In August - early September, you can dig up the rhizomes of lilies of the valley and plant them in new places. It is best to use a pitchfork for work: they damage plants less. Try to preserve the roots as much as possible. Sort the planting material. Sprouts with fairly dense, at least 6 mm, buds are suitable for planting. They need to be planted immediately, before the roots have time to dry, in pre-prepared holes.
Forcing lilies of the valley
When sorting rhizomes, you can immediately select rhizomes for forcing. Then in winter lilies of the valley will bloom in your apartment. To do this, select rhizomes only with flower buds. The buds from which the leaves are formed have sharp tips, while the flower buds have slightly rounded tips. For forcing, select only the largest flower buds (7 mm in diameter or more). Tie the selected rhizomes into bundles, immerse them in water for 1-2 hours, then wrap them in damp sphagnum moss and film on top. In this form, the sprouts can be stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator until distillation. It is advisable to install them vertically and additionally wrap the tops with wrapping paper so as not to accidentally break the buds.
Master class on propagating lilies of the valley or how to divide lilies of the valley correctly?
Divide the rhizome into separate parts with buds (1). Plant the sprouts in holes 10-15 cm deep in rows. The distance between the holes should be approximately 10 cm, between the rows - about 20 cm. Be sure to carefully straighten the roots so that they do not bend, fill the holes with soil (2). Water the plantings thoroughly. Mulch with peat with a layer of 2 cm (3).
3 ideas where to plant lilies of the valley
1. It is better to plant lilies of the valley in a shady corner of the garden
Overheating of the soil in the area where the roots are located has a bad effect on their development. Keep in mind that lilies of the valley grow very quickly. Planted near paths, they can sprout in the wrong places, lift and warp paving slabs. Between the paths and planting lilies of the valley, it is better to dig a delimiter to a depth of about 25-30 cm. Curtains of lilies of the valley grow well to the sides, occupying any available
plots. In the spring they grow quite late, and by the end of summer they lose their decorative effect. Finding partners is not easy: lilies of the valley form a dense network of rhizomes underground and oppress neighboring plants. But there is a way out.
2. Plant plants with shallow root systems with lilies of the valley,
producing tendrils or rooting shoots: tenacious, green chickweed, lambwort, spring navel.
3. Plant lilies of the valley for cutting and forcing in warmer places in the garden with light soil
Then the plants will be able to produce more flower buds. In places like this good neighbor for lilies of the valley there can be aquilegia. Their long tap roots will go to a depth unattainable for the powerful roots of lilies of the valley.
Photo for the material: Viktor Balakirev, Shutterstock/TASS
Thuja or juniper - which is better? This question can sometimes be heard in garden centers and markets where these plants are sold. It is, of course, not entirely correct and correct. Well, it’s the same as asking what is better - night or day? Coffee or tea? Woman or man? Surely, everyone will have their own answer and opinion. And yet... What if you approach with an open mind and try to compare juniper and thuja according to certain objective parameters? Let's try.
Brown Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Smoked Bacon is a delicious, smooth and creamy soup that both adults and children will love. If you are preparing a dish for the whole family, including kids, then do not add a lot of spices, although many modern children are not at all against spicy flavors. Bacon for serving can be prepared in different ways - fry in a frying pan, as in this recipe, or bake in the oven on parchment for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees.
For some, the time of sowing seeds for seedlings is a long-awaited and pleasant chores, for some it is a difficult necessity, while others are thinking about whether it would be easier to buy ready-made seedlings on the market or from friends? Be that as it may, even if you gave up growing vegetable crops, for sure, you will still have to sow something. These are flowers and perennials, conifers and much more. A seedling is still a seedling, no matter what you sow.
amateur humid air and one of the most compact and rare orchids pafinia is a real star for most orchid growers. Its flowering rarely lasts longer than a week, but it can be an unforgettable sight. Unusual striped patterns on huge flowers I want to look at a modest orchid endlessly. IN indoor culture pafinia is rightly ranked among the difficult-to-grow species. It became fashionable only with the spread of interior terrariums.
