At what distance to plant Heuchera. Planting, growing and caring for Heuchera

Heuchera (lat.Heuchera) - a genus of rhizome herbaceous perennials of the family Stonefragment, cultivated species and varieties of which are extremely demanded today in landscape design. Heuchera got its name in honor of Johann Heinrich von Heicher, a German botanist and physician. Heuchera is native to the rocky regions of North America and is a compact shrub up to half a meter high, attracting the eye with its luxurious, exquisite leaves. Geykhera is a gourmet plant, because during one growing season it can change the color of its leaves, and more than once. No other culture is distinguished by such a palette of shades and so many variants of their combinations as Heuchera, and especially its modern variegated varieties.

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Planting and caring for Heuchera

• Landing: in the spring, in March or April.
• Bloom: from June to August.
• Lighting: bright diffused light, partial shade.
• The soil: moisture-absorbing, well-drained with a pH of 5.0-6.0.
• Watering: regular, as the soil dries - once every 2-3 days, in dry weather - twice a day.
• Top dressing: from the second year before and after flowering with liquid mineral complexes in a half dose.
• Reproduction: seeds, dividing the bush, green cuttings.
• Pests: weevils, leaf nematodes, butterfly caterpillars, snails and slugs.
• Diseases: gray rot, blotchiness, rust, powdery mildew.

Read more about growing Heuchera below.

Heuchera flower - description

A dense heuchera bush is formed by leathery toothed leaves on long cuttings. The shape and color of the leaves is striking in its variety: almost black, bright red, maroon, amber, pink, purple, yellow, green and even silvery leaves in all kinds of patterns and veins, specks and spots. In texture, the leaves are smooth, corrugated and curly. Heuchera blooms all summer, and even until the very frost, with small pink, white, cream or red bells gathered in panicles. The fruit of geychera is a box in which seeds the size of a poppy seed ripen (about 20,000 seeds fit in 1 gram).

Heuchera has been used in landscape design for a long time. Designers divide Heuchera varieties into two categories: decorative leafy plants, the ancestor of which was American Heychera, and decorative flowering varieties, such as red Heuchera, or blood red.

Features of growing heuchera

There are no obvious features or difficulties in growing heuchera, but this plant has characteristic features that you will not mind knowing. So:

• in decorative leafy varieties of heuchera, if you do not have a goal to collect seeds in the fall, it is better to remove the peduncle as soon as it appears: they grow much higher than the bush and have an untidy appearance, which damages the decorative qualities of the plant;
• flower stalks in decorative flowering varieties are removed immediately after heuchera has faded;
• over time, the lower leaves on the bush fall off, and the geychera looks untidy. You need to dig up the plant before flowering and transplant it, along with an earthen clod, into a deeper hole to hide the bald stem;
• at the beginning of growth, young leaves of heuchera are bright and translucent, like flower petals, but as they mature, they thicken and darken;
• heuchera goes well with primroses, daylilies, astilba, bergenia and decorative cereals.

Photo: Variegated Heuchera leaves

Planting Heuchera

When to plant Heuchera

Heuchera is planted in March or April. Geykhera is distinguished by good shade tolerance, so the best place for it is in the partial shade of other plants, where diffused light will fall on it. The best option is the east or west side, where direct sunlight falls only in the morning or evening. If this is not possible, and you have to plant it in the sun, then you need to provide the Heuchera with regular and more abundant watering.

By the way, varieties with brightly colored leaves in an open sunny area become even brighter and more spectacular. And varieties with red leaves must grow in the sun, otherwise in the shade their leaves will remain green.

In the choice of soil, Heuchera is not picky, it can grow on any soil, except acidic, the optimal pH is 5-6. Even a rocky area does not scare the plant, because in nature, in its homeland, it covers the rocky shores of the Great Lakes. But the more fertile and looser the soil, the more attractive and magnificent the Heuchera. Moisture capacity is of great importance and, at the same time, good drainage of the soil on the site. Water stagnation in the roots of Heuchera does not tolerate.

