How long does dichondra germinate. Dichondra is an attractive plant for hanging planters, a novelty in modern floristry. Use in garden compositions

Creating a shady terrace with a plant tent is very simple today. To do this, there are many varieties of plants with climbing stems on sale. Among them you can find the most real diamonds. For example, ampelous dichondra flowers (Dichondra) have not yet been fully appreciated by flower growers only because of their low prevalence. But in fact, this is an absolutely unpretentious plant that grows not thanks to, but in spite of any conditions that the grower and nature creates for him.

Planting and care will not be difficult even at home. The earlier you sow, the more likely it is that by the beginning summer season the real green screen for a balcony, loggia or veranda will already be ready. With the help of well-placed planters and mixes from other flowering plants you can form a real flower garden with various color accents. The photo shows ampelous dichondra in a variety of ways to combine it with other representatives of the flora:

In fact, this is an ampelous plant intended for landscaping areas, forming a background for flowering plants, covering the soil in alpine hills and flower beds. Two varieties are widespread: "Silver Falls" and "Emerald Falls". Their main distinctive features, the rules of planting and care in the process of growing from seeds are described in this article.

Meet the dichondra flower and its photo!

So, get acquainted, this new guest in the collection will provide a lot of opportunities for phytodesign. The dichondra flower and its photo can be viewed on this page, tips on growing it from seeds are immediately given.

It is worth starting with the fact that the history of the popularization of culture in the country has only a decade. For the first time, graceful round leaves, forming an unforgettable beauty of a living waterfall, were presented to amateurs at a specialized exhibition in 2004. The debut did not go unnoticed - dichondra was awarded medals of the highest standard for originality, unpretentiousness and universal purpose.

But let us return to the origin of the species, which belongs to the vast family of bindweeds. For the first time, a representative of this species was discovered at the end of the eighteenth century in East Asia. A few decades later, similar plants were brought from America, Africa and Australia. But initially, no corresponding bet was made. The grass, unremarkable in its natural growing conditions, did not cause great delight among botanists. A little later, the attention of florists was attracted by the possibility of forming a soil cover when creating rock gardens. Thus began the history of the popularity of the inconspicuous ampel culture.
And today, despite numerous works in the field of breeding, dichondra flowers allow the formation of dense flowing waterfalls of emerald or silver vegetation. However, do not wait for flowers, this is an exclusively deciduous plant.

The branches are graceful and striking in length. With proper care, the lashes can hang down 6-8 meters. They are densely covered with small leaves round shape. Foliage color can be bright green or silvery, depending on the cultivar.

A quick set of deciduous mass allows in a matter of weeks to form an imitation of a waterfall or a running green stream on a personal plot. There are many ways to use this representative of the flora. In the photo, ampelous dichondra is presented in various types practical application:

"Silver Falls" or "Emerald Falls"? You can mix and match!!!

Currently, two hybrids of the plant are widely distributed. These are "Silver Falls" the Latin name of Silver Falls and "Emerald Falls", the Latin name of Emerald Falls. the first grade is distinguished by its exquisite and unusual appearance. The fact is that its leaves and lashes have an exceptionally silvery tint, which, when exposed to sunlight, glares and creates the impression of flowing water. It is the perfect backdrop for vibrant buds of flowering plants such as lilies, asters, dahlias, petunias, nasturtiums and many more.
Dichondra "Emerald Falls" is a more familiar green foliage and lashes, which creates the most comfortable conditions inside its entwined gazebo or balcony. Excellent resistance to prolonged direct sunlight. But at the same time, she loves when, when leaving, she is regularly sprayed with settled warm water from a spray bottle. After the procedure, a pleasant freshness appears and the turgor of the leaves increases. But a little shading wouldn't hurt either.

Which variety to choose for phytodesign personal plot or decorating a balcony in an apartment? You can combine both types, alternating them or creating amazing compositions. By the way, planting dichondra along the edges of the planter gives an excellent result, in the center of which bindweed, petunia or dahlias will grow.

To cover the soil in the garden, it is better to choose a green shade. But for an alpine slide, a silver dichondra will be very useful. It will give the impression of running jets of water between beautifully planted plants and placed stones.

