On beautiful landscaped flowerbeds you do not often see a monarch: mostly flower growers prefer roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, irises , petunias and other traditional perennials. As for such a flower as a monarch (it is often called lemon mint or American melissa), there are many varieties and hybrids, among which there are mono- and perennials.
Monarda does not have beautiful inflorescences or special decorative qualities, but it is unpretentious and frost-resistant. Two of its perennial species, which are most often grown in our gardens and flower beds - tubular and dual monarch - are medicinal spicy plants . Let's find out how to sow a monarch and then take care of these cute flowers.
Monarda - features of cultivation
There are several ways of multiplying a monard with seeds.
You can sow them in the open ground, after preparing the soil. For this, in a dug garden, which later becomes a permanent place of "residence" of the monarch, they cover up the nutritive soil for flowering plants or 3 kg of humus. Then you should make furrows at a distance of 15-20 cm, drench them abundantly and cover the seeds with seeds. Planting is best covered with a film that will provide them with the best germination, and before the appearance of sprouts, water several times a week. Simultaneously with watering, provide fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
However, beginning flower growers should know that multiplying by seeds (seedless method) is not the best option, since not all of them will germinate.
Also, cultivation of monads (aka - bergamot), perhaps with the help of seedlings. In this case, in April or even in March, it is necessary to sow the seeds in a container with a special soil to a depth of 1 cm. They quickly germinate within 6-10 days. Cut the sprouts into separate pots with a diameter of 10 cm after 18-20 days. Until mid-May, when seedlings are usually moved to the open ground, you need to have 1-2 times fertilize the monad seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers. When germinating in this way, your flowers will blossom monads for 2 weeks and will last longer to please you with their cheerful, seemingly disorganized inflorescences.
As a permanent place for growing monads from seeds, select a site with non-acidic soil, and, in addition, protected from the wind. Flowers grow well in the penumbra, but do not like open plots.
The monastery grows with shrubs that are quite impressive in size. The average height of this bush is 80 cm, and its diameter sometimes reaches half a meter, since the plant has a strong branching property. Consider this when planning the flowerbed and planting seeds. That is why it is necessary to observe the planting scheme of plants - 30x35 cm. It is recommended to grow this flower as a mixborder or as a "soloist" on the club.
Care of the plant is simple enough: the ground under it is desirable to regularly loosen, and weed plants - in time to remove. Do not forget to water the monarch in time, both during the period of growth,
As you can see, landing the monarch and caring for these flowers is not too different from growing other perennials growing in our flower gardens and front gardens.
As for the useful properties of the monarch as a medicinal plant, its leaves are used in fresh and dried form for the preparation of fragrant tea and various infusions.