Bellflowers growing from seeds. Bells perennial: planting and care, types and varieties with photos

Since ancient times, bluebell flowers, growing freely in the wild, 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, bluebells are perennial flowers, so growing them is not only beautiful, but also practical.

In Russia, such plants fell in love with the locals so much that they came up with various affectionate names such as doves, bells, bells, chebotki, chenille.

There were legends about tender bells, and according to one of the legends, these flowers appeared in those days when people began to ride horses in troikas to the cheerful chime of bells.

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

Useful 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 help to cope with ulcers, sore throats, erysipelas, mastitis and epilepsy.

In addition, there are many types of bluebells, among which there are edible and honey plants, the roots and leaves of which can be used in cooking for salting, stewing, making soups, salads.

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

A place for landing should be chosen sunny or light partial shade. Any soil that is well-drained will do.

Drained soil - soil brought to a normal water balance. It is most often achieved by the construction of an active or passive outlet excess moisture. Active retraction 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 clay soil;
• places filled with water.

In any other places you can grow bluebells and they will feel great. In case if ground water located close to the surface, you can make a tall, raised flower bed and make good drainage.

How to plant a perennial garden bell.

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

Best of all, bluebells reproduce by bushes. You can also grow your own seedlings of bluebells from seeds.

The time when planting a garden bell is very convenient. This can be done twice a season in autumn and spring. Namely:

• perennial bells for rock gardens (these include the Carpathian bell, spoon-leaved, wall, Pozharsky, gargan bell) are propagated by dividing bushes and nests in spring;
• the same undersized rock garden bells are planted with cuttings for reproduction 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 autumn. 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. They lay the bush, straighten the roots and sprinkle with earth. Planting flowers in the fall should be done so that they take root before the onset of frost.

Feeding perennial bluebells

In order for the flowers to please us with their flowering, they must be fertilized and the necessary feeding should be applied.

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

Bells perennial planting and care

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

Reproduction of perennial garden bells

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

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 in May, the seeds are sown in the ground. Through seedlings, houses are planted with flower seeds for seedlings, starting in March.

The first shoots appear about 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 in a year.

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

Bluebell flowers are perennial - popular varieties and types.

Bluebell 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, cultivars specially bred by breeders are planted in private gardens.

Now there are more than four hundred different varieties such plants, moreover, the flowers on many of them no longer have the traditional blue or bluish color. So, in the gardens you can find bluebells of purple, light lilac, soft pink, ocher-yellow, fawn and white colors of the corolla. Naturally, all varieties differ from each other not only in color, but also in the timing of flowering, as well as 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, flower vertical compositions.

Carpathian bell

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 is long 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. Water regularly during dry periods.

Bell dotted

It got its name from the crimson dots on the white petal, visible from the inside of the flower. The peculiarity of the shape of the flower is that it looks like an inflated barrel and tapers to the petals. Incredibly beautiful. It will be a wonderful decoration for your suburban area.

The flower consists of 5 connected petals, forming a corolla-bell. The bell also has 10 green cloves at the stem of the flower. 5 of them are raised up, and the rest is 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 sedentary. They have a very hard fluff, well felt when touching it.

Varieties of this bell are bred in different colors:

• pink
• blue
• burgundy
• white
• deep blue

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

1. For example, the Otello variety is rich in color pigments. Therefore, even his sheets are painted. They have a brown color. 'Kent Bell' has very large bright blue flowers and the stem grows over 70 centimeters.
2. IN Lately very popular variety "Cherry Bells" with milky tips of the petals, a pink base and many specks of red throughout the flower. He is not tall, only about half a meter. Breeders promise to soon release terry variations of this variety.
3. Many gardeners like the dotted terry bell, the so-called double. In this form, additional petals are formed from stamens.

Terry like characteristic this bell is not very stable. Its availability can be affected by climate, weather and growing conditions. And the age of the plant and very hot weather contribute to the preservation of terry. On young plants, double flowers are least likely to form.

Of course, some of the varieties of this bell are capricious. But among them there are sure to be many resistant plants that can decorate any garden, wherever it is. Growing a dotted bell is not the most carefree task. After all, this flower needs scrupulous care.

Bell peach.

