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Planting and caring for a budley in the open field is a painstaking task that takes time, but as a result, the site is radically transformed. The plant has a pleasant floral aroma, which attracts the attention of butterflies. The shrub got its name thanks to botanists Adam Buddle and Armand David.
The use of budley in landscape design
The homeland of the plant is China, where it is known as an evergreen shrub. In Our Country, buddley sheds its leaves when winter frosts set in. Outwardly, the plant looks like a tall (up to 3 m) spreading bush, with pointed oval leaf plates. The shrub owes its decorative effect to beautiful inflorescences.
The beauty of buddley can be assessed from the photo in order to decide on its use in landscape design. The shrub is decorative already in spring: the upper part of the leaf plates of the plant is dark green in color, and the lower part is gray, velvety.
Budley is used both in group and single compositions, focusing on the size of the plot and the plan. Often combine several varieties of shrubs with different shades.
Plants are harmoniously combined in flowerbeds with habitus or other perennials: representatives of conifers, roses or hydrangea.
You can evaluate David’s buddley shrub from a photo demonstrating the use of a plant for zoning a site, or as a hedge. Designers also grow buddleia as a tub culture, placing it on terraces and balconies.
A variety of varieties of David’s buddley allows you to choose the best option for your site.
- Flower Power’R: known among gardeners, thanks to the two-tone color. The inflorescences of the variety are very dense, fluffy, in the form of an ear, reaching 40 cm in length. The color of the Buddleia buds is orange-purple. Shrub tall (2-3 m).
- Grade Black Knight It is distinguished by an unusual dark purple color with yellow patches in the center. The shade of the buddleia is very saturated, it stands out favorably against the background of silver sheets. Shrub 1,5-2 m tall, spreading branches, slightly drooping.
- Blue Chip – This is a compact representative of the buddley, reaching 45-60 cm in height and 90 cm in diameter. The grade is used for cultivation in containers. The inflorescences of a bluish-purple shrub bloom from July to October.
- Royal Red differs from other varieties in purple-scarlet flowers, collected in large inflorescences, 25-35 cm long. Buddlei shrub grows up to 3,5 m in height, is spreading (2,5-3,5 m).
- White Bouquet known as the white-flowered variety. Unlike other representatives of David’s buddleia, it has more abundant inflorescences. The panicles of the shrub are spike-shaped, fluffy, up to 20 cm long. White Bouquet grows up to 3 m in height, has lanceolate, dark green leaf plates. A similar shade of colors and characteristics has a White Profusion buddleia variety.
- Among the compact varieties of buddleia is popular Flutterby, reaching a height of 60 cm. The culture blooms all summer and autumn months before the onset of frost, tolerates low temperatures (up to -25 ° C). Buddleya is used for growing in pots. The bushes have gray-blue foliage and lilac inflorescences. The buddleia variety is not propagated by seeds.
Features of growing buddley
The shrub is able to bloom for 10 years. A feature of some types of buddleia is the ability to set fruits. They are capsules with numerous seeds.
The nuances of growing shrubs:
- in regions with severe weather conditions, buddleia shoots freeze slightly, but the plant quickly recovers, giving new branches in the summer;
- shrub fast growing;
- care requirements vary depending on the variety grown (amount of watering and top dressing, preparation for winter).
The plant abundantly forms flower stalks that attract attention with their honey aroma.
When the buddleia blooms
The flowering period lasts from July to October, may vary slightly, depending on the region where the plant is grown.
The first buddleia flowers can be seen both at 1-2 years of planting, and at 3 years of age. It depends on the care and planting method. In weakened plants, little buds are formed, they quickly wither.
How buddleia breeds
The method of growing shrubs depends on the region of residence. In countries with a warm climate, it is possible to propagate buddleia varieties by seeds. This is a laborious process that requires preliminary preparation and takes a long time.
The most common and less expensive way to propagate buddleia varieties on the site is to harvest apical cuttings. They are obtained by cutting, followed by rooting of the shoots.
How to grow a budlea from seeds
How quickly the shrub will bloom depends on the quality of the seedlings. When using this method of reproduction, flowers can often be seen only for 2-3 years of life.
Growing buddleia from seeds is also possible at home: seedlings are collected on their own or purchased at gardening centers.
What do budley seeds look like?
The seed material of the plant is like dust, very fine. Often, planting buddleia from seeds is difficult: they do not have time to ripen due to a long flowering period.
This leads to a decrease in varietal qualities and poor germination of the material. In regions where summers are short and autumns are cold, buddleys prefer purchased seeds for growing varieties.
When to plant budley seeds
The choice of time for sowing seedlings depends on the region of residence. In the presence of a greenhouse or a heated greenhouse, the transfer of material to the soil in March is possible. In most regions, buddleia is planted with seeds and cared for in early or mid-April.
It is possible to plant a plant in the soil of a greenhouse in the first half of March, followed by a pick and transfer to separate holes. This method is relevant only for heated, draft-protected rooms.
Care requirements depend on the proper organization of planting buddley seeds. The first stage of its cultivation is the preparation of the soil.
Best of all, buddleia seeds germinate in neutral and fertile soil. You can make it yourself or buy it in stores.
For the soil mixture, it is necessary to use organic components (turf or leaf soil, humus and peat) and inorganic components (river sand, perlite).
Ready soil is disinfected by one of the methods:
- steaming (the soil is placed in a container with ventilation and spilled with boiling water, laid out in a thin layer on paper to dry);
- calcination (the soil is spread over a baking sheet and placed in an oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 60 ° C);
- pickling: watering the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides.
Buddley seed containers must be equipped with ventilation holes. As containers, you can use peat pots, wooden or plastic boxes.
