Ampelous dichondra: planting and care. Ampelous dichondra: growing from seeds in open ground

Florists and landscape designers like to use for herbal compositions hanging plants that can create a unique decorative effect. The most striking representative of living nature, creating an evergreen continuous cascade, is dichondra. An emerald bright green or silver-ash waterfall, created by long flowing branches with small round leaves, fascinates with its charm.

In nature, dichondra is a perennial herbaceous evergreen plant that prefers swampy or simply well-moistened places. It thrives in the tropical and subtropical climates of East Asia, America, New Zealand and Australia. Creeping stems can reach one and a half meters in length and, creeping along the ground, create a continuous decorative carpet.

Growing dichondra in landscape design and indoor floriculture is mainly used for hedges and vertical gardening. It is planted in hanging pots or baskets, with the ability to grow and spread into beautiful cascading waterfalls of greenery. It is often used for background landscaping, perfectly shading bright flower arrangements with its lush greenery.

Dichondra belongs to the bindweed family and has ten different species. Flower growers cultivate mainly two types of ampelous beauty, called emerald and silver waterfalls, using them to decorate garden beds and in home floriculture.
Climbing vines have been discovered in nature for a long time. Although the simple appearance of plants growing naturally did not immediately attract the attention of designers and use in artificial cultivation, they began to use it more recently. In Russia, this strange plant was first presented at an exhibition only in 2004. Thanks to its originality and sufficient unpretentiousness, dichondra immediately became quite in demand among professional flower growers and amateurs.

The main decorative value is long climbing vines, with a large number of small, densely covering the stems, leaves with a silky edge. In the summer, barely noticeable dull flowers periodically appear, which are not an aesthetic decoration of the plant.

The best living conditions

The herbaceous shrub naturally grows in climate zones with high air temperatures and chooses well-moistened places. Therefore, abundant watering and frequent irrigation of foliage have a beneficial effect on the splendor of shoot growth. The optimal temperature is from 16 to 26 degrees.

The plant loves a lot of sunlight, especially for varieties with silver leaves. Due to lack of sun, foliage may lose its unique decorative shade. Growing dichondra in indoor floriculture requires its location on southern, well-lit windows. A plant with green foliage is not so demanding of sunlight, so it can be grown in slightly shaded areas. An intense lack of light can lead to stretching of shoots and shredding of leaves, this exposes the branches and makes the plant less decorative.

Dichondra is undemanding in terms of soil composition and can grow well on any soil. To create the best conditions, use loamy and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic reaction. The plant does not like stagnant moisture; this can cause rotting of the surface roots.
To give the bush a beautiful and regular shape, regularly pinch out the regrown stems. This procedure makes the bush more lush, giving impetus to the formation of new shoots, and rejuvenates it.

Dichondra will not be able to overwinter in cold weather conditions in open space, because by nature it is a heat-loving plant. Therefore, for the winter it will need to be moved indoors, and with the onset of warmth, taken out again into the open air.

Reproduction methods

Reproduction methods include: growing dichondra from seeds, cuttings and propagation by layering. Vegetative propagation methods are easier to implement, but require the presence of a mother plant. If it is not possible to keep the vine indoors during the winter, then dichondra emerald waterfall should be grown from seeds annually, in seedlings, and then planted in open ground.

Among all the hanging plants, the beautiful dichondra is the most unusual and attractive. Cascades of emerald or silver-green densely leafed shoots are shaped like a waterfall, which is reflected in the name. Dichondra is widely used in the design of gazebos, terraces, and balconies, but it looks most impressive in separate groups in hanging flowerpots. The plant propagates better by layering and cuttings, but if desired, it is not difficult to grow it from seeds.

Dichondra belongs to the Convolvulaceae, a family of perennial evergreen herbaceous vines. It was brought from tropical latitudes, where it chose wet swampy areas and forests. IN wildlife the plant is found most often in eastern Asia, northern America and Australia. The climbing stems reach 1.5 m in length, and the superficial roots developing in the internodes take root very quickly and easily, due to which dichondra is also used as a ground cover crop. The leaves on the vines are small, kidney-shaped or round, slightly pubescent. It is the leaves that give the plant decorative look, since its flowers are small, inconspicuous, and pale yellow.

