Balsam is an ornamental plant that is widely distributed in modern garden plots. A wide range of colors of flowering parts and a wide choice of their shape allows designers and florists to make almost any composition and landscape solutions based on the plant.
Planting and caring for balsam can be done even by novice gardeners, since the plant, despite the fact that we grow it as an annual, is quite hardy and unpretentious.
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general information
The vast majority of the use of balsam is covering large areas of lawns with a continuous flower cover and flower beds. For these tasks, the plant is ideal.
Ampel variety of balsam "Red Double"
The volume of the flower mass of the balsam is almost the same as that of the deciduous, however, the flowers are raised a little higher. Therefore, it often seems that it is the flowers, and not the leaves, that completely cover the lawn.
Carpet of balsam in the flowerbed
Due to its density and bright colors, balsam can be used in any landscape elements: from curbs to rock gardens. In addition, he will always find a place in ampelous pots and various flowerpots. And the fact that in our latitudes it is an annual is even a plus.
Since every year you can plan more and more new design options flower bed in the garden.
Balsam or touchy is a plant of the Balsam family, which got its name from a very sensitive fruit box that opens at the slightest touch.
In total, there are approximately 500 species in the family with similar characteristics and almost the same appearance.
Currently, it is distributed almost throughout the globe, except, perhaps, Antarctica.
Impatiens fruits and seeds
- Impatiens is a herbaceous plant with a height of 20 to 60 cm with brittle and almost transparent stems.
- The leaves are arranged alternately on the stems.
- Their size is from 4 to 5 cm.
- The shape of the leaves is heart-shaped.
- The edges of the leaves are smooth, but may be serrated.
The plant in its homeland (the countries of Asia and Africa) is perennial. In a temperate continental climate, it can be cultivated year-round only at home or in greenhouses and botanical gardens. The flowering period of the plant is almost the entire warm season.
Flowering in conditions of year-round cultivation can last from 6 to 11 months. Until year-round flowering, as, for example, in calendula, the touchy does not reach, but 11 months is a kind of record among plants.
Flower variety "Stardust" close-up
The main advantage of balsam is its flowers. On one "bush" there can be more than 50 pieces. Their color has all the possible shades that exist in modern gardens.
It can be said that there is no such color that would not be reflected in some kind of balsam. About a month after pollination, a fruit similar to a berry forms in place of the flowers. Over time, it dries up and turns into a box that shoots seeds at the slightest touch.
There are bush, standing and ampelous stems of the plant. According to the doubleness of the flowers, they are divided into carnation, rose and camellia. There are also shrub forms of balsam, on which flowers gather in inflorescences like bouquets.
The flowering time of the plant comes to an end spring - early summer. It depends on the climatic conditions of the area where balsam is grown.
Ampel white impatiens
In the conditions of home or indoor cultivation, decorative types of touchy have become very popular:
- balsam hosta
- touchy indoor
- sultanic balsam
All of them are varieties of Waller's balsam, one of the most common forms of cultivated impatiens.
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The soil
The plant requires loose and light soil.
It should not be overly nutritious, as too fertile soil will lead to excessive growth of the deciduous part of the plant, which will negatively affect its flowering.
The soil must be slightly acidic. You can use purchased soil for flowering plants that meets these requirements, or you can cook it yourself.
- humus - 1 part
- compost - 1 part
- perlite - 0.5 parts
- sod land - 1 part
- leaf ground - 2 parts
- coarse sand - 1 part
- peat - 1 part
When grown in pots, the plant requires drainage about 3 cm high from large crushed stone or expanded clay.
Temperature and lighting
Balsams are thermophilic; for most of them, a temperature drop below +15°C is fatal. In order to avoid such events, it is required to maintain the temperature necessary for the plant (depending on the type from + 20 ° C to + 25 ° C) in the room.
And landing seedlings in open ground do only when the chances of nighttime cold snaps are very low. Almost all balsams die at temperatures below +10°C.
The plant prefers sunny areas
located in shadows, it begins to grow upward and the number of flowers on such plants is small. When grown at home it is necessary to provide for balsam daylight hours of 12 hours or more with the help of lamps.
