Flowers with an incredible aroma: how to easily grow matiola
Matiola (or Levkoy) should definitely grow in your summer cottage or yard. Its strong aroma fills the air with sweet smells, especially in the evening.
This plant has many varieties. Gardeners will love it for its smell and beautiful appearance. However, some refuse to plant her because of her capriciousness.
This herbaceous plant can be annual, biennial, or perennial. Matiola has more than 20 species. And each species is characterized by its own characteristics.
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Particularly popular are:
- Violet Victoria - bush height 30 cm, terry flowers of dark purple color;
- Rosette - the height of the bush is 55-60 cm, the flowers are terry, and pink;
- Rhineweiss - the height of the bush is about 70 cm, densely double flowers of white color;
- Carthrose – pale pink flowers with a dark pink iridescence on bushes about 70 cm tall;
- Rubinrot is a very branchy variety, the height of the bush is 50-60 cm, and the flowers are garnet-red;
- Diana - the stems reach a height of 70 cm, the flowers are densely fringed, large, and pink with a touch;
- Sensation - a tall bush - up to 70 cm, with dark red terry flowers;
- Erfurt - a strongly branched variety 30-40 cm tall with dark blue flowers of a purple hue;
- Bouquet - terry dark red flowers on bushes up to 35 cm tall.
Matiola is usually sown directly in the open ground. The area should be well-lit and protected from the wind. This will ensure its abundant flowering.
For planting, it is better to choose sandy or loamy soil. It should have a neutral acidity index. Matiola should not be planted in those areas where cruciferous plants grew 4 years ago. It does not like to grow in soil fertilized with humus and does not tolerate too wet soil.
Soil preparation for matiola:
A plot of land is dug to a depth of 30-40 cm. Two weeks before sowing, mix the land with humus and add a flower substrate.
Then the prepared soil is loosened and grooves 0.5 cm deep are made and moistened. Sand is mixed with seeds in a ratio of 1:10, the mixture is introduced into the grooves, and sprinkled with soil without tamping. Then the water. The first shoots will appear in 1.5-2 weeks.
After 2-3 leaves sprout from the seeds, they must be thinned. The distance between sprouts should be 15-35 cm. Weeds should be removed. The plant will bloom in 2.5 months.
Important points: After planting, the plant is covered from direct sunlight for the first few days. Adhere to moderate watering. Loosen the soil after watering and rain. Remove weeds and fading inflorescences in a timely manner. Systematically apply mineral fertilizers every 3 weeks. Constantly inspect the plant for diseases.
As a reminder, UAportal already wrote about how to grow tulips in egg trays.
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