Forget-me-not (flowers): photo, description, planting. Flowers that look like forget-me-nots. Forget-me-nots - blue tenderness in the garden

Forget-Me-Not: Growing from seed as a biennial plant.

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds is the most common way to propagate garden forget-me-nots. Like all biennials, forget-me-not seeds are sown in May-June on seed beds or in bowls with loose fertile soil. Seeds are sown superficially on a compacted moistened even surface of the soil and only slightly sprinkled with light soil or sand. Crops are covered with spunbond, polyethylene or glass, keep the soil moist by watering gently from a sprayer or over a non-woven covering material. After germination, the crops are released from shelter. When two true leaves are formed (usually after 3-4 weeks), forget-me-nots are pulled or planted in pots (1-3 plants) or on seed beds at a distance of 5-7 cm between plants. To keep the bushes compact, the cultivation of forget-me-not seedlings is carried out in partial shade. Seedlings are periodically watered, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed. For better tillering, seedlings are pinched. Forget-me-not is fed with a complex mineral soluble fertilizer for seedlings once every two weeks. Gradually increase the concentration of fertilizer. In late August - early September, forget-me-nots form a dense rosette of leaves. In this form, they are planted on permanent place according to the scheme recommended for the variety (15-25 cm between plants) and water well. For the winter, forget-me-nots are mulched with fallen leaves, spruce branches or peat. Forget-me-not blooms next spring. Garden forget-me-not will bloom earlier if temporary shelters are built over it in April. In the second year of cultivation, in order to prolong flowering and limit the formation of seeds, wilted flowers are removed in a timely manner.

Types of forget-me-nots / Forget-me-not alpine garden / Forget-me-nots in the garden

Forget-me-not: Growing from seed as an annual plant.

Sometimes forget-me-not is grown as an annual. More often this is done by specialized greenhouses. This allows you to have flowering seedlings in early spring, and depending on the timing of sowing, even in the winter months. The modern variety of the annual forget-me-not is Mon Ami Blue. Sometimes an annual forget-me-not is grown by amateur flower growers. The advantages of the method - the ability to get a flowering plant in the first year after sowing. When sowing forget-me-not seeds in late February-early March, flowering occurs in July-August. Forget-me-not seeds are sown as described above. Initially, crops are kept at a temperature of + 20-25 ° C. After the emergence of shoots, the night temperature of the content of seedlings is reduced to + 15-18 ° C, the daytime temperature is left the same. To make the forget-me-not bushes compact, they are illuminated during this period. About a month after sowing, forget-me-nots are transplanted into 10-cm pots, the temperature is lowered to + 10-12 ° C at night, to + 15-18 ° C during the day, the backlight is removed. Seedling care consists of watering, fertilizing with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. Seedlings are planted in the ground or containers in early May. For more early flowering annual forget-me-not sowing dates are shifted. Forget-me-not sown in late October blooms in late April - early May.

Growing forget-me-nots from cuttings.

In order to preserve the properties of valuable varieties of garden forget-me-not, they resort to its vegetative propagation - cuttings. At the beginning of flowering (May-June), the tops of the shoots are cut off (about 5 cm) and planted for rooting in a loose fertile soil, shade. For better rooting, the cuttings are treated with a root former and covered with a film, constructing a micro-greenhouse. The cuttings are watered, trying not to fall on the leaves, then aired. Every 10-14 days, top dressing is carried out with a complex soluble fertilizer. Rooted cuttings are pinched for better tillering. For the winter, the formed forget-me-not bushes are covered with peat, spruce branches.

We recommend reading: LEGENDS ABOUT FOXGLOVE daisies BIO-YEAR FLOWERS

Growing forget-me-not for forcing.

Forget-me-not can be grown in pots in winter. Initially, forget-me-not is grown as a biennial crop, sowing seeds in May - June. Plants intended for forcing in July-August are planted in pots with a diameter of 10-15 cm, which are dug into the ground in the shade, and continue to take care of them. In autumn, no later than the beginning of October, pots with forget-me-nots are transferred to a well-ventilated cool room with an air temperature of at least 0 ° C. In February, pots with forget-me-nots are brought into the apartment, watered and fed. It will be possible to observe the flowering of forget-me-nots at the end of March or in April. For winter flowering in December and February, forget-me-not pots are initially stored in a cold greenhouse. Then, as needed, they are moved to a room with an air temperature of +5-6 °C. After the appearance of the stems, the air temperature is increased to + 12 ° C. Pots with blooming forget-me-nots are transferred to the room.

In the photo: Alpine garden forget-me-not (Myosotis x hybrida)

So forget-me-nots got a majestic name - the Queen of May. Varieties of this beautiful flower lots of. Of the most popular - alpine, alpine-garden, swamp, forest. A wild species of forget-me-not grows in clearings and meadows. Like every queen, forget-me-not can have a huge number of dresses of different colors: pink, blue, purple, cream, white, deep blue. In translation, forget-me-not means "Do not forget me", which undoubtedly justifies the beauty and tenderness of these flowers - you really will not forget them.

The height of forget-me-nots can be different, from 15 to 40 cm. Flowering begins in May. The practice of gardeners has shown that although they are considered a low-growing perennial, often after 2 years flowering reduces splendor, the inflorescences become smaller. Faded inflorescences begin to turn black, losing their attractiveness, so it would be wise to remove them and plant other plants that will continue to decorate your flower bed until late autumn. Because of these features, forget-me-not is included in the ranks of annuals, which are easily propagated by seeds.

