Yucca combination with other garden plants. Yucca garden: planting and care. Planting in open ground

Today, the garden palm or yucca grows among many owners of garden plantings, and this phenomenon will not surprise anyone.

Many gardeners can rightfully be proud of the amazingly beautiful plant that resembles a palm tree and grows in their plots. But some are afraid to grow such beauty, mistakenly believing that the plant is too demanding in terms of growing conditions and care. In fact, propagation and care for this plant do not require much effort or expense.

Description and origin of the garden palm

Description of Yucca

The homeland of evergreen yucca is America. This plant belongs to the Asparagus family; in its appearance it resembles the Mediterranean agave, but unlike the latter, its leaves form a dense spiral rosette.

Domestic representatives of this family have a well-developed stem, while specimens growing in open ground have almost none; the rosettes are located tightly pressed to the ground. The peduncle is represented by a large panicle, the flowers of which are lowered down like bells. It protrudes from the central part of the rosettes, reaching a height of 1.5 to 3 meters. The exotic palm tree reproduces by root suckers.

In America and Mexico, industrial cultivation of agave, a relative of yuca, is practiced on huge plantations. The world famous tequila is produced from its stem.

The exotic appearance of the plant would seem to suggest comfortable natural growing conditions, but the tropics and subtropics of America, the natural habitat for yucca, do not have such characteristics at all. The plant is adapted to prolonged drought and sudden changes in temperature. Such amazing endurance allowed the plant to spread from the southern regions to the middle continents.

Yuca appeared in Russia over a century ago. But if in the last century only the parks of famous palaces could boast of this amazing plant, today squares and city parks are replete with it, as well as many private plots.

What types and varieties are there?

filamentous yucca

Among the F. variegata filamentose hybrids, the following interesting varieties are distinguished:

1. Bright Edge - bright bluish-green foliage, surrounded by a yellowish-crimson ribbon;
2. Color Guard - wide leaf plates of yellow color, edged with a green stripe;
3. Gold Heart – yellow foliage, green edge running along the leaf blade with blurred boundaries;
4. Ivory Tower – green foliage, whitish border.

Garden palm care and planting in the garden

Despite its unpretentiousness and hardiness, yucca feels especially comfortable in elevated places with good lighting. Representatives growing in dark places are characterized by thin, loose rosettes and pale leaf blades.

When and how to plant a flower of happiness

Spring is the most favorable time for planting, but temperatures should not fall below +10C. The dense structure of the leaves can lead to numerous cuts and hand injuries, so gloves must be used when replanting the plant. The plant transplant itself is carried out in the spring, but preparatory work must be done in the fall: dig up the ground and form a hole for the spring transplantation of the plant.

What kind of soil is needed

Yucca can grow in almost any soil, but you need to remember that air should be supplied to the roots in large quantities, and the soil should not be overly moist, preferably without close proximity to groundwater, in order to avoid rotting.

But most of all, garden yucca prefers calcareous, sandy, clay-stony soils and black soil.

If the soil in which the plant grows is poor in nutrients, it is saturated with humus.

Before transplanting, the hole is filled with coarse gravel or sand with the addition of two handfuls of ash. After planting, the soil should be pressed (compacted) and watered.

• The size of the planting hole depends on the size of the plant itself.
• Adult plants will need a recess up to 50 cm deep and an area of ​​up to 1 m in circumference.
• Young specimens will require less space, but it is necessary to take into account the area required for the growth of young animals.

For easier adaptation purchased plant to outdoor conditions, it is recommended to harden the plant for 11-14 days, regularly taking the plant outside, gradually increasing the time it stays outdoors. Only after such preparation can the bush be safely transplanted to a personal plot.

Watering and fertilizing

In the processes of watering and fertilizing, the main thing is to know when to stop. Excessive watering threatens rotting of the roots, and lack of moisture will certainly affect the condition of the leaves. They will begin to curl into tubes. Proper watering will help straighten the leaf blades. There is no need to water the plant often and only when the top layer of soil has dried out. Spraying the leaves is useful, which is carried out in the morning or evening hours, when there is no longer scorching sunlight.

When does yucca bloom? This exotic plant blooms when it has been growing for 3-4 years. To begin this process, at the beginning of summer, the plant trunk is surrounded with superphosphate, which, dissolving in water, penetrates to the roots of the plant, starting the process of the formation of numerous buds.

Feeding the plant should be completed 30-40 days before the onset of autumn cold weather. During this period, the plants will have time to prepare for the winter season and severe frosts.

