Levkoy: photo of flowers, growing from seeds, planting, care. We are expanding our collection of garden plants by growing wonderful levkoy from seeds

A real gardener strives to create a garden that will be pleasing to more than just the eyes. The rustle of the gravel path and the rustle of the foliage create a soundtrack to the picturesque landscape. Another great addition will be the aromas of specially selected flowers. Levkoy refers precisely to such plants that create a unique pleasant smell on the site. But its decorative effect cannot be ignored.

The genus Levkoy has more than 20 species of plants, among which there are annual and biennial, as well as perennial, native to different parts Sveta. Most often in ornamental gardening, the gray-haired summer levkoy, which is also called mattiola (Matthiola incana), is used.

Breeders have bred about 500 varieties and hybrids of this plant. This allows you to choose a whole range of different plants for the garden. Their coloration may be many colors and shades- white, yellow, red, pink and purple. The color of the leaves, often pubescent, can also be different shades from dark green to bluish.

Flowers with a diameter of 3 to 7 cm can be simple and terry collected in inflorescences of various heights and pomp. The smallest bushes with a height of 15 cm are good for decorating balcony boxes and pots.

Tall inflorescences, reaching 100 cm, are suitable for the background of flower beds and for cutting. They make up beautiful fragrant bouquets, which, gradually opening new buds, can stand in a vase for up to 10 days. Plants of medium height can be found most various uses in the garden: arrange borders, flower beds, carpet flower beds, multi-colored lawns.

The flowering period can be extended from May to late autumn, using varieties with different terms flowering from early and mid-early to late flowering. Remontant levkoy, blooming first, can branch after flowering, giving additional side shoots with peduncles. Cultivation of such varieties gives the longest flowering.

According to the shape of the inflorescences, the varieties of gray-haired levkoy are divided into several groups:

Terry coefficient

Lefties have one interesting feature. In the description of the variety on a bag of seeds, you can sometimes find such an indicator as terry factor. The thing is that plants with simple and double flowers are obtained from the seeds of one variety.

A simple flower fades in about 5 days and after that seeds are tied in it, from which both simple and terry levkoy also grow. Double flowers are much more decorative and bloom for up to 3 weeks, but are sterile and do not produce seeds.

The ratio of terry and simple plants and shows this coefficient. For example, if this indicator is 50, then terry and simple flowers will be approximately equal, and if 90, almost all will be terry. Already among young seedlings, signs are visible by which terry plants can be distinguished. They have larger leaves that are lighter in color.

These plants are selected for cultivation. in decorative plantings or for cutting, depending on the variety. The rest of the seedlings are planted separately, creating unfavourable conditions. It is on the weakest and most deformed shoots that the most beautiful terry specimens are tied.

In varieties with a large double factor, due to the small number of simple flowers, few seeds are tied, so their price is usually much higher. But this more than justifies their magnificent appearance.

Levkoy breeding

This plant is propagated exclusively seed way. Seeds of the annual gray-haired levkoy can be sown directly in open ground in spring, however, they only have time to bloom before autumn. early varieties. It can take more than three months from germination to the opening of the first flowers.

To get flowering plants as early as possible, apply seedling cultivation. Sowing starts from the second decade of March.

Soil preparation and seed sowing:

In the future, seedlings are grown in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, avoiding excessive moisture or drying out of the soil and regularly airing. Before landing in open ground carry out a gradual plant hardening by opening the windows or frames of the greenhouse each time for a longer time.

In this way, every amateur grower can propagate levkoy. Growing from seeds allows you to get a large number of seedlings at minimal cost.

Landing

Well-hardened levkoy seedlings tolerate light frosts, so they can be planted in the garden as early as early May. For her, you need to carefully choose a place. It is not recommended to use areas where representatives of the cruciferous family have grown before. From them pathogens of keel could remain in the soil.

It is better to choose a place for growing levkoy that is well lit by the sun with loose fertile soil. It should be sufficiently moistened, but not too much, since plants often die with excess moisture. The soil should be nutritious, rich in organic matter, preferably sandy loam. Planting holes are filled with water and plants are planted in the mud. This will improve seedling survival. At the same time, days with cloudy weather are preferable.

The distance between plants when planting depends on the variety and is usually indicated on the seed bag. Low-growing and single-stemmed levkoy are planted at a distance of about 15 cm from each other, tall pyramidal ones - 25 cm, sprawling - 35 cm. Thickening of plantings has a bad effect on plant health. After rains and watering, the soil must be loosened, not allowing water to stagnate.

In order for flowering to be plentiful and long, it is necessary feed the levkoy when laying buds with a complete mineral fertilizer containing trace elements. After the onset of flowering, it is necessary to make up for the lack of phosphorus and potassium.

Diseases and pests

• Black leg - a disease of seedlings of a fungal nature. For prevention, stagnant water and dampness are avoided, the soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate, and the plantings are ventilated.
• Kila is a fungal disease typical of the cruciferous family. For prevention, they avoid planting levkoy in areas where other members of the family grew before them.
• Whites, cabbages - diurnal butterflies white color, whose caterpillars eat the leaves of plants. To combat them, both herbal preparations and chemical insecticides are used.
• Cruciferous fleas are small black jumping bugs that gnaw holes in leaves, buds and damage flower stalks. They can be scared away by scattering tobacco dust or using chemicals.

Growing in pots

Low-growing sprawling varieties of gray-haired levkoy perfectly cope with the role of potted plants. Growing seedlings from seeds allows you to get early flowering on the balconies and window boxes. Forming buds while still in seedlings, Levkoy exudes a charming aroma around itself.

Flowering with proper care continues all summer and autumn until frost. At this time, pots with levkoy can be transferred to a light windowsill and continue to be grown as a houseplant. Flowering will continue throughout the winter.

Growing levkoy in the garden, on the balcony or windowsill, of course, will bring pleasure to every grower. No one will be indifferent to their multi-colored color and fragrance.

