Not every amateur flower grower knows: when and how to sow flowers, what seeds of flower crops can be planted directly in open ground, so that without the hassle of seedlings you can get beautiful flower bed with continuous flowering. Only seeds of winter-hardy plants can be planted in the ground before winter, as well as before the end of spring frosts (even earlier - right in the snow); seeds of heat-loving flowers are planted a little later. Carefully read and take into account the information on the bags of seeds: at what time sowing is recommended, at what distance and depth the seeds should be planted in the soil, what the height of the flowers will be, whether these plants are cold-resistant or heat-loving.
Using the seedless method for spring sowing, you can grow annuals: arctotis, acroclinum (helipterum), anhusa, bartonia, marigolds, bindweed tricolor, annual hibiscus, dimorphotheca, annual delphinium, sweet pea, ornamental sunflowers, Chinese carnation, venidium, centranthus, coreopsis, xerantheum, nemesia, nemophila, malope, molucella, lavatera (khatma), nigella, limnanthes, skerda, tar (viscaria), toadflax, cosmos, chamomile, mignonette, annual rudbeckia, ursinia, nasturtium, decorative bean, zinnia, annual gaillardia, etc.
You can resort to both spring and winter sowing of such cold-resistant flowers as agrostemma (cockle), adonis, amaranth, cornflower, gilia, graceful gypsophila, godetia, iberis, calendula, clarkia, flax, lobularia (alissum, or alyssum), poppy self-seeding, nikandra, phacelia, chrysanthemum, sage, eschscholzia, ecchyum, malcomia, etc.
Seeds of biennials (mallow, daisies, bells, lacfiol (cheiranthus), Turkish carnation, foxglove, lunaria (lunaria), matthiola, forget-me-nots, pansies (viola), etc.) are usually planted in the summer.
For very early and long flowering, many flowers are grown through seedlings, these are: ageratum, marigolds (tagetes), aster, sweet pea, snapdragon, salvia, calceolaria, gatsania, helichrysum, heliotrope, sweet tobacco, nasturtium, petunia, salpiglossis, celosia, cleome, kobea, dahlia (dahlia), thunbergia, morning glory, matricaria, mimulus, levkoy, limonium (kermek), mesembryanthemum, annual phlox (Drummonda), purslane, scabiosa, verbena, etc. Seedlings of these flowers are planted in the ground no earlier than will pass spring frosts. During the summer, if desired, you can cut some flowers (for example: ageratum, begonia, heliotrope, impatience, petunia, purslane, viola).
Grown seedlings of heat-loving perennials (begonias, impatiens (impatiens), dahlias, etc.) are also planted only after the end of the threat of frost, and they are dug up before the onset of autumn frosts.
To obtain excellent flowering, it is important, before planting crops in the soil, to treat and prepare it according to all the rules of agricultural technology: loosen it, add mineral and organic fertilizers in the proportions and quantities required for the soil. Loosening and moisturizing compounds of both organic and inorganic origin make the soil cultivated. The soil in the garden is improved by filling it with green manure, sawdust, rotted manure, compost, sand, lowland peat (or rotted high peat), mineral fertilizers(a tablespoon of granular substance N, P, K per square meter). Cultivated soil has a “sausage property”: a “sausage” made from moist soil must be bent in your hands - it should not crumble, but only slightly crack when bent. It is especially important to prepare a very nutritious and well-drained substrate for filling flowerpots and hanging baskets. Then the plants that are necessary and so dear to your heart are planted in this well-prepared soil.
For good flower growth, it is important to maintain the necessary substrate moisture so that bacteria that are beneficial for plants and their roots can exist in the soil, processing manure into smaller particles. The soil in which flowers grow should never be dry to the point of crumbling.
Nowadays, materials have appeared that allow watering to be carried out less frequently - when they are introduced into the soil, they first accumulate soil moisture when there is an excess of it, and then release the moisture to the substrate as the water evaporates from it. This is especially true in dry summers and when flower growers are busy, when there is no way to water the flowers on time, and the only hope is for rain. Of the natural materials found in nature, clay has such properties, and of the artificial substances that condition moisture in the soil, these include expanded vermiculite, hydrogel, and used “oasis” (a porous material for compositions of cut flowers).
The frequency of watering plants must be regulated taking into account the requirements of the given type and soil properties, depending on weather conditions; The same plants, taking into account many factors, have to be watered either more often or less often. Moisture-loving plants require more moisture for good growth and flowering; they must be watered regularly in the absence of rain. WITH big amount precipitation there is a risk of fungal plant diseases, so it is important not to thicken the flower plantings.
You can extend the life of heat-loving plants in the open ground, in flowerpots and hanging baskets by protecting them from temporary cold with the help of covering material, spruce branches and mulching with insulation (sawdust, dry peat, etc.).
The first months of the new year are the time to plan new flower beds. Not everyone flowering plants require incredible effort and growing seedlings. We have selected a reliable assortment suitable for sowing immediately in a permanent place
Many types of annual plants can be sown in open ground starting in mid-April, which means you don’t have to bother with seedlings and take up valuable space on windowsills.
Annual plants will cover a gazebo, divide the space into zones, decorate a flower bed, camouflage the lower stems of plants in mixborders and help stylize the garden.
The picture can be changed every season. Creating a whole flowerbed of unpretentious summer flowers is not a problem, and it does not necessarily turn out to be catchy, bright and “over the top”. Remember: what is good for public landscaping is not always suitable for a garden, which means you need to be guided by a sense of proportion and rules of combination regarding color, size, decorativeness of leaves, and shape of inflorescences.
Select an area and experiment to your heart's content. If the territory allows, it is good to plant summer trees in clumps. If there is not enough space, limit yourself to a small flower garden and keep in mind that the smaller the size of the color spots, the more carefully you should select the shades.
Annual plants look interesting in containers: be sure to choose accent, paired, voluminous and cascading species or varieties.
Annual climbing vines can gracefully hide outbuildings, decorate an entrance, an arch, they can entwin a gazebo or use them as a ground cover plant. Lianas on trellises divide the garden into zones.
Many annuals are good to plant next to seating areas: patios, gazebos, benches and along walking paths.
We liked some letniki so much that they became part of a certain style: for example, cosmea is originally from Mexico, but having planted certain species and varieties, you will instantly find yourself in a Russian front garden or a village garden. Sunflowers and decorative cabbage are also appropriate here, which will be a wonderful decoration. autumn garden up to frost.
To imitate a meadow, plant cornflower, eschscholzia, cosmos, calendula, chamomile, summer adonis, flax and large-flowered flax.
They tolerate partial shading: always-blooming begonia, hybrid coleus, winged tobacco, ornamental cabbage, seaside cineraria.
Impatiens are not planted in direct sunlight: Wallera (“Vanka wet”), balsam and New Guinea - they love the northern sides. Impatiens are ideal for growing in the shade; on the contrary, they develop more slowly in the sun.
They are not afraid of a shaded place: begonias, fragrant tobacco and Sandera, lobelia. Most annuals are photophilous and should be planted on the south side. Not afraid of the hot sun: verbena, forbitis, cineraria, decorative strawberries.
Annual plants do not have excessive requirements for soil, but castor beans, amaranth and ornamental cabbage are best grown on highly fertile soils. On the contrary, in rich soils they “fatten” and increase the green mass to the detriment of the flowering of cosmos, ageratum, nasturtium, and alyssum (marine lobularia).
Read also: Annuals: sowing or seedlings
The most cold-resistant annuals are sown from April 20 to May 1. These are calendula, cosmos, poppy, eschscholzia, mountain cornflower, lobularia, and summer adonis.
From May 1 to May 15, asters, godetia, annual delphinium, lavatera, sweet peas, and chrysanthemums are sown.
To prolong flowering, cold-resistant species are sown in June-July, which will bloom again in August.
It is better to sow some annuals before winter: firstly, they will bloom earlier in the summer, and secondly, you will create better conditions for their development: the seeds will wake up in early spring, when the ground is still moist and cool.
Before winter they sow: godetia, calendula, summer adonis, cornflower, Ajax delphinium, Drummond's phlox, clarkia, doubly pinnate and sulfur-yellow cosmos, lavatera, lobularia, self-seeded poppy, matthiola bicornuum, Californian eschscholzia, chrysanthemums.
Usually they are sown in two periods: at the end of October - beginning of November or in December-January. When sowing before winter, it is important to meet several conditions: sow on completely frozen soil, otherwise the seeds may hatch during a thaw and die during frost, prepare the soil and area in advance so that melt water in the spring does not wash away the seeds. The crops are mulched on top with a soil mixture (compost, humus with sand, peat with sand), and covered with snow to protect them from birds.
