If you want to diversify your flowerbed with beautiful and uncomplicated flowers for growing, pay attention to the dimorphotheca, also known as the Cape marigold, which the plant received due to its similarity to calendula. This representative of the fauna comes from South America, but, despite this, he perfectly took root in the temperate climate prevailing in our region.
Botanical certificate of the plant
Successfully dimorphoteka is grown from seeds. This is a low, bushy herbaceous plant belonging to the family of "Astrovy" flowers. There are 20 varieties of annual and perennial representatives of this species in the region. In those regions where a temperate climate prevails, perennials are grown as annual plants due to the low frost resistance.
Translated from Latin, the name reflecting the structural features of the flower means "Dimorphos" - two-dimensional and "theke" - capacity, that is, "containing two forms." In the cup structure there are two types of petals - reed, forming a basket and tubular - collected in the middle of the flower.
The stems are branched, grow up to 60 cm long from the base.
Blossom actively and continuously. One plant gives up to 30 inflorescences, depending on the variety, reaching a diameter of 6-10 cm. The color of the flowers is diverse, and even experienced gardeners are affected by its abundance. Pink from delicate to colorful neon shades, cream, white, yellow, orange, light blue colors, which can be seen on the flowerbed.
A characteristic feature of this representative of the flora is sensitivity to light. In cloudy weather, inflorescences gather in small baskets, but on a sunny day they please with open flowers.
Features of growing dimorphotheca from seeds
This is the best way to breed. This is exactly what happens in nature, and flower growers do not violate this rule when they grow from seeds of a dimorph library. When to plant a plant, and how to care for it, read on.
It is enough only once to buy planting material for breeding a flower and you will no longer have to buy seeds. Upon the arrival of autumn, you can collect already ripened seeds from the cups of a self-filling plant - dimorphotheca.
Grains are stored in small boxes that open easily during maturation. Therefore, the plant is distinguished by good self-sowing. Often the phenomenon of the lack of seedlings of the plant due to the harsh winter, when the seeds freeze in the ground. The fruit is considered ripened from the moment of acquiring a dark color. Then the seeds are immediately collected until the boxes are printed, and the material has not spilled out onto the ground.
Important! Ripening of fruits occurs unevenly. You can also collect green boxes, which after several days in a warm room will mature and, darkening, will give sexually mature material for growing from the seeds of dimorphotheque for the next year.
For the collection of high-quality planting material, it is better to choose the most magnificent, lushly flowering bush, which entered the flowering period before others. Seeds are planted on seedlings or sown in open ground.
When to plant
For the middle zone of Russia, there are two ways to grow a dimorph library: seedlings and seedlings.
Look above how a dimorph library looks in the photo. Growing from seeds at home begins at the end of March - beginning of July, and on the flower garden, mature shoots are planted in late May, when the possibility of night frost is excluded.
Sowing seeds in open ground occurs on the verge of the second and third decades of May.
You can use the recommendation of experienced gardeners and take into account that the reckless way of cultivating flowers is better, because due to their sensitivity, young sprouts are injured and die when growing from seedlings.
Some features of the seedlings
The substrate for dimorph library for growing from seeds at home consists of garden soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1, respectively. The resulting composition is disinfected, choosing for itself a convenient method of processing: freezing, calcination, scalding.
Since the root system of the dimorphic library is very sensitive, it is difficult to transplant. Therefore, for growing seedlings, it is better to choose not an ordinary box or plastic containers, but peat cups, with which sprouts can be planted in the ground.
What does a plant growing scheme look like
Work on growing dimorphotheca from seeds in the home environment is carried out according to the technology familiar to every gardener, consisting of the following stages:
- Filling planting containers with a sterilized substrate.
- Sowing plant seeds at the rate of 3 grains per cup. Be sure to sprinkle planting material on top with a small layer of soil.
- Spraying crops through a spray gun with settled water at room temperature with mild pH.
- Creating a steam room effect for germinating seeds. Tanks with dimorphs are placed on a pallet and covered with glass on top.
Germination Features
The first seedlings in the process of growing from seeds of dimorphotheca in conditions with a favorable climate and a temperature of +16 ... +18 ° C appear 7-14 days after sowing. The plant does not need specific care, and the measures associated with maintaining the normal functioning of the dimorph library do not differ from the characteristics of the cultivation of other cultures and consist of:
- daily airing;
- systematic watering with a frequency based on the measure of necessity;
- picks into individual containers, in the phase of 2-3 real sprout leaves;
- aeration, for which the plant should be prepared in stages. First, briefly opening the window, then - 12-15 days before disembarkation into the ground, they are taken out to the garden or to the balcony, for ventilation. This technique contributes to the hardening of young shoots and less stressful adaptation to the environment.
- planting at a constant place of growth after the time of plants in the fresh air reaches 24 hours.
Growing seeds for seedlings
It is possible to achieve high-quality cultivation of dimorphotheca from seeds and get flowers blooming as early as June by planting seedlings in open ground.
Sowing begins at the end of March, planting dimorphotheca grains in a light substrate of humus, a mixture of leaf and turf land, sand, peat. Drainage is provided by adding a small amount of vermiculite. The mixture is mixed, trying to achieve uniformity of the soil.
Dimorph library sprouts higher if it is in an artificial cold greenhouse. For this, the containers are placed under a film and kept in a room with an average temperature of +14 o C.
On the open ground, a plant is planted with the onset of real spring heat. The transplant is carried out by transshipment with an earthen lump, following the landing pattern of 25x25 cm.
Now you know what a dimorphothek flower looks like. Growing from seeds does not require much labor, but before the onset of autumn cold weather, a flowerbed in the yard will surprise you with its beauty.