Levkoy is an annual plant of the cruciferous family. Motherland - Southern Europe. It is also named Mattiola in honor of the Italian botanist Mattioli. A wild form found along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea is a rather nondescript plant with four-petalled white fragrant flowers.

The plant is semi-bushy, 20-80 cm high. The leaves are oblong, lanceolate, bluish-green, pubescent. The flowers are simple and double, 2-3 cm in diameter, with a strong spicy aroma, collected in spike inflorescences.

Levkoy summer has a whole range of tones from pure white to deep red, from light blue, silver-lilac to dark purple. Terry plants bloom much longer than simple ones. Seeds are produced only in plants with simple flowers.

To have a flowering plant throughout the summer, it must be sown from the end of February every 20 days.

Sowing

Crops at high humidity, high temperature and thickening are damaged by the black leg. To prevent this from happening, the boxes are stuffed with a mixture of turf and humus earth and sand and watered with a hot, slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, seeds are sown, covered with a thin layer of sand and not watered until germination.

After the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are transferred to a bright, well-ventilated room with a temperature of 8-10 ° C and watered very moderately as the earth dries out. Watering is carried out only in the morning, so that the surface of the soil is ventilated and dried.

Seedlings dive into pottery or peat pots, since the plant has a taproot and, when transplanted into the ground, gets sick and often dies.

Levkoy seedlings as early as possible, at the end of April - beginning of May, should be planted in ridges and flower beds, since the stem of overexposed seedlings in pots due to lack of nutrition becomes woody and subsequently does not give side shoots and good long inflorescences.

The flower grows well in sunny areas with loamy, well-fertilized soil. It responds well to mullein and mineral fertilizing. It is also widely used in flowerbeds, flowerbeds and lawn groups, as a pot plant and for cutting. It remains in water for more than 10 days if pulled out of the soil with a root.

Today, more than 1000 varieties of this flower have been bred. All of them are very diverse: both in color, and in the shape of the inflorescence, in the height of the bush (from 15 cm to 1 m).

In the middle lane, levkoy is grown as a one- and two-year-old plant. Sown mainly by seeds.

It must be remembered that the plant is very capricious: it does not tolerate transplants at all, even a slight intervention in an earthen lump can lead to the death of plants.

Growing (Secret #1)

At the beginning of April I take plastic bottle(required with a screwed lid), put it in a horizontal position and cut it off with a knife upper part(1/3). I pierce drainage holes in the bottom of the lower part with a hot nail. After that, I pour drainage, on top - a mixture of earth, sand, humus and wood ash (2: 0.5: 1: 0.5).

Before sowing the seeds, I soak them for a day in boiled water at room temperature, wrap them in a damp cloth and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a day.

I deepen the seeds to two seed heights. By May, four leaves are already formed on the sprouts. This is a signal that seedlings can be planted in the ground.

On a pre-selected piece of land, I make small grooves, on the bottom of which I put drainage, pour a layer of wood ash on top. On the container with seedlings, I make a circular horizontal incision with a sharp knife to remove the bottom.

I pour water into the groove and immerse the remains of the container with plants there (it's okay if the water does not have time to soak well), I deepen it a little, but do not tamp it down - it will settle by itself. In no case do not water the plants immediately after planting! Planting is best in the evening. It is advisable to immediately shade the seedlings.

I plant no more than 2-3 seeds in a container, taking into account that all varieties grow differently.

Secret #2

And once I decided to experiment. I sowed the seeds of levkoy in open ground, when there was still snow on the street. She carefully unfolded the snow cover, put seeds into the grooves prepared in the fall (2 seeds at a distance of 5-10 cm).

I covered everything with dry sand and sprinkled with snow. The first sprouts appeared in mid-May. Germination was about 70%, but then flowering pleasantly surprised me with its abundance and very early dates. With this sowing, I did not soak the seeds.

Basic care

1. In hot weather, the plant needs watering. From lack of moisture, the leaves wither and curl. It is better to water it at the very root in the early morning.

2. You can try to change the shade of the flowers yourself. I know for sure that this experiment works well on the parrot indoor variety. Just add a couple of drops of brilliant green (or blue) to the water for irrigation, and the flowers will acquire a characteristic ebb. Just do not overdo it with "dyes"!

3. Flowers of Levkoy Vasherok, grown as a cut crop, are best placed in a vase in this way. Do not cut the stems, but remove the plant from the ground along with the roots. Wash them and cut off the protruding processes. Put in water, dissolving an aspirin tablet in it. Bouquet t will stand for at least a week.

4. Contrary to the assertions that it is better to buy new seeds every year, and not collect from your plants, I always use only my own seeds. Both germination and decorative qualities do not suffer from this at all. The exception is hybrids.

5. To get the most double flowers, in the fall, the area where the levka will grow must be fertilized with wood ash. After flowering, the plant should be planted in this place no earlier than 3 years later. All this time here will feel very good

Levkoy is a beautiful decorative flowering garden plant. Many gardeners prefer this amazing flower because of the rich colors, thick, pleasant, spicy floral scent that fills the garden with the scent of summer.

Breeders have bred so many varieties and hybrids that any grower can, to his taste and color, create any flower arrangement of various color shades and sizes. The unpretentious disposition of the flower makes care and cultivation completely uncomplicated.

The most diverse use of levkoy makes it in demand when decorating a garden plot. Although it has lost its former popularity, however, many gardeners prefer to grow levka as an exquisite classic representative of a garden plant.

Another name for the flower is mattiola, given in honor of the famous Italian botanist and physician of the 16th century, Pietro Andrea Mattioli.

The genus of one-, two- and perennial herbaceous plants, sometimes shrubs, belongs to the Cabbage or Cruciferous family. There are more than 50 species.

The area of ​​natural growth of the wild-growing form is very wide: Southern Europe, the Mediterranean and neighboring regions of Asia and Africa.

Upright or slightly curved, branched, smooth or pubescent stems 20-80 cm high. Sometimes there are tall representatives of the genus, reaching up to 1 m in height.

