Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, did not particularly worry about mulching. But today this agricultural technique has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's a hassle. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.
Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that “little ones” have always been considered more fashionable, the range of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it’s worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of prickliness, impact on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.
The Egyptians used mint as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils, which are highly volatile. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article we will look at the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in open ground.
People began growing crocuses 500 years before our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the harbingers of spring next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article is dedicated to the earliest varieties of crocuses, which bloom in late March and early April.
Cabbage soup made from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage It cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as other vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup turns out tastier than freshly prepared cabbage soup.
Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it’s hard not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners He's annoying sometimes! However, understanding the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself” is not so difficult. The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of the culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest groups of tomatoes to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been valued by those gardeners who do not have much energy and time to care for their beds.
Once very popular under the name of indoor nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleus today is one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. It is not for nothing that they are considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are primarily looking for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes made of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.
Salmon backbone baked in Provençal herbs provides tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then water it apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Wild garlic and fresh dill get along well in one salad, highlighting each other’s aroma. The garlicky pungency of wild garlic will permeate both the salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.
Conifer tree or shrubs on the site is always great, but a lot of conifers is even better. Emerald needles of various shades decorate the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils, released by plants, not only aromatize, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most zoned mature conifers are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require proper care and attention.
Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the canopy flowering trees have long become an integral attribute of welcoming spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. Financial and academic year here it starts on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese take place under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.
I am very interested in analyzing how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an item of trade, lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century B.C. e. About 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its propagation and cultivation were described.
Delight your family and prepare themed cottage cheese cookies in the shape of Easter eggs! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration as pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read our step by step recipe!
Among tuberous crops, there are not so many decorative deciduous favorites. And caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to own a caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all, it requires care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of caladiums are never justified. Attention and care can avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And the plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.
We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply easy-to-prepare dish for you today. This sauce is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or anything. Chicken and mushroom gravy will save you in moments when you don’t have time or don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Take your favorite side dish (you can do this in advance so everything is hot), add some gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.
Among the many different varieties of these most popular vegetables, we will tell you about three that are distinguished by their excellent taste and relatively unpretentious conditions growing. Characteristics of the eggplant varieties “Almaz”, “Black Beauty” and “Valentina”. All eggplants have medium-density pulp. In Almaz it is greenish, while in the other two it is yellowish-white. What unites them good germination and excellent yield, but in different time. Everyone's skin color and shape are different.
Flower bouquets are beautiful, but they don't last long. However, there are ones that you can admire for many months, or even years. Among florists they have a common name, and a bouquet of such flowers can decorate a home for a long time. These plants may belong to different families, but they are united by the ability to maintain shape and color for a long period.
This is a perennial dried flower, but in our latitudes it is grown as an annual. The stem is branched, reaches 70 cm in height. The inflorescences are white, with a large yellow center. The diameter of the inflorescence is 1.5–2 cm. Ammobium begins to bloom in mid-June, flowering continues until the first frost. 
An annual plant of American origin. Its stems can be simple or branched, sometimes growing up to one and a half meters in height. The inflorescences of decorative species such as caudate, dark or paniculate are collected in long spikelets or panicles. They can be of different colors: golden, purple, red, etc. Flowering begins in June and stops with the onset of autumn cold weather. 
Did you know? is not exhausted decorative species. For thousands of years, this plant was the staple crop of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The Spaniards called it "Aztec wheat" and "Inca bread." It is also used as pet food. This plant is also widely used in food, amaranth oil is especially valuable.
The genus belongs to the amaranth family. About 60 species of this dried flower are known, among them there are both annual and perennial, but in our country, as a rule, annuals are bred, since they cannot withstand winter cold.
The height of the plant reaches 90 cm. Small flowers collected in spectacular inflorescences, which can be various shapes: pinnate, comb, spikelet. Their colors can be red, purple, yellow, etc. Celosia blooms from late June until autumn frosts. 
This flower is better known as immortelle. It belongs to the Aster family. The plant can be perennial, but is also grown as an annual. The stem is straight, reaches a meter in height. The flowers form large inflorescences-baskets. Their colors are very diverse - golden, red, white-pink, purple, etc.
There are more than 600 species of immortelle. The most famous are helichrysum bractae, helichrysum milford, and helichrysum sandy. Flowering - from June to October. 
