Darmer thyroid: planting and care, winter hardiness

Darmer thyroid belongs to the Saxifrage family. The plant is native to North America. There it is found in its natural environment on the banks of rivers among the highlands. For home cultivation, other plant varieties are used. Darmer thyroid is popular among amateur gardeners. They plant a flower to decorate plots and create beautiful flower beds.

Darmera prefers penumbral lighting

Description of the thyroid darmer

Darmera is a perennial plant, the roots are dense, knotty, go deep into the soil. The flower is winter-hardy, easily tolerates severe frosts of the northern regions. However, gardeners mulch it to avoid freezing of the root system.

Darmer gives the first shoots in early May, dense green trunks appear. Of these, large, veiny, wide leaves bloom in the future. The color is light green, the surface is covered with a slight waxy coating. By the end of the season, the darmer foliage turns red. This is a feature of vegetative development. When most of the flowers have died off, the darmera decorates the area with its bright foliage.

The plant reaches a height of 60 cm, the foliage moves away from the outlet, a low bush is formed. Flowering begins in early summer, buds appear that bloom with medium-sized light pink flowers, their diameter reaches 12 cm. Flowering is long, the plant gives buds throughout the season.

Darmer is planted in areas for the sake of massive foliage, it goes well with any flowering plants.

Thyroid Darmer in landscape design

Darmer thyroid (darmera peltata) in landscape design is used to decorate the banks of a pond or streams. The plant goes well with other shade-loving flowers: hosta, meadowsweet, rogersia, Goryanka, spindle.

Darmer is planted near flowering trees. They also make long flower beds along the shady side of the house and the fence.

Thyroid darmer is not suitable for decorating small ponds, massive foliage will cover the surface of the water

Features of reproduction

Plant propagation is carried out in two ways. The method of dividing the bush has a higher survival rate. However, growing from seed is also used.

Seeds

Seed material is collected at the end of flowering. Instead of flowers, buds form on buds. Inside them are the seeds for future planting.

This method is used less frequently, since flowering of seedlings is observed only in the third year after germination.

Step-by-step growing instructions:

1. Seeds are collected at the end of summer, they are stored in the refrigerator in a dry napkin all winter.
2. In early March, prepare the soil. It is bought in agrotechnical stores or taken from the site.
3. Prepare a container of small volume, maximum 200 ml.
4. The day before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.
5. Half fill the container with soil. Watered with water.
6. A few seeds are laid at the bottom and covered with earth.
7. All boxes are covered with transparent cellophane or transparent glass.
8. Leave it like this until sprouts appear.
9. Plantings are watered as the soil dries, left in a warm place.
10. After the appearance of two true leaves, seedlings can be transferred to open ground.
11. 14 days before transplanting, plantings are hardened on the balcony. Every day, young darmers are taken out for 1 hour in the cold. Daily increase the time by 1-1,5 hours.

The flower is transferred to open ground after the night frosts have passed and the earth has warmed up for at least 10 ⁰C.

Darmer is unpretentious in care, seedlings take root well in a new place

By dividing the bush

This method is used by most gardeners. At the beginning of the season, the rhizome of the plant is divided in half and seated in different places. The bush quickly recovers and grows green mass. The method has several features that must be observed:

1. At the beginning of spring, the mother bush of thyroid darmers is dug up.
2. Scissors are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate or treated with alcohol.
3. Divide the bush into two even parts and cut with scissors.
4. All cuts are made carefully so as not to damage the roots.
5. The maternal half is planted in the old place.
6. The daughter plant is transplanted to a new place.
7. After planting, each darmer is abundantly watered with water.

New bushes bloom in early May. The period of their budding does not differ, as in seed propagation.

Planting and caring for a darmer

The plant takes root well in all regions of Our Country. Darmer can be planted in the Leningrad region and other climatic zones. Pick up usually a shady place.

Terms and rules of landing

Thyroid darmer planting occurs in early spring or autumn. Gardeners note that during spring planting, bushes take root better. Autumn does not always end successfully, sometimes the roots of the flower freeze out.

Darmera prefers moist and loose soil. The flower is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, it grows well even on barren land.

Watering and fertilizing schedule

The plant must be watered daily in sunny weather. With frequent rains, monitor the moisture content of the earth. If there is enough water, irrigation is not required. Do not pour the roots of the flower. This provokes infection of its root system with fungal diseases.

Darmer grows on any soil, but if the plant is additionally fed, then the foliage and flowers will have a stronger and healthier appearance. For these purposes, mineral or organic fertilizers are used.

Complex formulations are sold ready-made in agrotechnical stores. The Darmers buy fertilizer for the Saxifrages. Feed the plant twice a season. The first time before flowering, the second before wintering. The solution is diluted according to the instructions.

From organic fertilizers apply:

• manure;
• chicken manure;
• herbal decoctions;
• wood ash;
• compost;
• humus;
• forest land.

For thyroid darmers, a high nitrogen content in the fertilizer is important. This element stimulates the growth of green mass. However, phosphorus and potassium are no less important, they strengthen the immunity of the plant, and are also responsible for flowering.

Top dressing is carried out in the morning, before sunrise, in dry weather.

Preparation for winter

Darmer is a winter-hardy plant, but it is recommended to mulch it for the winter. Preparation for wintering begins in October and takes place in several stages:

1. Remove all leaves.
2. Water the plant abundantly.
3. Conduct feeding.
4. Cover the roots with a layer of mulch.

As a material for mulching use:

• sawdust;
• straw;
• moss;
• fallen leaves;
• cut grass;
• spanbond
• agrofibre.

Snow will lie on the mulch in winter, which creates additional insulation.

Diseases and pests

Darmer thyroid has strong immunity. But with improper care, the plant begins to hurt. Most often it is affected by fungal diseases:

1. Septoria. Appears during budding. Yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves. Shoots gradually dry out and fall off. Flowers are formed with defects, weak.
   
   

   Spots with septoria have even outlines, they appear from the lower shoots, gradually move up

2. Fusarium wilt. Yellow spots appear on the shoots of Darmer. The fungus enters through the roots and spreads rapidly. The leaves are gradually dying off.
   
   

   Fusarium is spreading rapidly, the diseased darmer should be removed from the flower bed as soon as possible

3. Bacterial rot. The root system is affected, wet black spots appear in the rosette area. The flower develops poorly, the buds crumble, the leaves grow weakly and partially dry out.
   
   

   Bacterial rot is almost impossible to cure, the plant most often dies

To combat diseases, the affected plant is removed from the flower bed. Treated with a fungicide solution. To avoid infection with fungal diseases, preventive spraying with preparations is carried out in the spring before the start of budding.

Pests rarely infect the plant. As a preventive measure in early spring, plantings are sprayed with insecticides. Also use decoctions of garlic, onions or mustard. Folk methods help to scare away insects for 7-10 days. The downside is that the effect is lost after rain.

Conclusions.

Darmer thyroid is an unpretentious evergreen plant. It is often used in landscape design. Massive leaves blend well with flowering shrubs, trees and other perennials. Darmera is a shade-loving and winter-hardy flower, which allows it to be grown throughout Our Country.