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Soapwort does not have a bright, beautiful appearance, but it is also used as an ornamental plant. There are wild species, but varietal varieties have also been bred. Soapwort Moondust is a flower that can be used to decorate your area. Its description and characteristics, the rules of agricultural cultivation technology need to be known to flower growers who want to have this plant on their plot.
History of selection
Under natural conditions, soapwort grows in central and southwestern Europe. The plant loves rocky areas and mountain slopes. As a result of breeding work, varietal varieties were developed, one of which is called “Moon Dust”.
Description of the basil-leaved soapwort variety Moon dust and characteristics
The plant is called soapwort because its roots contain saponins, which form soap foam when in contact with water. Belongs to the Carnation family.
Soapwort basilica is a low-growing (10-15 cm in height) perennial, grows quickly, spreads like a carpet, blooms profusely.Loves good lighting, tolerates drought and cold well, grows poorly in damp areas. It is not picky about the type of soil, but prefers loams with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction and good drainage.
Soapwort 'Moondust' has soft, branched stems and bright green oblong leaves. It blooms from May to August. It has numerous fragrant, pink, small-sized (only 1 cm in diameter), tubular-shaped buds. They consist of 5 entire petals. The flowers are collected in loose, umbrella-shaped inflorescences.
The seeds are almost black in color, located in an oblong multi-seeded capsule, and ripen by early or mid-autumn. They have good germination. The photo shows what the soapwort “Moon Dust” looks like.
Soapwort reproduces both vegetatively and by seed
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of the variety are:
- versatility of use (can be grown both in open ground and in pots);
- short stature, which makes it possible to place it in flower beds, near paths, in almost any corner of the garden;
- fast growth;
- abundant, long-lasting flowering;
- resistance to heat and cold;
- undemanding to soil.
The only drawback is that it does not tolerate waterlogged soil.
Reproduction methods
The soapwort “Moon dust” is propagated at home in three different ways: by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. With the first method, seeds can be sown directly into the ground or seedlings can be grown from them, which can then be planted in a flower bed. To obtain seedlings, soapwort is sown in cups in March, grown in room conditions and lighting for about 10 hours. By May-June, plants are obtained that can already be transplanted into the ground.Seeds are sown directly into the ground in early May or at the end of the season before winter - in October.
By dividing the bush, adult saponaria of the Moon Dust variety are propagated. This happens in the spring: the overgrown plant is carefully dug up with the entire root system, divided into 2 or 3 parts with a sharp knife and planted in new holes on the same day.
Cuttings of the soapwort “Moon Dust” are also taken in the spring, before flowering. Select the thickest, strongest stems without signs of disease, and cut off their tops. These will be the cuttings for rooting. A small area with a sandy substrate is prepared for them. Before planting, the lower leaves of the cuttings are removed and the stems are dipped in a root-forming solution (Kornevin) for several hours. They are buried 2/3 into the substrate, watered, and a small greenhouse is built above them. Maintaining constant humidity and heat is necessary for soapwort cuttings to take root. After 1-1.5 months they are planted in a permanent place.
You can sow seeds in the ground in spring or before winter.
Growing and care
In nature, soapworts grow on rocky, poor soils; this must be taken into account when choosing a site for them in your garden. It is advisable to create the same conditions for them. Saponaria "Moon Dust" like to grow in illuminated areas; you can also plant them in light partial shade, not far from buildings and trees.
You need to make sure that there is good drainage where the soapwort will grow. This is necessary so that excess moisture is removed from the roots of the plant, for which its excess is harmful.
The soil for saponaria of the “Moon Dust” variety should be moderately fertile, high in calcium, loose, moist, but not soggy.After planting the seedlings, it is recommended to sprinkle its surface with fine crushed stone or gravel.
Soapwort “Moon Dust” is planted at a distance of 0.3 m from each other. The plants are small, so small holes that can be made in loose soil with your hands will be enough for them. After planting, the bushes need to be watered, especially if the soil has dried out. In the future, water as the soil dries out, in the evening or in the morning. During cloudy periods, irrigation is not carried out. After watering or rain, loosening is necessary. You need to loosen carefully so as not to touch the roots and stems of the soapworts.
At first, you need to monitor the growth of weeds; they can seriously interfere with the short soapwort. But even during the season, weeds must be immediately destroyed as soon as they appear.
As for fertilizing, there is no need to fertilize the soapwort “Moon Dust” if the soil is fertile and fertilizers were applied before planting. You can use traditional nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mixtures, and if possible, organic matter - humus or compost. If the soil has not been fertilized, then fertilizing should be done before flowering.
Soapwort can reproduce by self-sowing. To prevent seed dispersal, cut off flower stalks after flowering has finished. This will not only give the bushes a neat appearance, but will also stimulate the formation of new shoots. It is possible that the soapwort will bloom again.
If you need to collect seeds for propagation, you should choose healthy, properly developed plants and leave a few inflorescences. After the boxes have matured, collect the contents from them, dry them and send them for storage.
In autumn, caring for soapwort “Moon Dust” consists of trimming dry stems and leaves, which need to be removed at the root and the bushes mulched with plant material. Insulation is necessary only in regions with cold winters; in the south, it is at the discretion of the gardener, since soapwort is considered a very cold-resistant crop and can withstand frosts down to -20˚C without any problems.
It is best to plant soapwort in an open, illuminated area.
Pests and diseases
Soapwort "Moon Dust" with good care is almost not affected by diseases. Fungal infections (root rot and leaf spot) develop if plants are kept in soggy soil. Diseases can be noticed by the brown and black spots that appear on the leaves. All affected areas should be immediately cut off and burned, and the saponaria should be treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture or fungicides like Fundazol.
Among the pests, the Moon Dust soapwort can be attacked by garden cutworms. They feed on plant sap; the larvae develop from eggs that the butterflies lay on the stems. If there are few pests, you can simply collect them by hand; if the infestation is severe, you will have to treat them with insecticides.
Application in landscape design
Soapwort “Moon Dust” can be used to decorate terraces, rock gardens and retaining walls. It can be placed as single specimens or in groups in ordinary flower beds, ridges and borders. Soapwort also looks good just in an open lawn, near perennials like peonies or roses. It can be combined with saxifrage, hydrangea, salvia, bluebells, iberis, echinacea and sage.
In addition to open ground, basilica soapwort can also be grown in pots by planting it in small pots or hanging flowerpots. They can be placed or hung on the wall of the house or in the gazebo.
Conclusion
Soapwort Moon dust is suitable for decorating any flower garden. During the flowering period, low bushes will be strewn with small flowers, forming a pink-green carpet. Caring for the plants is easy; they only require watering, occasional fertilizing and pruning.