In general, flyers are unpretentious, but they have their own requirements. To know where to pour out the treasured packet of seeds, look at the basic rules.
For spring sowing, large seeds (nasturtium, calendula, balsam) should first be soaked and germinated in a damp cloth. Seeds are sown in furrows in a checkerboard pattern or in nests (square-nest planting method). For small seeds, the depth of the groove is 1.5-2 cm, for medium and large seeds - 3-5 cm.
The distance between the grooves is determined based on the ability of the plants to grow. For example, for nasturtium it should be at least 30-50 cm.
Small seeds are sown in nests - 6-8 pieces in each nest, medium - 4-5 pieces, large - 2-3 pieces.
After watering, the crops are covered with non-woven material. The shelter is removed when shoots appear. Godetia, clarkia, and ornamental cabbage are left under cover, since cruciferous flea beetles can destroy the seedlings. After the first 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings are thinned out at intervals of 10-14 days until the required amount remains per 1 m2 (different for each species, usually written on the seed packet). The seedlings are regularly watered and fed.
Annuals will smell and bloom longer if you provide them with watering, loosening and weeding. Remove faded inflorescences so that the seeds do not ripen and flower buds continue to form. If plants are fed with nitrogen in August and September, flowering can be prolonged.
9 unpretentious annuals for the flower garden
Nasturtium the large one grows well on retaining walls where few plants survive. It tolerates any weather conditions, has a pleasant aroma of flowers and decorative leaves.
Bindweed tricolor spreads along the ground and does not need support. It is planted on rocky hills and used in mixed boards and ridges. Moorish flowerpot is ideal for containers and hanging flowerpots.
A climbing vine with delicate butterfly flowers is familiar to almost all gardeners: sweet pea often used for vertical gardening. Like other plants of the legume family, peas live in symbiosis with nodule bacteria, which absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, which means they feed themselves and, in addition, enrich the soil.
U matthiola bicornuum small, inconspicuous inflorescences, but they smell wonderful, and the aroma intensifies in the evening. Mattiola gray varieties are good in the flower garden: among dense and more decorative neighbors, near patios and gazebos.
Fragrant and delicate winged tobacco also planted next to a recreation area, an array or in containers.
Three-month-old Lavatera is very pleasant to the eye and smell: at a distance close to the viewpoint and in places where guests spend a long time. Its large, funnel-shaped flowers with a delicate aroma are interesting to view up close. This is a honey plant.
Another honey plant - lobularia marine– widely used as edging of flower beds, in borders and edgings. It branches heavily, grows into a dense clearing and smells pleasant. The plant is also suitable for hanging baskets - the white varieties look like a “cloud”. Californian Eschscholzia blooms profusely, has decorative foliage, is resistant to drought and getting wet, does not fade in the bright sun, and dissipates at cosmic speed.
Godetia even when fading it looks neat and does not spoil the appearance of the flower garden. Breeders have developed many varieties, different in height, color, and flower shape. Beautiful compositions with smooth transitions are obtained if you select varieties of the same color, but in different shades.
Annuals are good because they are fast. Once you sow them in the ground, they sprout immediately, withstand spring colds and bloom quickly. There is no need to waste time on seedlings; you just need to find a good place for them in the garden in advance. They will show themselves in all their glory.
In central Russia, the seeds of the annuals we have named are sowed in the first ten days of May, in the northern regions a week or two later. Also, decorative pumpkins or beans are sown 7-10 days later. Crops with a short flowering period (for example, gypsophila) can be sown at several times, with a difference of 2 weeks.
Species such as bidens, blue cornflower (although it has many varieties and mixtures with other colors of inflorescences), annual flax, self-sown poppy, helipterum, nigella, or damsel in green, cynoglossum can be sown in clumps in a mixed flower bed or front garden. Or you can mix their seeds to make a cheerful, colorful annual flowering lawn on your front lawn or along a fence.
Blooming vegetable garden - among vegetables and green crops, poppies, decorative sunflowers, variegated toadflax, forget-me-not-like cynoglossum, cornflowers, decorative pumpkins, beans and other species always look great.
For good development For abundant flowering, it is important that the soil around perennials is always loose and the flower beds are free of weeds. And they will delight you with flowers from early summer until late autumn.
At the bench and gazebo, near the recreation areas, garden benches You can sow fragrant flowers, such as mignonette, matthiola or short varieties of sweet peas. And near supports, terraces, gazebos, and walls of buildings, you can sow climbing annuals, such as sweet peas (tall varieties), morning glory, bright red decorative beans, echinocystis and others. Lavatera, godetia, iberis, and coreopsis are perfect for borders and ridges along paths.
For flowerpots and hanging boxes, annuals are best suited, such as, for example, nemesia, nasturtium, short sweet peas; you can decorate garden flowerpots and containers, as well as balcony boxes and even hanging flowerpots.
Instead of faded bulbous bulbs, short species such as gypsophila, iberis, eschscholzia, bush, low varieties of nasturtiums and sweet peas are best suited.
The soil is dug up or deeply loosened, furrows are made. Seeds are sown sparsely, in rows or scattered. Sprinkle with soil or mulching material (peat, compost, humus) in a layer that is approximately 3-5 times the height of the seed. Then the soil on top is lightly pressed with a hoe. The crops are watered from a watering can or hose with nozzles for a medium-sized spray. In hot, sunny weather, it is advisable to cover the sowing areas with covering material so that the soil does not dry out.
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Summer residents who have recently joined the ranks of flower growers, as a rule, start with the same thing - by visiting various garden centers, Internet sites, exhibitions, and collectors' sites. After all, there is so much on offer there the most interesting plants(mostly perennial), which “you just can’t pass by”!
Alas, the “buying rage” is often far ahead of planning plantings and understanding which plants will actually feel good and look beautiful in your garden.
Therefore, the first advice to gardeners (and especially beginners): do not rush to immediately purchase a lot of perennial flowers! Limit yourself to those whose planting sites have already been prepared. And the craving for variety can easily be satisfied with annuals. Most of these crops are not difficult to cultivate; their range can be updated annually, thereby changing the appearance of the garden - great help in planning! In addition, annuals are so bright and beautiful that it is difficult to imagine any garden or flower garden without them: from the simplest to the most sophisticated.
These gorgeous dahlias can be grown from seed! F1 ‘Hello Gorgous Shades’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Summer gardens are especially useful when you are going to start a flower garden in a new area with uncultivated soil. Many novice flower growers have the opinion that it is better to start with perennial plants: they say, I planted it once - and no worries. But what is really happening? After all, even if you don’t get involved with capricious crops, of which there are quite a few among perennials, but plant the most undemanding species and varieties, but in a poorly prepared place, then:
– in flower beds of perennial plants, you do not have the opportunity to dig the soil deeply with the addition of organic fertilizers and thereby improve it;
– weeds, the seeds and pieces of rhizomes of which are difficult to get rid of in one dig of the soil, are intertwined with roots with cultivated plants, and removing them can be very difficult;
– in new areas it is difficult to immediately plan flower beds, and moving perennial bushes from place to place is often not very easy.
The second piece of advice naturally follows from this: start “developing virgin soil” by planting annual flowers. Indeed, as a result of autumn or spring digging of flower beds with the addition of organic matter, you can significantly increase the fertility and structure of the soil and clear the area of most weeds.
Convinced? Are you already going to the store to buy seeds? And for which ones?
Calendula officinalis series ‘Pacific’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Selecting flyers for spring planting, you shouldn’t buy all the bags of seeds with the photos you like in a row. First, evaluate your capabilities: can you grow them without unnecessary hassle?
It is better for an inexperienced or busy gardener to pay attention to those species that are sown directly into the ground. These are: pink helipterum (acroclinum), calendula, cosmos, clarkia, lavatera, annual poppies, matthiola, blue cornflower, godetia, dimorphotheca, eschscholzia, venidium, nemesia, iberis, mignonette, etc. In central Russia you can go straight to the flower garden sow some “seedling” crops - callistephus (annual aster), marigolds, especially b. rejected, helychrysums, zinnias, Drummond phlox, sweet peas and some other species, but in this case their flowering will come late, only in the second half, or even at the end of summer.
Crops grown through seedlings are somewhat more complex than the previous ones. However, they, in turn, can also be divided into several groups. Seedlings of such species as marigolds, zinnias, amaranths, annual dahlias, coleus, celosia, and annual chrysanthemums are the easiest to grow. Their seeds are sown in boxes (on window sills, loggias) or in the soil of greenhouses in mid-April, and planted in the ground at the end of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed.
