Azarina: growing from seeds, planting and gardening. Azarina: planting and caring for a flower Harmful insects that threaten Azarina climbing

Azarina climbing is still a rare guest in our gardens, and few people know about it. Meanwhile, this decorative vine can become a real decoration for any personal plot. Its thin shoots grow very quickly, and the dense decorative foliage forms a dense emerald carpet strewn with graceful large flowers. Azarina is most effective in vertical gardening, but it also looks great as a ground cover plant. How to grow such a beauty from seeds at home?

In southern latitudes, azarina is a perennial vine, but in our country it is cultivated as an annual, less often as a biennial plant. It has thin branching stems, dark green velvety heart-shaped leaves and tubular five-petal flowers in white, pink, blue and purple. Depending on conditions, shoots grow from 3 to 5 meters per season, and sometimes more. When sowing seeds in early spring, flowering begins in July and continues until frost. In place of faded buds, small boxes with very small seeds are formed. Petioles of foliage tend to curl and cling to any objects: supports, walls of gazebos, garden benches, stair railings near the porch, trees and shrubs growing nearby.

There are many other decorative varieties of this plant, but climbing azarina is the most popular among flower growers. Since the roots of the vine do not grow too deep into the soil, azarina can be grown in a container - outside in the summer, and in the apartment when cold weather sets in. If you provide the plant with the correct light and humidity conditions in winter, it can be cultivated as a perennial. With proper care, this vine grows in one container for about 10-12 years without losing its decorative qualities. It is usually propagated by seeds, but when grown in flowerpots, the plant can also be propagated using cuttings, which take root well in water.

Azarina climbing - decoration of the fence

Growing by seeds

Azarina climbing "Pink" Azarina climbing "Violet" Azarina climbing "White"

It takes about 4 months from germination to flowering of climbing azarina, and therefore, in order to admire its wonderful flowers already in the middle of summer, it is necessary to grow it in seedlings. When sown in open ground, the plants will not have time to acquire the desired decorative effect before the cold weather. The process of sowing and caring for seedlings is very simple and is almost no different from growing other flower crops.

Sowing dates

Sowing is carried out in February-March, depending on the region. To correctly determine the timing of sowing, it should be noted that seedlings cannot be planted in the ground until the threat of frost has passed. And overgrown plants stretch out, entwine the pot, making replanting difficult and taking longer to adapt. As a rule, the time interval between sowing seedlings and planting seedlings in open ground is about 10-12 weeks. Therefore, in the southern regions, seeds can be sown already at the beginning of February, in the central zone - two weeks later, and in more northern regions, the optimal sowing time is considered to be the period from March 10 to 20.

Soil preparation

Azarina can develop normally in any soil, even poor soil, but the more nutrients there are, the more luxuriant the shoots grow. The most suitable soil composition for it is considered to be a mixture of garden soil with humus and sand.

You can also add peat for greater looseness. All components are taken in equal parts, mixed and calcined in the oven for at least an hour or poured with a hot, strong solution of potassium permanganate. A layer of drainage is poured into seedling boxes or cassettes, then filled with prepared soil.

Sowing seeds

As a rule, seeds are sown in pots without pre-treatment. They are laid out on the moistened surface of the substrate and lightly pressed. It is undesirable to distribute the seeds too thickly, as the seedlings will be crowded and the seedlings may be injured when picking. It is not necessary to sprinkle the seeds; the main thing is to cover the boxes with glass and place them in a warm, illuminated place. At room temperature, seedlings appear within 10-14 days, maximum three weeks.

If there are very few seeds, you need to take peat tablets for sowing. Using tweezers, distribute the seeds one at a time onto each tablet and lightly sprinkle with calcined sand. It is also convenient to use dry sphagnum moss: it is crushed with scissors, moistened, laid out in small cups, after which a vine seed is placed inside the moss ball. The cups also need to be covered with glass or film until shoots emerge.

Sphagnum moss - light, clean, dry

As soon as the first shoots appear, the glass begins to be removed for ventilation for 1-2 hours every day.

