Spring protection of garden plants from pests and diseases. Growing gladiolus bulbs

Our grandmothers, growing strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very versatile. Despite the fact that “kids” have always been considered more fashionable, the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of pricklyness, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will talk about the five most fashionable succulents that surprisingly transform modern interiors.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as far back as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will look at the most interesting varieties mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

People began to grow crocuses 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring next year. Crocuses - one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, the timing of flowering may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest varieties of crocuses that bloom in late March and early April.

Shchi from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, fragrant and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup is tastier than freshly cooked.

Blueberries are a rare promising berry crop in gardens. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins, have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, tonic properties. Berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. The taste of blueberries resembles a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of varieties of tomatoes, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is annoying sometimes! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself”. The main thing is to understand the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have much time and energy to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of room nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleuses today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provence herbs - "supplier" delicious pieces fish pulp for light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The mushrooms are lightly fried olive oil and then drizzle with apple cider vinegar. Such mushrooms are tastier than ordinary pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill coexist perfectly in one salad, emphasizing the flavor of each other. Garlic sharpness of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of salmon and pieces of mushrooms.

Conifer tree or a shrub on the site is always great, and a lot of conifers is even better. emerald needles various shades decorates the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils secreted by plants not only flavor, but also make the air cleaner. Generally, most zoned adults coniferous plants, are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral attribute of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when magnificent cherry blossoms bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese pass under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain types can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

It is very interesting for me to analyze how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and traded lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. e. about 6 varieties of quince were known and even then the methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Make your family happy and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read in our step by step recipe!

There are not so many decorative and deciduous favorites among tuberous crops. And the caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of the interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, the rumors about the unusual capriciousness of the Caladium never justify. Attention and care allow you to avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply elementary dish for you today. This gravy is one hundred percent universal, as it will suit every side dish: vegetables, pasta, and anything. Gravy with chicken and mushrooms will save you in moments when there is no time or you don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Grab your favorite side dish (you can make this ahead of time to keep it hot), add gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.

Gladiolus - decoration of the garden. It is best to prepare gladioli for sowing in March.

Despite the fact that these flowers are usually prepared for sowing in March or April, and planted in the first half of May, it happens that the bulbs have sprouted already in March. Experienced gardeners know that this is common for gladiolus if corms are stored at room temperature.

Why flowers start to sprout prematurely

This happens if the storage conditions of the bulbs are violated. If you store gladiolus bulbs at room temperature and high humidity, they will begin to germinate in March.

During the period of natural and forced dormancy, the bulb cannot germinate. Natural dormancy lasts 40 days. At this time, the corm will not germinate, even with favorable conditions. But after natural dormancy, this can happen, so that the flowers do not germinate ahead of time, the bulbs need to be immersed in forced rest. Bulbs should be stored at a temperature not exceeding 10 ° C and 60-70% humidity.

If the storage conditions of the bulbs are violated, they germinate, while only the sprout lengthens, and the roots do not develop. This is harmful to the plant, as it depletes it.

What to do with early germination? You can't plant a bulb in the ground. There is still little light and nutrition, the plants will grow poorly and do not form flowers at all.

To avoid early germination, closer to spring you need to look more often planting material. If there are sprouts there, they must be dried in a warm place for 2-3 days, and then removed to a place where the temperature is not higher than 5 ° C. 2 weeks before planting, the bulbs can be transferred to more comfortable conditions- 15°C. This will prepare them for germination.

If you can't wait to drop

Some sprouted bulbs, already peeled, can be planted in peat pots. Using them, you do not have to transplant, as the flowers do not like her very much. However, the plants will need extra care - there is very little natural light, and the plants are sun-loving. The place for bulb pots should be cool and well lit. You don’t need to overdo it with watering, otherwise the leaves will stretch out a lot, which can lead to breakage after planting in open ground. It should be borne in mind that such early gladioli will not bloom this year.

After landing in open ground, it is advisable to cover young gladioli from the sun and wind. You can grow gladioli in tubs in the country or on the balcony in a flower pot.

