Calibrachoa when to sow. Calibrachoa - growing from seed, when to plant

Both plants have gramophone flowers. various shades and are characterized by abundant, lush flowering. The same fleecy medium-sized leaves. However, there are differences: in caliber, the stems in the lower part become woody. The shoots are long, soft, which is why the plant is grown mainly as an ampelous one. The flowers are smaller and have a small yellow spot at the base of the neck. Calibrachoa seeds are larger. The original plant has purple flowers, but breeding achievements today make it possible to admire caliberchoa with all the colors of the rainbow: white, orange, pink, purple, purple. Calibrachoa's palette includes yellows and browns that petunias don't have (yellow petunias do exist, but aren't as bright). There are terry and two-tone forms. Calibrachoa flowers are smaller than petunia, but overall the plant looks even more spectacular due to the abundant flowering. A well-grown caliberchoa flower will literally be completely covered in flowers, creating a bright, accent spot.

Basic information

Calibrachoa are small bushes of the correct, close to the ball, shape. The plant is evergreen, but short-lived. Homeland - in the same place as Petunia. These are South America, regions from the south of Brazil to Peru and Chile. Habitats - open meadows or woodlands. At first glance, it is not easy to tell the difference between calbrachoa and petunia, but genetic studies have shown that plant chromosomes are different and these are two separate genera. There is also a hybrid genus petchoa - a mixture of two genera.

Why is the name of the flower so difficult for the Russian ear? Calibrachoa is named after the 19th century Mexican botanist and pharmacologist Antonio de la Cal y Bracho.

Varieties and varieties

The most popular variety series of hybrid calibrachoa "Kablum". She first appeared on the market and still dominates. Individual varieties within the line are named according to their colors: White, Yellow, Pink, Sunset (yellow-orange with bright orange veins). Grown from seed as an annual. A low plant up to 30 cm, a regular almost spherical bush with a diameter of up to 35 cm, flowers are abundant, medium-sized, up to 3 cm. There are also Hummingbird varieties, the Silk series, which is distinguished by silky-bright simple flowers with a yellow throat. Foreign varieties look gorgeous, for example, Superbells Coralberry Punch - wonderful contrasting flowers with a bright yellow center, a chocolate rim around it and orange-peach petals that brighten towards the edges.

Growing from seed

More recently, a flower could only be propagated by cuttings, which greatly limited flower growers. Today, there is a good selection of seeds in stores, which means that you can get seedlings of caliberhoa at any time, growing from seeds will require some dexterity and experience.

The method as a whole is not easy, as in the case of petunias.

Beginners should follow following rules:

1. Sowing time is February-March. Or later, depending on the timing of flowering. Plants bloom 12-15 weeks after sowing. That is, to get a flowering bush in May, you should sow the seeds in February.
2. The seeds are very small, sold in granules, they do not need to be soaked.
3. The substrate is the usual universal for flowering plants. You can make your own mixture of peat soil with a small amount of clay soil.
4. Put the soil in a flat container, level it, spill it well.
5. Spread the seeds carefully on the surface of the soil. Do not close up. Seeds, although granular, germinate only in the light.
6. Cover with glass.
7. Put in a well-lit place, but without direct sunlight, seedlings in direct sun may burn out. The best place- East window.
8. Optimum temperature— 21-25°C.
9. Remove glass regularly and ventilate plantings. Spray the soil surface and remove condensation from the glass.
10. Shoots will appear in 1-2 weeks.
11. It is advisable to lower the temperature to 20 ° C: this will allow you to get stronger seedlings.

Growing from seed

Seedlings do not need to be watered abundantly: it is enough to do this as the soil dries up. Treat crops with growth stimulants - this will make the plant stronger and more bushy. When the seedlings are 5-7 weeks old, they are transplanted into separate pots or pots. Plant 1 seedling in a 15 cm pot, or 4 pieces in a 25 cm container. When transplanting, stretched plants are pinched. Now it is desirable to move the young plants to a place with a temperature of 15-18 ° C, this is the optimal range for young caliberchoa plants, growing from seeds will be more successful if additional lighting is provided.

The plant is from South America, so short daylight hours are unnatural for him. The optimal day length is 11 hours. Experts recommend starting to illuminate the plant from the appearance of 4-5 leaves. Without additional lighting, the flower will not die, but it will greatly lose both in development and in decorativeness. When daylight reaches 12 hours depends on the region. AT middle lane it's March-April.

Shoots are quite painful, like petunias. Young seedlings often upset flower growers: as soon as they appear, some of them lie down, fall, and then die. The reason is fungal infectious diseases. The key to success: regular airing, lowering the temperature in the above ranges, careful watering.

Main mistakes:

1. Too dry air during germination. You can often see seedlings that cannot shed their seed coat. In this case, the matter is either in dry air, or in initially low-quality seeds. If the reason is the first, you can gently drop water from a pipette onto a young sprout. After a while, remove the cap with a needle.
2. Seeds were planted in non-sterile soil m. Too high humidity. Weak lighting. This is one of the reasons why seedlings start to fall. There are causative agents of the black leg in any soil, however, they begin to affect precisely the sprouts weakened by improper care. Pay attention to lighting - this is one of the main mistakes. There should be no direct sunlight, but the light should be bright. In the spring in the middle lane it is almost always small.
3. Draft and. This is often overlooked, but sudden changes in temperature for seedlings are detrimental. It is enough just to open the window. Cover containers with plants with something when airing rooms. Or it is worth building a mini-greenhouse for seedlings.
4. Overfeeding. Young plants a few weeks old do not need to be fed. Firstly, they have received a supply of nutrients from the seed, and secondly, the soil is still fresh, and if it is prepared correctly, then it still contains enough nutrients. Thirdly, the seeds are usually granular, they are already wrapped in a shell of fertilizer.