Azarina climbing - sprout

After a week, the shelter can be removed completely, and the temperature in the room can be lowered to 16-17 degrees. All this time, plants need additional lighting in the morning and evening hours, as well as during the day in cloudy weather. Watering should be the most moderate, as long as the substrate does not dry out, otherwise the seedlings are affected by the black leg.

Sometimes it happens that even after a month, sprouts do not appear in the pots, although there is enough moisture and heat. This may indicate either poor quality of the seeds (too old) or that they are dormant. In the second case, “shock therapy” will help: the cups are put in the refrigerator for 25-30 days, and then returned to their place again. Usually this is enough for the seeds to hatch and grow. Of course, this technique delays the flowering period by more than a month, but you will still have time to admire the azarina in all its glory.

Picking seedlings

Azarina reacts painfully to damage to the roots when planting seedlings, takes a long time to adapt, and later begins to bloom. To avoid this, it is recommended to plant the seedlings in peat or paper pots, with which the seedlings will be planted in open ground. The pots are filled with the same substrate that was used for sowing. Picking occurs in the phase of 2-3 leaves: the seedlings are watered, carefully removed from the ground using tweezers and replanted. If moss was used for germination, the plants are replanted along with it, increasing the size of the depression in the substrate.

7-10 days after picking, the seedlings are fed with complex fertilizer for the first time. The room temperature during this period should be within 20 degrees, lighting should be at least 12 hours a day. When the plants rise slightly above the surface and the leaf petioles begin to arch, you need to place a small support in each pot, for example, pieces of branches 10-15 cm long.

Advice! In order for the bushes to be lush, with a large number of stems, after the formation of 4-5 true leaves, the top of the plant is pinched.

On warm, windless days, pots with seedlings should be placed outside, accustoming the plants to the open air. At first 3-4 hours are enough, then leave for the whole day. Outdoors, the substrate dries out very quickly, so do not forget about watering.

Planting in open ground

With the onset of stable heat, you need to prepare a place for planting seedlings. Azarina is a heat- and light-loving crop, and therefore it is worth choosing a place for it that is sunny, open, and protected from the wind. As a last resort, an area that is illuminated in the first half of the day is suitable. The permeability of the soil is of great importance, since the vine does not tolerate stagnant water. It develops best on light, fertile loams.

Azarina climbing loves space, but in dense plantings it withers and stops blooming. When planting seedlings, be sure to leave at least half a meter between plants. This also applies to growing in flowerpots: one vine requires a container with a diameter of 40-50 cm and a depth of at least 30 cm. After planting, the plants are watered and the soil is mulched with dry crushed grass, sawdust or peat. In the first days, until the bushes adapt, it is necessary to install protection over them in case of rain.

When the seedlings begin to grow, another feeding is done with complex fertilizers. Further care consists of watering, loosening the soil and removing weeds around the bush. When the first buds appear, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied, and then this feeding is carried out regularly once every 7 days during the flowering period.

Azarina care

First of all, you need to immediately install a support along which the shoots will trail. This will simplify the formation of the bush and its care. Metal and wooden gratings, as well as mesh with large cells, are very convenient for support.

Despite the abundance of green mass, the shoots of the bush are not heavy, so the supports can be used quite thin. In hot weather, the vine needs light shading; direct sunlight leaves burns on the leaves. If there is extreme heat and drought outside, watering should be twice a day - early in the morning and after sunset. Additionally, in the evenings it is recommended to spray the bushes with warm, settled water. From time to time, bushes require sanitary pruning.

Azarina climbing has good disease resistance, but is often affected by aphids. The most effective way to combat this pest is to spray the shoots with an infusion of garlic, onion peels with pine needles or tansy, which any gardener can prepare independently.

If you want to move the plant from the flowerbed to the house, you need to trim the shoots to 40-60 cm, remove all weak and damaged stems, and then carefully dig the roots out of the ground. This should be done at the end of October or a little earlier, depending on weather conditions. The roots, together with a lump of earth, are transferred into a spacious container, at the bottom of which drainage is laid, and sprinkled with fresh soil. After this, water the bush well and place the container somewhere in the house in the light, away from heating appliances and radiators.