Is it possible to grow flowers by March

It is possible, but this process is very complicated and requires a well-equipped place. In order for gladioli to grow in winter and please with their flowering in March, they need good lighting, comfortable temperature, humidity and constant ventilation. In an apartment, it is almost impossible to achieve all the conditions for growing gladioli at a time when in nature they are still supposed to be at rest. This requires a special greenhouse with lamps, heating, constant humidity and ventilation. Often, by March, gladioli are grown exclusively for sale, and not for their own pleasure. The process itself is labor intensive.

It is difficult to prepare the material for planting. To get beautiful bouquets of gladioli in March, corms need to be dug up in the first half of September, and planted by early December. Insofar as natural light little, it is necessary to additionally use artificial. It is turned on no earlier than a week after the bulbs have finally sprouted.

How to plant gladioli (video)

Preparing bulbs and soil for planting

Whatever the decision on which month to grow gladioli by, when preparing the bulbs for planting, several conditions must be observed:

1. A month before planting, you need to bring the material home.
2. Gladiolus bulbs must be free of scales. Sick bulbs are thrown away, but if the lesion is small, you can cut it out. The place of the cut is smeared with green paint.
3. Peeled bulbs cannot be planted immediately. You need to hold them in boxes in the light until they germinate. After that, the germinated corms of the plant are planted in a pot.

The soil before planting gladioli should be thoroughly prepared. A good choice places and lands are the key to successful cultivation of gladioli. What do we have to do?

1. Choose a well-lit place.
2. Dig up and clear the beds for future crops from weeds since autumn. The depth of the dig is about half a meter. In the spring, you don’t need to be so zealous, you can dig not so deep.
3. You can add fertilizers to the soil, such as phosphorus or potash. Lime or dolomite flour is added to acidic soil. Peat mixed with sand is added to clay soil. You can fertilize gladioli with humus, but you can’t add fresh organic matter, it harms the plant.
4. Gladiolus should not be planted after root crops, as there may be a risk of wireworm infection.
5. It is best if melons, legumes, strawberries, and garlic used to grow at the site of the future planting of gladioli. Dahlias and zinnia are also safe neighbors, since they do not have common diseases with gladioli.

How to properly store gladioli (video)

Planting bulbs

The optimal bed width is 1 m. Planting depth depends on the soil. The heavier the earth, the less deeply you need to plant gladiolus bulbs. Smaller bulbs should also be planted at shallower depths. Usually the depth varies from 8 to 15 cm.

In one row, the distance between plantings is 15 cm, and between rows - 25 cm.

Before planting the bulbs, the groove should be well watered and the bottom covered with a layer of sand of 1 cm.

Gladiolus feel good if planted in moss.

Moss has the ability to retain water, this will help to avoid overdrying of plants in a drought.

Top dressing with humus should be introduced when the seedlings grow at least 10 cm.

If all the conditions for planting are met, the soil is properly prepared, then the gladioli will bloom at the right time and give good bulbs for sowing next year.

Gladiolus requires well-lit, wind-sheltered and well-drained areas. In the northern regions, even a slight shading of gladiolus plantings at any time of the day delays the growth of plants, reduces their decorative qualities and leads to later flowering compared to flowering in fully lit areas. Phytodesign will help you choose a place intended for planting gladiolus, which should be flat or have a slight slope in a southerly direction, which provides excess water runoff and good soil warming.

Heavy, clayey, peaty and purely sandy soils, strongly alkaline and acidic, are unfavorable for gladiolus. The necessary soil structure is created by adding sand to heavy loamy soils, clay to sandy soil and a sufficient amount of well-rotted compost and humus.

Plant gladioli on ridges, the width of which, for ease of planting care, is usually 1-1.2 meters, to a depth that depends on their diameter, that is, about 3 corm heights. Be sure to post-plant mulching with loose peat or peat chips, which are scattered over the surface of the planted area with a layer of 3-5 centimeters.

Start preparing corms for planting about a month before planting by cleaning gladioli from covering scales. Peel carefully so as not to damage the sprouts. Cut out the damage, and treat the cut with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, brilliant green, dust with sulfur or crushed coal.

Spread the peeled corms in a single layer with the sprout up in a bright, dry, warm room. For 20-30 days in the corm in the light and at low humidity, a moderate growth of the shoot occurs without the growth of roots, although their rudiments already appear on the bottom. Before planting corms, treat with a solution of Fundazol or Maxim.

Gladiolus responds well to careful care. Water abundantly - 10-15 liters per 1 square meter. Loosen the soil regularly, including after watering.

