During the period of my work as a landscape designer, I have gained enough experience to competently advise this or that plant.
There are specific plants that are rarely used for landscaping gardens, but there are universal ones that fit well into any landscape. I consider garden yucca to be such a universal plant - I will tell about planting and caring for it in the article.
Yucca - tree shrub, which belongs to the agave. The leaves of the plant have a characteristic structure: they are very rough, elongated, xiphoid. The leaves are arranged in a circle, in the middle of which a flower rosette is formed. Photo of the plant on the site.
The color of the foliage has a bluish or calm green tint. In the center is a peduncle: quite large, having pinkish or white flowers.
Yucca flowers are very beautiful - they look like large bells and are located on the plant multiple times. After the flowers fly around, a seed-fruit is formed in their place. During the season, from 80 to 170 flowers bloom on one plant.
Kinds
Modern science has discovered about 30 types of yucca. There are real giants among them, growing more than 10 meters in height, there are also compact herbaceous shrubs. Most species can only grow in southern or tropical climates, so in Russia there are only two varieties of yucca:
- gray-gray;
- filamentous.
Let's talk more about these types.
Filamentous
Of the two varieties presented, this one is more popular. In addition, on the basis of filamentous yucca, many interesting and very ornamental varieties plants.
This plant has almost no stem. The socket is located almost flush with the soil, surrounded by large, hard leaves sticking out in different directions. It is very similar to a palm fan, only without a trunk.
Yucca filamentous blooms: the flowers are lush, white-cream shade, multiple. The shape of a yucca flower resembles a bell.
Sizaya
Outwardly resembles the previous variety. However, her leaves are narrower and longer, shaped like needles. The foliage is faded, as if faded, a little bluish.
Peduncles are tall, strewn with yellowish delicate bells. Externally flowering plant reminds a candle - very beautiful, decorative. Flowering can be observed in the second part of the summer season.
Landing
Consider the main features of rooting.
hardening
It is undesirable to plant a plant immediately on the garden bed. First, it is recommended to harden the yucca to allow the plant to adapt.
To do this, the yucca is taken outside for a while, every day making the procedure longer.
Location selection
We recommend choosing a bright area for yucca in the garden, on a hill. It is undesirable to plant a plant in the shade and in the lowlands, since under such conditions the decorative effect of yucca suffers greatly. With a lack of light, the foliage of the yucca is strongly drawn out, and in variegated varieties it turns pale.
Yucca, without any problems, is able to grow in the very sun - where more delicate garden plants cannot be. Therefore, if your garden has such an unused area, feel free to plant yucca there - and the landscape will change.
The site should be protected from drafts - the southern plant does not like cool breezes. In addition, fragile yucca flower stalks break from strong gusts.
The soil
The soil on the site should be loose and not too clayey. Lime, chernozem, sandy and rocky soils are best suited for this plant.
dense, clay soil will not work in this case. But if the soil in your area is clayey, it can be made looser by adding sand and peat.
Yucca garden does not like excessive waterlogging. Therefore, it is undesirable to plant it in places with a close occurrence of groundwater. In a low-lying area, it is recommended to raise the yucca flower bed.
Temperature
The plant will feel good without sudden temperature changes, in conditions of stability. Optimum temperature for growing yucca garden, the range is from +15 to +22 degrees. However, yucca is able to withstand temperatures up to +35 degrees and very dry air.
Site and pit preparation, planting
If the plant is young, a small hole breaks out, but with a margin. If the plant is three years old, the recess parameters should be from 70 to 100 cm on one side. A hole is dug 40-50 cm deep.
Plot for spring planting you need to start cooking in the fall. At the bottom of the dug hole, a drainage layer of coarse gravel and two handfuls of wood ash are poured.
Landing is best done in May, since by this time average daily temperature reaches +10 degrees in most regions. The plant is placed in a hole, its roots must be straightened and sprinkled gently with soil.
Important: the root neck of the plant should be flush with the edge of the recess.
Water the plant and mulch the root circle with dry soil. The measure will help keep the soil moist for a longer period, and also rid the yucca of weeds.
Aftercare
Learn how to care for yucca in the garden.
Watering
Moisturize the soil regularly, but not too often. The plant does not tolerate excess moisture. Therefore, it is recommended to water only when the top soil layer is thoroughly dry.
You can also spray the leaves if the weather is too dry. Perform this procedure in the evening or in the morning so that the leaves do not suffer.
Loosening, mulching
After watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil in the garden to make the soil more permeable. At the same time, remove the weeds that have appeared. Keep in mind that yucca will grow much worse in dense and weedy soil. Mulch so that moisture evaporates less. Sawdust and leaves are used as mulch.
top dressing
The introduction of additional nutrition is carried out twice during the growing season. Use should be mineral complexes for succulents.
