the bush, cuttings. This propagation method is suitable for those who have an adult plant available. In early spring, Heuchera is dug up by the roots and divided into several parts. The shoots are carefully trimmed, the cut is processed with charcoal or ash. You can also use a growth stimulant (Kornevin, Epin). Then the cuttings are planted in a container filled with a mixture of sand and humus (1: 1 ratio) and watered. The root system develops in 45-60 days, after which you can continue cultivation in the open field. The remaining roots are trimmed to about a third and then placed back in the ground so that they are completely covered.

Council. When buying Heuchera seeds, it is very important to get acquainted with the date of packaging, because they have a short shelf life. Viability lasts about six months, and if the package consists of foil - up to 1.5 years.

Planting a flower

The plant is transplanted into open ground in the second half of May or early June, as soon as the soil warms up enough and the threat of frost disappears. It is better to choose a shady place for landing, where diffused light will fall on the heuchera. However, this rule does not apply to varieties with red leaves; in the shade, the leaves of the plant will not color and remain green.

Other brightly colored heucheras will also look more impressive in direct sunlight. In the case of planting in a lighted open area, the plants will need to provide regular, abundant watering.

As for the soil, Heuchera is a rather picky flower; it does not tolerate only an excessively moist, acidic environment. Grows best in well-drained, loose soil, pH 6.5 -

7. Therefore, before planting on the bottom of the flower bed, it is better to install drainage and fertilize. This will avoid stagnant water at the roots, heuchera will grow healthy and lush.

How to care for a plant?

This flower is quite hardy, but, nevertheless, proper care of the Heuchera is very important. The plant needs to be watered regularly, periodically fed, loosened the soil, and prevent the appearance of diseases and pests. The basic rules of care are as follows:

• Watering. You need to moisten the soil approximately every 2 days. If the weather is hot, the amount of water should be increased. In this case, it is very important that the liquid does not fall on the leaves, otherwise they will become covered with burn spots.
• Top dressing. Planting heuchera should be carried out in already fertilized soil.Then the plant does not need feeding for about 1 year. Then in the spring it will be necessary to fertilize before and also after the flowering period. It is best to use complex dressings according to the variety (for flowering or decorative leafy plants). The dosage should be half the amount indicated in the fertilizer instructions.
• Hilling, transplanting, loosening. Heuchera care includes regular loosening of the soil, removing weeds. To make the hassle with them less, some gardeners in the spring mulch planting with peat. In addition, about every 3 years, the plant needs to be updated, otherwise the leaves begin to fall off and the top becomes bald.
• Pest and disease control. With an excess of moisture in the soil, as well as with increased acidity, the plant is more difficult to resist diseases. Most often, Heuchera is affected by powdery mildew, root rot, spotting, and rust. You can fight these diseases with the help of special preparations (Bordeaux liquid, fungicides). Also, pests such as weevils, snails, slugs, leaf nematodes and caterpillars. You can get rid of unwanted guests by treating the plant with insecticides.
• Wintering. It is not customary to cover plants for the winter period, they winter well in the garden. But if winter is expected with little snow, then it is better to cover the planting site with brushwood. It is also important not to touch the yellowed, wilted leaves, they are removed in the spring.

Heucher varieties

Geuchera is a perennial plant native to North America, in total there are about 70 species of it. For a long time, the most popular variety of Heuchera was Palace Purple. The leaves of this species are colored in burgundy, brown shades, the flowers are tall, pale cream. However, every year the variety of varieties is growing rapidly. Today, most gardeners practice growing the following species:

• Neptune, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Mercury - Heuchers from the "Parade of Planets" series. A distinctive feature of these plants is the semicircular shape of the bush, which gives structure to the plantings.
• Purple Petticoats, Apple Crisp, Black Beauty, Blackberry Crisp, Can Can, Cajun Fire, Crimson Curls, Ginger Peach, Lime Marmalade. All these grades have a corrugated leaf shape.
• "Marmalade", "Amber Waves", "Big Top Bronze", "Big Top Gold", "Brownies", "Cappuccino", "Chocolate Ruffles", "Encore", "Ginge Ale", "Purple Petticoats". Heucheras with an unusual color. The inner and lower parts of the leaves have different shades, which together with the wavy edges give the flower a showiness.
• Miracle, Kassandra, Autumn Leayes, Cappuccino, Circus, Electra, Encore, Ebony and Ivory, Green Spice, Ginger Peach, Midnight Rose Select ... Plants of these varieties change color of their leaves during the season.
• "Havana", "Hercules", "Hollywood", "Lipstick", "Rave On". The inflorescences of these varieties are suitable for cutting, they have a long peduncle and a decorative appearance.

Advice! It should be borne in mind that almost all types of geyher tend to grow quickly in the open field.

On the one hand, this allows you to quickly create group plantings, and on the other hand, it requires increased plant care, especially if heuchera is part of the composition.

In general, growing heuchera is not difficult. However, it should be borne in mind that some varieties are less demanding, while others require careful care. Heuchera bloom for about 2 months in summer. A young plant grown from seed blooms for the first time at 3 years.

Geichera is loved by many landscape designers. The plant perfectly coexists with dwarf shrubs. It is also popular to grow together with primroses, daylilies, bruner, badan, astilboy... The decorative appearance of the flower with a variety of palette allows you to advantageously beat any area.