Many dackets try to grow not only beautiful, but also useful floral cultures. Such plants can be attributed to sunflower. It belongs to the genus of complex color. It is believed that the plant sunflower (on the lat. Helianthus) began to grown on the territory of North America for the first time. It was there that the sunflowers were turned from wilderness in the home culture more than 5 thousand years ago. In Europe, this plant was delivered only in the 16th century and called these flowers - "The Grass of the Sun". Initially blooming sunflower was grown only with a decorative goal. In the future, it began to grow and for obtaining seeds, from which only in the 17th century began to produce sunflower oil. On how to grow sunflower at home in the country area - we will tell further.
Description Sunflower
Today, sunflowers are considered valuable agricultural culture and cultivate almost around the world. They are grown primarily to obtain sunflower oil. This product is actively used in cooking, soap, paint industry, as well as for the preparation of margarine. Upon receipt of sunflower oil, waste remains - these are cake and meal. They are usually used in food for livestock. We use sunflower seeds both in fresh and fried.
Before growing sunflowers at the cottage, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of this culture:
- Sunflower is an annual plant with a rod root system, which can delve into the ground to a depth of up to 3 m. The height of some varieties can reach 2.5 m.
- Sunflower stem is represented, over the entire length is covered with rigid versinks.
- The leaves of the plant are regular, long-meshkin. The lower leaves are sedentary, and the upper - opposite. Sheet plate with sawdords, sowed with a rigid pile. The length of the sheet can reach 40 cm.
- As a rule, one inflorescence is formed on one plant. However, in some individuals there are several of them: one large and 1-2 small. Inflorescence is surrounded by wrapping leaves. The feature of the sunflower is that his flowers turn around the sun - from the east to the west.
- The fruits of sunflower - seed with black and white or gray shell and white core.
Types and varieties of sunflower
In an industrial classification, depending on the purpose of the sort of sunflower, they are divided into 2 main groups:
- Oil. The seed of such varieties contains up to 50% oil and is distinguished by black peel. Basically, such varieties are on the manufacture of sunflower oil. Oils are also divided depending on the content of useful acids into them on: polyunsaturated, mono-allaturated and medium-igne.
- Food. These types of sunflower have a striped peel. Used in the confectionery industry and for the manufacture of food.
According to the degree of ripening of the sort of sunflower come:
- Earls.
- Medium.
- Association.
- Medium impact.
The best varieties of sunflower at the moment are:
- Suite. Highly productive confectionery grade of early ripening, which is distinguished by resistance to drought, weeds. The height of individual individuals can reach 2 m, and the diameter of the seed - up to 30 cm. The kernels are quite large.
- Oliver. Surprise oily hybrid, which is characterized by high performance. The average height of plants rarely exceeds 145 cm. Seed medium-sized basket, dark egg-shaped seed.
- Flagship. Early yields. Plants are high (up to 2 m), seeds have an oval elongated form. The grade is very resistant to weeds and mildew.
- Diamond. Early confectionery grade. It is distinguished by resistance to drought and fungal diseases. High stems up to 1.9 m and large seeds are the key to high variety productivity.
Planting sunflower
The cultivation of sunflower is carried out, as a rule, from seeds. This method is the easiest and gives very good results. The plant perfectly transfers short frosts, so there is no particular sense to grow seedlings of sunflower for landing. If this decision was made, then separate containers should be prepared for the cultivation of seedlings.
The procedure for growing seedlings:
- For this purpose, the segments of plastic bottles with a height of up to 30 cm are perfectly suitable. Inside such an improvised capacity, fertile soil is laid in the passage in proportion 1: 1.
- Drainage holes are cut from the bottom, which will not give moisture to be stamped inside. The fertile mixture is moisturized and planted in one container of 1-2 seeds of sunflower to a depth of 3-4 cm. The soil is slightly pressed and covered with a film.
- Sevings are left in a warm place protected from direct sunlight.