When to replant garden yucca

If the plant grows in conditions that are comfortable for it and with the same good care, then it can live perfectly in one place, without requiring replanting, for up to 20 years. And replanting a plant may only be necessary when the bush has grown excessively. This is especially painless for the plant if the age of the specimen has not yet reached three years.

Transplanting filamentous yucca video:

But even an adult, heavily grown plant needs a transplant. Plants often cannot tolerate transplantation.

Experts give some advice when replanting this plant, because you need to take into account some planting features.

• Transplantation period is spring or late summer.
• When replanting, remember that the roots of the plant can be located at a depth of up to 80 cm, so you need to dig it out carefully, without damaging the root system.
• All shoots must be separated from the adult specimen and planted separately.
• The conditions of the place intended for transplantation should resemble the previous one, have good lighting, and no drafts.
• It is better to carry out the first feeding after transplantation no earlier than two weeks.

Yucca propagation: how to do it right

For breeding there are the following methods.

• Root division
• Cuttings
• Propagation from seeds
• stem

Yucca propagation at home is simple - plant division. During the replanting process, the rosettes can be easily separated, not forgetting to dry them and sprinkle the cut areas with cinnamon powder or charcoal. Otherwise, infection or pests may enter them.

If the transplant is carried out in the spring, then the root of the plant can be divided into cuttings, the length of which does not exceed 10 cm. Such cuttings are placed in a greenhouse, after first cutting off the top of the stem and treating it with charcoal. With this method, sprouts emerge from dormant buds.

Garden yucca in open ground sets seeds, which are collected at the end of summer. They are sown in a mixture of soil, which is represented by turf, leaf soil and coarse sand in equal proportions. Plants grown in this way begin to bloom only three years after planting.

Yucca can also be propagated by stems. In this case, the cut section of the stem is dried and planted horizontally in river sand. The substrate around the stem must be constantly kept moist. When sprouts appear, the stem is cut into fragments, each of which should contain a sprout, and planted in the substrate.

You choose the most suitable way for yourself to plant yucca.

How to trim yucca at home

Pruning the plant rejuvenates it and helps produce strong young seedlings. This method is also used for frostbite of flowers and their rotting. In the spring, when the plant is no longer under winter cover, the stem is pruned. At the same time, further growth of the plant stops, and dormant buds begin to wake up, which will give rise to new rosettes with leaves.

• Before pruning, the plant must be watered.
• It is necessary to cut the stem below the growing leaves by 6-9 cm.
• After drying, the cut areas are sprinkled with charcoal.

Flowering and why yucca does not bloom

Yuccas bloom with gorgeous flowers of various shades and color combinations; their appearance is similar to delicate bells placed on a giant rod.

The arrangement of numerous bright bell flowers on one leg gives the plant decorative properties. But there may be several such peduncles. And you can’t even imagine what amazing beauty it is.

The snow-white color of numerous bells is clearly visible even at dusk and from the far corners of the garden. The delicate and not cloying aroma attracts the attention of both people and many insects.

What year does yucca bloom?

1. Sometimes it can bloom after transplantation only in the 4-5th year.
2. The reason for this may be severe winter frosts, which can damage the above-ground part of the plant.
3. Lack of lighting can also slow down the flowering process.

If the growing conditions and care of the plant were good, this will certainly be reflected in its appearance; flowering will be abundant and will last up to 2-3 weeks, which necessarily fall in the first two summer months. Blooming yucca is an unforgettable sight.

How to cover for the winter

Is it necessary to dig up yucca before frost?

It is enough to insulate the plant before the cold season sets in. Plants tolerate short-term cold in spring and autumn quite easily. It is important that the fallen snow melts quickly. Frost-resistant specimens perceive such temporary inconveniences especially easily. But real long frosts during a snowless winter are certain death for garden yucca.

The yuca foliage is wrapped with twine to gather it together and the plant is covered with a box, on top of which spruce branches or fallen leaves are laid. This composition is secured by a covering material wrapped with tape. In such a shelter, the yucca will easily overwinter without fear of any frost, especially when a large layer of fluffy snow falls on top.

In the spring, when the temperature becomes stable, it is time to free the plant from its winter shelter. Do not delay this for too long, otherwise it may lead to the appearance of mold.

Yucca flower, how to care if problems arise

Yucca, like all plants, can be attacked by pests or diseases.

The most common are slugs, whiteflies, scale insects, and aphids.

The latter easily gets on the flowers, which quickly dry out and fall off. Wood ash in combination with a soap solution will help in the fight not only against aphids, but also against other insects.

