Content
Many gardeners love to grow beautiful and lush flowers in their summer cottage. They are a wonderful decoration for flower beds, fences and paths. One of the unusual flowers is considered to be Calistegia ivy-leaved. It belongs to the Bindweed family, but with rapid growth it begins to resemble a weed.
Description of ivy calistegia
Calistegia first appeared in Japan and Northern China. Belongs to the family of climbing plants and is considered perennial. Flowers look unusual and beautiful, which is why they attract the attention of many gardeners. The plant is characterized by rapid growth, unpretentiousness, vitality and endurance. Has a powerful root system. But sometimes calistegia brings a lot of inconvenience, because in a short time it spreads over large areas like a weed.
There are many different types of plants, one of which is Calistegia ivy-leaved.
Shoots grow up to 2.5 m in height. The flowering period is observed from mid-July to early September. The leaves are small in size and bright green in color.The diameter of the buds is 8-9 cm. They are terry with a white or pink tone.
Ivy-leaved calistegia Flora Pleno
Another common species is Calistegia Flore Pleno. The trunk reaches 3 m in length. This variety belongs to the fluffy species and has a pleasant aroma. The leaves are slightly drooping, arrow-shaped and green in color. The inflorescences are large. The buds resemble pompoms. Their color is white with a pink tint.
Application in landscape design
Ivy-leaved calistegia grows like a vine, so it is often used to decorate vertical surfaces. The plant is used to decorate mesh gazebos, terraces and arches. Calistegia can also be grown as a hedge. Thanks to this flower, it will be possible to visually increase the area of the site.
It is not recommended to grow bindweed in a flower bed, as the plant grows quite quickly. At the same time, it has powerful roots, so other flowers will lack water and grow worse.
Reproduction methods
Calistegia ivy-leaved is a very beautiful and unusual plant. It is propagated using creeping rhizomes in small greenhouses. The planting process is carried out from the end of the summer season until snow appears.
Bindweeds are also propagated using cuttings. To do this, trim the stems with 3-4 buds and 2-3 leaves. The cut site is treated with a special agent that promotes growth. Then they are dried and placed in water until the first roots appear.
Planting and care
Calistegia Plena can be planted both in spring and late autumn. It all depends on the method of reproduction.
To plant a plant, several manipulations are performed:
- Dig a hole the depth of which is equal to the bayonet of a shovel.
- The soil is fertilized with a special mineral complex. You can also add ash with humus.
- The bindweeds are transplanted into a prepared hole at a distance of 5-15 cm from each other.
Calistegia ivy-leaved is considered an unpretentious plant, but it is necessary to care for it
Control is carried out as follows:
- Lighting. Bindweeds should be planted on a surface well accessible to the sun. It is allowed to be in light partial shade.
- Feeding. During the period from May to September, the plant must be regularly fed with useful microelements. To prepare the solution, a tablespoon of fertilizer is diluted in 10 liters of water. The ground around the calistegia is covered with ash or humus.
- Trimming. It is recommended to remove wilted inflorescences. Thin shoots are also removed. When the foliage withers, part of the flower must be cut off.
- The soil. The soil should be loose. Sand and clay are allowed.
If you follow all the rules, bindweed will not grow so rapidly and prevent other plants from germinating.
Landing dates and rules
The timing of planting directly depends on the method of propagation. If root shoots are used, then planting is carried out either in early spring or late autumn - before the ground is covered with snow. If you choose the second option, then the soil should be insulated with fallen leaves, spruce branches, straw or peat.
At the beginning of spring, cuttings are planted, having previously treated the cut site with special means. If the gardener does not want to spend a lot of time on calistegia ivy, then you can use seed material.
Plant the plant at a distance of 5-20 cm from each other.If the growth of bindweed is not controlled, this will lead to the fact that calistegia will turn into a weed and fill the entire area. Therefore, after planting, it is necessary to dig in a sheet of slate or cut iron blocks.
It is better to plant no more than 5-10 cuttings in the ground.
