How to grow balsam from seeds at home?

For my birthday they gave me a wonderful balm. My sister is persistently begging for seeds, and I would like to multiply it. Tell me how to grow balsam from seeds?

Balsam or wet Roly is a beautiful lush bush with dark green foliage. He fell in love with flower growers due to its bright flowering. During this period, the plant is covered with many flowers of various colors, moreover, with proper care, flowering can last all year. Despite the fact that balsam is a houseplant, it can also be planted in a flower bed in summer.

At home, balsam is easy to grow from seeds. The main thing is to choose them correctly (or collect) and provide all conditions for the growth of seedlings.

Selection and preparation of seeds

Purchased seeds are used to grow balsams. If you already have an adult flowering plant at home, you can harvest the seeds yourself.

When buying seeds from a store, you should pay attention to the following:

The seeds must be of high quality, so you need to purchase them only from trusted suppliers.
To get a houseplant, seeds of perennial varieties are chosen, and annuals are used for planting in open ground.
To preserve varietal traits, you should not choose a mixture of seeds, it is better to take each species separately.
Despite the fact that the seeds can be stored for more than 6 years, the highest germination rate is in the freshly harvested ones.

You can collect seeds from homemade balsam after it has faded. In place of the fallen inflorescences, small fruits are formed, and when they ripen, seed pods.

When collecting seeds, you should do this very carefully. At the slightest wrong movement, the capsule bursts and the seeds scatter. Because of this, balsam is also called Impatient.

Before sowing, treat the seeds for 10 minutes in a warm weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then soak in clean water for a day.

Soil preparation

For successful germination of balsam seeds, loose nutrient soil is selected. The substrate is purchased in a store or prepared independently by mixing:

one part of sand, garden soil and vermiculite:
two pieces of peat.

To prevent the disease "black leg" the soil is recommended to be watered with Fitosporin.

Sowing seeds

In a wide, but not deep container (no more than 10 cm), lay out a drainage layer of expanded clay and sprinkle it with soil. Hook the seed with a damp toothpick and lower it into the container, without deepening, but only slightly pressing it to the ground.

It is also convenient to grow small balsam seeds directly in peat tablets.

Spray the sown seeds with a spray bottle and cover the container with foil. Put it on a lighted windowsill, avoiding direct rays, in a room with a temperature of at least 25 degrees.

Balsam seedling care

After the sprouts appear (after three weeks), remove the film. If necessary, the seedlings are supplemented with illumination, and also sprinkled with earth as the seedlings are pulled out. It is better to water the seedlings in a tray to avoid root rot.

As soon as the seedlings reach 2 cm in height and form 2 true leaves, they begin to pick into separate cups. To stimulate the formation of side shoots, pinch the tops after a week.

Young balsams will be ready for transplantation to a permanent place when they form bushes, and the roots completely encircle the earth in a glass.

Balsamin: growing and care - video

Charming touch-up (and it is under this name that balsam is known in our country) - one of the classic annuals. His "gardening career" knew both periods of universal admiration and undeserved oblivion. But today, everyone's attention is once again riveted to this modest plant. Long flowering, during which pink and crimson, purple and red, simple and double flowers with a small bright eye, like stars, shine on the thin shoots of the plant, and attractive simple foliage adorning luxurious low bushes are its main distinguishing features. So is the ease of reproduction. This article is about the features of the cultivation and reproduction of balsam.

Touch-me-not, or Balsam, a mixture of varieties

Content:

Popular types of balsams
Seed collection and selection for sowing
Soil and containers for planting balsam
Seed Sowing Timing and Growing Strategies
Balsam seed sowing technique
Conditions for seed germination
Growing up balsam shoots
Diving seedlings and caring for young balsams
Hardening of seedlings
Planting balsam in a permanent place
Pest and disease control
Other methods of breeding balsam

Popular types of balsams

Impatiens is a genus of flowering plants of the Balsaminaceae family, which includes about 500 species common in the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics.

In regions with harsh winters, balsam is grown exclusively as an annual crop. Everyone's favorite - touchy waller, or Waller (Impatiens walleriana) - today overshadowed other types of balsams. But other plants, larger and more lush, new guinea balsam hybrids (Impatiens New Guinea), a large, upright balsamic touch-me-not (also known as garden balsam - impatiens balsamina), two-meter iron-bearing balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) or graceful, forming meter-long dense bushes balsam Balfour (Impatiens balfourii) deserve great attention. After all, the large size and less lush flowering do not make other species more difficult to care for.

