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Spectacular Adenium with exaggerated thickened stem, small cluster of leaves and a scattering of luxuryflowers are becoming more popular with amateur flower growers. With all the exoticism to grow adenium from seeds at home, it turns out to be quite simple and even a beginner can.
Light brown seeds, similar to miniature tubules, literally open in three days, revealing to the world a tiny, but already rather fleshy plant. Thanks to the rapid germination and further active growth, adeniums can be safely recommended to the most impatient home gardeners.
With the seeming simplicity and quite understandable joy of the appearance of the first shoots, we should not forget that adenium comes from Africa, and a special approach is needed to its shoots under room conditions.
How to grow adenium from seeds, properly organize the sowing, germination and care of seedlings?
Conditions and seed preparation for sowing adenium
Adeniums are heat-loving plants, therefore, for their germination, an increased temperature and humidity of the air are necessary.
Experienced connoisseurs of this room culture advise maintaining a temperature of around 30–35 ° C.In this case, the seeds quickly and amicably pecked.
If the air is cooled to 28–29 ° C and below, the germination rate falls, the seedlings that have already appeared may rot of the tender root system.
The second prerequisite for growing adenium from seeds is a properly selected soil that provides full access to the roots of moisture and oxygen. In this case, the substrate should not contain pathogenic fungi and pests.
Before sowing, adenium seeds are sometimes advised to soak in warm water. However, there are opponents of this method, who believe that moisture provokes the development of rot on seedlings. But it simultaneously activates the development of the embryo.
How to act, the grower decides. But if you use not just water, but fungicides and growth stimulants, you can get rid of the problem of growing adenium before planting, as in the photo above, a defect in the development of the root system.
Preseeding treatment will help to neutralize the fungi spores settled on the seed surface and support the growth of the future indoor flower.
For this, the seeds are immersed for half an hour in a pink solution of potassium permanganate or are treated with an available complex fungicide, for example, with effective and plant-safe phytosporin. After that, for a couple of hours, planting material is immersed in a solution of growth hormone.
Soil preparation for growing adenium from seeds
The best substrates for adenium are easily permeable to moisture and air. They are well structured and do not clog after several waterings. Dense soil prevents growth of the plant, contributes to the accumulation of excess moisture. Therefore, during the preparation for sowing, it is necessary to carefully select the appropriate mixture.
Today flower growers readily use ready-made soils, which differ in:
- an appointment;
- acidity;
- nutrient reserve;
- set of basic and additional components.
At home, it is convenient to use peat or coconut based substrates for adenium seeds, but for greater lightness and airiness, it is useful to loosen them further.
The mixture for planting adenium should consist only half of the soil for succulents or universal soil. The second half - baking powder, which can be taken as:
- perlite or vermiculite;
- large river sand;
- crushed charcoal;
- the smallest fraction of claydite;
- foam balls, which can be obtained by kneading a piece of packaging from household appliances.
Capacity for planting adenium seeds can be any. The main thing is that at its bottom there are many drainage holes that freely let in excess moisture.
Conveniently, if the container has a lid, then at the time of growing adenium at home it turns into a miniature greenhouse. A drainage layer of expanded clay, fragments of coal, foam or brick is laid on the bottom. Substrate is poured over the surface, which is moderately moistened. Now comes the turn of the seed.
Sowing adenium seeds at home
Since adenium seedlings are quite large and visible, the grower can choose between group sowing in one container or using small pots for each sprout.
How to plant adenium? Both options have their strengths and weaknesses.
Single sowing allows you to save time on transplanting seedlings, allows plants to actively grow roots and be better lit. But at the same time for the mass of cups or cells for seedlings, often used for germinating adenium seeds at home, you need a lot of space on the windowsill and under the additional lighting lamps.
Sowing in a common container, on the contrary, saves space, but with uneven growth, some of the strong young plants will begin to stretch, waiting for the weaker shoots to catch up with them. In addition, such adeniums need a transplant very much, otherwise crowding will lead to a quick weakening of green pets. Usually, transplanting into own pots is carried out 2-3 months after sowing.
In order not to accidentally pour sprouts in individual containers, it is better to choose containers of the minimum volume, use cells for seedlings with drainage holes, peat pots or pills.
When sowing, adenium seeds are laid flat at a distance of at least 3 cm from each other, and then sprinkled with a layer of substrate from 5 to 10 mm thick. In this form, the container is placed in a greenhouse. Further care is:
- in maintaining a fairly high temperature and humidity;
- in regular irrigation of the soil surface with a spray gun or in a neat irrigation in the pan.
In order to maintain stable heat for adenium seeds, at home you can use bottom heating by means of an electric pad protected from moisture, a shoe dryer and other improvised means.
Every day a greenhouse in which seedlings remain for about a month is ventilated. After the emergence of mass shoots, young adeniums transfer to a bright place, leaving it heated for another 7-10 days. Strong plants are seated.
As it is possible to grow adeniums from seeds all year round, winter seedlings need the obligatory illumination, which is easiest to provide with the help of special fit lamps. Further care for indoor plants is no different from what adults receive.
