When weigela blooms for the first time at the end of spring, it already brings an unforgettable experience, and the second flowering of this plant in August is generally perceived as a small miracle. Look how beautiful the weigela is in the next photo. Its large, bell-shaped flowers gradually gain color. This is how a photograph appears, gradually gaining brightness and richness of colors.
Blooming weigela, hybrid Eva Rathke
The first flowers on the weigela shrub appear in the spring, on annual shoots that have grown in the fall. The second late summer flower is formed on green cuttings of the current year.
This feature of the plant’s double flowering also affects planting and caring for weigela in open ground. Flowering and appearance bush from correctly carried out pruning and crown formation, which will be discussed below in a separate chapter.
Biological features
Weigela belongs to the honeysuckle family. It comes from East and Southeast Asia, some of its species are found in the wild in our Far East. This upright shrub has large funnel-shaped buds up to five centimeters long; they resemble bells in shape.
This plant is light-loving, so it grows better in well-lit places. Despite its deciduous nature and winter hardiness, weigela is relatively thermophilic, does not like northern and northwestern winds, and in some areas requires shelter for the winter.
Weigela prefers neutral soils; only some species are able to grow on slightly acidic peat bogs.
The shrub appeared in Europe only in the 19th century, and received its name after the German biologist and chemist, professor of botany Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel. This name was given to the plant at the turn of the century by von Weigel’s friend, the Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg, an expert on the wildlife of East Asia and one of the correspondents of the famous Carl Linnaeus.
Species, varieties and hybrids
Types, varieties and hybrids of weigela differ in various criteria. We list the most common and popular in our country and neighboring countries.
Early or nice
The homeland of early or pleasant weigela (Weigela praecox) is the Far East. A two-meter bush with pubescent feathers blooms at the end of May from ten to thirty days. The flowers are bright pink, they are articulated in inflorescences of two or three pieces. The adhesive part of the flowers can be yellowish or white-yellow.
Pleasant or early weigela
Middendorf
Weigela middendorffiana is also Far Eastern in origin. This species can grow on slightly acidic soils. The bush with upward shoots reaches a height of half a meter. Blooms tender yellow with an orange center twice a season. The period of both flowering reaches thirty days.
This type of weigela is a winter-hardy variety, so it winters well in the middle zone without any shelter.
Weigel Middendorf
Blooming
Flowering weigela (Weigela Florida) is a type of shrub with leaves that do not fall off even in winter; they reach almost three meters in height.
Weigela blooming
Among the varieties of this species, the following forms are distinguished:
- Weigela purple, or red weigela (Weigela Purpurea) is a one and a half meter plant with a dense crown. Its leaves are red-brown and its flowers are deep pink with a yellowish center. This variety of weigela blooms in June-July.
- Weigela Nana purpurea is an analogue of purple, only its size is half the size.
- Albato is also a dwarf low-growing weigela with white flowers, which gradually turn pink when withered;
- Variegata is a very elegant variety with small leaves and pink buds, which are collected in small bright clusters. The most frost-resistant of the varieties.
- Weigela Victoria (Weigela florida Victoria) is a low, about one meter tall plant with dark red flowers and brownish-red leaves.
- Weigela Alexandra has dark, almost black leaves and pink buds.
- Pink weigela (Weigela florida Bunge) has flowers of a pink-carmine hue on the outside of the petals and a pale pink throat. The variety blooms in May.
Pink or profusely flowering weigela
Weigela korean
Korean weigela (Weigela Coraeensis) is a low plant up to one and a half meters with small bells collected in inflorescences. The color changes gradually from white to pink, blooming for two weeks in early June. The leaves are light green.
Korean weigela
Hybrid
Hybrid weigela (Weigela hybrida) can bloom white and purple, red and purple, yellow or pink flowers depending on its hybridization. All hybrids reach a height of one and a half to three meters and have a spreading crown.
Weigela propagation
Weigela can be propagated by seeds or green cuttings. The seed route is long and complex, but this way you can get new varieties, for example, by mail and then cultivate them on your own plot.
