Content
Growing Platycodon from seeds at home is very attractive for all bellflower lovers. There are many varieties of ornamental plants, differing in size, color, shape. Another name for Platicodon is known - shirokolokolchik. It fully corresponds to the translation of the word "platycodon" from the Greek language, which means "wide bowl". The culture is quite common in the wild, but growers really want to plant a beautiful bush in their areas.
The combination of tenderness and beauty of a flower can decorate any composition
Description of Platicodon seeds
The flowering culture begins in mid-June or early August, and continues until October. This is provided that the bell has enough light and there is little rain during this period. The flowering period depends on the variety.
If the gardener needs to preserve varietal characteristics, then plants of different varieties should be planted away from each other.
The tips of the petals of the buds are interconnected and resemble an egg-shaped box. Then it hardens, a fruit is formed, inside which there are seeds. They are flat and shiny, dark brown in color. The size of the seeds is no more than 1-1.5 mm. At the end of September, the pedicels dry up, the bolls turn brown, it is time to remove them from the bush.
Enough seeds are tied on one plant to multiply the variety.
Now the planting material is suitable for growing the Platicodon flower from seeds at home.
The nuances of growing a platycodon flower from seeds
To propagate a plant at home, seeds must be purchased for the first time. Then you can already use the collected ones with your own hands. Some gardeners use the cuttings method. However, young shoots quickly begin to rot under unfavorable growing conditions. Therefore, seeds are considered the main reliable material for planting. You can sow directly on the beds or in containers for growing seedlings. In the first case, there can be no complete certainty that the seeds will sprout. To eliminate the loss of time and planting material, gardeners prefer the seedling method. It will allow you to grow Platicodon from seeds at home with a full guarantee that all the desired qualities of the variety will be preserved.
Growing new plants at home will allow you to independently decorate the site to your taste
Sowing rules for Platicodon seedlings
To get healthy seedlings, you need to follow certain steps. They are due to the requirements of agricultural technology for growing a plant and include:
- adherence to the sowing time;
- competent preparation of soil, containers and planting material;
- implementation of the nuances of sowing;
- seedling care.
These activities do not pose any particular difficulties for gardeners. However, do not neglect the recommendations, it is better to carefully follow each point. Only then will it be possible to properly plant the platycodon seedlings.
When to sow Platycodon seedlings
For culture, spring sowing is preferable. Some gardeners practice autumn. But in this case, the Platycodon shoots cannot be called "friendly". The optimal time for spring is from the second half of February to mid-March.If the plant is grown in the middle lane, then Platicodon seeds can be planted at the end of March. The run-up time is associated with the time of planting seedlings in the ground. This happens earlier in warm areas. The later the warmth comes, the further the sowing time can be shifted.
The choice of capacity and preparation of the soil
Preparatory activities include working with soil and seedling containers. For sowing Platicodon, you should prepare:
- Containers with a shallow depth, always with drainage holes. Seedlings develop well in peat pots, plastic containers, boxes.
- Priming. It can be purchased from a garden store. Suitable universal for flowering plants. If it is possible to prepare the soil mixture yourself, then you will need several components. Mix equal amounts of peat, sand and humus. Purchased soil does not require processing. Do-it-yourself cooked will have to be calcined or treated with a fungicide solution.
The next stage of planting is the pre-treatment of the seeds.
It is recommended to choose a container for sowing that is convenient for placement on the windowsill.
Preparation and stratification of Platicodon seeds
A beautiful shirokololchik can be grown only from high-quality planting material. To increase the percentage of germination, it is necessary to correctly process the seeds before sowing. This event is considered mandatory when planting Platicodon seeds for seedlings. First of all, stratification should be carried out. This is the name of the imitation of winter conditions. To carry out the process, the seeds must be placed in the refrigerator for 2 months.
For this, the planting material must be placed in a bag with a damp cloth, vermiculite or sand. Be sure to seal it tightly.
2 days before the scheduled sowing date, soak Platicodon seeds in water or treat with a growth stimulant solution. They are now ready to plant.
How to plant Platicodon seeds
The sowing algorithm for shirokokolokolchik does not differ from the traditional method of growing seedlings. First, the container must be filled with soil mixture, not forgetting to lay the drainage layer. Then slightly moisten and start sowing. When growing platycodon from seeds, you can plant in two ways:
- placement of seeds on the surface of the soil;
- embedding to a depth of 4-5 mm.
The seeds laid on the surface should be sprinkled with earth a little, then moistened again with a spray bottle.
Cover the container with foil or glass, place in a room with an air temperature of + 20-22 ºC. In order for the platycodon seeds to germinate well, you can deviate a little from the traditional method and sow them in peat tablets or a snail. Any method will be effective.
In order for the seeds to germinate together, the container should be placed in a room with a certain temperature.
How to grow platycodone from seeds
If sowing is not difficult for a gardener, then you need to be careful when caring for seedlings. Sprouts of Platicodon bellflower when grown from seeds will appear 7-14 days after planting. Further care includes:
- timely watering;
- picking;
- top dressing;
- topping.
Another mandatory procedure is loosening. It is necessary to loosen the top layer of soil. This must be done carefully and after each watering.
Microclimate
As soon as sprouts appear above the surface of the earth, you need to remove the shelter. Then transfer the container to a cool place with a temperature of + 18-20 ºC and good lighting. In the future, the temperature should be maintained within the same limits.
Watering and feeding schedule
Every 2-3 days, the seedlings should be moistened, but the condition of the soil should be monitored. Waterlogging or drying out of the soil must be avoided. If it dries up, small roots die off the seedlings. When waterlogged, seedlings can get sick with a "black leg". For prevention, it is recommended to periodically water the seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
It is best to feed the plant with a mineral complex for flowering crops. Frequency - once a month.
Picking
When 3-4 true leaves are formed on the platycodon sprouts, this is a signal for a pick. You will need to prepare containers with a diameter of 10 cm and transplant seedlings. One procedure is enough.
It is very convenient to dive the seedlings into trays, so that they can then be trans-shipped into the ground.
Topping
The culture requires regular pinching of the top of the seedling. This technique will slow down the growth of Platicodon seedlings and prevent stretching.
Transfer to the ground
The transplant time is easy to determine by the climatic features of the region. It is necessary for the earth to warm up and warm weather set in. Usually this period falls on the end of May or the first days of June. It is recommended to prepare the bed in advance, taking into account some conditions:
- Choose a bright place, although the platycodon also withstands partial shade.
- Pick up the soil fertile, drained, loose. Loam with a small amount of sand and a neutral reaction is best suited for Platicodon. Before planting, add 1 sq. m mineral complex fertilizer (1 tbsp. l.) and wood ash (0.5 cups).
Then prepare the landing pits at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. Fill them with soil, move the seedlings with a clod of earth, sprinkle with soil, lightly tamp and water.
Platicodone does not tolerate transplantation very well. Therefore, it is recommended to plant seedlings, given the long-term cultivation of a flower in one place. For 2 weeks after planting, water the seedlings daily, then loosen the ground. The main thing is that the earth is constantly wet. Then reduce the frequency of watering. Be sure to pinch the stems that extend upwards. In this way, gardeners recommend increasing the splendor of the shirokokolokolchik bushes.
The bush does not tolerate transplants, so the place should be chosen carefully
Conclusion
Growing platycodon from seeds at home will allow you to fully preserve varietal characteristics. This action is within the power of even an inexperienced gardener. It is enough to adhere to the description of the main stages of sowing and caring for seedlings.
