All my life I have been reverent and with special love for cornflowers. Once upon a time in my early childhood, a neighbor boy gave me a bouquet of them. On own plot I want to give them at least a hundred so that they can amuse me and my grandchildren. When is it better to sow them: in spring or before winter? Do they need shelter?
Cornflower is cold-resistant and quite perennial, their flowers are larger. Basically a light-loving plant. Prefers nom they bloom during the summer, but in the fall. You also need to pay enough attention to the interior design of https://dizayn-interera.moscow/.
grow on loose, non-acidic soils of average moisture. It is grown by sowing seeds in the soil in early spring or before winter. Usually, when sowing, a distance of 15 to 40 cm is maintained, depending on the size of the plants (dwarf or tall). Sprouts should appear 5-8 days after sowing. Plants bloom 55-65 days after germination. Seeds remain viable for 2-3 years.
I have a prejudice regarding food coloring, which can be purchased in stores, especially before Easter.
Cornflowers (Centaurea) – bright and beautiful flowers, which are a decoration not only of meadows, fields, but also summer cottages. As for the origins of the name of these flowers, opinions differ. Some believe that the cornflower was named so because in ancient Greek mythology there was a wise centaur Centaurea, who knew a lot about healing herbs. Others believe that the name of the flowers comes from the word “centaurea”, which means in Latin. "one hundred yellow flowers" This flower is also popularly called commotion, voloshka, boletus, blueflower, blavat, etc. Cornflower is familiar to many from children's fairy tales and poems. He deserved such popularity not in vain. Yes, there are many varieties of this flower. To date, more than 550 varieties are known. Cornflower grows in Europe, America and Asia. Read more about cornflowers, planting and caring for these flowers below.
Characteristics and description of cornflowers
The cornflower flower is considered an ornamental crop. Depending on the type of cornflower, its color may also change. So, in addition to the usual blue and lilac flowers, there are pink, burgundy, blue, yellow and other shades. In addition, plant sizes vary from 35 cm ( dwarf varieties) up to 110 cm (tall varieties). The stems are decorated with large inflorescences. The leaves of these plants are whole or dissected. They are placed in regular order on the stem. There are rhizomatous annual, biennial and perennial species colors.
This culture is unpretentious climatic conditions, and to the type of soil. IN winter period plants can be left without shelter. Cornflowers bloom almost all summer, starting from June and until the end of August. The culture does not require careful care, therefore it is valued by many gardeners for its simplicity and ease of cultivation.
Massive inflorescences have the shape of a ball or cylinder. The rims are usually scaly, but can also be bare. Inflorescences are most often arranged in groups, but single variants are also found. In the center of the inflorescence there are tubular flowers, and funnel-shaped flowers on the sides. The varieties of these flowers also differ in the shape of the roots and baskets. The roots usually have a long tap-shaped form; sometimes a weakly branching root system is found. Mountain cornflower, on the contrary, has a short root. The seed box of cornflowers has an oblong shape. It contains about 310 seeds.
Perennial and annual varieties cornflowers have some differences. Thus, perennial species are very resistant to various climatic conditions, as well as to diseases. They are easy to care for, grow in almost all types of soil, and reproduce easily. Throughout the year, regardless of the season, the basal leaves of perennial cornflowers have green color. That’s why gardeners love these flowers so much, because they practically decorate a summer cottage. all year round. Grow upper leaves both in spring and autumn. The foliage that formed in spring period, by the end of summer it turns yellow and falls off, and autumn leaves begin to grow in September.
By the end of summer, the cornflowers begin to form a seed box. It contains many small seeds. In order to grow cornflower from seeds, seed pod during this period they are carefully removed. And the seeds are placed in containers for storage. Those flowers that begin to fade are recommended to be completely uprooted along with the peduncle.
Cornflowers are an undemanding crop, but some rules should still be followed when planting them. So, first of all, they love sunny meadows, so try to plant them in those areas where they do very well. sunlight. If you are forming a flower arrangement, then try to plant cornflowers in the first row so that more tall plants didn't shade them. The same rule applies when planting flowers in the garden. The rows should be formed so that the plants do not create shade for each other. Therefore, plant cornflowers in increments of 40-50 cm. Partial shade is less destructive only for the variety Cornflower Myagky. However, under such conditions, its flowering will still be less bright and lush than when planted in sunny meadows.
