Planting and caring for tigridia outdoors, when to dig up and how to store
Planting tigridia and care in the open field is of interest to many flower growers. This plant is an unpretentious perennial bulb. It has beautiful flowers. The culture got its name due to the variegated coloring of the base of the petals. The plant belongs to the Iris family. Its homeland is the subtropics of America. The flower will certainly fill the garden with bright colors.
Description and features
Tigridia is one of the varieties of perennial herbaceous crops that originated in South America. The flower reaches 30-70 centimeters in height. The rhizome is a bulbous formation. From above it is covered with dry brown films.
The leaves have a belt-like shape and a corrugated texture. They form a fan and exit directly from the root outlet. There is a straight stem in the central part.
The flowering of the plant begins in July and continues until the autumn frosts. Each bulb produces 6 peduncles. They have 2-3 buds each. The corolla includes 6 petals, 3 of which are larger.
After the end of flowering, fruits appear on the plant in the form of bolls. Each of them contains several brown seeds.
How to plant in open ground
To grow a strong and viable plant, it is necessary to observe the terms and technology of planting.
Timing
It is recommended to plant tigridia in the soil in late spring. The best time to do this is in May. In the south, planting work is permissible at the beginning of the month, in temperate latitudes - in the middle. It is not worth planting a plant in the fall.
Preparation of planting material
The simplest method of growing a flower is considered to be bulbous. For this, it is recommended to plant already sprouted bulbs in the ground. You can also grow a plant from seeds. To do this, it is enough to sow them in boxes or pots in spring. When the frost has passed, the seedlings are transferred to the ground.
Landing scheme
First, on the site you need to make depressions of 8-12 centimeters and water them. It is worth keeping a distance of 15-20 centimeters between the pits. This will provide sufficient space for the sprouts and facilitate maintenance.
Growing and care
Taking care of your culture is pretty easy.It is enough to water and fertilize it in a timely manner. Mulching of the soil is of no small importance.
Watering
The plant needs sufficient watering. Conventional soil irrigation is not enough. When growing tigridia, it is important that the soil is well saturated. The frequency of watering is selected taking into account the frequency of precipitation. In dry summers, this procedure is carried out every day, and the upper part of the flower is additionally irrigated.
Loosening and weeding
Tigridia does not need loosening. It is enough to cover the soil with peat or humus. In this case, you need to systematically weed the beds. This will help prevent weeds from spreading.
Top dressing
After planting the plant in the ground, you need to add nitrogen fertilization. Use 30-40 grams of fertilizer per 1 square meter. When the tigridia begins to bloom, use nitrophoska in the same volume.
Individual growers fertilize the plant at intervals of 2-3 weeks using a complex preparation. It is applied at the root during watering.
Mulching
To ensure full development of tigridia, the soil surface should be covered with peat or humus. Under such a layer, the soil will remain loose for a long time. Mulching helps avoid soil compaction.
Removing wilted flowers
After flowering, wilted buds must be removed. Thanks to timely pruning, it is possible to preserve the decorative properties of the culture and ensure the appearance of new flowers.
Installation of supports
Weak plants need extra support. It is recommended to tie them to supports. Otherwise, the first gusts of wind will lead to breakage of the peduncles.
Transfer
For earlier flowering, the bulbs should be grown at home. In early spring, they are planted in a pot and provided with moderate watering. As the germination progresses, the soil needs to be moistened more and more. When arrows appear, the plant should be transferred to a warm windowsill.
It is recommended to transplant the flower into open ground in early June. To do this, you need to make a hole 50-60 centimeters deep. It should be borne in mind that after transplantation, the culture requires abundant watering.
Reproduction
Reproduction of tigridia can be carried out using seeds or bulbs. Each of the methods has certain features.
Collection and storage of seeds
Planting material can be bought at a special store or prepared by yourself. To do this, you need to get the seeds from the seed box. At the beginning of spring, they are planted in a special container. After 2 weeks, sprouts will appear. At the beginning of summer, tigridia is transplanted into the soil.
Vegetative way
The more common breeding method is bulbous. This is a fairly simple manipulation. For its implementation in spring, the bulbs are divided into several fragments and planted in open soil.
How to Dig and Store in Winter
Preparation of culture for wintering is of great importance. The plant can bloom until frost, but in this case, the bulbs do not have time to accumulate nutrients for the next season. Therefore, a couple of weeks before the temperature drops, the peduncles should be cut off. When the leaves wilt, the bulbs need to be dug up.
It is worth removing only part of the soil in order to avoid damage to the daughter growth. Within 1 month after digging, the bulbs are dried at room temperature. After 15-18 days, they get rid of the remnants of the earth, completely cut off the roots and remnants of greenery.
Dried bulbs should be stored in a dry and cool place. It is recommended to do this in a container with sand. In high humidity conditions, they must be placed in nets and hung.
Diseases and pests
The plant quite often encounters various diseases and harmful insects. To avoid problems, it is worthwhile to process the flower on time.
