Spring protection of garden plants from pests and diseases. Review: Vegetable rue seeds Sedek "Lacemaker" - Vegetable rue - exotic in the apartment

What is rue and how to grow it garden plot?

Ruta - evergreen, grown to decorate garden plots. His distinctive feature are bright small flowers with a strong and persistent aroma.

Description of the rue plant

Rue also grows in wildlife, but it can only be found in regions with a warm and humid climate. This is a perennial evergreen plant, which is a spreading shrub up to 70 cm high. Its root system can withstand frost, but the upper part with the stem and flowers dies during the winter.

Source: Depositphotos

Ruta has small but bright flowers emitting a strong aroma

The average lifespan of a rue flower is about 20 years, but it is sometimes grown as an annual plant.

In the photo, rue buds may differ in color and shape. Wild species have small flowers of a pale yellow hue, while decorative ones have red, dark pink and purple buds. Plants bloom throughout June and July. After this, the flowers transform into fruits, which are multi-seeded capsules. Rue is grown not only for decorative purposes. Its young leaves are used as a seasoning for food, and dried flowers are used in folk medicine.

Growing rue in the garden

Ruta is heat-loving plant, so to plant it, choose a sunny place, protected from wind and drafts. At the same time, flowers tolerate prolonged drought. Any soil is suitable for planting rue, but preference is given to crushed stone or loamy soil. Flowers are planted in open ground seeds or seedlings. You can grow it yourself or buy it in a store.

Seeds are planted in open ground in late autumn or in early spring, and seedlings - at the end of May, since young plants do not tolerate night frosts.

The plant does not bloom in the first summer after planting. Its seedlings grow only 20–25 cm. Caring for rue involves regularly loosening the soil near the flowers and removing weeds. There is no need to water the plant often. The soil must dry out completely between waterings, otherwise the rue roots will begin to rot. Fertilize the soil with complex mixtures at the beginning and end of the gardening season. In spring, prune plants to remove dead branches and flowers.

Growing rue in your garden is not a difficult process, as it is persistent and unpretentious plant. She keeps hers decorative properties throughout the summer. In addition, the scent of its flowers spreads throughout the garden. The leaves are used to create seasonings and brew tea.

He picked leaves, brewed a potion, drank it three times and forgot everything, remembering only a single word - “rue”. Hannochka, even dead, wished her beloved happiness. Since then, people have called this plant rue.

Another legend tells that a long time ago there lived a girl in the world and she had a boyfriend whom she loved very much. But on the eve of the wedding, he said that he fell in love with someone else and would marry her. In despair, the girl ran away from the village, wherever her eyes looked. She ran to a steep cliff and began to climb the slope. The stones falling from under her feet woke up the owner of the rock, who was dozing in his cave. He got out of it to see who disturbed his peace. And then he saw the girl. The giant was so struck by her beauty that he was inflamed with love for her and rushed after her. Seeing him, the girl got scared, screamed, raised her hands to the sky and began to pray for salvation. The gods took pity and turned her into a yellow flower growing on a sunlit slope. And the giant turned to stone from grief on this rock and remained sitting near yellow flower, which has since helped all brides not to lose their groom.

And another beautiful and sad legend, where rue acts as a symbol of self-sacrifice for the well-being of others. A brother and sister lived in the Carpathians. Alenka enjoyed making wreaths, and Ivanko collected flowers for her, especially her favorite rue-mint. They lived well, but one day the father, returning from hunting, found himself in such a thick fog that he wandered into the rocks and crashed. They were left alone.

Ivan worked as a laborer for a rich gentleman, and Alenka was taken into her servant by the grandmother who lived next door. It was hard for her with that woman. Alenka got up at dawn and went to bed under the stars. Sometimes the woman wouldn’t give me anything to eat and would beat me. Rarely now did she manage to see her beloved brother, and then only secretly, so that the evil one would not curse. A bitter orphan's share.

