Lemongrass planting and care in the garden. Schisandra chinensis - planting and care

Schisandra chinensis is a liana up to 15 m long. This is one of 14 types of lemongrass, which naturally grows in the Far East of Russia.

Did you know? Even the ancient Chinese and Tibetan doctors knew everything about healing properties magnolia vine and used it along with ginseng.

All parts of this plant contain biologically active substances, have tonic, stimulating qualities and are used to prepare healing drinks, decoctions, tinctures with a pleasant lemon flavor. Due to the beneficial properties and decorative effect of Schisandra chinensis, many are interested in the rules for growing and caring for it.

How to properly care for Chinese lemongrass, the rules for watering a plant

Let's talk about how to grow Chinese lemongrass in your country house. The basis for success in growing Schisandra chinensis is the choice of a site for planting. Lemongrass does not tolerate drafts, is shade-tolerant, but bears fruit well in good light. Therefore, it is necessary to plant a vine from the east or west side buildings, but the lower part of the plant must be shaded low bushes or flowers.

This plant needs nutritious and permeable soil. It does not tolerate stagnant water, but is picky about humidity, so on hot days it is necessary to spray the plant and water it regularly, mulching the soil with dry earth or foliage after each watering. For one irrigation of an adult plant, about 60 liters of warm water are used. Also, the soil under lemongrass should be fluffed to a depth of 2-3 cm.

Important!Schisandra chinensis can be either dioecious or monoecious. In dioecious plants, the ratio of female and male colors may change depending on natural conditions, therefore, for a guaranteed harvest, it is necessary to plant heterosexual monoecious plants nearby.

How to feed Schisandra chinensis

Caring for Chinese lemongrass also consists in proper feeding. Fertilizers should be applied in the form of mulch, while watering and weeding the soil.

When do you need plant nutrition?

In the first years of life, lemongrass can be fertilized with leaf compost or humus. Mineral fertilizers can only be applied in the third year after planting.

How to feed a plant

From mineral fertilizers for lemongrass are suitable saltpeter, nitrophoska, potassium sulfate, superphosphate. From organic humus, dry bird droppings, compost, wood ash.

Feeding scheme

fertilize lemongrass mineral fertilizers can be three times during the growing season. The first time should be fertilized in April before bud break at the rate of 40 g of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen per 1 sq.m. The second time - during the growth of the ovary, 15 g of potassium and phosphorus and 20 g of nitrogen. And the last time - in the fall after harvesting with 30 g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. But it is better to apply organic fertilizers every 3 weeks during the growing season.

How to prune lemongrass

Pruning lemongrass is necessary not only to form a crown, but also to increase the yield. In the summer, during the period of strong branching, lemongrass should be thinned out, cutting off the shoots by 10-12 buds. In the fall, when the foliage falls, you must also remove excess shoots, cut off all dried branches and old unproductive vines. It is optimal if 5-6 young vines remain in the bush. In the spring, it is not recommended to prune lemongrass, so as not to cause excessive loss of juice. It is also necessary to remove up to half of the root offspring located the most distant from the plant. Root offspring are cut below ground level, and this can be done both in autumn and spring.

Important!In order to avoid a strong violation of the root system and the death of lemongrass, you can not remove all root offspring

Lemongrass transplant

Let's talk now about how to transplant lemongrass. If lemongrass is grown from seeds and has been sown densely, then the seedlings must be planted when the third leaf appears. At the place of sowing, seedlings can grow for 2-3 years, then transplant them to permanent place. Plants grown from cuttings are optimally ready for transplantation also in the third year, when root system becomes well developed. It is better to transplant lemongrass seedlings in the fall - from mid-September to October, when the heat subsides. Before winter, the seedlings will take root and begin to grow intensively in early spring. But in early spring, in April, lemongrass can also be transplanted.

To plant lemongrass, first prepare a hole 40 cm deep and 50-60 cm wide, on the bottom of which you must lay drainage - expanded clay, crushed stone or broken brick. It is better to fill the pit with a mixture of soddy soil, leaf compost and humus, taken in equal parts. To make the soil more nutritious, you can add a little wood ash and superphosphate.

