Chamomile size. Chamomile giant (large), nivyanik. Growing. Planting prepared seeds in open ground

A favorite plant for naive children's fortune-telling "loves - does not love", a sunny flower in a wide frame of snow-white petals, summer girl's wreaths - this is all garden chamomile. Easy to grow, cute in bouquets and in a flower bed, chamomile varieties have long been of interest to flower growers. Learn all about planting and caring for a pretty outdoor plant.

In fact, this is not a chamomile. Real chamomiles have small inflorescences with marginal flowers tending to zero in size, as, for example, in fragrant. But the name, pleasant for hearing, began to be applied to our heroine. Popovnik and nivyanik - these are the real names of garden chamomile.

This is a perennial plant belonging to the botanical family Asteraceae. It differs from real medicinal chamomile:

non-branching stems;
whole dense leaves;
relatively large, single inflorescences.

In nature, leefflower prefers a temperate climate. It is very close in origin, so it is not surprising that three species (common, largest and magnificent) were included in the list of cultivated plants in open ground. For planting in home gardens, the garden chamomile varieties shown in the photo are suitable:

Alaska is a cold-resistant variety that blooms all summer;

Alaska

Crazy Daisy - a magnificent terry variety with shiny leaves and impressive, up to 1 m, growth, requires good watering;
May Queen - when planted in the fall and well cared for, it begins to bloom in the last days of the school year;
Princess - diameter of inflorescences up to 10 cm;

Princess

Northern star - famous for the unusual whiteness of long marginal flowers.

Advice. Tell the children that according to legend, a large daisy grows where a fallen star hits the ground. They will be happy to help you take care of the plant.

Planting a plant: two alternative ways

Cultivated relatively recently, the cornflower has not forgotten the skills of independent seed reproduction. It is recommended to sow in the spring, at the end of May, when the threat of the return of cold weather has completely passed. Seeds are densely scattered over the surface of the site, lightly powdered with fertile soil. In the northern regions, you can cover the area with seeds with agrofiber.

Nivyanik seedlings are thinned out at the age of three pairs of true leaves. This is done because the small seeds of the plant are difficult to separate from each other. Struggling with thickening, leave 2-3 plants at each point, between which leave up to 40 cm of distance. Watering is done with care.

Planted chamomile seeds in open ground

Growing garden chamomile can also be started from seedlings. As in the first case, the seeds are almost not covered, and the seedlings subsequently dive into individual containers. Before the emergence of seedlings, the future cornflower plantation is kept under a film or glass, and later it is abundantly sprayed with a spray bottle. Seedlings of cornflower seedlings are transferred to open ground at the end of May.

Attention! The root system of the popovnik does not withstand stagnant water, which necessitates a good drainage layer in pots with seedlings.

Flower garden care with garden chamomile

Planting a solar flower is carried out only in drained soil in a well-lit place. Maintenance is minimal, but systematic. It consists of the following activities.

Weeding. It is difficult for weeds to kill the cornflower, but its thin stems and medium-sized leaves will be lost against the background of extraneous vegetation. In addition, strangers can bring pests with them and take water and food from chamomile.
Watering. The amount of water and the frequency of the event depend on the specific region, but in any case, the soil should not be allowed to dry out.
Loosening. On the open ground around the garden chamomile bushes, the soil crust is systematically broken. This minimizes water evaporation and improves conditions for root respiration.

Before the onset of winter, the drying shoots of the cornflower are cut into a stump. Young plants can be covered with a layer of fallen leaves, adults are able to overwinter in the open field on their own.

Fertilizer and top dressing for bright flowering

When growing garden chamomile, it is impossible to do without fertilizer, because it needs food to bloom a huge inflorescence. The larger in growth and the more active in flowering the variety, the more nutrients it needs.

Water the chamomile as the soil dries up.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is applied in the fall when preparing a flower garden for future plantings. In the future, nitrogen fertilizing is carried out:

in the spring after the complete disappearance of the snow cover;
at the beginning of budding;
in the middle of July.

Ammonium nitrate, urea, mullein or bird droppings diluted in water are suitable as a source of nitrogen.

Attention! Chicken manure is a fertilizer supersaturated with nitrogenous substances and can burn chamomile roots. Dilute it at a ratio of 1:15 and apply only on moist soil.

Garden chamomile: plant propagation

Nivyanik seeds keep well on its flat basket even after full ripening. Dead flowering shoots are cut and dried indoors, after which the seeds are carefully removed from the basket and placed in opaque bags. You can store seeds in jars with a good supply of air, which are placed in a cool, shady place.

