As soon as the summer season begins on the balconies and loggias of the apartments, you can see unusual blue clouds - this is an ampel lobelia of the Sapphire variety. This plant is perennial, but in the middle zone it does not tolerate winter, and therefore multiplies by seeds. To please yourself with this luxurious flower will take quite a bit of effort.
Cultivation of ampel lobelia "Sapphire" from seeds
Since the process of sowing and subsequent care for the flowers of the ampel lobelia "Sapphire" is quite long, it is necessary to start sowing at the end of January. If you do not miss the time, then in June and until the coldest you can admire the small blue flowers, collected in a weightless cloud on the shoots to 45 cm in length.
To be sure of the germination of the seed, it is necessary to buy it in the tested outlets. Everyone knows the agrofirma "Aelita", which packs the seeds of lapelia ampelnaya "Sapphire" in branded bags, and guarantees the quality of its goods.
Seeds of lobelia are tiny - a little more than a speck of dust. To evenly distribute them on the surface of the soil they are mixed with river sand. The soil for the seedlings should be light, but without peat, since this plant, in the presence of nitrogen in the soil, actively increases the green mass to the detriment of flowering. Seeds with sand are spread over the surface, not deepening.
To ensure that the seeds of the lobelia give friendly shoots, intensive lighting and temperatures of less than 20 ° C will be required. The box is covered with glass or transparent film and put on a warm sunny window sill. No less than the sun for seeds, soil moisture is important. After sowing, it is moistened from the spray gun, and all the time it is monitored for its condition, not allowing it to dry out.
After 1-2 weeks, the first thick shoots appear, and 2-3 more seedlings can be dived. It is advisable to transplant plants at once for several pieces, so that the ampel bush is more voluminous. The seedlings require a high soil moisture during the whole vegetation period, while maintaining a temperature of about 15 ° C.