It is not so often possible to meet lobelia in the garden, since it is grown only in those plots whose owners know about the existence of this representative of the bellflower family. Although lobelia has a nondescript appearance, it often looks much more charming than the familiar lilies.
This plant pleases with its charming flowers, which can easily be mistaken for small bells, which have a wide variety of shades: red, white, blue and purple. Therefore, lobelia will look great on any flowerbed, terrace or as a spectacular lawn frame.
Realizing that you want to acquire this plant on your plot, whatever it is, you can do it very simply and buy at the nearest flower shop ready-made seedlings... However, you will get much more pleasure if you try to grow this plant yourself from the very first stage. And even if this requires serious efforts from you, but in the end they will not be in vain.
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Flower features
The genus Lobelia, which is native to South Africa, is quite numerous, which includes about 400 species... It presents, along with herbaceous and shrubs, as well as shrubs, trees, evergreen and deciduous forms of the plant.
A distinctive feature of lobelia is a very long and abundant flowering. Lobelia adorns the ground with its flowers throughout the summer, from June to September. You can grow it in pots, hanging pots or flowerpots. It should be borne in mind that this flower badly needs good lighting and moisture, therefore, for planting, you need to choose sunny areas located away from fences. During leaving, it must be provided with the required amount of moisture, therefore it is recommended to water it several times a day.
Low-growing plants are universal in landscaping any flower bed, as they can be soloists on carpet flower beds, be a border-edging or background design of a mixborder for taller flowering plants:https://flowers.bigbadmole.com/en/sadovye-rasteniya/nizkoroslye-cvety-dlya-klumby-nazvaniya-i-foto.html
Plant varieties
The genus lobelia includes many different species, among which there are many interesting ones: purple lobelia, decorated with bright red bells, climbing, which is framed with purple flowers on high spike-shaped stems. However, the most popular are spray and ampelous lobelias.
Bush
This form of lobelia is most often used to decorate flower beds, paths, borders, flower beds. Often it is planted together with the nemesia Carnival and gladioli.
The recommended procedure for growing lobelia shrubs is pinching to help stimulate new shoots.
Although shrub lobelias include many varieties, the Royal Palace variety is most commonly found in gardens. Against the background of its relatives, it is distinguished by its bright red flowering and bronze leaves. This variety is small in size and grows no higher than 12-15 cm.
Ampelny
This type of lobelia was created by crossing several varieties. Due to the fact that it belongs to artificially bred hybrids, the method of grafting is used for its cultivation.
Often, when grown from seeds, ampelous lobelia is planted in pots that are kept on windowsills or balconies. But at the same time, this plant acquires a spectacular look when it is hung in a flowerpot on the wall.
Lobelia flower propagation
Among the varieties of lobelia, there are those that, when propagated by seeds, often do not retain their varietal characteristics. Because of this, they are bred vegetatively - stem cuttings.
It is also possible to grow this flower at home using the seedling method, but most try to propagate it on their own, which gives them the opportunity to take part in every stage of growing this culture.
Planting seeds
Lobelia is a slow-growing plant, so it is very important to choose the right moment for sowing seeds. Usually, this is done about 6 months before transplanting into open ground - in January-February. It should be borne in mind that you will have to deal with very small seeds, so it is important not to be mistaken with their number, so that too dense plantings do not arise.
However, even if you used more seeds than required, this problem is easy to solve. After waiting for the shoots to appear, you will need thin them out very carefullyto provide seedlings with favorable conditions for development.
It is very convenient to sow lobelia seeds with a wet toothpick or match. By its tip, you can easily pick up the required amount of seeds and transfer to a container filled with planting soil.