There are 10 known varieties of dichondra, but in decorative purposes Only two are cultivated - Dichondra argentea and Dichondra repens (creeping). The first type is more light-loving and drought-resistant, easier to grow, and looks great in hanging containers. The second type of plant is demanding on moisture, develops well in partial shade, and is grown in containers and as a ground cover crop. The most popular varieties of dichondra are considered “ Emerald Falls" and "Silver Falls".

'Emerald Falls' has small, round, deep green leaves. In Australia and New Zealand it is a well-known weed that is mercilessly eradicated by its owners. personal plots. But on the European continent it is recognized as one of the best plants for ampel design. More often this variety grown in hanging pots, decorating walls, balconies, arches and other architectural forms, and some gardeners replace them with lawn grass. This variety grows well in partial shade and can cover unsightly empty areas between trees, spreading out in a thick carpet of emerald color.

"Silver Falls" is distinguished by the color of the leaves and the longer stems. This variety does not tolerate shade well; if there is a lack of light, it will decorative properties are decreasing. It is less demanding on moisture and recovers well after a short drying out of the earthen lump in the pot.

Dichondra in the garden interior

The “Emerald Falls” dichondra looks most advantageous in raised flower beds and in hanging containers, which allow the vines to hang freely and form characteristic compositions in the shape of a waterfall. The plant is also great for group plantings, in which it usually acts as a background for flowering crops.

The most common combinations are:

Some people hang pots with plants under the eaves of the roof, then emerald waterfalls stand out beautifully against the background of white walls. Along garden paths and around flower beds, creeping shoots also look very good, especially in combination with contrasting color crops, such as bright red salvia or sun marigolds.

Growing by seeds

When propagated by seeds, dichondra is grown by seedlings.

Seedlings grow very slowly, and in order to admire the emerald cascades of shoots in summer, the seeds must be sown in winter. In mid-latitudes, the optimal time for this is mid-January - early February; for northern regions, sowing dates are postponed to mid-February - early March. Pre-sowing treatment seeds are not required, and therefore you can immediately begin the main process.

Step 1. For sowing you will need small containers no more than 5 cm high.

They put them in drainage layer made of expanded clay or fine gravel, then filled with soil substrate. The substrate is shed with any available growth stimulant, for example, Epin or Zircon. You can also use a humate solution.

Step 2. The seeds are scattered evenly over the surface of the substrate and lightly pressed. You can sprinkle them with a layer of earth no more than 5 mm, but this is not necessary, the seeds germinate well anyway.

Step 3. The containers are covered with polyethylene or glass and placed on the windowsill so as to prevent direct sunlight.

For dichondra seeds to germinate, a temperature within 18-25 degrees Celsius is required, so boxes cannot be placed in a cold room. On the 7-8th day, the first shoots should appear, and mass shoots appear approximately 10-14 days after sowing.

Hatched seedlings need more air, which means the film should be removed from the boxes. During this period, the seedlings are very sensitive to temperature changes, and even small drafts can destroy the seedlings. On cloudy days, lighting is definitely needed, because with a lack of lighting, the plants will begin to stretch out excessively.

Watering is done using a spray bottle and only as needed. Despite the fact that dichondra loves moisture, excess water is destructive for small seedlings. Seedlings should be thinned after the first two true leaves appear. All weak sprouts are discarded, leaving a distance of about 2-3 cm between the remaining ones. If it is a pity to throw away the seedlings, it is worth picking them all into separate pots. After that all that remains is to support optimal temperature indoors and moisten the soil in a timely manner.

For a very long time the plants will be thin and weak in appearance, but by mid-May they will grow noticeably. As a rule, the maximum decorative effect of dichondra appears 100 days after seed germination, but only when favorable conditions. When side shoots form and the plant gets stronger, you can plant it in a flower bed or in hanging baskets. The soil in the flowerbed is well loosened, holes are made for each plant separately, leaving gaps of 25-30 cm between them. The soil around the bush does not need to be compacted much, so as not to damage the roots, just pour plenty of water after planting and sprinkle with mulch.

When transplanting into pots, it should be taken into account that to create a lush crown, 4-5 seedlings must be planted in a pot with a diameter of 10 cm. If the quantity is reduced, it will not be possible to form a waterfall from the vines, and if you plant more, the roots will not have enough space and nutrients.

