An unpretentious perennial plant that blooms with the onset of the first thaw in spring. Externally, primrose is a small, compact bush with a bright and juicy inflorescence. A variegated bouquet of a wide variety of shades is framed by leathery leaves. Blooms for a long time - from early spring until mid-summer. Picturesque flowers will turn any flower garden into a bright, lush and colorful carpet. Gardeners and designers love the plant not only for its picturesque colors, but also for its unpretentiousness and ease of care. This representative of the primrose family grows in groups, the color range of the inflorescences is striking in its diversity, the leaves are a compact rosette. Certain varieties decorate the garden not only with flowering, but also with a subtle aroma.
The homeland of the plant is Asia. Primrose can grow almost anywhere: on the shore of a reservoir, in the shade of trees, among. It responds gratefully to fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, due to the root system located close to the soil surface. Many peoples of the world create legends about primrose and endow it with mysterious charms. But everything is explained simply - grass has medicinal properties. It is used to treat joint pain and boost immunity.
Application in landscape design
Having seen positive colors after a long winter, we can safely say that spring is coming. The popular garden crop has more than 400 varieties and is a competitor to many bulbous plants. A warm and attractive flower is popular among landscape designers around the world. By correctly selecting and combining certain varieties, a flowerbed with primroses will bloom for 4 months: from mid-spring to late summer. This is just a godsend for gardeners and beginners; the plant is completely unpretentious.
If there is a river, fountain or lake on the site, then you should definitely plant primrose bushes of different colors on their banks. Their colorful flowers will cover the ground with a soft carpet and, reflected in the water, will turn the garden into a picturesque picture. Water lilies with their leaves will make good company for the primrose near the pond. purple. Grows well in the shade, under the lush crowns of tall trees and tolerates humidity.
Primrose is often used in landscaping not only private areas, but also urban gardening. It is used to decorate flower beds, flower beds, and borders. They frame monuments, iconic places, and plant them along paths and benches. Bright and colorful bushes can turn even a small piece of land into a fairy-tale garden. This pearl of shady parks and alleys is planted in numerous flower beds.
The northern and eastern slopes of rock gardens are often decorated with bright perennials. He is one of the first to enliven with his rainbow shades. Most popular elements Japanese rock garden are stemless representatives of the culture - the smallest primrose, downy primrose, fringed primrose. These tiny bushes delight the eye with lavender, cream and pink. The choice of primrose variety for a rock garden depends on its size. The perennial also plays its role well in sloping rock gardens.
Primrose occupies an important place in traditional flower beds - tiered ones, where one wave of flowering follows another. She is planted in the first rows and is responsible for the spring-summer period. Depending on the area of the site, it can include from several species of plants to 30-40 representatives different cultures. Primrose is a wonderful neighbor and gets along with almost all plants. In combination with knotweed, primrose becomes that bright spot that personifies a colorful spring.
Primrose, in small areas, is used as a green lawn. It is planted in rows, semicircles and even rhombuses. Primrose is good in combination with weaving plants. This connection decorates the entrance to the garden, house or local area. Having collected together several types of low-growing flowers (astrantia, oak sage, shrubby cinquefoil, seaside armeria, etc.), they are planted as a frame for garden furniture and exterior items. In the style of a Russian estate - this is a cart wheel, large stumps for sitting, an imitation of a well.
Original flowerbed design ideas
With the help of primrose, gardeners create real landscape paintings. Having selected several low-growing varieties of various shades, they are planted in the form of a butterfly. For this purpose, a frame made of metal wire, where soil is filled and primrose is planted. Since it is a perennial plant, such a butterfly flowerbed will delight the owners of the site for a long time.
A small wooden barrel is sawn in half and covered with earth. Primrose of several shades and, for example, blue fescue are planted in it. This will allow the original flower garden to remain decorative all year round. The barrel is placed on a support and placed in any convenient place.
A used old bathtub should not be thrown away. It will make an extraordinary flower garden in retro style. By drilling holes in it to allow water to drain, you can plant different combinations of flowers. In this case, tall varieties of primrose are used, in combination with daylilies and other flowering perennials.