One day Alenka saw that the old woman opened the chest, took out an unusual pipe, all covered in strange carvings, and left the hut. The girl became curious and she, stealthily, followed her. An old woman came to the mountain and lit a pipe. Thick smoke came out of it and began to spread through the gorges in long streams like fingers. Alenka forgot to breathe out of fear. And then that fog, as if seeing the girl, began to reach out to her. Seized with horror, Alenka flew from that place like an arrow.

She realized that her father's death was not accidental. Baba is a real witch. With an enchanted fog, she led people into gorges, where they died. And Alenka swore to take revenge on the witch, so that she could no longer harm people. I decided that the evil power of the witch was in the strange pipe. Alenka waited until the old woman went into the field, instantly opened the chest, took out the pipe and almost, out of fright, did not let go of her hands: something alien and incomprehensible burst into her body. But she firmly decided to destroy the pipe and, gathering her strength, threw it into the oven. However, it didn’t burn, didn’t even char. The frightened girl scooped it out of the fire and wanted to put it back in the chest, but then the grandmother ran into the hut. In her eyes, Alenka saw not only anger, but despair and fear.

She furiously attacked Alenka: “How dare you take what is not yours. Well, just know! As soon as you look into the world or say even one word, your dear brother will immediately fall dead.” At the same moment, Alenka closed her eyes tightly in horror and no longer saw, but heard something hit the floor. This evil witch put all her strength into the curse and fell dead.

On the same day that the witch died, Alenka ran away into the wilderness where not every animal had wandered. The pipe helped her get used to hermit life, since the mists became her eyes, and she could see everything where they covered the ground. More than once Alenka saw how her brother searched for her in the forests, how every year, when the rue-mint bloomed, he brought it to where, once as children, they played together, and Alenka wove a wreath. But she firmly remembered the curse of the evil witch and took care of her beloved brother - she was silent and never opened her eyes.

Ivanko matured over the years and became a competent owner. And everyone thought about Alenka that she had died in the forests. And they also noticed that since she disappeared, evil fogs stopped falling on the mountains, cattle disappeared and people stopped committing fornication. Only a light haze enveloped the mountains and it smelled of rue and mint, but no one knew what was causing it. Who can tell where Alenka is now? But if you are in those parts, you find yourself in the morning fog, stop for a moment, inhale the smell of rue-mint and remember your sister, who loved her brother more than herself.

In Podolia (southwest of Ukraine) an ancient legend about rue as a symbol of the homeland is recorded. A long time ago, the Basurmans attacked the village and captured the men in galleys. One of them had a girlfriend. She shed many tears. She knew that they did not return from the galleys, because the slaves forgot from hard labor native land, all your loved ones. They weren’t even shackled - they still wouldn’t run away. But the girl could not forget her beloved. When the cranes gathered to fly to distant lands, she asked them to find the galley in the sea where her beloved was and give him a sprig of rue. When the young man saw the flower and inhaled its aroma, a miracle happened. He remembered both his homeland and his beloved. He conspired with his comrades, they attacked the guards, captured the ship and flew to their native shore as if on wings. And on the mast a sprig of saving rue fluttered.

Many folk beliefs and customs are associated with rue. It was often worn in a special bag on the chest as a talisman. They believed that it protected against evil forces, averts the evil eye, saves from witchcraft and black magic. They rubbed the floorboards with rue so that evil spells would return to the one who cast them, hung them from the door, and added them, along with other herbs, to the water in which babies were bathed. In general, it was believed that she protected all the children living in the house. Here is one of the spells when collecting it: “Oh, you, rue, I bow to you, I will pluck you, I will bring you to the house. And you, Mother Ruta, do not let my children be hurt: neither by the noble, nor by the beggar, neither by relatives nor by strangers. Key, lock, tongue. Amen. Amen. Amen".

By folk beliefs, it grows best when stolen, toads are afraid of it, snakes do not crawl near the places where rue grows. By folk tradition They collect it in late autumn, when the first frost hits, always early in the morning, since in the afternoon the “grass of grace” turns into the “grass of sorrow”, and is stored under the eaves on the roof.

