Forget-me-not growing from seed when to plant. Forget-me-nots - blue tenderness in the garden

forget-me-not one of amazing colors with which you can decorate your front garden. There is a variety of varieties of forget-me-nots, a variety of inflorescences beckons. Best of all, this flower grows in the shade or partial shade, as it does not like sunny places. Despite the fact that forget-me-not feels good under the sun, the flowering period is significantly reduced to 20 days.

Nai the best option there will be fertilized, loose and well-moistened soil. forget-me-not it moisture-loving flower and if there is no timely watering, then the plant quickly dies. But it is also not recommended to pour the plant strongly, because the roots will begin to rot and the leaves will fall off. Therefore, before planting a flower, a drainage system should be made.

If you decide to plant this plant in your garden, be sure to learn how to grow forget-me-nots from seeds at home - planting and care. Forget-me-nots are best propagated by seeds. In May-June, seeds are sown in greenhouses and watered regularly. Ready seedlings are planted in early August at a permanent place of growth. Forget-me-not also propagates with the help of cuttings, only in this case varietal plants are taken.

If you want forget-me-not to bloom in spring, then seeds should be sown in October-November. To do this, prepare a container (pots, cups or a box), fill it with pre-prepared soil and sow flowers scattered on the surface of the soil. It is not necessary to sprinkle the seeds with earth or bury them, as they germinate quickly. Before sowing, you can pour all the seeds into salt water, poor-quality ones will emerge. The remaining seeds are taken out of the water, completely dried and sown.

The first shoots appear within 5-6 days, you need to dive plants after they have the first few leaves. A box with already dived forget-me-nots is recommended to be taken out to a cool place (basement or greenhouse). By the end of April, forget-me-not seedlings are planted in open ground, and after 20-25 days it blooms. As soon as the forget-me-not flowers lose their decorative effect, you can start collecting seeds, for this, choose only the strongest and most beautiful bushes in your opinion.

When growing, problems can arise, so that they do not get sick, you should follow the advice of experienced flower growers.

The distance between flowers should be at least 10 cm.
Remove weeds regularly, loosen and spill the soil.
Make sure the soil is not too wet.

If the disease has overcome the plant, use fungicides and insecticides to combat it. To accelerate growth, you can fertilize flowers with compost, peat or nitrogen. Forget-me-nots are combined with tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths. The plant looks good next to ponds and borders.

Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that these blue flowers angels scatter on the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky. In addition, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, for all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial perennial as a garden forget-me-not from seeds.

Description of forget-me-not garden

Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in temperate climate Europe, America, Asia, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia. Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants that prefer moist and shady places.

The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-seeding, quite strong seedlings, capable of overwintering in the conditions of our winters. Forget-me-not garden cultivation from seeds

Choosing a place for planting forget-me-not garden

In order for forget-me-nots and its flowers to please you when growing at home, you need not only to choose the most suitable species for you, but also to plant it correctly. A plant such as garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. The flower can also grow in the sun, but it shows its decorative qualities most fully in partial shade. It is a mistake to believe that the sun will increase the flowering period - on the contrary, the flower petals will “burn out” from bright sunlight. You should not plant a forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.

Growing seedlings of forget-me-not garden from seeds

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds is the most common method of propagation. garden forget-me-not. You can grow forget-me-nots both through seedlings and by the seedless method. At the same time, forget-me-not is mainly grown from seeds. Most often they are grown as a biennial plant. Prepared seeds must be dipped in slightly salted water. popped up planting material must be discarded, most likely it will not be able to germinate. The remaining seeds must be dried. Like all biennials, forget-me-not seeds are sown in May-June on seed beds or in bowls with loose fertile soil. Seeds are sown superficially on a compacted moistened even surface of the soil and only slightly sprinkled with light soil or sand. Crops are covered with spunbond, polyethylene or glass, keep the soil moist by watering gently from a sprayer or over a non-woven covering material. The first seedlings appear literally after five or six days. After germination, the crops are released from shelter.

When two true leaves are formed (usually after 3-4 weeks), forget-me-nots are pulled or planted in pots (1-3 plants) or on seed beds at a distance of 5-7 cm between plants. To keep the bushes compact, the cultivation of forget-me-not seedlings is carried out in partial shade. Seedlings are periodically watered, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed. For better tillering, seedlings are pinched. Forget-me-not is fed with a complex mineral soluble fertilizer for seedlings every two weeks. Gradually increase the concentration of fertilizer. In late August - early September, forget-me-nots form a dense rosette of leaves. In this form, they are planted in a permanent place according to the scheme recommended for the variety (15-25 cm between plants) and watered well.

Planting seedlings of forget-me-not garden

Grow forget-me-not seedlings until the plants grow up to four to five centimeters in height. After that, you can plant seedlings in a place of permanent growth with an interval of fifteen to twenty centimeters.

Some sources indicate that it is necessary to plant young forget-me-nots in open ground at the end of August. Forget-me-not garden cultivation from seeds

Distinctive feature forget-me-nots - resistance to transplants. After moving to open ground, almost all plants survive. But it is extremely important for this to water them well after transplanting. For the winter, forget-me-nots are mulched with fallen leaves, spruce branches or peat. Forget-me-not blooms next spring. Garden forget-me-not will bloom earlier if temporary shelters are built over it in April. In the second year of cultivation, in order to prolong flowering and limit the formation of seeds, wilted flowers are removed in a timely manner.

Forget-me-not garden breeding methods

Forget-me-nots are becoming more and more popular among flower growers and appearing in flower beds more and more often. Are used different methods flower reproduction, which we will talk about. When to sow forget-me-not seeds? Best time for planting this wonderful flower with seeds - July, since the soil is already warm enough, and there is another month for adaptation and rooting of the seed. Before planting, mix the earth with humus, moisten it a little, make shallow holes and pour forget-me-not seeds into the open ground. Seeds need to be sprinkled with sand a little on top, covered with a film, which must be removed after 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks after sowing, you can not remove the film, water the seeds. They should “ban”, then the plants will take root better.

