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Weigela Bristol Ruby is a decorative species with red flowers and a dense crown that will brighten any area. Every gardener will appreciate such a plant, since weigela Bristol Ruby is not only beautiful, but also unpretentious, and is also resistant to cold weather.
Description of Weigela Bristol Ruby
This perennial ornamental plant is named after the German botanist Christian Weigel. Weigela species Bristol Ruby was bred by American scientists in 1941 by crossing several other species - weigela flowering, Korean, garden and profusely flowering. Since then, this new variety has become the most popular in Europe.
Weigela Bristol Ruby belongs to the Honeysuckle family, its homeland is the Far East. She lives up to 50 years. The height of the bush is 2.5 m, the crown is about 3.5 m. The leaves of the weigela Bristol Ruby are oblong, and the flowers of 4 - 5 petals resemble elongated ruby bells in shape, united by several pieces into inflorescences. They are quite large in size - 4 - 5 cm in diameter and smell nice.
The name also shows the color of the petals. The yellow middle adds brightness to the ruby. Description and photo of weigela Bristol Ruby will help you get a complete picture of this plant.
Weigela Bristol Ruby in the photo:
Weigela is frost-resistant, which is important, given the Russian climate.
How the red weigela Bristol Ruby blooms
Blooming weigela Bristol Ruby pleases the eye for about 2 weeks. She is very beautiful. Its most interesting feature is that the color of the petals changes from pale crimson to rich ruby, as the bud opens.
Weigela Bristol Ruby blooms 2 times, the first in June, and the second in late August. Later, boxes with small seeds appear in place of flowers.
If this shrub is planted in the shade, it will bloom very little. In case of damage to the root system, lack of moisture and nutrients, ruby bells will not please gardeners at all.
Application of weigela Bristol Ruby in landscape design
A beautiful medium-sized perennial shrub with lush green foliage suitable for growing hedges. It looks advantageous in the garden at the entrance to the site, on a well-groomed lawn, and also as part of various compositions. Bright red flowers look great against a green background. Repeated blooming emphasizes the autumnal tone of the garden.
Weigela Bristol Ruby does not shed its leaves until the end of autumn, and its bushes adorn the garden for a long time, not only in summer, but also in autumn.
How the hybrid weigela Bristol Ruby reproduces
The Bristol Ruby hybrid weigela reproduces with:
- seeds;
- cuttings.
In late February - early March, seeds are planted in moist soil in greenhouses or at home. You do not need to deeply bury them in the ground: just sprinkle them with sand (preferably river) and cover with a film. The seeds should sprout after about 3 weeks.
Cuttings fit lignified and young. The first type of shoots is obtained in July, when the flowers fall off.The buds on weigel Bristol Ruby from such cuttings will not be tied up earlier than 5 years later: that is why the bush is often grown from young cuttings. You need to cut them off in May, before the buds appear. The length of the shoot is 10 - 13 cm, it should contain 2 - 3 buds or leaves.
Cut cuttings are left in water with a growth catalyst for 12 hours (150 ml per 1 liter) in the dark and warm. Heteroauxin promotes rapid root growth. After 12 hours, the cuttings are placed in boxes with a mixture of peat and sand under a film. They are planted no deeper than 0.5 cm. It is necessary to moisten the soil well and moisten the leaves, every 3-4 days you can treat it with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent the appearance of fungi and bacteria. After a month, the roots will sprout, and the cuttings can be transplanted into the ground with the addition of humus to the mixture. It is recommended to plant a shrub on the site after 1 - 1.5 years.
Planting and caring for the weigela Bristol Ruby
Weigela prefers a mild climate and is rather unpretentious. It does not need, for example, a certain soil acidity. In the case of correct planting and care, weigela Bristol Ruby grows in height and width, blooms twice a summer. The bush grows on average 25 - 30 cm every year. But at the same time, adhere to a number of rules.
Recommended timing
It is better to plant or transplant the weigela Bristol Ruby in the spring (March - April), before the beginning of the flowering period. By this time, the earth will have warmed up enough. If you plant in the fall, then before winter the plant may not have time to take root and will die. Saplings over 3 years old take root better.