The next group of summer growers has a longer period of obtaining high-quality seedlings and requires a little more patience and experience. Their seeds are sown about a month earlier - in mid-March, boxes with crops are placed on light windowsills or in greenhouses. Such crops include ageratum, alyssum, arctotis, annual aster, verbena, gatsania, Chinese carnation, helichrysum, sweet pea, kochia, gillyflower, lobelia, snapdragon, perilla, petunia, salvia, sweet tobacco, Drummond phlox.
And finally to last group These include species that have the longest period of development in seedlings. They are sown in January - February in heated greenhouses or in room conditions on special racks with lighting installations. For the first month or two, boxes with crops and seedlings must be illuminated with special lamps, since otherwise the seedlings stretch out and die. Such crops include: Chabot carnation, tuberous begonia, viola (Vitrocca violet), statice, heliotrope, fuchsia and some other species. I would not recommend growing them from seeds to inexperienced gardeners.
Let's get acquainted with the most interesting and relatively uncomplicated annual flower crops for beginning gardeners.
Calendula officinalis (Calendula officinalis) is one of the most common and well-known plants, blooming in abundance in country flower beds and rural front gardens. Over many centuries of cultivation, dozens, if not hundreds, of calendula varieties have been created, differing in plant size - from low, border plants, about 25–30 cm in height, to large bushes up to 80 cm in height; the form of inflorescences, which can be non-double, chamomile-shaped, and double, imbricated and even anemone-shaped. But the greatest variety is in its color: from the common yellow, orange, apricot to cream, dark brown, burgundy, pinkish or greenish, plain or variegated.
Calendula officinalis ‘Apricot Twist’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
In the garden, calendula looks good in front gardens, mixed borders, flower beds, ornamental gardens, and annual flower lawns. Low growing varieties You can grow them on balconies and in containers, make ridges and borders out of them. In addition, its inflorescences are excellent for cutting.
If you do not have the desire or opportunity to grow seedlings of annual flowers yourself, they can be purchased at numerous markets and garden centers.
How to grow?
Calendula is an extremely undemanding crop and easy to cultivate. Its seeds are sown in open ground from April to June inclusive, and also before winter - in November. It is better to choose a bright place for it; it is undemanding to soil, although it prefers neutral loams. If the seedlings turn out to be too dense, it is advisable to thin them out to a distance of 5–10 cm. Plants should be watered moderately, only in dry times. On nutrient-poor soils, it is advisable to feed them once every 2–3 weeks with complex mineral fertilizers. Flowering of plants begins 45–50 days after sowing and continues until late autumn.
What's in a name?
In its homeland, in the Mediterranean countries, calendula blooms all year round, which is why it got its name: calendae translated from Latin means “the first day of every month.” The Russian name, “marigold,” was given to the plant for the shape of its seeds, which actually resemble the claws of animals and birds.
Calendula officinalis ‘Orange Button’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova Calendula is a valuable medicinal plant. Gargling with an infusion of its inflorescences perfectly heals a sore throat, compresses with a decoction of calendula will help to quickly heal wounds, bruises and dislocations, and calendula extract is widely used in cosmetic products for skin and hair care.
Cute multi-colored “daisies” of cosmos, or Cosmos, can often be found in home flower beds and rural front gardens. They have long won the hearts of flower lovers with their cheerful disposition, diversity and unpretentiousness.
Currently, two types of cosmos can be found in our gardens. The most well-known and familiar species of cosmos bipinnatus (C. bipinnatus) forms powerful (or not so) branched bushes 50–120 cm high, with highly indented leaves and rather large inflorescences (from 5 to 12 cm in diameter) of a chamomile shape. The color of reed flowers can be white, pink, red, burgundy, the disc of tubular flowers is yellow.
Another species that appeared here relatively recently, but quickly gained popularity among gardeners, is the sulfur-yellow cosmos (C. sulphureus). It has smaller inflorescences (4–7 cm in diameter), the petals of which are slightly curved inwards in the shape of a rose and are colored yellow-orange-red. The height of the plant can be from 30 to 150 cm.
Cosmos doubly pinnate terry. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
In terms of use in the garden, cosmos are very similar to calendula. They are grown in flowerbeds and mixborders, in the front gardens of rural houses. From high grades Cosmos are convenient for making backdrops and decorating fences and walls of buildings with them. Low varieties, especially sulfur-yellow varieties, can be used to create borders and decorate containers and balcony boxes with them. Low, small-flowered forms of C. bipinnate are often included in annual flower (Moorish) lawns.
Cosmos is doubly pinnate, a mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
How to grow?
Cosmos bipinnate is a cold-resistant and light-loving plant, while sulfur-yellow is more thermophilic and feels good only in relatively hot summers. Both species are drought-resistant and undemanding to soils, but grow better in loose, not very nutritious soils - “overfed” plants grow powerful, but bloom poorly.
Just like calendula, cosmos is sown in open ground starting in April.
What's in a name?
Cosmos is translated from Greek as “decoration”. Indeed, the name matches the plant!
Cosmosser yellow. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
The colorful Lavatera trimestris (Lavatera trimestris) always attracts attention in the garden. But not only for this is why gardeners love her so much, but also for her long, abundant flowering and flexible character. Lavatera is a fairly powerful, branched, fast-growing plant with a height of 60 to 150 cm. During flowering, from late June to autumn, it is covered with large (6–10 cm in diameter), funnel-shaped flowers, painted white, pink or red.
Lavatera three-month-old ‘Novella’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
Long-lasting, generous, bright flowering and unpretentiousness make Lavatera desirable for any flower garden - flower bed, border, border, mixborder. The flowers stand well as cut flowers. Compact varieties can be used to decorate containers or garden vases.
Lavatera three months old ‘Mont Blanc’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
How to grow?
Lavatera is cold-resistant, light-loving, drought-resistant, and does not like waterlogging. It grows well in a variety of soils, but feels better and blooms more profusely in light, fertile soils.
Seeds are sown directly into the ground in early May, in nests of 2–3 seeds at a distance of 25–30 cm. It is also possible to sow seeds in a line at a distance of 10–15 cm from each other. In dry weather, plants must be watered, otherwise their growth will slow down and flowering will not be abundant. In May - June, it is advisable to carry out 3-4 fertilizing with complex fertilizers at intervals of 10-15 days.
What's in a name?
Lavatera received its name in honor of the Lavater brothers, famous German doctors and naturalists.
The colorful silky flowers of Californian Eschscholzia (Eschscholzia californica) are very similar to small poppies, which is why they received the popular name California poppy. The plant forms a low branched bush 15–30 cm high with numerous, rather long (up to 60 cm), lodging shoots. At the top of the shoots there are bright, shiny, large (up to 5–8 cm in diameter) single flowers: double or non-double, with smooth or corrugated petals of various colors - creamy white, yellow, orange, salmon, red. The leaves of Eschscholzia are also exceptionally elegant: strongly dissected, openwork, covered with a bluish waxy coating.
Eschscholzia Californian terry. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
California poppy can be grown in flower beds, in flowerbeds, mixborders, made into borders, planted in spots on lawns, rock gardens, and ornamental gardens. They look beautiful in vases, containers and balcony boxes. Eschscholzia is often included in mixtures for annual flower (“Moorish”) lawns. The flowers stand well as cut flowers.
How to grow?
Eschscholzia is cold-resistant, light-loving, drought-resistant and very unpretentious. Prefers dry, sunny places and does not tolerate excess moisture. Blooms better and remains compact in nutrient-poor soils. In rainy weather the flowers close.
Propagated by seeds, which are sown in early May in open ground. In areas with light soil winter sowing can be done. It is advisable to thin out shoots that are too dense to a distance of 5–10 cm. Flowering begins in the first half of July and continues until frost. Some varieties of Eschscholzia can produce abundant self-sowing.
What's in a name?
Eschscholzia is named after Dr. I. F. Eschscholz, a natural scientist from the Baltic states who lived in 1793–1831.
Eschscholzia Californian 'Apple Blossom'. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Marigolds, marigolds, and Tagetes are one of the most famous and beloved annuals by many.
There are two types of marigolds most often used in gardening: b. rejected, or French (T. patula) - with a highly branched, spreading form of a bush 15–50 cm high, with single or double inflorescences of a single or variegated color, and b. erect, or African (T. erecta) - with more powerful and less branched plants 30–120 cm high and densely double inflorescences of a single color with a diameter of 10–15 cm. Recently, another species can be increasingly found in gardens - b. thin-leaved, or Mexican (T. tenuifolia, sin. T. signata), with thin stems 20–60 cm high, graceful strongly dissected leaves and a huge number of small non-double inflorescences with a diameter of 2–3 cm. Plain or with a contrasting spot in the center, they painted in bright yellow, lemon, orange tones.
