Vatochnik, or Asclepias (Asclepias) - an extraordinary flowering plant from the Kutrovy family. There are more than 200 species of this plant. Vatochnik can be a shrub, dwarf shrub and herbaceous perennial. There are both deciduous and evergreen plants. Previously, this plant was used to make sturdy ropes or stuffing for toys and furniture, but nowadays many other popular materials help and is now grown only as an ornamental plant.
Description of the flower vatnik
Vatochnik is a flowering shrub, semi-shrub, herbaceous perennial. It can be both deciduous and evergreen. The plant grows up to 1 m in height. The roots grow far to the sides, thickened and horizontal. The stems are thick. Leaves are large, opposite or whorled, sometimes alternate. Ovate, oblong or elliptical. The flowers are large, brown or red in color, collected in multi-flowered umbrellas. The seeds of the plant are covered with pubescence. The juice of the milkweed is poisonous and, if it comes into contact with the skin, causes irritation and redness. The juice is often used to get rid of warts.
Growing cotton wool from seeds
Sowing seeds
It is possible to grow vatnik, both with the help of seedlings, and in a seedless way. In order for the seeds on the plant to ripen well, certain conditions are required, which happen very rarely, so it is better to purchase cotton wool seeds in a special store for gardeners and gardeners.
The most suitable time for planting seeds for seedlings is the second half of March or the second half of April. It is best to choose loamy soil as the soil. The container for planting cotton wool seeds must have drainage holes. It is not necessary to deeply deepen the seeds during planting, 1 cm is enough.After planting the seeds of the vatnik, you need to thoroughly spray the soil with a puller and cover the container with plastic wrap or glass, this will help create a greenhouse effect.
Seedlings of fleece
You need to spray the seedlings every couple of days. It is necessary to remove the plastic wrap from the containers for ventilation every day, making sure to remove the accumulated condensation. The first shoots should appear in 10-14 days. The temperature for growing seedlings should be 18 degrees. After the seedlings become stronger, the plastic wrap or glass must be removed from the containers.
When the seedlings grow 2 true leaves, they must be transplanted into separate pots. Such pots must have a good drainage layer.For the first few days after transplanting, the seedlings do not need to be placed in direct sunlight. When the seedlings move away from the transplant, it must be pinched. 2 weeks before the expected planting in open ground, it is necessary to start hardening the seedlings. You need to take out the pots daily to fresh air. Start the hardening procedure from 10 minutes and gradually increase the time. Continue until the seedlings can be outdoors around the clock. Blossoming of a vatnik grown from seeds can be expected only after three to four years.
Planting cotton wool in open ground
Planting cotton wool seeds in the open should be carried out from early spring, when the snow melts. The landing site should be well lit. When choosing a soil, it is best to give preference to fertile, slightly acidic loam.
The site must be carefully dug up, weeds removed and the soil surface leveled. Then prepare the grooves and plant the cotton wool seeds, deepening them by about 3 cm. Sprinkle with soil and water abundantly. In order for the seedlings to appear faster, the bed with the planted seeds must be covered with plastic wrap, this will create the effect of a greenhouse. Since the root system of the vatnik grows strongly, it is necessary to install special restraints during planting or plant the plant in some large container. If you take good care of the plant and take care of it properly, then you can not transplant it for about 15 years.
Caring for cotton wool in the garden
Planting and caring for the cotton wool is very easy. It is enough to water the plant in a timely manner, loosen the soil, remove weeds, carry out rejuvenating and formative pruning and apply the necessary fertilizers. You should also regularly remove inflorescences that have wilted, this will extend the flowering period of the plant. It is also necessary to cut off the flower stalks after flowering is completed, if the harvesting of seed is not planned.
Watering
After the plant is planted outdoors, it must be watered regularly. Abundant watering is needed until the root system gets stronger and is unable to extract moisture on its own. Watering is also needed in dry weather. Water for irrigation should be warm, rain or settled.
Fertilization
The vatnik does not need frequent fertilization. It is enough to add potassium sulfate, urea, rotted manure or compost in the spring, when the plant sprouts. Before flowering, you can apply top dressing in the form of balanced complex fertilizers. And after flowering - Nitrofosku. If the soil is fertile or fertilizers were applied during the digging, then additional fertilizing is not necessary.
Transfer
With proper care, the fleece grows in one place for up to 15 years. If, nevertheless, a transplant is required, then it is best to combine it with dividing the bush in spring or summer. Before transplanting the fleece, you need to water the plant abundantly, this will allow you to transplant it along with an earthen lump. The flower easily tolerates a transplant and is quickly adopted in a new place.
Cotton wool after flowering
Vatochnik needs preparation for the winter period. After flowering, the stems of the plant must be cut off so that about 10 cm from the ground remains. Then mulch the area with dry foliage, sawdust, tree bark or spruce branches.
Reproduction of cotton wool
Vatochnik reproduce by dividing the bush best in spring or after flowering. The bush must be carefully dug up and divided into parts so that one delenka has at least 2-3 live buds. Then the resulting cuttings must be immediately planted in the prepared holes. It is very easy to accept a flower in a new place. Reproduction in this way makes it possible to get a plant that will bloom in a year. After transplanting the fleece, you need to water it abundantly. This watering should be continued until the plant has a good root system.
You can propagate a flower using cuttings.This procedure is carried out in early summer. From young shoots you need to cut the cuttings of 15 cm and remove the leaves from them. Then plant the cuttings in wet sand and cover with a cut plastic bottle to create a greenhouse effect. Planting must be done quickly so that the cuttings lose as little juice as possible. Rooting of cuttings occurs after about 3 weeks.
Diseases and pests
The cotton wool is quite resistant to damage by various diseases and attacks of harmful insects. Pests that can infect cottonweed are whitefly and spider mites. You need to deal with them with the help of a solution of Aktellik, Fufanon, Rovikurt, Aktara and Fitoverm. All these funds must be diluted strictly according to the instructions.
So that the plant does not suffer from a lack of moisture, after a hot and dry day, you can spray a flower from a pulivizer, it is more important to do this after sunset so as not to burn the plant.
Types and varieties of fleece
There are only four types of cotton wool in the cultivation culture. Three as perennials and one as an annual.
Incarnate vatnik (Asclepias incarnata) or red vatnik, or meat-red vatnik
Perennial. Stems are leafy and branched. They can grow up to 1.2 m in height. The leaves are pubescent and opposite, have an elongated broad-lanceolate shape. Flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, pink-purple or red, have a pleasant aroma. Flowering begins in July-August. Popular varieties:
- Ice Belli - grows up to 1 m in height. Flowers are white.
Tuberose vatnik (Asclepias tuberosa), or Asclepias tuberose, or tuberous vatnik
It grows 50-70 cm in height. The flowers are yellow-red. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts until late autumn. Frost-resistant species. Popular varieties:
- Gay Butterfly is a mix of varieties. The plant grows up to 70 cm. The flowers are red, yellow and orange.
- Vatochnik Maharaj - grows up to 50 cm. Flowers are bright orange.
Syrian cottonwood (Asclepias syriaca), or Aesculapian herb
Perennial. Grows up to 1.5 m. Stems are erect. The leaves are oblong-elliptical, dark green in color, up to 15 cm long. Flowers of this species have an incredibly tasty smell of chocolate cake.
Kurasavskiy vatochnik (Asclepias curassavica), or lastoven
An annual plant. Sometimes it grows up to 1 m in height. The flowers are red or orange. This type of quilted jacket very often causes an allergic reaction in contact with the skin.
