Today, it is difficult to imagine the front garden of an amateur gardener without mallow. These tall flowers, decorated with large cup flowers of various shades, have won strong love and sympathy; it is precisely these flowers that are usually admired. Once you plant mallow, you can enjoy the beauty of the flowers for almost the entire season. Some of the advantages of the plant are considered to be unpretentious care, stunning beauty and some medicinal properties.
When is the best time to plant mallow seeds?
Planting a plant can be done in 2 ways - using seeds, using seedlings. Depending on which method was chosen, certain conditions will be imposed on growing and caring for the plant.
Regardless of the planting method, you must first prepare the landing site and the soil itself. Mallow is a perennial plant that does not require replanting. The root system of the mallow develops progressively, and when replanting the plant there is too great a risk of damage to it.
When choosing a place to plant mallow, you need to remember a number of requirements:
- Good lighting;
- The absence of drafts that can harm the tall stems of the plant - simply break them;
- The soil should be loose and nutritious with good drainage.
Experienced gardeners note that the plant can be demanding on the soil; the ideal option would be to plant the plant in light loam.
So, when should you plant the seeds? It is best to plant seeds in a flower bed at the end of June. It is worth remembering that the flowering of mallow can be expected no earlier than the next year after planting. If it is necessary for the plant to bloom in the same summer, then it is necessary to plant it with seedlings - having previously grown them from seeds starting in winter.
Growing mallow from seeds in a few simple steps
There are about 30 varieties of plants, they will help you choose photo of mallow on the seed package.
- It is best to buy seeds in the spring, and plant them in a flowerbed at the very beginning of summer.
- The soil for planting must be pre-prepared - it must be loosened and, if necessary, fertilized. If the soil does not meet the requirements - without drainage, it must be diluted with sand.
- There is no need to create holes for sowing seeds, just scatter them at a distance of 40 - 70 cm from each other, cover with a thin layer of earth on top. In this case, the first shoots can be noticed in less than a month.
How to care for mallow flowers after planting seeds?
The most important advantage of the plant is the fact that mallow is not whimsical and does not require complex care. But still, we must not forget about applying fertilizer and watering the plant. The frequency of watering will directly depend on weather conditions. Sunny weather with periodic rains will require watering no more than once a week. But during drought, the plant needs to be watered more often, but you should not overdo it - in a “swamp” the plant may die.
It is best to use low concentration calcium phosphate as a fertilizer. Fertilizer should be applied every few weeks, in addition, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil near the roots for better aeration of the root system.
Caring for mallow involves preparing for winter. The plot of land on which the mallow grows should be covered with fallen leaves or straw.
Mallows are an ideal ornamental plant that will fit perfectly into both the foreground and background of the garden plot. Landscape designers advise planting mallow in the background, in front of low-growing plants, preferably along fences or walls. It is precisely with them that it will be possible to “cover” nondescript buildings. Best used for flower arrangements Zebrina mallow, which will become a real highlight of the flowerbed.
- a very beautiful flower with a wide variety of colors. It has been grown as an ornamental plant for quite a long time and everywhere. In addition, its medicinal properties are known, which makes the plant even more popular and desirable for gardeners.
Many people know mallow as kalachik, hollyhock or mallow. There are about thirty plant varieties, most of which are annuals. But there are also perennial species.
Mallow is a herbaceous plant with a long and straight stem, sometimes reaching a height of more than a meter. The leaves and bottom of the stem are covered with small fluff. The leaves have a round shape with 5-7 lobes. The flowers themselves are located in the axils of the leaves, 2 or more pieces each. Flowering continues throughout the summer.
Types and varieties of mallow
As already mentioned, mallow can be annual or perennial. Among annual species, the most popular varieties are:
- Moravia;
- Primley Blue;
- Zebrina;
- Moorish mallow.
The following varieties are considered perennial:
- White Perfection;
- Innocent;
- Pink Princess.
In addition, there are also hybrid varieties, the most popular of which are:
- Gibbortello;
- Chaters Double;
- Powder Puffs;
- Mallow is wrinkled.
How to grow mallow from seeds?
Planting mallow seeds directly into the ground is just one way. The second is the preliminary cultivation of seedlings with their further planting in open ground. Let's consider both of these methods.
How to plant mallow seeds?
So, when to plant mallow seeds? The time for sowing in open ground is in May, when there is no threat of night frosts. You can also do winter sowing. But it is still preferable to sow in the spring.
When growing without seedlings, small holes are made in prepared soil up to 3 cm deep and with a distance between them of 25-50 cm. A pair of seeds are placed in them and covered with soil. Watering should be done by sprinkling so as not to wash out the seeds. If everything was done correctly, the first shoots will appear after a couple of weeks.
