Kochia (Kochia) or summer cypress is a fast-growing ornamental leafy plant from the Amaranth family of the Marev subfamily. The genus combines drought-resistant semi-shrub and herbaceous xerophyte plants.
Kohiya got its name in honor of the director of the botanical garden in Erlangen (Germany) Elangen Koch.
Among the people, the plant is known under the names of summer cypress, bassia, summer cyprus, izen, prutnyak, broom grass.
This plant is native to China. Cochia is cultivated in East Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, Japan and Australia.
Kochia is an annual or perennial ornamental plant with a lush, developed crown. The plant forms and takes shape in early June. It retains its appearance until the onset of frost. Height 60-150 centimeters.
Kohiya consists of an upright lignified stem and a large number of branched thin shoots. Young branches are formed along the entire length of the shoots.
The leaves are entire, thin, linear, petiolate, soft, similar in appearance to cypress needles. The leaves are covered with a short edging, often lanceolate, rarely filiform.
On a young kochia, the leaves are dark green or light green; closer to autumn, the foliage acquires a yellow, orange, raspberry or pink hue. The root is taproot, goes into the ground up to 3 meters deep.
Kochia changes color in autumn The flowers are inconspicuous, paniculate or spike-shaped, very small, collected in inflorescences and hidden in the axils of the apical leaves. Kochia blooms from July to September.
After pollination, miniature nuts are formed in place of flowers.
In each nut, seeds ripen, which retain their germination for 2 years. If the seeds are not collected, they crumble to the ground and sprout in the spring.
Fresh kochia leaves are added to soups. The plant is used in medicine. Cochia helps with eczema, erysipelas, skin inflammation, rheumatism, edema, gonorrhea. It has diuretic, laxative, diaphoretic, cardiotonic, bactericidal and tonic properties.
In addition, livestock and silkworm caterpillars are not averse to feasting on Kochia. Some farms specifically grow this crop for these purposes.
Dried bushes can be used in the form of a broom (broom).
Species and varieties with photos
In nature, there are about 80 types of cochia. In ornamental horticulture, only a small part (about 10) is grown.
Cochia broom (paniculata) is a low, spherical plant. In autumn, the shrub becomes reddish-burgundy. The plant withstands light frosts and retains its decorative appearance until late autumn.
Cochia broom green lace Perennial kochia is a strongly branching at the beginning and spread along the ground semi-shrub with a height of 10-50 centimeters.
One of the best varieties of perennial kochia is creeping kochia.
The shape of the plant depends on the place of growth. Shoots creep along the ground, rise at the ends. The length of the stems is 70 centimeters.
Creeping Kochia - Kochia prostrata At first they are covered with weak or dense pubescence, the ends of the stems are almost bare, reddish in color. Leaves filiform or linear. Silky, fluffy or smooth to the touch.
Flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences of 3 pieces.
Kochia woollyflower- an annual semi-shrub, 78-80 centimeters high. The stems are yellowish-green or reddish, covered with short curly hairs.
Woolly flowered Kochia - Kochia laniflora Kochia densely flowered- strongly branched annual. Height 130 centimeters. The branches are slightly directed upwards, arranged horizontally.
Flowers around the base are surrounded by long white hairs.
Kochia densely flowered - Kochia densiflora - an elongated-oval, slender plant, up to 100 centimeters high, 50-70 centimeters wide. The leaves are pubescent, narrow, light green in spring, burgundy in autumn. The flowers are small, collected in green balls.
Kochia Childs is a compact spherical bush, 40-50 centimeters high.
Branching shoots, strongly leafy. The leaves are light green. The color does not change throughout the year.
Based on these species, several beautiful ornamental varieties were bred:
Nephritis is a fast growing plant, reaching 100 centimeters in height. Suitable for curly haircuts. 
- a neat rounded shape, grows up to 70-100 centimeters in height. In summer, the leaves are emerald green, and in autumn they turn burgundy. The variety is suitable for sculptural haircuts. 
In addition to them, very beautiful varieties can be distinguished: Acapulco Silver, Cochia Cypress, Flame, Green Lace, Shilzi, Royal Castle and others.
