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Forcing lilies of the valley at home. Forcing lilies of the valley in winter. When to bring it into the light

Has everyone ever seen tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, etc. grown specially for some holiday? This method is called forcing. Wouldn't you like to have blooming lilies of the valley for the New Year? Just imagine: Christmas tree, festive New Year's table, it’s winter outside, and your lilies of the valley are blooming! If you like the idea, then read on.

planting material

Planting material can be bought in specialized stores already prepared; it is usually sold with the inscription on the packaging - “For forcing.” Or you can prepare it yourself, but, as far as I know, the forest lily of the valley is under protection and cannot be dug up and taken out of the forest. And in terms of the beauty of porcelain bells, it is inferior to its garden counterpart. Well, dig up garden lilies of the valley with a pitchfork so as to damage the rhizome as little as possible, since new roots will not grow during forcing and the plant will feed only on its own reserves. It is for this reason that you need to choose large and strong plants.

Pay attention to the shape of the bud: if it is plump and slightly rounded, then it will bloom, but if it is thin and skinny, then only a leaf will grow from such a bud.

storage

The rhizomes, dug up in mid-September, selected and tied into a bunch, need to be soaked in water for 1.5-2 hours. Then wrap in damp material, ideally in damp sphagnum moss, wrap on top plastic film and store on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

It is advisable to place them there vertically. If they begin to interfere in the refrigerator, then when snow falls, you can dig them in the snow and store them until distillation begins; the temperature needed is -2°. But it happens that nothing at all works out with the creation of cold storage for lilies of the valley, then you have to plant it as is. They will also bloom, but will not be as beautiful as if all conditions are met.

You need to start forcing lilies of the valley in 3 weeks before the desired flowering date.

kicking out for the new year

If flowers are needed for the New Year, then forcing should begin in early January. Count back 21 days from the desired date. For example, lilies of the valley are needed by January 29, which means the start of the process is January 7-8.

After cold storage, we take out the lilies of the valley, open them and they should remain in the room for a day. After that we arrange for them warm bath with water t°+30° for 10-12 hours. To maintain the desired temperature, the water will have to be changed all the time. With the help of such a bath we will bring the plant out of dormancy and force nutrients come from the roots to the flower buds. Plants that have not been kept in the cold also need a warm bath.

Plants that are driven out for the New Year grow only flowers and almost no leaves.

Forcing by March and February

It’s better to start preparing the plants a little earlier, that is, not exactly by February 23, but with a margin of time. In this case, forcing begins on January 30 - February 1.

We do the same with flowers that should bloom by March 8th. We choose a date with a little time to spare - we prepare the plants for forcing on February 12-15.

For these periods, you can take not only large, but also medium-sized buds.

In February, unlike the New Year's forcing, there will be not only flowers, but also leaves in a normal ratio to each other, but in March there will be more leaves, so when flower stalks appear, leave one leaf near each one, cut off the rest sharp knife, but it’s better to use nail scissors, it’s more convenient and less likely that you’ll hurt the plant.

If you like to force lilies of the valley, then you need them to grow in place with fertile soil, then feed with complex fertilizer and monitor soil moisture until mid-summer. Well, naturally, remove weeds. Remember, when forcing lilies of the valley, they feed only on what they have stored, so you need to help them so that the flowering in winter is lush.

It also follows from this that after forcing, when the nutrients in the roots have dried up, the plant is no longer suitable for further cultivation, don’t even try, you’ll just waste time.

soil and planting

Soil for lilies of the valley can be purchased for seedlings; leafy with moss; peat and sand in a ratio of 4:1; can be driven out in the sand. An important requirement is that it must be loose, moisture-permeable and breathable.

A pot for planting is suitable with a diameter of 11-12 cm and at least 12 cm in width; 9 rhizomes can be placed in such a pot.

The soil is poured into the container not reaching the edges 9-10 cm, place the rhizomes of lilies of the valley close to each other with the buds facing up, fill the space between the plants with soil so that the buds remain above the soil surface. Pour warm water; if potholes form after watering, they need to be filled with soil.