Planting forget-me-nots, regardless of the variety, is the same, but caring for them has minor differences. So, for example, the alpine forget-me-not feels comfortable in open areas (although in this case the flowering period is reduced to 3 weeks), and the swamp in the same conditions will lose its decorative effect, it needs a swampy area. The forest forget-me-not is considered the most unpretentious, which prefers partial shade, but the bright sun and full shade do not bother her.

Forget-me-nots go well with bright representatives, pansies, tulips, as well as with and ferns. They can be grown in hanging pots, in a flowerpot on the veranda. They are planted in group plantings, to decorate borders, in the foreground in a flower garden, planted in a Moorish lawn and, of course, in a rock garden.

Place and soil

Forget-me-nots will grow well in a semi-shady area of the garden in moist, but not swampy, loose, drained soil. Poor soil in autumn must be enriched with mineral fertilizers. To do this, for digging the soil per 1 sq.m. add 15 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium chloride and 10 g of ammonium nitrate. Remove weeds.

Landing

You can plant forget-me-nots both with seeds and seedlings in spring or autumn.

For spring planting. If you buy ready planting material, then pay attention that there are already tied buds on it for flowering already in current year. If seedlings of forget-me-nots are without buds, then flowering will begin only next year. Planting material must be of high quality, the leaves are rich green. Planted in April with an earthen clod in holes, water and mulch.

For autumn planting seedlings and flowering in spring. At the end of September, plant seedlings in open ground and mulch with peat. Be sure to cover for the winter.

Planting forget-me-not seeds. Seeds are sown in June in shallow (0.5 cm) grooves, sprinkled with sand and covered. After 2 weeks, when young seedlings appear, thinning is carried out, leaving a distance between plants of 5-10 cm, and the shelter is removed. The distance between the furrows is 10-15 cm. At the end of August, the grown plants are transplanted to a permanent place. For a dense carpet of forget-me-nots, planting is carried out according to the scheme 15x15 cm, 2-3 pieces per hole.

For autumn sowing seeds for seedlings and flowering in spring. In October, seedling boxes are filled with a mixture of soddy soil and river sand (2: 1), treated with a weak solution of manganese, the seeds are distributed over the surface, sprinkled a little with soil and covered with paper. Before sowing, it is better to cull the seeds - release them into lightly salted water and those seeds that have surfaced are not suitable for sowing. The rest are washed and dried. In a week, sprouts will appear. Picking is carried out when 2 true leaves appear, leaving a distance of 3-4 cm between plants or in separate pots. Do not confuse with cotyledon leaves. Put the plantings in a cold room, but so that the temperature is not lower than + 5 ° C, and in March, transfer to a warm one (15-17 ° C). In April-early May, transplant to a permanent place in open ground.

Care

Forget-me-nots need constant moisture, so water regularly but moderately, being careful not to get water on the leaves. Waterlogging leads to rotting of the roots, and drought to rapid fading. Remove weeds and faded blooms, leaving only a few for further reproduction.

Forget-me-nots respond well to feeding. The first is carried out 2 weeks after transplanting seedlings to a permanent place with a light mineral fertilizer, and in the fall - diluted mullein (1:10) and mulching with a layer of up to 4 cm.

After flowering, collect seed pods until they open (June) so that next year forget-me-nots can be planted with seeds. If you want to add plantings to, then after flowering, cut off the flower stalks and scatter them over the lawn. In the spring, the seeds will germinate and new young plants will appear.

Forget-me-not flowers are also used for cutting. To make them stand for a long time, cut the shoots with unblown buds.

Forget-me-nots withstand frosts down to -5 ° C, then they need to be covered with peat or spruce branches.

Diseases and pests. Aphids appear on the underside of leaves. Karbofos (2 g per 10 sq.m) or in other ways will help get rid of it. And also scoops, fleas and may appear. Mealy white coating indicates the presence of powdery mildew. It appears in dense planting or in excessively dry soil.

Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that these blue flowers angels scatter on the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky. In addition, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, for all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial perennial as a garden forget-me-not from seeds.

Description of forget-me-not garden

Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in the temperate climate of Europe and America, Asia and South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants preferring moist and shady places.

The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-seeding, quite strong seedlings capable of overwintering in our winters.

Choosing a place for planting forget-me-not garden

In order for forget-me-nots and its flowers to please you when growing at home, you need not only to choose the most suitable species for you, but also to plant it correctly. A plant such as garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. A flower can grow in the sun, but most fully its decorative qualities it manifests itself in the penumbra. It is a mistake to believe that the sun will increase the flowering period - on the contrary, the flower petals will “burn out” from bright sunlight. You should not plant a forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.

Growing seedlings of forget-me-not garden from seeds

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds is the most common way to propagate garden forget-me-nots. You can grow forget-me-nots both through seedlings and by the seedless method. At the same time, forget-me-not is mainly grown from seeds. Most often they are grown as a biennial plant. Prepared seeds must be dipped in slightly salted water. Floating planting material must be discarded, most likely, it will not be able to germinate. The remaining seeds must be dried. Like all biennials, forget-me-not seeds are sown in May-June on seed beds or in bowls with loose fertile soil. Seeds are sown superficially on a compacted moistened even surface of the soil and only slightly sprinkled with light soil or sand. Crops are covered with spunbond, polyethylene or glass, keep the soil moist by watering gently from a sprayer or over a non-woven covering material. The first seedlings appear literally after five or six days. After germination, the crops are released from shelter. When two true leaves are formed (usually after 3-4 weeks), forget-me-nots are pulled or planted in pots (1-3 plants) or on seed beds at a distance of 5-7 cm between plants. To keep the bushes compact, the cultivation of forget-me-not seedlings is carried out in partial shade. Seedlings are periodically watered, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed. For better tillering, seedlings are pinched. Forget-me-not is fed with a complex mineral soluble fertilizer for seedlings once every two weeks. Gradually increase the concentration of fertilizer. In late August - early September, forget-me-nots form a dense rosette of leaves. In this form, they are planted in a permanent place according to the scheme recommended for the variety (15-25 cm between plants) and watered well.

