Babiana: planting and care in the open field

Babian flower: origin, features of growing in the ground at a summer cottage and caring for a germinated plant. Storing bulbs in winter - you will find all this information in this article, which is specifically dedicated to this plant.

Babiana: description and its types

Babiana: photo of flowers

Babians were once the most beloved flowers of baboons, from which they got such an exotic name. The plant mainly grew in South Africa and is represented as a bulbous perennial. The average length of the Babiana stem is about 20 centimeters, and they are all decorated with flowers that are vaguely similar to gladioli.

The color of the babiana plant is usually white, blue, purple, and sometimes multi-colored inflorescences can be found on the same bush. It all depends solely on which variety and species the babiana belongs to. The inflorescences are quite pleasant in appearance, a pleasant aroma emanates from them, which quite favorably emphasizes the properties of the plant and its appearance. A large number of seeds are located in a round fruit bearing, and flowering lasts for 25-30 days, which is generally not so long in comparison with other flowers.

Babiana can be of several types, and they have such features that largely distinguish them from each other. The type of babiana depends not only on its appearance, but also on the color of the plant, the aroma of inflorescences.

• Folded Babiana is the first species that we will talk about. This is a fairly short plant, which has a stem 20 centimeters high, on which medium-sized white and slightly purple flowers are located. Their shape is peak, they are quite fragrant, reminiscent of a delicate clove scent. Such folded babians bloom mainly in the spring.
• Blue-red babiana - the name speaks of the peculiarities of the color of the flower. This is a rather rare species, initially the flowers turn blue, but as they bloom, they gradually transform into bright red flowers. The leaves are covered with slightly noticeable villi, which makes them soft and velvety to the touch, and veins are clearly visible on them. The flower is very decorative, mainly due to the peculiarities of its color and the fact that it can change.
• Straight Babiana - this species is one of the most common in modern floriculture. It is a low-growing plant, the stem of which does not exceed 25 centimeters. Usually we can notice white or pink blooms with small splashes on a straight Babian, the aroma is very delicate and light, almost imperceptible. It intensifies as the babiana straight flower blooms.

Thus, there are several types of babiana. You can choose a suitable one among them, focusing on the grower's own desires, on what result he seeks to come by growing flowers, as well as on the whole for what purpose he breeds Babiana. Basically, this flower is great for decorating personal plots, for creating decorative flower beds. The small compact size does not scare away, but rather attracts the grower.

Babiana: reproduction and planting of a flower

Propagating a babian flower is quite simple. For this, bulbs are usually used, but if the gardener has sufficient experience, then he can resort to such a method as seed propagation. You can choose any suitable method, but it must be borne in mind that each has its own characteristics, traits and, of course, secrets, knowing about which, you can get a decent and strong, healthy plant that will delight the gardener with its appearance for a long time and parameters.

Bulb propagation - popularly also called "baby propagation" - is the most common and versatile method, which also does not require much effort from the grower.It should be borne in mind that babiana is a favorite of African baboon flowers, which mainly grew in warm climates, so it is quite difficult for him to endure the cold that overtakes our latitudes. Therefore, before the cold and frost come, it is best to transfer the babiana to the house, otherwise the plant will simply die, unable to withstand such low temperatures as it can be.

If the florist has decided to purchase bulbous material in stores, then this is the most convenient and simple way. However, there are those who want to plant a bulb for themselves from a sprouting flower, and for this you need to know a few simple rules. Firstly, when at the beginning of autumn the flower finishes its flowering, the tubers must be dug up and transferred to the house. It is desirable to be in a dark, cool, dry place. Then the grower needs to wait for autumn in order to plant the tubers in open ground again.

Secondly, the variegated babiana flower is best planted not earlier than spring, by that time the soil has already warmed up to a comfortable temperature - about 18-20 degrees, and you also need to remember that if the florist guesses with the planting period, then the babiana plant is very will actively begin to grow, adapt to new conditions, which will reduce the risk of any diseases that are extremely undesirable. Thirdly, the specificity of the location is taken into account. It is necessary to position the plant on the site, starting from what species it belongs to. It is best to plant babian flowers in the warmth, in the sun. At the same time, the plant is panicky afraid of wind and cold, so you should still think about this.