After pouring, cover the container. plastic bag or glass, and shade it with something. You can use paper caps instead of a bag. A bag or glass creates greenhouse conditions for lilies of the valley, that is, increased atmospheric humidity, which they really need during the germination period. If you cover with a paper cap, do not forget to spray every day.

The planted, watered and covered lilies of the valley should now be placed in a very warm place (this could be a place near the radiator) t°+25°+30°.

care

After the sprouts appear, remove the bag, glass, and caps and place the container with the plants in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight, remember where lilies of the valley grow in the forest? Under trees or bushes, that is, not in the sun. And continue to monitor the humidity, that is, spray and water.

When the first buds appear, place the lilies of the valley in a cool place if you want to admire them longer.

Now a bouquet, or even a whole basket of blooming lilies of the valley in major cities You can buy them at any time of the year, you just need to place an order and they will be delivered to you. But such a service is quite expensive. Growing lilies of the valley in your summer cottage was discussed in the article “Lilies of the valley - planting, care, reproduction and protection from pests and diseases,” and now let’s try to figure out how to grow lilies of the valley at home, just keep in mind that forest lilies of the valley are for forcing in the off-season unsuitable. It is best to use large-flowered varieties such as Grandiflora or Berolinensis.

For forcing lilies of the valley into winter time, in the fall you need to prepare sections of rhizomes that have thick, blunt-pointed buds (see the picture in the previous article), ready to bloom in the coming spring. We tie them in small bunches and place them vertically in boxes, layering them with peat or moss. We moisten it a little, and sprinkle sawdust on top so that the rhizomes do not dry out. We transfer the box to a greenhouse, greenhouse, or you can just leave it outside in shady place. When light frosts start up to -7 degrees, we freeze the boxes for 5-7 days, and then place them in a room with a low positive temperature (basement, well-insulated loggia). There is no need to water the sprouts during this period.

To grow lilies of the valley at home for the New Year or Christmas, it will take about a month. This means that at the end of November we need to take the boxes out of storage and start forcing them out. At the rhizomes we shorten the roots, leaving 10-12 cm (see picture). It is recommended to arrange heat treatment. To warm up the rhizome, keep it in water for 10-12 hours at a temperature of 35-40 degrees, not allowing it to drop. Such a warm bath awakens the kidneys and accelerates their development, stimulating the flow of nutrients to them. As a result, the time for forcing lilies of the valley is reduced by almost a week and you can count on abundant and friendly flowering.

We plant the rhizomes in pots filled with a mixture of equal parts of moss, peat and leaf soil. We pour drainage from small pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom - then the pots can be placed in a tray with water and supported high level humidity. Planting density: up to 10 rhizomes in a pot with a diameter of 12 cm.

We cover the top of the planting with damp peat or moss, cover it with black film, and then place it in a warm place, where we maintain the temperature at 25-28 degrees, often spray and ventilate.

As soon as the flower stalks reach a height of 8-10 cm, we remove the darkening, but still spray the substrate. When the lower bells turn white, the process of forcing lilies of the valley can be considered complete, and the pots are transferred to a cool windowsill. With this content, in the light, but not in the bright sun, flowering will last about 20 days.

From January, forcing lilies of the valley is easier; heat treatment is no longer necessary. And the temperature before the appearance of flower stalks decreases: from the middle of the month it is 22-25 degrees, in February – 20-22 degrees. Those rhizomes that are waiting their turn for forcing are stored at a temperature of minus 2 degrees.

Lily of the valley is one of the favorite plants of all times. Its modest fragrant white “bells” conceal an inexplicable charm. In the forest and garden they appear in May, at the turn of spring and summer. But flower growers have learned to drive them out much earlier, in the middle of winter. In principle, you can have blooming lilies of the valley all year round, but practically no one needs this. It’s different in winter, when you really want to breathe in the scent of spring! Amateur flower growers also willingly grow lilies of the valley. Collectors can find pink, terry forms in their beds. However, such delights have not become widespread. The silvery porcelain white flowers are still everyone's favorite. So, what do you need to know about growing this crop?

