Biennials
Biennials are the flowering plants, which require two years to complete their life cycle. In the first year, the plant grows root, stem and leaves. Generally, the stem remains very short and small rosettes of leaves are seen near the surface of the soil. While in the next year, stem elongates, flowers and seed formation takes place, which is followed by the death of the plant.
It is of great disadvantage for the gardeners, as they only produce foliage in first season, and no blooms. Due to this reason, new varieties have been developed that produce early bloom.
Few plants grown as biennials are short lived perennials. For example, Wallflower needs to be dug up after flowering, just because they do not grow well the next year. However, there are few perennial plants that are called biennials because they bloom , in the second year.
Under extreme climatic conditions, biennial plants can complete its lifecycle in a short period may be within three to four months instead of two years. This is most common in vegetables and flower seedlings that were exposed to cold conditions before they were sown in the garden.
Biennials are mostly sown in early summer or late spring. You can directly sow the seeds outdoors. Seeds can be sown in rows or broadcast. The seed should be watered with a fine sprinkler. It is suggested to cover the area where seeds are sown with a piece of burlap topped with a sheet of plastic, in order to avoid drying of seeds.
As soon as the first seeds sprout, remove the covering or else the seedlings will die. Once the seedling are well developed, collect them carefully and transplant them to a sunny shaded nursery bed.
Prior to the final plantation, it is essential to clear the bed. Dig the soil, add manure, and compost mixture along with bone meal.
Pick up the plants from the area to which have been transplanted, removing them out with the help of a trowel. In case the soil is very dry, water it in order to relieve the lifting and lessen the chances of root damage.
Now, put the plants in their permanent positions before their roots get dried. Soil around the plants should be firmed and further water it.
During winter, in cold areas, it is better option to place the plants in a cold frame. Though biennials are generally transplanted only once, they can be sown in their permanent positions and later thinned.
Some of the biennial plants are listed below:
- Flower Plants: Wall flower, Foxglove, French honey suckle, Money Plant, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Sweet Williams, Canterbury bells, Hollyhocks, Lupines, Primerose, Carnation.
- Vegetables: Parsley, cabbage, beet, onion, carrotetc.
Among these, the Sweet William and Foxglove, which are so-called biennials, will frequently survive an additional season, incase the stems are cut back to the basal rosette leaves just after the flowering.