Under the bushes in the spring you can see a mass of shoots; these are weigela seeds that fell in the fall. These seedlings can also be used, but in hybrid forms the offspring will not always have the parental characteristics.
If you want to sow seeds collected from bushes or purchased elsewhere, this can be done during the sowing time vegetable crops, for example, with tomatoes in early March. The pots covered with film are kept in a warm place with a temperature of 22-25 degrees for up to three weeks, after which, when shoots appear, they are taken out to a bright windowsill.
When the plants reach 10-15 centimeters in height, they are planted in a bed for growing. And on permanent place It is best to plant seedlings in the spring of next year.
However, it is best to propagate weigela using cuttings. At the same time, the seedlings turn out strong, and when planted in a permanent place next season, they may even bloom.
It is best to propagate weigela by green cuttings, which should be cut in June. After treating the cuttings with a solution of a root formation stimulator, the survival rate of such cuttings is more than 80 percent.
Propagation by woody cuttings gives worse results. Such cuttings can be cut in the spring from last year’s overwintered growths or in the fall from the shoots of the current season. In the second case, the cuttings are stored in the refrigerator, and rooting work is carried out in May-April next year.
Planting seedlings
Seedlings are planted in the spring after the soil has warmed up, but before abundant sap flow begins. For planting, weigels choose elevated areas protected from cold winds.
IN landing hole pour nutritious soil mixed with river sand for better aeration of the roots. The distance between pairs of weigela plants should not be less than one and a half meters.
After planting, the soil under the bushes must be well mulched to prevent the soil from drying out. It is not recommended to loosen the soil under the weigela due to the risk of damaging its surface roots.
Bush care
Growing weigela requires compliance with some important agrotechnical practices, without which high performance cannot be achieved:
- fertilizing and watering;
- trimmings;
- mulching;
- shelter for the winter.
The first feeding is done at the beginning of the season. How to feed weigela in spring? It is best to dilute chicken manure (1:20) or mullein (1:5), then mix with herbal infusion and water the bushes abundantly after the ground has thawed. After this, mulch to a height of at least ten centimeters with last year’s fallen leaves, straw or hay.
The following fertilizing should be done with herbal infusion, depending on the condition of the bushes. Watering is combined with fertilizing, the frequency depends on weather conditions, in other words, on the amount of precipitation.
The most important measure for the care of weigela is pruning. There are three types of pruning for this shrub:
- Sanitary pruning of weigela in the spring. During this period, all frozen and broken branches during the winter are removed, and unnecessary growth is cut out.
- Formative pruning. It is carried out in the summer after the end of the first flowering. The branches of the current year's growth, on which autumn flowering will occur, are cut off.
- Anti-aging pruning. It is held every two or three years. Unnecessary old skeletal branches that are more than three years old are removed. The remaining branches are cut to a third of the length for more branching.
At the end of the story about weigel, look interesting video:
Low shrub with slightly hanging shoots. Decorative thanks to the variegated foliage - green, with a yellow border and abundant flowering bright ruby bell-shaped flowers.
Crown diameter of an adult plant (m): 2
Height of an adult plant (m): 2.5
Description
Weigela Brigela is a low shrub with slightly hanging shoots. It is decorative due to the variegated, green foliage with a yellow border and abundant flowering of bright ruby bell-shaped flowers.
Needles/Foliage
The leaves are green with a yellow border, oblong, pointed in shape.
Bloom
The flowers are numerous, bright ruby, bell-shaped.
Landing
Demanding on soils. You should choose places protected from the wind.
Plant in a mixture of humus or leafy soil, sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 2:2:1. The distance between bushes when planting is 2-3 m. Planting depth is 50-60 cm; the root collar should be at ground level. Drainage is required.
It is better to plant in the spring.
Care
In the fall, you can bury the seedlings in an inclined position, covering the crown with earth. Shelter is required for the winter. In spring, it is necessary to remove frozen shoots. After flowering, pruning is necessary. The plant must be loosened after watering: trunk circle, with a diameter of 2 meters, loosen to a depth of 5-8 cm. Mulch sawdust, 10 cm layer.
