Mattiola is an elegant flower for a beautiful landscape design (128 photos). Mattiola: a beautiful and fragrant garden flower

Mattiola- An annual ornamental plant from the Cruciferous family. AT natural environment habitats - in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe - more than fifty species of this plant grow. In floriculture, only two are used: M. two-horned and M. gray-haired. The plant got its name in honor of the Italian botanist Pietro Mattioli.

Mattiola types

bicorn (Matthiola longipetala) - a low plant with decumbent stems and pubescent leaves. Differs in the increased cold resistance and shade tolerance. The plant develops well and blooms even in partial shade. The flowers of this species are quite small and inconspicuous, their color varies from pale pink to deep purple. In the evening and in cloudy weather, they smell very good. For which the plant received the name "Night Violet".

Mattiola gray-haired (Matthiola incana), or levkoy - flowering annual plant with showy flowers. The flowers are medium-sized, simple or double, depending on the variety, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. All existing varieties of levkoy can be classified according to the timing of flowering into the following groups: early, medium flowering and late. They can also be divided by height into: dwarf, medium and tall. The main difficulty in growing varietal levkoy lies in the selection of seedlings with double flowers. Experienced flower growers can distinguish them already at the cotyledon stage. The leaves of ordinary varieties are larger, saturated green. While in seedlings with double flowers, they are smaller and dark green in color.

AT middle lane In Russia, all types of matthiola are exclusively annual plants, but in countries with a warmer climate, they successfully endure wintering. You can also try to save Mattiola gray as a pot plant.

To do this, after the onset of an autumn cold snap, flowerpots with it are brought into a cool, well-lit room. Usually, during wintering, the lower part of the plant becomes very bare, which greatly affects the decorative qualities. Therefore, it is much easier and more expedient to grow levkoy as an annual crop.

Growing features

Matthiola is a rather unpretentious plant, it adapts perfectly to almost any soil and conditions. But it grows and blooms best in fertile, well-lit areas with good drainage. From soils, she prefers loamy or sandy soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

Also, this culture is quite demanding on the level of humidity. It will not work to achieve full flowering from it with insufficient watering.

Growing matthiola from seeds

The process of growing Matthiola bicornu is significantly different from the process of growing levkoy.

Matthiola is a two-horned rather cold-resistant culture, its seedlings easily tolerate small frosts. Therefore, it can be sown at the end of April directly into the ground on permanent place. In addition, this culture does not tolerate transplantation very well.
It is best to sow matthiola bicorne along the edge of higher annuals, it is also very advantageous to place it along arbors or paths. This will allow you to enjoy its fragrance in the evening hours.

For a more even distribution of seeds, they are pre-mixed with sand. The seeds are quite small, so they close up shallow. Shoots appear in 10 - 15 days. After 2-3 pairs of true leaves appear on the seedlings, they are thinned out, leaving no more than 15 cm between them. Matthiola blooms quite quickly - a month or a half from the moment of sowing. Also, some flower growers use winter sowing matthiola seeds.

Growing Mattiola gray-haired from seeds is much more difficult than mattiola bicornuate. This species is always grown seedling way. Sowing is carried out in March. The soil can be composed either independently, from equal parts of humus, peat and sand, or you can purchase a universal substrate for growing flower crops. The soil can also be of the following composition: 3 parts of high-quality sod land and 1 part of clean river sand. The soil must be disinfected before sowing, as levkoy seedlings are very sensitive to various fungal diseases. To do this, it can be shed with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or simply steamed.

If possible, sowing levkoy is best done immediately in separate cups. If the sowing was nevertheless carried out in common boxes, then the pick should be carried out as early as possible. How older plants, the worse they tolerate the transplant process.

Sowing times depend on climatic conditions each specific region, but in most cases they occur in the second half of February. When sowing, the seeds are buried shallow. At an air temperature of 15 - 18 ° C shoots appear after 7 - 10 days. To prevent them from stretching, the temperature must be reduced to 10 - 12 ° C and provide them with a sufficient amount of bright diffused light.

