The bluebell gets its name from the unique shape of the flower. Previously, it could only be found in open fields, but there were connoisseurs who chose this flower to decorate their plots. Breeders who developed many new varieties did not ignore it either. Now you can see the bells of white, purple, blue, pink flowers, double and smooth, perennials and annuals, with a varied shape of inflorescences.
Growing a bell: planting
The first action of a gardener who decides to add a bell to his flower beds is to choose a planting location. This flower grows well in sunny or slightly shaded areas, but does not tolerate stagnant water - unless groundwater are located close to the surface, it makes sense to find or create a small hill. Otherwise, when grown on swampy soil, the flower will freeze in the first winter. You can recognize varieties that do well in shaded areas by their dark green foliage, but, like the others, they need to be protected from drafts.
It grows poorly on heavy soils, so they need to be “lightened” by adding humus or sand. Poor soil is mixed with turf and fertilized well. A close to ideal option for bellflowers would be light soil with neutral acidity. However, here it is worth focusing on the individual requirements of the selected variety - some species feel better in soil with a weak alkaline reaction, others prefer rocky or calcareous soil.
The future flowerbed is prepared in advance. They dig up the earth, remove weeds and roots, apply fertilizer - superphosphate and rotted manure are enough. Fresh is not recommended for the same reason as peat - there is a risk of introducing fungus into the soil.
Seedlings and division of rhizomes
If you decide to grow a bell, caring for it will depend on the method of propagation.
1. Planting seeds in open ground occurs in the fall, around October. It should be noted that if a species that grows in the wild is selected, its self-seeding will have to be carefully monitored, since the bell actively reproduces. The selected seeds are planted in the prepared soil, keeping a distance of about 2 cm. There is no need to bury them: just sprinkle them with soil on top. If you plant using this method, the first shoots will appear already. in early spring. At the end of May - beginning of June they can be transplanted to permanent place.
2. Bellflowers are planted in seedlings in March. Its seeds are very small, so a mixture of soil is prepared for them from three parts of humus, six parts of turf, and one part of coarse sand.
On at this stage no fertilizer required. The seeds are pressed to the substrate and generously sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Glass is placed on top of the boxes: it is easier to remove than polyethylene in order to spray and ventilate the seedlings. After 2-3 weeks the glass is removed. Further care caring for plants is no different from caring for any flower seedlings: watering as needed, keeping in a fairly sunny place, picking seedlings after three true leaves appear. Two weeks after picking, you can apply the first complex fertilizer, diluting it with water to a minimum concentration. Young bells are planted in open ground after the threat of frost has passed (at 18-20? C).
3. In August, after flowering, the bell can be divided by rhizomes. When the above-ground part of the plant is cut off, the bush is dug up and carefully divided into several parts, which are immediately planted in new places. The distance between such “plots” should be at least 50 cm.
Sowing either before winter or seedlings will help achieve flowering this year. When the root is divided, the bell will bloom only next year. In order for young plants to quickly acquire a decorative appearance, they are fed with nitrogen in the spring. To increase frost resistance, phosphorus is added under the flowers, and potassium is added in the fall.
Bellflower: caring for flowers after planting
Depending on the height of the plant (low, medium or high), plan the distance between the bell bushes. Young flowers are planted at a distance of 15, 30 and 50 cm from each other, respectively. When the planting is finished, the soil around the stem is well compacted and watered. In general, the bell requires minimal watering - the flower is quite unpretentious, and can easily do without regular irrigation.
As for fertilizers, in the spring the bell can be fertilized wood ash, and mulch the flowerbed with humus or rotted manure. You can “force” the plant to bloom beautifully and quickly with the help of low concentration mineral fertilizers - they are applied just before the bell buds. In order for the flowering to last longer and be lush, you just need to remove the dried flower stalks, the petals on which have already lost their decorative appearance.
What bluebells don't like is heavy soil and weeds. Timely weeding and loosening will provide him with an “easy life”, for which he will thank the gardener abundant flowering.
When the seed box reaches the desired stage of ripening, it acquires a brownish tint. At this moment it’s time to cut it off: the color signals that the box will soon open. It will not be possible to collect tiny seeds from the ground, so it is better to cut them together with the “packaging” in advance.
