All about the lemon monard

Monarda lemon is an ornamental culture that can often be found in flower gardens. It is popular not only for its aesthetic properties, but also for the ability to use it in cooking or pharmaceuticals. Let's take a closer look at this plant.

The culture is a failure of a fast-growing perennial, which grows in length to 60-90 cm. Has fragrant leaves, when rubbed, they exude a lemon scent. If the foliage is already old, then it still remains fragrant, however, during this period, the smell is more reminiscent of oregano than citrus. By the way, this scent is considered attractive to bees and butterflies, so the garden in which the monarda is planted is always filled with summer mood.

The leaves are oval in shape, pointed, reaching 3-8 cm in length. Around the stems growing from the center of the shrub, flowers of white, pink or purple color curl. Flowering lasts from June to September with cute multilevel inflorescences. In nature, culture is common in the United States, where it can be found on the side of the roads. The plant grows well in the local clay soil and sometimes a carpet of brightly colored flowers adorn American meadows. The culture has adapted well to life in Russian gardens.

Bergamot lovers can harvest the leaves for cooking. For example, it is good to add monarda when baking pastries: cheesecakes or cakes. The flower can add a spicy taste to a fish dish, sauce, homemade liquor. Very often, consumers add the leaves to their tea. And the plant can also be found on the table as an ingredient that simply decorates a festive dish with its aesthetic appearance. Some people freeze the leaves in ice cubes to refresh their summer cold drinks.

Another property of this plant is the possibility of using it in medicine and cosmetology. The oil, which is made from lemon monarda, is high in thymol and has antioxidant and bacterial properties. It can be used during colds to ease breathing and coughs, and to help clear parasites from the intestines. This flower can be used to make a facial bath: this product will reduce the oiliness of the skin and protect against acne, especially if the ingredient is combined with chamomile or lavender.

The most common varieties in Russia are "Mona Lisa", "Diana", "Solntsevsky Semko"... These are annual varieties that, however, can withstand the winter cold.

This plant tolerates calcareous or alkaline soils well, but it is important to avoid areas that could be flooded. Choose a sunny location for planting. The plants themselves can be placed close to each other, about 30-40 cm: this will create a more picturesque appearance of the flower bed, but between the rows it is better to maintain a distance of at least 70 cm.If the gardener is trying to create a flower arrangement, it is recommended to leave about 40-50 cm from other landings. Seedlings are planted in separate holes, abundantly saturated with water. After planting, the bushes immediately need to be watered well, and then watered several times with an interval of 2-3 days. Further, watering of the culture is practically not needed, only during the dry period, if it coincides with the flowering period.

The rest of the time, the culture will tolerate drought well. However, in the case when the plant is planted for decorative purposes, it is still better to water it on a par with neighboring crops, because then the inflorescences will develop more luxuriantly, in addition, the risk of damage to the plant by powdery mildew will be reduced. When grown in poor soil, top dressing should be started in the first year. The first fertilization is applied in early spring or a month after planting. Complex mineral compositions are suitable as additional nutrition during this period. The second time the plant is fed after flowering. In this case, sulfate and potassium mixtures will be relevant, which will improve maturation and budding for the next year.

Pruning also does not require special rules and consists only in removing the aboveground part before cold weather. The cut green mass must be destroyed. There is no need to remove faded sprouts, since the ripening of seeds in this culture does not in any way affect the duration of flowering. The shrub grows on one bed for 5-6 years and rejuvenation is necessary in case of loss of decorative properties. In order for the plant to always be beautiful and delight the gardener with lush flowering, you do not need to wait for the bushes to die off, it is better to separate them every 3-4 years.

The rich citrus scent of the plant scares away pests, so it does not need additional treatment from insects. Moreover, the monarda can be planted next to other crops to protect them from pests. Of the ailments, this plant is most often affected by powdery mildew and rust. To prevent these diseases, it is recommended to carry out treatment with agents containing copper in early spring.

It is customary to breed a culture by dividing a bush or growing from seeds. In the first case, four-year-old bushes are used. This is not the most popular and productive breeding method, so let's dwell on seed breeding in more detail. Sowing is carried out in January or February. The planting material is buried in the substrate in containers, the first shoots can hatch in three weeks.

Young bushes will feel comfortable at a temperature of about +20 degrees. Seedlings aged 2-2.5 months can be transplanted into open ground. Before planting, dig up the bed, add manure, minerals, sand, lime, and add ammonium nitrate directly at the stage of planting seedlings.