- As soon as the first shoots appear, you can put them on the windowsill. Daily film must be removed and air seedlings. The ventilation and moisturizing of the substrate are the main emergence for the care of sunflower.
- A week before landing in open ground, and do it in early June, the seedlings begin to temper, putting them on fresh air. Picking the seedlings are better not to ventilate (the sunflower suffers badly), and plant a seedling with an earthen room. When placing plants, it is necessary to provide them with enough space. For this, the distance between the seedlings should be at least 1 m.
When planting seeds directly into the ground, the procedure is carried out at the end of May - early June. The cultivation of this plant is not much difficult, however, there are certain rules that should be observed:
- It is necessary to adhere to the crop rotation. It is impossible to plant sunflowers on the same place with a break less than 3 years. The best predecessors for it will be corn and other grain crops, and after beets, legumes or tomatoes, this plant is better not to plant.
- After sunflower, the vegetables will not grow on the site. Therefore, it is better to plant legumes in his place - they will be saturated with nitrogen soil and allow her to "relax." After that, you can plant vegetables.
- The plant needs to provide enough space. In the radius of placement of the root system of sunflower will not be able to normally develop a single plant, including its relatives. This culture is so strong that even weeds rarely grow near the adult plant.
- When choosing a place to grow sunflower, it is better to give preference to fertile soils with a small content of clay. In principle, it is equally well adaptable to any soils, except for swampy, acidic or too salted.
Planting order:
- Before planting sunflower, all weeds should be removed from the site and make mineral fertilizers.
- Many gardeners do not make the latter, as they believe that sunflower can take everything necessary from the soil. However, this is not always the case. Mineral fertilizers and the organic need to be made, both before planting and in the process of growth.
- Sunflower seeds before planting in the soil are soaked in a moon-garlic infusion or in a solution of manganese. Infusion is pretty pretty simple: 100 g of garlic teeth are finely crushed, mixed with a onion husk and boiling water is poured with 2 liters, after which they leave to appease for 2-3 days. These measures will prevent the majority of fungal diseases, which are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, as well as scare from planted seeds of insects and rodents.
- For the landing of the sunflower in the country, they make small grooves depth to 8 cm. They are slightly moistened with water and planted 2-3 seeds nearby.
- There are no less than 1 meter between rows withstands.
- After that, the soil is watered on the site.
Watering sunflower
Landing and care for sunflowers is not difficult. Care lies in optimal watering, making fertilizers, and combating diseases and pests.
Sunflower is a very moisture plant, so it is necessary to approach the organization of irrigation very seriously. Of particular need for moisture, he is experiencing during:
- Forming the first 4 pairs of leaves.
- Formation of inflorescence.
- Singing seeds.
Over the rest, watering should be moderate. In the process of irrigation, it is very important not so much of its frequency, how much depth of moisture. Roots plants lie deeply and it is necessary that the moisture reached them. On hot days you can water the plant daily, and during periods of drought - several times a day.
Undercalinking sunflower
Before planting in the spring, mineral nitrogen fertilizers are made to the site. They will become a kind of stimulant growth of planted seeds. The next feeder is carried out at the stage of formation of the third pair of leaves. To do this, on a plot with planted plants, dry superphosphate at the rate of 20 g per 1M 2. After that, fertilizer granules are pressed into the ground and watered.
The last feeder is carried out at the stage of formation of inflorescences. To do this, a mixture of 10% solution of cowboat and potassium sulfate is used (1 st spoon on the bucket of the solution).
The appearance on the leaves of the plants of bubbles indicates a lack of boron. In this case, the leaves become fragile and may be premature. To combat this phenomenon, use leaves processing by boron-containing drugs.
Benefit and harm Sunflower
Seeds are usually called sunflower seeds. Let's tell me a little about their benefits:
- At 100 grams of sunflower seeds account for about 600 kilocalories. At the same time, a little more than half, they consist of fats. Also as part of seeds there are proteins, carbohydrates, water, ash and dietary fiber.