Seeds are sown in open ground to create a lawn, but only in warm regions where winter temperatures do not drop below minus 3.5 degrees. The sowing process is very simple: the selected area is loosened, moistened, and then the seeds are evenly scattered. Consumption seed material is 10 g per square meter. Next, the soil is rolled, watered again, and kept moist until shoots appear. You can sow throughout the entire season - from April to October. Grown-up dichondra seedlings are fed with nitrogen liquid fertilizers. This lawn is highly decorative and resistant to trampling, and tolerates shading well.

Plant care

Dichondra “Emerald Falls” is quite undemanding in care, and therefore it is not at all difficult to care for it.

Of all the varieties of dichondra, “Emerald Falls” is the most resistant to disease, and garden pests damaged extremely rarely, especially if it grows separately from other crops. Proper watering, loosening, removal of weeds and dry branches, as well as compliance with the recommended doses of fertilizers are the key to the health and normal development of the bush.

Wintering of dichondra

In our latitudes, dichondra is often grown as an annual, because the plant does not tolerate frost. But if you have the opportunity to provide the necessary conditions in the apartment, “Emerald Falls” will delight the eye even in the cold season. A pot with a plant is brought into the house somewhere in mid-October, before the onset of stable cold weather. Too long vines are cut off, the soil is moistened abundantly, and the container is placed in an elevated place. Dichondra looks very beautiful in openwork forged flower beds. Care in winter period boils down to periodic watering and fertilizing once a month. After switching on central heating The leaves need to be sprayed with water every day.

If you do not plan to keep dichondra in the house, before the onset of cold weather, all shoots are cut off, the rhizome is carefully dug up and, together with a lump of earth, is transferred to the basement. To prevent the roots from drying out over the winter, they are covered with damp peat or sprinkled with a thick layer of sand. In spring, new stems with root sprouts will begin to form on the mother plant. They are carefully separated and planted in individual pots or on the beds around the beginning of May. The main root is also transplanted into open ground or a hanging basket, and be sure to feed it. Such plants begin to branch much faster, and within a month they form a lush crown.

Reproduction by layering and cuttings

In summer, dichondra bushes easily reproduce by layering. To do this, loosen the soil around the plant well, select a strong long shoot and dig it in in several places, pouring it with a root formation stimulator. To preserve moisture, it is advisable to cover the layerings with film or non-woven material. Very soon sprouts with the same varietal characteristics will appear. When 4 true leaves develop, the plants are replanted.

Another option is propagation by cuttings. In September, several well-developed stems are cut from the main bush and cuttings with 3-4 internodes are cut from them. The cuttings are planted in individual pots with a nutrient substrate, watered abundantly, and covered with film or cut bottles. With the onset of cold weather, pots with cuttings are brought into the house and the soil is constantly kept moist.

Video - Dichondra emerald waterfall: growing from seeds

Flower growers today grow many beautiful plants. They decorate rooms, gardens and other objects. Climbing species are very popular. They are especially appreciated in landscape design. Grow beautiful vines you can do it yourself.

One of these species is dichondra ampelous. Growing from seeds and the characteristics of this plant should be considered in detail before starting its cultivation.

general characteristics

Growing ampelous dichondra from seeds (photos, reviews are presented below) is a fascinating process that requires certain knowledge from the gardener. The presented plant belongs to the genus of evergreen herbs. perennial vines. Dichondra (lat. Dichondra) is a representative of the Bindweed family. Its closest relatives are morning glory, bindweed and calistegia.

The name of the presented plant is translated from Greek as “two grains.” This is explained appropriate type its fruits. They look like a capsule with two cameras. Dichondra includes 10 varieties. They grow wild in humid, warm climates. These are the tropics and subtropics of New Zealand, Asia, America, Australia.

Today, the presented plant is widely used in landscape design. Thanks to its unique appearance, reminiscent of a green waterfall of numerous leaves, dichondra is a participant in magnificent flower arrangements. Although this plant began to be used relatively recently, it receives many praises from professional gardeners.

Description of the plant

Dichondra ampelous (growing from seeds and photos are presented in the article) has curly stems. They can reach a length of 1.5 m. Therefore, in design the plant is used as ampel view. It is noteworthy that the vines have roots on the surface. They form between nodes and take root easily.

This feature allows the plant to be used not only in hanging compositions. It weaves a beautiful green carpet around the surfaces of the site. In this case, the height of the dichondra will reach only 10 cm.

The leaves of the plant have rounded shape, reaching a diameter of 0.5-2.5 cm. They form a dense structure. Leaves are the main decoration of the vine. They cover the stems with a thick carpet. The ampelous dichondra blooms inconspicuously. The flowers are light or green in color. Their size rarely exceeds 3 mm.