Growing kochia through seedlings is considered the most effective way. In regions with a cool climate, this plant is grown from seedlings, in the south, kochia can be grown from seedlings or sown directly into the ground.
For sowing at home, you need to take seedling boxes, containers or pots, fertile soil and high-quality seeds. The earth can be collected from the garden, humus, sand and peat are added to it. Kokhiya is unpretentious, the main requirements for the earth are moisture permeability, friability. The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral.
After growing seedlings, they need to be seated in separate pots. Seating can be done in one or 2 stages. That is, diving in a container of several pieces, and then seating in separate containers. Or transplant one plant per pot.
When planting in a peat pot, seedlings are planted in open ground along with it, peat in this case plays the role of additional nutrition for the flower.
Sowing seeds for is done in late March or early April.
Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil and do not go deep.
If there is a dense layer of earth on top of the seeds, the crops may not sprout.
When buying seeds, you need to pay attention to the expiration date, otherwise you can not wait for seedlings.
Land and seed preparation
Cochia seeds are quite small and do not require special preparation.
To accelerate growth, they can be treated with any growth stimulants (Epin, Energen, Heteroauxin).
Before sowing, the soil must be calcined in the oven at a temperature of about 110 degrees for 25 minutes. The soil after calcination is treated with a solution of fungicides or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Land for planting should be moist, but not wet.
Small grooves are made on the surface of the earth. Seeds are carefully scattered, pressed to the ground and watered from a spray bottle.
The boxes are covered with glass, film or a transparent lid and placed in a bright place away from any heating devices. The temperature in the room should be 18-20 degrees. Watering is done with a spray gun, in the morning or in the evening, daily. The first shoots appear after 7-10 days.
When 3 main leaves appear, kochia seedlings need to be picked in pots or cups. In a container with a diameter of 10 centimeters, 3 sprouts can be planted. With such a planting, before planting in the ground, one more transplant is made into separate pots in seedlings.
The plant is light-loving and, with a lack of lighting, stretches and weakens. For additional lighting, a phytolamp is placed at a short distance from the plants. Daylight hours together with supplementary lighting should be at least 12 hours.
With excess moisture, a black leg may appear. Sick seedlings should be removed immediately. The soil is dried with charcoal, calcined sand or perlite. During watering, potassium permanganate or any antifungal drugs are added. Watering is carried out along the edges of the pot, without touching the plants.
Kohiya does not tolerate cold and shade. When choosing a place, you need to consider that the site should be bright and warm. In partial shade, the bush turns out to be more compact and low. A lowland or an area with a close occurrence of groundwater is not suitable for planting cochia.
The plant is not demanding on the soil, but fertile land with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction is considered the best option.
The soil should easily pass air and water to the roots. The semi-shrub does not need frequent watering and easily tolerates drought.
After the spring frosts have passed, you can start planting plants in a permanent place. The gap between the bushes should be at least 30-45 centimeters. Seedlings by the time of transplantation should get stronger and grow up to 15 centimeters.
Plants need to be transplanted along with an earthen clod. Pits for planting should correspond to the volume of the pot. The recesses are well spilled with warm water. The plant with the earth rolls over into the hole and is compressed by the earth.
If the seedlings were planted in peat pots, the plants are planted directly in them. Bushes quickly take root in new places and begin to grow.
Cochia seeds can be sown directly into the ground. Sowing is done both in autumn and spring. In spring, seeds are sown in mid-May. When sowing earlier, cover material should be used to protect from the cold.
For faster germination, the seeds are soaked for several days in warm water or treated with a growth stimulator. The site is dug up and loosened. A mixture of sand and peat crumbles. This mixture allows the seeds to germinate faster.
Seeds are distributed over the soil and lightly pressed with the palm of your hand.
Sprouted seeds grow faster. After a week, shoots appear. Weak shoots are removed.
When sown in autumn before winter, the seeds are sown along with sand and peat in slightly frozen ground. Seeds are not afraid of the cold, and in the spring they sprout together.