The second way to propagate leucanthemum is by dividing the bush. The operation is carried out in the spring, digging and dividing the largest specimens. For each division, it is necessary to prepare in advance a landing hole about 15-20 cm deep with a layer of fertile soil at the bottom. After planting, the soil is pressed to the roots and watered abundantly. Further care when growing delenok is exactly the same as when sowing seeds.

An adult bush can be propagated by division

Diseases and pests of cornflower

powdery mildew, similar to a fine white powder;
gray rot in the form of unpleasant dirty fluff from the mycelium of the fungus;
rust, in appearance resembling uneven red spots;
fusarium, expressed in general oppression, browning and drying out of the plant.

All these are fungal diseases, the fight against which consists in timely treatments with preparations with a high content of copper sulfate or a strong solution of laundry soap.

Among the pests on the cornfield, you can find aphids and thrips, against which spraying with Aktellik helps (instructions on the label). The yellow median flowers are affected by the star-winged fly that falls on the cornflower from other aster plants. Killing weeds is the best way to stop fly breeding.

Chamomile in the flowerbed

The combination of garden chamomile with other plants

Photos of the best gardens in Russia and Europe show amazing compositions of garden chamomile with reed grass, pyrethrum, yellow and red poppies. Low-growing varieties successfully frame lawns and garden paths. Combinations of nivyanik with a wild stone of an alpine hill or the banks of an artificial pond evoke a feeling of pristine nature, a bright summer afternoon.

Nivyanik, also known as garden chamomile, is a meadow plant exquisite in its simplicity, appreciated by flower growers, a welcome guest in gardens in romantic and country styles. Regular weeding, monitoring soil moisture and its nutritional properties allow you to admire snow-white stars in your favorite flower garden from year to year.

Garden chamomile: video

- a very beautiful flower that adorns for many years. It is unpretentious and does not need super complicated care. However, do not neglect the following guide, as insufficient or irregular care can lead to sad consequences.

First of all, when taking care of a large garden chamomile, you need to consider three "golden" rules:

avoid excessive watering;
prevent the expansion of weeds;
do not forget to regularly loosen the soil.

Nevertheless, in the care of the plant, there are a number of special cases related to reproduction, preparation for the winter "rest" and the prevention of fungal infections. What does a gardener who grows or decides to grow a large garden chamomile need to know in order for the plant to feel comfortable?

Morphological description

Chamomile large (giant) garden- a perennial herbaceous bush plant belonging to the Aster family (Asteraceae). Feature - large inflorescences, mainly with snow-white petals and a yellow core.

Often a large garden chamomile is called a daisy. From a botanical point of view, this name is incorrect: the daisy belongs to the same family, however, the chamomile flowers are slightly smaller, and the leaves are thinner and more delicate, not whole.

Garden chamomile is a branchy plant with many inflorescences on one bush. The buds are large, dense, pronounced. The stem is elastic, strong. A healthy plant can bloom all summer. In many cases, the morphology of garden chamomile is associated with belonging to a particular variety.

Popular types and varieties of large garden chamomile.

A giant of its kind the stem reaches 90 cm in height, and the diameter of the opened bud is more than 15 cm. It is frost-resistant, easily tolerates drought. But for the most spectacular flowering requires regular watering.

In addition to aesthetic qualities, leucanthemum is known for its healing qualities. Most often used for cutting. To this variety belongs Terry chamomile- characterized by an abundance of petals filling the core. Terry chamomile is practically not inferior to the largest variety - leucanthemum, reaching 70 cm in height.

North Star

A favorite of gardeners, it is resistant to drought, size (stem length - 60-70 cm) and radiant whiteness of inflorescences. It is not recommended to plant seedlings in shady corners of the garden. Planting seedlings is possible in spring or autumn, however, flowering occurs only in the second year.

Princess

Sun-loving perennial with lush white inflorescences. It reaches a height of no more than 35 cm with a diameter of an opened bud of up to 10 cm. Unlike the Northern Star, the Princess prefers moist soil. The flowering period is the longest: from July to mid-October.

Alaska

Large-flowered plant, reaching 90 cm in height. The diameter of the inflorescence is up to 12 cm. It is planted, as a rule, in the fall and the next summer pleases with flowering. The variety is unpretentious, endures drought and, like its "botanical counterparts", loves sunlight.