How to plant Heuchera

There are two ways of planting - seeds and seedlings. Heuchera seeds are simply sown into loose prepared soil and covered up. But we remind you that seed reproduction is not the best way, since it does not preserve the species and varietal characteristics of the mother plant, and at best you will grow a simple Heuchera with green leaves.

After this article, they usually read

Heuchera is a herbaceous plant (family of Stonefragments). Named after a German physician and botanist. The height of the bush reaches half a meter, the plant is distinguished by leaves of an unusually beautiful shape.

Especially Heuchera will appeal to aesthetes and people who are fond of landscape design. The color of the leaves is very diverse: red, yellow, orange, pink, green, amber, below are several photos of heuchera.

It so happened that in landscape design, Heuchera is divided into two types: decorative flowering and decorative deciduous. It should also be noted that Heuchera looks great with roses and daylilies.

The beauty and health of any plant depends on how strong the gardener is in matters such as planting and care, heychera is no exception, and therefore these issues should be considered in more detail.

Planting Heuchera

Ideally, you should try to plant Heuchera in semi-shaded areas, where there is a moderate amount of sunlight and mainly in the morning. Otherwise, you need to strictly monitor the regularity of watering.

Heuchera grows well in almost any type of soil (it is desirable only that it is not sour). It should be remembered that the plant cannot stand the accumulation of moisture at the roots. Heuchera is planted either with seeds or seedlings.

The seedling method is preferable. It increases the likelihood of rich and beautiful blooms.

Seedlings are preliminarily grown in a special container-greenhouse. Then they are transplanted into open ground, 3 cm depth is enough, the distance from each other is at least 20-30 cm.

It is desirable that the soil is loose, this will provide air supply to the roots. It germinates in about 20-30 days.

Care

In the first year of growth, it is undesirable to feed Heuchera. It is recommended to regularly, but at the same time water it moderately, not more than three times a week. You need to water the area directly under the bush.

On especially hot days, it is allowed to water several times, mainly in the morning and evening.

Problems a gardener may face

The main cause of diseases such as spotting, rust and powdery mildew is over-fertilization. Also sometimes the problem is caused by water accumulation at the roots.

Powdery mildew plaque can be removed with a fungicide. When spotting appears, it is necessary to pollinate with Bordeaux liquid no more than 2-3 times a month.

Caterpillars and various types of snails are extremely scary for geychera, fortunately there is now a large selection of powerful insecticides that are effective in combating these pests.

Reproduction

The ideal age for splitting a bush is 3 years. It is preferable to do this either in early autumn or in May. Divide the plant into 4 parts with a knife, it is necessary that on each resulting part there are at least three sockets.

Ground charcoal should be rubbed into the cuts. Further, parts of the bush are planted in the prepared holes, the distance from each other should be at least 20 cm.

Heuchera can also propagate by cuttings. It is advisable to do this at the beginning of summer, no later than July. Cuttings are cut from the main bush, then they are divided into segments of at least 4 cm, and the slices are rubbed from below with a root former.

It is important to partially free them from the leaves in order to reduce evaporation, and then root.

What happens after flowering

Usually flowering lasts for the first two months of summer (below are photos of Heuchera flowers), then, when it stops, it is advisable to cut the peduncles with withered flowers.

It is advisable to use a shelter made of oak leaves in winter; with the onset of spring, the shelter must be removed.

Varieties of Heuchera

There are more than 50 species of this plant. Most grows in the United States. Consider the most popular types and varieties of Heuchera.
Hairy

The leaf of such a heuchera is large, the surface is most often velvety, the petioles are pubescent, first discovered in the USA.

Small-flowered

It is considered one of the most beautiful geyher, the shape of the leaf is the same as that of Norway maple, a very unusual silver color.

Favorite variety of gardeners around the world: Palace Purple.

Hybrid

As it grows, it forms small bushes up to half a meter high. Mostly rounded leaves. Most often, the leaves are green.

One of the most popular varieties: Autumn.

Gooseberry-leaved

It has small leaves, maximum 7 cm in diameter. It tolerates winter and cold very easily, and is very popular in Russia.

American

The height of the rosette reaches 20-30 cm. The leaves are generally heart-shaped, the reverse side of the leaf is lilac with a slight brownish tint.
Most popular variety: green spice.

