Clarkia (Clarkia) comes from North America, grows favorably in Chile. The plant got its name thanks to the leader of the expedition, William Clark, who brought to Europe many new species and varieties of flora from North American lands, including this flowering herb.
Clarkia description
Clarkia is an annual shrub with well-branched straight stems and reaches a height of 50-80 centimeters. The lower part of the stem stiffens by the end of the growing season. The flowering period lasts from July to September. The plant blooms in white, orange and pink four-petalled flowers. Under natural conditions, clarkia reproduces by self-seeding.
Growing clarke from seeds
Clarkia is grown in only one way - by seeds, because the plant is annual and the periods of its flowering and seed formation just fall on the warm season.
Sowing seeds in open ground
The earlier the seeds are sown, the earlier the flowering period will begin. When planted in autumn, clarkia begins to bloom in early June. If you plant seeds in open ground in the last spring month, then clarkia will bloom only in the last days of July. The advantage of planting seeds directly on your permanent land plot is fast rooting, early and longer flowering.
Preparing a garden plot for planting consists in carefully digging up the soil, getting rid of all weeds and adding the necessary fertilizing in granular form (or humus) to the soil. The next stage is the grooves (at least three centimeters wide). They sow seeds in them and crush them with earth (the layer thickness is no more than two centimeters), you can compact the soil a little. With a slight drop in air temperature, the seedlings will feel normal.
Planting seeds for seedlings
To grow seedlings, seeds must be sown in early April. Clarke terry hybrid varieties are recommended to be grown from seedlings. You can use small seedling cups or peat tablets. It is very important that the root part develops well during the growth of seedlings, and then it will not be damaged when the plant is transferred to open ground. Seedling contributes to the better survival rate of clarkia in a new place and early flowering.
When growing seedlings in containers or planting boxes, you need to take care of a good soil mixture. Its composition: one part of humus, river sand and peat, as well as two parts of leaf land. Everything is thoroughly mixed and filled with seedling boxes. A pink solution of potassium permanganate will help disinfect the prepared soil; it is recommended to water the soil mixture with it before sowing the seeds. The seeds are planted in grooves about two centimeters deep, crushed with earth and sprayed with a sprayer.The boxes must be covered with transparent film for about 1.5-2 weeks. During this time, the seeds will germinate, and the film can be removed.
Seedling care
Watering is carried out regularly, but not plentiful. The soil should always be slightly moist. It is advisable to spray young plants with water, the temperature of which is about 25-27 degrees. With a lack of lighting, the plants will begin to stretch. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to use fluorescent lighting, especially during short daylight hours. Pinching of seedlings is carried out when it reaches about 15 cm in height.This will enable the plant to become more powerful and branchy.
Clarkia hybrid varieties do not need picking and do not tolerate replanting. Too dense crops of young seedlings must be carefully thinned out without damaging the "neighbors".
Planting clarkyria in open ground
The best time to plant
The last week of May is the most favorable period for planting clarke in open ground. For heavily overgrown bushes, you can postpone this process 7-10 days earlier. A short drop in air temperature will not harm young plants.
Sand, humus and peat must be added to the selected area if the soil on it is infertile. Plants are transferred to shallow holes together with an earthen lump and sprinkled with earth so that the growing point remains close to the surface of the earth. Deep deepening will prevent the plant from blooming and will lead to growth stalling.
Landing features
Clarkia grows well in areas with drafts, direct sunlight and partial shade. The soil for clarkia needs fertile and light. This will contribute to the active growth and development of the plant, as well as its abundant and long flowering. On heavy clay soils, the flower will feel much worse, and acidic soils for this shrub are generally contraindicated.
Clarkia care
Watering
The frequency and volume of irrigation depends on the frequency of precipitation. You can do without watering during cool summers and frequent rains. On other days, it is recommended to water the clarke in moderation after the topsoil has dried. An excess of moisture in the soil can lead to root rot. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil to ensure good air permeability, which is necessary for the clarkia root system. Irrigation water should not fall on the petals of a flowering plant, as this will negatively affect their appearance.
Humidity
The moisture level for the favorable growth of the shrub requires an average. High humidity, which forms after prolonged heavy rains and dense fogs, will lead to the appearance of various diseases (for example, gray mold).
Fertilization
A balanced and safe for beneficial insects top dressing, intended for flowering garden plants, is applied to the soil regularly once or twice a month.
Thinning of dense stands
Dense grown plantings need to be thinned out in time, leaving a distance of at least 15 centimeters between the plants. Such a gap will allow the shrub to become not only tall, but also lush.
Clarkia after flowering
After the end of the flowering of annual clarkia, it is recommended to get rid of damaged or diseased specimens, dig up the soil on the land plot and expect new plants that will appear by self-sowing.
Clarkia Seed Collection
To prevent the seeds from falling into the soil, it is necessary in advance (about a month - one and a half before the seeds ripen) to put a cloth bag on the seed box and fix it on the flower. When the color of the boll turns a light shade, you can cut off the boll and remove the seeds. They must be dried for several days, and then sown immediately.
Diseases and pests
Only in rare cases is clarkia attacked by pests or any disease occurs. The flower has a strong immunity to these troubles.But if the rules for watering are violated, clarkia can still seriously get sick with some fungal diseases.
Fungi usually appear in the lower part of the plant. This place is ideal for their distribution, because the soil contains moisture and heat. First, the root part of the plant is affected, and then the entire shrub gradually dies. Mushrooms multiply very quickly, a decay process occurs, which indicates a large accumulation of fungal spores. The cause of the appearance of a fungal disease is an excess of moisture in the soil from abundant and frequent watering.
Diseased specimens almost always cannot be saved. To prevent the disease from spreading to other plants, it is recommended to destroy the diseased specimen as soon as possible, and treat the place of its growth with a preventive solution.
The most common pests for clarkia are the garden flea and mealybug. Fufanon and Karbofos are a reliable way to deal with them.