When 2 true leaves appear on the sprouts, it is time to thin out the seedlings - there should be one plant left in each hole. We give preference to the strongest and most viable sprout.
Further care for mallow consists of moderate watering once a week, loosening the soil once a month and one-time fertilizing with compost (3 kg per 1 square meter).
Sowing mallow seeds for seedlings
If you want to try the seedling method, get some pots or containers. This is necessary because the plant has fragile roots that do not like and do not tolerate transplantation well.
How to plant mallow from seeds: 2-3 seeds are planted in each pot or cell. In order for them to germinate faster, you need to provide a temperature of +18-20°C. The shoots will appear in a couple of weeks, after which they need to be thinned out so that there is a distance of 2-3 cm between the shoots.
If you feel sorry for simply thinning out the mallow, you can, after 2-3 true leaves appear, pick up the “extra” sprouts into separate piles and leave them for growing.
As soon as the sprouts get stronger, they begin to harden them, that is, take them out into the open air for a short time. Then they are planted in open ground directly in cassettes or pots.
Choosing a permanent location and care
Mallow loves sunny and constantly lit areas. As the stems grow, especially if it is a tall variety, they need to be tied up. The plant must be watered with caution; it does not like stagnant moisture. But it easily tolerates drought, although it is better to avoid this during the flowering period. Just provide the plant with moderate watering throughout the season.
In return for such simple care, mallow will give you a lot of aesthetic pleasure from contemplating its extraordinary beauty.
Mallows are an integral part of rural gardens and one of the most beautiful. Unfortunately, they are planted in gardens less and less often, which is a pity, because growing them is not at all difficult, and the flowers impress with their extraordinary beauty. In today's article you will learn how mallow grow and how to care for it.
Mallow, pink hollyhock, marshmallow - a perennial, grown mainly as a biennial plant, because it blooms profusely in the second year. In the first year it forms a low rosette of leaves. In the second year, a straight, fleecy stem grows between the leaves, which can reach a height of up to 2-3 meters.
The leaves are rounded, heart-shaped, lobed, dark green and rough, and can grow up to 25cm in diameter. Flowers appear from late June to October. They grow on short shoots, in the axils of leaves, in the upper part of the stem. Depending on the variety, they can have semi-double or double flowers, white, cream, yellow, pink, orange, red, burgundy, and even almost black (variety " Nigra") colors.
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Mallow varieties can be divided based on the structure of their flowers; four groups are distinguished:
Mallow « Fimbriataflorepleno» - flowers with serrated petals, usually semi-double, located quite sparsely on the stem.
Mallows Scottish (Szkotch) - double flowers, hemispherical in shape, petals, internal and external, equal in length, can grow up to 220 cm in height.
Malva " Compacta " - can reach 3 meters, the flowers are large, double, similar to a “pompom”, flowers, the outer petals are longer than the inner ones.
Malva " Chaters "(Chetera) - lower - up to 180 cm, there are more flowers on the peduncle and they are denser, in a variety of shades.
Where to plant mallows?
Hollyhocks are ideal flowers for rural, naturalistic and romantic gardens. They look completely natural near a wooden fence or building wall. We plant hollyhocks at the back so as not to obscure the lower plants. They can grow surrounded by other garden flowers - for example. , daylilies, echinacea and cosmos.
Mallow requirements, cultivation and care.
The soil.
Mallow it is not very demanding on the soil and grows well in almost every garden plot, you just have to avoid sand and dense clay, where water can periodically linger. Grows best on fertile, fertilized soil with a pH of 6-7. When preparing the soil for growing mallow, we dig it well and mix it with compost.
Location.
Mallow It grows best in a sunny area, but also does well in some shade. It may grow and bloom poorly in the shade, and its stems will be yellow and arched. The place should be quiet and protected from strong winds, as they can break the long stems of the hollyhocks.
Watering and fertilizing mallow.
First of all, young plants need watering in the first year of cultivation. In the second year of cultivation, throughout the season, we regularly add water to the plants to prevent excessive drying out of the soil. However, the soil should not be too wet, as mallow is sensitive to excess moisture in the soil. When watering, we try not to wet the leaves too much. We fertilize the mallows 1-2 times during the season, using for this purpose a universal fertilizer for garden plants.
Tying the hollyhock.
Mallows can grow up to 2-3 meters in height, and therefore need to be tied up. Wooden or bamboo sticks driven a few centimeters from the stems are better suited for this. We tie the plants to the support using natural rope or braid.
What after flowering?
After flowering we dig up the plants. You can leave it in the ground, however, the flowering next year will be weaker. Mallows are best grown in a two-year cycle because the plant blooms most profusely in the second year of cultivation.
