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A brightly saturated gamut of spectacular leaves of a perennial herb - heuchera - can decorate any flower garden or mixborder. It gives extraordinary lightness and delicacy to flower-bed compositions, for which it is appreciated by landscape designers. Hybrid Heuchera Caramel retains its picturesqueness throughout the growing season and looks great in group plantings, in amazingly beautiful landscape compositions.
Description of Heuchera Caramel
Heuchera of the Caramel variety is a dwarf, about 20 - 30 cm in height, a bush in the form of a dome, completely covered with large, attractive leaves of a golden-copper hue. Appearing in the spring, the basal leaves of the culture have a reddish tint, but gradually, by summer, they brighten and become intensely golden on top, and matte carmine on the inside. At the same time, they are pubescent, and by autumn they gradually change their color to a more intense one. Heuchera blooms in June-July with small, pale pink flowers, which are collected in paniculate inflorescences and are located on long, erect peduncles. However, it is valued not so much for its modest flowering as for the decorativeness of the bush, abundantly covered with caramel, brightly colored leaves.
The new hybrid variety of Heuchera Mega Caramel amazes with its large dimensions. It reaches a height of 50 cm, leaves are twice the size of standard ones, as well as giant peduncles with numerous bell flowers.
Geuchera Caramel in landscape design
Among the plants widely used in landscape design, Heuchera occupies a leading position. Specifically, the Caramel and Mega Caramel varieties are used as decorations:
- flower beds and mixborders;
- rock gardens, rockeries;
- edges of paths, terraces, alleys;
- coastal strips of water bodies;
- borders;
- garden plots;
- urban flower beds.
Geichera Caramel will become a bright accent in any combined planting from a group of plants of one or different species. Heuchera looks incredibly harmonious with decorative grasses, incense, geranium and will effectively set off the trunk circles of tall trees and shrubs.
Caramel goes well with early-flowering bulbous crops, as it begins to delight early with its exquisite leaf rosette. Daylilies, irises, hosts and roses will be great neighbors for culture. Due to its unpretentiousness, perennials are planted with Caramel Heuchera in city flower beds. You can also use it for cutting.
Growing hybrid Heuchera Caramel from seeds
It will not be difficult to grow a hybrid of Heuchera Caramel and a hybrid of Mega Caramel from seeds. For this:
- They take loose soil from a mixture of turf soil, humus and river sand in equal quantities and fill a container with it.
- Small seeds do not need to be buried: it is enough to carefully lay them on the substrate and sprinkle with a small amount of wet sand.
- The container is covered with a film and kept until shoots appear at a temperature not lower than 22 - 3 degrees Celsius.
- Periodically, the earth is moistened with water and the planting is aired.
- Seedlings appear in 15 - 20 days, so the film is immediately removed.
- With the development of 2 true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate containers. If weather conditions permit, you can immediately plant them in open ground.
The disembarkation is carried out from the end of May to the beginning of June. The flowering of varieties of Heuchera Caramel and Mega Caramel, grown from seeds, as shown in the photo and in the description, will begin in the 3rd year after planting.
Planting and caring for Geyhera Caramel in the open field
The main features of Heuchera Caramel are unpretentiousness, good winter hardiness and ease of care. She comes from rocky shores, so it does not tolerate waterlogging, stagnant moisture. To eliminate the risk of root rot formation, gardeners, before planting, sprinkle the rhizome with a mixture of fine expanded clay or coarse sand and soil. In its homeland of Heuchera, Caramel is adapted to grow on poor soils, so overfeeding with fertilizers can negatively affect development. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that three main factors can provoke root rot in a plant:
- excessive moisture;
- acidic soil;
- large doses of organic matter.
A mandatory agricultural technique is hilling bushes before winter, since the protruding rosettes of the plants can freeze.
Landing site preparation
Heichera Caramel is a thermophilic plant that prefers sunny places. However, the midday active rays of the sun can harm her. Therefore, the planting site should be sunny, but shaded at noon so that the bushes do not burn out under the scorching rays. The Caramel variety is actively developing on neutral soils. Therefore, the acidic environment before planting heuchera should be fertilized with chalk, lime or wood ash.
