Ageratum planting seedlings in the ground. Ageratum flower: description, features of growing in the open field

An experienced landscape designer has hundreds of flowering plant names at his disposal that can be used as curb plantings. They perfectly frame flower beds and flower beds, decorate balconies and loggias, plant terraces and verandas.

Ageratum Mexican flowers (Ageratum) have been known for a long time and have gained well-deserved popularity due to the unusual appearance of the buds.

At the time of its flowering, it forms a dense casing layer. A blooming rug is able to decorate a space for a long period of time, since under suitable temperature conditions of the external environment, the buds are formed almost continuously.

Ageratum belongs to perennial plants, but in difficult climatic conditions it is grown as an annual, because it does not tolerate cold snowy winters.

Look at the photo of ageratum flowers grown in seedlings and used for various design purposes:

What attracts in this bright representative of the southern flora? First of all, attention is drawn to the flowering period, which, with the organization of proper care, begins in early June and ends only after the first snow falls (in October - November).

This continuously flowering plant can be pruned many times during the seasonal growing season to form a variety of flower sculptures and borders.

Also, the culture can be used for growing in a flower bed, in a pot and in a container.

Popular rumor called the ageratum "long-bloom", which echoes the translation from Latin "ageless". Myths and legends tell that the cultivation of this flower promotes health and longevity.

It is recommended to have a long-flowered pot in your home and office. Moreover, the plant is capable of blooming almost continuously throughout the winter. Only a few specimens require a short dormant period from December to January.

The flower was named Mexican not by chance, the fact is that the first species were discovered in Mexico. Then travelers brought similar specimens from Peru. Botanists, it belongs to the family of Asteraceae and evergreens.

The full name of the culture is the Houston Mexican Ageratum (Ageratum Houstonianite mexicanum), there are several varietal groups that differ only in the color of the buds.

The stem height does not exceed 50 cm. The most common species do not grow more than 20 cm in height, but at the same time they branch perfectly, forming a lush bush within a short period of time after planting.

Look at the photo of the ageratum flower - you can see the characteristic structure of the petals, presented in the form of narrow rolled up tubes. They exude a light, but fairly persistent aroma.

The inflorescences are always collected in small baskets, which gives the impression of an elegant light ball. The total size of the inflorescence of one plant can reach up to 10 cm in diameter. And when several such inflorescences bloom at once, they completely cover all the foliage, turning the bush into one large blooming ball.

The leaf has a rhombus shape with jagged edges and a rich green color.

After flowering, wedge-shaped seeds ripen with high germination. You can harvest them yourself, they give strong seedlings for 3 years from the date of collection.

Well, and another portion of photos of ageratum flowers with various options for their use:

Growing ageratum from seeds by seedlings: planting and caring for the plant

The ageratum plant belongs to the heat-loving and light-loving flora species, therefore, for successful growth and development, a high ambient temperature and a long daylight hours are required. It is useless to sow in February. It is also difficult to get a positive result by seeding in the ground in May.

The only way to grow ageratum from seeds is seedling, in which suitable conditions must be provided in indoor or greenhouse conditions.

Ageratum seedlings are not particularly whimsical and capricious, even with minimal care, they grow strong and viable.

Sowing should be done in mid-March. For this, containers are prepared with a transparent lid, which can be glass or plastic wrap. Take 2 parts of sod land, 1 part each of sand and peat (humus or compost).

Everything is thoroughly mixed, calcined in the oven and additionally disinfected with a pink solution of manganese.

Planting containers are filled with soil, the surface is slightly compacted and moistened from a spray bottle. Then seeds are laid out on the surface, which need to be lightly pressed to the ground, but not allowed to be covered with soil.

For successful and friendly germination, they need direct sunlight. A repeated humidification procedure is performed from a spray bottle. Then the container is covered with glass or plastic wrap.

Until the time of germination, keep the pot on a well-lit windowsill, where the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees Celsius.

The first shoots with the correct organization of germination appear after a week. At this time, daily drip irrigation (very careful) and airing for 30 minutes daily are provided.

After the emergence of all shoots, the film or glass is removed. The gradual development of seedlings begins.

