FLOWER ACHIMENES – LANDING AND CARE

3 SECRETS OF GORGEOUS AHIMENES

To grow lush blooming Achimenes bushes, not so much needed. Just don't forget, that conditions work in a complex and each factor is important.

1. Suitable primer for achimenes

It should be light, breathable, but at the same time moisture-consuming. The root system of plants is tender: the roots are thin and develop well in a substrate with normal oxygen access.

For several years now I have been growing Achimenes in neutralized high-moor peat soil., finely chopped sphagnum and river sand (2:1:1).

You can add the prolonged fertilizer "Bazakot" to reduce the time for top dressing in the summer. The hydrogel will create additional moisture capacity (actual, if achimenes grow in hot places).

2. Good lighting

If you have the opportunity to give your pets more light - do it! Sure, accustom the plant to diffused sunlight, if before that they grew up in darker conditions, need gradually, so that there are no burns on the leaves. Leaves suffered?

Remove the plant from the windowsill and gradually tear off the damaged plates - new ones will come from the side shoots. During this period, the plant needs proper regular watering and treatment with any anti-stress drug..

3. Timely watering for achimenes

Generally speaking, then Achimenes develop well with moderate watering as the earthen coma dries. But since flowers have a seasonal cycle of growth and development, which changes several clear stages, then watering in these different periods is different. When growing leaf mass and budding, the amount of moisture, consumed for explosive growth, will increase, which will require more frequent watering. During flowering, it is advisable to keep the soil constantly moderately moist.. During the transition to the dormant stage, it is necessary to reduce watering to a scanty, just to maintain the turgor of the leaf mass.

© Author: Elena GLUSHKOVA, collector. r. Izhevsk. Photo by the author

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AHIMENES – GROWING IN HOME CONDITIONS, LANDING AND CARE

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IF THE MAILED AHIMENES SEEDLINGS DIDN'T HAVE DROWNED?

It's not the first time I've come across complaints from amateurs: the seedlings of Achimenes sent by mail did not take root - they dried up. How to keep this beautiful houseplant?

I bought Achimenes in spring and autumn.

They were small plants (height 2 cm) in tiny pots. But take your time with the transplant! Spring Achimenes moved to larger containers only after 1-2 months, until that time the soil in small pots, which dries quickly, moisturized a little every day.

Flowers purchased in the fall cannot be transplanted for the winter.. At all, achimenes has a pronounced rest period, which lasts almost half a year (on average from the second half of autumn to early spring).

When the aboveground part dies, I leave the pot on the windowsill, covered with film. Then I store the achimenes at the balcony door in a cardboard box (I put the bowls one on top of the other). Once a month, if necessary, I moisten the ground a little.

AHIMENES – AFTER WINTER SLEEP

Checking plants in a box, not immediately clear, that they wake up: barely noticeable thin white threads appear on the soil - these are shoots. Ahime-nesam needs a lot of light, but even in the light, these threads turn into full-fledged green shoots with tiny fluffy leaves for a long time. Once the shoots are reached 1-2 cm, I divide and seat the achimenes (all processes have a piece of rhizome - rhizomes, outwardly resemble small bumps, which serve as the main material for the propagation of these flowers).

Let's admit, you received a parcel with Ahimenes, and in it the aboveground part of most plants dried up. Don't rush to throw them away: this is a forced rest period, into which plants fall due to unfavorable conditions. If a rhizome achimenes, and the ground, in which they were, moderately wet, remove the aerial part, put the pots in the box and be patient.

There is hope, that plants will wake up in winter or next spring. But if the plants are grown from cuttings, then the chances of them waking up next season are half as much. However, repeat the entire procedure..

Sometimes they sell tiny pieces of rhizome, wrapped in slightly damp sphagnum moss. Plant them immediately in small pots with a light, slightly acidic substrate., put on light, water sparingly and wait for awakening.