On mallow leaves, you can often notice white or brown spots on the upper side of the leaf and red (rusty) spots on the lower part of the leaf. These are signs of the disease – mallow rust. It is better to cut off the lower affected leaves and burn them! And spray the plant with one of the preparations: Topsin M 500 SC, Amistar 250 SC, Score 250 EC, Discus 500 WG, Nimrod 250 EU or Dithane Neotec 75 WG. The disease is very difficult to remove. It is better to dig up heavily affected plants and burn them so that the disease does not spread to healthy flowers.
Wintering.
Most varieties of mallow can overwinter in the ground without harm and do not require shelter. Young plants or susceptible varieties can be covered with white agrofibre or dry leaves.
Removing flowers and collecting mallow seeds.
Mallow It blooms gradually - from bottom to top. We regularly remove faded inflorescences, this promotes the formation of new flowers. We can leave a couple of flowers so that seeds can set in them. Mallow seeds retain their properties for up to 4 years. Often hollyhocks self-sow and bloom the following year.
Mallow is a beautifully flowering herbaceous plant; botanists count more than 30 species that grow in warm-temperate climates. In the wild, the flower is distributed throughout Europe, North America, North Africa and Asia. Mallow is one of the favorite garden plants; it has earned its popularity thanks to the exquisite beauty of its large bright pink flowers and easy care. Propagated by seeds, less often by cuttings. Exquisite mallow - when to plant seeds? The timing of planting seeds varies and depends on the type of plant.
When to plant mallow seeds?
A novice gardener who decides to plant a flower like mallow for the first time will inevitably become somewhat confused. Most often, the plant is grown from seeds, however, sowing dates may vary. This is due to the fact that, depending on the variety, mallow can be an annual, biennial or perennial plant.
- Annual or forest mallow. In the wild it most often grows as a biennial; in gardening it is grown exclusively as an annual plant. The height of the bush is a meter or a little higher; a characteristic feature is dark veins on the petals.
- Mallow is perennial or musky. The bush rarely reaches one meter in height; the flowers are large, white, pale pink or bright crimson, and fragrant.
- Sudanese mallow. One of the species, which is grown as a biennial plant, does not have striking beauty, but is popular due to its tasty fruits; various drinks and decoctions are prepared from them.
Annual mallow - when to plant seeds? In order to have time to enjoy the beauty of a flowering plant, it is recommended to sow the seeds in boxes, and only after growing the seedlings, transplant them into a flower bed. Seeds planted immediately in open ground will germinate slowly in cool and short summer conditions, and the bushes will not have time to bloom before the onset of frost. Given this feature, professionals advise sowing in boxes from January 1 to February 10. In May, as soon as consistently warm weather without night frosts sets in, the seedlings can be planted in a flowerbed. The strengthened plants will quickly take root and will soon begin to grow.
When to plant biennial and perennial mallow seeds? Some gardeners prefer to plant directly in open ground. The procedure is carried out from May 25 to June 25. Before the onset of frost, the seeds have time to germinate, and the young bushes gain strength and prepare for winter. However, experts recommend the seedling method for beginning gardeners. Seeds of biennial and perennial mallow are planted in boxes with substrate from May 1 to May 20. Next, the stronger seedlings are planted in the garden in August or early September.
How to sow and grow mallow seedlings correctly?
Knowing when to plant mallow seeds, a novice gardener is recommended to familiarize himself with the technology of planting and growing this unusually beautiful plant. For sowing, it is necessary to prepare a wide container with a nutrient substrate or individual pots. Separate containers are preferable because the plant does not like to be disturbed and replanted. For sowing, it is best to use peat tablets or a light nutrient mixture intended for growing vegetable seedlings. Before sowing, it is recommended to place the mallow seeds in a “bath” with warm water (+47 °C), this technique will speed up the germination process.
The most favorable temperature regime for mallow seeds is +18.5–22 °C. Under such conditions, the first shoots will appear after a couple of weeks. 15 days before the date of planned planting of seedlings in a flower bed, the plants must be hardened off. To do this, the pots should be taken out onto the balcony or into the yard, increasing the procedure time every day.
Choosing a place to grow garden mallow
Magnificent mallow - when to plant seeds and how to choose a place for a flower garden? This is perhaps the most common question from gardeners. Mallow prefers sun-drenched areas; from a lack of lighting, the color of its petals becomes less bright. The soil should be nutritious, light and well aerated. Stagnation of moisture in the roots is not allowed, therefore, if groundwater passes close to the surface, it is recommended to place the flower garden on some elevation, building a hill and covering its perimeter with bricks, cobblestones or decorative material. Considering that mallow does not tolerate drafts and gusts of cold wind, it is recommended to place plantings along high fences or walls of buildings.