The leaves are alternate green or gray-green, smooth or pubescent, lanceolate, oblong or narrow elongated shape with an uneven, entire or corrugated edge. Their greatest accumulation is observed in the lower part of the bush.

From mid-summer, numerous buds (from 10 to 60) bloom, formed on lush or rare racemose, spike-shaped inflorescences, the size of which can vary from small to very elongated. In most cases, flowering stops by November, although in warm regions it can last quite a long time.

The Levkoy flower strikes with its brightness and variety of colors and all kinds of colors: pink, white, purple, yellow, purple, red. The plant is characterized by an amazing, spicy, thick, fragrant aroma.

The diameter of the flowers varies from 3 to 7 cm. They can be simple and double. The duration of flowering in terry varieties is much longer than simple ones. Seeds are formed only in simple garden forms flowers, they are also excellent honey plants.

The flowering of a simple flower is short, no more than 5 days. The flower consists of 4 sepals, 4 petals, stamens and a pistil. A terry flower has only a calyx and many petals (up to 70 pcs.), There are no stamens and pistils, the duration of flowering is 15-20 days.

Levkoy fruit is a pod, cylindrical in shape, 4-8 cm long, with protruding tubercles from seeds, which contain flat, rounded small seeds (about 700 pieces per 1 gram) of yellow, brown, greenish color. Seeds for 4-6 years retain the ability to germinate.

Species and varieties

Among the decorative cultural levkoy, there are: summer or annual levkoy, winter, autumn (in fact, it is a hybrid between summer and winter levkoy). Species differ in the length of the vegetative period.

autumn levkoy

It has a longer cycle of development and growth. It is used for open ground when forming flower beds with various garden ornamental plants, as well as for forcing in greenhouses. Sowing is carried out in March-April, the first flowers bloom in the second half of summer - early autumn. blooming view persists until frost, seed pods ripen the next year.

Winter Levkoy

It is a perennial, more precisely a biennial herbaceous plant. When planting in the middle - end of summer, the first buds will bloom only in the coming spring. Varieties of winter gillyflower have found application in pot culture indoors, in floristry. Seedlings are used for open ground.

Autumn and winter forms of levkoy are rarely used for landscaping. garden plots middle lane Russia, since the flowering of representatives of these forms begins in late summer - early autumn. Due to the early onset of frosts, the flowers do not have time to reach their full potential, they are mainly used for forcing.

Annual or summer levkoy

It has a short active growth phase. When sowing seeds in early - mid-spring, the bushes bloom in summer, the seeds ripen by autumn. Used for open ground and for distillation. This cultural form is the most widespread and has more than 500 varieties and hybrids, differing in the period and duration of flowering, the variety of colors, the size and shape of the plant. Among them, those that give a large percentage of plants with double flowers are especially valued.

If you correctly evaluate and select the seeds of the desired flower forms, then when growing, you can expect the appearance of plants with double flowers in 75-90% of cases. Terryness is determined by the appearance of the fruit-pods: on bushes with a more frail, oppressed appearance, in small, short fruits with a blunt end, with a two-row arrangement of seeds, seeds of double flowers are formed.

Pods, with a single-row arrangement of seeds, on the top of which protrusions form, carry seeds with simple flowers.

Depending on the size of the bush, the annual form is divided into low - not higher than 30 cm, medium - from 30-50 cm, high - 50-70 cm.

According to the shape of the inflorescences and the appearance of the summer levkoy, the plant is divided into eight groups:

Bouquet

Compact branched bushes 20-35 cm high, with large lanceolate-oval leaf plates of gray-green color, and smooth, solid edges. The main feature of the group is the location on the same level of the central and lateral inflorescences, formed by densely double flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter. The beginning of flowering occurs in June, lasts an average of up to 70 days. The group has wide use in the design of garden plots, enclosed spaces, floristry.

gigantic

The bush is voluminous, wide, resembling a pyramid in shape. It grows up to 40-60 cm. The green mass is plentiful, large, dense, the leaves are gray-green, elongated-rhombic in shape. In July, the central main inflorescence blooms first, up to 15-25 cm in length, formed by densely double flowers up to 4.5 cm in diameter. Flowering persists for 1-1.5 months. The main application is garden decoration and floristry.

Quedlinburg

Combine all varieties of terry flower forms, distinguishing feature which lies in the color shade of the leaves of germinated seeds. In terry varieties it is light green, while in simple varieties it is more gray. Depending on the longitude of flowering and the appearance of the bush, the Quedlinburg group is divided into:

• tall bushy late-flowering - sprawling, wide, strongly branched bushes up to 50-60 cm in height with green, oval-elongated leaves with a smooth or torn-toothed edge. For 1-1.5 months, starting in July, flowers bloom up to 5 cm in diameter;
• tall bushy early-flowering - bushes up to 65 cm high, sprawling, branched, with large leaves obovate, bluish-green in color, with a smooth or wavy edge. Racemose inflorescences up to 20 cm long, starting from June and for two months, covered with large numerous flowers up to 5 cm in diameter;
• low bushy early - spherical, branched, bushes up to 40 cm tall. The leaves are bluish-green, elongated, lanceolate, oval. For more than two months, starting from June, inflorescences up to 20 cm long are formed, with flowers up to 4.5 cm in diameter;
• six-shaped - large-flowered and the most popular subgroup of levkoy. Plants with one erect, weakly branched stem up to 50-80 cm in height. Leaf blades are oval, elongated, obovate. Large, about 20-60 cm, loose panicles of inflorescences, starting from June, are covered with flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, while the central inflorescence rises above the lateral ones, flowering lasts about a month. There are more than 70 varieties in the subgroup. Ideal for cutting.

Short branched (Erfurt)

Densely leafy, strongly branched in the upper part of the plant, the stems stretch up to 40 cm. The leaves are bluish-green, with a smooth edge, large, elongated, oval. Hemispherical numerous flowers up to 4 cm in diameter, bloom in July, bloom up to 2 months. Lateral inflorescences below the central one. Grown in flower beds, containers, ideal for cutting.

