Violet belongs to the genus flowering plants violet. Lives on many continents natural areas, and each of the 500 species is amazing and pleasing to the eye unusual beauty and pungent aroma.
One of these species is mattiola rosea, night violet, which in ancient times was used as a decoration of houses on holidays. belongs to the genus Matthiola, and is sometimes referred to as levkoy.
Gardeners growing night violets not because of special appearance or rare medicinal properties, but because its smell when flowering is so strong, the plant becomes desirable in every yard and flower bed.
Description of the appearance and features of the night violet
Flowers are not of great interest, they are small and inconspicuous in comparison with other ornamental plants. They look like a scattering of pink and lilac stars on tall thin stalks with bright, closely spaced green leaves.
Matthiola grows from 20 to 90 cm in height. The plant is an annual. The fruit is an elongated pod with many small seeds. The main feature of the violet is flowering at sunset.
As soon as the sun begins to set over the horizon, the buds night violet flower bloom, and a tart aroma spreads around the yard where the plants are planted. For such a dignity, matthiola is so loved by flower growers and will certainly be planted on their plots.
Buy night violet can be for a small price in the form of seeds, seedlings. In addition, matthiola is used as the completion of the composition in the bouquet, giving it a special aroma.
Planting and propagation of violets
particular difficulties in care, planting night violets are not expected. The plant is not whimsical in climate, easily tolerates different weather conditions, but the land on which the seeds are planned to be planted should be fertilized, black soil added, sawdust, do not apply oxidized soil.
Avoid places previously planted. If the violet has to grow with such a neighborhood, it will easily pick up various diseases(fungus) and die.
Planting soil is prepared in advance, preferably in the fall, carefully loosening it and plowing it so that it is saturated with the necessary oxygen. night violet seeds planted in a sunny area in two periods, taking a break for three weeks. Moderate shade is also fine, but complete darkness should be avoided as the plants will grow thin and weak without scented buds.
Landing is also possible. In this case, it is better to start from March, having previously added a woody and sandy layer to the soil. Seeds do not water until the first sprouts sprout. Best Temperature for seedlings 10-12 0 C, and the room in which they are located should be sufficiently illuminated by sunlight.
If one of the conditions is violated, the sprouts do not sprout. After the shoots are ready, they are transferred to the ground like seeds. Already an adult mattiola, which has taken root in the ground, can survive severe frosts.
Best Places For growing matthiola pink night violet next to people near benches and curbs, on balconies, so that a person can enjoy the smell, and other views do not overshadow him.
In the future, when the plant has seeds after flowering, they can be collected independently for re-planting. Seeds hide in pods and should be collected only in the autumn.
Night violet care
Although violet, in comparison with others, is easy to care for, in order for the plant to actively grow and bloom, it is better to provide the necessary comfortable conditions.
It is worth maintaining sufficient soil moisture, watering as needed, and do not plant the plant in dark places. But overdoing it with the volume of water, flooding the roots, is dangerous, perhaps their rotting.
Mandatory weeding of violets from weeds and removal of excess shoots. If this is not done in time and the flowers are abandoned, weeds can kill the flowers by sucking all the nutrients and water from young shoots and even strong plants. withered flowers gardeners cut, this has a positive effect on the growth of violets.
Mineral fertilizers - The best decision to maintain plant health. But manure, which unscrupulous gardeners love to fertilize, should be neglected.
The thing is that natural fertilizers decompose for too long, unlike substances industrial production, and the plant receives the necessary vitamins for a long time.
Minerals in a short time saturate violets with the required elements, accelerate growth, flowering, and also do not have bad smell, which is characteristic of manure.
If a negative reaction is noticed after fertilization, it is necessary to change the components or type of substance or re-calculate the dose. It should be remembered that in large quantities, fertilizer, instead of benefit, can destroy the plant and the surrounding soil.
Another danger for matthiola is harmful insects and diseases. Signs of infection can be a painful condition of the leaves: wilting, bald spots, dryness.