Growing ampelous dichondra from seeds at home: planting and care

Please note that before you grow dichondra at home, you need to familiarize yourself with botanical features plants. The fact is that the flower does not tolerate dry air and constant elevated temperatures. For its proper growth and development, regular pruning, spraying the foliage with water and a sufficient amount of sunlight are required.

It is practiced to grow ampelous dichondra from seeds, since it is extremely difficult to acquire layering and cuttings of the plant due to its low popularity among flower growers. Yes, and the rooting process is much slower than we would like. Therefore, seed propagation is optimal way get BEAUTIFUL PLANT.

Dichondra seeds are planted in January-February, depending on the time when it is required. mature plant for landscaping. Here you should know that the flower enters its full glory 4 months after germination. Those. to receive a planter for taking out to the balcony at the end of May, sowing is required in early February. For sowing, soil is prepared in a mixture of 3 parts of sand for every 3 parts of fertile soil. It is necessary to close the seeds to a depth of 5 mm. After watering, the container is wrapped in a plastic bag to retain moisture and sent to a warm place where the temperature is kept at 25 degrees Celsius. This speeds up the process of seed germination as much as possible. After the first shoots have appeared (this can happen after 10-12 days), it is necessary to completely remove the plastic bag and put the seedling container in a bright place.

As 3-4 true leaves are formed, a picking procedure is carried out. You can transplant immediately to a permanent place of growth in a pot. Initially, 3 shoots are enough to form 1 bush. As they grow, they bend down to the ground, give roots and new shoots. Thus, it is possible to form a dense bush with high decorative value in 2 months.

Planting and caring for dichondra are not particularly difficult, the only thing you should pay attention to is the air temperature. It should be in the range from 18 to 26 degrees Celsius. These are the most favorable conditions for the rapid growth and development of the plant.

In nature, the ampelous dichondra is a representative of the marsh flora, so the humidity of the surrounding air is very important for it. When spraying the deciduous mass once a day, growth is accelerated by about 25%, and spraying in the morning and evening leads to a twofold acceleration of the growth process.

Watering should be done with care. Excess moisture in the soil is detrimental to the plant. But overdrying the soil is also not worth allowing. In the process of caring for dichondra important point is the timely introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers. From liquid organic matter, Ideal can be recommended - it is applied 1 time in 2 weeks. At intervals of 1 time per week, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied with a predominant nitrogen content, which is important for the rapid set of deciduous mass (Agricola).

Requires pruning, which allows you to form a lush crown. Pruning is also required when preparing dichondra for wintering in a city apartment. It is advisable to root new cuttings in February to rejuvenate the plant.

Do not leave pots with this type of ampel culture for the winter on the street. Be sure to bring it into a house or apartment and you will have the opportunity to get a sufficient number of cuttings for subsequent propagation. Bushes do not lose their decorative effect with proper care for 5 to 7 years.

Ampel dichondra is one of the most beautiful ornamental plants, which are ideal for decorating balconies, verandas and garden plots. It is used to create shading in arbors, decorate flower beds and as a ground cover when decorating alpine slides and flower beds.

Under natural conditions, this culture grows in humid tropical and subtropical forests in East Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

In decorative floriculture, it is ideal for decorating territories, hanging planters, lawns, and creating decorative sculptures. Decorative foliage serves as a good background for flowering representatives of the flora when creating compositions.

In winter gardens, with its help, compositions are created with the effect of a waterfall, stream or river. When touched with the soil surface, it quickly takes root and continues to grow as a ground cover.

It is used to decorate lawns located in shaded areas or among trees where it is not possible to use other ground covers.

Growing and caring is not difficult, so gardeners fell in love with her.

Description

This is an evergreen perennial ampel culture that grows in well-moistened places. Curly shoots reach a length of one and a half meters. They serve as an excellent decoration for flowerpots or are used as a lawn plant.

Long stems are densely covered with small leaves with silky pubescence. The leaves are round or kidney-shaped. Depending on the grade, sheet platinum can be painted in silver green or deep green.