Varieties

Growing ampelous dichondra from seeds at home has a number of nuances. Today, gardeners cultivate 2 types of the presented plant. These are Agrentea and Repens.

The first of the presented varieties has leaves with a silver tint. The stems of this dichondra grow very long. This is a light-loving species that is quite resistant to drought. Agrentea is most often grown in containers. The second name of the presented species is “silver waterfall”. This is a beautiful plant that receives approval and awards from professional gardeners. This variety of dichondra is easy to grow. It is resistant to various diseases and pests.

The second type of dichondra Repens requires more moisture when growing. Its leaves are green in color. The plant can feel comfortable in shade and partial shade. If it is necessary to create soil cover, gardeners often choose this particular type of plant. The second name of Repens is “emerald waterfall”. This is a climbing species that can also decorate any area.

Plant in landscape design

Considering reviews about growing dichondra ampelous from seeds, it is worth noting many statements about the outstanding decorative qualities of the vine. This plant is cultivated throughout our country as an annual plant. IN warm countries dichondra can grow for many years. In Australia, this plant is recognized as a sanitary weed.

Most often, ampel-type dichondra is planted in pots or containers. They are located on a hill. This allows you to form a green “waterfall” from the leaves of this beautiful plant. Also, the presented vine is used both in individual and group plantings.

The Repens variety is used to create house compositions that envelop the area with green cover. If the soil has slides or unevenness, this carpet will look even more decorative.

With the help of dichondra, begonias or petunia, fuchsia or pelargonium complement flowerbed and balcony compositions. The presented plant perfectly complements flowering plants.

Reproduction

Growing ampelous dichondra from seeds is not the only way to propagate this plant. In addition, the flower is reproduced by cuttings and rooting of offshoots. These methods are good for an annual plant.

Vegetative propagation methods can be used in the process of vine cultivation. It produces many layers that need to be trimmed. This material can be diluted in containers under special film. This will allow the plant to quickly spread throughout the area.

This method involves digging the stems into the prepared substrate. They are watered and provided room temperature environment. The plant is also watered periodically. After a short time, the cutting will take root and begin to develop.

However, it is better to start breeding an annual plant from seeds. This procedure has a number of features. It is important to take into account the type of climate. It should be warm enough.

Sowing seeds

Growing from Dichondra ampelous seeds in peat pots is one of the most common methods of its breeding. If this flower has not yet been cultivated on the site, this will be the most the best solution. Seeds will need to be purchased at a specialty store. They will have all the necessary characteristics.

The plant should be sown in the ground in mid-winter or early February. Before this, the seeds need to be soaked in water with a growth stimulator. They stay in liquid all night. In the morning you can start planting them in the prepared peat substrate. It needs to be watered with sodium humate.

The seeds are pressed into the soil to a depth of no more than 5 mm. It is best to use small pots for this process. They should hold 2 to 3 seeds. Next, the containers are covered with glass or film. In this case, you need to leave a small hole for ventilation. It is necessary to provide crops diffuse lighting. Temperature environment should be about 23 ºС.

Seedling care

It is possible to grow ampelous dichondra from seeds in peat tablets. This method has gained great popularity. The tablets consist of pressed peat with added nutrients. This method gives a high percentage of seedlings and does not require the use of a pot. The tablet is poured with water. It increases in the vertical plane. Next, one seed is planted in it.

Regardless of the method chosen, the first shoots appear after about 7 days. The growth of the stems will be quite slow. The covering is removed only after the seedlings have become stronger. Periodically, the soil needs to be watered and gently loosened. It is important to provide enough light. However, direct sunlight should be avoided.

When the plant has 3 or 4 leaves, pick it. If the plant is used in an ampel composition, it must be transplanted into a permanent pot or basket. If dichondra is to be used as a cover plant, it should be planted in a large container. Planting in open ground is carried out only in warm climates and after hardening of the plant.

Planting in the garden

Planting and growing dichondra ampelous from seeds is a fairly simple process. Knowing all the nuances, there is no doubt that the new plant will harmoniously fit into the overall landscape design picture. Planting in open ground can be done 1.5-2 months after germination. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the climate. If it is a warm region, seedlings are planted in mid-May. For northern regions this date is moving closer to mid-June.