A design technique that has become so popular lately is using an old bicycle as a decoration for a flower bed. Low-growing varieties of primrose are planted in the trunk, seat and placed nearby in flowerpots. With its bright spring blooms, primrose will turn a flower bed into a fairy-tale frame, as if from “Alice in Wonderland.”
Combination with other plants
By planting primrose on the banks of natural or artificial reservoirs, you can create a full-fledged living composition, combining it with sedge, rhododendrons, marsh iris, and ferns. By arranging the plants in tiers, you can admire the ensemble of yellow, red, orange, pink and purple inflorescences.
The plant plays an active role in landscaping and transforming alleys, parks and squares. It is combined with pansies, cyclamens, poinsettias. Primrose is also planted in pots and created decorations near garden benches on paving stones and asphalt terraces. A chic flower arrangement of yellow daffodils and bright primroses will not leave you indifferent. Like spring itself, these flowers speak of the awakening of nature from winter sleep. Another combination of primroses is: wild violet, daffodils (white or yellow) and primrose (red or purple).
Primrose frames a flower garden, in the center of which muscari and other perennial plants with dense foliage are planted. This neighborhood is beneficial not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from an agrotechnical point of view: dense foliage protects the primrose in hot weather. summer days. Muscari are preferably bright blue, and primrose is purple.
The beautiful combination of hyacinths and primrose has already become traditional. Their ensemble of heavenly beauty is appropriate anywhere in the garden. A variety of colors lifts your spirits and charges you with vivacity and positivity. A more complex combination is created from primrose hybrids - flowers with stripes, splashes, and stains. Such varieties add sophistication and aristocracy. They are most often used in.
Reproduction, planting and care
The perennial propagates by seeds and by dividing the bush. In the first case, it can be sown in a pot or directly in open ground. There are three favorable periods for this - at the end of winter, in the middle of summer, and at the end of autumn. The site is preferable without direct sunlight, the soil is light, loamy. You can use a “temporary flowerbed” and then plant the plant in a permanent place. It is worth paying attention that different varieties of primroses differ in their requirements for cultivation. The bush is divided 3-5 years after the plant has bloomed; this is done at the end of summer. The transplanted plant is watered regularly and provided with frost protection for the winter.
The gentle harbingers of spring are unpretentious. The plant prefers shade or partial shade, moist, breathable soil. High-quality drainage is the key to a healthy flower. Primrose loves replanting; some gardeners do it once a year. The crop is fed 4-5 times: twice at the beginning of spring, in the middle and at the end of summer. Weeding from weeds is systematically necessary, at the same time it is advisable to loosen the soil. The area under the plant is covered with a new nutrient layer of soil every year.
Video - Growing primroses
n. auricular
The world of flowers is endless and multifaceted. The article is intended for all flower growers, amateurs and inveterate professionals, who are interested in primrose perennial planting and care photos, will find a lot of informative and interesting things in this topic.
Origin of the flower
Primrose (Primula L) belongs to the family (Primulaceae) - primroses. In terms of the number of discovered and studied species (exceeds 550), it is considered the most widespread on the planet. The largest population of plants is found in Asia, growing in abundance in the Himalayas. Primroses imported from North America and even Africa are successfully cultivated. The island of Java pleased flower growers with one single flower (Primula Imperalis) - Imperial, so named for its uniqueness.
The main flowering occurs in May; there are many varieties that begin budding in the spring along with the melting of snow. Plants with in summer flowering begins in early June and continues until the last days of August. And only a few primroses can boast of their autumn flowers.
It should be noted! Properly selected varieties for growing in flower beds, flower beds and along garden paths are the key to the beauty and uniqueness of your site. The uniformity of plants will eliminate the need for selection based on compatibility and provide an amazing range of colors throughout the season.
Dividing plants into groups
To simplify floriculture, German botanists divided primroses into schematic groups based on the main characteristics of flowering:
- Umbrella-shaped - the peduncle is located strictly in the center above the leafy rosette in the form of a multi-sided rounded umbrella up to 30 cm high. Types: auricular - pink - polyanthus (multi-flowered) - deflected - tall - spring.