Pumpkin ginger marmalade is a warming sweet that can be prepared almost all year round. Pumpkin keeps for a long time - sometimes I manage to save a few vegetables until summer, fresh ginger and lemons are always available these days. Lemon can be replaced with lime or orange to create different flavors - variety in sweets is always nice. The finished marmalade is placed in dry jars; it can be stored at room temperature, but it’s always healthier to cook fresh food.
In 2014, the Japanese company Takii seed introduced petunia with a striking petal color - salmon-orange. By association with bright colors southern sunset sky, the unique hybrid is called African Sunset. Needless to say, this petunia instantly won the hearts of gardeners and was in great demand. But in the last two years, the curiosity has suddenly disappeared from store windows. Where did the orange petunia go?
In our family Bell pepper they love it, that’s why we plant it every year. Most of the varieties that I grow have been tested by me for more than one season; I cultivate them constantly. I also try to try something new every year. Pepper is a heat-loving plant and quite whimsical. About varietal and hybrid varieties of tasty and productive sweet peppers, which grow well for me, and we'll talk Further. I live in middle lane Russia.
Meat cutlets with broccoli in béchamel sauce - great idea for a quick lunch or dinner. Start by preparing the mince and at the same time heat 2 liters of water to a boil to blanch the broccoli. By the time the cutlets are fried, the cabbage will be ready. All that remains is to collect the ingredients in a frying pan, season with sauce and bring to readiness. Broccoli needs to be cooked quickly to retain its vibrant color. green color, which, when cooked for a long time, either fades or the cabbage turns brown.
Home floriculture- not only an exciting process, but also a very troublesome hobby. And, as a rule, the more experience a grower has, the healthier his plants look. What should those who have no experience but want to have a home do? houseplants- not elongated, stunted specimens, but beautiful and healthy ones, not causing a feeling of guilt with their fading? For beginners and flower growers who do not have much experience, I will tell you about the main mistakes that are easy to avoid.
Lush cheesecakes in a frying pan with banana-apple confiture - another recipe for everyone’s favorite dish. To prevent cheesecakes from falling off after cooking, remember a few simple rules. Firstly, only fresh and dry cottage cheese, secondly, no baking powder or soda, thirdly, the thickness of the dough - you can sculpt from it, it is not tight, but pliable. A good dough with a small amount of flour can only be obtained from good cottage cheese, and here again see the “firstly” point.
It is no secret that many drugs from pharmacies have migrated to summer cottages. Their use, at first glance, seems so exotic that some summer residents are perceived with hostility. At the same time, potassium permanganate is a long-known antiseptic that is used in both medicine and veterinary medicine. In plant growing, a solution of potassium permanganate is used both as an antiseptic and as a fertilizer. In this article we will tell you how to properly use potassium permanganate in the garden.
Pork meat salad with mushrooms is a rural dish that can often be found on festive table in the village. This recipe is with champignons, but if possible, use Forest mushrooms, then be sure to cook it this way, it will be even tastier. You don’t need to spend a lot of time preparing this salad - put the meat in a pan for 5 minutes and another 5 minutes for slicing. Everything else happens practically without the participation of the cook - the meat and mushrooms are boiled, cooled, and marinated.
Cucumbers grow well not only in a greenhouse or conservatory, but also in open ground. Typically, cucumbers are sown from mid-April to mid-May. Harvesting in this case is possible from mid-July to the end of summer. Cucumbers cannot tolerate frost. That's why we don't sow them too early. However, there is a way to bring their harvest closer and taste the juicy beauties from your garden at the beginning of summer or even in May. It is only necessary to take into account some of the features of this plant.
