Garden balsam: planting and care, a photo of a flower on a flower bed, the rules for growing herbaceous plants for open ground, what is the difference between indoor and outdoor?

Initially, balsam was grown only as a houseplant. The beauty of its foliage and vibrant colors attracted many. Over time, breeders bred no less beautiful varieties for street cultivation. So there was garden balsam.

Today we observe it both in the plots of many people and in urban flower beds. Long flowering in a colorful palette, as well as the unpretentious nature of the flower make an advantage in the direction of balsam, when choosing seedlings for a flower garden.

History of occurrence

Garden Balsam is an annual herb for open ground, it is a member of the balsamic family.

Translated from Latin, it means "impatient" (Impatiens). This name was given to him due to the fact that when touched, its ripe fruits open up and throw seeds on the soil within a radius of 2 meters.

Its homeland is India, Malaysia and South China. The first attention was paid to him by the Americans. They began to grow it as a garden crop. It was introduced to Europe by the Portuguese in the 16th century. In England, the flower was nicknamed "Zealous Lizzy" due to the active flowering.

It was introduced to Russia in the 19th century.. He quickly gained his popularity. It was grown both in pots and in flower beds.

Description of appearance

Balsam garden is a shrub. Its height varies from 25 cm to 70 cm. The trunk, branches and leaves are quite dense and fleshy but not very strong. Due to the lack of flexibility, they break easily. At the base of the leaves, buds and flowers are formed. Flowers come in different sizes, irregular shapes. Garden balsamin blooms, usually in purple and pink. Hybrid varieties can differ in terry petals. Garden balsamin never blooms with yellow and blue flowers.

The characteristics of this plant are that in rainy weather or fog, drops of liquid appear on the leaves. Thus, the flower is freed from excess moisture. Also a feature of the plant is the translucent structure of the trunk and branches.

What is the difference from indoor?

The main differences are as follows:

garden - annual, indoor - long-term (read more about what is annual and perennial balsam read here);
garden - resistant to low temperatures, indoor - does not tolerate temperatures of less than + 6 degrees Celsius.

Among the dwarf types of garden balsam, the most popular are:

Baby Bush - An annual culture reaching a height of 20-35 cm. It blooms with multi-colored large pink-like flowers.
"Tom Thumb" (Tom Thumb) - dwarf variety. Balsam grows no higher than 25 cm. It blooms with double or semi-double flowers of white, pink, red or purple color.

Where and how to plant it?

It can be planted in personal plots, in flowerbeds, in flower greenhouses, in flowerpots for decorating windows and balconies. To do this, you need to choose the western or eastern side of the site to moderate the lighting. If the lighting is higher, there are also more buds. If there are more shadows, then the bushes grow higher, but there are fewer flowers.

The flower is unpretentious in the matter of choosing neighbors. But, it grows best with verbena, fuchsia, begonia or ageratum. Seedlings can be planted immediately after frost in the spring. In order for the seedlings of the herbaceous plant to take root in the open ground, they must first be hardened.

It is necessary to observe the required distance between the bushes 25-30 cm. This is necessary for normal air permeability between plants and beautiful formation of the bush. To precipitate the plants, small pits are made. They are watered, fertilized. Bushes are carefully removed from the prepared cups and planted in the ground. It is important not to damage the root system. To ensure a low, but wide bush, you need to pinch the tops.

Lighting and location

Balsam garden is not a supporter of the bright sun. Diffused light is the best fit for the day. Under such conditions, it grows well and blooms with saturated colors. Direct sunlight is harmful to the flower.. Leaves get burns instantly. This plant must be planted in shaded places - under the trees, or under a fence or house.

It is important to choose a place so that there are no drafts and strong winds. The landing site should be free so that a lot of air comes in and there are no sudden changes in temperature.

Soil requirements

For the successful development of our plant, it is necessary to select the soil with a non-acidic environment. In order not to rot the roots, the earth must be loose and soft. Leafy soil, peat, humus, sand mixed in are perfect.

How to care?