- it is recommended to sow lobelia seeds in light, loose soil. It is best to take a potting mix made from sand, earth, and vermiculite. What is vermiculite? This is a new solution for gardeners and is often used for planting and good germination of seeds. It can be added to the soil of a variety of compositions, where components such as peat, earth, sand, etc. are present;
- some growers add Epin to the planting soil, which is a special liquid that stimulates plant growth. The main ways of using Epin are adding to water for irrigation and processing of adult seedlings by spraying;
- it is necessary to spread the seeds on the soil surface only after thorough watering. Having finished sowing the seeds, you need to refrain from actions that will lead to mixing the soil with the seeds. They must be on a damp surface before germination. Cellophane can be pulled over the container with crops to provide a greenhouse effect;
- the optimum temperature for seed germination is 18-21 degrees. Under similar temperature conditions, the first shoots appear in 1-1.5 weeks. But until that moment, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil in order to see signs of mold formation in time. You can avoid this unpleasant phenomenon by regularly ventilating the crops;
- after waiting for the seeds to germinate, you can start watering the seedlings, but very carefully. It is recommended to use a small syringe with a needle for this purpose. Thanks to him, the risk of injury to not yet matured seedlings will be minimized. In order for the seedlings to turn into lush bushes at the time of transplantation to a permanent place, it is necessary to make a pick. For this, several plants are transplanted into pots each. When the seedlings get a little stronger, they begin to accustom them to natural growing conditions, for which the pots are transferred to a cool sunny windowsill.
Lobelia care
This flower feels most comfortable in sunny and semi-shady areaswhere it must be provided with sufficient moisture. Its deficiency negatively affects the development of lobelia, as a result of which new buds will no longer form at a certain moment.Top dressing has a positive effect on the flowering of lobelia, which are recommended to be carried out several times per season during care.
for the first top dressing, as a rule, potassium sulfate is used, and subsequently complex standard fertilizers for lobelia can be applied to the soil. It is very useful to combine top dressing with loosening and weeding;- it is undesirable to leave garden lobelia in the ground in autumn, since it can easily die due to the winter cold. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully dig it up and transplant it into a pot. Then she is transferred to a cool place, where, with appropriate care, she can live perfectly until the next season;
- some growers use flowerpots or flowerpots to grow lobelia. In this case, the containers with the plant must be placed in a dark place, which must be protected from severe winter cold.
By using this method, you will save yourself many of the difficulties faced by gardeners who grow lobelia from seeds every year. Lobelia with a successful winter, as a rule, enters flowering stage in spring earlier than plants grown from seeds.
Growing lobelia from seeds at home:https://flowers.bigbadmole.com/en/sadovye-cvety/vyraschivanie-lobelii-iz-semyan-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html
Plant diseases
If you follow the rules for growing lobelia, planting and care, the photos will clearly demonstrate all of its decorative properties. But it must be borne in mind that it can be attacked by certain diseases and pests, although, according to individual sources, nothing like this can happen to it in principle. But the experience of gardeners specializing in the cultivation of lobelia suggests otherwise, and most often this plant is affected by fungal diseases.
Quite often, lobelia flowers begin to weaken due to diseases such as:
- rot;
- spotting;
- smut;
- rust;
- powdery mildew, etc.
Serious harm can cause various pests, for example, aphids, plant bugs, etc. Lobelia cannot grow to normal size and bloom in time if it is not provided with the required amount of moisture or it is grown under a very scorching sun. In the latter case, the probability of her death is very high.
To combat aphids and bedbugs, the insecticide Inta vir is suitable. The drug has a fairly wide spectrum of action, with its help you can get rid of 50 types of insect pests:https://flowers.bigbadmole.com/en/uhod-za-rasteniyami/udobreniya/intavir-ot-vrediteley-instrukciya-po-primeneniyu-preparata.html
Conclusion
Having seen lobelia for the first time, few of the novice gardeners may have the idea that this plant can be used to decorate the site. However, behind this nondescriptness of this flower are hidden bright decorative properties, which could be appreciated by many experts, as well as ordinary gardeners. Growing it outdoors is not so difficult if you follow the rules that apply not only to ampelous lobelia, planting and care. The photos of this plant are so diverse that it is unlikely that the gardener will not take the chance to plant it on the site.
Considering that the cultivation of this flower begins with seedlings, it is very necessary carefully choose your potting mix... After all, it depends on how strong and healthy young plants will turn out, whether they can grow the same adult lobelia bushes that can please the owner with abundant and bright flowering in the summer.