Poliscias – great alternative classic variegated shrubs and trees. The elegant round or feathery leaves of this plant create a strikingly festive curly crown, and its elegant silhouettes and rather modest character make it an excellent candidate for the role of the largest plant in the house. More large leaves do not prevent it from successfully replacing Benjamin and Co. ficuses. Moreover, polyscias offers much more variety.
An old belief says: a small bouquet of lilies of the valley, placed at the head of the bed, grants happy life spouses. Even a novice gardener can grow delicate lilies of the valley with a divine aroma.
Lilies of the valley are poisonous plants
All parts of the plant contain strong poisons that affect the cardiovascular and digestive systems. Even mild poisoning is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, headache and cardiac dysfunction. Moderate poisoning can be fatal.
An overdose of convallotoxin and other cardiac glycosides that lily of the valley contains causes cardiac arrest. Wear gloves when working with this plant. Be sure to explain to children that they should not play with lilies of the valley, and that they should wash their hands after collecting the bouquet. The red berries of the plant are very dangerous and may seem attractive to children.
The famous quote from Paracelsus: “Everything is poison and everything is medicine, it’s just a matter of dose”, fits the lily of the valley. Made from a plant medications for the treatment of heart diseases.
Uncontrolled use of tinctures, decoctions, drops and others medicines from lilies of the valley is very dangerous! Be sure to consult your doctor before preparing or taking preparations from this plant.
All types of lilies of the valley are herbaceous perennials with a strong root system that grows underground and gives rise to new flowers. Because of this property, lilies of the valley are considered aggressive plants that crowd out other species. When forming a flower bed, take care of limiters that will prevent lilies of the valley from growing throughout the entire area.
May lily of the valley (Convalaria majalis)
Grows in Europe, Russia, China, North America. It is found in coniferous and mixed forests, floodplains, and on mountain slopes. Like other species, it is listed in the Red Book. The collection of this plant is punishable by a fine.
May lily of the valley has two or three leaves in the shape of an oblong ellipse, a stem no more than 30 cm long and brush-shaped inflorescences of 5-20 small flowers. Garden shape The May lily of the valley is Berlin lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis f. Berolinensis), which has larger flowers and is better suited for forcing. Varieties differ in the shape and shades of flowers and leaves, as well as the intensity of the aroma. The most common varieties for planting garden plot:
Albostriata- Very decorative variety, which are valued not only for their delicate white flowers, but also for their unusual leaf color - green sheet plate covered with cream-colored stripes. Even after the end of flowering, Albostriata lilies of the valley will delight the eye.
Aurea- a variety of lilies of the valley with yellow-green leaves.
Flore Pleno– lily of the valley with large double flowers white.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Grandiflora – large-flowered variety, the flowers have a pleasant intense aroma.
Rosea- variety with flowers Pink colour, on one peduncle up to 14 pieces.
Latifolia- distinguished by large double white flowers.
Victor Ivanovich- the result of the work of Russian breeders, differs in height - the plant grows up to 50 cm in length. The flowers are large, white, up to 19 pieces per peduncle.
Keiske Lily of the Valley (Convallaria keiskei)
Distributed in the forests of Eastern Siberia, the Far East, Kuril Islands, in Northern and Central Asia.
The flowers are white, bell-shaped, larger (up to 1 cm in diameter) than those of the May lily of the valley. It blooms later - in mid-May. Depending on the weather conditions the beginning of flowering may shift to the end of June.
Mountain lily of the valley (Convallaria montana)
Found in the mountains of the eastern United States. The plant is up to 35 cm long, the leaves are 5 cm wide, the flowers are white, bell-shaped, wider than those of the May species. Some scientists consider the mountain lily of the valley to be a subspecies of the May lily of the valley.
Transcaucasian lily of the valley (Convallaria transcaucasica)
grassy perennial, up to 30 cm in length. The flowers are white, with petals bent upward, in the shape of a wide bell. It blooms from April to June, depending on the climate. Distributed in the forests of the North Caucasus, Crimea, in the central and western parts of Transcaucasia.
