Platycodon growing from seeds when planting planting and care in the open field photo of flowers. Platycodon flower - an unpretentious bell for a garden and an apartment

I don't have much blue in my garden. In the fall, I bought several seeds of plants with a blue color.
Among them is Platycodon.
It says on the seeds that it should be planted in February.
Learn more about platycodon.

Description

Platycodon grandiflorus (Platycodon grandiflorus) - perennial herbaceous plant natural flora of Siberia, the Far East, the northwestern regions of China, Korea and Japan.
This is an inhabitant of meadows, forest edges and clearings, it is also found on rocky slopes, among shrubs.

Somewhat awkward to pronounce Russian name- wide bell - a literal translation from Latin.

Platycodons are non-aggressive and durable, perfectly combined with most garden flowers: phloxes, daylilies, peonies, Siberian irises, asters, stonecrops, grasses, geraniums, wormwoods, etc.
If early autumn frosts are uncharacteristic for your areas, you can count on not only a stable long-term flowering of Platycodon, but also an additional burst of decorativeness due to autumn coloring.

Vegetation features

Platycodon is a true perennial, and if you manage to pick it up appropriate place in the garden, able to decorate a flower garden for many years. In addition, he has his own character and temperament: it is a phlegmatic plant, partly even a goof and a lazy person. Judge for yourself: in the spring it wakes up late, 3 weeks later than most perennials. So late that you, forgetting about this trait of his character, will have time to think that the plant died in winter.
You are sad for a while, then calm down, come up with a replacement, buy it, bring it to empty space in the flower garden, where platycodon flaunted last year, bring in a shovel and ... you find charming dove-colored "heads" of young shoots of a well-slept plant.
This is a common story.

Further platycodon grows as if nothing had happened, forming a beautiful strong bush with bluish smooth leaves, and blooms in July. At the same time, it is already good in buds, which, in accordance with its leisurely nature, does not open for a long time. But the buds are no less beautiful than the flowers: large, like Chinese lanterns or origami figures. An adult multi-stem bush blooms for at least two months.

Landing. Growing from seed.

It is not recommended to plant seeds immediately in a flower bed, since platycodon will bloom only after a year and a half when grown from seeds. Therefore, we specially allocate a seed bed in the garden, always in partial shade, dig it up and carefully level it.

Seeds in containers are sown in January-February. At the same time, they are not pressed into the ground, but only lightly sprinkled with light soil, covered with foil and placed in a warm place (20 -22 degrees). Within 8-10 days, the wide bell sprouts, and only after that the film is removed.

When three to four pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings, they are transplanted three plants into a pot with a diameter of 12-13 centimeters. In them, bells can grow until the onset of warm weather, when they need to be transferred to a flower bed. 16-18 weeks after germination, the first buds will appear.

Features of transplanting to a flower bed

Almost everyone unanimously says that this perennial does not tolerate any digging and transplanting, but I myself did it many times at the most inopportune time (in the heat) and everything went well. Of course, this required the utmost care and attention.

For those who need to do this in adverse conditions, we advise you to keep all the small roots on the rhizome. Before digging, the plant must be watered, carefully removed from the ground and lowered into a bucket of water for about 20 minutes. Only then planted in a new place.


In the flower garden, it is desirable to place specimens at a distance of 15 to 20 centimeters, no more. With this arrangement, heavy bushes support each other, and the whole mass of stems does not fall apart in different directions.

Place for landing. Care. Pests and diseases.

The plant is planted in a well-lit place with fairly fertile soil. With partial shade, Platycodon grows well, but the stems will be weaker and may require a tie, and the flowering period will be delayed. Ordinary garden soil, not too acidic or alkaline, will do.
Watering as the soil dries up. Mature plants will endure dry periods without damage. Plants respond well to regular mulching with loose organic matter (leaf and manure humus, peat, compost), in which case additional feeding is not necessary.

There are no specific diseases and pests in platycodon, as a rule, in good conditions plants don't get sick. Shrews, moles, mice-voles can cause harm to plantings.

For platycodon, prolonged stagnation of melt water and close standing are detrimental. ground water. The root system of the plant consists of juicy, fleshy, deep-lying roots, so good drainage of the planting site is needed. It is also worth improving the breathability of too dense soils by adding gravel or coarse sand.

When grown, platycodons become taller than indicated in the varietal description. This usually happens in the third year of cultivation in the flower bed.

In terms of frost resistance, these flowers can grow well from 3 to 10 zones. That is, in the Moscow and Leningrad regions, for example, they winter well without shelter.