Flowering occurs throughout the summer. Liana blooms with small, almost imperceptible flowers, painted in white, pale blue or light green.

Varieties of dichondra

Under conditions of natural growth, the number of varieties of this shrub is unknown. For decorative application florists and landscape designers grow two types.

Emerald waterfall. The stems of the plant are of medium length. The leaves are small, emerald green. Flowering lasts all summer period. Small bright yellow-green flowers bloom periodically on the plant.

Under natural conditions, the liana grows in New Zealand, where it is considered weed. Very often it is grown as a lawn plant because it does not require periodic cutting. It is also used to create garden sculptures, design of fences and vertical surfaces.

Liana Emerald Falls does not require the creation of special conditions for growing. It grows well in shady and well lit areas. sunbeams plots. To give dichondra a well-groomed appearance and freshness, it should be sprayed periodically.

Dichondra emerald waterfall: growing from seeds.

Growing dichondra is not difficult. Before planting, prepare a plot of soil. The soil is dug up and moistened. The soil for dichondra should be loose, nutritious, well pass moisture and air. The seeds are sown in open ground and lightly covered with soil. Soil moisture should be maintained until seedlings emerge. After the shoot of young plants, care consists in timely watering and feeding. mineral fertilizers.

Silver waterfall is propagated by layering and seeds. Propagation by layering is the easiest way. To do this, in early spring or autumn, cuttings are cut from an adult plant, which are rooted in water. Roots appear in 7-10 days. After that, young plants are planted in 3-5 shoots in small containers. After 2-3 weeks, dichondra is planted in a permanent place in flowerpots or planters. Reproduction by layering makes it possible to obtain healthy plants with high decorative qualities.

Dichondra ampelous: growing from seeds

Sowing seeds is carried out in January-March. It depends on the time of planting dichondra in open ground. The decorative qualities of the shrub are fully manifested 4 months after seed germination.

The conditions for growing dichondra are quite simple and do not require additional effort.

Dichondra ampelnaya is one of the most unpretentious and easy-to-care plant varieties, so gardeners most often choose it for seed breeding. The seeds of the plant have good germination.

While creating right conditions they come up pretty fast.

Before sowing, soil should be prepared, consisting of an equal amount of coarse sand and peat. In order to ensure germination, a nutritious, light, well-permeable soil is required.

Before planting the seeds, the soil is placed in small containers and thoroughly moistened with a spray bottle. Seeds should be placed on the surface and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil or sand, then covered with glass on top to maintain temperature and humidity levels.

Within 10 days after germination, the glass is removed and the containers are taken out into a bright room with no high temperature.

At the end of May, seedlings are planted in open ground.. If there is no threat of frost, then the transplant can be performed in April.

Young bushes are planted in separate holes at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from each other. When growing, the shoots of dichondra braid free space and form a spectacular carpet.

To care for the plant, gardeners do not require special knowledge or skills. In order for the dichondra to please with its attractive appearance for a long time, some simple rules must be observed:

despite the fact that the plant easily tolerates a lack of moisture, it is required to water the plant in a timely manner. This will help to avoid drying of the lower leaves and the loss of decorative qualities;
ampelous dichondra is fed once every 10-15 days using mineral and organic fertilizers.
the plant needs periodic pruning, which helps not only provide the necessary length of shoots, but also stimulates the growth of dichondra in width, creating the desired density. During trimming, you can create a variety of compositions.

Ampelous dichondra in garden design

The plant is used to form waterfall compositions, which are placed in elevated areas, flower beds, hanging planters or containers.

Looks good in a group planting with ampelous begonia, petunia, lobelia or geranium. Silvery leaves of dichondra will create a wonderful backdrop for flowering plants.

Single crop plantings can decorate areas near the house or hide the walls of buildings. For this purpose, Green Waterfall dichondra is planted, which is not afraid of shading and can be used as a ground cover among trees and shrubs.

Dichondra is used to decorate balconies, loggias and verandas, for planting along garden paths and hedges.

