Grouse chess: planting and care
Chess hazel grouse is a perennial herb from the lily family. She has amazing flowers. They resemble inverted glasses in shape. Their colors correspond to the name, it looks like a chessboard. This flower is capricious in terms of cultivation.
The ideal place for hazel grouse is partial shade, protected from the wind. The soil at the planting site should be light, slightly acidic. It should be moderately moist, without water stagnation. If the soil is heavy, be sure to drain it. Please note that the hazel grouse has a special smell that repels pests, so you can plant it in the garden, among vegetable crops.
The highlight of the hazel grouse in its color
Before planting, disinfect the flower bulbs with potassium permanganate and dry them. Prepare holes on the site. They should be three times the size of the bulbs. The potting mix should be composed of sand, humus, and garden soil. Place the onions in the slots at an angle, sprinkle with sand and then potting soil. You can cook it yourself or buy it at the store. After planting, lightly compact the soil and water it.
Care of a chess grouse after landing
Here are the basic rules for caring for a plant:
- Water the plant 1-2 times a month, do not overfill it so that the bulb does not rot.
- After watering, mulch the soil with peat or sawdust. You can also use special decorative mixtures as mulch. They are bright and additionally decorate the site.
- Loosen the soil around the flower carefully. Its roots are close to the surface and can be easily damaged.
- Apply top dressing twice. First feeding at the end of April. It consists of Agricola and nitrophoska. Second dressing of potassium sulfate and superphosphate immediately after flowering.
- Cover the plant with spruce branches for the winter. It is not afraid of frost, it can suffer only if the winter is cold and snowless, so it is better to use a shelter for safety net.
- The plant blooms until mid-June. By mid-July, the hazel grouse completely withers, its entire aerial part must be cut off.
The hazel grouse is resistant to diseases. Occasionally it can be affected by rot. In this case, the affected areas should be immediately cut out and discarded. Pests bypass this plant, the only exception is the leaf beetle. You can fight it with insecticides.
There are many nuances in the cultivation of hazel grouse. Study them before planting this unusual garden plant.