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Planting and caring for tamarisk in the open field allows you to grow a stunningly beautiful ornamental shrub in your garden. However, you need to take care of tamarix according to certain rules, otherwise you can not expect rapid growth from it.
What kind of flower “tamarix”
Tamarix is a small tree-like shrub from the Tamarix family of the same name. It has thin arcuate branches with reddish-brown bark, it can reach a height of 4 m and above, but more often it grows only up to 1,5 m. In spring, tamarix shoots are covered with racemes with flowers of white, pale pink and pale lilac. The leaves of tamarix are lanceolate, bluish-green, the crown is sprawling and very light and openwork.
In total, there are more than 70 plant species, but in Our Country, planting and caring for four-stamen tamariks and several other varieties are most often considered.
Tamarix winter hardiness
In general, the frost resistance of tamarix, or bead, is considered very high. Some species can withstand temperatures down to -50 ° C, although in this case the plant will need shelter. Any of the plant species can easily tolerate a temperature drop to -17-20 ° C, for this reason the shrub is actively grown even in the northern regions of the country.
How and when tamarix blooms
The specific timing of flowering depends on the type of shrub. But on average, flowering occurs in April or May. A unique feature of tamarix is the ability to bloom up to 3 times per season; inflorescences on a shrub can also bloom in mid-summer and early autumn.
The inflorescences of tamarix are long, up to 15 cm in each brush, and they consist of small flowers of a white or pale pink hue. Buds that have not blossomed to the end slightly resemble large beads, hence the second name of tamarix comes from. A blooming bead is a bit like a lilac, but its crown is more openwork and spreading, and the inflorescence brushes are thinner and longer.
How fast does tamarix grow?
Beaded is a shrub with very fast growth, not least due to its popularity in landscape design. In a year, tamarix can grow up to 1 m. The roots of the shrub also grow very quickly, they can reach a meter length even when the height of the plant itself does not exceed a few centimeters.
Medicinal properties of tamarisk shrub
The shrub has not only decorative, but also medicinal properties. Its leaves, bark and flowers contain valuable substances – tannins, tannins, polyphenols and vitamins.
Due to this, tamarix is used for the preparation of decoctions, infusions and tinctures for alcohol. Medicines:
- have a diuretic effect;
- contribute to lowering the temperature;
- have an astringent effect and help with diarrhea and nausea;
- allow you to quickly stop the blood and have an analgesic effect;
- relieve inflammation and pain in rheumatic ailments.
It is customary to harvest the medicinal raw materials of tamarix at the beginning of summer, at a time when the leaves and shoots of the plant contain the maximum amount of valuable substances.
How to propagate tamarix
The bead in the summer cottage looks so attractive that usually gardeners are not limited to just one shrub. You can increase the population of tamarix by vegetative methods; it is not necessary to buy new seedlings for this.
Seeds
To propagate tamarisk seeds, it is enough to sow them evenly in a container with prepared soil mixture. It is not required to deepen the seeds or sprinkle them with earth from above. The container is placed on a tray filled with water, and then the first sprouts are allowed to appear, usually it takes only a few days to germinate.
When the sprouts get stronger and reach a height of about 10-15 cm, they can be transferred to a temporary bed, and after 2 years they can be planted in a permanent place.
Layers
A simple and reliable way to propagate a bead on the site is to use layering of an adult plant. On the mother bush, one of the healthy branches located close to the ground is selected, bent down and dug into the soil to a depth of about 20 cm.
The layer is fixed with a wire or staple, and then watered during the warm season in the same way as the main plant. By the fall, the layering will give strong long roots, and then it can be separated and transplanted.
How to propagate tamarix cuttings
Propagation of tamarix from cuttings in the spring is the most popular and reliable way to increase the population of the plant. As blanks from an adult mother bush, at the very beginning of spring, several half-lignified shoots about 10 cm long are cut, and the lower cut is made oblique.
- The cuttings are treated with a root-forming solution along the lower cut and kept in water for a day.
- A sufficiently deep container is filled with a light but nutritious mixture consisting of fertile earth and sand, mixed in equal quantities. You can also add peat to the soil mixture, which will accelerate the development of shoots.
- A day later, the stalk is buried in the soil, watered abundantly and the container is covered from above with a glass dome or a transparent film.
The container with the cuttings is placed in a warm and well-lit place. It will be possible to understand that the sprouts have successfully taken root by the appearance of young leaves on the cuttings. It will be possible to transplant cuttings into the ground as early as May, first to a temporary bed, and a year later to a permanent place. With the help of cuttings, tamarix reproduces very well, problems usually do not arise, so even novice gardeners cope with the task.
Planting and caring for tamarisk shrubs
Tamarix needs attention and care for healthy development. Although the plant is considered quite hardy, it is still very sensitive to light, moisture, and nutrient availability.
Recommended dates
Basically, tamarix reproduction, planting and care is carried out in early spring – in April or even in March. It is necessary to wait until a confident positive temperature is established, and after that the shrub can be planted in the ground under the open sky.
Autumn planting of seedlings during the deciduous period is also acceptable. However, 2-3 weeks should remain before the onset of cold weather, otherwise the young plant simply will not have time to take root in a new place.