Landing and care

The plant is planted in light fertile acidic soil. Good drainage is required. The flower loves light, it is advisable to choose open, light-filled areas, protected from gusts of wind. It is better not to plant on the north side of the house: the plant will not be so lush, or it will not bloom at all. Heavy rain can damage the flowers, it is advisable to organize protection.

Care is simple, it is important to consider the following:

1. The plant loves light and warmth. Tolerant of drought and heat.
2. It does not tolerate flooding, so it should be watered only when the topsoil is slightly dry. With excessive moisture, the roots of the plant begin to rot, and the flower itself dies. At the same time, it’s also not worth starving with a lack of moisture: the plant tolerates a slight drought, but sufficient and timely watering is needed for lush flowering, especially if the summer is dry and hot.
3. During the season, it makes sense to feed the plant several times with complex mineral fertilizer: in early spring after transplanting into the main dish or open ground. Do not use fresh organic matter. Like any brightly and profusely flowering plant, it loves top dressing with phosphorus. If spots of chlorosis appear on the leaves, water with a weak solution of citric acid.

Success Secrets:

1. Don't flood the plant. It will die very quickly with an excess of moisture. Not sure - water only when the bottom leaves are slightly wilted.
2. Likes heat and sun. In cloudy northern summers (and even under lamps, as experienced flower growers respond), the plant begins to fade.

Use in landscape design

Calibrachoa is an amazing container culture. Hanging and floor flowerpots in the country, on terraces and balconies, balcony boxes, any compact containers - everywhere the flower looks bright and somewhat exotic due to its juicy, Brazilian hot shades.

Another lot important point care is a pinch, but in general it does not cause difficulties. You can cut at your discretion. When growing a plant from seeds, be prepared to devote some time to them. If it is not available, it is better to purchase cuttings from any nursery or from amateurs. If you manage to master plant propagation, we can assume that 80% of the difficulties are over. The flower is unpretentious in care, especially if the summer is hot and sunny. In cool or rainy summers, it is really difficult to grow caliberchoa, it is better to give preference to petunias.

Since recently, caliberhoa has been an inhabitant of loggias and flower beds in summer cottages. Every year the popularity of the plant only grows. It is very similar to petunias. Until the end of the 20th century, the flower was classified as a class of petunias, until scientists found out that these two flowers are completely different. But not many people know about this fact. Some amateur gardeners mistake Calibrachoa for Petunia. However, the flower has differences by which it is possible to establish its belonging.

Most often, calibrachoa is confused with petunia, which looks very similar to him. But these are different types of plants that differ in the set of DNA chromosomes.

The differences between these two colors are as follows:

No matter how unusual the flower is, little is known about it to ordinary gardeners. Because of this, it is sold in stores under the name surfinia or ampelous petunia.

Easiest grow a plant by shoots than seeds that require significant maintenance. It is best to plant a flower in hanging pots. The length of the stems can be 1.5 meters, because of this, the main purpose of calibrachoa is vertical gardening. The resistance of the plant to lack of water makes it the best option for those who can not constantly care for the garden.

Growing from seed

Choosing a method of growing caliberchoa from seeds at home is only suitable for those who cannot purchase seedlings or do not have the desire to spend significant money on a plant. The procedure requires the mandatory implementation of all the rules of agricultural technology, otherwise you can get weak seedlings.

Germination of seeds is most often not high, and even minor non-compliance with the rules of cultivation will lead to the fact that the flower will be weak and without abundant flowering. Only professional gardeners can grow seedlings from seeds.

Required conditions for growth

To grow good seedlings , it is necessary to provide it right soil. To plant the seeds of a plant, you need to prepare the soil. It is prepared by mixing the following components:

• One share of peat;
• One piece of land from the garden;
• One share of manure.

In this case, it is necessary to use mineral fertilizers. If possible, it is better to buy soil in a special garden supermarket, suitable soil for flowering plants.

Seeds are sown early enough. Most often this is done at the end of winter. The seeds of the flower are very small, because of this, when planting, you need to be very careful not to lose them. Seeds are poured onto the surface of moist soil, gently pressing them into the soil. Then the seedling container must be placed under the lamp, covering it with glass or cellophane.

It will not work to grow seedlings on the windowsill, because there will not be enough sunlight for this, and the cold from the window will prevent rapid germination.

Seedling picking is carried out 45 days after sowing. Sick and weak sprouts do not need to be left, since a good strong plant will not grow out of them and it will not be possible to get abundant flowering.

seedling care

Proper care of the plant is very important in order to get a strong flower. Watering should be done only when necessary, at least once every five days.

Required caliberchoa and fertilizing. First, they are introduced 14 days after the dive procedure. For top dressing, a complex of mineral fertilizers is used. The dose should be half as much as the one prescribed in the instructions, otherwise it may destroy the roots. Then top dressing is performed once every 14 days until the flower is planted on permanent place.

offshoot flower

Growing from cuttings is more easy reception plant breeding. To get young shoots, tops of at least 4 centimeters and no more than 6 are cut off from an adult flower. Then the shoots are planted in the soil, which is prepared identically to the soil for seeds. In order for the process of root formation to take place in a short time, the lower leaves on the processes are cut off.