The plant grows well in both sun and shade. However, the species with silver leaves requires more light. The plant does not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil. Therefore, you should consider a high-quality drainage system. Dichondra is undemanding to soils.

The sprouts need to be planted close to each other. The distance between them should be 10-15 cm. The seedlings are introduced into the prepared soil along with the root ball. The soil surface needs to be compacted and watered.

Rules of care

Growing ampelous dichondra from seeds requires proper plant care. If you follow all the recommendations of experts, you can get the most beautiful flower arrangements that will decorate your garden, flower beds or flower garden.

The plant is drought-resistant, but it is recommended to water it regularly. This will improve the appearance of its leaves. Watering is carried out in evening time. This will avoid leaf burns. It is better to spray the plant with a spray bottle on a hot day, increasing the air humidity.

During the growing season it is necessary to add to the soil mineral fertilizers. The procedure is carried out 2 times a month. In this case, you can choose compositions with a high content of nitrogen and potassium. During the growth process, to form beautiful bushes, you need to trim the leaves. The procedure is performed once every two weeks.

Preparing for winter

In the northern climate there are some peculiarities of growing dichondra ampelous from seeds. Is it possible to preserve such a heat-loving plant in winter? There are ways to cultivate dichondra as perennial. It can withstand slight frosts.

In harsh climates, the presented plant will need to be brought indoors. If the climate is warm and mild enough, you can cover the stems for the winter. Dichondra will be able to survive frost in such conditions.

An adult dichondra can be transferred to winter Garden, on a balcony or other room. It may be cool, but protected from frost. If dichondra did not grow in a pot, but in open ground, you can dig up its root. Together with a lump of earth, it is left in the basement or other cold and dark room. Here the plant will remain dormant until spring. When shoots appear in the spring, they are separated from the mother plant. They are subsequently planted on the site.

Dichondra - magnificent plant for decorating flower beds or for creating green walls, cascades, arches, curtains, screens. Cascades of emerald or silver-green leafy shoots are shaped like a waterfall.

It is widely used in the design of gazebos, terraces, and verandas. It looks most expressive in hanging flowerpots. Some gardeners replace lawn grass with it - dichondra grows excellently in partial shade, hiding unsightly bare areas among trees, quickly forming a thick covering between the stones of the decorative path.

Description of dichondra

Dichondra is a representative of the genus of herbaceous evergreen perennials of the Convolvulaceae family, a relative of which is the well-known morning glory. The name is inspired by Greek words, which translated mean “two grains,” hinting at the similarity of dichondra fruits with a two-chambered capsule. Under natural conditions it lives in the humid tropics of Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, and America.

The root system of the plant is superficial, the height of the shoots is no more than 15 cm, and the length of creeping and creeping shoots reaches 1.5, and sometimes 8 m. The stems are branched and quickly take root with the help of roots formed in the internodes. Round coin-shaped leaves abundantly cover the shoots. Leaves with silky pubescence are silver or bright green - it depends on the variety. The unsightly flowers bloom from mid-May to August.

About 10 varieties are known, but the most famous are two varieties of dichondra: “Emerald Falls” and “Silver Falls”. At proper care it gains green mass very quickly - in a month you can put together an imitation of a waterfall or stream in your backyard from several bushes.

How to care for dichondra in open ground

Lighting and soil

Caring for dichondra is not burdensome and is accessible to any gardener. Dichondra loves a lot of light - it is placed in sunny areas, it is tolerant of partial shade. With a lack of lighting, the silvery foliage becomes greenish, the branches become elongated, and the leaves become smaller. Grows in almost any soil, but develops best in well-drained loam.

Watering

Dichondra is a representative of swamp flora - the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere is of extraordinary importance for it. The mass of leaf blades increases the more often you spray your plant.

But excess moisture in the soil can be destructive, as can drying out the substrate. When fluid stagnates, the surface roots rot. Water frequently and little by little, avoiding stagnation of water.

Once every two weeks you can feed the plant with a solution of liquid fertilizers, this stimulates the formation of new shoots and leaves.

It is better to carry out all operations related to watering and fertilizing in the evening or in cloudy weather, since it is impossible to avoid moisture getting on the leaves. This should be avoided to avoid causing burns.

Dichondra ground cover

If you plant the plant as a ground cover, do not forget to gradually sprinkle it with soil in several places as the vines grow. This allows you to root long shoots: the plant grows stronger, producing additional shoots, the leaves become larger, evenly filling the allotted area.