Whichever type of balsam is involved, these are easy-to-grow plants that are easy to grow. And the simplest, most popular and affordable method of breeding charming touchy, of course, is sowing seeds.

Impatiens glandulifera

The plant actively spreads by self-sowing. Balsam seed pods literally explode, open from any touch, the plant generously gives self-seeding. In the absence of control, balsam can easily turn into a weed, but harvesting seeds is very difficult because of this feature. This should be done at the stage of the beginning of the whitening of the bolls, and it is better to pre-tie the fruits with gauze or a piece of transparent cloth to prevent spilling.

Balsam seeds retain their germination for a very long time, up to 8 years. Therefore, when buying seeds, it is not at all necessary to look for the freshest seeds. Moreover, if the summer is rainy and it is not possible to collect seeds, you can use your own seed stocks of previous years without an additional germination test.

Soil and containers for planting balsam

It is better to sow balsams in boxes, large containers or bowls with good drainage holes, or directly on the beds in the greenhouse.

The balsam substrate should be light, peat-based, but closer to neutral acidity characteristics.Perfect for plants, mixtures of garden soil with peat, coarse sand in equal parts or ready-made substrates for seedlings, to which you can additionally add 1/5 of the sand.

Some gardeners recommend sowing large types of balsam in a soilless mixture of peat and sand or peat and perlite (2 to 1). The optimum pH for balsam is 5.5 to 6.3. Balsam does not like fresh organic matter; young seedlings react especially badly to compost. The texture of the soil should be loose, light, permeable.

A prerequisite is disinfection of the substrate before sowing. The disinfection procedure can be carried out with ordinary boiling water, and a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and fungicides. For balsams, the soil is sieved.

Seed Sowing Timing and Growing Strategies

Balsam prefers a fairly late planting. This plant is characterized by a shortened growing season, so sowing can be carried out in April-May. To obtain longer flowering plantings, balsam is sown in several waves. For example, in May, the first crops can be sown as early as January in order to obtain the wildly flowering Waller touch-less or New Guinea hybrids in May.

Impatiens can be grown both by the classical seedling method and sown to obtain planting material in hotbeds and greenhouses. With the first option, sowing can begin in March, but in greenhouse conditions, touch-ups are sown not earlier than mid-April.

Balsam seed sowing technique

Pour the sifted, loose soil into containers, gently level and carefully moisten from a spray bottle, avoiding compaction.
Spread the seeds carefully over the surface of the substrate, trying to place them as sparingly as possible. The optimal strategy is to spread the seeds one at a time at a distance of at least 2-3, and preferably 4 cm between them.
Since Waller's balsam germinates only when light is available, only lightly sprinkle the seeds on top with fine sand or sifted soil, but do not cover completely. The rest of the balsams can be covered with 4-5 mm of sifted soil.
From above, gently moisten the seeds with a spray bottle.
Cover the seeds with clear glass or plastic wrap.

Germination in balsams usually takes 4 to 15 days, seedlings appear unevenly.

Conditions for seed germination

Balsam seeds need light and warmth to germinate. The optimum temperature is around 23-25 ° C. The air temperature should not drop below 20 degrees. Seed containers are displayed in the brightest, but protected from direct sunlight locations.

Another factor necessary for balsams is high humidity. When the substrate dries up, insufficient air humidity, the seeds may not germinate, but covering without airing threatens the spread of fungal diseases. Therefore, the glass or film is lifted literally for a few minutes, but every day.

Growing up balsam shoots

As soon as the first green shoots appear, the humidity of both soil and air must be reduced by increasing the frequency and duration of ventilation. It is impossible to completely remove the glass or film. Plants need to be taught by first leaving small ventilation holes or opening the cover more and more, until after a couple of days they can not be removed completely.

After the glass or film is removed, it is advisable to lower the air temperature in the room to 15-18 degrees or move the plant to an equal illumination, but cooler place. Use spraying to maintain light soil moisture.