Refers to border perennials. Bell peach 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 a 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, loves soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

A lot of fertilizer should not be added, as this will negatively affect the resistance of plants in winter and lead to their rapid aging.

The peach-leaved bell propagates by seeds. They are sown in small greenhouses, starting in mid-spring. It is not worth collecting peach bell seeds on your own - they do not inherit parental traits. In July, the seedlings dive, and in August they are planted in a permanent place. For the winter, the plant is covered with peat or a layer of dry leaves of 15-20 cm. With appropriate care, the bell may bloom next year. If you delay planting or picking, the buds will appear only in the third year.

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

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

You can use bells of different colors and types not only in group, but also in single plantings, moreover, 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 bell family, the Carpathian bell, blooms in the open field. The cultivation of numerous varieties of this plant is best done when planted on the southern slopes of alpine hills and in rockeries. How to take care of a plant? What methods of reproduction of the Carpathian bluebell are the most productive? You will find answers to questions on agricultural technology of bells in this article.

Carpathian bell: varieties and varieties

The people called these cute flowers: chenilles, chebotki, bells. More than 300 species of Campanula are known. Recently, breeders have been introducing new unique varieties perennial bluebells suitable for planting on alpine slides.

These low perennial plants will fit perfectly into landscape design.

Terry and non-double varieties of the Carpathian bell, 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 delicate stems of the plant grow anew every spring. The plant has two types of leaves: large ones are collected in a neat basal 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 the middle of summer and lasts until autumn, the duration depends on the variety of bluebells.

Advice! Removing faded inflorescences will stimulate lateral branching and the formation of new buds. Cardinal pruning of the Carpathian bluebell bush causes the second wave of flowering plants.

Landing bell

When planting a perennial Carpathian bell in the open field, some subtleties should be taken into account:

plant care

Caring for a bluebell in the open field is not difficult at all. The plant can do without watering in the spring months, when the roots have enough moisture from melt water.

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

So that the roots of the plant do not suffer from heat, mulch the soil under the bell

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

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

Fertilizer and top dressing of the bell

At the beginning of spring, it is useful to feed the regrown bushes of Campanula with a complete organo-mineral fertilizer. In the middle of summer, plants in the open field will respond perfectly to the application of phosphorus fertilizers and trace elements.

Advice! Over 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 that ripen in boxes by the end of September. Growing a plant from seeds is a rather troublesome task, since the seedlings are very weak and tender. When self-sowing, Campanulas grow in the spring adapted to local conditions. Sowing seeds is recommended in autumn or spring. Flowering specimens of a flower grown from seeds will come in 2-3 years.

It is most convenient to propagate the bell by dividing the bush

The division of the bush is suitable only for adults, fully grown plants that are 3 years old.

In addition to these methods of reproduction, the bell is easily propagated in the summer by green cuttings. The cuttings are cut into segments with several internodes from healthy bushes. Rooting is carried out in a greenhouse or greenhouse. An excellent result was noted when using growth stimulants during the rooting 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 specimens are transplanted to a permanent place in early autumn or spring.

Diseases and pests

The Carpathian bell is practically not threatened by pests. thin leaves and the shoots of the plant suffer only from the invasion of slugs. The preparations "Thunder" and "Meta" will help to expel pests from plants.

Slugs can significantly damage bluebell leaves.

The leaves of bluebells can become rusty, preparations containing copper in the composition will help in the fight against the disease. To prevent the spread of rust, it is useful to carry out preventive tillage in spring and autumn with Gumi or Fitosporin preparations.

Carpathian bell: combination with other plants

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

The bell looks great in a flower bed with other perennials

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

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

Carpathian bell in landscape design

IN landscape design the Carpathian bell is used for growing in rockeries, on an alpine hill and in rocky gardens.

Carpathian bell in the rock garden

IN last years in landscape design, flowerpots with flowering plants. The bell is perfect for this purpose.

Delicate flowers are planted in beds to frame paths and in mixed flower beds with undersized plants.

What you need to know about the Carpathian bell: video

Varieties of the Carpathian bell: photo

Every self-respecting florist must have at least one alpine hill on his site. The design of an alpine slide and the care of alpine plants is a whole science, from which it breathes magic and magnetism. Indeed, the creation of alpine slides is very an exciting activity.

