Lobelia Colgalne seeds

Lobelia enriches any garden and balcony with its colors and richness of flowers. Of course, they are delicious as borders or bushes or simply as a suspended pot, thanks to their brightly colored flowers.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Lobelia genus of the Campanulaceae family includes annual and perennial plants (some aquatic), which can be grown in pots or in the open ground, originating in tropical and temperate areas of the world, but especially in America.

Some species can reach three meters in height but those normally found in commerce and used for ornamental purposes do not exceed 50 cm.

It has woody stems at the base, thin and flexible, with very aromatic light green leaves and a sharp odor. The flowers are small but very numerous, tubular, with the lower lip larger than the upper one.

CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE

Lobelia are very easy plants to grow and considering that the species normally found on the market sold as ornamental plants are annuals (or in any case treated as such), they do not create major cultivation problems.

The optimal exposure for these plants is shady or semi-shaded positions . They want to have some direct rays of the sun but not during the hottest hours of summer days. In autumn with the arrival of low temperatures, Lobelia dry quickly.

They are plants that can be grown in a pot or in the open ground and in the latter case they are beautiful as borders because they form gracefully colored bushes with their striking blooms.

IRRIGATION AND HUMIDITY

The Lobelia is watered regularly, taking care to let the surface of the soil dry between one watering and another. Be careful not to leave stagnations in the pot holder that are not appreciated.

SOIL - TRANSPLANT

Use a good fertile mulch mixed with peat and sand to make the soil rich and well-draining because they do not tolerate waterlogging.

SUBSCRIBER

Starting in spring and throughout the summer , supply a liquid fertilizer at medium doses every two weeks with the irrigation water. It is advisable to use a fertilizer that, in addition to containing macroelements such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), also contains microelements such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), magnesium (Mg), all important for proper plant growth. We recommend Hortyjardín ® Foliar Nutrient

PRUNING

Lobelia are plants that cannot be pruned. Only dry or damaged branches are removed to prevent them from becoming a vehicle for parasitic diseases. Always remember to be careful to wash and disinfect (with alcohol or fire) the utensil you use for cutting to avoid infecting the tissues.

MULTIPLICATION

If sowing is planned in a pot or seedbed, the seeds should be planted at the end of winter, February-March , in a compost made up of fertile mulch and sand. Since the seeds are small, to bury them lightly, push them under the mulch using a flat piece of wood or you can pour a little more soil on top.

The tray with the seeds is kept in the shade, at a temperature around 18°C ​​and constantly humid (use a sprayer to completely moisten the mulch) until germination.

The tray is covered with a sheet of transparent plastic (or glass) to ensure a good temperature and prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. The plastic sheet must be removed every day to control the level of humidity of the ground and remove any condensation that forms on the plastic or glass.

When the seeds have germinated, remove the plastic or glass and move the box to a brighter position (not in direct sun).

Among the new plants there will undoubtedly be those that are less vigorous compared to others. These must be eliminated to guarantee more space for the more robust plants.

When the plants are large enough to be handled (generally after 2-3 months) they are transplanted into pots or into the ground (at a distance of about 10 cm along and between the rows) as needed.

PLAGUES AND DISEASES

Presence of small whitish animals on the plant
If you notice these small animals, you are in the presence of aphids commonly called aphids. Look at them with a magnifying glass and compare with the photo opposite, they are unmistakable, you can't go wrong.

Remedy: treat with specific products against aphids available in specialized gardening stores.

The leaves turn yellow

Leaves that begin to yellow appear dotted with yellow and brown spots. After these manifestations the leaves curl, take on an almost dusty appearance and fall. Looking carefully, you can also notice subtle cobwebs, especially on the underside of the leaves. With these symptoms we are most likely in the presence of a mite attack or "red spider" or "spider", a very annoying and harmful mite.

Remedy: increase the frequency of misting (the lack of humidity favors its development) and eventually, only in the case of particularly serious infestations, use specific chemical products.

Instructions on the packaging