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Aubriet flowers growing from seeds. Aubrieta is a delicate flowering carpet. Site selection and watering

The Brassica family is known to every gardener who grows various types cabbage, horseradish, radishes and radishes, watercress. But some of its representatives are not of agricultural importance, but are famous as highly decorative flowering plants. or aubration will please any gardener starting early summer season. This tiny evergreen perennial with overwintering leaves awakens immediately after the snow melts. While the rest of the garden's inhabitants are just preparing for the growing season, aubretia forms spectacular clearings, completely covered with bright buds. To admire the blooms, you will have to make a lot of effort. The article will tell you about the obrita plant, growing from seeds, when to plant seedlings and seeds in open ground, how to care for the spectacular ground cover.

The genus Aubrieta has 17 species and belongs to the Cruciferous family. It got its name in honor of the botanist Claude Aubrier, who accompanied numerous expeditions. He is also known for his detailed botanical illustrations. The range of the genus covers the territory of Southern Europe and Asia Minor. Europeans have long appreciated the beauty of aubretia, placing it in their gardens, rock gardens and rockeries. Wild relatives of the perennial live in mountainous areas, along river banks, so the plant looks especially impressive among stones.

Aubrecia forms dense hemispherical clumps up to 20 cm high. Shoots bearing foliage spread along the ground. The flower stalks of the ascending type reach a height of 15 cm. The evergreen leaves, which are reliably preserved under the snow cover, give the culture a special charm. The leaf blades are oval with a whole or serrated edge. The surface of the plate is pubescent, the leaves are arranged in a regular order.

The structure of the flower indicates that it belongs to the Cabbage family. The corolla consists of four petals and reaches a diameter of 10 mm. The type of inflorescence is a few-flowered raceme. The color of the petals ranges from white to purple, but more often the flowers have purple shades.

By the way! Thanks to the work of breeders, a variety of garden forms having decorative foliage. Such varieties remain decorative throughout the growing season.

Depending on the climatic zone of cultivation, the crop blooms in April or May. The decorative period lasts up to 40 days. The flowering is so abundant that the foliage is completely hidden under a carpet of tiny flowers. After wilting, small pods filled with flat brown seeds ripen.

Aubrieta: types, popular varieties

Of the representatives of the genus Aubrieta, only two species are used in culture - cultivated (hybrid) and deltoid. Deltoid aubrieta is cultivated in the gardens of 1710. All modern hybrids are bred on its basis. The plants are herbaceous perennials up to 15 cm high. The flower got its name because of the shape of the leaf. The triangular plates resemble the Greek letter delta.

There are 1-2 teeth along the edge of each leaf. Due to the pubescence, the plate has a gray-green color. Flowers of lilac or purple tones reach a diameter of 1 cm. They are located on ascending peduncles in the form of a loose brush. The decorative period begins in May, lasting 30-35 days.

Know! Other types of aubration are not widespread in Russia. But in European gardens there are varieties of Bougainvillea, Croatian, graceful, Columca.

The cultivated aubriet species includes various hybrids and varieties that differ in the color of the corolla. Plants form dense spherical bushes up to 20 cm high. The bluish foliage is perfectly preserved under snow cover. Small, spatulate-shaped plates have jagged edges. The corolla of the flower with a diameter of 10 mm is painted in a wide palette of colors. The range of colors includes purple, white, pink, blue, red, and lilac shades.

Blooming aubretia is a real waterfall (pictured), in which the foliage is hidden under a dense cap of flowers. Various cultivars bloom in April-May for a long time and are very offensive. At proper care The crop will delight you with repeated budding at the end of summer. The decorative effect lasts for 5-6 weeks.

Modern hybrids differ from their predecessors in large flowers, often having double or semi-double corollas. They reproduce well by seed, but require a special approach to cultivation. There are decorative deciduous, terry, large-flowered and ampelous hybrids.

Note! Each variety can become an exquisite decoration for sunny corners of the garden, alpine hills, rocky gardens, balcony boxes and flowerpots. Planting in a mixed border is not recommended, since the elegant European is likely to get lost among its tall neighbors.

Let's consider the description of the most popular aubretia hybrids:

1. Vanda - height 15-20 cm, double flowers of a light scarlet hue.
2. Joy is a hanging cultivar 10-12 cm tall with strong shoots and double buds of a delicate pink-lilac color.
3. Borshiz White is a large-flowered hybrid with a rare snow-white petal color.
4. Cascade series - hanging cultivars of various colors. Looks impressive in hanging plant pots and along the edges stone walls garden
5. Charming Morocco is a variety mixture with bushes 8-10 cm high, densely dotted with large flowers with a diameter of 1.5 cm. A wide palette of colors.
6. Côte d'Azur - aubretia up to 15 cm high, with sky-blue inflorescences. Peduncles last up to two months; re-blooming occurs in the fall, lasting until the first frost.
7. Aurea variegata is a decorative foliage form with lavender petals and leaves decorated with yellow specks.
8. Argenteo-variegata - white-edged leaves with spots decorate dense curtains when bright purple flowers fade. Blooms profusely twice a season.

Remember! Hybrid varieties are very difficult to propagate by cuttings and dividing the bush. Seed propagation is a priority method of crop reproduction.

Growing aubrieta seedlings from seeds at home

The seedling method of growing crops is not so popular among gardeners. This is due to the slow growth of seedlings, which bloom only in the second year. If we are talking about highly decorative varieties, growing seedlings is the optimal way to propagate the crop. When planting aubrieta seeds in the ground, the European guest is prone to changing varietal characteristics. Let's consider the seedling method of cultivating perennials.

Requirements for soil and containers for growing seedlings

fragile root system aubretia does not tolerate damage. To save the beauty from death, seedlings are cultivated, bypassing the picking stage. Therefore, for sowing, containers are selected that will maximize the protection of the roots from injury. Peat tablets or cups (cassettes) made from a mixture of peat and cellulose are ideal for these purposes.

The plant is not picky about the composition of the substrate. For growing from seeds, light soil containing a small amount of lime is suitable. It is desirable that the soil acidity is in the range of 6-7. It is permissible to cultivate seedlings in pure vermiculite. Do not select soil mixture with a large number fertilizers Aubrecia seedlings develop better in poor soil.

How and when to sow seeds

Aubrieta seedlings are planted on permanent place at the age of 8-10 weeks, after the last waves of spring frosts have retreated. During cultivation at home, the seedlings will have time to grow stronger. Although some recommend sowing seeds in late February, it is best to wait until daylight hours have lengthened. Otherwise, you will have to use the backlight.

Important! Manufacturers do not always indicate the time for planting seeds for seedlings, since cultivation is assumed by direct sowing into the ground.

The seed is planted as follows:

1. When using peat tablets, first prepare them by filling them with warm water until the height of the cylinder increases by 5-6 times.
2. If the seedlings will grow in individual cups, fill the containers with substrate, leaving 2 cm to the top of the pot. Compact and water the soil generously.
3. Distribute 2-3 seeds evenly over the surface of the selected container.
4. There is no need to cover the seed; sprinkle the seed with a thin layer of sand (3 mm).
5. Spray sand from a spray bottle, cover the cups with film or place in a mini-greenhouse.
6. Place the seed on a well-lit windowsill or under a phytolamp; germination requires light. Optimal temperature for emergence of seedlings 18-22⁰C.

