Ampel flowers: types and tips for care

Ampel flowers almost completely dominate among ornamental plants. Growing them is quite difficult compared to the usual ones. But all the same, it is important for gardeners to know how to grow a healthy culture at home, because ampels are very attractive, and this explains everything.

The characteristic feature of ampelous flowers, which distinguishes them from other ornamental plants, is revealed already in the name itself. Ampel literally translates from German as "hanging flower vases". Therefore, it is obvious that they are grown mainly in hanging pots. Such crops can be used in the design of home rooms, and in the home garden, and in the improvement of parks, squares, and other public places. Some ampelous plants are used as a ground cover crop.

The ideal "candidate" for the garden is petunias. They fit perfectly into hanging baskets. The overhang is possible by 0.5 m. Such crops are in demand in the design of summer cottages, verandas and even city streets. Sometimes you can hear about cascading petunias, but this is just an alternative name for ampel varieties.

Such varieties are always unpretentious outdoor plants. They:

• able to survive overheating of the roots by the sun;

• withstand occasional watering even during dry periods;

• form dense powerful thickets;

• bloom for several months in a row.

Usually successful cultivation is guaranteed when the temperature is reduced to + 10 degrees. The culture is excellent as a continuously growing flower. To this end, it will have to be brought home in late autumn, and in the spring it will be sent back to the street and planted in fresh soil.

Surfinia can also be grown outdoors. Strictly speaking, biologically this is the same petunia, only derived from aesthetic characteristics into a special group. Similar cultures emerged at the beginning of the 21st century. And almost immediately they were recognized as an excellent filling for the garden, resistant to rain and other bad weather. Surfinia quickly grows a whip and gives a lot of side shoots.

It is characterized by an increased abundance of flowering. The rate of development in general also inspires respect - only 45-60 days are spent on laying a lush bush and preparing it for flowering. Interestingly, there is no need to form surfini - it develops in an optimal way by itself.

Pelargonium stands out among other attractive ampel colors. However, the vast majority of domestic flower growers know it better under the name geranium. The immense popularity of Pelargonium is due to its exceptional ease of care and an impressive range of varieties. In total, about 250 types of geraniums are known. The number of varieties is at least an order of magnitude larger. Zonal species have unique leaf circles.

The color of the circles varies greatly, and the saturation of the main color also varies. Inflorescences also differ in color intensity. You can often see:

• beige;

• juicy yellow;

• pink;

• scarlet and other inflorescences.

Royal pelargonium can have no less attractive appearance. This group of plants is divided into a hundred varieties, and according to a number of experts, there are even more of them.The formation of large (in some varieties - larger than 0.07 m) inflorescences is characteristic. The leaves are rounded and slightly tapered at the edges. But it must be borne in mind that such a culture makes very high demands on the content.

Ivy and fragrant geraniums also deserve attention. In the second group, the aromas can be very different. Associations arise with oranges and tangerines, with nutmeg, apple, pineapple, many other fruits and herbs. Unfortunately, scented pelargonium cannot boast of very large inflorescences. Any variety and type of this culture is quite resistant to heat and drought.

When choosing hanging plants for pots, do not forget dichondra. This evergreen perennial belongs to the bindweed family. In addition to bindweed, morning glory and calistegia are considered its closest relatives. The literal name is related to the ancient Greek word for "two grains." The fruits of dichondra do indeed resemble a capsule of two chambers.

There are 10 species in the genus Dichondra. They inhabit subtropical and tropical regions of the globe. The plant entered culture relatively recently, but almost immediately it was appreciated. Dichondras grow well in the sun, light shade, and deep shade. The preferred soil is a slightly acidic drained loam.

Ampel dichondra in height does not exceed 0.15 m.ato the length of the shoots can reach 1-1.5 m. Flowering occurs in the last month of spring and throughout the summer. Typical pollinators are small insects. Dichondra leaves are lush and round in shape.

Among the ampelous plants with red flowers, verbena occupies a very good position. This culture is characterized by minimal demands on conditions of detention and looks very good. It blooms for a long time and with a timely cut off of wilted buds, it will remain beautiful until the very cold. In most of the territory of our country, verbena is an annual crop. The vast majority of its varieties are cultivated from seeds.

Verbena can be grown in any garden area. It is also suitable for decorating the territory left after the barren flowers. But more beautiful than others will be the bushes that develop on well-lit ground. Foliage and buds resist wilting for a long time, even in direct sunlight. Sometimes vervain is grown in flowerpots and flowerpots, which is facilitated by the compactness of the plant's root system.

Calibrachoa can be a good alternative. This culture looks like a powerful ball of bell-shaped flowers spread over the entire surface of the bush. She decorates not only gardens, but also long galleries. Calibrachoa is becoming an increasingly frequent guest on balconies and window sills. There are so many flowers that counting them is extremely tedious. The flowers of this plant are distinguished by a pronouncedly heterogeneous color, and, curiously, the transitions between the two flowers are very sharp.

Another attractive ampelous flower is impatiens. It can hardly be called a new species, but the use of culture in domestic gardening and floriculture is well developed. Impatiens is better known under the names "balsam" and "touchy". This genus contains about 500 species. All of them are characterized by fleshy foliage of a solid structure, which has a pure green or red-green color.

Impatiens is found in virtually the entire temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, even on both sides of the Atlantic. The fruits are juicy and elongated. For every gram of fruit weight, there are about 100 seeds.

Diastia definitely deserves attention. It is actively used to decorate balconies and terraces. The landing of diasses is practiced in:

• containers;

• hanging baskets;

• pots of the usual type.

This species also has ground cover varieties. The length of the stems ranges from 0.25 to 0.6 m. The shape of the flowers is unusual - it is extremely rare to find trilobate tubular perianths. The diameter of the flower is about 0.02 m. But the total number of these flowers at the peak of flowering is enormous, and the color is very different.