Feed the first time in the phase of the appearance of the 2nd or 3rd true leaves. For 1 square meter, add 25-35 grams of ammonium nitrate, 15-20 grams of potash fertilizer, 30-40 grams of superphosphate. The second top dressing is in the phase of the appearance of the 5-6th true leaves: 10-20 grams per 1 square meter of ammonium sulfate, 15-20 grams of superphosphate and 10-20 grams of potassium sulfate are added. The third top dressing is in the phase of the beginning of budding or a little earlier when the peduncle is advanced. She provides good flowering and better education corms. For 1 square meter add 30-40 grams of superphosphate and 15-20 grams of potassium chloride.
Full maturation of gladiolus corms occurs 6-8 weeks after the end of flowering. However, in middle lane and more northern areas, excavation often has to be done earlier. If thrips has spread greatly during the growing season, then 1-2 weeks before digging up the corms, sprinkle the plants with a solution of Fitoverm, Fufanon, Aktellik, Aktar, Intva-VIR. With a decrease in temperature, the pest goes into the integumentary scales of the corms; therefore, if there is a lot of thrips, it is also worth pickling the corms immediately after digging in the Aktellik or Fufanon solution for 30 minutes. With the massive spread of rot, corms can be pickled in a solution of Maxim.

Gladiolus are quite sensitive to negative temperatures, so the plants are dug up before the onset of stable cold weather, usually in late September-early October, depending on weather conditions. At about a distance of 7 - 9 centimeters from the plants, cut the ground with a shovel. Then deepen the scoop and pry off the corms with a clod of earth. Cut the stem of the newly formed corms with secateurs, leaving no hemp. Remove the old corm, why take a new one in left hand, and press the old one with your right thumb, separating it. Then cut off the roots. Wash gladioli in water and dip for 2 - 3 hours in a bucket of garlic gruel. Then pre-dry them and take them home. There still dry 2 - 3 weeks at a temperature of 25 - 30 degrees. After that, 3 - 4 weeks of gladioli should lie at room temperature. At this time, look through the corms, remove the severely affected ones, cut out the sore spots and cover the cuts with brilliant green.

Before storage, gladioli must be treated from a terrible pest - thrips. Spray them with any preparation suitable for the destruction of cockroaches. Wrap the corms in several layers of newspaper and refrigerate or balcony door. In this case, the temperature should be 3-9 degrees, and the relative humidity should be within 60 percent. It's a good idea to add chopped garlic cloves to the package and change them from time to time.

The varieties of A. Gromov's selection are very popular: Gagarin's smile, Andrey Sakharov, Maya Plisetskaya, Marina Tsvetaeva, Mother, Moscow 850, Rosy cheeks, Traffic light, Sokolniki, Canary solo, Amber Baltic.

For many years, I associated gladioli only with September 1, and these flowers in my mind turned into something cold official. But one day I wandered into an exhibition of gladioli and fell ill with them. It turned out that the name of the plant comes from the Latin word "gladus", which means "sword", and it was given to him for the shape of the leaves. That's when I thought about how to grow beautiful gladioli in my country house?

Now my garden is full of gladioli. I plant them in a sunny place in early May. I make a hole, pour some sand, put a corm, fill it with sand, and then with earth. The soil for gladioli, as you can see, is not required. I feed plants with complex fertilizers twice: when several leaves appear, I add nitrogen, and the second time, when buds appear, I add potassium and phosphorus. Those. and fertilizers for gladioli are the most common. I water the plants abundantly, trying not to fall on the leaves, and often loosen.

How to grow gladioli in the country?

If I really like the gladiolus variety, then I propagate it by dividing the corm into three parts so that each has a sprout and a piece of the bottom. Slices are smeared with greenery. Each "piece" will bloom in summer.

In autumn, a month after flowering and after the first frosts, I dig up the plant, cut off the leaves and slightly dry the corms. Then I free them from the remnants of stems and earth and dry them for a month at home on top of kitchen cabinets. Then I wrap it in paper and put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. And a month before planting I take it out, pickle it from diseases and pests and lay it out on the windowsill. If I see that the bulbs are damaged by thrips (because of it, the gladiolus will not bloom), I buy a suitable insecticide, put the corms into bags according to varieties, spray the preparation there and tie it. And after 2-3 days I take them out and put them on the windowsill again. And also, to rid the flowers of diseases, you can hold the corm for 15 minutes in hot water(50-55°C), then rinse in cold water and dry.