It was also popular as a love potion. As soon as a woman prepared and drank such a potion, she became the most desirable for her chosen one. A wreath of rue and mint was worn by girls who wanted to win the heart of a guy who was indifferent to them; it helped get rid of the mental pain that unsuccessful love brings.

There was an old belief that the aroma of rue drives virgin young people crazy to such an extent that even ancient old women seem beautiful to them. Witches took advantage of this; they lured pure young men to where rue bloomed abundantly and deprived them of their virginity.

According to ancient legends, once every twenty years, on the night of Ivan Kupala, instead of the usual yellow, rue blooms red for several minutes. If a girl finds and picks (or is given) this flower when it turns red, she will be happy in love all her life. According to legend, a lover must find and give a rue flower to his loved one. Then, supposedly, the love will be mutual.

Rue has long been used to treat various diseases. It was most valued for its ability to improve vision and serve as an effective antidote. Rue decoction was also used in rural areas against seizures and convulsions. During epidemics of the 16th-17th centuries. It was believed that rue leaves scattered on the floor could ward off infection. It was also considered the best disinfectant. People rubbed rue on their bodies to protect themselves from the plague; they fumigated their rooms with its smoke, sprinkled it on their clothes and beds to get rid of fleas and lice. Rue was grown in pharmaceutical gardens, popular in the Middle Ages, especially in monasteries, due to its ability to relieve sexual arousal in men. The famous German physician Bock (16th century) wrote: “...All monks and religious people who want to preserve innocence and purity should constantly use rue in food and drinks.”

And currently it is used in folk medicine; the image of “ruta-mint” is one of the popular motifs in modern folklore (especially in Western Ukraine), poetry and songs.

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor of the department. Botany RGAU-MSHA named after K.A. Timiryazeva

Ruta has been known since ancient times. Dioscorides readily used this plant. It was considered a remedy for plant and animal poisons. There is evidence that rue was part of the antidote, which was taken for prophylactic purposes by the Pontic king Mithridates VI Eupator in 121-64. BC. In ancient times it was used for various diseases. Odo of Mena's poem stated:

“Very good for the stomach when drunk often,

The fruit is driven into drink and love is curbed in a state,

Sciatica treats joints, as well as patients with fever..."

In the Chapters of Charlemagne it is mentioned under the modern Latin name rue. In the 16th-18th centuries, it was an obligatory plant in home and spice gardens Europe, as it was considered effective means from... the plague that was raging in those days.

Botanical description and places of growth

Ruta fragrant ( Ruta graveolens) - a subshrub from the Rutaceae family, 30-100 cm high with a woody, fibrous root. The stem is woody in the lower part, branched, erect. The leaves are alternate, grayish-green, slightly fleshy, double or triple pinnately dissected. The flowers are regular, greenish-yellow, on short stalks, collected in a corymbose panicle. The fruit is a round 4-5-locular capsule. Each nest contains 4-6 seeds, almost black in color. Blooms in June - July. The fruits ripen in September - October.

Within Russia, it is found in the wild only in the Kaliningrad region as an alien plant. Grows in gardens, orchards and trash areas. It is grown as a medicinal and essential oil plant.

Medicinal raw materials and active ingredients

For medicinal purposes, fresh or dried herbs collected during the flowering period are used. Dry the raw materials under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area.

The leaves and apical shoots contain essential oil (up to 0.5%), which contains nonanone, linalool, undecanone, and undecanol; in addition, rutin, furocoumarins bergapten, xanthotoxin, pangelin, psoralen, daphnoretin) (up to 1%), resins, alkaloids of various chemical structures (rutamine, graveolin, dictamnine), malic acid.

Application in official and folk medicine

In our country, rue is not used by scientific medicine, but in a number of European countries it is included in the Pharmacopoeia.