In phase 2 of real leaves, the first pick is needed into separate peat pots. After transplanting, after 2 weeks, fertilizing begins with mineral fertilizers with a predominant percentage of potassium and phosphorus.

The plant needs less nitrogen. The ground for picking should be nutritious and well structured.

Planting ageratum in open ground can be done only after the threat of return spring frosts has passed.

Before transplanting, the seedlings are hardened for 2 weeks. Taking them out into the open air begins with a 15-minute "walk". Gradually, this time increases to 5-7 hours a day.

Subsequent care of the ageratum plant consists in regular loosening of the soil, since its fibrous root system is located at a shallow depth of occurrence and needs a constant supply of fresh air. The formation of a soil crust inhibits the growth of bushes and can lead to their death.

Watering is carried out 2 times a week, during heat and drought - daily. Application of mineral fertilizers - by root dressing, combined with loosening and mulching the soil.

These are the basic rules for planting and caring for ageratum in open ground; in indoor conditions, agricultural technology is different. In the future, reproduction is possible by cuttings and rooting of branches, dividing the uterine bush.

When planting on a permanent place of "residence", a distance of at least 30 cm should be left between the plants. Only in this case, full development is possible. Flowering usually begins 2 months after germination.

Varieties and colors of ageratum in the flowerbed: blue and blue, pink and white (with photo)

One of the first to be available to collectors was the Ageratum variety "blue mink" - this plant had a pleasant shade of pastel blue.

The variety was used mainly in curbs and mixborders. Then, in the process of selection work, other shades were bred.

The most popular colors of ageratum are blue and white, pink and blue shades. Their combinations and combinations in flower beds and on flower beds allow you to create pictures of amazing beauty.

They are widely used in the formation of state symbols, the formation of paintings and sculptures.

Before growing ageratum in a flower bed, you need to decide on shades and varietal characteristics. In particular, it is worth choosing plants with the same botanical characteristics - bush width, stem height and peduncle height.

It is worth paying attention to the following varieties of ageratum Capri (Capri), Blue Mink (Blue Mink), Pinky Improved (pink), Purple Fields.

You can choose suitable species for the height of the bushes according to the typical markings used to mark seed bags.

So, dwarf plants are designated by the word "pumilum" - their height does not exceed 12 cm. But medium-sized varieties are designated by the word "nanum", they do not reach a height higher than 30 cm.

It's also worth remembering the good old hybrid forms, especially those related to the F1 selection.

Their distinctive feature is their rapid growth and huge inflorescences, which give a completely fantastic look to a flowering bush.

White ageratum of the "Summer Snow" variety deserves special attention - look at the photos of representatives of this family:

Magnificent snow-white inflorescences will be a great addition to the gerberas and vervains planted nearby. But the blue ageratum "Adriatic" is shown in the photo in various types of its use, most often it is the border form of plants.

Graceful and "pure" snow-white chrysanthemums and zinnias will look advantageous against the pastel background shading them.

In this case, the blue ageratum "Ocean" can be used to decorate flower beds and flower beds with various zinnias, asters, marigolds and dahlias planted there.

Ageratums are decorative flowering plants from the Astro family. Their genus is quite numerous and includes about 60 species. Almost all of them are "immigrants" from Central and North America, but some species can be found in the vastness of East India. Translated from Latin, the official name of the flower means "ageless", and this is really so: cute bushes bloom from the beginning of summer and almost until the very frost, and in cut keep fresh for more than a week. For this property of the ageratum, gardeners called it long-flowered. You can grow an "American miracle" on your site from seeds. True, every year you will have to repeat the breeding procedure, since the perennial culture is unable to hibernate in the open field even in the mildest winters.

Show all

Botanical description

Ageratums are herbaceous or semi-shrub plants with a height of 10 to 50 cm. Their leaves, rough to the touch, have various shapes: triangular, oval or diamond-shaped, but with invariable teeth along the edges. In the upper part of the shoots, the leaves are arranged alternately, in the middle and lower - opposite. Stems are erect or ascending, covered with "fluff" and strongly branched. All varieties of ageratum can be divided into 3 categories depending on the height of the adult plant:

• dwarf - up to 20 cm;
• medium-sized - from 20 to 40 cm;
• tall - from 40 cm and above.