Fleas often gnaw holes in the leaves, causing the plant to suffer greatly. It is saved by smearing violet leaves with ash, which insects do not like. IN last resort when butterflies and caterpillars are besieging matthiol, all plants are treated with insecticides.
Useful properties of night violet
Probably the most important useful property, which is well observed photo of night violet, its attractive, but not too frilly, look. She will always please the eye and organs of charm with her wonderful aroma.
Violets have and medicinal properties, the flower is used in the treatment of bronchitis, as a means for rubbing with pain in muscles and joints. Baths with violet flowers are also used. They heal the skin from rashes, relax and soften rough parts of the body.
Of course, the use of violet flowers is not a panacea, it cannot cure completely, only provide a temporary effect or relieve symptoms. Mattiola treatment is considered as an additional to other means.
The night violet is grown as a biennial. IN good conditions This unpretentious plant rude shamelessly. For a distant resemblance to phloxes, Matron's Vespers in a number of places are called ... "bull phloxes." Blooming hesperis by the end of summer can become higher than a meter. The upper part of the stem is branched. More common is Matron's evening with purple, lilac or pinkish-lilac flowers. Less often - with whites ( nana candidissima). The terry form is derived ( purpurea plena ) with double reddish flowers. However, we are used to seeing hesperis with simple fragrant flowers, whose loose brushes adorn the garden from May to early autumn.
The dense rosette of the leaves of Matrona's hesperis can always be recognized by the saturation of the color of the elongated oval-lanceolate leaves. They are dark green, giving off to blue, with slight (sometimes almost imperceptible) pubescence.
Caring for the night violet (Matrona's party)
Place. Hesperis Matrona grows in a bright sunny place or in partial shade. It is better to plant it where meltwater does not stagnate for a long time in spring in order to avoid the appearance of mold and rot on leaves packed with heavy snowdrifts.
The soil. The ideal option are loose fertile soils. Better slightly alkaline. In our area, self-sowing Matron's evening grows into tall flowering bushes even "at the foot" of a pile of sand. Near the recently brought peat, he lives clearly worse.
Pruning. In order for the night violet to bloom longer, you need to remove its faded inflorescences.
Winter hardiness. Matrona's hesperis often does not freeze, but rots away during a long stay under the snow. In the spring, you need to remove those leaves that have begun to deteriorate.
Diseases and pests. There are no special problems with the night violet. True, its lower leaves are occasionally eaten by slugs and caterpillars. Cruciferous fleas may also appear, which are easily washed off with water from a hose. Cruciferous keel has not yet been seen.
Reproduction of night violets (Matrona's party)
Night violet seeds are often sold under the names "Matrona's hesperis" and "Matrona's evening". In stores, there are bags of single-color seeds or a mixture of purple, lilac and white color. For example, a mixture of "Inspiration". Hesperis Matrona should not be confused with an annual mattiola bicornu (Matthiola bicornis) up to 50 cm high, which is also often called the "night violet".
Seeds of Hesperis Matrona are sown in open ground in May - June, in autumn or before winter. Embedding depth - 5 mm. Self-sowing, which appears in various parts of the garden, can be transplanted throughout the summer and in the first half of September, if you dig it out for a guarantee with a clod of earth. In the spring, it is possible to transfer to another place the evening of the second year of life, digging it with the ground. I have repeatedly transplanted even flowering plants.
Hesperis Matrona is a biennial that blooms in the second year. However, if planted early, the night violet may bloom by the end of the summer of the first year of life. Matron's Vespers is a very resistant plant. She first appeared on my site many years ago, when I bought a modest flowering bush from my grandmother, who sold plants near the metro station. Hesperis not only survived (although there were almost no roots), but also gave rise to numerous offspring, which continues its lineage in modern times.
The fruit of the night violet is a pod about 6 cm long. Many brown-brown seeds ripen in it. I support the "population" of Hesperis very simply: in the fall I cut or break off the stem with pods and put it on the ground in a free place in the garden. In the spring there are many seedlings. Self-sowing occurs in other places, even in a greenhouse. Terry forms are propagated by dividing the bush, which is carried out in August and September.