When the bushes grow, they can be seated. Between each bush, the distance should be at least 30-40 centimeters, denser cultivation leads to poor development of bushes and a quick release of flowers.
These methods of growing cochia are less effective than the seedling method and are used only in regions with a warm climate.
Kochia can reproduce on its own.
In order for self-seeding to occur, several bushes are left in the soil until spring. During the first warm days, young shoots will appear that look like Christmas trees.
Kochia care includes watering, loosening, weeding, top dressing and pruning.
Watering is carried out using a watering can. The plant is drought tolerant. You need to water in dry weather, if the leaves of the flowers begin to fall down.
Loosening and weeding of weeds is carried out several times per season. The soil should not be crusted.
For active growth, kochia requires regular top dressing. The first fertilization is carried out 2 weeks after planting the bushes in the ground. After that, top dressing is done once a month.
For top dressing, organic matter or complex mineral fertilizers are taken. You can use mullein, ash. After shearing, for a quick restoration of the bush, extraordinary fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers is carried out.
Pruning of plants is carried out 1-2 times a month.
Kochia is quite resistant to diseases and pests. With prolonged rains, rot can develop. When rot appears, diseased bushes are removed, and healthy plants are watered with potassium permanganate.
Sometimes a spider mite may appear on the bushes. The mite damages the greenery of the plant. To combat the pest, special protective agents are used (Bitoxibacillin, Neoron, Akarin) or a decoction of ceclamen tubers, a soap solution.
Bushes easily tolerate a haircut and retain their shape for a long time.
With the help of sharp scissors and secateurs, plants take the form of a pyramid, ball, oval, rectangle, matryoshka, column, or any other shape. When planting a group of bushes, you can create a semblance of a vase; tall bright flowers are planted in the middle for this.
When landing along the tracks, you can arrange a neat sheared curb. To create miniature bushes, the tops are pinched at the stage of early development of the bushes.
After any haircut, plants need top dressing with water-soluble nitrogen fertilizers.
Tall bushes are used to decorate various buildings, arbors, in the form of hedges.
Kohiya can be planted in a single copy among ground cover plants or on a lawn, in the form of a tapeworm.
Can be planted in groups in a mixborder, in a flower bed. Kohiya goes well with roses, marigolds, asters and many other flowers. 
These lush, slender bushes make it possible to decorate any site. They are used to decorate flower beds, borders, fences.
They look great in rock gardens, rockeries, topiaries, near fountains and next to large stones.
Kochia (border shrub): video
Unpretentiousness and ease of care make kochia almost an ideal plant in the garden.
Kochia is rapidly gaining popularity among amateur flower growers and professional landscape designers. Why do they love this culture, which blooms with nondescript small flowers that do not carry decorative value? The flowers are barely visible, hiding in the leaf axils. Kochia is definitely not grown for flowers. The leaves are thin, long, delicate, and in themselves are not highly decorative either. In addition, kochia is also an annual, that is, it has to be grown from seeds every year. Nevertheless, it is a popular plant that can be found on every second site today.
Secrets of Growing Kochia
Cochia can be grown through seedlings or by sowing directly into the ground. In general, there are many varieties bred in culture. They differ mainly in size and color. Some have bright green leaves that turn red in autumn. Some have intense light green foliage that later turns dark green. There are varieties in which the leaves turn orange.
Sowing for seedlings
The timing of sowing seeds of cochia for further growing seedlings depends on the climate of your area.
At the end of March, you can start sowing in a standard Central Russian climate, when the last threat of frost on the soil is the beginning of May.
Video - Growing cochia from seeds
Seedling Care
Shoots appear on the eighth - tenth day. The protective material is removed. Immediately it is worth moving the containers in a room with a temperature of 3-5 degrees lower. Maximum +16°С. Sprouts must be carefully watered, along the edge of the container, avoiding overflow. Cochia seedlings are susceptible to the disease of all seedlings - the black leg - to a greater extent.
To protect green sprouts from disease, it is necessary to maintain the indicated temperature, preventing its increase. Watering seedlings is carried out moderately, especially if the room has high humidity.
