Ageratum

          Family. Asteraceae or Compositae.

Origin. The plant originates from the tropical regions of South and Central America. 

Description. Ageratum is suitable for beginner gardeners, since it does not require much time or special knowledge to grow.

It is a herbaceous compact perennial with a tall, straight, strong stem that branches abundantly. The stems are covered with pubescence.

The leaf blades  are heart-shaped or oval, slightly rough to the touch, soft, light green, with pronounced branched veins, from 2 to 7 cm long. The leaves are arranged both oppositely and alternately - usually alternately in the upper part of the shoots, and in opposite pairs in the lower part.

The inflorescence is an apical umbrella with many purple, blue, lavender, less often white or pink fluffy flowers.

What we think of as flowers are actually fluffy inflorescences made up of miniature tubular flowers - a distinctive feature of plants in the Asteraceae family.

Under optimal growing conditions, it blooms so luxuriantly that the inflorescences can completely hide the foliage, and several plants planted nearby form a continuous mat of color.

Plant height. Mature shrubs are 0.3 - 1 m high.

For indoor cultivation, compact or even dwarf varieties, characterized by their miniature size, are chosen.

In suitable conditions it develops quite quickly.

Planting and care in open ground

Ageratum seedlings are planted in open ground in the second half of May, after the disappearance of the last frost.

In order to obtain strong and sufficiently mature seedlings by May, seeds are sown at home in the second half of March.

Before being planted in the garden, the flowers are left in the seedling boxes for several hours outdoors during the daytime. Gradually, the residence time is extended and after a week the flowers will be hardened and ready for planting. 

In the garden, the location for the flower should be spacious and sunny. Areas with close groundwater and frequently flooded areas are not suitable for growing.

In regions with strong winds, ageratum bushes should be protected from gusts of wind.

Depending on the planting scheme and varietal characteristics of the plants, planting holes are prepared, the depth and width of which is slightly greater than the root ball of the plants.

Since ageratum is often grown as a flower border along the border of a flower bed, the distance between the bushes is usually maintained at 15 - 20 cm. 

If the soil on the site is too heavy and clayey, then river sand and humus are mixed into it.

The flower does not like acidic soil, so the planting site can be pre-watered with lime milk to deacidify it.

Seedlings are watered abundantly 1-2 hours before planting in open ground.

The bushes are transferred by transshipment - they are removed from the cups along with a lump of earth and placed in the center of the planting holes.

The plants are sprinkled with soil and lightly compacted, then watered with warm water.

After planting, the flower should be at the same depth as in the pot.

The bases of the bushes can be mulched with a small layer of sawdust, straw or grass clippings. A layer of mulch will prevent too rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil surface and retard the development of weeds.

If there is a high probability of return frosts at night, then the flowers are covered on top with non-woven agricultural material. 

In the future, plant care comes down to weeding and loosening the soil, and timely watering.

It is advisable to water in the morning so that the moisture has time to evaporate before dusk and the sun does not hit the wet leaves.

Fertilizing in open ground can be done only 2-3 times per season - 2 weeks after planting, another 2 weeks - for abundant formation of buds, and a third - during flowering. The third feeding is more appropriate for those flowers that will be grown as perennials and wintered indoors.

In mid-autumn, when the temperature at night drops below zero, bushes are weeded out or planted in pots.

 Ageratum cannot tolerate wintering in open ground, even under cover. 

Reproduction, growing from seeds

Breeding these plants is not particularly difficult - most often it is grown through seedlings.

Decorative ageratum is propagated by seeds, which can first be stratified in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment, for 2 - 3 weeks.

Freshly harvested seeds have the greatest germination rate. Within 3 - 4 years after collection, germination still remains at a high level, and then sharply declines.

1. To sow seeds, select a transparent container with a lid with drainage holes at the bottom.
2. The first layer is laid with drainage made of expanded clay or small river pebbles.
3. The soil is made up of a mixture of peat and river sand.
4. The surface of the substrate is kept evenly moist using a warm water sprayer. 
5. Sowing of seeds is carried out in early spring, on top of the substrate.
6. From above, the planting material is covered with a layer of earth only 2 - 3 mm thick.     

