Content
Planting and caring for Platicodon is fairly simple. This plant does not need feeding. Young bushes should be watered frequently and abundantly, while adults should be watered only during dry periods. The flower is characterized by good winter hardiness, so it is easy to grow it in almost any region of Russia.
Description of Platicodon perennial bell
Platycodon is a perennial plant in the Bellflower family. For the characteristic shape of the flowers, it is also called a bell (translated from Greek "platycodon" means "wide bell"). The flowers are really large, up to 7-8 cm in diameter. They consist of five fused petals of various colors (depending on the variety):
- white;
- purple;
- blue;
- pink;
- light and dark purple.
Flowering lasts 2 months, in the second half of summer (starting in mid-July). The leaves of the plant have a rich green color, come out of the root rosette. Flowers are collected in groups (inflorescences in the form of panicles) or are arranged singly. Densely leafy shoots, straight, in height can reach from 20 to 80 cm (depending on the variety). In the photo of the platycodon, it can be seen that the flowers of this perennial contrast well against the background of attractive greenery.
The height and color of flowers depends on the specific cultivar.
In nature, the plant is found in Eastern Siberia, the Far East of Russia and in neighboring countries (China, Korea, Japan). Platycodon is also successfully bred in gardens, since it has good winter hardiness (it can withstand frosts down to -40 ° C).
Platycodon varieties
Platycodon varieties are conventionally divided into 2 groups:
- Dwarf - they grow no higher than 25 cm.
- Tall - up to 50-70 cm.
The first group includes the following varieties:
- Astra Blue (Astra Blue or blue): can be grown not only in the garden, but also in pots. The plant is compact, undersized, while the flowers are large enough, up to 5-6 cm in diameter.
- Astra White: Platycodon variety with pure white flowers. Differs in dwarf size, its height does not exceed 20 cm. Flowers are large, wide open.
- Sentimental Blue: A short, sprawling shrub of Platycodon with deep light blue flowers. The culture is grown as an annual, since it blooms in the year of planting.
- Axminster Streaked (Axminster Stricked): one of the most beautiful Platycodons. Contrasting blue strokes are on the pale blue background of flowers.
Popular large plant varieties:
- Fairy Snow is the tallest species. It grows up to 80 cm. The flowers are white and have beautiful blue veins.
- White-flowered Fuji White (Fuji White): attracts attention with graceful bells of a milky shade. When planting a platycodon flower (pictured) in a flower bed, it should be borne in mind that the bush is tall and moderately spreading. Its height reaches 50-70 cm.
- Fuji Pink (Fuji Pink) - related to the white platycodon. Its flowers are pale pink, which is achieved due to the peculiar color of the veins in the petals.
- Blue Fuji Blue: one of the tallest, can grow up to 70 cm. The flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter. Also belongs to the Fuji series of white and pink platycodons.
Some varieties of Platycodon can withstand frosts down to -40 ° C, others up to -30 ° C or less. Therefore, it is recommended to grow different plants in different regions.
Platycodon in landscape design
Tall bushes of Platycodon are often used in single plantings. They are used to decorate shady parts of the garden, for example, next to the house, in the near-trunk circle of a powerful tree, not far from tall shrubs. The plant can also be combined with the usual garden flowers:
- phlox;
- peonies;
- irises;
- daylilies.
Low-growing varieties are used for framing paths, in mixborders, alpine slides. Platycodons look great on the coast, next to a bench, a gazebo and other recreation areas.
The main condition is not to forget about creating partial shade so that the bells feel as comfortable as possible.
Interesting options for the use of platycodon in landscape design (pictured) will help when decorating a garden plot:
- A blooming culture looks good in combination with hosts and other ornamental plants.
- You can decorate your lawn with a single planting of Platicodon.
- Low-growing varieties can be used to create a curb.
- Platycodon flowers grown in barrels can be transferred to any corner of the garden.
It grows slowly and does not take up too much space. Therefore, any ornamental plants can become a neighbor of such a flower (provided the correct combination in shape, color and size).
Features of the reproduction of Platicodon
Platicodon is quite difficult to dilute with cuttings, since many of them do not take root. Although, if desired, you can still get several daughter bushes. Cuttings are cut at the beginning of summer (shoots with two internodes are taken and grown in wet sand in greenhouse conditions, and then transferred to open ground).
The division of Platicodon rhizomes is also not suitable, since in this case the bush is severely injured. Delenki often do not take root, and because of this procedure, the mother plant may also suffer.
Therefore, the only effective (and not very laborious) method of reproduction of Platycodon is growing from seeds. To obtain seedlings, grains are sown in early March. You can purchase a universal soil for flower plants, or mix equal amounts of peat, humus and sand.