When planting, make sure that the root neck of the seedling remains at ground level. Young seedlings take root easily, and before transplanting an adult lemongrass, weigh the pros and cons and, in addition to preparing a new place, try to dig it out with a clod of earth, because lemongrass cannot stand drying roots. After transplantation, the plants are watered abundantly and shaded for 2-3 weeks.

How to build supports for lemongrass

Support for Schisandra chinensis is necessary condition for getting good harvest and beautiful view. Without support, such a vine will grow in a bush, the branches will be deprived of good lighting, and female flowers will not form on them.

Important!The best support for lemongrass is a trellis, which must be installed immediately after planting.

The trellis must be deepened into the ground at least 0.5 m so that it can support the weight of the plant. It is recommended to install a trellis 2.5 m high and 3 m wide, the wire is stretched at a distance of about 30 cm, the first level is 0.5 m from the ground. In the first two years after planting, lemongrass must be tied up, then it will curl around the support itself. Schisandra can very beautifully wrap around a gazebo or building wall, for this, instead of a trellis, install inclined ladders with an emphasis on the building. Lemongrass is also used as a hedge.

Schisandra chinensis: how to harvest and store the crop

Lemongrass is harvested in autumn at the end of September - October, cutting off the clusters with a whole sharp knife so as not to damage the vines. Do not pick berries in metal or galvanized dishes, because they will oxidize in it - it is better to use baskets, boxes or enameled containers. harvested must be processed within a day, because the berries deteriorate very quickly.

For storage, lemongrass berries are recommended to be dried. For drying, the berries can be dried under a canopy for 3 days, then sorted and dried in an oven at a temperature of 50-60 ° C. Dried berries are stored in a dry, ventilated area for several years.

Growing Schisandra chinensis is a pleasure. After all, this decorative liana is able to decorate any corner of the garden.

It is used to create hedges, decorate gazebos and decorate arches.

The decorativeness of the liana is preserved throughout the season, which gives the landscape a special flavor.

From early spring, lemongrass is covered with juicy green foliage, flowering begins later.

During this period, white flowers adorn the shrub. The flowers are replaced by bright red fruits of lemongrass, which look very beautiful against the background of already yellow foliage.

Schisandra chinensis is known not only for its beauty, all parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine. Drinks from it give strength, fight depression, drowsiness and overwork. So growing lemongrass is “practical beauty.”

Growing Schisandra chinensis: all about planting, soil and timing (photo)

It all starts with planting a vine and creating a support. You need to grow an elegant shrub on a solid hedge, which can serve as: a fence, an arch, an arbor.

Selecting a landing site

The place for the creeper should be warm, protected from cold winds. It is best to give preference to the western or eastern side of the site, where the plant can be in partial shade. The bright scorching sun will only harm the plant, and you can’t wait for beautiful fruits in the full shade.

soil for lemongrass

The composition of the soil is important when growing lemongrass. It is necessary to create all conditions as close to natural as possible. For planting a seedling, you need to use light earth, best forest. Heavy loams are not suitable for planting lemongrass. Such land must be prepared in advance.

Planting a seedling

The pit for planting the plant should be spacious so that the root system is freely located in it. As a rule, landing pits are prepared in the following sizes: 50 cm in diameter and 60 cm deep. At the bottom of the pit, a layer of drainage must be laid, which will not only ensure the outflow of excess water, but also help the horses to adhere well to the soil, which is important when growing vines.

To backfill the pit, I use fertilized soil, adding sand, humus, compost, ash and superphosphate to it. After planting, the soil must be well compacted, watered and mulched. Mulch can be sawdust, peat, fallen leaves or humus.

When planting a seedling, you need to monitor the level of the root collar, it should be flush with the ground. Deepening of the root collar is unacceptable.

When to plant a seedling

Optimal time for planting a seedling is spring, the end of April - the beginning of May. IN southern regions countries allowed planting magnolia vine in autumn, in October. Seedlings should be strong, with a well-developed root system. As a rule, 2-3 year old vines are chosen for planting. It is in such a shrub, despite its small stature, that the roots are well developed. The distance between plants must be at least 1 meter, otherwise adult vines will drown out each other.

