We are expanding our collection of garden plants by growing wonderful levkoy from seeds

How to grow levkoy from seeds and when to plant, not every housewife knows. It is the lack of information that is the main reason for the rapid death of plants. If you follow the rules of planting and caring for levkoy, you can achieve the desired result even in the absence of experience. Adhering to the advice, the bushes will certainly delight not only with their appearance, but also with incredible aromas. Photos of Levkoy flowers, planting and caring for this plant are presented below.

Flower feature

Levkoy is a plant famous for its incredible aroma that fills everything around, especially in the evening. This type of flower is often called matthiola. It received this name in honor of the botanist Pietro Mattioli. Due to the specifics of flowering, levkoy is very similar to phlox.

Those species that have double flowers are especially popular.

In nature, there are more than 50 species of this plant. All of them differ in the shade of the buds, the shape and size of the shoots.

The main types of cultural levkoy:

1. Annual. It features a short growing season. It blooms with such a levkoy from early summer until autumn. In place of the buds, fruits are formed in the form of grains. This variety is often used for outdoor cultivation.
2. Winter. It is a biennial plant. It is sown in July or August. The first blooms can be seen next spring. Winter levkoy is also grown indoors. The plant has a long growing season. This mattiola blooms in late summer. With proper care, it pleases with its buds until frost. The seeds ripen the next year.
3. Autumn. Varieties of this species begin to bloom in early autumn. Seed collection is carried out only for the next year.

Of the above types, the third option is most in demand. Dwarf autumn varieties are especially popular. Their height does not exceed 20 cm. Low-growing bushes have small leafy leaves and medium-sized buds. The diameter of the flowers reaches 2-2.5 cm. There are also large-flowered species, a distinctive feature of which are large buds. They can be up to 8 cm in diameter.

The most popular varieties of Levkoy:

• Large-flowered;
• Victoria;
• Thumbelina;
• Ruby;

Levkoy belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants. The flower belongs to the famous Cabbage family. The homeland of such matthiola is the lands of southern Europe, the Mediterranean. Levkoy often grows in the form of a dwarf shrub. Stems are straight. Their height ranges from 20 to 80 cm. The branches can be either naked or pubescent. Mattiola blooms in pink, white, purple and yellowish tints. All buds are collected in neat inflorescences. At the end of flowering, pods are formed, in the middle of which small grains are formed. The seeds are flat. One gram can contain up to 700 pieces of grains.

Levkoy propagation by seeds

For a flower to bloom profusely and have an incredible aroma, you need to know when to plant it. There are several ways to grow a young plant, but the most common and effective is using seeds.

Before sowing levka on seedlings, you should properly prepare the grains.

Growing Levkoy bush from seeds should start from the preparation of the grains. Before replanting the material, it must be placed in water for 24 hours. This time will be enough for the grains to swell. After a day, wrap the seeds in damp gauze and put in a cold place for several days. It is better to use a refrigerator for this.

Sowing levkoy for seedlings should be carried out in early April or late March. Growing matthiola from seeds at home must be carried out in boxes with a mixture of turf and a small amount of sand.

Grains should be spread sparsely on the soil surface. The average depth at which the seeds are placed is 0.5 cm.

For quick rooting of grains, it is recommended to use a mini greenhouse. If everything is done correctly, then shoots appear on the fifth day. After the appearance of plants on the surface of the soil, in the middle of the greenhouse, the temperature should be lowered to 12⁰ C. During this period, it will be better to move the box to a brighter place. After 2 weeks, the seedlings can be dived.

Hardened plants can withstand temperatures as low as -5⁰ FROM.

All seeds that tolerated the pick well and began to develop rapidly can be planted in open ground. Fortified seedlings are recommended to be fed with humus.

Levkoy care in the open field

Planting Levkoy and leaving in the open field are important points on which the development of the plant depends. Seedlings should be planted in a flowerbed in pre-prepared holes.

Water the soil with plenty of water before placing the plants. Landing should be done exclusively in slush. This will enable the flowers to quickly adapt to new conditions.

It is good to fill the wells with soil and compact. A distance of 20 - 25 cm should be adhered to between seedlings.For low-growing varieties, the indicators are within 15 cm.

In order for the levkoy to bloom throughout the summer without interruption, repeated sowing should be carried out. It is recommended to do this every 10-15 days.

Irrigation. This is an important part of plant care. It is not recommended to water the flower strongly, but systematically. Prolonged drought and excess liquid can harm the plant. For better oxygen penetration, the soil should be periodically loosened. This procedure should be carried out immediately after irrigation, in the evening.

Preparing for the winter. Cultivars that finish flowering in the fall should be pruned. Shoots must be removed almost completely, leaving 10 to 15 cm above the ground.

Fertilizer. This is an important point in Matthiola care. Particular attention should be paid to feeding during the flowering period. In order for the levkoy to bloom profusely, it is necessary to add phosphorus-potassium under the bushes fertilizers... In spring and autumn - complex preparations.

It is not recommended to mulch perennial varieties in the first year of plant life.

Pests. The cruciferous flea bears the greatest danger to plants.

To combat such insects, a weak ash solution must be used. Bushes should be processed once every four days until they disappear completely. During processing, you should be careful that the liquid gets not only on the front side of the leaves, but also on the back. If there are a lot of flea beetles, then you will need to use insecticides to fight them.

Also mattiola is often affected by the black leg.

You can determine a similar disease by analyzing the condition of the stem. Diseased flowers are distinguished by a brown shade of the lower part of the trunk. To prevent this, the soil should be treated with Hom before planting. The special composition will help protect plants from infection with this incurable disease.

Before planting levkoy seeds for seedlings, you should know the basic rules for this procedure. Knowing when and how to prepare grains, you can grow beautiful and healthy plants that will delight with their flowering and incredible smell throughout the summer.