Viscaria is a flowering plant from the Clove family. It can be both a perennial and an annual. Viscaria is considered one of the species of another representative of the same family - lychnis, but most often this plant is called ordinary tar. The reason for this is the sticky hairs that cover the stems of the flower. Even the Latin name of the plant comes from the word "glue".
Viscaria varieties are quite varied and can have different heights. Small inflorescences are presented in a variety of shades of blue, pink, purple or white. They are almost devoid of aroma, but do not cause problems for allergy sufferers. The flowering of viscarias lasts more than two months, while the bushes can bloom in a couple of months from the emergence of shoots or even earlier. Due to its fast growth rates, unpretentiousness and such an early flowering, this plant is quite popular in gardening.
Planting viscarias in open ground
Viscaria can be sown directly into the ground or grown through seedlings. In the second case, flowering will come earlier. For cultivation, you will need a sunny corner or a place shaded only in the afternoon. In shady places, plants bloom worse and grow less green mass.
Direct seeding
Before planting viscarias seeds in open ground, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. It is carefully dug up, loosened and drainage elements - sand or sawdust - are introduced. Sour soil must be neutralized with lime. In addition, compost is added to the ground. It is optimal to do all this no later than a couple of weeks before sowing. The ideal time for him is May, when severe frosts have completely passed. Small cold snaps are not terrible for seedlings. Perennial whiskey can be sown before winter, in October.
The seeds themselves are disinfected before sowing, keeping them for up to 3 hours in a pale manganese solution. After that, they are dried and placed in the refrigerator for half a day for stratification. Due to the small size of the seeds, they are sown in groups of 3 or 5 pieces, keeping about 35 cm between the holes.If the plants are arranged in several rows, leave about 80 cm between them.This will avoid thickening of the plantings. After sowing, the holes are lightly sprinkled with earth, and then watered.
Growing from seeds
The seedling method also requires preliminary preparation of seeds in the above way. After all procedures, they are sown in a container with a loose and moist substrate. Up to 4 seeds are dipped into each hole. You can sow seeds in the grooves. Then the crops are sprinkled with soil, sprayed so as not to wash out and put in a warm and bright place, covered with a film. The container will have to be ventilated daily, as well as to maintain the moisture content of the soil.After the sprouts appear, it is moved to a slightly cooler, but lighter corner.
Three weeks after the emergence of seedlings, if necessary, they are thinned out, leaving only the strongest seedlings. With the appearance of real leaves, the sprouts can be sorted into individual cups. It is better not to use peat dishes - acidic soil is harmful to flowers. At the end of May, young plants are planted outside, trying to move them using the transshipment method.
Whiskaria care in the garden
Soil selection
A nutritious soil with a good drainage layer is suitable for viscarias. Before planting plants in the ground, you need to add sawdust to the ground. High acidity can impair the growth of bushes, so lime or ash should be added to this type of soil. Too poor soil can be pre-fertilized with compost.
Watering
Viscaria is watered once every 7 days, the only exceptions are dry periods. In hot and dry weather, you can moisten the soil about 3 times a week. In cool weather, subject to frequent precipitation, the flowers do not need to be watered at all.
After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil near the plantings. This will allow the root system to better absorb oxygen and also slow down the growth of weeds. It is especially important to remove weeds in a timely manner until the bushes grow.
Transfer
The bushes of perennial viscarias are capable of growing in one bed for about 5-6 years. Annuals can also be grown in the same place during this period, but then the planting corner should be updated. Otherwise, the flowers of the viscaria may become smaller.
If the viscari bush needs to be moved to another place, the plant is carefully transferred there along with the soil clod. The planting hole should be prepared in advance by creating a drainage layer of sand in it. The transplanted bush is compacted and watered. In a new place, it will take root in a few weeks. The best time for the procedure is the end of the summer season.
Top dressing
Viscaria is fed about 3 times throughout the season. The first time fertilization is applied before it begins to bloom. To do this, you can use a mixture of sodium sulfate with urea and superphosphate. 3 tbsp. tablespoons of such a mixture are dissolved in 10 liters of water and the bushes are poured with a solution. The second feeding is carried out during flowering using potash formulations. The third time the nutrients are introduced in the fall, again repeating the first feeding of the three elements.
