There are flowers that have a special charm and charm. They do not amaze with the size or splendor of flowering, but, having seen such a plant, every gardener is eager to find a place for him in the garden. These include flowers, popularly known as yellow daisies. The scientific name for this species is doronicum.
What a flower
Doronikum is a perennial herb with stalk-bearing alternating and basal leaves. In the stem sinuses shoots are formed on which buds are formed. Also, flowers grow on long peduncles. The height of the doronicum depends on the variety: there are dwarf varieties (10-15 cm) and tall (140-150 cm). Rhizome tuberous, superficially located. The fruit is the achene.
Yellow daisies belong to the Astrov family. Along with the colony-shaped ratybid, similar in color to the doronicum, the plant is often called the prairie flower. However, the hardy perennial is able to take root not only on the plains. It is common in European mountains and can settle at an altitude of 3500 m above sea level.
Interesting to know. The name "doronicum" comes from the Arabic word "doronish", meaning an unknown poisonous plant. In Russia, a bright flower is often called a roe.
Interesting varieties
In total, there are about 40 varieties of doronicum. 12 of them grow in Russia; only a few are especially popular.
Oriental
Doronicum Oriental (Doronicum Orientale Hoffing) may be called Caucasian in another way. This is the most frequent resident of Russian gardens. In vivo, the most common in the Caucasus and the Mediterranean.
East Doronicum
The height of the plant is about 50 cm. The roots are tuberous, occur close to the surface of the soil. Basal leaves are dentate, petiolate, stem, ovoid, sessile. Yellow flowers bloom in mid-May, flowering continues for about a month. After the aboveground parts of the yellow daisy die off. A new green outlet will appear only at the end of summer.
The species was cultivated in 1808. The most common varieties are Spring Beauty, Gold Dwarft, Little Leo. All undersized, compact, highly decorative.
Plantain
Plantain doronicum (Doronicum Plantagineum) is characterized by easy pubescence of leaves and trunks. It is larger than its Caucasian relative (up to 140 cm tall), forms large inflorescences, blooms 7-10 days later. In vivo grows in western Europe.
Plantain variety
The most popular varieties include Miss Mason, Harpuf Crewe.
Austrian
Doronicum Austrian (Doronicum Austriacum Jacq) is of medium height (up to 70 cm) and bright colors with an orange center.
Austrian roe
A decorative plant blooms in August.
Seed cultivation
Before you start growing doronicum from seeds, you need to decide when to plant the plant and how to care for it. Getting healthy, blooming yellow daisies is easy thanks to the unpretentiousness of the flower.
Note! Kozulnik has the property of propagating by self-seeding.
Seedlings
Seedling method is a little more troublesome than planting seeds directly into the ground. However, it gives better results.
Sowing for seedlings is best started in April. For seeding, a container with cells that are filled with a nutrient substrate (1 part of peat and coarse sand) is selected. 2-3 seeds are sown in 1 cell, sprayed with water. The container is covered with glass or film and placed in a lighted place, protected from direct sunlight. Further care consists in daily ventilation of the plantings and periodic moistening of the soil from the spray gun.
Reckless method
Sowing directly into the open ground is carried out from mid-April, when the air temperature reaches 16 ° C, or in late autumn.
About 2 weeks before sowing, you need to prepare the land. It is dug up on a bayonet shovel and lumps are carefully broken. When the soil settles, shallow (1-2 cm) grooves are made in it. The distance between the rows should be at least 20 cm. Landings must be shed with water. Seedlings sprout amicably and abundantly, therefore, after their appearance will have to do thinning. Between adjacent plants should be at least 7 cm of space. When the height of young plants reaches 10 cm, it is time to plant them in permanent places. The interval between two adjacent seedlings is 25 cm.
The basic rules of growing
The main points associated with the planting of seedlings in the ground and the subsequent care of it are very important for obtaining beautiful healthy plants.
Landing tank and soil
For planting on seedlings, you can use not only cellular containers, but also boxes, pots and cups. The main thing is to maintain a distance without thickening the landing. As a nutrient substrate, it is enough to take a mixture of peat with humus or shop universal soil.
The right time for sowing
Sowing seedlings is carried out in early April, young plants are placed in open ground in early June.
Soil cutting
For planting in the garden during the winter, mid-November or April is suitable.
Site selection and soil preparation
The main soil requirement is lightness and friability. So that the seeds do not fall through, you have to wait for shrinkage after digging. If the soil is depleted, during digging, it is possible to patch over rotted manure into the beds.
Important! Since the plant has a superficial root system, it is not necessary to loosen the soil too deep under it.