Further care for seedlings consists in timely watering and loosening the soil. When growing gray matthiola, it is very important to keep the soil moderately moist, as it is quite easily affected by such a dangerous fungal disease as the black leg.

A month before planting, seedlings need to start hardening off. For this, her daytime take out to the terrace, balcony or veranda. Subsequently, well-hardened levkoy seedlings easily tolerate return frosts down to minus 5 °C. Hardened plants are planted in a permanent place in early or mid-May. More precise dates depend on weather conditions each specific region. When planting between plants, keep a distance of 20 - 25 cm.

Mattiola care after planting in the ground

The conditions for caring for Mattiola are quite simple and do not present any particular difficulties. The most important thing is to provide the plants with enough moisture. Also in the process of growing mattiola can be fed. The first time fertilizers are applied 10 days after planting seedlings. To do this, you can use any complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. It should be bred according to the attached annotation.

The second time top dressing is carried out at the time of budding. For it, fertilizers of the phosphorus-potassium group are used. For example, good results are shown by the use of potassium monophosphate.

Also, in the process of growing matthiola gray, faded inflorescences should be periodically removed. This technique helps to significantly extend the flowering time of this crop. Levkoy can also be used for cutting and arranging bouquets. To do this, they are cut into morning time in the dissolution phase 8 - 10 flowers with slightly colored upper buds.

For a longer preservation of flowers in the cut, they can be pulled out directly with the roots, which are then thoroughly washed from the remnants of the earth. Growing matthiola in your area is quite simple. The main thing is to stock up on quality seeds and patience ..

If you have at least once been engaged in the cultivation of such a garden flower as matthiola bicorn, it is annual and, then you must remember that it is very easy to grow it, while the plant has a very delicate appearance and long lush bloom. Before proceeding with the cultivation of such a plant, it is necessary to study exactly how matthiola can be grown from seeds, when to plant, and how to care for it.

On the garden plots most commonly grown given plant two different types:

gray-haired, which is also called left-handed;
two-horned, which has another name, namely: night violet.

Night has a very strong pleasant smell, which is better than the aroma of levkoy. However, it is the levkoy that has a very decorative appearance.

How should seeds be prepared?

The seeds of such a flower fully ripen only in late autumn. After this happens, you will need to cut off the pods that contain the seeds and hang them in a warm place with low humidity so that they dry thoroughly. Experts advise pulling the seeds out of the pods only after they become completely dry. Before sowing, the seeds need to be disinfected. To do this, they must be held for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate. This will provide young plants good protection from diseases. Do matthiola grow through seedlings?

Experts do not advise growing a two-horned mattiola through seedlings, the fact is that a dive can be fatal for her. But it is recommended to grow a gray-haired mattiola in seedlings.

What time to sow?

Sow night violet seeds open ground recommended in April. It should be noted that the flower is not at all afraid of frost, but the temperature should not fall below minus 5 degrees. In the southern regions, you can sow the seeds of such a plant before winter and do it in November. At the same time, sowing seeds of levkoy for seedlings must be done in last days February or the first - March. Sowing, if desired, can be done in open soil. In order for this plant to bloom continuously in your flower bed, experts advise sowing its seeds not all at once, but in parts at intervals of 1.5–2 weeks.

How to grow seedlings?

Levkoy is sown in individual cups, while the composition of the substrate includes sand and soddy land (1: 3). Put them in a place with a temperature of about 15 degrees. After the appearance of seedlings, it is necessary to lower the temperature to 10 degrees. This will keep the seedlings from stretching out. Landing in open soil can be done in the last days of April, but there should not be strong frosts. The distance between the bushes is from 15 to 20 centimeters.

Features of sowing seeds in open soil?

