Content
- Is the checkerboard flower completely hardy?
- Surprisingly robust and frost-resistant
- Survival artist onion plant
- Snow looks like a warm blanket
- Dangerous than frost: dryness
- Tips
The chess flower is absolutely hardy
Is the checkerboard flower completely hardy?
The checkerboard flower with its interesting patterned flowers is one of the most popular early flowering plants. From the end of March to May, she adorns the garden with her flowerbed. But how hardy is the delicate plant?
Previous article To multiply the attractive checkerboard flower yourselfSurprisingly robust and frost-resistant
The natural range of the chess flower extends from Europe to Siberia. The plant adapted optimally to the here often very rough winter and can withstand temperatures up to - 30 degrees. It can therefore be wintered without protection in the flowerbed and proves to be extremely robust.
Survival artist onion plant
In its natural habitat, the chess flower must withstand extreme conditions. By her storage organ, the onion, she has adapted to this excellent. During the growing season, the checkerboard will store nutrients and starch in the onion, which will allow it to bud early. Therefore, it is very important not to prune the foliage that has become unsightly over time too early. The low-growth crops are spreading rapidly in the spring and are going through the cycle very quickly until fruit is formed.
Snow looks like a warm blanket
Even when the outside temperature is low, onions that are buried underground are well protected. Not only the snow cover, but also the top, frozen centimeters of the soil offer the onions excellent protection against frost, so that a special winter protection is actually not necessary. If you want to be sure that the plant will survive the winter well, you can still cover the bed with a layer of leaves, humus or brushwood.
Dangerous than frost: dryness
The chess flower is extremely sensitive to drought even in winter. If the snow is left out and the temperatures are low (freezing cold), the onions from the frozen soil can not absorb any water. The snowpack, which also serves as a moisture reservoir, is missing. Therefore, you should additionally water the hardy checkerboard on these days. However, use very cold water so that the plant is not stimulated to drive off prematurely.
Tips
Maintaining the attractive plant in the flower pot, it is important to provide the plant during the cold season as even as possible. Frequent temperature changes are to be avoided. Recommended is a dark, very cool winter quarters, for example, in the unheated garden shed.