Cockscomb flowers in a flower bed care. Celosia Comb - cockscomb in the summer cottage and in the garden
These flowers were classified by botanists as belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family, but recently they began to be assigned to the Amaranthaceae family. Translated from Greek, "celosia" is translated as "flaming", which corresponds to the appearance and color of the inflorescences. They really look like flames of different colors.
Under natural conditions, celosia grows in countries with hot climates - on the African and American continents, in the warm regions of Asia. More than 50 species of this flowering plant are found in nature, but only a few varieties are grown in garden plots.
This flower is actively used by landscape designers when decorating flower beds and edgings. Low-growing varieties are perfect for decorating balconies and winter verandas. Thanks to their bright colors, these flowers look great both in single plantings and in combination with many flowering plants.
How to use in garden decoration
Thanks to the varied colors of the inflorescences, celosia is a self-sufficient plant, so it alone is enough to decorate a flower garden. But it is also good in combination with almost all annuals.
When decorating a garden plot with these bright flowers, you should remember that you need a sense of proportion in everything, so celosia is not planted in large quantities in a flower bed. It is advisable to plant plants nearby that are calmer in color and match their colors. You can plant these bright flowers in rectangular pots, create borders, or plant them along garden or park paths.
There are many ideas for decorating garden plots with these plants, growing celosia different varieties in the garden depends on the imagination of the owners.
Celosia is actively used by landscape designers when decorating flower beds and ridges.
Gallery: celosia (25 photos)
Rules for combination with other plants
The basic rules for growing celosia next to other flowers are as follows:
- the comb variety is balanced by plants with dim colors and flowers of different shapes;
- bright celosia flowers usually look better next to calmer flowers in color;
- celosia paniculata with yellow and orange inflorescences looks good next to blue and purple flowers ageratum;
- a great neighbor for this bright flower there will be two-colored ragwort;
- any annual (or perennial) white flowers - for example, labelia - are a wonderful background for red celosia inflorescences of different varieties;
- The red tones of this representative of the Chenopodiaceae family look great in combination with decorative varieties of cereals. Just don’t forget that if plants growing nearby in a flowerbed require various care, then you will need to care for each plant as it should.
Celosia from seeds: planting method (video)
Description of celosia species
In park areas and squares, in garden plots, only a few varieties of this bright flowering plant are cultivated. But even these few species can give the flowerbed an inexplicable charm and add a bright note to the landscape of the site.
Celosia spicata (Hutton's)
It is a pity that this plant is deprived of the attention of flower growers. Small flowers are collected in spikelets of almost all colors of the rainbow. Celosia spicata looks great in flower beds in combination with other flowering plants, is also well suited for single plantings - and it is better to plant celosia flowers of different colors nearby.
Celosia spicata (Hutton's)
Celosia paniculata (pinnate)
Celosia silvery pinnate is distinguished by its inflorescences, which are magnificent in appearance. These flowers are tall (up to 1 m in height), color spectrum different parts flowers - varied in color.
Celosia paniculata (pinnate)
Celosia silvery comb (cockscomb)
The appearance of the inflorescences is similar to a cockscomb celosia (as flower growers sometimes call it). The plant is low (up to 30 – 35 cm in height). The flowers are small, collected in comb-shaped inflorescences, the color is yellow, orange, red, purple, pink. The first flowers appear in the first ten days of July and continue almost until the cold weather - until the first ten days of October. This type includes low varieties Empress (with dark leaf color) and Coral Garden. Their height is about 35 cm, and the inflorescences - scallops - look great against the background of neighboring plants. But the dwarf variety Kimono looks great on the winter veranda, on the loggia. Its inflorescence combs are also small in size, but very bright.
Celosia silvery comb (cockscomb)
Celosia planting technology
Young plants of this species are planted in the usual way for all flowers. When planting, you should handle the seedlings carefully - they are very delicate and fragile, so it is easy to damage their root system or stems. To do this, seedlings are planted in open ground by transshipment method. But it is better to plant the seedlings in peat cups; in this case, the plants are planted in the soil along with them.
