Ageratum - growing from seeds, care and planting

Ageratum (in Latin Agerátum houstoniánum) or, as it is also called, long-flowered belongs to the Astrov family. Its homeland is Central and South America - more than 60 varieties of plants grow here.

Growing ageratum

Long-flowered is a thermophilic plant. Ageratum flowers are small, collected in inflorescences. The pistils protruding above them give a special charm. A plant covered with such fluffy balls looks very unusual and bright. It is difficult to answer the question whether the ageratum is a perennial or an annual. It can be both, and sometimes it is able to reach the size of a small bush.

Ageratum can grow up to a height of about 70 cm. Long-flowering flowering is very long - from the beginning of summer to the first cold weather. With proper care, seeds may appear in September.

Ageratum

There are two ways a flower can be grown. And if grafting is used on an industrial scale, then germination from seeds is more suitable for amateurs.

Seed propagation is better than propagation by cuttings for several reasons:

• the flowering of the plant will occur earlier, since it takes longer to wait for the shoots during cuttings;
• by the seed method, you can plant many different species and varieties of ageratum on your site;
• the seeds are easy to obtain as they are sold at any specialty store.

How to collect seeds for seedlings

For seedlings, seeds should be collected immediately after flowering. This usually happens 15 days after the first flowers appear.

In order for seedlings to appear from the seeds, the plant must be pollinated. There should be no problems with this, since bees and wasps willingly collect nectar from the ageratum.

The seeds are oblong, very small in weight and size. Healthy seeds should be light brown in color. It is better to store them in paper or cloth bags until planting.

Seeds

Popular types and varieties of ageratum

There are more than 60 species of long-flowered and each of them is distinguished by its unique beauty. In garden stores, you can find a variety to your taste, but several types of ageratum are especially popular.

Ageratum Blue Mink

An ornamental plant of small stature - reaches a height of no more than 35 cm.

Blue mink

It differs in thin, villous-like petals, which resemble mink fur in their appearance (hence the name of the variety). This type is used to decorate flower beds or create living borders.

Blue mink is a thermophilic plant, grown as an annual in the Russian climate. The flowers are tubular and gather in inflorescences up to 25 cm in diameter.

Ageratum Houston (or Gauston)

Also known as Mexican blue ageratum.

Ageratum Houston

A distinctive feature of this species is the ability to maintain the decorative appearance of inflorescences for a long time. In suitable conditions it is a perennial. It can reach a height of 50 cm.

Flowers have a pronounced aroma, are small in size, form baskets with a diameter of 1 cm.The baskets, in turn, are inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter.

Ageratum Summer Snow

Summer Snow

In Russia it is better known as the "white ball". It is a close-knit bush that can grow up to 45 cm.

Its inflorescences grow up to 2 cm in diameter and become voluminous. Thanks to this, as well as the abundant flowering, adult ageratums look like lush white balls.

In addition to these, many other varieties are known: Ageratum Bonjour, Red Bouquet, Inca Gold, Pink Ball and many others. The choice of a plant depends primarily on the climate in which it will live and the purposes for which it is grown.

Ageratum: planting and care in the open field

Long-flowered refers to unpretentious crops and is very easy to grow. It is enough to plant a flower at home for seedlings, and transplant it into the garden in the spring. The specific timing of planting seeds depends on the climate of the region - if it is warm, then it can be planted in early spring, if it is cold, then it is better to sow seeds in February.

Soil preparation and seedling containers

Although ageratum is unpretentious, it is advisable to prepare a special substrate for seedlings.

You can buy soil for flower crops or make your own. For this you will need:

• soil from the garden,
• peat,
• turf,
• sand,
• drainage.

For seedlings, a wide and shallow container is taken so that the root system does not grow. Small holes are made in the walls of the container for air access.

Selection and preparation of seeds

Seed material should be chosen carefully, because the better it is, the more likely it is to grow healthy and strong seedlings.

When buying seeds, you need to pay attention to the supplier's popularity, the integrity of the packaging and the date of production of the seeds. If the storage conditions or expiration dates are violated, it will be difficult to grow good seedlings. Additionally, you can study the packaging - manufacturers often write a description and characteristics of the plant on the back.