Planting seedlings of forget-me-not garden

Grow forget-me-not seedlings until the plants grow up to four to five centimeters in height. After that, you can plant seedlings in a place of permanent growth with an interval of fifteen to twenty centimeters.

Some sources indicate that young forget-me-nots should be planted in open ground at the end of August.

A distinctive feature of forget-me-not is resistance to transplants. After moving to open ground, almost all plants survive. But it is extremely important for this to water them well after transplanting. For the winter, forget-me-nots are mulched with fallen leaves, spruce branches or peat. Forget-me-not blooms next spring. Garden forget-me-not will bloom earlier if temporary shelters are built over it in April. In the second year of cultivation, in order to prolong flowering and limit the formation of seeds, wilted flowers are removed in a timely manner.

Forget-me-not garden breeding methods

Forget-me-nots are becoming more and more popular among flower growers and appearing in flower beds more and more often. Are used different methods flower reproduction, which we will talk about. When to sow forget-me-not seeds? Best time for planting this wonderful flower with seeds - July, since the soil is already warm enough, and there is another month for adaptation and rooting of the seed. Before planting, mix the earth with humus, moisten it a little, make shallow holes and pour forget-me-not seeds into the open ground. Seeds need to be sprinkled with sand a little on top, covered with a film, which must be removed after 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks after sowing, you can not remove the film, water the seeds. They should “ban”, then the plants will take root better.

Cuttings are the most popular method of propagation when working with forget-me-nots. For cuttings, you need to choose a well-grown bush and cut off the highest cuttings just below the stem. The stalk must be placed in water until it takes root. Then it is planted in the ground. To do this, in the prepared soil (moistened, fertilized with peat and humus), shallow holes are made, plants are planted in them and a little sprinkled with dry earth from above, watered under the root. Fertilize after 5 days. It is better to take a universal one, making sure that there is no ammonia component in its composition.

Forget-me-not propagation by dividing bushes is not as complicated as it seems. The root of the flower is very loose, and it can be divided with one movement of the pruner. It is necessary to gently shake the earth from the root of the plant, select the part of the rhizome with the “knee” (bend), cut it vertically. For better engraftment, the roots can be lowered into the solution universal fertilizer. Then the bushes are planted, like ordinary seedlings. After dividing the bushes, next year, the seeds themselves will disperse, and there will be much more bushes, which should not be allowed. It is necessary to thin out the bushes, because if the forget-me-not is planted too densely, this will cause the color to be less abundant and bright.

Garden forget-me-not care

It is very easy to care for these unpretentious flowers, they only need careful watering under the root so that water does not fall on the green parts of the plant, and loosening the soil layer. Do not flood the plants, otherwise they will rot or become sick. If the soil is constantly dry, then forget-me-nots tend to fade very quickly. In order for the plants to propagate by self-sowing, select a few bushes and leave faded inflorescences on them so that the nuts with seeds ripen. For the rest of the forget-me-nots, remove the inflorescences after flowering, otherwise they will flood the entire area. Forget-me-nots can be transplanted to other places both in autumn and during the period when they already have buds or flowers; these plants tolerate transplantation very well. In spring and autumn, you can feed forget-me-not bushes. To do this, in 10 liters of water, add and stir in a teaspoon of nitrophoska, potassium sulfate and urea. You can also take mineral complexes ("Flower", "Emerald", "Agricola"). Forget-me-nots can damage cruciferous fleas, colonies of aphids, slugs, scoops. Diseases that can affect plants: rot (root and gray), powdery mildew(real and false). For the prevention of rot, forget-me-nots can be treated with Hom, and from powdery mildew - Soon or Topaz. When aphids appear, it is necessary to spray with Iskra.

If the winters in your area are harsh, then in the fall, mulch the forget-me-nots, cover them with spruce branches.

If you really love these modest blue flowers, then in the fall you can dig up one or more plants, transplant them into pots. They must be stored in the basement (the temperature there should not fall below zero). In February, move them into the room, place them on the windowsill. Then, in March, forget-me-nots will delight you with abundant flowering.

Forget-me-not - in Russia, Forget-Me-Not - among the British, Vergipmeinnicht - a German variation. At different peoples In the world, the name of the plant and the legends about its origin have a common meaning: fidelity and good memory. Pregozhnitsa, feverish grass, gourd are other names for the plant.

The sad legend and the origin of the name forget-me-not

The Greek myth tells about a shepherd named Lykas, who, saying goodbye to his beloved, presented her with a bouquet of forget-me-nots. One of the German fairy tales tells about a couple in love walking along the river. The girl noticed on the edge of the steep bank a most lovely blue flower. The young man wanted to get it, but could not resist and fell into the water. A fast turbulent current picked up young man, he only managed to shout goodbye to his beloved: “Do not forget me!” Before the water covered him with his head.

The cutest flower with the purest blue shade of inflorescences, like the sky itself, and a yellowish eye, was also considered a magical herb. If a wreath of forget-me-nots is put on the neck of a lover or placed on the chest on the left (next to the heart) - this has the effect of a strong love spell, the same power is attributed to the roots of the plant.

In England, the festival of the "May Queen" is dedicated to the plant.

Botanical description

Forget-me-not (lat. Myosotis, from the ancient Greek “mouse ear”) is a genus of one, two- and perennial herbaceous plants of the Borage family. The height of the stems is 10-40 cm, they are branched, densely covered with leaves. Leaf blades are sessile, oblong in shape, spatulate.

