Content
Periwinkle Kiffa is a perennial herbaceous shrub with creeping stems. A variety was created for ampel cultivation. But the culture is also suitable for cultivation in open areas, it is used as a ground cover plant.
Description
Periwinkle Kiffa (Vinca rosea) or catharanthus is a dwarf species growing in the form of a herbaceous shrub with creeping shoots. Variety characteristic:
- The bush is compact, with high shoots, grows up to 25 cm in height, the crown diameter is 20 cm.
- The lower stems are located close to the ground, the next ones weave from above in a chaotic direction. It turns out a cushion-shaped dense curtain of green mass.
- Periwinkle Kiffa is a densely leafy plant, the leaves are collected in rosettes of 3-5 pcs., The plates are hard, glossy, lanceolate, dark green. They do not change color with the onset of autumn, go under the snow and retain their appearance until spring.
- The flowers are simple, five-petaled, lilac or dark pink, rather large for a dwarf form, with a diameter within 4.5 cm. Located in the leaf axils. In the flowering phase, the bush is completely covered with a purple cloud.
Periwinkle blooms in May, the buds do not bloom at the same time, the cycle lasts until June, budding resumes in the south in the fall
Growing from seeds
They mainly use the generative method of reproduction. Planting material germinates well, but not amicably. To speed up the process, periwinkle seedlings are grown or seeds are sown directly on the site. By sowing time they are guided by the weather conditions of the region. The Kiffa variety will be ready to disembark in 1.5 months.
The seedlings are determined on the site in the spring, after the establishment of warm weather. For seedlings, seeds are sown in containers filled with a nutrient substrate. They germinate at + 20-250 C.
After the formation of 3-4 leaves of periwinkle Kiffa, they dive into separate containers
Seed preparation
The seeds are placed in a wet cloth and refrigerated for several days to stratify. Before sowing, they are dipped in a manganese solution, disinfection can be carried out with any antifungal drug. After disinfection, the planting material is treated with a growth stimulator.
How to sow
Kiffa periwinkle is sown in well-moistened soil. For seedlings, a mixture of compost and peat is prepared, nitrogen fertilizers are added.
Sowing:
- Longitudinal grooves are made, 1.5 cm deep.
- Maintain 8-10 cm between them.
- Seeds are sown, covered with soil, watered and covered with foil. After the emergence of seedlings, the covering material is removed.
If the seeds are planted on the site, then the film is returned to its place at night, and removed during the day.
Outdoor planting and care
Periwinkle Kiffa can grow on any soil. The culture is undemanding to lighting. The speed of vegetation and the abundance of flowering does not depend on ultraviolet radiation. The periwinkle grows, both in a sunny place and in the shade, it feels good in stationary conditions.
Planting sequence:
- The site is dug up, the roots of the weed are removed.
- Compost with peat is introduced.
- For seeds, furrows are made with a depth of 1-2 cm. If seedlings are placed, then the dimensions of the hole are adjusted to the size of the root, it must be completely deepened.
- Periwinkle Kiffa is sown without observing the interval.The thickened planting is thinned out, and the material is seated anywhere on the site. Saplings are placed at a distance of 10 cm.
After planting, the seeds are covered and watered with a solution of a nitrogen preparation
The work is carried out in the spring, when the soil has warmed up to +150 C, or in August. Periwinkle Kiffa has a high index of frost resistance, if the seeds are planted in moist soil, they will quickly germinate and overwinter safely.
The plants are watered regularly throughout the season. Periwinkle Kiffa reacts poorly to dry soil. Watering is carried out with a sufficient amount of water. The root circle should be moist, but without stagnant water. In regions with frequent rains, the culture has enough seasonal rainfall.
Periwinkle can grow without fertilizers, but for better vegetation, it is recommended to feed the crop with nitrogen during planting. During flowering, complex mineral fertilizers are used, and organic matter is introduced at the end of summer.
Diseases and pests
Periwinkle Kiffa is resistant to fungal and bacterial infections, the plant rarely gets sick. In the dry season, with a moisture deficit, the leaf blade loses its turgor. But this happens with the wrong agricultural technology. For the problem to disappear, it is enough to water the culture.
Periwinkle is a poisonous plant with bitter juice, so pests rarely appear on it. The only parasitic insect is aphids. To get rid of its invasion, anthills are removed on the site, and the plant is treated with Kinmix.
It is necessary to spray from aphids not only problem bushes, but also adjacent cultures
Pruning
Stems that spoil the decorative effect of the plant are cut off after flowering. At the beginning of the season, corrective and sanitary pruning is carried out. All dry and weak stems are removed. If the periwinkle is too thick, twisted old stems are cut in the central part. The culture is perennial, with intensive shoots, therefore, it is rejuvenated once every 4 years. For this, the green mass is completely removed in the fall.
Preparing for winter
The culture is frost-resistant, periwinkle rarely freezes out. Even if the aerial part is damaged, a small fragment of a healthy root is enough for the plant to fully recover within a season. To protect from the cold, young periwinkle is covered with spruce branches. An adult culture is irrigated with water and fertilized with a phosphorus agent.
Reproduction
For reproduction of the Kiffa periwinkle, they use not only the generative method. Culture can be obtained:
- Layers. In the spring, the lower stems are added in, in August, the established and rooted shoots are separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place of growth.
- Cuttings. They are harvested in the spring before flowering, you can do this during the formative pruning of the crown. Cuttings are immediately placed in fertile soil or in a container of water.
On the site, the cuttings are left until spring, they are well insulated for the winter. In water, the material gives roots in 3-4 weeks. After that, the cuttings can be planted in a flower pot or taken out to the site.
Less often they use the division of the mother plant, the plots quickly and safely take root.
Photo in landscape
Periwinkle Kiffa is a dwarf form of culture. Basically, the plant is used as a ground cover. Ideas and photographs of Kiff's periwinkle in garden design will help create an unusual corner on any site:
- Ground cover plants, including the Kiffa variety, are often used to create curbs.
- Periwinkle can be grown as tamping of tall plants around the perimeter of a flower bed.
- Climbing plants are often used to decorate rockeries.
- An interesting solution - vertical gardening of tiered structures
- A mixborder created on the contrast of colors of different varieties is sure to catch the eye.
- Ampel views on a portable structure are suitable for decorating any corner of the garden.
Conclusion
Periwinkle Kiffa is an ornamental crop that is used for growing in greenhouses, rooms and in an open area. The plant is frost-resistant, undemanding to lighting, and is characterized by simple agricultural techniques.Used for the design of rockeries, for vertical gardening. With the help of seedlings, border compositions are created. Periwinkle is not susceptible to disease, rarely affected by pests.