Miniature flowers with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm are collected in voluminous corymbose inflorescences, the diameter of the flowering "cap" reaches 8-10 cm. A special decorative effect of the ageratum is given by the two-lobed stigmas of flowers - they are almost 2 times longer than the perianth and effectively rise above it.

Ageratum flowers

The color of tubular flowers collected in baskets has a lilac-blue gamut: varieties with blue, blue, lilac, purple color are most often found, but there are modern hybrids with white, yellow, pink and red petals. Inflorescences of plants of the same variety bloom at the same height, forming an impressive floral carpet of numerous fluffy "pompoms". Long-flowered has a light pleasant smell and attracts bees to the garden.



Popular varieties

Despite some difficulties in growing ageratum, flower growers often use it to decorate a garden or a summer cottage. Agrofirms offer a large selection of hybrid varieties obtained as a result of long-term selection by crossing the Houston Ageratum (Mexican) with other varieties.

The most popular varieties are.

Ageratum can be used in landscape design in different ways:

• plant a single-colored or multi-colored carpet arrangement of plants of the same height;
• create a spectacular multi-colored ensemble in rock gardens, mixborders, rabatki and flower beds;
• plant miniature hybrids as a bright, long-blooming border;
• decorate outdoor flowerpots and pots with flowering bushes, and with the onset of cold weather, transfer them to a heated room.

Tall varieties are suitable not only for decorating the site - they can be cut and put in a vase to decorate the interior of a room, made in any style. Stunted and dwarf varieties can be grown as a pot crop if they are kept cool over the winter.

Blue mink variety



Growing from seeds

Ageratum belongs to thermophilic plants, therefore it is planted in open ground only after the threat of return frosts has passed. To fully enjoy the abundant flowering, they use the seedling method of growing.

Small, numerous long-flowered seeds remain viable for 2-3 years after harvest. It is necessary to sow them in the spring, the optimal time is in mid-March:

• Fill the seedling boxes or containers with a nutritious soil mixture made up of equal parts of fertile garden soil, peat and coarse sand.
• Moisten the substrate in the box with a spray bottle and sow ageratum seeds on top. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of soil no more than 1 cm, cover the boxes with future plants with glass or transparent film.
• Put the mini-greenhouse in a bright place with an air temperature of + 15 ° C - this mode will be optimal for seed germination.
• Remove the cover from the greenhouse every day and ventilate the seedlings for 30-60 minutes, wipe the condensate from the glass with a hygroscopic cloth.
• Monitor the soil condition in the box and, if necessary, moisten it with a spray bottle. It is impossible to water the ageratum from a watering can at this time, otherwise small and light seeds will float to the surface or, conversely, go into deeper layers of the substrate and will not be able to germinate.
• After the emergence of seedlings (after about 10-14 days), the glass can be removed, and when the first pair of true leaves are formed, the seedlings must be dived for the first time.
• The second pick should be done 14-20 days after the first transplant. For each seedling, you need to take a separate volumetric pot, since the plants develop quite quickly.

When caring for seedlings at home, it is necessary to keep the soil moist, but not flood it, otherwise the ageratum will wither away from excess moisture. By contrast, the air around the seedlings should be dry.

2 weeks before the planned planting on the flowerbed, the seedlings must be accustomed to fresh air: taken out to the balcony or yard, increasing the time of stay every day. This is necessary for the acclimatization of the long-flowered plant, which, after a sharp change in the indoor climate to the outdoor one, can stop growing.



Landing in open ground

Planting ageratum in open ground must be started with the selection of a suitable place:

• This flowering culture is light-loving and drought-resistant, so the site for it should be brightly lit throughout the day and protected from winds.
• The soil in the flower bed should be light, drained, nutritious and neutral in acidity.
• When planting on marginal or stony lands, do not rely on lush flowering, so poor soils must be enriched with humus or compost.
• On acidic soils, the plant will not be able to develop normally and will wither. To bring the pH value back to normal, ground chalk, dolomite flour or slaked lime must first be added to the acidic soil.

It is possible to transfer seedlings to open ground not earlier than the time when the air temperature at night ceases to fall below 0 ° C. Depending on the region, this will be the end of May or the beginning of June.

