Annual and perennial ornamental flower crops and their characteristics, methods of cultivation and propagation. Growing annual herbaceous plants The concept of annual flower crops

Annuals (annuals, perennials) are plants that bloom in the year they are planted. They are sown annually. At the same time, among annuals, according to their biological properties, there are perennial varieties (snapdragon, verbena).

But since some regions of our country have harsh, cold winters, such plants need to be planted annually or replanted in the fall. flower pots. There are many varieties of beautifully flowering annual plants that will become a real decoration of the garden, dacha, and local area.

Peculiarities

Annual ornamental plants can be planted in almost any climatic zone our country. The growing season continues throughout the summer. In autumn, plants form seeds and die. There are also winter seeds. These are sown in the ground mainly in late autumn, closer to winter. It is important that they do not have time to germinate before the onset of frost.

Annual plants can be seen in greenhouses, flower beds, alpine roller coaster. They are also used to create exquisite landscape compositions at the sites.

It is worth noting that annuals reproduce exclusively by seeds and never vegetatively (using tendrils, rhizomes, rosettes of leaves). In this case, one can distinguish seedling and non-seedling methods of propagation.

Most varieties of summer grass are unpretentious in care, develop well even on untreated soils, and adapt to different conditions environment, so even a novice amateur gardener can decorate a garden or plot with such flowers. Moreover, thanks a large number species, varieties, you can change the appearance of your personal plot. Among the annuals there are low-, medium- and tall-growing flowering, decorative and deciduous plants. Most flowering varieties begin to bloom 1-1.5 months after planting (alissum, marigolds, amaranth, cornflowers, dimophoteca).

Advice! When purchasing seeds of annual plants, you should not buy all the bags with bright images of flowers. Assess your strengths, take into account the type and composition of the soil on the site, as well as the biological characteristics of a particular species.

When planning to plant your plot with summer trees, you can purchase ready-made seedlings, seeds for planting in the ground, or adults flowering plants.

Planting annuals

Annual plants are grown from seeds in seedlings or sown directly in open ground in the spring, with the onset of warm weather. It should be borne in mind that some varieties are grown only through seedlings, others only by seed. For example, it is preferable to plant most heat-loving varieties of annuals, as well as “conditional” annuals, only by seedlings. Seeds of climbing varieties of ornamental plants or cold-loving flowers are planted in open ground.

Summer seeds are planted at the beginning or on the 15th-20th of May. Before planting, in order for the plants to delight you with their bright, lush flowering, we recommend preparing the soil. Purchase planting material only from well-known, trusted manufacturers.

In the fall, or about three to four weeks before planting, apply mineral, complex fertilizers, dig the soil well, and remove weeds. Before planting, make small depressions in the soil. Place the seeds there and water the soil well.

If you plan to plant directly in the ground, purchase the following plants for planting:

• calendula;
• sweet pea;
• morning glory;
• amaranth;
• daisies;
• decorative beans;
• lavatera;
• sunflower;
• nasturtium;
• I'm making makeup.

Important! The best way to sow can be found on the seed package. When planting, consider the distance between adult shoots of plants.

The soil must be constantly moist. For irrigation, it is best to use settled, filtered water. Consider the climatic conditions of the region and temperature conditions. If plants can tolerate light frosts, they can be planted in early to mid-April. Warm-loving crops - only in May.

Many gardeners prefer to plant summer flowers using seedlings. To do this, at the beginning of March, the seeds are sown in greenhouses or in special flower containers at home in nutritious, slightly moistened soil. For planting in seedling pots, flower boxes You can purchase ready-made soil mixture. Place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the containers to avoid excessive waterlogging of the soil. Expanded clay and fine gravel can be used as drainage. Also, before sowing seeds, the soil can be mixed with vermiculite and perlite.

Small seeds are mixed with sand, soil and evenly distributed over the surface of the earth. Large ones are sown in small depressions, after which they are covered with a layer of soil mixed with sand. In order for them to germinate, you should not dig them too deep into the ground. The seedlings will take a long time to germinate.

In warmth, with proper care, the first shoots appear very quickly. The seedlings, as soon as the shoots get stronger, are pricked and planted in a permanent place on the site with the onset of stable heat. Plant as carefully as possible, trying not to damage the root system of the plants.

Advice! Before planting in open ground, take flower containers outside during the day. This will help the plants adapt to new conditions faster.

Petunia, surfinia, lobelia, marigolds, viola, snapdragons, martricaria, zinnia, nemophila, cinneraria, and annual dahlias are grown in seedlings.

Some varieties can be planted both by seedlings and without seedlings (marigolds, Turkish cloves, amaranth, daisies).

Caring for flyers

Caring for annual plants comes down to constant watering. Make sure the soil does not dry out. Flowering varieties of annual plants especially need watering. It is very important that after watering there are no droplets of water left on the leaves, flowers, or buds. On a sunny day this can cause burns. Plants are best watered early in the morning before sunrise or late in the evening. For irrigation, use only filtered, settled water at room temperature.

The soil needs to be loosened periodically, since the crust that forms on the surface of the earth makes it difficult to access the root system of the flowers. Can be used different kinds mulch (mulching). Promptly remove weeds that slow down the growth and development of summer trees. Apply mineral fertilizers three to five times a season. Seedlings are fed for the first time 2 weeks after planting, when buds form, during flowering and after flowering, also approximately every three weeks. In the fall, summer crops are not fertilized.

For feeding, you can use universal compounds or fertilizers for ornamental flowering plants. Organics are only suitable for cruciferous annuals.

Advice! To prevent plants from wasting energy on forming seed pods, regularly remove faded flowers.

To achieve constant, uninterrupted flowering, many gardeners resort to a little trick, sowing new seeds once a month; when some fade, others begin to bloom. Some varieties have a long flowering period. Petunias, surfinias, lobelias, ageratum, lobelia bloom from late spring until October, of course, with proper systematic care.

Annuals

Annuals are a group of plants that differ in their biological characteristics, but are the same in terms of use - only one year. They are called annuals (or annuals) also because plants of this group develop from seed to seed: sowing seeds in the ground in the spring and collecting them in the fall occur in one season. The most decorative annuals flower crops in the first year of sowing, although many of them (for example, petunia, snapdragon, salvia, etc.) can bloom in the second and even subsequent years.
The group of annual plants is distinguished by its diversity decorative qualities and biological properties of plants. Depending on the crop, they bloom from early spring to late autumn. To make the plants bloom in early spring, the seedling method of cultivation is usually used. For example, when planting seedlings in February-March, most varieties bloom in May-June.

According to their decorative qualities, annual crops are divided into three groups:
1) beautifully flowering: aster, gillyflower, clarkia, escholzia;
2) decorative foliage: cineraria, maritima, kochia;
3) climbing: sweet peas, morning glory, decorative beans.

According to the duration of the period from sowing to flowering, annual crops are divided into the following groups:

1) with a development period of 130-180 days: carnation Shabot, lobelia, maritima cineraria;
2) with a development period of 100-120 days: ageratum, anthirrinum, marigolds, sweet peas, annual phlox, etc.;
3) with a development period of up to 100 days: calendula, clarkia, poppy, mignonette, etc.

Taking these features into account, to obtain earlier flowering in the ground, annuals are grown through seedlings. Seeds of plants of the first group are sown in January-February, the second - in March, the third - in April and May.
Seeds of annuals that are resistant to low temperatures can be sown in open ground at the end of April or a small protected nursery can be created.
This period is called early spring. Late spring sowing is carried out in the first ten days of May. Good results can be obtained with pre-winter (from late October to early November) and winter (subject to snowfall, absence of thaws and return of frost in the period December-January) crops on permanent place or to a nursery. In these cases, the seed sowing rate is increased by 2-3 times.

Aster- perennial flowering plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. In gardening, aster is also usually called an annual crop - Chinese callistephus (Callistephus chinensis).

Annual asters presented a huge amount various varieties. Among them there are dwarf and tall, single-stemmed and branched; the inflorescences have a rich range of colors, there are two-color varieties.

The shape of the inflorescences is also different: pompom, needle-shaped, chrysanthemum-shaped and so on. The size of the inflorescences varies from 4 to 10 cm. Annual asters are autumn-flowering plants, but their flowering times vary depending on the variety; They bloom from August until frost.

Asters can be propagated by seeds. The varietal characteristics of plants are best preserved when propagated by dividing the bushes. Usually bushes that have been growing in one place for 5-6 years are divided. Asters are divided and replanted in early spring or after flowering. Autumn-blooming asters are divided and replanted only in the spring. The bushes are easily divided by hand into parts where there should be a bud and several roots.

Tall and spreading plants are planted at a distance of 70-90 cm, low ones - 30-50 cm. Asters grow quickly, forming powerful bushes. Tall varieties of perennial asters need to be tied up.

Asters are photophilous and should be planted in open, sunlit areas. Growing in partial shade is possible, but not recommended, since plants, especially in damp summers, are affected by powdery mildew. Therefore, all perennial asters, no matter where they grow, in order to avoid this disease, must be sprayed with Topaz (2 ml per 10 liters of water) before flowering, 2 times with an interval of 12 days. In the fall, after flowering, asters are treated with the drug copper sulfate(50 g per 10 liters of water), after which the plants are cut and burned. Asters prefer loamy, medium-heavy soils, preferably neutral, with the presence of nutrients and mineral elements. Before digging the area for asters, add 200 g of fluff lime or dolomite flour, 3 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate. Dig as deep as possible (30-35 cm).

