How to grow purslane from seeds at home?

Purslane (lat. Portulaca) is a one- or perennial herb of the Purslane family. Translated from Latin, the name means "collar". This is because the seed pods are like miniature open collars. Occurs under the name Dandur. People call it simply a rug - fleshy creeping shoots are distributed over the soil surface. The leaf blades are narrow, oblong, but fleshy.

When the purslane blooms

The most lush flowering of purslane occurs in the summer months, individual flowers can appear until October.

During the flowering period, the bushes are covered with multi-colored flowers, similar to small roses. The colors are varied - cream, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple. On a bright sunny day, the purslane manifests itself in all its glory, attracting butterflies, bees, bumblebees to the garden. The plant is native to North and South America.

So easy to clean that I can't even believe

Thanks to its delicate refined appearance, unpretentious care, purslane conquered gardeners. In European countries, it has been popular since the Middle Ages, where it has spread so much that it is even a field weed. It reproduces well by self-seeding.

Garden purslane is grown as a food and gingerbread crop, it has medicinal properties. The Arabs of the Middle Ages called him blessed, because they counted the ability to heal from many diseases. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks used purslane raw materials to treat severe wounds, as an antidote to snake bites.

Purslane from seeds at home

Seeds of purslane photo

How to grow purslane from seeds? The culture is thermophilic - at a temperature of +10 ° C, the leaves begin to fall off, therefore, one cannot do without growing seedlings in the middle lane. Purslane seeds are very small, smaller than poppy seeds, so you need to try to sow them as rarely as possible, so that later they break through less.

When and how to sow purslane for seedlings

Sow purslane for seedlings from mid-March... You will need cell cassettes or custom cups. At the bottom, lay a drainage layer about 0.5 cm thick (coarse sand is perfect). As for the soil, do not use mixtures containing peat - it makes it difficult for the seed to germinate. Take regular garden soil and add some sand (about 20%). The mixture must be disinfected: hold it in a baked oven for 30 minutes. Cool the soil, fill the containers, moisten well (use settled water or better melt water). For those who do not have the time or opportunity to prepare the soil mixture, you can use universal seedling soil or ordinary garden soil.

Purslane growing from seeds for seedlings photo shoots

• Spread the seeds less often over the surface of the earth, only slightly pressing into the soil, strive to maintain a distance of about 0.5-1 cm from each other.
• Make a kind of a greenhouse: over a container with crops, build a frame of twigs or wire, cover with foil.
• Germinate at a temperature of at least 22 ° C (can be placed near the battery).
• Lighting is required bright (choose the location of the east or west orientation). Crops will appear in 2 weeks. Get rid of the shelter gradually.
• For the active development of seedlings, you should resort to additional lighting: until 9 am, in the evening, in cloudy weather - throughout the day. The light of an ordinary table lamp is enough.
• Water as needed, do not allow the topsoil to dry out, but do not arrange swamps either.

Seedling purslane at home how to grow

Grown plants are planted in spacious pots using the transfer method. If desired, you can neatly separate the bunches of seedlings and plant them in individual cups. Purslane takes root very well, even if the roots are slightly affected, the main thing is to ensure moderate soil moisture. Seedlings are grown in bright light and at room temperature.

How to dive a purslane, look at the video:

Before planting in the ground, the seedlings of purslane are hardened for 10-12 days, leaving the garden to get used to the open air and sun.

Reproduction of purslane by cuttings

How to chink a purslane photo

Purslane can be propagated vegetatively by cuttings. Choose the plant you like the most; it should be sent to a cool room for wintering. In the spring, cut the cuttings about 5 cm long, remove the leaves from the bottom, place in water until the roots appear. To speed up and stimulate the process of root formation, the first day you can hold the cuttings in a root solution.

Purslane takes root well when planted in the ground, it is enough to keep the soil moist. Choose a place with partial shade in the very heat and plant cuttings there. When they grow, transplant to a permanent place.

Similarly, you can root cuttings at home on a windowsill. Chop them up in late summer and plant them in pots. By spring, you will have luxurious seedlings ready to be planted in the ground.

Site selection and planting in open ground

The plant is not afraid of the sun - on the contrary, it manifests itself in all its glory. Choose an area full of sunlight, warm and dry. Can be placed near the southern wall of the house, on a hill.

Purslane grows equally well on depleted and rich soils. Sandy loam soils, loams are suitable.

Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out with the establishment of constantly warm weather: the end of May, or even the beginning of June.Make holes, pass along with an earthen lump, water well. Keep a distance of at least 15 cm between individual plants so that the "rug" spreads freely.

How to care for a purslane outdoors

The only thing the plant needs is regular watering. It is enough to water once every 4-5 days; during a drought period, water more often.

The plant does not need any feeding, or loosening the soil, or weeding: the purslane is able to completely close the allotted place, displacing other plants. Weeds will have to be destroyed only for the first time, until the plant covers the flower bed.

Diseases and pests

Purslane is very resistant to diseases and pests.

A rare occurrence: the shoots become deformed, become ugly, the fleshy leaf blades become covered. This is a fungal infection. Treatment with a fungicidal preparation containing copper will be required.

Types and varieties of purslane with photos and names

The genus includes more than 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants, but large-flowered purslane is cultivated as a garden plant (with several varieties) and vegetable purslane as a garden crop.

Large-flowered purslane Portulaca grandiflora

Large-flowered purslane Portulaca grandiflora photo

A perennial plant, but in our latitudes it is cultivated as an annual. It can be planted in open ground, planted in a flowerpot, window box, container. Creeping shoots stretch 20 cm. Flowers can be simple and double.