Like other southern cultures, diastia should be planted in illuminated areas. The plant needs frequent, abundant watering. Excessive fertility of the substrate can be detrimental to the flower. Wintering in open ground is not possible. Even a shelter does not allow you to maintain all the splendor of flowering for the next year.

Viola has both annual and perennial varieties. In this genus of the violet family, there are, according to various sources, from 400 to 700 species. The plant inhabits areas of a temperate climate. The exactingness of culture is small, and even inexperienced growers will be able to bring it out. The height of the viola is small - usually 0.15-0.3 m.

The bush ampelous form can reach 0.5 m. Reproduction is practiced both by seeds and cuttings. Flowering can continue until cold weather. Intense lighting will only hurt as it will hasten the end of this period.

It is quite appropriate to complete the review of the types of ampelous garden plants on begonias. They come from the mountainous regions of the humid subtropics. There are perennial and annual, herbaceous and bush forms of begonias. But the common features of the family are invariably the asymmetrical shape of the leaves and the monoecious structure of the flowers. Sometimes begonia is grown at home, but there it needs a rest period.

Hoya is perfect for home. This name refers to evergreen shrubs and vines. Plants are commonly called wax ivy. Young shoots of hoya are invariably devoid of foliage. The young vine is colored purple. The characteristic features of the species are the gradual lignification of the shoots and the umbrella-like structure of the inflorescences. There are both one-color and two-color hoyis.

Another attractive option for a balcony in an apartment is fuchsia. This representative of the fireweed family is distinguished by the opposite arrangement of foliage. Various types of fuchsias can be green or slightly reddish. Fuchsia with serrated leaves is found. Coloring can be very diverse, which will delight flower growers and aesthetics lovers.

At home, they are often used and ampel forms of jasmine... Typical for him are thin, gradually lignified shoots at the base. The flowers are grouped into inflorescences, similar in shape to a shield. The most common are:

• yellow;

• white;

• pink jasmine.

The perennial herbaceous nertera is also quite in demand. Its common name is coral moss. Juicy green oval leaves are characteristic. Inflorescences are placed singly. The flowers have white petals and greenish tips; the decoration of nertera is its graceful berries.

Lovers of exoticism will immediately pay attention to ampelous succulents. Ripsalis, also known as a twig, is a genus with over 50 varieties. The characteristic features of culture are:

• abundant branching;

• aerial roots on the shoots;

• complete absence of thorns.

Tradescantia is also good. There are also many species in this genus. Creeping shoots root easily on the ground. Foliage creates a decorative effect. Monochromatic plants are found only occasionally - species with 2 or 3 basic shades prevail.

You can also consider growing:

• asparagus;

• ivy;

• creeping ficus.

Whatever ampelous plant is used, it is required to grow it correctly. Almost all such crops are distinguished by the elongation of the shoots. They will either wind on the support, or climb it due to the mustache.Other ampelous crops require that the shoots can hang freely under their own weight or even spread along the ground. The approach to each plant species is strictly individual.

Petunia tolerates bad weather well and responds well to pinching. It can survive drought, but it places very high demands on soil fertility. You will definitely have to use humus and peat when drawing up the planting mixture.

Lobelia is a different matter - it will not survive drying out and direct sunlight. But in partially shaded areas, this plant feels great. During hot periods, it should be shed and sprayed more often with a spray bottle.

In any case, the ampels need a strictly metered flow of water. Stagnation of fluid in a vessel can provoke rotting of the root system and the development of pathological microbes.

Watering the ampels is best organized using watering cans with an elongated curved spout. Spraying in winter should be done more often than usual - this is the only way to compensate for the excessive dryness of the air. Electric humidifiers are also good helpers.

In the phase of rapid growth, organic and mineral supplements are systematically used (they need to be applied every 2 weeks at least).

From the point of view of beauty, the use of hanging baskets is considered the best choice. Such containers are appropriate almost everywhere:

• on the walls of houses;

• on verandas;

• on balconies;

• in gazebos;

• at the front door to the dwelling.

The same devices will help in the design of a patio or a stylized lantern.

Outer window sills of houses are usually formed by narrow oblong boxes. Pelargonium is not kept in containers in winter, but in the most common pots. Another good way to represent ampelous plants is floor containers.

Hanging plastic containers with hooks are somewhat worse. Biologically, they are quite suitable for ampels, but one cannot expect that the plant will form a continuous volumetric ball.

The use of steel wire baskets opens up much broader design perspectives. They are easily covered with a plant from all sides and do not spoil the view at all. You can use sphagnum moss as a filler, but you will have to add water very often - it dries up too quickly. If this drawback is critical, it is worth using a disk-type filler made of flexible foam or compressed coconut fibers.

Any ampelous plant will inevitably dry out shoots and wither flowers. These obsolete parts will have to be removed immediately. It is recommended to combine pruning with watering. In plants such as verbena and geranium, the inflorescences are trimmed with pruning shears every 3-4 days.

A special support is needed for the branches of shade-loving crops. Otherwise, they can sprout into the ground, on which they will lean themselves or hang from the pot. Climbing annuals are propped up with sticks. A more durable and, moreover, very economical option is to use a netting mesh.

It is useful to consider a few more recommendations:

• plants in hanging baskets are advised to be watered in the morning and fed in the evenings;

• waterlogging should be avoided, even if a species loves water;

• once every 14 days, it is worth adding a little liquid complex fertilizer to the water;

• when leaving for 1-2 days in the hot season, containers with ampels are removed and placed in the shade, placing them in a bucket of water in advance, filled almost to the very top.

There is even more useful information about ampel flowers in the video.