Delicate and graceful Carpathian bell is indispensable in creating fabulous beautiful compositions and is most commonly used in slides. The Carpathian bell 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 options for coloring 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 bellflower from seeds

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

The seeds of the Carpathian bluebell 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 uniform moisture under diffused light (through glass) with fresh air. Compliance with all the listed microclimate parameters is equally important for successful seed germination. Premature shoots of "upstart" need to be transplanted into a separate box. Heating of 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, the influence of natural environmental factors is desirable, but with the possibility of controlling the temperature with its strong decrease.

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 the average daily temperatures are above the upper limit of the specified range. When the first shoots appear, containers with earth are transferred to a room with a temperature of 10 ° C to 15 ° C.

This method of provoking seeds to germinate is quite laborious, 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 with the same duration as in the first case. At the end of the second stage, the seeds are sown in prepared boxes with soil without deepening (the mixture with seeds and sand is simply evenly distributed over the substrate) and placed in conditions with a temperature of 10-15°C.

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

Since the seedlings in any case turn out to be quite thick, the picking begins immediately after the appearance of the first leaves. In order not to severely injure the seedlings, transplantation can be carried out in groups of 3-4 plants in seedling pots or multi-cell plates. Young seedlings of bluebell prefer moderate moisture and frequent airing. The first top dressing with 0.2% fertilizers is carried out two weeks after picking, when the plants recover from stress and restore 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 be prone to waterlogging. Otherwise, the oppressed plant will be subject to various diseases.

Ways of vegetative reproduction of the Carpathian bluebell

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

Division

The division of 3–5-year-old bell bushes is carried out in the first days of May or in the second half of August (at the beginning or at the end of the growing season). mother plant they dig, cut off all the shoots (to minimize the transpiration of water from the plant and improve rooting), cut the rhizome into parts, which, in turn, are planted in pre-prepared shallow holes, while avoiding excessive deepening. If it is necessary to divide the mother bush into too small parts, they are grown in containers using liquid fertilizers.

cuttings

The forcing of Carpathian bluebell plants for cuttings takes place at a temperature of 10°C. The cuttings are cut 2–3 cm long with one or two buds. Favorable terms for cuttings of the bell are confined to the spring months and are quite extended, which makes it possible to obtain a significant amount of planting material.

Rooting of the cuttings is going well enough, the 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 earth, sand and humus in equal amounts, after planting the cuttings, the surface of the substrate is covered with sand in a layer of several centimeters. Sand absorbs moisture well and retains it, while remaining loose and aerated, which favorably affects young roots. Optimum conditions for rooting are created by a fogging device (fine moisture) under a plastic film.

Vegetative propagation methods significantly accelerate the flowering of the bell.

Carpathian bell, when viewed 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 bluebell. The most time-consuming and responsible way is to grow the Carpathian bell from seeds, and this way is only advisable if you want to start a new rare variety. For propagation of existing varieties, it is much easier to use vegetative methods.

One of the most attractive representatives of the Bellflower family, which adorns alpine hills and rockeries, is the Carpathian bell flower. Planted in groups, graceful flowers form dense, dense bushes with delicate cup-shaped flowers of white, deep blue, purple. Due to the long and continuous charming flowering, winter hardiness and undemanding to the soil, the plant has fallen in love with many gardeners and is successfully used to decorate unusual compositions by landscape designers. How to grow these charming flowers in the garden, read on.