Varieties:

Purslane large-flowered white variety White sun photo

White-flowered - snow-white terry inflorescences;

Splendens - flowers of a pink-purple hue.

Large-flowered purslane Double mix Portulaca grandiflora Double Mixed photo

Double Mix - colors pink, yellow, white and red.

Purslane Cherry Red Portulaca Sunnyside Cherry Red photo

Cherry - stems are 10-12 cm long, the color of the corollas is cherry.

Purslane Yellow Hybrid Cream Photo

Hybrid Cream - cream-colored double flowers with a darker core.

Purslane Sunglo photo

Sunglo - has the largest flowers, corollas do not close even in cloudy damp weather.

Purslane or vegetable Portulaca oleracea

Purslane vegetable photo

Cultivated all over the world. The stems are 30 cm long, they are fleshy, well branched, covered with oblong spatulate leaf plates. In comparison with the previous species, the bloom is inconspicuous: small flowers of a light yellow hue.

Purslane in landscape design

Purslane in garden design photo flower beds

Live purslane rugs are used as a ground cover. They are resistant to trampling - they can be planted between tiles.

Purslane on a flower bed photo

Plant on alpine slides, rockeries, decorate southern slopes.

Purslane and sedum on an alpine hill photo

Beneficial features

The leaves of the plant are used externally as a wound healing, anti-inflammatory agent (gruel is used to relieve swelling from the eyes, relieve erysipelas, treat acne). Infusions and decoctions are taken to treat diseases of the stomach, gallbladder and liver, from insomnia, vitamin deficiency, flatulence, chronic fatigue, depression, with toxicosis of pregnant women, it is useful to eat young shoots of vegetable purslane. For patients with diabetes, doctors recommend including purslane in the diet.

Cooking applications

Purslane can be eaten fresh (salads, seasoning for fish, meat, vegetable dishes, this greens are especially in demand in Eastern and Caucasian cuisines). Also, the leaves are pickled, salted, and spicy snacks are prepared from them (as a substitute for capers).

Purslane, when grown from seed, grows rapidly and produces a dense carpet of "oily grass" that inhibits the growth of other weeds. Therefore, it is good to use the culture on not completely cultivated soils. For example, growing purslane from seeds in a seedling way will make it easy to ennoble a personal plot, on which there is still very little fertile soil layer.

It is very important to know when growing purslane from seeds about when to plant it for seedlings at home - in 2018 the lunar calendar suggests suitable days in February, March and April. But more accurate information can be given only knowing in which region the finished seedlings will be planted in the ground.It should be borne in mind that in the Urals and the Far East, in Siberia, the dates of disembarkation in open ground are shifted by 10 - 14 days in comparison with the Moscow region and the Central Russia. Therefore, purslane flowers, when grown from seeds in these regions, should be planted on seedlings 10 - 14 days later than recommended by agronomists. This will save the seedlings from stretching in conditions of short daylight hours.

In this article, you can find out not only about when to plant purslane for seedlings in 2018, but also gain all the necessary knowledge on the agricultural technology of culture, its botanical features and the variety groups on sale.

Look at the photo of the purslane flowers and continue this fascinating journey into the world of an interesting plant for the garden:

These are the purslane flowers obtained by growing seedlings from seeds.

Botanical characteristics, description and photo

The proposed botanical characterization cannot claim to be a complete description of the culture. This is just a brief information, important for understanding the features of the purslane and its requirements for agricultural technology in the open field. It's worth starting with the fact that the purslane (Rogtulaca) refers directly to decorative flowering and vegetable crops. Its "oily herb" is used as a salad leaf. But only the garden species is suitable for food. It can also be used as a medicinal plant.

Currently, culture grows throughout the Eurasian continent. But initially it was brought from North America. The gradual spread has captured huge areas, from south to north. The adaptability of a crop to unfavorable external conditions largely depends on the cultivated variety and species.

Purslane got its name from the translation into Latin of its main characteristics. During seed ripening, the seed pod opens. Therefore, it became known as the "open gate". In Latin it sounds like Rogtulaca. There is also a common popular name - a rug. It came from the property of culture to creep tightly along the ground, literally covering it completely.

Suitable for growing as an ampelous and curb, ground cover crop. it is not uncommon to see purslane in the alpine slides. Absolutely not picky about the structure of the soil - it can grow successfully even on heavy loams.

Differs in a fleshy structure of stems and leaves, which resembles succulents. Usually, the stem length rarely exceeds 150 cm. Miniature border species have a stem height of 10-15 cm. The color of the deciduous mass can be emerald, marsh or red.

According to their structure, the buds are divided into simple, double and semi-double. They can be of a wide variety of colors - from white to purple. The petals are rich in color. Budding begins 90 days after sowing. Continues continuously until the ambient temperature changes to negative values. Each flower only blooms for one day. On cloudy days, the buds do not bloom. Seeds are small, black, shiny. One ripe seed box contains more than 4000 pieces.

Look at the photo of purslane grown from seed through seedlings - these magnificent specimens will decorate any garden plot:

What species and varieties can be grown from seeds?

Now let's try to figure out what modern types of purslane and its varieties can be successfully grown from seeds in the entire personal plot. It is important to study the varieties in advance and not to confuse them when purchasing planting material. remember that the garden purslane (dandur) is an exclusively medicinal and food plant that does not have any decorative value. Its bloom is so inconspicuous that you won't even notice it.