Seedling care

Aubrecia seedlings emerge unevenly, the process takes 3-4 weeks. Until the seedlings appear, the seedling container should be ventilated daily. Moistening the substrate is carried out with extreme caution so as not to provoke the appearance of mold.

Note! If the surface of the soil is covered with mold, carefully remove it with a cotton swab. Spray the surface of the soil with a fungicide solution.

After complete germination, the cover must be gradually removed. Further care care for seedlings consists of moderate irrigation, since the European guest is sensitive to excess moisture. Fertilizing is applied 2 weeks before the intended planting in the flowerbed. The full mineral complex should be added in half the concentration and only if the growth of young shoots is inhibited. Growing aubrieta at home ends with the procedure of hardening the seedlings in the open air. Gradually lengthen the “walk” time.

Transplantation into open ground - technology, timing, planting scheme

Transplanting seedlings into open ground becomes possible after the return frosts have subsided in the region. In Siberia and the Urals, planting should be done on June 5-10; in the middle zone, the transplant date can be shifted back two weeks.

You will learn about preparing the site for planting in the next section of the article. Grown bushes are planted in a prepared flowerbed in holes that can accommodate a seedling container. Before planting, water the seedlings in peat pots generously and gently press down the walls of the pot so that the roots can more easily grow through them into the surrounding soil.

Move the pot or peat tablet into the hole and add the required amount of soil. Firm it down and water it carefully. In order for the plants to develop evenly and not interfere with each other, they need to be planted at a distance of 20-30 cm. This is the area that the overgrown clump will eventually occupy.

Advice! Plant seedlings on a cloudy day to speed up the plant's adaptation to a new location.

Growing aubrieta in open ground

Experienced gardeners prefer to grow only valuable varieties of crops using the seedling method; the seeds of other hybrids can be immediately sown in a flowerbed.

Site selection and preparation for sowing

The main condition for obtaining a real flower mat is sunlight. Lack of lighting leads to loss decorative qualities. Gardeners note that in temperate climates the crop grows much better than in regions with hot summers.

The area for growing aubrieta should be open and located on a hill. This is due to the sensitivity of the bushes to moisture, especially in winter. For the same reason, heavy soils with a predominance of clay are not suitable for cultivation. The ground is first dug up, removing weeds. Before digging, chalk or lime is added to level the pH of the soil to neutral values.

You should not additionally enrich the soil with minerals and organic matter before planting; aubration develops better in poor soil. Peat is also prohibited because it contributes to the acidification of the substrate. The full mineral complex is introduced only if the soil has not been cultivated for a long time.

Important! Gardeners often sow seed collected from their plot. It requires mandatory disinfection with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. After processing, the seeds are washed clean water and dry it a little

.

When and how to plant seeds in a flower bed

When to plant aubrieta with seedless cultivation? Sowing work can be carried out in early spring after the soil has warmed up or before winter. In the first case, seedlings will appear in 2-3 weeks, in the second - next spring. You need to sow aubrieta in a flowerbed as follows:

• Loosen the prepared area to a depth of 15 cm;
• remove remnants of weeds and large stones;
• arrange the seeds in rows, keeping a step of 5 cm;
• sprinkle the bed with a layer of sifted sand 3-5 cm high;
• moisten the soil with a watering can with a shower attachment.

Seedling care

The emerging seedlings are undemanding to care. The main task is to prevent weeds from overwhelming the young shoots. Young plants need to be moistened only when there is a long absence of precipitation. Periodically update the sand mulch layer. If necessary, thin out the seedlings.

Caring for aubrieta in the garden

Adult aubretia does not tolerate excessive watering. It is necessary to irrigate the flowerbed only during prolonged drought. If watering becomes more frequent, the bush may become infected with a fungus or begin to produce a large amount of green mass, which will affect the abundance of flowering.

After precipitation or sprinkling, the soil is loosened, simultaneously weeding out weeds. The culture loves sand mulching. It needs to be added 2-3 times per season to a height of 3-5 cm. Feeding based on phosphorus and potassium is applied twice per season - after waking up from winter sleep and before re-budding (in August).

Attention! Nitrogen is contraindicated in shaving, as it provokes rapid growth of greenery; you will not get flowering from fattening bushes.

Caring for the crop also involves cutting. It is carried out after the end of the first wave of flowering to stimulate the re-establishment of flower stalks. Cut off all shoots at soil level. Very soon the aubretia will again turn into a lush green pillow. And cut shoots are useful for vegetative propagation. They are rooted in perlite, maintaining a humid microclimate in the greenhouse. In August, plant the cuttings in a permanent place. Valuable varieties are reluctant to take root; it is advisable to leave them to winter in a greenhouse.

If you want to collect seed to grow aubrieta from seeds, leave a few branches with pods before pruning. When the fruits ripen and turn brown, remove the contents and store in a paper envelope at room temperature. You can start immediately winter sowing to the flowerbed.

Pests and diseases of the crop

With good care, diseases and pests bypass the European guest. If you violate the watering schedule or the summer turns out to be rainy and cool, the flower may develop powdery mildew. The fungus forms mycelium in the form of a white coating, which turns brown over time, leading to the death of the affected parts. A solution of colloidal sulfur, HOM, Bordeaux mixture or fungicide will help heal a diseased plant.

Often a colony of aphids can be found on the top of the shoots. Insects puncture holes and suck out cell sap. At the puncture site, the tissue dies, interfering with the process of photosynthesis. To exterminate pests, treat the green mass with a systemic insecticide.

Remember! Timely inspection of green wards and adherence to agricultural technology will protect the garden from damage by diseases and pests.

Preparing the aubrieta for winter

Aubrieta is a wintering perennial ground cover with evergreen foliage. In the fall, after flowering, there is no need to trim the cushion. The leaves will help the European plant to survive the winter, protect it from freezing, and in the spring it will immediately delight it with bright greenery. The danger in winter is a lack of snow, accompanied by severe frosts or sudden changes in temperature. To prevent the flower from freezing, cover it with dry leaves or spruce branches. With the arrival of spring, remove the protection; the leaves are frost resistant.

Conclusion

Evergreen beauty aubrieta – best decoration for the garden. Although growing this plant from seeds requires special attention, with the right approach even a beginner can do it (video for you). Now you know how and when to plant perennials, and the rules of care will help you get healthy growth.

Many of those who had the opportunity to contemplate the magnificent carpets of bright aubrieta flowers began to dream of growing such splendor on their own. This is perennial herbaceous plant can be an excellent decoration for any garden plot. The plant tolerates frost well and can spread not only along the ground, but also along vertical planes, creating cascades of indescribable beauty.

Propagation of aubrieta can be carried out by cuttings or planting seeds. The second method is the most popular, especially since it makes it possible to independently choose the desired shade of colors. In autumn, seeds can be planted directly in open ground. And the best spring propagation method means for flowers aubrieta growing from seeds at home. In other words, in April or May it is best to plant seedlings rather than seeds. Thus, there is a chance to wait for flowering this summer.

Rules for planting seeds and growing aubrieta seedlings at home

To carry out the spring planting of aubrieta, its cultivation begins at home in February. The following tips should be taken into account:

• The air temperature at home should be maintained at 18-20 ᵒC.
• Growing seeds is possible only in conditions of good access to sunlight.
• For home planting Floral soil is suitable, which should be loosened well and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. In order not to lose some of the seedlings during transplantation, you can use peat tablets or pots for planting seeds, which, together with the sprouts, are subsequently transferred to open land.