When forget-me-not blooms

The flowering period lasts neither more nor less - for 1.5 months, from May to mid-June.

During the flowering period, the bushes are abundantly strewn with corymbose inflorescences, similar to whole bunches. Corollas are five-petaled, the shade of the petals is from blue to dark blue, there are varieties with a pink tint, in the center there is a yellow eye. The fruit is an achene in the form of a nut, it is filled with many small black seeds (1 g of weight contains about 1500-2000 pieces). Seeds remain viable for 2-3 years.

The genus includes about 50 species that can be found in Europe, Asia, America, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. It prefers to grow in moisture-intensive areas, some species live in swampy areas.

How many years does forget-me-not grow?

Most often, forget-me-not is grown as a three-year-old plant, since later the shoots are strongly extended, flowering becomes scarce, but the plant gives good self-seeding.

Forget-me-not is very loved and grown in the flower beds of France, England, Sweden, Germany, in our country it is also popular.

Growing forget-me-nots from seeds

Forget-me-nots perfectly reproduce in a generative way (seeds).

To check the quality of the seeds, they must be placed in a saline solution - discard those that have surfaced, and spill those that have sunk to the bottom. clean water, dry and start sowing.

When and how to plant forget-me-not seeds in the ground

Sowing is carried out in May-June on exploratory beds or in cold greenhouses, such plants are transplanted to a permanent place in the fall or spring of the next year.

The seeding depth is small, 1-2 cm. Leave 25-30 cm between rows. When shoots appear, the plants are thinned out, leaving 20-25 cm between the bushes.

Planting forget-me-not seeds for seedlings

If forget-me-nots were in your hands in the fall, they can be sown as early as October-November to obtain seedlings for the spring. Fill the box with a light substrate for 2/3 consisting of soddy soil, 1/3 - river sand. For disinfection, spill the soil with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. Spread the seeds over the surface of moist soil, lightly sprinkle with earth on top, you can compact it with a special plank. Watering should be moderate, using a spray bottle.

Shoots will appear after 4-6 days. After the formation of a pair of true leaves, plant in separate containers or simply thin out in a box, leaving a gap of 5 cm between individual plants.

Install containers with seedlings in a cold greenhouse - so the plants will go through the way they need cold period, you don’t need to illuminate (shade-tolerant forget-me-not), you need to take care of maintaining humidity, return to heat in March.

Spend at the end of April (often seedlings already with buds).

Vegetative propagation

Hybrid plants are best propagated vegetatively by cuttings or dividing the bush.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cut into a length of 4-5 cm, land for rooting immediately to a permanent place of growth, to improve the process, cover from above glass jar or circumcised plastic bottle. Carry out the procedure in the spring (around the end of April), the flowering period will begin this season, but it will not be very lush.

The division of the bush

Can be carried out throughout the season (even during flowering). Thanks to the fibrous root system, they quickly take root.

Choice of landing site

Site illumination

Under tender forget-me-nots allocate a site in the shade or partial shade, when grown in open areas, the flowering period is reduced by about 20 days. The exception is the alpine forget-me-not, it is photophilous.

Priming

The soil is required to be moderately fertile: leaf mass grows from excessive nutrition, postponing flowering, poor soil negatively affects the development as a whole. Also avoid waterlogged areas. Perfect for regular garden soil.

How to care for forget-me-nots in the garden

Watering and loosening the soil

When growing in the shade, water sparingly; full sun will require more moisture to keep the leaves firm and fresh. Stop watering at the end of flowering.

To ensure oxygen access to the roots, loosen the soil regularly. Weed young plants from weeds, in the future they will cope with them.

top dressing

AT frequent plant does not need. Feed young forget-me-nots a couple of weeks after planting (it is better to use complex mineral fertilizers). In the fall, apply an organic or complex fertilizer. Next spring, add a little humus and peat to the soil.

Care for forget-me-nots after flowering

At the end of flowering, the plants lose their decorative effect, so it is better to remove annual species; for self-seeding, it is enough to leave a few bushes. Control this process: plant young plants, avoid dense plantings, because with strong growth, forget-me-nots turn into a weed.

Young sprouts appear near the faded bush. They can be used for transplantation. Avoid crowding plantings of forget-me-nots, which can overgrow and crowd out other plants.

Wintering

Forget-me-nots have good winter hardiness and do not need shelter for the winter.

Diseases and pests

With proper care, the plant is not afraid of diseases and pests. It is especially important to observe the correct watering regimen and prevent thickening of plantings. Dampness causes damage to gray or root rot, powdery mildew. It is necessary to treat the bushes with a fungicidal preparation.

Forget-me-not in landscape design

Touching forget-me-not is an indispensable decoration of a spring flower bed, it is planted near the water (marsh forget-me-not can grow in shallow water), and is also grown as a container culture. Forget-me-not looks good in rockeries, on Alpine rollercoaster, in curb plantings.

The combination with daffodils and tulips is a win-win. They will make up not a bad company, wallflower. Under the canopy of trees, they are planted with lilies of the valley - by the end of spring, such a flower garden will become the most amazing part of the garden. After they bloom, the place will be decorated with taller shade-tolerant plants, for example, the male shield.

Forget-me-not in floristry

In order to admire the beauty of forget-me-not in the house for a long time, you should use not cut inflorescences, but the whole bush. Wash off the roots from the soil and place the plant in a ceramic vase, so the plant will delight for two weeks.