Biennials.
This group consists of plants in which flowering and the highest decorative effect appear in the second year after sowing. However, in central Russia, biennials can bloom well and grow in subsequent years. True, in some plants of this group the decorative effect decreases due to the death of shoots, exposure of the center of the bush, and the death of leaves on the lower part of the stem as it grows. They are also called biennials because the seeds of these plants are obtained in the second year after sowing.
Biennials reproduce mainly by seeds, sometimes by dividing the bush (for example, daisies). A positive quality of biennials is the possibility of obtaining planting material in open ground conditions. Sowing is carried out in mid-summer (June-July) in ridges or boxes. They are planted in a permanent place in August-September.
Seedlings can also be planted in a flower garden in spring. For example, viola, forget-me-nots and daisies can be sown in the ground in the spring, and by autumn they bloom, but weakly. Biennials still bloom profusely in the second year after sowing.

Daisies.

The plant belongs to the herbaceous species, has a short rhizome, the leaves at the root are blunt-pointed, have an oblong and non-pointed shape. There are almost no leaves on the stem. Daisy flowers can be pink or white and reed-shaped. Each flower contains a tubular yellow achene that is flattened.

The plant can grow into bushes and has inflorescences in the form of baskets. The daisy is a perennial plant; it blooms only a year after it was planted. The plant is a biennial species, so in the third year it becomes deformed and dies.

The daisy is easy to care for, can bloom from April to November, and is a frost-resistant species. In winter, buds and leaves may remain until spring. The plant propagates by self-seeding, cuttings, and dividing the bush.

Perennials
Perennials are plants that grow for more than 1 year, but bloom every season. The overall decorativeness of the site and the duration of flowering largely depend on the correct selection of perennial plants, which are grown in one place for more than 3 years. At the same time, it is necessary to prepare the planting of the flower bed especially carefully. Agricultural cultivation technology depends on biological features crops, as well as on the characteristics of the wintering part of plants. The importance of perennials increases if flowering plants of other groups are not yet blooming. The use of perennial flowers in planting eliminates the need for annual labor-intensive work on preparing planting material.
Ornamental herbaceous perennials can be divided into two groups based on the structure of the aboveground part of the plant and life expectancy.

1. Perennials with wintering above-ground shoots. These are arabis, perennial carnations, evergreen iberis, granular and soddy saxifrage, some types of sedum, creeping phlox, etc.
2. Crops in which the above-ground part of the plants dies off annually, but the underground stem part is preserved, and vegetative and flower buds are formed on it, ensuring further growth and development of the plants.

Perennials of this group, depending on the structure of the underground part, are in turn divided into 4 subgroups:

1) rhizomatous - iris, bergenia, rudbeckia, etc.;
2) axial - peony, aquilegia, lupine, phlox, delphinium, etc.;
3) bulbous - tulip, daffodil, lily, hyacinth;
4) corms - gladiolus, crocus, etc. Flower organs in plants can be formed in the year of their growth (in delphinium, lupine, aquilegia), a year before the plants flower (in most bulbous crops - tulip, narcissus, scylla, muscari), and also in autumn (peony, iris, bergenia, creeping phlox, etc.).
These features must be taken into account when cultivating perennials, since good care for plants after flowering, it stimulates the formation of flower buds for flowering the next year (for example, in arabis, bergenia, peony, primrose).
In relation to light, perennials are grouped into the following categories:
1) light-loving plants - aster, begonia, helenium, heliopsis, lupine, oriental poppy, narcissus, peony, tulip;
2) shade-tolerant - aquilegia, aconite, astilbe, delphinium, dicentra, iris, daylily, small bulbous plants, primrose, Rogersia, rudbeckia, phlox, funkiya, black cohosh;
3) shade-loving plants - brunnera, waldsteinia, swimsuit, lily of the valley, fern, tiarella, funkia.
Cold and frost resistance is an important addition to the characteristics of perennials.

According to the ability of plants to tolerate low temperatures, especially in winter months, all perennials are divided into:
1) plants that winter in open ground: iris, narcissus, peony, tulip, phlox, etc.;
2) plants that do not overwinter in open ground: dahlia, gladiolus, canna.
The soil in gardens has the ability to retain moisture. Depending on this, perennials can be:
1) drought-resistant - blue-gray carnation, Portenschlag bellflower, catnip, lavender, Douglas phlox, oak sage, filamentous yucca;
2) moisture-loving - buzulnik, gubastik, loosestrife (weeping grass), sword iris, marsh marigold, small daylily, sapling, pink primrose.

Iris belongs to the iris family (Iridaceae juss). Short-rhizome herbaceous perennial, 10-15 cm tall. The rhizome is thickened. Leaves are basal, linear, bluish, 6-10 cm long and 3-10 mm wide. Stems up to 5 (15) cm tall, with one flower. The perianth is purple, blue, yellow, whitish in different shades, its tube is up to 5 cm long, with three purple stripes; The outer perianth lobes have a round or oblong plate, a cover of 2 long green leaves, leathery only at the apex. The capsule is triangular, pointed upward, sessile or almost sessile. The seeds are spherical. Flowering - April-May.

Irises are grown in groups, mixborders, for cutting and forcing. In decorative floriculture, the most common varieties and forms originating from the hybrid Iris (I. hybrida). They vary in color, shape and size of flowers.

Experienced flower growers They select varieties of irises in such a way as to enjoy their bloom all summer long. Dwarf types of irises can be grown indoors.

Letniki occupy one of the leading places in ornamental plant growing. Most annuals are long-day plants. The period of their greatest decorative effect is in the summer season. Summer plants are planted in various phenophases of their development, even in the full flowering phase. Summer trees are less damaged by diseases and pests compared to perennial species. Most flyers have superficial root system, so their cultivation requires a relatively small fertile layer of soil. The listed qualities make letniki the leading ornamental herbaceous crops for urban landscaping.

Most summer varieties are propagated by seeds. Conditionally annual species (antirrhinum, verbena, petunia, etc.), as well as carpet crops, can be propagated vegetatively (by cuttings).

According to their decorative qualities, summer flowers are divided into the following groups: beautifully flowering, climbing, decorative foliage, ground cover or carpet, dried flowers. Letniki are widely used to create flower beds, ridges, borders, in rockeries, and for cutting.

According to the length of the growing season, annuals are divided into the following groups:

• 1) with long growing season(130-180 days): ever-flowering begonia, verbena, lobelia, etc., seeds are sown in protected soil in January-February;
• 2) with average growing season(100-130 days): ageratum, antirrinum, callistephus, etc., seeds are sown in March, in protected soil;
• 3) with short growing season(less than 70 days): calendula, matthiola, eschscholzia, etc., seeds are sown in protected ground in April, in open ground - in early May.

Letniki are grown by seedlings and without seedlings ((?.)> Fig. 288).

Seedling method of growing summer plants. Seedlings are used for landscaping various garden and park construction projects. Seedlings are planted in the budding or early flowering phase, which allows you to quickly create the necessary decorative effect.

To grow seedlings, a mixture of turf soil, leaf humus and sand in equal proportions is used as a substrate. Sowing of seeds is carried out in cassettes or flat containers at a temperature of 18-20 °C. After emergence of seedlings, the temperature is reduced to 15 °C.

The optimal temperature for growing seedlings of cold-resistant crops (cloves, callistephus, gillyflower, etc.) is 12-14 °C, and active air ventilation in the greenhouse is recommended. Seedlings of heat-loving crops (tagetes, petunia, zinnia, sage) are grown at a temperature of 20-22 °C.

For most annuals, seedlings appear 8-12 days after sowing. When sowing seeds early, as well as when very small seedlings (begonia, lobelia) appear, the seedlings are planted several times into picking boxes of 100 pieces each. in a box at intervals of one month. Most annuals dive once into pots with a diameter of 7 or 9 cm.

Caring for seedlings includes next works: 1) removal of weeds; 2) loosening the soil; 3) watering; 4) feeding; 5) for some crops - pinching the stems.

The seedlings are fed twice: in the first feeding - with nitrogen fertilizers, in the second - with complete mineral fertilizers. Pinching of stems is carried out to enhance branching (anti-rrinum, rank).

From the beginning of May, summer seedlings are hardened off in greenhouses, watering is gradually reduced and ventilation is increased, and from mid-May, the greenhouse frames are removed to adapt the plants to fluctuations in night and day temperatures.

Planting of summer seedlings begins in the third ten days of May and ends in the first ten days of June. Cold-resistant crops are planted first, and heat-loving crops are planted after 2-3 weeks. The scheme for planting seedlings depends on the size of the plant and the type of flower garden. On average, short, compact plants are planted every 15-20 cm, medium-sized plants - every 25-30 cm, tall plants - every 40-50 cm.

Since summer seedlings have a shallow root system, systematic and frequent watering is required after planting.

A non-seedling method of growing annuals. In the temperate climate zone, seeds of such crops are sown in open ground, which are characterized by rapid growth and development, as well as high germination. To increase the germination of seeds and accelerate the growth and development of seedlings, it is recommended to treat the seeds with solutions of growth stimulants and microelements, as well as to expose the seeds to variable temperatures.

Sowing is usually done manually. The following sowing dates apply:

• 1) early spring(second half of April) - sow seeds of cabbage (matthiola, iberis, etc.) and other cold-resistant crops (cornflower, calendula, cosmos, eschscholzia, etc.);
• 2) late spring(first ten days of May) - sow seeds of heat-loving crops (tagetes, nasturtium, etc.);
• 3) subwinter(late October - early November) - sow seeds of cold-resistant crops in frozen soil mulched with peat or humus (1-2 cm) - antirrinum, cornflower, godetia, calendula, cosmos, etc.;
• 4) winter(during winter) - sow seeds in snow, a layer of which is 15-20 cm with mulching with peat - the same kind as for winter sowing.