But for decorating pots and containers, balconies, loggias and terraces, an ampelous purslane is suitable, which is distinguished by hanging long lashes of branches, richly decorated with buds of various colors.

The division into types of annual and perennial vegetation allows you to select suitable plants for indoor floriculture. But we'll talk about them in more detail another time. In the meantime, in the area of ​​our attention are varieties and species of purslane, intended for growing from seeds in a one-year development cycle. And here preference can be given to terry and semi-double types. They allow you to effectively decorate even the shady corners of the garden. But simple shapes are designed mainly for a seal fit. They will feel great as a background crop in an alpine slide or as a groundcover in a flower garden. Some varieties can be used as a natural fertilizer (green manure).

Large-flowered varieties of purslane

All large-flowered species and varieties of purslane have excellent aesthetic characteristics. But when growing from seeds, they need to pay close attention even at the stage of seedling preparation. They need a large amount of mineral fertilizers with a predominance of the percentage of potassium and magnesium. These trace elements provide the brightness of the color of the buds.

If, before the frost occurs in the fall, you manage to transplant the plant into a pot and bring it into a warm room, then it will continue to bloom for several more months.

The vegetative green mass of the large-flowered purslane is inconspicuous. But the buds when blooming can reach a diameter of 20 cm. When grown from seeds, a large-flowered purslane grows in the form of a creeping succulent.

Terry types of purslane

Terry forms and types of purslane have even greater decorative value - they allow you to effectively decorate any backyard territory with minimal labor costs. Possesses a rapid growth of green mass. Each fleshy shoot of bright green color is crowned with a magnificent complex bud with inflorescence diameters up to 8 cm. Bright colors: pink, white, yellow, blue, red, purple, salmon.

Terry variety "Sanglo" is distinguished by round-the-clock flowering. And the Sundance variety has an unforgettable delicate aroma spreading several meters from the flowering plant.

"Princely" purslane - these are corrugated petals collected in terry inflorescences. It can be pink, red or white. "White-flowered" - white double buds and short stems with a rich emerald color. "Slendens" is popular due to the huge size of flowers - they reach 15 cm in diameter. Among the terry types it is worth noting "Airy Marshmallow" - a mixture of colors from white to purple. Orange, Cherry, Merry Round Dance and Sunny Summer are double and semi-double purslane varieties with orange and yellow buds. And "Flamenco", "Kalambur", "Super Long Blossom" and "Scarlet" have rich shades of the red group (from pink to wine berries, burgundy and red red pepper). To grow terry purslane from seeds, you should choose varieties zoned in your area.

Ampel purslane to decorate the balcony

You can use an ampelous purslane to decorate a balcony, loggia or an open terrace. This climbing plant has stems up to 2 meters long. The entire cascade of succulent lashes falling in a wave with plump fur-like leaves is effectively decorated with bright buds of a complex and simple shape. There is a full palette of available shades: white and yellow, red and pink, purple and lilac. Growing ampelous purslane from seeds is carried out exclusively in a seedling way. When to plant seedlings depends on the future use of the plant.

The ampelous varieties "Scheherazada", "Sunny Princess", "Sonechka" and "Double Mix" are of interest. Interesting F1 hybrids, combining the duration of flowering, the long length of the stems and the severity of the color of terry inflorescences.

Look at the terry purslane grown from seeds in the photo, which demonstrates all the decorative possibilities of the culture:

Growing purslane seeds for seedlings at home (with photo)

Start growing purslane from seeds at home about 90 days before the intended planting of seedlings in open ground. If such an opportunity appears in early May, then sowing can be carried out in early February. But in the conditions of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, a return cooling can threaten even at the end of June. And the purslane plant is not able to withstand even a short-term cold snap up to +10 degrees Celsius. Therefore, in these regions, it is advisable to plant purslane on seedlings only at the beginning of March.

Before planting purslane seeds for seedlings, you need to prepare the soil, seed and appropriate containers. We will talk about how to do it right further. In the meantime, look, the result is the cultivation of purslane from seeds - the photo shows healthy and beautiful plants:

When to sow purslane for seedlings: terms according to the lunar calendar

The first thing to know is when to sow purslane for seedlings in different regions of the country. The timing of sowing purslane for seedlings according to the lunar calendar can be viewed in a special table further on the page. In the meantime, let's clarify some controversial points:

1. sowing too early will put the grower in front of the need to carry out daily backlighting;
2. stretching of seedlings can be prevented only by gradually reducing the ambient temperature to +18 degrees Celsius;
3. adding soil at an early stage of seedling development can lead to root rot.

You can independently calculate the time when it will be most effective to plant purslane for seedlings. The following aspects should be used here:

• flowering occurs after 95 days from the moment the first shoots appear;
• if it is possible to take seedlings to a heated greenhouse in early May, then boldly shift the sowing dates to mid-February;
• if possible, supplement the illumination of the plants, you can shift the planting date to the beginning of February;
• ampelous forms for growing in pots and hanging pots are not tied in terms of planting - they can be successfully sown at the end of January.

The following is a table of dates for the lunar calendar for 2018:

When to plant purslane for growing by seeds through seedlings - you can see in the lunar calendar

Soil preparation

The first stage is soil preparation. Never use commercial potting mixes. All of them include peat. And it acts extremely destructively on purslane seedlings. Sowing can only be carried out in a mixture of 3 parts of soil sod land, 1 part of compost and 1 part of river sand. There should not be any rotted manure and peat.

Mix the soil, bake in the oven for 3 hours and spill with potassium permanganate. Then fill with a mixture of nitroammophoska and ammonium nitrate.