The instructions for breeding Platycodon are simple:
- The seeds are buried 3-5 mm, sprinkled with earth a little.
- Water abundantly.
- The container is covered with a glass lid and removed to a warm place.
- First, it is grown at a temperature of 23-25 ° C. As soon as shoots appear, they are gradually reduced to 16 ° C.
- Then they are grown under normal conditions and Platicodon is transferred to open ground in early May.
The first shoots appear rather late - at the end of April or in May.
Planting and caring for Platicodon in the open field
Any gardener can handle planting and caring for Platicodon, since the bell is undemanding to growing conditions. He needs moderate watering and infrequent feeding. Moreover, you need to take particular care of young bushes, while adult plants do not require special care.
When to plant platycodon
Young bell bushes are thermophilic, so they can be planted in open ground only when the frost will definitely not return. In most regions of Russia in the second half of June, in the south - at the beginning of the month.
In the Urals and Siberia, it is better to plant Platikodon in early June, and if the summer is cold - 1-2 weeks later.
Site selection and soil preparation
The culture prefers light, fertile soil (preferably loam) with a little sand. The reaction should be neutral. The landing site should be:
- protected from direct sunlight (you can choose partial shade from garden trees or tall shrubs);
- protected from the wind;
- not waterlogged (it is undesirable to plant in a lowland).
The soil is pre-cleaned and dug up, trying to break up all large lumps. If the soil is not very fertile, you should apply a complex mineral fertilizer (50-60 g per 1 m2).
Planting Platicodon in open ground
The bell planting algorithm is as follows:
- Several holes are dug at a distance of 15-20 cm. A more rare planting is also allowed, depending on the design.
- A small drainage layer (2-3 cm) of small stones, broken brick is laid.
- Seedlings are placed and sprinkled with earth so that the root collar is as close as possible to the surface (at the same time it should not be visible).
- The soil is lightly tamped, watered abundantly with settled water.
- Mulch with humus, peat, straw or other materials at hand.
Platicodon's roots are very fragile, so you should act with extreme caution.
Watering and feeding schedule
Outdoor care for Platycodon is not very difficult. During the first two weeks after planting, the bells are watered almost every day with a little water. Then the liquid is added only as needed, preventing the soil from completely drying out. Adult bushes, which are more than 3-4 years old, are watered only during drought.
It is not necessary to feed the plants during the first season (if the site has been previously fertilized).
Complex fertilizer can be applied in April or May
If the mulch contains humus, you do not need to additionally feed the platycodon.
Loosening, weeding, mulching
Platycodon, like many other flowers, loves light soil into which oxygen is supplied. Therefore, you need to loosen it regularly, for example, once every 7-10 days. It is especially important to do this before watering so that the water quickly flows to the roots of the bell.
So that there are fewer weeds, and the soil retains moisture longer, it is mulched with peat, humus, sawdust, hay
Pinching, garter
Platicodon takes a long time to emerge (when grown by seeds), but then quickly picks up growth rates and goes up. To prevent the shoots from stretching too much, they need to be pinched regularly when they reach the desired height. Growth inhibitors can also be used.
It is not necessary to tie up the bells, since the shoots are straight and the flowers are not heavy, the plant keeps its shape well. But if the moment of active growth is missed (there was no pinching), and the shoot is very stretched, you need to put a wooden peg next to it and tie the bush with a rope.
Preparation for wintering
Many varieties of platycodons have good winter hardiness. But in any case, the plants need to be prepared for the cold season. After flowering, dried seed bolls are collected (if they plan to grow seedlings) and all flower stalks are cut off.
At the end of September, the stem of the plant is cut off completely, leaving a stump of 2-3 cm. Cover with mulch - it can be humus, dry foliage, peat. The layer should be high enough without the need for additional cover. The next year, the mulch must be removed at the end of March so that the platycodon does not have time to overheat.
Diseases and pests
Platicodon has a very good immunity to diseases and pests. Only occasionally can a plant suffer from gray rot. This disease usually develops due to excessive watering. Gray or yellowish brown spots appear on the leaves. In this case, it is necessary:
- Remove all damaged platycodon leaves and discard away from the site or burn.
- Loosen the soil thoroughly and do not water it soon.
- Treat the plant with a fungicide - you can use Bordeaux liquid and other drugs (Fundazol, Skor, Ordan, Maxim).
As for pests, they practically do not occur on the surface of the leaves and stem of Platycodon. Insects can parasitize on the bellflower roots. It is difficult to determine this, so it is better to try to regularly loosen the soil and transplant the bushes to a new place in 5-7 years.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for Platicodon is straightforward, so any gardener can handle them. Flowers look spectacular, especially when several plants of the same height are densely planted. The culture works well with different plants to create interesting compositions that bring the garden to life.