But you never know what kind of winter is coming, so it's better not to risk it and get ready. So that perennials do not freeze out, they should be covered with peat, soil, buckwheat or sunflower husks. The height of the mulch depends on the zone - the further north, the thicker the protection. In this case, it is not necessary to pluck the foliage and cut the stems. Cleaning of the plant is done in the spring, when the shelter is removed.

The genus Platycodon (wide bell) belongs to the Kolokolchikov family and includes only one species - large-flowered platycodon or grandiflora. This only representative of the genus is a herbaceous perennial living in forests and on rocky slopes.

This plant has rather powerful roots, high shoots, covered with a large number of leaves. The lower foliage is collected in a rosette. All greens are bluish in color. In inflorescences up to 5 wide flowers are formed, veins are clearly visible on the petals.

Varieties of platycodon

The color of the flower depends on the variety and may be pink , white , but the wild bellflower has pale blue color with dark veins.

Several varieties have been created from one species, which are generally similar, but have differences in the color of the petals, their type (for example, terry petals), as well as the size of the bush, because there are dwarf platycodon .

Quite popular are Astra-type varieties with the corresponding color of flowers:

• Grade platycodon astra blue ;

If the flowers are double, then this is indicated in the name. Another type of aster is distinctive in that it is a stunted plant, and this variety also has a variety Double , the flowers of which have two rows of petals, and the veins on them, although clearly visible, are not as pronounced as in the variety platycodon roz florist (bloody veins protrude against a soft scarlet background).

Type varieties platycodon fuji taller, have only one row of petals, and their color is a little more delicate.

Platycodon planting and care in the open field

Plant a plant in open ground you need it towards the end of spring, when you will be sure that the temperature will not drop too low at night.

The planting area should be well lit, but in general, the wide bell can withstand growth in partial shade. The soil should be nutritious and loose, have drainage. The best substrate will be loam with sand and neutral acidity.

This flower has vertically growing roots, so it is impossible to have groundwater close to the site. Its rhizome is very tender and does not tolerate transplants, so the bushes grow in one place for over 10 years.

Before planting, the site must be dug up, at the same time introducing half a glass of tree ash into the soil and a tablespoon of complex mineral dressing for square meter.

Planting holes should be little more than seedling pots. The distance between individuals is about 30 cm. When transplanting a plant into open soil, water it abundantly beforehand to facilitate the process, and then move it to the pit by transshipment along with the soil and completely cover it.

Watering Platycodon

The first 15 days after planting, young plants need to be watered every day. Further, watering begins to be reduced and, as a result, they do it as the soil dries. Adult bluebells can tolerate heat and dryness normally.

Along with watering, you need to loosen the soil around the plants and get rid of weeds. We advise you to cover the landing site with mulch, then these procedures can be done less often.

Fertilizer for Platycodon

If the site is covered in a timely manner with organic mulch (for example, compost or humus), then additional fertilizers are not needed.

If this is not possible, then in the spring a complete mineral dressing is applied for flowering crops.

Platycodon pruning

The wide bell grows strongly upwards. To avoid excessive stretching of the shoot, it must be pinched throughout the year or inhibitors should be used every year.

If you missed this moment and the stem stretched up, then tie it up to save beautiful view. Sluggish flowers should be cut off, for a longer flowering of fresh ones.

Platycodon wintering

As already mentioned, the root system of the wide bell is very fragile, so transplants are contraindicated for it. When flowering ends, seed pods will appear, from which, after drying (this happens around the beginning of autumn), seeds can be collected.

For the winter, the stem of the plant is cut off, and the site is covered with humus mulch or dry foliage. With the advent of spring, the shelter must be removed so that the plants do not stagnate and infection does not occur.

Platycodon growing from seeds

The most reliable method of reproduction is seed. It is necessary to sow the material in early to mid-spring. To do this, take the soil for flowering plants, which can be made from a mixture of humus, sand and peat soil in equal proportions.

Sowing plants should not be deep - about 3-4 mm. Sowing is kept at room temperature from time to time watering, when the entrances appear - and this happens in 15-20 days - the temperature is reduced to 16 ° C.

Propagation of platycodon by cuttings

Other methods of propagation, such as cuttings and dividing the bush, are unreliable, and if the cuttings can still be taken, then dividing the bush almost never gives proper results.

To use propagation by cuttings, shoots with a pair of internodes and a heel must be cut from the shoot.

Diseases and pests

Platycodon is very disease resistant. He mostly suffers from rot , which appears due to waterlogging. If rotting is detected, reduce watering and loosen the soil for better drying.

