The lovely ageratum plant comes from the Asteraceae family, and there are up to 60 species. It is also known as "long-flowering" because it retains its freshness for a long time when cut. Ageratum flowers are small and fragrant, gathered in small inflorescences that can reach up to 1.5 cm in diameter. One gram of ageratum contains 7,000 seeds, which remain viable for up to four years.
To grow perennial lilies from seed, they should first be planted as seedlings in late March. The soil should consist of three parts: humus, peat, and sand, taken in equal parts, and be sure to keep it moist at all times. Seedlings will only begin to emerge after a few weeks, and until they do, be sure to cover the container with plastic or glass.
The seedlings will need to be planted when all frosts have passed, and choose a sunny and windless site for them, because if you plant them in the shade, you will end up with untidy bushes instead of miniature ones.
Ageratum care is simple. You'll need to water it, loosen the soil, and, of course, remove weeds. You can also feed it with mineral fertilizer. To ensure long-lasting blooms, deadhead the faded flower buds. If you decide to collect seeds from your plant, wait until it finishes blooming and then wait another 15 days for the seeds to fully ripen before harvesting. Since it's very heat-loving, it needs to be repotted for the winter. This should be done in late summer or early fall. This way, it will easily survive the winter in your house or on your patio and will delight you with its blooms for a long time to come.
Sometimes mold appears on your flowers, and you can't figure out what's going on. It's actually quite simple: you overwatered your plant and it starts to grow mold. To get rid of it, you need to cut off the moldy flowers and thin out the bush to allow more fresh air to reach the roots. Then, in a couple of days, the mold will disappear. Aphids or spider mites can also damage your plant. To prevent this, treat it with a nettle infusion during the infestation, and your flower will be safe from any insect.
When you buy an argentum flower, look at how each variety grows; you'll learn about some of them now:
- Ocean is an early type of flower that grows only up to 20 cm and has a lilac color,
- Bavaria - this flower produces large inflorescences and has two colors: white or blue in the middle, and purple at the edges,
- blue mink - the plant's color is lilac-turquoise, and its growth reaches 30 cm,
— White Hawaii f1 is a cute plant of small growth, only 18 cm, but it blooms with beautiful snow-white flowers,
- Summer Snow is a fairly tall plant among its relatives, as it grows up to 40 cm, and the color of its buds is indicated by its name,
- Pink Beauty - this wonderful flower will complete our list, it is quite small, only 15 cm, and its color is initially dark pink, but then it seems to fade and becomes pale pink.
Choose any option you like and plant it in your flowerbeds, rock gardens, and also decorate your yard with this beautiful ageratum plant.
It's also interesting to plant perennial flowers in the garden that bloom all summer. Let's learn about them. from this article.