Katarantus - growing from seeds: when to plant seedlings

Katarantus is a beautiful ampelous flower that can decorate a balcony, loggia, terrace. In the summer, the bushes can be planted in open ground, where they will serve as ground cover plants. Further information about the flowers of the catharanthus, growing from seeds, when to plant on seedlings and in the ground.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing catharanthus from seeds

The following advantages are characteristic of growing crops from seeds:

• low cost of planting material;
• sowing can be started at any time;
• friendly seed germination;
• a large selection of planting material.

Katarantus ampelous

The disadvantages of seed growing include the risk of acquiring low-quality material, the laboriousness of the procedure.

How to collect seeds

If the flower is kept outdoors, the seeds may not mature in time. Therefore, before the onset of cold weather, it must be brought into the room. Throughout the winter, the bush is carefully looked after: it is kept in a well-lit place, the necessary air humidity is created, watered, and fed.

After flowering, a seed capsule is formed. Before collecting the seeds of the catharanthus, it must be allowed to dry well. After that, the box is torn, the seeds are poured onto a white napkin.

Catharanthus seeds

How to choose seed in the store

Breeders have bred many varieties of catharanthus. They can be with short or long shoots, their flowers have a variety of colors. The following varieties of catharanthus are most common:

• Aristocrat. Shoots do not exceed 50 centimeters in length. The diameter of the flowers is about 5 centimeters.
• Pacific. The bushes are compact: their height varies between 25-30 centimeters.
• Burgundy. This is one of the varieties of the Pacific. The petals are wine-colored. There is a white eye in the middle of the flowers.
• Casanova. They are compact plants with erect stems. The petals are crimson.
• Pink. The culture received its name for the pink, periwinkle-like inflorescences.

These and other varieties of catharanthus can be purchased at a flower shop. They are sold in paper bags. The packaging must be strong and free from defects.

Inflorescences of catharanthus Burgundy

The best time to sow

If a florist plans to grow a flower indoors, he can start sowing at any time. With correctly performed agrotechnical measures, the catharanthus is able to bloom for a long time.

If you want to decorate the site with flowers from spring to autumn, you need to sow seeds in late February or early March. The grown bushes are then planted in containers or in open ground.

Preparatory stage for sowing seeds

Before growing a catharanthus at home from seeds for seedlings, you need to study the planting rules. The future decorativeness of the culture depends on the work done correctly at the stage of preparation.

Selection of containers

For sowing, select low, wide containers. To do this, use wooden boxes, plastic containers, cassettes. The containers must have drainage holes.

The seeds can also be sown in peat tablets. In this case, the seedlings adapt more easily when transplanted into the main container, since there is no violation of the root system.

Soil preparation

The substrate is selected lightweight, breathable and permeable. The seeds will develop well in the soil for pelargoniums. You can buy it at a flower shop or make your own from the following ingredients:

• turf and leafy land;
• humus;
• peat;
• river sand.

For disinfection, the substrate must be calcined in an oven at a low temperature.

Soaking and disinfecting seeds

To prevent the appearance of diseases, the seed is soaked for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are dried by placing them on a paper towel. Then they are soaked in an immunomodulating solution.

You can take Epin as a stimulant. It is diluted at the rate of 3 drops of the substance per 100 grams of water. The seeds are placed in the solution 2-3 hours before planting.

Step by step process of sowing seeds at home

The prepared seed is planted as follows:

• drainage from small stones, broken brick, perlite is laid on the bottom of the container;
• on ют fill with substrate;
• make grooves 1.5 centimeters deep, spread seeds in them;
• fall asleep, spray with water from a spray bottle;
• cover with glass or film.

The creation of greenhouse conditions will contribute to the friendly germination of seeds.

For sowing catharanthus, select a shallow container

Conditions for seed germination

The container with crops is brought into a room with an air temperature of 23-25 ​​° C. Watering is done as needed. When shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to 20-22 ° C.

Covering material is removed every day to ventilate the container with crops. The walls of the container and the film are wiped with a dry cloth to remove moisture droplets. If this is not done, the seedlings can be affected by fungal diseases. After sprouting, the covering material is removed.

Seed germination schedule

About 2 weeks after sowing the catharanthus, the first shoots will appear. Their terrestrial part is formed slowly at first, as the root system grows. A month later, young bushes begin to actively develop.

Seedling care

In order for young catharanthus bushes to grow quickly, not to be exposed to diseases, diseases and pests, they need to be provided with an environment close to the natural growing conditions.

Water the plants carefully so as not to damage the delicate stems.

Watering

Since the seedlings are thin, weak, they are watered carefully. You can use a narrow-necked watering can. You need to try to keep moisture out of the leaves.

They irrigate the ground after the top layer dries. In 20-30 minutes after watering, the excess liquid is poured from the pan. The water is used warm, settled.

Top dressing

Seedlings are fed twice a month. Use ready-made formulations designed to fertilize beautifully flowering plants. The working solution is made according to the instructions on the preparation.

Before applying top dressing, the ground is watered. Otherwise, the root system may be burned.

Lighting

Seedling containers are placed in a well-lit place. The bushes will develop well on the south or west side of the house. On a hot afternoon, plants need to be shaded, otherwise they may die from direct sunlight.

Air humidity

Catharanthus likes high humidity. Therefore, a vessel with water is placed next to the container. The grown bushes can be sprayed with warm water. To increase the humidity, the container can be placed in a pallet with moistened expanded clay or pebbles.

Temperature

The comfortable temperature for seedlings is 22-23 ° С. Small differences in one direction or another are allowed. The main thing is that they are not too harsh. If the catharanthus hibernates indoors, it is allowed to be kept at a temperature of 15-16 ° C.

Scheme and timing of the pick

When 4 true leaves are formed on the plants, they begin to pick. The containers are selected small, their diameter should not exceed 8-9 centimeters. The transplant is carried out carefully, since the damaged root system takes a long time to recover.

Step-by-step execution of a pick:

• the pots are filled with a loose substrate consisting of sod and leafy soil, peat, river sand, perlite;
• carefully remove the bushes from the planting box;
• planted in prepared containers;
• the ground is slightly crushed, watered with warm water.

After the appearance of the 4th leaf, the bushes are planted in small containers

Plant pots are placed in a well-lit place. If necessary, supplement with phytolamps. After 10 days, young bushes are fed.

When to plant catharanthus seedlings in open ground

A flower can be planted on the site in the spring, after the threat of recurrent frosts has passed. The soil should warm up to 20 ° C. The landing site is selected sunny or slightly shaded.

Catharanthus in the garden

Catharanthus bushes are planted at a distance of at least 20-25 centimeters from each other. From spring to early autumn, the plants are looked after: watered, fed, loosened the ground. For the winter, the bushes can be dug up, planted in pots, kept indoors until spring.

Catharanthus is an ornamental plant similar to periwinkle. Planted in open ground, it will become a flower bed decoration. An ampel plant will look beautiful in a pot. Its hanging lashes with flowers of various colors will look spectacular on the terrace, balcony, loggia.