The soil for sowing summer seeds should be light, leveled, and cultivated. Before sowing seeds, organic fertilizers must be applied. Letniki are divided into three groups according to the need for organic fertilizers: 1) with low need (2 dm 3 / m 2) - godetia, clarkia, etc.; 2) with an average need (3 dm 3 / m 2) - helichrysum, calendula, etc.; 3) with a high need (5 dm 3 / m 2) - antirrinum, aster, cosmos, gillyflower, zinnia, etc. Some summer plants cannot tolerate the addition of fresh manure to the soil - ageratum, verbena, nasturtium, etc. With an excess of organic matter Most annual plants intensively develop vegetative mass to the detriment of flowering.

Typically, seeds are sown in a nesting method (3-5 seeds per hole), the distance between seed nests depends on the size of the plants. The seeding depth is 1 - 1.5 cm or on the soil surface with a 1-2 cm layer of peat mulching. The seedlings must be thinned out 2-3 times. The first time - in the phase of 1-2 true leaves, the second and third time - after 2 weeks, in the phase of 3-5 true leaves. After the last thinning, 1-2 plants are left in the nest.

Caring for summer gardens in flower beds. In flower beds, the following agrotechnical work is carried out to care for plants: fertilizing, watering, loosening the soil, weeding, protection from diseases and pests, pinching, pinching.

Feeding. 1 liter of garden soil suitable for growing summer plants in open ground should contain (according to X. Drews): 100-150 mg a.i. nitrogen, 175-300 mg a.i. phosphorus, 350-550 mg a.i. potassium Lower limits are recommended for young plants, upper limits for adults. Optimal soil acidity is 6-6.8. Usually, summer birds are fed three times. The first feeding is carried out after the seedlings have taken root, with complete mineral fertilizers (for example, 5 g/m2 ammonium nitrate, 10 g/m2 superphosphate, 5 g/m2 potassium sulfate). The second feeding is carried out during the budding period, the third - at the beginning of flowering. When carrying out the second and third fertilizing, phosphorus and potash fertilizers(for example, 15 g/m2 superphosphate, 6-9 g/m2 potassium sulfate). They feed either dry or dissolved fertilizers in water, usually by hand.

Watering. The need for water depends on the biological characteristics of plants, soil and climatic conditions, and the pheno-phase of plant development. Most flyers are moderately moisture-loving. Optimal humidity soil 50-60% NVP. Summer plants experience the greatest need for water during the period of intensive growth and budding. With the beginning of flowering it decreases, and by the time the seeds ripen it is reduced to a minimum.

Loosening the soil and weeding. For weed control and improvement air regime the soil is regularly loosened, especially during the period when the above-ground part of the summer trees does not close. Herbicides can be used to control weeds.

Protection from pests and diseases. Protection can be carried out by agrotechnical, physical-mechanical, chemical and biological methods. Agrotechnical methods: correct crop rotation, deep autumn plowing, liming, phosphorus-potassium fertilizing. Physical and mechanical methods: steaming garden soil, heat treatment seeds Chemical methods: use of fungicides and insecticides. Biological: use of biological preparations, insect traps.

Pinching and pinching. Pinching and pinching regulate growth, branching of stems, flowering, fruiting, ripening and sowing qualities of seeds.

Collection of seeds. Summer seeds are collected in the second half of summer or autumn, when the seeds reach biological maturity. In crops with an extended period of fruit ripening and easily opening fruits (ageratum, aster, calendula, cosmos, petunia, salvia, tagetes, etc.), seeds are collected selectively and repeatedly. For crops with rapid ripening and strong fruits (nasturtium, etc.) - once. The fruits and seeds are usually collected by hand. After threshing, the seeds are separated from impurities and calibrated by size and specific gravity. Small batches of seeds are stored in bags, large batches - in bags.

The classification of flyers according to decorative qualities is given in Table. 10 (prepared by A.V. Isachkin).

Table 10

Classification of flyers according to decorative qualities

Decorative group qualities	Family
		Callistephus - callistephus	Callistephus chinensis - Chinese callistephus
			Cosmos bipinnatus
			Gazania rigens - sparkling gazania
		Tagetes - tagetes	Tagetes erecta - erect Tagetes
			Tagetes patula - rejected tagetes
			Tagetes tenuifolia - thin-leaved Tagetes
			Zinnia elegans - graceful zinnia
	Begoniacecae - begoniaceae	Begonia - begonia	semperflorens - ever-blooming begonia
			Begonia tuberhybrida - tuberous begonia
	Brassicaceae - cabbage	Lobularia - lobularia	Lobularia maritime - marine lobularia
		matthiol	Matthiola incana - mattiola gray
	Campanulaceae - bellflowers	Lobelia - lobelia	Lobelia erinus - lobelia erinus
	Lamiaceae		Salvia splendens - salvia sparkling

Decorative group qualities	Family
	Rarauegaceae - poppy	Eschsolzia	Eschscholzia californica - eschscholzia californica
	Po1etomaceae - cyanotic	Phlox - phlox	Phlox drumondii – Drummond's phlox
	Bsgoryaagtseae - noricaceae	antirrinum	Antirrhinum majus - antirrinum
	BYapaseae - nightshades	Petunia - petunia	Petunia x hybrida - hybrid petunia
		Nicotiana - tobacco	Nicotiana alata – winged tobacco
	Verbenaceae - verbenas	Verbena - verbena	Verbena x hybrida - hybrid verbena
tive-leaf	Vgazziaseae - cabbage	Brassica - cabbage	Brassica oleraceae van acephala – kale
	Chepopos Paceae - chenopodiaceae		Kochia scoparia - broom kochia
		Pyretrum - pyrethrum	Pyretrum parthenium - feverfew
		Senecio - godson	Senecio cineraria – ash grass
Carpet	Atagap1Iaceae - amaranthaceae	Alternantera - alternantera	Alternantera amabilis – pleasant alternanthera
			Alternantera amoena - lovely alternanthera
			Alternantera metallica - metallic alternantera

Decorative group qualities	Family
			Alternantera paronychioides - Alternantera paronychioides
			Alternantera versicolor
		I resine	Iresine Lindenii - Linden's iresine
	Boraginaceae - borage	Heliotropum - heliotrope	Heliotropum peruvianum - Peruvian heliotrope
	Crassulaceae	Sedum - sedum	Sedum acre - caustic sedum
			Sedum album - white sedum
			Sedum carmeum - pink sedum
			Sedum coeruleum – blue sedum
			dasyhpyllum - thick-leaved sedum
			Sedum spurium - false sedum
		Echeveria - echeveria	Echeveria agavoides - agave-shaped echeveria
			Echeveria dcsmeciana - Echeveria Desmeciana
			Echeveria metallica - metallic echeveria
			Echeveria secunda - gray echeveria

Decorative group qualities	Family
	Giraniaceae - geraniaceae	Pelargonium - pelargonium	Pelargonium zonale - zonal pelargonium
	Lamiaceae	Coleus - coleus	Coleus Blumei - Coleus Blumei
	Onagraceae - fireweed	Fuchsia - fuchsia	Fuchsia hybrid - hybrid fuchsia
Curly	Fabaceae - legumes	Phaseolus - bean	coccineus - fire red bean
		Lathyrus - rank	Lathyrus odoratus – fragrant china
	Tropaeolaceae - capuchins	Tropaeolum - nasturtium	Tropaeolum x cultorum - cultivated nasturtium
Dried flowers	Amaranthaceae - amaranthaceae		Celosia argentea - silver celosia
	Asteraceae - asteraceae	Helipterum - helipterum	Helipterum roseum - pink helipterum
		Helychrisum - helichrysum	Helychrisum bracteatum - helychrisum bracteatum
	Plumbaginaceae - leadaceae	Limonium - limonium	Limonium sinuatum - notched limonium

Control questions

• 1. What is the time frame for sowing seeds of annual crops using the seedling method of cultivation?
• 2. What basic schemes for planting seedlings in open ground do you know?
• 3. What groups are summer farmers divided into according to their need for organic fertilizers?
• 4. What are the differences between annuals and annuals?

Not every amateur flower grower knows: when and how to sow flowers, what seeds of flower crops can be planted directly in open ground, so that without the hassle of seedlings you can get beautiful flower bed With continuous flowering. Only seeds of winter-hardy plants can be planted in the ground before winter, as well as before the end of spring frosts (even earlier - right in the snow); seeds of heat-loving flowers are planted a little later. Carefully read and take into account the information on the bags of seeds: at what time sowing is recommended, at what distance and depth the seeds should be planted in the soil, what the height of the flowers will be, whether these plants are cold-resistant or heat-loving.

Using the seedless method for spring sowing, you can grow annuals: arctotis, acroclinum (helipterum), anhusa, bartonia, marigolds, bindweed tricolor, annual hibiscus, dimorphotheca, annual delphinium, sweet pea, ornamental sunflowers, Chinese carnation, venidium, centranthus, coreopsis, xerantheum, nemesia, nemophila, malope, molucella, lavatera (khatma), nigella, limnanthes, skerda, tar (viscaria), toadflax, cosmos, chamomile, mignonette, annual rudbeckia, ursinia, nasturtium, decorative bean, zinnia, annual gaillardia, etc.

You can resort to both spring and winter sowing of such cold-resistant flowers as agrostemma (cockle), adonis, amaranth, cornflower, gilia, graceful gypsophila, godetia, iberis, calendula, clarkia, flax, lobularia (alissum, or alyssum), poppy self-seeding, nikandra, phacelia, chrysanthemum, sage, eschscholzia, ecchyum, malcomia, etc.
Seeds of biennials (mallow, daisies, bells, lacfiol (heiranthus), Turkish carnation, foxglove, lunaria (lunaria), matthiola, forget-me-nots, pansies (viola), etc.) are usually planted in the summer.