Large-flowered gigantic tree-like

Branching of the stem does not begin at the base, but from the middle of the stem, the bushes are tall, almost up to 1 m in height. Leaf plates are elongated, oblong in shape with a wavy edge. Flowering of large, up to 6 cm in diameter, densely double flowers, lasts up to two months, starting from mid-summer. Good choice for gardening flower arrangements, rabatok, cuts.

single stem

Single upright, single stem plants up to 80 cm tall. The flowers are densely double, up to 6 cm in diameter, bloom in June for up to 30 days. The leaves are large with an uneven edge and a diamond shape. Used mainly in floristry.

Pyramidal

Combine varieties that in appearance resemble a pyramid. Depending on the size of the bush, the pyramidal group is divided into:

• gigantic large-flowered - the subgroup includes semi-high 40-50 cm, high 60-80 cm, bushy branched plants with elongated, oval leaves. From July to September, the plant is covered with densely double flowers up to 5 cm in diameter;
• dwarf - neat miniature branched bushes up to 25 cm high, with wide, large, elongated, oblong, smooth, gray-green or dark green leaves. From the middle of summer, within two months, fragrant, bright, numerous flowers bloom;
• semi-high - wide branched neat bushes up to 45 cm high, with well-developed lateral shoots and oblong, narrow, elongated leaves. Starting from June, for 1.5-2 months, flowers up to 4.5 cm in diameter bloom on long (up to 18 cm) inflorescences.

sprawling

• remontant - from mid-summer, in July, large, up to 5 cm in diameter, flowers bloom in groups on long inflorescences on a branchy, bushy plant 50-60 cm high. The leaves are gray-green, elongated, oval, with a smooth or wavy edge. Flowering ends in November with the first frosts;
• large-flowered late - bushes with a strong branched stem 50-70 cm high, with elongated oblong large leaves. Large flowers begin to bloom in July
• densely fragrant flowers up to 5.5 cm in diameter. Flowering lasts almost until frost.

Regardless of the species, matthiols are light-loving, frost-resistant plants.

Temptation

An excellent representative of a flowering ornamental garden plant no more than 35 cm high. Racemes with flowers up to 4 cm in diameter are formed on a straight stem. Levkoy Temptation has a delicate fragrant aroma. Numerous flowers have a wide range of colors.

gray-haired

annual herbaceous plant. The homeland of the gray-haired levkoy is the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. Another name is gray-gray left or mattiola gray-haired. It is the type species of the genus Levkoy. The height of the plant varies from 20 to 80 cm, the stems are simple or branched, in most cases stiff by the end of the season. The root is one, strong, grows shallow into the ground, lateral roots are poorly developed. The leaves are alternate, 5-18 cm long, up to 1-5 cm wide, gray-green or dark green, elongated, lanceolate or narrow, obovate, narrowed towards the petiole, smooth or pubescent, entire.

Numerous bright flowers, from 15 to 70 pieces, are formed densely or sparsely on racemose inflorescences. The size of single or double flowers varies from modest to large. The color spectrum of the buds is very wide.

The first flowers of the gray-haired levkoy show in June and continue to bloom until November. In warmer regions, flowers last much longer. The fruit is a flat wavy pod 6-8 cm long. The seeds are flat, rounded, about 2.5-3 mm in diameter, yellow, brown or light green in color.

Step

It is one of the representatives of tall annual varieties of levkoy. Herbaceous, hard, almost stiff stems stretch up to 60-70 cm in height. Their first large terry, up to 5 cm in diameter, fragrant flowers Intensely dark red levkoy Step blooms in the middle of summer. Racemose inflorescences delight with lush flowering until September. The Step variety is in demand when decorating garden plots in a classic and park style, a flower duet with various ornamental garden plants, fits perfectly into almost any landscape design.

Florists often use the variety when composing bouquets, while using inflorescences that have opened by ⅔, since they are able to stand in water for almost half a month, filling the room with a delicate pleasant aroma.

royal blend

Neat dense bushes no more than 40 cm tall. Numerous flowers of surprisingly bright and saturated shades, both simple and double forms, are formed on spike-shaped inflorescences. Flowering is observed for almost 1.5 months. Levkoy Royal mixture is used to make bouquets, because flowers after cutting, for two weeks, do not lose their original freshness and beauty. When decorating garden plots, it is well suited for the first rows of flower beds, decorating terraces and balconies.

Fragrant

A perennial species growing in rocky plains, rocky terrain and chalk deposits. A rare fragrant herbaceous plant is listed in the Red Book, as the population of the species is suffering due to the reduction of suitable habitats.

The stem is simple or branched, pubescent, 20-50 cm high. The leaves are oblong, pubescent, sessile, mostly collected in basal rosettes. Petals 2-2.5 cm long, twice as long as sepals, yellow-brown. The stigma is elongated, conical. Fragrant levkoy begins to bloom in May-June, by the end of summer fruits-pods form and ripen.

Thumbelina

Compact annual miniature variety no more than 35 cm in height. Levkoy dwarf Thumbelina is ideal for container culture, flower beds, rock gardens, borders. Spike-shaped dense inflorescences of the dwarf Thumbelina are formed by large, fragrant, densely double flowers of various colors. Flowering period June-August.

Terry

It is quite difficult to get terry representatives of the genus Levkoi. Knowing the criteria for selecting fruits with seeds of double-shaped flowers, it is possible to grow plants with double and densely double flowers with a high probability. Levkoy terry does not form fruits with seeds, only plants with simple forms flowers produce seeds. Specialized stores sell levkoy seeds, where the probability (coefficient) of obtaining terry forms is indicated on the package. The higher this indicator, the higher the chance of getting lush fragrant double flowers in the flower garden.

In order for a plant with simple flowers to give a greater percentage of seeds of terry plants, it is planted on poor soil and its development is hindered in every possible way. Provide poor watering, partial shade, drafts. Surprisingly, only oppressed, underdeveloped plants produce seeds with double flowers.

