Likhnis chalcedony: features, agricultural technology

Likhnis chalcedony is an amazingly beautiful perennial plant from the clove family. Small flowers, collected in a bright hat, will quickly wither if you cut them off, so it is better to choose another option for admiring in a vase. But with proper care, the common dawn or adonis (this is also the name of the plant) will become an adornment of even the most inconspicuous area, pleasing the eye for at least a month, up to a maximum of 75 days. Let us consider in detail how reproduction, planting, care occur, we will find out the features of this flower.

The carnation family has 35 species. Only 8 have taken root in Russia, mainly they grow in the south and in Asia Minor. Fiery bright flowers of chalcedony lychnis seem to glow in the garden, creating a fabulous atmosphere. A plant with a strong root, in one place it can bloom for up to five years, ornamental shrubs reach from 40 centimeters to 1 meter up. Long, tapering leaves are distributed along the entire length of the rough stem.

The flower and rhizome of the dawn are soaped, and when rubbed, they also foam the water. The ancestors in ancient times washed and washed things with lyhnis, it is called girlish soap. Today it is more interesting in terms of its decorativeness and brightness. Small flowers are only 2 cm in diameter, and together form a bright red ball with a volume of 10 cm.

The leaves are also unusual, at the base they are heart-shaped, and at the top they are sharp.

Adonis are prepared for planting in early spring or autumn. To do this, make a deepening in the soil at a level of 1.5 centimeters and sow seeds. In order for the seedlings to emerge in 15–20 days, the bed is covered. Seedlings are ready for planting in an open area with the appearance of three leaves.

Fortified seedlings, a prepared cutting or a divided lychnis bush are transplanted, observing the following rules:

• light and permeable structure is chosen with low acidity; the soil can be mixed with sand;
• humus is introduced into the pits for planting in small doses, compost is also suitable;
• excessive moisture can destroy a young sprout, therefore, if the site is located near groundwater, drainage is constructed with the addition of coarse sand.

For the development and formation of bushes, top dressing is needed. Fertilizers are applied twice. First, they are used before flowering; for this, a solution is prepared with superphosphate, potassium sulfate and urea. From the listed components, take one tablespoon of each ingredient and dissolve the composition in a ten-liter container with water. This amount is enough to water three square meters. Next time, fertilize the soil after flowering to strengthen the plant before wintering. It is not afraid of frost, but it is better to cover the common dawn with dry leaves, for a "blanket" coniferous spruce branches are also suitable.

Another feature of care: chalcedony lychnis blooms for at least a month, from June to August. But if you remove the dried inflorescences in time, the adonis will glow with its "lights" much longer. The plant rarely needs watering, it is drought-resistant. In the heat, it is enough to water once every 7 days.

Several methods are used for reproduction.

• Cuttings. It is carried out in June, when the shoots from the plant are cut off, choosing a length of 15–20 cm. The cuts are treated with crushed coal, and the cuttings are placed under a shelter (film) in loose soil and often watered. At the beginning of autumn, the cuttings are ready to change their place of growth, they have formed a root, and now it remains to plant them in an open space.

• Separation of bushes. The plant is relocated every five years. And every year, dividing the bushes, it can be propagated. The root system of lychnis grows and forms shoots, therefore, in the fall (you can do this in spring), divide them in parts with a sharp shovel and immediately, while the rhizomes are fresh, plant them, maintaining an interval of 30 cm. Be sure to water them.

• Seed method. Lichnis is also propagated by seeds; favorable weather conditions are chosen for sowing in early spring or autumn. In the second case, flowering will occur next summer. If the goal is to get flowers in the current season, the seeds are kept in a cold environment for 14 days (a refrigerator is suitable for this), and in early spring they are sown in greenhouses or hotbeds. For growing gatherings, bright light and low temperatures are recommended. Collecting seeds for plant propagation begins when the capsules turn dark brown.

Likhnis does not need special care. Attention should be paid to combating various diseases and protecting against insects. Often the bushes are affected by rust, spotting or root rot appears on the leaves. To prevent diseases, it is recommended to make drainage before planting, and as it grows, constantly inspect the flower.

Aphids and leaf rollers can completely destroy the bush. The larvae of these pests must be destroyed immediately upon detection. You can get rid of them with the help of infusion of tobacco or tomato tops. Experienced gardeners add a little soap to it to hold it together.

Such actions are taken not only with respect to the leafworm, which sucks the juice from the flower, but this way they also fight against ticks. In especially difficult cases, it is recommended to use insecticides.

In landscape design, lychnis is good both in single performance and in group compositions. Bright red flowers look good in the company of green perennials. They are used to decorate paths in the garden, planted near curbs and on the banks of small bodies of water.

Translated from Greek lychnis means "lamp". It will shine with brightness in any area, but if you adhere to the following recommendations, you can achieve greater effectiveness in landscape compositions:

• it is better to plant a low dawn along paths, an alpine slide, mixborders;

• lychnis will play in a special way next to primrose, bells and daisy;

• a colorful flower bed will turn out from different varieties of adonis;

• the plant is suitable for growing in pots; in the summer it is kept outside, with the onset of autumn coolness it is brought back into the house.

Likhnis chalcedony is unpretentious subject to the above rules for reproduction, planting and care. Everyone can grow it, including a person who is not versed in gardening and not versed in complex agricultural techniques.

A short overview of Lychnis chalcedony in the video.