Aubrieta seedlings grown in peat tablets or in pots tolerates replanting more easily

• The seeds are not sown very thickly and are not covered with soil.
• They must be moderately sprayed with water and covered with plastic wrap until shoots emerge.
• Watering young sprouts grown at home should be moderate; they cannot tolerate excess water.
• After a month, the conditions for growing the seedlings need to be changed by transplanting them into separate pots.

Planting aubrieta sprouts grown at home

After the process of growing aubrieta seedlings at home has come to an end and it is ready to be planted in open ground, the first thing to do is to choose a suitable place on your own plot. Growing aubrieta will bring true pleasure only if it is planted in light and non-acidic soil. The place should be spacious and well lit.

Aubrieta loves sunny places

Soil preparation

A plot of land allocated for aubriet grown at home must first be prepared. To this end, it is necessary to carry out the following steps step by step:

• remove all weeds and stones;
• dig to a depth of 10-15 cm;
• add wood ash and a mineral complex to the ground;
• enrich the soil with calcium using lime or chalk;

Planting in open ground

If aubrieta sprouts were grown at home in peat tablets or pots, then seedlings are planted in open ground along with them. If they were not used, when transferring seedlings to open ground, carry out the following actions:

• Pots with seedlings are placed in a container with water until air bubbles appear - this way extraction will occur with minimal trauma to the roots.
• The holes should be dug taking into account the length of the seedling root, and the width should be twice the size of the root ball. The distance between them should not be less than five centimeters.

Key points for further care

So that Aubrieta pleases her appearance, you need to follow a few simple rules for growing it:

• The first month after planting, the aubriet needs to be watered regularly, and then soil moisture is required only in very hot and dry summer conditions.
• The ground around the plant should be mulched.
• Although aubrieta tolerates frost well, just in case, you can cover it with an armful of leaves for the winter.

As you can see, growing a beautiful aubrieta on your own plot is not difficult. The plant can be propagated in three ways: by cuttings, planting seeds directly in open ground, or growing greenhouse seedlings. If you like the latter method of propagating aubrieta, growing from seeds at home must begin in February. Then, if you follow all the simple rules, already in April or May, its seedlings can be planted in open ground. Once your summer cottage is covered with magnificent aubrieta carpets, you will instantly forget about all the effort expended.

Plant aubrieta (lat. Aubrieta), or aubration, belongs to the genus of creeping evergreen herbaceous perennial flowering plants of the Brassica family, numbering 12 species. Aubrieta is grown in rock gardens and gardens throughout Europe, and in nature it can be found in the Balkans, Italy, the south of France, Asia Minor and even in South America, where it lives on rocks and river banks. The flower received its Latin name in honor of the French artist Claude Aubrier, who worked in the genre of botanical illustration, and in our country it is called... windbag. The blooming aubrieta is a bright continuous carpet. Characteristic feature The plant is that it retains its beautiful foliage even in winter.

Planting and caring for the shaving

• Landing: sowing seeds in open ground - in May or September. Sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of February, planting seedlings in open ground - in the second half of May.
• Bloom: from mid-spring to early summer, blooms again in autumn.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: scanty, even rocky, but loose and permeable, containing peat or ash, with a pH of 6.0-7.0.
• Watering: moderate at the beginning and scanty as the plant develops. It is best to use the sprinkling method.
• Feeding: before flowering - with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer for flowering perennials, during the season the soil is mulched 2-3 times with a layer of organic matter 3-5 cm thick.
• Trimming: after the first flowering, the stems are cut off at the surface level of the site to stimulate the growth of new shoots.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphid.
• Diseases: root rot, powdery mildew.

Read more about growing aubrieta below.

Aubriet flower - description

The aubrieta flower has an alternate leaf arrangement, the edges of its small, simple elliptical or obovate pubescent leaves are entire or serrated. Small four-petalled flowers of aubrieta, reaching a diameter of 1 cm, violet, purple, red-pink, blue, and sometimes white, are collected in few-flowered racemes. Aubrieta blooms profusely and for a long time - from mid-spring to early summer. In autumn, with proper care, it blooms again. The fruit of the plant is a pod with flat brown seeds.

We devoted this article to a story about how to plant and care for aubrieta in open ground: how to plant aubrieta as seedlings, how to grow aubrieta on a windowsill, when and how to transplant aubrieta flowers to a flowerbed. You will learn all about the methods of propagation of aubrieta, as well as about diseases and pests that can threaten it.

Growing aubrieta from seeds

Sowing aubrieta

Aubrieta reproduces well by seed - seedlings and non-seedlings, however, growing Aubrieta by sowing seeds directly into the ground in May or September often leads to splitting of varieties. That is why we recommend you the seedling method as a more reliable one. Aubrieta from seeds blooms only in the second year. Aubrieta seeds can be purchased at any flower shop.

When to sow aubrieta seeds for seedlings? About two or two and a half months before the onset of heat - at the end of February. How to sow aubrieta? Sowing of aubrieta seeds is carried out in separate containers - peat tablets or peat-humus pots, in which you will then plant the seedlings in the ground. Seeds of 2-3 pieces are laid out on the surface of a damp substrate, covered with a layer of sand 3-5 mm thick on top, this sand cushion is moistened with a fine spray and the crops are placed under film or glass. The optimal temperature for seed germination is 18-21 ºC.

Caring for aubrieta seedlings

Growing aubrieta from seeds is a simple process. Ventilate the crops daily, moisten the soil as needed. Shoots usually appear after 3-4 weeks, and as soon as this happens, the coating can be removed. Be careful with watering: aubrieta seedlings do not like wet soil. Two weeks before planting in open ground, if it seems to you that the seedlings are developing too slowly, feed the seedlings with a solution of complex mineral fertilizers in low concentration.

Picking aubrieta

The plant does not tolerate transplantation very well, so growing aubrieta at home from seeds does not involve picking. In order to avoid intermediate transplantation of seedlings - picking - we recommended sowing seeds for seedlings in separate containers.

Planting aubrieta in open ground

When to plant aubrieta in open ground

The aubrieta is planted in a flowerbed when the return passes have passed. spring frosts- in the second half of May. Approach the choice of site very responsibly: shaving in the garden should receive the maximum sun rays- only then will you be able to see truly abundant flowering of aubrieta.

As for the soil, in this regard everything is very simple: the poorer the soil, the better for the plant. Aubrieta grows well between stone steps and concrete slabs. The soil should be loose, permeable and contain a small amount of ash or peat. As for the level of acidity, soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction is preferable - pH 6.0-7.0.

How to plant aubrieta

Aubrieta is a flexible plant, so you can plant it in accordance with your idea of ​​what your flowerbed or rock garden should look like. The planting depth is determined by the length of the plant’s root system, the width of the holes is twice as large as the container in which the seedling grows. The distance between copies is at least 5 cm.

If you grew seedlings in a ceramic or plastic dishes, before planting, place it in water and keep it until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the soil - then carefully remove the plant from earthen lump and lower it into the hole. After planting the aubrieta, compact the soil, mulch it with a 5 cm thick layer of sand and water it carefully.

Caring for aubrieta in the garden

How to grow aubrieta

Growing an aubriet flower is an easy and enjoyable task. An adult plant needs watering only when there is a long drought. If you frequently water the aubrieta in normal summer weather, you can provoke an abundant growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering. Young plants need more frequent watering than mature ones, but even here moderation must be observed. The best way watering the aubrieta - sprinkling. After watering or rain, the soil in the flowerbed needs to be loosened and weeded.

