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Growing bluebells from seeds at home helps gardeners create the most daring compositions from them. They are considered very delicate and decorative flowers that you want to see on the site in large quantities. Over 300 species – not every culture can boast of such a variety. The Latin name for the bell is Campanula. Among the popular names, bells, chebotki and chenille should be noted.
To create a beautiful composition, you can get by with just a few varieties of culture.
Features of growing a bell from seeds
Most varieties are perennials. However, one- and two-year-old bluebells are also found. Sexual reproduction is considered not only the most effective method, but also universal. Growing from seeds of a perennial bell is used as often as a biennial. For annuals, this is generally the only reliable method of reproduction. This option is not recommended for some terry varieties in which seedlings lose the signs of parent plants or seeds have very poor germination.
If there are already bells on the site, then the seeds are easy to collect on their own. To grow new species, planting material must be purchased.
When collecting seeds, do not wait for the opening of the boxes. It is better to cut the selected inflorescences when they turn brown. Then put them to ripen.
If you miss the collection period, then the seeds simply spill out of the boxes onto the ground.
When and how to plant bell seeds in the ground
Sowing immediately on the beds is recommended in spring (May) or autumn (October). Pre-winter sowing for bluebells is not at all dangerous. In the cold season, the seeds will undergo natural stratification, and in the spring they will sprout together. If you decide to sow a bell in the spring, then you need to put the seeds in the refrigerator for 8 weeks. Thus, preliminary preparation of planting material is carried out. This technique is mandatory for perennial and biennial varieties, annuals reproduce well by self-sowing. Their seeds have good germination without stratification. The sowing algorithm is very simple. You need to choose a place with loose, light and moisture-permeable soil. Remove debris and weeds, loosen and be sure to moisten.
Bell seeds are very small, so they should not be buried. It is enough to scatter on the surface of the soil and press a little. Then moisturize again. When the seedlings grow up, you can transplant them into flower beds. Bluebell bloom will begin next season.
You can plant low-growing plants at a short distance to get a multi-colored rug
Planting bell seeds for seedlings
This option will allow you to get flowering plants in the year of sowing. In order for the seedlings to grow healthy, it is necessary to adhere to the recommendations for growing bluebell seedlings.
You need:
- observe the sowing time;
- properly prepare the soil mixture;
- choose containers for seedlings;
- to sow;
- provide seedlings with good care.
The list of items is performed in a certain order. Preparation is needed only for the seeds of perennial bells. They should not be soaked, because then small wet seeds are very difficult to use. It is enough to carry out stratification, and then plant bells for seedlings.
When to plant bluebell seeds for seedlings
Seedlings of culture grow rather slowly. The optimal sowing time is March or early April. If the bell is grown in the southern region, then you can shift the date to the beginning of March. For the Middle Strip and the Moscow Region, mid-March should be followed; in the northern regions, sowing should be postponed to early April. The recommendations of the lunar calendar will help you choose the exact date. It is necessary to compare his wishes with the weather forecast for the current year. Then determine the time when to sow perennial bluebells for seedlings in a particular region.
Selection of containers and soil preparation
Here, the gardener does not need to perform complex techniques or special skills. Nearly all bluebell varieties prefer well-drained, slightly alkaline or neutral soil. Under these requirements, universal soil is well suited, which can be purchased at garden stores. It contains all the necessary nutrients for seedlings, has the right structure.
The proportions of soil and baking powder are 3:1. If you have to prepare the soil mixture yourself, then you need to mix soddy soil, humus and coarse sand (6: 3: 1).
The container must be of a certain volume. It is best to sow bluebell seeds in containers no more than 7 cm high. The main thing is that they are wide. Tall containers are not suitable, it is also inconvenient to use individual cups or pots. This is because bluebell seeds are very small. Any container must have drainage holes. If they are missing, they should be made with scissors, a soldering iron or a nail.
Only exact observance of the sowing rules guarantees the ability to create a beautiful flower bed in the garden.