Dichondra ampelous

Pruning allows you to form a lush crown or give a variety of shapes to flowing shoots. In addition, the plant is radically pruned in preparation for the winter season, as well as before the onset of winter. warm season. The resulting cuttings can be used to rejuvenate planting material.

Dichondra as a houseplant Care and replanting of dichondra in an apartment

The flower is often grown as a houseplant. Caring for this beauty is simple: timely, regular watering (without excess) and sufficient lighting. The air temperature in the room is quite comfortable for the plant; you should not allow it to drop below 10 °C. There are no special requirements for air humidity. The plant responds well to feeding in the spring and summer with a frequency of 1-2 times a month. Use complex fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants according to the manufacturer's instructions. The soil for planting is nutritious, with a slightly acidic reaction.

It perfectly tolerates proximity to other flowers, which is used to create spectacular compositions. Dichondra is usually planted along the edge of a voluminous pot, creating a cascading waterfall of leaves that shades decorative flowering plants.

Over time, the space for the dichondra becomes small, and the need for a larger container arises. If necessary, the flower is replanted using the transshipment method - when the roots tightly entwine the earthen lump in the pot. The signal for this operation is the appearance of roots from the drainage holes of the flowerpot. To do this, select a larger container, on the bottom of which expanded clay is placed, sprinkling it with a small layer of soil on top.

Roots that protrude from the drainage holes are trimmed. With one hand, take the top of the pot and turn it over so that the container is at the top. With the other hand, the flowerpot is removed from the plant like a hat from the head. Then they carefully turn the roots into a new container, pouring fresh soil into the space between the walls of the pot and the roots.

If it is not possible to keep adult plants in an apartment, then many gardeners grow dichondra as an annual, so in the fall they take cuttings, rooting the vines, thereby rejuvenating the flower. Such plantings take up very little space and are much easier to care for.

Dichondra bushes do not lose their attractiveness for 6 years or more with proper, timely care.
In Australia and New Zealand, the plant is considered a malicious weed, mercilessly exterminated by farmers and gardeners, but Europeans recognized dichondra as one of the best plants for decorating vertical compositions.

Growing dichondra from seeds to seedlings at home

The most affordable method if it is impossible to purchase ready plant- grow a flower from seeds. Sowing of seedlings is carried out from the end of January - mid-February. The sooner you do this, the faster the dichondra will gain vegetative mass in the first season.

To guarantee germination, you can pre-treat the seeds with a growth stimulant, for example, epin. Agave juice (squeeze a few drops from a leaf and add water) or a solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon per 200 ml of liquid) is also suitable for soaking. It is enough to keep the seeds for about an hour in any of the solutions.

If you purchased granulated grains, then they are sown dry. A loose substrate is suitable for sowing. It is better to immediately place 2-3 grains in pots to a depth of no more than a centimeter. Crops are covered with glass, film or placed in plastic bag. They begin to germinate within a week. At first they grow very slowly. To prevent the sprouts from stretching, keep them close to the light - you can arrange additional lighting with fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps.

If the seedlings have stretched out, they can be saved by carefully adding loose soil between the plants, adding from a spoon using a toothpick. This way the thin legs won’t break and the seedlings won’t die, and over time the trunks will become more powerful.

When 2-3 true leaves are formed, dichondra seedlings can be transplanted one plant at a time into cups, or several at once. hanging planters. Before planting seedlings in open ground or placing flowerpots on the balcony, be sure to harden the dichondra. In the first season, seedlings do not develop actively enough and do not have time to build up a lush vegetative mass.

The video will tell you about growing dichondra from seeds:

Dichondra propagation by cuttings

They take root well in a moist, loose substrate - sand mixed with peat. Best time for cuttings - end of February. It’s better to immediately place two or three of them in a pot and cover glass jar, which is removed after the appearance of new kidneys. Thus, you will already have a ready-made flowerpot; all that remains is to care for it as an adult plant. You can plant the cuttings one at a time in pots for rooting or several in a container, so that later, with the arrival of warm days, they can be planted in flower beds.

When growing dichondra as ground cover plant, some of the cut branches can be sprinkled with earth - after a few days, the beginnings of roots will appear in this place. Soon, you will receive specimens ready for independent life.