Most varieties do not have periods of rest, therefore, both in winter and summer, plants require the same conditions in terms of temperature and light.
If the plant needs rest, it needs to provide different conditions in summer and winter; as a rule, for each variety they are indicated when selling plants.
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cultivation
There are several ways to reproduce impatiens
In our climate where the plants are grown as annuals, the seed method of propagation using seedlings is mainly used. You can also propagate indoor plants using cuttings, without waiting for the seeds to ripen.
Seed preparation
Seeds can be purchased at the store, or you can collect them yourselfusing the previous generation of plants.
Since the plant propagates in the wild by self-sowing, and the number of its seeds is large and they have good survival, uncontrolled growth of balsam in the garden can be a problem.
It is recommended, without waiting for the bolls to ripen, to tie the fruits with some kind of cloth or gauze. This should be done when the boxes begin to turn white.
The result of a successful seed collection
Preparation of soil and containers for seedlings
Balsam is recommended to grow in large containers or individual pots with large drainage holes.
The substrate for seedlings should have neutral acidity, unlike the soil for adult plants.
Seedling container
The substrate can be prepared by yourself from a mixture of peat, garden soil and sand, mixed in equal proportions. Sometimes it is even recommended grow seedlings in a mixture of peat and sand, however, such soil will no longer be neutral, but slightly acidic.
Seedlings do not like organics in the substrate, so the application compost and other similar components is prohibited. Before planting seedlings, it is recommended to disinfect the substrate with boiling water or a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate.
Do it or not - the gardener decides. In any case, by the beginning or middle of April, the soil should be ready for planting.
Sowing seeds
Germinating Impatiens Seeds
If everything went well, shoots appear in 1-2 weeks.
Growing seedlings
As the seedlings grow, it is necessary to change the conditions for its maintenance, but this must be done gradually. At the beginning, the plant begins to ventilate more and more time. It is possible to make small diameter ventilation holes in the film.
It is necessary to focus on the fact that a few days after the appearance of green shoots, the film or glass will have to be removed.
With the film removed, it is necessary to “accustom” the plants to a low temperature (15-18 ° C) within a week, without changing the lighting conditions. All this time, you need to maintain soil moisture using a sprayer.
Picking a plant planted in a container is done immediately after the appearance of the first two true leaves.ov. After diving, it is necessary to provide moderate watering; daily moistening of the soil is no longer needed.
Impatiens seedlings. Three weeks old
A month after planting, the plants begin to harden, that is, accustom them to the conditions of open areas. The first few days, pots with seedlings are taken out into the street for several hours. During the week, it is necessary to bring the time spent on the street to the whole day.
The second week the plant is exhibited for the whole day. Seedlings must be protected from direct sunlight and wind, since they do not have all the protective functions of an adult plant.
Watering during hardening is best done in the evening, after the plants are brought into the house. The water temperature during such irrigation should be 3-5 ° C higher than the air in the room.
Landing in open ground
It is produced at a time when daily temperature fluctuations will be in a range convenient for the plant. This usually happens at the end of May.
Plants are planted in an area with the maximum amount of sunlight.. Landing should be done by transshipment, completely replanting a lump with a root system so as not to damage it.
The distance between plants should not be less than 25-50 cm, depending on the size of an adult bush
After planting, top dressing is applied and moderate watering is carried out. The first top dressing is the usual dose of fertilizer for indoor flowering plants, purchased at a specialty store.
Adult plant care
Balsam care is simple and includes regular watering, spraying and feeds. No other special action needs to be taken. Mulching, liming the soil or weeding is not needed.
Beautiful flower bed with balsams
The plant is rarely attacked. pests. Basically, it can be insects, such as aphids or whiteflies. When the first symptoms appear, any suitable insecticide should be used.
The fungus also does not pose a danger to balsam. It can appear only in case of excessive watering and stagnation of fluid in the soil. If a fungus is found, it is necessary to completely remove the damaged plant segments and treat the remaining segments with fungicides. At the same time, it is also necessary to solve the issue of drainage or the frequency of watering.
Reproduction by cuttings
It is an alternative breeding option used for both indoor and garden cultivation. To do this, the plants are placed in a shaded area, and they begin to stretch.
