A variety of types of perennial garden milkweed, planting and care rules

Garden spurge (euphorbia) is an unpretentious and original plant that has gained popularity among gardeners in almost all countries. It is appreciated not only for its decorative properties, but also as a honey plant and a medicinal plant that can cope with many ailments. Planting perennial garden milkweed and the rules for caring for it are interesting for both novice flower lovers and experienced flower growers.

Types of garden milkweed

Generous nature has scattered over 2000 species of milkweed, one- and perennial, tree-like and herbaceous, garden and vegetable species all over the world. In the Russian latitudes, many-flowered, almond-shaped, cypress, capitate and bordered milkweed have gained popularity.

Euphorbia is a poisonous plant. Take care that children and pets are not harmed by it before boarding!

• M. multiflorous (multicolor) - the most unpretentious perennial representative of the genus, tolerates frosty winters well. Relatively low - up to 70 cm. It blooms from May to mid-summer, the rest of the time it pleasantly diversifies garden plantings with the decorativeness of the leaves, which acquire a lemon-yellow color after flowering. Varietal forms differ in the color of the leaf plates.
• M. almond-shaped (almond) - unpretentious, the threshold of frost resistance of the species is -15 ° С. Perennial flowers are painted in a bright light green color, collected in a brush. Prefers humid places. It grows well in shaded areas, but varietal forms, the decorativeness of which depends on the color of the leaves (burgundy, purple), are planted in the sun.
• M. cypress - medium height, up to 40 cm, the leaves look like needles. It blooms twice a season, in spring and early autumn, forming a fluffy ball that attracts many bees with its aroma. It tolerates frosts down to -20 ° С, it is resistant to drought.
• M. capitate - forms low (up to 10 cm) shrubs-curtains, rather quickly growing in breadth. Bright yellow or orange flowers cover the plant from early June to early August. The capitate euphorbia is used as a ground cover. When planting together, its growth is restrained so that it does not drown out the plants growing nearby.
• M. bordered - an unusually decorative annual. Small flowers are completely lost against the background of bright leaves with a white border that appears during flowering - from mid-summer to frost. For its delicate beauty, this species is sometimes called an alien. The name is justified by the special growing conditions: the plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, it loves acidified soil.
• M. stone-loving ideal for rockeries, rock gardens. Height - up to 20 cm, shoots at the base are woody. The flowers are yellow, decorated with a burgundy "wrapper".
• M. Bolotny grows on wet soils. Erect stems have a reddish tint. Inflorescences are large, bright yellow in color.
• M. scaly grows up to 25 cm, with sparsely planted leaves, giving the bush lightness and airiness.

Almost all types of garden milkweed tolerate frost well. Exceptions are fiery, Mediterranean and myrtle-leaved species. In open ground without shelter, growing them is possible only in the subtropics of southern Russia.

• M. fiery (Griffith) - height up to 90 cm, erect shoots, dense bush. It is especially effective in autumn, when the leaves are colored yellow with orange tones. The flowers are fiery red.
• M. mediterranean (haratsias) - one and a half meter shrub, leaves with a pronounced bluish-gray tint.
• M. myrtle - a creeping species, the length of the shoots is about 40 cm.He received special recognition for interesting leaves - they are not discarded for the winter, they take a rounded shape.
• M. variegated grown only as an annual. Height up to 90 cm, the tops of the shoots are reddish. It looks especially impressive during flowering at the end of summer - the bracts acquire a bright, red color, which gives the flower a resemblance to a poinsettia (Christmas star).

Planting milkweed

Most species prefer open areas, well lit by the sun. In partial shade, the plant will bloom poorly, shady places are suitable for only a few milkweed - bordered, almond, scaly.

Milkweed soil needs loose, breathable, slightly alkaline or neutral soil, but some species like acidified soil. All species love dry, well-drained soil, with the exception of the marsh spurge growing in the lowlands along the banks of reservoirs.

All work with milkweed (planting or transplanting, pruning, pinching) is carried out only with gloves - the plant is poisonous!

Planting seedlings

Seedlings are planted in open ground in the second decade of May, when the threat of return frosts will be completely eliminated.

The algorithm for growing seedlings from seeds is as follows.

1. Seeds are sown at the end of March in separate cups (the root system of young plants is sensitive to transplantation).
2. For sowing, a substrate consisting of sand, garden soil and sod loam (2: 2: 3), previously disinfected, is used.
3. Before sowing, the seed is soaked in warm water for two hours.
4. Drainage is poured at the bottom of the seedling container, a centimeter layer of agroperlite is poured on top, then a nutritious soil mixture.
5. Seeds are spread on the surface of a moistened substrate and sprinkled with vermiculite or loose seedling soil.
6. The cups are tightened with foil, placed in a tray through which watering will take place.
7. Containers with sown seeds are kept in a cool place (about + 10 ° C) for 6-7 days, then transferred to a warmer place (+ 20 ° C).
8. The film is removed when shoots appear.