I don’t even know how many Matron’s evening flowers bloom on our site. She is in flower beds, near sea buckthorn, in the garden and vegetable garden. This is the kind of plant that never happens.
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Among the perennial ornamental plants, the evening or night violet stands out for its unusual aroma. It has been grown in gardens and parks in Europe since the 16th century. The night violet flower is called hesperis, from Greek word"hesperis" - evening. Bright inflorescences open and begin to smell sweet after sunset. Due to the unpretentiousness of the plant and its excellent decorative qualities, it is cultivated by gardeners around the world. In Russia, most often there are evening flowers with lilac, purple and pinkish petals. But true lovers of hesperis always grow varieties with snow-white and red double inflorescences.
Botanical description and distribution
Matron's evening or hesperis is a perennial herbaceous plant from the cruciferous (cabbage) family. It can be found in the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Europe, Asia and Western Siberia. Gardeners brought a flower to North America where he did well. There are about 30 types of evening party. The shape of the inflorescences of Hesperis is similar to phloxes, one of its many names is "bull phlox". Under natural conditions, it grows in meadows, forest edges, along ponds and roads.
The shape of the inflorescences of hesperis resembles phlox
The erect stem of the evening reaches a height of 80-100 cm. It branches in the upper part. The green leaves with serrated edges are lanceolate. The size of the leaf plates is 3-4 cm wide and 12 cm long. They are covered with silky hairs. Small flowers are collected in loose racemose inflorescences. The abundance of colors will delight gardeners - purple, pink, purple, white and lilac shades will create a riot of colors in the flower beds. Each flower has 4 petals with a diameter of 2 cm or more.
Hesperis flowers have 4 petals
Information. Night violet is a common name among decorative flowers. Hesperis is often confused with matthiola bicorne, which is also called the night violet.
The flowering of the brush begins in May and continues until the end of July. Petals gradually open from the periphery to the center of the inflorescence. Spectacular brush can grow up to 20-30 cm in length. Hesperis fruits are narrow flattened pods with seeds. Brown arranged in two rows. The size of the seed is 3 by 1 mm. They are distinguished by good germination, lasting up to two years. In hot weather, the flowering period is shortened. For the unique aroma that appears in the evening, the plant is called the night violet.
Advice. Timely cutting of dried inflorescences will help prolong the flowering of the evening.
Decorative culture refers to biennials. In the first year of development, a dense rosette of oval lanceolate leaves is formed. In some cases, small flower stalks are formed. By the end of May of the second year, a stem with lush inflorescences will appear. From the third year, the ability to bloom drops sharply, old plants give way to young ones.
Types of party
Most cultivated varieties have single flowers, but double flowers are also found. In gardens and parks, you can find several unpretentious, but fragrant and attractive plant species.
purple matron party
An ornamental plant that prefers loose soil. Blooms in the second year of life. Flowers purple collected in large cylindrical brushes. They have a strong persistent aroma. Flower diameter up to 2 cm. Can be grown by direct sowing into the soil in May-June.
Evening violet
Hesperis Romance
Popular decorative biennial with single or double flowers in white. The plant is characterized by a persistent pleasant aroma exuded at night. It prefers bright areas, but also feels good in partial shade. Used for cutting and decorating group flower beds and paths.
Hesperis Romance
Hesperis Inspiration
Branched biennial with simple flowers of lilac, purple or white color, collected in a brush. Prefers slightly alkaline soils. The plant is suitable for planting in a mixborder, discount. Height 80-90 cm. Abundant fragrant inflorescences will decorate any bouquet. Differs in frost resistance.
Hesperis Inspiration
Matron's Raspberry Evening
An unpretentious flower known as the night violet. Branched erect stems are decorated with many crimson flowers. At night and in the evening, the biennial spreads a pleasant fragrance. Blooms from May to July. Looks great as a background plant for gardens in landscape style. Seedlings are planted in June at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Can reproduce by self-seeding.
