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Knowing how to plant a lobel, you can grow a beautiful flower that resembles a bell. In summer, with abundant bud formation, the plant is a huge ball of small flowers, in which leaves are practically invisible. Cultivate such a culture can be both in pots and flowerbeds. It is important, of course, to know the basic rules of care in order to achieve abundant flowering.
How to choose the right seeds
Like any other flower, lobelia needs frequent watering, especially in hot weather. As for the light, do not worry, this plant will please a neat appearance both in a bright place and in the penumbra. He is not afraid of freezing, it will continue flowering until the onset of frost.
Lobelia is of two types: shrub and ampel. Choose seeds, depending on what plant you want to get. The bush form a beautiful low sphere, behind their flowers, almost invisibly leaves. Ampelnye lobelia bloom is not so abundant, and require much greater effort in care.
To grow a healthy and strong seedling, follow the following recommendations:
- Do not forget about regular moderate watering, as lobelia can not withstand both too dry soil and waterlogged.
- Correctly choose the lighting. Seedlings need a bright diffused light.
- Temper, that is, take out the plant to fresh air.
This species can have a cluster and ampel shape. The flowers of lobelia, depending on the variety, are able to acquire a different shade. Most often there are purple, white, blue, red and blue buds.Rusty they can both in pots on the windowsill, and in the suburban area.
Very often such crops are used in landscape design. Forming a magnificent ball, they blossom from June to September.
How to plant a lobelia
To a beautiful flower bloomed as early as possible, it should be planted at the end of February. If you do not have time, the beginning of March, but not later, will do.
Growing seedlings is not easy, especially for novice growers, but having figured out the basic nuances, it's bound to happen. Before growing flowers lobelia, you should choose where to seed the seeds. The best option for seeds is soil, peat tablets or cassettes.
For this type of plant is not recommended to use organic fertilizers.
Sequencing:
- Planting in peat pills. This method is no different from what is sown in the cassette. If you purchased seeds not in pellets, then you should use toothpicks, the edges of which are recommended to be wetted. To them, lean the seeds, and lower them into the tablet, preferably closer to the center. A week later, we can expect the first seedling shoots.
- Sowing seeds in the soil. Lobelia prefers loose nutrient soil. It is best to purchase the soil already ready. Take a suitable container, fill in the prepared soil and pour in phytosporin. Seal the earth after it dries. Since the seeds are small, they are better mixed with sand, and sow. From above it is impossible to sprinkle with soil, it is enough to slam seeds lightly.
- Landing in cassettes. Often seeds of lobelia are used in granules, which contain about 8 grains. In this case, it is better to plant the plant in cassettes. These devices are boxes with cells, each of which has special grooves. It is in them and we need to put our granules. As you can see, this method is quite simple.
There is also another variant of planting. To do this, you need to pour a small layer of snow on the prepared land, and put seeds on top.When it begins to melt, the grains will descend and take up the necessary position in the ground. Then the container should be covered with a film and put in a warm place. Care of seedlings of lobelia includes daily airing of shoots.
Watering and diving the plant
When you notice that the seedlings begin to peck, immediately transfer the containers to the brightest place in your apartment. Every day you should carefully spray the shoots. Carefully inspect the plants, at the first signs of any diseases, damaged germs should be removed and the soil treated with fungicide.
Since the container into which the seeds are planted is covered, condensate is collected on it and additional humidity is formed. To avoid the appearance of mold and various diseases of seedlings, you should regularly carry out ventilation, open the lid for at least 20 minutes twice a day.
Watering rules
In the first time after seed germination, plants should be watered as the soil dries. When the seedling has already become stronger, and you will not cover it, irrigation will need to be much more frequent. Once the soil hardens, immediately moisturize, so that the sprouts do not disappear, since their root system is weak. Feeding is not needed at this stage.
Seedling of seedlings
This procedure is necessary in the event that you want to transplant it into a common container. The sprouts are planted in bundles, in which there are from five to ten plants. Before you arrange lobelia, you should remember that you need to do this as accurately as possible. It is most convenient to perform this procedure with a teaspoon. All actions should be extremely accurate, as it is easy to damage the root system of the plant.