This is an annual plant from the Asteraceae family. It is also called dried flower. The stems of xeranthemum are straight and branched. Height up to 60 cm. Inflorescences are baskets of purple, white or Pink colour. In temperate climates it blooms from mid-summer to early autumn. 
This plant is more often called. It is annual, sometimes biennial, and belongs to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. It has a straight branched stem reaching one and a half meters in height. Inflorescence - a basket of red, orange or yellow color. Outwardly it resembles . Flowering from June to September. 
Did you know? They use dye extracted from carthamus to color their clothes. Buddhist monks, and in cosmetology, safflower oil is valued as softening and strengthening the skin.
Like many others on our list, this dried flower belongs to the Aster family. The stem is erect, grows up to 90 cm. The plant is perennial, but there is also an annual species. Small tube-shaped flowers form a spectacular spherical inflorescence up to 4 cm in diameter, in various shades of yellow. Craspedia blooms in August and September. 
Kermek (limonium)
This type of dried flower belongs to the lead family. Among the numerous representatives of this family, you can find both shrubs and herbaceous specimens, including both annual and perennial ones. The height of the plants, depending on the type and growth conditions, is from 30 to 1.3 m. This plant blooms from July until the end of autumn. 
Externally, the inflorescences look very impressive - slightly wrinkled and elongated panicles of the most varied colors. They can be purple, green, yellow, white and pink.
Appearance, when proper care, resemble a colored cloud. wild plant, broadleaf kermek, is also called tumbleweed, since in the fall, with a strong wind, dry inflorescences often break off from the stem and roll across the steppe. 
Although this Mediterranean plant is not yet a favorite among gardeners, it certainly looks elegant in its graceful simplicity. This variety of dried flowers is ideal for planting in rustic style, and is also used for complex solutions landscape design. Catananche began to be cultivated in Europe in the 16th century.
The plant has only 5 species. The most popular variety has a pale blue flower reminiscent of chicory. Catananche flowers can also be white, yellow and purple, depending on the species. The petals have jagged edges. The height of the erect stem is up to 60 cm.
May and June are the flowering time of this dried flower. But some varieties of catananche, for example, "Capids Dart", can bloom right up to frost. This plant is also frost-resistant species, catananche bushes do not die even in frosts of -30 °C. The information that the catananche lives only two years is erroneous. It’s just that this plant, after 2–3 years of flowering, partially loses its decorative effect and requires more frequent division than other perennials. 
Briza (shaker)
This plant of the cereal family was described by the ancient Greek physician Galen, but in addition to its beneficial healing properties, it is often used in decorative interiors. "Cuckoo's Tears"- this is how people called this type of dried flower because of its unusual inflorescence, reminiscent of droplets (tears) on thin stems. A small breath of wind is enough for them to start swaying, which adds a certain flavor to the breeze.
Briza grows wild in Europe, Africa, western Asia, and South America. These are usually annual and perennials. The stems are thin and solitary, erect with branches at the bottom up to 80 cm high. The apical inflorescence is shaped like a spreading panicle from 3 to 20 cm long and consists of 20–50 spikelets. The spikelets are quite large, drooping, 10–25 mm long. The teardrop cones themselves are round, ovoid, or triangular in shape. At the beginning of flowering they are green, eventually turning brownish-golden. 
Lagurus
This dried flower has another name - "haretail", because of the fluffy inflorescence, which really resembles a hare’s tail. In stylized photos this plant looks especially impressive.
Lagurus is a cereal annual. It is approximately 50–60 cm in height. The plant blooms all summer; its fluffy white heads are often painted in different colors, making spectacular bouquets of them. Lagurus is very popular with children because original form inflorescences and soft, down-like leaves. 
This is an asteraceous or asteraceous plant with a bright, bitter, musky odor. Distributed throughout the northern hemisphere in temperate climatic zones. Tansy grows up to one and a half meters in height and has bright yellow inflorescences collected in baskets on strong, elastic dark green stems. 
Important! Tansy is popular among gardeners not only as ornamental plant, but also as a natural remedy against mosquitoes, flies and other unpleasant things. This dried flower is often used for medicinal purposes; it is not without reason that tansy is called another name - parasite. It must also be remembered that the fruits and inflorescences of tansy are moderately poisonous.
