In the evenings, when it begins to get dark, bright “lights” light up in the garden - red, yellow, orange, lilac, white. This opens the mirabilis flowers, which have fluorescent properties. The air is filled with their spicy aroma. In the bright sun, the flowers are closed, and when the sun disappears, small but abundant inflorescences begin to shine.
When is the best time to plant a “night beauty”
The flower, which is also called “night beauty”, “dawn”, or “Ilyich’s bulb”, is very unpretentious and blooms profusely from June until the first frost.
The seeds look like small oblong nuts. You can plant them in May, when the ground warms up, directly into the ground. But in this case, flowering will begin only in August. To admire the flowering starting in June, already grown seedlings are planted in the ground in May. Seeds for seedlings are planted in March and early April.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Before planting, the seeds are kept for about half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection, then rinsed in water, removing any floating specimens.
For better seed germination, use one of the following techniques.
- The seeds are pre-soaked. They are placed in a damp cloth or cotton pad and closed. When dry, moisten with a spray bottle. When the seeds have sprouts, they can be planted.
- Scarification is used.The seeds of some plants, such as plum, peach, and walnut, have a hard shell that slows down their germination. To increase germination, the shell is thinned, its integrity is violated, so that water gets to the kernel faster and it begins to swell. This technique is also used for mirabilis seeds. They need to be carefully filed with a file, sandpaper or nail file. Do this very carefully. It is necessary to thin the shell, but not damage the seed itself.
- The third method is to warm the seeds in hot water. The seeds in a gauze bag are placed in a thermos with water at a temperature of about 50 degrees, where they are kept for 2 hours. Do not warm up near a radiator or stove!
Soil preparation
Regular universal soil from the store is suitable for seedlings. To disinfect, a day or two before planting, the soil should be shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or furosemide (on the tip of a knife per liter of water).
Planting seeds
Since the root system is powerful and goes deep, the planting container should be deep - a tall glass or box.
The seeds are planted to a depth of 1-2 cm, watered, covered with film, a plastic bag or glass and placed in a warm place. When sprouts appear, the shelter is removed. As the soil dries out, water the plants, being careful not to overwater them. You can fertilize with a solution of special fertilizer for seedlings (Fertika, Krepysh, etc.).
Hardening of seedlings
Before planting in the garden, seedlings are hardened off. In order for young seedlings to get used to the outside world - cool air, wind, sun rays - they are taken outside first for a few minutes, then this time is gradually increased.
By following these recommendations, you will be able to get healthy and strong flower seedlings by the time you plant them in the garden.
