Nasturtium is a real garden decoration
If a rating of the most populargarden flowers, the nasturtium would certainly be among the leaders. After all, this plant is rapidly developing, unpretentious to weather conditions, and blooms magnificently and beautifully. It is planted as an annual plant, but, in fact, it is a perennial. It is beautiful not only in the flowering period. Even if there are no buds and flowers on it, the leaves covered with a bluish bloom will perfectly decorate your garden and without bright colors.
Proper Growth and Care
For nasturtium to please you magnificentSelect areas with sunlight. Otherwise, the shoots of the plant will be weak and will not become covered with flowers, and eventually they may die.
For proper cultivation in the soil is not necessarymake too much organic fertilizer, as the flower does not tolerate manure and humus. If you want to make a site for a plant more fertile, better make there potassium and phosphoric fertilizers. Be sure to make sure that the soil is well drained, as an excess of moisture causes rotting of the root system of the plant. To flowers were more lush, it should be once a month during the entire development of the plant to feed it.
Care and watering should be done carefully. When the plant is still young and requires a lot of moisture for growth and development, watering is done regularly. But when it blooms, the amount of moisture should be significantly reduced, and poured only when the earth is very dry. If you overdo it with watering, the nasturtium will only be covered with a lush carpet of leaves, and the blossom will be small.
Transplant and Reproduction
It is better, when the landing will be carried out immediately ina permanent place, since nasturtium badly tolerates a change in the situation. But if transplantation can not be avoided, try to dig the plant so that it does not damage the tender root system. Do not be scared if the plant has withered in a new place. This does not mean at all that it has not taken root and will soon die, it just takes time to adapt to new conditions.
Reproduction of nasturtium is carried out in two ways:
Growing seedlings
In small cups, pour in the peat soil andalready in April, place in each two or three seeds. Two weeks later, the first shoots will appear. When they get a few full-fledged leaves, you can transplant them into the open ground together with an earthen lump from the glass.
Sowing seeds in open ground
This method of reproduction also does not representnothing difficult. Dig a few holes at a distance of 25 centimeters from each other and sow 3-4 seeds there. In order for it to rise better, pre-soak seeds in water for several days. The first shoots will appear in two weeks. However, the seeds can not be sown in the early spring. The fact is that the plant is very sensitive to frosts and even a small nocturnal frost can destroy young shoots.
Reproduction by cuttings
It is not used very often. However, if you want to bring out some new unusual variety, then root the cuttings from an adult plant in water or moist soil, and after the appearance of the roots, transplant the new plant into the open ground.
Fighting diseases and pests
Nasturtium will not only be the decoration of yourgarden, but also be able to protect the rest of the inhabitants of the flower bed from pests: Colorado beetle, whitefly, cabbage and aphids. But this does not mean that she is not at all prone to illness.
bacterial wilt first manifests itself in the weakness of the lower leaves, which gradually spreads. If the time is not taken, she will die.
gray rot appears as brown spots. Gradually, the disease spreads throughout the leaf, and then - and the plant completely.
rust of nasturtium begins with small brown or black spots, which then turn into large relief pads and the plant dies.
the mosaic can be recognized by a specific pattern on the leaves. They are light green, and gradually increasing, spoil the appearance of the plant and slow its growth.
In all cases, it is recommended to remove damaged leaves, and the rest to be treated with chemical or bacteriological preparations.
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Nasturtium - cultivation and care