Washable dishes are thoroughly washed and dried; disposable containers do not need pre-treatment.
To organize the drainage system, a mixture of sand and humus is laid out at the bottom of the container in a ratio of 1: 1.
How to plant budley seeds
Before transferring the seed to the ground, moisten the ground with warm water. Buddley seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil and lightly pressed.
Sprouts appear faster if you provide them with the right microclimate. To do this, the container with the buddle is covered with cling film or glass, transferred to a well-lit room.
Basic principles of seedling care:
- regular airing of landings;
- timely watering of the plant (for the prevention of diseases, it is recommended to periodically moisten the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate).
After the appearance of the first 2-3 sheets, the film or glass is removed from the containers and, if necessary, a buddle pick is made. To do this, carefully transfer the plant to separate peat pots.
Gardeners note that, despite the simplicity of the process of planting and caring for buddleia seeds, the culture is growing very slowly. The photo shows the sprouts of the future shrub. The first shoots of buddleia appear 3 weeks after planting.
Fortified plants are transferred to open ground after the establishment of good weather. To do this, holes are formed at a distance of 100-120 cm from each other. The depth of the pit for buddley is no more than 60 cm, a mixture of sand and soil is laid out at the bottom as a drainage layer.
Shrub seedlings are transferred to the hole, covered with earth and moistened well with water.
Propagation of budley with green cuttings
At the choice of gardeners, you can buy shrub seedlings in the store or prepare cuttings yourself. The procedure is carried out in the spring and summer months, but it must be borne in mind that the rooting process lasts 1-2 months and must be completed before the onset of frost.
Buddleia cuttings are the cut top of annual shoots. They should have at least 3-4 kidneys. The lower leaf plates and inflorescences of the plant are removed.
The Canadian buddley lilac reproduces well by cuttings if they are properly rooted:
- the cut before being transferred to the soil is renewed and dipped in a growth stimulator;
- soil (peat and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1: 2) are watered abundantly;
- a recess is made in the soil and a cutting is placed in it;
- the container is covered with a plastic bottle or bag.
Buddleia takes root successfully at high temperatures, but direct sunlight should be avoided.
The transfer of the shrub to a permanent place is carried out after the formation of the root system.
Planting and caring for budley in the open field
Growing David’s buddley is possible in greenhouses, greenhouses or open ground. The growth rate of the seedling and its adaptability to environmental conditions depend on the time of planting and subsequent care.
It is recommended to place buddley varieties away from trees and tall shrubs: the plant has a strong root system that can prevent its neighbors from fruiting and growing.
When to plant budley in the spring
Landing with subsequent care for David’s buddle is carried out in the first half of July, when the daytime air temperature differs slightly from the nighttime one.
It is also possible to transfer a shrub seedling in early June, but the process requires the organization of frost protection with material or plastic bottles.
Where to plant a budlea
Buddley branches continue to develop throughout the summer and autumn until frost sets in, so a sunny site is chosen to prevent their death. Landings must also be protected from strong winds.
The soil for the shrub should be fertile, moisture-permeable and drained. In clay soil, the plant quickly dies or grows poorly. Peat or sand, humus are used to enrich heavy soil.
How to plant
When planting several bushes, it is necessary to mark the site so that there is at least 1-1,5 m between the plants, and if these are tall varieties, then 2-3 m.
Basic landing principles:
- prepare holes with a depth of 20-30 cm, fill their bottom with humus, add 1 glass of ash;
- transfer the seedling to the pit, sprinkle with earth.
At the end of the procedure, the sides of the earth are formed around the buddley and the soil is plentifully watered with warm water.
Growing budley in the garden
After planting David’s white buddley, it is necessary to organize competent care for the young plant.
He needs timely watering, fertilizer and pruning, it is recommended not to neglect the prevention of diseases and pests.
Pruning is necessary for the formation of a shrub: after the procedure, it looks more neat, and in the future pleases with abundant flowering.
In spring, tall buddleys are cut to 90 cm from the ground, and undersized varieties up to 30 cm. In summer, fading inflorescences are cut.
Watering Schedule
Young seedlings are recommended to be moistened daily until the root system is strengthened. As the shrub develops, watering is reduced, adult plants are not watered. This is due to the fact that buddley has very strong roots that can reach groundwater. Provides the necessary amount of moisture to the plant and precipitation.
During periods of drought, 1-2 times in 7 days, 10 liters of warm and settled water are poured under each shrub.
Top dressing budley
Fertilization into the soil is required from the 2nd year of the life of the shrub. The procedure is carried out twice per season: in May and July.
As top dressing for buddley use:
- supplements containing minerals (20-25 g dissolved in 10 liters of water);
- a mixture of mullein (1 liter of manure) and superphosphate (15-20 g): the finished fertilizer is diluted with water and applied to the soil;
- chicken manure with the addition of potassium sulfate (15-20 g of the substance and 0,5 l of manure are mixed in a container).
Do I need to mulch
It is not advisable to loosen the soil around the buddley: there is a high risk of damage to the root system. To ensure the supply of oxygen to the plant, the soil is mulched. For this, improvised materials are used: peat, humus or sand, fallen leaves.
When to transplant a budley to another place
Moving the shrub to another site is not recommended. Buddleya, due to its strong root system, does not tolerate a change of residence very well, therefore, as an alternative, a cutting is separated from it, which is transplanted to the right place.
If transfer is necessary, the shrub is removed from the soil, preserving the integrity of the roots as much as possible, placed in a new hole, covered with earth and watered abundantly.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for a budley in the open field takes time, but as a result, the gardener gets a beautiful ornamental plant. Perennial shrub, flowering profusely, has immunity to diseases. A variety of varieties of buddleia allows you to use buddleia in various landscape projects.