The first time top dressing is applied at the beginning of the growing season in May, the second time - after the yucca has faded.
Transfer
If the yucca is already for a long time grows on the same bed, she needs a transplant. A change of residence favorably affects the growth and flowering of the plant.
Usually transplanted after 3-4 years of growth in one place. It is undesirable to carry out the procedure more often. You can understand that the time has come appearance plants: leaves turn pale, rosette becomes wrinkled.
Plant the plant in a place that is similar in conditions to the old one. It is recommended to perform the procedure either in spring or at the end of summer. It is necessary to dig very carefully so that the roots do not suffer.
Why does not bloom after transplantation? Because the flowering of the plant after this procedure occurs only in the next growing season.
Wintering
The plant is quite frost-resistant, despite the southern origin. Without shelter, yucca is able to withstand short-term frosts down to -25 degrees. But if in your region frosts fall lower in winter, for example, in the Moscow region, you should prepare the plant for wintering more carefully.
Interestingly, even if the yucca freezes, it still survives. The plant may not bloom this year due to the freezing of flower buds, but next year it will fully recover.
Prepare for wintering around the end of October. The leaves are tied together with twine, thus covering the flower outlet from freezing and snow.
Then mulch the root zone organic materials: peat, foliage, humus. For the south, this is enough, but in colder regions, sheltering yucca for the winter should also mean sacking, agrofibre, thrown over the top.
reproduction
At home, garden yucca is usually propagated vegetatively. You can also use seeds, however, this method is much more troublesome and lengthy.
Vegetative propagation implies the following options:
- division of the bush;
- cuttings.
The division of the bush
This is a simple method that is usually used during the next transplant. You can only share an adult yucca. The optimal time for the procedure is spring: the end of April-May.
The procedure involves cutting the plant into several parts and then planting each of the parts in a new separate place.
cuttings
The method is also quite simple and can be used at any time. For cuttings, only healthy, strong shoots are used, preferably apical ones. The procedure is recommended to be carried out in the spring.
Need to cut the escape under acute angle and treat the cut site with a fungicide solution. Then dry the cutting a little and plant it in the ground, insulating it with polyethylene on top. The cutting takes root in about 20 days.
So, we learned what a garden yucca is, as well as how to care for it. This wonderful shrub is able to bring an exotic touch to any garden landscape. Growing yucca is not difficult - even a beginner can handle it. And the unique appearance of the plant and its unpretentiousness will appeal to absolutely everyone.
02.12.2016
33 833
Yucca garden - the secrets of gardeners that you did not know about!
An unusually beautiful garden yucca is found quite often in summer cottages and household plots, but many gardeners do not dare to acquire a flower in the country, citing a lack of growing experience. In fact, the care of the plant is not demanding, and it reproduces easily. Not without nuances, but good advice, described in the article below, will allow you to find out why the yucca does not bloom, how transplanting and pruning occurs, as well as the basics of planting and care ...
Content:
Planting yucca in open ground
Yucca is an unpretentious plant, quite hardy, easily tolerates drought and heat. However, the defect of the flower is excessive moisture in the soil, which can lead to the development of rot on the roots and provoke the appearance of various diseases, in some cases the death of the entire plant.
For planting, yuccas choose sunny places, away from vigorous trees and shrubs, which can not only create shade, but also take food, preventing them from fully developing and blooming in full. You should not plant garden yucca in a lowland, places where water accumulates. An incorrectly chosen place is also reflected in the external state - the leaves fade, become less dense, the trunk stretches too high, as a result of which the yucca looks untidy.
When is the best time to plant yucca, autumn or spring? Most the best time- spring, when the earth warms up and the threat of frost passes. Before planting outside, a flower can be grown at home in a pot or greenhouse, but then the plant must be hardened before planting in the ground so that it does not die. Within 7-10 days, the yucca is gradually taken out into the street, tamed to natural conditions and increasing the time spent outdoors.
Plant yucca in autumn, especially in middle lane Russia, in Leningrad region, Moscow and Moscow region, also in the Urals and Siberia is not recommended due to climatic conditions. Unpredictable weather may not allow the plants to get stronger until winter, so it's best not to risk it and postpone transplanting until spring.
flowering yucca garden - pictured
Soil composition for yucca by and large it can be anything, the flower takes root everywhere, but it will grow well in fertile land with a large supply of nutrients. Dig a hole about twice the size of the yucca root system, add drainage to the bottom (if the soil is heavy and clay). Add sand to the ground for greater looseness and breathability. Set the seedling in an upright position, fill it with soil mixture without deepening the plant.