Dichondra plant

Dichondra (lat. Dichondra) has recently been used in floriculture. In 2004, the plant received a well-deserved silver medal at an international exhibition held in Moscow. Since then, the popularity has been growing year by year. And this is not surprising, because the dichondra plant is very attractive, with its help you can create magnificent compositions in hanging planters, and not only.

The sonorous name comes from the words from the Greek language, δίς (dis) - means "two", χόνδρος (chondros) - "grain", which is directly related to the fruits. The plant is originally from New Zealand, although it is found in many parts of Australia, East Asia, and America. Grows there like a weed. In Cuba, dichondra is called "bonus" because it begins to bloom at Christmas.

Ampelous dichondra (Dichondra)

Description

Dichondra is a genus of perennial ampelous or creeping herbaceous plants bindweed family (Convolvulaceae). The root system is superficial. The height of the shoots reaches only 15 cm, but the average length is 0.95 - 1.55 m. The stems are branched, creeping, quickly rooting in leaf nodules

The leaves are simple, kidney-shaped, alternate on rather long petioles, entire, often heart-shaped, having a length of 0.5 to 2.5 cm. Dichondra flowers are inconspicuous, tiny, purple, white or yellowish-green, 2-3 mm in diameter. The fruit is a spherical capsule with two capsules of hairy seeds in a small amount.

Dichondra in hanging pots

Species and varieties

Quantity existing species disputed. Some scientists divide the genus into ten separate species, while others distinguish only two species. Members of the genus are known as ponysfoots, and are similar to many plants found in tropical and warm temperate regions around the world.

Dichondra micrantha sometimes used for lawns as a groundcover. The leaves are round, horizontal, 8-25 mm in diameter. Height 20-35 mm. A well-groomed lawn consisting entirely of dichondra is difficult to grow and maintain in good condition.

Dichondra in the design of a high border

Creeping Dichondra or silver (D.repens or D. argentea) - a species on the basis of which 2 popular varieties are derived (others cannot be found on sale yet):

Emerald waterfall - with green leaves. It can grow both in the sun and in partial shade.
Silver waterfall - with leaves of a silvery color. Shoots can reach 1.5 m. It grows best in the sun with sufficient watering.

During the growing season, there may not be flowering, but small purple flowers may form, which do not add decorativeness to the plant.

Dichondra brachypoda. The leaves are bright green, almost round or curved.

Photogallery of species

Cultivation and care

Before planting, the “seed bed” should be carefully prepared; for this, it is scrupulously treated with pesticides. After the plants grow, weeds are very poorly removed. Any place for culture is suitable - sunny, shade, but partial shade is better.

Please note! You should not get carried away with the shadow, excessive darkening slows down growth.

Dichonda is not demanding on the soil. Prefers deep loose, well-drained soil. Loam with neutral acidity is quite suitable. On fertile lands, the plant grows more intensively and forms more large leaves.

The term for planting dichondra in open ground or hanging planters depends on the climatic features of the region. IN middle lane seedlings are planted in late May or early June. The month of May is suitable for planting in the southern regions, and early to mid-June is suitable for the northern regions.

Please note! Planting is carried out only upon the onset of steadily warm days, otherwise the weak seedlings will die.

Proper care for dichondra when growing - an excellent result

Dichondra is moisture-loving and requires a sufficient amount of moisture and leaf spraying, but does not like waterlogging or complete drying of the soil.

To achieve the desired decorative effect in the summer, every two weeks, fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen and potassium should be carried out. In winter, dichondra does not need top dressing.

To improve branching, the plant is pinched after the appearance of the eighth true leaflet. And then in the process of growth, they are regularly cut to form a dense crown.

Weeds must be removed carefully so as not to damage the roots located shallow in the ground.

Lawn dichondra requires a haircut. Mow it to the height required for each site. The procedure is carried out every two weeks during the summer months. But mowing too low is not recommended, so as not to get bare spots as a result.

During wintering, the plant is provided additional source Sveta. Good lighting is the main condition for a successful wintering.

Remember! Cuttings after shearing simply root under the film at any time.

