Lisianthus - an exquisite and unusually beautiful plant - appeared in our country relatively recently. Other names by which the Lisianthus flower is known are eustoma, as well as "Irish" or "Japanese rose". Such qualities as a variety of varieties, shades and a long life of Lisianthus have been highly appreciated by professional florists. Boutonnieres, floral wreaths and bracelets, a luxurious eustoma bridal bouquet - these accessories are at the peak of popularity today.
But amateur gardeners will also like Lisianthus. This article contains tips and tricks for flower growers planning to start growing lisianthus plants, photos of flowers. How to grow an "Irish rose"?
Lisianthus feels good in the garden, and at room conditions this original plant can serve as a home decoration for many years. What do you need to know for those who decide to grow lisianthus (see the photo of flowers in the article)?
Features of cultivation
- Lisianthus flower can be perennial only if grown indoors. In open ground, eustoma lives for one year, dying in autumn not only in the regions of central Russia, but also in the south of the country.
- Irish roses require uniform, nutritious, loose soil with little sand. A mixture of peat, sand and humus from tree bark is optimal. The substrate can be mixed independently or purchased ready-made slightly acidic soil for Saintpaulia. In the latter case, gardeners recommend growing eustoma on peat tablets.
- It is extremely important to use the right fertilizer for the seeds - a fertilizer with a high content of potassium and nitrogen.
- Irish rose is a photophilous plant. The flower grows best in a well-lit and ventilated room at temperatures up to 18 degrees. Hot direct sunlight eustome contraindicated.
- You can not use top dressing with a high content of phosphorus for eustoma.
Methods of getting shoots
Unlike roses, getting a new plant from cuttings is almost impossible. In order to grow a Lisianthus flower, you need to buy a ready-made shoot or plant seeds in a store or through special sites.
It is enough to transplant the finished seedlings of eustoma into a flower pot of a suitable size or plant it in the ground and provide care. The methods for growing from seeds of the delicate Irish rose for the garden or as a houseplant are somewhat different. First, let's look at howget a lisianthus flower from seeds, which is planned to be grown at home.
Growing from seeds at home
The first difficulty that can be encountered is the very small size of eustoma seeds (about 10,000 seeds are contained in one gram of material). There is a little trick for uniform sowing of Lisianthus: small seeds are mixed with a small amount of well-sifted clean, dry sand. Often, for the convenience of buyers, Lisianthus seeds are sold in a special "capsule" of nutrient material and fertilizer, 6-10 pieces per package. Such seed has high germination and does not need additional feeding.
Lisianthus seeds begin to germinate in the second or third week of February. Fill a ceramic pot with drainage holes as follows:
- Drainage layer (regular expanded clay will do).
- Soil substrate. In this case, leave a distance of 1-2 cm from the edge of the pot to the ground for air circulation.
Seeds without a shell are sown without sprinkling soil on top, and sprinkled with warm water. Seeds in the shell are placed in the top layer of soil at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other. From above, the pot should be covered with a transparent film or glass, be sure to leave gaps for air. Condensation that accumulates on the surface of the coating must be removed.
For the entire period of germination, the air temperature in the room should be within 20-25 degrees. Watering the seeds is not required. Primingoccasionally sprayed with warm water to prevent drying of the soil.
The first shoots of Lisianthus appear in 10-15 days. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the coating (glass or film) must be removed during the day so that the seedlings gradually adapt to external conditions, and the soil is saturated with oxygen.
Picking
Young plants dive at 6-8 weeks. By this time, the flower will get stronger, several pairs of leaves will appear. Shoots are dived into small individual containers with a peat substrate along with a clod of soil. If natural small seeds were used for sowing, it is better to dive plants in 4-6 pieces. Shoots obtained from seeds in the "capsule" can be dived one at a time. Next, the pots are placed in a shaded cool room with an air temperature of no more than 18-20 degrees.
Care and watering
Young plants that have grown up to 10 cm in length are transplanted into separate flower pots with a diameter of 10-15 cm. Lisianthus roots are too tender, it is highly undesirable to transplant a flower in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately select pots of the right size.
For the same reason, Lisianthus is transplanted exclusively by transshipment:
- Ground for planting is being prepared in the flower pot. A hole is made in the center, corresponding in depth to the height of the dive container.
- Gently pressing on the container with the plant, the flower is taken out together with the soil and placed in a flower pot. It is very important not to damage the root system.
- Earth aroundplants are slightly crushed to fix the eustoma in the pot.
After transplanting, eustoma flowers need to create comfortable conditions for growth. Plants should be placed in a well-ventilated room with an air temperature of 20-25 degrees during the day, 15-18 degrees at night. You need to water the flower once every few days, as soon as the soil dries out 5 cm deep. Watering is carried out carefully, using a spray gun, without overflowing the plant and trying not to spray water on the leaves.
Don't forget about the right lighting. Lisianthus is best grown in a well-lit area near a window, out of direct sunlight.
How to grow Irish rose seedlings for the garden?
In the summer, not only the room, but also the flower beds in the garden can be decorated with blooming lisianthus. How to grow an Irish rose outdoors?
In order to grow Lisianthus seedlings that are as adapted to outdoor conditions as possible, you need a small greenhouse. The step-by-step procedure for germinating seedlings in a greenhouse is as follows:
- Seeds are sown in March - April.
- The greenhouse is placed in a place with good lighting, not exposed to direct sunlight.
- A layer of peat substrate about 2-3 cm, warmed up to 22-25 degrees, is introduced under the coating. Lisianthus seeds are planted on the surface of the soil. To moisten the soil, it is sometimes necessary to sprinkle it with water, but most often the soil remains damp throughout the germination period due to evaporation of moisture.
- For the germination periodseeds need additional illumination with a fluorescent lamp for at least 10 hours a day.
- As the seedlings grow, if weather conditions allow, the plants begin to adapt to the external environment. To do this, the greenhouse is ventilated during the day through several openings-windows.
- Crops are recommended to be periodically treated with a solution of phytosporin - this will avoid infection with the "black leg".
- After 6 weeks, the shoots are dived in the manner described above. You can store containers with young plants in a greenhouse.
When and how to properly plant seedlings in open ground?
Lisianthus is not planted in open ground until the end of May, after the last frost. The soil for flowers should be prepared: add wood humus and mineral fertilizers, loosen thoroughly. For transplanting, choose a sunny place in the garden, protected from the wind.
Lisianthus should be planted out of the container into the ground together with the soil, without damaging the root system. For the first time, 10-15 days, a small shelter is created for the plants. After the flowers have fully adapted, the protective cover can be removed.
Caring for Lisianthus in the garden
It is recommended to water Lisianthus using a garden watering can, trying not to get on the leaves. The rule of watering is unchanged: do not overdry and do not flood. Regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers containing trace elements is necessary, about once every three or fourweeks. If necessary, weeding and loosening can be done, but being careful not to damage the roots of plants.
To prolong the life of Lisianthus, a garden plant in autumn can be transplanted into a flower pot and transferred to the house. If you create the conditions described above for the Irish rose, the eustoma will last for several years.
Of course, in addition to watering and comfortable conditions, Lisianthus, like many other indoor plants, will need careful care. For the Irish rose, it is necessary to use dressings at least once a month. You should also treat the plant in a timely manner, carry out pest control. But this hard work will not go unrewarded. A delicate and graceful Lisianthus flower will delight the owner for years, bringing comfort to the interior and serving as a home decoration.
