2023-04-15 05:00:31
A. Batraka told more regarding his occupation and especially regarding his experience in growing magnolias at the event organized by “Neatkarīgo Tukuma Ziņu” for gardeners.
A. Batraka:
– Skujeni were the first ones we started growing; liked to work with them, make bonsai sticks. Then we start growing magnolias, hydrangeas, sakuras, which are similar to magnolias in terms of care. We also grew tulip trees, golden rain, sedums, edible roses and other more or less exotic ornamental trees and shrubs.
17 years ago, we went to Poland to see magnolias blooming in Warsaw, because it was a rarity here. But magnolias have been blooming both in Warsaw and in Latvia for several years now. People often think that the climate in Poland is warmer than here. But it should be taken into account that in Poland, in Warsaw, there is a continental cold. I compared the temperatures for a long time, what is it in Warsaw and what is it here. And I concluded that there are even worse conditions there – they have the misfortune that there is no snow and the temperature reaches -25-27°C. We have snow at that time. In fact, in terms of climatic conditions, we are bigger suckers than decorative gardeners in Warsaw… There are no serious magnolia growers in Latvia. There is only someone who grows some seedlings. There is a group “Magnolias in Latvia” on Facebook social networks. There is such an enthusiast Aivars Zonbergs. He is very knowledgeable and has researched this plant well. Our garden in the neighborhood also has one Mikhail Golev, which has 60 varieties of magnolias. Also evergreen. We cooperate with these people, share our experience. Well, my experience is also regarding seven years long, and every year new insights emerge. On our “Garden under the sun” website, you can familiarize yourself with descriptions of regarding 80 varieties of magnolias.
You can choose the most suitable for the climate
– There are magnolia varieties that bloom when the leaves have not blossomed yet, but there are also those that bloom when the tree is already in leaf. And this is a big plus, because we don’t have problems in winter, but our problem is… frost in spring. When the bud is swollen and bursts open, it is the beginning of May, the middle of May. But there are very early bloomers, like Brooklyn magnolias, that you have to worry regarding. On the other hand, Suena magnolias bloom when the frost is over. Dealers advertise that there are magnolias that bloom a second time in the same year. And many fall for this ad. I also like that it blooms for the second time, but you have to understand that the second time it is not in full bloom, but only has a few flowers. Yes, there is only one variety that blooms a second time, or actually several times a year, and that is `March Till Frost’…
But the most important thing, when we are going to plant a magnolia or any other exotic plant, is to find out for which climatic zone the specific plant and its specific variety are suitable – is the magnolia you have wanted suitable for zone 5 or only for zone 6? It should be emphasized that our relatively small Latvia is also divided into several zones. And in Kurzeme, where frost reaches -20-23°C, zone 5 is appropriate. But there is a variety of magnolia, such as “Black Tulip”, which is very sensitive even in Riga. Yes, it is not said that the most sensitive magnolias will definitely die here, but the problem will be with the buds. Those varieties with stuffed flowers will also be more sensitive.
The bigger the better
– Magnolia is one of those plants that, if we buy a bigger one, it will also grow more stably. If you buy a larger bush with a good root system, it will grow 99.9% of the time. We buy new plants, resell them, grow them bigger. We don’t even keep the first-year saplings in the field during the winter, because we don’t know what kind of winter it will be like. If you buy metre-long bushes that cost 20 or 30 euros, you should expect that they will have to be looked following in the winter. If you buy a bigger one, you know it will already live in the garden. When you buy a plant, be sure to look at the roots, they should be white at the tips; if the root is orange, then it is better not to buy it, because it can die within a month. Magnolias should not have any cracks on the trunk, there should not be any signs of disease. If you choose a healthy plant, there is nothing to be afraid of when growing magnolias. When buying a small plant, you will have to take into account that it must be covered in winter.
You can read more regarding breeding in the April 4 newspaper HERE===========>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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#Magnolias #grow #bloom #Latvia