But if this does not help or the rot has spread greatly, then it is better to remove the flowers and disinfect the area with a fungicide. Repeat disinfection after a week.

by the most dangerous pests are rodents - moles , mice .

Mice and moles are usually literally smoked out by blowing smoke into a hole, because it probably leads to a tunnel. You can also leave poisoned cereals on the site, which will help get rid of mice.

Poisons are not used against moles in the garden or in the garden. To scare them away, rattles are made, placed on pegs, which will create noise in the wind.

It is also worth noting that moles do not dig the ground where there are daffodils, onions, garlic, spurge, marigolds. And we note that if the land on the site is not too wet and not replete with insects, then there will not be many moles on it.

Tall perennial bells with large, wide open blue flowers- large-flowered platycodons - adorn forest edges, glades and rocky placers in the vast Far Eastern and Siberian territories, in the northern regions of Korea, Japan and China. The wild-growing platycodon is used in Chinese cooking and traditional medicine. It is also called a wide bell - this is a direct translation of the botanical name from Greek.

In culture, this plant has been known since the end of the 19th century, but real popularity came to it after varieties were bred with especially large ones, up to 8 cm in diameter, as well as multi-petal flowers of exquisite color: white, pink, pale blue, often with contrasting venation.

In conditions middle lane platycodon rhizome successfully winters in open ground And slow compared to other perennials, spring awakening: young shoots appear only in the second half of May. friendly bloom falls on mid and late summer.

At present, spectacular varieties of broadbell are cultivated, tall and dwarf. Some of the most popular are listed in the table.

Platycodon seeds

To grow strong, profusely flowering broadbells, you need to purchase high-quality seeds. Proven reputation is enjoyed by such domestic suppliers:

• "SeDek";
• "Aelita";
• "Gavrish";
• "Search";
• "Russian garden".

From platycodons developing in the open field, you can personally collect seeds.

It should be borne in mind: if several varieties are planted nearby, the seeds as a result of cross-pollination are hybrid. To maintain seed grading, wide-bell varieties are planted compactly at a distance from each other. Seed boxes are removed from plants in September, after the pedicels have dried.

Sowing: methods and timing

Platycodon can be sown in open ground before winter, under a layer of soil of 2-3 cm or in spring, with a film coating. The resulting seedlings will form in flowering bushes only in the second or third year. The most reliable way to get flowers this summer is sowing seedlings indoors.

best timing indoor germination of platycodon seeds are March. In open ground, under a film coating - for April.

According to lunar calendar for 2016, the optimal time for sowing Platycodon:

• for seedlings - March 21, 22;
• under the film - April 17-21.

Tanks and soil

For sowing platycodons are prepared containers shallow depth, equipped with holes for drainage. In the future, the containers will need to be covered with polyethylene or glass.

Soil will be needed loose, neutral, moderately fertile, well drained.

ATTENTION: For platycodon seedlings - as well as for adult plants - it is extremely dangerous excess moisture and stagnant water in the soil. The tender stems of these bluebells rot easily.

You can add sand to the universal potting mix, or combine garden soil with peat and sand in equal proportions. Loam, well loosened with a sand additive, is also suitable.

Preparing and planting seeds

In order for seedlings to appear more amicably, the seed material can be stratified - treated with cold, placed for 1-3 months in the lower section of the refrigerator.

Before sowing, seeds in a gauze bag are immersed in water for two days to swell. Then the prepared oval seeds are laid out on the surface of moistened soil and lightly pressed. Some flower growers sprinkle the crop with a very light layer of sand.

The sown container is covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a bright place with a temperature of 20-22ºС. Remove condensate daily inside cover material. Carefully moisten the soil only after it dries out. upper layer. The first shoots appear in one to two weeks.

seedling care

As soon as shoots are formed, the cover is removed and the temperature is reduced to 18-20ºС. Seedlings are watered moderately, and after watering, the top layer of soil is loosened.

Seedlings with 3-4 true leaves are dived in a container with a diameter of 10 cm with a hole in the bottom and a drainage layer, filled with optimal loose soil. In such containers, young plants develop before planting on permanent place.

Video - Growing platycodon from seeds

Platycodon placement

Spectacular perennial bluebell compact variety can grow on the windowsill.

In this case, he will need good drainage, light soil, a pot of sufficient volume, bright but diffused lighting and moderate watering with soft water. Container platycodon is transplanted only as needed in winter, when the plant is at rest, protecting the earthen ball as much as possible, since its vulnerable rhizomes are easily damaged.

