Content
- 1 Is it possible to grow Heuchera from seeds
- 2 Features of reproduction of heuchera seeds
- 3 When to plant Heuchera seedlings
- 4 How to plant Heuchera seeds
- 5 How many seeds of Heuchera sprout
- 6 Why Heuchera doesn't sprout from seeds
- 7 How to grow Heuchera from seeds
- 8 Transplanting Heuchera seedlings to a permanent place
- 9 Tips for growing heuchera from seeds
- 10 Conclusion
- 11 Reviews about growing heuchera from seeds
Heuchera is a perennial plant with decorative leaves of the Kamnelomkovy family. They grow it in the garden for decoration, because the foliage of the shrub changes its color several times per season. Saplings are not cheap, so planting Heuchera from seeds is quite justified. However, all the features and subtleties of seed reproduction must be taken into account.
Is it possible to grow Heuchera from seeds
It is very easy for Heuchera to grow with seeds, however, it should be borne in mind that with this method, most of the varietal traits are lost. It is useless to collect seeds for further planting from your bushes. They do not retain the qualities of the mother plant. For planting, it is better to buy seeds at a flower shop.
Most often, hairy heuchera seeds are found on sale. The leaves of this variety are brightly colored. From a similar mixture, seedlings with purple, dark purple, black-brown and bronze colors can be grown.
Heuchera seeds of Emperor`s New Clothes are especially popular among gardeners. It is a mixture of varieties with wavy and corrugated leaves that can be tinted dark cherry, emerald, or light green.
Features of reproduction of heuchera seeds
When buying seeds, you should pay special attention to their shelf life. The fact is that the planting material retains its germination capacity for no more than six months. However, in a vacuum foil bag, they can be stored for about 1.5 years.
Before planting, a change of heuchera is prepared, but stratification can be dispensed with. A herbaceous shrub is grown in a seedling way, because it is very difficult to care for small shoots in the garden. It is easier to get a container plant that is completely ready for transplanting. Although some gardeners practice sowing Heuchera seeds in open ground before winter, somewhere in October or November.
Heuchera seedlings take root well in a new place, since the seeds are collected from zoned varieties. They winter well and tolerate the vagaries of the weather.
When to plant Heuchera seedlings
Sowing Heuchera for seedlings is best done from the end of March or at the very beginning of April. If the seeds are planted earlier, then the seedlings will have to be illuminated, because natural lighting in winter is not enough. With early spring planting, you can do without this. Daylight hours are already increasing and the sprouts will have enough light.
How to plant Heuchera seeds
Propagation of Heuchera by seeds is a fascinating activity, but it is worth remembering that young plants grow and develop very slowly. You should not be afraid of this and try to accelerate their growth in every possible way.
Preparation of planting tanks and soil
To get friendly seedlings of heuchera seeds, a nutrient substrate is prepared. To do this, mix the following components:
- top peat;
- washed river sand;
- garden land;
- wood ash.
For two parts of the earth, take one part of all the other components and 200 g of ash.All components are thoroughly mixed and after that the finished substrate is sent to the oven to disinfect it. Store soil for planting decorative deciduous crops does not need to be processed.
Heucheras use ordinary plastic boxes as containers for growing seedlings. Initially, the seedlings are in a common container, after which they are dived and grown in separate containers before transplanting. The boxes are pre-treated with an alcohol solution, potassium permanganate or special preparations to kill pathogens.
Seed preparation
Heuchera seeds are small enough and cannot be sown evenly. Experienced gardeners recommend mixing the planting material with sand. Before planting, the seeds are soaked for 20 minutes. in a solution of potassium permanganate, drugs "Kornevin" or "Zircon" to stimulate their growth. You can put the seeds in the refrigerator for several days, where the temperature is not higher than + 5 ° C. There they will swell and be ready for sowing.
How to properly plant Heuchera seedlings
Drainage holes are made in containers where perennials will be grown. A layer of expanded clay or other material is poured onto the bottom and the containers are filled with nutrient soil.
For growing seedlings, heuchera seeds are not buried, but distributed on the surface of the soil. Landings are abundantly moistened with a spray bottle and covered with a film. The containers are placed in the brightest place, but they are shaded from direct sunlight.
How many seeds of Heuchera sprout
After planting at home, heuchera seeds are provided with a suitable microclimate so that the seedlings appear together. The air temperature is maintained at the level of + 20 ... + 22 ° С.
The first shoots in containers can be seen only after 2-4 weeks, in some cases even longer. But you shouldn't be especially worried about this. Growing Heuchera from seeds is a very slow process.
Why Heuchera doesn't sprout from seeds
There are many reasons why the seeds do not germinate after planting. And one of them is improper storage. Planting material must be stored in accordance with all requirements. It is best to keep the seed bags in a cold room or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Since under normal conditions they quickly lose their germination.
In addition, the lack of seedlings for a long time suggests that the plantings were not properly looked after. Before sprouts appear, the container must be opened every day for airing, otherwise the ground will become covered with mold due to high humidity. Spray the soil as needed. The containers are protected from drafts, especially at the time of airing.
How to grow Heuchera from seeds
To grow a beautiful Heuchera from seeds, as in various photos, you need to make a lot of effort.
The seedlings are very tender and require special care. An inexperienced grower can easily destroy tiny seedlings at the initial stage of cultivation.