The transplant is carried out approximately three weeks after the first shoots. Use for this purpose small disposable cups with a diameter of up to five centimeters, or boxes. The distance between the sprouts should be about 5 centimeters. It is necessary to act as accurately as possible since the shoots are very thin and fragile. Try not to damage them.
The first flowering of lobelia after sowing can be observed after a month.
Several seedlings are to be planted in one container, since it is almost impossible to separate them one at a time. With any attempt to do this, there is a great danger of damaging the plant. In the soil, make a small depression, put the seedlings in it, lightly press it down and pour it. It remains to be patient, and wait until the seedling grows a little.
Landing lobelia in the open ground
When you make a licking of a lobelia, the seedlings will begin to grow much more intensively. During this period, try to create suitable conditions for plants. First of all, it should be as light as possible in the room where the pots are. It is best to put on a window sill or on a glazed balcony. Also do not forget about regular watering.
Knowing when to plant the seedlings of lobelia in the open ground, you can get a beautiful and healthy plant. Such flowers will be colorful and large.
Time of landing. The most suitable time for landing of grown seedlings in the soil is the end of May. Before the process it is desirable to carry out hardening of plants. To do this, you must take out pots with seedlings on the street, or at least open a balcony or window more often. Then the seedlings will be easier to adapt to the new conditions after transplantation.
Choice of substrate. The soil for lobelia should be fertile and moisturized. Dig a hole depth of about 30 cm with a distance of 15 cm between them. Do not forget about the drainage, the expanded clay and crushed brick will do. Plant the plant from the pot into prepared grooves, sprinkle with earth and pour water.
Rules for planting in the open ground. Before transplanting lobelia, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. It must be loosened, and mineral fertilizers must be pitted, and seedlings should be placed there. To achieve a beautiful curb of flowers, maintain the distance between the seedlings about 15 cm. Often, the lobelia begins to bloom even on the balcony or window, in which case it will be possible to plant already blooming beauties.
Care of the plant in the open ground
For those who want to grow a beautiful flower, you need to follow some rules. It is necessary to pay special attention to watering the plant, since it depends not only on the appearance, but also on the duration of flowering. Also, before planting and starting to care for lobelia, you need to know where it is better to place and what means to fertilize.
Lighting
Try to protect your flower from direct sunlight, as the leaves of the plant will burn. Lobelia prefers bright scattered light. In time, carry out fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Crop the plants after flowering, so that new shoots appear.
Irrigation
First of all, it is necessary to provide regular moderate watering, but you should make sure that the water does not stagnate. If the soil dries up, the plant can quickly stop blooming. That the bush was magnificent, spherical, make timely zishchipyvanie. Do this after the culture has already adapted to the new conditions. Remove the tip of the twig, and then the tip will grow to the sides.
Trimming
When the first flowering passed, cut the twigs of lobelia, retreating from the top to five centimeters. In the place of the cut, in time, you will see new shoots. Before freezing, cut the bush almost under the root itself, and top with fallen leaves. There are varieties that can not endure strong cold, so transplant plants into pots, and put them in a warm room.
Fertilizer
Many do not know what to feed lobelia for growth. In fact, everything is simple. Use as a fertilizer can be conventional universal drugs. The frequency of application depends on the composition of the soil. Top dressing of the plant is carried out up to three times in the entire season. It is also possible to use ready-made mineral formulations that contain phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen.
Do not use top dressing often, as this promotes the growth of foliage, not the flowers themselves.
Potential pests
To the delight of flower growers, lobelia is very resistant to various diseases and pests. The only exception is slugs, which are attacked by plants grown near water bodies. In addition, with an excess of moisture, they can become moldy, so you need to be careful when watering.
In order for the plant to feel well on the site and give it a special charm, you need to know what to plant lobelia. The best option is Allisum and Iberis. Petunias, begonias, and ageratums will also make up a beautiful composition.
The process of growing and caring for lobelia is quite laborious. But do not be upset by sticking to simple recommendations, these plants will undoubtedly become one of your most beloved ones.
