Broom

Broom is an evergreen tree that belongs to the legume family. The plant is found mainly in the form of a shrub. The optimal soil for broom is sandy or sandy loam soil. In the wild, the broom bush can be found in the countries of Western Asia and Europe, as well as on the northern continent of America. The broom can include up to 70 different plant species. The name comes from the place where this shrub was first discovered, namely, these were the islands. This plant is quite popular among gardeners, and it is planted to perform decorative functions when creating landscape design. In addition, by planting the Broom, you can fix soil on slopes and in pits from spilling.

Broom plant: bush photo

Broom: description of the plant

The height of the Broom bush reaches about half a meter, or maybe even three meters. The leaves are arranged alternately. They can grow in pairs on one cuttings or one at a time. Stipules are also found in some species.

On the surface of the broom leaves, looking closely, you can find fluffy villi that are gray. Inflorescences are collected in a brush and are located at the very top of the stems. The shade of the petals here will be yellow, sometimes purple. There are times when colorful shrubs are also found. The broom plant is an excellent honey plant. In addition to the formation of flowers, the plant bears fruit, in the process of which the beans ripen with a large number of seeds inside. As they ripen, the fruits crack and the seeds fall out. The broom seeds themselves have a shiny shell and are flat in shape.

Broom: planting in the open field

The best time for planting broom in open ground is spring. It is necessary to choose a sunny, open place in advance, where there will be no drafts and strong winds. The soil for cultivation should be slightly acidic, as well as loose and have a good drainage layer. The best option for planting broom is a sandy loam soil composition. It is unacceptable to plant this plant near a reservoir, since the toxic substances contained in it can negatively affect the fish living in the water.

Having prepared the planting hole, you should start preparing the soil mixture, which should include sod land, humus, and also sand. It is best to immediately add a complex of mineral fertilizers. An excellent remedy will be the drug Kemira. This tool is used according to the instructions. All the constituent ingredients are mixed properly and then you can proceed directly to planting the plant.

When planting a large number of broom shrubs, it is necessary to maintain a distance of about 30 cm between them. The planting pit should be spacious - twice the root system of the plant. If your land on the site is heavy, clayey, then you need to lay out good drainage, about 20 cm thick. If the soil is loose, sandy, then 10 cm of drainage will be enough. The broom must be placed in the center of the planting pit and fill all the free space with the prepared soil composition. The earth is filled up evenly, it is also recommended to periodically compact it. The level of the root collar should be monitored. It must remain level with the soil surface. After planting, the plant should be watered properly, and then the entire surface should be mulched from above. The thickness of the mulching layer should be approximately 5 centimeters.

Broom: photo

Rules for caring for a broom in the open field

Like any plant, broom plant needs regular watering. In this case, you should focus on the state of the topsoil. It is necessary to water the plants with plenty of water if you have hybrid broom species. It should be borne in mind that the broom is also quite resistant to drought, so if there is a lot of precipitation in the summer, then you can not water the plants at all. However, if the summer is very hot and dry, then irrigate the bushes regularly. Towards autumn, the amount of watering should be reduced. The water for irrigation must be clean and it is better to pre-settle it to avoid the presence of lime in the water. After watering or after heavy rainfall, it is necessary to loosen the soil surface around the broom well. Loosening should be carried out thoroughly, mixing a layer of about 12 cm. Weeds should also be removed at this time.

As a fertilizer, the broom needs nitrogen when it comes to the spring period. And already from the middle of summer, it is imperative to add phosphorus and potassium-containing preparations. It is recommended to feed the broom in the spring with a urea solution diluted at the rate of 30 grams per 10 liters of water. Before the flowering period, the broom is fed with fertilizers consisting of superphosphate and potassium sulfate diluted in 10 liters of water. If the bushes have a low growth force and do not bloom well, then you can feed the plants again by mixing a solution of wood ash and treating the soil around the shrub with it.

Bush transplant

If you are replanting the broom bush to another location, then the same rules should be followed that were applied to the first planting of the plant. A planting pit is preliminarily prepared, which should be spacious and free for the root system of the plant. A prerequisite is a high drainage layer and the preparation of the above-described soil composition. Do not forget to add fertilizer to the soil mixture. After completing all the preparatory measures, the broom is carefully dug up and moved to a new planting hole, keeping a clod of earth. The remaining space must be covered with prepared soil and tamped.

Broom plant: bush photo

Plant propagation

Broom can be propagated using seeds as well as vegetatively.

Broom seeds are harvested immediately after the beans are ripe. This will be around the end of summer or early fall. Then you should prepare the soil, which will include peat and sand. The seeds are sown to a depth of about 5 mm, and then the container with the seeds must be covered with foil or glass on top. Next, the container is placed in a dark, warm place, where the air temperature will be about 20 degrees. Periodically, the shelter should be removed and the seeds ventilated, as well as sprayed regularly. After about two true leaves have appeared on the seedlings, it is necessary to dive the seedlings into separate containers with a diameter of at least 7 cm.A special soil should be placed in each pot, which will consist of sand, turf, and humus. In the spring, you can transplant the plant into more spacious containers, which will be about 10 or 11 cm in diameter. To make the bush look more lush, you should pinch the top. Next, the seedlings are planted in open ground. This will be in about 2 years, when the bushes will reach a height of about half a meter.

To propagate the broom plant using cuttings, planting material should be collected in the summer. When choosing an adult plant, it is necessary to cut off dense, almost lignified shoots. It is important to control that each of them has at least two leaves. The leaves are cut by about half, and the cuttings themselves are placed in soil, which consists of peat and sand. From above, cover the planting material with a transparent cut-off bottle. Cuttings root well only at a temperature of about 20 degrees. The transparent cap should be removed periodically to ventilate the plant. Spray treatment is also required. After about a month and a half, the cuttings are already enough and take root, after which they can already be planted in independent containers, which will be at least 9 cm in diameter.About 2 years later, the rooted plants can be planted in open ground.

Also, the broom is propagated using layering. It is necessary in the spring to select the extreme branch and dig it into a specially prepared groove and fix it with staples. Further, during the entire vegetative period, the buried layer should be watered abundantly and regularly, as well as fed with fertilizers. Before the winter period, just like the shrub itself, the layering should be closed and in the spring new plants will be ready.

Broom plant: bush photo

Preparing for winter

After the flowers of the broom have fallen off, it is necessary to cut off all the branches of the shrub, but it is advisable to leave the lignified part. During the onset of severe cold weather, young shrubs must be covered, since, unlike adult, mature bushes, young seedlings can freeze in winter. Plants must be covered with peat or just earth. The branches should be carefully cut and attached to the surface of the ground, fixing with some kind of device. From above, the bush covers with spruce branches or a large layer of leaves. Covering material can be used. Using material as a cover, it is necessary to fix it near the ground with stones. If the plant is old enough, there is no need to cover it.

Diseases and pests

Broom plant: bush photo

The broom shrub has a high immunity to common diseases, as well as insect pests. However, if the rules of care are violated, and the plant is grown in unsuitable climatic conditions, then the bush can infect moths or moths. When detected, these parasites must be destroyed by treating the plant with a solution of chlorophos. If chlorophos does not help, then you should treat the bush with insecticides.

Of the popular diseases, powdery mildew is distinguished, as well as black spot of the bush. A sign of powdery mildew is the appearance of a white coating on the surface of leaves and stems. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to treat the plant with a solution of copper sulfate before the buds swell. Also, during the entire summer period, the broom is treated with colloidal sulfur or a solution of foundationol. You can use a soapy solution with added copper.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such a disease as black spot, it is necessary to treat the plants with a solution of copper sulfate in the spring, and in the summer to process them with foundation, Bordeaux mixture, or use any fungicide. During processing, you must follow the instructions that are indicated on the package.

Broom: varieties and types of shrubs

Experienced gardeners very often grow broom in their area. Below are the most popular types.

Broom... The plant is native to Central or Southern Europe. In the wild, the bush can grow up to three meters. Fluffy villi are characteristic of young plants of this species. The leaves are arranged alternately here and have a trifoliate shape. The shape of the leaf plates is oval with a smooth solid edge. This species is characterized by the presence of one leaf at the top of the stem. The flowers are yellow. They usually bloom rootstock, sometimes one leaf at a time in the leaf axils. The pubescence can also be seen on the pedicels. The fruits grow here the same as those of the beans, only flattened. Each fruit contains a large number of seeds.This species has been grown for a very long time as decorative purposes. This culture prefers mild weather conditions, as well as not very frosty winters. In addition to this plant, there are species that are distinguished by very bright white inflorescences with a yellow border around the edges, as well as mixed flowers of red and rich yellow.