One more important characteristic cornflowers is their frost resistance. Even in snowy winters, the bushes of these flowers do not die. Concerning annual species, then they save green foliage until the month of October.
Crop varieties
All crop varieties are conventionally divided into two groups:
- Mesophytes. This group was derived from flower species that grow in grasslands and plains. They love moist to moderately moist soils. This group includes annual plant varieties. For example, Cornflower Soft, Cornflower Lugovoy, Cornflower Phrygian, etc. To grow flowers of this type, soil of neutral acidity is required.
- Xerophytes. These flowers, unlike the first group of plants, do not need moist soil. They grow without much difficulty in dry soils. Cornflowers of this group grow in steppe zones. These include Blue Cornflower, Musk Cornflower (Amberboa muskus), etc. These flowers have a massive root system, so it is better to plant them in separate containers or in an area at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other.
High-growing varieties of cornflowers include the large-capacitated cornflower and Fisher's cornflower. These plants reach a height of 30 cm to 150 cm. They have a massive root system.
Planting and propagation of cornflowers
When planting cornflowers on your personal plot it is necessary to maintain the distance between the bushes. It must be at least ½ m so that each bush has a sufficient amount nutrients For proper development. Otherwise, the plant may degrade, its stems will become thin, and the buds will become small and faded in color.
Before planting plants in the ground, it is usually “squeezed”. In simple words If the soil in the flowerbed is not too dense, compact it a little. The fact is that possible voids in the soil will not allow the plant to take root normally, which can cause development problems. When planting, it is necessary to monitor the direction of the roots. They should be directed both down and to the sides. You should not bury the plant too deep into the hole, however, this is acceptable for some plant varieties, for example, mountain cornflower or Fischer cornflower.
Cornflowers are planted using so-called divisions. They are part of a bush of an adult plant. Typically, cornflowers are planted on the eve of autumn, at the end of August. It is necessary to carefully dig up the adult bush of the plant along with the soil so as not to damage the roots. Then it is lowered into a bucket of water, where the roots are carefully washed from the remaining soil.
To stimulate the development of new bushes, they undergo root cropping. The length of the root of the division should not exceed 10 cm. After cutting the root, the adult bush is divided into several parts so that each of them has a full-fledged root and several healthy shoots with at least three buds.
After division, each division is planted in its place. To do this, dig a small hole in the ground, fill it with water, and after it has soaked the soil a little, plant the division. Then sprinkle with earth and add a little water on top. The new cornflower bush can be expected to bloom next summer.
Some plant species reproduce using seeds. These are annual cornflowers - Russian, field, Marshall and Musk cornflower. These species differ in that they have a taproot system.
You can sow annual cornflowers in the middle - end of April, then in the summer you can see their flowering. Sometimes perennial species of this plant are also planted using seeds. Sowing is carried out autumn-winter or mid-spring. Shoots of cornflower sown in spring appear within two weeks, however, it will be able to bloom only after a year.
The collected seeds of the plant can be successfully sown for 3 years; after this period, the likelihood of obtaining full-fledged seedlings sharply decreases.
Russian cornflower and Marshal's cornflower do not tolerate transplantation to a new location very well. Therefore, it is better to sow them on permanent place, either in flower pot, and then planted in open ground along with the “native” soil.
Cornflowers: care
Growing cornflowers is not too troublesome. This plant is not fastidious in growth and does not require special care. It must be watered regularly and the soil loosened to ensure air access to the roots. Cornflower begins to bloom, although not too profusely, in mid-June. The plant does not require additional shaping, as it already has a rather attractive shape. After the crop has finished flowering, the dried flowers are cut off. This does not bring any benefit to him, but is done for aesthetic purposes so that the dried flowers do not spoil appearance flower beds. WITH perennial plants In the second year of life, you can collect seeds; they are already strong enough for this. The collection is carried out at the end of August, at which time the bushes can be divided for propagation.