It is necessary to dive young shoots of balsam very early, as soon as the shoots rise to a height of 1 cm or slightly higher, but not before the first pair of full-fledged, and not false leaves appears. It is better to plant balsams in individual containers, which will allow the seedlings to be transferred to the soil without destroying the earthy coma. Special peat pots or cassettes are perfect.It is necessary to transplant the touch-sensitives carefully, trying not to destroy the earthen lump around the still tiny rhizome.

After diving, it is advisable to lower the air temperature by a few more degrees. For balsams, it is necessary to provide moderate, scanty watering, without waterlogging of the soil.

Hardening of seedlings

From the beginning of May, young balsams begin to harden. They need to be taken out for the day, under the open sky, and returned to their usual conditions at night. Hardening for balsams should last at least 2 weeks.

Seedlings can be transferred to a permanent place only at the end of May, when late frosts will no longer be scary. Impatiens do not tolerate a drop in temperatures even to 5 degrees Celsius, which imposes significant restrictions on the possibilities of early garden decoration with flowering balsams.

The optimal distance for planting is about 25 cm between the bushes (the larger the balsams, the greater the distance should be). Balsams are light-loving, they feel better in diffused lighting and in partial shade (especially when shading at lunchtime), as well as in protected, warm, comfortable places of the plant. Balsams achieve greater decorativeness on fertile soil, but they can bloom, practically, on any soil.

After planting, the plant will need watering and feeding to compensate for the drought. This crop will gratefully respond to spraying.

Pest and disease control

For balsams, it is not garden pests that are much more dangerous, but low temperatures. They cannot stand the night temperatures drop to 5 degrees Celsius, and any frost is destructive for them. Of the pests, planting balsams are sensitive to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies in the vicinity of diseased plants.

Balsams in a flowerpot

Cutting plants is a great alternative for increasing the number of shrubs. Strong young balsams are placed in the shade in May or June in order for the shoots to stretch out. The twigs are cut, rooted in water, sand or substrate under the film and planted in separate containers, slightly grown and used as seedlings.

You can cut balsams literally throughout the year, keeping the bushes as mother plants for the winter or cutting the cuttings in the fall and keeping the rooted branches indoors until spring.

Every florist wants the flowerbed in front of his house to be the most beautiful. Growing garden balsam from seeds and then planting it in the soil will help make the flower bed elegant and unique.

General information

Garden balsam is a tropical African plant that has now spread widely throughout the world. In different countries, the cultivation of a flower occurs everywhere, because it blooms for a very long time and does not require scrupulous care.

When boxes with many seeds appear in place of bright buds, you need to take care of the sensitive plant. The slightest touch to it leads to the opening of the capsule and the spread of seeds throughout the garden.

Garden balsam has more than one hundred species. Among them there are not only annuals, but also perennials.

Growing this small shrub is possible in different conditions:

in the open field;
in pots on the terrace;
on the balcony and on the windowsill.

The flower adapts well and grows quickly. Shoots reach 0.5 m, and long cuttings with green oval leaves extend from them. Balsam produces many buds that are velvety to the touch, which are most often yellow, red or white. Due to the fact that small particles of moisture accumulate on the flowers, the plant is popularly called Vanka wet.

Reproduction of balsam

Growing strong seedlings from seeds at home is within the power of the most inexperienced novice growers. The best time to sow is the last month of winter, but you can do it a little later, in March.

Prepare small seedling pots about 7 cm in diameter in advance. Buy soil for flowering plants or make a planting mix at home.

Mix equal proportions of peat and sand, pour into pots and moisten.
Make a light pink manganese solution and soak the seeds in it for 15 minutes.
After draining the rose water, deepen the seeds 2 mm into the ground and cover the pot with a glass jar.

Advice

In order for shoots to sprout from the seeds, you need to maintain the temperature in the room at about 20 ° C and systematically water the soil. Remember to lift the jar periodically to air out.

The sprouts begin to hatch 2-3 weeks after planting. When 3 leaves are formed on them, each seedling is transferred to a separate pot and continues to be watered regularly. In a grown plant, pinch the top so that an adult bush turns out to be fluffy.

After the night frosts stop, the seedlings grown from the seeds are taken out of the pots along with the soil and the tips of the roots are pinched. In the open ground, small holes are dug, compost is placed there, seedlings are placed, watered and covered with earth tightly.

