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Ixia flower - planting and care in the open field
Ixia flower - planting and care in the open field

Video: Ixia flower - planting and care in the open field

Video: Ixia flower - planting and care in the open field
Video: Ixia Exotic Flower Bulbs 2024, March
Anonim

In the summer, when the flowering of Ixia begins, the flowerbed seems to explode with fireworks of small, but unusually bright "stars" painted in various shades. In care, the culture is unpretentious, but you still have to follow certain rules for planting and growing in the open field. Otherwise, the result may not be what you would like.

Ixia planting - site selection

When planning planting activities, one should take into account the low cold resistance of ixia, as well as the flower's requirements for location, soil composition and sowing time.

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Only in a well-lit area will Ixia show others all the beauty and riot of colors. The flowers fully open in the sun after sunset, and fold at dusk.

Accordingly, it is pointless to plant a plant in the shade, but the southern wall is ideal for creating a flower garden. The flowerbed must be protected from the wind, since the plants are very fragile and easily injured.

In order to prevent diseases, experts advise each time with the onset of a new season to change the landing site, while the site must meet certain requirements, which are presented in the table below.

Landing requirements

Reasons and recommendations

Open, well-lit area Lack of sunlight leads to deformation of the bushes and reduces the quality of flowering
No stagnant water The constant exposure to moisture negatively affects the condition of the corm, therefore, when planting in a lowland, care should be taken to ensure good drainage, and it is recommended to raise the seat
Draft protection Together with ixia, it is advisable to plant taller plants, which will provide the tropical sissy with protection from drafts
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What soil to choose

Ixia is distinguished by long flowering, rather intensive growth and the formation of impressive corms in a relatively short period of time. Therefore, the soil for normal growth and development of the plant must be appropriate - loose, well-drained (the flower does not tolerate excess moisture), with a high content of humus.

The best option would be to mix garden soil with good compost, and it is recommended to add the latter as much as possible. This will lighten too heavy soil and improve the physical properties of the lightened soil.

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Important information

Before planting, the land must be carefully dug up, along the way getting rid of third-party roots and weeds. Then add compost, humus and wood ash to the soil, saturating it with nutrients.

Sand or peat will help make the soil loose and light. If it is not possible to add organic matter, it is recommended to enrich the substrate with magnesium (20 g / m²) and superphosphate (70 g / m²).

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The delicate plant does not tolerate low temperatures (maximum - up to -2 degrees), so most gardeners practice spring planting. For the same reason, the bulbs are removed from the ground every year in order to plant them again in the flower garden in the spring.

Some growers practice the spring and fall planting of Ixia, which makes it possible to admire the bright colorful flowers at the beginning and at the end of summer.

For successful wintering, the tubers are laid in the soil to a depth of 80 mm (not less), sprinkled on top with a layer of mulch (from 50 mm). Spruce branches or straw are used as shelter.

In the spring, after the snow melts and the soil warms up to optimal temperatures, the mulch is carefully removed and sprouts are waited for. Young bushes are afraid of recurrent frosts, so it is recommended to cover them (for example, with an inverted pot).

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Preparation of planting material

The bulbs germinate 2-3 weeks before the planned planting date. It is best to do this in the middle of spring, when the air temperature is stable above +8 degrees.

Ripe tubers are pre-disinfected by soaking them in a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate (manganese). The duration of the procedure is no more than 20 minutes.

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Then the bulbs must be rinsed thoroughly. The procedure will help to avoid the development of fungal diseases, which guarantees healthy, strong and stunning flowering bushes.

Germination is carried out as follows:

  • a layer (10 cm) of sawdust or sand is poured into a spacious shallow container made of wood;
  • place the bulbs inside the container as tightly as possible and cover with polyethylene;
  • left on the windowsill at room temperature.

The container with landings must be periodically ventilated, as condensation settles on the improvised lid. The box is left open for no more than 10 minutes.

If done correctly, the first shoots can be expected in 15 days. You should get rid of non-sprouted tubers, and place the rest on a flower bed in late spring - early summer.