In open ground the middle lane seedlings of platycodons are planted end of May or beginning of June.

For planting, choose a sunny place with low standing groundwater and loosened, neutral, well-drained soil. Loam loosened with sand is one of the best options for this plant.

IMPORTANT: Subsequent transplantation, due to the fragility of the rhizome, undesirable, especially since platycodon grows and blooms excellently in the same area for more than ten years.

The planting area is pre-dug with fertilizer application: half a glass of wood ash and a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer per square meter. You can make these compounds and directly into the wells for planting.

Planting holes, somewhat larger than seedling pots, are placed at intervals of 20-25cm. Seedlings are well watered beforehand to make it easier to extract the root system and reduce the traumatic effect of the transplant. The seedlings are carefully transferred to the prepared pits, soil is added, it is compacted a little and the new settlers are watered. The soil is covered with a layer of peat chips or humus.

Outdoor care

For two weeks after planting, the plants are watered daily. Then watering is reduced in volume and frequency, limited to moderate moisture every two days, after which the soil is loosened and weeded.

Feed monthly with a mineral complex for flowering plants.

To prevent the stems from stretching, they are pinched, stimulating branching. Bushes that have grown in height are tied to vertical supports. Withered flowers are removed so that new buds form more actively.

Platycodon is not susceptible to diseases and is practically not affected by pests. In case of waterlogging in combination with a thickened planting, a fungal gray rot may appear on the leaves and flowers. In this case, you need to loosen the soil well and reduce watering. Heavily damaged plants should be removed, and the rest should be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate.

In autumn, the foliage of Platycodon turns bright yellow - the bush again decorates the site. Then the aerial part is cut off and the wintering rhizome is covered with a layer of mulch (peat, fallen leaves, sawdust) of two to three centimeters.

Cuttings and division of the rhizome: an area of ​​\u200b\u200brisk

Vegetative methods of propagation of Platycodon are unsuccessful, however, they ensure the preservation of the variety of the original plant.

Cuttings (for two knots with a heel) are harvested in the spring and the lower sections are treated with charcoal powder. They are buried in moist light soil (peat with sand in equal proportions) and, covered with a film, kept at a temperature of about 20ºС. Regularly ventilate and moderately moisturize. Within a month, the root system is formed. The main danger in this case is the rotting of the stems, which occurs especially easily in Platycodon under conditions of high humidity.

If the rhizome grows in very loose sandy soil, it can be divided with a sharp tool into parts with growth buds. The slices are sprinkled with ash and the delenki are seated. This method of reproduction is also not always successful, since the rhizome of Platycodon hardly tolerates even minor damage.

In any case, the reproduction of Platycodon by sowing seeds for seedlings remains a guaranteed way to grow a spectacular flower garden of exceptionally large bells with five or more petals of the most delicate shades.

Platycodon (or broad bell) is a herbaceous plant of the bell family, found in the wild on the mountain clones of the Delny East, eastern Siberia, Korea, China and Japan. Platycodon got its name from two words of Greek origin: platys - "wide, even" and kodon - "bell". Platycodon has been used in horticulture since 1872, but it only gained popularity in the early 20th century.

The plant Platycodon grandiflora has a fleshy rhizome, erect stems covered with dense foliage. The height of the stems is from 20 to 80 centimeters. The lower leaves are arranged in the form of a basal rosette. Platycodon flowers are solitary or collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces. In shape, the flowers resemble wide-open lanterns. The color of the flowers is blue, dark purple, white. The fruit of Platycodon is an egg-shaped box with flat, shiny seeds inside. Propagated by seed, rarely vegetatively.

Varieties and varieties of platycodon with photographs

The genus Platycodon is represented by only one plant. All varieties of this flower are the result of the work of breeders who have bred several species that include various varieties of platycodon:

• large-flowered. The most delicate look with flowers of white or pale lilac hue. Plant height up to 80 centimeters.
• Pink. Hybrid view of miniature size. The color is pink of varying intensity.
• Blue. Differs in the largest flowers of saturated blue color.
• Aster. Obtained by crossing a semi-double and white Platycodon. The height of the plant is about 25 centimeters. The flowers are star-shaped, with a diameter of 7-8 centimeters.
• White. Compact plant up to 20 cm high. The flowers are white.