The container with seedlings is covered with a cap and placed in a warm place with a temperature of 20 - 22 degrees Celsius.

The most optimal place at this time would be a fairly bright place without direct sunlight.

If there is a lack of natural light, artificial lighting is used. 

Every day the cap is removed and the seedlings are ventilated, increasing the ventilation time and removing water condensation from the cap. 

After 2 weeks,  subject to proper agricultural practices, the first shoots appear - at this time the shelter is completely removed.

Using bottom heating stimulates faster emergence of sprouts.

Seedlings are picked 2 times. With each picking, the plants are planted in larger pots. The first dive is carried out with the appearance of 2 - 3 true plates, the second - 3 weeks after the first. 

When diving, you can pinch the main root - this will force the bush to grow several side roots, which will better nourish the flower. 

After diving, 7-10 days later, the plants are fed for the first time with a weak solution of mineral fertilizers for flowers.

For large seedlings, the temperature should be lowered to 15-17 degrees Celsius, hardening the bushes.

In plants obtained from seeds, the first flowering occurs 2 months after the appearance of sprouts. 

Ageratum often self-sow - seedlings appear under mature bushes in the warm season.

You can use personally collected seeds for this method of propagation - for this they use the largest and brightly colored inflorescences located on the main stem or daughter lateral shoots of the first level. 

The inflorescences are allowed to completely bloom and dry - this way the seeds will fully ripen on the bushes.

Seed ripening occurs within approximately 1.5 months after flowering.

Plants obtained in this way often do not inherit all the characteristics of their parents.

Vegetative propagation or cuttings of ageratum from stem cuttings are often also successful. Cuttings are carried out on plants of the second year of life, after wintering in the room.

For vegetative propagation in March, when the flower has already put out young leaves, stem cuttings from fully ripened shoots are cut from the bushes. 

1. The cutting is carried out with a sharpened, sterile pruner so that the lower cut of the cutting is oblique.
2. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings to reduce moisture loss. 
3. The base of the cuttings is treated with growth hormones.
4. For cuttings, select small pots with drainage holes and a drainage layer.
5. Fill the pots with peat-sandy soil and immerse the bases of the cuttings into it 1 - 2 cm deep at a slight angle.
6. The soil is constantly maintained in a uniformly moist, but not swampy state.
7. During the first few days, the cuttings can be covered with plastic wrap or clear glass to maintain a high level of air importance. The plants are ventilated daily for several minutes.
8. The seedlings are kept in a well-lit place, out of direct sunlight, with a temperature of 20-23 degrees Celsius.

After 2-3 weeks, young leaves will appear on the bushes - this indicates that roots have appeared under the surface of the substrate.

A month after successful rooting, the flower is transplanted into a slightly larger pot and they begin to care for it as an adult plant.

When ageratum blooms

Abundant flowering lasts from late spring until frost; ageratum blooms for a very long time at home. Garden plants interrupt their flowering only with the onset of frost.

If you take the flower indoors in the autumn months and cut off the tops of the shoots, then a second wave of flowering is possible, but it will be less abundant.

How to transplant

Planting is carried out in the spring, in loose and nutritious soil with excellent drainage.

Ageratum tolerates replanting well, but you should not transfer plants with flowers and buds to another pot - wait until flowering is over.

Young bushes are planted as they grow, gradually increasing the size of the pot - by 2 - 3 cm in diameter. You should not plant ageratum immediately in a large pot - its flowering will become less abundant, and the appearance of buds can be expected only after the root system has mastered the entire space of the pot. 

1. For planting, select pots with drainage holes at the bottom and place 3-4 cm of drainage in them in the form of expanded clay, river pebbles or pieces of polystyrene foam.
2. A small layer of substrate is poured onto the drainage.
3. The flower is taken out of the old pot and, together with a lump of earth, placed in the center of the new one.
4. The resulting voids on the sides are filled with earth mixture and lightly compacted.
5. The soil surface after transplantation should be 1–2 cm below the walls of the pot, and the bush should be at the same depth as in the previous container.
6. After transshipment, the flower is watered and placed in a shaded place for several days.

It is not worth feeding the plant immediately after transshipment - within 2 - 3 weeks it can easily get by with the nutrients that are already in the new soil.

