Helianthum (from the Greek. helios - sun and anthos - flower), in Russian - sunflower, is a very beautiful perennial plant with bright yellow, red, pink or white flowers, which, thanks to its unpretentiousness and rapid growth, is able to decorate any summer cottage . It is an evergreen sprawling shrub up to 30 cm tall with leaves of a dark green or silver-gray shade.
Planting and reproduction of the helianthemum
Sunflower breeding occurs in three ways: seeds, layering, cuttings.
Planting seeds for seedlings
It is better to start planting sunflower seeds for seedlings already in early March, since the process of germination in the helianthemum is quite long (sometimes up to four weeks). Seeds are scattered on the loosened soil, after which it is covered with a thin layer of sand or vermiculite. Germination should occur in a bright place at a temperature of 18-24 ° C.
When sprouts appear, it is necessary to provide a cooler (by 3-5 ° C) temperature regime with a noticeable diurnal difference. In such conditions, the seedlings feel more comfortable.
Planting in open ground
It makes sense to plant a sunflower in the open field at the beginning of May and immediately to the place reserved for the helianthemum.
Important! Sunflower is very difficult to tolerate all types of transplants.
The very name of the plant dictates the choice of place for its planting: Sunflower prefers a lot of heat and sunlight. The soil is preferably alkaline or neutral, with a high content of sand or fine crushed stone, which provides sufficient moisture permeability. Helianthum is also growing on loam, but in this case it is better to add dolomite flour to the soil in advance.
Reproduction using top cuttings
Cutting is rightly considered the most common method of reproduction of perennial. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the shoots that do not have flowers, about 10 cm in length, put them in a container with peat or sand and cover with a film to create the greenhouse effect. The emergence of new leaves means that the plant has begun and it can be planted in open ground.
Some Sunflower Care Tips
Sunflower as a whole is quite unpretentious, and care for it is not associated with particular difficulties. However, in order for the plant for many years to please the eye with flowers the color of the sun, it needs a lot of sunlight. The plant prefers dry soil with good drainage, watering sunflower can be carried out only during periods of severe drought.
For better flowering, pruned shoots need to be cut by about a third.
Important! It is not necessary to feed the helianthemum, in this case the plant goes "to the leaf", and the flowering, on the contrary, weakens.
To prepare the plant for the winter it is covered with agrofibre, hay or dry grass. Sunflower with silver leaves need to cover more carefully.
Did you know? Helianthumes with different shades of flowers are grown differently: plants with red flowers freeze in winter and therefore are considered annuals, while yellow and orange flowers are characteristic of more durable sunflowers that tolerate not too harsh winters.
Partners and use in garden design
Sunflower is often used as a composite element to cover bare or stony patches of soil. It goes well with blue flowers such as bells, sage, lavender, Veronica, decorative linen.
Ornamental grasses also look good next to helianthemum. It can be various types of fescue or feather grass.
Flowers of a sunflower against a background of dark-green coniferous plants, for example a juniper, look especially bright.
The verdure of sunflower leaves in the spring superbly emphasizes the nobility of tulips, daffodils and crocuses.
Sunflower love to use designers when forming alpine slides: The plant not only tolerates drought well, but also grows well between stones and on steep slopes, therefore, the competent use of sunflower in garden design gives a result that cannot be described. Helianthum is used for planting garden paths along the borders, as well as in containers, for decorating balconies, arbors and terraces.
Did you know? There are two types of helianthemum flowers - simple and terry. The first bloom only one day (from dawn until noon), but since the plant constantly throws out new and new flowers, it seems that the flowering is not interrupted.
Disease and Pest Resistance
The main enemy of the sunflower - an excess of moisture. It is not only about overflow, but also about melting snow, as a result of which the soil is saturated with water, and the plant begins to rust and rot. Aphids and thrips are especially dangerous for sunflower pests, and biological insecticides should be used in case of a lesion. Powdery mildew diseases are usually associated with waterlogging.
