Levka is a decorative herb with a delicate aroma, which for many years has been decorated with public parks and gardens. Its multi-colored flowers are somewhat similar to forest violet. A levka can be a one-, two- or perennial plant, more than twenty types of levkoy are known.
Growth of lewkoy through seedlings
So, the left is an ornamental garden or park plant, most often grown left gray-haired, which most gardeners know as mattiola. The plant propagates exclusively by the seed method, but they were eaten to plant the seeds immediately in open ground, flowering will occur only after three months. Therefore, it is preferable to grow leftist seedling method.
When to sow on seedlings
The second decade of March is the best time when you can sow Levkan to seedlings. Not too late to plant in late March - early April.
Did you know? During the Middle Ages, night violet - mattiol was valued no less than lily ornamental plants or roses. In addition to the beauty of flowers and fine aroma, mattiola was cultivated as a medicinal plant. Today, many gardeners plant Mattiolu-Levkoy next to potatoes: these flowers scare the Colorado potato beetle.
Seed preparation before planting
Before planting, the seeds are soaked for 24 hours in warm water, then, when they are swollen, wrapped in a damp cloth. For the procedure of stratification, the seeds, without removing them from the napkin, are stored on the lower shelf of the refrigerator for three to four days. This procedure helps seeds to ascend earlier. 
Soil for growing seedlings
Before sowing the left one, it is desirable to decontaminate the soil: three days before sowing, treat with a solution of potassium permanganate. Before sowing the soil should dry out, but it should not be too dry, you can moisten it with a sprayer. For sowing seedlings prepare a mixture of three parts of sod land and part of the sand. It is convenient to conduct sowing in elongated containers, they do not take up much space.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
When sowing, seeds are buried for half a centimeter, the distance between them is left to one and a half centimeters, so that later the seedlings do not interfere with each other and it was easier to dive into separate pots.
Conditions for germinating seeds
A container with left-wing planting is covered with glass or film, creating a mini-greenhouse: growing from seed requires certain conditions. Contained sowing before germination in a dark place at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, while not watered. Shoots should appear in four to five days. But it happens that you have to wait up to two weeks. 
Seedling care
Behind seedlings of a levkoy at cultivation care is necessary. As soon as sprouts appear, the container is moved to a well-lit place, the film is removed, and the temperature of the content should be about 12 degrees Celsius, not higher. For these purposes, suitable glazed balcony or unheated veranda. The first watering is carried out two days after germination. After two weeks, the grown seedlings dive into separate prepared pots (drainage at the bottom). The soil is made from sand, turf and leaf earth 1: 2: 2. When there are two strong leaves, spend the first feeding. Sulfuric zinc and manganese (0.1 g), copper sulphate and boric acid (0.3 g) are dissolved in a liter of water.
Hardening seedlings
Before planting lewkoy in open ground seedlings need to harden. To do this, in the room where the seedlings are contained, a window or a window opens, first for a few minutes, gradually the hardening time increases. As a result, the window remains open constantly. Begin to carry out the hardening procedure for 12-14 days before transplanting to the open area. 
Planting of lewkoy seedlings in open ground
What is left - this plant of the cruciferous family, do not plant it on the site where other members of this family used to grow. Your landing can get sick with a prick or black leg - frequent diseases of the family.
When to plant seedlings in the ground
In open ground, seedlings are transplanted in May, in the third decade of the month. It is advisable to do this in the evening in cloudy weather. For newly planted plants, the sun can be devastating.
Growing area
Successful cultivation of levkoy depends on proper planting and timely care. One of the conditions for proper landing is to choose the right place. The place for the plant should be lit and protected from drafts. The soil is better fertile sod-sandy, well-drained, with a neutral reaction.
Important! Soil fertilization before planting is required only in case of depleted soil.
Planting plantation seedlings
For the seedlings of the left side, pits are prepared corresponding to the root system of the plant. The pits are literally poured with water, planted seedlings straight into the slime, fall asleep and tamp. Saplings undersized, with one stem, the distance between them is up to 20 cm, between higher and branchy - up to 30 cm.
Cultivation and care
How to grow from seedlings levkoy full plant? Levka is a surprisingly unpretentious plant, its care is minimized.
Regularity and abundance of irrigation
When watering a plant, the main thing is to keep the middle ground: do not over-wet and prevent drying. In order not to be mistaken, it is necessary to check the top layer of the soil to seven centimeters, if it is dry, water it, but moderately. With frequent precipitation, irrigation is reduced, without precipitation - increased.
Weeding and loosening the plot
After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil in order to saturate it with oxygen. Weeding is also necessary, weeds stifle cultural crops, drawing nutrients and moisture from the soil.
Fertilization
It treats organics of Levkoy badly, the only thing that the plant accepts is wood ash. When feeding, it is better to give preference to balanced mineral complexes for flowering plants. In the spring - with a predominance of nitrogen, in the summer for better flowering - potassium-phosphorus compounds. 
Pests and diseases of lewy: the fight against them
The most dangerous pest of Mattiola lewkoy is the cruciferous flea. From a small number of insects will help solution of ash (three or four sprays), you need to treat all parts of the plant. If there are too many insects, use insecticides (Aktara, Decis).
Prevention of diseases is carried out before sowing seeds: the soil for seedlings is treated with a solution of manganese. In the case of signs of disease in an adult plant, you can use fungicides (Fitosporin-M, Baktofit).
When to collect and how to store the seeds of levkoy
At the end of September - beginning of October, the seeds of leukowa ripen. Ripe seed pods will be when the pods turn brown. If the left annual plant, you can pull out a bush with a root and hang it to dry, and when the pods dry, lay down the seeds. If you have a perennial mattiola, you only need to break the pods.
Important! When harvesting pods with seeds of lewkoy-mattiola, you need to be careful: the pods with seeds are thin and look like stalks.
It is advisable to dry the seeds out of the pods, and then fold them into paper or cloth bags. Store the seeds until the next spring in a dry dark place.
Preparing perennial levkoev for winter
In the southern regions with mild winters, lewkos live very well in winter. It is advisable to cut the stems and foliage, and the root system in a good shelter will overwinter and release new shoots in the spring. Cover the plant with mulch, spruce branches or agrofibre.
In areas with harsh winters, annual varieties of levkoy are more often grown. If there is a perennial, then in the winter it is desirable to dig up the plant and transplant it into a pot. It is better to him to winter at home.
Mattiola in landscape design
Nivyanik, reseda, wormwood, phlox, lavender, feverfew - this is not a complete list, with which you can plant Levkoy. An interesting and unusual will be the composition of mattiola and decorative herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, thyme. Imagine a fragrance hovering over a similar flowerbed, a mixture of delicate floral smells with a sweet-spicy shade. 
Did you know? The aroma of levkoy is enhanced in the evening, which is why the flower is called night violet. The aroma of Lyokova was sung in his poems by Mandelstam, Akhmatova, Severyanin and many others. "... In its honey aroma, in its laces and carvings - the history of the globe lurks, imagine ..." B. Okudzhava.
Mattiola is suitable for planting in rabatka, in hanging pots singly and in group compositions. Levka is handsome in a flowerbed framed by rock garden compositions, low-growing varieties are used to decorate artificial ponds and pools. Levka animates gazebos and terraces.
Levko-mattiola is a flower that deserves the attention of gardeners and flower growers. It can be used in many landscape compositions and techniques, decorate and garden, and the garden, which will bring more benefits, not only beauty. Levka will not require increased attention, and the variety of varieties will please fans of bright colors.