For ease of sowing, the seeds must be combined with sand. Seedlings will appear in 7 days. Such plants will begin to bloom after 4-8 weeks. After the appearance of three real sheet plates it is necessary to thin out seedlings, while the distance between the bushes should be from 15 to 20 centimeters.

What is the right care?

The flower needs light, and it reacts negatively to stagnant water. If planting is in the spring, then it is necessary to dig and fertilize the soil in the fall. The area where a member of the cruciferous family had previously grown is not suitable for matthiola. Water systematically and moderately, remove weeds, loosen the soil and fertilize, the flower does not need anything else.

Many lovers ornamental plants do not ignore mattiola bicornuate. The mattiola plant, planting and caring for which is associated with some features and difficulties, will be discussed in the article. What is the value of the plant? First of all, for the amazing aroma that spreads through the garden in the evening and at night. Secondly, for the number of different varieties. But the two-horned mattiola cannot boast of the decorativeness of the flowers because of its inconspicuousness. In the daytime, the flowers are covered.

Matthiola is native to Asia Minor and Greece. The plant has been cultivated since the 16th century.

Flower growers grow Mattiola two-horned in planting.

Characteristics:

Mattiola has erect or spreading stems, depending on the variety. There are many shoots on the plant, they, like the leaves, have strong pubescence.
The plant is quite tall, with proper agricultural technology it grows up to 60 cm.
Large teeth are clearly visible on juicy green leaves.
Flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of brushes, do not differ in saturation of tones. In addition, they are very small.
During the day, mattiola “sleeps”, blooms inflorescences closer to night, spreads its aroma throughout the area.
Flowering is long. At early landings lasts from June until the first frost.
Very small seeds ripen in pods. Germination is maintained up to three years.

Types and varieties of matthiola bicorne

More than 50 types of matthiola grow in the natural environment. The popular name is fragrant violet. Flower growers grow only two species.

Mattiola is gray-haired, it is she who is called Levka.

Mattiola bicorne Mattiola gray-haired lefty

Varietal variety of mattiola bicornu

For gardeners, when choosing matthiola, varieties matter. Breeders have created many different varieties with different colors and aromas.

Let's look at the most common varieties of bicorn mattiola, which are grown in flower beds:

Mattiola Evening fragrance is characterized by strong branching of upright shoots. The height is a little less than half a meter. The flowers are small pale lilac hue, with a pronounced aroma.
Starlight is a varietal blend. Flowers of all colors bloom in the garden. Plants are selected erect, their height is from 40 to 50 cm. Since each variety has its own characteristics of aroma, then, intertwining, they give a real fairy tale. It is better to plant a varietal mixture before entering the house.
Night violet grows up to 30 cm. It is often used to decorate balconies. Delicate lilac flowers resemble a brush, give a sweetish aroma.
Lilac is a cold-resistant plant. Likes sunny open beds. Height up to 50 cm. The aroma of this variety captivates with its tenderness and originality.
Mattiola summer evening is most often grown by flower growers. Grows up to half a meter. Flowers are collected in a loose brush, have lilac shade. The aroma is strong and memorable.

Video "Matthiola, growing and caring for a flower"

How to grow seedlings

As a rule, mattiola bicornu does not reproduce with seedlings, it is better to grow it by sowing seeds directly into the ground: the plant has a weak root system, it does not tolerate transplantation well. But, if you want to become the owner of unique flavors in early June, then you will have to use the seedling method.

Before sowing seeds, you need to prepare containers and soil. The soil is chosen nutritious, loose, with good water and air permeability. Containers, soil are treated with a hot manganese solution.

With how to plant a two-horned mattiola, now we will figure it out:

Seeds are sown in early February. Re-sowing can be done in March, then your plants will bloom at different times.
Since the seeds are very small, they are scattered over the surface of the prepared soil, and the distance is at least four centimeters and lightly sprinkled on top. You can't deepen them. Gently watered warm water, cover with glass or plastic bag. exhibited in warm place with sufficient lighting. Before the appearance of the first shoots, watering is not recommended.

