Planting and caring for bergenia in open ground, description of varieties and species

Amazing decorative properties of bergenia make it one of the popular crops for creating magnificent landscapes in gardens and public areas that can decorate any landscape design. To enjoy the fascinating appearance of bergenia from early spring to late autumn, you need to familiarize yourself with all the nuances of proper planting and caring for the plant in the open ground.

Features and characteristics of bergenia

Bergenia is a perennial that can grow in one place for 10 years without replanting. A plant with a thick rhizome located close to the ground surface and massive basal round leaves. The shiny foliage remains decorative throughout the growing season.

Thanks to pink, white, purple flowers, collected at the top of low stems in dense racemes, the culture is especially popular among gardeners. Flowering occurs in May and lasts up to 20 days. After its completion, the plant remains decorative, as it forms a dense cover 15-20 cm in height.

Popular types and varieties

Gardeners cultivate 10 types of bergenia, but the following are considered popular:

1. Bergenia thickleaf. Perennial, reaching up to 60 cm in height. The bushes have large leathery leaves, painted bright green, which changes to fiery red in the fall. The bell-shaped flowers of white, lilac, and purple shades attract attention. The species boasts varieties:

• Purpurea;
• Hydroruspe;
• Senor.

2. Bergenia cordifolia. The bushes, growing up to 60 cm in height, have dense, heart-shaped leaves and lilac flowers with a pink tint. Many varieties have been bred based on this species:

• Baby Doll;
• David

3. Badan Strechi.The plant is valued for its ovoid leaves with jagged edges and large white, pink and lilac flowers collected in racemes.
4. Hissar bergenia. The perennial is characterized by elongated large foliage and white flowers collected in a one-sided racemose inflorescence. Among the famous varieties:

• Alba;
• Beethoven;
• Gazebo.

5. Bergenia ciliata. This species is distinguished by the presence of cilia or hairs at the base of the leaves. Light pink or white flowers with a bright, almost purple calyx attract attention.
6. Bergenia purple. One of the spectacular plant species that has shiny leaves and crimson flowers.
7. Pacific bergenia. A very large flower, up to 50 cm in height, decorated with a red peduncle with pink flowers, resembling small bells in appearance. Thanks to its tough, dark green leaves, it is especially popular among gardeners.

Application in landscape design

Bergenia will definitely become one of the colorful decorations of the garden plot. With its grace and luxury, it will make the garden area stylish and original, maintaining a beautiful appearance until late autumn.

Necessary conditions for growth and flowering

The main secret of success when growing bergenia is the creation of optimal environmental conditions similar to its natural ones.

Illumination

Bergenia is a shade-tolerant crop, so it does not have to be placed in open sunny areas. When choosing a place for planting, you should take into account that in partial shade, where the soil retains moisture for a long time, bergenia will grow like a green carpet, but will not delight you with spectacular flowering. By planting a perennial in the sun, you can enjoy beautiful flowering, but in this case the flower will not form a beautiful lush carpet of foliage.

Required soil composition

Bergenia requires high-quality drainage, the absence of stagnant water and slightly acidic or neutral soil. If there is poor soil for planting, you need to prepare a mixture containing sand, fine crushed stone, and turf soil. Take all ingredients in equal quantities.

Humidity and temperature conditions

In garden conditions, make sure that the flower is moistened and not overdried. Overflow or stagnation of water should not be allowed. This is detrimental to bergenia. The perennial does not need to be sprayed and constantly moistened, as it is characterized by drought resistance.

Bergenia is a frost-resistant plant, so it is not afraid of low temperatures.

Suitable and unsuitable neighborhoods

Bergenia, planted next to fern, juniper, astilbe, and lungwort, creates original compositions in flower beds. An inappropriate neighborhood is observed with lilies of the valley, periwinkle and other low-growing and creeping crops, since bergenia prevents their growth. The perennial looks harmonious next to deciduous trees. Also beautiful surrounded by spring flowers such as hyacinths, snowdrops, scillas, crocuses.

Germinating a plant from a seed

Growing a full-fledged plant from a seed is easy, but the process is long. There are two methods: ground - in autumn and seedlings - in early spring.

Choosing a landing site

When choosing a location, give preference to areas with natural drainage to avoid stagnation of water. Add sand or small gravel to the soil.

Timing and technology of flower sowing

Before you start planting bergenia, you need to know not only the technology of sowing the flower, but also correctly determine the timing of when to plant the crop.

in spring

Experienced gardeners note that it is better to plant bergenia in early spring.To do this, in early March, fill the container with soil substrate and make grooves 5 mm deep. Water the holes and scatter the seeds and seal them. Take the container with the crops outside and place it under the snow. In early April, bring it into a warm room. In mid-summer, plant the seedlings in a flower bed.

Autumn to winter

You can sow bergenia before winter. In September, bury the seeds directly into the soil and water constantly. With the onset of cold weather, cover the seedlings using fallen leaves and straw and leave them for the winter.

Seedling care

Subsequent care of seedlings includes activities such as:

• moistening the soil as its top layer dries;
• loosening;
• ensuring the ventilation of the room;
• thinning out sprouts.

Important! When a green crust or plaque forms on the soil surface, you should carefully loosen the soil; this phenomenon signals that the roots of the sprouts are not receiving oxygen. This may be caused by overwatering.