The perennial plant blooms quite successfully for 10 seasons. In addition to weeding and watering, it is necessary to occasionally fertilize with complex fertilizer formulations. Balanced flower mixtures can be found in any specialty store. In mid-autumn, flower bushes are pruned a second time. Do this up to the basal leaves.
The most common disease that affects cornflower bushes is fusarium wilt. This is a sponge disease that needs to be combated by treating not only the plant itself, but also the soil. For this they use wood ash, which is sprinkled on the soil around the plant, add a solution cow dung or they are treated with foundationazole or topsin-M.
Cornflower flower: photo
Cornflower is one of the simplest and at the same time favorite flowers of the absolute majority of gardeners. They love it for its modest but very beautiful appearance, for its long and abundant flowering, and most of all for its healing properties. Many flower growers call it a “hassle-free plant,” or “a plant for the lazy,” as it is very unpretentious and does not require special care. Modest has long attracted the attention of breeders, and they have brought to the present moment a large number of hybrid varieties. Thus, there are already about 500 species of it. The cornflower plant is convenient for gardeners: growing it from seeds does not cause much trouble.
Its color range is varied: yellow, white, light blue, indigo, pink, red, and burgundy cornflowers are found almost everywhere. Hobbyists can choose the most suitable for their site suitable varieties: tall or dwarf, regular or terry. The most popular is the large-flowered perennial cornflower, which is good for both flower beds and bouquets, and also tolerates well winter frosts without special shelter.
The most unpretentious flower you can call it cornflower. Growing from seeds is one of its advantages. The pubescent achenes of cornflower with a tuft are planted in moist, fertile soil rich in humus. It should be remembered that this flower does not tolerate soaking, and the only care for it is weeding and loosening. Another remarkable property is its drought resistance.
Only blue cornflower has medicinal properties. Growing from seeds is a common practice to obtain a medicinal concentrate. The edge flowers, which resemble a funnel, are collected. They are then dried in the shade, without access sun rays to preserve color and useful properties. Only fresh, unwilted inflorescences should be collected. Cornflower infusion is bitter and astringent, but very useful for increasing diuresis; it is also used as a choleretic and antimicrobial agent. This remedy treats the kidneys, liver and edema, cleanses the urinary and biliary tract. To make the medicine, pour a teaspoon of dry cornflower petals into a glass of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes, then cool and filter. Take the infusion 2 tablespoons 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals. The flowers of this plant also harmoniously complement any
The meadow cornflower is considered a symbol of fidelity and constancy because of its heavenly pure blue color. However, some people, thanks to the rainbow variation of its shades, on the contrary, considered it an indicator of impermanence. In combination with daisies, meadow cornflowers were included in bouquets for beloved girls in the old days. And the young women, in turn, wove it into wreaths, which they then placed on the heads of their chosen ones.
Cornflower loves sunny meadows and meadows, unshaded beds and flower beds. Growing from seeds allows you to find the most suitable appropriate place. The most better neighbors in the flowerbed for him are white chamomile, gaillardia, gravilat, The fact that cornflower is one of the best jewelry any flower garden.
Any summer resident strives to decorate his plot with beautiful flowers and plants. On sale you can find a wide variety of crops that differ from each other in color, size and life expectancy. Gardeners have a special love for wildflowers, which can be grown on their own. These are the plants that are referred to double cornflower, which we will look at in more detail.
Characteristics of the flower
Cornflower considered decorative culture and can have a variety of colors - white to dark purple. This variety has double inflorescences, rising on thin branched stems, reaching a height of 50 cm, and the diameter of the flowers themselves is 6 cm.
This plant looks great:
- in the flower beds;
- in mixborders.
These flowers make wonderful borders and edgings; they can also be planted in masses or in separate groups.
Growing terry cornflower from seeds
This flower is annual plant, his disembarkation is carried out in a seedless way, sowing seeds directly into the ground. When is the best time to plant seeds? Optimal time For this purpose, the end of April or the beginning of May is considered.
Growing cornflower from seeds should take place at sunny place. This flower prefers soil:
- well drained;
- non-acidic;
- sandy loam.
