Heather For Creating Landscape Compositions. Planting And Leaving. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Heather is one of those plants that can grow anywhere - in the garden in a flower bed, in a container on a terrace or in a flowerpot on a balcony. Of course, provided that you planted it correctly and adhere to the rules of caring for the plant. Heather can be found in many parts of the world, as it is able to adapt to almost any conditions and climate. It is also considered a versatile plant for landscaping. Alternatively, you can create a whole heather garden.

Content:

• Heather in the garden
• Heather care
• Planting heather

Heather in the garden

Heather is also loved by gardeners because of its endurance and ability to survive the harsh winter. In addition, there is a large selection of color varieties for this plant. Along with the typical purple hue, you can find heather with light green, white, purple and dark pink flowers.

The possibilities of decorating a garden with heather bushes are simply endless. You can, for example, make even and strict plantings from a plant of the same variety and color. However, it looks much more interesting if you combine different colors. Naturally, you should not mix all varieties in a row, but it is better to plant separate groups, each species - 10-12 copies. If you can also pick up species with different flowering times, then heather will bloom in your garden almost all year round.

Do not make too symmetrical plantings, as a certain randomness will bring a special flavor to the landscape. Between plantings, you can place large stones or create small mounds. Planting heather in combination with rhododendrons and azalea looks especially good, as these plants love the same soil as heather. In addition, you can arrange heather plantings with ornamental grasses and miniature conifers.

Heather care

The ideal spot for heather is a completely open area under the sun. It is in such flower beds that heather shows all the beauty of its flowering. However, if you choose to plant heather in partial shade, it will bloom there too. It is not worth planting heather in shady places, there it will wither and give a nondescript flowering.

As a rule, heather grows on any soil. But this does not mean that on every land it will give equally lush flowering and fully develop. An acidic soil (pH 4.5 to 6.5) is optimal for heather. The soil is preferable loose, rich in nutrients and humus, ideally slightly sandy. To improve the structure of the soil, before planting heather, enrich it with peat, add gravel and sand, and dig thoroughly. If, after planting, you still cover the ground near the heather with two centimeter layers of mulch, then we can say with confidence that you have created the ideal prerequisites for the heather to flourish abundantly.

Planting heather

The best times to plant heather are in autumn and spring. To ensure that each plant gets enough light, the bushes should not be placed very close. It is advisable to maintain the distance between individual specimens at least 20 cm, and better - about 30 cm. In order for the rooting of the seedling to occur faster, it is necessary to water it regularly, especially during periods of prolonged drought.

In order for heather to please for a long time with its wondrous flowering, you must pay attention to the plant, although heather belongs to completely unpretentious plants. Pruning heather is best done in early spring to stimulate the plant to grow new shoots. However, even after flowering, the heather withstands heavy pruning. This not only stimulates growth, but also prevents exposure in the lower area of the bush.

The plant has a positive attitude towards watering. The soil near the heather should be constantly wet, even in winter it is not recommended to allow it to dry out completely. You can use leaf mulch for this purpose.

During growth, it is advisable to feed the plant with mineral or organic fertilizers, for example, horn shavings. In winter, feeding should be discarded.

With regard to pests and diseases, heather is considered a fairly resistant plant. Only the autumn mushroom (Armillariella mellea) can cause great damage to the plant. If the white, fan-shaped fungus spreads on the bark of the plant, the heather dies off for the most part. In this case, it is necessary to remove the plant as quickly as possible. Moreover, in this area, the soil will have to be replaced in order to prevent further spread of the fungus.