Matron's Raspberry Evening
Evening night beauty
One of the most fragrant varieties hesperis blooms in the second year after planting. Its flowers of a pale lilac hue are collected in beautiful large brushes. The plant is frost and disease resistant. It grows to a height of 50-75 cm. The flower is suitable for cutting, used in group and single plantings. Can be grown on the balcony.
Vechernitsa night beauty
Evening sad, dark
One of rare species plants Hesperis tristis L. Found in central and southern Europe. Its height is 25-50 cm. Light-loving and moisture-loving plant grows on clay and sandy soils. The brushes are large, the flowers are whitish or cream, covered with red veins. Petals are oblong in shape with a blunt top, their length is 2-3 cm. It blooms from May to June. The leaves of the basal rosette grow up to 10 cm, the stem leaves are shorter.
Evening sad
Choice of location and soil
It is recommended to plant night violets in lighted areas. In the lowlands, where meltwater stagnates and snowdrifts lie for a long time, better plants plant. Excessive moisture will lead to rot on the leaves. Hesperis feels good in partial shade, it can be placed under the crown of a tree.
Priming
The plant develops well on slightly alkaline soils. It loves air, so loosening is desirable after each watering. Neutral fertile land is also an acceptable option. But acidified peaty areas are unacceptable, the evening will die on them. One of the significant agrotechnical measures is regular weeding. Weeds must not be allowed to grow.
Watering
Waterlogging is not desirable for night violets, so you should take care of drainage. During the growth period, it is necessary to ensure sufficient watering, but without stagnant moisture. Dryness leads to poor flowering. Watering is done once a week, preferably in the morning.
top dressing
On depleted soil, before flowering, hesperis needs to be fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Further, it is enough to make wood ash once a month. It will improve the structure of the soil, make it looser. Wood ash reduces the acidity of the soil, increases the resistance of the plant to infections.
Party Fertilizer
The Vespers of the Madonna is resistant to frost, it can withstand temperatures down to -20°C. In a snowy winter, it is better not to risk it. ornamental plant and cover it with non-woven fabric.
Growing Hesperis
Planting and caring for a flower night violet is not difficult, the photo shows how profusely it blooms when self-seeding in the field.
Vechernitsa has grown by self-sowing
The evening of the Madonna propagates in several ways: by seeds, seedlings and cuttings.
Advice. So that self-sowing plants do not fill the entire flower bed, plant young shoots every three years.
Seeds and seedlings
Evening SeedsThe plant also propagates by seedlings. To do this, you need a container with loose soil, fertilized with humus. Seeds are sown in early April, covering them with earth with a layer of 5 mm. The soil is watered from above, and then covered with a film. The containers are kept in a room with a temperature of 20°C. After 15-20 days shoots appear. After the formation of three main leaves, the evening plant is transplanted to permanent place. They are seated 25-30 cm apart. During the adaptation period, the plant especially needs watering. The development of the root system is facilitated by air exchange, which provides loosening. Weeds that slow down the growth of flowers should be weeded in a timely manner.
First Year Party Rosette
cuttings
Terry forms of hesperis do not propagate by seeds. It is necessary to divide the bush in August-September. For cuttings are used side shoots formed on the plant after flowering.
Diseases and pests
Night violets are resistant to diseases, so problems with their maintenance are rare. One of possible pests on flowers - cruciferous flea. These insects eat the leaves, stems and roots of plants. You can get rid of them with abundant watering from a hose. But this is not the best option, because the party does not like dampness. Another method is more suitable for a plant, it consists in pollinating the leaves with a mixture wood ash and tobacco dust 1:1.
Party in landscape design
The long flowering period has made the night violet a desirable acquisition for city parks and garden beds. Hesperis, which opens after sunset, is planted in flowerbeds near gazebos. The pleasant aroma of flowers will make the evening rest unforgettable. Designers recommend planting Madonna evenings in groups of at least 10 plants. They look advantageous against the backdrop of ferns and ornamental grasses.