Mattiola, growing from seeds for seedlings, requires special conditions. After the appearance of sprouts, you need to create good lighting and lower the temperature to 12 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will stretch.

If you grow matthiola in a box, then it will have to dive in 12-14 days. We immediately warn you that part of the seedlings, despite the accuracy of the transplant, dies.

In order to less injure the roots, the soil is watered abundantly before starting work. Carefully remove one plant at a time, being careful not to damage the delicate roots. Deepenings are made in the transplant container and covered with soil up to the cotyledon leaves. So that the plant can immediately contact the soil, lightly compress the soil. After that, matthiola needs to be watered.

Many experienced gardeners who have been dealing with fragrant violet for more than one year, grow seedlings without picking. Suitable packaging for eggs, chocolates. After filling the containers with soil, 2-3 seeds are sown in each cell. As the seedlings grow, one sprout is left, the most viable.

Plants are planted in a permanent place, without damaging the clod of earth, upon the onset of stable warm weather. Usually it is the end of May, the beginning of June. Landing is carried out at a distance of 15 to 30 cm, depending on the variety. In order for Mattiola to grab the ground faster, it needs to be shaded.

Sowing seeds in the ground

Choose a place

In order for the fragrant violet to grow healthy, not to stretch, a sunny place is chosen for it. There is one more condition: landings must be protected from the wind. Under such conditions, they will quickly grow, throw out loose tassels and delight you with amazing aromas.

As for the soil, it should be loose, fertile. But it is undesirable to introduce humus for planting, since phytophthora spores may be present in it. Not bad mattiola develops on loamy and sandy soils. Acidity should be neutral.

The predecessors for planting matthiola are also important. It is undesirable to grow violets where cruciferous representatives previously lived. This can cause keel, fungal diseases.

The soil is best prepared in the fall. Digging allows you to get rid of spores of fungal diseases, including the black leg. The soil needs to be dug 40 cm deep and composted.

Sowing seeds

If you want to create a unique design on your site, it is not necessary to grow mattiola in a separate garden. It can be placed next to large-colored bright flowers.

Seed propagation of matthiola (depending on the characteristics of the variety) can be autumn or spring. But the rules for sowing seeds are completely the same:

The soil spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate is loosened, grooves are made. Their depth should not exceed half a centimeter, otherwise it will be difficult for the sprouts to break through.
To evenly distribute the seeds, they are mixed with sand in equal amounts, scattered into grooves.
Sprinkle with a layer of earth in half a centimeter. It is impossible to tamp, you just need to lightly sprinkle the flower bed with water.

Mattiola, sown in autumn or spring, sprouts in late May, early June.

Seedling Care

Mattiola bicorne, planting and care of which requires compliance certain rules, will grow up healthy and delight with an amazing aroma, even for beginners.

When 2 to 3 leaves appear on the violet, the plantings are thinned out. A distance of 15 to 35 cm is left between plants. At the same time, growth features are taken into account. Remember that dense seating of matthiola can provoke fungal diseases due to proper ventilation.
The plant is demanding on watering, but does not tolerate the marsh state of the soil. Roots may rot. Weeds are removed at the earliest development. They not only weaken the flowers, but can also cause infection with fungal diseases.
After watering and rains, the soil must be loosened so that air can freely enter the roots.
Brushes with faded buds must be removed so that they do not pull on nutrients. In addition, dried flowers do not contribute to improving the decorativeness of the plant.
Mattiola bicornu after planting and care needs to be fed. You can use nutrient formulations for indoor flowering plants. The first top dressing is carried out 21 days after planting matthiola in open ground. The plant needs especially nutrients at the time of budding and flowering.

Diseases and pests

Mattiola planting and care in the open field requires careful attention to the issue of diseases and pests. She has a few of them, but still, she has them. The most common are keel and fusarium. Both diseases are fungal and reproduce by spores. Spores tolerate wintering well.