How to propagate bellflower: planting cuttings
There are several ways in which you can propagate a bell bush and get another plant:
cuttings;
root shoot;
dividing the bush;
a piece of rhizome.
The best option depends on what type of bluebell needs to be propagated. If this annual plant, then a new bush of the same variety can only be obtained by planting seeds. Young green cuttings can be separated from biennials in the spring, or they can be planted as seedlings, just like annuals. Perennial bells are propagated by the vegetative methods listed above: the only exceptions will be species whose rhizomes have a spindle-shaped or racemose shape (these will have to be propagated by seeds). Based on the shape of the rhizome, you can determine The best way reproduction of each specific species.
So, if the root is short and highly branched, then it will not be possible to cut off the “baby” from which a new plant will grow - this bell can be grown from seeds or in any other vegetative way. A piece of rhizome can only be obtained from a bluebell, whose root goes deep into the ground.
The collected seed boxes should be laid out on clean paper and dried in a windless place. Since they were collected while still immature, they will open up on paper, and then it will not be difficult to collect the small seeds in a separate container.
You can divide the bush starting from the third year. By this time he has gained sufficient vitality. The exception is some varieties, such as peach-leaved and speckled - these can be separated already in the first autumn. It must be taken into account that the plant must have time to take root either before the heat (planting in May) or before frost (August, September). In general, this method allows you to obtain a plant that exactly matches all the data of the mother bush, which will retain all its qualities. This is especially important for gardeners who prefer rare double or southern varieties: the former are difficult to grow from seeds, and for the latter they simply do not have time to ripen in more northern latitudes.
The bush is divided as follows: the entire above-ground part of the plant is cut off, and it is dug out by the roots. The division is carried out so that each individual plant has buds and a sufficiently developed root system. Bells are planted in pre-prepared holes so that the buds remain on the surface.
Bellflower is a fairly unpretentious plant that does not require any special skills or knowledge. Any gardener can grow it if desired.
Of the many types of garden bells (pointed, peach-leaved, rotundifolia, Pozharsky, twisted, milky-flowered, Carpathian, pyramidal, round-leaved and others), not the least of interest is bell medium (Campanula medium L). Its height is up to 1 m, the flowers have a characteristic shape - inverted glasses with a skirt, about 7 cm long, in a cold range of colors (white, blue, lilac, pink, purple). The flowers are double. There can be up to 50 flowers on one stem, which makes this type of bell look like luxurious candelabra.
The plant is elegant, delicate, expressive, solemn, with its own bright image, easily tolerates partial shade, like all bells, looks great in a flowerbed and in a bouquet, it is not surprising that it is popular and if you study the stores, it will be obvious that there are more varieties of the average bell than others (except that sometimes it is inferior to Carpathian and peach-leaved).
In the west, the plant is called Canterbury Bells - similar bells were tied to their horses by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, the place where the main Anglican church in Britain is located - Canterbury Cathedral.
Varieties
Cup and saucer is the name not so much of a variety as of a variety group. Under this name, many agricultural companies, including foreign ones, produce seeds, most often mixtures of various colors (in English “Cup & Sauser”). All cups and saucers and Chinese sets (as the Gavrish agricultural company chose to call the plant for its “Lucky Seeds” brand) have double flowers with two skirts, as if nested one inside the other. It really does look like an upside down cup and saucer. The shape of the flowers is very harmonious and beautiful.
Other varieties or mixtures of medium bluebell that can now be found on sale: Raspberry Ring - double, mixture of colors (Russian Ogorod), Cottage - simple, mixture of colors (Johnsons, England), Dream - simple, pink (Sedek), Carminrose - simple juicy carmine pink (Gavrish), Gramophone – simple carmine pink (Plasma). Apart from the colors and degree of flower terry, they have no fundamental differences, so all the recommendations in this article can be safely applied to any seeds whose packaging says medium bell.
Growing from seeds
There are two options for growing: seedlings or non-seedlings. In the second case, the plant will bloom only next year.
Seeds for seedlings are sown in March-early April, distributed over the surface of the soil. The plant has good germination, and the procedure for growing seedlings does not differ in any special aspects, except that young seedlings require shading from direct sun.
