Planting and caring for gravel in open ground, the best varieties and cultivation

A representative of the Rosaceae family will decorate your garden plot and complement flower beds and alpine slides near artificial reservoirs. Gravilat is widespread throughout Russia, caring for the plant is simple, it is important to plant the flower correctly and choose the right place for the perennial. There are quite a lot of plant varieties; in landscape design, types of gravilate in red and yellow shades are popular.

Description and features

Gravilat is an unpretentious perennial flowering plant, suitable for growing by novice gardeners. Brief characteristics of the plant:

• Erect stem with rough, feathery leaves.
• Forms corymbose or paniculate inflorescences.
• The root system is creeping with a woody main root.
• Has medicinal properties.
• The average height of the plant is 60 centimeters.
• The diameter of the flowers is 3-4 centimeters.
• Frost-resistant plant that can withstand temperature changes.

Some types of benedict grass produce bell-shaped inflorescences. The duration of flowering and its beginning are determined by the genetic characteristics of the variety.

Kinds

Breeders count about 60 types of gravilate. In Russia, Benedict's grass is widespread in the Urals, Siberia, the Volga region, the Far East, the Caucasus and other regions. A beautiful, hardy perennial found throughout Europe.

Mountain

The most common type of gravilate. The plant is low - up to 20 centimeters. Produces flowers of bright yellow color, excellent for alpine hills, the flowering period begins in May.

Creeping

Flowers of this species decorate rocky gardens. Yellow bell-shaped inflorescences. Creeping gravilate is used to create carpets.The leaves of the plant are decorative, dissected, small, velvety.

Urban

Benedict's grass is the second name for the city's gravilate. This species is common in Europe. Forms erect stems up to 50 centimeters high. The flowering period begins in May. The flowers are yellow, 3 centimeters in diameter.

Chilean

A tall type of gravilate. The height of an adult plant reaches 60 centimeters or more. Bright red flowers will not leave anyone indifferent. Hybrid varieties are bred based on this species. The disadvantage is the short flowering period.

Hybrid

The fruits of the labor of breeders. Most often, Chilean gravilate is used as the basis for creating a new variety. All hybrids are characterized by increased frost resistance and disease resistance.

Bright red

Forms a perennial in the form of a bush. Distributed in the Caucasus. The flowers are orange-red in color with beautiful golden-yellow stamens. The flowering period begins in May and continues until the end of August.

River

An endangered species listed in the Red Book. Forms wild thickets along the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Can reach 80 centimeters in height. The flowers are very beautiful, reminiscent of a drooping double bell, of an unusual pink color with various shade transitions.

Note: It is a good honey plant and a natural insecticide..

Rossa

A plant of the rocky mountains, absolutely undemanding to soil quality and growing conditions. Forms a bush of medium branching with a height of no more than 40 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the species is genetic frost resistance, tolerates winters with frosts down to -36 ⁰C. The flowers are yellow, planted in groups in rocky gardens and on alpine hills.

Trifloral

The homeland of the species is North America.It grows on slopes in dense groups; the perennial reaches a height of no more than 35 centimeters. The second name is “prairie smoke” - the seed pods form long white hairs stretched upward. During windy days, the boxes sway and create the visual effect of creeping smoke.

Terry

It is distinguished by the beautiful original appearance of its inflorescences, reminiscent of terry poppies. The flowering period is long - from May to September. The species is quite frost-resistant.

large-leaved

Herbaceous perennial up to 80 centimeters high. It produces small yellow flowers no more than 2 centimeters in diameter. Not a popular type for landscape design.

Popular varieties

Based on different types of gravilate, various plant varieties have been created, differing in the shape and color of the inflorescences, the duration of flowering and other characteristics.

Fire Opal

A hybrid variety with large double flowers of bright orange color. Forms a bush up to 8 centimeters high, blooms from June to July. Shade-tolerant variety with high winter hardiness.

Princess Juliana

A spectacular variety with semi-double flowers of bright orange color, English selection. The bush is formed up to 60 centimeters high. Stems are original burgundy color. Winter hardiness is average.

Gladys Perry

One of the popular varieties of gravilat, forms inflorescences of a rich red color. Suitable for growing on alpine hills and as border plants. The winter hardiness of the variety is average.

Lionel Cox

Representative of river gravilate. The height of the bush is 35 centimeters. The flowers are small, drooping, no more than 2 centimeters in diameter, and bell-shaped. The color of the inflorescences is delicate, orange-yellow.

Album

A variety of river gravel. Planted to decorate the coastal zones of artificial reservoirs.The flowers are inconspicuous, in the shape of green bells, from which pale pink petals peek out.

Lady Stradeten

Perennial Chilean gravilata with large bright double flowers. Flowering duration is from June to August. Light-loving plant, undemanding to soil quality.

Mr J Bradyshaw

Representative of the Chilean gravilate up to 60 centimeters high. The flowers are large, semi-double, intense red, reminiscent of miniature roses. It is characterized by high winter hardiness and blooms from June to July.

Fire ball

A popular Chilean variety. Forms one large flower on a flowering stem. The rich red color of the petals makes the variety attractive for use in landscape design. The height of the bush is 50-60 centimeters.

Goldball

A hybrid variety of a Chilean species with large double flowers. Flowering period: 2 summer months. Flowers are bright yellow. Suitable for flower beds and alpine slides. The height of the bush is 50 centimeters.

Borizin

The perennial is actively used in landscape design. The flowers are bright red, plant height is 30 centimeters. Blooms from May to July. Winter hardiness is average, grows well in sunny places.