Caprice

This representative of the stunted levkoy variety does not grow more than 20-30 cm. The green mass is gray-green in color, the shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate. Elegant spike-shaped inflorescences are formed by semi-double, double flowers. Flowering occurs during June-August. They use undersized levka Caprice for growing indoors, decorating the foreground of flower beds, borders.

Care

Levkoy flowers are quite unpretentious. Care consists in periodic moderate watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds. When keeping annual and perennial levkoy, it is extremely important to feed, carry out disease prevention, and destroy insect pests.

How to prepare the soil

For growing seedlings, soddy soil and sand are used (in a ratio of 2: 1). Before the procedure for sowing seeds, for preventive purposes, the ground in planting containers is disinfected with a solution of manganese (2 grams per bucket of water). At the end of autumn, they determine and prepare the future place for a flower garden with mattiola, wood ash is brought into the beds for sowing.

Watering

The first moistening of the soil is carried out 3-4 days after seed germination. Water moderately and infrequently, due to excess water, the plant may rot.

With a lack of moisture in the ground or with prolonged drought, the flowers of the plant become small, begin to fall off, the flowering period is shortened, the leaves curl up and wither.

It should be watered in the morning at the very root, so that the water has time to dry and ventilate during the day, and on hot, hot days, mattiola needs additional watering.

top dressing

The plant gratefully responds to the introduction once a month of complex mineral fertilizers, humus, mullein. Matthiola should not be overfed, otherwise the plant will begin to actively gain green mass to the detriment of flowering.

It is not recommended to use manure as a top dressing, since there is a high chance of infection of the plant with a fungal disease of Fusarium. Land plot fertilize for the future sowing of levkoy seeds in autumn wood ash.

pruning

Trim the mattiola before preparing the garden plot for winter. The bushes of the plant are completely cut off, dug up or pulled out of the ground even before they completely wither, the planting site is dug up. In regions with a warmer climate, with the onset of winter, the bushes are cut quite low to the surface of the earth, if desired, they are dug up and transplanted into containers. In this form, indoors, fragrant levkoy will grow and bloom throughout the winter.

After seed germination, when two true cotyledons are formed, the sprouts must be picked out, while pinching the root. Levkoy picks are made into a container where the bottom is taken out, the plant reacts sharply to all kinds of transplants.

thinning

The shoots that have appeared are thinned out so that there is a distance of about 20-30 cm between individual shoots. Removed shoots are planted in other parts of the garden. During thinning, only seedlings of double flowers are left, since they appear first, in the next three days sprouts with simple flowers appear. Another selection criterion is the color of the cotyledons, light - in terry representatives, dark - in simple flowers.

Bloom

Terry flowers of Levkoy have enough long term flowering, almost all summer and until autumn. In warmer regions, flowering can last much longer. In varieties with simple flowers, flowering is shorter.

Diseases and pests

Can settle on a plant cruciferous flea- a small dark insect that eats holes in leaves, flowers and buds, reducing the decorative properties of the plant. It is best to start pest control at the first sign of infection. Use an ash solution, which once a week, for three weeks, spray the bushes, treating the leaves on each side. The insect does not like tobacco dust very much; it is scattered under the plant. If the infection progresses, the fight against the flea was not carried out at the initial stages, then insecticides are used (Aktellik, Decis, Bankol, Aktara, Intavir).

Butterflies white and cabbage can greatly spoil the decorative appearance of the plant. Their caterpillars strongly eat leaves. As a control, herbal preparations or chemical insecticides are used.

Of the diseases, the plant is infected with a black leg: the stem at the base darkens, first becomes brown, then black. There are no ways to help an already infected plant, it is dug up and destroyed. Many gardeners recommend treating the site before planting seedlings with Hom, in which case the chance of getting sick with a black leg is minimal, even if the soil was affected by its carrier. For prevention, stagnant water, abundant watering are avoided, the soil is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, and plantings are not thickened.

The occurrence of a fungal disease of the keel is the result of an incorrectly chosen landing site. Ridges for Levkoy are not organized in places where other representatives of the cruciferous family grew before them.

Planting and reproduction

Levkoy is unpretentious to the mechanical composition of the soil, but it grows and develops better on fertile, sandy, loamy, moist, non-acidic soil. He does not like drought and strong prolonged stagnation of water, prefers a sufficient level of air humidity, bright open places.

To obtain a beautifully flowering, fragrant flower, they resort to the seed method of reproduction; other methods for obtaining new plants are not used in relation to the lung.

Seeds are sown in open ground and for seedlings. The time when to plant levka depends on the variety and type of plant. Seeds for seedlings are sown earlier than in open ground. Care and cultivation of levkoy will not bring any particular difficulties, the rules for keeping and growing are quite simple and do not require special skills and knowledge.

Reproduction features

Seeds must be prepared before planting. For this, the seed material is poured for a day cold water. After swelling, the seeds are taken out of the water, wrapped in a damp cloth (napkin, gauze) and put in the refrigerator for 2-4 days for stratification. After the procedure, the seeds are ready for planting. There is a big difference how to plant a lefty, in open ground or seedlings, no. However, flowers grown from seedlings are stronger and healthier than flowers grown from seeds in the open field. From the moment of sowing the seeds to the moment the first flowers appear, it will take from 70 to 100 days, therefore, to increase the flowering period, seeds should be sown as seedlings, and not immediately in open ground.

Improper seedling cultivation

Sufficiently moist and unsuitable soil in seedling containers, too low temperature premises can provoke the death of young shoots.

If the soil for seedlings of levka was affected by a fungal infection, it is likely that infection of young plants will occur. It is impossible to plan the planting of levkoy seedlings in a garden plot where representatives of the cruciferous family grew before them, otherwise the cruciferous flea may destroy the plant. The land from such a plot is also not suitable for growing levkoy seedlings.

Landing in open ground

Seedlings of medium and late flowering varieties dive directly into open ground. Planting levkoy and care in the open ground consists in loosening after watering and rains, removing weeds, feeding young seedlings, starting from the stage of two permanent leaves, with a solution of micronutrient fertilizers.