Sowing in open ground is carried out at the end of May; the seeds are not large, so they are not buried, but mixed with sand, which is distributed over the surface, or a shift is distributed over the surface of the soil, and then sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. The seeds germinate quite quickly; after 2-3 weeks from the moment of sowing, the young plants can be planted in another place at a distance of 10-15 cm. But this is not the final planting location. It is customary to carry out such a transplant to seed beds, planting the plants in a permanent place only in August (every 30 cm from each other).
Mature plants are used as “donors”. Growing spring shoots can be rooted, producing new plants.
It is a biennial, but is often grown as a perennial.
Landing and seat selection
The bell is a fairly unpretentious plant, but you should know some planting features. The plant is considered a light-loving plant, but it tolerates partial shade well; very often it can be seen along western or eastern walls, where direct daytime sun does not reach. And such semi-shaded places can really be considered ideal. The fact is that the lighting parameter is closely related to two other characteristics environment: temperature and humidity. And here everything is clear - the bell loves moisture and feels great in the cool. Therefore, if you are looking for a plant to plant under a tree, near a shady gazebo, or a front garden on the east side, it makes sense to consider the middle bell.
The soil must have a neutral reaction (acidic soils are absolutely not suitable), well-drained (dampness leads to damping off of the bushes), light, and nutritious.
In one place, the average bell grows from 3 to 5 years.
Care
The plant is unpretentious; you will need to perform a number of very simple measures:
- Sufficient watering in dry summers. Bells do not like lack of moisture. The plant will not die, but will significantly lose its decorative properties: the flowers will become small, or the plant will stop blooming altogether.
- Removing faded flowers.
- Lime is periodically added to the soil.
- By the autumn of the first year of planting seeds, the plant forms a rosette of leaves; it should be mulched with a sufficiently thick layer of covering (if these are fallen leaves, then at least 10 cm).
Collecting your own seeds
Seeds are collected in early autumn, choosing the healthiest and most lush specimens. Unfortunately, varietal varieties (hybrids) do not inherit 100% of their characteristics, so some of the seedlings grown from seeds from their own collection “go wild” - they will have a classic blue color.
Application in the garden
“Cup and saucer” is good in borders, flower beds, mass plantings, and mixborders. It will look great near the lawn or in small groups.
What is the middle bell combined with?
It looks great with many cultures:
- Garden geranium.
- Carnation.
- Cuff.
- Looks amazing in combination with, especially pink shades. The photo below does not convey the beauty of the combination of delicate bell-shaped “cups” and lush buds.
Pairs well with grains and herbs. Can be grown in container culture: pots, tubs, vases.
The bell flower is familiar and loved by many summer residents for its unpretentiousness and beauty. This crop is found wild in fields, steppes and meadows, however, quite often it is planted on summer cottages. This simple and colorful flower grows in temperate latitudes of Asia, Europe, and America. Culture also does well in our Russian climate. Most types of bells are perennial plants, however, there are also annual varieties. Next, we will tell you in more detail about the characteristics of the perennial garden bell, as well as how to plant this plant correctly.
Perennial bell plants: description
In Latin, the name "bell" sounds like "Campanula". This culture also has some “folk” names, for example, “chebotki”, “zvonochki”, “chenelki”.
This plant has its own distinctive features and characteristics:
- As mentioned above, most often the crop is a perennial plant, however, annual species are also found.
- The leaves of the plant are alternate. The flowers are bell-shaped. Depending on the crop variety, the color of the flowers can vary from white to dark purple.
- Most often, the flowers are collected in racemes, however, there are also single flowers (usually their size is very large).
- Perennial bell seeds may have different size. For planting, you should choose only one of the largest seeds that are free from various spots and traces of rot.
- The height of the bells may vary depending on the crop variety. Thus, there are both low-growing and tall types of flowers.
Types and varieties of bells
Annual and biennial types of bells
In nature, there are a huge number of varieties of bells, each of which has aesthetic value for gardeners. All varieties of this plant can be divided into several groups. They are mainly divided according to the growth period into:
- Annuals.
- Two-year-olds.