Having chosen a site suitable in all respects, you can plant future bushes in the garden:

• Dig out planting holes of the same volume as an earthen lump in pots with seedlings and spill with water.
• Place the seedlings in the ground so that the surface of the ground on the site coincides with the soil level in the pot.
• When planting in a row, maintain a distance of 15-30 cm between specimens. The distance depends on the size of the future bush: tall varieties must be planted at a greater distance, miniature hybrids - closer to each other.

If young plants grow quickly and begin to stretch, they must be pruned to properly form the bush and stimulate numerous flowers.

Flowerbed with ageratums, made in Mexican style

Care rules

If the procedures for growing seedlings and transferring them to the site were carried out correctly, then in the future, caring for the long-flowered plant will not cause any special problems. For normal development and lush flowering, traditional agronomic techniques will be required:

• Watering. Carry out as the top layer of the soil dries up, avoiding stagnation of moisture and acidification of the soil. Water at the root, avoiding water getting on the leaves and flower caps.
• Weeding. After the next watering, gently loosen the plantings and remove weeds.
• Top dressing. Feed every 2-3 weeks with humic or complex mineral composition for flowering crops. As an organic fertilizer, you can use mullein infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. With the beginning of autumn, stop feeding.
• Cut. Cut off the faded corymbose inflorescences in a timely manner, so that the plant directs its forces not to the ripening of seeds, but to the formation of new flowers.

Do not get carried away with frequent feeding of ageratum, otherwise it will begin to grow shoots and foliage, and flowering will become rare or completely stop.

Ageratum does not tolerate frost, even if you cover it for the winter. At the end of the summer cottage season, the bed must be emptied, and the long-flowered bushes must be disposed of. If you want to keep a rare hybrid variety or just a beautiful flowering specimen, you can transplant it into a pot and transfer it to your home. The flower will feel best at a temperature of + 15 ° C, so a greenhouse, a winter garden, an insulated loggia or a hall of a municipal institution are suitable for it. In the spring, the preserved bushes can be planted outdoors or used for propagation.

Ageratum can be propagated not only by cultivation from seeds, but also by rooting apical cuttings. They must be cut from the mother bush in the spring and planted in the same substrate that was used for sowing the seeds. Cover the cuttings with glass or polymer transparent jars and root at a temperature of +18 ... + 20 ° С. This method is excellent for breeding hybrid varieties marked F1, the seeds of which, collected with their own hands, do not germinate.

Diseases and pests

The long-flowered plant cannot boast of high resistance to diseases and pests. Root rot takes the leading place among the dangerous infections that persecute the culture. It develops with excessive watering and planting in dense, heavy soil. The affected specimens must be removed from the site, and the neighboring plants must be treated with Bordeaux liquid or a suitable fungicide (Topaz, Champion). A similar "treatment" will be required if signs of a mosaic appear on the leaves of the ageratum. In the future, you need to control watering and avoid water droplets getting on the green parts of the ageratum.

Of the insects, gall and leaf nematodes, whiteflies, scoops, aphids and spider mites can be found most often on flowering bushes. You can get rid of pests with the help of modern insecticidal drugs: Biotlin, Aktara, Aktellik, Aktoverm, Nematofagin BT. Each of the drugs must be used strictly according to the instructions offered by the manufacturer, and the rules of individual safety must be observed.

Conclusion

Ageratum is a thermophilic perennial crop grown in the open field of our latitudes as an annual plant. This flower cannot be recommended for novice gardeners, but experienced gardeners can easily cope with the cultivation of spectacular, flowering specimens. A huge selection of varieties will allow you to realize any flower fantasies and decorate the garden with a bright colorful carpet.

The Ageratum flower is considered one of the most beloved by flower growers, and for good reason. This plant has earned its popularity due to its unpretentious care and cultivation. But at the same time, novice gardeners are often interested in such a question as how difficult it is to care for ageratum? What you need to know about this flower in order for the garden to acquire fabulous colors thanks to its presence.
So, what does a handsome ageratum need for full-fledged growth in open ground, and what kind of this plant is ideal for your garden.