At the end of May, seedlings are planted in open ground. The weather must be cloudy. Seedlings are planted in the evening, since the bright daytime sun can destroy young seedlings.

The site should be bright, with well-fertilized loose soil. To plant left seedlings, beds are prepared, holes are made in them at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other in case undersized varieties and 25-30 cm for tall branched varieties. The holes are filled with water, the seedlings are transferred to the holes by transshipment, compacted with earth.

Growing seeds

For seedlings, containers and a soil substrate are prepared from soddy soil and sand. The earth is disinfected with a solution of manganese 3-4 days before sowing.

Levkoy is sown in moist soil to a depth of 0.5 cm, covered transparent material(glass, polyethylene), boxes with earth are removed in a dark warm room with temperature not lower than +20…+22°. The first seedlings grown from levkoy seeds will appear by the end of the first week or even earlier. Sometimes the wait can take up to 14 days.

As soon as sprouts grown from levkoy seeds appear, the transparent “lid” is removed, the seedling box is moved to a cooler room with a temperature of + 10 ... + 12 °, with bright, diffused light. The best option for growing seedlings covered balcony, terrace or veranda. 3-4 days after germination, young shoots are watered. By the end of the second week after seed germination, seedlings dive into separate containers. 10-14 days before transplanting into open ground, the seedlings are hardened off, for which, starting from ten minutes, a window is opened on the balcony. Gradually, the duration of the hardening procedure is increased, as a result, after 10-14 days, the seedlings arrive on the balcony with a constant open window.

Seeds of summer and autumn types of levkoy are sown in open ground in spring. Late bloomers are grown by sowing in open ground in April-May. Planting levkoy and care in the open field depends on the purpose of growing plants: they are sown in flower beds in March-April, for forcing summer levkoy - in January, autumn - in July, August.

To obtain a plant that constantly blooms throughout the summer, the seeds are sown in open ground from the end of February every 15-20 days.

Determine the time when to plant levkoy seed way upon the onset of warm weather. When the soil has warmed up enough, the seeds are planted, but rarely enough that the grown seedlings do not interfere with each other's growth. In case of planting thickening, young shoots are thinned out. When the morning returns spring frosts you don’t have to worry about the condition of young shoots, they are cold-resistant and quite calmly endure a temporary drop in temperature.

Transfer

Levkoi is extremely difficult to tolerate any kind of transplant. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden by transshipment, with the preservation of an earthen clod. Any movement, movement of the earth along with the plant can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the plant up to the death of the flower.

Levkoy cultivation

Growing matthiola is a fairly simple process. Levkoy gray is so diverse in the shape of the bush, the height of the stem, the color of the buds, that using it in the design of the site, you can achieve a long guaranteed lush flowering throughout the season.

Use in landscape design

At present, the use of bush levkoy is not as common as it used to be, since hoary levkoy is considered an old-fashioned, outdated classic representative of park culture. Quite in vain this amazingly beautiful flower has lost its former popularity. Fans of a spicy, strong, fragrant aroma prefer perennial flowers, the varieties of which vary so much in height and shape.

Combining various varieties Levkoy can create a garden in a classic nostalgic style. The heady aroma is so strong that it is not just felt, but completely envelops the garden.

Mattioli are planted near the places of movement in the garden or garden furniture, in this case, the plant fully reveals its merits, the aroma of flowers is felt much sharper. Levkoy fits perfectly into garden mixed flower beds, ridges, mono plantings, borders, paths. It is used in pot culture to decorate balconies and terraces.

Low-growing varieties are planted in flower beds in the foreground, tall ones - in the background. Mattiola looks great in small groups on the Mauritanian lawn. For Levkoy good "neighbors" will be grassy spicy plants: thyme, lemon balm, mint, sage, balsam. In a combination of mattiola with rose bushes, you can get a truly intoxicating, fragrant corner of the garden.

Levkoy is a delicately scented ornamental herbaceous plant that has graced public parks and gardens for many years. Its colorful flowers are somewhat similar to forest violets. Levkoy can be one-, two- and perennial plant, more than twenty species of levkoy are known.

Growing Levkoy through seedlings

So, levkoy is an ornamental garden or park plant, most often grown by levkoy gray-haired, which most gardeners know as matthiol. The plant propagates exclusively by the seed method, but if the seeds were planted immediately in open ground, flowering would come only after three months. Therefore, it is preferable to grow levka seedlings.

When to sow seedlings

The second decade of March is the best time when you can sow levka for seedlings. It is not too late to plant in late March - early April.

Did you know? During the Middle Ages, night violet - mattiola was valued no less than lily ornamental plants or roses. In addition to the beauty of flowers and delicate aroma matthiola was cultivated as a medicinal plant. Today, many summer residents plant matthiola-levkoy next to potatoes: these flowers scare away the Colorado potato beetle.

Seed preparation before planting

Before planting, the seeds are soaked for 24 hours in warm water, then, when they swell, they are wrapped in a damp cloth. For the stratification procedure, the seeds, without removing them from the napkin, are stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for three to four days. This procedure helps the seeds to sprout earlier.

Soil for growing seedlings

Before sowing levka, it is desirable to disinfect the soil: three days before sowing, treat with a solution of potassium permanganate. Before sowing, the soil should dry out, but not be too dry, you can moisten it with a sprayer. For sowing seedlings, a mixture of three parts of soddy land and part of sand is prepared. It is convenient to sow in elongated containers, they do not take up much space.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

When sowing, the seeds are buried half a centimeter, the distance between them is left one and a half centimeters, so that later the seedlings do not interfere with each other and it is easier to dive into separate pots.

