Spectacular lilies are able to decorate any area. Varieties and colors - a great many, literally for every taste. But many are confused by the "firm" tart smell emanating from these plants. Against this background, lily "Marlene" stands out, which does not distribute its "amber", so it makes sense to consider such a flower in more detail.
- Description of the variety
- Features of landing in an open ground
- Selection of soil and plot
- Watering
- Top dressing
- Plant care
- Watering
- Loosening
- Top dressing
- Transfer
- Breeding
- Preparing Marlene Lilies for Winter
- Diseases and pests
Description of the variety
This is a hybrid variety that has resulted from the "crossing" of Asian lilies with multi-color longiflorums. As a result, plants were obtained that rooted easily and bloomed quite early, moreover, they tolerate cold quite well.
On the tall (0.9-1 m) stalks of a pale green color, the oblong leaves, pointed at the edges, were alternately “started”. Their sizes are noticeable - a length of 11-13 cm is considered standard (whereas the width is much more modest and rarely exceeds 1.5 cm). On one peduncle you can count at least 15-20 buds.
All this green mass keeps the rhizome in the form of bulbs covered with scales.
In late June - early July, it is time to bloom: large flowers appear.Typically, their diameter reaches 15 cm, but on light soils, real giants of 17–19 cm can appear. The tips have a pale pink color, which, as it approaches the center, is replaced by an almost white “edge”.
This species can "shoot" dozens of flowers, but you should not expect it at once - mass flowering is observed for 2-3 years. The reason for this phenomenon is well known to experienced flower growers.
This is a process known as fasciation (splicing of several young peduncles into one stem with numerous flower buds). But here there is one nuance that many people forget about - “marlene” is really predisposed to such mutations, although not every seedling will give such a violent color.
Scientifically speaking, fasciation inherent in representatives of this variety is not an absolutely fixed sign. So do not trust the sellers, who solemnly assure that the onion sold by the middle of summer "will give birth" to almost a hundred flowers. This is possible, but no one can give a full guarantee.
Features of landing in an open ground
For the successful cultivation of decorative lilies have to find a suitable place. Landing on the first "latka" may not give the expected result, so let's start with the requirements for the ground.
Selection of soil and plot
The best site for planting will be loosened fertile soil with good drainage. High bedding of groundwater is undesirable.
The bulb can be taken on loam, but then you will need feeding, which will be discussed a little later.
Consider that landing is carried out in the middle of April - the first decade of May.
Watering
On the site provide abundant and regular watering.
It begins right from the moment of disembarkation, when about 10 liters of water are poured into the prepared well. Once you have absorbed it, you can take onions and plant them.
After the seed has been powdered and tamped with soil, the surface of the hole is moistened again. By the main irrigation start in 4-6 days (depending on how quickly the earth dries out).
Top dressing
If you have to deal with "heavy" soil, be sure to make a preliminary feeding. Most often, a rotted mullein is taken (5-10 kg / sq. M with an increase in dose for weak soil). As an option - complex mineral compositions in the amount of 60-100 g per "square" area.
But fresh manure for such purposes is not suitable - such a powerful "organic" in large quantities just "burn out" the onion.
After such preparation proceed directly to landing. This procedure is quite simple and familiar to all owners of villas or gardens:
- The bulbs are disinfected by karbofos.
- Dig holes. "Young" lay at a depth of 10 cm, and large bulbs twice as deep. Remember that they will take roots, so you have to go deeper into twice the level.
- Clean sand is laid on the bottom (a layer of 1 cm is enough).
- Then the "seat" is moistened (about a bucket of water).
- Bulbs are planted with the spine down, sprinkled with earth and tamped.
- The final chord will be abundant (up to 15 liters) watering with further mulching. The hole is covered with a layer of straw that will hold moisture.
Plant care
Planting lilies varieties "Marlene", as you can see, is not difficult, but for the flower to take root in the open field, you will need more and stable care.
Watering
The main condition is regularity. In hot summer, the plant is constantly moistened by pouring a bucket of water every 2-3 days under the plant. It is important not to overdo it, otherwise the rhizome will become too wet and become vulnerable to rot.
The "golden rule" of all summer residents - the land should not dry out. As soon as you notice that the soil begins to be taken in a ball, immediately water the flower. Of course, one should not allow cracks to appear in the fertile layer - in such cases, the bulb risks drying out.
During the flowering period, the intensity of watering is somewhat reduced. After it, the interval between humidifications is gradually increased so as to stop them altogether by mid-autumn.
Loosening
When the planting mulch is removed, the holes are loosened after each watering. This is necessary - if you miss the moment, the rhizome will suffocate in the compacted soil.
By the way, about the tool. Choosing the "props" for loosening or weeding, keep in mind the depth of the onion. For not very deep-seated material, the trident will be safe. More "sweeping" glanders with a long handle and a wide blade with the wrong backswing can catch seed. It is best used for working with rhizomes that lie deeper than 15 cm.
