Lobelia ampelnaya: description, types and rules for growing from seeds

In order for the flower bed to look harmonious and neat, you need to plant not only huge bright flowers on it, but also something sweeter and neat. Tender lobelias can be mentioned as an example of such a plant. Separately, it should be noted the ampelous lobelia, which is considered a real "decorative tool" in the hands of designers.

Lobelia belongs to the bellflower family and has many varieties. Some of them are even used in traditional medicine. However, only a few species are grown at home, among which ampelous lobelia is quite popular. It is considered a perennial plant, however, most often the age of such a plant does not exceed one year. After all, lobelia does not tolerate winter cold quite well and may simply die.

Lobelia flowers are also quite small - up to two centimeters in diameter. They are "scattered" throughout the stem and have an irregular shape. When the flowering period begins, the plant is a huge ball. In addition, her flowers are quite diverse in color, but all shades of blue are considered the most popular among them: from pale blue to dark blue. However, you can find white, and lilac, and crimson, and even resembling a tricolor.

In addition to ampelous lobelia, there is also a cascading one. Some gardeners do not understand how they differ, because both varieties are used to decorate gazebos, balconies, as well as flower beds, and have long stems. However, the stems of ampelous lobelia, in contrast to the cascading one, grow only downward. Then, as in the cascading variety, they can grow in different directions, forming whole balls consisting of lush inflorescences.

It is worth noting several of the most common varieties of ampelous lobelia, which are considered the most popular among most people and are a mixture of paints. These include such as "White Lady", "Blue Beads" or "Rosamund" and many other equally beautiful varieties of ampelous lobelia.

• "Marquis". This variety of lobelia is distinguished by a cascading shape, as well as a fairly dense crown. The stems of the bush are well branched, their length reaches 40 centimeters. Small shiny leaves grow densely on it. The bloom is lush and lasts from the end of May until the first frost. However, this plant requires a mandatory pinching in order to get a beautiful crown.

• Niagara. The bush is compact and at the same time has long and hanging shoots, the length of which reaches 35 centimeters. Small green leaves with an oblong shape are densely located along their entire length. The flowers of this lobelia are small and purple in color. In addition, this variety is distinguished by good seed germination.

• "Sapphire". This variety is the most common among all ampelous lobelias. After all, it is distinguished by a beautiful pale blue shade of flowers, for which it is often compared to a cloud. The middle of the flower is completely white, and the leaves are oblong and green in color with a slightly purple tint.The stems of "Sapphire" grow up to 30 centimeters in length, thus forming a beautiful and compact bush.

• "The fountain"... This variety is distinguished by a rather compact bush, on which up to 9 shoots are placed. Their length is 35 centimeters. Flowering lasts long enough, until frost appears, moreover, it has a beautiful blue color.

• "Red cascade"... Although this plant has this name, its color is closer to raspberry. The bush has well-developed shoots, the length of which reaches 40 centimeters.

• The White Lady. Among these beauties, it is worth noting this variety of lobelia, which is distinguished by a compact spherical bush with a height of up to 15 centimeters. Its delicate white flowers cover almost all the stems. When the peak of flowering comes, it is impossible to take your eyes off the plant.

• "Rosamund". It is not a very large plant - up to 15 centimeters in height - it has beautiful red flowers with a small white spot in the middle. They are located on short stems. Flowering continues almost until frost.

Such a beautiful plant can be grown from seeds. However, this process is quite difficult and long, because it requires not only planting, but also subsequent care after germination.

First you need to purchase seeds, and then take care of the substrate. You can buy it at any flower shop, or you can make it yourself. For this you need to mix 1 part sand, 1 part deciduous humus, 1 part turf and expanded clay used for drainage... The soil must be prepared in advance, even in the fall, then it must be left in a room that is not heated so that it will freeze. However, before sowing, it still needs to be calcined in the oven in order to disinfect.

Further, the substrate must be placed in containers, it is better that they are made of plastic, and then moisten well. After that, you can sow the seeds. Since they are quite small, in order to make the work a little easier, they can be mixed with sand.

You need to sow seeds either at the end of February or at the beginning of March. At the very bottom, you need to lay out a thin layer of drainage, and then the prepared soil. The layer should not exceed six centimeters. It is not necessary to sprinkle the seeds, it will only be enough to deepen them. After that, cover with glass or foil and put in a warm place. In this case, it is necessary that the temperature be within + 22-25 degrees.