Site selection and soil preparation
A place should be chosen with good access to sunlight. In addition, it must be closed from the winds. A bush can also grow and bloom in a small shade, but a strong shade will lead to low flowering, slow ripening of seeds and early woody shoots.
Soil types most suitable:
- neutral, slightly alkaline;
- loamy, sandy loam.
Weigela Bristol Ruby loves light, fertile soil without excess moisture or stagnant water. There is no need for drainage on sandstone.
The roots are sprinkled with peat and humus in equal parts. An alternative option is to mix turf, sand, humus in a ratio of 1: 2: 2.
How to plant correctly
Planting weigels Bristol Ruby is carried out in loosened soil, but not too moist. It is not forbidden to add fertilizers to the pit. The roots in the pit need free space (at least 50, or better - 60 cm in depth and width). You cannot sprinkle the root collar.
Then the seedling should be watered and the soil should be poured to the desired level in case of shrinkage. After that, you need to mulch the soil with crushed bark with sawdust or peat. Mulching will retain moisture, prevent weeds from growing, and the roots will not overheat.
Growing rules
It is necessary to water, feed, and also loosen and prune the shrub in a timely manner so that it delights the gardener with beautiful flowers. Care is important even for unpretentious plants.
Growing weigela Bristol Ruby in the photo:
Watering
You need to water the plant regularly, but in moderation - as the soil dries out. Excess or deficiency will lead to depletion and death of the culture. In autumn, watering is reduced, since the wood needs to mature before the onset of cold weather.
Top dressing
For the first time, weigela Bristol Ruby is fertilized in the spring with urea (20 g / m2), superphosphate (10 g / m2) and potassium (10 g / m2). If fertilizing was applied during planting, the bush is fertilized in the summer when the buds swell with potassium and phosphorus (30 g / m2). You can feed the third time with potassium alone at the end of September.
Loosening, mulching
The soil must be loosened every time after watering (no deeper than 5 - 8 cm) to provide oxygen access to the roots.For mulching, sawdust is usually used, they need to be poured in a layer of 10 cm.
Pruning, crown shaping
The plant should be pruned once every 1 to 2 years, in spring or summer. In July (after the first flowering), the dried-up part of the shoot is cut off or shortened in half. It is better to coat the place of the cut with garden varnish.
Every year it is recommended to remove 1/4 of the shoots, then the shrub will turn out to be spreading, with a beautiful crown.
Preparing for winter
The winter hardiness of the Bristol Ruby weigela is high, the Russian climate is well suited for it. If the winter is mild, the shrub need not be insulated - it will be enough to spud it (the height of the hill is not more than 20 cm) and mulch with peat or compost.
Usually, the culture is insulated when the leaves from it completely fly around, and the soil freezes slightly. They do it like this:
- The branches are tied together, bent or left straight on a special frame;
- The roots are covered with pine branches and leaves, burlap is laid;
- The bush is wrapped with a covering material or pressed down with roofing material, roofing felt;
- Cover with plastic wrap on top. If snow has already fallen on the site, you can fill up the entire structure. Snow saves shrubs from the cold the best.
Pests and diseases
Weigela Bristol Ruby is quite resistant to various diseases. If aphids attack, the bush is sprayed with Karbofos, a solution with laundry soap or potassium permanganate. Infusions of tobacco dust (makhorka), garlic, potato tops, onions, hot pepper, or wormwood also help. Rusty stains and rot will be destroyed by Topsin. The bush is sprayed with a 1% solution, except for the period when the buds have not yet blossomed - then the 3% composition of the drug is diluted.
It is important to remove fallen leaves from areas where weigela Bristol Ruby grows, because this is a favorable environment for the appearance of fungal diseases.
Rodents and beetles can also harm, especially the roots.
Conclusion
Weigela Bristol Ruby is a beautiful perennial shrub of the Honeysuckle family that can be used as a hedge or combined with other vegetation. It will liven up any area with its ruby-colored bell flowers. The culture propagates by seeds and cuttings, blooms twice in one season
