Alstroemeria is also called the Inca Lily. She has large beautiful flowers of various colors, similar to exotic orchids. The birthplace of the plant is the tropical forests of America, the highlands of Bolivia and Peru. It grows in greenhouses and gardens around the world, is considered one of the most beautiful plants grown for cutting.
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Alstroemeria: a variety of species and varieties
Alstroemeria, the landing and care of which are described in the article, is a herbaceous perennial from the Alstromeriev family. There are more than a hundred species of plants.
All varieties are divided into three groups of hybrids:
- Dutch - with wide petals and contrasting spots inside the flower, grown in greenhouses for cutting;
- Ligtu - hybrids obtained in the UK at the beginning of the last century, plants die off soon after flowering;
- Dr Salter - hybrid varieties differ in stripes or dashes on the inner petals, compact inflorescences.
There are hybrid varieties with a wide variety of colors - bright yellow, white, peach, orange, burgundy, pink, red, blue. Contrast colored petals look beautiful. Most species are thermophilic and have similar care requirements.
Preparing for planting flowers
Alstroemeria planted on a flower bed when the threat of night frost is over.
Some varieties begin to bloom in April. They are grown for seedlings in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, and already formed seedlings are planted in open ground.
Before planting, the site is dug up, weeds are removed. The looseness and lightness of the soil is the key to good alstroemeria flowering. The plant prefers acidic, fertile soil. To improve the soil structure, horse peat, leaf humus and sand are added to it in equal parts. If the soil is sandy, then sand does not need to be added.
Choose a variety of seedlings
Hybrid varieties with a height of 20–40 cm, which can be used as tubing plants, were bred. The height of the cut varieties reaches one and a half or two meters.
Of the hundreds of varieties, the following are popular:
- Beauty - with lilac or light purple flowers, bush height up to 170 cm, blooms in spring and autumn;
- Harmonies - bronze petals with black strokes, grows up to 160 cm, blooms in April and September;
- King Cardinal - red flowers, similar to orchids, bush height up to 150 cm, blooms from spring to cold weather;
- Virginia - blooms from June to November with large white flowers, bush height up to 70 cm;
- Regina - beautiful pink flowers, plant height up to 2 m, blooms from April to June and again in September.
The choice of variety depends on the place of cultivation and the desired color of alstroemeria.
Site and soil preparation
Alstroemeria loves the sun, but it can also be planted in partial shade. Plants do not tolerate temperatures above 30 ° C - they can become sick and refuse to bloom.
The soil should be well-drained, light and fertile. Before planting, you can add peat, humus and sand to the flowerbed.
Landing Alstroemeria in the open ground
Alstroemeria planting time is spring. When the winter dormancy period passes, plants are planted on flower beds in the garden. Landing times vary by region and weather.
All types of alstroemeria tolerate small negative temperatures, so tubers can be planted in open ground in April. For seedlings in pots they are planted even earlier - in early or mid-March.
Garden Flower Care
Growing alstroemeria is a simple task. Flowers planted on a flower bed are watered, fed, protected from pests and weeds.
In cold regions, garden alstromerias dig up like dahlias and store the rhizome until spring.
If in winter the air temperature does not fall below -10 ° C, the flowers can be left in the ground, simply mulching and covering with spruce branches.
Plant watering schedule
Watering should be regular, but you can not fill the plants. If there is stagnation of moisture, the rhizomes will begin to rot. Alstroemeria is watered once a week, but in hot summer you can do it every 3 days when the topsoil dries.
After each watering, the soil is loosened.
Closer to autumn, watering is reduced, preparing the plant for wintering. After some time, it is completely stopped, the entire green upper part is cut off, a rhizome is dug up and carried away for storage.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Feeding Alstroemeria love. Fertilizers are used for flowering plants, for example, Fertika Lux. They feed flowers once a week or 10 days. The soil before application is watered.
You can make compost or humus as fertilizer during the spring planting of flowers on the flowerbed.
How to extend the flowering of alstroemeria
Thanks to top dressing and regular watering, alstroemeria can continue to bloom throughout the warm season. To extend this period, you need to trim the bush, remove excess shoots and wilted flower stalks. After that, new flower arrows begin to grow.
The ideal temperature for flowering alstroemeria is 12–17 ° C. In the greenhouse, buds open even in winter.
Clipping and Covering Technique
After planting, the alstroemeria flower lets out many shoots. They need to be cut monthly, so that the plant has the strength for flowering. An average of 1/3 of the bush is cut - this allows the remaining stems to bloom longer and brighter.
In autumn, the entire aerial part of the plant is cut off, and for it the winter dormant period begins.
They cover alstroemeria for the winter only in the southern regions, where there are warm winters. For shelter use agrofiber, fallen leaves, spruce branches, sawdust.In central Russia, it is advisable to dig this flower out of the open ground for the winter and store it in a cool, dark room.
How to deal with diseases and pests
- The plant can be affected by fungal diseases with excessive moisture and lack of lighting. White / gray coating or brown, wet spots appear on leaves and stems. Having noticed the first signs of the disease, alstroemeria is treated with systemic fungicides. Damaged leaves are cut and burned.
- Various pests can settle on the flower. If the summer turned out to be hot and dry, a spider mite may start. Its presence is easily detected by wilting leaves and a thin cobweb entangling the plant. The tick is fought with acaricides.
- Aphids, bugs, thrips and other insects that fly into a flower bed are destroyed by insecticides. If necessary, the treatment is repeated until the plants recover completely.
Alstroemeria propagation methods
The plant is propagated by seed or root division in early spring. The seed propagation method is not suitable for hybrids, since the external characteristics of the flower are not preserved. The fruits of alstroemeria are very fragile, with the slightest touch of them, the peel bursts and the seeds scatter in all directions. Therefore, before collecting the ripened seeds on the site, the plant is covered with gauze.
- Before germination, the seed material is stratified - sent for 2 months in the refrigerator.
- Alstroemeria is sown in containers for seedlings in March.
- The grown seedlings are transplanted into a flowerbed at the end of May.
With this method of growing, flowering occurs 3 years after planting.
When propagating by rhizome, daughter plants retain all varietal characters.
You need to divide the root in the fall, after flowering is completed.
- Alstroemeria is carefully dug up, and then carefully divided into 2 or 3 parts.
- Slices are treated with fungicides, and new plants are planted in containers with fertile, breathable soil and brought into the room.
When to dig and how to store flower rhizomes
In the fall, the rhizome is dug up and transferred to the basement for storage.
This is done when the time of night frost begins, and the exact date depends on the region. In the northern regions, roots need to be dug in early September; in regions with a warmer climate, this can also be done in October.
Before digging, the aerial part of the plant is cut off, leaving stems about 15 cm long. Rhizomes are removed with a pitchfork. Gently, so as not to damage, shake off the ground, give a little dry. Store in sand or sawdust in the basement.
The use of alstroemeria in landscape design
Alstroemeria is most often used as a cutting crop in bouquets. It is grown not only in flowerbeds and in greenhouses, but also in tubs, which can be rearranged to any place of your choice. In summer crops are planted in the garden, and in winter they are brought into a room with a temperature of 9 - 10 ° C.
Looks great alstroemeria in mixborders with annual flowers and conifers. For bright, variegated varieties, a plain background is selected - light green or blue decorative fir. Against their background, yellow and orange alstroemerias look beautiful.