Do not over-moisten the soil, because... flowering intensity decreases.
Weigela - abundantly and brightly flowering shrubs. It is named after the German scientist K.E. Weigel. The plant belongs to the Honeysuckle family. Its homeland is the island of Java, east and southeast Asia. Weigela can be found on moist soils in light forests and sunny lawns. Due to its beauty and unpretentious nature, it is used to decorate parks, gardens and personal plots. With little species diversity, the number decorative varieties The most unusual palette is very large.
Botanical characteristics
Weigela is a deciduous shrub with erect woody stems. It is nourished by a branched rhizome without horizontal processes (stolons), so the shrub does not invade the adjacent territory and remains compact. The stems are covered with brown, cracking bark. They branch more from the base. Simple petiolate leaves grow oppositely. They are oval in shape with serrated sides and a pointed edge.
Weigela blooms twice a year: at the end of May and in August. Flowering lasts about a month. Buds form on young green and woody branches from last year. Individual flowers or small dense clusters of 2-6 buds appear in the leaf axils. Their pedicels are very short or absent altogether.
Corolla correct form consists of five ovoid petals with a pointed edge. They are colored in shades of white, yellow, pink, dark red or purple. Often, over time, the color becomes lighter or more saturated. At the base the petals form a wide tube. Five stamens with linear anthers and a small ovary column with a capitate stigma emerge from it. The length of the open flower reaches 5 cm.
After pollination, small bivalve capsules with hard, woody edges are formed. They are ovoid or oval in shape with a narrowed nose. Inside there are many small angular seeds, sometimes winged.
Types and varieties of weigela
In total, the genus Weigela includes 15 species. Of these, about 7 are used in culture. But varietal diversity knows no boundaries and is constantly updated with new samples.
A slender deciduous shrub grows 1-1.5 m in height. It has good resistance to frost and actively grows and blooms even in the shade. The plant has ascending shoots. The bright green leaves are pubescent along the veins. In May and September, flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm bloom. They are collected at the ends of young shoots in dense clusters of 2-6 buds and delight with their beauty for 25-30 days. The bright yellow corollas are covered with orange spots and specks.
A large shrub (up to 3 m in height) is covered with ovoid dark green leaves with short petioles. The foliage has finely serrated edges and sparse piles along the central vein. Bright pink bell-shaped flowers are collected in loose inflorescences of 3-4 buds. They appear in May and last up to 20 days. Varieties:
- Weigela red - a dense bush up to 1.5 m in height grows dark brown-red leaves, and by mid-June blooms flowers with deep pink petals and a yellow center;
- Nana purpurea is a dwarf copy of the previous variety;
- Weigela rosea - a spreading bush blooms small flowers. On the outside, the petals are pink-carmine in color, but on the inside they are light, almost white;
- Variegata - frost-resistant, graceful variety 2-2.5 m high, blooms with small (up to 3.5 cm) bright pink flowers;
- Minor black is a dwarf, slow-growing shrub with dark green, reddish leaves covered with dark pink flowers 25 mm in diameter throughout the summer;
- Alexandra is a spherical shrub with a diameter of 1-1.5 m, covered with medium-sized burgundy or dark purple oval foliage; in the first half of summer it blooms red-pink bells up to 4 cm in diameter.
A bush with a dense crown grows up to 150 cm in height. Beautiful tubular flowers with a delicate aroma bloom on it. The color is dominated by white, pink, lilac, and purple tones. Varieties:
- Bristol Ruby - with a height of 2.5 m, the diameter of the bush reaches 3.5 m. Bright green leaves grow on the branches, and tubular flowers appear by the end of June. The pink petals have a ruby edge and an orange spot at the base.
- Red Prince - a spreading bush up to 1.5 m high consists of drooping shoots with green leaves. Its flowers are bright red and large.
- Eva Rathke - a compact bush 50-60 cm high in June-August is covered with glossy tubular flowers of carmine-red color.
- Nana variegata is a compact weigela with crimson or white-pink flowers, collected in clusters of 3-4 buds.