At the same time, make sure that the yucca does not stick out of the ground after planting, plant flush with the ground. Watering the yucca after planting in open ground is required, pour a bucket under the plant or more water if necessary. Moisture should saturate the ground well to the very roots, so irrigate in small doses, gradually spending the required amount of liquid.
Garden yucca care
To save the plant after planting in the ground, you need to monitor watering, do not flood the flower, irrigate as necessary during dry periods. After planting, the yucca should not be cut off withered leaves. Due to the fact that two- and three-year-old yucca seedlings can release a peduncle and begin to bloom. If you cut it immediately after transplanting, you will not see flowering. Usually yucca begins to bloom from the third year of life, a refined long stem with beautiful snow-white flowers resembling bells.
yucca in winter - pictured 
yucca hibernates without shelter - pictured
It should be noted that if roses are grown nearby on the site, other flowers susceptible to aphid invasion, then the rose garden must also be sprayed. In summer cottages and household plots, except for folk remedies in the fight against insects on garden yucca, fungicidal and biological preparations- Biotlin, Fitoverm, Entobakterin, Intavir, Karate, etc.
It is advisable to loosen the soil under the flower, removing weeds and breaking the earthen crust for better oxygen access to the roots.
A young yucca transplant at the age of two or three years to a new place is possible if necessary. How to transplant yucca? Water the plant so that when digging the roots do not come off, but together with a clod of earth come out under the bayonet of a shovel. You can transplant yucca during the entire growing season, in spring, summer and even autumn (only in the southern regions and in the Kuban). Flower fertilizer after transplantation is not carried out for the first 30 days, so as not to burn the roots.
Feeding yucca is carried out once a year in early spring, as a rule, mineral complexes are also used. It is advisable to loosen the soil under the flower, removing weeds and breaking the earthen crust for better oxygen access to the roots.
Yucca is relatively winter-hardy, therefore, without shelter, it sometimes winters even in the Moscow region. It is advisable to cover in the winter, using any covering material available (agrospan, spunbond, film, etc.), the root zone can be mulched with humus, peat, leaf litter (preferably oak, as it does not fade).
Yucca breeding
In most cases, yucca is propagated by lateral offspring (layering), root division, and less often by seeds. mature plant at good care can produce a significant number of daughter outlets, which can be found under the bush near the base of the growth. You need to take seedlings that have already developed a root system so that rooting goes well and the plants take root in a new place.
yucca breeding - pictured
To plant a yucca garden division rhizomes, in the spring, cuttings 7-10 cm long should be prepared from the rhizome. Before planting, it is better to sprinkle the petioles with crushed coal, leave for 4-5 hours to dry, then plant in nutrient soil to a depth of 10-12 cm, water. After about 18-21 days, the first sprouts will begin to appear.
Propagation of yucca by seeds is similar to the propagation technology indoor flower of this type. To grow yucca from seeds, only fresh seed is taken, which is soaked in water until it swells at room temperature. Sowing is carried out in March or April in a nutrient soil mixture, deepening the seeds by 1.5-2 cm.
The container with crops is covered plastic wrap, glass and clean in warm place. After about 28-30 days, the first shoots will begin to appear. The film is removed, the pots of yucca are placed in the light, after a week they dive into separate pots. Transplantation of yucca grown from seeds into open ground is carried out after 12-16 months.
Yucca pruning for beauty and rejuvenation
Yucca pruning is carried out in order to rejuvenate the plant and obtain new growths. To awaken dormant lateral buds, in early spring, after the snow melts, the main stem is cut off, stimulating the development of lateral buds, from which new rosettes will develop in the future. If there is no need to grow new shoots, the plant overwintered well, only bad and dry leaves are removed.
Yucca is very decorative when growing in one stem. With proper care, the height of the peduncle exceeds 1.5 m, the number of beautiful large flowers can reach 250 pieces per plant. Before subjecting the crop to a haircut, consider whether it is necessary to resort to this procedure.
Usually, yucca is pruned after flowering, removing the faded stem and bad foliage. To give a decorative effect to the plant, the leaves are not cut off completely, retreating a distance of 3-5 cm from the trunk, so the trimmed yucca will not look naked, the trunk will be in scales. Even in winter, yucca in the snow decorates the garden, becoming a striking element in the landscape design of your site.