Heuchera photo

Geykhera (family Saxifrage) is a herbaceous perennial with highly decorative foliage and unpretentiousness. Planting crops outdoors is not difficult with proper care.

Outwardly, Heuchera resembles a shrub with a rosette of petioled leaves.

Leaves: dense, serrated, with a variety of colors. All tones of red, purple, violet, pink and yellow, with shaded veins, in patterns, spotted - this is an incomplete list of their colors.

Leaf color changes as it develops:

• at the beginning of the growing season, they are translucent and bright;
• the leaves gradually darken, changing their tone and even color.

The smooth, wrinkled or curly texture of the leaves enhances the decorative effect.

Flowers: appear in early June and are collected in panicle inflorescences, carried by a long (from 50 cm to 1 m) peduncle. Corollas are small, bell-shaped, colored in shades of red, pink, cream and white. Flowering lasts until late autumn.

Fetus: box filled with the smallest (1 g up to 20,000 pieces) seeds.

The most popular types and varieties of flowers

Rod Geicher contains about 70 species... In their natural environment, most of them grow in North America. Many varieties are cultivated. Numerous varieties for garden cultivation have been obtained by selection.

American Heuchera

The leaves are rosette, petiolate, heart-shaped and brownish-purple in color. Inflorescences are panicles of yellow-green tones.

The variety has become very famous Green Spice with green leaves in silvery spots. As it grows, the leaves change color to yellow. The spotting increases. The veins are shaded with purple.

Red or blood red

Bloody Heuchera is characterized by a dense rosette of green, rounded and jagged foliage and bright red inflorescences. Some varieties have white or cream-colored leaves. Winter hardy view.

Small-flowered

Is different maple-shaped spotted leaves (silver on a green background) and creamy pink flowers. Popular varieties: Palace Purple and Bressing Bronze.

Hairy

Perennial with velvety, due to numerous hairs, terrestrial organs. Common varieties are Bronze Wave and Rachel.

Hybrid

View obtained by breeding and differs in larger, in comparison with their relatives, the size of green leaves, with cream specks and shaded veins. Inflorescences are white, coral or pink. The most popular are Caramel, Marmalade or Marmalade.

Hybrid varieties are distinguished by low frost resistance and fragility of peduncles, easily damaged by wind or rain.

Landing

Heuchera is grown from seeds by sowing in open ground or using seedlings.

The use of seedlings has the advantage: plants with a well-formed root system are planted on flower beds. They are easily adaptable to new conditions.

Geykhera seeds remain viable for six months if stored in a tightly sealed hermetic package.

Growing seedlings

Heuchera seeds

1. Sowing is carried out in Marchby preparing the ground in advance. It should be loose, fertile and disinfected.
2. The finished substrate is filled into boxes or containers. A thin (3-4 mm) layer of sand is poured over the soil, on which the seeds are distributed. Small Heuchera seeds do not deepen, enough humidification from a spray bottle.
3. Containers with crops are placed in a shady and warm (22-24 degrees) place, periodically moistening. Shoots will appear in a month.
4. After waiting for 3-4 leaves, shoots dive into separate containers.
5. After picking, the plants are allowed to grow stronger, leaving in the greenhouse until the growth of the shoot and leaves appears.

Flowers grown from seeds do not inherit the characteristics of the variety.

Site selection and soil preparation

Heuchera prefers diffused lightso she will be comfortable:

• on the east or west side of the site;
• in the shade of other plants.

The exception is varieties with a bright, primarily red, color of leaf blades. In a shady place, such leaves lose their brightness and color saturation.

Perennial not picky about the composition of the soil, however noted:

• the more fertile the substrate, the more luxuriant the bushes;
• on neutral and loose soils, the plant looks more decorative;
• stagnant water in the area leads to rapid decay of the roots.

Planting seedlings

Heuchera is planted in May, when the soil warms up and the threat of night frosts disappears. Plants are placed at a distance 20 cmdeepening on 3-4 cm.

Care

Heuchera won't require much attention. Plant care consists of traditional activities: watering and feeding.

