The genus of anemone consists of 150 species. Most of them are rhizomatous plants, which are easy to care for, all the problems lie in the dislike of transplants, as fragile roots break easily. A small part of the genus are tubers anemones. Here they are very different from their relatives as the appearance and care. Capricious beauties with large, bright single flowers attract the eyes of those around them, but many gardeners refuse to get involved in planting.
True, the most difficult to grow an anemone castellated. It is this flower that adorns articles on anemone and is sold in garden centers with shriveled dry onions with a beautiful picture on the label. But there are other tuberous anemones, planting and caring for which is much easier. True, they look simpler, and can not be compared to the beauty of a crown anemone. They do not even need to dig up everything for the winter.
Features of the tuberous anemone
Anemones with tuberous rhizomes, most often grown on household plots, include:
- Caucasian anemone. It grows high in the mountains and does not require digging for the winter. This anemone does not need frequent watering, it can grow in the open. Its height reaches 10-20 cm, blue flowers with a diameter of no more than 3 cm, by the beginning of summer, the aerial part dries out and dies.
- Anemone Apennine. It is very similar to the Caucasian anemone, but its flowers are not blue, but blue, and the size does not exceed 15 cm. This anemone is not as cold-resistant as the previous one, but overwinters well in the ground if the temperature does not fall below 23 degrees. In cold regions where there is little snow, landing should be mulched. There are garden forms of the Apennine anemone with different colors and flower size.
- Anemone garden. Its flowers are larger than in previous species, they reach a diameter of 5 cm and have a pink or red color. Bushes can grow up to 30 cm. Tubers of this anemone do not hibernate in the flower bed.
- Anemone tender. Despite the name, can withstand frost up to 25 degrees. Bushes grow up to 15 cm, flowers of wild-growing anemone have a blue color, garden varieties can be pink, white, lavender, red or two-color. The plant is light-requiring and withstands drought well.
- Anemone castellate. The most beautiful and most capricious of anemone. Its homeland is the Mediterranean and the Middle East, their warm climate can not be compared with ours. Even in the south, Ukraine has to dig up this anemone for the winter, with the exception of the Black Sea coast. Many varieties and hybrids of coronated anemone are usually grown in gardens and greenhouses, with double or simple flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, of various colors. Its height is about 45 cm. Look at the photo, how beautiful is the castellated anemone.
All the above types of tuberous anemones are distinguished by the fact that after flowering, the aerial part of them dies. After a short period of time, it is impossible to find even the place where the plants were planted. Therefore, the tuber of anemones that do not hibernate on the street must be picked up before the above-ground part is washed away by rain or is carried away by the wind.
Selection of anemone tubers
It is about the choice of planting material in the garden centers. If you grow anemone plants yourself, then you are sure of the quality of the bulbs, you know the storage conditions when they are dug out - last fall or five years ago.
Unfortunately, the only advice we can give is to buy anemone tubers in large garden centers. It is better if they are packaged and labeled by the manufacturer. So there is at least some guarantee that the planting material is of high quality.
Unfortunately, only well-dried anemone tubers are sold. Look at the photos, they are wrinkled and deformed. You can check the germination in one way - to put in the ground and wait: grow or not. It remains to rely on the conscience of those who grew anemones and sold tubers.
When to plant anemones
Sow anemone tubers in the ground can only be in the spring, when it warms up well. But then the anemones will bloom, depending on the region, only towards the middle or end of summer, and this does not suit everyone. For the early appearance of buds, tubers are seated in peat cups and kept in a cool room. When warm weather sets in, they are buried in the ground flush with the soil surface.
Do not use plastic or plastic containers for germinating anemone. When it comes time to plant anemones in the ground, they will have to be removed from the tanks. It is so easy to damage the roots, besides an earthen ball can crumble in your hands, and all the work will go down the drain, and the tuber will have to be thrown out. It is better to use peat cups, anemones are planted with them.
Anemone can be used for forcing. Then the question "when to plant" disappears by itself. Forcing anemones can be done at any time, than many years engaged in people who grow coronate anemone from tubers for cutting.
Choosing a site for planting anemones
Almost all anemone grows well in partial shade. But the tuberous anemones belong to the light-loving species. In the northern regions, an anemone grown in a shaded area will not bloom at all or its color will be pale. In the south, on the contrary, it is impossible to plant the plants under the scorching sun, but it is best to place them so that at midday trees or shrubs with an open crown protect them.