- Cardinal is a large plant with abundant snow-white blooms.
- Weigela red-leaved - shiny olive leaves have a reddish spot in the center.
- Carnival - a bush 50-70 cm high with bright green oval leaves blooms tubular purple-red flowers in June-July.
Reproduction methods
To propagate weigela, they use seeds or cuttings. For sowing, you should take seeds up to 1 year old. This method is suitable for propagating species plants, since varietal characteristics are easily separated. Crops can be carried out immediately in open ground in the fall or in early spring in pots with loose, fertile soil. When friendly shoots with two leaves appear, they are picked and thinned out. After a year, the plants will grow 6-7 cm in height and have 6-8 leaves. It is important to ensure that the plantings are not too dense, otherwise the rhizomes will become tangled. From the second year, weigela can be planted in open ground. For young plants, protection from winter frosts is most important. At the age of two, the seedling will grow to 40-50 cm in height, and it will begin to bloom at the age of 4.
For propagation of weigela by cuttings, green semi-lignified shoots are used. They are cut in the summer. Each branch must have 2 nodes. After cutting, the leaves are removed or shortened by 30-50%. The cuttings are placed in ordinary warm water for 1-2 hours, and then treated with a root-forming compound (heteroauxin) for 12 hours. At this stage, they are kept in a dark place with a temperature of +20...+25°C. Then the cuttings are planted in sandy-peaty soil. The soil is sprinkled with a layer of river sand on top and the plantings are covered with film for a greenhouse effect. Watering is carried out twice a day. Usually all planting material takes root.
To plant woody cuttings, they are cut in April, before the buds open. The length of the branches is 15-20 cm. After treatment with Kornevin, the cuttings are planted in pots with sand and turf soil. They are covered with film. Rooting takes place within a few weeks, but with less efficiency. A month later, the sprouts are pinched, and later fertilized with organic or mineral composition(mullein, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate). Grown plants are planted in the garden.
Landing and location
Weigele is selected well-lit, closed place. Due to drafts and cold gusts of wind, the buds fall off without blooming. The soil should be loose, fertile and sufficiently moist. These can be loams and sandy loams with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Only Weigela Middendorf adapts well to slightly acidic peat soils.
It is better to select plants over 3 years old for the garden. Planting is carried out in early spring, before buds open. When planted in the fall, weigela sometimes does not have time to adapt and dies in the frosty winter. For planting, prepare holes 30-40 cm deep. A drainage layer of gravel or shards is laid on the bottom. The free space is filled with soil with the addition of compost and nitrophoska (up to 100 g per bush).
In group plantings, the distance depends on the height of the particular variety. It ranges from 80 cm to 1.5-2 m. The rhizome is carefully laid out and compacted. The root collar should be on the surface or buried 1-2 cm. Upon completion of planting work, carry out abundant watering and mulch the soil surface.
Features of care
Weigela is unpretentious, caring for her will not be too burdensome. Plants are watered only when long absence precipitation and on very hot days. Weed the area periodically and remove weeds. This must be done with caution, since the root system is located close to the surface.
After a transplant with top dressing for two years, the weigela is not fertilized. Then, in the spring, a portion of mineral fertilizer (ammofoska, diammofoska) is applied. At the beginning of summer, during the budding period, the bushes are watered with a solution of potassium sulfate or superphosphate. During autumn digging, they bring in the near-stem circle wood ash(200 g/m²) or Kemiru.
To maintain the attractiveness of the weigel, regular pruning is needed. In the spring they carry out sanitary cleaning. Remove broken and frozen branches. In summer, the crown is thinned and shaped. When pruning in summer, only part of the branches are removed, because re-blooming occurs due to young growth. Once every 3-4 years, the bushes must be rejuvenated. To do this, remove up to 30% of the branches. They are cut down to the ground. Sometimes they practice complete cutting of the bush. There is no need to worry about crown renewal; weigela tolerates any type of haircut perfectly.