Color varieties

Thanks to the experiments of breeders, there are more than 100 multi-colored species, among which the most popular are:

Feverfew Rose or Persian Chamomile has a lot of varieties that differ in the saturation of the color of the petals. Often grown as a cut, harmonizing in a bouquet with other field plants. For Persian chamomile, both a lack and an excess of moisture are detrimental. Feels comfortable in the shade. The flowering period lasts all summer.
Red feverfew similar to pink, which often leads to confusion. The peculiarity is large bright red inflorescences, which is why it is sometimes called meat-red feverfew.
yellow doronicum- characterized by a bright yellow color of the petals. Flowering occurs early - in the second half of March. During this period, the plant reaches 70 cm in height. Yellow doronicum reproduces rapidly without requiring specific care. Tolerates frost. Undemanding to lighting, blooms longer in shady corners of the garden.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the blue chamomile, which is distinguished by the dark blue color of the inflorescences. It is an annual plant growing up to 60 cm in height. It is best known for being used in medicine and cosmetology for the preparation of essential oil.
(or orange small petal) is a perennial herbaceous plant with narrow bright orange petals. Sun-loving variety, grows quickly. It is used to decorate flower beds, less often - for cutting.

Photo gallery: a variety of colors of colored chamomile

Growing on the site

There are several ways to grow garden chamomile. Which method to choose depends on what time of the year the landing takes place.

Seedling growing method

a recess is made in the ground up to 30 cm;
fertilizer is laid in the hole: compost or organo-mineral mixture;
it is not necessary to remove old soil from the roots in order to avoid damage;
the soil after planting must be irrigated.

Flowering should come next year, but much depends on the characteristics of the variety.

The division of the bush

It is better to plant by dividing the bush in the first half of autumn every 2-3 years. Planting a flower is necessary for more spectacular flowering, which fades as the bush grows.

the rhizome is divided into parts with several points of growth;
the seat should slightly exceed the size of the rhizome of the planted plant;
it is desirable to pre-fertilize the hole, straighten the root;
after planting, the soil is compacted and watered.

Flowering occurs the next year.

If chamomile is grown for cutting and to form bouquets, division is the most suitable method of cultivation.

Growing from seed

Tips for growing large chamomile seeds:

To collect seeds, it is necessary to wait for the peduncles to ripen (the petals must dry out and the baskets turn brown).
Cut and dry the inflorescences.
Dry the seeds and remove rubbish from them.
It is recommended to store the seeds in a paper bag with an air hole.

The sowing period is autumn and spring.

Sow chamomile as follows:

seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 cm;
distance between rows - 20 cm;
beds are recommended to be mulched.

How to plant a large garden chamomile in the garden?

Soil preparation and planting site selection:

When and how to plant?

Sowing seeds takes place in late May - late July.
To grow seedlings, seeds are sown in March in specially prepared pots with drainage (or ordinary plastic cups, but we must not forget to make a hole from below).
Planting by dividing the rhizome is carried out in September - early October.
Seedlings are planted in May.

When is the best time to transplant garden chamomile?

The plant takes root well, but for more spectacular flowering, when transplanting, mineral dressings or compost are placed in the hole.

Caring for a large garden chamomile

Watering and feeding

The plant needs regular, but not excessive watering. Do not forget to mulch or drain the soil. both organic and mineral are suitable.

Mandatory supplements:

nitrophoska- 2 tbsp. l. fertilizer / 10 l of water (composition for May top dressing);
superphosphate or potassium sulfate - 1 tbsp. l / 10 l of water.

Care after flowering and preparation for winter

After flowering, the plant also requires watering and loosening the root soil. We must not forget to destroy the weed. With the end of flowering, new leaves appear in place of dead leaves, so the plant requires regular fertilization. Well suited for this: fresh mullein or an infusion of bird droppings.

As a rule, a large garden chamomile endures frosts in open ground, but it is better not to take risks and cover the bed with leaves before snow falls.

Pruning and rejuvenation of the bush

To strengthen the rhizome and form new shoots, it is not recommended to leave the stems on the vine - they must be cut off. After the chamomile has faded, the entire aerial part of the plant is cut off to 10-15 cm from the ground.

Bush rejuvenation is the pruning of a part of the root system, takes place 5 years after planting, after which it is repeated after 3 years.

How is rejuvenation carried out?

the rhizome is divided in half, one of the parts of the root system is removed;
compost and new fertile soil are laid in place of the removed part of the rhizome.

During subsequent rejuvenation, the older part of the rhizome is removed.

Diseases and pests

With improper care, a large garden chamomile is susceptible to fungal infections:

Used to prevent infections. In case of severe damage, the plant is best removed.

Timely weeding and loosening of the soil, as well as preventive treatment with insecticides, will help reduce the risk of pest damage.

Large garden chamomile in landscape design

A large garden chamomile is famous in floristry and serves as a flower bed, where it goes well with other garden flowers. Perfectly coexists with unpretentious wild flowers, such as poppies, cornflowers, .

Nivyanik goes well in one composition with flowers such as. In addition, the plant feels comfortable on the Mauritanian lawn. Low-growing varieties adorn the borders. Sometimes I grow garden chamomile in decorative pots on the terraces.

The success of this plant in modern landscape design lies in the duration of flowering and friendliness in relation to other garden plants with which group plantings are formed.

