Carpathian bell - a charming highlight for an alpine slide
As soon as summer takes its positions, bright blue or snow-white lights light up on the country flower beds. This cute plant is called - Carpathian bell, chenille, bells or chebotki. It is a lush bush covered with many graceful buds. Today, at least 300 varieties of the flower are known and new variants continue to appear. The particular popularity of the plant encourages even beginners to breed it in their summer cottages. What steps should be taken so that the bright stars of delicate bells light up on the flower bed? First of all, let's get acquainted with its external features.
Carpathian bell at our service
Few people think about why flowers grow on earth. Of course, they decorate flower beds and bring joy to people. However, their diversity speaks of nature's greatest love for humanity. To thank her for this, fans of greenery get to know more about certain types of flowers and grow them with pleasure.
The Carpathian bell is a perennial plant that sprouts new shoots every year. They reach 30 cm in height, and this is what attract attention. Every season, delicate bell-shaped buds appear on low-growing bushes. On lush greenery, consisting of small foliage, they look like flaming lights. The duration of flowering depends on the type of plant. Some varieties begin to bloom as early as July. The last inflorescences adorn the bushes in early autumn.
In order to stimulate active branching of the plant in different directions, it is advisable to remove wilted buds.
If you take a closer look at the flower, you can see the shape of the flower's miniature foliage. Oval plates have sharpened edges. In the root zone, they are much larger than at the top. This gives the bush grace and uniqueness.
Funnel-shaped buds are painted in the following colors:
- snow-white;
- blue;
- purple;
- sky blue.
The diameter of the flower bowl is about 5 cm. The petals are simple and double in nature.
The most popular varieties:
- Alba White Star (white buds);
- Isabelle Celestina (blue tint);
- Chenton Joy (blue petals);
- "Karpatenkrone" (purple flower buds);
- "Clip" (dwarf version).
Since each of them has its own uniqueness and features, it is best to decide in advance which type to give preference to. The amazing look of the Carpathian bell - Gnome, planting and caring for which does not require much effort, is liked by many gardeners. It is a spherical green bushes. During flowering, they wear an outfit of many bright buds of white or blue. Planting is carried out using seedlings. Seeds are sown at the end of April or the first week of May, using containers with a fertile substrate. After 20 days, the first shoots appear. When they get stronger, they are planted on flower bed.
We take into account the subtleties of planting a delicate flower
Competent cultivation of the Carpathian bell includes several principles that must be carefully followed. Before planting a plant on a site, you should remember that it loves an abundance of sunlight. In addition, the bell feels great in one flower bed for at least 5 years. These 2 factors help to wisely choose the place to plant the "mountain" beauty.
Since the flower does not tolerate liquid stagnation, the soil needs to be provided with high-quality drainage... If the roots have excess moisture in the cold season, they can freeze. As a result, the plant will die. The soil for the Carpathian bell should be neutral. Before planting, humus is introduced into it and plowed deeply.
An ideal option for growing a Carpathian bell is an alpine slide.
Growing secrets
There are several ways to breed a bell:
- dividing the bush;
- grafting;
- sowing seeds.
The first option is one of the simplest, since it does not require special skills and forces. For this, adult bushes are chosen at least 3 years old. In the spring, when the greenery appears, the plant is watered abundantly. Then they dig up the suitable bushes and cut them into pieces. Each of them must have a root socket. The resulting specimens are planted in a flower bed either alpine slidesprinkling with charcoal.
To propagate a bell using cuttings, the following procedures are carried out:
- choose young shoots on an adult culture bush;
- cut green cuttings, leaving 3 internodes on them;
- place shoots in a bowl with a growth stimulator for several hours;
- planted in containers with a suitable substrate;
- covered with a film to stimulate rooting;
- watered moderately;
- regularly ventilate by removing polyethylene;
- at the beginning of autumn they are planted in a flower bed.
As you can see, this breeding method is available even for inexperienced gardeners. However, growing a Carpathian bell from seeds requires a lot of effort and skills. Let's take a closer look at this unique way to breed a pretty flower on the site.
Bright reward for hard work - exquisite bouquets
Practice shows that the planting material of a plant is considered very capricious. But do not lose heart, just be patient and act. First of all, it is important to know when to plant a Carpathian bell for seedlings in order to successfully propagate the flower. It is this method that allows you to enjoy its flowering this year. To grow seedlings, planting material is sown in early March or late February.
It is advisable to sow seeds in open ground in mid-May in spring or in early November in autumn.
First, a high-quality permeable soil is prepared by mixing sod land with humus and coarse river sand (6: 3: 1). The finished mixture is disinfected in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Some gardeners use a water bath for this purpose.
The next stage is the preparation of planting material. It is soaked in warm water for 5 hours to increase the germination of the plant.
Then they start planting the plant, performing the following procedures:
- the containers are filled with the substrate;
- moisten the surface with a spray bottle;
- sowing seeds;
- lightly press down the crops with your hand, without covering them with a layer of soil;
- glass or plastic wrap is placed on top of the containers;
- the boxes are placed in a warm and bright room.
Before the first greenery appears, the surface of the earth is regularly moistened. If the crops are covered with glass, condensation is removed from its inner surface every day. It is enough to ventilate the film in the fresh air. The first shoots appear in about 25 days.
The temperature of the room where the crops are placed must be at least 20 ° C.
In order for the plant to adapt to the external environment, stabbing is carried out. To do this, the containers are opened for 20 minutes every day. When the seedlings rise to 5 cm, the cover is removed. Dense crops dive, leaving stronger varieties. All this time, they are moistened with a sprayer. In May, when the soil warms up well, the sprouts are planted in a flower bed or alpine slide.
As you can see, any effort is always rewarded. Various varieties of the Carpathian bell are increasingly appearing on flower beds near country houses.Why not give yourself such a bright pleasure? It is enough to pick up the tools and follow the established rule.