Features of growing dried flowers
As a rule, plants of this type are very unpretentious, and their cultivation is not difficult. Seeds are usually sown in March-April, in open ground plants are planted in the second half of May, some heat-loving species - in early June. Usually planted in a sunny area of the flower garden. Most types of these flowers are drought-resistant, additional watering they don't need it. On the contrary, plants may suffer from waterlogged soil.
How to cut and dry flowers
The right dried flowers will lift your spirits on the darkest and harshest winter days. In principle, any flower can be dried, but dried flowers do not lose their shape when dried and retain their bright colors.
The summer season, with its cheerful colors and spicy floral scents, passes very quickly. Short cloudy days come in autumn, followed by cold winter. And everyone wants to feel like they are in a blooming summer park again. Bright sunny bouquets of dried flowers come to the rescue. They fill the interior with elegant scents and warm shades. Making bouquets of dried flowers is not only effective method Decorating your home is also a very entertaining activity. Even a beginner can cope with this task.
Many people believe that any dried flower can be called flowering plant in dried form. Actually this is not true. Florists claim that after drying and pruning the integrity, and external aesthetics Not all representatives of the flora are able to preserve. At first glance, it seems that the most beautiful dried flowers come from luxurious flowering crops. But in fact, the “queens” and “princesses” of the garden lose their bright colors and crumble with just one touch. For artistic and decorative purposes, specially grown species and varieties of dried flowers are used. To compose various compositions, you can use any part of the dried flower: from the bud and flower, to the seed pods and fruits.
If we compare dried flowers with other cultivated and field plants, their durability is much higher. But in order to extend this period, plants must be treated by special means. However, many connoisseurs of bouquets of dry plants do not bother themselves, and at the beginning of the new season they replace compositions that have lost their aesthetics with new bouquets. Dried flowers are unpretentious. They do not take up much time and space on the site. Unfavorable weather factors do not frighten them either. They only need sunlight and a little care.
Types and varieties
In order for a beginner not to get confused in the variety of varieties and types of dried flowers, it is enough to start getting acquainted with the most famous specimens:
- . Famous for its views and varietal diversity. All specimens are strikingly different from each other external dimensions, shape and color. Dried flowers are harvested at the moment when the flower fully opens.
Helipterum
- . Great option for areas with long and cold winters. Externally, the plant resembles baskets small size, collected on one bush. Florists prepare a long shoot with an inflorescence during the dissolution period.
Ammobium winged
- . The flowers of this plant are corymbose and bright purple in color. At the height of flowering, the plant is cut and later used to create artistic compositions.
- . Among the inflorescences there are double and simple types. Most often red or white. Breeders have developed a variety with many inflorescences. The plant is popularly called “cat’s paws”, due to the distant similarity of the flowers to soft cat paws. It is better to harvest dried flowers before their final dissolution.
Helichrysum
- . A plant with thin, branched stems. Inflorescences are in the form of small baskets, with a red, pink, purple or white color. Only complete dissolution is used as a floral preparation.
Xeranthemum
- . Has original appearance: large racemose inflorescences hanging from a strong stem. As soon as flowering begins, amaranth is cut off.
- . Another decoration for a winter bouquet can be called this plant, with orange, yellow or red inflorescences. Large flowers Can be cut only after flowering.
Carthamus
- . The most common element of a floral composition. It is valued for its beautiful decorative leaves and spherical flowers of various shades (beige, lilac, pink, blue, scarlet).
Gomphrena
- . Most of all, this plant with a dense inflorescence in the form of a ball reminds of the summer sun in a bouquet. There are no leaves on the shoot. The color of Craspedia is bright yellow. The material is harvested in whole bunches from several flowers.
Craspedia
- . The inflorescences are quite large in size, collected in dense panicles and come in cream, yellow, pink, red, orange, and even purple.
Celosia pinnata
- . The inflorescence is shaped like a rich ball of blue color has a great resemblance to thorn.
Mordovnik
- . Another extraordinary specimen from the “thorns” series. The inflorescences have a capitate shape with a steel color and an openwork leaf shape.
