Yaskolka

Family Caryophyllaceae. The genus comprises about 100 species distributed in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North America.

Perennial and annual herbaceous plants 15-30 cm high. Stems simple or branched, creeping or ascending. Leaves opposite, small, entire, densely hairy. Flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, white, arranged in corymb-like inflorescences. Fruit - a rounded capsule.

Location: sun-loving, winter-hardy, drought-resistant. The most optimal place for yaskolka is at the foot of an alpine rock garden and in hollows between stones where sunlight penetrates.

Soil: undemanding, but prefer well-drained soil. Finely chopped peat is added to stony soil to help retain moisture around the roots.

Care: the poorer the soil and the hotter the location, the less care is required. In spring clean the soil under the shrub. Trim any plants that have become too overgrown.

Propagation: by seeds, cuttings and division of the clump. Sowings are carried out in March in greenhouses, in April or late autumn in the open ground. Seedlings appear after 10-15 days. Seedlings are pricked out into boxes, keeping a spacing of 3-5 cm. In July they are planted in their permanent location. They flower in the second year. Clump division is done early in spring. For propagation it is convenient to first trim the plants, and after some time divide the low dense patches into parts. It is better to transplant no less often than every 3-5 years, otherwise the decorative value of the cover decreases. Cuttings are taken in June. They can grow in one place for up to 5 years.