Lemongrass Chinese care: watering, fertilizing, pruning (photo)

Decorative liana takes root very quickly in a new place, care for lemongrass does not deliver special trouble.

Important! In the first year, the plant should be shaded from direct sunlight.

Throughout the entire period of growth, the shrub needs watering, weeding, fertilizing and spraying.

Watering the plant

This vine belongs to tropical plants, therefore it is difficult to grow it without regular watering and spraying. On hot days, the crown must be irrigated with water. Do this in the evening so that the young leaves do not suffer from burns.

mature plant needs good watering. To do this, up to 6 buckets of water are spent per vine. So that the soil retains moisture well and remains loose longer, you need to mulch it.

Top dressing lemongrass

Until the age of three, seedlings are grown without the use of dressings. Further, regular fertilization increases the decorativeness of the vine, the leaves become more beautiful and healthy.

Schisandra chinensis is fed twice a season:

Spring top dressing start from the moment of active growth of the vine, as a rule, from April. During this period, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used. The earth around the bush is well loosened and saltpeter granules are closed up. Water the plant well. Further, every month the liana is watered with organic matter. To do this, use a solution of chicken manure or manure.

Important! As a fertilizer, you can mulch the soil around lemongrass with compost.

Adult vines that have already bore fruit are fed with nitrophoska in the spring.

Autumn fertilizers are applied when the plant sheds leaves. The soil around the vine is loosened to a depth of about 10 cm, adding 100 grams of ash and 20 grams of superphosphate under each bush.

pruning lemongrass

After three years of cultivation, the plant begins rapid growth of shoots, and it needs correct pruning. spring pruning contributes to good fruiting. It must be carried out strictly at the beginning of March, while the plant has not yet begun sap flow. If you tighten the pruning period, you can destroy the entire bush. During this period, all shoots are shortened.

In autumn, the plant is pruned only after all the leaves have fallen. Up to 5 developed shoots are left on the vine, all the rest are cut off at the root. Lateral branches shorten up to 10 buds. This drastic pruning will help keep the plant healthy.

In addition to schematic pruning, the vine also needs sanitary cleaning. Spend it in the summer, as the bush grows. All old, dry and broken branches are cut out. With such cleaning, all root shoots must be removed.

Important! After 15 years of cultivation, it is necessary to carry out a rejuvenating pruning of the vine. To do this, the hatched branches are cut out, replacing them with young vines from the overgrowth.

Growing lemongrass from seeds (photo)

Lemongrass can be propagated by root shoots and seeds. Seed propagation is a very exciting process. But there are some rules, the observance of which will allow you to grow a good seedling.

1. Seeds must be fresh. After 6 months they lose their germination.

2. Be sure to stratify the seeds.

3. Seeds are planted immediately in the garden, where they will grow for the first three years.

4. During the entire preparation phase, the seeds must be kept moist.

5. The time of planting seeds falls on the beginning of April. The first shoots may appear in 2.5 months.

6. Seeding depth is about 1-1.5 cm.

7. The first year the plants need good care and watering. The soil is constantly loosened and weeds are removed, seedlings are protected from the wind.

8. In the first year, seedlings reach a height of 5-7 cm. In the second year goes by development of the root system and the growth of the vine. At the age of three, plants should have a height of up to 50 cm, only then they are planted in a permanent place.

Preparing for the winter

Mature plants winter well without shelter. Young vines need reliable protection from frost. For this, the plants are spudded with earth, fallen leaves.

Lemongrass is grown only on a trellis, which increases the illumination of the bush and its fruiting. For the winter, the vines are not untied from the hedge, but left.

Important! The danger to the plant is not the frost itself, but spring frosts. Therefore, in the spring there is no need to rush to remove shelter from young vines.

Harvesting lemongrass fruits

Schisandra gives its first fruits at the age of 6 years, i.e. 3 years after planting. Peak yield occurs in the sixth year of cultivation.

Fruit harvesting begins as soon as the clusters turn bright red and become soft. Berries are practically not stored, they need to be processed on the day of collection.

