Lobelia ampelnaya Sapphire: photo and description

Lobelia Sapphire is a perennial ampelous plant. It is a small, but sprawling bush, magnificently dotted with small, elegant flowers of blue hues. At home, it is easy to breed from seeds. Planting is carried out in early March, and seedlings are transferred to open ground in the first half of May.

Description of ampelous lobelia Sapphire

Lobelia Sapphire (Regatta) is a popular variety of ampelous lobelia native to Central America. Although it belongs to perennial plants, in Our Country in most regions it is grown as an annual, i.e. for wintering, the bush is taken to a heated room.

Lobelia Sapphire (pictured) is a low plant (15-20 cm, less often 30-50 cm). The flowers are blue, consist of three asymmetrically fused corollas. Their diameter does not exceed 2 cm.

Lobelia Sapphire attracts attention with miniature flowers

The leaves of the culture are small, rich green. The shoots of the Sapphire ampelous lobelia creep along the ground, they cannot stand in a standing position. Therefore, the plant is suitable for ground cover plantings. It can be planted in planters and pots that will decorate any corner in the garden. Flowering is long – from the beginning of June to the first decade of September. Seeds are formed in small boxes. They are very small, so you need to collect carefully.

This crop can be grown as a house or garden plant.

Features of reproduction

At home, Lobelia Regatta Sapphire can be obtained in many ways:

• from seeds;
• from green cuttings;
• division of the bush.

Seeds for seedlings are grown in the traditional way. They are planted in early March. First they are kept in a greenhouse at 25 ° C, then the temperature is slightly reduced. In early or mid-March, seedlings are transferred to open ground or in a pot that can be placed anywhere in the garden.

Green cuttings are obtained at the beginning of summer – they should have 2-3 internodes. First, they are grown in a greenhouse, and in the fall they are transplanted into a pot and kept at a temperature not higher than 8-10 ° C. The division of the Sapphire lobelia bush is carried out in mid-spring. To do this, choose adult bushes aged at least 3-4 years.

Rules of landing

Very often, gardeners prefer to plant seedlings of Sapphire lobelia. This method provides strong seedlings that can definitely take root in open ground. Seeds can be purchased at the store, and then collected by yourself (they finally ripen by the end of September).

Recommended dates

Since Lobelia Sapphire seedlings are transferred to open ground in mid-May, seeds can be sown as early as early March, and in the southern regions at the end of February. Even with late planting in April, seedlings can be obtained. In this case, the flowering period will shift from June to July, but the lobelia will still have time to please with flowers.

Tank and soil preparation

For growing, you can use the usual universal soil for seedlings or make a mixture yourself. To do this, take the following components (in equal quantities):

• garden land;
• peat;
• fine sand;
• rotted compost.

You can also use sod land with compost and humus in a ratio of 2:1:1. To make the soil light, moss, sawdust or expanded clay are added to it. As containers, you can take a regular plastic container with a lid. You can also use disposable cups.

Seedlings of Lobelia Sapphire can be grown on the windowsill

Seeding for seedlings

The seeds of Lobelia Sapphire, like those of its other perennial varieties, are very small, so it is more convenient to take them not with your fingers, but with a moistened toothpick. Landing Instructions:

1. The soil is placed in a container and moistened abundantly from the sprayer.
2. Several seeds are transferred (2-3 pieces per 1 cup) and simply laid on the surface.
3. It is not necessary to sprinkle with earth – the container is placed in a warm place and covered with glass.

Growing seedlings

First, seedlings of Lobelia Sapphire are grown in greenhouse conditions at a temperature of 24-25 ° C. The container or cups are covered with glass or a film with holes. It is very important to create the right conditions:

• regular illumination up to 12-13 hours a day;
• periodic ventilation of the greenhouse;
• humidification from a sprayer as needed.

It is not recommended to feed the soil with organic matter. However, if the soil is depleted, you can add a pinch of wood ash or a complex mineral fertilizer.

Picking is carried out after the appearance of two or three leaves

Lobelia seedlings at this time are very tender, and their roots are strongly intertwined, so you need to act carefully. In the future, the temperature is gradually reduced to room temperature, and 15-20 days after planting, the glass is removed. Continue to illuminate and water regularly.