Chamomile is difficult to confuse with other ornamental flowering plants. There are many varieties with bizarre, chic forms of inflorescences, but the harmonious combination of yellow and white flowers in her outfit always remains unchanged. Therefore, daisies in the country will perfectly complement any landscape, making it more spectacular and harmonious.

This article will discuss how to plant perennial daisies in a summer cottage, how to properly care for them for abundant and beautiful flowering, and fight pests and diseases.

Chamomile garden large perennial

Large garden chamomile, which flower growers idolize so much, has another name - the largest popovnik. Representing a perennial from the Compositae (Asteraceae) family, this culture has the following botanical description:

Chamomile garden large perennial

The stem is erect, faceted, depending on the variety, it can have a height of 15 to 70 cm;
The leaf is spatulate and oblong, unevenly serrated along the edges of the leaf plate. The leaves in the upper part of the stem are relatively small, the lower ones are larger, collected in a basal rosette.
Color - the inflorescence is a basket, with a diameter of 2.5 to 12 cm, in which the middle consists of small tubular yellow flowers, along the edge there are long false-lingual white flowers.

Important! Often in meadows and fields there is a pharmacy species of chamomile, which is considered a valuable medicinal plant. Unlike garden chamomile, this type of chamomile has marginal white flowers 2.5-3 mm wide bent down, and the broken core and stem are hollow.

The fruit is small, slightly bent cylindrical achenes, up to 2 mm in size.
Root - taproot, slightly branched, growing shallow in the ground.

seeds

You can make planting material yourself, but you will have to work hard for this: after full ripening (the basket and stem become brown), the inflorescences are cut, seeds are selected and dried well. But it is not enough to collect the seeds, they should be stored properly: paper bags, bags of loose material are best suited for these purposes. The main thing during storage is to provide air access, without it, the seed material may lose its germination capacity.

Many amateur flower growers do it easier: they buy ready-made chamomile seeds in a store where you can quickly and easily select any popular variety, and purchase newcomers to modern selection.

Chamomile seeds

Landing place

Preparation for planting begins with choosing the most suitable place for growing chamomile on the site. The plant prefers to grow in open places where there is a lot of light and sun. The occurrence of groundwater should be deep enough, since waterlogging of the soil can occur from the accumulation of water after snowmelt and heavy rains, and the rhizome will rot, the plant will die in early spring.

Priming

In the area where they plan to grow chamomile, the soil should be slightly alkaline or neutral. If the acidity of the soil is high enough, dolomite flour and lime are added to the soil.

How to plant a large garden chamomile

When it is decided where the chamomile will show off in the country house, they start planting it. The most favorable time for sowing seeds is the end of May. The top layer of the soil is slightly loosened, since the seeds are very small, shallow rows are made under them, no more than 2 cm, the soil is slightly moistened. It is not necessary to heavily cover the seeds with soil, they are only slightly pressed down, then powdered with a thin layer of earth.

In order for adult plants to feel free (usually a bush grows in one place for 3-4 years) and at the same time do not shade each other, the distance between adjacent rows during sowing is made at least 30-40 cm.

You can plant chamomile seeds in open ground in the fall. At the end of August, seeds from the varieties you like should be collected, then they should be sown on a pre-prepared site. The plant blooms only in the second year.

Note! If seedlings are planned to be prepared for planting in open ground, then the seeds are sown in specially prepared containers (containers, pots, boxes) at the beginning of March.

Daisy care in the garden

What does a florist need to know and do and how to care for daisies in the garden correctly?

Not only newly planted seedlings need frequent watering, but also early shoots in open ground. Initially, a young plant is watered very often, but when the root system takes root well and gets stronger, it is watered less often, 2 times a week. After watering, the top layer of fertile soil is constantly loosened, do not forget about weeding and removing weeds. Several times during the season, the soil near the plant is mulched with a thin layer of peat, 2-3 cm thick.

top dressing

Like any plant, throughout the entire growing season, chamomile needs constant feeding, for which both complex mineral fertilizers and organics are used. At the beginning of summer, when the plant is in the budding stage and will soon bloom, it is fed with nitrophoska at the rate of 2 tbsp. spoons for 10 liters of water. As soon as flowering is completed, proceed to the next top dressing using superphosphate or potassium sulfate in a proportion of 1 tbsp. spoon for 10 liters of water.

For abundant flowering, organics are often added: compost, well-rotted manure, peat.

Important! Growing and caring for a large garden chamomile without the use of fertilizer will lead to its weak, not abundant and not long flowering, poor overwintering, reduced resistance to damage to leaves, roots by pests and diseases.

pruning

Chamomile is a flower that can bloom for a very long time from June to September, but autumn comes and winter is just around the corner. The plant begins to gradually fade and dry out. Florists often have a question, when daisies have faded, what to do next with them. Experts advise in this situation to carefully cut all the stems at a distance of 10-15 cm from the ground with garden shears and remove the cut mass away from the crop planting.