In addition to loosening, you also need regular cleaning of weeds. Do not give them discounts - even a few small blades of grass can be a problem for fragile plantations. It is best to clean them after watering - “wet” you can uproot even small weeds.
Top dressing
Seasonal cycle of "feeding" of this flower provides for three main fertilizer applications:
- The first feeding is done during the emergence of shoots. The main "dish" - nitrogen-containing compounds. They must be complex (the preponderance towards ammonia compounds will work only for green mass).
- The formation of buds gives the signal to make the same complex "mineral water" or organic compounds. Usually taken liquid mullein mixed with water in a ratio of 1/10. Good results are obtained by using humus and wood ash (100 g / sq. M).
- The emphasis on potash-phosphorus mixtures is done “under the curtain” of flowering, when the lily needs to be prepared for dropping the flowers, at the same time keeping its growth rate.
Transfer
At 4-5 years after planting, you can see that the stem is no longer growing, and the buds are smaller. These signs suggest - the mother bulb is exhausted or too tightly surrounded by subsidiary "bubki". Only one way out - transfer to a new place.
Its algorithm will be:
- The bulbs dug out in the fall are cleaned and washed.
- Then they should be kept in a weak solution of permanganate (about half an hour).
- After allowing the material to dry, it is placed in a dense layer of sawdust or moss.
- The container with this “tab” is stored in a dark place at a temperature not higher than 20 ° C.
Breeding
His scheme is traditional and simple - it's familiar to everyone. division of rhizome "on the kids." In the course of its development, the lily of the popular variety "Marlene" does not release too many daughter bulbs, so many people use this technique closer to the end of September to ensure the production of new plants for the next year.
- Gently separate the kids with a knife.
- Be sure to clean them from the ground and let dry.
- Rate condition. If the scales are visible spots, immediately remove the infected cover - this is a beneficial environment for fungal diseases.
- Then remove the dead roots. Small leave, retaining a maximum of 15 cm.
- The material thus collected is “pickled” with potassium permanganate and dried again.
- At the very end, the bulbs are sorted by size. The smallest are trying to immediately bring to the size of the adult "bubki." To do this, they are grown on a separate bed in a greenhouse or in pots. If there is no time for this, they can simply be “wrapped” in sawdust and left for the winter in a cool dark place.
In the first year after planting, the “young” will not bloom, but over the season the plant will thoroughly strengthen.
Another effective, but not very popular method - reproduction from scales. Looking closely, you can make sure that this is also a very simple way:
- In early April, an adult bulb is taken. Several scales are removed from it. At the same time, the “donor” is not thrown away, but put in a pot with further transplantation into the soil.
- The flakes are mixed with sawdust (1/4), but before that both "ingredients" of the mixture are treated in a light solution of permanganate (up to 0.3 g per 1 l of water) and dried a little.
- All the workpiece is placed in a bag. It is closed and put in a corner with a temperature of 18-20 ° C. As required, the soil is sprayed.
- After 12-14 days, the scales will "beat off" the onions with fine roots. Allowing the children to grow up to 1 cm, they are carefully transferred to a small cassette or cardboard box filled with the substrate (about 5 cm).
- All this time they are watered, and the earth is loosened with a stick. The bulb can reach the surface - it is sprinkled.
- By mid-June, these seedlings can be “relocated” to an open area.
Preparing Marlene Lilies for Winter
In the autumn, when watering is already stopped, the stems turn sharply yellow. To tear off the withering processes do not hasten - the metabolism between the peduncle and the roots continues until the stem is completely dry. And only after that it is cut off.
After such "dismantling" it would be nice to cover the remaining ground part with a film, making a small hole in it for ventilation. This has its reason - under the root will not accumulate moisture, which when frost is able to destroy it.
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, no florist is insured against their appearance. Horticulturists in this regard are a bit more complicated - the proximity of lilies with vegetable plantations increases the risk of infection.
But do not despair - in time to find disease, you can quickly eliminate its cause. Most often flowers suffer from:
- Gray rot. In cool weather, brown specks may appear on the leaves and the lower half of the stems. So that they do not switch to the buds, they use fungicides like "Homa" (40 g per 10 l of water). If necessary, the treatment is repeated after a week. It is better not to take the 1% Bordeaux liquid popular in our area - the slightest mistake with the dose will “finish off” the bud.
- Rust. Affected leaves are removed, and the plant itself is treated with Fitosporin (1.5 g of powder is added to 1 l of water).
- Fusarium (bulbous rot). It is unrealistic to cure the affected buba on the open field, therefore, even before planting, it is treated with the preparation “Fundazol” (for 2 hours it is placed in 10 liters of water with the addition of 2 g of the composition).
The raids of the lily beetles, wireworms and the bearfish will stop after spraying with Fufanon. It is sold in ampoules of 2 and 6.5 mg. This amount is enough for a mixture of 1.5 and 5 liters of water, respectively. In case of severe injury, repeated treatment is allowed.
Now you know what is interesting about the Marlena type lily, and how to grow it in the country. We hope that after a while you will still see the treasured hundred flowers on the planted plants. Let every day be bright!