Sowing containers

Finding suitable containers for sowing is quite simple. These can be special containers, wooden boxes, peat tablets, pots and any ceramic bowls. Before sowing, the containers should be thoroughly disinfected. This can be roasting, roasting in the oven, or soaking in bleach.

Do not use for these purposes containers that were used last year for planting other flower crops. It is better to swap them with those containers that were used for growing vegetable seedlings.

Sowing purslane for seedlings

Sowing purslane for seedlings is necessary at home.Sowing of this culture in open ground throughout the territory of our country is excluded due to the lack of cold resistance. It is impossible to plant seeds in a garden in early June and get at least some flowering. Therefore, an exclusively seedling growing method is used.

Planting purslane for seedlings is done as follows:

• the seedling container is filled with prepared soil by 3-4 cm;
• the surface is compacted and thoroughly spilled with warm water;
• seeds are distributed over the surface (this can be done with a toothpick, mixing them with paste or dry sand;
• then carefully pour the surface from a spray bottle;
• cover the container with glass or transparent plastic wrap;
• put in the brightest place, if possible, illuminate the surface of the earth with fluorescent lamps.

Before sowing purslane for seedlings, no additional manipulations are required. Do not put them in the refrigerator for stratification, soak them in growth stimulants, etc. Don't worry - they have excellent germination. the first seedlings will appear after 4 days. And full shoots will be recorded after 7 days.

Look at the video sowing in all the intricacies and details:

Five tips: how to grow purslane seedlings

The following five tips will come in handy for those novice growers who are planning to plant this crop for the first time. The first thing to remember, before growing purslane seedlings, navigate in the varietal groups and choose those that suit you best.

The second point - plant only well-seasoned seedlings in the ground. For this agrotechnical procedure, it is not enough to take the pots out to fresh air only once. This should be done daily, gradually increase the time spent in the fresh air over 2-3 weeks.

Third - be sure to dive and transplant seedlings during its development at home. This will ensure that the root system develops well and provides maximum nutrition for the growth of the seedling.

The fourth condition is to make regular mineral and organic fertilizing. The more flower buds the seedlings plant in the process of their growth, the more magnificent and longer the summer flowering will be.

Fifth tip: do not allow early over-pollination. Do not keep purslane varieties of different color at the budding stage nearby at home. This leads to the fact that after planting in open ground, they all bloom in the same color.

See how the pick is carried out - the video illustrates all the subtleties of agricultural technology:

Planting in open ground and subsequent care of flowers

Planting purslane seedlings in open ground is possible only after a stable positive temperature has been established in the daytime and at night. Even a slight drop in air temperature to 10 degrees Celsius does not tolerate purslane.

Choose the right landing site. It should be sublime and well lit. Very few varieties of this crop grow in the shade. Basically, they are very demanding on the level of illumination throughout the day.

Purslane is not picky about the structure of the soil. It is a natural fertilizer, it perfectly changes the structure of the soil for the better. It can even be planted in clayey areas.

If there is a threat of frost, then measures should be taken to cover the plants with greenhouses, film or cut plastic bottles from under the water.

Disembarkation takes place in the morning before sunrise. Immediately after this, you need to shade the seedlings. The arrangement of the bushes: 20x20 cm. After planting, water every evening in sufficient quantity.

Follow-up care will consist of regular mineral and organic fertilizing. Loosening the soil is not worth it - this can damage the root system and deciduous mass. But you need to remove all the weeds regularly.

Watch how the purslane seedlings are planted in the video - all the agrotechnical subtleties of the process are demonstrated:

What are the beneficial properties of culture?

Everyone who grows purslane in his personal plot thinks about the question of its practical application. Let's see what useful and medicinal properties this decorative culture has.

To begin with, it is worth clarifying that one can count on obtaining a beneficial effect only in relation to the garden type of purslane. ornamental plants do not have such an effect.

Garden purslane can be eaten as a base for salad, in the form of preservation, additive to soup and sauce. The therapeutic effect is used in cosmetology and folk medicine.

Fresh cut herbs have a slightly sour, pleasant taste and a spicy aroma. Quenches hunger and thirst. After heat treatment, all useful properties are lost. When frozen, it does not retain its pleasant taste and consistency.

In the chemical composition of the cellular fluid inside green shoots, almost all trace elements necessary for a person are determined. These are cobalt, zinc, copper, chromium, potassium and magnesium, calcium and manganese, iron and much more. A huge amount of vitamins of natural origin: ascorbic and nicotinic acid, carotene, pyridoxine, tocopherol and many others.

The use of purslane is prescribed for hypertension and vascular pathologies, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary infections, etc. The herb has a decongestant and diuretic, antiarrhythmic and antihistamine, antiemetic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Procurement and collection of planting material

Harvesting seeds is only possible in good weather. On sunny days, buds bloom. Choose those that you like for their color and structure. By evening they will fade and close. Mark them with strings and wait until they dry completely. Then remove all the petals and leave the box until fully ripe. When dry, around the end of August, the boxes are collected and gutted over a clean saucer. then the seeds should be poured into a paper bag, marked and put in the refrigerator for 6 months. earlier than six months, seeds for planting cannot be used. They will not even have 5% germination.

In mid-August, if the weather is warm, sunny, self-seeding of plants may occur. The capsules crack and seeds spill out of them. However, they will not produce mature plants. Their seedlings will die from spring frosts. In order not to lose valuable planting material l, it is harvested as follows: lay a newspaper under all the seed bushes. Collecting fallen seeds will be easy.