Thyme or thyme? And maybe thyme or bogorodskaya grass? How right? And it’s right in every way, because under these names the same plant “passes”, more precisely, one genus of plants from the Lamiaceae family. There are many other folk names associated with amazing property highlight this shrub a large number of aromatic substances. Growing thyme and its use in garden design and cooking will be discussed in this article.

Favorite Saintpaulias have not only a special appearance, but also a very specific character. Growing this plant bears little resemblance to the classic care of indoor crops. And even relatives of the Uzambara violets from among the Gesnerievs require a slightly different approach. Watering is often called the "weirdest" care item for violets, which prefer non-standard watering to the classic method. But you will have to change the approach in fertilizing with fertilizers.

Useful, hardy, unpretentious and easy to grow marigolds are irreplaceable. These letniki have long moved from city flower beds and classic flower beds to original compositions, decorated the beds and potted gardens. Marigolds with their easily recognizable yellow-orange-brown colors and even more inimitable aromas today are able to pleasantly surprise with their diversity. Firstly, among the marigolds there are both tall and miniature plants.

The system of protection of fruit and berry plantations is based on the use of pesticides. However, if pesticides can be used for almost the entire period of protection of seed orchards growing season taking into account the waiting period for each preparation, then in the protection of berry crops they can be used only before the phase of the beginning of flowering and after harvesting. In this regard, the question arises which drugs should be used during this period to suppress pests and pathogens.

Our grandmothers, growing strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very versatile. Despite the fact that “kids” have always been considered more fashionable, the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of pricklyness, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will talk about the five most fashionable succulents that surprisingly transform modern interiors.

Biscuit cake with chocolate cream - light, fluffy and airy, with a delicate fondant cream based on powdered milk, cocoa and cream. It will take very little time to prepare this dessert, and the products are simple, inexpensive and affordable. Homemade cakes for evening tea are pleasant and cozy moments of life that any hostess can organize for her family or friends. Coconut flakes can be substituted for toasted walnuts in this recipe.

It often happens that chemical insecticides, especially those that have been on the market for a long time, cease to act on pests due to the development of resistance (resistance) to active ingredient, and then biological preparations can come to the rescue, which, by the way, have a number of advantages. In this article, you will learn how Lepidocid will protect vegetable, berry, ornamental and fruit crops from leaf-eating pests.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as far back as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will consider the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in open ground.

People began to grow crocuses 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring next year. Crocuses - one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, the timing of flowering may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest varieties of crocuses that bloom in late March and early April.

Shchi from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, fragrant and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. early cabbage it cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup is tastier than freshly cooked.

Blueberries are a rare promising berry crop in gardens. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins, have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, tonic properties. Berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. The taste of blueberries resembles a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of varieties of tomatoes, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is annoying sometimes! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself”. The main thing is to understand the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have much time and energy to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of room nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleuses today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provence herbs is a "supplier" of delicious pieces of fish pulp for light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The mushrooms are lightly fried olive oil and then watered apple cider vinegar. Such mushrooms are tastier than ordinary pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill coexist perfectly in one salad, emphasizing the flavor of each other. Garlic sharpness of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of salmon and pieces of mushrooms.

Clusters of lemongrass berries - ripe harvest

Lemongrass (lat. Schizandra chinensis) is common as a valuable medicinal crop, but is also used as ornamental plant. This is a very unusual crop with an exquisite citrus aroma, which looks like a beautiful deciduous liana and bears fruit with bright red berries formed in a brush.

Unusual plant - lemongrass, photo and description

More than a dozen are found in nature. different varieties lemongrass. Their difference comes down to diversity palatability, shapes and sizes of the fruit cluster. Fruits also differ in the content of useful elements in chemical composition.

The most common and cultivated is only one plant variety - Chinese magnolia vine (schizandra). This perennial, liana-like type. It is simultaneously attributed to the genus magnoliaceae and lemongrass.

Schisandra chinensis is characterized by a cross-pollination type, so that it bears fruit, it is necessary to grow several plants.

Useful properties of lemongrass

The healing qualities of lemongrass are used not only in medical preparations, but also used in folk medicinal recipes.