As a rule, in an apartment the growth of azarina slows down, the leaves become smaller, and flowering does not occur as abundantly and for a long time as in the open air. And yet, the plant looks attractive, fresh, and beautifully climbs upward along the supports. When you take it outside in the spring, the bush will quickly begin to form young shoots and grow. Just don’t forget to feed and water it regularly in winter.

The most popular varieties

Name	Description of the variety
	The leaves are small, dark green in color, slightly pubescent, with jagged edges. The white flowers are tubular in shape, about 3 cm long. The length of the shoots usually reaches 3 m
	The leaves are green, large, similar to ivy leaves. The flowers are horn-shaped, elongated, pink at the receptacle, violet-red from the middle to the edges. Grows up to 3-3.5 m
	A very decorative variety. The leaves are heart-shaped and deep green. The flowers are larger than other varieties, the upper petals are azure blue, the lower petals are blue, the center is white. Shoot length from 4 to 5 m
	The leaves are smooth, green, with small jagged edges. Tubular flowers have rich pink petals and a light center. Grows up to 4 m

Video - Azarina climbing: growing from seeds

Azarina climbing or, as it is also called Maurandia (lat. Maurandia), appeared in our garden plots not so long ago, however, due to its decorative properties, it begins to gain particular popularity every year. Its homeland is considered to be Mexico, California, and the middle part of the United States of America. Here Azarina grows as a perennial herbaceous vine. In regions with a temperate climate, the plant can only be grown as an annual. It is used for decorative purposes as vertical gardening.

Botanical description of Azarina climbing

Azarina climbing is a vine with thin but highly branched stems that grow from 3 to 5 m. The leaves are heart-shaped, velvety, and dark green in color. Flowers are tubular, consisting of 5 petals. The most common flower color is purple, but white, lilac, and pink flowers are also found.

Azarina climbing begins to bloom in July, but provided that the seeds were sown in early spring. Flowering lasts until frost. After the flower fades and falls off, a box is formed in its place, inside which small seeds ripen.

The petioles of the plant easily cling to any support, so Azarina climbing can be grown to decorate gazebos, verandas, open terraces and other objects.

The roots of Azarina climbing are not deep, and therefore it can be grown in spacious pots, which can be brought indoors in winter. Thus, a plant from an annual can become a perennial. The plant can be kept in one pot for 10-12 years and still remain as decorative as in the first year of its development.

Growing Azarina climbing seeds at home

Before you start sowing seeds, you must take into account the fact that at least 40 days must pass from the moment of germination of the first sprouts to the onset of flowering. Therefore, the optimal way to grow is through seedlings. If the seeds are sown directly in open ground, and this must be done only after the threat of frost has passed, Azarina will not have time to appear in all its decorative beauty before the onset of frost. Azarina climbing - growing seedlings from seeds

How to grow Azarina climbing through seedlings?

The technique for growing Azarina climbing through seedlings is almost the same as for other ornamental plants. Sowing of seeds is carried out at the end of February or in the first half of March - it all depends on the climatic conditions of the region where it is planned to grow Azarina climbing. If the seeds are sown very early, the sprouts, which grow quickly and stretch upward, will begin to entwine the container in which they grow, and, therefore, it will be very difficult to transplant such seedlings into open ground.

Although Azarina climbing does not make any special demands on the soil, it is still better to ensure that the soil is nutritious and light. In this case, the shoots will develop better and the plant will be much more luxuriant. You can prepare the soil yourself by taking equal amounts of garden soil, peat, sand, and humus. Heat the mixture in the oven, and then pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate - this will disinfect the soil and protect the seedlings from various fungal diseases.

The prepared soil is poured into containers, which must be equipped with a drainage system, seeds are placed on top, lightly pressed down with the palm of your hand, sprinkled with a thin layer of calcined fine river sand, and then sprayed with a spray bottle. The containers are covered with a transparent lid (glass, film) and transferred to a bright, warm place. The optimal room temperature is 15-20ºC. In order for the seeds to “breathe”, it is recommended to remove the lid from the container for an hour or two every day, remove condensation, and water if necessary.