During the growing season, it is recommended to mulch the soil in the flowerbed 2-3 times with a layer of sand 3-5 cm thick. In the spring, before flowering, and in the fall, the aubrieta is fed with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer for perennials. flowering plants.

Caring for shaving involves pruning the plant after spring bloom almost to the level of the surface of the plot - this measure promotes the growth of new shoots with fresh, bright foliage, which will be an excellent background for other flowers in the flowerbed or rock garden until the time comes for the aubrieta to bloom again.

Reproduction of aubrieta

As you can see, planting and caring for an aubriet flower is not difficult and does not require much effort. The plant can also be propagated simply by cuttings and seeds. We have already told you about the seedling method of growing aubrieta. But experienced gardeners They prefer to sow aubrieta directly into the flowerbed.

Sow the seeds in well-moistened soil, dug to a depth of 15 cm, cleared of stones and weeds and seasoned with complex fertilizer, wood ash and lime (chalk). Sowing is not done too thickly; the seeds are not buried, but covered on top with a layer of sand 3-5 cm thick, which is carefully moistened with a watering can. Spring shoots appear in 10-20 days, and seeds sown in September will sprout only next spring.

Another way to propagate aubrieta is by cuttings. After pruning the plant in mid-summer, you will have plenty of plant debris to use as cuttings. Cuttings (cuttings of stems without flowers) are planted in a greenhouse in a substrate consisting of equal parts of peat and sand, and at the end of August, when they form roots, they are transplanted to a permanent place. Before winter, the seedlings have time to take root and grow stronger. If winters in your area are too harsh or unpredictable, keep the cuttings in a greenhouse until spring.

Propagation by dividing the bush is best tolerated by shaving in spring or autumn. This is a rather painful process for the plant. It is performed according to the usual scheme: the bush is dug up, divided into parts so that each section has well-developed shoots and roots, after which the parts are planted in prepared holes. However, no matter how hard you try, a plant suffering from any transplant is unlikely to recover from such a complex procedure as dividing a bush, so we strongly recommend cuttings or seed propagation of aubrieta.

Pests and diseases of aubrieta

Planting and caring for aubrieta will not be a burden to anyone, especially since this plant is extremely rarely affected by diseases and pests. Sometimes aubrieta becomes infected with powdery mildew, a fungal disease, the sign of which is a whitish coating on the leaves and flowers of the plant, which becomes brown as the disease progresses. As a result of damage by powdery mildew, the aubrieta loses its decorative properties, its growth slows down, the diseased areas turn black and die, and the winter hardiness of the plant decreases. You can get rid of the disease by treating the plant with colloidal sulfur in accordance with the instructions.

Among the pests, the most dangerous for aubrieta is the aphid - sucking insect, feeding on plant cell sap and spreading viral diseases. The pest is destroyed by treating the aubrieta with Fufanon, Karbofos, Arrivo or Biotlin. There can be from one to four treatment sessions - it all depends on the number of insects that have settled on the aubriet.

In general, aubrieta growing between stones is extremely rarely affected by diseases and pests.

Perennial aubrieta after flowering

How and when to collect aubrieta seeds

For those who want to start seed propagation of aubrieta, we remind you that this method often does not preserve the varietal characteristics of the seedlings. But if you still want to get seeds from aubrieta, then after spring flowering, when you cut the stems, leave two or three shoots with ovaries on the bush, and when the seeds darken, cut off the pods, remove the seeds and ripen them indoors or sow them before winter in the way that we described to you.

Preparing the aubrieta for winter

If after the first flowering of aubrieta, experts recommend pruning the shoots, then after the second, in the fall, on the contrary, it is advisable to leave both the shoots and leaves for the winter and prune only in the spring. The perennial aubrieta overwinters well under the snow, but in snowless winters with sudden temperature fluctuations the plant may die, so just in case, cover it with dry leaves or spruce branches.

Types and varieties of aubrieta

There are twelve species of aubrieta in nature, some of them are also grown in culture. Species such as white aubrieta, Croatian aubrieta, graceful aubrieta, Kolumka aubrieta are not frequent guests in our gardens, but some species are more widely popular. For example:

Or obrieta deltoid - a herbaceous perennial, reaching a height of 15 cm, with deltoid gray-green leaves with one or two teeth on each edge. The purple-blue or lilac flowers of plants of this species, collected in loose racemes, reach 1 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in May and lasts a little more than a month. This species has been in cultivation since 1710, and is popularly called the “lilac bush.” Its variety Bougainville with light purple flowers with an orange center reaches a height of 20 cm. Deltoid aubrieta served as the basis for breeding the most common species - cultural aubrieta.

Or aubrieta hybrid is a group of plants up to 20 cm high that overwinter under the snow. They have small jagged oblong leaves, lilac or purple flowers up to 1 cm in diameter. Modern varieties of cultivated aubrieta often have simple, double or semi-double flowers, and they reproduce well by seeds. There are varieties that can be grown in pots, some are even suitable for cutting. We present to you the most famous varieties cultural obriet:

• Cascade aubrieta- a perennial plant with flowers of blue, purple, turquoise, pink or red with a small yellow center. The leaves are gray-green in color and do not change color all year round;
• Enchanting Morocco- a lush and attractive plant with very large flowers for this crop - about 1.5 cm in diameter. Flower color ranges from blue to red and pink;
• Cote d'Azur– flowers of this variety, painted in the tone of heavenly blue, decorate the garden for two summer months, and in September they bloom again and bloom until frost;
• Giant waterfall is a variety mixture - violet aubrieta, pink, red, lilac... On this winter-hardy perennial up to 15 cm high, flowers open with a diameter of up to 1 cm.

Aubriet varieties such as Carnival, Doctor Mules, Don, Gloriosa, Wanda, Blue King, Queen, Royal Cascade, Triumphant and others are also popular in culture.

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After this article they usually read

Italy and Southern France). It has become widespread throughout Europe as a successful decoration for gardens and rock gardens. And the flower is named after the French artist Claude Aubrier, who had a passion for botanical illustrations. Let's find out what's good about obrieta? Planting and caring for this plant will also not remain outside our attention.

What does aubrieta look like?

These plants are characterized as evergreen, perennial and creeping. Their branches do not rise higher than 10-15 cm above the ground, forming expressive hemispherical curtains. The leaves are small, pubescent, with a jagged or solid edge, shaped like an ellipse or an egg, arranged one at a time, alternately. The plant looks spectacular at any time of the year, and even when it is not blooming, it still pleases its owners with green, succulent leaves. The flowers are four-petalled and small, no more than 1 cm in diameter, forming small racemes. The genus includes 12 species of plants, differing in the shade of the petals: red, pink, purple, blue, and less often white. This is how multi-colored it is - aubrieta. The photos of flowers presented in the article allow you to form your own opinion about this ornamental plant.

Species common in Russia

The most popular is the cultural aubrieta (Aubrieta x cultorum Bergmans), which combines several varieties and forms that differ in the colors of the petals. The shoots of the plant do not exceed 20 cm, the leaves are small, with jagged edges, spatulate-oblong. (about 1 cm in diameter), of various colors - from purple to dark purple. During flowering (about 40 days, from May to June), the leaves are not even visible under a dense layer of bright inflorescences. The varieties currently bred are characterized by larger petals and double branches.

Aubrieta deltoidea is the ancestor of all hybrid varieties because it bears fruit. Their lilac or purple-blue loose racemose inflorescences delight the eye for 30-35 days, also in May. They are distinguished by more dissected delta-shaped gray-green leaves with a pair of teeth on each side.

