Clarkia graceful: growing from seeds. Clarkia: description, planting and care of Clarkia growing from seeds when to plant

Clarkia is an excellent representative of a garden and ornamental annual plant, combining a wide range of colors, compactness, and an abundance of green mass. Most gardeners love Clarkia because of its elegant appearance, spectacular numerous flowers, long and lush flowering, good and fast growth. The main advantage is that growing elegant clarkia, including from seeds, does not cause any trouble. The plant owes its name to the English captain William Clark, who brought the flower to Europe from California.

Clarkia belongs to the cypress family, is a low bush with a height of 30 to 90 cm. The western regions of North America, the territory of Chile, are considered the homeland of the plant. Clarkia is very close to the genus Godetia, most botanists combine these two genera.
The bush is very beautiful, due to the dense branching of the stems it acquires a voluminous, lush appearance. Stems strongly branched, erect, thin, dense, strong, lignified below, slightly pubescent.

The leaves are alternate, oblong-oblong, dark green, with veins and interspersed with red, irregularly rarely serrated along the edge.

Flowers of the correct form, 3-4 cm in diameter, small, double or simple, located in the axils of the leaves, have various shades of red, orange, pink, raspberry, lilac, lilac, are two-tone with various inclusions, strokes and dots. Collected either at the top of the shoots in the form of spicate or racemose inflorescences, or singly. The flower consists of a tubular calyx, three-lobed or four whole petals, which taper at the base.

The seed box is an elongated fruit with numerous brown seeds, the germination of seeds lasts up to four years. After maturation, the seed box becomes brown in color, the fruits open, the seeds spill out onto the ground, thereby self-sowing occurs.

Clarkia flowers will look great in any garden, filling the space with bright colors and aroma, attracting butterflies and bees.

Types and varieties of plants

In nature, there are more than 35 species of clarkia, but for gardeners, only three cultivated varieties are of interest, which served as the basis for breeding a large number of varietal forms.

During the period of lush flowering in gardens and summer cottages, Clarkia varieties - elegant, pretty and terry, are covered with many flowers that look like small roses. At the same time, the green mass favorably emphasizes all the splendor of flowers. Flowering period three months: from July to September.

Clarkia terry

The average height of an annual plant is 30-65 cm. The densely branched bush of terry clarkia is overgrown with dark green leaves. The flowers are double, about 5-6 cm in diameter, with various shades from snow-white to rich carmine, framing the stems so that the image of a spike-shaped plant is created.

Clarkia "Fantasy"

Annual ornamental lush-flowering plant grows up to 75 cm in height. Axillary double flowers differ in all sorts of colors. Clarkia fantasy is used for cutting, decorating flower beds in single and group plantings.

Clarkia is pretty

Another name for pubescent. It grows up to 20-40 cm. The leaves are narrow, elongated, entire, pointed at the end and narrower towards the base. The flowers are terry and simple, up to 3 cm in diameter, distinguished by wavy and spreading petals divided into three lobes of various color shades. Formed in groups or one at a time in the axils of the leaves. The pretty clarkia blooms before the elegant look for 2-3 weeks. Because of the unusual shape of the petals, this species is called “elk horns” in America. Pretty Clarkia served as the basis for obtaining the Arianna variety: simple two-color flowers of lilac and white color, plant height up to 40-50 cm.

Clarkia graceful

Another name for nails. Grows naturally in California. It can reach up to 30-90 cm in height. The stems are thin, strong, branching, woody at the base. The leaves are dark green with a bluish tint, elongated, oblong in shape, with a rarely serrated edge and characteristic red veins.

The flowers of elegant clarkia are up to 3-4 cm in diameter, collected in an inflorescence brush and, depending on the variety, can be simple or terry in shape. The mixture of colors of clarkia graceful also depends on the variety. Flowers are blue, purple, pink, red and white. The first flowers of Clarkia bloom in June, the bush blooms profusely and luxuriantly almost until October. Clarkia graceful served as the basis for obtaining varieties:

Albatross - bush 50-75 cm tall, with double white flowers.
Salmon Perfection - bush 80-100 cm tall, pale pink double flowers.
The sun - the height of the bush is 60-70 cm, the flowers are terry salmon colors, axillary, solitary.
Orange - plant height 50-60 cm, double flowers of orange color.
Ruby - a bush no more than 60 cm in height, numerous double flowers of deep red, ruby color.
Purplekening - grows up to 80-90 cm tall with deep red double flowers.

Clarkia Marigold Joy

Densely branched erect stems grow up to 40-60 cm. Flowering begins 2 months after sowing the seeds. The bush is covered with flowers from bottom to top. The color scheme varies from deep pink to crimson. Flowers of the Clarkia variety “Joy” reach up to 3-4 cm in diameter, due to the long flowering they are very much in demand among flower growers.

Clarkia dainty Brilliant

The variety is densely branched, luxuriantly and abundantly blooming. The height of the bush is up to 60-80 cm. Starting from July, the bush is covered with many double flowers up to 4 cm in diameter, red-pink in color. Axillary flowers of the Clarkia variety “Brilliant” adorn the bush almost until the end of September.

plant care

To get a healthy and flowering plant, you should follow simple rules for care and maintenance. In principle, Clarkia is a rather unpretentious and undemanding plant.

Outdoor plant care

To maintain a decorative and elegant appearance, wilted flowers and leaves, seed pods should be removed. This is necessary to maintain the vitality of the plant in the process of formation of new flowers. Removing dried flowers promotes longer flowering. Loosening the soil and removing weeds contributes to rapid good growth.

Watering, fertilizing and tying

In hot weather, without precipitation, when the soil dries up, regular moderate watering is required twice a week. In this case, you can not fill the plant, otherwise you can provoke root rot. To avoid the latter, Clarkia is planted in well-drained soil.
Wet soil must be loosened, this will improve the flow of air to the roots. In cool rainy weather, watering is completely stopped. Watered strictly under the bush, avoiding water on the leaves and flowers, otherwise you can provoke sunburn, which spoil the decorative appearance of the plant.

