Eustoma - growing from seeds at home
Content:
Indoor eustoma is a flowering plant that has gained popularity not so long ago. Its flowers resemble roses in shape, but the petals are softer, and there is a kind of funnel in the center. The plant has a two-year life cycle. The process of growing eustoma from seeds is long and laborious, so in order to master it, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules.
Eustoma - growing from seeds at home
Eustoma is also called the "Irish rose"
Many novice growers ask themselves: is it possible to grow lisianthus or eustoma as a houseplant? This is due to the fact that there are a huge number of varieties of this plant, but for growing at home, you need to choose compact species, no more than 25 cm high. The Florida or Medmate series is best suited for this.
How and when to sow seeds for seedlings
Eustoma, which is grown from seeds at home, requires strict implementation of all recommendations, otherwise the seedlings will die at the initial stage of development. Therefore, you must first familiarize yourself with all the rules to avoid serious mistakes.
Approximate sowing dates
When growing room eustoma from seeds at home, planting should be carried out in the second half of December. This is due to the fact that at the initial stage, the development of seedlings in a plant is slowed down. Planting so early makes it possible to get well-developed seedlings by May.
The choice of capacity and preparation of soil
For planting, wide containers with a height of no more than 7 cm are required. They must have drainage holes to remove excess water. Soil for growing eustoma from seeds can be purchased at the store. There is no special soil mixture for this plant, so a substrate for violets is suitable.
However, if desired, the soil can be prepared independently. To do this, you need to combine garden soil, sand, peat in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. Additionally, 100 g of wood ash and the same amount of perlite should be added to the soil mixture.
2-3 days before sowing, it is necessary to disinfect the soil. To do this, it can be baked in the oven for 15 minutes. or pour a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Presowing seed treatment
Lisianthus seeds are very small, like those of a petunia. Therefore, they are sold in granular form, which greatly facilitates the planting process. The protective layer applied by the manufacturer includes a growth promoter, fungicide and fertilizer. Therefore, the seeds of room eustoma do not need additional pre-sowing treatment.
Growing room eustoma takes patience
Direct sowing
Planting eustoma and providing care at home is not difficult if you follow all the recommendations. Immediately before sowing, it is necessary to rinse the prepared containers with a solution of potassium permanganate.This will minimize the likelihood of developing fungal diseases when growing seedlings.
Step-by-step algorithm of actions when landing:
- Lay a drainage layer 0.5-1.0 cm thick on the bottom of the container.
- Fill the rest of the volume with nutritious soil mixture.
- Smooth the soil surface.
- Water and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed.
- Using a toothpick, spread each granulated eustoma seed at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other and lightly press down to the ground.
- Moisten the surface with a spray bottle to break the integrity of the protective shell.
At the end of the procedure, it is necessary to cover the containers with foil or glass and put them in a bright place with a temperature of + 22 ... + 24 degrees. For successful germination, you need to provide 12-hour daylight hours. Therefore, in the evening, you should turn on the lamps. With this mode, the first shoots appear 10-12 days after planting. During this time, the containers should be constantly ventilated and, if necessary, the soil should be moistened with a spray bottle.
Eustoma seeds germinate in the light
Care of eustoma seedlings after sowing
After friendly shoots appear, the temperature of the content must be reduced to +20 degrees. This will slow down the growth of the aerial part and activate the development of the root system. At the initial stage, Lisianthus seedlings develop very slowly.
When the seedlings get a little stronger, it is necessary to adapt them to external conditions. To do this, for the first time, you need to remove the shelter for 30 minutes, and with each subsequent day, increase this interval by another half hour. After a week of such adaptation, the seedlings can be fully opened without fear that they will fall.
In the future, you should adhere to the standard rules of care. Seedlings should be watered as the topsoil dries up. Do not overflow or dry out the roots, as the seedlings may die. You should also periodically spray the plants with a spray bottle to help ensure the required moisture level.
When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, it is necessary to dive them into separate containers with a diameter of 6-7 cm.Do not delay this procedure, since overgrown plants can easily damage the overgrown root system, which will negatively affect their further development.
