All along the Aflatun port

Aflatun bow can be found in flower beds and summer cottages. A similar plant stands out with very bright and elegant balls of purple hue. In our country, this culture originally appeared as an ornamental and today it is grown very actively for a variety of purposes. In this article, we will learn all the most interesting things about the Aflatun bow.

Aflatun onion is a perennial herbaceous plant. Belongs to the onion family. It got its specific name from the name of the Aflatun Pass, which is located in Kyrgyzstan.

In itself, the culture in question, which stands out for its interesting purple flowers, is one of the most unpretentious. This original bow is winter hardy. On one site, it can easily grow for about 5 years. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to feed it with various fertilizers and nutrient mixtures.

But the Aflatun onion has one serious drawback, which is a shortened growing season. Leaf wilt is in full swing while the plant is still in bloom (May-June). In this case, complete drying occurs already in the last days of July. That is why experienced flower growers try to plant this curious ornamental plant not in the foreground, but somewhere in the center of the flower bed. Often, the Aflatun onion, which spectacularly blooms with balls, is completely placed in the back rows.

The considered decorative culture turns out to be very harmonious in group plantings. It can be planted on high-lying borders in the garden, as well as in special mixborders. A beautiful bow feels great, side by side with peonies, poppies, milkweed, irises and even luxurious roses. The plant is good in cutting: able to maintain an attractive appearance for a long time, can stand in water for several weeks. The Aflatun bow looks especially elegant in large vases.

It is also worth highlighting the main characteristics of the unusual Aflatun bow.

• Bulb This ornamental plant has a round-conical structure, consists of 2-3 lobules. These details are covered with special silver scales. The size is usually about 6 cm.
• Foliage This onion is basal, has a belt-like structure, can reach a mark of 50 cm in length. As a rule, about 7 leaves develop on one plant.
• Peduncle Aflatun onions in height can reach from 80 to 150 cm. The inner part of these components is hollow, but the peduncles are still strong. From gusts of wind they do not break.
• Boxes with seeds are formed closer to the end of onion flowering.
• Culture is not afraid of not only frost, but also drought.
• In small quantities, elegant onions can be eaten. In terms of its taste characteristics, it is similar to garlic, showing a slightly spicy aftertaste.

Currently, there are more than 400 varieties and species of the ornamental plant in question. They differ in many different features and properties. If we classify such cultures in terms of application in landscape design, then it is worth separating them according to the height parameter.

• Low. Such varieties of ornamental onions can only grow up to 10–30 cm. These include the popular varieties Karatovsky, Gorolyuby, Bear, and so on.
• average. Medium-sized species of ornamental plants grow up to 60 cm, but most often they stop growing by 40 cm. These varieties include “Christoph”, “Schubert”.
• Tall. They look very impressive and bright. They can easily reach half a meter in height. The most common plants in this category are the Aflatun onion and its giant species.

Currently, many interesting hybrids have been bred.

• “Gladiator”. This name belongs to the hybrid of the Aflatun and Maclean onions. These plants form lighter balls. They can be light purple or pale pink. The height of their arrows rarely exceeds 140 cm.
• Lucy Ball. In this hybrid plant, the arrows reach no more than 1 m, beautiful inflorescences of a delicate lavender shade are formed.
• Mars. The result of crossing Aflatun and leg onions. It has very large inflorescences. Their diameter can easily reach 15 cm. The height of the peduncles can reach up to 120 cm. This is the only hybrid whose leaf plates retain their color for a long time.

You won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of the decorative Aflatun bow if you just plant it and then forget it. Before planting such a plant, it is very important to determine the optimal planting material. You can use both seeds and bulbs. Seeds are preferably sown in cold but moist soil in the spring season. Pre-seedlings must be kept in the refrigerator, putting them in wet material and a bag. On the bottom shelf, the seeds should lie for at least a month. Prepared materials are allowed to be sown in the fall (before winter), but it is worth waiting until the soil has time to cool by about 5-10 degrees.

Before planting, the soil will need to be dug up well. A high-quality landing can be achieved through two-level digging. Due to this, the quality of drainage increases, structuring of waterlogged and heavy types of land occurs.

For planting an elegant Aflatun onion, it is advisable to choose well-lit areas on the site, since the plant in question does not grow well in the shade. Seeds should be planted to a depth of 1,5–2 cm. Before planting, furrows should be watered if the soil is too dry. You can do mass landings – 50 pieces per 1 square meter.

The depth of embedding should be no more than 15 cm.

Growing a beautiful Aflatun onion involves not only its proper planting, but also further proper care. It is impossible to neglect the care procedures for this plant..

Like any other ornamental crop, the Aflatun onion needs proper watering. This simple procedure is required on a regular basis. This is especially true in situations where there is no precipitation for a long time.

Liquid evaporation in temperate latitudes can reach 5 liters per square meter, so an adequate water consumption rate during the growing season will be at least 10 liters per meter.

Ornamental herbaceous plants need a number of nutrients. It is possible to satisfy such needs by adding suitable top dressings. The most significant in such compositions is the predominance of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, magnesium and calcium. To actively increase the green mass of the plant, it is necessary to feed it with nitrogen fertilizers. Perfect for ammonium nitrate. It (a matchbox is enough) can simply be dissolved in 10 liters of water. Urea ornamental onions are fertilized at the rate of a teaspoon per 1 square meter of sowing area.

Aflatun onion attracts gardeners with its harmonious and bright appearance, effectively decorating landscape design. If you plan to plant such an interesting plant on the site, you should arm yourself with a number of useful tips and recommendations.

• The plant can be planted with bulbs or seeds, but experienced gardeners recommend using the first method.. This is due to the fact that the culture begins to bloom only in the third, fourth, and even sixth year. Seeds appear only at this moment.
• In order for an ornamental herbaceous culture to actively grow and develop, it is necessary to regularly remove all weeds. Be sure to loosen the soil, especially after the irrigation procedure. Due to this, the bulbs will be provided with access to air.
• In order for an ornamental plant to grow as tall and elegant as possible, demonstrated the beauty of flowers, it is advisable to replant the bulbs at least 1 time within 4 years.
• If a beautiful plant was grown on decorative alpine slides, then after flowering, the gardener must immediately remove all wilted flowers. This will prevent seed pods from forming. Already next season, the inflorescences will be able to grow much larger, demonstrate a long flowering.
• It is recommended to always keep under control the condition of the ornamental onion planted in the house adjoining area or in the garden. Only through constant monitoring, the gardener will be able to notice in a timely manner that the plant is suffering from a particular disease. An ailment detected in time can be easily cured.
• If store dressing is used to care for Aflatun onions, it should be added strictly in accordance with the instructions.. The latter is usually indicated on the branded packaging. It is not worth resorting to experiments with fertilizers, as this can cause very serious harm to grassy plantings.
• If you plan to grow beautiful Aflatun onions from seeds, then it is recommended to buy them only in specialized garden stores.. Pre-quality seedlings will definitely need to be hardened in the refrigerator. The temperature at which this process takes place should be about 5-7 degrees Celsius.
• Seed material stratification can also be implemented in natural conditions. To do this, seedlings will need to be planted directly in open ground in the last days of October. The cold that will come along with the winter season will be able to fully effectively harden each of the seeds of the decorative Aflatun onion.
• Watering the considered onion is especially necessary.if we are talking about the growing season, as well as excessively dry days.