Planting, care

Ageratum in a pot - soil 

It is grown at home in well-drained, light, fairly poor soils; in too nutritious soil it does not bloom as intensely.

Plants tolerate a wide range of soil pH levels, but neutral soils are preferred. 

The substrate for ageratum can be composed of components such as garden soil, light turf and leaf humus, and peat.

In order for the soil to better allow moisture to pass through and remain loose, a sufficient amount of coarse river sand, perlite or vermiculite is added to it.

Home care, pinching, pruning

Keeping ageratum indoors, on a windowsill, requires compliance with certain rules of agricultural technology.

Remove faded flowers promptly to maintain an attractive appearance. Also, removing faded inflorescences will stimulate the bush to form new buds. 

For better branching, pinch young shoots - timely pinching will make the bush thicker due to the formation of lateral shoots. Well-formed specimens will bloom more abundantly.

If any instrument is used for pinching, it should be sterilized first.

To maintain a neat and compact shape, the stems of the bushes that are too long are cut so that 2-3 internodes remain. During sanitary pruning, all old and diseased stems are removed.

Ageratum is one of the most unpretentious plants and can be easily grown at home, even in soils with low nutrient content.

Take the plants outside or onto the balcony in the warm season after pre-hardening. Return the flower indoors when the night temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius.

You shouldn't immediately place the pot in the warmest place - within a few days it will adapt to the new temperature in a cool room.

Watering

Water ageratums in pots generously with warm water, but do not overdo it. Young plants need regular watering, while older plants can better tolerate short-term drought.

For irrigation, you should use only well-settled tap, filtered or bottled drinking water.

In spring and summer, water deeply, but allow the top layer of soil to dry out to a depth of 2-3 cm before the next watering.

In autumn, gradually reduce the frequency of watering and dry the substrate to 1/3 of its depth. 

During the winter months, if the flower is in a cool room, watering can be kept to a minimum by simply preventing the soil from drying out completely.

Drain excess moisture that appears in the pan after watering after a few minutes, without allowing it to stand. 

Water carefully, trying to avoid water droplets getting on the pubescent leaves and stems.

During warmer months, you can water the plant from a tray or by immersing it in a large container of warm water for a few minutes and allowing excess moisture to drain from the drainage holes.

Feeding 

Every 2 weeks  with mineral complex fertilizer for flowers.

With the beginning of growth, it is advisable to use mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content - this will allow you to quickly increase the green mass. For abundant flowering, switch to fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium.

Slowly dissolving fertilizer sticks will maintain the blooming appearance of the bushes for 2 months.

Ageratum is fed in spring and summer. In autumn, the frequency of fertilizing and the content of nutrients in it is gradually reduced, and in winter they stop feeding the plants. 

Resume regular fertilization in the spring, when young shoots and leaves appear on the bushes.

The flower responds well to both mineral and organic fertilizers.

As organic matter, cow or horse manure and a solution of bird droppings are added to the soil. All organic matter must be well rotted - fresh material will burn the root system.

Good results can be achieved by growing ageratum using alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.

Fertilizers are always applied to a moist substrate - in this case, even an overly concentrated solution will not be able to harm the root system.

In general, ageratum is more likely to tolerate a lack of nutrients than an excess.

Temperature

A heat-loving plant that does not tolerate frost. Ageratum prefers to be warm at any time of the year.

The optimal temperature for growing ageratum is between 20 and 25 ° C.

To prevent plants from stretching out when there is a lack of light, in winter they should be given a cool dormant period at a temperature of 10 - 14 ° C.

If there is good lighting, then the temperature does not need to be reduced during the winter months.

This species does not like sudden changes in temperature conditions - it gradually gets used to any changes.

Air humidity

Normal room air without additional humidification is quite suitable for growing.

If the atmosphere becomes too dry - for example when the central heating is on, you can increase the humidity.

It is better not to use spraying, as drops of moisture can linger on fluffy shoots and leaves and cause rotting.

To increase humidity, just place any open vessel with water or a room humidifier next to the pot. 

Simply placing a few plants in a confined space will also help increase humidity.

Provide the ageratum with good air circulation by ventilating the room where the flower pot is located.

Since the flower does not tolerate cold drafts, ventilation in winter is carried out only when the pot is at a significant distance from the window or even in another room.