The pick should be done on time
For transplanting, you should prepare a nutritious soil mixture. It should consist of the following components:
- 2 pieces of turf;
- 1 part peat;
- 1 part sand;
- 1 part coconut substrate.
When replanting, containers must be filled with earth and then watered. Make a hole in the center so that the root system of the seedling can easily fit into it. When planting, plants cannot be buried. At the end, it is necessary to gently pour over the edge of the container with the solution of the drug "Fitosporin", which will avoid the development of root rot.
Transplanting eustoma into pots and caring for it
After the seedlings have grown to a height of 10 cm, and their root system has fully mastered the seedling containers, it is necessary to transplant them into permanent pots. They must be 12-14 cm in diameter and at least 15 cm high.
Drainage should be poured into the bottom of the container with a layer of 2 cm. Then sprinkle it with a substrate similar to that of a pick. Next, you should carefully remove the seedling from the previous container, without damaging the earthen ball on the roots. Place it in the center, and fill the resulting voids with new soil, without deepening the root collar. At the end of the procedure, the plant is watered.
After you managed to plant eustoma in permanent pots, you need to keep the plants in a shaded place for 2 days so that they can quickly survive stress and grow.
Caring for the plant on the window
To grow eustoma in the house, you need to properly care for it.Therefore, you should study the rules for keeping this flower in advance so that it can subsequently please with its abundant flowering. Growing and caring for room eustoma requires proper watering and dressing. You should also study how to properly shape the crown of the plant, and how to ensure a dormant period.
Watering features
Water the flower sparingly, but do not allow the roots to dry out, as this can lead to death. To do this, use settled water at room temperature. Watering is carried out 1 time in 3-4 days, and in hot periods - every other day. Between irrigations, the soil in the pot should have time to dry out to a depth of 1.5-2.0 cm.
Indoor eustoma does not respond well to overflow
In addition, you should periodically spray the leaves to increase the humidity of the air. In summer, at high temperatures, it is necessary to additionally place containers with water next to the eustoma pot, which will increase the evaporation area.
Top dressing
You need to fertilize the room eustoma regularly. During the period of growing shoots, it is necessary to use fertilizing with a high nitrogen content. And when the plant begins to form buds, fertilizers with an increased content of phosphorus and potassium should be applied. It is these components that contribute to abundant flowering and enhance the intensity of the color of the petals.
Top dressing should be done once every 2 weeks. To do this, use liquid solutions intended for flowering crops. You can buy them at any specialty store.
Formation and pruning of the crown
To improve the bushiness of the plant, it is necessary to periodically trim the shoots that knock them out of the total mass of the plant. These cuttings can then be used for propagation. They should be planted in peat tablets.
But since cuttings of eustoma root poorly, they need to provide favorable conditions. To do this, you need to put them in a mini-greenhouse and control the humidity of the air and soil. But even with this maintenance regime, eustoma cuttings may not take root. Therefore, it is better to use the seed method to breed this flower.
Cardinal crown pruning can be carried out only at the end of flowering, when the plant enters the dormant stage.
Eustoma buds fade with a lack of light
Dormant period of room eustoma: care after flowering
Lisianthus blooms until the end of September. Therefore, in October, it is necessary to cut the shoots to a height of 2-3 internodes. After that, the pot with the plant must be transferred to a room with a temperature of + 10 ... + 15 degrees and a humidity of about 60-70%. In such conditions, the eustoma should be all winter.
During dormancy, the plant is recommended to be watered very sparingly in order to prevent drying out and rotting of the roots. Therefore, moisturizing should be carried out once every 3-4 weeks. At the beginning of March, the pots with eustoma need to be rearranged to their usual place in the house.
Preserving this flower in the winter requires a lot of effort from the grower. After all, any mistake in the care and maintenance can lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, the potted eustoma is often grown as an annual crop.
Lisianthus or Irish rose is a unique flower that can be grown as a houseplant in low-growing varieties. But in order to grow seedlings, you must clearly adhere to all recommendations. This will allow you to get well-developed seedlings that will delight with their flowering throughout the warm season.
