Plant blue monkshood correctly
Do not begin planting monkshood until you have put on sturdy gloves and long-sleeved clothing. Then place the still potted young plant with the root ball in a container with water in order to weed and rake the soil in the meantime. It continues in this order:
- Dig a planting hole with 1.5 times the volume of the root ball
- The excavation in the wheelbarrow give it to it with compost and Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) to mix
- Pot the water-soaked perennial, place it in the middle of the pit and plant it with the enriched substrate
also read
- Blue monkshood: watch out for its seeds!
- Blue monkshood: beautiful, but poisonous!
- Blauer Eisenhut: Which location does it like to be in?
Fill in the soil to just below the lower pair of leaves and water. A layer of mulch made of autumn leaves or compost has a beneficial effect on rapid rooting in the soil.
Care tips
So long Blue monkshood does not have to go hungry or thirst, it shows itself from its most beautiful side every year for decades. How to properly care for the perennial:
- Keep the soil constantly moist
- Fertilize every 14-21 days from April to August
- In addition, repeatedly pour stinging nettle liquid
- In autumn, cut off the flower stalks and the remaining leaves close to the ground
Please consider the life-threatening toxicity of blue monkshood in all planting and care work. Do not approach the plant until you have put on gloves and protective clothing.
Which location is suitable?
If Blauer Eisenhut had a say in the choice of location, his decision would be as follows:
- Partly to shady location
- Cool and fresh, without direct sunlight
- Gladly in moist to swampy soil
So settle the poisonous beauty on the shaded edge of the pond, along a wooded edge or in the partially shaded, nutrient-rich Perennial bed.
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The correct planting distance
Blue monkshood stretches up to the sky as tall as a man and maintains a slim stature. If you arrange the perennial in a group, we recommend a planting distance of 40-60 cm for the normal-height varieties. Small hybrids, such as the Little Knight, are placed at a distance of 30-35 cm from the neighboring plant.
What soil does the plant need?
Fresh and moist to swampy and cool - this is how Blauer Eisenhut likes the earth particularly. The soil should be rich in nutrients, humus and loosely permeable. A medium to high lime content is often assumed, so that the pH value should be greater than 8. For the bucket culture we recommend a high quality one Potting soil based on compost with a low proportion of peat, optimized with Algae lime or Rock flour.(€ 12.33 at Amazon *)
When is the flowering time?
The flowering period of blue monkshood extends from the end of June until well into September. At this summer time, the eye-catching flowers with their radiant shades of blue cast a spell over us. The highly poisonous perennial owes its name to the shape of its flowers, which were attached to the hoods of mercenaries and knights in the 15th century. and 16. Century remember.
Cut blue monkshood correctly
The lavishly blooming candles force themselves to be cut as a cut flower for the floor vase. In addition, pruning close to the ground is on the maintenance plan in autumn. Wait for the flowers to wilt and the leaves to fall. Then put on gloves and protective clothing to cut the perennial.
Pouring blue monkshood
A regular water supply is essential if blue monkshood is to reach the biblical age of 50 for perennials. Keep the soil constantly moist. Water even after a light summer rain, if the water droplets did not get to the root disc through the dense flowers and foliage.
Fertilize blue eisenhut properly
Blue monkshood is one of the most consuming perennials. Fertilize So do it abundantly and regularly. From April to August work in ripe compost, bark humus or an alternative organic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Ideally, you should also water with nettle manure every 4 weeks. Deliver in a planter Fertilizer stick(€ 9.82 at Amazon *) or a commercially available liquid fertilizer all the important nutrients for a long-lasting and breathtaking abundance of flowers.
Overwinter
In the first winter, the frost hardiness was not yet fully developed. You should therefore cover the root disc on the blue monkshood with autumn leaves, straw, coniferous twigs or compost. Buckets have a wooden base and a jute or winter coat Garden fleece. The substrate is covered with peat or peat Sawdustwhich at the same time protects against permanent winter wetness. As soon as the temperatures rise in spring, all protective measures are reversed so that no putrefaction occurs as a result of condensation.
Blue monkshood multiply
An adult perennial grows small root strands from its fleshy beet root, which are excellent for propagation. Fall is a good time to dig up the plant for this purpose. Separate the turnips from the main root with a sharp disinfected knife. At the new location, place the segments 2-3 cm deep in the moist, nutrient-rich soil. Before doing this, enrich the soil with compost and horn shavings to encourage growth. On the mother plant, dust the cut wounds with charcoal powder, put compost in the planting hole and plant the perennial again.
Is eisenhut poisonous?
Blue monkshood is rightly one of the most dangerous poisonous plants in Europe. If 2 g of its roots, seeds, flowers or leaves get into the human organism, this has fatal consequences. It starts with numbness of the tongue and ends with respiratory and cardiac arrest within a few minutes. Fatally, the toxin can also be absorbed through the skin, so that you as a hobby gardener with all Planting and maintenance work are in mortal danger unless comprehensive safety precautions are taken became. Only approach the perennial with sturdy gloves, long trousers and long-sleeved tops. Do not plant the balaclava when children or pets are within reach. Plant residues, such as cuttings or cleared flowers, have no place on cattle or horse pastures. Monkshood residues only end up on the compost if no animals can eat them there.
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Nice varieties
- Snow White: Her silver-white flowers contrast wonderfully with the blue-flowering wild species; Growth height 120-150 cm
- Little Knight: The ideal variety for the small garden and the tub; compact, stable and robust; Growth height 60-90 cm
- Bicolor: Premium variety with two-colored flowers in blue and white for all damp locations; Growth height up to 120 cm
- Album: Impresses with pure white flower helmets from June to September and a compact silhouette; Growth height 120-130 cm
- Mountain iron hat: The pure type scores with deep blue flower candles and is under nature protection; Growth height 50-200 cm