The most popular among gardeners are the following varieties of platycodon:

• Album. The height of the bush is 80 centimeters. Flowers white with blue stripes
• Shell Pink. Pale pink inflorescences, height 70-80 centimeters.
• Blues. Low-growing variety (no more than 20 centimeters) with large flowers white color with blue veins.
• Snow Flux. Semi-double variety with snow-white flowers. The petals of the flowers of this variety grow in two rows.
• Fairy Snow. Pale purple flowers with blue veins.
• Epoyema. Short (15-20 centimeters). The flowers are purple.
• Maser of Pearl. Plant height 50-60 centimeters. Flowers pale pink.

Methods for growing plants from seeds

You can grow platycodon from seeds in seedlings and seedlings. Each of the methods has its own terms and some features.

Seedling growing technology

The timing of sowing platycodon for seedlings is the end of February - the beginning of March. Compliance with these terms will allow you to get well-developed and viable seedlings by the time of planting in open ground.

Before sowing, the seeds must be placed in a cloth bag and immersed in a container of water for 48 hours. Then the swollen seeds are slightly dried to acquire flowability. For sowing, a substrate is prepared from peat, sand and humus in equal proportions. You can use ready-made soil for flower crops of industrial production.

Platycodon seeds are not buried in the soil, otherwise they will not have enough strength to germinate. It is recommended to distribute them over the surface of the landing tank and lightly sprinkle with dry sand. The surface is moistened with water room temperature and cover with foil. The temperature of seed germination is +20 ... +22 degrees.

Platycodon can be grown from seedlings

After the appearance of the first shoots, after about 7-10 days, the film is removed from the planting container and the temperature is reduced to +18 degrees. During this period, the sprouts should be in the most lit place, otherwise they will stretch. In the phase of 3-4 true leaves, seedlings dive into separate containers. The root system of platycodon is delicate and can be easily damaged during transplantation, therefore experienced growers it is advised to dive the sprouts into peat pots so as not to take out the plants during transplantation.

Important. Platycodon seedlings are extremely susceptible to soil moisture levels. Overdrying can lead to the death of small roots. Overmoistening provokes the development fungal disease- black leg To prevent infection by a fungus, a few crystals of potassium permanganate should be added to the water for irrigation from time to time.

Sowing platycodon in open ground

Platycodon can be planted with seeds immediately in open ground

Platycodon can be sown directly into open ground, bypassing the seedling stage. However, this method has some significant disadvantages:

• Slow germination of seeds and their large loss during wintering. In the snowless harsh winters seeds can die almost completely.
• Plants lag behind in development from those grown through seedlings.
• Flowering occurs only in the third year.

Sowing is carried out in the fall, sprinkling the seeds with compost in a layer of 3-4 centimeters. The bed is leveled before sowing, then grooves are made in it with a depth of no more than 2 centimeters, into which the seeds are placed.

Seeds when sown in the ground are not stratified and not soaked, since these processes will take place in natural conditions.

Planting a plant in open ground

In open ground, prepared seedlings of platycodon are moved in late May - early June, depending on the weather. You can determine when to plant platycodon in open ground by the condition of the soil. The temperature of the earthen coma should be at least 10 degrees, and the soil should dry to a degree of friability. The site is selected sunlit with rich in humus, loose soil. To avoid waterlogging the root system, Platycodon is planted in elevated or well-drained areas. Since the root system of Platycodon is vertical, it cannot be planted in places where groundwater is close.

When planting in the soil per 1 square meter, you need to add a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizers and half a glass of wood ash. The soil for planting needs loose, consisting of sand, humus, peat, leaf turf and gravel.

Plants are planted at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other in specially prepared holes. When planting, the plant should be at the same level as when growing seedlings.

Platycodon is very sensitive to frost.

Advice. In order not to damage the delicate roots of the plant when transplanting into open ground, experienced flower growers advise placing the pot with the sprout in water, and then taking out the earthen clod and transferring it to the hole.

After planting, the surface around the plant is lightly tamped and watered abundantly. A layer of mulch is poured on top to retain moisture in the soil. Until full rooting, platycodon is watered daily. If there is a threat of spring-summer frosts, a wire frame should be installed above the plant and covered nonwoven fabric(Spandbond, Spandex). Even slight hypothermia of a plant in the first year after planting can cause its death.

Plant care in the garden

Planting and caring for platycodon in open ground consists of watering, loosening the soil, and removing weeds. The amount of loosening and weeding will help reduce the dense mulching of the site.

Water the flower once every 3-4 days, with warm, settled water. Watering ice tap water do not allow: this will stress the roots, and the plant may stop flowering. Once a month, watering is combined with top dressing. Any will do complex fertilizer for ornamental plants.