When and how to transplant chamomile

How and when to transplant large daisies is recommended by experienced flower growers.

If it is spring, then it is impossible to clearly indicate the timing of planting seedlings in open ground, since everything depends on the weather. Seedlings must not only be grown strong, but also protected from cold and frost. When the seedlings grow up enough, 4-5 true leaves will bloom on it, then it can be planted in open ground, provided that the air temperature is set at + 15 ° C or more.

Before planting chamomile seedlings in open ground, the soil is dug up well and fertilized with special preparations for flowering garden plants. After that, the bushes must be planted in 2-3 pieces, at a distance of 30-40 cm.

Very often such a situation arises that it is necessary to quickly decide where and when it is better to plant chamomile perennial adults. This happens when a plant is forced to transplant from a flower bed near the house due to construction work or the transfer of a flower garden to another place. Due to the peculiarities of culture, the way out of this situation is quite simple - this flower is unpretentious and hardy, painlessly takes root in another place. Carefully enough not to damage the roots, dig up a flowering plant with a clod of earth and move it to a new place, then water it abundantly.

How to propagate garden chamomile

To propagate chamomile, they resort to simple traditional methods:

seed (growing seedlings from seeds);
vegetative (dividing the bush).

You can sow seeds in spring and autumn immediately in open ground, seedlings will appear, but it is more reliable to grow seedlings. In March, the seeds are sown in a special soil mixture of peat, garden soil, sand (1: 1: 1). In order not to wash the seeds out of the soil, they are watered gently, then, to create a greenhouse effect, the container is covered with a film and placed in a dark, warm place. In order not to dry out the soil, it is constantly sprayed with water. As soon as the first shoots appear (usually this happens after 10-12 days), the film is removed, and the boxes are transferred to a sunny place.

Chamomile can also reproduce by dividing the bush. Despite the ability of chamomile to grow in the same place for several years, it should be updated periodically (after 4-5 years). Prepare new planting material in September. An adult bush is completely dug out of the ground, after which younger root shoots are selected from it for planting.

Diseases and pests

If a flowering crop is not cared for as expected, it quickly weakens and becomes the most vulnerable to various dangerous infections and pests.

A large garden chamomile may be susceptible to the following diseases:

rust - convex bright red spots appear on the leaves;
gray rot, powdery mildew - leaves and stems are covered with white, dark gray bloom;
Fusarium - causes damage to the root system of the plant.

If treatment is not started on time, the plant may simply die.

You can cure the disease quickly if you resort to the use of fungicides such as:

"Oxyhom"
"Topaz",
"Diskor"
bordeaux liquid,
copper oxychloride.

The most dangerous pests of chamomile are aphids, star-winged fly, wireworm, slugs.

Important! Among pests, wireworm causes significant damage. Gnawing small roots, it weakens or leads to the death of the plant. To combat it, it is better to plant chamomile on soils with an environmental reaction close to neutral. In such soil, the pest is practically not found.

For spraying against pests, insecticides such as Iskra, Imidor, Fitoverm are used.

On a note. If a favorite flower needs to be saved urgently, plain soapy water is often used. Why take a spoonful of liquid soap for 0.5 liters of warm water, add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to them, then mix everything thoroughly. The finished composition is sprayed with flowers for several days.

Growing chamomile in a pot

The article provides examples of how to plant and grow perennial daisies in a personal plot. But it turns out that daisies in a pot can complement and decorate a home interior. This is not a giant bush, but a short and compact leucanthemum (another name is pyrethrum), only 10-20 cm high. A well-lit window sill, a small and spacious pot is enough to grow a flower. Nutrient soil for growing pyrethrum is purchased at the store. It blooms for quite a long time, after pruning it is placed in a bright but cool room and watering is limited. In February, it is again transferred to heat, but they begin to water it abundantly only when the first buds appear in the rosette.

For breeding, it is better to choose a terry variety of garden chamomile, since the flowers are larger and more beautiful, there are always a lot of buds, and re-blooming is possible at the end of summer.
Despite frost resistance and endurance, the flower can freeze out in a snowy winter, so it is sprinkled with a thick layer of peat, straw, and covered with spruce branches.
Chamomile gets along well with any ornamental plant: with a beautiful lily and rose, field poppy and cornflower.
In the issuance of search engines for the query "garden chamomile large perennial planting and care" sometimes there are articles on pharmacy chamomile, which is a related, but still completely different medicinal wild plant. The technology of its cultivation and application differs from decorative chamomile. Therefore, you should carefully read the text of the article in order to determine what kind of chamomile (decorative or medicinal) it is.