Caring for these wonderful flowers comes down to the following rules:

Garden balsamins love water. Watering should be frequent but moderate. Young plants need to be watered more often, since they are actively growing. On hot days, it is also important to increase the volume of water. Make sure that the topsoil does not dry out.
Watering in the evening, after the sun goes down.
Water should not stagnate. The soil should be moist but not overfilled.
It is important that the top layer of the earth is loose. Loosening the soil will allow oxygen to flow better to the root system of the flower.
Feeding plays a big role. Balsam spends a lot of energy on flowering, so fertilizer is vital for him. You need to feed every 2 weeks with fertilizers rich in potassium and nitrogen.
On hot days, the bushes need to be sprayed to restore water balance.

Photo

Street balsam is divided in height into tall, medium and stunted, we already learned about their planting, cultivation and care, then check out photos of flowers in the flowerbed and in the garden:

Common Diseases and Pests

Unlike indoor plants, ground plants are more often attacked by insects and diseases. So, garden balsam is a tidbit for:

Spider mite. In dry weather, he quickly envelops the leaves of the plant with cobwebs, feeds on the juice of the plant, from which the plant can dry.
Aphids and thrips. They affect the leaves of the plant.

To expel insects, bushes need to be treated with insecticides.. They can be purchased at flower shops or specialized garden stalls where they will advise you on which drug is best to choose and how to use it correctly.

Among the diseases that affect street balsam are the following:

viral mosaic (leaves become wavy with yellow spots);
bronze (leaf deformation, growth retardation, wrinkling, falling off);
ring mosaic (stained leaves, cracks).

In all these cases, the leaves are affected, then, due to the lack of metabolism, the plant withers and dies. To stop the disease, you need to treat them with fungicides.

Why doesn’t bloom?

Flowering is the highest form of development of each plant, and only a healthy flower is capable of it. If balsam does not bloom, then the reasons may be the following:

poor soil composition;
lack of top dressing;
fertilizers contain too much phosphorus and nitrogen, which contributes to the development of foliage only;
lack of light;
low air temperature;
defeat by diseases and pests.

Propagation Features

Reproduction of this handsome man occurs in two ways.

SHEETS

This method is very easy. Balzamin tolerates cuttings well. It is quickly rooted and adopted in a new place. You can do this at any time of the year, but still better in spring or early summer so that the flower has time to please you with its beauty.

You need to cut the stalk 4-6 cm long. Make sure that there are at least 3-5 leaves. Remove the lower leaves and place the cuttings in a glass with water. Remove the glasses to a dark and warm place. After the appearance of the roots (approximately it takes about 10 days), they can be planted. If it’s still cold outside, plant in pots, then harden, and only after that plant in the garden. If the street is already warm enough, you can plant the cuttings immediately in the open. Just planted cuttings are very prone to rot. Moderate watering!

SEEDS

In February and early March, sowing is carried out in seedlings filled with special soil. The earthen mixture is prepared from equal parts of garden soil, peat and coarse sand. It should be light and breathable.

Seeds are laid out from each other at a distance of 3-4 cm. The soil is sprayed with warm water and covered with glass or polyethylene.. The result is a mini greenhouse in which seedlings come together amicably. The containers are placed in a warm place, the soil is ventilated daily.

As soon as the first sprouts appear, the seedlings are exposed to a well-lit place.

When 2-3 real leaves appear, the plants dive into separate cups. The stems and roots of balsam are very fragile, so the transplant is done carefully. As soon as the bushes grow and 6-8 leaves appear on them, you can pinch them. In this case, the roots will become stronger and the plant lush.

If you do not want to mess with seedlings, then planting and care you can immediately do in the open ground. Seeds are sown after the last frost in a prepared soil and covered with polyethylene or acrylic on top. Seedlings should sprout in about 5-7 days.

Beautiful, good, bright, especially unpretentious. All these qualities can be attributed to garden balsam. It has been loved and grown by flower growers for several centuries. Breeders continue to work on the development of new hybrid varieties of amazing beauty. In different countries they give him different names, so that he becomes closer to their people.

If you decide to get these flowers, act! Providing the right care you will definitely not regret it.