Anemones: planting and care
The petals of this plant flutter even from the slightest breeze. That’s why it was called anemone, which means “daughter of the winds.” This flower grows everywhere in temperate latitudes. Let's talk about how to grow them.
Contents
Planting anemones
Anemones are planted by tubers or seeds. If you decide to simply buy the seeds of this plant in the store, you must take into account that they have very poor germination. Therefore, before planting, the seeds should be treated with a special product that increases the germination rate. Please note that plants grown from seeds are capable of flowering only after three years.
Planting anemones with tubers requires special preparation. To do this, planting material is left for some time in warm water. Once the tubers have swelled, they can be planted in pots to germinate. For planting anemones, use a mixture of sand and peat. Pre-moisten the soil and plant the tubers 5 centimeters deep. Remember that anemone tubers should be planted with the pointed end down. If you cannot determine exactly where the top of the tuber is, then plant it on the side. After planting, water the area where the flowers are planted thoroughly.
House anemones
These flowers can exist perfectly in the microclimate of an apartment. To do this, they are planted in ordinary ceramic pots. For house anemones, take clay soil intended for indoor plants. It is best to buy the appropriate primer in a store. Pots over 20 cm in diameter are suitable for growing this flower. In this case, 5 seedlings are planted in one pot. This way you will get up to 150 flowers from one pot per season.
Good lighting is important for anemones, but it should not be direct sunlight. They can scorch the tender leaves of the plant. Mostly indoor anemones bloom in winter, so use fluorescent lamps as additional lighting.
Water the plant frequently; the plant's soil should always be moist. Good drainage is necessary to prevent root rot. In summer, water the anemone twice a week, and during the flowering period, do it more often. To prevent fungus on the leaves, do not spray the plant.
Anemones in the open ground
If you decide to grow this plant on the street, then it is important to choose the right place for the plant to grow successfully. For normal anemone development, a spacious shaded place, protected from gusts of wind on all sides, is suitable. Please note that anemones grow very quickly, but their root system is particularly fragile. Therefore, nothing should interfere with the roots of the plant.
These characteristics of the plant should also determine the choice of soil. Loam or peat-leaf soil mixture is ideal for anemones. If it is impossible to provide such soil, add sand to the soil. This will improve the quality of the soil. If the soil in your garden is too acidic, then add dolomite flour or wood ash to it.
As you remember, anemone seeds have low germination rate. To some extent, this problem is solved by freezing.
- Mix flower seeds and sand in a ratio of 1:3. Peat can be used instead of sand.
- Spray this mixture with water and keep it moist until the seeds swell.
- Place the seeds along with a small amount of substrate in a suitable pot and stir. Lightly moisten the mixture.
- Transfer the container to a ventilated area and keep it there at a temperature no higher than 5 degrees until the sprouts hatch.
- Move the container outside and bury it until spring. Sprinkle the top of this area with sawdust to protect it from frost.
- At the beginning of spring, dig up a container and transplant the sprouts into pots.
Anemone care
Caring for this plant is easy. It is only necessary to ensure the optimal level of moisture. Otherwise, these flowers are unpretentious.
To retain moisture for a long time, the soil should be mulched immediately after planting. This can be done with linden, oak or ash foliage. Instead of leaves, you can use humus. Form a layer over five centimeters. This will also allow you to not often weed the area with anemones.
During the bud period, water the plant weekly. In the summer, with warm weather and regular rains, anemones do not need to be watered. It is best to use water that has been preheated by the sun. The plant should be watered either in the morning, before the bright sun rises, or in the evening before sunset. To prevent moisture from stagnating at the roots, loosen the soil regularly. Do not use metal tools for this so as not to damage the delicate roots. It is better to loosen the soil with your fingers.
In the first year after planting, you should not apply additional fertilizers. But from the second year, every spring the anemone must be fed with organic fertilizers. It is best to use compositions made from vermicompost, since this plant does not welcome organic manure. In the autumn, apply mineral fertilizers to create a supply of microelements for the anemone for the next year.
Mature plants that are already 5 years old must be separated. To do this, dig up the anemone, carefully remove the soil and cut the rhizome into parts so that at least one bud remains in each part. The cut areas are treated with crushed coal. Rhizomes prepared in this way can be planted in a new location.
Anemones: photo