- Capitate or (spherical) - as the flower buds mature, the peduncle can rise up to 45 cm. The inflorescences are densely packed, spherical. Types: fine-toothed - capitate.
- Bell-shaped - the difference between this group is in the bent inflorescences, which have a large number of flowers, up to 80 pieces. The length of the peduncle depends on the variety from 25 to 110 cm. Types: Sikkimese - Florinda - Alpine.
- Cushion-shaped - basically single flowers located on short and fragile peduncles. Types: Voronova - small - stemless - Julia - hybrid terry - ordinary.
- Candelabra (tiered) - multi-tiered, inflorescences forming whorls on a strong and high peduncle from 70 cm. Types: Beesbill - Japanese - Bullea.
Please pay attention! When purchasing seeds, seedlings or an adult plant, the store label in the description of the contents may indicate the preferences of the flower in its natural conditions (lighting, watering, humidity). The requirements for it in indoor conditions will differ significantly.
Perennial primrose at home
The diversity of primroses according to their species, a huge selection of varietal composition and the constant growth of breeding varieties, gives flower growers great creative potential for their use.
Flowers look great both in small pots on the windowsill, and in flower boxes on the balcony, small flower beds near the house or huge flower beds in the garden. Thanks to long-term practice in keeping primroses at home, the main types most suitable for this purpose have been identified.
Popular types of primrose
Malva-like (Malacoides)- it is also called softish, less often malacoides. It has oval leaves, narrowed at the edges, from which a dense rosette is formed. In late autumn, several thin peduncles up to 50 cm long begin to appear. From one whorl the next one grows, and this is how a multi-tiered structure occurs.
One plant produces at least 45 flowers, which is why we love it so much among gardeners. A characteristic feature of the species is the presence of a yellow eye in the middle of the flower, regardless of the color of the petals.
Reverse conical (Oboconica)- herbaceous perennial. The leaves are located on a petiole up to 10 cm high. They are heart-shaped in the center, slightly wavy edges, pubescent with small fibers. They form a lush, tight rosette.
n. obkonika
The peduncle reaches 35 cm in height, is devoid of leaf cover, with flower buds located on it, similar to an umbrella. Flowers are 5 cm in diameter. There is a faint aroma. Perennial terry primrose also belongs to this species. It surpassed its relatives in color, which influenced its enormous popularity.
Keep in mind! There is a misconception that conical primroses are poisonous. In fact, substances sometimes accumulate on the villi of these plants, which tightly cover the leaves. It can cause allergic reaction on sensitive skin(redness, itching). It is enough to treat the irritated area of skin with a slightly acidic aqueous solution (9% food vinegar diluted in water 1:5) and wash with soap and warm water. The plants themselves are not poisonous.
Chinese (Chinensis)- distinguished by its enviable unpretentiousness. Large lobed leaves, clearly serrated edges, dense hairy cover and rich green color, accentuate this primrose as indoor plant. Delicate inflorescences are endowed with a pleasant, barely audible aroma of a forest flower.
Many color variations, flowers with a diameter of 2.5 cm on an elegant peduncle give it an enviable head start in competition for the opportunity to take a permanent place on the windowsill. The sad and only drawback is the lifespan. Each subsequent flowering is more sparse. For this reason, the plant is not kept for more than two years.
Stemless (Acaulis)- the well-deserved second name is practiced - simple. Indoor maintenance of simple primrose has been around for more than 20 years. It grows successfully both in pots and in open ground. The leaves are rough, small, have a wavy structure with prominent pinnate veins. The rosette is located on a low petiole 3 cm, loose, with an average diameter of 12 cm.
The flowers are large, each with its own pedicel. During the period of rapid flowering, due to the abundance of flowers, the foliage is almost invisible. A distinctive feature is its long flowering, starting in February.
P. stemless (Acaulis)
With proper care it continues to bloom for six months. The bract is miniature in size, creating the impression of a flower right on the stem. The color of the flowers is close to its wild relatives; bed tones predominate.
Kyusskaya (Kewensis)— the flower owes its name to the Kyuss Botanical Garden, where it was bred more than a hundred years ago. But even such an advanced age did not greatly affect the appearance of the primrose. The light, slightly curved leaves are medium in size and have a finely toothed edge.
