Cornflowers - a beautiful plant

These flowers belong to the family of astroids, theyextremely unpretentious to the conditions of cultivation. They are annual or perennial. Annuals are such varieties as American, blue, imperial cornflowers. The cornflower, the mountainhead, the mountain, and the Russian belong to the perennial. Petals are not only blue, as is commonly believed. Color can range from snow-white to deep purple, there are even yellow varieties. Cornflowers (photo below) differ in the shape of the inflorescence. They can be small, large, simple or terry.

This plant is successfully used in designMauritanian lawns, colored curbs, perfectly combined with other plants in mixed flower beds. Cornflower garden large varieties are grown for cutting. Picking up a place for these flowers, you should prefer open sunny areas. The intensity and timing of flowering largely depend on these factors. There are no special requirements for the soil, the main thing is that the water does not stagnate, the sandy loam is well drained and weakly acidic. On the calcareous (alkaline) earth there is more intensive flowering, while the color of the flowers is more vivid.
Annuals reproduce by seeds, onToday the market offers a wide variety of mixes of cornflowers of different shapes and colors. They give seeds in large quantities. Planting is carried out directly in the ground for winter or early spring. Cornflower garden perennial propagate by the division of rhizomes or cuttings, it should be done after the plant has faded. Transplanted it is rare, only in case of strong growth or when creating new flower beds.

Watering flowers should be moderate, asthe soil dries well. Periodically, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the place of planting and to remove the weeds. After planting, the seeds require intensive moistening. If the newly transplanted plant wilts, you need to remove the ground part and water it well, next season the flower will continue its lush vegetation. Once in three years, the planting of perennial cornflowers should be thinned, the rhizomes divided and transplanted. If the acidity of the soil rises, the plant begins to wither. In this case, it is recommended to carry out liming of the soil. Cornflower cans feel better on scanty soils, so they do not need to be fed. Diseases and pests bypass these flowers by side. Perennials are particularly unpretentious, cold and drought-resistant.

Passing past the rye field, it is impossible not to noticeamong the ears bright blue heads. In this place flowers are considered to be weeds, because they can depress useful crops. But in a well-tended garden, on a multi-colored flowerbed this is already the most beautiful plant. Buying seeds, special attention should be paid to the manufacturer. The best cornflowers from the garden are from breeders from Novgorod or Novosibirsk. Seeds should be planted in open ground, well watered with dissolved humus and covered with film or other material, if planted in April. The plant begins to blossom at the end of June, it is not necessary to water it specially, it is enough summer rains. Cornflowers will rejoice with their pink, white, purple and blue shades until the end of the summer.