Are you looking for a plant that can handle the hot summer on the southern balcony and does not need daily care? A fan can be an ace up your sleeve.
Beauty from Australia
Vějířovka is increasingly popular in Czech garden centers, although many still pass it by in the hunt for petunias and geraniums. But this little thing can conjure up huge, thick and rich, if you give it just a little space and sun. It is an ideal choice for those who want to keep their chests in good condition until autumn without the daily slaving of scissors in hand.
Fenugreek comes from a sunny and dry place Australiawhich explains why in August they literally float on our hot balcony. Its Czech name refers to the unique shape of the flower, which looks like unfolded fan. It is this non-traditional look that gives it unusualness and beauty.
Václav Kovalčík filmed beautiful fans for you and published them on his YouTube channel.
What are its main advantages?
- Self-cleaning ability it is absolutely crucial for fanflower, because the faded flowers simply dry up and fall off on their own. You don’t have to pull them out by hand and the plant always looks clean and neat.
- He loves the heat and the sunso if you have a south-facing balcony where you can’t breathe during the summer and other flowers wilt there, the fan plant will be in the best shape there.
- Resistance to wind and rainwhen its leaves are stiff and leathery and the flowers do not turn brown or moldy after a downpour as in
- Strong stemswhich form long overhangs, but are not so fragile that they can be overturned by a stronger wind on wind terraces or on the floors of houses.
How to grow it in Czech conditions?
Even though she is Australian, she does well in our summer climate, just follow a few basic things:
- Where with her: Give it full sun, because in partial shade it will bloom less and stretch more for the light, losing its dense, compact shape.
- Substrate and nutrition: It needs slightly acidic soil, similar to petunias. Calcareous soils do not suit it, and you can tell by the yellowing of the leaves. From May to August, fertilize it once a week with a regular fertilizer for balcony flowers.
- Dressing: It likes regular moisture, but hates its roots standing in water. The substrate should dry out slightly between waterings, self-watering boxes are ideal for it, which can handle this on their own.
- No tweaking: The fennel branches naturally by itself, so you don’t have to interfere with its growth at all.
We grow fanflower here as an annual. Although in theory it could be overwintered in a cool and bright room, in practice it is quite a pain and the plant rarely looks so good in the second year. Therefore, most growers prefer to buy new seedlings every spring, which in our conditions is a safe bet and beautiful boxes until October.
