How To Grow Perovskija From Seeds?

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How To Grow Perovskija From Seeds?
How To Grow Perovskija From Seeds?

Video: How To Grow Perovskija From Seeds?

Video: How To Grow Perovskija From Seeds?
Video: How To Start Russian Sage From Seed, What Do Russian Sage Seedlings Look Like 2024, March
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The magnificent Perovskia, similar to a lilac haze, is a special plant. Known in the West under the name of Russian sage, Perovskia invites to add lush accents and reveal the beauty of its blue-violet range. The main advantage of this culture is considered to be its ease of cultivation. It also manifests itself in the ease of reproduction. The most economical and simple option is to grow Perovskiy from seeds yourself.

Seedlings of perovskii swan-leaved
Seedlings of perovskii swan-leaved

Perovskii (Russian sage, botanical name - Perowskia) are herbaceous perennials that are valued for the beauty of their textures, and for their greenery, and for long flowering. These are tall, 60 to 100 cm plants with fragrant, double pinnately dissected or whole leaves and even more fragrant inflorescences. During the entire second half of the gardening season, from July, Perovskii bushes are covered with a flowering cloud of an innumerable set of lacy elongated panicle inflorescences. The flowers of the Perovsky are small, but very numerous. The flowering of this perennial in lilac-purple tones can be enjoyed until the very arrival of frost.

Perovskia is propagated mainly vegetatively. The easiest way is grafting, rooting of summer shoots. But you can get a large number of seedlings from seeds. The cost of such planting material is the lowest, and the trouble of growing seedlings always pays off. True, when grown from seeds, Perovskia blooms somewhere in the fifth year, but the plants will be ideally adapted to the conditions of a particular garden and will have better winter hardiness. Plants can reach almost maximum height in the first year, perfectly combining with other plantings.

Self-collection of seeds and their selection for sowing

After the flowering of Perovskii is completed, it is quite difficult to notice ripening fruits in the former inflorescences. Egg-shaped nuts a few millimeters long are tied in the fall, and in the middle lane the seeds do not always ripen, so it is better to buy Perovskii seeds.

When choosing seeds of this perennial, you should pay attention to the completeness of information about them. Research the botanical name, as seeds of other plants are often sold under the guise of Perovskii. Comprehensive characteristics of the variety, availability of information on the recommended sowing method will allow you to choose the quality seeds you need. Perovskia is not the most popular perennial for growing from seeds, so it is better to give preference to trusted producers with a good reputation. The low price should be alarming, because Perovskia seeds are considered rare and are not so common in catalogs.

The germination rate of Perovskii seeds is low. Seeds usually sprout unevenly due to the fact that the quality of their ripening depends on the autumn vagaries of the weather.

Strategies for growing Perovskia from seed:

  1. Sowing directly into the soil in seedling beds.
  2. Sowing before winter.
  3. Sowing seedlings.

With any method, sowing perovskii is carried out into the soil - after it has warmed up enough. Perovskii are cold-resistant, therefore, the disappearance of the threat of return frost can not be expected. In the middle lane, sowing is carried out in April or early May.

Perovskii, subject to a warm autumn, give self-seeding, and young seedlings can be used as seedlings, but their digging and transplanting must be done very carefully. In regions with severe winters, preserved self-seeding is still very rare.

Sowing perovskii in the soil

For growing young Perovsky, it is better to choose a permanent place, and not a seedling bed. Plants will have to grow for several years before flowering, but Perovskii do not like transplants, they form a powerful root system, and in the first year they grow very actively. Therefore, it is better from the very beginning to sow them in rows at a great distance in a permanent place and not "touch" in the future.

Young sapling of perovskii swan-leaved
Young sapling of perovskii swan-leaved

Sowing Perovskii can be carried out both before winter and in spring

There is nothing complicated in the sowing process itself:

  1. Perovskii are sown in shallow rows at a distance of about 60-70 cm from each other.
  2. Sowing is carried out sparsely, trying to reduce the loss of young seedlings during thinning.
  3. The sown seeds are carefully covered with a thin layer of soil, trying to keep the deepening level of 2-3 cm.
  4. Moisten the soil with gentle watering.

After the first shoots appear, the plants are thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots with a significant distance between crops. Young Perovskii are provided with thorough care, frequent weeding, watering in drought.

If the sowing was carried out on seedling ridges, then the Perovskii should be transferred to a permanent place with a large earthen clod no later than the next year after sowing.

Sowing perovskii seedlings

Perovskii's dislike for transplants requires great care when growing seedlings. It is because of the risk of plant loss when transferred to the soil, less winter hardiness in comparison with plants sown in the soil, this method is considered not the best and rare. Perovskiy seedlings are more often bought than grown on their own, so as not to wait several years for their flowering. But with due diligence, you can grow a plant in this way.

Seed pretreatment increases germination. It is advisable to keep Perovskii seeds in the cold for a month, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. When buying Perovskii seeds, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendations: the seeds are often sold already passed the necessary stratification.

Sowing is carried out in March or at the end of February. In individual peat pots, several seeds are sown in shallow holes. With stable light soil moisture and covered with film or glass, seedlings appear quickly only under the condition of cold stratification. On average, the sprouting process in Perovskii lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months. Of the plants in each pot, the strongest one is left.

Young Perovskii are sensitive to waterlogging. Seedlings are not fed, they are kept on the brightest windowsill. Early hardening increases the resistance of plants.

Perovskia atriplicifolia
Perovskia atriplicifolia

Planting perovskii seedlings

In a permanent seedling location, it is important to choose the right lighting. Perovskia prefers sunny, brightly lit areas and light, permeable, drained soils. This perennial does not tolerate acidic soils and develops better in slightly alkaline or calcareous. Before planting, the soil is improved with organic and mineral fertilizers, the texture is corrected by adding sand, lime, other loosening and stabilizing the soil reaction additives.

Perovskii seedlings are transferred to a permanent place in individual holes, simply transferred with a whole earthen lump. The penetration level for the plant is left the same.

After planting, until active growth resumes, it is better for young perovski to provide frequent watering. Subsequently, plants are watered only when prolonged drought is combined with very high temperatures. Plant nutrition for several years can not be applied, in the future, only organic fertilizers embedded in the soil in early spring or used for mulching are enough. In the first winter, Perovskii are mulched with a high layer of any available materials. In the future, there is no need for protection for the winter, but in order to stabilize the conditions and more lush flowering, it is better to continue to cover the plants. Pruning of dry aerial parts is carried out in early spring, leaving hemp about 10 cm high.

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