How to plant and care for black cohosh on your own

Planting black cohosh in open ground begins with choosing the right place. This plant prefers shady places, protected from wind and direct sunlight. Desirable - some distance from trees, in humus-rich soil. If you intend to plant several black cohosh, then you should take care of sufficient space for each of them. The distance between the specimens must be at least half a meter. Spring or fall is the best time for planting.

Black cohosh is a perennial plant with excellent decorative qualities. Tall erect stems with beautiful openwork leaves attract attention in themselves. During the period of budding and flowering, the plant opens up in all its glory. Young buds resemble large beads and are located at the top of the stem. Having blossomed, they form a continuous fluffy coating, shaped like a candle. Black cohosh can have white or pink inflorescences, green or red leaves, depending on the variety.

Basic landing rules

Before you start breeding such a perennial as black cohosh, you should decide on a place. The fact is that this plant does not like transplants. Therefore, the place for him must be chosen deliberately, so that both he was comfortable and the owner of the site is pleased to see him right here. Black cohosh is able to grow in one place for twenty years, becoming only more beautiful from year to year.

Landing must meet the following requirements:

• a place in the shade or partial shade;
• protection against through wind;
• at some distance from trees;
• planting in spring or autumn;
• joint planting with plants no higher than 15 cm to retain moisture in the root zone.

The latter circumstance is dictated by the need to keep the soil in the place where the black cohosh grows moist. For the same reason, planting a plant too close to trees is not recommended - black cohosh will not withstand the struggle with them for moisture. Meanwhile, this "pet" responds gratefully to sufficient watering. With an abundance of moisture, black cohosh can feel great even in open sunny areas. Moreover, even bloom and grow under the influence of the sun, it will become more active if the excess of heat and light does not go to the detriment of the moisture of the root system.

Planting a plant is a simple process. It is necessary to dig a hole about 30 cm deep, loosen the soil at the bottom, put compost and sand there, thus taking up no more than 10 cm from the entire height of the hole, lower the rhizome and cover with soil. Planting traditionally ends with watering. Controlling soil moisture is the main care of this plant.

There are three ways to plant black cohosh:

• using seeds;
• by dividing the bush;
• by cuttings.

These methods are used in the reproduction of many plants, but in this case the procedure is quite simple, but effective, and the care is minimal. Seeds can be sown directly in the open field, bypassing the process of growing seedlings. Seeds are planted in spring. Water them very sparingly so that they do not rot. Usually shoots appear in six months.

Advice

For planting, it is best to use fresh seeds - this will allow you to get more shoots.

For reproduction by dividing the bush, it is necessary to remove the mother plant, separate the shoot from it and return the main rhizome back to its place. The daughter shoot should be soaked in a rooting stimulator, then planted in a separate tray and kept in a warm place until rooting. Then it can be planted in open ground.

Cuttings are made in spring.It is advisable not to disturb the root itself. It is enough to separate one leaf with a piece of bark, which will save the kidney in the sinus. Then the cutting must be dug into the ground and covered with something, for example, a glass jar. Caring for a rooted plant is identical in all cases.

Care Tips

Caring for black cohosh outdoors is extremely easy. Black cohosh is undemanding to the nature of the soil, the only thing that really matters to him is the saturation of the soil with organic matter. Weeds do not bother him too much, since he is able to suppress their growth. If some weed elements appear, they must be removed. The main care is timely and sufficient watering.

In order for moisture to remain in the root zone, gardeners use several techniques:

• mulching - prevents rapid evaporation of moisture, additionally protects against the appearance of weeds;
• sowing a number of low-growing plants that help retain moisture;
• choosing the best place - shaded, away from large plants with a more powerful root system.

Of course, black cohosh should be watered regularly, reducing watering closer to autumn. Caring for him in the winter is also simple. Before wintering, it is necessary to cut off the aerial part of the plant, and then carefully cover it with fallen leaves and spruce branches.

In addition, this "pet" needs little care during the growth and flowering period. For example, you should regularly cut off faded inflorescences. If necessary, provide the plant with support if the tall stems begin to decay or collapse. To do this, all the stems must be collected in a kind of bundle and tied around the support.

You don't have to worry about fertilizing the first two years after planting. In the third year, in early spring, black cohosh should be fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Once a season is enough. If we consider that this perennial, moreover, is resistant to damage by pests and lesions by various diseases, then it can be argued that caring for it is the simplest. If, nevertheless, an infection occurs, then it will be possible to identify it immediately. The diseased plant will react immediately. Leaves and flowers will dry out, spots will appear. The damaged copy will have to be treated with special means - depending on the cause of the defeat.

Knowing the love of black cohosh for water, sometimes gardeners overdo it when caring for their pet. Overflow, stagnation of moisture can lead to decay of the plant. To avoid this, you should objectively assess the need for watering at one time or another. If the summer is rainy and cold, you can water black cohosh much less often than usual. When mulching the soil, you do not need to cover the ground at the very base. All plants in the garden, including black cohosh, should be checked regularly to detect damage as soon as possible.

The use of black cohosh in the design of the site can be very diverse. It goes well with flowering plants of all shades due to its neutral color. It is desirable to surround it with cultures whose needs and preferences are similar. Black cohosh goes well with fern and moss; neither gladioli nor phlox will overshadow it.