Lighting

Ageratum loves light; it likes direct sunlight and light shade on a hot summer afternoon. He should sunbathe in the morning and evening for at least 3-4 hours a day.

The bush blooms well even when grown in partial shade; in the shade, flowering becomes less abundant and the plant becomes elongated. 

Suitable for keeping windows facing southwest or southeast, best placed on a windowsill on the south side, behind a light curtain or a little in the back of the room.

You should not grow perennial ageratum on the north side - even with good artificial lighting, the plants will be weak.

Every week, the pot with the plant is turned a quarter turn around its own axis so that the bushes develop densely and do not tilt towards the light source.

Diseases and pests

Ageratum that receives good care rarely gets sick.

• Powdery mildew sometimes appears when it is kept hot and humid without air circulation.
• Root rot  due to overwatering or insufficient drainage
• With excessive feeding, it abundantly increases green mass to the detriment of flowering.
• Flowering may be less abundant if there is insufficient light.
• If the ageratum has become stretched and loose, it does not have enough light.
• Leaf mosaic, bacterial wilt.
• Black leg appears in young plants under a hood with insufficient ventilation.
• Gray mold - when the temperature and humidity are too low, combined with insufficient air circulation.
• Heavy rain can temporarily reduce the attractiveness of flowering bushes - the inflorescences will turn brown from drops of moisture. 

Of the pests, ageratum is sometimes attacked by mites, aphids, whiteflies, and when grown in open ground - caterpillars of cutworm butterflies, nematodes. 

Purpose

Ageratum is a charming flowering, unpretentious annual that can decorate any flower garden.

Overwintering in a harsh climate kills these shrubs, and in order to preserve them as perennials, they have to be brought indoors in the fall.

Varieties with drooping shoots can be grown in hanging pots as hanging plants.

Low-growing plants are used as a border - they go especially well with the yellow and orange flowers of calendula, marigolds, godetia and cineraria are good companions for it.

The combination of different plant varieties in one pot will allow you to enjoy a long-blooming living bouquet with inflorescences of various shades.

Flowers are often used as cut flowers - for making bouquets and flower arrangements.

Dried flowers from ageratum do not lose their attractiveness for a long time.

Thanks to their lush flowering, the plants form a continuous carpet of purple, blue or white.

In landscape design, the flower is often used to imitate a dry stream or river.

Note

The plant is poisonous - it contains coumarin, which often causes irritation of the mucous membrane in people. When grown indoors, keep out of reach of children and pets.

A flowering bush in the garden attracts many butterflies; bees adore it, as the plant is a good honey plant.

Hydroponics

Grows well in hydroponics.

Varieties of ageratum:

Ageratum houstonianum

Ageratum Mexicana is distinguished by  its long flowering period, beginning in June and lasting until the first frost. The bush has a compact shape, powerful erect stems and round, green leaves covered with soft pubescence. The edges of the leaf blades bear small teeth. Lilac inflorescences.

Ageratum Cloud Nine

Hybrid border ageratum with early and very abundant flowering. They are compact bushes with thick, erect stems abundantly branched at the base. The leaves are wide, heart-shaped or oval, green. The leaf blades are covered with veins slightly recessed into the surface and have a finely toothed edge. In the upper part of the stems during the flowering period, inflorescences appear, consisting of white, purple, pink or blue, fluffy flowers. The flowering is so abundant that the inflorescences can completely hide the foliage of the plant. 

Ageratum Blue Hawaii

Compact herbaceous plants that are distinguished by very abundant and long-lasting flowering. The bushes are very dense, reaching a height of 20 cm, and have light green, finely toothed, soft leaves. Plants develop quickly. The terminal inflorescences decorate this variety in the summer months and consist of rounded flowers of a blue or lilac hue. 

Ageratum conyzoides

Tall ageratums, which are often considered weeds. Erect, branched shoots of this variety reach a height of 50 - 100 cm. The leaves are dark green, with a corrugated, matte surface. The leaf blades are finely toothed, reaching a length of 2 - 6 cm. Young shoots, leaf petioles and leaf blades have a slight, pleasant pubescence. Small apical inflorescences - umbrellas - consist of several white or lilac flowers.