- Perennial.
The last group, as the most numerous in terms of the number of varieties, is in turn divided according to the height of the plant into low-growing, medium-growing and low-growing.
Annual bells:
- The annual bluebell is low-growing. This plant is native to the Caucasus Mountains, the Balkans, the Plains of Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. The low-growing bell is ideal for creating borders and decorating rock gardens. The height of the low-growing annual bell rarely exceeds 10 cm. This plant variety blooms in a soft blue color.
- Long-columnar bell. One of the tallest annual bells, reaching half a meter in height. In the wild, this variety grows on the gravelly soils of the Caucasus. The long-columnar bell blooms in rather large inflorescences, which can number more than fifty pale blue flowers up to 4 cm in diameter.
- Mirror of Venus. Another popular variety of annuals. It grows throughout almost all of Europe from Great Britain to the Mediterranean. It is a low plant about 30 cm high, with saucer-shaped flowers of blue and lilac shade. The core of the flower is usually white. Several flowers with a diameter of up to 2 cm can be collected on the paniculate inflorescence. This variety of bells blooms from early summer to early autumn.
Biennial bells:
- Hoffman's bell. Its natural habitat is the Balkans and the Adriatic Sea coast. The height of the plant reaches 50 cm, the flowers are drooping, white or cream in color.
- Large bell. Reaches a height of more than 1.2 meters. The flowers, which are collected in whorls of several pieces, are predominantly pale purple in color. The plant blooms in early to mid-summer.
- The bell is medium. This plant variety is often grown as an annual. On an erect stem, the height of which often exceeds 1 meter, there are flowers collected in pyramidal inflorescences up to 7 cm long. The color of the inflorescence is white, blue or pink.
Types of perennial bells
Low-growing perennial bells:
- Bluebell Carpathian. One of the most common types of perennial plants. The height of the Carpathian bell rarely exceeds 30 cm. The leafy stems are crowned with single funnel-bell-shaped flowers. The color of the plant depends on the variety and is: white (Alba and White Star varieties), blue (Isabelle), blue (Blaumeise) or purple (Karpatenkrone).
- Campanula garganis. A small perennial plant up to 15 cm high with blue star-shaped flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. The most popular varieties of perennial Gargan bell are:
- Major - perennial blue bell;
- H. Paine – with flowers lavender color with a white eye;
- Shamiso bell. This is a miniature type of bells, barely reaching 8-10 cm in height. It blooms predominantly in violet-blue color, however, there is a white-flowered form.
Medium-sized species:
1. Takeshima bell. In the wild, it is most often found in the mountains of Iran and the Korean Peninsula. The stems of the plant reach 60 cm. This type of bell blooms in early summer. The flowers of the perennial Takeshima bell are simple or double blue, pink or white. The most famous varieties of Takeshima bellflower are:
- Beautyful Trust. It is distinguished by large, spider-like white flowers;
- Wedding Bells. Blooms with white double flowers.
2. Pointed bell. It has a thin fibrous stem up to 50 cm high. It is crowned with drooping, pubescent, goblet-bell-shaped flowers of a dirty white hue with purple dots. The most popular varieties:
- Rubra;
- Alba nana.
3. Sarastro's bell. Similar to its dotted counterpart. The height of the bush is up to 60 cm, it blooms with bright purple flowers with a diameter of up to 7 cm.
Tall bells:
- Broadleaf bellflower. Its stem reaches a height of up to 1 meter. It grows almost throughout Europe. Prefers the banks of rivers and streams, as well as deciduous forests. The inflorescence is a sparsely flowered raceme, which consists of large flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, with slightly bent blades. The broad-leaved bellflower blooms in June-August. The most popular varieties of broadleaf bellflower:
- Alba – perennial white bellflower;
- Bruntwood – light purple blooms;
- Macranta - blooms in dark purple.
- Bellflower peach leaf. It got its name from the shape of its leaves, reminiscent of peach leaves. The flowers are quite large, up to 5 cm in diameter, collected in paniculate inflorescences. The height of the stem can reach up to 1 meter. The plant blooms from mid-June to early August. The most popular varieties:
- Bernice - with beautiful double blue flowers;
- Exmouth - double perennial blue bell;
- Snowdrift - white-flowering bellflower.