Lemongrass fruits are rich in various biologically active substances. The composition includes tannins, natural tonic elements schizadrin and schizadrol, essential oils, organic carbohydrates, acids, vitamin C.

• Schisandra tincture on alcohol has a tonic effect, increases the body's resistance to significant mental or physical activity improves blood circulation in the vessels.
• Popular in dietetics as a valuable energy product. Lemongrass is used to make syrups, cocktails, fruit drinks and compotes that help relieve feelings of fatigue and weakness, uplifting mood.
• In the confectionery industry, lemongrass is used for additives in exotic toppings and jams.
• Many housewives cook from it very delicious jam, fragrant tea, tinctures and compotes.

Growing conditions

Lemongrass is quite unpretentious, and at the same time exotic plant, which you will not find in every area. At right choice places and preparing the soil for planting, its cultivation will not cause problems, but on the contrary will bring great pleasure to the gardener.

Choosing a plot for lemongrass

General development plants and its protection from diseases depends on the correct choice of the site for planting.

It is important to consider the conditions that culture likes:

• Good illumination, daylight hours should last at least 8 hours. So choose south side when planting near garden buildings and structures;
• Closeness from drafts and weathering. Protection from an icy, frosty wind is especially important, it can be fatal to a plant.
• Places where the plant can curl are considered convenient for planting. Near any type of buildings - fences, gazebos, arches, special trellises.

Soil preparation

Before planting, the soil must first be prepared. The following procedures must be carried out:

• loosening;
• fertilizer with humus and peat, or wood ash, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate;
• drainage with river pebbles or bricks;
• deoxidize the soil to an acidity close to neutral.

Lemongrass Chinese planting and care

Lemongrass, like all creepers, takes root very well and does not require special care. Having prepared the soil, you need to choose suitable way reproduction - seed or vegetative, and properly plant the plant.

Vegetative planting method

The easiest way to propagate lemongrass is vegetatively:

• undergrowth;
• root layers;
• dividing the bush;
• cuttings.

In the second, sometimes third year, a plant planted in this way is already beginning to bear fruit. Lemongrass planting time vegetatively depends on climatic conditions.

The soil should warm up sufficiently, up to 10 degrees Celsius, and the possibility of reverse frosts should be completely absent. The optimal time for planting lemongrass is the end of April and the first half of May.

It is advisable to plant several plants at the same time with a distance of up to a meter. Planting holes are drained and fertilized in preparation for planting.

• With green cuttings, the shoots are cut before flowering in order to prevent their lignification. Choose for this two or three-year-old shoots. Cuttings are cut up to 8 cm in length.
• Reproduction by layering is done in autumn. Shoots from the main plant are bent down and attached to the ground after 20-30 cm, watered and sprinkled with earth. In the spring, the layers take up new roots and in the fall the shoots can be cut into pieces.
• In autumn, you can also cut off some of the rhizomatous shoots around the vine and seat them.
• The division of the bush is mainly used only when transplanting bushes to another place. In this case, the bush is divided into parts so that the plant has its stems and roots.

Seed method of planting lemongrass

It is important to know how to grow Schisandra chinensis from seeds, as this method is considered the most effective. Planting lemongrass with seeds is carried out in the fall. This should be done before the first frost - in late September or early October.

Plants grown from seeds are usually monoecious, with the formation of heterosexual flowers and annual fruiting. Germination with this method usually reaches 85%, and fruiting occurs in the fourth year.

Lemongrass seeds are harvested from ripened berries and sown in autumn. Sowing is carried out in shallow holes, and the process of natural stratification in winter guarantees good and strong sprouts.

Seeds sown in autumn give the first shoots in early summer next year, but they do not grow very quickly, no more than 5-6 cm per year. Young lemongrass requires only stable watering - the soil should be moist, but water stagnation should not be allowed. After watering, it is recommended to carry out surface loosening of the soil and removal weeds. Additional treatments for the plant during this period are not needed.