Pests and diseases of culture

In good warm weather and a sufficient number of sunny days, purslane diseases are not affected. But in hot weather, plants can be overcome by numerous pests. The most common among them are aphids and spider mites. Against them, regular spraying of the entire green mass with solutions "Aktelik", "Fitoverm", "Biotiln", "Ankara" or "Iskra" should be carried out. The same compounds will help against another pest - thrips. If they settled on a purslane, then silvery stripes, dots, specks will appear on the green shoots.

Of the diseases, the plant is often damaged by a fungus. There is a type of Albugo portulaceae, which, when the leaves are damaged, leaves characteristic spots and discolored areas on the purslane. The drugs "Ridomil", "Fundazol", "Previkur" help against it.

Before asking questions about the rules for growing purslane, it is worth determining for what purpose the plant will be used. Purslane unites more than two hundred species and subspecies, and the most popular of them are as follows:

• garden. From this view, you will not wait for the splendor of colors and a riot of flowering.Garden purslane is grown for use in medicine, cosmetology and cooking, it is appreciated for its many beneficial properties and unique chemical composition, which more than compensates for its nondescript appearance: oval or teardrop-shaped dark green leaves with possible redness grow on juicy creeping branched stems, as well as small yellow flowers;

  Garden purslane

• large-flowered. This type of plant is not used in dishes or for treatment, but you can get aesthetic pleasure from the sight of bright lush buds from late spring to almost mid-autumn. Beautiful decorative purslane are planted not only on lawns and in flower beds, but also in vases, which are placed on the street or even in an apartment on a window or loggia. The plant grows up to 20-25 cm in height, the stems creep along the ground, forming a luxurious flowering carpet.

  Decorative purslane

  Purslane in a flowerpot

  Terry purslane flower

On sale you can find seeds of large-flowered purslane of various varieties. The most valuable of them are with amazingly beautiful terry buds.

Purslane varieties

Flower parameters

How to collect purslane seeds

Purslane of all kinds blooms very profusely, behind this splendor it is difficult to notice that each bud lives only one day. After wilting, the fruit sets, the formation of a capsule with seeds. It is from these boxes that you need to collect seeds in time, preventing them from falling to the ground, that is, self-seeding.

On a note! If you do not collect the seeds of purslane, they are sown in the soil, and next summer new plants grow, which will bloom only at the very end of summer.

Seed box

The seed collection procedure is as follows:

• during the growth period, we begin to feed the purslane with mullein solution. In total, you need to do 3 fertilizers every 2 weeks;
• we are waiting for the first seed pods to appear and open at the purslane, and the stems turn yellow;
• digging up plants by the roots, shaking off the ground. You do not need to cut the leaves;
• in a room with good ventilation, we pull the ropes on which the purslane will hang. Place burlap or similar cloth on the floor;
• We hang the dug out bushes so that they hang down with seed pods.

Thus, the plants will dry out, and the seeds from the opened boxes will fall onto the fabric. All that remains is to collect seeds from the fabric and leave them until next spring.

Recommendations for collecting seeds

The maximum shelf life of purslane seeds is 3-5 years. After this period, the germination percentage will tend to zero.

Where and when to grow purslane from seeds

If you are lucky enough to live in the southern regions of our country, then you can safely plant purslane seeds directly into open ground without additional preparations and measures.

Residents of the northern regions of the country and the middle lane are recommended to grow seedlings from seeds, which are subsequently planted in a greenhouse or soil.

Purslane: growing

What is the reason for this? Purslane cannot be called a whimsical plant, but for its abundant flowering, indispensable conditions are an abundance of light and warmth. These conditions apply to both mature plants and seedlings.

On a note! If frosts occur in your region even in summer, it is necessary to harden the purslane.

Seeds for seedlings begin to be sown in February and March. But due to the insufficient amount of sunlight, artificial lighting of the boxes is required. You can do without additional lighting, but in this case, sowing should be done not earlier than the last days of April.

Important! At temperatures below + 15 ÷ 20 ° C, seedlings develop poorly and even die. And the lack of light will lead to the fact that the seedlings will stretch or grow. The best germination of seeds is ensured at temperatures from +26 to + 30 ° C.

Soil and containers for planting seeds

Getting ready for sowing

Purslane, both decorative and used for food, grows well even in poor soil, if proper watering is provided and the place is correctly chosen. Indoor purslane species planted in compost do not need to be additionally fed and fertilized.

Important! Store mixes for the plant contain peat, which inhibits the growth of purslane. Therefore, the preparation of the soil must be done independently.

Seedling soil

Step 1. In the garden or vegetable garden, we collect land without knots, grass and stones. We transport it in a tight bag, and then sift it through a coarse sieve.

Step 2. We weigh the resulting volume of land, after which we take sifted river sand in a ratio of 5 parts of soil to 1 part of sand. We mix the components well.

Step 3. We put the resulting mixture in the oven for calcining and disinfecting. You can also perform the procedure in a water bath.

Correct soil preparation
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It is recommended to wait one or two weeks before planting seeds in prepared soil.

Next, we prepare a container where the soil will be poured and the seeds will be sown. Wash a plastic container well with soap or heat a wooden box in the oven. If there are no drainage holes, we drill them in the bottom of the container, the best hole size is 0.5-1 cm.

In a clean container (it is better if the volume is small) we fill in a layer of fine gravel or expanded clay. The layer thickness is maximum 1 cm.Pour soil mixture on top, leave 1 cm from the edge of the side to the ground.