Marigolds rejected ‘Carmen’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
Marigolds look harmonious in any flower beds, flower beds, borders, mixborders, and ornamental vegetable gardens. They can be used in containers and hanging baskets, or planted in balcony boxes. Despite their love of light, they can tolerate slight shading, so they can be used to decorate areas on the north side of buildings. In addition, they have a sanitary effect on the soil, destroying or repelling nematodes with secretions from their roots. For the same purpose, crushed marigold leaves can be added to the soil.
Thin-leaved marigolds, mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
How to grow?
All marigolds are heat-loving (cannot withstand even slight frosts), light-loving (but can tolerate slight shading), drought-resistant and very undemanding to soil. They easily tolerate transplantation at any stage of development, even during the period of full flowering.
They reproduce by seeds, in central Russia - through seedlings, in the southern regions - by sowing in the ground. Seeds for seedlings are sown in the second half of April in greenhouses, but for earlier flowering, sowing in March and even February is possible. Seedlings dive into boxes, pots or ridges of greenhouses at a distance of 5–7 cm from each other. During the period of growing seedlings, it is advisable to make 2-3 fertilizing with nitrogen or complex mineral fertilizers with an interval of 7-10 days.
Seedlings are planted in open ground in early June, when the threat of spring frosts has passed. The distance between plants when planting is from 15 to 40 cm, depending on the variety. Care consists of weeding and loosening the soil around the plants, and on poorly fertile soils, 1-2 more complex fertilizing treatments are carried out.
Flowering at b. rejected ones begins 2–2.5 months after sowing, b. erect – after 2.5–3 months and b. thin-leaved – after 2 months.
What's in a name?
The common name - marigolds, or marigolds, was given to these plants for the velvety petals of the flowers, especially in dark-colored varieties, and they received the scientific name Tagetes in honor of the Etruscan god Tages, famous for his beauty and ability to predict the future.
Marigolds are erect. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Who doesn’t know the slender beauties of dahlias (Dahlia) with huge bright inflorescences that color our gardens in late summer and autumn? True, most large-flowered varieties are perennials, and their tubers must be dug up and stored in cool rooms before the onset of cold weather. But this is not always possible, so annual dahlias can be an excellent replacement.
For a long time there was an opinion that annual dahlias are medium-sized plants with medium-sized, non-double flowers, colored various shades white, yellow, orange and red. People called them that – “Jolly Guys”, after the name of the most famous, ancient variety. To date, many annual dahlias have been created, which are not inferior in beauty and diversity to their perennial relatives.
Dahlia is an annual, collar-shaped inflorescence. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
Annual dahlias are planted in flower beds, ridges, and arrays. Low varieties can be grown in containers and balcony boxes.
How to grow?
Dahlias are a rather demanding crop in terms of cultivation conditions. They are very thermophilic, love fertile, moderately moist soils and sunny, windless areas.
Dahlia annual ‘Art Deco’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Seeds are sown in boxes in the first half of April, later seedlings are planted at a distance of 7–8 cm in pots or boxes. Young plants tolerate replanting well. They are planted in open ground in early June. The distance between plants depends on the variety and can be from 20 to 40 cm. It is very important to loosen the soil around the bushes in a timely manner, in hot weather - water abundantly and periodically, once every 2 weeks, feed with complex mineral or organic fertilizer. In August, feeding is stopped. Annual dahlias bloom in the first half of July and bloom profusely until the first frost.
What's in a name?
Dahlias, natives of Mexico, appeared in Europe in the 18th century, where they received two names at once - dahlias and dahlias. The first of them was given in honor of the famous Swedish botanist A. Dahl. And in 1803, the German botanist K. L. Wildenov gave the plant another name - dahlia (Georgina), in honor of his friend, botanist I. G. Georgi. Both names existed together for a long time, but recently the official botanical name of the genus has become the name dalia. The name “dahlia” took root only in our country.
The annual aster, or Chinese callistephus (Callistephus chinensis), is perhaps the most beloved “folk” summer plant in our country. In nature, this plant is about 80 cm high, with chamomile-like inflorescences of lilac-lilac color. However, over several centuries of cultivation, the appearance of this crop has changed very much. Many hundreds of varieties have been created, differing in plant height (from 20 to 100 cm), bush shape (spherical, oval, columnar, pyramidal, spreading), leaf color (from light green to dark green with a purple bloom), flowering time ( from early, blooming on the 70th day after emergence, to late - on the 120–130th day).
But the callistephus inflorescences have undergone the greatest changes - in color, shape, size, doubleness, their number on the plant, etc. What colors are they not painted in! White, pink, red, salmon, yellow, blue, purple - almost every color of the rainbow, with the exception of bright orange and black. There are varieties with two-color inflorescences.
According to the method of application, asters can be divided into casing (border) - low, compact, abundantly flowering, cutting - tall, with long strong peduncles and universal - suitable for both landscaping and cutting. Most varieties of asters belong to the latter group.
Callistephus chinensis, ‘Milady’ series. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
Where to plant?
In garden plots, annual asters are planted in flowerbeds, ridges, and mixborders; low varieties are planted in borders, containers, balcony boxes, and rock gardens. Dwarf varieties used as a potted plant. And, of course, we should not forget that annual asters are one of the best garden cut crops.
Callistephus sinensis ‘Gala’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
How to grow?
Aster varieties differ most strongly in the shape of their inflorescences. Based on this characteristic, they were combined into more than 40 varieties, or garden groups. One of the main reasons for the enormous popularity of the annual aster is its undemanding nature. This plant is cold-resistant (can tolerate frosts down to –3–4 °C), light-loving, prefers sandy loam or loamy, loose, nutritious soils with a neutral reaction.
Aster is propagated by seeds both by seedlings and without seedlings. In the first case, the seeds are sown in late March - early April. Seedlings can be planted in open ground from mid-May. With the seedless cultivation method, the seeds are sown in the ground in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. In the phase of 2–3 true leaves, seedlings are thinned out or planted at a distance of 10–15 cm.
Depending on the variety and method of cultivation, asters begin to bloom from late June to mid-August and continue until frost.
Callistephus sinensis ‘Minuet’, mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova
What's in a name?
The name Callistephus was given to this flower by the French botanist Antoine Jussier: translated from Latin it means “beautiful wreath.”
You might be interested: Datura flower, how and when to sow seedlings →
Annual flowers always delight the eye with their bright colors and varied shapes of their flowers. Therefore, with their help you can turn your small garden into a small piece of heaven. With the help of annual flowers, you can change the design of your garden from year to year and each time it will look new.
You can choose flowers in one color scheme, for example white, and all the flowers from the edge of the flowerbed to the climbing ones located in the background, blooming in white, will captivate the eye - white on a green background of foliage as a symbol of immaculate beauty.
You can also make mixed flower beds; they will look variegated and beautiful in summer. The main thing is that all annual flowers for the garden will bloom until frost.
This flower is also called night beauty. This name was given to it because its beautiful flowers bloom after sunset and the bush stands strewn with bright flowers and smells fragrant all evening and night.
Flowers come in a variety of colors ranging from white to pink, yellow and crimson. Due to the fact that its root system grows in the form of a tuber, it easily tolerates the dry season.
Mirabilis
Reproduction
This wonderful flower can be propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. For better germination, seeds are soaked in warm water for a day. Seeds are sown two in each cup filled with soil for seedlings. Seeds should be sown thirty days before planting in open ground. When shoots appear in the pot, only one of the strongest shoots is left. It is transplanted into a flowerbed only when the threat of return frosts has passed.
Cuttings can be rooted in peat tablets, but it’s still easier to grow it by seed propagation. Although if you save the tubers, then such a bush will develop much faster and will be much larger than one grown from seeds. By preserving the tuber, the shade of the flowers is preserved. Tubers should be stored in a dry, dark place with a temperature of at least 5 degrees Celsius.
Care
Often these annual garden flowers are planted along paths or in the center of a flower bed. Since, with proper care, they grow up to one meter tall and have the same diameter. Watering should be done at least once a week.
If you grow these bushes in containers, then in a two-liter container it will be small, no more than 50 cm. In order for the bush to bloom richly, it requires planting in a sunny place. The soil for the flower must be fertile and without stagnant water.
There are several varieties of Mirabilis that differ from each other. color scheme buds.
These flowers grow, depending on the variety, from 15 to 80 cm. They are also called tagetes. This flower is very drought-resistant and therefore very common among lovers of annual flowers. The color scheme pleases with all shades of yellow, white, and there are varieties where the petals are even striped.