Red Dragon

Terry Chilean species. Flowers of red or white color, 5 centimeters in diameter, are loved by gardeners for the beautiful shape of the petals. The plant requires light and is an excellent addition to flower beds.

Rigoletto

A distinctive feature of the variety is its long flowering period. The flowers are bright, red, collected in inflorescences. The height of the bush is 50 centimeters, the diameter of the flower is 4 centimeters. Used for single plantings and placement in rock gardens.

Growing seedlings

A common method of growing gravilat is from seedlings.Seed material must be prepared and disinfected by soaking the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours before planting.

Deadlines

Sowing seeds for seedlings can begin in late February - early March.

It is not recommended to delay sowing, since young bushes can be planted in the ground as early as the end of April.

How to plant

Seedling boxes and soil are disinfected. Drainage in the form of expanded clay or small pebbles is installed at the bottom, and soil is filled. Next, you need to draw grooves at a distance of 3 centimeters from each other. The seeds are laid out at the same distance, sprinkled with soil and watered generously with warm water.

It is recommended to cover the seedling boxes with film and place them on a warm windowsill. It is recommended to make holes for ventilation in the film greenhouse.

Soil requirements

Gravilate is undemanding to the soil; a peat mixture with the addition of sand is suitable. The soil should not be allowed to dry out; regular watering is necessary.

Dive

Young plants are planted in individual pots at the stage of three true leaves. It is important not to damage the fragile root system when transplanting, otherwise the seedlings will take a long time to take root and become sick.

Top dressing

Plants do not need additional feeding. But for better growth and the formation of a healthy root system, the bushes can be watered with complex mineral fertilizer 1.5 weeks after diving.

When and how to plant in open ground

If in spring the soil warms up to +10 ⁰When the threat of frost has passed, the seedlings are planted in open ground at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other. The young bushes will bloom next season.

Planting seeds in open ground

If for some reason it was not possible to grow seedlings or the sowing time was missed, then the gravilat can be planted by direct sowing of seeds in open ground.

Spring

You can sow seeds in the ground at the end of April. The beds are pre-prepared:

• Dig to a depth of 30 centimeters.
• They loosen, add sand and wood ash.
• Mark the grooves.
• The seeds are sown.

The distance between the seedlings in this case will be less, approximately 15 centimeters. When the first shoots appear, they need to be thinned out. When the bushes reach a height of 15 centimeters, the plants can be transplanted to a permanent location.

Autumn

The timing of sowing in the fall will depend on the natural and climatic conditions of the region. Gravilat is planted just before the onset of cold weather; it is important that the sprouts do not have time to hatch and freeze. There is no need to additionally cover the bed.

Care

All species are unpretentious; even beginners can cope with plant care. It is important to remember that gravilat is a light-loving flower that does not tolerate drought well. At the same time, stagnation of moisture at the roots is extremely undesirable. You cannot plant gravilat in swampy areas.

Watering

Irrigation of plantings should be moderate as the soil dries. It is not recommended to allow the soil to dry out or become overly moist. Watering is carried out at the root.

Trimming inflorescences and flower stalks

To maintain the decorative appearance of plants, it is recommended to carry out preventive pruning of dried leaves, inflorescences and flowering stems. It is necessary to remove plant debris in a timely manner to avoid the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Loosening and weeding

Loosen the plantings as necessary, removing all weeds.After weeding and loosening, the bushes are mulched with a mixture of peat and sand. It must be remembered that the root system of gravilate is superficial; the perennial can be loosened to a depth of no more than 2-3 centimeters.

Top dressing

Gravilat can do without fertilizing. But if it is necessary to activate growth or stimulate flowering, fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers is used. To improve the color of the leaves, use one-time fertilizing with manure or humus.

Diseases and pests

The herbaceous shrub is a natural insecticide, that is, it is able to repel pests and insects with its specific smell; in addition, the leaves and stems of the plants are covered with small villi, which makes the bush inedible for caterpillars and slugs.

Gravilate is not prone to fungal and bacterial infections, tolerates temperature changes well and reacts neutrally to poor soils.

Reproduction

It’s quite easy to increase the gravilate population in your area. Plants are propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. Seeds are collected in the summer, after flowering. You can sow in autumn in the ground before winter.

Seeds

Benedict grass seeds can be sown in the ground or seedlings can be grown from them. Each gardener chooses the most convenient method. The seed material is pickled, hardened and calibrated. When purchasing seeds in a store, pay special attention to individual recommendations for growing the variety.

Dividing the bush

The bush is divided with a sharp knife and carefully transplanted to a new place, watered abundantly. In this way, gravilat is propagated in early spring before the flowering period begins. In some regions, they practice transplanting young seedlings in the fall.It is important that the bush has time to take root and strengthen before the first frost.

Use in landscape design

Gravilat is an indispensable attribute of rocky gardens and rock gardens. Types of river gravel are planted to decorate the coastlines of ornamental reservoirs. Plants look harmonious in joint plantings with peonies, phlox, lilies and irises.

Hybrid varieties are used in border plantings. The flowering stems of tall gravilata are used to create flower arrangements and bouquets.

Partners

Benedict grass is a natural insecticide and honey plant, so it is often planted by gardeners in vegetable beds. The gravilat itself prefers various bulbous flowers as neighbors. When planting together, it is necessary to take into account the growth of adult plants and the flowering period.

Gravilat or “Greek rose” is a beautiful, unpretentious perennial that will be a wonderful decoration for a rock garden or a harmonious addition to flower beds. If it is important that there is a lot of flowering vegetation in the flower beds, choose gravilate varieties with a long flowering period.