To plants take root quickly, over a container with seedlings make a small greenhouse. To do this, the container is covered with transparent cellophane. It must be removed every day for five minutes to allow the plant to breathe. Then we take care of the seedlings, as for an adult plant.

Planting seedlings in open ground produced when the temperature outside is at least 15 degrees plus. For planting, it is better to take large hanging pots or tall flowerpots. Most often, landing is carried out in late spring - early summer.

The soil should be identical to the one in which the seedlings grew. Planting is best done in the evening so that the sun's rays do not burn the plant. After the flower takes root, it will need bright sun, but not all the time.

If calibrachoa is properly grown and cared for, then the plant will delight its owner for a long time. rapid flowering. There are no major maintenance issues.

Due to the fact that the flower does not tolerate heat, it is not necessary to plant it in a sunny area. The best place for this is a place that is illuminated by the sun in the morning and evening, then you can be sure that the rays will not burn the calibrachoa.

Outside temperature also matters, no need to leave the plant on outdoors, if the street is below 12 degrees plus.

Humidity to a lesser extent affects the flower. Calibrachoa does not like great dryness, and so a certain moisture is not needed, normal and slightly increased humidity is suitable for the plant. If, due to prolonged heat and lack of rain, the air is dry, then you need to place a plate of water near the flower. Evaporation will increase the humidity of the air around. On the winter period Calibrachoa is taken to a warm room.

When watering a plant, it must be borne in mind that it is not strong demanding on moisture than a petunia, and abundant watering of the earth can ruin it.

It is required to feed the flower once every two weeks, using a complex of fertilizers for flowering plants for this.

Calibrachoa needs to be sprayed. In the heat, the procedure is carried out three times a day. Spraying is necessary warm water which stood for several days. It is allowed to carry out spraying in conjunction with top dressing of the roots. For this experienced gardeners use succinic acid or certain compounds to treat the stems and foliage of the plant. This will stimulate the formation of the greatest number of buds and long, very rapid flowering.

Features of care in the winter

Calibrachoa is a perennial and therefore it is brought into a warm room for the winter. Place the plant on north side apartments, away from radiators and heaters. If it is not possible to place the flower away from a heat source, then the battery must be covered with a thick cloth.

After two weeks of the flower being in a warm room, its shoots are cut in half and watering is reduced. If there is a special lamp, then cuttings for breeding can be formed from the cut off shoots.

Control of diseases and pests

If properly cared for, the plant will not get sick. Due to strong watering, a flower can get sick with a fungus, but by fulfilling all the growing conditions and observing proper watering, this can be prevented.

In order to prevent damage to the plant by various pests, it is required to spray it once every 14 days with special solutions that are sold in any garden supermarket.

When creating a landscape in a summer cottage, calibrachoa is used to form complex compositions with tall and hanging pots. The plant will very harmoniously complement the design of the site and will perfectly form a bright color spot.

Do not confuse caliberhoa with petunias and think that this is an annual plant. With proper care, it will be a wonderful decoration for any suburban area. A pot with numerous small flowers is sure to attract the increased attention of people around.

Calibrachoa is an exquisite annual planter. If you are looking for a new unusual decoration for flowerpots and hanging planters, then Calibrachoa is perfect for this role. Flowers conquer shades of bright orange, yellow, red and fiery red tones. Calibrochoas have become popular due to their compact appearance and ability to open flowers at once. In addition, growing calibrachoa is profitable: it is enough to purchase it only once and regularly propagate it with cuttings.

Growing Calibrachoa from Seeds

When growing caliberchoa from seeds, you need to keep in mind its seeds have a low percentage of germination and rarely repeat signs. mother plant. Seedlings are often weak and indeterminate in color. Before any crops it is desirable. If necessary, you can. Calibrachoa is perhaps the only annual that is best propagated not by seeds, but by cuttings.

Calibrachoa seeds are sown at the end of February, not forgetting about. You can use or sterile substrate. To get sterile soil mix, it is heated in the oven or microwave to kill bacteria that cause rot.

Seeds are laid out on the surface of the earth, lightly pressed to the ground and containers with them are placed in a warm place. After germination, the seedlings are placed under the lamps, and not on the windowsill. Natural light from the window will not be enough, plants need 10-12 hours of daylight, and a cool window sill will not allow plants to fully develop.

After a month and a half, the plants are planted in small containers, relocated to the ground when the threat of frost passes.

In my garden, I plant seedlings of calibrachoa in a pot in early May and leave them in the greenhouse until the buds form. When the threat of frost has passed, the caliberchoa take their place of honor.

Read more about sowing seeds of annuals and growing seedlings in the article:

Planting Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa cannot stand the heat, so they try not to place flowers on the south wall of the house, choosing places where the sun shines only in the morning or evening hours. Calibrachoa shoots are very delicate and brittle, so the plants are also placed in places protected from the wind.

When planting in a flower pot, no more than 2 plants are placed, the soil is prepared on the basis of compost with mandatory drainage.