Cuttings are the most popular method of propagation when working with forget-me-nots. For cuttings, you need to choose a well-grown bush and cut off the highest cuttings just below the stem. The stalk must be placed in water until it takes root. Then it is planted in the ground. To do this, in the prepared soil (moistened, fertilized with peat and humus), shallow pits are made, plants are planted in them and a little sprinkled with dry earth from above, watered under the root. Fertilize after 5 days. It is better to take a universal one, making sure that there is no ammonia component in its composition.

Forget-me-not propagation by dividing bushes is not as complicated a process as it seems. The root of the flower is very loose, and it can be divided with one movement of the pruner. It is necessary to gently shake the earth from the root of the plant, select the part of the rhizome with the “knee” (bend), cut it vertically. For better engraftment, the roots can be dipped in a solution of universal fertilizer. Then the bushes are planted, like ordinary seedlings. After dividing the bushes, next year, the seeds themselves will disperse, and there will be much more bushes, which should not be allowed. It is necessary to thin out the bushes, because if the forget-me-not is planted too densely, this will cause the color to be less abundant and bright. Garden forget-me-not growing from seeds

Garden forget-me-not care

It is very easy to care for these unpretentious flowers, they only need careful watering under the root so that water does not fall on the green parts of the plant, and loosening the soil layer. Do not flood the plants, otherwise they will rot or become sick. If the soil is constantly dry, then forget-me-nots tend to fade very quickly. In order for the plants to propagate by self-sowing, select a few bushes and leave faded inflorescences on them so that the nuts with seeds ripen. For the rest of the forget-me-nots, remove the inflorescences after flowering, otherwise they will flood the entire area. Forget-me-nots can be transplanted to other places both in autumn and during the period when they already have buds or flowers; these plants tolerate transplantation very well. In spring and autumn, you can feed forget-me-not bushes. To do this, in 10 liters of water, add and stir in a teaspoon of nitrophoska, potassium sulfate and urea. You can also take mineral complexes ("Flower", "Emerald", "Agricola"). Forget-me-nots can be damaged by cruciferous fleas, aphid colonies, slugs, scoops. Diseases that can affect plants: rot (root and gray), powdery mildew(real and false). For the prevention of rot, forget-me-nots can be treated with Hom, and from powdery mildew - Soon or Topaz. When aphids appear, it is necessary to spray with Iskra.

If the winters in your area are harsh, then in the fall, mulch the forget-me-nots, cover them with spruce branches.

If you really love these modest blue flowers, then in the fall you can dig up one or more plants, transplant them into pots. They must be stored in the basement (the temperature there should not fall below zero). In February, move them into the room, place them on the windowsill. Then in March, forget-me-nots will delight you with abundant flowering

Forget-me-not (from lat. Myosotis) belongs to the Borage family. There are more than 50 species in the genus that grow in Europe, Africa, America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia, Russia. The plant is located in wet, sometimes swampy areas. In Russia, this flower is well known and loved, it has received among the people such names as "gourd", "pretty", "fever grass". Start building in your garden beautiful flower garden from forget-me-nots, cultivation and care are the main issues that need to be studied. And our article will help you with this.

Plant characteristic

Small, usually blue, flowers on long stems.

Forget-me-not flowers can be:

annual;
two-year;
perennial.

The stems are long, reach 40 cm. The leaves can be lanceolate, sessile, spatulate, linear-lanceolate. Flowers in color - blue, pink, white. Collected in inflorescences. The fruits of the plant are small dense boxes in the shape of a nut, inside there are many black shiny seeds. They take root well and can remain viable for up to 3 years.

Types of forget-me-nots

More than half of all types of forget-me-not grow in the territories of Russia and former USSR. Let's take a look at some of the most famous.

Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris). Place of distribution - rocky terrain of the Caucasus, the Carpathians, the Alps. The rhizome of the plant is short, the stem is low - up to 15 cm. The leaves are light green, and the petals are dark blue. Likes to be in bright light, in these conditions it can bloom up to 7 weeks. Propagated by seeds.
Marsh forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris). It grows in moist soil, along the banks of reservoirs and swamps. Stems are long, branching. The leaves of the flower are large, bright green. The petals are pink or blue, the flowers are relatively large, up to 1.2 cm in diameter.
Forget-me-not field. Counts medicinal plant. The shoots are low, the flowers are small, blue.
Forest forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica). Perennial with a long stem, green oval elongated leaves. The flowers are numerous, arranged on pedicels and collected in curled inflorescences. Depending on the variety, the color of the petals can be pink, blue, blue. The plant loves shade and moisture.

Breeders are constantly deducing new types of forget-me-nots with flowers. various colors- purple, yellow, cream.

Breeders have already created forget-me-not varieties with pink and purple flowers.

Alpine forget-me-not is rarely found in the nature of our country, most often its domesticated version is grown, which is called "Alpine garden forget-me-not" (Myosotis x hybrida hort). This garden plant is very unpretentious - it grows well and blooms in the sun, in the shade, in drought conditions. Even withstands small, up to -5 degrees, frosts. It can bloom for a long time - about 45 days. Popular varieties of garden forget-me-not:

"Music" is a tall flower with dark blue petals.
"Indigo" - small bushes up to 15 cm tall, with blue flowers.
"Rosilva" - small plants, pink flower petals.
"Victoria" - the bushes are small, rounded, with pale blue flowers.

Home care

Forget-me-not grows and feels great in natural conditions, therefore it is an unpretentious plant. It is usually grown in the garden or in the greenhouse.

Lighting

Although it is believed that forget-me-not flowers grow well in the shade, they still need sunlight. It is necessary to provide conditions when the grown flower is in the sun from 3 to 6 hours a day, partial shade conditions will be ideal. In this case, flowering will be more abundant.