Selecting and preparing a seat
When choosing a place where these bright flowers will grow, you need to know:
- plants cannot tolerate strong drafts and gusts of cold wind;
- the area should be illuminated by sunlight during the day;
- the soil in the flowerbed should be slightly acidic or neutral, quite loose.
If the soil in the garden is too heavy, then before planting flowers, add a sufficient amount of river sand to make it looser. Regardless of how fertile the soil is, humus must be added to it before planting the seedlings at the rate of 10 kg per 1 m2. Land plot for planting these flowers is prepared in advance, 25 - 30 days before planting. However It is better to prepare a flower bed for planting flowers at the end of the previous season.
Important! In no case should fresh manure be added to celosia before planting (or fertilized during the season); it is destructive to flowers.
Heat-loving seedlings cannot tolerate even slight fluctuations in air temperature, so the time for planting them in open ground is the first days of June, when the heat has finally established itself.
Features of celosia cultivation (video)
Growing celosia from seeds
Celosia varieties can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. But it is believed that when propagated by the second method, plants most often lose their decorative properties. Therefore, flower growers grow seedlings from seed at home, which are planted in a specially prepared place with the onset of warm weather. Seeds can be bought at a specialty store or collected yourself from flowers in the previous season.
The seed has a too thick shell, so before planting it must be soaked in water at room temperature (or in an epin solution) for several hours. It is best to plant in the last ten days of March - in the first ten days of April. It is better to buy soil for planting celosia in a specialized store (it should be a mixture for tropical flowering plants).
The distance between seeds when sowing should be 2–3 cm. However, the seed of these plants is small; they are not buried in the ground, but simply scattered over the soil, which is pre-moistened. Containers with planted seeds are covered with polyethylene and placed in the light. The air temperature in the room should be maintained around 22 - 24°C.
Emerging seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight; it is better if it is diffused light. It is enough to hang tulle on the window to protect young plants. Polyethylene is removed 5 - 7 days after the seedlings appear. The daylight hours while growing seedlings are not yet too long, so seedlings need additional lighting in the evening and morning hours (4 - 5 hours a day).
Emerging seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Picking and planting seedlings in open ground
When planting seedlings at close distances, there is a need to pick them. This type of flower must be picked twice:
- When the seedlings have a pair of true leaves, they are planted at a distance of at least 5 - 6 cm from each other, the nutrient mixture for replanting them should be the same. Seedlings in a new place take root quite quickly, and now it’s time to add fertilizer to the soil from a complex mineral fertilizer (for flowers). Such feeding should not be highly concentrated. This procedure is carried out in parallel with watering the seedlings.
- After complete engraftment of the picked seedlings, it can be replanted again. For transplantation, you should use peat cups, in each of which one seedling is planted. When the seedlings re-establish themselves, they can be fed again.
When planting in open ground, the distance between young plants should be at least 14–18 cm (for short varieties), and 24–29 cm for tall plants.
Be sure to place a layer of drainage material at the bottom of the planting holes.(at least 5 cm in height). Soil with low acidity should be treated with lime before planting flowers. After planting, the seedlings must be watered, the soil is loosened and mulch 7–10 cm high is added. You can use as mulch sawdust, peat, and if these materials are not available, then you can use mowed grass.
During the season, celosia is fed once every 25 - 30 days.
Features of caring for celosia
Young seedlings planted in open ground are very tender and require special care. The main thing they are afraid of is the spring cold snap. But if it is not possible to plant seedlings when the spring frosts are behind us, then you should worry about covering the flowers during the cold period. And one more thing: these flowers do not like stagnant moisture in the soil, so watering should be moderate, otherwise the root system may begin to rot. That's why Watering is carried out only after the top layer of soil dries. To allow oxygen from the air to reach the roots, the soil should be loosened. Simultaneously with loosening, emerging weeds are destroyed.
During the season, celosia is fed once every 25–30 days. As a top dressing, you should use universal fertilizers, which contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. But there is no need to feed flowers more often, because excess feeding leads to a later onset of flowering. Fresh organic fertilizers are not applied to this plant; if necessary, it can be replaced with bone meal or compost.
