Dichondra ampelous for an alpine slide, flower beds and hanging pots
A spectacular perennial plant with gorgeous foliage - ampelous dichondra. Thanks to flowing foliage and long shoots, it is a frequent participant in landscape design. She will luxuriously decorate alpine slides and flower beds. Feels good in voluminous pots, placed along the paths or hung on the open terrace.
Varieties of dichondra ampelous
Dichondra silvery waterfall is common in Australia and America. The plant is endowed with long stems reaching 1.5 meters. They are covered with spectacular silvery leaves with a slight pubescence up to 2.5 cm long. From mid-May to September blooms with small purple flowers. Dichondra a silvery waterfall, when growing a house from seeds, followed by transplanting into volumetric pots, will perfectly decorate a terrace, balcony or gazebo.
Dichondra ampelous - timing and technology of sowing seeds
In summer cottages, dichondra is grown by seedling and seedling methods.
In the south, ampelous dichondra can be sown immediately to a permanent place.
However, for most regions with long winters and late return frosts, the seedling method is preferable. Planting seeds at home and the subsequent care of the growing dichondra is simple, the visual result of painstaking work is visible in the photo.
Sowing
Seeds are sown very early, in January or February. For germination of seeds, planting boxes or containers with a lid are used. They are filled with soil from the store or prepared at home. To do this, use the soil from the summer cottage, peat, biohumus and sand. The optimum acidity of the soil is 6.6-8. At home, it is easy to check it with test strips.
The soil is well moistened with water that has settled for at least a few hours. Seeds are sown on the surface and sprinkled with earth, deepening to a depth of no more than 5 mm. The container is tightly covered with a film.
The optimal temperature regime throughout the entire period of growing seedlings is 20-23 ° C.
During this period, special attention is paid to soil moisture. Do not let it dry out. However, excessive waterlogging for plants is also detrimental. Daylight hours should be 10-12 hours. With a lack of lighting, plants need supplementary lighting.
Picking
A month later, the plants have a second or third permanent leaflet. During this period, they dive. For transplantation, cups or cassettes are used, in which drainage holes are pre-made.
The planting boxes are well watered with water and carefully remove the seedlings, trying not to damage the already well-grown roots. The plant is placed in cups and covered with earth up to seven-lobed leaves.
Seedling care
The transplanted plants are placed in a shaded place for several days, and then moved to a sunny windowsill or under a lamp with daily lighting for 12 hours. The permissible temperature regime during this period is -18-20 ° С. Dichondra is actively developing and needs additional feeding.She is fed every two weeks with complex liquid fertilizers.
Transplantation into open ground and further care of plants
Dichondra is transplanted to a permanent place when warm weather sets in and the time for return frosts has passed. Most often this happens in the month of May and June.
The cultivation technology of this plant includes the following stages:
- timely watering;
- full dressing;
- crown formation;
- preparation for wintering.
Timely implementation of the technology for growing dichondria will help preserve the decorative qualities of plants for 7-8 years.
Watering
Dichondra ampelous actively grows and develops in slightly moist soil. Excessive waterlogging, as well as prolonged drying out, causes the death of plants. Systematic watering is important to her.
In hot and dry periods, it is recommended not only to water it daily in the evening, but also to moisturize the foliage.
Top dressing
The active development of the root system of the ampelous dichondra is possible only with sufficient nutrition. No matter how well the soil is fertilized before planting, it is quickly depleted. For full development, plants need fertilizing every two weeks.
Complex fertilizers are the most effective.
Bush formation
Dichondra shoots in some cases can grow up to 6 meters in length. In order for the plant to look spectacular and have thick, beautiful foliage, the crown needs to be formed.
A lush plant with numerous branching shoots grows only if their ends are periodically pinched.
Favorably affects the appearance and pruning of shoots by 6-10 cm.
Preparing for winter
Dichondra ampelous is a child of the subtropical climate. The question of winter coldness for the owners of this gorgeous plant is especially acute. How dichondra is preserved in winter depends on the region. In the south, with the onset of cold nights, the plant is cut off, and wrapped on top with covering material. Such insulation in a mild climate and slight low temperatures is quite enough for a plant.
In the middle lane, it is most effective to dig a bush in the fall and, along with an earthen lump, bring it into a dark, cool room. If the dichondra grew in pots and pots, for the wintering period it can be brought onto a balcony or closed veranda with an air temperature of 10-15 ° C. In winter, it is rarely watered and not fed.
Dichondra ampelous is a gorgeous ground cover green plant, unpretentious to growing conditions. It only needs complex fertilizers and timely watering. Effectively decorate a suburban area, a balcony, as well as a home interior.