Primula kewensis
There are varieties with powdery, whitish foliage. The average height of the peduncle is 35 cm. Small flowers 1 cm - maximum diameter. The yellow color of the flowers progresses, but white and purple ones are not uncommon. It is not very popular due to its modest appearance.
Primrose planting and care at home
Having the most minimal knowledge about floriculture and a little experience in handling indoor flowers will make caring for primrose a pleasant experience. It won’t take much time and without unnecessary hassle if you follow necessary rules by plant content:
- soil, transplanting and flats;
- lighting;
- temperature;
- watering
- air humidity;
- feeding
Replanting after purchase
Transplantation of a purchased or donated plant is carried out as quickly as possible. Most stores sell elegant, blooming primroses as a gift bouquet. In appearance, the bowls filled with soil look like a cramped chamber for the roots of a flower, sprinkled with a peat mixture impregnated with fertilizers.
The main role of such a filler is to maximize flowering time, but is not designed for its growth and normal development. The purchased perennial indoor primrose dies within the next two weeks, and if replanted in a timely manner, it will delight with its variegated flowering for many years.
It can be useful! If the purchased primrose has a sickly appearance (flaccid leaves, drooping flowers), a transparent one will help to revive the plant plastic bag. Place it on the pot with primrose and tighten it around the circumference of the walls with an elastic band (thread). Such a mini greenhouse will quickly return life-giving forces to the flower.
Priming
A pre-prepared soil mixture will help speed up relocation. For primroses, the optimal option would be one part of humus mixed with the same part of garden soil, half of a part of garden soil and the same amount of coarse sand.
Important! A well-mixed mixture should be freed from insects and harmful microorganisms living in it. Depending on the time of year, you can either steam the mixture or take it out to the balcony and freeze thoroughly.
Not everyone has all the necessary ingredients. There is a solution - buy a ready-made mixture for indoor floriculture. Take the finished mixture and boldly mix it with the same amount of coarse sand.
This will prevent caking of the soil and increase its looseness, which is so necessary for the weakened roots of the plant. The addition of charcoal crushed to 3 mm will significantly increase the nutritional value of the soil and natural moisture retention.
Transfer
The roots of the extracted primrose should be thoroughly cleaned (but not to a shine) of the old mixture. Do not rinse with water. In the selected bowl, pour 1/3 of the soil into a “hill”, on top of which we arrange the roots of our flower in the center.
We distribute them evenly over the entire area of the bowl, the roots should not have strong fractures and look up, sprinkle them with soil and gently press them with your fingers. We spill generously, after shrinkage the soil is filled to 1 cm from the edge.
The planned transplantation of primroses proceeds in exactly the same way. The only exception is shaking off the roots. When replanting due to an overgrown root system, part of the old soil is left on the roots to avoid unnecessary injury.
It’s not difficult to choose the right size bowl. It is enough to visually estimate the ground volume of the flower and multiply by two. The result obtained will be the most optimal size of the bowl.
We must remember! Before replanting, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the bowl. Perhaps they will be clearly visible, but not all have patency. Stagnant water is detrimental to primroses.
Lighting
This is one of the most important factors. If, when choosing a place for a primrose based on lighting, you are guided by the principle “it will do,” this is tantamount to a death sentence for the flower. Primrose is photophilous, grows and blooms well in bright light (applies only to indoor primroses).
Very responsive to sunbathing, in the morning or evening hours. Direct exposure of plant leaves to ultraviolet radiation causes burns, which leads to their rapid death. The flowers caught under them literally dry out before our eyes, the delicate flower stems die off. If you leave a primrose in such a place for several days, you can lose it forever.
In heavily shaded places, the primrose begins to become very deformed, the rounded leaves stretch out, become thin and sluggish, and the flowers lose their bright colors. When kept in the shade for a long time, the primrose turns yellow and has an unattractive appearance. Due to impaired photosynthesis, the petiole of the plant becomes thinner, rots, and the flower slowly dies.
A correctly chosen place in terms of illumination is the key to a strong and beautiful primrose. Window sills on windows located on the eastern part of the house are ideal for primrose.