After the celosia has finished blooming, it still looks great in the flowerbed for some time due to the color of the foliage - with a green, golden or purple tint. This annual dies when the air temperature drops below 0°C. When the flowers fade, fruits form in their place - small boxes containing black seeds. However Not in all regions the seeds have time to ripen completely. But if flower growers managed to collect ripe seed material, then it can be stored for no more than 4–5 years. Moreover, they do not lose germination throughout this entire period.
Celosia in a pot (video)
Grow celosia varieties on garden plot This can be done not only by experienced flower growers, but also by those who are just starting to grow flowers on their property. And although they are grown as annuals in our climate, having planted it in the garden once, gardeners will breed it annually.
Estimate
Indoor celosia is grown by flower growers not only as garden plant, but also as a houseplant. The flower has a very bright color of flowers, which captivates many gardeners. The flower also attracts with its long flowering; at home, the plant can bloom for up to two months. Most often, as indoor plant They grow scallop, popularly cockscomb, or pinnate.
Care and cultivation of indoor celosia
Flower pots are placed in a room where the plant will have access to sunlight. But direct sunlight is harmful to the plant, so the light must be diffused. The optimal air temperature for room celosia is 14-18 degrees. When the air temperature rises to more than 25 degrees, the room is ventilated. Water the flower with water at room temperature. When watering, it is advisable to prevent water from getting on the flowers of the plant. The soil in the pot should always be moist, but the soil should not be allowed to become waterlogged. From time to time, the leaves of indoor celosia are sprayed with water. Indoor celosia is fed once every two weeks with mineral fertilizers (not nitrogen). Yellowed and damaged leaves of the plant are promptly removed. After flowering, the plant is thrown away, but some gardeners grow the flower as a perennial houseplant.
Reproduction
Celosia is propagated by seeds. Seeds can be collected from a faded plant, usually in the fall. Sowing of seeds is carried out in February or March. Seeds are sown in a mixture of soil and peat. After emergence, the seedlings are planted in separate pots with substrate. In this case, the seedlings must be provided with good drainage. Water the plant periodically.
Diseases and pests
Celosia is susceptible to a disease called blackleg. The pest is aphids.
Indoor celosia in photographs
Celosia owes its name to the Greek word kelcos, which translates as “flaming.” Its red and yellow flowers and burgundy leaves fully correspond to this characteristic. Due to the specific shape of the flower, Celosia comb is popularly called cockscomb. It attracts the eye to the flowerbed with its bright inflorescences and unusual leaf color. It is not too demanding in care, so it has taken a strong place in gardeners’ flower beds.
The plant is a member of the amaranth family. Its homeland is called the tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. How decorative decoration For European gardens, celosia was introduced during the Renaissance.
Although the flower with cockscomb It is considered a perennial plant; due to our climatic conditions, it requires annual cultivation from seeds. IN room conditions celosia will delight you with its colors much longer.
Celosia comb: growing from seeds
Celosia can be propagated by cuttings, but in most cases new shoots turn out to be wild, and the decorative purpose of the flower is lost.
The seeds of the plant can be collected independently in the spring from dried flowers. They are black in color and small in size, with an average of 800 pieces in 1 gram. A large assortment different types Celosia can be found in flower shops.
Seedlings should be sown in moist soil in early spring and then covered with film. After 7 days, the first shoots should appear. From this period, the sprouts need to be provided with air access, so the film is removed.
The development of young seedlings is poorly affected by the influence of direct sun rays and drafts, so the container must be protected with paper or cloth. After some time, the plants need to be planted in separate containers or in one wider one, where the distance between the stems will be about 8 cm. Planting directly into open ground is allowed, but then the flower bed should be covered with a thick film at night, maintaining the temperature within +17-+20 degrees. Celosia is very sensitive to frost and can die at the slightest temperature changes.
It is necessary to plant strong sprouts in open ground with the soil in which they grew. In this way, minimal damage is caused to the root system, and the plant gradually acclimatizes to the new environment. The distance between dwarf varieties should be about 15 cm, between larger ones - up to 30 cm.