Absolutely all anemones do not like drafts. They received their second name due to the fact that the flower stalks sway from the slightest vibration of the air, and the petals can fly around even with a light breeze. For anemones, choose a quiet, weatherproof place.
Planting tubers anemones
Planting anemone itself is simple, it is much more difficult to properly prepare the tubers.
Soil preparation
Prepare a primer before planting anemones. Flowers do not like stagnant water at the roots, so they can not be placed in a damp place. If you definitely need to plant them exactly where it is always wet, arrange drainage from gravel, rubble or broken red brick.
The second requirement for tuberous anemones is an alkaline loose soil. It can be turned on its own by adding lime, ash or dolomite flour. Peat or well-rotted manure will help make the soil water-and breathable. Often, it is advised to add sand to the soil. But there is such a nuance - only a large river serves as a baking powder. If you add fine sand to the soil, it not only does not loosen it, but, on the contrary, makes it dense and unyielding, as if it will cement.
Before planting anemones, dig the area, remove pebbles and weed roots.
Preparation for planting tubers anemone
If you immediately plant dry, shriveled tubers into the ground, you will not be able to grow anemones from them. Bulbs need to pre-soak. Every experienced gardener who successfully grows anemone has its own method. Here are some of them:
- Anemones are immersed in water so that the liquid covers only half of the tuber (this is done to prevent rotting) for 5-6 hours.
- A wet cloth is placed on the bottom of a shallow vessel, and onion anemone is placed on top.
- Place anemones in wet sand or sphagnum.
- Wrap the tubers with a wet cloth and put in a cellophane bag.
Surely there are still many ways to soak anemones. The main thing is not to put the tubers completely in the water. After wetting, they should swell. It is very good to add to water for soaking tubers of anemone anemone or zircon.
Landing in a tank
In order for the anemone to bloom not by the end of the summer, but much earlier, it needs to be germinated in peat pots. Before you plant, need further preparation. For this:
- Take a shallow container, fill the bottom with a bit of soil mixed with sand, moisten and place on the surface of the swollen anemone tubers.
- Cover the plate with glass or wrap in transparent cellophane and place in a cool place with a temperature of about 5 degrees.
- Ventilate the anemone tubers daily, keep the substrate moist.
- After about 10 days, the roots and growth points should appear. If they are not there, keep the anemone tubers in the same condition for another week or a little more. Then the bulbs can be thrown out.
- Sprouted anemones will land in peat cups with a light soil mixture to a depth of 5 cm so that the growth points are directed upwards.
- Keep the pots at a temperature of about 12 degrees.
- Anemones are planted with cups when weather conditions permit.
Landing
If you plant anemones directly into the ground, additional germination of tubers after soaking is not necessary. Dig shallow holes, add to each handful of humus, if you did not make it under the digging and mix well with the ground.
Plant anemone tubers need to a depth of 5 cm. It is advised to place them points of growth up, blunt end down. But you can hardly find them in swollen tubers. Of course, try to figure it out, if it does not work out, plant anemones, as it will, the sprout will find its own way to the light, however, it will take him a few extra days.
Well water the wells, immediately grind with peat or humus.
Caring for anemone in the ground
We have already done the most important work - we planted anemones. Now let's learn how to grow them.
Watering
This is the most crucial moment in the care of anemone. The soil should not dry out, but stagnant water at the roots is dangerous. In the spring of landing, the species of anemone that was not dug out for the winter is watered no more than once a week, even if it does not rain for a long time.
In summer, if the weather is hot, dry weather should be done daily. This is due to the fact that the root system of anemones is located close to the ground surface - it dries out, lacks moisture and flowers. To save time and effort, mulch the soil. It will help keep water.
Top dressing
Anemones are fed in spring (species hibernating in the ground) immediately after the appearance of the first leaves with fertilizer containing a large amount of nitrogen. You can simply grind the soil with a dry mullein and scatter the ashes over the surface. At the time of budding, the anemone is fed with a mineral complex. In the autumn, after flowering, they add potassium monophosphate or another nitrogen-free fertilizer.
This scheme of fertilizing is suitable for all anemones, except the crown. They require additional doses of fertilizer during flowering.
Soil treatment
An anemone has a superficial root system. Chop or ploskorezom handle the soil next to them is impossible. Weeding will have to do manually. To facilitate your work, grind the soil with peat or dry mullein.
Conclusion
Of course, it is not so easy to grow anemones from tubers, especially those that need to be dug out annually for the winter. But how much joy these beautiful flowers can bring! Believe me, anemones are worth the effort.
