Today's topic of our gardening investigation: aubrieta, planting and care, photos, when to sow seeds, and the best varieties to plant. A favorite among gardeners worldwide, aubrieta has undeniable advantages: it's evergreen, a delight to the eye in winter and summer, and comes to life earlier than other plants in spring. Its small purple, pink, or blue-crimson flowers are a delightful addition to any spring and summer garden.
Aubrieta can create a vibrant carpet, create a stunning living wall, decorate flowerbeds, camouflage unsightly areas and fences, and so on. Its uses are endless.
See also: Planting petunias for seedlings in 2016.
Planting by seeds
If you decide to buy aubrieta seedlings, be careful; replanting can seriously damage their viability. It's better to grow them yourself in peat pots and then transplant them into the garden without any transplanting. This way, the delicate roots won't be damaged, the plants won't experience significant stress, and they'll thrive. In warmer climates, aubrieta can also be planted directly in the ground in May.
Aubrieta thrives in super-sandy soil; a rocky ridge is fine, and it prefers a sunny spot. If you're planning a rock garden, it should be near the front. When planting, it's a good idea to add calcium to the soil in the form of eggshells or chalk. To sow the seeds, dig the bed, remove weeds, and moisten the soil. Scatter the seeds lightly over the surface, sprinkle them with sand, and water gently with a watering can.
Planting by cuttings
If you've managed to grow good aubrieta bushes from seeds, in a couple of years, once they've matured, you can easily propagate them by cuttings. And in just a few years, your entire garden could be planted with this wonderful aubrieta. And if you choose different varieties and use them in different arrangements, both vertical and groundcover, you can decorate your entire garden with aubrieta alone.
We recommend watching: Marigolds - growing from seeds, when to plant.
How to care
We can't say that aubrieta requires little care; it's demanding and craves a lot of attention from its owners. It does, however, dislike overwatering, though it only requires more intensive watering during dry weather. Young plants are delicate, but as they mature, they require less care and are less of a hassle.
One more nuance This plant loves the sun, so much so that it needs to be planted in the sunniest spot. It won't even grow in partial shade and won't bloom. Therefore, if you want to admire its blooms, give the sunniest spots to the aubrieta.
Planting aubrieta in raised areas is also a good option, as it doesn't tolerate standing water. If the area becomes flooded during rainy periods or spring thaws, the plant will surely die.
You can safely leave it uncovered for the winter in southern regions, but in colder climates and harsher winters, you should cover it well with fallen leaves. This protective covering will help your favorite plant survive the winter and delight you with early blooms in the spring. In the spring, remove the covering, trim away any damaged areas, shape the crown, and your plant will come alive again, ushering in a new, eye-pleasing bloom.