Installation of supports
Calistegia ivy-leaved grows like a vine. To ensure that bindweed grows vertically and does not fill the entire area, you need to install supports. To do this, you can take unnecessary sheets of slate. They are dug into the ground to a depth of 40-50 cm.
Some gardeners use 200-liter iron barrels. They are cut into several pieces and dug into the ground. As it grows, the calistegia will go up and beautifully cover the nondescript iron walls.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
They begin to feed bindweed from the beginning of spring and continue until the end of autumn. To do this, use fertilizers rich in minerals - fluorine, sodium, potassium. The procedure is carried out every 7-10 days.
It is recommended to moisten the plant only on dry days.
The bindweed is watered abundantly, but moisture should not be allowed to stagnate, otherwise the roots will begin to rot and the flowers will fade.
Trimming
Calistegia ivy-leaved is an annual plant, so closer to autumn the vine fades from the root node and the flower. At the end of the season, gardeners carry out sanitary treatment - remove the whip from the root and completely burn it. In spring, weak and stunted parts are also pruned.
In some cases, it is necessary to trim those roots that have gone beyond the barrier.
Preparing for winter
Calistegia ivy tolerates wintering well. Typically, only those plants whose age is no more than 2 years need protection from the cold.Adult bindweeds, which are fully rooted in the ground, can easily tolerate frosts.
If a frosty and snowless winter is expected, the plant is covered with fallen leaves, peat, straw or spruce branches. In early spring, when there is a threat of frost, young shoots are covered with film.
Need for transplant
The root system of Calistegia ivy is characterized by aggressive growth. If you do not monitor its condition, it will destroy nearby plants. Therefore, after planting, the bindweed is protected.
The transplant process is optional. It is necessary only when the owner of the site needs to change the location where bindweed grows. But in this case, you will have to work hard, since Calistegia ivy-leaved is a tenacious flower.
You should not replant the plant where the space is too small, as this will lead to the early death of the plant.
If a gardener decides to engage in this process, then you should not do this in the summer. But in spring or autumn, Calistegia ivy-leaved grows quickly, takes root and grows well.
Pests and diseases
The main enemies of the bindweed plant are snails and slugs. Most often, pests become active during the flowering period. The fight against them involves the use of an insecticide. It is recommended to mulch the soil around ivy-leaved calistegia with dry pine needles. Straw should not be used, as slugs climb on it well. You can also set dark beer traps around.
With improper care, diseases appear on the ivy-leaved calistegia, which significantly affects the appearance
Most often, Convolvulaceae suffer from rot and powdery mildew.The first type of disease can be overcome by washing the leaves and stems with a soapy solution with the addition of fungicides.
If we talk about powdery mildew, then this disease is fungal in nature. When infected, a whitish coating appears on the plant. After some time, a thin cobweb forms. If you do not help Calistegia ivy in time, then the leaves, stems and flowers will begin to die. Most often, infection occurs by air. But the fungus can also live in fallen leaves.
To prevent powdery mildew from appearing on bindweed, you must:
- collect and dispose of fallen leaves in a timely manner;
- remove weeds;
- ensure good ventilation of the plant;
- disinfect garden tools;
- water in the morning.
If powdery mildew appears on ivy-leaved calistegia, then the following measures should be taken:
- In the first days, spray the bindweed with a whey solution.
- Treat with ash and laundry soap.
- Loosen the soil and thin out the plant.
- Periodically spray the bindweed with iodine solution.
In addition, experienced gardeners do not advise frequently feeding Calistegia ivy-leaved. Because of this, the risk of developing diseases during the wet period increases.
Conclusion
Calistegia ivy-leaved is one of the unusually beautiful plants. Bindweeds can become the real pride of any owner of a summer cottage. What is noteworthy is that the plant is unpretentious in care. The only negative is that uncontrolled growth of flowers can lead to filling the entire area. Calistegia will not allow other cultures to fully develop. Therefore, when planting, it is recommended to make a fence of slate or iron sheets.
