Bells growing from seeds. Perennial bells: planting and care, types and varieties with photos

Since ancient times, bell flowers, growing freely in the wild conditions of nature, have attracted everyone's attention, as a result, breeders came up with the idea to use this beautiful, modest and touching plant to decorate gardens and suburban areas. In addition, bells are perennial flowers, so growing them is not only beautiful, but also practical.

In Russia, local residents loved such plants so much that they came up with various affectionate names such as doves, bells, bells, chebotki, and chenilles.

Legends were made about gentle bells, and according to one of the legends, these flowers appeared in those days when people began to ride on three horses to the cheerful ringing of bells.

Where these chimes sounded, bells grew, which also made a quiet ringing, but it could only be heard the night before on the night of Ivan Kupala.

Beneficial properties of perennial bells

After a certain period of time, villagers began to plant bells in their front gardens, but they used these flowers not only as decoration, but also to treat certain ailments. It was believed that these modest flowers helped cope with ulcers, sore throats, erysipelas, mastitis and epilepsy.

In addition, there are many types of bells, and among them there are edible and honey-bearing plants, the roots and leaves of which can be used in cooking for pickling, stewing, preparing soups, salads.

How to grow bluebells in the garden. General rules for planting and care.

You need to choose a place for planting that is sunny or lightly shaded. Any soil that is well drained will do.

Drained soil is soil brought to normal water balance. Most often achieved by constructing an active or passive outlet excess moisture. Active removal is used, for example, on modern football fields. Passive - sandy or rocky layer in the soil.

Can't plant garden bells:

• to areas where water stagnates;
• in lowlands with loamy or clayey soil;
• places that are flooded with water.

In any other places you can grow bells and they will feel great. In case if groundwater located close to the surface, you can create a tall, raised flower bed and provide good drainage.

How to plant perennial garden bellflower.

The soil for planting should be loose, with sufficient nutrients. To do this, you need to add peat, humus, and turf soil to heavy soils (loam or clay soil).

Bluebells reproduce best by bushes. You can also grow your own bellflower seedlings from seeds.

The time when to plant garden bells is very convenient. This can be done twice per season in autumn and spring. Namely:

• perennial bells for rock gardens (these include Carpathian bell, spoon-leaved, wall, Pozharsky, Gargan) are propagated by dividing bushes and nests in the spring;
• these same low-growing bells for the rock garden are planted by cuttings for propagation in an unheated greenhouse at the beginning of summer;
• flower bed bells, which are grown as biennials, are planted with seeds in May - June, seedlings are planted on permanent place in the fall. Growing bells from seeds is a very simple task, even a novice gardener can do it.

Flowers are planted in holes, which are watered abundantly before planting. Lay the bush, straighten the roots and sprinkle with earth. Planting flowers in the fall must be done so that they take root before the onset of frost.

Feeding perennial bluebells

In order for flowers to delight us with their blooming, they must be fertilized and the necessary fertilizing applied.

• In the spring, you need to add nitrogen or any nitrogen-containing fertilizers to the soil that promote the growth of green mass of plants.
• In summer, complex and phosphorus fertilizers are used for garden flowers.
• In the fall, add potassium, it will increase the plants' resistance to frost.

Perennial bells planting and care

The main care for flowers is in summer. They need to be periodically loosened, weeds removed, and fertilized, especially before flowering.

Propagation of perennial garden bells

1. Growing from seeds. Most species of these flowers can be propagated by seeds; they repeat the properties of the parent plants. Only some varieties, for example terry ones, may differ from their parents. In this case, they are propagated vegetatively.

The bell seeds are very small, so they are laid out on the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand.

When to plant bluebells with seeds? In the 2nd half of October or May, the seeds are sown in the ground. Through seedlings at home, flower seeds are planted for seedlings, starting in March.

The first shoots appear approximately 2 weeks after planting. When 3 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive after 10 cm. The flowers are transplanted into flower beds and flower beds in early June. Garden bells bloom within a year.

2. Propagation by cuttings. Young shoots are cut into cuttings and planted in an unheated greenhouse.

Bells are perennial flowers - popular varieties and species.

Bell flowers have long been cultivated, but some gardeners prefer to decorate their gardens with wild species, as they see zest and grace in them.

In most cases, cultivated varieties specially bred by breeders are planted in private gardens.

There are now more than four hundred different varieties such plants, and the flowers on many of them have long ceased to have the traditional blue or bluish color. So, in gardens you can find bells of violet, light lilac, soft pink, ocher-yellow, fawn and white corolla colors. Naturally, all varieties differ from each other not only in color, but also in the timing of flowering, as well as in the size of the leaves.

That is why every gardener is given a great opportunity to choose the most suitable varieties bells for decorating gardens, rockeries, borders, vertical flower arrangements.

Bluebell Carpathian

The most popular type. The Carpathian bell is actively used to create alpine slides and rockeries. In nature, it grows in the mountains, so it looks great among the stones, very quickly forming a large fluffy ball of flowers from small seedlings.

Bell-shaped or star-shaped flowers are white or blue. Plant height 25 cm. Flowering lasts from June to September. Refers to perennial flowers that bloom all summer. It is worth noting that this is an unpretentious plant. In spring it is necessary to protect the plant from slugs. During drought, water regularly.