Top dressing is applied twice a month - during the period of budding and flowering. Mineral fertilizers are used, organic top dressing is not used for Clarkia. Mainly top dressing is necessary in rainy, dry weather. For brighter and more abundant flowering, ash is added to the soil.

To prevent breakage of tall stems from strong winds, as well as to avoid bending them, the bush is tied to pegs that are driven in during planting.

Choice of landing site

The plant is extremely photophilous, but at the same time it develops equally well in partial shade. It loves space, because it grows quickly. It is necessary to choose a place for the flower, excluding strong winds, otherwise the plant may break. The plant quite calmly tolerates drafts and short-term spring cooling.

Soil: composition and characteristics

The flower develops better on loose, fertile, medium and light density soil. In principle, an unpretentious plant is able to germinate on dense clay soils, but it will develop more slowly, it will bloom extremely poorly. For future seedlings, experienced gardeners prefer to prepare an earthen mixture: they take ordinary soil for seedlings and add rotted humus, peat and river sand to it in equal proportions. To exclude contamination of the earth with various fungal diseases, it is calcined in an oven or steamed in a water bath.

Seedling care

Due to the unpretentious nature, caring for seedlings comes down to maintaining soil moisture, optimal temperature and periodic watering. The soil of seedlings should not dry out and should not be waterlogged, it should be moderately moist.

Loosening is allowed only for grown seedlings, since young shoots can be damaged.

To prevent root rot due to stagnant water, you should take care of the drainage system.

The comfortable temperature for the plant is within +20 C. To prevent burns, young plants should be protected from direct sunlight.

Plant care during and after flowering

In the process of plant growth, to give the bush a more voluminous and lush appearance, the tops of shoots no more than 10-15 cm high are periodically pinched.

In late autumn, when flowering ends, just before frost, the bush is cut flush with the ground, the soil is dug up, old roots are removed. Due to the high probability of self-sowing next spring, the Clarkia will independently revive in its original place.

Diseases and pests: treatment

Clarkia is a fairly resistant and resistant plant to diseases and pests, however, due to maintenance and care errors, the plant can get sick or be attacked by pests.

Growing a bush on loamy soils can cause rust disease. This fungal disease manifests itself in the form of reddish-yellow spots with a clear dark border on the leaf blades. In most cases, the disease occurs due to waterlogging of the soil and stagnant water, as well as an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. For the treatment of the bush, spraying with fungicides (Bordeaux mixture, Topaz) is used 2 times a week.

With an excess of moisture, the roots of the plant can rot, as a result of which the plant weakens, withers and dies. At an early stage of the disease, the bush can be saved. To do this, drooping, weakened, affected parts of the plant are cut off, treated with fungicides. Also, high soil moisture can provoke the appearance of downy mildew: colorless or dark spots appear on the back of the affected leaf plate. The leaves are twisted, deformed. For the fight, the biofungicide "Fitosporin-M" or "Olirna" is used.

Of the insect pests, the mealybug is dangerous; aphids rarely settle on the plant. To get rid of adversity, insecticides are used, spraying with infusion of citrus fruit peels or garlic helps against aphids. With the latter, you need to be extremely careful, as it can leave burns on the plant. If treatment and prevention did not save the plant, then it is dug up with all its infected parts and destroyed by burning.

How to get rid of the flower midge?

In most cases, the appearance of a flower midge or sciaride is an indicator of excessive waterlogging of the soil. Most often, their appearance occurs in the winter.

The danger is not the midges themselves, but their larvae, which can damage the roots of the plant. When there are so many larvae that they can be seen, the plants are transplanted to another place treated from the flower midge.

To prevent the reproduction of flower midges, periodically loosen the ground around the flower, create a drainage layer before planting, avoid stagnation and severe waterlogging of the soil. Damaged and diseased parts of the bush should be removed immediately.

Fight the flower midge in various ways. The simplest, which is most suitable for potted flowers: around the flower, 4-8 matches are inserted into the ground with a sulfur coating, as soon as the sulfur dissolves, the procedure should be repeated 2-4 times.

It also helps to get rid of midges by watering with a weak (pale pink) solution of potassium permanganate or a weak soap solution.

Garlic infusion allows you to reduce and completely remove unwanted insects. It is prepared as follows: 3-4 chopped garlic cloves are added to 1 liter of boiling water, insisted for at least 4 hours, filtered and sprayed on the plants. However, this solution can burn leaves and flowers. For those who are afraid of harming the plant, garlic can be used in another way: garlic cloves are cut and laid on the ground, cut down, around the stem of the plant.

The zest of an orange, stuck in and spread out on the ground around the flower, is also able to protect the Clarkia from midges.

They also use a chemical pencil against insects (for example, “Mashenka”), they grind it and sprinkle it with soil.

Insecticides "Bazudin", "Thunder-2" and "Fly-eater" are able to quickly cope with the attack of insects on a flower.

Planting and reproduction

Clarkia is not demanding on maintenance and care, planting and reproduction does not cause any particular difficulties.

Clarkia seedlings grown from seeds are adapted to cool temperatures, they are not afraid of drafts.

Clarkia flower will be bright, and flowering will be long if it is grown on loose, fertile soils. In the case of planting in acidic soil, young plants develop poorly, in most cases they die.

The plant is propagated by sowing seeds in open ground immediately to a permanent place, or to seedlings.

When to plant Clarkia?

Clarkia grown seedlings are planted in late April - early May, when the likelihood of night frosts returning is minimal. The decision to plant a Clarkia in autumn or spring depends on when they want to get a flowering plant. If the seeds are sown directly into the ground, then sowing is done in the second half of September or in the second half of April.

How to collect seeds?

During flowering, 3-4 healthy large flowers should be noticed. After pollination, wilting and at the beginning of the formation of the seed box, an isolation procedure is carried out. To do this, with a clean gauze tape, the fruit is tied tightly, but not tight, to the stem. During this time, the seed box will ripen, and the gauze will not allow the seeds to scatter, thereby eliminating the possibility of self-seeding.

Seeds fully ripen 30 days after the flower has withered. By the dark brown color of the fruit, you can determine that the seeds are fully ripe. They are cut, seeds are taken out, dried on a flat surface. Matchboxes or paper envelopes are well suited for storage.

