Planting and caring for mirabilis outdoors: when to sow seeds and plant tubers
Mirabilis is an absolutely amazing plant, which gives many reasons for optimism with the beauty of its gramophone flowers, wonderful evening fragrance (it is not for nothing that it is called "night beauty") and unpretentious care.
Night Belle is an annual grown from seed, but you can make it a perennial if you dig up tubers every fall, store them through the winter, and plant them back in the ground the next year in late spring.
Content
When to sow mirabilis for seedlings and plant rhizomes in open ground: planting timing
The main thing to rely on when choosing the timing of planting mirabilis on seedlings or in open ground is the threat of recurrent spring frosts. As soon as it passes, then it's time to start landing.
Accordingly, it all depends on the weather conditions of your region of residence. So in the Middle Lane (Moscow region), seeds of a night beauty should be sown for seedlings not earlier than April, in order to plant them on a flower bed in the second half of May, or immediately sow in open ground in May.
At the same time, tubers ("carrot roots") of mirabilis can be planted in the soil.
Growing mirabilis from seeds
To get earlier flowering of mirabilis, it is better to grow it through seedlings.
Seed preparation for planting: germination
In order for the seeds of the night beauty to grow faster, they must first be soaked and germinated.
Step-by-step instructions for soaking mirabilis seeds for germination:
- Place cotton pads (wipes or sponge) in a plastic container with a lid.
- Spread the seeds on a cotton pad and moisten them with water with the addition of the "Ekomik yielding" biological product (at the rate of 5 drops of the product per 200 ml of water). This drug stimulates germination and increases the plant's immunity to various kinds of diseases. You can also use "Energen".
- Cover with the same cotton pad and leave for 30-60 minutes.
- After the time has elapsed, rinse the seeds and repeat the procedure again, only this time with clean water.
- Cover the container with a lid, bag or plastic wrap and place it in a warm place, such as in the kitchen or on the battery, but first put a towel or something else on it.
- When browsing, do not forget to ventilate the container.
Important! Try to regularly check the soaked seeds, because once they hatch, they begin to increase in size very quickly, and if the root grows too long, then it will simply be very difficult for you to plant so as not to break it.
Container and soil
The seeds of mirabilis must be sown in individual containers, for example, plastic cups. The fact is that the seedlings of mirabilis even endure a transplant in open ground rather painfully, let alone a dive.
As for the soil, no special soil mixture is required, it is enough that it is light (loose), in other words, any purchased soil for flower seedlings is suitable.
Direct sowing
Step-by-step instructions for sowing mirabilis seeds for seedlings:
- Prepare the container and fill it with soil (about a little more than half).
- Spill solution with added Fitosporin (according to instructions).
- Deepen the seeds by 0.5-1 cm. If you have cups larger than 0.2 liters, then you can put 2-3 seeds.
- If you watered in step 2, you no longer need to water. If not, water it abundantly.
- Cover with plastic bag or wrap.
- Remove to a warm place, and as soon as the seedlings appear - into a bright one.
Video: planting mirabilis seeds for seedlings without germination
Mirabilis seedlings care
Seedlings emerge quickly enough, especially if you previously germinated the seeds. And as soon as shoots appear, the night beauty will immediately grow and begin to develop at an accelerated pace.
Further care for seedlings at home mirabilis is as simple as possible: keep on a light windowsill and water as the soil dries.
By the way! If you notice that the roots of the seedlings are not in the ground, but on the surface, then you should definitely add earth.
Planting seedlings of mirabilis in open ground
As mentioned earlier, the seedlings of a night beauty should be planted in open ground only when the threat of recurrent frosts has completely passed.
As for the variety of soil, mirabilis in this sense is not picky, clay or loamy soil is perfect for it. The main thing is that it is not very sour.
The place for planting mirabilis should be sufficiently sunny and lit, because in the shade the plant will not bloom profusely and will begin to stretch, but partial shade will do. As a rule, mirabilis is planted near a garden house or paths, and as close as possible, since a night beauty is a rather aggressive plant and can easily overshadow and displace neighbors in a flower garden. Do not plant it in lowlands, where there is a possibility of moisture accumulation, otherwise the root system can rot.
By the way! There are also low-growing varieties of night beauty that can be grown in pots. They are also suitable for framing flower beds, rockeries and borders.
It is better to plant seedlings of mirabilis in heaps or at a short distance.
Disembarkation takes place in the standard way. Containers with plantings are spilled in advance with water so that the plant can be easily pulled out with an earthen clod. Further, a place is being prepared in the garden, seedlings are placed in it, covered with earth and lightly watered. If the weather is not warm enough, you can cover the seedlings with cut-bottom plastic bottles.
The planting procedure is best carried out in cloudy weather, then the plants will take root much faster in a new place.
Video: planting seedlings of mirabilis in open ground
By the way! In the southern regions, mirabilis can be sown by seed directly into open ground. And then it will multiply by self-seeding.
Planting mirabilis tubers in open ground
Previously, only seeds were sold in stores, but now you can buy roots ("carrots") of the night beauty.
The main advantage of planting mirabilis with tubers is the quick receipt of a large and lush bush at once. For example, if 1 stalk is obtained from 1 seed, then from 1 tuber - 2-3 or even more at once. The more mature the roots, the more sprouts there will be.
Advice! The night beauty looks beautiful with a single planting (like a tapeworm).
When planting "carrots" of a night beauty, they should be placed at a distance of 20-40 centimeters from each other, because bushes grow quite sprawling.
To successfully plant mirabilis tubers, follow these steps:
- At the bottom of the planting hole, loosen the soil and add a little humus, compost or manure.
- Spill well with water from a watering can.
- Put the roots and cover them with earth so that only growth points (sprouts) stick out.
By the way! If you are planting in a tire, then you do not need to completely fill it with soil. Gradually, as it grows, you will fertilize the bush with humus or compost, and then it itself (tire) will fill.
Outdoor care of mirabilis
Taking care of mirabilis in the open field is no more difficult than caring for seedlings at home.
Watering the night beauty should be depending on the moisture content of the soil, the presence of rain and the condition of the plant itself. However, it is worth remembering that if the flower receives less moisture, it will start to wither and stop blooming. Although, once you resume proper care and watering, the plant will grow and bloom again.
Mirabilis can be fed with both organic and mineral fertilizers. Compost, humus are perfect. As a mineral, you can use ready-made fertilizers for garden flowers.
By the way! If you wish, you can form a bush by cutting off the side stems, then you get a standard flowering tree.
It is not necessary to pick off wilted flowers, they themselves quickly fall off.
Advice! Collect mirabilis seeds in the fall so you don't have to buy them next year.
Note! In stores, you can find odorless varieties of night beauty. They were specially developed for those who are allergic to fragrances.
When to dig up and store mirabilis tubers until a new spring planting
Advice! The site already has a separate article about how to dig up and lay mirabilis for safekeeping.
Thus, there is nothing difficult in planting and growing mirabilis; any novice gardener can handle it.And as a reward, you will get a lot of pleasure from its abundant flowering and pleasant summer aroma.
Video: how to grow mirabilis from seeds