Aubriet flower: choosing a place to plant

What location does this plant prefer? It must be sunny, partial shade is allowed only in a hot southern climate, and in a moderate climate it will only cause harm: the aubrieta will stretch out and stop blooming. The soil should be light, not too fertile. Fertilize it with ash, lime or chalk. You should avoid waterlogged clay and oily soil with a high peat content. IN winter time moisture can be simply destructive for flowers such as aubrieta. Planting and caring for the plant are carried out in raised areas, well-drained and rocky hills, in the spaces between stones. Watering is only required - only in particularly dry times. Exceptions are the southern regions, where summers are very hot.

How to grow a colorful "mat"

Have you decided that your site should be decorated with aubrieta? Planting and caring for a plant will cause you a lot of trouble, remember this. You cannot plant it and stop monitoring its development, otherwise very soon the flower will cease to perform a decorative function. You can propagate aubrieta in three ways:

1. Cuttings. The cut parts of the plants are planted in a greenhouse, in soil made of river sand and peat (in equal quantities). Many species root 95% of the time under artificial fog conditions, while some varieties root only 25%. At the end of August, the rooted petioles are transplanted to a permanent place so that they take root there before the onset of the first frost. It is recommended to maintain a distance between bushes of 10-15 cm. It is better to leave the most valuable specimens in a greenhouse until spring. Young plants are frost-resistant only in the first year of life and can easily tolerate cold; in the future, it is advisable to carry out cuttings annually.
2. Propagation by seeds. They are sown in ridges in open ground before winter (in September). Be sure to mulch with sand. Flowering occurs in the second year. Reproduction indoors is possible: seeds are sown two months before the expected last frost (from January to April). Vermiculite with seedlings is covered with plastic film. When the seedlings sprout, the film is removed and after the end of frost they are planted in the soil in a permanent place. Note that when aubrieta is propagated by seeds, the varietal properties are not preserved.
3. Reproduction by dividing the bush. It is done in rare cases in spring or autumn, if cuttings have not been made or the bushes need to be urgently moved. The plant reacts extremely painfully to such a procedure.

Features of care

For many summer residents and lovers of bringing beauty to their garden plots, shaving will not cause any difficulties. Cultivation, carried out under careful control, is also easy to implement. But you don’t need to stop there, the plant requires constant care. Even if the soil on which aubrieta grows is quite light, it is very useful to apply sand superficially (mulching) in a layer of 3-5 cm 2-3 times per season. When flowering ends (in May or early June), the plant is pruned to promote rapid, compact growth later on. In this case, in the fall you will again admire the colorful inflorescences. If the winter is predicted to be long, with sharp temperature fluctuations, it is worth covering the aubrieta with a dry leaf for this period.

1. You should buy seeds in the spring, and when purchasing seedlings, pay attention so that the roots do not grow out of the holes in the bottom of the pot and become intertwined.
2. Manure and mineral nitrogen cannot be used as fertilizers (it reduces winter hardiness).
3. Varieties with blue and purple petals are long-lasting, but pink and red-flowered plants do not please the eye for so long.
4. A flowering carpet along the edge of a border or in rock gardens looks simply gorgeous. But this is far from the only way to decorate a site using a plant such as aubrieta. A cascade of bright inflorescences descending along a fence or the wall of a building certainly evokes amazement and admiration!
5. Aubrieta goes well with others creeping plants: blue and planted with yellow rock alyssum, protruding white and Caucasian pink rhizome, basic-leaved red soapwort. Pink and red harmonize with dwarf bearded irises, phloxes of Douglas or bells of Pozharsky.

Connoisseurs of floriculture will certainly find the right approach to the aubrieta plant. Planting and care will not cause them much inconvenience, and a bright carpet of small flowers will delight the owners and impress guests.

Aubrieta, or aubrieta, is a type of herbaceous plant that belongs to the Brassica family, and is an evergreen, creeping perennial shrub. She meets in European countries, for example, in Italy, France, and in the countries of South America. Habitats are different everywhere. Aubrieta can be seen on rocks, along river banks, in gardens or rock gardens. The plant received this name thanks to the famous illustrator Claude Aubrier, who wrote his works in the botanical genre. During flowering, the aubrieta resembles a continuous green carpet. A distinctive individual feature of the plant is its ability to produce healthy and rich foliage all year round.

Description of the aubrieta flower

The small, elongated leaves have jagged ends and a rough surface. The calyx of the flower consists of four petals, which reach a diameter of about 1 cm. Their colors come in a wide variety of colors. All flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. Orbita blooms abundantly throughout the entire season. If you regularly care for the plant, following the advice of gardeners, you can also observe re-blooming in the fall. The fruit in appearance resembles a bean pod in which they ripen small seeds brown.

To start growing this amazing flower on his own garden plot, you need to learn how to plant seedlings, and only then transfer them to open ground. Below we will look at how the plant reproduces, its diseases, methods of protection against insects and rules for caring for the flower.

Growing aubrieta from seeds

Propagation by seed for this type of plant produces fairly high seedlings. However, it is best to take advantage of growing seedlings, which can then be replanted, since sowing seeds directly into the soil can cause the variety to split. In this case, you can expect the beginning of flowering of aubrieta only in the spring. Seeds are sold in stores selling gardening products.

It is best to sow before the onset of the spring thaw. This time falls around the end of February. They are sown in small pots, which are filled with a mixture of peat and humus. From these containers, young seedlings will then be planted in open ground. Before planting, the soil is pre-moistened, then seeds are placed on its surface, which are sprinkled with a small amount of sand. It also needs to be watered on top. The planted crops are covered with a protective film. In order for the seeds to begin to germinate, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature, which should be from 18 to 21 degrees.

Rules for caring for aubrieta seedlings

As a rule, sowing seedlings from seeds requires a lot of time, and they must be cared for with great care. You should not forget to ventilate and water every day. The first shoots begin to appear after a few weeks. As soon as the green leaves become noticeable, you can remove the protective film. Try not to overwater the seedlings, since aubrieta does not tolerate excess moisture. If you feel that the seedlings are not yet quite strong enough for transplantation and are not developing enough, then the plant can be fed. For these purposes, a mixture of mineral fertilizers diluted in low concentration is used.

Aubrieta is difficult to take root when transplanted and most often dies. In this regard, a flower grown at home on a windowsill is not suitable for picking. If there is a desire to completely eliminate intermediate transplantation of seedlings, it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in different pots.

Planting aubrieta in open ground

As soon as the spring frosts recede, you can begin to transplant the aubrieta from the seedling container. You should choose an area for growing a flower with all responsibility. Consider the fact that this plant loves bright sun and does not tolerate shade. To achieve intense and long-lasting flowering, it is necessary to prepare an area for planting seedlings that will be located on the sunny side of the garden or garden. Even the poorest soil is suitable for growing aubrieta. It grows well on any rocky terrain and is not picky about the choice of soil. However, the soil must absorb moisture well and contain ash or peat. A slightly alkaline or neutral soil environment is allowed.

You can plant aubrieta in a flowerbed any way you like. The plant is quite pliable and flexible. The size and length of the seedlings' roots affect the planting depth. The width of the hole must be half the width of the seedling pot. When growing a flower in plastic container The dishes must be immersed in water so as not to damage the plant when removed. After air bubbles rise to the surface of the pot, the seedling is carefully removed and placed in the hole. The area of ​​soil around it is pressed down a little and sprinkled with sand, then watered.