Given the recommendations, in the garden you need to choose a place where the flower will be half a day in the sun and half a day in the shade. Choose indoors south side, not forgetting to curtain the windows in time. You also need to remember about regular ventilation.

Watering

For watering, forget-me-not is more demanding. It grows well only in moist soil, so it should not be allowed to dry out. It is better to water infrequently - about 1 time per week, but plentifully, moistening the soil well. Regular spraying of the flower is allowed warm water. The regularity of watering is calculated based on external conditions. If the forget-me-not is in the sun for a long time, you need to water it more often, if in the shade - less often.

Diseases and pests

Due to their natural hardiness, forget-me-nots are less susceptible to diseases and pests. Problems may arise as a result not proper care. If you water often and allow acidification of the soil, fungal diseases can develop - gray rot, powdery mildew. In this case, spraying with fungicides will help.

How to grow forget-me-not

When choosing the soil for growing a plant, you need to consider two factors:

the soil should not be too nutritious, otherwise the forget-me-not will grow strongly and practically not bloom;
the soil should not be poor sandy, otherwise the flower will not grow well.

The ideal option is moist meadow soil. Next, you will need to monitor the level of humidity and observe the irrigation regime.

Forget-me-not needs to be fertilized infrequently. After planting, after 2 weeks, liquid mineral fertilizer must be applied. In the spring it is better to feed with peat and humus, and in the fall with organic mineral fertilizers.

During the period of plant growth, the soil must be periodically loosened to provide better access to moisture and top dressing. But forget-me-not does not need weeding - a powerful root system does not give weeds a chance to break out. For the winter, the plants are not covered with anything.

Landing

For planting in the garden choose a shaded place.

First you need to choose a place in the garden where the forget-me-not will receive enough light and be in partial shade. You can grow the plant next to tall flowers that will cast a shadow. For example, a sprawling fern is suitable as a neighbor.

In open ground, the method of growing from seeds is best suited:

The soil is well loosened, peat and humus are introduced, then leveled.
Furrows are made on the surface and seeds are laid out in them, retreating between the holes of about 10 cm.
Seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil and covered with polyethylene on top.
Water regularly, keeping the soil moist. This must be done carefully, spraying or passing water through a piece of matter.

Shoots of forget-me-nots appear 2 weeks after planting. When the first leaves appear, it is necessary to thin out the sprouts or plant them at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Flowering begins in May and lasts up to 2 months.

Another option for planting forget-me-nots in the garden is to pre-grow seedlings. To do this, in the fall, the seeds of the plant are sown in containers with light soil, slightly deepening. Under the soil layer there must be a layer of expanded clay. It is better to water seedlings before germination through a sheet of paper.

With the advent of leaves, seedlings dive and move to a cold greenhouse until early spring. At the end of April, seedlings can be planted in open ground. Flowering will begin in May.

Regardless of the method of cultivation, planting and caring for a forget-me-not will not cause much trouble.

reproduction

By correctly planting and propagating the forget-me-not, you can create a beautiful carpet of flowers on the site.

There are three main ways to propagate forget-me-nots:

Seeds. Seeds can be harvested by hand during fruit ripening. To do this, dried branches with fruits are cut off and the seeds are shaken out in the place where they want to grow forget-me-not. But it is easier to let the plant propagate by self-sowing, after transplanting it to the right place. The main thing is to prevent the strong growth of forget-me-not bushes, periodically thinning them out.
The division of the bush. You can propagate forget-me-not flowers by dividing the bush into several parts. A transplant is done at any time of the year - the root system of the flower is very strong, it can easily take root.
cuttings. The method is suitable for breeding varietal forget-me-nots. In early June, you need to cut off the green shoots at the top of the bush (about 5 cm). They are planted immediately in open ground, shaded and covered with a film. Water carefully, trying not to fall on the leaves. For better tillering, pinch a little on top. Plants propagated in this way bloom in the same season, but not for long. For the winter, the plant is covered with spruce branches or peat.

If you plant and propagate forget-me-not flowers correctly, you can get a beautiful multi-colored carpet that will decorate the garden.

Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that angels scatter these blue flowers over the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky.
In addition, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, for all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial of devotion and fidelity as garden forget-me-not.

Legends and beliefs

In many European countries in ancient times, forget-me-not was honored as a special plant, and even holidays were held in its honor. In Russia, this flower was also called prigozhnitsa, feverish and witchcraft grass. Our ancestors believed that if you put a wreath of forget-me-nots on your loved one, then it will bewitch him stronger than any witchcraft.

In Germany, there is still a widespread belief that the garden forget-me-not can open a treasure, as well as help find out the name of the betrothed. Blacksmiths of many countries believed that steel, hardened in the juice of this fragile plant, became stronger and lighter, and the blade from it could cut iron.

Botanical characteristic

Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in the temperate climates of Europe and America, Asia and South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants that prefer moist and shady places. The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-sowing, rather strong seedlings are obtained, capable of overwintering in the conditions of our winters.

Garden Views

Despite the large species diversity and many different modern varieties, the following forget-me-nots are most often used in floriculture and ornamental gardening:

marsh (Myosotis palustris);
forest (M. caespitosa);
alpine (M. alpestris);
arranged flowers (M. dissitiflora);
alpine garden (M. x hybrida hort).

In gardens, the most common cultural form is the alpine garden forget-me-not.
On the basis of it and the species listed above, various hybrids have been created today and many varieties have been bred that differ from each other not only in the color of the petals.

Popular varieties

Today, garden forget-me-nots with flowers painted in various shades of pink are popular:

Victoria Rose.
Rosilv.
Carmen King.
Pink dawn.
Hope.

Blue and blue garden forget-me-nots are always in demand, the cultivation of which is exactly the same as for flowers of a different color.
Quite widespread are such dark blue varieties as the Blue King, Indigo, Blue Basket, Ultramarine. Fans of sky blue and light blue will be pleased with such varieties of garden forget-me-not as Music, Blue Dali, Compinidi, Miro, Victoria, Pompadour.