How to sow a bell for seedlings
This procedure consists of several stages that do not present any difficulties for an experienced gardener. However, beginners should carefully study the intricacies of planting bluebell seedlings. If it is incorrect to place small seeds of a crop in the ground, then seedlings can not wait. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly follow a series of sequential actions:
- Lay a drainage layer in the container.
- Fill the container with soil mixture.
- Moisten the surface with a spray bottle.
- Scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil. To facilitate sowing, you can mix them with sand.
- Lightly press with the palm of your hand without sprinkling with earth.
- Moisten the top again, very gently. Otherwise, the seeds may be washed off with water.
- Cover the container with foil or glass.
- Place in a warm place with a temperature of + 20 C.
- Wait for sprouts.
Care of seedlings
In order to grow a bell with seeds, it is necessary to provide seedlings with not only high-quality planting, but also care. It must be regular and competent.
Microclimate
Immediately after sowing, maintain the temperature within + 20-22 ºC. After 15-20 days, shoots will appear on the surface. Now the film must be removed and the air temperature reduced to + 18-20 ºC. This is the optimal indicator for the entire period of seedling growth.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Until the seeds germinate, they can only be watered with a spray bottle. After the emergence of shoots, watering under the root is required. It is important to ensure that the surface of the soil is slightly damp. Drying out or waterlogging is unacceptable. In the first case, the small roots of the seedling suffer. In the second, seedlings can be exposed to fungal infections and get sick with a black leg.
The first top dressing is allowed to be carried out 2 weeks after picking. For this, it is recommended to use complex mineral compositions for flowering plants. The solution must be made 2 times weaker than the usual concentration. Repeat top dressing after 10 days.
The leaves of healthy seedlings have good turgor and uniform coloration.
Picks
The picking time will come when 2 true leaves are formed on the seedlings. Seedlings should already be transplanted into individual containers. The volume of the container must be at least 250 ml. The soil is allowed to use the same that was prepared for sowing seeds. The algorithm for the correct picking of seedlings of bells from seeds:
- Water the seedlings first. Optimally 1-2 hours before picking. This will facilitate the process of removing plants from the soil.
- During this time, fill a new container with soil, make holes.
- Carefully remove the seedling from the container. The roots of the bell are long. Care must be taken not to damage them. Experienced gardeners recommend using the back of a spoon to divide the soil into segments. Then the plants are much easier to get.
- Transplant no more than 4-5 seedlings into one cup or cassette.
- Deepen the plants a little, compact the earth around.
- Water the bluebells in a new place.
Shade the seedlings for the first 2-3 days.
In addition, seedlings need to be provided with good lighting so that they fully develop and do not stretch.
Seedlings at this age must be transplanted into separate containers.
Transplant into the ground
Landing on the garden bed is carried out at the end of May (southern regions) or in June (northern regions). Most varieties of bluebells are very fond of good lighting. Shade-loving have dark green leaves. Therefore, a place for bells should be allocated sunny and without drafts. The soil they like is drained, loose, neutral or slightly alkaline. Grows best on loam. The earth will first have to be dug up. Fill the heavy one with humus and sand, the poor one – with soddy soil and organic matter. It is advisable not to place a bed with bells next to trees or tall bushes.
These substances increase the risk of developing fungal diseases.
Plants should be planted according to a certain pattern. Place low-growing varieties of bluebells at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, leave a distance of 20-30 cm for medium-sized ones, and plant tall ones after 40-50 cm.
Compact the soil, water the plants. It is useful to mulch plantings to reduce the growth rate of weeds and conserve moisture.
If you plant bluebells grown from seeds, they will bloom in the year of planting.
Even single plants create a unique decor of the site.
Conclusion
Growing bells from seeds at home greatly simplifies the process of decorating the site. A huge number of varieties with a variety of shapes and colors can be bred independently. It is only important to adhere to agrotechnical recommendations and listen to the advice of experienced gardeners.