Among the pests, cruciferous flea, cabbage and whitefish are noted. Fleas and caterpillars are able to destroy matthiola. To prevent the death of plantings, you need to inspect the bushes. When pests appear, spray with special preparations.

Preventive measures

No need to wait for diseases or pests to inflict plants irreparable harm. After all, any plant ailments can be prevented.

What do we have to do:

To prevent keel (black leg), the soil is treated with potassium permanganate, fungicides or ordinary wood ash.
The cruciferous flea also does not tolerate the smell of ash, it can pollinate mattiola after watering and rain.
Since fragrant violet is a member of the cruciferous, it can be sprayed with valerian. This method will save cabbage and white butterflies from butterflies. They do not risk flying on the smell. One teaspoon of medicine is enough for a liter of water.
As for Fusarium, at the first sign of planting, they are treated with special preparations. But first you need to remove the affected leaves and burn them.

When growing any plants, it is necessary to take into account the methods of agricultural technology. Even a novice grower can grow Mattiola. The main thing is to take into account the characteristics of the variety, to properly care for them. And then your garden will be filled with the fragrance of violets. Good luck.

Evening on suburban area, cup fragrant tea on the open veranda, silence and an amazing aroma that cannot be confused with anything ... All this is about Mattiol "Evening Aroma", it is she who creates a special evening atmosphere in the country, at least in mine.

A flower garden without this plant, in my opinion, cannot be called full-fledged - even if it looks unattractive during the day, but at night Mattiola truly becomes the queen of flowers. I love this culture not only for its aroma, but also for its unpretentiousness. How to care for this flower, consider in more detail.

The progenitors of matthiola grow in Greece and Asia Minor, mentions of this plant are known already in the 16th century. This annual is notable for its eccentricity, in the daytime the flowers are covered, but with the onset of the evening they open and begin to exude a pleasant aroma.

The plant, depending on the variety, can be upright or sprawling, with proper care it can reach 60 cm in height. The stems and leaves are strongly pubescent, the foliage is bright green, bordered with denticles.

The inflorescences are collected in brushes of rather pale tones, the flowers are small, simple, sometimes terry. Flowering begins in July and continues until the first cold snap. After flowering, pod-like fruits with very small seeds are formed, the germination of which lasts for three years.

In nature, there are over 50 types of matthiola, it is also a fragrant violet, however, flower growers are breeding only two of them:

Mattiola bicorne;

Levkoy or mattiola gray-haired.

Now breeders have created dozens of various varieties of violets, each of them differs in appearance, color and aroma. Today we will deal with one of the varieties of matthiola two-horned, namely the “Evening Aroma”. This variety is characterized by abundant branching.

The height of upright shoots reaches half a meter. The flowers are incredibly fragrant, medium-sized, pale lilac shades.

Fragrant violet seedling

Most often, matthiola is not grown by seedlings; it is much easier to do this by simply sowing seeds into the soil. This is due to the fact that this plant has an extremely weak root system and often most individuals die during transplantation. However, if you need to speed up the flowering period, then you have to take a chance and resort to just this method.