Caring for aubrieta in the garden

Aubrieta is a rather unpretentious flower and does not require any special care when caring. Adult specimens may for a long time do not need watering, the only exception being dry and hot summers. As a rule, with normal temperature conditions Overwatering can cause the plant to become overly green, which in turn will suppress flowering. Young shoots need to be watered a little more often until they are fully grown. Sprinkling is considered the most optimal method of watering. The soil in the flowerbed must be constantly loosened and weeds removed.

During the flowering period, the soil around the plant is sprinkled with sand to retain root moisture. In early spring or autumn, the aubriet needs to be fed with special mineral fertilizers, which are used by gardeners when growing perennial plant varieties.

It is necessary to carry out comprehensive pruning of all green shoots after the spring growing season ends. Thanks to such measures, young green stems and leaves will soon begin to appear. They will be a wonderful addition to the flowers growing nearby in the flower bed. Such a flower carpet will retain its beauty until the next autumn bloom.

Aubriet flowers after flowering

As stated earlier, the seed propagation method does not make it possible to preserve varietal properties of seedlings. However, if the task is to collect seeds, then during pruning it is necessary to leave several shoots with ovaries on the bush. After the pods ripen and darken, they need to be cut off. The husked seeds are dried and thoroughly ventilated. They are then used for sowing in the manner described above.

Preparing the aubrieta for winter

After spring flowering, experienced gardeners usually prune. In case of another bloom, which occurs in the fall, it is recommended to leave all leaves and shoots intact for the winter. Re-pruning best done in next season. A mature perennial plant can easily survive the winter if there is sufficient snow cover. In more severe conditions, it is necessary to cover the bush with dry leaves and spruce branches to protect it from death and freezing.

Methods for propagating aubrieta

The aubriet flower can be propagated by any convenient means, since the plant is unpretentious in this regard. The main method used is propagation by seeds or cuttings. Growing aubrieta from seedlings was described in detail by us a little earlier. Gardeners who have extensive experience in growing various flower crops, choose the seed propagation method. Before planting, the flowerbed area is cleared of weeds, small stones and dug up. A mixture of fertilizers is added to the prepared soil, then it is sprinkled with wood ash and chalk and moistened. The seeds are planted at some distance from each other, after which they are sprinkled with sand and watered. If planting was carried out in the spring, then the first shoots can be expected after 10-20 days. In case autumn planting seeds, young shoots will appear only next year.

Propagation by cuttings

A widespread method of propagation is by cuttings. When pruning aubrieta in the summer, as a rule, a large number of green shoots remain without flowers. A greenhouse is used for planting cuttings. Prepared soil consisting of peat and sand is poured into it in advance. Cuttings that have taken root are transplanted into a flower bed. In areas where low winter temperatures, the seedlings are left in the greenhouse until spring arrives so that they can properly grow stronger and take root.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

The division of the bush is carried out both in spring and autumn, but the plant is quite difficult to tolerate such an event. Often it is carried out in a certain sequence. Initially, you need to dig up an aubriet bush and divide it into equal parts, which will contain strong shoots and roots. Then they are planted in different holes. It is worth noting that this method of reproduction is not always successful. Divided parts of the plant are difficult to take root, so gardeners prefer growing aubrieta from seeds or cuttings.

Diseases and pests

Aubrieta is a resistant ornamental plant to the effects of any diseases and pests. Cases of powdery mildew infection are occasionally observed. This fungal disease causes white coating, which appears on leaves and flowers and becomes brown over time. Due to illness, the flower loses its attractiveness. The plant gradually begins to wither and turn black. To stop the further spread of the disease, the bushes are treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur.

The greatest danger to the aubrieta is the aphid, which takes away the strength of the plant and feeds on its cell sap. Aphids are carriers of various viral diseases. To destroy it, drugs such as Fufanon or Karbofos are used. If the number of pests is too large, then the treatment is repeated several times to completely get rid of the insects.

The aubriet flower, which grows in rocky areas, is practically not susceptible to pests and diseases.

Types and varieties of aubrieta

Today there are about 12 species of this flower, including cultivated varieties. In our area, species such as white aubrieta, graceful aubrieta, and Kolumka aubrieta are rarely found. Here, for example, deltoid aubrieta, which looks like a low-growing perennial green plant, has become more widespread. The leaves have jagged edges and a gray-green color. Small purple flowers are collected in racemes, reminiscent of a lilac bush. The flowering period begins in late spring and lasts about a month. This variety of aubrieta is considered the first cultivated species of flower.

Aubrieta hybrid or cultivated is a plant reaching a height of about 20 cm, which can winter well. The leaves have an elongated shape with jagged ends, and the flowers are purple in color and have a small diameter. Aubrieta cultivated is propagated by seeds. The most popular varieties are:

• Aubrieta is cascading, having flowers of various colors and gray-green leaves. A bush of this variety retains its greenery even for the winter.
• The enchanting Morocco is an elegant flower with large cups in blue, red or pink.
• Cote d'Azur is a variety of aubrieta, which is characterized by abundant and frequent flowering throughout the year.
• Giant Falls is a perennial hybrid of purple, pink or red color, grows up to 15 cm and has small flowers.

There are other equally well-known varieties of aubrieta: Carnival, Gloriosa, Vanda, Blue King, Queen, Royal Cascade, Triumphant and others.

Aubrieta - growing a flower in the garden (video)

Aubrieta is a pretty herbaceous perennial that can amazingly transform your summer cottage. It will cover a rockery or alpine hill with a colorful carpet, create a bright background for other flowers in the flowerbed, and decorate vertical surfaces with a cascade. Aubrieta is also good as a potted houseplant. It can be grown as a balcony crop and gets along without any problems with all its flowering neighbors on the site. It is best to grow the plant from seeds.

Aubrieta growing from seeds: when to plant

The color of the flowers of this highly ornamental plant can be very diverse. There are varieties with flowers:

• light blue;
• soft pink;
• purple;
• blue;
• raspberry;
• violet;
• lilac;
• purple;
• white.

Coloring of aubrieta flowers

The aubrieta comes from Southern European and Central Asian countries. This ground cover is suitable for continuous vertical and horizontal decoration of gardens and is successfully used by landscape designers around the world.

Advice! A plant grown from seeds begins to bloom in May of next year. The flowering period lasts one and a half months. If you trim the shoots of aubrieta immediately after flowering, it may bloom again. This way, it is easy to ensure a flowering carpet throughout the summer.

Varieties of aubrieta

There are about 40 cultivated varieties of this plant. The most popular of them are five.

Earth, light, water

Aubrieta is difficult to classify as an unpretentious flower. It is demanding on three agrotechnical aspects at once:

1. Soil composition
2. Watering mode.
3. Lighting.

In addition, the plant is almost impossible to propagate by dividing the bush - it tolerates replanting very poorly and the survival rate of the divisions is low. Therefore, the seed method of sowing directly into the soil in a flower bed or alpine hill is optimal.

It is worth growing aubrieta seedlings only in peat tablets

In order not to risk the loss of seedlings when picking and planting in the ground, when growing seedlings, aubrieta should be sown only in peat tablets. This way, the plant will not be damaged during transplantation.

When to sow

Aubrieta can be sown in the ground both in spring and autumn. In spring it is May. Autumn – October. If the seeds are sown in the spring, germination can be expected in 10-15 days. At autumn sowing the plant sprouts only next year in the spring.