Perennial bells: planting
Planting of perennial bells is carried out in the following order:
- First of all, you should prepare the bell seeds. This will help further improve the germination and flowering of flowers. To do this, the seeds are placed in a container filled with nutritious soil, which should contain humus and turf soil. First, the soil in the container should be loosened and watered. The seeds are placed at a depth of 2 cm. Then they are sprinkled with soil and watered. Seed preparation begins in March.
- Keep the planting container with seeds in a bright place at a temperature of 18 degrees. When the seeds hatch, you should carry out standard measures to care for the seedlings - watering, loosening the soil, cutting off diseased leaves. The seedlings should be kept in the planting container for about 20 days, during which time they will have time to get stronger.
- Seedlings are planted in open ground in late spring or early summer. To do this, you should choose an area that receives good sunlight. In addition, there should be no drafts in the selected clearing. The soil on the site should be well-drained and slightly alkaline.
- Then the selected area is thoroughly dug to a depth of at least 20 cm.
- Next, fertilizers are applied, humus is ideal for this purpose.
- Seedlings are placed in planting holes. There should be a distance of at least 15 cm between the holes.
- Next, they add to the site organic fertilizers– peat and manure.
Perennial bells: care
Growing and caring for bells in a flower bed is not particularly difficult and is no different from caring for any other flower plants. Their unpretentiousness to soil, watering and fertilizing allows gardeners to get excellent results at minimal cost:
- Bluebells do not need constant watering. Water them only when there is prolonged heat outside.
- Watering is done at the root, without moistening the flowers and leaves. Then the slightly dried soil is loosened while weeds are removed.
- Fertilizing the bells with fertilizer is carried out twice a season. The first time after the snow melts, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. For the second feeding use complex fertilizers. They are introduced during the budding period of flowers.
- In order to prolong the flowering of bluebells, it is necessary to remove faded flowers.
Perennial bells: propagation
Perennial bells reproduce in three ways:
- Seeds. This method is very complicated, since during seed propagation, bells can lose their varietal characteristics. This propagation method begins with preparing and planting seeds in containers with soil. When the seeds grow, they are transplanted into open ground.
- By cuttings. This method begins with the preparation of cuttings. This is carried out in the month of March. Cuttings are taken from healthy young stems and planted in a container with soil. When the seedlings take root, they can be transplanted into the ground.
- By division. Bells can be propagated by dividing the bush only starting from the 3rd year of life. To do this, a plant bush is dug up and cut into sections, which are then planted in other parts of the site.
Pests and diseases of perennial bells
Bells, unlike many garden plants They are very unpretentious to planting and care, which is why no special effort is required in growing them. The cause of damage to bells by various diseases can be improper watering, as well as growing plants in one place for a long period. Because of this, harmful bacteria can accumulate in the soil, which can cause disease.
- Most often, bells are affected by bacteria such as Fusarium, Sclerotinia or Botrytis. To combat pathogens, it is enough to treat the flower bed twice a season (in autumn and spring) with a 0.2% solution of Fundazol. It is advisable to replant plants to a new location from time to time.
- High humidity can cause a slobbering captive to appear on the flowers of the bell. This insect can easily destroy all the flowers in a fairly short time. To combat it, use a tincture of garlic in water, which is sprayed on the bell bushes.
- Low-growing plant varieties are threatened by slugs. They often have to be collected by hand. Among the drugs used to combat these pests, superphosphate, which is poured around the stem, is very helpful, and from traditional methods- tincture of hot pepper, which is used to search plants.
Caring for perennial bells after flowering
After the annual bells finish flowering, they are simply pruned at the root. Perennials in warm latitudes they can overwinter without shelter. In cold climates, it is advisable to cover them with dry leaves or bastweed. High varieties of bells are covered with dry peat to a height of up to 20 cm.
To prepare seeds for sowing, you need to collect the inflorescences without waiting for the seed boxes to open. After they dry, you can open them and remove the seeds, which are stored in a dry, warm place until sowing.