Bell dotted

It gets its name from the crimson speckles on the white petal visible from inside the flower. The peculiarity of the flower’s shape is that it resembles a blown barrel and tapers to petal blades. Incredibly beautiful. It will be a wonderful decoration for your suburban area.

The flower consists of 5 connected petals, forming a bell-like corolla. The bell also has 10 green cloves at the flower stem. 5 of them are raised up, and the rest are lowered down.

Hanging flowers reach 4 centimeters and are collected in lush inflorescences. The lower leaves are on cuttings. The upper ones do not have this part, so they are classified as sessile. They have very hard fluff, which is very noticeable when you touch it.

Varieties of this bell are bred in different colors:

• pink
• blue
• burgundy
• white
• deep blue

The popularity of the dotted bell is increased due to its diversity.

1. For example, the Otello variety is rich in color pigments. That's why even its sheets are painted. They are characterized by a brown color. 'Kent Bell' has very large bright blue flowers and a stem that grows over 70cm.
2. IN Lately The “Cherry Bells” variety is highly sought after, with milky petal tips, a pink base and lots of red flecks throughout the flower. He is short, only about half a meter. Breeders promise to soon release terry variations of this variety.
3. Many gardeners like the double dotted bell, the so-called double bell. In this form, additional petals are formed from the stamens.

Terry like characteristic This bell is not very durable. Its availability may vary due to climate, weather and growing conditions. And the age of the plant and very hot weather contribute to the preservation of terry. Young plants are least likely to produce double flowers.

Of course, some of the varieties of this bell are capricious. But among them there are sure to be many persistent plants that can decorate any garden, no matter where it is. Growing bellflower is not the most carefree activity. After all, this flower needs scrupulous care.

Bellflower peach leaf.

Belongs to border perennials. Peach bell planting and care is possible in garden beds and a flower garden. Plant height 75 cm. Flower color - white or blue. The flowers are cup-shaped, large. A very popular plant among gardeners.

Planting peach bell on sandy, clay or loamy soils is possible with drainage and a large amount of humus. The flower is not afraid of shade; it loves soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

You should not add a lot of fertilizers, as this will negatively affect the durability of plants in winter and lead to their rapid aging.

The peach-leaf bell is propagated by seeds. They are sown in small greenhouses starting in mid-spring. You should not collect peach bell seeds yourself - they do not inherit parental characteristics. In July, the seedlings are harvested, and in August they are planted in a permanent place. For the winter, the plant is covered with peat or a 15-20 cm layer of dry leaves. With proper care, the bell may bloom next year. If you delay planting or picking, the buds will appear only in the third year.

Peach-leaved species are not long-lived plants, although they are perennial bluebells. Planting and care during propagation by division make it possible to inherit parental characteristics. The transplant is done at the beginning or end of summer, and the roots should be covered with clods of earth. Cuttings are also often used and are done in sand. For effective flowering, you need to periodically feed the bell. Growing will be effective if fertilizers are applied correctly. In spring, nitrogen is used, and before flowering, various complex mineral fertilizers are used. In addition, faded shoots are pruned so that the blooming bells will delight the eye longer.

Flowering is long, from June to August. Removing spent flowers prolongs flowering.

You can use bells of different colors and types not only in group plantings, but also in single plantings, and such compositions will not seem boring at all.

Tell:

Almost the entire summer period, an amazing plant with bright blue or white flowers from the bellflower family, the Carpathian bellflower, blooms in the open ground. The cultivation of numerous varieties of this plant is best achieved when planted on the southern slopes of alpine hills and in rockeries. How to take care of the plant? What are the most productive methods of propagating Carpathian bellflower? You will find answers to questions about the agricultural technology of bells in this article.

Carpathian bell: varieties and varieties

People called these cute flowers: chenilles, chebotki, bells. More than 300 species of Campanula are known. Recently, breeders have been developing new unique varieties perennial bells suitable for planting on alpine hills.

These low perennial plants fit perfectly into landscape design

Double and non-double varieties of Carpathian bellflower, which are painted in white, pink shades and the whole spectrum, have a special charm. blue color. The perennial Carpathian bell reaches only 30 cm in height; the plant's delicate stems grow anew every spring. The plant has two types of leaves: large ones are collected in a neat rosette, smaller leaves are arranged alternately on the stems. Campanula forms a lush bush, each shoot of which is crowned with single bell-shaped flowers. Flowering usually begins in mid-summer and lasts until autumn, the duration depends on the variety of bells.

Advice! Removing faded inflorescences will stimulate lateral branching and the formation of new buds. Drastic pruning of the Carpathian bellflower bush causes a second wave of plant flowering.

Planting a bluebell

When planting perennial Carpathian bellflower in open ground, it is worth considering some subtleties:

Plant care

It is not at all difficult to care for a bell in the open ground. The plant can do without watering in the spring months, when the roots receive enough moisture from melt water.

After wintering, the plants should be inspected and dead parts of the bushes should be removed.

To prevent the plant's roots from suffering from the heat, mulch the soil under the bell

During extreme heat, to retain moisture, it is necessary to mulch the soil in the beds with plants. Bluebells that grow on rocky hills do not require mulching in the summer.