Azarina climbing seeds do not germinate quickly. Almost a month can pass from the day the seeds are sown until the first shoots. If after this the seeds do not germinate, then the container is placed in the cold for about 3-4 weeks, and then again transferred to a warm room.

Basic requirements for caring for Azarina climbing seedlings

As soon as the seeds “hatch”, you need to open the containers and move them to a bright place. In the phase of 3 leaves, the seedlings dive. To do this, the soil in the container is moistened, after which the seedling is carefully taken, preferably with tweezers, and transplanted into another container.

Attention! Transplanted sprouts need special care. They need to be provided with good lighting, constant watering, and after about 1.5 weeks, fertilize with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizer. If the seedlings grow poorly, the color of the leaves will be pale, then you can feed them with nitrogen or potassium and phosphorus-containing fertilizer.

A few weeks before planting in open ground, it is necessary to begin hardening the seedlings. To do this, they are taken to a cool place, increasing the time spent in the fresh air every day.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Since Azarina climbing loves warmth and light, it is necessary to take care of the site: it should be light, with loose, well-drained soil, since the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil. You can mulch with peat.

As soon as the vine begins to grow, it should be fed with complex fertilizers. Be sure to install a support nearby for it to cling to. It is advisable that the support is not thick, the maximum diameter is 2.5 cm. If it is larger, the plant will not be able to wrap its petiole around the support.

Harmful insects threatening Azarina climbing

While Azarina climbing is resistant to diseases, it cannot resist pests, especially aphids. If pests appear, immediately spray with an insecticide solution or use folk remedies, for example, infusions of garlic, onion peels, pine needles or tansy flowers.

Growing climbing azarina in open ground is not as difficult as it seems. The main thing is to plant the seeds and seedlings correctly. Further care consists of watering and fertilizing. Using different varieties will transform your garden.

Description of azarina, varietal diversity

To decorate gazebos, arches, and terraces, you can use Asarina climbing or Maurandia, which is still little known to gardeners. This vine was first seen in Mexico. In the wild of tropical climates it is a perennial herbaceous plant. Azarina leaves are heart-shaped, rounded and lanceolate, slightly pubescent and not pubescent. The flowers are five-petaled and tubular in shape. The petals of the corolla are painted in different colors:

• white;
• light pink;
• hot pink;
• lilac;
• red;
• lilac;
• purple.

The photo shows different varieties of vines with different colors of petals. Azarina can produce shoots up to 5 meters or more. It does not have tendrils, like many vines, it does not wrap its stem around a support; azarina has long leaf petioles that wrap around the support.

Several varieties of azarina are grown in temperate climates:

1. Azarina climbing can grow up to 3 m. The shoots are thin, the leaves and flowers are small. The color of the petals is white, blue, pink, purple. Most often in gardens you can see this particular variety of Maurandia.

   

   Azarina climbing

2. Shoots grow from 2 to 3 m azarins reddish. It got its name from the color of its petals, bright red. The size of the leaves and flowers is larger than that of the climbing maurandia. It begins to bloom in June and ends in mid-autumn.

   

   Azarina reddish

3. For decorating balconies, the variety is most suitable for planting in Maurandia antirhiniflora, the shoots of which grow only 1.5 m. The flowers are small and purple in color, the leaves are heart-shaped.

   

   Azarina antirrhiniflora

4. For landscaping terraces, gazebos, most suitable Azarina Barclay, the stem of which can reach 3.5 m. Barclay's azalea is popular among gardeners because of its large flowers (up to 7 cm) and leaves. They love it for its long flowering before the onset of the first frost.

   

   Azarina Barclay

5. Landings azarin prostrate or climbing gloxinia is used in rockeries and rock gardens. Gloxinia climbing plant has dark green leaves and white flowers with a yellow core. Can withstand light frosts.

   

   Azarina prostrate

Features of seed propagation, types of fertilizers, frequency of feeding

Maurandia is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seed propagation is used for growing at home and in open ground. The difference is in the timing of sowing seeds. For growing at home, seeds are sown in spring in April, for open ground - in winter or early spring. Loose soil is suitable for sowing seeds. For propagation by seeds, you can prepare the soil yourself:

• sand;
• peat;
• humus;
• leaf soil;
• turf land.