Watering rules

1. The regularity of watering is determined by the condition of the soil: it should dry out.
2. In hot dry summers, plants are watered twice: early morning and evening.
3. When watering avoid getting water on the leaves: Water droplets in the sun can cause burns.

The need for fertilizers

In the first year of growth, the plant is not fed. Since the second year, 3 times per season, introduce complex minerals for decorative deciduous plants:

• 1 time - at the beginning of the growing season
• 2 times - at the stage of budding
• 3 - at the end of flowering, using a fertilizer solution with a lower concentration

Mulching the soil with peat in spring will provide the plant with additional nutrition.

Reproduction

Heuchera reproduces well vegetatively: dividing the bush and grafting. This type of reproduction contributes to the preservation of varietal traits, therefore it is used more often.

Dividing the bush

3-4-year-old Geykher lose decorativeness... Forming daughter rosettes, the bushes "fall apart", exposing the bare middle. Such plants need rejuvenation or division of the bush.

The manipulation is carried out in the spring (May) or early autumn.

1. The bush is dug up and divided into parts containing 2-3 sockets.
2. Mandatory accompanying procedure - examination of the roots:
   • excessively elongated shorten;
   • rotted areas are cut off;
   • the sections are disinfected with charcoal.
3. The separated rosettes of the parts are planted at a distance of 25 cm, deepening a little more than the mother plant.
4. Plantings are watered and mulched.

Cuttings

Mid June or first half of July cut the cuttings, separating the shoots at the very base, without capturing the rhizome.

The cut parts are divided into several fragments, each 4–6 cm long. Rooting is carried out in greenhouses, in a mixture of peat and sand.

Cuttings darkened by the bright sun, moisturize and ventilate. After 3-4 weeks, roots will appear.

Pests and possible diseases

Plant rarely sick and resistant to pest infestation... However, if the recommendations for care are grossly violated (too abundant watering, "overfeeding" with fertilizers), powdery mildew, rust, spotting or gray rot may appear.

Powdery mildew is removed with the help of fungicides. Spot and rust are treated with Bordeaux liquid.

Application in landscape design

Heuchera is widely used by landscape designers. It decorates flower beds, borders, paths and flower beds, ideally combined with most plants.

It is not difficult to grow Heuchera outdoors, you just need to choose the right place for planting the plant. Many varieties grow and reproduce well even in the mountainous regions of North America, so caring for Heuchera in our latitudes is very simple, because it can grow even on rocky soil. In addition, its decorativeness and versatility will bring new shades into any landscape design.

Description of geychera: varieties and varieties

So, what is this miracle - Heuchera? An evergreen perennial plant with a height of 40-60 cm. The leaves are medium in size, rounded, sit on long petioles and form a rosette at the root. Heuchera blooms from late May until autumn. The flowers form a panicle inflorescence about 20 cm long. After flowering, fruit-boxes with seeds are formed.

The cultivated varieties of Heuchera can be conditionally divided into two categories:

• decorative deciduous;
• decorative blooming.

Heuchera is decorative with its foliage: no other plant has such a variety of palettes and leaf textures. Heuchera flowers noticeably lose to the leaves, but there are varieties that are valued precisely for the inflorescences, they create a great color contrast with the foliage of the plant.

To date, about 400 varieties of Heuchera have already been bred, their shades and varieties will satisfy the most refined taste and will find their place in any landscape design.

At the moment, cylindrical, American and blood-red varieties of Heuchera are especially popular. Now let's look at these varieties in more detail with a photo.

1. Heichera blood-red... It has denser leaves than other plant species. This species is the most popular, on its basis other varieties of geyher were bred. Bell-shaped flowers, color from red to pink. Blooms from June to August. Easy to care for, drought tolerant, but requires shade planting. The most famous varieties: Monet, Hercules, Robusta.
2. American Geichera... It is a cultivar with rounded leaves and yellow-green flowers. The variety is distinguished by a variety of foliage colors, shades and borders. In spring and autumn, the leaves have the most intense hue, in summer it becomes paler.
3. Heuchera is cylindrical. This variety of Heuchera is larger than the rest, preferring sunny places or a little partial shade. Cylindrical inflorescences: green, coral or red. Leaves are green.
4. Heuchera small-flowered... The most famous variety, "Purple Castle", is very popular with bright purple leaves with a metallic sheen. Frost-resistant and drought-resistant, easy to care for, moreover, keeps leaves under the snow until spring.