The western location of the windows also meets all the basic lighting requirements. If there is not enough space, the windows are equipped with additional corner shelves around the perimeter of the window, or long curtain shelves along its entire length.
Current rule! Primroses should not be placed in direct sunlight. Ultraviolet is a crematorium for primroses.
Temperature
It doesn’t matter what species or variety this or that primrose belongs to, they are all united by one family - primroses. In nature, they appear in early spring and at the genetic level they have a love for coolness. There are plants that begin their life activity as soon as the thermometer exceeds 0°C.
Others are able to preserve the greenness of their leaves throughout the winter under deep snow. In apartments, primroses feel luxurious already at +12°C, which cannot be said about the owners. And temperatures of +20°C depress primroses. The conclusion from all of the above is simple - the optimal temperature in all respects for the full development of primrose is +16°C.
To maintain this temperature, decorative fences are installed along the entire length of the window sill, to the height of the bowls. Cold air from the glass will linger in such a window front garden, and not spread along the floor. The bottom of the window sills is covered with foil, which helps reflect heat (infrared rays) from heating radiators. If possible, place bowls (shelves) between the frames.
Don't do this! A case from one's life. By evening it got colder in the apartment. We turned on the oil radiator overnight, placing it close to the window. Who at that time remembered the primroses on the window? In the morning the flowers looked very sad.
Watering
Primroses are watered with water, from which all chlorine-containing impurities (which tap water abounds in) are removed by settling. The sun's rays falling on a jar of water for irrigation will significantly speed up this process.
The settling time is directly related to the geographical location and location of water intake. In one city, the area may be very swampy and the chlorine content in such water can be tasted, while in a neighboring region the composition of the water resembles that of rain. But putting a container (glass, enamel, food-grade aluminum) to sit for a day won’t hurt. The container must be open for ventilation.
Practical advice! A fabric bag suspended in such a container (you can use gauze, tulle, nylon from tights) filled with peat will soften the water and saturate it with useful microelements.
Primroses are moisture-loving. Abundant watering is vital during flowering. With abundant flowering, the area of the plant increases by 3-4 times, and therefore the amount of water evaporated by the plant will increase. At this time, the earthen ball should be kept moist.
Overflow is extremely undesirable. When pressing with a finger, do not upper layer soil, moisture is felt, but it does not stand out on the dent from the finger, dirt does not stick to the finger - good indicator moisture content of the earthen coma.
As flowering stops, they switch to more moderate watering. Allow the top earthen lump to dry out a couple of centimeters. It is not recommended to water primroses “as if from a watering can” with the formation of water droplets on the leaves. Primroses respond positively to periodic water spraying, with a fine spray of water from a spray bottle.
Air humidity
This factor does not play a big role for indoor primroses. You should know that in city apartments in the summer, the average humidity is about 50%. With the onset of the heating season, these figures drop to 25%. Guided by this, it is necessary to increase water procedures(spraying) in winter.
Primroses, which have flowers that are velvety to the touch and covered with villi, should only be sprayed on the green parts of the plant. An example is the terry indoor primrose. Drops of water falling on the thin petals of flowers after drying will leave brown spots that will not only spoil appearance primrose, but can become a source of disease for the entire bush.
Clue! Wide-necked glasses placed between bowls and filled with water will significantly increase the humidity of the air near them.
Top dressing
Feeding, even carefully timed, correctly and competently arranged, can have the opposite effect to the expected one. How so? All fertilizers contain a number of microelements that the plant needs so much. They are also present in irrigation water.
Constant watering leads to the accumulation of water in an earthen coma. Doing a “good thing” and adding additional fertilizing to such soil can sometimes only worsen the situation.
The primrose itself will tell you which elements are insufficient at the moment:
- Minor damage "out of nowhere" - yellowing of the edges of the leaves, the shape of the leaves changes to spoon-shaped - calcium.
- Young leaves have dead tips and frayed edges - manganese.
- The formation of tiny holes on old leaves that increase in size (the leaf looks healthy) - potassium.
- Old leaves turn yellow and die unnaturally quickly - nitrogen.
- The appearance of small white spots between the leaf veins is magnesium.
