Planting, growing and caring for liatris in open ground

When growing liatris, planting and care in open ground are important. To grow a strong and viable plant, it is recommended to choose the right time for planting the crop and prepare the soil in the garden bed. Systematic watering and the application of necessary fertilizers are of no small importance. As a result, you can get a beautiful and flowering plant that will become a real decoration of your flower bed.

Features of Liatris

Liatris, or Liatris, is a member of the Asteraceae family. Its height can range from 50 centimeters to 2 meters - it all depends on the type of crop.

Liatris serves as a real decoration for alpine slides and mixborders. The crop is also planted in separate flower beds. The plant has candle-shaped inflorescences that can be cut to form beautiful bouquets.

Types and varieties of crops

There are several popular types of plants, each of which has certain characteristics.

Liatris spica or spicate is very popular. This species is also called Liatris spicata. It reaches 80 centimeters in height. Its stems are densely covered with leaves, and the inflorescences can have different shades:

• Spicata - distinguished by lilac-violet flowers, and the length of the peduncle is approximately 35 centimeters;
• Kobold - has lilac-pink inflorescences and reaches 40 centimeters in height;
• Flamingo - distinguished by pink flowers;
• Bengal fire - has purple-red flowers and reaches a height of 35 centimeters;
• Picador - distinguished by pink flowers and has a height of 60 centimeters.

Another popular species is Liatris membranous. It is characterized by wide leaves. The height of the bush reaches 1 meter. This type includes the following varieties:

• Alba - has white inflorescences;
• September glory is considered a tall variety with rich pink flowers.

Liatris rougha is the tallest specimen of this family. It grows up to 2 meters. The plant has small purple flowers. Fluffy panicles are formed from them.

Specifics of growing a bush

To get a strong and viable plant, it is worth planting correctly. To do this, it is recommended to follow some rules.

What time to plant

Planting time depends on the propagation method. The seed is usually planted in a greenhouse or directly in open soil. This is recommended to be done at the end of March. You can also perform the procedure in the first half of April. When the seedlings sprout, they are grown until mid-autumn. Then it is recommended to dig up the tubers and store them directly with the ground for the winter. In mid-spring, the crop is planted on the site.

Landing place

The culture likes sunny, illuminated areas. If you plant liatris in a shady place, it will not grow well and may even die.

The composition of the soil is of no small importance. It must have sufficient looseness. Do not plant crops in areas where groundwater is localized. It is also recommended to avoid clay soils - they are too heavy for the plant. In low places, culture will develop too slowly.

It is worth considering that the plant can get wet when the snow melts. To avoid such consequences, the crop is planted on a hill that has well-drained soil. At the same time, melt water should be drained from the site.

How to plant in open ground

Tubers can be deepened by 3-10 centimeters - it all depends on the variety. A distance of 15-20 centimeters is left between plants. After this, the breast should be watered and mulched with humus.

Recommendations for caring for liatris

For the cultivation of a crop to be successful, it should be provided with careful care. To do this, it is recommended to follow certain rules.

Watering and fertilizing

Liatris is considered a moisture-loving crop, but it can survive a slight drought. Over-watering the beds is strictly prohibited. Excess water will cause root rot.

The volume of water depends on the degree of growth of the bush. Usually a bucket of water is enough.It is recommended to pour it while the soil absorbs moisture. Experts advise watering more often, but in small portions. This will help avoid injury to the plant.

It is worth feeding the crop with mineral fertilizers three times during the season. The dosage of the product can be found on the packaging. When foliage loses brightness, it is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers. Take 20 grams of the drug per 1 square meter.

It is worth feeding the crop in the evening or after rain. It is important to ensure that the fertilizer does not get on all parts of the plant. At different stages of a crop’s life, the need for microelements differs. Therefore, fertilizers are applied exclusively after rooting and at the beginning of growth.

The bushes should be periodically hilled up and a small amount of fresh soil added to them. This is due to the proximity of the roots to the soil surface. When watering or raining, roots and tubers become exposed.