The soil for celosia should be neutral, slightly acidic in composition with good loosening. To make the soil lighter, you can add a little sand. Before planting seedlings, it is recommended to fertilize the soil with humus.
Features of care
Celosia comb is very moisture-loving, so it requires special attention for watering. If there is a lack of water, the plant stops blooming. But even with an excess, molding of the soil and rotting of the stem can occur.
Celosia can only be watered in the morning. warm water on a sunny day. If the weather is cloudy, the plant can do without watering.
Cockscombs also require feeding with a complex of mineral fertilizers every 1.5-2 weeks. With more frequent feeding procedures, the leaves and stems will begin to grow rapidly, and the flowers will become smaller.
For long-term flowering of celosia in indoor conditions, it needs to be provided with regular ventilation and a stable temperature within +18-+25 degrees.
Types of celosia comb
From the variety of varieties of flowers with scallops, you can create a colorful flower bed, which in a photo or video will resemble a coral garden:
- Celosia comb silver – perennial, the height of which reaches 65 cm. The inflorescence has a very rich red color, like a strawberry.
- Toreador is the most popular variety, up to 60 cm high, the flower of which looks like the downed comb of a rooster.
- Impress - the inflorescences are distinguished by a bright red color that shimmers like Chinese silk, and dark purple leaves.
- Empress is a low-growing plant (up to 25 cm) with purple flowers and bright purple leaves with red veins. The crown-like shape of the inflorescence gives the variety its name.
- Atropurpurea is a plant with large purple-red inflorescences and light green leaves that grow on a pink stem.
- Armor mix - strong plants with giant flowers of various colors and pointed green leaves.
- Amigo Mahogany Red is a dwarf mixture (up to 15 cm) with deep red flowers. Most often grown as an indoor crop.
- Erythrina is a tall shrub, reaching a height of 1.2 m, with bright red flowers collected in racemes and feathery leaves with spines.
Fighting celosia diseases at home
The most common disease that affects ornamental plants is blackleg, which occurs as a result of damage to the stem by Botrytis fungi. Pathogens may be present in the soil even before the flower is planted, so the soil must always be pre-treated with special means. The cause of fungi can be soil mold, increased acidity, poor loosening, overheating under the film, dense sowing of seeds, a large amount of humus, insufficient fresh air, infected grass. Insects can also become carriers of fungi.
A sign of the disease is the appearance of a black coating on the base of the stem. If the black leg is not removed in time, the flowers and roots dry out and the plant dies.
To prevent disease, celosia seeds are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing, the remains of which are poured into the soil. Sometimes heat treatment is carried out by pouring boiling water over the soil.
In case of disease, loosen the soil and sprinkle with ash from charcoal. For processing, you can also use lime, soda solution, or infusion of onion peels.
Affected plants or parts thereof must be removed from the flowerbed to prevent further infection of healthy shoots.
In case of an aphid attack or chlorosis, comb celosia should be treated with special preparations.
Message quote Cockscomb. Celosia
Celosia, Latin - Celosia. The name comes from the Greek word ‘kelcos’ - burning, fiery and is associated with the color of the leaves and flowers. Velvety exotic inflorescences of various celosias look great in the most sophisticated flower arrangements, coloring our gardens.
Amazingly beautiful low-growing potted celosias are an elegant decoration for a sunny loggia and balcony.
The genus includes up to 60 species, originating from Southern China, Eastern India, Africa and America.
Celosia paniculata in Nigeria it has a complex name that translates as “a plant that makes husbands fat and happy.” Its broad leaves are traditionally used as food in West and Central Africa. IN folk medicine In China, celosia seeds are a valuable medicinal raw material; here medicinal and health teas are prepared from it.
Cirrus , or Celosia plumosa (Celosia argentea f. plumosa), crowned with an inflorescence in the form of a dense or loose, large panicle, reminiscent of either a plume or a miniature flame of a fire. Maybe it was she who gave the name to the whole species, because translated from Greek the word kelos means “burning”, “blazing.”