Planting a plant

Before planting, you need to choose a place and prepare the soil. Geykhera combines well with other perennials and is not aggressive towards them, so it can be safely planted in a company with other types of plants or lay a flower bed of different varieties of geykhera.

The plant prefers light and nutritious soils where water does not stagnate. Acidic soil does not suit her. Before planting, you need to add coarse river sand or pebbles to the soil. Seedlings should be planted in May at a distance of 20-25 cm and watered regularly, but not waterlogged, otherwise the plant may die. Heuchera can be planted in open ground by seeds, cuttings, or by separating the rosette of an adult bush.

Plant care

As for leaving, in this regard, Heuchera is very unpretentious. But there are some conditions, and these are:

• diffused shadow;
• deep drainage;
• permeable soil.

Heuchera, planted in the shade of trees or in partial shade, will retain its decorative effect, since it needs the sun in the morning. It is worth planting varieties with red leaves on sunny areas, it is in the sun that they will turn red, but in the shade they will remain green. But many varieties adapt to the sun - the silvery mosaic of their foliage takes on a richer color, and the heuchera with purple foliage darkens.

The root system of Heuchera is shallow, so it is important to protect the roots from drying out. It is best to apply mulching. Mulch will retain moisture, the soil underneath breathes and is structured by soil inhabitants. As mulch, you can use straw, sawdust, compost, tree bark, foliage, expanded clay screenings, gravel, peat.

The soil must be permeable - from stagnant water, the plant can get sick and die. Therefore, you should take care of drainage even when planting a plant.

Aging heuchera bushes lose their decorative effect - the middle of the bush is exposed. In this case, you need to rejuvenate the bush: dig up the plant, divide it into parts and plant it. This should be done in late summer after flowering or in spring before the leaves open. Heuchera tolerates these manipulations painlessly and immediately starts to grow.

Dried foliage is not removed during the winter - it helps the plant to overwinter, covers the roots and retains heat. Remove only inflorescences with seeds - after flowering, they spoil the decorative appearance. In the future, the collected seeds can be used for propagation and cultivation of Heuchera in the open field. Varieties with light foliage and young bushes for the winter need to be additionally covered with foliage.

Council. Water the plants early in the morning or evening, drops of water in the sun can burn the leaves.

Fertilizer and feeding of Heuchera

Before being domesticated by humans, Heuchera grew in the mountains, where the soil is rather scarce. Modern varieties are still not far from their wild relatives, so they do not complain about the small amount of nutrients in the soil. Mineral fertilizers are rarely used. Better to limit yourself to one dressing in the spring in the first year after planting. If you did not do this in the spring, then feed the Heuchera with a mineral complex fertilizer for deciduous plants at the end of the growing season. After fertilizing, be sure to water the bushes.

Important. When applying fertilizers, be sure to halve the dose recommended by the manufacturer on the package.

Plant propagation

Reproduction by dividing the bush is the simplest way, in which the decorativeness of the variety is preserved. This is done in early spring or autumn. Separate the rosette from the adult plant and transplant a little deeper than the mother plant was planted.

The second way is grafting. A 4-6 cm stalk is cut from the bush in the summer and rooted in a greenhouse. The process takes 3-4 weeks, after which the finished plant can be planted.

Diseases and pests

As for diseases, Heuchera is unique in that it practically does not get sick in the open field, and is rarely affected by pests. But sometimes it can suffer from powdery mildew, rust, gray mold or leaf blight. This can happen if the plant is frequently watered, or the soil is poorly drained and the water stagnates at the roots, creating an ideal environment for pathogens to thrive. From an excess of fertilizers, the plant "fattens", which leads to weakening of the immune system. Powdery mildew can be defeated by spraying with a fungicide, after removing diseased leaves, and the Bordeaux mixture will cope with spotting and rust.