Rot
This disease manifests itself in the form of focal spotting on the leaves and stems of the crop. A viscous gruel accumulates in each spot.It can be brown, white or black. Bordeaux liquid will help to cope with the problem. You can also use Cuproxat.
Rust
The disease is accompanied by the appearance of round formations on the flower. They come in a variety of sizes, but always include a bright red powder. When cracked, it spills out. To eliminate the disease, you need to use Polygard, Flutrivit or similar drugs.
Scab
The disease is characterized by foci of infection on the surface of the culture. This leads to the exfoliation of the upper layers of the leaves. Spots, ulcers, warts appear on them. For the prevention of the disease 2-4 times during the season it is worth treating with such agents as Fitosporin-M, Profit Gold or similar drugs.
Thrips
Small black dots on the plant help to identify the pest. With severe damage, parasites provoke the appearance of dry ulcers. They also lead to curling and death of foliage. A characteristic feature of the infection is considered to be a dry mesh on the leaves. Abamectin, Fitoverm help to cope with thrips.
Slugs
They eat young leaves and stems, which provokes a general oppression of the plant. To identify slugs, you should pay attention to the white mark on the plant and soil. Glanzit, Mesurol and similar preparations help to cope with pests.
Cabbage scoops
Caterpillars of this insect eat buds, foliage, seed pods. The pest hibernates in the soil. Therefore, before freezing, you should dig up the soil. As a result, moth pupae will be on the surface of the earth, which will lead to their death.
Medvedki
These pests infect the bulbs and the root system of the plant, which leads to its wilting. It is possible to detect parasites by small mounds and burrows in the ground. Before planting, the bulbs should certainly be treated with Confidor, Aktara or similar means.
Popular varieties
Tigridia has about 50 species. They differ in height, color range of buds, growing conditions.
Alba
Branching stems are characteristic of this perennial plant. In height, they can reach 60-70 centimeters. The leaves are elongated and light green in color. They are covered with longitudinal folds. The plant usually has 5 peduncles. Each of them contains 4-5 buds. They bloom one by one. The flowers are characterized by a bowl-shaped shape. The diameter is 10-15 centimeters.
Aurea
This ornamental plant has quite strong and straight stems. In height, they are 45-55 centimeters. Culture doesn't need to be tied up. Inflorescences are bowl-shaped. The petals have a rich yellow hue and a scarlet middle. The diameter is 10-14 centimeters. The leaves are characterized by a light green hue and an elongated shape. Flowering begins in July.
Carminea
The flower has a fairly strong stem, 65 centimeters high. The leaves are green and have longitudinal veins. Each plant has 3-4 stalks that form 4-5 inflorescences. The flowers are bowl-shaped. The petals are characterized by a rich orange hue. The middle is covered with yellow spots. The diameter of the flowers is 13-14 centimeters. Flowering continues throughout July and August.
Lilacea
This culture is characterized by straight stems 50-60 centimeters high. The leaves are elongated and veined. They are characterized by a light green hue and a pointed shape. The inflorescences have a bright shade. The petals are pale pink, and carmine spots can be seen in the middle. The flowers are shaped like a bowl. Their diameter is over 11 centimeters.
Rosalind
The plant reaches 40-50 centimeters in height. The leaves are oblong and veined. The plant has up to 5 peduncles, which contain 3-5 inflorescences. The petals have a pale pink tint. They reach 12-14 centimeters in diameter.The flower is shaped like a bowl. The plant blooms from July to August.
Canaryensis
The plant has soft inflorescences of pastel colors. At the same time, the bud has a rich red hue. In size, the inflorescences are 10-15 centimeters.
Speciosa
The flower is characterized by straight stems that reach 45 centimeters in height. Each plant has 5 peduncles with 4-5 inflorescences. The petals have a deep red hue. Red spots can be seen in the middle on a yellow background. The flowers are shaped like a bowl. They reach 15 centimeters in diameter. The plant begins to bloom in July.
Ferraria mixed
The Tigridia Ferrari mixed variety is very popular. The height of the bush reaches 60 centimeters. The leaves are xiphoid. The flowers are 15 centimeters long. The outer petals are of a uniform color. It can be yellow, red, white. There are lilac-pink and orange flowers. There are spots on the inner petals.
What species are used for breeding
Breeders use different types of tigridia - Mexican, with yellow flowers, tubular pink. Celeriana is also very popular. It has lilac-blue inflorescences. Peacock tigridia looks very beautiful.
Use in landscape design
Tigridia is often used in landscape design, when creating group plantings. When planting different varieties of plants in one place, it is possible to get a variegated flower bed. It is important to remember about a sense of proportion. Combining a plant with others with variegated flowers is not worth it.
Bright flowers on a green background look very beautiful. It is created by low plants and lawn. Green conifers and shrubs work well. An advantage of tigridia is the ability to grow in tubs or pots.
Tigridia is a spectacular plant that can become a real decoration of a flower bed or garden. To get a strong and viable flower, it needs to be fully cared for. For this, it is worth considering the main recommendations of specialists.