- Sunflower seeds contain quite many polyunsaturated fatty acids, which gives them the opportunity to be an excellent means of preventing infarction, atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- In addition, the use of seeds improves appetite, helps with problems with sleep, increases immunity, helps to cope with stress and depression. Seeds also improve the condition of the skin, nails and hair.
- Thanks to the content of calcium, the seeds of sunflower help strengthen the bone tissue and accelerate the recovery of bones, in case of damage. In addition, seeds contribute to the normalization of the intestinal work. They are still useful in diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
- Vitamins of group B, which are rich in seeds, help to cope with insomnia. In addition, the vitamins of this group help struggle with dandruff, acne. Zinc, which are rich in sunflower seeds, helps to keep a good complexion, hair health, and also strengthens immunity.
Diseases and pests of sunflower
Like any grain crops, sunflower is susceptible to the harmful influence of diseases and pests.
- Puffy dew. This is a fungal disease that is caused by plasmopar mushroom activity. You can identify the activity of the disease in the appearance of plants. They look underdeveloped, the leaves are thin and weak, on the back side of the sheet plate appears a characteristic white flare. With untimely treatment, which consists in processing plants and soils by fungicides, the plant may die. At the same time, the risk of re-infection of plants in this area is preserved.
- Black spotty. A rather dangerous disease that affects not only cultural plants, but also weeds. It is manifested by the appearance on the leaves of black spots, and on the places of fastening a sheet of sheet to the stalk of black necrosis. At the beginning of the disease, which makes itself felt at the stage of formation of 3 pairs of leaves, the stains on the sheet plate are of only 3-5 mm, but with the time of progression of the disease increases 10-15 times. This leads to fallout leaves and the death of the plant. To combat fungal diseases, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment (and plant, and the soil around it) fungicides. Basically, system action preparations such as aprah or a cruiser are used.
- Ash rot. Another fungal disease. It starts its activity on the neck of the root and is moving higher on the stalk along with its growth. The fungus blocks the propagation of nutrients from the roots, which leads to the fading and death of the plant. Special damage ash rotting sunflower landings in hot weather.
- Gray rot. The fungus that causes this disease can be maintained in the soil for a long time on seeds, stems, roots of unlocked plants. Its activity begins in low-sun and wet weather when the soil can not crack enough. On the leaves of the plant there are dark stains with a grayish flare, and on the stems the same strokes. When ignoring the threat, the plant can very quickly die. Preparations for treatment - aproomen or cruiser.
- White rot. Activity appears on any period of vegetation of the plant. It differs from other diseases of the rapidness of their development. Sunflower shoots that are amazed by white rot is practically no chance of survival. In adult plants on the back of the sheet plate, a white felt flare appears. With the development of the disease, the affected fabrics of the plant die and it dies. With the appearance of viral diseases, it is necessary to urgently remove plants from the bed and immediately burn.
Among the pests of sunflower can be allocated:
- Steppe crickets. They destroy the plant during the appearance of the first leaves. Basically, cricket activity is manifesting at the edges of the site.
- Weevils. They eat seedy leaves, snack stems than they cause huge harm to sunflower sprouts.
- Meadow moths. The larvae of this insect is distinguished by their voraciousness and can easily eat all the leaves of sunflower.
- Vegetable bugs. They suck all the juice from the stems and leaves of sunflower.
- Chafer. The larva of the May beetle eats the roots of sunflower and other plants.
- Harvest mouse. Basically makes harm to the seeds of sunflower, coming immediately after landing.
To combat pests, the initial treatment of seeds is carried out before planting with the help of insecticides or acaricides of a wide range of action, such as a volley, akarin, accomplishing or agravertin. However, it should be remembered that the validity of this processing is not more than 7 weeks. After that, prophylactic spraying should be carried out.