Choosing a landing site
Lily of the valley - unpretentious plant. It grows best in the partial shade of trees and shrubs. Too much darkness will result in no flowering. Lily of the valley prefers moist soils, but there should be no stagnation. The soil for lilies of the valley should be light and permeable, but at the same time retain moisture. Favorable soil acidity - 5-6 Ph. The soil must be fertilized with organic matter.
Dig a border or other fence to a depth of 40 cm around the perimeter of the lily of the valley bed. This measure will prevent the spread of lilies of the valley beyond the boundaries of the area intended for them.
Soil preparation
Preparatory activities carried out in advance, for example, in the spring, if planting is planned for the fall.
If the soil in the area is acidic, then dig it up with a shovel and add lime - 200 g per 1 sq. m. m.
Clay soil lighten with sand.
Clay is added to sandy, too light soil.
Enrich the soil as follows: add humus, compost or manure at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 sq. m.; or superphosphate - 100 g per 1 sq. m., potassium sulfate - 40 g per 1 sq. m. Humus prepared from forest litter is well suited.
It is recommended to sow lupines or peas on the plot 2 months before planting lilies of the valley. The fact is that legumes enrich the soil with nitrogen. Before planting lilies of the valley, the green legumes are removed and the roots are left in the ground.
Planting lilies of the valley in autumn
Sprouts with a leaf bud and a flower bud, located on a rhizome 7-8 cm long, are recommended for planting. You can determine whether a plant has a flower bud by the diameter of the sprout, as well as by the shape of the crown. Sprouts with a flower bud are larger - over 0.6 cm in diameter. It is believed that the sharp crown of the sprout bears only leaves, while the round one has a peduncle in the bud.
Experienced gardeners It is recommended to plant lilies of the valley in the fall. In this case, the plants take root faster, get sick less, and if they have a flower bud, they bloom in the spring. Planting is carried out at the end of August - beginning of September, observing next technology:
- Make grooves in the prepared bed. There should be a distance of 25 cm between the grooves, and 10 cm between plants in a row. The depth of the groove depends on the length of the rhizome planting material.
- Take a sprout of lily of the valley and place it in the groove, but the rhizome should not bend;
- Bury the sprout to a depth of no more than 2 cm;
- Water the garden bed well.
Caring for lilies of the valley
Lilies of the valley are unpretentious and require minimal care.
Young plants need to be weeded. Particularly dangerous for lilies of the valley that have not yet become strong is the proximity to plants that have a powerful root system. For example, coltsfoot, wheatgrass, whine.
In dry summers, lilies of the valley need to be watered; the rest of the time, no watering is required. Lilies of the valley are very resistant to drought; they will not die without watering, but next year will produce smaller flowers.
Fertilizing also affects flowering. Organic fertilizers(manure or compost) diluted with water can be used in the first spring after planting. To obtain fertilizer, take fresh manure, fill it with water in a ratio of 1:5 and leave to ferment for 2 weeks. The resulting concentrate is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and watered at the roots of the flowers.
Experienced gardeners advise mulching lilies of the valley with rotted compost. This layer of mulch enriches the soil and maintains its moisture.
Mineral fertilizers are applied a year after planting. Superphosphate and potassium salt work well. You can prepare an extract from superphosphate. To do this, pour 100 g of powder into 1 liter of boiling water and then boil for half an hour. The resulting concentrate is filtered and diluted with water at the rate of 100 ml per bucket of water per 1 square meter. m.
Lilies of the valley after flowering
After flowering, lilies of the valley decorate the flowerbed with their leaves. They look great like ground cover plants and combine into joint plantings with those flowers whose roots are shallow. Such flowers include, for example, jasmine and aquilegia. Ferns, astilbes, and hosts look very decorative next to lilies of the valley. These plants, like lily of the valley, love shade.