Conditions for seed germination

The container with sowing levkoy is covered with glass or film, creating a mini-greenhouse: growing from seeds requires certain conditions. Sowing is kept until germination in a dark place at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, while not watered. Seedlings should appear in four to five days. But sometimes you have to wait up to two weeks.

seedling care

When growing seedlings of levkoy, care is needed. As soon as sprouts appear, the container is moved to a well-lit place, the film is removed, and the temperature of the content should be about 12 degrees Celsius, not higher. For these purposes, a glazed balcony or an unheated veranda is suitable. The first watering is carried out two days after germination. After two weeks, the grown seedlings dive into separate prepared pots (drainage at the bottom). The soil is prepared from sand, turf and leaf earth 1:2:2. When two strong leaves appear, the first feeding is carried out. In a liter of water dissolve sulfate zinc and manganese (0.1 g each), copper sulfate and boric acid(0.3 g each).

Seedling hardening

Before planting Levkoy in open ground, seedlings must be hardened off. To do this, in the room where the seedlings are kept, a window or a window is opened, first for a few minutes, gradually the hardening time increases. As a result, the window remains open permanently. They begin to carry out the hardening procedure 12-14 days before transplanting to an open area.

Planting seedlings of Levkoy in open ground

What is levkoy - this is a plant of the cruciferous family, do not plant it in the area where other representatives of this family used to grow. Your landing may get sick with a keel or black leg - common diseases of the family.

When to plant seedlings in the ground

Seedlings are transplanted into open ground in May, in the third decade of the month. It is advisable to do this in the evening cloudy weather. For newly planted plants, the sun can be detrimental.

Growing area

Successful cultivation of levkoy depends on proper planting and timely care. One of the conditions for a proper landing is the choice suitable place. The place for the plant should be lit and protected from drafts. The soil is better fertile sod-loamy sandy, well-drained, with a neutral reaction.

Important! Fertilizing the soil before planting is required only in case of depleted soil.

Seedling planting scheme

For seedlings of Levkoy, pits are prepared corresponding to the root system of the plant. The pits are literally filled with water, the seedlings are planted directly in the slurry, they fall asleep and rammed. Saplings are undersized, with one stem, the distance between them is up to 20 cm, between taller and branched ones - up to 30 cm.

Growing and caring for Levkoy

How to grow a full-fledged plant from seedlings of Levkoy? Levkoy is amazing unpretentious plant maintenance is kept to a minimum.

Regularity and abundance of watering

When watering a plant, the main thing is to observe the golden mean: do not overmoisten and prevent drying out. In order not to be mistaken, you need to check the top layer of soil up to seven to eight centimeters, if it is dry, water it, but moderately. With frequent precipitation, watering is reduced, without precipitation - increased.

Weeding and loosening the site

After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil in order to saturate it with oxygen. Weeding is also necessary, weeds drown out cultivated ones, pulling them out of the soil nutrients and moisture.

Fertilization

Levkoy treats organic matter badly, the only thing that the plant accepts is wood ash. When top dressing, it is better to give preference to balanced mineral complexes for flowering plants. In spring - with a predominance of nitrogen, in summer for better flowering - potassium-phosphorus compounds.

Pests and diseases of Levkoy: their control

The most dangerous pest of matthiola-levkoy is the cruciferous flea. From a small number of insects, an ash solution will help (three to four sprays), you need to process all parts of the plant. If there are too many insects, use insecticides (Aktara, Decis).

Disease prevention is carried out before sowing seeds: the soil for seedlings is treated with a solution of manganese. In case of signs of illness in an adult plant, fungicides can be used (Fitosporin-M, Baktofit).

When to Harvest and How to Store Levkoy Seeds

In late September - early October, the seeds of levkoy ripen. Pods with seeds will be ripe when the pods turn brown. If the left is an annual, you can uproot the bush and hang to dry, and when the pods dry, peel the seeds. If you have perennial matthiola, you only need to pluck the pods.

Important! When collecting pods with seeds of levkoy-matthiola, you need to be careful: the pods with seeds are thin and look like stems.

It is advisable to dry the seeds even outside the pods, and then put them in paper or fabric bags. Store the seeds until next spring in a dry, dark place.

Preparing perennial levkoy for winter

In southern regions with mild winters, Levkoy winter well. It is desirable to cut the stems and foliage, and root system in a good shelter, it will overwinter and release new shoots in the spring. Cover the plant with mulch, spruce branches or agrofiber.

In areas with severe winters, more often grown annual varieties levkoy. If there is a perennial, then for the winter it is advisable to dig up the plant and transplant it into a pot. It is better for him to spend the winter at home.

Levkoy, mattiola or in common people night violet is a plant that can be grown not only in decorative purposes but also to attract pollinating insects to the site. This unpretentious, easy-to-grow flower was previously widely used in landscape design, and later went out of fashion, but even now it is able to decorate any garden plot. To enjoy the look and aroma of the plant, the gardener needs to know the main features of the Levkoy culture: growing from seeds, the rules and subtleties of caring for it.

Levkoy belongs to the cruciferous family, and is distributed in many countries of the world, including the southern part of Europe, Africa and Asia. Its name comes from the Greek phrase "white violet", and the plant received its second name in honor of the Italian scientist Pietro Mattioli.

This is an annual or perennial crop, which may have different characteristics, depending on belonging to a particular variety (there are about 50 in total). The stems of Levkoy are straight or slightly curved, with a smooth or slightly pubescent surface, from 20 to 80 cm high, but some can reach a meter. The leaves are narrow, oblong or lanceolate, with a smooth and corrugated edge.

Levkoy, or mattiola - a spectacular decorative culture with a delicate aroma

Matthiola blooms starting from mid-summer - from 10 to 60 flowers bloom on each bush with bright petals, which can have almost any shade. The aroma of the plant is thick and spicy, especially well felt in the evening. As a rule, flowering ends closer to autumn, but in some regions it can continue until November.

Interesting! Levkoy has not only decorative, but also healing properties - it has an antiseptic effect, and a delicate aroma essential oil, which is obtained from this flower, helps with headaches.

Varieties and varieties of levkoy

Levkoy is different large quantity varieties and cultivars that differ appearance and have their own characteristics. According to the shape of inflorescences and other characteristics, the plant is divided into several varieties:

The conditions and rules for caring for different types of levkoy practically do not differ from each other, so varieties are chosen depending on the purpose of their cultivation. Giant and tall varieties are most often used in landscape design and flower beds, and plants with short stems are used in floristry.