For very early and long flowering, many flowers are grown through seedlings, these are: ageratum, marigolds (tagetes), aster, sweet pea, snapdragon, salvia, calceolaria, gatsania, helichrysum, heliotrope, sweet tobacco, nasturtium, petunia, salpiglossis, celosia, cleome, kobea, dahlia (dahlia), thunbergia, morning glory, matricaria, mimulus, levkoy, limonium (kermek), mesembryanthemum, annual phlox (Drummonda), purslane, scabiosa, verbena, etc. Seedlings of these flowers are planted in the ground no earlier than spring frosts will pass. During the summer, if desired, you can cut some flowers (for example: ageratum, begonia, heliotrope, impatience, petunia, purslane, viola).
Grown seedlings of heat-loving perennials (begonias, impatiens (impatiens), dahlias, etc.) are also planted only after the end of the threat of frost, and they are dug up before the onset of autumn frosts.

To obtain excellent flowering, it is important, before planting crops in the soil, to treat and prepare it according to all the rules of agricultural technology: loosen it, add mineral and organic fertilizers in the proportions and quantities required for the soil. Loosening and moisturizing compounds of both organic and inorganic origin make the soil cultivated. The soil in the garden is improved by filling it with green manure, sawdust, rotted manure, compost, sand, lowland peat (or rotted high peat), mineral fertilizers (a tablespoon of granular substance N, P, K per square meter). Cultivated soil has a “sausage property”: a “sausage” made from moist soil must be bent in your hands - it should not crumble, but only slightly crack when bent. It is especially important to prepare a very nutritious and well-drained substrate for filling flowerpots and hanging baskets. Then the plants that are necessary and so dear to your heart are planted in this well-prepared soil.

For good flower growth it is important to maintain required humidity substrate so that bacteria beneficial to plants and their roots can exist in the soil, processing manure into smaller particles. The soil in which flowers grow should never be dry to the point of crumbling.

Nowadays, materials have appeared that allow watering to be carried out less frequently - when they are introduced into the soil, they first accumulate soil moisture when there is an excess of it, and then release the moisture to the substrate as the water evaporates from it. This is especially true in dry summers and when flower growers are busy, when there is no way to water the flowers on time, and the only hope is for rain. Of the natural materials found in nature, clay has such properties, and of the artificial substances that condition moisture in the soil, these include expanded vermiculite, hydrogel, and used “oasis” (a porous material for compositions of cut flowers).

The frequency of watering plants must be regulated taking into account the requirements of the given type and soil properties, depending on weather conditions; The same plants, taking into account many factors, have to be watered either more often or less often. Moisture-loving plants require more moisture for good growth and flowering; they must be watered regularly in the absence of rain. With a large amount of rainfall there is a risk of fungal plant diseases, so it is important not to thicken the plantings of flowers.

Extend the life of heat-loving plants in open ground, in flowerpots and hanging baskets This is possible thanks to their protection from temporary cold with the help of covering material, spruce branches and mulching with insulation (sawdust, dry peat, etc.).

The first months of the new year are the time to plan new flower beds. Not all flowering plants require incredible effort and growing seedlings. We have selected a reliable assortment suitable for sowing immediately in a permanent place

Many types of annual plants can be sown in open ground starting in mid-April, which means you don’t have to bother with seedlings and take up valuable space on windowsills.

Annual plants will cover a gazebo, divide the space into zones, decorate a flower bed, camouflage the lower stems of plants in mixborders and help stylize the garden.

The picture can be changed every season. Creating a whole flowerbed of unpretentious summer flowers is not a problem, and it does not necessarily turn out to be catchy, bright and “over the top”. Remember: what is good for public landscaping is not always suitable for a garden, which means you need to be guided by a sense of proportion and rules of combination regarding color, size, decorativeness of leaves, and shape of inflorescences.

Select an area and experiment to your heart's content. If the territory allows, it is good to plant summer trees in clumps. If there is not enough space, limit yourself small flower garden and keep in mind that the smaller the size of the color spots, the more carefully you should select the shades.

Annual plants look interesting in containers: be sure to choose accent, paired, voluminous and cascading species or varieties.

Annuals climbing vines are able to gracefully hide outbuildings, decorate an entrance, an arch, they can be used to cover a gazebo or be used as a ground cover plant. Lianas on trellises divide the garden into zones.

Many annuals are good to plant next to seating areas: patios, gazebos, benches and along walking paths.

Stylization

We liked some of the flyers so much that they became part of our a certain style: for example, cosmos comes from Mexico, but by planting certain species and varieties, you will instantly find yourself in a Russian front garden or a village garden. Sunflowers and decorative cabbage are also appropriate here, which will be a wonderful decoration. autumn garden up to frost.

To imitate a meadow, plant cornflower, eschscholzia, cosmos, calendula, chamomile, summer adonis, flax and large-flowered flax.

The relationship of annuals to light and soil

They tolerate partial shading: always-blooming begonia, hybrid coleus, winged tobacco, ornamental cabbage, seaside cineraria.

Impatiens are not planted in direct sunlight: Wallera (“Vanka wet”), balsam and New Guinea - they love the northern sides. Impatiens are ideal for growing in the shade; on the contrary, they develop more slowly in the sun.

They are not afraid of a shaded place: begonias, fragrant tobacco and Sandera, lobelia. Most annuals are light-loving; they need to be planted south side. Not afraid of the hot sun: verbena, forbitis, cineraria, decorative strawberries.

Annual plants do not have excessive requirements for soil, but castor beans, amaranth and ornamental cabbage are best grown on highly fertile soils. On the contrary, in rich soils they “fatten” and increase the green mass to the detriment of the flowering of cosmos, ageratum, nasturtium, and alyssum (marine lobularia).

Read also: Annuals: sowing or seedlings

Seedless growing method: sowing time

The most cold-resistant annuals are sown from April 20 to May 1. These are calendula, cosmos, poppy, eschscholzia, mountain cornflower, lobularia, and summer adonis.

From May 1 to May 15, asters, godetia, annual delphinium, lavatera, sweet peas, and chrysanthemums are sown.

To prolong flowering, cold-resistant species are sown in June-July, which will bloom again in August.

It is better to sow some annuals before winter: firstly, they will bloom earlier in the summer, and secondly, you will create Better conditions for their development: the seeds will wake up in early spring, when the ground is still moist and cool.

Before winter they sow: godetia, calendula, summer adonis, cornflower, Ajax delphinium, Drummond's phlox, clarkia, doubly pinnate and sulfur-yellow cosmos, lavatera, lobularia, self-seeded poppy, matthiola bicornuum, Californian eschscholzia, chrysanthemums.

Usually they are sown in two periods: at the end of October - beginning of November or in December-January. When sowing before winter, it is important to meet several conditions: sow on completely frozen soil, otherwise the seeds may hatch during a thaw and die during frost, prepare the soil and area in advance so that melt water in the spring does not wash away the seeds. The crops are mulched on top with a soil mixture (compost, humus with sand, peat with sand), and covered with snow to protect them from birds.

How to sow annuals directly into the garden

In general, flyers are unpretentious, but they have their own requirements. To know where to pour out the treasured packet of seeds, look at the basic rules.

For spring sowing large seeds (nasturtium, calendula, balsam) should be pre-soaked and germinated in a damp cloth. Seeds are sown in furrows in a checkerboard pattern or in nests (square-nest planting method). For small seeds, the depth of the groove is 1.5-2 cm, for medium and large seeds - 3-5 cm.

The distance between the grooves is determined based on the ability of the plants to grow. For example, for nasturtium it should be at least 30-50 cm.

Small seeds are sown in nests - 6-8 pieces in each nest, medium - 4-5 pieces, large - 2-3 pieces.

After watering, the crops are covered with non-woven material. The shelter is removed when shoots appear. Godetia, clarkia, and ornamental cabbage are left under cover, since cruciferous flea beetles can destroy the seedlings. After the first 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings are thinned out at intervals of 10-14 days until the required amount remains per 1 m2 (different for each species, usually written on the seed packet). The seedlings are regularly watered and fed.

Caring for annual flowers: simple but still necessary

Annuals will smell and bloom longer if you provide them with watering, loosening and weeding. Remove faded inflorescences so that the seeds do not ripen and flower buds continue to form. If plants are fed with nitrogen in August and September, flowering can be prolonged.

9 unpretentious annuals for the flower garden

Nasturtium the big one grows well on retaining walls where few plants survive. She endures any weather, is different pleasant aroma flowers and decorative leaves.

Bindweed tricolor spreads along the ground and does not need support. It is planted on rocky hills and used in mixed boards and ridges. Moorish flowerpot is ideal for containers and hanging flowerpots.

Climbing liana with tender moth flowers familiar to almost all gardeners: sweet pea often used for vertical gardening. Like other plants of the legume family, peas live in symbiosis with nodule bacteria, which absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, which means they feed themselves and, in addition, enrich the soil.

U matthiola bicornuum small, inconspicuous inflorescences, but they smell wonderful, and the aroma intensifies in the evening. Mattiola gray varieties are good in the flower garden: among dense and more decorative neighbors, near patios and gazebos.

Fragrant and delicate winged tobacco also planted next to a recreation area, an array or in containers.

Three-month-old Lavatera is very pleasant to the eye and smell: at a distance close to the viewpoint and in places where guests spend a long time. Its large, funnel-shaped flowers with a delicate aroma are interesting to view up close. This is a honey plant.

