Garden flowers alissum, they are also called lobularia and stonemason, are distinguished by a special blossom of bloom. Despite the fact that the height of the alissum does not reach half a meter, due to the presence of numerous sprawling branches and small flowers, even a single plant creates the impression of a whole flower garden.
Flowers alissum have a variety of bright colors: scarlet, pink, burgundy, lilac, violet, yellow and kipelno-white. The plant has a wonderful sweet smell, because of which bees and other insect pollinators are attracted to the garden plot. Undoubtedly, attractive quality is that the alissum has a long flowering period: from June to October.
Placing and landing the alissum
Planting a plant and caring for an alissum does not require special skills. It is important to choose the place of planting flowers, proceed from the fact that they love good sunlight. Planted in a shady place, the alissum blooms unevenly, instead of a solid cap of flowers, separate liquid brushes are observed. Also, when planting an alsomum in the ground, it is necessary to take into account the following feature: on a nutritious, fertilized soil the plant blooms badly, mainly the leaves grow. Therefore it is desirable to plant a lobularia on a neutral soil with good drainage. Also, the plant feels great between stones and plates. This property is in every way played out by landscape designers when planning a site.
For the first time encountering a plant, gardeners are interested in the question of how to plant an alissum? Possible planting seedlings. In late February - early March, seeds are sown in the boxes with nutritious loose soil, they are lightly pressed to "stick" to the soil and watered abundantly. The box is wrapped in film and placed in a warm place, where there is a lot of sunlight. Seedlings appear about a week later. Sprouts are watered sparingly, and the temperature is maintained at about 12 degrees. Within two months the seedlings will develop to the required size, and then the adissum is planted in the open ground (this usually occurs at the end of May). It is very important to know at what distance to plant an allsum. Between the bushes should be 15 - 20 cm, so that the plant fully developed.
Experienced gardeners advise planting the plant in the fall, then it will blossom in May next year.
Cultivation of alissum from seeds is practiced. At the end of April, seeds are scattered on the prepared land in a square well illuminated by the sun, while it should be borne in mind that each bush will need sufficient space in the future. Shoots are subject to mandatory thinning, so that there is a distance of 20 cm between them.
Care for the Alissum
Alyssum is a unpretentious plant: it takes short-term cooling and is undemanding to the composition of the soil. Organic fertilizer is introduced when planting and as trimming shoots that have lost their color. Usually lobularia is quite natural watering, but with prolonged dry weather, the plant needs additional moisture. To garden plant bloom more luxuriantly, it is recommended to cut the alissum periodically for 5-6 cm.
Pests and diseases
If the soil is too heavy and there is no good drainage, the roots of the alissum rot, so it is necessary to take care of a suitable soil in advance. Withering of the plant with sufficient watering is associated with a fungal lesion. In this case, the land is treated with fungicides.
Ideas for using the alissum
Alissum florists are advised to plant in groups using color contrasts, for example, a rich purple and bright yellow. You can supplement the landing of the alissum on flower beds and in rosettes with flowers-companions: phlox , iris , late tulips.
Lobularia often decorates loggias and balconies, for this they are grown in flower pots and flower containers. Remarkably the plant is suitable for decorating alpine hills, which are becoming a customary decoration of country sites.