Types and varieties of forget-me-nots with a photo and name

Alpine forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris

Perennial herbaceous plant. The height of dense bushes is 5-15 cm. Oblong leaf plates are collected in a basal rosette, due to hairy pubescence, the leaves have a grayish tint. During flowering, the plant is strewn with flowers of a dark blue hue, blooms in May, the inflorescences last for 45 days. In the natural environment, it lives in the Alpine belt of the Carpathians, the Caucasus, the Alps. The plant is photophilous, reproduction is exclusively seed. The species is rarely cultivated, but has become the basis for the breeding of a hybrid, which we will consider later.

Forget-me-not alpine garden Myosotis x hybrida hort

Perennial plant grown as a biennial. Unpretentious plant: able to grow in the shade and under the open sun, but partial shade is preferable; drought tolerant and spring frosts(lowering the temperature down to -5 °C). Flowering time under conditions middle lane Russia comes from mid-May to last 30-40 days. By the end of July, the seeds ripen, and already in July-August, dense bushes appear from self-sowing.

The best varieties:

Victoria - forms compact rounded bushes, plant height is 20-30 cm, flowers are sky blue;
Blauer Korb - in bushes about 30 cm high, a columnar shape is visible, the shade of flowers is dark blue;
Blue Ball - crumbs only 15 cm high, blue flowers;
Indigo - compact fifteen-centimeter bushes with dark blue flowers;

Carmine King - plant height is 20 cm, flowers are dark pink;
Compinidi - bushes 15 cm high, inflorescences of a dark blue hue;
Music - forget-me-not 25 cm high, dark blue flowers;
Miro - the height of the plant is 15 cm, the flowers are light blue;
Rosylva - low (about 20 cm) compact bushes with pink inflorescences.

Forget-me-not Myosotis palustris

The plant is perennial, but life cycle short. The height of the tetrahedral stems is about 30 cm. The leaf plates are lanceolate, stretch up to 8 cm in length and about 2 cm in width, have a rich green tint. The flowers are sky blue, collected in dense inflorescences. It blooms from May almost until autumn. It reproduces exclusively by generative (seed) method.

In the natural environment, it lives on the outskirts of swamps, along streams in the European part of Russia, southern regions of Siberia, Western Transcaucasia, Central Europe, Mongolia, and the Balkans.

The best varieties:

Thuringian - petals of a dark blue hue;
Semperflorens is a shade of sky blue flowers.

Forest forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica

Perennial forget-me-not (cultivated as an annual). Stems reach a height of 30 cm, densely branched. Numerous flowers of a sky-blue hue in diameter are no more than 1 cm, collected in apical inflorescences. The flowering period starts in May and lasts about 1.5 months. Habitat - Carpathians, Central Europe, place - forests with a delicate green leaf. Shade-tolerant and moisture-loving. Among the varieties, Blue Bird should be noted - flowers of a dark blue hue.

Forget-me-not-flowered Myosotis dissitiflora

In cultivation since 1868, grown as a biennial plant. Native to the Swiss Alps. The flowers are dark blue, bred from a variety with snow-white, pink, blue inflorescences.

Forget-me-not is one of the amazing flowers that you can decorate your front garden with. There is a variety of varieties of forget-me-nots, a variety of inflorescences beckons. Best of all, this flower grows in the shade or partial shade, as it does not like sunny places. Despite the fact that forget-me-not feels good under the sun, the flowering period is significantly reduced to 20 days.

The best option would be fertilized, loose and well-moistened soil. Forget-me-not is a moisture-loving flower and if there is no timely watering, the plant quickly dies. But it is also not recommended to pour the plant strongly, because the roots will begin to rot and the leaves will fall off. Therefore, before planting a flower, a drainage system should be made.

If you decide to plant this plant in your garden, be sure to learn how to grow forget-me-nots from seeds at home - planting and care. Forget-me-nots are best propagated by seeds. In May-June, seeds are sown in greenhouses and watered regularly. Ready seedlings are planted in early August at a permanent place of growth. Forget-me-not also propagates with the help of cuttings, only in this case varietal plants are taken.

If you want forget-me-not to bloom in spring, then seeds should be sown in October-November. To do this, prepare a container (pots, cups or a box), fill it with pre-prepared soil and sow flowers scattered on the surface of the soil. It is not necessary to sprinkle the seeds with earth or bury them, as they germinate quickly. Before sowing, you can pour all the seeds into salt water, poor-quality ones will emerge. The remaining seeds are taken out of the water, completely dried and sown.

The first shoots appear within 5-6 days, you need to dive plants after they have the first few leaves. A box with already dived forget-me-nots is recommended to be taken out to a cool place (basement or greenhouse). By the end of April, forget-me-not seedlings are planted in open ground, and after 20-25 days it blooms. As soon as the forget-me-not flowers lose their decorative effect, you can start collecting seeds, for this, choose only the strongest and most beautiful bushes in your opinion.

When growing, problems can arise, so that they do not get sick, you should follow the advice of experienced flower growers.

The distance between flowers should be at least 10 cm.
Remove weeds regularly, loosen and spill the soil.
Make sure the soil is not too wet.

If the disease has overcome the plant, use fungicides and insecticides to combat it. To accelerate growth, you can fertilize flowers with compost, peat or nitrogen. Forget-me-nots are combined with tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths. The plant looks good next to ponds and borders.

Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that angels scatter these blue flowers over the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky. In addition, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, for all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial perennial as a garden forget-me-not from seeds.

Description of forget-me-not garden

Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in the temperate climates of Europe and America, Asia and South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants that prefer moist and shady places.

The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-sowing, rather strong seedlings are obtained, capable of overwintering in the conditions of our winters. Garden forget-me-not growing from seeds

Choosing a place for planting forget-me-not garden

In order for forget-me-nots and its flowers to please you when growing at home, you need not only to choose the most suitable species for you, but also to plant it correctly. A plant such as garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. The flower can also grow in the sun, but it shows its decorative qualities most fully in partial shade. It is a mistake to believe that the sun will increase the flowering period - on the contrary, the flower petals will “burn out” from bright sunlight. You should not plant a forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.