Advice! The soil in the container should not dry out - the seedlings will immediately wilt and the leaves will begin to wither. With aerated soil and good drainage in a container, it is advisable to water young plants twice a week.
If, nevertheless, a black leg happened, and you found diseased specimens with characteristic spots and darkening on the leg, you must:
- remove diseased plants;
- stop watering the container;
- sprinkle the soil with dry sand, which will absorb some of the excess moisture.
When the soil dries, the next watering should be carried out with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
If the black leg continues to spread, the seedlings will have to dive into dry, fresh, disinfected soil.
To obtain compact seedlings that have not stretched excessively, they need to be dived after 2-3 weeks, in the phase of three leaves, in a personal container of 2-3 things. Pots for picking should be up to 10 cm in diameter.
After picking, the temperature of the content is the same, the place is the brightest, watering in the same mode, top dressing.
The first top dressing with a fertilizer complex with a predominance of nitrogen a week after the dive and then every 10-14 days.
Landing at the very end of May. A place for kochia should be chosen sunny, where there is no wind, calm. The soil should be moderately fertile, not swampy, loose. The distance between seedlings when planting in flowerbeds and rabatkas is up to 30 cm, when growing on a border in the form of a hedge - 10-15 cm.
During the period of rooting of seedlings, the plant needs increased watering and the next top dressing, two weeks after planting. Be sure to feed the plants when carrying out haircuts each time after the procedure.
Sowing in the ground
If there is no desire to mess with seedlings, you can grow kochia by sowing in the ground. For the successful emergence and development of seedlings, several conditions must be strictly observed.
In open ground, seeds germinate one and a half times longer than in a container for seedlings. Shoots can be thin and unpresentable. Subsequently, the weak ones must be removed, leaving a distance of 20-35 cm between the bushes. If you grow a decorative border from cochia, the distance between plants can be reduced to 10-15 cm.
At night, when the temperature drops below + 10 ° C, the plants should continue to be covered.
Outdoor care
Caring for seedlings in the open field differs little from caring for seedlings. It is necessary to water intensively, trying, however, so that the plants do not rot and do not get sick. As an adult, kochia is relatively drought-resistant, but nevertheless, it is not necessary to allow the soil to dry out so that the foliage - the main "property" of the plant - does not lose its decorative effect.
In the flower bed, it is imperative to weed the plants and loosen the ground, especially in the early stages of the growing season. You can mulch the soil between the bushes with a rare planting of decorative pebbles, bark and other mulching materials.
At least twice during the summer, you need to feed the kochia with a complex of minerals, in which nitrogen has a large proportion.
Kochia must be pruned so that the branches grow evenly. It can also be given any shape - it is well subject to an artistic haircut.
The use of kochia in landscape design
| fit type | Peculiarities |
|---|---|
| Solitary landing | As single accents, e.g. on a lawn or among low ground covers |
| Group boarding | Groups in a flower bed or discount or in a mixborder for a background row |
| Alpine slide or rockery | Near large stones or in small groups |
| curb landing | As a border for a flower bed, along paths, like a hedge |
| Topiary | Single planting followed by crown formation in the style of topiary |
Kochia can be sown not only in spring, but also in autumn. For winter sowing, flower beds are prepared in October. Sowing is superficial, with a little sprinkling. It is important not to sow before October so that the seeds do not start growing until spring. It is especially convenient to sow kokhiya in the winter to create borders.
Cochia seeds have a short germination period. 50% "survive" with proper storage up to two years, but the standard shelf life is limited to a year. It is better to sow fresh plant seeds that you can collect yourself from female specimens. They are in seed boxes, and if they are not removed in time, the plant will propagate by self-sowing. With continuous group plantings in a flower bed, self-sowing reproduction may come in handy. With the onset of spring and the appearance of sprouts, it will only be enough to thin out so that the plants do not oppress each other.
During the autumn cold, kochia quickly withers and dies. The decorative effect can be extended by moving the plants into containers. On the balcony, the kochia will turn green for another 1.5-2 months, before the onset of serious frosts.