Advice! Campanula does not tolerate the proximity of weeds: plant care includes timely weeding and removal of weeds from flower beds.

Fertilizing and feeding the bell

At the beginning of spring, it is useful to feed the regrown bushes of campanula with complete organo-mineral fertilizer. In mid-summer, plants in open ground will respond well to the application of phosphorus fertilizers and microelements.

Advice! Excessive application organic fertilizers will lead to an increase in the green mass of the bush to the detriment of flowering.

Plant propagation

The Carpathian bell can be propagated by dividing the bush and seeds, which ripen in boxes by the end of September. Growing a plant from seeds is quite a troublesome task, since the seedlings are very weak and tender. When self-sowing, campanula grow in the spring adapted to local conditions. It is recommended to sow seeds in autumn or spring. Flowering specimens grown from seeds will bloom in 2-3 years.

The most convenient way to propagate bluebells is by dividing the bush.

Dividing the bush is only suitable for mature, fully grown plants that are over 3 years old.

In addition to these methods of propagation, the bell is easily propagated in the summer by green cuttings. Cuttings are cut into segments with several internodes from healthy bushes. Rooting is carried out in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Excellent results were observed when using growth stimulants during the rooting period of green cuttings. Preparations "Epin" or "Kornevin" will significantly reduce the risk of plant death and also guarantee the rapid formation of a strong root system. Grown-up specimens are transplanted to a permanent place in early autumn or spring.

Diseases and pests

The Carpathian bellflower is practically not threatened by pests. Thin leaves and the shoots of the plant suffer only from the invasion of slugs. The preparations “Grom” and “Meta” will help to expel pests from plants.

Slugs can cause significant damage to bluebell leaves.

The leaves of bells may become rusty; preparations containing copper will help fight the disease. To prevent the spread of rust, it is useful to carry out preventive soil treatment in spring and autumn with Gumi or Fitosporin preparations.

Carpathian bellflower: combination with other plants

On an alpine hill, perennial bells are ideally arranged in plantings with rock alyssum, aubrietta, lobelia, daisies and other perennial or annual plants for rocky gardens.

Bluebell looks great in a flowerbed with other perennials

The combination of blue and white bells planted side by side is very picturesque. Photo landscape compositions using Campanula confirms the perfect combination of blue bells with flowers in white, pink and yellow shades.

The plant fits perfectly with the emerald carpet of city lawns.

Carpathian bellflower in landscape design

IN landscape design Carpathian bell is used for growing in rock gardens, alpine hills and rocky gardens.

Carpathian bellflower in the rock garden

IN last years flowerpots with flowering plants. The bell is ideal for these purposes.

Delicate flowers are planted in beds to frame paths and in mixed flower beds with low-growing plants.

What you need to know about the Carpathian bell: video

Varieties of Carpathian bellflower: photo

Every self-respecting gardener must have at least one alpine hill on his plot. Designing an alpine slide and caring for alpine plants is a whole science that emanates magic and magnetism. And indeed, the creation of alpine slides is very exciting activity.

The delicate and graceful Carpathian bell is indispensable in creating a fabulous beautiful compositions and is most often used in slides. Carpathian bellflower forms dense bushes, which are strewn with large cup-shaped flowers from early June to September. An important advantage of the bell when used in landscape design is the many color options for flowers: classic blue, all shades of blue, soft white, different variations of purple. Bell - perennial, which does not require annual sowing.

Methods for growing Carpathian bell from seeds

Sowing seeds for seedlings is the most common way to grow bellflowers. The weight of 1000 bell seeds, depending on the variety, ranges from about 1–0.25 g, which, with good germination, will allow you to get up to 4 thousand seedlings per gram. To simplify sowing and obtain less dense and uniform seedlings, it is recommended to mix the seeds with sifted dry sand.

Carpathian bellflower seeds are quite capricious and require thermal hardening for germination, so seed preparation and sowing should begin in February. Immediately after sowing, the seeds are kept for 3–4 weeks at a temperature of 20°C and evenly moistened under diffused light (through glass) with access to fresh air. Compliance with all of the listed microclimate parameters is equally important for successful seed germination. Prematurely emerging “upstart” seedlings need to be transplanted into a separate box. Warming up the seeds is replaced by thermal hardening at temperatures ranging from -4°C to +4°C. Duration this stage is 4–6 weeks. In this case, exposure to natural environmental factors is desirable, but with the ability to control the temperature when it drops significantly.

Favorable conditions for seed germination are created under a light snow cover: snow protects the seeds from freezing, and melt water on a sunny day provides the necessary moisture. The hardening period is extended if average daily temperatures are above the upper limit of the specified range. When the first shoots appear, containers with soil are transferred to a room with a temperature of 10°C to 15°C.

This method of provoking seeds to germinate is quite labor-intensive, but effective.

There is another method, which is characterized by the following: the seeds are not sown in the ground, but are processed in a mixture with wet sand, placed in a plastic bag. The first stage - heating the seeds - is similar to the first method. The second stage - hardening - is carried out in the refrigerator for the same duration as in the first case. Upon completion of the second stage, the seeds are sown in prepared boxes with soil without deepening (the mixture with seeds and sand is simply distributed evenly over the substrate) and placed in conditions with a temperature of 10–15°C.