You need to take 0.250 wood ash, pour water (10 l) and bring to a boil, adding 0.50 grams of ordinary laundry soap (grated). When the resulting solution has cooled completely, immediately treat the affected leaves.

Possible problems

1. Dry air and cold drafts contribute to the formation of untidy brown leaf tips that spoil the appearance.
2. Brown spots throughout the leaf may indicate fungal diseases caused by possible overwatering.
3. Bright sun rays can affect the appearance of light, dry spots.

In landscape design

If yucca grows in the garden, then the surrounding landscape immediately takes on a Mediterranean hue. It will look great even in the driest areas and territories.

It is the appearance, reminiscent of a palm tree, that gives the garden plot a special southern atmosphere, especially if there are other southern representatives in the neighborhood, for example. Even if yucca grows as a single plant, it is able to captivate with its appearance during the flowering period and at this moment become the brightest and most colorful spot on the garden plot.

Some types are used in the design of verandas, staircases and other architectural structures. Such options do not require winter shelters or special rooms for the winter season.

Blooming yucca in the garden video review:

Yucca grows well not only at home, but also in open ground flower beds. Most often, garden false palm is grown in Ukraine, the Caucasus and the southern regions of our country, where soil and climatic conditions are most suitable for cultivating heat-loving exotics. Few flower growers know which varieties and species, due to their botanical characteristics, are suitable for outdoor cultivation, which is why the choice of variety for flowerbed design and open-air planting must be approached very carefully and responsibly.

Characteristics of garden yucca

A significant part of yucca species grow in natural conditions in America and Mexico. Some species are also found in southern Europe. Beautiful and unpretentious, tree-like and evergreen outdoor false palms come in several varieties, but they all share some common characteristics. A perennial ornamental plant, depending on its species characteristics, its appearance may resemble a tree or shrub.

The average height of the tree-like stem part can vary from several centimeters to several meters. The trunk can be either straight or have branches. The foliage is lanceolate-linear or xiphoid, collected at the end of the stem in a fairly dense bunch. The plant blooms in summer. Large flowers, white in color, bell-shaped, collected in multi-flowered and rather long paniculate inflorescences. After flowering, the flower transforms into a round, dry or fleshy fruit, represented by a multi-seeded capsule with black seed material.

Species diversity

The Yucca genus includes about fifty species, but only a few of them are suitable for outdoor cultivation. The false palm is decorative, and at the flowering stage the garden crop takes on a very exotic appearance. For cultivation in open ground flowerbeds in temperate climatic conditions, blue-gray plants are also suitable, as they tolerate temperature drops down to minus 18-20°C.

The perennial evergreen shrub Yucca filamentosa has linear-lanceolate, flat, basal, rosette-growing, blue-green foliage. The length of the leaves varies between 30-90 cm with a width of 2-4 cm. The apex of the leaves is sharply pointed, soft or hard. Threads hang along the edges of the foliage. The inflorescence is represented by a panicle consisting of creamy white or yellowish-white drooping flowers.

Yucca glauca

Yucca gray or "Candle of the Lord" is a perennial, evergreen, monoecious, stemless or small woody stem plant. The foliage is linear, bluish-green, 40-70 cm long, 0.8-1.2 cm wide, with sparse and thin, curled threads at the edges. The peduncle is racemose and tall. The inflorescence is branched, collected from bell-shaped, white, greenish-white or yellowish flowers.

A garden evergreen plant with an exotic appearance, it can easily withstand short drops in temperature down to minus 28-30 o C even without shelter protection. The root system is of a buried type, therefore it freezes out extremely rarely, but in regions with long and harsh winters, the ornamental crop needs dry, airy shelter. Improper protective measures are the main cause of damping off or death of tropical plants.

Yucca gray is one of the extremely life-loving plants, and is able to grow well even on sandy soils and without additional irrigation measures. This garden plant is quite aggressive in nature, so removing weeds when growing in flower beds is practically not required. The crop blooms at the age of four, and the flowers remain decorative for about a month. Yucca is best propagated by numerous lateral offspring, since seed material is almost never formed, and using store-bought seeds for sowing allows you to get the first flowering only after a few years.

Others are grown as container or pot plants placed outdoors in the summer. Garden varieties and varieties are perfect for landscaping the most arid and rocky-sandy garden areas.

Features of the development of garden yucca (video)

Rules and terms of landing

Garden yucca is planted in spring and summer., when daytime temperatures reach 20-22 o C. Only in this case does the plant form a good root system, and the ornamental crop goes into winter as prepared as possible. To grow an outdoor ornamental plant, you need to select an open area well lit by sunlight, represented by well-drained soil with an acidity of pH 7.5.