Picking

In May, seedlings need to be plucked. To do this, take a large box and plant the sprouts, keeping a distance between them of 5-7 cm, and between the rows - 15 cm. 2 weeks before planting in the flowerbed, begin to harden, taking them out into the fresh air every day, gradually increasing the duration of the session. Once the seedlings have spent 24 hours outside, they can be planted in open soil. The timing of planting depends on the climate of the region. It is better to wait out the night frosts than to destroy the seedlings.

The nuances of growing bergenia by cuttings

Cuttings involve selecting large bergenia bushes at the age of 6 years. Plant the cuttings in loose soil, deepening the rosettes. The root should be at a depth of 5 cm. One bush can produce from 10 to 20 new plants. There is no need to wait for active adaptation of the cuttings.Usually they do not form rosettes for about 3 years, but bloom 2–3 years after planting.

How to care for a plant in open ground

Proper care will give the unpretentious bergenia even greater aesthetics. It is important to carry out all agricultural techniques correctly.

How often to water?

One of the important care measures is high-quality watering. Bergenia needs abundant irrigation at the time of budding and flowering. In the future, water only when there is no precipitation. In rainy weather, irrigation should be avoided.

Fertilizing and loosening the soil

Bergenia is responsive to well-chosen fertilizers. The crop needs to be fertilized before and after flowering using mineral fertilizers. This will help stimulate further growth of the perennial. To restore reserves of nutrients and accelerate the growth of rosettes, after the inflorescences have withered, the bushes need to be fed again.

Formation of bushes

Many gardeners are interested in whether they need to prune bergenia. The formation of bushes is carried out in early spring and includes:

• checking the integrity of the roots and the presence of growth buds;
• cleaning of dry leaves and last year's inflorescences;
• pruning excess shoots, leaving only independent bushes.

Pest and disease control

Diseases overwhelm bergenia due to lack of attention. Healthy bushes are resistant to diseases and pests. Fungus and rotting of the root system can be dangerous. These problems arise due to increased soil moisture. Control measures include pruning and burning the affected parts.

Of the pests that can attack perennials, weevils are the most insidious. The beetles themselves are not as dangerous as their larvae, which feed on the roots of the flower. To combat it you need to use special chemicals.And as a preventative measure, in the spring, remove all darkened foliage, since weevils hibernate under it.

Perennials can also be attacked by slugs, nematodes and slobbering pennies. The bushes affected by them should be dug up and destroyed to prevent spread, and the flowerbed where they grew should be treated with insecticides.

Transfer

Bergenia reacts negatively to frequent transplants. The perennial grows strongly and shows aggression, taking over territory intended for other crops, and therefore requires replanting to new places every 6 years. To do this, transplant the flower in September using the method of dividing the bush. Plant parts of the plant, keeping a distance of at least 30 cm between them. It must be taken into account that with frequent transplants, the plant will not have time to recover, will look depressed and often get sick.

Important! Uncontrolled spreading of plantings will provoke their excessive density, which leads to the emergence of diseases and insect infestations.

Preparing and wintering garden bergenia

A change in the color of bergenia leaves is a signal of the first frost. This phenomenon indicates that the plant has begun to accumulate sugar in its tissues, which will provide the bushes with a favorable winter. For each type of crop, the leaves turn red differently - in some, a yellow border forms along the edge of the leaf plate, which becomes saturated with cold weather, in others, a colorful pattern of streaks spreads across the leaf, in others, the foliage immediately acquires a crimson color.

Thanks to the huge supply of sugar, the perennial is not afraid of cold winters. The main condition is not to cut off its wilted leaves in the autumn, as they will serve as natural protection from the cold. It is important to prepare young plants for winter by covering them with spruce branches.

How and when to collect seeds

The seed collection period is in September. The ability of bergenia to form a large number of seeds saves the gardener from problems with planting material. You need to outline a brush with large flowers in advance, and when the wilting begins, tie the inflorescence into a bag of gauze fabric. Cut off the ripe box and dry it, sending it to a warm room for 2 weeks. Then clean, package in paper bags and store.

Methods of culture propagation

The crop can be propagated by seed or cuttings.

Seeds

Bergenia can be propagated by seeds, but this method is considered time-consuming and requires a lot of attention from gardeners. The seedling is small and blooms 2 years after planting. Until then, it pleases with its intricate leaves and fills the garden with the freshness of a summer day.

Cuttings

To propagate a perennial by cuttings, you need to select healthy plants. Before planting, separate the part of the branch that should have an apical bud and rosette. Then, having torn off the foliage, plant the prepared cuttings at a distance of 40 cm from each other, deepening the rosette into the soil substrate to the base.

You can also propagate by dividing the bush. To do this, in early September or early March, dig up a large bush, divide it into 4 parts and plant, keeping a distance of 40 cm between them. For this method, it is important to use a bush that is more than 5 years old; a younger plant will not survive division well and will eventually start get sick and die.

Problems during cultivation and care

When growing bergenia, gardeners face many problems, the main of which are the lack of growth and flowering of the crop.

Doesn't grow

If bergenia leaves do not grow, you need to organize high-quality drainage and also make sure that there is no stagnation of water. Another reason for stunted growth may be the appearance of diseases and pests. Inappropriate proximity of plants in flower beds can also have a negative effect on growth.

Doesn't bloom

If the bergenia does not please with its flowering, it means that the site for planting has been chosen incorrectly. To do this, you should take into account that the plant will not form inflorescences in direct sunlight or in the shade. Dense plantings or fungal diseases may also be the cause.

This beautiful herbaceous perennial surprises with its unpretentiousness, expressive appearance and versatility in use. All these positive aspects make bergenia a welcome guest in any garden.