Growing a flower from seeds at home can be done in another way. You will need natural white fabric. Wrap the prepared seeds in it, put on a wide flat tray, moisten with water and moisten constantly until you notice small sprouts inside the cloth. They appear in 4-5 days and can be planted in pots right away.

Many summer residents successfully grow garden balsam, practicing sowing seeds directly into the soil. This should be done in mid-April. On a personal plot, they break up a garden bed, water it and lay out the seeds at a distance of 25 cm from each other. From above the flower bed is covered with polyethylene. If the temperature outside rises to 24-26 ° C, the film is removed. Seed shoots appear in 3 weeks.

Sometimes growing a plant at home is done by cuttings.

Shoots of 7 cm in size are cut off from a shrub that has overwintered on the windowsill.
The lower leaves are torn off and planted in fertile soil.
Water, thoroughly compact the ground and cover with a plastic transparent glass to create a greenhouse effect.

After a week, the shoot will have roots, and it will fully take root in the soil.

Balsam care

For garden balsam to develop well, the earth must be soft and have low acidity. The ideal option is a soil consisting of the same parts of humus, turf, compost and perlite. Before planting seedlings or seeds, it is advisable to treat it with a fungicide.

Growing a flower will be successful if the garden bed is positioned correctly. Garden balsam loves warmth and light, but does not tolerate the scorching rays of the sun. From them, he begins to dry out and wither. Therefore, seedlings can be planted along the fence or next to small trees. Scattered light will be enough for flowering and growth.

Balsam needs moistened soil, but it should not be overfilled with water to avoid falling flowers and rotting roots. In hot weather, watering should be done early in the morning or in the evenings 2 times a week. If the soil begins to dry out earlier, then the number of waterings should be increased. Spray the leaves with water periodically. This has a beneficial effect on the plant, and the flower will delight you with a huge number of buds.

Growing balsam involves weeding the garden regularly. The loose earth is enriched with oxygen, which greatly increases the flowering time of the shrub.

Top dressing and fertilizers

3 weeks after planting the seedlings on the garden bed, you need to start applying top dressing to the soil. This is done throughout the growing season.

Advice

Fertilizer should be saturated with phosphorus and potassium. Avoid nitrogenous formulations. From them, shoots and leaves grow quickly in the flower, but the number of buds is much reduced.

The successful cultivation of balsam at home is guaranteed by Fertika Lux fertilization. Its fine mineral crystals are excellent for feeding flowering plants in pots and outdoors.

The substance increases the number of flowers on the shrub, makes them brighter and makes them bloom for longer. Fertika Lux is available in bags of 20 and 100 g. According to the instructions, it is necessary to dilute 20 g of the drug in 10 liters of water and water each shrub early in the morning. For feeding balsam, it is recommended to reduce the dose by half and use 10 g of the product. This is necessary in order not to burn delicate plants.

You can also use the liquid fertilizer "Merry Flower Girl", intended for begonias and violets. It contains important trace elements:

magnesium and calcium;
boron and iron;
manganese and molybdenum;
copper, zinc and cobalt.

They provide good nutrition for the balsam. For root feeding, you need to dilute 2 caps of the product in 10 liters of water and water the plants with it.

Diseases and pests

Most flower diseases come from abundant watering. Waterlogged soil leads to the formation of gray mold and other fungal infections. From them, the flower quickly fades and loses its leaves. If you notice these signs, stop flooding the plant. Wait until the soil is completely dry, fluff the soil well and pour a little water over it.

Sometimes balsam garden is affected by a spider mite. A small insect lives on the inside of the leaves and contributes to the appearance of dry light spots on them.

To get rid of the pest, remove all affected leaves.
Dissolve a large spoonful of soap shavings in 1 liter of water, soak a cloth in it and wipe the green shoots.

If the spider mite has strongly affected the flowers, treat the flower bed with special preparations. For example, "Akarin", "Lightning" or "Fitoverm".

In the open field, the plant often attacks the whitefly. Its larvae accumulate on leaves and secrete a sticky liquid. A pest at home can be destroyed with Karbofos or Iskra.

Claw mites are microscopic insects. Settling on balsam, they lead to the fact that the leaves on it stop growing, curl up into a tube and harden. A sick flower is treated with "Akarin" or "Lightning".