However, rue is poisonous plant and requires careful use and strict adherence to dosage. In addition, the contained furocoumarins exhibit a phototoxic effect.

Rue herb has, according to traditional medicine, a significant range of pharmacological activity. It is known as a tonic, antispastic, antiseptic, anticonvulsant, hemostatic and antitoxic agent.

Used for neuroses, atherosclerosis, menopause. Rue is effective in treating asthenic conditions, hysteria, epilepsy, and headaches.

Rue herb is used for rheumatism, gout, impotence, myopia, fragility blood vessels, scrofula, rickets, as well as for spastic pain in the stomach and intestines. Fragrant rue has a general tonic effect, relieves fatigue, calms nervous system. Preparations from this plant reduce spasms of smooth muscles of the urinary tract and peripheral blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and increase diuresis. Herbal tea is considered good remedy from impotence. An infusion of leaves is used for blood stagnation during internal organs as a sedative for nervous irritability. According to some reports, taking an infusion of rue herb in grape wine helps with impotence.

In traditional medicine, fresh rue juice is taken orally for bites. poisonous insects and snakes, as well as for poor eyesight.

Fresh leaves are applied to the site of bruises and bruises.

Use at home

Leaf infusion prepared from 1 teaspoon of crushed raw materials, which is poured with 1 glass of boiling water, left for 2 hours, filtered. Take 50 ml 3 times a day.

To prepare cold herbal infusion, you should pour 1 teaspoon of crushed raw materials into 2 cups of cold boiled water, leave for 8 hours, strain. Take 1/2 cup 4 times a day before meals.

The tincture is most convenient to use and, using it, it is easier to maintain the exact dosage. It is prepared with vodka in a ratio of 1:5. Leave for 10 days in a dark place, strain. Take 10 drops in 1 tablespoon of water 3 times a day.

Rue preparations are contraindicated during pregnancy, hypotension, hyperacid gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers. In case of an overdose, irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, swelling of the tongue and larynx, fainting, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, general weakness, kidney and liver damage may occur. External use of rue sometimes causes skin burns.

And in order not to make a mistake with the dose and not to forget about contraindications, you can take homeopathic preparations of rue, which are prescribed for bruises, sprains, spasms, rheumatism, and excess tension.

Other uses

Young leaves are eaten. They are used as a spice to flavor tea, soft drinks, sausages, sauces, and added to canned cucumbers and tomatoes, lamb and cheese dishes. Rue essential oil is used in the alcoholic beverage industry in the production of cognac and liqueurs.

Growing on site

The plant is very decorative almost all season. Given its southern origin (Mediterranean), the plant should be placed in a sunny area, protected from cold winds. The soil is preferably fertile and permeable. Ruta does not tolerate stagnant moisture in spring.

The plant reproduces by seeds. It is better to sow them in a pot in March and grow seedlings. In the phase of 3-4 true leaves, the plants dive. It is better to plant them immediately in separate pots, then when planting on permanent place plants quickly begin to grow and acquire a decorative appearance.

Seedlings are planted at a distance of 30-40 cm in early June. Care consists of weeding, loosening and fertilizing with complex fertilizers or diluted mullein or bird droppings.

You can sow seeds directly into the ground in early spring, but in this case the consumption of seeds increases greatly, and the plants will only become truly ornamental by the next season.

Covering plants for the winter does not always give good results. Often they begin to rot. Therefore, to cover or not to cover is a rather controversial issue. In the spring, the plants are pruned to living wood and fed. In this case, they grow quite quickly and form a large leaf mass. In one place in the non-chernozem zone, plants grow for 3-5, and sometimes more, years. But gradually they still begin to fall out, so it is necessary to take care of replacement.

The plant is so decorative that it will decorate any plant composition: a mixed border, a rocky garden, or just a flower bed in front of the house.