Here are some domestic varieties of gladioli that I liked the most:

. "Peacock feather". The flower is green-pink. The edges of the petals are bright pink. There are 21 buds in the inflorescence, 7-8 flowers are open at the same time. Height 140-150 cm, inflorescences - 75 cm.

Peacock feather

. "Czardas". Flower with a diameter of 14.5 cm, strongly corrugated. The color of the flowers varies from milky crimson to bright crimson. Plant height 150 cm, inflorescences - 75 cm.

. "Cranberries in sugar". Flowers 13 cm, pale crimson with a dark cherry spot. Plant height - 170 cm, inflorescences -80 cm. Of 22 flowers, 12 are open at the same time.

Cranberries in sugar

. "Grand Duchess Elizabeth". The flowers are pale salmon with a golden hue, 14.5 cm in diameter, corrugated. Plant height 150 cm, inflorescences - 70 cm. "

Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Dear Olga. To your useful experience for site visitors, we will add additional information on how to grow beautiful gladioli.

Gladioli in the budding phase require more phosphorus and potassium. With a sufficient number of these elements, flowering will be good, and the corm will gain the necessary supply. nutrients. For top dressing, superphosphate (phosphorus) and potassium chloride or potassium sulfate (potassium) are best suited. Fertilizers should be applied in the furrows between the rows in liquid form at the rate of: 25 g/m² of superphosphate and 15 g/m² of potassium chloride or potassium sulfate. Since superphosphate does not dissolve in water, it must be filled with water for a day, and the infusion should be shaken well before being introduced into the soil. Water the plants well before and after fertilizing.

Cut gladioli at the moment of full disclosure of the lower flower in the inflorescence. The rest of the flowers will open gradually in a vase of water over a period of two weeks or more. To make the cut even and neat, you need to use a sharp knife or secateurs. On the plant remaining in the garden, it is supposed to leave as much as possible more leaves(at least four), which will "work" already on the corm.

In order not to damage the leaves remaining on the plant during cutting, you can perform the operation in this way: with a narrow knife sharpened on both sides, pierce the stem at the point where the fourth and fifth leaves diverge, and then, holding the plants with one hand below the puncture, with the other, simply pull out peduncle.

Summer cottage impossible to imagine without flowers. What Russians do not grow to decorate their plots. Here, for example, is an experienced florist Svetlana Khomchenko from Yaroslavl. She told us how to properly plant gladioli.

“Whatever flowers I have planted in my lifetime - and roses, and carnations, and tulips, - I ordered from all over the country. But my main love was gladioli. I tested more than 500 varieties, selected the best, disease-resistant and most decorative. And she worked out agricultural technology to the smallest detail. I was even going to write a brochure: Flowers in the country - growing and breeding gladioli.

How to care for gladioli

Over the summer I spend several dressings, I start when the third or fourth leaf appears: first with mullein infusion, then with chicken infusion or a weak infusion of pigeon droppings. After watering and rain, the plants receive another portion. Gladioli can be fed with a chlorophyll extract - fill a 10-bucket barrel with grass, weeds, pour water and add 100 g of caustic soda. A week later, the fertilizer is ready, I throw out the rough stems with a pitchfork, and you can feed all the flower and horticultural crops, diluting 1 liter of infusion in 1 bucket of water.

After the appearance of the fourth leaf, I systematically spray gladioli from pests with chlorophos or karbofos (0.3% solution) with an interval of 10 days or with infusion of garlic or tomato stepchildren. Against diseases, 3 times a season I spray the plants with 0.3% foundationazole.

In autumn, after digging up gladioli, I burn corms with a clear sign of disease, and in healthy ones I cut the stems short, wash them in water, soak them for 20 minutes in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate and dry them during the day in the wind and sun. Then I dry it for 2-3 weeks near heating devices (can be hung in gauze bags). By the end of drying, the old maternal corm is easily removed (if with difficulty, then it is either not dry or sick). A diseased corm must certainly be destroyed in order to avoid infection of healthy ones.

I separate the corms and the baby and store them by grade in paper bags or bags in the coolest place in the apartment or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. For better preservation, I powder them with naphthalene and foundationazole. Powdered material cannot be stored in the refrigerator, of course.