Perennial garden bells: photo
Perennial bells: video
Growing and caring for widespread plants personal plots bluebells is not a problem, since even cultivated species easily adapt to weather changes. But decorative, large and constantly blooming buds require good care. The plant will have its proper appearance only when optimal conditions in which they should be grown. Planting and caring for each species is carried out taking into account its characteristics.
General rules for growing bells
Many types of bluebells grow well in full sun but also enjoy partial shade. Some of them bloom longer in such conditions.
Bluebells grow everywhere, except in areas with stagnant water. They really do not like lowlands with loamy or clay soil. They will not grow in flooded areas. If groundwater is located close, you can plant flowers on high ridges, providing them with good drainage.
Planting bluebells
The soil should be loose. To do this, peat and humus are added to loam or clay soil. The bushes are replanted in autumn or spring. At the same time, leave a lump of earth so as not to damage the adventitious roots. The holes are watered abundantly before and after planting. If the roots are strong, the flowers take root better in early spring. For a less developed root system, planting is done in May, when the earth warms up.
In the fall, the bushes must take root before frost sets in. The work is carried out in late summer or early autumn.
Fertilizers
In spring, nitrogen is added to the soil to promote rapid growth of green plant matter. In the summer, complex ones are used and in the fall potassium is added, which increases resistance to frost.
Care
Summer care consists of periodic loosening, weeding and regular feeding with mineral fertilizers or rotted manure. Before flowering, this work must be done. Moderate watering is used.
For long flowering, dried stems are removed. Some of them are left, hoping to get seeds. As soon as the boxes turn brown, they are collected before they open and the seeds fall into the soil.
Before the onset of cold weather, all plant stems are cut off at the root. Shelter required for the most part for species originating from southern Europe and Asia. The soil is sprinkled with peat, spruce branches or dry leaves.
How to grow bluebells from seeds
Most species repeat the properties of the parent plants, and they can be propagated by seeds. Some varieties, such as terry varieties, may differ from their parents. In this case, they are propagated vegetatively.
Bluebells produce very small seeds and should be placed on the ground under a thin layer of sand. In the 2nd half of October or May, the seeds are sown in the ground. You can grow seedlings starting in March. To do this, prepare light soil from a mixture of peat, turf soil and sand, without the addition of organic fertilizers.
Germination of seedlings occurs 2 weeks after sowing. When 3 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive after 10 cm. Plants are planted in a permanent place in early June. Flowers and seeds will appear within a year.
Reproduction by division
Perennial bells are propagated by division. Planting and care begin in the second or third year of the growing season. The method is suitable for vegetative sedentary and mobile plants. Carpal or does not allow vegetative propagation, and seedlings are grown only from seeds.
The aboveground part is cut off and the plant is divided so that each part has a sufficient root system. The separated sprout is planted in the chosen place and watered abundantly.
Cuttings
Cuttings are made from young shoots using microgreenhouses. Each of decorative species bells have their own characteristics that should be taken into account when caring for and growing.
Carpathian bell
This species is most common in gardens due to its beauty, long flowering throughout the summer and unpretentiousness. The Carpathian bell is a mountain plant, and in nature it can be seen on mountain slopes. In artificial conditions it is planted on alpine roller coaster and rockeries.
From small seedlings, the perennial bell quickly grows into a large bush. Carpathian varieties are classified as low-growing. Heart-shaped leaves form a spherical bush with a diameter of up to 30 cm. Flowering lasts up to 70 days and can be extended by regularly cutting off dried inflorescences.
Flowers grow well among stones, which create drainage and protect the soil from drying out. Excess fertilizer is not required, and the soil should not be acidic. To do this, add lime or wood ash.
When propagated by cuttings in the spring-summer period, the base and upper part with buds are cut off from the young shoot. The cuttings are germinated in a mixture of earth, humus and sand. The flowers are unpretentious and require watering only in dry times.
After 5 years, perennial bells should be planted in other places. Planting and care with propagation by seeds is done less frequently, since the seedlings develop unevenly and slowly. Flowering in young plants begins only after 2-3 years. Sowing is done in the fall, and seedlings appear in the spring. For early flowering, bushes are planted by division.