Marigold
Propagation by seeds
Collect seeds at the end of July and August. You can sow directly into open ground when the soil warms up enough; depending on the region, these dates shift. The seeds should not be buried deep enough and 2 cm. Shoots appear already on the 7th day. Buds begin to appear only two months after sowing the seeds. Therefore, several bushes need to be grown through seedlings. Transplantation with marigolds is well tolerated, and they can be replanted at any age.
Seedling
The seedlings are sown in a bowl in early March and after 10 days the seeds begin to germinate. After two true leaves appear, they are picked into separate cups, and then they grow at a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. They are planted in flower beds when it is warm enough. Between small varieties, leave 20 cm between bushes when planting, tall ones are planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
Care
Caring for marigolds comes down to watering and weeding; in the first half of summer they will respond well to full mineral fertilizers. When planting seedlings, you need to know that the flower prefers sunny places. It will also live in the shade, but you may not get beautiful flowers.
When flowering gains strength, it will be necessary to pick off drying flowers, this will stimulate more luxuriant flowering.
There are many varieties of marigolds:
This is actually a perennial plant, but in our latitudes it does not overwinter and is therefore grown as an annual plant. They plant it along the borders, in groups in the middle of the green lawn. Nowadays, ampelous forms of snapdragons have been developed, which grow successfully in tall flowerpots.
Reproduction
The seeds do not lose their viability for several years. Seedlings should be sown in the first ten days of March in prepared containers with loose nutrient soil. The seeds are laid out on the surface and lightly sprinkled with coarse sand. Watering is done using a spray bottle, sprinkling warm water from a fine spray bottle. Then the whole thing is covered with a transparent lid.
At a temperature of 24 degrees, sprouts will appear in 15 days. After the first shoots appear, the container is moved to a place where there is no direct sunlight to avoid burns to the seedlings. After 4 days you can completely remove the glass.
The seedlings grow slowly at first and when moistening them, you must not overwater the plants. Those flowers that have fallen can no longer be helped and are removed with tweezers. When the first true leaf blades appear, the seedlings are planted in separate containers. Then they should grow in a warm and bright place. When 5 leaves appear, the central shoot is pinched to increase bushiness.
At the end of May, it is planted in flower beds, the location of which must be sunny and without stagnant moisture.
Snapdragon
Care
This plant does not require special care. It just needs to be watered and loosened after watering. Removing weeds in a timely manner contributes to a healthier plant. If tall varieties are planted in a flowerbed, they will need timely staking to the support.
Snapdragon seeds are collected only when they are not fully ripe and placed in a shady place to ripen.
This fairy flower growing as a bush about a meter high, it has green oval leaves and single flowers resembling bells. Flowers reach 20 cm in length. They bloom in yellow, white and blue.
Reproduction
The seeds have poor germination and therefore require a lot of moisture to germinate. Before sowing, they are soaked for 10 days. And to grow they need a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Shoots emerge from the ground very slowly and can germinate for more than a month.
Datura
Care
This plant prefers sunny places and fertilized soil. It loves watering and if there is no rain, it definitely needs to be watered. At the slightest drying out, it drops its buds.
This flower will decorate any garden with its variety of colors and bud shapes. But this flower will not grow in the shade. The height of the stem varies from 20 cm to 100 cm. It all depends on the type of flower. Flower heads are located at the top of the stem.
The tongue-shaped petals are arranged in several rows around the center of the flower. It blooms from June until cold weather sets in. Very resistant to heat. It is grown as a garden ornament and looks great cut.
Reproduction
Propagated by sowing seeds for seedlings. First, they are checked for germination, and then soaked in any growth stimulator for a day. Even old seeds germinate within a week. Since this flower does not like picking, it should be planted immediately in peat cups.
Planting begins in March throughout the month. If the seedlings are stretched too thin, you can add soil to make the seedlings more stable. It is planted in the ground after return frosts.
Zinnia is the most common annual plant for the garden.
Care
Requires timely watering and weed removal. But when watering, you must avoid getting it on the stems and plants. Zinnia does not need support, as it has strong, straight stems. If plants are planted not only for beauty, but also for cutting, then you should not pinch the stems.
These annual flowers grow up to a meter tall and come in all shades Pink colour, white and blue flowers. Due to the fact that its leaves are very delicate, reminiscent of dill, the flower looks very delicate and airy.
Reproduction
Cosmos propagation occurs through seeds. Seeds are sown immediately in the ground as soon as the snow melts. There is no need to bury them deeply, even one centimeter is enough. It can also be sown in late autumn. Actually, if the cosmos has taken root on the site, it successfully reproduces further by self-sowing.
It is not rational to grow it in seedlings. But if all this is necessary, then it is planted for seedlings in early spring.
Cosmea
Care
Maintenance is not difficult even for beginners. Once a week it is necessary to water thoroughly and weed away weeds. You can fertilize the flower, but you must remember that fertilizing should be done in moderation so as not to overfeed the plant. To extend the flowering time, it is necessary to remove dried inflorescences.
This is a low plant with a variety of leaves and daisy-like flowers. The colors vary - red, yellow, orange flowers.
Reproduction
Seedlings are planted in early May. Seeds are sown in loose soil in early March, lightly moisten the soil and cover with glass. After 2 weeks, the first shoots appear. And after another two weeks, the first fertilizing is carried out, and the seedlings are planted in separate pots. Since the roots of gazania seedlings are delicate, they must be carefully transferred to their permanent place of residence in a flower bed. The sprouts may not survive a secondary transplant.
Gazania
Care
It is quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil and grows well in any soil. But it takes well to any fertilizing in the form of mineral fertilizer.
By watering on time and removing weeds, you can achieve lush flowering of gazania. Since the plant has a tap root, it is more drought-resistant, but still, when there are strong breaks between rains, it will not refuse good watering. In our climate, the flower does not overwinter.
It is an annual subshrub with rounded leaves and single flowers. The flowers come in bright shades of red and yellow. It grows up to 30 cm in height. Abundant flowering continues all summer until frost.
Nasturtium contains a lot useful substances and it is used in folk medicine. It was also previously used in cooking, adding to various dishes.
Annual flowers for the garden - nasturtium
Reproduction
Propagates well by seeds. They can be sown directly into the ground in mid-May, or they can be grown through seedlings. But before any planting you need to fill hot water seeds for 30 minutes, and then soak for a day. Place three seeds in each hole (cup) and wait for germination,
They appear within 14 days. The seedlings are transplanted into the flower garden using transshipment, leaving a lump of earth.
Care
It prefers non-greasy soils and sunny places; if you overfeed the plant with nitrogen fertilizer, it will stop throwing out buds and turn into a green bush without flowers. Until flowering begins, the seedlings require constant watering, but after the buds open, watering is reduced. To prolong flowering, you need to regularly pick off dried inflorescences.
How I love summer!!! How I'm waiting for him!!! How you want to quickly go to the garden, delve into the beds, bring beauty to the flower beds. This year I planted different annuals. At the end of last summer, I collected seeds of beautiful flowers wherever possible, and this year we sowed them, not even expecting that we would get such diversity in our beds. 
I never bother with flower seedlings, I don’t grow them myself, I just buy something at the market, my friends share the surplus, and I just sow something in the ground.
Here are the annuals blooming in our garden today:
1. Phlox annuals
What magnificent flowers these are. A friend shared the seedlings with me; they sprouted by self-sowing last year. The sprouts were small, only 3-5 centimeters high, so small that I thought it was unlikely they would survive. For some time they just stood frozen and did not grow, but then they quickly began to grow. They bloomed at the end of June, and now they delight us with their variety of colors.
Phlox annuals
2. Annual dahlias
They also have a beautiful name: funny guys. I bought seedlings at the market, and a kind woman gave me a whole bunch for 50 rubles. The plants were strong and tall. They planted them in a long bed behind the marigolds. They have blossomed, grown and are beginning to bloom. Flowers of different colors, double, elegant. Exactly - funny guys! We will admire their beauty all summer.
Annual dahlias
3. Lenok
I love this plant. Such thin and delicate branches with very bright small flowers of red-crimson color. At night, the flowers fold their petals. The plant begins to bloom in June and blooms all summer. We planted it with seeds, just sowed it in the ground in early May. The seeds sprouted quickly and amicably, the plants grew and now, just as amicably, they bloom.
4. Petunia
Although I don’t really like petunia in the garden, I still couldn’t resist planting it this time. I bought some seedlings and a friend gave them to me. The seedlings were small but strong. It quickly gained strength and began to bloom.
