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Alyssums belong to the Cabbage family – they are relatives of cabbage, radish and horseradish. In nature, these plants are found in Asia, northern Africa and Europe – there are about 200 species in total. In gardens, these flowers began to appear relatively recently, but every year they are gaining popularity.
Alyssums are represented by different forms – from undersized, no more than 15 cm, to large semi-shrubs up to 80 cm high. Those that are sold in garden centers are most often ground cover plants.
Among the many alyssums that are grown in gardens, there are both annual species and perennials.
Seeds of the annual sea alissum are predominantly found on sale (this is an outdated name, now botanists attribute it to the genus Lobularia (1), but manufacturers write alissum on packages) – this is the most popular species, which is represented by many varieties of different colors 8–40 cm high (2 ). They bloom very profusely and for a long time – from May to late autumn. And their flowers emit a very strong honey aroma. We will tell about them.
How to determine landing dates in your area
Alyssum can be grown both through seedlings and by sowing seeds in open ground. Accordingly, the timing will be different:
- sowing seeds for seedlings – late February – early March;
- sowing seeds in open ground in spring – the end of April – the first days of May;
- sowing seeds in open ground in the fall – the end of October – the beginning of November (in this case, seedlings in the spring will be more friendly).
How to prepare seeds for sowing
Alyssum seeds are small, they do not require any preliminary preparation.
– When growing seedlings, it is better to sow them in boxes or plastic containers. It is necessary to sow on the surface of the soil, without falling asleep with earth, and then lightly slap with the palm of your hand so that they are completely in contact with the soil, advises agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mihailova. – And so that they do not dry out, the container must be covered with a film on top or closed with a lid if it is a container.
When sowing alyssum immediately in open ground, it is better to mix the seeds with fine sand so that the crops do not turn out to be too dense. The distance between plants should be about 15 cm (3), so seedlings must be thinned out.
Alyssum seedling care tips
– The soil for sowing alyssum must be taken loose, homogeneous. If it is lumpy, it must be sifted through a sieve, recommends agronomist Svetlana Mikhailova. – Before sowing, it is useful to ignite in the oven or microwave to get rid of pathogens and pests.
Alyssum seeds germinate at a temperature of 18 – 20 ° C, so the boxes must be placed in a warm place. Seedlings appear on the 5th – 10th day.
Lighting. This is a light-loving plant, so seedlings should be kept on the lightest window sill – on the south or east window.
Temperature. Alyssum is a cold-resistant plant; cool conditions are more suitable for its initial growth.
“Moreover, in the coolness, the seedlings turn out to be stocky, they do not stretch out,” explains agronomist Svetlana Mikhailova. – Therefore, it is ideal if it grows at a temperature of about 15 ° C.
Watering. Alyssum seedlings should be watered moderately so that the topsoil has time to dry out. This plant does not like excessive moisture – fungal diseases may appear.
Pick. When the plants have a pair of true leaves, they need to be seated in separate pots.
Alyssum seedlings are planted in open ground from mid-May.
Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse
Sowing seeds for seedlings: 14 – 15, 25 – 27 February, 4 – 5, 8 – 10, 13 – 17, 20 March.
Sowing seeds in open ground: April 5 – 15, October 21 – 24, 26, 29 – 30, November 7, 12 – 13.
Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground
Transplanting: April 25 – 26, May 1 – 15, 31.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about growing alyssum with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova – we asked her the most pressing questions.
Where to plant alissum in a flower garden?
Is it possible to grow alyssum on a balcony?
In general, alyssum is one of the best plants for bklkons, because it is unpretentious and smells very pleasant.
Should I prune alyssum?
Sources of
- Kudryavets D.B., Petrenko N.A. How to grow flowers. A book for students // M .: Education, 1993 – 176 p.
- Botyanovsky E.I., Burova E.A., Grishchik L.F. Directory of a florist (floral and ornamental plants of open ground) // Mn .: Urajay, 1985 – 208 p.
- Tavlinova G.K. Flowers in the room and on the balcony (2nd ed., revised and additional) // L .: Agropromizdat, Leningrad branch, 1985 – 272 p.