Evening at the windows of the house
Attention. Heavy inflorescences lower the stem down, from which the decorative appeal of the composition is lost. The installation of supports will help to avoid this situation.
Growing night violets on your site does not require special knowledge and skills of a grower. With minimal care, hesperis will delight with its aroma and abundant flowering most of the summer.
The main value of the party is its unusual aroma. This flower is known among flower growers under the name Hesperis, which in Greek means evening. The name was given to the plant in ancient times because its flowers fill the surrounding air with fragrance and intoxicating aroma with the onset of evening, at night.
Other euphonious names of this unusual flower- Hesperis female, Hesperis matron. This plant has been cultivated since the 16th century, decorating the luxurious flower beds of landowners and nobles, creating a unique atmosphere in the landscape parks of Russian estates, country estates. Hesperis was the favorite flower of Queen Marie Antoinette.
Hesperis fell in love with many flower growers and is happy to grow on and flower beds. Due to the numerous fragrant caps of inflorescences, the matron's evening becomes a very popular plant.
Description of night violet
Hesperis (Hesperis) - belongs to the cruciferous family and in appearance resembles panicled phlox. Distributed throughout the European part of Russia, found almost everywhere, from roadsides to forest edges, banks of water bodies. It has a straight stem, branched at the top, up to 80 cm long, covered with a silky pile. The leaves are alternate, oval-lanceolate, attached to the stem by cuttings and without them.
Lilac in color, but in culture there are white and purple, simple and terry, they do not open at the same time - first the lower ones, then those closer to the crown. Collected loose, paniculate inflorescence. The plant is perennial, but is considered biennial - in the third year it usually falls out and grows from seed again. The beginning of flowering falls on the last decade of May and lasts until August. After flowering, narrow, oblong pods with seeds are formed. To avoid self-seeding in the wrong place, faded inflorescences should be cut off.
Growing hesperis from seeds and dividing the bush
Vespers propagates by sowing seeds or by division. Vegetative propagation used for terry forms. The transplant is tolerated quite well if moistened with an earthen lump or carried out this operation after rain.
When to sow open ground? Seeds are sown in loose, nutritious soil with the onset of June. In a week, sprouts will appear, which will subsequently develop into a rosette of oval-lanceolate leaves. The following year, stems will grow from the rosettes and flowering will begin in May. Take care of the seedlings as usual - weed and water as necessary. After flowering most of plants fall out.
Non-double forms usually self-seed. For more you can feed mineral fertilizer. To update plantings, it is better to stock up on evening seeds. To do this, the faded bush is pulled out of the ground, placed in a dry place for full maturation. When the bush dries out, you should thresh it - to do this, wrap it in a newspaper and roll a rolling pin over it. Seeds pop up from the pods - all that remains is to collect them.
You can also sow before winter or in seedlings.. This method is available to every grower, regardless of experience.
- Sowing is carried out in early March.
- Containers with planted seeds are covered with a film, which is removed after the appearance of sprouts.
- It is necessary to regularly water young plants, add a little soil to the roots as they grow.
- With thickened shoots, a pick is made as soon as 3-4 true leaves appear.
- With the onset of heat, the seedlings are transferred to a permanent place or hardened for two weeks.
- Planted after the seedlings are fully accustomed to the open air, keeping a distance of 25 cm between plants.
- The holes are prepared in advance in order to injure the roots as little as possible and quickly transfer the plants to a permanent place.
- During rooting in a new place, it is worth ensuring sufficient watering. Matron's evening, grown from seedlings or sown before winter, will bloom a little later.
Terry forms of hesperis are propagated by dividing the bush in August-September. Dig up the plant, carefully separate with a sharp knife. After a short drying of the cut, they are planted in a prepared place, which is carefully watered beforehand.
How to care for hesperis
The night violet prefers semi-shady corners of the garden under the canopy of trees with moderately moist soil. Acidified and overdried soils have a depressing effect on the plant - they become smaller, reducing the intensity of flowering. Due to the small branching of the stem, a single plant is quite unstable and is lost against the background of other flowers.
