Planting and caring for Platycodon in open ground, description of varieties and propagation

Bluebells are always associated with forest meadows and summer. But in order to admire them, you don’t have to go looking for them in the forest. You can plant platycodon in your area. In addition, planting and caring for Platycodon is not difficult.

Description and features

Placticodon is a large-flowered bellflower. The height of the bushes can be from 20 to 80 cm. The shade of the inflorescences is different. Mainly blue, white, pink and lilac. The flowers are large in diameter. The plant is a perennial. But unlike most perennials, it is not advisable to replant Platycodon. The plant does not tolerate transplantation well and prefers to grow in one place.

Popular varieties

Breeders have developed a large number of varieties of Platycodon. The main difference between the varieties is the shade of the inflorescences.

Album

The stems are erect, the height of the bush is 60-80 cm. The inflorescences are large, about 8 cm in diameter. Blue veins often appear on the flower petals. The flowering period is June-August.

Shell Pink

The bush grows up to 85 cm. The inflorescences are large, about 8 cm in diameter. The shade of the petals is rich pink. Looks great in single plantings when decorating borders.

Marysil Blue

It is one of the most popular varieties of Platycodon. The inflorescences are large, rich blue. The bushes are medium-sized.

Fairy Snow

The flowers are white or soft lilac. Blue veins appear on the petals. The height of the bush is about 80 cm. The flowering period is June-August.

Snowflake

A low-growing variety up to 50 cm high. The inflorescences are white, semi-double.

Master of Pearl

This variety is characterized by a pink tint of inflorescences.

Apoyama

Externally, the flower resembles field bells. A low-growing variety up to 20 cm high. The foliage is large, the inflorescences are violet-blue.

Fiji

Platycodon variety Fiji is a mixture of colors. Inflorescences of three shades - pink, white and blue. The bushes are about 60 cm high. The flowers are large, 6-7 cm in diameter.

Rose florist

The bush is tall, the height of the stems is 70-85 cm. The flowers are pale pink, 8 cm in diameter.

Growing in open ground

Growing Platycodon is not difficult. The plant is quite unpretentious. The main thing is to provide favorable conditions for growth.

Sowing dates

Sowing plant seeds depends on the region of residence. In the central regions and the Volga region, planting material is sown in mid-March. In the south, seeds can be sown several weeks earlier. And in the north, on the contrary, it is 1-2 weeks later.

Selecting a location

The plant prefers to grow in sunny areas, but can tolerate slight shade..

Soil requirements

Platycodon likes to grow in dry and well-drained soils. The flower does not tolerate close groundwater.

Planting scheme

Platycodon seeds can be sown directly into the ground when it becomes warm enough outside.
Planting process:

• The soil is weeded.
• Remove weeds.
• Make shallow furrows and sow the seeds.
• Sprinkle the planting material with soil.

At the end of sowing, water the seeds generously with heated water.

Care

Caring for a crop is not much different from caring for most flowers.

Watering

Bushes should be watered as needed. You shouldn’t overwater the flowers, but you also don’t want to let the soil dry out. Water the flower garden after sunset with warmed water.

Loosening and weeding

Weeding a flower bed is often not necessary. It is enough to loosen the soil once every two weeks. Weeds are pulled out as they appear on the site.

Top dressing

The first fertilizing can be done after the seedlings begin to sprout. For this purpose, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used. In the second half of the season, plants can be watered with phosphorus and potassium. Organic fertilizers are also used. The beds are sprinkled with wood ash and then watered.Or water it with infusions of weeds.

Spraying

When growing outdoors, it is not necessary to spray the bushes. During watering from a watering can and rains, this happens naturally.

Preparing for winter after flowering

Platycodon tolerates wintering well. The plant is frost-resistant, so it survives even severe cold weather. But it is best to cover the flowerbed with spruce branches for the winter. Bushes are cut before the onset of winter.

Diseases and pests

Often, when growing crops, you have to deal with pests and diseases.

Gray rot

During periods of high humidity, the plant may develop gray rot. To combat the disease, you need to loosen the soil well and stop irrigating for a while. In the future, do not over-wet the beds. If there are severely affected bushes, they are dug up and thrown away. The soil is then treated with fungicides. For example, Bordeaux mixture or Topsin-M are suitable. After 10 days, it is recommended to repeat the treatment.

Moles and mice

The biggest problems are caused by mice and moles, which gnaw on the root system of flowers. Finding an effective way to get rid of them is quite difficult. For example, you can blow smoke through the holes. Or lay out poisoned traps around the area. But this method is more suitable for mice.

Slugs

Another problem we have to deal with is slugs. If there are few of them, the plants are sprayed with garlic infusion. Dusting the bushes with wood ash also helps. If there are a lot of slugs, spraying with chemicals will help.

Features of growing at home

The crop is also grown at home. To do this, the seeds are immediately planted in pots in which the bushes will grow.Planting is no different from sowing outside. When the seedlings grow, they can be transplanted (if the bushes grow too close to each other). It is recommended to place pots on sunny windows.

The care features are also no different from street ones. Unless you don’t have to weed the soil. The culture feels great at home in pots. Blooms profusely under favorable conditions.

Reproduction

There are three ways to reproduce Platycodon. But the most effective is the seed one.

Seeds

It is best to grow Platycodon from seeds. Other methods are less effective. Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected yourself. The germination rate of the seeds is very high. Planting material is collected from completely faded inflorescences. Seeds are collected in autumn. The inflorescences should completely bloom, and the box with planting material should dry out and begin to crack.

Cuttings

Another method is cuttings. But most flower growers are dubious about this method. Very often cuttings do not take root. Cuttings are cut from stem shoots, at least 10 cm long. They should have at least two internodes.

In early spring, the cuttings are buried in special soil for flower crops and covered with a cut bottle to create a greenhouse effect. When they take root, they are planted in the ground.

Dividing the bush

Reproduction by dividing the bush is the worst and most unreliable method. Platycodon is one of those crops that do not like transplantation. Due to its fragile root system, it is difficult to tolerate changing locations. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and not to propagate the bush in this way.

Usage

Platycodon is used not only for decorating flower beds on the site. It is also used in folk medicine and even cooking.

ethnoscience

Platycodon can not only decorate the garden, but also cure some diseases. Flowers are used in folk medicine. Before using a folk remedy for treatment, consultation with a doctor is required.

The culture is popular in Chinese folk medicine. The rhizome is used for treatment. It contains B vitamins, phosphorus, iron, inulin, saponins and protein. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and expectorant.

Cooking

Platycodon has also found application in cooking. For example, bells can be used as a decoration for desserts. The inflorescences are first candied so that they do not dry out, and then used as decoration.

The roots are also used in cooking. They have a peculiar smell and taste a little bitter. The rhizome is used for marinade for kebabs, cooking stews, soups and vegetables.

Design

The plant looks equally good in group and single plantings. The border near garden paths made of platycodon will look especially impressive.