When and how to plant gladioli

In the spring, a month before planting, I clean the corms of gladioli and lay them out in boxes in one layer. Before planting the corms and the cleaned baby, I soak for 10 hours in a solution of 0.5% succinic acid (growth stimulator), then for 20 minutes in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. In both solutions I add 3 g of foundationazole per 1 liter. I plant gladiolus corms in late April - early May, as soon as the soil thaws to the depth of a spade bayonet.

Many people ask me how deep to plant gladioli? With deep planting, the flowers form few children, with shallow planting, they give a large corm and many children. I plant large corms, depending on the soil, to a depth of 12-20 cm according to the scheme 20x25 cm.

Shoots will appear when the threat of frost has passed, during which time the gladioli will form a powerful root system. Conversely, when planted late in hot weather, the plant develops a green mass without creating a good root system. After the emergence of seedlings, plantings can be mulched with overripe bedding from sawdust from under chickens or chaff.

I pour sand into the planting furrows with a layer of 3-5 cm or put sphagnum moss. Excellent results gives landing in fresh horse manure. Two weeks before planting in the ground, I lay out the cleaned children in 5-6 pieces in film cups. After germination, the cups are planted in the ground with an interval of 25 cm.

Depending on the variety and size of the corms, gladioli bloom in July-September.

Gladiolus in my dacha grow well and tie powerful flower stalks. But the buds, for some reason, only open halfway, and then fade. What's the matter here? (Fyodor Grachev, Lipetsk region)

Most probable cause This - diseases and pests of gladioli, primarily gladiolus thrips. This is a small insect, up to 1 mm, which is quite difficult to see with the naked eye. Larvae and adult insects suck juices from the most tender parts of the gladiolus - young growing leaves and bud petals. On the buds affected by numerous punctures, silvery spots form, and when mass defeat buds do not bloom and fade.

How to resist diseases and pests of gladioli?

Thrips overwinters on corms, under covering scales. Therefore, gladioli should be stored at a temperature of 4-6 °. At higher temperatures, thrips wakes up and damages the corm. For the prevention of diseases and pests, before planting, gladioli corms should be kept for 30 minutes in a solution of Decis or Intavir.

During the growing season, gladioli affected by diseases and pests should be sprayed repeatedly. special preparations starting from June. Greatest effect gives "Aktara". Processing should be carried out in dry and warm weather. Rain will nullify all your efforts, and in cold weather, pests of gladioli are not active.

In autumn, thrips go underground or into covering scales. Therefore, when digging gladioli, the leaves must be immediately cut off, leaving a stump no more than 1 cm, and the old corm should be broken out. All plant remains remove from the planting site along with leaves and old corms and burn. It is advisable to immediately pickle the corms themselves from thrips, and then send them to dry.

If the fight against diseases and pests of gladioli is not carried out, then the corms are depleted and eventually you will not have flowers.

The use of peat cups in gardening is still considered new technology. Some gardeners enthusiastically use them, others strongly reject them. Everything new and progressive is not always easily introduced into life. There are advantages to using peat cups. There are also disadvantages, but they only cause problems for inexperienced gardeners.

What are peat cups and why are they used

Gardeners relatively recently began to use peat cups for growing seedlings. Even 20-25 years ago they were a rarity. In recent years, peat cups have appeared on sale. different sizes and forms. They are small containers, most often in the form of a truncated cone, but can be in the form of a cube or a trapezoid, or connected in blocks of several pieces. Their sizes vary within 5–10 cm in diameter with a wall thickness of 1–1.5 mm.

The material from which the cups are made is a mixture: 50–70% peat, the rest is humus and cellulose. A thick aqueous solution of this composition is pressed in special forms and containers of various sizes and designs are obtained.

The seedlings grown in them no longer need to be removed, breaking the root system of a tender young plant. It is planted in the ground directly in a cup, placing it in a prepared hole. Then sprinkled with earth and watered. The seedling has been planted!

Being in the soil, the peat cup soaks from irrigation water, dissolves in the ground, while fertilizing the soil around the roots of the plant. The roots easily penetrate the porous thin walls and occupy the entire surrounding space. The plant begins to develop fully, in contrast to planting with a damaged root.