Safe wintering of plants

After the crop has finished flowering and the leaves have fallen, it is recommended to trim the above-ground part. After the garden, it is worth mulching with peat, compost, dry leaves and spruce branches. The mulch layer is 10-15 centimeters.

It is prohibited to use straw as mulch. This material harbors rodents, which damage the roots of the plant in winter. In the absence of severe frosts, liatris can easily survive the winter without shelter.

Transplanting a plant

The plant should be replanted in the fall. It is recommended to combine this procedure with dividing the tuber. This manipulation is carried out every 3-4 years. To do this, you need to dig up the liatris and carefully divide the bush. As a result, all fragments must have a root collar. It is important that it contains tubers.

Afterwards, the formed elements are planted in the holes.In this case, you need to maintain a distance of 25-40 centimeters. Tubers are deepened into the soil by 8-15 centimeters. The third part of the hole should be covered with humus. After this, it is supplemented with garden soil and compacted. Then it is recommended to water the beds and mulch them with humus.

Liatris pests and diseases

Liatris is disease resistant. Dangerous insects that can damage crops include mole crickets and snails. To cope with them, you should use the folk method.

To do this, it is recommended to take a bottle and fill it with 100 milliliters of beer. Then dig into the ground at an angle of 45 degrees. As a result, the neck should be several centimeters below the ground - in a small depression.

The aroma of beer will attract pests, so they will fall into the trap. The only difficulty with this method is the need to constantly replace the beer in the bait.

Overmoistening of the soil leads to rotting of the crop. In this case, all rotting areas should be cut off, and then treat the crop with a fungicide. If groundwater is close or the soil composition is unsuitable, the site for the plant should be changed.

Breeding methods

At home, liatris can be propagated in different ways:

1. Seeds. They can be sown in the first half of spring. The seeds of the crop are frost-resistant. Before planting, the material should be left in a humate solution. This needs to be done for 8-10 hours. Then dig up the soil with the addition of humus. Apply 1 bucket of this substance per 1 square meter of soil. Then the seeds should be poured into the grooves and covered with soil. The planting depth is 1-1.5 centimeters. With this growing method, liatris will acquire the necessary power only for 2-3 years.
2. Tubers. If there is a plant more than 3 years old, it is permissible to take tubers from the roots. They should be 2 centimeters in diameter. Planting material should be placed in a hole measuring 8-12 centimeters. It is recommended to first fill it with humus by a third. Before planting, inspect the tubers and find depressions in them. This part should be on top. The first shoots will emerge from it. This will happen 1 month after planting.
3. By division. The shrub can be propagated by division. To do this, it is worth separating fresh shoots from an adult plant. They need to be taken with part of the root system. They must have a powerful root collar and tubers. Prepared shoots are planted in holes, maintaining a distance of 25-40 centimeters. Replanting the crop is allowed in early spring or late autumn. The manipulation is performed at intervals of 3-4 years.

To grow powerful and viable plants from seeds, experts advise planting the crop in greenhouses.

Use in landscape design

Liatris is often used in landscape design. This culture combines well with plants that love loose soil and plenty of sun. The shrub looks great with wildflowers.

To create a harmonious composition, it is important to choose your neighbors wisely. To do this, it is worth taking into account the shade, flowering time, and height of the crops. White or purple liatris harmonizes perfectly with daylily. It is advisable to choose red-orange tones. Yellow evening primrose will also fit organically into the composition.

If you plan to plant a large-scale flower garden, you should combine white liatris and yellow monardas. They can also be red. To create a rock garden, you should use the Kobold variety. It does not exceed 40 centimeters in height and has bright violet-purple inflorescences.They will certainly attract attention.

Liatris is planted in flower beds in the area of ​​adjacent buildings. Flowers are also often used by florists when creating wedding bouquets. Liatris goes well with flowers such as lupine, violets, and irises. It can also be combined with carnations, daylilies, and delphiniums.

Liatris is a beautiful plant that is easy to care for and resistant to pests and diseases. To grow a viable crop, you need to strictly follow the basic rules. The plant should be provided with proper watering and fertilization.