Azarina sprouts

Before sowing, soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate. Moisten the soil with water. Then sprinkle the seeds; there is no need to cover them with soil. You can cover the seeds a little with calcined sand on top. The container must be covered with glass or film and placed in a sunny place. It is necessary to remove the cover every day for ventilation.

Advice. Azarina seedlings are thin and fragile; seedlings can be damaged during transplantation. Therefore, do not sprinkle too many seeds.

The first shoots will appear in 10-14 days. Some people refuse to grow Maurandia because they cannot wait for the shoots to sprout. This happens sometimes. For better germination, place the box with the crops in the cold for a month, then place it in a well-lit and warm place. This “shake” promotes rapid seed germination. Pick up the stronger seedlings and transplant them into separate pots or flowerpots.

Advice. Use cardboard cups or peat pots for azarina seedlings so that the root system is not damaged when transplanting into open ground.

The first fertilizing is carried out after two weeks; you can use the “Ideal” fertilizer. After another two weeks, apply Agricola fertilizer or similar. When applying fertilizer, carefully examine the condition of the plant. If the leaves are small and pale in color, it means there is not enough nitrogen fertilizer. If the leaves are bright green, but the shoots grow slowly, feed the seedling with phosphorus or potassium fertilizer.

Features of care, frequency of watering

Azarina does not like the cold, so it is planted in open ground when it gets warmer. To ensure Maurandia blooms profusely, choose a flowerbed on the south or east side for planting. Before planting, loosen the soil, add peat (if the soil is dense), and lay drainage at the bottom of the hole. The first days after planting, it is necessary to cover the seedlings so that they get used to direct sunlight. Experienced gardeners know that any seedlings need to be “hardened off”. Caring for a plant in open ground is not difficult:

• loosen the soil;
• remove weeds;
• apply fertilizers.

Attention! For bushiness and the formation of a larger number of shoots, and therefore more abundant flowering, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the shoots.

Watering is carried out depending on natural conditions. Until the roots are strong, you need to water them little by little and often. During prolonged drought, watering is carried out twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. The water should be warm and filtered.

Propagation by cuttings, use in landscape design

Maurandia can be propagated by cuttings. When pruning shoots, do not throw away the cuttings. Place them in water, after a while the azarina will take root. All that remains is to plant them in pots. The composition of the soil is the same as when sowing seeds.

In the fall, do not forget to collect azarina seeds for planting next year

Of the diseases, “black leg” is especially dangerous. For prevention, seeds and soil are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. Copper sulfate is used for treatment. Aphids can harm the plant. You can get rid of it with proven folk remedies:

• spray with infusion of onion peel;
• garlic infusion;
• infusion of marigold flowers.

If the aphids do not leave the plant, you can use chemicals.

Azarina is a climbing (liana) beautifully flowering light-loving plant that gardeners use to decorate balconies, fences and gazebos. This flower has very beautiful leaves and inflorescences. This plant is most often found in Europe, the USA and Mexico.

Brief description of the flower

Azarina is a very beautiful green vine with heart-shaped leaves and unique bell-shaped flowers, the color of which directly depends on the plant variety. Azarina is a moisture-loving and light-loving plant that prefers neutral garden soils. It blooms, as a rule, in summer (July-August) and autumn (September-November).

The azarin flower propagates by seed. Seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of winter (February) and early spring (March). Seeds germinate at an air temperature of +18-20 degrees Celsius. The vine is planted in open ground in mid-May.

The most popular species in culture is the climbing azarina. The birthplace of this flower is Mexico. This type of vine is an annual plant with a climbing branched stem and small dark green leaves. The height of the vine can reach three meters. It blooms with tubular flowers of lilac, blue, pink and white colors. When sown early, climbing azarina blooms from early summer until frost.

The most popular varieties of azarina are:

• "Bridge's White" (white flowers);
• "Joan Loraine" (purple flowers);
• "Mystic Rose" (pink flowers).

Also, in gardening, Barclay and reddish azarina are used to decorate gazebos.