Bell Carpathian - dwarf decorative look family Bellflowers. It's perennial herbaceous plant, whose natural habitat is the calcareous rocks of the mountains of Central Europe and the Carpathians, from where the name of the species came 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. Basal heart-shaped leaves are collected in a rosette, forming bushes of a spherical shape. The stem leaves of the plant are smaller, on short petioles. Large cup-shaped flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter, give the plant a special charm. The color of the petals is from delicate white to dark purple. Delicate flowers located one per stem. The beginning of flowering is June. Flowering is long, plentiful, flowers, alternately replace each other. After flowering, the Carpathian bell forms a fruit - a box in the shape of a cylinder. Varieties of varieties of the Carpathian bellflower Herbaceous plants are used both for open ground and for cultivation in room conditions, in a pot. For growing a Carpathian bell in the country or creating beautiful small flower beds, compact varieties are suitable that differ in flower color and flowering time: Bell Carpathian dwarf. The bush has a rounded shape, blooms with pale blue or white flowers. Bell Carpathian blue clips (Blue Clips). dwarf variety, a bush up to 20 cm high. The Carpathian blue bell is unpretentious in care, can be grown both in the garden and as a pot culture. The flowers are blue, up to 5 cm in diameter. On the background undersized bush seem even bigger. Variety varieties: Deep Blue Clips - flowers are dark blue, large, White Clips - snow-white flowers. Alba. Blooms with white flowers. Celestine, Isabelle. The flowers of this variety have a beautiful, bright blue hue. White Star. A common variety, loved by our summer residents. Inflorescences are white. Carpathencrone. The shade of the inflorescences is pale lilac or purple. Carpathian bell - landing The unpretentiousness of the Carpathian bell attracts many gardeners who want to decorate their plot or garden with beautiful flowers with abundant and long flowering. You can grow the plant 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 grows well in one place, without a transplant for more than 5 years. For a fragile plant, you should choose a site without drafts. The best soil for growing a plant is a fertile, loose substrate with excellent drainage with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Heavy and loamy soils, where moisture often stagnates or groundwater passes, are not suitable for planting. The bell dies from an excess of moisture, which leads to decay of the root system. Therefore, for planting flowers, you should choose flower beds located on a hill or rocky areas. Plant bells 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; soddy soil is introduced into poor soils and complex fertilizers, manure and peat feed, as these top dressings can provoke the development of a fungal disease. How to grow a Carpathian bell from seeds Spring planting of bell seeds in open ground is the most popular way to grow a flower for the southern regions, where the soil is already warm enough in May. 2 weeks after planting, you can already observe the first shoots. After the first leaves appear on the sprouts, the bushes dive and transplant 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 bluebell are very small, it is enough to spread them on the surface of loose soil and sprinkle with sand. Under optimal conditions and compliance with all requirements for the composition of the soil, 1 gram of seeds gives excellent germination. Carpathian bell: growing seedlings There is another method of planting, but it is long and laborious, this is planting seed on seedlings in boxes. Seeds can be sown in February-March. Stages of work: For seedlings prepare special boxes or containers with nutrient soil mixture. Ready-made soil intended for growing seedlings can be purchased at specialized stores or prepared independently. To do this, mix turfy soil, humus and river sand, observing the proportion 6:3:1. Sowing seeds is carried out in a moist substrate. It is enough to scatter small seeds on the surface of the soil and lightly press them down without tamping or falling asleep with a layer of earth. Containers with planted seeds are covered with film or glass and placed in a warm, well-lit room or window sill. Within 2 weeks, the film must be opened daily to ventilate and moisten the soil with a spray bottle. It is also important to remove the condensate that forms on inside films or glass. The first small seedlings appear in the second or third week after they are sown in the ground. Seedlings grow slowly and require additional lighting. After the appearance of the first leaves, the shoots dive and planted in cups of 2-3 bushes. In May, seedlings of the Carpathian bluebell are ready for planting in open ground. Reproduction of the Carpathian bellflower In addition to the seed method of propagation, which was mentioned above, the Carpathian bell is propagated by cuttings or division of the rhizome. To use the method of dividing the rhizome, only mature and mature plants, at least 3 years old, are suitable. To divide a bush, it is necessary to dig it out of moist soil and cut the rhizome with a sharp knife into several parts, treating the sections with activated carbon powder. Each part of the plant must have at least one rosette. Delenki are planted in a permanent place on the site, in prepared moistened soil. In summer, before flowering, the method of propagation by green cuttings is used. It is necessary to cut the young stems so that there are three internodes on each cutting. Sections of 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 a film for rooting, not forgetting to ventilate and moisten the plantings. After the appearance of the first leaves, in early autumn, the cuttings are planted in a permanent place in the open field. Carpathian bells: care The Carpathian bell is an unpretentious plant that adapts perfectly 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, in a drought, with a long absence of precipitation, bluebells should be watered using up to 10 liters of water under a bush. After watering, the soil must be loosened for good breathability. Top dressing of Carpathian bluebells Fertilizers are applied to the soil twice a season. For the first feeding, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used, it is produced in early spring until the snow started to melt. Second top dressing 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 removal of weeds will provide the plant's root system with the necessary moisture and oxygen. In dry summers, in order to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture, the soil needs to be mulched with dry grass or sawdust. Removal of faded inflorescences of the Carpathian bellflower Inflorescences that have faded must be removed in a timely manner in order to give rise to new inflorescences, and also to prevent self-seeding, as a result of which chaotic plantings of bluebells may appear in the flower bed next spring. Collection of seeds of the Carpathian bluebell For propagation of bluebells by seed, it is necessary to collect the seed. To do this, the faded inflorescences are not removed, but 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 ripened seeds are stored in a dry place, in a paper bag, or planted in autumn in open ground in a permanent place. 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 The Carpathian bell is a hardy and frost-resistant plant. In the southern regions and in the middle 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 area, it is advisable to cover and warm the bushes. The stems are cut at the root and covered with a layer of fallen autumn leaves or spruce branches. Carpathian bell: diseases and pests The plant is resistant to pests, with quality care and compliance with all growing conditions, it is rarely exposed to diseases. But, an unpretentious horticultural 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 mass development of microorganisms in the soil, apply preventive measures. In spring and autumn, plantings must be treated with a weak solution of Fundazol. In rainy summers, bluebell bushes may be attacked by slugs, snails and slobbering pennitsa. To combat snails and slugs, dry mustard, hot peppers scattered among the bushes are used, as well as chemicals: Thunder, Meta. Sprinkling the bushes with garlic water will help to free the plantings from the slobbering pennitsa. Carpathian bell 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, garden stone paths, framed by plantings of delicate bells, look beautiful. You can plant bells of the same variety in a flower bed, or you can combine a variety of varieties with different colors of inflorescences, creating incredibly beautiful compositions. Gardeners often use plantings of low-growing bells to decorate flower beds near gazebos, houses, verandas, where you can enjoy their beautiful flowering all over. warm season. You can plant bluebells 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, won the hearts of many gardeners. Having once planted this charming plant on your site, you will never be able to refuse it. Carpathian bell, photo