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Open ground planting rules

Planting works are carried out in several stages:

  1. Dig holes 50-80 mm deep at a distance of 10-12 cm from each other.
  2. Place the onions in the prepared grooves.
  3. Lay a layer of mulch on top (20-30 cm).
  4. It is not necessary to water Ixia after planting in open ground, irrigation is carried out only after 15-20 days. The emergence of sprouts will serve as a signal for watering. Bushes grown from large tubers will bloom already in the current season, the rest - only after 1-2 years
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Care features

Choosing the best site and adhering to planting technology is only half of a successful cultivation. Plants need regular care, only then a bright flower garden covered with enchanting blooming ixia will become the main decoration of the garden.

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Watering

For the first time, Ixia is watered when shoots appear. The tropical beauty is a moisture-loving plant, therefore, in dry weather, it requires abundant daily watering. This is especially important during the period of bud formation and the appearance of flowers.

For such purposes, it is recommended to use warm, slightly settled water, to which you can add stimulants that activate the flowering processes. It is also recommended to spray the bushes to maintain the humidity level.

An equally important event is weeding and loosening the soil after each watering. This will provide air access to the roots, which will have a beneficial effect on the further development of the plant.

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Pruning

On average, Ixia blooms for a month. For different varieties and hybrids, the timing, as well as the duration of flowering, may differ.

To preserve the aesthetic appearance of the flower bed, to ensure the neat condition of the flower garden, it is necessary to remove dried inflorescences and unnecessary flower stalks, cut off damaged leaves.

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Fertilizers and feeding

Planting in open ground, enriched with all the necessary substances, will provide the bushes with food until the beginning of budding. During this period, Ixia needs additional care and feeding, which is carried out every 10-14 days throughout the season.

For a tropical beauty, both organic and mineral supplements (Potassium humate, Kemira Lux, nitroammofosk) will be useful. The solution is prepared in strict accordance with the instructions, observing the dosage.

Top dressing is stopped with the death of the last flower, since the next phase of plant development begins, which involves preparing the bulbs for winter.

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Ixia wintering

At the end of flowering, the bulbs are removed from the soil, but not immediately. This is usually done at the end of July. The tubers need to lie in the ground to get the nutrients they need to successfully overwinter.

After removing the bulbs, dry thoroughly with good ventilation. Then they are soaked in an antibacterial solution, for the preparation of which manganese is used, and thoroughly dried.

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It remains to put the planting material in prepared dry boxes and put it in a cool place. The refrigerator compartment for storing vegetables is ideal.

The next landing is carried out according to the scheme described above, while the date is determined by the climatic conditions of a particular region. By the way, the flower can be planted for distillation. It looks pretty beautiful: the snow is white outside the window, and an amazing flower bed has blossomed at home.

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Ixia diseases

The exotic plant is immune to diseases typical of the local flora - a nice bonus when growing Ixia outdoors. But in case of violation of the rules of care and not entirely successful choice of a site for planting, where there is stagnation of moisture, the flower risks getting sick with gray rot.

The presence of a disease can be determined by the following signs:

  • buds fall off before they ripen;
  • the plant becomes lethargic, the stem and leaves lose their elasticity;
  • foliage and peduncles become yellow, covered with spots;
  • already opened flowers lose their attractiveness, fade and crumble.
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In this case, urgent measures should be taken to save the flower garden:

  1. Dig up a diseased plant, carefully examine the corm.
  2. Cut out the affected areas with a sharp knife.
  3. Treat the rest of the tuber with any fungicide or manganese solution.
  4. Smear the cut points with brilliant green.
  5. After that, dry the material slightly and plant it in a more suitable soil.
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Summarize

  1. Ixia is a tropical plant characterized by low cold resistance, which requires additional care in the form of mulching the ridge.
  2. Exotic bushes should be planted in a well-lit area, and the south side would be ideal.
  3. Planting is carried out mainly in spring, but this can be done in autumn, providing the bulbs with optimal conditions for successful wintering.
  4. Watering should be done regularly and abundantly, especially during budding and flowering.
  5. To provide protection from drafts, Ixia is recommended to be planted with taller plants.
  6. Ixia is immune to diseases typical of local flower crops, but if the site is not chosen correctly, it can get sick with gray rot.

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