Platycodon is a flowering herbaceous perennial from the Kolokolchikov family that is widespread in Japan and China, Korea and the Far East. The culture can be found on forest edges and clearings, as well as on rocky rocky slopes. In floriculture, only one of its species is known - platycodon grandiflorus. Translated from Greek, the name of the flower is translated as "wide bell". The unopened buds are shaped like small lanterns. Popular varieties are Snowflakes, Shell Pink, Fairy Snow, Epoiema, Album and Marisil Blue.
Description of Platikodon flower
Distinctive features of the perennial are its fleshy rhizome, straight and thin stems 20-80 cm high with a large amount of bluish foliage, single flowers or panicle inflorescences of white, lilac, purple, purple and pink shades, as well as fruit-boxes with shiny ovoid seeds forms. The flowering period of Platycodon lasts on average 50-60 days and begins in the second half of July. Platycodon perfectly coexists with many plants in the flower garden and in the garden. The best companion plants are gypsophila, bells, phlox.
Growing platycodone from seeds
Platycodon sowing
Platycodon seeds can be sown directly on an open flower garden, but the seedling method is still more reliable. Favorable time for sowing: late February - early March. The preparation of the planting material consists in pre-sowing soaking. To do this, you will need a small gauze bag in which the seeds are poured, and a glass container with water at room temperature. The seeds are left in water to swell for 48 hours.
Planting boxes or large-volume flowerpots are filled with a substrate for flowering plants, in which equal parts of river sand, peat soil and humus are carefully loosened and seeds are sown to a depth of 3-5 mm or on the surface. From above, the planting material must be sprinkled with a thin layer of sand and moistened with water at room temperature from a fine spray. Seedlings should appear in 7-14 days. The entire growing period requires timely and regular watering, which should be carried out only after the surface of the substrate has dried. Planting boxes covered with plastic wrap should be placed in a bright and warm room. After the mass emergence of seedlings, the cover must be removed and the temperature conditions must be lowered to 18 degrees Celsius.
Platycodon seedling care
Seedling care consists of watering and loosening the soil. First, the soil is moistened, and immediately after that, it is gently loosened.After the appearance of 3-4 full-fledged leaves, the plants dive into flower containers of small diameter (no more than 10 cm). Transplantation into open ground is carried out with a lump of earth.
Planting Platicodon in open ground
When to plant platycodon
The ideal time for transplanting seedlings to open flower beds is the third decade of May or the first decade of June. Even mild night frosts can significantly harm young plants, so you should wait for stable warm weather.
It is better to choose a site for planting in an open, illuminated place or in a light partial shade. Good drainage is recommended. The soil should be nutritious and loose with moderate moisture, neutral in composition. It can be loam or fertile soil with a small addition of sand and deep groundwater. Before planting, the site must be dug up, adding wood ash and mineral fertilizers during digging. For each square meter of land, you will need a tablespoon of complex fertilizing and half a glass of ash.
It is necessary to choose such a place for the Platycodon, where it will feel great for a long time without transplants (he does not like such procedures) On average, a plant can fully develop in one area for about ten years.
How to plant platicodon correctly
The planting holes are located at a distance of about 30 cm from each other, the volume of each of them depends on the size of the root of the plant. The depth and width of the hole should slightly exceed the size of the earthen ball of seedlings. Young plants are watered before being removed from the pots, and then, together with a clod of earth, are transferred into the planting hole. After filling the hole with earth, the first watering is carried out.
Platycodon care in the garden
Within 10-15 days after planting, young Platicodon plants are recommended to be watered every day, and starting from the third week - 2-3 times a week. A blooming perennial does not like excess moisture.
Loosening and weeding of the soil is carried out as needed, but always after moistening the soil. Weed vegetation should be removed at the stage of its appearance on the flower garden.
Mulching can save the grower time and greatly benefit the flowers. Mulch protects against weeds and keeps the soil moist and loose for a long time.
Complex mineral fertilizers for flowering crops are applied regularly once a month along with watering.
In order for herbaceous perennials not to stretch upwards, it is recommended to pinch the tops from time to time or spray with special solutions that slow down growth.
Tall varieties or overgrown plants can ruin the overall picture in the flower bed and flower garden. To preserve decorativeness, flower growers advise to build a small support for flowers and tie them up, and do not forget about the timely removal of wilted buds.
Platicodon after flowering
Seed collection
Seed collection is carried out in early autumn. By this time, the stalks of the platycodon dry up, and the seed boxes inside are cracked.
Preparing for winter
Platycodon is not a frost-resistant crop and therefore must be covered with a reliable and warm cover during the winter. With the arrival of autumn, when the seeds have already been harvested, the aerial part of the herbaceous plants must be completely cut off. It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the garden or flower garden with a mulch layer about 10 cm thick. Peat, sawdust, dry leaves, humus or spruce branches can be used as mulch.
Reproduction of platycodon
Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings are not popular in Platicodon propagation. The plant is reluctant to take root, you can waste time and energy, but everyone can try it. For cuttings, stems with a heel and several internodes (at least two) are required.In early spring, you need to cut cuttings about 10 cm long and bury them in sand or a special substrate for flowering crops. It is recommended to cover each stalk on top with a glass or plastic container. In such a mini-greenhouse, the processes are located before the appearance of their own roots.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Since the perennial Platycodon does not like transplants, it can also endure the division of the bush with negative consequences. The plant is watered, carefully removed from the ground and divided into several parts. It is recommended to use only a sterile instrument for separation. Each division should have a growth bud. Places of cuts should be sprinkled with wood ash or activated carbon powder, and then immediately planted in a permanent place in the garden. Whether the platycodone will take root after the separation is unknown.
Seed propagation
The seed propagation method is considered the most reliable and proven. Seed germination is high. Even a beginner in floriculture can grow seedlings from seeds.
Diseases and pests
Platicodone is highly resistant to diseases and pests. The plant is sick only in rare cases, when the irrigation regime is violated or the rainy period is too long. In such damp conditions, gray rot usually appears, which is fatal to all plants. At the initial stage of the appearance of rot, urgent measures must be taken:
- Remove diseased specimens from the site;
- Balance the watering regime;
- Loose the soil.
For the final disposal of the disease, spraying with fungicides is carried out. Twice with an interval of ten days, all plants must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate or Fundazole (2% solution).
Of the pests, mice and moles are the big problems for platycodon flowers. From their presence in the garden, the root system is damaged and flowering bushes die. You can get rid of mice if you spread bait with pesticides mixed with cereals or other products throughout the entire area. But it will be very difficult to fight with moles. These rodents can only be deterred by exhaust gas or smoke. To do this, you need a chainsaw and a rubber hose. One end of the hose is lowered into the animal's burrow, and the other is attached to the exhaust port. They turn on the chainsaw and wait for the mole to run away from there.