Lily of the valley - perennial from the family Liliaceae with an underground creeping rhizome and numerous branched small roots. At the base of the above-ground shoots there are white (sometimes slightly pinkish) scales. The culture is propagated by division. The planting unit must have one or more buds with a piece of rhizome and roots. In Russian floriculture it is usually called a sprout. Depending on the age of the rhizome, some shoots (1-2 years old) are capable of only vegetative development, others (usually 3 years old) are capable of flowering. Accordingly, they are used for propagation or for cutting (so-called flower sprouts).

Bringing to the desired condition (growing) is carried out in open ground. The area allocated on the farm for lilies of the valley must be free of weeds, especially rhizomatous ones (wheatgrass, etc.). The preferred soils are deep, light or medium loams, rich in humus, air- and water-permeable, and warming up early in the spring. The reaction of the soil environment is from slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.0-6.5). Organic fertilizers(manure, compost) must be in a well-decomposed state, so it is advisable to apply them in advance (optimally 60-80 t/ha per year on black fallow). Before autumn plowing, the soil is filled with superphosphate (5-10 c/ha) and potassium salt (3-5 c). The planting pattern depends on production volumes.

On small areas make ridges 1.2 m wide (6 rows every 20 cm); passage 30 cm. When laying continuously, one is left for the path every 6-8 rows. They are planted in grooves under a shovel. Large nurseries use three-line tapes and other schemes that allow the use of mechanization. But in any case, the distance between plants in a row is 4-5 cm, and the total placement density is 80 pcs/sq.m (800 thousand pcs/ha). Thickening reduces product quality. Before planting, thin roots are shortened. The depth should be such that they do not bend, and the buds on top are covered with 1-2 cm of earth.

Lilies of the valley can be planted in spring and autumn. In the first case, the sprouts are stored in frost-free rooms. Autumn plantings (October) are recommended in areas with good snowy winters, otherwise the plants will suffer from freezing or getting wet. With the onset of frost, the plantation is mulched with compost and peat (8-10 cm). This is especially important during the first winter.

During the growing season, the rhizomes scatter greatly, which eliminates the possibility of loosening in rows and ridges. We have to resort to manual weeding(5 times per season). Cultivation is possible in aisles and between belts. Watering, especially in the first half of summer, significantly increases the yield and quality of planting material. In the first year after planting, no fertilizing is required. On the second, they are given, starting in spring, 2-3 times with mineral fertilizers at a rate of up to 700 kg/ha. Nutrient mixtures should contain a small amount of nitrogen, and after June it should be eliminated altogether. In the third year, fertilizing crops (up to 500 kg/ha) are completed in May.

All these activities are aimed at stimulating the formation of flower buds, which occurs in June. If the plantation is laid out on light, warm, fertile lands, then some of the sprouts are ready for sale after 2 years, and on colder and heavier lands it takes 3 years. Product yield drops in dry (without watering) or too wet weather. On average, you can plan to obtain 60% of flower sprouts from the number of planted ones (in harvest seasons - up to 80%).

Digging is carried out at the end of September - mid-October, when the above-ground part of the plants dies off. On the ridges they use pitchforks, on large areas they use machinery (even a converted beet harvester). The sprouts are dug up, being careful not to damage the roots, and placed in small piles. Water and cover with straw mats to prevent drying out. Cleaning and sorting are carried out in moderately warm rooms so that the material does not overheat and dry out. Sorting requires some skill. Sprouts with inflorescence rudiments are characterized by a slightly rounded, blunt-ended bud shape and several layers of scales. Specimens with only vegetative organs are thinner, smaller and have a more pointed end.