Two weeks before transplanting into open ground, the seedlings begin to harden.

It is worth knowing the basic rules for planting seedlings.

1. The soil is loosened, if necessary, substances that reduce the acidity level are added.
2. The planting holes are dug about 10 cm deep. A pebble of the middle fraction or expanded clay for drainage is laid out on the bottom. Pour compost or tree bark on top.
3. Seedlings, together with an earthen lump, are buried in a third of the compost layer thickness and covered with soil mixture (garden soil, peat, sand).
4. For medium and tall species, a support is immediately installed, a seedling is tied to it.
5. When planting in a group or when decorating borders between seedlings, a distance of 80-90 cm is maintained.
6. After planting, the soil is moistened and mulched with chopped grass - fresh or dry.

Advice

When preparing a place for planting seedlings, they pay attention to the specific features. For example, myrtle milkweed needs to be added to the soil mixture with crushed stone of a medium or large fraction, stone-loving - ash.

Sowing seeds in open ground

In open ground, sowing is carried out from the second decade of May to the first days of June. Frost-resistant varieties are sown in the fall, before the first frost. It is deepened by 0.5 cm and mulched with a thick layer of sawdust or humus.

Many species reproduce actively by self-seeding. The main condition is the proximity of male and female bushes, since the euphorbia belongs to dioecious plants. They are distinguished during flowering according to the following features:

• male flowers are narrow, elongated, pistils are large;
• female flowers are wide, rounded, many stamens.

If it turns out that the male and female flowers are growing at a distance from each other, the flowers are manually pollinated to obtain their seeds.

Care

Milkweed care is simple, no matter what type of plant it belongs to.

Water sparingly, only on dry, hot days, with the exception of recently planted flowers. In extreme heat, it is useful to spray the bushes with warm clean water.To do this, choose the evening hours. From the second half of August, watering is stopped completely so that the root system is prepared for winter.

The bushes are weeded regularly, at the same time they loosen the soil.

Top dressing - water-soluble mineral complexes for flowering plants, such as Fertika, are applied during flowering. Florists recommend using a solution concentration reduced by half, since overfeeding reduces the number of flowers. Three additional dressings will be enough for the milkweed season - at the beginning of the growing season (April), at the peak of flowering (July) and at the beginning of autumn (September).

In the southern regions and areas with frequent strong winds, mulching of milkweed plantings is actual.

To preserve decorativeness, faded shoots, broken, dry and diseased branches are regularly removed.

Preparing for the winter consists of pruning the stems to ground level and adding compost. Most species do not require shelter. First-year plants must be insulated. Usually they use rotten foliage. In cold areas, it is advisable to insulate more thoroughly, using covering materials. Shelter for the winter is especially important for thermophilic species - fire, almond, Mediterranean.

Diseases and pests

Euphorbia is often attacked by worms and nematodes. The plants are treated with suitable insecticides.

Nematocides (means for combating nematodes) are used only after careful study of the instructions attached to the drug.

Milkweed diseases - fusarium, root rot, ring spot. In the first case, the treatment is carried out by spraying with special agents (Fitosporin). Root rot, which occurs as a result of regular waterlogging of the soil, cannot be treated. Diseased plants are destroyed. Ring spot is provoked by intense heat. Limit the spread of the disease - affected shoots, leaves and flowers (yellow spots of small sizes appear on them) are cut off and destroyed. Then the plants are treated with "Fundazol", "Topaz" or a solution of copper sulfate.

Propagation of milkweed

In addition to the seed method, propagation by cuttings is practiced; for some species, the division of the bush or the formation of layering is suitable.

A typical propagation technique by cuttings is as follows.

• The best cuttings are cut in early summer from young shoots.
• The milky juice on the cuttings and the mother bush cuts is immediately washed off with slightly warmed water, sprinkled with charcoal.
• Cuttings are dried for 2 days in shade.
• Drainage (about a third of the volume), a substrate (the composition is similar to a mixture for seed germination) are poured into the planting container.
• The cuttings are planted, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle.

They are ready for landing in about 30-35 days.

The division of the bush is usually carried out in the spring, before the formation of buds. The bush is dug up, divided into parts with a sharp disinfected tool, each piece is planted in a prepared place. Plants over 3 years old are suitable for division.

The spreading roots of the milkweed constantly form buds, from which new shoots grow. This feature of the plant suggests an extremely simple way of reproduction - natural layering. Young shoots are dug up, carefully separated from the rhizome of the mother plant and planted using the usual technique.

An unpretentious, but picturesque garden euphorbia has been growing in one place for many years, requiring minimal maintenance. It is effective in itself and is quite suitable for those who have little time to work in the garden or do not have enough experience in growing flowering plants.