Lavender: landing and care in the Leningrad region (photo)

A simple, but at the same time a nice fragrant blue flower, some associated with the French Provence, others reminiscent of the nostalgic song of Sofia Rotaru, and the third - a remedy for moths - all this is a modest beauty lavender. Planting and nursing in the Leningrad region are possible, but it is necessary to take into account some of its features, to choose the varieties correctly and to provide it with acceptable wintering conditions. Many gardeners living in the northern regions of Russia have long and with good results grow lavender in their plots in the open field. We suggest to get acquainted with their secrets.

Description

Let them and not so much, but there are people who are at a loss to say what lavender looks like. In the Leningrad Region and in any other region of the world, its appearance is almost the same. In total, about 50 species and hybrids of this flower are known at the moment, differing from each other in the structure of flowers, in the tone of the petals, in the shape of the leaves. All of them are herbaceous perennials, growing lush bushes with an average height of about 1 meter. Litter shoots with time lignified. The root of all lavenders is pivotal, rigid, also almost lumpy, in the upper part forming multiple branches. Leaflets in the vast majority of species are covered with delicate hairs, giving them a greyish shade. Flowers are collected in the inflorescence of spikelets.

Lavender for cold regions

Among others, the most successful, or narrow-leaved lavender in the Leningrad region is grown. The description of this species differs little from the general description of the plant. The height of the bushes of narrow-leaved lavender can be from 30 cm to 1 m. According to the shape of its leaves, as the name suggests, narrow, elongated, are located opposite, without petioles (sessile), up to 6 cm long. Their color because of the hairs appears silvery-green. The shoots of this lavender are tetrahedral. The flowers are located in the spikelets with whorls. The corollas of flowers are bilabiate, up to 1 cm long. The color of the petals is from rich blue to purple. But there are varieties with white, purple and pink petals. The flowering of lavender begins in the first decade of June and, with proper care, lasts until the middle of autumn. At the end on the stems there are small cups, in which four seeds-nutlets ripen.

Features and preferences

Even the ancient Greeks were well known as a medicinal product and a wonderful honey- lavender. Planting and caring for this flower in the Leningrad Region can cause difficulties, because by its nature it is a "Southerner". The native land of lavender is considered the Mediterranean, and in nature it grows in the south of France, in Spain, in North Africa, in the Canaries, in Australia, in India, in the Caucasus. Lavender loves the sun and warmth, but does not like strong wind and plenty of water. Sometimes it is possible to find information that it tolerates freezing temperatures down to -25 ° C, but this is more an exception than a regularity. If you recall the climatic conditions of the north-west of Russia, the question arises: "And can lavender grow in the Leningrad region?" The photo shows what some gardeners get wonderful lavender bushes. And this despite the fact that it is not very warm here in the summer, it is windy and cool in winter, and groundwater is often too close to the surface, which is why there are many wetlands in this region. In addition to all these improper conditions in the Leningrad region, a large percentage of podzolic soils and loams, and lavender needs light and alkaline. What does the gardeners advise so that the lavender will catch on?

Choose a place

Now the agricultural technology is so well developed that even in unsuitable conditions, lavender can luxuriate. Planting and nursing in the Leningrad region will give a good result if this flower is initially chosen the right place. In this case, it is necessary to observe the required low humidity and adequate lighting. That is, lavender will have to be planted on a sunny clearing, where there are no groundwater close to the surface of the earth and puddles never form after the rain. In the penumbra only broad-leaved lavender can take root, but it does not like cold weather, that's why it is not grown in the Leningrad Region. If the site is located in a swampy and constantly damp terrain, but you really want to plant lavender, you will first need to arrange for it a powerful drainage, and secondly, to build above it a mound of suitable soil.

Soils

To become accustomed to lavender in the Leningrad region, cultivation should begin with the correct planting. We have already chosen the place. Now we need to provide it with a suitable soil. Lavender is not particularly demanding of its fertility. In nature, it often grows on stony slopes or wastelands, where for other plants there are very few useful trace elements. Lavender does not interfere, but here the increased acidity for her is fatal. That, planted in the garden, it does not hurt, it is desirable to check the soil for pH. If the indicator is below 7, it will need to be lime. In addition, the roots of lavender should breathe, that is, heavy soil is also not suitable. With this problem helps to cope with sand or any other baking powder. Experienced gardeners are advised to add ash to the soil.

Lavender, planting and care in the Leningrad region. Photo of the correct placement of seedlings

Beautiful modest lavender does not like transplants, so it should be planted immediately where it will grow its entire life. Drainage and a mound they built, the soil was prepared. Now you need to make holes for each plant about 30-35 cm deep. The distance between them, if you plan to have lush bushes, should equal the height of an adult plant. If you plan to create a dense carpet from lavender or a live curb, the distance between the holes is reduced by half. Before putting into the soil, gardeners are recommended to stand for about an hour in the water. Then they need to remove the lower shoots and the tip. Using a young lavender in the hole, its roots are gently pricked with earth, rammed to leave unnecessary air while watering.

