Planting a lobelia and caring for it will turn into a pleasure if you know a few important rules for caring for it. And then these graceful flowers with lacy greenery and small flowers will delight the eye until autumn. Particularly touching are different varieties in the same group.
Read also: Landscaping your site with your own hands - (130+ Photo Ideas & Videos) + Reviews
Description
Varieties and hybrids of blue and blue shades are ubiquitous. Lobelia differs from other flowers in that even varieties with pink flowers have a slightly purple hue. It is planted separately and in groups. Landscape designers love this plant very much and use it in various compositions.
Lobelia on the site you will recognize immediately. This is a fairly popular plant for hanging pots and flowerpots. It can be seen near official buildings and offices, or on the balconies of apartment buildings. Unlike others, it grows, favorably emphasizing its beauty. Lobelia shoots gracefully fall over the edge of the containers in which they grow.
The main advantage is that these plants bloom for a long time, preserving the decorative effect of that area until autumn.where they were placed.
Despite the fact that we plant the same varieties, there are a huge number of them. Recently, breeders have been delighting gardeners with the creation of new hybrids of unusual shapes and colors.
The proof of this is the division of varieties into subgroups:
Lobelia is grown in our gardens as an annual plant, but in countries with a warm and mild climate, it grows as a perennial. Lobelia belongs to the bell family, the other representatives of which are very similar in both shape and color. The genus Lobelia is represented not only by graceful herbaceous plants, which will be discussed below, but also by shrubs, semi-shrubs and even trees.
The kind of lobelia that we are used to seeing in flower beds comes from South Africa. All now known varieties originate from it. The South African progenitor of modern subspecies has small blue flowers. On this basis, numerous varieties and hybrids have been created that have different colors: white, pink, lilac.
One of the wild forms
Almost uncommon, but occasionally found in the gardens of lovers of lobelia with bright red flowers. This species can grow in the middle lane as a perennial, except for frosty winters, during which it can freeze.
perennial view
The perennial look of lobelia differs from the plant familiar to our eyes in the color and shape of the bush. Her stems are erect, the flowers are bright, but there are few of them.
Read also: Perennial flowers (TOP 50 species): garden catalog for giving with photos and names | Video + Reviews Neighborhood: what colors are combined with
The fact is that not all varieties are suitable for this role. If we look closely at the results landscape design some flower growers, we will see that there is the use of ampelous species as border plants.
In this case, the shoots spread and end up on the paths, which gives both the plant and the garden paths a not very aesthetic, even untidy look. But the varieties of Pumila and Compact are in their place if they are planted along tracks or around the perimeter of the flower garden. In this case, small hemispherical bushes are planted closely to each other so that they form a dense border strip.
compacta lobelia
Such varieties harmonize well (of course, if the color palette is taken into account) with perennials. They can look especially impressive on Alpine rollercoaster or in rockeries between stones. It is for these types of flower beds that plants that grow with pillows are often selected.
In the rockery near the pond
Ampel varieties or sprawling bushes with long shoots will be out of place here, which by the middle of summer will cover the natural beauty of the stones. In such flower beds, low plants are planted, shaped like stones, clearly defined.
It is interesting to combine in any type of flower beds, including Alpine rollercoaster and in rockeries, different colors of lobelia. You can choose different varieties from the same series: blue, blue, pink, white, lilac and others. They can match in type of growth and size, or they can be completely different.
With imagination, such a variety can even be beaten.
In group plantings, lobelia is combined with the following annual crops:
There is another use for lobelia that is now widely used. Lobelia is an excellent ground cover. In a short time, it is able to "close" large areas.
During flowering, which is very abundant in all varieties of lobelia, the green carpet is covered with small flowers, which looks attractive.
Such varieties that can form a dense carpet are used both in combination with annuals and perennial crops. Sometimes in a group of conifers, instead of stone dusting or lawn, low lobelia, ampelous or semi-spreading forms are used.