To maintain an upright position, hesperis needs support. It is best to plant Hesperis in a dense group - individual plants will merge into a single array with a blooming lilac-purple spot on top and will serve as a support for each other. It makes sense to place the evening plant between the foreground plants and the background large-sized ones.
- The soil for planting is neutral or slightly alkaline with good drainage.
- It is advisable to place such landings near gazebos, open verandas, benches, since the main value of the party is its delicate aroma.
- Needs moderate watering at the beginning of growth and in hot weather.
- Hesperis is resistant to frost - it does not need shelter, usually a snow cover is enough.
- In the absence of snow cover, you can cover the landings with non-woven material.
- Hesperis can disappear completely if planted in areas flooded in the spring.
The video will tell about the cultivation, care and use of hesperis:
Pests and diseases of the night violet
Hesperis belongs to the cabbage family and is affected by their inherent diseases and pests. Its lower leaves are gnawed by snails. Plants are attracted by cruciferous fleas, miner butterflies, and aphids. It is easy to get rid of all these pests by watering the bushes with tar water under the root. Dilute 1 tbsp. a spoonful of birch tar in 10 liters of water, mix everything thoroughly. Insects do not tolerate the smell of tar - preventive watering will ensure the complete absence of these insects in the evening.
The night suffers from false powdery mildew with thickened plantings, it is affected by the keel of cabbage, viral mosaic. Maintaining a distance between plants is the key to healthy plantings. Kila is brought along with the seeds. It is worth disinfecting the purchased seeds before sowing. If the club has got on your site - avoid repeated crops of hesperis on the infected site within 5 years.
Popular varieties with descriptions and photos
Gardeners are very fond of the Inspiration variety. It is a perennial grown as a biennial plant. Dense double flowers cover the bush abundantly. The color is purple, white, lilac: in a mixborder, this combination looks truly fantastic. Likes slightly alkaline soil with little lime. Excellent in cutting, decorate them with flower beds, flower beds, group and single plantings.
The variety is different amazing beauty large snow-white flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences. The stunning evening fragrance is unforgettable, which is why the flowers are so popular among gardeners.
Application
Traditional medicine uses Matron's Vespers as a diuretic and diaphoretic. The Belgians apply crushed leaves on tumors. Leaves and twigs are used in traditional veterinary medicine. Fatty oils are used in the manufacture of soap.
It is an excellent honey plant, actively visited by bees, bumblebees, butterflies. It can be planted along the paths as a supporting plant to enjoy the exciting aroma while walking in the evening.
Bright, tall inflorescences of hesperis are clearly visible at great distances. The plant is suitable for making bouquets, keeps for a long time in the cut, harmoniously combined with other flowers. She is gladly planted near the places of evening rest to enjoy the gentle, intensifying evening and during the rain. Matron's Vespers is a completely non-burdensome plant. It balances between a cultivated horticultural and ornamental weed. Very popular in creating a natural style on the site.
Hesperis matron flower white photo in the garden variety Hesperis matronalis ‘Alba’
Night violet is a rather simple, unpretentious, but at the same time very special flower. No wonder it has a second name - evening party.
With the onset of dusk, when other flowers close their corollas and go to sleep, the night violet envelops the entire garden with its delicate fragrant aroma. Thanks to this amazing smell, even a simple appearance Vespers acquires a certain charm and grace.
Types of night violet
The description of this plant was found in the writings of ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus. Vespers belongs to the cruciferous family and is divided into many different types.
Most of them are distributed in Asia and Central Europe. In our country, the night violet is presented mainly in two versions: hesperis and matthiola.
It's upright perennial with long stems. Height hesperis varies from 50 to 120 cm. The leaves of the plant are long, narrow and pointed. They are slightly pubescent. The closer to the ground the leaf is located, the larger it is. But the most important thing is the flowers. They are quite small, each consists of four petals. The flowers are united in large inflorescences, similar to bunches of lilacs.
Hesperis can be pink, lilac or white. Because of the small and dim flowers, an individual plant is lost in the garden, so it is better to plant the evening in groups. White night violets look especially beautiful, which at dusk become like small stars.