Sowing mallow seeds in the garden
How and when to plant perennial mallow seeds in open ground? For sowing seeds directly into a flower bed, experts recommend the period from the last days of May to the end of June. However, not all regions experience warm weather at this time. Residents of the northern regions are advised to cover the flowerbed with a piece of polyethylene after sowing the seeds, and secure the sides with boards or bricks. Such a shelter will protect the seedlings from possible frosts.
Small holes are made in the garden bed, no more than 3 cm deep. The distance between them is determined depending on the selected variety. So, for compact bushes 25 cm is enough, for taller and spreading ones - 50 cm. With this method of planting, mallow seeds do not have good germination, so it is recommended to place 3 seeds in each hole. After sowing, the holes are covered with earth, the soil is compacted and watered from a watering can. As soon as the seedlings grow and they have a third leaf, it will be possible to remove the extra specimens, leaving one strong seedling in each hole.
Features of caring for mallow
Now that you know when to plant mallow seeds, all that remains is to learn how to properly care for the plant. Despite the fact that the flower is unpretentious, it cannot do without the attention of the gardener.
Mallow does not need abundant watering. It is better to water the flower garden more often, but with less water. Dampness, especially in cold weather, provokes the development of fungal diseases. After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil to provide the roots with access to fresh air. Once every two weeks, the flower garden is inspected and weeds are pulled out if necessary.
Considering that the mallow bushes are tall, and the stems are quite fragile and easily break in strong winds, they are tied to supports. If the plantings are located along the fence, then the plants can be tied to it. Otherwise, strong pegs with a height of at least one and a half meters will need to be installed on the ridge.
Mallow does not need frequent feeding; it is enough to apply fertilizer once a season - during budding. You can use any complex mineral composition intended for caring for garden plants. In order for the bush to bloom as long as possible, it is necessary to promptly remove drooping inflorescences. It is best to do this using sharp garden shears rather than tearing them off with your fingers.
Mallow is a hardy plant and rarely gets sick, but sometimes falls prey to garden slugs. It is very easy to deal with them, even without using chemicals. Several wide but shallow containers are placed around the mallow bushes and filled with beer. In a day, the slugs will crawl to the “delicacy”; they can be collected manually and destroyed.
Video on how to plant mallow
Perennial mallow is the real queen of the garden plot.
If you want something original for your site, then plant mallow around your house. During flowering, it will give the impression that your home is surrounded by flowers. It will work out especially well if you work with the rich palette of colors and shades that mallow has, the cultivation of which will not cause much trouble. A combination of white, yellow and pink, as well as several red tones plus luxurious black terry - this composition will not leave anyone indifferent.
How to grow mallow and what conditions should be created for it so that it can reveal all its beauty? The main thing is to take into account that mallow does not particularly like replanting, because it has very long roots, which can be damaged. In addition, a damaged mallow root, due to its high content of mucus and sugars, rots and becomes moldy, which will inevitably lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, when planning the design of the site, give the plant a permanent place, preferably protected from strong winds, in order to avoid breaking the stem, which, under favorable plant development conditions, reaches a height of two meters or more.
Mallow is thermophilic and thrives in sunlit areas, although it can also grow in the shade. However, in the sun its flowering is more intense. In good weather conditions it can bloom until autumn. It is not demanding on moisture, but in dry weather you need to water it thoroughly, making sure that the water does not stagnate.
In a word, such an unpretentious and undemanding mallow, which is not difficult to grow, will delight you with its beauty for many years, and if you are not too lazy to create the necessary conditions for it, the result will exceed all your expectations.
So, as we found out, mallow does not like replanting, which means sowing seeds would be the best option. However, mallow provides its own cultivation. It is characterized by self-seeding. You just need to make sure that the seeds fall into suitable soil, and it should be sufficiently moist and loose. In warm weather, within two weeks. While the seedlings are gaining strength, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner.
In the event that you are just acquiring this magnificent plant, then you need to purchase seeds and sow them in previously prepared and fertilized soil. You can add some flower mineral mixture or compost.
When to plant mallow , so that the plant can take the right one and subsequently delight with its beauty during flowering? It is best to sow the mallow seeds, having chosen a permanent place for it, at the end of April or at the beginning of May to a depth of three centimeters and maintain a distance between future plants of approximately 60x60. But in the first year you should not expect flowers - only a leaf rosette will grow, but the leaves will be large and beautifully shaped, which in itself looks good. Help it survive the winter by making a shelter from fallen leaves and autumn garden waste, and it will reward you with blooms next year. Also, for successful wintering, you should not cut off the entire length of the stems of adult plants. This way the plants will retain enough snow, protecting themselves from freezing.
Thus, mallow, the cultivation of which can provide many options for design solutions in the design of a personal plot, does not require special care. It is very easy to breed. She takes root well anywhere. By planting this plant, you will see that beauty does not always require sacrifice. In a word, mallow is a plant that is distinguished by its beauty and lack of capricious character.