Before planting the seeds, prepare the substrate and containers for planting. The soil should be loose and fertile, well permeable to water and air. Boxes for sowing are disinfected with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
They begin to sow seeds from the beginning of February, if they are planted at intervals of a month, then flowering will last longer;
Due to the fact that the seeds are very small, they are simply scattered on the surface of the soil with a distance of at least 4 cm, sprinkled a little on top. You can’t bury them in the ground, otherwise you won’t wait for shoots. Crops are carefully sprayed with warm water, covered with polyethylene or glass and cleaned in a warm, well-lit place. Until the first sprouts appear, the seedlings are no longer watered.
After the violet rises, it needs bright light and cold, it is better if the temperature does not rise above 12 degrees, then the seedlings will not stretch.
If you originally planted matthiola seeds in a common container, then after two weeks it will have to dive. However, even with a very careful attitude during seating, some of the specimens will die. Therefore, it is easier and more reliable to plant seeds immediately in separate containers. In this case, 2-3 seeds are thrown into each pot, and subsequently one of the strongest is left.
If you still can’t do without a pick, water the seedlings well before that, so you minimally damage the roots. Then carefully pull out one seedling at a time, being careful not to injure the delicate roots. In new containers, make small holes, place the plant there and sprinkle them with soil up to the cotyledon leaves. For better contact with the soil, gently press them down. Carefully water the violet.
Matthiola is planted in a permanent place in late May-early June after the establishment of warm weather. Planted, trying not to destroy the earthen ball with roots, at a distance of 15-30 cm from each other. To speed up the engraftment, the violet is shaded for the first time.

Sowing seeds in the ground

First you need to choose a suitable site for Matthiola "Evening Aroma". It should be sunny so that the plants do not stretch out, protected from gusts of wind so that the bushes do not break.
The soil at the planting site should be soft, loose and rich in nutrients. However, humus should not be introduced under the culture, as this can cause infection of the violet with phytophthora. Matthiola grows well on loamy and sandy soils with neutral acidity.
Not less than importance have crops preceding planting, areas where cruciferous representatives were previously grown are not at all suitable. This can lead to damage to flowers by fungal diseases and clubroot.
It is good if you prepare the soil on the site in the fall. Careful digging will save the soil from fungal spores and blacklegs that are going to winter in it. It is necessary to dig to a depth of 40 cm, a good result will give the simultaneous introduction of compost.
Matthiola "Evening Aroma" does not have to be planted on a separate ridge, it will look much more interesting with other crops with large, bright inflorescences. You can plant it both in spring and autumn.
The land prepared for planting is well shed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, well loosened and shallow grooves are made. Their depth should not be more than half a centimeter, otherwise weak sprouts will not be able to break through thick layer soil.
For even distribution of achenes over the surface on the surface of the earth, they are mixed with sand and covered in grooves.
Next, the crops are carefully sprinkled with earth, its layer should not be more than 0.5 cm. In no case do not compact the planting, carefully water the ridge.
Mattiola shoots will appear by the end of May.

How to care for emerging seedlings

After the appearance of two or three true leaves on the Evening Aroma, the planting must be thinned out. A distance of at least 15-30 cm should be maintained between the bushes, this is taking into account their growth. Too thick planting due to difficult ventilation can be the cause of the development of fungal diseases.

Mattiola loves moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water, her root system can simply rot. Likewise, it does not tolerate drought. Remove regularly from the moment of planting weeds, they, competing with flowers for space, food and water, weaken them, and can also spread dangerous diseases.

Immediately after rain or watering, the soil under the violets must be carefully loosened, helping oxygen to penetrate to the roots.

Remove wilted brushes in a timely manner, otherwise they will take some of the nutrients from the plant, and the decorativeness of plantings suffers in the presence of dried inflorescences.

You can not do without dressings, they fit well special formulations for indoor flowering plants. They need to be diluted according to the directions on the package. In total, five top dressings are needed during the growing season, if the soil is not fertile, the number of feedings can be increased to eight.

The first time they fertilize three weeks after planting mattiola, then water the flowers several times during the formation of buds. It is strictly forbidden to use fresh organic matter to feed the Evening Aroma.

Pests and diseases of "Evening aroma", their prevention

It cannot be said that Mattiola is highly susceptible to attacks. harmful insects or disease, but as with any other crop, you should always be on the lookout. The most common diseases are fusarium and clubroot, both of which are fungi that reproduce by spores. Unfortunately, spores easily overwinter in open ground.

From dangerous insects you can distinguish cabbage, whitefish and cruciferous flea. The latter, along with caterpillars, can completely destroy matthiola crops. To prevent this from happening, you need to constantly carefully examine the plants. You can cope with all problems with the help of special preparations from a flower shop.