Yucca garden belongs to the agave family. It reaches a height of 45 to 190 cm. The color of the perennial can be snow-white, cream and yellow. The flowering period is long: from May to July. America is considered its homeland. V vivo culture grows in the tropics and subtropics. The genus contains shrubs, shrubs and trees. Some species can live up to 8 centuries. Outwardly, the garden plantation is similar to a palm tree, for which it is often called a false palm tree.
At the heart of the plant is a shortened stem, some species do not have it at all. In giants, the stem transforms into a trunk. The root system is fragile, reaches 75 cm in length. The color of the leaves depends on the species and variety, they can have a green, gray or gray color. Their shape is lanceolate, linear, the ends are decorated with pointed spikes. The flowers are massive, about 9 cm in diameter. Gathering in inflorescences, they form a large, fragrant formation up to 190 cm in length. The fruit is a capsule with black seeds. Some species bring berries that are edible and have a sweet taste.
Use in landscape design
Any kind of yucca will help add exotic and originality to landscape design. It is great for group and single landings. Any relief can serve as a background:
- mowed lawn;
- open lawn;
- rocky area ().
The garden planting harmoniously fits into, rabatka and mono-flowers.
Yucca will do well as a centerpiece on personal plot. It is also used for landscaping parks and squares. V Lately She is regaining her former popularity. Thanks to her picturesque appearance and unpretentiousness, she regains her leadership position in and.
Apart from decorative function the plant still struggles with soil erosion and corrosion, it is planted on slopes and sandy soils.
Combination with other plants
Bush species create a luxurious composition with many decorative, flowering representatives of the flora. Refined, calm beauty is complemented by:
- poppies;
When selecting neighbors, it is worth considering the agrarian requirements of yucca for moderate watering, even on hot days.
Plant propagation
seeds
This method is used in March. A temperate climate favorably affects the maturation of planting material. Once harvested, they do not need to be dried or stored. Can be planted immediately. For this, a special substrate is used. You can buy it in a special store or cook it yourself. To do this, you need to take in equal parts leaf and sod soil, river sand, previously sifted.
The seeds are small, so you do not need to deepen them into the ground, they will be able to break through a thick layer of earth. It is enough to evenly distribute them over the surface of the soil, sprinkle thin layer sand and spray with water. After the container is covered with a film or glass, leaving it in a bright, dry room. The first shoots will appear in 4 weeks. After that, the cover can be removed.
As soon as the first true leaf appears on the young shoots, they can dive into separate containers. It is best in peat cups, so as not to damage the fragile root system. Transfer to open ground after the formation of 4 leaves.
cuttings
Can be done in April. To prepare planting material the upper fragment is cut from the stem, along with part of the foliage. Before planting, the cutting must be dried in a dry, warm room. Root in containers with sand or peat. In order for the root system to form faster, the box is regularly sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. It is transferred to open ground in June.
garden stem
Popular and effective way. Using a sharp knife, cut off part of the stem. The most suitable part is located 2 cm above the root collar. Dry it before planting. Transfer to the ground in a horizontal position. The planting hole is filled with sand or perlite. Before the appearance of sprouts, the stem is regularly moistened.
The appearance of roots is a signal for separation. The stem is divided into a certain number of seedlings, each must have a part of the root.
By dividing the bush
This method is chosen by inexperienced growers because of its simplicity. In mid-April, an adult healthy bush suitable for division is dug around. Carefully removing from the ground, separate the "children" from it. It is almost always a large number. Each should have part of the root and shoots.
Landing and care
Site selection and soil preparation
In regions with long winters, only 10 types of yucca are used that can endure without harm low temperatures. But when choosing a site for planting, do not forget where these exotic perennials come from. The place should be open, sunny and without stagnant ground, and melt water. A long-lived culture is capable of delighting with its decorative appearance for more than 20 years.
Garden planting is not demanding on the soil. But the most favorable are nutritious. If this was not on the site, you can prepare and add a nutrient mixture to the planting pit. It consists of sand, humus peat and the upper layer of soil in equal parts. The acidity level must be checked. It should not exceed 7.
Of great importance when planting is the size of the hole. It should be much larger than the root, it grows rapidly. Each planting hole is provided with a good drainage layer of small stones, pebbles or brick fragments.
Mulching is carried out after each top dressing and watering. Small wood shavings are used.
Watering and fertilizing
Moderate hydration is required. From its overabundance culture can die. With a deficiency, decorativeness and flowering are reduced. Watering is recommended when the top layers of the soil are completely dry from the previous one. Wrapped leaves serve as a signal that the plant is sorely lacking in water. If they are directed vertically, there is no need for watering. Water is not poured into the core, but only the root zone is moistened.