Petunia - annuals for the garden
Petunia is, of course, a flower with the most varied colors. There are both simple and double flowers, so many different varieties have been bred that now I wonder how we lived without petunia before. I like petunia more in city flower beds, on balconies, in hanging planters on the street. But even in the garden it looks quite harmonious, only it has grown so much that it has “crowded” the growing flowers nearby.
These are the annual flowers growing in our garden now, delighting us with their blooms, lifting the spirits not only of us, but also of passers-by. All of them do not require much care, just watering and a little organic feeding. Treat yourself too by planting annuals in your garden if you don’t already have them.
Annuals
Annuals are a group of plants that differ in their biological characteristics, but are the same in terms of use - only one year. They are called annuals (or annuals) also because plants of this group develop from seed to seed: sowing seeds in the ground in the spring and collecting them in the fall occur in one season. Annual flower crops are most decorative in the first year of sowing, although many of them (for example, petunia, snapdragon, salvia, etc.) can bloom in the second and even subsequent years.
The group of annual plants is distinguished by plants that are diverse in their decorative qualities and biological properties. Depending on the crop, they bloom from early spring to late autumn. In order for plants to bloom in early spring, the seedling growing method is usually used. For example, when planting seedlings in February-March, most varieties bloom in May-June.
According to their decorative qualities, annual crops are divided into three groups:
1) beautifully flowering: aster, gillyflower, clarkia, escholzia;
2) decorative foliage: cineraria, maritima, kochia;
3) climbing: sweet peas, morning glory, decorative beans.
According to the duration of the period from sowing to flowering, annual crops are divided into the following groups:
1) with a development period of 130-180 days: carnation Shabot, lobelia, maritima cineraria;
2) with a development period of 100-120 days: ageratum, anthirrinum, marigolds, sweet peas, annual phlox, etc.;
3) with a development period of up to 100 days: calendula, clarkia, poppy, mignonette, etc.
Taking these features into account, to obtain earlier flowering in the ground, annuals are grown through seedlings. Seeds of plants of the first group are sown in January-February, the second - in March, the third - in April and May.
Seeds of annuals that are resistant to low temperatures can be sown in open ground at the end of April or a small protected nursery can be created.
This period is called early spring. Late spring sowing is carried out in the first ten days of May. Good results can be obtained with pre-winter (from late October to early November) and winter (subject to snowfall, no thaws and the return of frost in the period December-January) sowing in a permanent place or in a nursery. In these cases, the seed sowing rate is increased by 2-3 times.
Aster- perennial flowering plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. In gardening, aster is also usually called an annual crop - Chinese callistephus (Callistephus chinensis).
Annual asters represented by a huge number of different varieties. Among them there are dwarf and tall, single-stemmed and branched; the inflorescences have a rich range of colors, there are two-color varieties.
The shape of the inflorescences is also different: pompom, needle-shaped, chrysanthemum-shaped and so on. The size of the inflorescences varies from 4 to 10 cm. Annual asters are autumn-flowering plants, but their flowering times vary depending on the variety; They bloom from August until frost.
Asters can be propagated by seeds. The varietal characteristics of plants are best preserved when propagated by dividing the bushes. Usually bushes that have been growing in one place for 5-6 years are divided. Asters are divided and replanted in early spring or after flowering. Autumn-blooming asters are divided and replanted only in the spring. The bushes are easily divided by hand into parts where there should be a bud and several roots.
Tall and spreading plants are planted at a distance of 70-90 cm, low ones - 30-50 cm. Asters grow quickly, forming powerful bushes. Tall varieties of perennial asters need to be tied up.
Asters are photophilous and should be planted in open, sunlit areas. Growing in partial shade is possible, but not recommended, since plants, especially in damp summers, are affected by powdery mildew. Therefore, all perennial asters, no matter where they grow, in order to avoid this disease, must be sprayed with Topaz (2 ml per 10 liters of water) before flowering, 2 times with an interval of 12 days. In the fall, after flowering, asters are treated with the drug copper sulfate(50 g per 10 liters of water), after which the plants are cut and burned. Asters prefer loamy, medium-heavy soils, preferably neutral, with the presence nutrients and mineral elements. Before digging the area for asters, add 200 g of fluff lime or dolomite flour, 3 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate. Dig as deep as possible (30-35 cm).
Biennials.
This group consists of plants in which flowering and the highest decorative effect appear in the second year after sowing. However, in central Russia, biennials can bloom well and grow in subsequent years. True, in some plants of this group the decorative effect decreases due to the death of shoots, exposure of the center of the bush, and the death of leaves on the lower part of the stem as it grows. They are also called biennials because the seeds of these plants are obtained in the second year after sowing.
Biennials reproduce mainly by seeds, sometimes by dividing the bush (for example, daisies). A positive quality of biennials is the ability to obtain planting material in open ground conditions. Sowing is carried out in mid-summer (June-July) in ridges or boxes. They are planted in a permanent place in August-September.
Seedlings can also be planted in a flower garden in spring. For example, viola, forget-me-nots and daisies can be sown in the ground in the spring, and by autumn they bloom, but weakly. Biennials still bloom profusely in the second year after sowing.
Daisies.
The plant belongs to the herbaceous species, has a short rhizome, the leaves at the root are blunt-pointed, have an oblong and non-pointed shape. There are almost no leaves on the stem. Daisy flowers can be pink or white and reed-shaped. Each flower contains a tubular yellow achene that is flattened.
The plant can grow into bushes and has inflorescences in the form of baskets. The daisy is a perennial plant; it blooms only a year after it was planted. The plant is a biennial species, so in the third year it becomes deformed and dies.
The daisy is easy to care for, can bloom from April to November, and is a frost-resistant species. In winter, buds and leaves may remain until spring. The plant propagates by self-seeding, cuttings, and dividing the bush.
Perennials
Perennials are plants that grow for more than 1 year, but bloom every season. The overall decorativeness of the site and the duration of flowering largely depend on the correct selection of perennial plants, which are grown in one place for more than 3 years. At the same time, it is necessary to prepare the planting of the flower bed especially carefully. Agricultural cultivation technology depends on the biological characteristics of the crops, as well as on the characteristics of the wintering part of the plants. The importance of perennials increases if flowering plants of other groups are not yet blooming. The use of perennial flowers in planting eliminates the need for annual labor-intensive work on preparing planting material.
Ornamental herbaceous perennials can be divided into two groups based on the structure of the aboveground part of the plant and life expectancy.
1. Perennials with wintering above-ground shoots. These are arabis, perennial carnations, evergreen iberis, granular and soddy saxifrage, some types of sedum, creeping phlox, etc.
2. Crops in which the above-ground part of the plants dies off annually, but the underground stem part is preserved, and vegetative and flower buds are formed on it, ensuring further growth and development of the plants.
Perennials of this group, depending on the structure of the underground part, are in turn divided into 4 subgroups:
1) rhizomatous - iris, bergenia, rudbeckia, etc.;
2) axial - peony, aquilegia, lupine, phlox, delphinium, etc.;
3) bulbous - tulip, daffodil, lily, hyacinth;
4) corms - gladiolus, crocus, etc. Flower organs in plants can be formed in the year of their growth (in delphinium, lupine, aquilegia), a year before the plants flower (in most bulbous crops - tulip, narcissus, scylla, muscari), and also in autumn (peony, iris, bergenia, creeping phlox, etc.).
These features must be taken into account when cultivating perennials, since good care for plants after flowering stimulates the establishment flower buds for flowering next year (for example, arabis, bergenia, peony, primrose).
In relation to light, perennials are grouped into the following categories:
1) light-loving plants - aster, begonia, helenium, heliopsis, lupine, oriental poppy, narcissus, peony, tulip;
2) shade-tolerant - aquilegia, aconite, astilbe, delphinium, dicentra, iris, daylily, small bulbous plants, primrose, Rogersia, rudbeckia, phlox, funkiya, black cohosh;
3) shade-loving plants - brunnera, waldsteinia, swimsuit, lily of the valley, fern, tiarella, funkia.
Cold and frost resistance is an important addition to the characteristics of perennials.
Based on the ability of plants to tolerate low temperatures, especially in the winter months, all perennials are divided into:
1) plants that winter in open ground: iris, narcissus, peony, tulip, phlox, etc.;
2) plants that do not overwinter in open ground: dahlia, gladiolus, canna.
The soil in gardens has the ability to retain moisture. Depending on this, perennials can be:
1) drought-resistant - blue-gray carnation, Portenschlag bellflower, catnip, lavender, Douglas phlox, oak sage, filamentous yucca;
2) moisture-loving - buzulnik, gubastik, loosestrife (weeping grass), sword iris, marsh marigold, small daylily, sapling, pink primrose.
