Delphinium comes in luxurious flowers. However, it is not often possible to see it in flower beds and garden plots. The reason for this is the difficulty of growing the plant. It's quite capricious. Despite this, it is possible to grow delphinium from seeds at home, knowing the characteristics and requirements of the flower.
When grown from seeds, you can expect beautiful flowering within a couple of months. Below are some useful tips.
Seed selection and storage
Seeds for planting should be purchased exclusively in specialized stores. They must be hermetically packaged and contain information on cultivation, including the seed germination rate.
Planting material must be stored correctly, observing basic conditions. Seeds prefer cold, so the best place for storage would be freezer. 15 years is the maximum storage period.
Attention: Self-collected seeds are placed in a paper bag and also stored at low temperatures, in the refrigerator or freezer.
Sowing time
You can grow seedlings in both spring and autumn. For experienced flower growers, the spring period is suitable, from about mid-March. For beginners in this business, it is worth starting a little earlier, in February, in order to have time to get seedlings. At this stage, artificial lighting is required, since in winter there is still not enough daylight.
In autumn, seeds are sown at the end of August. This time is enough for the onset of winter. The seedlings will have time to get stronger.
Sowing container
Seedlings do not tolerate soil with high acidity and too much free space for roots. The plant prefers tight spaces, so the container must be chosen exactly in size. Tall disposable plastic cups and pots are not suitable. It is preferable to take a compact, low container. There are 3 conditions regarding growing containers:
- It must be clean, not used by any other plants. A one-time option is ideal. If it is a food container, after eating food you need to wash it thoroughly and let it dry. It can be further processed by scalding with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Large drainage holes are required to prevent clogging.
- The presence of a tray is also necessary, because watering is carried out through it.
Additional information: it is advisable to take a container with a tight-fitting lid.
Soil for seedlings
Proper soil is the key to good germination and healthy seedlings. There are several soil requirements:
- the composition should not contain peat, as it acidifies the soil;
- neutral ph;
- the soil should be light and loose, so that the water does not stagnate and crusts do not appear on its surface;
- absence of pathogenic microorganisms in the soil: if there is humus, you can simply water it with a fungicide, for example, Fitosporin; if the soil is created independently, it is steamed in the oven.
To make a suitable soil, take equal amounts of chernozem, humus, and sand.If you do not have the necessary experience, it is better to buy land in a specialized store. Suitable soil for succulents: it is soft and loose.
Picking
Picking is carried out when a pair of green leaves appears on the sprouted seeds. They are dumped into separate containers. Shallow cassettes of no more than 7 cm are suitable. The soil can be used as before, but first you need to carry out a preventive disinfection treatment and then apply a comprehensive mineral fertilizer for the seedlings. For 2 liters take 1 tsp. with a slide.
Dive in a container with a tray and holes for drainage. The seedlings are not buried very deeply. The root neck should remain flush with the ground surface.
Attention! Watering and fertilizing are applied only to the tray.
Guided by these simple tips, you can grow healthy and strong seedlings from seeds, and from them - luxurious delphiniums. The best decoration for the garden.