We select a place

A plant such as garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. The flower can also grow in the sun, but it shows its decorative qualities most fully in partial shade. You should not plant a forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.

Beautiful garden forget-me-not: planting and care

This delicate flower can be propagated by most different ways. You can sow the seeds directly in open ground or grow seedlings, divide the formed bush. In the case of especially rare varietal specimens, propagation by cuttings is possible.

The most easily accessible way that garden forget-me-not propagates is growing from seeds directly in open ground.
Such a planting is carried out on warm and dry days of June or July, having previously prepared the soil on the site: they dig up the soil, add about 30 g of nitrophoska and 3-4 kg of humus mixed with peat per 1 m2. Then the topsoil is dug up again, leveled and well spilled with water. After that, shallow furrows are made in the soil, where tiny forget-me-not seeds are sown. From above they are sprinkled with fine river sand and gently compacted. Landings are covered with non-woven covering material or film and left for two weeks. Depending on the temperature and other external factors, seedlings appear, as a rule, this occurs after 14 days. They are opened and cut.

In the first year, the plants will form only a rosette of leaves, but they will bloom in the second year after planting.

Reproduction through seedlings

Usually, the cultivation of garden forget-me-not through seedlings is carried out for annual varieties, such as, for example, Mon Ami Blue. Seeds are sown superficially in pre-prepared containers with well-moistened soil in late March - early April. For seedlings, a special soil mixture is made, consisting of fine river sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 2. Before the emergence of seedlings, containers with seeds, covered with glass or polyethylene, are kept at a temperature of +20 ... +23 0С, and after five days it is lowered to +18 ... +20 0С. All this time, the seedlings should be well lit.
After the appearance of sprouts, fertilizing with weak solutions of mineral fertilizers can be carried out and watered as the topsoil dries up. In May, seedlings, often already with buds, are planted in open ground, sheltering them for the first time both from the burning sun and from return frosts. By the end of July, the plants will have already faded and their seeds will ripen.

We create conditions

After the plant has been planted in a permanent place, it needs to be provided with a moderate regular watering and top dressing with mineral fertilizers. When watering, you should try not to get water on the plant itself, but direct the jet closer to the roots.
The first top dressing is carried out before flowering, approximately 14 days after planting the plant in a permanent place. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers dissolved in water according to the instructions are suitable. In autumn, both organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil under the forget-me-nots, and in the spring a small, about 5 cm, layer of peat-humus mixture or well-rotted compost mixed with garden soil is poured under the bushes. It is important to remember that garden forget-me-not is quite aggressive and spreads quickly by self-seeding. To prevent this, you should immediately remove faded branches, thereby preventing the setting of seeds and their further unauthorized "movement" in your area.

There are many attractive plants that you can grow on your personal plot. But some cultures are familiar to almost everyone, so they are of interest to many beginners and experienced gardeners. This is exactly the case with forget-me-not, which can be found in wild nature. In ornamental gardening, some varieties of this plant are used, on which attractive inflorescences of blue, blue, white, pink or lilac flowers with a yellow center. So, the topic of our today's conversation will be forget-me-not flowers, planting and caring for this plant, let's clarify how it is grown from seeds.

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds

You can grow forget-me-nots both through seedlings and by the seedless method. At the same time, forget-me-not is mainly grown from seeds. Most often they are grown as a biennial plant.

Prepared seeds must be dipped in slightly salted water. Floated planting material must be discarded, most likely, it will not be able to germinate. The remaining seeds must be dried and scattered on the surface of moistened soil. On top of them, you can sprinkle a little earth - literally three millimeters, and spray with a spray gun.

The first seedlings appear literally after five or six days. When growing seedlings, you need to carefully monitor so that the soil does not dry out. Humidification is best done by spraying. Crops should be in a room with a temperature of ten to twenty degrees.

After one or two true leaves appear on the seedlings, it is necessary to transfer them to pots or boxes filled with a wet peat mixture. The optimal interval between young forget-me-nots is five centimeters.

In order for plants to grow and develop well, readers of Popular Health need to provide them with sufficient moisture. Lighting plays a secondary role, as forget-me-nots are quite shade-tolerant flowers.

Planting forget-me-nots in open ground

Some sources indicate that young forget-me-nots should be planted in open ground at the end of August. Plants will bloom the next year after sowing seeds - in May-June.

A distinctive feature of forget-me-not is resistance to transplants. After moving to open ground, almost all plants survive. But it is extremely important for this to water them well after transplanting.

In order for forget-me-nots to please the eye with attractive flowering, you need to choose the right place for planting them in your garden. Such crops grow best in partial shade, they also feel good in shady places.

As for soil requirements, forget-me-nots prefer moderately moist meadow soil. The excessive nutritional value of the earth does not suit them at all, because in this case the plants begin to actively increase their green mass, and flowering becomes rare and short-lived. Poor sandy soil will also be an unsuccessful choice. And growing in a swampy or too damp area will lead to the fact that the flower will hurt and stretch excessively in length. So it is best to grow forget-me-not in moderately moist soil with a small amount of fertilizer.

After the forget-me-not blooms, its seeds quickly crumble to the ground. Therefore, under the mother plants, young seedlings may well germinate. They can be transplanted to another place the next year.

Features of forget-me-not care

Forget-me-nots growing in shade and partial shade need moderate watering. It should be carried out after the soil dries out a little.

As for fertilizers, this flower does not need them very often. Young forget-me-nots need to be fed about two weeks after planting in August. For this purpose it is necessary to use liquid mineral fertilizers. In autumn, it is also necessary to feed the plant with peat and humus in a small amount.

Forget-me-nots grow well in water and breathable soil. To maintain these characteristics of the soil, it is necessary to provide it with periodic loosening. But it should be as accurate as possible. And there is practically no need to weed the planting, because the powerful fibrous root system of forget-me-not does not allow weeds to break through.

