A beautiful plant with bright flowers - calceolaria - belongs to the family of Noricornia. In the people calceolaria is called a shoe for the fact that the shape of the flower is really like a shoe.
The plant is a two-year-old plant, but it is grown more often as an annual plant, since in the second year the flowers lose its attractiveness.
Many gardeners like this unusual and beautiful flower, however, not everyone knows how to grow calceolaria from seeds. Let's try to understand what is the cultivation of calceolaria from seeds at home, and also in the open ground.
Reproduction of calceolaria
Most often, calceolaria is propagated by seeds, which are very small. If you want calceolaria to blossom in autumn, then seeds should be sown in March. For spring flowering, it is best to sow in June.
Seeds are sown on the wet surface of a substrate consisting of leaf or turf ground interspersed with sand. For convenience, before sowing small seeds of calceolaria are recommended to mix with talcum powder. Crops do not need to be sprinkled on top of the soil. Cover the seeds with paper that should be regularly moistened. You can cover it with glass or plastic wrap. But at the same time, you must ensure that condensation does not accumulate under the glass or film. Contain a pot of seeds preferably in a dark and cool place.
When the rostochki proklyutsya, the capacity is transferred to a light, but shaded from the bright sun place. In the phase of two leaves, we perform the first pick. The second time dive after the formation of the outlet.
In September, the calceolaria must be transplanted into larger vessels, pinching the tops of plants or stepping on them. This is done to form beautiful compact bushes. Watering the seedlings should be moderate and at the same time regular. Seedlings of calceolaria during this period are kept in a cool, well-ventilated
Flowering calceolaria lasts up to two months. At this time, its bushes are covered with beautiful bilabiate flowers. Keep in mind that in a room containing blooming calceolaria, the temperature should not be above + 15 ° C, otherwise the plant can discard all flowers and buds.
It is practiced to grow calceolaria not only from seeds, but also from cuttings. For this, young shoots are cut and rooted. However, bloom such specimens will still be worse than those grown from seeds.