How to use peat pots for seedlings - video

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I7OQ4-DMj10

Advantages and disadvantages

Experienced gardeners who are not afraid to experiment do not have a common opinion about peat cups. To appreciate the advantages of this method of landing, products must be used correctly. The benefits are:

• Peat cups are environmentally friendly, as they are made from natural materials.
• They have sufficient mechanical strength and do not fall apart during the period of seedling growth.
• The walls are porous, which ensures the free penetration of air and water to the roots of young plants.
• When transplanting to a garden bed, there is no need to remove the plant from the container. The roots are not injured, which is very important for plants such as cucumbers and eggplants that do not like transplants.
• Seedlings easily take root in a new place, because peat soaks and decomposes, enriching the soil with useful substances that are needed to feed the plant.

There are also disadvantages:

• Manufacturers do not always produce quality products. Sometimes the cups are too tight. For this reason, they do not soak in the ground, and the roots cannot grow through the walls.
• Excessive watering leads to moldy cups.
• The porous material does not retain moisture, because of this, the soil dries out quickly. It is necessary to provide very accurate, metered watering.

To avoid drying out, it is recommended to cover the tray with seedlings in peat cups with a film and remove the coating from time to time to remove excess moisture and fumes.

Which cups to choose: peat, paper or plastic

Vegetable growers often use plastic and paper homemade cups. Peat have several advantages over them:

• Plastic cups need to be cut before planting in the garden. With this action, a clod of earth with roots can crumble; seedlings do not need to be removed from a peat pot.
• Plastic walls do not allow air and moisture to pass through, peat walls provide good aeration and moistening of the roots.
• Homemade paper cups are torn and soaked. They do not guarantee the safety of seedling roots. It takes time to prepare them for landing.
• Neither plastic nor paper cups provide additional nutrition to the roots of the plant.

How to plant seeds in cups: instructions

Planting seeds in cups is a simple process.

If the peat cups are covered with mold, it means that they are waterlogged. At the bottom of the pan in which they stand, there is water that needs to be drained. Wipe the surface of the cup with alcohol, vinegar or soda solution. If mold damage is significant, such containers should be disposed of. For prevention, the room in which the seedlings are located should be ventilated regularly, reduce the dose of watering, carefully loosen upper layer soil in cups.

The mold should be removed and the glass wiped with alcohol, vinegar or soda solution

Where to buy and how to choose

To get a good result, you need to use quality materials. Beginning, inexperienced vegetable growers complain that the seedlings often dry out, and the plants planted in the garden in cups do not develop and die. This comes from the use of low-quality products. Peat in them should be at least 50–70%.

When choosing peat cups, give preference to dark, porous and soft to the touch, with a wall thickness of no more than 1.5 mm. Light, dense glasses are a fake, where there is more cellulose than peat.

Peat cups should be purchased in specialized stores and only in branded packaging, it is advisable to require a quality certificate. Buying them in the markets is fraught with undesirable consequences.

Do not be tempted by the diminutiveness and originality of the shape of some cups. Whether they are round or square, this does not affect the development of seedlings at all.. In small cups (5 cm across), the roots will be cramped. It is better to purchase large, 8-10 cm tall, pots. Such root system any seedling will grow full-fledged.

Self-made peat cups

Some craftsmen make peat cups with their own hands. You can organize such a simple production in any rural yard or on suburban area. The main thing in this matter is to properly prepare the mixture:

1. collect all necessary materials in the right quantities: peat - 7 parts, humus - 2 parts, mullein - 1 part, a little slaked lime.
2. Thoroughly sift the peat and humus. The mixture should not contain large solid particles.
3. Dilute mullein in hot water. The amount of water is determined in each case empirically.
4. Add diluted mullein to a container with peat and humus and mix thoroughly with a shovel until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
5. A little lime can be added to the resulting solution. Fill if necessary hot water. The moisture content of the mass is determined by trial molding cups.
6. At home, you can mold pots with two durable plastic glasses that have the shape of a truncated cone.

Production of peat pots for seedlings - video

It is beautiful when gladioli in pots or flowerpots successfully grow on the balcony of a city apartment or in a summer cottage. Many gardeners who are seriously involved in the cultivation of gladioli unanimously declare that this flower is a garden, but not a home culture. After all, this ornamental plant has voluminous roots that go far into the depths, so it needs a lot of space for proper growth.

