Contents of the article:
Balsam - beautiful, richly and vividly blooming, not requiring particular attention to the potted flower, which came to us from the Zanzibar Islands. Subtropics of Africa and countries of Central Asia are also considered to be his homeland. In the CIS, this indoor plant is more known by other names: "Wet Roly", "Spark" and "Impatiens".The balsamic family includes approximately 500 species of plants that have a number of specific features - the love of moisture and sunlight. In order for the balsam to bloom profusely and brightly, care for it at home should take into account regular and proper watering, as well as placement in the room. What you need to know about the breeding of this plant? What features of care to take into account?
Read also: how to care for garden balsam?
Appearance of balsamic plants: photos of houseplants and descriptions of
Potted flowers that can be bought at the store are usually perennial plants that have a thin and smooth stem, elongated oval leaves of a very rich light green or dark green color with purple patches. The stem can reach 35-50 cm, and the leaves closer to the root can be pulled out into an oval with a diameter of 7-11 cm. The balsamic genus also has one-year representatives.
This is how the room balsam looks like - photos were taken during the period of abundant flowering.
Annual representatives are grown outdoors. Care requirements will be the same.
Both types of plants can bloom both in inflorescences and in single flowers, the petals of which have a characteristic bright color: snow white, dull pink, scarlet, bright orange( fiery) and another.
The beauty of flowers in the unusual form of petals:
- freely located;
- fused in pairs;
- presence in the inflorescence of one petal extended in the spur;
- multi-color: pink and maroon, yellow-purple, white-purple and other shades;
- white small bud, drop-down large, bright and rich petals.
The perennial species blooms profusely practically year-round. But only if the correct home care for balsam was right - the photo shows healthy plants from both subspecies. If a one-year-old member of the family is grown in a pot, then he will delight with large flowers in the summer. With good care, the flowering period is extended by 1-1.5.
How to choose the right place for indoor balsam: photos and rules
All members of the balsamic family belong to the light-loving herbaceous plants. If the house has a window facing the south side, this is their place. But when placing the pot on the windowsill it is worth considering that direct sunlight, shining through the glass, can scorch juicy and bright leaves. To ensure proper care for indoor balsamine during the summer heat, you need to put up a protection or choose a site on the windowsill where the sun's rays linger for a while. With the advent of cold weather protection must be removed and put the pot on the most lit place.
Balsamic as well:
- like fresh air;
- do not tolerate strong drafts;
- do not like frost and cold - in winter it is better to move the plant pot away from the glass, closer to the edge of the window sill, where there is heat from the battery;
- while airing a room in winter, it is best to plant the plant away from the window.
If the pot is placed incorrectly, the color loses its crown shape - it is pulled up, the stem becomes bare, the lower leaves fall, the flowering is rare. The plant throws out the buds at the very top of the stem.
The photo shows balsam care at home which was not carried out correctly.
Proper watering is an important part of the care for indoor balsamine.
A perennial and annual plant will give bright flowers only if the soil or the soil in which they live is kept moist. In summer, the flower gives more moisture, and in winter the amount of water is reduced by 1/3.At the same time you need to water with soft water without impurities. It is recommended to defend the water from the tap for at least 2-3 days.
Need frequent and moderately abundant watering. Do not flood the plant. In this case, the roots will start to rot and the flowers will disappear. To avoid this, it is better to make good drainage.
If the balsam is taken care of at home correctly, then after each watering small droplets of moisture will come out on the leaves of the plant. After a few hours they will suck. This feature of the flower is manifested in the summer.
At what temperature and humidity to contain?
The plant will be comfortable where it is warm. The subtropical plant has already adapted to our conditions, but it still with great difficulty endures the cold. Therefore, in the winter, the room should be at least 13-160 ° C, and in the summer - 20-240 ° C.
Balsamic like humidity, so if the needle of the thermometer rises above 220 ° C, it is worth raising the humidity indoors. Otherwise, the flowers wither. It is recommended to put a container with water next to the pot.
Top dressing and grounding
An important component of caring for indoor balsam is the transplanting of a plant into a properly selected ground and top dressing. Planting cuttings in a pot( balsamic plants multiply at home by grafting) or transplanting the plant is done in early spring before flowering or in autumn after flowering. We take the soil:
- 1 part of the earth and humus,
- ½ part peat and 1 part sand.
Planted balsam in a small pot. He does not like volumetric containers, since his roots must completely entangle a lump of soil. The faster he does it, the faster he will begin to grow and give flowers. In a big pot, growth slows down.
If there is no small capacity, then 2-3 cuttings can be planted in one pot at a distance of about 5-6 cm. The plants coexist perfectly with each other.
Feed the balsam as soon as the plant comes out of hibernation. Potassium-phosphorus mixture is perfect as a fertilizer. It is added to the pot once every 2 weeks of flowering. In winter, you can give nitrogen supplements. They will increase the amount of greens on the stem, only fertilizer costs in small portions and not often.
Balsam can be propagated and seeds. They are sown at the end of February in a box. The plant alone will provide the owner with the necessary number of seeds. Only when collecting them need to be careful."Touchy" at the slightest touch( the breath of the wind) to the ripe box throws them out.