To avoid washing out the seeds, moistening with a spray bottle is used instead of watering. It is possible to moisten the substrate through its microcapillaries through a tray with water. In any case, before sowing, the substrate must be thoroughly moistened and saturated with water. After sowing, care must be taken to maintain optimal humidity and a sufficient level of illumination. IN optimal conditions Seed germination begins after 10–25 days.

Since the seedlings in any case turn out to be quite dense, picking begins immediately after the first leaves appear. In order not to seriously injure the seedlings, transplantation can be carried out in groups of 3-4 plants in seedling pots or multi-cell plates. Young bell seedlings prefer moderate moisture and frequent ventilation. The first fertilizing with 0.2% fertilizers is carried out two weeks after picking, when the plants have recovered from stress and restored the root system.

Four-week-old seedlings are suitable for planting in a permanent place in open ground. The site for the Carpathian bell should be well lit, ventilated and not prone to waterlogging. Otherwise, the oppressed plant will be susceptible to various diseases.

Methods of vegetative propagation of Carpathian bellflower

Along with seed propagation of bells, there are also vegetative methods: dividing the bush and cuttings. The use of these methods allows you to increase the number of plants in summer and autumn period. Also, during vegetative propagation, the possibility of cross-pollination and splitting of characteristics is excluded, therefore, obtaining an identical planting material and transmission of all varietal characteristics.

Division

Dividing 3–5-year-old bell bushes is carried out in early May or in the second half of August (at the beginning or end of the growing season). Mother plant they dig up, cut off all the shoots (to minimize the transpiration of water from the plant and improve rooting), cut the rhizome into pieces, which, in turn, are planted in pre-prepared shallow holes, without allowing excessive deepening. If it is necessary to divide the mother bush into too small parts, they can be grown in containers using liquid fertilizers.

Cuttings

Forcing Carpathian bellflower plants for cuttings occurs at a temperature of 10°C. Cuttings are cut 2–3 cm long with one or two buds. Favorable dates for cutting bells are confined to the spring months and are sufficiently extended, which allows you to obtain a significant amount of planting material.

Rooting of cuttings is going quite well, roots are fully formed on the 21st day. Planting of cuttings is carried out in multi-cell plates with 3 cuttings in each cell. The substrate for cuttings is prepared from soil, sand and humus in equal quantities; after planting the cuttings, the surface of the substrate is covered with a layer of sand of several centimeters. Sand absorbs moisture well and retains it, while remaining loose and aerated, which has a beneficial effect on young roots. Optimal conditions for rooting are created by a fog-forming installation (fine moisture) under a plastic film.

Vegetative propagation methods significantly accelerate the flowering of the bell.

Carpathian bellflower, if we consider mature plant, can be considered unpretentious. Regular watering, standard universal flower fertilizers and periodic weeding with loosening of the soil - this is, perhaps, the whole range of measures for caring for the Carpathian bell. The most labor-intensive and responsible way is to grow Carpathian bellflower from seeds, and this path is advisable only if you want to start a new rare variety. To propagate existing varieties, it is much easier to use vegetative methods.

One of the most attractive representatives of the Campanula family, decorating alpine hills and rockeries, is the Carpathian bell flower. Planted in groups, the graceful flowers form dense, bushy bushes with delicate cup-shaped flowers in white, rich blue, and purple. Thanks to its long and continuous charming flowering, winter hardiness and undemanding soil, the plant is loved by many gardeners and is successfully used to design unusual compositions by landscape designers. Read on to learn how to grow these charming flowers in your garden.

