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Вечнозеленый рододендрон Поларнахт был выведен немецкими селекционерами в 1976 году на основе сортов Purple Splendour и Turkana. The plant is unpretentious in care and frost-resistant, blooms for about a month – from May to June.
Описание сорта рододендрона Поларнахт
Rhododendron Polarnacht has juicy crimson flowers with corrugated petals. They have a unique feature – depending on the intensity of illumination, they change color to purple. In partial shade, the plant is covered with violet-blue, almost black flowers, in the sun – raspberry-purple. No wonder the name of the variety in translation from German means “polar night”.
The height of the bush is up to 1,5 m, the leaves are oval-oblong, glossy, dark green, up to 11 cm long. The crown is round, dense, the flowers are collected in large inflorescences. The bark on the trunk is gray, smooth, the young shoots are green. The roots of the plant are located superficially, they have a fibrous structure, grow in symbiosis with mycorrhiza.
Winter hardiness of Rhododendron Polarnacht
According to gardeners, the winter hardiness of the Polarnacht rhododendron is good, it is suitable for growing in the 5th frost resistance zone. These are regions where the temperature in winter does not fall below -29 °C. If it is much colder in winter, it is better to choose another, more frost-resistant variety or build a frame shelter for the plant. It will help the Polarnacht rhododendron to endure frosts and the bright scorching sun in February-March.
Корневую зону кустарника защищают мульчей, проведя влагозарядковый осенний полив. Весной защитное укрытие снимают в пасмурную погоду, предварительно полив рододендрон, мульчу аккуратно отгребают от основания куста, пока не прогреется почва.
Growing conditions for hybrid rhododendron Polarnacht
The evergreen rhododendron Polarnacht should grow in a place closed from the winds, in partial shade. The success of growing this ornamental shrub depends on the correct choice and preparation of the site before planting. Annual care will not cause difficulties – the plant needs to be watered 2-3 times a week, pouring at least 10 liters of water under the bush. For lush flowering, fertilizing with special fertilizer is important. If the winters in the region are cold, the Polarnacht rhododendron is covered with spunbond, constructing an air-dry shelter.
Planting and caring for rhododendron Polarnacht
There are no particular difficulties in caring for the Polarnacht rhododendron. It is only necessary to maintain the acidity of the soil at a level comfortable for the plant, water and mulch the near-stem circle in time. Sometimes the soil under the plant is compacted, which can lead to chlorosis. To loosen the soil, step back from the crown 30 cm and pierce the ground with a pitchfork, making punctures, at a distance of 15 cm from each other around the entire bush. River sand is poured into the punctures and watered.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
For the Polarnacht rhododendron, shown in the photo below, a place in partial shade, protected from the wind, is suitable. It grows well on the north side of buildings, where it is problematic to grow other plants. It can be planted under the crowns of evergreen pines and firs, where it will bloom every year.
Landing Tips:
- Rhododendron Polarnacht prefers acidic soil and will not live in another.
- Корневая система у растения поверхностная, но яму готовят в глубину на два штыка лопаты, чтобы заправить ее кислым почвенным субстратом.
- Для посадки рододендрона Поларнахт смешивают в равных частях кислый торф, почву и хвойный опад из соснового леса.
- Fill the planting hole with the prepared substrate, then plant the rhododendron.
Seedling preparation
When choosing a seedling, they buy a copy on which there are several flowers and a large number of buds. It is better that the plant be grown in the local climate and survive at least one winter. Lush seedlings, all dotted with flowers, are sold from greenhouses, they look beautiful, but take root in the open field with difficulty.
Before planting, the Polarnakht rhododendron is removed from the planting container along with a clod of earth. Soak in a container with water, adding the drug “Mycorrhiza” or “Zircon” and “Kornevin” for 5-10 minutes. Then the root ball is squeezed out of moisture and planted in a prepared hole.
Rules of landing
When placed in the planting hole, the root seedling should protrude 2-3 cm above the surface; as the soil sinks, it will settle. Cover the roots with soil and water. From above, it is necessary to mulch with sour peat or coniferous litter with a layer of 5 cm. At the end of planting, you can water the plant with the solution in which it was soaked. When the water is absorbed, add a little more mulch. Further care consists in regular watering, sprinkling on the leaves in the evening or early morning.