Preparing seeds for sowing

Before planting clarkia, the seeds are soaked for 2.5-3 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are wrapped in a napkin, gauze, bandage or cosmetic cotton pad, dipped into the solution. So they do not float and soak well. After the soaking procedure, the seeds are laid out on a sheet of paper or on a clean, dry napkin, dried at room temperature. The seeds are ready for sowing.

Sowing seeds in open ground

In the prepared soil rich in mineral fertilizers, shallow grooves are made 1.5-2 cm deep, at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other. With the help of paper or a toothpick, the seed is placed in recesses, sprinkled with earth, moistened.

It is necessary to cover the crops with a greenhouse, periodically ventilate and moisten the soil as it dries. After 10-14 days, the first shoots will appear. Young shoots are not transplanted, but thinned out, leaving a distance of 10-15 cm between seedlings. You should not do more, otherwise it is difficult to achieve lush and bright flowering from plants. The greenhouse is removed in early May, when the probability of night frosts is very small. In early spring, when sowing clarkia in open ground, young seedlings are not watered, since the soil is sufficiently moistened with melt water.

Seed sowing technology

In the prepared soil, shallow grooves are made at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. Clarkia seeds are sown in recesses, lightly sprinkled with earth. After it is necessary to moisten the soil. This should be done with extreme caution and care, in order to avoid floating seeds from under the ground. Use a spray bottle or a teaspoon. The container with soil is covered with a transparent material (glass, polyethylene) and placed in a well-lit place.

The shelter should be removed daily to ventilate and prevent seed rotting. As soon as the first shoots appear, the transparent cover is removed.

What containers are needed for sowing?

Shallow containers are chosen, which, before loading the soil, for disinfection, are treated with boiling water, wiped with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. For Clarkia seeds, it is preferable to choose medium or large nurseries. You can use individual cups, but they are not as convenient to work with as with wide containers. Planted containers are left in well-lit places, excluding drafts.

Planting clarkia in open ground

12-14 days before planting a herbaceous plant in open ground, they dig up the soil, remove old roots, and apply mineral fertilizers.

The stems of an adult plant are highly branched, as a result of which the distance between plants should be at least 15 cm. If the plants are close to each other, then they must be thinned out, this will allow the plant to maintain a lush, elegant appearance. In the pits for planting, clarks are planted from pots by transshipment, that is, together with a clod of earth. Young bushes do not share, otherwise the roots will be damaged, the plant will die. Next to the bush, a peg or other support is inserted into the soil. To stimulate lush growth and dense branching, the bushes are pinched.

Clarkia seedlings

Seeds for seedlings are sown in containers with prepared soil in early March. The flower obtained in this way has better health, is protected from various weather changes. Young shoots develop and grow quite quickly. When 2-3 true leaves are formed, they are pinched. The seedling method is good for growing clarkia at home in pots. If seedlings are grown for open ground, then transplantation is planned in May.

cultivation

The plant is able to please with its elegant appearance not only in the garden, but also indoors. Growing clarkia at home will not cause any particular difficulties, although in the pot version it will be more modest in size and with less lush flowering. When growing clarkia at home, you should take care of additional lighting, especially in winter.

If the seeds sprout late in the open field and the bush has not completely faded, in the fall it is dug up with a large clod of earth, transplanted into a container and grown at home. Year-round, the bush will not grow even with the best care and maintenance. After the flowers wither, the entire root system gradually dies off.

In spring, seeds are sown in early May. In this case, flowering can be expected in early - mid-July and up to mid-September.

In autumn, the seeds are sown in open ground in the second half of September, in which case the seedlings will grow a little, get stronger and winter under cover. When planting in autumn, flowering occurs much earlier - in early June.

Clarkia in winter

The plant is quite frost-resistant, calmly endures the cold season, but for better preservation, it is recommended to cover the flower after pruning with straw, fallen leaves, and moss. This manipulation is necessary if the plant remains in its original place. But when a new place for planting a clarkia is determined in the spring, the old one is dug up in the fall, all the roots and parts of the plant are removed in order to prevent the development of fungal diseases.

Application in landscape design

Clarkia looks very impressive in group plantings, paths, along fences and walls of buildings. Looks great in pots on balconies and terraces. Clarkia graceful and other varieties will perfectly fit and complement various flower beds, will decorate the garden.

Combination with other plants

Clarkia looks great next to other light-loving and decorative flowers. An excellent color ensemble is obtained from Clarkia with roses, peonies, daisies, oleanders, delphiniums, asters, phloxes. Clarkia is an excellent cut flower. In vases with water, Clarkia bouquets can stand for 10-15 days, while continuing to bloom buds.

They were separate genera, but recently they were combined into one. Here we will talk about the Clarkies, which were originally part of this genus, although the care for both Clarkia and Godetia is similar.

So, these are herbaceous annuals, the height of which, depending on the species, varies from 35 cm to almost a meter. The shoots of these crops can be straight or branched, often covered with fluff. The foliage is oblong, alternate. Flowers form inflorescences-spikelets or brushes. 3 representatives of the genus are cultivated.

Varieties and types

Or marigold an annual plant with a branching shoot growing up to 1 m. The stems are thin, their bottom becomes stiff with aging. The foliage is rounded, oblong, casting a bluish tint, riddled with red veins. Flowers are both simple and double, depending on the variety, and the color also depends on this.

Among the varieties are Albatross , Salmon Orange , Diamond , Ruby , Purplekening , Sun .

Clarkia pubescent or pretty undersized species that grows up to 40 cm. The foliage is long and narrow. Flowers have widely spaced petals.

popular variety Arianna .

Culture reaching half a meter in height. Small strongly fragrant flowers form inflorescences.

Popular dwarf variety Pink Ribbons having strongly branching shoots and pink flowers.

The rest of the plants called clarkia are godetia, which, however, itself, through the efforts of scientists, turned into clarkia.

Among them we single out Clarkia terry , which was previously a hybrid species of godetia, and its variety Sakura . This tall plant has a shoot covered with beautiful peach-colored flowers that will decorate any garden.