Read also: Projects of country houses for 6-10 acres: 120 photos, description and requirements | The most interesting ideas
cultivation
Depending on the variety, lobelia is suitable for all types of flower beds. But the most important purpose of this flower is to use it as an ampelous plant to decorate the main entrances to buildings and offices. You can plant lobelia in boxes and install them on terraces and balconies.
There are several varieties that especially emphasize the beauty of this flower, this is an ampelous group. But even small and spreading bushes look great in outdoor vases and pots.
Lobelia in a flower bed
If you are a beginner, lobelia is very capricious in planting and caring. This means that you need to start with simple forms. For example, it has been experimentally found that varieties with blue, blue flowers and any of their shades survive much better and do not require excessive care.
Lobelia with white flowers is much more whimsical. This is understandable, because the progenitor of all modern varieties and hybrids has a blue tint. Breeders did their best by creating flowers of such different colors, but they turned out to be not so viable.
Purple, pink and lilac varieties are considered the most capricious among flower growers. And this means that you should not start your acquaintance with lobelia with them. Even if you like such unusual varieties, at first it is better to plant blue or blue shades of lobelia.
Vegetative reproduction
Lobelia in its homeland, grows wild like a perennial. In countries with a warm climate, it tolerates wintering in the ground. Its upper part is cut off or it dies off, and the roots remain to winter in the ground. In the spring, the overwintered plant begins to grow new shoots again, and then bloom.
Lobelia can be propagated in two ways: vegetatively or by seeds. Vegetative propagation involves the division of the mother bush. This can be done with a shovel or any sharp tool.
perennial lobelia
For the winter, lobelia bushes can be sent to spend the winter on a balcony or in a cellar.. For this you need to prepare. You will need a shovel, a bag or a box.
The plant is shed before digging. To preserve the rhizomes, lobelia bushes are dug up, capturing as much of the root system as possible. The earth is not shaken off so as not to injure it. The plant, together with an earthy clod, is placed in a pot, box or bag.
After that, the lobelia is taken to a room where the temperature does not fall below zero. It can be a warmed balcony or a loggia, a cellar or a pantry. Before you send lobelia for “storage”, you need to cut off all the shoots, leaving no more than 7 cm. In winter, the flower needs to be periodically moistened, and planted in the garden in early May, after dividing the mother bush into several.
Seminal
The seed type of reproduction does not imply self-collection of seeds. Dozens of varieties and hybrids of this plant are now sold.
lobelia seeds
Those who do not have experience in growing lobelia may prefer purchased seedlings for the first time. Having coped with planting in the first year, in the second - you can try your luck in sowing.
Soil preparation
Therefore, neither seedling growing, nor when planting in open ground do not need to overdo it with fertilizers.
Soil preparation
If lobelia falls on rich soil, it begins to grow rapidly. Increasing the lush green mass, such it blooms very poorly. In addition, flowering may be delayed by at least 2 weeks. And on poor soils, on the contrary, flowering is simply amazing with splendor.
You can prepare for sowing in two ways:
On one's own. To prepare the soil, you need to take care of it from the fall.
To compile it you will need:
- loose garden soil
- river sand
- vermiculite
- ash
- superphosphate
Sand needs 2-3 times less garden land. It is taken only in those places where it will be precisely known about its safety. For additional prevention, sand is calcined in an oven heated to 200 C for 25-30 minutes.
Vermiculite is used for looseness, saturation of the soil with air and additional mineral nutrition. Ash is a wonderful natural source of phosphorus and potassium, as well as calcium and other substances.
Ash is added in sifted form in the amount of: one half-liter jar per bucket of soil mixture. Superphosphate add 3-4 matchboxes to a bucket of prepared soil. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Buying a mixture Purchased packaged land is different in composition and purpose. If you have large plantings coming up, we recommend that you first test the mixture by purchasing a trial bag.
