Heather

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Video: Heather

Video: Heather
Video: Conan Gray - Heather (Lyric Video) 2024, March
Heather
Heather
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Heather (Latin Calluna) - a genus of shrubs of the Heather family. The only representative of the genus is Common Heather (Latin Calluna vulgaris). In nature, heather is found in North Africa, Greenland, North America, the temperate zone of Asia and Europe. On the territory of Russia, the plant grows in Eastern and Western Siberia, in the Urals, as well as in the European part. Typical places are pine forests, peat bogs and burnt places.

Characteristics of culture

Heather is a dwarf, highly branched shrub up to 0.6 m in height with open rigid branches and a rounded crown. The root system is compact, the main part of the roots lies close to the soil surface. The leaves are small, green, scaly, acicular, arranged in a spiral or in rows. In autumn, the foliage becomes reddish-purple in color.

The flowers are numerous, bell-shaped, fragrant, collected in one-sided brushes, can be of the most varied colors, but more often pink, pink-purple, wine and white shades prevail. The fruit is a four-celled capsule containing a large number of small seeds.

The culture blooms from the second or third decade of July to mid-August, but depending on the climatic zones, the flowering time may vary. The hearths ripen in early autumn - September-October. On average, one shrub lives for 40-50 years.

Growing conditions

Heather prefers well-lit areas, areas with light shading are not prohibited. In full shade, plants lose their decorative effect, since they practically do not form flowers. Soils are optimal fertile, loose, moist, acidic. Good drainage is a must, especially in areas with compacted soils. It does not accept the heather of lowlands with stagnant melt water, as well as heavy compacted and swampy soils.

Reproduction and planting

Heather is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and division of rhizomes. The seed method is laborious and time consuming. First, the seeds are scattered in a thin layer over the container, thoroughly moistened and covered with glass. After about 14-20 days, the seeds will hatch, and only after that they are sown in seedling boxes filled with fresh substrate consisting of fertile soil and peat. The first shoots appear 30-40 days after sowing. The optimum room temperature is 18-20C. It is important to provide seedlings and regular watering. In summer, the seedlings are periodically taken out to the balcony or street, but they are planted in open ground only after 1, 5-2 years.

Propagation of heather by layering is one of the most effective and simple ways. Moreover, by layers, the culture can also multiply independently, because over time, the lower shoots of shrubs lie on the surface of the soil and, accordingly, form roots. Such layers are separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

When propagating by cuttings, the planting material is cut from the top of healthy and strong shoots. This procedure is carried out at the end of the summer. Before rooting, cuttings are planted in containers with a substrate consisting of sand and peat in a ratio of 1: 3. For successful rooting of cuttings, the room temperature must be maintained at 15-18C. Once every two weeks, the planting material is fed with a urea solution, the use of microfertilizers is not prohibited. In open ground, already formed young plants are planted the next year.

When planting heather with seedlings, it is important to observe the optimal distance, which should be at least 40-50 cm. The seedlings are planted together with an earthen clod, but when they are lowered into the planting hole, the roots are carefully straightened in different directions. The root collar of the seedling should be located a couple of centimeters above the soil surface. After planting, the soil in the near-trunk zone is slightly compacted, then watered abundantly and mulched with sawdust or small chips, and peat is also suitable for these purposes.

Care

Heather needs systematic fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. This procedure is carried out in early spring. Fertilizer should not fall on the leaves and flowers of the shrub, otherwise burns cannot be avoided. Heathers have a negative attitude to heat, so they need to be sprayed in the evening. Watering should also be regular.

Removing weeds and shallow loosening are equally important heath care procedures. Sanitary pruning of plants is carried out in early spring (before the start of sap flow). Formative pruning is also useful, as without this operation, heathers lose their shape and age quickly. For the winter, the near-trunk zone is mulched with peat, and the plants are covered with spruce branches. The shelter is removed no earlier than April (depending on the climatic zone, the dates may vary).

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