During the winter, crops must be mulched and covered from frost with special materials, for example, agril or ordinary spruce branches.

Forget-me-not rarely suffers from pests. However, it can be affected by fungal pathologies: gray and root rot, as well as real or downy mildew.

The optimal means of treating rot is considered to be spraying plants with the Hom preparation. For ten liters of water, you should take forty grams of this product. To eliminate powdery mildew experienced gardeners it is advised to use the fungicide "Skor" - a couple of milliliters must be diluted in a bucket of water.

Forget-me-nots can also be attacked by aphids, cruciferous fleas and slugs. To eliminate pests, spraying with insecticides is carried out.

Forget-me-not is a very attractive flower that can be grown in almost any garden plot. All you need to do is follow the care instructions above.

Forget-me-nots are a genus of plants of the Burachnikov family, which are found almost everywhere in the world. forget-me-nots grow small size, have small flowers. The genus includes about 50 varieties of such plants. One of the most common species is a blue flower with a yellow center.

Forget-me-nots, depending on the species, can be either annual, biennial, or perennial. As a rule, certain species with blue and blue inflorescences will delight in flowering for several years. What does a forget-me-not flower look like? See photo below.

Flowers up close.

There are varieties with pink shades of flowers.

General view of the plant.

The most common types and varieties

Forget-me-not is a flower that is common in many countries of the world, including in the vastness of Russia. On our territory you can find wild and swamp flowers of forget-me-not. These small shrubs are unpretentious when grown, so they can often be seen in gardens and beds. The plant loves moist soil. Alpine and field forget-me-not feels great in the sun. It is worth remembering that certain species take root well in the shade of trees or shrubs. Varieties that have been bred for growing in pots are practically no different from others.

Swamp forget-me-nots (Myosotis palustris)

Such flowers can be seen in the forests and swamps of Siberia, the Balkans, Transcaucasia, Mongolia and Europe. The main differences from other species is that marsh varieties have a branched stem, large leaves and small inflorescences with pink or blue petals. As for the size of the swamp forget-me-not, it can reach a height of 30 centimeters. The length of the leaves is about 4-5 cm, blooms in spring or early summer, flowering lasts until the end of summer. The plant will be an excellent option for decoration or borders.

Alpine species (Myosotis alpestris)

As a rule, it grows in mountainous areas. This species is best grown in well-lit clearings. The species is characterized by a small rhizome and stem (up to 15 cm). In addition, the relatively short flowering period (approximately 7 weeks) is a disadvantage of the flower. Alpine forget-me-not has a dark blue color with dark green leaves. This species will delight with its flowering season 2. The maximum height is 45 cm, it has small flowers, only 1 cm in diameter. Alpine forget-me-not begins to bloom in early May and then for 20-30 days. After flowering, fruits are formed - small nuts, which are used as seeds for the next year.

Varieties of the alpine species differ in the duration of flowering, height, shape and color. One of the most beautiful varieties are: Victoria (Victoria) (may have white, blue or pink flowers), Bluebird (Bluebird), Blue Ball (Bluebell) - this variety has blue flowers with stems up to 15 cm.

Bluebird (Bluebird)

Blue Ball (Bluebell)

Victoria

Field forget-me-nots (Myosotis arvensis)

In addition to external qualities, field varieties have some medicinal properties. These plants are widely used for medicinal purposes. It blooms for 2 years, while it is worth remembering that there are also annual varieties of this kind. Flowering begins in May, and ends depending on the variety, most often at the end of June. The plant is harvested during flowering and after the formation of boxes with seeds.

The note! For medicinal purposes, for the treatment of coughs and inflammatory diseases, almost all components from the stem to flowers and seeds can be used.

Forest forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)

Found in the Carpathians and European countries, perennial. It grows up to 30 cm, has light blue petals and light green leaves. Mostly observed in forests, in small clearings.

To date, breeders have managed to breed many variety of varieties forget-me-nots, they have excellent characteristics and are often used in landscape design for decoration and ponds, shaping.

On the territory of Russia, it is rare to find an Alpine variety; in our country, its domesticated varieties are planted, given above. In seed stores you can find forget-me-nots for every taste and color, some varieties can bloom in two colors.

Growing and planting

Growing from seeds and planting in the ground is the same for all varieties. As far as care is concerned, different types require certain conditions to perform such actions. Outdoor plants are usually grown from seeds. To plant seeds in the ground, you must:

prepare the soil (plow the ground, fertilize with peat and / or humus);

Depending on the variety, planting in the ground can vary from late April to early May. Of course, seedlings can also be used for planting in the ground, they have been prepared since autumn.

level the ground;
make small furrows and place seeds in them;

Note! Furrows should be shallow (up to 2.5 cm, depending on the variety). In addition, the distance between rows should be approximately 10 centimeters. The first shoots will be noticeable after 12-14 days.

after the first leaves appear, the seedlings must be thinned out or planted. In this case, it is worth considering the distance between plants of 4-5 cm;
in late summer, biennial varieties should be transplanted elsewhere.

To plants began to bloom earlier, you can use seedlings. In this case, buy the soil or prepare it yourself. It is best to buy special soil for flower seedlings. Next, the seeds are planted in boxes with soil and expect the first shoots. Before sprouts appear, it is best to water the earth through a sheet of paper with warm water. When leaves appear on the seedlings, flower boxes are sent to a cold greenhouse until spring. At the end of April, seedlings are sent to open, prepared ground in the manner indicated above. Plants grown from seedlings begin to bloom in May.

Outdoor care

Despite the fact that forget-me-nots are light-loving flowers, a shaded area would be the best option for them. At the same time, you should monitor the soil moisture near the flower bed with the plant. If the soil is too dry, the flower may die. Flowering and its duration also depend on the area where the flower is planted. On the sunny area the plant will bloom for only 3 weeks, while in shade for up to 2 months.

