Content
Yaskolka Silver Carpet (Cerastium tomentosum Silverteppich) is a herbaceous ground cover perennial with lush and long flowering. This culture is undemanding to the care and composition of the soil, so its cultivation does not cause any difficulties, even for novice gardeners. The chrysalis quickly grows in diameter, as it easily takes root by shoots, and fills the space allotted to it. At the same time, the plant does not spare small seedlings, but resignedly yields to large-sized plants.
Planting seedlings of chickweed in open soil is carried out in July
Description of the variety and characteristics
"Silver Carpet" - one of the varieties of felt yaskolka or cerastium, as the plant is also called. The culture is a member of the Clove family. It is characterized by dense, erect shoots, which are strongly intertwined with each other and create a dense carpet on the soil surface. The height of the plant is 25-30 cm, and the growth diameter is 50-60 cm. This is achieved through underground shoots, which can easily take root in any soil.
At the "Silver Carpet" chickweed, the leaves are narrow, sessile, up to 3 cm long and no more than 0.3 cm wide. They are located oppositely on the shoots. A feature of the variety is that its stems and whole plates are densely covered with tomentose pubescence. Therefore, they have a silvery tint.
The main decoration of the plant is snow-white flowers with a diameter of about 1-1.5 cm, which abundantly cover it. They consist of 5 petals, slightly trimmed at the end, and a yellow center. Flowers near the Silver Carpet, as seen in the photo, are collected in small corymbose inflorescences.
The root system of a perennial is superficial, but it has great growth force, so it can easily break through even among stones.
This ground cover actively forms buds in the second year after planting.
The flowering period of the Silver Carpet chickpea begins at the beginning of summer and lasts a little more than a month, namely 33-35 days. Perennials need to be trimmed periodically, especially when most of its shoots are "spread out" on the soil surface. This will not only improve the bushiness of the chickweed, but also promote re-flowering at the end of August. However, in this case, the number of buds in the plant is formed much less.
At the end of flowering, oblong-shaped capsule fruits are formed. They contain small brown chive seeds.
The "Silver Carpet" variety is distinguished by its drought resistance and frost resistance. But it can suffer from thawed spring waters, as it reacts poorly even to a short-term stagnation of moisture.
Advantages and disadvantages
The "Silver Carpet" variety has a number of advantages, which makes it popular among flower growers. But the plant also has disadvantages that you need to pay attention to. Therefore, you should study the strengths and weaknesses of this perennial in advance.
Yaskolka "Silver Carpet" prefers to grow in sunny areas
Main advantages:
- unpretentiousness to care;
- abundant flowering;
- can mask any unsightly areas;
- easily tolerates a lack of moisture;
- has high frost resistance;
- breeds easily;
- not afraid of drafts;
- has increased resistance to diseases and pests.
Disadvantages:
- does not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil;
- may inhibit the growth of small crops;
- requires periodic haircuts and transplants.
Reproduction methods
You can propagate the "Silver Carpet" by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. Each of these methods has its own characteristics that need to be studied.
Seed propagation should be applied in spring and autumn. Planting can be carried out directly into the ground, as well as at home for seedlings. This method is very laborious, but it allows you to get a large number of seedlings.
Reproduction of the "Silver Carpet" variety by dividing the bush should be carried out in the spring, when the plant begins to grow. To do this, you need to dig out a bush, clear it of the ground. Then, with a shovel and a sharp knife, cut into pieces so that each one has well-developed root processes and shoots. After that, immediately plant the "delenki" in a permanent place. This method can be used for chicks older than 4 years.
Cuttings of the Silver Carpet variety can be carried out before or after flowering. To do this, it is necessary to cut the top shoots 5-10 cm long. The lower part should be cleaned of leaves. After that, plant the cuttings in moist soil in a shaded place. To speed up rooting, you can pour a solution of any root former. To create favorable conditions, cuttings must be covered with a transparent cap. Rooting of the chive occurs in 2-3 weeks.