Dichondra - an unusual landscape of the square

Wintering

The mother specimens are stored in the winter in a tropical or subtropical greenhouse, it is possible on a glazed balcony, in extreme cases in room conditions. To do this, separate the light window sill with a film to create cool conditions. In the Southern regions, some types of plants do not have to be brought into the house, but you should sprinkle the root system with earth and cover the plant with a film, and sprinkle the leaves from the trees on top.

It is important to know! When transferred indoors for the winter, long lashes are cut (they are used for grafting) and watering is reduced. But keep in mind - a lack of moisture will lead to the folding of the leaves, and the plant will slowly die.

Dichondra mixed with other plants

reproduction

seeds

To grow dichondra from seeds, they can be sown from the end of January to mid-March. For this you need:

Pour dichondra seeds into a light, moist substrate and sprinkle them with a thin layer of earth.
Cover with foil and place in a warm place where the temperature is not lower than +21˚С.
Before germination, maintain constant humidity in the greenhouse.
They will sprout in 8-9 days. The amount of moisture should then be reduced. The first leaves do not look like ordinary dichondra leaves.
After the appearance of 2 true leaves, the seedlings dive, transplanting into separate containers.
With the onset of warm weather, seedlings are planted in a place intended for them.

Remember! In an apartment, daily spraying of foliage is necessary, but not waterlogging of the soil.

Seedlings of dichondra

cuttings

Propagation of dichondra by cuttings is much faster and easier. The cuttings root wonderfully. You can plant at any time, but it is better to cut in the fall in order to plant beautiful rooted plants on the site in the spring.

Pests and diseases

Of the pests, fleas, aphids and whiteflies annoy dichondra. All of them are relatively easy to eliminate with the help of insecticides. But diseases are best prevented. Some tips for disease prevention:

instead of mulching, it is better to pull weeds by hand;
if the plants have formed a dense carpet and the soil surface is not visible, the amount of watering should be reduced;
apply nitrogen fertilizers during the growing season should be in reasonable quantities.

Flower arrangement using dichondra

Use in landscape design

Dichondra is perhaps the best ornamental plant used for hanging baskets and planters. The silvery kind of culture is loved for unusual color foliage, serving as a wonderful backdrop for any flowering plants and reminiscent of overflows of flowing water. With its help, it is easy to create an imitation of a flowing stream, waterfall or lake.

It effectively decorates high borders, the falling stems of which, reaching the ground, take root and grow like ground covers. She feels great under trees, where lawn grasses do not germinate. It is sown between the slabs on the footpaths. You can move around on it, although this is often not possible. It suits for rocky garden. Often planted in tubs with other flowers.

The patchwork "carpet" lawn, which is obtained as a result of the joint cultivation of several undersized creeping plants, also looks great.

Among all the ampelous plants, the beauty dichondra is the most unusual and attractive. Cascades of emerald or silver-green densely leafy shoots resemble a waterfall in shape, which is reflected in the name. Dichondra is widely used in the design of arbors, terraces, balconies, but it looks most impressive in separate groups in hanging planters. The plant is best propagated by layering and cuttings, but if desired, it is easy to grow from seed.

Dichondra belongs to the bindweed - a family of perennial evergreen herbaceous vines. She was brought from tropical latitudes, where she chose wet swampy areas and forests. In the wild, the plant is most common in eastern Asia, northern America and Australia. Curly stems reach 1.5 m in length, and the surface roots that develop 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 because its flowers are small, inconspicuous, pale yellow.

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

The "Emerald Falls" has small round leaves of rich green color. In Australia and New Zealand, it is a well-known weed that is ruthlessly eradicated by homeowners. But on the European continent, he is recognized as one of best plants for ampel design. Most often, this variety is grown in hanging planters, 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 emerald carpet.

"Silver Falls" is distinguished by the color of the leaves and the greater length of the stems. This variety does not tolerate shading well; with a lack of light, its decorative properties are reduced. It is less demanding on moisture, recovers well after a short drying of an earthen clod in a pot.

