Features of Agapanthus</ h3>
The Agapantus family of Lily (Liliaceae) is a herbian perennial plant growing in South Africa. He has long saber-shaped dark green leaves and magnificent balls or slightly flavored inflorescences (umbrellas), which appear on the tops of long (even 1 m height) of lightless shoots.
Umbrellas consist of separate flowers that can be from 30 to 100. Single flowers have a bell shape. Color varies from white to blue and purple. Flowers from July to September.
Agapanthus: cultivation requirements</ h3>
Lilies are extraordinarily easy to care.
Lily Seeds
Their ability to do without water for a long time and a simple breeding method makes them an ideal decorative plant for amateur gardeners.
Plants from South Africa need solar, warm place.
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If there are too shady places, the flowers fade and the growth of the plant is braked. For sensitive shoots and colors of certain species will be better if they provide sufficient protection against drafts.
Soil
The African lily of special requirements for the plant substrate does not present. An additional clay additive provides better binding of moisture and helps to improve soil consistency.
Watering and fertilizers
Agapanthus easily transfers longer dry periods, a large amount of water accumulates in its fleshy roots and, if necessary, enters the leaves and shoots. The plant transfers a moderate watering even a hot summer than overcoating.
Please note! Agapantus can survive longer periods of drought without serious damage, but when it comes to fear, they are more sensitive than many other decorative plants. Roots puments and bush dies completely.
If necessary, if the soil is poor in nutrients, decorative lilies on the garden need to fertilize the usual liquid fertilizer for potted plants once a month. It can be made both as a sheet feeding and through the soil. Liquid fertilizers are added through irrigation water.
As a result, the bush will bloom
Additional information!In the spring and autumn, the thick layer of compost provides the plant with important minerals.
For the landing of the African lily in the pots require a regular universal soil. Agapanthus in the pots are planted, falling asleep rhizome thin layer of soil. You should choose a pot of slightly more than the root size. After the root com will increase in the pot, transplanted it into larger containers.
Transplantation and division reproduction
Decorative lilies can achieve significant sizes for several years. If the roots look out of the container, they can no longer absorb important nutrients and water through the substrate, and they have to change the container
Agapanthu can be divided without much effort if the roots have become too large for the pot, or if they are required to multiply.
Reproduction of African lily
This should be done as less as possible. The longer the plant can grow alone, the more abundantly it usually blooms. The transplant is necessary only when the plant grows out of the pot or becomes too thick.
You can transplant the plant as in the fall and in the spring. Ideally, it is done with the root division of Agapantus.
Gently divide the rhizome of the African lily on the part, plant separate decene as usual.
Special care for separated parts of the plant is not required. In the first few days, it is enough to water landed decorative lilies. At the bottom there must be drainage holes for excess water. Halfing in a flower pot, they start blossoming.
Trimming Stems
None of numerous varieties of agapance does not require trimming. Faded or dead leaves carefully tear off his fingers. Sharp scissors need to remove only faded inflorescences. This prevents the formation of seeds and stimulates the plant to germinate new flowers.
Wintering
Agapanthus does not winter in the ground in our climatic conditions, because it does not tolerate frost. Even protected place in the garden and the thick layer of humus do not provide sufficient protection. Therefore, it is best to grown it in containers and place them in the garden in the spring.
Agapanthus in the pot in the garden
In the fall, before the onset of frosts, the pots must be transferred to the cool room with light access, watering to limit and store at 1-8 degrees C.
Important! The stronger frost is destroyed for all evergreens of Agapantus. Therefore, these plants in the open soil are excluded.
In regions with a soft winter, there is a slight chance that the plants will be able to survive the cold season without damage in the open air. It is not less important to risk that shoots and root tubers will not solve even temporary negative temperatures.
They must be turned in a dry, light and cool place, starting from the first frosts. Optimal is the temperature from 0 ° C to 7 ° C. Higher temperatures worsen the formation of flowers next year,
In October or after the first frosts, decorative lilies are transferred to the room, and until mid-March, all the varieties of Agapantus should return to sunlight. This contributes to the growth of leaves and inflorescences.
To get a stable leaf structure and strong blooms, decorative lilies should be taken out to the street as early as possible after wintering.
It is necessary to slowly teach the plant to the effects of direct sunlight. In particular, young leaves are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, and “burns” appear on their surface.
As soon as the stronger frosts are expected, it can be done from the beginning of April. Best of all in cloudy weather, so as not to expose the plant at once a scorching sun and thereby avoid sunburn on the leaves. In any case, it is necessary to take care that the plant can be briefly returning to the house in the case of unexpected later frosts or cover with heat shocking.
Care tips
Flowers are often faced with the fact that African lily does not bloom. The reasons for this may be: incorrect winter storage or lack of nutrients.
African lily does not bloom:
- under no circumstances should undergo in complete darkness. If in the winter months everything was done correctly, the African Lily will sprout in April, and then bloom;
- ambient temperature should not exceed 15 ° C so that in the spring it can develop inflorescences;
- recently transplanted plants must first be rooted in their flower pot before they bloom the next year;
- In too shady places, bloom can also be smaller or even completely stopped.
Yellow leaves:
- leaves in decorative lilies are yellow due to lack of light;
- there is a convergence;
- may indicate excessive fertilizer, to refrain from taking nutrients.
Brown leaves and shootings of shoots:
Colenetic ticks populate decorative lilies extremely rarely, but infection with these pests leads to the appearance of brown leaves, which gradually dry out.
Sick leaves
These symptoms can also cause a longer drought period. It is necessary to immediately pour the plant with enough water and remove dry leaves.
Agapanthus is rarely attacked by diseases and pests. Only the convergence and associated root rotes can damage the roots of the plant with improper care. Drainage helps to remove excess moisture and avoid overwhelming. Agapantus immediately need a new, dry soil. Trim already drunk the roots do not always succeed, and it is necessary to do it only with caution.