If the balsam becomes infected with thrips, the leaves become bent and stains appear on them. It is urgent to remove the deformed leaves and spray the plant with Aktara or Fufanon.

Advice

Pest preparations should be used according to the instructions and treated 2-3 times with an interval of 5 days.

What to do in the fall?

With proper care, balsam blooms violently throughout the summer and early fall. When it gets colder outside, in place of the buds, fruit resembling a box, full of seeds, appear. They need to be collected, dried and folded into a cloth bag. They will be needed in the spring to grow new seedlings at home.

The balsam growing in the garden is an annual plant, so in October it must be removed from the flower bed and the soil must be thoroughly loosened.

As you can see, with proper care, growing garden balsam from seeds is easy. That is why the plant is widely used in landscape design. It makes a wonderful decor for flower beds and borders.

Balsam can be combined with other colors. The garden bed looks stylish and unusual, where Vanka is planted wet together with violets or begonias.

Balsam is a flower that is grown on windowsills, balconies and outdoors. There are many varieties of annuals and perennials. It is not difficult to grow balsam if you know its habitat. In the article we will tell you about the cultivation of balsam at home from seeds, we will give recommendations for care.

Varieties of balsam for planting in a flower bed

Balsam is a shrub from 25 to 50 cm in height. Stems are erect, fleshy.The leaves are long, oval, rather large. They come in green or purple. Balsam is famous for its lush bloom. Flowers form at the base of the leaves. There are different shades besides blue. In the open field, the plant blooms from mid-May or early June until the first autumn frosts.

More than 400 plant species belong to the balsam family. Among them there are indoor and garden varieties. Such varieties are available for growing at home.

Variety name	Description	Popular types
Waller's balsam	The bush is up to 50 cm high. The leaves are brown, green or purple. Small flowers up to 4 cm in diameter are collected in inflorescences on high pedicels.	Tempo FT, Stardust FT, Bruno FT, Firefly
Balsams "New Guinea"	Perennial shrubs obtained by crossing several species. The leaves are larger than those of the previous variety, the shoots are juicy, abundantly branching. The flowers are large and bright.	"Paradise", "Java", The species of this group are more compact in size. Popular "Jangle Rain", "Rainforest Exotic"

New Guinea balsams are grown in windowsill pots and hanging planters, but plants from the Waller group should be grown in baskets or large flowerpots. The bushes are sprawling, and the root system takes up a lot of space. With good care, balsam at home blooms all year round..

The most common varieties are those that bloom pink or red.

Among all the varieties, the Bruno FT and Firefly varieties deserve special attention. They are incredibly beautiful. Plants of the first class grow up to 30 cm in height. They bloom profusely even under adverse conditions. They easily tolerate heat, so they can be grown outdoors in summer. The flowers are large, up to 6 cm in diameter, purple, pale lilac, red and white. Bushes "Firefly" are not tall, up to 25 cm in height. They conquer gardeners with abundant flowering and a palette of colors. The plant blooms with purple, lilac, orange and other flowers.

Tip # 1. Due to the wide variety of varieties, balsam is used in landscape design for landscaping premises, decorating balconies, terraces, personal plots and flower beds. Balsams are not used in group plantings with flowering plants.

Conditions for growing balsam at home

Before growing a flower, you need to familiarize yourself with its features:

Balsam loves water. He reacts painfully to moisture deficiency.
Prefers small pots.
The flower is susceptible to diseases and pests. Diseased shoots and leaves are immediately removed, otherwise the whole bush will die.

The flower is sick more often due to improper care of it. Favorable conditions for balsam are shown in the table.

Parameter	Description
Lighting	Prefers bright, diffused light. It is advisable to put the pots on the east or west side of the window and be sure to shade the flower
Air temperature	In summer, the temperature is maintained at 20-25 ˚С, in winter - 12-15 ˚С.
Air humidity	Grows in any humidity
The soil	Prefers well-drained, light, loose, fertile soil
Pot	The pot is 2-3 cm larger from the flower itself. It is not advisable to choose wide or low containers

Unlike indoor species, varietal balsam does not lose its decorative effect in sunny areas. In winter, balsam needs additional lighting for prolonged flowering. It is enough to increase daylight hours by only two hours. Read also the article: → "When and how to plant balsam."