When the plants are dry on the vine, they can be used to create flower arrangements and dry arrangements. Traditionally, kochia was used as an ordinary broom.
Kochia is a beautiful ornamental plant native to China. Today culture is in great demand in many countries. This name was given in honor of the famous German biologist Koch. By the appearance of the plant, you might think that the bush belongs to the coniferous family, because even among the people it was called the annual cypress, but if you touch the plant, it becomes clear that its branches are quite soft and tender.
Description and varieties
There are about 80 species in the genus Kochia. Only a few species can be planted on the territory of Russia:
- Crown. This plant is distinguished by its unpretentious care and resistance to drought. The bushes of the coronal kochia are spherical. In autumn, the plant turns a red-burgundy color. The peculiarity of the culture is that it is able to withstand even slight frosts, so you can enjoy the external beauty of the bush even in late autumn. But how it happens, this article will help to understand.
Kochia Crown
- hairy. This bush is distinguished by its slenderness and height up to 1 m. Its leaves are narrow and drooping down. Their color is light green, but in autumn they turn burgundy. It is necessary to plant a plant in areas where there is sun. In this case, the soil may be depleted. How the planting and care of Iberis evergreen takes place, and how this plant looks in the photo, can be seen in this
hairy
- Kochia Childs. The bushes are compact and spherical in shape. Their height reaches 50 cm. They are covered with green foliage, which does not change color throughout the year. But how beautiful it looks will help to understand the photo and information from this article.
In addition to the presented types of cochia, breeders today were able to bring out some varieties of ornamental plants:
- Sultan. The culture forms slender bushes 70-100 cm high. The leaves can change their color throughout the year, becoming burgundy. The variety tolerates a haircut well.
- Acapulco Silver. The bushes have a spherical shape, and the branches are covered with green leaves, along the edges of which have a silver edging. With the onset of autumn, they change their color to crimson. But how it happens is described in great detail here in the article.
- Nephritis. This plant is distinguished by its fast growth. Its height can reach 1 m. It is worth using the variety to create green sculptures.
- Flame. An annual plant that acquires a columnar shape in the process of growth. Its height reaches 80-100 cm. In autumn, the leaves change their green color to crimson. The variety is resistant to slight frosts. And here is how the annual Scabiosa is grown from seeds, you can see in this
- Shilzi. Bushes have dense foliage. The height of the crown reaches 1 m. Green leaves begin to change their color to purple-red in summer.
How and when to plant
To get the maximum germination of kochia seeds, as well as the full development of young sprouts, you need to know some planting rules. Despite the fact that this annual plant does not require increased attention, under certain conditions its development is impossible.
It will also be interesting to learn how to plant zinnia seeds for seedlings:
Which many gardeners and flower growers most often call summer cypress, and Western publications call it "bassia". The semi-shrub grows quite quickly, while it has many branches and reaches 1.5 m. Many are attracted by its evergreenness, but not everyone knows how to grow kochia at home. The plant is very beautiful, by autumn it acquires an unusual color, which makes the bush unique in its own way. Thanks to the diligence of breeders, kohiya (planting and caring for which will be described below) is carmine, pink, light green, dark green in color.
In rural areas, some grow this plant for brooms and panicles.
From this article you will learn what kind of plant kochia, planting and care, reviews about the shrub. In addition, it will talk about how growing from seeds is carried out.
Kochia: description
Kochia, planting and caring for which is quite simple, is a semi-shrub belonging to the haze family. This plant is highly branched, fast growing, with narrow small leaves resembling cypress needles. The flowers do not have any special decorative value. They are rather small and inconspicuous, hiding in the axils of the leaves, which, in turn, are light green or bright green in color. In autumn, the leaves change and acquire, depending on the variety, an orange or reddish hue.
There is a perennial kochia, planting and caring for which practically does not differ from an annual one. True, after a while this plant still degenerates, after which it will be necessary to purchase other seeds and repeat the entire planting procedure.