Clarkia graceful growing from seeds

Clarkia graceful reproduces only in a generative way. If you do not want to mess with seedlings, then the material is sown in the soil around the middle of spring closer to May or in the fall with the approach of winter.

A month before planting, you need to dig up a site with fertilizers in the form of a kilogram of peat per square meter, as well as a tablespoon of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Seeds are laid out on the soil in several pieces and slightly pressed into it. The distance between crops is about 30 cm. If the seedlings are too thick, then they need to be thinned out, but do not overdo it, because lush bushes look more attractive.

Planting clarkia for seedlings

If you want to get seedlings, then the seeds need to be sown in light, sandy, slightly acidic soil, thus pressing them down a little or crushing them with thin layers of soil. Next, the sowing is slightly moistened and kept warm under the film, in a well-lit place, protected from direct sunlight.

With the advent of the first sprouts, the film is removed, and the container is kept in a warm room with fresh air until transplanted to the flower bed.

Do not tighten with a dive and spend it with the appearance of a couple of leaves. Planting young plants in the garden is carried out no earlier than May to protect them from return frosts.

soil for clarkia

The soil for Clarkia should be slightly acidic, light, permeable.

Heavy clay substrates are undesirable and in this case the soil must be dug up with sand.

Clarkia planting and care in the open field

Transplantation of seedlings into the ground is carried out together in an earthen clod, in groups of seedlings. The distance between the groups is the same as when sowing - about 30 cm. You need to take care of the supports that are stuck next to the planted bushes.

When the plants are accepted, light pinching is carried out, due to which they will bush more strongly.

Watering clarkia

Watering this plant is needed only in the heat in the absence of rain, in other cases, precipitation is enough for it.

The amount of water for irrigation should be moderate so that it quickly enters the soil and does not stagnate on the surface.

Clarkia fertilizer

From the beginning of the growth and development of buds and until flowering, it is necessary to carry out fertilizer with a complex mineral top dressing of the Rainbow type.

pruning clarkia

To make flowering more beautiful, it is necessary to remove fading inflorescences, leaving the amount you need to collect seeds.

This crop reproduces well by self-sowing. If you want to collect seeds, then wrap several flowers with gauze so that the seed does not crumble to the ground. Seed maturity occurs approximately 30 days after flowering ends.

With the advent of autumn and cooling, the upper part of the plants is cut off, and the site is dug up, getting rid of the roots.

Diseases and pests

When growing clarkia on loam, it can get sick with rust . To get rid of the fungus, the bushes are treated with a Bordeaux mixture.

Also with excess moisture roots can rot , as a result of which the plant wilts, weakens and dies. Trim off diseased areas and destroy heavily infested individuals, and then disinfect the area and plants with fungicides.

Among the pests, the most common is mealybug , occurs in rare cases aphid . Insecticides are used to control these pests. To defeat aphids, you can also use an infusion of water with citrus or an infusion of garlic, but when spraying with the latter, you can burn the plants themselves.

The family of bright annual flowers is so numerous that it is easy to get lost in it. Garden Clarkia has a memorable appearance - stately, flowering, with a pleasant smell. Like a real aristocrat of the flower kingdom, she is both graceful and hardy - she easily tolerates cold, drought, is undemanding to the soil, resistant to diseases.

In group plantings, Clarkia forms a rather tall, strongly branched bush, showered with flowers, from afar or in the photo it resembles a blooming hibiscus or Chinese rose.

Species and botanical characteristics

The genus Clarkia belongs to the family of Cyprus, it is the closest relative of Godetia, having a common homeland and origin with it. The genus is named after the American explorer and traveler who introduced the plant into cultivation.

Clarkia flowers, common in our gardens, are a plant with a herbaceous, partially woody, upright stem from 30 cm to 1 meter high by the end of the growing season. Due to good branching forms a lush bush. The leaves are bluish-green, the flowers are medium in size (ø3.5-4 cm) are collected at the top in a brush or a rare ear. The predominant color scheme is pink-lilac, but there are varieties with white, purple color.

A sunny plot in the garden is the only mandatory requirement in the agricultural technology of the summer. Otherwise, it is rather unpretentious - it loves not too fertilized, with a slightly acidic soil, manages with rain moisture, and is resistant to spring frosts.

It is interesting! Under the name Clarkia, one can often find Godetia seeds. Distinctive features of a godetia are a creeping stem, satin flowers that look like an azalea, racemose inflorescences.

Advantages and decorative value

Clarkia graceful flower growers love for its delicate beauty and elegance, it has a flower and other virtues.

It belongs to the group of annuals that bloom 1.5–2 months after sowing and retain their decorative effect until autumn frosts.
Clarkia is sown directly in open ground in summer or before winter, the plants are strong and hardy.
Seeds have increased germination, germinate quickly and amicably.
During the season, it manages to give full-fledged, fully ripened seeds.
The flower is prone to self-sowing, does not degenerate, retains its original varietal characteristics.

Of particular decorative value is the graceful or marigold clarkia, cultivated in a mixture of colors - from white and pale pink to lilac. Bright spots of lush bushes look good against the background of green lawns. Tall varieties are planted along walls and fences, in hedges. The plant is harmoniously combined with other letniki in flowerbeds and discounts.

The view of the Brewery is incomparable in the cut. Half-blown branches in the water open all the buds, forming an elegant and lush bouquet.

Growing technology

Clarkia graceful is most effectively grown from seeds by sowing in open ground. The culture is cold-resistant, so it can be sown in autumn or April, as soon as the soil is ripe. Seeds that have undergone cold stratification produce strong, healthy seedlings that are more resilient compared to seedlings grown in greenhouse conditions.

1.5–2 weeks before sowing, the soil is loosened, peat or coarse sand is added to obtain a light, crumbly structure. Organics are not needed, the greater effect will be from mineral fertilizers, preferably complex (30–40 g / m²).