The first fertilizer is added to the soil at planting. used full complex of minerals. In the subsequent time, top dressing is carried out if necessary, 1, less often 2 times during the growing season. A working infusion of chicken or cow droppings is used.
Pests and diseases
Shchitovka - a common pest of yucca
Most often, a false palm tree is attacked scale insects, spider mites and slugs. To combat them, special chemicals- fungicides. For prevention, the leaves are treated twice a day with vodka.
Pruning and winterizing
Do not trim low wilted leaves. This may lead to late flowering or even its absence. Carry out pruning in the spring. Do not be afraid to cut the stem, instead of it, new sockets will begin to actively develop. So the plant is rejuvenated and healed.
Frost perennial tolerates well. But additional insulation not prevent. Gardeners cover the plant and cover it from above wooden box. The ground around is covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. A thick layer of snow will help to endure the winter favorably. Once temperature regime will rise steadily and avoid the risk of repeated frosts, the structure can be disposed of.
landscaping and landscaping country cottage area an unusual and original plant will help, outwardly resembling a tropical palm tree - yucca. An exotic shrub is called a "garden palm" or a "tree of happiness", and many gardeners and summer residents are sure that yucca brings happiness and good luck to its owners.
How whimsical is the plant, can it grow and reproduce in the local climate, and how can it be used? Let's try to understand everything in order.
Yucca - exotic in the garden
Yucca is a very showy and ornamental plant of the Agave family. This is a perennial tree-like shrub with a slightly branched (sometimes branched) stem. There are varieties of yucca, in which the stem is very small, it is practically invisible, and the leaves rise above the ground in a bunch.
Yucca is especially beautiful during the flowering period - the inflorescences are erect and quite long (about 200 cm) grow from the very center of the leaf rosette. The flowers are white in color, and in shape they resemble ordinary bells, but larger (the size of the flower is about 7 cm in length).
Yucca grows very quickly and already in the first year the plant reaches 1.5 meters (the height of an adult plant is about three meters).
Yucca is often used in the creation of flower beds, in the general garden composition and as a single decoration of the site. Yucca may well become a central element in landscape design, it will look great as a tapeworm in a park clearing or green lawn.
Yucca is also used for the "edge" garden trees, planting a group of 3-6 plants of the same species.
If garden conditions allow (good lighting), then you can arrange paths and paths with yucca - this will add softness and bring an atmosphere of comfort to the suburban area.
Yucca looks very exotic and is able to diversify and enliven any garden plot, but it must be borne in mind that not all types of yucca can grow in open field and delight with beautiful green foliage and abundant flowering.
The healing properties of yucca
Studies have shown that yucca contains antioxidants, chlorophyll, enzymes and other beneficial substances. Medicines on the basis of yucca lower cholesterol levels, increase the body's resistance to diseases and help get rid of polyps in the intestines.
Yucca has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, helps to cleanse the body of harmful substances and raises blood pressure.
Yucca leaves are also used in dermatology. Decoctions are prepared from it for external use for such skin diseases as: lichen planus, neurodermatitis, eczema, psoriasis.
The extract from the fibers of yucca and flowers is used in cosmetology - it is part of creams and shampoos
Large fleshy leaves of the plant contain anthraquinones and steroidal saponin, thanks to which yucca is used in the synthesis of hormonal drugs that have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects.
Yucca root is widely used (especially in the US) in the treatment of arthritis and bursitis. Positive effect achieved due to the anti-inflammatory properties of the plant (reduces swelling) and the presence of saponins (prevent the formation of new cartilage).
The composition of the root crop includes toxic glycosides, therefore, it is impossible to use the root without pre-treatment. Processing includes drying, soaking and fermentation
What types of yucca can be grown outdoors
The genus Yucca includes about 40 species of perennial tree-like plants that came from the subtropics of North America.
Yucca can be grown indoors or grown outdoors - it depends on the type and variety of the plant chosen. For planting yucca on garden plot The following types of plants are commonly used:
- yucca filamentous;
- gray yucca;
- elephant yucca.
Yucca Filamentous successfully grows in our climatic conditions- able to withstand short-term temperature drop to -20 degrees. It is most popular among summer residents and gardeners - thanks to its beautiful appearance and relative unpretentiousness in care.
The leaves of the filamentous yucca are xiphoid in shape (length - 30-60 cm, width - 3-10 cm), slightly bent at the top, and the edges of the sheet are framed by dense protruding threads. In August-September, the plant blooms. Peduncle in the form of a branched panicle (height - up to 2.5 m), on which white cup-shaped flowers are placed (length - about 7 cm). The stem is practically absent - salient feature filamentous yucca. Landing and care require compliance with a number of rules:
- the soil for planting should not be clay;
- a place for growing yucca is sunny;
- for the winter the plant needs shelter.