Landing rules
The basic rules for planting Heuchera Caramel are similar for all varieties of this ornamental flower culture. Among them:
- organization of deep drainage;
- the presence of fertile, light, cultivated soil, with a layer of at least 20 cm, soil;
- hilling once a year;
- mulching in the first year of life for the winter with sawdust;
- annual spring burial of roots, which tend to become bare during the winter;
- removal of old, withered leaves.
Heuchera Caramel is planted in fertile soil in small planting pits with a drainage layer of pebbles and river sand. The land must be warmed up, so the landing is timed to the end of April or the beginning of May, depending on the region and weather conditions. For group planting, the distance between the geychers is maintained at 25 - 30 cm.
Watering and feeding
Undemanding to conditions, Heuchera varieties Caramel and Mega Caramel do not require additional moisture. Even during a drought, watering is carried out no more than once a week. If the summer is rainy, then there is no need to water the Heuchera, since its root system can quickly rot. However, regular irrigation should be regular and moderate, but without waterlogging and waterlogging of the land. Water is introduced directly under the root, making sure that it does not get on the leaves, which can cause them to burn in the summer heat.
Top dressing with mineral fertilizers is carried out 3 times per season - in early spring, in summer and before the onset of cold weather. If initially the soil was well fertilized, then the caramel heuchera does not need fertilization. From the soil of Heuchera, Caramel is able to take all the substances necessary for active growth. Especially do not overfeed with organic compounds.
Pruning
Pruning Heuchera Caramel consists of removing old, wilted leaves in the spring. If necessary, the procedure is carried out in the fall. After each leaf removal, the soil around the bush is mulched with peat mixed with humus.
Preparing for winter
Heuchera Caramel must be prepared for winter rest. For this, hilling and subsequent mulching are carried out from a mixture of river sand, peat and tree bark. The plant is able to easily survive winters with temperatures up to 20 degrees below zero, which are typical for the middle, central zone. However, in the conditions of Siberia, the caramel variety needs shelter. To do this, you can use spruce branches, cardboard or special covering material. Young seedlings must be hidden for the winter under spruce branches. In the spring, the near-ground part of the soil near the plant is cleaned of fallen leaves.
You can additionally get acquainted with the rules of agricultural technology in the video:
Reproduction
Heuchera is propagated in one of the standard ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush.
Growing from seeds has already been mentioned above. For cuttings from Heuchera Caramel, which is at least 3 years old, take one-year-old rosettes. Cuttings are harvested in early spring - in March, and planting - in late spring. The optimal time for planting under a film cover is late May - early June. After the formation of a strong root system, the plants are planted in a permanent place.
The method of reproduction by dividing the bush is suitable for Caramel heuchera, at least 3 years old and not more than 4 years old. Suitable dates are May or August. For this, the bush is abundantly shed a few hours before planting. Carefully dig up and divide the rhizome into several parts with a sharp knife. Delenki are immediately planted in a permanent place.
Pests and diseases
Heuchera of the Caramel variety is resistant to diseases and pests. However, with improper care, the culture is threatened:
- damage by snails or slugs - if the plant is in a shaded place;
- spot or downy mildew;
- decay of the root system.
Chemical preparations such as Intavir, reducing watering and transplanting Heuchera to a brighter place will help get rid of pests. Special agents are also used to combat downy mildew, spotting, which are characterized by the appearance of spots on the leaves. An excess of moisture and regular feeding with organic fertilizers leads to root rot. In this case, the plant is dug up, all rotten, diseased root processes are removed and transplanted into fresh soil with the addition of sand and peat.
Conclusion
Geichera Caramel and its hybrid form Mega Caramel is not difficult to grow and care for, which has long been noticed by landscape designers and amateur gardeners. Compliance with all agricultural techniques will allow you to enjoy the fabulous decorativeness of a spectacular beauty every year, capable of completely transforming the garden look with her original outfits.