- Yellowish spots that begin to appear from the tip of the leaf are zinc.
Knowing the needs of primrose, it will be easy to provide her timely assistance. It should be taken into account that the needs of the plant during the period of progressive growth and abundant flowering increase. Well-prepared soil will provide the flower with all the necessary nutrients until the next replanting.
Designer advice! Photo of blooming primroses placed in beautiful frames, will add a bit of uniqueness to any interior.
Primrose garden planting and care photo
Site selection and soil preparation
Choosing a place for primroses is the first priority for their successful cultivation. Before you start planting primroses in open ground, you need to select and prepare the place most suitable for their development. The best option There will be places near the trunks of garden trees, the presence of shrubs, the shade of which will protect the primroses from the rays of the midday sun.
Areas near residential and commercial buildings, or rather their eastern sides, would be a good choice. When placing primroses along garden paths, choose places hidden from the rays of the daytime sun (along fences, buildings).
Primrose does not tolerate wetlands, with the presence of constant moisture. Primrose roots in such places quickly rot and the plant disappears. Excavated drainage ditches, application large quantities sand in equal proportions with fertile soil, makes these areas suitable (2 years) for primroses.
On dry, sandy soils it is also not possible to obtain powerful, beautiful primroses. Even if you provide regular watering to primroses, the plants will have poorly colored foliage, weak bushes with sparse flowers due to lack of nutrition.
The constant introduction of fertile varieties of land into such areas gives positive results, but they are all temporary. Spring melt water, constant rains and watering wash away humus from such places.
If you plan to grow primroses on heavy loams, proceed as follows. Remove the top layer of soil to a depth of 50 cm according to the configuration of the flower bed. The resulting depression is filled with a fertile mixture. This method is durable, optimal for primroses in terms of nutritional value and moisture content (clay creates the effect of a large bowl). The disadvantage of such flower beds is the financial costs.
The standard can be chernozem soils with the addition of humus (can be replaced with turf soil) - supplies the soil with organic matter, the same amount of peat (crushed bark, finely chopped straw, sunflower seed husks) - filling with microelements, coarse sand (fine gravel, crushed stone screenings 3 mm, crushed expanded clay) - gives the soil looseness.
Practical and beautiful! Surround the primrose bush with small light and flat stones. This simple action will add a plus to the design, create moisture retention, and protect the roots from overheating.
Planting primrose
Planting garden primroses requires the gardener to know the characteristics of the species and varieties. Failure to comply with them when planting perennial primroses often leads to negative consequences which may take the entire season to correct.
Primulas of different varieties differ in the length of their leaves, the distribution and occurrence of the root system, the height of the bush and peduncle. Having planted primroses according to a template pattern, the result can be the most unexpected. In one place you will get very sparse flowers (which primroses cannot tolerate), and nearby there will be thickened primroses with tangled leaves and exposed roots.
The choice of distance between plants is selected individually. From the practice of growing perennial primroses in the garden, optimal distances have emerged: 15 cm - between dwarf hybrids, 25 cm - most garden perennials, 40 cm - large, broad-leaved varieties.
Primroses are planted in shallow holes with a diameter twice the volume of the root system of the seedling. First remove weed roots from the holes, spill with water, and if possible coat the edges of the holes with clay.
Having placed the primrose in the planting place, carefully distribute the roots over the entire area, sprinkle with earth and, holding the petiole, pull it up a little to align the roots. The soil is pressed down tightly, watered abundantly and topped up (mulched) with dry soil, giving the hole a cup-shaped appearance (convenient for watering).
This method is applicable to primroses during propagation, transplantation from cramped bowls purchased in a bunch in the form of seedlings. Primrose seedlings grown in separate cups, adult primroses from spacious bowls are transplanted into such holes with a lump of earth.
On a note! It is best to plant primroses in gardens in the evening. Such primroses take root better and faster and suffer less from the sun the next day.
Primrose from seeds
When to sow seeds? In bags with beautiful photo primrose and a meager amount of seeds, it is routinely advised to sow in February, less often in March. Guided by the practice of flower growers - January. In nature, the seed pods of primroses ripen by mid-autumn. Scattered to all sides by the wind, they remain on the surface and in this form go under the snow for the winter.