As for pests, the danger to the plant is posed by the beetle larvae, which can gnaw at the roots, grape snails, slugs, caterpillars and leaf nematodes, which can be removed with an insecticide.

Council. Slugs hide in secluded places from the sun during the day, so you can put a board, slate, cardboard or a piece of old linoleum near the geyhera, and collect slugs under them in the morning.

Heuchera: combination with other plants

Thanks to the contrasting combination of heuchera leaves with the leaves of other plants, unique compositions can be created. Heuchera is planted with hosts, kupen, ferns, hellebores, daylilies, combined with decorative grains, bruner, irises, barberries.

Heuchera goes well with tall conifers, acts as an addition for short roses. In spring, it is good to place with tulips: after they have faded, the flower bed is not empty.

Geichera in landscape design

Do not be afraid to experiment with planting Heuchera in your area. Like precious stones, Heuchera will decorate any flower garden; no other flower culture has such a rich palette with an abundance of colors and shades.

A huge advantage of Heuchera is its decorative effect during the entire growing season and ease of maintenance. Heuchera is grown both in single plantings of the same species, and in mixed ones, used as a perennial ground cover plant. With its compact bush shape, Heuchera is an ideal companion to combine with other plants. This is a real find for those cases when you need to fill the space in the flower garden or emphasize the advantages of another plant, highlight the planting of conifers.

Geykhera does not lose its decorative shape with age, therefore it will ideally fit into flower beds of strict geometric shapes, mask unsightly areas. Geichera is suitable for creating alpine slides, rocky gardens, borders, decoration of terraces and gazebos. She can decorate garden sculptures, slides and fountains. Often used for planting in ceremonial flower beds.

In the first year after planting Heuchera, it will be difficult to assess its merits in landscape design - just planted, it will not yet become such a magnificent beauty, but already in the next season you will be able to enjoy the density of colors.

Heuchera varieties and their cultivation: video

Geichera: photo

Do not give up the idea of \u200b\u200bgrowing Heuchera outdoors. If you have at least minimal experience in the field of floriculture, then you can easily cope with this task. In many ways, success in this matter depends on the correct choice of location.

Today there are many varieties of Heuchera that thrive even in the mountainous regions of North America. What can we say about our climatic zone, if even rocky soil is a perfectly suitable place for growing this plant. The presence of Heuchera on the site can significantly transform any landscape design, because its decorative properties will add variety to the design of a suburban area.

Description of geychera: varieties and varieties

The time has come to get to know this little-known plant for many domestic gardeners. Geichera refers to the family of evergreen mof perennial plants that reach a height of 40-60 cm in adulthood. The stem is covered with rounded, medium-sized leaves, which are located on long petioles. They begin at the very root, forming a rosette together. The plant enters the flowering phase at the end of May, and this action continues until autumn. The flowers have the appearance of a panicle, the length of which is 20 cm. With the end of flowering, capsule fruits containing seeds are formed.

The whole variety of Heuchera varieties can be imagined in the form of two main groups:

• Decorative deciduous;
• Decorative flowering.

Its foliage provides decorative properties. It is difficult to find another similar plant that would provide for so many different color palettes and leaf textures. The flowers do not look as impressive as the leaves, but in some varieties it is the inflorescences that are the main detail that makes them attractive. In such varieties of Heuchera, flowers and leaves form a contrasting composition.

The Heuchera family includes about 400 varietiesthat differ in different shades. Therefore, among them, each grower can find plants that will successfully fit into the landscape design of his site.

Among the varieties known today, the most popular are cylindrical heuchera, American blood red.

First of all, the owner needs to decide on a suitable landing site and prepare the ground... The plant feels great with many perennials, does not have a depressing effect on them. Therefore, heuchera can be combined with other types of plants or arrange a flower garden, forming it from different varieties of heuchera.

Heuchera grows best on light and nutritious soils, where there is no stagnation of water. It is not recommended to choose areas with acidic soil for planting. At the stage of soil preparation, a small amount of coarse river sand or pebbles is required. Planting is best in May. It is recommended to arrange seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. Throughout the season, it is necessary to ensure that the soil remains moist, but it is necessary to avoid excess of it. Otherwise, it will lead to the death of the plant. In open ground, different planting methods are used: using seeds, cuttings or a rosette taken from an adult bush.

