Verbena Blooming Time and Key Planting Points Explained
Verbena is a plant whose flower color resembles lavender. It is cultivated in many regions of our country and often appears in open fields, roadsides at relatively high altitudes, and beside streams. Verbena is also a fine Chinese medicinal herb; the whole plant can be used as a medicinal ingredient, with effects such as clearing heat, dissipating blood stasis, cooling blood, and expelling parasites. So when does verbena bloom? What are the key planting points?
1. When does verbena bloom?
Verbena generally blooms from June to August each year. Before it opens, the color is a relatively pale white-purple, and it gradually turns purple, making it very easy to confuse with fragrant lavender.
In Christianity, verbena is a very sacred flower, used as a floral decoration to adorn altars. In ancient times there was often the notion of a curse, and it was frequently placed at the bedside of the sick to help them recover quickly.
Anyone who has watched The Vampire Diaries knows that verbena is also the nemesis of vampires; if a vampire comes into contact with verbena, its powers weaken, though all of this is literary dramatization.
The flower language of verbena is the expectation that love will return; the flower language of white verbena is innocence and purity; the flower language of red verbena is harmony in the family and prosperity in all endeavors.
2. What are the key planting points for verbena?
1. Choose a suitable planting site
Verbena likes to grow in sandy soil with good looseness, relatively deep layers, and good fertility. After preparing the soil, mix a certain amount of farmyard manure into the soil as a base fertilizer to help early growth. Drainage ditches should be made around the planting area to avoid verbena being submerged during heavy rain or flooding, so that water can be drained in time.
2. Sowing time and method
Verbena can be planted from late April to early May each year. When sowing, there should be a certain row spacing, about 25 to 30 cm is sufficient. Sow the seeds in the holes and maintain a certain plant spacing to avoid insufficient space during subsequent growth.
About 1 jin of verbena seeds is needed per mu. After sowing, cover with a layer of soil and press gently. In a suitable temperature environment, seedlings can generally emerge in about half a month.
3. Daily management work
When verbena reaches a height of 5 cm, thinning should begin, with plant spacing generally at 10 cm. If there are still surplus seedlings after thinning, they can be transplanted to another place. For a period after thinning, observe the survival rate in time; if missing or dead seedlings are found, replant them promptly.
Weeding verbena is also very important. Weed frequently in normal times, which can help its root growth.
Watering verbena should be determined according to the season. During the rainy season, drain excess accumulated water in time; during summer drought periods, water frequently to avoid slow growth and the appearance of yellowing, wilting leaves.
Verbena should often be weeded in conjunction with weed removal to promote root growth, and weeding should be done frequently so that there are no weeds in the field. Water in time during drought, and during the rainy season drain and loosen the soil in time to avoid soil compaction, which affects plant growth.