Kohiya perfectly tolerates a haircut and keeps a given shape for a long time. With the help of ordinary scissors from a plant, you can create unique shapes. Skillful hands, armed with secateurs, are able to give a curb of cochia bushes an oval, rectangular or jagged shape. It is easy to cut a single bush in the form of a ball, oval, column or matryoshka, and transform a group of plants into a disk or vase with flowers rising in the middle.
It is very interesting that at the end of summer they are able not only to maintain a given shape, but also to turn intricately into variegated, crimson-brown, green-pink colors, creating their own original patterns on each figure. You can also plant a cochia in the center of a flower bed or among plants, decorate a vegetable garden with a sheared border.
After the kochia flowers, planting and caring for which are described below, have been sheared, they need a little nourishment. In this case, the plant needs special nitrogen fertilizers, which are recommended to be applied in liquid form.
Kochia: planting and care (photo)
Kohiya is most often used to decorate summer cottages in those places where it is possible to make a small hedge from a plant and very unusual figures by cutting branches. The beauty of such a shrub cannot leave anyone indifferent. Also, kochia, planting and caring for which does not require much effort, can be grown close to the house or plot.
Those who decide to plant a kochia should know that it does not tolerate shade and frost. The plant prefers sunny and bright places, but can also grow in partial shade. You can grow kochia on any soil, but the plant feels best on non-acidic and fertile soils. The semi-shrub is able to tolerate a short drought well, in addition, it does not need frequent watering.
Cochia cultivation is most often carried out by planting seeds directly into the ground. They are planted in the ground both in spring and autumn. But this method is not the best for breeding a flower. It is best if seedlings are grown from seeds, and only then transplanted to a permanent place.
Growing seedlings
Kochia, planting and care (photo can be found in the article) which is carried out by seedling method, is planted at the end of March. First you need to prepare seedling boxes, or containers and fertile soil. Next, scatter the acquired seeds over the surface of the earth and lightly sprinkle, then moisten.
After that, you need to put the boxes in a sunny place, away from batteries and other heating devices. After planting the seeds, they must be sprayed daily with water (but not watered).
After the seeds sprout and the threat of frost has passed, the plants are planted in the ground in a permanent place. Kochia should be planted in the most suitable conditions for it, that is, in those places where there is less shade. The distance between the bushes should be 10-15 cm. From the first days, special props must be organized for seedlings.
Kochia next year will be able to reproduce by self-sowing. To do this, you just need to leave a few bushes to winter. In spring, young bright green shoots will appear near these flowers.
Kochia: planting and care in the open field
To date, kochia is planted in several ways at once, which allow you to equally get a strong and healthy plant. Since seedlings and seedlings quickly stretch indoors, they are recommended to be sown in the first week of April. Most experts advise applying seed to the soil, which is then covered with cellophane or special frames with glass. In addition, some flower growers plant kochia with seeds directly into the ground, since this is a very frost-resistant plant.
How to grow cochia from seeds?
Kohiya, planting and care in the open field which is very simple, is sown quite late, in mid-May. In order for the seeds to germinate faster, it is recommended to germinate them in warm water a few days before planting and only then plant. Germinated seeds in the open field acclimatize much better than dry ones. After about seven days, the first shoots appear, which need to be thinned out, leaving only strong plants.
Kochia care
Kokhiya refers to a plant that is quite unpretentious and picky about the soil and growing conditions, which is very attractive to its admirers. Rapid growth does not require active care and the creation of unusual conditions. By itself, a flower planted in the sun grows and develops well, even if watering is not carried out for a long time. In addition, the plant is indifferent to the composition and fertilization of the soil, as well as to weeding and loosening the earth. You can, of course, take care of the plant in this way, but even without such care it will feel quite good in the garden and will certainly create a beautiful landscape.
Kochia is very popular with all lovers of coniferous plants, as its appearance visually resembles an unusual small overseas Christmas tree. This is what so much attracts some amateur gardeners who want to diversify their site with an unusual and beautiful plant.
Alternatively, you can try growing cochia by sowing seeds directly into the ground. Even though not all kochia seeds will grow in this case, this is a real way to save your time and effort. In this way, your kochia can appear in the garden without any effort at all, which is especially attractive for urban nature lovers.