Ready mix for flowers
The fact is that some unscrupulous manufacturers put high-moor peat instead of fertile land, which does not absorb water at all, since it is a natural filter.
This is very common, especially among cheap soils. Growing anything in such "land" does not make sense. When choosing, you do not need to be guided only by a low price, it is best to first read reviews on the Internet in specialized forums.
For planting lobelia, special soil may be suitable for violets. It is not as "rich", loose and contains sand.This is exactly what is needed.
Before you pour the earth into the sowing trays, you need to know:
- utensils for planting seedlings must have drainage holes
- those bowls are best suited, the sides of which have a height of 7-8 cm
- even if the sides are slightly higher, you should not pour the earth above 5 cm, otherwise it may turn sour
Before sowing, arm yourself with markers, beacons or a notebook where you will make notes about the planted varieties. You will also need a bag to cover the crops at first to maintain moisture. The earth, after you have poured it into the prepared containers, must be left to settle a little.
Sowing dates
The timing of sowing lobelia depends on what result you want to get. If you plant a flower in February, then if the weather is favorable or the plants are kept in a greenhouse, flowering can begin as early as early June. If you do this in April, then you will enjoy the first flowers only at the end of July.
Despite the fact that lobelia blooms for a long time, it is better to plant it earlier. From seedlings to the beginning of flowering, you need to count about 3 months. Do not forget that this is the average time. Much depends on whether the variety is early or medium. Of great importance is the transplantation and picking of lobelia. Every time we transplant a flower, we injure its root system.
Lobelia seedlings
Before recovering, the plant will need at least 10-15 days. This time must be added to the main one when we count the time from germination to the beginning of flowering. A certain stress that inhibits development is experienced by plants when transplanted into open ground (OG).
At the same time, the temperature regime, air humidity, soil composition and watering change. The plant briefly "freezes" to adapt to new conditions.
Sowing
Lobelia has very tiny, literally dusty seeds that somehow need to be planted.
The following algorithm is applied:
- Prepare a bright (not dark) solution of potassium permanganate.
- Drain it into a separate container, trying not to get the crystals into the container.
- Pour the soil well in prepared containers with a solution. This disinfects the soil, kills pathogenic bacteria and fungal spores.
- When watering, do not overdo it, the earth should not resemble a swamp. If this nevertheless happened, then sprinkle the earth on top with a thin layer of dry earth and start all over again.
- Lobelia seeds are not planted in the usual way, as they literally look like dust.
- In order not to be unfounded, you can compare the following figures.
- In 1 gram of lobelia from 20 to 30 thousand seeds.
- For comparison: one gram of purslane, which also has very small seeds, contains about 10 thousand of them. And lavater - 100 pieces, known to all pelargonium - 200 pieces.
- In order for lobelia seedlings not to grow in this place in a dense pile, they are first mixed with some loose substance, and then sown.
- It can be fine sand or chalk. Seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil and do not close up.
- On the container in which the lobelia was planted, put on a bag or put glass on top to preserve moisture.
- It is removed only at the moment when the seedlings get stronger. This transitional moment is, after planting, the biggest difficulty that is mentioned in the cultivation of lobelia seedlings.
- Light. If you will sow flowers in February, then artificial lighting is a must for you.
- For growing seedlings of vegetables and flowers, special fitolamps are used.
- These are LED lamps under which plants feel comfortable.
- They grow and develop before landing in open ground.
- For lobelia, especially in the first weeks, phytolamps are preferable to sunlight.
- At first, the seedlings are so thin and fragile that, if neglected, they can dry out in one day while you are at work.
- It happens that already in March on the southern window the sun bakes quite strongly.
- Another danger is batteries, which extremely dry the air in our city apartments.
- Window sills on which seedlings grow are exposed to a double danger: on the one hand, the possibility of a draft, on the other, strong heat from below.
- Therefore, fragile and complex flowers are best placed in the depths of the apartment, closer to the floor, so that it is not too hot.
- And be sure to under the lamps so that the plants do not stretch.