Flowers Carpathian bell resemble elegant porcelain of light lilac or white color. They stand in water for a long time if you split the ends of the stems and remove the lower leaves.
Bellflower peach
Bluebell will grow on sandy or cultivated clay or loamy soil. It is desirable to have drainage and more humus. Plants are not afraid of shading and prefer soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. You should not add a lot of fertilizers, as this will negatively affect the durability of plants in winter and lead to their rapid aging.
Reproduction of peach-leaved bellflower is done by seeds. They are sown in greenhouses starting in mid-spring. Bells from seeds do not inherit the parental characteristics.
In July, the seedlings are harvested, and in August they are planted in a permanent place. For the winter, the plant is covered with peat or a 15-20 cm layer of dry leaves. With proper care, the bell may bloom next year. If you delay planting or picking, the buds will appear only in the third year.
Peach-leaved species are not long-lived plants, although they are perennial bluebells. Planting and care during propagation by division make it possible to inherit parental characteristics. The transplant is done at the beginning or end of summer, and the roots should be covered with clods of earth. Cuttings are also often used and are done in sand.
For effective flowering, you need to periodically feed the bell. Growing will be effective if fertilizers are applied correctly. Nitrogen is used in spring, and before flowering - various complex mineral fertilizers. In addition, faded shoots are pruned so that the blooming bells will delight the eye longer. The photo shows what they can look like with proper care.
Bell dotted
The bell got its name from the presence of specks inside the petal. The plant is common in temperate regions and blooms until autumn. It is distinguished by heads hanging down, collected in inflorescences.
In big color scheme you can find bells white, blue, pink, dark red, blue.
Many varieties are capricious. IN different conditions The same habitat can be terry or ordinary. There are many among them unpretentious plants decorating the garden.
Growing bluebells is not that easy. Its seeds are extremely small. In order for them to germinate, good light is required. The soil must be light, sand is poured on it, and seeds are placed on top. They are sprayed with water and covered with a gap on top. When shoots appear, the film is temporarily removed from the box during the day. Watering is done very carefully so that the seedlings are not washed away by water. The soil should not dry out, otherwise it will lead to the death of the seedlings. After 3 true leaves appear, the seedlings are planted. Growth occurs unevenly, and some of the remaining plants are buried in the ground and grown until transplanted.
In June, the seedlings are planted in open ground, and at the end of summer the bells begin to bloom. A photo reflecting all the beauty of this species can be seen in our article. Growing bells from seeds is difficult, but it produces rare varieties. They are preserved and propagated by division.
Underground, the dotted bellflower is developing rapidly. To prevent the shoots from spreading further, use plastic or metal strips buried in the ground.
To grow bells, use places with good lighting. Watering at active growth limit, otherwise the plant may stretch and break under its own weight. After flowering, the bell drops its leaves. It gets along well with other flowers, so it is advisable to add thickeners to it that bloom earlier and later.
Campanula latifolia
The perennial plant has a powerful rhizome and is unpretentious. Racemes of blue, purple or white bloom in early summer. The lower leaves are wide and dense, and the small upper leaves beautifully set off the large flowers.
Seeds are planted at the end of March. To improve germination, cover the top of the soil with a film and keep it moist. Diving is done when two true leaves appear. Seedlings are planted in the ground when constant heat sets in. Flowering begins next year.
Seeds can be planted directly into the ground in late May or early June. There is no need to sprinkle them. The soil is kept moist and covered. Every day the seeds are ventilated, and after germination the shelter is removed.
The rhizomes are divided directly into the ground and then planted. Add humus to the hole and water well. Cuttings are not always successful, so this method is rarely used. For better growth root system, special preparations are used, for example, “Kornevin”.
The plants are unpretentious, but lose their decorative properties when there is not enough moisture. Extra watering is also not needed. During growth, complex fertilizers are used. Bells are covered with sawdust or spruce branches for the winter.
Campanula lactiflora
The perennial is winter-hardy. It grows up to 1.7 m in height and up to 0.5 m in width. Flowering occurs magnificently, and the inflorescences are completely covered by leaves and stems. In gardens you can find white, blue-lilac, bluish bell, as well as different shades. Flowering lasts no more than a month. After trimming the faded stems at the end of August, it is repeated, but not so luxuriantly.
