Large-flowered digitalis: description, planting and care

Foxglove is an unusual flower that adorns many summer cottages. The culture is unpretentious and decorative at the same time. The large-flowered variety is especially popular. Our article will tell you about the features of the plant and the nuances of its cultivation.

Large-flowered foxglove (large-flowered) is a perennial culture. It got its name from its large, beautiful flowers. The stems of the plant are erect. The maximum height is 120 cm. The petals are light yellow in color and slightly pubescent. Brownish-brown specks can be seen inside the flower. The shape of the flowers is similar to bells. Unlike this culture, foxglove buds are collected in a brush.

Nature created the flowers of the plant in such a way that bees and bumblebees that penetrate inside are showered with pollen. Moving deeper, the insect transfers the composition to the pistil. This is how pollination takes place. The resulting boxes contain many small seeds. If they are not collected in time, self-seeding will occur. In this case, the culture can grow in the most unexpected place.

In the first year of the plant's life, a root rosette is formed. Apart from elongated leaves, the gardener will not see anything. Only the next year does a peduncle appear on a powerful stem. Flowering usually begins in May. Duration - 2-3 months (depending on the conditions and characteristics of care). Sometimes flowers delight summer residents only in June and July.

The culture prefers open areas with an abundance of sunlight. However, in a shaded area, she feels good. The only caveat is that in such conditions the stems can slightly stretch out. It is also not recommended to plant a flower under deciduous trees. In the autumn, falling foliage will interfere with the development of the plant.

As for the soil, the composition is not too important. Foxglove can grow in any soil, even poor soil. The main thing is to provide good drainage. Stagnation of moisture at the root system is undesirable. Nevertheless, if you plant a crop in loose and fertile soil, it will delight you with more lush and long flowering.

Sowing in open ground takes place at the end of May. You can do this in early June. A couple of days before this, the site is being prepared. Dig up the soil. At the same time, the shovel is buried by 25-30 cm. A good solution would be the introduction of organic fertilizers in combination with mineral compositions. It is better if the latter are natural. For example, wood ash will do. Fertilizers should be at a depth of about 10 cm. Then the area is leveled with a rake and lightly tamped.

Before sowing, the land is loosened again a little. However, holes or rows do not need to be made. Seeds are spread over the surface without embedding. They only need to be sprinkled with a small amount of earth. This nuance is associated with the small size of the seeds. The sprouts are small and weak at first. They simply will not be able to break through the impressive layer of soil.

Despite the fact that the grooves are not made, it is better to sow according to a certain pattern. You should get rows with intervals of 65-70 cm. After that, the beds are covered with non-woven material. When the first shoots appear, they are watered very carefully. The material can be removed, but during high solar activity, the seedlings are still covered.

It should be noted that at first, young plants grow slowly. Do not worry - active growth will begin a month after sowing. At this time, the sprouts are already beginning to thin out. There should be at least 5 cm between the copies.After another month, a second procedure is carried out. This time, a distance of 10 cm is observed. This time, young flowers are not removed, but simply carefully moved to another place.

Final thinning should provide each plant with at least 30 free centimeters. If you ignore this point, the flowers will not grow well. The rosettes will be small, the stems weak and low, and flowering may not occur at all.

If there are few seeds, sowing can be done in seedling boxes. In this case, termination is also not required. Seed material is spread over the soil, sprinkled and moistened with a spray bottle. Then they are covered with glass or polyethylene. The shelter is removed when shoots appear.

The pick is carried out at the stage of the cotyledons. You can just thin out the seedlings. When 3 leaves appear, the flowers dive again. The plants are moved to the site at the end of summer. The distance between specimens must be at least 25 cm. Before the first wintering, the culture is provided with shelter from the cold. Some gardeners sow crops before the onset of winter. This is how the seed is tested. Only the most hardy and strong flowers appear in the spring.

Caring for the culture is not particularly difficult. The necessary procedures are regular shallow loosening and elimination of weeds. It is impossible to loosen deeply due to the close location of the roots of the flower to the surface of the earth. Watering is needed moderate. It is better to allow the soil to dry slightly than to flood the flower.

As for fertilizers, they are applied several times a season. Complex mineral formulations for flowering crops are well suited. The optimal amount of dressings is 3 or 4. If you "overdo it" with fertilizers, the rosettes will be lush, but you can never wait for flowering. It is not necessary to cover the plant before wintering (the exception is the first year). If the winters in your area are harsh, it is better to build a frost protection from spruce branches. Non-woven fabric can also be used. Also, if the gardener noticed the exposure of the root system of the flower in the fall, sprinkle it with earth.

Reproduction of large-flowered foxglove most often occurs by seeds (by sowing in open ground or in seedling containers). The variant of dividing the bush is used extremely rarely. Seed material does not need to be specially prepared for planting. But if you want to speed up the growth of young flowers, you can pre-soak the seeds in water. Two days will be enough. For the prevention of diseases, you can use a light manganese solution. The seeds are kept in it for about 20 minutes.

For more information about growing, caring for and watering foxgloves, see the video.