Mattiola
Another popular party is matthiola. In the people, it is better known under the name "left". Mattiola has a lot different varieties, but four of them are most familiar to gardeners:
- two-horned levkoy is an annual self-pollinating plant, its flowers do not exceed 2-3 cm in size and have a dark pink tint;
- gray-haired lefty - more ornamental variety, the flowers of this plant can be both smooth and double, they have a wide range of shades;
- "Starlight" - several varieties seem to be mixed in these plants, flowers of different shades can be on the same stem;
- “Evening Aroma” is a very actively blooming levka, the most fragrant of all matthiols.
The most decorative matthiols are, of course, varieties with double flowers. They will not only give the garden fragrance, characteristic of all night violets, but will also serve as a worthy decoration for any site. In each double flower, the number of petals can reach up to a hundred, and the flowering period of such levkoy lasts up to two weeks.
As in the case of other night violets, the photo of Mattiola is not able to fully convey its beauty. Levkoi they are good just live, when a weightless cloud of small flowers among the greenery saturates the twilight with a delicate magical aroma. It is not for nothing that in ancient times a unique atmosphere reigned in parks and estates, an important role in the creation of which was played by night violets.
Cultivation and care
very unpretentious. It is often found in the wild, where it grows quite independently. But in order for this plant to be as pleasing to the eye as possible, you need to pay some attention to the rules of planting and growing.
First of all, you need to choose a place for the future fragrant cloud. Despite the fact that the night violet is a twilight flower, it still loves the light very much. Therefore, it is better for her to choose a well-lit area. At the same time, the party calmly transfers both direct Sun rays and scattered light. However, if the air temperature is excessively high, then the plant will feel comfortable in the shade.
The next location selection parameter is the soil. In the wild, the nocturnal is most often found on the banks of water bodies, it also loves meadows and fields. Accordingly, this plant prefers moist, loose and fertile soil. It is desirable that lime is present in the soil, and its reaction is either neutral or slightly alkaline.
The night violet is very resistant to various pests and diseases. However, you should not plant it in the area where the cabbage used to grow. All the health problems that this vegetable had can quickly turn into a party.
You also need to pre-select the optimal neighborhood for a party. This factor does not affect the health and comfort of the plant, but is important for enhancing effect. Night Violet pairs perfectly with various types summer flowers and herbs. The most popular evening neighbors are:
- petunia;
- viola;
- nasturtium;
- yarrow;
- nivyanik;
- geranium;
- monarch;
- Melissa;
- fragrant basil;
- mint;
- climbing rose.
The smells of these flowers and herbs and the aroma of night violets form a unique combination.
Landing
Some varieties of evening can be propagated by dividing the bush, but this is more typical of terry varieties. The main method is considered seed.
Planting can be pre-made in pots for seedlings, this is done at the beginning spring. But night violet seeds are different high level germination, so they can be planted immediately in open ground.
The optimal time for sowing: late spring - early summer. The seeds are very small, so they should not be sown at great depths. When sowing, large accuracy should be avoided. The ideal option would be planting plants in individual bowls. This will make further weed control much easier.
After planting seeds, the ground must be properly moistened. This is done using spraying. Watering should not be used, as this is fraught with erosion of the soil along with the seeds. After moistening the soil, cover the sown area with a film. Subsequently, it will need to be removed periodically to provide access to the land. fresh air.
The first sprouts of the evening appear in about a month. As soon as the first three leaves are formed, seedlings necessary dive. Then you need to produce abundant watering and cover the sprouts from the sun. If the evening rose too heaped, then it must be thinned out. Each plant needs a place with a diameter of about 30 cm or more.
If you still decide to pre-grow seedlings, then you need to prepare small containers. First, you need to pour soil into them, then sow seeds on it. Then a layer about 0.5 cm thick is laid out on top, consisting of peat and humus. At the end, the soil should be slightly compacted and watered. Moisturizing should be moderate. After watering, the containers are covered with glass or a film that transmits light.