It is generally accepted that on alkaline soil the cultivation of these plants from seeds is much more intensive, and their color becomes brighter. If the soil is clayey, sand should be added to it, and lime should be added to acidic soil before planting cornflowers, and this must be done before the onset of winter.
Landing rules
Before growing cornflower from seeds preparing the beds. To do this, take 2 kg of humus and peat per m2, adding 100 g wood ash and 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska. After this, they dig up the beds, making a 25 cm deepening, level the soil and compact it a little, creating small grooves. Water the soil generously and sow seeds into it, and pour 1 cm of well-sifted soil on top of them. Then the soil is carefully compacted by hand, and the beds are covered with fabric material.
For creating flower arrangement The rows must be formed in such a way that the cornflowers do not subsequently create a shadow for each other. Therefore, they should be planted with in steps of 40 - 50 cm.
After planting the seeds, the beds are watered from above directly over the material and this is done every 2 to 3 days. For 1 m2 use 2 liters of water. Terry cornflowers begin to sprout a week or two after planting the seeds, in which case this tissue is removed. To keep the plants strong, they should be thinned out, leaving an interval of 10–12 cm between each other.
Growing double cornflowers can be done not only in garden beds, but also in pots on the balcony. Planting material retains its viability for 2 – 3 years.
Care
To grow strong and beautiful flowers, you need to properly care for them. Therefore, you need to adhere to the following recommendations.
Fertilizer application
In order to achieve abundant flowering cornflowers, they should be fertilized, and this must be done before the onset of such a period. To do this, use the following components:
- urea;
- nitrophoska.
They take them 1 tbsp. l. and diluted in 10 liters of ordinary water. They begin to water the plants with this solution, using 3–4 liters of fertilizer per 1 m2. Excessive feeding contributes to yellowing of the leaves. A preparation such as “Zircon” helps to speed up the flowering of cornflowers. The plant is sprayed with this product before budding.
Watering and pest control
Growing flowers should be watered, but this should be done sparingly. Excessive soil moisture only harms plants, and they may even die. It is also necessary to regularly weed and loosen the soil.
Cornflower can be affected by fusarium, resulting in the appearance of dark spots. In this case, use chemicals protection, namely, the plant is treated with foundationazole. However, many gardeners recommend first using more environmentally friendly methods - sprinkling the flower with ash or watering it with an infusion made from fresh manure. To prepare it, take three parts of mullein and the same amount of water, mix and infuse for 3 days. Using this infusion allows you not only to get rid of fungal disease, but also helps feed the plant.
Thus, we found out that double cornflower is a rather unpretentious plant, and growing it from seeds is also easy. It is able to grow on fairly problematic soil without using additional fertilizer. But only proper care for a cornflower can make it a real decoration for any personal plot.
Creating flower beds is simple, but effective method transform a personal or summer cottage plot, and due to its low cost, it is also the most popular. However, choosing colors can be quite difficult. Knowledge of how to grow and care for plants will help simplify it. If there is not enough time to carefully monitor them, you can choose the most unpretentious flowers. These include terry cornflower. However, to grow it you must adhere to some rules, then it will serve magnificent decoration flower beds.
Description of the plant
Cornflower has a number of alternative Russian names: sinyushnik, laskutnitsa, sinetsvetka, blavat, voloshka and others, it belongs to the Asteraceae family. The plant is especially popular not only because it looks great in a flower bed, but also for its excellent opportunity to make a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Details regarding the selection of colors for formation garden flower bed look .
From field cornflower Terry is distinguished by the height of the stem, which can reach one hundred and twenty centimeters, and the size of the flower, the diameter of which can be up to eight to ten centimeters. The inflorescence baskets are solitary.
Appearance of the plant
Double cornflower may have color various shades from white and soft pink to dark blue and purple depending on the variety. There are also yellow and burgundy inflorescences. The flower consists of funnel-shaped and tubular inflorescences, the leaves are found both whole and pinnate with dissections grey-green color. The lower ones are petiolate.
The culture is widely used in folk and practical medicine as a choleretic and diuretic for eye diseases, rheumatism, gout, fractures and wounds. In cosmetology, it is used to get rid of swollen eyes, enlarged pores and dry skin.
