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It is believed that physalis is a perennial plant, but in Our Country 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 use an exotic plant with its beautiful fruits that look like 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. You can grow it at home in any region of Our Country.
For this, sowing is carried out in spring or autumn directly in 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 you can grow physalis in a pot on a windowsill or balcony. With proper care, this plant will grow, bloom and bear fruit.
Terms of sowing
In terms of maturation, physalis refers to mid-season. It gives the first fruits in 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 Our Country, such weather occurs at different times. In autumn, seeds are planted in the ground on the basis that frosts have not yet come, but they are about to come. The plant will have time to begin its growth, 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 the timeframe calculated for the plant to be at home before planting in open ground for at least 30 days.
If the plant is grown for a permanent stay 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 at the store, and when the heat comes, plant it on the site or in a pot if the plant lives at home. But it is not difficult to grow this culture at home. Physalis is unpretentious, frost-resistant, drought-resistant, does not require special maintenance.
Selection and preparation of containers for planting
There are 2 main ways of growing at home: with a pick and without a pick to a permanent place.
If transplanting is not foreseen in the future, then it is necessary to prepare pots or boxes for the loggia, plant 2-3 seeds in them, in order to leave the strongest sprout later. 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 any 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 growing plants. It contains mineral fertilizers.
If you want the soil to be without chemical mineral additives, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, mix peat, humus, soil from the site and sand in a ratio of 4: 2: 2: 1.
Before planting 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 above in order to preserve the beneficial properties of the earth.
Rules of landing
There are no special rules for growing crops. The procedure is the same as for any garden crops. After preparing the planting material, soil and container, you must do this:
- Put the soil in the container, slightly moisten it.
- Make a depression of 1-2 cm, put the seeds there, cover with earth.
- Pour warm water, cover with foil and put in a warm place.
You can not make recesses for planting material, but spread it on the surface, sprinkling 1 cm of earth on top. Every day you need to ventilate the sowing, removing the film. When sprouts begin to appear, the film must be removed, the container with the seedlings should be exposed to the sun.
Caring for physalis 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 tall. Therefore, the plant needs a garter. How and when to do it, you need to decide for yourself.
Physalis pinching is usually not done, because cultivation is carried out to produce fruits. The more stems there are, the more flowers and fruit boxes it will have. In order for the physalis to 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 periodically loosened. Physalis rarely suffers from insect pests at home, but it can get sick with late blight.
Watering and top dressing
Physalis is considered a drought-resistant plant, but for its full 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.
Top dressing with mineral complexes should be carried out 2 times a month immediately after picking and stop when the fruits ripen. You can use mineral sticks or granular standard dressing of the “Flower” type.
Dive
Picking seedlings when growing at home should 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 fertile soil in them with the addition of complementary foods (for 5 kg of soil, 1 tablespoon of mineral fertilizer).
- Make a recess to fit the roots of the seedlings.
- Plant seedlings, tamping the soil.
- Water and put in a warm bright place.
If you plan to grow a plant at home in a pot or it has outgrown its capacity, then you will need to carry out a secondary pick. When the stem of the sprout is strengthened, 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 a container with sprouts in fresh air under 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 placed on the loggia.
Transplanting in 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 nightshade family – tomatoes, potatoes, peppers – do not grow on this site earlier. The penumbra side is also suitable.
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, add soil, tamp, water.
It should be noted that the root system of the physalis grows strongly, therefore, by autumn it can occupy a very large area and displace neighboring plants. It is recommended to protect the area with physalis on the ground with a solid barrier, dug half a meter into the ground, or plant it in a plastic bowl without a bottom.
Conclusion
Growing physalis from seeds at home is an activity that will please anyone who wants to do it himself. There are no difficulties in the procedure, there are also large labor costs, and the result will be the beauty of ornamental varieties of culture and the exotic taste of edible physalis fruits.