The seeds are immediately sown in a permanent place at a suitable interval. Do not thicken the crops too much - the seedlings will not be able to develop normally, and the feeding area will not be sufficient for them. But there is also no need to sow ground cover too rarely. Optimal distance between bushes, depending on the variety, 15-20 cm.

Seeds are immediately sown in a permanent place at a suitable interval

Soil

It is very important to choose the site that best suitable for the plant. Aubrieta looks spectacular anywhere, but it will not grow well everywhere. She needs to be provided with light nutritious soil with an alkaline reaction. Acidic soils are absolutely not suitable for the plant. Heavy clay soils are also contraindicated for the plant, but the plant likes sandy loam.

Advice! Aubrieta is a very light-loving plant. It makes no sense to sow it in the shade, since the leaves will stretch out, flowering will be sparse and the expected decorative effect will not be achieved.

Before sifting, the soil needs to be prepared.

1. Clear of stones and weeds.
2. Dig to a depth of half a shovel handle (10-15 cm).
3. Add humus and wood ash if sowing occurs in the fall.
4. Add a mineral complex and wood ash during spring sowing.
5. Add chalk or lime (the plant needs calcium for successful development).
6. Loosen the fertilized soil so that there are no lumps and the structure is uniform.
7. Moisten the area.
8. Prepare a soil mixture of peat and sand for filling the seeds.

Fertilizing the land with wood ash

Sowing

Aubrieta seeds are not very large, flat, and brown in color. Before sowing, especially in open ground, they must be prepared and disinfected. Preparation can be done by soaking the seeds in a growth stimulant (epin, heteroauxin) dissolved in warm water, proportions and time according to the instructions. Disinfection can be carried out using a dry method, dusting it with a fungicide, or traditionally keeping the seeds for one hour in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Aubrieta seeds

When sowing, the seeds are laid out on a prepared, moistened area at a given interval. The crops are sprinkled with a mixture of peat from the sands in equal proportions, and watered with “rain” from a watering can.

Advice! The aubrieta looks very beautiful in a rock garden. You can sprinkle the seeds between large stones (just place fertile soil there first). The aubriet shoots falling from the stones look fascinating.

Aubrieta in the rock garden

Growing aubrieta for seedlings

Many people do not want to wait a year to get flowering plants, preferring to grow aubrieta seedlings. This can be done without loss if you do not pick the plants and plant them in the ground without removing them from the cup. Peat tablets and pots will help you grow seedlings at home. In this case, you can sow the seeds starting in February. Plants are planted in the ground in April.

Aubrieta grown from seedlings will bloom in June. A week after germination, the seedlings should be fed with a mineral complex for flower seedlings, and subsequently fertilized every 10 days.

Video - How to grow aubrieta from seeds

Plant care

The flowerbed where the aubrieta flaunts must be loosened monthly, all weeds must be weeded, and the plants must be watered by sprinkling or drip irrigation.

This ground cover is very fond of fertilizers, so it needs fertilizing at all stages of growth: from the very first - two weeks after germination, to the last - before the second autumn flowering. If you do not feed, the plants will not bloom as profusely as we would like. When feeding aubrieta, a standard complex of minerals is used (nitrogen + phosphorus + potassium).

Obrieta needs feeding at all stages of growth.

At the stage of the beginning of growth, you need to use fertilizing with a high nitrogen content, then switch to a diet with a high content of phosphorus; at the stage of the beginning of flowering, the plant needs potassium most of all.

On fertile soils, the plant should be fed at least three times every two months. If the soils are not very nutritious, fertilizing will be needed every two weeks. Also, once every two weeks you need to fertilize plants in rock gardens and alpine slides and cascade varieties intended for vertical decoration.

Advice! In addition to mineral complexes, young plants can be additionally fertilized with sodium humate twice a month (at different times, between main feedings).

Three times during the growing season, the soil under the shaving must be mulched fine sand. After trimming the faded shoots, it is good to mulch the ground with a mixture of sand and peat.

The soil under the shaving must be mulched with fine sand

Frequent watering is not required. Overmoistening of the soil will lead to the forcing of leaves to the detriment of flowering. However, in hot weather it is necessary to water the flower, at least twice a week.

Pruning can be done at the end of each mass flowering. You need to cut the stems sparingly to the very base. The plant will immediately send out shoots that will bloom again.
In order for this ground cover plant to be flowering and healthy, it must be treated with colloidal sulfur against powdery mildew, which often occurs in aubrieta. It can also be treated with insecticides against pests.

An undeniable advantage

Aubrieta is not afraid of extreme cold

In addition to long, abundant, beautiful flowering, this plant has another important advantage - it is not afraid of even extreme cold. Aubrieta does not shed its leaves in winter, and freezes only when very low temperatures, below 30 degrees below zero. Therefore, the decorative effect is preserved all year round for many years.

Aubrieta is a luxurious plant, the care of which causes some trouble, but the result is decorative effect The amount this flower produces in the area is well worth the effort.

This beautiful plant can decorate any garden plot, be it a flower bed or an alpine hill. In addition, the obrieta is suitable for vertical gardening. Such flowers will also feel good in boxes on balconies. Summer residents love aubrieta for its unpretentious nature and its ability to coexist with other plants, both indoor and garden.

Description of the plant

Aubrieta has a wide variety of colors. It can be soft blue, white, pink, or lilac. Despite the fact that Central Asia is considered to be the birthplace of this plant (according to other sources South America), it can withstand even the most severe frosts in Siberia.

Aubrieta can change its color

It is noteworthy that during the cold season, the aubrieta not only does not change color, but also does not fall off its leaves. And with the onset of spring, at a time when other plants are just waking up from winter hibernation, these flowers are already turning lushly green.

Popular varieties

Experienced gardeners prefer different seeds. The most popular of them are presented below.

Red King

Summer residents fell in love with this variety for its large flowers, the diameter of which reaches up to 5 cm. The height of an adult plant is approximately 10 cm. The shoots are spreading.

Crimson Sea

Bright and lush flowers grow from the seeds. Since the variety grows well in height along the frame, it can be excellent option in order to decorate retaining walls and fences. Flowering lasts for two months.

Lizzie

The length of the shoots of this variety of aubrieta reaches approximately 15 cm in length. The buds are bright red in color with a diameter of 1 cm.

Deborah

Like the previous variety, this one has red inflorescences. The height of the bush reaches 20 cm.

Enchanting Morocco

As you can see in the photo, the plant blooms very beautifully.

Is one of the most luxuriantly flowering decorative varieties. After the first flowering of this type of aubrieta ends, the shoots can be cut off. After this, they are usually rooted in greenhouses, where the plant safely begins to bloom after some time.

Cote d'Azur

These blue flowers of incredible beauty can grow both in flower beds and on balconies. Vigorous flowering continues for two months in summer period. After pruning, this variety of aubrieta grows from September until the onset of cold weather. The variety is resistant to frost.

Fruit platter

This variety is a mixture of different types of aubrieta. Gardeners loved it for its spectacular appearance of colorful flowers in red and pink tones.

Cascade

The variety is represented by lush bushes, pink, white, red and turquoise flowers. The plant was specially bred for decoration alpine slides, flower beds and balconies.

Growing in open ground

Anyone who has never dealt with growing aubrieta may think that this crop is unpretentious and can grow in absolutely any conditions. This is wrong. The plant does not really like diving, and with any attempts to divide the bushes, gardeners may be very disappointed. Therefore, growing aubrieta in open ground with seeds is considered the most optimal.