Usage
Kochia looks great not only in the flower garden, but also in the flower bed. Florists use dried shoots to create a variety of dry bouquets. And the dried stems of the plant without much effort can turn into an ordinary broom or broom.
Fresh kochia leaves are used as food: they are added to some soups. It is also a feed material for silkworm caterpillars and livestock.
Cochia in medicine
Even in folk medicine, cochia has found its application. Landing and care in this case have their own therapeutic purpose. The plant is used for rheumatism, skin inflammation, swelling, eczema. It also has diaphoretic, diuretic, tonic and cardiostimulating properties.
Cochia flowers are not only decorative and useful. Planting and caring for them (photo in the article) are not difficult for them, and the flowers delight gardeners.
Kohiya is a wonderful decoration of the local area, garden, cottage, park. This shrub belongs to deciduous plants with a high decorative effect. After a haircut, it quickly builds up a green mass and becomes even more beautiful. Read about how to grow kochia from seeds in the article.
plant description
Kohiya is a fluffy annual shrub with a dense branching crown, reaching a height of one meter. Decorative plant gives not flowering, but the beauty of the foliage. The inflorescences are small and inconspicuous. Attractive is the narrow foliage of an oblong shape. It is bright green or light green in color, and in autumn - raspberry or burgundy.
Due to the peculiarity of changing shades of foliage during growth, the shrub always stands out among other garden vegetation. The leaves bear a strong resemblance to needles and feel prickly to the touch. But in fact, the shoots are very tender and soft, for which the plant is popularly called broom grass. Bath brooms are made from its twigs. In addition, there is another popular name: summer cypress, and in science - bassia.
This plant from the haze family has 80 species, one of them is Green Forest cochia. Growing from seeds is carried out both in open ground and at home. This variety of kochia is characterized by a bright color of juicy green leaves throughout the growing season, which gives the shrub a special decorative effect. Hence the name, which in translation from English means "green forest". There is no particular difference in the care of varieties. However, when landscaping garden plots, hairy cochia and Childs cochia are more often used.
Cypress comes from the ancient country of the East - China. It was here that many varieties of this crop were bred, which was later brought to Europe by Koch, a professor from Germany, which determined the name of the plant. Due to its excellent decorative qualities, it began to be cultivated in various parts of the world. Kohiya is very similar to cypress crown, which has the shape of a pyramid.
Growing with seedlings
With this method, healthy seedlings are guaranteed. To grow kochia (summer cypress) from seeds, they must first be sown and seedlings obtained. This time falls on the spring period, or rather, at the end of March. Seeds are sown in small containers. Before this, the containers are washed with hot soapy water, and then treated with potassium permanganate.
The soil is also disinfected. First you need to steam it, and then spill it well with the same hot solution. The soil should be loose and finely structured. It is important that it is new and well passes air and water. It can be prepared independently, for which you should mix peat with sand or perlite in equal proportions.
Seed sowing technology
If everything is done correctly, planting material will quickly germinate. Growing cochia from seeds is not difficult. The sowing procedure is as follows:
- The soil must first be compacted, and the seeds evenly distributed over the entire surface.
- Sprinkle them on top with soil mixed with sand, or sand alone.
- Water the soil using a spray bottle. If necessary, moisturizing is carried out daily. The main thing is to prevent the top layer of soil from drying out.
- Cover landings.
- Place the container so that it is not rearranged later. After a week and a half, shoots will appear.
- After 14 days, their height will reach five to seven centimeters. It's time to start picking seedlings, preferably in peat pots along with a clod of earth, so as not to damage the roots.
- At this time, plants need regular watering and fertilizing with fertilizers containing nitrogen.
- As soon as the return frosts pass and the seedlings reach a height of 15-20 cm, they are planted in flower beds in the garden, keeping a distance of 25-30 cm between the bushes. If cochia is used to create living borders, then the plants are planted after 10-15 cm.
