September is the best time to establish a moor. This can also be done in other months, but only now we have the unique opportunity to choose plants that are fully developed, with easily recognizable colors of flowers and leaves.It becomes much easier to make a planting of several different colored varieties.
In nature, heather grows in poorly fertile, dry, acidic soil, and such conditions should be created for them in the garden. Planting plants in areas with irregular relief gives a very good effect.The plan should include rocks, as well as trees and shrubs, because these are elements that unite the arrangement. The common heather is the only species representing the genus Calluna, although its varieties are counted in the hundreds.
Among them there are both low shrubs for typical carpet plantings (less than 10 cm high) and taller shrubs for bedding plantings. The leaves can be gray, green, yellow or reddish. Heathers do not look good individually, so you always have to combine them into groups of several or a dozen or so shrubs.Moors arranged in two, three or four varieties look the best.
Heathers are not planted in ordinary garden soil, but an acidic peat substrate, which usually needs to be applied. This is the same type of substrate that is used in the cultivation of plants such as briar, blueberry, magnolia, hydrangea, azalea, rhododendron, fern and thuja. A five-liter package can be bought for about PLN 5. The plants are planted at intervals of 20-30 cm in a sunny position and sheltered from the wind. Such a place is, for example, a bed in front of a terrace with southern exposure.Heather does not like wet ground, but in summer, especially in hot weather, it should be watered regularly. Plants have shallow roots, so it is a good idea to water them frequently, but in moderation.
A good solution is to use a lining of a few centimeters, for example made of shredded bark, which helps to keep the substrate moist, but additionally reduces the development of weeds, and in winter it still warms the roots. After the first more severe frosts, it is recommended to cover the entire heath with spruce twigs or agrotextile (no leaves must be used).
An important care procedure is the annual pruning of the shoots.Thanks to it, the shrubs thicken nicely and bloom luxuriantly.Shoots are cut in the early spring, removing the faded inflorescences, and then we apply the feed, preferably with slow-action fertilizer.
Establishing a moor step by step
1. Loosen the root ball so that the roots have better contact with the substrate, the root ball should be loosened.
2. We remove weeds. Use a knife or a spatula to remove weeds from the ground. Loosen the ground, collect the stones.
3. We scatter peat. Heathers are planted in an acidic substrate with a pH of 4-5. If possible, remove some of the old substrate.
4. We model and level the terrain. In some places we sprinkle a thicker layer of peat to form hills.
5. We are conducting a dress rehearsal. We place heathers and accompanying plants in the place of planting and evaluate their appearance.
6. The hole should be planted deep enough that the root ball is covered with a half-centimeter layer of soil. Finally, water all the plants.
An interesting group of heathers are the so-called bud varieties. A feature of these modern forms, which have been marketed for about two decades, are non-opening buds that bloom for several months. They last so long, because closed flowers are not pollinated by insects and do not fade.The advantages of these varieties also include the fact that they are resistant to frost, snow and rain.
The more interesting are, among others 'Melanie', 'Marlies' and 'Marleen'. Bud heathers are known internationally, especially in Germany, where they are mass-produced under the name Garden Girls. Currently, they are also promoted as container plants, both for arranging balconies, terraces, as well as residential and office interiors.
Heathers are quite commonly confused with heathers. Despite many external similarities, plants can be quite easily distinguished.Heather has small, scaly leaves and goblet-like flowers.In briar, the flowers resemble barrel-shaped flowers. Heathers do not require an acidic substrate like heathers and are generally easier to grow, although they are less resistant to drought and frost.
Since heathers and heaths bloom at different times of the year, they are joined together for multi-season flowering continuity.Winter and spring are the time of Bloody Briar (otherwise very similar to Heather) and Darley Briar (both bloom until around April).In summer, they create flowers of ash, marshy and scattered heather.The first heathers bloom in June, but most varieties bloom after summer holidays, sometimes until the end of the year ('Amethyst', 'Aphrodite'). With heathers and heathers, trees and shrubs can be combined which, like them, like acidic soil and sunny positions. Especially rhododendrons and azaleas should be mentioned here.They bloom in spring and summer, which guarantees that the garden will delight you with a spectacle of colors for months.
Varieties of common heather
- They bloom in red: 'Allegretto' (VIII-IX), 'Allegro' (VIII-IX), 'Con Brio' (VIII-IX), 'Dark Star' (IX-X), 'Red Favorit '(VII-IX),' Red Pimpernel '(VIII-IX).
- Flowers in white: 'Alicia' (X), 'Gold Haze' (VIII-IX), 'Long White' (IX-X), 'Melanie' (bud variety, IX), 'Spring Cream '(VIII-IX).
- Blooming pink: 'Carmen' (VIII-IX), 'Darkness' (VIII-XI),' Elsie Purnell '(IX-X),' Peter Sparkes' (IX-X), 'Radnor '(VIII-IX),' Wickwar Flame '(VIII-IX),' J.H. Hamilton '(VIII-IX).
- Flowers in purple: 'Silver Knight' (VIII-IX), 'Annemarie' (IX-XI), 'Boskoop' (VIII-X), 'Mullion' (VIII-IX).