Material preparation and seeding
Yellow chamomile seeds retain their germination for 2 years. They sprout actively, once in the soil, so seedlings will have to be thinned out. Since the seed material, when properly stored, is resistant to damage and deterioration, no special preparatory procedures are required.
How to care for seedlings
With the seedling method of growing, seedlings appear a couple of weeks after sowing. Shelter from the container at this time is removed and the plants are moved to a brighter place. If the weather does not please with sunny days, it is recommended that the seedlings be illuminated with a phytolamp.
To make the plants more magnificent, in the phase of the 3rd leaf it is necessary to pinch their tops.
Landing
A week before planting (at the end of May), it is time to place the seedlings in the open air for hardening, first for an hour, gradually increasing the time to a day.
How to plant seedlings:
- Dig a plot of 20-25 cm in depth. Add rotted manure;
- Dig up planting pits of such a size that they fit a root with an earthen lump. The distance between the holes should be at least 0.4 m, because the doronicum grows very much;
- Plant the plants in the wells, gently press the ground at the roots and pour plenty of cold water.
Note! Kozulnik is also grown as a houseplant, but only dwarf varieties are suitable for this.
Outdoor Care
With a plant such as doronicum, planting and care are not difficult. The flower is unpretentious and resistant to weather anomalies.
Watering
Doronicum should be watered regularly, since the root system located near the surface cannot take moisture from the deep layers of the soil. Water is better to use sludge. In order that the earth does not dry longer, it is recommended to mulch it with sawdust.
Spraying
In hot weather, the plant will benefit from evening spraying or sprinkling. Too zealous with irrigation is not necessary so as not to provoke diseases. Yellow daisies do not like excessive humidity and shade, so it is better not to place them under large trees and in lowlands.
Priming
Kozulnik does not like acidic, clayey, heavy soils. Most likely, the hardy plant will not die, but will grow small, weak, with small flowers. The best option is light, loose, slightly acidic soil with a sufficient amount of nutrients.
Top dressing
In spring, the plant can be pampered with complex fertilizers, the flower responds equally well to mineral compounds and to organics. At the end of summer, when there is an increase in new outlets, it will not be superfluous to feed the goat with nitrogen-containing compounds.
When and how it blooms
Doronicum is a flower that can change the size of the petals and the color intensity depending on weather conditions. In general, flowers look like small daisies, why they are often confused with feverfew. The color of the petals is bright yellow, the middle can be darker, up to brown. In the diameter of the inflorescence are from 4 to 15 cm, depending on the variety.
Flowering doronicum
Flowering begins in the spring and lasts all summer. Cut doronicum flowers are able to stand in water for up to 14 days, while maintaining a fresh look.
Transplant after purchase
As a rule, they sell doronicum in seeds. If seedlings are acquired, it is planted in the ground or left to grow on the windowsill. The time when it is time to transplant the doronicum comes in a year, when it comes time to divide the plant.
Important! Kozulnik is resistant to cold, so you don’t have to worry about sheltering the flower for the winter.
Possible problems in growing
Although yellow chamomile is a naughty plant, there are still problems with its cultivation. They can be solved using special tools and adjusting the care regimen.
Pests
The ubiquitous aphids and thrips do not ignore the yellow daisy. Small insects sucking juice do not initially cause significant harm. But, having bred, they are able to lead the doronicum to death.
There are many different insecticides that successfully cope with parasites. It is enough to process the plantings according to the instructions, and small parasites will not be afraid of garden "suns".
Sometimes slugs eating foliage climb onto a plant. To prevent their appearance, it is enough to sprinkle the soil around the flower with hot ground pepper. Sensitive abdomen will not allow harmful creatures to overcome the barrier.
Disease
Gray rot appears on plants in thickened plantings, with excessive watering. It is advisable to thin the plants, remove infected parts and adjust the irrigation regime.
Rust and powdery mildew also most often attack waterlogged plantings. Watering in this case must be reduced, the damaged parts of the plant removed. Spray doronicum with Topaz or another similar drug.
Signs of improper care
Doronicum can produce small flowers if it has not been planted for a long time. For rejuvenation, the plant is dug up and divided into parts. New flowers on the updated roe will be noticeably larger. Another growing problem is excess light. Placing a plant on the site, it is worth remembering that, although the doronicum is photophilous, excessive exposure to the sun's rays provokes shredding of flowers.
Kozulnik on the site
Planting and caring for doronicum in the open field is extremely simple. Even a novice will cope with them, who will be doubly pleased to enjoy the bright flowering of a garden pet.