The dimensions of the pre-prepared planting hole should be approximately twice the volume of the root system of the false palm tree. The planting area should be thoroughly watered and mulched with hay or sawdust, which will reduce moisture evaporation. In order not to dig up heat-loving varieties for the winter, these varieties of yucca are planted in special planting containers.

Features of outdoor care

Caring for garden yucca is not at all difficult. Standard care for outdoor false palm trees includes watering and fertilizing, removing weeds, loosening, preventing diseases and pests, and protecting from frost.

Optimal growing conditions

Despite the fact that the false palm belongs to the category of tropical plants, exposure of the above-ground part to direct sunlight for a long time can sharply reduce the decorative qualities of the foliage. It is optimal to grow in well-lit and sun-warmed areas with some shading at midday.

Site selection and soil preparation

The decorative outdoor plant grows quite well on almost any type of soil, but in order to get the most attractive plant, it is recommended to plant it on sufficiently loose soils that do not retain water, with a sufficient content of coarse sand. The site must be well drained. When planting, you can use black soil, as well as calcareous, sandy or clay-rocky soil. Among other things, experienced gardeners recommend pre-planting deep digging with the removal of all weeds and the application of complete complex fertilizers.

Watering and fertilizing

To improve the decorative qualities of an outdoor plant, it is important to provide the yucca with proper irrigation and fertilizing measures. Under natural conditions, the false palm easily tolerates dry periods, and an excess of moisture can cause irreparable damage to the root system of the plant.

Irrigation measures are necessary when the top layer of soil dries out completely. You need to spray the foliage of garden yucca in the morning or in the evening, after sunset. In the spring, at the stage of active growth, the false palm tree needs to be fed with compost, liquid humus, mineral fertilizers for succulent plants. Top dressing can also be foliar.

Yucca: growing (video)

Reproduction and transplantation

Garden yucca can remain decorative for twenty years, but the plant needs timely replanting:

• if the false palm has grown and numerous shoots have appeared, but they need to be separated and replanted, and the garden crop needs to be replanted;
• the root system can be buried 60-70 cm, so to reduce the risk of damage to the roots you need to dig deep enough;
• replanting garden yucca can be done not only in spring, but also in the last ten days of summer;
• Flowering of the false palm after transplantation occurs in about a year.

Garden yucca reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. In our country, propagation is used by bush division and stem cuttings.

Use in garden decoration

When using garden yucca in landscape design, it is very important to take into account the botanical characteristics of the crop and follow the basic rules for combining false palms with other ornamental plants. The outdoor false palm is great for decorating rock gardens, border decoration of garden paths, rocky gravel or sandy landscape areas.

Long-lasting with bluish-green foliage and white leaf edges, it is an elegant addition to monochrome areas. The plant is suitable for single and group plantings. In flower arrangements, yucca is best complemented with low-growing crops with bright or pastel blooms.

In the spring, in order to form a branching plant, it is recommended to cut off the apical part. The cuts must be treated with garden pitch or crushed coal. R the result of such measures is the formation of stem shoots from awakening buds.

Why garden yucca does not bloom

Many experienced amateur flower growers know that yucca almost never blooms indoors. However, when creating comfortable growing conditions for an outdoor ornamental crop that are as close to natural as possible, the garden false palm blooms with very beautiful and fragrant bell-shaped panicle inflorescences.

The absence of flowering may indicate gross violations of cultivation technology or improper care of the plant. Among other things, the period of entry into the flowering phase may depend on the characteristics of the variety. Some species bloom already in the first year after planting, and perhaps flowering in the fourth or even fifth year of life. It should be remembered that a plant that is in good conditions, does not freeze in winter and does not suffer from waterlogging, blooms annually and very profusely.

Feeding yucca (video)

Growing garden yucca is a fascinating and not at all difficult activity. To get a durable and highly decorative street crop, it is enough to carry out proper care in a timely manner and do not forget about regular prevention of diseases and pests.

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. Under natural conditions, the culture grows in the tropics and subtropics. The genus includes shrubs, subshrubs and trees. Some species can live up to 8 centuries. Externally, the garden planting is similar to a palm tree, for which it is often called a false palm tree.

The plant has a shortened stem at the base; some species do not have one at all. In giants, the stem transforms into a trunk. The root system is fragile, reaching 75 cm in length. The color of the leaves depends on the type and variety; they can be green, bluish or gray. Their shape is lanceolate, linear, the ends are decorated with pointed spines. The flowers are massive, about 9 cm in diameter. When collected in inflorescences, they form a large, fragrant formation up to 190 cm in length. The fruit is a capsule with black seeds. Some species bear berries that are edible and have a sweet taste.