Laying the soil in the seedling container

It remains only to water the soil before sowing purslane. We use tap water that has settled for several days, but if there is an opportunity to collect clean snow away from city roads, then we collect it, bring it home and water the soil with warm melted water.

On a note! Do not use too cold water to water your seeds and seedlings. It is better if the liquid is at room temperature.

Sowing and care of seedlings

Purslane seeds are small, dark in color. It is convenient to spread them in the soil with a damp toothpick, keeping the distance between the seeds about 1 cm. Do not deeply bury the seeds in the ground.

Purslane seeds on a sheet of paper

Sowing purslane

If you don't want to speed up the process, you can mix the seeds with pre-calcined river sand, then sprinkle the mixture over wet soil and lightly press down with a flat spatula. From above, the seeds are moistened with a spray bottle.

Seeds mixed with sand

Seeds are poured from a sheet of paper onto the ground.

Immediately after sowing, the box should be covered with cling film or glass and placed under the lamps (supplementary lighting mode: 2-3 hours in the morning and up to four in the evening, as well as during the day in cloudy weather). Remember the temperature setting.

In the photo, the container is covered with foil

The film should be removed for a short time every day for ventilation. If the soil dries up, it is moistened again with a spray bottle. It is important not to overdo it with watering.

After about 7-14 days, the first shoots of purslane will appear. During this period, a box with seedlings (without film) can already be placed on a windowsill or a glazed loggia. It is good if the windows face south. If the seedlings are too dense, thin them out a little.

First shoots

Grown seedlings

The seedlings are dived when the seedlings have two true leaves. Plants are transplanted into small pots or cups with a diameter of about 4-7 cm, trying to shake not all clod of earth from the roots. You can transplant the purslane into a box of larger volume, leaving a distance between the shoots of 4-5 cm. The shoots are sprinkled with soil until the cotyledon leaves.

Purslane ready to dive

Picking

Bottle dive option

It will not be superfluous to apply weekly mineral fertilizers, but this measure is not required. As a top dressing, ammonium sulfate is used in the proportion of half a matchbox to a ten-liter bucket of water.

On a note! The first hardening is carried out after the pick. Cups with plants are put outside for 10-15 minutes daily, the air temperature should be at least 10 degrees. Gradually, the hardening time in the daytime is increased to 6 hours.

Planting purslane seedlings

If the frost has already passed, and more than 7-9 true leaves have grown on the sprouts, you can plant the plants in open ground.

Rules for choosing a place for growing purslane:

• the area for purslane should be open, on a hill;
• there should be no trees and buildings nearby that give shade or partial shade;
• the soil should not be watered, otherwise the roots will begin to rot;
• it is better if the soil for decorative species of purslane is poor, otherwise it will bloom poorly, gaining greenery. Garden purslane can be grown on nutrient-rich but not oily soil;
• it is permissible to plant seedlings on alpine slides, in suspended flowerpots, street flower beds, etc.

Decorative purslane flower

Purslane on a flower bed

Table of dates for planting purslane in the soil

South	May
Middle lane	End of May or beginning of June
Ural, Siberia	After June 10

Guided by the table, we select the disembarkation time. We transplant the seedlings, carefully removing it with a lump of earth from a box or cup and moving it into the holes, which should be located at a distance of up to 15 cm from each other.

Lunar landing dates

On a note! Plant it early in the morning or in the evening, so tender sprouts will take root better.

Water the plant regularly, but not too often, so as not to overmoisten the soil.

If the plant has spots on the leaves or the shoots are severely deformed, it is necessary to remove the affected parts, and then treat with fungicides containing copper.

Diseases and pests

Lush purslane bloom

Video - Planting purslane directly into the ground

Video - How to sow purslane

Video - Picking a purslane

Purslane (Rogtulaca) is a beautiful decorative vegetable plant that grows throughout Eurasia. The homeland of the flower is the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere. In the form of a weed, purslane can be found in the Americas, Central Europe and the Caucasus.

In Europe in the 17th century, this plant was grown in almost all vegetable gardens and was considered a vegetable crop. Then it spread to other countries and began to be cultivated as an ornamental flower.

The name Purslane (from the Latin collar, gate) reflects the method of opening a ripe seed box. The people call the flower a rug, because of the growth of plants on the surface of the earth.

Description of the plant

Purslane is an unpretentious plant that grows even in infertile soil. Purslane can be grown as an ornamental plant and eaten. Plants are grown in flower beds, on alpine slides, lawns, rabatkas, by curbs, in pots, balcony boxes, vases, hanging baskets and containers.

The stems of the plant are fleshy. The length of the stems is from 10 centimeters to 2 meters (depending on the type of flower). The height of the bush is from 10 to 25 centimeters, some varieties can reach 40 centimeters. Leaves are conical, needle-shaped. The color of the foliage is from emerald to reddish.

Flowers can be simple, semi-double and double. The color is white, cream, orange, purple, yellow, red, lilac and pink. The buds are located at the ends of the stems. Blossom in sunny weather. Flowering lasts 1 day, then the bud withers. The flowering of the plant lasts from early summer to late autumn. Some varieties bloom around the clock.

After flowering, a seed box is formed. Seeds are shiny, silvery, 0.6-0.9 mm in diameter. Each achene contains about 3000 seeds.

Types and varieties of purslane with a photo

The genus Purslane unites 200 species of annual and perennial succulents.
The most famous species are: large-flowered, terry, ampelous, garden.