Growing Asarina climbing from seeds

Growing climbing azarina is not difficult. Immediately before sowing this plant, you need to prepare the soil - the top layer of soil is mixed with sand and peat (1 kg of soil, 200 g of sand and 300 g of peat). You can also use ready-made soil (universal), which is sold in stores.

Sow seeds in February or March. When growing, azarina should be provided with heat and light, so the container with the planted seeds should be stored either in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. The air temperature should not be lower than +10 degrees Celsius. When the seeds sprout, several leaves will appear on each of them. At this point, the seedlings need to be moved into small boxes and the sprouts should be provided with support. It is advisable to trim well-developed shoots. After the flower has taken root well, the vine is planted in open ground in mid-May.

Azarina climbing: features of cultivation and care

Follow the tips below and then growing azarina will bring positive results.

Before planting a flower in open ground, you should think carefully about the place that would be ideal for the vine. It should be protected from the wind and sunny. It is advisable to fertilize the soil immediately before planting seedlings with loamy soil, then you need to form holes and pour drainage into them. Seedlings must be planted in the ground at a certain distance from each other - on average, 50 cm.

Also, the above plant can be planted in flowerpots. After planting the seedlings, a support is placed in the container, which, as a rule, is removed when the azarin flower outgrows it. After removing the support, young shoots are evenly distributed.

Caring for a vine includes three main points:

• loosening;
• weeding;
• tying long stems.

To have more branches, shoots must be pinched periodically. Water the azarina sparingly. As for feeding the plant, it should be done once every two weeks: during the flowering period - with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, and during the growing season - with nitrogen fertilizers.

The main enemy of climbing azarina is aphids, which gardeners fight with onion or garlic infusions. You can also resort to special products sold in stores.

♦ Category:

Azarina is a climbing plant from the Norichinaceae family. In the literature, the plant can also be found under the name “Maurandia”. This ornamental vine is native to North and Central America, as well as Southwestern Europe. It is successfully used to plant vertical structures in the garden, decorate rocky slopes, and is also grown in a hanging form to decorate a balcony, terrace or winter garden. In addition to carved leaves, bright flowers attract attention. They appear in early summer and persist until the first frost.

Description of the plant

Azarina is a perennial, climbing vine. Its thin, branched stems grow 3-5 m in length. In the natural environment, flexible shoots can grow up to 7 m long. In central Russia, the flower is grown as an annual, since it practically does not tolerate frost. The shoots are covered with alternate petiolate heart-shaped leaves. Trifoliate leaf plates of emerald color have beautiful carved sides. The leaves and young shoots are often covered with short, dense hair. Azarina has no mustache; it clings to support with long flexible leaf petioles. Therefore, the plant needs to be guided during the growth process.

In mid-June, large tubular flowers bloom in the axils of the leaves. They are located singly or collected in small racemose inflorescences. The petals can be colored white, pink, blue or purple. The diameter of the corolla is 3-6 cm, the length of the tube is 5-7 cm. The inside of the narrow tube is painted in lighter shades (white, cream). But the strongly bent outward petals are distinguished by bright, saturated colors.

From September, the fruits begin to ripen - dry, round-shaped seed pods. They contain small, dust-like seeds. Ripe fruits crack, and the wind carries the seeds over long distances.

Types and varieties of azarina

Among all the diversity in Russia, only a few species and ornamental varieties of azarina are most widespread.

It is especially popular. Its curly, flexible stems grow 2-3.5 m per season. Small dark green leaves resemble ivy foliage. The diameter of the tubular flowers is 3 cm. The seedlings bloom 4 months after planting and continue to delight with a riot of colors until late autumn. Popular varieties:

• Mystic Rose – blooms bright pink flowers;
• Bridge's white - attracts with large snow-white corollas;
• Sky blue – during the flowering period it is dotted with medium-sized blue buds;
• Joan Loraine – produces many dark purple buds;
• Red dragon - distinguished by scarlet or blood-red flowers.