How to propagate dichondra by layering

Any dichondra lash can be rooted by sprinkling it with earth. After a week or two, rooting occurs and new shoots appear in the place of the powder. After a month, you can carefully cut off a new plant, dig it up by the roots and replant it in a new place.

How to preserve silver dichondra in winter

Where winters are cold, dichondra is grown as an annual plant, but it can easily overwinter in a cool room. Before wintering, shoots that are too long are cut off. All care comes down to periodic watering and rare feeding. If possible, it is better to place a flower pot on an entrance window or on a heated loggia - there is enough light there and the temperature is optimal. If you have to keep dichondra in a room, then after turning on the central heating, the leaves need to be sprayed with water several times a day. But most of all it suffers from a lack of lighting - take care of organizing the lighting with special lamps.

You can try keeping the dichondra in the basement. To do this, everything is cut off, the rhizome is carefully dug up, with a lump of earth is transferred to the basement, covered with damp peat. In spring, new stems with sprouts form on such a plant. They can be used for cuttings, and the bush itself is planted again in the flowerbed.

Pests and diseases

Dichondra is resistant to damage various diseases and pests. Being a weed by nature, it copes perfectly with all kinds of misfortunes.

Dichondra in landscape design and as a hanging plant for decorating facades

Growing dichondra in and indoor floriculture Mainly used for vertical decoration of exteriors and interiors. It is planted in hanging baskets and flowerpots with the ability to grow and cascade into waterfalls of picturesque shoots. It is often used for background landscaping, incomparably shading colorful compositions with its foliage. They even create original sculptures from it. A frame is made from wire, and the dichondra braids it, resulting in an incomparable creation.

Nowadays, vertical gardening of plots and greenhouses has become very popular. AND Special attention flower growers pay attention to the flowing forms of plants, because they not only look decorative and beautiful, but also allow you to create unusual compositions and combinations with other flower crops. To such falling ones hanging plants refers to the dichondra “Emerald Falls”, which is also valued for its unpretentiousness and decorativeness.

Dichondra "Emerald Falls" is a plant with thin branching stems up to 1 m long and a shallow root system. The stems are decorated with frequent heart-shaped leaves of emerald green color, each about 3 mm in size. The flowering of dichondra is not particularly decorative, since the yellow-green flowers grow very small and inconspicuous. On the other hand, flowering does not spoil appearance the plant itself. Dichondra has another one interesting feature– this culture takes root very quickly, releasing new roots from the internodes of the leaves upon contact with the substrate. Therefore, flower growers usually do not have problems with its propagation.

But dichondra “Emerald Falls” is not the only representative of this flower culture in Russia. There is one more popular variety dichondra called “Silver Falls”, characterized by the unusual silver color of the leaves. Most often it is used for vertical gardening, therefore, if you want to have an alternative lawn made of dichondra, which can also be a ground cover, then experts recommend choosing “Emerald Falls” for these purposes.

In addition, these two varieties differ in the planting location: for example, “Silver Falls” is preferably planted only in sunny areas, since in the shade the leaves may lose color, while the emerald dichondra is planted both in shaded areas and in partial shade. Watering when growing these varieties is also different: silver dichondra prefers drier soils, while emerald dichondra is very responsive to both watering and spraying the leaves.

Planting material can be purchased at specialized gardening stores.

The timing of sowing “Waterfall” directly depends on its permanent place of cultivation, since full decorative effect will occur no less than four months after the appearance of the first shoots.

If you want to decorate a greenhouse with this plant or glazed loggia, then sowing dichondra seeds should be started already in January, but if it is used for landscaping a garden plot, then the sowing time can be postponed even until the end of February - beginning of March.

Dichondra prefers loose, moisture-permeable soils, so you can use a soil mixture of turf soil and sand as a substrate, or buy one already ready soil in the shop. Containers for planting are shallow and should include drainage holes at the bottom to drain excess moisture.

Preparing the dichondra seeds themselves for planting is not difficult - just soak them in one of the growth stimulants according to the instructions. For these purposes, you can use one of the following drugs: “Zircon”, “Epin”, “Prorostok”, “Ekosil”, etc. This operation will help the seeds to sprout faster and more efficiently, and also increase the percentage of their germination.

It is recommended to plant the seeds shallowly, so make grooves in the soil with a pencil or any other object with a depth of no more than 0.5 cm and row spacing of 2...2.5 cm, carefully pour settled water from a room watering can (you can add sodium humate to it) and sow the seeds at a distance of 1.5...2 cm from each other.