Use in landscape design

Any type of yucca will help add exoticism and originality to your landscape design. It is great for group and single plantings. Any terrain can serve as a background:

• mowed lawn;
• open lawn;
• rocky area ().

The garden planting fits harmoniously into garden beds and monoflower beds.

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Yucca will cope well with the role of a central element in a personal plot. It is also used for landscaping parks and squares. Recently, it has regained its former popularity. Thanks to its picturesque appearance and unpretentiousness, it is regaining its leadership position in and.

In addition to its decorative function, the plant also fights 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 flora representatives. Exquisite, calm beauty is complemented by:

• poppies;

When selecting neighbors, it is worth taking into account the agricultural requirements of yucca for moderate watering even on hot days.

Plant propagation

Seeds

This method is used in March. The temperate climate has a beneficial effect on the ripening of planting material. Once collected, they do not need to be dried or stored. You can plant it immediately. A special substrate is used for this. You can purchase it at a specialty store or prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to take equal parts of leaf and turf soil, river sand, pre-sifted.

The seeds are small, so there is no need to dig them into the soil; they will be able to break through a thick layer of soil. It is enough to distribute them evenly over the soil surface, sprinkle with a thin layer of sand and spray with water. Afterwards, the container is covered with film or glass, leaving it in a bright, dry room. The first shoots will appear in 4 weeks. After this, the cover can be removed.

As soon as the first true leaf appears on the young shoots, they can be picked into separate containers. It is best to use peat cups to avoid damaging the fragile root system when replanting. Transfer to open ground after the formation of 4 leaves.

By cuttings

Can be done in April. To prepare planting material, the upper fragment is cut off from the stem, along with part of the foliage. Before planting, the cuttings must be dried in a dry, warm room. Root in containers with sand or peat. To ensure that the root system forms 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. It is dried before planting. Transfer to the ground in a horizontal position. The planting hole is filled with sand or perlite. Before sprouts appear, the stem is regularly moistened.

The appearance of roots is a signal for division. The stem is divided into a certain number of seedlings, each of which must have part of the root.

Dividing the bush

This method is chosen by inexperienced gardeners because of its simplicity. In mid-April, an adult healthy bush suitable for division is dug around. Carefully removing them from the soil, separate the “babies” from it. This is almost always a large number. Each should have part of the root and shoots.

Planting and care

Selecting a location and preparing the soil

In regions with long winters, only 10 species of yucca are used that can withstand low temperatures without harm. But when choosing a site for planting, you should not forget where these exotic perennials come from. The place should be open, sunny and without stagnation of groundwater and melt water. A long-lived culture can delight with its decorative appearance for more than 20 years.

Garden planting is not demanding on soil. But the most favorable ones are nutritious. If there is no such thing on the site, you can prepare and add a nutrient mixture to the planting hole. It consists of equal parts sand, humus peat and topsoil. Checking the acidity level is mandatory. It should not exceed 7.

The size of the hole is of great importance when planting. It should be significantly larger than the root; it grows quickly. Each planting hole is provided with a good drainage layer of small stones, pebbles or brick fragments.

Mulching is carried out after each fertilizing and watering. Small wood shavings are used.

Watering and fertilizing

Moderate moisture is required. From its overabundance, the culture may die. With a deficiency, decorativeness and flowering are reduced. Watering is recommended when the top layers of soil are completely dry from the previous one. A signal that the plant is desperately short of water is the curled leaves. If it is 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 when planting. Used full complex of minerals. Subsequently, fertilizing 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

Scale insects are a common pest of yucca.

Most often the false palm is attacked scale insects, spider mites and slugs. To combat them, special chemicals are used - fungicides. For prevention, the leaves are treated with vodka twice a day.

Pruning and preparation for winter

Low, wilted leaves should not be trimmed. This may result in late flowering or no flowering at all. Pruning is carried out in the spring. Don’t be afraid to cut the stem; new rosettes will begin to actively develop instead. This is how the plant rejuvenates and becomes healthier.

The perennial tolerates frosts well. But additional insulation will not hurt. Gardeners cover the plant and cover it with a wooden box on top. The ground around is covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. A thick layer of snow will help you weather the winter well. As soon as the temperature begins to increase steadily and the risk of repeated frosts has passed, you can get rid of the structure.