The plant has highly branched shoots 1.5 m long. They are densely covered with emerald triangular foliage. Tubular-bell-shaped flowers are 3 cm in diameter. They appear in June from the axils of the leaves and are collected in racemose inflorescences. Scarlet, blue, pink and purple petals cover the thick dark green crown until mid-October.

The variety is characterized by a high rate of growth of green mass. Branched shoots up to 3.5 m long are covered with heart-shaped bare foliage. In June, large (up to 7 cm) tubular flowers appear. The edges of the petals are colored light violet, scarlet or purple. The throat is painted white.

Reproduction

Azarina is propagated by sowing seeds and cuttings. To get flowering plants by early summer, seeds should be planted in February. The optimal age of seedlings for transplanting into open ground is 10-12 weeks. It is planted when the danger of return frosts has completely passed. Based on these parameters, the seed sowing date is calculated. Use containers with loose, fertile soil. You can take garden soil, humus and sand. The soil mixture is calcined and moistened. Seeds do not need treatment before planting. They are distributed on the surface and carefully pressed with a board. The containers are covered with film or glass and left in the room. Shoots appear in 1-3 weeks. Grown-up sprouts are taught to grow without shelter for a week. With the appearance of two true leaves, the plants are planted and transferred to a cooler room (+16...+17°C). Watering should be limited.

If azarina grows in a container, then during the winter its stems become very elongated and become bare. They need to be trimmed. Cuttings can be rooted to produce new plants. Rooting is carried out in moist sandy-peaty soil. Young roots form quite quickly. After 2-3 weeks, seedlings can be grown as adult plants.

Planting and care

Azarina is planted in an open, windless place. It’s good if the leaves are shaded during the midday hours. You should also take care of support for the vine in advance. The plant prefers loose, fertile soils. The best soil for it will be a mixture of the following components:

• leaf soil;
• turf land;
• leaf humus;
• peat;
• coarse sand.

Plants need to be planted at a distance of 30-50 cm, as they love space. In plantings that are too dense, blackleg (a bacterial or fungal plant disease) develops faster. After planting, the soil surface is mulched with peat or dry chopped grass.

Caring for azarina is simple; it comes down to the formation of the crown and regular watering. As they grow, the stems must be guided and tied along the support. To get a beautiful ampel shape, you must first support the vine to a height of up to 60 cm, and then remove the support and spread the shoots evenly along the sides of the pot. The depth of the container for planting must be at least 20 cm.

Azarina requires moderate watering. It tolerates drought well, but is quickly affected by root rot. Between waterings, the soil surface should dry out by 5-7 cm. On dry days, flowers are watered more often; it also doesn’t hurt to spray the entire crown with water.

In order for the green mass to grow faster and flowering to be abundant, regular feeding is necessary. Fertilizers are applied every week. It is recommended to alternate organic and mineral fertilizers. From organic matter, a solution of chicken manure is used. The following are used as mineral fertilizers:

• nitrogenous - during the growing season;
• phosphorus - during the formation of buds and flowering.

Wintering in the open ground is possible only in the southernmost regions. In central Russia, the vine is brought indoors during the cold season. Insulated balconies and loggias are suitable. It is important to provide good lighting. Azarina can withstand fairly low temperatures: +10…+15°C. But the proximity of heating devices is detrimental for it due to low humidity. To humidify the air, it is recommended to use a tray with wet expanded clay or pebbles.

The most common disease for azarina is blackleg and other fungal diseases. They can even attack young seedlings. As a preventive measure, the soil and shoots are treated with diluted potassium permanganate or a solution of copper sulfate.

In the hot summer, aphids settle on the succulent crown. You can fight insects with decoctions of tansy and onion peels. The use of chemical insecticides is also permitted.

Use of azarina

This lush vine is good in the garden for decorating gazebos, fences, ridges and other garden structures. It is also planted in flowerpots on balconies and terraces. The plant quickly grows a crown and retains bright flowers for a long time. It is suitable for camouflaging various outbuildings. The best neighbors for azarina will be lavender, sage, cereals, and shrubs with gray-blue foliage.

Azarina flowers last a very long time, each bud lasts more than a week. However, you can only admire the blooms on living plants. Azarina is not suitable for cutting.