The note! Exceptions are field and alpine species and varieties. The common garden blue forget-me-not grows well with larger, taller flowers that provide shade.

In most cases, plants are grown for 2 years, after which they are sown again. In the third year, the stems of the plant stretch too much, and the diameter of the flowers becomes smaller.

As for the soil, moderately moist soil with a small amount of fertilizer would be ideal. If the soil is oversaturated with moisture, the plant will stretch, the stem will become thinner, and the flowers will be smaller. Too dry soil will not work.

Watering should be carried out as the soil dries up, depending on weather conditions, the forget-me-not forest clearing in your area should not be oversaturated with moisture. If the plant is grown in the sun, the amount of water for irrigation is increased. It is not necessary to water the flower bed in spring.

Fertilizers are applied only 3 times:

Before planting the plant in the ground.
Before flowering, after germination.
In autumn.

As a fertilizer, it is better to use liquid mineral mixtures for flowers. You can buy them at any gardening store. In autumn and spring, the clearing is fertilized with peat and humus.

Note! Forget-me-nots love fresh soil, so it needs to be loosened periodically. As for weeding, it must be carried out as weeds appear on the plantation.

When to plant forget-me-not?

Seedling growing method:

annual plant- sow in late February-early March.
biennial plant- sow in May-June. In late August-early September, seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.

For forcing plants in winter, seeds are sown in late February-early March. The next timeframes are as follows:

in July-August, the resulting seedlings are transplanted into pots,
at the end of September, the pots are brought into cool rooms with temperatures up to 0 ° C,
in February they bring them into a warm apartment.

How to use in landscape design?

Forget-me-not will be a great option for decoration flower beds, flower beds or balconies. Many varieties of flower can be grown at home. When choosing a place for planting forget-me-nots, it is worth considering the type and variety of this plant, marsh - will perfectly decorate an artificial pond, garden - a flower bed, alpine will look great among the stones.

Forget-me-not goes well with tulips, lilies of the valley, daffodils. Daisies and pansies will also look great in the flower bed next to her.

To replace the forget-me-not, when it comes to selecting plants for shaded and moderately humid areas of the garden, you can:

lungwort,
small-bulbous, daffodils, crocuses,
chiostophyllum.

Below are photos of flowers in a flower bed:

Application in landscape design on video

One of the most beautiful videos on the topic.

Forget-me-not - in Russia, Forget-Me-Not - among the British, Vergipmeinnicht - a German variation. For different peoples of the world, the name of the plant and the legends about its origin have a common meaning: loyalty and good memory. Pregozhnitsa, feverish grass, gourd are other names for the plant.

The sad legend and the origin of the name forget-me-not

The Greek myth tells about a shepherd named Lykas, who, saying goodbye to his beloved, presented her with a bouquet of forget-me-nots. One of the German fairy tales tells about a couple in love walking along the river. The girl noticed on the edge of the steep bank a most lovely blue flower. The young man wanted to get it, but could not resist and fell into the water. A fast turbulent current picked up young man, he only managed to shout goodbye to his beloved: “Do not forget me!” Before the water covered him with his head.

The sweetest flower with the purest blue shade of inflorescences, like the sky itself, and a yellowish eye, was also considered magic herb. If a wreath of forget-me-nots is put on the beloved’s neck or placed on the chest on the left (next to the heart), this has an effect strong love spell, the same power is attributed to the roots of the plant.

In England, the festival of the "May Queen" is dedicated to the plant.

Botanical description

Forget-me-not (lat. Myosotis, from the ancient Greek “mouse ear”) is a genus of one, two- and perennial herbaceous plants of the Borage family. The height of the stems is 10-40 cm, they are branched, densely covered with leaves. Leaf blades are sessile, oblong in shape, spatulate.

When forget-me-not blooms

The flowering period lasts neither more nor less - for 1.5 months, from May to mid-June.

During the flowering period, the bushes are abundantly strewn with corymbose inflorescences, similar to whole bunches. Corollas are five-petaled, the shade of the petals is from blue to dark blue, there are varieties with a pink tint, in the center there is a yellow eye. The fruit is an achene in the form of a nut, it is filled with many small black seeds (1 g of weight contains about 1500-2000 pieces). Seeds remain viable for 2-3 years.

The genus includes about 50 species that can be found in Europe, Asia, America, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. It prefers to grow in moisture-intensive areas, some species live in swampy areas.

How many years does forget-me-not grow?

Most often, forget-me-not is grown as a three-year-old plant, since later the shoots are strongly extended, flowering becomes scarce, but the plant gives good self-seeding.

Forget-me-not is very loved and grown in the flower beds of France, England, Sweden, Germany, in our country it is also popular.

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds

Forget-me-nots breed well in a generative way(seeds).

To check the quality of seeds, they must be placed in a saline solution - discard those that have surfaced, and spill those that have sunk to the bottom. clean water, dry and start sowing.

When and how to plant forget-me-not seeds in the ground

Sowing is carried out in May-June on exploratory beds or in cold greenhouses, such plants are transplanted to a permanent place in the fall or spring of the next year.

The seeding depth is small, 1-2 cm. Leave 25-30 cm between rows. When shoots appear, the plants are thinned out, leaving 20-25 cm between the bushes.

Planting forget-me-not seeds for seedlings

If forget-me-nots were in your hands in the fall, they can be sown as early as October-November to obtain seedlings for the spring. Fill the box with a light substrate for 2/3 consisting of sod land, 1/3 - river sand. For disinfection, spill the soil with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. Spread the seeds over the surface of moist soil, lightly sprinkle with earth on top, you can compact it with a special plank. Watering should be moderate, using a spray bottle.

Shoots will appear after 4-6 days. After the formation of a pair of true leaves, plant in separate containers or simply thin out in a box, leaving a gap of 5 cm between individual plants.

Install containers with seedlings in a cold greenhouse - so the plants will go through the cold period they need, they won’t need to light up (shade-tolerant forget-me-not), you need to take care of maintaining humidity, return to heat in March.