Seedlings should appear within one week, however, it is not worth lifting the glass right away. This can be done only when they grow up to three centimeters. In addition, it is imperative to lower the temperature to +20 degrees. After one month, you can start diving the seedlings. This can be done with a small spatula, moreover, carefully enough so as not to damage the young stems.

It is best to dive seedlings into separate pots or peat cups. The next dive is done in late May or early June, directly into the open ground. There must be a distance of at least 20 centimeters between individual bushes. It is necessary to plant approximately six seedlings in a separate hole to make the bush more decorative. When the lobelia sprouts grow 3-4 centimeters, their tops must be pinned off immediately so that the bush will turn out to be more decorative in the future. In the future, this should be done every 2-3 weeks.

When growing seedlings, it is necessary to provide them with good lighting so that later the seedlings do not stretch and become thin. Plants should be planted in places where there is partial shade and the sun's rays do not fall directly on them. In addition, it is necessary to temper them as much as possible. To do this, it is necessary to gradually reduce the temperature, and then take it out for a while to fresh air.

Gradually, the hardening time should be increased, up to the point when they can be left overnight. Only then will it be possible to plant the plants in open ground or hang them in flowerpots in the open air. However, one must remember that lobelias are afraid of drafts.

When caring for lobelia, it is very important to follow certain rules when watering. So, young seedlings need to be watered only with a spray, always with a fine mesh. TOIn addition, you should not be too zealous so that the ground is not too wet. Otherwise, a disease such as a fungus may appear, and all seedlings may die.

Watering must be carried out daily, in addition, it must be done twice, especially if there is no rain for a long time. It is best to use rainwater. However, you can also use plain tap water, but it must be defended. Watering is carried out very carefully, so that the roots are not exposed. After watering, be sure to loosen the ground. However, make sure that the soil does not turn into a "swamp", otherwise there may be a possibility of fungal diseases.

It is necessary to fertilize ampelous lobelia once a month, using special complex fertilizing for flowers. This will allow you to enjoy the lush bloom over a long period. However, you should not be too zealous with them. For example, if you get too carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, it can even stop the emergence of new flowers.

Lobelia differs from most flowers in compactness, as well as in abundant flowering. All this can be achieved through correct and timely pruning. It should be carried out after the first wave of flowering has passed. This should be done with a rather sharp knife, cutting off even shoots with a small number of flowers on the plant. You don't need to feel sorry for them: the greater the pruning, the more new shoots will appear, which will soon give many flowers.

The third pruning is done in early August. In this case, you must again cut the plant tightly so that it can bloom until the very frost. Performing these pruning will allow the lobelia to bloom for most of the season. If it was decided to collect the seeds, then you do not need to cut it. You need to cut the stems together with the seed pods, and then put in a container. After a certain period, they spill out on their own. They must be winnowed and stored until sowing.

Of course, lobelia can be propagated not only with the help of seeds, but also by cuttings or by dividing the bush.... Such options will allow you to fully preserve all the properties that the mother plant has.

Lobelia can be subject to various diseases that can even lead to the death of the plant.

• Blackleg. If this disease is noticed in the early stages, then the plant can still be saved. To do this, remove all damaged areas and stop watering for a while. After that, it is necessary to sprinkle the ground around the plant with sand, which must be well calcined before that. Then you need to water the ground with a solution made from manganese.
• Powdery mildew. As a result of this disease, small spots may appear on the leaves, which over time become more and more, as a result, the foliage completely falls off. You can use any fungicides to fight, but before that, you must definitely cut off the infected leaves.

Besides, lobelia can get sick from sudden changes in temperature, and the leaves will turn red or purple. To prevent this from happening, those plants that are planted in open ground must be covered, and lobelias in flowerpots must be brought into the room. In addition, the plant can be attacked by some pests, for example, scale insects or mealybugs.

Many who tried to grow lobelia at home using seeds were pleased, because in the end they received a large number of beautiful and strong seedlings. With their help, they decorated their home. However, some of them did not even have the opportunity to admire the flowering, since the plants died before the first dive.

For information on how to properly care for ampelous lobelia, see the next video.