Yucca has a short trunk, grayish-green leaves with light edges (length up to 90 cm, width - 1-2 cm) are collected in a bunch. Inflorescences racemose, narrow and small-branched. The flowers are yellowish or greenish white. Yucca gray-grass tolerates drought well and may well grow on the sands. Yucca can be planted on a slope where water cannot linger, but will flow down. When growing yucca with gray, it is important to remember that waterlogging and partial shade can cause the death of the plant.
Gray yucca, like filamentous yucca, is frost-resistant, so it can often be found in gardens and parks in Russia and Ukraine.
Yucca Elephant more demanding on weather conditions and does not tolerate frost, so this species is more common in the south of the country. The plant has a wide trunk, which in an adult yucca is shaped like an elephant's leg. The shiny, sword-shaped leaves are light green in color and grow predominantly on the top of the trunk. From the bottom of the trunk, the leaves gradually fall off (a natural process) and the trunk is covered with numerous scars.
In summer, yucca ivory blooms with white flowers. Bell flowers grow at the very top of the plant and are collected in separate inflorescences.
Planting yucca in the garden
Before planting yucca in open ground, it must be hardened. To do this, within one to two weeks, the plant must be regularly taken out into the street, increasing the time spent in the open air.
Ideal for garden yucca - the sunniest, hottest place on the site. Well, if this place is on a hill. The area near which they are located is not suitable for landing. ground water- Yucca does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.
It is necessary to plant a young plant in the spring, when the air temperature during the day averages about 20 degrees, and at night - about 10 degrees.
The hole for planting yucca should be prepared in advance, in the fall. The size of the hole should be larger than the root system of the plant itself.
As a drainage, sand or coarse gravel can be laid at the bottom of the pit. It is necessary to sprinkle the drainage layer with a little ash, plant the yucca in the ground, gently sprinkle the roots with earth, pressing them with your hands. After that, the flower should be watered a little.
When choosing the composition of the soil for planting a plant, it must be taken into account that yucca does not tolerate acidic soils (the maximum allowable soil acidity is 7.5 pH). Chernozems, sandy, clay-stony and calcareous soils suit her.
Features of caring for garden yucca
Gardeners and summer residents, planning to plant a “garden palm tree” in their dacha, are thinking about the features of growing yucca. Care and reproduction will not require special efforts, you just need to know some of the features of this tropical plant.
watering and fertilizing yucca
Since yucca does not tolerate dampness, it should be watered only as needed. You should not water the yucca as soon as the soil has become slightly damp - you must wait until the top layer of the soil has completely dried.
However, if the leaves of the plant began to fade or dry out a little, then they can be moistened from the sprayer. It is better to do this early in the morning or in the evening when the sun is not so active.
During the period of active growth (spring), yucca needs fertilizer. As a top dressing, liquid humus or compost is suitable, as well as complex mineral fertilizers for succulents. Foliar top dressing can be carried out by spraying the lower leaves of the plant with solutions of complex fertilizers.
garden palm transplant
To preserve the beauty and flowering of the "garden palm", it is necessary to periodically replant the yucca. Care, replanting and changing the location of yucca in the garden must be carried out in accordance with the rules:
shelter yucca for the winter
Despite the fact that garden yuccas are frost-resistant, it is still better to insulate them. Because the plants calmly withstand only short-term frosts, and a prolonged decrease in temperature can affect the flowering of yucca or even lead to its death.
Young plants are especially in need of warming, which must be covered for the first two years.
In dry weather (late October - early November), the spreading leaves of the "garden palm" must be collected in a bundle and carefully tied (from bottom to top). A couple of layers of lower leaves can be left on the surface of the earth - they will become additional protection from soil freezing.
The base of the yucca can be covered with a thick layer of leaves and planks or sticks can be laid on them (for weighting, so as not to be blown away in strong winds).
You can cover the bush with polyethylene or pour a layer of earth around the base of the yucca (15-20 cm tall).
After winter, with the appearance of young leaves, old, yellowed leaves can be cut off, thus updating the plant. It is necessary to release the bound yucca leaves after winter in cloudy weather or in the evening.
diseases and pests of yucca
Like any garden plant, yucca is subject to diseases and attacks. various pests. After wintering or with high humidity, yucca leaves may become stained yellow color. This can also be observed in plants with a significant increase in air temperature or a long absence of a sufficient amount of sunlight. Some gardeners are trying to change the situation by highlighting the plant with a special lamp.