Young branches are cut from them and rooted either in sand or simply in water.. Containers with cuttings are wrapped in foil and placed in a warm place.
Within a month, the root system appears in the cuttings and they can be planted in the soil for adult plants.
Balsam cuttings with sprouted roots
Flowering in such cuttings occurs in the same year.
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Out of almost half a thousand species of balsam in our climatic zone, only eight species of balsam grow in the wild and about a dozen domesticated forms.
The diversity of the existing range of these plants is due to the numerous hybrids obtained as a result of breeding activities.
Flower bed with various types of balsam
Among botanists, balsams are divided according to the path of their origin. In total there are three groups of these plants:
- First group
Includes traditional plant species that grow in the wild and natural conditions. They are often used by gardeners for growing in their plots, flower beds and greenhouses.
Despite the fact that they are rather mediocre in terms of attractiveness, their popularity is great. The reason for this lies in the following: they are easy to care for and least at risk of disease or pest infestation.
A typical representative of the first group. Waller's Pink Balsam
- Second group
It consists of modern varieties and hybrids of the first generation of plants of the first group. Usually, they are obtained by seed cultivation and artificial pollination of representatives of different subspecies of wild-growing balsams.
Within this group, plants were obtained with the following properties:
- they have a long flowering time
- they have different shape of flowering parts
- different color and texture of petals
Of particular interest from the second group are plants with extraordinary flower shapes.and which managed to be fixed in inheritance. This, for example, is such an elegant solution as a double flower.
Variety of the second group "Pink Fiesta", most of the flowers of which are double
- Third group
Appeared relatively recently, no more than half a century ago. It consists of descendants of hybrids of the New Guinean generation, which is a series of plants obtained by crossing the first and second groups.
The allocation of these subspecies into a separate group is due to the fact that all of its representatives carry the genes of Hawker and Schleiger balsams, discovered in nature in 1970. The name of the group is taken from the place where the plants were found - these were the jungles of New Guinea, as well as the island of Java.
A typical plant of the third group is the variety "Paradise Timor"
Consider the most popular plant varieties currently grown:
Balsam Waller
Natural colors of all types of Waller's original balsam
- In fact, this is how it all started.. It was the first impatiens plant domesticated in the 16th century. Most of the "old" varieties originate precisely from Waller's touchy.
- The plant has tall herbaceous stems up to 50 cm in length.. The stems grow quite densely; they are thick and juicy. The leaves of Waller's touchy have an ovoid or slightly elongated shape. As a rule, they have a smooth edge. The color of the leaves is usually dark green, but occasionally there are also variegated, reddish-brown colors.
- Waller's classic impatiens have 4 primary colors: white, purple, red, pink. But that's not all. "Officially" registered as many as 17 shades of Waller's balsam. Sometimes the flowers are two-color, mostly the petals around the perimeter are painted in a different color. There are both smooth and terry varieties of this plant.
- The plant has fantastic reproduction. Its small seeds (1 g contains about 2000 seeds) are able to remain viable for up to 8 years, they withstand negative temperatures down to -40°C. Seeds germinate in the second week after planting. Flowering occurs after 3 months. A feature of the seeds is that light is needed for their germination, so they are almost never added dropwise.
Balsam small-flowered
- According to the classification described above, Waller's touchy and all her descendants belong to the first group. It also includes about a dozen wild varieties of balsam, such as, for example, small-flowered balsam. This species is the only plant of the Balzamin family growing in its natural form on the territory of the post-Soviet space.
Balsam garden
garden balsam
- Also a plant of the first group, the ancestor of a large number of modern varieties. The leaves are elongated, with a pointed end. The height of the plant reaches 70 cm. The flowers are evenly distributed over the entire height of the stem, their sizes are from 3 to 5 cm.
- The plant is planted by seedling method in early April. Planted in open ground in May. Flowering begins at the end of June and lasts until the end of September. The first fruits appear in August, but the plant does not lose its decorative effect. Flowers, berries, and ripe, ready-to-eject boxes can be located on the stems at the same time.