Caring for Calibrachoa

In general, caring for calibrachoa is similar to. However, there are several nuances: plants need to be protected from the scorching sun, protected from the wind, not flooded, and timely preventive measures should be taken in pest control.

Watering Calibrachoa

When growing caliberhoa, you need to be especially careful about watering plants, which, unlike petunias, are afraid of overflow and do not need frequent moistening of the earth. Before watering pets, you need to check the moisture content of the earth to the touch.

Calibrachoa pests

The cozy corners where calibrachoa are usually planted are fraught with one danger: ampelous lettuce is often affected by spider mites - the only pest that annoys caliberhoa. To exclude the possibility of infection with a tick, the plants are sprayed with an interval of 2 weeks with insecticidal preparations ( Actellik , Karbofos , Aktara ). The drugs are alternated.

Top dressing caliberchoa

For lush flowering, plants are fed (for example, nettles) 1 time in 2 weeks. Herbal infusion is diluted with water 1:10, foliar top dressing on the leaves is also carried out with the same infusion. Instead of infusion of grass, complex mineral fertilizer is also used.

Calibrachoa care after flowering

After 1.5-2 months, even with the best care, the flowering of calibrachoa gradually fades away, then the shoots are shortened by half, the soil in the pots is mulched with compost and watered with herbal infusion or urea solution to stimulate the formation of new shoots and buds.

Calibrachoa pinch

Calibrachoa are less prone to stretching than petunia, so the need for pinching is minimal for them. Plants are pinched if the beginnings of buds have formed at the ends of the shoots, and more than a month before planting in the garden.

Cuttings of calibrachoa

Calibrachoa is propagated mainly by cuttings, and not by seeds, which makes its cultivation popular among gardeners, because it is not difficult to maintain mother liquors, and there is no need to purchase planting material.

The tops of the shoots are cuttings immediately after pinching. Stems 5-7 cm long are suitable for cuttings of calibrachoa, 2 leaves are left on each of them and the top is pinched. The lower cut of the cuttings is made oblique, the cuttings are stuck at an angle and covered with a bag for successful rooting.

The appearance of shoots in the axils of the leaves is a sure sign that the plants have taken root. Such cuttings are planted in the ground a month after the first signs of rooting - usually this is the end of June. Calibrachoa cuttings begin to bloom by mid-August, gradually replacing the original caliberhoa bushes, which are gradually fading away by this time.

Cuttings of calibrachoa for the winter

Calibrachoa is a rather heat-loving plant; it reacts negatively to temperatures below 10 ° C. Therefore, before a cold snap at the end of the season, a planter with a plant is brought into the room. In the apartment, plants are placed on north windows away from the battery. All batteries in the room are covered with a blanket to prevent warm, dry air from entering the plant.

2 weeks after bringing the caliberhoa into the room, the shoots of the plant are cut to half the length and watering is reduced. If there is a possibility of supplementary illumination for cuttings, they are cut in December, if this is not possible, cuttings are started no earlier than the end of February.

How to root a caliberchoa cutting

A box with loose soil and drainage is prepared, covered with sand from above with a layer of 2-3 cm, the soil is moistened. Cuttings are cut about 5 cm long - each should have no more than two leaves - and stuck into the ground. The distance between the cuttings is made small (approx. 1 cm).

Cut stems should be cut into the ground immediately, otherwise rooting will not be successful. The less time passes from cutting the cutting to hitting the ground, the higher the chances of its rooting.

Sticks are stuck around the perimeter of the box and covered with a bag so that the film does not touch the cuttings. Such a greenhouse is moistened in a timely manner, for rooting the plants need high humidity, the cuttings are placed under the lamp. When shoots appear from the internodes, they begin to ventilate the greenhouse, briefly lifting the package, after a week it is removed.

If there are several queen cells, but you need a large number of cuttings, then immediately after the first cutting, the bushes are fed and a month later the cuttings are repeated.

Planting cuttings of calibrachoa

Calibrachoa cuttings are planted 2 months after the first signs of rooting appear. If not all cuttings are rooted in the box, it is not necessary to plant them until they are planted in the ground. In mid-May, they are taken out of the greenhouse and planted in prepared flowerpots.

Flowering will occur 1-1.5 months after planting, and 2 weeks after planting, caliberhoa begin to feed.

Svetlana Samoilova, amateur florist, collector of rare plants

About what other flowers can be planted in the country, read the articles:

Ask the florist about how to decorate winter Garden or terrace. The answer is obvious: take a petunia. unpretentious plant ampel type blooms profusely, which delights not only the owner himself, but also the guests. But few people know that there is a plant very similar to it that can become a worthy competitor - calibrachoa. Today's article is devoted to growing from seeds and caring for this plant.

general description

Lush cascades of calibrachoa today increasingly began to appear on balconies, they decorate summer cottages. Wherein long time it was believed that this is a variety of the genus Petunia, with which the official literature agreed. It was only after scientists were able to identify different DNA that caliberchoa was singled out into a separate category.

This is perennial the nightshade family, which is common in the wild. Even in spring, it attracts attention with long lashes. But when the plant blooms, it becomes like a flower bed. No wonder the people called it "a million bells." The flowers are small gramophones, the diameter of the buds is 3 cm.

In the wild, they are all purple. But today there are many hybrids that flower growers grow from seeds. Calibrachoa is available in pink and yellow, white and pink, blue and brown. You can choose different varieties and sow them in pots to make colorful mini-flower beds.