Don't wait for insects and diseases to seriously damage your flowers, it's much easier to prevent any problem than to fix it.

To do this, take a look at a few useful tips from experienced flower growers:

As a prophylaxis for a disease with a keel or black leg, spill the earth with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, wood ash or special fungicides;
At the slightest sign of Fusarium infection, the bushes should be treated with the preparations intended for this, having previously plucked and destroyed all damaged foliage;
The two-horned matthiola belongs to the cruciferous family, and, just like its relatives, it is attacked by cabbage and white butterflies. You can save yourself from them by spraying the flowers with valerian tincture, as they cannot stand its smell. To prepare a magic solution in a liter of liquid, stir a small spoonful of valerian;
You can scare away the cruciferous flea with ordinary wood ash. After watering and rain, just pollinate the bushes with ashes.

Bought cheap seeds. On it was written Mattiola bicornuate.

These 3 ruble seeds I have two varieties.
I want to grow this fragrant flower.

Gathering info :)

DESCRIPTION

Not too catchy appearance and flowering only in the evening and at night are absolutely not considered its shortcomings. After all, matthiola, as the most exquisite miracle, is still often planted separately from other flowers next to walking paths, benches, in planters on terraces and balconies, under windows open in summer.

The genus Mattiola (Matthiola) has more than twenty species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants. Of these, Matthiola bicornis (Matthiola bicornis) and Matthiola gray (Matthiola incana) are the most common in floriculture.

GROWING

Matthiola two-horned is often called the "night violet", since by night its aroma is greatly enhanced. This is a low (30 - 60 cm) annual plant with densely leafy straight stems and simple lilac-pink flowers collected in racemose inflorescences. This species prefers open sunny places with sandy, limy, well-drained soil, as in the shade the plant stretches and blooms reluctantly.

Seedling cultivation. If you start the procedure in February, then already in June the matthiola will begin to bloom. The containers are filled with a mixture of sand and soddy soil 1: 3 and the seeds are placed in the soil, then lightly sprinkled with earth or sand (a layer of about 0.5 cm). Watering is not necessary until sprouts appear. You will have to wait about 4 days, then the boxes are placed in a room with good lighting and temperature within 10-12 °C. It is this stage that is considered the most difficult, it is important to ensure a suitable temperature regime.

After two weeks, young seedlings must be dived into separate pots or other containers. Not all seedlings will survive these stages, the most hardy specimens will remain, which in the second half of April are “relocated” to the open ground, it is possible directly with a clod of earth to minimize stress. Now Mattiola will be able to endure even light frosts down to -5 ° C.

Seeds of matthiola bicorne can be sown 2-3 times, keeping a two-week break between sowings. This will make it possible to extend the flowering period of the plant and, naturally, saturate the air with fragrance, from June to October. Seeds collected after matthiola flowering in dry flat pods can be successfully used for sowing before winter (in November), only on light sandy loamy soil.

An important condition is to observe moderate watering so that young shoots do not get sick with a black leg. Seedlings should appear after 7, sometimes 10 days.

CARE FEATURES

Mattiola bicornu feels great on sunny areas. But light penumbra will suit her.

The soil for it requires sod-sand or sod-loam. On the acidic soils she is not growing well.

Watering is very important for matthiola, which should be plentiful, but without stagnant water, otherwise the plant will start to hurt and the roots will rot.
Water matthiola better in the morning, preferably in two steps to ensure better penetration moisture into the soil.

Once or twice a month (depending on the fertility of the soil), it is advisable to feed mattiola mineral fertilizers. Manure is not recommended.

With proper agricultural technology, mattiola bicornu is quite resistant to diseases, so it will not cause much trouble.

The flowering period of ordinary mattiola is small, only a few days. Only terry varieties of Levkoy bloom for up to three weeks.