Garden chamomile is considered not only an adornment of any landscape design, but according to many signs, it brings love and good luck to the house, where households begin to live in peace and harmony. Combining well in height and size with other flower cultures, it harmoniously fits into any flower garden, giving it a unique and eye-catching appearance.

Known to everyone since childhood, chamomile is a perennial plant from the Astrov family. One of the distinguishing features of chamomile, as a perennial, is its ability to bloom in the first year after planting. There is an erroneous opinion that the cultivation of chamomile does not require any rules to be observed along the way, since in the wild the plant feels great and reproduces great, which, of course, is a delusion. If the chamomile was planted in accordance with all the rules of agricultural technology, and competent care was taken for it, then the yield of flowers from such a plant will be several times higher than the indicators of its “wild” forms.

Botanical description

All representatives of the genus chamomile have a faint but characteristic smell.. The plant is widely used in folk and traditional medicine because it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, the plant can be used in landscape design and for decorating bouquets of wild flowers.

The classification of chamomile is still not streamlined. There are several systems for its description, each of which considers several dozen species of this plant. The most popular type of chamomile is Chamomile. It is in this species that the medicinal properties are most pronounced.

Sometimes daisies are also called other plants that are similar to this flower in appearance. These include feverfew, leucanthemum, as well as some types of asters and chrysanthemums. And, although from a botanical point of view, this is not true, all these plants are grown in approximately the same way as the common pharmacy chamomile.

Chamomile is a low herbaceous perennial plant with pinnate dissected leaves.

Chamomile inflorescence is a semicircular basket, which includes several hundred small flowers. The diameter of the inflorescences is from 5 to 20 mm. Their center is yellow or yellow-orange in color, the outer leaves are almost always white. The structure of the inflorescence is quite interesting: in the center are bisexual flowers, along the edges only flowers with pistils.

Flowering starts early enough. Usually, the first inflorescences appear at the very beginning of spring, in warm areas sometimes as early as early March. Since flowering does not occur simultaneously, flowering daisies, even in one area, can be found throughout the season - from early March to late October. The peak of flowering falls on the period May-July. Pollination is done by wasps or bees.

The fruits of the plant are achenes with a tuft. Fruit ripening occurs within 1-1.5 months after the end of flowering.

Chamomile is grown for pharmaceutical raw materials, primarily essential oils and azulene. . For this purpose, inflorescences and tops of the plant are collected.

Planting chamomile

General issues

Chamomile can be grown either by direct planting in the ground or from seedlings. If there is no desire to mess with seedlings, you can simply sow chamomile seeds in open ground, however, the quality of the resulting plants will not be very good.

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Seed germination will not be very high, in addition, planting will be heterogeneous. Over time, the plant will spread over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe site, however, the time spent on bringing it into relative order will be commensurate with seedling cultivation.

The plant does not like excessive thickening; it is better to immediately plant it evenly. That is why the seedling method of growing chamomile is more preferable.

Site preparation

Usually, a plot for chamomile is prepared before the direct planting of seeds or plants in the ground. It is not necessary to prepare it six months before planting. For daisies, you need a sunny area with soil of normal acidity or close to it. Can also be grown on slightly alkaline soils.

Strongly acidic soils require liming with wood ash; its application rates depend on the level of soil acidity, but in the vast majority of cases it is enough to add wood ash at the rate of 200 g per 1 sq. km. m.

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The root system of the plant can spread deep enough, therefore soils with a groundwater level of at least 1 m are recommended for growing chamomile.

The site must be dug to a depth of 30 cm, loosened and leveled, removing plant debris. After that, complex fertilizer for flowers should be applied at a concentration recommended by the manufacturer. On this, the preparation of the site can be considered completed.

Landing in open ground

Planting seeds directly in open ground is carried out at the end of May or at the end of September. Seeds are evenly distributed over the surface and sprinkled with a very thin layer of crushed soil.

After planting in the spring, the site needs regular watering. Seeds germinate in about 1-2 weeks. As they germinate, it will be clear what to do with young seedlings further - whether or not they will have to be transplanted to empty plots. It is best to do this when 4-5 leaves appear on young plants.

If planting was carried out in the fall, then one watering will be enough for the seeds; They will sprout all the same only next spring.

Seedling planting method

Seedlings are planted at the end of March. It is best to grow chamomile seedlings in a tray with 4x4 or 5x5 cm cells. But you can use any container at hand, up to individual planting using plastic cups.

The soil for seedlings should be light and well pass moisture and air. A simple peat-sand mixture is usually recommended (peat and sand are mixed in equal proportions).

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The mixture is poured into the cells to the very top, small indentations are made in it. Where two or three chamomile seeds are placed at the same time. From above, the seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil and watered.