During flowering, nitrogen is completely removed from top dressing, which adversely affects the flowering of Platycodon. Nitrogen contributes to the growth of leaf mass and stimulates the growth of shoots, as a result, the flower will lose its shape, the flowers will be small.

For dressing platycodon, you can use any complex fertilizers

To prevent the plant from stretching, pinch the shoots. Platycodon grows in one place for at least 10 years, but from the third year of planting they begin to lose their decorative effect. Hold desired shape plants, in addition to pinching, help pruning the bush and spraying with drugs that inhibit growth.

Reproduction methods

The most reliable way to propagate Platycodon is by sowing seeds. But you can also get new copies of the flower by cuttings and dividing the bush. Although it is not so easy to grow a flowering platycodon bush using these methods.

• Cuttings. The procedure is carried out in the spring. For rooting, platycodon stems are cut, having two or three internodes. The lower cut of the cutting is treated with a root formation stimulator and placed in a peat-sand mixture. In order for the cutting to take roots, it needs to create greenhouse conditions: the air temperature is not lower than 25 degrees and the humidity is not less than 80 percent.
• The division of the bush. Propagate the plant in this way if the rhizome has processes with buds. The bush is dug up and such a process is separated with a sharp knife. Cut points are processed wood ash. Then each part of the root is planted in a separate hole.

Diseases, pests and possible difficulties in growing

Platycodon is resistant to disease, but can suffer from excess moisture when watering excessively or in cold weather. rainy weather. Under such conditions, the perennial is affected by gray rot. For prevention and at the first signs of the disease, the plant is sprayed with copper-containing fungicides -,. If signs of disease are noticed on the plant, the treatment is repeated after 10 days.

Platycodon is quite resistant to typical flower diseases.

Platycodon is also threatened by garden rodents: moles, mice, bears. They damage the root of the plant. Traps and chemicals are used to control pests. An iron can, put on an iron rod stuck into the ground, will help scare away the grottoes. The vibration created during the wind causes the moles to leave the site.

When and how to collect Platycodon seeds

Platycodon seeds are considered ripe when the peduncle of the boll begins to dry out. The seed box at this time begins to crack, as a rule, this happens from mid-September.

Seeds are removed from the box and stored in perforated paper bags or cardboard boxes in a dry, dark place.

Important. Platycodon is prone to cross-pollination during cultivation. This property must be taken into account when planting in the immediate vicinity of varieties of different colors. harvested seeds also need to be divided by color and variety.

Platycodon after flowering and in winter

After collecting seeds, platycodon begins preparations for wintering. The stems begin to wilt and gradually dry out. This happens towards the end of September. At the end of the drying process, the entire aerial part of the platycodon is cut off at soil level.

Before wintering, the entire ground part of Platycodon is cut off.

The plant needs to provide a comfortable wintering. Platycodon is mulched for the winter with humus, compost, dry foliage or spruce branches. It is necessary to cover the surface with the onset of persistent frosts.

Platycodon after winter

Take off winter shelter with platycodon it is necessary after the onset of heat. If frosts are observed at night, it is not worth rushing to remove shelters. In order for platycodon to regain strength after wintering, when the first shoots appear, it is recommended to add humus or compost under it, carefully loosening the soil.

Platycodon in landscape design

Platycodon is an ideal neighbor for any perennials, as it grows slowly and does not behave aggressively towards them. Its scope in landscape design quite extensive.

Dwarf platycodons are a magnificent decoration of rockeries and wonderful neighbors of conifers and deciduous plants. In the flowerbed, the combination of platycodon with, and is spectacular.

Platycodon is well suited for growing in boxes.

Often planted specimens of Platycodon will create a living fence for a flower bed or decorate garden paths. Blue varieties are recommended for use on alpine slides.

Important. You can not use platycodon to decorate the edges of artificial reservoirs. high humidity contraindicated for this plant.

Platycodon - growing in pots

Platycodon is quite suitable for growing at home. Most often, pink bells can be found on the windowsills of houses.

The optimum temperature for keeping a plant in an apartment is + 20 ... + 22 degrees. Platycodon in a pot should be placed in the most lit place. However, on a windowsill with windows facing south, the plant can get burned. Therefore, eastern or western windows are more suitable for growing Platycodon.

Watering a plant grown in a pot should be moderate. Waterlogging the soil will lead to root rot. To prevent waterlogging, a drainage layer of at least 3-5 centimeters is laid on the bottom of the pot. Once a month, watering is combined with top dressing. You can use any mineral fertilizer for ornamental flowering plants.