So, flower sprouts are selected to make sure that they are healthy and without damage. They are divided by size into large (bud diameter 7-7.5 mm, root length 15 cm), medium (6 mm; 10 cm) and small (less than 6 mm; 10 cm). In Germany, sorted flower sprouts (except for small ones) are washed and tied into bundles of 25 pieces. and immerse in water for a while. Those intended for mailing are wrapped in film. For knitting, thin willow vine is used. Store in frost-free cellars or basements. A layer of damp moss is placed on the cement floor to protect the roots. The sprouts are placed strictly vertically. Laying in several layers in a row is not recommended. The rows are sprinkled with sand, which protects the cut sites from rotting. The sand is kept moist. Ventilation holes(windows) are closed during the day and opened at night in mild frosts, avoiding drafts. In our country, bunches of sprouts are sometimes pinned into the sand in the greenhouse (also vertically). They cover it with frames, and with the onset of cold weather - with straw mats and sheets. Another option (St. Petersburg) is to place the sprouts in boxes and bury them in a cold greenhouse. Cover with sheet and snow.

In any case, the storage temperature is plus 1-2°. For early forcing (by New Year and Christmas), the largest sprouts are used. The best buds come from material grown in warm, light soils. Temperature treatment involves the following operations. First, the bundles, wrapped in damp moss and film, are placed in refrigeration chambers for 3 weeks at minus 2°. Then they are allowed to move away a little and immersed in it for 12-13 hours. warm baths(28-30°). If freezing cannot be carried out, then they are limited to baths with a water temperature of 34° immediately before planting.

For small volumes, forcing is carried out in boxes filled with peat, sand, their mixture or sawdust. Mass planting in greenhouse ridges requires soil heating. It is advisable to preserve all old roots, since new ones will not form. When planting, they can be shortened slightly.

The sprouts are placed in rows, tightly pressing the roots with the substrate. The norm is 1000-1100 pcs. per 1 sq.m of ridge or 150-200 pcs. on the box. You can plant 6-8 pieces. in pots d 11-13 cm. Then the lilies of the valley are watered and for the first time covered with peat and moss to maintain uniform humidity. For 10-12 days, forcing is carried out in the dark at an air temperature of 26-28°, substrate 21°. Plantings and paths are sprayed with warm water (30°) 2-3 times a day. It is advisable to turn on the fan for half an hour every day.

As soon as the lilies of the valley begin to grow, the peat (moss) is removed. When the flower stalks grow to approximately half their height, the boxes are transferred to a light greenhouse (the darkening is removed from the ridges). The substrate should be constantly moist, but the number of sprays is reduced and ventilation is increased. The temperature is maintained at about 30°, and when the lower bell in the inflorescence turns color, it is gradually reduced to 16-18° and watering is stopped. Early forcing takes 22-24 days from planting. The quality of the inflorescences can be improved with additional lighting from 6 to 9 o'clock and from 16 to 22. Fluorescent lamps are used (50 W/m2, height 30 cm above the plants). At the same time, stronger flower stalks and intensely colored leaves develop.

For forcing after January 15, warm baths are not needed; they promote better leaf development to the detriment of flowering. The sprouts are taken from storage and planted in a greenhouse with an air temperature of 25° (in February 20-22° is enough). The closer to spring, the shorter the darkening period, otherwise the flower stalks will become very elongated. But on bright sunny days, light shading is required. The rest of the recommendations are the same.

In spring, accelerating the flowering of lilies of the valley in greenhouses is not particularly difficult. Sprouts are planted in the ground more rarely than in greenhouses - 400-600 pcs/sq.m. The smallest flower buds are also suitable for these purposes. Greenhouses are insulated and covered with mats over the frames: for the first 8 days around the clock (in cold cloudy weather), and then only at night. Then begin daytime ventilation and light shading in bright sun.

To speed up flowering in open ground, film is used. Biennial flower sprouts are planted in autumn or spring on ridges (3x12-15 cm). Before the first wintering, cover with a thick layer of well-rotted manure or peat. The film is stretched in mid-March. In this way, you can adjust lilies of the valley for 3 years without replanting. After flowering, the film is removed. In the summer, weeds are dug up, fertilized, and watered.