Spend at the end of April (often seedlings already with buds).

Vegetative propagation

Hybrid plants are best propagated vegetatively by cuttings or dividing the bush.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cut into a length of 4-5 cm, land for rooting immediately to a permanent place of growth, to improve the process, cover from above with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle. Carry out the procedure in the spring (around the end of April), the flowering period will begin this season, but it will not be very lush.

The division of the bush

Can be carried out throughout the season (even during flowering). Thanks to the fibrous root system, they quickly take root.

Choice of landing site

Site illumination

Under the most delicate forget-me-nots, take a plot in the shade or partial shade; when grown in open areas, the flowering period is reduced by about 20 days. The exception is the alpine forget-me-not, it is photophilous.

Priming

The soil is required to be moderately fertile: leaf mass grows from excessive nutrition, postponing flowering, poor soil negatively affects the development as a whole. Also avoid waterlogged areas. Perfect for regular garden soil.

How to care for forget-me-nots in the garden

Watering and loosening the soil

When growing in the shade, water sparingly; full sun will require more moisture to keep the leaves firm and fresh. Stop watering at the end of flowering.

To ensure oxygen access to the roots, loosen the soil regularly. Weed young plants from weeds, in the future they will cope with them.

top dressing

The plant does not need frequent. Feed young forget-me-nots a couple of weeks after planting (it is better to use complex mineral fertilizers). Apply organics in the fall or complex fertilizer. Next spring, add a little humus and peat to the soil.

Care for forget-me-nots after flowering

At the end of flowering, plants lose their decorative effect, therefore annual species it is better to remove, for self-seeding it is enough to leave a few bushes. Control this process: plant young plants, avoid dense plantings, because with strong growth, forget-me-nots turn into a weed.

Young sprouts appear near the faded bush. They can be used for transplantation. Avoid crowding plantings of forget-me-nots, which can overgrow and crowd out other plants.

Wintering

Forget-me-nots have good winter hardiness and do not need shelter for the winter.

Diseases and pests

With proper care, the plant is not afraid of diseases and pests. It is especially important to observe the correct watering regimen and prevent thickening of plantings. Dampness causes damage to gray or root rot, powdery mildew. It is necessary to treat the bushes with a fungicidal preparation.

Forget-me-not in landscape design

Touching forget-me-not is an indispensable decoration of a spring flower bed, it is planted near the water (marsh forget-me-not can grow in shallow water), it is also grown as container culture. Forget-me-not looks good in rockeries, on Alpine rollercoaster, in curb plantings.

The combination with daffodils and tulips is a win-win. They will make up not a bad company, wallflower. Under the canopy of trees, they are planted with lilies of the valley - by the end of spring, such a flower garden will become the most amazing part of the garden. After their flowering, the place will be decorated with higher shade tolerant plants, for example, male shield.

Forget-me-not in floristry

In order to admire the beauty of forget-me-not in the house for a long time, you should use not cut inflorescences, but the whole bush. Wash off the roots from the soil and place the plant in a ceramic vase, so the plant will delight for two weeks.

Types and varieties of forget-me-nots with a photo and name

Alpine forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris

perennial herbaceous plant. The height of dense bushes is 5-15 cm. Oblong leaf plates are collected in a basal rosette, due to hairy pubescence, the leaves have a grayish tint. During flowering, the plant is strewn with flowers of a dark blue hue, blooms in May, the inflorescences last for 45 days. AT natural environment lives in the alpine belt of the Carpathians, the Caucasus, the Alps. The plant is photophilous, reproduction is exclusively seed. The species is rarely cultivated, but has become the basis for the breeding of a hybrid, which we will consider later.

Forget-me-not alpine garden Myosotis x hybrida hort

A perennial plant grown as a biennial. unpretentious plant: able to grow in the shade and under the open sun, but partial shade is preferable; tolerates drought and spring frosts (temperature drops to -5 ° C). The flowering period in the conditions of central Russia begins from mid-May and lasts 30-40 days. By the end of July, the seeds ripen, and already in July-August, dense bushes appear from self-sowing.

The best varieties:

Victoria - forms compact rounded bushes, plant height is 20-30 cm, flowers are sky blue;
Blauer Korb - in bushes about 30 cm high, a columnar shape is visible, the shade of flowers is dark blue;
Blue Ball - crumbs only 15 cm high, blue flowers;
Indigo - compact fifteen-centimeter bushes with dark blue flowers;

Carmine King - plant height is 20 cm, flowers are dark pink;
Compinidi - bushes 15 cm high, inflorescences of a dark blue hue;
Music - forget-me-not 25 cm high, dark blue flowers;
Miro - the height of the plant is 15 cm, the flowers are light blue;
Rosylva - low (about 20 cm) compact bushes with pink inflorescences.

Forget-me-not Myosotis palustris

The plant is perennial, but life cycle short. The height of the tetrahedral stems is about 30 cm. The leaf plates are lanceolate, stretch up to 8 cm in length and about 2 cm in width, have a rich green tint. The flowers are sky blue, collected in dense inflorescences. It blooms from May almost until autumn. It reproduces exclusively by generative (seed) method.

In the natural environment, it lives along the outskirts of swamps, along streams in the European part of Russia, southern regions of Siberia, Western Transcaucasia, Central Europe, Mongolia, and the Balkans.

The best varieties:

Thuringian - petals of a dark blue hue;
Semperflorens is a shade of sky blue flowers.

Forest forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica

Perennial forget-me-not (cultivated as an annual). Stems reach a height of 30 cm, densely branched. Numerous flowers of a sky-blue hue in diameter are no more than 1 cm, collected in apical inflorescences. The flowering period starts in May and lasts about 1.5 months. Habitat - Carpathians, Central Europe, place - forests with gentle green leaf. Shade-tolerant and moisture-loving. Among the varieties, Blue Bird should be noted - flowers of a dark blue hue.