The experience of growing yucca in Russia goes back more than a hundred years. But if at the end of the 19th century plants decorated the park ensembles of palaces, today planting and caring for yucca, in the photo, is carried out even in personal plots and in city squares.

The plant, which naturally occurs in the subtropical and tropical zones of the American continent, despite its exotic appearance, turned out to be not so capricious. Accustomed to the arid semi-desert climate with sharp temperature changes, yuccas were able to acclimatize even in the middle zone. True, bearing only minor frosts in the open ground, plants need good shelter for the winter. And in the southern regions of the country they are often grown without any restrictions. Two types are suitable for planting and caring for yucca in open ground. They are Yucca filamentosa, so named because of the long fibers that hang from the edges of the tough foliage, and Yucca gloriousa. The first type predominates in Russian plantings because it is more winter hardy.

A large evergreen plant is easily recognized by its pointed, lanceolate leaves that form a dense rosette. With a width of 3–6 cm, the length of one leaf blade can reach 50–70 cm. As they grow, the lower rows of leaves wither, and when they dry out, they droop, forming a kind of skirt around the trunk. If garden yucca is in good conditions, does not freeze or suffer from waterlogging, it blooms every year. The flower stalks, up to 1.5–2 meters thick, cannot be overlooked. And when from 80 to 150 white, yellowish or pink bells with a diameter of up to 6 cm open on them, the appearance of yucca amazes the imagination of any gardener.

How to plant yucca?

Yucca is unpretentious and hardy. It is not afraid of drought, heat and wind, but the plant’s main enemy is waterlogging and heavy soils, where there is a risk of moisture stagnation.

To simplify the care of garden yucca, in the photo, planting is carried out in a well-ventilated sunny place. When choosing a site for an exotic beauty, you should avoid lowlands and corners of the garden with dense shade. A long stay in partial shade leaves a mark on the appearance of the crop. The leaves lose their former density, the trunk stretches. As a result, the plant looks quite untidy even when receiving full care.

Yucca has no special requirements for soil composition. The main thing is that the roots receive enough air and water does not linger in the soil. Therefore, before planting yucca, in areas with dense black soil or clay, sand is added to the substrate to fill the hole. A drainage layer is needed at the bottom, and to provide nutrition, especially on poor soils, humus is added to the substrate.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, it will not be possible to do without any care after planting yucca in open ground.

How to care for a garden yucca flower?

After planting, the plants need very moderate sanitary treatment, which consists of removing dead foliage and faded flower stalks, rare fertilizing and pruning.

Watering is carried out at the root, trying not to flood the core of the rosette, since water remaining here for a long time is the main reason for the rotting of the crown and the need for radical pruning of the yucca.

As a rule, garden yucca is rarely affected by pests or diseases and, with good shelter, winters well even in the conditions of the Moscow region. To ensure that the roots of the plant breathe more actively, and the moisture remaining under the dense rosette does not cause rotting of the lower leaves and roots, the space under the garden yucca is regularly loosened, simultaneously removing weeds and fallen leaf plates.

If the location for the crop is initially chosen incorrectly, the plant up to three years of age can be transferred to another, more suitable area.

How to replant yucca? Although the plant is an evergreen crop, its biological processes freeze during the winter, and the new growing season begins only in the spring. This time is used to transplant garden yucca, the care of which in such a situation is sometimes complicated by painful adaptation to a new place of residence. When moving a bush, it is important to try to preserve the entire root system of the plant, preventing it from drying out. To do this, when replanting, use any means to moderately moisten the roots of the dug out plants.

The transplanted specimens are not fed for about a month, and the remaining yuccas in the garden need to be fertilized in the spring and then in the summer, before flowering and after the inflorescences wither.

At 3–4 years old, yuccas bloom for the first time, and the racemose inflorescence remains decorative for about a month. Feeding with complex formulations with a predominance will help maintain the strength of the plant. Fertilizer application is stopped a month before the onset of autumn coolness. This will allow the yucca to prepare for winter and successfully survive frosts.

Shelter for garden yucca for the winter

Plants tolerate sudden snow that falls in autumn or spring without loss, the main thing is that it melts within a couple of days. But stable cold and snowless winters are deadly for garden yucca.

First of all, the growth point in the core of the rosette suffers from frost, and then the vegetative root system. A frame shelter, which is a spacious box the height of an adult plant, helps to protect the crop.

Before covering the foliage, the yuccas are collected up and tightly wrapped with strong twine. Then the top of the plant is covered with a box and generously sprinkled with spruce branches or fallen leaves. The entire structure is wrapped with covering material and secured with tape. Checking the stability of the structure. In this form, the plant will spend the winter without any problems, it will be especially comfortable under a layer of snow.