Among the most common pests that attack garden yuccas, the scale insect and slugs should be distinguished.
The first sign of appearance on the plant scale insects- Yucca leaves are covered with brown plaques. efficient folk method the fight against it is the daily wiping of the affected leaves with a cotton swab dipped in water, and weekly wiping (once a week) with a cotton swab dipped in vodka.
If the garden yucca was attacked slugs, then the plant must be treated with insecticides.
Among other pests found false shield, which settles on both sides of the leaf and leads to a slowdown in the growth of yucca. Measures to combat false shielding consist in spraying yucca with Actellik (10 drops per 0.5 liters of water) and wiping the leaf plates with the prepared solution.
From the underside of the sheet can settle spider mites . The color of the leaves loses its brightness, becoming pale green with yellowness. Whitish spots may form on the leaves, and over time, the leaves die off. Diseased leaves should be sprayed with a systemic insecticide or derris.
Yucca breeding methods
Reproduction of yucca is possible in a vegetative and seed way. V natural conditions cross-pollination of the plant occurs, in which the main role will be played by the moth butterfly from the genus pronuba. The butterfly carries pollen from flower to flower by laying eggs on plants. Developing seeds are quite enough to feed the caterpillars of the butterfly and further reproduction of the yucca.
Unfortunately, in our area, such a butterfly does not live and the propagation of yucca by seed is unlikely. Some summer residents try to pollinate a flower artificially - a ball of pollen is taken from the stamens of one flower and transferred to the pistil of another flower. However, this method of pollination is ineffective, since the probability of pollination is low.
Usually garden yucca is propagated by stem cuttings or by dividing the bush.
Consider step by step how to root yucca by cuttings:
- It is necessary to cut off the side rosettes with the stem with a sharp knife. Part of the leaves below can be removed.
- The cut should be dried a little and sprinkled with charcoal powder.
- The leaves on the stem can be partially shortened.
- Prepared cuttings should be planted in a greenhouse (planting depth - 3-4 cm) under glass or film. As a substrate for cuttings, you can use vermiculite, sand or a sand-peat mixture.
- Direct sunlight should be avoided in the greenhouse.
- Rooted plants are left under the film for the winter, warming them from above with leaves.
Cuttings should be carried out in the first half of summer, so that the cuttings have time to take root before the onset of cold weather.
The success of growing yucca on a personal plot largely depends on right choice type of plant, good location and compliance elementary rules for caring for her. Blooming yucca will harmoniously fit into almost any landscape design and may well become the central attraction of the garden.
Yucca is a fairly popular indoor and garden plant in our climate zone.
Although this palm tree comes from the hot tropics, it withstands frost quite well, without needing significant warming on winter period.
Therefore, garden yucca is actively used to create unique landscape designs in their household plots.
Preparing for planting yucca
Planting garden yucca in open ground is best done in spring or summer, when the minimum night temperature exceeds 7 degrees, so that the plant has time to form a root system by winter.
This flower is quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but it reaches the best decorative effect by growing in soil with an acidity of less than 7.5 pH and large quantity sand and humus. The ideal composition of the soil for planting yucca is the following: soddy land, humus, sand and compost in equal parts.
For planting garden yucca, it is better to give preference to a well-lit place located on a hill in the area. This is necessary to avoid waterlogging of the root system, since this part of the plant is the most vulnerable. Remember that planting a yucca in a place that is too shaded can lead to its death.
Yucca garden - landing
Before planting in open ground, the plant must be hardened off, for this, take it out in a pot in the open air for two weeks, gradually increasing the time it stays outside every day.
Yucca garden when planting in closed or open ground needs to create a drainage layer. For this purpose, small pebbles, coarse sand, pumice, chipped bricks, wood chips, coarse perlite and coarse peat. When planting yucca in a flower pot, you can use a special drainage that absorbs moisture, which is sold in flower shops.
Landing steps:
Dig a hole in the chosen place so that its size is approximately twice the diameter of the root ball of the plant.
Place a drainage layer at the bottom of the pit.
Carefully dump the plant into the hole and sprinkle it with earth without deepening its neck (the base of the trunk should be at ground level), and then slightly compact the soil around.
Immediately after planting, water the yucca abundantly, and then mulch it with grass to reduce moisture evaporation.
Propagation by seeds of garden yucca
When propagated by yucca seeds, garden planting in open ground should be done only after 2 years. Seeds are best planted in a container at the end of winter at room temperature from 18 to 25 degrees.
