Platycodone is a perennial plant of the Bellflower family. Low stems with dense foliage have a height of just over half a meter. Flowers large, reaching 8 cm in diameter, usually make up the inflorescence of 3 to 5 flowers. The coloring of the bells of platycodon is very diverse: white, pink, blue, blue and purple flowers are monophonic, but there are also varieties with bright veins or "splashes" that give a special beauty to the plant. There are varieties with unusual double bells. Amateur flower growers greatly appreciate the dwarf varieties of platycodone, in which all proportions are reduced - they have a height of only 20 - 25 cm. Thanks to numerous leaves and a lot of flowers, the effect of "continuous carpet" is created, and the plant will certainly decorate the yard of any country house or space country plot.
The long flowering period of platycodone (up to 60 days) is another positive quality of the flower.
Platycodone: cultivation and care
Platycodone is grown from seeds. Seeds are sown in March. Because of their high sensitivity to light, they are sown superficially. The soil for planting platycodone is loose, loose, it will be good if fine gravel or fine-grained sand is mixed into the loamy soil. Immediately after sowing, the box is closed with a film and placed in a place illuminated by indirect sunlight. Seedlings well tolerates the usual room temperature - 20 - 23 degrees, watering is moderate.
In late May - early June, flower sprouts are planted on the site of their permanent habitat. To do this, each fragile bush is captured with a clod of earth and placed in the soil of a future flower garden.
Note: Platycodone does not like movement, so choose a permanent place to grow it for about 7 years. Watering the flower garden is done carefully and only through the sprinkler.
It is possible to cultivate platycodone by sowing seeds in the soil of the planned flowerbed in the fall, then they must be strewed with a compost or a layer sieved by the earth 2 - 3 cm so as not to become frozen. Crops will rise next year closer to summer. The sown plants develop slowly and blossom only after 1 to 2 years. Very often flowers need a garter, since thin stems easily break under the weight of the flower head.
Pests and diseases platycodone
The plant does not suffer from disease in good conditions, besides it is not affected by pests. Only the rodents can damage the root system: mice and moles. Platycodone usually tolerates winter well.
Growing platycodone in the home
If you live in a city apartment, but want to grow such a beautifully beautiful flower, then you can do it. Growing the house platikodona - it's not complicated. You can buy a flower in a specialized store, but it is quite possible planting a plant with seeds in a flower pot with good drainage. To platikodon long bloomed at home, he needs cool and bright, but diffuse light.
While the bells are blooming, they need abundant watering, but in the cold period of the year the volume and frequency of watering is significantly reduced. Transplant platycodon only as necessary in winter, when the flower is at rest.
When planting platycodone and caring for it, remember that the flowers are dusted, so if you plant several types of plants next to each other, varietal signs are eliminated. No matter how much variety you want, only one grade of platycodone can be grown on one plot. But the planting of the flower is remarkably tolerated by the neighborhood of the lily flowers , irises , marigolds and pansies. This property of platycodone can be used in the breakdown of flower beds, the arrangement of flower beds and rockeries .