After spending long time at zero temperatures, with the onset of spring warming, the embryo in the seed quickly awakens and begins rapid development. How to imitate such conditions in modern apartments? The answer is stratification.
Any plastic container or wooden box can serve as a stratification chamber. We fill our chamber with garden soil mixed with sand, or sand with peat (1:1), and moisten it.
We distribute the seeds evenly over the surface of our soil, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. Do not increase the temperature above +3°C and monitor its lower values, not lower than 0°C. This requires constant monitoring of seeds and soil moisture.
At the first signs of the appearance of a sprout (white wrinkles on the surface of the seeds, the leg of the seed embryo is visible), the container is transferred to a permanent place for seedlings. After the formation of the first two leaves, the seedlings are planted in separate cups. Lighting and watering requirements are the same as for adult primroses.
Advice! Snow compacted on the surface of the soil with seeds sprinkled on it greatly simplifies the uniform planting of small, dark seeds.
For more information about growing primrose from seeds, read the article: I also offer you a video about sowing and stratifying primrose seeds.
Diseases, treatment and prevention
Diseases most often affecting primroses:
- Rot of stems - most often manifests itself in cold drafts, abundant watering with frequent drying out of the earth clod, low temperature.
- Root collar rot - if all requirements for the content of primrose are met, we can safely say that this disease is caused by bacteria. From the root collar, the disease moves to the root system. Effective means not found to fight. The plant must be destroyed along with the root system and the adjacent earthen lump.
- Bacterial spotting is the appearance of spots of various configurations on the leaves, the color varies from light yellow to black. When neglected, the leaves dry out. Fight - timely treatment of all leaves with Bordeaux mixture will rid the primrose of bacteria.
Primrose will be the first to bloom in your spring garden, therefore its name is translated from Latin as first, early. If you decide to diversify your landscape design primroses, first you will have to look through a lot of photos, because primrose has more than 500 varieties. However, growing and propagating most of them in open ground will only bring you pleasure.
Description of primrose: varieties and varieties
Primrose is valued by its bright colors various shades, some varieties have nice smell, and primrose leaves can also be eaten. Although there are numerous varieties of primrose, not all of them are grown in gardens.
Primroses have a very rich palette of shades
Garden species can be divided into:
- umbrella;
- cushion-shaped;
Primula cushion
- capitate;
- longline;
- candelabra;
- bellflowers.
Primrose capitata
Any owner in the garden has a plot where nothing can be planted. Nothing grows there. It is best to plant primroses in such areas, because among them there are such unpretentious varieties that they grow absolutely anywhere you plant them. And maybe they won’t be the brightest flowers in your flowerbed, but they will always delight you with fresh spring greenery. Spring primrose or common primrose are good for this. Equally practically undemanding, but brighter and more spectacular are the fine-toothed and auricular primroses.
Primroses bloom early, in April, and bloom until July. And some of the varieties bloom again at the end of summer.
Planting a plant
In order to start breeding primrose with seeds, you must first decide what time of year to plant. Three periods are suitable for this.
Primrose seeds
To sow primrose seeds, it is better to select a plant protected from direct sunlight. Primrose though unpretentious plant, but prefers light nutritious soils. Often the seeds are sown in special beds in which the flowers receive more comfortable conditions growth before planting them in their permanent habitat.
Plant care
Primrose, planting and caring for which does not cause much trouble, will thank you for simply loosening the soil, timely removal of weeds and, of course, regular watering. If you want to extend the flowering period of primroses, cut off flower stalks that have already faded so that they do not take away nutrients from the plant. If you plan to collect seeds, then a few flower stalks will be enough.
Primrose doesn't need overprotectiveness gardener
It is better to grow primrose in shaded areas, because sunlight shortens the flowering time of the plant. During hot periods, primroses require active watering and shading. For the winter, primrose must be covered with a layer of dry leaves.
Fertilizer and feeding of primrose
Despite all their unpretentiousness, primroses respond well to feeding with rotted organic matter. During flowering, just before the buds open, you can use an aqueous 1% solution of complex fertilizer, but if you use it when the buds are not yet visible, all the power will go into the leaves.
