A herbaceous plant of the genus Asteraceae Ageratum is very popular among flower growers. That is why you can often find ageratum in the garden or in pots . Ageratum also feels great in a flower bed, in a street flowerpot, containers used to decorate balconies , as well as on alpine slides .
The plant blooms from June to October, but can please the eye until the first frost. Currently, there are both undersized and fairly tall plant varieties that are actively used in floristry . What should be the planting and care of the ageratum in the open field so that it is healthy and beautiful?
Planting ageratum: when to sow seeds?
Growing ageratum from seed is the primary and most efficient way to propagate this beautiful, thriving plant. One mature fruit contains about 6 thousand seeds that protect their qualities and ability to germinate for 3-4 years, provided they are properly stored. When and how to sow ageratum to get strong seedlings?
Seedlings are obtained as follows:
- carry out sowing of seeds of ageratum from March 15 to March 30. In this case, a soil mixture prepared from peat, sand and humus taken in equal parts is used. It is not necessary to plant the ageratum with seeds very deep, you can just lightly sprinkle them with earth;
- seedlings appear quite quickly – after 8-10 days, depending on the temperature of the soil of the surrounding air;
- after 3 weeks, a pick is carried out in a greenhouse at a greater distance from each other;
- after another 2, a second pick is carried out in separate cups or pots;
- after the appearance of the first inflorescence, the ageratum is transplanted into the ground (into a flower bed, into a flowerpot, an alpine hill).
How to sow ageratum in the garden (with photo)
One of the main conditions for the successful cultivation of flowers is to provide the sprouts with good lighting. If it is weak, the sprouts will be long and thin, and subsequently the resulting inflorescences will be rare.
Often, novice gardeners do not know how to sow the ageratum so that the sprouts are not too dense. Such difficulties are explained by the very small size of the seeds. It is important to sow them at a distance, so that later it is easier to dive.
Knowing how to grow ageratum from seeds, you can get strong seedlings , which will delight with lush flowering until late autumn.
This plant cannot be called too demanding on the soil. It cannot grow except on too damp and rocky soil. Preference should be given to light nutritious soil with neutral acidity. If the soil is too saturated with humus, the plant will begin to grow leafy mass to the detriment of flowering. When to plant ageratum in open ground so that the plant does not die?
Sowing seeds of ageratum in a flower bed (with photo)
Ageratum is planted in open ground only after spring night frosts have passed and warm weather is finally established. In the middle lane, it is best to do this at the end of May.
The soil before planting seedlings must be cleared of weeds and well loosened. Holes for seedlings should be located at a distance of 10-15 centimeters. The depth of planting of the ageratum in the ground should be equal to that which was when they were in the cups.
The flowering period begins approximately two months after the first shoots. Therefore, the question of when to plant an ageratum for growing seedlings from seeds must also be approached from the point of view of when you want to get a flowering plant. If the climate allows planting a plant in open ground in early May, then seeds can be sown as early as late February.
A photo of the ageratum in the flower beds can be seen below:
Care for ageratumoma in the open field
Planting and caring for flowers of the ageratum variety is very rarely accompanied by any difficulties. Even for beginner gardeners, as a rule, everything works out the first time. Like many other plants, it requires regular weeding in order to get rid of weeds, as they can damage its root system.
This plant is very thermophilic and dies at the first frost. However, due to the fact that it tolerates transplanting well even during flowering, in the fall you can transplant it back into a pot and continue growing in a well-lit place.
In addition, the cultivation and care of ageratum involves regular shearing of regrown stems or faded inflorescences. Shearing helps to prolong the flowering period and makes the bushes more bushy and neat.
The flower needs moderate but regular watering. Too wet soil, he does not tolerate well and begins to hurt. Thanks to a developed and sufficiently powerful root system, the plant survives a lack of moisture well, but dies when it is overabundant.
Watering in open ground is best done at the root, since spraying and watering from above is very poorly tolerated by the flower. At the same time, the appearance of the inflorescences suffers greatly. Experienced gardeners advise covering the plant during heavy and prolonged heavy rains.
How to grow ageratum from seeds: top dressing, protection from diseases and pests
In order for the cultivation of ageratum from seeds, the photo of which is given below, to be successful and its result was violent flowering, it is necessary to regularly feed it with the right fertilizers:
Feeding should be done once every three weeks. In this case, it is best to use mineral and organic fertilizers. The total number of dressings is three, while the first two are carried out using half the dose of fertilizer, which is indicated by the manufacturer on the package. An excess of nutrients in the soil will lead to an increase in leaf mass.
Despite the fact that the plant is quite resistant to diseases and pests, there are several types of insects that can cause significant harm to it and grow in open ground. These include the whitefly, in the presence of which yellow spots appear on the leaves. The affected leaves are removed, and the bush is treated with an emulsion with mineral oils 2 times at weekly intervals;
In addition, the cucumber mosaic also affects the plant. It manifests itself in the fact that yellow and white star-shaped spots appear on the sheets. The plant begins to lure aphids to itself, which quickly infects healthy bushes. The diseased bush must be removed completely, and the place of its growth must be treated with lime.
Another problem that can happen to this plant is root rot. It is quite difficult to get rid of it, since the causative agent of the disease can be in the soil itself. To protect the ageratum from diseases and pests, the diseased plant is removed and, if possible, burned to prevent the spread of infection throughout the site.
Now, knowing how to grow an ageratum in a garden or flower bed, the photo of which is given below, you can safely get down to business, creating beautiful flower arrangements with other plants, which include zinnia, calendula, petunia:
