How to grow a large garden chamomile on a plot? Chamomile - a garden beauty with beneficial properties Perennial chamomile with seeds

Garden chamomile enjoys well-deserved popularity among gardeners. The elegant simplicity of this flower allowed it to become a decoration of flower beds and garden plots. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, the plant has rightfully received the love of novice gardeners, landscape designers and experienced flower growers.

Belongs to the Aster family and is widespread in South Africa, the Mediterranean, Eastern countries, America and Europe. Delicate flowers that look like little suns are loved by residents of almost all continents.

In addition to its decorative qualities and unpretentious content, chamomile is especially valuable for its medicinal properties. It has anti-inflammatory, soothing and antiseptic effects. Chamomile teas and decoction-based rinses are widely known and very popular.

Description of the flower

This is a perennial herbaceous plant, the height of which, depending on the species, ranges from 10 to 30 cm. The yellow core of the flower is surrounded by delicate white petals. Daisies look great in bouquets. Flowers of this species can reach 15 cm in diameter and grow up to a meter high. Smooth leaves of rich green color. The flowering period is quite long, usually blooming from June to September. In autumn, the part of the bush that is above the ground dies, only to grow again the next year in the same place. The bush needs to be replanted once every 4-5 years.

Without proper garden care, chamomile can grow very large.

How to grow chamomile

Temperature

It prefers well-lit areas; of course, it can grow in partial shade, but lack of light can lead to shredding of flowers. The optimal temperature for a flower is 19-22°C, but can withstand much higher temperatures.

Watering

The flower needs regular watering, but remember that excess moisture is detrimental to the plant and can lead to the development of diseases and even death. Therefore, it is better to plant the flower in well-drained soils and avoid stagnation of moisture.

Top dressing

For all its unpretentiousness, the bush still needs feeding. Fertilizers are applied in early spring. The plant is fertilized with ammonium nitrate. It is necessary to use one matchbox of fertilizer per 1 square. m. During the period of bud formation, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers can be applied. It is necessary to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers, since the plant loves fertile soils.

Before applying fertilizer, you must carefully inspect the plant. If the leaves are bright and dense, the plant does not need feeding. It should be remembered that excess fertilizer can negatively affect growth and development.

As a top dressing Wood ash works great, chicken droppings or humus.

Remember that chamomile prefers neutral soils. In acidic soils, the flower does not perform well and may die.

Features of reproduction

The flower multiplies:

• seeds
• dividing the bush
• seedlings.

Seeds

When planting seeds, choose a sunny place for the flower bed. If necessary, soil acidity can be reduced by adding slaked soda or wood ash. The seeds are either not covered with soil at all, or are covered with a very thin layer. Planting is carried out at a temperature of +16-18°C. Seeds should be covered with film until germination and regular watering should be provided. After seed germination, it is necessary to thin out the plants. Between a group of 2-3 bushes leave a distance of 30-40 cm.

Dividing the bush

When propagating by dividing the bush, proceed as follows. In the spring the bush is dug up. Carefully, with your hands, so as not to damage the roots of the plant, an adult bush is divided into 2-3 parts, each of which is planted in a prepared hole. Fertilizer must be placed at the bottom of the hole. You can use complex fertilizer for flowers. The fertilizer is covered with a layer of soil, after which the plant is planted in the hole. Don't forget to water the plant after planting.

Obtaining seedlings

To get a flowering plant faster, you can plant it with seedlings. In March, the seeds are planted in cups with soil and covered with film until germination. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of each cup to avoid water stagnation. It is also necessary to make a hole in the bottom of the cup to drain excess liquid. The first shoots appear 1-2 weeks after planting. Seedlings should be planted in the ground after warm weather sets in.

To improve the decorative properties of the plant It is necessary to regularly remove dried inflorescences, weed the area with daisies to get rid of weeds, and carefully loosen the soil.

For more luxuriant flowering, young shoots are pinched.

In autumn, the stems of the plant are cut off, and the area with daisies is covered for the winter with covering material or fallen leaves to avoid freezing of the plant.

Landscape design

Chamomile serves as an excellent decoration for garden beds. It looks great next to perennial phlox or delphiniums. Often landscape designers plant it in small clearings in garden plots. This creates the effect of pristine and natural appearance of a delicate flower. Such flower meadows, located in different corners of the site, will not leave anyone indifferent.

It can be an excellent decoration for the banks of a small garden pond. Growing chamomile in a flowerpot on the terrace will certainly add charm to the surrounding landscape. It also grows well in flowerpots on the balcony.

Types of chamomile

Thanks to the high popularity and painstaking work of breeders, many different types of chamomile have appeared, each of which has its own decorative characteristics.

This is a common name that is used to decorate a garden plot or flower bed. Decorative chamomile does not have medicinal properties and is distinguished by the height of its stem and larger flowers. If you plant the plants at a distance of no more than 15 cm from each other, and regularly pinch the tops, you can get a very beautiful chamomile field effect.

Garden perennial

Nowadays, not only white chamomile is popular in gardens. Varieties with yellow, pink, red and lilac petals have been bred.

Terry perennial

This is a very beautiful type of decorative daisies. double flower distinguished by a large number of delicate petals. Externally, they are very similar to chrysanthemums.

Princess

The variety is distinguished by large flowers. Flowering lasts from June to early October. Princess is great for arranging bouquets. Cut flowers last more than a week in water, fully maintaining decorative qualities.

What could be more beautiful than a garden decorated with flowering plants? They fill the air around with a unique aroma, and the garden space with amazing beauty.. They give peace and tranquility. They allow you to take a break from the gray everyday life of city blocks and appreciate the creations of an unsurpassed artist, whose name is Nature.

Garden chamomile is a perennial plant. Chamomile has straight, slightly branched stems ranging from 80 centimeters to one meter in height. Flowers with a yellow core, along the edge of which petals are arranged in one or several rows. The color palette of chamomile petals is very diverse; it can be yellow, lilac, blue, pink. The most popular and common species are those with white petals.

Perennial garden daisies are easy to care for, which is why they can be grown almost anywhere. Cultivated species are grown in flower beds.

Varieties

There are many varieties of garden chamomile. And in order to fully enjoy the beauty of this plant, you need to choose the variety you like and suits you.

Landing

When a suitable variety has been selected, you can proceed to choosing a location.

Choosing a landing site

Although this is an unpretentious flower, without proper care the plant will lose its beauty, the leaves may turn yellow, the stems will become thinner, and the flowers will become very small. It is enough to know the basic rules of caring for perennial plants. The landing site should be sunny. Chamomile does not like acidic soil, so it is worth taking this into account. You can reduce the acidity of the soil by adding slaked soda or wood ash to it. Before planting, the soil should be fertilized with minerals and organic matter. Bushes should be planted infrequently.

Seed propagation

Seed propagation implies planting seeds directly into the ground. This should be done in May, when the air temperature warms up to +16–18 °C. The seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, covered with film and watered periodically. In two to three weeks the first shoots will appear. After the plants have four or more leaves, they should be threaded. Leave 2-3 bushes at a distance of 30-40 centimeters.

You can start growing garden chamomile from seedlings. You need to start sowing seedlings in March. Seeds are evenly distributed into a prepared container with slightly acidic soil and covered with film or glass. Then put it in a warm, dark place.

Moisten the soil as necessary. After the shoots appear in 1–2 weeks, the shelter is removed. Now the container with the seedlings must be moved as close as possible to sunlight or under a fluorescent lamp.

When the sprouts have a third leaf, they need to be planted in separate pots. Peat or plastic cups are often used for such purposes. To tiller garden chamomile, you should pinch its stem above 3-4 leaves. You can transplant seedlings into open ground only after the final warming, in the middle or end of May.

Division by bush

Reproduction by dividing the bush will allow you to quickly get a flowering plant. Another way it is possible to rejuvenate the plant. After all, chamomile is a perennial plant, and after 2-3 years the bushes become dense, the shoots in the middle of the shoot die off, the flowers become smaller and less attractive. This procedure is carried out at the end of September. Thus, the flower will have time to take root before the onset of cold weather.

Choose an adult bush of three or 5 years of age. The dug out bush is shaken off the ground and divided into parts along with the rhizome and the above-ground part. Each separated bush should have its own rhizome and growing points. You need to dig a hole with a little more rhizome and pour mineral fertilizers there. After this, the plant is placed in a planting hole, compacted with soil and watered abundantly. If you divide every year, the flowers will be larger.

Some varieties can be propagated by cuttings, but this is too labor-intensive a process, so they try not to use it.

Care

Chamomile reproduces very quickly and easily; with proper care, the number of bushes will increase and increase, which cannot but please gardeners. Knowing some of the features of growing garden chamomile, care will become much easier.

Diseases

Improper care and excess moisture can cause a sunny flower to become diseased. The most common diseases that can overtake chamomile are gray rot, rust, powdery mildew and fusarium.

Rust can be noticed very quickly. Red spots appear on the leaves, and fungal spores are found on the back of the leaf.

Gray rot appears as brown spots on shoots and leaves. With high humidity, the disease progresses and the spots become covered with gray fluff.

Powdery mildew. You can recognize the disease by the white coating on the above-ground part of the flower. Over time, infected shoots become brown.

Fusarium- a disease that affects the roots and root collar. The tissues begin to rot, the stem becomes thinner, the leaves turn yellow and the plant dies.

There are also pests that love to feast on chamomile, causing harm to it. These are wireworms, star flies, aphids and thrips. To combat these insects, plants are treated with special insecticides.

To prevent the death of chamomile, you need to carry out timely watering, weeding and draining the soil. If you find an infected plant, remove it if possible to avoid infecting nearby growing specimens.

Chamomile (Matricaria) belongs to a genus of flowering herbaceous perennial plants that are members of the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. This genus includes approximately 20 species of fragrant herbs, characterized by not very tall growth, which begin to bloom in the first year of life. In the wild, such flowers can be found in North and South America, Australia, Eurasia and South Africa. Interestingly, such flowers once adorned Central Africa, but local tribes did everything to destroy them, because they were sure that daisies could attract evil spirits.

The most popular of all types is chamomile, which has medicinal properties. It is widely used in the production of medicines and cosmetics. Chamomile is translated from Latin as “uterus”. The fact is that such flowers were very often used in the treatment of gynecological diseases. Thus, in the multi-volume Natural History, Pliny the Elder describes this flower, calling it Chamaemellon. This name is made up of 2 words, which are translated as “low” (due to the size of the flower) and “apple” (the smell was similar to apple). The name used in Russia comes from Poland, and it comes from the word romana - “Roman”.

Gardeners often call gerbera, pyrethrum, cornflower, aster and chrysanthemum garden chamomile. Such plants belong to the aster family and are not chamomile. This article will focus on nevus, although it is not a chamomile, but planting and caring for them are very similar. In this case, to make it more convenient, nivaria will be called chamomile below.

Garden chamomile (Leucanthemum vulgare) is also called cornflower, as well as popovka. The height of such a herbaceous plant can reach 15–60 centimeters. The root is quite short, the stem is erect and slightly faceted, the basal leaf plates are crenate, spatulate in shape, located on fairly long petioles, while the stem leaf plates are oblong in shape, with teeth unevenly spaced along the edge. The stem leaves, two in number, located at the top of the stem, are smaller in size than those located below. The flowers are presented in the form of inflorescences-baskets of hemispherical shape, the diameter of which can reach 2.5–6 centimeters. They are collected in shields. In the middle of the baskets there are tubular bisexual yellow flowers, and at the edges there are long false-ligulate, usually white (yellow are also found) flowers that are sterile. The fruit is presented in the form of an achene.

There are approximately 20 species in the genus of the nivyaniki plant.

Growing chamomile from seeds

These flowers can be grown either through seedlings or without seedlings. If necessary, seeds are sown directly into open soil, but the seedling method has proven itself to be the most reliable. Seeds are sown for seedlings in early spring, or more precisely, in March. For sowing you will need a tray with cells. It should be filled with light, moist soil, well-permeable to air, which includes peat and sand (1:1). 2 or 3 seeds should be placed in 1 cell, and then they are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil mixture. A film is placed on top of the container, which must be transparent. Then it is placed near the window opening. At the same time, you cannot place the container on the windowsill, because sunlight can harm the process of sprouting. Spray the soil with a sprayer immediately after it dries slightly.

At normal room temperature, the first seedlings should appear after 10–14 days. After this happens, the shelter should be removed, and the container should be placed in a well-lit place on the windowsill, and do not forget to protect the plant from drafts. In the event that you cannot find a sunny place for chamomile, it is recommended to place a fluorescent lamp above the container, and the daylight hours should be approximately 14 hours. After the seedlings grow to 5 centimeters, it will be necessary to thin out the seedlings. To do this, you need to remove weak plants, leaving 1 strongest plant in 1 cell. However, you should not pull out daisies during thinning, as this may cause injury to the root system of the remaining plant. It is recommended to carefully break off the unwanted seedling above the soil surface. To increase branching, it is necessary to pinch the seedling above the 3rd or 4th leaf.

What time to plant seedlings

The grown seedlings should be transplanted into the soil after 1–1.5 months have passed from the moment of germination. Also, the threat of frost should pass outside. To plant garden chamomile, you need to choose a well-lit area with direct sunlight and neutral or calcareous soil. Groundwater must lie quite deep.

Disembarkation

Before planting daisies, you need to prepare the area. To do this, you need to dig it up, adding complex fertilizer for flowers. The depth of the holes should be from 20 to 30 centimeters, while a distance of 20 to 40 centimeters should be maintained between the bushes. The distance between the holes, as well as their depth, directly depend on the plant variety. The plant must be carefully pulled out of the cell with a lump of earth and placed in a hole. After this, it is covered with soil, and the surface is compacted a little. Then watering is done. The daisies will begin to bloom next year.

How to care for chamomile

After the seedlings are transplanted into open soil, they should be provided with systematic, frequent watering. However, after the daisies take root and begin to grow, it will be necessary to reduce watering and carry it out only in dry weather. After watering, it is recommended to sprinkle the soil surface with a layer of mulch (peat), which will help prevent rapid evaporation of moisture. And such a plant, like all others, needs to be fed, weeded in a timely manner, and the top layer of soil must be loosened in a timely manner. Garden daisies also need to be prepared for wintering. The plants are fed every year using peat, humus and compost, which must be added to the soil. In the middle of spring, ammonium nitrate should be poured into an even layer of ammonium nitrate (20 grams of substance per 1 square meter) between the rows on the soil surface. There is no need to water after this. When budding begins, experts advise applying a urea solution under those bushes that have faded leaf blades and shoots. In autumn, dolomite flour or slaked lime must be added to the acidic soil.

This plant can be propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. It is recommended to grow perennial garden daisies in the same place for no longer than 5 years. However, it is worth considering that just 2–3 years after planting, the bushes thicken, as a result of which their middle stems die and the inflorescences become smaller. As a result, the bushes become less attractive. To prevent this, young and strong shoots must be planted from the plant in time. This procedure is recommended to be carried out in the last September and first October days. In this case, the day must be cloudy and cool. To do this, you need to separate part of the bush and place it in a pre-prepared hole, which must first be watered with settled water. It is then covered with soil enriched with nutrients. When you divide the same bush next time, you will need to take the division from the other side. This method is suitable for propagating terry and varietal garden daisies. In the case when you want the bushes to be very powerful and the flowers to be large, it is recommended to divide them every year.

Seeds can also be used for propagation. How to grow seedlings is described above. However, it is possible to sow seeds in open soil before winter. In cold soil they will not freeze out, but will undergo natural stratification. In spring, daisies should come up together. All you have to do is thin out the seedlings.

If the rules of care are violated, it is quite possible that the plants may begin to suffer from gray mold, fusarium, powdery mildew, and also rust.

Powdery mildew― it can be identified by a whitish coating that forms on any part of the plant except the root system. Over time, it acquires a brown tint.

Rust- dark red spots appear on the front side of the leaf blades, while on the reverse side you can find pads with fungal spores.

Fusarium― this fungal disease leads to the fact that young bushes develop rot on the root collar and root system, and the tissues change their color to brown. The shoots become thinner and the leaf plates turn yellow.

Gray rot-brown necrotic spots form on the surface of the foliage and stems, which grow quite quickly. If the air humidity is high, a grayish mycelium fluff forms on the surface of the spots.

As a preventive measure against fungal diseases, it is necessary to prevent the soil from being too wet, it must be loosened in a timely manner, and regular weeding must be carried out. If gray rot appears on the bush, it should be destroyed as soon as possible, this will help stop the spread of infection. When infected with fungal diseases, treatment with fungicides is recommended, for example: Topaz, Oxychom, Fundazol, Kuproxat, etc. It is necessary to treat the plants at least 2-3 times, with the duration of breaks being 1-1.5 weeks.

Thrips, wireworms, aphids and star-winged flies can settle on garden chamomile.

Starwing fly- it is called that because it has a small star-shaped spot on the surface of its wing. At the base of the middle flowers there is an accumulation of its larvae, which harm the plant. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to remove weeds in a timely manner.

Aphids and thrips- these pests suck the juice from parts of the chamomile located above the ground. Yellowish or discolored spots, stripes or streaks form on the surface of the leaf plates. Tissues that have been damaged die over time, leaves wither and fall off, and flowers also become deformed, losing their spectacular appearance. If infected, the plant must be treated with insectoacaricides, for example: Agravertin, Karbofos or Actellik.

Wireworms- they are the larvae of the click beetle. Such pests live in the soil for about 4 years and in the process damage the root system of chamomile. To destroy them you need to make special traps. To do this, you need to put a small piece of carrots, potatoes or beets in the prepared hole. Place a piece of metal or a board on top of the trap. You should open the trap and get rid of the pests that have accumulated in it after 2–3 days. Traps must be laid systematically. Often this pest lives in the area where potatoes grow nearby.

Perennial daisies after flowering

If you need to collect seeds, you should wait until several large flowers have completely dried. Then they need to be cut and placed in a dry place where there is good ventilation so that they dry out. After this, seeds are removed from the middle tubular flowers onto a piece of paper. After you have aired them, place them in a small paper bag and store them in a dark, dry place. They remain viable for 2–3 years. But it should be borne in mind that when propagated using seeds of terry and varietal daisies, they are not able to retain their parental characteristics.

Preparing for winter

Perennial garden daisies should definitely be covered for the winter. Before frost begins, it is necessary to completely cut off the above-ground part of the daisies. After this, they must be sprinkled with sawdust or fallen dry leaves, or they can be covered with non-woven material.

Types and varieties of daisies with photos

In addition to meadow chamomile (common cornflower), gardeners also grow other species.