Table 1. The most popular levkoy varieties for growing.

Variety	Description
	The most common type of plant. The height of the bush can vary from 20 to 80 cm, the stems are straight or branched, the leaves are narrow. Flowers can be small or large and come in a wide variety of colors.
	Representatives of this variety have a small (about 35 cm) height, straight stems with flowers collected in small brushes. The key feature is a subtle, pronounced aroma.
	Annual tall variety with hard stems that grow up to 70 cm in height. The flowers are large, double with rich red petals, bloom in July
	Compact, dense bushes about 40 cm in height with spike-shaped inflorescences and simple or double flowers. Feature - a wide variety of shades (most often there are red, pink and purple flowers)
	A miniature variety growing up to 35 cm with large flowers collected in inflorescences in the form of spikelets. The flowering period is from June to August. The color scheme is varied, the aroma is thick and well pronounced.
	The most difficult variety to cultivate, which does not form fruits with seeds. Careful selection is necessary for cultivation - each bush is carefully studied, after which shoots with double inflorescences are separated from the rest. But even in this case, there is a possibility that plants with ordinary inflorescences will grow from seeds.
	Low-growing variety (20-30 cm) with a dense mass of greyish-green foliage and spikelet inflorescences with flowers that bloom in June.

Peculiarity! When using Levkoy for making bouquets and flower arrangements, it is better to take half-blown inflorescences, as they are able to stand in water for at least 10-14 days, filling the room with a delicate aroma.

Growing levkoy from seeds

Seed material for growing levkoy is sold in gardening stores in a wide range. First, you need to germinate it at home, and then plant the seedlings in an open place. It should be borne in mind that this is an unpredictable culture, and the flowers obtained after cultivation may differ significantly from those shown in the photo.

Growing seedlings

The optimal time for growing seedlings is the end of March or the beginning of April in order to get strong young plants by May.

Table 2. Step-by-step instruction for growing seedlings of levkoy.

Steps	Description
	Take suitable, deep enough containers and fill them with a soil mixture consisting of sand and soddy soil (ratio 1 to 3)
	Mattiola seeds put for a day in warm water, then carry out stratification - wrap them in a damp flap of natural tissue and put them in the cold for several days
	Water the earth a little before sowing so that it becomes moist, but not wet. Spread the seeds on the surface at intervals and dig them into the soil by 0.5 cm. Watering the seeds is not necessary
	Cover the seed container with foil and place in a dark, warm place - optimum temperature 20-22 degrees
	After the appearance of the first sprouts (this happens after 4-5 days, but sometimes the process drags on for two weeks), remove the shelter and put the boxes under bright but diffused lighting. Temperature - no more than 10-12 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will stretch too much. The first watering is carried out 2-3 days after the emergence of seedlings.
	Young plants at the age of 10-12 days are transplanted into individual cups with drainage for outflow. excess fluid. The soil is one part of sand, two of sod and leafy soil. You can add a little hydrogel to the mixture so that the root system of the seedlings is strong

When growing mid- or late-flowering levkoy varieties, the stage with picking into separate containers can be skipped - they are planted immediately in an open area.

Caring for matthiola seedlings includes moderate watering - for this it is better to use a spray bottle to slightly moisten the ground. When too in large numbers moisture, there is a possibility of damage to plants by the black leg. Top dressing is done once after the appearance of two true leaves in the seedlings, for which special preparations can be used.

Seedlings of some varieties of matthiola can be planted immediately in open ground

Before planting the plants on the site, they need to be hardened - in the room where the containers with seedlings are, open the window for a short while. You need to start with a short hardening session, then gradually increase the time, and at the end keep the seedlings on open space. The procedure should be started 10-14 days before flower transplantation.

Important! To obtain double flowers, planting care should be reduced to a minimum, since they develop only on weakened plants.

Transplanting seedlings

You can transplant young levkoy to an open area already in early May - well-hardened seedlings are not afraid of late frosts. It is better to choose a site in a well-lit place, with loose, well-ventilated, fertile soil without excess acidity. Levkoy should not be planted where cabbage used to grow, as pest larvae could remain in the ground. Fertilizers need to be applied only in cases where the land is severely depleted.

The procedure is carried out on a sunny day, as the rays can simply burn young plants. Planting holes are made at a certain distance from each other, depending on the variety of plants:

• 15 cm for low, dwarf or single stem;
• 25 cm for high pyramidal;
• 35 cm for sprawling.

The wells are well shed with water, after which the earth is slightly mixed to a liquid state and the seedlings are planted in the resulting mud so that it takes root better. After that, the wells fall asleep and compact well.

Advice! Planting levkoy next to potatoes or eggplant can significantly reduce the number of the Colorado potato beetle. An important condition is that at the time of planting the left-handed vegetables, the vegetables should already give the first shoots.

Landing Care

Levkoy do not require special care, and caring for them includes standard activities - watering, weeding, top dressing.

In anticipation of winter, the bushes of levkoy must be completely cut off or dug up, and the site dug up. Plants can be planted in containers and placed indoors so they can bloom in the winter.

Levkoy seeds are harvested in September or November, when fruits in the form of pods ripen on the bushes. As soon as they turn brown, you need to pick the bushes along with the root and place in a well-ventilated place to dry. The dried fruits are broken off and the seeds are extracted from them.

Attention! It is not recommended to use manure to feed levkoy - in this case, the soil may become infected with a fungal disease called fusarium.

Pests and diseases of levkoy

Levkoy are susceptible to the same diseases as other cruciferous - fungi, as well as damage by harmful insects.

The best way to prevent damage to plantings by diseases and pests is the right choice of site and care for seedlings. If there is a high probability that the soil contains pathogens or larvae, it can be treated before planting. special preparations(for example, Hom).

You can grow levka not only in an open area, but also on a balcony or indoors as a houseplant. At proper care it will bloom all summer, autumn and winter, delighting its owner bright colors and captivating aroma.

Video - Levkoy, sowing seedlings