Lobelia cascade or Cascade is considered the second most popular species. Its long hanging shoots form a beautiful spherical bush.
Description of Lobelia Cascade
Small flowers of white, blue, purple, blue and even lilac-pink (diameter about 1 cm) color completely cover the plant. This is an annual plant, unpretentious in care. He loves sunny places and moist soil, but can grow in shady areas. It blooms to the very frosts. It tolerates temperatures up to -10 ° C. Lack of moisture and high temperature can interfere with flowering.
It looks good in areas combined with various bright summer plants (chamomile, bellflower, petunia).
Growing and caring for the cascade lobelia
To grow this beautiful plant, you need to study the features and care requirements. This applies to all stages of flower development. Having become acquainted with them, you can start a lobelia and enjoy beautiful views all summer.
Breeding lobelia
Lobelia is bred at home with seeds. This is a rather time-consuming process due to the microscopic dimensions, more like dust. For planting, you can purchase seeds in granules or lay them on a cloth. Soil for sowing is prepared in advance, for which a mixture of sand and earth is used in equal proportions, to which 0.5 parts of humus is added. Be sure to take loose soil so that there are no obstacles to the free access of water and air. Before sowing, it is necessary to disinfect the earth, warming it in a microwave. The development of plants at the initial stage is a long process, therefore they are planted in a greenhouse or in specially prepared containers at the end of winter.
The surface of the earth is covered with glass, but do not fall asleep and sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate. It is better to plant seeds rarely to prevent the sprouts from stretching out very much. After about 10 days, the first sprouts will appear, which must be transplanted into the hole for 3-5 pcs.
The most important at this stage is watering. You can not overmoisten the soil, because this can lead to rotting and death of plants.
Growing and caring for seedlings
After about a month, two real leaves will be visible, which means that it is time to carry out a picking. Seedlings are divided using a pointed stick, and planted in other containers (per 1 m2 no more than 10 bunches). At a height of 3 cm, you must definitely pinch the top of the shoot. Such care and plant growth will allow you to get fluffy bushes for planting in open ground.
As a top dressing of seedlings and plants, organic substances diluted with mullein or nettle infusion in a ratio of 1:10 are used. They have a good effect on growth, but their excess can give poor flowering. In addition to fertilizers, plants require good watering and loosening of the soil, and in dry weather it is advisable to do this even more intensively.
Planting young lobelia in the open ground
In open ground, seedlings are recommended to be planted in mid-May, when the threat of frost passes. Between plants, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 15 cm, and it is advisable to plant it in moist, humus-saturated soil. The first flowers appear in early June, and flowering continues until the end of August. At the end of summer, if the bushes are cut in time, mineral fertilizers are added to the soil, then the plants will bloom before the frost begins.
This unpretentious, not suffering from cold snap and blooming all summer plant. It can be seen in the garden and garden, where it grows beautifully along paths and flower beds. Very often, lobelia is planted in special flowerpots on the verandas, in boxes on balconies, where it pleases others with its beautiful flowering.