Conditions for growing heuchera from seeds at home
When, after planting with seeds, the first sprouts of Heuchera appear, then they are provided with care. The film is not removed completely, but only raised for a few minutes a day for airing. You can completely remove the shelter when a pair of real leaves appear on the seedlings. This is necessary to create the necessary climate, because tender seedlings require high humidity.
The air temperature in the room is lowered slightly so that the sprouts do not stretch out. At night, + 18 ° C is enough, but during the day it is maintained at + 20 ° C, at all stages of cultivation.
For Heuchera seedlings to develop well, they need at least 12 hours of light per day. Containers with plantings are rotated during cultivation so that the seedlings grow evenly.The lighting should be bright, but the seedlings are protected from direct sunlight. Provide backlighting on cloudy days.
Watering and feeding
Heuchera seedlings are watered very carefully, trying not to soak the soil. This can cause fungal infections. Thin seedlings are very sensitive to soil moisture. In order to avoid mistakes in watering during cultivation, it is better to use a syringe or a small syringe for these purposes. It is necessary to irrigate the seedlings every few days, after which it is imperative to ventilate the container.
Heuchera seedlings are fed after two true leaves appear on them. Complex mineral fertilizers are used, but they are diluted in a weak concentration.
Picking
Seedlings of Heuchera grown from seeds are planted in separate containers, when they are sufficiently strong, and a third leaf will appear on them. Can be planted in a common container, but leave a distance of 5 cm between plants.
At the first time after transplanting, the plants are covered with a film and removed to a shaded place so that they take root well. In the future, they are grown as usual.
Hardening
In May, seedlings begin to be taken out into the street so that they get used to the surrounding conditions. Initially, the pots with plants are left for a few minutes, gradually the time is increased. Before transplanting, the seedlings are left outside for the whole night. Containers with plants are left in the shade so that they do not suffer from the scorching sun. In the evening, be sure to check the moisture content of the soil, if necessary, water the plantings.
Hardened seedlings will better tolerate transplanting, quickly adapt to new conditions and start growing. Allow 10-14 days for quenching.
Transplanting Heuchera seedlings to a permanent place
In open ground, Heuchera is transplanted in late May or early June, when night frosts pass and a stable temperature is established. The timing is different in different regions.
If Heuchera seedlings were grown in a greenhouse, then transplanting to a permanent place can be postponed until autumn. However, it must be remembered that there should be enough time before the first frost so that young plants have time to adapt and take root. For the winter, they must be covered with spruce branches.
Tips for growing heuchera from seeds
In order for a shrub to fully reveal all its qualities, it needs to find a suitable place for growing. It is best to plant Heuchera in partial shade, where the sun's rays will hit the leaves only in the morning. The soil for cultivation is preferable to be loose, nutritious and well-drained. Areas with swampy ground or lowlands are not suitable for planting Heuchera. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture at the roots.
Heuchera bushes do not grow quickly, so a distance of up to 20 cm is left between the plants. The holes are prepared in advance and filled with humus. Seedlings are planted together with an earthen clod so as not to injure the root system.
It is easy to grow Heuchera outdoors. The shrub is unpretentious, it needs proper watering, weeding and timely feeding. Heuchera is watered 2 times a week, but during a drought period, the soil will have to be moistened every day. Moreover, water should be poured only into the root zone, but not on the leaves. In summer, the shrub is watered in the evening and early in the morning. To preserve the moisture content of the soil, you can mulch the Heuchera with humus.
A few hours after watering, the soil is loosened to provide oxygen to the roots, and weeds are removed. From time to time, the bushes spud, as young shoots appear around them.
Heuchera is fed in the open field 2 times per season. Mineral fertilizers are used, but of low concentration. In the second half of summer, all feeding is stopped.
In the southern regions, Heuchera winters well in the open field without additional shelter.However, in the northern regions, where winters are harsh or snowless, in the fall the bushes are huddled high, mulched with dry humus, covered with spruce branches or covering material.
If you follow all the recommendations for sowing seedlings and growing heuchera, then the shrub practically does not get sick and is not affected by pests. However, improper watering leads to such common diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- rust;
- root rot;
- leaf spot.
The affected bushes are treated with copper preparations, but they do not help from root rot. Sick plants will have to be uprooted. The planting site is disinfected so that the fungus does not spread to neighboring plants.
Of the pests most of all, Heychera are bothered by:
- slugs;
- snails;
- caterpillars;
- nematode;
- weevils.
You need to fight them with insecticides. Treatments are carried out several times per season. The first time is sprayed with Heuchera in early spring, when the leaves bloom. Then several more times with an interval of 2-3 weeks.
If there are few pests, then you can try folk methods. For caterpillars, snails and slugs, dusting of plants and row spacings with mustard powder, ground hot pepper or eggshells helps. The delicate body of the insect does not tolerate such contact, so they leave. Some gardeners catch slugs by hand. To do this, a cardboard trap is installed in a shady place in the garden. Every evening, you need to remove all the snails and slugs that hid under it.
Conclusion
Planting Heuchera from seeds is not much different from growing other plants. However, the shrub loses its decorative qualities, which may be unimportant for amateurs. Special care for the Heuchera is not required, simple manipulations are enough, and a plant with bright foliage will decorate the garden for many years.