A box with seedlings should be covered with plastic wrap or glass and put in a warm place with a temperature of + 20-22 ° C. It is not recommended to put seedlings directly under direct sunlight, since direct sunlight can destroy young seedlings. Therefore, the box can be placed at some distance from the window opening and protected from drafts.

On the other hand, seedlings need about 14 hours of daylight. to develop normally. For this purpose, it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps, which will provide additional lighting in the dark.

Seedlings need to be watered as needed (the substrate must be constantly moderately moistened), as well as ventilate daily for 15-30 minutes, removing the protective film or glass.

After 1-2 weeks, the seeds will germinate and young plants will appear on the surface.. At the same time, the shelter is removed, but additional protection against drafts is organized. The box with seedlings can be moved closer to the windowsill, but do not forget about the danger of direct sunlight. You need to do either shading the seedling box, or think about how to get diffused sunlight.

When the plants reach a height of about 5 cm, they should be thinned out, leaving in the cells one of the strongest. In this case, it is not necessary to uproot the seedlings, it is necessary to carefully pinch them off at ground level so as not to damage the root system. Also at this time, you need to pinch the remaining seedlings at a level above the third leaf. This will further stimulate the formation of new leaves and shoots.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Produced 1-1.5 months after planting. On a previously prepared site, holes are made with a depth of 10-20 cm. Seedlings are planted in several rows; the distance between plants in a row should be from 20 to 40 cm, and between rows 40 cm.

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A seedling is placed in the hole along with a clod of earth, carefully sprinkled with soil, compacted and watered. At this stage, no additional dressings (except for the previously applied complex fertilizer for flowers) are required.

plant care

Some growers recommend dividing the bush annually.. For the winter, chamomile shoots will still be cut, so the bush will in any case re-form its vegetative part, and thinned bushes have higher growth rates. The main thing is not to forget about autumn and spring top dressing.

The manifestation of rust

Basically, chamomile is affected by fungal infections, among which are the following:

1 Powdery mildew. Its manifestation consists in the formation of a whitish coating on the leaves and stems. Sometimes the root system of the plant is also affected. Over time, the plaque acquires a brown tint.

2 Fusarium. Most often affects young plants of the first and second years of life. The disease affects the root system, but becomes noticeable when rot appears on the root collar. The affected part of the plant becomes brown instead of green. At the same time, the leaves turn yellow, and the shoots become thin.

3 Rust. The upper side of the leaves with this disease is covered with red or black spots, and black fungal bodies with spores appear on the underside.

4 Gray rot. It is characterized by many necrotic spots on all parts of the plant. The spots grow very quickly and a grayish mycelium appears on them.

When the first symptoms of damage appear, the plant should be treated with fungicides. These can be Topaz, Fundazol or Kuproksat. All recommendations for the use of products specified by the manufacturer should be strictly followed. Usually, plants are processed twice with a break of 10 days. Collection of material from plants treated with fungicides is allowed if the last treatment was carried out no earlier than 20 days before collection. It is better to miss a harvest of one year than to receive medicinal material with fungicide residues.

In the event of the appearance of gray rot, the plant should be destroyed as soon as possible., and treat the soil in its place with any anti-fungal agent.

Chamomile affected by aphids

From insects, chamomile can be attacked by aphids, thrips, wireworms and star-winged flies.

1 Aphids and thrips. The most common pests of almost all horticultural crops. These insects can be found on all parts of the plant. Densely sticking to its stems and leaves, they suck the juices from the soft tissues of the plant. Numerous microtraumas can form on the leaves: spots, stripes or dots. Damaged tissues begin to die off over time, the foliage withers and falls off. The flowers are also deformed and lose their attractive appearance.

Measures to combat aphids are quite simple - the plant must be treated with insecticides. For this purpose, specialized means against ticks, the so-called acaricides (for example, Karbofos or Agravertin), are best suited.

2 Wireworms. In fact, this is not a separate species of insect, but the larvae of the click beetle. They live in the ground for several years and damage the roots of the plant. Most often, the larvae attack potatoes and plants that are planted next to it.

Traps are the best way to get rid of wireworms. At the bottom of a small hole, you should put a small piece of potatoes, carrots or beets, and cover the hole itself with a board. Regularly every 2-3 days you should lift the board and get rid of trapped pests.

3 Star fly. Adult plants and larvae infect the central shoots and inhibit plant growth. As a rule, larvae accumulate in large groups.

Chamomile is one of the most popular medicinal plants.

Chamomile is one of the most popular medicinal plants. Its cultivation is not difficult and can be carried out on almost any soil with minimal use of additional funds. In addition to medicinal properties, chamomile can be used in the garden as a natural pest repellent.