Flowers familiar to everyone since childhood owe their name to their external resemblance to miniature bells. Even in Latin they are officially called "Campanula" - a bell. We still often call them affectionately bells, chenilles, chebotkas. 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 delicate, fragile gift of nature. It was after their quiet ringing was heard after a breath of wind that the priest ordered a copper mold to be cast for the temple in the image and likeness of a flower. Yes, and today there is a belief that their quiet crystal ringing is heard on Ivan Kupala. Another legend tells about the growth of bells on the site of crumbling fragments of the mirror of the goddess Venus.

For many peoples, the bell is perceived 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, harmony between Man and Heaven.

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

The desire to get a bunch of bluebells is indomitable, but the plucked 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 offer you to get acquainted with the features of flowers, methods of growing it more specifically.

flower description

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

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

Along with racemose, paniculate inflorescences, there are also single-growing flowers. Their ripened fruits look like a box with slit-like holes up to 6 pieces.

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

However, today other undersized, compact terry plants have appeared, which are grown not only in open ground, but also in room conditions.

They are divided into a solid number of species and subspecies, hybrids. The main criteria for referring to a particular species, variety are the height and timing of the growth of these flowers.

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

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

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

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

Among them there are plants, both low and medium height. Here, the eponymous bell, short, forked (dichotomous), Kashmiri, enjoys the greatest sympathy. Due to their small stature, the flowers look great near the borders, on rock gardens.

Doesn't get tired of winning his fans undersized California bluebell(phacelia bell-shaped) with dark shades of flowers. It is cultivated mainly for decorating slides, curbs, container groups, etc.

Very popular in our area are medium-sized summer varieties: long-column and, as if in memory of an ancient legend, the Mirror of Venus. Despite their short lifespan, their many flowers from May to early autumn delight with their various colors.

1. Biennial flowers are most common "immigrants" from the subalpine belt 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 undersized bearded bells.

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

Bluebell Medium Campanula medium

This species has several varieties, where many flower growers enjoy special sympathy Cup with saucer.

