Mary's bell flowers are biennial plants that bloom for weeks in a sunny location and are persistent in the vase. They willingly fill in small gaps in the flowerbed, also year after year with self-sowing. The maintenance is manageable and feasible.
lifespan
The bellflower, scientifically Campanula medium, comes from the bell family. We also know some other family members from the garden, mostly as perennial, herbaceous perennials. The Marian bellflower, which originally comes from southern Europe, only has a lifespan of two years.
Growth habit and flowers
Anyone who decides to cultivate the Campanula medium should know that it will be flowerless and rather inconspicuous for the first year. Initially, only a low rosette consisting of long, green leaves is formed. Only in the second year does it sprout a 50 to 90 cm long and branched flower stem, on which numerous large, bell-shaped flowers line up from June to July. Depending on the variety, they are white, pink, purple or blue.
Tip: For some gardeners, it may be disappointing that the flowers of Mary's bellflower give off no fragrance at all, even though they magically attract bees and butterflies. On the other hand, for precisely this reason, they are ideal for gardens that are cared for by pollen allergy sufferers.
Choice of varieties
The Campanula medium varieties mainly play with color tones, with some forming double flowers that look like two nested bells. In the trade, seeds are usually sold mixed as a so-called splendid mixture. Here is a small selection of varieties:
- 'Blue Cups': flower stems up to 75 cm high; deep blue flowers
- 'Calycanthema': has double flowers of different colors
- 'Caerulea': blue, double flowers, loves sun
- 'Champion Pink': rose-blooming; loves wetter soils
- 'White Double': white, double flowers; long flowering period from May to August
Seed sowing / propagation
Campanula medium is sown in a seed or cold frame in May at the earliest. However, sowing is still possible until July. The seeds are light germs and are only lightly covered with soil. It is important that temperatures between 15 and 18 ° C prevail for germination. The seeds need moist soil throughout. This is best achieved when the seeding area is covered with fleece. As soon as the seedlings are around 2-3 weeks old, they are separated with a distance of 10 cm. In August, the larger young plants are transplanted into the flowerbed, where they should stay and bloom permanently. Incidentally, sowing seeds is the only way to multiply the Mary flower. The division practiced with perennials does not work with this bellflower.
Mariofan13, Campanula medium flower, processed, CC BY-SA 3.0
Location and soil
The location for this bellflower should be sunny to partially shaded and absolutely warm. The place should be big
enough that a planting distance of 30-40 cm is possible, as Campanula grows medium bushy to pyramidal. The soil must be as follows:- nutritious
- well drained, not prone to waterlogging
- possibly. mix with sand
- neutral to slightly alkaline pH
Tip: Very long flower stems can bend over on windy days. Prevent them by tying them to a small stick.
Planting in a pot
A Mary Bellflower can withstand two years in a pot and adorns every terrace and balcony with its rich flowering. So that your roots are not too wet, the pot should have a large drainage hole and a drainage layer made of coarse gravel, clay or perlite at the bottom. Mix commercially available potting soil with sand to make it more permeable. If the pot is big enough, it can also be planted in it with other plants.
Good plant neighbors
Campanula medium fits wonderfully in cottage gardens and near-natural gardens. There it can be combined well with other plants to create a varied, colorful flowerbed. Good neighbors are, for example:
- Turkish poppy seeds
- Real sage
- Roses
- Flame flower
Other types of plants, whether annual flowers or perennial shrubs, with a predilection for the sun are also suitable for planting.
Overwinter
This bellflower has to survive a cold winter before it can bloom. If the thermometer falls far into the minus range, it can freeze to death. Cover them with brushwood early in rough areas. Potted plants should generally be wrapped with warming fleece and placed in a protected place.
to water
In the first as well as in the second year, Mary's bellflowers only need extra water in the garden bed when the days are very warm and dry. Marian bellflowers in the pot must be watered regularly and depending on the weather. The tried and tested finger test helps reliably to lift the watering can at the right time.
Tip: If the plant is in a planter or on a saucer, you should completely pour away excess water shortly after watering.
Fertilize
Before planting, the soil can be enriched with compost, then there is no need to fertilize in the first year. In the following year, a portion of slow release fertilizer is sufficient in good time for the start of the growing season. Even then, a serving of compost is best. Horn shavings and other fertilizers can also be used
will.Mary's bell flowers in pots or balcony boxes are regularly supplied with a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants from April onwards. Dosage and frequency should be based on the manufacturer's instructions. It is usually sufficient to fertilize with the irrigation water once a week.
Hectonichus, Campanulaceae - Campanula medium-4, processed, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cut
The growth habit of Campanula medium cannot be positively influenced by cutting, so it is not necessary to cut this flower. But the flowering period can be made even more luxuriant with the help of scissors.
- withered flowers spoil the look
- subsequent seed formation costs energy
- Anything that has faded should therefore be removed as soon as possible
- saved energy is invested in new flowers
You can cut healthy flower stems with bell-shaped blossoms just opening for the vase at any time. These bluebells stay there for many days. Alone or decoratively mixed with other cut flowers.
Tip: If you want to have Mary's bellflowers in the garden in the following years without doing much, leave a few withered flowers. Capsule fruits will form, which open when the seeds are ripe and thus ensure self-sowing.
Diseases
Mary's bellflowers are prone to some fungal diseases. These include rust, downy mildew and gray mold. If the known home remedies do not help, you should remove affected plants from the flowerbed. The use of chemicals is not worthwhile, it would cause a lot of damage to nature. The plant would only have a short life ahead of it anyway.
Pests
In years with many snails, Mary's bellflowers also fall victim to the voracious pests. Every gardener has his own control method with which he tries to drive these slimes out of the garden. If you are not familiar with this, you will find countless tips on it in specialist literature or on the Internet. If there are only a few animals, you should collect them immediately and take them far away. This gives you the opportunity to lay your eggs, from which a new plague of snails can grow.