The favorite flower of many women is chamomile, planting and caring for it in the open field does not cause much trouble, but requires knowledge of certain subtleties. A perennial plant of the Asteraceae family is often found in the floral decorum of amateurs because of its abundant flowering, beautiful flower shape and unique poetic associations with divination on petals, legends about shooting stars, in the place of which chamomile grows, gnomes using it instead of an umbrella. The princess of the flower garden, grown according to the rules of garden art, will patiently open the buds for several years, delight the owners, and be part of the original bouquets.

Types of chamomile and their prevalence

Garden chamomile, the cultivation of which has become popular, is bred in a variety of varieties for different soils, climatic components, and even for floristic delights. The most popular were 5 varieties of chamomile, it is understandable why:

A princess with a flower diameter of 10-12 cm will decorate and complement any festive bouquet; will live in the garden for at least 3 years.
Alaska is the same large flower, with a long (up to 90 cm) stem, snow-white petals and flowering from June to August. 4 years of life, but begins to bloom only on the second.
The Silver Princess has a stem up to 30 cm, but it blooms from July until frost, her flowers are large, they will decorate any decorative border.
The winner - this variety of chamomile with flowers of different diameters does not require a transplant or division of the bush; blooms 3 years out of 4; snow-white petals, large bright core.
Pharmacy. Unlike garden varieties bred by man, this ubiquitous annual is not as good in appearance as its garden sisters, but it is easily propagated by seeds, often even spontaneously poured and germinated, without the slightest difficulty for the gardener. Growing and caring, like any weed, is not difficult, but there are enough useful properties for a carload of ready-made tablets and capsules.

Landing as the main stage

The most important thing in the process of growing chamomile is planting. It is carried out by seeds that are germinated indoors, depending on the type of climate. The issue of planting chamomile in open ground with germination efficiency - in the form of seedlings or immediately with seeds into the soil - is decided taking into account the duration of the last frosts and the upcoming warming. Garden chamomile is still better to plant in the form of seedlings.

In order to grow high-quality chamomile seedlings, you need to take care of the process in advance. At the end of winter, fill cups, pots or cell trays with moist potting mix, plant a couple of seeds in each cell, cover with a thin layer of soil and leave in a moderately warm place. The soil for seedlings should be permanently moist. The tray is closed with a plastic film, which is removed immediately after the seeds germinate, after which the tray is moved to the sun or under a fluorescent lamp.

As soon as the sprouts become 5 cm high, the extra germinated stems are carefully pinched off above the soil, leaving the most viable ones.

Seedlings can be planted as soon as the soil has warmed up. It is best to plant chamomile in calcareous or neutral soil. Transplantation is carried out after the nutrient mixture is introduced into the planting holes. Planting seeds occurs under the same conditions. Seedling holes should be 20-30 cm deep with a distance of 20-40 cm - depending on the variety. In the open field, the fate of planting greatly depends on weather conditions. The sprouts are carefully removed from the cell or pot along with the ground so as not to damage the root system, and planted in the hole, in fertilizers and open ground.

Adaptation and care

After the chamomile has been relocated to open ground, watering is required only for the first time, until it has taken root. In the future, water is required only in case of severe drying of the soil. Planting seeds is carried out in the ground immediately before winter; in the spring, after natural stratification, they will sprout, after which it will only be necessary to track the seedlings and plant them as needed. Planting seeds both in the ground and for seedlings is an absolutely simple matter that requires compliance with a minimum of conditions and is practically uncomplicated. To grow garden chamomile to adulthood, you need even less effort.

Grow to bloom

Planting and caring for an ornamental plant are processes of varying degrees of complexity. In order to grow a beautiful and full-fledged chamomile, the soil must be improved in autumn with lime fertilizers, and mineral fertilizers must be added to the soil before planting. If the soil is acidic, dolomite flour or slaked soda is poured. Before planting, you need to check if there is enough sun, if there is a wetland; we must not forget about solicams.

If the chamomile has remained from last year, you need to inspect the bushes and plant them in the way of dividing the bush. To do this, the bush should be dug up and divided into several parts (usually 2-3 depending on the size of the bush), doing this with bare hands so as not to damage the root system, and then plant each part separately.

Taking care of a plant is also protecting it from diseases that may appear on it, for example, powdery mildew, fusarium, gray rot and rust. For this purpose, chamomile must be treated with fungicides.

After the gardener goes through the minor and major troubles of growing chamomile, the question of how to plant becomes simple and uncomplicated for him. After all, after planting, chamomile still needs to be watered sometimes, loosen the soil around the bush, cover with peat so that moisture from the soil does not evaporate. Planting, in fact, is quite simple, if you remember that you have to go through before you can cut the beautiful large flowers grown at home.