The main difference between this plant and petunia is the yellow “neck”, as well as dark veins in the middle of the petal. This feature does not depend on the main color of the bud.

Some features of growing from seeds

Calibrachoa is very afraid of the wind. This applies to seeds and seedlings. She needs sunny areas protected from drafts. Flowers are very fond of fertile soil. Only under this condition will you get lush flowering. It should be noted that reproduction is possible in two ways:

• seeds;
• vegetatively.

Experienced flower growers note that it is easier and faster to grow flowers from cuttings. What are the disadvantages they see in growing from seed? The fact is that you can get varietal plants only if you buy original seeds. Collected from the mother plant, they will give a semblance of wild caliberhoa. Even with proper care they will bloom sparingly, with small flowers.

Reasons for growing from seed

Despite the ease of growing plants from cuttings, many continue to buy seeds in the spring, and then plant the seedlings in the ground. Seedlings are quite expensive, and this is the key reason why flower growers decide to go all the way on their own. Of course, it is a pleasure for amateurs to watch how a plant turns from a tiny seed into a large bush, but there are much fewer such people.

To decorate the balcony with lush inflorescences, it is not at all necessary to spend money on expensive seedlings. It is enough to buy a bag of seeds. Growing calibrachoa has certain difficulties, but they are easy to overcome if you read the materials of the article. Simple rules will help you get a healthy and profusely flowering plant throughout the summer.

Primary preparation

Returning home with a bag of seeds, do not rush to immediately place them in the ground. They have a dense shell, so without pre-treatment they may not germinate. Soaking will help increase the chances that the seeds will sprout. To do this, they are kept in a special solution for 1.5 days.

Usually these are phytohormones that stimulate the early awakening of the embryo, which ensures rapid germination. These include "Zircon" or "Epin". On the second day, the seeds must be removed from the solution and dried on a paper towel.

Seed sowing procedure

Each grower can choose the method that he is used to using. Growing caliberchoa is no different than any other seedling:

1. Most often, an ordinary bowl is taken, filled with soil and placed under the film until germination. This method works great for this plant as well. Experienced flower growers recommend applying mineral fertilizers to the soil, as well as adding a little coarse sand. This provides better airflow to the roots.
2. Growing caliberchoa from seeds at home is often done using peat tablets. It is very comfortable. It is enough to wet the tablet with warm or hot water, then cool. You get a "glass" of nutrient soil, with which the plant can be planted in the ground.

This is a light-loving plant, therefore, when growing seedlings, it is required to provide daylight hours lasting 16 hours. If the seeds are planted in early spring, then it is necessary to use fluorescent lamps. To create a greenhouse effect, you need to cover the soil with a film or glass.

First sprouts

Growing caliberchoa flower seeds is quite an exciting process. Shoots appear very quickly. If all technologies are followed, then within a week after planting you will be able to see the sprouts. Tiny plants are still very weak, so they need to be hardened. To do this, we begin to remove the film from the pots, first for an hour a day, then for two. So we are gradually transferring to the usual, room content.

Care of young plants

Growing calibrachoa from seeds (a photo of the sprouts allows you to see that they are strong enough) is a standard set of procedures:

• Timely watering and spraying. This is the most important point, since the seedlings practically do not tolerate the drying out of the earthy coma. Spray the soil three times a day. Be sure to use warm, settled water.
• Fertilize twice a month for indoor plants. They are also applied by spraying.
• When three leaves appeared on the seedlings, it should be taken out to the balcony for several hours a day.
• We missed a little when to plant calibrachoa. Growing from seeds is usually timed for the upcoming summer season. Therefore, they can be sown in March, so that in April they can already be transplanted to their place of permanent residence. By mid-April, the average daily temperature already reaches 23 degrees, which fully satisfies the needs of plants. As soon as at night the temperature has ceased to fall below this mark, you can take out the pots on the balcony and plant young plants in them.
• The plant looks great in flowerpots, as well as in high flower beds.

Transplant and care

The cultivation of calibrachoa from now on takes place at a permanent place of residence, in open ground or large pots, where flowering will occur. Plants are photophilous, but partial shade is also suitable for permanent growth.

When 5-6 leaves appear on the plants, it is necessary to pinch the top. This allows you to increase the decorative effect and form beautiful ampelous shoots. Young seedlings do not tolerate wind and extreme heat. Therefore, when growing on a balcony, it is recommended to shade it. If the balcony is not glazed, then keeping plants on it is not recommended. Drafts and temperature changes can ruin it.

Landing in open ground

Growing calibrachoa (in the photo - just such a flower bed), is possible in the open field. But if seedlings can be taken out to the balcony already in mid-April, then they are planted in the garden at the end of May to avoid the possibility of frost. It is necessary to follow a number of rules that will allow you to grow strong, strong plants:

• It is required to pick up a sunny, but slightly shaded area with loamy or sandy soil. It is unacceptable to plant plants in sunny, scorching areas.
• When planting in flowerpots, it is necessary to count at least 3 kg of soil for each plant.

Watering rules

In the summer, the amount of water is a factor that determines the correct development of bushes and their flowering.