Sowing seeds

Clarkia seeds are quite small, they are sown on the surface of the soil. So that they lay down more densely and stick better, the garden bed is watered abundantly before sowing. From above, you can lightly sprinkle with a dry mixture of peat and sand, or not at all. Planting scheme - nesting, in groups of 5-6 seeds with an interval of 20-30 cm. Shoots appear quickly - approximately after 2 weeks. After thinning, several plants are left in the group to make the bush thick and voluminous.

Advice! A bag of flowers weighing 1 g contains from 3.5 to 4 thousand seeds. You can't sow them with a pinch. The best way is mixing with fine sand (1:10) or gently shaking from a sheet of paper.

Growing seedlings

To bring flowering closer, to protect young seedlings from freezing, they practice growing clarkia by pre-planting seeds for seedlings.

You will need a shallow container with loose, breathable, peaty soil (provides the necessary acidity). Sowing is carried out in March on a pre-moistened substrate, on the surface. The sown seeds are lightly compacted with a wooden block and sprayed from the sprayer. The germination of the crop is good, so you should strive to distribute the seeds as little as possible. Before germination, the container is placed in a plastic bag, covered with a plastic lid, and placed in a warm place. After germination, the greenhouse is removed.

Advice! For planting seedlings of summer flowers, a plastic container with drainage holes and a lid is best. When closed, it contains a volume of air sufficient for the development of seeds without ventilation for several days.

Seedlings do not respond well to diving, so it is better to thin out the seedlings, and plant several pieces at once in the ground with a wet clod of soil. They do this in the last decade of May.

Features of care

Clarkia is an unpretentious plant that does not require any special care. In order not to be disappointed in the flyer, follow a few simple rules.

To prevent lodging of thin stems, provide a peg for tying in the center of each group.
Control growth. The stem, which has reached a height of 10–12 cm, is pinched, stimulating tillering.
Remove faded flower stalks in a timely manner - this contributes to the formation of new inflorescences.
Watering is needed only during the dry period, on the surface of the soil, not too plentiful.
Top dressing is optional, but will improve and prolong flowering. It is recommended to feed with full fertilizer along with watering, with a frequency of 1-2 times a month.

Species and varieties

In ornamental gardening, 3 types of flowers are cultivated - graceful (marigold), pretty and Brevery. Based on them, many unique varieties have been bred.

In culture, the most common is the graceful clarkia, which often comes in a mixture of colors, as shown in the photo below. Her bushes grow to a height of 70–90 cm, Flowers are simple and double.

The most valuable varieties are:

Brilliant - a tall bush with large bright pink terry inflorescences;
Purple - strikes with an unusual rich color, large double flowers, collected in a rare ear;
Clarkia Sakura - a variety with double inflorescences of an unusual white and pink color. A lush bush up to 120 cm high really resembles a Japanese cherry;
Shefteyn - flowers of a romantic lilac-lilac color, compact bushes up to half a meter high.

No less attractive is the dwarf species of Clarkia pretty with regular and double flowers. The unusual shape of the petals, which received the popular name "moose horns", is striking. Compact bushes 30–40 cm high look good in mixborders. Blooms earlier than other varieties by about 2 weeks.

Decorating a garden with ornamental plants is a challenging yet exciting activity. It's so interesting to pick flowers, break flower beds and think over the design of your own site. Unfortunately, many beautiful ornamental crops require special care that not everyone can provide. Clarkia graceful is easy to care for, easy to grow, and the abundance of colors and long flowering will make it a real queen of your garden.

In today's article, we will look at the main features and varietal varieties of this ornamental crop, as well as give tips on planting and further growing it, so that you, too, can enjoy the original Clarkia bloom in your garden.

Features of clarkia graceful

Clarkia graceful is an annual plant with many stems that can reach a height of 30-90 cm. In fact, it is a shrub, since the stems of the culture are very branched and covered with numerous green leaves. This feature, along with unusual flowering, gives the plant a special decorative value (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Species diversity of clarkia is huge

Despite the fact that Clarkia flowers are small, only 3-4 cm in diameter, their description and appearance will not leave any gardener indifferent. Inflorescences can be simple or double, but their main feature is in a wide variety of colors. There are varieties with raspberry, red or pink buds, there are also lilac and lilac subspecies of clarkia, but species with a mixture of colors are of particular value. As a rule, the petals of such hybrid varieties are covered with multi-colored strokes, dots or inclusions.

It is noteworthy that the plant belongs to annuals, and in autumn a lot of seeds can be collected from the flower bed, which can be sown again next season. This is another advantage of growing this ornamental crop in a summer cottage.

Varietal varieties

Like many other ornamental plants, the Clarkia flower is represented by a huge variety of varieties with petals of various shades. We will consider only the most popular types of culture and describe the varietal characteristics of each of them so that you can create an original color composition for your own garden (Figure 2).

Popular varieties of Clarkia graceful include:

Terry: a relatively low variety, the height of the shoots of which rarely exceeds 65 cm. The bush is quite branched, covered with dark green leaves. During the flowering period, buds 5-6 cm in diameter, with double petals, bloom on the branches. The shade of inflorescences can range from white to deep red.
"Fantasy": This annual plant with lush inflorescences is highly decorative. The length of the shoots can reach 75 cm, and during the flowering period they are abundantly covered with relatively large terry inflorescences. A distinctive feature of the variety is the variety of petal colors. In addition, this subspecies can be used not only in group and single plantings, but also for cutting.
Clarkia is pretty a very unusual variety, which differs from others in short stature and the original shape of inflorescences. The height of the plant is 20-40 cm, the leaves are thin and pointed, and the flowers can be double and simple. The variety is also distinguished by an early onset of flowering: the first buds bloom 2-3 weeks earlier than representatives of other subspecies.
"Joy": densely branched variety with a shoot height of 40-60 cm. A distinctive feature is that flowering begins two months after sowing the seeds. Petals can have a different color: from rich pink to crimson.

Figure 2. The best varieties of culture: 1 - Terry, 2 - Fantasy, 3 - Pretty, 4 - Joy

Each of these varieties is good on its own, but the flower bed will look much more spectacular if you combine several types of clarke at once. In addition, many of the described subspecies served as the basis for the creation of hybrids, which are also highly decorative.