Iris belongs to the iris family (Iridaceae juss). Short-rhizome herbaceous perennial, 10-15 cm tall. The rhizome is thickened. Leaves are basal, linear, bluish, 6-10 cm long and 3-10 mm wide. Stems up to 5 (15) cm tall, with one flower. Perianth violet, blue, yellow, whitish different shades, its tube is up to 5 cm long, with three purple stripes; The outer perianth lobes have a round or oblong plate, a cover of 2 long green leaves, leathery only at the apex. The capsule is triangular, pointed upward, sessile or almost sessile. The seeds are spherical. Flowering - April-May.
Irises are grown in groups, mixborders, for cutting and forcing. In decorative floriculture, the most common varieties and forms originating from the hybrid Iris (I. hybrida). They vary in color, shape and size of flowers.
Experienced flower growers They select varieties of irises in such a way as to enjoy their bloom all summer long. Dwarf types of irises can be grown indoors. 
Each owner garden plot I want to see it blooming and beautiful throughout the warm season. Summer in our region is short and quick, so you want to have time to enjoy the beauty of the planted trees, shrubs and flowers.
For floral decoration areas, it is necessary to use decorative herbaceous plants with different biological characteristics (annual, biennial, perennial, bulbous, ephemeroids), since their combination will provide a long-lasting decorative effect.
Or the so-called “letniki”, grown for one season, at the end of summer these plants produce seeds. Annual crops bloom for quite a long time, have a rich aroma and decorative foliage. Many ornamental flower crops are perennial, but only in warm countries. In our country they grow for one season (snapdragon, begonia, verbena).
Annual flower crops are used to decorate flower beds, ridges, balcony boxes, parterre and carpet flower beds. Group and solitary (single) plantings of summer trees (sunflower, kochia, fragrant tobacco) look impressive. Curly and ampelous annuals look beautiful when decorating balconies (sweet peas, , , ). For these purposes, they use profusely flowering annuals that bloom well in boxes and pots (levy, lobelia, snapdragon).
Annuals with fragrant flowers (levy, fragrant tobacco, alyssum, mignonette, sweet pea) are planted in flower beds near garden houses to decorate personal plots. Summer plants are also good for obtaining cutting material in garden plots and in industrial culture (asters, snapdragons, gaillardia, calendula). Cut flowers can be obtained in early spring and late autumn when growing plants in greenhouses (Chabot carnation, aster, sweet pea). A group of summer flowers, called dried flowers, provides material for making winter bouquets (helichrysum, acroclinum).
Annual crops most often. But the window area in our houses is so small that it is impossible to grow everything we want through seedlings, so some annual species can be sown directly into the ground.
Flowers such as cosmos, nasturtium, calendula, cornflower, nigella, toadflax, eschscholzia, sunflower, and ornamental grasses are sown directly in open ground. For sowing, you need to prepare the soil in advance.
If the soil on the planned site is clayey, then it needs to be cultivated. Peat or compost, as well as river sand, are often added for these purposes. Digging is carried out using a shovel, carefully selecting weeds, and leveling the surface with a rake. The result is fertile garden soil. Sowing of seeds in a permanent place is carried out after May 15-20, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently. Seeds are sown on the surface of small-seeded crops (nigella, poppy, eschscholzia) or planted to a depth equal to two seed diameters. Some crops must be soaked in water before sowing (sweet peas, decorative beans, castor beans, kobeya, nasturtium).
Small seeds (nigella, poppy, snapdragon, nemesia) are mixed with sand and scattered over the surface of the soil. After the shoots appear, the plants are planted or thinned out if the shoots are dense. Several plants (5-15 pieces) are left per square meter, taking into account their growth. After these operations, the plants must be sprayed with solutions of growth stimulants "Epin" or "Zircon" for better adaptation to new conditions (2 ml per 5 liters of water).
Every 10 days it is necessary to feed young seedlings with liquid complex fertilizers in the specified concentration. The soil should not be over-moistened, as fungal infections develop in humid conditions (blackleg, powdery mildew). To prevent these diseases, seedlings are sprayed with a solution of “Fitosporin” in dry, windless weather and loosened. The soil is loosened between sowings to avoid crust formation. When the plants grow up, the agricultural technology is the same as for other annual crops.
Many annual crops can be sown in the ground in advance, in the fall. They will overwinter and give early friendly shoots in the spring. The flowering period for such plants will be earlier than those sown in April - May.
| Grouping of annual ornamental crops by sowing time | |||
| Group annuals crops |
Name | Conditions | Agricultural technology, requirements |
| For sowing in open ground (spring) |
Alyssum, cornflower, graceful gypsophila, annual delphinium, dolichos, sweet pea, iberis, calendula, cosmos, lavatera, flax, linaria, mallow, matthiola bicornuum, poppy, nasturtium, nemophylla, nigella, sunflower, mignonette, decorative bean, eschscholzia | After as warms up - xia soil |
When sowing is thickened, thinning is necessary. Sowing to a depth of two diameters me |
| For sowing in open ground (autumn) |
Gypsophila, godetia, knotweed, calendula, clarkia, phacelia, malopa, eschscholzia |
Until now captivity stable it looks like lying (October) |
Place marks to indicate crops or sprinkle with sand. Sow seeds with exceeding seeding rates taking into account winter attacks |
Source: “Dacha Season” No. 3, 2013
Letniki occupy one of the leading places in ornamental plant growing. Most annuals are long-day plants. The period of their greatest decorativeness falls on summer season. Summer plants are planted in various phenophases of their development, even in the full flowering phase. Summer trees are less damaged by diseases and pests compared to perennial species. Most annuals have a shallow root system, so growing them requires a relatively small fertile layer soil. The listed qualities make letniki the leading ornamental herbaceous crops for urban landscaping.
Most summer varieties are propagated by seeds. Conditionally annual species (antirrhinum, verbena, petunia, etc.), as well as carpet crops, can be propagated vegetatively (by cuttings).
According to their decorative qualities, summer flowers are divided into the following groups: beautifully flowering, climbing, decorative foliage, ground cover or carpet, dried flowers. Letniki are widely used to create flower beds, ridges, borders, in rockeries, and for cutting.
According to the length of the growing season, annuals are divided into the following groups:
Letniki are grown by seedlings and without seedlings ((?.)> Fig. 288).
Seedling method of growing summer plants. Seedlings are used for landscaping various garden and park construction projects. Seedlings are planted in the budding or early flowering phase, which allows you to quickly create the necessary decorative effect.
To grow seedlings, a mixture of turf soil, leaf humus and sand in equal proportions is used as a substrate. Sowing of seeds is carried out in cassettes or flat containers at a temperature of 18-20 °C. After emergence of seedlings, the temperature is reduced to 15 °C.
The optimal temperature for growing seedlings of cold-resistant crops (cloves, callistephus, gillyflower, etc.) is 12-14 °C, and active air ventilation in the greenhouse is recommended. Seedlings of heat-loving crops (tagetes, petunia, zinnia, sage) are grown at a temperature of 20-22 °C.
For most annuals, seedlings appear 8-12 days after sowing. When sowing seeds early, as well as when very small seedlings (begonia, lobelia) appear, the seedlings are planted several times into picking boxes of 100 pieces each. in a box at intervals of one month. Most annuals dive once into pots with a diameter of 7 or 9 cm.
Caring for seedlings includes the following work: 1) removal of weeds; 2) loosening the soil; 3) watering; 4) feeding; 5) for some crops - pinching the stems.
Seedlings are fed twice: in the first feeding - nitrogen fertilizers, in the second - complete mineral fertilizers. Pinching of stems is carried out to enhance branching (anti-rrinum, rank).
From the beginning of May, summer seedlings are hardened off in greenhouses, watering is gradually reduced and ventilation is increased, and from mid-May, the greenhouse frames are removed to adapt the plants to fluctuations in night and day temperatures.
Planting of summer seedlings begins in the third ten days of May and ends in the first ten days of June. Cold-resistant crops are planted first, and heat-loving crops are planted after 2-3 weeks. The scheme for planting seedlings depends on the size of the plant and the type of flower garden. On average, short, compact plants are planted every 15-20 cm, medium-sized plants - every 25-30 cm, tall plants - every 40-50 cm.
Since summer seedlings have a superficial root system After planting, systematic and frequent watering is required.
A non-seedling method of growing annuals. In the temperate climate zone, seeds of such crops are sown in open ground, which are characterized by rapid growth and development, as well as high germination. To increase the germination of seeds and accelerate the growth and development of seedlings, it is recommended to treat the seeds with solutions of growth stimulants and microelements, as well as to expose the seeds to variable temperatures.