The seedling must be in warmth room with an air temperature of at least 20 degrees. The first shoots will begin to appear around the fifteenth day. Sprouts need to be watered regularly. When three leaves appear on each of them, the seedlings can be moved to open ground.
Before offensive in winter, the soil needs to be mulched - covered with a layer of compost. This is necessary so that the sprouts can safely survive the cold. Winters with thin snow cover and severe frosts are especially dangerous for immature plants. Therefore, composting is a mandatory procedure.
Night violets begin to bloom only a year after planting. It usually happens at the end spring. The first flowering is the longest, it can last a whole month. However, this period varies depending on the variety. After two years, the duration of flowering is significantly reduced, so the plants will need to be updated by planting new ones. Although quite often the night violet itself copes with this matter. After flowering, seed pods appear on it. As the grains ripen, the pods burst and the ground next to the plant is automatically seeded.
Adult plant care
Night violet absolutely not demanding, so caring for it comes down to following a few elementary rules.
- Watering. Vechernitsa is quite capricious about the amount of moisture. Too much a large number of water, and even more so its stagnation is unacceptable. Dry soil will also have a very negative effect on the condition of the plant. Therefore, when watering, you need to observe the golden mean. Moisturizing the soil is best done in the evening. If garden plot located in a swampy area, then even before planting it is necessary to provide the earth with high-quality drainage.
- Soil loosening. This process must be done regularly. Loosening will help keep the soil moist longer, preventing it from drying out.
- Weeding. Like other garden flowers, the night violet does not feel comfortable around weeds. Therefore, the flower bed should be weeded as they appear.
- Garter. Many varieties of the evening are distinguished by their high growth and dense, heavy inflorescences. Therefore, they can lie down, especially in windy weather. To avoid this, it is necessary to organize in advance adjacent supports, to which it will be possible to tie the stem as it grows.
Also, one should not forget about the love of the evening to the fertile soil. Therefore, the land must be fertilized periodically, but not more than once a month. The night violet prefers slightly alkaline and neutral ground.
Therefore, it is considered an ideal fertilizer for her. It will give the soil all the necessary nutrients, and also increase the alkaline reaction. As a result, the acidity of the soil will decrease. In such conditions, the evening will feel most comfortable, and its flowering will become abundant and long-lasting.
Diseases and pests
night violet not too much susceptible to diseases and damage by pests. But still, not a single plant is immune from these situations. Therefore, it is better to study in advance possible diseases, most often overtaking Vespers.
- Root rot. This trouble occurs in case of excessive soil moisture. The main symptom is leaf damage. As a treatment, you need to dry the soil as quickly as possible and then carefully monitor the amount of watering. Affected leaves should be removed immediately. If timely measures are not taken, the plant will die.
- Keela. This is a root disease that many cruciferous plants suffer from. A plant with such a disease begins to die. There is no cure. It is necessary to immediately burn the diseased plant, and cultivate the soil by special means and mix with lime.
- Cruciferous flea. This pest leaves behind small holes in the leaves. Defeating a flea is quite simple - just sprinkle plants and soil with crushed wood ash.
Useful properties of night violet
Vechernitsa gives people not only an amazing aroma. It contains many useful substances that help in the treatment of certain diseases. The pharmacy name of this plant is roots. Salepa.
For medical use only tubers night violets. They should be collected during the flowering period or immediately after it.
Procurement of raw materials
For dug out tubers, cut off the aerial part and remove the bark. Then the peeled roots are dipped in boiling water for a few minutes. This is necessary so that they do not germinate later. Processed raw materials must be dried for outdoors. Also for this procedures you can use dryers or ovens, the temperature in which should not exceed 55 degrees. Dried roots can be stored for no more than six years.
Application
Salep roots contain a lot of mucus. Therefore, the main function this medicinal product- enveloping. With the help of a decoction of the roots, you can alleviate the symptoms and accelerate the cure for diseases of the digestive system, indigestion, inflammation of the genitourinary system.