Lilies of the valley for bouquets are cut when half of the bells open and the top one is colored White color. In greenhouses, they are pulled out with leaves and roots to preserve freshness for a longer period of time. Place in water and transfer for 1-2 days to a chamber with a temperature of 4-5°. In open ground, flower stalks are pulled out without damaging the leaves. For sale, lilies of the valley are sorted and tied into bouquets of 15-25 pieces, with the flowers turned in one direction. To preserve the aroma, the inflorescences are wrapped in paper. The stems are placed with their ends in water. Freshness lasts 3-7 days. Before making a hand bouquet experienced florists After removing the lilies of the valley from the water, hang them upside down for a while to increase turgor.

Lilies of the valley, potted, bloom for 3-4 weeks (without direct sunlight). It is not advisable to replant them in the ground again: they have already given us too much effort.

T. Serezhkina “Cool, fragile and fragrant” // “Floriculture”.

Many gardeners are engaged in forcing plants at home; some like hyacinths, others like to force spices (parsley, celery), and others will like spring fragrant flowers - lilies of the valley.

What to do if, like a princess, you have a desire to admire beautiful flowers for the New Year?

The answer is obvious - forcing lilies of the valley on the windowsill.

Blooming spring primroses in winter it is perceived in most cases as a small magic of nature, but in fact, anyone can become a wizard if they wish.

To do this, you will need knowledge of the technology of forcing lilies of the valley and a little patience.

As we know, lilies of the valley bloom in May, i.e. Winter is coming, it is being replaced by a thaw and the long-awaited flowers delight us with their beauty. Our task, as gardeners, is for lilies of the valley to create all these conditions artificially at home.

Preparing lily of the valley rhizomes for winter forcing

Select strong lily of the valley rhizomes with flower buds. You can either purchase them in a specialized store, paying attention to the inscription on the package “For distillation,” or prepare them yourself, observing all storage conditions.

To do this, in mid-September, dig up the rhizomes with a fork, being careful not to injure them, since during forcing, new roots do not grow and the plants receive all their nutrients from their reserves.
Select rhizomes with flower buds, not leaf buds (leaf buds have a sharp tip, while flower buds are rounded).
Collect them in a bunch and put them in water for 1.5-2 hours.
Then wrap it in damp sphagnum, then in cling film and place in the vegetable section of the refrigerator for storage until distillation.
Place them vertically if possible.

If this freezing option does not suit you, then try to create a natural one. Bury it in the snow and store it at a temperature of -2°C for 21 days before forcing.

If it is completely impossible to go through the freezing stage, then when forcing lilies of the valley, the flowers will be of significantly worse quality.

In order for lilies of the valley to bloom by the New Year, birthday in winter or March 8, forcing must begin 3-4 weeks in advance.

Forcing lilies of the valley for the New Year, in January

Choose rhizomes with large flower buds (5-7 mm).
After freezing, leave them in the room for a day, then soak them for 10 hours in warm water (up to 35°C) to bring them out of their dormant state and energize them (you will have to monitor the temperature and constantly maintain it).
After this, plant the rhizomes in pots with leaf soil, moss or a mixture of peat and sand (4:1), so that the buds are above the surface of the soil, and the roots take up all the space inside the container.
Water with warm water and add soil if necessary.
Cover with paper caps and place in a warm place, temperature 28-30°C (near the radiator).

If possible, spray daily with warm water. When the flower stalks are 10 cm long or you see the leaves, the caps can be removed and the containers can be placed on the windowsill, the temperature is 16-18°C and there is no direct sunlight.

Forcing lilies of the valley in February

This perfect time for forcing lilies of the valley in terms of the ratio of the mass of leaves and flowers. Rhizomes with both large and medium-sized flower buds are suitable here. At this time, the freezing and warming stage can be skipped.

In March, to force lilies of the valley, you can take rhizomes with any flower buds. At this time, foliage will develop intensively, which will then cover some of the peduncles, so when the leaves are still closed, remove some of them using nail scissors.

