Tradescantia garden: decorating the landscape with little effort (20 photos)

Tradescantia gardena is an unpretentious herbaceous plant of the Commeline family. The gardening of the king of England Charles I John Tradescant was engaged in the cultivation of a lush shrub with bright flowers in the 17th century. In honor of him, vegetation got its name.

Perennial garden tradescantia is distinguished by an enviable flowering time from the second half of May until the onset of cold weather. The bush reaches half a meter in height, spreading lanceolate leaves of saturated green color fall to the ground. Small buds captivate with their tenderness and can be white, pink, blue, blue and even purple.

Tradescantia garden: planting and care

The shrub is suitable for growing as a separate plant, as well as in combination with other flowering plants to create a landscape composition. An ideal place for its active growth will be a well-lit area, without strong winds and drafts.

In a warm and temperate climate for the winter, the plant can be left without shelter. In cold regions, where the air temperature drops significantly below 0 ° C, the roots should be wrapped with insulation (moss) and covered tightly with a film of polyethylene.

Garden tradescantia loves fertile soil. Before planting, the top layer (5-7 centimeters) of the earth is removed and covered with prepared soil with fertilizers. The components in its composition should pass air and moisture well, leafy and soddy earth, humus, sand are well suited. On heavy clogged soils, the bush does not grow well.

For active healthy growth of tradescantia, the soil must be constantly moistened. If the groundwater on the site lies deep, there is no natural reservoir near, it is necessary to equip an artificial irrigation system. With the onset of winter, care may be less thorough; during the cold season, the shrub does not need moisture. Arid weather without proper watering slows down growth, reduces the number of flowers and can lead to plant death.

Not only the root system, but also the leaves need moisture. After sunset, it is necessary to thoroughly moisten them from the spray with rain or distilled water.

Growing and caring for tradescantia involves the introduction of complex fertilizers in early spring at the rate of 25 grams per 1 m2. During the appearance of buds, phosphate and potassium top dressings are introduced.

There are three ways to propagate the shrub:

• cuttings;
• rhizome division;
• seeds.

The ideal stalk is a young shoot with 3-4 growth points. The rooted shoot from May-June will get stronger in the cold and will endure the winter safely. To take root, moist soil and content in the greenhouse at a temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees with regular watering are required.

Root division is the most common method. Suitable time is the second half of March - the end of July. The bush is completely dug up, leaving the root system intact and divided into several parts. Plant dried rhizome should be in an open area. For quick adaptation to a new place, daily watering is important.

Propagation of tradescantia by seeds is rarely practiced due to the low germination of seedlings. Freshly picked seeds are planted in small pots with nutritious soil from the leaf and turf land.Tanks must be kept at a temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees and regularly irrigated from a spray gun. Seedlings appear after 1.5-2 months. A bush with 3-4 leaves is planted on open ground, mineral fertilizers for flowering plants are applied twice a month.

Tradescantia is garden resistant to pests and not susceptible to disease. Insects infect the leaves and root system of the shrub if the owner of the infield does not follow the basic rules for caring for it.

Basics of composition: a suitable neighborhood

The shape of the bush and its splendor is determined by the place of planting. In a dark, windy place, the shoots will lose stability, and the flowers will be dull. The best place for the bush is a light openwork partial shade. Here, the foliage of the plant will be saturated green, and bright large flowers will delight the look. Tradescantia garden can be tied to an artificial support. Well-chosen neighbors will become its alternative, creating a natural support.

Anemones, astilbe, swimsuits, hosts, astrantia, brunners, pigeons, heichera, cuffs, geraniums, gravilates, medunitsa, variegated sedges can be planted next to the bush. Plants reliably support the garden tradescantia, and with their flowers and the sophisticated shape of the leaves will create a harmonious composition and emphasize each other's merits.

It is not recommended to plant next to the representative of the family Commeline species that react poorly to excessive moisture in the soil and air.

The bush grows well in artificial ponds and streams. High humidity favorably affects the health of garden vegetation. She feels no less comfortable in various flower beds, rocky gardens, flower beds, naturalized garden corners.

Regardless of the plant variety, its flowers are odorless and are good honey plants. A large number of colorful butterflies enjoying the nectar of the tradescantia will be the highlight of the hacienda.

Landscaped garden tradescantia

The shrub will fit perfectly into the company of heichers, hosts, ferns and astilbe. In the composition, it is important to take into account the length of the plants; tall and sprawling ones should not cover undersized compact ones. Tradescantia will occupy a worthy place in the shady mixborder, at the lower level (the most moistened part) of the alpine hill and the shadow of the fence.

Trimming or pinching of its aerial part will help to preserve the decorativeness of the bush. Such events should be carried out 1-2 times a year. It is extremely useful to transplant the plant every 3-4 years.

High varieties of plants can be planted in the background, and miniature plant forward. A dense shrub planting will eliminate the need for equipment of supports and garter stems. As a tapeworm, you can plant a tall view of the garden tradescantia, after a year or two it will take on a hemispherical shape with smoothly flowering shoots strewn with small flowers.

The plant will be a great addition to an artificial reservoir. On the shore of the lake, a lush bush will go into active growth with abundant flowering. With its appearance, it will complement the less aesthetic, but necessary for the optimal functioning of the reservoir of plants.

Experimental attempts to plant tradescantia in shallow water (pebbles on top of geotextiles) gave positive results. The plant was in a favorable environment for itself, in partial shade with plenty of moisture. Flowering occurred 2-4 weeks later in comparison with the coastal zone. A non-standard solution will add uniqueness to the landscape of the local area.

It is enough to create nutritious soil, protection from the scorching sun and maintain moderate humidity. Then the bush will delight with long and plentiful flowering from year to year.