Mattiola two-horned (night violet): growing and care

Florists in many countries love to grow such a decorative flower as Matthiola bicorn. Planting and caring for it is incredibly simple, which allows you not to spend a lot of time and effort.

As night falls, Mattiola begins to emit a delicious scent that fills the entire garden.

At the moment, many different types are known, but the decorativeness of matthiol bicorn is not too different. In the daytime, she hides the beautiful petals of her flowers.

Mattiola two-horned description and characteristics

Mattiola two-horned is planted annually, as it is ready to please no more than a year. This flower is unusual and differs in many characteristics. Features include:

Mattiola has a straight or spreading stem, this fact depends on which variety it belongs to. A large number of shoots with a dense fluff, like foliage, are scattered along the flower;

If you properly care for a flower, then it is capable of reaching 60 centimeters in height;

The bright green leaves are covered with large teeth;

Small and not too bright shades of flowers are collected in inflorescences, the shape of which resembles graceful brushes;

Flowers open after sunset and fill the whole garden with a pleasant aroma, with sunrise the flowers close;

Matthiola blooms for a long time. It can last from the first summer days and end only when frosts come;

Ripening of small seeds takes place in the pods. Seeds can be stored for 3 years while maintaining good germination.

Varieties

In natural conditions, about 60 varieties of this plant grow. Mattiola also received such a name as "fragrant violet". In garden plots, you can find only Matthiola bicorno and Mattiola gray or levkoy, the second name. Thanks to the work of breeders, it was possible to breed a large number of different varieties of these species, whose aroma and color are different from each other.

Especially popular among gardeners are such varieties of Matthiola bicorn as:

• Evening aroma - this variety has a distinctive feature of straight shoots, which are especially branched. These bushes do not exceed half a meter in height. They have small lilac inflorescences emitting a bright rich aroma;
  
• Starlight is an amazing varietal blend flower. It opens with flowers of various colors and is located on straight stems, the height of which does not exceed 50 centimeters. Each of them has its own scent, and together they create a fairytale atmosphere in the garden. This variety is best suited for planting close to home;
• Mattiola pink - this flower can be an excellent decoration for the balcony. In height, it does not exceed 30 centimeters. When they unfold, these pleasant lilac flowers are gathered in a racemose inflorescence, emitting a sweet scent.
• Lilak - this variety has good cold resistance, but prefers to grow in sunny areas. Half a meter in height, this plant attracts everyone by radiating its soft and unique aroma.
• Summer evening - a variety especially beloved by gardeners. The height of this plant is half a meter, lilac flowers gather in cluster inflorescences and emit an unforgettable aroma that is distinguished by its durability.

Mattiola two-horned reproduction

The best way to plant mattiola is considered to be seed, seedlings are rarely bred. The fact is that the root system of a flower is rather weak and may not tolerate a transplant.However, to enjoy all the beauty and aromas of these flowers at the very beginning of summer is possible only through seedlings.

First you need to prepare a container and fill it with a suitable mixture before sowing. The soil should be loose, nutritious, water and air permeable. Before planting, it is necessary to process the container and soil with manganese.

Mattiola two-legged landing

1. Sowing seeds is carried out in early February. You can sow in March, but then the flowering time will be different.
2. Sowing should be carried out on prepared soil with a distance of 4 centimeters from each other. The seeds do not need to be pressed into the ground, just sprinkle them lightly with earth. Next, you need to gently pour water at room temperature and cover with a film or glass.
3. Seed containers should be placed in a well-lit place. Do not water until the first shoots appear.

In order for the seedlings to grow well, certain conditions must be observed. As soon as the first shoots appear, it is necessary to provide the plant with good lighting, and the air temperature should drop to +12 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will begin to stretch.

If the cultivation of seedlings takes place in seedling boxes, then a dive should be carried out every 14 days. It is important to remember that Matthiol has a very fragile root system, so when transplanting, the seedlings will die, no matter how neat you are.