Yucca garden - care
Yucca is unpretentious plant, which is actually only afraid of waterlogging the root system. Therefore, the flower should be watered in moderation, focusing on the appearance of the yucca and the complete drying of the topsoil. If its leaves have fallen down, and the leaf threads have sagged, then the plant lacks moisture and needs watering. When the leaves wither, they can be sprayed with water in the morning or evening, when the sun is at its least active.
This plant periodically needs top dressing, especially during the period of active growth in the spring. For this purpose, any mineral fertilizers, compost or liquid humus are well suited. For foliar feeding the lower leaves of the palm should be sprayed abundantly.
For the speedy flowering of yucca garden care the usual can be replaced by shock therapy. To do this, it is necessary to keep the plant in a dark room with a temperature not higher than +5 degrees for 10-14 days, and then place it in a bright, warm room. sunny place. In order for the yucca to bloom faster, you should not allow the cutting of yellowed leaves!
Indoor yucca garden in the care is quite unpretentious. In the summer, the plant is better to take out on the balcony, as it loves sunlight and open air. Watering should be moderate and timely.
Yucca garden: transplant
Yucca garden in the open field can grow in one place for about 20 years, while indoor plant needs to be transplanted once every 2 years.
Transplant rules:
transplant yucca better in spring or summer;
Before planting, soak the roots in water for one hour, and after planting, water abundantly;
Special attention should be given to a powerful root system, trying not to injure it when the plant is thrown out of the pot;
After transplantation, the plant can not be fed for two weeks;
The cache-pot should be 3 cm larger than the diameter of the root ball;
After transplanting, the yucca must be placed away from drafts.
Warming yucca for the winter
Despite the fact that yucca is a frost-resistant plant, it is better to warm it for the winter, especially in the first years after planting in open ground. To do this, you must perform the following steps:
1. In autumn, collect dry yucca leaves in a bundle, tying them along the entire length.
2. Cover the plant with dry leaves around the trunk, and lay boards on top or sprinkle with earth. This is necessary so that the leaves are not blown away by the wind.
3. Cover the crown of the yucca with polyethylene in the shape of a cone and carefully tie it with twine or any other rope.
4. Yellowed old leaves can be removed in spring.
Reproduction of yucca garden
Reproduction of yucca in our climatic zone occurs by cuttings or dividing the bush. For propagation by stem cuttings, you must perform the following steps:
With a sharp knife cut off the side rosette of the yucca with the stem;
Remove the lower leaves so that all the forces of the plant are directed to creating a root system;
A fresh cut should be dried and sprinkled with charcoal;
Plant the resulting cuttings in a closed bright greenhouse, deepening 3-4 cm into the ground. Do not allow the soil to dry out.
Pests and diseases of garden yucca
The main prevention in supporting immunity to plant diseases is the right place to grow and proper care for garden yucca. But despite this, in rare cases, the flower can still be exposed to pests.
The main enemy of yucca is scab, after exposure to which the plant is covered with plaques Brown. To combat this pest, palm leaves are wiped daily with a damp cloth or cotton, and treated with vodka once a week. For destruction slugs that may appear on a yucca that grows in a personal plot, insecticidal preparations are used.
Colorless spots that appear on old leaves and turn brown over time are a disease called "spotting". The fungal environment affects the plant due to an excess of moisture. To combat this scourge, the plant should be treated with a fungicide and watered moderately.
Rot yucca can also be caused by waterlogging and excessive shading of the plant. When it is damaged, the entire crown of the plant suffers, the leaves of which are gradually affected by rot. In this case, you need to act immediately, otherwise the yucca will die. First, remove all damaged areas of the plant, and then treat it with a fungicide, repeat these steps if necessary.
cercosporosis- oval or other shaped brown spots that can increase in size over time. The cause of the disease is also an excess of moisture. Control measures: elimination of affected leaves, fungicide treatment and reduction of indoor humidity.
white rot - a serious disease of garden yucca. Infection of the plant occurs through the soil and is associated with an excess of nitrogenous fertilizers in it, waterlogging or lack of light. At first, the leaves of the palm tree become colorless, and then watery. The lower leaves of the crown are especially affected, and the disease is acute when the temperature drops to +15 degrees.
If this fungus is damaged, all affected plant tissues must be removed with the capture of healthy areas and wiped with an antiseptic. Then it should be treated with Fundazol or Rovral. If these measures are not effective, the yucca must be completely removed from the soil, dried a little and the integrity of the root system checked, and then transplanted into a new soil with a low nitrogen content.
marginal necrosis- a disease characterized by the appearance of a gray-brown tint on the edges of old leaves. The occurrence of necrosis most often provokes high humidity environment. To combat this disease, the affected areas of the leaves are removed and the plant is treated with Ridomil.