Ageratum "pink ball"

Our handsome man comes from Central America. It should be noted that in its native land, this bush is a perennial flower, which cannot be said about our climatic zone. The fact is that ageratum in our latitudes grows like a one-year-old handsome man.

In appearance, this amazing plant looks like a large bush, with a huge number of sprouts. In height, ageratum reaches 60 cm. The leaves of this handsome man are round or triangular in shape, with small teeth at the edges. And when a flower prepares to bloom, it throws out countless buds, which can be blue, white or pink.
Ageratum is a very beautiful flower that can become the most striking decoration of any flower bed.

What are the varieties of ageratum

The ageratum genus is quite large and has over 60 varieties. But most of all, flower growers prefer the Houston Ageratum, the second name is the Mexican Ageratum. It is this variety that is most common in our latitudes.

Houston's Ageratum

Each variety of this plant is distinguished by the following features:

• bush height;
• shade of buds;
• flowering duration.

Therefore, when purchasing the seeds of such a miracle plant, you should definitely ask a consultant what kind of variety you are purchasing.

As for the color of the buds, in our latitudes, plants with the following shades are most often found:

• ageratum blue;

In rare cases, you can find ageratum pink. But this variety is found as an exotic plant.

Propagation of ageratum by seeds

The most common question for novice florists is ageratum flower growing from seed when to plant. In order to understand when to plant seed, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bthe whole process.
In the overwhelming majority, the breeding method is sowing ageratum. And growing seedlings with your own hands is quite simple, if you follow a few simple rules.

How to sow ageratum?

To do this, you should choose the right time, the end of March will be the ideal period in this case.

1. special boxes are prepared in advance for future seedlings;
2. when choosing a soil for seeds, preference is given to a lighter and more nutritious one, such as a sand-peat mixture with the addition of compost;
3. after planting the seeds, the container is covered with polyethylene and placed in a warm, well-lit place;
4. this flower does not like strong moisture, so there is no need for additional spraying.

When all the above manipulations are completed, then in a week you can expect the first shoots to appear. After the first shoots appear, the plant will develop and grow for three weeks.

It is very important to pay attention to such an issue as picking ageratum. It should be done at the moment when the babies are sprouting a little, the most ideal time is the third week after the first sunrise. Plants dive into separate pots, as they will grow rapidly in the future.
After a couple of weeks, after the pick was carried out, the time comes for feeding.

Then, as soon as the weather is fine outside, the young sprouts are gradually taken outside for hardening. Such a manipulation is performed as follows, on the first day, the seedling walk should be no more than an hour, and then, every day, the time spent on the street is gradually increased by an hour.

Well, now every novice gardener will know how to grow ageratum.

Ageratum seeds look like grains of sand. Therefore, they are planted practically on the surface.

Propagation of ageratum by cuttings

Getting ageratum seedlings from seeds is the most common method. But sometimes, the gardener urgently needs to preserve a rare bush of this magnificent flower, in which case the method of propagation by cuttings comes to the rescue.
To perform such a manipulation, it is necessary to send the bush for the winter to a cool place in the fall. And as soon as early spring comes, the shoots from the flower are cut off to get cuttings. Then, the resulting sprouts are placed in previously prepared containers with sand. And after a couple of weeks, each cutting will begin to develop its own root system.

Planting and leaving agentum in the ground

Ageratum white "Patina whait"

The grown ageratum seedlings are planted in open ground, when the warm spring has completely come into its own. The most optimal period for such a procedure is the end of May.
As described above, agentum is not whimsical in care, this also applies to the soil in which young shoots are planted. In rare cases, it may be necessary to carry out piece oxidation of the soil using slaked lime.

As for the choice of the site on which the seedlings will be planted, for these purposes, a well-lit place should be chosen.

Also, when planting seedlings in open ground, several important factors should be considered, namely:

1. each sprout is planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other;
2. it is not worth deepening the roots into the ground, and in order not to be mistaken in such a situation, you should maintain the same depth as in pots.
3. even slight shading will stretch the plant. In this case, abundant flowering cannot be achieved.

