Growing “African chamomile” is not difficult even for an inexperienced gardener. The seeds are quite large, it is convenient to plant them in individual cups and large bowls. Fresh osteospermum seeds germinate quickly and amicably and do not require special care; it is enough to follow some rules for growing them.
Choosing the right seeds
Depending on the wishes of the gardener, when choosing seeds, you need to decide on some criteria for growing African chamomile.
What kind of plants do you want to grow - tall, short, ampelous?
Where will osteospermum grow:
- On the balcony.
- In hanging coughs.
- In a regular pot for indoor flowers in the house.
- In open ground.
Are you planning to use professional seeds or material collected at home from your mature plants?
To plant seeds in a small cache or pot, it is better to choose low-growing or hanging varieties. Flowerpots and small pots are suitable for growing indoors or for the balcony. Also, for indoor growing, you should pay attention to varieties that are adapted for such growing. Any seeds and varieties are suitable for open ground or greenhouses.
If you need 100% seed germination, then it is better to choose varieties bred by professionals. Particular attention should be paid to the expiration date on the packaging and the date of collection of the seeds.
- Usually the material is prepared from September to November.
- The shelf life is no more than 3 years, and the older the seeds, the denser their shell, which means that not all of them can sprout or the sprouts will be unfriendly.
It is better to choose seeds in specialized stores, in good packaging, from well-known, reputable agricultural companies. And do not purchase in spontaneous markets and in little-known online stores, where you can buy expired goods, of poor quality and of the wrong type.
Sowing period
Depending on the region, seed sowing begins from the end of February to the end of April. The colder the region, the later the sowing. To choose the right time for planting, you need to take into account that planting in open ground occurs after 50-60 days. This means that you need to decide in advance on the date of transplantation into open ground:
- select the day of the week;
- familiarize yourself with the lunar calendar for this day;
- after which, from date “x”, count 50-60 days in the opposite direction.
Osteospermums do not tolerate night frosts well, therefore, knowing the weather conditions of your region, choose a transplant date when night frosts are no longer possible.
Seed preparation
Homemade material has a weaker shell than seeds purchased from varietal plants from professional agricultural companies. Therefore, they are treated as for planting ordinary seeds, disinfected, allowed to drain excess liquid and planted in pots or peat tablets.
Varietal seeds are larger, their shell is hard, because of it, seedlings can wait up to two weeks, and sometimes not at all. To break their shell, you can use several scarification methods. Among them:
- Freezing, temperature — from -10 °С to -20 °С, a freezer in the refrigerator or appropriate weather conditions are suitable for this. To prevent the seeds from getting wet, it is better to wrap them in a plastic bag or pour them into a plastic jar. At -10-15 °С, 18-24 hours are enough, at -15-20 °С — no more than 12 hours.
- Warming up for 10-15 minutes in 2 stages in the oven at a temperature of +70 °С.
- Temperature difference in 2-3 stages, alternating soaking in hot and cold water, and keeping in each for no more than 15 minutes.
- Soaking in growth stimulants "Energen Aqua", "NV-101", "Zircon", "Epin-Extra", "Novosil" or in succinic acid. But after processing in these liquids, the seeds are laid out on paper towels, allowed to drain excess liquid and dry for 2-3 hours.
After any of these processing methods, the seeds will hatch faster, within 7-10 days.
Features of the soil for planting
The plant's homeland is South Africa, so it is better to select the appropriate soil. It should be rich in nutrients, with a pH level of 6.5-7.5 (neutral or slightly alkaline). The easiest way is to buy a specialized soil mixture or peat tablets. To prepare the soil mixture at home, take in equal proportions:
- soil from the garden;
- lowland peat - it will be the basis;
- vermiculite - will help maintain constant humidity and improve the composition of nutrients in the soil mixture;
- perlite - will help remove excess moisture and air permeability of the soil;
- River sand – will improve the condition of the soil and help the sprouts to emerge faster.
All components are mixed in a large container, and then laid out in pots in which the plants will be sown, and the finished soil is moistened with warm water from a spray bottle.
Temperature
Osteospermum is a moisture-loving, heat-loving plant that grows naturally in the Mediterranean natural zone. This means that for successful germination it is necessary to create suitable conditions:
- additional lighting (phytolamps), which will extend daylight hours to 17-18 hours;
- a warm place with a constant temperature of at least 23 ° C;
- growing containers should have lids or you can use cling film pressed tightly to the edges of the pot.
It should always be humid and warm under the cover, then seedlings will appear in 7-10 days, but do not be upset if after this period the seeds have not sprouted. There are many other factors that affect seedlings, so you can wait up to 20 days.
When growing the extraordinary beauty of the osteospermum flower, it is important to remember that it does not like to be flooded with soil, and often inexperienced gardeners overwater the soil, which leads to rotting of not only the young shoots, but also the seeds themselves.