Growing Rules

Since the Clarkia is an annual plant, it can only be grown from seeds. But even with such restrictions, you still have the freedom of choice: either sow the seeds directly into the ground, or first grow seedlings, and only then move the grown seedlings to the flower bed.

from seed

Growing clarkia from seeds at home is not difficult, as the culture germinates quickly and adapts well in a new place (Figure 3).

Note: Seeds can be sown in spring and autumn. In the first case, the procedure is carried out in late April or early May, and in the second - around October. Sowing before winter has its advantages: during the cold season, the natural stratification of seeds will take place, and in the spring you will get a ready-made flower bed, while spending a minimum of effort.

To make the flower bed truly beautiful, follow these recommendations:

About a month before planting seeds, you need to carefully dig up the selected area and apply fertilizer: a kilogram of peat and a tablespoon of superphosphate and potassium sulfate per square meter of area.
You can place the seeds on the bed in any order. But in order for the grown flowers to be comfortable, the distance between crops should be about 30 cm.
It does not make sense to deepen the planting material into the ground. It is enough to spread the seeds on the surface of the soil and press them a little.

Figure 3. In most cases, the flower is grown by direct sowing in the ground

from seedlings

If you live in a cold climate, growing Clarkia flowers by direct seeding in the ground is not suitable for you. It is much better to use the seedling method, because in this case you will transplant already grown and grown seedlings to the flower bed, which will normally endure any weather surprises (Figure 4).

Sowing seeds of Clarkia graceful for seedlings to obtain flowers is carried out as follows:

Planting material is sown in light sandy soil with a slightly acidic reaction.
As in the case of sowing in open ground, the seeds are not buried, but simply laid out on the surface of the substrate, slightly pressing them into it.
To make seedlings appear faster, seeds can be sprinkled with a thin layer of soil and lightly watered.
Next, the container is covered with glass or film, and placed in a well-lit, warm place. At the same time, it is desirable that the pot is not exposed to direct sunlight, which can destroy delicate sprouts.
As soon as the first stalks appear, the shelter is removed, and the seedlings are grown in a warm, well-ventilated room.

Like any other seedlings, Clarkia seedlings need to dive. The procedure is carried out when a pair of true leaves appears. After that, it remains only to wait for the consistently warm May weather, and you can transplant seedlings into open ground.

Figure 4. In cold climates, the plant is best grown in seedlings.

Experienced gardeners advise not to rush to move the seedlings to the flower bed. The fact is that young plants are very sensitive to frost, and sharp fluctuations in temperature can adversely affect their health. Therefore, it is better to wait for consistently warm spring weather, and only after that to land.

Suitable soil

Despite the fact that the elegant Clarkia is considered an unpretentious annual, lush and abundant flowering will be possible only if certain rules of agricultural technology are observed. They concern not only planting and caring for a crop, but also the selection of soil for its cultivation.

Usually, the culture is grown on any garden soil, but Clarkia develops best on loose, fertile soil of medium and low density. Theoretically, it is possible to plant a flower in clay soil, but in this case, the seedlings will develop more slowly, and flowering will not be plentiful.

Experienced gardeners prefer to prepare the soil for the culture separately. To do this, mix ordinary soil for seedlings with humus, peat and sand in equal proportions. To exclude infection with diseases, it is advisable to ignite the mixture in the oven or steam it in a water bath.

Fertilization and watering

Clarkia may well do without fertilizers, especially if planting was carried out in a special soil mixture described above. But, if you see that the culture is developing slowly or blooming poorly, you may need to feed it. To do this, from the beginning of the rapid growth of shoots and during the formation of buds (but before flowering), complex mineral top dressing is introduced into the soil (for example, with Rainbow). Organic fertilizers for feeding Clarkia should be avoided, as this crop does not respond well to them (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Watering a flower is necessary only during a drought

A plot with fertilizers and flowers needs watering only occasionally, for example, in dry weather with a long absence of precipitation. The rest of the time, water is not added to the soil, since the flower will have enough natural moisture from the ground. If the need for watering nevertheless arose, do not try to add a lot of moisture to the soil at once. The liquid must be completely absorbed into the soil, and not stagnate on its surface. Otherwise, rotting of the roots or lower parts of the stem may occur.

plant pruning

Since Clarkia is graceful - an annual plant, there are no special requirements for its pruning. Despite the fact that outwardly the culture resembles a lush shrub, it is not necessary to shorten or remove the shoots (Figure 6).

Note: The only event that can be carried out in the garden is the removal of wilted inflorescences. They are simply cut off so that dry petals do not spoil the appearance of the plant.

Usually, a few dry inflorescences are still left on the stem in order to collect seeds in the fall. However, keep in mind that this ornamental culture reproduces very well by self-sowing. Therefore, if you do not want to spoil the appearance of the flower bed, wrap a few inflorescences in cheesecloth. So the seeds will not spill out on the ground, and you can collect them.

Figure 6. Pruning involves the removal of wilted inflorescences

As a rule, planting material reaches maturity one month after flowering is completed. With the onset of autumn, after collecting the seeds, the stems are cut off, and the site is dug up so that the roots do not remain in the soil.

How to deal with diseases and pests

Clarkia, grown in a flower bed in compliance with all the rules of agricultural technology, is extremely rare more. But sometimes dark spots may appear on the leaves of the plant, which indicate a fungal infection. It reproduces at high soil moisture, so it is imperative to revise the watering schedule and spray the affected plant with fungicides twice a week.

Pests also rarely attack the flower. However, the flea is considered the most dangerous insect for the Clarkia. These small insects live in large colonies and can quickly destroy a flower at the very beginning of its growth. Spraying with chemicals in this case will not only not help, but also harm. Therefore, it is better to spray the plant with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and take some preventive measures. In particular, it is not necessary to allow stagnation of moisture at the roots, and the soil around the stems must be periodically loosened.

You will find more recommendations for growing this flower crop in the video.