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

Along with them, varieties of stiff-haired, Hoffman, thyrsoid, spiked bells are also popular. In many gardens, such biennials are grown as: Siberian, Moesian, laurel, spatulate, divergent, sprawling, pyramidal, Sartori, Formateka, etc.

1. perennial species are much more common than those growing for 1-2 years. They are also subdivided into subgroups depending on the height of the plant.

Among undersized species, the leader in terms of prevalence is occupied by 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 most famous garden molds Alba and White Star with snow-white single funnel-shaped flowers. This is also Isabelle, Celestine, Blaumeise, Riversleigh, Chenton 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 the varieties Gargansky, spiral-leaved (spoon-leaved), birch-leaved, daisy-leaved, Ortana, Radde, three-toothed, Shamisso, Uemura and many others.

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

TAKESHIMA BELL "Beautyful Trust"

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

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

Tall perennials in their natural environment grow along the banks of rivers, in the forests of Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Siberia, Asia Minor. Varieties have been bred in the culture, in the names of which the features of the leaves are indicated.

They differ not only in the height of the stem, but in a more intense aroma of flowers. Some names focus on the color of the flower, for example, lactiflora (Cerulea, Prichard Veraeti).

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

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

Growing from seed

This method is the most versatile, 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 traits, or the seeds may not be set.

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

The preparation of the soil chosen for planting flowers consists in deep digging. With heavy soil, sand or humus is introduced, and depleted areas are enriched with humus and fertilizers. At the same time, in order to avoid the risk of fungal diseases, do not use fresh peat, not completely rotted manure.

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

• To do this, small seeds are sown in containers with soil prepared in advance since March.
• At the same time, they are slightly 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 soddy land, coarse-grained humus sand in a ratio of 6x3x1.

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

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

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

Sowing seeds directly into open ground is carried out before winter in the 2nd half of October or in spring (end of May). At autumn sowing the 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 place.

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

It should be borne in mind that the bells sown in this way are used for the first year to develop the root, leaf rosettes. Only in the second year of life do they grow shoots with an ovary of flowers.

Grown seedlings are planted in open ground from the end of May to the end of the first decade of June. When choosing a place on the site, it is worth giving preference to light or slightly shaded areas without drafts. It is advisable to settle the bells away from trees, bushes to get enough nutrition and moisture.

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

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

Bell Raspberry ringing

One of the attractive qualities of bluebells is their unpretentiousness in care. It consists in regular watering during the heat, further loosening the soil around the flowers, and removing weeds. Tall varieties will need a garter or fastening on supports.

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

In order to prolong the flowering time, it is imperative to remove fading inflorescences. At the same time, in tall varieties, all faded shoots are cut off. If it is planned 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 bluebells, seeds are harvested 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 be opened. Pre-cut inflorescences should be placed on thick paper or linen in a dry, well-ventilated area.

Peel off the crumbled seeds from the remnants of boxes, dried leaves, and then use 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 bluebells.

The mass of the advantages of bells should also include their resistance to damage by 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. The treatment of flowers with a weak solution of Fundazol helps to avoid such negative phenomena.

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

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

Perennial species with taproot, 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 well + dividing by a bush.

However, perennial flowers are best propagated:

• 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 terry varieties, which even lose the 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 microparnichki, under a film to maintain optimal humidity. Within a month, roots begin to grow in the cuttings, after the development of which, planting can begin.

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 out, and above-ground stems are cut.

The division of the bush into parts is carried out with a sterile sharp garden knife. Each of the parts must contain developed healthy roots, renewal buds. The places of cuts of each division are processed 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 out, from which segments are made from mother plant with kidney renewal. Their planting in the ground is carried out with an open kidney above the soil surface.

Bluebells bloom twice: video

Due to the varieties of flowers, their growth, multicolor, these plants provide a wide field for imagination when decorating the landscape. They can be used as spectacular accents on lawns, in flower beds, and discounts. Bluebells are indispensable when creating ever-blooming compositions.

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

Due to the duration of preservation of decorative flowering, it looks organically with common kosmeya, mallow, calendula, carnations, Chernobrivtsy, 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 his talents as a landscape designer.

Garden bells, platycodon: video