When the planting of the ageratum in open ground is successfully completed, you should take care of feeding this plant. In general, during the season, the plant is fertilized three times with mineral fertilizers. As for fertilizing such as humus or other mineral supplements, they should be avoided.

Ageratum does not require regular watering, so it should be done in moderation. And in order to check whether the plant requires moisture, it is enough to loosen the ground. If the soil has dried by 3 cm, then the plant needs watering and re-loosening of the soil.

Video "Ageratum, outdoor care"

Little secret of plant care

As can be seen from all of the above, ageratum cultivation does not require certain skills and great skill. But at the same time, there is one little secret that experienced florists shared.

In order for the flowering of this plant to please the eye was abundant and long, you should carefully monitor the bush. As soon as wilted buds appear on it, they should be immediately disposed of. It is advisable to carry out such a procedure regularly, due to which more and more new flowers will appear on the bush, especially, this applies to such a species as ageratum blue mink.

Well ageratum, this is an amazing flower, and the main thing is that even a florist with no experience is able to grow such beauty from a small seed.

What diseases and pests are ageratum susceptible to

Ageratum blue "Blue mink"

Despite the fact that planting and caring for this plant is quite simple, it is also prone to ailments and pests.

1. The main reason for the death of this flower is strong moisture and lack of air flowing to the root system. If this happens, the roots are attacked by root rot, as a result of which the plant dies.
2. The second common disease is leaf chlorosis. The first signs of the emerging disease are wilting of the plant and yellowing of its leaves. To recognize chlorosis is quite simple, if the plant wilted for no reason, then it is affected.
3. Another disease called cucumber mosaic. The first signs that the plant was struck by this particular disease are the partial yellowing of the foliage and the earlier wilting of the buds, which did not please the grower with their beautiful flowering. If such signs have been identified, then it is urgent to get rid of all affected leaves and buds, otherwise the disease will spread throughout the bush.

As a cure for the above diseases, you can use a tincture of wormwood or tansy, and you can prepare it as follows, per liter of boiling water, add 5 tbsp. tablespoons of dry herbs and leave for a couple of hours. Then strain the resulting tincture through cheesecloth and dilute in 5 liters of water at room temperature. The resulting mixture is used to thoroughly spray the plants. But if there is no time to prepare such a remedy, then you can simply purchase the necessary drug in a flower shop.

As for pests, the following pests are very dangerous for the garden handsome:

• nematodes;
• spider mite;
• whitefly.

Ageratum looks great both in containers on the balcony, and as a border plant in rabatki.

Ageratum on the balcony

Ageratum on a flowerbed, a mixture of white and blue ageratum

Ageratum on a flower bed

As you can see, the ageratum is a beautiful plant, which, moreover, is not whimsical to care for, it is for this floor that many growers fell in love with this flower.

Ageratum is an unusually beautiful plant of the Aster family. The name of the flower comes from the Latin word "ageratos", which translates as "ageless". This is the name of the plant because of its long flowering, which begins in June and lasts until the very frost. That is why gardeners call ageratum "long-flower" and love to decorate plots, flowerbeds, lawns, front gardens with it.

Ageratum flowers - photo, varieties

Depending on the variety, the height of the plant can be from 20 to 50 cm... In the photo you can see that the ageratum is a small bush with heart-shaped leaves and fluffy inflorescences. Its flowers can be white, pale pink, lavender blue, blue.

The opposite lower and middle leaves of the plant grow on petioles, while the next upper leaves are sessile. Bisexual fragrant flowers of ageratum are located on corymbose inflorescences and reach a diameter of one to one and a half centimeters. The fruit is a pentahedral wedge-shaped achene. Seed germination of the plant lasts for 3-4 years.

The plant has more than fifty species. Only a few of them are most popular and in demand by gardeners.

Ageratum blue

The plant got its name from the pale blue flowers, which, with their color and fluffiness look like mink fur... Therefore, the second name of this type of ageratum is "Blue mink". A low bush is entirely covered with rather large inflorescences, which can be from 5 to 8 cm in diameter.

Mexican Ageratum

The plant, which reaches a height of 10 to 50 cm, is distinguished by numerous erect, branched stems. Its leaves, rough and jagged along the edge, can be oval or rhombic. Small fragrant flowers of the plant are collected in inflorescences-baskets, which, in turn, are collected in complex corymbose inflorescences.