It is also called common cornflower. It is found naturally in Ukraine, in the southern part of Siberia, Western Europe and the European part of Russia. This perennial plant can reach a height of 90 centimeters. The diameter of single inflorescences-baskets is from 6 to 7 centimeters, the tubular flowers are yellow, and the reed flowers are white. This species has been cultivated since 1500. The most popular varieties:

1. Sans Souci- reaches a height of 100 centimeters, and the diameter of the inflorescence is 12 centimeters. Reed flowers are arranged in 6–8 rows and are white, with a small number of yellow middle ones.
2. May Queen- This chamomile is very popular among amateur gardeners. Half-meter bushes have glossy foliage, rich dark green color, which forms the ground cover.
3. Maxima Koenig- on a meter-long bush there are flowers, the diameter of which is 12 centimeters. The middle flowers are dark yellow, and 2 rows of reed flowers are painted white.

This rock plant is a late bloomer. It is found naturally on the island of Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands. The fleshy rhizome is thickened. The bush is 20 centimeters high and contains a small number of single baskets, the diameter of which is 5–8 centimeters. The color of the marginal flowers is white. The arcticum variety has a different shape of leaf blades.

Also called marsh chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum paludosum) - found in southern Spain and Portugal. The height of the branched bush is no more than 25 centimeters. It contains alternately arranged, sessile spatulate leaves of a rich green color, crenate along the edge. The diameter of a large number of inflorescences-baskets is 3 centimeters. The white ligulate flowers are short, and there is also a large middle, consisting of yellow tubular flowers.

The homeland is the Pyrenees. The bush of a perennial plant has a height of 0.5 to 1 meter. There is a short ground rhizome, sessile spatulate leaf blades with a crenate edge. The diameter of the inflorescences of the baskets is from 10 to 12 centimeters. Simple inflorescences consist of white marginal flowers arranged in 2 rows, as well as yellow tubular middle ones. The double inflorescences include many white reed flowers arranged in several rows, while the middle tubular ones are white in color. Such inflorescences are similar to chrysanthemums. Grown since 1816. Popular varieties:

1. Alaska― the diameter of the inflorescences is 10 centimeters, there is 1 row of white reed flowers.
2. Beethoven- a profusely flowering variety. On a half-meter bush there are simple inflorescences.
3. Stern von Antwerp- meter-long bushes have inflorescences with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. Tubular flowers are yellow, and reed flowers are white.
4. Schwabengrub- bush up to 80 centimeters, double inflorescences, pure white.
5. Little Princess- the height of the spectacular bush is 20 centimeters. There are large snow-white inflorescences.

Also, how to grow garden chamomile: pyrethrum, erigeron, odorless chamomile, matricaria and navels. All of them belong to the Aster family.

Daisies in flower beds look great, but in order for them to grow healthy and beautiful, the gardener needs to organize the correct sowing, choose the appropriate method of planting, fertilizing, caring, and most importantly, learn the intricacies of pest and disease control.

Modern cultivated daisies can hardly be called wildflowers today. However, it is wild daisies that are the founders of the entire selection of garden daisies. Chamomiles have won the hearts of flower growers due to their delicate beauty. In Russia, chamomile began to be actively planted in flower beds around the 18th-19th century. However, long before the peak of its popularity, in Rus' the flower was considered the personification of innocence and beauty; field chamomile was often woven into braids and wreaths. Chamomile was also revered in ancient Rome, not only for its decorative qualities, but also for its healing properties. In ancient Egypt, this flower was glorified as the flower of the sun god. Today, garden perennial chamomile is the merit of breeders and the subject of their long and painstaking work.

Necessary conditions for growing chamomile

Without exception, all varieties of chamomile are partial to well-lit areas; sunlight is necessary for the growth and proper development of the plant. Neutral soils with low acidity are considered the best for growing daisies. The soil for cultivating these flowers must be fertile, but chamomile is not capricious and will grow well in poor soil, subject to the required care conditions: fertilizing and watering. Since garden chamomile is a cultivated plant, it needs frequent watering for stable and large flowering. Regular watering is necessary not only during drought, but also if you have sandy loam soil. However, under no circumstances should you allow water to stagnate in the area with daisies; the flowers may simply die from putrefactive diseases. It is better to make artificial drainage if there is groundwater in your area to protect the plants from excess moisture.

Cultivated chamomile can be propagated using different methods. Chamomile is propagated by seeds, seedlings or cuttings and rhizomes. For propagation, select only healthy bushes with good, high-quality flowering indicators. When the flower stalks ripen and the petals become dry and begin to fall off, the browned baskets with seeds should be cut off and dried in a well-ventilated, warm room. Then collect the seeds, sort, clear of debris and store until sowing in a special bag with holes so that the seeds do not spoil. Well, if your bush has grown, then you can divide it into several plants; to do this, you need to dig up the chamomile in the fall, carefully divide the bush, and so that the root system is distributed evenly between them. Then locate the chamomile in a new habitat, with mandatory feeding.