Another honey plant - lobularia marine– widely used as edging of flower beds, in borders and edgings. It branches heavily, grows into a dense clearing and smells pleasant. The plant is also suitable for hanging baskets - the white varieties look like a “cloud”. Californian Eschscholzia blooms profusely, has decorative foliage, is resistant to drought and getting wet, does not fade in the bright sun, and dissipates at cosmic speed.

Godetia even when fading it looks neat and does not spoil the appearance of the flower garden. Breeders have developed many varieties, different in height, color, and flower shape. Beautiful compositions with smooth transitions are obtained if you select varieties of the same color, but in different shades.

Annuals - photo

Annuals are good because they are fast. Once you sow them in the ground, they sprout immediately, withstand spring colds and bloom quickly. There is no need to waste time on seedlings; you just need to find a good place for them in the garden in advance. They will show themselves in all their glory.

In central Russia, the seeds of the annuals we have named are sowed in the first ten days of May, in the northern regions a week or two later. Also, decorative pumpkins or beans are sown 7-10 days later. Crops with a short flowering period (for example, gypsophila) can be sown at several times, with a difference of 2 weeks.

Species such as bidens, blue cornflower (although it has many varieties and mixtures with other colors of inflorescences), annual flax, self-sown poppy, helipterum, nigella, or damsel in green, cynoglossum can be sown in clumps in a mixed flower bed or front garden. Or you can mix their seeds to make a cheerful, colorful annual flowering lawn on your front lawn or along a fence.

Blooming vegetable garden - among vegetables and green crops, poppies, decorative sunflowers, variegated toadflax, forget-me-not-like cynoglossum, cornflowers, decorative pumpkins, beans and other species always look great.

For good development and abundant flowering, it is important that the soil around perennials is always loose and the flower beds are free of weeds. And they will delight you with flowers from early summer until late autumn.

At the bench and gazebo, near the recreation areas, garden benches You can sow fragrant flowers, such as mignonette, matthiola or short varieties of sweet peas. And near supports, terraces, gazebos, and building walls, you can sow climbing annuals, such as sweet peas (tall varieties), morning glory, bright red decorative beans, echinocystis and others. Lavatera, godetia, iberis, and coreopsis are perfect for borders and ridges along paths.

For flowerpots and hanging boxes, annuals are best suited, such as, for example, nemesia, nasturtium, short sweet peas; you can decorate garden flowerpots and containers, as well as balcony boxes and even hanging flowerpots.

Instead of faded bulbous bulbs, short species such as gypsophila, iberis, eschscholzia, bush, low varieties of nasturtiums and sweet peas are best suited.

Caring for annuals

1. After the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed and watered if necessary. Dense crops are thinned out by tearing out excess plants or, after thoroughly watering the soil, carefully digging them up and replanting them in free places. Transplanted plants need to be watered and protected from bright sun until they take root.
2. A couple of weeks after the emergence of seedlings, the crops can be fed with complex fertilizers, repeated 1-2 times with an interval of 2 weeks.
3. Summer trees are watered in dry weather, if necessary, early in the morning or in the evening.

Features of sowing

The soil is dug up or deeply loosened, furrows are made. Seeds are sown sparsely, in rows or scattered. Sprinkle with soil or mulching material (peat, compost, humus) in a layer that is approximately 3-5 times the height of the seed. Then the soil on top is lightly pressed with a hoe. The crops are watered from a watering can or hose with nozzles for a medium-sized spray. In hot, sunny weather, it is advisable to cover the sowing areas with covering material so that the soil does not dry out.

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Ode to annuals

Summer residents who have recently joined the ranks of flower growers, as a rule, start with the same thing - by visiting various garden centers, Internet sites, exhibitions, and collectors' sites. After all, there are so many interesting plants on offer (mostly perennials) that “you just can’t pass by”!

Alas, the “buying rage” is often far ahead of planning plantings and understanding which plants will actually feel good and look beautiful in your garden.

Therefore, the first advice to gardeners (and especially beginners): do not rush to immediately purchase a lot of perennial flowers! Limit yourself to those whose planting sites have already been prepared. And the craving for variety can easily be satisfied with annuals. Most of these crops are not difficult to cultivate, their range can be updated annually, thereby changing the appearance of the garden - a great help in planning! In addition, annuals are so bright and beautiful that it is difficult to imagine any garden or flower garden without them: from the simplest to the most sophisticated.

These gorgeous dahlias can be grown from seeds! F1 ‘Hello Gorgous Shades’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Raising virgin soil

Summer gardens are especially useful when you are going to start a flower garden in a new area with uncultivated soil. Many novice flower growers have the opinion that it is better to start with perennial plants: they say, once you plant them, no worries. But what is really happening? After all, even if you don’t get involved with capricious crops, of which there are quite a few among perennials, but plant the most undemanding species and varieties, but in a poorly prepared place, then:

– in flower beds of perennial plants, you do not have the opportunity to dig the soil deeply with the addition of organic fertilizers and thereby improve it;

– weeds, the seeds and pieces of rhizomes of which are difficult to get rid of in one digging of the soil, are intertwined with roots cultivated plants, and removing them can be very difficult;

– in new areas it is difficult to immediately plan flower beds, and moving perennial bushes from place to place is often not very easy.

The second piece of advice naturally follows from this: start “developing virgin soil” by planting annual flowers. Indeed, as a result of autumn or spring digging of flower beds with the addition of organic matter, you can significantly increase the fertility and structure of the soil and clear the area of ​​most weeds.

Convinced? Are you already going to the store to buy seeds? And for which ones?

Calendula officinalis series ‘Pacific’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Smart choice

Selecting flyers for spring planting, you shouldn’t buy all the bags of seeds with the photos you like in a row. First, evaluate your capabilities: can you grow them without unnecessary hassle?

It is better for an inexperienced or busy gardener to pay attention to those species that are sown directly into the ground. These are: pink helipterum (acroclinum), calendula, cosmos, clarkia, lavatera, annual poppies, matthiola, blue cornflower, godetia, dimorphotheca, eschscholzia, venidium, nemesia, iberis, mignonette, etc. In central Russia you can go straight to the flower garden sow some “seedling” crops - callistephus (annual aster), marigolds, especially b. rejected, helychrysums, zinnias, Drummond phlox, sweet peas and some other species, but in this case their flowering will come late, only in the second half, or even at the end of summer.

Crops grown through seedlings are somewhat more complex than the previous ones. However, they, in turn, can also be divided into several groups. Seedlings of such species as marigolds, zinnias, amaranths, annual dahlias, coleus, celosia, and annual chrysanthemums are the easiest to grow. Their seeds are sown in boxes (on window sills, loggias) or in the soil of greenhouses in mid-April, and planted in the ground at the end of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed.

The next group of summer growers has a longer period of obtaining high-quality seedlings and requires a little more patience and experience. Their seeds are sown about a month earlier - in mid-March, boxes with crops are placed on light windowsills or in greenhouses. Such crops include ageratum, alyssum, arctotis, annual aster, verbena, gatsania, Chinese carnation, helichrysum, sweet pea, kochia, gillyflower, lobelia, snapdragon, perilla, petunia, salvia, sweet tobacco, Drummond phlox.

And finally, the last group includes species that have the longest period of development in seedlings. They are sown in January - February in heated greenhouses or indoors on special racks with light installations. For the first month or two, boxes with crops and seedlings must be illuminated with special lamps, since otherwise the seedlings stretch out and die. Such crops include: Chabot carnation, tuberous begonia, viola (Vitrocca violet), statice, heliotrope, fuchsia and some other species. I would not recommend growing them from seeds to inexperienced gardeners.

Living Rainbow

Let's get acquainted with the most interesting and relatively uncomplicated annual flower crops for beginning gardeners.

Calendula

Calendula officinalis is one of the most common and well-known plants, blooming in abundance in country flower beds and rural front gardens. Over many centuries of cultivation, dozens, if not hundreds, of varieties of calendula have been created, differing in plant size - from low, border plants, about 25–30 cm in height, to large bushes up to 80 cm in height; the form of inflorescences, which can be non-double, chamomile-shaped, and double, imbricated and even anemone-shaped. But the greatest variety is in its color: from the common yellow, orange, apricot to cream, dark brown, burgundy, pinkish or greenish, plain or variegated.

Calendula officinalis ‘Apricot Twist’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

In the garden, calendula looks good in front gardens, mixed borders, flower beds, ornamental gardens, and annual flower lawns. Low growing varieties You can grow them on balconies and in containers, make ridges and borders out of them. In addition, its inflorescences are excellent for cutting.

If you do not have the desire or opportunity to grow seedlings of annual flowers yourself, they can be purchased at numerous markets and garden centers.

How to grow?

Calendula is an extremely undemanding crop and easy to cultivate. Its seeds are sown in open ground from April to June inclusive, and also before winter - in November. It is better to choose a bright place for it; it is undemanding to soil, although it prefers neutral loams. If the seedlings turn out to be too dense, it is advisable to thin them out to a distance of 5–10 cm. Plants should be watered moderately, only in dry times. On nutrient-poor soils, it is advisable to feed them once every 2–3 weeks with complex mineral fertilizers. Flowering of plants begins 45–50 days after sowing and continues until late autumn.

What's in a name?

In its homeland, in the Mediterranean countries, calendula blooms all year round, which is why it got its name: calendae translated from Latin means “the first day of every month.” The Russian name, “marigold,” was given to the plant for the shape of its seeds, which actually resemble the claws of animals and birds.

Calendula officinalis ‘Orange Button’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova Calendula is a valuable medicinal plant. Gargling with an infusion of its inflorescences perfectly heals a sore throat, compresses with a decoction of calendula will help to quickly heal wounds, bruises and dislocations, and calendula extract is widely used in cosmetic products for skin and hair care.