A photo of a plant can make anyone want to plant such beauty on their site. And I must say this task for everyone... It is quite easy to take care of the Heuchera, since it does not require much attention to itself. Although it still provides for certain requirements:

• diffused shadow;
• deep drainage;
• permeable soil.

You can enjoy the beautiful flowering of heuchera planted from seeds if you choose a place for it in the shade of trees or in partial shade, since morning light is enough for it. The most illuminated areas are better suited for planting red-leaved Heuchera. As a result of exposure to sunlight, it will just acquire a characteristic red tint. If it is planted in the shade, then it is throughout the season will not change its green color... There are many varieties that adapt well to direct sunlight. The silvery mosaics that decorate the leaves begin to look brighter, the varieties that have purple leaves take on a darker shade.

A feature of Heuchera is that the roots are located near the surface. This requires the gardener to carry out activities that will help prevent the roots from drying out. The simplest and most effective way is mulching. Thanks to mulch, moisture will evaporate more slowly, and the soil will be well supplied with oxygen, and will also retain a loose structure thanks to underground inhabitants. Straw, sawdust, compost, gravel, foliage, etc. will perfectly cope with the role of mulch.

In the process of caring for heuchera, it is necessary to ensure the permeability of the soil, since with stagnant water, disease risk and death. For this reason, it is necessary to deal with the drainage device even before planting.

Over time, heuchera bushes begin to look less attractive, as the middle of the bush begins to be exposed. You can rejuvenate the bush as follows: to do this, you need to dig up a heuchera bush, divide it into sockets, which are then seated in prepared places. It is best to do this in late summer, when the plants have faded, or in the spring, before the leaves have begun to bloom. Plants do not suffer from such an operation, therefore, after transplantation, they quickly take root.

In late autumn, the foliage begins to dry out, but you do not need to touch it, since it will provide protection to the plants during the winter when the cold hits. Only inflorescences with seeds can be removed, since heuchera after flowering do not look so attractive. Once harvested, the seeds can serve as material for planting new plants. Plants with light leaves, as well as newly planted bushes, are necessary before winter protect from cold with foliage.

Fertilizer and feeding of Heuchera

Initially, Heuchera was a wild plant that lived in the mountains, where the soil was not very fertile. The new varieties have little in common with their wild relatives, as they are provided with all the necessary nutrients. For this reason, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is very rare. It is usually sufficient to apply fertilizer in the spring, at the time when planting is carried out. If you missed it, then this work can be done at the end of the growing season. For better assimilation, fertilization must be completed by watering the plantings.

Plant propagation

If you want to increase the representation of Heuchera on your site, then the easiest way to do this is by dividing the bush... This method does not in any way impair the decorative properties of the variety. It is recommended to do this in early spring or autumn. To do this, you need to take the prepared plant and separate the outlet from it, which, when planting, is buried at a greater distance than for the mother plant.

Heuchera can also be propagated by cuttings. To do this, you need to prepare cuttings 4-6 cm long in the summer and bury them in a greenhouse. Usually, growing young bushes takes 3-4 weeks, after which you can transplant to a permanent place.

The seed propagation method is very time consuming and laborious. Therefore, this method of growing flowers is rarely used.

Diseases and pests

The advantage of the plant is that it is resistant to most diseases, the same applies to many pests. But there are cases when powdery mildew, rust, gray rot were found in certain varieties of Heuchera. This is usually facilitated by factors such as too frequent watering or insufficient drainage of the land. This leads to stagnation of moisture in the root zone, resulting in favorable conditions for the development of pathogens. When fertilizing in large quantities, the protective properties of plants are reduced.

Conclusion

Geykhera is an exotic plant for our country, but many flower growers have learned how to grow it in the garden and at home. This is not difficult to do, since the plant is unpretentious. The main difficulties can arise only with the choice of a suitable place for this plant. You can grow these flowers from seeds, cuttings and rosettes... As for leaving, there are no problems with this, since Heuchera is resistant to most diseases and pests.