Sowing chamomile

You can start sowing in the first ten days of autumn or early spring; the flowering period of chamomile will depend on the time of sowing. If you sow seeds, it is better to do it in early spring, and after a month you will enjoy the seedlings. However, keep in mind that low temperatures can damage garden vegetation, so sowing flowers should be done when the frosts have completely subsided. So, the depth for planting chamomile seeds should not exceed 3 centimeters. Chamomile can be sown either in rows or in a nesting method. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the row spacing, for your own convenience when watering and caring for the plant. The seedlings are planted a month later in open ground. Planting is carried out according to the same scheme as with seeds. Chamomile responds well to enriched, well-drained soils and prefers well-lit areas. In the shade, the plant will stretch upward and bend. It is better to prepare loamy soils before planting chamomile by adding peat or chopped straw mixed with sawdust to the soil in the fall. And in the spring, start sowing with peace of mind. Otherwise, loamy soil will lead to plant disease.

Chamomile propagation methods

As described above, chamomile can be propagated in different ways, and one of the simplest is by seed. Depending on the climate in your region, seeds begin to be planted between April and May. After sowing, it is better to cover the area with the seedlings with polyethylene; with this method of growing, you can expect germination in two to three weeks. It is recommended to harden the seeds before sowing to avoid sowing stress.

Keep the seeds in the refrigerator for about a week. If you live in a region with an unstable climate, it is better to sow seedlings in early April, and plant them in open ground in May, when the frosts have subsided. To do this, pour prepared or purchased soil into a container, sow the seeds and place it on the windowsill, on the sunny side, and organize watering. When the seedlings have two or three leaves, they can be planted in open ground, taking into account the temperature regime; at night the temperature should not drop below +15 degrees, otherwise the plant will simply wither. The easiest way to plant seedlings is by nesting in holes to such a depth that the soil covers all the roots. A young plant can be planted together with the soil in which it was sown; to do this, remove the chamomile from the container, place it in the hole and dig in with soil, pressing down lightly. After planting is complete, water the plants with warm water.

Chamomile is one of those plants that, under favorable conditions, grow rapidly. Based on the fact that large bushes produce small flowers, and the likelihood of infection by fungal diseases increases every year, every five to six years, it is necessary to replant the plant, dividing the bush into separate families. It is permissible to dig up plants only in the fall, after flowering has ended. Dividing a bush is not a complicated procedure, just divide the bush equally, form a separate one and transplant it to a new prepared place. After transplanting is complete, apply fertilizing. Garden chamomile can also be propagated by cuttings, but this process is complicated and is used in practice by gardeners in rare cases when the chamomile root system is damaged or it is not possible to collect the plant’s seeds.

Chamomile varieties

Today, there are quite a few varieties of chamomile, they all differ in flowering time, bud size, height and other vegetation characteristics. Well-known varieties of chamomile, which are always popular not only with flower growers, but also with floriculture lovers, are cornflower, doronicum, pyrethrum, small-petalled and pharmaceutical chamomile.

Nivyanyk. A large garden chamomile, it includes about twenty varieties. Many flower growers choose for their plots, the most common ones are common, large and Kuril. These flowers are large in size, have beautiful double petals and a yellow core. Nielberry plants, like other chamomile varieties, prefer sunny areas and nutritious soil. Niberry bushes grow quickly, so they need to be replanted every three or four years. The main difference between cornflower and other chamomile varieties is its large size.

Small-petalled. The plant reaches a meter in height at maturity. Blooms from early June. Flowering lasts for about two months. Small petal flowers come in different shades, white, blue and pink.

Pyrethrum or Persian chamomile. The plant is bushy, reaches one and a half meters in height. The size of the buds varies and depends on the quality of the soil; the color can be pink, yellow, red and white. Depending on the variety, it has double or ordinary petals. Loves saturated, well-drained soils, average humidity and fertilizing. It is recommended to replant the plant after reaching four years of age. Serves as a good remedy in the fight against house moths. It gets along well in a flowerbed with its own kind, as well as any varieties of poppy, bellflower and other garden plants.

Doronicum. This variety of chamomile is a perennial plant with an early flowering period. It reaches a height of up to a meter. The flowers are unpretentious, thrive in low-nutrient soil, and grow well in shaded areas. Doronicum flowers are predominantly yellow. The plant begins to bloom early, flowering lasts about two months.

Pharmaceutical camomile. It is no accident that this widespread variety won the hearts of gardeners. Pharmaceutical chamomile has a whole range of healing properties. Chamomile serves as an antiseptic; pharmaceutical chamomile is used not only in pharmacology, but also in the beauty industry. Chamomile infusions and decoctions fight many diseases and are used in cosmetology. Chamomile retains its medicinal properties even when dried, which is why pharmaceutical chamomile is often found in domestic garden beds. The chamomile has no outstanding decorative qualities; the flowers are small, the plant grows up to 50 centimeters in height, and is unpretentious to the soil.