Where to plant tamarix
From the point of view of the soil, tamarix is quite unpretentious in choosing a site. It grows equally well on both light sandy soils and heavy clay and loamy soils. The main condition is that humus and peat must be added to the soil in advance to provide the plant with nutrients.
But the bead is very sensitive to the amount of light. The photo of planting and caring for tamarix shrubs shows that it must be planted in the sun, in the shade the plant refuses to develop and withers. Even light, but constant shading from neighboring trees and tall shrubs can adversely affect the health of the bead.
It is important to note that the site for tamarix must be chosen very carefully – taking into account the fact that the shrub will constantly grow in the chosen place. The roots of the shrub are long, but thin and fragile, so tamarix perceives transplants negatively, it is better not to carry them out unless absolutely necessary.
How to plant tamarix
To plant a bead in the ground, prepare a spacious landing hole at least 60 cm deep and wide.
- Crushed stone, pebbles or broken bricks are poured at the bottom of the pit, which will act as drainage, the layer thickness should be at least 20 cm.
- On top of the drainage system, up to half the depth of the hole, humus mixed with wood ash is laid.
- The hole is covered by 2/3 with a soil mixture of fertile soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.
- A seedling of a bead is lowered into the hole and its roots are carefully straightened, and then the hole is covered with earth to the end.
The root neck of the plant should be flush with the ground. Immediately after planting, the bead is abundantly watered and the near-stem area is mulched with wood chips or other material.
How to care for tamarisk
Planting becomes only the first stage of tamarix breeding and cultivation. In order for the shrub to please with beautiful flowering, it is necessary to carry out competent cultivation and care of the tamarix plant.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Tamarix is a rather sensitive plant to the amount of moisture. The first days after planting in the ground in the open air, the seedling must be generously watered – but then watering is sharply reduced. A bead plant that has successfully taken root in a permanent place should receive moisture from natural precipitation, additional watering is carried out only during flowering and during a period of severe summer drought. The plant does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil and, in swampy conditions, begins to suffer from root rot and fungi.
As for top dressing, in the first year, the tamariks have enough fertilizers applied to the soil before planting. The next year and then every year, the bead must be supplied with organic fertilizers in early spring and potassium and phosphorus must be added to the soil during flowering.
How to prune tamarix in spring and autumn
Tamarix grows very quickly, so you need to cut it every year – not only in spring, but also in autumn.
- In the spring, pruning is carried out even before the buds begin to swell, so as not to damage the plant. It is necessary to remove first of all all weak and damaged branches. You should also cut off old shoots with small increments – the branches are shortened “to the ring”, and just a month later the bead gives young fast-growing shoots.
- Tamarix pruning in autumn is carried out mainly for sanitary purposes. During it, you can also remove faded inflorescences and thin out the crown – excessive thickening of the branches impairs the access of light and oxygen.
From time to time the bead is recommended to rejuvenate. This is usually done at the beginning of autumn – the shrub is cut almost under the stump, to a strong healthy branching, located close to the base of the bush. Radical pruning stimulates the growth of new shoots, and the next year the bead again pleases the eye with a lush openwork crown and abundant flowering.
How to prepare a bead for winter
Different types of tamarix show different resistance to cold. Some plants calmly endure extremely low temperatures, while others freeze to the level of snow cover. Therefore, it is recommended to cover the bead in any case for the winter.
To protect against cold weather, it is necessary to mulch the soil at the roots of the plant with a dense layer of insulating material. You can also bend and tie the shoots together, fix them in a bent state, and then cover them with spruce branches or a special non-woven material.
Why tamarix does not bloom and what to do
Tamarix is planted on the site precisely for the sake of beautiful abundant flowering, but sometimes the shrub does not give flowers at all. Flowering and caring for a bead are closely related, so usually the life cycle of a plant is disrupted due to growing errors.
- Tamarix grows in the shade. With this arrangement, the shrub can not only stop flowering, but even die altogether, it needs sunlight.
- The shoots of the bead froze over during the winter – flowers appear on the branches of the previous year, and if the latter did not endure the winter well, then flowering can not be expected.
- Tamarix lacks nutrients, if the soil is too poor, then the shrub simply does not have enough strength to bloom.
- The root of the plant is excessively thickened – the lack of pruning leads to the fact that the bush receives less air and sunlight, respectively, its ability to bloom is reduced.
To restore the health of the shrub, it is necessary to correct the mistakes made during cultivation – adjust the lighting and soil moisture in the area with tamarisk, feed the plant, and cut off excess branches. With the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to provide frost protection for young shoots.
Pests and diseases
Ornamental shrub has the highest resistance to diseases and pests. The bead is affected by insects only if the infection spreads from neighboring plants. For prevention and treatment, any standard insecticidal solution is suitable – Karbofos, Aktellik.
Tamarix can suffer from fungal diseases only if it grows in the shade and on waterlogged soil. To treat rot and any other ailments, you need to remove all the affected shoots and treat the shrub with Bordeaux liquid or blue vitriol. After that, it is better to transplant tamarix from the problem area in the sun, otherwise the diseases may return again.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for tamariks in the open field require careful control of the level of lighting and soil moisture. If you do not violate the most basic rules for growing shrubs, tamarix will annually delight with lush and beautiful inflorescences on long branches.
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