Photo: Rita Brilliantova, Maxim Minin

The genus Ruta contains about 15 species perennial plants, more more plants belongs to the Rutaceae family. This family includes citrus fruits (orange, lemon, kumquat), Yasenets flower, Fagara plant ( iron wood). Among the rue family there are herbs, shrubs and subshrubs, united by a common feature - a rather strong aroma emanating from the leaves and shoots. The plants are famous for their medicinal properties, in particular, the ability to remove poisons from the body.

In our country, gardeners most often grow fragrant rue as a spicy and medicinal crop. Less known is Monarda (Bergamot) - a spicy and ornamental herb that produces wonderful tea. Blooming monarda decorates the area from mid-summer to late autumn bright inflorescences. Another name is Chervona rue, the plant received it for the bright red hue of its flowers.

Description

A perennial plant, in nature, can be found in the area North America. Monarda was brought to Europe and Asia, where it is found in temperate climates.

Tall (up to 160 cm in height) plant, with straight, slightly pubescent stems, tetrahedron shaped. Its root is branched to the sides and powerful. The leaves are oval, with a sharp tip and teeth along the edge, light green color. The monarda bush, in shape and structure, resembles a lemon balm or mint bush.

Monarda flowers are small, up to 4 cm in length, collected in several dozen inflorescences - heads. The color of the petals of the monarda is double - bright scarlet; in the fistula - violet, pink or lilac. There are artificially bred hybrids with crimson or purple (almost black) flowers.

The plant has good winter hardiness. After the above-ground part dies, the rhizome safely survives the winter under a snow blanket. In spring the plant grows back.

You can admire the subtle beauty of the Chervona rue flower from the presented photos.

Growing in the garden

Rue is not demanding on the composition of the soil; areas with loose and light soil with a slightly acidic reaction are suitable for it. Light loams are ideal. Monarda loves the sun, but puts up with the lace shadow. In the deep shade the plant will not die, but it will bloom sparingly.

The soil for the flower is prepared in the fall by digging up the area and adding rotted manure and high-moor peat, 2–4 kg per 1 sq. m. m.

Monarda is easy to sow with seeds. To admire the flowering of rue early, seedlings are prepared in March. The seeds of the plant remain viable for several years; special preparation for planting is not required. They are sown in light and nutritious soil (sand + peat + humus), to a depth of 1 cm. Shoots will appear within 2 weeks.

Caring for seedlings consists of moderate watering and picking at the age of 3 weeks. Seedlings are placed in open ground in May, when the danger of frost has passed. Chervona rue is planted at a distance of 30–60 cm from each other, depending on the size of the bush of a particular variety.

Interesting. The rhizome of monarda releases substances into the soil that repel harmful insects. A flower planted among garden and garden plants, will protect them from some pests.

Monarda loves watering, especially in preparation for flowering. A water shower is beneficial for the plant; the foliage should be washed in the evening so that the plant does not get sunburned.

Flower feeding scheme:

• nitrogen fertilizers (humus, a solution of chicken manure 1 to 15, urea) are given in the spring, with the beginning of the regrowth of green mass;
• Potassium-phosphorus mixtures are necessary for monarda during the period of budding and flowering.

Fertilizers must be applied every 3 weeks. Faded inflorescences should be removed unless the seeds are to be collected. With the onset of autumn, when frosts destroy the foliage and stems of the monarda, the tops are cut flush with the soil. It is recommended to sprinkle young bushes of the current year of planting with sawdust or peat. Adult plants do not need insulation. The flower is grown in one place for 4 – 6 years.

Beneficial features

Except decorative use in the flower garden, red rue is used as an aromatic component of tea and as medicinal plant. In the homeland of the flower, the Indians knew about the characteristics of rue and applied crushed leaves to wounds, pacifying the pain. An infusion of leaves helped with intestinal pain and headaches.

High share essential oils in the leaves and stems of monarda, have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect on the body.

Tea from red rue leaves will calm you down headache and will reduce fever for colds and flu.
Herbal infusions are used to rinse the mouth and throat for sore throat, stomatitis, and toothache.