In autumn, weigela is prepared for wintering. After leaf fall, the near-stem circle is sprinkled with earth and mulched. The crown of heat-loving plants is tied with twine and covered nonwoven fabric or roofing felt. The structure is fixed and covered with fallen leaves on top. In winter, it is recommended to trample down the snow near the roots so that rodents do not damage the shoots.
Weigela is usually resistant to plant diseases. If the place chosen for it is too shady and damp, it may develop gray rot, rust or spotting. Topsin or Bordeaux mixture(mixture of lime with copper sulfate). Preventive treatment is carried out before buds open.
Use in the garden
Weigela bushes are used in group and single plantings on open areas lawn, along the border, at the entrance to the garden or near the house. They are also used for zoning, decoration alpine slides or an exquisite Japanese-style garden. Weigela can be combined with other shrubs, such as barberry, cotoneaster, spirea, and cypress.
Weigela ( Weigela) - spring-flowering shrubs from 1 to 3 m tall. Weigels bloom better in a sunny place, but can also tolerate partial shade. Among other characteristics of weigela is the low frost resistance of plants, requiring planting in protected places, which is compensated by high decorativeness and a variety of species and varieties. Weigel shrubs are demanding on moisture and soil fertility. They are propagated by summer and winter cuttings. Species can also be propagated by seeds. In gardens, forms and varieties are often grown, combined into a group of hybrid weigels:
Hybrid weigela ( W. hybrida)
Hybrid weigela ‘ Gustave Mallet’
Hybrid weigela ‘ Styriaca’
Hybrid weigela ‘ Eva Rathke’
Decorate the site and pretty unpretentious species with flowers of pink color - weigela blooming:
Blooming weigela ( W. florida)
Early blooming weigela ( W. praecox)
Blooming Middendorff's weigela (W. middendorffiana) with yellow flowers.
Weigels look great in garden design, as lining to tall trees.
If you have a large area, use this technique, because in such conditions ornamental shrubs weigela are best protected from frost and cold wind.Ornamental weigela shrub: photo and description
This plant was named after the very famous German pharmacologist, botanist and chemist Christian von Weigel. The shrub, which is naturally distributed in the eastern and southeastern parts of Asia, in the Far East and on the island of Java, has taken root well in our area. Weigela belongs to the Honeysuckle family and has fifteen species. However, only seven varieties are most often grown by humans. There are also a dozen ornamental varieties of flowering weigela shrubs, which are very popular for landscape decoration due to the beauty of their flowers and ease of care. You can see the weigela shrub in the photo, the description of which should begin with the fact that this plant loves moisture and patiently tolerates poorly lit areas:
Weigela is distinguished by the presence of flowers in the shape of bells or funnels, which can grow up to 5 cm. The flowers are located on the branches singly or collected in loose inflorescences of various shades - cream, pale pink, bright red or yellow. The color of the buds can vary from the lightest tones to the most saturated. It is characteristic that when proper care Behind the weigela shrub, after its flowering, fruits are sure to appear, distinguished by small seeds.
For true gardeners, the plant is considered a real find, because it blooms twice: the first time - from mid-May to almost the end of June, giving a lush color, and the second time - from the end of summer to the end of September, although not so lush.Please note that in September the seeds ripen, which will be useful for further propagation of weigela. Just don’t rush to collect them: this should be done no earlier than November, when the boxes begin to crack. Experts advise that to prevent the seeds from falling into the soil ahead of time, several seeds should be wrapped in ordinary gauze and secured to the branches. When the time comes, you just need to carefully cut off the box wrapped in gauze, bring it into the house and thoroughly dry its contents. Until spring, seeds should be stored in a dark, dry place. Just remember that growing weigela from seeds does not guarantee that the future plant will inherit the varietal qualities of its parents.
