A beautiful flowerbed in front of the house is considered the pride of any florist. Flowers, pleasing the eye in all sorts of colors, nicely decorate the home garden. But, as you know, it is not worth stopping at what has been achieved. After all, you can not only equip an ordinary flower bed, but also make your house blossom. This does not mean that it should be covered with flowering mildew. Not at all. For this type of decoration, flowering lianas are perfect, which will cover your house with a green veil with bright specks of flowers. An excellent representative of this species of lian is Kobei. Cultivation of this beauty is associated with some difficulties, but believe me, it's worth it.
Kobeia - care and cultivation
Kobeia came to us from Mexico, where, in a tropical climate, it grows well over the years. Unfortunately, the winters of our country turn it into an annual plant. But, nevertheless, the conditions of the summer of the middle band allow it to grow beautifully and please us with an abundance of beautiful bell-bellied flowers. So, what is necessary to grow an exotic flower of Kobei? One of the factors complicating the cultivation of kobei, perhaps, can be considered its seedling distribution. Purchased seeds should be planted in pots in the second half of February beginning of March. This process is no different from planting the same peppers or tomatoes. Soak the seeds and sprout them in a damp cloth. After the appearance of sprouts, plant in separate pots. This will facilitate further planting into the ground and exclude damage to plants when removed from the common pot. Usually the seeds give sprouts for 15 to 20 days. When planting a sprouted seed into a pot, you should pay attention to its shape. The landing should be made flat side down. Apparent shoots at first look very weak, but eventually they start to gain strength and grow. Despite the fact that kobei is hygrophilous, it is not worth pouring water on it. This is fraught with sad consequences. Also, it should be ensured that the young shoots are not intertwined with each other, since it will be very problematic to untangle them.
Landing kobei in the ground
Do not forget about its southern origin when planting an exotic plant in the ground. The site should be looked after and prepared in advance. It goes without saying that it must be well illuminated by the sun, sheltered from the wind. Soil must be fertile, well-fertilized and eliminate stagnant water. Since the plant is hygrophilous, good drainage is simply necessary. When planting seedlings, you should not place plants closer than 60 cm from each other. The main thing is to plant Kobei when the possibility of freezing is practically eliminated. The slightest frost for her is fatal. Regular watering and top dressing will ensure abundant flowering and active growth of kobei. With good care, a grateful plant will please you with flowers until the autumn
A few words about diseases
Diseases of Kobei are not so common. First, it is prone to root rot, the main cause of which is poor drainage and waterlogging. Secondly, such pests as aphids and spider mites are breathing indifferently. Timely processing of special drugs will easily relieve you of this problem.
Of course, you can say that too much fuss with this flower and you can put something simpler. But believe me, it's not so difficult to care for this beauty. But, with proper care, she will please you with abundant flowering and will ideally decorate your house, veranda or gazebo. Very little effort on your part will allow you to feel yourself in the tropics.