Types and description of forget-me-nots
Forget-me-not(Myosotis) - genus of plants from the borage family (Boraginaceae). Forget-me-not-tall, small in size and with small pretty flowers. This genus is numerous and has about 50 species of plants.
Flowers are so popular and widespread that they are found almost all over the world, from Europe to South Africa. The most familiar color of forget-me-not flowers is blue or blue, with a yellow eye.
Forget-me-not inflorescences have a raceme-shaped form, and the flower itself is very razlohy. Despite its small size, stalk weighty.
Did you know? From the Greek "forget-me-not" is translated as "mouse ear".
There are many legends about the origin of the name of the forget-me-not. One of the most popular and romantic states is that a couple in love, walking along a cliff, came across a beautiful flower, the guy decided to pick it, but fell from the mountain. Flying down, he just managed to shout: "Do not forget me!". Since then, the flower began to be called forget-me-not.Forget-me-not blue in combination with tulips, daffodils and chrysanthemums looks most advantageous in the garden.
Forget-me-nots are found of different types: some flowers will delight you with their bloom during one season (Mon Ami Blue), other types will bloom two seasons (Forget-me-not Alpine, Forget-me-not Alpine Sadovaya), but there are also perennial types of blue and blue forget-me-nots.
Rarely in our area can be found pink, purple or purple forget-me-not.
Annual types of forget-me-not
Annual flowers unpretentious and not capricious to the conditions of detention. So with forget-me-nots. One-year-old forget-me-nots, as a rule, are planted as seeds in open fertilized soil and start their flowering very early. This fact allows you to perfectly combine them with bulb plants.
The most common type is mon ami blue. The flowers of this variety are dark blue, and the leaves are gray-green, heart-shaped. Hybrids of this species may have a different color (pink, white, purple). It blooms most abundantly in July and August.
The advantage of annual forget-me-nots is the possibility of obtaining color in the first growing season, which is very beneficial for greenhouses.
For an earlier flowering plant, the sowing may take place, for example, at the end of October, then it will bloom in early April.
Biennial types of forget-me-not
Planting biennial species of forget-me-not - This is the most convenient and common method of plant breeding by amateur gardeners. The most popular is the Forget-me-not Alpine and the Forget-me-not Alpine Sadovaya. This species, like the other varieties of forget-me-not, is not high (15-20 cm).
Forget-me-not Alpine is very branchy, the flowers are bright blue (hybrid forms can be of different colors), about 0.5-1 cm in diameter. After flowering, the plant bears fruit - egg-shaped nuts.
Important! The seeds of Alpine Forget-Me-Not are black and glossy, whereas the “one-year-olds” seeds are gray or brown in color and have a matte structure.
Perennial species of forget-me-not
In order for the smell of forget-me-not to delight you for many years, you can choose a sort of "perennial".
A prominent representative of him is Brunner Sibirskaya. The opinion that this is a forest plant is wrong. It will serve you well in the garden, only humidity will be needed.
This variety is listed in the Red Book due to deforestation. In Brunners, the rhizome is much thicker and almost horizontal - the main distinguishing feature of this forget-me-not. The flower does not need special conditions, the only preference is the shadow.
Planting forget-me-not
In order to forget-me-nots and its flowers to delight you when growing at home, you need not only to choose the most suitable type for you, but also to plant and care for the plant properly.
Selection and lighting
Forget-me-nots bloom best in shade and partial shade. It is erroneous to believe that the sun will increase the flowering period — on the contrary, the flower petals will “burn” from bright sunlight.
Soil preparation
By and large, forget-me-not does not need to loosen the land before planting seeds / cuttings as during watering. The only thing that needs to be ensured is to land on level ground.
If this is not the case, forget-me-nots may ascend unevenly. Before planting, the ground should be fertilized with humus or peat. Try to avoid contact of the newly-planted forget-me-not with ammonia fertilizers.
Did you know? No need to create a particularly "comfortable" conditions for flowers. Because of busting with fertilizers, the flower begins to “self-destruct”: the leaves absorb all the life-giving juices, and the flower itself looks weak.
Flower care
So that you do not have problems at the time when forget-me-not is in bloom, you should follow certain recommendations that we described in this article about forget-me-not and care for her.