How to plant weigela in spring
Planting weigela shrubs is considered most favorable and effective if it is carried out in the spring, when the soil has already warmed up sufficiently. Unfortunately, experienced gardeners found that attempts to plant weigela shrubs in the fall and subsequently care for the plant were not successful. The seedlings died at the first winter frosts.It should be taken into account that for planting bushes it is better to choose a place that is located on a hill and must be protected from strong winds. If these measures are not taken, the opened buds may immediately fall off. Therefore, remember that it is best to place weigela in the garden on the south side of a country house.It has already been said that the plant is relatively tolerant of shaded areas. But for those who want to admire the abundant and colorful flowering of weigela in landscape design, you should choose a well-lit place for planting. For shrubs, loose soil that is rich in humus is best suited. Taking this into account, gardeners plant plants in sandy or loamy soil. But if you are thinking about how to plant weigela called “Middendorf”, remember that slightly acidic peaty soil will also be favorable for it. So, how to plant weigela in the spring so that your garden will soon be decorated with wonderful flowers? To do this, it is necessary to prepare a hole, the depth of which will reach no more than 40 cm. But this is taking into account the fact that the soil on the site is fertile. Otherwise, you will need to increase the depth so that you can lay on the bottom not only a layer of drainage made of crushed bricks, sand or gravel 15 cm thick, but also soil with fertilizers. Don't forget to mix the nutrient supplement thoroughly with the compost. By the way, in order to increase the likelihood that the plant will take root, it is recommended to treat it with a root formation stimulator.
Please also keep in mind that if you choose large varieties weigels, which can reach a height of up to two meters, it is mandatory to plant each seedling at a distance of at least one and a half meters, or better even two.If you have prepared weigela species for planting that do not grow above one meter, it will be enough to dig holes at a distance of about 80 cm.
In order to make it easier for you in the future to care for and grow weigela, make sure that when planting the plant, its roots are neatly straightened. And do not deepen the neck of the bush by more than 2 cm. Be sure to water the soil well after planting.
How to care for weigela to grow a lush shrub
When you have completed spring planting, you should think about how to care for weigela. There is nothing super complicated in this task. You just need to follow certain rules.- Firstly, be sure to water the seedling during dry periods. But if you were prudent and carried out the mulching procedure - covering the soil around the plant with a layer, for example, of bark - then you are not in danger of frequent watering.
- Secondly, you need to ensure that the area where weigela grows remains clean: that is, you need to regularly and very carefully pull out the weeds so as not to catch the root system of the bush.
- Third, do not forget to thoroughly loosen the soil.
Of course, when wondering how to grow weigela healthy and blooming luxuriantly, you immediately remember adding nutritional fertilizers to the soil. True, if you have already done this in advance - added compost under the roots when planting - then at this moment you can safely forget for the next two years. But in the third year you will still have to work hard and be sure to fertilize the soil in early spring with minerals containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. This will ensure the growth of young shoots and leaves. We must not forget that it will help to achieve the desired result, which you can appreciate if you look at the photo below, caring for weigela shrubs, which involves fertilizing in late May or early June:
This is when the plant produces buds. Therefore, fertilizers must necessarily contain potassium and phosphorus. This will help prolong the flowering period and make it truly magnificent. But the third time you need to pay attention Special attention fertilizing bushes before autumn digging. Then you should add 200 g/m2 wood ash to the soil. Be sure to sprinkle the area around the plant with soil to form a mound when all the leaves have fallen off. This moment will come around the end of October or early November. In addition, bend the branches of the bush to the ground and press it to it, and cover the top with spunbond or roofing felt. All this is done in order to protect the weigela from the coming winter frosts.
Remember, in order to achieve the effect that you see in the photo, you need to care and grow weigela in accordance with the rules and procedures that we have described to you:
Reproduction of weigela in spring by cuttings and layering
We talked a little about how to propagate weigela at the very beginning of the article. It has been said that most in a simple way sowing of seeds is considered, but this method does not guarantee the preservation of varietal qualities. True, if some seeds did end up in the soil in the fall, don’t be upset: when they germinate in the spring, you can leave strong seedlings and grow them for another two years, so that you can then replant them in a permanent place. In order to preserve the necessary species properties of the shrub, skilled gardeners resort to the vegetative method - propagating weigela by cuttings, layering or young shoots. To implement this method you need:- Cuttings are cut from green shoots of the current year, which are cut at the end of June, or last year, cut in early spring and already woody. Their length is no more than 15 cm.