Lemongrass Care

When caring for a plant, you should follow some rules:

• Young shoots should be shaded, protecting from intense sunlight. IN further care reduced to shallow loosening and moistening of the soil.
• As it grows, Schisandra chinensis is important to feed and moisturize.
• The plant does not need special pruning, just removing dry and thickening vines is enough. With a strong thickening of the crown, you can cut off unnecessary and limit the growth of young shoots, cut out the root processes. It is necessary to completely remove old vines only in case of significant bareness of their crowns.
• Lemongrass should be tied to a special trellis. This will provide good lighting and improve fruit ripening.

• For the winter, the plant should be well moistened and mulched. This culture is frost-resistant and adult lemongrass vines are not afraid of frost. Only at very severe frosts buds may be damaged. To avoid freezing, the vines are simply removed from the support, tied together and bent closer to the ground, warming with dry foliage. Creepers are taken out in early spring.

Watering and fertilizing

To ensure a healthy appearance and good fruiting, lemongrass should be properly fed:

• in spring, at the stage of bud break in the near-trunk circle, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be added at the rate of 40 g of each top dressing per plant;
• at the stage of completion of flowering and active growth of lemongrass, add nitrogen (20 g), potassium and phosphorus (15 g each), and it is also important to use liquid organic feeding prepared mullein or chicken manure (solution in the appropriate proportions of 1:10 and 1:20);
• on the final stage, after harvesting, phosphorus and potassium are added in 30 g each or wood ash.

Schisandra chinensis is a tropical crop that, in a normal environment, develops well in a climate with high humidity. Therefore, growing it on the territory of Russia in a garden, it is important to ensure regular moisture.

It is advisable to water lemongrass by sprinkling. This should be done in the evening or at night, so that the sun does not burn the leaves, and at temperatures above 20 degrees, otherwise fungal diseases may be affected.

For daytime irrigation, root watering can be used. Young plants especially need such moisture.

Adult creepers are watered in dry weather, at the rate of about 6 buckets for each. Watering should be done after each fertilization. Mulching with sawdust, bark or mulch paper is recommended for better moisture retention.

Diseases of Chinese magnolia vine

It is believed that under normal conditions, lemongrass is not subject to diseases and pest attacks. Only the introduction of diseases with planting material is possible. With improper care, it can be affected by black leaf spot, phyllocystosis, ascochitosis, powdery mildew.

• In the fight against Fusarium wilt, it is important to disinfect the seeds through the spraying of Granosan and disinfect the greenhouses with Formalin solution (5%).
• For the treatment and prevention of diseases, spraying the bushes with fungicides and removing damaged parts of the plant (leaves, twigs, fruits) are used.
• When defeated powdery mildew, spraying with a solution of 0.5% soda ash and ground sulfur should be carried out. Spraying should be repeated after 10-14 days.
• For prophylactic treatment, a solution of Bordeaux liquid (1%) and Cuprosan powder (0.4%) is used.

When to Harvest

Lemongrass begins to productively bloom and bear fruit only in the fifth year, but not earlier than three years after transplanting to the place of cultivation.

The fruits ripen in bunches with soft translucent red berries. It is advisable to harvest the fruits along with the twigs - stalks. They are used with green mint or dried leaves to brew natural fragrant tea.

Outcome

Gardeners who decide to have a surprisingly beautiful and useful plant Lemongrass will certainly be satisfied. It is not difficult to grow it, and as a reward for care and maintenance, lemongrass will not only bring great aesthetic pleasure, decorating the garden with curved shoots with an openwork green crown, but will also bring great practical health benefits, healing diseases and adding vitality.

Schisandra chinensis - perennial climbing plant, which is not only original decoration garden, but also a culture that brings great benefits human health. Vitamins, mineral salts, organic acids and useful trace elements contained in fruits, roots, leaves, seeds have a positive effect on work nervous system, stimulate cardiovascular activity, relieve fatigue, reduce blood sugar and help in the treatment a large number diseases.

To increase efficiency, hypertensive patients are recommended to eat 25-50 grams of fruit daily with the peel. Lemongrass should not be consumed at night, as this threatens problems with sleep disturbance. Tea, infusion, jam from such a product should be drunk only in the morning.