By autumn, fruits appear on lilies of the valley - red-orange berries. There are seeds inside the berries. As stated earlier, the fruits and seeds are just as poisonous as other parts of the plant.
There is no need to cover these flowers for the winter - lilies of the valley are amazingly frost-resistant.
Reproduction of lilies of the valley
Under suitable conditions, lilies of the valley grow beautifully without human intervention. If you want to plant lilies of the valley in new flower bed, or arrange their location on the old one, then this can be done in two ways:
- Dividing the rhizome. In August, rhizomes are dug up and the strongest sprouts are selected, preferably with a flower bud. For planting you need a piece of roots 8-10 cm long.
- Seeds. This method It is rarely used because lily of the valley seeds are difficult to germinate. In addition, lilies of the valley grown from seeds bloom only in the 7th year. Seeds are sown before winter immediately permanent place. Planting depth is about 2 cm. After germination, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 15 cm between plants.
Forcing lilies of the valley for the New Year and Christmas
For forcing, only garden varieties of lilies of the valley are used. Large-flowered forms are best suited for this purpose.
- In mid-September, dig up rhizomes and select sprouts with a flower bud. Soak the dug up rhizomes in water for 2 hours, then wrap them in sphagnum moss or a damp cloth and place them in plastic bag.
- Store the bag of lily of the valley rhizomes in the refrigerator.
- At the beginning of December, remove the rhizomes from the refrigerator and leave them for a day at room temperature.
- Soak for 10 hours in warm (30 degrees) water.
- Plant the sprouts in the ground, cover with glass or film and place in a warm place.
- After pipping the sprouts, the glass or film is removed.
- When buds appear, the plant is taken to a cool place, thereby prolonging the flowering period.
After forcing, the lily of the valley rhizomes completely exhaust their supply of nutrients. Such a plant is planted in open ground not subject to, since it will not be able to form a new root system.
Diseases and pests of lilies of the valley
Planting and caring for lilies of the valley does not require much effort. Lilies of the valley - great plants for partial shade. The spring scent of these flowers is soothing, and the green foliage is pleasing to the eye. Plant these beautiful flowers in the fall, and in the spring, collect a delicate bouquet.
Lately this modest flower has become very popular in landscape design. Several were displayed garden species lilies of the valley, standing out for their size and color. For growing on summer cottage or at home in a pot, it is not necessary to have a cultivated variety; you can dig up the plant in the forest in late autumn or try planting seeds. Of course, you will have to tinker, but the snow-white beauty spring lilies of the valley(pictured) is worth the effort.
Systematics of lily of the valley and occurrence in nature
Lily of the valley, oddly enough, comes from the asparagus family. In the botanical classification, it is represented by a single species - May lily of the valley, but geographical subspecies are also distinguished:
- Far Eastern (Keiske);
- mountain;
- Transcaucasian
There are no significant differences in morphology between them, the only thing is that these subspecies are territorially isolated from the main one. IN wildlife lily of the valley is distributed throughout the European part of the Russian Federation, in Far East and Transbaikalia. The population halo covers Asia Minor and North America. The plant is classified as a protected species, as its numbers are actively declining.
May lily of the valley
The Latin name for lily of the valley sounds like “lily of the valleys,” which well reflects its favorite places of settlement. You can find lily of the valley thickets in forests, in clearings and clearings, in lowlands near the water. Lily of the valley is very recognizable by its bright green oblong leaves and peduncles with white fragrant bells. In the middle zone, flowering begins in May and lasts about twenty days. This happens at different times in each region.
Lily of the valley - plant lower tier, he loves diffused light and light partial shade. Its stems reach a height of about 30 cm. After flowering, fruits are formed - round berries containing seeds.
Attention! All parts of the lily of the valley are poisonous, as in large quantities contain convallate toxin.
Procurement of material and artificial forcing of lilies of the valley
The easiest way to get new plants is from rhizomes with flower buds. They can be easily distinguished from leaf ones by their rounded tops. In the fall (no later than October), the rhizomes are dug up, tied into bunches of several pieces and placed vertically in washed river sand.