- Next, the lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, and the upper ones are shortened by half. Be sure to treat the bottom of the cuttings with a substance that contains indolylbutyric acid.
- Then the cuttings are carefully planted in a mixture of peat and sand. You just need to take into account that the planting should not be deep - it will be enough to immerse the cuttings 1 cm.
- To ensure successful propagation of weigela by cuttings in the spring, gardeners cover each cutting plastic bottle or glass jar. They will need to be removed daily to ventilate and moisten the cuttings.
- Anyone knows how to propagate weigela from cuttings. experienced gardener, therefore, having noticed a new shoot from one or another cutting, they immediately pinch it to stimulate the tillering process.
Remember that both layering and cuttings should be grown for three years before planting.
How to properly prune young weigela in spring
Of course, like any other bush, this plant undergoes mandatory pruning. Sanitary pruning of weigela in spring is prescribed for young shrubs: the procedure involves removing diseased, broken, frozen and thickening branches. The main pruning of weigela is carried out in decorative purposes in the summer. This procedure can be performed in the spring, but only for prevention. To understand how to trim weigela, wait until the buds begin to swell. Only then will you be able to assess the scope of the upcoming work. And now we offer you step by step instructions how to trim weigela correctly:- First, you should carefully examine the branches of the bush.
- Then you need to find weak or frozen shoots.
- Naturally, delete them.
- Those shoots that are partially frozen, simply cut them off to the outermost healthy bud.
By the way, another piece of advice that experts often give is as follows: even if the whole shoot is frozen, when pruning, leave a small part of it (no more than 6 cm), which is closer to the ground. There is a possibility that a bud located close to the soil will still wake up and become a strong shoot.
Pruning adult weigela in spring
How to prune weigela, which is already considered an adult plant? In this case, gardeners carry out formative pruning in mid-summer, when the first flowering has already passed and new shoots have not yet had time to grow. Just remember that re-blooming will occur precisely on the shoots of the current year. Therefore, if you did not have time and the shoots began to grow, it is better to abandon summer pruning altogether. How to prune weigela in the spring so that the number of buds increases each time and the growth of new shoots accelerates? In truth, this will depend on the plant variety you choose. Remember also that anti-aging pruning is good for adult bushes once every three to four years: it involves the complete removal of all branches older than three years, and shortening those that are younger by a third.Weigela pests and diseases
You need to be prepared that various varieties and weigela species are often attacked by pests such as leaf-eating caterpillars and aphids. In addition, thrips and spider mites in the hot season.Unfortunately, to combat all this abomination they use pesticides that are very harmful to the environment. You can try to fight using other methods: you should resort to herbal insecticidal infusions that contain wormwood, garlic or hot pepper.If it gets to the point where the seedlings begin to turn yellow and wither, you will have to fill the soil with a solution of karbofos or actara. Only these moderate pesticides will be able to combat the larvae of the cockchafer or mole cricket, which most likely got into the root system with the compost during planting. Another danger to the plant is gray rot, rust and spotting. To get rid of such fungal and bacterial diseases, treatment with lime milk with the addition of copper sulfate is most often used.
Winter-hardy weigela species and varieties for the Moscow region: photos and descriptions
Look at the photos of weigela varieties: among them there are ornamental plants, and those that are able to withstand even the most severe frosts in our area. Specifically for winter-hardy Weigela varieties that are most valued by gardeners include the following varieties of shrubs:
The Moscow region has several common forms: – Alba, Victoria, pink, purple and Variegata.
Alba is distinguished by its tiny size and white flowers, which turn pink at the end of flowering.
Victoria is a bush that grows up to one meter, blooming with dark red inflorescences.
Pink weigela blooms very unusual flowers: They are painted in delicate shades of pink on the outside, and almost white on the inside.
One more suitable variety weigela for the Moscow region is considered a hybrid, which is distinguished by its lush color and spreading crown. The shrub grows to a height of approximately 1.5 m. Depending on the variety, it can bloom with purple, white, lilac, red-violet and pink flowers.