• Watering bushes in open ground should be moderate. It is advisable to pour water directly under the root and keep the soil slightly moist. It is usually enough to shed the earth 2 times a week.
• On the hottest days, it is recommended to perform daily spraying of plants. You need to do this in the morning and evening.
• Jets of water hitting the plant are detrimental to it. Therefore, the use automatic systems irrigation is not allowed. Contact with water on leaves and flowers will greatly harm.
• Abundant watering and prolonged rains often become the causes of death. The roots of the plant begin to rot, flower buds cease to be laid.

Fertilization

All flowering plants have increased requirements for the nutritional value of the substrate. This rule also applies to calibrachoa. At first, the seedlings will have enough mineral fertilizer, which is applied to the soil immediately before sowing. When an adult bush adapts to a permanent place, you need to repeat the procedure.

Timely top dressing allows the bushes to grow healthy, please longer with lush flowering, be resistant to various pests and diseases. Before the buds bloom, this procedure is performed 3-4 times a month. This fully covers the needs of plants in nutrients. For this, they are used complex fertilizers that contain nitrogen. During the setting of buds, you will need to change fertilizers to a phosphorus and potassium complex.

Bush formation

Primary pinching was done when the plant had reached the 5-leaf stage. But the procedure does not end there. To preserve the decorativeness and aesthetics of the bush long time, it is necessary to promptly remove those buds that have already faded. In this case, those forces that are intended for the ripening of seeds will be directed to the formation of new buds.

Too long stems should be removed by a third or half. This allows you to create a more lush bush and form many new buds. This is very important to keep the decorative effect throughout the season.

wintering plants

We have already noted that the plant is an annual. But this is not entirely correct. It's just that if you collect the seeds, they will not retain the signs of the mother plant, and on next year you will not get beautiful and lush flowers. However, most bushes can grow and bloom for several years in a row. To do this, with the onset of autumn, you need to bring the flowerpot into a warm room.

Throughout the winter, it is required to maintain a temperature regime that will ensure rest. flower plant. It's 17-19 degrees. With the onset of spring, the temperature rises, the number of waterings increases, which stimulates the formation of new buds. So the bush will bloom well the second year. All of the above conditions for the formation of bushes must be observed.

Diseases

Among the pests that infect this plant, one can note aphids, whiteflies, spider mite and thrips. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatment with modern insecticides throughout the entire period of cultivation and care. Calibrachoa (photo shows the beauty of a flowering bush) must be protected from fungal and viral diseases. The most common are black leg, powdery mildew, root rot. To prevent their development, it is necessary to optimize watering and treat the land with antifungal drugs.

- a flower with an exotic name and a very decorative look. It is valued by flower growers for its ampelous properties - the flower falls in a cascade of small flowers, shaped like bells. To settle on garden plot or a calibrachoa balcony, you need to know the rules for growing and caring for a flower.

Calibrachoa flower: description

Genus Calibrachoa - Nightshade. Any inexperienced gardener, seeing a caliberchoa, will easily confuse it with a petunia. And for good reason - the flowers are similar in appearance and have a common genetic origin.

The first varieties of calibrachoa were developed from petunia varieties. To do this, Japanese breeders changed their chromosomes. Petunias have 14, while caliberhoa have 18. As a result, the external spectacular appearance of caliberhoa began to differ significantly from the "ancestor" - petunias.

The conditions for planting and care are almost the same, but the methods of reproduction differ: petunia is mainly propagated by seeds, and caliberhoa by cuttings.

Sometimes flower shops offer seeds or seedlings of caliberhoa under the guise of ampelous petunias, surfinia.

Considering these factors, caliberchoa is still not a type of petunia. The shape of the Calibrachoa flowers is equated to small gramophones.

The most popular shade is purple, but breeders have pleased with color hybrids:

• pink;
• red;
• white;
• yellow;
• raspberry;
• brown
• dark blue.

This is an ampelous annual plant. decorative look has when grown in flowerpots, flowerpots.

Who wants to buy a caliberchoa, and not a petunia variety, should pay attention to the characteristics:

1. Flower size. Calibrachoa has miniature flowers (no more than 3.5 cm), while petunias have them much larger. Although there is an exception here - "minitunia" also have small flowers.
2. "throat" of a flower- the base of the corolla. In calibrachoa, it differs sharply from the main color. Mostly bright yellow.
3. Leaves. A clear difference that catches the eye. Like flowers, the leaves of calibrachoa are small, up to 1.5 cm wide, up to 4 cm long, elongated. A short cannon grows on the surface, which is also on the stem.
4. Stem. Unlike petunia, it is very dense, there is a similarity with the trunk of a shrub. In petunia, it is grassy, ​​pliable.

Calibrachoa flower

petunia flower

Growing seedlings and mature plants requires sunny areas protected from wind and drafts. It is better to give preference to fertile soil.

Reproduction is carried out in 2 ways: by seeds and vegetatively (cuttings).

Experienced gardeners prefer propagation by cuttings, since growing caliberchoa from seeds has several disadvantages:

1. Flowers are not like the "mother plant". Often the result is not what was expected. Many plants are similar to wild calibrachoa. Rarely repeat "parents".
2. Even with proper care, poor flowering is observed: flowers may be the wrong color, too small.

How to grow caliberchoa from seeds?

Plant seedlings cost a lot. To grow on your site or decorate a balcony with calibrachoa inflorescences, it is not necessary to spend money on expensive seedlings.

It is enough to buy seeds and grow flowers yourself. The plant is a little whimsical in planting and care. But simple rules and breeding tips will help you get a healthy, profusely flowering plant throughout the summer.