IN winter time platycodon is at rest, so watering is reduced to a minimum, and the pot is placed in a dark place with an air temperature of no higher than 15 degrees. Compliance with these conditions is important, as they will ensure abundant flowering platycodon during the growing season.

You can get acquainted with the features of growing Platycodon by watching the video material. Enjoy watching!

The platycodon flower truly deserves admiration. Many flower growers love plants with bell-shaped flowers, but as a rule, such species are small or not very clear in shape. Platycodon produces large bell-shaped buds of various colors. In this case, the plant can be grown in open ground or on a windowsill.

plant description

plant description

Platycodon - perennial from the bell family. Its homeland is some regions of China, Korea and Japan, Far East. It grows in the wild in the vast steppes, meadows, edges and outskirts of forests, on rocky slopes.

The culture has a bare, bluish-colored stem, 40 to 120 cm high. It is straight, smooth, thin, simple. The root is similar in shape to a white radish, in the context of a fleshy, dense. Leaves grow along the stem. The color is light green, the edges are with blunt teeth, and the tip is slightly pointed and bent.

Interesting!

Platycodon is also called "large-flowered bell" and "Japanese bell".

The inflorescence is branched. It can be up to 25 cm long. On thin peduncles there are large single bells - flowers. True platycodon (in its natural environment) is blue in color, but bred varieties can be white to blue in color, and veins of a more pronounced tone are possible on the surface of the petals. In diameter, one such flower can reach up to 10 cm. Flowering usually falls in July or August, although different varieties it can differ significantly.

The fruits are an egg-shaped box, on one side of which there are 5 teeth that open as they ripen. Ellipse-shaped, black, smooth seeds are poured out of them. There are dozens of them in each box.

Types and varieties of platycodon

Check also these articles

Platycodon species

The platycodon flower cannot but attract attention. large petals have an almost perfect shape and, opening up, are a real miracle of nature. Not surprisingly, breeders are interested in him. Despite the fact that there is only one type of plant - the large-flowered broadbell, over the years of study, many hybrids have been created that are grown in apartments and flower beds.

• « Aster "- a variety that combines terry and white hybrids. This is a compact plant growing up to 25 cm. It blooms in summer for 2 months. The flowers are large, double, 8 cm in diameter, semi-double, star-shaped - with 10 petals in white, pink and blue.
• « Pink » variety ("pink") has very beautiful, pale pink flowers with bright pink veins on the petals. It is suitable for indoor cultivation or cultivation in small flower beds.
• « White » Platycodon is a dwarf, as the stem grows no more than 20 cm. It is a very light-loving variety that blooms from July to August or from August to October. Needs fertile and well-drained soil.
• « Blues » grows up to 15 cm in height, recommended for growing on rocky hills, rock gardens. The flowers are large, usually white, but the veins are blue.
• « sentimental blue "- a dwarf hybrid that grows no more than 30 cm. The buds are large, beautiful, purple in tone.
• « Album "- a hybrid characterized by high growth - 60-80 cm. The buds are large, 8 cm in diameter. The color is blue, but the veins stand out in a more saturated tone. Suitable for composing compositions in flower beds.

Reproduction by seed method

Reproduction is carried out by the seed method, but sometimes the division method is also used, although the latter option is considered unreliable and gives the desired result only in rare cases.

Propagation by seeds involves the cultivation of seedlings. Seeds are best bought good shops so that the chances of seedlings are higher. There is no need to soak them, if they are of high quality, they will germinate quickly. Sow seeds in open ground or in separate boxes. In open ground, this is done in the fall, and in boxes - in April.

For the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within + 15 ... + 17 degrees Celsius, and then after half a month or a little more, the first shoots can be observed. Watering is done moderately - the earth should be only slightly moistened. And when the sprouts are 1 month old, you can transplant them to a permanent place - in a pot or in a flower bed.

If there are shoots, buds on the root, you can separate them with a sharp knife, sprinkle the places of cuts with ash and immediately plant them in the ground. This breeding method sometimes gives good results, but in general, Platycodon does not like it when its bushes are separated - the survival rate of shoots with buds is very low. On the other hand, this method allows you to save varietal features.

Planting and transplanting Platycodon

The principle of planting and transplanting crops is approximately the same. The main difference is that usually young sprouts are planted, and grown ones are transplanted. But there is no fundamental difference - both procedures require attention, accuracy and compliance with all norms.

The time and method of planting Platycodon depends on many factors: climate, variety, location, and so on. In the southern regions, this is best done in the fall, and Japanese bluebells simply sow, mulch and wait for shoots in the spring (they do not freeze). In the northern ones, the seedling method is always used, and the first planting of young sprouts in a permanent place comes in the spring.