The territory of distribution of lemongrass

Manchurian magnolia vine (another name for a member of the lemongrass family) is distributed wild in Japan, China, Korea, Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, as well as Sakhalin. The plant is native to Far East. Healing frost-resistant liana is found in broad-leaved, mixed forests, near river valleys, near shrubs, on the edges. Prefers to grow in well-drained, organic-rich soils. For medicinal purposes, special areas are allocated for the cultivation of lemongrass.

In home gardening, it is an original decoration of verandas, arbors and walls of houses and needs a strong support: arches, trellises, trellises. In the absence of such, the plant will develop poorly, and you can simply not wait for fruiting.

Description and external characteristics

Chinese lemongrass, which even gardeners with little experience can grow and care for, is characterized by a wrinkled, branching stem 1.5-2 cm thick. It can reach a height of 15 meters, prefers to grow under trees, tightly wrapping around their trunks. In young plants, the color of the bark is yellowish, in adults it is dark brown. The leaves are elliptical, alternate, slightly fleshy. sheet plate dark green above, paler below. The flowers of the plant are white or pink color and a subtle pleasant aroma with hints of lemon. The flowering period falls on the beginning of May - mid-June, after which withered flower turns into a spike-shaped brush with two dozen red juicy spherical berries.

The fruits are characterized by a specific taste: somewhat salty, slightly coniferous, slightly sour and slightly bitter bitterness. Ripen in August-September.

and care in Siberia

grow on suburban area or in your own garden is not at all difficult. It is important to correctly determine the location of the plant. It should be in partial shade, well protected from piercing winds. Lemongrass, the care and cultivation of which delivers a lot of aesthetic pleasure, has a negative attitude to the excess of sunlight and stops in growth and development. In one area for better fruiting, it is recommended to place two or more trees. The distance between them should be 1.0-1.5 meters; when planting in rows, a row spacing of 2.5-3.0 meters should be observed.

Pre-required to prepare landing pit about 70 cm in diameter, 40 cm deep, laying a good drainage layer of broken brick, crushed stone or expanded clay. Then you should combine soddy soil, humus, leaf compost in equal parts, add 0.5 kg of wood ash and 200 grams of superphosphate. With such a soil mixture, you need to fill the planting hole and plant a young magnolia vine. The most optimal for this event is a cloudy April day.

The most viable are 2-3-year-old Schizandra seedlings, characterized by small size and well developed root system. Landing root collar should be level with the soil surface. Young lemongrass, the care and cultivation of which is not particularly difficult due to the undemanding nature of the plant, needs to be watered abundantly. In order to preserve moisture in the kidney and prevent the growth of weeds, it is recommended to mulch the root hole with humus or peat.

Lemongrass seedlings take root very easily. It is only important to shade them from the sun in a timely manner, periodically loosen the soil in order to provide oxygen access to the roots, remove weeds and spray them with water in dry weather.

How to grow lemongrass from seeds?

A more time-consuming and time-consuming process is the cultivation of lemongrass from seeds, which must first be soaked in water for 7-10 days. This is required to reject unsuitable specimens that will float to the surface of the water in a couple of days. Also, the soaking method is necessary for the speedy spitting of the seed material.

At the next stage of preparation for sowing, the seeds should be hardened by placing them in disinfected sand at a ratio of 1:3. The mixture must be poured into special wooden containers and placed in a room with a temperature regime of +18 ... +20 ° С. Moisturize every other day for a month.

Sowing of seeds is carried out in prepared grooves, the approximate depth of which is about 1.5 cm. The seed must be sprinkled on top with soil from the greenhouse and slightly moistened, and the beds should be mulched with peat. In these beds, before transplanting to a permanent place of growth, Chinese magnolia vine will be grown from 1.5 to 2 years.

Plant nutrition activities

Cultivation and care of which are aimed at obtaining high quality useful fruits, like any plant, needs top dressing. It is possible to carry out activities that stimulate the growth and development of horticultural crops, starting from the 3rd year of planting.

In April, the trunk circle should be sprinkled with saltpeter in the amount of 20-30 grams and mulched with humus or leaf compost. IN summer period every 2-3 weeks it is recommended to feed with liquid organic matter. It can be fermented cow dung diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, or chicken manure - 1:20. At the end of autumn, it is recommended to add 100 grams of wood ash and 20 grams of superphosphate for each plant with further embedding to a 10-centimeter depth.

