Incarvillea is a perennial plant that grows to a height of 100 centimeters. Incarvillea is prized for its decorative flowering that lasts for a month. To decorate your site with this miracle, you need to properly approach the cultivation and care of the flower.
Planting incarvillea
Seeds for seedlings are usually sown after preliminary stratification, in the month of March. For this, Incarvillea seeds are embedded to a depth of one centimeter in a container with a loose substrate of sand, leafy earth and peat. Germinate seeds under glass or film at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Dive the grown seedlings into separate cups.
Seedlings are planted in the ground after the threat of frost has passed (in late May - early June). Lay good drainage in the form of expanded clay or broken brick on the bottom of the planting hole, apply mineral fertilizers. It is recommended to deepen the root collar by three centimeters when landing. At first, seedlings need regular watering, as well as shading from direct sunlight. By the way, you can plant seeds in open ground (in April), but flowering will begin only in the second or third year after sowing.
Growing and care
Incarvillea grows best in sunny areas, light shading is acceptable. The flower prefers well-drained, fertile and sandy loam soil. Water the plant sparingly, trying to keep the soil from drying out. The plant is quite resistant to drought, therefore it does not require abundant and frequent watering. Mineral fertilizers are applied during planting and during the period of active growth. You can replace mineral fertilizers with organic ones (mullein infusion, chicken droppings). Please note that frequent feeding will reduce the winter hardiness of plants.
Cut off all the leaves in the fall. Provide light cover with plantings to prevent Incarvillea from freezing. You can mulch the plants with sawdust, peat or other organic materials before winter. Incarvillea winters well without shelter in regions with a mild climate. It is necessary to remove the cover early in order to prevent root rot and damping of tubers when warm weather sets in. A flower can grow in one place without transplanting for three to four years, then planting renewal is required.
Reproduction
Propagated by Incarvillea seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings. Reproduction by cuttings is carried out at the very beginning of summer. Cut the cuttings and place them in the root stimulation solution for several hours. Stem and leaf cuttings are rooted under a film in the sand (you can just cover it with a plastic bottle). Reproduction by dividing the bush is carried out in early spring or late summer.