Another form celosia comb , or celosia cristata (Celosia argentea f. cristata), popularly often called the “cockscomb”. Its unusual shape of the inflorescence arose as a result of a rather rare phenomenon in botany - fasciation, that is, the growth of the upper part of the peduncle. All its branches have grown together, forming a wide receptacle, winding in the upper part, on which numerous small flowers are located tightly together.
The wild ancestors of this celosia come from Southeast Asia and Africa. It is difficult to say where exactly it came from to Europe: some botanists believe that it came from India, others from Africa. It is known for certain that this happened in the second half of the 16th century, and the plant immediately became very popular among gardeners.
Among the forms and varieties of silver celosia, there are giants up to a meter high with very large inflorescences and dwarfs only 10-20 cm tall, whose inflorescences, elegantly framed by leaves, seem to lie directly on the ground. The flowers of both forms can be light yellow, almost cream, orange, pink, crimson, salmon, red, burgundy. But no matter what colors and shades the inflorescences are painted in, they are always surprisingly bright, burning, as if phosphorescent.
Perennial or mostly annual herbaceous plants with straight, succulent, ribbed stems of green color, often with a red tint, 30-70 cm tall. The leaves are arranged in alternate order, entire, petiolate, smooth, ovate with a pointed end, green, variegated or dark purple. The flowers are small, bisexual, with brightly colored membranous bracts, collected in large, original comb or paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a round capsule. The seeds are round, shiny, black. There are 700-800 pieces in 1 g, retaining viability for up to 5 years.
Celosia inflorescences are divided into three main groups according to their shape:
- spikelets
- feathery
- comb
The most commonly cultivated plants are celosia cristata and celosia pinnate.
Care
Celosia captivates not only with its beauty, but also with its ease of cultivation. Celosia is easy to grow from seeds. They are sown for seedlings in the first half of April. Seedlings dive into pots, since the plant does not tolerate transplantation into open ground. At the beginning of June, when the threat of frost has passed, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place.
The soil is preferably fertile, loose, structural, non-acidic. It is advisable to choose a place protected from the wind, warm, sunny and without stagnant water. The distance between plants depends on the variety and ranges from 15 cm for low varieties to 30-35 cm for tall ones. During the initial growth period, good watering is required. Fertilizing with complete mineral fertilizer is done once every 10-15 days. If you overfeed plants with nitrogen and organic matter, they will grow powerful, but will bloom poorly.
Celosia is planted in flower beds, ridges, and borders. It grows well in containers, on balconies and window sills. Flowering - from late June until frost.
Reproduction
Reproduction of celosia is not particularly difficult. Celosia is mainly propagated by seeds, since when cuttings the decorative properties of plants are sometimes lost. Celosia seeds are sown for seedlings in March-April under film. Sow rarely on the surface of damp soil. It is advisable to sow celosia directly into separate pots so as not to damage the root system of plants when picking. The first shoots appear after 4-6 days
It is better to buy seeds of a mixture of varieties, and then the variegated, cheerful celosias will color your balcony and garden for a very long time - all summer and the warm part of autumn.
Celosia seedlings are grown at moderate room temperature (17-20 ° C), with good lighting and ventilation.
The main thing is moderate and careful watering. It is important not to dry out the soil or overwater young plants, since the roots of celosia seedlings easily rot from excessively wet soil. Celosia seedlings should be grown in a bright window, protected from the hot sun.
Transplantation of grown and acclimatized plants into open ground is carried out only after the end of the spring cold season. After all, celosia is very thermophilic and does not tolerate even the slightest frost!
Between dwarf varieties, the distance between plants is 10-15 cm; larger plants are planted every 20-30 cm.
The best place to plant celosia in the garden is sunny, protected from cold winds. The soil is desirable to be loose, slightly acidic, and well-drained.
Fertilizing celosia with mineral fertilizers is carried out once a month. Celosias respond very well to fertilization with lush flowering.
On hot and dry days, abundant watering of celosias is necessary, otherwise they droop their leaves and do not form new flower stalks.
Note for lovers of dried flowers and compilers of winter bouquets: celosia is perfect for floral arrangements!