Watering and top dressing
Уход за посаженным рододендроном Поларнахт сводится в основном к поливу. Если жарко, растение поливают не менее двух раз в неделю. Поверхностная корневая система при недостатке влаги быстро пересыхает, и кустарник может сбросить листья, что будет выглядеть не очень красиво. При нормальных условиях зеленые листья рододендрона живут не менее двух лет, сменяясь затем новыми.
Rhododendron Polarnacht blooms in May, so it needs spring feeding. It is best to use a special fertilizer for azaleas and rhododendrons, which contains all the necessary nutrients and acidifies the soil. When laying buds, they are fertilized twice with fertilizers containing phosphorus. During the season, it is desirable to fertilize the soil under the rhododendron at least 3-4 times – in early spring, before flowering and after flowering, during the formation of next year’s buds.
Trimming
Для ежегодного цветения необходима правильная обрезка. Нужно удалять плохо сформированные и слабые ветки, а отцветшие бутоны отщипывать. Тогда все свои силы рододендрон направит на формирование новых соцветий.
Preparation for winter
In autumn, water-charging watering of rhododendrons is necessarily carried out to protect them from winter desiccation. Mature plants winter well without shelter if the thermometer does not fall below -29 ° C. Young rhododendrons in the first 2-3 years after planting need shelter. Before the onset of cold weather, the bushes are pruned, removing all dry and weak branches, and treated with fungicides for prevention.
If there is no time to make a frame, you can cover the young bushes with spruce branches, and on top with spunbond. Before shelter, the trunk circle is mulched with a layer of acid peat or coniferous litter with a layer of 15-20 cm.
Reproduction
Рододендрон Поларнахт, фото и описание которого вызывают восхищение садоводов, размножают черенками. К черенкованию приступают летом после цветения, выбирая для этого пасмурный день, чтобы срезанные ветки были сочными, лучше укоренялись. Порядок укоренения:
- A cut semi-woody branch is divided into several cuttings, 5-8 cm long. The lower cut is made oblique so as not to be confused with the top when planting.
- Planting containers of small diameter are filled with a mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions, moistened with Kornevin’s solution.
- At the cuttings, the lower leaf plates are cut off, which are in contact with the soil, and the upper ones are slightly shortened to reduce the area of moisture evaporation.
- Углубляют подготовленные побеги в почву на 1-2 см и накрывают прозрачными пластиковыми бутылками с отрезанным дном или стеклянными банками.
- Air the greenhouse daily, opening the shelter for 10-15 minutes.
- They keep the cuttings in diffused light, air temperature – + 22 … + 24 ° C and humidity – about 100%.
A plant grown from cuttings can bloom a year after planting in open ground.
Diseases and pests
With proper planting and cultivation, the Polarnacht rhododendron does not get sick and is rarely attacked by pests. More often specimens planted in the sun suffer. Weakened plants have reduced immunity, they are significantly stunted and can get sick, especially in the spring after removing the shelter.
Common diseases of rhododendrons:
- tracheomycotic wilt;
- bacterial root cancer;
- gray rot;
- phytophthora damage to the roots;
- rust;
- cercosporosis;
- chlorosis.
Все перечисленные заболевания, кроме хлороза, лечат при помощи бордоской жидкости или 0,2% «Фундазола».
Chlorosis of rhododendrons is a non-parasitic disease, it arises from a lack of iron, plants cannot absorb it with insufficient soil acidity and its excessive compaction. The first sign of damage is yellowing of the tissue between the veins. For treatment, a solution is prepared by adding Zircon and Ferovit to the water according to the instructions. Processing on the leaves is carried out twice with an interval of 10 days.
On weakened rhododendrons, you can find such pests:
- spider mite;
- tobacco thrips;
- whitefly;
- furrowed weevil;
- акациевую ложнощитовку;
- rhododendron pincer.
From insects and ticks, treatments with Fitoverm, Actellik, Karbofos and other insectoacaricides are effective.
Conclusion
Rhododendron Polarnacht is highly decorative. This small compact shrub is completely covered with flowers during flowering. The unusual color of the corollas attracts – raspberry-violet, very bright, it goes well with evergreen conifers, in the shade of which the evergreen rhododendron Polarnakht likes to grow.