Cosmea

Cute multi-colored “daisies” of cosmos, or Cosmos, can often be found in home flower beds and rural front gardens. They have long won the hearts of flower lovers with their cheerful disposition, diversity and unpretentiousness.

Currently, two types of cosmos can be found in our gardens. The most well-known and familiar species of cosmos bipinnatus (C. bipinnatus) forms powerful (or not so) branched bushes 50–120 cm high, with highly indented leaves and rather large inflorescences (from 5 to 12 cm in diameter) of a chamomile shape. The color of reed flowers can be white, pink, red, burgundy, the disc of tubular flowers is yellow.

Another species that appeared here relatively recently, but quickly gained popularity among gardeners, is the sulfur-yellow cosmos (C. sulphureus). It has smaller inflorescences (4–7 cm in diameter), the petals of which are slightly curved inwards in the shape of a rose and are colored yellow-orange-red. The height of the plant can be from 30 to 150 cm.

Cosmos doubly pinnate terry. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

In terms of use in the garden, cosmos are very similar to calendula. They are grown in flowerbeds and mixborders, in the front gardens of rural houses. From high grades Cosmos are convenient for making backdrops and decorating fences and walls of buildings with them. Low varieties, especially sulfur-yellow varieties, can be used to create borders and decorate containers and balcony boxes with them. Low, small-flowered forms of C. bipinnate are often included in annual flower (Moorish) lawns.

Cosmos is doubly pinnate, a mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

How to grow?

Cosmos bipinnate is a cold-resistant and light-loving plant, while sulfur-yellow is more thermophilic and feels good only in relatively hot summers. Both species are drought-resistant and undemanding to soils, but grow better in loose, not very nutritious soils - “overfed” plants grow powerful, but bloom poorly.

Just like calendula, cosmos is sown in open ground starting in April.

What's in a name?

Cosmos is translated from Greek as “decoration”. Indeed, the name matches the plant!

Cosmosser yellow. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Lavatera

The colorful Lavatera trimestris (Lavatera trimestris) always attracts attention in the garden. But not only for this is why gardeners love her so much, but also for her long, abundant flowering and flexible character. Lavatera is a fairly powerful, branched, fast-growing plant with a height of 60 to 150 cm. During flowering, from late June to autumn, it is covered with large (6–10 cm in diameter), funnel-shaped flowers, painted white, pink or red.

Lavatera three-month-old ‘Novella’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

Long-lasting, generous, bright flowering and unpretentiousness make Lavatera desirable for any flower garden - flower bed, border, border, mixborder. The flowers stand well as cut flowers. Compact varieties can be used to decorate containers or garden vases.

Lavatera three months old ‘Mont Blanc’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

How to grow?

Lavatera is cold-resistant, light-loving, drought-resistant, and does not like waterlogging. It grows well in a variety of soils, but feels better and blooms more profusely in light, fertile soils.

Seeds are sown directly into the ground in early May, in nests of 2–3 seeds at a distance of 25–30 cm. It is also possible to sow seeds in a line at a distance of 10–15 cm from each other. In dry weather, plants must be watered, otherwise their growth will slow down and flowering will not be abundant. In May - June, it is advisable to carry out 3-4 fertilizing with complex fertilizers at intervals of 10-15 days.

What's in a name?

Lavatera received its name in honor of the Lavater brothers, famous German doctors and naturalists.

Eschszolzia

The colorful silky flowers of Californian Eschscholzia (Eschscholzia californica) are very similar to small poppies, which is why they received the popular name California poppy. The plant forms a low branched bush 15–30 cm high with numerous, rather long (up to 60 cm), lodging shoots. At the top of the shoots there are bright, shiny, large (up to 5–8 cm in diameter) single flowers: double or non-double, with smooth or corrugated petals of various colors - creamy white, yellow, orange, salmon, red. The leaves of Eschscholzia are also exceptionally elegant: strongly dissected, openwork, covered with a bluish waxy coating.

Eschscholzia Californian terry. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

California poppy can be grown in flower beds, in flowerbeds, mixborders, made into borders, planted in spots on lawns, rock gardens, and ornamental gardens. They look beautiful in vases, containers and balcony boxes. Eschscholzia is often included in mixtures for annual flower (“Moorish”) lawns. The flowers stand well as cut flowers.

How to grow?

Eschscholzia is cold-resistant, light-loving, drought-resistant and very unpretentious. Prefers dry, sunny places and does not tolerate excess moisture. Blooms better and remains compact in nutrient-poor soils. In rainy weather the flowers close.

Propagated by seeds, which are sown in early May in open ground. In areas with light soil, winter sowing can be done. It is advisable to thin out shoots that are too dense to a distance of 5–10 cm. Flowering begins in the first half of July and continues until frost. Some varieties of Eschscholzia can produce abundant self-sowing.

What's in a name?

Eschscholzia is named after Dr. I. F. Eschscholz, a natural scientist from the Baltic states who lived in 1793–1831.

Eschscholzia Californian 'Apple Blossom'. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Marigold

Marigolds, marigolds, and Tagetes are one of the most famous and beloved annuals by many.

There are two types of marigolds most often used in gardening: b. rejected, or French (T. patula) - with a highly branched, spreading form of a bush 15–50 cm high, with single or double inflorescences of a single or variegated color, and b. erect, or African (T. erecta) - with more powerful and less branched plants 30–120 cm high and densely double inflorescences of a single color with a diameter of 10–15 cm. Recently, another species can be increasingly found in gardens - b. thin-leaved, or Mexican (T. tenuifolia, sin. T. signata), with thin stems 20–60 cm high, graceful strongly dissected leaves and a huge number of small non-double inflorescences with a diameter of 2–3 cm. Plain or with a contrasting spot in the center, they painted in bright yellow, lemon, orange tones.

Marigolds rejected ‘Carmen’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

Marigolds look harmonious in any flower beds, flower beds, borders, mixborders, and ornamental vegetable gardens. They can be used in containers and hanging baskets, or planted in balcony boxes. Despite their love of light, they can tolerate slight shading, so they can be used to decorate areas on the north side of buildings. In addition, they have a sanitary effect on the soil, destroying or repelling nematodes with secretions from their roots. For the same purpose, crushed marigold leaves can be added to the soil.

Thin-leaved marigolds, mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

How to grow?

All marigolds are heat-loving (cannot withstand even slight frosts), light-loving (but can tolerate slight shading), drought-resistant and very undemanding to soil. They easily tolerate transplantation at any stage of development, even during the period of full flowering.

Propagated by seeds, under conditions middle zone Russia - through seedlings, in the southern regions - by sowing in the ground. Seeds for seedlings are sown in the second half of April in greenhouses, but for earlier flowering, sowing in March and even February is possible. Seedlings dive into boxes, pots or ridges of greenhouses at a distance of 5–7 cm from each other. During the period of growing seedlings, it is advisable to make 2-3 fertilizing with nitrogen or complex mineral fertilizers with an interval of 7-10 days.

Seedlings are planted in open ground in early June, when the threat of spring frosts has passed. The distance between plants when planting is from 15 to 40 cm, depending on the variety. Care consists of weeding and loosening the soil around the plants, and on poorly fertile soils, 1-2 more complex fertilizing treatments are carried out.

Flowering at b. rejected ones begins 2–2.5 months after sowing, b. erect – after 2.5–3 months and b. thin-leaved – after 2 months.

What's in a name?

The common name - marigolds, or marigolds, was given to these plants for the velvety petals of the flowers, especially in dark-colored varieties, and they received the scientific name Tagetes in honor of the Etruscan god Tages, famous for his beauty and ability to predict the future.

Marigolds are erect. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Dahlias

Who doesn’t know the slender beauties of dahlias (Dahlia) with huge bright inflorescences that color our gardens in late summer and autumn? True, most large-flowered varieties are perennials, and their tubers must be dug up and stored in cool rooms before the onset of cold weather. But this is not always possible, so annual dahlias can be an excellent replacement.

For a long time there was an opinion that annual dahlias are medium-sized plants with medium-sized, non-double flowers, colored various shades white, yellow, orange and red. People called them that – “Jolly Guys”, after the name of the most famous, ancient variety. To date, many annual dahlias have been created, which are not inferior in beauty and diversity to their perennial relatives.

Dahlia is an annual, collar-shaped inflorescence. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

Annual dahlias are planted in flower beds, ridges, and arrays. Low varieties can be grown in containers and balcony boxes.

How to grow?

Dahlias are a rather demanding crop in terms of cultivation conditions. They are very thermophilic, love fertile, moderately moist soils and sunny, windless areas.

Dahlia annual ‘Art Deco’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Seeds are sown in boxes in the first half of April, later seedlings are planted at a distance of 7–8 cm in pots or boxes. Young plants tolerate replanting well. They are planted in open ground in early June. The distance between plants depends on the variety and can be from 20 to 40 cm. It is very important to loosen the soil around the bushes in a timely manner, in hot weather - water abundantly and periodically, once every 2 weeks, feed with complex mineral or organic fertilizer. In August, feeding is stopped. Annual dahlias bloom in the first half of July and bloom profusely until the first frost.

What's in a name?

Dahlias, natives of Mexico, appeared in Europe in the 18th century, where they received two names at once - dahlias and dahlias. The first of them was given in honor of the famous Swedish botanist A. Dahl. And in 1803, the German botanist K. L. Wildenov gave the plant another name - dahlia (Georgina), in honor of his friend, botanist I. G. Georgi. Both titles for a long time existed together, but recently the official botanical name of the genus has become the name dalia. The name “dahlia” took root only in our country.

