Calibracha is an ampel plant, the closest relative of petunia.
At a young age, sprouts are quite vulnerable and require careful treatment of themselves. Growing caliberhoa from seeds is not easy.
Sowing Caliberhoa Seeds
To sow seeds begin in late February - early March. Early planting dates allow you to get a flowering plant in May.
Preparation of soil for seedlings caliberhoa
You can sow seeds in any loose substrate for indoor plants. But experienced gardeners from the fall have been harvesting soil for planting.
The composition of the soil mixture includes:
• mature humus;
• garden land;
• sand.
The components are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1: 2 and left to freeze in prepared containers.
Before sowing, the soil is brought into the house and treated from pests and infections. To do this, the soil is roasted in the oven and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.
In addition, caliberhoa can be grown in peat tablets. This method is more suitable for beginners, since you do not need to dive seedlings.
Sowing seeds of caliberhoa seedlings
Caliberhoa seeds are similar to petunia seeds, they are quite small, which greatly complicates the sowing process. It is better for beginners to purchase processed seeds in the form of yeast.
Sowing containers are filled with soil mixture and slightly moisten it from the spray gun. Seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of the soil, not sprinkling with soil.
Advice! To evenly distribute the seeds, mix them with sand or snow. You can also pour seeds on a white sheet of paper and take them with a toothpick soaked in water.
After sowing, the soil surface is moistened from the spray gun and the container is covered with glass. For germination the seeds of caliberhoa need light and heat. Therefore, seedling cassettes are located in the most lit place, where the temperature is maintained at 22C. The first sprouts are noticeable in a week. After the appearance of mass shoots, the glass is removed and seedlings are sprayed as necessary.
Cultivation of caliberhoa: care and picking seedlings (photo)
If the seeds are sown in peat tablets, then picking a seedling can not be done. All other seedlings need mandatory thinning and picking.
Three to four weeks after emergence, seedlings dive into separate spacious containers. The procedure is carried out carefully, lifting the plant along with a lump of earth, and placing it in a new pot. Picking contributes to the development of the root system.
Further care for caliber is reduced to watering and top dressing. The plant does not tolerate soil moisture, so it is watered by irrigation several times a day.
Important! To make the plant form a lush bush, pinch it regularly.
The first feeding of seedlings is carried out 10-14 days after the pick. For abundant flowering, caliber hoa needs additional nutrition. Seedlings are fed with complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. To prepare the solution, the dose is halved so as not to burn the delicate roots of the plant.
Difficulties in growing calibracho seedlings
Growing caliberhoa from seeds, very often gardeners face a number of difficulties.
So, what will beginners have to face?
1. The seeds of this plant germinate very poorly. Experienced gardeners resort to various tricks and soak them in a potassium permanganate solution. You can use drugs such as "Epin" or "Zircon". Soaked planting material is not a day, and then dried on fabric. But even such treatment does not guarantee that germination will increase.
2. Calibrachoa blooms poorly. The soil for planting should be as nutritious and loose, breathable. To do this, it is not only diluted with humus and sand, but perlite is also added. In addition, every week the plant is fed with preparations with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.
3. Seedlings grow poorly and wither. An important point in growing calibraho seedlings is maintaining high humidity around the plant. To this end, the pots are closed with a film or bag, regularly irrigate the flower from the spray gun.
Caring for Calibraoa in the Garden
Caliberhoa seedlings are best planted in hanging flower pots that decorate terraces, balconies and gardens. It is worth noting that the seedlings are very capricious, and you can take it out onto the street no earlier than May.
Heat and light are very important for the full growth of the plant. Give the flower the most lighted place, but do not forget to water. Caliberhoa does not bloom in the shade and looks dull. You can place a flower pot with a plant near the south wall of the house.
In addition, the caliber is afraid of drafts and cold winds. They are able to break the delicate stems of the plant. For this reason, most often the flower is grown indoors.
An adult plant needs space and fertile soil. One plant will require up to 3 kg of loose substrate. A mature humus or compost will help enrich the store soil mixture.
Important! As the plant grows, pinch and dry flowers are removed. This will form a lush bush and extend flowering.
Water the adult plant carefully, trying not to moisten the soil too much. Fertilizing is carried out every week with a solution of mineral fertilizers.
So, when caring for caliber, it is important to follow the basic rules:
• systematically water;
• trim in a timely manner;
• regularly feed;
• Provide enough light and heat.
Calibrachoa is a moody but beautiful flower. Using all the advice of experienced gardeners, growing it will not be a hassle.
Growing caliberhoa from cuttings
It does not make sense to collect caliberhoa seeds for further cultivation. The plant does not preserve parental qualities and you will grow flowers that are completely different in color and shape.
It is better to propagate calibracho by cuttings yourself. This method gives the best result. Cuttings about 7 cm long will be required.
1. Cuttings are cut from the mother plant in the spring.
2. The lower part of the handle is exposed, breaking off the leaves.
3. Process the slice in the root solution.
4. Plant cuttings in moist soil.
5. Place a container with cuttings in a greenhouse.
Every day, the greenhouse must be aired and watered plants as needed. In the future, seedlings are taken care of as usual.
Plants grown in this way tolerate winter well at home and are again used for cuttings.
Popular among gardeners varieties of caliberhoa
The number of varieties of this plant is very large, many of them tolerate the climate of the middle strip quite well.
The most popular variety among caliber lovers "Kablum blue". The bushes are low up to 35 cm, the flowers are small, bright blue with a yellow eye in the center. Sowing is carried out in early March, the seeds do not need to be soaked to stimulate growth. Suitable for growing by beginners.
Grade "Million bells"also popular among gardeners.
Petals of the plant are colored in blue, purple or lilac color. Ampel plant, the shoots of which reach a length of 1 meter. In addition, the sowing of seeds is carried out immediately in the soil, without subjecting them to processing in growth stimulants. Breeders have bred new varieties of this plant with pink, red, yellow and white petals. But they are grown only by cuttings.