You can remove the frame and remove the foliage when stable positive temperatures arrive. If you are late in “releasing the captive,” there is a danger of mold and mildew appearing due to increased respiration and the beginning of the plant’s growing season inside the confined space.

How to propagate yucca?

Although, with proper care after planting, garden yucca, as in the photo, blooms, it will not be possible to wait for its seeds in the middle zone. How to propagate yucca grown in the garden? There are several ways to get young independent plants. Most often, daughter rosettes are used, which form at the base of an adult bush. It is better to take cuttings with an already developed root system. This will speed up acclimatization and enable plants to quickly develop in a new place.

Daughter rosettes are easily separated when transplanting garden yucca, and caring for them is no different from what other plants receive. At the same time, do not forget that the cutting areas are most susceptible to all kinds of infections and pest attacks. Therefore, they are dried a little and sprinkled with crushed coal or cinnamon powder.

During spring transplantation, several cuttings from 5 to 10 cm long can be cut from a healthy, strong root. They are treated with coal and planted in a greenhouse, lightly sprinkled with a damp sand-peat mixture. The formation of sprouts in this case occurs due to dormant buds.

Another way to not only rejuvenate a plant that has grown and lost its compactness, but also to propagate exotic guests is pruning. How to make yucca more fluffy and get high-quality planting material?

How to prune yucca?

It is best to prune the plant in the spring, when it is just freed from its winter shelter. Since yucca has only one growth point, by cutting the stem, the gardener completely stops its vertical development. And yet the life of the flower will not freeze, the buds sleeping on the stem will wake up and give rise to several new rosettes.

Pruning is an excellent way to rejuvenate a flower, obtain strong garden yucca seedlings, and also to save specimens affected by rot or frost.

Before cutting the yucca, water the plant a couple of days before the operation. The cut is made with a very sharp, clean knife so that:

• in its place there were no stem splits, damage or peeling of the bark;
• it fell 8 - 10 cm below the foliage growth line.

When the cut areas dry out a little, they, both on the stump and on the top, are treated with fungicide and charcoal powder.

IN The top of the hemp remaining to the ground after trimming the yucca can be covered with garden varnish, which will provide long-term reliable protection in the garden.

On an old plant, protected from the scorching sun, newer shoots will appear in 2–3 weeks. If the yucca is strong, 3 to 5 hatched buds are left on the stump. Small specimens will not be able to support the growth of more than two young tips.

The old top is not thrown away, but is used for planting garden yucca, the care of which is little different from the situation when daughter rosettes are transferred to the ground. True, before this the seedling needs to be rooted. It is best to do this in a greenhouse, making sure not to allow condensation to form and ensuring the moderate humidity of the sandy substrate.

Yucca filamentosa - video

Once upon a time, the tree-like plant yucca in Russia adorned only the garden luxury of palaces and noble houses. Today, they willingly and successfully decorate an ordinary area with it. In the northern latitudes they have learned to plant, protect and provide proper care for the tropical guest. And it turned out to be easy. Yucca does not need much attention, although there are still certain features of planting and propagating the plant. Experienced gardeners give recommendations, photos and instructions on how to easily grow, cover for the winter, and prevent diseases of tree-like yucca.

Description and characteristics of culture

Yucca garden or filamentous in some countries is called the tree of happiness. At home - in Central America - sugar is extracted from it and rope is made. There, this evergreen crop grows even in desert conditions, which are characterized by moisture deficiency and differences in day and night temperatures. Therefore, even in the cool and changeable climate of the middle zone, yucca takes root normally. Characteristic features of culture:

• has a dense tuft of pointed leathery leaves, up to 70 cm in length and about 3–10 cm in width;
• height of the deciduous part - about 1–1.5 m;
• the edges of the leaf plates are divided into thin fibers;

Yucca can be grown in the middle zone

• during the development of the plant, the lower rows of leaves die off and form a characteristic dry belt;
• before flowering, the plant produces a strong and branched stem-peduncle, up to 2 m in height;
• in June-July, yucca blooms with drooping bell-shaped flowers, approximately 80–200 pieces on one stem;
• bud color - pink, light yellow or white;
• their diameter is about 6 cm.

Attention! Yucca blooms with proper care in the second season. It is important that the plant does not freeze in winter.