Advice. Instead of sand, you can use wet sphagnum moss for storage.
The containers are left to overwinter in a cool place: a cellar, a compartment for vegetables in the refrigerator (no more than +2°C). Only with early forcing (December, early January) are lilies of the valley frozen three weeks before planting (-3...-5°C). Thawing is carried out gradually, thereby simulating a spring thaw. To do this, prepare a bath (+30°C), the water in which is changed several times.
Lily of the valley root
The best month for forcing lilies of the valley is the last calendar month winter. By this time, the rhizomes have already woken up and are ready for planting in nutrient soil. The sprouts in containers are placed close to each other, watered abundantly and, covered with a transparent pact, placed in a warm, bright place. From direct sun rays greenhouses provide shade. When the first green leaf appears, the shelter is removed and the temperature is lowered.
Attention! Watering is carried out only with water heated to +25°C.
Late forcing takes place in March. Usually such plants do not produce abundant flowering. To prevent flower stalks from getting lost among the foliage, unexpanded leaves are removed with nail scissors.
Lily of the valley in a pot must be cared for: watered, sprayed, mulched upper layer peat. Flowering occurs in less than a month. With the appearance of the first buds, lilies of the valley are provided with an air temperature of no more than +18°C. It is not advisable to propagate May lily of the valley by seeds.
Lilies of the valley in a summer cottage
Forest flower loves well-moistened nutrient soils. It is better to choose a place in the shade of large trees or bushes. Since the plant has a creeping root system, it will grow throughout the garden without outside help. To limit growth, plastic borders from specialized stores are used.
The place for planting lily of the valley is prepared in advance. Fertilizers are applied:
- Deciduous humus or peat (10 kg per 1 sq. m).
- Mineral additives (superphosphate 100 g and potassium salt 40 g per 1 sq. m).
Planting grooves or holes are made, the depth of which depends on the size of the rhizomes. The sprouts are covered with a 1–2 cm layer of soil. About 10 cm is laid between the plants.
Lilies of the valley do well in the shade of trees
Planted in the fall, lilies of the valley will delight you with flowers in the first spring. Some people prefer to plant rhizomes “before winter.” Lilies of the valley tolerate the most severe frosts- down to -40°C and do not require shelter.
Attention! For varietal lilies of the valley, some peculiarities in care are possible.
I love lilies of the valley very much organic fertilizers, they can be applied immediately after rooting. Minerals Plants will need it only after a year. At one place May lilies of the valley can grow and bloom for more than 10 years.
At first, the planting will have to be weeded and loosened; an overgrown meadow of lilies of the valley does not need this.
Lilies of the valley in landscape design
There are many interesting varieties lily of the valley, which will decorate spring flower bed. Plants were obtained not only with traditional white flowers, but also with pink, double bells. There are differences in leaf color and inflorescence size. The most famous varieties:
- Aurea (yellow foliage);
- Flore Pleno (white double flowers);
- Grandiflora (white flowers, large wide leaves);
- Green Tapestry (yellow-green foliage);
- Rosea (pale pink flowers, profusely flowering variety).
Lilies of the valley in landscape design
Even after flowering has finished, lilies of the valley do not lose their attractiveness. Therefore, you can decorate with lush green bushes garden paths, empty spaces near gazebos and benches in the courtyard. Lilies of the valley are combined with the same shade-loving and moisture-loving plants, for example, with forget-me-nots, hostas, and speedwell. The main thing is that the root system of the “neighbors” is not very extensive and deep.
On your summer cottage you can create own corner untouched nature. Plant lilies of the valley between conifers or deciduous trees. You can add ferns and low ornamental shrubs to the composition.
The delightful and unique aroma of this flower cannot leave anyone indifferent. There are so many legends, poems and songs about the lily of the valley - a symbol of spring, tenderness and refined beauty!