Large-flowered purslane

Large-flowered purslane is popular with many gardeners. It is grown in flower beds, lawns, rabat beds, near curbs, in containers, pots, on balconies and as a houseplant. The flower is a creeping annual; when grown on a windowsill, it can grow for several years.

Plant height is no more than 20 centimeters. The length of the stems on average reaches 2 meters; in a warm climate, after a few years it can grow up to 20 meters. Stems are juicy, light green in color, with a slight reddish tinge. The stems spread along the ground, filling it with a solid carpet.

Leaves are fleshy, alternate, small, conical, pointed, greenish-gray in color. The color of the leaves ranges from green to reddish.

The flowers are simple, cupped, about 4 centimeters in diameter, located at the end of the stems. The flower consists of 5 fused double petals. Coloring can be: red, white, cream, pink, bright orange, yellow. Some varieties have light shades of other colors.

Terry purslane

Terry purslane annual is a variety of large-flowered. It is grown in flower beds, on lawns, near curbs, in containers. A plant growing on the ground, forms a continuous cover of flowers. Beautiful large flowers have multi-petal buds of various colors. The aroma is pleasant. The height of the bush is 15-20 centimeters. The stems spread along the ground.

Flowering lasts during daylight hours, then the buds close. There are several varieties that bloom around the clock, such as Sundance and Sanglo.

Sundance grade

Purslane ampelous

Ampel purslane is a perennial hybrid plant. Creeping stems. Leaves are conical, elongated, fleshy, small. The flowers are double and simple, the colors are varied (white, red, yellow, pink, purple, lilac). 5-7 centimeters in diameter.

The flower is suitable for growing in flower beds, alpine slides, on lawns, in a multi-level flower bed, in pots, hanging baskets and at home on a windowsill and balcony.
The plant, when grown on the ground, spreads and forms a mat. When suspended, it forms a cascade of stems and flowers.

Garden purslane

Garden purslane or dandur (medicinal, vegetable) can grow next to garden crops. The plant grows rather quickly. It is used for medicinal purposes and as an additive in salads, marinades, soups, sauces.

The stems are fleshy. The leaves are flat, oval. Flowers are small, inconspicuous, yellow (1 centimeter in diameter). After flowering, an oval box with seeds is formed. The seeds are very small. The plant propagates by self-sowing.

The best varieties include:

Splendens is distinguished by long flowering, beautiful purple-pink petals and pleasant aroma. The inflorescences are terry, large.

The princely variety is distinguished by the corrugated petals of the inflorescences. The color is scarlet, orange or white.

The white-celled variety has snow-white buds and emerald leaves. The stems are short (10 centimeters long).

Sundance and Sanglo cultivars bloom throughout the day and, unlike others, do not close at night.

Airy marshmallows have short shoots up to 10 centimeters in length. The inflorescences are terry, large. The range of colors is extensive.

The royal variety has simple, large flowers. The color is varied.

In addition to these varieties, one can distinguish: Scheherazade, Flamenco, Super Long Blossom, Pun, Orange, Sunny Summer, Cherry, Merry Round Dance, Scarlet, Sunny Princess, Double Mix, Sonya.

Growing seedlings at home

Purslane is mainly grown using seedlings. This heat-loving plant dies when the temperature drops to 10 degrees. Therefore, sowing in open ground is excluded in many regions.

You can sow seeds in open ground using a shelter (greenhouse, greenhouse) or after warming up the soil. Sowing at home allows for early flowering and stronger plants.

For growing seedlings, low flower pots or containers with drainage holes are taken. Fine gravel or coarse river sand is poured onto the bottom. The soil for sowing should be loose, airy and moisture-permeable. Seedlings, subject to the sowing rules, appear in 4-12 days. Closer to summer, seedlings are planted in the ground.

When to sow seeds for seedlings

The best time for sowing purslane seeds is the end of February, March. In cooler regions, sowing can be rescheduled until April, early May. Under favorable conditions, seedlings appear in 44 days, if the temperature for growing is from 20 degrees Celsius, seedlings emerge within 2 weeks.

When to plant cucumber seedlings

Soil and seed preparation

The soil can be any, but it should not contain organic matter and peat. Store substrates in this case are not suitable, since they contain peat, which inhibits plant growth. Sand (30 percent), fine gravel (up to 1.5 millimeters in diameter) and crushed charcoal are mixed into the ground.
The soil mixture is stirred and calcined in the oven for an hour.

Freshly harvested seeds are not suitable for sowing. Seeds must be matured for at least 6 months before sowing. Seeds for protection against fungal diseases are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are dried on a napkin, mixed with calcined sand and sown.
For a more even distribution, the seeds can be spread over the soil surface with a toothpick.

Sowing

Sowing is done in moist soil. For moistening, you can take snow and distribute it over the surface, such moisture improves seed germination.
Seeds with sand on the soil surface are scattered from a paper envelope with a cut off corner or a sheet of paper.

When using a toothpick, the space between the seeds should be about 1 centimeter. From above, slightly buried seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil.
Crops are sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

The first shoots appear on the fifth day. These times can vary by planting method, conditions and seed variety. The germination temperature should be 35 degrees. At a lower temperature, seed germination worsens, the first shoots appear in 7-10 days. At temperatures below 20 degrees, seedlings often die or do not germinate at all.

To create the desired temperature, a microclimate is created in the seed pot. For this, the container is covered with a transparent film, lid or glass.

Lupine - growing and care, when to plant

Seedling care

• Plants need moderate watering. Before germination, the soil is sprayed from a spray bottle.
• After sprouting, watering is done in a tray or along the edges of the pot (with warm, soft water). Excess water is drained from the sump.
• The grown seedlings are watered under the roots, you can use a syringe without a needle. You need to water after the soil dries out in the pot.