Carpathian bellflower - dwarf decorative look family Campanulaceae. This is perennial herbaceous plant, whose natural habitat is the calcareous rocks of the mountains of Central Europe and the Carpathians, where the name of the species comes from. The Carpathian bell plant is a low perennial herbaceous bush with thin branched stems that does not grow more than 30 cm in height. The basal heart-shaped leaves are collected in a rosette, forming spherical bushes. The stem leaves of the plant are smaller, on short petioles. The large cup-shaped flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter, give the plant a special charm. The color of the petals ranges from delicate white to dark purple. Delicate flowers located one on the stem. The beginning of flowering is June. Flowering is long, abundant, flowers alternately replace each other. After flowering, the Carpathian bell forms a fruit - a cylinder-shaped box. Varieties of Carpathian bellflower varieties Herbaceous plants are used both for open ground and for growing in room conditions, in a pot. For growing Carpathian bellflower in the country or creating beautiful small flower beds, compact varieties that differ in flower color and flowering duration are suitable: Carpathian gnome bell. The bush has a round shape and blooms with pale blue or white flowers. Bluebell Carpathian Blue Clips. Dwarf variety, a bush up to 20 cm high. Carpathian blue bell is unpretentious in care, can be grown both in the garden and as a potted crop. The flowers are blue, up to 5 cm in diameter. On the background low growing bush seem even larger. Varieties of the variety: Deep Blue Clips - dark blue, large flowers, White Clips - snow-white flowers. Alba. Blooms with snow-white flowers. Celestine, Isabel. The flowers of this variety have a beautiful, bright blue hue. White Star. A common variety, loved by our summer residents. The inflorescences are snow-white. Karpatenkrone. The color of the inflorescences is soft lilac or purple. Carpathian bellflower - planting The unpretentiousness of the Carpathian bell attracts many gardeners who want to decorate their plot or garden with beautiful flowers with abundant and long-lasting flowering. The plant can be grown both on the sunny side of the garden and in partial shade. When choosing suitable place landing, it should be remembered that this perennial flower It grows well in one place, without transplanting for more than 5 years. For a fragile plant, you should choose an area without drafts. The best soil for growing a plant is a fertile, loose substrate with excellent drainage and a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Heavy and loamy soils, where moisture often stagnates or groundwater flows through, are not suitable for planting. The bell dies from excess moisture, which leads to rotting of the root system. Therefore, for planting flowers, you should choose flower beds located on hills or rocky areas. Plant bluebells in open ground It is possible only after deep digging of the soil in the spring. If the soils are heavy, it is necessary to add river sand and humus; in poor soils, add turf soil and complex fertilizers, feed manure and peat, as these fertilizers can provoke the development of a fungal disease. How to grow Carpathian bell from seeds Spring planting of bell seeds in open ground is the most popular way of growing a flower for the southern regions, where in May the soil is already sufficiently warmed up. 2 weeks after planting, you can already observe the first shoots. After the first leaves appear on the sprouts, the bushes are picked and replanted at a distance of 10 cm from each other. You can sow seeds in the fall; the optimal month for sowing is mid-October. The first young shoots appear after the snow melts, when the soil warms up. The seeds of the Carpathian bell are very small; it is enough to spread them on the surface of loose soil and sprinkle them with sand. Under optimal conditions and compliance with all requirements for soil composition, 1 gram of seeds gives excellent germination. Carpathian bellflower: growing seedlings There is another planting method, but it is long and labor-intensive; this is planting seed for seedlings in boxes. You can sow seeds as early as February-March. Stages of work: For seedlings, prepare special boxes or containers with nutritious soil mixture. Ready-made soil intended for growing seedlings can be purchased in specialized stores or prepared independently. To do this, mix turf soil, humus and river sand, maintaining a ratio of 6:3:1. Seeds are sown in a moistened substrate. It is enough to scatter small seeds on the surface of the soil and lightly press them down without compacting them or covering them with a layer of soil. Containers with planted seeds are covered with film or glass and placed in a warm, well-lit room or windowsill. For 2 weeks, the film must be opened slightly every day to ventilate and moisten the soil using a spray bottle. It is also important to remove condensation that forms on inside films or glass. The first small shoots appear in the second or third week after they are sown in the ground. Seedlings grow slowly and require additional lighting. After the first leaves appear, the seedlings are picked and planted in cups of 2-3 bushes. In May, Carpathian bellflower seedlings are ready for planting in open ground. Reproduction of Carpathian bellflower In addition to the seed propagation method, which was mentioned above, Carpathian bellflower is propagated by cuttings or dividing the rhizome. To use the rhizome division method, only mature and strong plants, at least 3 years old, are suitable. To divide the bush, you need to dig it out of the moist soil and cut the rhizome into several parts with a sharp knife, treating the sections with activated carbon powder. Each part of the plant must have at least one rosette. The cuttings are planted in a permanent place on the site, in prepared, moist soil. In the summer, before flowering begins, the method of propagation by green cuttings is used. It is necessary to cut the young stems so that each cutting has three internodes. Cuttings should be treated with a growth stimulator using special preparations. For example, Kornevin or Epin, thanks to which a strong, healthy root system is formed in a young plant. The cuttings treated with a growth stimulator are planted in a container with soil and covered with film for rooting, not forgetting about ventilating and moistening the plantings. After the first leaves appear, at the beginning of autumn, the cuttings are planted in a permanent place in the open ground. Carpathian bells: care Carpathian bell is an unpretentious plant that adapts well to any climatic conditions, so it does not need special care. Watering Carpathian bluebells Regular watering of the flower is not necessary, especially in rainy summers. However, during drought, with a long absence of precipitation, the bells should be watered, using up to 10 liters of water per bush. After watering, the soil must be loosened for good air permeability. Feeding Carpathian bluebells Fertilizers are applied to the soil twice per season. For the first fertilizing, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used, it is produced in early spring, until the snow began to melt. Second feeding mineral fertilizers carried out during the formation of buds. Mulching and weeding of Carpathian bluebells The soil where bells grow should always be loose and permeable. Frequent weeding and weed removal will provide the plant's root system with the necessary moisture and oxygen. In dry summers, to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture, the soil needs to be mulched with dry grass or sawdust. Removing faded inflorescences of the Carpathian bellflower Inflorescences that have bloomed must be removed in a timely manner to allow new inflorescences to grow, and also to prevent self-seeding, which may result in chaotic plantings of bells in the flowerbed next spring. Collection of Carpathian bell seeds To propagate bells by seed, it is necessary to collect seed. To do this, faded inflorescences are not removed, but are left to form fruit-pods with seeds. As soon as the boxes darken and begin to open, they are collected and then dried in the shade. Dried ripe seeds are stored in a dry place, in a paper bag, or planted in open ground in a permanent place in the fall. It is worth noting that a plant planted with seeds will not bloom immediately, but in the third year of life. Wintering of the Carpathian bluebell Carpathian bellflower is a hardy and frost-resistant plant. In the southern regions and in the central zone of our country, where winters are mild and snowy, the plant does not need winter shelter. In the northern regions or if weather forecasters predict a harsh winter in your region, it is advisable to cover and insulate the bushes. The stems are cut at the root and covered with a layer of fallen autumn leaves or spruce branches. Carpathian bellflower: diseases and pests The plant is resistant to pests, and with high-quality care and compliance with all growing conditions, it is rarely susceptible to disease. But, an unpretentious garden crop has one drawback - a perennial growing in one place for 5-6 years promotes the growth of pathogenic organisms in the soil that can destroy the plant. To combat the massive development of microorganisms in the soil, use preventive measures. In spring and autumn, plantings must be treated with a weak solution of Fundazol. In rainy summers, bell bushes may be attacked by slugs, snails and slobbering pennies. To combat snails and slugs, dry mustard, hot pepper scattered among the bushes, and chemicals: Thunder, Meta. Spraying the bushes with garlic water will help free the plantings from slobbering pennies. Carpathian bellflower in landscape design The Carpathian bell is one of the most beautiful and graceful plants for decorating alpine hills, rockeries, rocky gardens, where lush bushes with numerous blue, white, purple flowers stand out charmingly against the background of gray stones. Borders and garden stone paths, framed by plantings of delicate bells, look beautiful. You can plant bells of one variety in a flowerbed, or you can combine a variety of varieties with different colors of inflorescences, creating incredibly beautiful compositions. Gardeners often use planting low-growing bells to decorate flower beds near gazebos, houses, verandas, where you can enjoy their beautiful flowering throughout warm season. You can plant bells in large flowerpots or containers with good drainage and decorate open loggias or terraces. Carpathian bells are not capricious and very beautiful perennial flowers. Their tenderness and charm, combined with easy care and cultivation, has won the hearts of many gardeners. Once you plant this charming plant on your property, you will never be able to give it up. Carpathian bellflower, photo