Creeping broom... In the wild, this plant can be found in southern Europe, mainly in pine forests. The shrub branches very well. Its stem reaches no more than 20 cm in height. However, the diameter can be up to 80 cm. The pubescence can also be seen over the entire surface of the stems and leaves. Separately taken stems adapt very quickly and take root. The leaves have a rich dark green color. The shape of the leaf blades is lanceolate, also with slight pubescence on the petioles. The length of each leaf is about 2 cm. The flowers have a bright yellow tint, usually gathering in several pieces in one leaf sinus. This culture has been cultivated since the seventies of the 18th century. The plant is hardy enough. But if the temperature is low for a long time, then the bush may freeze.

Early broom... This plant is completely undemanding to care for. It can reach a height of one and a half meters. A large number of stems grow and form an arc, which gives a splendor to the culture. The leaves are green and about 2 cm in size. Plants are located on the soil surface. The flowers have a bright yellow color and a very pleasant pronounced aroma. The culture is frost resistant. Among this species, there are such varieties as Olgold and Boskop Ruby. This plant grows up to 2 m in height, and the flowers have a ruby ​​hue.

Crowded broom... This is a very small compact bush, which is native to the eastern countries of Europe. The height of this plant is about 30 cm, and the width of the bush is 80 cm. 3 years after planting, the broom blooms with beautiful bright yellow flowers. The culture tolerates frost comfortably. Only in severe winters can the ends of the stems freeze at the plant.

Sessile broom... The homeland of this species is the western countries of Europe. The bush can grow up to one and a half meters in height, the leaves are in the form of a triad. The length of the peduncles of this species is small, and on them are bright yellow flowers, reaching one and a half centimeters in length. The plant does not tolerate frosty winters, so all parts of the stem that are not covered by snow can freeze. This species needs careful shelter before the winter period.

Blackening broom... This culture grows wild in Ukraine, Belarus, as well as in Western Europe. When the leaves dry out, they turn black. The height of the tree can be up to one meter. The leaf plates and stems are also covered with fluff. The flowers here form into ears at the very ends of the stems, which are about 30 cm long. The shade of the petals is golden, so when the plant is in bloom it looks very beautiful.

Zinger's broom ... The plant grows in the wild on the territory of the Dnieper, mainly in mixed forests. The stem of this plant reaches 1 meter in height. As is typical for all brooms, the stem is covered with golden hairs. The leaves are green in color and vary in shape. When the plant blooms, it forms inflorescences of a yellow hue, which from the side resemble an ear. This plant is not often grown by gardeners. Among the cultivated plants, the oblong broom, protruding and flowering, is also distinguished.

In addition, varieties belonging to the Rakitnichek genus are planted to improve the territory.

Russian broom... This plant has a stem of about 150 cm, which has a gray bark. The stems are covered with villi. The leaves are elliptical and grow up to 2 cm long. There are small thorns at the top of each leaf plate. The shade of the leaves is green here.The leaf plate is covered with a layer of villi. The flowers are also yellow in color and reach 3 centimeters in length. At the same time, there are flowers that are collected in inflorescences in four to five pieces. The flowering period here lasts about 30 days.

Broom purple... The homeland of this plant is the southern and central parts of Europe. The bush grows just over half a meter, but its stems form a very beautiful lush crown. The trifoliate leaves are in the shape of a wide ellipse. The bush is distinguished by its great vigor of growth. This plant is not frost-resistant, but it has good regeneration in the spring. The Atropurpurea variety looks very beautiful and fulfills decorative functions. He is the most popular. It is characterized by beautiful purple petals. In addition to it, golden rain and other popular varieties such as Albus, Plena, Roseus and others are often cultivated.

Regensburg broom... This plant is also found in nature on the territories of the Dnieper. The bush has a height of about 30 cm, the leaves are trifoliate, and the stems are covered with a large layer of silvery villi. The flowers have a bright yellow saturated hue. Biflorus is usually grown on the territory of the site or garden. This species is resistant to winter and is available for cultivation even in the regions of Novosibirsk and in central Russia.

In addition to the above varieties, gardeners are very fond of growing such types of broom as Roshal's, Lezhachiy, Elongated and other varieties of warriors.

Conclusion

The broom plant is an unpretentious lush shrub that can decorate any territory. A wide variety of its species and varieties allows even the most capricious gardener to choose the best option.

Plant Broom: video about a bush