Dichondra in the garden interior

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

The most common combinations are:

Some hang plant pots under the roof eaves, then the emerald waterfalls stand out beautifully against the white walls. Along garden paths and around flower beds, creeping shoots also look very good, especially when combined with crops of contrasting colors, such as bright red salvia or sunny marigolds.

Growing from 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, it is necessary to sow seeds in winter. In mid-latitudes, the optimal time for this is mid-January - early February, for the northern regions, sowing dates are transferred to mid-February - early March. Pre-sowing treatment seeds do not require, and therefore you can immediately proceed to the main process.

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

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

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

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

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

Hatching seedlings need more air, which means that the film should be removed from the boxes. During this period, sprouts are very sensitive to temperature changes, and even small drafts can kill seedlings. On cloudy days, backlighting is necessary, because with a lack of lighting, the plants will begin to stretch unnecessarily.

Watering is done with a spray gun and only as needed. Despite the fact that dichondra loves moisture, excess water is fatal for small seedlings. Seedlings should be thinned after the first two true leaves appear. All weak sprouts are discarded, leaving a distance between the remaining ones of about 2-3 cm. After that, it remains only to maintain the optimum temperature in the room 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 noticeably grow up. As a rule, the maximum decorative effect of dichondra appears 100 days after seed germination, but only under favorable conditions. When lateral shoots form and the plant gets stronger, you can plant it in a flower bed or in hanging baskets. The soil in the flower bed is well loosened, holes are made for each plant separately, leaving 25-30 cm between them. The soil around the bush does not need to be strongly compacted so as not to damage the roots, it is enough to pour plenty of water after planting and sprinkle with mulch.

When transplanting into pots, it should be borne in mind that in order to create a lush crown, 4-5 seedlings must be planted in a pot with a diameter of 10 cm. If the number is reduced, it will not be possible to form a waterfall from 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 fall below minus 3.5 degrees. The sowing process is very simple: the selected area is loosened, moistened, and then the seeds are evenly scattered. The seed consumption is 10 g per square meter. Next, the soil is rolled, watered again, and kept moist until shoots appear. You can sow throughout the season - from April to October. The grown seedlings of dichondra are fed with nitrogen liquid fertilizers. Such a lawn is highly decorative and resistant to trampling, tolerates shading well.

plant care

Dichondra "Emerald Falls" is rather undemanding in care, and therefore it is not at all difficult to care for it.

Plant care steps	Primary requirements
	It does not take much effort to form a beautiful bush, because the plant itself creates a neat crown with densely hanging stems. Periodically, the upper lashes are shortened to emphasize the "waterfall" shape, damaged and knocked out total mass shoots. After wintering, pruning is done without fail, leaving shoots up to 8-10 cm long. This contributes to the formation of new lashes in the axils of the leaflets.
	Feed twice a month special formulations for ornamental deciduous crops. The last top dressing is carried out in early September, subject to wintering in a cool room. If dichondra is transferred to an apartment for the winter, the bushes are fed once a month with minimal doses. In order for the foliage to be dense and have a rich color, nitrogen and potassium should prevail in fertilizers.
	The plant loves moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water, therefore, when planting, an important condition is the presence of good drainage. In addition to root watering, it is also necessary to spray the leaves 2-3 times a week, during dry periods - daily.

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

Wintering dichondra

In our latitudes, dichondra is grown more often as an annual, because the plant does not tolerate frost. But if you have the ability to provide the necessary conditions in an 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 lashes are cut off, abundantly moisten the ground, put the container on an elevated place. Dichondra looks very nice in openwork forged podsvetochnik. Care in winter period comes down to periodic watering and top dressing once a month. After turning on the central heating, the leaves should be sprayed with water every day.

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

Propagation by layering and cuttings

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

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, covered with foil or cut bottles. With the onset of cold weather, pots with cuttings are brought into the house, constantly maintaining soil moisture.

Video - Dichondra emerald waterfall: growing from seeds

Florists and landscape designers like to use ampelous plants for plant compositions that can create a unique decorative effect. Most prominent representative living nature, creating an evergreen continuous cascade, is dichondra. An emerald bright green or silver-ashy waterfall, created by long falling branches, with small rounded leaves, fascinates with its charm.