Find a suitable place to plant aubrieta, and it will decorate any area

Before you start sowing, you should decide on the location for future plantings. Aubrieta is a rather capricious culture. In the southern regions it prefers to grow in partial shade, and in the northern regions, on the contrary, places with a lot of sun. Aubrieta usually grows in rocky crevices, on rocky soil, as well as in cracks in walls with dry masonry.

The soil for planting is prepared as follows: the soil is cleared of weeds and other impurities that will interfere with the growth of the plant. If you plant a plant in difficult rocky soil, it will not bring good results. It is better to give preference to light and fertile ones. Before starting sowing, the soil is dug up well and fed with a small amount of lime or chalk.

It is recommended to plant aubrieta seeds at a considerable distance from each other; only in this case will the young seedlings allow each other to develop normally. To begin with, you should water the soil well, and then carefully sprinkle the flat seeds of the plant and lightly sprinkle them with sand.

The sand layer should be about two centimeters.

After this, you need to shed the planting material again. Mulching with sand should be repeated two or three times per season. Seeds are sown in September or May. You can see how the aubrieta blooms next year.

In order for the plant to grow strong and hardy, it is fed with various fertilizers, for example sodium humate, which is an excellent growth stimulant. The soil in which aubrieta grows should be constantly cleared of weeds. After the first leaves appear, you can begin to fertilize the bushes using complex fertilizers.

Growing seedlings

Aubrieta can be grown not only by seeds, but also by seedlings. To do this, the seeds are sown immediately in peat pots or tablets. After the seedlings appear, the aubrieta can be transplanted directly into the ground.

Sow aubriet seeds in advance

It is recommended to sow the seeds approximately one and a half to two months before the last cold weather subsides. The plant takes quite a long time to sprout at home. Typically, from the start of sowing to the appearance of the first sprouts, it takes two to three weeks.

For better germination, experienced gardeners cover peat pots with ordinary polyethylene film. It is imperative to monitor the temperature in the room; it should not rise above 21 degrees. Seedlings are planted in open ground immediately after the night frosts have ended.

Most summer residents very rarely use this propagation of aubrieta. The fact is that young seedlings do not tolerate transplantation into soil very well. During a dive, the plant suffers greatly, and for this reason, the future life of the aubrieta on a personal plot may be in jeopardy.

If there is no confidence that this crop will be able to grow normally after seedling method, then it would be preferable to choose a method in which the seeds are sown directly into open ground. Moreover, this method is less energy-consuming.

Summer residents who have just begun their acquaintance with aubrieta should pay attention to a few tips:

It is best to purchase seeds of such a plant in the spring. If you purchase ready-made seedlings, you need to check whether there are sprouted roots in the holes in the bottoms of the pots.

Aubrieta does not like fertilizers in the form of mineral nitrogen fertilizers and manure, as they reduce the plant’s resistance to cold.

Some varieties of aubrieta can bloom for a long time

The varieties that bloom the longest are those whose buds are purple or blue in color. As for the red species of aubrieta, they delight the owners of the site with their flowering for not so long.

Compositions with aubrieta, to which flowers are added, look very beautiful. dwarf irises, phlox and bluebells.

Growing aubrieta is not particularly difficult. With proper care, you can enjoy a beautiful carpet of bright flowers all season long.

Care

Before planting aubrieta in open ground, you need to pay attention to this important stage as soil preparation. To do this, garden soil is mixed with medium-sized sand. To prevent the plant bushes from getting lost among the weeds, they must be placed in equal rows.

These flowers love open areas that are well lit by the sun from all sides. In addition, shaving requires a fairly spacious area. Flowerbeds should be placed on open slopes, on the south side of buildings.

Although flowers are not too demanding on the composition of the soil in which they will grow, it is still advisable to enrich the soil with not too much lime, ash or chalk. Some gardeners mulch the ground around the plants with a small layer of sand.

Too frequent and abundant watering is not needed. Excessive moisture is bad for bushes. They have a lot of greenery and few flowers. As for drying out, it is also not recommended to allow it. If there are hot days outside and there has been no rain for a long time, the plant should definitely be watered.

Sodium humate should be used as a feed for young bushes. It perfectly stimulates the growth of shoots and roots of the plant, and in addition, it helps the plant become more resilient and strong. This fertilizer must be dissolved in water and watered over the flowers in the morning and evening. Aubrieta needs to be fed for the first time as soon as at least two true leaves appear on the seedlings.

For abundant flowering it will be useful to use fertilizer

Crops that are at an older age can be periodically fertilized with complex compounds that are intended for flowering perennial plants. Such fertilizing is applied to the ground immediately before the aubrieta begins to bloom, and after it is cut, that is, twice a season.

It is also necessary to prune such a crop, which is mandatory maintenance. Aubrieta shoots must be removed almost to the very base of the plant. In these cases, the crop begins to produce new shoots in place of the cut stems. They also become covered with buds after a while.

Pruning is carried out so that the aubrieta looks decorative during the entire flowering period.

Among the diseases affecting this plant, powdery mildew predominates. This disease looks like a whitish coating on the leaves of bushes. To avoid it, you need to treat the plant with a solution of colloidal sulfur. If powdery mildew remains on the shaving, you will have to get rid of the diseased bushes. To do this, the plant is uprooted and burned. This method will prevent healthy areas in the flower beds from becoming infected.

While watching you will see how to sow the seeds of aubrieta.

Aubrieta is a fairly cold-resistant plant. She can easily tolerate air temperatures down to -5 degrees. Before the onset of severe cold, it is best to additionally insulate flowers using covering material in the form of spruce branches or dry leaves. With proper care, aubrieta can delight the owners of the site with its flowering for a long time.

Flowers and Flower Beds

Many of those who had the opportunity to contemplate the magnificent carpets of bright aubrieta flowers began to dream of growing such splendor on their own. This perennial herbaceous plant can be an excellent decoration for any garden plot. The plant tolerates frost well and can spread not only along the ground, but also along vertical planes, creating cascades of indescribable beauty.

Propagation of aubrieta can be carried out by cuttings or planting seeds. The second method is the most popular, especially since it makes it possible to independently choose the desired shade of colors. In autumn, seeds can be planted directly in open ground. And the best spring propagation method means for flowers aubrieta growing from seeds at home. In other words, in April or May summer cottage It is best to plant seedlings rather than seeds. Thus, there is a chance to wait for flowering this summer.

Rules for planting seeds and growing aubrieta seedlings at home

To carry out the spring planting of aubrieta, its cultivation begins at home in February. The following tips should be taken into account:

• The air temperature at home should be maintained at 18-20 ᵒC.
• Growing seeds is possible only in conditions of good access to sunlight.
• For home planting, flower soil is suitable, which should be loosened well and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. In order not to lose some of the seedlings during transplantation, you can use peat tablets or pots for planting seeds, which, together with the sprouts, are subsequently transferred to open ground.

Aubrieta seedlings grown in peat tablets or pots are easier to transplant

• The seeds are not sown very thickly and are not covered with soil.
• They must be moderately sprayed with water and covered with plastic wrap until shoots emerge.
• Watering young sprouts grown at home should be moderate; they cannot tolerate excess water.
• Every 10 days it is recommended to feed the sprouts with complex mineral fertilizer.
• After a month, the conditions for growing the seedlings need to be changed by transplanting them into separate pots.