Primrose responds well to both organic and mineral fertilizers
After flowering, you can add mineral fertilizer in the form of an aqueous solution. This way you will help the flowers gain strength for next year and create new flower buds.
Plant propagation
In addition to sowing seeds, these flowers can be propagated by dividing the bush, cuttings and rooting shoots.
Dividing the bush. Primrose bushes are divided in the third year, and some varieties are divided not earlier than the fifth year of growth. In the spring before flowering or in the fall, after it has flowered, the plant is dug up and the roots are completely cleared from the ground.
Primrose bush
Advice. To avoid damaging the root system, you can simply rinse the roots with water.
Using a sharp knife, the root must be divided into several parts so that each division has a renewal bud, a sufficiently developed root system and a rosette of leaves. The cut areas must be immediately sprinkled with ash, avoiding drying out, and the plant must be planted back into open ground or a pot as quickly as possible. It is necessary to water the divisions daily for two weeks, and if the division was made in the fall, then it is better to cover the plants for the winter.
Propagation by cuttings. For this option for propagating primroses, it is necessary to select the largest bushes and separate from them some of the already formed thick roots. On the separated cuttings, longitudinal cuts are made in the upper part. This will help the buds grow faster. The cuttings are planted 3–4 cm deep and cared for in the usual way.
Rooting primrose cuttings
Rooting. This method is perfect if the roots of the plant are still weak and the rosettes have not yet developed enough for division. The leaf petiole with the bud must be separated at the very base of the root. In this case, it is recommended to reduce the sheet plate itself by a third. The separated petiole with part of the shoot must be planted in a specially prepared mixture of sand and soil. The pot with the petiole is placed in a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight, and the ambient temperature is maintained at 16–18 degrees. When shoots appear from the bud, they must be planted in different pots and planted in open ground as soon as weather conditions become suitable.
Diseases and pests
Primrose has a fairly strong immunity to all kinds of diseases. However, some of them can still affect your plant.
Bordeaux liquid
The fungus Ramularia cercosporella is considered the most unpleasant for primrose. This disease can be identified by spots on the leaves of the plant. Most often they appear at the very end of spring. The spots that appear on the leaves have an angular or rounded shape and pale color, however, later they acquire a gray or brown color with a yellow border. If affected by this disease, you must urgently remove the infected leaves and treat the plants with Bordeaux mixture or specialized products from the store. For prevention, you can spray the plants with a 1% solution of nitrafen in the spring.
Too dense thickets of primrose can harbor pests such as slugs, nematodes and spider mites.
Advice. Regularly inspect plants for pests and diseases to get rid of the problem in a timely manner, preventing a large number of adjacent flowers from becoming infected.
Primrose: combination with other plants
Primrose goes well with any spring flowers
As neighbors, primroses are almost ideal, because for the most part they are tender plants that are simply not capable of crushing their neighbor. They will grow where there is space without crowding out other crops from the garden. It is necessary to choose neighbors for this flower from the same lovers of damp, shaded places.
Primrose in landscape design
Since there are so many species and varieties of primrose, growing and caring for them is simple, this flower is a big favorite of landscape designers. Many people consider primroses to be warmer and more attractive than primroses or daffodils. For the garden, primrose is simply a godsend, because combining different types These plants can be achieved in a bed of continuous flowering from April to August.
Primrose in landscape design
Primrose looks very impressive when decorating artificial ponds against the background of purple water lily leaves. These flowers are different bright colors placed along curbs and paths, giving them an unusual flavor. Primrose is a frequent guest in shaded corners of the garden, as well as on alpine hills and rockeries in the shade of coniferous trees.
Primroses are often grown in pots and vases to decorate terraces and houses. Some varieties are grown for cutting.
Primrose is the ideal flower for any garden. Ease of cultivation, ease of care, a huge number of species and varieties will allow anyone, even the most demanding gardener, to choose a flower to their liking. A bright palette of all colors and shades will not allow your flower garden to look boring from mid-spring until autumn.
How to grow primrose in the garden: video
Varieties of primrose: photo
