The Far East is famous for its nature and it is from there that Chinese lemongrass, so beloved by many, comes from. This amazing plant has long enjoyed well-deserved fame among hunters and sailors, because its berries give strength. In the Primorye, lemongrass is grown in almost every yard, but in the conditions of the Moscow region this gift of nature can be successfully cultivated.
Of course, this will require some effort, but it will more than pay off.
Varieties for the Moscow region
Lemongrass Chinese, a photo of which can often be found on the Internet, feels great in the climate near Moscow. But to get a good harvest of any plant, you need to know which variety to choose. In terms of Schisandra chinensis, gardeners have a small choice, there are only two cultivated varieties:
- The firstborn is a two-meter liana with cylindrical clusters of fruits, each of which contains about 40 berries;
- Garden -1. Longer brother to the Pervenets variety with branches up to 5 meters long. The berries are large and very sour.
Both varieties yield in late summer. Moreover, they can be grown quite easily in the climate of the Moscow region, the main thing is to properly care.
Where and how to plant
Many are interested in such a problem as Chinese lemongrass cultivation and care, but before doing this, you need to plant a plant. First of all, it is worth choosing the right place, and here you need to take into account the peculiarities of the berry. Lemongrass does not like the wind, besides, he is quite thermophilic. Therefore, it is best to plant the plant along the fence. Here he will be protected from drafts.
Chinese lemongrass is often planted along the walls. If you do this around the summer cottage, then the plant will not only give you a crop, but also decorate the site. But when planting along the walls of houses and structures, you need to follow one recommendation from specialists - make an indent of 1.5 meters. In this case, drops flowing from the roof will not fall on the roots, and lemongrass will grow more efficiently.
Schisandra chinensis propagates using cuttings (you can use seeds, but this process is rather long and complicated). For planting them you need to prepare a small hole, with a diameter of half a meter and a depth of 40 centimeters... At the bottom, you need to arrange a drainage layer. Natural stones or broken bricks with small fractions are perfect for this.
To grow the bush without problems, you need to use not simple soil to fill the hole, but a specially prepared mixture. It will include:
- One part of leaf compost;
- One piece of turf land;
- One piece of humus;
- For better growth, it is worth adding two hundred grams of superphosphate and half a kilogram of wood ash.
A stalk of lemongrass is placed in a hole and two-thirds covered with the prepared soil mixture. After that, everything is filled with water.
Growing and caring for a plant
Schisandra chinensis is a climbing plant. For its normal cultivation, you need to raise the branches above the ground, if you do not, then you will not see a good harvest. Use as supports trellises, which are installed near the bush immediately after planting... If you plant lemongrass near the walls of the house, then stairs are quite suitable for support. This way of weaving the plant will look more beautiful.
The plant grows wild in rather harsh conditions, so it is not afraid of winter cold. But this applies more to adult bushes. After three years of growth, lemongrass will not need protection for the winter. But before this age, young plants need to be covered. In late autumn, before the onset of the first cold weather, the branches are removed from the supports and laid on the ground. Further, the young lemongrass is covered with a thick layer of leaves, grass or straw.
Liana grows quite well and grows rapidly. For this reason, pruning should be done in the third year. This applies to young growth that begins to grow from the root. Leave 3-4 young shoots, and cut the rest off the ground. Such pruning is carried out in late autumn, after the leaves fall. If you did not have time, then you can cut it in June, but only fresh shoots coming from the root.
So that the adult plant does not "thicken" it is periodically cleaned. Old, dry and broken branches are cut off. In addition, you can cut off young shoots coming from the branches. You can also cut off the side shoots, the part that comes after the 12 buds. It is worth remembering that such "cleaning" cannot be carried out in late spring and winter.
Lemongrass grows wild in areas with high humidity, so more attention should be paid to watering. If the period is dry, then in addition to daily watering, it is necessary to additionally spray the leaves. If the summer is rainy, then you can water it after each feeding with organic fertilizers.
All plants love rich soil, and Chinese magnolia vine is no exception. If you have already added fertilizer when planting, then the first feeding can be done for 2-3 years of growth... In order for the plant to grow and bear fruit, the following activities must be carried out:
- In April, 30-40 grams of nitrate should be poured around the trunk of each plant. In this case, you should not leave it on the surface, it is better to slightly mix everything with the soil;
- After lemongrass has shed its leaves in the fall, another top dressing is carried out. 20-30 g of superphosphate and 100 g of wood ash are added to the soil around each plant;
- Also, in the summer, it is advisable to apply liquid organic fertilizers every three weeks.
After five years of growth, the fruiting period begins. At this time, the plant needs more intensive feeding with organic fertilizers. Besides, it is desirable to additionally add nitrophosphate and potassium sulfate... As you can see, caring for the plant is not too difficult, so growing it will not take a lot of time from gardeners.
Conclusion
Chinese lemongrass is a useful and beautiful plant. It came to us from the Far East, but despite such a distant homeland, the berry feels great in the climate of the Moscow region. Choose a windless place for planting, the plant grows well along fences and buildings. In order for lemongrass to begin bearing fruit, it must not be allowed to "spread" on the ground. Near each bush you need to make supports for the branches, in this case the plant will grow more actively and give a rich harvest. Do not forget about watering, lemongrass comes from a humid climate, so it requires a lot of water. Also, periodically carry out top dressing, then the vines will delight you with their beauty and useful berries.