Watering rules
The first thing that a flower requires is proper watering. The main advice - if it so happened that your forget-me-not grows in a sunny, arid place - water it more often than usual. Forget-me-not should not dry up, as this will lead to the fall of the leaves and flowers. It is necessary to water a plant under a root, avoiding hit of water on leaves and color.
Important! Despite the fact that forget-me-nots like well-humidified places, it is best to plant them in blown areas and water more often, but with less water so that the plant does not rot.
Fertilizers and flower dressing
Forget-me-nots do not need special fertilizers. They need to be fed before each flowering any complex fertilizer. Do not forget that ammonia components are contraindicated in this flower!
The first feeding is two weeks after planting. The best fertilizers for it are peat and humus, which are usually added to the soil during planting forget-me-nots.
Plant transplant
Many growers are engaged in forget-me-nots and grow them at home. In order for forget-me-nots to delight you with their pleasant look and smell, you need to know how to transplant the plant.
There is no need for special skills here: it is enough just to level the ground in the place of your choice, mixing it with peat and humus, dig up a small hole and plant the plant itself there. From above it is necessary to pour a little water.
If you decide to transplant in the fall, then try to do it before the onset of the first frost, as the forget-me-not adapts better in the “warm” ground.
The main thing - to properly dig up the forget-me-not from the previous "place of residence". To do this, gently pry the plant with a root with a wooden or plastic spatula, without damaging the stem.
Did you know? Forget-me-not can be transplanted, regardless of whether it blooms or not.
Ways to breed Forget-me-not
Forget-me-nots are becoming increasingly popular among gardeners and appear in flowerbeds more often. Different flower propagation methods are used, which we will talk about.
Seeds
When to sow forget-me-nots? The best time for planting this wonderful flower is July, because the ground is already warm enough, and there is another month to adapt and root the seed.
Before planting, mix the ground with humus, moisten a little, make shallow pits and put seeds of forget-me-nots into open ground. Seeds need to be sprinkled with sand on top, cover with film, which after 2 weeks must be removed.
Important! The first 2 weeks after sowing can not remove the film, water the seeds. They have to “mate”, then the plants will root better.
Cuttings
Cutting is the most popular way of breeding when dealing with forget-me-nots. For grafting, you need to choose a well-grown bush and cut off the highest cuttings just below the stem. The stalk must be put into the water until it takes root. Then it is planted in the ground.
To do this, in prepared soil (moistened, fertilized with peat and humus), shallow pits are made, plants are planted in them and sprinkled with dry earth on top, watered under the root.
After 5 days you need to make fertilizer. It is better to take the universal, making sure that it does not contain the ammonia component.
The division of the bushes
Reproduction of forget-me-not by the method of dividing the bushes is not such a complicated process as it seems. The root of the flower is very razlohy, and it can be divided with one movement of the pruner. It is necessary to gently shake the ground from the root of the plant, select a part of the rhizome with a "knee" (bend), cut it vertically.
For a better engraftment, the roots can be dipped in a solution of universal fertilizer. Then the bushes are planted as ordinary seedlings. After dividing the bushes next year, the seeds will scatter themselves, and the bushes will become much larger, which should not be tolerated.
It is necessary to thin the bushes, because if the forget-me-not is planted too thick, it will result in less abundant and bright color.
The combination of forget-me-not on the site with other colors
Forget-me-nots are a great way to decorate your yard. This flower is often used in the design of curved beds, ornamental ponds and pools.
Forget-me-not goes well with tulips and daffodils, especially the smell of such a composition. Forget-me-not looks very good with lilies of the valley on uneven humpy areas.
Pests and diseases of forget-me-nots, ways to combat them
Forget-me-nots are unpretentious plants, and they rarely get sick. If forget-me-not is planted in a cozy place, does not need watering, then it pleases its owner with a delicate color and a pleasant smell.
The main enemy of forget-me-not is aphid, which can be fought in several ways. One of the most common and affordable is as follows. In a small basin with water, add a little ash and detergent, mix. Dip the leaves into this solution.
Another way is soap solution. In order to prepare it, you need to dissolve 300 g of household or liquid soap in 10 liters of water. Spray the plant with this solution from the sprayer every 2 weeks.
In order for your forget-me-not pest control to be successful, it is necessary to implement all the recommendations for caring for a flower, then diseases will not arise.