Plants love light and are grown in a well-lit window with additional fluorescent lighting. Daylight hours should be at least 14 hours, additional lighting is performed in the dark.

A month after germination of seedlings, when 2 main leaves appear, the seedlings must be cut into separate pots. The sprouts are very fragile and should be transplanted with extreme care.

2 weeks after planting, the first fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with an admixture of nitrogen is introduced.

Two weeks later, re-feeding is performed with mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium.

When the air warms up outside more than 15 degrees, the seedlings can be taken out for hardening.The exposure time should be increased every day from 15 minutes onward.

Purslane: sowing and care - video

Landing in open ground

Purslane is a light-loving and heat-loving plant. It does not bloom in the shade. Low temperatures or sharp temperature fluctuations lead to the death of the flower. The landing site should be light, dry and warm.

Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out under established weather and an air temperature of at least 15 degrees. The threat of frost must be excluded.

In the southern regions, plant transplantation is carried out throughout May, in the middle lane from late May to mid-June. Disembarkation in hanging baskets, containers and pots takes place at the beginning of May.

When the temperature drops, the plantings are covered with a film, and the hanging containers are placed in the room until the temperature indicators stabilize.

Purslane grows on almost any soil, but with heavy clay soil, river sand must be added to the soil.

Purslane is planted when it reaches 5 centimeters in height and at least 10 leaves appear on the stem. Plants with buds easily take root in a new place.

The best time to plant is early morning or evening.

Pits are prepared in advance, staggered. The gap between the plants should be 10-30 centimeters (depending on the varietal characteristics of the purslane). The seedling is deepened to the cotyledonous leaves.

For the first week after planting, the plant should be watered every day. Especially if the weather is dry. Then watering is done as needed.

Salvia - photo of flowers, planting, care

Summer flower care

Watering in hot weather gives strength to the plants and enhances the growth of the flower. The water should be settled, not cold. Water must be poured at the roots. Watering is carried out once a week.

You do not need to mulch the soil for this plant. The flower grows around and forms a continuous carpet that protects against moisture loss and weeds. Ornamental plants grow well without fertilization. For good growth, garden purslane is fertilized with a solution of ash and water (20 grams per 1 liter).

The main care is watering and prevention, the fight against a few diseases and pests that can damage the flower.

Before winter, the most beautiful flowers can be transplanted into pots, and in spring they can be propagated by cuttings. Potted plants can bloom all year round.

Diseases and pests

Purslane is resistant to many diseases and is slightly damaged by pests. But still, there are diseases and pests that need to be dealt with and preventive work carried out to exclude their defeat.

Excessive humidity leads to the defeat of fungal diseases.

The Albugo portulaceae fungus appears as characteristic spots on leaves and shoots. Shoots can be deformed. The damaged areas must be removed immediately, and the healthy parts of the plant must be treated with copper-containing fungicides or Fundazol, Soligor, Previkur, Ridomil Gold, Skor.

Green shoots during the growing season can be affected by aphids. Aphids suck sap from plants. In a short time, it can hit large areas of plantings and lead to their death.

Aphids are easy to spot and get rid of. To combat the pest, soap solution and insecticides are used: Karate, Decis, Biotlin, Ankara, Aktellik, Agravertin, Iskra.

When thrips appear, silvery specks and stripes appear on the leaves. It is quite difficult to consider pests. When damaged by pests, flowers are processed: Karbofos, Agravertin, Intavir or Fitoferm.

How to collect your seeds

To collect seeds, it is necessary to remove the wilted flowers that hide the fruits in time. Seeds are harvested from August to September. Seed boxes are torn off and kneaded over a saucer. They need to be dried and packaged in paper bags.

If the boxes are left on the bush, they open themselves over time and self-seeding of plants occurs. Most of the spring entrances without protection die from the cold. In order not to miss the opening of the capsules, you can carefully place the newspaper under the stems on the ground and collect the crumbling seeds without loss.

The germination of the collected seeds is maintained for 3 years.

Zinnia - growing from seed, when to plant

Useful properties of purslane

The plant is added to salads, sauces, soups, homemade preparations, and is used for medicinal purposes and cosmetology.

When the leaves are eaten fresh, all the nutrients are completely preserved.

The greens are cut to form flowers. It stimulates appetite, quenches thirst. The taste is slightly spicy, with a slight sourness.

Heat treatment is detrimental to many trace elements.

Shoots and leaves of purslane contain a large amount of useful substances: zinc, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, sodium, magnesium, calcium, sugars, proteins, as well as nicotinic, ascorbic and organic acids, resinous substances, carotene, tocopherol, phylloquinone, alkaloids, glycosides, norepinephrine.

Norepinephrine improves overall tone, stimulates the nervous system, and enhances cardiac activity. Juice lowers blood sugar levels, increases blood pressure. The plant helps with insect bites, snakes and burns.

Purslane has an anthelmintic, diuretic, antiemetic, antiscorbutic, sedative, anti-inflammatory effect. The plant is used for impotence, gonorrhea, various tumors, liver and kidney diseases.

Garden purslane heals erysipelas, lichens, inflammation of the skin, helps to remove acne, acne and warts. The plant is used as a multivitamin component for lotions and masks.

Garden purslane: video

Purslane is a wonderful decoration of the garden, and when growing a garden species, it allows you to get a healthy vegetable crop with a pleasant taste.