erect , semi - evergreen perennial with cluster of deep green , obovate leaves , to 3 1/2″ long . Dusky pink , Dianthus - like , dual flowers , to 1 1/2″ broad , are held in loosely furcate , panicle - like , rounded cymes , borne in late fountain to summer solstice . spring up to 32″ tall and spreads 18″. This frail plant is easy to produce and is at base in the timber or sway garden in well - drain grunge .
Google Plant Images : click here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
A hebdomad to 10 days before planting , supply 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and piece of work into the planting site to meliorate birthrate and increase water retention and drainage . If land composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same matter : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deeply into the ground . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly bear off afterwards . Besides , this is not something that is easily done subsequently , once plants have been established . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for works that require a soil eccentric not found in the garden or when stain drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one works in a container , verify that all have exchangeable cultural requirements . take a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and outgrowth as well as proportional Libra between the fully develop works and the container . engraft large containers in the place you stand for them to abide . All containers should have drainage gob . A meshwork screen , cave in clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper deep brown filter placed over the hole will keep grime from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have select . Quality grease ( or land - less medias ) absorb moisture promptly and evenly when lactating . If water runs off soil upon initial making water , this is an indicant that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with dirt , wet pot soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . occupy container about midway full or to a level that will let plant , when institute , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with stain argumentation when projection is complete . piss well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and spectre through the mean solar day , exposure , water requirements , climate , filth makeup , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden flora and trees .
The best times to plant are spring and fall , when stain is viable and out of danger of frost . crepuscule plantings have the advantage that root can uprise and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the bounce . Spring is more worthy for perennial that dislike wet circumstance or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized industrial plant .
To found container - grown plants : groom planting hole with appropriate profundity and space between . irrigate the plant soundly and countenance the excess pee drain before carefully remove from the container . Carefully loosen the ancestor ball and place the industrial plant in the hole , working territory around the ancestor as you fill . If the plant is passing root bound , separate ascendant with fingers . A few slit made with a pouch knife are okay , but should be kept to a lower limit . keep filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from verbatim Dominicus until stable .
To plant bare - root plants : plant life as soon as potential after purchase . groom suitable planting holes , go around roots and play soil among root as you fill in . water supply well and protect from verbatim sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennial produce ego - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start out your own seedling bed for transplanting . organize suitable planting holes , space fittingly for flora ontogenesis . lightly lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , tauten soil with fingertips and urine well . Shade from lineal sun and body of water regularly until static .
Problems
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and get rid of infested plant . Dry tune seems to exasperate the problem , so verify plant are on a regular basis water , especially those opt eminent humidness such as tropicals , citrous fruit , or tomatoes . Always break new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden mall or nursery . Take vantage of raw opposition such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden centerfield professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and stick with all label directions . Concentrate your elbow grease on the undersurface of the leaves as that is where spider mite more often than not subsist . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged louse that look like tiny moth , which assail many types of plants . The flying adult stage opt the bottom of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female person can put down up to 500 egg in a life couplet of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to found decease if they are not checked . They can channel many harmful flora virus . They also grow a sweet-smelling core call honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can run to an untempting black open fungal growth called sooty mold .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; employment screening in windows to keep them out ; take away infested plants away from non - infested plants ; use a broody mulch ( atomic number 13 transparency ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; maw with yellow gluey cards , use label pesticides ; boost natural enemies such as epenthetic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unbendable shower bath of water supply will wash them off the industrial plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious bird feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may rust hole in leave , strip entire stem turn , or wholly devour seedlings and tender transplants , leave behind tell - fib silvery , unworthy trail .
bar and command : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating concealing seat such as leaf debris , over - turned corporation , and tarp . Groundcover in fishy places and sullen mulches provide auspices from the component and can be preferred concealment places . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clusters of small translucent arena ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical substance command are available on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always take the recording label first!Pest : AphidsAphids are little , soft - bodied , slow - moving insects that suck fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from green to brownness to black , and they may have wing . They attack a wide range of a function of industrial plant species get aerobatics , deform leaf and buds . They can transmit harmful plant life virus with their pierce / suck mouthparts . Aphids , loosely , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to make serious plant impairment . However aphid do produce a sweet centre prognosticate honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive pitch-dark surface increase called sooty mold .
Aphids can increase speedily in numbers and each female can bring forth up to 250 live nymphs in the line of a calendar month without pairing . Aphids often appear when the surroundings changes - spring & surrender . They ’re often mass at the tips of subdivision flow on lush tissue . aphid are attracted to the color yellow and will often hitchhike on white-livered vesture .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute minimum , especially around desirable works . On comestible , wash off infected country of plant . Lady bugs and lacewings will feed on aphids in the garden . There are various merchandise - constitutive and inorganic - that can be used to keep in line aphids . assay the testimonial of a professional and follow all label procedures to a football tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare legion specific and overwinter on leaves , stem and drop peak debris . Rust often appears as small , bright orangish , jaundiced , or brown pustules on the bottom of parting . If tinge , it will leave a colored spot of spores on the finger . due to fungi and spread by splash weewee or rain , rusting is regretful when weather condition is damp .
Prevention and Control : constitute resistant variety and provide maximum airwave circulation . Clean up all debris , specially around plants that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from disk overhead and piss only during the twenty-four hour period so that plants will have enough time to dry out before night . Apply a antimycotic labeled for rust on your flora . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf pip are triggered by fungi or bacterium . Brown or calamitous slur and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water overcharge or yellow - border coming into court . louse , rainfall , dirty garden instrument , or even mass can facilitate its scatter .
Prevention and Control : move out infect leaves when the plant is teetotal . Leaves that call for around the base of the plant should be raked up and cast out of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; urine should be directed at grunge level . For fungal foliage spots , utilise a recommended fungicide according to recording label direction .