Sowing in the ground
Kochia is an ornamental inhabitant of open ground, although the plant is also grown at home. Since cypress is an annual crop, it can be grown by sowing seeds immediately to a permanent place of growth. But experts do not recommend using this method. It is better to grow strong seedlings indoors and plant them in a garden area where there will be a lot of light and no draft.
When growing cochia Summer Cyprus from seeds, it should be borne in mind that this plant does not tolerate acidic soils. Therefore, before sowing, the soil must be deoxidized. To do this, its surface is sprinkled with ash or neutral soil is added to the landing site or directly into the hole. Sowing seeds can be done using soil fertilized with rotted manure. Kohiya prefers to grow in a humid environment, but does not tolerate stagnant water. In this case, plants are susceptible to damage by a disease such as black leg. Therefore, it is important that the soil is well-drained.
When to plant kochia?
Growing from seeds begins with their sowing in open ground in the spring, at the end of the season. It is important that there are no return frosts. In regions with a warm climate, seeds are sown in May, at the very beginning of the month. The optimum temperature for their germination is 16-18°C. It does not matter if for some reason in May it was not possible to do planting work. Sowing continues until the middle of the first summer month. The emergence of seedlings will have to wait a long time, about two weeks.
To speed up this process, give the seedlings plenty of sunlight. To do this, scattering the seeds over the surface of the soil, you should not cover them with a thick layer of earth. It is enough to press the seeds into slightly moist soil. To prevent young plants from being damaged by low night temperatures, they are covered with spunbond or other material at this time of day.
"Summer cypress" immediately after planting does not grow fast, it looks like a stunted and unsightly plant. This is because the seeds give almost 100% germination, the plants are too crowded. Therefore, seedlings should be thinned out, leaving a distance of at least 35 cm between them.
Watering
Cultivation of cochia from seeds in open ground is carried out using a number of agrotechnical measures, one of which is irrigation. Cypress is considered an unpretentious plant, so it does not need to be watered often, it satisfies the need for moisture due to precipitation from the atmosphere. But in a dry summer, watering is necessary, they are carried out once a week. Mulch to keep moisture in the soil. To do this, use small gravel or bark, as well as decorative stone.
top dressing
Cypress grows amazingly fast and grows green after the next haircut. Therefore, in order to maintain its magnificent appearance, the plant should be fed. Approximate schedule of procedures:
- If the seeds are sown immediately in open ground, then two weeks after germination, complete mineral fertilizers should be applied to the soil, since at this time the cochia needs microelements.
- After a month and a half, top dressing is repeated, but with nitrogen fertilizers.
- After a bush has been formed with a haircut, the plant should be fed with nitrogen again so that the leaves grow faster.
How to grow kochia at home?
To do this, you need containers for seedlings, fertile soil and seeds. Growing kochia from seeds at home is not difficult. In the garden soil you need to add a little humus, peat or sand. Since the seeds of the plant are small, they do not require special preparation. It is enough to treat them with a growth-stimulating solution: Epin, for example, or Energen.
The soil needs to be calcined for 25 minutes at a temperature of 110 o C. After that, it needs to be processed, for this you can use a solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds should be sown in moist soil, on the surface of which grooves of small depth are made. Seeds are evenly poured into them and watered. Planting material is not sprinkled with earth, but is slightly pressed against it. Boxes with plantings should be covered with film or glass and placed in a well-lit place, but away from heating devices.
When growing cochia from seeds at home, the room temperature should be maintained at 18-20 ° C. Water daily in the morning or evening. The seeds will germinate in a week. When three leaves appear, the seedlings dive into cups, preferably peat ones. In the future, they are planted in the ground along with plants. It's like an extra power source.
What are the benefits of kochia?
Despite the fact that the cultivation of cochia from seeds must be started anew every year, gardeners breed shrubs on their plots due to a number of advantages:
- Emerald greens are a great addition to any garden arrangement.
- Kochia looks advantageous on stones in rockeries, and is also an adornment of alpine slides.
- Borders using shrubs are very neat and elegant.
- The plant lends itself readily to shearing. Krone can give any shape even to a novice designer.