In open ground, you can plant a platycodon flower only when the soil temperature reaches +5 degrees.

When sowing seeds in open ground, in the fall they make ditches or simply randomly scatter the seeds in a delineated area, and then sprinkle them with earth. For the winter, crops are mulched, and the seeds winter quietly in the ground, and shoots appear around May.

When planting with sprouts (seedlings), you need to make separate holes, not very deep, water them, wait until the water is absorbed. Then a sprout is taken, placed in a hole and the roots are sprinkled with earth (as when planting tomato seedlings or other garden crops). After that, you need to leave the plant for 1-2 weeks to take root and get stronger, and then you can begin to carry out standard care procedures at home.

Features of landing and transplantation

Planting Platycodon

How to plant a platycodon flower was mentioned above. However, there are some nuances for planting or transplanting a plant, which must be discussed separately.

1. Place for landing Platycodon should be sunny. When growing in a room, put it on a western or eastern window.
2. The best neighbors in the flowerbed for the Japanese bell will be peonies, asters and phloxes.
3. The land should be loose, drained - this is what you should focus on when buying. If the mixture is made at home, then it must be made up of equal parts of peat, compost, humus and hardwood.

If you plant a Japanese bluebell in the shade or partial shade, it will stretch out a lot, bend over and give only a meager color.

1. It is important to always control the acidity of the earth. If it is increased, it is introduced dolomite flour, if lowered, then you need to slightly oxidize it with ferrous sulfate.
2. Before planting a platycodon flower, it is worth bringing it into the ground organic fertilizers. They decompose more slowly, and therefore can feed the sprouts for several months, while mineral supplements last only from a week to a month.
3. Transplantation of an adult culture is carried out approximately once every 5-6 years, if it grows in a flower bed (in open ground). indoor flower(adult) is recommended to be transplanted every 2-3 years, and young - annually.

How to care for platycodon at home?

Platycodon at home

Growing a platycodon flower in open ground or on a windowsill requires some care, otherwise colorful flowering can not be expected.

• After transplanting or planting, it is recommended to pinch the top of the crop and tie it to a support. This is done so that the flower does not immediately begin to bloom, but takes root in a new place, takes root, starts up a green mass, and then gives flowers.
• Watering is always moderate - without fanaticism, because swampy soil will certainly lead to the development of root rot. So, in the rainy season, you can not water the flower at all in the open field, and in the hot summer, do watering every 3-4 days and make sure that the water does not stand. For a houseplant, the norms are also controlled, but watering is carried out regularly!

When the culture begins to form fruits (this is usually autumn), watering is reduced.

• Home care for platycodon requires timely fertilization. If we are talking about garden culture, then this is done every 14 days during flowering and active growth(spring Summer). For indoor platycodon, top dressing is carried out every 15 days (during the period of active growth). Fertilizers are needed complex, for flowering plants.
• Any weeds are pulled out, and the earth is weeded from time to time.
• If a variety with a tall stem is grown, it will have to be tied to a support, as the stems are thin. So after they stretch out, you need to install a support and tie them up, otherwise, under the weight of the buds, they will simply fall to the ground.
• All dried inflorescences are cut or cut off to increase and prolong the flowering period.

Diseases and other growing problems

Mice and moles

healthy, big plants can only be grown from high-quality planting material. You can buy it in a certified flower shop. Purchase of planting material in the market or from strangers can lead to the fact that the plant will often get sick or the seeds themselves will already be infected. What are the problems most growers face?

1. Mice and moles often eat the turnip root of the plant. To help the roots avoid such a fate, crops with poisonous roots are planted nearby. Rodents will instinctively avoid such places.

Harmful insects are not interested in flowers, roots, leaves and stems of platycodon, so processing is not required from them.

1. Stagnation of water always leads to rotting of the root, so the amount of water during irrigation must be strictly regulated. If this happens, it is necessary to dig up the root, cut off all damaged areas, then disinfect the sections and transplant the plant to a new place.
2. If nothing is done when the root system rots, it will develop gray rot and the plant will die as a result, since even fungicide treatment will not help from this disease. The only option is to throw away the culture so that the disease does not spread to neighboring flowers.

Platycodon is in great demand among flower growers for the most beautiful flowers, unpretentiousness, and for the versatility of growing. Dwarf species, which do not have a very large stem, grow without problems on the windowsill, and not only in open ground, and large ones stand out in flower beds, delighting the eye with regular and lush flowering.