After the lobelia has sprouted, its tender young sprouts require careful, special care. If you neglect it, then when planting in the ground, the bush will grow feeble, will not bloom in time or will not bloom at all, and in the worst case, the sprouts will die within one day.
Lobelia seedling care
It is necessary to take into account all the factors affecting the development of the plant, since if at least one is not taken into account, the gardener risks losing seedlings. Sowing should begin in February-March, however, it is worth considering that with February samples it will be much more trouble, while they will bloom not much earlier than March. 5-10 days after sowing seeds, seedlings already appear.
Shine
After the lobelia seeds have sprouted, an additional light source is needed, especially planted in the winter.
Fluorescent lamps are great for this. If you do not organize it, the sprouts will be frail and elongated. Even in spring, artificial lighting will be extremely useful. So, in March it is worth additionally covering seedlings for 4-5 hours daily, and in April - 2-3 hours. Preferred diffused lighting. It is worth shading the plant with gauze when strong sunlight falls on it.
Watering
Thin and frail seedlings of lobelia will cling to the ground during traditional watering and will no longer be able to rise. You can carefully lift them, but it would be wiser to prevent water from entering their stems and leaves. Such measures will exclude the possibility of black leg disease in a young plant. Planting with bushes can greatly facilitate further watering. Using a thin tool, make holes in the soil and fill the water with a syringe. The soil can evenly soak and be sufficiently moistened, while the fragile stems of the plant will remain intact. If the container is not large, water can be dispensed from the syringe along the wall, and the result will be the same. Such measures are relevant only the first 2-3 weeks of cultivation, then the seedlings will grow stronger. It is important to observe moderate watering, because if there is too much water in the pan, the plant will become ill, and excessive drying of the soil will inhibit the development of the seedling.
Pick
It is preliminarily recommended to water the container with seedlings; it also needs to be moistened in advance and a new container with soil. Then you should dive seedlings, which have already managed to grow up and acquire a pair of leaves. Usually they are at least 1 month old. The process is carried out immediately for the group, for this a bush is taken with a garden spatula and placed in a glass. With a dense growth of seedlings - the soil is separated together with seedlings and planted in a large container. Then you need to slightly fill the plant with soil and carefully compact it. After such an operation, the sunshine is contraindicated for several days and it will be better to leave it in the shade, not forgetting to water it. The Energen preparation, diluted at the rate of 7 drops per 1 liter of water, will help to get accustomed to the plant.
Topping
When the already transplanted seedlings are assimilated and grow by a few centimeters, it must be nipped. The easiest option is to cut off all the tops with scissors at once. The procedure will contribute to the development of the root system and the dense growth of the plant. If you repeat this operation several times, a large, saturated bush will grow.
Top dressing
Lobelia 1 month old already needs fertilizing with fertilizers. Universal ones are suitable, but when they are introduced into the soil, concentration should be taken into account. For young lobelia, saturation should be 2-3 times less than recommended for an adult. You can increase the speed of seedlings germination by spraying the soil with solutions of such drugs as: Zircon, Epin.
Quenching
Hardening of the plant is carried out 1-2 weeks before planting it in the ground. At a temperature outside of not lower than + 10 ° С, the flower can be taken out for several minutes.
Further, the time spent in the fresh air is gradually increasing. Ultimately, the flower is left for a whole day, subject to the absence of frost and rainfall.
Mr. Dachnik warns: mistakes due to which the sprouts of lobelia die
It is important not to make mistakes when caring for young sprouts of lobelia:
- Seedlings will not survive watering with a watering can, spray gun and similar methods. The best option is to pour water into their sump or use a syringe.
- Seedlings are demanding on temperature conditions. So, sharp changes and drafts are fatal for her. However, the room with the sprouts must be ventilated, for this time it is necessary to place the seedlings in another place. Favorable temperature range for lobelia + 17 ... 18 ° C, together with a high moisture content in the air.
- The use of tweezers or toothpicks is permissible when diving, but the process may be delayed and may be too difficult for the gardener. There is an alternative, not complicated method: cut the “turf” with a tool like a spoon into small parts and place in separate small containers equipped with drainage holes. Do not dive earlier than a month after emergence. During this period, you should not feed the plant.
- Before planting lobelia seedlings in acidic soil, it is better to add wood ash to it, dolomite flour is also suitable. Screening the soil immediately before placing seeds in it will not be out of place.
- When the first shoots appear - you do not need to sharply remove the film, it is better to stretch this process for several days, gradually opening the surface. Otherwise, the plant may die quickly.
- After removing the film, it is worth sprinkling the soil with sandy soil with the addition of vermiculite. Such measures contribute to reliable coverage of the roots and prevent excessive elongation of the plant.
- You can disinfect the ground for lobelia simply by holding it in the cold or roasting in a microwave. Light and friable soil substrate without humus admixture is ideal.
- Conventional seedling boxes are not suitable as a lobelia container; a shallow, transparent plastic container with holes made in the bottom and sides is ideal.
Despite proper care, lobelia often has a black leg. To combat the disease, you can use:
- 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide (3%);
- Powdered activated carbon;
- Manganese solution of low concentration;
- Calcined river sand;
- Metronidazole solution (1 tablet per 1 liter of water).