Care

Already in many gardens lavender grows in the Leningrad region. Planting and caring for her, although they require compliance with the rules, but fairly simple. The main thing to remember is that lavender does not like high humidity. Therefore, watering the plant should be very prudent and only when the soil under its bush is dry. With an overabundance of water, the roots of lavender decay, and when drought, it blooms poorly. Therefore, in the case of lavender it is better to undercharge than to pour.

The second indispensable condition for the successful cultivation of lavender is weeding and loosening of the soil under the bushes so that the roots can breathe freely. Gardeners recommend mulching the soil, then the humidity is kept constant for a long time, and it is not necessary to loosen it. And if you take compost as mulch, you will not need to use lavender. In general, this plant responds well to infrequent top dressing with mineral mixtures. Do this during the blossoming period. And in the spring it is recommended to pamper lavender with nitrogen-containing complexes, so that the bushes turn out to be especially lush.

There are practically no pests of lavender, so it is not necessary to treat it with chemicals.

Trimming

To the beautiful grew lavender, planting and care in the Leningrad region include the process of pruning. In principle, you can do without it, but those who want the lavender to blossom longer and more luxuriantly, necessarily cut shoots with faded inflorescences.

Pruning is also required for the rejuvenation of aged lavender bushes. In this case, shoots are cut almost at ground level, after which the plant is watered.

Also, pruning is needed to grow lavender, as a medicinal plant. All of its terrestrial parts, especially flowers, contain lavender oil, geraniol, tannins, cineole, bitterness, coumarin. To find the maximum number of these chemical elements in flowers, they need to be cut immediately after blossoming.

Another reason for the pruning is to ensure the remaining shoots of air access. That is, this work is performed to thin the heavily thickened bushes.

Preparing for winter

To the lavender bushes safely survived the cold, it is recommended that they be shortened before freezing. Cut shoots sparingly, leaving the ground stems up to 10 cm long. Some gardeners recommend that in the Leningrad region in the autumn lavender is not cut at all. With regard to its winter shelter, experts disagree. Some recommend that you wrap up the bushes with cover material, plywood boxes or bergers. Others advise in general not to cover anything, since some varieties can withstand temperatures of about -20 ° C, for example, narrow-leaved lavender. In the Leningrad Region planting and caring for this cultivar is already well developed. And it overwinteres relatively normal, but there are reports of gardeners that even in the Krasnodar Territory, where it is much warmer, the uncovered lavender froze during the winter.

Lavender Room

Some gardeners, in order not to risk, lavender, especially French, which is a big sissy, is grown in pots. In winter she lives in the house, and in summer she goes to the garden. With this method of growing, you need to remember that lavender loves heat and sun, only if it grows in the open ground, and in the pot its roots can burn out from the heat. Therefore, pots with a plant in summer in the garden to dig in, and in the fall before entering the room to dig. At home, potted lavender should also be protected from overheating, kept in light and cool rooms in winter, and removed from the windowsills in the summer, where the direct rays of the sun shine for long hours. Watering and loosening of soil in pots is performed in the same way as in open ground. Important: the container for potted lavender needs to be selected spacious, so that the roots can grow.

Reproduction by seeds

Successfully, and in different ways, lavender reproduces in the Leningrad region. How to grow it from seeds? This process is not so difficult as troublesome.

It is often recommended to stratify the seeds of lavender, having sustained them in the refrigerator all winter, and in the spring to sow either immediately on beds, or in boxes. But, as experience has shown, the seeds of lavender should not be frozen, but warmed, which increases the germination rate to 90%. To do this, they simply need to be placed in very warm water (t = 40-45 ° C), then rinse thoroughly, dry it and sow it in prepared containers. The fact is that almost hot water dissolves the oils and fats with which the seeds are covered, which helps them to more actively germinate. Substrate in containers should consist of a garden land with sand, you can add vermiculite. Put seeds in the ground, they must be covered with a kulik or glass, sprinkle with water (the soil should be slightly moist at the time of germination) and put it where it's warm, but not hot and there are no bright sun rays. As soon as the seedlings become noticeable, the glass is removed. The sprouts are very mildly watered, but planted in the ground when the earth is free of snow and warms up sufficiently. The first year bush of young lavender will not be fluffy, and flowers they will please only the next summer.

Reproduction is vegetative

Cuttings and layers are most successfully propagated by lavender in the Leningrad region. The features of cultivation during cuttings are as follows. Cuttings are harvested from annual shoots, cutting them into lengths of 10-12 cm. Then put them in the prepared soil, slightly watered, cover with a film (make a little fellow). The roots of such a cutting start very quickly.

Lapid propagation is also easy. You just need to bend the chosen shoot to the ground, fasten it in this position and dig it, so that the top remains outside. To pour out. Approximately one and a half to two months, the already entrenched branch should be cut off from the mother plant and planted in the chosen place.

If the site has a very overgrown bush of lavender, it can be divided into two or more fragments that will give new plants. To do this, in summer, shoots are cut off in this bush, properly hilled, and in the autumn they carefully dig and divide the bush into parts, which are immediately planted.