It is believed that even nightingales in May, having caught the amazing aroma of lily of the valley, begin to give out their famous trills. There is a belief that lilies of the valley growing in the garden protect the house from dark forces and protect household members from damage and the evil eye.
This flower is especially revered in France. In several cities, on the first Sunday in May, a holiday is celebrated - Lily of the Valley Day.
Ancient legends say that lily of the valley flowers resemble small lanterns of forest gnomes. In fairy tales, they are associated with pearls onto which the mermaid's laughter is scattered.
The botanical name of lily of the valley is Lilium convallium, which is Latin for “lily of the valleys.” He has a lot of funny folk names- youthful, youthful, shirt, culprit, lapushnik, gladysh, silver. Lily of the valley is widespread in the forests of Europe, Asia and North America. This flower began to be cultivated in the 16th century.
Lily of the Valley by modern classification belongs to the perennial herbaceous plants family of Asparagus, previously it belonged to the genus Liliaceae, family of lilies of the valley.
The flower has a creeping, fibrous, thin root, grows in bushes 20-25 cm high, each of which has from 1 to 5 leaves, they are elongated oval in shape and bright green. The peduncle appears from a triangular flower bud and has a spiral shape. Snow-white flowers, reminiscent of small bells, are arranged in racemose inflorescences of 8-15 pieces, the width of each flower is approximately 5 mm, and the height is 4 mm.
Lily of the valley blooms in May - June for about 14-16 days. In place of the flowers, red round berries are formed, inside which the seeds ripen in a three-chambered box. After flowering ends, the leaves of the lily of the valley retain their decorative appearance for another month, and then turn yellow and dry out.
Since all parts of the plant are poisonous, children must be warned about this so that they do not eat the red berries. All works gardening work When handling this plant, you must wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly.
Varieties of lily of the valley
Botanists consider lily of the valley to be a monotypic genus, and all its species are classified as varieties of May lily of the valley:
May lily of the valley. This plant is included in the Red Book. Found naturally in temperate latitudes northern hemisphere. It has several varieties: Grandiflora - quite different large flowers, Proliferation - has large double flowers, Variegata - with yellow veins on the leaves.
Lily of the valley Keiske. It can be found in the forests of Japan, China, the Far East and Korea. Differs in enlarged flowers and early flowering. It can be grown at home in flower pots.
Mountain lily of the valley. This species can be observed in the mountains of southeastern America. It has larger leaves and wide-open bell-shaped flowers.
Transcaucasian lily of the valley. Grows in the forests of the Caucasus. Its flowers are more expanded in shape than those of the May lily of the valley.
Application of lily of the valley
In addition to growing for bouquets, lily of the valley is widely used in perfume and cosmetic production. Its unsurpassed aroma is often used as main component for creating various perfume compositions.
When composing bouquets, one must take into account the fact that lily of the valley is not compatible with any other flower due to its toxicity.
But man has learned to adapt this negative quality to the benefit of his health. Healing properties Lily of the valley has been known since ancient times and is used to treat hypertension, atherosclerosis, insomnia, cardiovascular and many other diseases.
Important! Self-production decoctions and tinctures from this poisonous plant unacceptable, you must purchase pharmaceutical drugs strictly in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician, and use them according to the instructions.
Selecting a site and preparing for planting
It is preferable to choose a place for planting lilies of the valley in a shaded and moist area. They feel great under the branches of bushes or trees, where sunlight is scattered, and moisture does not evaporate from the soil quickly.
It is advisable that the planting site be reliably protected from winds and drafts - the fragile lily of the valley flowers do not tolerate them well. The soil is fertile, well permeable to water and air, neutral or slightly acidic. If the soil is too acidic, then it must be dug up with the addition of lime, compost, superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
If lilies of the valley are supposed to be planted in the spring, then the soil is dug up and enriched in the fall; if planting is planned in the fall, then the soil is prepared in the spring.