Breeders in our time have brought crops suitable for planting in pots. At home, on the balcony or in the yard, you can plant the following varieties of gladioli:

1. 1 Dwarf.
2. 2 Miniature.
3. 3 Medium-flowered.
4. 4 Small-flowered.

cultivation decorative flowers in pots gives you the opportunity to decorate balcony room, balcony-loggia or platform near the house. Professionals share their experience of growing gladioli in pots, and helpful information this will be discussed below.

ornamental plant with bright beautiful flowers in ancient times was called the "dream of gladiators." In order to breed gladioli in flowerpots, the following rules must be observed:

1. 1 The first step is to choose the right size landing capacity. The pot must have a depth of at least 40 cm. A suitable diameter is 20 cm. So that the flowers arranged in pots do not die, it is recommended to choose a solid size container, and the deeper it is, the more beautiful the flower will feel.
2. 2 Since gladioli do not like a lot of moisture, there should be drainage holes in the planting container. They will drain excess water. At the bottom of the pot it is necessary to lay drainage from broken shards. They pass water very well and do not allow the soil to wake up. However, if the grower wants, he can take other drainage material.
3. 3 Pour a useful, enriched substrate over the drainage. For flowers, airy, moisture-intensive soil is perfect. Gladiolus will grow successfully if you take fertile soil for planting. This is very important, since flowers are planted denser in 1 flowerpot than on garden beds.

For planting, you should buy only healthy planting material. Bulbs should be planted in the middle of spring, closer to summer, although some flower growers practice planting seedlings in the first month of spring. Bulbs are planted to a depth of 10 cm.

In order for gladioli to take root successfully and powerfully, the bulbs must be planted at a distance of about 6 cm.

After 21 days, the plantings will germinate and put out the first leaves. After the flowers have sprouted, flowerpots should be placed in a sunny, warm place where there is no wind and drafts. It is important to consider that during the flowering period, gladioli should not get wet under rainwater, otherwise they will simply wither.

Necessary care

Beginning flower growers will be interested to know how to care for gladioli planted in pots.

It should be noted that the plant loves moisture, but does not tolerate its excess. This negatively affects its peduncle, which stops growing, becomes distorted, and loses its decorative qualities. Miniature gladiolus should be watered often, but in moderation. AT summer time when it is very hot, the earth needs to be moistened at least 3 times in 7 days. The soil in pots dries more actively than in garden beds, therefore, in order to increase moisture retention, mulching is performed. To do this, it is good to take a peat composition or humus, which, after watering, will nourish the flowers.

In order for gladioli to bring aesthetic joy, they must be fertilized. It is recommended to do root top dressing and outside the root. You should buy mineral mixtures. The first top dressing should be applied when the 3rd leaf appears, the second - when the 6th leaf is formed, and the 3rd and 4th - when inflorescences appear on the peduncles.

Weak plants must be treated with substances that stimulate growth.

Growing flowers in pots at their summer cottage or at home is a very interesting and exciting process. By following the rules, you can get a beautiful result.

Flowers on the balcony and cottage

Increasingly, gladioli are used in landscaping on the balcony, loggia, gazebo and garden area. For breeding in container pots, you need to choose medium-flowered, small-flowered and miniature varieties.

When choosing containers, you need to try to ensure that they are at least 40 cm in diameter. The container should be beautiful, fit the purchased variety in size and at the same time have enough space for useful soil.

It is necessary that the plant containers include holes through which excess water will drain. Drainage material is necessarily arranged at the bottom of the container. To do this, it is more practical to use pot shards from old products that are in any summer cottage. Water will seep through the drain well, and ornamental plants won't have to rot in a pool of water. Shards of pots also prevent the soil from pouring out of the holes.

On top of the drainage it is necessary to pour the purchased fertile soil. The earth should be airy, enriched with beneficial elements and at the same time water-intensive. The quality of the land is of great importance, since flowers are planted in a container approximately 2 times denser than in the beds.

According to the rules, gladioli bulbs prepared for planting around April 15 - in the first days of May, should be planted in containers to a depth of about 10 cm with a small interval between them. After about 21 days, the grower will see the shoots of flowers and the first developing leaves.

It is important to choose the right place for the container device. Flowers will not survive without warmth, proper lighting, and protection from cool winds and drafts. At the same time, the place cannot be such that the flowers fall into the rain.