Clarkia graceful is an annual that is very popular with gardeners due to its high decorative effect. This plant is very unpretentious, coexists wonderfully with neighbors in the flower bed, such as roses, asters or phlox, and is great for cutting. Another plus:growing clarkia graceful from seedcan be carried out even by the most inexperienced plant grower, this flower is so unassuming. Clarkia is a bush with herbaceous stems up to 1 m high. Flowers lilac, pink or white, collected in a brush. The plant belongs to the cypress family. It grows wild in Chile and in the west of the North American continent. It got its name in honor of the English explorer William Clark, who introduced the plant into culture.

Preparing seeds for sowing

First you need to purchase high-quality seed in the store. Even better to collect seeds on your own. Clarkia seed box has an oblong shape, the seeds are brown, small. Retain excellent germination for 4 years, subject to storage conditions. To exclude possible infection of seeds with diseases, before planting, they should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours, previously wrapped in gauze or other clean thin cloth. After that, they are laid out to dry on dry napkins or cloth. When the seeds dry, you can start planting.

Growing clarkia graceful from seeds

It is not at all difficult to grow an elegant Clarkia from seeds. It is enough to know a few nuances related to the care of young plants and their planting.

Letnik is sown both in open and protected ground. Moreover, the first option is more suitable for residents of the southern and central regions of our country. In a more severe climate, the plant may not have time to fully bloom and form seeds before the onset of cold weather.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Optimal time for sowing clarkies in closed ground - the beginning of spring. Best to sow material for seedlings in the middle of March. Seeds sprout quite quickly and amicably. In open ground, sowing is carried out in April, when the soil dries and warms up. Possibly also sow Clarke in autumn.

Plants planted before winter are more resistant to temperature changes and begin to bloom earlier.

Seeding tank

As a container for sowing, it is best to use medium or large wide shallow containers with drainage holes in the bottom. It is also possible to land in separate cups, but working with them will be more troublesome. Before filling them with soil, the landing containers are disinfected. This can be done by wiping them from the inside with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol.A nursery used not for the first time is better to pour boiling water over.

The soil

For growing clarkia from seeds usually they take light soil for seedlings and add river sand, humus and peat in equal parts to it. Mature plants are not so demanding, but loose, light-textured soil is best suited for them. You can plant Clarkia in dense, poor soil, for example, in loam. But this will significantly slow down its development and reduce the abundance of flowering. It is desirable to add coarse sand to such soil, it will serve as drainage and improve the structure.

When preparing the soil for sowing, do not forget about its disinfection. This can be done by steaming in a water bath or calcining in an oven..

Sowing clarkia

Growing clarkia graceful from seedsin closed ground consider step by step:

In the prepared soil, grooves of small depth are carried out. The distance between them should be at least 1 cm, but not more than 2 cm.
Seeds are sown in furrows. You can pre-moisten the ground so that the seeds do not scatter.
Top landing sprinkled with a small amount of earth.
The soil is carefully sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle.
The container is placed in a well-lit place and covered with a transparent material (glass, polyethylene).

Crops are aired daily to prevent rot. As soon as shoots appear, the container is no longer covered. At this time, young plants should be protected from drafts.

It is also possible nest planting seeds of 5-6 pieces at a distance of 25 cm from each other. After the emergence of seedlings, after about a couple of weeks, you can carefully thin out the plantings.

Clarkia seedlings

If it is necessary to plant seedlings from a container, this should be done very carefully. Seedlings have a thin root system that is easy to damage. Transplantation is carried out together with an earthen clod. Young bushes are tied up so that they do not damage the wind. Since the landing takes place in May, when the earth is still quite damp from melt water, at first it will not be necessary to water the young plants. In order for Clarkia to grow branchy and dense, pinch the tops of young bushes. The same procedure is carried out earlier, when 4 true leaves appear on the seedlings.

picking

Neither seedlings nor young plants planted into open ground , it is undesirable to dive. Clarkia, especially hybrid varieties, do not take root well when replanted. But if there are few seeds sown and you don’t want to remove extra plants, you can still pick a pick, and the sooner the better. The optimal time for this procedure comes when the first pair of true leaves appear.

Planting clarkia graceful in open ground

Planting clarkia immediately in open ground will allow the plant to quickly adapt to environmental conditions. However, it is worth strictly observing the sowing dates so that the flower does not die from too low temperatures and begins flowering on time.

When to Plant Clarkia

Landing of the Clarkia can be done at the end of September - November. If spring sowing is planned, it is carried out in the last decade of April, when the earth has warmed up enough and the threat of night frosts has passed. A plant sown before winter will begin to bloom in June, and if planted in spring, flowers will form by mid-July.

Seeds that have spent the winter underground undergo a natural cold stratification procedure. This makes the future plant healthier and more resilient.

How to plant a Clarkia

When choosing a landing site, it should be borne in mind that the Clarkia does not tolerate shade well, therefore, it is necessary to choose a lighter place for it. The bush is not afraid of drafts, but a strong wind can break and damage the branches. Therefore, it is worth avoiding open, unprotected places. The plant tolerates spring cooling and summer heat well, but excessive sunlight can harm it. Another nuance that is taken into account when planting: the Clarkia is prone to overgrowth, so it really needs space.

The algorithm of actions when sowing seeds of clarkia graceful in open ground is similar to the planting method described above:

The soil is dug up and fertilized (mineral supplements are mainly used for this, Clarkia does not favor organics. However, peat can be added to the soil at the rate of 1 kg per 1 m 2).
Grooves are drawn in it, located at a distance of about 5 cm from each other.
The seed is carefully laid out. For convenience, you can mix the seeds with coarse sand.
Sowing is sprinkled with earth and abundantly moistened.

If the spring is cool, you can leave the greenhouse until warming, opening it slightly in sunny weather. The emerging shoots of Clarkia must be thinned out so that the plants do not interfere with each other's development. This should be done in such a way that at least 15 cm remain between adult plants in summer. Thin and weak young shoots will need support and a garter. It can be made from a peg.