Lemongrass, which is grown and cared for in Siberia for the most part for medicinal purposes, enters the fruiting phase 3 years after planting in a permanent place of growth. The most productive period is usually fixed after 2-4 years from the beginning of fruiting. To increase and improve the quality of the harvest, fruit-bearing trees also need additional nutrition. In the spring, it is recommended to feed them with nitrophoska at the rate of 40-50 grams / sq. meter. After flowering, you need to make cow or bird droppings, diluted with water at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 plant. In autumn, the next feeding should be carried out with potassium sulfate (30-40 g / sq. Meter) and superphosphate (60 g / sq. Meter).

Irrigation Features

In hot weather, lemongrass, the care and cultivation of which does not require the use of special knowledge, is recommended to be sprayed. warm water, especially for young specimens. For mature trees, moisture must be supplied in dry weather, spending 6 buckets of water per plant. Watering is also necessary after each top dressing, thus ensuring optimal access of mineral and organic preparations to the roots of the plant. With the onset of fruiting, all top dressing must be stopped. In autumn, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the plant with fallen leaves or compost.

Schisandra chinensis: cultivation and care

The photo colorfully conveys the external attractiveness of a resident of the Siberian lands, optimal cultivation which is recommended to be done with a good support.

It can be built from 3-meter poles and trellises. The pillars should be buried in the ground to a depth of 50-60 cm, and the trellis should be stretched between them in three rows, the lower of which should be located at a height of half a meter from the soil level, the next two rows - after 0.7-1.0 m.

At first, young shoots should be tied to the bottom wire, and subsequent ones (as they grow) to the middle and top rows.

Activities to prepare for winter period consist in sheltering the plant in the first two years with a thick layer of leaves, on top of which a spruce branch is placed, designed to repel rodents. Mature plants are characterized by high frost resistance and do not need warming.

Cropping Features

For the formation beautiful crown and removal of old and diseased shoots in the care of lemongrass requires the use of such an important factor as pruning. After 2-3 years from the moment of planting, when the active growth of the roots is replaced by the increased development of the aerial part, young shoots must be removed at the soil level, leaving 3-6 pieces of the strongest. In adult plants, it is necessary to cut out unproductive branches and leave young ones in their place. Pruning is desirable to carry out after the autumn leaf fall. With a strong thickening of the plant, this operation can be carried out in the summer.

Lemongrass, the care and cultivation of which does not cause much trouble for gardeners, cannot be cut in winter and early spring. During this period, abundant sap production occurs, so thinning will necessarily cause the branches to dry out and possible subsequent death of the plant. In the spring, root shoots can be removed.

Harvesting

When does lemongrass ripen? Cultivation and care (a photo of the flowers of the plant can be seen in the article) is aimed at obtaining ripe and healthy fruits that can be harvested as they acquire a bright carmine-red color.

Transparency and softness will indicate the full ripeness of the berries. The collection is made along with the stalks, which, like the rest of the plant, have medicinal properties. They can be crushed, dried and used in hot tea as a flavoring agent.

The collected fruits should be processed immediately or the next day after harvest, as they are poorly stored and begin to ferment.

You can dry the berries if you place them in an oven heated to 60 ° C for 3-4 days. The medicinal properties of the plant remain for about 2 years.

How to grow lemongrass indoors?

Schisandra chinensis can be grown in room conditions. For this green cutting plants should be planted in a container 2/3 full fertile soil and 1/3 with sterile coarse sand. The aerial part of the seedling should be covered with a glass jar or film. pour water room temperature in small doses, but often, without removing the shelter. After 2-3 weeks, when the stalk of lemongrass gives roots, the shelter can be removed at night with a gradual increase in the time the plant is in natural conditions. After 4-5 weeks, the film can be removed completely. Reduce watering during this period, as excess water can be detrimental to the root system of the plant.

Indoor lemongrass, the cultivation and care of which is not particularly difficult, is recommended to be planted in the summer in open ground, giving the plant the opportunity to actively develop in natural conditions.