Seed preparation

Seeds of all varieties are round. To increase the chances of germination (although this does not always guarantee a good result), they are kept for 1.5 days in a preparation that belongs to phytohormones and stimulates rapid germination. Alternatively, use "Zircon" or "Epin". After the soaking process, dry on gauze or paper towels.

Sowing features

seedling care

Seedling care rules:

1. The main care measure is timely watering and spraying. Spray the soil 3 times a day. Only warm settled water is used. 2-3 times a month it is allowed to make flowers for seedlings. It is recommended to apply them by spraying.
2. If at least 3 leaves appeared on the seedlings, it should be taken out to the balcony for several hours(mostly at this time it is already spring and the temperature allows).
3. When the daytime temperature outside does not drop below 23°C, you can transplant seedlings to a permanent place (in flowerpots, flowerpots). These plants are photophilous, but for permanent growth, you can choose partial shade.
4. When at least 5-6 leaves appear on a young flower, pinch the top. This will help in the future to form a decorative bush, give beautiful side shoots.
5. Young seedlings do not tolerate wind and frequent heat. Growing her on the balcony, remember the need for constant shading.

If the balcony is not glazed, then it is not advisable to use it because of possible drafts and temperature changes.

Planting seedlings in open ground

1. A flower can be planted not only in a flower pot, but also in open ground. Transplantation is carried out in mid-late May. But everything is individual, you need to monitor the weather conditions. There should be no frost.
2. If you pick up a sunny or shaded area with loamy or sandy soils, follow all the rules of care, then caliberhoa will be much more resistant to pests, infections, drafts, strong winds. Planting a plant in sunny scorching areas is unacceptable.
3. Watering bushes that have already been planted in a permanent place needs moderate watering. The soil must be constantly moist. It is advisable to pour water under the root.
4. Plants that have grown will not be superfluous and daily spraying especially on the hottest days. When transplanting, count on 2.5-3 kg of soil per plant.

When choosing this method of reproduction, it is better to use purchased seeds from a trusted company. Self collection seeds will not only worsen the decorative effect of the “mother” flower, but may also prevent flowering when grown.

How to grow more crops?

Any gardener and summer resident is pleased to receive big harvest with large fruits. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to get the desired result.

Often plants lack nutrition and useful minerals

It has the following properties:

• Allows increase yield by 50% in just a few weeks of use.
• You can get good harvest even on low-fertility soils and in adverse climatic conditions
• Absolutely safe

How to propagate caliberchoa cuttings?

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Getting a cutting is easy: it is worth cutting off the top from young plant no more than 5-6 cm.
2. At the selected cutting, 2-3 lower leaves are plucked off. 40-50 minutes after the cut, place the cuttings in a bowl of water.
3. The next step is planting the cutting in the ground. It is recommended to use peat tablets or a special shop primer for plants that bloom. Preparation for planting: remove excess moisture from the handle and treat with Kornevin. This will facilitate the subsequent care and resistance of the plant to diseases.
4. After that, you can bury the stalk in the soil. Make a hole with toothpicks or matches. Deepen to the first leaves on the handle. Place the box in a mini-greenhouse for the first time (you can simply cover it with a film) and refresh the soil in a timely manner by spraying.
5. Air cuttings 1-2 times a day. The optimum temperature for their rooting is 20-22°C. If the planting and care procedure is carried out correctly, then after 12-14 days, expect the first roots.
6. Care for young shoots is simple- keep the optimum humidity and do not expose them to a draft. The first transplant is carried out when the young roots grow by 2-3 cm. For young shoots, a pot with a diameter of 5-6 cm is enough.
7. Many gardeners mistake this flower for an annual. and discarded after the first year of flowering. Subject to certain conditions of care, you can get a chic next year from the same plant. bright bloom. It will be enough to provide him with moderate watering in a flowerpot, the right care. Temperature for winter storage plants should not exceed +12°C.

Calibrachoa grown from petunias are better adapted to the effects of bad weather and pests.

Active growth of such cuttings occurs in winter. They tolerate the rooting procedure well and practically all take root. In spring, shoots can be taken from young plants for cuttings.

Caring for Calibrachoa in the Garden and at Home

There are no special differences in caring for a flower planted in a flowerpot and in open ground. But in open areas it is much harder to protect it from bad weather and pests. At the same time, "indoor" specimens may have more decorative effect.

Watering

Irrigation rules:

Fertilizers and top dressing

In order for the bushes to be healthy, resistant to various pests and diseases, to delight with lush flowering longer, carry out timely feeding of adult bushes.

During the period of active growth (before flowering), top dressing is carried out 3-4 times a month. Complex fertilizers containing nitrogen are suitable. During the setting of buds and the beginning of flowering, phosphorus should also predominate in fertilizers.

Bush formation

In order to preserve the decorativeness and aesthetics of the bush for longer, long flowering, carry out the timely removal of buds that have already faded and withered. Thus, the forces of the plant, which were intended for the ripening of seeds, will be directed to the setting and flowering of new buds.

Getting flowering all summer is real, you need to cut, pinch long stems. They are removed by 2/3 or half. This procedure will help create a more lush bush, tie many healthy lush buds.

Video about the formation of calibrachoa:

Wintering and possible transplant

Most caliberhoa varieties are annuals. Beginning gardeners do not particularly bother to get abundant flowering from the same plant next year.