Ultra-thin phytolight for windows
- Temperature regime. For seedlings, a temperature of at least +20 C is required. The most optimal will be - 25-28 C plus high humidity.
Controlling the room temperature is very important
- Air humidity. A bag or glass covering young shoots will be enough to maintain the desired humidity.
- But without ventilation, the earth can turn sour or mold can form.
- This indicates that the humidity has exceeded the norm.
- To prevent this from happening, you need to regularly, at least three times a day, remove the bag during sowing, after it and for some time after germination.
- They have thin, filamentous stems that dry out in a few hours if left unfilmed near a battery.
- The bag needs to be removed for only 10-15 minutes, turned out so that the condensate does not get on the tender shoots and put it under the lamp again.
Humidity is also very important.
- Watering. At first, plants are not watered not only from a watering can, but from more delicate containers. For irrigation, there are many options that will not injure fragile seedlings.
- Some experienced flower growers use an ordinary medical enema and use it to drip individual drops where necessary.
- Someone uses a spray gun, but its pressure may be too strong.
- Experience shows that at first watering is practically not required for seedlings, since moisture circulates, evaporating from the soil surface.
- For watering, it is enough to moisten the soil along the edges of the bath in which the seedlings grow.
- Sowing and the first 2-3 weeks after germination is the most difficult period in the life of such a fragile flower as lobelia.
Flasks for watering flowers
picking
Lobelia diving is almost a jewelry operation that is performed on very tiny plants. Recall what a pick is. This word has two meanings. In the first case, it means pinching the main root of a young plant so that the root system is more dense and branched.
In the second - the transplantation of seedlings, which formed two or three true leaves from a common bath into individual dishes. Lobelia, given its fragility and small size, is planted not one at a time, but immediately 5-7 plants at a time. The word "dive" comes from the word "peak", a sharp wooden stick, similar to the weapon of the same name, which is convenient to carry out this procedure.
picking
For picking, you can take a wooden skewer stick or a pointed pencil. Before starting, you need to prepare the pots in which the lobelia will be transplanted. Some novice gardeners think to cheat and immediately plant the plants in those flowerpots or flowerpots in which the flowers will show off until autumn.
But, most likely, they will be disappointed, because plants transplanted in this way will grow and develop poorly. A tiny plant will be uncomfortable in a large space that needs to be mastered. The root system will try to master the entire pot, while the development of the ground part will stop. Which, in turn, will affect the growth of the root system, which depends on photosynthesis.
It is best to transplant into cassettes, cups or pots that have a diameter of no more than 10 cm. There must be drainage holes at the bottom. At the bottom, you can pour a little expanded clay for better air exchange. The earth should be loose and not too nutritious.
Picked lobelia seedlings
If you take the same soil that you prepared for growing seedlings of cucumbers, tomatoes or cabbage, then feel free to “dilute” it with sand, perlite or vermiculite. When growing lobelia, there is no need to prepare a substrate with a large amount of humus or compost.You can completely do without them. The main thing is that the soil is well sifted or sorted out by hand.
Lobelia should be transplanted in the same way as other flowers, only take into account its delicacy. In a small hole you need to pour a little water, place the root with a clod of earth there and gently compress the earth around. If before that the seedlings were kept under the film, then you can not water, but gently spray the plants in order to maintain a comfortable microclimate.
When is the best time to dive for lobelia? In ordinary plants, this is done after the formation of 2-3 leaves, large seedlings are transplanted even with one true leaf. In lobelia, this should be done no earlier than after the formation of the third leaf. It should not be delayed with a pick, otherwise the roots of the plants will intertwine and be forced to be damaged during transplantation. In these cassettes or cups, lobelia will grow until landing in a permanent place.
fertilizers
As already mentioned, lobelia does not need humus-rich soil. But this does not mean at all that it does not need trace elements for growth and development. When choosing fertilizers, be guided by the fact that nitrogen fertilizers are needed in minimal quantities. Just to keep the overall balance. You can use instant complex fertilizers, where nitrogen does not play a leading role.
fertilizers
It is best to use natural minerals, such as ash. It can be used both for growing seedlings and for planting in the ground. To do this, the land intended for flowers is freed from weeds and dug up with ashes. You can do it in advance, in the fall. And in the spring, work the soil again.
