Millet cultivation begins with the selection of planting material
Growing millet is a simple procedure that only requires care and some knowledge. Ornamental millet is an exotic plant with many benefits. Due to its characteristics, it is gaining more and more popularity among summer residents and gardeners.
Ornamental millet: a description of the appearance
The height of the shoots depends on the type and variety of millet.
The leaves of this perennial have a thin linear shape, and the color, depending on the season, varies from bright green to red-golden hue.
A perennial plant is endowed with a strong root system. Flowering occurs quite late, around the end of August, beginning of September. Millet ears are smoky, fluffy clouds of different shades.
Foliage, during flowering, is able to change its color.
A huge advantage of millet is that it does not lose its attractiveness until winter, and even in cold weather and snow it serves as an ornamental shrub.
How to choose planting material
In order for the plant to please you with its beauty for many years, you need to responsibly approach the choice of planting material.
A perennial can reproduce in two ways: by rhizome and by seed. Treat the purchase of cereals responsibly and make a purchase in specialized stores. One pack of millet contains about 300 seeds, but only a third of them will grow on the site.
It is best to sow in May. It is this time that is most favorable for the propagation of decorative millet.
If your choice fell not on seeds, but on an already formed plant with a rhizome, then you should pay attention to the absence of:
- signs of decay;
- mold;
- signs of the presence of pests;
- all kinds of voids.
Do not forget to carefully read the requirements for a particular variety. Although millet is not a whimsical plant, it is still better to clearly know what is the favorable temperature, humidity and soil for it.
Even if you are sure that you have purchased a high-quality seedling, still, if possible, process it for prevention purposes.
How to prepare millet for planting
It is important to know that sowing millet in early spring is not desirable, since the plant is thermophilic, and frosts can destroy it. It is best to sow in the middle or even close to the end of May, when a constant positive temperature has been established on the street. In order for the planting material not to be exposed to various diseases and not to suffer from cold weather, it should be sorted and moistened.
If you want to prepare seedlings, then sowing should be carried out already in early April, so that by May it is almost ready. This will require:
- place one grain in a separate container;
- Be sure to close the glass or flowerpot with a film on top, since millet loves warmth.
In order for the seeds to sprout quickly, it is recommended to install a table lamp near the container. Water the millet as the top ball dries.
Professionals give more preference to sowing millet than a method that involves breeding seedlings.
After a few weeks, you will be able to observe the first sprouts of millet, which will very much resemble wheat... When the seedlings reach a height of 17-20 cm, it will become noticeable how the leaves change color from bright green to darker. But in the end, you will get a plant with burgundy shoots that have a slight bronze tint.
Planting seedlings
For ornamental cereals, a sunny place is best. The site, before planting a plant, must first be cleaned of weeds... Do not forget to thoroughly loosen the soil before planting, saturate it with humus and be sure to moisten it.
You need to plant seedlings in the holes. They should be located at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other and be 2.5-3 cm deep. Place 2-3 seedlings in each hole and sprinkle with earth.
The best neighbors for millet are plants such as:
- maned barley;
- millennial;
- various varieties of roses;
- catnip;
- Chinese miscanthus.
Be sure to follow all the instructions regarding the choice of soil and place for planting millet, as they will help to grow a beautiful, perennial plant in your summer cottage.
Cultivation of purple millet
The decorative cereal has about 500 varieties. The most popular varieties are those that are more interesting in terms of landscape design. Purple millet is one of them.
The seeding rate of millet per 1 ha is about 30 kg.
Place for landing. A sunny area is suitable for landing. But always choose an area for planting with a margin, as the plant can grow wider.
Soil selection. With regard to the uniqueness of rod-shaped millet, it consists in the fact that the plant grows well both in fertile soil and in "poor" soil. The plant is not so whimsical that it can easily endure the sultry heat and even small flooding of the site.
Watering. Constant irrigation is also not required. Water the plant only after prolonged drought.
Fertilizer. For plant nutrition, it is best to choose complex mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to add the mixture in early April and late August.
Pruning. This is an important point in the care of ornamental millet. Don't forget to prune on time. If you remove the shoots at the end of August, then after 2-3 weeks you will observe repeated heading.
When forming a landscape design at a summer cottage, take into account the late development of millet - late May, early June.
For sowing, choose distant areas so that dry millet sprouts are not noticeable during the growing season of the remaining plants.
At the end of the summer season, the plant should be cut to the root - this will help millet easily endure the cold. But don't worry, the purple variety is very hardy. Decorative cereal will calmly transfer temperatures down to -280 FROM.
Since millet ripens unevenly, it is recommended to harvest the grains in several stages. Initially, you need to cut off the upper shoots, since they ripen first.
Ornamental millet is a great opportunity to transform any flower bed. And easy care of this plant will not take you much time and will not create unnecessary trouble.