Features of planting yucca filamentosa

Before you start planting a plant, choose the right place for it on the site. The sun is a key factor in successful development. In the shade, the yucca will not be as lush because it will shed its leaves. The best option is partial shade on a summer afternoon. Also make sure that the place is not recessed. The plant needs good drainage because it will use a lot of water.

Gardeners use two rooting options:

• planting seeds;
• transplanting a tree into the soil.

In the first case, the process will be quite long. It will take you two years to get a seedling from a seed that is viable in open ground conditions. If you choose this path, do this:

Yucca seeds

1. Even garden soil is suitable as soil. It should be light and fertile. If your site has clay soil, dilute it with sand. If it is poor in nutrients, add a portion of humus.
2. The main condition for successful planting is high-quality drainage from a layer of pebbles or expanded clay.
3. The best time for sowing is February. The optimal temperature is +22…+24 °C.
4. Cover the pot with film. After germination, remove it.
5. Grow the flower as an indoor one. Water at the root, spray, fertilize with a mineral complex 1-2 times a month.

Growing seedlings yourself is unpopular. Much more often, people buy ready-made bushes and plant them immediately on the plot:

1. The soil requirements are the same.
2. Wait until the average daily temperature is above +20 °C.
3. Dig a hole about twice the size of the rhizome. Usually it is from 80 cm in depth and from 40 cm in width.
4. Place a 10 cm layer of pebbles and 30 cm of coarse sand on the bottom. Apply humus and mineral fertilizers.
5. Place the yucca root in the middle of the hole and dig in.
6. Water the bush.

It is much more convenient to buy a grown “tree of happiness”. The finished hole should also be twice the size of the root. Sand and gravel, organic matter and mineral mixtures should be poured there. The bush is rooted in the center of the hole.

It is better to purchase yucca seedlings in a specialized store.

Rules for caring for garden yucca. Winter protection

In addition to heat and lighting, yucca growth requires an optimal watering regime. In a normal summer, the tree will have enough rain moisture. If there is no rain for more than two weeks, then take up the watering can yourself. Filamentous yucca should be watered once a week. Try not to get the leaves wet.

Attention! A sign of a lack of moisture for yucca is curled leaves and sagging fibers on them. Excessive moisture leads to rotting of the green mass. With excellent moisture, the threads on the leaves are curled and the leaves themselves are straightened.

Other features of caring for garden yucca:

1. A young plant should be fertilized only with mineral complexes, no more than twice a year. From the third season, organic fertilizers can be introduced.
2. The culture does not need replanting. It can grow in one place for many years.
3. To wait for flowering, never cut off faded flowers or leaves.
4. The plant actively produces lateral shoots. This is an excellent way to propagate shrubs at home. But if you don’t take care of them, the bush will grow greatly and can spoil the decorative idea.

The plant tolerates cold well. In warm southern regions it may not be covered at all. But the unstable climate of the middle zone and other cool regions requires protection for the culture. Otherwise, it may partially freeze and not bloom next summer. Protect yucca like this:

Yucca needs to be covered for the winter

• in autumn, cut the stem in half;
• tie the leaves into a bundle;
• cover the root zone with fallen leaves;
• wrap the entire plant.

Reproduction options for garden yucca

In addition to seeds, the “tree of happiness” is propagated by dividing the root and lateral shoots. Cuttings are obtained from the rhizome. Their length is 3-5 cm. Dry them for 3-4 hours and plant them in sandy loam soil under a film (depth - 5-7 cm).

Advice. You can propagate yucca by dividing the bush. Just dig up the plant in the second half of April, and separate part of the shoots with roots and developed above-ground parts.

Seedlings for rooting are also obtained during the pruning process. The best time for this procedure is spring. If you cut the plant at the growing point, it will stop growing upward, but will begin to actively form new leafy rosettes. To ensure successful trimming:

• use only a disinfected and sharpened knife to avoid peeling of the bark at the cut point;
• water the plant a couple of days before the procedure;

Yucca blossom

• mark the place of the cut - 7–9 cm below the bottommost leaves;
• leave the cut for 15 minutes. dry, rub it with crushed charcoal;
• Rub the cut on the donor plant with garden varnish to protect the plant from disease.

Attention! Low varieties of garden yucca can form no more than two tops. The cut end of the shoot is sometimes planted as a cutting. The longer the length, the better it will take root.

Yucca garden diseases

Specific ailments and pests hardly bother this tree. If your garden has a low sanitary level, yucca can be affected by slugs, spider mites, as well as scale insects, whiteflies, etc. Rubbing the leaves with alcohol once a week is effective against scale insects. Insecticides will help against ticks and slugs.