If you are thinking about propagating perennial mallow, choose only high-quality seeds. To obtain strong, beautiful plants, planting material is taken only from selected varieties: seeds from random specimens may not sprout or give weak shoots unsuitable for decorative gardening. Also, for the successful planting of perennial mallow, it is necessary to observe the correct mode of seed storage.
Growing mallow perennial: watering and fertilizing
Mallow is a herbaceous perennial from the mallow family.
In culture, up to 60 species are known, among which there are evergreens. But we mainly use three types with their forms and varieties.
The stem of the perennial mallow is upright and tall – up to 2.0 m. It has a slight pubescence. The leaves are large, lobed, serrated along the edge and also pubescent. The flowers are simple, semi-double, double, collected in long spicate inflorescences. Their color is the most diverse – white, yellow, pink, purple, burgundy to almost black.
Flowering is plentiful and long – up to 50 days. The first flowers appear at the end of June.
Pay attention to the photo of perennial mallow – its fruit is an open box with large brown kidney-shaped seeds that retain their germination for a long time:
This is a light-loving, drought-resistant plant. When self-sowing in the first year, a rosette of leaves is obtained, which is perfectly preserved and winters, and the next year gives a flowering stem.
The place for planting and caring for perennial mallow in the garden should be sunny, protected from the prevailing winds. The soil is nutritious, loamy or sandy. On poor, heavy soils, the flowers will be small, dirty colors.
During the period of active growth when growing mallow, the plant is very responsive to fertilizers, especially mineral fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen. A complete mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is also used. The optimal time is before the release of the flowering stem and in the budding phase, as well as flowering. The interval between top dressing is 20-25 days. Top dressing can be given with irrigation water.
Watering, and plentiful, but rare, mallow loves. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water. Frequent watering helps to reduce the winter hardiness of plants. After watering, loosening, mulching with humus or peat are necessary.
So that the tall flower-bearing stems do not break from the wind, they are tied to stakes. After flowering, the stems are cut to a height of 30 cm or removed completely.
Reproduction of perennial mallow seeds
Reproduction of perennial mallow is carried out by seeds, which are planted in spring in open ground when the soil temperature reaches +10 ᵒС. Seeding depth – 2-3 cm.
The further development of the plant and the beauty of flowering depend on the quality of the seeds. It is necessary to collect them not from random specimens, but from queen cells selected according to the purity of the variety or species.
It is advisable to cultivate the soil for sowing mallow in the fall, introducing phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. In the spring it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizer. For sowing, seeds that have passed the correct storage regime are used. Then they retain their germination for 3-4 years.
Seeds are collected selectively, as the pods ripen and open. They are dried at a temperature of +25…+30°C for 10 days. Then they are cleaned of mechanical impurities and stored at a temperature of +10…+12C and a relative humidity of 40-50%.
During the first year of growth in open ground, the necessary care is carried out – weeding, loosening, mulching.
Top dressing during the first year of life is not required. The need for them arises in the second year, when the mallow enters the flowering phase.
Varieties and hybrids of perennial mallow
Of particular interest are varieties and hybrids of perennial mallow with double flowers:
“Summer Carnival” – a mixture for flower beds , mixborders, wall decoration. In a bouquet, the flowers remain fresh for a long time, all the buds gradually open. Blooms in July-August. Plant height 80-100 cm.
“Zebrina lilac” – with elegantly colored variegated flowers. Good for planting in groups. Cut flowers are well preserved, without losing their decorative effect for a long time. Plant height 120 cm.
Muscat “Perfection” – white, used in flower beds and for cutting. Flowers up to 5 cm in diameter.
“Park Rondell” , with pink double flowers, height 150 cm.
“Fiesta Time” F1 . A new mallow with petals shining around the edge. Abundantly and continuously blooms in the first year. Dense peaks of inflorescences are good both in the garden and in the cut. Perfectly preserved in a bouquet , without losing decorative effect for a long time.
Below you can see a photo of a perennial mallow of various varieties grown in the middle zone:
Most often, mallow flowers adorn modest front gardens and ugly fences in the garden. Goes for cutting, unopened buds successfully bloom in the water.