Alexandra weigela bushes do not grow higher than two meters. They grow slowly, adding about 10 cm per year. The leaves of this variety have a specific burgundy-green color. Red bell-shaped inflorescences stand out brightly against the dark background of foliage.
Advice! Combining several plants of one species, you can create a wonderful group planting. B. blooming looks great on its own, if you salt it next to door to the house or gate.
Weigel Middendorf
The features of the Middendorf weigela are yellow bell flowers, foliage that does not turn yellow until October and two flowering periods per year. You can grow such a shrub separately or in a company.
Advice! In nature, V. Middendorf grows in forests, so on garden plot will look good surrounded by other bushes and rarely planted trees .
Weigela early
Very lush, plentiful flowering shrub. It is perhaps the most decorative of all types. Flowers - purple- red, bloom for 10-30 days. Bright green In summer the leaves turn yellow in September. Due to the dense crown, brown and gray branches are practically invisible.
Advice! Early weigela is not very frost-resistant; it requires shelter. If winters in your region are severe, it is better to choose a different type.
Weigela hybrida
In an effort to create the most suitable for natural conditions middle zone form, the breeders combined different types weigels, choosing their best qualities. Thus, hybrid shrubs have dense foliage and lush flowering, and the range of shades of buds is quite wide: purple, pink, violet, white and carmine flowers delight not only with their beauty, but also with a magnificent aroma.
Weigela hybrida includes several forms, the most famous of which is Bristol Ruby. This is a fairly tall (up to 3 m) shrub with long bright green leaves. Ruby red with orange Weigela rubi flowers bloom in the middle in June.
Having chosen the appropriate type, you need to decide how and when to plant weigela.
Planting weigela is not particularly difficult. You just need to find a good place and properly design the planting hole.
Preparing for landing
When choosing a landing site, consider the following weigela preferences:
- Solar light. In the shade, this heat-loving plant will not bloom to its full potential;
- No draft. The wind blows the leaves and inflorescences of weigela too much, which negatively affects the development of the plant and its appearance;
- Moisture. The soil should be moist, but not swampy. Stagnation of water at the roots is not allowed;
- Priming. Weigela grows best in fertile, non-acidic, loose soils.
Advice! If the soil in your garden is highly acidic, liming it before planting weigela.
As for seedlings, it is better to choose three-year-old samples. They are easier to accept and grow faster.
Landing
Weigela is planted in early spring. Autumn planting will not give good results, since the seedling will not have time to take root before the cold weather.
Pits 50*50 cm for tall bushes are dug at a distance of at least 2 m. For low varieties, a smaller gap is acceptable. 15 cm from the bottom of the hole should be occupied by drainage, designed to protect the roots from rotting. For these purposes, use gravel or broken brick .
Advice! If the soil is loamy, add sand to the drainage.
The soil mixture for weigela is usually made up of turf, sand and humus (2/2/1). Potassium salt (40 g per well) and superphosphate (60 g per well) are used as fertilizer.
Advice! If the winter in your area is harsh, create a small hut for the bush by installing supports around it and tightening them with lutrasil or spunbond. Fill the space inside such a shelter with dry leaves.
It is important to ensure that there is no snow on the shelter, otherwise young shoots may be damaged.
pruning
Dry and frostbitten weigela branches are pruned annually. This sanitary pruning is done in May. After flowering, formative pruning is performed, which promotes re-blooming.
Once every 2-3 years, a more thorough, rejuvenating pruning of the weigela is carried out, during which branches that greatly thicken the bush are removed.
Diseases and pests
The main enemy of weigela is aphids and caterpillars that chew the leaves. The main danger is damage to the roots. If the bush has stopped growing, and its leaves have turned yellow and drooped, carry out preventive watering of the soil with insecticides. It is quite possible that when planting along with the compost, mole crickets or cockchafer larvae got into the pit. At the first suspicion, add appropriate preparations to the soil (Medvetox works well).
When correct landing weigela successfully resists diseases. By periodically treating the bushes with fungicides, you will protect them from bacterial diseases.
As you can see, planting and care, pruning and propagation of weigela are simple procedures. By doing them consistently, you will achieve amazing results.