Flowering period
On average, the flowering of viscarias begins in June, and lasts until August-September. Its inflorescences are located at the tops of the stems and can vary in size. The palette of possible colors includes white, blue-blue, pink-purple and red shades. Each flower lasts about two weeks. After the flowers wither, seeds are formed on the plant, with which you can propagate it.
Pruning
Pruning is only necessary for perennial varieties of viscarias. It is carried out in the fall to prepare the bushes for the upcoming winter, and at the same time to collect ripe seeds. Parts of the stems on which the inflorescences were located are cut off, leaving hemp 5 cm in height.
Wintering features
After flowering, viscarias are cleaned of wilted inflorescences, if necessary, leaving a few pieces for the seeds to ripen. Before the arrival of frost, the bushes are cut almost to the very ground, and then they are covered with dry foliage or sawdust in case of a winter with little snow.
Viscaria breeding methods
Viscaria can be propagated by cuttings, but most often new plants are obtained using seeds. They can be harvested from existing plants after they have faded, or purchased from the store. Sowing is carried out in spring in warm weather, or seedlings are preliminarily grown. Perennial frost-resistant varieties can be sown in the ground in the fall, in this case they will be stratified in a natural way, but it is advisable to cover the garden with sawdust.You can plant these seeds next to other wintering plants, which can serve as additional protection for them.
Diseases and pests
Viscaria is very resistant to pests and rarely gets sick. Sometimes aphids can settle on a plant, as part of the fight against it, you can treat the bushes with an ash solution or with Aktara, using it according to the instructions.
The main disease of viscarias is considered to be a fungus that infects excessively moist or thickened bushes. Severe lesions cannot be cured - such plants will have to be dug up and burned. The rest of the bed is treated with Bordeaux mixture, repeating the procedure after a week. It is easier to prevent such a disease than to cure it, so you should try not to overmoisten the soil and plant the plants at the proper distance.
Viscaria in landscape design
Viscaria is prized for its decorative appearance, long flowering period and fast growth. With the help of its annual species, you can decorate the site in a short time, and perennials will delight the eye for several seasons. You can grow whiskey in flower beds, flower beds, and also in rockeries.
This flower is also attractive for its unpretentiousness and frost resistance. With proper care, it practically does not get sick and is resistant to garden pests.
Types and varieties of viscarias with photos and names
Viscaria Holiday
Forms low bushes up to 25 cm tall. Numerous leaves are light green in color. Usually this variety is grown as an annual. Plants can delight with their flowers for several months. The main color is considered to be crimson, but most often the seeds of such viscarias are sold as a mixture with flowers of different shades.
Viscaria Nymph
The height of the bushes reaches half a meter. The foliage has a xiphoid shape and is colored light green. Inflorescences are located at the tops of the shoots. Five-petal flowers resemble a carnation and can have a variety of colors. Flowering continues from mid-summer until the first frost.
Viscaria Perennial
Blooms only in the second year after planting. The size of the bushes is average, about 35 cm. The green foliage has a pointed tip. The flowers have 5 petals and can be colored white, blue, red or lilac. Flowers begin to appear in June, and by autumn the plant has already faded.
Viscaria Vulgaris
perennial, forming tall bushes, reaching a meter. The foliage is large enough, painted in a dark green color. Flowers can be white or reddish pink. Like all perennial species, it blooms only in the second year. At the same time, flowering lasts all summer.
Viscaria vulgaris
The size of the bushes reaches 35 cm. The shoots are densely covered with leaves, and on their tops are inflorescences that have a white, purple, blue or red tint. Flowering lasts all summer, starting in June.
Viscaria Glazkovaya
Elegant annual up to 50 cm tall. The bushes have dense, rich green foliage. The inflorescences are simple - blue, pink, purple or white. Flowering lasts from July to October.
Viscaria Blue
Forms half-meter bushes. The foliage is green, medium in size, with a slight taper at the end. The flowers are pale blue, appear all summer, starting in June.
