Bone sap: planting and care, propagation by seeds, cuttings, photos in landscape design

Even beginners in gardening are able to care for and plant a steep tree. The plant can be propagated in different ways, it is grown in the open field. Care should be comprehensive, but all of its stages are standard.

Description

Bone sap is a perennial of the Astrov family (Asteraceae). It is distributed on several continents - Eurasia, America, Africa (tropics). There are about 130 species of this plant, not counting more than 200 species with an undefined status. Main characteristics:

height, depending on the type, 0.3-2 m;
erect stem, branched in some species;
leaves petiolate or sessile, opposite arrangement, whorled in some species;
the shape of the leaves is more often ovoid, spear-lanceolate or linear;
foliage is dark green or lilac, some varieties have lilac veins;
the edges of the leaves are whole or serrated, the surface is smooth, rough, pubescent;
flowers are small, collected in inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of 25 cm;
strong aroma;
the shape of the flowers is tubular, the color is white, pinkish, mauve, purple, bluish-purple;
flowering occurs in late summer and early autumn;
the fruit is a crested achene;
decorativeness lasts up to 10 years.

Skeleton is poisonous, but it is used in folk medicine and homeopathy.

When to plant the steep

Planting dates depend on the chosen method. Most people prefer to grow this plant from seed. After preparation, they are sown at the beginning of March. Seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks. In open ground, seedlings are transferred not earlier than mid-March.

Important! You can not plant seedlings until the threat of frost has passed.

Rhizomes are also planted with rhizomes. This should be done in April, until the shoots appear. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to them, which can destroy the plant.

Growing from seeds

Getting seedlings of steep sap from seeds at home requires some preparation. The material is small, therefore, for convenience, it is mixed with sand. For seeds to germinate faster, cold stratification is needed:

Moisten the sand.
Mix it with seeds.
Place this combination in a glass container.
Put the mixture in the refrigerator on the lower shelf (compartment for fruits and vegetables).

Stratification takes a month. Then they act like this:

Prepare the soil. It is better to use a ready-made seedling mixture.
Fill boxes or other seedling containers with soil.
Disinfect seeds. To do this, keep them in a solution of potassium permanganate for a day.
Sow seeds. Depth a maximum of 0.5 cm, compact the earth, shed abundantly.
Organize a shelter - glass or film.
Put the drawers in a warm place.
After sowing the steep slope, care for the seedlings consists in regularly removing condensate, daily airing, spraying the soil - it should not dry out.
After the emergence of sprouts, remove the shelter.
When 3-4 real leaves appear, plant the sprouts in individual containers. Better to use peat pots.

Seedlings are moved into open ground only after hardening. It is carried out for 1.5-2 weeks. To take seedlings outside, drafts and precipitation are not allowed. The duration of hardening is increased gradually.

When planting with flowering seeds, you need to wait 2-3 years

How to grow a steeple in the garden

It is not difficult to grow steep sap. The plant is unpretentious in care, it can be used in different ways in landscape design.

Where the steep grows well

For the successful cultivation of the stethoscope, the planting site must meet a number of conditions:

sunny place, short shading is allowed during the day;
the acidity of the soil is neutral;
moist and sufficiently fertile soil with good drainage;
clay and sandy loam soil is not suitable - the plant in such conditions can wither and die.

If the soil in the garden is sandy, then compost must be added - 3-5 kg per 1 m². Before planting, the site is dug up, then leveled with a rake. Pits are made for plants, they can be drained with river pebbles or expanded clay.

Important! If the steep grows in a constant lack of light, then its shoots will become excessively stretched, and flowering may never come.

Watering and weather

Bone sap is a moisture-loving plant. He is able to withstand a short drought, but the rest of the time requires regular watering.

A special need for moisture during the period of active growth - in spring and summer. At the end of flowering, watering should be reduced.

Waterlogging and stagnation of moisture should not be allowed. Because of this, the root system will rot, the plant will die.

Attention! Moisture affects the length of the stems and the abundance of flowering.

Top dressing

Agrotechnics of the steep shed necessarily includes the timely application of fertilizers. This is essential for good growth and abundant flowering.

Fertilizers are applied at least 3 times per season during specific periods:

Spring;
June;
bud formation.

The plant responds well to complex mineral fertilizers - Kemira, Zdraven, nitroammofoska. For the second feeding, you can use bird droppings or mullein, make a weakly concentrated solution.

Important! For the steep, only liquid fertilizers are used. They must be introduced at the root, avoiding falling on stems with leaves and flowers.

Features of seasonal care

In addition to watering and feeding, care includes the following activities:

loosening - carried out after watering and heavy rains;
weeding is combined with loosening;
organic mulching, this measure reduces the number of watering and weeding.

The flowering period of the stethoscope

Most varieties begin flowering in August. At this time, one must remember about regular watering, on which the abundance and splendor of flowers depends.

If proper care is organized, then young shoots will appear regularly. For a bright and abundant flowering, thin and weak arrows must be cut out.

Important! Higher grades require a garter. Without it, the stems will bend under the weight of large inflorescences, especially after heavy rainfall.

You can do without tying if you plant a steep along a fence or wall

How does the stethosis reproduce?