Celosia inflorescences perfectly retain their “foppish” shape and model-like appearance for a long time. They do not lose color if they are cut before the seeds begin to ripen and well dried in a dark, cool room for two weeks.
4.
Varieties and types
Silver comb celosia (Celosia argentea), or Cockscomb.
Perennial up to 45 cm high, cultivated as an annual.
Elegant varieties have a compact bush, reaching a height of 20-35 cm.
Small flowers celosia combata are collected in a spectacular massive inflorescence with convolutions along the upper edge. The shape of the inflorescence resembles a cockscomb.
The color of comb celosia flowers can be yellow, pink, orange, purple-red. Such bright colors and unusual shapes of inflorescences are rarely found among other plants.
Therefore, a flower bed with comb celosia invariably attracts admiring glances.
Comb celosia blooms from July to October.
However, the decorative properties of plants are not lost after flowering. After all, the leaves of various varieties of comb celosia are not only green, but also dark red, burgundy, purple, bronze, and golden.
Variety " Impress"has a red inflorescence and purple leaves.
In the variety " Imperialis"(20-25 cm high) beautiful dark red shoots, purple leaves with red veins, dark purple inflorescences.
Variety " Atropurpurea» the same height, has a pinkish stem with light green leaves; large inflorescences purple-red.
Comb celosia is used for planting in flower beds, ridges, flowerpots and as a summer potted crop. This ornamental plant also looks great in combination with other annuals.
Silver feathery celosia (Celosia argentea).
annual plant up to a meter high.
Cirrus celosia blooms for a long time and luxuriantly for many months, without losing its decorative effect until the autumn frosts.
Spectacular varieties of pinnate celosia form a compact bush with bright paniculate inflorescences. The length of the inflorescences is usually half or a third of the height of the plant.
Dwarf (20-30 cm), medium-sized (30-50 cm) and tall varieties (50-90 cm) have been bred.
The colors of the stems, leaves and inflorescences of pinnate celosia are very diverse.
Dwarf mixture " Geisha"(height 20-25 cm) forms charming panicles of inflorescences in a rich range of colors. This luxurious mixture is very good for potting.
Another dwarf multi-colored mixture - “ Baby»
Variety " Goldfeder"(height 25-30 cm) decorates the balcony and garden with paniculate golden-yellow inflorescences, as if emitting light.
Variety " Feuerfeder"(height 35 cm) has greenish-pink shoots and light leaves with pink veins, the inflorescence is bright red.
Variety " New Look"(height 35-40 cm) amazes with the contrast of purple-violet foliage with a metallic tint and scarlet panicles.
Variety " Golden Flitz"(height 80 cm) forms a golden-orange inflorescence against the background of light green leaves.
Variety " Tomsoni Magnifica"(height 60-80 cm) has greenish-pink stems and leaves, pyramidal inflorescences are burgundy.
Celosia pinnate is used in flower beds, groups, for single plantings and for bouquets. Dwarf species are used for growing in pots and for decorating a sunny balcony.
Celosia spicata.
Spikelet celosias are less popular among gardeners, but in vain!
The inflorescences of plants in this group are very similar in appearance to ears of wheat - hence the name.
The color of the flowers of spikelet celosias is also varied - from white to purple. Bright, showy inflorescences go well with narrow green leaves.
Depending on the variety, plant height ranges from 20 cm to 1.20 m. By the way, it is the spikelet group of celosias that is the ancestor of garden forms.
Celosias are valued for the originality of their bright inflorescences and decorative leaves. Good in containers and flowerpots. Recommended for flower beds, flowerbeds, vases, dry bouquets.
These flowers are familiar to many from childhood. They really do resemble a rooster's comb. Gardeners prefer this ornamental plant because of its special appearance. In addition, it is captivating bright color and ease of cultivation cockscombs.
Celosia comb is the correct name for cockscombs. They belong to the amaranth family. They can be either annual or perennial. The stem of the plant is green or reddish in color. It's juicy. The color of the leaves contains a rich color palette– starting from green and ending with a dark purple hue.