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MY AHIMENES COLLECTION

For the first time, several small Rizomes of Achimenes came to me 4 years ago. In theory, I knew, what to do with them, but doubted, will it work. And when wonderful plants grew practically "out of nothing", it was a miracle for me. This was the beginning of the collection, which is replenished every year and has more than 60 varieties.

LUCKY BRUSHES

In the spring (March, April) I plant rhizomes in pots 0, 5-1 l in Terra Vita soil for flowering species. When the night temperature stops dropping below + 10 city., I transfer the containers with the sprouts that appeared to the glazed balcony, where they "live" all summer and part of autumn. I try to arrange plants like this, so that the direct sun does not fall on them. I water as the soil dries out. Sometimes during budding I add fertilizer for flowering plants to the water. I don't pinch my Ahimenes, since there is enough light on the balcony and they themselves bush well. For some large-flowered specimens, I put supports from sticks, so that the shoots leaning under the weight of the flowers do not break.

STORE IN THE GROUND

The peak flowering of my Ahimenes falls in August-early September. Then the plants begin to prepare for the dormant period.. Watering at this time I reduce. When the ground part is completely dry, cut it off. Rhizomes overwinter in pots with soil in a cool pantry. I dig them up in the spring, completely change the ground, and the growing process "from scratch" starts anew.

© Author: Elena BUKHTA. Brest region. Photo by the author

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ACHIMENES FROM SMALL RHIZOMES

If one day you grow an achimenes, then you will never give it up. He will conquer you with the mobility of flowering, variety of colors, ease and speed of reproduction, by its unpretentiousness.

achimenes reproduce by rhizomes. These are underground scaly rhizomes, that form towards the end of the growing season.

This is a seasonal plant., in winter it has a dormant period, during which it does not require watering.

Achimenes begin to germinate at the end of February – March. At this time of the year, they will already have enough light on the windowsill.. the main thing – choose the right soil for planting. I make it up from leafy earth, purchased soil based on peat, old humus or biohumus and add charcoal. At the same time, I put a layer of dry moss on the bottom of the container. 2-3 cm.

I lay the rhizomes flat (not sideways), deepen on 8-10 m, moisturize with a spray bottle, I put a plastic bag on the container, creating a certain microclimate and keeping the soil moist. Then I put the pot on a bright windowsill. After all, in February – In March, plants need natural and bright lighting with air temperature 25 degrees. I open the package every day 5 min, because plants love air circulation, in connection with which they are ideal for balconies and loggias.

Throughout the growing season, I water them regularly and moderately..

Shoots appear two weeks after sowing. But take cover – plastic bag – do not hurry.

Later 2-3 weeks I start according to the instructions to feed the plants with a complex mineral fertilizer with a high proportion of nitrogen. Gradually increase the ventilation time. I remove the whole package., when the plants are already established (after about 1, 5-2 months). By this time, the roots of Ahi-menes are growing, master the volume of the pot, and I transfer them to a larger container.

At this time, I use a fertilizer with a predominance of phosphorus to stimulate flowering., which will not take long. Ahimenes blooms from May to October. And at this time the bush is surprisingly good!

© Author: IN. AND. Tikhonov, Krasnodar region

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THERE ARE NO MUCH ACHIMENES

My fascination with achimenes started with a few rhizome, donated by a neighbor in the country. Now this is a whole collection of bright "stars", delighting with continuous flowering from May to October and not causing trouble in winter, when they rest.

plant heat – and light-loving (without direct sun). Feels comfortable on the east and west sides, at +22-27 city., no draft.

Prefers high humidity, but I do not spray the bushes, otherwise, brown spots appear on the leaves and flowers from a drop. To reduce indoor dryness, I put pots with achimenes on pallets with wet moss or expanded clay.

I water the plant after drying the top layer of soil with settled water at room temperature, avoiding stagnant moisture.

I start feeding a month and a half after planting with rhizomes. I use complex fertilizers for flowering species ("Agricola", Pokon, Etisso) - once a week.