The plant can be propagated in a variety of ways, including self-seeding. It is organized by leaving wilted inflorescences. For the winter, they must be covered with a small layer of soil.

Important! If self-seeding is not needed, then the inflorescences must be removed at the beginning of wilting.

By dividing the bush

You can divide the bush when it is at least 5 years old. Reproduction in this way is planned for spring or autumn. It is recommended to do this at the beginning of growth after winter or in the last decade of summer. The algorithm is simple:

Divide the root system of the bush with a shovel or knife.
Each part must have at least 3 buds.
Plant the plants in pre-prepared holes.

Important! The root system is sensitive, therefore its violation is fraught with the weakening and death of the plant. Due to division, flowering may suffer, becoming less lush and lasting.

Young shoots

With this method of reproduction, recovery buds are used. The algorithm is as follows:

In the spring, wait until the shoots reach a height of 5 cm, and cut them off with part of the rhizome.
Plant the kidneys. You can use separate containers or one common one. In the second case, maintain an interval of 7 cm.
Keep the planting shaded, water sparingly.

Shoots are transferred to open ground after rooting. It takes about a month.

Propagation of the steep by cuttings

The plant is propagated in this way at the end of June. The cuttings should be green. Must have at least 3 kidneys. The algorithm is as follows:

Cut the cuttings into 10-15 cm pieces.
Plant them in a mixture of sand and peat.
Make a film cover.

Transplanting into open ground is carried out after rooting. It takes about a month.

Pruning

Due to the annual death of obsolete branches, the steep does not require pruning during the growing season. It is carried out only as part of pre-winter preparation. The exception is the removal of inflorescences as they wilt as a preventive measure against self-seeding.

Winter hardiness of the steep

Frost resistance is high. Only young plants should be sheltered, as well as planting in regions with harsh winters.

Spruce branches, agrofibre, and other non-woven materials can be used as a shelter for the steep.

Preparing for winter

As part of preparing for winter, caring for broomstick in the fall consists of reducing the intensity of watering and pruning. The latter measure is optional and can be carried out in early spring.

It is necessary to cut the sap to the ground. In autumn, this is done when the flowering is completely over. Hemp should remain up to 10-15 cm. Pruning is carried out with a sharp knife.

Attention! In the spring, there is no need to rush to remove the shelter. The kidneys awaken when warmth is established, that is, from mid-May.

Diseases and pests

One of the benefits of steep sap is its resistance to diseases and pests. The main enemy of the plant is the miner flies, so nicknamed for the mines they leave inside it. These passages are covered by a thin skin, therefore chemical methods of struggle are ineffective. The affected leaves must be removed. With the extensive spread of the pest, Aktara and Vermitic are used. These drugs have a contact-intestinal action.

Minerals not only damage plant leaves, but also carry viruses

Attention! Bristlecone is poisonous, therefore it does not attract pests, which often spread diseases. This can be used to protect nearby plants.

Regional features

When growing the steep, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of a particular variety and region. For example, the process for Siberia is somewhat different from planting in the Moscow region.

Planting and caring for the stethoscope in Siberia

This plant can be successfully grown in Siberia, but shelter should be made for the winter. The purple stew has good frost resistance. It is he who is most loved by gardeners.

They tolerate cold weather well and various varieties of sapwood. Album is especially popular among them.

It is not recommended for Siberia wrinkled stethoscope. It is characterized by late flowering, which does not occur at all in cold regions.

Growing in the suburbs

Planting and caring for the bone marrow in the Moscow region is carried out according to the general rules. The plant survives the winter well, it does not need insulation. The exception is wrinkled stethoscope, especially the Chocolate variety. It must be covered for the winter.

Photo in landscape design

Broomstick in a landscape can be used in different ways. Effectively plant it along fences and various buildings.

Bone sill serves as a good disguise for unsightly buildings and shelter from prying eyes.

In mixed flower beds, high varieties of steep should be placed in the center. When creating multi-level plantings, it must be planted in the very last row along with other tall plants.

Attention! Bristlecone blooms late, so it is worth placing it next to earlier plants.

The plant can be effectively planted without neighbors, creating large accents on the site

It is good to plant the sapwood along the paths for beauty or zoning.

Some of the flowers can be used for cutting. They keep fresh for a long time and are suitable for making ikebans.

In nature, the steeple prefers places near water bodies, this can be used in landscape design

Attention! Pests do not like stethosis, but the scent of its flowers attracts butterflies and other insects.

What is the stethoscope combined with?

The sapwood can be combined with different plants. If you need harmony in color, then you should choose Japanese anemone, astilbe, highlander, delphinium, loosestrife, black cohosh (cimicifuga), New England asters, purple echinacea.

To create contrast, you can choose buzulnik, helenium, daylily, rudbeckia, solidago.

In terms of flowering time, the steeple goes well with large decorative grasses.

Conclusion

The care and planting of the stethoscope will not take much time and effort. The plant is unpretentious, does not require special pre-winter preparation. It can be effectively used in landscape design in group and single plantings, for camouflage, fencing, zoning.

Stem flower: when it blooms, photo, planting in the open field, care and preparation for winter