Content
Physalis is believed to be a perennial plant, but in Russia it is better known as an annual, and its reproduction often occurs by self-sowing. Growing physalis from seeds at home does not contain any difficulties. Anyone who knows how to grow tomatoes or peppers can do an exotic plant with its beautiful fruits, similar to bright red lanterns.
Features of growing physalis from seeds at home
Despite the fact that physalis comes from sunny warm places, it is an unpretentious plant in terms of climate. Its cultivation at home can be done in any region of Russia.
For this, sowing is carried out in spring or autumn directly into the open ground. You can start growing seedlings at home, and when the heat comes, transplant the seedlings to the site. But if there is no such site, then physalis can be grown in a pot on a windowsill or balcony. With proper care, this plant will grow, bloom and bear fruit.
Sowing dates
Physalis is a mid-season in terms of ripening. It gives the first fruits 110-115 days after planting seeds in the spring for seedlings.
Seeds are planted in open ground in the spring, when it is warm and there will be no return frosts. In different regions of Russia, this weather occurs at different times. In autumn, seeds are planted in the ground on the basis that frosts have not yet come, but are about to come. The plant will have time to start growing, will not come to the surface and will remain in the ground for the whole winter.
Sowing in pots or boxes at home for growing seedlings should be carried out within a time frame calculated for the plant to stay at home before planting in open ground for at least 30 days.
If the plant is grown for permanent residence at home, then sowing is carried out in March with the onset of spring.
How to grow physalis at home
Physalis seedlings can be bought in the store, and when the heat comes, plant them on the site or in a pot if the plant will live at home. But growing this culture yourself at home is not difficult. Physalis is unpretentious, frost-resistant, drought-resistant, does not require special maintenance.
Selection and preparation of a container for planting
There are 2 main ways of growing at home: with a pick and without a pick at a permanent place.
If transplantation is not foreseen in the future, then it is necessary to prepare pots or boxes for the loggia, plant 2-3 seeds in them, so that later leave the strongest sprout. You can also use peat tablets.
When planning a pick, a large plastic or wooden box is prepared, designed for all seedlings.
Drainage should be provided in pots and planting boxes.
Seed preparation
Physalis germinates quickly without much preparation. But if there is a doubt that dry seeds may not germinate in the soil or you want them to germinate 3-4 days after sowing, then they need to be prepared a little:
- Rinse, then hold for 20-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
- Rinse again, put the seeds between layers of wet cotton pads, gauze, napkins for their germination in a humid environment. Place in a warm place.
After 2-3 days, they will begin to hatch. If you put dry seeds in the soil, then their germination will be delayed for a week.
Soil preparation
For planting and growing at home, you can take purchased soil intended for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or for decorative plants. It contains mineral fertilizers.
If you want the soil to be free of chemical mineral additives, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need to mix peat, humus, soil from the site and sand in a ratio of 4: 2: 2: 1.
Before planting the seeds, it is recommended to warm the prepared soil in the oven at a temperature of +700C for half an hour. It is not necessary to raise the temperature higher in order to preserve the useful properties of the earth.
Landing rules
There are no special rules for growing a crop. The procedure is the same as for any garden crops. After preparing the planting material, soil and container, you must proceed as follows:
- Put soil in a container, slightly moisten it.
- Make a 1-2 cm depression, put seeds there, cover with earth.
- Drizzle with warm water, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place.
You do not have to make depressions for planting material, but spread it on the surface, sprinkling it with 1 cm of earth on top.Every day you need to ventilate the sowing by removing the film. When the sprouts begin to appear, the film must be removed, the container with the seedlings must be exposed to the sun.
Physalis care at home in a pot
At home, growing physalis in a pot gives a bush that, with the right care and, depending on the variety, can grow from 50 cm to 1 m in height. Therefore, the plant needs a garter. How and when to do it, you need to decide for yourself.
Physalis pickling is usually not done, because the cultivation is carried out to obtain fruits. The more stems there are, the more flowers and fruit bolls it will have. To make the physalis grow bushy, pinch the tops of the shoots.
It is better to put the container on the south side, east or west. If there is not enough light, then it is recommended to additionally turn on the phytolamp. The room must be regularly ventilated.
After watering, the soil in the pot must be loosened periodically. Physalis rarely suffers from insect pests at home, but late blight can get sick.
Watering and feeding
Physalis is considered a drought-resistant plant, but for its full-fledged cultivation, it is necessary that the soil is not dry. Watering should be done regularly, about 1-2 times a week and make sure that the water in the ground does not stagnate. For this, drainage is provided.
Feeding with mineral complexes should be carried out 2 times a month immediately after the pick and stop when the fruits ripen. You can use mineral sticks or standard granulated food such as "Flower".
Dive
The picking of seedlings when growing at home must be carried out when the first 2-3 true leaves appear on the sprouts. For this you need:
- Prepare separate containers - plastic or paper cups, pots.
- Put in them fertile soil with the addition of complementary foods (for 5 kg of soil 1 tbsp. A spoonful of mineral fertilizer).
- Make a depression to accommodate the roots of the seedlings.
- Plant seedlings by compacting the soil.
- Drizzle and place in a warm, bright place.
If it is planned to grow the plant at home in a pot or it has outgrown its capacity, then a secondary pick will need to be carried out. When the stem of the sprout hardens, transplant it to a permanent place of residence in a pot selected for it.
Hardening
It is recommended to harden seedlings 3 weeks before planting in open ground. To do this, you need to take out the container with sprouts to fresh air in direct sunlight - a balcony, a loggia, a veranda. This should be done by gradually increasing the residence time from several minutes to several hours.
When growing indoor physalis in a pot, it also needs to be hardened in the fresh air.For the summer season, it can be settled on the loggia.
Transplanting into open ground
Planting seedlings in open ground has nothing special and is carried out in the same way as for other garden crops. It is advisable to choose a sunny place for growing, so that representatives of the Solanaceae family do not grow on this site earlier - tomatoes, potatoes, peppers. The penumbral side is fine too.
Algorithm:
- Dig up the soil, adding wood ash if necessary (to reduce acidity).
- Dig holes for seedlings at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other.
- Plant seedlings in them, fill up the earth, tamp, water.
It should be borne in mind that the root system of physalis grows strongly, therefore, by autumn it can occupy a very large territory and displace neighboring plants. It is recommended to fence the area with physalis on the ground with a solid barrier, half a meter dug into the ground, or plant it in a plastic container without a bottom.
Conclusion
Growing physalis from seeds at home is an activity that will delight anyone who wants to do it themselves. There are no difficulties in the procedure, large labor costs, too, and the result will be the beauty of decorative varieties of culture and the exotic taste of the fruits of edible physalis.