Outdoor care

Graceful Clarkia picky, which distinguishes it from most annuals. Caring for her is simple and not difficult. But if you want to admire a particularly lush and abundant flowering, it is important to take care of the Clarkia with all responsibility.

soil for clarkia

Clarkia grows well and develops on light, slightly acidic soils with a loose structure. If the soil is oxidized, you can sprinkle it with dolomite flour or lime chips. To eliminate excess alkali, the earth can be watered with a solution of citric acid. Clarkia loves rich, fertilized soils, so a solution of superphosphate must be applied a couple of weeks before planting. It would be useful to add peat.

It is worth remembering that the soil needs timely loosening and removal of weeds. At first, after planting, you need to be as careful as possible, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the weak root system.

Watering clarkia

Clarkia loves moderate watering, so moisten the soil as needed. In hot summer weather, it will have to be carried out much more often than on cloudy days. It is important to prevent drying out or, conversely, waterlogging of the soil.Watering is carried out in the evening or in the morning.

Clarkia fertilizer

Feed annuals twice a month. For this purpose, complex and mineral fertilizers for flowering plants are used. You can also use a solution of chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15. This will provoke a set of green mass and stimulate the growth of the bush. In addition, such dressings do not harm beneficial insects and do not interfere with pollination.Sometimes wood ash is added to the soil as an additional fertilizer.

pruning clarkia

When the shoots reach 12 cm in height, they are pinched for more intensive tillering. So that the plant does not lose its decorative effect and does not multiply by self-sowing, fading inflorescences are cut as needed.

Diseases and pests

Despite its hardiness, the graceful clarkia is susceptible to attack by pests and diseases on a par with other garden plants. To prevent the death of the flower and the infection of other inhabitants of the flower bed, it is important to recognize the problem in time and take appropriate measures. Clarkia diseases: With improper care, specks and fluffy, mold-like growths appear on the leaves of the plant. This indicates the defeat of the flower by the fungus. In such a case, it is necessary to treat it with a fungicide, adhering to the dose indicated in the instructions. It also makes sense to adjust watering, saving the plant and the soil under it from moisture stagnation.

If root rot occurs, fungicide treatment and adjusting the frequency of watering can also help. It will also be useful to trim the affected parts. However, if the Clarkia has suffered too much from the disease, it will be easier and more convenient to remove it completely and grow a new young flower. Similar measures should be taken when downy mildew appears, manifesting itself in the form of dark spots on the underside of the leaves, causing them to curl and fall off. The cause of this disease is also waterlogging of the soil. Red spots on the leaves, called rust, can occur if the Clarkia is grown on loamy soil. The culprit for the appearance of these spots is a fungus that attacks the plant with an excess of nitrogen or stagnation of moisture in the soil. As a therapeutic measure, the treatment of the plant with Bordeaux liquid, carried out twice a week, is suitable.

Clarkia after flowering

With the completion of the flowering pore, the life of the plant does not end. Ahead is the collection of seeds and preparation for winter. These procedures must be performed correctly and on time, otherwise the garden beauty Clarkia may not please with her delicate flowers next year.

How and when to collect clarkia seeds

To collect seeds, several withering Clarkia flowers must be tied with gauze. This is done to prevent self-seeding. After 30 days, the seeds are fully mature and can be harvested. This will be indicated by the drying and darkening of the seed box. After collection, they are dried on cloth or paper and stored in a dark, dry place.

Clarkia in winter

After collecting the seeds, the plant is cut at the root and covered with straw or dry foliage. Thanks to intensive self-seeding, it will turn green again in the same place next year.

Sometimes warming happens in the fall and the seeds begin to sprout. In such a case, they need to be more securely covered. The plant tolerates frost and will safely overwinter.

If the Clarkia was planted late and did not have time to bloom, it can be transplanted into a pot for the winter along with a clod of earth on the roots. However, short daylight hours will not allowat homebloom as vigorously and abundantly as in open ground. In the event that it is planned to plant the Clarkia in a new place in the spring, the old bushes are removed with roots, and the ground in the place of their growth is properly dug up.

Types and varieties of clarkia

In the wild, there are more than 35 varieties of clarkia. But only 3 of them are grown in culture. On the basis of these species, breeders have bred many new interesting varieties.

Clarkia graceful or marigold (Clarkia unguiculata or Clarkia elegans)

This type of flower grows in California. The stems are lignified below, branched, their height varies from 30 to 90 cm. The leaves are oblong, serrated at the edges, dark green in color with a bluish tint and red veins. Flowers up to 4 cm in diameter, collected in a brush. The petals are simple or double, depending on the variety, red, orange, blue, white, purple. Possible: mixture of colors stripes, specks. Flowering begins in June and continues until October.

Clarkia is so hardy that it continues to bloom even when cut, without losing freshness for up to 10 days.

On the basis of Clarkia graceful, the following varieties were bred:

"Albatross". plant with pure white terry flowers. The height of the shoots is slightly more than half a meter.
"Sun". Variety with unusual single salmon-pink flowers. The height of the bush reaches 70 cm.
"Ruby". Bushes of this variety grow up to 60 cm, the flowers are rich ruby.
"Sakura" . Tall, over 1 m, variety, shape and color of flowers reminiscent of Japanese cherry.
"Diamond". Variety characterized by bright pink double flowers of large size.
"Sheftain". Plants of this variety are distinguished by an unusual purple color of the petals and low, up to half a meter, shoots.
"Orange". A shrub about 60 cm high, the flowers of which surprise with a bright orange color.
Salmon perfection. This variety is distinguished by an extraordinary salmon-pink color of the petals.
"Purple King". The flowers of this variety are large (up to 10 cm) and rich purple in color.

Clarkia Brewery (Clarkia breweri)

A type of clarkia that is rapidly gaining popularity, small flowers of which (up to 3 cm in diameter) have a magical aroma. The plant is a branched bush up to 60 cm high, resistant to cold. The most common variety of this variety is Pink ribbons, a short annual with pink flowers. Great for mixborders. Perfect for cutting, retaining aroma and brightness for a long time. Photo: © prseeds.ca

Charm and the tenderness of Clarkia will not leave indifferent any flower lover. And thanks to its unpretentiousness and high decorativeness, it will definitely find a place in a flower bed, near a hedge or along paths and will become an adornment of any site.