Lobelia planting and care - secrets of growing at home

Lobelia - a luxurious, abundantly flowering plant, capable of its presence to make the site landscape bright, unique, joyful. Ownly grown lobelia, planting and caring for which is not such a simple matter, will give flower lovers such aesthetic pleasure, which will fully reimburse the efforts expended.

Lobelia species and varieties

Lobelia loved the florists for a reason: this perennial flower pleases the eye with its generous flowering from May to almost the first frost. There are shrub and ampel species. The best varieties of lobelia:

1. With white flowers: "The White Palace"; The White Lady.
2. With purple flowers: "Crystal Palace".
3. With colors of blue and blue tone: Cambridge Blue; "Sapphire"; lobelia syphilitic.
4. With colors of red, lilac and purple hues: "Red Cascade"; lobelia cardinal; lobelia of fire.

Growing lobelia

Growing lobelia has its difficulties. This heat-loving plant, developing in the subtropical environment, is perennial. Alas, most species of lobelia do not tolerate harsh wintering and die. Therefore, in higher latitudes in the open ground, lobelium is grown, like an annual. Plant lobelia as directly into the soil on flower beds, and as ampel plants in baskets, garden vases, containers. From the gentle lace of the lobelia, with proper planting and care, you can create interesting compositions or variegated carpets on flower beds, workouts .

Growing lobelia from seeds at home

Let's try to explain how to grow lobel from seeds, when and where it is better to plant seeds. The plant blooms 60-75 days after sowing the seeds. The open soil for seeding will warm up to the required degree not earlier than May. Obviously, with such a late planting, we lose a significant part of the warm season and get flowering plants towards the end of summer. In this regard, the seeds of lobelia are usually planted from the middle of February and in March in heated greenhouses or in containers on the windows of the apartment.

Stratification of seeds of lobelia at home

Stratification is a kind of imitation, recreating the natural conditions in which seeds are found during the wintering in the soil. Do we need to stratify the seeds of lobelia before planting? The question is controversial. Many varieties of lobelia belong to the world of subtropics with their mild, warm winters. Their seeds under natural conditions do not fall under the influence of cold. Some growers claim that they have a successful experience of growing lobelia without stratification. However, there are varieties of frost-resistant lobelia, for which it is nevertheless better to carry out stratification.

Information on the need for stratification of seeds responsible manufacturer indicates the packaging. Seeds of lobelia before planting stratify at a temperature of about 2-3 ° C for three to four weeks. You can apply the method of stratification on snow:

1. Prepare the soil in the container as indicated below.
2. On the surface of the ground, pour in a thin layer of snow and compact it.
3. Over the snow, evenly sprinkle the seeds of lobelia.
4. Place the container in a cold place (but not frost!). The snow will gradually melt, the seeds will be slightly retracted into the ground.

Planting lobelia on seedlings

Sowing lobelia for seedlings in the specified time will allow using the first spring sunny days so that the young sprouts do not stretch out from the lack of lighting, but grow strong, stocky. This will greatly facilitate the picking of plants and transplanting them into the open ground. It is very important that the seeds are not sown too thickly, otherwise the plants will develop poorly, interfere with each other, they will have weak, unviable stems.

Seeds of lobelia are quite tiny, dusty. For a more even distribution of seeds in the container they are mixed with sand. To facilitate the task, you can purchase granulated planting material, which is conveniently planted in peat pills or cells of special containers for growing seedlings. If you can not find the seeds in the pellets, then use the nesting method of planting the seeds:

1. At the bottom of the container, put a drain (vermiculite, expanded clay and the like) and fill it with soil.
2. Prepare the primer in the container: mash the lumps, level and carefully pour the soil with water. Do not overmoisten, swamps should not be.
3. Take a piece of paper, sprinkle seeds on it.
4. Tip the tip of a wooden stick or pencil with water.
5. Touch the wet tip of the wand to the seeds (try to grab a small amount of them)
6. Slightly touch the stick with the stuck seeds to the surface of the ground and turn it, as if washing the seeds on the ground. Do not bury the wand in the soil! Seeds can not be covered with soil!
7. Do this by planting the seed groups in a square-nest method at a distance of about 4 cm from each other.
8. Very carefully, trying not to wash the seeds, sprinkle the surface with water.
9. Cover the container with film or glass and put it in a well-lit place, but not under direct sunlight.
10. Pour the first shoots under the spine from a teaspoon or pipette until they are strong.

Piquation of lobelia

The time when dive lobies after germination is one month. The signal for picking is the appearance of two (maybe three) first real sheets. Picks:

1. Plants dive into individual pots or special seedlings, from which then, together with a clod of earth, they land on a flower bed.
2. Plants dive into the container in groups in a square-nest method at a distance of 4 cm.

Lobelia planting and care in the open ground

There is another way to reproduce lobelia. Since the planting of seeds directly into the open ground is not expedient, it is sometimes used by propagation by cuttings or by dividing a bush. Cuttings cut from an adult strong last year's bush. Root under the film in a light loose earth. To the plant does not become frozen in winter, it is dug in the autumn and stored, planted in a pot. In late spring the bush is planted on a permanent place in the garden. Such a plant blooms more abundantly and retains all varietal characteristics.

Lobelia care

The planted flower of lobelia does not require complex care. Fundamental rules:

1. Location is sunny.
2. The soil must be wet.
3. After the first flowering, trim it.
4. Moderately feed with mineral fertilizers (3 times per season) and do not feed organic.

Flowers are the most charming creatures of nature. They can not be too much. I want to believe that you liked the beautiful lobelia, planting and caring for this capricious beauty will not cause difficulties for you, the result of your efforts will please you, and the enthusiastic views of passers-by and neighbors will give strength and inspiration for future accomplishments. It's worth it. After all, as the people say - a good flower flies and a moth.