Growing seedlings of forget-me-not garden from seeds

When two true leaves are formed (usually after 3-4 weeks), forget-me-nots are pulled or planted in pots (1-3 plants) or on seed beds at a distance of 5-7 cm between plants. To keep the bushes compact, the cultivation of forget-me-not seedlings is carried out in partial shade. Seedlings are periodically watered, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed. For better tillering, seedlings are pinched. Forget-me-not is fed with a complex mineral soluble fertilizer for seedlings once every two weeks. Gradually increase the concentration of fertilizer. In late August - early September, forget-me-nots form a dense rosette of leaves. In this form, they are planted in a permanent place according to the scheme recommended for the variety (15-25 cm between plants) and watered well.

Planting seedlings of forget-me-not garden

Some sources indicate that it is necessary to plant young forget-me-nots in open ground at the end of August. Forget-me-not garden cultivation from seeds

Forget-me-not garden breeding methods

Forget-me-nots are becoming more and more popular among flower growers and appearing in flower beds more and more often. Different methods of flower propagation are used, which we will talk about. When to sow forget-me-not seeds? The best time to plant this wonderful flower with seeds is July, as the soil is already warm enough, and there is still a month for the seed to adapt and take root. Before planting, mix the earth with humus, moisten it a little, make shallow holes and pour forget-me-not seeds into the open ground. Seeds need to be sprinkled with sand a little on top, covered with a film, which must be removed after 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks after sowing, you can not remove the film, water the seeds. They should “ban”, then the plants will take root better.

Cuttings are the most popular method of propagation when working with forget-me-nots. For cuttings, you need to choose a well-grown bush and cut off the highest cuttings just below the stem. The stalk must be placed in water until it takes root. Then it is planted in the ground. To do this, in the prepared soil (moistened, fertilized with peat and humus), shallow holes are made, plants are planted in them and a little sprinkled with dry earth from above, watered under the root. Fertilize after 5 days. It is better to take a universal one, making sure that there is no ammonia component in its composition.

Forget-me-not propagation by dividing bushes is not as complicated a process as it seems. The root of the flower is very loose, and it can be divided with one movement of the pruner. It is necessary to gently shake the earth from the root of the plant, select the part of the rhizome with the “knee” (bend), cut it vertically. For better engraftment, the roots can be dipped in a solution of universal fertilizer. Then the bushes are planted, like ordinary seedlings. After dividing the bushes, next year, the seeds will disperse themselves, and there will be much more bushes, which should not be allowed. It is necessary to thin out the bushes, because if the forget-me-not is planted too densely, this will cause the color to be less abundant and bright. Garden forget-me-not growing from seeds

Garden forget-me-not care

It is very easy to care for these unpretentious flowers, they only need careful watering under the root so that water does not fall on the green parts of the plant, and loosening the soil layer. Do not flood the plants, otherwise they will rot or become sick. If the soil is constantly dry, then forget-me-nots tend to fade very quickly. In order for the plants to propagate by self-sowing, select a few bushes and leave faded inflorescences on them so that the nuts with seeds ripen. For the rest of the forget-me-nots, remove the inflorescences after flowering, otherwise they will flood the entire area. Forget-me-nots can be transplanted to other places both in autumn and during the period when they already have buds or flowers; these plants tolerate transplantation very well. In spring and autumn, you can feed forget-me-not bushes. To do this, in 10 liters of water, add and stir in a teaspoon of nitrophoska, potassium sulfate and urea. You can also take mineral complexes ("Flower", "Emerald", "Agricola"). Forget-me-nots can be damaged by cruciferous fleas, aphid colonies, slugs, scoops. Diseases that can affect plants: rot (root and gray), powdery mildew (true and false). For the prevention of rot, forget-me-nots can be treated with Hom, and from powdery mildew - Soon or Topaz. When aphids appear, it is necessary to spray with Iskra.

If the winters in your area are harsh, then in the fall, mulch the forget-me-nots, cover them with spruce branches.

Forget-me-not (from lat. Myosotis) belongs to the Borage family. There are more than 50 species in the genus that grow in Europe, Africa, America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia, Russia. The plant is located in wet, sometimes swampy areas. In Russia, this flower is well known and loved, it has received among the people such names as "gourd", "pretty", "fever grass". Start building in your garden beautiful flower garden from forget-me-nots, cultivation and care are the main issues that need to be studied. And our article will help you with this.

Plant characteristic

Small, usually blue, flowers on long stems.

Forget-me-not flowers can be:

annual;
two-year;
perennial.

The stems are long, reach 40 cm. The leaves can be lanceolate, sessile, spatulate, linear-lanceolate. Flowers in color - blue, pink, white. Collected in inflorescences. The fruits of the plant are small dense boxes in the shape of a nut, inside there are many black shiny seeds. They take root well and can remain viable for up to 3 years.

Types of forget-me-nots

More than half of all types of forget-me-not grow in the territories of Russia and former USSR. Let's take a look at some of the most famous.

Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris). Place of distribution - rocky terrain of the Caucasus, the Carpathians, the Alps. The rhizome of the plant is short, the stem is low - up to 15 cm. The leaves are light green, and the petals are dark blue. Likes to be in bright light, in these conditions it can bloom up to 7 weeks. Propagated by seeds.
Marsh forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris). It grows in moist soil, along the banks of reservoirs and swamps. Stems are long, branching. The leaves of the flower are large, bright green. The petals are pink or blue, the flowers are relatively large, up to 1.2 cm in diameter.
Forget-me-not field. Counts medicinal plant. The shoots are low, the flowers are small, blue.
Forest forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica). Perennial with a long stem, green oval elongated leaves. The flowers are numerous, arranged on pedicels and collected in curled inflorescences. Depending on the variety, the color of the petals can be pink, blue, blue. The plant loves shade and moisture.