Due to its deep roots, it is not advisable to replant the plant; it is better to do this while it is young. The root collar is very vulnerable. When alternating thaws and frosts, the renewal buds may die.
Campanula lactiflora is rarely used in gardens due to large sizes. Some plants require support. They are grown in soil with average fertility. Excess moisture is not needed, but in drought it is necessary to water the perennial bluebell. Varieties may also differ in compact plant size, for example, Favorite, Pouffe, White Pouffe.
Campanula equifolia
Perennial plant with proper care blooms and lasts for many years. In nature, the bellflower is found in the Italian Alps. The flowers support fragile stems 30 cm high.
Of all the species, only the bellflower is grown in pots. However, it can grow in alpine hills and flower beds. The indoor bell looks beautiful in hanging planters with delicate herbaceous shoots hanging down.
Campanula Bolognese
The perennial belongs to the European-West Asian species. It is also called steppe bellflower. Here it grows in the European part of Russia and the Caucasus. The plant is found in meadows, along river banks, and forest edges.
The bluebell reproduces mainly by seeds. Belongs to a vulnerable species. It is being replaced by land development and livestock grazing. In many regions it is listed in the Red Book.
The plants are tall and bloom for about 3 weeks. The bluish-lavender flowers have small sizes and they don't grow too densely. The plant survives everywhere, but when poor care flowering is very modest and short.
The bell quickly loses its decorative effect, so it is advisable to supplement it with other perennials.
Conclusion
Due to its decorative effect and long flowering perennial bluebells have become popular in our gardens. Despite their unpretentiousness, they require certain rules of cultivation and care.
Bluebells are one of the most versatile flowers for the garden. They have many varieties, and winter hardiness is excellent. I consider them universal because there is no garden where a curtain of bells would not come in handy. They are unpretentious to soils and easy to care for. And with them you can create an endless number of design options for flower beds, flower beds and borders in the garden.
Planting a bluebell
Usually, planting material acquired during flowering. Therefore, when planting, all flowers of bells need to be trimmed. If the bells are planted on hot days, they are watered every other day and shaded.
It is better to choose a place for planting low-growing bells in the sun, otherwise the bushes will be loose and elongated. It is better to place other types of bells in partial shade.
Soil for planting bells
- Bells are undemanding to soil composition. In my garden, I mix regular soil with coarse sand and add bone meal.
- Any soil with the addition of fine gravel is suitable for bells - rocky soil.
- They do not like too fertile soil; on them, plants grow an impressive mass of leaves, and then die off after the first winter.
- Acidity is not important for bluebells. They work a little better on peat bogs.
- They cannot tolerate stagnant water. When planting bells in areas where water stagnates, drainage is necessary.
Planting dates for bluebells
Planting bluebells better in spring, in the first half of summer or at the end of summer. It is important to have time to plant before the end of the first ten days of September.
Caring for bluebells
Bluebells are easy to care for. In my garden, I don’t feed the bells, I just weed them in a timely manner and add soil around the bush in the spring.
- On dry days they need moderate watering.
- Species such as Carpathian bell and Pozharsky bell need pruning. After flowering, the bushes are shortened by half.
- It happens that bells disappear after a particularly harsh winters. To avoid this, plants need to be divided and replanted approximately every 3-4 years. Then the center of the bush will not be exposed and the plant will not freeze.
- Bluebells are best propagated by seeds. The plant has a taproot and does not tolerate transplantation very well.
Types and varieties of bells
Today there are about 300 types of bells. All of them grow in the northern hemisphere, so they are excellent for growing in the Moscow region. Most types and varieties of bells can withstand all the surprises of winter.
- There are tall bells, and there are very small ones - no higher than 10 cm.
- Perennial and biennial species are known.
- The color of the flowers ranges from snow-white, pink, pale blue to rich blue or even purple.
In a word, bells can please the most demanding gardener.
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Photo: Platycodon
Bells in garden design
Bells are so diverse and amazing flowers that you can collect them in your garden for a long time, create interesting collection and various compositions.
1. Bells indispensable in a natural garden, next to wildflowers or surrounded by gorgeous roses.