Before landing in the ground
planting lubelia
For lobelia, you do not need to prepare the soil in a special way. The main condition is the absence of weeds. It is necessary to carefully select all the roots from the area where the flower garden will be, because it will be difficult to do this during a period of active growth.
Read also: Lemon: description, care, growing from the stone at home, recipes for vitamin juice and lemonade (Photo & Video) + Reviews Varieties
ruby waterfall
ruby waterfall
- This is a cascading low plant with herbaceous stems that looks best in pots and boxes.
- Of these, lobelia descends in a "waterfall" thanks to shoots growing so that they do not stretch upwards, but droop.
- On the ground, Ruby Falls forms rugs, no more than 35 cm high.
- The flowers of this variety really look like rubies, such bright and pure colors.
sapphire waterfall
Lobelia sapphire
- This variety of lobelia blooms very profusely. Flowers about 1.5 cm bright blue.
- Sapphire waterfall is an ampelous variety, but it is suitable not only for flowerpots and balcony boxes, but also for planting in the ground.
- Closely planted bushes form a continuous carpet by June, and already in early July it begins to be covered with flowers.
Emperor Willy
Emperor Willy
- This variety is very different from the previous ones. It grows in small spherical bushes, about 10 cm in height.
- But the flowers for lobelia are very large, 2 cm.
- During flowering, which continues until late autumn, the bushes are densely covered with blue flowers.
- Emperor Willy is best suited for borders or mixed plantings in flowerbeds where small, compact plants are needed.
- This variety can be used on an alpine hill or in rockeries, as it looks good with perennials.
crystal palace
crystal palace
- Compact bushes of this variety have a height of 20 cm and look good in borders.
- The stems and leaves have a beautiful bronze hue.
- Flowers - dark blue, small in size, densely cover small bushes.
- Flowering is long, from June to October
Riviera
Lobelia Riviera
- An early variety with many shades.
- Riviera is known for white, pink, lilac, blue (with a charming eye), blue splash (with wonderful purple touches on blue flowers), Mitnight Blue (deep dark blue).
- This is a bush form up to 20 cm high. Varieties of the Riviera series grow very compactly, bloom with rather large (for lobelia) flowers, up to 2 cm in diameter.
Rosamund
Lobelia Rosamund
- Small but very charming variety. The height of the plant is only 10 to 15 cm.
- The flowers are small from 1 cm, dark pink with a white eye.
Niagara
Lobelia Niagara
- An ampelous variety with falling shoots, from 20-30 cm long. It is used mainly in outdoor flowerpots, boxes and pots.
- Flowers small, blue.
- The Niagara variety can also be used for planting in the ground, in which case the seedlings should be planted at a distance of 10-15 cm.
- The shoots close up and form a continuous carpet.
fiery
Lobelia fiery
- Perennial and upright variety of lobelia, 75 cm high.
- The flowers are small, but their carmine-red color is visible from afar. There are varieties with red leaves.
- During particularly severe winters, it can freeze.
cardinal
lobelia cardinalis
- Perennial, outwardly very similar to Fiery Lobelia.
- But, unlike her, prefers marshy soils. Therefore, it is rarely found in amateur gardens.
- Cambridge Blue. A small undersized bush about 10 cm.
- Looks great as a border plant. The flowers are small, light purple. In order for lobelia to bloom for a long time, it can be cut immediately after the first wave of flowering, leaving shoots 5-7 cm
Landing in a pot and pinching
Lobelia: description, planting and care, when it should be sown, description of varieties (50 Photos & Videos) + Reviews