Breeders are constantly deducing new types of forget-me-nots with flowers of various colors - purple, yellow, cream.

Breeders have already created forget-me-not varieties with pink and purple flowers.

Alpine forget-me-not is rarely found in the nature of our country, most often its domesticated version is grown, which is called "Alpine garden forget-me-not" (Myosotis x hybrida hort). it garden plant very unpretentious - grows well and blooms in the sun, in the shade, in drought conditions. Even withstands small, up to -5 degrees, frosts. It can bloom for a long time - about 45 days. Popular varieties forget-me-not garden:

"Music" is a tall flower with dark blue petals.
"Indigo" - small bushes up to 15 cm tall, with blue flowers.
"Rosilva" - small plants, pink flower petals.
"Victoria" - the bushes are small, rounded, with pale blue flowers.

Home care

Forget-me-not grows and feels great in natural conditions, so is unpretentious plant. It is usually grown in the garden or in the greenhouse.

Lighting

Although it is believed that forget-me-not flowers grow well in the shade, sunlight they still need it. It is necessary to provide conditions when the grown flower is in the sun from 3 to 6 hours a day, partial shade conditions will be ideal. In this case, flowering will be more abundant.

Given the recommendations, in the garden you need to choose a place where the flower will be half a day in the sun and half a day in the shade. Indoors choose the south side, not forgetting to curtain the windows in time. You also need to remember about regular ventilation.

Watering

For watering, forget-me-not is more demanding. It grows well only in moist soil, so it should not be allowed to dry out. It is better to water infrequently - about 1 time per week, but plentifully, moistening the soil well. Regular spraying of the flower with warm water is allowed. Irrigation frequency is calculated based on external conditions. If the forget-me-not is in the sun for a long time, you need to water it more often, if in the shade - less often.

Diseases and pests

Due to their natural hardiness, forget-me-nots are less susceptible to diseases and pests. Problems can arise as a result of improper care. If you water frequently and allow acidification of the soil, it may develop fungal diseases- gray rot, powdery mildew. In this case, spraying with fungicides will help.

How to grow forget-me-not

When choosing the soil for growing a plant, you need to consider two factors:

the soil should not be too nutritious, otherwise the forget-me-not will grow strongly and practically not bloom;
the soil should not be poor sandy, otherwise the flower will not grow well.

The ideal option is moist meadow soil. Next, you will need to monitor the level of humidity and observe the irrigation regime.

Forget-me-not needs to be fertilized infrequently. After planting, after 2 weeks, liquid mineral fertilizer must be applied. In the spring it is better to feed with peat and humus, and in the fall with organic mineral fertilizers.

During the period of plant growth, the soil must be periodically loosened to provide better access to moisture and top dressing. But forget-me-not does not need weeding - powerful root system does not give weeds a chance to break out. For the winter, the plants are not covered with anything.

Landing

For planting in the garden choose a shaded place.

First you need to choose a place in the garden where the forget-me-not will receive enough light and be in partial shade. You can grow the plant next to tall flowers that will cast a shadow. For example, a sprawling fern is suitable as a neighbor.

In open ground, the method of growing from seeds is best suited:

The soil is well loosened, peat and humus are introduced, then leveled.
Furrows are made on the surface and seeds are laid out in them, retreating between the holes of about 10 cm.
Seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil and covered with polyethylene on top.
Water regularly, keeping the soil moist. This must be done carefully, spraying or passing water through a piece of matter.

Shoots of forget-me-nots appear 2 weeks after planting. When the first leaves appear, it is necessary to thin out the sprouts or plant them at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Flowering begins in May and lasts up to 2 months.

Another option for planting forget-me-nots in the garden is to pre-grow seedlings. To do this, in the fall, the seeds of the plant are sown in containers with light soil, slightly deepening. Under the soil layer there must be a layer of expanded clay. It is better to water seedlings before germination through a sheet of paper.

With the advent of leaves, seedlings dive and move to a cold greenhouse until early spring. At the end of April, seedlings can be planted in open ground. Flowering will begin in May.

Regardless of the method of cultivation, planting and caring for a forget-me-not will not cause much trouble.

reproduction

By correctly planting and propagating the forget-me-not, you can create a beautiful carpet of flowers on the site.

There are three main ways to propagate forget-me-nots:

Seeds. Seeds can be harvested by hand during fruit ripening. To do this, dried branches with fruits are cut off and the seeds are shaken out in the place where they want to grow forget-me-not. But it is easier to let the plant propagate by self-sowing, after transplanting it to the right place. The main thing is to prevent the strong growth of forget-me-not bushes, periodically thinning them out.
The division of the bush. You can propagate forget-me-not flowers by dividing the bush into several parts. A transplant is done at any time of the year - the root system of the flower is very strong, it can easily take root.
cuttings. The method is suitable for breeding varietal forget-me-nots. In early June, you need to cut off the green shoots at the top of the bush (about 5 cm). They are planted immediately in open ground, shaded and covered with a film. Water carefully, trying not to fall on the leaves. For better tillering, pinch a little on top. Plants propagated in this way bloom in the same season, but not for long. For the winter, the plant is covered with spruce branches or peat.

If you plant and propagate forget-me-not flowers correctly, you can get a beautiful multi-colored carpet that will decorate the garden.