To simplify the planting process, seeds are sold in granules, which are composed of a mixture of nutrients that promote rapid germination. Such seed must first be slightly wetted and slightly disturb the outer layer of the granule with a toothpick.

Sowing seeds

The sowing procedure is quite simple and even a novice gardener can handle it.

A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the prepared container. It is needed for the normal outflow of water and to prevent soil acidification. The soil is disinfected and mixed with the rest of the components (peat, turf, sand), after which it is poured into a container and evenly distributed over it. Abundant watering of the soil is carried out.

When everything is ready, you can start planting the seeds. This procedure is performed using tweezers or a toothpick. The seeds spread out on the surface of the soil are very carefully pressed into it, after which they are sprayed with a spray bottle. To maintain heat and humidity, the container is covered with a lid. Thus, a semblance of the greenhouse conditions necessary for seed germination is created.

Propagation of ageratum by cuttings

Ageratum can also propagate by cuttings. To do this, at the beginning of autumn, the healthiest bush is selected and transferred to the room.

Since the plant is thermophilic, in winter it must be kept at a temperature of 20 ° C. In early spring, cuttings about 10 cm long are cut from the bush. The resulting blanks are processed with stimulants for the growth of the root system and planted in containers or pots. It is recommended to use a sand and peat mixture.

The seedlings are covered with polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions.The shelter is removed when the first leaves appear on the cuttings. In order for the cuttings to root well, they should be grown at a temperature of at least 20 ° C, regularly watered and ventilated.

When to plant ageratum, when grown from seeds or cuttings

Transplanting seedlings into open ground is carried out in mid-May in warm weather. If the climate is too cold, it is better to postpone the transplant. In cold soil, seedlings may die.

For planting a plant, it is better to choose a loose soil with a good drainage layer and neutral acidity. If you plant seedlings in damp rocky soil, the plant will often hurt.

The area where the seedlings will be planted must be sufficiently lit and windless. In the presence of a darkening of the planting territory, the stems of the ageratum will stretch upward, the leaves will grow rarely, and the flowering will be almost imperceptible.

Transfer

Home care

Although the plant is unpretentious, it also needs care.

• Watering

Due to its root system, the plant tolerates the absence of moisture well. It is better to water ageratum in the absence of bright sunlight - in the morning or in the evening. If the weather is hot, then humidification is done every day and 1-3 times a week in rainy seasons.

• Top dressing

The unpretentiousness of the flower also applies to its feeding. The plant does not like pure cow dung. You can fertilize them if you dilute it in water. Peat and humus should also be deleted from fertilizers suitable for ageratum. When treated with them, the leaves of the plant will look strong and healthy, but the flowering will be dull.

It is preferable to use special mineral fertilizers for annual plants, which are sold in specialized stores. You can feed a flower no more than once every three weeks.

• Pruning and pinching

In order for the ageratum in the flowerbed to grow voluminous and bright, it needs periodic pruning. In order for it to bloom profusely, dried inflorescences should be cut off. If the stems of the plant stretch up too much due to the lack of lighting, then it is also recommended to cut them.

To make the plant grow more voluminous, it is recommended to pinch it. In the stems that stretch up, the tops of the shoots are trimmed, while at least 6 leaves should remain on them for good growth. With the help of pinching, the growth of new bushes is ensured and the flowering period is extended.

Diseases and pests

The beauty of ageratum can be noticeably affected by pests or diseases:

• Rot. The disease appears when the humidity of the environment or soil is high. Rot is characterized by the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. It is treated by spraying the plant with Fundazol or Topaz preparations. If this does not help, then the infected bush is dug up and destroyed.
• Cucumber mosaic. It is characterized by the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves. It is impossible to cure it, therefore, as a preventive measure, the soil is regularly weeded, weeds are removed. Since insects are carriers of the disease, at the first appearance it is necessary to take measures to destroy them.

Whitefly

• Whitefly. These insects are easy to spot on the leaves. Pests feed on the sap of the plant and if you do not take action, they can kill it. You can get rid of the whitefly with the help of Aktellik or Aktar.

Following the provided requirements for growing and caring for the ageratum, you can get an unpretentious plant that will decorate an apartment or garden plot.