Sowing is usually done manually. The following sowing dates apply:
The soil for sowing summer seeds should be light, leveled, and cultivated. Before sowing seeds, organic fertilizers must be applied. Letniki are divided into three groups according to the need for organic fertilizers: 1) with low need (2 dm 3 / m 2) - godetia, clarkia, etc.; 2) with an average need (3 dm 3 / m 2) - helichrysum, calendula, etc.; 3) with a high need (5 dm 3 / m 2) - antirrinum, aster, cosmos, gillyflower, zinnia, etc. Some summer plants cannot tolerate the addition of fresh manure to the soil - ageratum, verbena, nasturtium, etc. With an excess of organic matter Most annual plants intensively develop vegetative mass to the detriment of flowering.
Typically, seeds are sown in a nesting method (3-5 seeds per hole), the distance between seed nests depends on the size of the plants. The seeding depth is 1 - 1.5 cm or on the soil surface with a 1-2 cm layer of peat mulching. The seedlings must be thinned out 2-3 times. The first time - in the phase of 1-2 true leaves, the second and third time - after 2 weeks, in the phase of 3-5 true leaves. After the last thinning, 1-2 plants are left in the nest.
Caring for summer gardens in flower beds. In flower beds, the following agrotechnical work is carried out to care for plants: fertilizing, watering, loosening the soil, weeding, protection from diseases and pests, pinching, pinching.
Feeding. 1 liter of garden soil suitable for growing summer plants in open ground should contain (according to X. Drews): 100-150 mg a.i. nitrogen, 175-300 mg a.i. phosphorus, 350-550 mg a.i. potassium Lower limits are recommended for young plants, upper limits for adults. Optimal soil acidity is 6-6.8. Usually, summer birds are fed three times. The first feeding is carried out after the seedlings have taken root, with complete mineral fertilizers (for example, 5 g/m2 ammonium nitrate, 10 g/m2 superphosphate, 5 g/m2 potassium sulfate). The second feeding is carried out during the budding period, the third - at the beginning of flowering. When carrying out the second and third fertilizing, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used (for example, 15 g/m2 of superphosphate, 6-9 g/m2 of potassium sulfate). They feed either dry or dissolved fertilizers in water, usually by hand.
Watering. The need for water depends on the biological characteristics of plants, soil and climatic conditions, and the pheno-phase of plant development. Most flyers are moderately moisture-loving. Optimal soil moisture is 50-60% NVP. Summer plants experience the greatest need for water during the period of intensive growth and budding. With the beginning of flowering it decreases, and by the time the seeds ripen it is reduced to a minimum.
Loosening the soil and weeding. For weed control and improvement air regime the soil is regularly loosened, especially during the period when the above-ground part of the summer trees does not close. Herbicides can be used to control weeds.
Protection from pests and diseases. Protection can be carried out by agrotechnical, physical-mechanical, chemical and biologically. Agrotechnical methods: correct crop rotation, deep autumn plowing, liming, phosphorus-potassium fertilizing. Physical and mechanical methods: steaming garden soil, heat treatment of seeds. Chemical methods: application of fungicides and insecticides. Biological: application biological drugs, insect traps.
Pinching and pinching. Pinching and pinching regulate growth, branching of stems, flowering, fruiting, ripening and sowing qualities of seeds.
Collection of seeds. Summer seeds are collected in the second half of summer or autumn, when the seeds reach biological maturity. In crops with an extended period of fruit ripening and easily opening fruits (ageratum, aster, calendula, cosmos, petunia, salvia, tagetes, etc.), seeds are collected selectively and repeatedly. For crops with rapid ripening and strong fruits (nasturtium, etc.) - once. The fruits and seeds are usually collected by hand. After threshing, the seeds are separated from impurities and calibrated by size and specific gravity. Small batches of seeds are stored in bags, large batches - in bags.
The classification of flyers according to decorative qualities is given in Table. 10 (prepared by A.V. Isachkin).
Table 10
Classification of flyers according to decorative qualities
|
Decorative group qualities |
Family |
||
|
Callistephus - callistephus |
Callistephus chinensis - Chinese callistephus |
||
|
Cosmos bipinnatus |
|||
|
Gazania rigens - sparkling gazania |
|||
|
Tagetes - tagetes |
Tagetes erecta - erect Tagetes |
||
|
Tagetes patula - rejected tagetes |
|||
|
Tagetes tenuifolia - thin-leaved Tagetes |
|||
|
Zinnia elegans - graceful zinnia |
|||
|
Begoniacecae - begoniaceae |
Begonia - begonia |
semperflorens - ever-blooming begonia |
|
|
Begonia tuberhybrida - tuberous begonia |
|||
|
Brassicaceae - cabbage |
Lobularia - lobularia |
Lobularia maritime - marine lobularia |
|
|
matthiol |
Matthiola incana - mattiola gray |
||
|
Campanulaceae - bellflowers |
Lobelia - lobelia |
Lobelia erinus - lobelia erinus |
|
|
Lamiaceae |
Salvia splendens - salvia sparkling |
|
Decorative group qualities |
Family |
||
|
Rarauegaceae - poppy |
Eschsolzia |
Eschscholzia californica - eschscholzia californica |
|
|
Po1etomaceae - cyanotic |
Phlox - phlox |
Phlox drumondii – Drummond's phlox |
|
|
Bsgoryaagtseae - noricaceae |
antirrinum |
Antirrhinum majus - antirrinum |
|
|
BYapaseae - nightshades |
Petunia - petunia |
Petunia x hybrida - hybrid petunia |
|
|
Nicotiana - tobacco |
Nicotiana alata – winged tobacco |
||
|
Verbenaceae - verbenas |
Verbena - verbena |
Verbena x hybrida - hybrid verbena |
|
|
tive-leaf |
Vgazziaseae - cabbage |
Brassica - cabbage |
Brassica oleraceae van acephala – kale |
|
Chepopos Paceae - chenopodiaceae |
Kochia scoparia - broom kochia |
||
|
Pyretrum - pyrethrum |
Pyretrum parthenium - feverfew |
||
|
Senecio - godson |
Senecio cineraria – ash grass |
||
|
Carpet |
Atagap1Iaceae - amaranthaceae |
Alternantera - alternantera |
Alternantera amabilis – pleasant alternanthera |
|
Alternantera amoena - lovely alternanthera |
|||
|
Alternantera metallica - metallic alternantera |
|
Decorative group qualities |
Family |
||
|
Alternantera paronychioides - Alternantera paronychioides |
|||
|
Alternantera versicolor |
|||
|
I resine |
Iresine Lindenii - Linden's iresine |
||
|
Boraginaceae - borage |
Heliotropum - heliotrope |
Heliotropum peruvianum - Peruvian heliotrope |
|
|
Crassulaceae |
Sedum - sedum |
Sedum acre - caustic sedum |
|
|
Sedum album - white sedum |
|||
|
Sedum carmeum - pink sedum |
|||
|
Sedum coeruleum – blue sedum |
|||
|
dasyhpyllum - thick-leaved sedum |
|||
|
Sedum spurium - false sedum |
|||
|
Echeveria - echeveria |
Echeveria agavoides - agave-shaped echeveria |
||
|
Echeveria dcsmeciana - Echeveria Desmeciana |
|||
|
Echeveria metallica - metallic echeveria |
|||
|
Echeveria secunda - gray echeveria |
|
Decorative group qualities |
Family |
||
|
Giraniaceae - geraniaceae |
Pelargonium - pelargonium |
Pelargonium zonale - zonal pelargonium |
|
|
Lamiaceae |
Coleus - coleus |
Coleus Blumei - Coleus Blumei |
|
|
Onagraceae - fireweed |
Fuchsia - fuchsia |
Fuchsia hybrid - hybrid fuchsia |
|
|
Curly |
Fabaceae - legumes |
Phaseolus - bean |
coccineus - fire red bean |
|
Lathyrus - rank |
Lathyrus odoratus – fragrant china |
||
|
Tropaeolaceae - capuchins |
Tropaeolum - nasturtium |
Tropaeolum x cultorum - cultivated nasturtium |
|
|
Dried flowers |
Amaranthaceae - amaranthaceae |
Celosia argentea - silver celosia |
|
|
Asteraceae - asteraceae |
Helipterum - helipterum |
Helipterum roseum - pink helipterum |
|
|
Helychrisum - helichrysum |
Helychrisum bracteatum - helychrisum bracteatum |
||
|
Plumbaginaceae - leadaceae |
Limonium - limonium |
Limonium sinuatum - notched limonium |
Control questions