Types and varieties
Modern varieties of cornflowers that can be found on sale are the results of the work of breeders, and without breeding hybrids, the plants would have a less attractive appearance. There are annual and perennial species and varieties.
Annuals
One of the most common plants, blue cornflower comes in different heights and various colors. Among the short ones, Jubilee Gem (blue) and Florence Pink (pale pink) are famous.
Musk variety
Among annuals, Musk cornflower is distinguished by its relatively small inflorescence.
Perennial
One of the latest and most popular is “Shelf Dot Mix”. This variety involves flowers up to five centimeters in diameter and a variety of colors. See more examples of unpretentious perennial plants.
White cornflower bushes have the shape of a sphere and reach sixty centimeters in height. This type has pink and white inflorescences. Most popular varieties species Steenbergii and John Courts.
Fisher's cornflower has large yellow flowers with a relatively low bush.
Round-headed cornflower also has large yellow inflorescences, but reaches a height of one hundred and fifty centimeters.
The mountain cornflower species grows up to fifty centimeters in height and comprises the following varieties: Alba, Rosea, Violetta and Grandiflora. Their colors are respectively white, pink, purple and blue-violet.
Mountain variety
Growing from seeds
Growing terry cornflower of any variety does not involve breeding seedlings, so the seeds of the plant can be added directly to the soil. High grades planted at a distance of five to ten centimeters from each other, low ones - up to twenty centimeters and, if necessary, thinned out. The main rule is to avoid creating shadows. To do this, it is necessary not only to maintain distance, but also to carefully choose a landing site.
Cornflowers do not tolerate transplantation well because they have a tap root system. Flowers can be grown on open ground or in ordinary pots on the balcony, while planting material
good for two to three years. Cultivation must be done in well-lit sunshine in non-acidic, well-drained soil. Alkaline soil provides bright color flower. Clay should be diluted with sand, and acidic with lime or. The best period
For sowing, the time period can be considered from the end of April to mid-May. Cornflower begins its flowering in June and often ends with the arrival of frost. The choice of place to plant cornflowers is also influenced by creating a composition with other plants. As a background for flowering plant Ordinary greenery or foliage of peonies and irises can serve. Also, cornflower seeds are often used to create a Moorish lawn. Details about growing and caring for look .
Moorish lawn
Cornflowers should not be planted next to flowers with the same flowering period. It is better if the height of the bushes of “background” plants is less than the height of the selected variety.
square meter
The beds need to be watered every two to three days. Two liters of water are enough for one square meter. One to two weeks after planting, the cornflowers begin to sprout and the matter is removed.
Care
The main care for all varieties of terry cornflower is timely watering and fertilizing. In addition, it is necessary to thin out the plants in a timely manner and remove weeds from the beds.
Nitrophoska
Nitrophoska and urea are usually used as fertilizers. They are introduced into the soil with water, dissolving one tablespoon of each component for every ten liters. One square meter of bed requires about three to four liters of solution. Fertilizers should be applied once every one to two weeks. Yellowed castings act as an indicator of “overfeeding”. More details regarding types and application rates mineral fertilizers
read .
In order for the flowers to maintain their proper appearance and flowering order, it is necessary to promptly remove faded baskets and shoots to the level of the rosette.
Diseases and pests Dark spots on the leaves of terry cornflower indicate that the plant is affected by fusarium. In order to protect it from disease, treatment with foundationazole or watering with a solution of fresh mullein is required.
This solution is made by mixing three parts water with three parts fertilizer. It is able to rid cornflowers not only of fusarium, but also of most types of fungi, and also provide additional feeding.
You can also sprinkle the flower with wood ash.
Video
For a clear example of growing cornflowers from seeds, watch the video. Conclusion If you want to decorate your garden or summer cottage, you choose the double cornflower crop, you can count on the fact that you will have to deal with an unpretentious plant, the types of which include many varieties various colors and forms. In addition, cornflowers can be grown not only in garden beds, but also in... You can make bouquets and compositions from flowers, combining them with other crops, and to obtain plants