Caring for garden chamomile

Chamomile is not a fastidious plant, however, like all garden vegetation, it needs loosening, weeding, watering, replanting and protection from temperature changes. So that the flowers do not become smaller, and the plant pleases you with its appearance, chamomile must be replanted every four years. To do this, the bush is dug up, divided in half and transplanted from its original location to a new one. Thus, the plant rejuvenates, giving new shoots. Chamomile is a strong plant with a well-developed root system, but proximity to weeds and the struggle for nutrient media can affect flowering. Therefore, it is inappropriate to be near weeds; to do this, weed as needed. Chamomile responds well to well-drained soils with good aeration; to do this, loosen the soil, but be careful not to damage the roots and young plants. Chamomile overwinters well in an area protected from the wind, but if in your region the winter is quite cold, then it is necessary to cover the flowers for the winter. The material will be straw, peat or sawdust. After the end of the growing season, the chamomile must be trimmed; the entire above-ground part of the plant is cut off with garden shears.

It is not difficult to achieve lush chamomile flowering, you just need to take care of the plant. Regular watering and timely removal of faded flowers will help achieve the desired result. The bushes will delight you with their lush flowering for a long time. Many gardeners recommend mulching the soil with chamomile plantings, a thin layer in the hot months and a layer of at least 20 centimeters in the cold winter. Mulching perfectly protects chamomile bushes from the heat of the sun, retains moisture, and in winter a thick layer of mulch will protect the plant from the cold. In the spring, when the frosts have subsided, the mulch must be removed, since the overwintered plant will begin to actively grow, and for this it needs to be warmed by the sun's rays; in addition, pests and dangerous pathogens of fungal infections can settle in the mulch after winter.

Feeding chamomile

In order for chamomile to bloom well, remain healthy and strong, it needs feeding. Feeding will depend on the growing season of the plant. First of all, chamomile should be fed before flowering begins. To do this, dilute purchased fertilizers for garden flowers according to the instructions and water the plant. You can use nitrophosk fertilizer, diluting it with water in accordance with the instructions for use.

Subsequent feeding is carried out after the plant has finished flowering. Chamomile is fertilized with superphosphate and potassium. To treat several bushes, you will need about eight liters of fertilizer. To protect chamomile from pathogenic flora, it is recommended to add wood ash to the soil after flowering and loosen the soil well.

Pests and diseases of chamomile

Chamomile has a fairly strong immunity, but like all cultivated plants it is susceptible to some diseases. The main feature in preventing flower disease is prevention. Do not allow water to stagnate in the area, otherwise the plant may be susceptible to diseases such as gray rot, fusarium, rust and other fungal diseases. Before transplanting chamomile, treat the soil with fungicidal preparations. Trim dead parts of the plant in a timely manner and apply insecticides.

Chamomile is perfect for decorating flower beds and making flower arrangements, and thanks to its unpretentiousness, ease of care and variety of varieties, it will satisfy the requirements of even the most capricious gardener.

Recently, garden chamomile has been regaining its popularity among flowers in the flower beds and flower beds of our garden plots. This flower with large white flowers can be safely called a symbol of light, warmth and summer! In addition, these flowers are beautiful and delicate in appearance, unpretentious in maintenance, resistant to climate change and various types of diseases.

Description

Garden chamomile is a perennial plant, the height ranges from 30 to 150 cm. The petals are usually white, but can have a different color. The leaves are elongated and dark green.

Varieties

Thanks to the efforts of modern breeders, many decorative species of garden chamomile have been developed. The most popular of them are:

• Nivyanik;
• Pyrethrum;
• Small Petal;
• Doronicum.

1. Nielberry - there are about 20 species, but the most popular is the common nevus. Depending on the variety, the plant may have simple or double white flowers. They are considered light-loving plants; during flowering they are demanding in care, moisture-loving, and require fertilizers. The plant needs to be divided every 2-3 years.

The most popular varieties of common cornflower include:

• Maxima Koenig – Maxima Kenig – tall plant with large white flowers;
• May Queen - a low-growing plant, blooms in early spring, has double flowers.

2. Pyrethrum is a perennial plant with a developed rhizome. Flowers with white, pink, red, yellow petals. The structure depends on the variety; it has simple or double flowers. Pyrethrum reaches a height of 50 cm, and some varieties up to 1.5 meters. These flowers grow well both in sunny flower beds and in shaded areas of the garden. Prefer well-drained, non-acidic soil. Division is recommended once every 2-3 years.