Aster

The annual aster, or Chinese callistephus (Callistephus chinensis), is perhaps the most beloved “folk” summer plant in our country. In nature, this plant is about 80 cm high, with chamomile-like inflorescences of lilac-lilac color. However, over several centuries of cultivation, the appearance of this crop has changed very much. Many hundreds of varieties have been created, differing in plant height (from 20 to 100 cm), bush shape (spherical, oval, columnar, pyramidal, spreading), leaf color (from light green to dark green with a purple bloom), flowering time ( from early, blooming on the 70th day after emergence, to late - on the 120–130th day).

But the callistephus inflorescences have undergone the greatest changes - in color, shape, size, doubleness, their number on the plant, etc. What colors are they not painted in! White, pink, red, salmon, yellow, blue, purple - almost every color of the rainbow, with the exception of bright orange and black. There are varieties with two-color inflorescences.

According to the method of application, asters can be divided into casing (border) - low, compact, abundantly flowering, cutting - tall, with long strong peduncles and universal - suitable for both landscaping and cutting. Most varieties of asters belong to the latter group.

Callistephus chinensis, ‘Milady’ series. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

Where to plant?

On garden plots annual asters are planted in flowerbeds, edgings, and mixborders; low varieties are planted in borders, containers, balcony boxes, and rock gardens. Dwarf varieties used as a potted plant. And, of course, we should not forget that annual asters are one of the best garden cut crops.

Callistephus sinensis ‘Gala’. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

How to grow?

Aster varieties differ most strongly in the shape of their inflorescences. Based on this characteristic, they were combined into more than 40 varieties, or garden groups. ​One of the main reasons for the enormous popularity of the annual aster is its undemanding nature. This plant is cold-resistant (can tolerate frosts down to –3–4 °C), light-loving, prefers sandy loam or loamy, loose, nutritious soils with a neutral reaction.

Aster is propagated by seeds both by seedlings and without seedlings. In the first case, the seeds are sown in late March - early April. Seedlings can be planted in open ground from mid-May. With the seedless cultivation method, the seeds are sown in the ground in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. In the phase of 2–3 true leaves, seedlings are thinned out or planted at a distance of 10–15 cm.

Depending on the variety and method of cultivation, asters begin to bloom from late June to mid-August and continue until frost.

Callistephus sinensis ‘Minuet’, mixture of colors. Photo: AiF/ Elena Kolesnikova

What's in a name?

The name Callistephus was given to this flower by the French botanist Antoine Jussier: translated from Latin it means “beautiful wreath.”

You might be interested: Datura flower, how and when to sow seedlings →

Annual flowers always delight the eye with their bright colors and varied shapes of their flowers. Therefore, with their help you can turn your small garden into small piece Raya. With the help of annual flowers, you can change the design of your garden from year to year and each time it will look new.

You can choose flowers in one color scheme, for example white, and all the flowers from the edge of the flowerbed to the climbing ones located in the background, blooming in white, will captivate the eye - white on a green background of foliage as a symbol of immaculate beauty.

You can also make mixed flower beds; they will look variegated and beautiful in summer. The main thing is that all annual flowers for the garden will bloom until frost.

• Annual flowers for the garden with photos and names
• Annuals in the garden - my own experience
• Annual flowers at the dacha photo gallery

Annual flowers for the garden

Mirabilis

This flower is also called night beauty. This name was given to him because his beautiful flowers bloom after sunset and the bush stands strewn with bright colors and it smells fragrant all evening and night.

Flowers come in a variety of colors ranging from white to pink, yellow and crimson. Due to the fact that its root system grows in the form of a tuber, it easily tolerates the dry season.

Mirabilis

Reproduction

This wonderful flower can be propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. For better germination, seeds are soaked in warm water for a day. Seeds are sown two in each cup filled with soil for seedlings. Seeds should be sown thirty days before planting in open ground. When shoots appear in the pot, only one of the strongest shoots is left. It is transplanted into a flowerbed only when the threat of return frosts has passed.

Cuttings can be rooted in peat tablets, but it’s still easier to grow it by seed propagation. Although if you save the tubers, then such a bush will develop much faster and will be much larger than one grown from seeds. By preserving the tuber, the shade of the flowers is preserved. Tubers should be stored in a dry, dark place with a temperature of at least 5 degrees Celsius.

Care

Often these annual garden flowers are planted along paths or in the center of a flower bed. Since, with proper care, they grow up to one meter tall and have the same diameter. Watering should be done at least once a week.

If you grow these bushes in containers, then in a two-liter container it will be small, no more than 50 cm. In order for the bush to bloom richly, it requires planting in a sunny place. The soil for the flower must be fertile and without stagnant water.

There are several varieties of Mirabilis that differ from each other. color scheme buds.

Marigold

These flowers grow, depending on the variety, from 15 to 80 cm. They are also called tagetes. This flower is very drought-resistant and therefore very common among lovers of annual flowers. The color scheme pleases with all shades of yellow, white, and there are varieties where the petals are even striped.

Marigold

Propagation by seeds

Collect seeds at the end of July and August. You can sow directly into open ground when the soil warms up enough; depending on the region, these dates shift. The seeds should not be buried deep enough and 2 cm. Shoots appear already on the 7th day. Buds begin to appear only two months after sowing the seeds. Therefore, several bushes need to be grown through seedlings. Transplantation with marigolds is well tolerated, and they can be replanted at any age.

Seedling

The seedlings are sown in a bowl in early March and after 10 days the seeds begin to germinate. After two true leaves appear, they are picked into separate cups, and then they grow at a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. They are planted in flower beds when it is warm enough. Between small varieties, leave 20 cm between bushes when planting, tall ones are planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Care

Caring for marigolds comes down to watering and weeding; in the first half of summer they will respond well to full mineral fertilizers. When planting seedlings, you need to know that the flower prefers sunny places. It will also live in the shade, but you may not get beautiful flowers.

When flowering gains strength, it will be necessary to pick off drying flowers, this will stimulate more luxuriant flowering.

There are many varieties of marigolds:

• Anise;
• Rejected;
• Erect;
• Thin-leaved.

Snapdragon

This is actually a perennial plant, but in our latitudes it does not overwinter and is therefore grown as an annual plant. They plant it along the borders, in groups in the middle of the green lawn. Nowadays, ampelous forms of snapdragons have been developed, which grow successfully in tall flowerpots.

Reproduction

The seeds do not lose their viability for several years. Seedlings should be sown in the first ten days of March in prepared containers with loose nutrient soil. The seeds are laid out on the surface and lightly sprinkled with coarse sand. Watering is done using a spray bottle, spraying warm water from a fine sprayer. Then the whole thing is covered with a transparent lid.

At a temperature of 24 degrees, sprouts will appear in 15 days. After the first shoots appear, the container is moved to a place where there is no direct sunlight to avoid burns to the seedlings. After 4 days you can completely remove the glass.

The seedlings grow slowly at first and when moistening them, you must not overwater the plants. Those flowers that have fallen can no longer be helped and are removed with tweezers. When the first real ones appear sheet plates seedlings are planted in separate containers. Then they should grow in a warm and bright place. When 5 leaves appear, the central shoot is pinched to increase bushiness.

At the end of May it is planted in flower beds, the location of which must be sunny and without stagnant moisture.

Snapdragon

Care

This plant does not require special care. It just needs to be watered and loosened after watering. Removing weeds in a timely manner contributes to a healthier plant. If tall varieties are planted in a flowerbed, they will need timely staking to the support.

Snapdragon seeds are collected only when they are not fully ripe and placed in a shady place to ripen.

Datura

This fabulous flower grows in a bush about a meter high, has green oval leaves and single flowers resembling bells. Flowers reach 20 cm in length. They bloom in yellow, white and blue.

Reproduction

The seeds have poor germination and therefore require a lot of moisture to germinate. Before sowing, they are soaked for 10 days. And to grow they need a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Shoots emerge from the ground very slowly and can germinate for more than a month.

Datura

Care

This plant prefers sunny places and fertilized soil. It loves watering and if there is no rain, it definitely needs to be watered. At the slightest drying out, it drops its buds.

Zinnia

This flower will decorate any garden with its variety of colors and bud shapes. But this flower will not grow in the shade. The height of the stem varies from 20 cm to 100 cm. It all depends on the type of flower. Flower baskets located at the top of the stem.

The tongue-shaped petals are arranged in several rows around the center of the flower. It blooms from June until cold weather sets in. Very resistant to heat. It is grown as a garden ornament and looks great cut.

Reproduction

Propagated by sowing seeds for seedlings. First, they are checked for germination, and then soaked in any growth stimulator for a day. Even old seeds germinate within a week. Since this flower does not like picking, it should be planted immediately in peat cups.

Planting begins in March throughout the month. If the seedlings are stretched too thin, you can add soil to make the seedlings more stable. It is planted in the ground after return frosts.

Zinnia is the most common annual plant for the garden.

Care

Requires timely watering and weed removal. But when watering, you must avoid getting it on the stems and plants. Zinnia does not need support, as it has strong, straight stems. If plants are planted not only for beauty, but also for cutting, then you should not pinch the stems.

Cosmea

These annual flowers grow up to a meter tall and come in all shades of pink, white and blue flowers. Due to the fact that its leaves are very delicate, reminiscent of dill, the flower looks very delicate and airy.

Reproduction

Cosmos propagation occurs through seeds. Seeds are sown immediately in the ground as soon as the snow melts. There is no need to bury them deeply, even one centimeter is enough. It can also be sown in late autumn. Actually, if the cosmos has taken root on the site, it successfully reproduces further by self-sowing.