Illuminate flowers with fluorescent lamps

Preparing the soil for planting a flower

The soil for balsam is chosen light, which is not oversaturated with minerals and nitrogen, otherwise the bush will not bloom, and a lot of leaves will grow. A quarter pot is filled with drainage. If the soil is prepared independently, then the following substrate is suitable:

one piece of turf land;
one part of humus;
one part of peat;
one piece of sand.

Balsam loves soils fertilized with humus. The soil is not poured much, the earth should cover the roots of the flower. Suitable substrates for balsam in the table.

Substrate name	Characteristic
Soil for indoor flowers FART Sg-001 Garden of Miracles Azalea	Nutritious medium acid soil for indoor flowers. Contains vermicompost.
Our dacha "For indoor flowers"	Soil based on high-moor and lowland peat containing all nutrients.
Universal soil Good power	A nutritious peat chuck that also stimulates the growth and development of flowers. Contains peat, sand, dolomite flour, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Seeds, unlike cuttings, are grown in landless substrates. A mixture of peat and perlite in a 2: 1 ratio is suitable. See also the article: → "Sowing flower seeds for seedlings."

Fertilizers are applied for seedlings after the appearance of one real leaf.

Ways to grow balsam at home

The preparation of the soil for balsam depends on the cultivation method. The following methods are available:

In peat tablets. This method is suitable for seed propagation of a flower. Seeds are sown on the surface of the tablet, watered and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand or substrate. The surface is covered with a film and the air temperature is maintained at 20-25 ° C until the sprouts appear.
In pots. Ready cuttings with roots are planted in pots or an adult plant is transplanted.
In a hydrogel. In this way, the seeds of Waller's balsam are germinated. After the roots appear, the sprouts together with the hydrogel are transplanted into prepared containers with soil.

When growing balsam in hanging pots outdoors, a hydrogel is added to the soil to better retain moisture in the soil. In the summer, it is better to grow balsam on the balcony, because the flower loves ventilated rooms. In winter, if the temperature on the balcony drops below 15 ° C, the pots are brought into the room.

Balsam is grown for seedlings not at home, but directly in the open field. The seeds are sown in May-June.

How to propagate balsam at home?

Balsam is propagated by seeds and apical cuttings. The second method is more profitable, since the cuttings take root in a month, and the plant blooms in the summer of the same year. It should be noted that flowers planted in spring bloom in July, and planted in summer - in winter. From seeds, balsam blooms in six months, for example, if you sow seeds in January, then a bush will bloom at the end of May.

Propagated by seeds like this:

Sow seeds into prepared substrate. Water and cover with foil.
After the emergence of seedlings, the film is slightly opened and the condensate is shaken from the surface of the cover.
Gradually, the seedlings are hardened.
Two weeks after sowing, when 2-3 true leaves grow, the seedlings dive into separate pots, which are filled with peat-humus substrate.
Cover the pots with plastic wrap until the sprouts take root. When growing seedlings, the air temperature is maintained at 21-25 ˚С during the day and 18 ˚С at night. They also dive into plastic cups, but be sure to make holes in the bottom.

Balsam seedlings are optionally transplanted into open ground in June. But for the winter they do not leave it in the open ground, since the plant is afraid of frost and will die in winter.

For propagation by cuttings, the strongest apical processes are cut off and placed in water. When the roots appear, the cuttings are planted in separate pots. To get a large bush, two balsam cuttings are planted in one wide pot, you can even of different varieties.

Caring for balsam at home

For a plant, two parameters are key: sufficient moisture and diffused light. In the sun, balsam will grow, but its decorative effect will decrease..

The care is as follows:

Abundant watering, but without stagnant water on the soil surface. In summer, watering is increased (watered every other day), and in winter, it is reduced to twice a week.
In summer, when the temperature rises, the flower is sprayed daily with warm water from a spray bottle.
The flower is fed from spring to autumn every two weeks. Potash fertilizers are used, because potassium is needed for abundant flowering.
Loosen the potting soil regularly, but not deeply.

When choosing fertilizers, it should be borne in mind that with an excess of nitrogen, the seedlings of the flower stretch out, and with the accumulation of a large amount of potassium in the soil, the leaves curl. In the table, we consider fertilizers for balsam.