Feverweed
- . The flowers of this garden planting do not attract florists at all, but the fruits are of great value for lovers of winter bouquets. The fruit is framed by thin sepals, bright orange in color. The shape and structure resembles a paper lantern.
- . The inflorescences are numerous and spike-shaped; the milky-white color and soft lilac frame add spectacularity. The grass is often used to make wedding compositions.
Use in landscape design
Dried flowers are the most popular element of a rocky flower garden (). They go well with various types of stone and do not require special care, not capricious to growing conditions. For such a composition, you should not choose delicate and fragile varieties. Eryngium, brisa and other “prickly representatives” are best suited.
Flower beds with perennials or annual plants colorfully dilute the bright ones, original views dried flowers. They are able to compete with the most exquisite representatives of the flora. And the subtle elegant aroma adds a touch of romance and peace to the garden. Dried flowers often act as a background for annual plants. After they have bloomed, dried perennial flowers continue to decorate the garden with their appearance.
Low, lush dried flowers are planted along the paths as a living border. You can use lavender for this. It also helps in softly, unobtrusively dividing the area into the required number of zones. Refined and deep color goes well with many garden plantings. An easily recognizable spicy aroma completes the list of advantages.
Reproduction, planting and care
Dried flowers reproduce by seeds. Most species are planted immediately in open ground, as soon as the snow melts and the ground warms up sufficiently. They delight gardeners with rapid germination and flowering in a short period of time. Those varieties whose seeds need to be planted in a greenhouse are transplanted into open ground after one to two months (depending on the variety). These are more capricious representatives of dried flowers. Also requiring more careful care and attention.
Care
Plants must be provided with a sufficient amount of sunlight, systematic and sufficient watering, mulching and fertilizing (depending on the variety). Most dried flowers prefer loose, fertile soil.
If the soil is acidic, then before sowing it is fed, reducing the level of acids. Dried flowers do not tolerate stagnant moisture; it is important to provide a drainage layer.
Plants do not tolerate drafts. A rare exception is species that do not tolerate direct sun rays. They need to be provided with shade or partial shade. Otherwise they will not be able to become good material for a winter bouquet, having lost its strength and bright colors. Each variety is harvested according to its own rules.
Video - garden dried flowers
You can hang flowers, put them under a press and even in the microwave.
Flowers are a wonderful addition to any setting, but their colorful color only lasts a few weeks or less. Drying flowers is a great way to preserve them in a vase or beautiful composition in frame.
Depending on the type of flower, there are several different methods drying. This is easy to do at home using available tools.
Photo source:
When is the best time to cut flowers for drying?
To ensure flowers retain their natural, beautiful color, cut them before they fully open. Flowers should also dry in a cool, dark place because sunlight will turn them into hay.
If you want to dry a finished bouquet, such as a wedding bouquet, it's best to start drying it as soon as you've enjoyed it, as the flowers were most likely cut at least the day before. If you have been given roses, for example, you may be tempted to leave them in the vase until all the flowers have fully opened. However, if you really want to preserve them, it's best to start drying them before they fully open.
Photo source:Methods for drying flowers
Hanging
The most common and quite reliable method consists of collecting flowers in small bunches and hanging them upside down. You can use a clothes hanger by tying several bundles to its perch. The hanger can then be placed in the closet. Drying this way takes several weeks. Please note that some petals may fall off during the process.
Photo source:Pressing
If you only want to preserve the flower, pressing is a great method that doesn't require as much space as the previous method. It is best to cut flowers just before they are due to bloom in the early morning and after the dew has evaporated. Place the cut plants on a newspaper, cloth or napkin and cover the top with the same material. Then put everything in a thick book for several weeks.
Pressing is ideal for flowers that you want to frame under glass.
Photo source:Microwave
If you don't want to wait for your flowers to dry, this method is for you. Place stemless flowers in a container. microwave oven. It is recommended to sprinkle them with quartz sand or an even combination of borax and cornmeal. Place the container in the microwave (no need to cover it!) for one minute. Finally, leave the flowers in the mixture for one day to allow them to dry completely.
Where is the best place to put dried flowers?
If you want your dried bouquet to please you as long as possible, do not place it on a windowsill or other place exposed to direct sunlight. Also, keep dried flowers away from the stove, fireplace, heaters, and radiators. In principle, the cooler the room, the longer they will not disintegrate.