Proper watering is required to grow beautiful flowers. The plant loves moist soil, but cannot stand in water. The lack of water in the earth also negatively affects the development of the flower, especially its peduncle, which becomes crooked, sick and loses its beauty.

The soil in the containers dries out very quickly. So that the earth does not dry out too quickly, you need to mulch it. Straits should be made in a timely manner on hot days, at least 2 times a day, and at the same time, make sure that the earth is airy and permeable, otherwise the gladiolus root system may simply wither away.

Plants in containers should be fed in the same way as in garden beds. It is useful to alternate fertilizer under the root system with top dressing outside the root, this should not be forgotten.

For successful growth, you need to do 4 foliar procedures with minerals (0.5 g of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium chloride per 1 liter of water):

• 1st - with the development of the 3rd leaflet;
• 2nd - when the 6th leaf appears;
• 3rd and 4th - during the development of the inflorescence.

It is necessary to feed with minerals, you can also add organic matter from time to time. If the development and flowering of gladioli is weak, then stimulants can be used - Zircon or Epin, however, they can be processed only 2 times per summer.

An indispensable element of caring for gladioli that do not grow in garden beds is the fight against pests and diseases. Flowers growing in containers, container pots are weaker and more prone to disease than those growing in outdoor beds.

It is necessary to monitor the condition of flowers very scrupulously, to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner.

A special advantage of growing gladiolus in pots is that it is possible to increase the growing season and allow the bulbs of decorative flowers to ripen to the end. To do this, with the arrival of frosts, it is necessary to remove the containers with gladioli in a not too dark room, a glazed balcony-loggia or a closed gazebo is well suited, where the desired positive temperature is kept.

With the right choice of varieties and appropriate care, you can admire the incredible flowering of gladioli from the beginning of summer to the cold!

Using hanging pots

To breed magnificent plants, you need not just plant them in the soil, but create super conditions for them, such as right light, moderate watering, enriched, well-drained land.

The containers in which gladioli will be planted should be chosen in shape according to the rules described above. It is necessary to plant corms, observing the interval. The bulbs must be covered with earth by about 5 cm. A layer of pebbles or coarse sand should be poured into the bottom of the container.

Everything is clear with pots, but how to fill the pots? In order for gladioli in a flowerpot to feel good, you need to properly fill them. The drainage material is great importance. If the grower is going to arrange a full-fledged drainage for the flowers, you can take all the same pot shards for the flower pot. Thanks to this, the water will not stagnate, the soil will not pour out of the holes. On top of this layer it is necessary to fill the earth.

The soil must breathe, absorb moisture and be enriched. It is important to take structural soil. Flowers should be planted densely. Growing ornamental plants in pots can be started around April. Usually the time for planting flowers depends on what the weather is like outside.

Gladioli do not bloom immediately - at least 2 months should pass from the moment of planting. Pots should first be covered - for this, polyethylene or plastic bottles are used.

Designed and 1 more very good way: flower growers recommend growing a little at home or in a greenhouse before planting gladioli in a corm container. But not everyone has the place and time for this.

Growing gladioli not in the beds, we must remember that you can appreciate the beauty of flowers only in August, so you should be prepared for the fact that a long period containers will be empty. Great idea plant bindweeds or plant species covering the soil in them - they will cover the void and in the future will not prevent the flowers from blooming magnificently.

Plants will begin to germinate in 14 days or a little later. For the arrangement of containers with plants, you should choose the right place. Beautiful flowers love the sun and light.

If you want to get not just spectacular flowers, but mega flowers, you need to carefully observe the watering regimen. An ornamental plant loves moisture, but there should be no stagnation. With a lack of water, gladioli grow terribly, they can become deformed, lose their beauty. In the hot summertime, watering can be done 2-3 times a day, but you need to make sure that the earth "breathes" and is loose enough, otherwise the root system of the plant will "suffocate".

It must also be remembered that when planting plants in pots or flowerpots, the earth will dry more actively than when planting in beds. When landing in the ground, you need to take a hydrogel. The earth needs to be mulched - this will protect it from drying out and prevent the growth of mold.

Most gardeners want their gladioli to bloom all season long. For this, the entire supply of corms does not need to be planted. Bulbs should be planted every 14 days in batches. Corms of low varieties of gladioli are best suited for planting in containers.