The steppe candle attracts everyone's attention with its extraordinary flowers. It is quite undemanding and can also be multiplied very easily.
The steppe candle becomes an ornament in every bed, at the latest when the imposing flower candles reach into the sky. The plants come from Asia, but are quite easy to cultivate in our latitudes. To ensure that the steppe candle really feels at home in the bed and that the pretty blossom does not fail to appear, a few care instructions should be observed.
Water the steppe candle correctly
The growth period begins in spring and the steppe candle requires moderate but regular watering. The soil must not dry out, but on the other hand it must not become waterlogged. Because the roots of the steppe candle are particularly sensitive and would quickly begin to rot if waterlogged. The soil is allowed to dry slightly between the individual waterings. Pour directly onto the root disc. The steppe candle should also not be watered in torrents, but better in intermittent watering. This is how waterlogging can be avoided.
Tip: From autumn onwards, protect the steppe candle from excessive moisture with a layer of brushwood or leaves.
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- Water moderately from April
- The floor can dry slightly
- high liquid requirement during flowering
- Pour in batches
- Avoid waterlogging
Fertilize the steppe candle correctly
In order to be able to develop their magnificent inflorescences, the steppe candles need soil that is as nutrient-rich as possible. This should be considered when planting. The substrate is then enriched with mature compost or horn shavings. This provides the plant with an effective long-term fertilizer. A complete fertilizer for flower bulbs can also be applied during the flowering period.
Tip: Organic fertilizer such as compost, horn shavings, humus or guano provides the steppe candle with all the nutrients it needs.
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- Apply slow-release fertilizer in spring
- Provide substrate with compost or horn shavings
- duringgive the flower complete fertilizer for flower bulbs
- Do not fertilize from autumn on
Replanting the steppe candle
Steppe candles are planted in late summer. Then is also the best time for transplanting or propagating. At this point, the rhizomes have taken a break from growing.
Tip: If you plant or transplant the steppe candle in spring, you risk not flowering.
Do steppe candles have to be cut?
The plant develops anew from its rhizome every year. The inflorescences offer an attractive sight well into autumn and should only be cut when they have completely faded and withered. Further cutting measures are not required.
Tip: If you want to use the steppe candle as a cut flower, cut off the flower candles as soon as they start to open at the bottom.
An overview of the most important care measures
| Care measure | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Casting | • During the growth phase, the steppe candle needs sufficient water. • The soil can dry out slightly before the next watering takes place. • Too much watering quickly leads to the dreaded waterlogging. • From autumn the plant is no longer watered and the soil must be protected from moisture by a layer of leaves or brushwood. |
| Fertilize | • Steppe candles have a very high nutrient requirement. • A complete fertilizer for flower bulbs can be used during the flowering period. • A natural long-term fertilizer is provided with compost, horn shavings or bark humus. |
| Cut | • The plant sprouts from the rhizome every spring and does not need to be pruned. • Since the inflorescences are attractive well into autumn, it makes sense to only plant them once they have died flower stalks are completely withered, make the pruning. |
How to multiply the steppe candle?
The steppe candle can be propagated by root division and sowing.
Propagating steppe candle by root division
Root division is the easiest method of propagating the steppe candle. The first step is to completely dig up the roots in late summer.
Warning: The tubers are very sensitive and can easily be injured.
The root can now be cut in with a pointed spadeseveral segments are shared. This is related to the size of the rootstock. After the division, the tubers are to be brought back into the ground immediately. Care should be taken to ensure loose soil at the new location. Do not put the buds deeper than a maximum of 20 centimeters into the ground and carefully fill up with substrate. The tuber is then cultivated as usual and should reliably sprout next spring.
Propagating steppe candle by sowing
The sowing of the steppe candle belongs in the hands of experienced hobby gardeners. Since the steppe candle is considered a cold germ, the cultivation is quite complex and comparatively lengthy. First, the seeds must be cooled. This is done by embedding them in damp sand and placing them in a plastic bag. Now the container goes into the fridge for about six weeks.
Tip: Check regularly whether the sand is still sufficiently moist.
When the seeds begin to germinate, the seedlings are placed in their own planters and first cultivated in a dark location at around ten degrees. After about a week, the plants can move to the warm window sill. The plants grow quite quickly and always need sufficiently large planters. When the steppe candles have grown about 30 centimeters high, they can move to the bed.
Care mistakes when sowing
In early summer, the hobby gardener eagerly awaits the flowers. If, contrary to expectations, this does not happen, there can be various reasons behind it. Mistakes in care are usually the cause of steppe candles that do not bloom.
Hint: Wild candles grown from seed are late bloomers. It takes about four years before the first blossom.
The most common causes of missing flowers:
- too dark location
- soil too heavy
- Frost Damage
- Waterlogging
This results in the measures that the hobby gardener should tackle in order to be able to enjoy the flowers next year:
Plants that are too dark should be transplanted to a sunny spot in autumn. If the soil is too heavy, the plant should also be dug up carefully. Compost, gravel or grit loosen the soil and at the same time ensure that the irrigation water can drain off better.Ground frost can endanger the steppe candle. The young shoots should be planted so that the buds are not damagedbe covered with garden fleece on cold days.Tip: If waterlogging has already occurred and the tuber rots, there is no rescue for the plant.
Recognize diseases on the steppe candle
The steppe candles are quite robust, if they start to get ailing, the care mistakes already described are usually the cause.
In addition, some pests of the steppe candle can be dangerous. The most harmless among them are snails, which have put the leaves of the steppe candle on their menu. Slugs can be collected or effectively combated with slug pellets.
More aggressive are grubs. The larvae of various beetle species are extremely voracious and grow up to six centimeters long. The larvae can remain in the ground for up to four years and wreak havoc there undetected. The infestation only really catches the eye when it is already too late and the plant begins to wither due to the damaged roots.
Tip: Root protection mesh, wire inserts or deep lawn edging stones are natural protective measures.
Voles can take over entire gardens in no time at all and provide them with a branched maze of corridors. The pests eat both the tubers and the young shoots. The hobby gardener should react quickly and persuade the voles to move by using garlic solution or vole gas.
Wintering the steppe candle
The steppe candle in the bed is hardy and defies extreme weather conditions. In autumn, a layer of brushwood or leaf soil can ensure that the tubers do not dry out. Late frosts can pose a threat to the steppe candle. If the budding has already started, the plant should be covered with fir branches or garden fleece on frosty nights.