From May to August we can sowornamental biennialsThis group of plants includes very popular pansies, carnations, forget-me-nots and daisies.Biennial plantsare perfect for covering empty spaces between shrubs and larger perennials in garden beds, as well as for planting flower beds and pots on balconies and terraces. See how sowing seeds, preparing seedlings andgrowing biennialsin the garden.
Biennial plants - garden pansy
Biennial plants - examples
Where did the name come frombiennial plants ? Well, the cultivation cycle of these plants is just two years. In the first year, we prepareseedling of biennial plants- we sow the seeds, the plants germinate and produce vegetative parts (leaves). After wintering, they bloom profusely and produce seeds in the second year of cultivation.
Many amateur gardeners do not realize this, because most often in spring we buy a ready-made seedling of biennial plants - already blooming pansies, violets, carnations, daisies or other flowers from this group, without being aware that these plants had to be already sown a year earlier. That is why today I encourage you to independentlygrow biennial plantsand prepare their seedlings. It requires a bit of work, but thanks to this we will get flowers cheaper for the next year and we will be satisfied that they come from our own cultivation.
Decorative biennialsare perfect for flower beds , borders, and for balcony boxes and pots.In sunny positions, bearded carnations and garden bells will work best. Garden pansy also likes sunny places, but we must remember that the excess of sunlight may cause the petals to fade in the most intensely colored varieties (e.g. maroon or navy blue).
Biennial plants - forget-me-not
In light partial shade, apart from pansies, we can plant the annual menstruation, digitalis, forget-me-nots and daisies. Forget-me-nots and daisies are perfect for permeable soils, in wet places, e.g. near ponds.
It is worth adding that not allbiennial plantscomplete their life cycle in the second year of cultivation. At this point, pansies, garden bells, foxgloves, menses, forget-me-nots and lacquers do die. The remaining plants, known as , biennial plantsmay live longer, but in the following years the crops are less impressive, bloom less, and freeze more easily.Therefore, their cultivation is not continued. The latter group includes mallow, bearded carnation, daisy and Siberian poppy.
Biennial plants - bearded carnation
Biennial plants - cultivation from seedlings
As already mentioned,biennial plantssow from May. The earliest, from May to June, you can sow bearded cloves and fragrant meadows. Also, from May, you can sow the common daisy, but it can be sown until July. A little later, from June, the mullein, garden bells, forget-me-nots and marshmallow are sown. Sowing must be completed by the beginning of August, so that before the onset of winter, the young plants have enough time to take root.
Note!The pansy seeds are treated a bit differently. If we sow them in early July, the pansies will bloom in the fall of the same year (the so-called autumn-flowering cultivation).In order for them to bloom only in the spring of the following year, sow the pansies at the beginning of August.
Seeds of biennial plantsare sown in a seedbed or in litter boxes. Too dense emergence should be discontinued.
Species that produce a strong tap root, such as mallow, mullein and garden bells, do not tolerate transplanting. Therefore, it is better to sow them in multi-pots (it will protect the root system from damage during planting) or immediately to a permanent place.Young seedlings should be provided with appropriate growth conditions, remembering about the appropriate dose of moisture, and shading against excessive sun.
Biennial crops - cultivation after planting
When youngbiennial plantsproduce 3 to 4 leaves, we quiver them to spare plots (where they wait until spring) or immediately to their destination. Depending on the date of sowing and the pace of plant development, planting usually takes place between July and September. It must be remembered here that September is the final allowable date for disembarkation.If we do not plant them by this date, it is better to wait until spring.
When planting biennials you need to keep the proper spacing, both in rows and between rows. At the smallest intervals, we plant pansies, forget-me-nots and daisies (spacing 15x20 to 15x25 cm). At a spacing of 20x25 to 25x30 cm, plant cloves, fragrant wax and menstruation. Garden bells (30x40 cm), mullein, purple foxglove (40x50 cm) and marshmallow pink (up to 50x60 cm) require greater spacing.
Biennial plants - common daisy
Until they are accepted,planted biennialsstill require careful care - irrigation, weeding, soil loosening between rows, fertilization, and protection from the scorching sun.
Before the onset of winter, when the temperature starts to drop below 0 ° C, plant rosettes must be covered with leaves, straw or conifer twigs.
In spring, we remove the cover and start feeding with multi-component liquid fertilizers or one-time slow-acting fertilizers. With proper fertilizationbiennial plantswill grow faster and bloom more abundantly.