The height of these plants is up to 35 cm. They are small, colored in yellow, orange, red, purple and pink tones. Flowering begins in July and lasts until the first half of October. Representatives of this species are varieties such as “Empress”, “Kimono”, “Coral Garden”.
So, cockscombs can add a touch of originality to even the most sophisticated garden composition.
Growing seedlings
To ensure that cockscombs begin to bloom earlier, it is better to grow them as seedlings. Propagation by cuttings is possible, but in this case the flower loses its decorative appearance.
When using method 1, you must adhere to the following rules:
If there is little light in the room, it is better to install lighting.
After 2 true leaves appear, you can start picking into peat or plastic glasses. If the plants are very elongated, then when performing this procedure the stem should be immersed in the ground up to the leaves. It will become shorter, but stronger. Root system will be more powerful.
Advice! You can plant seeds directly in cups to avoid.
Thus, growing cockscomb seedlings is not difficult. You just need to follow the experience accumulated by gardeners.
Planting in open ground
The beginning of June is the time to plant seedlings in the ground, since at this time the threat of frost is minimal.
When performing this activity, you should know the features of planting celosia:
- She loves light, sun and the absence of drafts. Dies when planted in soil containing fresh manure.
- Cockscombs do well in slightly acidic or neutral soil. It's good if it's loose. River sand will help achieve this quality. It is advisable to prepare the soil for plants in the previous season. To do this, it must be fertilized with organic matter and humus added.
- The distance between plants should be at least 15 cm.
- To prevent damage to the roots, the seedling must be removed from the container with a large lump of earth.
- Place drainage about 5 cm high at the bottom of the holes.
- After planting, water.
- It is advisable to add sawdust or peat mulch at least 7 cm high.
If you follow all the above recommendations when planting, the celosia will reward you with lush flowering.
Basics of care
Caring for cockscombs involves the following activities:
- If cold weather is expected, then they must be covered.
- Water the plants only after the top layer of soil has dried.
- It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil under celosia.
Weeds should be weeded in a timely manner so that they do not interfere with its development.
Once a month, plants should be fed with universal ones, which are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Attention! It is impossible to organize frequent feeding of celosia. They will delay flowering to a later date.
Therefore, if you take all the recommendations seriously, you will be able to properly grow this wonderful plant.
Diseases and pests
Most often, celosia gets sick " black leg" Its causative agents are fungi of the genus Botrytis. This is a highly contagious disease. With such a misfortune, the base of the stem first turns black. Then the root dries out and the plant dies.
The causes of this disease include the following:
- waterlogged soil,
- its composition is too sour or dense,
- densely sown seeds,
- excessive feeding,
- bad ,
- very high or low temperature conditions,
- blackleg carriers.
Prevention of this disease consists of the following measures:
- As mentioned above, the seeds should be soaked in potassium permanganate.
- They can also disinfect the soil. For the same purpose, the soil is fried or poured with boiling water.
- If the disease is detected, then it is necessary:
- Immediately destroy affected plants.
- Loosen the soil and sprinkle it, for example, with ash or water with soda solution or marigold tincture.
- Reduce the frequency and abundance of watering. Carry out this activity only in the early morning hours and in sunny weather.
Foliar chlorosis - this disease occurs due to acute iron deficiency. It is identified by yellowed leaf blades. Only the veins remain green. The cause of the disease may be a lack of iron in the soil or the inability of the plant to fully absorb it. Eliminating errors in the technology of growing celosia and feeding it with iron will help solve the problem.
Aphids pose a serious threat to cockscombs. It affects both leaves and shoots. Aphicides have proven themselves to be effective against aphids and other insects. These are special chemicals, for example, "Syfos" or "Karbofos".
So, cockscombs do not have many diseases and pests. That's why preventive measures and timely initiation of treatment will help reduce them to a minimum.
While watching the video you will learn about growing cockscombs.
From all of the above, it follows that not only experienced gardeners, but also beginners in this matter can grow celosia. Moreover, the first planting of cockscombs, as a rule, is the beginning of their annual breeding.
