Backache or pulsatilla - It is a flower associated with many legends and traditions. Probably there is no one among us who, as a child, would not bring home bouquets of these wonderful flowers, which we called snowdrops or primroses. It belongs to the lupus family and is found in almost all European countries, as well as in Canada, the northern states of the United States and the middle part of Asia.
Every year the flower becomes more and more popular with landscape designers and flower growers. And it is no coincidence, because all the lumbago have one common feature: it is impossible to find a single plant of this species with a nondescript flowering. Flowers are bright, colorful and showy, representing a high decorative value. Advanced flower growers call this plant "warm", because when it blooms from the chamber, it brings a feeling of warmth, gives a positive mood and heals from winter depression.
Important! Highly popular lumbago unfairly enjoy market traders flowers. They dig adult plants growing in the wild and sell them in the markets. Inexperienced flower growers often purchase flowers, unaware that they will not take root and die. Lumbago have a long taproot root, which is often damaged by digging, so this seedling is doomed to death.
Growing seedlings lumbago
In total, more than 40 species of lumbago or sleep-grass are known, in our latitudes about 20 grows. You can grow them on your own land only by the seed method. Seeds of lumbago have a characteristic feature: the presence of "tufts" - hairy spines. They perform the function of reproduction and help the seeds to ripen after ripening over long distances. 
Lumbago seeds undergo natural stratification on the soil surface, being subjected to alternate drying and wetting. At this time, the spine of the seed becomes wet, then, drying, makes circular motions and thus the seed is “screwed” into the ground. The seed shell gradually softens, and the young stalk is not difficult to get rid of her.
The best time for sowing seeds for seedlings
Sowing seeds lumbar on seedlings should be carried out in early spring, in March. You can use seeds collected in the fall or bought in a specialty store. Sowing in the fall, but not all specimens in this case will transfer wintering.
Soil selection
For sprouting lumbar on seedlings, it is better to take purchased lightweight soil, for example, forest (leaf) ground, and mix it with coarse sand in equal parts. Substrate a day before sowing should be well moistened.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
For fresh seeds, processing before sowing is not required. If the seeds are more than a year old, it is better to hold them for 2-3 hours in a solution of stimulants, such as Epina or succinic acid, to improve germination. The germination of seeds actually occurs in the light and depends on the depth at which the seeds are sown.
When dredging, the seeds do not germinate well, so sowing should be done on the wet surface of the soil, lightly sprinkling with sand. You can plant each seed in a pot separately, buried in the ground half of its height.
Lumbago seeds remain viable for up to two years. After sowing, the pots are covered with glass or plastic wrap.
Conditions for germinating seeds
Crops of lumbago require careful and regular ventilation when grown from seed. The optimal temperature should be at least + 22-25 degrees. You also need to monitor the soil moisture, to prevent its drying out.
Seedling care
The first shoots in such conditions appear within three weeks. If the sprouts did not appear during this time, you need to stop watering for two weeks, then resume. Thus, there is an imitation of natural growth conditions, which helps seed germination.
When two or more leaves appear on the seedlings, they dive. Capacities for picking are chosen deep enough for the root system to develop freely. Plastic half-liter glasses are good; their volume is enough for growing seedlings throughout the year.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Seedlings lumbago ready for planting in open ground a year after germination.
Timing and location selection
It is best to plant seedlings in slightly shaded areas., despite the fact that the backache grows well enough in open areas. The southern places on the site with a slight bias are suitable, which will allow the rainwater not to stagnate, since the shooting can not stand the damp. The ideal place is an alpine slide, a flower bed with low perennial plants or rockeries. Planting is made from spring to autumn, using seedlings not younger than one year.
Planting seedlings on the site
The soil for planting seedling lumbar should be light, well drained. Preferred alkaline, loamy, sand and gravel soils. Lumbago likes fertile soils, therefore, before planting it, it will not be superfluous to introduce a small amount of sand, peat, and mineral fertilizers. Plants should be planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, slightly priminaya seedlings soil. The decorative effect can be expected from a cross in the 3-4 years of a plant's life. 
Sowing seeds lumbago in open ground
The soil must be prepared, as well as for sowing seedlings: apply sand, peat and mineral fertilizers. Most types of lumbago are recommended to sowTom - in June or July. The optimum temperature for seed germination in open ground + 22-25 degrees. Alpine species lumbago need stratification of seeds, so their sowing is desirable in the fall.
They sow seeds lumbling to a depth of 1.5 cm in a thick layer so that they sprout faster. It is recommended to cover the planting with straw to avoid hypothermia or, conversely, overheating from the hot ground. The first shoots will appear in 20-30 days. The method of sowing seeds immediately in open ground justifies itself when you have a lot of seeds, because not all of them will germinate. Therefore, when the seed is small, it is better to plant them on the seedlings.
Use of lumbago in landscape compositions
The use of lumbago in landscape design is widespread among modern florists and gardeners. Due to the attractive color, the lumbago looks favorably in any floral compositions. 
The plant blooms in spring or early summer with single bell-shaped pubescent flowers of violet, purple, golden yellow, red, burgundy or white. All the colors of this plant look very impressive in gardens (including stony), on open lawns, alpine hills, in group plantings along the edges of pine and deciduous forest-park zones. Lumbago looks elegant and in combination with other plants, such as crocuses, primrose, Scylla, tulips.
Did you know? Known in folk legends "dream-grass" - this is a blackened chamber. A species on the verge of extinction, as it is constantly being excavated by unscrupulous flower merchants. This name lumbago has ancient roots. His dreaming ability was noticed by healers and herbalists many years ago. They believe that bears are hopping from lumbago, and if a hunter falls asleep on these flowers, he will sleep until the end of spring. Also the flowers of the lumbar have long been assigned magical powers, they were used in divination and to scare away evil spirits.
How to care in the process of growing
Since it is possible to grow high-quality and healthy lumbago only at the landing site, it is strongly not recommended to replant it. In addition, to get beautiful, bright flowers in the summer, you need to follow a few simple guidelines for caring for the plant.
Important! Lumbago is listed in the Red Book, therefore it is impossible to dig up or pick its flowers in the wild.
Watering mode
Lumbago requires regular care, which provides for timely watering and destruction of weeds. In the hot summer period of drought, adults planting lumbago should be watered carefully, not pouring flowers, as they do not tolerate stagnant water.
Watering should be just enough to avoid drying out the soil. Young seedlings (up to two years) require more abundant weekly watering. Weeding is recommended by hand, to avoid damage to delicate flowers and root system garden tools.
Top dressing and fertilizer of plants
Lumbago develops better on fertile, nutritious soils, so it must be periodically fed. In the autumn you need to make rotten humus. In the spring, twice a season, the plant is fertilized with lime and small doses of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Potash phosphate fertilizers are applied several times over the summer.
Soil mulching
In the first two years after planting, lumbago require compulsory mulching for the winter. Suitable mulch from peat and humus, it will protect the roots from the scorching rays of the sun and provide nutrients to the soil. 
Diseases and pests lumbago, how to deal with them
The plant is often exposed to black leg disease. For prevention, soil treatment with a fungicide before planting seeds will help. From the pests of the chamber, rodents attack in winter and slugs in summer. Rodents can be destroyed with the help of poison tornado, amus, testoks, and slugs - drugs "Slized" and "Thunderstorm."
At observance of all recommendations on leaving this surprising and mysterious flower will become the real decoration of any garden site for many years. By the time of growth, the backache is not at all inferior to other, less decorative perennials, and grows in one place from 10 to 20 years.