Growing and care
In order to get strong perennial seedlings by the beginning of the season, it is necessary to sow correctly and comply with the terms. Even a florist who does not have many years of experience can cope with the cultivation of the Silver Carpet chickpea from seeds. It is enough just to adhere to the recommendations and take into account the requirements of the culture.
Seed sowing dates
Sowing of Silver Carpet shingles for seedlings in the southern regions should be carried out in early March. And in the central and northern - in the middle or at the end of this month. Previously, planting is not recommended, since the plant reacts sharply to a lack of light, as a result of which the seedlings will stretch. And this will negatively affect the further development of the bushes.
Soil preparation and site
The Silver Carpet variety prefers to grow in open areas. Therefore, when growing seedlings, you need to choose the sunniest windowsill. For planting, it is necessary to prepare wide containers with a height of 7-10 cm. They must have drainage holes, since stagnant moisture can cause the death of seedlings.
The soil should consist of turf, sand and peat, taken in equal amounts. A day before planting, you need to water it with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate and dry it a little, which will allow it to be disinfected.
Planting chive seeds Silver carpet
When sowing, it is necessary to strictly follow the procedure. This will allow you to avoid serious mistakes and, then the seedlings will not be long in coming.
Algorithm of actions:
- Fill containers with soil, water abundantly.
- Compact and level the surface well.
- Spread the seeds 1 cm apart.
- Press them a little to the ground, without sprinkling them with soil.
- Moisten with a spray bottle.
- Cover containers with plastic wrap.
Then you need to put the containers on the windowsill and ensure the temperature is + 23-25 degrees.
Seedling care and planting in open ground
If everything was done correctly, then at the end of 2-3 weeks, friendly shoots appear. During this period, it is necessary to lower the temperature to +18 degrees, which will slow down the growth of shoots and activate the development of the root system. Seedling care at this stage consists in regular watering when the soil dries out.
When the seedlings reach a height of 5 cm, they need to be dived into separate cups. The soil for this can be used the same as for planting.2 weeks after this, the seedlings can be fed with nitroammophos at the rate of 20 g per 10 l of water.
You need to plant chick seedlings in a permanent place at the end of May or at the beginning of June. To do this, you need to dig up the site in advance and add humus at the rate of 10 kg for each square. m. Yaskolka "Silver Carpet" prefers to grow on sandy loam and rocky soil, where usually other crops do not survive. The holes should be made according to the size of the root system of the seedlings at a distance of 25-30 cm.
Follow-up care
The "Silver Carpet" variety is undemanding to care. You need to water the shrub no more than 2 times a week in the absence of regular rain. You should also periodically loosen the soil at the base of the plant. For feeding during the active growing season in the spring, you can use organic fertilizers.
With a strong overgrowth of bushes, shoots must be cut off by 1/3 of the length. Every 5-7 years, the Silver Carpet needs rejuvenation. To do this, the plant must be divided into several parts and transplanted to a new place.
Pests and diseases
Yaskolka "Silver Carpet", subject to the conditions of cultivation, is not affected by diseases and pests. This feature of the plant also contributes to its popularity with flower growers. But in order to maintain the increased stability of the shrub, it is necessary to remove weeds in a timely manner, loosen the soil at the base of the bushes and prevent overflows.
What plants is combined with
The Silver Carpet shingle has a tendency to chaotic growth, which leads to the suppression of small plants planted nearby. Therefore, when choosing partners, you need to take this into account.
It goes well with:
- tulips;
- calendula;
- dark types of bells;
- saxifrage;
- cineraria;
- peonies;
- juniper;
- boxwood.
The "Silver Carpet" variety can be grown in hollows between stones
Conclusion
Yaskolka Silver carpet is a ground cover that can mask any unsightly places on the site. At the same time, the plant does not require complex care and easily tolerates drought and frost, and not all garden crops have such qualities. Therefore, once settling in the garden, she remains in it for a long time.
Reviews of the shingle Silver carpet