On a note. The substance – thymol, contained in rue flowers and leaves, is used in the pharmaceutical industry for the manufacture of mouth rinses.

Rue alcohol tincture or oil is used to wipe the skin for purulent rashes, eczema, and fungus. Monarda is part of cosmetic masks, eliminating micro-inflammations on the skin.

Important! Like any medicinal plant, monarda must be taken orally in strictly recommended doses. An overdose can harm the body and cause poisoning. Pregnant women and children are allowed to take rue only after consulting a doctor.

Recipes

Monarda oil will help cure foot fungus. Soak a cotton pad in it and apply a compress to the affected area for an hour. The course of procedures is until the fungus disappears.

At nervous tension and stress, 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of fresh chopped herbs into 200 ml of boiling water. The cooled infusion is taken throughout the day, one tablespoon before meals.

To improve sleep, take tea from rue leaves (a teaspoon of dry raw material per 400 ml of boiling water).

Monarda in cooking

Dry red rue herbs are added to marinades and sauces to give a piquant spicy taste. Fresh greens are added to salads, for example: hard-boiled eggs, fresh monarda leaves, green onions, salt and sour cream.

Delicious tea made from leaves and inflorescences of rue and lemon balm. The herb is poured with boiling water and left for about half an hour. Flavored drink quenches thirst well and calms.

Watch also the video

I didn’t know anything about vegetable rue at the time of purchase.

I just liked the picture and decided to purchase the seeds of this rare plant.

By the way, Ruta is also female name. And also, if you remember, in the first episode of The Hunger Games there was a heroine named Rue from District 11.

So, what do I now know about the rue plant? It is an evergreen plant and can be grown as a perennial. Grows up to a meter high.

Poisonous in large quantities.

When I accidentally touch rue on the balcony, it spreads strong smell. My husband even once thought I spilled some kind of chemical on the balcony. The aroma spread from the balcony into the apartment.

But I don't find the scent chemical or unpleasant. Just a specific spice aroma. Similar to the smell of overcooked dill.

Rue grows quite slowly in the apartment. And without thinking, I planted several bushes at once in a small pot. The other day, while looking through a plant, I saw a long root that had crawled into the drain hole of the pot. Of course, now I have planted the plants so that they don’t suffer.

* RUTE SEEDS.

Seeds are medium size, black. There is no debris present in the seeds.

Germination rate 90%. The shoots are quite tender. With the slightest lack of watering, they die.

* AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING.

There is no great difficulty in growing rue in an apartment. You need enough light, watering - that's all.

No special reaction to feeding was noticed.

Root system goes deep into the ground, while growing little in width. You can choose narrow tall pot for growing. My short plants already have 40 cm of root!

* CONSUMPTION OF RUTE.

Rue has been used since ancient times in medicine and as a poisonous plant.

According to reference data, rue is rich in phosphorus and vitamin C.

Used as an antiseptic. Suppresses staphylococcus and some fungi.

Used in perfume compositions.

Used against rheumatic pain, against worms (of course, who can stand such bitterness).

In large quantities it is poisonous. Cannot be used by pregnant women.

In general, when I bought a bag of seeds, I was “bribed” by the name of the plant - “vegetable rue”. I believed that this would be a very productive vegetable plant, providing me with herbaceous shoots all season long.

But in reality the taste turned out to be very bitter. Like wormwood. To be honest in fresh I didn't notice any subtleties of taste. In the salad, the rue also imparted a strong bitterness.

That's why I dried a few leaves. When dried, rue lost its unpleasant bitterness and became a completely spicy plant. With an oily, ethereal aroma of astringency and slight bitterness. Quite an interesting aroma and taste.

In my opinion, rue goes best with fish and omelettes in cooking. I just don't see any other combinations.

However, the taste and aroma are very much for everyone. And you need to be careful about growing rue if you have children, because the plant is poisonous.

And personally, I can only consume this plant in dried form.