Topping

Seedlings of Lobelia Sapphire grow very slowly at first. To finally get stronger before transplanting to a permanent place, they will need 60-65 days. To stimulate growth, the shoots must be pinched. The procedure begins after picking, as soon as the seedlings grow to 3-4 cm.

The apical shoot can be left to grow until the desired height (8-10 cm) is reached, and then pinched too. All other branches are pruned every 2-3 weeks so that the shoots grow evenly. Then the Sapphire lobelia bush will take the correct spherical shape.

Planting and caring for climbing lobelia Sapphire in the open field

Seedlings are recommended to be transferred to the street if the night temperature does not fall below 8-10 ° C, and there is practically no threat of return frosts. In the south, this can be done at the end of April, in the middle lane – at the beginning of May, in the Urals and Siberia – in the middle of the month.

Seedling transplant

The site should be pre-cleaned and dug up. It is not worth making organic fertilizers, because. Lobelia Sapphire prefers mineral supplements. If the soil is not too fertile, complex fertilizer can be applied.

The holes form shallow, with a small interval of 15-20 cm. In this case, the bushes will form a dense planting, resembling a beautiful blue carpet. In order not to damage the roots, the seedlings are transferred along with an earthen clod. Immediately after transplanting, they are watered abundantly.

Watering and fertilizing schedule

Water the plant regularly – at least once a week. If it rains heavily, additional water should not be given. If there is no precipitation, watering should be increased to twice a week. So that the soil retains moisture longer, it can be mulched with sawdust, peat or hay.

Top dressing is applied 3-4 times per season:

1. After transplantation, any nitrogen or complex mineral fertilizer is given (if it was applied during site preparation, nothing else needs to be done).
2. The first flowers will appear in early June – at this moment it is recommended to feed the seedlings with superphosphate and potassium salt.
3. A similar composition is applied every 3-4 weeks for lush flowering.
4. The last top dressing is carried out no later than mid-August. Then Lobelia Sapphire needs to be prepared for the winter season.

Regular application of top dressing guarantees a lush and long-lasting flowering of the crop.

Trimming

With even minimal top dressing and regular watering, Sapphire lobelia grows very actively. Shoots quickly spread along the ground or hang from pots. Therefore, they should be cut or pinched with your fingers. Strongly protruding branches are removed, shortening to a normal state. As a result, the bush acquires a beautiful spherical shape.

Wintering

Lobelia Sapphire has an average winter hardiness. The plant can withstand temperatures down to minus 25-29 °C. Therefore, in the middle lane, the Black Earth region and in the south, wintering in the open ground is allowed. Preparation for winter consists of several stages:

1. In early October, the lobelia is well watered.
2. Cut all branches to a minimum height of 4-5 cm.
3. Then covered with foliage, peat, creating a layer of 15-20 cm.
4. If the site is exposed to winds, it is additionally covered with agrofiber and fixed.

In Siberia and the Urals, Lobelia Sapphire may die due to too harsh winters. Therefore, it is better not to risk it and move it to a heated room. In winter, the bushes are kept at a temperature not higher than 6-8 ° C on a loggia or insulated balcony.

Pests and diseases

With normal care, Lobelia Sapphire is rarely affected by diseases, but sometimes spots and other signs of fungal infections (powdery mildew, rust) appear on the leaves. With excessive watering, the plant may suffer from root rot. For prevention, seedlings after transfer to open ground are treated with any fungicide:

• Bordeaux liquid;
• Tattu;
• Phytosporin;
• Profit and others.

It is also recommended to periodically inspect the Sapphire lobelia bushes for the presence of pests – slugs or thrips. Against them, folk remedies and insecticides are used (Aktellik, Decis, Confidor). To protect the flower garden from slugs, crushed eggshells or stone chips are poured near the borders.

Conclusion

Lobelia Sapphire is a beautiful ampelous culture that blooms almost all summer. The plant goes well in flower arrangements. It can be grown indoors or outdoors. Care is simple: watering, fertilizing and preparing for winter.