Quite often, this humble plant is called the "Queen of May". One of the legends says that angels scatter these blue flowers over the earth so that people at least occasionally remember the sky.
In addition, despite the fact that the name of the flower in different languages is noticeably different, for all nations it has almost the same meaning - "do not forget me." In this article, we will talk about how to grow such a touching and symbolizing perennial of devotion and fidelity as garden forget-me-not.

Legends and beliefs

In many European countries in ancient times, forget-me-not was honored as a special plant, and even holidays were held in its honor. In Russia, this flower was also called prigozhnitsa, feverish and witchcraft grass. Our ancestors believed that if you put a wreath of forget-me-nots on your loved one, then it will bewitch him stronger than any witchcraft.

In Germany, there is still a widespread belief that the garden forget-me-not can open a treasure, as well as help find out the name of the betrothed. Blacksmiths of many countries believed that steel, hardened in the juice of this fragile plant, became stronger and lighter, and the blade from it could cut iron.

Botanical characteristic

Forget-me-not garden blue, alpine and any other belongs to the genus of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). In total, there are about 80 species in the genus Myosotis, and 30 of them grow on the territory of our country. Other types of forget-me-nots can be found in the temperate climates of Europe and America, Asia and South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Forget-me-nots are herbaceous plants that prefer moist and shady places. The height of the strongly branching stem of this plant can vary from 10 to 40 cm. It has sessile leaves of a pointed lanceolate shape. The petals of its many flowers can be blue, blue, pink, white and even cream. Forget-me-not garden forms racemose inflorescences. It blooms from May to mid-July, after which it forms fruits - nuts, in which black, very small oval-shaped seeds ripen. When the fruit cracks, the seeds fall to the ground and germinate. As a result of such self-sowing, rather strong seedlings are obtained, capable of overwintering in the conditions of our winters.

Views for the garden

Despite the great species diversity and many different modern varieties, the following forget-me-nots are most often used in floriculture and ornamental gardening:

marsh (Myosotis palustris);
forest (M. caespitosa);
alpine (M. alpestris);
arranged flowers (M. dissitiflora);
alpine garden (M. x hybrida hort).

In gardens, the most common cultural form is the alpine garden forget-me-not.
Based on it and the species listed above, various hybrids have been created today and many varieties have been bred that differ from each other not only in the color of the petals.

Popular varieties

Today, garden forget-me-nots with flowers painted in various shades of pink are popular:

Victoria Rose.
Rosilv.
Carmen King.
Pink dawn.
Hope.

Blue and blue garden forget-me-nots are always in demand, the cultivation of which is exactly the same as for flowers of a different color.
Quite widespread are such dark blue varieties as the Blue King, Indigo, Blue Basket, Ultramarine. Fans of sky blue and light blue will be pleased with such varieties of garden forget-me-not as Music, Blue Dali, Compinidi, Miro, Victoria, Pompadour.

We select a place

A plant such as garden forget-me-not prefers loose, moderately nutritious and moist soils with good drainage in light shade. The flower can also grow in the sun, but it shows its decorative qualities most fully in partial shade. You should not plant a forget-me-not on very rich soils, as the plant begins to "fatten" and forms a powerful bush that practically does not bloom.

Beautiful garden forget-me-not: planting and care

This delicate flower can be propagated by most different ways. You can sow the seeds directly in open ground or grow seedlings, divide the formed bush. In the case of especially rare varietal specimens, propagation by cuttings is possible.

The most easily accessible way that garden forget-me-not propagates is growing from seeds directly in open ground.
Such a planting is carried out on warm and dry days of June or July, having previously prepared the soil on the site: they dig up the soil, add about 30 g of nitrophoska and 3-4 kg of humus mixed with peat per 1 m2. Then upper layer the soil is dug up again, leveled and well spilled with water. After that, shallow furrows are made in the soil, where tiny forget-me-not seeds are sown. From above they are sprinkled with fine river sand and gently compacted. Landings are covered with non-woven covering material or film and left for two weeks. Depending on temperature and other external factors shoots appear, as a rule, this happens after 14 days. They are opened and cut.

In the first year, the plants will form only a rosette of leaves, but they will bloom in the second year after planting.

Reproduction through seedlings

Usually, the cultivation of garden forget-me-not through seedlings is carried out for annual varieties, such as, for example, Mon Ami Blue. Seeds are sown superficially in pre-prepared containers with well-moistened soil in late March - early April. For seedlings, a special soil mixture is made, consisting of fine river sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 2. Before the emergence of seedlings, containers with seeds, covered with glass or polyethylene, are kept at a temperature of +20 ... +23 0С, and after five days it is lowered to +18 ... +20 0С. All this time, the seedlings should be well lit.
After the appearance of sprouts, fertilizing with weak solutions of mineral fertilizers can be carried out and watered as the topsoil dries up. In May, seedlings, often already with buds, are planted in open ground, covering them for the first time both from the burning sun and from recurrent frosts. By the end of July, the plants will have already faded and their seeds will ripen.

We create conditions

After the plant has been planted in a permanent place, it needs to be provided with moderate regular watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. When watering, you should try not to get water on the plant itself, but direct the jet closer to the roots.
The first top dressing is carried out before flowering, approximately 14 days after planting the plant in a permanent place. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers dissolved in water according to the instructions are suitable. In autumn, both organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil under the forget-me-nots, and in the spring, a small, about 5 cm, layer of peat-humus mixture or well-rotted compost mixed with garden soil is poured under the bushes. It is important to remember that garden forget-me-not quite aggressive and spreads rapidly by self-seeding. To prevent this, you should immediately remove faded branches, thereby preventing the setting of seeds and their further unauthorized "movement" in your area.