The flowers, familiar to everyone since childhood, owe their name to their external similarity to miniature bells. Even in Latin they are officially called “Campanula” - bell. We also often affectionately call them bells, chenilles, and chebotki. Like many flowers, they are sung in beautiful legends.

According to one of them, the first church bell was created in the image of this tender, fragile gift of nature. It was after their quiet ringing was heard after the wind blew that the priest ordered a copper mold to be cast for the temple in the image and likeness of a flower. Even today there is a belief that their quiet crystal ringing can be heard on Ivan Kupala. Another legend tells about the growth of bells on the site of the scattered fragments of the mirror of the goddess Venus.

Many peoples perceive the bell as a good talisman, capable of driving away all evil spirits with its ringing. It is considered a symbol of faith, joy, openness, increase in wisdom, and harmony between Man and Heaven.

There is a sign that bells dream of good news, good changes in your personal life, and a warning against rash actions. And the enthusiastic praise of this flower by poets and artists deserves a separate discussion.

The desire to get an armful of bells is indomitable, but the picked bells quickly fade... In order to admire them for a long time, it is better to grow them in nature or in your apartment. We invite you to get acquainted with the characteristics of flowers and methods of growing them more specifically.

Description of the flower

The bellflower family of the herbaceous genus has more than 300 species. They grow in the temperate climates of Europe, Asia, the Caucasus, Siberia, and North America. They can be seen in the steppes, meadows, mountains, on rocks, and desert areas.

The shape of flowers up to 7 cm long resembles inverted glasses, bells with edges that curve outward. Their surface can be smooth or terry with a variety of colors (white, blue, purple, pink).

Along with racemose, paniculate inflorescences, there are also solitary flowers. Their ripe fruits look like a box with up to 6 slot-like holes.

Until recently, most bluebells were garden flowers, with the exception of indoor even-leaved flowers. Their varieties Alba and Mayi with white and light blue flowers are called bride and groom.

However, today other low-growing, compact terry plants have appeared, which are grown not only in open ground, but also indoors.

They are divided into a significant number of species and subspecies, hybrids. The main criteria for classification as a particular species or variety are the height and timing of growth of these flowers.

Due to the different heights of straight, stiff-haired stems with alternate leaves and bell-shaped flowers, the following types are distinguished:

• short (from 6 to 20 cm)
• medium height (up to 1 m)
• tall (more than 1 m).

Along with these characteristics, the entire number of flowers is divided, first of all, according to the timing of their growth: one- and two-year-old, perennial. For the right choice its variant among the many varieties of Campanula, let's look at the most popular of them among our gardeners.

1. Annuals bells came to us from the southern regions. In places with cool and temperate climates they are less common.

Among them there are plants of both low and medium height. Here the most popular plant is the eponymous bellflower, low-growing, forked (dichotomous), Kashmiri. Due to their small growth, the flowers look great near borders and on rock gardens.

The short guy never tires of winning over his fans California bluebell(Phacelia bell-shaped) with dark shades of flowers. It is cultivated mainly for decorating slides, borders, container groups, etc.

Medium-growing summer varieties are also very popular in our area: long-columnar and, as if in memory of an ancient legend, the Mirror of Venus. Despite their short lifespan, their numerous flowers from May to early autumn delight with their different colors.

1. Two-year-olds The most common flowers are “natives” from the subalpine zone of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, Asia Minor and even Siberia. Having grown up in their native climate, they take root well in our country under similar conditions. These include low-growing bearded bluebells.