FIXED THE SITUATION

At first, she made mistakes in the content of the Achimenes, which I corrected with the help of the advice of experienced flower growers (I learned a lot from the authors of "Home Flowers").

for example, couldn't understand, why do flowers shrink and look unattractive. It turned out, due to micronutrient deficiencies. Helped top dressing with complex fertilizer.

In another case, dry brown spots appeared on the leaves., buds have started to fall. And it was the sun.

I thought, that the plant needs as much of it as possible. She shaded flower pots from direct rays with tulle, removed damaged leaves. With diffused light, this did not happen again..

Once the leaf blades began to curl. Found a clue, what's the matter here in the root system, that has suffered from overwatering. Having established a regime, solved the problem. But some bushes still had to be transplanted into smaller pots., removing the rotten parts of the rhizome and sprinkling the sections with activated charcoal.

© Author: Tatiana DOVLATOVA

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BRIGHT AHIMENES AND CARE OF THEM

Unpretentious and abundantly flowering achimenes have become increasingly popular in recent years., delighting with bright colors all summer. Another big plus is, that overwintering plants do not require large areas: the entire huge collection of many varieties can fit in one cardboard box. Collector Olga MESHKOVA will tell about this and other highlights of growing achimenes.

CARE SECRETS
Lighting	Bright diffused. The plant tolerates non-hot direct rays.. With a lack of light, it may not bloom
Watering	During flowering - regular and uniform, maintaining moderate soil moisture without flooding and drying out the earthen coma. During the transition to the dormant stage, watering is reduced., allowing the leaf mass to dry out gradually
Top dressing	Complex fertilizers with trace elements and a high content of potassium and phosphorus, necessary for laying flower buds. Deficiency of some trace elements (bor, magnesium, manganese) may be the reason for the absence, delayed or weak flowering. Do not abuse nitrogen
Substrate	Loose, easy, providing good air circulation

HOW TO SAVE

After summer flowering, achimenes enter a dormant period in autumn.: the aerial part turns yellow, dries up and gradually dies, leaving roots in the ground (rhizomes). To save them until spring, someone keeps in the fridge, somebody, without digging out of the ground, in the same vases, in which they grew up, puts in a dark cool place. I also have my own way of storing. After drying the rhizome substrate, I dig out and inspect. If they are not of very good quality, I treat them with Maxim fungicide (according to instructions). Then I dry 3-5 days outdoors at room temperature, I put it in zip-bags with vermiculite and store it in a cardboard box, on the floor next to the balcony door, at +12-15 degrees.

This method is convenient for those, that at any moment you can assess the state of rhizomes and not miss their awakening.

RIZOM LANDING

I plant rhizomes after wintering as they germinate, mostly in February (part of the "impatient" - at the beginning of the month). On 1/4 the volume of the pot I pour a drainage layer of expanded clay (moss, Styrofoam). I put the rhizomes on the ground with a sprout up and lightly sprinkle (if you fall asleep completely, then the sprout, likely, will appear on the edge of the flowerpot). Next, I spill the substrate with a solution of the fungicide "Maxim" for disinfection.

LUCKY BRUSHES

To grow a beautiful and compact bush with many buds, making a few tweaks (shells) at an early stage of growth: when two pairs of leaves appear, I cut the top of my head (it can be planted next to the main plant). At the site of the cut are formed 2-3 new escape, the bush becomes much more magnificent and blooms profusely.

Armoring can be repeated on regrown shoots, but don't get too carried away with it, так как процедура * откладывает цветение на более поздний срок.

ACHIMENES FROM CUTTINGS

Ахименесы можно размножить не только ризомами, but also apical cuttings, as well as leaves. The optimal time for rooting is the end of May-beginning of June. By autumn, such crumbs build up a certain amount of rhizome.

Photo by the author

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AHIMENES – RIZOM LANDING: VIDEO

© Author: Olga SOLODOVA, florist, r. Voronezh