Mirabilis flower does not require special care and is suitable for novice gardeners. With minimal cost, you can grow a beautiful plant that will delight you all season. How to do it correctly, we will explain in this article.
Did you know? The leaves of Mirabilis may be eaten.
Mirabilis: plant description
Mirabilis belongs to the family Niktaginovye and has about 60 species. They grow in warm areas of America, but are now gaining popularity in many tropical regions.
Mirabilis is one-year and multi-year. Krona plants are simple and sessile branches, which are located opposite. The flowers of the night beauty are gathered in inflorescences and are shaped like a calyx. The color is different - white, yellow, pink or red. With 1 g of fruit you can get 15 seeds. The plant grows up to 80 cm in height. Mirabilis roots are swollen and tuberiform.
Where to plant mirabilis
If you like Mirabilis, you need to know as much as possible about growing and caring for it after planting.
Lighting and temperature
The optimum temperature that is suitable for keeping Mirabilis is 18 ° C. The plant may suffer a short fall to 10 degrees, but it is better to adhere to the optimum temperature. In winter, it should not be below 15 degrees.
Mirabilis loves scattered and bright light. He may come up and artificial lighting when growing at home. When landing in open ground, expect that the plant needs good lighting. It is important to take into account the fact that in the shade the bush does not bloom or blooms, but the flowers are faded and scarce.
Important! Protect Mirabilis from direct sunlight.
Soil requirements
When it comes time to plant flowers of the night beauty, you need to choose the right soil for this plant.
In the spring, when you transplant a flower in an open ground, you need to prepare the substrate.
The recipe for Mirabilis nutrient primer is as follows:
- 2 h of clay-sod land;
- 2 hours of decomposed peat;
- 1 h. Large washed river sand;
- 1 h. Washed brick chips;
- 0.5 part dolomite flour.
Planting technology Mirabilis
Mirabilis is an easy-to-grow plant, but when planting it is important to take into account the place and time, as well as taking care of it in the open field.
When to plant Mirabilis
If you decide to plant mirabilis using seeds, then do it better in early April. They are sown in a semi-warm greenhouse.
And when it comes time to transplant the shoots in the open ground, it should be done in early May. These are the optimal dates for the southern regions.
Did you know? Mirabilis flowers are used to color food. The crimson dye obtained from the flowers is used to tint cakes and jellies.
Soil preparation for planting
Having germinated mirabilis and having determined when to plant it, proceed to the preparation of the soil.
Before planting Mirabilis in an open area, it is necessary to loosen the soil thoroughly and apply fertilizer. If there are weeds on the plot, they must be removed, as they can interfere with the growth of Mirabilis.
In the hole, where Mirabilis will land, you need to deposit approximately 1/3 of the buried compost and 1 tbsp. l mineral fertilizer. Basically take mineral dressing, in order not to damage the plant with chemical preparations to accelerate growth.
Did you know? Mirabilis tubers have a laxative effect.
Scheme planting sprout Mirabilis
After & as prepared the ground, you need to properly plant Mirabilis. Since the bushes of this flower are sprawling and large, the holes for planting should be located at a distance of 45 cm from each other.
If the soil is sour, then 350 g of wood ash or 150 g of dolomite flour per 1 sq. M. m
How to care for Mirabilis
Mirabilis - an unpretentious plant, its planting and care in the open field will also not be easy.
Did you know? For the first time the night beauty was discovered in the Andes of Peru, and already in 1525 the plant became known in Europe.
The main thing is to remember three rules: a lot of moisture, a lot of sun and rich soil. If you follow these instructions, you will easily grow the beauty of the night, which will delight you with its flowering.
Rules for watering Mirabilis
Even if mirabilis is adapted to drought and tolerates dry periods normally, it needs to be watered. With a lack of moisture, the plant stops growing and does not tie buds. In the hot summer Mirabilis should be watered every other day.
Important! Do not let the ground dry out.
In the open ground should be abundantly watered plants, but not often, on average, once a week.
How to fertilize a plant
Plant fertilizer is an important step towards lush bushes with abundant flowering.
In the summer, perennial should be fertilized about three times, choosing mineral fertilizers. If you do not want to use chemicals, you can apply organic dressings, namely bird droppings or mullein. Bring them into the root zone.
You can also use tincture "Humate" and pour over the root zone.
Important! Fertilizer, which you will feed the plant for the second and third time, should not contain a lot of nitrogen, as this leads to a delay in flowering.
How to care for Mirabilis, pruning plants
Mirabilis grows very wide and high, and you need to know how to care for it in the open field and form the crown of the plant with the help of annual pruning.
This should be done when the first frost will pass. Pruning stimulates the growth of shoots. Lignified shoots are cut with a clean knife at an angle.
There is also an option not to prune mirabilis at all, since the flower will feel so good, but pruning helps to form a crown and increase the growth rate of young shoots.
Did you know? The name "Mirabilis" originates from the Latin word mirabilis - amazing.
Reproduction Mirabilis
If you decide to propagate Mirabilis, this can be done by seeds, cuttings and tubers.
Seeds
Seed propagation has an excellent ability - maintaining germination up to five years.
Sow the seeds directly into the soil after thawing the soil in late April. You can also do this at the end of May. In cold summer in regions with a cool climate, the flower sometimes does not have time to bloom.
Before planting Mirabilis in open ground, seeds should be sown in a peat pot with light soil. The level of acidity should be low. It should be ensured that there is no excess moisture in the soil, as the seeds can quickly rot. After planting the seedlings Mirabilis watered moderately and rarely.
Cuttings
Propagation by cutting is ineffective and requires a lot of attention and effort.
For this method, half-woody shoots are taken and placed in a container with a growth stimulator.
Important! The slices need to be dried.
After this, mirabilis is transplanted into the nutrient substrate. After 20 days, the plant takes root, and it is necessary to provide the shoots with the necessary care, namely, regular moistening of the soil and maintaining the temperature of the room within 24 °.
Rooted cuttings are planted in a prepared place.
Reproduction tubers
For this type of breeding, you need to dig up the tubers and put them in sawdust or sand. Then put them in a dark and dry place. The temperature should be up to 5 ° and should be maintained until the next planting season.
Important! Sprout the tubers before planting.
Mirabilis is a beautiful plant with unpretentious character. Following simple guidelines, you decide when to plant a flower in the open ground and how to care for it.
