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Peony Etched Salmon is considered a recognized leader. This hybrid American variety has recently begun to spread in Russia. The peony is prized for its beautiful coral pink flowers with a delicate lemon scent. Due to its satisfactory winter hardiness, such a peony can be grown in many regions of Central Russia.
Description of the peony Etched Salmon
Peony Etched Salmon is a hybrid cultivar bred in the USA in 1981. It produces lush, truly luxurious flowers of pink and coral shades with a diameter of 15-16 cm. The leaves are wide, rich green. The stems are strong, hold the shoots and flowers well, therefore they do not need to install supporting supports. The bush is compact, medium in height (70-80 cm).
Etched Salmon belongs to the sun-loving varieties, so it is best to plant it in an open, well-lit area. There is evidence that it has good winter hardiness. However, it is recommended to grow only in Central Russia, mainly in the middle lane and in the South of the country (Kuban, Stavropol Territory, North Caucasus).
In the photo of the Etched Almon peony, you can see that it really gives very lush, delicate flowers of a pleasant light coral color.
Etched Salmon peony flowers are painted in pastel pink and coral shades
Flowering features
Peony Etched Salmon belongs to large-flowered, terry, tree-like varieties. Flowers of the correct rounded shape, double, pink. The outer petals have a waxy texture, so they hold their shape perfectly. The central petals are sometimes edged with gold, which gives them a special beauty.
The flowering period is medium-early, in early to mid-summer. Usually the flowers grow very lush, it depends on:
- care (watering, feeding, mulching);
- soil fertility;
- abundant sunshine (Etched Salmon prefers open areas);
- the lightness of the soil structure (the soil must be loosened regularly).
Application in design
The herbaceous peony Etched Salmon perfectly decorates the garden with its bright flowers, therefore it can be used both in single and in group plantings. Since the flowers are very beautiful, it is better to place the bush in the most conspicuous place - next to the entrance, on an open lawn, in the center of the flower garden.
Peony Etched Salmon goes well with many flowers and plants:
- juniper;
- poppies;
- yellow daylily;
- honeysuckle bushes;
- chrysanthemums;
- nasturtium;
- bells;
- tulips;
- delphiniums.
Since the bush grows quite large and loves abundant sunlight, it will not work to grow it at home (even on the southern windows).
Etched Salmon peonies look good in large, open spaces
Reproduction methods
The main breeding methods for the Etched Salmon peony are cuttings and layering. Moreover, the latter option is considered the simplest and most effective. It is better to start the procedure in early spring, after the snow has completely melted.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- In an adult plant (4-5 years old), a powerful shoot with several healthy buds is chosen.
- They take a box without a bottom and put it directly on this shoot. Sprinkle with earth from the sides.
- Then it is filled 10 cm with a mixture of garden soil, sand and compost - respectively 2: 1: 1.
- After a few weeks, shoots will appear - then they need to be sprinkled with another mixture: garden soil with compost and rotted manure in the same ratio (layer up to a maximum of 30 cm).
- Throughout the entire period, the land must be watered regularly.
- As soon as the buds appear, they need to be pinched - now it is important to preserve the foliage.
- At the beginning of autumn, the layers are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place or to a temporary site (with a subsequent transplant after 2 years).
Etched Salmon peonies can be propagated by cuttings and layering, the method of dividing the bush is also used
Landing rules
Peony Etched Salmon is purchased in specialized stores. It is best to plant them in late August or early September, and for the southern regions, in late September or early October. The place must be chosen especially carefully, since this type of peony does not like frequent transplants.
When choosing, one should proceed from several requirements:
- The plot is open, preferably without shade (in the south, weak shading is allowed for 2-3 hours a day).
- Preferably upland - in the lowlands rain and melt water accumulate.
- The place should be protected from open wind whenever possible.
Etched Salmon peonies love fertile, light soils, preferably loams and chernozems with moderately acidic or neutral pH = 5.5-7.0. They grow poorly on highly acidified soils, so it is better to neutralize them first by adding, for example, a few pinches of lime or dolomite flour.
The landing technology is simple - it is recommended to act as follows:
- The site is cleaned and carefully dug to a depth of 2 shovel bayonets.
- A planting hole is formed with a depth and diameter of 60 cm.
- It is covered with a mixture of sand, peat, humus, garden soil in equal amounts. It is advisable to add 1 kg of wood ash, a large spoonful of copper sulfate, a glass of superphosphate and a small spoonful of potash (potassium carbonate) to these components.
- Root the seedling and sprinkle it with earth, while not compacting the soil.
- Sprinkle abundantly with 1-2 buckets of water.
Follow-up care
Peony Etched Salmon is quite picky about care, however, it is easy to fulfill the basic conditions. First of all, in the spring (immediately after the snow melts), it must be well watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate 1%. This provides not only disinfection of the soil, but also stimulates the swelling of the kidneys.
In the future, watering should be abundant - every 10 days the peony is given at least 3 buckets of water (for young seedlings, a little less is possible). In case of drought, watering is carried out weekly, in the presence of rain, its volume is reduced.
It is better to water Etched Salmon peonies in the evening, shortly before sunset
If fertilizer and humus have already been applied to the ground during planting, the plant does not need feeding for the next 2-3 seasons. At 3 or 4 years, they begin to fertilize regularly:
- In the spring, nitrogen fertilizing - for example, ammonium nitrate.
- During flowering, superphosphates, potassium salt (can be alternated with mullein solution).
- Immediately after flowering - again with potassium salt and superphosphates.
- In the fall, a month before frost - a similar composition.
In order for the soil to retain moisture for as long as possible, as well as to resist weeds, it is advisable to mulch the roots. To do this, it is enough to lay out a layer of 4-5 cm of sawdust, straw, hay, pine needles or peat.
Preparing for winter
A few weeks before the onset of frost, the Etched Salmon peony must be cut almost to ground level, leaving small stumps of 5 cm each.The work is carried out using scissors or pruning shears, the tools are pre-disinfected in potassium permanganate or other means.
After that, the bush is sprinkled with earth and sprinkled with:
- humus;
- high peat;
- straw;
- spruce branches.
The layer must completely cover the plant, and in the spring it must be removed in time, otherwise the shoots will perepereut.
Etched Salmon peonies, with proper care, give very beautiful flowers
Pests and diseases
Etched Salmon is periodically affected by fungal and viral diseases:
- mosaic leaf disease;
- gray rot;
- rust;
- powdery mildew.
Also, damage to the plant is caused by:
- May beetles;
- nematodes;
- aphid;
- ants;
- thrips.
Therefore, even before planting, Etched Salmon peony bushes should be treated with the fungicides "Maxim", "Topaz", "Skor" or other preparations. Secondary processing is carried out in a month, then the same period (until the formation of buds).
For prevention purposes, it is recommended to carry out treatment with insecticides ("Biotlin", "Karate", "Aktellik"). In the early stages of the appearance of a colony of insects, folk remedies help well (wood ash, baking soda solution, shavings of laundry soap, decoction of onion husks, and others).
To preserve the Etched Salmon peony, it must be periodically examined for signs of diseases and pests.
Conclusion
It is quite possible to grow Etched Salmon peony, especially in the climatic conditions of the south and middle zone. Thanks to timely watering, loosening the soil and applying fertilizers, you can get several beautiful lush flowers on 1 bush. If desired, both an experienced and a novice gardener can cope with this task.
