Ageratum: cultivation, reproduction and care

A magnificent tropical plant that conquered the hearts of the Russian people with its unconventional beauty ... This is how residents of the temperate continental climate zone react about the ageratum - a small long-flowering shrub. The homeland of the ageratum is Central Africa, but in the XIX century it was brought to the European continent. Translated from the Latin "ageratum" means "not aging" , which in fact explains its ability to long blossom (the second name of the flower is "long flower" ) and long- term preservation in cut form.

Ageratum, a small shrub with almost round leaves of bright green color, fluffy inflorescences of pink, blue and even purple, belongs to the category of astro plants. Its height can vary from 10 to 60 cm, it all depends on the variety. In Central America, there are about 60 varieties of ageratum and the plant is considered to be a perennial plant. In Russian climatic conditions, the ageratum, which usually does not cause trouble, is not easy to obtain. In our region, you can grow only two varieties of a flower - the Ageratum Mexican and the Aheratum of Houston, both of which will be annual.

Peculiarities of sowing of ageratum

Ageratum, which is sown in mid-March, is a capricious flower. The soil for seeding must be specially prepared: consist of humus, peat and sand, taken in equal proportions. Seeds of a flower need to be sprinkled with soil very carefully because of their tiny size. For good seed germination, light and moist soil is needed, so moistening it in the box should be timely. Moreover, the ageratum is supposed to grow if there is a greenhouse effect, so a box with seeds should be covered with glass or a film. The air temperature in the room, where the boxes with seeds are, should be about 15 degrees of heat.

10 days after sowing, the first shoots should appear, at this time it is necessary to remove the shelter from the boxes. To transplant a plant into separate pots is necessary after each leaf will have leaves, one or two pairs. The development of the ageratum occurs quite quickly, so a long-term presence of the plant in an unsealed form will prevent further growth of the leaves, as a result of which the real flowering will not occur. Thus, you need to take care that before picking each plant has a separate pot.

Quite a logical question, how to grow an ageratum successfully in the open field. To do this, you need to select a site that is not blown by the wind, has a high level of illumination, but is not subject to strong sunshine. The soil for the flower should not be acidic and with good drainage. Before planting, it is necessary to loosen the soil well and make holes at a distance of 20 cm from each other and pour them abundantly. After picking, the flowers need to provide good lighting and watering. It is necessary to be afraid of night frosts. Frosts at night in our region end in May or June, it all depends on the region.

The process of courtship for seedlings includes: watering the seedlings as the soil dries, fertilizing with fertilizers after 7-10 days, weeding and loosening the soil. In case the seedlings grow very fast, extend upwards, the tips of the shoots should be cut, which will allow the plant to bush, and not to stretch upwards. The blossom ageratum will begin two months after the appearance of the first shoots.

Reproduction of the ageratum

Ageratum can multiply not only by seeds, but also by cuttings. And to make it very simple. Before the onset of frosts, you need to excavate the bushes you like, bring them into the room and take care of them until the next spring. Root cuttings should start in early spring at an air temperature of +20 degrees. Further, the ageratum, the cultivation of which is considered, develops on the same principle as the growing of the flower from the seeds.

Care of the plant

The ageratum has a good developed root system, which makes it resistant to extreme heat and drought. The plant remarkably tolerates the haircut, which promotes good flowering and stimulates further growth. It is worth noting that the flower does not like excessively moistened soil and top dressing with fresh manure. Do not overdo it with fertilizers, because in case of overfeeding, the ageratum, the cultivation of which requires attention, will end with the inhibition of the formation of flowers - the plant will begin to waste its energy on growing leaves, and the number of flowers will decrease.

The weakest side of the flower is that it is very susceptible to pests, such as aphids, spider mite, greenhouse whitefly. You can get rid of all this with the help of special chemicals. Ageratum is a charming, unpretentious and at the same time demanding tropical flower that has firmly established itself on our lawns and window sills, thanks to its unique colors and leaves, as well as a delicate aroma.