Content
Bergenia (Bergenia) is a herbaceous perennial plant that has recently become increasingly popular as a component of landscape design. This is explained by its decorative qualities that persist throughout the year and its unpretentiousness. Planting and caring for bergenia in open ground will not cause difficulties even for a novice gardener. The main thing is to comply with the basic requirements of culture.
Bergenia has been cultivated since the 18th century
What does bergenia look like and where does it grow?
Badan is a representative of the Saxifraga family. Under natural conditions, the plant grows in temperate climates from Central Asia to China and Korea. The crop usually grows in rock cracks and rocky soil.
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, several dozen hybrids and varieties have been obtained based on wild forms of bergenia, the decorative properties of which have significantly improved.
The Bergenia genus is represented by evergreen crops, among which there are both perennial and annual species.The plant forms a bush with a powerful root system, which is located close to the soil surface. It consists of thick processes with a diameter of up to 3.5 cm and a length of 35-100 cm.
The leaves of bergenia are large, glossy, and leathery to the touch. Their shade can be light or dark green, depending on the variety. The leaf shape is round or heart-shaped. The plates are 3-35 cm long and 2.5-30 cm wide. They have long petioles and are collected in a rosette. With the arrival of cold autumn nights, the leaves of the bergenia turn red, which gives the shrub an unusual elegant appearance.
Bergenia flowers are small, no more than 2 cm in diameter. They are collected in corymbose or paniculate inflorescences. The shade of the petals can be pink, crimson, red, white. Peduncles confidently rise above the leaf rosette, their length varies from 30 to 50 cm.
Flowering in most types of bergenia occurs in late May, early June, and only in some varieties it occurs in July-August. This period lasts 15-20 days.
How to plant bergenia at home
You can grow young bergenia seedlings at home if you sow the seeds in early March. To do this, you need to prepare wide containers with drainage holes, no more than 8-10 cm high. Soil for planting can be purchased at a specialized store or prepared independently in the following proportions:
- 2 parts of turf;
- 1 part sand;
- 1 part peat;
- 1 part coconut substrate.
Algorithm for planting bergenia plants:
- Place a 1 cm layer of drainage on the bottom of the containers.
- Fill with substrate, leaving 1 cm short of the top edge.
- Water and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed.
- Level the surface.
- Make grooves 0.5 cm deep.
- Pour seeds into them and cover with soil.
At the end of the procedure, cover the containers with film, and then move them for germination to a dark place with a temperature of +18-+19 degrees. Periodically, the crops should be ventilated and accumulated drops of water should be removed from the film.
Preparing seedlings
As soon as friendly shoots appear, the containers must be moved to the windowsill and shaded from direct sunlight. Further care consists of timely watering of the seedlings.
When the sprouts get a little stronger, it is necessary to adapt them to external conditions. To do this, remove the film for the first time for 30 minutes, and every day increase this interval by another half hour. After a week of such adaptation, the containers can be completely opened.
During this period, you should thin out the crops and leave the strongest plants. And in May, pick up the seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare boxes measuring 50 by 70 cm. The same substrate can be used as when sowing seeds. Seedlings should be placed at a distance of 5-7 cm.
A week before planting in a permanent place, seedlings should begin to be hardened off. To do this, on the first day they need to be placed on a balcony or shady place outside. After 1-1.5 hours they should be brought back into the room. With each subsequent day, the time spent in new conditions should be increased by 1 hour.
On the last day before transplanting, you can leave the plant to spend the night outside.
Planting bergenia in open ground in spring
Growing bergenia does not involve complex actions, but in order for the plant to fully develop and bloom stably, it is necessary to plant it taking into account the basic requirements of the crop.
Time to board
Bergenia seedlings should be planted in a permanent place at the end of May. By this time, the seedlings should have already formed a rosette and root system, as well as grown enough leaves. When planted during this period, bergenia seedlings have the opportunity to adapt to new conditions and prepare for the upcoming winter.
Where to plant bergenia
The crop feels best in areas with light, loose soil. For bergenia, you should choose areas where partial shade forms at midday. This will prevent sunburn on the leaves.
The culture fully grows and blooms when planted - both in slightly acidic soil and in slightly alkaline soil.
Soil preparation
2 weeks before transplanting the bergenia into open ground, you need to dig up the selected area and add humus to it at the rate of 5 kg per 1 sq. m. m. you also need to additionally apply superphosphate (30 g) and potassium sulfide (20 g) for the same area size. After this, the soil should be leveled.
The plant is unpretentious to soil composition
How to plant
Transplanting bergenia seedlings to a permanent place should be done in the evening or on a cloudy day.To do this, make holes in the prepared area 6-8 cm deep, in a checkerboard pattern 40 by 40 cm. Pour a handful of sand into the bottom of each hole.
After this, water and wait until the water is absorbed. Handle the seedlings without disturbing the lump of earth, and then sprinkle with more soil and compact the surface at the base.
Care
Growing bergenia and caring for the plant is not difficult. Therefore, it is enough to adhere to the standard rules of agricultural technology.
Watering and fertilizing
The bergenia root is located close to the soil surface and is often exposed, which leads to its overheating. Therefore, young seedlings should be mulched with a layer of humus or peat.
It is necessary to water the bergenia only in the absence of seasonal rains for a long time. The first time this should be done during budding, the second - during the flowering period, the third - 2-3 weeks after that.
The plant responds well to fertilizing. Therefore, with the arrival of spring, bergenia should be saturated with organic matter or nitrogen fertilizers, which will accelerate the growth of green mass. And during the period of bud formation and after flowering - with phosphorus-potassium mixtures.
Adult bergenia bushes can be divided, and thus new seedlings can be obtained. This will completely preserve the species qualities of the mother plant.
Pest prevention
Bergenia has high natural immunity, so it is less susceptible to pests. But if the basic requirements are not met, the plant’s resistance decreases and it can be affected by weevils.
To prevent this, it is necessary in the spring after the snow melts to spray the bergenia bushes against pests with “Aktara” or “Inta-Vir”. And also to strengthen the immune system, it is necessary to periodically fertilize the plant.
Planting and caring for thin-leaved bergenia
In traditional and folk medicine, thin-leaved bergenia is widely used, which has healing properties. In its natural environment it can be found in Eastern Siberia, Altai Territory, Yakutia, and Transbaikalia. To obtain medicinal raw materials, you can grow this species on your own plot. Planting and caring for thin-leaved bergenia in the garden is carried out in the same way as other types of crops.
To do this, it is necessary to sow in early spring in wide containers. And after that, put them outside in the snow, and only in mid-spring bring them indoors. This procedure will improve seed germination and increase their resistance to adverse conditions. Otherwise, caring for thin-leaved bergenia seedlings is the same as for decorative hybrids. Transplantation of seedlings should be carried out in May.
Thin-leaved bergenia can be propagated in spring or autumn by dividing the bush. To do this, you need to use a sharp knife to cut the plant into parts, each of which should have a root shoot and a small leaf rosette. After this, immediately plant the divisions in a permanent place.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for bergenia in open ground does not require complex actions. And the use of this plant in landscape design allows you to create unusual “living” compositions that will delight the eye throughout the season. Bergenia looks great as a tapeworm against the background of a green lawn, as well as in combination with other perennials: lilies, hostas, irises, spring bulbs.