A well-moistened soil into which you plan to transplant will help protect the roots from damage. You need to get the plant one by one, protecting its fragile roots. Before this, it is necessary to make planting holes in a new container, into which the seedlings are transplanted. Next, they must be covered with a layer of earth to the leaves, gently, with the pads of your fingers, tamped around each plant and watered well.

Gardeners with experience in growing matthiola do not pick seedlings. For growing without picking, you can use a box where eggs or chocolates were previously stored. These cells are filled with soil and 3 seeds are planted there each. When they all grow up, you can choose the strongest, and remove the rest.

Transplanting a flower to the place where the plant will grow constantly is carried out together with an earthen clod and with the onset of constantly warm weather. It is best to hold these events in the last days of spring or in the early days of summer. When planting, it is important to leave a distance of 20 centimeters or a little more between the plants, it depends on which varieties are planted. For better adaptation and faster rooting, a shade must be created for the young plant.

Gardening rules:

First of all, it is necessary to cultivate the land with the help of manganese. Next, loosen and form furrows, the depth of which will not exceed 50 mm. If the distance is deeper, then the sprouts will not be able to appear above the surface of the ground.

In order for the seeds to be evenly distributed, they must be mixed together with sand in equal proportions and scattered along the furrows.

Then they must be sprinkled with 50 mm. a layer of earth. In this case, tamping is not required, it is necessary to lightly spray with water.

A flower planted in February can please with its colors and aroma already at the very beginning of summer.

Seat selection:

Mattiola loves to grow in open sunny areas, in the shade it will stretch and take on a painful appearance. The site must be protected from strong winds. If you follow all these simple rules, then in a short time you will be able to enjoy the magnificent aroma of flower tassels.

The flower prefers loose and fertile soil, but it is not recommended to apply organic fertilizers in the form of a mullein due to the content of phytophthora spores in it. Loamy and sandy loam soils are a good option. The acidity level in the soil should be neutral.

You should not choose an area where plants belonging to the cruciferous family were previously grown.This legacy is often dangerous, and the flowers can contract diseases such as keela and fungal infections.

Site preparation for planting is carried out in the autumn. The earth must be dug into the depth of 50 centimeters and at the same time add cow dung. Thanks to the digging, it is possible to destroy the spores of the fungus in the ground and prevent the further development of the black leg.

Mattiola two-horned care

Growing healthy matthiola is not at all difficult even for a novice gardener, for this you just need to follow some rules.

1. The picking of seedlings is carried out after the appearance of the first 2 true leaves. Compliance with the distance between plants from 20 to 40 centimeters, while taking into account the characteristics of a particular variety and its growth. If the planting is carried out in close proximity, then fungal diseases can occur.
2. Matthiola is a moisture-loving plant and needs regular watering, but it does not tolerate moisture stagnation, which leads to root rot. It is also important not to forget to remove weeds when they appear, as they make the plant weaker and provoke the development of fungal diseases.
3. Each time after watering, loosening should be carried out, this increases the access of oxygen to the roots.
4. In order for the plant to have enough nutrients, it is necessary to remove all inflorescences that fade.
5. Once the matiolla is transplanted into the garden, it needs additional feeding. In this case, fertilizers that feed indoor plants during flowering are well suited. The first feeding is carried out 21 days after the flowers have been planted in the flower bed. It is very important to support the plants by adding nutrient mixes as buds form and flowering begins.

Disease and pest resistance

Matthiola is not often affected by various diseases and pests, but, nevertheless, this sometimes happens. The most common are keel and fusarium. These are fungal diseases that are transmitted to plants through spores that can maintain their vital activity even in frost.

Matthiola-loving pests include the cruciferous flea, cabbage and whitefish. The first two pests are capable of completely destroying the flower. To prevent this from happening, you need to periodically inspect the plants. As soon as signs of the appearance of these insects are found, it is necessary to immediately carry out the treatment with the help of special means that can be bought in nurseries.