- The seeds are much larger than those of Waller's balsam, and their number in the fruit is less. Self-sowing can grow in one place for several years.If not controlled, it can occupy large areas, since the seeds have a high survival rate and germination. In abandoned gardens, under favorable conditions, it can become a monoculture, since it covers large areas, completely surviving competitors.
Balsam Camellia
Camellia, a hybrid of garden balsam
- It is a typical plant of the second groupreleased relatively recently. It has many jagged leaves and paired flowers, 4-5 cm in diameter, resembling roses in shape. The color of camellia can be from white to purple.
- The plant is very thermophilic, and does not tolerate low temperatures at all., therefore, when growing it, a seedling method is used. Seedlings do not grow well without light and arrows. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to grow seedlings all the time on sunny windowsills and additionally illuminate with artificial lighting to ensure at least 12 hours of daylight.
- Camellia is sown in seedling pots or pallets in early April, and already in the first days of June it can be planted in open ground. Flowering occurs in the third decade of June. It should be remembered that the camellia stems are quite fragile, so the site for it must be protected from the winds.
Balsam New Guinea
Balsam New Guinea
- Mostly grown indoors as a perennial. It has relatively low stems (30-40 cm) and large, beautiful flowers, 7-8 cm in diameter. The number of petals in flowers can reach two dozen, some subspecies are very similar to small roses. The colors are predominantly shades of red, rarely purple.
- The plant requires at least 14 hours of daylight for normal flowering, which is difficult to obtain outside the apartment conditions.
- In addition, the plant requires a relatively high temperature (from +20°C to +24°C). At temperatures below + 18 ° C, the plant may stop growing, and you can no longer think about flowering. It is also important to avoid daily temperature fluctuations of more than 5°C. The plant is also critical to drafts, especially in winter; the pot with the substrate must be at ambient temperature, so in winter it is not recommended to put it on cold windowsills.
Niamey balsam
Niamey balsam flowers
- Also known as Congo cockatoo or parrot balsam. It got its name for the similarity of flowers with cockatoo beaks. An exceptionally elegant and beautiful plant with many medium-sized flowers.
- Colors are almost always the same. The flower is green on the outside, yellow in the middle, red at the end. Due to this, it has another, unofficial name - “traffic light”.
- In our climate, it is considered exclusively as a houseplant.. Only in the southern regions can it be grown outdoors as an annual flower. There are several varieties with stem lengths from 50 cm to 1 m.
- Does well in room conditions. The temperature in summer is about + 20 ° С, in winter, during dormancy - from + 10 ° С to + 15 ° С. The main requirement is the absence of drafts and sudden changes in temperature. When the air temperature changes more than 5 ° C per hour, it is able to drop leaves.
- This plant loves sunlight, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.. Therefore, in areas where the flower is located, it is necessary to use diffusers in the form of nets, curtains or other artificial obstacles.
Sultanic Balsam
Sultanic Balsam
- This plant was widespread in Europe in the 19th century. Together with ficuses, it formed the basis of any indoor flower garden. At present, it is practically supplanted by more decorative varieties, although, in terms of its endurance and durability, it is one of the most successful varieties of balsam.
- The height of this species reaches 30-60 cm. It has green foliage with pointed edges.Its flowers are located one by one on the stem, they are quite large (up to 8-10 cm); the flowers have spurs.
- The color of such a plant can be red, pink or white.. In room conditions, it can bloom almost continuously throughout the year. The flowering time of one flower is about 2 weeks, the flowers appear constantly with interruptions of 5-6 days.
- This balsam has several subspecies that differ in the shape and color of the leaves. For example, sultan-shaped motley balsam has a white edging along the edges of the leaves.
The richness of the choice of balsams will allow you to realize any idea for decorating the lower tier of all green spaces: flower beds, lawns, borders. Although the plant is an annual, it is easy to grow and has a high flower density. On the other hand, the use of the plant is not limited to the lower planting level.
It can be used in vertical flower beds, ampels, flowerpots. The main advantage of balsam, one might say, its "trump card" - in a huge number of colors and forms of hybrids. It allows you to use this plant, almost as a universal annual crop in any summer garden.
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Balsam - decoration of the lower tier: description, varieties, planting and care recommendations (60 Photos & Videos) + Reviews