Among the medium-growing ones, Campanula Medium (medium) can be called a favorite. It has been known since the end of the 16th century and is prone to natural renewal, which is why it is sometimes grown as a perennial option.

Campanula medium Campanula medium

This species has several varieties, where it enjoys special sympathy among many gardeners. Cup and saucer.

This plant is interesting for its flowers like a cup with gracefully curved edges and a thin porcelain saucer. The beauty is collected in a large inflorescence, which can accommodate about 50 bells with a diameter of up to 8 cm and a wide color palette.

Along with them, varieties of coarse-haired, Hoffman, thyrsus-shaped, and spicate bells are also popular. In many gardens, such biennials are grown as: Siberian, Moesian, laurel, spatulate, divergent, spreading, pyramidal, Sartori, Formateca, etc.

1. Perennial species are found much more often than those growing for 1-2 years. They are also divided into subgroups depending on the height of the plant.

Among short species, the leader in prevalence is Carpathian bell, born in the mountains of Central Europe. It has been known in floriculture for about 250 years. The plant barely reaches 30 cm and has stems with densely arranged leaves. However, it is short-lived, because it lives in one place for no more than three years.

His best known garden forms Alba and White Star with snow-white single funnel-shaped flowers. These are also Isabel, Celestina, Blaumeise, Riversleya, Centon Joy, Karpatenkrone with sky blue, blue, purple flowers with a diameter of up to 5 cm. And if these varieties are more adapted to open spaces, then the miniature Clip can also be grown as an indoor crop.

Popular low-growing bells also include varieties Gargan, spiral-leaved (spoon-leaved), birch-leaved, daisy-leaved, Ortana, Radde, three-toothed, Shamisso, Uemura and many others.

Medium height perennials are represented by Takeshima and Komarov bells, dotted with numerous stems, simple and double flowers of various colors and sizes. Here the best varieties are considered to be Beautyful Trust, Wedding Bells, Alba-nana, Rubra.

BELL TAKESHIMA "Beautiful Trust"

It is worth paying attention to the hardy Platycodon, which is often called broadleaf. It is notable for its luxurious terry large flowers with different colors. His the best varieties: Album, Nanum, Marisil, Pleno Alba and a number of others.

Among this subgroup, the most popular medium bell with double flowers should again be mentioned. It is very unpretentious, cold-resistant, but loves bright places with moist soil. Its lifespan can be long due to self-seeding (natural renewal). In warm regions, Campanula Medium opens its buds even in the first year of planting seeds.

Tall perennials grow in their natural environment along river banks, in the forests of Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Siberia, and Asia Minor. Varieties have been bred in the culture, the names of which indicate the characteristics of the leaves.

They differ not only in the height of the stem, but in the richer aroma of the flowers. Some names focus attention on the color of the flower, for example, milky (Cerulea, Pritchard Verajeti).

This category also includes noble-flowered, Bolognese, nettle-leaved with double flowers, crowded, rapunzel-shaped bells. Along with them, peach leaves are very popular (Bernice, Tetham Beauty, Exmouth, Snowdrift, New Giant Hybrids).

This one is far from full review allows you to get an idea of wide choice bells for growing on the plot, balcony, in the room.

Growing from seeds

This method is the most universal, and the only one for annual bells. It can also be successfully used for biennials and perennials, except for varieties with double flowers. The exclusion of the latter is explained by the fact that the seedlings are not able to retain these characteristics or the seeds may not set.

Preparing seeds and soil does not involve the use of complex agricultural techniques. Bluebell seeds do not need preliminary preparation to sowing. Regarding the soil, some plant varieties are well adapted to calcareous, rocky places. However, most varieties of bluebells are suitable for neutral/slightly alkaline soil, well-drained loam.

Preparing the soil chosen for planting flowers involves deep digging. For heavy soil, sand or humus is added, and depleted areas are enriched with humus and fertilizers. At the same time, in order to avoid the risk of fungal diseases, you should not use fresh peat or manure that has not completely rotted.

Usage seed method for growing seedlings allows you to see flowers already in the first year after planting.

• To do this, small seeds are sown in containers with soil prepared in advance from March.
• At the same time, they are lightly pressed with the palm of your hand, and not sprinkled with earth.
• The substrate must be light, loose, permeable and pre-moistened.
• This is achieved by mixing turf soil, humus coarse sand in a ratio of 6x3x1.

After sowing, the contents of the container are sprayed with water, covered with film and placed in a warm place up to +20 ºC. After 15-20 days, shoots appear, seedlings are transferred to a place where direct rays of the sun do not reach.

Here, traditional care for seedlings of many flowers is carried out without covering with film. This is watering when the top layer of the substrate dries, careful loosening around the young shoots.

When the first true leaves appear, after 20-24 days, diving is carried out into separate containers at a distance of at least 10 cm. After this, after 2 weeks, the shoots should be fed with a liquid, weakly concentrated complex fertilizer.

Sowing seeds directly into open ground is done before winter in the 2nd half of October or in spring (end of May). At autumn sowing natural selection of full-fledged seeds will take place in the winter, and the strongest of them will sprout together in the spring. These seedlings can be used for planting in the chosen location.

