How ampelous lobelia blooms

Planting and care rules

Lobelia is grown by seedlings or direct planting in the ground. In fact, it can even spread by self-seeding. It should be borne in mind that when planted in the ground, flowering will begin only in the second half of summer. In addition, germination will be much worse than when planting in a bowl for seedlings, since the seeds of lobelia are very small, like dust.

Seeds on sale can be presented in bulk or granules, which contain 5-7 seeds and are covered with a special bright shell, which facilitates planting. Just imagine, one gram contains about 50 thousand seeds, so the main task when planting is the correct distribution of seeds over the surface of the earth.

It is necessary to prevent thickening of the plantings, because densely planted flowers are strongly stretched, weaken and die. In addition, at the initial stage, transplanting is almost impossible, the shoots are extremely thin and delicate, it will not work to separate them one at a time and transplant.

The soil for planting will require nutritious and lightweight. Placed in a container, it is slightly crushed and spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are placed neatly over the surface. Experienced summer residents advise using a white thick sheet of paper folded in half, with sprinkled lobelia seeds for this - this will minimize the risks of dense planting.

The seeds are not covered with earth, they are only moistened with warm water from a spray bottle and covered with a transparent film. The container is set in a warm place until young shoots appear. Usually lobelia shoots appear quickly and amicably, you will have to wait no more than 10 days. If the planting has been done too dense, you can see a thick carpet of seedlings.

When the plants grow up a little and the first true leaves appear, they are picking into separate pots. It is recommended to transplant not one plant at a time, which is almost impossible without the death of most shoots, but in small bunches that are separated with an earthen lump and placed in a separate pot. Such a bush, growing up, will be lush and healthy.

With such a transplant, the strongest sprouts win, begin to grow actively, oppressing smaller "comrades-in-arms". If the transplant is carried out according to all the rules of picking, replanting each plant in a separate pot, the seedlings can freeze for a long time and bloom later.

Plants are transplanted to a permanent place when the ground is thoroughly warmed up and the threat of recurrent frosts has passed. When transplanting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the seedlings of at least 20 cm, since the plant grows strongly. The place for the ampelous bush needs to be selected clarified, with well-drained soil, partial shading is possible. Well-drained, light fertile soil and the absence of drafts are probably the main conditions that should be adhered to when planting "bundles" of lobelia.

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

Modifications of the Mi-171 helicopter

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Care

When planting, experienced gardeners recommend mixing lobelia seeds with the "cake" of sleeping coffee or sand, then they fall into the soil more evenly. They do not need to be sprinkled with earth from above. They need to be carefully slammed, leveled - and that's it. Can be sown in peat tablets and cassettes.

As a rule, every gardener has his own secrets of planting and caring for lobelia. As soon as the shoots have appeared, it is necessary to move the container in which they are located to the brightest possible place. Most often it is a window sill or a glazed warm loggia

After that, the seedlings only need to be watered, but very carefully - the bay can be very dangerous, the seedlings can get sick with the fungus

Transplanting lobelia seedlings to a place of permanent growth is carried out in the spring, when it becomes clear that there will be no frost. They are planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other. The soil should be well-drained, fertile, but not oversaturated with nutrients, with a neutral pH. The place should be well lit, protected from winds and drafts. Water it regularly, especially in dry weather.

They are fed with a long-acting complex fertilizer, too often this is not necessary. At the end of the first wave of flowering, it is necessary to prune bushes and shoots, loosen the soil, fertilize and water. In this case, the plant will bloom again, and this will last until the very cold.

For the cultivation and care of lobelia, see below.

Description of ampelous lobelia

Lobelias belonging to ampelous varieties can reach 50 cm in length. Thanks to their strong branching, they grow into a lush shrub. The stems of the plant, growing up to 20 cm in length, begin to bend and descend, forming a whole cascade of bright buds. Due to this feature, it is often grown in flower pots and hanging pots.

Blue Splash is a very showy variety

The leaves on the stems grow small, rounded. Buds with a diameter of 1-2 cm can be white, pink, light blue, purple, blue or pink. Flowering begins in mid-May and lasts until the first frost.

For your information! Although there are varieties called red, in nature, lobelias of this color, despite the efforts of breeders, do not yet exist.

Distribution area in the natural environment

In total, there are more than 300 varieties of ampel varieties. The flower grows in almost every corner of the globe, but is most common in the subtropics. In temperate climates, it is grown as an annual plant. Under natural conditions, such varieties as Dortman's lobelia and sessile-leaved varieties grow on the territory of Russia. Despite the wide variety of varieties, only about 20 species are grown for decorative purposes.

Growing lobelia from seeds

The seeds are very small, therefore, when planting, they are mixed with dry sand in a ratio of 1:50.

Note! You can sow them on a thin layer of snow in a container, at the same time the seeds will undergo stratification - a slight cooling, then they will rise faster and more amicably

Lobelia seeds

Sowing is carried out during an intense increase in sunny days in February-March. Then the seedlings will not stretch due to lack of light. They do not need to be sprinkled with earth, it is enough to maintain soil moisture, sometimes ventilating the container.

Note! To preserve moisture, the container is covered with glass or plastic wrap. Watering is done from a spray bottle

After a couple of weeks, the seedlings will sprout. The airing time is gradually increased, and then the cover is completely removed. When the first true leaves grow in the seedlings and the shoots reach 3-4 cm in height, they dive. After reaching a height of 6-7 cm, it is recommended to pinch the plants in order to increase their branching.

Description of appearance and habitat

Lobelia Riviera belongs to the early flowering bush varieties. The crown is compact, develops into a densely blooming ball. The stems are erect, the height of the bush is small, reaching up to 15 - 20 cm. The stems are erect, well branched, densely covered with flowers and leaves. The leaves are small, lanceolate, dense in structure, growing alternately. Some varieties have a bronze-colored foliage.

The flowers are predominantly cold shades of blue, pale blue, purple. There are varieties of white colors. Early flowering, long lasting. Loves warmth and well-lit places without direct sun. Propagated by seeds, sowing begins in February.

Used for balcony design, can also be planted in flower beds and in the garden as a ground cover flower. Even after flowering, due to the density of green leaves, the bush remains decorative.

Mi-171 characteristics

Helicopter Mi-171. Gallery.