But for some varieties it is possible. To do this, a flowerpot with a flower that has faded is placed in a shaded place and watering and fertilizing are reduced to a minimum. AT cold period must be in a dormant period. It is better if watering is replaced by spraying.

Stories from our readers!
“I am a summer resident with many years of experience, and I started using this fertilizer only last year. I tested it on the most capricious vegetable in my garden - on tomatoes. The bushes grew and bloomed together, the harvest was more than usual. And they didn’t get sick with late blight, this is the main thing.

Fertilizer really gives more intensive growth of garden plants, and they bear fruit much better. Now you can’t grow a normal crop without fertilizer, and this top dressing increases the number of vegetables, so I am very pleased with the result."

Pests and growing problems

Among the pests are:

• thrips;

Most frequent illnesses calibrachoa:

And also note the problems of cultivation:

• Leaves turn yellow quickly. Reason: lack of iron in the soil, too low room temperature. If only the lower leaves turn yellow, this indicates a low level of nitrogen in the soil or the flowerpot (planter) is too small for a flower.
• The leaves dry up and curl. Reason: the plant has too little light or the humidity needs to be increased.

Most caliberchoa diseases are easier to prevent than to treat. After all, treatment does not guarantee that the flower will remain healthy and strong. BUT preventive measures consist only in elementary rules flower care.

Types and varieties for cultivation

Thanks to the hard work of breeders, gardeners grow a huge number of caliberchoa of various shapes and colors. Characteristics depend on the variety. The diameter of the flower of the largest caliberchoa reaches 3.5, rarely 4 cm.

Cabloom blue

The flower is grown from seeds. During the flowering period, the bush has a form of unusual beauty: up to 35 cm high, up to 40 wide, spherical shape and is covered with hundreds of small bell flowers, the diameter of which reaches up to 3.5 cm.

The culture gives a good and lush flowering only when grown on sunny areas. With proper care, you can enjoy flowering throughout the summer. Vases with flowers of this variety are a bright decoration of a balcony, terrace, garden plot.

Terry

The species has differences precisely in the appearance of the flower. The corollas of the inflorescence have several layers, they look lush. Colors range from bright yellow to dark blue. The variety has a small drawback - flowering is not abundant, but it is fully compensated by the splendor of the flowers.

Cabaret

A group of varieties that has 12 positions. Most of the flowers are white. Other colors are rare. An adult plant in a pot looks like a ball, strewn with an abundance of white bells. The view is used by landscape designers to create living arches.

Super Bells (Super Bells)

The series includes 8 varieties of Calibrachoa. large - up to 3.5 cm in diameter. Color - from yellow to burgundy. It does not have many leaves, and the branches grow up to 1 meter. Flowering begins in late spring.

The species is resistant to bad weather conditions(heavy rain, hail) and temperature fluctuations, but the standard conditions of care must still be observed. The variety is in harmony with white calibrachoa.

A million bells (Million Bells)

A variety of flower, including 18 varieties, which has received the greatest distribution due to the abundant number of small flowers, behind which no leaves are visible. Thanks to the long run looks spectacular in hanging pots. Basically, varieties differ in shades. The flowers of this species are characterized by bicolor.

Noah (Noah)

The variety consists of 6 types of flowers. Shades - from white to light purple. Experienced flower growers note the sophistication of the variety. Flowers are painted in 2-3 shades of the same color. The length of the branches reaches 0.6 meters.

The variety is whimsical in care - it prefers partial shade and slightly high humidity(no need to overdo it with watering). It is recommended to plant as a plant for one year, because after the winter it loses strength and does not bloom.

sunset

Propagation of the variety is carried out by seeds or cuttings. The spherical bush reaches up to 33 cm in height and 35 cm in diameter. Flowering is sure to please the eye, as the flowers have an unusual yellow-orange hue.

The variety is suitable for growing in floor vases, hanging planters, whimsical care. Flowers up to 3 cm. Abundant flowering observed after 3-4 months after the appearance of the first shoots. If seedlings are grown independently, you can count the time of sowing seeds.

Calibrachoa in landscape design

The plant will not only be an excellent addition to any garden, balcony, terrace, but is also actively used by landscape designers to decorate large areas.

Unusual beauty, decorativeness are possible thanks to hanging stems. This waterfall of flowers will enchant everyone.

For landscape design, not only hanging varieties are used, but also undersized. They will be an excellent decoration in the open ground and in floor vases.

The zest and originality are also brought in by planting flowers of different colors. Both in pots and in open ground, plants are combined with other flowers.

Calibrachoa get along best with flowers:

• function;
• ivy;
• verbena;
• love;
• pelargonium.

As a "neighbor" use and sweet pea, chlorophytum.

There were options for combining with coleus, an unpretentious, bright plant that grows quickly and fills the flower beds with bright colors. Sedge is used because of the very beautiful shades of some varieties. She decorates the flower bed and hides flower imperfections.

The most beautiful evergreen angelonia is also planted in areas with calibrachoa. It complements its decorative effect and requires the same growing conditions. To flower arrangements in the flower beds, in the garden have become unique, you just need to give free rein to your imagination.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that many flower growers prefer petunia, caliberchoa is increasingly decorating gardens, balconies and terraces. Conquers with its showiness, unusual decorative effect. And planting and care is much easier than that of a distant relative - petunias.