May sowing requires stratification lasting 2 months. However, this somewhat lengthens the path from seed germination to flowering plants.

It should be taken into account that bells sown in this way are used for the first year to develop roots and leaf rosettes. Only in the second year of life do they grow shoots with flower ovaries.

Grown seedlings are planted in open ground from the end of May to the end of the first ten days of June. When choosing a location on a site, you should give preference to light or slightly shaded areas without drafts. It is advisable to place the bells away from trees and bushes to obtain sufficient nutrition and moisture.

When planting low-growing seedlings, the distance between flowers should be up to 15 cm, medium-growing - up to 30 cm, tall - up to 50 cm. Upon completion of planting, the soil near future bells is carefully compacted and well moistened.

To preserve moisture and prevent the appearance of weeds, the row spaces can be mulched. Gardeners note that thanks to seedlings, you can admire flowers already in the first year of their earthly life.

Bell Raspberry ringing

One of the attractive qualities of bluebells is their ease of care. It consists of regular watering during hot weather, further loosening the soil around the flowers, and removing weeds. Tall varieties will need staking or securing to supports.

• Fertilizing is carried out in the spring with nitrogen fertilizer to increase the vegetative mass and earlier flowering.
• During budding in early summer, phosphorus or complex additives are needed.
• In autumn, potassium fertilizers are applied to increase the winter hardiness of the plant.
• If a particular variety prefers the soil to an alkaline, neutral reaction, it is important to reduce the existing acidity with the help of ash.
• In summer, moderate application of rotted humus is appropriate.

In order to extend the flowering time, it is necessary to remove fading inflorescences. At the same time, all faded shoots of tall varieties are cut off. If you plan to collect seeds, then browned, but not yet opened, boxes are left on the plant.

How to collect seeds

For long-term cultivation of your favorite bells, seeds are collected from mid-August to the end of September. It is noteworthy that 1 g contains up to 5,000 small, light seeds.

Harvesting begins after the boxes turn brown and are about to open. Pre-cut inflorescences should be placed on thick paper or canvas in a dry, well-ventilated area.

Clean the crumbled seeds from the remains of bolls and dried leaves, and then use them for growing seedlings or in open ground.

In case of delay from timely collection they are allowed to fall on the ground. Due to self-seeding, the cycle of seed convergence will be repeated without additional stratification and all the processes of growing bells.

Among the many advantages of bells is their resistance to pests and diseases. These undesirable phenomena can occur when flowers are grown in one place for a long time. Indeed, in this case, the soil accumulates various harmful microorganisms.

And their constant presence in contact with plants provokes disastrous consequences for them. Treatment of flowers with a weak solution of Fundazol helps to avoid such negative phenomena.

Excessive humidity can favor the appearance of slugs. Here, an effective means of control can be spraying the plants with a decoction of hot pepper or superphosphate granules sprinkled between the flowers.

Along with the seed seedling method, there are other options, the use of which depends biological features varieties, types of plants. So, if one-year-old bells reproduce by seeds, then two-year-old bells prefer vegetative ones (by seeds and cuttings).

Species of perennials with taproot and carpal root systems are considered vegetatively immobile and can reproduce by their seeds. Plants with creeping long roots, classified as vegetatively mobile species, tolerate all these methods + bush division well.

However, it is better to propagate perennial flowers:

• parts of rhizomes,
• root cuttings,
• stolons,
• dividing the bush.

Despite the possibility of seed reproduction, these species lose their generic characteristics. This is especially reflected in double varieties, which even lose their ability to produce seeds.

With the vegetative method, cuttings are prepared in the spring. From early March to mid-April, they are cut from young basal or stem shoots. Then they are planted in a loose substrate and placed in microgreenhouses, under a film to maintain optimal humidity. Within a month, the cuttings begin to grow roots, after the development of which, you can begin planting the plant.

The use of propagation by dividing the bush is permissible after 2-3 years of plant life. To do this, in May-June, a large bush is selected, dug up, and the above-ground stems are cut off.

Dividing the bush into parts is carried out with a sterile, sharp garden knife. Each part must contain developed healthy roots and renewal buds. The cutting areas of each cutting are treated with crushed coal or ash, and then immediately planted in abundantly watered soil.

When propagating the rhizome in parts, only the creeping part is dug up, from which sections are made from mother plant with renewal buds. They are planted in the ground with an open bud above the soil surface.

Bluebells bloom twice: video

Thanks to the varieties of flowers, their growth, and multicoloredness, these plants provide a wide field for imagination when decorating the landscape. They can be used as spectacular accents on lawns, flower beds, and edgings. Bells are indispensable when creating constantly blooming compositions.

The bell is suitable for both flower beds with perennial flowers and well-groomed green lawns. In landscape-type compositions, it perfectly coexists not only with its “brothers” - bells, but also with other flowers. This spectacular roses, colorful phlox, unique adenophora and gypsophila.

Due to the long-lasting decorativeness of flowering, it looks organically with common cosmos, hollyhocks, calendula, carnations, black-browns, ferns, hosta, etc.

Harmony of colors from different varieties, species with each other, other representatives of the fauna deserves separate consideration. The main thing is that the bell allows every gardener to show their talents as a landscape designer.

Garden bells, Platycodon: video