It is not rational to grow it in seedlings. But if all this is necessary, then it is planted for seedlings in early spring.

Cosmea

Care

Maintenance is not difficult even for beginners. Once a week it is necessary to water thoroughly and weed away weeds. You can fertilize the flower, but you must remember that fertilizing should be done in moderation so as not to overfeed the plant. To extend the flowering time, it is necessary to remove dried inflorescences.

Gazania

This is a low plant with a variety of leaves and daisy-like flowers. The colors vary - red, yellow, orange flowers.

Reproduction

Seedlings are planted in early May. Seeds are sown in loose soil in early March, lightly moisten the soil and cover with glass. After 2 weeks, the first shoots appear. And after another two weeks, the first fertilizing is carried out, and the seedlings are planted in separate pots. Since the roots of gazania seedlings are delicate, they must be carefully transferred to their permanent place of residence in a flower bed. The sprouts may not survive a secondary transplant.

Gazania

Care

It is quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil and grows well in any soil. But it takes well to any fertilizing in the form of mineral fertilizer.

By watering on time and removing weeds, you can achieve lush flowering gazania. Since the plant has a tap root, it is more drought-resistant, but still, when there are strong breaks between rains, it will not give up good watering. In our climate, the flower does not overwinter.

Nasturtium

It is an annual subshrub with rounded leaves and single flowers. The flowers come in bright shades of red and yellow. It grows up to 30 cm in height. Abundant flowering continues all summer until frost.

Nasturtium contains a lot useful substances and it is used in folk medicine. It was also previously used in cooking, adding to various dishes.

Annual flowers for the garden - nasturtium

Reproduction

Propagates well by seeds. They can be sown directly into the ground in mid-May, or they can be grown through seedlings. But before any planting you need to fill hot water seeds for 30 minutes, and then soak for a day. Place three seeds in each hole (cup) and wait for germination,

They appear within 14 days. The seedlings are transplanted into the flower garden using transshipment, leaving a lump of earth.

Care

It prefers non-greasy soils and sunny places; if you overfeed the plant with nitrogen fertilizer, it will stop throwing out buds and turn into a green bush without flowers. Until flowering begins, the seedlings require constant watering, but after the buds open, watering is reduced. To prolong flowering, you need to regularly pick off dried inflorescences.

Annuals in my garden - my own experience

How I love summer!!! How I'm waiting for him!!! How you want to quickly go to the garden, delve into the beds, bring beauty to the flower beds. This year I planted different annuals. At the end of last summer, I collected seeds of beautiful flowers wherever possible, and this year we sowed them, not even expecting that we would get such diversity in our beds.


I never bother with flower seedlings, I don’t grow them myself, I just buy something at the market, my friends share the surplus, and I just sow something in the ground.

Here are the annuals blooming in our garden today:

1. Phlox annuals

What magnificent flowers these are. A friend shared the seedlings with me; they sprouted by self-sowing last year. The sprouts were small, only 3-5 centimeters high, so small that I thought it was unlikely they would survive. For some time they just stood frozen and did not grow, but then they quickly began to grow. They bloomed at the end of June, and now they delight us with their variety of colors.

Phlox annuals

2. Annual dahlias

They also have a beautiful name: funny guys. I bought seedlings at the market, and a kind woman gave me a whole bunch for 50 rubles. The plants were strong and tall. They planted them in a long bed behind the marigolds. They have blossomed, grown and are beginning to bloom. Flowers of different colors, double, elegant. Exactly - funny guys! We will admire their beauty all summer.

Annual dahlias

3. Lenok

I love this plant. Such thin and delicate branches with very bright small flowers of red-crimson color. At night, the flowers fold their petals. The plant begins to bloom in June and blooms all summer. We planted it with seeds, just sowed it in the ground in early May. The seeds sprouted quickly and amicably, the plants grew and now, just as amicably, they bloom.

4. Petunia

Although I don’t really like petunia in the garden, I still couldn’t resist planting it this time. I bought some seedlings and a friend gave them to me. The seedlings were small but strong. It quickly gained strength and began to bloom.

Petunia - annuals for the garden

Petunia is, of course, a flower with the most varied colors. There are both simple and double flowers, so many different varieties have been bred that now I wonder how we lived without petunia before. I like petunia more in city flower beds, on balconies, and in hanging pots on the street. But even in the garden it looks quite harmonious, only it has grown so much that it has “crowded” the growing flowers nearby.

These are the annual flowers growing in our garden now, delighting us with their blooms, lifting the spirits not only of us, but also of passers-by. All of them do not require much care, just watering and a little organic feeding. Treat yourself too by planting annuals in your garden if you don’t already have them.

Choosing annual flowers to decorate the site video

Flowers - annuals without seedlings

Annual flowers at the dacha photo gallery

TO annuals These include plants that implement their life program during the first growing season (from sowing seeds in the spring to receiving them in the fall).

General information - fast growth energy (germination 7-10 days after sowing, grow quickly, bloom depending on biological characteristics at different times, flowering duration depends on their living conditions, form seeds depending on the origin and growing conditions).

Important factors that ensure the best development of these plants are the basic environmental conditions (light, heat, richness and mechanical composition of the soil, air humidity, pH value for individual plants, the presence of microelements and plant care). In accordance with the biological characteristics of each crop, it is not always possible to provide all the necessary requirements to the best extent, so a person regulates these characteristics by placing plants in a sunny place protected from the cold wind, if necessary in partial shade or by creating a light shade, etc.

In relation to temperature:

plants that develop better at average temperatures and do not suffer from low temperatures and light frosts (lewkoy, asters, sweet peas, phlox, aconite, etc.)

heat-loving plants that cannot tolerate even minor frosts (zinnia, salvia, tagetes, morning glory, dahlias, impatiens, garden/Turkish/beans, nasturtium)

High temperatures have a negative effect, especially in combination with dry air and soil, on the size of the plant, the duration of flowering, and the fullness of the plant.

Regulation of the attitude of plants to temperature conditions should be carried out in a timely manner in accordance with the phases of plant development. Cold wet weather is bad for general development, the formation of buds and seeds, contributes to plant disease.

In relation to water:

requiring constant watering (salvia, dahlias, poppies, asters, gillyflowers, mignonette),

requiring moderately humid conditions (lobelia, phlox, celosia, anthurrinum, petunia, alyssum, mathiolla),

drought-resistant (dried flowers, purslane, zinnia, verbena, tobacco, calendula, marigolds, etc.)

Moisture availability and soil aeration should always be optimal. Therefore, the best watering is abundant, deep, but rare, with mandatory subsequent loosening. Most annuals prefer light loamy soils containing the necessary substances, loose, water- and air-permeable, with good structure. It is better to apply fertilizers gradually. The main amount of them is applied for plowing (preferably in the fall) in the form of composts. Complete fertilizer is applied in the spring and then supplemented throughout the growing season. Of the manures, the most valuable are cow and bird manure; horse - for warm greenhouses. Bird droppings are the most concentrated; they are applied in dry form at a rate of 2-3 kg/m2. Feeding - one part of litter to 6-7 parts of water (1/10). Fermentation for two weeks. Dilution is 1/20 and apply 10 liters per 10 m of furrow. Peat has excellent properties. It contains the same amount of nitrogen as manure, decomposes slowly (apply in the fall), prepare compost with the addition of lime.

Agricultural technology . Seeds of flowering plants usually last 2-4 years. Sowing is carried out as early as possible (April). Pre-winter sowing is possible for cosmos, calendula, cornflowers, gillyflower, delphinium, etc. Sowing can be done in boxes or other containers. Standard box size 60*30*10cm. the substrate for sowing should be light, better mixture sheet, turf and sand. Crops are done scattered. Sowing dates: January - begonia, February - Chabot carnation, gillyflower, antirrinum, March - salvia, verbena, lobelia, petunia, aster, cineraria, perilla, April - ageratum, matricaria, purslane. Salvia, annual dahlias, marigolds, zinnias are sown depending on the timing of flowering and possibilities. Sowing rates depend on the size of the seeds and further growing conditions.

Lobelia, petunia, begonia – 0.3-0.5 g per 1 box.

Antirrinum, fragrant tobacco – 1 g.

Aster, verbena – 3 g.

Zinnia and dahlia – 7 g.

The boxes are covered with glass and provide a temperature of +18...+24 0 C. After the emergence of seedlings, the temperature can be reduced, ventilation increased, and after the first true leaf appears, picking can be done. After the first picking, there should be 100 - 150 plants in the box. It is comparatively more profitable to grow seedlings in greenhouses compared to boxes. The number of picks depends on the duration of cultivation. Pulling plants is very unprofitable and harmful, the reason is great density and excess heat with a lack of light.

Plants with a rod system are best grown in peat pots or cubes.

Seedlings are grown in closed ground in compliance with general rules and individual characteristics (regulation of ventilation, watering, shade, hardening before planting in open ground - open the greenhouse 10-15 days before).

Individual characteristics of plants :

1) attitude towards frost;

2) the ability to tolerate transplantation and dry air.

Plants that are afraid of transplantation are best grown in pots with a diameter of 7–10 cm; 3–5 seeds are sown in a pot, then they are broken through, removing weak ones, and sown directly into the ground.

During late spring frosts (June 5–10), provide shelter for the seedlings. Formation of crust on crops, especially on heavy soils, watering and light tillage, weeding, fertilizing, watering during drought, pest and disease control.

Annuals: Ageratum, Alisum, Amoranthus, Aster annual (Chinese), Marigolds, Cornflower, Verbena, Gaillardia, Chinese carnation, Immortelle, Dahlia, Gypsophila, Godetia, Delphinium, Sweet pea, Iberis, etc.