In matters that relate to soil and soil, it is necessary to take into account the same features as in choosing a place on the site. This flower is thermophilic, southern, so the soil must be drainage in order to hold back moisture. If the soil on the site differs in density, then a certain amount of peat and sand should be added to the holes before planting.

Another factor is the distance and depth of planting - plants prefer space, and babiana is no exception in this regard. It is best to plant any of the babian species better at a depth of about seven centimeters, as well as at a distance of 10 centimeters from each other. This will be the optimal and most comfortable option for the plant. It is also worth keeping in mind that planting bulbs in open ground, or rather the specifics of the process, also has some peculiarities and subtleties.

The best time to plant bulbs outdoors is on a warm, sunny day. The holes are pulled out, the children are placed in them at the required distance from each other, and then sprinkle with light earth. After a few minutes, the freshly planted bulbs are watered, and then the grower can only expect their active growth. Thus, the method of growing with bulbs is one of the most common and optimal.

There is also a second way - growing with seeds. It is more complex, and for its implementation the grower must have some experience in growing flowers. The method of growing by seeds is used much less often, because the flowers in this case will bloom no earlier than three years later, so it is worth remembering this and taking this fact into account. If the grower is patient enough and ready to make such sacrifices, then this will be exclusively his decision.

Planting a babiana plant with seeds begins with you, that the florist buys planting material, or collects it on his own from his own plot. After that, it is necessary to put the materials in damp gauze, put them in a container and leave in a cool place for a month so that they have time to hatch. After waiting, the seeds are planted in medium-sized pots and wait for the plant to germinate from the soil.After the first sprouts of babiana appear from the soil, the pots must be moved to a more illuminated place, and the plant should be given regular watering in accordance with the schedule. As soon as the plant gets stronger, several leaves will form on it, then it can be planted in open ground.

Thus, the choice of the method and method of planting depends solely on the preferences of the grower himself. In the next part of the article, we will talk in more detail about how best to care for a plant in order to get a more decent result that will meet the expectations of the grower himself.

Babiana: outdoor care

Babiana is a relatively unpretentious flower, and if the florist selects the right place for planting and growing, then there will be no problems with the plant at all. But still, there are some subtleties to which one cannot turn a blind eye.

The babian flower loves moisture quite strongly, but at the same time it is impossible to increase watering, since the soil must be moistened, but the moisture should not stagnate excessively, otherwise it will lead to diseases of the root system. In particular, moisture must be retained if the weather is dry. In addition to watering, every day in the summer, it is advisable to spray the flower from a spray bottle. Thus, both internal soil moisture and sufficient external moisture will be maintained.

As for feeding, there are no peculiarities in this for the plant. However, when it is in its flowering period, it is best to fertilize the plant with potassium and phosphorus-containing complexes once a week, and once every two weeks an organic fertilizer is applied, which is distinguished by its safety and naturalness. In order to increase the decorative properties of the plant, it can be periodically pruned.

It is worth paying attention to the storage of bulbs in the winter:

• after the dry stem has been pruned, the bulb should be carefully dug up and removed from the soil
• the bulbs dry well, and the children stay on them until the very spring
• the material is stored in a cool, dry place without drafts. Additionally, the bulbs can be wrapped in paper bags and placed in containers with peat.

In growing babiana, flower growers do not face special difficulties. But still, if the florist makes mistakes in the cultivation of flowers, then some problems may arise.

For example, the lack of visible growth after the babiana flower was planted in open ground. The reasons may be insufficient heating of the soil, or the fact that the air is not warmed up enough. To avoid this, you can postpone the planting for a while, about a few weeks. The second problem is the appearance of yellowed leaves on the Babian. This is usually due to increased solar activity. In this case, the plant is temporarily placed in the shade, so you can choose another place for planting.

Thus, the babiana flower will be an ideal option for those flower growers who cannot devote much time to caring for plants, but at the same time want to have decent flowering. If we talk about diseases and pests, then it is worth fearing aphids, root mites, thrips, which can affect both the root system and the upper deciduous part. You can initially devote more time to preparing the soil so that the pests simply do not multiply in it, and then the babiana plant will be in maximum safety. In this case, Babiana will become a wonderful decorative flower that will perfectly complement the design of the site, flower beds, garden areas that need to be refined.