Fertilizer name	Characteristic
Nov-Agro "Potassium sulfate"	Chlorine free, water soluble and suitable for all types of dressings
Etisso "Combi-Sticks" for all indoor and balcony plants	Complex fertilizer containing 11.6% potassium, 7.6% nitrogen and 5% phosphorus. Additionally protects against ticks and aphids
Animal City "Liquid Potassium Nitrate"	Liquid mineral fertilizer. It does not burn the roots and enhances flowering.
Fertika Kristalon "For garden flowers" gardeners' reviews about Fertika fertilizer	Contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Increases the saturation and brightness of flowers and leaves, stimulates the formation of powerful roots. Suitable for annual and perennial flowers.

Tip # 2. If balsam is grown on the south side of the windowsill or it is too hot in the apartment, then it is difficult to keep track of the soil moisture. In this case, it is better to transplant the flower into a pot with a deep tray and water so that some of the water flows into the tray. As the soil dries up, the roots of the plant will absorb water from the sump.

With excessive watering, a "black leg" appears. With insufficient watering, the flowers dry and fall off.

For watering balsam, warm settled water is used.

Over time, balsam loses its decorative effect, so every three years the flower is renewed. If pruning is not done, then the shoots become naked. Old branches are completely cut out. For balsam, shaping pruning is also needed. Upon reaching the desired height, pinch the top. As a result of this procedure, lateral shoots grow. In the spring, all unnecessary and ugly branches are cut out. Balsam is transplanted annually, but it is worth considering that the plant blooms better in a cramped pot than in a large one. The flower is transplanted in the spring.

Diseases and pests of balsam

Balsam pests are spider mites, thrips, aphids and whiteflies. For the prevention of spider mites, the plant is regularly sprayed. Diseased leaves are immediately removed. In case of severe damage, they are treated with Fitoverm, Akarin and Lightning. When a whitefly is affected, the leaves turn yellow. The plant is treated with soapy water, "Aktellik", "Bison" or "Karbofos". "Aktara", "Fufanon" and "Tanarek" will save from thrips. Two insecticide treatments with an interval of 5 days are enough for pests. Read also the article: → "How to overcome thrips on flower and vegetable crops."

When growing a flower, the following problems are possible:

Leaves are falling. Insufficient light, moisture, or hypothermia.
Leaves curl. The plant is affected by spider mites.
Leaves turn yellow or dry. The reason is the lack of watering.

Balsam suffers only from gray rot, which is manifested by wilting and falling leaves. For prevention, adhere to proper watering. When flooded, they are transplanted into dry soil.

Answers to common gardening mistakes

Question number 1... Why did mold appear on the surface of the soil in the pot and what to do with it?

Mold or green moss on the soil surface indicates waterlogged soil and a lack of light. A layer of moldy substrate must be removed and a new one is poured. After they adhere to the rules of care. White bloom on the soil surface appears due to alkalization of the soil as a result of using hard water for irrigation.

Question number 2... Why do balsam leaves fade?

The reason is the bay and rotting of the roots of the plant. Balsam is transplanted into a new pot, rotten roots and remnants of bad soil are removed from the roots.If the leaves are very lethargic, then it is better to plant a cutting, the bush is unlikely to survive.

Question number 3. How to increase disease resistance?

So that the balsams do not hurt, and their decorativeness has improved, the leaves are sprayed with a growth stimulator "Zircon" or "Kornevin".

Question number 4... Balsamin is already three years old, but it does not bloom. Why is this happening?

Plants bloom profusely only in small pots. The pot is chosen only 2-3 cm larger in diameter behind the root system of the plant. In large containers, balsam bushes and builds up green mass, but flowering is delayed. Balsam also does not bloom due to the oversaturation of the soil with nitrogen. In this case, the green mass grows, but there are no flowers.

Mistakes in growing balsam

Gardeners' mistakes are as follows:

If you do not adhere to the temperature regime when growing balsam, the flower is affected by spider mites and whiteflies. Low humidity in the room and an increase in body temperature should not be allowed.
Due to the fact that balsam loves moisture, many flood the plant, but this cannot be done. Stagnation of water at the roots leads to decay of the root system and the death of the flower.
Air humidity for balsam is not particularly important, but when the air temperature rises above 22 ° C, the flower is sprayed daily.

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Date of publication:Growing