The most common varieties of pyrethrum:

• White Star - White Stars - bush up to 25 cm high, white flowers;
• Golden Ball - Gold Ball - low-growing bushes with double yellow flowers;
• Robinson's Hybrid - bush height up to 60 cm, large flowers with dark red petals.

Dried pyrethrum flowers are used to combat moths in the closet.

3. Small petal is a perennial rhizomatous plant. Height ranges from 50 cm to 1 meter. Flowers with purple, blue, pink petals. Loves sunlight, prefers loose, fertile soils. It blooms from mid-June, flowering duration is about 1.5 months.

The main varieties of small leaves:

• Alpine small leaf – Erigeron alpinus L. – a low-growing plant with pink or lilac small flowers;
• Caucasian small petal – Erigeron caucasicus Stev. – perennial plant, height up to 40 cm, small flowers of white, purple or pink color;
• Annual small petal – Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. – annual plant, bush height 50-100 cm, small flowers white or blue.

4. Doronicum is a perennial plant with yellow flowers, reaching a height of 20 to 70 cm. Prefers light shade, light fertile soils. Flowering is early, lasts from May to June.

The most popular are:

• Austrian doronicum or plantain – Doronicum austriacum Jacq – height 60-70 cm, bright yellow flowers with a diameter of up to 5 cm, blooms in July;
• Doronicum eastern or Caucasian - Doronicum orientale Hoffingg - perennial plant reaches a height of 50 cm, flowers up to 5 cm in diameter are light yellow, flowering period is May-June;

Propagation of garden chamomile

Chamomile is propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush into several parts.

Seeds are sown in March, sprinkled with a small layer of soil. Already in the first week of summer, the grown seedlings are transplanted to a temporary place in order to grow and become stronger. In July, the formed young bushes are planted for permanent residence. Garden chamomile will bloom and delight the eye only next summer.

It is recommended to divide the garden chamomile bush after flowering. To do this, you need to carefully separate and dig up one or more parts of the bush, and transplant them to a new place. The void left in the hole after dividing the bush is filled with earth so that the plant can grow again.

For some varieties of chamomile, you can sow seeds in the winter, then the chamomile will delight you with flowers next summer.

Chamomile care

Chamomile is considered a non-capricious plant, but some rules should be followed along the way:

• The soil should be non-acidic. When replanting, be sure to add humus and ash;
• Choose a sunny or slightly shaded place to plant garden chamomile;
• Chamomile loves space; when planting, it is recommended to leave a distance of up to 60 cm between plants;
• The root system of chamomile is well developed, so it needs air flow. To do this, loosen the soil regularly;
• Chamomile prefers good watering, but it should not be over-watered. Stagnation of water can cause the development of gray rot, and drought can provoke aphids;
• It is necessary to fertilize the plant in spring and after flowering.

Diseases of garden chamomile

Garden chamomile, like other plants, is susceptible to various diseases and pests.

The most common diseases:

• Powdery mildew. A white coating appears on the plant, which darkens over time. The chamomile bush loses its attractiveness;
• Fusarium. The roots and root collar of plants rot, the stem becomes thin, has a brown color, and the leaves are yellow.;
• Gray rot. The affected plant becomes covered with brown spots with gray fluff.

As a treatment, the affected plant and its neighbors are treated with various types of fungicides. Treatment is carried out twice every 7-10 days.

The main pests of garden chamomile can be considered:

The first sign of a plant infestation with aphids is stripes on the trunk and leaves. They lead to tissue death and the chamomile plant loses its decorative properties. Insectoacaricides are used to control aphids.

• Starwing fly;

Star winged fly larvae damage garden chamomile flowers. The surest way to combat this pest is to destroy weeds in the garden;

• Wireworms.

Wireworms live in the soil and feed on plant roots. It is extremely difficult to get rid of them. The control method is to set up traps with bait made from potato pieces. Most often, wireworms appear if potatoes are planted nearby.

Preparing chamomile for winter

Wintering perennial garden chamomile plants does not differ significantly from wintering other perennial plants in the garden. Preparation is carried out before the first frost.

The first step in preparing for winter is to trim the bush at the very surface of the earth. The second action is covering with sawdust, pine needles or dry leaves.

Companions for chamomile

The flowering period of chamomile ranges from mid-May to the end of July, so when choosing neighbors in the garden, it is necessary to take into account the timing of their flowering.

Depending on the height of the plant, garden chamomile can decorate the garden on its own or in company with other flowers. Chamomile will easily enliven a green lawn with its white flowers or perfectly decorate garden paths.

In small flower beds, low-growing chamomile bushes will serve as a beautiful frame. In large flower beds they look beautiful with tall lupins or delphiniums and lilies. They look impressive against the background of green fern or chic hosta leaves.

Chamomile is not only a wonderful decoration for your garden, but a summer, sunny mood for many years.