Planting lily of the valley
The best period for planting lilies of the valley is autumn - from the first days of September to the first days of November.
The landing algorithm is as follows:
- Dig small furrows in the soil enriched in advance at a distance of 25-30 cm between the rows.
- Bury the seedlings into the soil 1-2 cm at a distance of 10 cm from each other.
- After planting, water the young plants generously.
- By winter, young plants must be mulched and covered with special material.
If you plant lilies of the valley in the spring, then in the first year they may not please you with flowers. Spring-planted lilies of the valley take a long time to take root and bloom only in the second year. Experienced gardeners recommend spring planting Cover lilies of the valley with special material at night to protect them from night frosts.
Methods for propagating lily of the valley
Lily of the valley reproduces by seeds and division of the rhizome. The seed method is used extremely rarely; it is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and the seeds have difficulty germinating. But if for some reason this is necessary, then you must adhere to the following instructions:
- Collect seeds from a box in the fall. Choose the best ones. Dry them well and store them in a cool place.
- Two months before planting, stratify the seeds to increase germination.
- Prepare fertile, loose soil and bury the seeds 2 cm into it at a distance of 12-15 cm between them.
- After the onset of stable spring warmth, the seeds are sown directly in open ground or in special seedling boxes.
The most affordable and quick way propagation of lilies of the valley - by dividing the rhizome. To do this, dig up lilies of the valley in August-September, select good, strong sprouts, and give preference to sprouts with a round bud at the end. Selected sprouts are separated and planted in the beds in the usual way.
Lily of the valley transplant
It is worth noting that lily of the valley is a fairly quickly growing flower that tends to crowd out all other plants on the site. Sometimes there is a need to transplant it for this reason.
It is better to replant in the first half of autumn in prepared and fertilized soil. It is advisable to choose a planting site so that you do not have to replant the plant, since lily of the valley prefers permanence.
Lily of the valley care
This flower is completely unpretentious in care, but you will have to put in a minimum of effort, and then it will reward you with its delightful flowering and aroma.
Watering
Lily of the valley loves moist soil. You need to water the plant plenty, especially in the dry season. In this case, it is necessary to take precautions so as not to flood the roots and provoke fungal diseases.
Top dressing
After planting and rooting lilies of the valley, they should be fertilized with manure or compost. A year after planting, you can begin feeding with mineral complexes.
Loosening
After each watering, it is necessary to carefully, shallowly loosen the soil around the lilies of the valley and carefully remove all weeds.
Disease and pest control
Most often, lilies of the valley are affected by vegetable rot. To combat this disease, spraying with fungicides is used.
Of the insects, the greatest danger to lilies of the valley are nematodes, onion rattles and sawflies. They gnaw the leaves of the plant and it dies. If these pests are detected, the plant must be destroyed and the area inspected, as these pests quickly spread throughout the garden.
As a preventive measure, it is necessary to follow the rules of watering, loosen and weed the soil in time to remove weeds, and thin out too dense thickets of lilies of the valley.
Caring for lilies of the valley after flowering and preparing for winter
After the end of flowering, beds with lilies of the valley do not lose their charm for a long time, until August, thanks to the beautiful green foliage. When the leaves turn yellow and dry, they are removed from the beds.
In the first season after planting, the soil around the lilies of the valley must be mulched for the winter and covered with covering material. In subsequent years, this will no longer be necessary.
Often, in order to prevent strong and inappropriate growth, lily of the valley plantings are protected with sheets of slate or other durable material.
Negative effects of lily of the valley
Given the toxicity beautiful flower, it must be treated with extreme caution. Bouquets of lilies of the valley are not recommended to be left in the bedroom. Their amazing aroma can cause a strong reaction in people prone to allergies, provoke headache and difficulty breathing.
The attractive red berries of this plant may interest the child and he will want to swallow them. In case of poisoning, you must urgently rinse your stomach and call emergency medical help.