After all the seeds are in place, the grooves are sprinkled with soil on top until flat surface, and the soil on top is moistened with a spray bottle (a stream from a watering can can wash out the planted seeds). After this, the container is signed and covered with glass on top or wrapped in a plastic bag.

The box with the planted seeds should be placed in a warm place where the temperature will not drop below +25 0 C. If all conditions are met, dichondra seeds will sprout 7...10 days after sowing. When seedlings appear, the glass (or polyethylene) is removed, and the container with the plantings is placed in a well-lit place.

When dichondra seedlings have two or three true leaves (excluding the first cotyledons), you should think about replanting.

• If “Emerald Falls” is grown in a garden plot in the ground, then it is planned to pick the growing seedlings into separate pots with holes in the bottom.
• If the plant will constantly grow in a flowerpot or pot, then it is worth replanting the sprouts on permanent place.

Planting dichondra in a permanent place

As mentioned above, dichondra sprouts can be planted in a permanent place when several true leaves appear. To do this, a cache-pot (pot) is filled with a nutritious soil mixture, shallow holes are made in a flat surface, spilled with water and seedlings are planted in them. When planting, it is not recommended to bury seedlings, since dichondra has root system surface type.

It is best to replant with a fork so as not to damage the young roots, while trying to preserve the earthen lump around the root. This way the seedlings will experience less stress and take root better.

After planting in a cache-pot or pot, the soil is shed and care for the young shoots continues indoors.

In order for the “Waterfall” to be voluminous during spring, young shoots are pinned to the soil in a pot. They quickly produce new roots and shoots. Containers are placed on the loggia or in the greenhouse in early to mid-May, depending on weather conditions. By this time, the dichondra planted in January will look as decorative as possible.

Depending on the climate zone, in which it is located garden plot, the timing of planting dichondra in a permanent place varies from the end of May to the beginning of June.

When choosing a planting site, they are guided primarily by illumination (openwork shade from trees or partial shade is suitable, since in such conditions the leaves become larger in size), soil composition (non-acidic soil with an acidity level of 7-8 is suitable for dichondra, and the soil must be fertile and loose) and the appropriateness of planting (it is clear that to obtain a cascade, the dichondra needs to be planted on a hill so that the lashes fall down).

The distance between neighboring seedlings when planting is 30...35 cm, so it is more convenient to plant seedlings in holes rather than in trenches. It is advisable to carry out planting by transshipment, without exposing the root and maintaining an earthen lump around it.

This decorative crop is quite unpretentious, so there are no special care requirements. Basically, caring for dichondra is aimed at achieving the desired decorative appearance of the plant, therefore, in addition to timely watering, the gardener should pay attention to:

1. Regular fertilizing twice a month. The fertilizers used can be complex and must contain a large proportion of nitrogen for the plant to constantly gain green mass.
2. Spraying the leaves, to which the “Emerald Falls” variety is especially responsive and begins to grow much faster.
3. Pruning and crown formation. Regular pruning in this case stimulates the density of the dichondra crown - for its intensive branching, the shoots are shortened by 7 cm. Also, pruning will be simply necessary when preparing the plant for wintering when moving indoors.

Dichondra can be propagated both by seeds and by rooting shoots. It is clear that cuttings from a bush allows you to obtain seedlings more quickly, especially since within summer season Dichondra pruning is carried out regularly.

You can also simply pin a separate strong shoot to the ground and wait for it to take root in the internodes of the leaf, and then simply cut it off from the mother bush and plant it in a container.

Dichondra “Emerald Falls” is highly resistant to a range of pests and diseases.

The only pests that can cause significant damage to it are nematodes living in the soil. The fight against them is carried out with special chemicals.

Most often it is used for vertical gardening, creating a unique look of a flowing stream. Dichondra not only looks very decorative as a solitaire, falling, for example, from a high border or wall, but can also complement various flower arrangements in pots, boxes and cache-pots.

It is very popular to plant dichondra on alpine roller coaster, since the plant is not tall (15 cm in height). In addition, in regions with warm climates, dichondra can be grown as an alternative lawn as a perennial, and in regions with colder climates weather conditions You can use dichondra as an annual ground cover under trees.

Dichondra from seeds: video

Dichondra spectacular plant for garden and home. There are some peculiarities in growing and caring, but the flower is accessible to everyone and beginners in floriculture.