Forget-me-not-flowered Myosotis dissitiflora

In cultivation since 1868, grown as a biennial plant. Native to the Swiss Alps. The flowers are dark blue, bred from a variety with snow-white, pink, blue inflorescences.

Forget-me-not garden - a great decoration for a cultivated area. About fifty varieties and hybrids of this flower have common feature- delicate color and attractive appearance. Growing undersized forget-me-not is relevant where you need to make a decor in the form of a dense colored carpet. Planting and caring for a plant in the open field has some features and tricks. Their knowledge will help you grow a flower without problems.

Description: varieties and varieties of garden forget-me-not

Forget-me-not is an eye-pleasing herbaceous plant. The overwhelming majority of its varieties and varieties bloom at the end of spring and the first days of summer. A flower cultivated for the garden, which is also called a handy, mouse ear, gourd, as a rule, is a perennial. But its cultivation is advisable only in a two-year format. In the future, the plant grows strongly and loses its decorative effect: the stems are drawn out, the inflorescences become very thin.

Breeders have bred about a hundred varieties and hybrids of forget-me-nots. Russian gardeners often plant those that are obtained on the basis of field and swamp varieties. AT recent times alpine or garden forget-me-not is becoming more and more popular. Previously, it could be seen in pots on the windowsill, and now in the open field. The birthplace of this variety is the Alps, the Carpathians and the Caucasus.

forget-me-not bloom

Characteristics and distinctive features of the Alpine forget-me-not:

The stem is short, 5-15 cm. The branching is strong.
The leaves are medium-sized, rounded with a pointed end. Color is grey-green.
The roots are short, lie shallow.
The flowers are small, densely dotted with shoots. Garden forget-me-not blooms for about 7 weeks, starting in May.
After flowering (in July), small smooth boxes with a large number of seeds form on the shoots. If they are collected and sown, by August the plant will give new shoots.

The native color of the garden forget-me-not is deep blue. Currently, many varieties have been bred that differ in the color of the petals, the flowering period and the height of the stem. Most in demand:

Carmine King Rosylva Victoria Rose - Petals different shades pink;

Compinidi, Miro, Blue Bird, Indigo Compacta, Victoria, Music - shades of blue;
Blauer Korb, Indigo, Amethyst, and Blue Ball are deep blue petals.

Advice. There are also varieties with purple, white, cream petals. A lot of them. Base your choice on the description of the characteristics and photos of the plants. According to the technology of cultivation and care, flowers do not differ.

Forget-me-not: planting a plant

This culture loves the sun, but still it is better to plant it in partial shade. Then the color will become saturated. In open ground, forget-me-not is often planted with seeds, because the plant shows excellent germination. The best time to plant is in July. The crop will bloom next year.

Prepare the ground. The soil should be nutritious loose, light and have good drainage. The latter can be done manually by digging several medium-sized stones in the area at a depth of half a meter. It is noteworthy that forget-me-not does not like too nutritious soils. Under such conditions, the plant will not bloom well, but it will grow strongly. But also impoverished sandy soils doesn't suit him either.

Attention! The soil at the landing site of the forget-me-not should not be prone to moisture stagnation. The plant will be painful and lose its decorative effect. The soil should be moderately moist. In this state, it should be maintained with watering and other care measures.

The landing process consists of the following steps:

Dig up the ridge.
Fertilize - humus in combination with peat. Norm: up to 5 kg per 1 sq. m.
Apply nitrophoska: 1 tbsp. l. per 1 sq. m.
Dig the area again, level and lightly tamp the surface.
Make shallow grooves. Scatter the seeds and lightly sprinkle them with sand. The distance between landing points is 10 cm.
Gently press the soil down with your hand. Pull the covering material over the top.

The color of forget-me-not petals will be brighter in partial shade

With proper care, seedlings will appear in about 2 weeks. Remove protection and thin out seedlings. Sprouts can be transplanted. Keep a distance of 5 cm between them. In early autumn, all forget-me-not bushes should be planted in a permanent place.

Care, fertilizer and top dressing of forget-me-not. Diseases and pests

The basis of proper plant care is watering, fertilizing and thinning. In addition to waterlogging, which is fraught with rotting roots, forget-me-not does not tolerate drought. Organize watering so as to prevent the topsoil from drying out, otherwise the plant will quickly fade. Try not to get water on the greens.

To bloom was abundant and bright, regularly feed the bed. Apply mineral fertilizer complexes for flowers. The first application of a small volume of the solution is carried out 2 weeks after planting the plant in a permanent place. Later, in the fall, apply organic and mineral fertilizers. The next spring, spread a mixture of compost and peat in a 3-5 cm layer in the flower garden.

Attention! Forget-me-not garden tolerates winter well. But in the absence of snow and during severe frosts, plants can suffer, so many owners prefer to cover the flower bed.

Diseases and pests in open ground conditions torment garden forget-me-not only if the technology of growing and reproduction is violated. Care and attention are important: do not let the planting thicken, regularly thinning out the flower garden. Otherwise, powdery mildew, root or gray rot, insect pests typical of flowers, can settle on the plant. From the latter, use insecticides, and to fight diseases - drugs like Hom or Skor.

Don't let the soil dry out

Forget-me-not: reproduction, combination with other plants

Seeds are the most popular material for propagating forget-me-nots. Before planting, test them by dipping them in salted water. Floated samples are not ready for landing. The plant grows effectively and self-seeding, so it is not necessary to do an annual sowing in a flower bed. The main thing is to have time to plant young plants.

Other breeding options:

Cuttings. At the beginning of summer, cut from the tops green cuttings 4-5 cm each. Root them in a greenhouse, then plant them in open ground. As a result, the plant will bloom in the first season, but weakly and for a short period.
Plant division. Such reproduction can be carried out at any time of the year. root system The plants are strong and well developed.

Forget-me-not alpine is simply created for