Unpretentious lobelia: description, photo of the flower, especially planting and care

Lobelia is popular among gardeners, gardeners and just plant lovers. She is not fastidious in the cultivation and care, and pleasing to the eye from June to September.

It looks very nice on flower beds, along garden paths, flower streams. Good for planting in pots on balconies and summer cottages.

It can be mixed with other flower plants or planted solo. Next, we will tell you more about this bright plant: the features of care, what soil it loves, methods of cultivation. And also, about diseases and pests that are worth fearing.

Description of appearance

Lobelia belongs to the bell family. When flowering, it resembles a fluffy balloon in which leaves are hardly visible behind the flowers. The color varies depending on the variety, mainly a lot of shades of blue, white, red, blue and purple colors. The bush itself is quite compact - about 20 cm in diameter, but some varieties reach one and a half meters in height.

Photo

Below you can see how the lobelia flower looks in the photo:

Planting Features

Lobelia can be planted with seeds or cuttings. Most varieties bloom 2.5 months after planting.

If you have a phytolamp, then you can plant seeds on seedlings at the end of February. If not, then it is better not to rush to planting until mid-March, otherwise the bush will develop slowly, due to a lack of light, it will stretch upwards and in the future will be more prone to diseases and stress during transplantation.

You can plant seeds in mid-April in open ground.

How to choose and prepare the soil?

Lobelia loves a nutritious, moisture-resistant and light earth. The easiest way is to buy in specialized stores soil, which is designed for growing flowers. Before planting seeds, the soil must be decontaminated by impregnation with a fungicide solution or heated in a microwave.

Cultivation methods

From seed

How to grow flowers with seeds and when should they be sown? The most popular way to grow lobelia is to grow seedlings using seeds at home in March, and then transplanting into the open ground when it gets warmer (which varieties are suitable for planting in open ground?).

When choosing seeds, do not buy them in non-specialized stores. Before buying, read the label on the package. It should contain the full name of the agricultural company, its trademark and contact information (address, phone, fax, email, manufacturer's website).

The package should have a clear image of the lobelia variety, its features and landing recommendations. Do not purchase seeds whose packaging is damp, torn, or wrinkled.

When you have selected high-quality seeds, you need to pick up containers for planting. Usually use flat pallets made of plastic or foam in which it is necessary to make drainage holes. Peat tablets may also be used.

For planting, in addition to soil, seeds and containers, it is necessary to prepare potassium permanganate and cling film or a plastic bag to cover the tray with seeds.

The procedure for planting lobelia seeds is as follows:

1. Pour soil in the container for sowing, disinfected with a fungicide solution or warmed up in the microwave. Tamp lightly, moisten thoroughly and leave for a day.
2. Planting seeds can be done in several ways:
   • Mix the seeds with sand and pour this mixture evenly onto the ground.
   • Use seeds in granules. In one granule there are 5-6 seeds, they need to be spread on the surface at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.
   • Sprinkle the seeds on a piece of paper and touch the seeds with the wet end of the match. Carefully transfer the formed group to the soil, maintaining a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.

   The second and third methods are most convenient, since the lobelia picks up not in one root, but in groups of 5-8 pieces.

   Note! In no case do not sprinkle the seeds with earth, regardless of the chosen method of sowing.
3. Sprinkle the crops with a very weak pale pink solution of potassium permanganate and cover with cling film or plastic bag. You can use glass.
4. While the crops are under shelter, it must be periodically opened and let the seeds ventilate (2-3 times a day for 10-20 minutes). Do not allow large drops of condensation to accumulate on the surface of the film - drops falling on the ground can immerse seeds in the soil, which will prevent the plant from rising.

   How many seeds are sprouted? Sprouts appear after 10-14 days. Do not let them dry, it is disastrous for a immature plant. It is better not to water young shoots, but to irrigate from a spray bottle so as not to damage the root system. When the plant is a little stronger, you can gradually remove the film over several days.

5. When the first full leaflets appear, a pick is made. If you used the group method of sowing, then carefully dig out the formed bush and plant it in a separate container.

   If you sow evenly, sprinkling seeds with sand, then you can use a teaspoon. We dig out small groups of plants and transfer it to a separate container.

6. Already matured plants, by mid-May, if there is no threat of frost at night, you can plant permanently in pots, flower pots, hanging baskets or open ground.

Learn more about the planting of seeds for seedlings, about sowing technology and rules of care in this article.

Cuttings

Lobelia can be grown not only by seeds, but also by cuttings. This is a very economical way to propagate a plant. Also of the advantages it is worth noting the simplicity of this method. No need to mess around with small seeds and dive.

Cuttings are trimmed in adult plants, which grow in winter at home. In the fall, you need to transfer the plant to the room. If dried inflorescences are removed in a timely manner, lobelia can bloom before the end of autumn. Then the plant has a respite period, at which time it should be watered less often. In late February, young shoots appear at the base of the bush. They will be our new colors.

You need to choose the strongest and strongest shoots. When the first roots appear in the processes, they can be separated from the mother plant.

The procedure for growing lobelia cuttings:

1. Choose beautiful, strong shoots from the mother plant.
2. Mix the root powder with the milled activated carbon in a ratio of 1: 1. Dip the roots in this mixture before planting.
3. Plant cuttings in pots, cover with foil. Ventilate the plant 2 times a day for 10-20 minutes. When it is completely rooted, you can gradually remove the film.
4. Cuttings that have reached a height of 5 cm must be gently nipped.
5. After about a month and a half, lobelia is ready for transplantation into the open ground.

How to care for a plant?

Lobelia is an unpretentious plant, but when growing it you need to take into account some subtleties:

1. The plant is thermophilic. Lack of heat will not destroy the plant, but flowering will not occur abundantly.
2. Especially good lobelia blooms in slightly darkened areas of the garden or balcony. Allowed direct sunlight in the morning.
3. Lobelia is demanding on soil moisture, it needs to be watered regularly. Watering is best done in the morning or evening hours, to prevent burns on delicate leaves.
4. Protection against rain and wind. Heavy rain or gusty wind can damage a fragile plant.
5. It is necessary to regularly remove dried flowers to give room for new growth.
6. For top dressing, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. Feeding is not more than two times per season. If the plant is in a pot, then you can increase the number of fertilizers to 3-4.Important! Be careful - if you overfeed the plant - it will go to growth, and not to flowering.
7. When choosing a lobelia pot, make sure it is deep enough and equipped with drainage holes.

Preparing for the winter

1. If you grow lobelia at home, then for the winter just transfer the pots to the room and continue to care for the plant according to the rules above.
2. If the flower grows in a summer cottage, then just transplant it into a pot and transport it to the house.

With proper care, the plant will delight you with flowering until the end of autumnand sometimes more. If you see that the plant is withering, cut to the lower leaves and regularly moisten the soil. In such conditions, by spring the flower will be ready to return to the open ground. Learn more about the types of lobelia perennial, as well as the features of its planting and care for it, including preparation for wintering, learn in a separate material.

Diseases and Pests

• Lobelia, like most other plants, is susceptible to attack by aphids. If a pest is found, treat the plant with special solutions.
• If a sticky coating appears on the leaves, this is a sign of damage by a scabbard or mealy worm. In this case, a solution of laundry soap will help.
• If the leaves are darkened - this is a sign of a fungal disease, fusarium or powdery mildew. Remove any damaged leaves and treat the plant with fungicides.

Lobelia is a beautiful and unpretentious plante. With proper care, it will decorate your garden or balcony. Give her attention with timely watering and she will thank you with lush clouds of flowers for the whole season.

Useful video

Watch a video about growing Lobelia:

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