Lilies of the valley bloom for about a month. For longer flowering or if you need to delay the start of flowering for several days, when the first buds appear, place the pots in a cooler place.

You may like to force lilies of the valley in winter, then for these purposes, select a separate area with fertile soil and in May, fertilize the flowers with a complete complex fertilizer for the development of strong flower buds, constantly remove weeds and monitor the condition of the soil until mid-summer; there should be no drying out .

Planting lilies of the valley in open ground after forcing it out, it’s a waste of time and effort, since all your vitality the plant will already give up.

To print

11.01.2015 | 950

Do you want to have this gentle and fragrant flower at home? Then start forcing garden lily of the valley. This plant will remind you of spring if you achieve flowering in the cold winter.

The garden lily of the valley is slightly different from the forest one, as it has a large snow-white flower, while its forest counterpart produces smaller inflorescences. Most suitable variety to force such a flower, this lily of the valley berolinensis.

How to choose the right rhizome

For your desire to be crowned with success, in the fall you need to choose the right flower rhizome. When choosing lily of the valley rhizomes, you need to pay attention to the flower buds. These thick, blunt-ended shoots directed upward from the rhizome must be well developed. It is important not to confuse a flower bud with the bud from which leaves are formed. The buds, from which the leaves then appear, have a sharp tip, while the flower bud is more rounded and thick.

How to store?

If you are completely confident in making the right choice rhizomes, put them in a box or box, covering them with moss or peat, and water them. When wet, they should be stored on fresh air(but in a dark place) until the first frost appears. When the temperature drops, do not try to warm the rhizomes at home. To facilitate forcing and achieve large flowering of lilies of the valley, planting material on the contrary, it is advisable to freeze them a little at a temperature of about -5°C for a week, and then store them in the basement or in the refrigerator (without watering them anymore).

Preparing for landing

If you start forcing lilies of the valley in December, there is a chance that New Year you will encounter spring flowers, since forcing lilies of the valley takes only 25-30 days. Before you start forcing, you need to take a rhizome 12 cm long, immerse it in warm water at a temperature (32-35°C) for 12-16 hours.

Landing

Anyone can be suitable for planting lilies of the valley shallow flowerpot, wooden vessel, basket, etc. It is advisable to plant flowers so that they look beautiful bouquet, and did not crowd each other. Therefore, it is advisable to plant no more than 5-6 pieces in a container approximately 12 cm in diameter.

To plant lilies of the valley, it is not necessary to choose any special soil mixture, they feel great in a mixture of peat and chopped moss, as well as in ordinary leaf soil. The best moss for planting lilies of the valley is sphagnum moss, the medium of which retains moisture well (which is one of the important conditions when planting flowers). If rhizomes are planted in leaf soil, it must be covered with damp moss.

Having completed planting the lilies of the valley, the vessels should put in a warm dark place with a temperature of 25-30°C. You can choose any darkening method: an inverted floral, dark fabric, an opaque jar, any other cap, etc.

At the same time, we must not forget about important condition forcing lily of the valley: maintaining constant humidity, since simply room air moisture is not enough for the flower. To retain moisture, planted lilies of the valley should be sprayed daily with warm water. These procedures should be carried out until large flower stalks of approximately 8-10 cm appear, after which the vessels with the long-awaited flowers should be exposed to the light and admire the continuation of flowering. In order for lilies of the valley to delight you with their beautiful delicate flowers longer, it is advisable to keep them in a cool place.

When to kick out?

You can start forcing lilies of the valley in later months, for example: if you start forcing in the second half of January, the method will be simpler. You will not need to waste time on pre-baths, and the distillation temperature can be much lower. And the flowering of such lilies of the valley accelerates: they bloom in 18-25 days.

While admiring lilies of the valley, remember that this is a medicinal plant. May lily of the valley successfully used in medicine. But we should not forget that lilies of the valley are poisonous plants. Therefore, it is not recommended to grow them if there are children in the house.