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Every summer resident dreams of a beautiful garden plot, but not everyone succeeds. You need to spend a lot of time and effort on design. But if you set a goal, you can end up with a gorgeous garden. Dichondra will help with this. It is used to create beautiful flower beds and decorate building facades. In appearance it resembles a waterfall flowing down. Some gardeners use the plant as lawn grass, as it allows them to hide all soil imperfections. But growing Silver Falls dichondra requires special conditions.
Description of Dichondra Silver Falls
The Dichondra flower Silver Falls is included in the group of representatives of evergreen perennials from the Bindweed family. The name hides the concept of two grains, which hints at the similarity of the plant’s fruits with a two-chamber capsule.
Dichondra Silver Falls grows in areas with a humid climate, so it is more often found in Australia, New Zealand, eastern Asia and America
The root system of the plant is located no deeper than 15 cm. The length of the stems reaches 1.5-8 m. They have coin-shaped leaves. They cover the shoots tightly. They have a silvery or bright green color depending on the variety.
Application in landscape design
In landscape design, silver dichondra is most often used. It is planted in hanging vases so that it can grow down and fall in the form of a waterfall. Can also be used for background landscaping. The plant allows you to create shade and cover beautiful compositions from bright sunlight.
Peculiarities of reproduction of Dichondra Silver Falls
Growing silver dichondra at home is carried out using seeds, stem cuttings and layering. The plant is not propagated by dividing the bushes, as this leads to early damage to the rhizome and further death.
When choosing any of the presented growing methods, the flower must be watered with warm, settled water.
Growing Dichondra Silver Falls from seeds (growing seedlings)
If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made plant, you can resort to the method of growing seedlings from seeds. If all recommendations are followed, the first seedlings will appear a week after planting.In the future they will grow very slowly, so you will have to wait until they get stronger.
Do not forget that young plants need to be watered periodically and the soil carefully loosened. If the seeds do not have enough light, they will stop growing.
When and how to sow silver dichondra for seedlings
It is best to sow seeds for seedlings in late January - mid-February. The sooner this is done, the faster the dichondra will be able to gain vegetative mass.
In order for Silver Falls dichondra seeds to grow better, it is recommended to first treat them with a growth stimulator in the form of epin. Agave juice can also be used for soaking. A few drops are squeezed out of the leaves and mixed with water. Then the seeds are soaked in the resulting solution.
A maximum of 3 grains must be placed in a pot at a depth of no more than 1 cm
A maximum of 3 grains must be placed in a pot at a depth of no more than 1 cm. The crops are covered with glass, film or polyethylene. The seedlings grow quite slowly. For the whole process to go smoothly, it is necessary to keep the plant in the light. The seeds are transferred to a room with a temperature of 22-24 degrees. A small hole is left for ventilation.
Caring for dichondra seedlings Silver Falls
If the seedlings are constantly in the shade, this will lead to their stretching. To prevent this from happening, dichondra should be kept in the light or under ultraviolet lamps.
If the seedlings still stretch out, then do not be upset. She can still be saved. To do this, you need to add soil and distribute it between the sprouts.
As soon as 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings can be transplanted into separate cups or hanging vases. Before doing this, you need to harden the dichondra.At first, seedlings grow very poorly, so a lush vegetative mass appears much later.
Planting and care in open ground
Growing Dichondra Silver Falls at home from seeds is not the only way to obtain a plant. Planting can also be done in open ground. This technique is used in regions with a warm and mild climate to get a beautiful lawn.
When to plant silver dichondra in the ground
The plant begins to be transplanted into the garden only 1.5-2 months after the seedlings appear. In the northern regions this period occurs in the first half of June. In southern cities, planting begins earlier - in May.
If the plant is going to be grown as a ground cover flower, then you need to remember that it is characterized by slow growth. Therefore, dichondra is planted in bushes with a distance of 10-15 cm from each other.
The depth of the hole should be such that the root system can fit. Then the hole is carefully buried and compacted.
Site selection and soil preparation
Before planting a dichondra flower in open ground, the soil needs to be prepared. She is freed from garbage.
The bushes are transplanted into loosened and fertile soil
The site should be located on the sunny side, otherwise the stems will be thin and the leaves will be pale and inconspicuous.
Landing algorithm
Grown bushes are planted in large vases or open ground. A hole is dug no more than 20 cm deep. At the bottom there is a layer of drainage made of small stones, broken bricks or expanded clay.
Add loose and fertile soil. A small depression is made in the middle into which a small sprout is placed.
Watering schedule
You need to water regularly.Excess water must be drained 10-15 minutes after irrigation.
Dichondra Silver Falls can tolerate short-term drought, but you should not leave the plant for a long time, otherwise it will have a bad effect on the vegetative mass.
How to feed the silver dichondra
The plant must be fed regularly. This process begins from mid-spring until the end of autumn. They use complex fertilizers that are intended for decorative indoor flowers. The procedure is carried out once every 7-14 days. It is not recommended to fertilize dichondra in winter.
After feeding, the leaves and stems are washed, which will avoid the formation of burns. In order for the plant to grow better, it is necessary to alternate nitrogen and mineral fertilizers.
Weeding
Be sure to remove weeds around the dichondra. You need to pull out the grass carefully, since the plant's root system is located close. The ground is weeded periodically.
Trimming and pinching
If the bush has formed a large leaf plate, then it is necessary to pinch it.
As the branches grow, they will look lush
But you don’t need to let the stems branch too much, so cut off the excess once a week.
How to preserve Dichondra Silver Falls in winter
Dichondra Silver Falls grows quite slowly. Therefore, experienced gardeners do not recommend sowing plant seeds every year. The best option would be to preserve the bush in the winter.
As soon as the cold weather sets in, the dichondra is removed indoors. It is not recommended to leave it outside, otherwise the plant will quickly die in the cold. The pot can be placed on the windowsill, because there is a lot of sunlight. If this is not possible, then the plant is removed to any place, and an ultraviolet lamp is placed above it.
It should not be watered in winter. Manipulations are carried out maximum once every 3-4 weeks. At the same time, the plant must have good drainage.
Pests and diseases
Dichondra is resistant to pests. The thing is that in its homeland this plant is classified as a weed. The bush can die from nematodes. These are small parasitic worms that begin to reproduce in high humidity. It is useless to fight nematodes. Therefore, the area affected by parasites is destroyed. The soil where dichondra grows is also changed.
Pest invasion can lead to plant death
Whiteflies, aphids and flea beetles often settle on dichondra. Their destruction occurs with the help of special insecticides.
Conclusion
Growing Dichondra Silver Falls does not bring any difficulties. This plant will become a real decoration of the garden. But the vine grows quite slowly, so you will have to be patient. Dichondra is resistant to many diseases. If an affected area has formed, then it is enough to remove it and treat the rest of the plant with special means.