This kind of ageratum has many varieties, which differ in bush height, flowering time and color shades.

Reproduction of ageratum at home

There are two ways to propagate a plant:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

Ageratum is most often grown from seeds. One mature fruit of the plant contains up to six thousand seeds, which can be collected and stored for several years. Landing is carried out in the second half of March.

In about 10-14 days the first shoots should appear... After that, the glass or film can be removed, and the boxes can be placed in a well-lit place. Direct sunlight should not fall on the seedlings. Seedling care consists in timely watering with settled water.

When two real leaves appear, you need to plant the sprouts, increasing the distance between them. After another two weeks, the mature and grown young bushes are planted in separate pots. At home, seedlings are watered only in the morning. The soil should always be slightly moist, and the air around the sprouts should be dry.

Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, young plants need to be "hardened". For this, cups with sprouts are taken out into the open air in warm weather.

Cuttings

It is much easier and faster to grow ageratum from cuttings. On the branches of the plant, many young shoots with buds are formed, which must be cut off for reproduction. This breeding method is very convenient because annual plant, and messing with seeds is not always possible.

Growing ageratum from cuttings and planting them has its own characteristics:

1. Before freezing, the best plant bushes are dug up and transplanted into large containers.
2. Flowers in pots are brought into a warm room, and are grown at home until March. Ageratum will also feel good on the insulated loggia.
3. In March, you will need to cut the cuttings or dig up the mother liquors.
4. Cuttings are planted in containers with an earthen mixture or in a greenhouse, and covered with plastic bags or jars. The buds germinate at a temperature of at least 20C.

Ageratum: planting and care in the open field

After the frost is over, the grown seedlings or sprouted cuttings can be planted in open ground.

Features of planting ageratum

The plant loves sunny places and well-drained soil with moderate moisture. Ageratum will grow and bloom well on sub-sandy and loamy soils. It is not recommended to plant a flower in soil oversaturated with organic matter from the garden. Young cuttings are best planted in a greenhouse in a mixture of sand and earth.

For young plants, a site is prepared, and holes are dug:

• the distance between low bushes should be up to 10 cm;
• high-grade bushes should be planted at a distance of at least 25 cm from each other.

If the soil on the site is prone to moisture stagnation, then drainage and peat crumb need to be poured into the holes. Seedlings are planted in the holes at the same depth as they grew in pots.

Outdoor Ageratum Care

Growing ageratum is not at all difficult, but still some subtleties when leaving behind it you need to consider:

1. The plant requires regular watering. Since it has a powerful root system, the flower tolerates a lack of moisture easily. The water around the ageratum should not stagnate, otherwise its roots may begin to rot. The plant is watered strictly at the root. It is advisable that the water does not get on the leaves and flowers. It is recommended to cover the bushes during rains.
2. After watering, the soil around the plant must be weeded and loosened.
3. Once every three weeks, ageratum needs to be fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. In this case, the concentration of solutions should be half that indicated in the instructions. With abundant feeding, the bush will grow foliage and bloom poorly. For the same reason, you cannot feed the plant with fresh manure.
4. An effective way to prolong the bloom of the ageratum is a haircut. It is imperative to cut the plant if the seedlings start to grow too quickly or are stretched out. In order for the plant to bush, you need to cut off the tops of the shoots. Ageratum will begin to grow rapidly and bloom luxuriantly if only a few internodes remain on the stem after cutting.

Ageratum diseases and pests

The plant is very susceptible to diseases, therefore, when growing it, you must follow all the rules for care.

Root rot affects bushes that grow on poorly drained soils. It is almost impossible to save rotten roots, so you need to take preventive measures.

Cucumber mosaic virus appears as white and yellow spots on the leaves. A diseased plant lures aphids to itself, which multiplies rapidly. The affected bushes must be removed.

Young plants must be protected from pests. If they appear, the bushes are processed insecticidal preparations.

Ageratum, due to the varied color of flowers, will look great on a flower bed without admixtures of other plants. But in order for flowering to continue until the very frost, you need to know all the features of its cultivation, and properly care for it.

Ageratum flower